259 – The End of Human Eating

“Ge, geba…”

The manticore steps back. But we’ve already confirmed that way is a dead end that way. If it wants to get out, then it’ll have to get past me.

“I-it’s the dragon-god! Th-this is an absurdity! Why? Why is the dragon-god here!?”

I check behind to see Yarg pointing his spear at me. He’s wielding the spear Tatark had. But both his arm and his voice are trembling, so it doesn’t look like he’ll charge at me any time soon.

“Gaaaa…”

My partner glares at him and he drops the spear and sinks to the floor.

“A-aah…aah. What, how did it come to this…?”

…Sorry for scaring you so much. Rather than sit down, I’d rather you ran away though.

Like Yarg, Tatark is staring at me with his eyes wide open.

Oops, I can’t just focus on what’s behind me.

I turn my attention to the manticore. It has stopped moving and is stomping its feet on the ground.

“Gebaah!”

A sandstorm stirs up inside the cave. The already poor visibility from Yarg’s lantern grows worse. The wind also is drowning out sound.

That’ll be the [Sandstorm] skill. Monsters in the desert used the same skill, but this is stronger. There’s the effect of the higher skill level, but the confined area will also be boosting its power.

It seems it’s still deciding between making a break for it or trying to bring me down. I feel for the manticore with [Presence Perception]. Its presence moves in front of me to the left and right, then stops.

That’s unfortunate for you, manticore. If you could see my skills, there’s no way you would try this strategy.

The manticore suddenly jumps at me from diagonal left. The leg strength it was so proud of was shredded by my partner earlier. With its current level of speed combined with my ability to know its position, there’s no way it could slip that attack by me.

I twist, knocking the manticore out of the air with my tail.

“Gebaah!?”

At the moment it impacts the ground, my partner bites into it and slams it against the wall to her right. To the manticore that appears in front of my eyes, I follow it with a head-butt.

“Geoh!?”

The manticore falls to its back, tumbling with the impact of my head-butt.

I move to chase after it, until I notice the manticore is looking behind me. Yarg and Tattark are behind me. Sensing something’s wrong, I stop.

“Gebagebagebaah!”

The manticore regains its footing as it braces its legs, pointing its tail forward. At the end of its tail is its round stinger.

There’s no way, is it using the [Needle Body] skill? From where it’s looking, it’s clear that it’s aiming for the humans behind me. That it’s bringing out its stinger now that it’s got some distance means that it has to be a long-range skill. If that’s the case, there’s only one thing I can think of for an attack magic named [Needle Body]. It’s going shoot out needles.

I spread out my wings. Dozens of needles suddenly shoot from the tip of its tail. I flap my wings to stir the air, pouring magic into the wind as I do. My [Wind Blade] diverts the trajectory of the needles. All of them fall to the ground limply between myself and the manticore.

“Ge…ge, geba…”

I could tell it was going to aim for the humans behind me to distract me, but… That’s unfortunate for it.

Even the manticore can see this is as far as it can go. My status values are a rank higher. Its problematic speed was sealed from the start. I have [Status Inspection], so I know all its skills. It’s also clear that it’s got no more cards to play.

The manticore slowly gets to its feet, glaring at me with ragged breaths. It searches around with its black eyes. It’s probably looking for something to use.

“Geba… Geba…”

It’s fortunate we were able to settle this in a dead-end.

The manticore starts ramming into the wall with its body. The entire cave shakes with each impact. Could it be trying to open a hole to escape? If so there’s no way it could succeed this late on.

I charge toward the it, raising my forefoot high. This is the end.

“Ge, gege…”

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The moment I swing my claw with the intention of sending its head flying, its body shrinks. A split-second later, it has transformed into a brown-haired woman. I immediately divert my swing. My claw sticks into the ground.

Th-this, it its final moments, it’s using [Humanisation Technique]. Flustered, I raise my other forefoot into the air, but hold it steady too.

『Oi, what are you doing!?』

Receiving my partner’s thought, I regain my composure. As I’m putting force into my foreleg, at that time:

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Covering its face with its arm, the manticore repeats words of apology. Its appearance is all too fragile.

This thing is a monster that has been preying on the Lithovar tribe for a long time now. Not only has it harmed them directly, but it has also instigated doubt in the dragon-god causing the village in two, and forced them to bring it live food. It’s been tormenting them as it pleases. Even Aro was killed by it.

And yet after all that… To do this is just cowardice. Even though my head is convinced, my foreleg doesn’t move.

The manticore’s human form is tall for a female-type, and it gives an impression of delicateness. Perhaps because it looks so weak, it’s such a far cry from the human-eating monster I know it too be.

I can’t finish my swing. My arm feels heavy, as though it’s made of lead.

『Oi, pull yourself together!』

Against my best judgement, I lower my arm. As though it was waiting for that moment, the manticore raises its face.

Despite it being in form, its facial expression is anything but human. A sneer packed with malice is plastered on its face. Bloodlust seeps through the narrow gaps between its eyelids. The way its huge mouth splits open is proof that it has already begun to undo its humanisation. Its tongue hangs loosely from its mouth.

Its fangs grow larger and larger. Bracing itself with its uninjured leg, it leaps out towards my throat. It’s fast. It’s probably putting all its remaining strength into this one attack.

“Gebagebagebagebaaah!”

I fell for it. By the time I realise that, the manticore’s fangs are already in my neck. Just below my chin, its fangs are stabbed in deeply.

“Guu…”

My head goes numb. That reminds me, it had the [Paralysis Bite] skill… Damn it! I should have known it would try a sneak attack from its status and how it’s acted so far.

The manticore steadily returns to its monster form… At the time it finishes, it separates from my throat. My partner has bitten into its own throat and is pulling it off me. The paralysis mustn’t have reached her yet.

The manticore flies through the air, blood spewing from its neck. It impacts the ground, belly-up.

My partner spits out its blood.

『As always, you’re too naive.』

…I am aware of that. I really am glad you’re here.

Applying pressure to the bite wound, I use [Autoregeneration] to heal the punctures. The wounds quickly close and the numbness fades.

【Characteristic Skill[1] [Paralysis Resistance] has risen from level 5 to 6.】

I look towards the manticore. The sound of its chattering teeth rings out, then it stops moving completely.

【2044 experience points have been acquired.】
【Due to the Title Skill [Walking Egg: Lv -], an additional 2044 experience points have been acquired.】
【The level of [Ouroboros] has risen from 61 to 65.】

For the first time in a while, I gain a large amount of experience points.

【Title Skill [Brave Hero] has risen from level 2 to 4.】

Ohh, it’s skipped a level. In terms of status, the manticore was the biggest threat I’ve yet faced, surpassing even the giant centipede.

【Normal Skills [Star Drop: Lv 2], [Nutcracker: Lv 3] have transformed into [Heaven’s Drop: Lv 3]】
【Normal Skill [Return to Ground: Lv 1] has been acquired.】

Eh? Th-this, isn’t it the skill the hero had? Is this okay? It won’t infect me with his bad personality, will it?

Suddenly, I remember something from when I was fighting the hero. Towards the second half of our fight, when he summoned that insect swarm, I’m sure he said this:[2]

『Fu… Fuhu… Fuhuhu… You’ve really, truly, pissed me off. You know that? I’ve had enough… I’m going to curse this whole country to death. Apart from me, who has [Holy], no one will be spared. Not you, not Adofu, not the damned priest, not that beastman, not a single one of them! All of them will suffer and die!… You shouldn’t have chased me around so persistently. You can regret that in hell.』

…Guessing from what he said, [Holy] is a skill that can cancel out curses. If I could learn it from the [Brave Hero] title skill, then wouldn’t I be able to control the [Dragon Scales] curse that I scatter around?

[1] This is probably a mistake and is meant to say Resistance Skill
[2] Chapter 213

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