With me using a spear, my whole combat style needed to change. Therefore, I proceed to change how I'd use the fire shroud to suit my new weapon. unlike when I evoked the spell on my sword, only the spear blade was enshrouded with fire as the spell. This caused the blade to appear as if it elongated, giving me another ¼ meter reach.
Additionally, the pummel on the opposite end of the spear shaft had a small blazing fire attached. In spite of the bloodlust inside me crying for me to charge out and kill, I kept my cool. Still really pissed, I assumed a more defensive stance and awaited the three manticore to enter my striking circle.
Of the three manticore before me, only the two wingless lesser manticore dared to approach, whereas their leader stayed back as if waiting for a chance to strike a blind spot.
"Stupid beasts, I already know how best to apply your weaknesses against you…"
I mocked as they manticore approached. Still maintaining my defensive stance, I evoked the spell "Flaming Javelin" which creates a spear-like projectile much thicker and larger than my spear. The moment the two lesser manticore entered my strike zone…
BOOM!!
The first dumb man-faced cat walked right into the javelin spell. The dumb thing was skewered like a kabob into the nearest boulder. The second was lithe enough to dodge its impaled friend from crashing into it. But not fast enough to avoid my spear blade from kissing its frontal lobe.
The impact was exquisite as the spear blade made a pleasant squishing sound inside the monster's head. The leading manticore just watched the two other get done-in swiftly despite out-numbering me. I have to say, when these thing enter an enraged state, their intelligence turns to muck.
However, the leader didn't jump head long like the others. While I was fighting the other two, I thought the damn thing was just watching. Instead, the beast was actually preparing a spell of its own.
In the moment of my neglect, the grey manticore fired a pale purple ball of poisonous hellfire. Now that I see it, it's already too late for me to counter, nor am I strong enough to slice it in half nor fast enough to dodge to the side. The beast's spell was too close and has a wide splash range. So, I guess I'm gonna have to see how much of a beating my body can handle.
BOOM!!
The spell slammed right into my chest, creating a sizable explosion with me in the center of the blast. After the dust, smoke, and debris cleared the fucking manticore was still standing at a far enough distance. Not satisfied with the results, it began preparing a second spell.
On the other hand, I am stripped naked from the blast. My entire being was aching and bloodied from head to toe. I'm unable to see in my right eye. Although I can't feel my right arm, all of my limbs are still attached. Still grasping the spear and ignoring the poisonous fire inside my body, I charged the fucking bitch of a cat.
"Son of a bitch!! Death will be too peaceful of an end for you!!"
I yelled, holding my spear in my left hand while evoking all my remaining magoi into the spear, making it light up like a firework. Once I reached my limit, I then launched it like a javelin. Panicked, the manticore fired its second spell, but this time it was caught in the blast.
BOOM!!
When the dust and smoke cleared, all that remained was a headless manticore and my spear. Half of the spear shaft was deeply embedded into the tree standing behind the monster's cadaver. Although I want to rest, I can't at this moment.
Using the detoxification spell Uncle taught me, I started removing the poisonous flames from my body as I collected monster materials and my spear. Afterwards, I didn't even bother wearing clothes as I headed back to the glade looking like a corpse which had stepped out of a blood pool.
Upon arrival, I bathed and started working on completely removing the flaming poison. The poison was still eating away at me despite my earlier efforts. After 3 hours of evoking spell after spell, all I could do was heal my physical wounds, save my completely limp right arm.
After I restored sight in my right eye, I was able to remove tiny wisps of poison fire. However, there were still large fire plumes eating my insides like maggots in my bones. Hopeless of what to do, I attempted to open all of my mana palaces, to which only the left hand's mana palace responded.
"SKREEAAA!!"
As I began to command this palace to open, the wailing of a creature from the netherworld sounded in my mind, causing me to sweat beads of blood. As the wailing sounded, a powerful suction force came from the mana palace, absorbing the poison fire and all other negative energy lingering inside me. Not even 30 seconds went by when all negative energy within my body had been consumed.
Afterwards, my left-hand mana palace closed itself on its own while slowly changing in design. Further, faint tattoos appeared on my left arm. Although I'm unable to distinguish any meaning from the markings, I guess they have some relation to absorbing evil or "tainted" energy. Once I was done focusing on my left arm, a message box appeared in my view,
"Warning: An anomaly has been detected! User discretion… is advised… User…. Notice: the anomaly has been neutralized, please disregard this message."
(Okay… what the fuck was that about?) Something tells me I am going to get a shocking surprise soon. No matter! Whatever the energy filling my left-hand mana palace is, it restored my body back to peak combat readiness. Everything was as if my earlier battles did not happen.
Since I don't want to waste such an ability, I will consider using it on myself first until I know it's safe. Afterwards, I will use it on others if possible. For now, It will be my secret regenerative ability like a certain metal clawed berserker. After today's events, I am ready to call it a day and get some sleep. Tomorrow however,
"I will be hunting human-faced bastards to near extinction for the bullshit they had me encounter today." I thought out load.
To be honest, I couldn't pinpoint where my ever-springing well of anger was coming from. Still, this wrathful and vindictive side of me had a point. Manticore are a type of monster who typically hunts children separated from their guardians and family. They will stalk the child first, until deciding to reveal themselves.
Not to mention, these sick fucks enjoy toying with the child until they are ready to eat them headfirst. No amount of mercy or pity can be provided to this type of monster; nor will I even consider offering any. Tomorrow, I will search and destroy every manticore nest inside their monster cradle. Then I'll destroy every monster cradle made up of manticore as a show of my appreciation to the bastards…
Thus, my hunt began. For an entire week, I went into monster cradle after monster cradle killing manticore of all sizes save the sire. It seems the king has left the kingdom. Foolish choice to leave the house unprotected when an adversary comes!
Now don't think I didn't get my ass handed to me on more than one occasion. I indeed was caught in tough spots while fighting these ass hats. I can still recall just the other day I was fighting against 8 grey small winged manticore lined up together like a firing squad. The bitches rained that poison fire shit down on me. One of the bastards manage to circle around and shoot me in the back.
Oddly enough, I blacked out at that moment… Just kidding! I went ape shit and started firing Flaming Javelin everywhere. I've reached a point where I am capable of evoking 100 javelin as large as the first one I made, burning at temperatures 1000 times hotter. The result, a flaming crater; fire unquenchable constantly burning but never consuming the surrounding forest is all that's left of that monster cradle.
Today shall be my last manticore cradle before I search for the king of these monsters. Currently, I have entered deep into the Emeraldshade forest, much deeper than the ancestral glade for sure. To be exact, I am at the edge of the forest's core. It's here the most dangerous monsters in the forest reside.
From my earlier hunts near this part of the forest, I was able to gather enough information to know there's at least 4 monster cradles here, and only one of them has manticore. This does not mean the sire lives here so to speak. Based on what the Elder told me, the sire is more likely to nest in an area of the forest were no other monster would dare challenge it. The Center of the forest is a never-ending blood feud for supremacy between monsters.
Regardless, I am here to stomp out the manticore population. Should the other monsters annoy me, I will do the same to them too! It didn't take long for me to reach the manticore territory. However, once there I was met with an eerie silence similar to a guillotine silently dangling above one's neck.
A pale purple mist floated at my feet, covering the ground entirely. It also prevented me from seeing what I had been stepping on. Normally, the monster cradle would be filled with at least 5 nests of monsters roaring and rearing to kill all intruders, but here there's nothing. All that changed when I heard a sudden infuriated roar sounding out about 5 meters ahead of me,
ROOAARR!!!
-End of Chapter