Chapter 53. Manticore (3)

The only human to reach the Demon King. That summed up Kim Jeonghyeon's prime in a nutshell.

Of course, by the time Jeonghyeon stood before the Demon King, humanity was on the brink of extinction, so he'd never actually earned such a title.

"You... you're not some worthless nobody after all, are you?"

Jeonghyeon's mana control was so precise it even astonished Nus, who was seeping into his body to act as a mana supplier.

"Eh, this much is nothing."

Normally, maximizing mana output caused it to leak out around the body, like an aura. That leakage often served as a gauge of strength.

But not a single wisp escaped Jeonghyeon's form.

Not even the tiniest trace—it was control at the absolute limit.

Like gripping and firing a cannon by hand, the recoil of which would shatter a human body.

"Hoo...!"

Jeonghyeon slowly stepped out of Uldran's domain.

"Be careful. Time's running out."

Nus spoke with worry, watching his own mana drain away by the second.

"I know. I can feel it best."

Jeonghyeon could gauge his remaining time too.

At most, a little over a minute.

Using the Demon King's mana instead of Solgaleh's power made the Blood Dissector he gripped glow a dark crimson.

This time, pure swordsmanship.

Upon reaching Sword Master realm, one grasped certain truths.

Jeonghyeon was now pursuing the first one he'd awakened to, in this very moment.

The way to surpass swordsmanship's limits... is to fight while holding the sword yourself.

Simple, clear, and above all, crucial.

With his prime senses revived thanks to Nus, Jeonghyeon could elevate his dissection swordsmanship several levels further.

Sure, using Aura Blade or Solgaleh's authority might make it easier—like relying on magic—but he couldn't keep leaning on Nus every time. This was his chance to boost his core skills.

Jeonghyeon raised his Blood Dissector and aimed it at the manticore.

Krrruk...!

Caught off guard by the sudden shift in aura, the mother manticore crouched low, ready to leap, while backing away.

Step.

Jeonghyeon's steps grew steady as he trod over grass scorched to straw by the heat.

As he advanced slowly, the manticore—dozens of times his size—retreated just as slowly.

The endless silence of slow approach and slow retreat was broken first by none other than Philip.

"Come at me!! I'm the real target!!"

Philip staggered to his feet from his frail state moments ago, bellowing provocations at the manticore till his throat tore.

"Come on!! You scared?!"

It was a shout that wouldn't faze the far stronger manticore, but it bought a split-second distraction.

"Competent subordinate."

"Of course. I raised him myself."

By the time the manticore's gaze flicked to Philip and snapped back, it was too late.

Jeonghyeon's form had already stretched long before its eyes.

"End."

With Jeonghyeon's curt declaration of the manticore's doom, his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠figure scattered into the air once more.

Shwak-!

The sword's trajectory lingered like threads, residual images blanketing the manticore's body.

Lines etched like dissection marks—from skull to neck, shoulders and kneecaps, front legs' joints to abdomen and lumbar, along thigh bones to rear Achilles tendons.

In an instant, Jeonghyeon's blade swept the massive frame, even slicing the thin membranes between the giant scorpion tail's segments.

Tszzt! Jeonghyeon's form reappeared in the air amid the sound, and the manticore belatedly tried to counterattack.

"Too late, you bastard."

The manticore's head, twisted around, floated severed from its body.

Plop plop.

Like an old cartoon scene, the body split apart segment by segment, tumbling to the ground under gravity.

Boom-!

"Not bad. Of course, without this body, you'd all be dead!"

Nus, boasting to the end, slipped out of Jeonghyeon's body.

Then oozed into the inventory like collapsing.

"What? You okay?"

"Do I look okay?" came Nus's drained voice as he failed to even close the inventory entrance, retreating deep inside.

"Too much of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my stockpiled mana got used up. Gonna rest. Don't bother me, and toss in some mana stones when it's time. Trash."

"...Thanks."

"Hmph. It's for you, Demon King."

The cub to the bitter end...

He wanted to say it, but Nus's contribution this time was huge.

Without the mana he'd hoarded waiting for the Demon King, they'd all have perished here. Pouring years of savings into Jeonghyeon was gratitude-worthy in its own way.

Instead of words, Jeonghyeon closed the inventory entrance to let him rest.

With the tower's victory message, several status windows popped up before Jeonghyeon.

Good call using swordsmanship over magic.

It felt refreshing, like steady growth stacking up.

"In... insane! You had power like that?!"

Philip, healed by the tower clear and rushing over breathless, was stripped of his usual cheekiness from sheer shock.

He just scanned Jeonghyeon with sighs beyond admiration.

Witnessing otherworldly combat prowess, Philip's loyalty ticked up—even if just slightly. It was crawling near level 10, but whatever.

"You hid strength like this all along?"

Not hiding. Couldn't use it.

Jeonghyeon figured he'd share his story once Philip hit loyalty level 10, then turned to the manticore corpse.

Those tantalizing parts shimmering in his vision since earlier.

He gripped the Blood Dissector reverse and began harvesting the claws first.

It died without resistance, so damage neared 0—top condition.

Five per leg, twenty total—quite the haul.

"Looks good... but what do you use these giant claws for?"

"No idea."

Blacksmiths would figure out applications.

Next up: the scorpion tail's stinger tip.

"Oho. Still full of poison."

"Eek. Scary."

"Wanna take a hit?"

"Am I useless now?"

"Heh, kidding."

Jeonghyeon tossed the idle joke and stored the stinger—more massive weapon than needle, Philip's upper body size, taking ages for inventory.

Last: the fangs.

"Up close, it's brutal-looking."

Hard to see from afar, but nearby, Philip was right—fierce visuals.

Rapier-sharp barbs densely packed like saw teeth.

"No wonder it kills on bite."

"Nus, you okay? Pretty sharp."

Worried about inventory Nus getting hurt, but unfounded.

"Hmph! Think I'd fall to physical stuff like this?! This great body laughs at such things! Anyway, can't fit more. Full!"

Nus's "helpful" explanation let him store worry-free.

Eyes, mane, spine, heart looked useful, but no status pops, and inventory near full—priorities first.

"This is why it was such ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a pain. Damn."

Deep in the manticore heart: a human-heart-sized small core.

Perfectly spherical, like hand-carved— the Monster Core.

"It's... glowing?"

Unlike the roar, flames, and Uldran-warded menace, the core emitted soft blue light.

"They say this is key."

Jeonghyeon didn't know its exact use.

Just that in his past life, prices skyrocketed daily—he sold tons.

Got pricier over time, Wakin sisters wanted it too. Must be useful.

Las Gool. Thinking about that bastard pisses me off.

Jeonghyeon trembled recalling the dog who planted these worldwide then vanished.

"Let's head back."

All essentials secured.

Victory tension eased, fatigue and pain from forced mana vein dilation crashed in.

Ready to collapse now.

"Y-yes! Let's!"

Philip, sensing Jeonghyeon's state, hurried to end the trial. No tower voice this time—straight to reality.

"You're back?! It's been forever!"

Emerging from the week-long portal, the Wakin sisters greeted them.

"Ah. Got what you nee... kuhk...!"

Jeonghyeon offered the inventory mid-sentence, then vomited blood and collapsed on the spot.

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