Who is the Sinner~

The Scroll was a magical document infused with the spell of the same name. Shaped like a parchment roll, simply tearing it activated the magic. Even a seven-year-old child who'd never laid eyes on a spell could hurl fireballs with one. The production method for these mystical artifacts was shrouded in utmost secrecy. The Magic Tower held a virtual monopoly, driving the price sky-high. Even Zain, squire to a hero, couldn't afford more than a few.

But the chimera's appearance justified using one. Zain tore the papyrus with his honed arm strength.

Riiip—

The effect was superb. A burst of pure white light erupted from the tear, shooting straight at the chimera. Something astonishing happened. The light enveloping the chimera faded, but now the beast began glowing on its own. Somewhere between yellow and orange, perhaps. Different parts shone in varying hues: its sharp, rigid legs in orange, its body in yellow. Dazzled, the brilliantly luminous chimera flailed in panic.

That glow was the Magic Tower's Discernment Magic. A spell devised by a genius mage—intuitive and even beautiful.

"Overall yellow!"

"Stage 4... looks manageable!"

Bright hope colored Zain's and the Guard Captain's voices. And rightly so. A monster's glow color was the key indicator of its strength. Harmless creatures shone white, then blue, green, yellow, orange, red, purple, and finally black.

One squire knight, the Guard Captain, and four elite soldiers. Plus traps laid for the chimera. They could handle it.

"Fire!"

The Guard Captain bellowed the order. The soldiers released their drawn bowstrings. Four arrows sliced through the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠air toward Pafunacha.

Ting ting ting!

But they ricocheted off its carapace. Grayrim bows were all composite bows made from monster horns, with tremendous draw strength that pierced ordinary wooden shields. Yet they merely sparked and scratched.

A carapace of extraordinary hardness. The Guard Captain's face grew grave as he loosed his own shot.

Thwack!

"Kweeeek!"

The chimera roared. The arrow struck precisely between its joints—a feat worthy of the title master archer. The problem? Eight legs. And now the beast was rampaging in fury.

The Guard Captain leaped back, shouting Zain's name.

"Sir Zain!"

When it came to raw martial prowess, knights were unmatched. Zain was a formally knighted one at that, personally trained in the halberd by Gunter himself. He drew a halberd smaller than Gunter's massive one but plenty long.

"Hah!"

A straightforward kiai. Then Zain's halberd blade began to shine. The vivid aura coalescing on it was unmistakable auras.

The polearm swung at the chimera.

Krunch!

It pierced the carapace and embedded deep. Zain reeled from the tremendous rebound in his grip.

"This thing's insanely tough!"

"Inflict as much damage as you can! Aim for the legs!"

Zain ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠did just that. The chimera seemed stunned by this novel agony. But it wasn't cowed—merely enraged at the unfamiliar monkey shattering its shell.

Its legs were nothing like a spider's. A spider's were for whipping and striking, not this.

Kakakakang!

Zain barely blocked. Truly, the chimera was a terrifying monster. Gunter would've crushed it effortlessly, but Zain alone was outmatched.

No matter. He wasn't alone.

"Fall back!"

At the signal, Zain bolted rearward. The chimera flinched in surprise, then pursued. The soldiers hurled oil jars.

Ever since humans ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠befriended fire, it had been the ultimate beast-scarer.

"Ignite!"

The Guard Captain called for fire again. Torches arced through the air.

* * *

Whoa, that madman... it's like Guan Yu reincarnated.

My eternal nemesis pulled a fire attack even against a chimera. Red Cliffs? Nah, call it Cliffside Inferno.

The once-yellow-glowing chimera was now engulfed in flames.

"Kweeek!"

Perched in a tree, I crunched crickets while spectating. The scroll Zain tore unleashed magic beyond my imagination—gauging combat power intuitively by color.

Don't they have status windows? Who knows. I couldn't see much myself before devouring that centipede core.

Still, Discernment Magic seemed effective.

I had to check status windows. If none, it was a powerhouse—flee. High level, unusual skills—evade or scout. Not intuitive. Sometimes the weak-looking ones wrecked you.

Color-coding sounded convenient.

"Maintain distance! More arrows!"

The Guard Captain commanded. The knight excelled in combat, but the Captain seemed stronger overall. Their subtle rivalry? I sided with the Captain. That young knight was cocky, sassing his elder.

Eastern chivalry lingers in my heart.

"This thing's tenacious! Hup."

Ablaze, the chimera rampaged wildly. Panic spread across the humans' faces. But to me, it was obvious.

High fire resistance.

"This one's got high heat resistance!"

"Spider-mole hybrid? No reason it'd shrug off fire like..."

I overheard their shock. They couldn't see status windows, huh. My reincarnator perks went beyond translation.

And the chimera's window read like this:

Not your average beast. Notably, despite capping at lv20, no "evolution possible" overall. Pafunacha hadn't met the conditions. Pellelian would weep.

Instead, "Glowing" status. And a lv20 Glow skill blazed in its list.

That's when the chimera accelerated. Its flaming leg whipped viciously—like a firefly dance of death.

Kagak!

The knight parried with his halberd, saving a near-dead soldier. But the recoil nearly flung him away.

"What power...!"

They'd assumed fire would shrivel it instantly. Even with resistance, flames should've crippled it. Glow couldn't last forever—death soon.

Or...

That skill stood out. Trait had Molting too, and a skill variant. If it rivaled my Borrowing Horn, the fight's outcome...

"Die—!"

The knight went all-in. Channeling every ounce of mana, he swelled his aura. The halberd's glow expanded, slamming the chimera.

Krunch!

Carapace shattered; blade buried in torso. Sparks flew, blood gushed, igniting into acrid smoke. Solid hit. Joy lit Zain and the soldiers' faces.

Too soon.

Molting: Emergency executed at blinding speed. I watched its status shift in real-time.

Huh? Molting normally took ages—prep time, execution, vulnerability throughout.

Not Pafunacha's. Like doppelganger jutsu. Burning shell stayed put; it slipped free, slime-wrapped.

"No."

A soldier named Hanson spoke his last.

The chimera's leg stretched like taffy. Flexible now, unlike its rigid shell.

Thud!

It grazed the knight, piercing the rear soldier's chest.

The chimera leaped high. Wounds remained, but flames were gone. Crashing into the soldiers, it lashed wildly—like a berserker.

Glow to Berserker, Slash to Sever, Carapace to Ironclad. Molting triggered skill evolutions. Emergency Molting was Borrowing Horn-level cheat.

Knight and Captain unaware of the power-up. Discernment Scroll expired.

"Raaagh!"

The knight swung madly. Ferocious momentum. But the chimera was cunning—targeting weaker soldiers first.

Post-molt, halberd carved it easily.

Splurt—

But Sever bisected soldiers. As the frenzied knight charged suicidally...

The Captain shoved him.

"Run..."

I saw it all. Captain saved the knight, taking the hit.

Stab!

Chimera leg impaled his chest. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Blood fountained from his mouth.

"Guh!"

"N-no."

Zain squandered the opening. Tentacle smashed his chest.

Thung!

Full plate saved him from bisection—launched rolling. Unmoving. Dead? Whatever.

Guard Captain...!

I was deeply moved. Seemed heartless, yet he sacrificed for his comrade. Heroic—medal-worthy.

I saw. I'd remember. RIP, Guard Captain. Rest in peace.

My chest burned. Impaled, eyes open in death. Close them?

I pondered, tail raised.

Then his eyes snapped to me.

"U-ugh, sn-snake. Cough!"

Warrior's instinct. He swung his dagger weakly.

I dodged instinctively, biting his wrist instead.

...Huh?

"Gack, urk."

His eyes rolled back white.

Wh-what. No, not me!

Aaahhh!