Chapter 39: The Monster Within the Labyrinth, Manticore (3)
The two weapon-type artifacts Elwin had given Gale.
The exploding sabre-sword and the magic gun—both created with exceptional craftsmanship.
Like the sword, the gun was also endowed with a unique ability.
It could fire bullets imbued with the user’s own mana.
At first glance, unlike the sword that exploded on impact, it wasn’t a flashy or intuitive ability.
However, the weapon’s potential varied dramatically depending on the user’s mana affinity.
And Gale’s affinity was… light.
It had little effect on regular humans, but its power was significantly magnified against non-humans.
Creatures like ‘demonic beasts’ or ‘monsters’, for example.
<──────!!!>
The Manticore, shot directly in both eyes, thrashed in agony.
Though his skin was tough as steel, the eyeballs were still vulnerable tissue, just like any other living being.
What’s more, the bullets had pierced into his skull through those soft spots—an unexpected stroke of luck.
<Grrrrrrrr…!>
There were two key characteristics of light-affinity mana.
One: purification.
The other: erosion.
It cleansed all that was tainted and slowly amplified its influence—like white blood cells within the body.
“…Ah! Yes!”
Seeing that the bullets hadn’t exited but remained embedded inside, Gale exclaimed with joy.
Those two well-placed shots would now act like ticking time bombs of destruction from within.
“Abito’s rune magic, Melasa’s curse, Gale’s light bullets, and…”
And on top of that, the ‘soul-burning fire’ that Sercia had summoned using every ounce of mana she had accumulated as a magician.
Among them, Gale’s bullets had particularly excellent synergy with the soul-burning fire.
“It’s a full-on combo!”
Fwooooooosh—!
“Whew~ It’s burning real nice.”
“Our operation, where we threw in everything we had.”
“Worked out… somehow.”
The three of them exchanged glances and sighed in relief.
<GAHHHHHHH…!>
But it was too soon to relax. A chilling voice echoed from the blackened, collapsed form of the Manticore.
Thud, thud, THUMP—!
The monstrous body, swaying ominously, rose once more.
<To think… that you wounded me—a king!!! HOW DARE YOU, DARE YOU, DARE YOUUUU!!!>
His face flushed with red and blue rage, the Manticore roared and suddenly swelled up.
Crack, snap—!
He shattered the runes and magic circles that had bound him.
“Impossible! He broke the witch’s curse?!”
There was no time to linger in shock. Suddenly, the poisoned barbs on the Manticore’s tail shot out like arrows.
Countless barbs followed in a deadly barrage.
“…!”
Even a single one, tipped in fatal poison, would spell instant death.
But the group had neither the energy, nor the magic, nor the strength to dodge.
Abito and Sercia tried to muster what little mana they had left to shield them, but—
Fortunately, someone stepped in before that became necessary.
Clang, clang, claaang—!
A man leapt in, slicing through every flying barb with impeccable swordsmanship.
A man with deep black hair glinting blue under the light—Calix Tutatio Zahardt—spoke coldly.
“Stay sharp. It’s not over until it’s over.”
He had appeared earlier during the Manticore battle, falling from thin air into the fray.
—Where is this?
Both Gale’s group and the Manticore had been visibly startled by his sudden arrival.
—So this is the role only I can play—the one he spoke of. Understood.
But Calix Zahardt quickly assessed the situation and leapt into action.
—I’ll take charge of the attack. No objections, I assume.
The core of Zahardt swordsmanship was unity of offense and defense.
A sword that was also a shield.
A style capable of both simultaneously.
“Phew…”
Naturally, facing off against the monstrous Manticore, Calix had taken damage too.
“Fainted just a moment ago, and now you’re putting on a show. You’re barely standing, you poser.”
“You don’t even have the strength to hold your sword, do you?”
Calix responded curtly to Gale’s sarcastic jab.
Unlike his earlier silent demeanor around the other swordsmen, this was a rare display.
“…Something’s not right.”
Calix frowned, looking at the Manticore.
Bubble, bubble…
The Manticore had begun rapidly swelling up again.
It looked like a mass of blisters or bubbles—but one thing was certain.
It was dangerous.
“No time for chatter.”
Calix helped the exhausted Gale to his feet.
“You two can still walk, right?”
“Yes. But the others…”
“We leave them.”
His response was blunt. Abito immediately pushed back.
“No! We can’t leave them…!”
He clenched his teeth, his gaze fixed on Timur.
Timur had taken a fatal blow while shielding Abito from harm.
“Then think. With that brilliant mind of yours, is there any way to save them, in our current state?”
“I…”
“More will die. At the very least, those of us still conscious need to escape.”
Their debate lasted only a moment—but that brief hesitation would prove costly.
<Grrrrrrrrr…!>
No, perhaps it wouldn’t have made a difference.
Whether they fled ten steps or a hundred, the result would’ve been the same.
“…His form has changed.”
Unlike earlier, when he’d resembled a lion with a human face—
Now, the Manticore looked far more grotesque.
His inflated body was covered in countless faces.
Eyes sunken black, tears of blood, spirits muttering curses over and over again!
<Be afraid! Fear, fear again, and fear some more!>
<Hate! Envy, mistrust, rage, pain, torment—perish!>
<You arrogant ones—your name is humanity!>
And then… a crushing, suffocating pressure. Overwhelming dread!
Until now, no matter what enemy they faced, Gale and the others always thought, How do we beat this?
But this time—this time was different.
They all thought the same thing:
‘We can’t win this.’
Shiiing—!
The Manticore’s tail lashed out at incomprehensible speed.
Ah.
Their instincts screamed danger, but their bodies couldn’t react.
‘We’re going to die.’
Just as they closed their eyes, ready for death—!
A savior descended from the sky.
“No, I won’t let you die.”
Flap—!
A golden shimmer filled their vision.
No—golden… cape.
“Hello there?”
The boy in the golden cape looked back at them.
His careful gaze made them instinctively tense.
“Oh dear, seems I’m very late.”
The boy—Elwin—spoke.
“Everyone’s a total mess. Still, you’re alive, and that’s what counts, right?”
His cheerful smile and voice didn’t match the dire scene.
They wanted to yell at him—read the room!—but strangely, just seeing him filled them with relief.
‘Why…?’
As they wrestled with the inexplicable emotion, one man stepped forward.
“You damn brat… Finally showed up, huh?”
It was Gale, shouting with a brightened expression.
“Haha! Long time no see, Gale!”
“Yeah. And take off that dumb mustache, will you?”
“Oh. Forgot.”
“Seriously, that’s what you forgot?”
With a goofy grin, Elwin peeled off the fake mustache.
“You’ve all worked hard. Leave it to me now. Just rest.”
His gentle smile shifted, eyes suddenly gleaming with a sharp edge.
“Monster extermination is my specialty.”
Abito Yully was the first to react.
“Y-You’re…?”
With his sharp mind, he had already figured it out—his eyes shook violently.
“We’ll do introductions later, okay? I’ve got a prior engagement.”
Elwin smiled. Abito said nothing but nodded.
His expression held no trace of fear anymore.
“Well then, it’s a player swap.”
Elwin strode forward and smiled coolly.
“Shall we continue, just you and me… Mister Monster?”
But the Manticore’s reaction was strange.
He, who had acted with pure madness and rage, now shrank in place.
“Huh?”
No—he was trembling.
The Manticore, who had just demanded others to fear him, was now trembling in fear himself.
<No… No way… How could a human like you even exist?!>
Monsters had instincts far sharper than humans. And the moment he saw Elwin, the Manticore knew.
<Of all places… why here?! Why in my era?! WHY?!>
He had realized it.
That their roles had reversed. That the predator had become the prey.
He understood.
“You talk too much.”
Elwin’s tone didn’t shift at all in the face of Manticore's scream.
Shing—!
A golden light flashed as he drew his sword.
“Stop rambling… Let’s play, shall we?”
His cold, deadly gaze sent the Manticore leaping backward in panic.
There was no escape. No place to run…
That monster in human form would never let him flee.
Then there was only one option left:
Kill before being killed…!
All of the Manticore’s heads opened at once, charging red light into their throats.
A desperate, all-out attack!
Flaaash—!
The mana blast surged forward with incredible speed and power.
BBOOOOOM!
Just a graze of its power split the ground and reduced it to powder.
“Wow~ For a monster, your mana color’s pretty nice.”
But Elwin didn’t move an inch—he just stood there, smiling.
He even offered a compliment.
Everyone else watching nearly lost their minds.
“That’s dangerous!”
“Please dodge—!”
“Should I cast a support spell—?!”
They screamed in panic.
“Geez, would you quit overreacting already?”
Only Gale remained calm, speaking with a yawn.
“What?! Aren’t you worried?!”
“Aren’t you two close?! Then why—”
“……”
With Sercia yelling, Abito glaring, and Calix silently staring—Gale scratched his head awkwardly.
“Well… it’s not really something to worry about.”
Then, as if giving in, he muttered,
“If that little brat’s acting relaxed…”
“…?”
“…it means one thing.”
Gale grinned mischievously.
“The opponent’s a total pushover.”