The Manticore rushed at Itsuki as he got into a stance with his Pyro katana. He launched the Pyro at the Manticore, who got scorched a bit by it but kept moving quickly towards him. The scorpion tail thrust towards Itsuki, but he blocked it with his katana. The Manticore drifted and went for his side. Itsuki’s eyes widened as he jumped back a bit and blocked it again with his katana as he saw the scorpion tail go for him again.

Ravenbeard: The beastie is quite skilled…

Akeru: Damnit, it’s basically a two on one…Itsuki, get the tail!

Itsuki: Yeah, working on it!!!

Itsuki backed up and shot several Galewinds towards the Manticore. The Manticore swiftly avoided all of them, and its eyes lit up. Itsuki’s body suddenly was paralyzed and was unable to move even an inch. The Manticore took a massive bite at his side, Itsuki screaming in pain.

Akeru: Itsuki!!

Itsuki saw the scorpion tail come towards him again. He had a feeling that it would be filled with poison or something of the sort. Itsuki could feel the paralysis fading away quickly, but he wouldn’t have time to move away. The tail was at his neck as a bullet hit it, stopping it as the Manticore glared at Ravenbeard, who had his flintlock aimed and smoking towards the beast.

Akeru: Are you mad?! You can’t defeat that thing!

Ravenbeard: You don’t need to…just need to distract it for a bit!

Ravenbeard looked around and found a jeweled rapier lying around and picked it up. He used it as a cane as he got to the Manticore as fast as possible with fire in his eyes. The Manticore roared and quickly rushed towards Ravenbeard. The scorpion tail thrust towards him as he stood still. As it got close, Ravenbeard quickly threw the rapier at the Manticore. The Manticore grabbed it with its teeth, and as it was distracted, Ravenbeard reshot the tail. The tail retreated to the Manticore as it dropped the rapier from its mouth, jumping and going to bite Ravenbeard’s head.

Ravenbeard: Ya think I fear the darkest abyss, beast?! So many long years trapped in that damn prison below our feet, I fear no death!!

The Manticore stopped as it suddenly felt its tail cut off by Itsuki’s katana. Itsuki rushed to Ravenbeard’s side as the Manticore roared in rage before them.

Ravenbeard: About bloody time, lad…

Itsuki: My bad, next time I’ll try harder to get un-paralyzed.

The Manticore’s eyes flashed as Itsuki summoned two rocks to hit its eyes with. The Manticore’s eyes shut as Itsuki quickly rushed at it with his katana, stabbing it in the neck. The skin was thick, so he had issues getting it out. The Manticore squirmed around as Itsuki held onto his blade. Ravenbeard got his rapier and walked to the Manticore. It let out a roar as Itsuki got his katana unfree, and Ravenbeard shoved the rapier up through the beast’s chin and into its skull. The Manticore tried to chomp down but couldn’t, trying to slash Ravenbeard, but Itsuki blocked the attack.

Ravenbeard: Thanks, lad…think ye can take it from ‘ere?

Itsuki: Of course, let me show you how a Mage does it. Pyrowind!

Itsuki set off several Pyrowinds at the Manticore, its whole body now ablaze. The Manticore glared as it finally chomped down at an angle, splitting the rapier in half. It paced around the two as it still wasn’t done.

Akeru: Jeez, how sturdy is this creature!?

Ravenbeard: A mighty beast it is…fitting as the Witch’s guard dog.

Itsuki: Damn…I was really hoping we would be done after that.

The Manticore suddenly stood up on its hind legs and started walking to its scorpion tail. It roared at an ear-piercing volume to the point the three had to cover their ears. The roar made the flames on its body go away as its back feet flattened to the ground as a human foot would. Its bone structure shifted a bit as it looked at the three intruders. Its former tail suddenly stiffens up as it stands and acts like a human body, using its tail as a weapon. The Manticore was far from done.

Itsuki: What in the hell?!

Akeru: I-It shifted into a hybrid-like creature!?

Ravenbeard: Damn that Witch!

The Manticore slowly walked towards them, its body was scorched, stabbed, and slashed into, but it refused to stop fighting the three invaders.