Chapter 401: Manticores All three fighters were breathing heavily from exertion, sporting minor injuries and showing signs of the genuine challenge these adept-rank beasts had provided. But they were victorious, and more importantly, they had gained combat experience against opponents that could actually threaten them. Noah approached with an approving smile, genuinely pleased with what he’d observed. "Excellent work, all of you. Kipp, your elemental control has become truly impressive—you’re thinking three steps ahead and using minimal energy for maximum effect." Kipp’s ears stood fully erect with pride, his tail wagging enthusiastically despite his exhaustion. "Thank you, Master Noah! The king taught me a few things, I’m very thankful!" Noah turned to Alissa next. "Your swordsmanship fundamentals are exceptional. The way you positioned yourself and exploited openings showed genuine master-tier combat sense. Once your physical attributes fully catch up to your technique, you’re going to be formidable." Alissa’s normally reserved expression softened into a small smile, her cheeks colouring slightly at the praise. "I’ve been practising the forms every day. Hearing that it’s paying off means a lot." Finally, Noah addressed Princess Elara. "Your discipline and resource management were textbook perfect. You maintained defensive integrity while steadily accumulating damage on your opponent, never overextending or wasting mana. That’s exactly how a combat mage should operate." Elara beamed with satisfaction, clearly pleased that her training in magical combat was being validated by someone whose opinion she valued highly. "Thank you, Noah. I tried to apply everything I’ve learned rather than just relying on raw power." After collecting the Redtail corpses into their storage ring, the materials would be valuable for crafting, and the meat was considered a delicacy. Noah gestured deeper into the forest. "Ready to continue? We still haven’t found what Kipp mentioned about master-rank threats on the trade routes." The group moved forward with renewed determination, heading toward the more dangerous territories where truly powerful beasts made their domains. The forest grew denser and darker as they progressed. After another twenty minutes of travel, they finally discovered what had been terrorising the travellers and merchants attempting to use the eastern trade routes. Four powerful master-rank Manticores lounged in a clearing that showed clear signs of recent carnage—scattered bones, destroyed wagon remnants, and bloodstains that told stories of merchants who hadn’t survived their encounters with these monsters. The Manticores were absolutely terrifying specimens. Each possessed the head of a massive tiger with fangs as long as daggers and eyes that burned with hunger. Their bodies were those of enormous lions, rippling with muscles, filled with devastating physical power. But one of their most distinctive and dangerous feature was the tail of a giant scorpion—segmented, armoured, and tipped with a stinger that dripped venom capable of paralysing or killing, depending on the victim’s constitution. These were rare and exceptionally dangerous creatures. Legends claimed that Manticores crooned softly as they devoured their prey, a disturbing juxtaposition of almost musical sounds accompanying the brutal consumption of victims. Their hides were thick and magically resistant, repelling all but the most powerful attacks and making them incredibly difficult to injure through normal means. The tail sting was particularly deadly; even a glancing blow caused immediate paralysis effects that lasted several seconds in strong opponents. For weaker prey, the venom was simply fatal, stopping hearts and shutting down nervous systems within moments. Four master-rank specimens hunting cooperatively represented a threat that even the strongest and richest merchants found hard to deal with. Four master-rank species were equivalent to a grandmaster rank practitioner, and it was extremely hard for a merchant to rent a grandmaster practitioner for a trip. So, casual merchants or travellers crossed paths with these manticores, they were almost guaranteed not to live another day. News had only reached Esta after a master-rank traveller had managed to run away from them by sheer luck of the manticores encountering other humans on their chase, so they decided to leave him and devour those. The lead Manticore raised its massive head, amber eyes fixing on Noah’s approaching group with interest. Its tail rose into a striking position, the venomous stinger gleaming wetly. The other three Manticores slowly rose to their feet, surrounding their leader in a formation that showed intelligence. These weren’t mindless beasts, but a coordinated group of monsters that preyed on anyone they saw. A low, rumbling sound emerged from the lead Manticore’s throat, not quite a growl, not quite a purr, but something unsettling. Noah assessed the situation calmly. These creatures would provide genuine challenges for his companions, pushing them to their absolute limits. But they were also legitimately dangerous enough to potentially kill if anyone made critical mistakes. This was going to be a real fight for his companions. Noah reached into his storage ring and withdrew several bottles of iced tea and fresh loaves of bread, distributing them quickly to Kipp, Alissa, and Elara. Even these basic tier-0 items would provide meaningful enhancement against opponents of this calibre. "Take these as minor enhancements that will bridge the gap slightly between you and them," Noah instructed seriously, his tone carrying none of his usual casual warmth. "You’re still consolidating at peak adept rank while these Manticores are solidly established master-rank creatures. Even with these consumables, you’ll still be at a significant disadvantage in raw attributes." His companions quickly consumed the items, feeling the familiar rush of temporary enhancement flow through their bodies. The effects were modest compared to premium consumables, but every advantage mattered when facing opponents that outclassed them. "Be extremely careful of their tails and claws," Noah continued, having already analysed the Manticores’ physiology and identifying threat vectors. "The tail stinger carries paralytic venom that will immobilise you for several seconds minimum. If you get stung and frozen in place, the others will tear you apart before you can recover. One hit from those claws will shred through anything short of master-tier defensive equipment." He met each person’s eyes individually, ensuring they understood the gravity of what they were about to face. "Their hides repel weak attacks, so you need to commit real power to each strike. Half-hearted attacks will just bounce off and waste your energy. And they hunt cooperatively—expect coordinated attacks designed to separate and overwhelm isolated targets." Kipp’s earlier enthusiasm had been replaced by focused determination, his playful demeanour vanishing as he recognised genuine danger. "Understood, Master Noah. We’ll be careful." Alissa’s hand rested on her sword hilt, her body language showing readiness mixed with appropriate wariness. "Should we engage all four simultaneously, or try to separate them?" Lola decided to speak this time. "Stay together initially, separating plays into their strength—they’re pack hunters designed to isolate and kill scattered prey. If you maintain formation and watch each other’s backs, you can minimise their advantages." Elara was already preparing her most powerful defensive barriers, layering protections that would buy precious seconds if something went wrong. "What about you and Valeria?" Noah confirmed. "Valeria and I will only intervene if someone is about to die. This is your fight—treat it as genuine combat experience, because that’s exactly what it is." The four Manticores who had been watching decided it was time to act. Noah stepped back to observation distance alongside Valeria, his posture relaxed but his senses hyperalert and ready to intervene at the first sign of genuine lethal danger. "Alright," Kipp said, wind already beginning to swirl around his hands. "Let’s show these overgrown cats why they shouldn’t be terrorizing our trade routes."