Chapter 404: Noah vs Grandmaster Rank After killing the three remaining Manticores, the exhausted group decided to stop their hunt and return to Esta. They had pushed themselves hard enough for one day, and continuing would risk serious injury or worse. But as they began collecting the valuable Manticore corpses, a deafening roar suddenly filled the clearing—so powerful that it made the air itself vibrate and caused nearby trees to shed leaves from the sheer force of the sound. The whole group came to attention, their bodies darting towards the direction the sound was coming from. A massive Manticore emerged from a concealed den entrance that none of them had noticed before. This creature dwarfed the master-rank specimens they’d just killed—easily twice their size, with muscles that rippled like coiled steel beneath a hide that seemed to shimmer with mana. Noah’s expression shifted from satisfaction to focus as he assessed the newcomer. He frowned slightly, his perception immediately recognising the threat level radiating from this beast. This one was strong. Really strong. The creature’s aura pressed down on the clearing like physical weight, causing Kipp, Alissa, and Elara to instinctively take steps backwards. Even Valeria tensed, recognising power that exceeded anything she’d encountered before. "Everyone move back, now!" Noah commanded sharply, his tone brooking no argument. He turned to Lola specifically. "Protect them. I want to fight this one alone." Lola’s eyes widened slightly as she assessed the Manticore properly, then a fierce grin spread across her face. She understood immediately what Noah intended and approved completely. "Understood. I’ll make sure they stay safe." She moved to position herself between Noah’s companions and the battlefield, her own considerable power flaring as she prepared to intercept any attacks that might stray toward the humans behind her. Even stray attacks from grandmaster rank opponents could kill a master rank practitioner. The power difference was no joke. The Manticore before them was a grandmaster-rank specimen—early stages, but definitively beyond the master-rank threshold. It was one of the genuine powerhouses of this world, a tier of existence that very few practitioners ever achieved, regardless of species or training. Grandmaster rank represented the absolute peak of mortal capability, the stage where practitioners transcended normal limitations and became forces of nature in their own right. Entire kingdoms considered themselves fortunate to have even a single grandmaster among their forces. And Noah, currently at master rank despite his dramatic recent power increase, wanted to test his strength against one of these legendary beings. He needed to understand the gap, to measure himself against the ceiling he was approaching, and to see whether his enhanced attributes and combat skills could bridge the difference. Back when he was just an adept, he was able to fight master-rank beasts without trouble. But that was when he was an adept. Achieving master rank didn’t necessarily mean that he could compete with grandmasters, simply because the gap between master and grandmaster was higher than that of adept and master ranks. Noah walked forward with calm confidence, stopping approximately five meters away from the massive Manticore. At this distance, he could see every detail—the intelligence burning in its eyes, the battle scars marking its hide from years of dominance, the barely restrained fury radiating from its posture. The Manticore looked at Noah warily but with absolute hatred. This creature recognised him as the one who had killed its mate and offspring with casual brutality. The four dead Manticores had clearly been this grandmaster’s family, and Noah had just slaughtered them. Predatory calculation mixed with genuine rage in the beast’s expression. It wanted revenge, wanted to tear this arrogant human apart for daring to invade its territory and murder its pack. But it was also intelligent enough to sense that Noah wasn’t normal prey. The human’s aura carried strange qualities—power that didn’t quite match conventional master-rank practitioners, attributes that seemed disproportionate, and an absolute lack of fear that suggested either suicidal confidence or genuine capability. The two apex predators stood facing each other across five meters of bloodstained grass, both assessing, both preparing, both ready to unleash devastating violence. Noah’s hand moved to the sword at his waist, his enhanced attributes making him feel more alive than ever as adrenaline sharpened his senses to supernatural clarity. The Manticore’s scorpion tail rose into striking position, venom dripping from the stinger that could paralyse even grandmaster-level opponents if it connected properly. Neither moved yet, the tension building like a drawn bowstring about to snap. Then the Manticore roared again, launching itself forward with speed that made the master-rank specimens seem slow by comparison. Noah’s smile widened as he drew his sword and met the charge head-on. The Manticore’s charge was devastating—a blur of muscle, fang, and venomous death that crossed the five-meter gap in less than a heartbeat. WHOOSH! Noah sidestepped at the last possible instant, wind manipulation enhancing his movement speed as displaced air created a visible vortex around his body. The Manticore’s claws raked through the space where he’d been standing, tearing deep gouges in the earth. His sword flashed upward in a counter-strike aimed at the creature’s exposed flank. SLASH! The blade connected with the grandmaster’s hide, and Noah felt a truly formidable resistance. The Manticore’s natural defences were exponentially tougher than the master-rank specimens—his sword barely penetrated, drawing only a shallow cut that infuriated the beast but caused minimal actual damage. Of course, Noah didn’t put his full power into the attack. He had placed about 50% of his power into it, trying to gauge his strength, little by little. ROAR! The Manticore spun with terrifying agility despite its massive size, its scorpion tail whipping toward Noah’s torso. The stinger moved faster than sound, creating a sonic boom as it pierced the air. Noah brought his sword up in a desperate parry, wind magic reinforcing the blade as he deflected the tail strike. The impact sent vibrations up his arms that would have shattered bones in a normal person, forcing him back several steps. "His attributes match a grandmaster..." Lola called out from her protective position, excitement in her voice as she provided commentary for the shocked observers. "Noah’s power is allowing him to compete at a tier above his nominal rank!"