The Fallen Hero King

Bronze Peak

Mirai watched at the sword that she swung was gnawed to pieces by the manticore. But Dame Gracia used this opportunity to try and cut manticore's leg, but it was too fast. It got away the moment it sensed danger.

Youko and Ilma were hugging together, with Jay protecting them. But not everything was grave. Fireballs from trees came, pouring down on the manticore.

The manticore zigzagged, dodging all the fireballs - it jumped and latched on the tree, watching the trees with its shining blue eyes that saw through the darkness.

The next moment, a few men ran over with bows in their hands - they shot towards the manticore that dodged again, when the first few men with axes, halberts, swords ran towards the manticore. Youko could imagine their gruesome fate.

"Teacher!!" She clung to Jay's hand, which made him look over, "What?"

"Don't let them die?" Youko pleaded with puppy eyes.

Jay glanced at the manticore, "It's the peak of the silver realm - there is no way I can defeat it."

"Teacher!!" Youko stubbornly asked again, not believing it for a moment.

Jay glanced towards the wood before his sight went to one place. Watching a pair of men and woman standing there, observing the manticore like prey. There wore Niverah's insignia.

It was something that made Jay blink, "Oh, well, if you are so stubborn."

Jay pulled out his sword, watching the men and women fighting against the manticore as it dodged all their attacks and clawed them, gnawed on their shields, broke their armors. But it seemed they had the protection of some kind, saving their lives.

"Oye, you two," He called out to Gracia and Mirai, who realized he had a sword in his hand.

"Observe carefully,"

Jay held the sword above his right shoulder, its tip pointing towards the manticore, "Shallow strikes." The next instant, it moved, seven times, seven times it pierced the air, and seven injuries appeared on manticore's legs, shoulders, even tail.

It was as if waiting for this opportunity, an icicle hit manticore's head. The icicle dissolved into mist, freezing the manticore. But it wasn't over, shouting at his loudest, a tall, blurry man fell from the air, with a sledgehammer in his hand.

When the sledgehammer smashed the manticore's head. It burst apart, and manticore's body fell down, lifeless.

*Clap*Clap*Clap*

In absolute silence, the sounds of clap resounded in the forest, "Bravo! That was some teamwork - I'm impressed!"

Jay clapped with a smile - it was as if he never picked up the sword, only Dame Gracia and Mirai were stunned over what they saw.

The blurry, tanned man, with silver hairs, and sideburns, wearing black armor - took up his sledgehammer, putting it on his shoulder, "No need to be modest. Without your help, we would have had some casualties." He said, walking towards them. The mage hiding in the trees didn't come out, which made Jay's eyes turn. Seeing the giant man walking towards them, Youko took Ilma and hid behind Jay.

Jay was tall, around 190cm, and was well-built, nearly perfect in some ways. Even Youko, who didn't have a desire for men, could feel a tickle in her stomach when she saw him. But the frontman was around 2m with a bodybuilder-type body.

Every step he took seemed to shake the ground, and those fierce grey eyes that were shining in the night scared them even more.

Mirai and Gracia jumped between the two, but Jay patted their shoulder, "now, now, don't be rude. They are an important guest from Niverah."