Chapter 41

Reincarnated as the Sword Emperor in the Sword Clan (41)

Some time later.

Roar! Roar!

The manticore, covered in blood, began to thrash as if it had finally given up on life. It lashed out with its tail, now reduced to a rounded stump after expending all its venomous spines.

Even in this state, the tail could easily break the sound barrier, acting like a powerful mace.

The resilience of an A-rank monster was formidable, even when on the brink of death.

However.

Five Element Style

Black Tortoise First Form

Turtle Shell Soul-Returning Mirror

With a single counter, he deflected the tail that struck like a mace, and then brought down a white blade to crush the manticore’s exposed skull.

The dual-sword technique of Black and White.

Five Element Style

White Tiger First Form

Mountain-Cleaving Strike

Crack! The manticore’s head shattered, and it collapsed, never to move again.

Even for an A-rank monster, the brain is a critical weak point. Despite being protected by a skull that resists even sword qi, it couldn’t withstand the heavy blow of the White Tiger First Form, which relied on weight rather than sharpness.

"...Much more powerful than I expected."

Leonard looked not at the manticore that had fallen to his sword, but at the black and white dual swords in his grasp, marveling.

Defend with the Black Tortoise form, attack with the White Tiger form.

That was all it took.

Yet, an A2-rank monster, the manticore of the Demon Beast Realm, had crumbled so easily. Despite spewing cursed flames from its mouth, shooting venomous spines, and thrashing with its massive body, it posed no real threat.

‘As the Heavenly Demon said, my sword skills and inner strength were too rushed.’

With the dual swords, he could use the combined attack and defense technique so effortlessly. If he had used a single sword to handle both the Black Tortoise and White Tiger forms, he wouldn’t have been able to toy with the manticore like this.

Leonard realized that his past self, who insisted on being correct, was like a frog in a well.

Blinded by the ultimate goal of mastering the Five Elements with a single sword, he had misjudged his own level. Without the Heavenly Demon’s advice, he might have wandered aimlessly in this life as well.

‘It was worth it to have the life-and-death duel.’

With a satisfied expression, Leonard sheathed his two swords and collected the premium spirit stone that appeared before him.

The power that tingled in his palms just from holding it.

If a low-grade spirit stone was a drop of water and a mid-grade spirit stone a small pond, a premium spirit stone was closer to a lake. Absorbing just one would fill 20% of his dantian. It would be useful in emergencies.

Leonard stood up, storing the premium spirit stone, a piece of the manticore’s tail, and its hide in his spatial bag.

‘Finding the Shadow Knight is good, but I should also practice my sword skills by hunting a few more. If I can use three or four swords, I might have a chance against a Transcendent Realm opponent.’

The "Valley of Lions" was more suitable for training than he had thought, fitting Leonard well.

Manticores don’t gather in one place; they prefer solitary lives, so there was no worry of fighting multiple at once. Their combat abilities were not specialized in one area but were excellent in all aspects, and their tactics were cunning, leaving no room for complacency.

‘I didn’t see any special abilities... but one might appear while hunting.’

With a look of renewed determination, Leonard stepped into the "Valley of Lions."

Behind him, a sandstorm mixed with the scent of blood blew.

It was the moment when a slaughterer had intruded into the daily lives of the manticores, who had ruled as predators in this area from birth to death.

* * *

The second one.

The manticore with a goblin’s head was clearly weaker than the one with a troll’s head.

However, perhaps because of its goblin head, it was skilled in the fighting style of the weak. As soon as it judged Leonard to be stronger, it hastily fled, then lured him into a pre-dug trap and attempted a counterattack.

Five Element Style

Vermilion Bird First Form

Explosive Burst

He swung once to burn away the poison that rained down like a shower, and then thrust his sword into the manticore’s forehead as it lunged at him.

Five Element Style

Azure Dragon Eighteen Forms

Thunder Meets Lightning

Striking like thunder and returning like lightning.

Originally, this form involved a series of thrusts, but by thrusting once and withdrawing, he could prepare for the next situation.

Roar.

Of course, the manticore, whose forehead had been pierced, died instantly.

After observing for a moment and retrieving his dual swords, Leonard reflected on the recent battle.

The Vermilion Bird form and the Azure Dragon form.

The combination of the Illusory Sword and the Swift Sword was good, but it was slightly inferior to the Black Tortoise and White Tiger forms he had used earlier. The Vermilion Bird form obscured the opponent’s eyes while pressing forward, and the Azure Dragon form pierced through to finish the job.

However, the combination seemed to lack stability and balance, being too focused on offense.

‘Next, I should try a different combination.’

Leonard moved to find another opponent.

The training with the manticore’s blood continued.

The third one.

The manticore with an ogre’s head was several times stronger than the previous ones. Unlike the others, which relied on venomous spines and traps, this one engaged in close combat, and its physical abilities were on a different level.

Five Element Style

The manticore’s claws clashed with Leonard’s sword in a high-speed charge.

White Tiger Fifth Form

Heavenly Steel Wave

Planting his feet firmly on the ground, Leonard’s sword met the incoming attack and sent a shockwave into the manticore’s body.

An attack that would shatter a human’s internal organs and cause them to bleed from the seven orifices and die. Yet, the manticore’s robust body absorbed the shock without any issue.

Or perhaps, it was because this manticore had an ogre’s head, giving it such a body.

Roar!

With their blades and claws locked, Leonard and the manticore exchanged intense glares, filled with deep animosity.

In this moment, they were equals, evenly matched.

Beasts that thought only of killing and being killed.

Five Element Style

Azure Dragon Eighteen Forms

Thunder Meets Lightning

Lightning bolts from Leonard’s other hand split into several strands, piercing the manticore’s body.

Holding the manticore with the White Tiger form and thrusting with the Azure Dragon form.

It was a good combination.

Roar!

The manticore, having suffered in the deadlock, retreated.

The immense strength from the ogre’s head was powerful enough to shake off the pressure of the White Tiger form.

However, losing the initiative in the attack was more fatal.

Leonard’s dual swords danced chaotically as he took a step forward.

Five Element Style

Two Spirits

Eastern Azure Dragon, Western White Tiger

Gale and Lightning

The sword in his right hand used the Azure Dragon form, while the one in his left used the White Tiger form, creating a space from which there was no escape.

The swift sword cut off the path forward, while the heavy sword’s pressure thoroughly suppressed the opponent. To break through this storm of sword strikes, one needed the skill to read the flow.

Naturally, it was impossible for the manticore with an ogre’s head.

Its body was torn and split in an instant, and finally, a critical weakness appeared in the thrashing, pain-wracked creature.

Five Element Style

Two Spirits’ Secret Technique

Dragon and Tiger Double Kill

Using the Azure Dragon form to slice the neck and create a weak point, he then brought down the White Tiger form like an executioner’s axe.

It was a form where the dragon and tiger simultaneously killed their prey.

Snap!

As the blue and white sword lights crossed, the manticore’s head fell, and it stopped moving. It was an incredibly powerful opponent, hard to believe it was a Demon Beast Realm creature.

‘The Azure Dragon and White Tiger forms work well together. Perhaps it’s because they are in opposite positions of the Five Elements. If so, the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise forms should also work well together.’

Leonard confirmed this hypothesis after piercing the heart of the fourth manticore with the Vermilion Bird form.

In conclusion, the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise forms worked well together.

While it didn’t have the same weight as the White Tiger form, the Vermilion Bird form, which mixed illusory and strong strikes, allowed for more complex swordplay than the White Tiger form. Against a human rather than a monster, it could be more effective than the White Tiger form.

Leonard muttered a few words as he checked his progress.

“Discovering the compatibility when using dual swords is good, but I haven’t seen a manticore with special abilities. Are they really rare?”

Perhaps the ability to use special abilities only applies to those with human heads.

It was disappointing not to have encountered one, but he had no intention of wasting time searching for rare ones.

He was also considering tracking the Shadow Knight.

Shiver.

At that moment.

Feeling a sense of danger from inside the "Valley of Lions," Leonard instinctively activated his defensive technique. He felt that he might suffer a significant blow if he didn’t.

Immediately after.

An unknown wave of energy from a distant location surged toward Leonard.

“—Big!”

The Five Element Technique protecting his body was severely shaken, and blood rushed back. Despite the stability provided by the "Five Element True Dragon Ring," which surpassed the Sword Emperor level, he still suffered internal injuries.

Leonard’s eyes widened as he realized the effect of this wave on living beings.

It couldn’t be helped.

‘Petrification?! The ability to turn living beings into stone?’

Even indirectly affected from several kilometers away, he felt his body stiffen.

Leonard, who had magic resistance and used a defensive technique, was still shaken and injured. Those who were directly hit at close range were doomed.

Leonard’s head tilted slightly as he thought.

‘Is there a monster in the "Valley of Lions" that can fight a manticore at the Demon Beast Realm level or higher?’

No.

No matter how he thought about it, there wasn’t.

Then, the identity of those who were directly hit by this wave was clear.

The Shadow Knights of Crusis.

“Should I check?”

Leonard grabbed the signal device around his neck and slowly infused it with energy to activate the circuit inside.

The signal device only worked when the energy was used in a specific sequence.

Flash!

A beam of light shot out from the signal device in one direction.

Toward the center of the "Valley of Lions," where the petrification wave had originated.

Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash!

It didn’t stop after one or two flashes. The signal device blinked five times before finally going silent, indicating that at least five Shadow Knights were present.

And as if to support this, a roar that dwarfed all previous encounters echoed.

———!!

It was an enormous sound.

The anger within it shook the earth.

Evidence that the battle was not yet over.

The Shadow Knights seemed to have somehow withstood the petrification wave.

Leonard, realizing this, also understood that there was no Sword Master or Transcendent Realm expert inside.

‘Even if the manticore is an A3-rank, Demon Beast Realm creature, if there were a Sword Master, the roar would have been filled with fear rather than anger.’

While a 10th-stage External Force Realm could be a threat, the difference between the Transcendent Realm is overwhelming. Whether it was the petrification wave or the paralyzing roar, they would have been cut to pieces without any resistance.

Finding a better opportunity than this would be difficult without the fifth Shadow, the Sword Master.

Leonard quickly pushed off the ground and dashed toward the epicenter.

‘The manticore’s roar was also far from normal. With five Shadow Knights, the manticore must have been injured. I might be able to take advantage of the situation.’

Either way, he would have to accept some damage if he faced them alone. The five Shadow Knights, all 8th-stage External Force Realm or higher, and the Demon Beast Realm manticore were all capable of threatening Leonard.

But if they were locked in a precarious balance, both sides could suffer critical damage.

‘This time, I should use the three-sword technique.’

The three swords at his waist clicked as he prepared to draw them.