Flashy Adventurer System : Show Off to Get Stronger! - Chapter 754

Chapter 754: Unexpected Guests
“Little imp…you dare invade my territory?!” The Stygian Manticore roared in utter rage.

It had not seen Shye or Shirley nor witnessed the slaughter of over a hundred of its underlings by four thousand golden light swords.

As a result, the overlord assumed that the impish invader was responsible for the deaths of its Fire Mane Pumas, scanning its beastly eyes over the corpse puppet army.

Moments later, it recognized the creature standing before it.

“Necrollin? I thought your cowardly kind had resigned to hiding in void pockets like the rats you are… Why show yourself now? Do you really think I fear these lifeless pawns of yours?” The Stygian Manticore added with narrowed eyes.

“Hmph, have you finished your meowing, pussy cat?” Nookie shot back, hands folded behind its back like an all-seeing, all-knowing sage. “It’s quite amusing that you mock my corpse puppets when you’ll be joining their ranks in just a few minutes.”

“HAH! You? Defeat me? Dream on!” The manticore said in an equally arrogant manner.

Before it could react, ten of Nookie’s underlings unleashed beams and blasts from their palms and mouths, creating a cataclysmic explosion that obliterated the remaining Fire Mane Pumas.

All that remained of their bodies were a few charred bones and ashes.

Now, why don’t you say that again, kitty?” the little necrollin said in a cold tone.

The sudden annihilation of its army understandably shook the beastly overlord.

However, its beastly heart had never and would never fail it in life-or-death situations.

The manticore didn’t feel even the slightest hint of fear at the thought of battling forty-five (S-) to (S) ranked corpses.

All it believed was that as hard as the battle might be, it would be the one who would remain standing in the end.

There were zero doubts in its heart.

Like a true overlord, it would survive, just like how it had always managed to do so in the past, regardless of the disadvantageous odds and challenges it faced.

If only determination was enough, the Stygian Manticore would’ve survived.

Unfortunately for the overlord, Nookie was not just an ordinary Necrollin Puppeteer as it had assumed.

Instead, Nookie was a Necrollin Master Puppeteer, possessing far greater potential and skill in controlling corpse puppets.

This quickly became apparent as the battle began.

Nookie commanded the Stygian Garuda, the Bloodskin Ogre, and several other brute-type monsters, sending them charging at the Stygian Manticore in unison, all while controlling the range-type corpse puppets to shoot blasts and rays from a distance.

The overlord ferociously charged forward to meet the opposition, its eyes keenly observing the movements of the corpse puppets.

It believed that there was bound to be a weakness somewhere that it could exploit.

After all, it would be impossible for necrollin puppeteers to control such high-level corpse puppets smoothly.

Only, the Stygian Manticore didn’t expect that despite controlling multiple high-level corpses simultaneously, the puppets made no awkward movements.

As a result, while the overlord managed to swat the Stygian Garuda Puppet away with a single swipe of its paw, its left shoulder bone was fractured by a powerful strike from the Bloodskin Ogre’s club.

It then endured several more blows from the (S-) ranked monsters and was ultimately forced to retreat, slightly regretting its arrogant decision to face the puppet army head-on.

“You cursed imp…how can you control your corpse puppets with such mastery?!” The manticore raged.

It had staked its survival on the hope that the corpse puppets would show brief, random moments of sluggishness, allowing it to gradually reduce the puppet army’s numbers.

However, no such weakness appeared, leaving the overlord utterly bewildered.

For the first time in decades, the Stygian Manticore felt the cold whisper of death close to its ears.

“Hmph. I knew your stupid feline brain wouldn’t be able to immediately comprehend that I’ve ascended to a higher level as a puppeteer.” Nookie sneered in disdain. “Unfortunately, you realized too late.”

Upon hearing Nookie’s words, the manticore turned its head left and right, finally realizing that it was now surrounded and that it would be impossible for it to escape.

“Heh, fine,” the manticore chuckled coldly. “You win, little necrollin. But if you believe taking down an overlord like me will be simple, then let me show you just how wrong you are…”

The overlord already knew that its death was inevitable today.

Hence, it decided to fight to the death and take down as many corpse puppets as it could, hoping to at least make the necrollin’s heart bleed.

With a terrifying roar, a thick, crimson aura covered its enormous body, causing its gray fur to turn red along with its eyes.

This was the manticore’s [Savage Defiance], a skill available to only those of its kind.

Although the skill would ultimately cost it its life when it expired, for a brief period, it would become nearly impossible to defeat, with all of its physical attributes immensely enhanced.

Nookie narrowed its eyes at the sight.

Despite its scrawny physique, the little necrollin was also a monster with heightened senses when it came to danger.

Thus, even without knowing the exact effects of the skill, it instinctively commanded its corpse puppets to momentarily retreat to its side, leaving only the resilient Wood Titan behind to test the enraged manticore’s newfound abilities.

Just before the battle could continue, a powerful horse’s neigh followed by a terrifying draconic roar echoed from above, drawing everyone’s attention to the now orange skies.

A magnificent, pristine-white stallion with wings then soared past them, followed closely by fifteen fire dragons, one of which was significantly larger than the others.

Shye and the others’ eyes naturally widened at the sight.

“Is that… the Pegasus? And… could it be…?”

As the group of dragons passed, however, the largest dragon suddenly stopped, seemingly sensing the thick stench of death and blood beneath.

The Fire Dragon Emperor and the Stygian Manticore then locked eyes, the latter roaring threateningly at the former.

“Hahaha! Who could have foreseen such fortune on this day?” The draconic emperor’s laughter resonated like thunder. “Manticore, to think that a day would come I would see you in such a state… I shall grant the cursed white steed its escape. But as for you, I shall claim your core for myself.”