Itsuki and Ravenbeard look at the beast hybrid before them. Its wings flapped and created a strong wind in the room, making the treasure fly around a bit. The three braced themselves a bit as the Manticore continued to walk towards them, holding its severed tail as a weapon.

Ravenbeard: Any plans, lad?

Itsuki: I'm not sure…I have more potent spells saved up, but… I'm not sure anymore what can take this thing down! Head back to Akeru and protect her.

Ravenbeard: And leave you on your own against the massive beast?

Itsuki: I'll be fine… the worst-case scenario, you can come to save me again, right?

Ravenbeard: If I deem ya worth saving.

Ravenbeard hopped back to Akeru and protected her as Itsuki looked at the beast walking to him, calculating his new plan. The Manticore opens its mouth, and fire spews out of it suddenly towards Itsuki. He rolled out of the way and groaned a little.

Itsuki: Of course, it has magic now…damnit all! If it can do fire magic, that explains why Pyro didn't work as well as I would have hoped.

The Manticore thrust his tail sword at Itsuki, who backed away from it and to the side, thinking to himself.

Itsuki: So I have to worry about the eyes, the tail, and fire magic…plus the wings might be an issue. Let's hope it doesn't have any other tricks up its sleeve…

Itsuki swiftly cut the Manticore with his katana, but it got stuck in its skin again. Itsuki backed off as the Manticore tried to stab him with the tail sword, dodging the attack. The Manticore pulled the katana out of its skin and held both swords as it roared again.

Akeru: You fool! Why would you try that again?!

Ravenbeard: I wonder what the lad is thinking…

Itsuki: So my theory is correct…I can't cut the main body, but the tail could be cut off fine…meaning the wings could also. I can resummon my katana when I need to…but that doesn't help me figure out a way to kill this damn thing!

His eyes widened slightly as he figured out…he was thinking this wrong. Itsuki aimed his palm at the beast and sighed softly.

Itsuki: I need this to work…Pyroball!

He shot the flames at the body of the beast once more. It flapped its wings and extinguished the fire with ease as it went to stab him with the scorpion's tail. He dodged as it went to slash him with his katana. Itsuki smirked a bit and suddenly summoned the katana back to his side as he enchanted the katana with Dim, throwing it directly into the Manticore's mouth. He released the spell to shoot deeper into the Manticore's body as he called back the katana once more. The Manticore started to cough as it squirmed, charging at Itsuki.

Itsuki: Sorry…you just lost!

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The Manticore saw a faint trail of magic coming from Itsuki's palm and into his mouth.

Itsuki: Conversion…Mountaina!

The Manticore stopped moving as it felt something inside of it. Suddenly, several large stone spikes explode inside its body, with a vast tip sticking out its mouth. The Manticore fell to the floor, finally dead from its inner organs punctured by the stone spikes. Akeru rushed to Itsuki as Ravenbeard leaned against the wall.

Akeru: What in the seven hells did you just do?!

Itsuki: Conversion lets me convert any spell into something else…though I have to keep an uninterrupted trail of magic attached to the spell I want to convert. Luckily, my katana serves as a middle man for that, as when I retrieve it, it leaves a trail back to me anyways. The only issue is someone else can use my trail against me if I'm careless…and Mountaina is the upgraded Grade 2 version of Soila.

Itsuki looked exhausted as he looked around the room.

Itsuki: So…how are we going to haul all of this out?

Ravenbeard: First, we need to find an exit out of this blasted room.

Itsuki and Akeru looked around to find a stairway had just appeared, leading up.

Akeru: Defeating the Manticore must have opened a way out… so now what?

Ravenbeard: Lad, help me with the beast.

Itsuki: W-What do you mean?

Ravenbeard: I'm going to pull out its innards and stuff the treasure in it.

Akeru: Ew!! That's disgusting! Wouldn't that devalue the treasure?

Itsuki: I can wash the blood out with another new spell I found, Tide. I can make a mini-wave of water to wash it all out.

Akeru: Still freaking disgusting…

Ravenbeard and Itsuki started to do as they said they would, cleaning out the insides to make room for the treasures. Then, they started stuffing it inside as it was able to fit it all inside the colossal beast.

Itsuki: It will take three of us to take this Manticore up. Who knows how many steps there are, so let's get moving…

Akeru: R-Right…!

The three carried the Manticore body full of treasures up the staircase. Although they struggled and were all out of breath, they made it to the top of the tall temple. They could all see the entire desert and its surrounding areas.

Akeru: Oh my god…this is beautiful.

Itsuki: I can see Aurora's castle from here!

Ravenbeard: Aye…the world be a beautiful place.

Akeru spotted an island covered in snow and ice across the sea. It was faint, but she knew that it was the northern country of Arezillia.

Akeru: That's it… isn't it? Arezillia?

Ravenbeard: Aye lass, that be her… I've only been there a handful of times; very cold that island is.

Itsuki: Hey Ravenbeard…what are you going to do now?

Ravenbeard: Well, first, we need off this damn tower. There is no way off of it, and who knows how high it is!

Akeru:...Come with us.

Ravenbeard: Pardon?

Akeru: Come with us to Arezillia! You're a pirate, right?! You want to go sail once more, right?!

Ravenbeard: Lass, I appreciate yer offer…but I have to decline. Ye don't want no old skeletal sea dog like me on your adventure.

Akeru: But-

Itsuki suddenly rolled the Manticore off the side and watched it fall to the bottom.

Akeru: Are you mad?!

Itsuki: Tide.

Akeru: T-Tide-

The three were suddenly pushed off the side of the temple by a wave of water. Akeru was screaming for dear life. As they get close to the bottom, the tide pushes them upwards a few times to reduce the fall. They land next to the Manticore, who was unscathed.

Akeru: I think I'm going to be ill…

Ravenbeard: Next time, warn us, lad!

Itsuki: You two talked too long; we still have to get to the city.

Ravenbeard: You plan to take the treasure back to the Witch?!

Itsuki: What treasure? I just want to show her the Manticore we killed.

Akeru:...We are taking this to Armando, aren't we?

Itsuki: Great minds think alike, Akeru.

The three carried the giant beast back to the City of Polisha, where they were greeted by the Guard Captain from before.