“Crown Prince!”

“Shin oppa, don’t die!”

“Tsk…!”

As I had lost too much blood in a short period of time, dizziness swept over me. I felt like I would scream if I opened my mouth, so I clenched my teeth and grabbed the tentacles poking through my chest. I then burnt the tentacles with the strongest lightning power I could muster and activated my ring’s regeneration ability to heal my chest area.

[Diehard has activated! Your HP has recovered to 50%!]

My HP must have fallen to a dangerous level to activate that skill. That was dangerous; I almost died. Just by looking at Ren’s expression, I could tell how grave it looked. I burnt the tentacles flying towards me with a spear attack and drank a health potion.

[You!]

Seeing that I had recovered from my injuries, the Mana Eater sounded shocked. I smirked and gave it the middle finger, but in truth, I was still at a disadvantage. Regeneration could only be used once every two weeks, and Diehard could only be used once a day. In other words, if the same thing happened again, I would die. So what the heck just happened!? It had pierced through my Epic-grade armor, injuring me so severely that I was at the brink of death! Although the Mana Eater must have carefully planned the attack, it was entirely possible that it still had more cards up its sleeve.

It was an attack that increased its attack power by eating the opponent’s mana and decreased the opponent’s defense. That was why the Mana Eater was so feared.

[Y-You dare to hurt my Hero…!]

While I contemplated on how to defeat the Mana Eater’s attack, Lotte screamed in rage and trembled. I could feel the mana in her body surging up.

She snarled, [You must pay the price!]

Lotte breathed out fierce flames. Her black flames devoured all the trees around us that had tentacles hanging from them. Her flames carried a powerful curse, so they quickly spread and set other trees on fire.

The boss growled, [This isn’t an ordinary flame…I’ll kill you first!]

“You bastard!”

Chaos flames formed a whirlpool by following Mad Typhoon’s trajectory. As the whirlpool undulated around me, I came to a decision. I channeled a large amount of mana into my spear and shouted, “Everyone, get on Lotte!”

Ren shrieked, “What!?”

“Hold out in the air for a moment! I’ll take care of the boss during that time!”

He screeched back, “What are you talking about? Take care of it…how!? And why should we—”

I jumped down from Lotte’s back and shouted, “This forest is dangerous! Much more than fighting the damned aerial army! So listen to me!”

“What about you!?” Ren screamed.

Naturally, I had my methods. I didn’t have the time to leisurely explain everything. Pushing away the tentacles with chaos flames, I ordered Lotte and Ruyue.

“Protect the others. I’ll finish it soon.”

Lotte protested, [Hero, I want to end him!]

Ruyue whined, [Shin, this place is dangerous!]

I shook my head. “But this is the best method.”

In truth, using Deific Manifestation and getting Peruta’s help was the best way of dealing with this situation. However, if I faced the worst-case possible scenario I envisioned, I wouldn’t have a way out. As long as other methods were available to me, I had to try them first.

The boss snarled, [I won’t let them escape!]

I laughed. “You’ll have to!”

I heightened my Mana Detection and used chaos flame Tempests to hit away the tentacles attacking my companions. At the same time, I glared at the others who were still hesitant on getting on Lotte. I was signaling them to hurry.

Ren finally said, “In that case, Crown Prince, I’ll stay too!”

I immediately rebuked him, “I knew you’d say that. Unfortunately, you’re a burden for me! Just protect the children! If you have mana potions that aren’t from the Floor Shop, give them to the children to drink!”

Lebuik was more sensible than Ren as she was already moving the children to Lotte’s back. Ren looked like he wanted to say something else, but he soon followed Lebuik with a look of resignation.

I formed more chaos flames as I anxiously waited for them to go. I didn’t have much mana left. I was constantly using mana to maintain the materialized elementals and form chaos flames; not to mention, the Mana Eater kept stealing some away! My mana…Wait.

I muttered to myself, “If I remember correctly, Deathblood Ring’s effect was…”

On attack, a 2% chance to absorb 10% of enemy’s mana, and with 1% chance, using 5% of my HP to place the enemy under blood contamination status effect. As I had almost only seen the effect on ordinary trash monsters, the effect had never really felt impactful. However, it was different now.

I breathed out heavily. “Whew…let’s try it.”

I was certain that the Mana Eater had at least ten times the amount of mana I had. In other words, absorbing 10% of its mana meant recovering my mana pool entirely. I raised my spear. I didn’t need to target anything specific as this entire forest was the Mana Eater. I breathed in, then shouted the skill I needed desperately,

“Divine Speed!”

[No matter what you do, it’s usele—]

“Haaaaaap!”

I focused entirely on stabbing consecutively. Although I had to use 10% of my remaining mana, my speed increased by 1000% for 3 seconds! During that time, if I gave up on destructive force and focused solely on numbers, I could attack at least 100 times.

I stabbed the ground like a madman. Not even a jackhammer would make such a sound. Once the Mana Eater noticed my strange actions, it gave up chasing the others and aimed at me with all of its tentacles. I ignored its actions. Unlike last time, I had insurance!

Sharana yelled out, [Bulwark of Wind! Master, it won’t last long!]

“I just need 3 seconds!” I reassured her.

She might not have understood me since I was talking so quickly. In any case, when was this mana absorption thing going to happen!? Don’t tell me it won’t work because Deathblood Ring’s grade is too low!?

I stabbed the ground repeatedly, resolving to steal the Mana Eater’s mana. A large hole appeared and the trees around me fell. At the same time, the tentacles buried under the ground became shredded.

[Deathblood has activated, taking 10% of the enemy’s mana.]

[Kuuuak!]

At that moment, something completely unexpected happened. The tentacles flying toward me deflated like empty balloons. Not only that, the trees in the area had lost their vitality and looked as if they’d been rotting for the past 100 years. Of course, the intended effect was still there. My mana pool was fully replenished!

My eyes lit up. “Don’t tell me, is mana this bastard’s entire life force?”

Well, it was a monster that freely stole mana, so in that sense, it wasn’t all that surprising! Unexpectedly, stealing its mana with Deathblood had dealt more damage than all the attacks I had done combined!

I immediately materialized Sharana after feeling the mana overflowing my body. The Mana Eater immediately raged at me, [Youuuu! M-My mana, you dare take my mana!]

I crowed tauntingly, “Don’t be so stingy, you bastard. You drilled holes in my chest earlier!”

If I steal its mana ten times, it will die. The moment I pulled my spear out of the ground, the ground exploded and dozens of tentacles shot toward me. With the materialized Sharana’s overwhelming power of wind, I blew them away. Even so, it would be hard to leisurely strike as I did previously.

It shrieked indignantly, [Return my mana!]

I grinned widely. “Thanks for the meal, you bastard! Sharana, stir up wind in the entire forest!”

When I gave Sharana almost half the mana I took from the Mana Eater, her body gave off a dazzling light. The wind blowing around us became fiercer, and the Mana Eater’s tentacles resembled rice plants being whipped by a storm. Meanwhile, everyone riding on Ruyue had successfully switched to Lotte.

[Hero, if you end up being unable to pay my reward in the future, I will drag you out of your grave! Hurry up and kill this bastard!]

[Shin, I’ll go back for a bit!]

After safely completing her mission, Ruyue returned to Fairy Garden. At the same time, Lotte cheered me on and soared up into the sky. The Mana Eater didn’t forget to send some tentacles their way even while it was focused on me, but Ren and Lebuik pushed them away with their aura. The trees blocking their way out of the forest were also cut down.

Ren hollered, “If you don’t follow us soon, we’ll come back. So hurry!”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Just focus on getting out!”

“Oppa, don’t die!”

Before they left the forest, Ren and the others shouted at the top of their lungs. Even so, they still wouldn’t be safe after leaving the forest. There was the aerial army of the El Patiz waiting for them. Though Lotte, Ren, and Lebuik were surely able to hold their ground, I still had to finish the Mana Eater as soon as possible.

After confirming that the others left the forest, I let out a sigh of relief. Of course, the Mana Eater’s tentacles were still slashing across my face and leaving injuries.

It raged, [I’ll blow a hole in your chest again! Let’s see if you can regenerate again!]

I commanded, “Sharana, help me make my voice echo throughout the entire forest!”

[No problem!]

It wouldn’t make sense if a wind elemental like Sharana was unable to amplify my voice, especially when she was materialized. Within moments, my voice indeed rang out sonorously whenever I talked. With the Evil Eyes and Soul Guard, I had increased my soul’s league, and I had also constantly increased my strength in other areas. Now, just my voice carried a certain level of power. It seemed to be able to impact the Mana Eater, albeit only slightly.

It screeched angrily, [Noisy brat! I won’t let you fool around with wind!]

“Now, Sharana! Dematerialize and go back!”

[Yes!]

Sharana immediately returned to the Spirit World the moment I gave the order. Her elemental magic was still in effect. I had to finish what I needed to do before it ended.

The boss growled, [Become my food, Human!]

“Buuuuuurn!”

[You have used Crimson Roar. Everything blazes as flames.]

In an instant, my entire view became filled with flames. Amplified by Sharana’s wind, my voice reached every corner of the forest, turning everything into flames, and burning it all. Other than the crackling sound of the fire, only the Mana Eater’s scream rang out.

[Kuaaaaaaaa!]

Its tentacles flew toward me, but they became scorched and crumbled. The entire world was dyed red. I used Divine Speed once again and struck the ground crazily. I was sure that I would be able to steal its mana again before Crimson Roar’s effect ran out.

It stuttered, [Y-You…T-This flame!]

“Shut it!” I snapped.

[Deathblood has activated, using 5% of your HP to inject contaminated blood into the enemy! The Mana Eater has fallen under the ‘blood contamination’ status effect! Its attack power and movement speed has decreased, and it loses mana continuously! This effect cannot be dispelled unless the target dies!]

Oh, a different effect? Since it continuously drained the Mana Eater’s mana, it was excellent against this guy. However, I wanted to refill my mana, so I couldn’t help but be disappointed. The flames covering the forest were beginning to disappear.

The boss shrieked indignantly, [I spent hundreds of years growing the forest...I-It has been burnt…by a mere human!]

What was once a dense forest was now entirely scorched to ashes. The Mana Eater’s circular body protruded out of the black ground, and its dozens of tentacles caught my attention. Half of its tentacles were still burrowed.

I sighed. “I can finally see.”

I raised my head and looked up at the sky. At the same time, a few boulders fell down. They were the monsters that had been flying in the air. Even though we cleaned up a lot of them before, they had already replenished their numbers during the time we stayed in the Forest of Tranquility. I could also see Ren and Lebuik fighting on top of Lotte. Thankfully, the children seemed to be doing well.

[Kahak! I’ll kill you!]

Thanks to the blood contamination effect, the Mana Eater was slower than before. Even so, its tentacles were still fast and powerful. Seeing them shooting toward me, I summoned Sharana and infused her in my body. Now that I knew the Mana Eater could spring its tentacles from the ground, it wasn’t wise to fight on ground.

However, almost as if it seemed to be waiting for me to fly, the Mana Eater’s tentacles changed direction. It was aiming at the sky.

“Damn!”

Was it trying to attack the others again!? I raised my voice to warn them. However, it was in vain. The Mana Eater’s targets weren’t my companions.

[Mana, give me your mana!] it snarled angrily.

[Guaaaaaa!]

[Kiaaaaa!]

The tentacles danced and pierced through a countless number of monsters. Surprisingly, the moment the tentacles sucked up the monsters’ mana, they absorbed the brain worms’ mana as well and killed them effortlessly. I now understood why the brain worms had left the Forest of Tranquility alone.

I shook my head. “Wait, now isn’t the time to be surprised!”

I quickly charged through the air. However, the Mana Eater was continuously recovering mana and regaining its vitality. The number of tentacles attacking me increased as well. As more tentacles sprung up, they pierced through more monsters in the air and created more tentacles. Evil Eyes were indeed good for fighting against a large army, but the Mana Eater was miles ahead of me! As long as there were monsters it could feed on, it would never run out of steam!

At the same time, the increased number of tentacles attacking me made it hard for me to block them all. The distance between us wasn’t something that could be covered by one or two Divine Speed activations. In the end, I gritted my teeth and used another skill.

“Gigant Time! Prepare to die!”

[No one can threaten my lif—ugh!]

It wasn’t talking about my spear, which had been expanded to dozens of feet long by Gigant Time. I was only using it to slash away the dozens of tentacles attacking me. Then who was it referring to? I burnt away the tentacles blocking my vision and looked forward. The Mana Eater’s circular body was protruding out of the ground like a flower bud, and it had two horns piercing through it.

Two horns, is that…?

A familiar voice echoed in the air, “Good, not late. I came to help.”

In the air, a twenty-foot drake was flapping its wings. It was a relatively small drake, but it possessed immense strength. As I could tell that it was undead, there was only one thing it could be. A beautiful woman carrying a chain whip stood up above the drake, flashing her red eyes. She had flowing ash-gray hair and a beret glowing like a gemstone. There was no doubt in my mind who that was.

[Guooooo!]

A large undead rhinoceros beetle stabbed its horns deeper into the Mana Eater and roared. The Mana Eater screamed in pain and attacked the rhinoceros beetle with its tentacles. However, the rhinoceros beetle’s carapace must have been strengthened in a special manner as it could not be penetrated.

“Loro, nice. Cool.”

I said somewhat helplessly, “Really?! Can’t you give it a cooler name, Daisy!?”

Right, Revival’s newest member, Daisy, had come to reinforce me.