So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

Chapter 284 Just Set It On Fire (1)

If the three children had the same ability as that small snake.

If they could identify the monster's traits and skills just by focusing their eyes.

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[Woodskin Blade Mantis lv32]

[Traits]

[Ferocity], [Small Brain]

[Skills]

[Acceleration lv8], [Biting lv10], [Leap lv10], [Grabbing lv7], [Frenzy lv3]

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They probably could have known such information.

But no one had such transcendent eyes.

However, there was information they could grasp just by looking.

The hunters who captured this monster brought the mantis from the eastern foothills of that mountain range.

Monsters change their traits and evolution patterns according to their habitat.

Bug monsters from the great forest and bug monsters from the mountains have different characteristics.

It's an inevitable difference due to different vegetation.

The mountains are colder than the great forest and have fewer prey.

Therefore, monsters tend to be larger, and there are fewer easy low-level prey monsters.

For hunting, the mantis evolved differently from those in the great forest.

Woodskin.

The exoskeleton evolved into a form similar to tree bark.

Its hardness is even greater than most trees.

"Quirerererere!"

The strange cry filled the circular arena.

Like most monster cries, the roar contained intimidation.

Phili, who was about to charge at the mantis, screamed and started running away.

An utterly pathetic action.

But there was no need to worry.

The legitimate successor who inherited the Martein family's secret techniques.

Rania Martein was blocking the mantis.

But then.

"Uh..."

Rania stood frozen still.

The axe in her hands was trembling.

Amain noticed this.

He was in the middle of casting, chanting a spell, but the mantis was charging at the frozen Rania.

Having no choice but to interrupt his spell, he shouted.

"Rania! Move!"

"...Ah!"

Rania quickly raised her shield to block the mantis's foreleg.

Crack!

But surprisingly, the foreleg pierced straight through Rania's shield.

Almost nothing can beat bug monsters in pure strength.

When it withdrew its foreleg, the shield was ridiculously dragged along.

Yet Rania still hadn't regained her senses.

Her eyes were filled with fear.

Why was this happening?

Rania had absorbed the Martein family's teachings with remarkable talent.

So, her current level surpasses that of ordinary knights.

If she stayed calm, she could handle the mantis monster before her.

"Snap out of it Rania!"

But now her legs were stiff and her body trembled.

She thought she'd be fine.

But she ended up remembering.

The monster wave that burned her territory and swept away the carriage she was riding in.

Ironically, now she was being taught by Teacher Snake who had been at the head of that monster wave.

What a strange life.

Whack!

She barely dodged the foreleg. The mantis's foreleg stabbed into where she had just been.

When defeat becomes certain, the staff intervene and stop the match.

Come to think of it, then there's nothing more to be afraid of, right?

Just as Rania's heart was weakening like this.

Slap!

Someone slapped her cheek.

No, an invisible hand did.

"Ah, Amain!"

She turned around in disbelief.

Amain shook his head as if it wasn't him.

Behind him, she could see the spectator seats.

Professor Obern watching with a serious expression.

And Teacher Snake sitting on his staff.

That snake had slapped her cheek.

It snapped her back to her senses.

"Quireeek!"

Having finished its assessment, the mantis seemed to consider them easy prey.

It charged recklessly with brute force.

Fortunately Rania had regained her senses, but her struggle seemed to ignite someone else's heart.

"Yaaaah!"

The prince who had run away in fear was coming back.

Fear was still etched on Phili's face, but something more important than that had turned his feet around.

That thing was friendship.

He couldn't ignore seeing Rania, whom he secretly trusted, in danger.

So he came running back, and while Rania was glad...

"Danger, Rania!"

Phili was charging not at the mantis but at Rania.

"W-wait-!"

"Get away!"

And Phili pushed Rania.

If it was the original Phili, it might have just been normal help.

However, current Phili was in 'super muscle' state.

As a certain master said, destructive power = muscle × speed.

Boom!

Rania flew far as if hit by a truck.

"Aaaaah!"

The sight of Rania flying while spinning looked like something from a cartoon.

She crashed spectacularly.

Thanks to the Martein family's training methods being so excellent her head didn't crack, but that was the end.

Rania, unconscious.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Phili hadn't realized what he'd done.

He was preoccupied with raising his shield to block the mantis's foreleg.

Bang! Crash!

The shield didn't shatter in one hit like before.

But it was still a terrifyingly heavy attack.

Phili shouted, slightly regretting his return:

"He-help me Rania!"

Phili shouted this without knowing what had happened to Rania.

Amain, who was behind them, had seen this whole farce.

He could have shouted 'Rania's unconscious because of you, handle it yourself!' but he didn't.

"Aman tu, ignatio..."

He couldn't interrupt his spell again.

He chanted his fire magic to completion.

While Teacher Snake could shoot magic pew-pew without incantations, Amain cast spells the orthodox way.

The best he could do with basic fire magic.

A fireball...

"Ignite!"

Though sudden, Phili understood what that incantation meant.

"Aaaah!"

Seeing him scream and launch himself, he clearly understood.

The mantis's foreleg cut through empty air.

Through the gap where Phili dodged, the fireball flew.

While launching himself, Phili watched the process.

Hot wind whooshed past him. The fireball hit the mantis's body directly.

No, right before impact.

The mantis 'cut' the fireball at incredible speed.

Naturally, cutting a magical fireball was followed by an explosion.

Bang!

The blast pressure caused a ringing in his ears.

Quickly looking up, he saw the mantis was engulfed in flames.

Phili was about to smile with joy.

"Quirererereek!"

That persistent mantis didn't fall even with its head on fire.

This was truly the moment of 'frenzy'.

Though it would certainly die soon, it ran while wildly swinging its forelegs.

Toward the culprit who shot the fireball. Toward Amain.

"No!"

Phili jumped up.

The frontline's duty is to protect the backline magician.

What on earth was Rania doing in such an urgent situation...

Even he had to do something.

"Amain!"

Like he did to Rania earlier.