The poison reacted with the reflected energy, detonating in a flash of sickly green fire.
The explosion rocked the column, a shockwave of corrupted mana surging outward.
The manticore shrieked, half its lower body engulfed in burning venom.
Fragments of bone flew across the platform, clattering over the edge and vanishing into the abyss below.
Wade staggered to his feet, clutching his sword.
Through the chaos, he saw it. The ribs on its right flank had been shattered open, exposing the glowing core pulsing faintly within.
"There you are."
He vanished again.
He reappeared directly under the exposed ribs, his free hand already blazing with fiery mana. He slammed it against the creature's side.
"Fireburst!"
The explosion was instantaneous.
A torrent of orange flame erupted upward, confined by the bone cage of the manticore's ribs.
The confined blast tore through the creature's chest cavity, bursting out through its spine and skull.
The manticore screamed, or tried to.
