pg 5 in the cape, the manticores there turn out skill ups very often from 220-250/60 before slowing to a crawl. I used to skill up 180-210 on crabs in the cape by the water just north of the op, then move north to the tunnel/book zone were the cockatoo and manticores are (were you drop off the ledge and cant get back up, its by the northeastern zone to the tunnel and theres a FOV book there)

Once you hit 250 head to a visions of abyssea area, probably worms in la thiene. Once skill ups there halt, head to vision zone, then lastly head to hero's zone and fight dc-even match.