The battle had reached a fever pitch—
Brand raised the Earth Sword with both hands and slashed at the Five-headed Lizard's marble pillar-like right forepaw. Despite its massive size, this giant creature moved with astonishing dexterity, retracting its right forepaw as if with foreknowledge, and Brand's sword only cut through an afterimage.
However, the power of the Earth Sword immediately shattered the ground beneath the Five-headed Lizard's feet. The soil and stone tablets heaved to the sides, collapsing into a cone-shaped trench that made the massive creature lose its balance, causing its entire body to tilt sideways.
Yet, pursuing an advantage wasn't so easy for Brand. The Five-headed Lizard's five heads whipped in the air like lashes, diving down to bite in succession, forcing the young lord to retreat repeatedly, exiting the ten-foot melee range.
