The great snake head lifted high, its entire python body forming an "S" shape. Its murky, dark-yellow eyes had vertical pupils, and when it stared at them, everyone felt varying degrees of stiffness.
Though it was also "Second Order," this giant python still exerted considerable pressure on them.
Its dark-red-scaled tail slithered through the grass, flattening everything in its path. Then it rose again and lashed down like a blur. This time, its target wasn't Yan at the front, but Bona, the weakest member of the party.
Those few seconds of staring had let the python quickly assess everyone's strengths. It ignored Yan, who was equipped with heavy armor at the front, and swept its tail sideways. With a sharp whistle, the tip shot toward the short-haired girl with chestnut-red hair.
Bona couldn't react in time. Fortunately, the party's leader, Bad Apple, had the presence of mind to kick her away, taking the blow from the python's tail in her place.
When it hit Bad Apple, he tilted his body to take the blow at an angle, letting the impact lose much of its force. The tail sent him tumbling, but if he hadn't adjusted his posture and had taken the full force straight to his lower back, he would probably have suffered multiple broken bones and passed out.
Seeing their teammate in the rear come under attack, Yan no longer held back. He raised his sword and shield and charged straight at the python to draw its attention.
His sturdy broadsword struck the python, scraping off a few scales with a shower of sparks. The blow had some effect, but against the enormous python body, the scratch was negligible.
The python slithered again. For all its size, it wasn't slow. Its body was thicker than five Sylutias put together,