The male fire lizard's limb muscles bulged and knotted, its hind legs digging deep into the volcanic rock baked hard by the heat. With a crack, weblike fractures spread across the ground! The next instant, its enormous body became a blazing red afterimage, hurtling toward Loa with the reek of sulfur and scorched blood! It moved so fast that it left a trail of heat distorting the air behind it!
Facing this hate-fueled charge, Loa drew a deep breath of scorching, stinging air and suppressed the burning agony in his arms. He spread his feet slightly, lowered his center of gravity, and switched to gripping the thousand-forged longsword with both hands, holding it across his chest. The gray-white blade reflected eyes as still as the cold depths of an ancient well-without fear, filled only with utterly focused calculation and coldly burning fighting spirit.
Here it comes!
Scarlet, flaming claws tore through the air and raked down at his head with the momentum to burn everything to ash! Before they even reached him, the scorching air pressure curled the loose hair over Loa's forehead. Rather than meet them head-on, he turned his wrists slightly just as the claws reached him, angling his blade to meet them-
Clang!!
An explosive metallic clash rang out! Sparks flew everywhere!
The blade scraped violently against the flame-wrapped claws with a teeth-grating screech. Tremendous force traveled along the sword. Loa's arm muscles instantly tightened like iron, the rock beneath his feet shattered, and he slid backward half a foot, plowing two shallow furrows. But his grip remained rock-steady as he used the momentum to channel part of the force to his side, successfully deflecting it!
Its strength is manageable! I can fight it! Loa steadied inwardly. Pure physical strength was not the Redflame Fire Lizard's forte,