Roberto and Cardo pull out their weapons—A sharp dagger and a long sword. The knights scattered throughout the area along with Magdalo.
On the other hand, Riko manages to fool the Guardian Snake by luring the creature towards one of the gigantic trees.
The Guardian Snake who already got a taste of being stuck on a Higantes bark closes its mouth before it made a collision with the tree.
The ruler of the forest would bellow at the young knight as if the creature is trying to say that the same thing won't happen again. However, before it could completely open its mouth, Riko appears right before its eye once again.
"Lakas!"
As his body becomes covered in light, Riko tries to punch the Guardian Snake with his uninjured fist. Apart from moving the creature's head a little, the young knight's attack did not penetrate the barrier covering its body. However, the Guardian Snake was so taken aback that it froze for a couple of seconds.
Grrraaa!
Right after that, the Guardian Snake follows Riko with its gaze. But just then, the ruler of the forest felt something sharp ran through its magic barrier.
The sharp feeling came from the dagger's tip—Roberto's weapon.
The knight who took off most of his armor smirked at the creature.
"It feels so much better now that there's no weight hindering my speed."
Roberto leaves a couple more cuts and slashes before descending on the ground.
The Guardian Snake tries to follow the agile knight, only to stop before the sight of Cardo with his long sword emitting light from within.
"Here, have a taste of my magic sword!"
Cardo sends a diagonal sword wave towards the creature, to which the Guardian Snake proceeds to swallow whole.
"Oh sh*t!" Cardo's eyes widened in surprise. "It ate my sword wave whole!"
The Guardian Snake opens its mouth in an attempt to eat Cardo next.
"Lakas!"
But then it was forcefully closed down by Magdalo who came to try and stab his sword through the creature's skull.
His sword shatters into pieces.
"Damn you and your barrier!"
Graaagh!
The Guardian Snake shoves Magdalo away. Riko and Roberto came just in time to catch the veteran knight.
Graaaa!!
Riko and Magdalo go left, meanwhile, Roberto's on the right, dodging the Guardian Snake's tail.
"Let's go, Magdalo!"
"I'm right behind you!"
Graaa...
The Guardian Snake watches the two knights not running away but charging in without fear. Right at that moment, the ruler of the forest looks at humans, not with amusement, but with confusion.
From the very first humans, the Guardian Snake encountered, each one of them always breaks out in terror, screaming their lungs out right before they become food for the ruler of the forest.
There's not a single human who's brave enough to come straight to the creature that rules the forest. Not until Riko and others have changed—their movements, their expressions, everything. Just several moments ago, all they're doing is run and avoid death. It's like the only thing they have in mind is to avoid being eaten alive and nothing else.
But now, they're willingly going straight to danger, helping each other out whenever one is being targetted by the Guardian Snake. There's no hesitation, no fear. It's almost as if they're certain that they will get out of the forest without losing anyone, at all.
"Huoooh!"
"Hraaaaa!"
Grrrr... Graaah!
A question boggles the Guardian Snake's mind, what exactly is giving these humans the courage to come for the creature who's way, way out of their league?
"Are you sure about this, kid?"
"Yeah."
"This will worsen your ankle, you know?"
"I already gave you my answer."
"Oh well, don't blame me if you can't walk straight after this, kid!"
The answer lies before the Guardian Snake itself. The snake sees Marlo with one of his hands touching the moving ground. And right on top of the moving ground is Lyrica who seems to be up on something.
Grrrraaaah!
The instant The Guardian Snake lets out a roar, Marlo aims his other hand on its head and shoots a boulder.
The Guardian Snake avoided the boulder easily because of how slow it is.
"Hey, you didn't use all the mana you have on that one, did you?"
"Don't worry! I got plenty!"
The boulder hovers straight towards the two knights—Riko and Magdalo.
"Let's go!"
"Yeah!"
From their footsteps to their hands clasping and making a fist, the two start moving in sync. And together, they uttered the word, "Lakas!"
With their strength empowered by Lakas, Riko and Magdalo punch in unison, sending the boulder right back at the Guardian Snake.
Garghl... Grr!
The Guardian Snake was caught off guard by the unexpected return of the boulder it once avoided. Annoyed, it quickly turns its attention towards the two.
"Here's another one for you, you piece of sh*t!"
Right then, Cardo fires a sword wave and shoves the snake away, resulting in the Guardian Snake getting even more annoyed.
And like a king of oil putting more oil into the fire, Roberto came out of nowhere throws his dagger in its mouth.
Gragh... G-Graaa!
The Guardian Snake tries to cough out the dagger which is causing discomfort inside its mouth. After doing so, the ruler of the forest who's filled with rage begins to charge up its wind breath.
"This is it!" Magdalo shouted. "It's doing it!"
"Get cover!"
Riko followed suit as Roberto hides behind a stone, Magdalo runs to the same Higantes where Cardo is taking cover, and the young knight himself hides behind another stone, grasping the said stone tight.
"Brace yourselves, everyone!"
Right after that, Riko steals a glance at Lyrica.
...
"Make the Guardian Snake use its wind breath? That's dangerous!"
"I know," The girl replied. "It's dangerous, yet simple."
"But how?" The young knight inquired. "How does making that snake use its ability going to help us?"
"Don't you think it's strange how every time it uses its wind breath, it doesn't go and eat everyone else right away?"
Lyrica replied with a question.
"It's not because it's playing around with its meal, it's a different case." Said the girl. "It doesn't go after us after using its ability because it can't."
"It can't?"
Lyrica let out a sigh, knowing that she will have to explain things which is troublesome.
"You might not get most of what I'm about to say, but listen..."
Every time the Guardian Snake uses its wind breath, it restricts itself from breathing in air. Oxygen is a chemical element present in the air which most living organisms breathe in. The cells in one's body use that oxygen to produce energy or life force, as Alterians like to call it.
Apart from helping to produce life force which is the source of mana, oxygen also plays a part in one's ability to move, talk, and even think. Without this precious element, it would be impossible to walk, communicate with others, or even think about things.
"There's a rule that says the bigger an organism is, the higher the metabolic rate."
Seeing the Guardian Snake and its elongated large mass, it would only mean that it has a high metabolic rate. And if it has a high metabolic rate, then it needs a more efficient and more consistent supply of oxygen. Otherwise, its body will slowly shut down.
"So you're saying that we can immobilize the Guardian Snake by making it use its wind breath?"
"Exactly!" Lyrica replied in elation. "We will deprive it of air, forcing it to stop moving. And then, we can land a knock-out blow!"
...
"This better work..."
Riko hardens his grip on the stone even more as the Guardian Snake fires off its wind breath.
"It's time!"
"Yeah!"
On the other hand, Marlo and Lyrica begin their move.
As Marlo hard-pressed his hand onto the ground, a pillar emerges from the soil and flings Lyrica to the sky.
"This one's a lot stronger than the last!"
"Don't get blown away!"
The wind breath continues to pick up strength, forcing Magdalo and Cardo to hold on to the Higantes even though they're well covered.
Right then...
"Hey, you!"
The girl's voice resonates throughout the raging storm of wind. The Guardian Snake immediately stops its wind breath after hearing Lyrica's voice coming from the sky. The ruler of the forest wants to look up and eat the girl alive. However...
"What a fool," Lyrica smirked at the Guardian Snake. "You can't even look at me in the eye now."
"I-It worked!"
Magdalo, Cardo, and Roberto came out of hiding after hearing Riko's words. Everyone could not believe what they see, but the creature known as the ruler of the forest left itself frozen and defenseless.
Just like what Lyrica told Riko before, it cannot move because the Guardian Snake is deprived of oxygen.
"This is it!"
Everyone, including Marlo, looks up to the sky where the girl is seen descending straight to the Guardian Snake's head.
"Do it!"
"Finish it!"
"Please!"
A one and only chance Lyrica cannot afford to fail. Her injured limbs do not matter, so long as she can finish the job. And so, to make sure that she finishes the job, to be certain that the Guardian Snake will never go back up again, Lyrica goes beyond her decibel limit.
"100dB: Heavy Metal!"