The mugwort and water saptaparna grass in front of the stele were blown into a neat prostration by the gust caused by Liu's swing at the stele. Guoguo, wielding what was left of the shattered stele like a brick, swaggered towards the Hydra.
Just a few steps in, the Hydra let out a series of husky roars and started to painfully lift its vast body, causing a splash of water. Its two large legs, like stone piers, propped up shakily on the swampy ground.
One massive blow from the monument had grooved Xu Dela's nine heads, mangling most of them badly. Six heads, along with their necks, were flung off, leaving nothing but neat stumps. This was not just a consequence of Liu's forceful strike; the creature's heads and necks seemed similar to the tail of a gecko, able to detach entirely when attacked to minimize damage.
