Enzo felt a surge of adrenaline, his senses sharpening as he focused on the creature before him.
He waited for the right moment, his muscles tense and ready to move. And then it came—the lizard lunged forward, its massive jaws opening wide to snap shut on its target.
Enzo sprang into action. Instead of dodging to the side to try and attack it from behind, he dashed straight toward the creature's head. His plan was to confront the massive threat head-on, exploiting the creature's frontal assault strategy.
But Enzo's strategical thinking hadn't abandoned the idea of attacking the creature's rear. As he engaged the lizard in combat, his butterflies, which had served as his shield and weapon, worked diligently in the background. With Enzo's mental command, a group of them had broken away from the main swarm and stealthily made their way around the lizard's massive form.
As Enzo engaged the lizard's attention with his bold frontal assault, the carnivorous butterflies reached their destination. They began to nibble and devour the creature's scaly flesh from the rear, targeting its softer underbelly. The lizard's thick scales offered some protection, but they were not impenetrable, especially against the concerted effort of Enzo's determined swarm.
However, right at this moment, hell broke loose.
The lizard let out a roar of fury and pain, its focus divided between Enzo's relentless attack and the unexpected assault on its rear.
Focusing on Enzo himself, the red lizard opened its maw wide, and from it, a gust of fire came right to the little human.
"What the-?!"
Enzo was so taken aback that it took him a while to realize what was happening. Never he had expected the lizard to have such attacks.
Enzo's heart pounded in his chest as the unexpected blast of fire shot towards him. Panic and adrenaline surged through him, and he knew he had to react swiftly. In the midst of battle, he couldn't afford to be caught off guard.
With a quick, instinctual motion, he summoned a protective barrier of butterflies around himself, creating a shimmering shield of iridescent wings just in the nick of time. The searing heat of the flames pressed against his protective barrier, but it held, preventing the fire from reaching him.
The sudden attack had caught him by surprise, but he couldn't afford to let fear paralyze him. He knew that he had to adapt to the changing circumstances of the battle. While the carnivorous butterflies continued their relentless assault on the lizard's rear, Enzo focused on his defense, keeping his protective barrier intact to shield himself from further attacks.
The lizard, enraged by its injuries and the audacity of its opponent, continued to unleash torrents of fire, determined to incinerate Enzo. But the latter remained agile and vigilant, using his control over the butterflies to reinforce his defenses, ensuring that no opening was left for the flames to breach.
However, it seemed to start to get harder when he could feel his butterflies' life-force slowly being extinguished, especially the protective butterflies.
Indeed while the shield was strong enough to protect Enzo, it didn't mean that he wasn't suffering any injuries. It was just lessened by his butterflies which were taking most of the damages
And while he lost some butterflies, it wasn't anywhere near dangerous.
For now.
Enzo gritted his teeth, his determination unwavering even as his protective butterflies began to falter under the onslaught of the lizard's fiery assault. He knew that he couldn't rely solely on defense; he needed to take the offensive once again. The lizard was distracted by its own pain and anger, giving Enzo a chance to strike back.
As the flames subsided for a brief moment, Enzo seized the opportunity. With a swift movement, he dispelled the protective barrier of butterflies around him and launched himself forward. His sword glinted in the sunlight as he aimed a powerful strike at the lizard's side, where the scales were thinner and his carnivorous butterflies had been feasting.
The blade bit into the creature's flesh and a guttural roar of agony echoed through the air. The lizard thrashed wildly, its tail sweeping through the air as it tried to dislodge Enzo. But Enzo was unyielding, his focus unwavering as he continued to press his advantage.
The carnivorous butterflies intensified their assault from the rear, their sharp mandibles tearing at the wounded flesh. Blood seeped from the lizard's wounds, its strength waning as the combined assault took its toll.
Amid the chaos of battle, Enzo's mind raced, calculating his every move as he coordinated the assault from both the front and the rear. The lizard's fiery breaths became more sporadic as it struggled to fend off the relentless attack. Its massive form began to sway, and Enzo could see that he was wearing it down.
However, the red lizard was far from giving up.
With its strength waning and its body battered, the red lizard fought on with a tenacity that spoke of its primal instincts. It seemed to understand that its only chance of survival was to unleash its most potent attacks.
Enzo could feel the vibrations in the ground as the lizard prepared for another assault. He knew that he couldn't afford to underestimate his opponent. The beast's fiery breath had already proven devastating, and Enzo had no intention of falling victim to it again.
As the lizard reared back, gathering energy for another fiery blast, Enzo swiftly commanded his remaining protective butterflies to form an even denser barrier around him. The shimmering cocoon of wings became a fortress, ready to withstand the onslaught.
The lizard unleashed its fiery fury once more, the flames washing over Enzo's protective barrier. The cocoon held, but the pressure was immense. Enzo could feel the heat and force of the flames pushing against his defenses, threatening to breach them.
Inside the cocoon, Enzo's body was drenched in sweat, and his breaths came in short gasps. The battle had pushed him to his limits, and the relentless fire attack was draining the last reserves of his butterflies' life-force.
But he refused to yield. His eyes blazed with determination, and he drew upon every ounce of his strength to keep the barrier intact. He couldn't afford to falter now. Victory was within reach, and he wouldn't let it slip away.