The real Tiamat is not this monster; Ophis had determined that a long time ago. Tiamat, the God of Creation, was still sleeping somewhere. The destructive entity in front of them was not the true Tiamat.
If she weren't so critical, Ophis would have eliminated her long ago.
On the battlefield, Altira spun and leapt, leaving deep sword marks on the snake woman's body. Though the snake woman fought back with her hair, her size made her less agile.
Despite her imposing size and destructive power, the snake woman was essentially a slow-moving target. Her most dangerous ability, the petrifying magic eye, was ineffective due to the presence of Medea's treasure, which could resurrect and heal allies.
The snake woman could only be a meat shield against these highly skilled opponents. With high attack and defense but low agility, she was the classic BOSS character.
The snake woman's petrifying gaze wasn't an instant-kill attack. Even if she petrified someone, Medea's treasure could bring them back with full health. Thus, the snake woman's efforts were mostly thwarted.
The snake woman was struggling not because she was weak but because her abilities were poorly matched against her opponents. Her magic eyes could kill with a glance, but Ophis's team had ways to counteract them. Her poison and other attacks were neutralized by Jeanne d'Arc's and Medea's abilities.
Altira's attacks were significant, but the snake woman's damage recovery was fast. Even though she appeared to be enduring a storm of attacks, she sustained no serious injuries.
The snake woman's frustration grew, and her attacks became more frantic. Altira continued to dart around her, occasionally slashing at her, while Arjuna's arrows provided cover. Despite the constant assault, the snake woman's magic eyes remained a threat, demanding careful positioning and timing.
Ophis watched the battlefield, noting the standoff.
"Do you really not need help?" Ritsuka asked, concerned.
Ophis shook her head. "There's no need."
Aside from Altira's attacks, no one else could inflict serious damage. Ophis herself didn't understand why Altira was able to wound the snake woman.
Anna, clutching her weapon, seemed ready to rush in, catching Ophis's attention.
Then, noticing something, Ophis's eyebrows rose. The black-robed girl appeared to share some origin with the enemy, though Ophis wasn't sure. Ophis decided not to intervene.
On the communicator, Roman analyzed the situation. "So, the wounds inflicted on everyone except the King heal quickly. Could it be due to the Holy Grail?"
Merlin casually commented, drawing everyone's attention. "The Holy Grail is not..."
Ritsuka glanced at Ophis's staff. "So, you haven't mentioned that the Holy Grail from the Magic King is still missing?"
"I never said that!" Ritsuka sighed, commenting on Merlin's lack of disclosure.
"Teacher, next time, please let me know sooner."
Lily sighed. "You're always so strict, Altria. Are you starting to misunderstand human nature?"
"Teacher, please be serious!" Ritsuka said, irritated.
As the master and disciple argued, Mash's eyes widened in alarm. "Wait, that's... not good!"
Everyone's attention turned back to the battlefield. The snake woman, fed up with the fight, unleashed a massive burst of magic power, sending Altira flying.
This unexpected move was actually disadvantageous to the snake woman. With Altira temporarily out of range, she had the chance to unleash her most powerful attacks.
The sudden explosion knocked Medea and Altira away. Joan of Arc tried to defend but couldn't fully assist. Taking advantage of this, the snake woman surged toward the city wall.
Arjuna, desperately firing arrows, faced a fatal sense of crisis and leaped off the wall, half his body turning to stone.
"Mr. Arjuna..." Jeanne saw but couldn't help. Medea, floating in the air, immediately went to assist him.
Altira, adjusting his stance, aimed the Sword of the General God at the snake woman. "Don't destroy their lives, just crush their civilization."
Just then, Jeanne's eyes widened in alarm. "Be careful!!"
Altira, sensing something, was too late to react. Chains shot up from the ground, glowing with golden light, targeting him.
The snake woman, only a few dozen meters from the wall, stopped and swung her tail with tremendous force, aiming to smash into the city wall.