"NIBO!" Seth shouted, starting to run toward him.
"Stay back!" Akhil commanded, dodging another snap of those terrible jaws. "It'll attack you too!"
Seth froze, torn between helping his friend and staying out of the way. He clenched his fists in frustration, hating his own lack of combat ability.
The Serpent focused entirely on Akhil now, recognizing him as the primary threat. It attacked in a flurry of strikes—biting, lunging, using its body to try to coil around him. Each attack came faster than the last, giving Akhil no time to counter, only to evade.
He enhanced his speed with blood manipulation, pushing his limits. The world slowed slightly, giving him precious fractions of seconds to react. Dodge left. Duck under. Jump back. His blade flashed out when he saw openings, but the scales were too hard—his strikes glanced off harmlessly.
'Can't keep this up forever,' Akhil thought, feeling his blood essence depleting with each enhancement. 'Need to find a weakness. Need to—'
