The Red Lamia raised her massive tail, as thick as an ancient tree, and brought it down toward me with relentless force.

*Thud! Thud!*

The tail crashed down twice with enough strength to smash me to pieces, leaving deep craters on the stone floor of the cave. The sight of the sturdy ground caving under the weight revealed just how powerful that tail strike was.

Of course, by then, I had already used *Counter* to slip behind the Red Lamia. I immediately swung Astaroth with all my might toward her back.

My starlit sword sliced through the faint layer of …