Chapter 144: Colossus Vs Colossus - 2 [7/10] Chapter 144: Colossus Vs Colossus - 2 [7/10] But more than Brant, the one most affected was the Colossus itself. The eyes that had been glowing a violent orange dimmed and faded, the red markings in its irises thinning until they vanished entirely. The maddened gleam drained away. At last, the beast was free from its drug-induced frenzy. Brant snapped his head toward the source of the roar, instinctively shifting his stance. He was momentarily taken aback when he spotted another Colossus charging toward him at terrifying speed, the surroundings trembling under its massive strides. But then his eyes caught the trail of orange flames peeling off its back, streaking away toward the now-cooling mushroom cloud. Recognition dawned instantly. Lu’s Phoenix. "What is that old coot thinking?" Brant muttered sharply. "Sending his beast away from himself—!" His words cut off as he focused on the new Colossus’s back. "...Brat?" Clear as day, he saw Leo—bloodied and charred, barely conscious, his breaths shallow and ragged. A small, red-haired creature hovered close, hands glowing faintly as it cast healing magic over him. Brant watched as Leo pressed a trembling hand against the Colossus’s back and said something he couldn’t hear. A moment later, the Colossus released that same ear-itching, bone-vibrating howl—one that had irritated Brant to no end. It was the new skill Leo had given to Howl. [Scream] Everything clicked. Brant turned toward the larger, battered Colossus, which was now staring intently in Leo’s direction, its posture no longer wild but focused and alert. The final pieces slid neatly into place, and Brant threw his head back and laughed. "Hahahahaha! Good work, brat!" he roared, his voice carrying across the battlefield and reaching Leo’s ears as he disspelled the water sphere. "I’ll talk with you later," Brant added, his tone sharpening. "Right now, I’ve got something to deal with..." His eyes glowed faintly—black and white swirling together—as he fixed his gaze on the demon. It was still fighting three instructors alone, its form now far larger than before. Though its body was split, bleeding, and riddled with injuries, the demon only continued to swell, its muscles bulging grotesquely as each attack landed with increasing force. Brant extended his hand to the side. The air rippled. A massive figure began to materialize, its presence bending the wind around it. It resembled the Skyrend Eagles Leo had ridden to reach Thalor City, but this one was more compact and far deadlier. Its body stretched roughly fifty meters in length, with a wingspan reaching nearly one hundred and twenty meters. Its features were sharper, leaner, built for killing. But the most striking part was its color. Darker and meaner. Its pupils were as black as the storm clouds roiling overhead, and its talons carried an metallic sheen, glinting coldly as they caught the light. Information flooded Leo’s mind. Skyrend Eagle – Intermediate 5★ – Noble Bloodline [Storm Variant] "Both are fucking monsters..." Leo muttered as the realization settled in. Brant and the eagle moved as one. In the next instant, they transformed into two greyish streaks—perfectly straight lines of motion—as they charged toward the demon. Sensing the incoming threat, the demon bulged violently, muscles flexing and swelling as it braced for impact. But it miscalculated one thing. The streak of light reached it— —and passed straight through. Then, impossibly, the streak veered away, carving through a different section of the forest. Leo blinked, confused. "What did he...?" Then something fell. A heavy, wet thud over the forest. Leo’s eyes widened as he saw it clearly. "It’s an arm—!" He snapped his gaze back toward the demon, only to freeze in shock. The demon was already collapsing, its massive body crashing into the ground. Both shoulders were gone, cleanly severed. Worse still, the side where its heart should have been was carved out even deeper, as if a far more powerful strike had torn straight through it. "So fast!" Leo exclaimed. Only then did he realize the truth. Brant was everywhere. Man and beast moved together as twin grey beams, flashing from place to place across the forest. Wherever they passed, chunks of demon flesh fell—each strike leaving behind another mangled lump, another silent testament to speed beyond comprehension. The battle raged on in the forest, explosions and shockwaves echoing in the distance, while the two Colossuses nearby seemed to be... interacting. Just as Brant had said earlier, Cragveil Colossuses tended to be pacifists. And that was exactly what was happening now—resolving matters through words rather than brute force. Leo, now almost fully healed, wore a strange expression as he listened. "...It wants us to give it some plants?" he muttered, frowning slightly as Howl relayed the intent. He looked up at the massive figure once again. Cragveil Colossus (Low 3★) – Ordinary Bloodline "It’s already reached the peak of what its bloodline allows..." Leo murmured quietly. From what he could piece together through Howl’s incoherently coherent stream of intent, the larger Colossus wanted a few plants to be placed along its back. While it hibernated, the plant would absorb ambient energy and help replenish its strength. Once that was done, the Colossus would turn back and return to where it came from—without laying waste to the city. But if the plant wasn’t provided... It would have no choice but to attack the city, consume whatever was inside, and forcibly replenish its energy before leaving. Leo scratched his cheek, thinking for a moment. Or rather, thinking about the creatures beside him—who had been giving him a silent, serious stare for a while now. The kind of stare that made his back itch. Of course, whatever thoughts crossed his mind were leaking straight to his beasts. And when it came to planting work, there was no one better than Niri. As for transporting and handling large quantities... Shyra and Nyxa were obvious choices. Leo clapped his hands together, breaking the silence. "Alright!" he announced. "Work this one last time, and you all get a full month off—holiday included. Free food, no training. You can enjoy yourselves, play, laze around, whatever you want. Just help me with this." The reaction was instant. Shyra was the most excited—she bolted toward the forest without hesitation, the ground trembling slightly under her steps as she rushed off in search of the plants Howl had hinted at. Nothing better than a paid holiday. Leo thought Nyxa followed shortly after, far less enthusiastic, her movements heavy and reluctant. Niri, however, stayed where she was, staring straight at Leo. If she had a human face, Leo was certain she’d be puffing out her cheeks right about now. Of course, he wasn’t doing all this for free. The Colossus had promised something valuable it would give to Leo once the plants were brought. And just like that, Leo focused on healing himself completely. Initially, Niri also helped, but after the plants arrived, she went on the back of the other Colossus to plant them.