Chapter 42: Chapter42-Earthborn Colossus, the Mountain Incarnate
Hearing Thomas's sigh, old John and the others behind him couldn't help but share his sentiment.
"This isn't entirely their fault. The truth is, we humans are simply too weak."
"Besides, many awakeners have come to Black Iron over the years to challenge the Earthborn Colossus. Some were just boasting for fame, nothing more than empty talk. Others genuinely wanted to slay the Earthborn Colossus, but lacking the necessary strength, they all ended up as food in its belly."
"That's right. After experiencing so many failures, their fear of the Earthborn Colossus has seeped into their very bones. The only way to restore their confidence is to slay the Earthborn Colossus and break the cycle of despair!"
Benjamin and the others spoke up. As villagers from the outskirts of Black Iron, they were well aware of the city's situation.
The Earthborn Colossus had ravaged these lands for far too long, casting an inescapable shadow of oppression over Black Iron's residents.
In truth, they had once shared the same fear. If not for Deus Initium bestowing power upon them and allowing them to vanquish the Vampire Baron, they, too, would have lived under its shadow.
Let alone coming here to slay spellbeasts—just surviving had once seemed like an unattainable dream.
As Thomas and his group stood atop the mountain peak, a thirty-meter-high hill opposite them suddenly trembled, as though something massive was about to rise from the earth.
The ground beneath their feet quaked violently, sending deep rumbles echoing hundreds of meters in all directions, even reaching Black Iron.
Under the watchful gazes of countless onlookers, the black mountain surged upward.
A colossal Earthborn Colossus, its body composed entirely of stone, rose to its full height, its furious, jealous gaze sweeping across the mountain where Thomas and the others stood.
Its sheer size was staggering—it was a mountain incarnate.
As it stood up, its massive shadow swallowed Thomas and his group whole. Even some of the residents outside Black Iron found themselves engulfed in darkness.
Its entire body was encased in stone, radiating an aura of indestructibility.
The moment it fully emerged, dense magical energy surged outward like a tidal wave, shaking the surrounding land.
"Deus Initium?"
"What nonsense is this supposed god?"
"I am a spirit born of the mountains! Compared to me, your so-called god is a joke!"
"Have your so-called deity kneel before me in worship, and I might just consider making him my servant. If he serves me well, I might even spare your pathetic lives!"
Its voice, as deep and heavy as the sound of boulders crashing together, boomed across the landscape. The sheer force of its words sent fallen leaves flying through the air, rippling through the mountains.
The people of Black Iron trembled in sheer panic.
The overwhelming presence of the Earthborn Colossus was suffocating.
With its anger flaring, their blood boiled, their bones weakened, and they instinctively wanted to kneel and beg for mercy.
Meanwhile, within Black Iron, a toothless old man—the Earthborn Colossus's emissary and the city's intermediary with the beast—straightened his back, his wrinkled face displaying a smug sense of superiority.
As the Earthborn Colossus's emissary, he was second only to the creature itself.
Within the city, he held immense authority—even the high-ranking officials of Black Iron treated him with great respect.
He was the true overlord of this place.
Anyone who dared defy him would be promptly sacrificed to the Earthborn Colossus.
And so, everyone feared him like the plague.
Remembering this, his arrogant smirk deepened.
Many years ago, he had been nothing more than a despised gambling addict, losing everything he owned, left to wander the streets, nearly freezing and starving to death.
But now, he was a distinguished guest in the grand halls of noble families and powerful factions.
With the Earthborn Colossus backing him, he feared no one.
To him, any awakener who dared challenge the Earthborn Colossus deserved nothing less than a brutal execution.
"You wretched fools! Do you really think you can challenge the Earthborn Colossus? You're only asking to be skinned alive and have your heads mounted on the city gates!"
He spat on the ground, eager to see Thomas and his followers torn apart as offerings.
To him, being devoured by the mighty Earthborn Colossus was an honor for these ignorant fools.
Anyone reckless enough to provoke the beast had to pay with their lives!
"A mere tier-4 spellbeast dares to disrespect Deus Initium? Earthborn Colossus, your end has come!"
Though the Earthborn Colossus was enormous, the aura bursting forth from Thomas in that moment was no less formidable!
The Earthborn Colossus was a tier-4 mid-level spellbeast, technically a rank above Thomas.
However, as a missionary of Deus Initium, Thomas's combat strength rivaled that of a tier-4 advanced fighter—he had no reason to fear it!
Boom!
The elemental energy radiating from Thomas clashed with the Earthborn Colossus's oppressive aura, sending powerful shockwaves rippling through the surroundings.
Feeling the formidable energy emanating from Thomas, the Earthborn Colossus's massive, house-sized crimson eyes flickered with a hint of surprise.
It was a tier-4 mid-level spellbeast—the undisputed ruler of this region, nearly unmatched.
Yet here was a human, an unfamiliar face, exuding power equal to its own!
This was completely unexpected!
But the next moment, its expression shifted from shock to greed.
The stronger an awakener was, the more beneficial they were as nourishment.
Perhaps... its long-planned scheme could be executed sooner than expected!
With that thought, it wasted no time.
It slammed its massive stone palm against the ground, and immediately, the mountain beneath Thomas and his group split apart, creating a deep chasm several meters wide.
The Earthborn Colossus possessed unparalleled raw strength, further enhanced by earth-elemental magic—its sheer power was beyond imagination.
John and the others instinctively stepped back, their expressions grave.
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For the Earthborn Colossus to reign unchallenged near Black Iron for so long, it undoubtedly possessed immense strength.
Even the tier-3 awakeners among them could feel an overwhelming, suffocating pressure from that single attack.
"You do have some strength... but before me, you are nothing more than a joke!"
Thomas swiftly dodged the chasm's sudden appearance, activating Flying to momentarily hover in the air.
Then, in a flash, he shot toward the Earthborn Colossus's forehead, aiming to destroy its soul.
Seeing Thomas charge at it, the Earthborn Colossus smirked coldly.
"A weakling like you dares to challenge me? My defense is something you could never hope to break!"
Instead of focusing on Thomas, it turned its attention to old John and the others, sensing that they were trying to form some kind of array, gathering power.
This annoyed it.
It had to put a stop to whatever they were planning.
Boom!
As the Earthborn Colossus threw a meteor-like punch, Thomas's body erupted in flames, engulfing him entirely.
The surrounding clouds and mist were instantly dyed crimson by the fire's glow.
A second later, Thomas's blazing form collided with the Earthborn Colossus's fist, producing a deafening explosion.
Heat waves and shattered stone fragments flew in all directions.
The Earthborn Colossus's massive arm, once seemingly indestructible, was now reduced to half its original length—charred black and severed!
Thomas had not only broken through its defense, but he had also gained the upper hand in the clash!
For the first time, the Earthborn Colossus's expression stiffened.
How could Thomas be this powerful?
Was he truly human?
For a brief moment, doubt crept into the Earthborn Colossus's mind.
But it was, after all, a tier-4 mid-level spellbeast.
Sensing the threat, it immediately drew upon the earth's vast elemental energy, forming a thick layer of stone over its massive body—like armor.
At the same time, its severed arm began regenerating at an alarming speed.
Thomas was proving to be a tough opponent.
But this was its domain.
As long as Thomas couldn't kill it outright, the Earthborn Colossus could keep absorbing elemental energy and wear him down.
Watching the beast's rapid regeneration, Thomas and old John's expressions turned serious.
Clearly, they had underestimated just how troublesome the Earthborn Colossus truly was.