Bull's Eye

Zann and Leonel already arrived in the location where the other Catoblepas is present. From where they are, they heard the low bellowing of the gigantic beast, the vibration of the ground felt as it walked towards the falls to drink some water.

Leonel had to admit—he had not seen such ginormous creatures back in their realm in Ravaya. The largest beast he saw was a Behemoth and only heard about the Catoblepas from stories told by their teacher.

"Woah!"

Leonel exclaimed, pointing at the Catoblepas with astonishment in his eyes.

"I didn't know it could be this big!" he commented, Zann scoffing as a smug grin appeared on his face.

"This is something not present in Ravaya, right?"

"Yeah…"

The two of them looked at each other. It was then that they realized that they had engaged in a conversation when they did not argue with each other for the first time!

With that in mind, the two of them cleared their throats awkwardly, averting their gazes from each other as they stammered on their words.

"L-let's start with the plan now," Zann mumbled, Leonel, nodding in agreement.

"Y-yeah… whatever."

Leonel then got the Valaha meat that was barbequed by Zann earlier and had bathed it in sleeping potion that Zann made. At the same time, Zann winced when he smelled the pungent scent of the sleeping potion, Leonel furrowing his brows as well.

"What is in this potion? It's like smelling it is enough to knock me out!"

"That doesn't matter," Zann commented, pushing Leonel's arm away as he continued pouring the sleeping potion on the meat. "You're right on one thing. The longer we inhale it, we'd be drifting off to dreamland."

With Zann's warning, Leonel now wrapped the meat again with cloth. Both of them stood up, already looking out as they see the big foot of the Catoblepas.

"How are we going to put this in front of the Catoblepas then?"

When Leonel asked that question, even Zann was at a loss for words. It was quiet for a moment until Elenea spoke, getting the attention of the two.

"If you care about the Catoblepas eating the meat, I'd suggest you put it at the foot and call its attention by throwing something at it so it would turn back," she remarked, Zann and Leonel blinking their eyes a few times as they found her suggestion effective.

"Hey, that's not such a bad idea," Leonel replied, Aranea, chiming in as well.

"Another thing, you guys don't have to go in any further. Just put the meat below and I would shoot the beast with an arrow.

"Hmph..." Zann harrumphed, complimenting Aranea in a teasing way. "I guess you're also thinking," he added, Aranea, clicking her tongue.

"Tsk! Would you stop looking down on me!?"

With that, Leonel nodded at Zann, already walking towards the Catoblepas' foot to put the food down. However, his body stiffened when the Catoblepas flailed its ginormous tail, a gust of wind almost making him fall down on the ground.

"I'd signal you guys with a subtle light of my fire once the Catoblepas has been knocked out," Zann said, the twins nodding even though the familiars couldn't see them.

Leonel gulped. He heaved a small sigh and continued to tip toe, the meat on hand as he slowly put it down at the foot of the Catoblepas.

However, everything happened so quickly when suddenly, the gigantic beast lifted its foot, about to crush Leonel!

"Leonel!"

The twins shouted in horror but before the beast's foot landed on the ground, Zann had successfully pushed Leonel away, the two of them bumping their heads on the nearby tree around them.

"Zann? Leonel? Are you both alright?"

Elenea's voice sounded in the earphones, but the two were still unresponsive.

"Zann? Leonel?"

Even with Aranea's voice, the two were still unresponsive.

"Hey… did they bump their heads too hard on the tree?"

"If that's the case, I think we need to come over. With my healing powers, we could—"

"Nnnggh…"

"Guys!"

When the twins finally heard someone groan, their worries drifted away from their bodies as they now see them moving from afar even though it was dark from where they are.

"W-we're alright," Leonel mumbled, scratching the back of his head as Zann slowly sat up as well.

"Y-yeah… it was a close call," he added, the Water Familiar looking at Zann, an unexplainable, mixed feelings occurring during this serious situation.

He did not expect Zann to save him at the last minute. He knew that his relationship with him was not good but with him saving him right at this moment when he was about to get squashed by a dinosaur-like-beast, he was grateful that their bad relationship didn't get in the way.

"Zann," Leonel said the Fire Familiar's name, "Thank you."

Zann was at a loss for words. He scoffed, rolling his eyes at the same time as he did not expect being thanked by the Water Familiar, his childhood rival.

"You think I'm low enough to ignore you? I know we may have a rough past, but I'm not that insensitive," he said, a small smile appearing on Leonel's face as the two slowly stood up, still staring at each other.

Even Zann couldn't help but give a small smile to him, the familiars starting to appreciated each other.

Leonel honestly felt grateful that Zann got his back, the Fire Familiar feeling awkward, but at the same time, happy that Leonel appreciated what he did for him.

"Err… guys?" Aranea called their attention, "Are we having a bromance event here?"

Hearing her reaction, the two familiars groaned, the twins laughing as they heard their reactions from where they are with the help of the earphones that they have.

"Okay, focus," Zann reminded, Aranea already getting her bow that was hanging on her back.

"Alright! Let's get this on!" The Summoner said, getting an arrow at the side, putting it on the bow as she squinted her eyes, stretching the bow to get a better aim at the Catoblepas for a better hit.

"I need you guys to get out of the way."

With her instruction, Zann and Leonel slowly walked away, Aranea taking a deep breath before exhaling.

The moment she released her breath, she released the arrow at the same time, the arrow accurately hitting the bottom of the Catoblepas, making him slowly turn its back and the moment he did, he saw the meat.

"Bull's eye."