SSS Awakening: I Can Class Change at will

Chapter 147: The Three Apex Predators

“First, we find more powerful beasts to hunt. This island clearly has creatures at the level I need, we just fought level twenty-four and twenty-five Heretics. There must be S-rank beasts somewhere on Lunaris, perhaps the heretic leader himself too.”

He turned toward Yara. “Tell me about the most dangerous creatures on this island. The ones your people avoid or have legends about. The monsters that even your strongest warriors fear.”

Yara’s expression grew serious as she processed the question.

“There are… several,” she said slowly. “Places we do not go. Creatures we do not hunt. Things that dwell in the deep jungle and volcanic regions that even the benefactor warned us to leave undisturbed.”

Moon leaned forward with intense focus. “Tell me everything. I need to know where to find them.”

Because those terrifying monsters everyone else avoided, those were exactly what Moon needed to hunt.

Yara exchanged a meaningful glance with the Savi warriors before nodding her head solemnly. “Well, there are three apex predators that I’m aware of on Lunaris. The most unpredictable is the Crab King, this one appears rarely, mostly when we kill enough of its kind that it becomes enraged and wants to take revenge or send a territorial message. It hasn’t emerged in a very long time, not since we stopped hunting crabs extensively after the last catastrophic incident which happened 120 lunar cycles ago.”

Her expression darkened with the memory. “That encounter took the lives of twenty of our clan members in a single day. Since then, we’ve avoided crab hunting grounds almost entirely.”

“The second is the Magma King, which lives deep within Tagul Mountain. It’s extraordinarily territorial, violently so. A scouting group of our Savi members was once instructed to explore the volcanic region and gather rare heat-resistant resources when they encountered the terrifying beast unexpectedly.”

Yara’s voice dropped lower. “It slaughtered most of those who were part of the expedition, leaving only a single survivor to tell the story and even he bore injuries so severe he never fully recovered.”

“The last, but certainly not least, is the Heretics’ Clan Guardian Beast—the Black Raven.”

Moon placed his hand thoughtfully on his chin, processing this information. The first two creatures sounded dangerous and interesting, but the third raised entirely new questions. “So you’re saying the Heretics possess a guardian beast on the same power level as the Magma King? A creature that serves their clan specifically?”

He looked at Yara with narrowing eyes. “Do you have an equivalent guardian protecting your people too?”

Yara nodded seriously. “Yes, we do. Our Clan Guardian is the White Swan. These guardian beasts operate under very specific rules, they usually don’t interfere in conflicts or daily affairs unless our respective clans face imminent danger of complete annihilation. They don’t interact with anyone except the clan chiefs on rare occasions, maintaining their distance from normal clan activities.”

Moon nodded slowly, understanding clarifying. That explained why he hadn’t seen or sensed such a powerful creature during his stay with the Savi. “How did your people come to have such extraordinarily powerful beasts protecting you? Did the benefactor leave them as guardians when he departed, similar to how he left the golden fish?”

Yara shook her head firmly. “No, these guardian beasts have a very different origin. They are the lifelong companions of our opposing clans’ Grand Chiefs, the most legendary leaders in our entire history. Our Grand Chief, Velshaara the Tranquil Wave, was bonded with the White Swan. The Heretics’ Grand Chief, Krathel the Burning Darkness, was bonded with the Black Raven.”

Her voice carried deep reverence when speaking those names, as if invoking figures of almost mythological status.

“The Grand Chiefs represent the strongest leaders to ever exist in our clan’s recorded history. Their power shaped everything about how our society developed.”

Moon leaned forward with genuine curiosity. “I don’t mean to be insensitive, but are these Grand Chiefs still alive? Because to successfully tame and bond with S-rank beasts of that magnitude, they would need to be exceptionally, almost unbelievably powerful.”

Yara’s expression became profoundly sad. “No, they are both dead, have been for many generations now. Their deaths are what created the current fragile peace between our factions.”

She took a breath before explaining the tragic history. “Both Grand Chiefs were part of the younger generation when the benefactor first arrived on Lunaris. They were among his most dedicated students, learning combat techniques, elemental manipulation, and philosophical wisdom during the brief time he remained with us.”

Yara’s hands clenched slightly as she continued. “Krathel, the one who would eventually become the Heretics’ Grand Chief, was originally one of our own people. He was talented, ambitious, and deeply devoted to the benefactor’s teachings. But he was also proud and easily wounded by perceived slights.”

“The corrupted faction that would become the Heretics manipulated him psychologically over time. They whispered poison into his ears, claiming the benefactor showed favoritism toward Velshaara. They said he was being denied his rightful recognition, that his talents were being suppressed deliberately.

Eventually, the Heretics’ ideology claimed Krathel completely, once he’d grown strong enough through training and had bonded with the Black Raven, they made him their leader, their champion against what they called ’contamination’ by outsider influence.” Yara said with obvious pain.

“Velshaara and Krathel were both exceptional students of the benefactor, brothers in all but blood initially. But ideology and manipulation transformed them into mortal enemies. They fought countless battles over the years, each encounter devastating the landscape and claiming innocent lives caught between them.”

Yara’s voice grew quieter, more somber. “Their final confrontation took place at the Crimson Shore, the beach still bears scorch marks and patches that won’t heal even generations later. They fought for three days and nights without rest, pushing their bodies and their guardian beasts beyond all reasonable limits.”

“Both Grand Chiefs died in that battle. Velshaara the Tranquil Wave and Krathel the Burning Darkness killed each other simultaneously, their final attacks striking true at the exact same moment. The White Swan and Black Raven were so grievously wounded trying to protect their bonded partners that both beasts retreated to recover and have never fought again since.”