SSS Awakening: I Can Class Change at will

Chapter 162: Climbing Up The Tagul Mountain

“This is it… The Tagul Mountain, a place that our Savi people have dreaded ever since the incident,” Yara said solemnly, her eyes reflecting a complex mixture of fear and reverence as she gazed upon the imposing black mountain rising before them.

Moon’s attention became completely fixed on the volcanic peak dominating the horizon. Calling it simply a “mountain” felt inadequate. It resembled a colossal black crystal that had been carved into the shape of a mountain. Its jagged obsidian peak jutted aggressively into the sky like a defiant spear challenging the sky itself.

The distant sound of deep, resonant rumbling could be heard emanating from the mountain’s direction, a throbbing that felt almost like the heartbeat of the earth itself.

BOOM… BOOM…

Massive ash clouds and dense steam continuously rose from multiple vents near the summit, creating dark pillars that merged with the sky and created ominous shadows across the surrounding area.

As Moon watched, an underground tremor shook the ground beneath their feet with enough force to make standing uncomfortable. The volcanic activity was clearly intense and ongoing.

Taking a cautious breath, Moon and his companions immediately noticed the atmosphere itself had changed. A distinctly pungent sulfuric odor hung in the air, the scent of volcanic gases mixed with the acrid smell of scorched earth that had been flash-incinerated by sudden heat, and strangely, a faint underlying hint of sweetness beneath the overpowering stench.

The ground beneath their feet trembled. It felt like standing on the back of some colossal sleeping creature that occasionally changing position without fully waking.

Moon could feel intense heat radiating even from this distance. Near the mountain’s base, the temperature had already risen noticeably above the island’s normal tropical warmth. Higher up, where crimson-orange lava flows were visible cascading down the black rock faces in glowing rivers, Moon predicted the temperature would be absolutely devastating.

Yara’s expression grew distant, as if recalling tales told around campfires during her childhood.

“Tagul Mountain has existed since the oldest memories of our people.” She paused, gesturing toward the glowing peak. “The Magma King is not merely a beast that chose to live here, it is the mountain’s heart.”

A warrior spoke, and Yara began translating. “There’s a darker legend, one the elders don’t speak of often. Some believe the Magma King isn’t merely guarding territory, it’s trapped. That something beneath the mountain, deeper than even the Magma King can reach, holds it prisoner through chains we cannot see. And that if those chains ever broke…”

She shuddered. “The eruption would consume all of Lunaris. The island itself would sink beneath the ocean, dragged down by the weight of its own destruction.”

Moon absorbed these legends with interest, separating likely truth from mythological embellishment. Most of the thing she spoke of didn’t particulary strike him as truth, but mere stories passed down to make the young stay away from this dangerous place.

“And the scouting party that encountered it?” Moon prompted. “The one where only a single person survived with severe injuries. What exactly did they report seeing?”

Yara’s expression became haunted. “He described a creature that seemed to be made entirely of living magma and molten stone. Its body constantly moved between solid and liquid states, making it nearly impossible to injure with weapons.”

She continued with visible discomfort. “He said it moved through lava as effortlessly as we walk on earth. When it opened its mouth, the roar that emerged was accompanied by jets of flame hot enough to instantly ignite everything within dozens of meters.”

Moon’s expression remained calm. “I see.”

Moon stared at the volcanic peak with its rivers of molten rock and ash-choked atmosphere.

This would be significantly more dangerous than the Crab King. But much more rewarding.

“Alright,” Moon said with unwavering determination. “Let’s figure out the safest approach route. We’re hunting the Magma King.”

Everyone nodded with solemn expressions on their faces, the gravity of what they were about to attempt settling heavily on their shoulders. This was going to be an extraordinarily difficult fight, possibly the most dangerous encounter any of them had ever faced.

As the group began their ascent up Tagul Mountain’s treacherous black slopes, they quickly realized that most of them were unprepared for this extreme environment.

’It’s good that I kept Mirage down there for scouting, in case the Heretics are around.’ Moon thought. The White Horse was more adapted to water, and up in the mountain, he wouldn’t have the ability to help then.

Yara’s body began sweating profusely within the first quarter of the climb, her hair becoming thoroughly drenched despite her best efforts to maintain composure. By the time they’d reached approximately halfway up the mountain’s height, Moon’s expression had grown concerned as he observed his companions’ deteriorating condition.

The Savi warriors were clearly struggling badly with the intense heat and noxious fumes, their breathing labored and their movements becoming sluggish. Moon calculated grimly that by the time they actually reached the volcanic peak where the Magma King made its lair, they might literally collapse from heat exhaustion and toxic gas inhalation before the fighting even began.

He turned his head toward Selene to assess her condition, but she seemed relatively unaffected. Her skin was dry, and her breathing was normal.

’The Elemental Body sure helps with elemental resistance, her defensive buffs are also proportionally stronger than mine since her skill was mastered automatically at Epic rank rather than needing to build proficiency gradually.’

Moon made his decision.

“Alright, we stop here temporarily,” Moon announced firmly. “Yara, take your warriors and descend back down the mountain to a safer altitude. This environment is simply too dangerous for you, you’re clearly not built to withstand such extreme heat without proper equipment or natural resistances.”

Yara’s face immediately darkened stubbornly, sweat still streaming down her face in rivulets. “What? Absolutely not! We’re coming with you all the way to the top. We cannot abandon you to fight alone, regardless of how strong you’ve proven yourself. We vowed to help protect you as our honored guests! It’s just some sweat. We’ll manage fine.”

Moon shook his head with gentle but absolute firmness. “You might feel that its manageable right now, but once we reach the mountain’s peak, you certainly won’t survive. There isn’t any exposed lava along the route we’re currently taking, but once we arrive at the summit crater, molten rock will be everywhere within direct line of sight. The radiant heat alone will be lethal. You won’t be able to handle those conditions.”

“Sometimes, knowing when to withdraw is more courageous than blindly proceeding into certain death.”