Chapter 158: First S-Rank Beast Dead. Yara experienced a similar reaction, her eyes wide as she tried to understand what she’d just witnessed. But rather than just shock, she appeared to become more determined, a glint flashing in her eyes. ’I need to become stronger, If Moon can reach that level of power, then perhaps there’s hope for me too in the world beyond Lunaris. To become strong enough to take my people out of this place, and show them the world outside...’ The thought galvanized her. Yara knocked an arrow and released it with perfect form. The arrow broke through the air, charging towards the Crab that couldn’t dodge it in time. WHOOSH! Ptui! The arrow struck one of her crab opponents directly in its eye cluster, a perfect headshot that killed it instantly, leaving no room for doubt. The Crab twitched for a brief moment, before following its leader in death. Energized by both the kill and Moon’s inspiring display of power, Yara dispatched her second assigned opponent within moments, her movements sharper and more confident than before. The remaining escort crabs, witnessing their king’s death and feeling the sudden change in morale, began retreating toward the ocean in disorganized panic. Their leader’s death has sent them into a frenzy, making them easy targets. Selene and the Savi warriors pressed their advantage, eliminating the fleeing creatures before they could escape back into the sea. Moon stood over the Crab King’s massive corpse, breathing steadily as system notifications appeared. [You have killed the level 25 S-Rank Crab King] [You have gained 2,500 Lives.] Moon smiled with deep satisfaction, immediately checking his evolution task progress. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂 [Kill Fifty level 25 creatures classified at S-Rank power level alone. 1/50]. [Copy and comprehend 5 Uncommon or Rare rank skills. 0/5] [Gain a Legendary Rank Skill. 0/1] The Crab King had provided a good reward of lives, far exceeding any other level twenty five creature he had killed so far. And while the experience value wasn’t displayed directly since he was locked at level cap, Moon knew it must represent a significant portion based on the massive life reward. ’One down. Forty-nine to go.’ Moon thought with a wry smile. The number was still daunting, but now Moon was certain that he would achieve it. He’d defeated an S-rank beast in solo combat and survived without serious injury. The impossible task for others was possible after all. Moon turned back toward his companions, his grin visible even from a distance. "Finish up the rest, we are going to feast on a Big Crab tonight!" Selene just shook her head with an expression mixing exasperation and admiration. ♢♢♢♢ The dramatic battle at the shoreline had inevitably gathered the attention of many curious beasts from the surrounding area who’d been drawn by the sounds of combat, the scent of blood, and the massive tremor from the Crab King’s fall. Unfortunately for these opportunistic scavengers, they weren’t met with anything beneficial when they arrived to investigate. Rather, they walked directly into their doom. The beasts became easy experience and life accumulation for Moon and Selene, while Mirage enthusiastically consumed their bodies for his own growth. With so much blood shed across the beach and so much attention inevitably drawn to the area, the group made a decision. They quickly gathered everything valuable, the intact shells that could be sold or crafted into armor, the Crab King’s massive body which was too precious to abandon, and various other useful materials before departing the compromised location. The Heretics would almost certainly investigate this area soon, drawn by reports or simply following the obvious trail of destruction. Fighting them after such an exhausting major battle wasn’t strategically sound when they could simply relocate. So they efficiently collected their spoils and set off toward a more discreet area, somewhere they could rest and recover properly before attempting their next major challenge: the Magma King, which Moon now felt considerably more confident about defeating after his success against the Crab King. ♢♢♢♢ At their new campsite around a crackling bonfire, Moon was feeling extraordinarily generous after his decisive victory over the S-rank beast. He’d made an unusual decision: rather than storing the Crab King’s meat to sell later for profit, he would instead share it with his entire team as a celebratory meal and reward for their assistance. The flesh of such a powerful creature carried tangible benefits beyond simple nutrition. Consuming S-rank beast meat could improve the body’s fundamental constitution and attributes, even if the effect might not be dramatic enough to grant full attribute points to already-strengthened awakeners like himself and Selene. But for Mirage, Yara, and the other Savi warriors with their lower baseline power levels? The concentrated energy in this meat could genuinely help them grow stronger, possibly even triggering attribute gains. Besides, the meat of such an extraordinarily powerful creature was bound to taste incredible. It was essentially a premium treat for everyone who’d contributed to the victory. Yara volunteered to prepare the Crab King’s body, approaching the massive crimson corpse. But when she attempted to break through the shell using her butchering techniques, she found the task incredibly difficult. The Crab King’s status as a real S-rank beast wasn’t for show. Even in death, its body remained resilient enough that Yara genuinely struggled to open it properly with blade and leverage alone. Moon stepped in to assist, applying his physical strength to help separate the carapace from the meat without damaging the material. With their combined effort, the shell finally yielded, revealing the pristine white meat within. Yara separated the edible portions into serving sizes appropriate for everyone present, then carefully set aside the remaining substantial quantity so Moon could store it in his spatial ring. This was extremely valuable meat, far too much to consume in a single meal even with everyone eating enthusiastically. Well, perhaps Mirage could finish everything in one sitting given his bottomless appetite, but that was Moon’s decision to make, not hers. As the premium meat began cooking over the flames, an absolutely overwhelming aroma filled the air. The smell was so rich and complex it seemed to transport everyone to another realm entirely for a brief moment, a world composed purely of amazing, impossibly delicious food.