Grim Knell

In the treasury of every Settlement exists a few Pranic Beast eggs, precious, waiting for their owners.

An S-Grade Student from the Academy of Refinement is granted a Beginner Silver Grade Pranic Beast egg. That was the limit to the Grade of Pranic Beast egg a student without a background could obtain.

But there of course existed eggs superior to them, obtained by the Clan after significant risks. These eggs were contested for by the masters.

The successor of a master would gain eligibility to an Intermediate Silver Grade Pranic Beast. The key point here was eligibility. There exist dozens of masters in a Settlement.

The successors of all masters would become eligible. Thereby, depending on the availability of Intermediate Silver Grade Pranic Beast eggs, the successors will have to fight for the limited numbers.

The successors that failed to get one would have to settle for a Beginner Silver Grade Pranic Beast egg. A student was named a successor only after obtaining an S-Grade evaluation at the Academy of Refinement. So, they were eligible to obtain it either way.

It was after this did things get messy. In the 43rd Settlement, any of Yahard Tusk's children that proved themselves would receive an Advanced Silver Grade Pranic Beast egg. To prove themselves, they'll have to check various requirements as posed by the Clan.

Usually, these children served as the Settlement's core strength, for not only would they possess the greatest amount of strength and Prana, but their lifespan was also the longest. After the successor takes up the Settlement Leader seat, the remainder would take up seats at the Clan's Guardians.

Beyond this, there might exist an egg, protected with utmost secrecy. It would be a priceless egg that hadn't been used only because no cultivator displayed enough potential.

Every Settlement had one. And the 43rd Settlement kept securely an egg that was one of the best in the entire herd.

Expert Silver Grade Pranic Beast Egg—Grim Knell!

Grim Knell wasn't on the level of a regular Expert Silver Grade Pranic Beast. No, it was a Mutated Pranic Beast, a mutant version of the Beginner Silver Grade Pranic Beast—Death Knell.

All Mutated Pranic Beasts possessed two Natures—Primary, and Secondary. The Grim Knell was no different. Fusing with it would grant the cultivator two Natures. That would make them stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of power.

No Mammoth Clansmen had ever fused with a Gold Grade Pranic Beast egg. Such an egg didn't exist even in the treasury of the 1st Empyrean Tusk.

The reason was simple: Offending a Gold Grade Pranic Beast simply wasn't worth it.

A Gold Grade Pranic Beast would have strength on the level of an Empyrean Tusk. Every such Pranic Beast was an overlord that had carved its territory and ruled over it.

In Sumatra Continent, the stronger a Pranic Beast was, the weaker its fertility. Weak grunts like the Mud Vipers spawned baby Mud Vipers like a factory. But a Gold Grade Pranic Beast would have to prepare and at most give birth twice or thrice in its long life.

Therefore, they were overprotective of their young. If their egg was stolen, the Gold Grade Pranic Beast would go into a frenzy and wouldn't stop until the poacher was put down.

Such a Pranic Beast could even cripple an Empyrean Tusk. The strength a Mammoth Clansman gained from fusing with a Gold Grade Pranic Beast egg wouldn't even make up for the losses incurred, with the Empyrean Tusk's death being one of them.

Therefore, the strongest egg the Mammoth Clan procured was in the Silver Grade, and even their numbers were rare. 'If I could nurture Asaeya into the likes of a legendary genius, she'll become eligible to obtain the Grim Knell. Just with her alone by my side, I can survive on Sumatra somehow.'

He intended to prevent Gannala's death with all his might. But that was only a temporary measure. The most he could do is buy a couple of months past the First Major Disaster. The 44th Empyrean Tusk was about to die of old age. That cannot be avoided. There was less than a year left of her lifespan.

And when Resha's parents bring in the baby Empyrean Tusk, their settlement would be too weak to endure the onslaught of the Second, Third, and Fourt Minor Crises that happen in quick succession.

In Sumatra Chronicles, Resha did protect the baby Empyrean Tusk. But every time, he barely avoided death. Even though he didn't die, his body was reduced to a ragdoll after every single Minor Crisis. This was in Sumatra Chronicles.

Now, with the addition of five reincarnates, the situation might either become manageable or end up worsening even further. Therefore, all Inala could do was solidify his strength and allies, hoping to survive the treacherous future.

"Since there's plenty of time, do you want to commission another Imagination Art?" Inala expressed his interest.

'Well, I do have enough funds for that. But, will it be alright?' Asaeya pondered, 'Mother left everything to me. She'll only be disappointed if I squander my funds. But, Inala is the real deal.'

She stared at the Imagination Art, 'This will be worth the money. Despite that, I shouldn't waste my money and think of scenarios that make perfect use of the Imagination Art.'

"By the way, what's the name of this piece?" Asaeya asked, "I remember the last one having the suffix of Defeat."

"It doesn't have one." Inala shook his head, "I only intend to name pieces that were on the level of what I displayed to your parents. This isn't one of them."

"Then, make one next." Asaeya's eyes glinted, "Five metres long and three metres tall. Draw the Empyrean Tusk's eyes on it. The expression should be one it makes towards enemies. Emote it in such a way that the Zingers are intimidated."

'They are constantly attacking us. I feel like I can employ Inala's ability to counter the Zingers. Or at the very least, it'll work in confusing the enemies.' Asaeya muttered after some thought, "As long as we reduce the attack rate of the Zingers, we'll have contributed immensely to the Clan."

Asaeya picked up some mud and turned it into a palm-sized slam, following Inala's actions as she made a bunch of rough drafts on it, "The emotion is simply anger. Hmm…this won't do. It must be something that creeps the Zingers and make them instinctively avoid approaching us. If the Empyrean Tusk eyes won't do, then a human's?"

'Is she really a 12-year-old girl?' Inala listened to her mutters, shuddering in response at the darkness of her thoughts. She was analysing the psyche of the Zingers, intending to capitalise on their worst fears. He recalled his past life, 'At what point in my life was I capable of having such complex thoughts?'

He reached that level only in his mid-twenties. And this was when he considered his intelligence, cunning, philosophical, and psychiatric abilities to be way above average, even from an objective viewpoint.

'She's a successor candidate, alright.' Inala was further assured about Asaeya's talent, 'If it's her, then it's possible. She might obtain the Grim Knell.'

'I'm already on track to obtaining the cure. Only two more items are left and I know the method to obtain them. With Gannala's active support, I will definitely succeed.' Inala thought, 'That means I can afford to nurture Asaeya. With a small push from me, she'll survive and become my strongest ally.'

Inala suddenly extended his hand towards Asaeya, his expression serious, "Asaeya, if you're willing, I wish to wholeheartedly support you in your successor race."