SSS Awakening: I Can Class Change at will

Feeling the sword slide into her chest, cutting through her lungs, piercing her heart, a soft smile formed on the witch’s face. “Ah. So this is how my life ends.” Layla muttered quietly, almost in contemplation. “Slain by a young man my unvanquished charms couldn’t move, my curses couldn’t sway, and my subordinates couldn’t defeat.” She coughed out a mouthful of blood that spilled from her lips, running down her chin. The sword still crackled in her chest, purple lightning arcing across the wound. Her red eyes found Moon’s dark ones and held them. “You think you are the hero, don’t you? Killing me, ‘the evil monster’ that ruled with an iron fist. You believe you have saved countless lives by ending mine. Perhaps you did. But we are not so different, you and I.” Cough!

“I did what I did to grow stronger, I was born with those talents, and if I didn’t use them…that would be unfair to me, wouldn’t it?” Layla offered him a bloody smile.

Surprisingly, it was more gentle than angry. Her breathing grew more shallow with each word.

“Yes, I killed, but so did you. Yes, I ruined families…but so did you. Moon Outlaw! you are no different, than I. If I was a monster…then, you are a stronger monster. Murder is murder, no matter the reason, the moment you plunged that sword into my chest…you intended to kill me. So go ahead, end it.

But remember, the path to power isn’t all sunshines and rainbows. It will be filled with choices that might make mine seem merciful, almost…pure. That day will come to you… then…you will all understand the choices I made.”

Moon remained silent throughout the entire ordeal. Listening to her last rants as life escaped her red eyes. Unfortunately, for Layla, he was her greatest counter, his powerful illusion defense, made him an opponent, she simply couldn’t defeat.

As the last flickers of light began to leave her beautiful, ruby eyes, Moon leaned closer. His lips parted open beside her ear.

Layla felt his breath against her skin.

“I’m not a hero. I’m a monster, just like you…And if I had your choices, I would have likely done the same. Perhaps worse.”

Layla could feel his breath trickling her ears.

“So, rest well, Layla. The Witch of Charm.” To Layla, those words were like the light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly, dying to the young man no longer felt as bad.

“Witch of charm…I…like that.” She muttered, her body slumping against his sword. Her face adorned with a weak smile that she couldn’t hide. Layla — The Witch of charm was dead.

[You have killed the level 39 Witch]

[You have gained 10,490 Lives]

[You have leveled up!]

Moon held his sword there for a moment longer, then withdrew it in a single motion. He lowered Layla’s body gently onto the ruined throne, laying her down as if placing someone to rest rather than discarding a corpse.

He flicked the blood from his blade and looked down at her one final time.

He muttered something under his breath that nobody present was able to hear.

Then he turned toward his team.

“We did it.”

The room erupted in relief. They were people who had survived something they weren’t sure they would. Some laughed. Some cried. Some simply stood there, reminding themselves that they were still alive.

Moon felt the timer on Life Burn ticking down. Less than a minute remained.

He trusted the people around him. They had fought beside him, bled beside him, and stayed when others left. But he wasn’t sure what would happen to his body once the skill expired. Humans were unpredictable creatures, often greedy, showing their true colors when the chance presented itself.

The power coursing through him had pushed far beyond his natural limits. Doubled attributes, expanded acupoints, a body operating at a level it was never designed to sustain.

This power cannot come without consequences. My body has exceeded its limit. There will be repercussions.

It was better to be alone when it happened.

“I have some important matters to attend to.” Moon said, his voice steady despite the countdown running in the back of his mind. “I’m appointing, you, as the temporary leader in my absence.”

He turned toward the archer.

“Take care of gathering the bounty and burying everyone present. For now, all spoils remain in one place, undistributed. Once I return, we will proceed with the division. We must’ve made lots of sound during the fighting, I will add additional runes of concealment.”

The archer straightened up and met Moon’s gaze. “Understood, boss.”

The others nodded in agreement. Nobody questioned the order. Nobody asked where Moon was going or why he needed to leave now.

Moon gave them a final nod, turned, and walked out of the throne room. His steps were calm, betraying nothing of the urgency building inside his chest.

The moment he rounded the corner and left their sight, he jumped on Mirage.

“We have seconds left…faster, Mirage!”

Mirage quickened his pace. After placing some of the concealment runes, near the entrance, they arrived at the location Moon wanted. A secluded area within the cave that was previously used by high ranking subordinates of Layla. It would do the job for now, Moon sat down, resting his back on the wall. He summoned the spirit of fire and nature as an additional defense alongside Mirage, and waited for the time to reach its end.

Once it did, Moon’s heart skipped several beats.

“AGHH!” His scream escaped his mouth as agonising pain that he had never felt before erupted from his entire body. It was as if he was being stabbed by thousands of burning blades, targeting every acupoint in his body.

Despite the pain, Moon cast his healing skills, but even they couldn’t help him. Cleanse didn’t help at all, neither did Minor Mend.

The pain was heart-wrenching, droplets of sweat began to form on Moon’s forehead.