Torpedum survived after the horrifying encounter of the volcanic eruption.
Although even Red tier predators died, despite the fact that Atlantian Annihilator warships were roasted by the extremely lethal fire, Torpedum survived due to his luck once again.
He didn't feel that it was special, he only felt that it was natural. He had always been lucky since his days as a small shark, that day was no different.
Of course, alone and with his power as an orange tier Great White Shark, Torpedum stood no chance against the horrifying might of the erupting volcano but he received outside help.
The Rogue Snake Overlord and Ancestor Horamon of the Turtle Confraternity were not the only Red tier predators that were attracted to the prospects of getting a unique skill for themselves where countless others failed.
The only difference between the others and these 2 Red tier predators who later forfeit their lives was that they recognized and acknowledged the danger tangibly involved in this struggle.
The struggle for a unique skill was not going to be something trivial, and they were right. The arrival of an Atlantian Division Fleet already stretched their chances, the subsequent arrival of 2 Mega Fleets sealed the deal.
Unlike the Rogue Snake Overlord and the other, they recognized the hidden lines of fate that were before them, their chances of being the winner were too low so most of these hidden Red tier predators escaped while they still could.
In a battle of a scale that they could not predict, experience told them to curb their desire and to safeguard their lives first. Only the living could vie for benefits.
Unlike the purple tier and lower predators, their long life meant that they had the mental resilience to withstand the enticement of the inheritance ground. The desire that affected the other predators only felt like a tickle to them.
Most of these Red tier predators escaped immediately lest their baser instincts succumb to the temptation of the inheritance ground, while the gutsier predators were content with watching from the background.
These ones remained in the dark, watching while being optimistic. At the first perfect opening, they would dive in like sharks who just smelled blood.
One of those that watched from the dark was a Space Beast, a Red-tier Space Beast. This pinnacle predator decided to stay behind once a younger member of his rare category of species became drawn into the equation.
He didn't prevent the young Space Beast from participating in the exciting battle, all he did was watch from the dark, ready to go in once the situation suddenly became critical to rescue the youngster.
What actually pushed and consolidated his decision to stay was the presence of another predator, another predator that attracted his attention on the chaotic battlefield.
This Space Beast knew that a myriad of mutated beasts would gather when the catch was a Sea King inheritance, but he was still shocked on discovering the presence of yet another space domain magician on the battlefield.
Interested more than ever now, this Space Beast's decision to stay became final. He watched from the dark as the battle changed from intense to harrowing.
Against all the dangers of the battlefield, his prospects did not disappoint him, both Torpedum and the young Space Beast survived to the last moments of the battle before the volcanic eruption.
The young Space Beast was far more powerful than the orange tier predator, but other qualities in the space domain Great White Shark attracted him.
The ruthlessness to betray his clan, dooming them just for benefits to get stronger, the intelligence displayed to stay alive in such a chaotic battlefield where Red tier predators even died, and the skillful manipulation of the space domain magic all appealed to this Space Beast.
Torpedum embodied everything that a member of his organization needed. Genius, intelligence, cunning, power, self-confidence, Torpedum had them all.
The young Space Beast survived till the end with his power, but Torpedum achieved the same by cleverly relying on the Atlantians.
After the help that he rendered since the battle was still ongoing, the Atlantians were unwilling to discard him immediately since he could play a crucial role in cornering Sebastian.
This way, he survived till the volcanic eruption. But once the volcano erupted, his security became as fragile as paper as not even the Atlantians could save their own ass before the terrifying might of the volcano.
Torpedum thought and thought but to no avail. Before absolute power, intelligence and cunning at times became nothing more than a decoration.
This was exactly what happened to him but at his most desperate moment, someone intervened. By this point, every other enemy was too preoccupied with protecting their asses to pay attention, so the Space Beast acted.
Of course, he was still attracted to the prospect of getting a unique skill but common sense told him that going after Sebastian would draw the ire of literally every powerful and desperate enemy on this battlefield.
If he was unlucky enough to draw the attention of either the Rabbit Monarch or the Chosen Athena, he was as good as dead.
Because of this, he decided to be prudent and went after his real targets.
Warp!
The Space Beast was a space domain magician also.
With his impeccable manipulation of the space domain origin laws, he cut a space rift through the heat-filled and heavily distorted water space.
Like a dimensional thief, this huge Space Beast got to his destination while the volcano fire was still spreading tyrannically, and out of the maws of death, he rescued both Torpedum and the young Space Beast.
The Space Beast did not dare to tarry after getting his objectives, he overloaded his magic power and tore a huge rift in space that took him and the 2 predators straight out of this region.
Bzzz!
In a few seconds, they were gone.
…
Torpedum woke up to find himself in a dark environment.
"I did not die?"
"Yes, you did not, I saved the both of you".
Torpedum instinctively blasted out to his surroundings with his electroreceptors. This was when he discovered the familiar Space Beast that he already seen before in the ocean volcano and a 2nd Space Beast.
Space Beasts were not necessarily predators of the same species. They were part of a rare category of beast species in Oceania with pinnacle bloodlines.
Whereas the first Space Beast with 3 enormous and menacing horns looked like a Leviathan, the other was a massively scaled version of an Orca.
The massive Orca Space Beast spoke to clarify his doubts.
"Yes, I saved you".
"Yes, I am an Orca who succeeded against all odds and broke the shackles of my bloodline to unlocking my ancient pinnacle Orca bloodline".
"And yes, I saved you for a reason".
"In the battle at the ocean volcano, you exhibited qualities that were extremely attractive to me and my organization".
"The name of my organization is the Sacred Temple of the Pinnacles".
"Only predators with pinnacle bloodlines or pinnacle advanced magic domains or both are eligible to join my organization".
"We are one of the strongest beast organizations in all of Oceania, with the greatest catalog of pinnacle predators, and an extremely powerful Black tier Space Beast as our leader".
"Now, on behalf of my organization, I extend an invitation to you".
"Join in the great cause of the Sacred Temple of the Pinnacles where you will get to meet the best and strongest experts who will train you on the mysteries of advanced pinnacle magic domains".
Torpedum kept quiet for a long time after the Space Beast Orca finished his speech, then he finally asked. "Do I have a choice?"
"Yes".
"What is it?"
"You can choose death".
"Good, I'm in".
That settled it, Torpedum was the newest member of the Sacred Temple of the Pinnacles. As the Space Beast Orca explained more to him about his new organization, the flames of ambition in his eyes burned.
"This is the paradise for a genius like me, not for losers like Tungsten or Sebastian". He grinned, revealing his sharp rows of teeth.
"I wonder if there was any survivor from the old clan. I wish Tungsten survived, let him grow strong and seek me for revenge".
He revealed a bloodthirsty grin.
"As for Sebastian, you own too many things that are bigger than you".
"I will hunt you down myself".