Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 214

Fire has always provided comfort to humans.

Even though it was a small campfire, its mere presence brought a sense of calm to the Awakeneds.

They had only been wandering the desert aimlessly for a day after losing their vehicle, but the pressure they felt was immense.

“Phew!”

“We’re alive.”

The Awakeneds gathered around the campfire sighed in relief.

In contrast, Brielle pouted at the sudden influx of Awakeneds.

She was unhappy with the situation.

Just moments ago, it had felt like a cozy picnic. Now, it felt like standing in the middle of the bustling Goblin Market.

The abrupt change was giving her a headache.

At that moment, Jang Yong-beom spoke to Zeon.

“Thanks for accepting these uninvited guests. But don't you think it's fair for you to reveal your identities as well?”

Eloy stepped forward.

“It’s been a while.”

“A while?”

“It’s Mandy.”

“The Supervisor from City Hall?”

“Yes.”

As soon as Mandy's persona took over, Jang Yong-beom recognized her.

“Why are you here? I heard you went on a dungeon raid with the Pegasus Raid Force.”

“You know that much?”

“But didn’t you die during the raid?”

“So that’s what Neo Seoul thinks.”

“The Pegasus Raid Force reported it that way.”

“Those bastards!”

“Tsk! Seems like there's a dirty story behind it.”

Jang Yong-beom clicked his tongue, but he wasn’t too surprised.

Such deceit was not uncommon in the world of Awakeneds.

The world of Awakeneds was rife with schemes and conspiracies.

Anyone leading an organization as large as the Pegasus Raid Force would certainly be skilled in deception.

Just like Jang Yong-beom himself.

“The Pegasus Raid Force must have returned safely.”

“They came back with a huge haul. Neo Seoul was abuzz for a while because of it.”

“Lee Ji-ryeong must be over the moon.”

“He’s officially recognized as an S-rank Awakened now. He’s truly become a big shot.”

Jang Yong-beom’s face showed a hint of jealousy as he spoke.

Jang Yong-beom was an A-rank Awakened.

Unlike Lee Ji-ryeong, he didn’t lead a large group, preferring to maintain a small party. Nevertheless, he always harbored a sense of rivalry with Lee Ji-ryeong.

Publicly, they were both A-rank Awakeneds.

Even if Jang Yong-beom didn’t acknowledge it, others around him inevitably made comparisons.

Especially in the world of Awakeneds, comparisons were unavoidable.

Most people assumed Lee Ji-ryeong was superior.

Regardless of individual abilities, leading a large Raid Force earned high marks.

This always irked Jang Yong-beom.

Still, he didn’t show it outwardly because he believed he would win if they ever fought.

But now, Lee Ji-ryeong had become an S-rank Awakened.

An insurmountable gap had formed between them.

Even though it was just one rank, the difference between S-rank and A-rank was enormous.

If moving from D-rank to C-rank was like upgrading from a bowl to a washbasin, moving from A-rank to S-rank was like upgrading from a pond to a reservoir.

Mana capacity, skill experience, combat sense – everything had to reach its peak before one could even glimpse at the next level.

Jang Yong-beom had yet to see any potential to become S-rank.

Meanwhile, Lee Ji-ryeong had broken through his limits and achieved S-rank.

If Jang Yong-beom was still a pond, Lee Ji-ryeong had become a large reservoir.

Naturally, Jang Yong-beom felt an inferiority complex.

Jang Yong-beom asked.

“What happened in the dungeon that made him S-rank?”

“Is that important?”

“It is! To me, it’s more important than anything else…”

“This isn’t something to discuss in front of everyone. I’ll tell you later.”

Though Jang Yong-beom frowned at Mandy's response, he nodded.

The status of an S-rank Awakened like Lee Ji-ryeong was now on another level.

Even the rulers of Neo Seoul couldn’t ignore him.

Many Awakeneds lost their lives during the dungeon raid, but even more supported the Pegasus Raid Force afterward.

As a result, their power grew significantly compared to before the raid.

Gossiping about someone with such immense influence in front of everyone was not a good idea.

Jang Yong-beom turned to Zeon.

“You mentioned those pig-like beasts were called Orcs?”

“Yes.”

“What’s going on? Where did those things come from?”

“They’re a species that usually lives scattered across the desert. They rarely come near Neo Seoul, so they’re not well known.”

“Why are they suddenly appearing in such large groups?”

“A monster called the Orc Great Chieftain has emerged.”

“A Great Chieftain ?”

“Think of it as the dungeon boss. The Orc Great Chieftain is gathering the scattered Orcs across the desert.”

Jang Yong-beom’s expression hardened at Zeon’s words.

A small group wasn’t much of a threat.

Orcs were strong, but a D-rank Awakened could handle them without much difficulty. However, a Great Chieftain uniting them into a large group was a different story.

Whether human or monster, forming a large group always made them more dangerous.

“What’s the Great Chieftain’s rank?”

“I haven’t seen it yet, so I have no information.”

“I see.”

“We’ll find out soon enough.”

“You think we’ll encounter the Great Chieftain?”

“Most likely.”

“Interesting.”

Jang Yong-beom’s eyes gleamed sharply.

He was a well-known Awakened in Neo Seoul.

An A-rank Awakened with a reputation for being ruthless and destructive. People who met him were always afraid. Yet, Zeon showed no signs of fear.

He spoke to Jang Yong-beom as if he were an old friend.

Knowing full well who Jang Yong-beom was.

Jang Yong-beom thought Zeon was no ordinary Awakened.

“By the way, I don’t know your name yet. What’s your name?”

“Zeon.”

“Zeon?”

Jang Yong-beom frowned momentarily.

The name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t recall where he had heard it.

Aiden, standing beside Jang Yong-beom, recognized Zeon.

“You’re the Sand Mage.”

“Sand Mage?”

“Didn’t you hear? A Sand Mage appeared in Neo Seoul. His name was Zeon.”

“Zeon? I see! So you’re the Sand Mage. That explains why you were so calm camping in the desert.”

Jang Yong-beom finally understood the situation.

An ordinary Awakened wouldn’t be so nonchalant camping in the desert.

“A Sand Mage… Did you participate in the Pegasus Raid Force? What happened in the dungeon that brought you here with the Supervisor? The dungeon the Pegasus Raid Force raided was hundreds of kilometers from here.”

“We can discuss that later. You should rest now.”

Zeon smiled and stood up.

Jang Yong-beom stared at Zeon’s retreating back.

If anyone else had shown such insolence, he would have cut them in half with his claymore. But the opponent was a Sand Mage.

In a desert full of Orcs, his help was essential for survival.

He wasn’t someone to kill just for arrogance.

Giselle tilted her head.

“I feel like I’ve seen him before.”

“He did say he traveled with us once.”

“That’s right. I do feel like I’ve seen him, but I can’t remember where.”

“We’ll figure it out as we go along.”

“He’s quite handsome. Should I try seducing him?”

Giselle licked her lips with her red tongue.

Aiden chuckled.

“How? He already has two women with him.”

“Do you think they’re a match for me?”

“They seem better than you.”

“Do you want to die?”

“Whoa, calm down. I’m not your enemy.”

Giselle glared, and Aiden raised his hands in mock surrender.

* * *

The sand was already scorching hot by dawn.

The Awakeneds who joined Zeon’s group grumbled as they got up.

“It’s so damn hot.”

“Damn it! My nostrils are full of sand.”

Their faces and bodies were covered in sand.

In contrast, Zeon’s group looked fine.

Zeon had used his control over the sand to shield them.

The other Awakeneds didn’t know Zeon was a Sand Mage. They hadn’t overheard his conversation with Jang Yong-beom. Therefore, they didn’t realize only Zeon’s group was spared from the sand.

The Awakeneds ate high-calorie energy bars to stave off hunger.

They were easy to store and provided enough energy for half a day, making them a staple for Awakeneds.

Zeon’s group also ate energy bars before leaving.

As Zeon moved, Jang Yong-beom’s party naturally followed, and the rest of the Awakeneds followed them.

Jang Yong-beom’s party followed because they knew Zeon was a Sand Mage. The other Awakeneds followed because they trusted Jang Yong-beom’s party.

Jang Yong-beom approached Zeon, who was walking at the front.

“How do you determine direction? Using the sun?”

“I just know.”

“Just know?”

“Yes.”

“So, you don’t need a guide. What’s your sensing range? As a Sand Mage, you must use sand to sense. That’s how you detect monsters, right?”

“What’s your skill? Do you prefer the raw destructive power of the claymore? Can you create an Aura Blade?”

“Haha!”

Jang Yong-beom laughed at Zeon’s question.

Jang Yong-beom’s question was akin to asking for trade secrets.

Knowing the range of Zeon’s control would reveal many things.

Zeon’s rank, attack range, and more.

It would be crucial information if they ever became enemies.

Zeon’s question about the Aura Blade had the same implication.

Basically, if you want to know my weakness, reveal yours first. And Jang Yong-beom wasn’t one to disclose his weaknesses.

“Interesting!”

“I don’t find it interesting at all.”

“Why can’t I remember someone like you? If you were this strong back then, you’d have left a lasting impression.”

“I was insignificant back then.”

“Before your awakening, I presume.”

“Yes.”

Jang Yong-beom persistently tried to gather information about Zeon, but Zeon evaded his questions.

‘This kid is no ordinary schemer.’

Jang Yong-beom clicked his tongue.

In the end, he didn’t learn anything useful.

But he did conclude one thing.

‘He’s young but has experienced a lot. He has an air of maturity.’

Just then, Zeon looked ahead and cut the conversation short.

“We should stop this pointless chatter.”

“Why? Don’t you like talking to me?”

“Interlopers have arrived.”

“Interlopers?”

Jang Yong-beom followed Zeon’s gaze.

He saw nothing.

“What do you see?”

“Orcs.”

“What?”

As soon as Zeon finished speaking, a cloud of dust rose near the horizon.

Jang Yong-beom’s body was instantly covered in goosebumps.

‘Did he sense movement from that far away? This guy is…’

Zeon’s sensing range was far beyond what Jang Yong-beom had imagined.

It was unbelievable.

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]