Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 279

Boom!

Grrroooar!

With a thunderous crash, a massive beast collapsed.

It was an Explosive Hippo, a B-rank monster.

This creature, which stood over ten meters tall, was known for exuding red sweat. When attacked by other monsters, this sweat would explode on impact, deterring most from even thinking of challenging it.

The Explosive Hippo was infamous for its vicious temperament and aggressive nature.

Its enormous jaws were lined with teeth larger than a grown man's arm, sharp enough to tear through most monsters' hides in a single bite.

As a result, few creatures dared to attack it.

But even this terrifying beast was nothing more than prey in this place.

Chomp! Chomp!

A Grey Ogre was feasting on the leg of the dead Explosive Hippo.

It had been the one to bring the mighty beast down.

Even a powerful B-rank monster like the Explosive Hippo was merely food for the Grey Ogre.

Its bloodshot eyes gleamed as it devoured the hippo’s leg, quickly replenishing its strength.

Grrrr!

The Grey Ogre scanned its surroundings.

Moby Dick’s territory was teeming with other monsters, not just the Grey Ogre.

Many of the creatures were of equal or greater strength, and some possessed powers that rivaled or surpassed the Ogre’s.

Hovering above, the Crimson Drake circled like a tyrant, its presence as intimidating as the Grey Ogre's.

All of these monsters had been drawn to this place by the mysterious energy Moby Dick emitted.

Under normal circumstances, even a creature as fearsome as the Grey Ogre wouldn’t dare enter Moby Dick’s territory.

Moby Dick wasn’t just an enormous whale.

It was a beast of a far higher rank than the Grey Ogre.

Its powers were incomparably stronger.

Moby Dick was so powerful it could swallow the Grey Ogre whole without effort.

Because of that, even the Grey Ogre would have tucked its nonexistent tail between its legs and fled at the mere sight of Moby Dick.

The same was true for the other monsters.

The Crimson Drake, soaring proudly as if it were the ruler of the skies, couldn’t stand a chance against Moby Dick.

No matter how much it clawed or bit, the Drake couldn’t even scratch Moby Dick’s thick hide. Its power was laughably weak in comparison.

To Moby Dick, the Crimson Drake was no more than a bothersome mosquito.

That’s why, normally, the Drake would avoid Moby Dick whenever it appeared.

Fortunately, Moby Dick was not an aggressive beast. If it had been as violent as other S-rank monsters, most of these creatures would have ended up in its belly.

Escaping from Moby Dick, which could freely travel through both sand and sky, would’ve been impossible.

It was only because Moby Dick lacked a predatory nature that the ecosystem of monsters was able to continue somewhat undisturbed. Otherwise, everything would have collapsed long ago.

Sniff! Sniff!

The Grey Ogre sniffed the air.

The scent of Moby Dick was strong.

That smell told the Ogre everything it needed to know.

For some reason, Moby Dick had become weak.

When Moby Dick was at full strength, even catching a whiff of its scent would send fear deep into the heart of the Ogre. But now, there was no fear at all.

It was proof that Moby Dick was weakened.

It had barely managed to muster the energy to territorialize, but compared to its usual state, it was far weaker.

Grrrr!

The Grey Ogre grinned menacingly.

This was a golden opportunity to hunt and devour a creature more powerful than itself, a chance to ascend to a higher rank.

Moby Dick was a mystical beast.

Its enormous body was like a giant reservoir of miraculous elixirs for monsters seeking to grow stronger.

No one needed to tell them this.

The beasts instinctively knew. That’s why, the moment they realized Moby Dick had weakened, they flocked here.

From high-ranking monsters like the Grey Ogre and the Crimson Drake to lower-ranked ones like the Vampire Bats, they were all drawn to this place.

As time passed, more monsters would surely arrive.

Some would undoubtedly be creatures too powerful for the Grey Ogre to handle. It needed to consume Moby Dick and gain strength before that happened.

Thud! Thud!

The natural-born hunter set off, ready for the hunt of a lifetime.

* * *

Wheeze… Wheeze…

Archelon’s breath was labored and heavy.

Its stamina had reached its limit, but still, it pressed on without stopping.

The giant turtle was heading toward the heart of Moby Dick’s territory, driven by an unshakable instinct.

The closer they got to the center, the more the environment began to resemble the deep sea.

There was no light, only pitch-black darkness. Sand particles and tiny stones floated in the air, drifting like plankton, emitting a faint glow.

Though they had never seen the ocean, the scene before them resembled the deep sea they had heard about in stories.

“Wow…”

Kailey forgot about Archelon’s dire state for a moment, mesmerized by the sight before her.

It was the most breathtaking thing she had ever seen.

Despite years of wandering through deserts and witnessing countless stunning landscapes, nothing compared to the spectacle before her eyes.

Moby Dick’s territory was nothing short of magical.

“What on earth…”

Kailey shook her head in disbelief.

No other monster she knew of could possess such incredible power. She couldn’t help but wonder what Moby Dick truly was to wield such abilities.

Suddenly—

“Ugh…”

A groan escaped Lee Jung-ho’s lips.

Kailey turned to ask what was wrong, but her face twisted in pain as well.

A tremendous pressure was weighing down on her, crushing her body.

Lee Jung-ho was clearly feeling the same thing, his reaction confirming it. She glanced around and saw that Pavilsa and Claire were also trembling, struggling to withstand the pressure.

They were all desperately resisting the overwhelming force pressing down on them.

Kailey’s eyes were bloodshot.

She could hold on for now, but how long they could endure, she couldn’t say.

Normally, Kailey would have retreated by this point.

Taking on risks head-on wasn’t her style.

But this time was different.

Archelon’s life was on the line.

She couldn’t turn back now.

“Archelon! Hang in there. We’re almost there. Just a little further.”

Wheeze!

As if understanding her words, Archelon let out a rough breath.

At that moment, a faint light appeared in the distance.

A pure white glow was radiating from the center of the territory.

The instant Kailey saw the light, she felt an odd sense of calm wash over her. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced.

She momentarily forgot about the immense pressure crushing her, her attention completely captivated by the white light.

Then, Lee Jung-ho’s voice snapped her out of her daze.

“It’s Moby Dick.”

“What?”

Kailey blinked, refocusing her gaze on the white light.

And there, in the center, she saw a gigantic whale floating in the air.

Its massive body was beyond comprehension. It had large flippers that extended from its sides like wings, and enormous, gentle-looking eyes.

It resembled a blue whale, but far larger.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

This massive creature, undoubtedly Moby Dick, was floating in the sky.

“How is that thing just floating there?”

Lee Jung-ho gritted his teeth.

The whale, which was over a hundred meters long, hovered as if gravity had no hold over it, glowing with a pure white light.

To Lee Jung-ho, the sight defied everything he knew.

While many laws of the world had been broken due to terraforming, gravity had remained intact. Yet Moby Dick seemed to exist beyond even gravity’s reach.

Lee Jung-ho’s expression turned cold and serious.

He finally understood that the beast he was sent to hunt was no ordinary creature, but an anomaly that defied all logic.

The whale, over 120 meters long, floating in the air and radiating white light, looked almost divine.

Lee Jung-ho wasn’t sure if his sword could even hurt such a creature.

Compared to this enormous whale, he was no more than a speck of dust drifting in the air. Even so, he felt no fear.

Jin Geum-ho never issued a mission that couldn’t be completed.

He only gave orders that could be carried out.

With his mystical foresight, Jin Geum-ho could see the future’s flow.

If he had assigned this task, it was because he believed Lee Jung-ho could complete it.

There was no reason to be afraid.

Rooooaaar!

Suddenly, the darkness was pierced by a massive roar, and giant monsters emerged from the shadows.

The Crimson Drake, the Grey Ogre, and a massive Giant Spider—like a wolf spider but hundreds of times larger—appeared.

All three were A-rank monsters.

They passed by Archelon without even acknowledging it.

Their sole target was Moby Dick.

The sight of the three monsters charging forward without hesitation was terrifying.

Rooooaaaar!

The Crimson Drake was the first to attack.

From its mouth, it unleashed a torrent of flame.

The sand beneath it melted instantly, scorched by the high-temperature flames.

This was the Crimson Drake’s skill: Fire Breath.

Though it couldn’t match a true dragon’s breath, it was still powerful enough to incinerate everything in its path.

The intense flames struck Moby Dick’s enormous body, but shockingly, the whale remained unscathed.

The pure white light surrounding Moby Dick blocked the Fire Breath entirely.

Next, the Grey Ogre swung its massive club.

The club glowed red, imbued with energy.

The Ogre, like a high-ranking martial artist, was using aura.

Boom!

The aura-imbued club slammed into the white light, but like the Fire Breath, it failed to penetrate Moby Dick’s shield.

Then, the Giant Spider launched its venom-coated webs.

Sizzle!

The green webbing touched the white light, releasing thick, acrid smoke.

Despite taking attack after attack from the monsters, Moby Dick did not retaliate.

With one sweep of its massive tail, it could easily crush the Giant Spider, yet it didn’t move.

For some reason, the whale seemed unable to act.

The three monsters, aware of this, continued attacking without concern for defense.

Boom!

Crash!

With each skill unleashed by the three monsters, Moby Dick’s white shield wavered.

At that moment, mid- and low-rank monsters began to appear from all directions.

Like ships drawn to a lighthouse in the night, the monsters charged madly toward Moby Dick.

Roooooar!

Crash!

The monsters howled as they attacked Moby Dick.

But none of them could break through the whale’s shield.

Instead, many were caught in the crossfire of the Crimson Drake, the Grey Ogre, and the Giant Spider’s skills, losing their lives.

Yet the monsters showed no hesitation, continuing to hurl themselves at Moby Dick, utterly disregarding their own survival.

The sight of these suicidal monsters shocked both Lee Jung-ho and Pavilsa.

Pavilsa barely managed to speak.

“We must help Moby Dick quickly. If the monsters overpower it, Archelon won’t be able to be healed.”

“No. We’re staying right here.”

“What?”

“This is perfect. Let the monsters tire themselves out fighting Moby Dick. Once they’re exhausted, I’ll step in and finish the job.”

“But if you do that, we might not be able to save Archelon.”

“He’s an old turtle anyway. It might be better for him to die here.”

“So… you never intended to save Archelon from the start. We’ll be going on our own, then. Please get off of Archelon!”

Sching!

Suddenly, the cold edge of a sword pressed against Pavilsa’s throat.

It was Lee Jung-ho’s blade.

With the sword at Pavilsa’s neck, Lee Jung-ho spoke coldly.

“I’ll say this again. We don’t move until the battle is over.”

A chilling smile crept onto Lee Jung-ho’s face.

Now he understood why Jin Geum-ho had only sent himself and Claire to hunt a massive creature like Moby Dick.

It had all been part of a plan.

A way to cleanly finish the job without lifting a finger...

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]