Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert Chapter 569

Chapter 569

Zeon and Tesserina stared ahead, their faces heavy with concern.

Just under a hundred meters in front of them sprawled the enormous corpse of a magical beast.

Its central body had no flesh left whatsoever; solely its tough shell lay shattered over the dunes.

“This is?”

“It’s the corpse of an Ironclad Drake. The shell on its back resembles this.”

Tesserina quickly identified the fallen magical beast.

As its name implied, the Ironclad Drake featured a back shell forged from iron-like armor.

Because of this, it boasted unmatched defensive strength.

Differing from fellow drakes, it had a mild temperament, yet its superior defense earned it S-rank status as a magical beast.

“The Ironclad Drake hardly ever assaults other magical beasts. It’s indolent. They only stir when hunger strikes. After eating their fill, they promptly conceal themselves and cease all motion.”

“Looks like Behemoth assaulted it.”

“That makes sense. No matter its laziness, when facing mortal danger, it unleashes the splendor worthy of an S-rank magical beast.”

Around the Ironclad Drake’s remains, intense battle scars lingered.

The ground bore clear marks revealing the clash.

Titans among magical beasts had collided there.

Such profound footprints could only belong to Behemoth.

Gazing at the eastern horizon, Zeon declared,

“It’s making steady progress toward Neo Seoul.”

“It’s overly committed to its task. It knows we’re pursuing it, but presses on to its goal.”

“Chasing it this way will just leave us lagging further.”

“Then?”

“Better to surge ahead and lie in wait.”

“That sounds smarter.”

Tesserina nodded in agreement.

Despite its colossal bulk, Behemoth excelled in hiding.

If it truly wanted to vanish, detection became impossible.

Roaming blindly after Behemoth, which alternated hiding and hunting en route to Neo Seoul, proved futile.

“Anyway, its ultimate target is Neo Seoul. Blocking the route guarantees we’ll cross paths.”

“Let’s go with that.”

Tesserina endorsed Zeon’s plan.

Ideally, they’d locate and slay Behemoth before it hit Neo Seoul, but preemptively securing the path worked well otherwise.

The pair soared skyward.

Zeon rode upon the sandstorm, while Tesserina utilized flight magic.

Maybe due to Tesserina’s aura, the aerial magical beasts that normally swarmed like insects kept their distance.

Thus, their flight proceeded smoothly.

All of a sudden, Tesserina questioned Zeon,

“How far up have you climbed?”

“Into the sky?”

“Yes!”

“As high as the sandstorm carries me.”

“So never beyond that.”

“Pretty much.”

Zeon nodded.

Sand, however fine, had limits on ascending with the winds.

The lower atmosphere.

At peak, two or three kilometers up marked his ceiling.

He could climb higher anytime via Gaia’s aid, but necessity never arose.

Zeon turned to Tesserina,

“What changes up higher?”

“It’s vastly different.”

“How so?”

“You’ll grasp it only by experiencing it.”

Zeon frowned at Tesserina’s cryptic remark, but soon eased and asked,

“Will you show me?”

“With pleasure.”

Tesserina took hold of Zeon’s offered hand.

She guided him ever upward.

Trusting Tesserina, Zeon glanced downward.

The already tiny world now fit in his palm.

Such altitude would stun normal folk.

Luckily, Zeon stood apart from ordinary, avoiding vertigo.

As they ascended further, chill deepened and air thinned.

One might think to halt, but Tesserina pressed on.

Zeon pondered the purpose of such heights, yet stayed silent.

He trusted Tesserina would explain upon arrival.

Time blurred in their climb.

They hit a point where clouds drifted below.

“Hm?”

Zeon sensed anomaly and peered skyward.

As anticipated, Tesserina noted,

“You sense it, right?”

“What’s this?”

“Exactly! A mana field.”

“Unbelievable!”

“Hard to fathom? A mana field spanning at this elevation.”

“Just here?”

“Nope!”

“So the whole Earth’s blanketed in this mana field?”

“Precisely.”

Tesserina confirmed with a nod.

Zeon’s face showed utter disbelief.

Never had he conceived a net-like mana field at such lofty skies, stretching planet-wide.

“What about humanity?”

“Like fish in a bowl. Not only humans—all life.”

“Always this way?”

“No way. It formed post-Great Cataclysm.”

“Terraforming’s doing, then.”

“Likely.”

“Hoo!”

Zeon exhaled deeply.

He’d believed Sand Mage mastery granted utmost freedom, yet reality differed.

Though he rarely needed such heights, self-imposed limits versus barriers mattered.

Tesserina stated,

“True freedom demands dismantling this mana field.”

“How?”

“No clue. You’ll uncover it.”

“Tough challenge.”

“Post-Cataclysm Earth defies even draconic lore.”

Zeon nodded mutely to Tesserina’s words.

Since awakening, adventures abounded.

He’d treaded forbidden zones, battled unimaginable foes, presuming no shocks remained. Arrogance, he now saw.

Tesserina’s ascent served purpose: curb complacency.

Zeon thanked her.

“Thanks. You revealed the unknown to me.”

“That suffices.”

Tesserina grinned.

Growth demands confronting boundaries.

Exposing the cage, she aimed for Zeon to acknowledge it.

Zeon wouldn’t yield to limits.

Temporary dismay would fuel his breach, eventual transcendence.

Such was Zeon’s nature.

Tesserina brought Zeon back to lower skies.

Alighting on the sandstorm, Zeon eyed their former vantage.

There, beyond human grasp, an unseen net ensnared mankind.

Zeon clenched his lip.

He’d deemed himself unbound.

As Sand Mage, no terrain barred him.

Perilous wilds yielded easily.

Magical beasts posed little peril.

The desert itself armed him.

Thus, he’d fancied ultimate liberty.

Ignorant of the invisible snare.

‘I was the well’s frog.’

Zeon puzzled over the mana field’s origin.

If Tesserina knew not, how could he?

Yet one truth stood clear.

Without its removal, true freedom eluded humanity.

Zeon lacked power to pierce it now.

His authority topped mere kilometers.

Higher flight demanded Tesserina-like prowess.

Fortune smiled: Gaia awaited.

Gaia’s return meant joint assault on the skies, shattering the field.

Till then, power-up essential.

Tesserina eyed Zeon askance.

Her lips curved upward.

Wordless, she divined his resolve.

Some crumble at walls, despairing. Others assault, scale, conquer.

Zeon embodied the latter.

From his taut lips emanated fierce resolve.

That resolve: his prime asset.

‘Humans’ defining trait, perhaps….’

Aware of limits, Zeon would evolve beyond.

Thus, Tesserina unveiled the field.

This realm craved a mightier Zeon.

＊＊＊

Neo Seoul boasted multiple gates.

The populace knew best the slum-adjacent one.

Throngs funneled through it, etching its fame.

Dungeon teams and beast hunters favored it for desert runs.

Conversely, hidden portals existed too.

Seldom active in routine.

They stirred only for crises. Today, one stirred silently.

Srrrng!

Its activation signaled dire happenings in Neo Seoul.

Gates parting revealed hulking vehicles and geared-up Awakened.

Leading: Seong Hoyeon, Numbers’ chief.

Grain and Numbers kin arrayed behind.

Not just Numbers exuded kill-intent.

Cyber-enhanced Awakened, elf and beastkin fighters, heavy-gunned troops, peak-honed Awakened mingled.

Elites from districts convened.

Grasping peril, district lords backed City Hall’s call.

In-fighting aside, Neo Seoul’s fall nullified all.

Survival sustained power plays.

Behemoth news prompted elite dispatches.

Southern lord Xiaolun resisted true elites’ loan.

Seo Taeran foiled it.

She’d cataloged his hidden aces.

“War with City Hall before Behemoth?”

Seo Taeran’s glare at Xiaolun chilled unknown depths.

Forced, Xiaolun yielded his shadows.

Hard-won might assembled.

Discarding rivalries, they fused for Neo Seoul’s guard.

Numbers’ head Seong Hoyeon rolled his neck.

Crack!

“Move out. To our true domain….”

Neo Seoul’s defense: Awakened paradise.