Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert Chapter 595

Chapter 595

Zeon’s eyes, locked straight ahead, darkened intensely.

The reason lay in the figure that materialized before him, shimmering like a desert illusion.

This was a towering man exceeding two meters in stature.

Beneath the open front of his gray coat peeked gray armor.

That armor, forged seemingly from the skull of a colossal beast, exuded a twisting, ominous aura.

Upon spotting the man, a chill seized Zeon, freezing the blood in his veins.

He had detected the colossal power surging within the man.

A tempestuous force rampaged inside him, so vast it defied human limits.

Instinct told Zeon that despite the human shape, this being was no mortal.

This sensation struck him for the first time since encountering the half-dragon Nigel.

As Nigel’s image surfaced, Zeon swiftly deduced the man’s true nature.

“A… dragon?”

“Impressive for a human. Guessing my identity so quickly.”

The man’s lips twisted into a smirk.

“Who are you?”

“Shouldn’t you reveal your name first before demanding mine?”

“I’m Zeon.”

“Sand Mage Zeon?”

“You know of me?”

“That name echoes wherever I travel. That’s how I learned it.”

“I’ve shared mine. Now yours.”

“I’m Reikas. A dragon, as you surmised.”

“Why would a dragon attempt to slay Lord Arisedon?”

“Arisedon? Oh, that odd creature, part dragon, part serpent? It piqued my interest, so I struck.”

“Just because it intrigued you?”

“Exactly! I detected the World Tree’s energy in that lowly beast.”

Reikas’s icy stare shifted to Arisedon, buried still in the sands.

To most, Arisedon was a terrifying monster, yet to Reikas, it was merely a powerless creature lacking true dominion.

Zeon questioned,

“You struck solely because you felt the World Tree’s energy?”

“If that was it, why bother with a harmless serpent? I always nip budding threats early.”

“You saw it as a future danger and sought to crush it preemptively.”

“Precisely.”

Reikas gave a nod.

The instant Arisedon soared overhead, Reikas had perceived the peril.

Petty now, but with the proper catalyst, it could evolve into a grave menace. Thus, he had assaulted it to eradicate the risk.

Reikas fixed his eyes on Zeon.

“Yet that serpent wasn’t the sole hazard. You carry danger too, Sand Mage.”

“Planning to eliminate me as well?”

“I stated it clearly: no potential threats will linger in this world. Least of all from humans.”

“That’s madness.”

“Madness? No, utmost logic guides me.”

“That defines insanity.”

“Believe as you like. I’ll slaughter everyone here and claim this spot as my den.”

Greed flickered in Reikas’s gaze.

Arisedon had revealed the nearby World Tree’s presence effortlessly.

Though veiled by a mighty barrier from sight, its steady growth was undeniable.

Not the weak echo from Elharun, but the potent essence of the authentic World Tree that stirred him deeply.

How it sprouted in this desolate realm mattered little.

Crucial was its proximity and his discovery of it.

Chaos Dragon Reikas.

Among the rare dragons who fled to Earth amid Kurayan’s ruin.

Human in guise, yet dragon might radiated from him.

Typically, a dragon’s human form diluted its aura, but Reikas wielded his full draconic pressure.

Then, Tesserina’s voice whispered in Zeon’s mind.

—Reikas ranks as the mightiest dragon after Lord Krasias. Beware! He terrifies even his kin.

Originating from Kurayan too, Tesserina recognized Reikas.

Her warning rang true.

In Kurayan, Reikas reigned as a ruthless despot.

Beast or dragon alike, any obstacle or annoyance met swift death or devouring. Hence, fellow dragons dreaded him.

Reikas appraised Zeon thoroughly and remarked,

“I detect a scent.”

“What?”

“A familiar aroma clings to you. This… Nigel’s?”

“You know Lord Nigel?”

“Who doesn’t? He alone rivals me.”

Each utterance of Nigel’s name unleashed murderous intent from Reikas.

His animosity toward Nigel was evident.

Reikas’s eyes locked onto the gauntlet adorning Zeon’s right arm.

The very gauntlet bestowed by Nigel.

“Anything Nigel has touched cannot be spared.”

“I won’t let you pass either.”

“A puny Sand Mage defies a dragon? Survive this first.”

As Reikas lifted his index finger, a radiant beam plunged from above.

Shining Laser.

The same spell that had grievously injured Arisedon.

Regardless of how mighty any protective spell or armor might be, it proved completely futile.

The laser's ultra-high temperature sliced through all barriers in a flash.

No human reflexes could ever hope to stop the Shining Laser.

Yet Zeon differed from typical humans.

Right as the Shining Laser fired, his gauntlet shot up over his head on pure instinct.

Piiing!

Deflected by the gauntlet, the laser bent away into a different path.

True to an artifact infused with half-dragon Nigel's might, it endured Reikas’s magic unscathed.

After enduring the assault, Zeon seized the moment to strike back.

Kwoooom!

Airborne sand grains rushed together, erecting a colossal sand pillar.

Straight at Reikas the pillar rocketed.

“Hmph!”

Faced with a massive assault that would make wild beasts quiver, Reikas just sneered and snapped his finger.

Boom!

A booming blast shattered the sand pillar mere feet from his face.

As sand rained down around him, Reikas flashed a sinister grin.

“Interesting!”

His hand flicked anew.

Zeon’s face contorted in shock.

Crushing force slammed into him without warning.

Hundreds of tons of metal seemed to compress his body entirely.

Sands propping up Zeon crumbled like cheap crackers under the strain.

His platform gone, Zeon tumbled downward.

Hundreds of magic missiles streaked toward him.

The caster made all the difference in a spell's potency.

Each missile from Reikas packed more punch than a high-level awakened's all-out blast.

Swoooosh!

Ground sand then twisted upward in a furious ascent.

Endless serpent-shaped sand streams.

Falling through the air, Zeon still summoned Sand Viper.

Bang bang bang bang!

Sand Vipers smashed into the missiles one by one.

Clashes between missiles and vipers triggered wave after wave of blasts.

Zeon thus barely blocked every missile coming his way.

Counterstrike time had come.

Whoooosh!

Sandstorm winds lifted Zeon’s plummeting form.

Astride the storm, Zeon hurtled at Reikas.

Kwoooom!

Desert sands churned upward thickly, as though skewered by some unseen giant rod, chasing after Zeon.

Zeon unleashed his sandstorm.

The storm devoured Reikas in seconds.

Ferocious sand grains hammered Reikas’s armor and coat.

His gray coat disintegrated into dust instantly.

Countless gashes marred the beast-bone armor.

Reikas seemed utterly stunned.

Mere sand's raw power dwarfed his expectations.

His towering two-meter frame flailed like a leaf in the gale, skin torn in myriad places.

This onslaught threatened to grind him into bloody sand specks.

Reikas momentarily ditched his arrogance to erect a shield spell.

A see-through globe wrapped around him, warding off the sandstorm.

This spared his body from being flayed raw.

Reikas gazed at his armor in utter disbelief.

Forged from a three-eyed blood leopard's skull—toughest among all beasts.

Reikas had further empowered it magically, amplifying durability and adding defenses against blows physical and arcane alike.

Such enhancements repelled even heavy strikes without a mark.

Still, scratches riddled it now.

Inflicted by nothing but sandstorm fury.

Ice crept down his back.

He'd scorned Zeon's sand mastery inwardly, yet it demanded respect.

Kwakakakak!

The sandstorm howled on without mercy.

Zeon reigned at its core.

Sand god incarnate, he battered Reikas unceasingly.

“Impressive.”

Reikas truly respected Zeon for the first time.

Commanding such vast sand volumes as a mere human was phenomenal.

Respecting Zeon didn't mean relishing this bind.

A dragon like him loathed playing defense.

Counteroffensive launched at once.

Flash! Flash!

Light beams rained from the heavens endlessly.

Shining Lasers, every one.

Zeon dodged nimbly as they plunged down.

Kwoooom!

A Shining Laser clipped Zeon’s form.

Balrog-hide robe spared him grievous harm, though the jolt rattled him hard.

Reikas exploited the lapse with a magic salvo.

Zeon steadied fast, erecting a full-body sand barrier.

Bang bang bang!

Magic volley pulverized the sand wall.

Zeon had shifted position already.

The widespread sandstorm's scope Zeon constricted.

All focus now pinned on Reikas alone.

Of course, its power surged several times stronger.

Krrrack!

Reikas’s barrier trembled perilously.

Fissures started appearing across the barrier, which typically shrugged off most strikes with ease.

“Well, I never intended to rely on such a barrier for long, but this is quite something.”

Reikas’s eyes darkened profoundly.

His pride stung from the idea that a mere human’s assault could shatter his barrier.

Dissolving the barrier, he rocketed upward into the sky.

The sandstorm raged on fiercely, yet he ignored it entirely.

“Blade of Wind!”

Shhh shhh shhh!

Suddenly, innumerable wind blades erupted from his frame.

These blades shredded the furious sandstorm, hurtling toward Zeon at horrifying speeds.

Zeon countered instantly, unleashing Sand Blaster to block their path.

Boom boom boom!

Bursts of explosions lit up the sky successively, resembling dazzling fireworks.

The intense clash between dragon and human finally ignited in full force.