Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert Chapter 619

Chapter 619

Lee Yeolsan hailed from the Northern District, a formidable awakened individual. While appearing entirely human, a lineage of beastkin surged within his blood. Though generations of dilution had erased overt beastkin features, his naturally robust physique remained far superior to that of ordinary humans. This inherent strength allowed Lee Yeolsan to gain significant standing in the Northern District, ultimately leading a specialized magical beast hunting team. His unit primarily focused on taking down medium-sized magical beasts – creatures so perilous that conventional hunting parties wouldn't dare approach them. As a dedicated unit for such hunts, Lee Yeolsan's team comprised only powerful awakened individuals. Lee Yeolsan himself was acknowledged as a B-rank awakened, and his team members were a mix of equally skilled B-rank and C-rank awakened. Furthermore, each member possessed specialized expertise in hunting magical beasts. Of course, this specialization didn't diminish the inherent danger; hunting medium-sized magical beasts always involved risking their lives.

Their target for the day was the formidable Crown Lizard, a giant lizard distinguished by the crown-shaped horns adorning its head. The creature's heart, imbued with fire-attributed mana, held immense value. Beyond the heart, none of its body parts were without worth. Its blood was a crucial ingredient for potent medicines, and its hide, tough and elastic, was perfect for crafting armor linings. Especially noteworthy were the horns, which exhibited high mana conductivity. When specially treated and applied to weapons, they dramatically enhanced their power. The successful capture of a single Crown Lizard would provide enough wealth for all ten team members to live in comfort for at least six months. This lucrative prospect was precisely why Lee Yeolsan's team braved the dangers to hunt these creatures.

“The sun dips low. It should appear shortly. Everyone, prepare yourselves,” Lee Yeolsan commanded.

“Understood, Captain!” his subordinates replied in unison.

“Aye aye!”

The team members immediately assumed their positions. This was far from their first engagement; their experience hunting these beasts was extensive, negating the need for detailed instructions from Lee Yeolsan. Having meticulously scouted the Crown Lizard's natural habitat, they had made thorough preparations and awaited dusk, the time when the creature typically became active. Regarding the pursuit of Crown Lizards, Lee Yeolsan and his team harbored immense pride, considering themselves the unparalleled experts in the world.

Rustle!

At that very moment, a subtle disturbance stirred the sand. Like concentric ripples expanding on water, the sand began to push outward in a circular pattern, revealing a segment of pure white. It was the Crown Lizard's horn. Exchanging glances, Lee Yeolsan and his men assessed the discovery. ‘That horn is immense.’ ‘A truly significant catch.’ ‘If we secure this one, it’s a fortune.’ The sheer size of the horn indicated a correspondingly massive creature, promising even greater yields from its byproducts. Judging solely by the horn's dimensions, this beast was so large that their comfortable living could extend to ten months, not merely six.

Rustle!

A beat later, the Crown Lizard’s head breached the sandy surface. After a cautious scan confirming no immediate threats, the creature fully emerged. It was a colossal specimen, stretching over ten meters from its horned head to the tip of its tail. The instant its entire form was visible, Lee Yeolsan roared, “Everyone, attack!”

“Uraaah!”

“Waaaah!”

His subordinates surged forward, unleashing war cries as they charged the Crown Lizard. Startled by the sudden onslaught, the creature attempted to retreat back into the safety of the sand. However, the seasoned magical beast hunting team was determined not to let it escape.

Boom!

One team member hurled a large bottle towards the patch of sand where the Crown Lizard was trying to burrow. The bottle shattered upon impact, its contents splashing across the grains. Instantly, the sand drenched by the liquid solidified, becoming as rigid as concrete. “How do you like that? Taste the sand hardener,” the man who threw the bottle quipped with evident pride. The liquid within was, indeed, sand hardener – the same substance used in the construction of buildings in Sinchon, now ingeniously repurposed for hunting dangerous beasts. The innovative idea had originated with Lee Yeolsan himself. Frustrated by the Crown Lizard's habit of burrowing to evade danger and launch surprise attacks, he conceived this method after observing houses being constructed with sand hardener in Sinchon. The results had been spectacularly successful.

With the sand now an impenetrable barrier, the Crown Lizard abandoned its attempt to hide and instead turned its fury upon the hunting team. Kwaaaa! Blazing red flames erupted from the Crown Lizard's maw. Lee Yeolsan and his team had meticulously analyzed the Crown Lizard's attack patterns. They knew the creature couldn't unleash its fiery breath indefinitely; a brief recovery period was required after each use. It was within this narrow window that they had to launch a full-scale assault and incapacitate it completely. They expertly dodged the fiery onslaught, then swiftly closed the distance, unleashing a barrage of powerful strikes upon the beast. —Krrraaaah! The Crown Lizard roared in defiance and swung its massive tail. The sheer force generated by its ten-meter-long body was immense and overwhelming. Yet, Lee Yeolsan and his team, specialists in confronting Crown Lizards, proved equally formidable. “Hyaaaah!” “Die!” They poured every ounce of their strength and skill into relentlessly attacking the Crown Lizard.

A fierce, bloody battle ensued between the magical beasts and the beast hunting team, a contest that stretched for nearly half a day. After an exhausting struggle, Lee Yeolsan’s magical beast hunting team emerged victorious. With a heavy thud, the immense body of the Crown Lizard crashed to the ground. "We got it," one of the hunters exclaimed. "We won!" The team erupted in cheers. Though victorious, their appearance was dire. Their armor was tattered, and their bodies bore numerous wounds. Despite their battered state, smiles adorned their faces. Miraculously, though all had sustained injuries, none had perished during the arduous hunt for the colossal Crown Lizard. Lee Yeolsan proclaimed, "We can live comfortably for the next ten months. Well done, everyone!" "Hell yeah!" his team roared. "Kraaah! This is why I can’t quit magical beast hunting," another added, their subordinates laughing as they wiped the sweat from their brows. Suddenly, a chilling voice pierced the air, "To be this elated over such a weak magical beast. Neo Seoul is less impressive than I anticipated." Startled, Lee Yeolsan and his men snapped to attention. "Who the hell is that?" "Damn it! Scavengers?" They immediately suspected scavengers, predators who preyed on hunters after a difficult hunt, striking when they were most vulnerable. "Scavengers? How insulting," the voice retorted. At that moment, the speaker revealed himself: a man clad in a black robe, his hood pulled low, obscuring his face but emanating a palpable sinister aura. Ten others, identical in their dark attire, stood behind him, appearing like dark reflections. Lee Yeolsan's expression darkened. An instinctual unease told him these were no common foes. "If you are not scavengers, reveal yourselves." "Before that, a single question. You hail from Neo Seoul, correct?" "That’s right. We are a magical beast hunting team from Neo Seoul," Lee Yeolsan replied, deliberately emphasizing their origin. He hoped the implicit backing of Neo Seoul would deter them. However, the black-robed figures remained unfazed. A thin smile curved the lips visible beneath one hood. "Now it is your turn. Reveal yourselves." "We come from the north." "The north? Don't tell me… El Harun?" "You are aware." "Why would remnants of El Harun be this far out?" Lee Yeolsan remained ignorant of El Harun's fall, a fact diligently suppressed by City Hall. Only a select few were privy to its destruction. The black-robed man’s lips twisted. "Are you feigning ignorance, or do you genuinely not know?" "Damn it! Speak plainly." "So, you truly do not know." "Know what?" "El Harun has fallen." "What?" Lee Yeolsan stood stunned, his expression blank. As a descendant of beastkin, he knew of El Harun. His grandfather, a beastkin himself, had spoken of it, urging him to visit their ancestral home. Yet, Lee Yeolsan had always dismissed these tales, viewing El Harun as a mere legend for aging outsiders, especially having been born and raised in Neo Seoul, his true homeland. He harbored no desire to leave. However, the thought of El Harun's destruction was still unsettling. "El Harun truly fell?" "Indeed." "That is regrettable. But what concern is it of mine?" "A half-blood—or perhaps a quarter-blood? Beastkin blood still flows within you, yet this is your reaction to your homeland's demise?" "Homeland? Neo Seoul is my homeland. El Harun's fate has no bearing on me." "Foolish! Without El Harun, you would not exist. And that is your sole response?" "Hey! Speak clearly, you crooked-mouthed bastard! You secluded yourselves for comfort. By your standards, the weak, the useless, the flawed were cast into the desert. Those discarded people fought for survival, integrating into human society. While you lived in ease in El Harun, our ancestors endured human oppression and discrimination to prove their worth. We fought tooth and nail to establish our place in Neo Seoul, and only now can we live amongst humans without drawing attention. You dare call El Harun our homeland? Don't make me laugh! Neo Seoul is my homeland, and strong human blood courses through me." Silence followed Lee Yeolsan’s impassioned outburst; the black-robed figure struggled for a retort. Instead, his killing intent intensified. "Those who forget their roots have no future," he stated ominously. "Stop spewing nonsense and tell us who you are, you loud-mouthed bastard!" "My name is Osollo! Leader of the glorious Shadow Tribe of Kurayan." "That name sounds fucking lame. Osollo?" "How dare you!" Swoooosh!

Furious, Osollo moved towards Lee Yeolsan with incredible speed.

His dark robe billowed as he rapidly closed the space between them.

Spreading his hand open, Osollo unleashed encroaching shadows that burst forth, engulfing Lee Yeolsan.

“You dare to trifle with me, specter from a shattered realm!”

Lee Yeolsan bellowed, his form shifting into that of a werewolf.

His appearance, by comparison to a true-blooded werewolf, was rather unimpressive.

A sneer touched Osollo’s lips.

“A half-breed dares to defy me?”

Shhhhhk!

Pesky shadows enveloped Lee Yeolsan, swirling violently like a tempest.

The formidable werewolf physique was shredded as easily as parchment against this shadowy maelstrom.

“KRAAAAGH!”

Lee Yeolsan’s life force extinguished with a gurgling shriek.

A genuine werewolf could mend any wound instantly, short of decapitation.

However, Lee Yeolsan was no pureblood, nor did he possess such rapid healing.

His companions fared even worse.

Even with the diluted blood of other races in their veins, they were utterly defenseless against the onslaught from the Shadow Tribe.

In mere moments, the magical beast hunting party led by Lee Yeolsan met their demise.

Crack!

Simultaneously, Osollo and his Shadow Tribe kin underwent a startling metamorphosis.

They seamlessly assumed the likenesses of Lee Yeolsan and his fallen hunting team.

The Shadow Tribe held an innate ability to absorb the memories and forms of those they annihilated.

Masquerading as Lee Yeolsan and his crew, they began transporting the deceased Crown Lizard.

Their objective was the Mana Stone Mine, the very location where the portal had been deployed.