Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert Chapter 663

Chapter 663

Zeon and Tesserina left the prison.

When Zeon had asked if he wanted to come with them, Damho had replied that he was comfortable here.

He said he would remain in the solitary cell until he found a way back to his homeland.

Since Damho's resolve was so firm, Zeon did not press him any further.

Tesserina spoke.

"A human crossing through time and space... If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed it."

"So you completely believe what he said too?"

"Did you forget? I'm a dragon. I've long known that other worlds exist beyond the dimensional walls. I simply chose to ignore it because there was no way to cross them. The only being powerful enough to cross into another world was Krasias."

"Hm."

"Only Krasias possessed the power to transcend the dimensional walls, detect other worlds, and cross over to them. That's how he found Earth and tried to terraform it. If Krasias hadn't opened a passage connected to Earth, we never would have made it across safely either. This is only my guess, but I think Damho may have been able to cross into other worlds because of what Krasias did."

"What do you mean?"

Zeon looked at Tesserina with a puzzled expression.

She carefully explained her theory.

"Each dimension is separated by invisible walls, but at the same time they're organically connected. If one wall receives a massive impact, the others are bound to ripple as well."

"So you're saying that when Krasias opened the passage between Kurayan and Earth, the walls separating the dimensions were shaken?"

"Exactly. Because the dimensional walls had weakened, when that incident occurred in Damho's world, the barrier must have torn much more easily."

"But the timelines don't match. Krasias did that over a hundred years ago, while Damho said he fell into the Six Realms only a few decades ago."

"I've never experienced it myself, so I can't be certain, but the flow of time between dimensions may be completely separate. In some places it could move slowly, while in others it could move much faster."

"Hm."

Zeon let out a thoughtful sound.

He didn't fully understand Tesserina's explanation, but it made a certain amount of sense.

"Is there any way to send him back to his original world?"

"I can't be sure. But there's something worth researching."

"Hm?"

"The Teleport Gem."

There were a total of seven Teleport Gems obtained from the Great Beast Behemoth.

The primary Teleport Gem had been installed in Neo Seoul, while the secondary gems maintained portals to the Mana Stone Mine, the Primordial Forest, and the World Tree Village.

That left three.

Zeon possessed one of them, while Tesserina had the remaining two for research.

Thanks to her studies, she had discovered a way for the secondary gems to connect directly with one another without using the primary gem.

Even now, Tesserina studied the Teleport Gems whenever she had time.

"So you think the Teleport Gems might do more than just cross space—they might be capable of crossing dimensional walls?"

"It's only my hypothesis. But it's definitely worth researching. May I?"

Since the Teleport Gems belonged to Zeon, she was asking for his permission.

His answer was simple.

"Do it."

"Thank you! If Lord Nigel helps me, I'm sure we can uncover all the Teleport Gem's secrets."

"You said Lord Nigel lost to Reikas?"

"Yes."

"So Reikas has become even stronger."

"I think he's absorbed more of Krasias's lingering will."

"Haa..."

At Tesserina's answer, Zeon let out a sigh.

Even when they had fought at the World Tree Village, Reikas had possessed power on an entirely different level.

Even then, they had barely managed to drive him back with Gaia's help.

If he had become even stronger since then, it was hard to imagine how terrifying he must be.

"When do you think Lord Nigel will recover?"

"I don't know. I'm helping with healing magic formations, but his injuries are simply too severe."

"He didn't look that badly hurt on the outside."

"It only looks that way. His insides are a complete mess. Wounds inflicted by a dragon's authority don't heal easily. Even for Lord Nigel, it will take quite a long time to recover completely."

"In the worst-case scenario, Reikas could come all the way here looking for Lord Nigel."

"That's why I'm going to reinforce the magic formations. The current ones won't be enough to fool Reikas's detection magic."

Tesserina had believed her magic formations were flawless.

Yet Nigel had found them without much difficulty.

Of course, that was only possible because he had already entered Neo Seoul.

But there was nothing stopping Reikas from secretly entering Neo Seoul as well.

If Reikas entered the city and used detection magic, he would surely discover them without difficulty.

Before that happened, she had to strengthen the magic formations as much as possible to conceal both Nigel's presence and her own.

It still wouldn't guarantee complete safety.

But it should buy them some time.

"You'll be unbelievably busy too."

"So you probably won't see me for a while. Please understand."

"I do. Focus on strengthening the magic formations and your research. I'll see Lord Nigel once he's recovered a little."

"All right! Then I'll head back to my lair."

"Okay."

After saying goodbye, Tesserina immediately returned to her lair.

Left alone, Zeon headed home.

His head felt ready to burst from everything that had happened one after another.

He needed time and space to clear his thoughts.

The place Zeon headed for was home.

Just as Tesserina found comfort in her lair, Zeon felt most at peace when he was at home.

"Haa..."

His steps toward home felt unusually heavy.

---

Jin Geumho received Seong Hoyeon's report.

"After speaking with the two of them, he's quietly remaining in his solitary cell."

"Haa... Can you believe it? A man from the past."

"I wouldn't have believed it either if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. But I saw him and heard the conversation myself, so I have no choice but to believe it."

"I don't know whether his appearance will bring fortune to Neo Seoul... or disaster."

"Even your Heavenly Eye can't read him?"

"No. His power is simply too great, and perhaps because he doesn't originally belong to this world, I can't perceive the flow connected to him. Whether he'll become an unforeseen variable... or a disastrous move... I can't tell at this point."

"Hm..."

Seong Hoyeon let out a thoughtful sound.

He knew Jin Geumho's abilities almost as well as Seo Taeran did.

This was the first time he had ever seen Jin Geumho speak with so little confidence.

Carefully, Seong Hoyeon asked,

"What should we do?"

"Leave only the minimum number of people to watch him. Have the Numbers withdraw."

"Will that really be all right?"

"Right now, launching Divine Judgement safely takes priority. We can't afford to divide our strength."

"Understood."

"Hoyeon."

"Yes, Mayor."

"The day we've longed for is not far away. Once Divine Judgement is launched into space, we'll be able to reclaim Earth from the beasts. We may not recover all of it, but at the very least, the former Asian continent can become humanity's once again. After that, we'll build a second and third Divine Judgement and launch them as well. Earth will belong to mankind again. Until that day comes, never let your guard down."

"Don't worry, Mayor. Until the day your life's work is complete, I will never let my guard down."

"Good. I'm counting on you."

Smiling faintly, Jin Geumho patted Seong Hoyeon's thick hands with both of his own.

Seong Hoyeon looked back at him with eyes full of trust.

Following Jin Geumho's orders, he had killed countless people.

At times, he had hunted magical beasts as well.

His hands were stained with the blood of innumerable lives.

Because of that, there were nights when he couldn't sleep.

Whenever he closed his eyes, the faces of those he had killed appeared before him.

Even so, Seong Hoyeon had never regretted it.

He believed everything he did was ultimately for Neo Seoul and for humanity.

How future generations judged him didn't matter.

If it meant returning Earth to mankind, he was willing to pay any price.

"Strengthen security until Divine Judgement is launched. No one except the research staff is to approach it under any circumstances."

"Leave it to me, Mayor! I'll protect Divine Judgement with my life."

"Good. I'm counting on you."

---

Seo Taeran sat absentmindedly, staring at the enormous tree whose branches spread as though they would cover the entire world.

This was the first time she had ever left herself so completely defenseless.

Ever since becoming Jin Geumho's secretary, she had never once relaxed her vigilance.

It was an age where a single moment of carelessness could cost you your life.

Moreover, the man she served, Jin Geumho, stood at the very pinnacle of power in Neo Seoul.

Ordinarily, she was his secretary, assisting him in his duties.

But in times of crisis, her role was to become the final shield protecting him.

Because of that, she had never spent even a single day with her guard down.

She had lived her entire life in a state of constant tension.

Even so, Seo Taeran had never once regretted her work.

Rather, she considered it an honor to assist and protect Jin Geumho.

She was willing to give even her life for him.

That feeling had not changed even now.

Which was why it was so unusual that, for the first time in years, she had remained behind in the World Tree Village instead of accompanying Jin Geumho.

It had been entirely her own decision.

She simply felt that she had to.

After seeing Jin Geumho off back to Neo Seoul, Seo Taeran sat there, endlessly gazing at the World Tree.

To anyone unfamiliar, it was merely a tree.

Yet tears kept falling.

Drip.

Tear after tear rolled endlessly down her cheeks.

At that moment, someone quietly sat beside her.

"Why are you crying?"

The one asking with innocent eyes was a young High Elf child who looked no older than five or six.

The child looked up at Seo Taeran with an expression of genuine confusion.

Normally, Seo Taeran would have kept her distance from the child or treated them coldly.

But somehow, she couldn't do that now.

"I just... keep crying."

"Are you sad?"

"I don't know."

"Why don't you know?"

"You're right. Why don't I? I guess... maybe I'm just a fool."

Seo Taeran wiped away her tears as she answered.

But they kept coming.

The High Elf child suddenly stood up and hugged her.

Seo Taeran was startled.

The child wasn't even half her height.

But she didn't push them away.

The warmth she felt from the child's embrace was unbelievably comforting.

‘Sob…’

Like a broken faucet, tears poured from Seo Taeran's eyes.

Even seeing Seo Taeran sobbing in their arms, the High Elf child wasn't surprised.

Instead, the child hugged her even more gently.

Seo Taeran cried for a long time.

Only after every last tear had been shed did she finally stop.

Pulling away from the child, she said,

"Thank you. You don't have to hug me anymore."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You won't cry anymore?"

"I won't."

"Okay."

Only then did the High Elf child smile in relief.

Seo Taeran looked toward the World Tree.

Its resonance felt stronger than before.

Whoosh—

A breeze from the World Tree wrapped gently around her.

The High Elf child spoke excitedly.

"It's Mother's voice!"

"Hm?"

"Listen carefully. Then you'll hear it."

"I can hear the World Tree's voice?"

"Yes! Because you've been chosen."

"Why me?"

"Because you're qualified."

"Qualified for what?"

"Qualified to hear her voice!"

"Then why would I—"

"Just listen. Then you'll understand."

Urged on by the child, Seo Taeran finally closed her eyes and listened.

Whoosh—

The wind surrounding her grew stronger.

She couldn't hear the World Tree's words the way the High Elf child could.

But she could feel its will.

Only then did Seo Taeran understand why she had remained here.

She had a mission.

The World Tree had kept her here to reveal that mission to her.

"...Haa."

Realizing the duty entrusted to her, Seo Taeran let out a heavy sigh that scattered into the wind.