《Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 1 Tick! In the dead of night, everyone else asleep, the faint sound of a thread snapping traveled through the air. In an instant, the boy opened his eyes. The boy stood up silently, like a cat, and looked at the iron gate. A small room that could barely fit two adults lying down. With no windows, the only exit from this cramped room was the small iron door. The boy, holding his breath, stared at the door handle. Click! Click! The sound of someone turning the handle echoed. Though he had tried to keep as still as possible, the sound resonated loudly in the boy¡¯s ears, who was already awake. Clunk! Finally, the lock released, and the door swung open slightly as someone peered in. The intruder held a dagger the size of an adult¡¯s forearm in his hand. The man, not yet ustomed to the darkness, cautiously entered the room, feeling his way around. The boy held his breath, observing everything. Unaware of that fact, the man stepped further into the room. That was the moment. Tick! A sound echoed as something snapped beneath the man¡¯s feet. It was a trap the boy had set in advance. Bang! ¡°Oof!¡± Instantly, a dull thud and the intruder¡¯s scream rang out simultaneously. A small dagger was embedded in the man¡¯s side. Designed by the boy so that the dagger would beunched upon the trap¡¯s activation. Unaware of the trap he triggered upon entering the room, the man had to pay a harsh price. ¡°Argh! What the¡­?¡± The man writhed on the floor, shouting. At that moment, the boy, who had been crouching silently all this while, moved. Thud! The boy propelled himself off the floor, mounting the man¡¯s chest, seizing his dagger, and aiming it at the man¡¯s throat. The man looked at the boy in bewilderment. ¡°Ugh! This little bastard¡­¡± ¡°I was wondering who sneaked in like a stray cat, you¡¯re just the neighbor from the next room.¡± Quite literally the neighbor from the next room. The man lived in the room right next to the boy¡¯s. He had passed byst night as well. His countenance wasn¡¯t pleasant, and the way he looked at the boy was so ominous that it couldn¡¯t be forgotten. The boy lightly tapped the man¡¯s cheek with his hand. ¡°Hey, mister! Even if that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t it too much to rob your neighbors?¡± ¡°How is something like that in an ant hole? You brat! It¡¯d be best if you let go. Do you know who my brother is?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know that? Mister!¡± The boy looked incredulous, and the man beneath him grimaced. ¡°He¡¯s an Awakened One. An Awakened One who uses magic.¡± ¡°You should at least lie properly. You expect me to believe an Awakened One¡¯s younger brother lives in this ant hole?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯m here temporarily for some reason.¡± ¡°Then you should quietly go about your business instead of sneaking in to rob a kid, huh?¡± ¡°Hah! Damn it, then do you expect me to just leave it alone after I saw a magic stone right in front of me? ¡°Did you really see it?¡± The boy clicked his tongue. By chance, he obtained a small magic stone. It was his first time holding a magic stone, and he was marveling at it when the man from the next room must have seen him. The boy med himself for the mistake. The slum, known as the Beggar¡¯s Den or Ant Hole. A ce where the poor who can not enter Neo Seoul Colony gather, where rules and decorum don¡¯t exist. A ce where the strong can trample on the weak and take away everything they have. Being weak is a sin, being strong is an indulgence. The boy, Zeon, knew thesews of the slum better than anyone. Because he was born and raised in the slum. His earliest memories began in a Beggar¡¯s Den in the slum. From the moment he took his first steps, he was exploited for begging. There were no good memories in the Beggar¡¯s Den. Hit for earning too little, hit for eating too much. So, when he reached a certain age, he forcibly broke away from the Beggar¡¯s Den. It wasn¡¯t just leaving the Beggar¡¯s Den. It was slipping out while the Beggar¡¯s Den¡¯s leader slept, leaving without a trace. Due to this, the leader of the Beggar¡¯s Den was still searching for Zeon. The name Zeon was also something he came up with himself. He needed a name to validate his identity. The name itself didn¡¯t hold much significance; it just sounded cool, so he chose it. He was quite satisfied with his name. There was nothing he hadn¡¯t done to survive. From pickpocketing to theft and everything, except killing, he had done it all. Knowing that in the slums,cency meant death, he had even set traps in his own room. Such meticulousness had saved Zeon. Zeon pondered briefly about what to do with the man now lying beneath him. If the man¡¯s older brother was truly an Awakened One, it would be dangerous. Then the man¡¯s eyes gleamed cunningly. Swoosh! A dagger slipped out from the man¡¯s sleeve. It was a dagger hidden for emergency use. ¡°Die, you little brat!¡± The man shouted and swung the dagger. Zeon quickly took a step back. The man pursued Zeon, his eyes filled with venom. He swung his dagger with the sole intention of somehow killing Zeon and taking the magic stone. ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon grappled with the man desperately for a while. Plop! Shortly after, the sound of a de piercing flesh burst forth. ¡°Argh!¡± And the man, screaming, copsed to the floor, a dagger embedded in his chest. The man, who was looking at Zeon with an expression of disbelief, began to tremble and soon lost his breath. ¡°Shit!¡± Zeon flopped down on the floor. He had never done it before, this was the first time he had killed someone. The eerie sensation of the dagger plunging into the man¡¯s neck still felt vivid. ¡°Fuck!! Why did you have to sneak in¡­?¡± Zeon stared at the dead man¡¯s body. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] He knew someday he would have to kill. To survive without being trampled in the slums, it was inevitable. But he truly hadn¡¯t expected that day to be today. Zeon snapped out of it. If the dead man¡¯s brother was an Awakened One, it was dangerous. Making the corpse disappearpletely was impossible anyway. The slums were littered with people, and avoiding their gaze while moving a body was impractical. It was better to leave the body here and quickly hide himself. As soon as he made the decision, Zeon moved swiftly. He securely locked the door of the room with the man¡¯s body and stepped outside. A street reminiscent of the old Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong appeared. Shabby buildings lined up like chicken coops, with rooms cramped together without any order, making the street a maze-likebyrinth. Zeon hid himself into the maze. *** ¡°Fuck! To think he was truly an Awakened One. Even if I have bad luck, how could it be this bad?¡± Zeon muttered inside the armored bus with steel tes stuck together. The older brother of the man Zeon killed was indeed a real Awakened One. And not just any, he was a B-rank Awakened One. Even if an F-rank Awakened One chased after him, it was a matter of life and death, let alone someone as high as a B-rank. Among the numerous Awakened Ones in Neo Seoul, there were barely a hundred or so B-rank. If Zeon were amoner, a B-rank Awakened One would be nobility. If he was caught, it wouldn¡¯t end with just death. He was enraged by his brother¡¯s death and pursued Zeon. It didn¡¯t matter to him that his brother had tried to rob Zeon first. No matter how wrong he was, he was still his younger brother. The fact that his brother had died at the hands of someone like Zeon enraged him. ¡°Today, I¡¯m escaping in such a pathetic manner, but mark my words, I¡¯ll definitely get my revenge. Lee Jiryung.¡± The Awakened One pursuing him was named Lee Jiryung. He was an Awakened One with Lightning Magic. Even within the magic world, Lightning Magic was notorious for its immense power. Among B-rank Awakened Ones, he was one of the strongest. Much like Zeon, Lee Jiryung knew the slums well. Although currently in Neo Seoul, he too was from the slums. He had thoroughly mapped out Zeon¡¯s potential hiding spots and escape routes. Zeon was eventually cornered, hence why he boarded the bus. It was an armored bus headed from Neo Seoul Colony to the Magic Stone Mines outside the colony. Once outside the Neo Seoul Colony, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for Lee Jiryung, no matter how powerful he was, to track Zeon. ¡®I never thought I would get on this bus with my own feet.¡¯ Zeon bit his lip. Outside Neo Seoul Colonyy a desert. The red sand stretches endlessly without a single de of grass growing on it. All kinds of dangers lurked in the burning red desert. Beneath the sand lurked sandworms and armored sand beetles, while the desert surface housed all sorts of creatures like fire wolves andrge horned hyenas. There were even scavenger gangs lurking around, targeting caravans traveling up and down the colony. Nowhere was safe. That¡¯s why, despite living a life worse than subhuman, the poor people remained outside Neo Seoul Colony. For some reason, the beasts avoideding too close to the Neo Seoul Colony. At least, staying near the colony meant a reduced chance of being killed by the beasts. Hence, Zeon had stayed doggedly within the slums. But once targeted by Lee Jiryung, there was no ce for him in the slums. ¡°Damn it! If only I had Awakened too¡­¡± A hundred years ago, Earth had transformed into a desert. Over ny percent of humanity perished, and the survivors barely eked out life on the ruins turned to sand. The ones who made the biggest contribution at that time were the Awakened Ones. As if they had been waiting, a fraction of the survivors had Awakened to unknown abilities. Some had their bodies strengthened, while others gained the ability to wield magic. They were called the Awakened Ones. The Awakened Ones became the rulers of a new world. Even the low-rank Awakened Ones received special treatment in Neo Seoul. Compared to them, someone like Zeon was no better than a peasant. Even if Zeon were to die, no one would bat an eye. Ultimately, Zeon¡¯s choice was the bus headed to the Magic Stone Mines. The Magic Stone Mines were situated in the Dolsan Mountain, seventy kilometers away from Neo Seoul. All the extracted Magic Stone from there went exclusively into Neo Seoul. The energy extracted from Magic Stone kept Neo Seoul, the megacity, running. But mining Magic Stones required a lot of manpower. The tunnels were narrow and cramped, leaving miners no choice but to wield pickaxes themselves. Given the harsh environment, miners died continuously. As a result, there was always a shortage ofbor. Under these circumstances, Neo Seoul let anyone willing to go to the Magic Stone Mines on the bus without even questioning or checking their identity. This was how Zeon managed to board the armored bus headed to the Magic Stone Mines. ¡®No matter what, I¡¯ll survive in the Magic Stone Mines. And then, I¡¯ll get my revenge on Lee Jiryung.¡¯ While Zeon was looking out the window and burning with determination, the bus was filled with people. All miners. ¡°Hey, kid! You¡¯re heading to the mines too?¡± A man sitting next to Zeon struck up a conversation. He seemed burly and strong, fitting the profile of someone who volunteered for the mines. Zeon responded harshly. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°The kid¡¯s got quite a fierce look. But still, be careful once you get to the mines.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°That ce is filled with guys eyeing for the ass of a frail brat like you. Heheheh!¡± The man scanned Zeon from head to toe with a sinister glint in his eyes. ¡®This fucking bastard.¡¯ Zeon knew exactly what that look meant. The slums were full of guys who lusted after men, and many of them targeted Zeon. Zeon had a slim body and a handsome face. Except for the youthful fierceness, he could easily be considered a handsome young man. If not for his alertness and fierceness, he would¡¯ve been taken advantage of countless times. Zeon was fiddling with the dagger he had hidden in his sleeve, wondering when he should dip the man sitting next to him. Even if he didn¡¯t take his life, he¡¯d at least sever a tendon to render him a cripple, so others wouldn¡¯t look down on him. That was one way of surviving at the bottom. But his worries didn¡¯tst long. The armored bus began moving. The bus soon left Neo Seoul Colony and headed out into the desert. The endless waves of the red desert seen outside the window overwhelmed the people on the armored bus. Even the man who had been looking at Zeon with malicious intent couldn¡¯t close his gaping mouth at the vastness of the desertndscape. The armored bus was just a speck of dust on the endless sea of red sand. Zeon muttered. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to reach the mine safely, right?¡± He regretted his words immediately. That damn mouth of his. The red sand was rising fiercely behind the bus as something ran furiously under it. A huge sandworm was chasing the bus. ¡°Shit! There shouldn¡¯t be any sandworms around here.¡± At that moment, as if to directly deny Zeon¡¯s words, the sandworm¡¯s huge body protruded out of the sand. And like a meteor, it hit the armored bus. Whoosh! The whole scene came into Zeon¡¯s eyes vividly, as if it was in slow motion. ¡®Fuck! Does it make sense for a sandworm to fly?¡¯ Bang! The bus was hit by a massive impact. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 2 Chapter 2 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 2 Thud! Thud! The heavily armored bus, covered in thick gloves, crumpled up like a piece of paper due to the massive impact. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Cough!¡± People screamed as the bus rolled and tossed them around. Since where were no seat belts or anything like that, they bounced around like ping pong balls. Zeon was no exception. ¡°Ugh!¡± Dazed and tumbling, Zeon finally regained his senses and got up. Blood streamed from his forehead, but there was no time to wipe it off. The unbelievable sight outside the window had captured everyone¡¯s attention. Swoosh! Everything in sight was red sand. The enormous armored bus had been swallowed whole by the desert sands. ¡°Shit! The sandworm¡¯s dragging the bus into the sand.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°Fuck! Isn¡¯t there an Awakened One among us?¡± The atmosphere inside the bus turned frantic. Thud-thud-thud! Even at that moment, pieces of the bus¡¯s armor were falling apart like paper scraps. After a little more time passed, all the armor would fall off, and the people inside would be the sandworm¡¯s food. Perhaps they wouldn¡¯t even survive until then, suffocating under the sand. Dying from suffocation might be less painful. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°You damn bug¡­¡± One of the miners shouted, waving his hand toward the window. Shoosh! At that moment, a gust of wind carrying a de soared out of the miner¡¯s hand. Zeon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®He is an Awakened One.¡¯ Judging by the wind-de, he was undoubtedly from the magic world. However, the power was underwhelming. Poof! The wind-de couldn¡¯t pierce through the sand burying the bus and disappeared. There was no damage to the sandworm¡¯s body at all. Disappointment shed across the faces of those who briefly had hope. ¡°It¡¯s an F-rank.¡± ¡°Damn it! That exins it. A proper Awakened One would never go to the Magic Stone Mines¡± Even among Awakened Ones, there was a sky-high difference in abilities based on their ranks. F-rank Awakened Ones were like pebbles at the bottom of the Awakened ecosystem. Although he was much stronger than ordinary people, it was not enough to deal with huge monsters like the sandworm. Though Zeon wasn¡¯t sure why an F-rank Awakened One had boarded the bus headed to the Magic Stone Mines, his ability, the wind-de, couldn¡¯t harm the sandworm at all. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t a favorable matchup. Trying to prate the sand surrounding the sandworm¡¯s body with a wind-de was impossible. ¡°Die! Just die!¡± The Awakened One lost control and repeatedlyunched wind-des. But he couldn¡¯t prate the sand and only depleted his mana. That¡¯s when it happened. After tearing off the armor where the Awakened One was, a colossal tongue suddenly appeared. It was the sandworm¡¯s tongue. The tongue snatched the Awakened One like a whip, and in an instant, they vanished into the sand. ¡°Aaaah!¡± The scream of the Awakened One echoed through the sands. Though the scream vanished quickly, it was clear without needing visual confirmation of what had happened. ¡°We¡¯re all going to die. We¡¯re going to die!¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°Sob!¡± Sand poured into the bus like a flood. And once again, someone disappeared. ¡°Argh!¡± Zeon bit his lip hard. Blood flowed, but Zeon couldn¡¯t afford to feel the pain. The sand had already risen to his waist. Suffocating under the sand or bing the sandworm¡¯s meal? Neither of those was what Zeon wanted. His mind, usually buzzing with thoughts, had frozen like a petrification spell had been cast, rendering him thoughtless. Thud! At that moment, a massive impact split the bus in two. ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡°Cough!¡± A considerable number of passengers vanished into the sand. ¡°Damn it!¡± Zeon cursed, scanning the area. With the sand already reaching his shoulders, he couldn¡¯t even make out the nearby people¡¯s shapes. Zeon made a decision. ¡®If it continues like this, I¡¯ll die.¡¯ Swoosh! Zeon urgently tore his clothes, making a long cloth. He tightly wrapped it around his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. It was an emergency measure to block the sand. Having prepared in an instant, Zeonunched himself into the sand. ¡®Gasp!¡¯ The desert sand pressed down on Zeon with tremendous pressure, making it difficult to even move a finger, let alone breathe. Zeon did not resist the pressure and surrendered himself to the sand. Creak! The sound of metal copsing could be faintly heard. It was the final shriek of the armored bus. Without needing to see, Zeon knew the fate of those inside. Swoosh! The sand surged like waves. Something enormous was swimming through the sand and approaching. ¡®It¡¯sing.¡¯ Zeon tried to move from his spot by wriggling his limbs, but escaping the immense pressure surrounding his entire body was impossible. Even at that moment, the sandworm was getting closer and closer. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die. I can¡¯t die yet.¡¯ His heart was pounding. It felt like his heart was going to explode before he was eaten by the sandworm. He felt his bloodstream raging through his body like a runaway train hurtling towards his head. Bang! At that moment, something exploded inside Zeon¡¯s mind. It was an explosion only he could feel. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Simultaneously, seven lines appeared on Zeon¡¯s wrist. The bottom of these lines, akin to tattoos, lit up with an orange hue. Though he couldn¡¯t see the insignia on his wrist, Zeon instinctively knew what had happened to him. ¡®It¡¯s an Awakening.¡¯ The Awakening, a blessing that visited only an extreme minority, had unquestionably found its way to Zeon. It was not yet known what his abilities were. This was because he could not check the rank insignia that had appeared on his wrist. The seven lines on an Awakened One¡¯s wrist resembled military insignias. The distinctiony in having precisely seven bars. That¡¯s why people referred to them as an Awakened One¡¯s rank insignia. Breathing became easier the moment he awakened, and the immense pressure on his body vanished. The sand that had been crushing him now felt asforting as amniotic fluid in a womb. Although no one taught him, Zeon knew instinctively that his ability was connected to the sand. Zeon swiftly waved his hand, and inexplicably, his body, which hadn¡¯t budged until then, moved forward. Whoosh! A colossal mouth appeared in the spot where he¡¯d been standing. Numerous teeth spun like gears in the sandworm¡¯s maw. The teeth were stained red¡ªa testament to the blood of the victims it had consumed moments ago. Roar! The sandworm¡¯s mouth swallowed the space where Zeon had been just moments before. If he had hesitated for even a second, Zeon would¡¯ve also turned into fodder inside the sandworm¡¯s belly. ¡®Insane!¡¯ Chills ran down his spine. Thanks to his recent Awakening, Zeon had narrowly avoided the sandworm¡¯s attack. Yet, the fundamental problem remained unsolved. Even with his newfound Awakening ability, capturing the desert tyrant, the sandworm, was impossible. Just seeing how the F-rank Awakened One had be the sandworm¡¯s meal confirmed this fact. ¡®At this moment, using my abilities to escape the sand is the top priority.¡¯ Zeon extended his hands forward. Instantly, his body swam through the sand like a fish, thousands, maybe millions of grains parting to guide him. Zeon swiftly carved through the sand, aiming for the surface. Then, a powerful tremor surged from behind. The sandworm was tracking Zeon. While Zeon¡¯s speed forward was rapid, the sandworm¡¯s pursuit was faster. It was evident; it wouldn¡¯t be long before it caught up. ¡®Damn it, do I not have any other abilities other than swimming in the sand?¡¯ Suddenly, a shiver ran down his spine. The sandworm was almost upon him. He sensed its gaping maw behind him. Suddenly, he thought it would be nice to throw a bunch of sand into the mouth of that sandworm that had swallowed so many people. At that moment, the flow of sand around Zeon¡¯s body changed strangely. Some of the sand gathered in front of Zeon and condensed. Zeon muttered as he looked at the highly condensed sand. ¡®Sand ster.¡¯ No one had taught him this. The name just came to mind. Most skills were like that¡ªas if they had been engraved in the mind from the beginning and only surface when certain conditions were met. Fwoosh! In an instant, the condensed sand sprayed out like a water jet. The high-pressure stream pierced into the sandworm¡¯s mouth. The Sand ster created a small hole in the sandworm¡¯s mouth ceiling. Although it looked like an insignificant wound on the outside, the Sand ster ripped open the inside of the sandworm¡¯s mouth like a rag. The sandworm screamed in agony. Kwaaagh! The massive sandworm thrashed about, the sand in the area shook as if there had been an earthquake. Zeon took advantage of the opportunity and increased his speed. Thanks to that, he managed to get away from the sandworm and emerge from the sand. ¡°Puh-ha!¡± Zeon let out the breath he had been holding until now. As soon as the fresh air entered his lungs, he felt alive. Just then. ¡°Survivor! Look, there¡¯s a survivor.¡± ¡°It was indeed a sandworm. Everyone, get ready.¡± Suddenly, voices reached Zeon¡¯s ears. Raising his head, he spotted a small vehicle. Thepact car, armored thickly, was fitted withrge wheels suitable for traversing the desert. Despite the sandworm¡¯s presence, the individuals inside the vehicle showed no signs of fear. Men with an unusual aura approached Zeon in the car. ¡®They¡¯re Awakened Ones.¡¯ At a nce, Zeon recognized them as Awakened Ones. Being able to walk so confidently across the desert despite being aware of the sandworm¡¯s presence, indicated their confidence in their prowess. Then it happened. Whoosh! The enormous sandworm that had chased Zeon through the sand revealed itself. A middle-aged man, appearing to be the leader, shouted. ¡°Catch it! Don¡¯t let it escape into the sand.¡± ¡°Okay, Captain.¡± A woman with blue hair reminiscent of the blue sky answered in a sweet tone and extended her hand in the direction of the sandworm. In an instant, a freezing chill spread rapidly, cooling the sand around where the sandworm was about to submerge. This prevented the sandworm from diving into the ground, causing it to writhe momentarily. The blue haired woman said. ¡°It¡¯s too big, I can only hold it for a few seconds.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more than enough.¡± The Captain smiled coldly. Drawing arge ymore sword, he charged towards the sandworm. His subordinates followed suit. ¡°Waaah!¡± The ymore fell like a guillotine towards the sandworm¡¯s body. Crush! The sandworm¡¯s hard skin was torn apart like a sheet of paper, exposing its red flesh. The sandworm writhed in pain. Then, one of the Captain¡¯s subordinates approached the sandworm, pressing his palm against its body. ¡°A sandworming up to the surface; It¡¯s a really rare urrence.¡± Sandworms surfacing were exceptionally rare, making them difficult to hunt. Wuuung! The man¡¯s palm vibrated at a speed invisible to the naked eye. His name was Aidan, and his Awakening ability was Ultra-Vibration. Boom! The sandworm¡¯s body that Aidan touched exploded like a firecracker. The finishing blow came from thest to arrive, a giant. The giant, who was two heads taller than an average person, jumped into the air and mmed straight into the sandworm¡¯s head. Bang! Apanied by a thunderous sound, the sandworm¡¯s head exploded. ¡°Haha!¡± The giantughed uproariously, reveling in the sandworm¡¯s blood and flesh. Zeon¡¯s jaw dropped at the sight. ¡®Crazy bastards!¡¯ In a matter of seconds, the sandworm that had devoured countless individuals had turned into mere flesh. It was a sight one wouldn¡¯t believe if they didn¡¯t see it with their own eyes. Swoosh! The Captain sheathed his ymore and looked at Zeon. At that moment, Zeon felt a shiver run down his spine. This was because the Captain¡¯s cold, sunken eyes were quite scary. ¡°So out of all the people on that bus, you are the only one who survived?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 3 Chapter 3 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 3 The Leader¡¯s name was Jang Yong-beom. Jang Yong-beom was a Martial Arts type Awakened. His weapon was a massive ymore. Hisbat style was tearing his enemies to shreds with the ymore infused with aura. The woman who had momentarily frozen the scorching hot sand, her name was Giselle. She was an Ice Magic type Awakened. The Awakened who had used the Vibration attack was Aiden. He was the second-inmand of the party and possessed a keen eye and an outstanding brain. Lastly, the giant who shattered the Sandworm¡¯s head was named Mountain. Despite the seemingly mild appearance, his true nature was exceptionally ruthless. His brutality in tearing apart the desert monsters was quite famous even within Neo Seoul. The party led by Jang Yong-beom was currently leaving Neo Seoul, heading towards the Magic Stone Mines. Jang Yong-beom¡¯s gaze toward Zeon was as sharp as a de, as he asked. ¡°How did you survive?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°While everyone else became food for the Sandworm, how did you manage to survive alone?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. When I regained consciousness, I was on top of the sand.¡± Jang Yong-beom¡¯s gaze became colder at Zeon¡¯s response. ¡°Did you awaken, perhaps? Giselle, check the insignia on that bastard¡¯s wrist.¡± ¡°Okay, Leader!¡± The blue-haired woman, Giselle, answered and grabbed Zeon¡¯s wrist. ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon couldn¡¯t help but groan at the pain of his wrist being twisted. Giselle examined Zeon¡¯s wrist closely. ¡°Huh, no insignia?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Look! It¡¯s not there.¡± Giselle showed Zeon¡¯s wrist to Jang Yong-beom. As she said, Zeon¡¯s wrist was clean. Jang Yong-beom muttered. ¡°Did you just get lucky, not awaken?¡± When someone awakens, seven thin lines appear on their wrist like a tattoo. It looked exactly like old military rank badges, that¡¯s why they called them awakening insignias. If light appears on the bottom line, it¡¯s F-rank; if it appears on the second line as well, it¡¯s E-rank. If it¡¯s up to three, it¡¯d be D-rank, if lightes on up to the fourth one, it¡¯d be C-rank. Additionally, the color of the insignia varies depending on the Awakened category. Magic users have a blue color. Martial Artists have red. Sorcerers have gray. Those whobine with machines have ck. asionally, there are those who awaken into other categories. However, they are extremely rare. Those who deviate from the mainstream are called irregrs, but even irregrs have insignias on their wrists. The insignia is proof of awakening and, at the same time, a shackle. There is no more certain evidence of an Awakened One than the confirmation of the insignia. On Jang Yong-beom¡¯s wrist insignia, a red light was shining, clearly indicating that he belonged to the martial arts category. Giselle, Aiden, and Mountain all had insignias on their wrists. On the other hand, Zeon¡¯s wrist was clean. There was no sign of the awakening insignia, let alone any evidence of awakening. Giselle spoke. ¡°He¡¯s just a guy with insanely good luck.¡± ¡°Everyone else died, he¡¯s the only one that survived, that isn¡¯t just luck.¡± ¡°What should we do, Leader?¡± ¡°Anyway, we have to stop by the Magic Stone Mines. Put him in the car.¡± ¡°Hoho! A lucky man, indeed.¡± Jang Yong-beom¡¯s words made Giselle burst intoughter. However, Zeon couldn¡¯t find it in himself tough. ¡®Can they really not see this?¡¯ In Zeon¡¯s eyes, the insignia on his wrist was clearly visible. Even though it was only the bottom line, evidence of F-rank, it was unmistakably the awakening insignia. However, it seemed that his insignia was not visible to others at all. ¡®What? Why can¡¯t they see my rank insignia? Now that I think about it, the light is a little different.¡¯ A deep orange color stained, like the color of sand lit by a crimson sunset. Stories of Awakened individuals with this color insignias were unheard of. Furthermore, the ability Zeon Awakened to was manipting sand. In moments of crisis, the surrounding sand moved ording to his will. Although it wasn¡¯t powerful due to being F-rank, he could still control the sand within a certain radius. Zeon suddenly nced around. Everything visible was a desert made entirely of sand. After the five previous mass extinctions that urred in thete Ordovician,te Devonian, end-Permian, end-Triassic, and end-Cretaceous periods, it was the sudden arrival of a sixth mass extinction. In some ways, this sixth extinction could be considered the true apocalypse. Ny percent of life forms had be extinct, and most of the Earth had turned into a desert. Rivers and seas disappeared, leaving the entire world covered in sand. Nature continued its efforts to recover, but there was no certainty about when the former lushness would return. In such a situation, having the ability to freely manipte sand¡­ The entire desert was like his stage. Only then did Zeon realize that his ability was far from ordinary. He knew from his long experience in the slums that abilities that didn¡¯t fit the norm could be a disaster. ¡®If my ability gets exposed, I don¡¯t know what might happen. I could be dragged to ab and dissected.¡¯ Fortunately, he had Awakened, but he was only an F-rank. In the world of Awakened individuals, he was nothing more than amoner. He needed to enhance and elevate his abilities to survive. That would increase his chances of survival, even if only by a bit. ¡®It¡¯s one challenge after another. Damn it!¡¯ Zeon bit his lip in frustration. Even though he had awakened, the reality of not being able to openly reveal his awakened abilities was suffocating, but it was still better than when he waspletely powerless. Zeon chose to think positively. Mountain spoke to Zeon. ¡°Hey, kid! Get on the cargo carrier.¡± ¡°The cargo carrier?¡± ¡°Why, don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°No way! I-I like the cargo carrier.¡± ¡°Then hop on.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With his reply, Zeon quickly climbed onto the cargo carrier. Soon after, everyone else got into the vehicle. The vehicle, powered by Magic Stone, surged through the desert. Zeon sat crouched on the cargo carrier, observing the desertndscape. Before he knew it, the sun was nearing the western horizon. The desert at dusk was several times fiercer and more intimidating than during the day. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] No matter how remarkable a party made up of Awakened individuals was, survival couldn¡¯t be guaranteed in the desert at night. That¡¯s why Jang Yong-beom hurriedly headed towards the Magic Stone Mines. Thanks to that, they managed to arrive at the mines just before sunset. ¡°Is this the Magic Stone Mines?¡± Zeon stood up in the cargo carrier and gazed at the Magic Stone Mines. A massive rocky hill stood prominently in the middle of the desert. Deep within the rocky hilly the Magic Stone Mines. A tall fortress wall was built at the entrance of the hill, preventing the approach of Sandworms. Awakened individuals stood guard atop the fortress wall. Only through the front gate could one enter the inner sanctum of the rocky hill. As Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party approached, the Awakened individuals at the fortress gate opened it. The vehicle passed through the gate as if sliding and entered the inner area. Inside the fortress wally a small city. As a major hub supplying Magic Stone to Neo Seoul, quite a few facilities and people resided within the rocky hill. Though iparable to Neo Seoul in size, it still had most amenities. As Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party¡¯s vehicle stopped, one Awakened individual approached. The moment they saw Jang Yong-beom¡¯s face, the awakened individual¡¯s face contorted. Because they recognized his identity right away. ¡®Why is this human trash here?¡¯ Jang Yong-beom¡¯s nickname was the Butcher. His notoriety was widespread not only in Neo Seoul but also in the Magic Stone Mines. ¡°Long time no see. What business do you have here?¡± ¡°Mind your own business.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, mind your own business. What will you do by knowing why I came here?¡± The Awakened individual¡¯s face turned red with Jang Yong-beom¡¯s disdain. Mountain stepped forward, towering in front of the Awakened individual¡¯s tightly clenched fist. ¡°Why, you want to try something?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Faced with Mountain¡¯s enormous presence, the Awakened individual could do nothing but loosen their clenched fist. Mountain, true to his name, was not only huge, but also possessed tremendous strength. Not something a low-rank Awakened Individual could do anything about. The Awakened One stepped back and spoke. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t cause any trouble during your stay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in the mines, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Jang Yong-beom chuckled. Although Jang Yong-Beom was strong enough to be nicknamed the Butcher, he was not foolish enough to cause a ruckus in the Magic Stone Mines directly managed by Neo Seoul. His goal wasn¡¯t within the mines but rather out there in the desert. This ce was merely an intermediate hub for activities in the desert. ¡°Oh, by the way, take that guy.¡± Jang Yong-beom pointed at Zeon. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The bus that was heading here got attacked by a Sandworm. He¡¯s the sole survivor.¡± ¡°TYou mean the bus carrying the miners?¡± ¡°Exactly! By the time we arrived, everyone else had been devoured by the Sandworm, and this one survived.¡± Jang Yong-beom gestured toward Zeon in the cargo carrier. The Awakened individual furrowed their brow. ¡°Hah! The manpower shortage is already chaotic¡­¡± The Magic Stone Mines constantly suffered from ack of manpower. While there were many applicants, many also perished. Working deep underground demanded exceptional physical endurance, making it challenging for those with average stamina. That was why they struggled constantly to acquire enoughbor, epting individuals regardless of status. The Awakened individual Approached Zeon and said. ¡°Hey, kid!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You volunteered as a miner, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then follow me. I¡¯ll guide you to your quarters.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Zeon descended from the vehicle. ¡°Thanks for saving me.¡± He nodded politely to Jang Yong-beom before following the Awakened individual. Jang Yong-beom watched Zeon¡¯s leaving figure with sharp eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Leader!¡± Giselle asked with a puzzled expression. She was curious why Jang Yong-beom was looking at a seemingly ordinary person, like Zeon, like that. ¡°Something feels off.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? Everyone else died, but he¡¯s the only one who survived.¡± ¡°But we confirmed he¡¯s not Awakened, right?¡± ¡°The Sandworm is not a monster that can be escaped with luck alone.¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± Giselle mumbled with a sigh. Watching Zeon as Jang Yong-beom moved away. she muttered under her breath. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that crazy old man, Butcher, I would¡¯ve surely recognized what¡¯s going on. What a shame.¡± * * * The ce where the Awakened individual took Zeon was the miners¡¯ lodging. Pointing to the empty room devoid of any furniture, the Awakened individual said. ¡°This is your lodging.¡± ¡°It¡¯s spacious. How many people sleep here?¡± ¡°Twenty.¡± ¡°What? Twenty¡­ people?¡± Zeon was surprised, although the room was rtivelyrge, it still seemed cramped for twenty people. Moreover, the smell of sweat from working in the mines was no joke. It was terrifying to even imagine twenty men sleeping in one room, all smelling of sweat. The Awakened individual chuckled as he observed Zeon¡¯s contorted expression. ¡°I said twenty people, but not all of them sleep together in one room.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because a few folks might not return today, given how many idents ur here daily.¡± ¡°Is mining work that dangerous?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re sending people like you, who have no abilities.¡± For a moment, Zeon thought about punching the Awakened individual in the face. But doing so would undoubtedly lead to his immediate death or expulsion. Anyway, now was the time to keep his head down thoroughly. The Awakened individual said. ¡°Keep quiet. If you cause trouble, I¡¯ll cut you into pieces and throw them out as food for the monsters.¡± ¡°Are there many monsters around here?¡± ¡°They¡¯re abundant. If this ce weren¡¯t a rocky hill, it¡¯d be a paradise for them.¡± Their words weren¡¯t merely meant to scare Zeon. Although the appearance of a giant Sandworm was unusual, smaller monsters were frequently seen in the vicinity. When corpses are left in the desert, there¡¯s an eerie scent that someone somewhere catches, appearing like a ghost. And then, not a single bone fragment is left; everything gets devoured. The deceased bodies from the Magic Stone Mines all be fodder for the Giant Horn Hyenas. It¡¯s truly aplete disappearance, without leaving even the slightest trace in the world. The Awakened Individual grinned with a cold smile. ¡°I guess you must have a reason why you chose to work in this ce and live as a refuge. But you¡¯ll soon realize how foolish that choice was.¡± With that, the Awakened Individual left. Zeon, who was left alone, stared at the door. ¡°It could be true, right? Only if I hadn¡¯t Awakened.¡± Zeon snapped his fingers. The sand on the ground moved in tune with his gesture, almost as if the sand was dancing. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 4 Chapter 4 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 4 That night, the miners didn¡¯te back to the lodge. Thanks to that, Zeon had the spacious room all to himself and could sleepfortably. ¡°Hnnggh!¡± Zeon got up from the bed and stretched. Thanks to his awakening, he felt no fatigue whatsoever, only refreshing energy. ¡°Nice!¡± Zeon was satisfied with his physical condition. Despite it being early morning, the sunlight was ring, almost as if it would scorch the skin. In the past, Zeon might have hurriedly covered his skin. But now, there was no need. This was also thanks to his awakening. Zeon strolled through the mining city, enjoying the benefits of awakening. While small and shabby, the city had most of everything one would need. The Magic Stone Mine was a crucial base in the desert. Caravans crossing the desert stopped by for supplies, and also sold goods they had purchased from other cities. Additionally, adventurers like Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party visited to check and prepare their equipment before dungeon raids. Because of this, a rtively significant market had formed within the city. ¡®First, I need to learn everything about this ce.¡¯ While information about the inner workings of the Magic Stone Mines had been gathered through the tales of those who worked there, firsthand observation differed greatly from hearing through others. Zeon trusted only the information he could personally verify, a habit he learned in the slums. There weren¡¯t many people visible in the shabby market. Given the early morning hour and the fact that most miners hadn¡¯te out of the mines, it was quite deserted. Since the mine was deep and intricate, miners took several days¡¯ worth of food with them, as digging even a single Magic Stone took several days. Since it was a waste of time to enter and leave the mines, the miners chose to stay and eat inside. It was truly a miserable life. When Zeon first heard about it, he couldn¡¯t believe it. Fortunately, he had awakened, but if he didn¡¯t find a way to develop his abilities soon, he might eventually have to enter the mine. That was something he needed to prevent. Grumble! Zeon frowned. He realized he hadn¡¯t eaten properly since lunchtime yesterday. He needed to address his hunger first. Zeon entered the market to find a ce to eat. There wasn¡¯t likely a proper restaurant in the market, but he did have some ie. He found a shop selling meat skewers at the back of the market, offering a scent that was incredibly savory. The person grilling the meat was a shabby old man. He was an impressive old man with deep wrinkles, a beard, and sses that were cracked on one side, making it difficult to guess how old he was. Sitting down in front of the old man, Zeon spoke hesitantly. ¡°What kind of meat is this?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be good to know. Hehe!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡± Zeon nodded his head. In the past, he had raised cows and pigs and ate meat to his heart¡¯s content, but now, that luxury was unattainable in the current world. Even in Neo Seoul, they relied onb-grown meat. But in the slums, people often resorted to eating rats, cockroaches, or scraps left by the monsters. Zeon casually took a skewer and put it into his mouth. Through the broken sses, the old man looked at Zeon. ¡°Are you a new face around here?¡± ¡°I arrived yesterday. This tastes pretty good.¡± Zeon answered while munching on the meat. ¡°Yesterday? You must be the survivor from the Sandworm attack.¡± ¡°Has that news spread already?¡± ¡°Hehe! There¡¯s hardly any secrecy here except for the color of your underwear. By tomorrow, everyone will know.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± ¡°Hehe! Anyway, a lot of people will be targeting someone who¡¯s pure and has a good personality.¡± Zeon immediately recognized the meaning of the old man¡¯s words and red at him. Even though his eyes were quite ferocious, the old man paid no heed to him and continued his words. ¡°Be cautious. I don¡¯t know why you chose this ce as a refuge, but it¡¯s not afortable ce.¡± ¡°A refuge? No, I came here to earn money.¡± ¡°Hehe! Well, that might be the case. But you¡¯re not prepared for something like that at all.¡± ¡°Prepared what?¡± ¡°Someone who came to the Magic Stone Mines to make money didn¡¯t even bring a pickaxe. That¡¯s not the attitude of someone here to make money.¡± The old man¡¯s piercing words made Zeon furrow his brow deeply. The old man found Zeon¡¯s reaction amusing. Zeon changed the subject. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve been here a long time?¡± ¡°Since the discovery of the Magic Stone Mines, so I could say I¡¯m one of the old-timers here.¡± ¡°That long?¡± ¡°Yeah! You can tell by looking at them. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve collected since the beginning.¡±.¡± The old man pointed inside the shop. Inside the shop, there were piles of misceneous items that were unidentifiable. ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°Those who first came here and held on. Just like you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°They resist going into the mines at all costs. When they run out of money, they sell whatever they have. Starting with worthless items and eventually the most valuable. When there¡¯s nothing left to sell, only then do they finally enter the mines. That¡¯s the routine.¡± ¡°Insane!¡± ¡°The useful stuff gets sent to Neo Seoul, while the worthless ones are left behind. So, those are traces left behind by the desperate ones in the end. Hehe!¡± The old man¡¯sughter felt eerie. His gaze seemed to tell Zeon that he might end up like them too. Zeon¡¯s appetite vanished. He forced down the remaining meat and stood up. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Ten sols!¡± ¡°Crazy! Did you sprinkle gold on this meat? Ten sols for a piece of meat like this?¡± Zeon couldn¡¯t help but exim. The standard currency in Neo Seoul Colony was Magic Stone. It was based on one Magic Stone per kilo. One sol equated to one-thousandth of a Magic Stone. Therefore, ten sols corresponded to one-hundredth of a Magic Stone. Even in Neo Seoul, such profiteering wasn¡¯tmon. It was natural for Zeon to be angry. But the old man remained indifferent. As if he already expected this level of a reaction. ¡°Everything here is precious. Food, clothes, even a pickaxe. That¡¯s why everything is sold here.¡± ¡°What if I refuse to pay?¡± ¡°Hehe! There is a good reason why a helpless old man like me was able to do business in such a rough ce for so long.¡± ¡°What reason?¡± Then it happened. Nearby shop owners turned their heads and looked at Zeon. Their sharp res made Zeon grit his teeth. ¡®He said he¡¯s an old-timer.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Now he seemed to understand the meaning. The old man might have some connection with other shops inside the Magic Stone Mines. Perhaps the old man was the center of this market. This ce wasn¡¯t just a walk in the park to survive this long. It required skills and a background to achieve this. If Zeon refused to pay for the food, there was a high chance no other shop would trade with him. ¡°Damn it! Got myself into trouble.¡± ¡°Still, your wits seem to be working. Some folks can¡¯t tell the difference and run wild.¡± ¡°Hah! I don¡¯t have money right now¡­¡± ¡°Then you must have something else. Maybe a Magic Stone?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A Magic Stone, huh? Hand it over. I¡¯ll give you a fair price.¡± Zeon tried to resist to the very end. He didn¡¯t want to hand over the Magic Stone even by killing another person, just for the price of a meat skewer. The old man smirked at Zeon¡¯s stubbornness. ¡°Kid! The rumor that you have a Magic Stone will spread throughout the mine within an hour. Do you think you can protect that Magic Stone by then?¡± Of course, the origin of the rumor would be the old man. But he didn¡¯t bother mentioning that. Zeon red at the old man. He was proud of having gone through a lot of hardships, but the old man in front of him had gone through much more, several times over. In perceptiveness and audacity, Zeon couldn¡¯tpare. Compared to the old man, Zeon was just a little brat. Once it was revealed that he had a Magic Stone, he had no right to refuse the demand. ¡°Damn it!¡± Zeon pulled out a small piece of Magic Stone hidden in his pants. The old man¡¯s eyes glinted sharply. ¡°Ah! If it¡¯s that size, it¡¯d be worth about a hundred sols.¡± ¡°Are you kidding? In Neo Seoul, it would fetch over three hundred sols.¡± ¡°But this isn¡¯t Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Is this really happening right now?¡± ¡°Kid! Even a treasure can be a disaster if you don¡¯t have the strength to protect it. Hehe!¡± The old man chuckled. Zeon felt the urge to punch the old man in the face, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. Subduing the old man wouldn¡¯t be difficult, but he feared the consequences. If the old man had survived here for so long, he surely had connections with the Awakened Ones who guard the Magic Stone Mines. The old man¡¯s attitude suggested that even if Zeon left, it wouldn¡¯t matter to him. The old man, who had lived in this ce for decades, exuded a sense of superiority and ease that overwhelmed Zeon. Zeon felt himself shrinking in front of the old man for some reason. ¡°Haa!¡± Finally, Zeon sighed. He hade to this ce for this tiny piece of Magic Stone, and now it was worth just a hundred sols. Everything he had done so far felt like a futile effort. ¡°Why did I go through all that trouble¡­¡± In the end, he handed the Magic Stone to the old man. ¡°Hehe! Don¡¯t be disheartened. I¡¯m not that bad or ignorant. I won¡¯t fleece a neer I just met to the bone.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you ny sols. Keep it safe. There are quite a few pickpockets and thieves around here.¡± ¡°Pretending to care about a mouse as a cat, huh¡­¡± Grumbling, Zeon pocketed the ny sols the old man handed over. The old man chuckled and gestured inside. ¡°In return for our first transaction, I will give you one of the items piled up inside.¡± ¡°You mean that junk?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to¡­¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Zeon stood up and went inside. He felt a sense of defeat just walking away like that. He felt he needed to take something to redeem himself for being swindled by the old man. However, he didn¡¯t expect to find anything valuable inside. Since all useful items were sent to Neo Seoul, only odds and ends remained. Zeon rummaged through the junk items. ¡°What? There¡¯s nothing but junk here. What am I supposed to take from here?¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± The old manughed as he watched Zeon. He found Zeon quite amusing. Most people who came here ended up feeling disheartened and hesitant, but Zeon didn¡¯t seem to show any signs of that. Still, it meant that there was something he believed in. This ce was worn out. Anything normal that came here would wear out too¡ªpeople, objects, and everything else. So, when someone exuded such raw energy in this worn-out world, they stood out. Hence, the old man smiled as he watched Zeon. Just watching him rummage through the junk while grumbling exuded a lively energy. His determination never to incur any losses was rather endearing. At that moment, Zeon pulled something out from the misceneous items. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± What he held out to the old man was a very small hourss. ¡°An hourss.¡± ¡°No shit. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. Why is this here?¡± ¡°No one took it, so it¡¯s left here.¡± The old man said nonchntly. His words were true. He had obtained that hourss a long time ago from a caravan entering Neo Seoul. He bought it along with other items, but it ended up being useless, so he stashed it away among the junk items. Even in a world that had gone to ruins, there was no one who would bother carrying around an hourss. It was nothing more than a decoration. In today¡¯s world, only the high-ups in Neo Seoul would spend money on such decorations. And such people never set foot in this ce. ¡°How about choosing another item instead?¡± ¡°Hmph! Even if I search further, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll find anything more intact than this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Zeon left the shop with the hourss in hand. ¡°Hehe! Stop by again sometime.¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°I think we might cross paths often.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an unfortunate thought¡­¡± Zeon, visibly annoyed, started to leave. The old man continued to watch Zeon with a smile on his face. Then, Zeon turned back and asked the old man. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Klexi.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll call you old man Klexi. Let¡¯s not see each other again.¡± Zeon straight walked out of the shop. The old man chuckled while watching Zeon walk away. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. It seems there¡¯s still a lot more left to peel off and eat up. Hehehe!¡±¡± If a sucker bites the bait, they¡¯ll be suckedpletely dry to down the bones¡ªthat was thew of this Magic Stone Mines. And Klexi was more familiar with the rules of this Magic Stone Mines city than anyone else. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 5 Chapter 5 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 5 Zeon looked down at the hourss in his hand. ¡°What is this?¡± Choosing the hourss was not a hasty decision or a coincidence on his part. Since entering the room full of junk items, he felt a strange attraction. The origin of that attraction was this hourss. It was filled with intricate patterns, smaller than the palm of his hand. Had the world not fallen apart, it would have caught the interest of many collectors. Zeon turned the hourss. As the fine sand trickled down. ¡°About ten minutes?¡± This was the time it would take for it topletely fall to the other side after flipping it. A strange vitality surged through Zeon. ¡°What¡¯s this really? Is this item rted to my awakening?¡± He flipped the hourss again. Once more, the sand particles fell. He noticed the sand was unusually fine and redder than the sand from the desert that filled the world. He had never seen such sand before. Zeon wondered if, by any chance, using his abilities on the hourss would yield any reaction, assuming it truly had a connection to him. ¡®Move.¡¯ Hemanded the red sand inside the hourss. But it merely continued to fall without response. Again, he concentrated, attempting to manipte the red sand, yet the oue remained the same. ¡°What the hell! Was I mistaken?¡± Zeon angrily stowed the hourss in his pocket. Regardless, it was something he exchanged for the precious Magic Stone. He couldn¡¯t just throw it away just because it didn¡¯t move as he wanted. Zeon thought that the day had started off to a really unlucky start. But the worst was yet toe. When he returned to his lodgings, a man was waiting for him. A towering figure with a rugged appearance, scars littered his bare torso, evidence of a rough life lived. Their eyes met, and the man spoke. ¡°You the rookie who came in yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes! But who are you?¡± ¡°Fuck you bastard! Why weren¡¯t you at the mine this morning?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°If you came to work, you should¡¯ve sprinted to the mine. Why did I have toe looking for you here? Fucking bastard!¡± The man¡¯s name was Park Manho. He was an E-rank Awakened in charge of the mines. The Magic Stone Mines city operated under two main systems: the core facility being the mines and the security force operating and defending the city where the mine was located. Park Manho was responsible for the operation of the mines. cing miners in the tunnel and ensuringplete control over the Magic Stones. He was one of the five most influential people in the mining city. Zeon tried to exin. ¡°Because no one called me¡­¡± ¡°This bastard is funny. Who¡¯s gonna call for you? If you came to work, you should¡¯ve known toe by yourself..¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Forget it, just follow me. You bastard! Stop jabbering.¡± Park Manho had deep roots in the mining city. He had met many people and knew how to efficiently handle them. Handling a rookie like Zeon was child¡¯s y to him. No, it wasn¡¯t just him. Everyone in this Magic Stone Mines was the same. They were a swarm of piranhas targeting prey that fell into the water. Once a decent prey falls, they would rush in together, ready to gnaw it down to the bone. To them, rookies like Zeon were easy prey. Zeon realized this fact too. Everyone, from old man Klexi to Park Manho, was steeped in greed. The problem was, there was no way to break free from their grasp. He couldn¡¯t reveal his Awakened status publicly, nor could he defy Park Manho¡¯s orders. Above all, he wasn¡¯t given time to assert himself. Everyone was pushing against him relentlessly. Zeon felt thoroughly trapped. Zeon wanted nothing more than to resist going into the mines, but he knew very well that it was impossible. Once inside the mine city, he couldn¡¯t defy Park Manho. Moreover, Park was an E-rank Awakened. The insignia on his wrist indicated Park¡¯s status as an Awakened, and he was also from the Martial Arts category. Common as it might be, one couldn¡¯t casually challenge someone from the Martial Arts category. The ones most efficient in dealing with their own powers were the Martial Arts category. The current Zeon was no match for this. ¡®Damn it! Just the person in charge of the mines had came to visit me personally.¡¯¡¯ Had he arrived safely on the bus yesterday, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. With many mining applicants, one missing wouldn¡¯t have stood out. But unfortunately, everyone had fallen prey to the Sandworm, and only Zeon had made it in. Not standing out would be even more suspicious now. Yet, when Zeon hesitated to follow, Park¡¯s expression changed. ¡°This bastard!¡± Thud! Park Manho punched Zeon. ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon cried out, falling backward. Park Manho ruthlessly stomped on him. ¡°You bastard! Didn¡¯t I tell you to follow? Ugh!¡± Thud! Thud! Zeon was beaten without even being able to scream. Perhaps due to his awakening, the pain wasn¡¯t as severe as anticipated. He felt like he could retaliate. Yet, Zeon restrained himself. It wasn¡¯t yet the time to rebel. It was time to endure and build strength. Revenge couldeter; it wouldn¡¯t be toote by then. Zeon curled up like a shrimp, enduring Park Manho¡¯s violence. As the anger somewhat subsided, Park Manho halted his beating. ¡°Make another fuss or disobey me again, and you¡¯ll die for real. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°If you understand, then follow me.¡± Ignoring Zeon¡¯s response, Park Manho moved on. Struggling to get up, he silently followed behind. Grrr! Zeon gritted his teeth. His face was a mess, and there were bruises all over his body. Because he was awakened, he managed to endure; otherwise, he might havein incapacitated for days. ring at Park Manho¡¯s back, Zeon thought. ¡®I don¡¯t know about the others, but I will definitely kill you.¡¯ Park Manho paid no attention to Zeon¡¯s wounds. In the mines, miners were nothing more than expendable goods. When worn out or broken, they could be discarded at any time. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] There was no reason to care about an expendable goods¡¯s well-being. Park Manho arrived at the entrance tunnels leading to the mine shafts with Zeon. A miner was waiting at the entrance. Park Manho instructed him. ¡°Give this guy some equipment.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The miner quickly handed Zeon a pickaxe, a helmet with amp, and a backpack filled with a few days¡¯ rations. Park Manho said. ¡°The cost of the pickaxe and food will be deducted from your wages. Put the Magic Stones in that backpack when you collect them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? You¡¯re not going to teach me how to mine the Magic Stones?¡± ¡°Damn it! Do I need to teach you how to use a pickaxe? Just hit it against the walls; that¡¯s it.¡± Once again, Park Manho¡¯s voice rose. The miner who handed Zeon the tools got scared and backed away. Park Manho was known as the ¡®Tyrant of the Tunnels.¡¯ He would resort to violence for the slightest mistake. That¡¯s why all the miners were afraid of him. Zeon felt bewildered. It was absurd to just push people into a mineshaft, without even teaching them the basics. It was practically akin to sending him to his death. ¡°Hey! Throw this bastard into the 972nd tunnel.¡± ¡°The 972nd tunnel¡­¡± ¡°Quit the bber and throw him in.¡± ¡°Yes! Got it.¡± As Park Manho¡¯s voice grew louder, the miner quickly responded. He grabbed Zeon¡¯s hand, pulling him along. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes!¡± And so, Zeon entered the tunnels unprepared. Park Manho shouted from behind. ¡°You bastard! Don¡¯t even think ofing out before you dig up some Magic Stones. Remember what I said.¡± Zeon felt something welling up in his chest. ¡®That son of a bitch is really¡­¡¯ He vowed to exact revenge on Park Manho as soon as he gained the power to do so. Zeon now understood the dynamics of the Magic Stone Mines clearly. There was no one on his side here. If one appeared weak, they¡¯d be devoured. Everyone had to be considered a threat, and be on guard at all times. Zeon med himself for momentarily losing his resolve after arriving at the Magic Stone Mines. Zeon strengthened his resolve and walked down the tunnel. Despite being at the beginning, the tunnel was incredibly narrow. As the tunnel was dug by human power without the help of machinery, it was bound to be narrow. At that moment, the miner spoke up. ¡°Consider yourself lucky. Because you got caught when the Captain was in a bad mood.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The Captain lost all his money at the gambling den.¡± ¡°Is there a gambling den here?¡± ¡°What isn¡¯t here? From gambling to prostitutes, alcohol, and drugs, there¡¯s nothing missing. Speaking from experience, it¡¯s best not to get involved. You end up working hard to make others happy.¡± The miner had been here for five years. All those who came with him had either became cripled or lost their lives. No matter how strong one¡¯s will was, if they were to be swayed by the atmosphere, it would crumble in an instant. ¡°Still, if you want to save up and go out of here, stay alert.¡± ¡°What kind of ce is the 972nd tunnel?¡± ¡°Go and find out.¡± The miner rambled on. Instinctively, Zeon knew the tunnel he was assigned to was not an ordinary ce. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ For a moment he thought about running away, but then gave up. The desert stretched endlessly around the mining city. It was clear that if he tried to escape hastily, he would end up dehydrated under the sun and die. ¡®The most important thing I need to do is to develop my abilities.¡¯ Things had happened so quickly; he hadn¡¯t even confirmed the extent of his abilities. If he was left alone, he had to ascertain his capabilities first. That would enable him to n ahead. Countless crossroads appeared in front of Zeon. The miner taught Zeon how to distinguish between forks in the road. ¡°If you look closely, you will see an arrow engraved at the fork in the road. Red arrows indicate going deeper underground, while blue arrows show the way up to the surface. When you exit, always follow the blue arrows. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Perceived distances suggested he¡¯d descended several hundred meters at least. Only then did the guiding miner stop. ¡°This is the 972nd tunnel.¡± Zeon looked towards the tunnel the miner pointed to. The thick darkness inside seemed to beckon him to enter. ¡°All you have to do is go in there and start working.¡± ¡°For some reason, I have a bad feeling about this.¡± ¡°Four people have already suffered misfortune inside. Be cautious.¡± ¡°Suffered misfortune?¡± ¡°It means they died.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how they died. Since everyone assigned here has died, no one wants to enter the 972nd tunnel. That¡¯s why the Captain put a neer like you in there.¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± Zeon looked at the miner incredulously. The miner looked back at Zeon with an expression of understanding. He, too, felt guilty about putting Zeon in there. But there was nothing he could do. He was just a mere miner who had to do as he was told. ¡°I hope youe out safe and alive.¡±¡± With those words, the miner headed toward his tunnel. Zeon, left alone, gazed at the 972nd tunnel. ¡°Everyone that went in there died? Did he send me to this ce on purpose? Just because he wasn¡¯t in a good mood. Park Manho, you will definitely die by my hands, I swear.¡± [TL/N: I know the MC is really getting pushed around rn but trust me thee back arc will go hard] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 6 Chapter 6 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 6 It was incredibly dark inside the 972nd tunnel. The light from the hat alone was not enough topletely illuminate the darkness of the tunnel. Zeon stood facing the wall at the end of the tunnel. Marks from pickaxe strikes were still visible. They were traces left by the people who had entered before Zeon. It seemed like a vivid image of minersboring tirelessly in the sunless underground to dig through solid rock for precious stones. Four miners had met their end in this ce. ¡°Why?¡± Miners wouldn¡¯t have died without a reason. There had to be something that led them to their demise in this ce. There was no such thing as an effect without a cause. Zeon propped the pickaxe against the wall and began scrutinizing the interior of the tunnel. ¡°The mana concentration here is thick, but¡­¡± There was a significant umtion of mana inside the tunnel. If it had been before he awakened, Zeon might not have noticed. ¡°Why is mana gathering only here?¡± He recalled stories of the side effects prolonged exposure to mana had on ordinary individuals. From cellr necrosis due to mana oversaturation to rapid organ aging, the side effects were numerous and severe. If what he sensed was true, it was evident that the miners died due to the mana in this ce. Park Manho was also an Awakened individual, so if he had entered here, he would have surely sensed the excessive concentration of mana. But he had been immersed in gambling and hadn¡¯t entered the tunnel for a long time. That was undoubtedly why he hadn¡¯t noticed. The issue was why mana concentrated only in this ce. Zeon nced at the tunnel¡¯s wall. At this moment, the wall was the only suspicious point. Zeon grasped the pickaxe and struck the inner wall of the tunnel. ng! Bang! The pickaxe struck the wall and sparks flew everywhere. With each swing of the pickaxe, rocks crumbled weakly. Thud! The pickaxe felt notably stuck at one point. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Furrowing his brows in puzzlement, Zeon struck the wall forcefully again. Crash! The wall copsed with a loud noise. In its ce appeared an elliptical space, eerily dark and alien, much like the throat of a beast. ¡°What in the¡­?¡± Swish! In an instant, a powerful force pulled Zeon. Before Zeon could resist, he was sucked into the dark space. ¡°Argh!¡± The moment he entered the dark space, an enormous amount of pressure engulfed him. Pain struck him as if his whole body was being crushed. His mind went nk, pain overtook him, and he could not continue thinking. All he wanted to do was get out of this moment quickly. Fortunately, that moment came swiftly. Boom! The dark space expelled Zeon. He tumbled on the ground a few times before swiftly getting back up. ¡°What the¡­ this hellishndscape¡­¡± Just a moment ago, he was undoubtedly deep underground in the tunnel. Yet now, an entirely different scene unfolded before his eyes. In the distance loomed a colossal mountain. Like obsidian, the ck mountain spewed dark smoke and viscousva. The sky was thick with volcanic ash, and rivers of moltenva flowed across thend. All vegetation had turned to ash, and the air wasden with the scent of sulfur. The intense heat from the solidifiedva on the ground was overpowering. The heat of a desert paled inparison. In an instant, Zeon¡¯s face reddened, sweat pouring down like rain. His clothes were drenched with sweat in no time. ¡°A dungeon?¡± Zeon nced at the entrance of the dungeon that had expelled him. As if its duty was fulfilled, the entrance was rapidly closing, leaving no trace behind. ¡°Shit, no!¡± Zeon rushed toward it, but it waspletely shut, leaving no trace of its existence. ¡°This is insane!¡± Zeon scratched his head repeatedly. Entering the dungeon was one thing, but he never expected to be so defenseless when he entered. Even in Neo Seoul, when reading dungeons, everyone always prepared meticulously. Assessing the dungeon¡¯s scale to estimate its rank, forming a team of Awakened individuals ordingly¡ªthose were the usual steps. Even with such thorough preparation, dungeons were ces where significant casualties urred. So, arriving unprepared in such a ce was both bewildering and absurd. ¡°What a perfectly unlucky day. How could someone¡¯s luck be this terrible?¡± It was beyond ridiculous, bordering on mind-boggling. From being swindled by old man Klexi for a cheap deal on the Mana Stone to his fateful connection with Park Manho, and now being abruptly dragged into the dungeon¡ªeverything was just perfect. It all seemed orchestrated as if a divine force was controlling his fate itself. Zeon reached into his pocket and retrieved the hourss he had tucked away. ¡°Is this the only thing I have?¡± Fiddling with the hourss brought a bit of calm to his mind. Only then could he think rationally. ¡°First, I need to check if my abilities work within this dungeon.¡± Zeon bent down, sweeping his hand across the ground. ck granules clung to his hand. It was volcanic ash. As he exerted his dominance, the sand in his hand slowly levitated into the air. Thankfully, just like sand, the volcanic ash seemed to be under his control. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon felt relieved. Because if his primary weapon, the maniption of sand, didn¡¯t work here, he would have been in serious trouble. The dungeon was filled with volcanic ash. There are plenty of weapons for him to use. Zeon sighed in relief. At least, for now, it didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d die immediately. The next thing Zeon did was to check his backpack. Fortunately, it contained several days¡¯ worth of rations. It was fortunate that nothing had gone bad or damaged as he passed through the dungeon¡¯s entrance. ¡°This should hold me for a few days.¡± With the food situation settled, the only remaining task was to find the dungeon¡¯s exit. The problem was not knowing where the exit was in this vast space. In such cases, there was only one way. To walk around and look for it. ¡°There is a high probability that it will be near that volcano, right?¡± From anyone¡¯s perspective, it was evident that the center of this dungeon was the volcano. So, there had to be a clue to escaping the dungeon near the volcano. ¡°Phew!¡± Zeon took a deep breath. His throat felt scratchy. It was the volcanic ash suspended in the air, irritating his respiratory tract. If he didn¡¯t get out quickly, his lungs would be damaged by the volcanic ash. Zeon retrieved a piece of cloth from his backpack. It was a cloth he used as a makeshift mask to prevent inhaling dust when extracting mana stones. Covering his mouth and nose with the cloth alleviated some of the irritation caused by the ash. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Zeon headed towards the volcano. *** The more he saw, the more astonished he became. He knew dungeons were spaces beyond human understanding, but he never imagined a ce as inhospitable as this. The colossal volcano in the distance was no illusion or mirage. It was a real volcano spewing out realva and mes. The scorching air and the heated ground were confirming that all of this was undeniably real. Sweat poured down like rain. Even though he was awakened, facing this environment for the first time, if an ordinary person had been sucked into the dungeon, they would undoubtedly have perished quickly. ¡°There is a way out, right?¡± Zeon prided himself on being somewhat resilient, but in the face of such a harsh environment he had never encountered before, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit intimidated. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to move forward. ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon halted. A massive river of moltenva blocked his path, despite still being at quite a distance, the intense heat made it feel as though his entire body would melt away. The river ofva spanned dozens of meters in width. It was beyond Zeon¡¯s capabilities to leap across it in one go. Zeon searched for a narrower section to navigate through. After ascending for a while, a point with a width of about ten meters appeared. It seemed like a distance he could attempt to leap. ¡°Phew!¡± Zeon paused momentarily, taking a deep breath. Physically, he might have been capable of making the jump. However, if he made even the slightest misstep or lost bnce in mid-air, he¡¯d plunge into the river ofva, dissolving into it instantly. He had no choice but to prepare for the jump. Observing the river ofva for a moment, Zeon sprinted forward with all his might. ¡°Hyaa!¡± Right at the edge of theva river, he leapt with all his might. Zeon¡¯s body soared through the air, reminiscent of a bird in flight. At that very moment, Zeon reached the peak of his jump. Fwoosh! Suddenly, something surged through theva, shooting towards Zeon. ¡°What¡¯?¡± Zeon nced down in terror. A wide-open, gigantic maw. Rough, scaly skin soaked in mes. Short four legs attached to a snake-like long body. It was a crocodile. A gigantic crocodile lurking in the river ofva, hunting for prey. Each tooth was asrge as a human forearm. If caught by those teeth, Zeon¡¯s body would be torn apart instantly. There was nowhere to escape in mid-air. He attempted to use the Sand ster skill, but the sand was too far away. He¡¯d surely lose his life before gathering the sand. Twisting his body in mid-air while gathering sand instinctively, Zeon narrowly evaded the crocodile¡¯s attack. However, he lost bnce and was plummeting towards the river ofva. The crocodile widened its massive jaws, ready to devour Zeon if he couldn¡¯t prevent the fall. In that moment, floating sand caught Zeon¡¯s eye. It was the sand he had gathered a while ago. Instinctively, Zeon visualized creating a foothold with the floating sand. His imagination became reality. Underneath his falling body, a tform made of sand materialized. Thud! Without further thought, Zeon propelled himself off the sand tform, barely managing to reach the opposite side¡ªnot with his feet, but bynding on his back. ¡°Urgh!¡± Zeon groaned from the shock that felt as if his entire body was being shattered. But he didn¡¯t even have the time to feel pain from fall. Swoosh! The gigantic crocodile emerged from the river ofva, advancing towards Zeon. ¡°Shit! Such a monster¡­¡± Zeon desperately stepped back, but the crocodile was closing in rapidly. Its short legs were dwarfedpared to the massive body, yet they were thicker than most logs. Naturally, it had an incredibly fast walking speed. ¡°Sand ster!¡± Zeonunched the Sand ster. However, the high-pressure sand stream was futile against the giant crocodile and ended up melting before making contact due to the intense heat it emitted, almost equivalent to that ofva. ¡°Crazy!¡± Zeon widened his eyes. He never expected his attack to be so futilely blocked. The crocodile lunged towards Zeon at an unbelievably swift pace. As Zeon looked at the wide-open jaws, he found himself unable to react. At that moment¡­. ¡°Using sand, huh? Quite an interesting ability you¡¯ve got.¡± Suddenly, a rough and hoarse voice resonated in the air. Zeon involuntarily looked towards the direction the voice came from. Someone pierced through the volcanic ash, descending from the sky at a frightening speed. In the person¡¯s hand was a massive sword. With the sword held forth, the person collided directly with the gigantic crocodile. Kwaang! Like a meteor crashing down, an explosive sound erupted, and an immense shockwave swept through the area. The impact caused theva that had been flowing calmly to ssh in all directions. ¡°What?¡± Zeon covered his ears with both hands, disying an expression of disbelief. The threatening gigantic crocodile was crushed like tofu. Atop the subdued crocodile was a huge old man. The old man¡¯s eyes emitted a gaze so terrifying that it was hard to perceive him as human. The old man asked. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± His voice resounded in a menacing tone, and reverberated within Zeon¡¯s stomach. It was more intimidating than the gigantic crocodile itself. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 7 Chapter 7 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 7 Zeon couldn¡¯t dare to look at the old man. Everything about the old man was frightening. It wasn¡¯t merely his size or fierce gaze that caused fear. From the old man, there emanated a presence that made people dread. It felt like standing naked in front of a massive desert storm. The terrifying force of nature one couldn¡¯t oppose was what the old man portrayed. Unable to respond, trembling, Zeon was asked again by the old man. ¡°Can¡¯t speak, you fool? If you don¡¯t say your name, I¡¯ll turn you into a roasted crocodile.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m Zeon.¡± ¡°Zeon? That¡¯s a stupid name.¡± Even at the old man¡¯s mockery, Zeon had no rebuttal. He feared that hastily opposing might bring upon himself the wrath of the old man, much like a crocodile snapping with its jaws. The old man asked again. ¡°So! Fool! How did you enter this dungeon? You shouldn¡¯t be able to enter through the entrance I came from.¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°If you stutter again I¡¯ll blow your head off.¡± ¡°I entered through an underground tunnel¡± ¡°Tunnel?¡± ¡°Yes! I was working in the Magic Stone Mine when the entrance to a dungeon appeared behind a copsed wall and dragged me in.¡± ¡°Heheh! Seems like the trap was triggered.¡± ¡°Trap?¡± ¡°asionally, there are dungeons on the brink of mana oversaturation. To protect themselves, they create another entrance to release mana outward. That¡¯s the trap. It lures in living monsters while releasing mana.¡± ¡°Such¡­¡± ¡°Kehehe! Unfortunate luck follows you. Normally, people never encounter the trap until they die.¡± The old man openly ridiculed Zeon¡¯s misfortune. Zeon couldn¡¯t retort. He was haunted by the relentless misfortune as the old man said. Summoning courage, Zeon asked the old man. ¡°Who are you? Where are we?¡± ¡°I am Dyoden.¡± ¡°Dyoden?¡± ¡°And from now on, this ce will be my hunting ground.¡± ¡°Hunting ground?¡± ¡°Yes, a hunting ground.¡± At Dyoden¡¯s ominous words, Zeon shivered. It felt like more than mere bragging or empty talk. The old man¡¯s fierce gaze and the storm-like madness emanating from him spoke nothing but truth. And then it happened. Fhwahhahk! Suddenly, giant crocodiles emerged through theva. They were monsters called me Crocodiles. The me Crocodiles charged with their huge jaws wide open. Even witnessing the terrifying sight, Dyoden chuckled. ¡°Kekeke! Kreion.¡± As soon as his words ended, a massive sword, that was embedded in the ground, floated into the air. Dyoden grabbed the sword he called Kreion. Hwoong! Instantly, a burst of light erupted from Kreion. The sword¡¯s resonance sent ripples throughout the dungeon. Zeon¡¯s face contorted. His heart pounded violently. Not out of excitement, but rather difort. The sword¡¯s cry ufortably scratched at his nerves. Zeon wasn¡¯t the only one feeling such emotions. Stimted by the sword¡¯s resonance, the me Crocodiles convulsed. Kwaaah! Not only the me Crocodiles, but beasts from various corners of the volcanic zone emerged. From flying monsters darkening the sky to massive monstersrger than me Crocodiles, all charged toward Dyoden. Kreion¡¯s resonance had agitated every monster in the dungeon. Unable to believe what was happening, Zeon couldn¡¯t close his agape mouth. ¡°This is insane!¡± The real madness happened next. Dyoden, wielding Kreion, dashed toward the monsters. Swoosh! The massive bodies of the me Crocodiles were torn asunder. The tough, resilient flesh of the monsters was sliced like parchment. It wasn¡¯t just the me Crocodiles. Various unknown monsters were ruthlessly cut down. Kwagagak! Dyoden was like a storm. Swept away by the massive storm, the monsters were sent flying. The force of the flowingva on the ground, the volcanic debris filling the air, all were swept away by the storm called Dyoden. ¡°What on earth is that rank?¡± It was a staggering disy of power, seemingly without the use of any specific skills. He relied on nothing but the inherent strength of a human and a greatsword named Kreion to ughter the monsters. Before long, Dyoden was surrounded by piles of dead monsters. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Dyoden¡¯s maniacalughter echoed within the dungeon. Swinging Kreion, soaked in the monsters¡¯ blood and flesh, he appeared nothing like a human anymore. He was something only disguised as a human. Zeon was overwhelmed by Dyoden¡¯s madness. He couldn¡¯t move a finger or even take a deep breath. Thud! The rhinoceros-like monster was thest one standing. No monster remained on the ground. Dyoden had single-handedly decimated the horde of monsters. Yet, he showed no signs of fatigue. Gulp! Unknowingly, Zeon swallowed dry saliva. And then it happened. Kwaaaaa! Suddenly, a roar erupted from the volcano¡¯s peak. At the sound of the roar, Zeon¡¯s mind went nk. Struggling to hold onto his senses, he saw a colossal monster emerging from the volcano¡¯s summit. The majesty of the gigantic monster, reminiscent of a dragon from legends, left Zeon frozen in awe. Dyoden smiled as he looked at the monster. ¡°You¡¯re finally here. Crimson Drake!¡± Wrapped in crimson scales from head to tail, its body stretched thirty meters long, with wings even longer when fully extended. ¡®That¡¯s not a dragon?¡¯ Zeon trembled at the presence of the Drake, something he had never seen before in his life. The crimson aura surrounding the Crimson Drake¡¯s body contrasted starkly against its emergence from theva. Monsters of B-rank and above also possessed unique traits akin to humans. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Red indicates prowess in physicalbat, while blue signifies mastery in magical abilities. So, a B-rank or above monster with a blue aura implies proficiency in magic within its domain. The Crimson Drake that appeared now was a monstrous entity of B-rank or higher with a mastery in magic. Dyoden, tightening his grip on Kreion, spoke. ¡°That bastard is the final boss of this dungeon.¡± Even facing the dungeon¡¯s ultimate boss, Dyoden showed no hint of intimidation. Instead, he seemed rather delighted, shing a maniacal smile. Zeon couldn¡¯t fathom Dyoden¡¯s demeanor. He wondered whether everyone who became a high-ranking Awakened would be crazy like that, or whether only crazy individuals could be a high-ranking awakened. Kwaaaaah! The Crimson Drake pped its wings, soaring into the sky. Its target: Dyoden. The Crimson Drake flew towards Dyoden at a terrifying speed. Even before the Drake arrived, a sharp wind swept through the air. Bending his knees slightly, Dyoden spoke. ¡°Fool!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Survive on your own.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± In that moment, Dyoden propelled himself off the ground. Swoosh! It¡¯s surprising enough for a person to fly, but there was even a sonic boom. Dyoden broke through the sound barrier, instantly appearing in front of the Crimson Drake. Kwaaaaaang! The collision between the colossal monster and the diminutive human reverberated through the air. The aftermath shook the dungeon to its core. The previously sereneva surged like a tidal wave, spewing in all directions, and the volcano belched out more intense ck smoke. The corpses of the monsters Dyoden had in melted into theva. The protective aura from the volcano¡¯s heat vanished upon their deaths. Lava surged toward Zeon. ¡°Damn it!¡± He hastily maneuvered to evade theva, but it followed him relentlessly. Continuing on this path, he¡¯d dissolve into theva just like the other monsters. Kaboom! Kwaaaang! Amidst this chaos, Dyoden and the Crimson Drake fiercely battled in the air. The problem arose when Dyoden¡¯s deflection of the Drake¡¯s breathnded dangerously close to Zeon. Kwaaaang! Apanied by a deafening sound,va sshed, and Zeon had to bear the brunt of it. ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon darted around frantically, resembling a madman. With theva¡¯s unpredictable surges and the urgency of the situation, he couldn¡¯t even begin to think about how to use his abilities. To survive, he needed to distance himself from the area where Dyoden and the Crimson Drake fought. Zeon leaped across theva, running across ck volcanic rocks. Suddenly, the rock he stepped on crumbled, revealing moltenva underneath. If he fell, it would be the end. ¡°Haah!¡± Instinctively, Zeon gathered the surrounding sand. Just as he had evaded the onught of the me Crocodiles, he created a sand tform. Continuing to create these sand tforms quickly depleted his mana. Nevertheless, he managed tond on solid volcanic rock just before his mana ran out entirely. Huff! Huff! Kneeling on the volcanic rock, Zeon gasped for breath. His heart felt like it might burst, and a metallic taste rose in his lungs. It was the aftermath of expanding everything in a single moment. Then it happened. Rumble! The entire dungeon shook violently. Looking towards the origin, Zeon saw that Dyoden and the Crimson Drake¡¯s fight was reaching its peak. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Amidst Dyoden¡¯s manic exmation, an enormous force gathered within Kreion. In Zeon¡¯s eyes, Kreion seemed to have doubled in size for a moment. Dyoden hurled Kreion towards the Crimson Drake. Swoosh! Kreion flew like a meteor, piercing straight through the Crimson Drake¡¯s chest. Kwaaah! The Crimson Drake let out a pitiful scream as it plummeted. Thud! The colossal monster, over thirty meters long, crashed onto theva terrain. Devoid of strength, the Drake¡¯s body sprawled across the ground. Dyoden descended upon the motionless Drake. Though the Crimson Drake was still gasping, its breathsbored, as it looked up at Dyoden. ncing down at the Crimson Drake, Dyoden spoke. ¡°I scoured the desert for a year to catch you. To imbue Kreion with your heart¡­ so, die gracefully.¡± Dyoden lifted Kreion high into the air and plunged it into the Crimson Drake¡¯s heart. Fwoosh! Kwaaar! The pain from Kreion piercing its heart caused the Crimson Drake to convulse. However, itsst convulsions were feeble. Kreion, embedded in the Crimson Drake¡¯s heart, glowed red, filled with an enormous amount of fiery mana, typical of a final boss of a dungeon. Kreion absorbed the fiery mana of the Crimson Drake, heating up intensely, almost as if it might melt away. At the peak of the heat, Kreion suddenly underwent a transformation. nk! nk! ¡°Heh!¡± Dyoden expressed satisfaction at Kreion¡¯s transformation. Kreion, now reassembled, grewrger and took on a sharper form. ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± The dungeon¡¯s origin was the final boss. Without its core, the dungeon couldn¡¯t maintain its form and faced annihtion. A crimson portal appeared before the Crimson Drake¡¯s remains. It was the exit from the dungeon. Just before stepping into the portal, Dyoden turned to look at Zeon. ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving? You fool!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 8 Chapter 8 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 8 Zeon hurriedly followed Dyoden into the portal. Despite the immense pressure crushing him once more, Zeon didn¡¯t lose his grip, having experienced it once before. ¡°Where is thi?¡± They were in the midst of a scorching desert, with the sun beating down intensely. Just moments ago, they were in the midst of an erupting volcano, and yet the surroundings had magically transformed. As Zeon scanned the area, all he could see was zing hot sand in every direction, without any discerniblendmarks. Zeon asked Dyoden. ¡°Where are we?¡± Swoosh! Instead of answering, Dyoden suddenly grabbed Zeon¡¯s wrist, twisting it. ¡°Why¡­ are you¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see the rank insignia on your wrist, but I definitely saw you manipting sand.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon grunted in pain as his wrist felt like it was being crushed in a giant press. The agony was unbearable. He copsed to his knees, overwhelmed by the excruciating pain. Zeon now understood the saying, when it hurts so much that you can¡¯t even scream. Dyoden released his grip, remarking. ¡°Well, there are a lot of Awakened, so it wouldn¡¯t be that strange if there was a special case like you.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Only then did Zeon let out a groan he had been suppressing. Still, the pain did not go away. Losing control momentarily, Zeon eximed. ¡°You damn old man! You almost broke my arm!¡± ¡°You really are as weak as you are stupid.¡± ¡°Sand ster¡± Furious, Zeon activated his Sand ster skill. The high-pressure sand st hit Dyoden¡¯s chest fiercely, yet it elicited no reaction from him. Dyodenughed, brushing off the sand from his chest. ¡°It¡¯s certain you¡¯ve awakened sand-manipting abilities. Hehe!¡± ¡°So what? Do you have something to add?¡± ¡°From now on, you¡¯reing with me, fool!¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Zeon, not fool¡­ you damn old man!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re weak, you¡¯re a fool.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°If you say one more word, I¡¯ll rip your mouth apart.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon involuntarily mped his mouth shut. Dyoden was a monster who had hunted the dungeon¡¯s final boss, the Crimson Drake. He was beyond Zeon¡¯sprehension. Even though he lost control momentarily, Zeon realized he couldn¡¯t have been Dyoden¡¯s opponent from the start. Zeon was utterly insignificant in Dyoden¡¯s eyes, a feeble existence easily crushed with a single finger. Dyoden nced at Kreion, murmuring to himself, ¡°Hmm¡­ It seems to be barely at F-rank now. It¡¯ll take a while for it to be useful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hehe! I just have to be harsh with him. If he doesn¡¯t die, he will be stronger.¡± The sight of him muttering to himself while looking at Creion didn¡¯t look normal at all. ¡®I think I was really caught by a crazy old man.¡¯ It was a desert with nowhere to hide. He couldn¡¯t even dream of running away. Until he gained strength, Zeon had no choice but to apany Dyoden. Dyoden spoke. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon sighed and followed Dyoden. ¡®Being powerless is a crime. A crime!¡¯ *** Dyoden seemed impervious to the heat of the scorching desert. Despite walking on the shadeless sands, he showed no signs of fatigue or difort from the heat. On the other hand, Zeon, who was following him, was on the verge of copse. The sinking sand, searing hot under the zing sun, drained his stamina. His entire body had been drenched in sweat for a while now. ¡°Pant, pant!¡± His breathing becamebored, and his steps slowed down. That¡¯s when¡­ ¡°Ha! Seems like there¡¯s no one more foolish. Not even utilizing one percent of the ability you possess.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You gained the ability to manipte sand, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Just use the sand. Why bother walking so hard?¡± ¡°Is it as easy as it sounds? I barely Awakened a couple of days ago.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Really!¡± Zeon was furious. Then Dyoden stopped, turning back. His face held a look of disdain as he looked at Zeon. That look made Zeon emotional once again. ¡°I¡¯m F-rank, not a high-level Awakened like you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re a fool. What does it matter if you¡¯re F-rank or S-rank? Who¡¯s born an S-rank from the start? Of course, there might be such a person, blessed from birth. But just because you¡¯re not blessed, are you going to give up? You too will be seen as blessed enough in the eyes of others. So quit whining and start thinking about how to utilize your abilities. What does it matter if your body¡¯s intact but your mind is full of shit?¡± ¡°Can you really stop calling me a fool?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be called a fool, you should first break your stubborn head. Until then, you¡¯re a fool among fools.¡± In the end, Zeon had to shut his mouth without getting a word in edgewise. As Dyoden turned away, he said. ¡°It¡¯s your ability. You should know best. Figure out how to grow it and how to utilize it best.¡± ¡°What if I can¡¯t figure it out?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Either I¡¯ll kill you or that sun will. One of the two.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± With that, Dyoden resumed walking. In his wakey two lines of imprints stretching far. Zeon red at Dyoden¡¯s back. ¡®Fool? Wants to shatter my stubborn head?¡¯ Something deep inside him began to boil up. It was anger. Anger towards Dyoden and anger towards himself. Both angers surged fiercely within him. Zeon gritted his teeth. ¡®Yeah! I¡¯ll do it for you. I will never let you call me a fool again.¡¯¡¯ With determination, Zeon followed Dyoden, pondering. ¡®All I have is the ability to manipte sand. So, I need to use the sand.¡¯ He had Awakened as a Sand Maniptor but hadn¡¯t grasped the extent of his abilities. He¡¯d merely used them improvisationally to escape dire situations. He needed to understand his limitations this time. He had to intensely think about how far he could go with it. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon moved his mana, and immediately, sand from the area started gravitating toward him. ¡®Within about five meters in diameter from me?¡¯ The closer the sand was, the quicker it moved, while the farther sand took longer. It was movable but sluggish, another issue he needed to contemte. But Zeon pushed this concern aside. There was something more pressing to address. Squelch! Squelch! Sinking sand up to his ankles was the problem. Every time he lifted his foot, it drained an enormous amount of his strength. If he didn¡¯t solve this, Zeon would undoubtedly be stranded in the desert. ¡®What if Ipact the sand under my feet?¡¯ It was a method he¡¯d used while crossing theva river. Zeon promptly solidified the sand beneath his feet. Walking became much easier. It felt like walking on paved ground, effortless. But there was a problem. Mana consumption was severe. Each time he solidified the ground, his mana was depleted rapidly. At this rate, Zeon foresaw total depletion of his mana after a few dozen meters. Zeon abandoned this method. The vision of what might happen after his manapletely depleted was crystal clear. ¡°Either be baked in the sun and turn into a mummy, or before that, end up bing food for the monsters.¡¯¡± Just the thought was terrifying. Zeon contemted his next approach. ¡®My mana pool isn¡¯trge yet. I can¡¯t sustain this reckless consumption in the desert. So, I have to think of an efficient way to reduce mana consumption.¡¯ Zeon¡¯s next idea was to concentrate mana on both legs. Just focusing mana considerably lightened his steps and significantly reduced stamina consumption. However, Zeon had to discard this method as well. While immediately effective, it didn¡¯t align with his ability¡ªmanipting sand. He was a Sand Maniptor. So, he needed to polish his sand-manipting skills. It might be tough now, but for the future, it was inevitable. Thirdly, Zeon opted to manipte the sand differently¡ªmoving the sand that directly touched the soles of his feet. ¡®About one centimeter in thickness across the size of my foot.¡¯ Zeon concentrated. Focusing mana narrowly was more challenging than using it broadly. Excessive concentration disrupted the sand¡¯s coherence, causing it to scatter when moved. Each time, Zeon lost control and ended up t on the sandy ground. ¡°Urgh!¡± Fortunately, the soft sand prevented injury, but he had to spit sand out of his mouth. ¡°Photuu!¡± Zeon stood up, spitting out sand. With no water to drink, his mouth felt parched, now even drier due to the sand. ¡°Ha.¡± Exhaustion was evident on Zeon¡¯s face. In the distance, Dyoden could be seen. Dyoden hadn¡¯t once nced back. It seemed he cared little about Zeon¡¯s survival. This sight infuriated Zeon even more. ¡°Who¡¯s responsible for me being in this state?¡± Anger surged once again. If it weren¡¯t for Dyoden, Zeon might have been resting at the Magic Stone Mines by now. Amidst the difficulty and pain, resentment and anger towards Dyoden filled Zeon, clouding rational judgment. Zeon sensed he was losing his grip on sanity. He realized he had to find a solution quickly; otherwise, he¡¯d undoubtedly lose his mind. ¡®Again!¡¯ Zeon refocused on the sand under his feet. The sand hemanded began to move, slowly, like the wheels of a train on rails. Yet, it was excruciatingly slow. Since he wasn¡¯t yet ustomed to handling mana. Concentrating on a confined area was tougher than using dominion broadly. When his focus wavered, the sand lost its coherence and scattered. Each time, Zeon crashed backward onto the ground. Despite growing fatigue, Zeon didn¡¯t give up. He repeatedly focused on the sand beneath his feet. His efforts didn¡¯t go in vain. He gradually became more adept at manipting the sand. The sand carrying Zeon moved much more smoothly Ssss¡­ In a way, it seemed like the sand itself was moving him. But it was the manifestation of Zeon¡¯s relentless efforts. He fell countless times and contemted, making this movement possible. However, there was still considerable mana wastage. At this rate, he couldn¡¯tst long. Zeon concentrated harder, trying to efficiently use mana. As a result, his mana barely held up, and he could movefortably across the sand. Dyoden, without even looking back, noticed Zeon¡¯s progress. Mana fluctuations, air movements, even Zeon¡¯s breathing gave him a wealth of information. He could tell what Zeon¡¯s situation was right now without even having to look. He muttered. ¡°You¡¯ve be a somewhat useful fool.¡± Though by his standards, Zeon still fell short. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 9 Chapter 9 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 9 Zeon¡¯s stamina had reached its limit. He no longer had any mana left to manipte, as he inherently possessed a limited quantity of it, despite conserving it for operation. The sand beneath his feet no longer moved as he wanted. Zeon had never pushed himself to such extreme limits before. Though Zeon seemed on the verge of copsing from behind, Dyoden hadn¡¯t paused or looked back once. Not wanting to show any weakness to Dyoden, Zeon gritted his teeth and persisted, but now, he was truly at his limits. ¡®That damn old man¡­¡¯ Zeon¡¯s legs gave out, leaving him sprawled in the sand. As he panted, buried in the sand, he sensed someone approaching from behind. It was Dyoden. He finally raised his head and saw Dyoden looking down at him with a pitiful expression. ¡°Useless bastard!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°I ended up wasting my time needlessly because of an idiot like you.¡± Sitting down next to Zeon, he retrieved two pieces of jerky. One he put in his mouth, tossing the other to Zeon, indicating he should get up and eat it himself. But right now, Zeon didn¡¯t even have the strength to get up. He hadn¡¯t taken a sip of water all day, leaving his mouth parched. Eating the jerky in this state was a challenge itself. Without recuperating his strength, he risked sumbing to the harshness of the environment. Dyoden was aware of this fact. Still, he neglected Zeon. Chewing on the jerky, Dyoden spoke. ¡°The old world used to be peaceful. Even if one was a little weak, survival wasn¡¯t an issue. It was a world wheremon sense prevailed, and showing kindness to others wasn¡¯t odd. But, as you know, the world has changed. It has turned into survival of the fittest. If you¡¯re weak, you¡¯re preyed upon, and only the survivors monopolize everything. It hurts? It¡¯s tough? Then give up. It¡¯s easier when you¡¯re dead.¡± Zeon gritted his teeth at his harsh words. Although he hadn¡¯t lived for very long, he met many people. But none of them spoke as bitterly as Deyden. It felt like a de piercing his heart. ¡°If you want it easier, just sprawl out. But if you want to live, even through excruciating pain, get up on your own. You fool!¡± With that, Dyoden fell silent. Ignoring Zeon, he chewed on the jerky. Dyoden hadn¡¯t drunk water all day either, which is why he didn¡¯t hastily consume the jerky, preventing dryness in his mouth. He kept himself from getting thirsty by chewing slowly with saliva. Before long, the sun was setting. The desert¡¯s temperature dropped rapidly after dark. If one didn¡¯t keep warm, hypothermia could lead to death. Zeon was aware of this fact. ¡®I won¡¯t die. I can¡¯t die.¡¯ Zeon crawled on the ground, wriggling forward like a worm. After several attempts, he was finally within reach of the jerky. Zeon opened his mouth and stuffed the beef jerky into his mouth. Even though sand clung to the jerky, he didn¡¯t care. He slowly chewed, despite the difort of no saliva. Yet he persisted. After a long time, he managed to swallow. As the jerky entered his stomach, some vigor returned to his body. As he was pushing away, Zeon sat up. Then Deyden threw another piece of jerky. Zeon chewed the beef jerky without saying thank you. Little by little, he felt vitality returning to my body. At the same time, mana also filled up. Deyden spoke as if he could see through Zeon¡¯s physical condition. ¡°The body and mana are not separate. Only when the body is strong can mana flow in easily. So, if you want to be strong, you must not stop training your body even for a moment.¡± Zeon nodded his head without speaking a word. Because he felt it in his core. While he was down, he tried to gather mana. However, mana did note back easily to the exhausted body. If he hadn¡¯t recovered his stamina by eating the jerky, his mana would still be crawling on the floor. Once his mana had reached a certain level, it finally seemed like he would survive ¡°Phew!¡± Only then did Zeon let out a sigh of relief. After oveing the danger of death, the world seemed different again. In the darkening sky of the desert, countless stars shone brightly, resembling a nket of light. Zeon gazed nkly at the spectacle. He hadn¡¯t had the leisure to witness such a sight back in Neo Seoul. He hadn¡¯t even thought the stars were so beautiful. But having teetered on the brink of death and now back among the living, he felt contemtive. Dyoden¡¯s voice snapped Zeon out of his reverie. ¡°Friend.¡± ¡®Friend?¡¯ There was no one else here besides Dyoden and himself. Naturally, there was no one he could call a friend. Zeon cautiously looked at Dyoden. The recipient of Dyoden¡¯s conversation was none other than his sword, Kreion. ¡®Is he insane? Or is that sword an Ego Sword?¡¯ The sight of him having a conversation with Kreion ced in front of his feet was far from normal. Dyoden continued conversing with his sword, seemingly oblivious or indifferent to Zeon¡¯s gaze. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good spot. We haven¡¯t captured the boss there yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been so long that my memory has be hazy. Thank you!¡± After finishing the conversation, Dyoden looked at Zeon. For a moment, Zeon felt an inexplicable chill. *** No matter whether he Awakened or not, enduring the cold of the desert was never easy for him. Due to this, Zeon spent the night shivering from the cold, sleepless. In contrast, Dyoden enjoyed afortable slumber in a rxed posture. He was sleeping sofortably that Zeon felt an urge to punch him in the face. As the sun rose, Dyoden also woke up. The first thing he did after waking was to squeeze the dew from his clothes and drink it. That¡¯s when Zeon realized the reason behind Dyoden¡¯s choice to spread out his clothes while sleeping. Btedly, Zeon also drank the dew from his clothes. However,pared to the dew on Dyoden¡¯s clothes, there was significantly less. ¡®If only he¡¯d share this knowledge.¡¯ Zeon felt an unwarranted resentment towards Dyoden. And he realized something. Everything about Dyoden was geared towards survival. Even the smallest actions were meant for survival. Zeon made a resolution. ¡®I have to learn everything from him. Every little thing¡­¡¯ By mimicking every action of Dyoden, someday Zeon believed he could be as strong as, if not stronger than, him. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Drip! Zeon squeezed every drop of dew from his clothes and drank it all. Only then did his thirstpletely quench. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Dyoden got up and said. Zeon nodded, knowing there was no point in asking where they were going. Dyoden wouldn¡¯t bother answering. Though Zeon had only been with Dyoden for a day, he now had a rough idea of what kind of person he was. Incredibly self-centered and unkind. He wouldn¡¯t kindly offer help or consider others. He made Zeon apany him, but he had the mindset to make him survive on his own. To survive under such a person, Zeon had to be quick-witted. Before he knew it, Dyoden was already quite far ahead. Thankfully, his mana had fully recovered overnight. Zeon unleashed the skill he had realized yesterday. He named his newly acquired skill ¡®Sand Stride.¡¯ Mana management remained his top concern. Having nearly faced death due to mana exhaustion the previous day, Zeon realized the importance of mana management. ¡®If only there were a way to replenish mana as much as I expend it.¡¯ Dyoden might know, but it was obvious that he wouldn¡¯t answer even if he asked. Ultimately, Zeon had to figure it out or realize it himself, just as he had done until now. As Zeon walked through the sand using Sand Stride, he continued to think about ways to improve. Though the sun had recently risen, the desert sands were scorching hot, emanating intense heat from the ground and the zing sun above. Nevertheless, Zeon gritted his teeth and endured it. Endurance brought patience, and with that, the Sand Stride became much smoother and natural. As they walked all day, the sun eventually set. Only then did Dyoden stop, and Zeon could catch a breath. Thankfully, this time, his mana didn¡¯t deplete. However, exhaustion was evident on Zeon¡¯s face. Managing mana while executing Sand Stride all day pushed his body and mind to its limit. He felt like he could copse from exhaustion at any moment, but Zeon forced himself to endure. At that moment, Dyoden tossed him a piece of jerky. This time, he didn¡¯t have to embarrass himself by picking it up with his mouth. Zeon held the jerky in his hand and tore it into small pieces. Chewing slowly, he thoroughly moistened the jerky before swallowing. He had no choice but to increase the amount of time he spent eating naturally. When Zeon was halfway through the jerky, he nced briefly at Dyoden. He thought he had been eating slowly enough, yet Dyoden had only consumed about a third. He had much more left than Zeon. Somehow, a sense of defeat washed over Zeon, and he bit his lip. He deliberately chewed the jerky slower than Dyoden. So slow that it took almost thirty minutes to eat a single piece. ¡®I¡¯m still hungry, though.¡¯ Zeon, who was not yet finished growing, found himself barely satisfied after consuming just one piece of jerky. When he turned around after eating, he¡¯d be hungry again. Yet, he couldn¡¯t ask Dyoden for more jerky. His pride wouldn¡¯t allow it. Zeon decided to sleep on his hungry stomach. But before that, there was something he had to do. Zeon removed the clothes he was wearing and spread them on the ground. It was to gather enough the morning dew. The next task was to make a resting ce. The cold of the desert was no big deal to Dyden, who possessed abilities that Zeon could not dare imagine. But for Zeon, it was a matter of survival. His solution was to create a bunker. Fortunately, he still had some mana left. As Zeon exerted control, the sand moved on its own. A pitrge enough for one person was formed. Zeon entered the pit he had created. Then, using the sand again, he covered the pit. Desert sand doesn¡¯t clump together due tock of cohesion. Normally, covering it like this would cause an immediate copse. However, the sand held firm like a roof made of wood. This was because Zeon had increased the sand¡¯s cohesion. Mana was consumed when creating the bunker, but once it waspleted, there was no need to use mana anymore. ¡°Phew!¡± Afterpleting the bunker, Zeon breathed a sigh of relief. He regretted not having slept like thisst night. But being able to restfortably tonight was some constion. Suddenly, he thought of Dyoden. Should he now ask Dyoden toe in? But he immediately shook his head. After all, there was no one to hear even if he spoke. If he couldn¡¯t bear it, surely Dyoden would crawl in on his own. ¡®Let it be.¡¯ With that thought, Zeon fell asleep. Outside, the temperature was dropping rapidly, but inside the bunker, it was quite warm. He could sleep much morefortably than the previous night, when he had slept restlessly. Zeon opened his eyes due to an odd sensation. He felt a faint vibration through the sand. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zeon got up and pressed his hand to the ground. The vibration grew stronger. Zeon emerged from the bunker to find Dyoden. Dyoden was already up. He was looking straight ahead with Kreion pinned to the floor. Zeon followed his gaze. All he could see was dense darkness. It was the darkest hour just before sunrise. It was impossible to discern anything. But that was a story for ordinary people. Dyoden¡¯s vision surpassed the darkness, seeing beyond it. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! The vibrations grew stronger. Zeon¡¯s pupils trembled. ¡®Dozens, no, at least hundreds.¡¯ Dyoden spoke. ¡°Survive on your own, you idiot! Hehe!¡± His face, sporting a crazed grin, seemed oddly excited. Like a mischievous child anticipating fireworks. But Zeon couldn¡¯t smile. He knew Dyoden truly wouldn¡¯t help. That made him even more frustrated. ¡®Alright! I will definitely survive.¡¯ The vibrations intensified, and finally, through the darkness, they revealed themselves. Hundreds of pairs of eyes rapidly approached Dyoden and Zeon. Dyoden said, ¡°It¡¯s a pack of Giant Horned Hyenas. They are nocturnal monsters that don¡¯t even leave a single single bone behind. So you better be careful not to get caught in their teeth. By the time youe to your senses, you¡¯ll find yourself torn to shreds inside their bellies. Hehe!¡± ¡°This crazy old man!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 10 Chapter 10 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 10 The Giant Horned Hyenas lived and hunted in packs. The leader of the pack would be a female,rger and stronger than the males. It even spots mane-like fur around its neck, akin to a lion. Standing over two meters tall from front paw to shoulder and reaching up to five meters in length from head to tail, it¡¯s a monstrous creature. They live in packs ranging from tens to hundreds, and a considerable number of them are offspring born to the dominant female. It¡¯s an alpha society centered around the maternal line. Naturally, all Giant Horned Hyenas obey themands of the dominant female. They are nocturnal creatures. Having adapted to survive in the scorching desert, they¡¯ve be active during the natural nights. Kwooooh! The Giant Horned Hyenas charged forward with terrifying force. As creatures that hunt in enormous groups, theyck both fear and caution. In the face of arge-scale assault, ordinary individuals or awakened beings are swept away in no time. While most Giant Horned Hyenas targeted therge Dyoden, some rushed towards Zeon. ¡°Damn it!¡± Zeon quickly unleashed the Sand ster. Swoosh! High-pressure sand flew, smashing the head of the lead Giant Horned Hyena. Even with theirrade dying right in front of them, the others paid it no heed. ¡°Whaah!¡± Zeon fired the Sand ster repeatedly. The power of the Sand ster was impressive. It took down one by one with each shot. The problem was, with so many Giant Horned Hyenas, taking them down one by one wouldn¡¯t help escape this danger. Zeon thought desperately as he fired the Sand ster. ¡®Taking them down one by one won¡¯t do. I need to take down at least five or more at once. That way, I can somewhat bnce it out.¡¯ The problem was mana. He needed to efficiently manage mana while using the Sand ster multiple times. ¡®Can I do it?¡® No, it was something he had to do. There was time for hesitation or deliberation. Zeon waved his hand. Then, five strands of sand emerged from the desert, flying towards the Giant Horned Hyenas. Crack! With screams, five of them fell to the ground. Each had only a coin-sized hole in their heads. He divided one Sand ster into five. It was to manage mana. But to maximize its power, he condensed the divided Sand ster into a thin but potent force. So instead of exploding, it pierced holes through their heads It was difficult at first, but it became easier the second time. Once he walked the path he had already cleared, it was easier. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Sessive Sand sters were released. Five Sand sters pierced the heads of five Giant Horned Hyenas at once. It seemed he endure it for a while. Finally, Zeon had a moment to nce at Dyoden. Zeon turned his head in Dyoden¡¯s direction and his eyes widened. ¡°Insane!¡± ¡°Kekeke! More, more¡­¡± Dyoden wielded Kreion, emitting a maniacalughter. Around himy more than a hundred dead Giant Horned Hyenas. He wasn¡¯t using any special skill like Zeon. He merely swung Kreion, and swung again. Each time, several Giant Horned Hyenas were cut down. Blood sprayed, flesh flew. The already crimson desert sands were further stained red. Kwack! asionally, a Giant Horned Hyena managed to bite Dyoden¡¯s arms or calves. But their teeth couldn¡¯t pierce Dyoden¡¯s flesh. His body was harder than steel. Instead, the Giant Horned Hyenas¡¯ teeth shattered. ¡°Kekeke! That tickles.¡± Dyoden grabbed the head of a Giant Horned Hyena biting his thigh and crushed it with his hand. Snap! The sturdy skull of the Giant Horned Hyena crumbled like a biscuit. He threw the Giant Horned Hyena he caught in his hand toward the others. Swoosh! Crash! The Giant Horned Hyenas crashed together, rolling on the ground. Legs bent abnormally, bellies torn open, internal organs spilling out. Dyoden ruthlessly ughtered the Giant Horned Hyenas. None dared to fight against Dyoden. Seeing the situation, the alpha female, who had only been watching, stepped forward. A blue field of energy enveloped her entire body. That meant she was at least a B-rank or higher and had magic-rted abilities. Zap! Sparks erupted from the horns on the alpha female¡¯s head. It seemed she knew how to use lightning magic from the world of magic. sh! At that moment, a bolt lightning was shot from her horn. The lightning bolt split the space and arrived in front of Dyoden in an instant. ¡°Kekeke!¡± Dyoden, as if catching a fly, waved his hand and caught the lightning bolt. The lightning that had illuminated the night sky vanished within his palm. Only then did an intense sense of dangere over the alpha female. They realized this adversary was entirely different from any they¡¯d hunted before. Wooo! The alpha female roared,manding a retreat. There was nothing more foolish than struggling against an overwhelming enemy. Half of the pack has already been wiped out. The survival of the group could no longer be guaranteed if more perished. The alpha female¡¯s judgment was astute. The problem was that Dyoden had no intention of letting the Giant Horned Hyenas flee. ¡°Everyone, scatter!¡± Shriek! Dyoden hurled Kreion. Spinning at a fearsome speed, Kreion cut through everything in its path. The mournful cries of the Giant Horned Hyenas resonated through the night sky. The scene of carnage froze Zeon. Yet, Dyoden¡¯s actions were not over. Thud! Dyoden drove the desert hard and soared into the air. Kreion, which had ughtered numerous Giant Horned Hyenas, flew towards Dyoden. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] As Dyoden caught Kreion, he pounced on straight toward the alpha female. Falling like a meteor, Dyoden¡¯s impact was as tremendous as a meteor striking the ground. Crash! Kwaeak! Amidst the alpha female¡¯s desperate screams, the sands erupted in all directions. After a while, the sands that had risen like a wave settled, revealing the aftermath. The alpha female had been utterly defeated, mangled beyond recognition. Only the horn attached to her head remained intact. Dyoden was standing over the corpse of the alpha female. Even after such an intense battle, there was not a hint of fatigue on Dyoden¡¯s face. In fact, he seemed rather invigorated, smiling as if feeling refreshed. It didn¡¯t look like the same person at all. Zeon was frozen. He didn¡¯t dare to breathe even loudly. He was simply overwhelmed by Dyoden¡¯s power. ¡®Is he truly human? He doesn¡¯t seem to have used any special skills.¡¯ When one awakens, they acquire unique skills. The time when an awakened individual exhibits their utmost power is when they unfold their unique skills. Naturally, facing a formidable creature like the alpha female, exhibiting skills would have been more effective. But Dyoden outright denied suchmon sense. He had crushed the female leader to death solely with his own power, without using any skills. Zeon shivered. He couldn¡¯t believe a human could possess such strength. No awakened individual in Neo Seoul would be able to exert this kind of power with their own strength alone. At that moment, Dyoden turned his head and looked at Zeon. ¡°Kekeke! You managed to survive.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zeon could only nod his head, not daring to answer. Afterughing wryly, Dyoden collected the horn from the alpha female. ¡°The horns of Giant Horned Hyenas are quite useful. They even have the properties of lightning. if you refine it well, they could be excellent weapons.¡± He looked at the horn for a moment and then stretched out his hand in the air. Then the horn in his hand disappeared as if it were a lie. ¡®A spatial ability? He isn¡¯t from the Martial Arts category but the Magic category?¡¯ Zeon was astonished. Until now, Dyoden had shown a fighting style from the Martial Arts category. Yet, he had just used a spatial ability that only a tiny fraction of awakened individuals from the Magic category could use. His understanding waspletely shattered. On one hand, he was puzzled. Did Dyoden, who already possessed a weapon like Kreion, need another one? But Zeon didn¡¯t dare to ask. Dyoden sheathed Kreion and drew a small dagger instead. He threw a dagger to Zeon, saying. ¡°From now on, find your own food.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The majority of a Giant Horned Hyena¡¯s muscles are toxic, except for the flesh on their side. It¡¯s safe to dry and consume from there.¡± Swish! Dyoden skillfully cut out a portion of the Giant Horned Hyena¡¯s side flesh. It wasn¡¯t arge amount, barely the size of an adult¡¯s palm. Zeon had been observing where Dyoden was cutting and followed suit. Knowing Dyoden wouldn¡¯t exin further, Zeon followed suit as best he could. He realized that the jerky he had eaten was actually meat from a monster like this. ¡®He hunts these monsters for the jerky.¡¯ He had no particr objection. He had grown up in a slum where food was scarce. If it was edible, he would consume it without hesitation as it aided survival. Zeon mimicked Dyoden cautiously. Dyoden skillfully cut just enough meat tost for a few days. Because if he ran out, he could just hunt again. Zeon was different. He wasn¡¯t as strong as Dyoden, so he had to prepare thoroughly. Securing as much meat as possible would be advantageous if possible. Zeon had secured nearly thirty pieces of meat. Although he wished to cut more, there was no ce to store it, so he stopped at this point. He wrapped the meat in his outerwear, fashioned it into a bundle, and slung it over his shoulders. ¡°Keke! You¡¯re quite resourceful.¡± Dyoden chuckled. Even after pushing himself for two days, it was quite an aplishment. But he was still far from finished. To truly be useful, he needed to toil for much longer. And that too very harshly. Dyoden said. ¡°If you¡¯ve got everything, let¡¯s leave. Before the others catch the scent of blood ande¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t out of fear but merely out of inconvenience that he wanted to leave. Nodding, Zeon followed Dyoden. He, too, didn¡¯t want to linger any longer in this ce reeking of blood. The sun was already rising. The carnage revealed under the sunlight was even more gruesome. Monsters that had already caught the scent of corpses were prowling the skies, and more monsters would gather for their feast. That was thew of the desert. The strong preyed upon the weak, and the dead became food for others. No being could escape thisw. Following Dyoden, Zeon was gradually grasping thesews of the desert. As usual, Dyoden paid Zeon no heed and went ahead. Zeon pushed himself to keep up, using Sand Stride. Given the extensive use of mana during the battlest night, he expected it to be challenging to use Sand Stride. But surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t as tough as he thought. There was more mana left than anticipated, and controlling it was much smoother. ¡®It must be because of the battlest night.¡¯ The experience of making life-and-death decisions inbat, pushing his mana to its limits, had clearly led to a significant improvement. ¡®I¡¯ve be stronger. I¡¯ll only grow stronger in the future.¡¯ Zeon looked at Dyoden¡¯s back as he walked ahead. He couldn¡¯t understand why Dyoden was taking him along. But one thing was clear: Just following him would undoubtedly make Zeon stronger. As long as he survived, that is. Zeon diligently trailed after him. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 11 Chapter 11 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 11 ¡®It¡¯s good!¡¯ Zeon thought as he chewed on the jerky. It was jerky from a Giant Horned Hyena. The desert was devoid of almost any moisture. The meat, wrapped in cloth, had lost all its moisture and shrunk, bing edible jerky. The slight odor was a w, but it was bearable enough to eat. The important thing was not having to worry about an empty stomach anymore. There was plenty of jerky, and Zeon nibbled on it whenever he felt hungry. It wasn¡¯t avish meal, but it provided enough nutrients for his growth. The only thing that wascking was drinking water. Since he quenched his thirst with dew every morning, heI had no choice but to suffer from thirst for the rest of the day. At first, not being able to drink water all day was agonizing, but with time, he learned to conserve every drop of moisture. Zeon refrained from speaking to conserve moisture expelled through sweat, even restricting upper body movements when walking through the sand. Eventually, even leg movements were minimized. Because of this, when viewed from a distance, it looked as if the sand itself was carrying him around even though he was staying still. Later, Dyoden grumbled. ¡°The idiot has managed to acquire some useful skills. While some struggle, he strolls through the desertfortably.¡± In the desert, Zeon¡¯s abilities were absolute. Despite his low rank since awakening, if he gradually realizes his potential, it would grant him absolute power in the desert. Dyoden trudged along, as he thought the world was terribly unfair. What he didn¡¯t know was that Zeon was thinking the same thing when he saw him. Zeon nced up at the sky. ¡®Humidity? Is there a water source nearby?¡¯ He sensed a faint moisture in the air. In the past, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed, but after awakening and following Dyoden for a while, it had heightened his senses drastically. His sharpened senses didn¡¯t miss the subtle moisture in the desert air. Zeon looked at Dyoden. Whether by chance or not, Dyoden seemed to head towards a ce with strong moisture. Zeon smiled bitterly. ¡®It can¡¯t be a coincidence. There¡¯s no way that monster wouldn¡¯t know what I noticed¡­¡¯ The term ¡°monster¡± wasn¡¯t enough to describe Dyoden. Dyoden¡¯s power was beyond imagination, to the point where it was even doubtful whether he was a human. Zeon wondered how much more Dyoden was capable of, perhaps suspecting that even the skills he had disyed so far might be just the tip of the iceberg. ¡®I really want to know what the limitations of that monster are.¡¯ Soon, a massive sand dune appeared. The sand swirled away like waves in the wind. ¡®It¡¯s a recently formed dune.¡¯ The desert always seemed unchanged, but in reality, it¡¯s constantly shifting and changing. Thanks to his awakening as a Sand Mage, Zeon could gather various information just by observing the surface of the sand. After struggling to climb over the colossal sand dune, a breathtaking sight unfolded. A vast pond filled with water. It was undoubtedly an oasis. ¡°Ah!¡± Zeon eximed. Thinking that he could drink as much water as he wanted, he ran to the oasis without hesitation. He had been good at holding back his thirst until now, but when he saw the sight full of water, he lost all control. ¡°Tsk!¡± Dyoden clicked his tongue, watching Zeon rush recklessly towards the oasis. Zeon reached the oasis in no time. He put his head into the water and drank it like crazy. As the water rushed into his mouth, it brought him overwhelming happiness. As he was mindlessly drinking the water, a faint glimmer caught Zeon¡¯s eye underwater. A spherical shape was softly emitting light like amp from the depths. Forgetting that he had plunged his head into the water, Zeon stared at the spherical light source. Zeon stared nkly as the spherical light source got closer. His eyes were out of focus, as if he had been possessed. As the light drew closer to his face, Dyoden snapped, ¡°Snap out of it, you idiot!¡± With a curse, Dyoden grabbed Zeon¡¯s back and pulled him away. Unable to resist Dyoden¡¯s power, Zeon fell backwards. And then it happened. Swoosh! Suddenly, something enormous pierced through the water. A massive monster with a body that could engulf even a Giant Horned Hyena in one bite, an oversized mouth upying more than half of its frame, and an antenna-like thorn on its forehead with a round, sizable flesh attached. What Zeon mistook for a light source earlier was that rounded flesh emitting a faint light. Dyoden exined. ¡°It¡¯s a Sand Angler. It lures its prey with the light on its forehead and devours them.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Zeon, who had narrowly escaped with his life, looked at the Sand Angler sinking back into the pond, his expression dazed. Had Dyoden not saved him, he would have been swallowed whole. Dyoden took out Kreion and said. ¡°Fools like you get reckless once they¡¯ve started to adapt a bit. Do you understand? You idiot!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Answer!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Dyoden didn¡¯t wait for Zeon¡¯s response; His body had already shot out onto the surface of the water. He swung Kreion towards the Sand Angler that was trying to dive below the surface. Boom! As Kreion swung down, a column of water shot up as if a bomb had exploded. Frightened, the Sand Angler attempted to flee deeper into the water. But Dyoden wouldn¡¯t allow it. ¡°Kwaah!¡± Dyoden led with Kreion, diving into the water. Swoosh! Like a torpedo, Dyoden shot forward at a terrifying speed. The Sand Angler, giving up on escaping, turned its body, attempting to devour Dyoden. But that was the Sand Angler¡¯s downfall. Ssh! Kreion and Dyoden pierced straight through the Sand Angler. The enormous monster ceased to move, floating lifelessly above the water. Dyoden grabbed its tail and walked out of the oasis. Thud! Dyoden threw the Sand Angler¡¯s massive body under Zeon¡¯s feet. ¡°Whoa!¡± Zeon took a step back in surprise. It felt as if the Sand Angler could still strike at any moment. Even in death, the Sand Angler¡¯s awe remained. It was unbelievable that such an enormous monster lived in an oasis. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] As Dyoden inserted Kreion into the monster¡¯s body, he said. ¡°Consider this monster as the inhabitant of oases asionally found in deserts. It lures in fools like you with the light on its forehead and devours them in a single gulp. So, don¡¯t stick your head into an oasis you see in the desert so carelessly. You empty-headed bastard!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Guilt-ridden, Zeon responded weakly. ¡°Skin it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you deaf? I said, skin it. The Sand Angler is a C-rank monster. Its skin is soft and flexible, perfect for making robes. So, cut it up and make a robe.¡± ¡°Do you by any chance need a robe?¡± ¡°Not for me, idiot! It¡¯s for you! How is your intelligence deteriorating more and more? It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve been cursed with petrification magic on your head.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Finally understanding Dyoden¡¯s intention, Zeon quickly flipped the Sand Angler. The back had numerous brownish, uneven protrusions, while the belly was ck and smooth. However, it was incredibly tough; even a dagger didn¡¯t prate easily. In the end, Zeon infused mana into the dagger and managed to cut the skin. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± Zeon¡¯s whole body was drenched in sweat. But the job wasn¡¯t done yet. He still had to make the robe. There was no needle. Even if there were, it wouldn¡¯t fit the Sand Angler¡¯s massive skin. After thinking for a while, Zeon crafted a needle-like tool from one of the Sand Angler¡¯s bones. For the thread, he thinly sliced the Sand Angler¡¯s back shell. Fortunately, Zeon was very dexterous. It was his first attempt at making a robe, but after struggling for half a day, he managed to create something reasonably simr. While Zeon crafted the robe, Dyoden dismantled the Sand Angler¡¯s carcass. Every part of the Sand Angler¡¯s flesh was useful. There was barely any poison in the monster meat, and it tasted quite good. Among them, the best part, the galldder, was currently in Dyoden¡¯s hands. He threw the palm-sized galldder to Zeon. ¡°Eat it!¡± ¡°Huh? Are you telling me to eat it raw?¡± Zeon looked bewildered. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s the best thing for weaklings like you. So, eat every bit of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t eat it, I¡¯ll force it down myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat. I¡¯ll eat it.¡± Zeon knew Dyoden always meant what he said. With a deeply furrowed brow, he bit into the Sand Angler¡¯s galldder, Using every bit of effort, fearing someone might use him of not eating it thoroughly. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Zeon was exasperated, having exhausted all his pride. The fortunate thing was that there was no need to chew the galldder. Once Zeon took a bite and put it in his mouth, it melted and went down his throat. Yet, he didn¡¯t feel satiated. Even after consuming the entire galldder of an enormous Sand Angler, Zeon¡¯s stomach remained unchanged. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating! Heh!¡± Zeon, murmuring to himself, suddenly wore a different expression. He felt an intense surge of heat suddenly processing in his stomach. ¡°Aaaah!¡± In unbearable agony he hadn¡¯t imagined, Zeon copsed, rolling around on the ground. ¡°Hmph!¡± Dyoden ignored Zeon¡¯s plight, and expertly cut up the Sand Angler¡¯s meat. Sizzle! mes erupted from his hands, cooking the meat to perfection in an instant.. Chewing on the well-cooked Sand Angler, Dyoden nced at the oasis. ¡°This too will disappear soon.¡± Desert oases are like illusions. They appear one day and disappear the next, relocating to random ces through desert mirages. Humans cannot predict these changes. Although the ruler of the oasis, the Sand Angler, had died, another would surely appear. Sand Anglers alwaysy eggs in the oases they inhabit. When the ruler of an oasis dies, new Sand Angler offspring are born automatically. Thus, the cycle of life never ceases. But to grow asrge as the Sand Angler Dyoden had captured would take at least a hundred years. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Meanwhile, Zeon was still screaming in pain, rolling on the ground. Dyoden muttered, sneering at his pitiful state. ¡°You idiot!¡± *** It was already the next morning when Zeon regained consciousness. ¡°Huh?¡± Opening his eyes, Zeon was surprised. A vitality he had never felt before coursed through his entire body. But that wasn¡¯t all. His body was full of muscles. The muscles weren¡¯t as bulky as balloons. Zeon¡¯s original physique had been rather thin. Yet now, his previously thin body had transformed entirely into muscles. Every single muscle was as defined and tough as interwoven wires. Zeon was speechless at the change in himself. Looking beside him, he saw Dyoden sitting and eating the Sand Angler¡¯s meat. He asked ¡°What happened to me?¡± ¡°Seems like your body took the medicine well.¡± ¡°Is the Sand Angler¡¯s galldder a medicine then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rare and valuable medicine. There¡¯s nothing better for strengthening muscles and bones.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ for giving me such a precious thing.¡± ¡°Hmph! Carrying around a weakling like you, what else could I do? Eat this and get ready to leave.¡± Dyoden tossed a piece of meat to Zeon. First, Zeon wore the robe he made yesterday. The moment he put it on, he felt a chilling sensation. The Sand Angler¡¯s skin was perfectly insted against the desert heat and radiated cold. ¡°Woah!¡± Zeon eximed in surprise at the unexpected efficacy. Dyoden said. ¡°We will stay here for a while and eat the Sand Angler meat.¡± ¡°Are you saying we should eat it all?¡± ¡°Meat with this much nutrition is hard to find in the desert. So, we have to eat everything.¡± ¡°Alright..¡± Zeon nodded. Now, even if Dyoden lied about a beanstalk growing in the desert, Zeon might believe it. Zeon ate the Sand Angler with Dyoden. It took just four days for the enormous Sand Angler to disappear, leaving only bones behind. They consumed every bit of it except the bones. At that moment, the oasis disappeared as if it had all been a lie. Without a trace of regret, the two left the oasis behind. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 12 Chapter 12 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 12 The sandstorm blew in. The desert wind was incredibly dry and carried sand, leaving significant scars on the skin even with brief exposure. It had nothing to do with Zeon. Sand couldn¡¯t harm him. It was like his own body. Although the area he could control was limited, it was enough to shield himself in the desert. The scorching sun and the night¡¯s chill were mitigated by the robe he wore. Made from the hide of a Sand Angler, the robe was thin, lightweight, and possessed exceptional instion. During the day, it blocked heat, keeping him cool, and at night, it prevented his body heat from escaping. It conserved his energy. Walking alongside Dyoden, Zeon nced around suddenly. All he saw was sand in every direction. No terrain features or structures were visible to use asndmarks. Standing amidst the vast desert, one realized how insignificant humans were. Zeon looked ahead at Dyoden, who continued walking without resting or looking back, always moving forward. Without a clear goal, one couldn¡¯t walk straight like that in the desert. Only those with a clear purpose could march in a straight line like that. Despite several days of traveling together, Dyoden never spoke of his goals or past. When the sun set for rest, he always ced Kreion in front for conversation. Initially, Zeon thought such behavior was that of a crazy old man, as conversing with a sword made no sense to him. He knew of the existence of the Ego Sword but believed true Ego Swords were exceedingly rare, almost non-existent in Neo Seoul. Hence, he didn¡¯t believe Dyoden¡¯s sword was a real Ego Sword. However, with this routine repeating daily, Zeon now believed that Dyoden indeed conversed with the sword. When in the throes of the desert¡¯s madness, Dyoden¡¯s face softened as he conversed with Kreion. asionally, his eyes gleamed with profound emotion. Yet, when the sun rose, and they traversed the desert, his eyes returned with a stern, fierce look. His eyes harbored immense madness and rage, as if capable of tearing apart the entire world. Zeon didn¡¯t know what made Dyoden like that, but today, he was once again pushing forward against the harsh desert sands. Chewing on jerky, Zeon followed behind Dyoden. After consuming the Sand Angler¡¯s galldder and meat, Zeon¡¯s body underwent a significant transformation. All excess fat vanished, reced by a muscr physique. No matter how long he walked, he didn¡¯t tire, unaware of the arduous trek. If it weren¡¯t for Dyoden, Zeon wouldn¡¯t have known of the existence of the Sand Angler or its effects on the body. ¡®Who is he? What circumstances drive him to cross this desert alone? And why am I tagging along?¡¯ Questions endlessly gued Zeon. The best way to satisfy his curiosity would be to ask Dyoden. However, the feasibility of that was almost non-existent. ¡®There¡¯s nothing straightforward about this.¡¯ Gulp! Swallowing the jerky he had been chewing for a while, Zeon¡¯s mouth felt dry. He rummaged inside the robe and retrieved a leather pouch filled with water. This, too, was made from the Sand Angler ¡®s hide. Lightweight and flexible, it could hold a considerable amount of water. Zeon had filled it to the brim before the oasis disappeared. He only drank sparingly when absolutely necessary. ¡°Sigh!¡± With just a sip of water, he quenched his thirst. As he secured the leather pouch back to his waist. Tsssh! A subtle movement caught his senses from deep within the sand. Zeon concentrated on his senses. There were a total of ten entities detected by his senses. They wereing at him from all sides. Within a radius of ten meters from Zeon, movements were detected. This was proof that his senses had extended to ten meters. But he couldn¡¯t simply rejoice at the heightened perception. It was time to prepare rather than revel. The creatures, though slow, were steadily closing in on him, forming an encircling trap, ready to spring forth. Armor-like, glistening titanium shells, sturdy pincers split into two, six legs, and a pair of antennae. The creatures were ants. However, unlike regr ants, they were muchrger than humans. They were called Wolf Ants. They moved in packs like wolves, reflecting their ferocity and roughness. In the desert, Wolf Ants posed the most significant threat to caravans crossing through. Once a single Wolf Ant appeared in the vicinity, it was assumed that there was a nest nearby¡ªa typical anthill. Anthills housed hundreds, if not thousands, of ants andrvae. Once prey was caught, they¡¯d drag it to the anthill, feeding the queen and thervae. What made the Wolf Ants fearsome was their venom injected when they bit. The frightening aspect of this venom was that while the body became immobilized, the mind remained intact. Those bitten by Wolf Ants had to endure the sensation of being devoured alive while in full consciousness. That¡¯s why in the desert, encountering Wolf Ants often led to suggestions of opting for suicide instead. Zeon had heard endless tales about Wolf Ants while in the slums. That¡¯s why the moment he saw them, he recognized their identity. Thud! The Wolf Ants shed their teeth as they approached Zeon. Their mineral-like eyes and shells reflected the sunlight, blurring the vision. Unperturbed, Zeon unleashed his Sand ster. Shooosh! Five jets of the Sand ster surged towards the heads of the Wolf Ants. They staggered from the impact but unlike the Giant Horned Hyenas, their heads remained intact. Thanks to their titanium-like shells that protected them. One terrifying aspect of Wolf Ants was their defensive capabilities¡ªable to repel most attacks with their titanium-like shells. Their defense was so potent that attacks from D-rank Awakened or below hardly affected them. That¡¯s why those of D-rank or lower Awakening would opt to flee upon encountering Wolf Ants. Unaware of this fact, Zeon attacked the Wolf Ants. Enraged by Zeon¡¯s assault, the Wolf Ants charged with even fiercer determination. ¡°Waah!¡± Zeon retreated while continuously unleashing the Sand ster. Kwakwakwong! The Sand ster relentlessly struck the heads of the Wolf Ants. Despite receiving significant shocks, they still stood strong. Zeon felt there was no winning this way. Quickly stepping back, he simultaneously aimed the Sand ster at one of them, targeting only a single one. Boom! Finally, the targeted Wolf Ant¡¯s head exploded. ¡°Good!¡± Zeon clenched his fists, unleashing the Sand ster in rapid session. Bang! Boom! With each eruption of the Sand ster, the heads of the Wolf Ants exploded like fireworks. While traveling with Dyoden, the Sand ster¡¯s power had increased exponentially. It bridged the gap in levels enough to deal substantial damage. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon gained confidence in the Sand ster¡¯s effectiveness. That¡¯s when it happened. Kieeek! Suddenly, one of the Wolf Ants emitted a bizarre high-frequency sound. It seemed as if it was screaming in terror, just as fearful as Zeon. ¡°Noisy!¡± Zeonunched the Sand ster at the head of the Wolf Ant emitting the high-frequency sound. Boom! Once again, the Wolf Ant¡¯s head shattered into pieces. Now, only three Wolf Ants remained. Zeon thought he had to finish this quickly and catch up with Dyoden. That¡¯s when the unexpected urred. Tsss! Suddenly, Zeon sensed numerous creatures approaching. ¡°What¡­?¡± Startled, before Zeon could react, the Wolf Ants thrust their heads out through the sand. Their numbers exceeded a hundred. ¡°Insane!¡± Zeon was astonished by the unimaginable numbers. Only now did Zeon realize that the high-frequency sound the Wolf Ants released earlier was a call out to itsrades. The Wolf Ants closed in on Zeon,pletely surrounding him. Kakakaka! The Wolf Ants emitted an eerie sound¡ªa cacophony that exploded into the air. They swiftly charged towards Zeon. ¡°Fuck!¡± Zeon swiftly maneuvered with Sand Strides, narrowly avoiding the Wolf Ants¡¯ attacks. Thud! Thwack! In a hair¡¯s breadth escape, Zeon dodged the pincers of a Wolf Ant and unleashed the Sand ster at its head. Zeon was covered in the flesh and blood of the Wolf Ant. Seeing this, the other Wolf Ants attacked with even more ferocity. ¡°Yaaaah!¡± Zeon fought back against the Wolf Ants, screaming. In the heat of battle, Zeon suddenly noticed an old man sitting atop a high sand dune. It was Dyoden. He observed the struggle between Zeon and the Wolf Ants with Kreion sitting beside him. ¡°Wolf Ants have a habit of flocking together when one of their kind is attacked.¡± One should not assume that the attacking Wolf Ants were all there were. Even now, as they fought, they emitted their distinct high-frequency calls, calling for reinforcements. Soon, the rest of them would arrive. Indeed, Dyoden sensed a swarm of Wolf Ants approaching rapidly from this direction. There seemed to be an anthill nest nearby. Boom! Bang! Zeon exerted all his strength, unleashing the Sand ster. Each st caused the heads of the Wolf Ants to explode. ¡°It¡¯s not enough. It¡¯s far from sufficient.¡± Dyoden expressed dissatisfaction. Zeon had awakened a rare ability in this world, Sand Maniption¡ªa blessing that was unparalleled in this predominantly desert world. However, Zeon failed to realize how extensive his potential was, how high its utility could reach. Such things needed to be discovered through personal experience. The world judged an Awakened¡¯s strength based on their insignias. Whether they belonged to the Martial Arts category, the Magic category, were weaker than D-rank, and so forth¡ªS-rank being the pinnacle. Merely appearing that way dictated the hierarchy and determined one¡¯s potential. When Awakened individuals acquired skills, they were guided not to realize their own utility or growth direction but were pushed towards a standardized, safe path of development. Thus, they couldn¡¯t fully utilize their potential. One had to collide with adversity, cross the boundaries of life and death, realize their shorings, and then ponder on how to fill those gaps. That, ording to Dyoden, was the correct path for an Awakened¡¯s growth. But the powerful figures in Neo Seoul disagreed. Dyoden¡¯s approach took too much time and wasn¡¯t efficient enough. Hence, the influential figures in Neo Seoul looked down on him. ¡°You hard-headed idiots! They¡¯re so engrossed in power struggles they don¡¯t even realize the state the world is in.¡± One hundred years had passed since the sixth extinction. Most survivors perished, and only a few remained. Dyoden was one of the very few survivors who remembered the horrors of that time. He witnessed firsthand how the sixth mass extinction began, how many people suffered and perished in despair. While civilization crumbled overnight, the transmogrified monsters ravaged the Earth. No one knew the immense anger he felt as he helplessly watched his family and friends be mere prey for the monsters, fading away. Fortunately, awakening and surviving until this moment, Dyoden never once forgot the horrors of that time. Some told Dyoden to forgive himself. Nonsense. How could he forgive himself? Even after a hundred years, he couldn¡¯t forgive himself for watching helplessly as his wife died. While he called everyone else an idiot, in truth, the biggest idiot was himself. With a mad gleam in his eyes, Dyoden watched Zeon. Zeon engaged in a fierce battle with the Wolf Ants¡ªdodging with Sand Strides and attacking with the Sand ster. A standardized approach. Zeon might believe it¡¯s his best, but he hadn¡¯t reached Dyoden¡¯s expectations yet. ¡°Prove your worth by surviving on your own. You idiot!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 13 Chapter 13 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 13 ¡°Argh!¡± Zeon let out a groan. There was a deep wound on his arm, the result of being bitten by the jaws of a Wolf Ant. He hastily pulled his arm away, but it left a deep gash. If his body wasn¡¯t strengthened by eating the galldder and meat of the Sand Angler, his arm might have been torn offpletely. The wound was so deep that the bone was visible. He had to act quickly. Wasting time could lead to permanent disability. But there was no leisurely time for treatment. Thud! Thud! Zeon avoided the Wolf Ants¡¯ fangs and fired the Sand ster. Boom! Boom! The heads of the Wolf Ants exploded. The Sand ster was powerful, and the Wolf Ants were no match. The problem was their sheer number. No matter how many he killed, there seemed to be no end to them. Even though he reduced their numbers, they somehow filled the gaps. The onught of the Giant Horned Hyenas was formidable, but it couldn¡¯tpare to the Wolf Ants. The Wolf Ants relentlessly attacked Zeon without tiring. Dodging with Sand Strides also had its limits. Zeon was already surrounded by the Wolf Ants. If he continued like this, he would undoubtedly be prey to the relentless assault of the Wolf Ants. Zeon hurriedly checked his mana. There wasn¡¯t much mana left. If he ran out of mana, there wouldn¡¯t even be a chance to continue the adventure. The only opportunity for the adventure was now. ¡®I need something stronger and faster than the Sand ster. And it has to consume less mana. Think, think of a way¡­¡¯ The key was imagination. There was no leisure to think calmly in such a life-threatening situation, but he had to imagine. An advanced version of the Sand ster. The Sand ster was a skill that shot sand at high pressure. A technique that inflicted damage on enemies with the force of sand. Suddenly, a question arose. ¡®Is it necessary topress the air?¡¯ His ability was control over sand. He could move sand without necessarily shooting it with air. The most universal skill among Magic category Awakened was the Magic Missile. ¡®If I apply that¡­¡¯ There seemed to be a possibility. No, even if the possibility was slim, he had to make it work. His life was at stake. Even if there was only a 1% chance, he had to take the risk. Zeon used up all his remaining mana. And he imagined. Concentrating sand. Swooooh! Instantly, the sands around him rose into the air and coalesced into adult arm-sized clumps. Dozens of Sand Missiles formed. ¡°Go!¡± At Zeon¡¯smand, dozens of Sand Missiles flew toward the Wolf Ants. Swoosh! Swoosh! Boom! Holes the size of adult arms pierced the bodies of the Wolf Ants. Several Wolf Ants died with their fluids spilling out. There were no Wolf Ants left standing in the area. Zeon, with bloodshot eyes, looked around. There were no Wolf Ants left in the vicinity. They had all been swept away by the Sand Missiles. ¡°Ha¡­ hah!¡± Zeonughed wearily and knelt down. Pouring out all his mana had brought extreme exhaustion. He had done everything he could. There wasn¡¯t even a flicker of strength left in his fingers. That¡¯s when it happened. Ssssh! The sound of sand trickling down rang out. As Zeon looked up, a glint of despair shed in his eyes. ¡°Oh, fuck!¡± Digging through the sand, a Wolf Ant was revealing itself. However, it was several timesrger than the other Wolf Ants. On its titanium-like shell, a faint reddish hue made it appear even more extraordinary. At that moment, its identity became clear. ¡°Is¡­ that the Queen?¡± As all her subordinates perished, the Queen finally made her appearance. Around the Queen, more Wolf Ants emerged. They were the Soldier Wolf Ants. It was twice the size of regr Wolf Ants, with jaw strength exceeding three times. Once caught in its jaws, there was no escape. For every Queen Wolf Ant, there were twenty soldier ants. Compared to the Wolf Ants Zeon had taken down, they were few in number, yet their threat level was several times higher. The Queen Wolf Ant approached Zeon, nked by her soldier ants. Her mineral-like eyes bore a young rage, directed squarely at Zeon. Her rage must have been immense for the Queen to break taboo and travel this far. While the Queen Wolf Ant was only at a C-rank level, her danger level was at least B-rank or higher, considering her ability to trample countless Wolf Ants under her feet. Kieeek! The Queen let out a screech, and the Soldier Wolf Ants approached Zeon. Despite the approach of the soldier ants, Dyoden didn¡¯t make a move. ¡®The old man is like a dog.¡¯ That was the moment. Quack! One of the Soldier Wolf Ant bit Zeon on the waist. Severe pain made his entire body stiff as a board. Yet his mind remained clear. The Queen Ant began digging through the sand, followed by the soldier ants. Even the Soldier Wolf Ant that had bitten Zeon also dug into the sand, dragging him along. ¡®Ugh!¡¯ Zeon¡¯s distorted from the pressure of the sand pressing down on his entire body. He had no idea how deep underground they were. Suddenly, the pressure dissipated, revealing a massive cave. They had entered the Wolf Ants¡¯ stronghold, the anthill. The anthill¡¯s walls were made of sand, hardened by the saliva of the Wolf Ants, making them unyielding. The anthill was moreplex than a maze. Even a human with an excellent sense of direction would get lost once inside the anthill. The Queen and her soldier ants led Zeon deeper into the anthill. They arrived at a ce teeming with numerousrvae and eggs¡ªthe Queen¡¯s nursery. Bones of devoured preyy scattered in the nursery. Kakaka! The Queen Wolf Ant stood in the center of the nursery, emitting eerie sounds. Immediately, Wolf Antrvae emerged from various spots on the walls. They were much smaller than regr Wolf Ants, and their shells were transparent. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Over hundreds ofrvae crowded the walls and floor, advancing towards Zeon. The Soldier Wolf Ant that had been biting Zeon finally opened its jaws. Thud! Zeon fell helplessly to the ground. The paralyzing poison spread, rendering him unable to move a single finger. Thervae looked at the helpless Zeon, moving their antennae eagerly. It seemed like they were rejoicing over their imminent meal. Crunch! Crunch! Thervae tore apart his robe and sank their teeth into Zeon¡¯s body. He couldn¡¯t even scream and opened his eyes wide. The realization that he was being eaten alive sent a moment of panic through his brain. ¡®Aaaah!¡¯ Zeon let out a silent roar. The rank insignia on his wrist suddenly shimmered. A deep orange glow emanated from the second line. It was evidence he had advanced to E-rank. In the face of impending death, he unknowingly unleashed his potential. Upon reaching E-rank, the abnormal state was lifted. The paralysis ceased, and his mana was fully restored. At that moment, Zeon shouted. ¡°Die!¡± A plethora of Sand Missiles flooded the anthill at hismand. Kieeek! Amid the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s wail-like cry, Zeon disregarded her and unleashed the Sand Missiles. Boom! Boom! Boom! The Sand Missiles obliterated thervae. They burst and tore apart like snacks being crushed. Seeing this, the Soldier Wolf Ants rushed forward. ¡°Yaaah!¡± Zeonunched Sand Missiles at the soldier ants as well. The Soldier Wolf Ants hit by the Sand Missiles began to die off. The difference in abilities between F-rank and E-rank was enormous. Just one rank advancement drastically amplified the power of the Sand Missiles. The Soldier Wolf Ants¡¯ legs were shattered, their heads exploded, rendering them helpless. Now, only the Queen Wolf Ant remained in the nursery. Zeonunched Sand Missiles at the Queen Wolf Ant. Boom! However, Zeon¡¯s attack did not work on the Queen Wolf Ant. Her shell strength surpassed even the Soldier Wolf Ants. Her titanium-like shell could neutralize attacks imbued with aura. Moreover, it also had an aura barrier, hence Zeon¡¯s attack had no effect. Kkeeeik! Enraged by the deaths of thervae and soldier ants, the Queen Wolf Ant let out a high-frequency sound. The high frequency sound waves hit the wall and were amplified. ¡°Ugh!¡± Screaming, Zeon copsed, blood streaming from his ears. His eardrums ruptured, and his brain was concussed from the high-frequency. The Queen Wolf Ant possessed a skill akin to that of a boss. Attacking utilizing high-frequency sound waves was the Queen¡¯s skill. With bloodshot eyes, Zeon gazed at the approaching Queen Wolf Ant, her forms ovepping. The Queen moved her antennae as if boasting her victory. ¡®Yeah! You won. Fuck you!¡¯ Zeon lifted his middle finger with difficulty. The Queen Wolf Ant plunged her teeth, ready to strike. Zeon shut his eyes, awaiting death. That was the moment. Swish! Suddenly, a gust blew into the anthill. The Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s head flew into the air, leaving her body intact. It felt surreal¡ªthe body remaining while the head soared. Zeon waspletely covered in the bodily fluids that spewed out from the body of the Queen¡¯s torso. At that moment, a familiar voice sounded. ¡°Come to your senses, you idiot! How long are you going to stay dazed?¡± The voice belonged to none other than Dyoden. He had severed the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s head and rescued Zeon. Dyoden nced at the corpses of thervae and Soldier Wolf Ants, and spoke. ¡°Still, you¡¯re not entirely useless.¡± Zeon had proven his worth through his own strength. Although he appeared powerless in front of the Queen Wolf Ant, any other Awakened in his ce would likely have been the same. The Queen Wolf Ant was a high-level monster that even a high ranking Awakened would struggle against. The crucial point was Zeon¡¯s refusal to give up, ultimately advancing in rank. In times of crisis, human nature emerged. Some gave up at the slightest difficulty, while others persisted relentlessly. Zeon belonged to thetter. He deserved to live. That was the moment. Keeik! Sounds of Wolf Ants¡¯ wails echoed through the anthill. It was the approaching Wolf Ants, aware of their Queen¡¯s demise. ¡°Hehheh!¡± Dyoden let out his characteristic roughughter, his eyes gleaming with madness. He spoke. ¡°Get up! How long will you sit there? Your enemies are still around. Do you n to just sit and die?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Get up! Even if you¡¯re going to die, die fighting.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Zeon gritted his teeth. He didn¡¯t want to appear foolish in front of Dyoden anymore, even if he did die. ¡®You damn old bastard!¡¯ He stood up, cursing Deioden in his heart. Keeik! The anthill filled with charging Wolf Ants. ¡°Argh!¡± Zeon screamed, unleashing Sand Missiles. There were no bystanders in the anthill. Only Wolf Ants, monsters in human form, and a madman unleashing his skills, devoid of any reason. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 14 Chapter 14 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 14 ¡°Heuk! Heuk!¡± Zeon sat against the wall, panting heavily. He had expelled everything. Mana, physical energy¡ªeverything had bottomed out. He felt utterly exhausted, not a speck of strength left in him. Meanwhile, Dyoden showed no signs of fatigue. Not a hint of exhaustion in him, not even a single heavy breath. Once again, Zeon realized just how inhuman Dyoden truly was. Zeon had killed quite a lot of the Wolf Ants within the anthill, butpared to Dyoden, it was merely a drop in the bucket. Despite dispatching most of the Wolf Ants within the anthill, he continued to rummage through the sandpit without a trace of weariness. Zeon wondered what this human was up to, engaging in such futile activities. Thud! Dyoden tore out the stone b where the Queen Wolf Ant usually rested. The massive b was torn out like a piece of paper. Hidden under the stone b was an egg the size of an adult¡¯s fist. ¡°Keke!¡± Dyoden lifted the egg and looked at it. A faint light emanated from the egg. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Eat this.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dyoden tossed the egg to Zeon. Zeon, with a puzzled expression, caught the egg. ¡°Why are you asking me to eat this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s egg.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just any ordinary egg, it¡¯s the egg that will be the next queen. The essence of the Queen Wolf Ant is infused within this.¡± ¡°Is this like the Sand Angler¡¯s galldder?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than that. Eat it.¡± ¡°Umm!¡± Zeon hesitated for a moment while holding the egg. But soon, he closed his eyes tightly and brought the egg to his mouth. As he cracked the shell, the egg¡¯s contents flowed out and into Zeon¡¯s mouth. As it traversed his esophagus, Zeon felt an intense heat, as if his entire body were ame. ¡°Argh!¡± Screaming in agony, Zeon writhed on the ground. The pain from consuming the Sand Angler¡¯s bile was child¡¯s ypared to this. It felt as if a sharp dagger kept piercing through his belly continuously. It wasn¡¯t a pain one could endure while in their right mind. Dyoden simply watched Zeon writhing in agony without offering any help. ¡°If you want to survive in this crazy world, you better get used to pain.¡± It was the pain required to be stronger. This pain couldn¡¯t even qualify as true agony. At least, not by Dyoden¡¯s standards. Leaving Zeon to his suffering, Dyoden approached the carcass of the Queen Wolf Ant. With a smooth, precise cut where the neck and torso met, the carcass remained pristine, without a single wound. Acquiring such an intact Queen Wolf Ant carcass wasn¡¯t easy. There was no waste in the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s carcass. A pair of antennae served as the best items for detecting ghost-type curses, and its six legs were excellent for crafting weapons. Not only that. Thud! Dyoden reached into the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s torso and retrieved a fist-sized stone. It was a magic stone. Not just any magic stones, but one of remarkably high purity. As the queen of a group, she possessed a magic stone. Magic stones could not only be mined in Magic Stone Mines. Sometimes, among the monsters, there are those who possess magic stones like this. asionally, these stones held a much higher purity than those mined, even containing the creature¡¯s essence, making them incredibly versatile. The titanium-like shell could be used to make top-quality armor, and its innards could also be used as various materials. Dyoden summoned his spatial subspace and stored the entire Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s carcass. Zeon¡¯s agony was far from over. He was whimpering, his body curled up like a shrimp, as if he didn¡¯t even have the strength to scream anymore. Looking at it, it seemed like it would take a long time for him to digest the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s eggs. Thud! Dyoden drove Kreion into the ground and sat down. Tempered with the heart of the me Drake, Kreion exuded an even more intense aura. Additionally, there was a faint crimson glow on the de. But such external changes were of little importance to Dyoden. What truly mattered was Kreion¡¯s essence. ¡°Friend¡­¡± Hmm! As if responding, Kreion hummed its response. The humming persisted for a while, and Dyoden listened attentively. After some time, Dyoden spoke up. ¡°Right! I know too. But there¡¯s no helping it.¡± Hmm! ¡°If one is weak, they¡¯ll perish. It¡¯s their destiny.¡± Hmm! ¡°Don¡¯t you know? We don¡¯t have much time left¡­ We absolutely need him.¡± Hmm! ¡°Yes! You¡¯re right. But¡­¡± The conversation between the human and the sword continued for quite some time. * * * ¡°Haah!¡± Zeon sighed and opened his eyes. His whole body ached as if it had been pounded with a hammer. Theck of strength in his limbs was undoubtedly a repercussion from consuming the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s egg yesterday. Having felt piercing pain in his abdomen throughout the night, it was no wonder his limbscked vigor. He was grateful that at least his limbs seemed intact. Zeon checked his mana and was astonished. The mana had increased at least threefold. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Now your mana maniption and premature ejaction should¡¯ve improved.¡± Suddenly, Dyoden¡¯s voice echoed. Turning his head, Zeon saw Dyoden rising from his spot, storing Kreion. ¡°Did the egg I consumed increase my mana?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Some creature¡¯s eggs have the effect of boosting mana. Not every egg has that effect; only special ones, like the one you consumed.¡± ¡°Umm!¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve rested enough, get up. How long do you n toze around?¡± ¡°Yes! Alright, I¡¯ll get up.¡± Grasping his aching legs, Zeon got to his feet. He knew Dyoden wouldn¡¯t consider his condition, no matter how much heined. It was better for his mental health to grit his teeth and stand up despite the pain. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] With Dyoden¡¯s aid, even though the increase in mana was substantial, this level of pain was nothing. Zeon followed Dyoden out of the anthill. ¡°Phew!¡± He hadn¡¯t anticipated the scorching sun to be so weing. While Zeon relished the sunlight and fresh air, Dyoden was already striding off into the distance. Zeon hastily used Sand Stride and followed behind Dyoden. Swoosh! His body slid forward on the sand¡¯s surface. With an ample supply of mana, he could manipte the sand freely without necessarily moving his legs. Thanks to this, keeping up with Dyoden wasn¡¯t as strenuous anymore. Zeon adjusted his robe. Despite the holes and tears that had appeared on the robe¡¯s surface during the battle with the Wolf Ants, over time, it gradually restored itself to its original state. The inherent regeneration of the Sand Angler hide within the robe had kicked in, and after half a day, the robe returned unblemished. Its ability to block heat remained intact. As the robe¡¯s sand-walking abilitybined with his mana, traversing the desert no longer felt as arduous. Zeon took out a piece of jerky and chewed it slowly. ¡®Where is his final destination?¡¯ In this vast desert, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Dyoden sought, where he was headed. Had they not been traveling together from the start, he might not have been curious, but now, he feltpelled to apany him just to discover his true destination. That¡¯s when it happened. A fierce sandstorm swept in. The intense wind carried a deluge of sand that enveloped the entire area. Zeon pressed his robe tightly, squinting. Ordinary people might have lost their direction or had their vision impaired by the sandstorm, but for Zeon, it caused only slight difort without hindering his senses. With a surge in mana, his perception range expanded significantly. He could sense Dyoden walking on the sand several meters ahead. Each step he took resonated distinctly within Zeon¡¯s awareness. It was as if the sand grains themselves were rying information about Dyoden. ¡®This is what it feels like to advance in rank.¡¯ Zeon thought, looking at his rank insignia. Two lines were shining brightly. The deep orange hue proved his status as an E-rank Awakened. But that was merely what was visible on the surface. In reality, he was much stronger than the typical E-rank, with a considerable amount of mana. It was all thanks to Dyoden¡¯s harsh training. Because of this, Zeon could progress rapidly. He could also elevate his abilities without being restricted bymon sense or preconceptions. ¡®The key is imagination.¡¯ He keenly felt this during battles with the Wolf Ants. Fighting solely with predetermined skills was foolish. Even with the same skills, the way they were applied made a significant difference in their effectiveness. To imagine endlessly and manifest it into reality¡ªthis, to Zeon, was the true essence of strength. The fact that he would have never realized this if not for Dyoden¡¯s relentless push was also true. ¡®Still, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s a damn old bastard¡­¡¯ He always pushed Zeon to his limits, expecting him to survive on his own. If he couldn¡¯t meet those expectations, he would be mercilessly discarded. Although now, being discarded didn¡¯t matter anymore, Zeon still wanted to follow through. It was because of his belief that by sticking with Dyoden till the end, he could be even stronger. He didn¡¯t want to struggle with exhaustion or be chased due to weakness anymore. He didn¡¯t know where this path led, but by following Dyoden, he believed he could eventually attain a strength simr to his. Lost in thought, he walked until suddenly, the sandstorm passed, and his vision cleared. He could see Dyoden¡¯s back in the distance. He remained focused on the path ahead. Despite sand piling up on his head and shoulders, he walked without brushing it off. Then, abruptly, Dyoden, who had been walking ahead, stopped. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ There was still plenty of time before sunset. It wasn¡¯t time for Dyoden to rest yet. Approaching Dyoden¡¯s side, Zeon stood there, but Dyoden didn¡¯t react, continuing to gaze ahead. Naturally, Zeon¡¯s gaze followed to where he was looking. ¡®What¡¯s there?¡¯ Zeon¡¯s eyes widened as he saw something massive moving on the horizon where the sky met the desert. Thud! Thud! The moment Zeon confirmed the identity of the huge entity approaching with a thudding sound, he almost screamed. It was a gigantic tortoise. What set it apart from a regr tortoise was its size, thousands of timesrger, and its shell shaped like a fortress. Moreover, it bore the blue hue of a B-rank or higher. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what is it?¡± ¡°The moving fortress, Archelon.¡± ¡°Archelon?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s a tortoise-shaped monster. It¡¯s only a B-rank, but its defensive capabilities are on par with A-ranks or higher. That¡¯s why people transform their shells into fortresses and ride them around..¡± ¡°Are you saying that humans can tame and ride such a huge monster?¡± Zeon¡¯s face was full of disbelief. It was an utterly unbelievable story. However, seeing the tortoise-shaped Maesu carrying a fortress on its back made it impossible not to believe. Archelon was heading straight toward Zeon and Dyoden. Though it seemed to be walking slowly, its colossal size made it reach them quickly. As Zeon observed it up close, Archelon appeared even more overwhelming. It was almost the size of an entire vige. The notion of humans riding such massive monsters was hard to believe. Thud! Finally, Archelon halted right in front of the two. The fortress¡¯s gate opened, revealing someone inside. It was an old man with a face full of wrinkles. He lifted his sses with his index finger and looked at Dyoden. ¡°I had my doubts from a distance, but it¡¯s really you, Dyoden.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 15 Chapter 15 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 15 An old man descended down the stairs. He was of small stature, barely half the size of Dyoden. The old man looked up at Dyoden with wistful eyes. ¡°So, you¡¯re still alive. Dyoden!¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve lost more teeth, Pavilsa.¡± ¡°You¡¯re abnormal. Still fussing over living past a hundred.¡± The old man called Pavilsa grumbled. He had lost almost all of his teeth and had only a few left. In contrast, Dyoden was still alive and well. In many ways, they were iparable. Dyoden asked Pavilsa. ¡°What brings you here? This isn¡¯t your territory.¡± ¡°Scavengers have been running rampant here.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you sweep them awayst time?¡± ¡°Just because you sweep them once doesn¡¯t mean those pests vanish. New ones showed up this time, more vicious than ever. There¡¯s no point in getting involved; it¡¯ll only give us a headache.¡± ¡°Hmph! Seems like someone¡¯s scared of scavengers, spinning tales of running away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not you. There¡¯s no need to willingly get tangled in troublesome matters. We call that a wise choice.¡± ¡°Just living to talk¡­¡± Dyoden chuckled. Despite his ridicule, Pavilsa didn¡¯t seem embarrassed by hisughter. While not as strong as Dyoden, he too had survived the era of destruction for a long time, possessing resilience and experience. Though most of the world had turned into desert, there were stillnds habitable for humans. There were rocky mines akin to jade quarries and small oases. Despite the harsh environment, humans adapted and continued their lives there. Not as secure as Neo Seoul and not a gathering ce for many, yet they persevered. Scavengers targeted these survivors, which led Pavilsa to move here. His gaze turned towards Zeon, standing beside Dyoden. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen this one before. A subordinate?¡± ¡°Just apanion.¡± ¡°Apanion? A person like you, with someone tagging along? Heaven and Earth will be flipped.¡± ¡°Enough nonsense, let¡¯s go inside. There are items to trade.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t let just anyone in, but I¡¯m doing it because it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Stop with the theatrics and guide us in.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Pavilsa snorted and ascended the stairs. Dyoden followed, andstly, Zeon climbed up. Before climbing, Zeon nced at Archelon¡¯s face. Coincidentally, Archelon was looking at him too. The face was as big as arge house. The size of the pupils wasrger than that of Zeon himself. It was truly a frightening size. Zeon¡¯s image reflected in its colossal pupils. Yet, Archelon seemed uninterested, swiftly turning its head forward. ¡®Taming a monster like this and casually riding it around? Crazy!¡¯ He knew that there were tamers among the Awakened, but the tale of someone taming such a colossal monster was unheard of. Nheless, it was still too early to be surprised. Inside Archelon¡¯s shell an unimaginable sight unfolded. The interior was hollow and vast, a whole vige nestled within. Although there weren¡¯t many, there were still people roaming the streets. ¡°What in the world?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a tribe.¡± ¡°A tribe? A bloodline, you mean?¡± ¡°Yeah! They are all descendants of Pavilsa.¡± Zeon was more surprised by Dyoden¡¯s words. In a world where surviving was a challenge, and raising children safely was uncertain. Leading such arge family was nearly impossible. Dyoden spoke. ¡°This is possible because Archelon protects them from external threats.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Zeon nodded. The desert housed numerous monsters, some as huge as the Sandworms. However, none couldpare to Archelon. Furthermore, Archelon boasted the strongest defense. The colossal shell on its back was so resilient that no monster¡¯s fang could pierce it. Hence, most monsters dared not provoke Archelon. Inside Archelon¡¯s shell, Pavilsa¡¯s descendants flourished. ¡°They call themselves the Mot tribe, after Pavilsa¡¯sst name.¡± ¡°Mot tribe?¡± ¡°Yeah! They are mindless idiots who think they are chosen, but in reality, they¡¯re nothing without Archelon.¡± To Dyoden, the Mot tribe living in the iron fortress appeared as nothing more than a sandcastle that could copse at any time. The reason Archelon protected them was because of the powerful tamer named Pavilsa. After Pavilsa¡¯s death, it was uncertain whether Archelon would still protect the Mot tribe. This is because a tamed monster pledged loyalty only to its master. Pavilsa took the two of them to his house. He said as he sat down on a chair. ¡°Where should we start?¡± ¡°Anywhere.¡± Dyoden retorted coldly and brought out various items he had collected in the subspace storage over time. The horn of a Giant Horned Hyena leader, the carcass of a Queen Wolf Ant, and corpses of monsters he had hunted even before meeting Zeon, wereid out one by one. All the items Dyoden presented were rare items that came from bosses. These were all items that could not be obtained easily. Depending on how they were processed, their power varied significantly. In the hands of a skilled craftsman, they turned into treasures, while in the hands of an unskilled individual, their value plummeted. Pavilsa scrutinized the items Dyoden presented through his sharp gaze behind the spectacles. Each item was of supreme quality, wless and impable. ¡°As expected, they¡¯re all impressive.¡± ¡°There is no need for official affairs, so tell me how much you will pay for them.¡± ¡°Will you take payment in Magic Stones?¡± ¡°You must be out of your mind since you¡¯ve be old. Why would I need Magic Stones?¡± ¡°True, you can¡¯t even enter Neo Seoul, so I suppose you have no need for Magic Stones.¡± Magic Stones were the most crucial currency of this era. Consequently, all transactions in Neo Seoul were based on Magic Stones. However, for some reason, Dyoden couldn¡¯t enter Neo Seoul, hence preferring tangible goods over Magic Stones. Pavilsa inquired. ¡°So, what do you want?¡± ¡°A breastte made from the carcass of the Queen Wolf Ant and a subspace artifact.¡± ¡°Do you need a breastte? And don¡¯t you already have a subspace artifact?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be the one using them.¡± ¡°Then, is it for this youngd?¡± Pavilsa finally looked at Zeon with an intriguing expression. He had known Dyoden for a long time, but this was the first time he was doing something for someone else. If Dyoden was paying this much attention to someone, they couldn¡¯t be ordinary. ¡°He seems to be quite a usefuld.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense; just tell me if you can do it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Pavilsa called someone. ¡°Kailey.¡± Shortly after, a woman who looked to be about twenty years old entered the house. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] She had sun-kissed brown skin, blue eyes, and emanated a resilient vitality akin to a cactus blooming alone in the desert. ¡°You called, Grandpa?¡± ¡°Remember the subspace bracelet I made before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the bracelet, but there¡¯s another gauntlet. It¡¯s a great artifact since the enchantment worked exceptionally well.¡± ¡°Give that gauntlet to thisd here.¡± ¡°That precious artifact?¡± Kailey seemed surprised. She was a rare and highly skilled Enchanter. She could bestow properties or special abilities onto items. However, not all enchantments seeded; the sess rate barely exceeded 30%, and only a small fraction of those turned into proper artifacts. Although there were Enchanters in Neo Seoul, most used methodsbined with science. Pure Enchanters were not somon, and among them, Kailey could be considered the very best. The artifact Pavilsa mentioned was her masterpiece ¨C a gauntlet with top-grade subspace properties that exceeded ten meters in length, width, and height. It wasrger than an average warehouse and held substantial value. It was surprising to hand over such a precious item to a boy he had just met. Pavilsa words are not yet finished. ¡°And tell Noelle to make a breastte for thisd using the shell of this Queen Wolf Ant.¡± ¡°Eh? You want her to make a breastte too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Noelle was Pavilsa¡¯s youngest son and a remarkable cksmith. His crafted items, and enchanted by Kailey, were sold at high prices, and that was how the Mot tribe survived ¨C by buying potentially itemized goods from the desert, processing and selling them for profit in Neo Seoul or to caravans. This resulted in Archelon¡¯s interior being full of valuable items and provisions. Kailey nced at Zeon with a meaningful gaze. ¡®Does he possess any special abilities?¡¯ Her grandfather, Pavilsa, had a very prickly personality. If one didn¡¯t have abilities, he didn¡¯t entertain them at all. At that moment, Dyoden spoke up. ¡°Did that brat be an Enchanter?¡± ¡°Oh, hello. Long time no see.¡± Only then did Kailey realize Dyoden was there and hastily greeted him. ¡°So, you¡¯ve Awakened as an Enchanter; quite a useful skill you¡¯ve acquired.¡± ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re still as critical as ever.¡± There was a faint fear in Kailey¡¯s eyes as she looked at Dyoden. She knew well just how powerful the old man before her was. The memory of Dyoden tearing apart a massive monster in front of her when she was much younger still haunted her as a trauma. Kailey felt ufortable being in the same space as Dyoden any longer. She hurriedly spoke to Zeon. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll give you the gauntlet.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon followed Kailey, his joyful expression not concealed. He had no idea how envious he was whenever Dyoden used the subspace. Secretly, he wished he had something like that himself. The fact that he could get it for free made him happier than he realized. Kailey asked Zeon. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with that old monster?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Dyoden.¡± ¡°Oh! We just happened to meet and are traveling together.¡± ¡°Just happened to meet him?¡± Kailey frowned slightly. She didn¡¯t quite believe Zeon¡¯s words, but probing further seemed pointless. Kailey took Zeon to her workshop. Various items she had crafted hung on the walls of her workspace. Zeon couldn¡¯t help but marvel; the presence emitted by the items overwhelmed him. ¡°Wow!¡± He inadvertently let out a gasp. Kailey looked pleased at his reaction. ¡°I¡¯ve worked on all of these. How is it?¡± ¡°Incredible. Are these all artifacts?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! It can be said to be the best, except for the ones excavated from dungeons.¡± Sometimes, items excavated from dungeons triggered phenomena due to their excessively potent power. Artifacts excavated from dungeons were known to possess extraordinarily special abilities. Kailey¡¯s goal was to create artifacts as significant as those excavated from dungeons. She picked up the gauntlet hanging on the wall. The gauntlet covered the back of the hand and the forearm. ¡°I made this using the exoskeleton of an Irond Starfish mixed with adamantium. It¡¯s a dualposite structure, excelling in resilience, protection, and attack power. Besides the subspace function I mentioned earlier, it also has a self-recovery function.¡± ¡°Self-recovery? So, it automatically heals?¡± ¡°Yes! As long as it¡¯s notpletely destroyed, it will regenerate.¡± ¡°Oh, wow!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it impressive? That¡¯s not all. Possibly due to the Irond Starfish, the gauntlet has a fire attribute. Currently, it only emits a faint me, but its power will vary based on what you attach to it.¡± She pointed to a rounded part on the back of the gauntlet, designed for attachment. ¡°An artifact with a fire attribute?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s best to attach something powerful. Once attached, it can¡¯t be reced. Frankly, this gauntlet is almost a product of chance; I can¡¯t guarantee that I¡¯ll be able to recreate it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. But is it okay to just give me something like this?¡± ¡°Grandfather told me to give it to you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kailey handed the gauntlet to Zeon. He immediately put the gauntlet on his right hand. Initially it was a little loose, but once it was fully put on, it automatically shrunk to a perfect fit. Zeon moved his hand around, feeling as if he wore nothing; his wrist and finger movements were free. A faint heat emanated from the gauntlet. Kailey asked. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Heh!¡± Kailey crossed her arms, wearing a proud expression. Just then. Boom! Suddenly, the rm-like wail of Archelon echoed. From her extensive experience, Kailey knew it was a warning. She rushed out of the house and looked outside. In the distance, an enormous cloud of dust was rising. Herplexion turned pale. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ the Scavengers.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 16 Chapter 16 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 16 The sixth great extinctionpletely changed the world¡¯s climate. Most of thend turned into deserts, leading to the extinction of many life forms. Even those who barely survived, eventually fell prey to the monsters that emerged. Consequently, a significant portion of existing life forms became extinct. Yet, some species managed to survive. One such species was the Bactrian Camel. As creatures that originally lived in the desert, they persisted through the cataclysmic event. Not only did they survive, but also evolved into formidable F-rank monsters. Their necks bore evolutionary markers in the form of a mane. Each strand of the mane exhibited a resilience akin to sturdy wire. The Bactrian Camel utilized these spine-like mane as a means of defense,unching them when threatened. The utility of these spines extended beyond defense. They acted as a sort of radar, enabling the detection of other monsters from a distance. Thanks to this evolution, they managed to survive in the seething desert of monsters. Scavengers traversed the desert riding on the Bactrian Camels. These camels were unparalleled as a mode of transportation. Dozens of Scavengers rode the Bactrian Camels, heading towards Archelon. Though the distance was still considerable, it would soon shrink. Pavilsa clicked his tongue. ¡°These persistent bastards! They¡¯ve managed to chase us this far. Of all the groups, it had to be the notorious ck Shark Group.¡± ¡°ck Shark Group?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a group whose power has suddenly increased tremendously. Their leader is a D-rank Awakened.¡± ¡°D-rank?¡± ¡°For a leader of a Scavenger group, that¡¯s quite a high rank. With that level of skill, he could easily enter Neo Seoul, but for some reason, he chose to remain as the leader of the Scavengers.¡± Pavilsa furrowed his brow deeply. At that moment, Zeon and Kailey entered. ¡°Scavengers.¡± ¡°We saw it too.¡± ¡°Shall we move Archelon?¡± ¡°We should, but they¡¯ll just follow again.¡± ¡°Should we fight?¡± Kailey asked cautiously. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± The one who answered was Dyoden. Pavilsa wasn¡¯t surprised. He had expected this kind of response from Dyoden. Dyoden spoke to Zeon. ¡°You take care of the Scavengers.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve received the treasure, it¡¯s time to pay the price.¡± Hearing Dyoden¡¯s words, Zeon bit his lip. He had fought monsters several times, but facing humans would be a first. Naturally, hesitation crept in. Seeing this, Dyoden sneered at Zeon. ¡°If you¡¯re scared, just back off.¡± ¡°What would happen if I do?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± In Dyoden¡¯s eyes as he gazed at Zeon, there was madness. Even without a response, it seemed clear. ¡°I¡¯ll fight.¡± ¡°Good choice.¡± Zeon went outside the Archelon. Watching Zeon, who walked alone towards the Scavenger group, Pavilsamented, ¡°Are you really going to let thatd fight the Scavengers alone? It¡¯s risky.¡± ¡°If he can¡¯t handle that much, he might as well perish.¡± ¡°Hah! Still as reckless as ever.¡± Pavilsa shook his head vehemently. Despite not having seen him for a long time, Dyoden hadn¡¯t changed a bit. His fierceness drove everyone away, leaving him alone. With folded arms, Dyoden observed Zeon¡¯s departing figure. Kreion remained untouched. It was evident he had no intention of intervening. But Pavilsa knew that this disyed Dyoden¡¯s utmost confidence. Pavilsa looked at Zeon with an expression of interest. ¡®What potential do you hold, youngd?¡¯ *** ¡°Ugh! That fucking old dog.¡± Zeon cursed at Dyoden, watching the Scavenger group rapidly closing in. He had anticipated a day when he would have to fight humans, but never expected it to be today. Fortunately, his physical condition was good, and he had the gauntlet he received from Kailey. Plus, he had recently ascended to an E-rank Awakened. As there was still some distance left, Zeon calmly surveyed the surroundings. He had learned this from following Dyoden. The basics of battle started with observing the environment and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of opponents. Once you had these basic details, the next step was to let your imagination roam. Based on the information gathered, envision how to efficiently strategize an attack. The crucial aspect was the detailed imagination. ¡®My weapon is the sand. The entire desert is my weapon.¡¯ Although his control over it was still weak and he could only move the sand around him, with that alone, he could exert tremendous power in the desert. Zeon clenched his fist, observing the Scavenger group rapidly approaching. Roughly counted, there seemed to be more than forty people. Zeon, draped in a robe with only his eyes visible under a cloth wrapped around his face, stood amidst the approaching Scavenger group. The man at the forefront exuded an unusually intense aura of aggression. He was arge man, almost a head taller than the rest, and was riding a camel with his arms crossed. There were no visible weapons on him. Judging from his physique, demeanor, and attire, he seemed to belong to the Martial Arts category of Awakened, particrly those who didn¡¯t wield weapons. An action that cannot be performed unless one has a certain degree of confidence in their own strength. He was Gawain, the leader of the Scavenger group. Gawain was a D-rank Awakened. Like most Martial Artists, he possessed incredible physical prowess and skills. His skill was the Shockwave, A skill that allows him to generate shockwaves by striking the air with his bare fists. It was a challenging skill to master, and his power was so great that there was no one among theScavenger group that could contend against him. Upon awakening, Gawain rallied the desert wanderers, forming the Scavenger group. While most who followed him were ferocious but ipetent, a few were fortunate enough to awaken abilities. Among them were yne and Mashimoto, who were considered Gawain¡¯s right and left arms. yne and Mashimoto were Awakened Martial Artists like Gawain, each wielding a scimitar and katana as their primary weapons. They were a rank lower, E-rank,pared to Gawain but were reputed to be more brutal than him. A grotesque smirk formed on Gawain¡¯s ruthless face. ¡°Finally caught up. Hehe!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The Archelon, ridden by the *Motte Tribe in the desert, was known as a treasure trove. Rumors circted about the treasure piled within its shell, likening it to a mountain. [TL/N: Changed from ¡°Mot tribe¡± to ¡°Motte Tribe.¡±] Hence, Gawain also set his sights on the Archelon. Although concerned about the massive turtle-like creature, known for its gentle nature and formidable defense butck of significant attack capabilities, Gawain figured that attacking the people without provoking the Archelon would suffice. Raising his fist, Gawain shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t touch the Archelon, kill all the others. The treasure inside belongs to us!¡± ¡°Kahaha!¡± ¡°Wooah!¡± The Scavengers roared. As they neared the Archelon, someone stood in their path. It was Zeon. Gawain furrowed his brow. ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± A man standing between the Archelon and the Scavengers, judging from the aura he extruded, he clearly intended to confront them. ¡°Arrogant! Crush him.¡± Gawain¡¯smand prompted the Scavengers to elerate. In an instant, Zeon and the Scavengers were close. The distance between them was now ten meters. At that moment, Zeon took off his robe¡¯s hood and raised his head. The gazes of Zeon and Gawain met in the air. The moment their gazes met, Gawain felt an inexplicable unease. But it was toote to halt the camels charging forward. Then it happened. Kuuung! Suddenly, the sand in front of Zeon copsed. The cascading sand swiftly formed a deep trench in an instant. Utilizing his control over the sand, Zeon created a sand pit ahead. Although it was only about ten meters wide and merely a meter deep, it was enough to disrupt the charging Bactrian Camels. Kughiing! ¡°Aargh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The Camels and the Scavengers screamed as they plunged headfirst into the sand pit. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°This is insane!¡± The camels Gawain, yne, and Mashimoto were riding, were the first to crash headlong into the sand pit. Yet, as Awakened, they propelled themselves mid-air, using the camels¡¯ backs as leverage. Afternding on the opposite side of the sand pit, they turned to look back. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Unbelievable!¡± ¡°My god!¡± The entire Scavenger group, except for them, were stuck in the sand pit. The issue was the injuries they sustained, broken limbs and necks from the heavy camels crashing down. A few subordinates managed to struggle out of the sand pit, but either dazed or incapacitated, they sat copsed on the ground and could not do anything. Gawain shouted at Zeon. ¡°You coward! You dug this sand pit in advance!¡± ¡°No need for words, Captain! A guy like that needs his head to be plucked off from his neck.¡± Mashimoto, wielding his katana, charged at Zeon. His katana emitted a crimson aura¡ªan injected aura. This surge instantly increased the cutting power of the katana several times over. Mashimoto swung his katana with the intent to sever Zeon¡¯s head in a single stroke. Swoosh! The katana sliced through the air, swiftly reaching Zeon¡¯s neck. But it failed to fulfill its goal, halted by a sudden wall of sand that surged upward unexpectedly, striking only the sand wall instead of Zeon¡¯s targeted neck. Crash! Struck by the aura-infused blow, the sand wall burst, disorienting Mashimoto¡¯s view. Thus, he became unable to see. Amidst the scattering sand, Sand Missiles were interspersed. Phwoom! A Sand Missile pierced Mashimoto¡¯s head. ¡°Mashimoto!¡± Enraged by hisrade¡¯s demise, yne charged at Zeon. His scimitar also harbored a simr red aura. ¡°Hah!¡± Zeon took a deep breath. Everything had gone ording to the n he envisioned so far. By creating the sand pit to cripple the enemy¡¯s mobility and inflict maximum damage, He aimed to eliminate the leadership amidst the chaos. That was Zeon¡¯s n. It had gone perfectly until now. However, failing to execute the final act could ruin all his efforts. Zeon raised his hand. Instantly, five strands of sand rose around them, like creeping vines. Zeon hurled the sand strands toward yne. It was a Sand ster. yne chuckled, ¡°Hah! I¡¯ll cut this down in one stri¡ª¡± Rumble! As he swung his sword, the Sand ster exploded entirely. In the moment yne attempted to sever Zeon¡¯s neck, a warning came from Gawain. ¡°Watch out below you!¡± yne nced downward. At that instant, a condensed strand of sand shot up like a spear. It was a Sand Missile. The speed was so fast that yne couldn¡¯t even think of dodging. Boom! The Sand Missile pierced straight through yne¡¯s lower abdomen. ¡°Argh! You coward¡­!¡± ring at Zeon with an indignant expression, yne copsed, just like Mashimoto, losing his life. ¡°This bastard¡­!¡± Gawain, who lost his strongest subordinates in an instant, rushed forward. Zeon met Gawain¡¯s gaze with cold eyes. The showdown had begun. It was time to draw the final stroke of the dragon he had envisioned. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 17 Chapter 17 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 17 Aura was emanating from Gawain¡¯s clenched fists. His aura was more intense and splendid than that of yne or Mashimoto. It was proof that his rank was higher than theirs. His rank surpassed even Zeon¡¯s. Purely in terms of ability, Zeon couldn¡¯t possibly defeat him. But this was the desert. And the entire desert was Zeon¡¯s stage and canvas. Here, he could paint any picture he desired. Swoosh! Walls of sand suddenly rose from all directions, shielding Zeon. Yet, they shattered under Gawain¡¯s fists. Unfazed, Zeon countered with Sand Missiles. It was the same technique he used to eliminate yne. ¡°No way.¡± Gawain sung his fist, shattering the Sand Missiles. He had observed Zeon¡¯s attack strategy while witnessing yne¡¯s demise. ¡°Surrender!¡± Gawain, having neutralized the Sand Missiles, closed in on Zeon. He swung a massive fist towards him. ¡°Hmph!¡± Suddenly, with a burst of energy, Zeon vanished from Gawain¡¯s sight. A massive pit formed beneath Zeon, swiftly sucking him in. The suddenness left Gawain bewildered. Zeon fired Sand Missiles from under Gawain¡¯s feet. Boom! The explosions caused Gawain to stagger. ¡°Grr!¡± Gawain hunched, minimizing the impact, thanks to his strong resilience as a D-rank Awakened and reinforcing his body as an aura. That allowed him to withstand the indiscriminate sand missile bombardment to an extent. However, he knew that continually enduring such a barrage would cost him his life without a chance to retaliate. Gawain gritted his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me! Aargh!¡± He roared, mming his fist into the ground. Crack! A shockwave, his skill, Shockwave, erupted, flipping the entire area¡¯s sand upside down. Even the pit where Zeon was hiding couldn¡¯t escape the Shockwave. ¡°Argh!¡± Zeon¡¯s brain was concussed by the Shockwave. Blood vessels burst in his eyes and eardrums. Caught off guard by Gawain¡¯s unexpected retaliation, Zeon staggered. Not missing a beat, Gawain leaped into the pit. ¡°It¡¯s over, you brat!¡± He unleashed a Shockwave towards Zeon. A direct hit would be fatal for Zeon. ¡°Yah!¡± At that moment, sand surrounding them poured into the pit along with Zeon. The mound of sand surged like a wave, engulfing Gawain and Zeon. The sand¡¯s impact canceled Gawain¡¯s Shockwave. ¡°Ugh!¡± Gawain, who was suddenly buried alive in the sand, quickly came to his senses. A vast amount of sand pressed against his body. He first checked for Zeon¡¯s presence in the surroundings. Yet, he felt no sign of Zeon anywhere. It was evident that Zeon had escaped the sand pit. ¡®That little rat¡­!¡¯ Gawain trembled, struggling to stand. Boom! As he unleashed Shockwave, the immense amount of sand covering him exploded. Gawain, preparing for Zeon¡¯s next attack, was wary above the sand pit. Puff! Suddenly, an immense pain struck his lower body. ¡°What¡­?¡± With disbelief, he looked down. A dozen thorns were piercing through his lower body and abdomen. They were thorns made of sand. He had only anticipated attacks from above, neglecting any preparation for attacks while inside the pit. He had assumed Zeon had already escaped. That was when, suddenly, Zeon rose from the pit¡¯s floor. ¡°Urgh! You?¡± Gawain spat blood, staring at Zeon. He truly hadn¡¯t expected Zeon to deceive his senses and hide within the pit. That made it even more shocking. The ability to manipte sand so freely was a power possessed by only one. ¡°You, could it be¡­ a Sand Mage?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Crazy bastard To awaken such a deceitful ability. Argh!¡± Gawain spat blood once more. At that moment, Zeon asserted dominance. Consequently, the sand thorns that had pierced Gawain¡¯s body copsed, turning back into grains of sand. With the sand thorns that supported his body gone, Gawain crumbled too, never to move again. ¡°Phew!¡± A relieved Zeon finally sat down on the ground. In truth, thest skill Zeon used to attack Gawain was an improvisation. It was a spur-of-the-moment method that urred when his life was at stake. There was no guarantee this gamble would work, but he trusted his instincts. Instead of escaping the pit, he hid under Gawain, concealing his presence within the sand. If Gawain had noticed even a bit, it would¡¯ve been over. A direct hit from the Shockwave at such close range would¡¯ve instantly taken Zeon¡¯s life. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± Zeon gasped for breath. ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°I¡¯m dead!¡± Scavengers, emerging from the pit,unched a joint attack. Zeon, taken aback, looked just as their weapons were about to hit him. There was no time to evade. At that moment, Zeon contemted death. Swoosh! An intangible force swept over Zeon¡¯s head. Boom! The Scavengers attacking Zeon staggered and fell under the force. Their spilled blood covered Zeon. ¡°Ah!¡± Spitting out their blood, Zeon only grimaced. At that moment, Dyoden¡¯s voice reached his ears. ¡°You let your guard down when there are still enemies left.¡± Zeon lowered his head deeply. He had no words, even if he was cursed out. ¡°You still have a long way to go, you idiot!¡± Dyoden¡¯s words felt like a dagger to Zeon¡¯s chest. *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Dyoden wielded Kreion. Using Kreion, he shot out a sword energy, swiftly eliminating all the enemies attacking Zeon. Dyoden¡¯s prowess in hurling Kreion dozens of meters away was truly impressive. However, Pavilsa was astonished not by Dyoden but by Zeon. ¡°Good Lord! An Awakened who can manipte sand?¡± While wandering the desert for many years and encountering numerous Awakened, Pavilsa had never encountered a Sand Awakened. It was beyond his imagination. Pavilsa nced at Dyoden. Dyoden still wore an unsatisfied expression. Dyoden wasn¡¯t pleased that Zeon, by making a mistake at the end, had caused the crisis. ¡®Seems like that monster I heard about is indeed apanying him.¡¯ Now, Dyoden seemed to understand why Zeon was traveling with Dyoden. In a desertified world, the most powerful entity was undoubtedly a Sand Mage. Although Zeon¡¯s abilities weren¡¯t as strong as expected, the potential for growth was limitless. After dealing with all the Scavengers, Zeon walked unsteadily towards the Archelon. His face showed signs of exhaustion. For this one battle, Zeon had given everything he had. Imagination, mana, every drop of physical energy had been squeezed out. Fighting with monsters was tough, but battling humans was tougher. ¡°Phew!¡± Exhaling heavily, Zeon ascended the Archelon. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°You did well.¡± Pavilsa and Kailey greeted him, but Dyoden was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Where¡¯s Dyoden?¡± ¡°He went inside. He said that his eyes were about to rot¡­¡± ¡°Haa!¡± As Zeon sighed, Pavilsa chuckled and said. ¡°His standards are just too high. You fought well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, go in and rest.¡± He nodded to Kailey. Kailey approached Zeon. ¡°Let¡¯s go! I will guide you to your quarters.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Zeon followed Kailey without hesitation. She led him to a small room tucked away in a corner. ¡°Rest here. I¡¯ll bring you something simple to eat.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kailey left Zeon alone and stepped out. Zeon sat on a bed made of stone, staring at his hands. Rattle! His hands were shaking as if he had a tremor. Today, he killed numerous people. Though they were Scavengers, they were undoubtedly people, just like him. Taking the lives of those like himself caused significant mental anguish. While he had killed before, it felt different now. Back then, it was survival amidst a struggle, unintentionally causing deaths. Now, it was a systematic n resulting in countless deaths. The guilt was immense. ¡°Still, I have to get over this, right?¡± Zeon steadied his trembling emotions. He couldn¡¯t keep ming himself forever. In this harsh world, one had to shed guilt to survive. Although momentarily shaken, Zeon understood thews of such a world long ago. ¡°Haa!¡± His trembling hands rapidly calmed down. Now, he had a moment to reflect on the recent battle with the Scavengers. *** Pavilsa entered the room where Dyoden was resting in without knocking. Dyoden was staring fixedly at Kreion, ced on his knees. Pavilsa spoke up. ¡°Kreion has changed.¡± ¡°I infused it with the heart of a me Drake.¡± ¡°You granted Kreion the fire attribute? That¡¯s quite the experiment.¡± ¡°For a hundred years, I¡¯ve never forgotten my goal, not for a single moment.¡± ¡°Phew! A hundred years is plenty of time to forget everything.¡± Pavilsa sighed. His face darkened with a deep shadow. He felt ashamed. He had buried memories of that day, dismissing it as an unavoidable event, a catastrophe beyond human capacity to handle. Instead, he focused solely on the protection and prosperity of the Motte Tribe. Even while he was living only for his tribe¡¯s welfare, Dyoden lived for a single purpose. Such dedication wasn¡¯t something anyone could do. At least, among the people Pavilsa knew, Dyoden was the only one. That¡¯s why he seemed foolish yet admirable. Pavilsa said. ¡°Give me Kreion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In its current state, using Kreion might harm it. I¡¯ll get the kids to stabilize it¡± The heart of the me Drake contained tremendous fiery power, akin to a living furnace. Absorbing such mes had pushed Kreion¡¯s tolerance to its limits. Without stabilizing it now, its strength would significantly diminish. Dyoden handed Kreion to Pavilsa. The moment he received it, Pavilsa staggered; Kreion¡¯s weight was enormous. This sword bore the weight of Dyoden¡¯s entire life. The man who had lived a hundred years with this sword, pursuing one and one goal only. That man was Dyoden. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 18 Chapter 18 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 18 The Motte Tribe aboard the Archelon possessed exceptional abilities in crafting and enhancing items. They are talented individuals who would receive great treatment if they entered Neo Seoul. These same talented individuals were given the order to stabilize Kreion. Not only did these skilled individuals meticulously disassemble Kreion, but they also repaired damaged parts, making it appear as good as new. Kailey attempted to add another enchantment to Kreion, but the sword already had numerous enchantments, rendering it impossible to add any more. With an incredulous expression, Kailey asked Pavilsa. ¡°What on earth is this sword? I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. Are you sure it was created by humans?¡± ¡°Kreion is a masterpiece born from one man¡¯s persistence and dedication.¡± ¡°Are you sure it was really made by a human?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who exactly?¡± ¡°Kreion!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Kreion forged this sword.¡± ¡°So, the sword is named after the person who created it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°Enough! I cannot reveal more than that.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Kailey wore a disappointed expression as Pavilsa firmly drew the line. Pavilsa stored Kreion in the scabbard and headed towards Dyoden. Dyoden was already prepared to depart, apanied by Zeon. Pavilsa said as he handed over Kreion. ¡°It has been refurbished to be as good as new.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Dyoden¡¯s expression of gratitude caught Pavilsa off guard. It was the first time in a century that he had expressed thanks. Dyoden was never one to say thank you or express gratitude to anyone. Because he believed everyone in the world was not worthy, including himself, to be treated well. Naturally, this also included Pavilsa. For Pavilsa, it was an unprecedented event. Pavilsa cautiously said. ¡°You speak as if we will never meet again.¡± ¡°Probably. I doubt we¡¯ll meet again while we¡¯re alive.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Farewell, Pavilsa! Thank you for everything.¡± Dyoden chuckled as he rose to his feet. Pavilsa, overwhelmed by his aura, found himself unable to say anything for a moment. For him, being rendered speechless was indeed a rare urrence. While gazing at Dyoden for a moment, Pavilsa instructed Kailey to bring some items. Items essential for surviving in the desert, such as a tent that concealed presence from monsters, a dagger with enhanced cutting power, arge jar for carrying water, and magic stones that could be used as a substitute for currency. ¡°Take them. They might not be of much help, but someday you might find them useful.¡± Dyoden, ncing at the items for a moment, told Zeon. ¡°I don¡¯t need them, so you carry them all in your subspace artifact.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon infused mana into his gauntlet, activating the subspace artifact. The items lying around were all swallowed up by the subspace artifact. Zeon looked at his gauntlet with an amazed expression. At that moment, Kailey spoke up, ¡°Oh! This too.¡± She held out the breastte made from the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s carcass and presented it to Dyoden. It was an item designed to perfectly protect the chest and abdomen while allowing movement without any difort. Even though she couldn¡¯t enchant it due to time constraints, the armor made from the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s carcass provided formidable defense. Dyoden said. ¡°Give that to him.¡± ¡°Right! This was for Zeon.¡± ¡°Yes! I still can¡¯t protect myself like an idiot, so I¡¯ll just have to carry this armor around.¡± ¡°Haha, alright.¡± Kailey handed Zeon the breastte without any further questions. ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± Zeon took the breastte. Without a doubt, if it were someone else, they might have felt a blow to their pride. However, Zeon was more grateful for having one more means to protect his life than concerned about his pride. As Dyoden had said, he did not yet have the abilities necessary to survive. He needed all the protection he could get until he was strong enough. In particr, he could¡¯ve really used this protective gear during his fight with the Scavengers. Zeon wore the armor beneath his robe. Just by wearing the armor, he felt significantly more secure. Dyoden said. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon replied, and they both disembarked from Archelon. Pavilsa and Kailey watched the two figures depart. Both of them walked away without looking back. By the time they disappeared from view, Kailey asked Pavilsa, ¡°Grandpa!¡± ¡°Why do you go so far for him? Did you find some weakness in him, perhaps?¡± The Pavilsa she knew was not someone who would go to such lengths to help and care for someone. The most important thing to Pavilsa was his tribe. She couldn¡¯t fathom why Pavilsa, who saw everyone else as tools to be used, would extend such generosity towards Dyoden. Pavilsa¡¯s answer was straightforward. ¡°I and the world are indebted to him.¡± ¡°Indebted? How so?¡± ¡°Everyone, including me, has been avoiding the truth and living cowardly lives. But he¡¯s different.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the only one facing the truth and moving forward. For a hundred years. Regardless of his situation, how could you not respect such a man? He¡¯s the only person I respect and fear.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what Grandpa is saying.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to. It¡¯s a truth I don¡¯t want you to know. But promise me one thing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Zeon is the one Dyoden chose to be hispanion. If you ever see him again, please help him. It¡¯s the only way we can somewhat repay our debt to Dyoden.¡± The atmosphere around Pavilsa was so heavy that Kailey didn¡¯t dare to ask any more questions. *** Dyoden and Zeon, having left Archelon and headed eastward. Dyoden hadn¡¯t disclosed their destination to Zeon, simply striding forward silently. Zeon didn¡¯t inquire either. Now, he just mechanically followed Dyoden. Despite walking through the desert all day, he didn¡¯t feel tired at all. The sand itself propelled Zeon forward, leaving him only the task of managing his mana to ensure it didn¡¯t deplete, a task quite challenging but now familiar. Mana was an amazing phenomena, and the more one used it, the more its capacity increased, an intriguing discovery for Zeon. Hence, during rest times, he made it a habit to deplete mana to the bottom. He constantly used his skills like the Sand ster, Sand Missile, and Sand Maniption to increase their proficiency. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The fight against the Scavengers was a major turning point for Zeon that made him realize his infinite potential. He constantly reyed the fight against the Scavengers, checking for any mistakes he made, and thought about how to use the sand more efficiently. As he trained with sand day and night, his skills improved dramatically. Walking through the desert, he was frequently attacked by the monsters. Dyoden did not lift a finger, and it was up to Zeon to deal with the monsters. Now that he had gained quite a lot of experience, Zeon faced the monsters without panic. As he continued, he disyed all the tricks he could imagine against the monsters, increasing his skill proficiency. Now, Zeon could use Sand Strides, and execute Sand ster and Sand Missiles at the same time. He also learned many other skills. Observing Zeon¡¯s progress, Dyoden watched with an indifferent expression. Boom! A dozen or so monsters copsed due to Zeon¡¯s Sand Missiles. These were Ghost Scorpions, hiding in the sand and attacking with venomous stingers, Among the monsters that inhabit the desert, it belonged to the lower ranks. They were extremely dangerous if they were not detected in advance, as they would hide in the sand and then attack by surprise. However, despite their attempt at stealth, they couldn¡¯t conceal the minute vibrations carried by the sand particles. Kaboom! As soon as the Ghost Scorpion emerged through the sand, its head was obliterated. Many more met their end at Zeon¡¯s hands. The ground was littered with the remains of shattered Ghost Scorpions. ¡°Hmph!¡± Dyoden snorted and turned away. Zeon still didn¡¯t meet his standards. Still, it was worth praising him for not letting his guard down until the end. Now, Zeon never lets down his guard no matter what. ¡®At least, now he¡¯s not aplete newbie.¡¯ Feeling prideful that the learning effect was working, Dyoden continued walking. After clearing all the Ghost Scorpions, Zeon promptly caught up with him. Despite facing numerous Ghost Scorpions, Zeon¡¯s breath didn¡¯t even be heavy. He didn¡¯t even look happy. Now it had be a natural thing for him to hunt down monsters of this level. ¡°Hmm?¡± Walking alongside Dyoden, Zeon suddenly eximed, spotting arge rock in the distance. Such protruding rocks in a world mostlyposed of sand were exceptionally rare and valuable as shelter. This was because monsters that move beneath the sand, like Sandworms, could not approach it. It might have been part of a massive rock formation buried in the sand, simr to the Mana Stone Mines Zeon had worked in. Dyoden said. ¡°Seems like something that was buried in the sand has revealed itself. Let¡¯s rest here for today.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two sat down on therge rock. Without a word, they both took out jerky from their pouches. Chewing slowly and sufficiently moistening it with saliva before swallowing, they consumed the high-nutrient jerky made from the meat of arge horned hyena. A single piece provided enough energy for a day, but for Zeon, who¡¯s still in his growing phase, one piece wasn¡¯t enough. He reached for another piece and put it in his mouth, observing his surroundings. Before long, the sun had set, plunging the desert into darkness. It was silent in the desert surrounded in darkness. Most monsters ceased activity, seeking refuge for sleep. Night in the desert was perilous even for the monsters. Zeon had now realized that monsters active at night tended to be stronger. While not a problem for powerful individuals like Dyoden, for Zeon, it was a matter of survival. Kuooh! The roar of a monster echoed through the darkness. It was the roar of a colossal creature usually active at night. Zeon furrowed his brow and looked at the ce where the roar came from. It was clear that the sound came far from the rock where the two were resting. As long as the monster didn¡¯t approach directly, there seemed little reason to worry. Unconcerned about the monster¡¯s roar, Dyoden withdrew Kreion and drove it firmly into the rock. Thud! The Kreion sank into the hard rock, almost like piercing tofu. After cing Kreion on the rock, Dyoden engaged in conversation with the sword. ¡°My friend¡­¡± Though a sight witnessed countless times, it still didn¡¯t feel familiar. So Zeon tuned out Dyodenpletely, focusing on the gauntlet strapped to his right hand. As someone who wielded sand as a weapon, Zeon had never directly swung the gauntlet. Hence, he hadn¡¯t truly felt the gauntlet¡¯s power. Its most practical feature was the subspace attached to the gauntlet. Zeon stored all usable parts from the carcasses of monsters he hunted in this subspace. The subspace was unaffected by passage of time or changes in the environment, allowing items to be stored indefinitely. Moreover, the subspace was like an endless warehouse. Even after storing many items, there was ample space left¡ªa remarkably versatile item. Zeon caressed the concave part on the back of his hand. ¡°By equipping a fire attribute item here, the power can be amplified.¡± The mention of a fire attribute item reminded Dyoden of the dungeon where he had defeated the me Drake¡ªthe dungeon that had swallowed Zeon. All creatures within that dungeon possessed a fire attribute. If only he had known that he would acquire such a gauntlet earlier, he might have searched for useful items there. ¡°Tsk!¡± Since there was no use in crying over spilled milk, Zeon merely clicked his tongue. That¡¯s when it happened. Kwooahhh! ¡°Over here!¡± ¡°Escape to that ce!¡± The roar of a monster and the desperate voices of people were heard at the same time. Shortly after, four figures emerged through the darkness. However, their appearance was peculiar. Their brown skin tanned by the sun, coupled with clothes made from monster hides, somewhat resembled humans. But their pointed ears and violet irises were definitely not human traits. ¡°A different race?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 19 Chapter 19 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 19 As the world underwent transformation and monsters emerged, so did other races. Although they appear somewhat simr to humans, they possess entirely different characteristics. They were not an evolution or variation of the existing human race but an entirely new species. Humans, perplexed by their sudden appearance, referred to them as a different race. Some of these beings were said to reside within Neo Seoul. However, Zeon had never seen them. Originally, there were quite a few of them, but a few decades ago, most of them were wiped out due to some incident. The surviving few lived within Neo Seoul, but were strictly restricted from venture outside. Hence, Zeon, who had lived in the slums, was not given a chance to see them. This encounter marked Zeon¡¯s first direct sighting of a different race. Among them, the pointed ears were a symbol of the elves. At first, an elf that suddenly appeared in this world originally had fair skin. However, influenced by the environment of the current world, their skin had now turned a dark brown. The four elves that appeared out of nowhere carried bows and arrows and had swords at their waists. They climbed onto the rocks where Zeon and Dyoden were, noticing the two. ¡°It¡¯s humans!¡± ¡°Good. Throw the humans to us as bait. It will distract them.¡± ¡°But how?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll figure it outter, we just have to survive.¡± Amidst conflicting opinions, the elves aimed their bows at Zeon and Dyoden, threatening them. ¡°Come down from the rock, human!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, descend on your own.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, human!¡± ¡°Move aside!¡± Facing the elves¡¯ threats, Zeon was left dumbfounded. There¡¯s amon perception that elves are a noble race. Their unique appearance and cold demeanor contribute to this image. Zeon, too, had some fantasies about the elves, but they werepletely shattered at this moment. Then it happened. Thud! Thud! The heavy footsteps resonated. Even from the sound of the footsteps, it was evident that the creature approaching was huge. Anxious expressions appeared on the faces of the elves. ¡°He¡¯s getting closer. Quickly, throw the humans as bait to lure him.¡± ¡°Dammit! He followed us all the way here.¡± ¡°Get down quickly, human!¡± As the elves pulled the bowstrings taut, the bows curved like crescent moons. Instead of responding, Zeon looked at Dyoden. Ever since the elves appeared, Dyoden¡¯s atmosphere had been unusual. Even when attacked by the monsters or during the Scavenger¡¯s assault, Dyoden remained indifferent. However, this time, a madness was evident in his eyes for the first time. Unaware of this, the elves continued to threaten Dyoden. In the tense atmosphere, Zeon swallowed his dry saliva. One of the elves, unable to hold back any longer, released the bowstring. Thwack! An arrow was shot right in front of Dyoden. However, unlike what the elf expected, the arrow didn¡¯t pierce through Dyoden¡¯s head. Suddenly, Dyoden¡¯srge hand was gripping the arrow. In disbelief, the elf who shot the arrow widened his eyes. Pssh! The arrow disintegrated into dust in Dyoden¡¯s hand. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You elf bastards!¡± Dyoden reached out, grabbing the elf¡¯s face. Hisrge handpletely covered the elf¡¯s face. ¡°Ugh!¡± The elf struggled, trying to free himself from Dyoden¡¯s grasp, but he couldn¡¯t withstand Dyoden¡¯s overwhelming strength. Witnessing this scene, the other elves shouted. ¡°This guy!¡± ¡°Release that hand, human!¡± At that moment. Crack! The head of the elf held in Dyoden¡¯s hand was crushed like a cookie. Blood and brain matter sttered. The faces of the elves who tried to save theirpanions were also covered in blood and flesh. The elves¡¯ bodies froze at the horrifying event that happened in an instant. Swish! Dyoden retrieved Kreion from where he had ced it on the ground. ¡°You lot always behave this way, don¡¯t you? You consider human lives as mere means for your survival. That¡¯s why the world hase to this state.¡± The darkness around him rippled caused by the madness he emanated. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What?¡± The elves,ing back to their senses, recoiled in fear. They had never encountered anyone like Dyoden, emitting such overwhelming murderous aura and madness. Then it happened. Thud! Apanying the heavy footsteps, the creature that drove the elves to flee all the way here appeared. From head to tail, this colossal creature measured over fifteen meters¡ªit was a giant lizard. It had tworge horns on its head and a club-like tail tip adorned with numerous spikes. With every movement, the ck scales covering its entire body rustled with a ¡®shhrr¡¯ sound. The elves feared this colossal lizard, calling it Megnia. Megnia¡¯s entire body was covered in a red force field. In human terms, it was a Martial Artist Awakened. This was proof of its immensely formidable physical prowess. Its scales possessed incredible strength and resistance, rendering the elves¡¯ primary weapons¡ªbows and magic¡ªuseless against it. Truly, Megnia was a natural enemy of the elves. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Therefore, whenever encountering Megnia, the elves opted to flee. But even escaping wasn¡¯t easy. Megnia had an exceptional sense of smell, enabling it to track them to the very end. The reason the elves fled toward the rock where Zeon and Dyoden rested was because of Megnia. Sssssh! From Megnia¡¯s mouth, the distinctively long reptilian tongue extended. Its vertically slit eyes, which had been torn open, fixated on the elves and humans atop the rock. As far as the creature was concerned, there were now two more prey that had appeared. Dyoden¡¯s gaze turned toward Megnia. ¡°How dare an insignificant monster¡­¡± He swung Kreion horizontally. In that moment, Zeon felt a dizzying sensation, as if the world were splitting in half. The elves experienced the same sensation. What they felt wasn¡¯t an illusion. Chahhak! The fifteen-meter colossal lizard was split in two, copsing onto the desert. The scales with incredible strength, the blue energy field of a B-rank or higher monster¡ªnone of these held up against the might of Kreion. ¡°Good Lord!¡± ¡°Insane!¡± The elves widened their eyes at the unbelievable sight. Megnia was a B-rank monster. A B-rank monster surpassed a B-rank Awakened human in strength. There existed a hierarchy among life forms, and once a monster reached B-rank status, it usually exceeded the size of a residential building. Therefore, hunting a B-rank monster required a team of B-rank Awakened humans or specialized hunting squads. And Megnia was on par with any dungeon¡¯s boss monsters. Especially in terms of defense, Megnia was exceptional, even among the numerous creatures in the desert. There waspatibility between each living creature, and for elves, they were the worst opponents. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Megnia was known as the natural enemy of elves. Seeing a monster like Megnia sumb to Dyoden¡¯s sword in such an unreal manner was beyond belief. ¡®Who on earth is this guy?¡¯ One day, elves appeared on Earth as if they had fallen from the sky. Originally, they lived in areas with lush vegetation. Elves were a race unable to survive outside the forests. Hence, when exposed defenselessly to the desert environment, many elves perished. However, the surviving few eventually adapted to the desert and began to proliferate their race. They referred to themselves as ¡®Desert Elves.¡¯ The Desert Elves held humans in low regard, regarding them as an inferior race. The reason they tried to use Dyoden and Zeon as bait for Megnia was because of this. But the humans they unfortunately ran into possessed abilities beyond imagination. Snap! Dyoden grabbed the throat of the pensive elf. ¡°It seems there¡¯s a vige around here. Where is it?¡± ¡°Gr-grkk!¡± Swooosh Dyoden emitted an overwhelming murderous aura. Zeon, who was nearby, was left dazed to the point where he couldn¡¯t regain his senses. The condition of the elves, who faced Dyoden¡¯s momentum head-on, was even more dire. Especially the elf Dyoden caught by the neck was bleeding profusely from all their holes. Dyoden asked again. ¡°Where is it? Where¡¯s your vige?¡± ¡°Urgk! Wh-why do you ask?¡± ¡°Answer me. Uninvited guest!¡± The elf caught by the throat kept their mouth shut. They felt a hostile intent from Dyoden towards the elves emanating instinctively. They instinctively felt that they shouldn¡¯t reveal the vige¡¯s location. Crack! The elf¡¯s neck snapped in an instant. Dyoden broke it without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Tossing the dead elf aside, Dyoden turned to the remaining ones. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°De-devil!¡± The elves, losing theirrades in an instant, copsed to the ground, and urine started flowing. Zeon, btedly regaining his senses, attempted to stop Dyoden. ¡°Wait. Just hold on for a moment.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, you idiot!¡± ¡°No, what are you doing? Why the elves¡­¡± Zeon couldn¡¯t finish his words. Bang! A thunderous explosion erupted as his body was sent flying backward. Dyoden¡¯s fist had struck him in the abdomen. Zeon coughed up blood, writhing on the sand. Ignoring Zeon¡¯s plight, Dyoden approached the remaining elves. ¡°Where¡¯s your vige?¡± ¡°Ugh! There¡¯s no way I would tell you¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡± They desperately shook their heads. Dyoden gazed down at them with eyes aze with madness. One of the elves, unable to resist his gaze, inadvertently averted their eyes. At that moment, Dyoden grinned, baring his white teeth. ¡°There it is.¡± His eyes were fixed precisely where the elf¡¯s gaze had darted. The elf hurriedly denied. ¡°N-No.¡± Whoom! Before the elf could finish, Dyoden swung Kreion. ¡°Kkuah!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The elves were split into two and perished. Boom! Dyoden, who killed all the elves in an instant,unched his body towards the direction where the vige was presumed to be. A sonic boom urred as his speed broke the sound barrier. ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon barely regained his senses due to the sonic boom ringing his eardrums. When he got up Dyoden was already far away, appearing as only a tiny dot in the distance. ¡°That old bastard¡­¡± Zeon sped his chest. Yet, despite the bone-breaking sensation, his armor, made by Kailey, seemed to have protected him; at least, his bones didn¡¯t feel broken. Zeon knew Dyoden always carried a sense of madness, but he had never witnessed such an explosive disy from him before. ¡°Why does he have such a grudge against these different races?¡± It seemed evident that there was enmity involved to provoke such actions. The bodies of the remaining elves were truly ghastly. It was not only Zeon¡¯s first time seeing elves but also his first time witnessing corpses of elves. ¡°Shit!¡± His stomach churned. He wasn¡¯t used to seeing such corpses yet. Suppressing his urge to curse, Zeon gazed in the direction Dyoden had vanished. ¡°Fucking old bastard.¡± He set off using Sand Strides. Crossing the desert in the middle of the night was a suicidal act, but now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on that. Zeon tracked Dyoden. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 20 Chapter 20 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 20 Tracking Dyoden wasn¡¯t that difficult. It was because traces left by him were visible everywhere. The corpses of monsters that dominated the desert were scattered all around. All the corpses were either brutally mutted or shattered into pieces. Dyoden had ughtered every monster in his path. It was truly an overwhelming disy of power that defiedmon sense. Thanks to that, Zeon could be safe from the threat of monsters. ¡°Just how strong is he? S-rank?¡± Zeon shook his head in amazement. He had never seen an S-rank in action, so he couldn¡¯t be sure, but it seemed unlikely that even an S-rank could wield such power. In fact, even S-rank Awakeneds in Neo Seoul were hesitant to venture alone into the distant desert. Venturing alone into a desert far from Neo Seoul was a daunting task even for S-rank Awakened individuals. Dyoden had been doing things that even S-rank Awakened individuals dared not attempt for a long time. He traversed the desert alone, confronting numerous monsters. He was not afraid of monsters. Rather, the monsters were afraid of him. This Awakened individual was unprecedented. ¡°An Awakened above even S-rank? I wonder if the leaders of Neo Seoul are aware of this.¡± He was genuinely curious. Whether the leaders of Neo Seoul were aware of Dyoden, and if they were, how they were reacting to it. Dyoden was a being that transcendedmon sense in many ways. Then it happened. In Zeon¡¯s field of vision, smoke rising in the distance caught his eye. A thin column of smoke shot up from where the sky met the horizon. He could know without confirmation. Dyoden was there. Zeon infused mana to increase his speed. Swoosh! His body glided across the desert as if he was sliding. After running for about thirty minutes, Zeon arrived at the oasis. It wasn¡¯t the moving oasis he had encountered with the Sand Angler before, but a fixed oasis in one ce. Such locations were devoid of Sand Anglers, making them ideal for settlements or viges, precisely like the Desert Elf vige. The small vige, painstakingly nurtured by the Desert Elves,y devastated, with what seemed to be elf remains strewn around. Witnessing the dreadful sight, Zeon gasped in disbelief. ¡°Insane!¡± Limbs sprawled everywhere resembled debris from toys children had demolished in a fit of anger. All of this was the handiwork of Dyoden alone. Zeon quickly found Dyoden. Finding Dyoden wasn¡¯t difficult. He was not far from where Zeon was. In front of Dyoden, a middle-aged man who appeared to be an elf was kneeling with a young girl in his arms. The middle-aged elf was pleading with tears in his eyes. Though the voice couldn¡¯t be heard, the atmosphere made it clear that he was begging Dyoden to spare the girl¡¯s life. The girl still looked very young. Her actual age was unknown, but she appeared to be barely twelve in human age. Zeon didn¡¯t think Dyoden would harm such a young elf. This is because it was a kind of taboo to kill an enemy who had not yet reached adulthood, no matter how much one had a grudge against them. Swoosh! But, as if to mock Zeon¡¯s assumptions, Dyoden cut down both the middle-aged elf and the young girl elf with a single strike. The fresh blood sttered from their neck painted Dyoden red. The moment Zeon witnessed this, the string of reason in Zeon¡¯s mind suddenly snapped. ¡°Hey! You old bastard!¡± Zeon lost his temper and shouted. At that moment, the sand rose like a wave and struck Dyoden. A huge amount of sand pressed down on Dyoden as if trying to crush him to death. At that moment, a burst of red energy erupted from Dyoden¡¯s entire body. Kwaaaang! The red energy instantly blew away the sand and Zeon. Wehn Zeon groggily regained consciousness, lying on the ground, the first thing he saw was Dyoden¡¯s legs. He raised his head and saw Dyoden looking down at him. His eyes still glowed with a fierce light. Zeon confronted that gaze without averting his eyes. ¡°Killing a child who hasn¡¯t grown up yet. Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± ¡°Child?.¡± ¡°But she was still older than you.¡± ¡°That¡ª¡± Crack! Instantly, Dyoden pressed down on Zeon¡¯s back with his foot. The sheer weight felt like a colossal rock pressing onto Zeon¡¯s face, making it flush red. The pressure was so intense that his spine and ribs felt like they would snap, making it impossible to breathe. Groan! The chestte made of a Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s exoskeleton sounded as if it would shatter under the immense pressure. ¡°Urgh!¡± Struggling to wriggle out from under Dyoden¡¯s foot, Zeon exerted all his might, yet Dyoden¡¯s foot remained unmoving. ¡°Agghh!¡± Still struggling, Zeon unleashed the Sand ster. Boom! The Sand ster erupted at Dyoden. But even directly hitting Dyoden with the force that shattered the head of a Wolf Ant, there was no visible effect on Dyoden. Dyoden pressed down on Zeon¡¯s chest even harder. ¡°Geh!¡± Zeon threw up blood. Dyoden gazed at Zeon, not with the madness seen moments before, but with eyes that seemed oddly subdued, almost impossible to gauge. It seemed unbelievable that this person had ughtered elves with frenzied eyes just moments ago. Easing the pressure on Zeon¡¯s chest slightly, Dyoden asked. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve gone too far?¡± ¡°Did¡­ did you really need to kill.. .even the child?¡± ¡°Why should I spare the child? Just because she¡¯s young? Because that¡¯s what others say? That same child will grow up to be an enemy of humanity.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Those elf bastards are an incredible race. They ruined others¡¯ world in order to survive. Spare such hypocrites just because they¡¯re young? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. They¡¯re worthless insects. I will continue to kill such insects whenever I see them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to tell me I¡¯m wrong? Do you want to stop me? Then stop me with your strength, not your mouth. Do you understand? You worthless idiot!¡± Dyoden removed the foot that was pressing down on Zeon¡¯s chest. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± Zeon coughed violently. His eyes were bloodshot. If Dyoden had pressed down a little harder, not only the blood vessels in his eyes, but also his heart and internal organs would have exploded. He knew from the beginning that he was no match for Dyoden. He never even considered himself a match. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Dyoden was like a star in the sky, beyond his reach. But now, his thoughts had changed. ¡®I¡¯ll be as strong as Dyoden, no, I¡¯ll be even stronger than him.¡¯ He wanted to speak with strength, not grovel like a dog. For the first time in his life, he had a clear goal. The target was Dyoden. Zeon made it his goal to be stronger than him. *** Zeon scoured the elf vige. He was wondering if there might be any survivors. However, not a single elf survived Dyoden¡¯s hands. Dyoden hadn¡¯t spared a single living being in the elf vige. Seeing over a hundred elves reduced to mere pieces of meat made him feel disgusted. At the same time, a question arose. He remembered Dyoden¡¯s words. They ruined others¡¯ world in order to survive? So does that mean the elves are responsible for the world bing like this?¡¯ If that was the case, Dyoden¡¯s anger made sense. Zeon was born after the world had already been destroyed. That¡¯s why he knew nothing about the world before. Most people living in Neo Seoul were the same. Though it was recorded, they didn¡¯t experience how vibrant and abundant the world once was. But Dyoden was born into the world before the great cataclysam. During those times and even as the world crumbled, he watched everything unfold. The sense of loss and anger he might have felt throughout that process could¡¯ve been somewhat expected. ¡°Phew!¡± Zeon let out a sigh. Dyoden was alone in a remote ce outside the elf vige. Staying even momentarily within the elf vige was horrific for him. To Dyoden, even breathing the same air that the elves was no different from torture. Zeon surveyed the elf vige. The elves¡¯ houses were mud houses made of hardened sand. It may have been an inevitable choice due to the nature of the desert, where no special building materials could be obtained. The presence of the oasis nearby had been their sole means of survival until now; without it, the elves would¡¯ve perished long ago. Zeon entered one of the rtively intact houses. The interior was remarkably simple, only containing items necessary for daily life. However, the items didn¡¯t resemble what Zeon had seen in Neo Seoul. There was a sense of antiquity, an old-world charm lingering around them. Most likely, these were items originally owned by the elves. Bows, arrows, beautiful jewelry, and robes, all caught his eye. Zeon looked at the items one by one. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not something that was made recently.¡± What particrly caught his attention was a very old book. There were unidentifiable letters written within it. It was clearly an item brought from the elves¡¯ original world. Zeon first stored the books and other items in his subspace artifact. Although they were items he did not need, they would undoubtedly fetch a good price if sold. He gathered all the useful items into subspace. While rummaging around, Zeon discovered a small hidden storeroom behind a wall. His face contorted as he looked into the storeroom. All the stored items were clearly human-made, unlike the elegant elf designs, they disyed practicality in their design and materials. Most of these items were typically made in Neo Seoul. The items were stained with blood, presumably of humans. ¡°These guys! They must have robbed passersby.¡± There was no way the elves, who are hostile towards humans, would have paid a fair price for the item. It was evident they attacked and looted the humans passing by. Moments ago, Zeon might have felt some remorse for the in elves at Dyoden¡¯s hands, but even that feeling had now vanished. They were Scavengers, only in a different skin. They¡¯d killed people and taken their belongings; there was no chance they spared lives to maintain secrecy. Judging by the quantity of items, the number of people they killed seemed to be enormous. ¡°They¡¯ve killed so many.¡± Zeon shook his head, thoroughly searching the storeroom in case there might be something useful. However, the elves had used up all the useful items, and all that was left was misceneous. Taking useless items would just burden him. Zeon gave up and walked out of the house. He raised his control over the sand. Shoosh! Suddenly, the sands in the area shifted, covering the entire vige. Destroyed houses and the corpses of the elves were all buried and vanished beneath the sand. In a matter of moments, what was once a fairlyrge vige became a grave. There were no traces left behind. Unlike regr soil, desert sand doesn¡¯t leave any traces even if they were moved or covered. Now, even if someone stumbled upon the oasis, they wouldn¡¯t know that elves had once lived there. Zeon filled his water pouch with water from the oasis and walked toward Dyoden¡¯s direction. The long night had passed, and the sun was already shining on the desert. Dyoden continued ahead without a word, and Zeon silently followed behind. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 21 Chapter 21 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 21 Even after the incident with the elves, the dynamic between Dyoden and Zeon hadn¡¯t changed. They hadn¡¯t been particrly close to begin with, so the grim atmosphere wasn¡¯t so unfamiliar. Dyoden walked ahead, with Zeon trailing behind. Sometimes, they¡¯d go the whole day without saying a word. Now, Dyoden didn¡¯t offer advice to Zeon anymore. It was a silent acknowledgment that he¡¯d done enough and that Zeon should figure things out on his own. Zeon, in turn, didn¡¯t ask Dyoden for anything. He pondered over how to better utilize his abilities, contemting myriad ways to manipte sand and asionally testing himself against the sporadic attacks from low-ranking monsters. Now, the low-ranking monsters were no longer a match for Zeon. Boom! Boom! Boom! The heads of the low-ranking monsters exploded one after another under Zeon¡¯s Sand Missiles, brains and blood sttering on the desert floor. Zeon briefly nced at the corpses of the monsters before resuming his stride. Dyoden was far ahead, already walking. Even knowing Zeon was fighting the monsters, he didn¡¯t spare a nce. Even Dyoden knew now. There was no chance Zeon would die at the hands of some low-rank monsters. Now, Zeon never let his guard down, a testament to the rigorous training from Dyoden. Then it happened. Dyoden, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped. Zeon looked at him with a puzzled expression. Though they had spent a considerable amount of time together, this was the first time Dyoden had stopped even before sunset. Dyoden muttered. ¡°It should¡¯ve been around here.¡± He looked around for a moment before retrieving something from his pocket. It was apass, about the size of a child¡¯s palm. It wasn¡¯t any regrpass. It was an item crafted by the fusion of Neo Seoul¡¯s science and magic, serving as a sort of location marker, storing ces it had been to before. He had visited this ce decades ago, so memories were quite faint. The needle of thepass spun a few times before pointing in a direction. Dyoden walked in the direction the needle indicated. After a while, Dyoden finally stopped. ¡°This is it.¡± Thud! He closed thepass and put it back in his pocket. Zeon approached his side. ¡°What¡¯s here?¡± No matter how much he looked around, it was the same desertndscape. It looked identical to the terrain they had passed through. Dyoden said with a disappointed expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel it?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You still have a long way to go.¡± For a moment, anger welled up deep within Zeon¡¯s chest at Dyoden¡¯s dismissive tone. But soon, he quelled his anger and calmly surveyed the surroundings. If Dyoden was saying it like that, there had to be something nearby. But no matter how much he looked, nothing stood out. ¡®Could it be under the sand?¡¯ Zeon exerted dominance and connected with the sand. Ten meters, twenty meters¡ªnothing. Still, Zeon persisted, using his dominance to delve into the sand. Seventy meters, eighty meters, and finally, at a hundred meters, he felt something. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± There was unmistakably something foreign within the sand. Dyoden asked. ¡°Did you find it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°How deep?¡± ¡°About a hundred meters underground.¡± ¡°Deeper than I thought. Looks like more sand has piled up over time.¡± Back when he discovered this ce, it hadn¡¯t been this deep. It was evident that the sand had piled higher over the years. ¡°Dig.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zeon responded and began to manipte the sand. Swoosh! The piled sand streamed down to the sides like a hill. Zeon pushed the streaming sand further away. Thick beads of sweat formed on his face. It was exhausting due to the heavy mana consumption. A hundred meters underground¡ªdigging out all the sand and piling it up would form a massive mountain. Naturally, digging it out all at once was out of the question. Zeon gradually dug out the sand, little by little. Dyoden didn¡¯t rush Zeon. He knew just how difficult this task was. Sandcked cohesion, so as soon as one digs it up, the surrounding sand would copse and fill up the space again. For Zeon, having the ability to manipte sand made progress possible, but if an ordinary person tried to dig through the sand, it might be impossible even after a hundred years. There was nothing Dyoden could do to help. He sat at a distance, waiting for Zeon to finish his task. Digging up the sand took almost three days. When mana depleted, he rested, and when it recovered, he resumed digging. After being pushed to his limit, Zeon finally reached the point a hundred meters underground. ¡°This?¡± Furrowing his brows, Zeon found a stone structure underground that didn¡¯t fit the desert¡¯sndscape¡ªspecifically, a stone door. It was peculiar to find suchrge stones deep in the desert, let alone in the shape of a door. Dyoden approached Zeon. ¡°You¡¯ve found it.¡± ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°A dungeon.¡± ¡°A dungeon? So, this door leads to a dungeon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I suspect.¡± ¡°Suspect? You¡¯re not sure?¡± ¡°I stumbled upon this ce by chance decades ago. Before I could enter, it vanished beneath the sand.¡± ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯vee back?¡± ¡°To be stronger.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯ll be able to be stronger in there?¡± Zeon was bewildered. Dyoden, who tore apart B-rank monsters like pieces of paper, had estimated abilities far surpassing S-rank. Yet, to seek out a dungeon discovered long ago just to be stronger¡ªit seemed like aplete absence of conscience. With Zeon¡¯smon sense, he could not understand Dyoden¡¯s actions. No, he gave up trying to understand. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] He knew he wasn¡¯t someone Dyoden would listen to. Dyoden briefly touched the stone door. The surface was inscribed with inscrutable characters. They were characters he had seen somewhere before. Zeon thought of the elves¡¯ books he had stored away in his subspace. The meaning was unknown, but they were definitely the same characters as written in the book. ¡®Is it rted to the elves?¡¯ At that moment, Dyoden touched the stone door. Suddenly, a bright light emitted from it, and the door swung wide open. Without a word, Dyoden entered the stone door, not instructing Zeon to follow nor asking him to stay outside. His action indicated that it was entirely up to Zeon¡¯s decision. ¡®Yeah, why die once when you can die twice?¡¯ Even the already formidable Dyoden sought out an unknown dungeon to be even stronger. There was no reason for Zeon, who had already decided to be stronger, to hesitate. Before the door closed, he hurried inside. Thud! Immediately after he entered, the stone door closed behind him. As soon as he stepped into the dungeon, Zeon felt as if he had plummeted from thin air. But having experienced entering a dungeon at the Magic Stone Mines before, he quickly adapted. He swiftly regained hisposure and surveyed the surroundings. Gigantic stone pirs supported an immensely high ceiling. On the stone walls were the same characters he saw on the stone door, apanied by depictions praising some deity-like figure. ¡°A temple¡­? Something simr?¡± Judging by the ambiance and size, it was evidently a temple dedicated to some deity. The existence of a dungeon made of stone buildings wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d heard of, but nothing seemed out of ce. After all, dungeons themselves were ces beyond humanprehension. Zeon suddenly realized that Dyoden was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Did Dyodennd in a different location?¡± Just because there was a single entrance to the dungeon didn¡¯t mean everyone entered the same ce. Sometimes, they started frompletely different areas. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll meet him at the boss room.¡±¡± That, too, was a fact Dyoden had shared. To meet up with Dyoden, he had to hurry to where the boss was. The issue was which passage to take. There were four passages within the dungeon, and Zeon couldn¡¯t discern which one led to the boss. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue. There was no information or markers to rely on¡ªno basis for a rational judgment. It was the situation Zeon detested the most. But he couldn¡¯t stay here indefinitely. At this moment, Dyoden would likely be advancing towards the boss. There was no time to hesitate. ¡°I¡¯ll take the smallest passage.¡± Among the four passages, Zeon chose the one with the smallest entrance for a specific reason. ¡°If the passage isrger, there¡¯s a higher chance of encountering bigger monsters.¡± Indeed,rger monsters tended to be stronger. So, he opted for the narrowest passage, presuming smaller monsters would emerge from it. Zeon entered the narrow passage without hesitation. The passage was incredibly dark. There wasn¡¯t even a flicker of light, let alone a torch. He had to rely solely on his senses to navigate through the pitch-ck corridor. ¡°Phew!¡± When he entered the underground of the Magic Stone Mines, it hadn¡¯t been this dark. It felt like the temple itself rejected external light. In this situation, his eyes were of no help. Even when he focused mana into his eyes, nothing became visible. ¡°I¡¯ll abandon sight.¡± Zeon discarded the futile attempt and focused solely on his hearing, smell, and touch. Whoosh! He felt a slight breeze. In a confined space like this, the air remained still. The wind blowing meant that there was a connected space somewhere. Zeon thought as he walked towards where the wind blew. ¡®A dungeon in the form of a temple? Why would such a dungeon even exist?¡¯ Despite bing an Awakened a while ago, he still had no idea about the origin or principles behind dungeon creation. He had asked Dyoden, but he remained tight-lipped. Judging by Dyoden¡¯s demeanor, he seemed to know something but refused to share. ¡®Could the creation of dungeons be rted to the destruction of Earth?¡¯ It was mere spection; there was no certainty at present. Then, suddenly. Thud! Thud! A dull sound echoed out of nowhere. It was undoubtedly the sound of something heavy moving. Zeon halted, listening intently. Thud! Thud! Thud! The heavy sound persisted. ¡°What?¡± In truth, the conclusion was already evident. In a temple-like dungeon, the only things capable of movement were monsters. Zeon heightened his dominion, preparing for a potential battle. ¡°What?¡± A look of frustration appeared on Zeon¡¯s face as he moved his mana for a while. There was absolutely no sense of sand nearby. He was a Sand Mage. Without sand, he was just an ordinary human. ¡°There¡¯s not even a speck of sand?¡± Within his dominion¡¯s reach, he couldn¡¯t sense a single grain of sand. It was the first time he¡¯d encountered such a situation, leaving Zeon understandably flustered. ¡°This is insane!¡± Thud! Thud! Thump! At that moment, the heavy footsteps approached closer. Then, in the darkness, countless eyes appeared. Zeon staggered backward. However, eyes also emerged from the passage he had just passed. Their silhouettes revealed in the dim glow illuminating the darkness. The owners of those eyes had the same form as humans. The only difference was that their bodies were made of stone. Their stature was simr to Zeon¡¯s, but they were much bulkier and rugged. There was only one type of monster like that. ¡°Golems?¡± They were Stone Golems. The worst opponent for Zeon. Even if he could use sand as usual, he couldn¡¯t be confident of his victory. Now dozens of them surround Zeon. ¡°Shit!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 22 Chapter 22 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 22 Dyoden revealed his white teeth as heughed. The moment he entered this ce, he knew. The guardians of this temple were Golems. Even though he didn¡¯t know who the owner of the temple was, using Golems as guardians was not that strange. The temple is a ce that worships someone with divine significance. If someone is revered as divine, they could be considered a god in themselves. ¡°A god?¡± Dyoden¡¯s eyes sparkled with madness. Having traveled the desert for over a hundred years, conquering numerous dungeons and defeating many S-rank monsters as known by the world, he had never entered a dungeon where a god resided. If there truly was a god here, it was a golden opportunity. An opportunity to kill a god. ¡°Hehe!¡± A maniacalughter escaped his lips. Ziing! At that moment, something blocked his way. A massive creature made of stone. It was a Golem. The Golem, asrge as a giant boulder, had eyes that glowed ominously. Dyoden couldn¡¯t decipher what those eyes were trying to convey. ¡°Come at me! You rock-headed bastard.¡± Dyoden drew out his weapon, Kreion. Thud! Thud! At that moment, other Golems joined behind the giant Golem. Dyoden¡¯s eyes filled with a crazed intensity. ck energy barriers covered their bodies. It was reminiscent of the characteristics of humans merged with machines. ¡°Kehe! I wonder if that kid can survive this.¡± From the moment he entered the dungeon, Dyoden knew. This is a dungeon that had the worstpatibility with Zeon¡¯s abilities. Inside the temple dedicated to a god, there was not a speck of dust or grain of sand. It had clearly been kept clean with cleansing magic. It was a terrible environment for a Sand Mage like Zeon. Unable to use sand, he had to face the Golems with his true power alone. It was a truly desperate situation. But he needed to get used to such fights. Although most of the world had turned into a desert, there were still ces untouched. Neo Seoul being a prime example. Protected by energy barriers, the city beyond the high walls was almost devoid of dust or sand. It was an environment simr to this temple. To survive in such an environment, Zeon had to learn how to fight without sand. ¡°If you can¡¯t survive without a bit of sand, you don¡¯t deserve to live.¡± Either ovee the limitations of a Sand Mage, or fail to ovee them and die in the hands of the Golems. Zeon had only two options. Dyoden had never thought of helping him. Zeon needed to be strong enough to survive on his own. That was the minimum condition for Dyoden to keep him around. ¡°Try your best to survive, you idiot!¡± *** ¡°Why did I follow that old bastard?¡± Zeon rolled his body quickly, muttering to himself. Bang! The spot where he was just moments ago was struck by a Golem¡¯s fist. If he had been a littlete in dodging, he would¡¯ve turned into minced meat. Thud! Whirr! Golems were closing in on Zeon. Dozens of Golems perceived Zeon as an enemy. If the Golems¡¯ movements had been a little more natural and agile, Zeon¡¯s life would have ended long ago. However, he couldn¡¯t keep avoiding forever. No matter how much Zeon Awakened and gained physical strength far superior to that of ordinary people, as long as he was human, there was bound to be a limit. Once his stamina ran out, only a dreadful death awaited him. Before that, he needed to find a way. ¡®What weapons do I have other than sand?¡¯ Zeon quickly checked his equipment. First, the gauntlet on his right hand. And the weapons of the elves stowed in the subspace. He excluded the weapons of the elves for now. Zeon didn¡¯t know how to use a bow, and it was not suitable to use in a situation where so many monsters were crowded into such a narrow space. It was the same with the daggers. He didn¡¯t know how sharp the elves¡¯ daggers were, but he doubted they could cut through Stone Golems. In the end, Zeon was left with only the gauntlet that Kailey had made for him. ¡®Well, there was only one choice in the first ce. It¡¯s good that I don¡¯t have to think about it.¡¯ Zeon clenched the fist wearing the gauntlet. If there was only one choice from the start, he had to make the best of what was given. Zeon dodged the Golem¡¯s attack, striking its torso. Bam! With a loud boom, the massive body of the Golem trembled. However, despite a few specks of dust falling, the Golem remained intact. Even after striking the Golem¡¯s body multiple times, the oue remained the same. With ordinary attacks, he was unable to properly hit the Golem¡¯s body. ¡®Normal attacks won¡¯t work!¡¯ The pain from wearing the gauntlet was excruciating. No matter how well the gauntlet was worn, it couldn¡¯tpletely mitigate the impact of striking a rock-like surface. Zeon realized that he couldn¡¯t fully utilize the potential of the gauntlet. When someone realizes the problem, only then can they correct it. ¡®If I concentrate the mana, I can increase its destructive power.¡¯ While contemting, the Golem¡¯s fist narrowly missed his head by a few inches. It was a moment where his head could have been crushed. Yet, Zeon kept hisposure intact. Having umted numerous experiences while following Dyoden had taught him how to maintain rationality and calmness in any situation. Concentrating calmly, Zeon focused mana into the gauntlet. Whoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± At that moment, a strong resonance erupted from the gauntlet. Initially puzzled by the unexpected turn, Zeon soon grasped what was happening. This was the intended function of the gauntlet. Crafted from the skeleton of an irond starfish and adamantium, the gauntlet was optimized for condensing and amplifying mana. Had Zeon been a Martial Arts Awakened, he would have noticed this a long time ago. ¡®Now that I know, it¡¯s not toote.¡¯ Zeon dodged the Golem¡¯s attack and struck its torso. Boom! With a loud explosion, the Golem¡¯s torso burst open. Even with half its torso flying off, the Golem paid no heed and continued attacking Zeon. This was possible because it was an artificial life form that could not feel pain. In such cases, finding and destroying the core was imperative. The problem was not knowing the exact location of the core. However, Zeon simplified it. He held onto one Golem and ruthlessly pounded it as much as he could. Boom! Boom! [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] With loud explosions, the Golem¡¯s shoulders flew off, followed by its arms and legs. In the process of escting the destruction in a short span, mana consumption was extreme, but there was no other choice. Eventually, Zeon found the core. A bluish light emanated from the neck of the decapitated Golem, where a Magic Stone the size of a fingernail was pulsating with powerful mana. It was undoubtedly the Golem¡¯s core. Crack! Without mercy, Zeon shattered the core. Instantly, the constantly moving Golem stopped. Now that he had identified the weakness, it was time to attack effectively. Dodge the Golem¡¯s attack, decapitate its head, and then destroy the core in its neck. Easier said than done. Executing it would be far from easy. Anticipating and evading the Golem¡¯s attack, the mental calctions, the motor skills supporting it, and mana maniption¡ªall had to align in a split second. The issue was aplishing all of this in an instant. Boom! Zeon¡¯s fist struck the Golem¡¯s head, shattering it into pieces. The moment Zeon was about to destroy the core, another Golem attacked. Thud! ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon groaned as he tumbled to the ground. The pain from the blow felt like his waist was broken. But he didn¡¯t have the luxury of time to groan over the pain. The Golems unleashed a barrage of punches. Thud! Thud! Rolling on the ground, Zeon narrowly evaded the Golems¡¯ assaults. He took a moment to catch his breath. ¡®My movements are too big. I need to trim the excess and keep it concise.¡¯ He identified his shorings in real-time. The reason why the Golem was allowed to strike a moment ago was because the motion to destroy the core was too extensive. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± After catching his breath for a moment, Zeon leaped back into the midst of the Golems. One of the Golems charged straight at him. Its bulky stone body was akin to a massive weapon in itself. Hitting the Golem with an unprotected part of his body would likely shatter his bones and tear off the muscles. Zeon narrowly avoided the Golem¡¯s attack and hooked its leg. However, causing it to stumble didn¡¯t make it fall. Pressing down on the Golem¡¯s chest with his left hand, not covered by the gauntlet, Zeon easily crushed it thanks to mana maniption. He struck the struggling Golem¡¯s head with his gauntlet-d fist. Crack! The Golem¡¯s head shattered into pieces with a loud explosion. He then struck the exposed core in the neck area with his fist. Only then did the Golem¡¯s movements cease. The time taken so far was merely a breath. It was within the brief span of time that Zeon caught his breath. However, another wave of Golem attacks poured in. Bang! Rolling and evading their attacks wasn¡¯t something he learned; it was instinctual. This instinct saved him from the Golems¡¯ encirclement. Zeon targeted the outermost Golem, attacking its knee joint to disable its mobility or tripping it over. Repeatedly decapitating the immobilized Golems and destroying their core in the neck, his movements became more concise and effective as the battle continued. Fighting the Golems taught Zeon how to utilize the gauntlet efficiently. While he couldn¡¯t wield martial arts like the Awakened Martial Artists, he grasped how to use the gauntlet effectively. Thud! The remnants of thest Golem fell. ¡°Haa! Haa!¡± Zeon panted heavily; his entire body was drenched in sweat. The battle with the Golems had pushed his body to its limit. His legs trembled, and he struggled for breath, bearing wounds from the Golem¡¯s attacks. Despite minimizing the impact, the pain was excruciating. However, there was no time to sit and rest, to acknowledge the pain or exhaustion. Even now, Dyoden would still be advancing, and resting now would only widen the gap between them. Zeon retrieved a piece of jerky from his pack and slowly chewed on it, restoring some of his energy. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go.¡± Zeon resumed his stride. His eyes had fully adapted to the darkness by now. No longer did he need to fumble around like when he first entered the passage. Facing the Golems had boosted Zeon¡¯s confidence. Golems were undoubtedly fearsome opponents. Unlike organic life forms, they had no fear, and their destructive power was enormous. However, their movements were sluggish and they had no creativity. With a little level-headed thinking, anyone could figure out their weaknesses. If all the Golems were at this level, he felt confident in handling them. ¡°Could I possibly have a knack for martial arts?¡± Zeon chuckled for a moment. Thud! Thud! Once again, the heavy footsteps reverberated. Zeon wiped away his amusement and assumed abat stance. ¡°Come at me. I¡¯ll bring you all down.¡± At that moment, the Golems appeared from the darkness. However, these Golems looked different from before. Their upper body resembled a human, with a horse-like lower body. ¡°Centaur Golems?¡± The Golems looked exactly like centaurs. Thud! Thud! Thud! They charged at full speed, resembling an ancient cavalry charge. ¡°Shit! This is unfair.¡± Zeon wanted to punch himself in the mouth for speaking too early. Golems, much stronger and faster than the ones before, charged at him like a storm. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 23 Chapter 23 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 23 ¡°Crazy! Hahaha!¡± When pain bes unbearable or verges on madness,ughter bubbles up. At this moment, Zeon¡¯s condition was exactly that. Leaning against the wall, Zeon was gasping for breath, his legs devoid of strength to stand, relying on the wall for support. His face was scattered and torn, blood flowing from various wounds all over his body. Fortunately, the breastte made from the carcass of the Queen Wolf Ant and the robe crafted from the Sand Angeler¡¯s hide provided some protection, limiting the damage. If hecked either one, Zeon¡¯s life would likely have been cut short. ¡°Haah!¡± As the pain reached a manageable level, breathing became easier for Zeon. Taking a deep breath, he surveyed his surroundings. Broken rock debris filled the dark space, remnants of the Centaurus Golems. Zeon had fought with all his might¡ªdodging, throwing punches, evading, and striking again. He repeated this chaotic dance in a daze until he regained his senses and saw the Golems resembling Centaurusy defeated. ¡°Damn! It hurts like hell.¡± Zeon stood up, holding on to his ching legs. Despite such intensebat, there was no change in Zeon¡¯s rank insignia. Perhaps it was because he hadn¡¯t utilized sand in his attacks. Walking with difficulty, Zeon mumbled. ¡°Is there no potion that can restore my health if I drink it?¡± Even if such an item existed, it couldn¡¯t be in a corridor like this. At least the probability was higher in the ce where the statue of the god of this temple was enshrined. Since he didn¡¯t know when more formidable foes like the Centaurus Golems might appear again, Zeon cautiously moved forward. Suddenly, a massive door appeared before him. It was so huge that it could not even bepared to the door of the passage where the Centaurus Golems had appeared. ¡°Shit!¡± Without even confirming with his eyes, Zeon knew there was an enormous Golem behind that door. Given his experience, the size of the door was proportional to the size of the Golem. However, turning back was not an option. ¡°Phew!¡± Zeon took a moment to take a big breath before summoning his strength to open the door. The space beyond the door was colossal. It was hard to believe such a vast space existed within the temple. It was a hundred meters wide and over thirty meters high. In the center of this gigantic space stood a statue. Two enormous horns, reminiscent of a water buffalo, protruded from the head of the statue. The statue, towering over five meters, exuded an overwhelming aura. Without confirmation, Zeon knew the owner of this room was that statue. The enormous Golem seemed unaware of Zeon¡¯s entrance, showing no signs of movement. Zeon¡¯s gaze, however, shifted to a small door behind the giant Golem. It seemed like the exit. ¡®If I dash in before it notices, there might be a chance¡­¡¯ Zeon thought the Golem¡¯s movements would be slow, given its colossal size. Normally, Golems had limited agility unless specifically designed for it, like the Centaurus Golems. Thump! Zeon kicked off the floor and ran as hard as he could. Gathering every ounce of his remaining strength, he dashed towards the door on the other side. He passed the gigantic Golem in an instant and was almost in front of the door on the other side. Right as a light of joy appeared on Zeon¡¯s face. ¡°Almost there¡­¡± Bang! Zeon¡¯s body was thrown backwards with an explosion. Suddenly, the gigantic Golem was standing in front of him. ¡°Cough!¡± Spitting out blood, Zeon struggled to lift his head. The massive Golem acted like a gatekeeper, blocking off the door. Zeon hadn¡¯t noticed such a colossal Golem moving. It moved so discreetly, not making a single sound. A ck aura emanated from the entire body of the colossal Golem. The meaning of the ck aura was clear. ¡°B-rank or higher?¡± Even dealing with C-rank would be challenging for Zeon, let alone B-rank. Dyoden tore through B-rank monsters like they were toys, but that was because Dyoden was an Awakened beyond standard ssifications. Zeon was now at E-rank, and his main abilities were also forcibly sealed away. Engaging inbat with such a colossal Golem in this state was tantamount to suicide. If only he could use sand, the situation might not be so grim. Wiping off the blood from the corner of his mouth, Zeon stood up. He knew it was an impossible opponent, but he also couldn¡¯t just sit there and wait for death. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s do this. Once dead, twice dead.¡± One thing he learned from Dyoden was to never give up, no matter the circumstances. He believed that if he somehow endured, an opportunity would eventually arise. The problem was surviving until that chance came and whether he could seize it when it did. ¡°Let¡¯s start by finding out where its core is¡± The first Golems he encountered had their cores in the neck, while the Centaurus Golems had their cores in the chest. He needed to locate the core hidden somewhere in the colossal Golem¡¯s body. That¡¯s when it happened. sh! A burst of light erupted from the colossal Golem, and suddenly, it appeared in front of Zeon. ¡°What?¡± Zeon widened his eyes. Only now did he realize how the colossal Golem had attacked him moments ago. It was using a skill called Blink, a skill that allows one to instantly teleport as far as they can see. Desperately, Zeon rolled on the floor. Whoosh! At that moment, the colossal Golem¡¯s fist narrowly missed Zeon¡¯s head by a hair¡¯s breadth. If Zeon had reacted a bit slower, that attack would have crushed him like a bug. Cold sweat trickled down his spine. Then, a human voice emanated from the colossal Golem¡¯s mouth. ¨CGigarain, exterminate the intruder. ¡°Gigarain? Is that your name?¡± Zeon asked, but the colossal Golem Gigarain didn¡¯t respond and continued its assault. Once again, a sh of light erupted as Gigarain appeared in front of Zeon. But this time, Zeon was not left helpless. The moment the sh erupted, he managed to swiftly dodge it by leaping out with his body. Zeon had noticed that a sh of light erupted whenever Gigarain was about to use its skill Blink. It wasn¡¯t that difficult to dodge once he knew when the Blink would be used. As Zeon expected, Gigarain appeared where he was just a moment ago. Then, Zeon delivered a blow to Gigarain¡¯s torso. ¡°Whaaah!¡± ng! But his attack merely bounced off with a metallic ng. Gigarain¡¯s strength surpassed any Golems Zeon had faced so far. Moreover, not a scratch appeared on its surface, protected by the ck aura barrier. Zeon despaired. He had no idea how to fight against such a monster. Perhaps this was how the creatures facing Dyoden felt. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Whoosh! Once more, Gigarain¡¯s fist aimed at Zeon. The size of that fist was almost asrge as Zeon himself. If struck squarely, it would be the end for Zeon. Zeon fell to the ground and managed to dodge Gigarain¡¯s fist by lying t. Immediately after, he rolled his body over and stood up. Infusing a lot of mana into his gauntlet, Zeon attacked Gigarain. Kwaaang! But once again, his strike failed to damage Gigarain. Not even a single crumb fell off from its body. It was an insane level of resilience. Kwang! Bang! Despite this, Zeon continued to attack several times. It was simr to trying to break a rock with an egg. However, Zeon still continued his assault, trying to find its weakness and the core. Even though he couldn¡¯t locate the core, he found Gigarain¡¯s weakness¡ªthe joints at its knees. The enormous weight of Gigarain applied immense pressure on its knee joints with every movement. That¡¯s why it used the Blink skill to minimize the stress on its joints. Then it happened. Sizzle! Sparks suddenly flew from Gigarain¡¯s colossal horns. Zeon wasn¡¯t sure what it meant. ¡®A offensive skill?¡¯ A B-rank monster having no attack skills was quite odd. Zeon sharpened his focus on Gigarain¡¯s horns. At that moment, a barrage of lightning bolts shot out from Gigarain¡¯s horns. It was a chain lightning, spreading like a, filling the massive underground chamber. Zeon instinctively realized that he couldn¡¯t dodge it. In an instant, he covered himself with his robe and crouched down. He had no choice but to trust the defensive power of the robe made from the Sand Angler¡¯s hide. Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! The massive chain of lightning struck Zeon. ¡°Argh!¡± Even though he covered himself with the robe, he felt a tremendous impact and current surging through him. Zeon gritted his teeth and endured the pain. Finally, what felt like an eternity came to an end. When he emerged from the attack, Zeon¡¯s appearance was truly wretched. The robe draped over his body was either burnt or torn, revealing Zeon¡¯s flesh beneath. Although the robe, made from Sand Angler¡¯s hide, boasted exceptional regeneration, it was useless in the face of shocks that exceeded its limits. The tattered robepletely lost its functionality. Still, sacrificing the robe had saved his life. However, he also couldn¡¯t escape unscathed from the tremendous electrical assault. The currents that the robe couldn¡¯t absorb or deflect struck him. He endured the pain with nothing but the resilience of an Awakened individual¡¯s body and willpower. Thud! Thud! Gigarain approached Zeon. As Zeon observed its approach, he couldn¡¯t move. Fortunately, he had survived, but his nerves were paralyzed by the electric current. While the paralysis slowly eased, he still couldn¡¯t move his body. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Zeon cursed inwardly. Gigarain was closing in, moving as if it didn¡¯t need to use Blink on a captured prey like Zeon. Watching ite closer while being unable to move filled Zeon with despair and anger. ¡®If only I could use sand¡­¡¯ Gathering thest of his mana, he increased his dominance. Despite knowing there was no sand within the temple, he couldn¡¯t give up like this. Then it happened. He vaguely sensed something akin to sand. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Clearly, there was not a single grain of sand inside the temple. Still, something akin to sand was reacting. Zeon focused on this faint sensation of sand. Unexpectedly, the source of this faint sensation wasing from within his pocket. ¡®Inside my pocket? Surely¡­¡¯ He recalled the hourss he had obtained by spending a fortune in the Magic Stone Mines. It never responded like this before, but unexpectedly, it was reacting at this very moment. While Zeon concentrated on the hourss, Gigarain arrived. Observing Zeon for a moment, Gigarain kicked him aside. Kwaaang! With a thunderous sound, Zeon¡¯s body was flung away, crashing into the opposite wall. Zeon¡¯s state was dire. Even the chestte made from the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s carcass shattered into pieces, and Zeon¡¯s entire body crumpled as if it were run over by a colossal armored vehicle. Yet, against all odds, he somehow clung to life. Thud! Thud! Gigarain was approaching Zeon to finish him off for good. A handful of sand flowed out of Zeon¡¯s pocket. When the Golem kicked him, the hourss inside his pocket had shattered, and the sand was spilling out. Tssss! At that moment, the tiny particles of sand flowing out suddenly began to be absorbed into Zeon¡¯s pores. In an instant, all the sand particles were absorbed into Zeon. It was then that a change urred within Zeon. Thud! Thud! In a blink, all his wounds healed, and even the broken bones returned to their original state. Everything was due to the sand, absorbed into Zeon¡¯s pores. Although no one told him, Zeon recognized the identity of the sand absorbed into his body. ¡°Exion!¡± The finest particles of sand that exist on Earth. Exion, the greatest weapon for a Sand Mage. [TL/N: The hourss activated at the perfect time (get it? lmao). Anyway, looks like it¡¯ll give him a temporary boost in power. But I wonder if it can be used again or if it¡¯s a one time use type item. What do you guys think? ] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 24 Chapter 24 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 24 Exion wasn¡¯t an element of Earth. It was something that had crossed over to Earth along with the other beings when the underwent such a transformation. However, no one knew of its value, and it was treated as a simple hourss. The hourss, unnoticed and ignored by all, found its way into Zeon¡¯s hands as if guided by destiny. Exion could be stored within the pores of one¡¯s body and summoned whenever needed. It was the ultimate weapon,pensating wlessly for a Sand Mage¡¯s weakness, who arepletely rendered powerless when devoid of sand. From the moment Exion was absorbed into him, Zeon sensed thetent heat processing within his body. Exion was not able to integrate properly, burdening his body, causing a typical runaway reaction. Without undergoing the proper assimtion process, it led to this runaway reaction. Quickly restoring Zeon¡¯s body to normal, yet risking copse if left unchecked. There was only one way to stabilize the overflowing energy: to expel the runaway energy. Zeon asserted control, causing Exion, previously absorbed into his pores, to flow out. Exion rippled around Zeon¡¯s body like a cloud, each particle felt vividly connected to his nerves. It was at this moment that Gigarain, sensing an unusual atmosphere,unched an attack on Zeon. sh! Once again, a chain of lightning unfolded, filling the room. Despite the intense surge of electricity capable of blinding a human, Zeon remained unfazed. He manipted Exion, creating a small dome around his body, shielding himself. Zap! The chain lightning struck Exion, yet Zeon within it remained unaffected by any shock. Sand inherently didn¡¯t conduct electricity. Exion, the exclusive weapon of the Sand Mage, possessed a much greater resistance than ordinary sand. As the chain lightning that filled the room dissipated, Zeon released Exion¡¯s dome shape. ¡°Whew! This is amazing.¡± Zeon marveled at Exion¡¯s prowess. To be so perfectly protected amidst such intense electrical currents¡ªconfirmed its potential as a powerful weapon based on its utility. Thud! Thud! When chain lightning didn¡¯t work, Gigarain charged directly. With Gigarain¡¯s colossal body gaining speed, it was a truly terrifying sight. But Zeon didn¡¯t sumb to fear. He had bravely confronted Gigarain even without using Exion. Having obtained Exion, he couldn¡¯t imagine cowering in fear. Thud! Zeon propelled himself towards Gigarain. Exion wrapped around Zeon¡¯s trail like a meteor. A sensation of abundance and vitality filled his body. ¡°Take this!¡± Zeon extended his fist. In response, Exion followed his fist and spun violently like a drill, exploding into Gigarain. Bang! A thunderous explosion, unlike anything before, rocked Gigarain¡¯s massive body, causing it to tremble. Despite the giant¡¯s sturdy physique, a significant gash appeared, but it didn¡¯t cease its movement. The greatest advantage of a golem was its inability to feel pain. With no fear, it ignored most minor injuries. Zeon was well aware of this fact, having faced numerous golems on his way here, learning their weaknesses. ¡®Its weak point is its joints. Especially the knees.¡¯ Concentrating intensely, Zeonunched Gigarain. He visualized a picture. A picture of Exion being condensed into something as thin as a thread. Now it was time to infiltrate Exion into Gigarain¡¯s joints. But a challenge still remained. The ck barrier enveloping Gigarain¡¯s entire body acted as a shield¡ªan energy field. it mitigated and blocked both physical and magical attacks to a certain extent. For those who deviated from the standards like Dyoden, it would be nothing more than tearing apart a piece of paper, but for a low-rank Awakened like Zeon, it was an insurmountable wall. Yet Zeon had a n. ¡®Focus everything on one point. Then rotate it to maximize its destructive power.¡¯ Zeon concentrated all his mana into Exion. Zoom! Exion, transformed into a thread-like shape, fiercely rotated, prating Gigarain¡¯s energy field. Resembling a slender serpent, Exionboriously traversed the energy field, finally infiltrating Gigarain¡¯s knee joint. The golem¡¯s joints were vulnerable to sand. Crack! A sound of something splitting echoed from Gigarain¡¯s knee joint. Ordinary sand might have not caused much obstruction, but Exion wasn¡¯t ordinary sand. It could change its form to practically anything, based on Zeon¡¯s will. Once Exion breached the joint, it coalesced into rough particles. Zeon visualized Exion rotating within the golem¡¯s joint. ¡°High-speed rotation!¡± Swoosh! At that moment, Exion rotated at an extremely high speed. The coarse sand particles gnashed at Gigarain¡¯s joints. When grinding against the surface of an inherently strong metal, sand is forcefully expelled at a high pressure. The Sand ster skill worked based on the same principle. Rapidly rotating sand had the worstpatibility with joint areas. The joints sprayed dust and debris. As Exion spun rapidly, rocks were ground out. Despite the joint¡¯s abnormality, Gigarain tried to move. Crack! In that moment, apanied by a cracking sound, Gigarain¡¯s body contorted abnormally. The knee joint, unable to withstand the load, finally copsed. Thud! Gigarain dropped to its knees. The giant Golem tried to raise its body, but supporting its massive weight with one leg was not an easy task. Had Gigarain been capable of any foresight, it might have chosen a different approach. However, being an artificial lifeform that functioned only within predefined parameters, itcked the improvisation to handle unforeseen circumstances, operating solely as programmed. Zeon seized upon this weakness. He injected Exion into the opposite knee joint. Simrly, with high-speed rotation, Gigarain¡¯s other knee joint waspletely destroyed shortly after. Thud! Gigarain¡¯s colossal body toppled to the ground. Yet, Zeon remained vignt. High-rank Golems such as Gigarain possessed self-recovery capabilities. Although severely impacted at the moment, it would surely attack Zeon once again after recovering the damaged parts. Gigarain needed to bepletely destroyed before that. ¡®I need to find the core quickly.¡¯ Destroying the core would stop the Golem¡¯s movements. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The problem was locating the core within this massive body. There was only one way to check. Using Exion. Zeon moved Exion inside through Gigarain¡¯s knee joint. Despite being a Golem made of stone, it required mana from the core in order to move. Hence, there should be a kind of passage through which mana flowed in. Called the ¡®mana circuit¡¯. It was so subtle that the mana circuit could not be detected using any reasonable method. However, Exion was finer and more potent than the mana circuit. Exion quickly scanned the inside of the Gigarain and was finally able to locate the mana circuit. Zeon concentrated his mind and infiltrated Exion into the mana circuit. Then it happened. Boom! With a chilling sound, Gigarain¡¯s broken joints began to recover. Shattered fragments and dust began returning to their original ces as if time were rewinding. Zeon furrowed his brow at this sight. Gigarain¡¯s knee was almost fully restored. The creature was slowly rising. A red light emitted from its eyes. Zeon presumed it was anger. For an emotionless golem to express anger was impossible, but Gigarain was at least a B-rank monster. It wouldn¡¯t be improbable for it to disy emotions. He had to end this before the creature¡¯s anger turned against him. Zeon intensified his use of Exion. Exion went up the mana circuit at high speed. From the knees to the hip axis, reaching the chest, the core still wasn¡¯t detected. Meanwhile, Gigarain had fully recovered from its injuries, standing tall again. Boom! The massive Golem stood upright. The distance between Gigarain and Zeon was barely a meter. Gigarain raised its arms high, intending to crush Zeonpletely. Zeon also saw the impending doom clearly, but he couldn¡¯t dodge. If he dodged now, he¡¯ll be distracted and all his efforts would have been in vain. Crash! Gigarain struck down both its fists, which were raised high in the sky. Even at this moment, Zeon was concentrating with all his might. ¡®Found it!¡¯ As Gigarain¡¯s fist was about to crush him, Zeon finally located the core using Exion. He attacked the core with Exion. Boom! At that instant, the core exploded, and Gigarain¡¯s movements ceased. Gigarain¡¯s fists halted just above Zeon¡¯s head. He survived by just a few hair lengths. ¡°Ha!¡± Zeon¡¯s legs became weak and he copsed to the ground. He had done it himself, but he couldn¡¯t believe it. Even though he absorbed Exion, the fact that he had taken down a B-rank monster didn¡¯t seem real. ¡°Did I really defeat this Golem? Haha! Unbelievable¡­¡± It was so absurd that he burst outughing. However, Zeon knew. The reason he was able to defeat Gigarain was not due to sheer skill, but wasrgely due to the difference inpatibility. Disying such strength against other B-rank monsters would have been impossible. Tssss! Exion, which had destroyed Gigarain¡¯s core, flowed back and was absorbed into Zeon¡¯s body. As Zeon was lying on his back, breathing heavily. Suddenly, an orange light emitted from his wrist inside the gauntlet. Zeon was taken aback and removed the gauntlet, to see light emanating from the rank insignia on his wrist. The third line was shining. It was clear that he had advanced to D-rank. ¡°I¡¯ve be D-rank?¡± Pride swelled within him. This achievement was aplished solely through his own strength, without any aid from Dyoden. He felt a sense of aplishment. As he advanced to D-rank, his stamina and mana were also fully recovered. ¡°Haa! Looks like I won¡¯t die anytime soon.¡± Zeon got up and looked at Gigarain he had defeated. Gigarain remained frozen in the same position as it had attempted to strike him with both fists. The golem with its core destroyed was nothing more than a lump of stone. There was no part of it that Zeon could use, unlike the Sand Angler¡¯s hide or the Queen Wolf Ant¡¯s carcass. Setting aside his regret, Zeon headed towards the door on the opposite side. Now was not the time to worry about the golem he had defeated. He needed to get to Dyoden quickly. Fortunately, after Gigarain, no other golems appeared. Thanks to this, Zeon could safely reach the dead-end of the passage. There was arger door than the chamber where Gigarain resided. Zeon swallowed nervously. ¡®If the door is this big, how big will be the thing that¡¯s inside?¡¯ Suddenly, fear came flooding back. However, Zeon resisted the feeling of fear and continued. ¡°I¡¯ve alreadye this far, I can¡¯t turn back now. Let¡¯s go.¡± Zeon exerted his strength to push the massive door. The door opened unbelievably smoothly. Upon glimpsing inside, Zeon widened his eyes. The sight that unfolded before him was unbelievable. A massive cluster of light was dissipating. In front of it stood Dyoden, holding the Kreion. Zeon didn¡¯t need to ask. He knew. The fading light was the owner of this temple. ¡®Did he kill the god?¡¯ A shiver ran down Zeon¡¯s spine. At that moment, Dyoden turned his head towards Zeon. ¡°You¡¯rete, idiot!¡± Gulp! Instead of replying, Zeon swallowed his dry saliva. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 25 Chapter 25 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 25 The disappearing ck light was slowly being absorbed into Kreion. As Kreion absorbed the ck light, an even more ominous aura emanated from it. Zeon asked cautiously. ¡°Is that the owner of this temple?¡± Dyoden replied as he retrieved Kreion. ¡°It¡¯s nothing more than a remnant of a god who has lost its divinity. A mere shadow incapable of wielding even ten percent of its original power.¡± ¡°So, is it really a god? Is it possible to kill a god?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you. It¡¯s nothing but a shadow that has lost its divine status.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not of this Earth, it¡¯s just a fragment of Kurayan trapped within this dungeon, barely clinging to existence. Even if it wasn¡¯t me, eventually, it would have disappeared on its own. So, don¡¯t make a fuss about it.¡± Zeon sealed his lips at Dyoden¡¯s words, yet his face still held a glimmer of confusion. The notion of an existing divine being was hard to believe, let alone the mention of a strange word like ¡®Kurayan.¡¯ Zeon thought he understood Dyoden to some extent, but now he realized that he knew nothing at all. Dyoden¡¯s strength surpassed his imagination. He said to Zeon. ¡°Nevertheless, you managed to survive without faltering. There wouldn¡¯t have been any sand.¡± ¡°I just barely survived.¡± ¡°Humph! As long as you didn¡¯t die, that¡¯s what matters.¡± Tsssh! Finally, the remnants of the divine ck light werepletely absorbed by Kreion. Dyoden looked at Kreion with a satisfied smile. ¡°Now, at least the minimum preparation is done.¡± ¡°What preparation are you talking about?¡± ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Kukukuku! Suddenly, the temple began to shake. As the owner of the temple perished, the dungeon itself was copsing. The gigantic pirs fell powerless, and the ceiling was crumbling down. Space was swallowing up the temple itself. The world was vanishing. Dyoden observed without a word, but Zeon was overwhelmed. Zeon witnessed the world copsing. In that moment, both their bodies were enveloped in a halo of light and disappeared. After a while, the two reappeared right at the entrance of the stone door that had formed the dungeon¡¯s entrance. As soon as they were thrown out, the stone door vanished without a trace, as if it never existed. Their venture into the dungeon felt like a distant dream, but it was neither a dream nor an illusion. The Exion absorbed into his body testified to that fact. Absorbing Exion and ascending another rank seemed to massively increase his dominance. Dyoden was the first to jump out of the sand pit, a hundred meters deep. Zeon used Sand Stride. The sand automatically pushed Zeon out of the massive pit. As they emerged from the pit, they were greeted by the dazzling sunlight. Although he didn¡¯t know how much time had passed in the dungeon, it was morning in the real world. The flow of time within dungeons varied greatly. In some dungeons, a day in reality turned into ten days, while in others, time mirrored reality. This made it impossible to know how much time had passed in the real world before checking. However, neither Zeon nor Dyoden were interested in such matters. What mattered to them was conquering the dungeon hidden deep beneath the desert. In this recent dungeon, Zeon hadpletely absorbed Exion. Now he had acquired a minimum means for self defense even in ces without any sand. Fortunately, Exion, which was running wild, had stabilized after he defeated Gigarain. Now, he could use Exion whenever needed. As Zeon¡¯s level increased, the power of Exion would also rise. He nced at Dyoden. When Zeon himself had be this strong, he wondered just how much stronger that old man had be. Godyer. Zeon had in Gigarain, the guardian deity, while Dyoden had in a god, Albeit a weakened god devoid of its divinity. He knew the enormity and grandeur of this achievement. ¡®I thought I had caught up with him quite a bit, but I have a long way to go.¡¯ Nevertheless, Zeon wasn¡¯t disappointed. Dyoden was old, while Zeon was young. With plenty of days left to live, he believed he could eventually catch up if he persisted. As he followed Dyoden, Zeon noticed his personality and mindset gradually resembling him a lot. Dyoden continued his pace without resting. Zeon also used his Sand Stride. Thanks to his advancement to D-rank, his ability to manipte sand had improved drastically, allowing him to move at a pace almost matching Dyoden¡¯s. Without rest, Dyoden walked in the direction where the sun was rising. Quietly, Zeon followed behind. After walking for several days towards the east, an unfamiliarndscape appeared. Initially, Zeon thought it was a hallucination or illusion. That¡¯s how much the scene before Zeon¡¯s eyes surpassed his expectations. ¡°Oh my goodness! A forest.¡± He was clearly looking at a vast forest. A huge forest spread out in the middle of the barren desert. It was his first time seeing a forest made of trees after the world had been ruined to this extent. Although trees and forests also existed within Neo Seoul. They were shielded perfectly from the arid climate of the outskirts by the barrier. But people in the slums could never witness that scenery, because of the high barrier that separated the slums from Neo Seoul. Zeon had only heard stories of trees and forests; this was the first time he had seen it firsthand. His pace quickened, even surpassing Dyoden, driven by the intense desire to see the trees up close. Yet, the closer Zeon got, the more he noticed that something about the forest was strange. There were clusters of trees forming the forest, but there was no vibrancy of green. There were no leaves at all, and the stems and branches were all ckened. It looked vastly different from the image of trees he had heard about as a child. ¡°Are these trees?¡± ¡°They¡¯re charred remains, their shape is the only thing left. Their life as trees ended long ago.¡± Dyoden gazed at the charred forest with cold eyes. ¡°People call this ce the ck Forest.¡± ¡°People? Are there people living here?¡± ¡°There are fools who stubbornly cling to living here.¡± Dyoden spoke curtly and sat beneath arge tree. Though only stems and branches remained, they provided enough shade to shield from the sun. Perhaps due to blocking the scorching sun, a refreshing coolness pervaded within the ck Forest. ¡°Woah!¡± Zeon eximed involuntarily at the chilling coldness. Other than inside dungeons or underground spaces, he had never experienced such coldness anywhere else before. Zeon stared nkly at the ck Forest. ck trees covered the entire sky. He felt a pang of regret, wishing they were real living trees, not charred remains. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Then, it happened. Whoosh! A faint sound reached Zeon¡¯s ears. It was the sound of something small pping its wings. Instinctively, Zeon erected a sand barrier right in front of him. Bang! Immediately after, something flew in, collideding with the sand barrier, and exploded. Fortunately, the explosion¡¯s range wasn¡¯t extensive, and Zeon remained unscathed. That¡¯s when Dyoden spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t venture deeper. Inside the ck Forest is the territory of the Exploding Bees.¡± ¡°Exploding Bees? Are you saying that the bees explode?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. When an intruder enters their territory, theyunch themselves at the intruder and self-explode.¡± Zeon nced at the ground. The remnants of the Exploding Bees were scattered around. From the debris, he could deduce their original size was that of a child¡¯s fist. ¡°Is the entire area inside the territory of these Exploding Bees?¡± ¡°Yes, as long as you don¡¯t cross that line, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Could it be because of these Exploding Bees that people don¡¯t live here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quick to catch on. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it solve the issue if we exterminated all the Exploding Bees?¡± ¡°If it were that easy, I would have dealt with it long ago. No matter how many Exploding Bees you kill, if the Queen Bee is still alive, they¡¯ll reproduce quickly and form another colony. So don¡¯t waste your energy on pointless endeavors. Rest here for now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Dyoden¡¯s insistence made Zeon feel like it wasn¡¯t an ordinary nuisance. It felt more like him avoiding out of annoyance rather than fear. Since it was something unrted to him anyway, Zeon sat beneath a tree near Dyoden. For now, he just wanted to forget about all of his troubles and enjoy the scenery. Leaning his back against a charred tree, Zeon gazed ahead. Unlike the shade provided by the ck Forest, the scorching sun zed fiercely in the desert, radiating intense heat. Even for Zeon, crossing the desert bare-bodied would be madness. ¡®I need to get a new robe¡­ Ah!¡¯ Suddenly, Zeon remembered that there were extra robes in his subspace. During his encounter at the destroyed Elf vige, along with a bow, he had packed several items, including robes. Opening the subspace revealed the elves¡¯ robes. Zeon took out one of the robes and put it on. Although not as good as the robe made from the Sand Angler¡¯s hide, the elves¡¯ robes also blocked out the heat to some extent. ¡®For now, this robe will do.¡¯ Though Dyoden detested this particr race, he didn¡¯t utter a word against Zeon using the elves¡¯ item. Dyoden once again fixed Kreion in ce and engaged in a low conversation. Zeon had witnessed that sight countless times. At times, he had tried to listen in to understand what Dyoden was talking about, but the voice seemed muffled, even blocked. From then on he gave up eavesdropping. At such times, it was much more beneficial for him to check out his newly acquired abilities. ¡®Thanks to Exion, my dominion has been strengthened further.¡¯ ording to his observations outside, using Exion to boost his dominance made controlling the sand much easier. Before, he could only manipte sand around ten meters of him, but now it had expanded to dozens of meters. If he continued to grow like this, he felt like he would eventually be able to control all the sand within his sight. ¡®I had a hard time since mypatibility with the Golems wasn¡¯t great. I was lucky to win this time, but I need to research more thoroughly.¡¯ As Dyoden mentioned, the deity of that temple had lost its divinity and be weakened, so it was clear that even the Guardians, Gigarain, had been significantly weakened as well. If Gigarain had been in its optimal state, there¡¯s a high chance he would have been defeated even if he used Exion. Reflecting on the battle with Gigarain, Zeon figured out the issues. Reflecting on the battle like this was a great help in improving Zeon¡¯s skills. ¡®Blink and Chain Lightning, both were powerful. If I encounter an Awakened who freely uses these two skills, my chances of winning will be very low.¡¯ The key difference between Golems and humansy in the flexibility of their thinking. Golems followed predetermined actions, while humans could adapt flexibly to situations. Zeon was currently specialized in facing monsters inrge-scales. Following Dyoden and consistently dealing with these monsters had honed his skills in that direction. If he ever intended to return to Neo Seoul, focusing on developing skills for one-on-one confrontations from now on was the right choice. Absorbed in thought, his consciousness naturally drifted away. ¡®Hmm!¡¯ Zeon sat cross-legged, letting his thoughts engulf him. He didn¡¯t realize how much time had passed. When Zeon opened his eyes again, dawn was breaking far in the distance. He had spent the entire night sitting there. ¡°Phew!¡± Zeon got up and stretched his legs. His body ached from sitting motionless all night. ¡°Huh?¡± As Zeon rxed his stiff body, he suddenly looked ahead. There was movement sensed on the sand far away. Thinking it might be the Exploding Bees, he peered closely and saw an entirely different being. ¡®A child?¡¯ In the distance, a girl who looked to be around twelve years old was lying face down on the sand, looking at Zeon and Dyoden. That¡¯s when Dyoden spoke up. ¡°A mongrel from the Goya Tribe.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A filthy mixed-breed born in a tribe of fools who try to do the impossible. She¡¯s grown that much since then. I should¡¯ve killed her back then.¡± In Dyoden¡¯s gaze upon the girl, there was a strong sense of contempt. ¡°This child is not a mongrel. She¡¯ll be the future of thisnd.¡± At that moment, a middle-aged man appeared beside the girl, speaking calmly. The middle-aged man had a traditional hunter¡¯s attire, with arge bow and arrows slung over his back. Even with the sudden appearance of the middle-aged man, Dyoden didn¡¯t show surprise and spoke bluntly. ¡°You¡¯re still spouting nonsense. Did that bitch tell you that?¡± ¡°She passed away not long ago.¡± Sadness filled the middle-aged man¡¯s face as he answered. But in Dyoden¡¯s eyes looking at him, there was still a coldness. ¡°She¡¯s dead? I should¡¯ve killed her with my own hands.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all, Dyoden. How long will you disdain them, treating them like enemies? It was never their intention for thend to have be like this¡­¡± ¡°Enough. If you bber any more than that, it won¡¯t be just you and your mongrel kid, the entire tribe will die.¡± Dyoden¡¯s killing intent surged. Seeing his murderous aura, the child jumped up and hid behind the middle-aged man. That¡¯s when Zeon saw it. The girl¡¯s ears were shaped differently from regr people¡¯s. ¡°An Elf?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 26 Chapter 26 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 26 They weren¡¯t as sharply pointed as of the elves he had met before, more of an in-between size, perhaps halfway between human and elf? It was then that Zeon finally understood what Dyoden meant by ¡®mixed-bread.¡¯ The girl was unmistakably of a mixed race between human and elf. ¡®A child of a human and an elf.¡¯ Setting aside Dyoden¡¯s infinite animosity toward elves, the feelings of elves toward humans weren¡¯t all that great either. At least that¡¯s what Zeon had experienced with the elves he¡¯d encountered. It was intriguing to think that such an elf had formed a family with a human. The girl peeked out from behind the middle-aged man, stealing nces at Zeon and Dyoden. Her expression was full of fear, but there was also curiosity lingering. Then, the middle-aged man¡¯s gaze turned toward Zeon. ¡°You¡¯re a kid I haven¡¯t seen before. Are you his disciple?¡± ¡°Disciple? That idiot? Hah!¡± Dyoden let out a mockingugh. Zeon¡¯s face crumpled, but he didn¡¯t bother to retort. Compared to Dyoden, he knew he was really an idiot. The middle-aged man asked Zeon. ¡°My name is Go Duwon. What¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°Zeon.¡± ¡°Are you perhaps of Korean descent?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know who my parents are.¡± ¡°My apologies. I didn¡¯t mean to stir up any painful memories. I was just d to meet someone of Korean descent.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Even in the slums of Neo Seoul, there were quite a few people who questioned his origins. There were quite a few foreigners living in the old Seoul. As the world changed, those unable to return to their homnds settled in Neo Seoul. They tenaciously survived, married Koreans, or other foreigners, and had children. The mingling of races became so prevalent that finding someone of pure Korean lineage became challenging. Dyoden scoffed at Go Duwon. ¡°Are you still hung up on whether someone is Korean or of foreign descent? Yet your own child is a mixed-breed with an elf.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit. Still so rough, rude¡­¡± ¡°If people change easily, it won¡¯t be long before they perish.¡± Go Duwon shook his head in response to Dyoden¡¯s words. It had been years, yet Dyoden remained unchanged. Unconcerned about other people¡¯s feelings, he spat out harsh words like a dagger. Go Duwon knew better than anyone why Dyoden harbored such hatred towards the different races. He understood his anger, but a century had passed. Among those who had experienced those events, only a few, including Dyoden, were still alive. While everyone else buried the memories quietly, Dyoden lived with this rage, which was just regrettable. Carefully, Go Duwon asked. ¡°Why have youe here? Are you here to deal with the Exploding Bees?¡± ¡°Why should I deal with the Exploding Bees?¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re not?¡± ¡°Are you still pursuing that pipedream? How foolish!¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t a pipedream. By just handling the Exploding Bees, this forest can thrive again. Don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°All I know is one thing. Once a tree is dead, it cannot be brought back to life no matter what you do.¡± Dyoden tapped the charred wood with his hand. Thud! The charred wood echoed hollowly. ¡°It¡¯s not just dead, it¡¯spletely charred. Yet you think it can be revived? Because that filthy elf whispered it to you? You believe what a filthy elf says? It¡¯d be better to slit your throat than believe in such nonsense.¡± Go Duwon clenched his lips in response to Dyoden¡¯s tirade. Dyoden¡¯s rage against elves and the other races was too intense to persuade him. ¡°Why did youe here if you weren¡¯t here to help?¡± ¡°I was just passing by and stopped by. The outskirts of the ck Forest offer some shade to rest for a bit.¡± ¡°I hope you won¡¯t stay long. Our tribe fears you.¡± ¡°Do you think I care about those insignificant incest?¡± ¡°Of course not. Because you¡¯re Dyoden. Dyoden the ughterer. I momentarily forgot that fact.¡± ¡°Now that you know, get lost before I sever that mongrel¡¯s neck.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know better that you can not do that?¡± ¡°Shall I give it a try? See if it¡¯s possible or not.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll leave here. May your journey ahead be safe.¡± With a grim expression, Go Duwon bowed his head. Dyoden was someone who, if he wanted to, he would do anything. His madness had swelled over a century, reaching a point where no one could stop him. Go Duwon took his daughter¡¯s hand. In an instant, his figure vanished like a mirage. Zeon muttered in surprise. ¡°An Awakened.¡± ¡°He is the leader of his tribe. If he wasn¡¯t an Awakened, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to protect the tribe until now.¡± They are called the Goya Tribe, since they have the surname Go, and they live in the ins. [TL: Goya(¸ßÒ°) = ¸ß(Go) + Ò°(ins). It was a name given by the elf, Go Duwon¡¯ste wife. That¡¯s why it was even more distasteful to him. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving in a bit. Get ready.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon nodded. He still had much curiosity about the Goya tribe, but it was time to let go of the interest for now. Because he had to eat before going on a long journey. Zeon took out a piece of jerky and put it in his mouth. He chewed the beef jerky as slowly as he could and pushed it down his throat. It hadn¡¯t been long since he had risen, and his mouth felt dry. Nheless, Zeon chewed the jerky without stopping. Zeon finished eating two pieces of jerky and even took a sip of water. Without hesitation, he briskly brushed off his hands and stood up. It was time to leave now. Dyoden picked up Kreion, which he had ced on the ground. The two of them were ready to leave the ck Forest without any lingering attachments. Boom! Suddenly, a powerful noise erupted from deep within the ck Forest. It was the sound of Exploding Bees fluttering their wings. Not just one or two, but hundreds, perhaps thousands of them, all fluttering at once. Dyoden murmured. ¡°Something must¡¯ve stirred up the Exploding Bees.¡± The Exploding Bees were territorial monsters. Moreover, they were fiercely protective of their territories and didn¡¯t tolerate other life forms intruding. It was clear that something had recklessly entered the territory of the Exploding Bees. But Dyoden¡¯s interest stopped at that. After all, this ce was just a brief resting spot. Whatever happened here didn¡¯t matter. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Dyoden turned calmly to leave just as Zeon began to follow him. ¡°Har! Har!¡± Go Duwon ran towards them, calling out desperately for someone. Behind him were several men who appeared to be members of his tribe. Arriving in front of the two, Go Duwon asked Dyoden. ¡°Have you seen my daughter, Har?¡± ¡°Why ask me about your daughter¡¯s whereabouts?¡± ¡°She was ying near the bunker and suddenly disappeared.¡± At that moment, members of Go Duwon¡¯s tribe pointed toward the ck Forest. ¡°There?¡± ¡°The Exploding Bees are reacting.¡± Go Duwon¡¯s face turned pale at their words. Go Duwon had hunted all the monsters in the area. He protected his tribe by periodically hunting the nearby monsters. There couldn¡¯t possibly be a monster strong enough to provoke the Exploding Bees. ¡°Could Har have gone into the ck Forest?¡± ¡°We have to hurry and save her.¡± ¡°Har is in danger.¡± The faces of the tribe members showed urgency. The ck Forest, where the Exploding Bees lived, was one of the most dangerous ces on the surface. The Exploding Bees were a collective life form like ants. In order to repel intruders, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to self-destruct. No matter how powerful a monster was, once they entered the ck Forest, survival couldn¡¯t be guaranteed. His daughter had entered that forest alone. He had no idea how to save her. Suddenly, Go Duwon knelt before Dyoden. ¡°Please, save my daughter. I will pay any price¡­¡± ¡°Heh, why would I bother saving that mongrel?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we make a oath?¡± ¡°A oath?¡± Dyoden¡¯s face contorted. ¡°You owe your life to my father. In return, he requested that you watch over Har until she turns twenty.¡± Veins bulged on Go Duwon¡¯s neck, his eyes filled with bloodshot fury. He was bargaining with his life because there was no hope other than Dyoden. Long ago, Dyoden had suffered a fatal wound. The one who saved him was Go Duwon¡¯s father. This happened after Go Duwon had already married an elf. Although Dyoden had greater anger towards the different races than anyone else, he could not bring himself to kill the daughter-inw and granddaughter of his benefactor who had saved his life. To Dyoden, who pledged to repay the favor in any way possible, Go Duwon¡¯s father requested that he would be happy as long as he left Har alone until she turned twenty. Dyoden agreed to this. ¡°Har is only twelve now. Your pledge won¡¯t end for another eight years.¡± ¡°I promised to watch over her, never said I would protect her.¡± ¡°You can only watch over Har if she¡¯s alive.¡± ng! Dyoden gritted his teeth. It was a contradiction within the oath. ¡®I was tricked by that cunning old fox.¡¯ Now he realized why Go Duwon¡¯s father had made him make such an oath. He had prepared for a situation like this. Go Duwon continued. ¡°If Har doesn¡¯t survive, you won¡¯t be able to watch over her. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t force it. Do you think I¡¯ll give into your coercion?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give my life. Please, save my daughter. That child is the only hope for our tribe, and for the people struggling to survive in this area.¡± Go Duwon¡¯s voice was filled with earnest denial. Dyoden frowned, looking at Go Duwon. While Go Duwon¡¯s words bordered on coercion, they were enough to stir conflict within Dyoden. Though he¡¯d lived his life by his own rules, Dyoden had never lied to another human being, not even once. A look of conflict appeared on his face. Then, a voice came to his rescue. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± It was Zeon. Having spent a long time with Dyoden, he sensed hisplicated feelings. If Dyoden truly intended to abandon Go Duwon, he would have left without hesitation. His hesitation indicated an inner conflict. Dyoden looked at Zeon. ¡°Why you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about the inside of the ck Forest.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Dyoden furrowed his brow. The Exploding Bees were fearsome because they were a collective life form. With an overwhelming number of bees capable of self-destructing en masse, ordinary Awakeneds couldn¡¯t contend with them. This was the reason Go Duwon had been unsessful in exterminating them, despite his extremely strong desire to do so. He hunted with bows and arrows like an elf. While excellent at huntingrge monsters, he was overwhelmed against monsters that attack inrge swarms like the Exploding Bees. That was why Go Duwon had appealed so earnestly to Dyoden. In contrast, Zeon held the upper hand againstrge swarms of monsters. Being outnumbered was no problem for him who used sand as his weapon. Dyoden asserted bluntly. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re confident.¡± ¡°I have something I want to test out.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stop you if you¡¯re going voluntarily.¡± ¡°Wait until tomorrow morning. If I don¡¯t return by then, you¡¯re free to leave.¡± ¡°Hmph! I intended to do so even without you saying it. Remember, only until tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back.¡± It was when Zeon stepped into the ck Forest. ¡°I¡¯ll go with him.¡± Go Duwon followed suit. Zeon nced at him briefly. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of my daughter¡¯s life. How can I just stand by as her father?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Zeon nodded. There was no reason to oppose a father¡¯s determination to save his daughter. Other tribe members didn¡¯t dare venture in; they nervously shuffled their feet. They weren¡¯t Awakened like Go Duwon. Walking alongside Zeon, Go Duwon said. ¡°Thank you for willinglying forward.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Not everyone steps up for others. I won¡¯t forget this favor.¡± Zeon made a slightly embarrassed expression at Go Duwon¡¯s words. He hadn¡¯te forward purely out of kindness. Upon reaching the D-rank, he gained insight into his skills. The best way to test out his skills was to fight an opponent. The Exploding Bees were the perfect match. That¡¯s why he came forward despite no one asking him to. Since he hadn¡¯t entered the ck Forest purely out of goodwill, he couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat embarrassed. And then, it happened. Buzzzzz! A fierce pping sound echoed from the front. Go Duwon¡¯splexion changed entirely. He realized it was the sound of Exploding Bees flying in. He strung an arrow on his bow, but before he could react, Zeon moved swiftly. Crash! Sand erupted ahead. Then a thunderous boom resonated. The charging Exploding Bees exploded upon colliding with the sand wall. Go Duwon opened his mouth in surprise. ¡°My God!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 27 Chapter 27 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 27 Boom! Boom! A series of explosions erupted right in front of Zeon. The Exploding Bees hit the sand wall, exploding upon impact. Dozens of Exploding Bees had already self-destructed, yet Zeon and Go Duwon hadn¡¯t suffered a single scratch. It was thanks to the swirling sand barrier around them. The Exploding Bees couldn¡¯t prate the sand barrier and exploded outside it. That¡¯s why the two of them remained unscathed. ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t be!¡± Go Duwon couldn¡¯t close his gaping mouth. He knew all too well how terrifying and troublesome the Exploding Bees were. One or two weren¡¯t scary at all; he could just shoot them down with arrows. The problem was, he could only carry dozens of arrows at most, but the number of Exploding Bees in the ck Forest easily exceeded hundreds, even thousands. Exploding Bees self-destructed without fear of death. In the face of such overwhelming monsters, Go Duwon¡¯s abilities were utterly useless. Thebination between the Exploding Bees and Go Duwon was the worst possible match. So, he only circled the outskirts of the ck Forest and couldn¡¯t muster the courage to venture inside. Unless one was as Awakened like Dyoden, they shouldn¡¯t even dare to think about entering the ck Forest. When he came in with Zeon, it was simr to a drowning person grasping for straws, so he didn¡¯t have much hope. But now, Zeon¡¯s disy of prowess surpassed his wildest imagination. Bang! Boom! Like a rainstorm beating against the roof, Exploding Bees incessantly pounded the sand barrier, detonating fiercely. He almost felt sorry for the Exploding Bees exploding outside the sand barrier. If the Exploding Bees were Go Duwon¡¯s worst match, then Zeon was the worst match for the Exploding Bees. ¡®There¡¯s a reason why that madman Dyoden is taking this kid with him.¡¯¡¯ He looked at Zeon, forgetting for a moment that his daughter was within the ck Forest. As themotion settled, Go Duwon recognized the familiarity of Zeon¡¯s robe. ¡°Is that an elf¡¯s robe?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°My wife had something simr to that.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Where did you get it? Elves never share their belongings with humans.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Dyoden must have massacred an elven vige again.¡± Go Duwon grasped the truth instantly. Zeon wore an embarrassed expression, unsure how to justify it. Fortunately, Go Duwon didn¡¯t me Zeon. Carefully, Zeon asked. ¡°Do you know why Dyoden hates other races so much?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Is it true that the Earth became like this because of the other races?¡± ¡°That¡­ it¡¯s true.¡± Go Duwon had no choice but to answer. Wasting time with excuses could dy saving his daughter. ¡°So, that¡¯s why Dyoden is filled with such animosity.¡± ¡°Not all races were like that. My wife opposed their decision. That¡¯s why she was cast out and ended up marrying me.¡± ¡°How did the other races bring Earth to this state?¡± Zeon couldn¡¯t fathom it. He¡¯d heard that Earth was an enormous. Neo Seoul was said to be just a tiny dot inparison. Understanding how such a gigantic turned into a desert eluded him. ¡°I don¡¯t know that far either. My wife was also reluctant to exin. She called it their original sin¡­¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s focus on rescuing Har for now.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Even in that moment, Exploding Bees were incessantly self-destructing against the sand barrier. Bang! Boom! As they ventured deeper into the heart of the ck Forest, the explosions intensified. It signified an onught of Exploding Bees self-destructing in even greater numbers. The solid sand barrier was shaking violently. Whoosh! The sky had turnedpletely dark. The Exploding Bees had covered the entire sky. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Go Duwon¡¯s face turned pale. There were dozens of times more Exploding Bees than he had vaguely estimated. The sheer number of Exploding Bees residing within the ck Forest was utterly unbelievable. Go Duwon asked Zeon. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s time to start seriously reducing their numbers.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yes! I have a skill I want to try.¡± Zeon subtly smiled. The Exploding Bees themselves were a weapon. And there were countless such weapons. However, Zeon wasn¡¯t scared of those Exploding Bees. ¡°I have enough weapons on my side as well.¡± Shssss! As Zeon asserted his dominance, sands within dozens of meters of him floated into the air. No matter how numerous the Exploding Bees were, they couldn¡¯t outnumber the sand covering the entire world. Quantity countered quantity in this siege. The only issuey with mana and dominance. For now, they were sufficient. Zeon began to unleash the image he had contemted and drawn in his mind within the ck Forest. The sands floating in the air gathered around Zeon. It resembled a huge cylinder. A huge cylinder made of sand. The mental image had solidified into reality. All that remained was to pull the trigger. ¡°Here it goes.¡± Zeon infused mana into the cylinder. Woooo! At that moment, the huge sand cylinder spun at a terrifying speed. The sand cylinder drew in everything around it and pulverized it. The Exploding Bees sucked into the sand cylinder were torn apart at an rming speed. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The Exploding Bees inside the huge sand cylinder set off a chain of explosions It was a spectacle that was hard to believe even when seen with one¡¯s own eyes. Zeon murmured. ¡°It¡¯s a kind of sand mixer, I guess?¡± Hence, the skill¡¯s name was Sand Mixer. Its advantagey in rapidly rotating sand to grind numerous opponents in one fell swoop. The downside was the considerable mana consumption, limiting its prolonged usage. The range was not very wide yet due to his low rank, but as his rank advanced and the amount of mana increased, the power of the skill would be maximized. Once he advances to S-rank, conjuring a sandstorm might not just be a dream. Go Duwon stared dumbfounded at the Sand Mixer. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Insane!¡± The pitch-ck sky was slowly regaining its true color. He couldn¡¯t believe that Exploding Bees, which had troubled the Goya Tribe so much, could be dealt with so effortlessly. Even his wife had never mentioned the existence of such a skill in the world. That meant this skill and capability were appearing for the first time in this world. Already, the flock of Exploding Bees had decreased by more than half. However, Zeon¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t particrly bright. ¡°Ugh! My mana is running out.¡± ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t have enough mana?¡± ¡°I think we should stop reducing the number of Exploding Bees for now. Let¡¯s quickly find Har and bring her out.¡± ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll give you this. With this, it should cover your mana shortage to some extent.¡± What Go Duwon pulled out from his pocket was a ne emitting a bluish hue. It seemed like it was not an ordinary artifact, it made one feel refreshed just by looking at it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Elura¡¯s Tear, a keepsake of my wife. It¡¯s an artifact she brought from her hometown. It has the effect of restoring the consumed mana to its original amount once a day.¡± For a moment, greed flickered across Zeon¡¯s face. ¡°Are you lending it to me? Or are you giving it to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you. However, as a condition, reduce the number of Exploding Bees as much as your mana will allow for today.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Please.¡± Go Duwon handed Elura¡¯s Tear to Zeon. Elura¡¯s Tear was a precious artifact rare even in his wife¡¯s homnd. However, it wasn¡¯t much needed for Go Duwon. Since his skill didn¡¯t heavily consume mana. On the other hand, it was an incredible treasure for Zeon. Although he was somehow managing his mana now, as he developed his skills, the mana consumption would undoubtedly increase. Having such a treasure meant overstraining a bit wouldn¡¯t pose any issue. It was a profitable deal for Go Duwon as well. As Zeon reduces the number of Exploding Bees, the chances of reviving the ck Forest would increase. Rescuing Hau was crucial, but reviving the ck Forest was also important to him. Hence, he handed over Elura¡¯s Tear to Zeon. Zeon hung the ne, Elura¡¯s Tear, around his neck. Instantly, a refreshing sensation spread from the spot on his chest where the ne touched, spreading through his body. ¡°Great!¡± A broad smile crept onto Zeon¡¯s lips, as if he had gained an extra reservoir of mana. Now, he could operate the Sand Mixer without worrying about mana. Gaaaah! The Sand Mixer spun at an even more terrifying speed, striking the Exploding Bees in the area. Bang! Bang! Bang! A tremendous explosion shook the ck Forest. The staggering number of Exploding Bees had visibly decreased. It seemed that with just a little more effort, they could eliminate all the Exploding Bees. That¡¯s when¡­ Kuuu! Suddenly, the center of the ck Forest trembled. In an instant, both individuals¡¯ expressions changed. ¡°It¡¯s the boss.¡± ¡°Is it the queen?¡± Unable to endure the devastation to its hive, the Exploding Bee¡¯s boss hade forward. The heart of the ck Forest roiled, and a single Exploding Bee appeared. But its size surpassed their imagination. From head to the poisonous stinger on its tail, it measured an astounding seven meters in length. It was the Queen Bee, the boss of the Exploding Bees. Countless eggs adorned the Queen Bee¡¯s abdomen. But there was a little girl hanging on one of them. She was Har, Go Duwon¡¯s daughter. ¡°Har! Why are you there?¡± Among Queen Bee¡¯s eggs, the one Har was hanging from seemed different in shape and light from the rest. It wasn¡¯t an egg of the Queen Bee but seemed to be mixed with something resembling an egg. Har, Go Duwon¡¯s daughter, was clinging to the object. ¡°Release my daughter, monster!¡± Go Duwon pulled an arrow from his quiver and drew it. Although not particrly effective against the swarm of Exploding Bees, in one-on-onebat, it changed the narrative. He was an Awakened from the Martial Arts category, and possessed skills specialized in archery. The target of the arrow was the Queen Bee¡¯s head. ¡°Explosion Arrow.¡± Phing! The arrow flew at an incredible speed and struck the Queen Bee¡¯s head. Kwaang! The arrow exploded, causing the Queen Bee¡¯s head to slightly recoil. But soon, the Queen Bee¡¯s head returned to its original position. No visible damage had been inflicted. ¡°Damn it!¡± Go Duwon continuously fired arrows. Each of his arrows hit the Queen Bee¡¯s head urately. Weeing! The Queen Bee¡¯s wing pping intensified. The repeated attacks by Go Duwon further fueled the Queen Bee¡¯s rage. Suddenly, the Queen Bee vanished from Go Duwon¡¯s sight. It was moving at such an incredible speed that it was impossible to follow with the naked eye. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Zeon was the first to sense the Queen Bee¡¯s movements. He quickly erected a sand barrier in front of Go Duwon. Kwaang! With a deafening sound, the sand barrier shattered into pieces. And Go Duwon was thrown off in the distance. It was a huge impact due to the Queen Bee¡¯s high-speed flight. If Zeon hadn¡¯t used the sand barrier to dissipate the impact, Go Duwon might have lost his life. Zeon looked at the Queen Bee and said. ¡°Your opponent is me.¡± Weeing! As if in response, the Queen Bee¡¯s wing pping intensified even more. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 28 Chapter 28 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 28 Whizz! In the eyes of the Queen Bee, busy with her movements, Zeon¡¯s figure appeared. The Queen Bee was aware. She knew that Zeon was the one who had dealt a serious blow to her colony. Although she was a Queen Bee, she possessed intelligence close to that of a human. That¡¯s why she wasn¡¯t recklessly attacking like Go Duwon; she was carefully assessing the situation. Zeon found it fascinating. Facing a huge monster like the Queen Bee didn¡¯t fill him with great fear. Despite his recent awakening, he had fought numerous other monsters. Those he¡¯d faced were never inferior to the Queen Bee. In fact, some were even more dangerous. The Queen Bee¡¯s true terror was unleashed when shemanded countless Exploding Bees. But having lost most of her retinue, she was less menacing now. Zeon didn¡¯t make that decision because he was conceited. He was incrediblyposed at the moment. Skills were the blossoming of talents harbored by those Awakened. When conditions, timing, personal effort, and intuition harmonized, evolution urred. Initially, the Awakened had realized and developed their skills in that manner. Yet, as time passed and experience umted, a more efficient way of skill development emerged. A sort of form had been established. Most Awakened followed this path because it minimized waste. But this method had a significant drawback; it limited one¡¯s thinking due to adhering to a set form. Believing that the form was the most efficient way, there seemed little reason to explore alternative methods. However, Zeon was different. As the only Awakened who could manipte sand. He walked a path no one had ventured before, prompting him to earnestly seek the optimal way to grow. Thanks to his efforts and contemtion, Zeon gained an unshakable, rational mindset in any situation. Of course, the guidance from Dyoden yed a significant role in this. ¡®I have the upper hand in this matchup.¡¯ The issue now was how to safely rescue Har, suspended on the Queen Bee¡¯s abdomen. Even if he killed the Queen Bee, it would be futile if he could not save her. This posed a sort of handicap for Zeon. He drew a mental picture. When the picture of saving Har waspleted, the Queen Bee¡¯s grew impatient and attacked. Shiing! At nearly the speed of sound, the Queen Bee¡¯s huge body lunged at Zeon. In an instant, Zeon erected a sand barrier. It was taller and thicker than what he¡¯d previously created. It was evident that the Queen Bee, about to collide with this thick barrier, would experience significant impact. Yet, no impact sound echoed. Just before hitting the sand barrier, the Queen Bee adjusted her trajectory, as if she had anticipated it. She abruptly changed her trajectory aftering to a sudden stop, shooting vertically upward. Swooosh! Hovering high in the air, the Queen Bee that had been observing Zeon descended right upon him. The initial attack was a feint; this time, it was the real strike. But Zeon remained unfazed. It was all within his expected range. ¡°Aaah!¡± Shoosh! Shoosh! Shoosh! The sand around Zeon¡¯s feet condensed and shot towards the Queen Bee. It was the Sand ster, projecting sand at high pressure. Boom! Boom! Boom! The Sand ster consecutively hit the Queen Bee¡¯s body. Each st wasn¡¯t excessively powerful, but enough to slightly destabilize the Queen Bee¡¯s bnce. As a result, the Queen Bee¡¯s flight speed slightly diminished. In that moment, Zeon maneuvered away from the Queen Bee¡¯s flight path using Sand Strides. Swoosh! The Queen Bee narrowly grazed past him. At that instant, Zeonunched Sand Missiles. Bang! With a thunderous noise, a Sand Missile hit the egg Har was hanging from. Both the egg and Har fell due to the impact. ¡®Alright!¡¯ Zeon smiled. The thrill of seeing the mental picture he¡¯d drawn bing a reality exhrated him. Yet, he refrained from celebrating just yet. His mana had bottomed out. It was the price for relentlessly using his skills. Keeik! The Queen Bee, now stripped of the egg and Har, shrieked in frustration. She flew back to retrieve them, devoid of the malicious cunningness from before. Impatience had overridden her rationale. Quietly murmuring, Zeon enacted his n. ¡°Sand Mixer!¡± A sh erupted from Elura¡¯s Tear hanging around his neck, instantly replenishing his depleted mana. In that moment, an immense amount of sand surged, enveloping the Queen Bee and rotating at a high speed. Kwaaah! The sand rotated at high speed and gnawed away the Queen Bee. Kieek! Struggling, the Queen Bee screamed as she attempted to break free from the Sand Mixer. However, Zeon skillfully controlled it, keeping the Queen Bee entirely contained. The high-speed rotating sand tore off the Queen Bee¡¯s wings and shattered her exoskeleton. Her continuous screams summoned the surviving few Exploding Bees to save her. Some attacked Zeon while others plunged into the sand to rescue the trapped Queen Bee. In that moment of rity, Go Duwon shot arrows to protect Zeon. Pheew! Explosions ensued around Zeon, caused by the Exploding Bees. Thanks to this, Zeon maintained his concentration to sustain the Sand Mixer. Explosions reverberated within the sand continuously. The sound of Exploding Bees caught in the Sand Mixer exploding echoed. The sts severely wounded the already weakened Queen Bee. The loyalty of Exploding Bees rushing to save her inadvertently inflicted further harm. Boom! Finally, arge hole pierced through the Queen Bee¡¯s head. The sand dug into the hole gnawed at her brain and internal organs. The sand, spinning at high speed, was now stained blood red. ¡°Okay! That¡¯s enough.¡± The moment Zeon halted the skill. Although he spoke calmly, his face waspletely white. His mental power and mana had beenpletely exhausted. Thud! The Sand Mixer stopped, the Queen Bee crashed to the ground. Her condition was truly pitiful. Her head was missing, and traces of sand abrasions marred her body. The wings that enabled her high-speed flight had vanished without a trace. The ultimate end of a mighty creature that had long ruled the ck Forest was far from dignified. ¡°Har!¡± With the threat gone, Go Duwon rushed to his daughter. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Dad?¡± Har looked at Go Duwon while holding onto the egg. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Har replied with difficulty. Go Duwon¡¯s gaze shifted to the egg cradled in her arms. ¡°Why are you holding the Queen Bee¡¯s egg? Hurry and throw it away.¡± ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an eggid by the Queen Bee.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I just do.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This child called out to me.¡± ¡°The egg called out to you?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Har nodded. While ying in front of her house, she felt an intense attraction. The egg was calling out to her. Guided by the call, she found herself standing in front of the Queen Bee. Despite being attacked by Exploding Bees on the way here, she emerged unscathed. It was because the egg protected her. Go Duwon looked at the egg Har was holding with a new expression. A faint blue light was emanating from the egg. It had the same shape as an egg, but there was no shell. It seemed as though a condensed blue light had beenpressed into a rounded shape. Something came to Go Duwon¡¯s mind. ¡°Could this be a spirit¡¯s egg?¡± His wife had mentioned it before. She had said that thend was so damaged that spirits couldn¡¯t survive in it any longer, hence the absence of spirits. Yet, she hoped for the birth of a spirit someday. Go Duwon asked out of curiosity. ¡°How are spirits born?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the will to exist, guided by the natural elements. Whenbined with the desires of humans or elves, a spirit is born somewhere. The primordial spirits exist in egg form, nourishing themselves on the wishes of life until they break out of their shells.¡± So, it was evident that the egg Har held was born by itself in the Queen Bee¡¯s nest. It deemed that advantageous for survival and called out to Har. ¡®Because Har is a half-elf.¡¯ Elves were said to be born with a strong affinity for spirits. Since there were no other elves around, it was evident that the half-elf Har was the one called by the spirit. ¡°Right! This is undoubtedly a spirit¡¯s egg.¡± ¡°A spirit¡¯s egg? Does that mean a spirit will be born from this?¡± Zeon looked with fascination. It was a world where Awakened individuals were dominated. The addition of spirits wouldn¡¯t be entirely out of the ordinary. However, Zeon had never even heard the word ¡®spirit¡¯ before. Without any hesitation or wariness, Har extended the spirit¡¯s egg to Zeon. ¡°Wanna touch it?¡± ¡°Is it okay?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Zeon cautiously reached out to the spirit¡¯s egg. For a moment, he felt a strange warmth in his palm. The warmth spread from his hand to his heart. ¡°Mmm!¡± Feeling the odd sensation, Zeon withdrew his hand. At that moment, Har smiled and said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Who? The egg?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Can you hear the egg¡¯s voice?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s been waiting for someone to hear its voice for a long time, ever since it was born in the Queen Bee¡¯s nest.¡± ¡°So, it was you.¡± ¡°Yeah! It said if you left, it wouldn¡¯t have another chance, so it hurriedly called out to me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Har replied with an innocent expression. He didn¡¯t think she was lying. At that moment, Go Duwon took Zeon¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you so much! Thanks to you, my daughter is safe, and we can revive the ck Forest. It¡¯s all because of you. I don¡¯t know how to repay this favor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. This is enough.¡± Zeon replied, looking at Elura¡¯s Tear hanging around his neck. The more he looked at it, the more remarkable it seemed. An item thatpletely replenished mana once a day. It alleviated his mana worries. That alone was a significant gain. ¡°Let¡¯s go now. If we don¡¯t return by morning, Dyoden will leave me behind.¡± ¡°Why not stay here instead? It¡¯d be a hundred times better than following Dyoden. I don¡¯t know if you are aware of this, apanying Dyoden on his path is tantamount to self-destruction.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then are you going to stay here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll still follow him.¡± ¡°Why on earth?¡± ¡°I just feel like it.¡± Zeon chuckled. That was all he could say for now. Go Duwon looked at Zeon with a slightly pitiful expression. But he didn¡¯t try to convince him any further. Even though Zeon¡¯s abilities were enticing, with the Exploding Bee threat eliminated, it wasn¡¯t necessary. The ck Forest, now rid of the Exploding Bees, was incredibly quiet. The towering shadows formed by charred trees created an otherworldly scene. At least there was space to escape the sun, making the ck Forest a valuable ce. But it wasn¡¯t the ce for Zeon. He belonged on the sands of a desert, basking under the scorching sun. As they exited the ck Forest, Dyoden greeted them warmly. ¡°You¡¯rete. Idiot!¡± ¡®This old dog!¡¯ Zeon responded with a smile. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 29 Chapter 29 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 29 All living beings knew that the vast expanse of sand in the endless desert was a dangerous ce. Even the monsters living in the desert were always cautious and alert. There were as many monsters living in the desert as there were grains of sand, and among them many were S-rank, monsters of extreme danger. S-rank monsters usually had their own territories, rarely venturing beyond them unless provoked, but once they did, they could turn the entire desert upside down. Therefore, the desert monsters, whether strong or weak, never let their guard down. The Crowned Bison was one of those monsters. With a towering height exceeding three meters, its head bore horn-like crowns, earning it the name Crowned Bison. While herbivores by nature, the Crowned Bison had evolved to be carnivorous in order to survive in a world dominated by deserts where there was no grass. Its prey consisted of small monsters and insects living in the desert, and it constantly roamed, nose to the ground, searching for them. Despite the sun being at its zenith, the Crowned Bison paid no heed as it searched for food. They needed a lot of food to maintain their huge size. Therefore, they had to wander diligently from morning to evening in order to find prey. Sand began to trickle down, catching the attention of the Crowned Bison, who looked down at its front hooves. Something felt strange. Swish! The sand was flowing down, and initially, it was dismissed as unimportant. However, the speed of the flowing sand increased, and the Crowned Bison¡¯s massive body started sliding down along with it. Umph! Sensing an ominous sign, the Crowned Bison hurriedly tried to escape from the sand. But the more it struggled, the faster the sand poured down, trapping the monster even more. Eventually, the Crowned Bison tumbled down into the depths of the sand. Thud! With a dull sound, its colossal body crashed onto the ground. The Crowned Bison shook its head, attempting to rise. However, the sand had solidified, holding the monster in ce. The more the Crowned Bison struggled to break free, the stronger the pressure became. That¡¯s when it happened. Pwoosh! A Sand Missile, the size of a child¡¯s forearm, shattered the Crowned Bison¡¯s head. ¡°All right! We won¡¯t have to worry about food for a while.¡± Someone rose from the nearby sand. It was none other than Zeon. All of this was Zeon¡¯s doing. He lured the Crowned Bison down from the hill and finished it off with a Sand Missile, hunting the huge monster in an extremely efficient manner. Zeon pulled out a dagger from his pouch and began skinning the Crowned Bison. Despite its enormous size, there weren¡¯t many edible parts for humans. Only a small portion of the chest devoid of corrupted energy was suitable for consumption. Zeon carefully cut out the edible portion with the dagger. Though it was just a small part of the chest, it was asrge as Zeon¡¯s torso. Zeon took the meat and set off across the desert. He arrived at a massive cactus, beneath which Dyoden was seated. A huge Magic Stone was ced in front of Dyoden. It was the Magic Stone of the A-rank monster Titanoboa, which they had hunted the day before. The Titanoboa was a colossal monster, over twenty meters in length, and as an A-rank monster, it possessed formidable skills. Yet, Dyoden easily hunted it down. The Titanoboa carried a Magic Stone with a powerful aura. Dyoden stuck Kreion into the Magic Stone. Kreion glowed red. It absorbed the energy contained within the Magic Stone, a phenomenon that urred when absorbing the energy from a Magic Stone. As the energy contained in the Magic Stone was incredibly potent, it took quite some time to absorb. Dyoden focused his entire mind on assisting Kreion in absorbing the energy. Zeon carefully sat down and began preparing the meat he had brought with him. He sliced the meat into small pieces and spread them out in the shade. Soon, the moisture evaporated, and the meat became chewy. It turned into jerky. Zeon left one piece of jerky and stored the rest in his subspace. He took the remaining jerky and took a bite, looking at Dyoden. It seemed that the absorption of the Magic Stone was nearing its end, as Kreion emitted an intense heat. It had already been over a month since they left the ck Forest. During this time, Dyoden had sessfully cleared two dungeons. Both dungeons were buried deep beneath the sand, but they were able to enter thanks to Zeon¡¯s help. The Titanoboa was the boss of the dungeon they entered yesterday. Despite its intimidating presence as the dungeon master, it proved to be no more than an earthworm in front of Dyoden. ¡®It¡¯s absurd. How can such monsters exist?¡¯ In Zeon¡¯s eyes, Dyoden looked more like a monster than a human. During the past month, Zeon has also grown remarkably. After learning to utilize the sand effectively, he could hunt most monsters with ease. However, even with this newfound ability, he couldn¡¯tpare to Dyoden. Tsuuu! Finally, Kreion had absorbed all the energy from the Magic Stone. The Magic Stone that lost all its energy became an ordinary stone. Crack! Crack! At that time, Kreion spontaneously started dismantling in midair. Kreion, disassembled into individual parts, hovered around Dyoden and then merged back into one. Having evolved once again with the energy absorbed from the Magic Stone, the evolved Kreion exuded a more formidable aura. However, Dyoden¡¯s expression didn¡¯t reflect satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s still not enough.¡± Upon hearing his mutterings, Zeon couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. Kreion had undergone multiple evolutions and could now be considered the world¡¯s strongest weapon. Yet, Dyoden deemed it insufficient. ¡®What on earth is he trying to defeat with that thing?¡¯ To an outsider, Dyoden might seem like a madman on a rampage, but Zeon, who had observed him closely, knew that there was a consistency in his actions. Everything Dyoden did was linked to bing stronger. Whether he improved himself or enhanced Kreion, the objective was the same ¨C relentless pursuit of strength. Zeon came up with only one conclusion. Dyoden was preparing for war. He didn¡¯t know who the opponent was, but for Dyoden in his current state, it was undoubtedly a formidable adversary. That¡¯s why he was striving desperately to be stronger. ¡®Damn it! Did I make a mistake by deciding to follow him to the end?¡¯ Zeon felt a slight regret, but now there was no turning back from his decision. Zeon threw one of the jerky he had made earlier to Dyoden, who started chewing it without a word of gratitude. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Dyoden, having finished the jerky, stood up. Zeon nodded and swallowed the piece of jerky he was chewing on. Dyoden was already ahead, striding into the distance. Zeon quickly used Sand Strides following Dyoden. Once again, they were heading eastward. Zeon couldn¡¯t help but wonder what awaited them at the end. ¡®I heard there used to be a sea in this direction.¡¯ A sea. It was something Zeon had only heard of in tales, very few people had actually seen it. Only someone who lived as long as Dyoden could have seen the sea. Unfortunately, those born after that were not given the opportunity to see the sea. Whooosh! A strong wind blew, prompting Zeon to adjust his robe. While the robe made by the elves was light and allowed for easy movement, itcked the protective capabilities of the robe made from the Sand Angler¡¯s hide. sping it tightly was necessary to ward off the wind. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡®I wonder if another Sand Angler will show up.¡¯ This time, he was truly confident that he would not be lured by it and capture it. At that moment, when Zeon was grumbling while walking. Dyoden, who was walking ahead, suddenly copsed. Bang! Following that, the sound of a gunshot echoed through the desert. ¡°What?¡± Zeon quickly dropped to the ground, creating sand barriers around him in anticipation of gunfire. Fortunately, the second gunshot didn¡¯te. ¡°Where did thate from?¡± At least within Zeon¡¯s sensory range, there were no life forms detected. It was evident that someone had sniped from a far distance beyond Zeon¡¯s reach. Then, from the vast in in the distance, ck shadows emerged. They were human, and not just a few. Even a rough count exceeded a hundred. Riding dune buggies,monly used in the desert, they were speeding towards Zeon. ¡°Scavengers?¡± Zeon focused mana into his eyes. As the approaching humans came into clear view, he recognized familiar faces among them. ¡°These guys?¡± It was the party led by Jang Yong-beom, who had rescued him from the Sandworm. Jang Yong-beom, Aiden, Mountain, and Giselle¡ªfour of them were riding the same vehicle. About twenty more dune buggies were following behind their vehicle. Zeon¡¯s attention was drawn to the dune buggy following directly behind Jang Yong-beom. A man on top of that buggy was holding a massive gun. Judging from the lingering smoke at the gun barrel, it was clear that he was the one who sniped Dyoden. ¡°Is that a Magic Gunner?¡± Although extremely rare, among Awakened, some used firearms. Those who seed in sniping with a 100% uracy no matter the distance. While ineffective against colossal monsters or monsters with shields, it was a lethal weapon that had an absolute advantage against humans. For the likes of them, Neo Seoul had developed gunsbining magic and technology. The sniper rifle, which was made to be able to snipe from outside the detection range of an Awakened, had a range of over ten kilometers. Whenbined with the keen senses and precision and the Eagle Eye, which are the characteristics of a Magic Gunner, it resulted in overwhelming power. Just like now. The sniper who sessfully hit Dyoden from over ten kilometers away was revealed to be Leo Pallona. Leo belonged to the Numbers, the execution unit directly under the mayor of Neo Seoul. The mayor held absolute power, operating an execution unit to eliminate political opponents. Click! ¡°I got a bit tense when I was told he was the ughterer, but it seems like he¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡± Leo smiled as he pulled out the cartridge. It was a sniper shot from over ten kilometers away. No matter how powerful an Awakened was, detecting a bullet flying towards them was impossible. At that moment, Jang Yong-beom, who was riding in the car in front, shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. The opponent is Dyoden, a crazy old man.¡± ¡°Hehe! Why be nervous about an old man who¡¯s already dead?¡± Leo mocked Jang Yong-beom. He was certain of Dyoden¡¯s death. Bringing a group of other Awakened as a precaution was embarrassing in Leo¡¯s eyes. ¡°By the way, there was one more guy.¡± Leo muttered as he reloaded the sniper rifle. Although the sniper rifle was excellent, its drawback was that it could only fire one shot at a time. Hence, there was a dy between each shot. However, Leo wasn¡¯t overly concerned. The distance between him and Zeon was still considerable. With that distance, Leo believed he could handle Zeon with his sniper rifle alone. Leo aimed at Zeon through the scope. Beyond the magical scope, something squirmed and rose. The moment Leo checked the scope¡¯s disy, he involuntarily muttered. ¡°This can¡¯t be! I aimed for the head, didn¡¯t I?¡± The entity wriggling and standing up was the old man Leo had just sessfully sniped moments ago. Tsuu! White smoke was rising from Dyoden¡¯s forehead where the bullet had exploded. ¡°Hehe!¡± Through the scope, Dyoden wasughing. Dyoden swung his arm backward and then swung it with all his might. Sack! A momentter, a shockwave resounded as it reverberated through the desert. Jang Yong-beom urgently shouted. ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡± Boom! As soon as he finished speaking, the car Leo was riding exploded. Embedded in the exploding car was a massive greatsword. It was Kreion. Jang Yong-beom hurriedly searched for Leo. The expression on Jang Yong-beom¡¯s face contorted as he quickly found Leo. Leo was impaled by Kreion,ying sprawled like a frog. There was no need to confirm whether he was dead or alive. It was a definite demise. Jang Yong-beom¡¯s mouth twisted. ¡°This monstrous old man!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 30 Chapter 30 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 30 Leo was not someone who should¡¯ve died like that. In fact, he was the most important figure in the hunt for Dyoden. His ability to snipe from a distance was absolute, and even the mayor of Neo Seoul had reluctantly sent him after careful consideration. However, they lost him even before the full-scale battle began. Jang Yong-beom red at Dyoden. Dyoden stood in the middle of the desert,ughing. There was no trace of impact from the bullet anywhere on his body. Not even the specially enchanted bullets for hunting Awakened individuals left a mark on him. ¡°That¡¯s right! It has to be at least this much for the hunt to be enjoyable.¡± Seven other parties, besides his own, participated in this quest. All of them were experts in hunting Awakened individuals. Although there were no S-rank strategic weapons, there were numerous A-rank and B-rank Awakened. Numerous Awakened parties existed around Neo Seoul and the slums. They found dungeons that posed a threat to Neo Seoul and exterminated them. However, among them, there were those who did not hunt monsters, rather they hunted other Awakened individuals. It was much easier to earn arge sum of money that way. They were cautious about getting entangled with each other. They knew each other too well. The fact that they gathered for this quest indicated the significant reward involved. It was a mission directlymissioned by the most powerful figure in Neo Seoul, the mayor. ¡°We¡¯re going to hunt him down.¡± ¡°We can finally im the head of the ughterer. Keke!¡± The Awakened individuals riding in other sand buggies ignited their fighting spirit. The legends surrounding Dyoden were countless. The ughterer. The Madman of the Desert. The Living Catastrophe. There were numerous words used to describe him, but the problem was that all those words were overwhelmingly negative. Yet, they were not discouraged; instead, they were excited. Hunting the legendary Dyoden presented a golden opportunity. The one who hunted Dyoden would take all the glory and be a new legend. ¡°We have to be the first to arrive. Hurry up and step on it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let others snatch it away.¡± The buggies carrying the Awakened rushed ahead. ¡°Hey, you bastards!¡± Jang Yong-beom scowled at them. Even if they joined forces, it was uncertain whether they could be a match, and starting with such arrogance was not a good sign. Aiden spoke. ¡°Captain, let¡¯s fall back a bit.¡± ¡°Damn it!!¡± ¡°You need to stay calm.¡± These were the words of Aiden, who could be said to be the brains of Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party. It was thanks to him that they discovered Dyoden in the vast desert. Without him, they would still be wandering the desert in search of Dyoden. Jang Yong-beom nodded. ¡°Okay! We¡¯ll take the rearmost position.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Aiden slightly slowed down their speed, and then other buggies rushed past them. ¡°Old man! Surrender your life!¡± The Awakened in the lead vehicle leaped toward Dyoden. In his hand, a giant axe gleamed. A powerful aura radiated from the axe. When he swung the axe, an ax-shaped energy flew towards Dyoden. He believed that with this strike, he could inflict a significant wound on Dyoden. Dyoden was unarmed. Blocking his skills without a weapon would be impossible. At that moment, Dyoden swung his fist. Bang! At that moment, the axe-shaped energy that the Awakened shot toward Dyoden vanished instantly. ¡°What?¡± The Awakened, who was charging aggressively, widened his eyes. Dyoden had disappeared from his sight. Then Dyoden reappeared right in front of his nose. It was as if he had teleported through space in the blink of an eye, using the blink skill. Crack! Dyoden¡¯srge hand covered the Awakened¡¯s face. ¡°Ugh!¡± The Awakened attempted to attack Dyoden¡¯s torso with the axe, but Dyoden was much quicker to tighten the hand holding his face. St! The head of the Awakened with the axe was crushed like a cookie. His fresh blood and brain matter flowed through between Dyoden¡¯s fingers. ¡°Hehe! Were these guys sent by Jin Geum-ho?¡± Jin Geum-ho was the mayor of Neo Seoul. He was a living giant who had, like Dyoden, survived through the turbulent times. He greatly contributed in making Neo Seoul into what it was today, eventually bing its mayor. The most powerful individual standing at the top of Neo Seoul was none other than Jin Geum-ho himself. Once arade of Dyoden, they traveled the same path and were friends. However, the passage of a hundred years had separated them, and now they were worse than enemies. ¡°Shut up, monster!¡± ¡°Open fire!¡± The Awakened individuals jumped out of the buggies, opening fire. Rat-a-tat-tat! The skills of the Awakened individuals stirred up the desert sands. However, by the time their skills erupted, Dyoden was no longer in that spot. He reappeared in the midst of the group of Awakened individuals. Crunch! With a punch, Dyoden shattered the head of a B-rank Awakened. The next victim was a female Awakened who used magic. She hadn¡¯t even had a chance to unleash the skill she was so proud of, me Wind. Thest thing she saw was Dyoden¡¯s eyes filled with madness. ¡°Ah, no¡­¡± Bang! In an instant, her torso exploded. ¡°Kwaak!¡± ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t panic¡­¡± ¡°Monster!¡± Screams and panicked voices echoed through the desert sky. ¡®This can¡¯t go on like this!¡¯ At that moment, an Awakened individual named No Ji-gwang stepped forward. ¡°me Lance.¡± Several spears of me manifested in the air. At No Ji-gwang¡¯s gesture, the spear-like mes flew toward Dyoden. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Thud! Thud! Thud! Boom! With a deafening explosion, Dyoden was engulfed in mes. Seizing the opportunity, the other Awakened unleashed their skills one after another. The Martial Artists unleashed their aura while rushing forward, while the magic users bombarded from a distance. mes and sand covered the desert. Someone muttered, swallowing dry saliva. ¡°That should be enough to kill him, right?¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Swooosh! Suddenly, a chilling sonic boom reverberated across the area. Startled, they turned around to see a giant greatsword flying in from afar. It was the Kreion that Dyoden had thrown. Spinning fiercely, Kreion swept through the Awakened. Crunch! ¡°Kwaaaah!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± Everything caught in Kreion¡¯s path was severed. Awakened and weapons alike. Regardless of their rank¡ªA-rank, B-rank, or C-rank¡ªthey were torn apart indiscriminately. In an instant, half of the Awakened participating in the assault force had died. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°Is this¡­ a massacre?¡± The faces of the surviving Awakened turned pale with horror. Kreion, which had ughtered the Awakened,nded in Dyoden¡¯s hand. Despite their concerted efforts, Dyoden remained unscathed, without a single scratch. ¡°Hehehe!¡± Dyoden¡¯s crazedughter sent shivers down the spines of the Awakened. Now they understood why Dyoden was called the living catastrophe and was known as The ughterer. Dyoden was formidable. He wasn¡¯t just strong, he was terrifyingly strong. Ranking him seemed meaningless. Now they realized why there were no S-rank Awakened in this assault force. Even an S-rank Awakened couldn¡¯t guarantee their own survival in front of Dyoden. It was clear that the Mayor of Neo Seoul must have considered this assault force more likely to fail than seed. ¡°But why did he send us?¡± ¡°Damn that Mayor bastard!¡± They resented Jin Geum-ho, the mayor who hadmissioned this assault force. Dyoden, seemingly indifferent to the bewildered assault force, spoke. ¡°See that?¡± ¡°Being called an idiot by you, it¡¯s not an insult to my eyes.¡± The blunt reply came from Zeon. ¡°They¡¯re all people who boast about being something in Neo Seoul, having fun and leisuring around.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°With your skills, you¡¯d be treated as well as those guys in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°If you follow me, you will never be able to return to a normal life again. So if you want to go back to Neo Seoul, go now. This is yourst chance. Idiot!¡± ¡°A normal life?¡± ¡°Yes! A life just like everyone else.¡± ¡°Damn it! Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you think I can lead a normal life now? You¡¯re talking nonsense. You damn old man!¡± From the moment Zeon met Dyoden, or rather, Awakened as a Sand Mage, a normal life was no longer suitable for him. With a burning desire to be stronger in his heart, how could he just follow them back to Neo Seoul? Returning would only make him a tool for the powerful or be thoroughly dissected. Returning to Neo Seoul for him was just another way of saying death. Dyodenughed. ¡°Hehe! This idiot has finally lost his mind. Congrattions on bing a true idiot.¡± ¡°Thank you very much for thepliment.¡± Zeon raised his middle finger towards Dyoden. ¡°Hehe!¡± Laughing, Dyoden leaped into the midst of the Awakened. Even while he was unarmed, Zeon did not dare to stop Dyoden, so there was no way he could stop him with Kreion in his hands. Dyoden was like a lion charging into a herd of sheep. Crack! With every swing of Kreion, the Awakened broke, tore apart, and crumbled. In an instant, the desert was bathed in the Awakeneds¡¯ crimson blood. ¡°Fuck! How can that be a human?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be better to retreat. Before we be targets for that guy.¡± Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party, with a foreboding heart, fortunately escaped the massacre orchestrated by Dyoden. Mountain, with his colossal stature and immense strength, who had been fearless of anything in the world, had a visibly pale face. Aiden and Giselle were no different. Jang Yong-beom looked at Dyoden in disbelief. ¡°He wants us to hunt down a guy like that? The Mayor must be absolutely insane.¡± There were many tales about Dyoden, but this was their first time seeing him in person. He was Jang Yong-beom, an A-rank Awakened. None of the Awakened within Neo Seoul had made him fearful. Perhaps an S-rank Awakened might give him some jitters, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t dare to put up a fight. However, facing Dyoden, who was ughtering the Awakened from a distance, there was simply no courage to confront him. Even from this far away, a chill ran down his spine. Giselle spoke up. ¡°Captain, if this continues, we¡¯ll also be part of that massacre. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± There was a desperate look on her face. The distance between Dyoden and them was one kilometer. It might seem far, but to an Awakened like Dyoden, it was meaningless. If he decided, he could appear there in the blink of an eye. Jang Yong-beom said. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Neo Seoul. And never ept any mission from the Mayor ever again.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± Aiden swiftly turned the steering wheel. The vehicle moved away from Dyoden¡¯s location at a high speed. Yet, Jang Yong-beom couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the battlefield. Suddenly, his gaze shifted from Dyoden¡¯s direction to the hooded figure behind him. He couldn¡¯t see the face, since the hood was obscuring it. ¡®Who¡¯s that? If they¡¯re apanying Dyoden, they¡¯re definitely not an ordinary person.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 31 Chapter 31 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 31 ¡°Spare me, please¡­¡± Thest survivor pleaded with Dyoden. Her name was Aislyn. As an Awakened mage, her specialty was wind-type magic. In Neo Seoul, she was nobility. Being an A-rank Awakened, her arrogance was naturally high. ustomed to being praised by everyone, she thought of herself as nobility. Her participation in this attack raid was purely of her own volition. To the leaders of Neo Seoul, Dyoden was a kind of taboo. Everyone sealed their lips as if they were not even allowed to say his name. So she developed animosity against him ¡®Is he really that great? He¡¯s nothing but just a relic of the past.¡¯ She wanted to prove it. That the Awakened of this era were much more exceptional, or rather, how exceptional she herself was. That was why she joined the raid to hunt Dyoden, but right now she was deeply regretting her decision. Her face was ugly with tears and snot all over, and even urine began to flow from between her crotch. Dyoden was terrifying and gruesome. It felt like Dyoden was disying the maximum strength a human could wield. Without even employing proper skills, he ughtered every Awakened who attacked him. He crushed them to death with his bare fists and shed them in halves with his massive sword. The sight of humans being torn apart, blood gushing like a fountain, left Aislyn in a daze. Due to her nature as a mage-type Awakened, she rarely engaged in closebat with monsters or humans. asionally casting spells from a safe distance sufficed. Witnessing such a brutal scene upfront was a first for her. Dyoden, drenched in blood and flesh, didn¡¯t resemble a human anymore. Everyone was dead, and she was the only one left alive. Aislyn quickly got down on her knees and begged. ¡°I-I was wrong. Please, spare me¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t even muster the courage to resist. Dyoden looked down at her with a contemptuous expression. ¡°Spare you?¡± ¡°Yes! Please, I¡¯ll do anything if you spare me.¡± ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°Yes! Anything?¡± ¡°Then take your own life.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you, so it¡¯d be better if you just died on your own.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Please, spare me.¡± ¡°Seeing you here, it¡¯s clear what the Mayor thinks of me. I¡¯ve received the message loud and clear.¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, Dyoden swung Kreion. A thin red line appeared across Aislyn¡¯s neck, a puzzled expression on her face. Then with a ¡®thud,¡¯ her head rolled off her body and onto the ground. ¡°Hmph!¡± [TL/N: This dude is a true advocate for gender equality ] Dyoden snorted and approached Zeon. Zeon¡¯s face was extremely contorted. Following Dyoden, he had witnessed many deaths. Among them were elves who resembled humans, but yet they were not human. That psychological barrier had protected Zeon¡¯s mind. But not now. Even though they were enemies, the sight of numerous humans turning into gruesome corpses was mentally devastating. It was a psychological shock. Dyoden spoke, opening his mouth. ¡°Lift your head.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Zeon looked up. ¡°Look.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Zeon nced at the corpses around him. ¡°That¡¯s the value of humans living in this era.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°They boast about being Awakened, but in the end, they¡¯re just tools for someone else. Once they¡¯re used up, they¡¯re discarded.¡± ¡°Are you saying they were discarded?¡± ¡°Jin Geum-ho has always been adept at maniption.¡± ¡°Who is Jin Geum-ho?¡± ¡°The Mayor of Neo Seoul.¡± Zeon widened his eyes at the unexpected answer. ¡°Jin Geum-ho is a former bureaucrat and is good at politics. It¡¯s evident he sent me a message and got rid of the nuisances at the same time.¡± ¡°Are these people the nuisances of Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°An Awakened is a double-edged sword. Those who listen well are a good sword, but those who don¡¯t listen are possible threats. So, asionally creating charades like this helps control their numbers.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the message then?¡± ¡°Probably telling me to not even think about returning to Neo Seoul. Even though I have no intention of returning to that shithole. Haha!¡± Dyoden found it amusing,ughing to himself. It had been several decades since he left Neo Seoul. During this time, he hadn¡¯t set foot there once. For those who lived in the former Republic of Korea and neighboring countries, it was like thest bastion and the strongest fortress that protected them from the monsters. But it held no meaning for Dyoden. Rather than growing old peacefully within a safe fortress, he would rather incinerate everything in the harsh desert, leaving no trace behind. That was his journey. ¡°As long as you follow me, scenes like this will keep unfolding in front of you. If you be weak-hearted and start to shed tears and snot with an unsightly face, I will personally end you.¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯d be weak-hearted? It¡¯s just my first time, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Even that sense of ¡®first time¡¯ shouldn¡¯t be felt. That¡¯s the only way for you to survive in this hellish world.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zeon replied with a firm expression. It was a piece of advice akin to a threat from a man who had lived in the desert for over a hundred years, turning flesh and blood. Zeon, having engraved Dyoden¡¯s words in his heart, cautiously asked. ¡°Leaving that aside, can I salvage?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Instead of answering, Zeon looked at the corpses of the Awakened. They were Awakened mobilized to capture Dyoden. Most of them were high-rank Awakened. Hence, the items they possessed were likely valuable. Dyoden chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re like a damn hyena.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t everything valuable in the desert? You should salvage whatever you can.¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Zeon soon began rummaging through the Awakeneds¡¯ bodies in search of useful items. He felt no shame in this act, having done far worse in the slums before. For survival, scavenging corpses was an epted norm for him. After searching for a while, Zeon¡¯s face twisted slightly. ¡®You damn old man!¡¯ Not only were there no bodies left in one piece, not even the protective equipment were left intact, all destroyed by Dyoden. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] All he salvaged were a few weapons, some rations and water stored in the sand buggies, and arge backpack. It seemed like they had hunted quite a few monsters on their way here. The backpack was filled with Magic Stones extracted from these monsters. Zeon stored everything in his subspace storage and asked. ¡°What about this vehicle? It still seems usable.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll break down sooner orter. Leave it.¡± The desert sands corroded machinery. Though it might endure for a while, without maintenance, it would deteriorate and break down. Disposing of it was a wiser choice. ¡°Let¡¯s move then.¡± The two of them resumed their journey. A sandstorm blew where they left. The desert sand soon buried the bodies and vehicles of the Awakened without leaving a trace. *** Whoosh! The fierce wind scattered sand around. For a while now, the sandstorms had intensified, making it nearly impossible for an average person to even open their eyes. Relentlessly blowing, the storms continued unabated. Fortunately, both Zeon and Deio endured, since both of them were out of the ordinary. Others would¡¯ve likely lost their way and perished by now. Zeon found it odd. Even though the desert is a ce with an unpredictable climate, it was absolutely not a natural phenomenon for sandstorms to blow nonstop for days like this. He asked Dyoden. ¡°Am I mistaken? The sandstorms seem to be getting stronger.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not mistaken. They¡¯ll only get stronger from here on.¡± ¡°Even more than now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dyoden¡¯s response left Zeon feeling dumbfounded. The sandstorm was so intense that even for someone Awakened as a Sand Mage like him, it was burdensome. Dyoden said. ¡°The area we¡¯re passing through used to be the sea.¡± ¡°The sea? You mean the ce that¡¯srger thannd, and full of salt water?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Specifically, it was the Pacific Ocean.¡± ¡°The Pacific Ocean?¡± The name was entirely new to Zeon, yet somehow, even from the word itself, he felt vastness. ¡°Do you believe it? That the ocean, which was over 10,000 meters deep at its deepest point andrge enough to fit all thend in the world, evaporated and was filled with sand?¡± Dyoden stooped and ran his hand through the sand. The sand quickly slipped through his fingers. His eyes brimmed with rage at the ungraspable sand. He still vividly remembered the endless expanse of the blue sea, the seagulls flying above, and the powerful leaps of dolphins. The brilliance of that time, irretrievable. Even though a century had passed, his memories remained vivid and had only intensified with time. Thus, his anger and madness might have grown along with them. Zeon silently observed Dyoden, consumed by rage. It had been two months since he had killed all the Awakened who had attacked them. They continued to walk east for two months. But during this time, Dyoden hadn¡¯t said a word about his past. Yet somehow, Zeon felt he could understand Dyoden. For someone like Zeon, who was born after the world changed, adapting and living with the current situation was natural. But for someone with clear memories of the past like Dyoden the current world might seem like hell. Hence, Zeon could somewhatprehend his entricity and madness. That was not to say he sympathized with him. Dyoden was still that stubborn old man, and Zeon was learning and honing his skills day by day because of his entricity. Then it happened. Zeon¡¯s senses caught a mysterious presence approaching them. Brrr! Brrr! Brrr! Vibrations were felt beneath their feet. Zeon wordlessly gazed ahead. Fifty meters, thirty meters, and ten meters¡­ Whatever it was, it had stealthily approached beneath the sand, reaching Zeon¡¯s feet. In an instant, Zeon muttered. ¡°Sand Mixer.¡± Suddenly, the sands beneath his feet began rotating at a terrifying speed, swirling around like a mixer, centered around where Zeon stood. Grrraah! The rotating sands emitted a sound akin to gears grinding. Kiiieeh! Suddenly, a scream erupted from within the sand. The hidden presence that had approached stealthily was trapped and torn apart within the swirling sands. The hard shell was worn away, and the sand dug inside finely ground the flesh. Feeling pain for the first time in its life,it struggled to escape. However, the whirlpool of sand created by Zeon was trapped and crushed it like an iron wall. The sand beneath Zeon¡¯s feet turned crimson. It was the blood flowing from the creature trapped within the vortex, dyeing the desert red. Dyoden silently watched the spectacle. The monster being ground down under Zeon¡¯s feet was the feared Sandworm, known for its ability to approach stealthily hidden within the sand. This creature struck fear in everyone because of its ability to stealthily approach under the sand. Yet here it was, powerless and being ground down without putting up much of a fight. ¡®What a deceitful ability.¡¯ While following Dyoden, Zeon¡¯s talents were starting to fully bloom. Though still not at its full potential due to his low-rank, his skill application and adaptability were unrivaled. Compared to Dyoden at the same age, Zeon was far stronger. It was an unbelievable aplishment. Boom! A loud sound erupted from within the sand. Finally, the colossal body of the Sandworm burst open, meeting its horrific end. Dyoden¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡®At this rate, we can start soon.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 32 Chapter 32 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 32 The sandstorm raged fiercely. Despite walking for several days, the sandstorm not only failed to weaken but intensified, whipping more savagely. Zeon and Dyoden pressed on, braving the onught of the sandstorm. Dyoden covered his nose and mouth with a cloth. Without doing so, he would inhale sand with every breath. It was a challenging situation for any traveler in the desert, not just Dyoden. However, Zeon was an exception. Unlike Dyoden, Zeon walked with his bare face exposed. The flying sand, like fine powder, couldn¡¯t affect him at all. It wasn¡¯t a conscious effort on Zeon¡¯s part to protect himself; it was a phenomenon that naturally urred as his abilities heightened and talents evolved. As his power increased, he seamlessly became attuned to the sand, much like breathing. Despite the limited visibility due to the swirling sandstorm, Zeon was aware of the situation beyond several meters as if he had a bird¡¯s eye view. In Zeon¡¯s heightened senses, something unfamiliar caught his attention. It wasn¡¯t sand; it was a different object. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Zeon furrowed his brows in confusion. However, Dyoden, as if knowing what was there, walked straight toward it. Before them stood a pir shaped like a hexahedron. The surface of the ck pir was covered with inscriptions of unintelligible characters. Dyoden murmured as he touched the ck pir. ¡°I see you again.¡± ¡°Have you been here before?¡± ¡°I discovered it by chance thirty years ago. It¡¯s the first time since then.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I discovered it by chance.¡± It was literal. At that time, Dyoden was much more consumed by anger than he is now. He maintained his senses somewhat now, but back then he had none of that. He was driven by madness and ended upmitting a massacre in Neo Seoul, ughtering the other races within Neo Seoul. People in the slums may not know it, but there were other races living in Neo Seoul as well. Those who were disowned from their ownmunities for various reasons, settled in Neo Seoul. They built their own territories and lived as part of Neo Seoul. Their roles were crucial in achieving the harmony of magic and science in Neo Seoul. However, for some reason, Dyoden ughtered most of them overnight. Not many members of the different races survived. Naturally, Neo Seoul was turned upside down. Dyoden gained the nickname ¡°ughterer ¡± due to this incident. A substantial bounty was ced on Dyoden, and Neo Seoul went all out to track him down. However, everyone who pursued him lost their lives. Afterward, Dyoden wandered the desert until he reached this ce, where he identally discovered the giant pir emerging from the sand. ¡°This pir is the center of the barrier.¡± ¡°Barrier? What kind of barrier are you talking about?¡± ¡°Do you think this sandstorm is normal? No matter how much of a desert it may be, can the wind blow this fiercely without a break?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Zeon looked around. The intense wind, blowing relentlessly, made it impossible to see even a step ahead. It was thanks to Dyoden, who had surpassed human limits, and Zeon, awakened as a Sand Mage, that they could endure. Most Awakened individuals would lose their sense of direction, wander around, and eventually copse. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not natural.¡± ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s clear that the barrier is preventing humans from approaching.¡± ¡°So, should we destroy this pir to break the barrier?¡± ¡°Physical attacks won¡¯t work on that pir. It¡¯s the center of the barrier and also a dungeon.¡± ¡°A dungeon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s one of the reasons I brought you here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out once you go inside.¡± Dyoden infused mana into the massive pir. Instantly, light began to shine through the inscriptions on the pir, and soon the entire pir glowed brightly. The light engulfed Dyoden and Zeon. A momentter, Zeon cautiously opened his eyes. ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°Alright! It¡¯s a desert.¡± Beside him, Dyoden responded. Indeed, thendscape unfolding before Zeon¡¯s eyes was a desert, much like Dyoden had said. However, the one stark difference here was the absence of the raging sandstorm. ¡°So, the environment inside the dungeon is a desert.¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s entirely identical to the scenery outside.¡± Dyoden couldn¡¯t fathom how absurd it was when he first entered this ce. After finally discovering the dungeon and stepping inside, only to find a desert. It made it impossible to discern what differed between the world outside the dungeon and within. ¡°What¡¯s inside this ce?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°One thing different from the desert outside in this desert here is that it causes sensory confusion, making it impossible to determine direction.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Zeon looked up at the sky. However, there was no sight of the sun. Despite feeling the scorching heat simr to the desert outside, the only distinguishing factor between the inside and outside of the dungeon was the presence and absence of the sun. ¡°There¡¯s definitely something here. But I can¡¯t seem to find it.¡± Dyoden¡¯s intuition was whispering. Whatever was inside was evidently crucial. The problem was, within seven days, they had to find and destroy the dungeon¡¯s core, whether it was a boss or an item. If not, on the eighth day, they¡¯d be teleported outside the dungeon. Despite multiple attempts, he ran out of time on every attempt. No matter how terrifying the adversaries were, they didn¡¯t scare Dyoden. However, within this mysterious dungeon, he felt powerless. ¡°We have to conquer this dungeon. Only then can we advance beyond that barrier.¡± Even the outer barrier rejected Dyoden. Simply passing by the ck pir led them to wander in the sandstorm, only to return to their starting point. That¡¯s when Dyoden realized. Unless he conquered this dungeon, there was nowhere for him to move forward. Zeon was the only hope to conquer this dungeon. This sand-filled dungeon was the optimal environment for Zeon¡¯s abilities to shine. If he couldn¡¯t find the dungeon¡¯s core, no Awakened in the world could conquer it. ¡°From now on, you lead the way. I¡¯ll follow behind.¡± ¡°Ha! Heavy responsibility on my shoulders. If I find the core, will you stop calling me an idiot?¡± ¡°I might just call you a slightly talented idiot.¡± ¡°You damn old man.¡± Zeon grumbled and took the lead. Though he said so, his expression was more serious than ever. It was a dungeon that not even Dyoden, the ruler of the desert, had conquered. Certainly not due to abilities but perhaps due topatibility, yet even so, being entrusted with a dungeon Dyoden couldn¡¯t solve was subtly exhrating. Zeon exerted his dominance to its limit. With that, his senses extended through the sand. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zeon was taken aback. The range of his extended senses was immense, reaching hundreds of meters. While his abilities had been rapidly expanding recently, they hadn¡¯t been this overwhelmingly vast. It seemed likely due to the dungeon¡¯s influence. Zeon checked Exion while he was at it. The activation level was undoubtedly different inside the dungeon than outside. ¡®What is this dungeon? Is it somehow rted to being a Sand Mage?¡¯ Dyoden had mentioned something simr before. asionally, dungeons associated with specific Awakened sses emerged. For Awakened of other sses, conquering such dungeons were several times more challenging than regr ones. Perhaps this dungeon was rted to his ss as a Sand Mage, but Zeon wasn¡¯t sure. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll find out as I go.¡¯ Zeon used his Sand Strides and ventured forward. Even though he¡¯d been traveling with Dyoden for the past few months, this was the first time he took the lead. Dyoden followed, arms crossed, indicating he¡¯d leave all decisions to Zeon. ¡®Blindly moving forward won¡¯t help. We need to determine a direction first.¡¯ There was no need for apass. If this truly was a dungeon rted to him, the sand would guide him in the direction he needed to go. Sshhh! Fine particles of sand flowed out from his entire body, hovering around him. Zeon, adorned with Exion, looked like a ck phantom. For a moment, Exion floated aimlessly but soon began to ripple in a specific direction. Following Exion¡¯s indication, Zeon unleashed his Sand Strides, and Dyoden followed suit. As Zeon activated Exion, his senses expanded even further. He could detect the movement of sand, even at a distance of almost a kilometer. Though he knew that the heightened senses he felt at the moment would disappear once he left the dungeon, for now, it was quite exhrating. It felt like he had be a deity of this dungeon. Zeon moved forward, savoring the sense of control. He walked for a staggering two days. The desert within the dungeon was vast to an unbelievable extent, making the concept of a world inside a dungeon seem imusible. It felt as if he were walking in the outside world rather than a dungeon. Everywhere he looked, there was nothing but sand. The terraincked distinctive features. There was no element to pinpoint a direction. Not only Dyoden but any Awakened entering this ce would have their senses disrupted, making them wander aimlessly. Zeon stopped his Sand Strides and murmured to himself. ¡°Looks like this is the ce.¡± Exion ceased guiding him and floated around his body as if its task wereplete. Zeon absorbed Exion once again and surveyed his surroundings. Thendscape was no different from where he had been walking. But it was different. Dyoden sensed nothing unusual, but Zeon could feel that something was different, something he could sense on his skin. The flow, color, and particles of the sand¡ªall of it was distinct. ¡°Haa!¡± Zeon took a deep breath, raising his dominance. Swoosh! Instantly, a shockwave urred beneath his feet. As sand formed a circr wave, spreading outward. ¡°Hmm!¡± Dyoden observed Zeon with an intrigued expression. It seemed as if the sand were alive and moving. As the surrounding sand pushed outwards, Zeon¡¯s body slowly sank into the ground, already hundreds of meters below. The amount of disced sand was enormous. Even with all the advanced equipment in Neo Seoul, it would be impossible to disperse this much sand in such a short time. A massive cavern appeared hundreds of meters underground. Zeon, without hesitation, walked into the cave, with Dyoden following behind. Once they concealed themselves in the cave, the sand that had rushed out flowed back, restoring the originalndscape. Dyoden clicked his tongue. ¡°No wonder even after wandering around so much, I couldn¡¯t find it.¡± Even with Dyoden¡¯s capabilities, he couldn¡¯t grasp the situation hundreds of meters below the surface. If it weren¡¯t for Zeon, he wouldn¡¯t have found such a space even after entering multiple times. It was undoubtedly a dungeon designed for a Sand Mage. ¡°What could be inside here?¡± Having traversed numerous dungeons until now, including ones with S-rank bosses, none had been a match for Dyoden. He had acquired everything useful in dungeons. This dungeon, if indeed designed for a Sand Mage, would undoubtedly provide something beneficial to Zeon. Then it happened. Swoosh! Suddenly, the sand on the cave floor began to rise and clump together. In an instant, the sand formed together into a humanoid. Since it was made of sand, the figure was crude, with all blocky features. Eyes, nose, mouth, fingers, and toes¡ªall were rough. Though no one had taught him, the moment Zeon saw the sand figure, he recognized its identity. ¡°Sand¡­ Soldier!¡± It was indeed a Sand Soldier. As if hearing Zeon¡¯s voice, the Sand Soldier attacked. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 33 Chapter 33 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 33 The Sand Soldier¡¯s attacks were straightforward. Looking at it from Dyoden¡¯s level, it¡¯d be enough to make one yawn. But Zeon was on his wits end. ¡®The sand control doesn¡¯t work.¡¯ Whether it was because they were the same sand, or because of some special force at y, attacks like the Sand ster or Sand Mixer didn¡¯t affect the Sand Soldier. Instead, the more Zeon attacked it using sand, the more it absorbed and grew in size and strength. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ Zeon wore a bewildered expression. Clearly, the Sand Soldier, like Zeon, used sand as its power. ¡®Then what about Exion?¡¯ Zeon hastily used Exion to attack the Sand Soldier. Boom! With Exion infused into his fist, he struck, shattering the Sand Soldier¡¯s shoulders. Previously, it would quickly recover from injuries by absorbing sand, but now, it was not regenerating. ¡®As expected, they can¡¯t absorb Exion.¡¯ Unlike other sands, Exion seemed to be seamlessly integrated with him. Hence, it was evident that the Sand Soldier couldn¡¯t absorb it. Zeon condensed Exion around his gauntlet. Thud! With a single punch, the Sand Soldier shattered into pieces. But there was no time for celebration. Swoosh! A new Sand Soldier emerged. This time, there were two. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡± Zeon extended his Sand Strides toward the Sand Soldiers and applied Exion in his attack. Boom! Boom! With a series of explosions, the Sand Soldiers were destroyed. A perplexed gleam shimmered in Zeon¡¯s eyes. This time, four Sand Soldiers appeared instead. ¡°What¡¯s this? Every time I defeat them, they double in number, is that it?¡± If his hypothesis was correct, defeating these Sand Soldiers would inevitably lead to eight appearing next. His prediction soon turned into reality. Indeed, eight Sand Soldiers materialized. The problemy in the fact that unlike the initial Sand Soldier, these new ones moved more smoothly and lethally. ¡°Ah! They are learning?¡± Dyoden eximed in admiration. The newly appeared Sand Soldiers seemed topensate for the shorings of the previous ones, almost as if learning from encounters with Zeon. Dyoden watched Zeon¡¯s fight with keen interest, but there was absolutely no intention to intervene. If it was a dungeon for Zeon, he¡¯d have to break through it on his own, just like he had done so far. Boom! Boom! As the defeated Sand Soldiers crumbled, more emerged behind them. They attacked Zeon with heightened ferocity. Zeon bit his lip. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s see whoes out on top.¡± By this point, his determination surged. He fought the Sand Soldiers with all his might. They shattered into sand, only to reform into Sand Soldiers again. It seemed like an endless battle. Both the Sand Soldiers and Zeon were learning. Through the fight, Zeon refined the use of Exion, honed his skills, and studied the Sand Soldiers. Thus, Zeon and the Sand Soldiers rapidly grew stronger, studying each other. There was one difference between Zeon and the Sand Soldiers. It was the presence of Exion. While Zeon could employ Exion for diverse attacks, the Sand Soldiers seemed confined to engaging in closebat. ¡°Haaa!¡± Boom! With a resounding st, more than a dozen Sand Soldiers shattered. Zeon dashed toward the cavern behind the Sand Soldiers. Even as he raced along the cave, the Sand Soldiers kept appearing endlessly, attacking Zeon. Zeon kept defeating every Sand Soldier in his path. Eventually, amidst the endless run, he found himself in a vast underground chamber. In the center of the underground chamber stood a grand altar. The altar was adorned with an unidentified cluster of light hovering above it. It was undoubtedly the item that served as the core of this dungeon. ¡°Phew!¡± Zeon instinctively sensed that there was an item rted to himself within that radiant cluster. Humming! At that moment, the cluster emitted an even brighter light, causing intense vibrations. Suddenly, the underground chamber was filled with an overwhelming number of Sand Soldiers. Roughly estimating, there seemed to be over a thousand. ¡°Damn it!¡± Zeon¡¯s face contorted. He had finally reached his destination only to face more Sand Soldiers than he had encountered so far. Curses involuntarily spilled from his lips. Then, Dyoden¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°You idiot, are you giving up?¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯m giving up?¡± Zeon snapped. If he were going to give up, he wouldn¡¯t have struggled toe this far. He would¡¯ve returned to Neo Seoul long ago. Zeon took a deep breath. ¡®I can do this. No, I will.¡¯ At that moment, the Sand Soldiers attacked Zeon. Their rush towards him, flooding the enormous underground chamber, resembled a tidal wave. Tiny particles swirled around Zeon¡¯s entire body as he rotated Exion in a hemisphere while using it. It was an extremely mana-consuming technique. With his current mana, he couldn¡¯t sustain it for long. Nevertheless, he used it because he believed in the Elura¡¯s Tear. An item that miraculously restored all mana once a day. In that state, Zeon hurled himself into the midst of the Sand Soldiers. Crash! The swirling Exion stormed through the Sand Soldiers, shredding them apart. The split Sand Soldiers crumbled into sand. Despite numerous Sand Soldiers being destroyed, the remaining ones didn¡¯t hesitate to assail Zeon. Thud! Thud! The Sand Soldiers pounded the spinning Exion with all their might. It seemed as if Exion would shatter at any moment. Each strike dealt a considerable blow to Zeon. Blood now trickled from the corners of his mouth. Nheless, Zeon didn¡¯t cease using Exion. When he had annihted around three hundred Sand Soldiers, Zeon¡¯s mana depleted entirely. At that moment, the Elura¡¯s Tear performed a miracle. Instantly, it replenished all of Zeon¡¯s mana. The momentarily faltering Exion resumed its fierce rotation once again. sh! Zeon charged forward in a straight line. His target was the altar. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] To stop Zeon, the Sand Soldiers threw themselves at him. There were far more charging Sand Soldiers than those splitting away. Consequently, Zeon was quickly buried under the Sand Soldiers, bing invisible within their midst. As they were made of sand, the Sand Soldiers felt no fear unlike humans. Even if their arms were torn off or their legs shattered, they relentlessly charged toward their target. Zeon, armed with the miraculous item Exion, fared better. But had he been an ordinary Awakened, he might have vanished without a trace, swept away by the wave. Zeon fought as if he was on the brink of insanity. Eventually, as his mana became too low to utilize Exion in a storm-like rotation, a significant number of Sand Soldiers had been eliminated. From then on, it became a closebat confrontation. Using minimal Exion maniption, Zeon engaged in hand-to-handbat. Thankfully, he had learned unarmedbat during his battles with the Golems in a nameless dungeon. It wasn¡¯t a formal skill, nor was it structured martial arts, but because Zeon had learned it firsthand, it unfolded naturally. Boom! The head of a Sand Soldier shattered. Without a moment to breathe, Zeon struck another Sand Soldier¡¯s torso with his knee. He fought like a beast amidst the Sand Soldier. Watching the spectacle, Dyoden muttered to himself. ¡°What a mess! Still, not too shabby.¡± One had to maintain such a mindset in such chaos. Without teeth, one should bite with their gums if need be. Having no mana or the inability to use skills and spectate or retreat is tantamount to unting one¡¯s ipetence. To survive, one must do whatever it takes. Even minimal resistance or struggle is a duty to life. Dyoden had lived in such a ruthless world with that mindset. Neo Seoul, with its high walls and protection from Awakened, at least had some semnce of rules. But in this wastnd, there was none of that. Surviving was up to oneself. The fight was graduallying to an end. Boom! Thest Sand Soldier returned to sand. ¡°Haa! Haa!¡± Zeon breathed heavily, as if he might copse at any moment. His body was already in shambles. It was astonishing that he still stood on both legs. He staggered but continued walking towards the altar. The cluster of light on the altar seemed to ripple as if weing Zeon. Zeon reached out his hand towards the cluster of light. In an instant, as if waiting for him, the cluster of light was absorbed into Zeon¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t react in surprise but epted the light. Then, his battered body was suddenly healed, and his depleted mana was replenished. Finally, Zeon¡¯s breathing steadied. Zeon kept his eyes closed for a long time. Dyoden silently waited for him to awaken. ¡°Phew!¡± Finally, Zeon exhaled and opened his eyes. Dyoden asked him. ¡°So, did you get something useful?¡± ¡°Would you like to see?¡± Zeon manipted his mana. Suddenly, two Sand Soldiers appeared on either side of him. ¡°You can control these Sand Soldiers now?¡± ¡°I just got a grasp of the principle. I can only summon two due to my current mana, but as my skills improve, I¡¯ll be able to summon more.¡± ¡°Soldiers made of sand? Could be useful in some tactics.¡± It would probably be impossible to summon a thousand Sand Soldiers at once like the dungeon. The dungeon was optimally structured for summoning Sand Soldiers. Outside, summoning just two at the same time would be Zeon¡¯s current limit as he had to rely solely on his own mana. A tattoo had appeared on Zeon¡¯s left arm, which hadn¡¯t existed before. It was two crossed spears rising resembling coiled serpents. It was the cluster of light absorbed by Zeon that had transformed into a tattoo. Dyoden asked. ¡°Any other information?¡± ¡°None.¡± Zeon shook his head. There was no information about who had created this dungeon or for what purpose. At that moment. Crack! Suddenly, the entire underground chamber began to tremble. It was a sign that the dungeon was copsing. Since Zeon had absorbed the core item of the dungeon, it started to copse. Snap! A crack appeared in the space where the two were standing, like a crack in ss. Then, the images of the two disappeared as if erased with an eraser. A whileter, the two reappeared at the entrance of the dungeon, now transferred outside. The entrance they had entered had disappeared without a trace. Still, the two weren¡¯t surprised. Since, this was always the end of a dungeon that had been conquered. Dyoden looked around and was surprised. ¡°The sandstorm has stopped. The barrier is also gone.¡± The dense sandstorm that had obstructed Dyoden¡¯s path hadpletely ceased. The barrier had been broken. Now, they could finally move forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Dyoden started walking. Zeon looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression. After going through so much in the dungeon, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to rest for a day, leaving immediately was ridiculous. ¡°Well, I¡¯m the only one who suffered. He must have plenty of energy since he didn¡¯t even lift a finger. Really¡­¡± Suppressing the urge to yell out ¡®damn you, old bastard,¡¯ Zeon followed Dyoden. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 34 Chapter 34 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 34 Dyoden scanned the surroundings with a sharp gaze. ¡°The air feels different.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zeon looked at him puzzled. Dyoden didn¡¯t respond. Though Zeon¡¯s expression contorted, he remained indifferent. Exining everything from start to finish wouldn¡¯t aid growth. It¡¯s in feeling, questioning, and pondering that one truly grows. Dyoden had grown that way and applied his method to Zeon as well. Zeon had been keeping up well so far, but there was still room for improvement. He needed to ponder more intensely to be much stronger than he was now. Despite being in the heart of the desert, the air remained scorching, yet it carried a dark energy within. Having traversed the desert for a long time, this peculiar sensation was a first for Dyoden. After a while, Zeon seemed to sense something odd, tilting his head. Dyoden thought Zeon¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t bad. This unfamiliar territory was unlike any Dyoden had explored before. While deserts might seem identical, they held distinct characteristics. Some had endless valleys, while others were filled with quicksand where sand flowed like a river. Just by observing these traits, one could roughly guess the location. Yet, Dyoden swore he¡¯d never encountered a ce with these characteristics among the regions he¡¯d roamed. It felt as though the very air was hostile toward humans. Grumble! Kreion¡¯s scabbard vibrated. Dyoden nodded in response. ¡°I know. My friend!¡± It was thanks to Kreion that he did not feel lonely even though he had been wandering the world for over a hundred years. Kreion¡¯s presence prevented Dyoden from sumbing to madness, allowing him to maintain his sanity. Crunch! The sand underfoot crumbled finely and dispersed in the wind. Certainly, this sand felt different from any Dyoden had trodden before. The desert sandcked cohesion. It shouldn¡¯t crumble with just a bit of pressure; yet, this ce was different. Everything here was distinct. Without letting his guard down, Dyoden continued walking. However, his vignce faded as nothing eventful happened for several days. Suddenly, an unusual sight caught Dyoden¡¯s eye. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Far in the distance, a reddish-brown terrain stood out. It was noticeably different from the sandy color of the desert they¡¯d traversed. Having lived in the desert for a hundred years, Dyoden had never seen a ce with this hue. Far beyond the reddish-brown terrain, something towering stood, reminiscent of the castles seen only in storybooks. ¡°A castle in the middle of the desert?¡± Dyoden¡¯s gaze became deeply absorbed. He had seen various colonies, including Neo Seoul Colony, with his own eyes. None of the colonies he¡¯d seen resembled a structure like this castle. There was nothing more to ponder. Dyoden set the castle as his destination and started walking towards it. He sensed Zeon diligently following behind. Just removing the barrier that had been hindering him was all he needed Zeon to do. Yet, Dyoden didn¡¯t tell Zeon to turn back. If they hade this far together, seeing it through to the end together was the right thing to do, just as Zeon had said. Whatever the oue might be. After a full day¡¯s walk, they finally reached the reddish-brown terrain. The moment their feet touched the reddish-brown ground. Thud! Suddenly, something pierced through the ground, revealing itself. It was an arm. Flesh rotten, bones exposed, the arm emerged from the ground and pulled up a body. What surfaced from the reddish-brown terrain was clearly a corpse. A corpse d in armor. Though the flesh seemed halfway decayed, exposing the bones vividly, somehow, the creature was moving, alive. Dyoden immediately recognized the identity of the corpse. ¡°Is it undead?¡± A phenomenon where corpses would move for some peculiar reason, despite having heard about it in stories, seeing it first hand was a first for him. There was not just one undead. Following that, numerous undead burst through the ground. Cloaks and armor fluttering in the wind, swords held in hand¡ªthe sight resembled medieval knights. Dyoden scanned the surroundings, wondering if he had unwittingly entered a dungeon. If it were a dungeon, such urrences wouldn¡¯t be surprising at all. Anything was possible within a dungeon¡ªa fragmented piece of reality, a dimension warped beyond human imagination. However, this wasn¡¯t a dungeon. It was undeniably reality. Undead rising in reality. ¡°Not a dungeon, yet phenomena simr to one. Seems like I¡¯ve stumbled upon something proper.¡± Dyoden grinned. Unknowingly, a glint of his characteristic madness sparkled in his eyes. ¡°Come at me! Those who haven¡¯t found peace.¡± His maniacal shout was the detonator. Roar! The undead knights charged at Dyoden in a straight line. Their bodies decayed, yet their former skills hadn¡¯t diminished, making the undead knights¡¯ movements disturbingly agile when facing Dyoden¡¯s formidable presence. ng! Dyoden¡¯s sword shed with the undead knights¡¯, creating a cacophony of metal. *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The battle between Dyoden and the undead knights was fierce. Disying skills reminiscent of their former living selves, the undead knights¡¯ prowess were remarkable. They managed to keep the fight somewhat equal against the colossal being known as Dyoden. But it was only possible because Dyoden allowed it. Crack! One of the undead knights was cleaved in half by Dyoden¡¯s strike. From waist down, the cleaved undead knight copsed gracelessly. For a regr person, it would have been a fatal blow resulting in immediate death. But the undead knights were already dead. A being that had died once, couldn¡¯t die again. Slither! The halves of the undead knight¡¯s body rejoined seamlessly in an instant. Zeon muttered. ¡°This is what being undead means?¡± He was observing but did not directly participate in the battle It was Dyoden¡¯s battle. Just like Dyoden had watched him in the sand dungeon, it was Zeon¡¯s turn to observe this time. His role ended with removing the barrier blocking their path. From now on, he had to watch as a bystander. Unless Dyoden wished otherwise. ¡°Hehehe!¡± Dyoden¡¯s maniacalughter echoed, he seemed genuinely pleased. Despite being deceased, they were also knights. Warriors wielding swords. Their once-learned swordsmanship was being manifested through their decaying bodies. It had been a very long time since he had engaged in a true sword battle. Dyoden faced the undead knights purely with swordsmanship, not using any mana. Still, the undead knights couldn¡¯t match him. sh! Every swing of Kreion made the undead knights fall in halves. However, they quickly recovered and charged back at Dyoden. Since they were already dead, they felt no fear and experienced no pain. In some ways, they were akin to the Sand Soldiers that Zeon had faced. Another simrity was their numbers. Thud! Thud! More undead knights continued to emerge from the ground. The number of undead knights seemed to easily surpass several hundred at a nce. The undead knights charged madly at Dyoden, ignoring Zeon¡¯s presence nearby and focusing solely on attacking Dyoden. Dyoden cut through the undead knights, advancing forward towards the distant visible castle. Now, it was clearly visible. The castle bore the semnce of a medieval stronghold. Yet, it wasn¡¯t entirely identical. It possessed an elegance and sharpness beyondparison. The walls were adorned with inscrutable symbols. Although now faded into a deep gray, they must have been vibrant and vivid when they were initially crafted. Strangely, the patterns etched on the walls seemed familiar to Zeon. Digging into his memory, Zeon soon pulled out a book from the subspace¡ªan item he had taken from the elf vige Dyoden had annihted. As he flipped through the book, he discovered identical symbols engraved on the castle walls. ¡°Is this rted to the elves?¡± However, considering it as the elves¡¯ architectural design seemed odd. Based on what he had witnessed in the elf vige Dyoden had annihted, theycked the capacity to construct such massive structures. More than anything, the undead knights who were currently obstructing Dyoden were all human. If the castle truly had connections to the elves, the undead knights would have beenposed of elves, not humans. The undead knights threw themselves at Dyoden, yet he was akin to a colossal tsunami, destroying and sweeping away everything blocking his path. Despite the undead knights¡¯ bodies being shattered and recovered repeatedly, the oue remained the same. Dyoden crushed and moved forward relentlessly until he finally reached the castle. Bang! He shattered the castle door and stepped inside. Instantly, the undead knights who had been obstructing him ceased their attacks. Zeon nced at the undead knights with a puzzled expression. The undead knights remained motionless, as if all their functions had ceased like a switched-off machine. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Yet, thanks to this, Zeon could enter the castle without difficulty. Dyoden plunged Kreion into the ground and shouted. ¡°Come forth! The master of this castle.¡± His shout echoed like a storm, shaking the massive structure. Then, it happened. As if responding, a bright light emerged from the castle floor. The light turned into lines, sketching a picture on the floor in an instant. Thepleted picture depicted a circr fortress enclosed by several rings. In between these rings were densely packed elven characters. ¡°Is this a magic circle?¡± The intense glow from the magic circle revealed something within it. Standing taller than the undead knights by at least twice the size, adorned with a helmet sporting three horns and a suit of metal armor of unknown origin. Draped across the shoulders was a torn gray cloak, and at the waist hung a sword as massive as Kreion. Within the knight¡¯s helmet, a crimson glow flickered, while an ominous darkness cloaked its entire body. He was the master of this castle. Dyoden bared his white teeth and grinned. ¡°What¡¯s your name? Knight!¡± Zeon naturally assumed the knight wouldn¡¯t be able to respond, considering the decay of his vocal cords, rendering him unable to make any sound. However, the oue differed from Zeon¡¯s expectations. ¡°Ah¡­ ka¡­ ruk!¡± Sounds akin to cave echoes emanated from the knight¡¯s mouth. Dyoden stated. ¡°My name is Dyoden. Akaruk!¡± ¡°Dy¡­ o¡­ den! Kill me and break this curse¡­¡± Suddenly, the knight¡¯s voice ceased. In its ce, a sinister gray aura emanated from the knight¡¯s entire body. The gray aura flickered like a living being, enveloping the cloak. Whoosh! The gray aura even enveloped the knight¡¯s gigantic sword. Swoosh! The castle trembled as if an earthquake had urred. Dyoden gripped Kreion firmly and dered. ¡°Akaruk! I¡¯ll end this curse of yours. Former knight¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 35 Chapter 35 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 35 Whoosh! Akaruk¡¯s swordsmanship was truly refined. With each swing of his sword, a tremendous force surged, attacking Dyoden. Dyoden felt his blood boil. Despite facing numerous monsters and Awakened before, Akaruk was the first opponent to make him feel this level of tension. Although he was now an undead, Akaruk¡¯s prowess as a knight in his past life was evident with just one strike. He swept through space and the earth simultaneously. Dyoden also confronted him, not avoiding the sh, and swung Kreion. Kwaaang! As the swords collided, a sound like a bomb exploding echoed, and a shockwave swept in all directions. ¡°Krrgh!¡± The surging shockwave hit Zeon. Fortunately, he managed to raise a sand barrier for protection, but had his reaction been slightly dyed, he would have tumbled violently. Even with Zeon¡¯s vision, he couldn¡¯t keep up with Dyoden and Akaruk¡¯s rapid movements. Thud! Bang! Thud! Zeon watched them closely without blinking as they shed, roaming the noisy battleground. Zeon instinctively realized that this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Dyoden, the strongest human he knew. And a Death Knight that had discarded the flesh of a human. Just watching their fight expanded Zeon¡¯s perspective significantly. Sometimes, merely observing could be a form of learning and enlightenment. This was one of those moments. While watching their fight, Zeon shuddered. Compared to Dyoden and Akaruk, he felt he still had a long way to go. The sense of achievement he felt from acquiring Exion and the Sand Soldier faded away heavily. ¡°Alright!¡± In Dyoden¡¯s eyes, facing Akaruk, madness emanated. Between the corners of his lifted lips, white fangs appeared. It was Dyoden¡¯s smile that surfaced only when he truly enjoyed himself. It seemed like the insane monster couldn¡¯t bear the joy of fighting Akaruk. ¡°Ah, really, he¡¯spletely mad.¡± Even as Zeon shook his head, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off them. Dyoden¡¯s blow struck the towering structure after passing Akaruk. Kwarr! The impact caused the tower to copse. If things continued this way, the debris from the tower would cover Dyoden and Zeon. Zeon waved his hand, and numerous Sand Missiles flew towards the debris. Bang! With a loud explosion, the debris that the Sand Missiles hit shattered. But, more surprisingly, something even more astonishing happened next. The debris, turned to dust, returned to its original form as if time were reversed. Not only that, it returned to its original position. The tower had be perfect again. Zeon¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°This can¡¯t be!¡± It was physically impossible. No, even with magic, it was equally impossible. It was as if time had reversed. In an instant, Zeon felt like he had been struck in the back of his head with a hammer. ¡°Did time rewind? No, what if time has stopped?¡± In that case, it exined the rapid healing of the fatal wounds suffered by the undead just by stopping time. The entire area, including the castle, was undoubtedly frozen in time. ¡°Who on earth could¡¯ve done this?¡± Neo Seoul had numerous Awakened, but none dared to tamper with time. Even the mighty Dyoden couldn¡¯t manipte time. It was an area forbidden to humans. ¡®Then who else could¡¯ve done it? A god?¡¯ Zeon knew how absurd his thoughts were. However, at this moment, there were no other suspects left but a ¡°god.¡± He used not to believe in gods. However, witnessing Dyoden kill a god with his own eyes left him with no choice but to believe. ¡°Hah!¡± Zeon sighed. The more he thought, the more overwhelming the scale became. Now, it was a challenge beyond the capacity of a D-rank Awakened. Zeon raised his head, dismissing his contemtion, and watched Dyoden and Akaruk¡¯s battle. Bang! With a thunderous sound, Akaruk¡¯s shoulder fell off. It was Dyoden¡¯s strike that sliced through his shoulder. However, Akaruk neither faltered nor stepped back. He was already a being of death. Losing an arm didn¡¯t inflict any pain upon him. Instead, the severed arm flew back and reattached itself seamlessly. Dyoden wasn¡¯t surprised at the sight. ¡°Hehe!¡± He had already witnessed the undead knights resurrecting before. Naturally, Akaruk, at the pinnacle of undead knights, surely possessed superior regenerative abilities. Boom! Akaruk¡¯s side flew off. Yet, once again, both flesh and armor regenerated instantly. A fierce glint intensified in Akaruk¡¯s eyes. ¡°You, who cannot kill me¡­ do not deserve to step forward.¡± Swoosh! Suddenly, a gray me erupted from Akaruk¡¯s sword. Gray auras emanated as mes from the sword. Thud! Baaang! Kreion shed with the gray aura, and a thunderous explosion ensued. At each impact, it seemed like the castle would crumble any moment, but as if nothing had happened, it swiftly restored to its original state. Shuaak! A long gash appeared on Dyoden¡¯s side from Akaruk¡¯s sword. Yet, even with a fatal wound, Dyoden didn¡¯t flinch. In fact, he seemed to revel in the pain he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. ¡°Hehe!¡± Somewhere along the line, he too no longer felt pain. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t truly feel pain, but rather, there was no longer anyone capable of causing him pain. Whether it was an A-rank or S-rank monster, none became his match. There existed no being capable of inflicting wounds on him, transcending human limits, he had in even gods. Akaruk, for the first time in decades, was the one who managed to wound him. Purely in terms of swordsmanship, Akaruk was by no means inferior to Dyoden. Moreover, he possessed regenerative capabilities that swiftly healed any wounds he sustained. Akaruk knew precisely how to wield these two weapons effectively. Dyoden was truly impressed by the Death Knight. The regenerative abilities weren¡¯t even a concern for him. What impressed Dyoden was Akaruk¡¯s mastery of swordsmanship. In each strike, there was no excess, overflowing with grace. Savage yet not brutal. Just observing that was enough for Zeon to imagine what Akaruk¡¯s disposition might have been in his living days. Akaruk unleashed the swordsmanship he had honed during his life against Dyoden. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Thud! Baaang! Continuous explosions echoed. The air in the vicinity heated up intensely due to their confrontation. They unleashed everything they had learned against each other. Their engagement resembled the dialogue of the finest swordsmen with their swords. Zeon watched this spectacle without taking a deep breath. That¡¯s when it happened. Suddenly, a pitch-ck aura gathered around Kreion. It emitted an ominousness not inferior to Akaruk¡¯s gray aura. ¡°Ugh!¡± The moment the pitch-ck aura emanated, Zeon felt a pang in his heart. Despite not directly confronting it, his heart was aching merely from witnessing it. ¡°Insane!¡± Zeon hastily retreated, moving out of its sphere of influence. However, unlike him, the undead surrounding the area stood motionless before being affected by the pitch-ck aura. Psssh! The exposed flesh of the undead suddenly turned to dust. Even the decayed flesh and ckened bones turned to dust, yet the undead remained standing nkly. Oooo! Amidst the undead, a peculiar resonance erupted. It sounded like a wail yet carried a sense of euphoria. Zeon instinctively sensed that it was closer to euphoria. Dyoden¡¯s released aura was turning the undead back to nothingness. Yet, the undead seemed to revel in it. ¨C Atst! ¨C I can finally rest¡­ Zeon could almost hear their voices in his ears. Dyoden¡¯s voice rang out in a roar. ¡°Rest now. Death Knight!¡± Shwahak! Kreion surged with the ck aura, striking Akaruk. Thud! Akaruk¡¯s body split in two, his upper and lower halves rolling apart. Just moments ago, Akaruk boasted formidable regeneration. But this time, his regenerative powers failed. The severed parts turned slowly into dust. The intense aura flowing from his helmet gradually vanished. Thud! Dyoden mmed Kreion into the ground, eyeing Akaruk. Then came Akaruk¡¯s voice. ¡°Death! Your power is death.¡± Unlike before, it was a clear voice. The curse that turned him into undead had been neutralized by Dyoden¡¯s power. Despite facing death, Akaruk¡¯s voice held no hint of regret; instead, a sense of relief prevailed. He removed the helmet he had been wearing. Underneath, a face of someone in their early fifties appeared. Though the facial flesh had decayed by half, distinct features still lingered, he could¡¯ve been called quite handsome when he was alive. He spoke. ¡°The power of death. That power, granted only to Krasias in Kurayan, has nowe to you.¡± ¡°Krasias? Could it be him?¡± ¡°The Dragon of Destruction who made the world like this, we called him Krasias.¡± ¡°Krasias! So, that was his name.¡± Dyoden gritted his teeth. It had been a hundred years since the world had been ruined, and for the first time in all those years, he learned the name. A hundred years ago, Dyoden was in New York. New York, the capital of the world, the epitome of civilization. Back then, Dyoden was traveling in New York with his wife, daughter, and his only friend. Even though they had lived in a small neighborhood in Montana, they lived happily, enjoying the mor of New York. But their happiness didn¡¯tst long. Something colossal tore through the sky of New York. Measuring over three kilometers from head to tail with wings spanning ten, it resembled a dragon from legends or movies. Yet everyone witnessing it knew it wasn¡¯t a dragon. Something resembling a dragon. A god in the form of a beast. Everyone who saw it thought so. And most who had seen the dragon couldn¡¯t withstand the divine aura it emitted and perished on the spot. In one swoop, half of New York was destroyed, and over five million people died. It was truly theing of cmity. That was the day Dyoden¡¯s wife and daughter died. They were right there beside him. Dyoden, who had lost his wife and daughter without even being able to lift a finger, vowed to take his revenge. It happened over a hundred years ago, but Dyoden had never once forgotten those memories. Dyoden asked Akaruk. ¡°Where is Krasias?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? He has returned to nothingness.¡± ¡°Gone? After turning the world into this?¡± ¡°The price of attempting to terraform another world is grand. Even the Dragon of Destruction, who consumed all anomalies and powers since the beginning, couldn¡¯t handle it.¡± ¡°Arghh!¡± Blood vessels emerged in Dyoden¡¯s eyes. Akaruk regarded Dyoden¡¯s intense expression with pity. ¡°I understand your feelings.¡± ¡°Shut up! What does an undead like you know to speak so carelessly?¡± ¡°It was Krasias who turned me into an undead. Because I was the only one who opposed his decision¡­¡± [TL/N: And the lore deepens owo¡­ why do I feel like Dyoden¡¯s only friend might be rted to Zeon, hmmm¡­] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 36 Chapter 36 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 36 Krasias had existed since the dawn of Kurayan. Although he bore the form of a dragon, no one in Kurayan considered him to be one. Not even the other dragons themselves. Krasias¡¯s epithet was ¡°The Greedy Dragon.¡± This is because he coveted and collected all the anomalies and abilities existing in Kurayan. His colossal three-kilometer body was a manifestation of these abilities. Although he existed at the apex of the world called Kurayan, Krasias exerted no influence. He merely observed, akin to a god. In fact,, among the gods that existed in Kurayan, none possessed powerparable to Krasias. Beneath Krasias¡¯s passive observation, wars raged incessantly within Kurayan every day. Kurayan was vastly different from Earth. The development of civilization was simr to that of Earth, but the method waspletely different. Instead of science, magic and all kinds of supernatural abilities led to the enlightenment of human civilization. The inhabitants were also different from those of Earth. Humans, elves, dwarves, diverse races, and creatures firmly upied their domains, establishing a delicate bnce. With limitednd but numerous races, war remained incessant. Had one side gained a decisive advantage, perhaps the wars would have ended sooner. However, the powers of humans and other races were almost evenly matched. War stained with hatred and fury persisted for thousands of years until it abruptly ceased one day. Because the end had arrived for Kurayan. The sudden apocalypse dismantled everything. The turned upside down, covered in moltenva. Seas and rivers evaporated, and the sky was shrouded in ck ash. The itself began to copse. Reason and cause remained unknown. One day, the apocalypse abruptly happened, causing the gradual demise of two-thirds of the diverse races and humans inhabiting Kurayan. Amidst the despair, thest thought of humans and other races was of Krasias. They pleaded for salvation from Krasias. Krasias spoke. ¨CThe demise of this world is inevitable. For the beings of this world to continue existing, another world must bear the cost. Do you ept this fate? The representatives of humanity and the other races responded as follows. ¡°The desire to live is an inherent longing for all living beings. How can we deem that as wrong? We want to live. Even if it means trampling upon another world. If it ensures survival, we will do anything. You are the guardian of Kurayan, are you not? Oh, mighty being with power surpassing that of gods. Please, look upon us with favor. We are all but your children.¡± Krasias pondered their plea for a long while. ¨CVery well! I shall investigate if there exists another world where you can migrate. Using dimensional detection magic, Krasias sought a ce where the inhabitants of Kurayan could relocate. At that moment, Kurayan was copsing, leaving little time. Hence, Krasias needed to hurry. Ultimately, the ce found was Earth. Given more time, they might have found another devoid of life. Unfortunately, theycked that luxury. ¨CThend I found already harbors billions of humans. If you wish to live, you inevitably must kill them and seize theirnd. Do you still ept? Krasias asked, and representatives of humans, other races, and even other dragons agreed without hesitation. Except for one individual who opposed ¨C Akaruk, one of humanity¡¯s representatives. ¡°No, how can we take away thend of another world just so we can survive? I¡¯m against it.¡± Akaruk¡¯s epithet was a ¡°Noble Knight¡±. From head to toe, Akaruk embodied the essence of a knight. War among themselves was inevitable, but the invasion of another world was something he could not condone. He stood alone in opposition, wielding his sword. But with one hand, he couldn¡¯t stop ten. Moreover, those gathered were among Kurayan¡¯s mightiest. In the end, Akaruk fell to them. The one who turned the deceased him into an undead was the Gold Dragon, Haeltoon. Haeltoon turned Akaruk and his followers into undead, making them guardians in preparation for the migration to Earth. Krasias wielded all his might to open a dimensional portal and was the first to cross to Earth. For Krasias, possessing the power of an entire, it was feasible. The first thing Krasias did upon arrival was to terraform Earth, making its environment simr to Kurayan¡¯s¡ªan essential step for the sessful settlement of Kurayan¡¯s inhabitants. However, this terraforming caused problems. Krasias¡¯s power was indeed immense, seemingly ensuring the sess of the terraforming magic. Yet, at that moment, an enormous bacsh struck him. It was as if the, Earth, was resisting bing subservient to Krasias and Kurayan. Earth¡¯s bacsh brought about tremendous consequences. The immediate result was the entire Earth turning into a desert and bringing about Krasias¡¯s demise. As Krasias perished, all the powers and abilities he had amassed over time spread across Earth. It was also thanks to him that humans on Earth Awakened. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Ah, fuck! Are you saying Earth became like this because of those creatures from Kurayan?¡± Zeon¡¯s face contorted upon hearing the story. He never anticipated such hidden reasons behind Earth¡¯s desertification. Now he understood why Dyoden harbored such resentment toward the other races. Even Zeon himself, had he known all these circumstances a hundred years ago, might have sumbed to rage like Dyoden and indiscriminately ughtered the other races as well. Dyoden asked. ¡°If you¡¯re a guardian, does it mean the dragon is not far from here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Heheh! The Gold Dragon, Haeltoon, right?¡± Dyoden chuckled, revealing his white teeth. Akaruk trembled. The madness emitted by Dyoden was so severe that he, an undead, felt fear. ¡°Human!¡± ¡°Speak, Noble Knight.¡± Dyoden¡¯s tone shifted. Though Dyoden harbored disdain for everything Kurayan-rted, he couldn¡¯t disregard Akaruk. Akaruk was a true knight. When the decision for migration to Earth was made for the sake of everyone¡¯s survival, he alone opposed it. He fought alone to prevent the misguided decision, and in return, became an undead. One couldn¡¯t disrespect a man who understood honor and justice. Akaruk said. ¡°Dragons are powerful.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Though you¡¯re mighty now, you cannot match a dragon.¡± ¡°I know that too.¡± Dyoden replied calmly. He had already hunted a dragon before. Though he wasn¡¯t alone. He was with hundreds of Awakened. At that time, two-thirds of the awakened who participated in the dragon hunt died, and even the survivors mostly ended up disabled. The injured survivors didn¡¯t live long, following those who had passed before them. There were only a very few people, including Dyoden, who survived intact. He had deeply felt how powerful a dragon was at that time. A dragon was a powerhouse of magic in itself. Moreover, it possessed formidable magic resistance. This rendered attacks from Magic-type Awakened ineffective. In addition, its scales, which were stronger than adamantium, even repelled attacks from Martial Arts-type Awakened. If it hadn¡¯t been for numerous Awakened using firearms and even suicide dive attacks, they would never have been able to kill the dragon. Even back then, Dyoden already possessed considerable strength. But even then, he felt despair in the face of the dragon¡¯s overwhelming presence. And the dragon he had hunted at that time was the youngest and least powerful among all the dragons that crossed over to Earth. To defeat such a dragon, most of the early Awakened died. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t fathom the strength of the Gold Dragon, Haeltoon. However, Dyoden never despaired. For a hundred years, he tirelessly roamed the desert, honing his skills. His current prowess was iparable to when he first hunted a dragon. Akaruk offered his sword to Dyoden. ¡°Take my sword. It¡¯s a de blessed by the gods. It will aid you.¡± On the sword Akaruk extended, there were inscriptions of unknown significance. They were symbols carved when blessed by the gods. With the demise of most gods alongside Kurayan¡¯s destruction, the blessings on the sword hadrgely diluted. Still, the remaining power would undoubtedly be of assistance. Dyoden epted Akaruk¡¯s sword. ¡°I will use it well.¡± ¡°What persuaded Krasias were the humans and the other races, but it was the dragons who manipted them into doing so. I hope you understand that.¡± ¡°That does not mean that the responsibility of the humans and other races of Kurayan go away.¡± ¡°Knowing that¡­ is enough.¡± Now, Akaruk¡¯s body was nearly reduced to ashes, with only part of his upper body and face remaining. Gazing at the ashen sky, Akaruk murmured. ¡°Before I die, I wanted to see the blue sky¡­¡± Sshhh! In an instant, even his face turned to dust,pletely vanishing. That was the moment. The undead knights, who had been standing quietly, stepped aside. A passage opened up between the undead knights. It wasn¡¯t clear to Dyoden and Zeon what this meant. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two walked through the passage opened by the undead knights. Midway through their journey, something happened. Suddenly, all the undead knights raised their swords high into the sky. It was their ritual, honoring Lord Akaruk and blessing Dyoden¡¯s future. Zeon looked at the faces of the undead knights one by one. Their faces, which a while ago only radiated morale, now seemed to emit a subtle warmth. Their appearance sparked a strange feeling in Zeon. It seemed he was understanding what unwavering determination in death meant. As the two nearly passed the undead knights¡ª Sshhh! Just as the undead knights held their sword-raised stance, they began to crumble into dust. As Akaruk embraced his rest, they too had freed themselves from the shackles of undeath. It wasn¡¯t only the undead knights that turned to dust; even the massive castle in the middle of the desert seemed to dissolve into dust, leaving no trace behind. That¡¯s how the enormous castle and the undead knights vanished from behind. But Dyoden never looked back. Nothing could make him look back. Dyoden only walked forward, and at the end of this pathy the dragon he had been searching for. The being he had been searching for was not far away. Whoom! Dyoden suddenly nced at Akaruk¡¯s sword. The sword seemed to be weeping for its owner¡¯s death. The same applied to Kreion. For a moment, while gazing at both swords in his hands, Dyoden grasped them together. Then something incredible happened. nk! Both Kreion and Akaruk¡¯s swords disassembled into individual parts. The sword des of Kreion and Akaruk merged into one. The already crimson-hued sword de zed red like the sun. Even the handles were identical. The two handles merged into a new form. In this manner, the two swordsbined their parts into a new shape. Instantly, a dazzling light erupted from Dyoden¡¯s entire body. Zeon closed his eyes for a moment due to the powerful blinding light. Despite his eyelids shielding his vision, the light was disorienting and dizzying. Hence, Zeon had to wait for the light to vanish. Fortunately, the light disappeared after a short while. Only then did Zeon cautiously open his eyes. ¡°Woah!¡± Zeon let out an exmation without realizing it. It was due to the altered appearance of Kreion,bined with Akaruk¡¯s sword. The enormous de of Kreion bore the inscriptions from Akaruk¡¯s sword. Furthermore, its overall form had transformed into something far more imposing. Merely facing Kreion felt like it could devour one¡¯s soul. Dyoden tightly gripped Kreion¡¯s handle and muttered. ¡°Friend! The time is near.¡± [TL/N: Ooou we finally find out what happened to the Earth, ngl I¡¯d be the same as Dyoden but I¡¯d spare the dark elf mommys tho if there were any ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã)] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 37 Chapter 37 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 37 Zeon was engulfed in dark, fine sand. It was the emission of Exion. One of the benefits of releasing Exion externally is that it enhances skill and versatility. Zeon wielded Exion, shaping it in various forms. At times, he molded it into a protective shield-like shape, while other times, he fashioned it into wing-like undtions. The sight of Zeon emitting Exion outwardly bore an uncanny resemnce to a deity, especially as he used Sand Strides, seemingly gliding on sand. Despite witnessing Zeon ying with Exion, Dyoden remained silent. Since the battle with Akaruk, a whole day would go by without him speaking even one word. His gaze grew deeper, devoid of any expressions on his face. To those unfamiliar, merely facing his visage was enough to induce trepidation. However, having observed Dyoden for a long time, Zeon remained nonchnt. Throughout his strides, Zeon tested Exion, pondering how to further enhance its utility. The confrontation between Dyoden and Akarukpelled Zeon to contemte many thoughts. Observing high-levelbat significantly broadened Zeon¡¯s understanding, even without direct involvement. Throughout the fights, Zeon felt his heart race. I want to fight like that. I want to reach such heights. Such desires spurred within him. Though it had been a long time since departing from the mansion, the longing persisted, growing stronger. That was why Zeon kept experimenting with Exion. To reach a level akin to Dyoden¡¯s, or even surpass it, there was no room for rest. Dyoden¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t achieved overnight. It was the oue of relentless strife over a hundred years. To catch up to someone like Dyoden, even moments for sleep or rest needed to be conserved. Thanks to such efforts, Zeon¡¯s prowess grew day by day. While engrossed in ying with Exion, Zeon suddenly furrowed his brow. It was due to an unbelievable sight in the distance. As Zeon retracted Exion, he asked Dyoden. ¡°Am I the only one seeing a mirage right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a mirage.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s real?¡± ¡°Unless my eyes have malfunctioned¡­.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s for real?¡± Zeon widened his eyes, gazing ahead. Far on the horizon, something massive was approaching. Thick legs, four in number,rger than a three-story house, with curved tusks akin to a bow and terrifyingly protruding fangs. It resembled the legendary Mammoth, yet far more intimidating and colossal. It seemed like a small mountain moving. However, a huge artificial structure was seen behind the Mammoth. A warehouse on wheels, muchrger than the Mammoth, lined up in session. It was akin to a train. Tiny figures bustling atop the warehouses caught their attention. Dyoden spoke. ¡°They are Caravans.¡± ¡°Really, Caravans?¡± Zeon eximed, surprised. Caravans were originally groups of traders traversing remote deserts or ins, transporting goods using camels or horses. Even in the current era, Caravans existed. They facilitated intermediary trade between colonies. It was no easy feat. The entire world had transformed into a desert. And deserts were unforgiving to humans. The scorching sun, searing sands. Moreover, deserts teemed with all sorts of dangers, including scavengers. Enduring all these adversities while shuttling between colonies was far from easy. Some might argue that taking a ne or driving a vehicle would simplify things. But with a little knowledge about deserts, one would realize it¡¯s an impossible task. Even the sky harbored dangers. Wyverns, Griffins, Unicorns, or forms of aerial monsters were prominent. They wouldn¡¯t hesitate to attack any other flying craft in their skies. Regr nes could never withstand their assaults. Above all, the desert¡¯s sky wasden with fine dust and polluted air, which would swiftly damage airne engines. The same was true for cars and various machinery. The desert sand was the antithesis of mechanical devices. They could be repaired for short distances, but if operated for long distances, they¡¯dpletely break down. For that reason, even in Neo Seoul, cars were only used when conquering nearby dungeons. Moreover, any interaction with unknown colonies was nothing but a dream. There were nondmarks in sight to serve as a reference in the identicalndscapes. Oveing such adversities and engaging in intermediary trade between colonies could solely be done by the caravans. How caravans navigated urately through the vast desert towards colonies remained a closely guarded secret. Even Neo Seoul¡¯s efforts to unravel the caravan¡¯s mystery ended in failure. Initially, Zeon thought people were lying when he first heard about caravans. To him, it seemed impossible. However, upon witnessing the caravan procession in person, he was convinced. With a colossal Mammoth of that size, it seemed unlikely for Sandworms or other monsters to attack recklessly. Although smaller than the ancient turtle Archelon of the Mott Tribe he had seen before, it was sizable enough to deter most other monsters. Dyoden remarked. ¡°Encountering a caravan in the middle of the desert is nevermon.¡± ¡°Something that is extremely rare happened to us.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Dyoden, with crossed arms, gazed at the approaching caravan procession. As if noticing the two figures from the caravan, they approached directly. Thud! Thud! The ponderous footsteps of the Mammoth were palpable through the sand. The stature of the approaching Mammoth was truly enormous. It seemed not the size of a three-story house but perhaps the size of a five-story one. In addition, the pair of tusks protruding from its snout were truly enormous. Pierced by those tusks, any monster would likely meet instant demise. Kuuuuunngg! Finally arriving before the two, the Mammoth raised its snout to the sky and let out a loud bellow. Subsequently, people descended from the massive warehouse atop the Mammoth. Wearing turbans on their heads and loose garments to shield from the scorching sun, they sported the attire known as Deraara, worn by men residing in the Sahara desert in the past. There was no better attire to endure the desert¡¯s scorching heat. ¡°A traveler in the desert. I can¡¯t believe my eyes.¡± The man, who appeared to be in his fifties, seemingly the leader of the caravan, lowered the cloth covering his nose and mouth and let out an exmation. Although he had a bushy beard around his nose and mouth, his eyes were sharp and exuded dignity. ¡°My name is Beloff. What might be the names of the brave adventurers crossing the desert?¡± ¡°I am Dyoden.¡± Beloff widened his eyes. ¡°Oh! Dyoden. I can hardly believe my eyes and ears.¡± ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°How could I not? The man who may be the strongest on Earth. Your name is widely known even in Kamchatka Colony.¡± ¡°Kamchatka Colony? Was there a colony in that ce?¡± ¡°Haha! It¡¯s natural not to know. Unlike Neo Seoul, it is much barren and smaller.¡± Beloff chuckled, scratching his head. Kamchatka Colony indeed existed in the former Kamchatka Penins. The old Kamchatka Penins boasted mostly undeveloped naturalndscapes. Naturally, the poption density was extremely low. Paradoxically, that is why many people survived during the sixth extinction. Due to the scarce poption, instead ofpeting against each other, humans opted to coborate for survival. Initially surviving in vige clusters, the colony grew as Awakened individuals and survivors joined, drawn by rumors. The size of Kamchatka Colony was merely one-tenth of Neo Seoul¡¯s district. Despite wanting to expand, they faced constant attacks from monsters, leaving no room for expansion. Zeon, with a puzzled expression, asked. ¡°Monsters attack?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about that? It¡¯s natural for monsters to attack. To them, humans are merely tasty prey.¡± ¡°But Neo Seoul¡­¡± ¡°Neo Seoul is special. It¡¯s the only colony in this world with such exceptional walls.¡± The walls of Neo Seoul possessed great anti-magic powers. Hence, monsters hesitated to approach. There wasn¡¯t another colony on Earth with such walls, except Neo Seoul. Other colonies engaged in daily battles with monsters. Due to these circumstances, expanding their territories wasn¡¯t easy. The Awakened individuals¡¯ skills developed through wars with the monsters. Particrly, they could all be considered specialists when it came to anti-monsters warfare. Perhaps that¡¯s why everyone apanying Beloff emitted an unusual aura. What was most impressive was their size. To slightly exaggerate, they were all as big as brown bears. They stood formidable, not in the least bit inferior even next to the colossal Dyoden. Beloff said to Dyoden. ¡°Haha! It was fate that we met in the middle of the desert. How about joining us today as an honored guest?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Haha! As fiery as ever.¡± Upon Dyoden¡¯s consent, Beloff burst into a heartyugh. Zeon nced at Dyoden with an expression of surprise. He expected a refusal, naturally. ¡®He surely has a n, right?¡¯ Despite their outward appearance of mere brute strength, Zeon knew better. There had never been an action from Dyoden without reason. He formted ns, acting ordingly. It was a feat only possible with his remarkable intelligence. Beloff guided the two onto the Mammoth-drawn massive warehouse. Atop the enormous warehouse were canopies, chairs, and other arrangements for people to dwell. The warehouse was stocked with goods purchased from Kamchatka Colony, where people lived above it. Once they reached the top of the warehouse, Beloff eximed. ¡°Haha! Meeting a hero of the desert, we can¡¯t just stay quiet. Bring out the vodka.¡± ¡°Vodka? Was there still some of that liquor remaining?¡± ¡°Hehe! It was difficult to procure from Kamchatka Colony. Turned out there was onest distributor of old Russian spirits. They aren¡¯t produced anymore, but some of the old liquor remains.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± ¡°Indeed! If we bring this liquor to Neo Seoul, we could earn a fortune.¡± In the current era, liquor was a scarcemodity. The grains used for liquor production had vanished entirely. Now, even grains were produced in colonies¡¯ factories. Due to the scarcity, they couldn¡¯t even think about making liquor. If anything, liquor was more valuable than diamonds. Therefore, Beloff¡¯s confidence was justified. He offered a bottle of this precious vodka to Dyoden and Zeon. Dyoden, who hadn¡¯t tasted alcohol in a while, eyed it greedily. Beloff looked at Zeon. ¡°I think your brother is still young?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡± ¡°In that case, let me offer something special to the brother. Try this smoked deer jerky. Once you taste it, you¡¯ll never forget it.¡± As Beloff gestured, a boy who seemed barely twelve approached carrying jerky. He was a handsome boy with rich blonde hair. ¡°This is my son, Damian. Damian, offer the jerky to the brother.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The boy called Damian handed the jerky to Zeon. Zeon stared intently at Damian¡¯s face. Damian seemed ufortable under Zeon¡¯s gaze and slightly lowered his head, avoiding eye contact. Zeon epted the jerky. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Yes, brother.¡± Damian appeared quite shy. He still couldn¡¯t meet Zeon¡¯s eyes directly. At that moment, Beloff raised his ss. ¡°Come, let¡¯s drink and eat together. Don¡¯t worry about the monsters, my subordinates and the Mammoth will keep them at bay. Hahaha!¡± ng! Dyoden clinked the sses, and Zeon chewed on the jerky. The deer jerky Damian offered differed vastly from jerky made from monsters. It practically melted in his mouth. It was so delicious, Zeon felt like he was dreaming. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 38 Chapter 38 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 38 ¡°Father, there¡¯s no need to do this, right?¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t listen to them, our colony and caravan won¡¯t survive.¡± ¡°But do you really think they¡¯ll keep their promise?¡± The voices of two people arguing echoed through the caravan. The sources of these voices were none other than the father and son, Damian and Beloff. Damian clenched his fists tightly, staring up at Beloff. Beloff looked slightly ufortable, meeting his son¡¯s gaze. Damian spoke up. ¡°It was father who said that the life of a caravan is trust.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°But why listen to them? They don¡¯t even treat us like humans.¡± ¡°Sigh. What choice do we have? That¡¯s the reality of it.¡± Beloff let out a deep sigh. At that moment, his face seemed significantly aged. He nced down at Dyoden and Zeon, who were lying amicably together. It was due to the sleeping pills hidden in the jerky and alcohol they consumed. Even a mighty monster could be put to sleep instantly by such potent sedatives. Since it wasn¡¯t poison, even the most resistant Awakened were left helpless. Damian looked at the two lying down, lips tightly shut, and eyes full with resentment towards his father. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t understand Beloff¡¯s position. He bore the heavy responsibility of leading the caravan and managing the economy of Kamchatka Colony. He had to consider and decide everything from the standpoint of the colony. ¡°Haa¡­ I really don¡¯t know.¡± Damian exhaled heavily. ¡°You can leave everything to your father. I will take on both the me and hatred. You just focus on honing your skills.¡± ¡°Father?¡± ¡°The caravan needs you to sustain it. So, concentrate on your duties without entertaining other thoughts.¡± With his father¡¯s words echoing, Damian shook his head and walked to the front of the warehouse. He was in charge of herding the Mammoth. Beloff nced at his son for a moment, then promptly ordered his subordinates. ¡°Hurry. We don¡¯t know when the effects of the sleeping pills will wear off. We need to reach the meeting point before that.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± His subordinates answered, bustling around. Amidst this, Damian issuedmands to the Mammoth. ¡°There¡¯s quicksand up ahead. Turn slightly to the right.¡± As if understanding Damian¡¯s words, the Mammoth veered to the right. The warehouses trailing behind followed suit, changing direction. And Damian¡¯s instructions continued. ¡°Turn here and head north.¡± The Mammoth faithfully followed hismands. Damian¡¯s ability was extraordinarily special¡ªhe was a Navigator. That is, a guide. In the vast desert, having someone who could urately set directions and cover long distances was possible only with a guide. Within allrge caravans, there is at least one guide. But among them, Damian¡¯s ability was very special. Damian¡¯s ability to anticipate dangers in advance was exceptionally rare. Thanks to this, Beloff¡¯s led caravan could reach such distant ces. Without Damian, it would have been impossible. ¡°Phew!¡± But Beloff¡¯s feelings towards Damian were infinitelyplex. His son¡¯s ability was both a blessing and a curse. In this world turned desert, the ability of a guide was absolute. Guides were exceedingly rare, and among them, there was none like Damian who could anticipate dangers in advance. If anyone else discovered Damian¡¯s ability, they¡¯d surely covet it. ¡°Haa!¡± Beloff let out another deep sigh. He achieved his goal, but his nerves were in turmoil. At that moment, the voices of his subordinates brought Beloff back to reality. ¡°We see the destination.¡± ¡°The Valley of Death.¡± Beloffposed himself and looked ahead. In the distance, a strangely shaped canyon came into view. The canyon was made up of solidified sandstone, resembling undting waves that flowed gracefully like a piece of art. No one would have known such a ce existed in the middle of the desert. Beloff, too, if not for Damian¡¯s ability, would never have discovered this ce. This was their destination. Suddenly, a group of soldiers emerged from the Valley of Death. Like Beloff and Damian, they wore turbans and donned Daraas¡ªa necessary choice for operating in the desert. The difference was that they wore armor made of leather beneath the Daraas. These individuals emerging from the Valley of Death were human. Humans with sun-darkened skin and sharp features. Although their builds varied, a sense of strength emanated from each of them. Facing them, Beloff felt his whole body tense. He hurriedly descended from the warehouse, approaching the humans who emerged from the Valley of Death. Nodding, Beloff spoke. ¡°Hey, as promised, we brought them.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± The man who appeared to be their leader spoke up. In that instant, Beloff felt a chill as if the temperature in the desert had dropped. The voice was devoid of any warmth or emotion. Instead, it was filled with venom and murderous intent. If desert vipers were to evolve into a human form, this man before him would resemble them. Beloff gestured hastily to his subordinates. They brought Dyoden and Zeon, who were lying limp. ¡°Hmm¡­ Indeed,¡± The leader¡¯s eyes sparked as he inspected Dyoden¡¯s face. He unsheathed a scimitar from his waist and advanced towards Dyoden. At that moment, Beloff intercepted the leader. ¡°I¡¯ve kept my promise. Now it¡¯s your turn. You won¡¯t interfere with our caravan and colony.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The leader chuckled, revealing his white teeth. Instantly, Beloff felt a shiver run down his spine. The leader continued speaking without paying him further attention. ¡°We, the Kurayan people, always keep our promises. But only to the Kurayan people¡­ though.¡± ¡°What?¡± sh! At that moment, an eerie sound of severing echoed. Beloff blinked. Suddenly, he felt excruciating pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw his chest split open, revealing his organs. Drip! Blood dripped from the scimitar in the leader¡¯s hand. It dawned on Beloff what had just happened. The leader had shed his chest with the sword. ¡°Wh-why? You promised¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say? Promises are only for fellow Kurayans.¡± ¡°Gah! Ugh!¡± ¡°Father!¡± Seeing Beloff copsing, Damian rushed forward frantically. The leader ordered his subordinates. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°The precious guide. Kill everyone else except him.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The subordinates answered and leaped onto the caravan¡¯s warehouses. ¡°Krrgh!¡± ¡°Please, spare us!¡± Beloff¡¯s men screamed as they fell. Though some were Awakened themselves, they couldn¡¯t withstand the Kurayans. The Kurayans, Awakends bred for murder, wielded scimitars much like their leader¡¯s. The crescent-shaped des were now stained crimson with the caravan people¡¯s blood. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening!¡± Damian trembled, feeling like he was trapped in a nightmare. He could have never imagined losing his father right before his eyes. The leader lifted Damian¡¯s chin with the scimitar. ¡°Guide! From now on, you work for us. Understand?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Trembling, Damian nodded his head. In truth, his mind was utterly nk, unable to formte any thoughts. He merely nodded unconsciously. A sardonic smirk yed on the leader¡¯s lips. ¡°If I had known I would defeat Dyoden this easily, I wouldn¡¯t have brought the others.¡± The troops mounted on horses from the Valley of Death revealed themselves. Dressed simrly to the leader, they were noticeably different in appearance. Some had pointed ears, while others were shorter, with broadened shoulders. They were elves and dwarves. One of the elves rushed forward. With luscious blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes, she was a striking female elf. Sighing, shemented upon seeing the sprawled bodies. ¡°You promised to spare them. Isn¡¯t this too cruel even for fellow humans?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s calling them fellow humans? These people and I are entirely different species.¡± ¡°Haa! Hammerson!¡± The elf sighed. The leader¡¯s name was Hammerson. He was a human who crossed over from Kurayan. He was a staunch supremacist, believing that the humans from Earth were no better than beasts. To put it mildly, the extremity of his radical beliefs even unsettled the elves and dwarves who hade with him. Then, one of the dwarves approached, speaking. ¡°Heh! Heh! Well done. Showing mercy to Earth¡¯s humans? Ridiculous.¡± ¡°Ugh! Gofray, even you¡­¡± The elf sighed. Then the dwarf called Gofray chuckled and said. ¡°Enough with the hypocrisy, pointy-eared one! Stop pretending to be righteous.¡± ¡°Gofray.¡± ¡°Whether elves, dwarves, or humans, we¡¯re all here to obey Gold Dragon Haeltoon¡¯s orders. Pride and honor have been in the gutter for a long time, so stop being hypocritical and pretending to care about others. It¡¯s truly sickening.¡± Gofray¡¯s harsh criticism left the elf tightly shutting her lips. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Heheh! So that¡¯s how it went. This damn snake set it all up.¡± A voice that should never have been heard echoed. It was Dyoden¡¯s voice. He had been unconscious just moments ago, but now, he sat up, observing them. Beside him sat Zeon. Hammerson involuntarily wore a bewildered expression. ¡°How? The Hydra¡¯s Tears keep you unconscious for at least three days.¡± ¡°Was it some beast¡¯s tears that were mixed with the vodka? No wonder it felt off. Heheh!¡± Dyoden revealed his white fangs. Suddenly his eyes were sparkling with madness. Looking at that scene, Zeon sighed slightly. He could foresee the impending carnage. But regardless, he was just as angry. From the start he didn¡¯t believe that a person approaching from the middle of the desert would have good intentions. His life story was too rough for him to easily trust people. The same was true for Dyoden. One thing they had inmon was that they never trust others easily. Could they simply trust a stranger offering food and drink? That was improbable. Dyoden used mana to incinerate all the alcohol in his stomach, while Zeon pretended to chew the deer meat, spitting it into the subspace, and only pretended to be unconscious. It was to understand their intentions. Hence, when Beloff led them to the canyon he called the Valley of Death, they stayed silent. Zeon said, looking at Hammerson. ¡°Are all the humans who crossed over from Kurayan as ignorant and shameless as you? Who¡¯s responsible for Earth bing like this?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°You shut up! It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been so pissed off. I don¡¯t know where you¡¯ve been hiding, but the humans here aren¡¯t so insignificant that someone like you can mess with them carelessly.¡± The more he spoke, the more enraged he became. Sure, he couldprehend why the elves and dwarves treated humans poorly, since they were a different species. But Hammerson was a human. Even if he was from another dimension or world, it was irritating to see him act as if he were an entirely different species. He wanted to kill Hammerson with his own hands more than anyone else. Then, Dyoden stood up. ¡°It seems Haeltoon isn¡¯t far. Sending all these bugs at once. huh? Heheh!¡± He extended his hand into the air, then Kreion, which he had left in the warehouse, flew out andnded in his hand. A terrifying energy was flowing out like a thread from Kreion, which wasbined with Akaruk¡¯s sword. ¡°I will cut down all of you and turn you into fertilizer for the desert. Then, maybe a miracle will happen and a single de of grass will sprout in this ce.¡± [TL/N: next chapter is going to be a massecar ahahaha, maybe Damian will join them after and guide them¡­] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 39 Chapter 39 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 39 Dwarf Gofrey narrowed his bead-like eyes. ¡°Typical of the human race, so devious. Pretending to be unconscious.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s calling who devious? And-runt like you, barely the size of a finger.¡± ¡°Grr!¡± Dyoden¡¯s scorn twisted Gofrey¡¯s face into an ugly expression. His face was filled with the gleam of anger. He had heard rumors about Dyoden. He knew he was an Awakened who harbored a strong animosity toward his own kind and possessed formidable skills. From an Earthling¡¯s perspective, he could understand. They might view their own kind as potential invaders. But their own choices were made for survival. There was no reason to be criticized for fighting to survive, and it was only natural that the strong thrived and dominated. At least that was the case in Kurayan, where they lived. ¡°Prepare to witness the might of our dwarven power.¡± Gofrey raised his hand, and immediately, dwarven warriors stationed in the Valley of Death revealed themselves. The dwarven warriors rode vehicles fitted withrge cannons. Originally, vehicles didn¡¯t exist in Kurayan. They were creations inspired by Earth¡¯s technology. These vehicles, abination of dwarven technology and magic, were equipped with mana particle cannons. Although not yet perfected, they were confident it was sufficient to kill Dyoden. Appearing around the dwarves were elven rangers. The elven rangers were riding crimson horses. These horses, named Red Blood, hade with the elves from Kurayan. They had a peculiar trait of being carnivorous, fierce enough to prey on small monsters. The elven rangers tamed and rode these Red Bloods. In the desert, their mobility was unmatched. The elven rangers were all dressed in light armor, wielding bows and arrows. They were rushing in at incredible speed. Dyoden¡¯s mouth twisted. ¡°Haha! No wonder I couldn¡¯t spot anything even after scouring the desert. You insects were hiding and creating such things.¡± ¡°Know this with honor, human! You¡¯ll be the first sacrifice to the mighty mana particle cannon crafted by the great dwarves.¡± ¡°Hehe, just another pawn of the dragon¡¯s¡­ ¡± ¡°Who¡¯s a pawn? We merely made a deal with him.¡± Gofrey snapped. ¡°A deal? A deal with a dragon. Do you halfie bastards even have such capability?¡± ¡°Shut it, human! Do not disrespect our power that created El Harun. Even the mighty dragons cannot treat our city, El Harun, lightly.¡± ¡°El Harun, you say. The name of the city you created.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Gofrey sucked in a breath. Unintentionally, he had divulged a great secret. Just as humans had built colonies to survive after Earth turned into a desert, these beings from Kurayan had ndestinely constructed a city. A ce where human eyes cannot reach. The name of the colossal city where different races like humans, elves, dwarves, among others, coexisted was none other than El Harun. Elves led, dwarves designed, humans provided scientific expertise and funding, and other races contributed equally to itspletion. Not only was its scale and location a secret, but its existence itself was shrouded in mystery. Yet, he had blurted out the existence of El Harun. Dyoden said to Zeon. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Zeon nodded. Gofrey had casually said a few words, but they held a wealth of information. First, the revtion of the city of El Harun¡¯s existence. The proximity of El Harun¡¯s location not being far from Kamchatka Colony. A city akin to Neo Seoul, harmonizing magic and science. Their disdain toward humans. Lastly, their cooperative rtionship with a dragon named Haeltoon. Their exact intentions were unknown. However, the fact that they stood united posed a significant threat to the humans of thisnd. Hammerson muttered, ring at Gofrey for revealing the secret. ¡°You stupid dwarf!¡± ¡°Shut your mouth! Human! Who do you dare to insult?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who leaked the secret?¡± ¡°Once everyone here is dead, there won¡¯t be a secret to leak, will there? After all, wasn¡¯t that the intention behind bringing the mana particle cannon?¡± Hammerson¡¯s expression distorted at Gofrey¡¯s words. Seeing this, Zeon murmured to himself. ¡®They¡¯re working together, but it¡¯s not perfect. All three races don¡¯tpletely trust each other.¡¯ An elf stood at a distance, sighing as if feeling isted. From their past conversations and current reactions, it was evident that despite being an inherent trait of elves, they were ufortable being with dwarves and humans. Dyoden sneered at them. ¡°Haha! You lot are amusing. Kidnapping innocent passersby and now fighting among yourselves. Maybe you¡¯recking in the head?¡± ¡°Shut it!¡± Gofrey snapped sharply and stepped back. Hammerson and the elf followed suit. As they moved, the dwarves in the Valley of Death fired the mana particle cannons. Boom! Boom! With a deafening noise, the mana particle cannons flew towards Dyoden and Zeon. Dyoden didn¡¯t evade the mana particle cannons. ¡°Hahaha!¡± He brandished Kreion and charged towards the iing beam of light. ¡°He¡¯s really a crazy old man.¡± Zeon shook his head. He had no intention of facing the mana particle cannons head-on like Dyoden. Sand barriers rose around Zeon. Crash! Thud! Immediately, the mana particle cannons detonated. Sand exploded outward, soaring into the sky. The intense heat melted the sand, and a tremendous shockwave burst in all directions. It was truly a devastating force. ¡°Urgh!¡± Zeon grunted. Despite continuously erecting sand barriers to shield himself, the prating impact shook his body like a hammer. ¡°You¡¯ve created something quite good.¡± At this level, it could easily obliterate most monsters in an instant. Whether mana particle cannons existed in El Harun was unknown, but they would undeniably pose a significant threat. The sand barrier alone had its limits in stopping the mana particle cannons. Zeon hurriedly delved deeper into the sand. Swiftly burrowing into the depths, Zeon changed direction. Directing towards the direction of the Valley of Death. ¡®I need to neutralize the mana particle cannons.¡¯ He unleashed Exion. Sand receded, creating a space for him to move. Zeon extended his Sand Strides and advanced. Sand surged around Zeon, pushing him backward. With no clear visibility and an erratic direction in the deep underground, Zeon moved precisely, as if he could see it with his eyes. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The sand within a radius of dozens of meters ryed information to him urately. Crash! Even then, the external impact was gradually transmitted. The mana particle cannons continued pounding the ground. However, at some point, Zeon no longer felt the impact of the mana particle cannons. Coincidentally, Zeon reached the entrance of the Valley of Death. Emerging from the sand, Zeon witnessed a scene of carnage. ¡°I will kill you all.¡± Dyoden was recklessly rampaging. Despite being repeatedly hit by the mana particle cannons, Dyoden remained unscathed. The cannons¡¯ impact only seemed to fuel his rage. Boom! With a single sh from him, the vehicle carrying the mana particle cannon exploded. Kreion pulverized not only the vehicle but also the dwarves inside. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Aaaah!¡± The screams of the dwarves echoed in the Valley of Death. It was truly a one-sided massacre. Realizing that the mana particle cannons were ineffective, the dwarves armed themselves with battle hammers and various weapons. They, too, were Awakened. They couldn¡¯t just escape because of Dyoden¡¯s terror. They attacked Dyoden with all their might. Even the elven rangers joined forces. Firing mana-infused arrows, they attempted to contain Dyoden. But their attacks didn¡¯t reach him. The aura emitted by Dyoden repelled all the arrows. Thud! ¡°Argh!¡± Dyoden¡¯s sword shattered the dwarves¡¯ heads. He could have killed dozens at once, but he meticulously took them down one by one, which made his actions appear even more brutal. ¡°H-how cruel¡­¡± Hammerson trembled, his shoulders twitching involuntarily. Dyoden¡¯s ruthlessness was terrifying him. Even not long ago, when he received the request from Haeltoon, Hammerson looked down on Dyoden. He thought that humans on Earth might be strong, but there would be limits to their strength. However, Dyoden¡¯s sheer prowess surpassed his imagination. ¡°Aargh!¡± ¡°Krgk!¡± Dyoden was systematically overwhelming and killing the powerful dwarven warriors and elven rangers. Despite theirbined efforts, they couldn¡¯tnd a single blow on Dyoden. It was akin to witnessing a dragon in action. ¡°Darn it! We¡¯re pulling back.¡± Hammerson ordered his subordinates. ¡°Do you mean to abandon the elves and dwarves?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not abandoning them. It¡¯s a tactical retreat.¡± Hammerson coldly retorted to his subordinate¡¯s question. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Make sure to keep the Guide safe. Even if we capture only him, it won¡¯t be a loss.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As his subordinates replied and withdrew, unexpected voices of confusion came from behind. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Hammerson was startled as he looked back and couldn¡¯t spot Damian anymore. ¡°What? What happened?¡± ¡°He¡­ he disappeared into the sand.¡± His subordinates wore bewildered expressions. Damian, whom they had been carrying, vanished into the sand in the blink of an eye. Damian reappeared at a distant location, having been transported through the sand by Zeon. Zeon asked Damian. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­ fine.¡± Damian shook his head, equally disoriented. Hammerson shouted. ¡°Catch ¡¯em!¡± Hammerson¡¯s subordinates charged toward Zeon and Damian. They unleashed various skills, proud of their Awakened abilities, aiming at Zeon. However, Zeon easily neutralized their attacks with sand barriers. Boom! Their attack skills couldn¡¯t prate the sand barrier and disintegrated. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s using strange skills.¡± ¡°Block him from using skills!¡± The Awakened swiftly approached, trying to break Zeon¡¯s sand barrier themselves. Crash! With a deafening sound, the sand barrier copsed. But Zeon, who should have been behind it, was nowhere to be seen. He had moved underground behind the sand barrier. Emerging again, he was behind the Awakened. Silently revealing himself, Zeon unleashed Sand Missiles. Swoosh! A dozen Sand Missiles aimed for the back of the Awakened heads. In an instant, over half a dozen Awakened had their heads shattered into dust. Only then did the others realize Zeon had moved behind them. ¡°He has a weird skill.¡± ¡°Blink?¡± Confusion painted the faces of the Awakened. Zeon smirked slightly at them. ¡°Still too early to be surprised.¡± ¡°Arrogant human!¡± ¡°Get him!¡± The Awakened charged at Zeon with fury. As they rushed forward at full force, Zeon murmured. ¡°Sand Mixer!¡± Grrrr! The sand beneath the Awakeneds¡¯ feet started rapidly rotating. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s¡­ happening?¡± ¡°Sand?¡± The Awakened were engulfed by the swirling sand, leaving no chance for escape. In an instant, the sand ground them into dust, leaving behind a red-tinted whirlwind. ¡°Aargh!¡± ¡°Aaahh!¡± Amidst the rapidly spinning sand, their desperate screams echoed. Yet even those werepletely gone after a short while. As the sands, stained red with blood, settled, Zeon turned to Hammerson. ¡°Now only you¡¯re left.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 40 Chapter 40 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 40 Hammerson red at Zeon. ¡°Sand? Are you using sand as a weapon?¡± ¡°As you can see!¡± Zeon shrugged his shoulders. Hammerson¡¯s gaze became even more menacing. He grasped the scimitar with force and spoke. ¡°Today is your lucky day!¡± ¡°All your subordinates are dead, and you call it luck? Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°Hmph! Those subordinates can be easily reced in El Harun. But there¡¯s no substitute for a Sand Mage and a Guide.¡± In the Earth transformed into a desert, these two abilities were the most valuable. Even in El Harun, where various races lived, there were no Awakened who could manipte sand like Zeon. Even if only Zeon could control it, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous asset in El Harun. ¡°You have toe with me to El Harun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an interesting proposition, but I¡¯ll have to decline. I¡¯m a bit busy, you see.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not making a proposition. It¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll decline even more. I¡¯m not inclined to follow someone else¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Even if you refuse, you will eventuallyply. El Harun has many fascinating items.¡± One of them was an item that could influence the mind. In Kurayan, using magic or skills to interfere with someone¡¯s mind was strictly forbidden. Anyone attempting to do so would face the collective wrath of themunity and be a target for execution. However, all such taboos disappeared when they migrated to Earth. The world they encountered was different from what they had initially imagined, mainly due to hasty terraforming. Either way, to survive in this transformed world, they had to let go of unnecessary regtions and taboos from Kurayan. Thus, items that could manipte the mind were created. If used, it could easily subjugate the arrogant Sand Mage. Of course, that assumed the premise of keeping him alive to bring to El Harun. Nevertheless, Hammerson was confident. He was a B-rank Awakened. Moreover, he was of the Martial Arts category. The rank insignia engraved on his wrist proved this fact. He was in a different leaguepared to the subordinates who died in vain at the hands of Zeon. Although his rank was B, equipped with El Harun¡¯s items, he could wield a powerparable to A-rank. That¡¯s why he was chosen to be sent here. Swish! He rushed forward at a terrifying speed. He didn¡¯t want to give Zeon time to react. However, Zeon was already prepared. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Dozens of Sand sters flew towards Hammerson. Hammerson did not try to evade the Sand sters. A light emanated from his chest, covering his entire body. The hemispherical light repelled all the Sand sters. Zeon narrowed his eyes. ¡®An item? Or is it your innate ability?¡¯ Swoosh! In an instant, the rapidly approaching Hammerson thrust his scimitar. He wasn¡¯t aiming for vital organs like the heart or brain. As long as these two areas remained unharmed, he could save Zeon. That¡¯s why Hammerson¡¯s attacks were fearsome. Twisting his body, Zeon avoided Hammerson¡¯s attacks whileunching Sand Missiles. ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡± The hemispherical light covered Hammerson again. Zeon didn¡¯t miss that moment. ¡®A tattoo, huh.¡¯ A tattoo was faintly visible between the armor. The light originated directly from the tattoo, amplifying Hammerson¡¯s aura to create a protective barrier. Zeonunched Sand Missiles again, but each time, they were blocked by the aura. During this time, Hammerson¡¯s sword strikes left a few wounds on Zeon. Fortunately, the injuries were not deep, but they were enough to send a chill through Zeon¡¯s spine. Swoosh! A red light emitted from Hammerson¡¯s sword. A Martial Arts Awakened. Among them, it was the Sword Aura that only those specialized in swords could use. ¡°Even with one arm missing, you can still move sand, right?¡± Hammerson intended to cut off one of Zeon¡¯s arms to subdue him, to break his spirit. Swish! Swish! Swoosh! His sword instantly split into three, shing across Zeon¡¯s body. Zeon spread his Sand Strides desperately to evade Hammerson¡¯s attacks. But no matter how much he used his Sand Strides, he couldn¡¯t shake off Hammerson. Zeon bit his lip. He caught a glimpse of the rank insignia on his opponent¡¯s wrist. The red glow of B-rank Martial Arts category. In contrast, Zeon was D-rank. Apart from the affinity difference, the disparity in abilities was too stark. Moreover, his opponent was a swordsman who specialized in one-on-onebat. It was already a heavily tilted ying field from the start. But Zeon didn¡¯t harborints or grievances. He knew that this era¡¯s battles were like this. And he also knew that victory didn¡¯t solely depend on having a higher rank. The rank was just an indicator, not an absolute. ¡®I¡¯ll use everything at my disposal.¡¯ Using his Sand Strides, he retreated while Hammerson pursued him. As Hammerson stepped forward, Zeon deployed a Sand Mixer at his feet. Graaaagh! The sand spun rapidly, gripping Hammerson¡¯s ankles. ¡°Hmph! Such skills won¡¯t work on me.¡± Having witnessed his subordinates fall prey to simr tactics, he was well-prepared. He shook off the sand gripping his ankles and leaped into the air. Zeonunched Sand Missiles towards Hammerson. ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± Hammerson sneered. He trusted in the Aura shield amplified through the tattoo. By nullifying Zeon¡¯s attacks multiple times already, he had proved its efficacy. That¡¯s why he could charge at Zeon so recklessly. ¡°Looks like one arm won¡¯t cut it. I¡¯ll take a leg as well.¡± Shiiek! In an instant, his charge aimed his sword at Zeon¡¯s arm and leg. Zeon hastily erected a sand barrier to shield his entire body. But the sand barrier he created shattered under the power of the Sword Aura. Zeon was left defenseless. ¡°It¡¯s my victory.¡± The moment Hammerson was confident in his victory. Swoosh! Without a sound, two figures rose up behind him. Soldiers made of sand. Sand Soldiers. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the Sand Soldiers, Hammerson attacked, spinning around in ce. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Kwaang! With a deafening sound, the Sand Soldier shattered. Hammerson wiped his chest and looked at Zeon. ¡°You had some believers indeed. But that¡¯s it.¡± Already having neutralized all of Zeon¡¯s skills, his confidence soared. As he attempted to charge at Zeon again. Graaaagh! Sand began to whirl around him. Once again, Zeon unfolded the Sand Mixer. ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± Just as Hammerson was about tounch himself into the air again. Thud! The previously shattered Sand Soldier reappeared and engulfed Hammerson in an embrace. ¡°What?¡± For the first time, a perplexed expression crossed Hammerson¡¯s face. The Sand Soldiers swiftly dragged Hammerson into the whirling Sand Mixer. He was already sinking into the sand up to his knees. ¡°Enough!¡± Hammerson struggled to free himself from the Sand Soldier¡¯s hold and escape the sand. But the more he struggled, the deeper he sank into the sand like quicksand. He quickly unfolded the Aura shield to protect his body. Kwagagagak! The rapidly rotating sand pellets collided with the Aura shield, creating a sinister sound that echoed incessantly. ¡°No! Damn it!¡± Hammerson¡¯s desperate cry resounded. His body was already swallowed by the sand up to his shoulders. As much as the Aura shield protected his body from harm, it couldn¡¯tst indefinitely. Once his mana waspletely drained, the Aura shield would vanish. If that happened, he would undoubtedly be shredded by the sand rotating at high speed. But Hammerson trusted in himself. As a B-rank Awakened, he didn¡¯t think his mana would be inferior to Zeon¡¯s. Especially with skills of this magnitude, the mana consumption would undoubtedly be immense. And indeed it was. Zeon¡¯s face, after using skills repeatedly, had turned pale, and his mana was nearly depleted. However, he had a cheat item in his possession. The Elura¡¯s Tear, an item that fully restored mana once per day. Chemistry! With a radiant light, his depleted mana waspletely restored. Zeon infused mana again into using the Sand Mixer. For a moment, the Sand Mixer seemed to weaken, but then resumed its vigorous rotation. Kwagagagak! ¡°Son of a¡­!¡± Hammerson waspletely swallowed by the sand. His vision turned to darkness. All that was audible was the sound of swirling sand. Crack! The Aura shield began to crackle within the darkness. Now Hammerson¡¯s mana wasid bare. His Aura shield trembled rapidly. ¡°No, no!¡± Hammerson¡¯splexion turned ashen. At that moment, as his manapletely depleted, the Aura shield vanished. With the obstruction gone, the sand rotating at high speed began to shred Hammerson mercilessly. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± Hammerson¡¯s agonizing scream echoed from within the sand. The existence known as Hammerson vanishedpletely from this world. Momentster, Zeon, noticing the sand stained with blood, slumped to the ground. There was no sign of Hammerson¡¯s life from anywhere. ¡°Haa! Haa!¡± Zeon breathed heavily. Hisplexion was pale. Even after using Elura¡¯s Tear, his mana had beenpletely drained. If thebination of Sand Missiles, Sand Soldiers, and Sand Mixer had faltered even once, he would have been the one to die. That¡¯s how formidable Hammerson was. Through their fight, Zeon keenly felt what hecked. It was specifically one-on-onebat skills. Sand sters and Sand Missiles alone weren¡¯t enough. While the Sand Mixer was excellent as an area-of-effect skill, it wasn¡¯t suitable as an one-on-one skill. He momentarily set aside his contemtion and looked at Dyoden. ¡°Heheh! Elf bitch, where is El Harun?¡± He was holding what seemed like a lump of mangled meat. The lump was the female elf who hadmanded the Elf rangers. Around the female elfy a deste heap of defeated Elf rangers and Dwarf warriors. While Zeon struggled against Hammerson, Dyoden had mercilessly in both the Elf rangers and Dwarf warriors. Dyoden tossed the female elf, whose breath had already ceased, as if she were a sack of goods. It was because her breath had already ceased. His gaze fell upon the heavily battered Dwarf lying on the ground. It was Gofrey who had brought the Dwarf warriors with him. Gofrey¡¯s limbs were brutally mangled. ¡°Keuugh!¡± With a terrified expression, he looked at Dyoden. The opponent was a monster that neither mana particle cannons nor the attacks of the Elf rangers and Dwarf warriors could prate. Even in El Harun, such a monstrous entity didn¡¯t exist. As Dyoden crouched before Gofrey, he spoke. ¡°You, ground dweller. Tell me.¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Where is El Harun?¡± ¡°Th-that¡­¡± ¡°If you speak, I¡¯ll spare your life.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Heheh! What use do I have for your insignificant life?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± A fleeting look of conflict shed in Gofrey¡¯s eyes. It was the moment he was about to speak about El Harun. Boom! Suddenly, his head exploded. Blood and brain matter sttered in all directions. Dyoden¡¯s face was also sttered with blood and brain matter. He muttered as he casually wiped away the foreign matter. ¡°It seems like they set a trigger to explode once anyone mentioned El Harun¡¯s location. F**king other-species bastards!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 41 Chapter 41 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 41 Damian¡¯s lips trembled faintly. He looked at Zeon and Dyoden with an expression of disbelief. It took just about ten minutes for the two of them to defeat all of El Harun¡¯s warriors. While Zeon struggled a bit against Hammerson, Dyoden mercilessly killed the El Harun¡¯s warriors one by one without exerting much effort. His cruelty was evident in the way he dealt with the dwarf warriors and elf rangers, causing them to panic and flee. Yet, no one could escape from Dyoden¡¯s grasp. Dyoden ruthlessly killed them one by one, as if crushing ants. The elf rangers and dwarf warriors writhed in intense agony and fear as they died, and Dyoden enjoyed his handiwork,ughing. Such a sight filled Damian with tremendous horror. Only now did he realize how dangerous a man he and his father had provoked. ¡°Father!¡± Damian looked at the lifeless body of his father in his arms. The face of thete Beloff still bore the expression of fear and bewilderment he felt just before dying. ¡°I told you not to ept their request, didn¡¯t I? What is this now? Dammit!¡± Damian bit his lips forcefully. Tears welled up in his eyes unnoticed. Not only Beloff but also the Awakened members of the Caravan were either dead or severely injured. The Caravan that was responsible for the finances of the Kamchatka Colony copsed. The downfall of the Caravan meant the downfall of the Kamchatka Colony. ¡°Ha!¡± Damian sighed deeply, wiping away tears. Though his heart ached as if it were being torn apart, it wasn¡¯t the time to grieve now. He had no right to mourn; it was because of them that this tragedy had urred, and he needed to take responsibility somehow. He carefullyid his father¡¯s body down and walked towards Dyoden. Dyoden looked at Damian with an expression of interest. Damian, kneeling before Dyoden, spoke. ¡°I apologize. I brought this upon myself.¡± ¡°Then, you should die.¡± ¡°Still, please forgive me just this once.¡± ¡°Forgive? The little brat talks boldly. If you ask for forgiveness, do I have to grant it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely shameless.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I want to make a deal.¡± ¡°A deal?¡± ¡°Do you want to know the location of El Harun?¡± ¡°Do you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± ¡°And you talk about making a deal? Is something wrong with your head?¡± ¡°As you know, my ability is navigation. If I set my mind to it, I can find any path.¡± ¡°Ho!¡± Finally, Dyoden showed interest. It was amusing. The kid wasn¡¯t appealing to emotions but spoke of the benefits he would gain from sparing him. After losing his father just a while ago, it wasn¡¯t easy for Damian to be so pragmatic. In a way, Damian was also an item. ¡°I will definitely find the way to El Harun. So, please spare my life.¡± ¡°How can I trust you? You might be lying.¡± ¡°As I mentioned before, our Caravan is in the Kamchatka Colony. If I¡¯m lying, you cane anytime and kill me.¡± Damian raised his head, looking directly into Dyoden¡¯s eyes. His face was stained with tears, but his eyes shone with determination. Dyoden chuckled. ¡°You better keep your promise.¡± ¡°I will keep it. Then, I will assume that you have given permission to go.¡± Damian bowed his head respectfully, then rose from his kneeling position. As he passed by Zeon, he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you need anything from me, pleasee visit me any time.¡± Zeon just nodded without saying a word. Now that Dyoden had decided to let Damian go, there was no need for Damian to stay any longer. In a way, Damian was a pitiable character too. He was thoroughly exploited by El Harun and the Golden Dragon Haeltoon. In contrast, he and Dyoden suffered no losses whatsoever. In essence, they incurred no damages. Damian, on the other hand, suffered immense losses. He lost his father, and most of his subordinates were killed or injured. In this state, it was uncertain if the Caravan could recover. Even though he was a *Navigator, the desert wasn¡¯t forgiving enough for a young boy to survive. [TL/N: Changed ¡°Guide¡± to ¡°Navigator¡±.] The path ahead for Damian would be as treacherous and arduous as the one Zeon had traversed thus far. ¡°Wait!¡± Zeon suddenly called out to Damian. ¡°Why?¡± Damian looked at Zeon with a puzzled expression. Zeon pointed at the items of the elf rangers and dwarf warriors. ¡°I want to entrust the handling of these items to you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°These are the belongings of the elves and dwarves, right? They might fetch a good amount if sold. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Yes. These items are rare and valuable. They could bring in a lot of profit.¡± The mana particle canon brought by the dwarves was a precious itembining science and magic. Although it didn¡¯t affect Dyoden, it could heavily impact other Awakened and creatures. The armor worn by the elves and the weapons of the humans could also fetch a high price. ¡°But I don¡¯t have the Mana Stones to pay for these items right now.¡± ¡°You can settle the valueter.¡± ¡°Thank you, brother!¡± Damian didn¡¯t refuse Zeon¡¯s consideration. The situation wasn¡¯t favorable enough for him to assert his pride. Zeon spoke to Dyoden. ¡°I apologize for deciding on my own without permission.¡± ¡°Ha! It¡¯s fine. These items are of no use to me. Do as you wish.¡± Dyoden didn¡¯t spare a nce at the items scattered on the ground. Such things held no significance for him. If he had desired wealth, he would have stayed in Neo Seoul and be a person of power. What mattered was that Zeon was finally realizing and utilizing his talents effectively. At least he was doing more than his fair share. At this rate, Dyoden wouldn¡¯t be hindered at crucial moments. Dyoden raised his head and looked towards the eastern sky. He felt that their destination wasn¡¯t far away now. *** Damian left the Valley of Death with the Caravan, carrying the bodies and items like the mana particle cannon. He probably didn¡¯t want to stay even a moment longer in a ce where he had lost his father and his subordinates who were like family. Zeon understood Damian¡¯s sentiments. He would have felt the same way. On the other hand, Zeon and Dyoden had no reason to hurry. The fact that different species had obstructed them meant they were already within the sphere of influence of Haeltoon. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] It was evident that Haeltoon¡¯sir was not far from here. From now on, they needed to move cautiously. They needed to rest whenever possible to conserve their strength. Therefore, the two decided to take a day¡¯s rest in the Valley of Death. Zeon looked at the Valley of Death with a fascinated expression. The Valley, entirelyposed of sandstone, boasted an eerie beauty. If the world hadn¡¯t turned into a desert, many people would have visited to witness this scenery. As Zeon gazed at the Valley of Death for a while, he suddenly removed his gauntlet. His wrist was itching. As he looked at his wrist, Zeon¡¯s eyes lit up. The third line was emitting light. It was proof that Zeon had reached C-rank. ¡°C-rank?¡± It didn¡¯t feel real. It seemed like just yesterday he had Awakened as F-rank. Being C-rank already felt strange. If he had been in Neo Seoul, he would have been ecstatic. However, after traveling with Dyoden for so long, his achievement didn¡¯t seem that significant. Moreover, considering the opponents he would face in the future, it felt even less significant. The opponent was a dragon. Even if it possessed half the abilities rumored in legends and myths, it could still turn the world upside down. In terms of weaponry, it was more powerful than past nuclear weapons. The being Dyoden was preparing to fight was ridiculously strong. To a degree that Zeon¡¯s imagination cannot fathom. To face such an adversary, Zeon had to be stronger. Survival couldn¡¯t be guaranteed if he stayed at C-rank. ¡°Phew! We still have a long way to go.¡± Unconsciously, Zeon let out a sigh. Though Dyoden saw Zeon like this, he said nothing. Initially, it was due to his coercion that he followed along. However, after battling the Awakened from Neo Seoul, it was Zeon¡¯s determination that kept them together. Hence, every event unfolding from now on was under Zeon¡¯s responsibility. Contemting and making decisions fell entirely on Zeon¡¯s shoulders. As Zeon slipped on his gauntlet, he muttered to himself. ¡°I need to find a way to be stronger.¡± While others might consider him plenty strong even now, Zeon wasn¡¯t satisfied. Zeon¡¯s goal was to surpass Dyoden. He handled sand maniption quite well already, but he needed to excel even further. ¡®I need a powerful skill for one-on-one battles¡ªone that can guarantee a decisive blow with a single strike.¡¯ He felt it keenly during the battle with Hammerson¡ªthe necessity for a powerful one-on-one skill. Zeon closed his eyes, recalling his skills. The Sand ster and Sand Missile could be considered offensive skills. The Sand Mixer was close to an area-of-effect attack and proved effective against monsters. However, the Sand Soldier was still inadequate to be used as a primary skill. ¡®Then there¡¯s Exion¡­¡¯ Exion was his ace in the hole. Its power was immense, but it couldn¡¯t be used recklessly in front of others. Its strengthy in being concealed until the right moment, enhancing its impact. ¡®The sandcks cohesion. That¡¯s why the Sand ster and Sand Missile don¡¯t exhibit their full power. I need a new, stronger skill.¡¯ Zeon pondered how to enhance his abilities. The Sand Missile¡¯s impact was stronger than the Sand ster¡¯s. Strengthening the Sand Missile seemed like the right path. ¡®I need to condense the Sand Missile further. To do that, I must change its form, shedding all excess.¡¯ The Sand Missile was the size of a child¡¯s forearm. Its shape resembled that too. At that moment, a steel ball came to Zeon¡¯s mind. The spherical steel ball was a powerful weapon in itself. He thought about refining the Sand Missile¡¯s shape into that of a steel ball. Zeon didn¡¯t miss the sudden inspiration that came to him and immersed himself in thoughts. Swoosh! The sand around him surged. Zeon¡¯s concentration had involuntarily moved the sand. Dyoden silently observed Zeon. He, too, had gone through a simr process. He had created skills that suited his abilities the best through such contemtion. Though challenging and arduous, it was because of such considerations that the current Dyoden existed. Following the paths taught by others had clear limitations. Most Awakened parading in Neo Seoul, boasting their greatness, had chosen thefortable path. Dyoden did not acknowledge such people. At least Zeon was walking a different path from such individuals. That alone warranted acknowledgment. Dyoden suddenly brought out Kreion. Under the firelight, Kreion emitted a more intense crimson glow. Thud! Dyoden plunged Kreion into the ground. ¡°Friend!¡± ¡ªYour mind seems troubled, friend! For a moment, Kreion responded. A voice only Dyoden could hear, not audible to others. Zeon always thought Dyoden was just talking nonsense by himself, but the truth was different. Swoosh! A human-shaped figure appeared in front of Kreion. A man in histe twenties to early thirties. Blond hair, blue eyes, and a tall stature¡ªa typical Caucasian handsome man. Dyoden gazed at the man. It wasn¡¯t his actual form. It was a mere projection of the man¡¯s appearance when he was alive. The caring brother of his wife. The beloved uncle of his daughter. The one who was Dyoden¡¯s best friend. The one who had lost everything and be the ego of his sword. He was Kreion. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 42 Chapter 42 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 42 Dyoden was startled, his eyes widening. Though Kreion had asionally appeared, never had his appearance been this vivid. ¡°Is it because you absorbed Akaruk¡¯s sword?¡± ¨CRight! But¡­ ¡°But?¡± ¨CMy durability has greatly decreased. ¡°Because I overexerted?¡± ¨CMore so because my time is nearly at its end. Defying thews of nature to transfer my soul into the sword has taken its toll. ¡°Hmm!¡± ¨CFriend! We have little time left. We really must conclude now. ¡°I know.¡± Dyoden nodded gravely. The dwindling time wasn¡¯t solely Kreion¡¯s concern; he too sensed his time was nearly up. At over 130 years old, if he were a regr human, he¡¯d have long returned to the earth. He survived until now because he was Awakened, but in reality, he was festering inside. Fighting against numerous enemies had made him stronger, but on the other hand, it also gradually damaged him from within. Yet, Dyoden had never once regretted his life. He lived solely for vengeance, and his actions aligned with that purpose, allowing him to grow strong enough to prepare for the confrontation with the dragon. ¡°Haeltoon isn¡¯t far. Maybe that bastard is still watching.¡± ¨CA usible tale from a deceitful lot. ¡°We need to move before he anticipates us.¡± ¨CSpeed is life. ¡°Right!¡± ¨CNow, the end is truly near. Kreion¡¯s eyes, speaking of ¡®the end,¡¯ turned toward Zeon. Zeon remained with closed eyes, lost in his own world. ¨CMeeting that child was fortunate. It¡¯s thanks to him that we were able to cross the barrier and reach here.¡± ¡°He¡¯s quite a useful idiot.¡± ¨CYour profanity remains. He¡¯s not that much of a novice, you know. ¡°Once an idiot, always an idiot. Just like me.¡± ¨CYou still me yourself? It¡¯s not your fault that I ended up like this. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If I had been stronger, my wife and daughter wouldn¡¯t have died, and your soul wouldn¡¯t be sealed in the sword.¡± Dyoden¡¯s face held a grim light. A hundred years had passed, yet the memories remained as vivid as yesterday. Him, his wife and daughter were excited about their long-awaited trip. With an old friend who was their older brother and maternal uncle. New York, where his wife and daughter so desired to visit. The Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Broadway, Times Square¡ªseeing what they longed for filled them with joy. The happiness in his wife and daughter¡¯sughter was unparalleled. The joy of sharing a drink with his one and only friend. At that time, it felt like he had the whole world. But their joy didn¡¯tst. A colossal dragon tore through the Manhattan sky, turning it into chaos, iming more than half the lives. His wife and daughter also lost their lives at that time. He still could not forget the sight of his wife and daughter dying horribly right before his eyes. His only friend, Kreion, was also fatally wounded. Just before hisst breath, Kreion Awakened, but Dyoden still couldn¡¯t save him. Using his abilities, Kreion sealed his soul into Dyoden¡¯s sword, allowing him to survive. If it weren¡¯t for Kreion, Dyoden might¡¯ve already taken his life long ago, being unable to forgive himself. On the contrary, Kreion was also able to continue his hellish existence by relying on Dyoden. But now, their end was imminent. The life of the old man and the sword had now reached its limit, and the end was clearly visible as if one could grasp it with their hand. ¡°Before I die, I should take at least one dragon as apanion on my way to the underworld. So, seeing them in the afterlife won¡¯t be so disappointing.¡± Haeltoon isn¡¯t the mastermind here, but that doesn¡¯t absolve responsibility. After all, he was one of the culprits who instigated Krasias to terraform Earth. And that was the moment. Swoosh! The sands swirling around Zeon began to coalesce into one with an eerie sound. Kreion spoke, ¨CLooks like he has grasped a new skill. Around Zeon, numerous sand beads formed, orbiting him like satellites. Bang! Bang! Bang! The spinning sand beads shot forth at a frightening speed, piercing the sandstone wall, creating dime-sized holes that crumbled. It seemed as if a ymore mine had exploded. Hence, the new skill was named ¡°ymore.¡± It detonated tightly packed sand like metal balls, just as a ymore would. If confined to a forward range, it amplified its explosive power, bing a potent single-target skill. When unleashed widely, its explosive force weakened, yet it became an area-of-effect attack. The skill aptly suited the name ymore. Though not perfected, the concept was grasped. With potential for further development, and if done well, it seemed capable of defeating most Awakened with one blow. Zeon opened his eyes and rose from his seat, but it was after Kreion had concealed himself. Zeon asked Dyoden. ¡°You think it¡¯ll be useful?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still far from enough.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± ¡°But you did well, to some extent.¡± ¡°Oh! What¡¯s with the change? You¡¯re not used to it? Just call me an idiot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making a fuss. Just because I praised you a bit doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not an idiot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better. Hehe!¡± Zeon chuckled. *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The two lingered in the Valley of Death for a while. During this time, Zeon honed his newly acquired skill, while Dyoden spent time meditating. Though Dyoden didn¡¯t explicitly speak, Zeon could tell that he was preparing for the final battle. Zeon didn¡¯t disturb Dyoden and spent time alone. Bang! Bang! Bang! Dime-sized holes were pierced in the sandstone. It was the aftermath of ymore. Now, he could fairly naturally unleash the new skill. Each time the skill was used, a chunk of mana disappeared, but it was unavoidable. The stronger the skill, the more mana it consumed¡ªthis was natural. Even with the increase in mana upon reaching C-rank, it was still insufficient. Thankfully, there was Elura¡¯s Tear. Without it, calcting the remaining mana each time he used the skill would render him unable to fight properly. When Zeon attempted to use ymore once again. ¡°Ugh!¡± Suddenly, an intense pressure and immense coercion were felt. Startled, Zeon turned around to find Dyoden standing there. ¡°Dyoden?¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s pretty usable.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s stillcking. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°At that level, it won¡¯t be of much help.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°You need to be stronger.¡± ¡°How?¡± Zeon wore a puzzled expression. Zeon was so busy running that he was out of breath. Of all the Awakened who have appeared on Earth, Zeon may be the only one to have advanced in rank so quickly. He never rxed or took a break while following Dyoden. Thanks to that, he was able to reach C-rank. Yet, even that didn¡¯t impress Dyoden. Pulling out Kreion, Dyoden said. ¡°Survive.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Survive from my hands. Then you will be stronger than you are now.¡± ¡°What? Are you insane!¡± It was only then that Zeon realized the meaning of Dyoden¡¯s words. Swoosh! Dyoden swung Kreion. In an instant, an immense pressure engulfed Zeon. Without further thought, Zeon instinctively conjured a sand barrier. Pfft! However, the sand barrier couldn¡¯t stop Dyoden¡¯s strike. The sturdy sand barrier disintegrated instantly, revealing Zeon, whom Dyoden aimed Kreion at again. ¡°Shit!¡± Zeon quickly stepped back with Sand Strides. Dyoden charged towards Zeon. A tremendous pressure and aura, unlike anything Zeon had felt before, bore down on him. Dyoden¡¯s gaze and aura seemed to constrict his entire body. Swoosh! Kreion againshed out towards Zeon. Even a graze would cause severe injuries; a direct hit could mean death. It was an attack that allowed no leniency. To survive, Zeon had to struggle. ¡°Aaaah! ymore.¡± Zeon unleashed his newly acquired skill. Sand coalesced into beads, transforming into countless bullets aimed at Dyoden. Dadadadang! However, all the sand bullets were intercepted by the colossal Kreion. ¡°Damn it!¡± He never imagined that ymore, a supposedly perfect single-target attack skill, would crumble so effortlessly. Even if facing Dyoden, he had anticipated at least some astonishment, but it seemed he had underestimated him. Or he had overestimated himself. Perhaps both. Crack! Under Dyoden¡¯s sword strike, the massive sand parted on both sides. It was astonishing; no sword skill was used. Zeon felt chills run through his body. He knew Dyoden was more than a monster, but experiencing it firsthand surpassed imagination. Each simple strike held more power than the skills of most Awakened. He didn¡¯t refrain from using skills because hecked them; he refrained because there was no need to deploy them. Zeon gave his all to counter Dyoden. From Sand sters to Sand Missiles and ymore, he employed all his single-target skills. Yet, none made a significant impact on Dyoden. Dyoden asked. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± Shwack! Kreion soared as if it would cleave him in an instant. Zeon narrowly evaded Dyoden¡¯s attack. A chill ran down his spine. The immense power contained within Kreion was felt intensely. Dyoden was serious. He believed Zeon¡¯s growth wascking and aimed to forcefully elevate him to the level he desired. He was genuinely attacking Zeon. If he couldn¡¯t reach the level Dyoden desired, he¡¯d die. Dyoden was someone who would follow through. A shiver ran through Zeon¡¯s whole body. He surged with determination. He knew he wasn¡¯t yet at a level to face Dyoden head-on. But that didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d sit back and let Dyoden¡¯s sword strike him. He¡¯d endure somehow, find a way, and counterattack. That was the secret to survival he had learned while following Dyoden. Raising his sand maniption, he yelled defiantly. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s do this. You old dog!¡± ¡°Bring it on, you idiot!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 43 Chapter 43 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 43 Baaang! Disaster struck in the Valley of Death. The valley, standing firm for over a century, was now so devastatingly destroyed that its original form was unrecognizable. The cause was the thunderous roars echoing through the valley. The owner of the thunderous sound was Zeon and Dyoden. Swaaah! Dyoden¡¯s sword cut through the air. The target was Zeon. In an instant, as if someone were pulling a string, Zeon¡¯s body moved back. With a straightened posture, Zeon¡¯s gaze was fixed on Kreion. What Kreion aimed for was precisely Zeon¡¯s neck. If there was even a slight gap, Zeon¡¯s head would be severed. Nevertheless, Zeon did not lose his cool. Spit! In the nick of time, Kreion¡¯s de passed by Zeon¡¯s neck. Although it didn¡¯t directly cut Zeon, blood trickled down, creating only a superficial wound on his neck. Though a chilling sensation was felt on his neck, Zeon did not panic and waved his hand. At that moment, sand rose from the ground, attacking Dyoden. Attacks akin to live snakes wriggling towards Dyoden. It was an advanced version of Sand ster called Viper. A deadly skill, hence the name Viper. Dozens of Vipers targeted Dyoden¡¯s vulnerabilities, but none couldnd a hit. Before reaching Dyoden¡¯s body, they were blocked by a faint barrier and vanished. It was an Aura Shield, the defense method of Awakened from the Martial Arts world. The Vipers shattered against the Aura Shield, but Zeon was not disappointed. In fact, he was satisfied merely by drawing out the Aura Shield, Dyoden¡¯s defensive measure. Dyoden was just that formidable. In the past ten days, Zeon had not oncended a meaningful blow on Dyoden. Yet, he did not sumb to despair. Despite being wounded numerous times and teetering on the brink of life and death, Zeon stood up again to face Dyoden. In this process, he grew frighteningly. He was more tense than facing any monster, relentlessly searching for solutions. To survive against the monster named Dyoden, he had no choice but to evolve in real-time. It was an impossible feat for ordinary people or other Awakened, but for Zeon, it was possible. No, Dyoden had forced it to be possible. Dyoden had pushed Zeon to his limits, extracting all histent potential. Bang! Bang! Bang! The Vipers continuously pounded Dyoden. Despite the Aura Shield blocking them, the power of each blow was by no means light. So much so that even the great Deioden was being pushed back little by little. Finally, when Dyoden was pushed to the desired position, Zeon snapped his fingers. Snap! Grrrghh! The sand under Dyoden¡¯s feet spun at a terrifying speed. Sand Mixer had been activated. ¡°Heh!¡± However, Dyoden snorted and easily left the Sand Mixer. That¡¯s when nearby soldiers made of sand attacked Dyoden. It was one of Zeon¡¯s skills, Sand Soldier. And there were not just two, but a whopping six of them. He could only control two in the past, but in the meantime, the number had tripled. The six Sand Soldiers individually attacked Dyoden. While the Sand Soldiers drew Dyoden¡¯s attention, Zeon prepared Exion. Exion was unleashed from his pores. Covered in fine sand, Zeon¡¯s figure looked like a ck mist. Zeon, with Exion on him, directly attacked Dyoden. ng! With a deafening sound, Dyoden¡¯s body was pushed backward. However, he blocked it with Kreion, so there was not a single scratch. Zeon didn¡¯t expect Dyoden to be injured either. Bang! Bang! Bang! The Vipers continued to pound Dyoden, supported by the Sand Soldiers. Along with Zeon¡¯s Exion-powered attack and the Sand Mixer. All of those events continued without a moment¡¯s respite. In an instant, mana waspletely depleted. Zeon used Elura¡¯s Tear to restore his mana and unleashed all his skills once again. Bang! Bang! Bang! With thunderous roars, the cliff made of sand copsed, and a red dust cloud rose high into the sky. ¡°Haa! Haa!¡± It was when Zeon, having poured everything out, struggled to catch his breath. Shsssh! Amidst the red dust, Dyoden emerged. Even with Zeon¡¯s full-force bombardment, Dyoden didn¡¯t receive a single wound. ¡°Shit!¡± Zeon hurriedly attempted to evade Dyoden¡¯s attack with Sand Strides. But Dyoden didn¡¯t give him any room to dodge and charged forward. Thud! ¡°Argh!¡± Struck hard by Kreion, Zeon was sent flying far away. Thanks to Exion protecting his body, he avoided fatal injuries. However, the impact left him breathless with internal organs rattled. In such a state, Dyoden¡¯s second attack came flying at Zeon. Baang! The shock of his entire body disintegrating left Zeon unable to even scream. He flew for a while and mmed into a wall. Dyoden looked at Zeon with a contemptuous expression. ¡°How long are you going to lie there? The enemy won¡¯t wait for you to get up on your own, you idiot!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Get up. If you can breathe, you can stand.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Zeon rose to his feet with all his might. Blood was streaming down his face and chest. Though his life was saved, he had sustained deep wounds that would require days of treatment. Aiming Kreion at Zeon, Dyoden spoke. ¡°If you¡¯re going to whine over just those injuries, go back to Neo Seoul right now.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s whining? Take this!¡± Zeon pushed off the wall and flew towards Dyoden. As Dyoden¡¯s eyes shed, he ran at Zeon. ¡°Heheh! That¡¯s the spirit. It¡¯s more satisfying when there¡¯s that much tenacity.¡± He ruthlessly swung Kreion, and Zeon was mmed into the wall again. Such a situation repeated dozens of times. *** ¡°Huuh!¡± Zeon breathed heavily as he looked ahead. His whole body was aplete mess. His face was shattered and torn, blood running all over, and numerous wounds adorned his body. The robe draped over him was torn, resembling rags, and his disheveled hair gave off a beggarly vibe. Yet, the gaze visible through the strands of hair remained deeply rooted without a hint of wavering. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] His gaze was fixed on Dyoden. He had lost track of how long he¡¯d been here. Judging by the fact that most of the jerky he had prepared was gone, it seemed like he had been staying here for several months. During this time, Zeon had relentlessly fought Dyoden. The battles with Dyoden were a series of defeats. He broke, shattered, and kept breaking. Not once had hended a meaningful blow on Dyoden and had been repeatedly defeated. Yet, Zeon didn¡¯t give up. It seemed thatnding a good blow toDyoden¡¯s face was his only wish now. Until then, giving up was out of the question. Through the decisive battle with Dyoden, Zeon¡¯s skills had ascended terrifyingly. Fighting against hundreds of monsters was easier than fighting against just one Dyoden. As formidable as monsters were, they had limits to their intelligence. But Dyoden¡¯s strength had no limits. His physical strength,bat sense, and experiences umted over a hundred years were bnced perfectly, making him even stronger. Dyoden refused to acknowledge the situation and relentlessly attacked Zeon. The reason was to elevate Zeon¡¯s abilities, but more than that, it was to hone his own body and mind. Currently, his body and mind were at their peak. Sharp as a razor and relentless, he didn¡¯t tolerate even a speck of variation. Currently, Dyoden could perfectly control not only himself but also his opponents and the situation around him. Walking toward Zeon, Dyoden had Kreion lying on the ground. Although he was simply walking, an incredible force emanated from his entire body. Just facing him felt suffocating, as if his whole body might copse. ¡°Haah!¡± Zeon exhaled once again. It was a situation he had experienced dozens, hundreds of times. Now he was physically grasping how to break free from this pressure. Zeon rxed his muscles throughout his body. His mind remained calm. His body was poised to react at any moment. Seeing and pursuing with the eyes would be toote. He needed to feel and respond in real-time to everything¡ªairflow, colors, moisture, surrounding scents, and heat¡ªusing his skin. If any of these senses faltered, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against Dyoden. At the peak of Zeon¡¯s heightened sensitivity, the air in the area turned cold. ¡®He¡¯sing.¡¯ Zeon erected a sand barrier in front of him. Thud! The sand barrier crumbled weakly as Dyoden emerged. Yet Zeon wasn¡¯t surprised. It was already within his expectations. Raising the sand barrier was merely to buy a momentary time. The instant Dyoden broke through the sand barrier, Zeon vanished into the sand. Now, moving within the sand was as natural as breathing. Even within the sand, he could perceive the external situation as if seeing it with his own eyes. The sand in the area delivered information to him. Thud! He sensed Dyoden¡¯s footsteps. At that moment, the Viper was activated. Dozens of sand vipers aimed for Dyoden¡¯s torso as they soared toward him. ¡°Just a nuisance¡­¡± Dyoden swung Kreion, instantly severing the heads of the sand vipers, then mmed Kreion into the ground. Baang! With a thunderous roar, the sand on the ground exploded. An enormous amount of sand surged into the sky, revealing Zeon. Yet Zeon remained unfazed. He had anticipated this oue. Sand Soldiers rose around him. This time, there were a staggering ten of them. During the battle with Dyoden, Zeon¡¯s skill had developed, enabling him to control as many as ten Sand Soldiers simultaneously. Directing so many Sand Soldiers individually burdened Zeon¡¯s brain immensely. Burst! Blood vessels in his eyes burst under the immense pressure on his brain. For an instant, his head spun, but Zeon quickly regained hisposure. He raised both hands as if a conductor. Instantly, the Viper flew toward Dyoden again, while a sand veil obscured Dyoden¡¯s vision. During that time, Zeon¡¯s body floated within the sand. The sand that supported him shot up into the sky like pirs, cushioning Zeon¡¯s descent from a hundred meters above, allowing him to oversee everything. Sand Soldiers shattered, the Vipers severed, the Sand Mixer ineffective. Yet Zeon wasn¡¯t disappointed. Because he hadn¡¯t ced any expectations on these skills to begin with. His true aim wasn¡¯t these skills. Tsusss! Unbeknownst to him, ck energy wrapped around his body. It was Exion being discharged. The rippling Exion focused on the gauntlet-covered right arm. The moment Dyoden lifted his head to look at Zeon, their gazes met in mid-air, and Zeon muttered. ¡°Here Ie. You damn old dog!¡± He hurtled from a hundred meters above. Zeon plummeted like a meteor. His target was Dyoden¡¯s face. With all the force behind the right fist d in Exion, he swung. Baaaang! [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 44 Chapter 44 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 44 Cough! Zeon coughed up blood. Hisplexion was as pale as a sheet of paper. His gauntlet-d right arm suffered apound fracture, wobbling unsteadily, while the impact from the hundred-meter fall had also shattered both his legs. Yet, Zeon was smiling. It was because his gauntlet-d fist had made contact with Dyoden¡¯s face. Dyoden¡¯s head had turned slightly, and there was a small cut where the gauntlet hadnded. For someone that had risked his life for an attack, the oue was rather underwhelming, but Zeon was satisfied. He had finallynded a punch on Dyoden¡¯s face. ¡°Haa¡­ Don¡¯t take me lightly.¡± With that remark, Zeon copsed. Dyoden silently observed Zeon, who had copsed in an unsightly manner. Allowing Zeon¡¯s strike to make contact was a first-time urrence. Even the renowned Dyoden hadn¡¯t anticipated an attackunched from a hundred meters above. Despite only getting a tiny scratch on his face, he wasn¡¯t displeased. Zeon had reached the level he desired. That was how an Awakened should be. If there was even a sliver of possibility, one should boldly throw themselves to find a breakthrough. Most Awakeneds from a century ago found possibilities by daringly throwing themselves into situations and developed their skills. ¡°Haa! Haa!¡± Zeon breathed heavily. In return for throwing his body at Dyoden, he was about to die. Dyoden opened his subspace. He retrieved a potion from the subspace and administered it to Zeon. Then, he pulled out another potion and sprinkled it over Zeon¡¯s entire body. Instantly, Zeon¡¯s condition rapidly stabilized. The potion used by Dyoden on Zeon was a top-tier healing potion crafted in Neo Seoul. With its precious ingredients andplex production process, it was a raremodity even in Neo Seoul, with only a few bottles in existence. As long as one didn¡¯t sumb to death, it could instantly heal any injury. There were several more bottles of such healing potions in Dyoden¡¯s subspace. ¡°Haah!¡± Momentster, Zeon exhaled, regaining consciousness. Having returned from the brink of death, Zeony dazed for a while. It took some time for him to fully regain his senses ande back to reality. When he was perfectlyposed, he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m still alive?¡± ¡°If you died from such minor wounds, your life isn¡¯t worth living.¡± ¡°Anyway¡­¡± Zeon hesitated for a moment, then struggled to sit up. His whole body ached, but it wasn¡¯t to the point where he couldn¡¯t move. Compared to the price for an attack risking his life, this level of pain was bearable. Dyoden looked at Zeon and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re barely useful now.¡± ¡°Should I thank you for that?¡± ¡°Forget it. Take these.¡± Dyoden retrieved several items from the subspace and threw them to Zeon. They were clothes, armor, and a robe made of leather. The clothes were ones he had acquired in Neo Seoul, while the armor and robe were items obtained from a dungeon. Both the armor and robe, acquired from an A-rank dungeon, were far from ordinary. The armor, made from the skin of an unidentified monster, was covered in numerous inscriptions of unknown significance. ¡°It¡¯s a bit weak in physical strength, but it has high magic resistance. It¡¯ll be helpful for you right now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wearing it yourself?¡± ¡°Armor is for weaklings like you; I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°Damn!¡± Zeon¡¯s expression contorted in frustration. The fact that he couldn¡¯t argue against Dyoden¡¯s statement saddened him. ¡®Even if it¡¯s dirty, I¡¯ll get stronger by any means.¡¯ Zeon changed into the clothes and donned the armor on top. The moment the armor was worn, a refreshing energy surged through his entire body. It seemed to be enchanted with magical enhancements. Zeon then draped the robe over the armor. The robe¡¯s color resembled the sand. From a distance, it would be indistinguishable from actual sand. ¡°Is this camouge?¡± Zeon flipped on the hat attached to the robe. Dyoden spoke. ¡°Once you¡¯re ready, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two departed from the Valley of Death, where they had stayed for several months. During their stay, the Valley of Death had been so ravaged that its original appearance was unrecognizable. The once-great natural artwork had crumbled unceremoniously, covered byyers of sand. By the time they returned, it would likely be buried under sand, leaving no trace behind. ¡®If we can return.¡¯ *** Zeon and Dyoden silently traversed the endless desert. The scorching sun relentlessly tormented them, but neither uttered a singleint. Dyoden had spent a hundred years surviving in this desert, and Zeon had grown ustomed to life in the desert as well. ¡°Hm?¡± Suddenly, Zeon stopped in his tracks. Dyoden silently observed Zeon¡¯s action. After spending months in the Valley of Hell, Zeon¡¯s sense and mastery of sand had experienced a remarkable surge. Now, Zeon¡¯s senses in the desert were unmatched even by Dyoden. Zeon stopping like this indicated he sensed something. After a while, he spoke up. ¡°I sense moisture. There might be an oasis nearby.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± As Dyoden made an intrigued expression, moisture started rising from the ground, initially just slightly damp but gradually increasing over time. Eventually, wet sand began to umte on the ground, forming a sizable oasis. ¡°Ho!¡± As soon as the oasis materialized as Zeon had mentioned, Dyoden was slightly surprised. Desert oases were like mirages. They appeared suddenly one day and disappeared the next, not vanishing entirely but moving through the desert¡¯s veins to inconspicuous locations. Humans couldn¡¯t predict this change. Yet, Zeon had foreseen the oasis appearing here. It was an ability beyond the reach of ordinary Awakeneds. Zeon asked Dyoden. ¡°It must be here too, huh?¡± ¡°You mean the Sand Angler?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°It should be. In these oases that move through the veins, there¡¯s usually one of them.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Zeon nodded. The oasis that had suddenly appeared was as big as a pond. Zeon peered into the oasis. In its depths, a faint light glimmered. The enigmatic source of the captivating light was the Sand Angler. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] A C-rank monster that mesmerized and devoured humans or monsters that came to the oasis. There had been a time when Zeon almost fell prey to it. If it hadn¡¯t been for Dyoden, Zeon would¡¯ve vanished from this world without a trace. However, Zeon didn¡¯t harbor any special emotions toward the Sand Angler. This was a world where if you didn¡¯t prey, you became the prey. A ce where anything was eptable in order to survive. The Sand Angler needed to feed to survive, and Zeon sought to defeat it to continue living. Zeon jumped straight into the oasis. Sensing him, the Sand Angler swiftly approached at top speed, without a hint of caution, considering Zeon as its prime meal. Zeon waited for the Sand Angler to approach and then swung his right fist. Exion condensed atop his gauntlet. He thrust the clustered Exion straight into the Sand Angler¡¯s gaping mouth. Swoosh! The Sand Angler, pierced by Exion like a harpooned fish, thrashed violently, its mouth piercingly ripped open. Ordinary sand would lose its cohesion in water and crumble easily, but Exion was different. As a Sand Mage¡¯s specialized weapon, Exion maintained the form Zeon desired even underwater. ¡®Now!¡¯ Zeon rotated the Exion pierced in the Sand Angler¡¯s mouth. Gaaaah! Exion instantly pulverized the Sand Angler¡¯s brain, marking the end for the C-rank monster. With its belly exposed, the Sand Angler floated on the water¡¯s surface. Zeon pulled the Sand Angler out. ¡®Not bad!¡¯ Dyoden¡¯s lips curved slightly upward. The greatest adversary in the desert was indeed water. Yet, Zeon had disyed adept usage of Exion even underwater, proving his mastery of his abilities. Zeon began disassembling the Sand Angler he had pulled out. First, he removed the hide. Recognizing its softness and sticity, Zeon knew it would make an excellent robe. Next, he carved out the meat section by section. There was no waste in the Sand Angler¡¯s meat. It contained almost no venommonly found in monster meat and had a pleasant taste. Among them, the best part was the galldder. When they previously caught the Sand Angler, Dyoden made Zeon eat the galldder first. Zeon handed Dyoden the galldder the size of an adult torso. ¡°Have some.¡± It was an invaluable remedy, unmatched in fortifying one¡¯s bones among Sand Angler organs. Having already experienced the effects after consumption, Zeon knew how potent it was. However, Dyoden outright refused Zeon¡¯s offer. ¡°Not needed.¡± ¡°If you want to fight against a dragon, shouldn¡¯t you prepare yourself in advance?¡± ¡°Do you think something as insignificant as a Sand Angler¡¯s galldder would affect me? Eat as much as you can, you weak bastard.¡± ¡°Ugh! You could at least¡­¡± Dyoden ignored Zeon¡¯s retort and picked up another part of the Sand Angler. Sizzle! mes erupted from his hand. It was a me made of mana. The tender Sand Angler meat quickly cooked in his hand. Dyoden slowly savored the well-cooked Sand Angler meat. Observing him for a moment, Zeon also started consuming the Sand Angler¡¯s galldder. The galldder was most effective when eaten raw. This time, too, an intense heat was felt in his body, but the dramatic changes from before did not ur. Having already consumed the Sand Angler¡¯s galldder once and considering Zeon¡¯s physical development, even after consuming the adult-sized Sand Angler galldder, Zeon¡¯s belly remained unchanged. He felt satiated, yet there was no bloating or difort. It was just as intriguing as the previous experience, although familiar. After a long time, the two indulged in a substantial meal. As before, they nned to stay until they finished consuming all of the Sand Angler¡¯s meat. Zeon reclined against a sand dune. There was nothing enviable when lying down like this. At first, he had followed Dyoden out of necessity, but after gaining a certain level of strength, he had apanied Dyoden purely by his own will. They had roamed through the desert almost aimlessly, swept away by the current until they arrived here without realizing it. ¡®Fighting a dragon? Crazy! Or is it an achievement? I really don¡¯t know.¡¯ From barely surviving day by day in the slums of Neo Seoul, the insignificant boy had arrived at a ce where a dragon resided. And not just that¡ªZeon himself had be a Sand Mage, something no one could have imagined. It felt like each day had been a dream. However, Zeon¡¯s contemtive moment didn¡¯tst long. Thud! Footsteps echoed from a distance, drawing their attention. ¡®Is it a monster?¡¯ Zeon hastily stood up, realizing that Dyoden was staring intently at the source of the sound. But Dyoden¡¯s expression was unusual. Unlike his usual calm demeanor when facing any monster, Dyoden¡¯s face was stiff as a rock. As if ready to wield the Kreion staked into the ground at any moment. Coincidentally, Zeon also tensed up. Finally, the owner of the footsteps appeared. ¡®A human?¡¯ To their surprise, it was indeed a human. A strikingly lush and pristine blond-haired individual, with aplexion so fair and unwrinkled it seemed untouched by sunlight, apanied by an unusual aura. Their eyes were as red as burst blood vessels, and between their thin lips, sharp fangs protruded, revealing impressive white teeth. They spoke while looking at Dyoden and Zeon. ¡°Hello there.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 45 Chapter 45 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 45 In the darkness of the desert, as Zeonid eyes on the man, shivers ran down his spine. The man seemed like a mirage in the desert, not quite of this world, despite standing right before him. Zeon knew his instincts weren¡¯t deceiving him. This was an unexplored territory untouched by human footsteps. Perhaps the only humans who came here were Zeon and Deioden. Even these two had struggled through battles to reach this ce. Dyoden, being an extraordinary being beyond human limits, emerged unscathed, but Zeon had faced numerous brushes with death, leaving indelible scars across his entire body. Yet, the man before them showed no signs of wounds. His unnaturally pale skin, visible between his clothes, with all his veins showing through, an eerie sight. What struck Zeon the most was that the man traversed the desert night without any gear ¨C no armor like Zeon, no sword like Dyoden. Nevertheless, the fact that he could leisurely stroll through the desert night meant that he was a tremendously strong individual. Such an individual appearedpletely unannounced. Zeon cautiously inquired. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Just someone passing through the vicinity. I saw the light from afar and decided to check it out.¡± ¡°And your name?¡± ¡°Haeltoon.¡± At that moment, Zeon felt the blood in his entire body freeze. ¡°Then, the Dra¡ªgon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m merely a passing guest for now. No need to be so cautious.¡± The man who identified himself as Haeltoon said with a faint smile. At that moment, Dyoden interjected. ¡°A lizard whelp without fear¡­¡± ¡°Going a bit too far there. Still, topare a mere lizard to a dragon¡­¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ve been hiding here after all.¡± ¡°Hiding? What am I supposed to be hiding from? I¡¯ve merely been residing here for quite some time.¡± Haeltoon replied nonchntly, unperturbed by Dyoden¡¯s intensity. ¡°What¡¯s going on here then, lizard?¡± ¡°Though your address irks me a bit, being broad-minded, I¡¯ll try to understand. Imagine someone unwanted showing up at your home. Would you stay quiet? I¡¯m no different. Uninvited guests arrived at my ce, so I came out of curiosity.¡± ¡°Uninvited guests? Us?¡± Dyoden¡¯s eyes gleamed intensely in the darkness. Even in his frenzied gaze, Haeltoon remained unfazed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it appropriate to call someone whomits such unheard-of actions an uninvited guest? Or does it carry a different meaning here on Earth?¡± ¡°You all are the uninvited guests. Lizard! Who was it that terraformed Earth and then tried to force migration?¡± ¡°We regret that a bit. But we had no choice either. Krasias, who attempted to terraform Earth, is a being above gods. At least in our world, they hold that level of status. Who could dare challenge what they did?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a little lizard, but your tongue is quite big. You¡¯re all the same damn lizards.¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate being assessed on the same level as them here. But I could neverpare myself to them. In our world, they¡¯re on the level of a creator. They merely chose a simr facade to ours for convenience.¡± ¡°So, why are you here? To boast about how great Krasias is?¡± ¡°Your resentment and fighting spirit are truly remarkable. It makes me tremble.¡± Haeltoon looked at Dyoden with amusement. Contrary to his words, there was no tension or intimidation in his expression. He continued. ¡°Think of it as a natural disaster. Like a storm or an earthquake. In that case, you might be able to live more at ease if you consider it that way.¡± ¡°So, are you suggesting I should just turn around and leave now?¡± ¡°Politely advising you to do so.¡± ¡°What ridiculous nonsense. It¡¯s easy to talk about other people¡¯s problems. If you were in my shoes, could you just forget and live?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, forgetfulness is not a blessing granted to me. However, letting it fade away might be possible.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just bbering with that filthy tongue of yours. You¡¯re nothing but a lizard brat. Let¡¯s see if you can still spout that idiotic nonsense after I rip out that tongue of yours.¡± ¡°Mmm! I¡¯d rather not. While I can convey thoughts telepathically,municating through voice is much simpler.¡± Haeltoon casually approached Dyoden. Zeon watched, holding his breath. Haeltoon nonchntly approached the Sand Angler carcass. ¡°Oh, a Sand Angler. I quite fancy those too. You could say it¡¯s a delicacy.¡± Crunch! He reached out and tore off a chunk of the Sand Angler¡¯s flesh, chewing it vigorously. There was no trace of dignity in Haeltoon¡¯s demeanor during this act. Unconsciously, Zeon found himself speaking up. ¡°Uh, that¡¯s actually mine.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I caught it. Shouldn¡¯t you ask for permission before eating?¡± ¡°Haha! Is that so? My apologies!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really sorry, could you at least give me something?¡± Haeltoon pretended to be seriously concerned about Zeon¡¯s nonsense before opening his mouth. ¡°Handing over my possessions isn¡¯t quite my style. But if you happen to surviveter, find the Stone Mountain, a hundred kilometers north from here. There¡¯s an abandoned dungeon there with some useful items.¡± ¡°A dungeon?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve got the knack, it won¡¯t be too hard to find.¡± ¡°What exactly is this dungeon? How can such a thing exist?¡± ¡°Hmm! An intriguing question. You¡¯re the first to ask me that. Simply put, the dungeon is a fragment of Kurayan. It was supposed to vanish along with Kurayan¡¯s destruction, but remnants were crystallized in the rifts of time and space due to the terraforming and its interactions.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s like Kurayan¡¯s scraps?¡± ¡°You have a knack for simplifying difficult words. That would suffice as an exnation. It could be quite useful if turned into a chimera.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°No! Think of it as a treasure trove left behind between Kurayan and Earth. If you search well, there could be some valuable items.¡± ¡°And what about the creatures inside it?¡± ¡°Those too are remnants of Kurayan. Pitiful beings trapped and unable to vanish due to the rifts in time and space.¡± He said so, but there was no pity in his face. Unbeknownst to Zeon, dragons were originally such beings. Beings standing at the pinnacle of Kurayan. Except for Krasias, there was nothing above them, not even gods. Even gods could only exist if there were believers. Belief gathered, forming a divine status, allowing their existence. So, when Kurayan was destroyed, and most races and species died, the gods would inevitably cease to exist as well. Dragons, on the other hand, could exist as independent beings even without such elements. Even in Kurayan, they were absolute beings, capable of being absolute beings on Earth as well. Haeltoon continued. ¡°Toe here after defeating my guardian, Akaruk, is quitemendable. But Akaruk was not my only guardian. In fact, he¡¯s closer to being a failure. My true guardians are much stronger.¡± ¡°So, what are you trying to say? Lizard whelp!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been saying it all along, haven¡¯t I? Just go back. I¡¯ll forgive you then. I¡¯m a forgiving dragon, after all.¡± ¡°Cowardly lizard bastard!¡± ¡°Hearing that over and over again makes me feel quite upset. If you blurt that out once more, you won¡¯t be forgiven.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t be forgiven my ass¡­ You don¡¯t have the courage toe forward yourself so you keep sending your puppets¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Swoosh! In an instant, Dyoden swung Kreion. Haeltoon, taken aback, tried to evade but was unable to avoid Kreion. Thud! With an eerie cutting sound, Haeltoon¡¯s body was split in two. Haeltoon¡¯s with his upper and lower body were separated and rolling on the ground, but there was no bleeding from the severed parts. Dyoden looked down at the dismembered Haeltoon and said. ¡°I expected as much. Cowardly lizard whelp. Sending fakes to babble nonsense. That¡¯s how your kind is. That¡¯s why I cannot forgive you more.¡± ¡°Haha! I did not expect this. Anyway, I understand your intentions well.¡± Haeltoon,ughing with his severed waist, spoke. Zeon¡¯s expression slightly turned queasy at the eerie sight. Lifting Kreion, Dyoden said. ¡°See you soon, stupid little lizard!¡± Swish! Kreion was directly plunged into Haeltoon¡¯s head. Only then did the vitality vanish from Haeltoon¡¯s body. It was the perfect death brought about by Dyoden¡¯s ability, the Authority of Death. Taking back Kreion, Dyoden said. ¡°Trying to threaten me by sending a chimera.¡± ¡°This is a chimera?¡± ¡°Yes! The cowardly lizard whelp didn¡¯t have the courage to show up, so he sent a chimera. Kuck! Ptuu!¡± Dyoden spat on the chimera. Zeon observed the scene in silence. * * * ¡°Ugh!¡± As Haeltoon opened his eyes, a strange noise echoed as his scales shed. Shrrr! From head to tail, spanning a staggering one hundred and fifty meters, his entire body was covered in dazzling golden scales. Two horns adorned his head, while a pair of wings neatly folded over his torso. His four legs were sturdy enough to support a massive underground structure. Rising to his immense height, Haeltoon blinked. The link with the chimera severed, dealing a significant blow to his soul. At that moment, a woman standing before Haeltoon cautiously spoke up. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°The connection with the chimera has beenpletely severed. It¡¯s true that he possesses the Authority of Death.¡± Haeltoon shook his massive head and spoke. ¡°The Authority of Death?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s astonishing that a mere human possesses the ability that only Krasias possessed in Kurayan.¡± Haeltoon looked at the petite woman. While her upper body was human, her lower half resembled a spider¡¯s thorax. The magic ofbining different life forms to create a new being¡ªchimera magic. One of his specialties was studying various life forms and creating chimeras. Creating chimeras was originally forbidden in Kurayan. Even dragons, positioned at Kurayan¡¯s apex, faced sanctions for delving into chimera magic. Therefore, Haeltoon had never dared to contemte creating chimeras in Kurayan. But Earth was different. Unlike Kurayan, there were no restrictions here. Dragons that had transitioned to Earth were busy establishing their own domains, showing little interest in the lives of other entities. This afforded Haeltoon the opportunity to indulge in his avid interest in chimera magic. The woman standing in front of Haeltoon was called Eblis, one of the chimeras created in such a manner. She was a fusion of human and spider, possessing the wit of a humanbined with the cunning of a spider. Thus, she was entrusted with the important task of managing hisir. Eblis nced cautiously at Haeltoon while bowing her head. Haeltoon¡¯sir was made entirely out of gold. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all gold. In the aftermath of the terraforming, most of the ground turned into sand, but the mineral veins deep underground remained intact. As a gold dragon, Haeltoon created hisir in a gold vein. He researched chimeras to his heart¡¯s content within the goldenir. To create a chimera he liked, Haeltoon brought women from each race to hisir, polymorphed, and mated with them. Hebined the offspring obtained this way with monsters to create chimeras. Eblis, like the other guardians protecting their, was a chimera created through this process. He loathed stepping out into the outside world, made of sand, in contrast to his goldenir. Therefore, instead of his true self, he sent out chimeras, leading to the current situation. ¡°Dyoden!¡± There was a liveliness in Haeltoon¡¯s golden eyes. He was furious with Dyoden, who dared to kill his alter form. The chimera created from his alter form was extremely special. Partially serving as a vessel to contain a part of his soul, it allowed him to wield the abilities of a dragon. Thus, conventional means couldn¡¯t kill the chimera. The severed link meant the chimera¡¯s perfect death. Being able to bring a perfect death to that chimera meant that he possessed the capability to bring death to him as well. He didn¡¯t know how a mere human had acquired such an ability, but it was undoubtedly a significant threat. Haeltoon instructed Eblis. ¡°Mobilize the guardians.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 46 Chapter 46 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 46 Zeon wrinkled his nose. ¡°Is this a chimera?¡± When it was alive, he didn¡¯t notice, but from the dead chimera, there was a strange smell. It resembled the faint, pungent odor of a dead insect. Zeon squatted down to examine the chimera closely. Certainly, its muscles were different from those of a typical human. The outer part was made of chitinous material like an insect, and the internal tendons were incredibly stic and strong, almost like twisted steel wires. What was most alien was the internal organs. Unlike human organs, they were simple and not asplex. It felt like they were arranged for maximum efficiency using the same amount of energy. Zeon probed the internals with his hands. In the past, he might have shuddered at the gruesome feeling, but after experiencing much more gruesome things on his way here, he could handle it with indifference. Were the internal organs also transnted from a monster? This is horrifying!¡± Zeon eximed as he tilted his head slightly in disgust. At this point, it would be more urate to say that it was an entirely new life form. Zeon¡¯s gaze suddenly focused on the chimera¡¯s heart. A stone embedded in the heart emitted a strong mana. ¡°Magic Stone? So, they used Magic Stones as fuel?¡± It made him realize the immense power of dragons. Even in Neo Seoul, research on Magic Stones was active, but no one dared to use them as fuel for a living organism. ¡°This is insane.¡± Zeon stood up, shaking his head slightly. Dyoden spoke up. ¡°These crossbreeds are something else. Dragons are like controllers of magic, and for them, using magic is as natural as breathing. If their magic is a storm, then the magic humans use is just a slight breeze.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Now do you understand? The opponent we¡¯re about to face is an incredibly formidable one. The chance of dying is several times higher than the chance of surviving.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to turn back because of fear. My decision is firm.¡± Zeon interrupted Dyoden. Then, Dyoden snorted and opened his subspace. ¡°Take this.¡± He pulled out a small vial from the subspace and tossed it to Zeon. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°If you really think you¡¯re going to die, drink it. It¡¯ll heal almost any injury in an instant.¡± ¡°So, is this like an elixir?¡± Zeon widened his eyes. Elixirs were legendary potions that alchemists in the field aspired to create. They could instantly cure any ailment and even grant immortality. Indeed, alchemists in Neo Seoul were actively researching elixirs. Dyoden snorted. ¡°Hmph! There¡¯s no way a real elixir exists. It¡¯s an Awakening potion created by a mad alchemist. It¡¯s made using the blood of powerful monsters, which have excellent regenerative and healing abilities.¡± ¡°Monster blood? Is it safe to drink?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying, if you think you¡¯re going to die, drink it. Might as well experience some adventure if you¡¯re going to die anyway. Thanks to the awakening properties, it¡¯s better than a healing potion in oveing pain.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Zeon put the vial into his subspace with a solemn expression. The showdown with the dragon was imminent, and the mighty Dyoden¡¯s attention to his well-being was evidence of how tense the situation was. Dyoden gripped Kreion tightly, gazing at the dark night sky. As if the dragon was there. £ª£ª£ª Zeon and Dyoden stayed until the oasis disappeared, devouring all the Sand Angler meat. The Sand Angler¡¯s meat was a fantastic source of nutrients. Facing the once-in-a-lifetime battle ahead, it was more than enough to optimize their physical condition. Dyoden spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon answered, pulling the hood of his robe low. Having rested well and eaten heartily, his body was in top condition. His senses were sharp, and vitality flowed through his entire body. It was the first time his body felt so good. Dyoden walked into the headwind of the sandstorm, taking long strides. His hair fluttered like a lion¡¯s mane. Zeon extended his Sand Strides, following Dyoden. The scorching sun heated the sand, radiating intense heat, but it couldn¡¯t impede the progress of Zeon and Dyoden. What greeted them after several days of walking in the desert were pirs rising in the middle of the desert. Dozens of hexagonal pirs standing alone in the middle of the desert looked suspicious to anyone. Zeon stepped forward, asserting his dominance. His senses extended in all directions through the fine sand particles. There was nothing around. ¡®Then it must be underground.¡¯ Zeon concentrated his senses underground. One hundred meters, two hundred meters¡­ His senses delved endlessly into the ground. Zeon¡¯s sensory range reached up to five hundred meters underground. However, even then, there was nothing. Zeon released his dominance and spoke. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s deeper than five hundred meters underground.¡± ¡°Probably. Like lizard hatchlings, he must¡¯ve dug deep to hide. Cowards, that¡¯s what they are.¡± ¡°Cowards? I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± ¡°If they had real courage, instead of manipting the other races to move Krasias, they would have moved him themselves. They can¡¯t say a word in front of the strong and only act tough in front of the weak. If that¡¯s not cowardly, what is?¡± It was a strangely persuasive statement. Zeon nodded, considering that it might be true. The two arrived in front of the pirs. Each pir was as thick as several peoplebined. The hexagonal pirs were engraved with unreadable symbols. Zeon touched one of the pirs, murmuring. ¡°I can¡¯t understand what¡¯s written¡­¡± Swoosh! The moment Zeon touched the pir, it emitted a bright light. ¡°What?¡± Surprised, Zeon withdrew his hand, but the burst of lightpletely swallowed him. After a moment, in the ce where the light disappeared, Zeon was nowhere to be seen. Dyoden, without showing any surprise, mumbled. ¡°Seems like the pirs work as some kind of teleportation device.¡± He touched the pir that Zeon had touched, but the expected burst of light did not ur. ¡°Can each pir only teleport one creature?¡± Dyoden touched another pir. Instantly, a bright burst of light engulfed him. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] When Zeon opened his eyes, the environment hadpletely changed. It was an incredibly vast cave, spacious enough for a giant monster to walk around freely. The rock walls were shimmering as if gold veins ran through them. As expected from a Golden Dragon, it was clearly air created inside the bedrock where a gold vein passed through. ¡°What¡¯s the use of all this?¡± Despite seeing a tremendous amount of gold, Zeon wasn¡¯t particrly greedy. Gold didn¡¯t hold much value in the current world. ¡°Did Dyoden get transported to a different ce?¡± Zeon looked around, but there was no sign of Dyoden anywhere. If Dyoden had touched the pir, the high probability was that he had been transported elsewhere. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to move on my own until I find him.¡± Separated from Dyoden, Zeon hesitantly entered what he assumed was their of a dragon. Even though he had faced numerous monsters before, confronting a dragon was a different league. It was natural to be afraid. Zeon forced a calm expression. He couldn¡¯t stay still out of fear forever. Even if there was a dragon at the end of this cave, he had to face it. Only then could he meet Dyoden. Zeon proceeded cautiously. This environment was disadvantageous for him. Being inside a vein meant there was almost no sand. Fortunately, he had Exion, which was a relief. Zeon remained prepared to emit Exion at any moment as he moved forward. It felt like he had gone deep into the cave, yet nothing had happened so far. Still, Zeon did not let his guard down. Based on experience, trouble often arose when one least expected it. His expectation didn¡¯t miss the mark. Sssssh! From the opposite side of the cave, a faint hissing sound reached his ears. Just hearing it made all the hairs on his body stand on end, and his spine shivered with an unpleasant sensation. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zeon released Exion and scanned the front. Instantly, piercing through the darkness, the source of the sound revealed itself. They were chimeras. There were two-headed serpents, as well as those with four heads. Some had wings on their backs, while others had two or four legs. Apart from themonality of having snake heads, everything else was different. Their forms, textures, colors, and sizes varied. ¡°Chimeras.¡± It was evident that these were not ordinary monsters but chimeras created by Haeltoon. Kwaaaah! Upon seeing Zeon, the chimeras roared fiercely and charged even more aggressively. Facing the approaching chimeras, Zeon unleashed Exion. Tsss! His entire body was surrounded by Exion. In that state, Zeon rushed towards the chimeras. There was no fear on his face. Kwagagah! Exion, rotating fiercely around him, shredded the charging chimeras. Keuuk! Kreeeak! The screams of the chimeras being torn apart echoed through the cave. Flesh burst open, and blood sttered in all directions. Ssshh! The ground beneath the disintegrated chimeras melted, as if their blood contained corrosive venom. While Zeon¡¯s entire body was also covered in the chimeras¡¯ blood, the robe and armor provided by Dyoden minimized the damage. Kwagagah! Even at that moment, the chimeras were relentlessly being torn apart by Exion. The cave quickly filled with the disintegrated remains of the chimeras. Still, more chimeras continued to emerge from somewhere, attacking Zeon. Zeon crushed each chimera one by one as he advanced. Then it happened. sh! Suddenly, the cave was filled with bright light, and a lightning bolt struck Zeon. Bang! ¡°Ugh!¡± With a loud explosion, Zeon¡¯s body was forcefully pushed backward. In that moment, wisps of white smoke emanated from Zeon¡¯s entire body. Fortunately, Exion had shielded him, minimizing the damage. If he had taken a direct hit without Exion, his body might have exploded. Swaaah! Amidst the disoriented chimeras, an unusuallyrge snake appeared. On the head of therge snake were horns. Sparks were emanating from the horns. The lightning strike was the result of its skill. ¡®A special monster?¡¯ Among monsters, some asionally possessed skills. It seemed like therge snake that had just appeared was skilled in lightning-based abilities. sh! At that moment, another lightning bolt erupted from the horns of therge snake. Zeon dodged the lightning, flying backward. Bang! The ce where he was standing exploded and the floor caved in. While he managed to avoid the lightning, the force caused Exion to momentarily lose control and scatter. Taking advantage of Zeon¡¯s vulnerability, the chimeras rushed at him. Zeon, with his gauntlet-d fists, struck the lead chimera. Bang! With a thunderous sound, the chimera¡¯s head exploded. Zeon shouted as he frantically attacked the chimeras. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me, damn snake bastards!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 47 Chapter 47 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 47 Exion transformed freely at themand of Zeon¡¯s fist. At times, it became a spear, piercing through the chimera snakes, and at other times, it turned into an axe, beheading them instead. There was no time to even catch his breath. Zeon knew very well that the moment the connection was severed, he would die. Therefore, he exerted desperate efforts to ensure Exion¡¯s flow remained uninterrupted. sh! In that instant, another lightning bolt struck. The special monsterunched another attack. It was a skill called ¡®*Lightthein¡¯, which gathered lightning at a single point to strike it¡¯s target. [*This was originally written in English] The Lightthein relentlessly targeted Zeon. Zeon created a shield using Exion to block Lightthein. Pieces of pure white lightning were blocked by Exion¡¯s shield and dispersed in all directions. Zzzeek! Crack! Chimeras were electrocuted, their flesh bursting or charred ck. ¡®Ohh!¡¯ Zeon¡¯s eyes gleamed. A brilliant idea hade to him. It wasn¡¯t always necessary for him to personally engage inbat; using the enemy¡¯s power was also a viable option. At that moment, the special monsterunched Lightthein again. Zeon molded Exion into a shield and tilted it at an angle. Shiiing! The lightning collided with Exion¡¯s shield, spreading in all directions. Zeon adjusted the tilt to allow the lightning to spread more effectively. The arena turned into chaos in an instant. More chimera snakes died than when Zeon fought directly. As more and more chimera snakes died due to its attacks, the special monster realized that it was being used by Zeon. However, this realization only came after a gap had formed between the special monster and Zeon. Zeon swiftly shortened the distance and reached the special monster. ¡°Take this!¡± Zeon focused Exion on his gauntlet and struck. Boom! The special monster¡¯s head exploded. Zeon moved in search of the next special monster. In this way, Zeon located and destroyed the special monsters, sweeping through the surrounding mobs, until he was left standing alone. ¡°Haah! Haah!¡± Zeon leaned against the wall, catching his breath. The exertion of power in such a short time brought a rush of exhaustion. However, there was no time to leisurely recover stamina and mana. Daeodon would likely be advancing towards the dragon at this very moment. If Zeon wanted to be of any help, he too had to keep moving without rest. Zeon resumed his journey. The corridor seemed to stretch endlessly. Fortunately, no chimeras appeared this time. However, Zeon remained vignt, not allowing himself to becent. It was a dragon¡¯sir. It wouldn¡¯t have beenposed of mere chimeras at this level. Somethingrger and more powerful was undoubtedly waiting ahead. Zeon checked his physical condition once again. Fortunately, his condition wasn¡¯t bad. He had more stamina than he thought, and his mana was steadily recovering, albeit slowly. With this level of strength, he wouldn¡¯t bepletely helpless against any enemy he might encounter. Zeon heightened his senses to be ready to react at any moment. Yet, it was strangely quiet. It wasn¡¯t that the enemies weren¡¯t moving; it felt like they didn¡¯t exist at all. Still, Zeon didn¡¯t let his guard down and moved cautiously. After walking for a while, a wide space suddenly appeared before Zeon. It was a huge circr area, reminiscent of an ancient colosseum. Filling the space, towering tens of meters high with a diameter exceeding hundreds of meters, was unexpectedly sand. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Zeon furrowed his brows. As a Sand Mage, his most significant weapon was spread all over the arena, so he should have weed it, but Zeon knew that things didn¡¯t always go smoothly. Certainly, there must be a reason why the floor of this giant colosseum-like space was filled with sand. Zeon exerted his dominance to grasp the situation within the sand. Swoosh! Something suddenly emerged, parting through the sand. ¡°What?¡± Zeon was taken aback and attempted to move the sand, but the next moment, his body froze as it had been cursed. He wasn¡¯t actually cursed, but the monster emerging from the sand was so unexpected that it left him stunned. ¡°A woman?¡± It was also a woman, but there was not a single piece of clothing adorning her. Her hair undted like mysterious blue seaweed, and her eyes descended on her snow-like white skin, emitting a subtle glow. Herrge eyes and lips shone red, as if crafted from polished rubies. The woman exuded a captivating sensuality. Zeon¡¯s face turned red in an instant. Zeon, who had never been near a woman since he was born. He was so busy struggling to survive that he had never even held a woman¡¯s hand, let alone dated one. Making himpletely vulnerable to women. Moreover, the woman that suddenly appeared waspletely naked, not wearing a single piece of clothing. Zeon¡¯s pupils wandered dizzyingly, with nowhere to go. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Uh!¡± His mind turned nk, as if he had truly fallen under a curse. Even at that moment, the naked woman was approaching Zeon. Smiling, the woman gazed at Zeon with seductive eyes and expressions that captivated him. The red glow in the woman¡¯s eyes deepened, and Zeon stared at her with his mouth wide-open. To an adolescent boy who had never been close to a woman, the naked woman was a very strong temptation. Unconsciously, tension filled his lower abdomen, and his lips dried up. His hands fumbled in the air, unsure where to go. ¡°Hehe!¡± The woman chuckled, seemingly finding Zeon cute. Her actions drove Zeon even crazier. He couldn¡¯t think of anything. An intense desire to embrace that woman filled his mind. This was the first time he had experienced such a strong desire. Zeon reached out his hand. He faced the woman, smiling brightly. For a moment, it felt like an electric current flowed through his entire body. The desire intensified, and the urge to bite and suck her womanhood quickly tormented him. The woman, as if to tease Zeon, circled around him for a moment. Zeon followed her movements. Before he knew it, his eyes had lost focus. Only then did her womane closer to Zeon. So close that their faces were about to touch. The woman looked closely at Zeon¡¯s face and leaned towards his lips. Her sweet breath stimted Zeon¡¯s sense of smell. Suddenly, just as the woman was about to kiss him, Zeon¡¯s focus returned. The scent emanating from the woman¡¯s breath awakened his senses. A faint rotten smell thates from dead insects. Certainly, it was a scent he had smelled not long ago. ¡°A chimera!¡± Zeon shouted, delivering a punch to the woman¡¯s chest. Bang! With a loud noise, the naked woman staggered backward. Her face contorted fiercely. ¡°How dare a human¡­!¡± ¡°Damn it! I almost did that with a chimera. My first experience with a chimera¡­ Ugh!¡± Zeon¡¯s body shuddered. It was horrifying even to imagine. Fortunately, there was no one around, but if there had been, they would¡¯ve made fun of him for the rest of his life. ¡°I can¡¯t forgive this!¡± Zeon erupted in anger. The woman was equally furious. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Swoosh! The woman¡¯s body soared into the air. It was then that the hidden truth was revealed. ¡°What? Does that make sense?¡± Zeon¡¯s eyes widened. Piercing through the sand, the revealed form was a nine-headed Hydra. The part that Zeon thought was the woman was actually the tail of the Hydra. A giant chimera, abination of a Hydra and a Subus. This chimera¡¯s name was Kaeshu. Kaeshu was one of the three guardians meticulously created by the Gold Dragon Haeltoon, ced within his rare domain. Haeltoon positioned the three guardians in hisir. Kaeshu, among them, boasted powerful regenerative abilities, venom, and formidable physical strength. The scales surrounding its body possessed tremendous anti-magic properties, rendering it resistant to magical attacks. The Hydra was ssified as an A-rank monster, a significant threat. For Zeon, who was barely at C-rank, facing such a being seemed insurmountable. ¡°Haah! This is insane!¡± Despite Zeon¡¯s recent rapid progress to C-rank, he was still far from reaching A-rank. The gap between C-rank and D-rank was dwarfed by the chasm between A-rank and B-rank. Considering he was up against an A-rank opponent, and Zeon was only at C-rank, there was a huge gap that could never be bridged by sheer effort or grit. Moreover, by merging with a Subus, it had gained exceptional intelligence and charm skill, as evidenced by the Subus¡¯s enchantment skill that nearly ensnared him in desire earlier. The unique scent of the chimera was the only thing that prevented Zeon from losing all his vital energy as well as his life. The Hydra,bined with the Subus, reached A-rank but possessed a power closer to S-rank. Facing such a formidable foe, Zeon had no idea how to fight. ¡°Die!¡± At that moment, Kaeshuunched an attack. Its nine heads spewed venom. ¡°Damn!¡± Zeon bit his lips and hastily dodged. Sizzle! The sand touched by the venom melted instantly. Had Zeon been hit directly, he would have suffered the same fate. The thought alone sent shivers down his spine. However, it also gave him a glimmer of hope. The fact that the massive undergroundplex was filled with sand worked to his advantage. Sand was his essence and his weapon. Although the rank difference was significant, the narrative changed in this context. ¡°All right! Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Snap! Zeon snapped his fingers. Gaaaah! Sand around the Hydra spun rapidly. The Sand Mixer had been unleashed. Kwagak! Coarse sand particles scratched the surface of the Hydra at a terrifying speed. However, the Hydra¡¯s scales remained unscathed, thanks to the force shield possessed by monsters of B-rank or higher. Rather than causing any damage, the Sand Mixer only further angered the Hydra. Kuwaaah! The nine heads attacked Zeon. Zeon detonated the ymore in front of him. Baang! Explosions and thousands of sand beads clustered like iron balls struck the Hydra¡¯s heads. It was a skill with enough power to send even a decent Awakened to their death. However, it was not enough to stop Hydra. Kuuuuk! The Hydra¡¯s heads emerged through the dust and debris. ¡°Shit!¡± Zeon swiftly unleashed his Sand Strides. Snap! One of the Hydra¡¯s heads snapped in the space where Zeon had been a moment ago. If he had been a bit slower, he would have been torn apart by those massive jaws. The nine heads raced together to attack Zeon. Zeonunched Sand Missiles, sessive ymores. Kwakwakwak! With a series of explosions, a dense dust cloud rose. However, there was not a single scratch on the massive heads of the Hydra. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Zeon desperately dodged Kaeshu¡¯s attacks, pondering his next move. Despite the hopeless situation, he believed as long as he didn¡¯t give up, there must be a way to turn the tide. ¡°Hehe! Die.¡± The Subus fused with the Hydra¡¯s tail mocked Zeon. For an instant, Zeon¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®Does that woman also have the same strength as the Hydra?¡¯ Although the Hydra was surrounded by incredibly tough scales, the Subus waspletely naked ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ Zeon adjusted his target. Behind the Subus, Sand Soldiers made of thousands of sand grains rose silently. While Zeon distracted Kaeshu and the Subus, the Sand Soldiers attacked the Subus discreetly. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± Taken by surprise, the Subus screamed at the unexpected attack. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 48 Chapter 48 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 48 The Subus suffered significant wounds from the Sand Soldiers¡¯ attack. When it came to the monsters, subi were particrly sensitive to injuries. Perhaps it was because the Subus was female that this sensitivity was heightened. Regardless, it was a golden opportunity for Zeon. Now that it was confirmed that the Subus was Kaeshu¡¯s only weakness, it was time to focus on exploiting it. ¡°Khaah!¡± Zeonunched a Sand Missile at the Subus and detonated ymore. In response, Kaeshu coiled up and protected the Subus. Thud! Thud! Thud! Zeon¡¯s attack was blocked by Kaeshu¡¯s tough scales, but Zeon wasn¡¯t disappointed. He had already anticipated this level of resistance. One of the most significant lessons he had learned while following Dyoden was the ability to envision the bigger picture. Before starting a battle, he would already have in mind how it should conclude, progressing through each step. Thanks to the trials given by Dyoden, Zeon learned how to lead the battle in his favor. ¡®The first step is to block the eyes of the nine heads.¡¯ Fwoosh! Instantly, the sand on the ground, where Kaeshu¡¯s body was, soared into the air. The sand dust densely rose, obscuring Kaeshu¡¯s vision. Kaeshu, despite having a protective barrier, instinctively closed its eyes due to the thick cloud of sand. At that moment, Zeon disappeared. The second step in the picture he had painted was hiding his presence. Zeon swam through the sand, moving to the center where Kaeshu was coiling up. Even then, Kaeshu did not notice Zeon¡¯s movement. The Sand Soldiers were attacking from outside, distracting Kaeshu. This was the third step drawn by Zeon. Swoosh! Zeon quietly emerged through the sand. It was inside where Kaeshu was coiled up. The Subus¡¯ eyes widened in surprise at the sudden appearance of Zeon. In an instant, Zeon detonated ymore. Bang! With a powerful explosion, numerous sand beads pelted the Subus. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± The Subus screamed in agony from the intense explosion. The barrier that had covered her body was momentarily dispersed by the force. Zeon seized the opportunity and unleashed the Sand ster. The Sand ster, which sprayed sand at a high pressure, exerted even greater power when concentrated on a narrower gap. Fuswoosh! The high-pressure sand sprayed directly at the Subus. Arge hole was punctured in the Subus¡¯s abdomen. However, the Subus, fused with the chimera, did not die. Instead, thanks to Kaeshu¡¯s incredible regenerative abilities, the wounds healed rapidly. With her head bowed, she shouted in a venomous tone, ¡°Did you think I¡¯d die so easily?¡± ¡°I know. It won¡¯t happen like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zeon¡¯s voice echoed right in front of the Subus. When the Subus hastily raised her head, Zeon was right there, standing in front of her. After unleashing the Sand ster, he walked close to the ground with Sand Strides. This was the sixth step drawn by Zeon. And finally, the seventh step. Zeon activated the Sand Mixer along with Exion. Even deploying the Sand Mixer alone was powerful, but with Exion, the potency multiplied. However, Exion wasn¡¯t infinite, so unleashing it across a vast area was impractical. But when confined to smaller targets like the Subus, the story was different. Gaaah! The sand, including Exion, rotated at a terrifying speed. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± The Subus let out a desperate scream. Her flesh was sliced away by the sand. The smooth skin disappeared in an instant, revealing her red flesh. The Subus tried to recover with Hydra¡¯s unique rapid regeneration ability, but the Sand Mixer didn¡¯t allow her the opportunity. Kuwaah! Btedly, the nine heads of Kaeshu sensed the Subus in distress and lunged with terrifying speed to protect her. At that moment, Zeon snapped his fingers and muttered. Snap! ¡°Self-Destruct! Sand Soldiers.¡± In an instant, ten Sand Soldiers exploded in mid-air. This was also a skill Zeon had recently grasped. After realizing its potential to deal a significant blow to monsters, he had practiced the self-destructive power of Sand Soldiers relentlessly, and today marked the first time he put it into action. Kwaaaaang! Kwwang! The force of the self-destructive attack was so great that the heads of a giant monster like Kaeshu were sent flying in all directions. Meanwhile, Zeon ground the Subus down to its bones with the Sand Mixer. Despite the Subus screaming for dear life, her cries were drowned out by the sound of sand spinning at a high speed. Zeon¡¯splexion paled. In an instant, he had exhausted all his mana. Sand Mixer, Sand Soldier Summon/Self-Destruct, and ymore ¨C all were skills that consumed an enormous amount of mana. Using them consecutively naturally led to the depletion of mana. However, Zeon had Elura¡¯s Tear. Once a day, this miraculous item restored all of his mana. Zeon instantly replenished his mana, thanks to Elura¡¯s Tear. Kwagak! In the blink of an eye, the Subus vanished. Kaeshu¡¯s nine heads, which had been sent flying by the self-destructive attack of the Sand Soldiers, red at Zeon. Though the two were forcibly merged by Haeltoon, the death of the Subus, even in such a state, was enough to enrage Kaeshu. Each of Kaeshu¡¯s heads glowed in a different light. ¡®It¡¯s the second phase.¡¯ While the term ¡°second phase¡± sounded optimistic, in reality, the true battle was just beginning. What Zeon could hope for was that, with the removal of the Subus, Kaeshu¡¯s responses might not be as agile as before. However, contrary to Zeon¡¯s expectations, they unleashed their skills in unison. Kuuuung! Suddenly, the air became heavy, and an immense pressure pressed down onZeon. Even the sand clouds suspended in the air swiftly descended to the ground under the overwhelming force. ¡°Ugh¡­ gravity control?¡± Zeon¡¯s face distorted. Among numerous skills, gravity control was one of the most challenging and powerful to handle. That¡¯s why there were very few Awakened in Neo Seoul who could manipte it. Of course, its power couldn¡¯t match that of Kaeshu. Kaeshu was increasing gravity across the entire vast underground facility. Zeon felt like he was under the pressure of three to four times the usual gravity. In the midst of this, one of Kaeshu¡¯s heads held a me in its mouth. Zeon immediately realized the identity of the skill it was about to unleash. ¡°Breath?¡± While not as powerful as a dragon, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for it to turn Zeon to ashes. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon desperately rolled away. In his line of sight, he saw Kaeshu¡¯s tail, which had been severed just moments ago. Until recently, it had been fused with the Subus. Without further thought, Zeon propelled himself toward Kaeshu¡¯s severed tail. Despite the tremendous pressure, he was able to move thanks to Exion¡¯s protection. The moment Zeon reached the tail, an intense fire breath attack engulfed the area where he had stood. Kwaaaah! Under the tremendous heat, the sand beneath Kaeshu melted in an instant. Zeon, without hesitation, plunged into the severed tail of Kaeshu. Kwagagak! He rotated Exion, which enveloped his entire body, like a drill. Inside the tail, Kaeshu¡¯s flesh was carved away. Due to the immense pain, Kaeshu started to rampage. Bang! Kwaaang! Nine heads collided with each other and tangled together. Even though it was reborn as a Chimera, it didn¡¯t mean it couldn¡¯t feel pain. Despite Haeltoon¡¯s ims of creating an optimalbination, the fusion with the Subus seemed to be nothing more than a vulnerability. Amidst the excruciating pain, Kaeshu swung the severed tail recklessly, mming it against the walls. At the same time, Zeon was also being swayed around. However, he did not lose his bnce until the end and controlled Exion. Kwaaaah! Zeon continued to burrow into Kaeshu¡¯s tail at a faster speed. Then, unable to endure the pain any longer, one of Kaeshu¡¯s heads bit into the tail. Crunch! Enormous fangs sunk into the tail. The protective field surrounding itself was of no use. Due to the nature of self-inflicted harm. Meanwhile, Zeon delved deeper, avoiding Kaeshu¡¯s fangs. Now he had entered through the tail into Kaeshu¡¯s main body, even the formidable scales couldn¡¯t protect Kaeshu. Kwagagak! Zeon rotated Exion with all his might. Despite the massive mana consumption, he gritted his teeth and endured it. If he couldn¡¯t withstand this, he would perish at the hands of Kaeshu. If he, a C-rank Awakened, wanted to kill Kaeshu, a monster close to the S-rank, he had no choice but to destroy it from the inside. This was the final step Zeon envisioned to bring down Kaeshu. Tremendous pressure crushed Zeon. Kaeshu constricted its muscles, applying intense pressure. Still, Zeon gritted his teeth and pressed forward. Under the tremendous pressure, blood vessels in his eyes burst, muscles contorted throughout his body. Nevertheless, Zeon did not stop his advance. He had no idea how far he had progressed. Now, Zeon had reached his limit. The mana he had recovered through Elura¡¯s Tear had bottomed out, and his meticulously trained physique was now groaning. The once ferocious speed of Exion¡¯s rotations had significantly slowed, and Zeon¡¯s steps had noticeably be sluggish. Nevertheless, Zeon pressed on. Due to the excessive use of mana and the limitations of his stamina, Zeon¡¯s body was gradually copsing. Moreover, Kaeshu¡¯s blood carried a potent venom, elerating his deterioration. Flesh peeled away, bones were exposed, and immense pain surged. Even moving felt like hell. Still, Zeon didn¡¯t give up. If he could breathe, he could move. While he could move, standing still was not an option. In hisborious steps, something caught Zeon¡¯s eye. A round object, asrge as an adult torso, emitting a dazzling light. Zeon instantly recognized the identity of the round object. ¡®The Hydra¡¯s Magic Stone?¡¯ Magic Stones asionally also came from monsters. Unlike those mined from Magic Stone mines, the ones from monsters sometimes contained the creature¡¯s essence. Thus, asionally, absorbing the essence from a monster¡¯s Magic Stone granted new skills. Naturally, the higher the rank of the monster, the higher the probability of obtaining a Magic Stone with valuable skills. However, the odds were so low that Awakened individuals rarely acquired Magic Stones with desirable skills. Zeon couldn¡¯t tell if the Magic Stone he was looking at had a skill inside it, but he had no other option. Zeon reached out to the Magic Stone. Instantly, an indescribable wave of excruciating pain engulfed him. ¡°Kraaagh!¡± Zeon screamed in agony. Through the hand that touched the Magic Stone, an overwhelming energy surged like a tidal wave. A scorching-hot energy circted inside Zeon. He had no remaining strength to control this unfamiliar energy. ¡°Kwaaah!¡± Zeon screamed, his eyes rolling back. It felt like his entire body was burning. He desperately wanted to let go of the Magic Stone, but it clung to his hand like a ma. Zeon lost consciousness, but the overwhelming energy continued to pour into him. He had no idea how much time had passed. The Magic Stone lost its light, and the influx of energy into Zeon ceased. A change urred in Zeon precisely at that moment, who was lying as if he was dead. His decayed flesh fell away, reced by fresh, new skin. His darkened face regained a healthyplexion, and his dormant heart, which had stopped, resumed its beating. Gasping for breath, Zeon opened his eyes. ¡°Puuha! Am I not dead?¡± Zeon checked his body while lying down. All the depleted mana had been restored, and the wounds that had exposed his bones werepletely healed. Not only that, but his entire body was overflowing with vitality. His wrist itched. Zeon removed the gauntlet while lying down. There, a light was seening from the sixth line of the rank insignia. ¡°What is this? I skipped B-rank and directly became A-rank?¡± Zeon was astonished by the tremendous change that had urred within him. It felt like an immense energy, as if a volcano were inside his body. If his mana was like ake previously, now it felt as though he possessed an entire ocean. It was the Hydra chosen by the Gold Dragon Haeltoon as its guardian. Naturally, it was a special entity armed with incredible skills such as rapid regeneration, gravity control, and breath. Among them, Zeon realized he had gained the ability of rapid regeneration. The evidence was in theplete recovery of the wounds that had been exposed to the bone. He didn¡¯t acquire gravity control or breath due to their ipatible nature, but the rapid regeneration alone was satisfying enough. ¡°With this, could this have been a blessing in disguise?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 49 Chapter 49 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 49 Zeon emerged through the mouth of one of Kaeshu¡¯s nine heads. A colossal Chimeray sprawled on the sand, its mere presence sending shivers down one¡¯s spine. Each of its nine heads extended in different directions, tongues lolling out. There was no sign of life anywhere on Kaeshu. It was undeniably dead. ¡°I defeated this thing, right?¡± Zeon eximed, a exhausted expression on his face. Though he had employed unconventional methods, he had defeated the colossal monster using his own abilities¡ªa guardian of a dragon bordering on S-rank. No Awakened in Neo Seoul could have achieved such a feat. While he wanted to bask in the afterglow of victory, it wasn¡¯t a time for leisure. Even at this moment, Dyoden would likely be advancing towards the dragon. There was no time to linger here. Zeon left behind the massive carcass of Kaeshu and moved forward. As he did, the sand beneath his feet rose, trailing behind him like a tail. It looked exactly like a moth following a light. A-rank was indeed different. Not only had the mana avable for maniption significantly increased, but his senses, dominance over sand, and physical agility had all risen iparably. Previously, he had had to force his strength to control the sand, but now it felt as if the sand itself was struggling to follow Zeon. As if the rtionship between A and B had been reversed. That was how Zeon was feeling right now. Suddenly, Zeon looked ahead. A profound darkness obscured his vision, but he could feel it. Countless Chimeras were hiding behind that darkness. They might not be on the level of a guardian like Kaeshu, but their sheer numbers posed a significant threat, lurking in the darkness like concealed predators. In the past, Zeon would not have been able to sense the presence of a chimera hidden in a dark ce. However, after advancing to A-rankl, he could feel their presence as vividly as if seeing them with his own eyes. ¡°There is nothing more foolish than jumping in defenseless when you know the enemy is hiding.¡± He had no intention of making such a foolish choice. Fortunately, Zeon had a good option. Zeon manipted the sand that followed him like a moth. Gaaah! The sand whirled violently, flying into the cave. It was an application of the Sand Mixer skill. The sand, like a cloud, filled the narrow cave and shot forward. Kraaack! Kiak! From the front, desperate screams of Chimeras echoed. The high-speed rotation of the sand obliterated the hidden Chimeras in its path. Zeon entered the cave, where the sand had swept through. The cave walls and floor were covered with the mutted bodies of Chimeras. Squelch! Squelch! With each step Zeon took, the pooled blood on the floor made a gruesome sound. Finally, the sand that had dealt with all the monsters returned to Zeon¡¯s surroundings. The sight of the sand swirling around Zeon, like a cloud, was remarkably natural. Previously, If he had used a skill with this much power, his mana would¡¯ve depleted rapidly, leaving him to struggle. But now. it didn¡¯t matter. It was just like scooping out a few buckets of water from a hugeke. With such power at his disposal, Zeon felt confident that he could continue using skills without worrying. ¡°Great!¡± Zeon smiled in satisfaction and quickened his pace. After walking for a while, another massive underground chamber came into view. This time, Zeon didn¡¯t know which guardian might be waiting inside, so he entered the chamber with heightened tension. However, the scene inside was quite different from what he expected. There was indeed a Chimera that seemed to be a guardian. The colossal creature, easily over twenty meters from toe to head, was unmistakably an Ogre. However, unlike a regr Ogre, it had an unusual feature¡ªtwo heads attached to its torso. Officially known as the Twin Headed Ogre. The Twin Headed Ogre had eight arms attached to its torso, and wings on its back. It was another Chimera born from the fusion of different monsters. Along with the giant one-eyed Cyclop, Ogres were ssified as the most dangerous among bipedal monsters. With a colossal body, immense anti-magic abilities, and tremendous strength, it considered most Awakened as nothing more than a meal. The Twin Headed Ogre was several times stronger than an ordinary Ogre. If Gold Dragon Haeltoon considered it as a guardian, then this creature was likely a special entity as well. Yet, this formidable Twin Headed Ogre was brutally defeated. Its robust skin, boasting powerful defense, was split open, revealing crimson innards, and its two heads rolled far from its torso. There was no need for confirmation; it was obvious who had left the Twin Headed Ogre Chimera in such a state. ¡°Dyoden!¡± The only person who could casually and effortlessly kill such a massive Twin Headed Ogre was none other than Dyoden. It was evident that Dyoden had passed through here. Zeon hastily passed the Twin Headed Ogre, entering a cave behind it. Inside the cave, countless Chimera corpses were scattered around. This, too, was a trace left by Dyoden. Dyoden had crushed anything and everything that stood in his way. It was clear that no Chimera could even briefly hold Dyoden back. Zeon moved following the Chimera corpses. As he advanced, the number of Chimera corpses increased exponentially. The stench and foul odor emanating from the Chimera corpses were nauseating, to the point where Zeon¡¯s head began to spin. Nevertheless, Zeon continued to move diligently, without a single change in expression. After walking for a while, another massive underground chamber came into view. In this underground chamber, a gigantic monster that seemed to be a guardiany in a pitiful state. The giant was a gruesome amalgamation of various Chimera corpses. ¡°Is it a Corpse Golem?¡± If Kaeshu and the Twin Headed Ogre Chimerabined monsters to create life, the Corpse Golem was a monster created entirely from nothing by Haeltoon. Gathering Chimera corpses to create a single entity required much more effort than Kaeshu or the Twin Headed Ogre Chimera. However, it was undoubtedly worth the effort. It was just that powerful. But even the Corpse Golem couldn¡¯t hold back Dyoden. A core was visible in the chest area of the Corpse Golem. It was the same Magic Stone as Kaeshu¡¯s. Haeltoon had used the Magic Stone as the core to create the Corpse Golem. However, unlike Kaeshu¡¯s, the Magic Stone in the Corpse Golem was filled with sinister energy Absorbing the aura of such a Magic Stone would undoubtedly lead to adverse effects. Kwaang! Zeon detonated ymore, blowing away the Magic Stone. The Magic Stone shattered into pieces, and the sinister energy within dispersed like smoke. As Zeon passed by the body of the Corpse Golem, it happened. Kwarrung! As if an earthquake had urred, the entire underground space shook. Cracks formed on the ceiling and walls, allowing sand to pour in. Kwaang! Kwarrung! The shaking did not stop with a single urrence. While Zeon continued to move forward, the entire underground space continued to tremble, and an immense wind blew from the front. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] His face contorted, and a fierce gust made his whole body feel like it would be blown away. Even before reaching the location where they were, it was clear something significant was happening. ¡°Dyoden is fighting the dragon.¡± The evidencey in the tumultuous atmosphere and mana fluctuations within the underground chamber. Though still far from approaching them, Zeon felt a chill on his skin, and cold sweat ran down his spine. His body, reacting before his brain could process. His head was next. No thought came to his mind, as if his mind had gone nk. The dragon¡¯s enormous presence blew the thoughts out of Zeon¡¯s head. Zeon got down on one knee without even realizing it. Even though he hadn¡¯t directly confronted the dragon yet, an overwhelming fear overwhelmed him. Zeon gritted his teeth. Cold sweat streamed down his face in a constant flow. ¡®Is this the power of a dragon?¡¯ Now he understood why the dragons existed at the pinnacle of the world called Kurayan. Even as an A-rank Awakened, merely being in the same space as the dragon affected him so profoundly. A regr Awakened would likely have already vomited blood and perished. It seemed impossible for B-rank or lower Awakened individuals to inflict any harm on the dragon, no matter how many gathered. ¡°Damn it!¡± Zeon cursed and forced himself to get up. With sheer willpower, he escaped the dragon¡¯s overwhelming presence. His entire body was drenched in sweat, like he had taken a bath. ¡°Who would get scared to this extent?¡± Zeon muttered as if casting a spell on himself, and moved forward. Shoosh! The further he advanced, the stronger the wind blew, causing the sand trailing behind Zeon to scatter like grains. Nevertheless, Zeon did not stop walking. After a while, Zeon finally arrived at a massive underground chamber. The colossal underground chamber, impossible to estimate in size, was entirely made of gold. The walls and ceiling, all made of gold, surrounded a fierce battle between a Gold Dragon, towering over 150 meters, and a small human. It was Haeltoon and Dyoden. Kuaaaang! The vast underground space shook as if it would copse soon due to their sh. Thanks to some magical handling, it held firm. Without magical reinforcement, it would have undoubtedly copsed. ¡°Crazy!¡± Zeon¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the two beings fighting. Haeltoon, with his enormous body, moved effortlessly, continuously casting spells. Sometimes explosions of mes erupted from thin air, and bursts of electricity shot out. However, Dyoden smoothly evaded all the attacks and counterattacked Haeltoon. Dyoden kicked off the wall and moved at a speed so fast that it was invisible to the eye. Tap! With just a few strikes off the wall Dyoden hade close to Haeltoon and swung Kreion with all his might. Kuaaaang! With a deafening explosion, Haeltoon¡¯s massive body was pushed backward. Thanks to the Absolute Shield he was unharmed, but impact still could not be ignored. Haeltoon¡¯s eyes shed in surprise at the immense impact that shook the Absolute Shield. ¡ªHow can a mere human possess such strength? ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate humans, you lizard brat!¡± Dyoden shouted, striking Haeltoon again with Kreion. In response, Haeltoon unleashed Reverse Gravity. Instantaneously, gravity reversed, and Dyoden¡¯s body soared into the sky. Without wings, escaping the reversed gravity was impossible. However, Dyoden had Kreion. Kreion possessed the ability to fly. Relying on Kreion, Dyoden escaped Haeltoon¡¯s magic. ¡°Kaaah!¡± Dyoden, with Kreion in the front, collided with full force. Kwaaaang! The Absolute Shield vibrated, as it was on the verge of shattering. Upon this, Haeltoon was greatly astonished. Even until Dyoden defeated all the guardians, Haeltoon didn¡¯t think he would be a significant threat. As the master of magic and possessing the strongest physique, there was no reason for Haeltoon to fear a mere human. In Haeltoon¡¯s perspective, Dyoden was nothing more than a slightly dangerous toy. However, the actual strength disyed by Dyoden in their collision far exceeded Haeltoon¡¯s expectations. Although having a human form, Dyoden¡¯s inherentbat strength and brute force were not human. ¡°Take this, you damn lizard!¡± Kuaaang! Haeltoon¡¯s head was forcefully pushed backward by Dyoden¡¯s intense strike. Haeltoon¡¯s golden eyes, which were slowly returning to their original position, were full of anger. Bang! Bang! Bang! Instantly, a barrage of lightning bolts fell like rain throughout the entire underground chamber. With immense thickness, the lightning bolts filled the entire underground chamber, leaving no space for Dyoden to evade. ¡°Hahaha! You cannot defeat me with this much.¡± However, even after taking a direct hit from the lightning barrage, Dyoden remained unscathed. He emitted madness and charged towards Haeltoon. Seeing Dyoden, akin to a berserker, Haeltoon involuntarily showed a face of astonishment. Zeon watched Dyoden¡¯s fight with his fists clenched. It was frustrating, but this was not a level of battle where he could intervene. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°Do not be so upset. Soon, you will be as strong as Dyoden, if not stronger.¡± At that moment, a serene voice came from right beside him. Turning his head, he saw the Spider Woman lying on the floor with her upper and lower body separated, ncing at him. Zeon instantly knew that it was Dyoden¡¯s handiwork. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Eblis Leionia. That was my name when I was human.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 50 Chapter 50 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 50 ¡°Eblis Leionia?¡± ¡°Just call me Eblis. Haeltoon calls me that way too.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a subordinate of Haeltoon?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. I was forcibly kidnapped and turned into a chimera by Haeltoon.¡± ¡°Kidnapped?¡± ¡°Who would willingly end up like this?¡± Eblis wore a mncholic expression. Originally, she was the heiress of the noble family of Kurayan. With her exceptional beauty and talent, she had been recognized as a talent that could revive the family. However, she was kidnapped by Haeltoon before she could fully blossom her talents. Right after that, she came to Earth with Haeltoon. And she was transformed into a chimera. When she regained consciousness, she saw her lower body turned into that of a spider and went insane. Haeltoon used mind-control magic on the distraught Eblis and made her his servant. Thus, Eblis lived as Haeltoon¡¯s servant for over a hundred years, carrying out Haeltoon¡¯s orders, against her will. There were two personalities in her mind. One was the human Eblis Leionia¡¯s personality, and the other was the chimera Eblis serving Haeltoon. Among them, the personality of the chimera Eblis was stronger, forcing her to faithfully follow Haeltoon¡¯smands. For Haeltoon, she fought against Dyoden without questioning. Now, after the fusion with the spider was undone, she could finally find herplete self. The self of human Eblis Leionia, not the chimera serving Haeltoon. ¡°The day has finallye. I thought I would be forever trapped by him. Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes. I feel more liberated now than ever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. I¡¯m actually grateful. Thanks to you, I found peace.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°I have one request. Will you fulfill it? I¡¯ll give you a gift in return.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If by any chance any of my family members havee to Earth, please give them this ne.¡± Eblis handed Zeon the ne hanging around her neck. It had a red rose pattern engraved on it. In the center of the rose pattern, a blue gem was embedded. ¡°It¡¯s an item symbolizing the head of the Leaonia family. It might be meaningless to others, but it¡¯s the most precious item to the Leaonia family. It can enhance the abilities inherited in the bloodline¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee it. But if I ever meet them, I¡¯ll pass it on.¡± ¡°Thank you. In return, I¡¯ll give you this.¡± Poof! Eblis suddenly pierced her chest with her white hand. Zeon furrowed his brow at the sight of her plunging deep into her chest, up to her wrist. After a while, what she pulled out was a red, round gem that looked like blood. ¡°It is the red dragon¡¯s eye that Haeltoon nted in ce of my heart.¡± ¡°Dragon¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°Haeltoon hunted a young dragon of the Red Tribe in Kuryan. Later, it was for researching chimeras. All the dragon¡¯s organs dissected by him are contained in the organization of this rare gem.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°He processed thest remaining eye into a small size and made it rece my heart. Though a long time has passed, the mana inside remains intact. It will be useful to you.¡± It was none other than the eye of a dragon. Although not asrge as a heart, it contained an incredible amount of mana, beyond the imagination of ordinary mages. Zeon received the dragon¡¯s eye. In his hands, the intense heat characteristic of a Red Dragon¡¯s eye could be felt. ¡°Well then, please¡­.¡± Perhaps having no strength left, Eblis closed her eyes. That was Eblis¡¯s final moment. ¡°Haah!¡± Zeon let out a sigh. He hadn¡¯t harbored favorable feelings towards the humans who came over from Kuryan, but after hearing Eblis¡¯s circumstances, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a certain sympathy. Zeon stored Eblis¡¯s ne and the Red Dragon¡¯s eye in his subspace. Just then. Kwaaang! With a deafening explosion that shook the massive underground cavern, Dyoden crashed near him. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Zeon hurriedly tried to help Dyoden up. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my body.¡± Rejecting Zeon¡¯s touch, Dyoden stood up. ¡°Ah!¡± An involuntary groan escaped Zeon¡¯s mouth as he looked at Dyoden. Dyoden¡¯s left arm was not visible. The shoulder area was crushed as if it had been burned. He had been hit by Haeltoon¡¯s breath. Despite the undoubtedly excruciating pain, Dyoden showed no signs of it. Instead, he seemed to fuel his determination with madness. Using Kreion as a staff, Dyoden stood up and spoke to Zeon. ¡°You idiot!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Heheh! I guess this is as far as it goes.¡± This was the first time Zeon heard Dyoden speak so weakly, and he couldn¡¯t say anything. Then Dyoden, while ring at Haeltoon, continued. ¡°He¡¯s insanely strong. If all other dragons were as strong as him, there would be no future for humans.¡± Haeltoon was so strong that it made one¡¯s skin shiver. Having roamed the desert for over a hundred years, he had used every means to be stronger. Yet, he couldn¡¯t secure a single advantage. The guy¡¯s magic existed in a distant realm beyond human reach, and his body was stronger than any monster Dyoden had faced before. If it weren¡¯t for Kreion, Haeltoon¡¯s scales would not have allowed even a scratch. Red flesh was visible all over Haeltoon¡¯s body. He had received quite a blow from Dyoden¡¯s attack. However, he was still alive and well. Dyoden, who had directly faced Haeltoon, instinctively realized. The real battle was about to begin. From now on, he had to stake his real life. ¡°You idiot!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°If you fall, you fall.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think about what¡¯s next. You think too much. You have too many calctions, and you¡¯re overly cautious.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Sometimes, you just have to hit it with all your might without any thoughts. Just like now¡­.¡± With Kreion tightly clenched, phantoms appeared on Dyoden¡¯s either side. One of them was someone Zeon knew. ¡®Akaruk!¡¯ A being forced into being an undeath by Haeltoon. He appeared as a phantom. On the opposite side, someone Zeon had never seen before appeared. A man in histe twenties to early thirties. A typical handsome Caucasian man with blond hair, blue eyes, and a tall stature. ¡°Kreion?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] At Zeon¡¯s words, the Caucasian man smiled, nodding his head. Dyoden made a surprised expression. ¡°Heheh! Can you see it with your eyes too? My friend¡­¡± ¡°It was real. I thought you were crazy, talking to yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a short time, but I enjoyed our time together. You idiot!¡± ¡°I enjoyed it too.¡± ¡°This is the final lesson. From now on, watch closely as I hunt the dragon.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon replied while gritting his teeth Dyoden did not allow Zeon¡¯s participation in the battle until the end. He intended to hunt Haeltoon with his own hands. Zeon respected his wish. Dyoden said as he walked forward. ¡°If I fall, I fall. Throw away all the lingering attachments of life like sand slipping through your fingers and give it your all. That¡¯s the only way to hunt dragons.¡± ¡°I will never forget.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s how it should be. Heheh!¡± Dyodenughed and quickened his pace. Dyoden shouted loudly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, my friend!¡± The phantoms of Kreion and Akaruk ran alongside him, merging into one. Thud! A strike imbued with the power of death forcefully hit Haeltoon¡¯s torso. Haeltoon¡¯s body shook greatly from the huge impact that even the Absolute Shield could not block. However, Haeltoon didn¡¯t just stand there and take it. He unleashed numerous spells and fired his breath at Dyoden. Boom! Kwaaang! Their sh caused the magically reinforcedir to crumble. Giant rocks copsed, and the sands that covered them poured down. At that moment, behind the crumbling rocks, dozens of men revealed themselves. These individuals, with identical faces and attire, were the chimeras created by Haeltoon to act as his clones. Empowered by Haeltoon¡¯s will, the chimeras attacked Dyoden in unison. ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got, lizard?¡± Dyoden shouted as he cut down the leading clone. ¨DArrogant human! Be prepared to receive God¡¯s punishment. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh. Who said you¡¯re a god? A lizard like you? I won¡¯t tolerate that.¡± ¨DThis body is the God of the new world. Foolish human. Kwarung! At that moment, a massive lightning bolt struck the ground from the sky. The lightning pierced through the pierced undergroundir¡¯s ceiling, hitting Dyoden. Struck by the lightning without a chance to dodge, Dyoden turnedpletely ck, like charcoal. His flesh was fully cooked, and his hair vanished. It was surprising that he was alive in such a state. Dyoden took a small vial from his pouch, put it in his mouth, and crunched on it with vigor. It was an elixir created by a mad alchemist. An awakening potion that instantly lifted all abnormal conditions, restoring health and mana. Without hesitation, Dyoden swallowed the potion along with the ss shards. Instantly, his burnt skin peeled away, revealing fresh, new skin. It was truly a miraculous effect. ¡°Kraaaah!¡± Dyoden roared as he swung Kreion. At that moment, a tremendous gathering of light enveloped Kreion. It was a Sword Aura, mana condensed into a sword. With Kreion, Dyoden channeled the power of death and sent it flying towards Haeltoon. Swoosh! Arge wound appeared on Haeltoon¡¯s colossal body. As a torrent of blood spurted out as Haeltoon roared in pain. ¨DKraaaah! Under Haeltoon¡¯s struggle, the already crumblingir copsedpletely. Haeltoon pped his enormous wings and soared into the sky. Dyoden, using Kreion, ascended to the same height as Haeltoon. Boom! Kwaaang! Kwarung! Thunder after thunder echoed across the dry desert sky. The aftermath of the battle between a human and a dragon was truly tremendous. Their fully sank into the sand and disappeared. Enormous amounts of sand shot up into the air, obscuring the sun, plunging the entire area into darkness. Zeon¡¯s body soared into the sky. The sand on the floor rose up like a pir and supported him. Far above, Dyoden and Haeltoon fought, their figures visible to Zeon. Zeon observed everything without missing a detail. There was no turning back for Dyoden. He had no intention of surviving. ¡°Hehe! If I fall, I fall.¡± Thest battle of his life. Dyoden fought Haeltoon with everything he had. Zeon saw the end of humanity in Dyoden. How strong can humans be? How far a venomous human could evolve. He saw all those possibilities in Dyoden. ¡°Foolish old man. Seriously¡­.¡± As Zeon struggled to finish his sentence, a slight tremor ran through his shoulders. Before he knew it, his eyes were bloodshot. Boom! Kwaaang! The battle between the dragon and the human was nearing its end. The copsing sandstorm, the continuously shing lightning in the sky, and the heated air all testified to this fact. In Zeon¡¯s eyes, the final sh between Haeltoon and Dyoden, gathering theirst bits of strength, unfolded. Boom! The entire desert shook as if the apocalypse hade, and the clouds in the sky were torn apart. After a sandstorm swept across the area like a tsunami, the world became as quiet as a lie. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 51 Chapter 51 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 51 There were travelers crossing the scorching desert, where not a single shadow could be seen. They were riding on Bactrian Camels, looking around as sweat dripped relentlessly from their faces. ¡°Phew! It¡¯s ridiculously hot.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Their faces were drenched in thick beads of sweat. There were six of them riding the Bactrian Camels ¨C four men and two women. None of them looked ordinary; in fact, they were far from it. They were a party of Awakened individuals, officially known as Pathfinder Team 7. They were dispatched from Neo Seoul on a mission to explore and pioneer the southern regions. The distance from Neo Seoul to their current location was over a thousand kilometers, marking this as their first deployment to such a distant ce. There are a total of seven Pathfinder Teams dispatched. They were currently establishing a shelter a hundred kilometers away to search the surrounding area. The leader of Pathfinder Team 7 was Zahar, a man of Russian descent towering over meters with muscles that seemed like armor. He wasn¡¯t just about a strong appearance; Zahar possessed exceptionalbat skills as a C-rank Martial Arts Awakened and led the team with strong leadership. His team members included four members, Felix, the curse sorcerer, Annika, the Magic Awakened, Darren, who had reced both his arms and legs with machinery, Seido, a Martial Arts Awakened wielding a sword. Lastly, the sixth person, Mandira, a supervisor dispatched from Neo Seoul to monitor and report their progress. Mandira, a beautiful woman with long wavy golden hair and sapphire-like blue eyes, attracted a lot of attention from men. She was staring at Annika, the only female member of the team, with her eyes wide open. Mandira mumbled, fanning her hand. ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s so hot. Working in such harsh conditions, you all are truly remarkable.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of boasting about this? Once we enter the dungeon, this will be nothing.¡± Felix retorted promptly, his gaze towards Mandira carrying a sense of foreboding. Felix¡¯s appearance was quite ugly ¨C short stature, rough skin, and, above all, his eyescked rity. It made him repulsive to women. On the other hand, Mandira was an extraordinary beauty that any man would desire. With her presence, she attracted the attention of all the men, including Felix who constantly orbited around her like a satellite. Zahar, observing Felix¡¯s actions, clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk!¡± A disapproving look was evident on his face. She was a supervisor dispatched from Neo Seoul. There was no way any ordinary woman would be sent to such a perilous ce. Although her abilities were unknown, it was certain that she had a dagger up her sleeve. Moreover, there was no way a beautiful woman like Mandira would give her heart to a ugly man like Felix. Despite that, Felix persisted in circling around her. At that moment, Zahar was approached by Darren, the man with mechanical limbs. ¡°Can we leave that dwarf alone like that?¡± ¡°Leave him be.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not hindering the mission significantly, so just leave him.¡± ¡°Tsk! Understood.¡± ¡°By the way, is your body holding up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already creaking. I can endure for now, but it won¡¯tst long.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± Zahar slightly furrowed his brows. Darren¡¯s limbs were mechanical. Combining with his body to unleash powerful force. However, the desert sands were the arch-nemesis of machinery. It shortened the lifespan of any machinery by grinding against the moving parts. A special coating was applied to prevent sand intrusion, but there was no guarantee how long it wouldst. It was for the same reason that they rode on Bactrian Camels instead of vehicles. Vehicles and mechanical devices cannotst long in the desert. Even with recent technological advancements that allowed them to venture this far, there were limits. The nearby shelter was busy fixing vehicles that had broken down during their journey. That¡¯s why they opted to ride Bactrian Camels. Whooosh! The sandstorm swept in again. ¡°This is so fucking shit.¡± Sandstorms were the greatest threat to human survival in the desert. Because if the scorching-hot sand was inhaled through the respiratory system, it would instantly cause burns to the throat and lungs. This was why it was difficult for ordinary humans to survive in the desert. Just then. ¡°Team Leader!¡± Seido, who was in the lead of the group, suddenly called out to Zahar. Zahar, riding the Bactrian Camel, approached Seido. Seido had already dismounted and was examining the ground. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Take a look here. The sand has melted.¡± Zahar looked at the spot Seido was pointing to. Indeed, the sand in that specific area had melted and crystallized like ss. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the trace of someone using fire magic.¡± ¡°Fire magic in the middle of the desert? What is the probability that it was done by another team?¡± ¡°No way! As far as I know, there¡¯s no one in the Pathfinder Teams sent to this area who uses fire magic.¡± Seido shook his head. Zahar¡¯s sharp gaze intensified. Seido possessed an extraordinary memory, remembering everything perfectly after seeing it once. The chance of his memory being wrong was non-existent. Zahar called Mandira and showed her the traces of fire magic. Mandira looked intrigued. ¡°This is definitely worth investigating.¡± ¡°Are we going to investigate it?¡± ¡°Our mission is to investigate all threats near the shelter. Naturally, anyone using fire magic is a subject of investigation.¡± ¡°Understood. Let¡¯s start tracking then.¡± Zahar nodded to Seido, who immediately began the pursuit. The rest of the team followed. Zahar and Mandira rode side by side on their Bactrian Camels. Zahar asked cautiously. ¡°What are your thoughts on this? Suddenly building a shelter in the middle of nowhere and investigating the area. This mission is quite unusual.¡± There had been strange aspects to this mission since he first received it. While it wasn¡¯t umon to send Pathfinder teams from Neo Seoul, deploying them to such a far way location was extremely rare. Especially since this area used to be a sea, making it nearly untouched by human presence. Thus, they had no knowledge of the threats or monsters that might exist there. Zahar couldn¡¯t understand why they would send Pathfinder Teams specifically to this remote ce. Mandira, looking at Zahar for a moment, spoke up. ¡°Do you happen to remember what happened seven years ago?¡± ¡°Seven years ago¡­ Are you talking about the mana explosion?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Exactly seven years ago, a massive explosion urred in the middle of the desert far away.¡± The explosion was so immense that a super-powered mana storm even hit Neo Seoul. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Fortunately, Neo Seoul remained unscathed thanks to defensive magic, but the outer slums copsed, and many people died. A mana storm so massive that it was reminiscent of the sixth extinction, couldn¡¯t have been something that urred naturally. Pathfinder teams were sent to investigate the cause of the explosion, but they found nothing. Since the explosion had urred far beyond the observation range of the Pathfinder teams. Despite their efforts, Neo Seoul eventually gave up trying to find the cause of the mana storm. Seven years had passed since then. Mandira continued. ¡°After that incident, the desert¡¯s ecosystem underwent aplete transformation.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Monsters migrated extensively, rendering all the umted data useless.¡± When an A-rank monster moved, its impact reached even B-rank and C-rank monsters. This chain reaction led to significant changes in the ecosystem. While Neo Seoul had been keeping track of all nearby monsters and dungeons, the incident seven years ago rendered all their hard-earned data useless. As a result, Neo Seoul had to send out numerous Awakened to gather new data. During this process, previously unseen monsters, unknown dungeons, and mazes were discovered. To stabilize the situation, it took a whopping seven years. ¡°Recently, monstersing up from the south were detected. It¡¯s a new type of monster not present in our data.¡± ¡°Could it be?¡± ¡°Yes! We suspect that it might be a boss-ss monster. That¡¯s why we think a chain reaction is happening.¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t going to instruct us to stop an A-rank monster by ourselves, right?¡± ¡°I doubt it. Our mission is simply to find out if such a monster really exists.¡± When monsters reach A-rank or Boss-level, they usually possess special skills. To subdue such monsters, detailed information must be obtained in advance. ¡°To minimize damages, we need to gather information as quickly as possible and retreat as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Zahar rubbed his chin thoughtfully with hisrge hand. The purpose of their deployment to this remote location was now clear to him. Yet, there was a lingering sense of unease. Observing Mandira¡¯s flushed forearm, hemented. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and gather information. We don¡¯t want to stay in the desert for too long; the sand and sun are enemies of our skin. Look at your arm; it¡¯s already irritated. Unfortunate!¡± ¡°Trying to obtain information on an A-rank monster, and you¡¯re worried about a little skin irritation?¡± Annika, who had been eagerly waiting for an opportunity, interjected. However, Mandira responded nonchntly without any signs of being flustered. ¡°Of course. For women, the skin is life. Annika, take care of your skin as well. If you continue wandering around the desert without any precautions, sudden aging will catch up to you. Don¡¯t regret it when that happens¡­¡± ¡°What? This is ridiculous¡­¡± Facing Mandira¡¯s harshments, Annika was furious and attempted to raise her hand, but her attempt was thwarted by Zahar. ¡°Stop! This is not the time for us to fight amongst ourselves.¡± ¡°But that bitch started it first!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that she is a supervisor.¡± ¡°What can that so-called supervisor say?¡± Annika¡¯s face twisted in frustration. However, in front of Zahar¡¯s stern expression, she couldn¡¯t escte the situation any further. Eventually, she turned her head away from Zahar, avoiding his gaze. Mandira smiled lightly at the scene. Just then, Seido called out to Zahar. ¡°Team Leader!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It seems the situation is taking an unexpected turn.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°This is our equipment.¡± Seido pointed to where armor and shields were scattered, partially buried in the sand. Despite being half-buried, it was unmistakably the equipmentmonly used by Neo Seoul¡¯s Awakened. Zahar¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°Are you sure that is our equipment?¡± ¡°That is definitely the equipment the kids in Team 2 were using. I remember it clearly.¡± The entire Team 7 became tense at Seido¡¯s words. Team 2 consisted of individuals they knew personally. Their abilities were definitely not inferior to Team 7¡¯s. If something happened to them, it meant danger for everyone. ¡°Who could¡¯ve done this to Team 2?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t we see any bodies?¡± Even after looking around, there was no sign of the bodies of Team 2 members. Even after digging into the nearby sand, there was nothing. ¡°Could they have been kidnapped?¡± ¡°The monster kidnapping people? Does that mean it has intelligence?¡± The faces of all Team 7 members showed confusion. ¡°Can we find out who attacked and kidnapped Team 2?¡± ¡°All traces are covered by the sand; we can¡¯t know for sure.¡± ¡°Is tracking possible?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± ¡°Hurry.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Seido started tracking again, oveing more than a dozenrge sand dunes. When the continuous tracking had worn them down a bit, Seido spoke. ¡°I found them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zahar, with a happy smile, approached Seido. However, Seido¡¯s expression seemed strange. As if he had seen something that shouldn¡¯t be seen, his pupils were dted significantly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°That¡­ ¡± Zahar¡¯s gaze turned to where Seido was looking. Zahar¡¯s expression also changed in an instant, mirroring Seido¡¯s. What they saw was a massive vige. ¡°A goblin¡­ vige?¡± In the desert, there was only one type of monster that could form such a massive vige ¨C goblins. Indeed, the scattered corpses of goblins were visible throughout the vige. The goblin vige had been thoroughly destroyed. However, most of the destroyed houses were buried under an enormous amount of sand. The goblin corpses were no exception. ¡°What? Did a sandstorm pass through here?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 52 Chapter 52 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 52 Thendscape could only be described as one that had been swept by a sandstorm. Otherwise, there was no way to exin the scene that unfolded before them. Zahar and his team dismounted from the Bactrian Camels and entered the goblin vige. Bodies of goblins, half-buried in the sand,y scattered around. The state of the goblins was truly grim. It seemed as if the sandstorm had scraped away their skin, leaving muscles exposed, and internal organs spilled out, staining the sand a dark red. The faces of the goblins were contorted in a grotesque manner, indicating the intense fear and agony they experienced moments before death. ¡°What on earth happened here?¡± Zahar muttered as he touched the corpse of a goblin. The warmth of the body was still palpable. ¡°It died less than an hour ago.¡± ¡°Just within an hour? Wouldn¡¯t we have seen the sandstorm approaching, then?¡± Felix expressed disbelief. asional desert sandstorms could wreak havoc on everything. The terror of an approaching sandstorm filling the horizon was known only to those who had experienced it. Even the most formidable Awakened would not guarantee their survival against a massive sandstorm, revealing the frailty of humanity in the face of colossal natural disasters. The problem was, if a sandstorm of such magnitude urred, Zahar and his team should have been aware of it. Even if the towering sand dunes obscured their view, a sandstorm capable of swallowing the goblin vige whole would have been impossible to miss. ¡°What¡¯s really going on?¡± ¡°What the hell happened here?¡± The team members looked around in confusion. No living goblins were in sight. With over a thousand goblins present, not a single one had survived. The situation was beyond theirprehension based onmon knowledge. Mandira knelt beside a goblin corpse, examining it closely. This goblin was no ordinary monster. ¡°It¡¯s a Hobgoblin.¡± Hobgoblins were stronger than dozens of regr goblinsbined, some even possessing special skills. Even Awakened individuals below E-rank would find it challenging to confront a Hobgoblin. Yet, this powerful creaturey dead in a pitiful state. Flesh was torn, bones exposed, and even the eyeballs of the Hobgoblin retained a lingering light of terror. No matter how they looked at it, it didn¡¯t look like it had been caused by a naturally urring sandstorm. Mandira furrowed her brows involuntarily. ¡°A Hobgoblin could have avoided the sandstorm easily. It¡¯s not like they couldn¡¯t leave the vige due to camaraderie. I don¡¯t understand. What exactly happened here?¡± She scratched her head nervously. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Team Leader! We¡¯ve got survivors here!¡± Seido urgently called Zahar. Zahar, along with Mandira and the others, rushed towards Seido. Pointing to the ground, Seido spoke frantically. ¡°It seems to be an underground prison.¡± ¡°A prison?¡± Zahar¡¯s gaze focused on the ground. ¡°Help us!¡± ¡°Please get us out of here.¡± Faint voices of people trapped below echoed. Goblins were not the source of these voices; they were unmistakably human. Zahar shouted urgently. ¡°Quick, dig through the sand!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Team members immediately began digging without hesitation. With thebined strength of multiple Awakened individuals, they quickly cleared more than a meter of sand, revealing the ceiling of a prison made of stones. Daren smashed the prison¡¯s ceiling with his fist. Boom! With a resounding crash, the ceiling crumbled, exposing the faces of people confined inside. Zahar recognized them immediately. ¡°Rothen, Jack!¡± The man called Rothen was the leader of Team 2, and Jack was a member of his team. Both were formidable Martial Arts Awakened, possessing strength that could not be underestimated. They looked up at Zahar, their arms and legs bound. They had ck bruises on their faces, swollen to the point where their features were unrecognizable. Team 7 quickly pulled out the two individuals and loosened their bindings. Zahar asked Rothen. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°We were ambushed. Sneaky goblins set traps and waited to ambush us.¡± ¡°What about the other team members?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all dead. The goblins caught and ate them.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°We were about to be eaten alive too.¡± Rothen shuddered at the thought, even just imagining it seemed horrifying. Jack, another team member, had a face frozen in terror. The goblins killed and devoured theirrades before their eyes. The sight of people being torn apart while still alive, disappearing into goblin mouths, left an indelible trauma. Even for Awakened ustomed to facing death, witnessing the gruesome scene ofrades being eaten alive was exceptionally rare. Mandira asked Rothen. ¡°What about the sandstorm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What happened to the sandstorm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! It suddenly came in and covered the entire goblin vige.¡± ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°We were in chaos, about to be eaten, so we couldn¡¯t focus. We didn¡¯t have time to survey the surroundings. But when we finally regained our senses, a massive sandstorm had engulfed the goblin vige.¡± ¡°Are you saying you didn¡¯t notice any signs beforehand?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Mandira furrowed her brow at Rothen¡¯s response. She wasn¡¯t concerned about how Rothen survived; her focus was on understanding why the goblin vige ended up like this. At that moment, Rothen cautiously spoke. ¡°I might have been out of my mind for a while, but I think I heard a human voice then.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I faintly heard a human voice amidst the sandstorm.¡± ¡°Human voice? Are you sure?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be certain. I wasn¡¯t exactly in my right mind at that moment.¡± Rothen wore an uncertain expression. Zahar intervened. ¡°Let¡¯s hold off on the interrogation. He¡¯s not a prisoner.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Take Rothen and Jack back to the shelter.¡± Following Zahar¡¯s orders, the team members escorted Rothen and Jack out of the goblin vige. Mandira lingered at the rear, looking back at the goblin vige buried in sand. Despite rescuing Rothen and Jack, many unanswered questions remained. ¡°Venturing this far might still be too risky for humans¡­¡± *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The shelter established by the Pathfinder Team was located in a region where sand had solidified into rocky terrain over a long time. The shelter, made of specially developed materials from Neo Seoul, measured fifty meters in width, fifty meters in height, and five meters in height. Inside the shelter, there were no individual spaces; it was a temporary dwelling with a straightforward design. On one side of the shelter, several trucks were parked, being examined by technicians for sand damage. On the other side, Awakened were busy with various tasks. That¡¯s when Team 7 entered the shelter. Zahar shoute. ¡°Team 2 is down. Attend to them quickly.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Awakened individuals rushed over. Two healers came together and treated Rothen and Jack The leader of Team 1 asked Zahar. ¡°What happened? Team 2?¡± ¡°They were ambushed by a massive goblin horde.¡± ¡°Attacked by goblins?¡± ¡°It was a massive tribe of over a thousand goblins. Even if it was Team 1 instead of Team 2, the oue wouldn¡¯t have been different.¡± ¡°There really were over a thousand goblins gathered together?¡± ¡°I confirmed it with my own eyes.¡± The expression of Team 1¡¯s leader hardened at Zahar¡¯s revtion. ¡°Crazy. A horde of over a thousand goblins.¡± There had never been a group of goblins thisrge near Neo Seoul. Even though they are low-tier monsters, if a thousand of them gathered, it would pose a serious threat, so it¡¯s crucial to exterminate them preemptively. Team 1 leader, despite being an experienced Awakened, had never encountered a goblin horde of a thousand or more. ¡°To think there¡¯s such a massive goblin army. Unbelievable!¡± Fundamentally, goblins were considered the lowest-tier monsters. While they exhibited powerful force when forming a horde, it was challenging for them to maintain a group beyond a certain level. Before establishing a hierarchy, they often became prey to otherrger monsters. Goblins were the bottommostyer in the monster ecosystem. They were constantly busy avoiding attacks fromrger monsters. Due to this, despite possessing incredible reproductive capabilities, forming arge tribe was difficult for them. However, in this area, there existed a sizable vige with as many as a thousand goblins. It meant the environment here was ideal for goblin reproduction. Zahar, realizing Team 1 leader¡¯s concerns, spoke up. ¡°Fortunately, a sandstormpletely wiped out the goblin vige.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It may sound absurd, but it¡¯s true. I confirmed it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s true, then that¡¯s fortunate.¡± It was only btedly that Team 1 leader sighed in relief. Kwoong! Suddenly, the shelter shook violently. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Those inside the shelter were startled, looking at each other in surprise. Kwoong! At that moment, the shelter shook once again. Team 1 leader quickly gave orders. ¡°Find out what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Team 1 members rushed outside, and after a while, they returned with solemn expressions. ¡°Trouble, we¡¯re in big trouble. A Cyclops has attacked from outside.¡± ¡°What? Cyclops?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s attacking the shelter.¡± The faces of those inside the shelter changed dramatically. Cyclopes, together with Ogres, belonged to the highest danger category among monsters. Although officially ssified as B-rank, they were considered more dangerous than A-rank monsters. With a colossal stature exceeding seven meters, overwhelming strength, and incredible resistance to magic that could deflect most spells, Cyclopes were formidable adversaries. Moreover, they possessed bipedal movement and demonstrated signs of intelligence, setting them apart from Ogres. This innate intelligence, surpassing instinct, contributed to Cyclopes being deemed more hazardous than Ogres. Kwaaang! A colossal vibration resonated as the Cyclops attacked the shelter. The impact caused the shelter to crumple, revealing a fissure, and the eye of a one-eyed giant appeared. It was undoubtedly a Cyclops. ¡°This is insane!¡± It was impervious to the attacks of most monsters. Yet, the shelter was crumpling and tearing like a sheet of paper. It meant that the Cyclops¡¯s attack power exceeded the shelter¡¯s defenses. Allowing Cyclops¡¯s attacks any further would result in the shelter copsing. They had to subdue the Cyclops before that happened. Just as Team 1 leader was about to issue the attackmand, Kwaang! Again, with a deafening sound, the shelter shook. The opposite wall tore open, revealing two more Cyclopes. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just one?¡± ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Despair flickered in the eyes of those inside the shelter. Handling one Cyclops was nearly impossible. Yet, facing three Cyclopes? Team 1 leader and Zahar exchanged determined nces. Team 1 leader gave the order. ¡°Abandon the shelter. Escape by team and return to Neo Seoul.¡± As soon as his order was given, the Pathfinder teams rushed outside. Thud! A massive club dropped onto the head of an Awakened attempting to escape. The Cyclops had attacked. The Awakened couldn¡¯t even scream before meeting an instant death. ¡°Hehehe!¡± The Cyclops gleefully chewed on the lifeless body like fish meat. As if not satisfied with consuming just one person, it attacked others. ¡°Arghhh!¡± ¡°Kueck!¡± Screams echoed continuously around the shelter. The Cyclopes formed a triangle, surrounding the shelter, attacking the Awakened and enjoying their feast. Most of the Awakened couldn¡¯t escape the Cyclopes¡¯ encirclement and fell victim to the relentless onught. As Team 7 ran forward, a massive Cyclops blocked their path. An unusually massive one. It was undoubtedly the leader of the Cyclopes. The leader needed to be distracted. Zahar shouted to Annika. ¡°We need a sacrifice.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Having been together for a long time, Annika quickly understood Zahar¡¯s intentions. A surge of electricity emanated from Annika¡¯s hand, striking Mandira in the back. Her magic, Lightning Bolt, exploded. Mandira, paralyzed by the lightning bolt, couldn¡¯t even utter a scream. Annika muttered, spitting on the back of Mandira¡¯s head. ¡°I never liked you from the start.¡± That was thest thing Mandira remembered. Soon, an overwhelming darkness enveloped her. And then Mandira lost consciousness. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 53 Chapter 53 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 53 ¡°Snap out of it.¡± Someone whispered, tapping *Mandy on the cheek. [*Changed from ¡°Mandria¡± to ¡°Mandy¡±.] Only then did Mandy regain consciousness. The first thing that entered her sight as she opened her eyes was the dim ceiling of a cave. ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°The Cyclops¡¯ nest.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hush!¡± The person gestured to be quiet, covering his mouth with his finger. It was a man Mandy knew. Unlike herself, he had features of East Asian descent ¨C ck hair, ck eyes, and a young face with still e on his face. ¡°Korean, Kim Sangsik, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Lower your voice.¡± Kim Sangsik nodded. As Mandy said, he was of Korean descent. Contrary to Mandy, he was not an Awakened but a technician dispatched to repair vehicles. Mandy shook her head and sat up. Then, the situation inside the cave became clear. The cave¡¯s height reached an astonishing ten meters. It was high enough for Cyclops to lift its head and walk around freely Inside the cave, numerous corpses of monsters were scattered around, undoubtedly leftovers from the Cyclops¡¯s meals. Mandy and Kim Sangsik were trapped in a cage-like structure hanging from the cave ceiling. Made of an unidentified metal, the cage was so tightly woven that there seemed to be no visible holes to escape from. Mandy snorted. ¡°Hmph! If I break this flimsy cage, that¡¯ll be the end of it.¡± Although she had been knocked out by Annika¡¯s unexpected attack, she was an exceptional Awakened with remarkable abilities. Otherwise, Neo Seoul would not have bothered to send her out as a supervisor. She was a Magic Awakened, specializing in wind magic. Mandy attempted to cut through the cage with des of wind, but strangely, her internal mana wouldn¡¯t respond. ¡°It¡¯s no use. We can¡¯t use mana in here.¡± ¡°Why? What happened to the mana?¡± ¡°It seems like the cage we¡¯re in is some kind of item that restricts mana.¡± ¡°What? No matter how smart Cyclopes are, it¡¯s impossible for them to create such an item.¡± ¡°Cyclopes didn¡¯t make it. It seems like something they found as loot in a dungeon.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Finally, Mandy understood. In a dungeon, finding unusual items was not umon. The existence of Neo Seoul itself was made possible by items obtained from dungeons. ¡°Hah! So, we¡¯ve be Cyclops¡¯s lunch.¡± The only reason they were still alive was probably that the Cyclops wasn¡¯t hungry enough to devour the creatures in the nest. Mandy clenched her fist and said. ¡°What happened to Team 7? Did you see it?¡± ¡°No. I also lost consciousness¡­¡± ¡°To dare to strike me on the back of my head. If we get out of here, I won¡¯t forgive them.¡± Mandy vowed revenge. Being a supervisor in Neo Seoul wasn¡¯t a position earned through poker games. It required great skills and abilities. As long as she returned safely to Neo Seoul, she could handle Team 7 without any issues. The problem was escaping this ce before that. Just then, Thud! Thud! A dull sound echoed inside the cave. It was undoubtedly the sound of the Cyclops returning. Kim Sangsik¡¯splexion changed drastically. ¡°Cyclops¡­ Ahaha! We¡¯re going to die.¡± His face turned pale. Unlike Mandy, he was not an Awakened but an ordinary person. Despite maintainingposure until now, in the face of the Cyclops, he copsed without a trace of hesitation. Mandyforted him. ¡°Stay calm. We won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°How? How can we face that monster, which even the attacks of an Awakened can¡¯t prate?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mandy couldn¡¯t provide an answer. She, too, felt the same sense of gloom. The creature called Cyclops was the natural enemy of Awakened. Especially for magic-based Awakened like her. Even now, she couldn¡¯t think of a way to deal with the Cyclops. Thud! Thud! The footsteps of the Cyclops grew louder and soon revealed its massive form. Grrr! The Cyclops approached with its single eye shing. Up close, it looked even more terrifying. ¡°Ugh!¡± Kim Sangsik crouched down, covering his head with both hands. In his eyes, focus disappeared, and saliva dripped from his mouth. Kim Sangsik was sumbing to the unique aura emitted by the Cyclops. It was one of the reasons why non-awakened individuals couldn¡¯t resist monsters like the Cyclops. The three Cyclopes, stained with blood around their mouths, seemed to have recently hunted. Despite that, hunger drove them to scan the surroundings for prey. In the Cyclopes¡¯ view, the two trapped in the cage were visible. Grrr! Thud! Thud! The Cyclopes approached with great strides. As they were three Cyclops, but with only two prey, they fought among themselves. The enormous cave shook as if it would copse at any moment. The winner was the giant Cyclops. After swiftly subduing the other two, it arrogantly walked towards Mandy. As the Cyclops drew near, Mandy¡¯s face turned dark. Squelch! Finally, the cage¡¯s door opened, and the Cyclops¡¯s massive hand descended upon Kim Sangsik. With the door opening, the effect of the item seemed to vanish, and the pressure suppressing her mana lifted. ¡°Get away!¡± Mandy hastily unleashed des of wind, Wind Cutter. However, her attacks dissipated without piercing the Cyclops¡¯s formidable anti-magic resistance. Her attacks only served to provoke the Cyclops. Grrr! The Cyclops redirected its attention towards Mandy. ¡°Ugh!¡± Under the immense force, Mandy gasped, and her consciousness blurred. The Cyclops, in its arrogance, took the distraught Mandy towards its mouth. ¡®Eloy!¡¯ It was the moment when Mandy desperately called out someone¡¯s name. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Shwaaah! A strange sound reached Mandy¡¯s ears. It was a sound akin to when a stream of water passed through a narrow passage. However, this was a deep cave in the heart of a desert, and there was no way for a water stream to flow. Mandy thought it was an auditory hallucination on the verge of death. However, the reaction of the Cyclops was peculiar. As if a formidable enemy had entered, the Cyclopes raised their clubs, turning their attention to the direction from which the sound echoed. Kwaaah! Even at that moment, the strange noise continued to grow louder. Sensing an unusual atmosphere, the lead Cyclops, the chief among them, swiftly returned Mandy to the cage and, along with the others, turned to face the approaching sound. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ Mandy, who had narrowly escaped death, gazed at the Cyclopes. Due to the pressure applied when caught by the Cyclopes, the blood vessels in her eyes had burst, making her vision unclear. And then, it happened. Kwaaah! An enormous amount of sand rushed into the cave. The noise that Mandy initially thought was water turned out to be the sound of sand flowing through the cave. The problem was that the speed at which the sand flowed through the cave surpassed imagination. The sand, like a tidal wave, engulfed the Cyclopes. Whoosh! Roaarrrr!! Struggling against the sand, the Cyclopes roared. However, no matter how gigantic the Cyclops was, it couldn¡¯t push back the overwhelming tide of sand filling the cave. Kwakwakwa! Like a high-pressure stream of water, the sand rushed in with tremendous force. The Cyclopes swung their clubs desperately as the sand engulfed them. However, the sand did not yield; instead, it fiercely collided with their bodies. Kwaaah! The Cyclopes roared, but it wasn¡¯t a threatening roar. Rather, it was a cry close to terrified wailing. However, Mandy and Kim Sangsik couldn¡¯t discern this fact as they had lost consciousness just before. Gaaah! Meanwhile, the sand that rushed into the cave rotated at an incredible speed, grinding the Cyclopes without leaving a trace. Their hide, equipped with anti-magic abilities was torn away by the sand, revealing bulging muscles. Muscles boasting overwhelming mass and strength were torn apart by the sand, revealing the bones hidden inside. But even the bones were swiftly eroded by the sand. Unfortunately for the Cyclopes, the cave was the worst terrain to maximize the power of the sand. In the tightly sealed cave with no escape, the sand rotated like a mixer, grinding the colossal monsters, Cyclopes, into nothingness. Gaaah! The terrifying noise of the sand spinning at high speed swallowed even the Cyclopes¡¯ desperate screams. *** Mandy and Kim Sangsik groaned, regaining consciousness almost simultaneously. ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°Umm!¡± In their slightly blinking eyes, a white fabric covering the sky came into view. At that moment, an unfamiliar voice reached their ears. ¡°You¡¯ve regained consciousness. Fortunately.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± In Mandy¡¯s instinctively defensive stance, a man came into view. He wore a crimson robe with a hat pulled on, obscuring his face. Therefore, his true appearance remained unknown. Preparing to unleash the Wind Cutter, Mandy cautiously asked. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I was just passing through. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m not your enemy.¡± Removing the hat, the man answered, revealing long hair extending down to his shoulders and fair skin. A rather tall figure with a handsome face and a gentle smile that left an impression. Most notable were his deep eyes, resembling ck gems, deep and clear, revealing nothing of his inner thoughts. Mandy asked cautiously, seeing that there was no hostility in his eyes. ¡°Did you rescue us from the Cyclopes?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. I just happened to find you two copsed while passing by here.¡± ¡°You found us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You were lying trapped in a cage-like structure, seemingly unconscious. I thought leaving you there might lead to trouble, so I brought you here.¡± As the man answered, Mandy briefly put her hand on her head. Her head felt dizzy. The memory of an enormous amount of sand pouring into the cave came back to her. ¡®Did we get swept away by the sand?¡¯ Mandy couldn¡¯t figure out why the sand had poured into the Cyclops¡¯ nest. She wasn¡¯t curious about what happened to the Cyclopes. What mattered was that despite being engulfed by such an enormous sandwave, they survived. And not only that, they were fortunate enough to be swept outside and rescued by someone passing nearby. Luck couldn¡¯t have been better. Behind the man, a Bactrian Camelden with luggage came into view. Where theyy, wooden pirs had been erected, and white fabric were warped around it to provide shade, blocking out the sun. Thanks to this, they were unharmed. Mandy bowed her head. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, we survived.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡°I will definitely repay this kindness. May I know your name?¡± The man answered with a smile. ¡°Zeon! My name is Zeon.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 54 Chapter 54 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 54 The man was Zeon. Seven years had taken the innocent away from him. Lines had vanished from his face, and his gaze had deepened. Even in his movements, there was a sense of ease, a mark of a strong character. Zeon took out a leather pouch filled with water from inside his robe. ¡°You must be thirsty. Have a drink.¡± ¡°Ah! Thank you.¡± Mandy epted the leather pouch without hesitation, as she was suffering from a burning thirst. She drank the water first, then handed the leather pouch over to Kim Sangsik. After taking a sip, some of her strength began to return. ¡°Phew! Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you so much. We thought we were going to die without a chance to even move.¡± Both Mandy and Kim Sangsik expressed their gratitude to Zeon. Zeon smiled and said. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re all safe.¡± ¡°But are there no others with you?¡± ¡°If you meanpanions, there are none.¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re crossing the desert alone?¡± Mandy¡¯s eyes widened. Even Pathfinder teams, considered to be elite, struggled to reach this point with multiple members. That¡¯s how dangerous the desert was. One couldn¡¯t predict where and what kind of monsters inhabited the area. Especially after the mana explosion seven years ago, the ecological system of monsters underwent significant changes, rendering previous data useless and making things even more dangerous. Now, there was no safe ce except near Neo Seoul. However, Zeon casually mentioned crossing the desert alone. It was natural for Mandy to be suspicious. Zeon said with a smile. ¡°I have a good sense. I can also sense monsters to some extent. So, if I feel something¡¯s off, I always take a different path. That way, I avoid the habitats of monsters.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a detection skill or anything?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true, you have an incredible sense. It would be a great help for survival.¡± ¡°Thanks to that, I¡¯ve been able to survive until now.¡± Zeon exuded the aura of a seasoned survival expert. Only someone who had survived in the desert for a long time could possess such a nonchnt attitude. Mandy gently bit her lip for a moment. She knew nothing about Zeon. Still, she had no one else she could rely on right now. She cautiously asked. ¡°Can you tell me where your destination is?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°If by any chance you are heading towards Neo Seoul, could you take us with you?¡± ¡°Neo Seoul, you say?¡± ¡°Yes! We will definitely repay the favor. Please, take us to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an easy task. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware, but the habitat of the monsters has changed significantly over the past seven years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you for a favor. Kim Sangsik and I both hold fairly decent positions within Neo Seoul. If you take us with you, you¡¯ll be rewarded appropriately in Neo Seoul.¡± Zeon¡¯s identity and where he came from were unknown. Under normal circumstances, she would never entrust everything to such an uncertain existence. However, after losing everything due to Zahar¡¯s betrayal, she had no other choice. Currently, she couldn¡¯t even determine Neo Seoul¡¯s location. It would be naive to think it would appear simply by heading north. The desertndscapes were too simr, making it impossible to urately navigate. Moreover, they had lost all the trucks they came with. In such a situation, if they lost Zeon as well, they would wander the desert and eventually die of dehydration like mirages. Their only hope for survival was Zeon. Kim Sangsik also kneeled before Zeon. ¡°We implore you like this. Please don¡¯t abandon us.¡± Unlike Mandy, who was an Awakened, Kim Sangsik was just an ordinary person. It was clear that if he was abandoned here, he would not be able tost another day. Zeon sighed and said. ¡°Haa! There¡¯s no other choice. Alright, I¡¯ll take you to Neo Seoul first.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you. Once you take us to Neo Seoul, we will definitely repay you.¡± Kim Sangsik¡¯s face lit up with gratitude. £ª£ª£ª It seemed like it had been an incredibly challenging day for Mandy and Kim Sangsik, as they both fell into a deep sleep. Zeon watched them sleeping with a thoughtful expression. ¡°As expected, they¡¯re from Neo Seoul.¡± The two of them didn¡¯t know, but Zeon had been observing them from the beginning. To be precise, it started when Zahar and Team 7 arrived at the goblin vige. It happened shortly after he annihted the goblins. At a nce, Zahar and Team 7¡¯s attire and equipment were sophisticated, far beyond those surviving in the desert. Looking at clothing stained with traces of civilization made Zeon long for Neo Seoul. Seven years ago, Dyoden disappeared along with Haeltoon. Literally, they vanished without leaving a single trace. The shock caused the desert¡¯s terrain to changepletely, and an unprecedented mana storm urred. Zeon was the only person who watched them until the end. When both of them disappeared, Zeon felt a tremendous sense of loss. After that, he wandered aimlessly through the desert. Just like Dyoden did. He had no particr purpose, no particr idea of what to do. That¡¯s how he lived for seven years. Adding the one year he spent with Dyoden, he had been wandering the desert for eight years. During that time, many events urred, and those experiences had shaped Zeon. Gradually, he felt the desire to return to Neo Seoul. The encounter with the two people ignited that feeling within Zeon. If their destination was the same, taking them along didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. It would be easy to enter Neo Seoul with them. Zeon organized his thoughts, lying down on his robe. He drifted into sleep, a deep sigh escaping him. Kieeek! The next morning, Zeon woke up to a strange sound echoing from afar. Mandy and Kim Sangsik immediately got up, on edge. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that sound¡­?¡± They disyed a tense expression, sensing hostility and danger in the distant sound. Zeon replied nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s the cry of a Wyvern. It seems like there¡¯s a Wyvern nest not too far from here.¡± ¡°A¡­ Wyvern?!¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± Both of them turned pale. Wyverns were B-rank monsters, but their threat level was rated as A-rank or higher. Unlike other monsters, their main stage was the sky, making them even more menacing due to the unpredictability of when and where they would suddenly appear and attack. Zeon collected the improvised sunshade and wooden pirs he had set up all night. ¡°It¡¯s better to leave before the Wyvernse here for prey.¡± He skillfully folded the gear and loaded it onto the hump of the Bactrian Camel. Then, without any hesitation, he departed. Mandy and Kim Sangsik hurriedly followed behind Zeon. Especially Kim Sangsik¡¯s face was contorted with anxiety, almost pitiful. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Just the distant sound of the Wyvern¡¯s cry was causing his heart to beat intensely. ¡®This ce is hell. First Cyclops, now a Wyvern. How on earth did that person survive in a ce like this?¡¯ His gaze was fixed on Zeon, who was walking ahead. Zeon moved forward with casual steps, seemingly unaffected even by the sand sinking up to his ankles. Despite being a skilled Awakened, walking on the sand consumed a tremendous amount of energy. Thinking about walking like this all the way to Neo Seoul made everything feel surreal. ¡°Heuk! Heuk!¡± They hadn¡¯t walked for long, yet sweat was pouring like rain, and rough breathing filled the air. The face was reddening as if it would burst at any moment. At that moment, Zeon turned around. ¡°It seems like it won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You two can take turns riding the camels, it¡¯ll help you save some stamina.¡± ¡°And what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to the sand, so I don¡¯t mind walking all day.¡± Unlike the already sweat-drenched two, Zeon remained smooth and unaffected. His face was unchanged, and not a single harsh breath escaped him. His words were proof that he wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kim Sangsik couldn¡¯t dare to refuse and reluctantly climbed onto the back of the Bactrian Camel. Although he was exposed to the scorching heat once again, it wasn¡¯t as unbearable as before. Kim Sangsik was sincerely grateful to Zeon. Zeon, as if it was nothing, continued to walk with casual steps. Mandy was amazed as she looked at Zeon¡¯s back. ¡®His walk is really unique. How does he walk so smoothly without his feet sinking? It¡¯s like the sand is pushing him forward on its own.¡¯ It was truly an unusual way of walking. She had never seen anyone walk like this before. ¡®He must be an Awakened. Either in the Magic or Martial Arts realm. What¡¯s his rank?¡¯ There were Many things she was curious about. For now, it was clear that Zeon was an Awakened. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be soposed in the scorching sun. What Mandy was truly curious about was the specific type of Awakened Zeon was. Checking his rank could be done easily by looking at the wrist insignia, but Zeon was wearing gauntlets. The gauntlets he wore covered up to his forearm. Interestingly, there was a round, red gem embedded on the back of the hand, drawing attention. Judging by the gauntlets, it seemed Martial Arts-oriented. Such weapons weremonly used by Martial Arts Awakened. However, to assert that Zeon was a Martial Arts Awakened, his aura felt off. The color representing Martial Arts Awakened was red. Due to the influence of their Awakened abilities, they were known for being active and passionate, reflected in the red color of their insignia. On the contrary, Magic Awakened were symbolized by a cool blue color. It was because their intellect prevailed over instinct. That¡¯s why it was usually not difficult to distinguish between Magic and Martial Arts Awakened. However, strangely, Zeon didn¡¯t clearly exhibit such characteristics. Although his attire suggested martial arts, his behavior and gaze seemed more aligned with Magic Awakened. ¡®I¡¯ll probably find out as we go.¡¯ The distance to Neo Seoul was over a thousand kilometers. Walking such a long distance would inevitably reveal his abilities. Mandy tried her best to conserve energy while walking. Fortunately, she had the ability to manipte the wind. When her body temperature rose from the intense sun, she could raise a gentle breeze to cool down, making it more bearable than Kim Sangsik riding on the Bactrian Camel. At that moment, Zeon¡¯s voice reached them as they continued to walk. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to rain. Let¡¯s go up there.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Rain?¡± Mandy and Kim Sangsik exchanged bewildered looks. With not a single cloud in sight and the sun beating down so intensely, the idea of rain sounded absurd. They thought Zeon had gone mad. However, regardless of the two¡¯s reactions, Zeon led them higher. With no other choice, Mandy and Kim Sangsik had to follow Zeon. They reached the summit of the highest sand dune in the area. Boom! Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, dark clouds gathered, followed by thunder and lightning. Then, a heavy rain shower began. ¡°Is this¡­ for real?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± Unable to close their gaping mouths, the two couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. The torrential rain, pouring down with tremendous force, filled the lower ground. If they hadn¡¯t listened to Zeon and remained below, they would likely be struggling in the water by now. It was a moment to be grateful for following Zeon¡¯s advice. Zeon smiled while looking at the waterlogged area. His expression was strangely eerie. He spoke, ¡°When it rains in the desert, creatures awaken. It just so happens that this ce has the best terrain for them to inhabit.¡± ¡°Awaken? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Those creatures.¡± At that moment, from the waterlogged area, bubbles rose, and something emerged. Like twisted wires, bizarre creatures with slender and elongated bodies wriggled, moving strangely. The grotesque sight made Mandy and Kim Sangsik feel uneasy. Mandy asked, clutching her stomach. ¡°Wh-what are those? I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before.¡± ¡°Those are Ghost Sandworms. They remain dormant during dry periods and awaken when supplied with moisture, searching for prey.¡± ¡°Ghost Sandworms?¡± ¡°They burrow into the prey¡¯s body, control its brain and make it go seeking for water.¡±¡± ¡°In the desert for water?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re terrifying. If you¡¯re possessed by a Ghost Sandworm, you wander the desert endlessly, eventually dying from dehydration. Then they feed on the nutrients from the corpse and go back to sleep. When it rains again, they awaken.¡± The most terrifying thing in the desert wasn¡¯t powerful monsters like Wyverns. It was these unseen threats that were even more frightening. Mandy and Kim Sangsik couldn¡¯t help but shiver involuntarily. Zeon, walking towards where the Ghost Sandworms were, said. ¡°Wait here.¡± ¡°No, why are you going down to a ce where such terrifying things are?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted one of them.¡± Zeon answered with a chuckle. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 55 Chapter 55 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 55 Onemon misconception among people is that it never rains in the desert. However, that¡¯s only a partial truth. Rain does fall in the desert, but it happens so swiftly, and the water disappears into the sands so quickly that often no traces are left behind. Sometimes, it pours as if it could swallow everything in its path, even turning an entire region into a temporary sea. Yet, just as quickly, it vanishes into the sand without a trace. There are specific terrains in the desert where water collects exceptionally well. These are areas where the rain forms puddles or small ponds. Of course, the water drains rapidly, but in such ces, Ghost Sandworms lie dormant. When the sand is bone-dry, these monsters seem lifeless, almost as if dead. However, once rain falls and pools, they awaken like parasites, monsters of a low rank that wouldn¡¯t even make it to F-rank. Surprisingly, even in Neo Seoul, the existence of such monsters is unknown, not documented in the meticulously crafted Monsters Encyclopedia. These parasites, not even worthy of a F-rank designation, pose a danger beyond imagination. Once they infiltrate a body, no matter how robust the monster, it seeks water, dehydrating and killing its host in the process. Unless adequately shielded by an energy field, escaping the tendrils of Ghost Sandworms is nearly impossible. Awakened face a simr plight. Once these monsters invade, there is no known method to expel them. Zeon discovered this fact purely by chance. He happened to be in an area where rain fell. In that moment, a Ghost Sandworm awakened from a puddle, and a colossal monster came seeking water. Zeon watched as the massive monster became a puppet, manipted by the Ghost Sandworm. From then on, Zeon became intrigued by these monsters. However, obtaining Ghost Sandworms proved more challenging than he anticipated. The optimal terrains for these monsters were not as abundant as one might think. If an area had no rainfall at all, these monsters didn¡¯t exist. Even in areas where rain fell, suitable terrains for the monsters to briefly settle were scarce. Finally, even if one managed to discover Ghost Sandworms with such difficulty, capturing them alive was not an easy task. Due to this, Zeon also experienced multiple failures in obtaining Ghost Sandworms. However, through several unsessful attempts, he found a way to capture them alive. Zeon pulled out a small ss bottle from within his robe. The surface of the ss bottle was engraved with characters that seemed to hold an unknown significance. Ssh! As Zeon arrived at a puddle, the Ghost Sandworms sensed him and trembled vigorously. Their wire-like bodies twisted grotesquely, rushing towards Zeon. The sight of their wire-like bodies, contorting eerily without arms or legs, naturally instilled fear in any observer. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Mandy and Kim Sangsik, who were watching from afar, widened their eyes in surprise. The bodies of the Ghost Sandworms suddenly turned transparent, and like missiles, they were shot towards Zeon. At that moment, Zeon extended the ss bottle he held in his hand forward. Invisible to the eye, three Ghost Sandworms shot into the bottle as if drawn by an unseen force. It seemed as if the Ghost Sandworms had willingly entered the ss bottle. However, Mandy knew that wasn¡¯t the case. Zeon had undoubtedly employed some kind of technique. Having acquired the Ghost Sandworms he desired, the rest became unnecessary. Swoosh! In a moment, intense mes erupted around Zeon. The scorching fire swiftly consumed the remaining Ghost Sandworms. Having dealt with the monsters, Zeon gathered sand from the spot where they had been and filled a ss bottle. This was the key. cing the sand from where the Ghost Sandworms had been into a magically treated ss bottle made them fall into a dormant state, almost like a lie. When the monsters attacked Zeon, towering over a meter, they shrank to be smaller than his finger, their forms contorting grotesquely. ¡°Hmph!¡± Zeon sealed the ss bottle, wearing a mischievous grin on his face. He stored the bottle containing the Ghost Sandworms in his robe. In reality, it was in a pocket dimension, but to Mandy and Kim Sangsik, it looked like he ced it within his robe. At that moment, the downpour ceased abruptly, and the sun beamed down brightly, as if nothing had happened. Mandy and Kim Sangsik blinked in astonishment. So much had transpired in such a short time, leaving them somewhat disoriented. Experiences like these would be impossible in Neo Seoul. The two descended the sand dune and approached Zeon cautiously. Mandy asked cautiously. ¡°What are you going to do with those Ghost Sandworms?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, I think they seem to have various potential uses. If you bring them to Neo Seoul, we could study them and potentially create items that could help many people.¡± Mandy, in her role as a supervisor dispatched from Neo Seoul, developed an interest in the new form of monster. However, Zeon firmly cut off her curiosity. ¡°I apologize. I obtained the Ghost Sandworms out of personal curiosity. If you want them, catch them yourself.¡± ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± Mandy stammered, caught off guard. Her life now depended on Zeon, and it wasn¡¯t the time to go against his will. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My ambition got the best of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It happens. Just refrain from doing it again.¡± Zeon responded with a gentle smile to Mandy¡¯s apology, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to smile. There was something unsettling about Zeon¡¯sughter. It was at that moment Mandy truly realized what kind of person Zeon was. He was someone strong and experienced enough to wander the desert alone. ¡®Judging by the skills he used earlier, he¡¯s likely a magic user, perhaps a fire magic type Awakened.¡¯ The fact that he effortlessly incinerated the Ghost Sandworms during the downpour indicated a considerable level of proficiency. ¡®At least C-rank to B-rank.¡¯ With this level, he could receive considerable recognition even in Neo Seoul. Mandy knew she had to be more cautious. After themotion settled, the three of them resumed their journey. When Kim Sangsik¡¯s stamina sufficiently recovered, Mandy and he swapped ces. ¡°Haa!¡± Mandy, now on the Bactrian Camell, sighed in relief. No matter how strong of an Awakened she was, walking across the desert all day took a huge toll on her stamina. Even after just half a day, her breathing feltbored, and the hot air seemed to scorch her throat. Zeon spoke to Mandy. ¡°If you¡¯re thirsty, wring out your wet clothes and drink it.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°But in a little while, even that will evaporate, and there¡¯ll be nothing left to drink.¡± Upon Zeon¡¯s words, Mandy hastily wrung out her outer garment, and water began to flow. Mandy drank the streaming water eagerly. Kim Sangsik followed Mandy¡¯s actions. Zeon patiently waited for them. In reality, Zeon¡¯s subspace held a considerable amount of water. Even if he distributed the water, it didn¡¯t matter. However, survival in the desert required more than easy ess to resources. One had to procure water and hunt for food independently. If they wished to return safely to Neo Seoul, cultivating such habits from now on was imperative. Zeon led the group without showing any signs of difficulty. Kim Sangsik and Mandy took turns riding on the Bactrian Camel, replenishing their stamina. Meanwhile, they observed Zeon closely. Despite walking all day, Zeon disyed no signs of fatigue. He didn¡¯t even break a sweat, and there was no hint ofbored breathing. Mandy and Kim Sangsik couldn¡¯tprehend how Zeon managed such endurance. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡®How can he be like this?¡¯ ¡®He seems like someone who has lived his whole life in the desert. No, even if that were the case, is that possible?¡¯ The more they observed Zeon, the more questions piled up. However, Zeon remained silent, unwilling to share anything about himself. ¡°Hmm!¡± After a while, as they continued walking, Zeon suddenly stopped. He knelt on the ground, sweeping away sand with his hand, revealing an unexpected discovery ¨C a corpse. The body was dried up like a mirage, all moisture gone. Zeon asked the two. ¡°Would you like to see if you recognize who this is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an Awakened member of Team 3.¡± Mandy quickly identified the body. It was the first Awakened to escape when the Cyclops attacked. Since he was the first to run away, she had assumed he would still be alive. Why he ended up dead here was a mystery. Zeon pulled the corpse from the sand. Visible wounds on the back suggested an attack from behind. ¡°It seems he was attacked from the back. Judging by the size and shape of the wound, likely by a sword¡­¡± At Zeon¡¯s words, Mandy¡¯s pupils trembled. During the Cyclops¡¯s assault, each team escaped separately. So, logically, there should have been fellow team members around him. In that case, the person who sneakily attacked and killed him was undoubtedly a member of Team 3. Zeon continued. ¡°There¡¯s nothing on him. It looks like he was thoroughly robbed.¡± ¡°He was looted?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Haa!¡± ¡°When left alone in the desert, human nature tends to reveal itself. It¡¯s not that surprising.¡± Mandy sighed at Zeon¡¯s words, realizing the harsh reality they faced in the unforgiving desert. Zeon spoke as if it were nothing special. It wasn¡¯t umon for yesterday¡¯srades to be today¡¯s enemies. Perhaps there was long-standing resentment, or maybe it was an attempt to seize belongings from the corpse. In the harsh and isted environment of the desert, true nature often emerged. Zeon, having witnessed such scenes countless times, wasn¡¯t surprised. However, Mandy and Kim Sangsik were left in shocked silence. Zeon stood up and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The monsters that have caught the scent wille soon.¡± Wasting time dealing with the corpse would make them an easy target for the approaching monsters. Leaving the area before the monsters arrived was the best option. Fortunately, both Mandy and Kim Sangsik followed Zeon¡¯s words without hesitation. The deceased was just a fellow dispatched on the mission, and without personal connections, they could leave calmly. How long did they walk? ¡°Ugh! Go away! Hyah!¡± Suddenly, a voice, strained with agony, echoed from a distant ce. Zeon led the group towards the direction of the faintly heard voice. ¡°Tsk!¡± Suddenly, Zeon clicked his tongue. Mandy cautiously asked. ¡°Why?¡± She couldn¡¯t see anything yet, so she couldn¡¯t understand why Zeon clicked his tongue. Zeon pointed his finger towards the sky. ¡°It¡¯s a Wyvern flock.¡± ¡°Wyvern?¡± Only then did Mandy turn her gaze to the sky. In the distance, a Wyvern flock circled, and an Awakened fighting them became visible as they walked closer. He wielded a spear, attacking the Wyverns. However, his attacks couldn¡¯t reach them. The Wyverns yed with the Awakened like a cat toying with a mouse, leaving inflicting significant wounds with each interaction. Although he was protecting his body with protective gear made by Neo Seoul, it was useless in front of the Wyverns¡¯ sharp ws. Whoosh! The Wyvern¡¯s ws tore through the Awakened¡¯s protective gear like a rag. The name of the Awakened being attacked was Creed. He was an Awakened who belonged to Team 3, same as the body Zeon and his group found a little while ago. He killed hispanions and robbed them of water and items. It was an inevitable choice since there was a shortage of water. The items were just a bonus. After all, it was something the dead didn¡¯t need. After killing hispanion, he ventured into the desert alone. Until recently, he believed he could survive any crisis in the desert. But the reality of his foolish thinking became apparent within half a day. Kwaak! The fangs and ws of the Wyvern flock descended upon Creed relentlessly. ¡°Kuaak!¡± Ultimately, Creed¡¯s neck was bitten by the Wyvern¡¯s fangs, his life ending. As Creed died, the Wyverns swarmed to feast on his remains, resembling a murder of crows. ¡°Ugh!¡± Witnessing Creed¡¯s torn-apart corpse, Kim Sangsik averted his gaze in disgust and horror, his face disying a mix of repulsion and fear. Mandy, while affected, maintained herposure, focusing on a particrlyrge Wyvern. Bigger than the others, with a glossy ck body and a faint crimson glow around it. Mandy immediately recognized the source of the glow. ¡°Aura? So, a monster of at least B-rank or higher?¡± The phenomenon of sparks around the ck Wyvern indicated a powerful aura, typically seen in A-rank monsters. In other words, the ck Wyvern was an A-rank monster. ¡°Heuk!¡± Mandy unintentionally gasped as the ck Wyvern and her eyes met. The colossal Wyvern seemed to be looking directly at her. ¡°Ddulkk!¡± A gasp of fear escaped her as an overwhelming sense of terror invaded her. The fierce Wyvern swarm showed no intention of moving. Particrly, the giant ck Wyvern seemed preupied, gazing elsewhere. ¡®Could it be because of that?¡¯ Mandy hastily looked at Zeon, who smiled and said. ¡°The wyvern flock seems satisfied. They¡¯re not interested in us for now. We better go before they change their minds.¡± Without waiting for Mandy¡¯s response, Zeon continued walking. ¡°L-let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Mandy and Kim Sangsik, with no time for further contemtion, followed Zeon. As Zeon¡¯s group disappeared from sight, the ck Wyverns turned their heads again, looking in the direction they had left. In the eyes of the ck Wyvern, there was a faint gleam of fear as it looked at Zeon¡¯s retreating back. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 56 Chapter 56 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 56 The journey went smoothly. Zeon skillfully navigated around the habitat of the desert monsters as if he were a ghost. At times, it seemed like he was taking detours, but uponter reflection, Mandy realized that Zeon¡¯s path was indeed a shortcut. In those moments, a chill ran down Mandy¡¯s spine. As the sun set and evening descended, Zeon found the optimal terrain to set up camp. Dinner consisted of preserved jerky that Zeon had stored, and they quenched their thirst by squeezing dew from the cloth spread out overnight. In this way, the two of them, apanying Zeon, were able to learn survival techniques in the desert little by little. Mandy felt awe towards Zeon. ¡®He truly knows the desert well.¡¯ Of course, there were many in Neo Seoul who were knowledgeable about the desert. However, their activities were limited to the vicinity of Neo Seoul. Beyond that, survival was not guaranteed. But Zeon was different. Even though it was his first time in this area, he immediately identified where the monsters inhabited and what type they were. He was an excellent guide, to say the least. Now Mandy understood why Zeon roamed the desert alone. With such abilities, there was no need to bother with traveling with others. The more people, the easier it was for the monsters to detect them. Traveling with Zeon eliminated that concern. It seemed like he moved along the boundaries of the monsters¡¯ territories. Still, following Zeon was not easy. The sand, sinking deep up to their ankles, drained their stamina, and the scorching sun beating down from above robbed their bodies of moisture. The suffering experienced by Kim Sangsik, an ordinary person, was beyondparison to Mandy. Despite Zeon making amodations, Sangsik was gasping for breath, reaching his limits. His lips were cracked, peeling, and his eyes had lost focus long ago. Even riding on the Bactrian Camel didn¡¯t alleviate his plight. For an ordinary person with no abilities, the desert was an excessively harsh environment to survive in. Mandy nced at Sangsik. ¡°Heuk! Heuk!¡± He swayed weakly on the back of the Bactrian Camel like a puppet with its strings cut. Unfortunately, there was nothing more she could do to help him. Then, it happened. Zeon, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped and sifted the sand on the ground. Mandy cautiously inquired about the reason. ¡°Why are you doing that?¡± ¡°We need to be careful from here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Sandworms like this kind of sand. They prefer soft, fine sand particles like this.¡± The finer the particles of the sand, the more amplification of even small vibrations. This type of terrain, with soft, fine sand, was optimal for monsters like sandworms that detected surface vibrations for hunting. Mandy asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Are there different types of sand too?¡± ¡°Yes, there are.¡± ¡°And you can distinguish that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible when you¡¯ve survived in the desert for a long time.¡± ¡°Really¡­¡± Mandy shook her head in amazement. If anyone could do that, the desert would already be dominated by humans. Since it wasn¡¯t the case, the desert still remained as the territory of monsters. It was a skill unique to Zeon. Now Mandy was certain of that fact. ¡°I¡¯ll move along the outskirts of the Sandworm territory. The chances of them detecting us are low, but still, be careful not to make any noise.¡± Zeon said as he continued walking. If he were alone, there would be no need to be this cautious. The desert was his domain, and sandworms were not his adversaries. However, with Mandy and Kim Sangsik aspanions, he needed to be careful. One of the insights Zeon gained during his seven years of wandering the world was that most people harbored jealousy and envy. Those who were better than them needed to be brought down, and if possible, dragged down to their level. Dealing with such individuals was not fearful, but it was already bing tiresome. It was while Zeon was walking along the outskirts of the Sandworm territory that it happened. ¡°Hmm!¡± Suddenly, an unfamiliar sight entered his field of view. In the distance, a partially covered object in the sand became visible. ¡°What is it?¡± Mandy asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Well, it looks like a corpse, for now¡­¡± ¡°A corpse?¡± She looked in the direction Zeon was gazing. After concentrating for a while, Mandy could make out the object that Zeon was looking at. ¡°That¡¯s definitely the uniform of Team 7.¡± Mandy furrowed her brow. It was too far, and buried in the sand, making it impossible to identify who had fallen. Zeon said. ¡°Let¡¯s get closer for a look.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Nodding, Mandy followed Zeon. Behind them, Kim Sangsik rode on the Bactrian Camel. It took almost twenty minutes, but finally, the three of them reached the fallen person. Only then could they clearly see the face of the fallen individual. Mandy¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Annika?¡± It was undoubtedly Annika, the only woman in Team 7. In an instant, Annika opened her eyes. ¡°Hoho! Caught you.¡± As if she had been waiting for the question of when she had fallen, she sprang up. Mandy, surprised, opened her eyes wide. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? You¡¯ve fallen into our trap. Hoho!¡± Annika stepped back,ughing. At that moment, those who had been hiding in the nearby sand emerged. Zahar and Felix, Darren and Seido, the entire Team 7 had been lying in wait. They had surrounded Zeon¡¯s group. Zahar looked at Mandy and said. ¡°You managed to stay alive.¡± ¡°Team leader Zahar. What is this about?¡± ¡°What is it about? Well, judging by yourplexion, it seems like you¡¯ve had proper food and water. We just thought we¡¯d share. As you can see, we haven¡¯t had a decent meal for days.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The condition of Team 7 was a mess. Their faces were gaunt, and their skin was rough and ky. Despite escaping the shelter unharmed, it was evident they had gone hungry without finding any food. They had rationed their emergency supplies, but it had run out for everyone two days ago. Since then, they had been in a state of continuous hunger. In the eyes of Team 7, Mandy and Kim Sangsik appeared healthy. Unlike the famished members of Team 7, Mandy¡¯s face was full of life. It was evident they had rations. Zahar looked at Zeon. ¡°You probably have food and water, right?¡± It was impossible for Mandy and Kim Sangsik to find sustenance in the desert with their abilities. Ultimately, Zeon was the only one among them who could be a variable. ¡°Leave them ande this way. It would be better for you.¡± Zahar said politely, but his gaze was fiercely predatory. Having gone without food for two days, they saw nothing but the possibility of obtaining water and rations. If they could secure supplies, they were willing to do anything. ¡°If you give us food and water, Neo Seoul will greatly reward you.¡± Zahar¡¯s eyes evoked an image of a venomous creature. It was the same for other team members. In desperation, they had abandoned their pride and lured Zeon¡¯s group into a trap in the sand. Zeon chuckled. ¡°If we give you food and water, will you truly spare our lives?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll even protect you all the way to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you?¡± ¡°You have no choice either way. Joining hands with us is your only chance at survival.¡± As Zahar spoke, Felix, Darren, and others took positions behind Zeon¡¯s group. They seemed poised to use their skills if necessary. That¡¯s when Mandy stepped forward. ¡°Does it have to be this way? We are all part of the same family, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Family? Outside of our team, I¡¯ve never considered anyone family even once.¡± ¡°Does that mean you won¡¯t ept this person as part of the same team?¡± Zahar¡¯s expression hardened at Mandy¡¯s words. It shifted to an interrogation. Realizing that persuading them nicely was out of the question, he gave the order. ¡°Kill them all.¡± ¡°Kill them!¡± ¡°Chaah!¡± Darren and Seido, Awakened Martial Artists, rushed forward, while Felix and Annika provided support from behind. Darren¡¯s mechanical arm and Seido¡¯s sword attacked Zeon, while Felix¡¯s curses and Annika¡¯s magic were unleashed on Mandy. ¡°You never saw thising, did you?¡± Mandy, fueled by rising fury, unveiled the skill she had concealed until now. In an instant, Mandy¡¯s body split into five. It was a mirror image, a form of illusion magic. Puff! Felix¡¯s curses and Annika¡¯s magic struck Mandy¡¯s illusion. Meanwhile, the real Mandy had moved behind Annika. ¡°I never liked you from the start either.¡± She said to the defenseless Annika, intending to cast a spell. However, Zahar moved faster than her. ¡°Where to?¡± Swoosh! His strike resonated strongly with Mandy. ¡°Aaargh!¡± Mandy was thrown back with a scream. As a team leader, Zahar¡¯s attacks were exceptionally powerful. Mandy fell to the ground, blood pooling around her. Seeing Mandy in that state, Annika was furious. ¡°That was close. You damn bitch!¡± Annika spat out a curse without hesitation. Zahar entrusted the disposal of Mandy to Annika and turned his gaze towards Zeon. Darren and Seido had been attacking Zeon for a while, but he narrowly avoided all their strikes. ¡°Not bad skills you¡¯ve got there.¡± Darren and Seido¡¯s skills were outstanding even among the Pathfinders. In particr, thebination of the two was perfect and brought despair to many people. Darren¡¯s brute force pushing and Seido¡¯s sword, shooting like a streak of light, created a wless synergy. Together, they relentlessly pressed Zeon, seemingly sharing consciousness, leaving him with no apparent way to counter. However, Zeon managed to evade their attacks effortlessly. His movements seemed peculiar, effortlessly gliding over the sand as if someone was pulling him with a rope. Especially contrasting was the fact that, with each step Darren and Seido took, they sank deep into the sand up to their ankles. This difference prevented them from easily overpowering Zeon despite their overwhelming advantage, allowing time to slip away. ¡®This guy is used to fighting on the sand.¡¯ Zahar murmured, biting his lips. It was unclear what variables might arise if they let time pass. Before that, they had to subdue Zeon. ¡°Noom!¡± Zahar joined the assault. Kwahng! The air exploded with the force of his punch. Naturally, Zeon was the target. However, with a narrow margin, Zeon evaded Zahar¡¯s attack. Continuing his assault, Zahar said. ¡°The more you resist, the tougher it gets for you. It¡¯d be better to surrender willingly.¡± ¡°Even if I surrender, you won¡¯t spare my life, will you?¡± Zeon said with a smile. Even amidst thebined assault of the three, Zeon maintained aposed expression, unsettling Zahar¡¯s emotions. ¡°I¡¯ll cut off your limbs and feed them to the monsters.¡± ¡°If you like monsters so much, I can call them for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kwaang! In that instant, Zeon swung his leg forcefully, and with a deafening sound, fine sand particles scattered into the sky. Powerful vibrations traveled far through the sand. It was not just a simple dust cloud; Zeon, utilizing his dominance, had sent vibrations far away. Not just any vibrations; he transformed them into the wave pattern that sandworms favored the most. The effect was immediate. Kwakwakwa! Sandworms from a distance reacted to the vibrations and swarmed towards the source. While Zahar and his team remained oblivious, Zeon keenly sensed their movements. ¡°What kind of trickery is this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re dead!¡± ¡°This damn bastard¡­¡± As Zahar, Darren, and Seido attacked Zeon, that was when it happened. Whoosh! Piercing through the sand, massive insects revealed themselves behind Zeon. Sandworms. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 57 Chapter 57 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 57 ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Sandworm?¡± ¡°Crazy!¡± Zahar, Darren, and Seido opened their eyes wide. They hadn¡¯t expected a Sandworm, one of the tyrants of the desert, to appear at this time. Among them, Zahar¡¯s surprise was particrly pronounced. ¡°Why Sandworms? Could this be a Sandworm territory?¡± If it were just one Sandworm, there wouldn¡¯t be much to fear. The problem was that, behind Zeon, not one but four Sandworms emerged. The Sandworm that had briefly protruded its head into the air, as if taking a breath of fresh air, disappeared back into the sand. Thud! Following that, a powerful vibration was felt. The Sandworms were charging towards the three individuals. Felix urgently spoke, moving quickly. ¡°Why are they leaving that bastard alone¡­?¡± Between them and the Sandworms was Zeon. However, Zeon was not leaping to their defense, and the behavior of the Sandworms skipping Zeon and rushing towards them was iprehensible. ¡°Damn it!¡± Darren cursed, delivering a punch to the ground with his mechanical fist. Kwaang! With a single punch from him, the sand erupted like a volcanic explosion. However, the force didn¡¯t reach the Sandworms beneath the surface. This is exactly what made dealing with Sandworms challenging. It wasn¡¯t easy to attack them as they hid beneath the surface, making it difficult to approach. Conversely, the creatures used the sand as a defensive barrier, patiently waiting for an opportune moment. It¡¯s not for nothing that Sandworms were known as the assassins and tyrants of the desert. Zahar spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t move recklessly, everyone. They can sense our vibrations. We need to kill them the moment they reveal themselves.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Understood, Leader!¡± Seido and Felix replied simultaneously. While their responses were confident, a perplexed expression lingered on their faces. Kwaaa! At that moment, a Sandworm suddenly raised its head. Itsrge, gaping mouth targeted Darren. ¡°Who does this bug bastard dare to target?¡± Darren, infuriated, swung his fist. It was a fist made of machinery. A ck aura emanated from the fist. It was a color exclusive to those integrated with machines. ck symbolized death and destruction. Darren had determined to obliterate the Sandworm in one blow. However, just before his fist could unleash its force on the Sandworm, a small variable urred. Crackle! Suddenly, a tiny me ignited on Darren¡¯s forearm. Of all ces, it happened to be the drive shaft of the mechanical prosthetic. As the drive shaft melted in an instant, the mechanical prosthetic ceased to function. Simultaneously, the ck aura enveloping the mechanical prosthetic vanished in the blink of an eye. At that moment, Darren¡¯s gaze shifted towards Zeon, who was standing at a distance. Instinctively, he realized it was Zeon¡¯s handiwork. His suspicion turned out to be true. Zeon was holding up his right arm. A gauntlet enveloping the entire forearm and fist. Embedded in the back of the gauntlet was a red gem. The red gem was vertically split in the middle, resembling the eyes of a reptile, emitting a sinister light between the two halves. Chimera Eblis, who was forced to be a guardian of the Gold Dragon Haeltoon. The eye of the Red Dragon, which had served as the power source for Eblis. Through the fusion of the Red Dragon¡¯s eye, the gauntlet transformed into the Gauntlet of Scorching Heat. The Gauntlet of Scorching Heat allowed Zeon to wield fire magic. While not as refined as manipting sand, it still allowed him to unleash fire magic somewhat intuitively. Concentrating the fire magic on a specific point, he melted only the drive mechanism of the prosthetic. He hadn¡¯t spread magic over a wide area, and concentrating it on a single point, like gathering sunlight through a magnifying ss, wasn¡¯t particrly difficult. Although it was a simple spell, the aftermath was anything but insignificant. As Darren hesitated when the prosthetic stopped working, a Sandworm seized the opportunity and swallowed him in one gulp. Squelch! Without a chance to scream, Darren¡¯s body was gruesomely torn out of the Sandworm¡¯s mouth. ¡°Darren!¡± ¡°No!¡± Zahar and Seido shouted loudly at the sight of Darren being ruthlessly devoured before them. The sound created vibrations, and the Sandworm, detecting the vibrations, attacked the two of them. Kwaaa! A massive mouth emerged, cutting through the sand. Zahar aimed a punch at the head of the Sandworm that suddenly appeared. Kwaang! Keee! With a deafening sound, the Sandworm let out a scream. While its exterior seemed unharmed, its brain waspletely scrambled. The Sandworm copsed, lifeless. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zahar, quickly putting out the mes, searched for the Sandworm that had devoured Darren. However, the Sandworm that had filled its belly had already concealed itself. ¡°This is¡­¡± It was when Zahar¡¯s shoulders trembled with anger. ¡°Ughh!¡± Suddenly, Seido¡¯s scream echoed. Seido was staggering, suffering from a severe burn on his side. In the midst of restraining the Sandworm, he had fallen victim to the me magic secretly cast by Zeon. The pain from the burning side temporarily overwhelmed Seido¡¯s senses. Seizing the opportunity, the Sandworm attacked Seido, disappearing into the sand in an instant. No screams were heard. ¡°Uwaahh!¡± Zahar, who had lost two subordinates in an instant, was enraged. He charged towards Zeon, the culprit behind the whole situation. Now, he no longer cared about the Sandworms. In his mind, there was only the determination to kill and eliminate Zeon. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can die peacefully! You bastard!¡± Zahar¡¯s charging figure, radiating fury, was extremely threatening. However, it fell far short of wiping the smirk off Zeon¡¯s face. Thud! Zeon flicked his finger. In an instant, the sand solidified, gripping Zahar¡¯s ankle. As a result, Zahar momentarily staggered. During that moment, the enormous Sandworm¡¯s mouth targeted him. ¡°How dare a mere insect like you¡­¡± Zahar attempted to unleash his skills against the Sandworm, but Zeon was quicker than that. Boom! A small me erupted before Zahar¡¯s eyes. The me directly seared Zahar¡¯s retina. ¡°Kraaagh!¡± Suddenly, pain and darkness engulfed Zahar as he screamed. In the meantime, the gigantic mouth of the Sandworm swallowed him. Zahar¡¯s scream vanished, consumed by the Sandworm. Swoosh! The Sandworm that swallowed Zahar disappeared into the sand. That was Zahar¡¯s end. Observing this, Zeon muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t always need to use a grand skill to kill.¡± Zeon had long realized that even a seemingly insignificant skill, when used strategically, could easily eliminate a formidable opponent. Moreover, the most perfect victory was achieved without exerting one¡¯s own strength. Zeon turned his head to look at Mandy. After allowing Zahar to deliver the blow, Mandy couldn¡¯t escape unscathed. Felix and Annika relentlessly attacked Mandy as if they had gone mad. ¡°Fuck! Die. Just die.¡± Felix cursed vehemently. The Curse of Copse. The Curse of Decay. Felix unleashed every curse he could muster onto Mandy. However, strangely, Mandy remained unscathed by his curses. Instead, it was Annika¡¯s attacks that pushed her into a corner. ¡°sh Bomb!¡± Boom! Annika¡¯s magic exploded right before Mandy¡¯s eyes. Mandy was sent flying as if caught in a storm. Her appearance was in disarray. Clothes torn, hair tangled messily. Seeing Mandy in such a state, Annika, fueled by anger, shouted. ¡°How is it? How does it feel? You damn bitch!¡± She, too, had witnessed herrades being devoured by the Sandworms. Rage had consumed her reason, and she vowed to kill Mandy even if it meant her own death. ¡°You¡¯re finished. You¡¯re dead. I¡¯ll tear you apart limb by limb.¡± Annika approached Mandy with great vigor. ¡°Ha! Damn it! I knew it woulde to this.¡± Mandy, who had been lying on the ground, spat out curses as she rose. Sweeping her blonde hair back, Mandy lifted her head. However, there was an inexplicable change in the atmosphere. Mandy was undeniably a stunning beauty. Deep golden waves of hair and azure eyes that resembled embedded sapphires. She possessed a noticeable beauty that stood out wherever she went. However, it seemed somewhatcking in fierceness to survive in the desert. But now, as Mandy lifted her head, her face bore a disdainful expression and a hint of venom. Certainly the same person, yet the entire atmosphere hadpletely shifted. Most notably, her ears were impressive. The pointed ears, previously concealed by her blonde hair, were now revealed. Annika, looking at her ears, made a sarcastic remark. ¡°What¡¯s this? You, an elf? No, a half-elf.¡± ¡°What the hell, why are you making sarcasticments? Ha!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Should I cut off your fingers and make them into chopsticks? Huh!¡± Annika¡¯s mind momentarily nked at Mandy¡¯s unexpected retort. She stammered. ¡°You, what¡­? What are you saying?¡± ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m a half-elf. Idiot!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s deal with you first.¡± Mandy drew a little rod from behind her waist. Shaaah! As she pressed the handle, the rod instantly transformed. Extending far taller than her, the rod now had a spearhead at its tip. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Thud! Mandy kicked the sand and propelled herself into the air. Shahahak! In an instant, Mandy arrived before Annika, swinging the spear. ¡°Yeek!¡± Annika hastily unfolded her Aero Boom. However, Mandy¡¯s spear ruthlessly cut through the Aero Boom. The air failed to explode, fading away without any impact. The spear¡¯s edge didn¡¯t only cut through the Aero Boom; it also shed Annika¡¯s neck. As if a red thread appeared on Annika¡¯s neck, her head promptly tumbled down to the ground. That was Annika¡¯s end. ¡°Annika!¡± Felix called out to Annika, shouting at the top of his lungs. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really noisy.¡± Mandy sneered, gripping the spear in reverse. As she did, the spearhead split into nine branches. Mandy threw the split spear. Squelch! ¡°Keuk!¡± The spear pierced Felix¡¯s chest. The spearhead, split into nine pieces, tore through the inside of Felix like a rag. Felix copsed, coughing up blood. Mandy pped her hands lightly and muttered. ¡°It was annoying to keep dealing with this ugly face flirting with me. Mandy, this girl is the problem. Why give him chances? How long do I have to clean up after her?¡± At that moment, a Sandworm unexpectedly raised its head from beneath her. However, Mandy didn¡¯t panic; she gracefully stepped back. The Sandworms quickly dragged the corpses of Annika and Felix inside. It felt like the Sandworms, now satisfied with their feast, were retreating. Zeon, paying no attention to the Sandworms, looked at Mandy. Though her appearance remained the same, everything about her temperament, atmosphere, and gaze had changed. It was as if her inner self had transformed. Zeon spoke. ¡°Two personalities in one body?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± At that moment, Mandy, with a peculiar sound, looked at Zeon. A captivating expression and lustful eyes. It was enchanting enough that any man whoid eyes on her would be captivated instantly. She approached Zeon with her back to him. ¡°As expected, you are not an ordinary young man. Mandy can¡¯t handle you.¡± ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Eloy. As you can see, I¡¯m Mandy¡¯s guardian.¡± ¡°Fascinating. Being a half-elf is surprising enough, but having a dual personality? Do others know about this?¡± ¡°This is the first time someone has heard my name and remained alive. So far.¡± ¡°It sounds like a threat that I¡¯ll be killed if I make a wrong move? Or is it just a misconception?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no misconception. I can do anything to protect Mandy.¡± ¡°Then you should keep me alive even more. Without me, Mandy would wander the desert and eventually die.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the dilemma. How to dispose of you.¡± Eloy grinned, revealing her white teeth. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 58 Chapter 58 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 58 Mandy considered herself an ordinary human. This was understandable as, in her youth, she possessed an appearance no different from others. Though she heardpliments about her beauty back then as well, it was well within the boundaries of human norms. It wasn¡¯t until after her secondary puberty that Mandy became aware of her half-elf nature. One noticeable change was her ears. While not as pointed as those of full-blooded elves, they weren¡¯t as rounded as typical human ears either. It seemed as if the two features were perfectly blended. After this revtion, Mandy questioned her identity and eventually discovered the truth. Her mother had been assaulted by an elf, leading to Mandy¡¯s conception. The seed of misfortune nted in her mind, Mandy became disheartened and gradually turned inward. She became hypersensitive to the gazes of others, internalizing the struggles day by day. To protect her, Eloy was created. Another personality emerged. Eloy¡¯s temperament was starkly different from Mandy¡¯s, embodying aggression and violence. Viewing everyone as an enemy, Eloy would recklessly attack, tearing throats without hesitation. Due to Eloy¡¯s destructive tendencies, numerous problems arose. As the situation worsened, the personality that had lurked beneath the surface for so long finally revealed itself. Mandy stepped forward to calm Eloy, resulting in a more active presence than ever before. Mandy forged an agreement with Eloy. In Neo Seoul, Mandy¡¯s personality dominates. Eloy, on the other hand, takes charge when there¡¯s no need to worry about others¡¯ gazes. Eloy deemed it the right moment for her to be in control. In her hand was a spear, not an ordinary one, but an item excavated from a dungeon. It possessed extraordinary power with an automatic summoning feature for its owner. The nine-pronged de resembled the tails of a nine-tailed fox, hence its name, ¡®Mad *Gumiho.¡¯ [*Gumiho = Nine-Tailed Fox in Korean, simr to Kitsune in Japanese.] The Mad Gumiho was a legendary weapon even in Kurayan. The fact that such a weapon found its way into Eloy¡¯s hands might have been destiny, given her partial elven lineage. Wooong! The Mad Gumiho vibrated in Eloy¡¯s hand, responding to her determination. Eloy grinned and spoke. ¡°What¡¯s it gonna be? Do you want to be torn apart and be food for the monsters? Or will you obediently listen to me?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t listen, will I be food for the monsters?¡± ¡°Hoho! Of course, why ask the obvious? Oh, there¡¯s a third option, by the way.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Kill that bastard, and let¡¯s establish some kind of understanding between you and me. Everyone could be happy then.¡± The ¡®bastard¡¯ she referred to was none other than Kim Sangsik, riding on the Bactrian Camel. Sangsik, realizing the situation, paled. ¡°Why are you trying to kill me? I haven¡¯t done anything!¡± ¡°You know Mandy¡¯s secret.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone. I promise to keep the secret.¡± ¡°Aaha! Who would believe that? Killing you to keep your mouth shut is much cleaner.¡± ¡°Please spare my life.¡± Sangsik dismounted from the camel and knelt, realizing escape was impossible. It was better to plead than futilely attempt a getaway. Tears and mucus streamed down Sangsik¡¯s face as he looked at Eloy, who chuckled. ¡°Ugh, this guy¡¯s begging is so annoying¡­¡± Her gaze shifted back to Zeon. ¡°What should we do? Choose. It¡¯s your call.¡± ¡°None of the options appeal to me. I¡¯d rather talk to Mandy. Please bring her.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work. She has a withdrawn personality.¡± ¡°Still, I want to meet her. How can I do that?¡± ¡°Simple! Beat me. If I burst, she¡¯lle out. Of course, that won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple. Thankfully.¡± ¡°Do you have the confidence to beat me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious, are you so arrogant by relying on just that spear?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Without the half-elf part, you don¡¯t seem all that special. Your confidence seems excessive.¡± Zeon¡¯s words,ced with a hint of amusement, stiffened Eloy¡¯s expression. She retorted while gripping the Mad Gumiho. ¡°Fuck! Talking all high and mighty without knowing a thing. Sometimes you need a good beating toe to your senses.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°Ha! I¡¯ll knock some sense into that big mouth of yours, you bastard!¡± Eloy¡¯s anger erupted. She swung the Mad Gumiho. In an instant, the illusion of a spear made of mana appeared in the air. It was one of her skills, Rain Spear. The power of Rain Spear unleashed through the Mad Gumiho was immense. Boom! Boom! Boom! Crash! The Rain Spear erupted like a volcanic explosion, causing sand to shoot up like pirs before cascading in all directions,pletely upheaving the area. However, Zeon¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. Eloy scanned the surroundings, flicking her eyes, soon able to spot him. Zeon had quietly shifted about twenty meters to the left, and there was no trace of any wounds from the spear. ¡°Quite the trick¡­¡± Eloy dashed towards Zeon like the wind. The extended Mad Gumiho lunged at Zeon. Just before being pierced, Zeon swung his gauntleted fist. Crash! With a metallic sound, the Mad Gumiho was repelled. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Eloy was taken aback. The Mad Gumiho, being an item excavated from the dungeon, possessed tremendous piercing power. It could easily tear through weapons and armor like paper. However, it seemed a seemingly ordinary gauntlet had blocked the Mad Gumiho. ¡°It seems like that¡¯s also an item from a dungeon.¡± ¡°A friend made it for me.¡± ¡°Fuck! A human making something like that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re half human yourself, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t underestimate them.¡± Zeon chuckled. Eloy was left bewildered. The gauntlet he was wearing was crafted by Kailey, whom he met some time ago. Combined with the eye of a Red Dragon, Kailey¡¯s masterpiece, a rare enchanter, evolved into the Gauntlet of Scorching Heat. The Gauntlet of Scorching Heat became an entirely different item from when Kailey first created it. Its power was by no means inferior to the Mad Gumiho. ¡°Die!¡± Eloy went into a frenzy. She wildly swung the spear, pulling something from her pouch and scattering it around Zeon. It was a kind of trap. A trap created for hunting monsters in Neo Seoul. Naturally, it was no ordinary item. If there were mana-infused creatures in the vicinity, it would attract them with its enchanting force and immobilize them. Once caught in the trap, even the strongest monster would be temporarily unable to move. Eloy scattered around a dozen of these traps, blocking all of Zeon¡¯s possible paths. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] With this, she felt confident in attacking Zeon. However, all her attacks were blocked by Zeon¡¯s gauntlet. ng! Sparks flew out with a metallic sound. Eloy charged forward to attack, and Zeon retreated while defending. Charging forward was easier than retreating. Moreover, the movement added more strength to the attack. Naturally, it seemed advantageous to charge forward. Eloy thought the same. However, the situation turned out to be the opposite. Zeon, as if hanging from invisible strings, gilded backwards, and even at Eloy¡¯s speed, catching up was challenging. What further fueled her frustration was that Zeon hadn¡¯t used any skills yet, simply observing her every move. As if he wanted to gauge the extent of her true skills. ¡°Where the hell is this bastard¡­?¡± Eloy, in a frenzy, swung the Mad Gumiho. Each time, a powerful skill was unleashed upon Zeon. Crash! Sand erupted, and a gust of wind swept in all directions. Zeon¡¯s head was also blowing in the wind. However, behind the strands of hair, there was no hint of movement in his eyes. The Mad Gumiho seemed to be splitting into nine. Not illusions but real nine entities. At Eloy¡¯s gesture, nine spears rose into the air. From the mana connecting the nine spears, an incredibly intense light emanated. ¡°Take this! Nine Spear Strike.¡± Eloy¡¯s ultimate skill unfolded. Zeon¡¯s retinas were filled with a ze of light. Suddenly, a smile appeared on his lips. ¡°Interesting!¡± It¡¯s been a long time since Zeon had encountered someone who actively revealed the skills to attack him so boldly. Since the battle with Leviathan in the distant south, most formidable monsters had avoided him altogether. As a result, he hadn¡¯t had a proper fight until now. Facing an opponent who genuinely confronted him with full force after such a long time brought a rather enjoyable feeling. Injecting mana into the Gauntlet of Scorching Heat, Zeon unleashed a powerful strike. Fwhoosh! In an instant, mes surged from the gauntlet. The crimson mes rotated like a dragon¡¯s breath, colliding with the Nine Spear Strike. Kwaang! ¡°Argh!¡± A stifled groan escaped Eloy¡¯s lips. Her face, whitened by the intense impact, disyed frustration. Instead of overpowering Zeon, she ended up receiving a counterforce, and the nine spears were deflected in various directions. Meanwhile, Zeon rushed forward through the openings. The zing gauntlet caught particr attention, the red gem on the back of the hand resembling the eye of a colossal monster. In the midst of this, Zeon, reaching Eloy¡¯s proximity, delivered a powerful punch. Thud! ¡°Keuk!¡± Eloy was thrown backward with a scream. Fortunately, she managed to cross her arms to block the attack, but if her reaction had been slightly dyed, her chest might have caved in. It felt like both her arms were about to break, but Zeon¡¯s assault was far from over. Thud! His knee struck her face, and this time, she couldn¡¯t even scream. Her nose broke, and everything went hazy. Still, Eloy tried desperately to regain herposure and counterattack. But Zeon didn¡¯t give her a chance to recover. Thud! Zeon¡¯s fist pounded into her abdomen. Eloy retched, expelling all the food in her stomach, and crumpled to the ground. ¡°Fuck!¡± Eloy reached out, summoning the Mad Gumiho, but she couldn¡¯t swing it in time. Zeon kneeled on her chest, seizing her wrist with a strong grip. Eloy gritted her teeth, trying to free herself with all her might, but it proved futile. Maintaining his position, Zeon opened his mouth. ¡°Bring Mandy out.¡± ¡°Fuck you!¡± Thud! Instantly, Zeon¡¯s fist struck Eloy¡¯s face. Her cheekbones shattered, blood sttering everywhere. ¡°Bring Mandy.¡± ¡°No way!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get beaten¡­¡± Eloy red at Zeon with venomous eyes, but the moment her gaze met Zeon¡¯s pupils, she involuntarily swallowed dryly. ¡®What kind of eyes¡­¡¯ Dry ck pupils that seemed to read no emotions¡ªa gaze resembling that of a beast rather than a human. ¡°I¡¯ll say it onest time. Either die as Eloy or bring out Mandy.¡± ¡°You¡­ bastard!¡± With those words, Eloy¡¯s expression changed in an instant. The defiant demeanor vanishedpletely, reced by a face overwhelmed with fear. It was Mandy. ¡°Sob!¡± Tears streamed down Mandy¡¯s face. Seeing her like this, Zeon chuckled. ¡°Now, we can finally have a proper conversation.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 59 Chapter 59 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 59 Just because there were two consciousnesses didn¡¯t mean one¡¯s field of vision was limited. Although Eloy took the forefront, Mandy also shared the same field of vision. So she watched closely how Eloy was being brutally beaten by Zeon. Eloy¡¯s pain was also Mandy¡¯s pain. Naturally, she keenly felt the suffering Eloy was going through. That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t help but look at Zeon with a frightened expression. Zeon spoke. ¡°Mandy, right?¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± ¡°I think I understand the roles you two y now. You handle anything rted to Neo Seoul, and Eloy takes care of the fighting, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say anything about Eloying out just now. But whenever we negotiate or exchange information, Mandy must be the one to do it. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Clear¡­ yes.¡± ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s settle it that way from now on.¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Zeon looked puzzled, and Mandy cautiously answered. ¡°Eloy¡­ acted rudely.¡± ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s okay. It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal.¡± Zeon smirked as if to say, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Eloy was undoubtedly strong. If ranked as an Awakened, she would be at least B-rank or higher. Especially the skill she disyed at the end was quite dangerous. If it had been any other Awakened instead of Zeon, they would¡®ve been seriously injured or even dead. Eloy was that good at one-on-onebat. But the problem was that Zeon was even more skilled inbat than her. After parting ways with Dyoden, Zeon had been in numerous fights for seven years. Most of them were battles against monsters, but there were also fights against humans, such as the local indigenous people and scavengers who targeted Zeon. Zeon had won all those fights and survived. He had umted experiences iparable to Eloy. Thanks to that, he could subdue Eloy without even using his sand powers. Mandy expressed disbelief. ¡°Eloy is strong¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s strong. With a bit more experience, she could be dangerous¡­ Oh! Drink this first.¡± Zeon suddenly took out a small bottle from inside his robe and handed it to her. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a kind of healing potion. If you drink it, minor injuries will heal quickly. Oh, and set your broken bones in ce before drinking it. They might heal misaligned if you don¡¯t.¡± Mandy¡¯s nose had been broken, struck by Zeon¡¯s knee. Only then did Mandy realize her condition, and put her nose back in ce. Crack! As soon as the broken nose found its ce, she breathed morefortably. Mandy took the mysterious healing potion Zeon gave her. The moment she drank it, a strange refreshing feeling spread through her. Heat rose in her previously broken nose and injured arms. It was a sign that the bones were mending. Mandy looked at the empty bottle in astonishment. ¡°What is this? I¡¯ve never heard of a healing potion like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mixture of some monster¡¯s blood and herbs. Quite effective, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°This goes beyond being just effective.¡± Even in Neo Seoul, there was no healing potion with such efficacy. Taking Zeon¡¯s healing potion into Neo Seoul would surely cause amotion. ¡®Who exactly is this man¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t understand him ording to hermon sense. He could see through everything in the desert, and on top of that, he was eerily strong. If such a person existed in Neo Seoul, she would have known. Her ignorance meant that Zeon didn¡¯t grow up within Neo Seoul. ¡®There was such a powerful individual outside Neo Seoul.¡¯ Unconsciously, she rubbed her forearm. Goosebumps rose on her body. Inside, a part of her was raging, Eloy was making a fuss. She wanted to fight again, believing she could win. But Mandy knew. Even if Eloy came out again and fought, she wouldn¡¯t be an opponent for Zeon. Mandy asked, ¡°Is something bothering you?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know El Harun?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Mandy shook her head at the word she heard for the first time in her life. ¡°You don¡¯t know? They say it¡¯s a city built by the different species that came over from Kurayan.¡± ¡°What? Those bastards built a city?¡± Eloy¡¯s personality suddenly emerged. Whether Zeon put on a stoic face or said something, she couldn¡¯t help but express her anger. ¡°Did those bastards really build a city like Neo Seoul? Speak up.¡± ¡°I clearly asked to talk to Mandy, not Eloy. It seems you easily forget your lessons.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­ Fuck! Sorry. It¡¯s just that, when I get pissed off, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying¡­¡± ¡°Why are you pissed off? Your race must also exist in El Harun.¡± ¡°Do I look like the result of love? Those elf bastards assaulted our mother to give birth to me. So, does that sound pleasant to you? Tell me where it is. I¡¯ll go in and kill them all right now.¡± Eloy raged, ready to rush in if she found out where it was. Zeon, looking at her like that, said. ¡°Since you¡¯re no help at all, send Mandy out.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Eloy left with curses, and Mandy appeared. She apologized with a confused expression. ¡°Sorry. When she really gets angry, I can¡¯t control her¡­¡± ¡°Never mind. Do you really not know about El Harun?¡± ¡°I¡­ I really heard about it for the first time now.¡± ¡°Are there any different species inside Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Any? There are quite a few of them.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t a lot of them killed in the massacre several decades ago?¡± ¡°How do you know about that? Yes! It is said that at that time, a lot of people died. But they quickly multiplied like cockroaches.¡± Like Eloy, there was a strong hatred for different species in Mandy¡¯s tone, especially towards elves. ¡°Do you think there might be someone among them who knows about El Harun?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Mandy hesitated at the end of her words. At that moment, Kim Sangsik, who had been watching, cautiously spoke up. ¡°If it¡¯s the Ice Queen, she might know.¡± ¡°Ice Queen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the nickname for the ruler of the northern territory.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a pure elf.¡± Zeon looked at Kim Sangsik with interest. ¡°So, the Ice Queen is a pure elf?¡± ¡°Yes! It is presumed that she is of pure elven blood.¡± ¡°Damn bitch.¡± Mandy uttered an angry tone mixed with her voice. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Currently, Neo Seoul was divided into five major districts. Jin Geumho, the mayor, dominated the center. Naturally, he held the greatest power, overseeing overall Neo Seoul policies. The person who had transformed the ruins of Seoul, destroyed by terraforming side effects, into a city harmonizing magic and civilization was none other than him. He, a living monster, had performed the role of the mayor for over a century with overwhelming support from Neo Seoul citizens. His power, as solid as the high walls surrounding Neo Seoul, was formidable. However, there were those who challenged his power. They were the rulers of the four directions¡ªEast, West, South, and North¡ªeach reigning over their respective territories. The ruler of the East, Sedun. The ruler of the West, Kim Hyunsoo. The ruler of the South, Xiao Ran. Lastly, the ruler of the North, the Ice Queen. The Ice Queen was an elf. Because she rarely engaged in external activities, people in general were not even aware of her existence. But she definitely existed. From behind a thick curtain, she led the North District. Most of the different species within Neo Seoul resided in the North, which was why there were so many. The Ice Queen had thoroughly protected them. ¡°That bitch will never talk. She¡¯s a selfish woman who only cares about her own kind.¡± There was a time when Mandy had considered relying on the Ice Queen. However, due to being a half-elf, she hadn¡¯t even seen her face. It wasn¡¯t the Ice Queen¡¯s doing; it was one of her subordinates. He had immense pride in being a pure elf. When he found out that the young Mandy who came to him was a half-elf, he humiliated her immensely. Since that incident, Mandy trembled whenever she thought of the North District. Even though the insult was from a subordinate, it was still a humiliation from the Ice Queen¡¯s camp. Afterward, Mandy never visited the North District again, and the mere mention of the Ice Queen made her tremble. Zeon¡¯s reaction was different from hers. ¡°Thank you. This is valuable information. It¡¯s highly likely that she knows about El Harun.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d I could help.¡± ¡°But you understand the need for secrecy?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Zeon nodded his head. It was still a secret to be kept. Although not known at the moment, people would eventually learn of the existence of a city named El Harun. Perhaps the leaders of Neo Seoul already knew this fact. The only thing unknown was where exactly El Harun was. The same applied to Zeon. After Dyoden disappeared along with Haeltoon, Zeon roamed the world. Among the ces he visited was the Kamchatka Colony. It was to find El Harun, which was presumed to be near the Kamchatka Colony. Zeon was confident that he could easily find El Harun with his abilities. However, reality was different. No matter how much he searched the vicinity, El Harun did not appear. It was only then that Zeon realized that El Harun was perfectly hidden using some special method. ¡®Perhaps hidden with a magic barrier or magic spells.¡¯ The moment he realized this fact, Zeon gave up neatly searching for El Harun. There were many ces he wanted to visit. He didn¡¯t want to waste time pursuing El Harun in one ce. After that, Zeon left the Kamchatka Colony and wandered the world. ¡®Ice Queen. I will definitely have to meet you after I enter Neo Seoul.¡¯ Although he didn¡¯t get a definite answer, he had some clues, so he felt it was okay to return to Neo Seoul with peace of mind. Zeon said, moving his steps. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Mandy and Kim Sangsik followed Zeon. Kim Sangsik was relieved that Zeon didn¡¯t abandon him. At that moment, Mandy approached him and whispered. ¡°If what happened here leaks out, Eloy will kill you for sure.¡± ¡°Eloy? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I haven¡¯t seen anyone like that.¡± ¡°Keep that promise.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I also value my life.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Mandy¡¯s words sent a chill down Kim Sangsik¡¯s spine. Mandy had been hiding the fact that she had two personalities. Also the fact that she was a half-elf. If either of these secrets got out, she would be in serious trouble. She was using this as a threat. Now, Kim Sangsik had to keep not only Zeon¡¯s secret but also Mandy¡¯s secret. Fortunately, Kim Sangsik was someone who could keep his mouth shut in any situation. He promised to keep the secrets and looked around. The bodies of Annika and Felix were nowhere to be seen. They were probably already digested in the Sandworm¡¯s stomach. Thinking that he might end up like that too if he made a mistake, his spine shivered. At that moment. Swoosh! Suddenly, the sand rose up and sandworms appeared. The sandworms circled around Zeon, Mandy, and Kim Sangsik for a moment. At that moment, Zeon subtly kicked the ground. Thud! A short but powerful vibration spread, reaching far and wide through the sand. The sandworms chased the vibration created by Zeon and disappeared into the distance. Kim Sangsik was astonished by the unbelievable sight. ¡®What on earth is this man¡­¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 60 Chapter 60 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 60 Cha Dong-seok, a D-rank Martial Artist Awakened, was dispatched from Neo Seoul to the *Mana Stone Mine. [Changed from ¡°Magic¡± to ¡°Mana¡±.] His mission was to patrol around the Mana Stone Mine, identify and eliminate any threats. ¡°Damn it!¡± Dust umted on his goggles, making it difficult to see clearly. The constant blowing sand was the cause. Cha Dong-seok took off his goggles and roughly wiped them with his sleeve, grumbling. ¡°Seriously, can¡¯t we do something about this damn sand? I have to wipe my goggles every ten minutes.¡± ¡°The whole world has turned into sand. What can you do? You can¡¯t just sweep away all the sand. Just endure it like everyone else. Hehe!¡± His subordinate chuckled, looking at Cha Dong-seok. ¡°Damn it! I wish I could sweep it away myself. It¡¯s just frustrating because I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°If that were possible, where would humans be? It¡¯s probably impossible even for gods.¡± ¡°The gods must be dead. If gods existed, would the world be in such a mess?¡± Cha Dong-seok put his goggles back on and looked up at the sky. It¡¯s said that the sky used to be blue, but now it just seemed yellowish. Come to think of it, he had never seen a blue sky even once. So, stories about the sky being blue in the past were hard to believe. ¡°I wish I could see a blue sky before I die.¡± ¡°Hehe! Is that even possible? Just wake up from your dream already.¡± ¡°You bastard! Can¡¯t I even dream?¡± Thud! Cha Dong-seok pped the back of his subordinate¡¯s head. However, the subordinate justughed it off. He said, ¡°Shall we start heading back soon? It looks like the sun will set in a little while.¡± ¡°Fine. Turn the steering wheel.¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Just as the subordinate was about to turn the steering wheel, something strange caught Cha Dong-seok¡¯s eyes. ¡°Wait! Stop.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Over there, isn¡¯t that a person?¡± ¡°What? Nonsense. In the middle of the desert, a person¡­ oh, damn, there is.¡± The subordinate widened his eyes. On top of a sand dune in the distance, there were figures walking towards them. Although their faces were not visible yet due to the distance, it was clear that they were people. ¡°Scavengers?¡± ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any scavengers active around here.¡± ¡°Still, be prepared to fight at any moment, and drive towards them.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± There were five people in the buggy, including Cha Dong-seok. Prepared to attack at any moment, they drove towards the approaching figures. After a while, they could meet the unknown individuals. Two men, one woman, and a Bactrian Camel, amon means of transportation for scavengers. Thickyers of dust covered their heads and shoulders. Cha Dong-seok, stopping the buggy in front of them, shouted. ¡°This area is the Mana Stone Mine managed by Neo Seoul. Stop and identify yourselves.¡± ¡°Mana Stone Mine? Well, then we¡¯vee to the right ce.¡± The woman replied, looking at Cha Dong-seok. Blonde hair, blue eyes, an incredibly beautiful woman. The men in the buggy couldn¡¯t help but focus their gaze on her. Although it might be ufortable for her, the woman casually revealed her identity. ¡°My name is Mandy Systein, a supervisor from Neo Seoul, dispatched with Pathfinder Team 7 to investigate the monster ecology in the south.¡± ¡°Supervisor for Pathfinder Team 7?¡± Cha Dong-seok¡¯s pupils shook. The Pathfinder Teams were an elite armed group. Their strength, aiming for exploration, was iparable to those like Cha Dong-seok, who patrolled or roamed around. If she was indeed a supervisor for Pathfinder Team 7, she was undoubtedly someone superior to Cha Dong-seok. ¡°Can you prove your identity?¡± ¡°If you contact Neo Seoul, they will respond quickly.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± At that moment, the man on the Bactrian Camel spoke up. ¡°I will vouch for her identity.¡± ¡°And who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a mechanic dispatched with the Pathfinder Teams. Here is my ess card.¡± Kim Sangsik had an ess card. Since he frequently entered major facilities, he always carried it with him. Cha Dong-seok checked Kim Sangsik¡¯s ess card. ¡®It¡¯s certain!¡¯ ess cards were impossible to steal or forge. They responded to the bio-waves of the carrier, making theft or forgery impossible. Cha Dong-seok¡¯s gaze turned to thest man. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s part of my group. I guarantee his identity.¡± Mandy stepped forward to vouch for Zeon. Zeon, flipping his robe back, looked at Cha Dong-seok. ¡°I¡¯m Zeon. I¡¯m from the slums.¡± ¡°Slums?¡± For a moment, disdain shed across Cha Dong-seok¡¯s face. A reaction to the word ¡®slums.¡¯ In Neo Seoul, those from the slums were treated as criminals. Especially Awakened from the slums were often regarded with suspicion. Although not all, many of them were affiliated with criminal organizations. Moreover, not registering as Awakened in Neo Seoul made their identities uncertain. Many criminal activities were centered around Awakened from the slums. That was why the perception was not favorable. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Kim Sangsik spoke. ¡°He¡¯s not a dangerous person. I¡¯ll vouch for him too.¡± ¡°Hmm! I understand for now. However, if you enter the Mana Stone Mine, you must first be quarantined. Please understand.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Kim Sangsik nodded. Cha Dong-seok pointed to the backseat of the buggy and said. ¡°All three of you, get in the car. We¡¯ll head to the Mana Stone Mine.¡± ¡°Finally, getting in a car.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alive.¡± Joyful expressions appeared on Mandy and Kim Sangsik¡¯s faces. It had been almost two weeks. Despite taking breaks intermittently by taking turns riding the Bactrian Camel, the pain remained constant. The whole body was sore and painful. They wanted to quickly enter the Mana Stone Mine, restfortably, and recover. The two of them quickly got into the buggy. Unlike them, Zeon didn¡¯t immediately get in and approached the Bactrian Camel. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. Now live freely.¡± Zeon whispered as he removed the saddle strapped to the back of the Bactrian Camel. The camel closed its eyes and leaned its face against Zeon¡¯s face, as ifmunicating with him. In fact, they had spent quite a long time together. But now that Zeon was entering Neo Seoul, it was time to part ways. ¡°Farewell!¡± At Zeon¡¯s words, the Bactrian Camel snorted loudly and soon dashed into the desert. Zeon watched its departing figure for a moment before getting on the buggy. It had been a year traveling with Dyoden and seven years alone. For the first time in eight years, Zeon sat in a car. Perhaps that¡¯s why it felt strange. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± At Cha Dong-seok¡¯smand, the buggy set off. Zeon closed his eyes and felt the vibrations of the vehicle. Mandy and Kim Sangsik looked at Zeon with mixed expressions. ¡®We really made it safely to Neo Seoul.¡¯ ¡®Does this make any sense?¡¯ The past 15 days with Zeon felt like a dream. They faced numerous dangers on their way here. Sometimes encountering giant monsters, and at other times, narrowly escaping quicksands. Yet Zeon, as if sensing all the threats in advance, always managed to avoid them by a hair¡¯s breadth. Although walking on the sand was challenging, they had never faced a life-threatening situation. Both Mandy and Kim Sangsik knew how incredible this was. The fact that they survived was nothing short of a miracle. And Zeon was the one who made that miracle happen. Their gazes toward Zeon were filled with admiration. Zeon, seemingly aware of their gazes, extended his head out of the window, looking ahead. In the distance, a rocky hill protruded from the desert ¨C the Mana Stone Mine. It had been eight years since hest saw this sight, making it feel like a new experience. ¡®To return to this ce¡­¡¯ When he left, he never thought he would be able toe back. Back then, merely following Dyoden was overwhelming. The giant gate opened, revealing the interior of the Mana Stone Mine city. It remained unchanged from eight years ago. Cha Dong-seok got out of the car and spoke to Mandy and Kim Sangsik. ¡°I¡¯ll take you both to your lodgings.¡± ¡°And what about him?¡± Mandy pointed at Zeon. ¡°There are separate ces for those from the slums.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s with our group.¡± ¡°I apologize. It¡¯s the rule of the Mana Stone Mine.¡± Cha Dong-seok was firm. Mandy seemed like she was about to say something, but Zeon spoke first. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so go and restfortably.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. As you know, I can sleep well anywhere.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Seeing Zeon like this, Mandy had no choice. She and Kim Sangsik followed Cha Dong-seok toward their lodgings. An Awakened individual approached Zeon. ¡°Come with me.¡± Every aspect ¨C attitude, tone, gaze ¨C the person treated Zeon with disdain. ¡°Of course.¡± Zeon, smiling, followed the Awakened individual. Throughout the journey, the Awakened individual remained silent, not saying a word. The ce the Awakened individual took Zeon was a shabby lodging deep within the city of the mine. Creak! As they entered, people inside the lodging became visible. All of them were Cha Dong-seok¡¯s subordinates. Thud! As the door closed, the Awakened individual who brought Zeon spoke. ¡°Did you say you were from the slums?¡± ¡°Yes, so?¡± ¡°How did someone from the slums end up with them? What¡¯s your purpose in entering the Mana Stone Mine?¡± ¡°Purpose? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Is it rted to the scavengers?¡± He treated Zeon as if he were a criminal. Other Awakened created a tense atmosphere, surrounding Zeon. However, Zeon responded without any sign of unease. ¡°I have no connection with the scavengers.¡± ¡°Then why did you enter the Mana Stone Mine?¡± ¡°Are you allowed to do this by any chance?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I may be from the slums, but I¡¯m part of the supervisor¡¯s team. Can you handle the consequences?¡± ¡°What the hell is this guy saying? Do you think that woman can protect you? If I throw you into the underground of the Mana Stone Mine right now, no one will find you. So, it¡¯s better for you to answer honestly when treated well. No, this shouldn¡¯t be happening. Show me your rank insignia.¡± The wrist insignia was the most certain way to determine the rank and grade of the opponent. Therefore, breaking this unspoken rule among Awakened was a grave action. It indicated that they considered Zeon with contempt, knowing he was from the slums. The Awakened individual roughly grabbed Zeon¡¯s wrist. ¡°What? Are you wearing gauntlets? Aren¡¯t you going to take this off?¡± He tried to forcibly remove Zeon¡¯s gauntlets. If he thought of Zeon as an equal opponent, this would have been an action he could never take. Others did nothing to stop him; they just watched. All of them were looking down on Zeon after learning that he was from the slums. ¡°Haha!¡± Zeonughed at the absurd situation. In response, the Awakened gripping Zeon¡¯s wrist had an even angrier expression. ¡°What? Is this guyughing? Do I look funny to you?¡± ¡°Yes! You look amusing.¡± ¡°You bastard¡­¡± Thud! At that moment, a chilling cracking sound echoed. The Awakened, who had been trying to remove Zeon¡¯s gauntlets, suddenly looked down at his own wrist. Zeon had broken it. Btedly realizing his situation, the Awakened screamed. ¡°Arghhh!¡± ¡°Did you never learn that if you carelessly mess with someone else¡¯s wrist insignia, you¡¯ll get your own wrist broken? Well, that¡¯s disappointing.¡± The atmosphere in the room turned cold at Zeon¡¯s words. ¡°This bastard¡­!¡± ¡°He¡¯s crazy.¡± The other Awakened inside drew their weapons. Zeonughed as he looked at them. ¡°It seems none of you have learned it.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 61 Chapter 61 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 61 After guiding Mandy and Kim Sangsik to their lodging, Cha Dong-seok came outside. There was no doubt about the identities of the two. Kim Sangsik¡¯s ess card was decisive. The problem was Zeon. It was entirely Cha Dong-seok¡¯s responsibility on how to treat an Awakened from the slums. ¡°I guess they must¡¯ve handled it well on their own, right?¡± Cha Dong-seok had been with his subordinates for a long time, and just by exchanging nces, they knew exactly what Cha Dong-seok wanted. They must have already taken care of Zeon on their own. It wasn¡¯t because there was any personal grudge against Zeon; such incidents weremonce in Neo Seoul. Especially Awakened individuals from the slums were known to be dealt with harshly to keep them in check. Even if problems arose from this incident, higher-ups wouldn¡¯t inquire. They allowed some autonomy in such matters, as interfering could lead to more trouble. So, the decision on how to handle Zeon fell entirely on Cha Dong-seok. Arriving in front of the shabby lodging where Zeon was taken, Cha Dong-seok couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. ¡°Those bastards didn¡¯t kill him, did they?¡± With an anxious heart, Cha Dong-seok forcefully opened the door. The sight inside made him doubt his eyes; an unbelievable scene unfolded before him. ¡°Argh! Captain.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± All of his subordinates were lying on the floor, groaning in pain. Each one had limbs twisted in bizarre directions. In the center of it all was Zeon. Zeon sat on a chair, calmly looking at Cha Dong-seok. ¡°Wee.¡± ¡°What¡­ what happened to them?¡± Surprised, Cha Dong-seok unsheathed his sword. Swoosh! Zeon stood up and approached him. Cha Dong-seok aimed his sword at Zeon¡¯s neck. ¡°Did you do this to them?¡± ¡°They were carelessly trying to look at someone else¡¯s rank insignia.¡± ¡°Just for that, you did this to them? This bastard¡­¡± ¡°If you swing that sword, your wrist won¡¯t be safe either.¡± ¡°And you think you can enter Neo Seoul like this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to enter Neo Seoul anyway. I¡¯ll stay in the slums.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Cha Dong-seok gritted his teeth. Neo Seoul and the slums were adjacent but practically separate territories. Even within Neo Seoul, they rarely interfered with slum affairs. Interfering would only cause headaches. Hence, they allowed some autonomy. Zeon approached Cha Dong-seok. The distance was so close that their breaths intermingled, and Cha Dong-seok could see the deep, dry ckness in Zeon¡¯s eyes. For the first time, Cha Dong-seok felt an eerie sensation. Zeon¡¯s eyes made him feel as if his soul were plunging into an abyss just by making eye contact. It was a sensation he had never experienced before. Although only D-rank, he was a veteran who had been through all sorts of dangers. Realizing something was wrong, he quickly changed his stance. ¡°I apologize. Why didn¡¯t you mention you were a high-ranking Awakened?¡± ¡°Mandy and Kim Sangsik vouched for me. Did you forget that already?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I apologize.¡± When one must bow, they must bow properly. Cha Dong-seok apologized without further excuses. The level of his subordinates was not significantly low. They were all either D or E-rank Awakened. Despite this, they couldn¡¯t inflict a single wound on Zeon and suffered a miserable defeat. If stepping forward wouldn¡¯t change the situation, it was best to bury everything here and withdraw. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like Zeon had any intention of escting the problem any further. ¡°So, we don¡¯t have any issues, right?¡± ¡°Was there a problem?¡± ¡°Luckily, no. Still, it¡¯s good that we canmunicate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for a change of amodation.¡± ¡°No need. This much is sufficient.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°I just want to be alone for a while.¡± ¡°Understood. Then, restfortably.¡± After nodding respectfully to Zeon, Cha Dong-seok called out to his subordinates. ¡°Hey, you bastards! Why are you still lying down? Get up quickly.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Keuk!¡± Groaning, the subordinates reluctantly got up. Cha Dong-seok went outside along with them. As soon as the crowd outside disappeared, Zeon murmured to himself. ¡°Now I can finally rest a bit.¡± It was a necessary ceremony after all. If he could get by with just this, it wasn¡¯t a bad oue. Zeon sat down and observed the inside of the lodging. Suddenly, he chuckled. ¡°This ce.¡± It was the lodging where he stayed eight years ago when he first came to the Mana Stone Mine. He recognized it immediately, since nothing had changed. After spending one night here, he was dragged to the Mana Stone Mine the next day, and from there, he fell into a dungeon. And eight years had passed. Now he was no longer a child, and he had no intention of working in the mine. Yet, there was a strange feeling that he should enter the Mana Stone Mine again. ¡°Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t that old swindler here too?¡± The swindler, who made him pay 10 Soles for a single meal, and snatched a Mana Stone worth 300 Sols for only 100. Despite that, Zeon had received the hourss, leading to obtaining Exion. But the fact remained that he was scammed. Although a long time had passed, the swindler¡¯s face was vivid in his memory. ¡°It was old man Klexi, right? I guess it¡¯s time to see his face after a long time.¡± There was nothing to do inside anyway. Zeon went outside. Fortunately, Cha Dong-seok had probably mentioned it in advance, as no one tried to engage or stop him. Thanks to that, Zeon couldfortably arrive at the area where Klexi was doing business. Even here, there were almost no changes. As Zeon appeared, merchants approached from all directions. ¡°Come over here, Bosch.¡± ¡°We have good stuff here.¡± ¡°It looks like you¡¯re a beginner, repair your things here.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Their eyes glimmered with greed, trying to squeeze Zeon dry. Such incidents weremonce here. If he didn¡¯t stay vignt, he would be easily taken advantage of. Zeon ignored their calls and looked around. However, Klexi was nowhere to be seen. Unable to help it, he approached one of the merchants tempting him. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± ¡°Feel free to ask ten. As long as you buy my stuff¡­¡± ¡°If there¡¯s something useful, I¡¯ll buy it.¡± ¡°Good! Ask away.¡± ¡°Where is old man Klexi? I¡¯m sure he used to do business here.¡± ¡°Oh, that old man? He packed up everything and moved into Neo Seoul a while ago.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not dead, is he?¡± ¡°For that old man to die, you¡¯ll have to wait for several decades. He¡¯s quite resilient, you know.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Now, choose something to buy. I¡¯ll give you a good deal.¡± The nonchnt merchant spread his arms wide. Behind him, numerous items were stacked. Zeon looked around, hoping to find something like the hourss that contained Exion, but nothing caught his eye. ¡°I don¡¯t need any of these things. I¡¯ll just go.¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t go like that. Just buy something. I¡¯ll give you a good deal.¡± The merchant grabbed Zeon¡¯s shoulder roughly. No one could leave this area empty-handed. There was an unspoken rule that anyone entering had to buy something, a rule established among the merchants. But Zeon disregarded such rules lightly. ¡°Enough. Why would I buy trash?¡± ¡°What, trash? This bastard!¡± The merchant¡¯s eyes bulged out. He thought he had an advantage. He wanted to take advantage of this excuse to strip Zeon of his belongings. He tightened his grip on Zeon¡¯s shoulder. At that moment, Zeon, with a smirk, said. ¡°Tsk! Don¡¯t you know what happens when you touch someone recklessly?¡± ¡°What is this guy?¡± Crack! A creepy cracking sound echoed instantly. ¡°Arggggh!¡± In immense pain, the merchant held his broken wrist, which now dangled loosely. Zeon had broken it. ¡°To break a wrist like that.¡± ¡°That bastard!¡± The merchant eximed in agony. Then, the surrounding merchants gathered one by one. Creating a natural atmosphere of fear. Due to this atmosphere, neers were leftpletely exposed, even their underwear. Just like the old Zeon had been. But the current Zeon was not the inexperienced rookie he used to be. Swoosh! Zeon rolled up his sleeves so that his gauntleted fists could be seen. The approaching merchants flinched. It¡¯s rare for ordinary people to wear such gear. Only Awakened wear such equipment. So, this young man with a mischievous smile meant he was an Awakened. ¡°Ahem! Come to think of it, I left the shop door open.¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot to put the pot on the fire.¡± ¡°Oh my! My legs.¡± The merchants grumbled and returned to their shops. The merchant whose wrist was broken wore a betrayed expression. But this was reality. Even with dozens of ordinary people gathered, they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against a single Awakened. If he wanted to me someone, he had to me his own recklessness in trying to rip off someone who turned out to be awakened. ¡°Damn it!¡± Tears welled up in his eyes. Zeon squatted down, locking eyes with the merchant. ¡°Now, let¡¯s settle the bill.¡± ¡°Settle? What nonsense is this? You broke my arm.¡± ¡°Oh, why are you like that? You treated me like a fool first. Making an unjust face after treating me like a fool, seeing I was an Awakened, isn¡¯t it a bit much?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make it simple. A hundred Sol! Just a hundred Sol, and I¡¯ll forget everything that happened today.¡± The money old man Klexi had taken from him before amounted to a hundred Sol. It was an item that could have cost at least three hundred Sol, but it was robbed of him for only a hundred. With no experience and nowhere to go, he had no choice but to ept it, but the situation was different now. Zeon looked at the merchant with a smile. But his smile became a huge pressure for the merchant. ¡®Shit! He¡¯s not a tiger; he¡¯s a grim reaper.¡¯ Nowhere could hein about being treated unfairly. If he couldn¡¯t seed, there was no ce for him toin, especially in the Mana Stone Mine. The one who gets scammed was the fool. He pulled out a crisp hundred with his unharmed hand. The hand handing money to Zeon was shaking. It felt so wasteful that tears were about toe out his eyes. However, Zeon calmly epted the money. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I won¡¯t have to worry about money for a while. Is there anyone else who wants to try me? It would be nice if there was.¡± Zeon mumbled as he tucked the money into his pocket. Seeing Zeon in that state, the merchant trembled. ¡®This guy is the devil. He¡¯s ripping me off like a merchant like me.¡¯ Zeon casually left the market area, leaving the merchant with a bewildered expression. A lot had happened since Zeon entered the Mana Stone Mine City on the first day. It was good that it wasn¡¯t boring. Zeon slowly strolled through the mining city. Most of the miners had not yete out of the tunnels, so the city was quiet. Still, there were quite a few people walking around the streets. It had been a while since he had seen so many people at once. Zeon found a spot on one side of the street and sat down, watching people pass by. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but he still felt the realization that he had entered the early stages of civilization. ¡®Good!¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 62 Chapter 62 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 62 It had been three days since Zeon entered the Mana Stone Mine city. During that time, Zeon didn¡¯t do much. He walked the streets or sat in alleys watching people pass by. It was the daily life of an unemployed person with nothing to do. It was a stark contrast to the bustling scenery of Mana Stone Mine City. At first, there were people who looked down on Zeon for being like that. However, knowing that Zeon had beaten Cha Dong-seok¡¯s subordinates, they refrained from picking fights recklessly. At least in Neo Seoul, there was some semnce of order, but in Mana Stone Mine, such things were notmon. Mana Stone Mine was a ce where the strong trampled the weak and everything was taken away without question. Zeon was perceived as a strong person by the people. His true strength was unknown, but at least he was stronger than Cha Dong-seok. At least a D-rank Martial Arts Awakened. D-rank might not seem like much, but considering that there were barely a thousand valuable forces in all of Neo Seoul, it showed how precious they were. Thanks to that, Zeon was able to livefortably. ¡°Have you rested well?¡± On the third day, Mandy came to visit. During that time, Mandy¡¯s face was full of vitality, perhaps because she had rested well and eaten well. ¡°Thanks to you¡­ You seem to be doing well too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also, thanks to you.¡± ¡°Seeing as you¡¯vee to find me, it seems like it¡¯s time to leave.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s an armored bus heading to Neo Seoul in thirty minutes. We¡¯re going to take that bus.¡± ¡°Are they transporting Mana Stones?¡± ¡°Yes! They say Mana Stones are being gathered and sent to Neo Seoul.¡± Mana Stones was the most important resource in Neo Seoul. All facilities in Neo Seoul operated on energy extracted from Mana Stones. Because of that, Mana Stones had to be supplied regrly. The mining city was the ce that yed the biggest role in supplying Mana Stones. Once a certain amount of Mana Stones, mined at the risk of miners¡¯ lives, was collected, it was loaded onto armored buses and sent to Neo Seoul. Today happened to be the day they were sending the gathered Mana Stones to Neo Seoul. Zeon nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡± ¡°If the timing hadn¡¯t been right, we would have had to wait at least another week. We¡¯re lucky.¡± Mandy couldn¡¯t hide her excitement. Zeon thought of Mana Stones mining as part of civilization, but it wasn¡¯t the case for Mandy. To her, ustomed to life in Neo Seoul, Mana Stones Mine was no different from a rural backwater countryside. She wanted to enter Neo Seoul as soon as possible and enjoy the benefits of civilization to the fullest. ¡°Take this.¡± She handed something to Zeon. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a temporary ess card.¡± ¡°ess card? Does that mean I can enter Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s temporary, but you¡¯ll have ess. Just for one month though. After that, you¡¯ll either need to obtain citizenship officially or find another way.¡± ¡°Well, that should be enough.¡± Zeon took the ess card and examined it closely. The ess card, made of an unidentified metal, bore magical inscriptions. It was something Eloy had obtained by coercing the general manager of the Mana Stones Mine, an impossible task for someone like Mandy who valued etiquette, but not difficult for Eloy, who was no different from awless individual. Eloy, having regained her strength, caused amotion, and the weary general manager of the mining operation eventually relented and provided the temporary ess card. Mandy smiled and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go by bus.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Zeon got up from his seat and followed her. The two headed toward the open space. In the open space, arge armored bus was waiting. The bus was covered with various pieces of armor to protect it from attacks by monsters, giving it a patched-up appearance. Though far from stylish, it was an unavoidable choice for safety. There were railings and gun mounts installed on the roof of the armored bus, and five Awakened were aboard. They were there to protect against attacks by monsters and scavengers. Behind the armored bus were boxes full of Mana Stones, while in the front were miners returning to Neo Seoul. The faces of the miners returning to Neo Seoul after a long time were filled with excitement. ¡°Here we are.¡± Kim Sangsik, who was already seated on the bus when Zeon and Mandy boarded, waved at them. Like Mandy, Kim Sangsik also had color back on his face. He gestured to two empty seats. ¡°You can sit here.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take this seat.¡± The two of them thanked him and took their seats. Zeon sat by the window, while Mandy took the aisle seat. As the bus slowly started moving, the massive gates of Mana Stone Mine City opened, and finally, the armored bus emerged into the desert. The moment they stepped out of the gates, the air itself changed. Hotter and more humid air rushed into the bus. Inside the armored bus, where there wasn¡¯t even air conditioning, it quickly became sweltering. Still, not a single personined. Just being able to travel on the armored bus was enough to satisfy everyone. That was the era they lived in. Everything that used to be taken for granted in the past was now enjoyed only by those with power and money. For people living in the slums, air conditioning was a thing of imagination. Zeon leaned against the window, looking outside. At that moment, Mandy spoke to Zeon. ¡°By the way, do you have a ce to stay?¡± ¡°I have the house I used to live in.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s been empty for too long, someone else might be living there now.¡± There were no empty houses in the slums. The moment someone vacated a space, someone else would move in. No matter how much one imed it was theirs, it was useless. There were nondowners, no house deeds. The majority of the buildings were haphazardly constructed, and with each increase in poption, safety was ignored in favor of expansion, resembling anthills. Still, there was always a shortage of homes. Zeon smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I just have to find it again.¡± ¡°Instead of that, why not juste into Neo Seoul? You could figure things out while living there for a month.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it slowly.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Mandy looked at Zeon¡¯s profile. ¡®Perhaps living in the desert for so long makes him not want to live in a bustling ce.¡¯ Somehow, she felt like she could understand Zeon. Mandy gave up on trying to convince Zeon and sank into her chair. The vibrations from the floor were still noticeable, indicating how rough the ride was. Still, it was tolerable. If everything went smoothly, they would arrive in Neo Seoul by evening. Mandy closed her eyes. Since there was nothing else to do, she might as well try to sleep. Before long, she fell into a deep slumber. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Mandy didn¡¯t know how long she had been asleep. Thud! Thud! Thud! She woke up involuntarily at the faint vibrations she felt in her buttocks and back. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ The vibrations were too strong to be from the bus alone. At that moment, Zeon spoke as if he had been waiting. ¡°You¡¯re awake. I was about to wake you up anyway.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Look over there.¡± Zeon pointed outside the window with his finger. Mandy widened her eyes and looked where Zeon was pointing. However, she couldn¡¯t see anything strange except for the horizon stretching far away. Zeon spoke. ¡°You¡¯ll see in about five minutes.¡± ¡°What?¡± Knowing that Zeon wasn¡¯t one to make idlements, Mandy patiently looked out the window. As Zeon had predicted, after five minutes, Mandy could see the source of the vibrations she had felt in her buttocks and back. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± A massive cloud of dust was rising from beyond the horizon. The dust cloud was rapidly approaching the armored bus. Zeon said. ¡°It¡¯s monsters. Looks like a pack of Fire Wolves.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Mandy quickly got up from her seat. If Zeon was right and the distant cloud of dust was indeed caused by a pack of Fire Wolves, then the armored bus was in danger. Fire Wolves were desert marauders. They possessed the traits of both wolves and hyenas. Once they targeted prey, they would relentlessly pursue it until the end, sticking to it until death. What made them particrly dangerous was their tendency to gather in packs. Once they captured prey, they would devour it to the bone, leaving no trace behind. That¡¯s why even high-level Awakened avoided facing Fire Wolves. Mandy shouted. ¡°It¡¯s a pack of Fire Wolves. Get ready.¡± At her shout, the Awakened who had been lounging on the roof of the bus quickly stood up in rm. ¡°Fire Wolves?¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. A pack of Fire Wolves is charging at us.¡± The Awakened soon spotted the Fire Wolves pack. From afar, the Fire Wolves pack was charging as if crazed. There were too many to count, they seemed countless. There might easily be thousands of them. It was the first time Mandy had ever seen a Fire Wolves pack of this size. The Awakened couldn¡¯t help but show their fear at the crazed charge of the Fire Wolves. ¡°This is insane!¡± ¡°Go at full speed!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The bus driver, sensing the danger, pressed the elerator to the floor. The armored bus raced through the desert at an incredible speed. However, the distance between them and the Fire Wolves pack didn¡¯t widen at all; instead, it closed in rapidly. Zeon muttered. ¡°They¡¯ll catch up soon.¡± Once the Fire Wolves set the armored bus as their prey, they wouldn¡¯t give up easily. Having faced them before, Zeon knew how relentless they could be. ¡°Damn it! Going home after so long and we just had to encounter monsters?¡± ¡°Argh!¡± As the miners panicked, Mandy shouted. ¡°If you want to live, grab your pickaxes. Hit the ones that try to climb onto the bus!¡± Even her shout couldn¡¯t bring the miners to their senses. Suddenly, Mandy¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Tsk! Useless fools.¡± Mandy¡¯s other personality, Eloy, emerged. ncing at Zeon, she said. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with Mandy. It¡¯s a crisis right now. If you¡¯re not happy, you step up.¡± ¡°Who said anything?¡± ¡°Damn it! Such bad luck.¡± With a sneer, Eloy pulled out the Mad Gumiho she had been carrying behind her back. Kwaaagh! At that moment, the roar of the Fire Wolves resonated loudly. Suddenly, the pack of Fire Wolves was upon them. mes flickered from the jaws and tails of the Fire Wolves. They were aptly named because of these mes. As the Fire Wolves approached the rear of the armored bus, they opened their mouths wide. mes shot out from them. ¡°Block it!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The Awakened on the roof of the bus deployed their skills to block the Fire Wolves¡¯ attack. However, with the sheer number of Fire Wolves, it was impossible to block every attack. In the end, mes erupted onto the armored bus. Kwaang! With a deafening boom, the armored bus shook violently. Thankfully, it was reinforced with thick armor all around; otherwise, a regr bus would have melted under such intense heat by now. ¡°These bastards¡­¡± ¡°Die!¡± The Awakened individuals unleashed their skills. Crack! Boom! Fire Wolves hit by the skills fell with screams. However, before the space could even be cleared, other Fire Wolves filled the void. At that moment, Eloy climbed onto the bus. ¡°You bastards! Your all dead¡± Without hesitation, she swung the Mad Gumiho. Kwaang! With one swing of her attack, dozens of Fire Wolves fell. However, with so many Fire Wolves, it was hardly noticeable. ¡°Damn it! What the hell has Neo Seoul been doing while so many of these assholes gather like this? You idiots!¡± As Eloy cursed Neo Seoul, she continued to rampage. However, even with her and the other Awakened, it was impossible to stop all the Fire Wolves. The Fire Wolves clung to the armored bus. They tried to reach people through small windows to attack. In fact, some people were bitten by the Fire Wolves without being able to resist and disappeared. ¡°Aargh!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± Their screams from outside the window soon vanished. A Fire Wolf¡¯s head also appeared where Zeon was sitting. ¡°Tch!¡± Thwack! Zeon clicked his tongue and lightly punched the Fire Wolf. The head of the Fire Wolf that had clung desperately to the armored bus burst apart. Zeon looked out the window. In the distance, a massive entity loomed, observing this ce. It was a colossal monster, as if ten Fire Wolves were putbined in one. It was undoubtedly the leader of the Fire Wolves. That monster emitted a presence unlike any other, even among the other Fire Wolves. The heat emanating from the leader raised the air around it. The mes erupting from its shoulders testified to this fact. Awoo! The monster emitted a roar. The roar shook the space and rattled the bus Zeon was riding. ¡°Ughh!¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± The miners inside the bus screamed and copsed. Blood flowed from their ruptured eardrums. Zeon frowned as he watched this scene. ¡°You bastard! That hurt my ear¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 63 Chapter 63 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 63 The bloodthirsty roar of the Alpha Fire Wolf shook the minds of the Awakeneds. ¡°Arghh!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± The Awakeneds momentarily lost their bnce and staggered. In contrast, the Fire Wolves, fueled with courage and strength by their leader, attacked even more fiercely. The already unfavorable situation rapidly deteriorated further. ¡°Damn it! These bastards¡­.¡± Eloy spat curses, sweeping back her lush blonde hair. The crimson blood flowed down the Mad Gumiho. She didn¡¯t know how many Fire Wolves she had killed. Driven by madness, she killed and killed again. Yet the Fire Wolves did not diminish. When one fell, another filled its ce, fearlessly rushing forward. ¡°Kraaargh!¡± One of the struggling Awakeneds fell prey to the Fire Wolves. Dozens of Fire Wolves gathered around the fallen Awakened. In an instant, the Awakened became prey to the Fire Wolves and disappeared from the world. Yet even that wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy them as the Fire Wolves continued their onught. ¡°Sweep them all away.¡± Eloy hurled the Mad Gumiho into the air. In the air, nine spears split into nine pieces in an instant. With a gesture from Eloy, the nine spears rose high into the air. From the mana connecting the nine spears, an incredibly intense light burst forth. ¡°Nine Spear Strike.¡± Eloy unleashed her most powerful skill avable. ng! ng! ng! The rain of spears struck the Fire Wolves rushing the armored bus. In an instant, hundreds of Fire Wolves were swept away. ¡°Haah! Haah!¡± Eloy gasped for breath as she retrieved the Mad Gumiho. The power was immense, but the mana consumption was also tremendous. Her mana was on the verge of depletion. Yet she couldn¡¯t afford to rest. Kwaaaah! Countless Fire Wolves filled the gaps and rushed forward again. Despite killing hundreds, it seemed insignificant. ¡°Damn it! There¡¯s no end even if we kill them all. Where are all these monstersing from?¡± She knew the reason. It was the Alpha. When a group of monsters had a leader, their numbers swelled, and their cohesion increased. Forming arge army was instantaneous. Unless they killed the Alpha, the Fire Wolves would continue to multiply endlessly. They had to kill it. The problem was that killing it was nearly impossible. The Alpha Fire Wolf merely watched from afar, never participating in the hunt. As if it were too good to y. ¡°I have to kill that son of a bitch.¡± Eloy gritted her teeth. But even defending the armored bus was challenging, let alone attempting to kill it. That¡¯s when it happened. Whoooosh! Suddenly, a strong wind was felt from behind. Turning around, she saw a sandstorm approaching. Thick sand obscured her visionpletely. Eloy shouted at the driver without another thought. ¡°Drive the car into the sandstorm!¡± Whether the driver heard her or not, the bus was driven in the direction from which the sand was blowing. The massive armored bus disappeared into the sand in no time. However, the Fire Wolves persisted, albeit in significantly reduced numbers. As Eloy wielded the Mad Gumiho, she muttered. ¡°Looks like the heavens haven¡¯t entirely forsaken us yet.¡± * * * Zeon nced back. The bus was no longer visible, obscured by the thick sandstorm. The sandstorm he called forth had arrived. The Fire Wolves, engulfed in the swirling sand, seemed disoriented. With this, Eloy and the Awakeneds should be able to hold out for a while. Now, the problem needed to be solved. Zeon stepped forward with Sand Strides. Shoosh! As if skiing, Zeon¡¯s body glided over the sand. Kraaah! The Fire Wolves that noticed rushed towards him. At that moment, dozens of sand tendrils rose beneath Zeon¡¯s feet. Like vines climbing a wall, the sand tendrils shot towards the Fire Wolves. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! The Fire Wolves were impaled by the sand tendrils before they could even scream. Zeon didn¡¯t stop for a moment. Before the hundreds of Fire Wolves could approach him, they were already losing their lives to the sand tendrils. Zeon arrived in front of the Alpha Fire Wolf in an instant. Grrr! The Alpha Fire Wolf growled at Zeon, its eyes gleaming with a fiery light. It sensed the danger Zeon posed, instinctively recognizing him as a threat. Zeon looked at the Alpha Fire Wolf and said. ¡°You¡¯re about B-rank. With a little more time, reaching A-rank wouldn¡¯t have been a problem.¡± Just like Awakened human¡¯s ranks increase, monsters also be stronger with time and experience. The Alpha Fire Wolf before Zeon was still a young wolf in its youth. That meant its growth rate was fast. If left unchecked, it would soon reach A-rank. Leaving it be would undoubtedly lead to disaster. Kraaah! The Alpha roared, unleashing its fire. It aimed to st Zeon away. However, its fire had no effect on Zeon. Zeon frowned and said, ¡°Spitting is rude. Filthy¡­.¡± Indeed, the Fire Wolf¡¯s saliva sprayed on Zeon¡¯s chest. Fire Wolf saliva contained toxins and corrosive elements, capable of melting and tearing apart most defenses in an instant. But Zeon¡¯s robe showed no trace of damage. Zeon wore a robe made of Leviathan hide. It was a far superior and stronger monster than the Alpha Fire Wolf. Of course, the Fire Wolf¡¯s saliva couldn¡¯t inflict any damage. At that moment, sensing the Alpha¡¯s peril, the Fire Wolves rushed madly. Their sole objective was clear: to protect their Alpha, even at the cost of their lives. But Zeon had no intention of fulfilling their wish. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Summon! Sand Soldiers.¡± In an instant, sand rose around Zeon, swiftly taking the shape of human forms. They were Sand Soldiers. The number of Sand Soldiers created in this manner reached hundreds. ¡°Block them!¡± At Zeon¡¯smand, the Sand Soldiers moved without fear or hesitation. Willingly, they threw themselves into the jaws of the Fire Wolves. They fought, they killed, and they died. Sand Soldiers crumbled like sandcastles upon receiving significant blows. Yet Zeon was unconcerned. As long as he had mana and sand, he could summon Sand Soldiers indefinitely. Sand was inexhaustible, and Zeon¡¯s mana was abundant. Maintaining the Sand Soldiers posed no problem. While the Sand Soldiers held off the Fire Wolves, Zeon approached the Alpha. Kwooooh! Fires erupted from the Alpha¡¯s mouth and tail. As the Alpha Fire Wolf opened its mouth, an intense st of heat engulfed Zeon. ¡°Sorry, but this won¡¯t even scratch me.¡± Zeon raised his right arm, and a sh of red light emanated from the gauntlet. It was the *Inferno Gauntlet, embedded with the eye of a Red Dragon. [*¡±Gauntlet of Scorching Heat¡± will be changed to ¡°Inferno Gauntlet¡±] It could be considered the pinnacle of the fire attribute. Naturally, no fire skill would be effective in front of the Inferno Gauntlet. In the end, all that remained for the Alpha Fire Wolf was a direct melee assault. With overwhelming size, immense mass, sharp fangs, and ws, it charged at Zeon. Despite its imposing presence, Zeon¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Just as the Alpha Fire Wolf¡¯s fangs were about to pierce Zeon¡¯s body, a sand barrier appeared in front of him. In an instant, the sand engulfed the Alpha Fire Wolf. Zeon muttered, ¡°Sand Mixer.¡± Graaah! Fine sand particles began to rotate at incredible speed. Like a blender, the sand particles ground the Alpha Fire Wolf to shred. The Fire Wolf struggled in agony, trying to escape the sand¡¯s rapid rotation. However, no matter how hard it tried, escaping the high-speed rotation of the sand was impossible. Fur was torn away, flesh was ripped apart. The sand prated, crushed, and disintegrated flesh. Amidst the immense pain, the Alpha screamed, but even its screams were drowned out by the sand¡¯s deafening noise. Graaah! Blood sprayed, flesh sttered. The rapidly rotating sand particles quickly turned red. Yet the sand didn¡¯t stop. Awoooh! Grrrr! Grrrr! The Fire Wolves, previously engaged with the Sand Soldiers, suddenly whimpered and howled. They had sensed their leader¡¯s demise first. With their dominant leader gone, the Fire Wolves scattered in all directions. Only now did Zeon release the Sand Soldiers and Sand Mixer. Thud! In the ce where the Alpha Fire Wolf stood, a single crimson Mana Stone fell. Only the essence of the Alpha, the Mana Stone, remained, while bones, flesh, and all else disappeared. Though Zeon had swiftly defeated a B-rank monster, there was no particr gleam in his eyes. The path he had walked was too harsh for him to be excited or pleased by this. The Alpha Fire Wolf was not even considered a threat. Picking up the Mana Stone of the Alpha Fire Wolf, Zeon murmured, ¡°This should fetch a decent price.¡± Until now, he hadn¡¯t needed money. There was no use for money in the desert. Except for Neo Seoul, colonies didn¡¯t have the luxury to develop civilization beyond mere survival. They used Mana Stones or barter instead of money for transactions. Hence, there was no need to convert Mana Stones into currency. But Neo Seoul was different. Over ten million people gathered there, and including those in the slums, the poption was close to twenty million. With so many humans living in such a cramped space, money became the only means of transaction. The better the quality of the Mana Stone, the higher its value. Especially, Mana Stones obtained by killing Alpha monsters like this one were in high demand. Those mined from Mana Stone Mines were qualitatively different in terms of energy they provided. Zeon stored the Mana Stone in his subspace. The once-filled area with Fire Wolves had now dissipated and was nowhere to be seen. Until an Alpha reappeared, they would live scattered in small groups. ¡°Shall we return?¡± Now that the objective was achieved, he needed to return to the armored bus. Zeon unleashed his Sand Strides and caught up with the armored bus in an instant. The bus was still engulfed in the sandstorm andpletely unaware of the outside situation. However, they seemed to sense that the Fire Wolf attacks were gradually subsiding. Zeon casually entered the armored bus and dispelled the sandstorm. As the sand that obscured their vision disappeared, Eloy and the Awakeneds, including miners, realized the situation. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The wolf pups all ran away, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°We¡¯re alive. We survived.¡± The Awakeneds and the miners hugged each other in joy. However, Eloy couldn¡¯t feel pure joy like them. She knew that the current situation was anything but natural. Eloy nced at Zeon, who was sitting with his arms crossed. A whiff of blood wafted from him. As a half-elf, her keen sense of smell couldn¡¯t be deceived. ¡®That bastard must have done something.¡¯ Without that, the current situation didn¡¯t make any sense. The problem was that she couldn¡¯t know what Zeon really did. ¡®What on earth is his identity? That damn bastard¡­¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 64 Chapter 64 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 64 Neo Seoul stood tall like an ind in the midst of the desert sea. Just like Las Vegas from a long time ago, Neo Seoul existed right in the middle of the desert. What made Neo Seoul special was the presence of mountains. For some reason, the Bukhansan Mountains, which used to act as the lungs of old Seoul, were fully intact. Thanks to this, the citizens living inside Neo Seoul could fully enjoy the lush greenery and fresh air of the Bukhansan Mountains. To the north, the Bukhansan Mountains acted as a barrier, while to the south, a massive wall was erected to protect the city. In such a stable environment, Neo Seoul developed rapidly. With the fusion of magic and science, skyscrapers hundreds of stories high, which were unimaginable in the past, stood everywhere. This was an inevitable choice for Neo Seoul. Safend was limited, yet the poption continued to grow. Survivors of the great catastrophe flocked to Neo Seoul in search of safety. To amodate them, space was expanded underground, and buildings were endlessly raised towards the sky. Yet there was still a limit to amodating people. Eventually, Neo Seoul closed its doors. It was judged that the city could not be sustained if more people were allowed in. Thus, Neo Seoul was closed off, but survivors continued to gather. They established dwellings beneath the walls of Neo Seoul. At first, it was no more than the size of a vige, but over time, it grew to a sizeparable to Neo Seoul itself. Existing houses were stacked upon, then expanded upon again, transforming the slums into something resembling the Kowloon Walled City of Hong Kong. With mazes reminiscent of ant colonies and buildings piled up haphazardly, sunlight scarcely reached the streets even during the day. For some reason, monsters never came in the vicinity of Neo Seoul, and as a result, the slums grew to a sizeparable to Neo Seoul over the course of more than a century. To enter Neo Seoul, one had to pass through the road that pierced the heart of the slums. The denizens of the slums called this road the Road to Paradise. Because it was the only path into Neo Seoul. However, the Road to Paradise was anything but beautiful or morous. Rather, it was harsh and gloomy. Everyone who attempted to enter Neo Seoul through the Road to Paradise met a miserable end. Only a few, who were either citizens of Neo Seoul or had been granted passage, could enter Neo Seoul through the Road to Paradise. All others would be attacked upon approaching the gates. Creak! A heavily armored bus, torn apart like a rag, emerged on the Road to Paradise. Grind! The engine of the heavily damaged bus wheezed as if on itsst breath. Onlookers near the Road to Paradise nced curiously at the bus. It had been a long time since a bus had returned damaged to this extent. At that moment, the bus stopped, and someone got off. He was a man dressed in a crimson robe. After exchanging a few words with someone inside the bus, the man turned around. As the bus departed for Neo Seoul, the man left alone, leaving the Road to Paradise and entering the slums. ¡°What¡¯s with that guy?¡± ¡°Do you think we could get some money out of him if we mug him?¡± Men gathered on one side of the slums exchanged nces with sinister expressions. They approached the man who had gotten off the bus, with menacing vibes. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Wanna have a little chat?¡± The men created an atmosphere of intimidation, though it was more like a threat than a conversation. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? I have no intention of conversing with any of you.¡± ¡°So arrogant. You returned from the Magic Stone Mine, right? How much did you earn?¡± ¡°If you hand over all your money, I might let you go. Hehe!¡± The men drew their knives and pointed them at the robbed figure. Then the robbed figure, who got off the bus, flipped back the hat he was wearing. As a result, his face was revealed. Long hair reaching his shoulders, sun-browned skin. He was a man with a fairly handsome appearance, sporting a refreshing smile. But what stood out the most were his deep ck eyes, like ck jewels embedded in his face. He was none other than Zeon. With a smile, Zeon spoke. ¡°Receiving such a warm wee upon returning to my hometown. Indeed, there¡¯s no ce like home.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Is this bastard shot in the head or something?¡± The men¡¯s expressions twisted fiercely. While it might be a significant threat to an ordinary person, it didn¡¯t faze Zeon at all. In fact, he felt rather pleased to be back in his true hometown. The slums where Zeon was born and raised were such a ce. There was now, no order. The strong took everything, and the weak had no ce toin even when everything was taken from them unjustly. It was a barbaric world where the strong possessed everything. The slums were such a ce. A long time ago, Zeon was at the bottom of this ce. He couldn¡¯t even breathe freely, let alone appear in front of the strong. He lived like a rat here for eighteen years. At that time, this ce couldn¡¯t feel as hellish as it did now. But returning after a long time and receiving such a warm wee, he couldn¡¯t help butugh. The men holding knives looked even more impressive. ¡°Does this bastard think he¡¯s invincible?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just kill him and take everything.¡± The men proceeded to thrust their knives towards Zeon¡¯s abdomen. They were skilled at wielding knives, not amateurs. However, their knives couldn¡¯t leave a single scratch on Zeon¡¯s body. The des were blocked by his robe. ¡°What the? An item?¡± ¡°An¡­ Awakened?¡± The men¡¯s pupils shook. No matter how fearless they were in their bottom-of-the-barrel lives, they knew the terror of an Awakened. Even the lowest-rank, F-rank Awakeneds could wipe them out with just one finger. ¡®Shit! We¡¯re screwed.¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s get out of here!¡¯ As the men exchanged nces,Zeon slightly kicked the shin of the man in front of him. But the aftermath was far from light. Crack! ¡°Arggghh!¡± The man¡¯s shin broke, twisting in a grotesque direction. Seeing this, the other men fled in different directions. To them, there was no such a thing as loyalty amongrades. Before they could even take a few steps, they were all caught by Zeon. In an instant, Zeon caught up with them like he had used a teleportation technique and delivered a single blow. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Keuk!¡± The men¡¯s screams echoed through the streets. But no one came out to see what was happening. The men writhed on the ground, clutching their broken limbs. Zeon squatted down in front of one of them. Then the man forgot his pain and begged. ¡°Ugh! P-Please spare me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first day back home, I can¡¯t just go around killing people recklessly.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°In return, hand over everything you have.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? Hand over everything you have.¡± Under Zeon¡¯s threat, the man stared nkly, forgetting his pain. ¡°Don¡¯t bother hiding anything. If I find outter, I¡¯ll break your other arm too.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Eventually, the man, shedding tears and mucus, handed over everything he had to Zeon. Zeon proceeded to extract everything from the other men in the same manner. There was no guilt in his actions. In this ce, it was just a natural urrence. Being reckless and not assessing the other¡¯s capabilities properly, there was nothing to say even if they died. Nevertheless, their lives were spared, and they would figure out how to live on their own. Zeon left the men behind and moved on. The slum remained unchanged. It was as if time had stopped, with the same old scenes of densely packed buildings and powerless individuals traversing the streets. Due to theck of electricity, most houses were dark. Zeon felt the gaze of those peeking through the windows of darkened houses. The residents of the slum had a knack for detecting those different from themselves, almost like ghosts smelling a different scent. Zeon was one of those people who didn¡¯t quite fit into the slum. Someone who didn¡¯t belong in the slum. That¡¯s why they were wary of him. Zeon knew this fact well, but he didn¡¯t care. He had expected this oue. Zeon enjoyed the atmosphere of his hometown as he walked. His destination was Sinchon, the western district of the slum. In Neo Seoul, there were many areas that retained the names of old Seoul, and Sinchon was one of them. However, the old Sinchon was nowhere to be found. Another name for Sinchon was ¡°Ant Colony.¡± Ant Colony was one of the worst areas in the slum. Because it was where the most wretched individuals of the slum gathered. As a result, even the residents of the slum avoided this ce. This was Zeon¡¯s hometown. He couldn¡¯t recall being born here, but he had always lived here since he could remember. Zeon stopped in front of a shabby building. It was a tall building, over thirty stories high. Regardless of how many times it had been expanded, the exterior of the building resembled a pile of junk. It was an old building from the early days of Neo Seoul, and no one knew when it might copse. This was where Zeon used to live. Zeon looked up at the building for a moment and went inside. There was no elevator in a building over thirty floors high. Zeon climbed the stairs. Step by step, he ascended until he reached his destination on the eighteenth floor. He used to swear a lot while walking up these stairs. But now, he was not even breathing heavily. Zeon finally arrived at his intended floor and walked to the room at the end of the hallway. Room 1820. It was where Zeon used to live. It was here that Zeon had obtained a Mana Stone by chance. After killing a neighbor who had intruded in for the Mana Stone, he had to flee to the Mana Stone Mine. He had no choice but to abandon it, but the fact remained that this was Zeon¡¯s home. Zeon turned the doorknob, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. It was locked from the inside. He had no choice but to knock on the door. Bang! Bang! ¡°What? Who the hell is it?¡± After a moment, someone inside unlocked the door and opened it. It was a man with tattoos covering his muscr body. He stared at Zeon menacingly. ¡°What do you want, knocking on someone else¡¯s door like that?¡± ¡°Then what are you doing in someone else¡¯s house?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is my house.¡± ¡°You crazy? What nonsense is that? What your house in Ant Colony? If there¡¯s an empty house, just move in.¡± The man showed hostility. He had taken over this house just three years ago. The previous resident had been killed while dealing drugs. Since then, the man had been living herefortably. Zeon chuckled and said. ¡°I understand that. But now that thendlord has returned, I hope you can vacate as soon as possible.¡± ¡°This bastard¡­¡± The man¡¯s expression changed suddenly. He had an innocent smile on his lips, and there was ascivious gleam in his eyes. ¡°You look pretty good. Okay, juste in.¡± ¡°Do you mean you¡¯re vacating the house?¡± ¡°Juste in for now.¡± The man grabbed Zeon¡¯s hand and led him inside before locking the door. Blocking the doorway, he said. ¡°Hehe! Take off your pants and turn around. Then I¡¯ll let you live.¡± ¡°Tsk! I guess I¡¯ll have to fix the door.¡± ¡°What?¡± Bang! At that moment, Zeon¡¯s fist struck the man¡¯s abdomen. The man couldn¡¯t even scream as he was thrown outside. As a result, thetch broke, and the door swung open precariously. Zeon was relieved that the door didn¡¯tpletely break. Clutching his stomach, the man vomited out everything inside him. As his breathing eased, the man wiped his mouth and stood up. ¡°You¡¯re dead. Do you know who I am?¡± As the man approached, Zeon¡¯s figure disappeared from his sight. He reappeared right beside the man. It was an incredible speed that the man couldn¡¯t follow with his eyes. Zeon grabbed the man¡¯s head and mmed it into the wall. Boom! With a loud bang, the wall shook, and debris scattered everywhere. ¡°Gaah!¡± The man couldn¡¯t even scream in immense pain, only groaning. Zeon spoke quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t care about your identity at all. All I want is for you to vacate this house.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Answer!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Only then did Zeon release the man. Zeon seemed to like the man¡¯s answer and turned around with a smile. Zeon muttered as he closed the precariously hanging door. ¡°I¡¯m finally back home.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 65 Chapter 65 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 65 The interior of the house was quite spaciouspared to what it appeared from the outside. This was because Zeon¡¯s house was built during the early formation of the slum area. Houses built in the early days were old but spacious. Recent houses built were cramped, barely amodating a few adults. Limitednd for building houses left no choice. Zeon didn¡¯t know how many times the house had changed owners during his escape. It was unlikely that the changing owners had properly maintained the house. The house was filled with a terrible smell. The smell of drugs, the stench of blood, and various other odors mixed together, stimting his senses. The first priority was to remove the foul smell umted over the years. Zeon opened the windows wide to ventte the house. Yet, the smell didn¡¯t easily dissipate. Zeon took out the musk sac of a One-horned Moose from his subspace. The musk sac came from a giant Moose with a height of over three meters. Near its reproductive organ was a nd that emitted a unique scent. By cutting a little of the musk sac from the giant moose and putting it in water, invisible gas would be generated, which had a great effect in eliminating all kinds of odors. Zeon filled a basin with water and put about a third of the musk sac in it. Then the water bubbled up, and gas began to form. While the gas was forming, Zeon put all the household items into his subspace. The worn-out and soiled furniture couldn¡¯t be recycled. It was better to discard them and bring in new items. Fortunately, Zeon had acquired quite a few misceneous items while wandering the desert. One of them was a blood-sucking tree branch obtained near theke where Leviathan was hunted. The blood-sucking tree branch was both a tree and a monster. If there was a living creature passing nearby, it would extend its branches, entangle it, and then suck its blood. Once caught by the blood-sucking tree branch, one had to be drained of blood until death. Zeon killed the blood-sucking tree and kept quite a few pieces of the main tree. This is because wood itself was a valuable resource. Using the blood-sucking tree branches as a frame and covering them with Sand Angler hide, he quickly made a decent bed and sofa. With the remaining blood-sucking tree branches and Sand Angler hide, he repaired the broken doors. Meanwhile, the air in the house was purified. The dreadful smell that irritated the nose had disappeared, reced by a refreshing scent filling the house. ¡°Nice!¡± There was still much to be repaired, but for now, Zeon felt he could restfortably without any worries. Zeony down on the bed he had made himself. It was surprisingly soft, and sleep came easily. Zeon didn¡¯t know how long he slept. When Zeon opened his eyes again, it was dark outside. The slum, which had been quiet as a graveyard during the day, began toe alive as night fell. The billboards on the walls of buildings across the street began to light up, illuminating the dim alleys. A signboard with a cross between a gun and a knife meant there it was a weapons dealer, and a red signboard with an obscene picture meant it was a brothel. The building that was particrly lit up was the casino. People who hadn¡¯t been seen during the day were now visible on the streets. Drug dealers openly trading drugs, people lining up to enter cheap bars, prostitutes enticing passersby. Bang! From a few blocks away, the sound of a big fight echoed. Yet, no one¡¯s face showed fear or apprehension. In this ce, such incidents weremonce. The slum was where people lived. Where there were people, there were interests. Moreover, this was an area with a poption density of ten millions. Naturally, the stakes were high. Organizations waged wars for control of territory multiple times a day. Here, monsters were not the threat. The most dangerous presence in the slum was humanity itself. Then it happened. Bang! Bang! Someone pounded on Zeon¡¯s door, shouting rudely. ¡°I know you¡¯re in there! Come out! You bastard!¡± Zeon easily recognized the owner of the voice. It was the man he had thrown out earlier. The man hade back, with a group of over a dozen people. The man belonged to a criminal organization called Red Skulls. Red Skulls was a small criminal organization based in Sinchon. Though small in scale, the Red Skulls were not to be underestimated due to the tough individuals gathered within. The leader of the Red Skulls was Jo Sang-hyuk. He was a F-rank Martial Arts Awakened. Jo Sang-hyuk looked at apartment 1820 with his arms crossed. Despite the rough pounding, the door didn¡¯t budge. It seemed like it would break at any moment, but it held steady. Jo Sang-hyuk asked the man. ¡°Did you reinforce the door? Why is it like this?¡± ¡°Ah! Boss, do you think I have the money to do that? It¡¯s just the original door.¡± The man¡¯s face was flushed red. He had pounded on the door with the intention of breaking it, but the door remained intact, leaving him panting from exhaustion. Then it happened. The door, despite the pounding, opened silently. And Zeon revealed himself. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s this bastard. This bastard broke into my house and threw me out, iming it¡¯s his house.¡± The man yelled at Zeon with bulging eyes. Jo Sang-hyuk furrowed his brow. He didn¡¯t like the sight of the man whining like a child. But he was also his subordinate. If a subordinate came back after being beaten up by someone and he left it alone, his reputation would suffer. He had to make it clear that anyone crossing him or his subordinates would end up with broken limbs. That way, people wouldn¡¯t take him lightly. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Jo Sang-hyuk stepped forward. ¡°Who are you? What gives you the right to mess with my guy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thendlord.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He was illegally upying the ce where I used to live. So, I kicked him out.¡± ¡°Does that make sense?¡± Jo Sang-hyuk made a bewildered expression. But Zeon was serious. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it make sense? If the original owner returns, the illegal upants will naturally have to move out.¡± ¡°Do you have any proof that this is your house?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? It¡¯s your house without any proof?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Is this bastard for real¡­?¡± In the end, Jo Sang-hyuk¡¯s anger exploded. His younger brothers stepped forward first. ¡°You bastard, get down on your knees.¡± ¡°The damn bastard¡­¡± Flexing their bulging muscles, they surrounded Zeon. Just as they were puffing up their chests and about to attack Zeon¡­ Thud! Suddenly, a series of strong impacts rang out. Then, the men who surrounded Zeon copsed one after another like a sand castle. Their pupils were turned up, and foam wasing out of their mouths. ¡°You, you were an Awakened?¡± Jo Sang-hyuk¡¯s pupils trembled. It was impossible for an ordinary human to subdue over a dozen sturdy men in one go. Zeon shrugged his shoulders. ¡°As you can see¡­.¡± ¡°Ha! You son of a bitch. You think you¡¯re all that just because of some puny ability?¡± ¡°I never said I was all that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your rank? Where¡¯s your rank insignia, you bastard?¡± ¡°If I show you my rank, you¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°This bastard is just bluffing¡­.¡± ¡°Does it sound like a bluff?¡± Zeonughed. At that moment, Jo Sang-hyuk felt a shiver run down his spine. It was a physiological response that urred when sensing a threat to one¡¯s life. He hadn¡¯t felt such a sensation since the recent war where he had risked his life against an opposing organization. Instinctively, Jo Sang-hyuk realized that Zeon¡¯s level was not to be trifled with. He wanted to retreat right away, but he couldn¡¯t. Because he had his pride. ¡°Damn it!¡± Jo Sang-hyuk swung hisrge fist. As a Martial Artist Awakened, his fist contained formidable power. However, it seemed feeble in Zeon¡¯s eyes. Dodging Jo Sang-hyuk¡¯s fist, Zeon delivered a light blow to his chest. But the aftermath was anything but light. Bang! ¡°Kraaagh!¡± Sang-hyuk yelled in pain as he stumbled backward. His chest had deeply caved in. If Zeon hadn¡¯t held back, it could have been fatal. He survived only because he was an Awakened. Jo Sang-hyuk felt as if his body was disintegrating under Zeon¡¯s fist. His muscles loosened, and it felt like his organs were melting away. He lost focus, unable to see anything. It took a while for his senses to return. ¡°Cough!¡± As he coughed up nearly a bowlful of blood, the paralysis in his body subsided. That¡¯s when he saw Zeon. Zeon was squatting, meeting his gaze. His deep ck eyes stared intensely at him. Just meeting Zeon¡¯s eyes made Jo Sang-hyuk¡¯s brain feel like it was melting. It was a phenomenon that urred due to differences in their rank. Jo Sang-hyuk finally realized. The fact that his opponent was a high-ranking Awakened who he would dare not even nce at. ¡®D-rank? No, maybe even C-rank or higher.¡¯ The highest rank he could imagine was C-rank. With just an F-rank, he was able to establish a small organization, and E-rank Awakened individualsmanded several small organizations. From D-rank onwards, one could be scouted and recruited into Neo Seoul. Jo Sang-hyuk¡¯s ultimate goal was to enter Neo Seoul. Leaving this wretched ce and entering the morous civilized world was the dream of every slum dweller. Zeon was undoubtedly qualified to enter Neo Seoul. Although Jo Sang-hyuk didn¡¯t understand why such a person woulde to this wretched ce, it was clear that he was an opponent he couldn¡¯t contend with. Zeon asked. ¡°Do you still have a problem with me living in this house?¡± ¡°N-none.¡± ¡°I thought so. Whatever you do, I don¡¯t care. Just cooperate so I can live quietly. You can promise that, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Zeon smiled and stood up. He could¡¯ve killed Jo Sang-hyuk with just a flick of his finger. But the reason he didn¡¯t was because he knew that if he killed Jo Sang-hyuk, others would appear like cockroaches and take his ce. It was easier to keep Jo Sang-hyuk, who would fear him, alive and let him manage the area. After a while, Jo Sang-hyuk and hisckeys, regaining theirposure, rose as well. As they were about to leave, Zeon said to them. ¡°It would be best not to tell anyone about what happened today. When your mouth itches, just remember this.¡± In an instant, arge fireball appeared around Zeon. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Jo Sang-hyuk and hisckeys¡¯ eyes widened as if they were about to burst. ¡®A Magic Awakened, and a fire-based one at that.¡¯ Even within the same rank, Magic Awakened were treated more highly than Martial Arts Awakened. Among them, fire-based Magic Awakened were among the most valued. This was because fire-based magic, along with lightning-based magic, boasted the greatest destructive power. Jo Sang-hyuk understood for the first time that Zeon was a formidable high-ranked Magic Awakened, even if he couldn¡¯t determine his exact rank. ¡°W-we will keep our mouths shut. D-don¡¯t worry.¡± Jo Sang-hyuk answered, slurring his words. His tongue, paralyzed by the tremendous shock, had not yet been freed. Only then did Zeon extinguish the fireball with a satisfied smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be busy, so why don¡¯t you leave your address behind?¡± ¡°Address?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to leave one?¡± ¡°No.¡± Hastily, Jo Sang-hyuk wrote down an address. Checking the address, Zeon said. ¡°Alright then. You can go now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Jo Sang-hyuk and hisckeys bowed their heads to Zeon and quickly rushed down the stairs. Once outside, Jo Sang-hyuk began to mercilessly beat one of hisckeys. It was the one who had brought them here. ¡°You bastard! What, you think you¡¯re special? You think that¡¯s nothing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Agh!¡± ¡°Because of you, we almost got killed. But what?¡± ¡°I was wrong. Spare me, please.¡± Jo Sang-hyuk trampled the beggingckey with disgust. All the humiliation he had received from Zeon today, he passed on to thatckey. Theckey, who lived in Zeon¡¯s house, was beaten up brutally. Breathing heavily, Jo Sang-hyuk looked at all his otherckeys. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare breathe a word about what happened today. If word gets out, you, me, we¡¯ll all die.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Theckeys hastily replied. Jo Sang-hyuk nced back at the building where Zeon lived with a distorted face. ¡®Fuck! Why did such a monster have toe into my territory?¡¯ A heavy sigh escaped him. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 66 Chapter 66 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 66 Zeon left his house. He had to walk down a whopping eighteen floors, but it was no problem for Zeon. The streets were bustling with people, just as he had seen from home. The city, which seemed to be asleep during the day, seemed to awaken as night fell. On streets where there was not a single ant in sight, stalls wereid out and a market opened. Some sold food, while others sold meat of unknown origin. Among them were those selling advanced products hard to find in the slums. It was clear that everything was pilfered from Neo Seoul. In the dim alleys, there were also those trading what appeared to be drugs. Zeon took in all of these sights. Nothing had changed from eight years ago. The only thing that seemed to have changed was Zeon himself. When Zeon left the slums, he was young and powerless. But now, the biggest difference was that he had the power to protect himself. The people in the slums nced at Zeon. They felt a sense of alienation from Zeon¡¯s aura, which waspletely different from theirs. Instinctively, they recognized that Zeon belonged to a different ss and were cautious of him. Zeon noticed those people¡¯s stares, but he didn¡¯t care. He had received simr looks wherever he went. Zeon was an outsider. He was not wee wherever he went. It was a little disappointing not to be weed even in his hometown slums, but it wasn¡¯t enough to bother him greatly. As he walked for a while, a delicious smell wafted from somewhere. It was a scent he had never smelled in the desert or in any other colony. Zeon walked towards the source of the smell. At the ce he arrived, people hadid out stalls, selling food. Zeon took a seat at one of the stalls. The reason he chose that stall among the many was simple. It was because the most delicious smell wasing from there. An old man was grilling meat with his back turned. The old man turned around, perhaps sensing a customer had arrived. His face was impressive with deep wrinkles, a beard, and a pair of sses with cracks on one side, making it impossible to guess his age. The old man spoke to Zeon. ¡°Here for a meal?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zeon didn¡¯t answer, but stared intently at the old man. Somewhere, the old man¡¯s face seemed familiar to him. After a moment, Zeon remembered the old man¡¯s identity. ¡°Are you perhaps¡­ old man Klexi?¡± ¡°You know me?¡± The old man frowned slightly, looking at Zeon. Hardly anyone on this street knew his real name. So it was unexpected for a stranger to call him by it for the first time today. Naturally, he had to be cautious. ¡°Who the hell are you to know my name?¡± ¡°I thought it was strange since you were missing in the Mana Stone Mine, but it looks like you were doing business here.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t told you my name yet.¡± Behind his sses, old man Klexi¡¯s eyes sharpened. His gaze was so sharp that it was hard to believe he was just an old man selling food on a shabby stall. Zeon chuckled and said. ¡°Your appearance seems the same, but it looks like your memory has deteriorated. Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, your face does look familiar.¡± Old man Klexi furrowed his brow as he searched through his memories. After a while of effort, Klexi finally managed to remember Zeon. ¡°Mana Stone Mine? Now that I think about it, you¡¯re that kid from back then.¡± ¡°I guess you still remember.¡± ¡°You were quite remarkable. Weren¡¯t you the kid with a Mana Stone, who disappeared after just one day in the mine? I thought you were done for. So, you¡¯ve been alive all this time. What happened?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking how you¡¯ve been all this time.¡± Klexi¡¯s eyes were glimmering with curiosity. Zeon smirked and replied. ¡°I managed somehow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking how you managed.¡± ¡°Why does that matter? What¡¯s important is that I¡¯ve managed to survive and meet you again, old man.¡± ¡°Huh! You¡¯ve be quite sly. You were naive back then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve paid a lot of tuition fees. Thanks to that, I¡¯ve learned a lot.¡± ¡°Enough. If you don¡¯t want to talk, then don¡¯t. Who cares anyway?¡± Klexi¡¯s expression turned sour. But Zeon remained unfazed. Zeon knew well how sinister and dangerous old man Klexi could be. He was an old man who had spent his whole life in the rough Mana Stone Mine. Underestimating an old man who had dealt with rough miners and Awakened all his life would be a big mistake. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Please give me something to eat.¡± ¡°Do you have money?¡± ¡°I have enough to pay for the food.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Old man Klexi served the grilled meat on a te. Zeon picked up his chopsticks and said. ¡°Thank you for the food.¡± It was the first meal he had eaten since entering Neo Seoul. Zeon put a piece of the unknown meat into his mouth. The meat gently melted in his mouth. He didn¡¯t know how it was seasoned, but the taste exploded in his mouth. Zeon thought that food was a dividing line of human civilization. Where civilization advanced, so did the food, but in backward ces, the food couldn¡¯t evolve beyond primitive levels. Most of the colonies Zeon had visited so far hadn¡¯t progressed beyond medieval civilization. They were too busy surviving the threat of monsters to even think about advancing civilization. In that sense, Neo Seoul was special. Because even in a slum like this, one could eat such delicious food. Zeon savored each bite of the meat. Watching him for a moment, old man Klexi pulled out a bottle of alcohol. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Would you like to drink some alcohol too?¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It just doesn¡¯t fit my taste.¡± ¡°Heh heh! You might have grown taller, but you still have the pte of a child. A true adult should know how to have a drink now and then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. If alcohol is the standard for being an adult, then I¡¯d rather not be one.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve be quite clever. What on earth have you been through?¡± Klexi scrutinized Zeon¡¯s entire being as if dissecting him. But merely looking at him revealed nothing. Zeon truly enjoyed the meat. He enjoyed it so much that even old man Klexi, the one who made it, wanted to taste it. ¡°When did youe to the slum?¡± ¡°I arrived here this afternoon.¡± ¡°Do you have a ce to stay?¡± ¡°Fortunately, my old house is still standing.¡± ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s quite surprising. It¡¯s against the nature of this ce to have any empty houses.¡± ¡°I guess I was lucky.¡± ¡°I wish some of that luck would rub off on me.¡± ¡°Why? Something bad happen to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily that you need bad things to happen to need luck. It¡¯s just that as you get older, you start hoping for luck. To live longer, to earn more money.¡± ¡°You really want to live longer after living this long?¡± At Zeon¡¯s words, old man Klexi burst into a wide smile, revealing a few of his remaining teeth. ¡°Ah, my friend! The older you get, the more you want to live longer. If you could, you¡¯d even make a deal with a dragon to gain immortality. That¡¯s the desire of the human heart.¡± ¡°Do dragons really grant immortality?¡± ¡°How would I know? They say if you drink their blood, you¡¯ll live forever. That¡¯s why those on the other side of that wall are so obsessed with it.¡± Old man Klexi¡¯s gaze drifted toward the barrier visible in the distance. It was the barrier dividing Neo Seoul from the slum. With just that one barrier, citizens and slum dwellers were separated. Those inside enjoyed all the benefits of civilization, while those outside faced various dangers just to survive each day. It all came down to that one barrier. That¡¯s why some called it the Wall of Despair. For ordinary people, it was an insurmountable wall no matter how hard they worked. Only a select few had the extremely rare chance of crossing that barrier. Zeon asked. ¡°Do they also seek the blood of dragons?¡± ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t? Heh heh!¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue. Dragons were also living beings. The idea that the blood of a mere creature could grant immortality wasughable in itself. Old man Klexi¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°That robe looks quite nice. Where did you get it?¡± ¡°I just happened toe across it.¡± ¡°Happened to?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say? I have quite good luck.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°I should be going now. Thank you for the meal. How much is it?¡± ¡°Never mind. Since we haven¡¯t met in a long time, I¡¯ll give it to you for free today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. Is this enough?¡± Zeon took out money from his pocket and ced it on the table. For a moment, an expression of disbelief crossed old man Klexi¡¯s face. The amount Zeon put down was exactly ten Sols. It was the same amount Zeon had given to old man Klexi in the Mana Stone Mine. Having put down ten Sols, Zeon stood up without hesitation. ¡°You?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve settled the score exactly, so there won¡¯t be anyintster.¡± Zeon left with a smile. Old man Klexi stared nkly at Zeon¡¯s back as he walked away. It felt like he was hit on the head with a sledgehammer. It had been a long time since he felt that way. ¡°So, you haven¡¯t forgotten that day? You¡¯re tougher than I thought.¡± A smile crept onto his lips. Old man Klexi stepped away from the stall and spoke. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to call it a day. Fold up the stall.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The burly merchants who were selling next to him immediately approached. They folded up old man Klexi¡¯s stall and followed behind him. As they did, people on the street made way for them. Old man Klexi said quietly. ¡°Keep an eye on that guy.¡± ¡°Is he worth it?¡± ¡°He is.¡± The wrinkles on old man Klexi¡¯s face grew deeper. But this time, it was a smile. ¡°He¡¯s the one who disappeared after going into the Mana Stone Mine. Everyone thought he was dead. But he came back alive. That alone is enough to make him worth it.¡± The Mana Stone Mine was like a maze. If you took the wrong path, you¡¯d lose your sense of direction and starve to death. Even in such cases, the bodies would be found. But Zeon¡¯s body was never found. It was puzzling at first, but it was soon forgotten. At that time, Zeon was just an insignificant boy, and he wasn¡¯t idle enough to care about the death of such a boy. But now, the situation had changed. The boy whom everyone thought was dead had returned safely. And it had been a whole eight years. Old man Klexi was incredibly curious about what had happened in those eight years. However, he knew it was impossible to find out. Events that urred outside Neo Seoul and Mana Stone Mine were beyond his ability to know. He couldn¡¯t discern what happened in the desert. But he had a knack for finding out what happened in the slums as if reading his own palm. ¡°He has definitely Awakened. Find out everything about his skills, why he returned to Neo Seoul, leave nothing out.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± The merchant disappeared along with his response. Old man Klexi looked at his palm. In his handy the ten Sols that Zeon had left behind. ¡°Heh! A fascinating fellow has rolled into town.¡± * * * Zeon murmured to himself. ¡°He¡¯s not an ordinary old man after all¡± The covert nces felt the moment he sat at old man Klexi¡¯s stall. It seemed like the entire market was paying attention to Zeon. It was clear that they were followers of old man Klexi. Most of them were ordinary people, but some definitely gave off a special vibe. Zeon knew that only Awakened individuals could give off such vibes. Having Awakeneds under hismand meant that old man Klexi was quite therge figure. Zeon couldn¡¯t fathom why such a figure would be selling food at the market. Interesting things were happening right from the first day he entered Neo Seoul. ¡°How intriguing!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 67 Chapter 67 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 67 Zeon spent several days doing nothing, just holed up in his house. Except for asionally getting up to eat, he mostly justy in bed sleeping. It was the fatigue that had umted over a whopping eight years. No matter how strong of an Awakened Zeon was, he couldn¡¯t simply ignore the fatigue that had built up over eight years of wandering the world. Zeony in bed without moving a muscle. Fortunately, the bed made of Vampire Wood and Sand Angler Hide was veryfortable, so there were no problems lying on it for extended periods. It seemed like about ten days had passed. By this point, Zeon was starting to get tired of his seclusion. Zeon got up and went to the bathroom. When he turned on the valve, the water flowed out weakly, even weaker than a kid¡¯s urine stream. With this little water, taking a shower was out of the question, and only washing his face like a cat was barely possible. Still, Zeon was satisfied. Because in the desert, one couldn¡¯t even get this much water. At least by being near Neo Seoul, water was supplied even if it was like this. In other colonies, even obtaining water was a war in itself. Zeon quickly washed his face and came out. Aftering out for the first time in a long while, he was greeted by a sandstorm. No matter how high the walls were built, they couldn¡¯tpletely block the sandstorms blowing in from the desert. That¡¯s why there was always sand rolling around the slum streets. It was said that Neo Seoul had a powerful magical force field that even blocked sandstorms. So it was difficult to find sand inside Neo Seoul. It would be the worst environment for Zeon. That¡¯s why he had chosen to live in the slums. Even though it would be morefortable inside Neo Seoul, there were constraints that prevented him from fully exerting his abilities. Even though there was Exion, he still wanted to live in the best environment for himself. That ce was the slums. Darkness had already descended in the slums. One by one, the cheap electronic billboards turned on, and people who had been stuck at home during the day came out. A market was set up on the streets, and the voices of people echoed loudly. Zeon headed straight for the street where old man Klexi was doing business. Already, food stalls were set up on the street, and old man Klexi was busy preparing for business. Zeon approached old man Klexi¡¯s stall and sat down. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Old man Klexi greeted him bluntly. Zeon smiled and ordered food. ¡°The one I hadst time, please.¡± ¡°You disappeared for a few days.¡± ¡°I just took a rest.¡± ¡°A young man like you has nothing to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been working hard for eight years, so I n to take a break for a while.¡± ¡°What have you been doing for eight years?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been living a hard life in my own way.¡± ¡°Tsk! You¡¯re like a snake.¡± Old man Klexi clicked his tongue as he looked at Zeon, who never faltered even under intense interrogation. Old man Klexi knew that Zeon had disappeared for a few days because his subordinates had reported it. He was puzzled. He hadn¡¯t expected Zeon to stay holed up at home doing nothing for so long. He wondered whether Zeon had secretly escaped while evading surveince by his subordinates, but there was almost no possibility of that. There were no hidden passages in the building where Zeon lived. In the end, he found out nothing about Zeon. That¡¯s why old man Klexi was quite irritable. Old man Klexi served food and spoke. ¡°Do you have enough money?¡± ¡°I have enough. If not, I¡¯ll sell some of my belongings.¡± ¡°Belongings? What, do you have something valuable hidden?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve collected various odds and ends.¡± ¡°Where do you n to sell them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°The look in your eyes makes me think you¡¯ll never sell it to me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Tsk! Good grief¡­ If you want to dispose of your belongings secretly, go to the ck building behind Yeonnam-ro. Show this and say I sent you. They¡¯ll let you in.¡± Old man Klexi handed Zeon a small card. It was entirely ck with no special patterns or marks. Yet, it felt chilling. Zeon put the card inside his robe and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll use it well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you have, but you better keep it safe. You know? There¡¯s no such thing as private property in these streets.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Zeon replied with a smile. Old man Klexi didn¡¯t say anything else, and Zeon focused on his meal. Meanwhile, other customers came one by one. After finishing his meal, Zeon got up from his seat. He settled the bill and headed out onto the street. Zeon immediately headed for Yeonnam-ro. This area, Sinchon, often kept the same ce names as a hundred years ago. Yeonnam-ro was one of them. Although the scenery hadpletely changed from back then, the name remained the same. Contrary to its name, Yeonnam-ro had a very dark atmosphere. There were no cheap billboards visible there, nor were there any prostitutes or drug addicts. It meant even the scoundrels were reluctant to approach it. Zeon walked on Yeonnam-ro without any hesitation. After walking for a while, the ck building old man Klexi had mentioned appeared. ¡°This is interesting!¡± Zeon showed an expression of interest. It wasn¡¯t just because the building looked sinister. It was because there was no sense of poprity inside the building. It was clear that the inside of the building waspletely blocked from the outside by a dense barrier of mana. Such a high-level barrier could never be deployed by a single individual. It required enormous manpower and funds to build. Zeon walked towards the ck building. Suddenly, heavily armed men appeared. Among them, one man stood out, a burly man with a huge machine gun attached to his arm. He was an Awakened who had discarded his human arm and merged with machinery. A fierce atmosphere emanated from him just by looking at him. He pointed the muzzle of his gun at Zeon. ¡°This is a restricted area, kid! No one can enter without permission.¡± ¡°I came here with an introduction from old man Klexi.¡± Zeon handed the ck card to the burly man without panicking. When the man injected mana, an eye symbol appeared on the ck card. Instantly, the man¡¯s attitude became polite. He handed the ck card back to Zeon and said. ¡°So you¡¯re a distinguished guest. You can go inside.¡± ¡°A distinguished guest?¡± ¡°Please go in.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The man gestured towards the inside of the building. Zeon gave up on getting an answer and walked inside. As he approached the door, he could feel a dense web of mana. As Zeon had suspected, a barrier was deployed there. It disappeared as he approached. Everywhere else remained the same, but only a spacerge enough for Zeon to enter had disappeared. After Zeon entered, the barrier was restored as if it had never been breached. Upon crossing the barrier and entering the building, a different world unfolded before him. Inside the building, there were countless shops packed with various items. The corridors were bustling with peopleing to buy goods. At a nce, they appeared far from ordinary people. They were either Awakened or those carrying weapons. They traded with the merchants cautiously or browsed through the items with serious expressions. It was then that Zeon realized the true identity of this ce. ¡°The Goblin Market¡± There were rumors circting in the slums. It was said that there existed an illicit market named the Goblin Market, where Awakeneds active in the slums traded goods. Though Zeon had heard the rumors, he had never taken an interest. He had been too preupied with surviving day by day. It was a ce where unauthorized individuals were absolutely prohibited from entering. The Goblin Market served as a neutral zone. Even those fiercely waging wars to im territories in the slums had to abide by the rules of the Goblin Market. Viting the rules of the Goblin Market would make one an enemy of all organizations in the slums. The identity of the one managing the Goblin Market remained unknown. However, it was clear that they wielded tremendous power. Although a stranger like Zeon had entered, no one paid him any attention. This allowed Zeon to explore the Goblin Market without any trouble. The first thing that caught Zeon¡¯s eye was a weapons shop. From swords and spears to guns and cannons, various weapons were disyed on the shelves. While guns were not very effective against Awakeneds, they were highly efficient against ordinary humans. This was why members of organizations like the Red Skulls often purchased them. While the Awakeneds mostly preferred cold weapons. Although there were Awakeneds whobined themselves with machines to use firearms, they were not veryrge in number. Zeon simply passed by the weapons shop. Since he primarily used sand as his weapon, these items were of no use to him. After passing the weapons shop, he came across a store selling carcasses of monsters. Though there were individuals selling monster carcasses outside as well, the ones sold here were iparable. Zeon showed interest. ¡®Carcass of an Armored Rhinoceros. Did they really manage to get that here?¡¯ The gigantic monster lying on the workbench was undoubtedly a D-rank Armored Rhinoceros. It possessed tremendous defense and attack capabilities. Its enormous size and horns could easily tear through armored buses like pieces of paper. Since it was difficult to hunt alone, it was primarily hunted in parties. Zeon was surprised since the habitat of the Armored Rhinoceros was not in the near vicinity. It was a monster that could only be found in the southern desert, far from Neo Seoul. Furthermore, it was not particrly valuable considering its size. There was no reason for such a monster to venture near Neo Seoul. Encountering it by chance during a hunt seemed more usible. ¡®If Armored Rhinoceroses are venturing near Neo Seoul¡­ the habitat changes of monsters are affecting this ce as well.¡¯ The pack of Fire Wolves he encountered just before entering Neo Seoul was also a monster rarely seen in this vicinity. The continuous migration of habitats indicated that monsters were expanding their territory near Neo Seoul. It was clearly not a good sign. It wasn¡¯t particrly pleasant that such events were happening just as he entered Neo Seoul. ¡®I hope nothing significant happens.¡¯ Zeon passed the store selling monster carcasses and ventured deeper. As he entered further, the items sold in the stores became more diverse. Despite the world being transformed into a desert, it was surprising to see such a variety of items. Zeon examined each item with interest. Though there were many items, there was nothing he particrly desired. His subspace contained items far more valuable than those found here. Just one of those items would turn the Goblin Market upside down. Then it happened. One item in particr caught Zeon¡¯s attention. It was a small metallic device about the size of an adult¡¯s palm. It resembled a miniature pyramid, emitting a strange mana. As Zeon approached with curiosity, a man who seemed to be the shopkeeper approached. ¡°It¡¯s a good item. You won¡¯t regret buying it.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a small mana generator. It converts mana from Mana Stones into electricity.¡± ¡°Such a thing exists?¡± ¡°Where have you been living? Isn¡¯t Neo Seoul also powered by mana generators? It¡¯s the same kind of item, just smaller and more efficient.¡± Mana generators were already amercialized product. All devices in Neo Seoul operated on the energy extracted from Mana Stones. However, due to their low efficiency and exorbitant cost, mana generators were not sought after. In order to properly operate the mana generators, one had to either pour in an immeasurable amount of Mana Stones from the Mana Stone Mine or use high-quality Mana Stones obtained from killing monsters. However, it would be impossible for the people in the slums to possess such Mana Stones. The mana generators were more of a burden to the merchants who possessed them. They had smuggled them out of Neo Seoul with difficulty, but since there were no buyers, it was pointless to keep them. That¡¯s why the shopkeeper, aware of this fact, tried to quickly get rid of them by catching a sucker like Zeon. ¡°If you buy it, I¡¯ll let it go for 30,000 Sols. That¡¯s a bargain. What do you say?¡± 30,000 Sols could buy 30 kilograms of Mana Stones. It was a sum of money that not many people in the slums could afford. At least, one would have to lead an organization to afford a mana generator. The shopkeeper knew this fact but still made the offer to Zeon, hoping to make a quick deal. Zeon opened his mouth after a moment of thought. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it if you give it to me for 10,000 Sols.¡± ¡°What? Are you crazy? This is an extremely precious item. Why would I sell it for just 10,000 Sols?¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t buy it.¡± Without any hesitation, Zeon moved on. Then the shopkeeper urgently said, ¡°25,000 Sols!¡± ¡°15,000 Sols.¡± ¡°No way! With that, it won¡¯t even cover the transportation costs. 23,000 Sols.¡± ¡°15,700 Sols. I won¡¯t go any higher.¡± ¡°Unbelievable! Do you have the money?¡± Zeon smiled and took out a Mana Stone. It was a Mana Stone he had obtained by chance while killing an unnamed monster. Its brilliance was iparable to those mined in the Mana Stone Mine. It contained an overwhelming amount and quality of mana. The shopkeeper immediately recognized the value of the mana stone. ¡®It¡¯s worth at least 20,000 Sols.¡¯ At this level, it wouldn¡¯t be a loss. With a markup, he could sell it for a profit. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll exchange it for the Mana Stone.¡± ¡°Uhuh! Why are all of you like this? I could get at least 20,000 Sols for something like this. Put in another item.¡± ¡°This kid is really no joke. Poisonous bastard!¡± The shopkeeper shook his head with an exhausted expression. Zeonughed at the shopkeeper¡¯s reaction. ¡°What do you think¡­ deal?¡± ¡°Deal!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 68 Chapter 68 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 68 The merchant scrutinized Zeon closely. Zeon¡¯s eyes were aze with the search for an item worth 3,000 Sols. He didn¡¯t even nce at the worthless items, only looking at valuable items like a ghost. Zeon picked up a box. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s a kind of rm device. It alerts you if someone unauthorized enters your shelter or house.¡± The merchant opened the box to show its contents. Inside were a detector-like item and a ne, paired together. ¡°It¡¯s amon item in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°With this, you should be paying at least 5,000 Sols, but I¡¯ll let it go for three thousand just for you. How about it?¡± ¡°Well, it seems like I¡¯m getting a bad deal, but I¡¯ll ept.¡± ¡°Hehe! You¡¯ve made a good choice. So, will you take the item with you, or should I arrange for delivery?¡± ¡°How much is the delivery fee?¡± ¡°Two thousand Sols!¡± Zeon frowned slightly at the absurd delivery fee. He could transport it directly into his subspace without any delivery fee. However, doing so would reveal that Zeon possessed a subspace. Subspaces were extremely rare items. Even within Neo Seoul, they were coveted by few, and everyone desired to have one. It was certain that things would get troublesome if Zeon¡¯s possession of a subspace were to be revealed. ¡°Tsk! Do you promise safe delivery?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Zeon took out another small Mana Stone from his pocket and tossed it to the merchant. The merchant admired the Mana Stone. ¡°Heh! So, this too is from a monster. Do you have a hunting team or something? Instead of that, how about making a regr supply contract for Mana Stones with us?¡± ¡°These are the only Mana Stones I have.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Think about it again. There¡¯s no ce in the Goblin Market that pays as well for Mana Stones as we do.¡± The merchant firmly believed that Zeon had a hunting team. Otherwise, it didn¡¯t make sense for him to consistently offer such high-quality Mana Stones. It was widely known that Mana Stones obtained from monsters were far more efficient than those mined from mines. If they received such high-quality Mana Stones regrly, it would inevitably increase their influence in the Goblin Market. Zeon said tly. ¡°There are no more Mana Stones. Don¡¯t imagine things. Please send the items to this address.¡± ¡°Tsk! If you change your mind, let me know anytime. The doors of my shop are always wide open.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send the items by today.¡± ¡°I trust you won¡¯t y tricks.¡± ¡°For merchants in the Goblin Market, credibility is life. I¡¯ll personally handle the delivery, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Then, goodbye.¡± After Zeon slightly nodded his head, he walked out. Even after that, Zeon wandered around the Goblin Market for a while. The Goblin Market was muchrger than it appeared from the outside, making it a fascinating sightseeing spot. While Zeon was leisurely exploring the Goblin Market, it happened. Boom! Suddenly, a loud noise erupted from inside. Then voices of people followed. ¡°It¡¯s a fight.¡± ¡°These crazy bastards! Fighting in the Goblin Market?¡± No disputes or fights were tolerated in the Goblin Market. That was the rule of the Goblin Market. Those who vited the rule would have no ce to stay in the slums. Yet, engaging in a fight meant that they either had a force strong enough not to fear the Goblin Market, or they were ignorant of such knowledge altogether. Zeon walked towards where the disturbance urred. Many people were surrounding the area where two individuals were standing face to face with each other. One was a man with an icy-cold demeanor, of average build, and the other was a giant man d in armor that made breathing difficult just by looking at it. The atmosphere was heavy with the confrontation between the two. The man with the icy-cold demeanor spoke up. ¡°You seem to have lost your wits, Brixton!¡± ¡°You have a long tongue, Theo! If you¡¯re scared, just bite your tongue.¡± The giant referred to as Brixton pulled out a huge hammer he had behind him. A fierce madness emanated from his entire body. Instantly, Theo¡¯s gaze became sharper. ¡°You insolent fool!¡± He pulled out a small dagger with a triangr de and a lotus pattern engraved on it. It was called a Vajra, a tool mainly used for asceticism in ancient religion. A terrifying aura emanated from the Vajra Theo was holding. The two men stared at each other with murderous eyes, as if they were about to engage in a fierce battle. Theo raised his Vajra towards his chest and said. ¡°From now on, whatever happens, it¡¯s Dongdaemun¡¯s responsibility. That crazy berserker!¡± ¡°Being under Goran¡¯smand has made you bold. Someday, I¡¯ll smash Goran¡¯s head with this hammer of mine.¡± ¡°You arrogant¡­¡± Anger emanated from Theo¡¯s Vajra in a burst of red energy, an Aura that only high-level Awakeneds could wield. Simrly, a bright light emitted from the hammer held by Brixton. It was a different energy from the usual Aura. It was a sacred power that only a select few Awakeneds could use. The leader of Dongdaemun to which Brixton belonged was a figure named Johan. He had Awakened a unique sacred power and had even granted simr abilities to his subordinates. Among them was the Berserker Brixton. Brixton was Johan¡¯s first weapon against his enemies. Facing him was Theo, a subordinate of Goran, the leader of Sinchon. Goran also had four Awakeneds under hismand, and Theo was one of them, known for his icy, rational demeanor. Brixton and Theo were famous rivals and had fought several times already. Their skills were evenly matched, so they hadn¡¯t determined a winner yet. Such fierce rivals happened to run into each other in the Goblin Market. Ignoring the unwritten rules of the Goblin Market, they ignited their hostility towards each other. ¡°I¡¯ll smash your head to pieces without a trace.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cut out your heart with this Vajra.¡± The two charged at each other. Crash! Just before the Vajra and the hammer collided, a bolt of lightning struck between them. ¡°Tsk!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± The two men stumbled back, showing signs of confusion. ¡°Both of you, stop. If you cause any more trouble, I¡¯ll have to file aint with Mr. Goran and Mr. Johan. Then, the matter won¡¯t end with just the two of you being reprimanded.¡± A woman wearing a leather outfit that revealed her body stepped forward with a calm voice. She was a beautiful woman, with red hair that contrasted with her white leather outfit. Behind her followed a man emitting a fierce aura like that of a lion. His nose and mouth were covered with ck cloth, but his eyes, visible beneath his messy hair, were enough to overwhelm everyone in the audience. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] As soon as the two appeared, the street fell silent. Even Theo and Brixton couldn¡¯t stir up any more trouble and fell silent. The presence and status of the two neers were exceptional. The woman with striking red hair was none other than the owner of the Goblin Market. It was extremely rare for her to show up in person at the market. This was because Theo and Brixton¡¯s conflict could have a significant impact on the Goblin Market. Although located near Sinchon on Yeonnam Road, the Goblin Market was fundamentally a neutral zone. No conflicts of any faction were tolerated here. Furthermore, it didn¡¯t take anyone¡¯s side. If not for this, the Goblin Market wouldn¡¯t have survived until now. Both Sinchon and Dongdaemun, to which Theo and Brixton belonged, were influential factions even in the slums. The two were central figures even within these powerful factions. Fighting outside might be fine, but fighting in the Goblin Market and causing casualties would only bring trouble. Hence, Yoo Se-hee had no choice but to reveal herself. The man behind Yoo Se-hee was her guard and the strongest in the Goblin Market, known as the ck Lion. Only Yoo Se-hee knew his real name. One thing was certain: the ck Lion¡¯s power was not inferior to that of the leaders of Dongdaemun and Sinchon. Theo and Brixton couldn¡¯t dare to act rashly at their appearance. Yoo Se-hee, who sent the lightning bolt, was also uneasy, but more than anything, the overwhelming presence of the ck Lion weighed them all down. Yoo Se-hee, with her red hair fluttering, stood between the two. ¡°There won¡¯t be any problems as long as youpensate for the items that were broken. So let¡¯s end it here.¡± A bright smile adorned her face. Her smile,bined with her red hair, was enchanting enough to captivate all the men present. However, Theo and Brixton were not swayed by her appearance alone. If Yoo Se-hee was merely a beautiful woman, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to lead the Goblin Market to its current state. The Goblin Market¡¯s influence was solely thanks to Yoo Se-hee. Therefore, Johan and Goran didn¡¯t underestimate her either. Theo was the first to step back. ¡°I apologize. I¡¯llpensate separately for the broken items.¡± ¡°Thank you. As expected of Theo.¡± Theo nodded slightly to Yoo Se-hee and left without hesitation. Watching him leave, Brixton spoke to Yoo Se-hee. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to see you outside.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you asking me out on a date? But what should I do? I like the Goblin Market. If it¡¯s a date inside here, I¡¯ll consider it.¡± ¡°Johan wants to see you.¡± ¡°In that case, we should definitely have our date inside here. I¡¯m scared of Johan too.¡± Although she said it lightly, there was no sign of fear on her face. Instead, there was a hint of mockery. Brixton knew this fact, but he didn¡¯t show anger or hesitation. If he provoked Yoo Se-hee any further, the people of Dongdaemun would never be able to use the Goblin Market again. This was something even Johan, the leader of Dongdaemun, didn¡¯t want. Brixton bowed his head to Yoo Se-hee and stepped back. ¡°Send me a list of the damages, I will pay it all by tomorrow. See you next time.¡± ¡°Hoho! Take care.¡± Yoo Se-hee waved her hand. As Brixton disappeared from view, the smile on Yoo Se-hee¡¯s face vanishedpletely. ¡°Damn bastards! Whye to someone else¡¯s ce of business to fight? Compile a detailed list of damages and submit it.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± One of the merchants responded cautiously. Instantly, Yoo Se-hee¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she eximed, ¡°What are you doing? Are you not going to do business today? Has business already finished?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yes, we will.¡± ¡°Hurry up and organize it.¡± Surprised merchants scattered like cockroaches and began organizing their goods. The chaotic market quickly returned to its original state, and business resumed as if nothing had happened. Yoo Se-hee shouted angrily. ¡°You¡¯re all too busy watching the fight. You need to sell more to make money. You ipetent fools!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, they should get it by now,¡± The ck Lion, her guard, stepped forward to calm her down. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m calm now.¡± ¡°Try to control your temper when outside. There are many eyes watching.¡± ¡°I know. When did I ever care about others¡¯ opinions? Putting on a mysterious image only narrows your range of action.¡± Yoo Se-hee grumbled. Seeing her unexpected reaction, Zeon couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Pfft!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s there? Is there someone still not doing business and just watching?¡± Yoo Se-hee happened to catch Zeon¡¯sughter and narrowed her eyes. Amidst the bustling crowd, Yoo Se-hee soon spotted Zeon standing there. She approached Zeon with determined steps. ¡°It¡¯s you? You wereughing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Only then did Zeon realize his mistake and apologized. Yoo Se-hee scrutinized Zeon carefully. ¡°You¡¯re not a merchant here. A customer?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you before. Who introduced you to here?¡± ¡°I came thanks to old man Klexi.¡± At that moment, Yoo Se-hee suddenly leaned her face closer to Zeon¡¯s face. ¡°Klexi? Was it that damn old man who gave you the card?¡± Zeon blinked in surprise at her unexpected reaction. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 69 Chapter 69 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 69 [TL/N: Nice ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã)] The mature scent of a woman wafted into his nose. It was the first time a woman had leaned in so close to him like this. Zeon asked, struggling to maintain hisposure. ¡°You know old man Klexi?¡± ¡°Do I know? I¡¯m just itching to catch and kill him.¡± ¡°Is it that serious?¡± ¡°If I could, I would.¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s gaze turned cold. The yful demeanor she had just moments ago while teasing the merchants was nowhere to be found. If Zeon were an ordinary person, he might not have been able to breathe properly under her overwhelming presence. Fortunately, Zeon was not an ordinary person, and he wasn¡¯t weak enough to be overwhelmed by such a gaze. Yoo Se-hee also realized that Zeon was not an ordinary person. Above all, she knew that Klexi would never give his precious card to just some nobody. ¡°How did you meet Klexi?¡± ¡°Would you believe me if I said it was a coincidence?¡± ¡°It seems like you have no intention of telling me.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t believe it either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not you I don¡¯t believe, it¡¯s Klexi. There¡¯s no way he would give his precious card to someone he met by coincidence.¡± ¡°It does seem ominous.¡± ¡°You seem no less ominous yourself.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Zeon wore an expression of injustice. Yoo Se-hee carefully scrutinized Zeon¡¯s face. She had to admit at least one thing. That was, she couldn¡¯t read his thoughts just by looking at his face alone. It meant that Zeon was thorough in concealing himself. She might be able to figure it out if she used her unique skills, but she didn¡¯t want to go that far. Her skills were formidable, but the repercussions of using them were not to be underestimated. If he hade with a rmendation from Klexi, he probably wasn¡¯t someone who would cause trouble at the Goblin Market. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Zeon.¡± ¡°Where do you live?¡± ¡°Are you investigating me now?¡± ¡°Yeah! Are you not going to answer?¡± ¡°I live in the anthill.¡± ¡°Shinchon?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll be seeing each other often. Alright, you can go now.¡± Yoo Se-hee waved her hand as if shooing away a fly. Zeon said to her, slightly lowering his head. ¡°Well then¡­.¡± Yoo Se-hee watched as Zeon disappeared into the crowd with a sharp gaze. The ck Lion spoke quietly. ¡°Should we tail him?¡± ¡°No! Klexi has probably already put someone on him. We just need to share information, so there¡¯s no need to waste valuable manpower.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The ck Lion acquiesced. He knew as much about Klexi as Yoo Se-hee did. Klexi was extremely meticulous and tenacious. Yoo Se-hee took a step forward. ¡°The atmosphere around the colony has been chaotictely. I heard a pack of Fire Wolves attacked an armored bus a few days ago?¡± ¡°Yes! Hordes of monsters are increasingly appearing near Neo Seoul. It seems like the rumors about Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic field weakening are true.¡± What set Neo Seoul apart from other colonies was the presence of an anti-magic field. For some reason, Neo Seoul had a powerful energy present, which kept the monsters at bay and prevented them from approaching. Thanks to this, humans could escape the threat of monsters and develop Neo Seoul. Neo Seoul amplified the anti-magic field into magical barriers, enhancing its effectiveness. The range of this reinforced anti-magic field exceeded dozens of kilometers. Thanks to this, not only Neo Seoul but also the slums could be safe from the threat of monsters. Humanity was able to buy time and develop cities like now because of the anti-magic field. However, for some reason, the anti-magic field of Neo Seoul was gradually weakening. As evidence, people heard that monsters were gradually appearing closer to Neo Seoul. In the past, this would have been unimaginable. To hunt monsters, teams had to go far from Neo Seoul. But now, monsters were visible not far from Neo Seoul. The notion that monsters feared approaching Neo Seoul had be a thing of the past. Yoo Se-hee looked beyond the towering skyscrapers, beyond the massive wall, where the rulers of Neo Seoul resided. ¡°What exactly are they doing inside that¡¯s causing the weakening of Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic field? Have they already forgotten the lessons of that day?¡± Her voice was filled with deep concern. *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon left the Goblin Market and walked along Yeonnam-ro. Meeting Yoo Se-hee, the owner of the Goblin Market, was beyond his expectations. Zeon thought Yoo Se-hee was incredibly strong. ¡®She unleashed lightning magic in an instant.¡¯ Usually, casting magic required some preparation time. Magic was essentially the manifestation of thoughts. Bringing what was envisioned in the mind into reality was the essence of magic. It usually took time to manifest thoughts into reality. Those with exceptional talent might have a very short time, but for others, it inevitably took longer. However, Yoo Se-hee didn¡¯t seem to have such a time gap. What she did was summon lightning instantly into reality, and even then, it was only with enough force to push Theo and Brixton back without injuring them. Just the fact that she unleashed the most destructive lightning magic without causing any harm to either side spoke volumes about her incredible talent. Although he didn¡¯t know Yoo Se-hee¡¯s rank, it was undoubtedly at least B-rank or higher. With that level of power, there would be hardly anyone in this slum who could oppose her. What was more impressive was the ck Lion apanying her. The ck Lion emitted such an intense aura that it made Zeon flinch slightly. The overwhelming energy filled his body to the point where it overflowed naturally to the outside. It was the first time Zeon had seen such a powerful Martial Arts Awakened being in the slums. The ck Lion subtly reminded Zeon, who had somewhat underestimated the slums, to be cautious. That alone was enough of an achievement. Zeon thought he made the right decision to visit the Goblin Market. He believed that by continuing to use the Goblin Market, he would be able to adequately understand the situation in the slums. ¡°Haa!¡± Zeon returned home and took off the robe he was wearing. His home was still empty. Apart from the bed and sofa, there was nothing else. The light bulb flickered uneasily. It was because the electricity supply was unstable. But once the small mana generator arrived, the situation would change. Being able to supply power independently would allow the use of various devices, not just the lights. In a way, it meant enjoying a proper civilization from that point on. Zeon sat on the sofa, waiting for the mana generator to be delivered. The merchant had said he¡¯d send it today, so it should arrive soon. Then it happened. Boom! With a tremendous explosion, the building shook as if it would copse at any moment. ss from the windows shattered and flew into the house. Zeon frowned and got up from his seat. Through the broken window, he saw the intersection outside in ruins. In the middle of the intersection, a truck was on fire. It was clearly the result of an attack. Incidents like this weremon in this area, so Zeon tried not to pay much attention. But as soon as he saw the pattern on the broken truck, he couldn¡¯t help it. The truck bore the symbol of a goblin. The goblin symbol was the symbol of the Goblin Market. It meant that a transport vehicle from the Goblin Market had been attacked. ¡®What if the vehicle?¡¯ Zeon felt a foreboding. He leaped out of the window without hesitation. His apartment was on the eighteenth floor. Nevertheless, he jumped out without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Just as Zeon¡¯s body was nearing the ground at a terrifying speed¡­ Sand piled up on one side of the street shot up like a pir, gently catching his body. The impact was cushioned using the sand. But there was no one to witness this. Everyone on the street was too busy watching the burning vehicle to notice. Zeon hurriedly pushed through the crowd and approached the vehicle. Fierce mes were raging inside the vehicle, making it difficult for people to get close. Their faces were filled with greed. ¡°Damn it! There must be valuable stuff inside there, right?¡± ¡°If only the fire would weaken a bit.¡± They had no intention of extinguishing the mes engulfing the vehicle. They were only concerned with how to get close enough to steal whatever was inside. No one cursed them out. It was the nature of the slums itself. Zeon pushed past such people and approached the vehicle. The intense mes engulfed his body, but they had no effect on him. Zeon finally reached the front of the vehicle. The first thing he checked was the driver¡¯s seat. Two bodies were already melting on the driver¡¯s and passenger¡¯s seats. One of them was the merchant from the Goblin Market whom Zeon had dealt with. A long sh wound was clearly visible on the merchant¡¯s neck. It was evident that they had been killed before the vehicle exploded. Zeon furrowed his brow and returned to the cargopartment. The cargopartment door was wide open, spewing out fierce mes. Although his vision was obscured by mes and smoke, Zeon clearly saw that the cargopartment was empty. ¡°Ha!¡± Zeon sighed deeply. It was clear that the mana generator he was supposed to receive had been stolen. With the merchant dead, there was no possibility of receivingpensation for his loss. ¡°What kind of bastards dare to¡­?¡± His expression turned sharp. He wanted to live quietly if possible. That¡¯s why he tried to overlook minor incidents. But the theft of his mana generator was not something he could easily overlook. He had to find and punish the attackers and recover the mana generator. First and foremost, it was urgent to identify the attackers who had stolen the mana generator. Zeon surveyed the area around the burning vehicle. Not far away, he found a piece of metal debris. It was clearly not a part of the vehicle. The surface of the metal debris, scorched by the fire, bore the inscription ¡°FB130¨D.¡± Although the rest was not visible, this alone was enough of a clue. Someone had attacked the vehicle, killed the merchant and his entourage, stolen the mana generator, and then destroyed the vehicle in an explosion to erase all evidence. Even if the Goblin Market did an investigation, no one would assume that the mana generator was stolen; they would simply think it burned along with the vehicle. Fortunately, Zeon arrived before the mespletely engulfed the transport vehicle; otherwise, the truth would have beenpletely consumed by the fire. Zeon turned away from the mes and moved on. There was no point in asking the people who were blinded by greed. Zeon knew he had to ask the people at the bottom of this street about what was happening. Fortunately, he knew them well. Zeon headed towards the shady parts of the street. At first nce, it seemed chaotic, but even here, there were addresses. However, the method of assigning addresses was different, making it difficult to find for those not familiar with the area. Zeon navigated his memory as he walked. After passing through several alleys, he arrived at a warehouse on the ground floor of arge building. Zeon opened the warehouse door without hesitation and walked in. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Who the helles in without permission?¡± There was an abrupt and rough response. Inside the warehouse, there were men sitting around, emanating a tense atmosphere. They expressed hostility towards the uninvited intruder. However, as soon as they saw Zeon¡¯s face, the hostility vanished instantly. ¡°Keuk!¡± ¡°You?¡± Their faces turned pale. The warehouse was their of Red Skull. The ones who paled at the sight of Zeon were none other than Jo Sang-hyuk and his subordinates. Jo Sang-hyuk, the leader of the Red Skull, stuttered. ¡°Uh, why are you here, sir? I told all my little brothers, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve done anything wrong¡­¡± Zeon said to Jo Sang-hyuk. ¡°I have something to ask. Do you have a moment?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Jo Sang-hyuk nodded his head at lightning speed. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 70 Chapter 70 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 70 ¡°This looks like a me Buster.¡± ¡°me Buster?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a me bomb Neo Seoul is researching exclusively to use against high-ranking monsters. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s intended to target B-rank or higher monsters¡­¡± Jo Sang-hyuk¡¯s words trailed off. Rumors were just rumors. Among B-rank or higher monsters, there existed powerful force fields. No ordinary weapon could inflict even minor injuries due to these force fields. The only thing capable of prating a monster¡¯s force field and causing damage was the attack of an Awakened. In the desert, such monsters were abundant. These factors kept people tied to Neo Seoul. Safend was limited, yet the poption kept growing. The need for expansion beyond Neo Seoul was urgent. That¡¯s why the me Buster was being developed. To deal significant damage to B-rank, even boss-level monsters. ¡°But as far as I know, the me Buster hasn¡¯t beenpleted yet.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Among the remaining serial numbers here, ¡®FB¡¯ stands for me Buster, and ¡®130¡¯ means it¡¯s the 130th prototype.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I¡­ I have connections with arms smugglers.¡± Jo Sang-hyuk spoke honestly. Neo Seoul and the slums had a kind of symbiotic rtionship. Weapons developed in Neo Seoul sometimes found their way into the slums. There were cases of smuggling by organized crime, but sometimes Neo Seoul deliberately leaked them into the slums. Because they couldn¡¯t openly experiment within Neo Seoul, they utilized organizations in the slums for testing. Therefore, arms smuggling organizations were quite knowledgeable about Neo Seoul¡¯s weapon development. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s still a prototype, right?¡± ¡°Yes! Its power seems much weaker than rumored. It might even be a separate development as a small-scale weapon. If it were a proper me Buster, the entire street would probably have been destroyed.¡± Since it was developed to prate a monster¡¯s force field, its destructive power was immense. If it exploded, it could demolish even giant buildings in an instant, so it couldn¡¯t be used recklessly. No matter howwless the slums were, if damage exceeded a certain level, all organizations would have to intervene. That would escte the problem. Zeon asked. ¡°Have any organizations recently acquired the me Buster?¡± ¡°As far as I know, not yet. It¡¯s still just a prototype¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Zeon¡¯s voice sank heavily. For a moment, Jo Sang-hyuk felt a chill run down his spine. Zeon still had a smile on his lips, but his eyes weren¡¯t smiling. Unconsciously, Jo Sang-hyuk stuttered. ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Tell me anything that could be a lead. If it turns outter that you¡¯ve hidden information, I¡¯ll show you a fireworks disy like no other with the me Buster.¡± ¡°Gah!¡± In an instant, Jo Sang-hyuk felt the temperature inside the warehouse skyrocketing. Zeon had released some of his abilities. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Jo Sang-hyuk¡¯s face contorted in pain. It felt like his entire body was melting in the heat. If time passed any longer, he felt like his lungs would burn from the hot air. He hastily said. ¡°Th-there have been some troublesome guys recently.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± Zeon showed interest, and the scorching air that had risen sharply cooled down. Jo Sang-hyuk hurriedly continued. ¡°They¡¯re Alligators.¡± ¡°Alligators?¡± ¡°They live underground. They¡¯re called that because they gobble up anything like alligators. They do anything that can make money, just like their name suggests.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Lately, the movements of these Alligators have been suspicious. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s causing it, but they¡¯re causing trouble everywhere.¡± ¡°And other organizations just let such people be?¡± ¡°The underground sewer is their habitat. As you know, that ce is¡­¡± ¡°Too dirty for anyone to enter?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I see. Is that all?¡± Zeon turned away without further probing. There was nothing more to gain from Jo Sang-hyuk by poking further. Now it was time to act. The slums weren¡¯t just confined to the surface. Since there was no morend to build houses on, some people turned their eyes underground. They wanted to own houses, even if it meant underground since they couldn¡¯t have them on the surface. There were rumors that such people had gathered and established a territory underground. But Zeon had never seen them firsthand. ¡®Underground, huh?¡±¡¯ Zeon returned to the intersection. The street where the vehicle had exploded was now clean. It wasn¡¯t cleaned intentionally; people had looted everything. Even the burnt-out car body was valuable to them. They could melt it down for recycling or find other uses for it. There was no such thing as discarded junk in the slums. But that didn¡¯t matter. What Zeon needed wasn¡¯t the burnt car body. Zeon wandered around near the intersection. What he was looking for was a passage leading underground. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for someone to walk around the streets with something as bulky as a mana generator. They must have entered the underground through the closest passage. After searching for a while, Zeon finally found such a ce. Behind a secluded alley piled with junk, there was a small passage. It should have been blocked by iron bars, but they were all bent. A foul smell emanated from the passage. That¡¯s why even people living in the slums hesitated to approach. Without hesitation, Zeon slipped through the gap. Like sand flowing, Zeon descended into the underground through the crevice. The underground turned out to be a sewer. Sewage filled up to ankle height and gurgled. The smell inside the sewer was so pungent it made one dizzy. Zeon took a moment topose himself. Although the environment wasn¡¯t pleasant, Zeon had survived in worse conditions. He could adapt to this level of difort easily. And indeed, he did. Soon, Zeon began to move, limating himself to the stench. No matter how much the underground sewer flows, when humans move, they always leave traces. And that was the case here. Fingerprints on the walls, marks of something being dragged were all clearly visible. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon didn¡¯t miss such traces. Pat! Pat! With each step Zeon took, there was a sound of water sshing on the floor. If it were regr shoes, they would have been soaked by now, but the shoes Zeon wore were not ordinary. They were made from monster leather as well. Not a single drop of water seeped in. Thanks to this, Zeon could walk through the sewer without worry. As Zeon walked at a brisk pace, he suddenly widened his eyes. A fork in the path had appeared. This was where it became crucial. Zeon examined the ground. Both passages had sewage flowing through them, but one was dry, without a hint of moisture. No one could live underwater, even if they adapted to underground life. If people lived, it would be in ces where sewage didn¡¯t enter. Zeon moved towards the dry path. The passage was high enough for an adult to walk throughfortably. This made it easy for Zeon to walk. Breathing became much easier from this point on. The foul smell that had pervaded the air became much fainter. Rather than Zeon getting used to it, it seemed like some artificial force was purifying the air in the sewer. ¡®An item?¡¯ Air purification items were quite expensive. And they weren¡¯t something you could easily acquire just because you had money. They were only traded in Neo Seoul. Using such a precious item to purify the air in the sewer seemed to indicate the scale and capabilities of those living underground were greater than expected. As Zeon took a few more steps¡­ ¡°Who goes there?¡± ¡°A tracker?¡± With rough voices, someone attacked Zeon from the darkness. Approaching through the darkness, two weapons aimed at Zeon¡¯s neck and head. They were aiming for fatal spots. Zeon moved his body lightly to evade the attack and then struck back. ¡°Keuk!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The attackers screamed out in pain. Zeon¡¯s fist had struck precisely at their abdomens. It was a powerful blow that would have incapacitated an ordinary person, but the attackers managed to withstand it. They were wearing protective gear resembling ragged armor. It mitigated the impact. ¡°It¡¯s a bastard from above.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dead!¡± Driven by malice, they attacked Zeon. The sight of them rushing towards him with their yellow teeth bared resembled rabid dogs. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue. While there were no non-toxic people among those living in the slums, these individuals were beyond the norm. It seemed like it¡¯d be difficult to subdue them with just the right amount of force. Boom! Thud! Zeon¡¯s fist and knee struck each attacker¡¯s head and abdomen. The attacker struck in the head lost focus in his eyes, while the one hit in the abdomen had his protection shattered, bearing the full brunt of the impact on his body. Seemingly in agony, as if their internal organs bursted, they lost consciousness and copsed. Zeon paid no attention to the fallen attackers and continued forward. With surveince forces down, those inside would have noticed the intrusion. Thud! Zeon¡¯s pace quickened. ¡°You¡¯re dead!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! Suddenly, gunshots echoed in the sewer. And it wasn¡¯t just gunshots from any gun; it was from a machine gun capable of repeat fire. Due to guns being unable to prate thick monster hide, firearms were pushed back in the weapon of choice, but that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯tpletely obsolete. There was no weapon more efficient than firearms for subduing and killing humans. The attackers beyond the darkness fired their guns madly. However, the bullets didn¡¯t hit Zeon. His robe perfectly protected him. Thud! Zeon kicked off the ground and leaped forward. In an instant, Zeon closed the distance and subdued those firing the guns. ¡°Arggh!¡± ¡°Keuuk!¡± With screams, all the attackers fell. Zeon stood in the center, looking down at the fallen. Each one emitted a foul odor from not having washed in probably years. Their appearance was as pitiful as those struggling to survive outside the colony. ¡°Who are you? You bastard?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll kill you, you son of a bitch!¡± The attackers, lying on the ground, red at Zeon with venomous eyes and spewed curses. They were not your typical toxic people. But Zeon wasn¡¯t your typical person either. This level of mental pressure couldn¡¯t affect him. Ignoring their venomous gazes, Zeon looked around. In the ratherrge underground space, many items were piled up. Among them was a mana generator that Zeon suspected belonged to him. ¡°Ah, there you are.¡± As Zeon walked towards the mana generator¡­ ¡°You, what are you?¡± A particrly calm voice sounded. Zeon paused for a moment and looked towards where the voice came from. A man sat on arge wooden crate, doing his nails. The man was grooming his nails with a dagger the size of an adult¡¯s forearm, his face covered in tattoos, with unnaturally yellow eyes gleaming eerily in the darkness. Strangely, the space around the man seemed distorted and warped. He spoke again. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the owner of that item.¡± Zeon nced at the mana generator. The man chuckled. ¡°So you crawled all the way here to find that mana generator? You have quite the guts. But what should I do? I have no intention of giving it back.¡± ¡°But what can I do? I definitely need to get that back though.¡± Zeon also smiled at the man. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 71 Chapter 71 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 71 The man with tattoos on his face looked incredulous. ¡°You think this is funny? You¡¯reughing at this situation?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I even smile?¡± ¡°You¡¯re one audacious bastard, crawling all the way here without a trace of fear.¡± The man sheathed the dagger he was grooming his nails with and stood up. The man¡¯s stature was massive. Zeon looked at the man with interest. It was because of the peculiarity of his physique. What caught Zeon¡¯s attention was the man¡¯s skin. It was scaly like that of a crocodile. Even at a nce, the texture itself was different from human skin. The man spoke. ¡°Why, does my skin look strange to you? Spending too long in the sunless, damp ces does this to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not inherent but rather a natural transformation, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed quite intriguing. This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered such a case.¡± At Zeon¡¯s naturally curious response, the man¡¯s expression stiffened. It was because his reaction differed from most people he knew. Anyone who saw his skin and physique would recoil in fear and avoid eye contact, yet Zeon seemed to be looking at him with the gleam of interest, like he had stumbled upon an amusing toy. This reaction was unprecedented. ¡°You¡¯re an interesting one.¡± ¡°Then would you return the mana generator to me?¡± ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s not going to happen. That thing is quite a rare find, you know.¡± ¡°A rare find?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s a special generator with an absurd output for its size. With just high-quality Mana Stones, it can supply an enormous amount of electricity reliably.¡± ¡°Why do you need electricity?¡± ¡°Why do you think? Because there are people here who need it. There¡¯s no electricity supplied down here.¡± ¡°Are there many people living underground?¡± ¡°There are probably far more than you think.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Zeon nodded his head thoughtfully. ¡°So give up. I¡¯ll put it to much better use than you ever could.¡± ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s not going to happen. I¡¯m somewhat possessive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been bbering nonsense all this while. Now I feel sick. Kyaak! Ptuh!¡± The man spat disgustingly on Zeon¡¯s shoe. As Zeon looked down at the spittle on his shoe, the manughed. ¡°Why, are you feeling disgusted?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not pleasant.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too disgusted. This is just the beginning.¡± A mischievous smile spread across the man¡¯s lips. Zeon stared intently at the man¡¯s face. Scaly skin, and yellowish eyes. ¡°Truly like a *crocodile.¡± [*¡°Alligator¡± will be changed to ¡°Crocodile¡± after more context.] ¡°That¡¯s why my name is Crocker.¡± ¡°It suits you well.¡± Zeon nodded his head. At that moment, Crocker kicked off the ground. His fist pierced the darkness and surged towards Zeon¡¯s face. Bang! Zeon¡¯s body shook from the heavy impact. However, Crocker¡¯s fist never touched Zeon¡¯s face. He blocked Crocker¡¯s fist with his gauntleted right hand. Despite his attack being blocked, Crocker didn¡¯t wipe the smile off his face. ¡°You¡¯re quite good.¡± ¡°You¡¯re no pushover either. You¡¯re at least C-rank, I suppose.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Instead of replying, Crockerunched another barrage of attacks. Bang! Bang! Bang! The air burst violently with his consecutive strikes. As Zeon suspected, Crocker was a Martial Artist Awakened of at least C-rank. He relentlessly pushed Zeon, but Zeon effortlessly evaded all his attacks. Crocker was undoubtedly strong. He had adapted perfectly to the environment of the underground waterway. His eyes pierced through the darkness like it was broad daylight, and his skin was incredibly tough and resilient. He could withstand considerable attacks without using skills. But this time, his opponent wasn¡¯t just anybody. Among those Zeon had faced, there was no one weaker than Crocker. But Zeon saw through all his movements clearly. No matter how much he attacked, Zeon effortlessly avoided them all. Crocker¡¯s face showed a hint of confusion as not a single hitnded on Zeon. ¡°You! How long are you going to keep dodging?¡± That¡¯s when it happened. As if denying Crocker¡¯s words, Zeonunched a powerful strike. Crocker was unable to avoid the attack that came at lightning speed. He had no choice but to cross his arms to block Zeon¡¯s strike. Boom! ¡°Kugh!¡± With a muffled sound, Crocker groaned in pain. His face turned pale as he was pushed backwards. Both of his arms were broken and dangling. Crocker couldn¡¯t believe it. His bones and muscles were much stronger than other Awakeneds. Yet he was unable to withstand a single blow from Zeon. Only then did Crocker realize. Zeon was a far more formidable Awakened than he had thought. ¡®A Martial Artist, at least C-rank.¡¯ Equal or even slightly stronger than him. If he used the skills he had kept hidden, he might have a chance of winning. But his opponent hadn¡¯t revealed proper skills either. There was a chance he might lose. His judgment was swift. To fight such an opponent, he needed more preparation. ¡°Shit!¡± His choice was to retreat. Crocker had said the mana generator was important, but it was not as important as his life. Crocker and his men hastily retreated towards the exit behind them. Fortunately, Zeon didn¡¯t pursue them any further. Before disappearing, Crocker said. ¡°Because of you, countless people will suffer. If the people who could¡¯ve been saved with the mana generator die, it¡¯ll be on you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not because of me, but because of your ipetence. I hope you don¡¯t me me for your own responsibility.¡± ¡°Kugh!¡± Zeon simply denied Crocker¡¯s words. ming Zeon for not obtaining the mana generator when they could have acquired it for a fair price was unjust; shifting that me onto Zeon. Zeon¡¯s heart was not soft enough to be swayed by this kind of gaslighting. ¡°We will meet again, for sure.¡± With those words, Crocker and his subordinatespletely disappeared. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon stood still, looking at where they had disappeared to. A deeper and dirtier sewage flow continued into the darkness. Zeon had no intention of going into that ce. He had spent a good eight years crawling through deserts and various dungeons. Now he wanted to live in a slightly cleaner environment. Although there were many items looted by Crocker and his subordinates in the underground space, Zeon paid no attention to them. He immediately stored the mana generator and rm device in his subspace and came out. ¡°Whew!¡± Zeon, who came out of the sewer, took a deep breath for a moment. As expected, the air outside was much better. Zeon briefly looked around before returning home. The problem was having to walk up to the eighteenth floor, but for Zeon, it was not a difficult task. Fortunately, it seemed that there were no intruders while he was away from home. Zeon immediately installed the mana generator in his house. Looking at the pyramid-shaped mana generator for a moment, Zeon took out a Mana Stone from his subspace. When he ced the fist-sized Mana Stone into the mana generator, a bright light burst out momentarily. The mana generator began extracting electricity from the Mana Stone. After a while, the intense light gradually faded. It was evidence that the electricity was being supplied steadily. Zeon obtained the Mana Stone he inserted into the mana generator from defeating a C-rank monster. It was much purer and contained more energy than canned Mana Stones from the mines. Naturally, a stable electricity supply was inevitable. ¡°Nice!¡± A satisfied smile appeared on Zeon¡¯s face. Now that he had found a stable electricity source, it was time for the next task. Zeon took out a ck gem from his subspace. It was obtained from conquering a certain dungeon three years ago. It looked ordinary on the outside, but in fact, this ck gem was the core of the dungeon. The dungeon itself was a powerful barrier. It detected and blocked intrusion from the outside in advance. Furthermore, it perfectly isted the inside and outside, so that external shocks were hardly transmitted. In a way, the interior of that dungeon was the safest space in the world. Zeon stayed in the dungeon for a full three months to explore its secrets. Unlike other dungeons, it could be forcibly prated with power. But that wouldpletely destroy the dungeon, which was not what Zeon wanted. He wanted to have the full barrier of the dungeon. So he investigated the weaknesses of the barrier and found a way topletely bypass it. That period of contemtionsted three months, and in the end, he was able to obtain the ck gem, the core of the dungeon. Then he finally understood. The true nature of the ck gem. ¡®The Watching Eye.¡¯ That was the official name of the ck gem. It was the core of the barrier used by the Kurayan Royal family. It was mainly used in ces like the royal pce or the king¡¯s residence, at the core. It was so difficult to make that there were hardly a few. One of them hade to Earth without being destroyed. The unfortunate part was that although the Watching Eye had been sessfully transferred to Earth and turned into a dungeon, the items inside had disappeared and no longer existed. Zeon ced the Watching Eye on top of the mana generator. Then the electricity generated by the mana generator was supplied to the Watching Eye. As the power flowed in, a red line spread out from the Watching Eye. The red lines filled Zeon¡¯s house like rose stems. Zeon stood in the middle of his house, watching the scene. It was the process of the barrier recognizing the space. The red lines that filled the house soon disappeared. Although not visible, they definitely existed. And they perfectly protected the house, which he recognized as his space. The only person who could enter this house was Zeon. Now, as long as Mana Stones were supplied to the mana generator, the Watching Eye would perfectly protected this ce. Next, Zeon installed the rm device on the door. The door, reinforced with Vampire wood and Sand Angler hide, was added to the barrier of the Watching Eye. Even a considerable Awakened would not be able to break the door, let alone make a scratch. Moreover, with the added rm device, if there were intruders, Zeon would immediately notice even if he was outside. A satisfied smile appeared on Zeon¡¯s face. ¡°Now the house isplete.¡± *** The ck Lion reported to Yoo Se-hee. ¡°He has returned home.¡± ¡°It was dawn when he entered the sewer, so he stayed inside for about three or four hours?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What do you think, based on your observations? Did he find the mana generator?¡± ¡°ording to the report, he returned empty-handed.¡± ¡°Empty-handed?¡± ¡°Yes! It seems that he couldn¡¯t find the mana generator.¡± ¡°He went in with such momentum. It was a futile effort, after all.¡± Yoo Se-hee caressed her chin with her fingertips. The news of the mana generator being stolen by the Crocodiles had also reached her. It was an incident of stealing from the Goblin Market. Of course, she couldn¡¯t help but be concerned. If the opponent was not the Crocodiles, she would¡¯ve already sent some force to retrieve the stolen items by now. The problem was that the Crocodiles were entrenched in the underground waterways. The slums¡¯ underground was much moreplicated than the surface. There was no one who knew exactly what facilities were underground, or howplicated the waterways were. Even Yoo Se-hee, who boasted of being the slums¡¯ informationwork, knew almost nothing about the underground. No Awakened was willing to venture into the smelly underground. That¡¯s why no one was able to find out about Zeon¡¯s movements after he entered the sewer. Old man Klex had assigned someone to monitor Zeon, but even they couldn¡¯t ovee the foul smell and air and didn¡¯t enter the sewer. They had no choice but to wait for Zeon toe out of the sewer entrance. A few hourster, when Zeon came out again, he was empty-handed, so it was judged that he did not recover the mana generator. The ck Lion cautiously said. ¡°Recently, the Crocodiles¡¯ movements have been unusual. The number of times theye up to the surface has noticeably increased. It is certain that someone is protecting them.¡± ¡°That seems to be the case.¡± There is no such thing as an effect without a cause. Yoo Se-hee ordered. ¡°For now, strengthen the alertness around the Goblin Market. Since it¡¯s obvious where they¡¯re going to target.¡±¡± ¡°Understood.¡± There was no prey as tempting as the Goblin Market in the slums. All sorts of precious items were traded through the Goblin Market. Countless groups had targeted the Goblin Market until now. However, there was a good reason why they weren¡¯t able to seize the Goblin Market. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what happens when you mess with the Goblin Market.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 72 Chapter 72 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 72 In the slums, Zeon¡¯s life was solitary. He did nothing and thought nothing. He would sit idly all day, staring out the window or lying in bed sleeping. After living in constant tension for the past eight years, such time was precious to him. Time to focus solely on himself, for himself. And now Zeon was spending such time. But endless rest did not exist. After almost a fortnight of doing nothing at home, he began to crave the fresh air outside. Zeon got up from bed and headed to the bathroom. When he first returned home, it was full of stench and filth, but now it had be quite clean. Zeon quickly washed his face and stepped outside. Click! As he emerged, the Watching Eye locked the door behind him. He didn¡¯t need to worry about his house being robbed anymore. With the Watching Eye watching over, he was safe. There was no hurry, so Zeon walked down the stairs. About fifteen floors down, it happened. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a big brother I haven¡¯t seen before.¡± A boying out of the stairs greeted Zeon. The boy looked about sixteen years old. For his age, he didn¡¯t seem very big. His face looked somewhat fierce, with unfocused eyes, drooping shoulders, and a somewhat lethargic demeanor. He had a buzz cut, and shy earrings and piercings caught Zeon¡¯s eye. Like most kids in the slums, this boy alsocked enthusiasm. With no dreams or hopes, there was no enthusiasm for these children to live each day. Zeon asked. ¡°Do you live here?¡± ¡°Yes! At the end of the fifteenth floor.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Eighteenth floor, at the end.¡± ¡°Same end, huh?¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± Zeon nodded. ¡°My name is Levin. And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zeon.¡± ¡°That is a cool name.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a lot.¡± Levin was quite talkative. He didn¡¯t seem scared of Zeon, who was a stranger. ¡°Are you also in a gang?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what do you do for a living?¡± ¡°I have enough money to not have to work for a while.¡± ¡°Must be nice. We have nothing at our house.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just me, my mom, and my siblings, and we¡¯re worried about how we¡¯ll survive from now on.¡± ¡°That must be tough.¡± ¡°So, I was thinking, if you have a lot of money, could you lend me some? I¡¯ll work hard and pay you back.¡± ¡°No! Can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Why are you so firm about it?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you too shameless?¡± ¡°Ugh! You¡¯re not budging.¡± Levin wrinkled his nose. But it wasn¡¯t a displeased expression. In the slums, there was hardly any sense of solidarity among neighbors. Before the world reached this point, there might have been such cases asionally, but not now. At least in Levin¡¯s known world, it was like that. In the human ecosystem at the bottom of society, taking advantage of each other among neighbors wasmon. Here, trust was just another word for a fool. People with too much integrity were inevitably eaten alive by others. As they chatted about this and that, they arrived on the first floor. Outside, other kids who seemed to be Levin¡¯s friends were gathered. ¡°Why are youing down sote? Sloth bastard!¡± ¡°Damn! This bastard always keeps us waiting. Even though he has nothing to do.¡± As typical for boys of this age, they greeted Levin with curses. Levin responded with an expression that seemed unconcerned and indifferent, as if he was used to such reactions from his friends. ¡°Sorry! I was talking to this big brother who moved in as our neighbor.¡± ¡°That bastard?¡± ¡°He looks like he¡¯s got some money, huh?¡± The kids¡¯ eyes gleamed with greed. Levin leaned on their shoulders and exerted some force. ¡°You bastards! No matter how blinded you are by money, be careful messing with people. If you touch that guy, you¡¯ll be dead.¡± ¡°What? Did your psychic power activate again?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Anyway, it¡¯s better for your well-being to not mess with him.¡± ¡°Damn! What a waste.¡± Levin¡¯s words made the kids spit on the ground. They soon lost interest in Zeon. Levin¡¯s nickname was ¡°Shaman.¡± It wasn¡¯t certain if he really had some psychic abilities, but most of his words rang true. That¡¯s why the kids didn¡¯t ignore Levin¡¯s words. Levin dragged his friends along, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯m not in a good mood today.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Just not feeling it. I want to go somewhere else quickly.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go to Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°Why Dongdaemun?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s hot there these days. Hehe!¡± One of Levin¡¯s friends mimicked inhaling something through his nose, causing the others to burst intoughter. Levin said to his friends. ¡°You guys being weak like this, you¡¯ll kick the bucket soon.¡± ¡°Fuck! What¡¯s the point of living long anyway?¡± ¡°At least with drugs, you won¡¯t go crazy. Let¡¯s go! To Sinchon.¡± Levin and his friends chattered noisily as they disappeared from Zeon¡¯s view. ¡°Looks like they¡¯ve been exposed to drugs for a while.¡± The drugs they were talking about were undoubtedly cheap narcotics. Although they provide extreme pleasure upon inhtion, they destroy the body in the end. Everyone knew this fact. Yet people still sought drugs. Because only drugs could make them forget the immediate painful reality. At least Levin didn¡¯t seem to have used drugs yet, but his other friends showed clear signs of addiction. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Such kids were easy to find here. There was no indication that he was being coerced, and Zeon wasn¡¯t the type to carelessly meddle in other people¡¯s lives. In any case, he believed in taking responsibility for one¡¯s own life. Whether it meant ruining themself through drugs or working hard to earn a lot of money, it was up to them. Zeon shook off thoughts about Levin and his friends and walked towards the market. Even though he had been out for quite some time, the atmosphere in the market hadn¡¯t changed much. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still alive.¡± Old man Klexi looked surprised when he saw Zeon. Sitting at old man Klexi¡¯s stall, Zeon said. ¡°Why would I be dead? Why are you so surprised?¡± ¡°I thought you might have died since I haven¡¯t seen you around.¡± ¡°I just took some time off at home.¡± ¡°And you spent over half a month cooped up at home?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really something.¡± Old man Klexi looked exasperated. Even the personnel who had been monitoring him were withdrawn as Zeon hadn¡¯t beening out anyway. It was a waste of resources to continue surveince. It was the first time old man Klexi had withdrawn personnel midway through a mission. ¡°Hmm! It¡¯s strange, very strange.¡± ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡± ¡°Just everything.¡± In the end, old man Klexi felt very ufortable because he hadn¡¯t learned anything about Zeon. Zeon was the cause of his difort, making old man Klexi even more curious. ¡°Are you here for a meal?¡± ¡°I came to eat. Just give me anything.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Old man Klexi clicked his tongue and prepared the meal. While waiting for the food, Zeon looked around. For some reason, the atmosphere in the market seemed to have settled down. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The atmosphere feels a bit strange.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a poisonous snake running loose these days.¡± ¡°Poisonous snake?¡± ¡°To call it a mere water snake would be an understatement, it¡¯s cunning and has a potent venom.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s going on?¡± Zeon showed curiosity for the first time. ¡°Some psychopath is going around killing people.¡± ¡°Psychopath?¡± ¡°They say he kills people, cuts them into pieces, and then decorate them like works of art.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a guy like that?¡± ¡°Even in a world where finding a sane person is difficult, it¡¯s notmon to see someone as crazy as him.¡± He dismembers his victims, draws with their blood, and decorates their bodies. Even for a normal person, such acts were impossible. ¡°And yet, Goran is just leaving him be?¡± Goran was the ruler of Sinchon. He was merely a criminal in the grand scheme of things, but as the self-proimed ruler of Sinchon, he had a responsibility to manage the order to some extent. If such a grotesque murderer was left unchecked, the people of Sinchon might lose faith in him. ¡°How can that be? He already sent a troubleshooter.¡± ¡°Then he¡¯ll be caught soon.¡± ¡°I hope so¡­.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± ¡°I said he¡¯s a poisonous snake, didn¡¯t I? If you think of him as a water snake and approach, you¡¯re sure to get bitten.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If it bothers you so much, why don¡¯t you catch him?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me at all.¡± ¡°You seem like a spineless guy.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you handle it, old man?¡± ¡°What power do I have to catch a murderer?¡± Old man Klexi snapped. ¡°Oh! You still seem unsettled.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just surface wounds, there isn¡¯t a part of me that doesn¡¯t hurt. My arms and legs ache all over.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that bad, then you¡¯re settled. Why are you getting upset?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you¡¯re my age. You¡¯ll realize that living day by day is painful.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Zeon replied nonchntly, scratching his earlobe with his pinky finger. Old man Klexi made a bewildered expression without realizing it. Zeon was the first person on this street who treated him sofortably. He had always met people who were groveling before him, but seeing Zeon gave him a refreshing feeling. ¡®What kind of life has this bastard been living?¡¯ He must have led anything but an ordinary life. Bang! ¡°Here. Eat up.¡± Old man Klexi impatiently ced the food in front of Zeon. Although the soup sttered in all directions, strangely not a drop touched Zeon¡¯s body. This made the situation even more awkward. ¡°Lucky bastard!¡± ¡°I hear that a lot.¡± Zeon replied casually as he ate the mysterious dish given by old man Klexi. Despite his dirty personality, old man Klexi¡¯s cooking skills were undeniable. As soon as he took a bite,ughter burst out involuntarily. ¡°You brat! Even eating¡­ ¡± Old man Klexi chuckled as he watched Zeon. Zeon quickly finished the bowl in no time. ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± ¡°Are you nning to go straight home?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you get tired of staying home all day? How can a young guy live like a monk?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with staying home?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste of youth that¡¯s what.¡± ¡°I¡¯m enjoying my life enough. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Seeing that his words didn¡¯t get through, old man Klexi clicked his tongue. No matter how much he wanted to find out something, if Zeon didn¡¯t budge, there was no way to find out. He feltpletely stuck against a wall. Whether old man Klexi knew about his feelings or not, Zeon put money on the table and stood up. ¡°I¡¯lle again next time.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Ignoring old man Klexi¡¯s snort, Zeon walked away. Before he knew it, the sky was getting dark. On the contrary, lights were turning on one by one in the slum. Lights also came on in the building where Zeon lived. But most of them flickered anxiously, not knowing when the electricity would cut off. Zeon thought it was fortunate that he bought a mana generator before it got toote and climbed the stairs. When he had climbed about ten floors, ¡°Aaaah!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± Screams suddenly came from above. In response to the sharp sound that seemed to tear his ears apart, Zeon unconsciously moved in that direction. The ce where the screams came from was the fifteenth floor. People were gathered at the end of the fifteenth floor hallway. Zeon pushed through the crowd and stepped forward. As he looked into the open door of the house, Zeon furrowed his brows. Hell had unfolded inside. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 73 Chapter 73 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 73 A picture resembling a bird with its wings spread wide was drawn. It was a strange bird with three heads, three pairs of wings, and six legs. It was more like a chimera than a bird. That much was fine. The taste of the person who drew the picture could just be peculiar. The problem was that the picture was drawn not with paint, but with human blood. And where the bird¡¯s head should have been, there were actual human faces. At the ends of the three pairs of wings were human arms, and human legs were ced like ornaments on the six legs of the bird. So someone killed people, drew the picture with their blood, and decorated it with their bodies. ¡°Sadistic hobbyists.¡± It was a world where people killing other people wasn¡¯t strange. Even now, somewhere, someone must be dying. But the massacre unfolded before Zeon¡¯s eyes was different from those. It was clear that they were killed not for survival, but to fulfill the killer¡¯s own pleasure and desire. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue. The foul smell stimted his sense of smell. The smell of monsters and human blood was different. Although both emitted a foul smell, human blood was much more stimting. That¡¯s why Zeon didn¡¯t know if that¡¯s why monsters crave human blood so much. The victims seemed to be all from the same family. The head of a middle-aged woman, and the heads of a boy and a girl who seemed to be her children. Their wide-open eyes and gaping mouths vividly conveyed how much fear they felt before they died. ¡°It must be the work of that psychopath.¡± Zeon sensed that it was the act of the person old man Klexi had mentioned. While he was away for a while, a massacre wasmitted three floors below his house. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. It felt like his territory had been vited. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Uh, Mom? Kids!¡± A voice from behind was heard. As Zeon turned his head, he saw a bewildered boy standing there. Zeon recognized his face immediately. ¡°Levin! No way¡­.¡± It was Levin, the boy he had met just before leaving the house. It urred to him that Levin had said his house was the house at the end of the fifteenth floor, right here. Levin came in looking pale. The horrifying scene inside the house was beyond belief. When despair reaches its peak, the mind bes empty. Like Levin right now. Levin couldn¡¯t think at all. Until just a while ago, his mother and siblings were fine. He had fought with his mother since morning and said unpleasant things he did not mean, but he didn¡¯t wish for them to die like this. ¡°No!¡± Levin, who btedly regained his senses, cried out. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The people who had been watching shook their heads in disbelief. They were originally indifferent to other people¡¯s affairs, but this time they couldn¡¯t ignore it. Because it happened right in front of their house. If they had made a single mistake, they could have been the victims instead. They shivered at the thought of it. ¡°Ugh!¡± Levin cried out loudly, holding the severed heads of his mother and siblings. But no one came forward to console him, even after seeing his plight. ¡°Well, I only feel sorry for the dead.¡± ¡°The smell is going toe to my house.¡± ¡°I hope they clean up properly so that it doesn¡¯t stick, but I don¡¯t know if that kid even has the mind to do that.¡± What they were worried about was that the corpses weren¡¯t cleaned up properly, bugs would infest them, and the smell would spread to their own house. Zeon looked at them indifferently. Levin, holding the severed heads and sobbing, couldn¡¯t even gather strength. His entire body was stained red with his family¡¯s blood. Perhaps this sight was what the psychopath whomitted this atrocity wanted. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Bang! Zeon closed the door, blocking the view of the people. ¡°Some bastard took my family¡­ I¡¯m going to kill you. I will definitely find you and kill you.¡± Blood dripped from Levin¡¯s eyes as he hugged the severed head and sobbed. His tear ducts were torn, causing blood to flow. Tears mixed with blood fell to the floor. From Levin¡¯s wrist, light was emanating. Zeon knew very well what that phenomenon meant. ¡®He has awakened.¡¯ It was clear that a rank insignia, the mark of an Awakened, had appeared on Levin¡¯s wrist. Red for the Martial Arts category. Blue for the Magic category. Gray for the Shaman category. Those whobined with machinery would have a ck rank insignia mark. Most Awakeneds did not deviate from these categories. However, there were asional exceptions. Zeon was a prime example. His rank mark was a burning desert-like orange. And his awakened ability was also unconventional, being a Sand Mage. The light flowing from Levin¡¯s wrist was also unusual. A distinct bright purple color. It was a color Zeon had never seen before. He closely examined Levin¡¯s wrist. The purple light wasing from the seventh and final line. It meant he was an F-rank Awakened. Starting from the F-rank upon awakening meant he was just average. Since many Awakeneds started from the F-rank. Zeon himself started as an F-rank. And starting ahead doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll grow faster. Some may struggle to grow even with a lifetime of effort, while others may quickly advance despite starting from the F-rank. The mechanism of growth varies from person to person, and from awakened ability to awakened ability. What matters is not the rank, but the awakened ability itself. The purple rank mark was something Zeon had never seen before. Levin¡¯s awakened ability was unknown, but it would undoubtedly be very rare. Then it happened. As Levin was vowing revenge, his body suddenly became transparent and rippled like waves. The sight was like a ghost that Zeon had only heard about. Pababak! The moment Levin transformed into a ghost-like figure, an enormous amount of energy surged from his body. The energy destroyed everything inside the house. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] After releasing a burst of energy, Levin lost consciousness. With that, his transparent form returned to normal. Zeon moved Levin aside and gathered the bodies in one ce. The severed bodies were truly gruesome. Those with weak stomachs wouldn¡¯t even dare to touch them. But Zeon touched the corpses without a change in expression He had countless experiences more horrifying than this. This level of horror couldn¡¯t shake Zeon at all. Gathering the bodies together, Zeon muttered. ¡°May you go to a better ce¡­¡± Whoosh! In an instant, the body parts were engulfed in mes. It was a ze ignited by Zeon. The intense heat quickly consumed the bodies. With such a fire, the entire house should have burned down. However, everything remained intact. It was as if only the area where the bodies were had burned, as if space had been carved out for them. It would have been a sight that would¡¯ve astonished fire mages if they had seen it.. Among many types of magic, fire type was the most difficult to control. Due to the nature of mes spreading through a medium, precise control was not easy. However, Zeon managed to set the fire indoors while meticulously controlling other areas from burning. He was like a mage born with the characteristics of a fire mage. The mes only consumed the bodies and then disappeared. Zeon opened the window to let out the heat. Then he gathered the remaining ashes. Despite burning three people, the amount of ash was barely a handful. Zeon put the ash into an empty bottle. After briefly inspecting the vacant house, Zeon came out carrying Levin. The people who had gathered to see the murder scene had all disappeared and were nowhere to be seen. Since it was an event unrted to them anyway, they lost interest. It was a scene that showed how meaningless neighborly love was here. Zeon returned to his house with Levin. Afterying Levin on the bed, Zeon sat on the sofa. He recalled the scene he had witnessed earlier. Levin emitted tremendous energy while in a ghost-like transparent state. ¡°Ghosting¡­ Is it an ability like a Specter?¡± Not all monsters had strong bodies. There were forms like parasites that attached to other monsters and controlled them, like the Ghost Worm Zeon had obtained recently, and there were also monsters that took the form of liquid that could change ording to the situation without a fixed body. Slime was the representative of such monsters. Specter was one of these unique entities. It floated like a ghost without a solid form and attacked the mind. Those with weak minds would lose their will or be controlled by the Specter. ¡°And the energy emission.¡± If he had to ssify, it was close to electric energy. So Levin clearly possessed two characteristics at once. Although he had heard stories of Awakened individuals possessing two characteristics, it was the first time he had seen it in person. It was clear that Levin was an irregr like himself. He didn¡¯t know where Levin¡¯s limits were, but if he grew well, he would undoubtedly be a tremendous force. Levin fell into a deep sleep, exhausted after consuming tremendous energy immediately after awakening. Zeon left Levin behind and looked out the window. The cheap neon sign outside was blurring his vision. * * * Three days had passed since the incident when Levin woke up. Levin¡¯s demeanor had changed a lot since he regained his senses. Sunken cheeks, sunken eye sockets, and deep-set eyes. It seemed like he had gone through ten years in just a few days. Levin, who had been sitting nkly for a moment, looked at Zeon. ¡°Is this your house, Hyung?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It looks nice.¡± ¡°I spent some money on it.¡± ¡°No wonder, it looks like it.¡± ¡°At least enough to livefortably.¡± ¡°Is that a mana power generator?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Wow! I¡¯ve only heard stories about it, but this is my first time seeing it in person.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve bought one myself.¡± ¡°As expected of you, rich Hyung! Let¡¯s be friends, Hyung.¡± Levin shed a bright smile. Zeon looked at his face for a moment and picked up the ss bottle that had been left by the window. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Take it!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your family. I cremated them without your permission.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Th-Thank you.¡± A crack appeared on Levin¡¯s face, which had been trying to appear nonchnt. Levin hugged the bottle tightly to his chest and bowed his head. Zeon silently watched him. Sometimes, silently watching was better than hastyfort. Levin raised his head again after a while. He forced a smile and said, ¡°Thank you, Hyung!¡± ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± ¡°I have to go home. If I leave it alone, someone else will take over.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°I have to find the guy who killed my mom and siblings.¡± Levin¡¯s voice was eerily cold. Revenge was his natural right. Zeon had no intention of stopping him. But there was something he wanted to advise. ¡°You know that you¡¯ve awakened, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± It would be impossible for him not to know. The moment one awakens, they learn about their abilities even without anyone telling them. Zeon knew better than anyone else, having already experienced it. ¡°And you know that your awakened ability isn¡¯t ordinary, correct?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to keep it hidden. It could be dangerous if it attracts attention.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± Levin nodded. Zeon didn¡¯t say anything more. No matter how much of his words Levin would ept, the decision and responsibility were entirely Levin¡¯s own. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 74 Chapter 74 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 74 Deep into the streets of Sinchon, a building resembling the Colosseum would emerge. It was nowhere near asrge as the real Colosseum, but at least the exterior was almost identical. So people called this ce the Colosseum. In fact, there was a fighting arena inside, simr to the real one. ¡°Waaaah!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± Shouts erupted from the arena. Hundreds of people gathered in the arena, watching the fight. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Arghhh!¡± Amidst the crowd¡¯s watchful eyes, two individuals were fighting. Both of them were ordinary people far from being awakened. Yet they wielded weapons against each other fueled by malice. They were already covered in significant wounds. Nevertheless, they didn¡¯t retreat but sought to kill each other. The spectators in the arena were excited watching the two. At the top of the spectator seats, a man sat in a separate section. He was a ck man wearing a worn-out baseball cap and sunsses. With forearms as thick as a woman¡¯s torso, he possessed a robust physique reminiscent of a log. He was chewing gum with his feet up on the seat in front of him. He was Goran, the ruler of Sinchon. Goran¡¯s father was a foreign student who came to Seoul a hundred years ago. After finishing his studies, he intended to return to his hometown in Kenya, but that was precisely when the world changed so drastically. All means of transportation back to Kenya disappeared. As a result, he had no choice but to settle in Seoul, where he eventually had Goran, his youngest son. While today there¡¯s a natural mixing of races, at that time, Koreans and Asians, in general, were the majority. Natural discrimination was inevitable. Naturally, Goran¡¯s father raised his son enduring discrimination. Growing up seeing such a father, Goran naturally developed a sense of hostility. The boy full of hostility grew up to be the ruler of Sinchon. Goran eximed loudly. ¡°Hey, cheer up. It¡¯s a matter of family. Whoever loses will have their whole family wiped out. Haha!¡± Hearing his voice, the two fighting men flinched. Both of them were brought here by Goran because they owed him a debt they couldn¡¯t repay. In this fight, if one loses, not only they but their entire family would perish. That¡¯s why they fought desperately. Goranughed as he watched the two fighting fiercely. ¡°Haha! As expected, the most exciting fights are seeing stupid bastards fighting for their lives.¡± Fights between Awakened or skilledbatants end too quickly to be exciting. That¡¯s why Goran threw his debtors into the arena. With their family¡¯s lives at stake, they fought desperately, which excited the people. ¡°Keuuk!¡± With the loser¡¯s scream, the fight finally ended. A knife was stuck in the loser¡¯s chest, and the winner was lying down, gasping for breath. ¡°Haa! Haa!¡± The winner¡¯s face was covered in tears and blood. There was no trace of the joy of victory on his face. Mixed with relief for surviving was the guilt of killing his opponent, twisting his face into a grimace. As Goran got up from his seat, he asked his subordinate who was beside him. ¡°How many family members does the loser have?¡± ¡°Two men and three women, sir.¡± ¡°Kill all the men and send the women to the brothel.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The subordinate answered and stepped back. At that moment. A man in a sleek suit and a ponytail approached Goran. He was one of Goran¡¯s confidants named Eaton. He bowed his head and said. ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A guest has arrived.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± At that moment, behind Eitun, a man of immense stature like Goran himself emerged. Seeing his face, Goran¡¯s expression contorted like a crumpled piece of paper. With crocodile-like rough skin, tattoos covering his face, and yellow eyes, these were unforgettable features. In the slums, there was only one man with such characteristics. ¡°Crocker? Didn¡¯t we agree not to see each other again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then why did you crawl up here?¡± ¡°The situation has changed.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t convince me, you won¡¯t be able to return to the underground.¡± Goran got up from his seat and approached Crocker. Crocker emitted an imposing presence and physique that didn¡¯t lose to Goran¡¯s. The two stared at each other from a distance where they could feel each other¡¯s breath. Crocker stared at Goran and said. ¡°We need a mana generator.¡± ¡°I think I gave you information about the mana generator a few days ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°We failed to secure it.¡± ¡°Failed? Fuck! I gave you the route, and you failed to steal it? And you¡¯re telling me this now?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Instead of making excuses, Crocker gnashed his lips in frustration. There was no room for excuses. Goran and Crocker had a sort of symbiotic rtionship. Crocker supplied drugs to Goran, and Goran paid him in return with money or information. The drugs Crocker handled were of very high quality and in high demand. Therefore, they turned into money. That was why Goran joined hands with Crocker. Goran asked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The owner of the mana generator personally tracked us down.¡± ¡°The owner?¡± ¡°The location of the robbery seems to have been near his house.¡± ¡°So you were easily defeated by the owner?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at least a C-rank or higher.¡± ¡°Hah! Is that your excuse? Even if he was B-rank instead of C-rank, you should have dealt with him. What if our rtionship gets exposed because of this?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Fuck! You stupid bastard!¡± ¡°Be careful with your words.¡± ¡°Be careful? Is that what a failed bastard like you should say? I took a big risk stealing that information from the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°If you provide me the information again, I¡¯ll double the drug supply.¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°I will go to Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°Hah! Now you¡¯re weighing Johan and me?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Goran red at Crocker with bloodshot eyes. However, Crocker¡¯s yellow pupils showed no sign of wavering. There was no loyalty or honor between them. Just a rtionship that continued through deals. Where to draw the line was entirely up to them. If there¡¯s nothing to gain, then it¡¯s time to change trading partners. ¡°Argh! Tsk! This is why you can¡¯t trust the underground bastards. Ha! These disloyal bastards!¡± ¡°If you can just get me a mana generator, our loyalty will be solid as a rock.¡± ¡°Promises must be kept. Crocodile bastard!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Upon Croker¡¯s firm response, Goran looked at Eaton. ¡°Do you have any spare mana generators?¡± ¡°I believe even the Goblin Market doesn¡¯t have any.¡± ¡°Damn it! So, that thing is unique, huh? Is it that powerful?¡± As far as he knew, Croker was a C-rank Awakened Martial Artist. Though his rank was low, he was not to be underestimated¡ªa skilled fighter, especially familiar with fighting underground. He was even capable enough to hold his own in underground fights, an environment notorious for its challenges. For Croker to have been bested by someone tracking him underground was evidence of that tracker¡¯s considerable skill. ¡°It¡¯s definitely above C-rank.¡± ¡°Are you telling a bastard like that was coiled up in my area without permission?¡± Goran¡¯s eyes, hidden behind sunsses, flickered. Awakeneds above C-rank were rare. They preferred to reside in the morous Neo Seoul rather than these grimy slums. Given the opportunity to live in a clean city, not many chose the slums. Those who did usually couldn¡¯t enter Neo Seoul for some reason or another. Goran and his subordinates were also unqualified. They had been involved in crime from a young age, making them ineligible to enter Neo Seoul. Thus, they aimed to dominate the slums instead. To achieve that, a considerable amount of capital was needed. Croker and his associates were crucial in resolving much of that. The drugs they supplied were raremodities, unattainable elsewhere. Giving them up was not an option. Goran told Eaton. ¡°You should go to that guy.¡± ¡°Negotiation or robbery?¡± ¡°Meet him first and then decide.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°And if possible, lure him to our side. A C-rank fighter could be a significant asset.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Eaton nodded. He wasn¡¯t just a mere secretary; he was a strong Awakened, with a fair amount of cunningness. Given that, he should be able to handle this task excellently. ¡ª ¡°Slurp!¡± Zeon made a noise as he ate his soup. The soup, made from the meat of an unknown animal, was incredibly tasty. Tonight, he chose not to eat at Old Man Klexi¡¯s stall. Initially, he mostly went to Old Man Klexi¡¯s stall, but now, he visited other ces more often. Zeon, having finished his bowl of soup, ced money on the table and stood up. ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± ¡°Come again.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Even with the owner¡¯s curt response, Zeon didn¡¯t lose his smile. If there was one pleasure for him, it wasing out at night to the market and enjoying a delicious meal. Other than that, he lounged around at home with nothing much to do. Yet, he didn¡¯t feel bored. This was the most enjoyable time in his life. Having lived through tough times, the current peace was something he cherished. Zeon wished this peaceful period wouldst as long as possible. ¡°Hey, kid!¡± Suddenly, Old Man Klexi¡¯s voice rang out as Zeon passed by his stall. Zeon stopped and looked at Old Man Klexi. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You seem to be going to other ces besides my shoptely?¡± ¡°It gets stale only eating at one ce.¡± ¡°Does that mean my food isn¡¯t good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best. The folks inside Neo Seoul probably can¡¯t match this taste.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°You mocking me with that? It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Old Man Klexi opened his eyes in awe at the sight of Zeon answering half-heartedly, he still wore a nonchnt expression. ¡°You little¡­ When I¡¯m talking to you, pay attention¡­¡± ¡°Can I go now?¡± ¡°Sit for a moment. Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Just sit.¡± Zeon reluctantly took a seat. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°Are you just going to keep loafing around?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why? Because I have a job for you.¡± ¡°Job for me?¡± ¡°Are you interested?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not, are you just going to let me be?¡± ¡°This brat¡­!¡± Old Man Klexi nced at Zeon. ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal?¡± ¡°Would you like to do a part-time job?¡± ¡°What kind of job?¡± ¡°Delivery.¡± ¡°So, what kind of delivery?¡± ¡°You have to do it if you hear about it.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t do it.¡± Zeon stood up without further inquiry. He didn¡¯t know much about Old Man Klexi, but Zeon knew he had a lot of subordinates. Asking him, setting aside those subordinates, meant the task was either highly confidential or Old Man Klexi¡¯s involvement must not be revealed. There was a high chance of things going south. There was nothing good about getting involved for no reason. Zeon said. ¡°Get someone else to do it.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Zeon left without looking back. Old Man Klexi clicked his tongue as he watched Zion leave. ¡°He¡¯s so damn quick to catch on.¡± He couldn¡¯t let it be revealed that he was involved. That¡¯s why he chose Zeon. Zeon had a good sense and skill. What¡¯s even better was that there would be no issues cutting him off if things went south. So, he subtly tried his luck, but Zeon, who caught on, rejected it outright. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 75 Chapter 75 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 75 ¡°I can¡¯t let my guard down.¡± Zeon nced back discreetly. There was old man Klexi staring at him with a gaze full of regret. If he had heard his story, he would surely have stuck his nose in. Old foxes like him, at the slightest hint of a gap, will slither in like poisonous snakes and trap you so that you can¡¯t escape. The best thing was not to get entangled in the first ce, but now that he was already involved, he had to keep an appropriate distance. The most difficult thing in life was precisely this kind of rtionship. It was better to fight monsters, honestly. At least, bloodshed was clear. To survive in the human world, there were too many things to consider and be wary of. Lost in thought, Zeon halted his steps in front of his house. It was because of the unfamiliar gazes he felt around him. ¡°Hah!¡± Zeon sighed unconsciously. He thought he had rid himself of one nuisance, but it seemed another had attached itself to him. As Zeon remained motionless, someone approached. It was a man dressed in a slick suit with a ponytail, rarely seen in the slums ¡ª *Ethan. [*¡±Eaton¡± will be changed to ¡°Ethan¡±.] Ethan spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re Zeon, right?¡± ¡°And who might you be?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a yes, then.¡± ¡°But I haven¡¯t heard an answer yet.¡± ¡°My name is Ethan.¡± ¡°Ethan?¡± ¡°I serve Goran.¡± Zeon furrowed his brow slightly at Ethan¡¯s response. Though Ethan didn¡¯t know, Goran was familiar to him. Living in Sinchon, not knowing the ruler of Sinchon would be even more strange. ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Mana generator.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We know you¡¯ve confiscated a mana generator. Where is it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Zeon frowned. There were few who knew he owned a mana generator: the merchant from whom he bought it, and those who had tried to steal it. The merchant was already dead, leaving only those who had attempted to steal the mana generator. ¡°You¡¯ve leaked information to the Crocodiles.¡± At Zeon¡¯s words, Ethan was taken aback. Zeon¡¯s deduction from just the word ¡°mana generator¡± astonished Ethan with his reasoning skills. At least C-rank, if not higher. And a sharp mind to match. It was clear he was a rare talent, such individuals were hard toe by in the slums. The word ¡°lure¡± came to Ethan¡¯s mind. ¡°You, hand over the mana generator ande under ours. We¡¯ll treat you well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me to hand over the mana generator and be your dog?¡± ¡°The treatment of a dog varies depending on its master. Master Goran favors capable individuals. You won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°You¡¯re firm. You should reconsider.¡± ¡°No matter how many times you ask, my answer won¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Then at least hand over the mana generator. If you do that, we¡¯ll leave quietly.¡± Then it happened. Beep! Beep! An rm sounded from the subspace. It signaled an attempt to intrude into his house. ¡°Did you already send someone to my house?¡± ¡°Did you set up an rm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the basics.¡± ¡°Then the conversation will go better. Even if you don¡¯t allow it, my kids will surelye out with the mana generator. So, just ept it as fate.¡± ¡°Fate, you say¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be good for you. Even if you¡¯re a C-level Awakened, you can¡¯t survive out of Master Goran¡¯s sight in this area. Just live quietly. Like you don¡¯t exist¡­¡± Ethan spoke as if the mana generator was already in his possession. He sent some of his subordinates to Zeon¡¯s house. Two of them were Awakened. Though only F-rank, their abilities were enough to easily break through the door of the rundown building. Zeon didn¡¯t open the door; acquiring the mana generator would be easy enough for them. ¡°This is sincere advice. It¡¯d be better to ept it. I¡¯m saying this for your own good.¡± ¡°How is that for my own good?¡± ¡°I told you. The mana generator is as good as in our hands. Struggling is futile for you.¡± ¡°Is it? I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°What?¡± Then it happened. Several men rushed out of the building where Zeon¡¯s house was located. They were Ethan¡¯s subordinates who had gone to get the mana generator. Their faces disyed signs of defeat. Ethan sensed that something was wrong. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°We¡­ we can¡¯t open the door.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know what the door is made of, but it won¡¯t open.¡± ¡°Just break it down. You idiots!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t break. Not only the door but also the walls and windows; our attacks don¡¯t work. That bastard must have used some means.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Ethan¡¯s face twisted in frustration. At first, he thought his subordinate was lying. But he had no reason to lie to him. Ethan looked at Zeon. ¡°Is this your doing?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t itmon sense to lock your door?¡± ¡°It would be wise for you to just open the door obediently. If you don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± ¡°Is the Goblin Market aware of this?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about how you stole their information. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be happy if they found out.¡± At that moment, Ethan¡¯s expression hardened. The fact that they stole information from the Goblin Market was highly confidential. Given its relevance to the trust of the Goblin Market, if they were to find out, they wouldn¡¯t just sit idly by. A war with the Goblin Market. It was inevitable, but if it happened, it would deal a significant blow to them as well. ¡°The Goblin Market won¡¯t find out.¡± Suddenly, Ethan¡¯s subordinates hadpletely surrounded Zeon. ¡°It would have been better if you had just handed over the mana generator peacefully, but you¡¯re unnecessarily making a fuss.¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze towards Zeon was as sharp as a knife. His subordinates now held weapons in their hands. Butchering knives for handling monsters. It was the easiest weapon to obtain on the street. Such knives, made to dismantle monsters, could easily shred through a human body. Ethan gave an order. ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Yaah!¡± ¡°You¡¯re dead!¡± Before his words even finished, Ethan¡¯s subordinates swung their butcher knives at Zeon. Shi-ak! Chilling sounds apanied the flying butcher knives. At that moment, Zeon let out a soft sigh. ¡°Hah!¡± The attacks felt like a signal that his peaceful time hade to an end. But that didn¡¯t mean he would ept itying down. Whoosh! Dozens of fireballs instantly appeared around his body. They were fireballs created with the Inferno Gauntlet. The fireballs struck the bodies of the men who were wielding the butcher knives. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s hot!¡± ¡°Help me!¡± The men whose bodies caught fire screamed as they writhed on the ground. But the fire clinging to their bodies showed no sign of extinguishing. Among those engulfed in mes were Awakened. They tried to extinguish the fire using their abilities, but to no avail. Instead, the mes raged fiercely, consuming them. ¡°Put it out!¡± ¡°Water, where¡¯s the water!¡± Their desperate screams echoed through the streets. But no one stepped forward. ¡°Damn it!¡± Ethan gritted his teeth. He had heard that Zeon possessed abilities beyond C-level, but he had never expected him to handle fireballs to this extent. Ethan spoke to Zeon. ¡°Put out the fire.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re a fire-type Awakened, you should be able to control fire at will. Put out the fire on my men. Then I¡¯ll spare your life.¡± ¡°I guess you still haven¡¯t figured out the situation yet. You are in no position to order me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re running rampant with just a measly rat¡¯s tail ability.¡± ¡°Rat¡¯s tail ability? I think it¡¯s at least dragon¡¯s tail level.¡± ¡°How dare you mock me?¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze changed. Suddenly, Zeon twisted his body. Shawak! By a hair¡¯s breadth, something brushed past his head. If he dodged even a momentter, his head would have been pierced right through. It was a steel bead. The steel bead that flew from afar gradually floated around Ethan¡¯s body like a satellite. The origin of the steel bead was Ethan¡¯s pocket. Zeon said. ¡°You¡¯re a Telekic? It¡¯s a rare ability.¡± ¡°Yeah! My ability is Telekinesis.¡± Dozens of steel beads floated around Ethan¡¯s body from his pocket. They were made of a special metal. Compared to other metals of the same size, they were several times heavier and harder. If struck by the steel beads propelled by Telekinesis, muscles would tear and bones would shatter like cookies. Ethan had sent dozens of Goran¡¯s rivals to their deaths using this ability. ¡°Try to stop it if you can. You brat!¡± Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! The steel beads flew at terrifying speeds as if fired from a gun. The target was naturally Zeon. In Ethan¡¯s eyes, he saw a vision of massive holes piercing Zeon¡¯s body. There was always an opposite force no matter what ability was used. Although fire magic boasted tremendous destructive power, it couldn¡¯t stop steel beads flying at an incredible speed. Thud-thud-thud-thud! A metallic sound erupted as the steel balls struck Zeon¡¯s body at an rming speed. ¡®Metal sound?¡¯ For a moment, Ethan instinctively sensed that something was wrong. Because the sound of flesh being pierced and bones breaking didn¡¯t sound distant. His guess was correct. The steel beads didn¡¯t pierce Zeon¡¯s body. They were terrifyingly repelled in all directions upon hitting Zeon¡¯s body. They were repelled by his robe made of Leviathan hide. An attack of this scale didn¡¯t even leave a scratch. Naturally, Zeon¡¯s body didn¡¯t receive a single scratch. ¡°Keuk!¡± Ethan attempted to move the fallen steel beads on the ground once again. This time, his target was Zeon¡¯s head. Since there was no protective gear on his head, Ethan thought he could easily pierce through it in one go. But in the next moment, he had to widen his eyes in astonishment. Swoosh! As if molten metal flowing from a st furnace, his steel beads were melting and flowing down. Thud! The sound of molten metal hitting the ground sent a chilling sensation through the air. ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Ethan eximed involuntarily. There was no way a mere C-level Awakened could melt his steel beads in an instant. The opponent was beyond that. ¡°Damn it!¡± Ethan quickly retreated. He realized that the opponent¡¯s power was stronger than his own, so he decided to retreat and inform Goran. But Zeon had no intention of letting Ethan retreat easily. Even faster than Ethan¡¯s retreat, Zeon lunged forward. Zeon had used Sand Strides, Ethan didn¡¯t even know this fact. In an instant, Zeon, who appeared in front of Ethan as if he had used Blink, swung his hand. Then dozens of fireballs appeared and shot towards Ethan. The fireballs, faster than the steel beads Ethan had shot, exploded onto Ethan. Boom! Boom! Boom! The mes erupted in session. ¡°Araaaghh!¡± In the burning bright red mes, Ethan¡¯s scream erupted. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 76 Chapter 76 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 76 From the zing mes, Ethan jumped out. His entire body was burned, and his hair, tangled in the fire, had turned into frizzy curls. ¡°This bastard¡­¡± Ethan red at Zeon with a terrifying look in his eyes. Just like Zeon, wearing a robe made of Leviathan hide, he also possessed a formidable A-rank item. Underneath thepletely charred outerwear, he wore a ck suit. It was a protective suit made bybining the leather of an Armored Rhinoceros with Neo Seoul¡¯s technology. Its official name was Cine No-3. It was in high demand for protecting wearers from both physical and magical attacks. On the other hand, since obtaining Armored Rhinoceros leather was extremely difficult, the quantity produced was very limited. As a result, not many people in Neo Seoul had Cine No-3. Ethan had managed to obtain such a rare item through great difficulty. And Cine No-3 proved its worth to him. It had protected him from the extremely high heat mes that could melt even steel beads. If it weren¡¯t for Cine No-3, Ethan would have melted away to the bone. Zeon looked at Cine No-3 that Ethan was wearing with an expression of fascination. ¡°Seeing that it is still intact despite being engulfed by the mes, it looks like it¡¯s made of monster¡¯s skin?¡± ¡°Do you understand now? As long as I¡¯m wearing Cine No-3, your fire magic won¡¯t work on me.¡± ¡°Cine No-3? Is it a product of Neo Seoul? As expected, it¡¯s amazing.¡± Zeon was truly impressed. The fireball he had just unleashed emitted such intense heat that it could melt any metal. Protecting the wearer perfectly in such extreme heat meant that Cine No-3¡¯s defense was remarkable. ¡°Ugh!¡± Ethan unleashed his telekinesis power again. With a gesture, a streetmp was pulled out of the ground and came flying towards Zeon split into thousands of pieces. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can melt it this time too.¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes gleamed with anticipation. ng! ng! ng! ng! Pieces of iron rained down on where Zeon stood. Ethan hoped to see Zeon torn apart, but there was no sign of Zeon being injured anywhere. Before he knew it, Zeon had unleashed his Sand Stride and avoided the attack. Ethan¡¯s eyes scanned the area, searching for Zeon. For a moment, a chill ran down his spine. ¡®Behind?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t confirmed visually. It was instinct whispering. In fact, behind him, Zeon was staring at him with cold eyes. ¡°Shit!¡± As Ethan hurriedly tried to turn around, Zeon¡¯s fist struck him in the abdomen. Thud! ¡°Ugh!¡± The impact to his abdomen caused Ethan¡¯s mouth to gape open. Thanks to Cine No-3, he didn¡¯t suffer any external injuries. But that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t feel the impact. The shock of the impact made Ethan unable to regain his senses. Zeon struck Ethan¡¯s head with his fist again. Crunch! ¡°Keuk!¡± The tremendous impact caused Ethan¡¯s head to snap back as if his neck would break. The focus was already gone from Ethan¡¯s eyes. The consecutive blows had sent his consciousness far away. Even without the Inferno Gauntlet or using his sand abilities, Zeon was strong. Trained harshly by Dyoden and having experienced countless battles over eight years, Zeon¡¯s hand-to-handbat skills had risen significantly. Ethan was no match even for Zeon¡¯s bare hands. Zeon continued to attack Ethan¡¯s upper body. Crack! His repeated blows caused cracks to appear on the surface of Cine No-3. With this, he was clearly able to grasp the extent of Cine No-3¡¯s defense capabilities. ¡°Seems like it enhances defense by about 50%pared to regr Armored Rhinoceros leather.¡± The Armored Rhinoceros itself had formidable defense. When considering only pure physical defense, it could be said to be among the top ten among the monsters roaming the desert. Enhancing the defense by over 50% using Armored Rhinoceros leather alone was a remarkable feat of technology. However, it was far short of Zeon¡¯s level. If the same material were given to Kailey of the Motte Tribe, who was known for her enchanting abilities, could have at least doubled the defense and added special abilities. Of course, what Ethan wore was mass-produced, so it couldn¡¯t bepared to the skill of a craftsman like Kailey. Thus, it was possible to roughly gauge the technological capabilities of Neo Seoul. Although it wasn¡¯t enough to judge based on only Cine No-3, it still served as a benchmark. Now, there was nothing more to deal with Ethan. Zeon struck Ethan¡¯s head with all his might. Crack! Cine No-3 shattered into pieces, and Ethan fell like a lifeless corpse. Looking down at the defenseless Ethan, Zeon spoke. ¡°You understand, right? If you try to take what belongs to someone else and fail, you will have to give up your own life.¡± ¡°Damn¡­ it!¡± Ethan weakly cursed. It was impossible not to know. That was thew of the slums. The weak perish, and the survivor takes it all. As Zeon¡¯s fist was about to strike Ethan¡¯s face, [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Oh my, how impulsive.¡± A woman¡¯s voice was heard, and suddenly Ethan disappeared. Bang! Thanks to that, Zeon¡¯s fist only shattered the empty ground. Turning around, Zeon saw a gorgeously dressed middle-aged woman standing there. It wasn¡¯t sure what method she used, but Ethan was nestled in her arms. Zeon chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting skill. Is it spatial maniption? It¡¯s extremely rare for someone to master spatial skills.¡± ¡°You know a lot. It¡¯s not my skill, just something thanks to an item.¡± ¡°Can you tell me what item it is?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite a curious young man, aren¡¯t you? You know, trade secrets can¡¯t be revealed so lightly.¡± The middle-aged woman shed a seductive smile. Her name was Ava. She was one of Goran¡¯s four most trusted subordinates, and she was the leader of the brothels. She was in a romantic rtionship with Ethan, making her more sensitive to his movements than anyone else. Ava gently caressed Ethan¡¯s unconscious face as she spoke. ¡°The only thing worth seeing is his face, and yet you¡¯ve managed to ruin it like this. It seems like you are not afraid of the consequences.¡± ¡°Is there anything to fear more than death?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fearless young man. Well, I guess you had the audacity to try to kill him, but¡­¡± She no longer smiled or wore a seductive expression. She looked at Zeon with a face devoid of emotion, almost like an emotionless doll. Then she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll leave for today.¡± ¡°Who said you could leave?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. I¡¯m not seeking permission from you.¡± Suddenly, Ava¡¯s image wavered like a wave. ¡°A mirror image?¡± Zeon realized the nature of the magic Ava had cast and sent mes towards her. Boom! The massive mes swept past the spot where Ava and Ethan had been. However, the two of them were no longer there. They had fooled him with a mirror image and escaped. Scratching his head, Zeon muttered under his breath. ¡°Dammit, just taking a short rest made me lose my edge.¡± This would¡¯ve been unthinkable before he entered Neo Seoul. Beingcent in the desert was directly rted to survival. That¡¯s why he never let his guard down for even a single moment. Yet,ing into Neo Seoul and taking some rest seemed to have made himx unknowingly. ming himself for being deceived by a mere mirror image, Zeon moved on. Though he could track them down, it wasn¡¯t very efficient. ¡°If you beat up a hunting dog, the owner wille forward.¡± Zeon shook his head slightly and entered a building. Arriving at the door of his own apartment on the eighteenth floor, Zeon chuckled. Because there were signs of someone trying to force the door open. The door, which even an Awakened couldn¡¯t break, opened smoothly when Zeon touched it. Only Zeon could freely enter and exit this ce; it was not permitted for others. Zeon, now without his robe, sat on the sofa. The red neon sign outside caught his eye. Zeon gazed at the sight for a long time. *** Yoo Se-hee sat deeply in her chair, crossing her legs. Everyone has something they cherish. For her, it was the chair she was sitting in right now. It was a chair made a hundred years ago. An antique made before the earth turned into sand. The chair¡¯s leather had decayed, and its springs had rusted and squeaked. But to Yoo Se-hee, that sound was asforting as a luby. The scene of a beautiful woman with red hair and white leather clothes, sitting with her legs crossed, would be enchanting to anyone who saw it. But Yoo Se-hee, the person in question, was lost in her own world, paying no attention to it. She opened her eyes only after a long time. ¡°This is difficult, so difficult!¡± Yoo Se-hee sighed. Being the owner of the Goblin Market was a position with a lot to consider. She had to protect numerous merchants and respond to external threats, so she had no choice but to be cautious. There had been an incident at the Goblin Marketst night too. It was a light fight between merchants, but Yoo Se-hee couldn¡¯t overlook it easily. ¡°Lately, these kinds of cases have been increasing. It seems like there¡¯s some kind of stress factor¡­¡± There was nock of guesses, but she had to be careful. ¡°Miss!¡± At that moment, arge man dressed in ck appeared. He was Yoo Se-hee¡¯s bodyguard, the ck Lion. Yoo Se-hee sighed audibly at ck Lion¡¯s appearance. If he was disturbing her contemtion, then it must not be something trivial. ¡°Hah! What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There have been unusual movements in Sinchon.¡± ¡°Goran?¡± ¡°Yes! Ethan has moved.¡± ¡°Ethan is Goran¡¯s secretary, right?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Why did he move?¡± ¡°He went to see that man.¡± ¡°Speak so that I can understand.¡± ¡°Zeon! The man you¡¯ve met before.¡± Yoo Se-hee furrowed her brows at ck Lion¡¯s answer. It wasn¡¯t to jog her memory. Rather, because the name was still vivid in her memory. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the one who went to the crocodiles¡¯ den to find the mana generator? Why would Goran be interested in him?¡± Yoo Se-hee raised her eyebrows. No matter how much she thought about it, there was no connection between the two. Goran might be the ruler of Sinchon, but he doesn¡¯t pick fights for no reason. ¡°What? Is there something I don¡¯t know? Why would Goran¡­ So what are the results?¡± ¡°Ethan almost died.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°It¡¯s definite that Ava came forward and barely saved him from being killed by Zeon.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain.¡± ¡°Unbelievable! Even though it¡¯s Ethan, he¡¯s still considered a formidable figure in the slums¡­.¡± Yoo Se-hee was truly impressed. She knew better than anyone the history of Goran and his subordinates inside Sinchon. That¡¯s why the news of what happened to Ethan was even more surprising. Yoo Se-hee asked the ck Lion. ¡°What do you think Goran will do?¡± ¡°He probably won¡¯t move directly since there are still subordinates left¡­¡± ¡°If he moves directly, hell will break loose again.¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s voice sank low. During the time when numerous organizations were rampant, Goran suppressed countlesspetitors on his own and became the ruler of Sinchon. Yoo Se-hee knew very well how terrible things had be then. ¡°Why did you have to get involved with him¡­?¡± Yoo Se-hee genuinely felt sorry for Zeon. In her eyes, his cruel end seemed vividly clear. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 77 Chapter 77 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 77 Thud! Thud! The sound of knocking on the door woke Zeon up in the morning. Zeon put on his robe and walked towards the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Hyung!¡± He thought it might be one of the rough gang members, but to his surprise, it was Levin¡¯s voice. When Zeon opened the door, Levin was standing there. Levin looked at Zeon intently and said. ¡°Are you still safe?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I heard that there was a sh with Goran¡¯s men, so I came to check on you.¡± ¡°To help?¡± ¡°To inform you.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Can Ie in?¡± As Zeon stepped aside, Levin smoothly entered. ¡°As expected, this ce is the best. It feels like a hideout.¡± ¡°What about your revenge?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to find the killers, but it¡¯s not easy. They¡¯ve hidden themselves well ever since they killed my family.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It seems like the bastard caught wind of something.¡± Levin¡¯s voice trailed off. Since that day, he had been wandering the streets in search of the murderer. His friends had offered to help, and he had his eyes and ears set on the slum streets. Yet, the killer remained elusive. As if it were a lie, the murder spree had stopped abruptly and vanished. ¡°Still, I¡¯ll definitely find them. Dogs don¡¯t stop barking; they can¡¯t stay silent forever while continuing their killings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But why did youe all the way here this early to tell me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Goran.¡± ¡°Why Goran?¡± ¡°Hyung, you don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Goran¡¯s abilities.¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details myself, but I¡¯ve heard some things.¡± Finally, Zeon¡¯s expression showed interest. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°They say that when Goran became the ruler of Sinchon, there were unusually frequent explosion idents.¡± ¡°Explosions?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but apparently, many buildings almost copsed because of it.¡± It had been twenty years since Goran seized control of Sinchon. It wasn¡¯t clear how he had taken over Sinchon. Most of the people present at the scene had died, leaving the details uncertain. However, the legend remained etched in people¡¯s minds as terrifying as ever. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what ability it is, but it¡¯s definitely rted to explosions. So, be careful.¡± ¡°Thanks. This will be helpful.¡± ¡°Hyung, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help more.¡± Levin didn¡¯t want to get involved with Goran. Although he had awakened a special ability, he was still just a kid. His rank was low, and he couldn¡¯t fully utilize his abilities yet. Moreover, he had a duty to avenge his family. Until he repaid that debt, he couldn¡¯t do anything else. Zeon chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s good enough.¡± ¡°I sincerely hope you survive.¡± ¡°I hope you will get your revenge as well.¡± ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s stay strong. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Levin discreetly left Zeon¡¯s house, making sure no one saw him. Zeon muttered to himself as he was left alone. ¡°An ability rted to explosions¡­¡± Usually, people think there are only four categories when ites to Awakeneds: Magic, Martial Arts, Sorcery, andbining with machines. However, asionally, some people awaken to different categories, like Zeon and Levin. Perhaps Goran was one of those individuals. ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± Regardless, it was something he would only learn by confronting it himself. He didn¡¯t want to go into a frenzy preparing for it already. Zeon quickly prepared a simple meal and boiled water. What he took out from his subspace was a leaf from a nt. It wasn¡¯t just any leaf; it was a leaf from a nt-type monster. This creature took the form of a cactus and lured other monsters passing by to devour them. On its body, there were peculiar leaves, and when brewed, the tea made from these leaves tasted exceptionally good. At first, Zeon approached the creature without knowing and almost got devoured. After a great struggle, he managed to defeat it and saved his life. Through studying the dead monster, he discovered that brewing its leaves made a tea with excellent effects. So he picked all the leaves from the nt and put them in his subspace. Zeon poured boiling water into a cup and steeped the creature¡¯s leaves. Then the strong scent of tea filled the room. Zeon approached the window with the cup in hand. Sipping the tea, he gazed down at the street below. The tea made from the leaves of the monster nt had a calming effect on the mind and enhanced mana. Whenever he had time, Zeon brewed tea from the leaves of that monster and drank it. Now, there wasn¡¯t much left, which was just regrettable. Then, a man standing in the middle of the street caught Zeon¡¯s eye. He had a gori-like physique and a bald head. Zeon instinctively realized that the bald man hade for him. The bald man aimed his fist towards Zeon. The man¡¯s fist was strangely made of metal. ¡®A machine?¡¯ And then it happened. Boom! A shockwave erupted from the bald man¡¯s fist aimed at Zeon. The entire building shook as if it had been bombed. Krrrrgh! Zeon frowned. ¡°Shockwave.¡± What the manunched with his mechanical prosthetic arm was a shockwave. Whether the shockwave was a natural skill of the man or the power of the mechanical prosthetic arm, it was clear that it was aimed at Zeon. However, what the man didn¡¯t know was that Zeon¡¯s house was protected by a barrier. The barrier created by the Watching Eyepletely protected Zeon¡¯s house from external shocks. Boom! The man unleashed another shockwave, but his attack was once again blocked by the Watching Eye. Perhaps even if heunched the attack several more times, the result would be the same. The man¡¯s shockwaves couldn¡¯t prate the Watching Eye¡¯s protection. The man must have realized that fact. Nevertheless, he continued to unleash shockwaves one after another. Boom! The entire building shook as if an earthquake had struck. Zeon made a bewildered expression. He had discerned the man¡¯s strategy. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°That baldie¡¯s pretty cunning.¡± While Zeon¡¯s house was protected by the Watching Eye, the neighboring houses were not. The houses above, below, and adjacent to Zeon¡¯s were in chaos. Walls crumbled, pirs cracked. People inside screamed in surprise at the sudden attack. If the shockwaves continued to strike a few more times, the entire building where Zeon¡¯s house was located could copse. Even with the protective barrier, Zeon¡¯s house wouldn¡¯t withstand the copse of the building itself. So, it was clear that the bald man had changed his tactics as soon as he realized Zeon¡¯s house was protected by a barrier. ¡°Tsk! What a hassle¡­¡± Zeon opened the window. His house was on the eighteenth floor. It was a dizzying height for ordinary people. But Zeon leaped without any hesitation. His body plummeted at an rming speed. Just before reaching the ground, Zeon¡¯s descent slowed rapidly. It was because tiny particles of sand, invisible to the naked eye, were supporting Zeon¡¯s body. But the bald man couldn¡¯t know that. Since before Zeon even touched the ground, he hid his presencepletely. Safelynding on the ground, Zeon immediately tracked the bald man. Tracking the bald man wasn¡¯t difficult at all. He had left his traces everywhere, as if boasting. Zeon soon found the bald man. He was standing in front of a building resembling the Colosseum. He gestured as if inviting Zeon to follow him before entering the building. Zeon nced at the Colosseum for a moment. Although it was his first time seeing it, Zeon knew well what the Colosseum was. It was the arena operated by Goran, the ruler of Sinchon. ¡°As expected, he¡¯s one of Goran¡¯s men.¡± Zeon had expected it from the beginning. Without any hesitation, Zeon entered the arena. ¡°Waaaah!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± As soon as he entered the arena, he was met with intense heat and screams. Numerous people were shouting with fire in their eyes, and in the middle of the arena, two people were fighting for their lives. Even at a nce, they were ordinary people with no abilities. One person wielded a sickle, while the other wielded an axe, both swinging at each other. Their bodies were already covered in blood, their faces contorted with pain. Yet, they continued to attack each other as if possessed. The sense of desperation at the brink of death was palpable. Zeon knew well what had driven them to this cliff edge. His gaze turned towards the highest point of the arena. There, the bald man was looking down at him. Zeon walked straight towards where the bald man was. ¡°There you are.¡± As soon as he reached where the bald man was, a deep, low voice greeted him. Zeon looked at the owner of the voice. He was a ck man wearing a baseball cap and a leather jacket. Behind him stood the bald man who had lured Zeon here. ¡°Finally, we meet. And your name is¡­¡± ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Okay! Zeon. Our first meeting, huh?¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°You know who I am?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you Goran?¡± ¡°You got it right.¡± A satisfied smile yed on the lips of the ck man. He was none other than Goran, the ruler of Sinchon. Goran introduced the bald man standing behind him. ¡°This is my friend, Dolkan.¡± ¡°No need for separate introductions. Thanks to him, my house almost copsed.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t copse?¡± ¡°Fortunately.¡± ¡°Seems like it¡¯s quite sturdy.¡± ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± ¡°Actually, yes. Originally, I told them to tear it down.¡± Goran chuckled, showing his white teeth. As if making excuses, Dolkan spoke. ¡°There was a barrier around the house. Despite my repeated shockwaves, it remained intact.¡± ¡°Is that so? You¡¯re quite capable, my friend. I like skilled friends.¡± Goran¡¯s intense gaze could be felt even through his sunsses. Zeon smirked. ¡°I¡¯m d to be acknowledged.¡± ¡°Please take a seat for now.¡± When Goran gestured, one of his subordinates brought a chair. Zeon didn¡¯t refuse and sat down on the chair. Goran pointed with his finger towards the two people fighting in the arena. ¡°Do you see them?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They are people who have been driven to the edge. Can you feel the fear and desperation they emit?¡± ¡°Yes, I can.¡± ¡°I enjoy the scent of fear they exude. It excites me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a peculiar taste.¡± ¡°Peculiar taste? It could be. But once you get used to it, you might not be able to break free.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not interested in that kind of thing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better not to be so sure. Human values ??can change easily.¡± Goran chuckled as he tapped his own head with his finger. Zeon silently stared at Goran. Goran shrugged and spoke again. ¡°The atmosphere here is stiff. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the people waiting brought out the food. In no time, the table was filled with delicious-looking dishes. Goran raised his fork and knife. ¡°It¡¯s steak. Not cultured meat, but real steak made from real beef. It¡¯ll be worth eating.¡± Still, Zeon didn¡¯t pick up his fork. Goran nced beyond the window, looking at the walls of Neo Seoul. ¡°People in Neo Seoul eat this. If you follow me, you too will be able to eat things like this every day.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 78 Chapter 78 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 78 Zeon stared at the steak intently. It was definitely made from real beef, just as Goran had said. The juiciness and aroma that oozed out little by little conveyed a rich vor that could not be found in cultured meat or monster meat. Saliva formed in Zeon¡¯s mouth involuntarily. As Goran sliced the steak, he said. ¡°I told you not to refuse. This is really delicious.¡± He put arge piece of sliced meat into his mouth and chewed. Juices dripped down the corners of his mouth. Goran wiped the juice with his fingers and licked them clean. In the blink of an eye, a piece of steak disappeared into his stomach. Goran pointed to the steak in front of Zeon. ¡°Not eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not particrly hungry.¡± ¡°Tsk! You should eat well when you¡¯re young.¡± ¡°My appetite isn¡¯t that big.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re not hungry yet. Then what about women then?¡± Thud! As Goran flicked his finger again, one of the doors opened. Behind the door, about a dozen women dressed provocatively were waiting. A middle-aged woman in shy attire led them out. Zeon immediately recognized the identity of the middle-aged woman. Ava. She was Ethan¡¯s lover, who was almost beaten to death by Zeon, as well as the madam of the brothels. Eva smiled seductively and said. ¡°Seeing you again, sir!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if your boyfriend is okay. I beat him up quite badly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. He¡¯ll recover quickly from that.¡± ¡°Good to hear.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a kind sir.¡± Eva winked. Zeon thought Eva was extraordinary. It wasn¡¯t easy to smile in front of someone who almost killed your lover. Eva smiled as she pointed to the women on both sides. ¡°Do you see any girls you like? I only brought the ace among the girls I have¡­¡± The women smiled brightly. Among the women Eva was in charge of, these ones were especially known for their beauty. The scent of perfume they wore stimted Zeon¡¯s senses. Zeon looked at them one by one. The women tried to appeal to Zeon by making sensual expressions or entuating their chests. But none of them appealed to Zeon. Zeon said. ¡°They¡¯re not to my taste.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know women yet. Even if you don¡¯t like them, once you hold them in your arms you¡¯ll change your mind.¡± As Ava made a gesture, the women surrounded Zeon. One woman sat on Zeon¡¯sp, while another put her hand on his chest and caressed him. It was a temptation that any man would find hard to resist. Looking at Zeon surrounded by the women, Goran said. ¡°Just say the word. Then all these women will be yours.¡± ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± ¡°That you¡¯ll follow me.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Alright! I¡¯m offering you a scouting proposal right now. So, I hope you won¡¯t refuse. I¡¯m not used to being rejected, you know.¡± His words were gentle, but his eyes told a different story. Behind the sunsses, a menacing gaze was still palpable. Zeon asked with an intrigued expression. ¡°But if I refuse?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to pay the price. And the price will be severe.¡± ¡°Do you really make threats like this to the person you are trying to recruit?¡± ¡°It depends on who the target is.¡± Ethan, whom he had sent to Zeon, returned with serious injuries. Ethan was one of the closest confidants of Goran, along with Dolkan, Theo, and Ava. ording to Ethan and Ava, Zeon¡¯s rank was estimated to be at least B-rank, not C-rank. An Awakened above B-rank in the slums was extremely rare. In Neo Seoul, a B-rank Awakened individual would be treated as nobles. If he could recruit a B-rank Awakened, he could easily forget any personal feelings or grudges. Zeon said. ¡°You seem to value me highly. I¡¯m not sure what to think. Before I answer, let me ask one thing. You leaked information about the mana generator to the Crocodiles, correct?¡± ¡°It was business. Don¡¯t misunderstand; there were no personal feelings.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± ¡°For your information, I don¡¯t want this fact to be known to the Goblin Market. So, you should think carefully before you answer.¡± Goran smiled, revealing his white teeth. It was a smile that felt even more sinister against his jet-ck skin. Zeon wasn¡¯t someone who couldn¡¯t understand Goran¡¯s intentions. This was Goran¡¯s courtyard. Everyone in the arena was under Goran¡¯s influence. If Goran gave the order, everyone in the arena, and even all of Shinchon, would be Zeon¡¯s enemies and attack him. Being the ruler of Shinchon was not just a facade. Zeon said. ¡°I didn¡¯t have much of a choice from the start.¡± ¡°If you want to keep your footing in Shinchon and continue living here,e under my wing. I won¡¯t be too harsh on you.¡± ¡°What about the Crocodiles?¡± ¡°All you have to do is hand over the mana generator. Then there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± ¡°What kind of solution is that? In the end, I¡¯m the only one losing out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how the world works. The weak have to endure all unreasonable conditions. If it¡¯s unfair, you just have to be stronger than me.¡± ¡°Is that really it?¡± ¡°Are you confident?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Goran lowered his sunsses slightly and looked at Zeon. ¡°Confidence alone doesn¡¯t solve the world¡¯s problems.¡± ¡°You talk as if you¡¯ve had a lot of experience.¡± ¡°Not much.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Zeon¡¯s attitude in tangling the conversation made Goran sigh. There was irritation in his face. ¡°It seems negotiations have fallen through.¡± ¡°Negotiations only work when there¡¯s something both sides are willing topromise on. Who would negotiate when one side suffers unteral losses?¡± ¡°I see! I pushed you to sacrifice too much. But what can I do? That¡¯s thew of this world. The ruler has everything. I¡¯m the ruler of Shinchon. Everything in Shinchon is mine. Nothing within this area can escape my control. That goes for you too.¡± Goran¡¯s enthusiastic words made Zeon chuckle. ¡°I am nobody¡¯s possession or property.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re in my territory, you¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve lost your mind. I wonder how one can reach such a state of mind.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better watch your words. My patience isn¡¯t that strong.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. Don¡¯t bother someone who¡¯se back to their hometown to rest after a long time.¡± Pushing aside the surrounding women, Zeon stood up from his seat. Goran red at Zeon. ¡°Sit down!¡± ¡°The negotiations have copsed.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t finished speaking. Sit down!¡± ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Can you handle whates next?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re still young, but you¡¯re fearless.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one hiding behind a protective shield.¡± Goran¡¯s face twisted at Zeon¡¯s defiance. He didn¡¯t actually deploy a shield, but he wore an item that¡¯d deploy a shield when under attack. It was the ring on his finger. It was an item obtained from a dungeon, acquired with great difficulty. It automatically activated once a day in case of an unexpected attack. Goran referred to this ring as the Guardian Ring. If it weren¡¯t for the ring, Goran would never have let Zeon get so close. Whether Zeon was aware of the Guardian Ring¡¯s existence or not, it was enough to prick at Goran¡¯s pride. ¡°Haha!¡± Goranughed. He no longer attempted to persuade Zeon. Although he wanted Zeon, Goran didn¡¯t want to go so far as to get his pride hurt. Standing up, Goran spoke while looking down at Zeon from a height of two heads above him. ¡°Since I invited you as a guest today, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± ¡°Thank you. Then¡­¡± Zeon slightly bowed his head and walked down the stairs. Dolkan spoke up as Zeon moved away. ¡°Are you really letting him go?¡± ¡°How could I¡­¡± Goran revealed his white teeth and grinned. Zeon had almost descended to the bottom of the stairs. The arena appeared to be empty, indicating that the fight had ended. At that moment, Goran shouted. ¡°We¡¯ll have a new match from now on!¡± ¡°Wrraaaaah!¡± A tremendous cheer erupted. Faces that had been waiting for a new fight were now flushed with excitement. Goran pointed his finger at Zeon. ¡°The opponent is Zeon. Whoever defeats Zeon will receive ten thousand Sols.¡± ¡°Woaaah!¡± The door of the arena opened, and people poured out. Most of them were ordinary people who had been captured by Goran because they could not repay their debt. They held cold weapons like axes or swords in their hands. Goran¡¯s deration of offering ten thousand Sols drove them to lose their senses. Ten thousand Sols would allow them to pay off all their debts and escape from this hellish ce. ¡°Ha!¡± Zeon sighed and looked up at Goran. Goran smiled as he looked down on Zeon. ¡°They¡¯re just ordinary people with no abilities. Let¡¯s see if you can demonstrate your skills against ordinary people.¡± ¡°Ha! Really¡­¡± Zeon sighed once again. He had tried to act politely, wanting to live quietly, but it seemed like that made him look like a pushover to others. ¡°Damn it! Die!¡± ¡°It¡¯s ten thousand Sols.¡± ¡°Give me my money.¡± Ordinary people caught in the arena swung their weapons at Zeon. Their voices and eyes were filled with desperation. To them, Zeon was like a long-lost lottery ticket that promised to lead them out of this hellish reality if caught. The cheers of the audience added to the chaos. ¡°Woaaah!¡± ¡°Fight!¡± Their cheers even paralyzed the remaining sanity of those wielding weapons. Swish! Swords and axes aimed at Zeon¡¯s neck and chest flew towards him. They put all their might in that attack, but in Zeon¡¯s eyes, it seemed too slow. Zeon moved. Thud! With the sound of impact, those who rushed at Zeon were all thrown backward. The weapons they wielded couldn¡¯t even leave a scratch on Zeon¡¯s body. Zeon looked up at Goran with a chilling gaze. ¡°It¡¯s futile.¡± ¡°No, they¡¯ve already done their job quite well.¡± Goran chuckled. Zeon, sensing something strange in Goran¡¯s attitude, looked at the bodies lying on the ground. Among them, one person¡¯s body was glowing red. ¡°Shit!¡± Zeon didn¡¯t need to think twice. He leaped backward. Boom! In an instant, the body of the person who glowed red exploded. This happened before Zeon could fully escape the arena. In the end, Zeon was also caught in the explosion and thrown against the wall of the arena. However, there was no way Zeon, an Awakened, could have lost his life to something of that level. Brushing off the dust, Zeon got up from the ground. His eyes were chillingly calm. Despite his numerous experiences, he had never witnessed a human exploding like a bomb. Naturally, it was an event that could never ur without someone artificially manipting it. Zeon¡¯s gaze turned to Goran. ¡°nting a bomb inside a human body, you¡¯re insane.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already surprised at that level¡­¡± Goran revealed his white teeth and smiled. He shouted loudly enough for everyone in the arena to hear. ¡°Hundred thousand Sols. If you injure Zeon¡¯s body, I¡¯ll give you a hundred thousand Sols.¡± ¡°A hundred thousand¡­ Sols?¡± ¡°Crazy!¡± Madness was evident in the faces of the spectators. The enormous sum of a hundred thousand Sols had robbed them of their reason. Even though they had seen what happened to those who had rushed at Zeon, they still threw themselves at him. ¡°He¡¯s mine! Nobody touch him.¡± ¡°Damn it! I¡¯ll kill him.¡± The spectators turned into enemies and rushed at Zeon. Zeon looked at them with a firm gaze. ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 79 Chapter 79 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 79 Greed blinds people. Madness deprives them of rational judgment. That¡¯s how the people in the arena were right now. The lure of a hundred thousand Sols blinded them, and the collective madness robbed them of reason. The spectators in the arena forgot that Zeon was the strong one. Zeon thought they looked just like undeads. ¡°The hundred thousand Sols are mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill Zeon.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead!¡± The madness of the spectators filled the arena. At that moment, Zeon moved. Thud! ¡°Keuk!¡± His blow struck the face of the one rushing towards him at the forefront. Screams echoed as the spectators sank. Despite witnessing theirrades fall before their eyes, the spectators paid no heed and rushed at Zeon. Zeon swung his fist at the spectators. Thud! With each blow, the front lines crumbled. There was no need to use his sand abilities or fire magic. Zeon¡¯s martial arts prowess surpassed that of most Awakened Martial Artists. No one could withstand Zeon¡¯s blows. In an instant, half of the spectators fell. Only then did the spectators regain their senses. Fear brought them back to their senses. ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Half of the people who wereughing and shouting just moments ago nowy covered in blood, fallen. Even those who were not in their right minds couldn¡¯t help but feel fear. Even an F-rank Awakened could take on dozens of ordinary people simultaneously. Let alone Zeon, whose rank was B or higher. Goran knew this well. Yet he directed the spectators towards Zeon. There was a reason for that. A cruel smile yed on Goran¡¯s lips. ¡°Boom!¡± Kwaaang! In an instant, one of the spectators under Zeon¡¯s feet exploded. Zeon was swept away by the explosion. Even where Zeon had crashed, there were fallen spectators. Even amidst the chaos, Zeon furrowed his brow. No way?¡¯ What seemed improbable became reality. Kwaaang! Another spectator, who seemed unscathed just moments ago, exploded. There was truly no separate human bomb. Zeon, thrown by the explosion, bounced away again. Bang! Zeon mmed against the walls of the arena. The debris from the broken wall covered Zeon. A sinister smile appeared on Ava¡¯s lips. ¡°Boss¡¯s abilities are indeed remarkable. He must have suffered significant damage from this.¡± At that moment, pushing aside the debris of the broken wall, Zeon stood up. Tap! Tap! There was no sign of any damage on him as he brushed the dust off his robe. The smile vanished from Ava¡¯s face. In contrast, Goran looked intrigued. ¡°As expected, this isn¡¯t enough.¡± The explosive power just now was powerful enough to blow away even a D-rank Awakened in an instant. The fact that Zeon emerged unscathed meant he was just that strong. ¡°Estimated ability of B-rank or higher¡­ Truly annoying.¡± The higher the Awakened rank, the stronger the pride. Naturally, they don¡¯t easily bow their heads to others. But making such individuals bow down is thrilling. Zeon looked at Goran and spoke. ¡°You nted bombs in people¡¯s bodies.¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± Goran neither confirmed nor denied. Zeon didn¡¯t say anything more. The time for resolving things with words already over. Only a head-on confrontation remained. Thud! Zeon flew forward. Though there were hundreds of stairs between him and Goran, he could easily leap over them in one go. As Zeon almost reached the top floor¡­ Boom! A tremendous shockwave struck Zeon. It was Dolkan, the bald man standing behind Goran, who unleashed the shockwave. All the windows of the arena shattered by the shockwave at maximum power, and the spectators copsed with ruptured eardrums. Dolkan was Goran¡¯s right-hand man. He had defeated numerous enemies with shockwaves before. No opponent had ever remained unscathed before his shockwaves. Dolkan naturally thought it would be the same this time. But Zeonnded safely on the upper floors, as if mocking Goran¡¯s confidence. Nowhere did he appear to be shaken by the shockwave. Around Zeon, dozens of fireballs appeared. Seeing this, Ava told the women under her. ¡°Protect the boss.¡± Without hesitation, the women surrounded Goran. At that moment, Zeon swung his hand, and the fireballs rained down on Dolkan and Goran. ¡°Wawoah!¡± Dolkan charged forward like a bull, shielding his upper body with his right arm. Most of the fireballs were blocked by his right arm. His right arm was a mechanical prosthetic. With Neo Seoul¡¯s technology, the prosthetic could easily deflect most magical or physical attacks. Some of the fireballs flew towards Goran, but the women defended him with their bodies. The faces of the women struck by the fireballs contorted in pain. But none of them screamed or flinched. Instead, there was a look of honor in their eyes, as if they were willing to sacrifice themselves for Goran. ¡°Noom!¡± Dolkan swung his mechanical arm at Zeon. Zeon slightly tilted his head, evading Dolkan¡¯s fist. Then, Dolkan¡¯s defenseless side was exposed. With mes engulfing his Inferno Gauntlet, Zeon struck Dolkan¡¯s side. Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± With a loud noise, Dolkan¡¯s face twisted in agony. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] His right arm was a mechanical prosthesis, but the other parts were still human flesh. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t help but feel pain when hit. Amidst the unexpected agony, his body instinctively contorted. Zeon didn¡¯t miss the opportunity. His arms seized Dolkan¡¯s mechanical prosthetic, and he ripped it out. Snap! ¡°Aaaargh!¡± Dolkan screamed in agony as the mechanical arm was wrenched away. Nerves and muscle fibers were attached to the prosthetic, torn out with it. ¡°Dolkan was defeated that easily?¡± Goran¡¯s expression, protected by the women, changedpletely. Dolkan was a strong pir supporting him along with Theo, Ethan, and Ava. He possessed tremendous strength, always being deployed where armed conflict broke out. That Dolkan was defeated by Zeon in such a helpless manner that it was absurd. It wasn¡¯t that Dolkan was weak. It was that Zeon¡¯s strength exceeded Goran¡¯s imagination. ¡°Shit! This is a pain in the ass.¡± Goran med his impatience. If he had known Zeon was this strong, he would have changed his persuasion tactics. But regrets alwayse toote. Now wasn¡¯t the time for regrets, but to find a way out. Goran knew an easy way. He shouted. ¡°Dolkan! Die for me!¡± In an instant, Dolkan¡¯s eyes changed. As if possessed, his eyes rolled back, and he charged towards Zeon. He wrapped his remaining arm around Zeon. Zeon tried to free himself and escape, but Dolkan¡¯s strength was beyond imagination. Spitting out saliva, Dolkan said. ¡°We die together, Zeon!¡± Zeon saw Dolkan¡¯s eyes filled with madness turning red. He knew what that meant. ¡®Self-destruction?¡¯ Zeon¡¯s judgment was fast, and his actions even faster. He released Exion at full force. Swoosh! Under the pressure of Exion¡¯s release, a gap appeared in Dolkan¡¯s hold. Zeon slipped through the gap and curled his body as much as possible. In an instant, Dolkan¡¯s body exploded. Baang! It was a st with iparable power to the explosions of the spectators. Columns shattered, walls copsed, and the entire arena copsed. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Zeon stood up, clearing the debris. Today, he had been buried under debris twice and swept away by explosions three times. If it weren¡¯t for his robe made of Leviathan¡¯s hide, Zeon would have suffered considerable injuries. Zeon looked around. Goran was nowhere to be seen. It was evident that he had left the arena before the explosion urred. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I got properly pissed off.¡± Zeon brushed his messy hair with his hand. He never dreamed that Dolkan would detonate himself with just one word. Whether it¡¯s a human or a monster, the most important thing is one¡¯s own life. Zeon couldn¡¯t understand why anyone would so easily give up their life at a single word from another. ¡°A fanatic? Or is it brainwashing?¡± This is a world that has already been destroyed once. A new race known as Awakened humans had emerged, and numerous abilities had been developed. There were mainstream abilities like martial arts, magic, and curses,bined with machines, but there were also those like Zeon who used non-mainstream abilities. It was clear that Goran also used non-mainstream abilities like Zeon. ¡°Is it an ability rted to mental restraint and explosions?¡± During the brief moment he was held by Dolkan, Zeon confirmed that there were no explosives on his body. Yet Dolkan exploded. That meant Dolkan¡¯s body itself was an explosive. Though Zeon didn¡¯t know how a human body could be turned into an explosive, if that was truly Goran¡¯s ability, it was undoubtedly a significant threat. ¡°If I let him go, he¡¯ll keep targeting me. I must deal with him today.¡± Zeon immediately set off to track him down. Goran was the kingpin of the slums. He knew the geography of Sinchon well. Zeon, too, was the same. Even though it seemed like he had done nothing since he returned to the slums, he knew the terrain like the back of his palm. No matter where Goran was hiding, Zeon was confident he could find him. *** The ck Lion burst into Yoo Se-hee¡¯s room, shouting. ¡°Something big has happened.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Yoo Se-hee red at the ck Lion, who had interrupted her peaceful time. If it was just something insignificant that had disrupted her peace, she would let it go. But her thoughts disappeared as soon as she heard what the ck Lion said next. ¡°The arena exploded.¡± ¡°The arena? Goran¡¯s establishment?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It seems to be rted to Zeon.¡± ¡°Zeon?¡± ¡°Yes! Someone saw Zeon entering the arena.¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s expression hardened. She was one of the few people who knew Goran¡¯s true abilities. Knowing Goran well, she could guess why the explosion had urred. ¡°Did that terrorist use his abilities against Zeon?¡± Among those in the underworld, Goran was known as the Terrorist. He could enhance the talents of Awakened individuals using his blood and mana. On the surface, it seemed like a blessing of an ability. But beneath the blessingy a curse. Goran could make the mana of the Awakened he enhanced go berserk, causing them to explode. That was Goran¡¯s true ability. Decades ago, Goran had seized control of Sinchon using this ability. His ability wasn¡¯t limited to Awakened individuals. He could secretly inject his blood and mana into ordinary people and make them explode as well. It was terrifying because no one could know who Goran¡¯s victims were. Goran used his ability to turn acquaintances of his targets into explosives, and they would detonate when they got close. The continued existence of such unpredictable situations was unnerving. Using his ability, Goran turned the families and acquaintances of hispetitors into explosives and eliminated them. The number of people killed at that time exceeded tens of thousands. After killing so many people, Goran became the ruler of Sinchon. Yoo Se-hee hastily said. ¡°Quickly track down Goran and Zeon. If we¡¯re not careful, the entire Sinchon could copse.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 80 Chapter 80 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 80 Zeon tracked Goran. Goran left almost no traces, but he wasn¡¯tpletely hidden either. Moving in the city inevitably left traces. Walls, floors, or people¡¯s reactions, their gaze ¨C all became clues to deduce the situation. Zeon was very skilled at this type of tracking. Just by scanning his surroundings, he could deduce Goran¡¯s movements. The problem was the people obstructing Goran¡¯s pursuit. Boom! A person passing by Zeon exploded without any warning. Fortunately, Zeon managed to dodge before the explosion and suffered no harm. But everyone around was swept away by the explosion and lost their lives. ¡°Ugh! Keuk!¡± ¡°It hurts!¡± Even those barely surviving were overwhelmed with fear, crying or screaming. The street turned into chaos in an instant, and people scattered in all directions like locusts. Suicide bombings targeting Zeon urred one after another. What made these self-bombings different from the usual ones was that the deceased didn¡¯t do it willingly. While those who take their own lives do so by their own will, those who died in the explosions didn¡¯t even know they exploded. Cruelly, Goran used the residents of the slums as human bombs. The victims didn¡¯t even know they were chosen as bombs by Goran. Baaang! Another explosion urred. This time, two people nearby exploded simultaneously. People in the vicinity either died or got injured, and the street turned into chaos. As Zeon pursued Goran, the damage increased. Only then did Zeon understand why people feared Goran. ¡°It¡¯s because of that bastard.¡± ¡°Explosions happen wherever he is.¡± ¡°You piece of shit!¡± The victims were angry at Zeon. They thought Zeon was the cause. It was a self-bombing attack using civilians, not Awakened individuals. Even if one survived without being swept away by the explosion, they couldn¡¯t help but be tormented by guilt. Goran knew well how to dominate people with fear and how to strike a decisive blow to the opponent. He was pushing Zeon to be a public enemy in this way. In some ways, it was more terrifying than a direct attack. If people suffered harm or died because of oneself, anyone would inevitably falter in their actions. Goran understood this human psychology better than anyone and exploited it well. They were the most difficult type of enemy to deal with. Rumors that Zeon was tracking Goran spread throughout the Sinchon area in no time. Goran deliberately leaked the information. It was a kind of message. A message Goran conveyed to the residents of the slums. If you don¡¯t stop Zeon, you will die. So, kill Zeon. His message was clearly delivered to the residents of the slums. ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°How dare you chase after Lord Goran?¡± ¡°Die!¡± Tremendous hostility was directed at Zeon. This was the first time Zeon encountered such a situation. In the desert, everything was clear. The enemies and allies were clearly distinguished. But not here. People moved ording to their own interests. To them, justice or revenge was a distant story. Their immediate priority was their own gain and safety. That¡¯s why they attacked Zeon. But their attacks didn¡¯t affect Zeon. It was the people who approached closely and then exploded who were the problem. Even until the moment of death, they werepletely unaware that they had be human bombs. For a very long time, Goran had been steadily turning the residents of the slums into human bombs as a means of protecting himself. Although he couldn¡¯t create many at once due to the extreme mana consumption, he had ced enough of them throughout the streets to explode for his own sake. Zeon scanned those who were approaching him. But after being hit several times, Zeon could now discern whether they were Goran¡¯s created human bombs just by looking at their physical condition. ¡°You, bastard! Lord Goran¡­!¡± A middle-aged man with widened eyes shouted. Zeon knew that was a precursor to an explosion. But the middle-aged man didn¡¯t realize that fact. ¡®I don¡¯t know if it will work, but¡­¡¯ Zeon lunged towards the middle-aged man. By the time the middle-aged man realized the situation, Zeon¡¯s palm was covering his face. ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saving your life, so stay still.¡± Thwoong! In an instant, Zeon¡¯s mana was injected through the middle-aged man¡¯s face. Using the Inferno Gauntlet, he infused mes into the body. The concentrated mes instantly ravaged the inside of the middle-aged man¡¯s body. In the process, impurities inside the body were incinerated. The impurities were the mana and blood Goran had infused. It was like removing a kind of detonator from the middle-aged man¡¯s body. ¡°Ugh!¡± The middle-aged man copsed as the strength left his legs. He didn¡¯t even know that Zeon had saved him. And Zeon didn¡¯t feel the need to tell him. Right now, it was more urgent to track Goran. Zeon increased his tracking speed. He didn¡¯t even give the self-bombers a chance to approach. At the end of the relentless pursuit, Zeon arrived at a small warehouse on the outskirts of Sinchon. Upon opening the warehouse door and entering, there was an entrance to the underground inside. Zeon muttered to himself. ¡°These filthy bastards have all established bases underground.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t iprehensible. Even if it were himself, he would have prepared a hiding ce underground. Zeon went straight into the underground. Having had experienced entering the underground before, there was no hesitation in his movements. The narrow underground sewer was filled with a foul odor. The stench was so strong that it would make most people lose consciousness upon smelling it. But Zeon ran through the sewer without even wrinkling his nose. ¡ª ¡°He¡¯s tracking us.¡± Goran showed a slight impression at Ava¡¯s words. ¡°He¡¯s persistent. To track us all the way here.¡± He had sent several human bombs to warn him. He told him not to cross the line further because it was dangerous. Yet Zeon continued to track them at a frightening speed. Goran looked at the passage they had passed through. ¡°I never thought such a mess would be created because of one man.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a strong man.¡± ¡°I know. He¡¯s at least B-rank, maybe even A-rank or higher.¡± ¡°Could he be someone sent from Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a possibility.¡± Neo Seoul doesn¡¯t want the influence of slum factions to grow beyond a certain point. That¡¯s why they oppress the slum factions in various ways. Scouting for new Awakened individuals appearing in the slums was also for the same reason. Zeon was like a bolt from the blue, suddenly appearing. Nothing was known about him. It was suspected that he might have been sent from Neo Seoul. Goran gritted his teeth. If Zeon really was sent from Neo Seoul to weaken his power, he had to prepare for war. But for now, dealing with Zeon took priority. It wasn¡¯t because he hade to the filthy and dirty underground sewage that he was scared of Zeon. It was because there was a way to deal with him here without using his own power and influence. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Goran asked Ava. ¡°Do you know what the phrase ¡®breaking things off¡¯ means?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard that phrase.¡± ¡°Hehe! I just learned it recently too. It¡¯s a phrase used before the Great Cataclysm, meaning that the one who caused the problem must resolve it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ava smiled knowingly. It was only then that Goran realized why Zeon hade here. Goran said. ¡°He will deeply regret daring to defy me.¡± ¡°As expected, boss.¡± ¡°I have no intention of just being the ruler of Sinchon. I will unify all of the slums and someday be the ruler of Neo Seoul beyond those walls. That¡¯s my mission and destiny.¡± ¡°Until then, I will follow you, boss.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two disappeared into the darkness of the sewers. After they disappeared, Zeon appeared. Zeon stood still where they had been standing, looking around for a moment. ¡°It seems like this is it.¡± Zeon wasn¡¯t a fool. He had sensed Goran¡¯s intentions. It was increasingly strange to be lured deeper into the sewers like this without realizing it. Although he realized Goran¡¯s intentions, he had no intention of turning back. Zeon continued to walk. At some point, the air in the sewer changed. The damp feeling underfoot disappeared, reced by soft sand. It seemed like they had left the area where water flowed. Zeon touched the sand with his hand. Soft sand flowing between his fingers. A smile yed on Zeon¡¯s lips. ¡°As expected, there¡¯s sand in the depths.¡± Neo Seoul was a city built on top of sand. Of course, sand also entered the sewers. Sand carried along with water could only umte in such deep ces. Zeon walked on the sand and finally reached his destination. Goran and Ava were there. The problem was that they weren¡¯t the only ones waiting for him. Many others were gathered in an empty area, including a man with crocodile-like skin. Zeon immediately recognized their identity. ¡°Crocodiles.¡± As expected, this ce was a crocodile¡¯s den. The man with rough skin was Crocker, who led the crocodiles. Crocker was staring at Goran instead of Zeon. ¡°Surely my request was to deal with him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Then why did you lure him here?¡± ¡°Hehe! He turned out to be stronger than I thought. It was hard to handle.¡± Goran showed his white teeth andughed. In contrast, Crocker¡¯s face hardened like a rock. If they were going to deal with Zeon themselves, there was no need to ask Goran for help. Using Goran was meant to prevent unnecessary sacrifices, but instead, Goran ended up bringing disaster to them. This ce was one of the most important crocodile dens. If this ce copsed, the crocodiles living in the sewers would suffer a big blow. Despite knowing this, Goran lured Zeon here. Goran said casually. ¡°Let¡¯s work together and live. We¡¯re in a symbiotic rtionship anyway.¡± ¡°This bastard is really¡­¡± ¡°Calm down. Our enemy is that bastard¡­¡± Goran pointed at Zeon. Having fought Zeon before, Crocker knew how strong he was. In the end, Crocker had no choice but to release Goran¡¯s cor. It wouldn¡¯t be toote to vent his angerter. Right now, it was time to deal with the intruder, Zeon. Crocker looked at Zeon and said. ¡°You¡¯ve created such a mess just for one mana generator. You¡¯re really something.¡± ¡°Why did you covet my things? You could¡¯ve just found other items.¡± ¡°If we could find other items, we wouldn¡¯t covet yours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because your abilities arecking.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can still yap after a while.¡± Crocker thudded over to Zeon. The crocodiles followed him. Goranughed as he watched them. ¡°Hehe! Finally, the scene I wanted hase true.¡± His eyes were burning with madness. He had been paying attention to this ce for a long time. Although Crocker tried to keep it a secret, Goran had already found out about it. ¡°Hehe! Fight. It¡¯d be better if both of you die while fighting.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 81 Chapter 81 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 81 Zeon looked at Crocker and the crocodiles rushing towards him with a fierce momentum. Crocker was a C-rank Awakened Martial Artist, and the crocodiles were all made up of D-rank and E-rank. It was an immense power that could easily wipe out a huge chunk of the slums in a sh. However, in front of Zeon, it was useless. A ze erupted right in front of Zeon. A fire wall had unfolded from the Inferno Gauntlet. A hellish ze filled the underground space. ¡°Arggh!¡± ¡°Aaaahh!¡± The crocodiles screamed in agony from the intense heat. Having adapted to living in the damp underground for a long time, they were vulnerable to the scorching heat. What might seem merely hot to ordinary people felt like hellfire to them. Moreover, Zeon¡¯s Fire Wall unleashed with the Inferno Gauntlet was several times hotter than regr mes. Bodies of the crocodiles rushing at the forefront caught fire and copsed. Despite writhing on the ground and screaming to extinguish the fire, it was futile. Once the fire had started, it wasn¡¯t easy to put it out. ¡°You bastard!¡± Crocker hurled his unique skill, Stone Fist. As the name suggested, it was a skill that made fists as strong as rocks and hurled them. Although it was a simple punch, its destructive power surpassed that of other skills of the same rank. Boom! His skill struck precisely on Zeon. However, Crocker couldn¡¯t rejoice. Because Zeon deflected his skill with the Inferno Gauntlet. Suddenly, Zeon¡¯s figure blurred and appeared right in front of Crocker. It was an approach using Sand Strides. To Crocker, who didn¡¯t know this fact, it felt like Zeon had used skills like Spatial Teleportation or Blink. ¡°You?¡± Bang! At that moment, Zeon¡¯s fist struck Crocker¡¯s abdomen fiercely. ¡°Keuk!¡± Crocker was thrown backward with a scream. Colliding with the wall, Crocker spat out blood and struggled to get up. His gaze towards Zeon was filled with anger. He felt itst time too, but he was no match for Zeon. To him and the crocodiles living underground, Zeon was no different from a god or a demon. He couldn¡¯t defeat Zeon in a conventional way. He resorted to evil. ¡°Damn it! Everyone, inject yourself.¡± Crocker took out a syringe from his pocket. It was a syringe containing yellow liquid. Without hesitation, he plunged the syringe into his heart and injected it. Seeing him, the crocodiles also injected themselves in the heart. The yellow liquid inside the syringe was one of the drugs they had manufactured. The difference from other drugs was that it instantly boosted all abilities to the maximum. ¡°Arrggh!¡± ¡°Ughhh!¡± Crocker and the crocodiles made eerie sounds as they bent over. Their stature grew muchrger, and muscles bulged out even more. Zeon looked at them with an interested expression. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s some kind of stimnt.¡± Even though the world had gone to ruins, humanity had deteriorated even more severely. Numerous drugs that severely affected the human body had been developed, and those who casually consumed such drugs were spread everywhere. One thing for sure was, no matter what effects a drug had, it came with equally severe side effects after consumption. If a drug like the stimnt they injected could amplify human abilities in a short time, then its side effects would be even greater. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Krgghh!¡± Crocker and the crocodiles rushed at Zeon with wild attacks. Swish! Zeon¡¯s hair fluttered as Crocker¡¯s fist approached. Before the fist, the wind pressure hit Zeon. However, Zeon easily dodged his attack. Then the crocodiles attacked Zeon from behind. Their movements were more animal-like than human. In their red eyes, there was no reason, only madness. They became twice as fast as before, and consequently, much stronger. Thud! The concrete shattered as it was hit by their fists like bombs. Crocker, in particr, surpassed that. Roar! His entire body was covered in a red aura. The drug pushed his abilities to the limit. ¡°Fuck! Die. Die!¡± Crocker squeezed his muscles to the limit and exploded with all his strength. Zeon observed not only Crocker¡¯s actions but also his body reactions and eye movements. Crocker¡¯s and the crocodiles¡¯ frenzied attackssted for almost ten minutes. However, the moment exactly ten minutes passed, their movements noticeably slowed down. ¡°Is ten minutes the limit?¡± He didn¡¯t know the identity of the drug they injected, but it was clear that they could only maintain maximum output for about ten minutes. At this point, he had learned everything he could from them. The sand scattered on the ground wriggled like snakes and rose up. Dozens of sand snakes raised their heads stiffly and red at Crocker and the crocodiles. It was one of Zeon¡¯s skills, Viper. Crocker¡¯s eyes widened at the sight he had never seen before. Even in a state frenzy, he sensed danger. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Instead of answering, Zeon snapped his fingers. St! Instantly, sand snakes flew like arrows towards Crocker and the crocodiles. The Viper instantly pierced holes in their torsos. Even with the drug boosting their abilities, they couldn¡¯t survive with a huge hole in the middle of their torso. The bodies of the crocodiles copsed like sandcastles. Crocker managed to stay standing stubbornly, but he had reached his limit. His eyes returned to normal. ¡°You¡­ What are you? What is this skill¡­?¡± Despite meeting numerous Awakened individuals before, seeing someone manipting sand was a first for him. ¡°Then what about the fire magic? Could it be¡­ a dual?¡± Zeon smiled and raised the Inferno Gauntlet. ¡°It¡¯s just an item.¡± ¡°An¡­ item?¡± In Zeon¡¯s hand, the Inferno Gauntlet gleamed. Crocker¡¯s eyes wavered. He couldn¡¯t believe that such a powerful fire-based ability could simply be an item¡¯s skill. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°You cunning bastard. Hiding your true abilities like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you survive in this world.¡± ¡°Y-You¡­ Cough! I waspletely fooled. I never meant to mess with your stuff.¡± With that, Crocker slumped down, his breath extinguished. Zeon nced at Crocker with an indifferent expression before moving on. His destination was the secret passage behind Crocker. He had seen Goran and Ava enter there. Everything was part of Goran¡¯s grand scheme. Using Crocker¡¯s n put him against Zeon. A cruel mindset befitting the ruler of Sinchon. Zeon was curious about what Goran aimed for by pitting him against Crocker. The reason was likely inside. Zeon entered the secret passage Goran had gone into. The passage was narrow, damp, and devoid of light. But Zeon had no issue. He had eyes that could pierce through the darkness. Zeon followed Goran and Ava¡¯s trail down the stairs. After a while, he arrived at a veryrge underground space. The space was over a hundred meters in length and width, with numerous bedsid out. Hundreds of people with pale, corpse-likeplexionsy on the beds. Thin tubes were inserted into their arms, through which red blood flowed out. The blood flowed into arge tank at the center. Goran and Ava stood in front of it. They were focused on the tank, unaware of Zeon¡¯s presence. Zeon quietly approached the tank. ¡°Huh?¡± Ava, who btedly noticed Zeon¡¯s approach, looked puzzled. But Goran, absorbed in the tank, didn¡¯t notice Zeon¡¯s presence. Zeon naturally nced at where Goran was concentrating. Sitting in front of the tank was a girl. With messy blonde hair, deep dark circles under her eyes, and a somewhat cynical expression. She wore a wide-brimmed hat and a voluminous ck robe that witches might have worn in ancient times. However, chains were tied around the girl¡¯s ankles. It seemed to be a restraint to prevent escape. Goran spoke to the girl. ¡°It was you. You were the one making the drugs supplied by the crocodiles.¡± ¡°Shut up! Human.¡± ¡°Human?¡± ¡°You better turn your eyes away before I gouge them out. How dare you look at a noble elf with such eyes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not human? An elf? So that¡¯s what they look like.¡± Goran chuckled. ¡°Amusing. Never thought an elf would be the one making such good drugs.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all worse than maggots! If I¡¯m set free, do you think I¡¯ll stay quiet? I¡¯ll kill everyone. I¡¯ll kill every single human.¡± The girl spat venomous words, ring at Goran. Usually, elves were thought to be noble or quiet, but the girl was not like that. The elf girl¡¯s name was Brielle. She originally lived outside Neo Seoul. Suddenly, one day, disaster struck. She encountered human Awakeneds passing by the vicinity. She gave it her all, but eventually, she was overwhelmed by the humans and subdued. From then on, her miserable life began. After being sold to humans several times, she ended up here in the slums of Neo Seoul, far away from where she originally lived. Crocker discovered her true talent. It was her talent in alchemy. As an elf with heightened senses, she excelled in alchemy. Crocker found a way to exploit Brielle¡¯s talent. It was to develop a new type of drug. She created several new drugs that had never existed before. Thanks to this, Crocker was able to be an emerging powerhouse in the drug market. All the drugs provided to Goran¡¯s organization were made by Brielle. The drugs Brielle made all used human blood as a medium. Since human blood was the most important substance in the body, the drugs made by Brielle had far fewer side effects than other drugs. The problem was Brielle herself. An elf who loved nature making drugs harmful to all living creatures. Her anger and resentment towards humans grew day by day. In the end, she came to hate and resent everything in the world. Goran spoke to Brielle. ¡°From now on, you work for me. I am now your master.¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll make them. Crocker, you, you¡¯re all the same bastards. Well, it¡¯s all the same no matter which bastard I make the drugs for.¡± ¡°Haha! That¡¯s a good attitude. That¡¯s how you live long.¡± Goran smiled satisfactorily. ¡°An elf drug maker, huh? What an interesting development.¡± At Zeon¡¯s voice from behind, Goran¡¯s blood ran cold. Turning around, he saw Zeon looking at Brielle with interest. Goran said, ring at Zeon. ¡°What? What about Crocker?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see him when you go outside. Ah! Even if you ask, he won¡¯t be able to answer. Because he¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already taken care of him?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that difficult.¡± ¡°Instead of fighting like this, juste under me. With you and me together, we can take control of the slums in no time.¡± ¡°I refuse. I won¡¯t work under someone else.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re really going to push it to the end, huh?¡± Goran¡¯s expression turned menacing. His original n was to make Zeon and Crocker take care of each other, then secretly take Brielle, the drug maker, away. After that, with the reorganization of the slums and disposing of Zeon, everything would have been perfect. But Zeon dealt with Crocker and the crocodiles quicker than he could¡¯ve imagined, disrupting all his ns. Zeon looked at Brielle and said, ¡°I¡¯m not particrly fond of elves, but even then this is too far. Humans are the most dangerous after all.¡± ¡°You act like you¡¯re not one of them. All you hypocrites¡­¡± Brielle¡¯s diatribe poured out all at once. But Zeon¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Hey, elf girl. If you want to get out of here, you¡¯d better keep your mouth shut. Among these two, I¡¯m the only one who has the possibility of setting you free.¡± For a moment, Brielle involuntarily sealed her lips shut. Zeon¡¯s gaze turned to Goran. ¡°Where are you going to run off to now?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 82 Chapter 82 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 82 Goran¡¯s face hardened frighteningly. It was because Zeon¡¯s mocking words had hurt his pride. ¡°Hah! The audacity of this little brat pierces the sky.¡± ¡°I seem to have offended again.¡± ¡°Is that so? It seems that way. That¡¯s why it¡¯s more infuriating. I feel like I need to tear all your limbs apart just to ease my anger.¡± Goran¡¯s voice was filled with thick resentment. This was the first time he had been pushed into such a corner since he took control of Sinchon. What irritated him even more was that he realized all these situations he thought he led all this time were actually under Zeon¡¯s control. Goran knew. What was truly frightening was someone who controlled the situation like this. He had to cut Zeon downpletely before he grew any bigger. Goran spoke, twisting his neck in different directions. ¡°You¡¯re the first person to make me genuinely angry like this. So consider it an honor to die by my hand.¡± Shwoosh! At that moment, without a sound, a single metal spear shot out from behind Zeon. The spear was aimed directly at Zeon¡¯s waist. It aimed to sever his spine and render him powerless in an instant. But just before the metal spear could reach him, Zeon¡¯s body slid aside smoothly. He spread out his Sand Strides to evade the attack. ¡°Damn it!¡± Cursing, a man with a chilling demeanor appeared out of nowhere. It was Theo, one of Goran¡¯s loyal followers. ¡°Tsk!¡± Goran clicked his tongue. His trap had failed in vain. He had prepared Theo for such a situation. Theo was a Martial Arts Awakened specialized in assassination. In addition, Ava had deployed illusion magic to hide his presence like a ghost. Goran had also engaged Zeon in unnecessary conversation to distract him. However, Zeon easily avoided Theo¡¯s surprise attack, as if he had foreseen it. With Zeon evading Theo¡¯s surprise attack, there was nothing left but to exert full force to kill Zeon. ¡°Chaat!¡± ¡°Haat!¡± Theo and Ava attacked Zeon. Zeon unleashed his Sand Strides, stepping back. Where he retreated was right near the bed where people were lying, getting their blood drained. ¡°Now!¡± Bang! At that moment, with Goran¡¯s shout, a person lying on the bed exploded. For the brief moment they entered here, Goran had turned some of the people lying on the bed into human bombs as a precaution. Zeon was knocked back by the explosion. Taking advantage of that, Theo rushed in, and Ava unleashed her magic. Goran detonated the human bomb to strike Zeon. It was abination reminiscent of when they had conquered Sinchon decades ago, defeating numerous rivals. Though Ethan and Dolkan were missing, with just the three of them, they could easily crush most Awakeneds. The problem was that Zeon was no ordinary Awakened. Zeon swung his hand. At that moment, sand particles piled on the ground rose up like snakes and attacked the three. It was one of his skills called Viper. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Sand snakes?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The three scattered in surprise. Though they had faced numerous Awakeneds, they had never seen an Awakened manipte sand. Ssshhhwish! Like venomous snakes, the Vipers aimed for their throats. As if magic missiles, the Vipers chased their targets relentlessly. The three realized they couldn¡¯t avoid it and each deployed their skills to protect themselves. Theo used his metal spear, Ava used magic, and Goran used air bombs to block the Vipers. Bang! Bang! Bang! With thunderous explosions in the air, sand particles scattered everywhere. ¡°Ugh!¡± Ava groaned. While the Vipers hadn¡¯t inflicted damage, sand particles had gotten into her eyes. Unconsciously, she closed her eyes. Taking advantage of that moment, Zeon plunged into her embrace. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Ava!¡± Theo and Goran shouted, trying to save Ava. But Zeon was faster than them. His right hand covered Ava¡¯s face. mes erupted from his palm. The intense mes melted Ava¡¯s face in an instant. Ava couldn¡¯t even scream before her breath was cut off. Goran and Theo widened their eyes in shock. But before they could react, Zeon charged at them. ¡°Yaaaaah!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Goran and Theo unleashed their ultimate skills. Bang! Bang! Bang! The people lying on the bed exploded one after another, and Theo¡¯s metal spear shot through the air like a red arrow, aiming directly at Zeon. Zeon was swept away by the explosion, and Theo¡¯s metal spear pierced through the midst of it. ¡°We got him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Goran and Theo shouted simultaneously. Their excitement at capturing Zeon paralyzed their reasoning. Hence, they didn¡¯t notice. At some point, sand particles were floating around them. They realized this fact a momentter. ¡°The sand?¡± ¡°When did it?¡± Grrrraaaah! At that moment, the floating sand particles spun at terrifying speed. Zeon¡¯s skill, Sand Mixer, had been unleashed. The spinning sand particles gnawed at everything. First, they turned the clothes they were wearing into dust, then gnawed at their skin. Next were their muscles. Goran and Theo screamed in agony as they tried to escape, but it was futile. Sand Mixer swallowed not only their bodies but also their voices. Brielle opened her eyes wide, watching the scene. Grrrraaaah! In the quiet room, only the sound of gears turning could be heard echoing. Brielle felt as if her body was being torn apart and shivered. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] After a while, the chilling sound disappeared, and the terrifying spinning sand settled on the ground. In their ce stood two chunks of meat. Goran and Theo were so mutted that their original forms were unrecognizable. They staggered for a moment before copsing to the ground. That was their end. ¡°Oh my God!¡± Brielle covered her mouth with both hands. Her pupils were shaking violently. She had never even imagined such a skill before, let alone seen. ¡°A skill manipting sand? Is he a Sand Mage?¡± Slowly, Zeon emerged, pushing aside mes in Brielle¡¯s retinas, unscathed by Goran¡¯s explosions and Theo¡¯s attacks. His appearance only further nauseated Brielle. Zeon murmured as he looked at Goran and Theo¡¯s corpses. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s not a skill suitable for use against humans. I should restrain myself.¡± Though he had expected to withstand them to some extent, it seemed he had overestimated the two¡¯s prowess. Zeon shook his head slightly, surveying his surroundings. Due to Goran¡¯s skill, the underground space was devastated. People lying on the beds had been swept away by the explosions, and Brielle was the only one who survived. Approaching Brielle, Zeon said. ¡°It¡¯d probably be better to kill you to keep it a secret.¡± He still didn¡¯t want to reveal himself as a Sand Mage. Brielle, who was quick-witted, hastily interjected. ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll keep the secret, please spare me.¡± ¡°Hmm! I don¡¯t trust people¡¯s promises.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an elf. A High Elf. We keep promises better than humans.¡± ¡°What difference does that make? You¡¯re just a drug-making elf. Why believe the promises of a drug peddler? It¡¯s much simpler to just kill.¡± ¡®Bastard!¡¯ A desperate expression appeared on Brielle¡¯s face. Having experienced all the depths of human society, she naturally understood why Zeon wanted to conceal his awakened lineage. ¡®The utility of a Sand Mage is boundless. Surely the powers-that-be in Neo Seoul will be bothered by him.¡¯ Zeon also knew this fact and thus wished to keep his secret. Although she had fallen from being unable to withstand human threats to the position of a drug maker, she still wanted to live. She was only twelve years old. Considering that elves live for hundreds of years, she was practically an infant. At such a young age, she didn¡¯t want to die. She spoke urgently. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make the oath.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of an oath?¡± ¡°The oath of a High Elf is different. It holds coercive power.¡± ¡°Coercive power?¡± ¡°If you make an oath with your soul, you must adhere to it. If you break it, you lose your life immediately.¡± ¡°Is there such a thing? None of the elves I¡¯ve met have mentioned that.¡± ¡°They are ordinary elves, that¡¯s why. I¡¯m a High Elf.¡± ¡°So, High Elves are different?¡± ¡°Of course, they are.¡± Brielle shouted out. Zeon furrowed his brow slightly. Unlike Dyoden, he didn¡¯t have any particr feelings toward elves. Of course, if he met them as enemies, he would certainly kill them, but he didn¡¯t want to go out of his way to hunt them down one by one. As Zeon hesitated for a moment, Brielle threw out herst resort. ¡°I, Brielle Loa, swear by my name that I will keep your secret and follow you.¡± A bright light emanated from her body. At that moment, Zeon felt a connection between his heart and hers. And instinctively, he knew. If Brielle were to break the oath, she would lose her life instantly. Zeon clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk! There was no need for you to swear to follow me. Just keeping the secret would have sufficed.¡± ¡°I-it was urgent¡­ Damn it! You damned¡­¡± Realizing btedly that her oath was excessive, Brielle stuttered her words. But the oath had already been activated. It was toote to undo it. Regretting it was futile. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll release you.¡± Zeon grabbed the chain wrapped around Brielle¡¯s ankle. There were peculiar patterns engraved on the chain. It contained a magic spell that restricted Brielle¡¯s abilities. That¡¯s why Brielle hadn¡¯t been able to break the chain until now. Fwoosh! The chain that had restrained her for so long melted away so disappointingly. ¡°Ah!¡± Brielle, who had been blinking for a long time, let out an involuntary exmation. She cautiously moved her feet. She felt no resistance. ¡°Freedom, freedom atst.¡± She jumped up and down in ce, enjoying her newfound freedom. But it didn¡¯t take long for her to recognize the cold reality. ¡°Fuck! Why did I make such an oath¡­¡± As long as she had made an oath to Zeon¡¯s soul, she had to follow him. Though she had escaped from the den of miserable drug peddlers, another shackle was still binding her. ¡°Ah! I don¡¯t know. Somehow, I¡¯ll manage.¡± In the end, she chose to evade reality. Having lived in the human world for a long time, her way of thinking had be simr to that of humans. Meanwhile, Zeon searched the underground space to see if there were any survivors. Unfortunately, everyone had lost their lives in the explosions. Even if it wasn¡¯t the explosion, those people would have died anyway. Crocker had turned them into a vegetative state and provided minimal nutrients through tubes. As their health deteriorated, he periodically drew blood, so their lives were hanging by a thread. Zeon looked at the corpses with a bitter expression before turning away. Brielle approached him. ¡°Kid! I¡¯ll let you go, so go back to your people.¡± ¡°Damn it! I already made the oath.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m releasing you.¡± ¡°But I already made an oath to follow you, there¡¯s nothing I can do now.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess my life is ruined.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 83 Chapter 83 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 83 Fwoosh! A tremendous ze filled the underground space. Naturally urring fires could never have this much firepower. It was Zeon who caused the inferno. The superheated mes consumed everything underground. The corpses of Crocker and the crocodiles, Goran and Ava, and even the corpses supplying blood were all turned to ash without a trace left behind. After the tremendous ze swept through the underground space, there was nothing left. ¡°Are you really human?¡± Brielle stared at Zeon with an expression of disbelief. A Sand Mage manipting me abilities. Even in the world of Elves, Dual Awakeneds were rare. There were those who awakened two abilities by chance, but usually, one was the primary ability, and the other was only used as support. Zeon was the first Awakened to freely wield two abilities like this. Zeon nced at Brielle with a slight smirk. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°Are you nning to stay here?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll go.¡± Brielle shook her head, sticking close to Zeon. She had been trapped in this hellish space without a single ray of light for over a year. The mere thought of seeing sunlight again filled her with excitement. With Brielle reluctantly trailing behind, Zeon led the way through the underground passage. ¡°Huff! J-Just a moment¡­¡± But not long after they started walking, Brielle stopped abruptly. Her face turned pale, and she looked like she might copse at any moment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Damn it! Pills, pills¡­¡± Brielle frantically rummaged through her pouch and pulled out a few pills. Zeon¡¯s gaze turned cold the moment he saw them. ¡°Are those drugs?¡± ¡°N-No! They¡¯re stimnts.¡± Brielle quickly swallowed the pills. As soon as she took them, herplexion returned to normal. ¡°Haa! That was close.¡± ¡°An Elf relying on drugs? And didn¡¯t you say you were a High Elf.¡± ¡°Fuck! Who would rely on these because they want to? It¡¯s all because of you humans.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I had to make drugs day and night under the watch of the crocodiles. Do you think my body would be normal without them?¡± Her body had deteriorated from being reliant on drugs to the point where she couldn¡¯t live a day without them, and her body was so fragile that she wouldn¡¯t find it strange if she stopped breathing at any moment. Eventually, she secretly manufactured other drugs to survive. They were a kind of Awakened supplement. Fortunately, she was able to prevent her body from deteriorating further due to drugs, but in return, her body became unable to survive without the Awakened supplements. So, she despised humans, who corrupted a pure elf to this extent. At least that¡¯s what Brielle thought. ¡°If you rely on drugs like that, you will die unexpectedly one day.¡± ¡°Hah! Don¡¯t act like you care. Humans are all the same¡­¡± ¡°Is there a way to stop having to rely on drugs?¡± ¡°Who knows? I¡¯ll have to find a way before I die.¡± ¡°I guess I can only wish you luck.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anyfort from humans.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re the one who decided to follow one.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Once your body recovers, let¡¯s go.¡± Zeon resumed walking. After hesitating for a moment, Brielle hurriedly followed him. After walking for a while, they finally reached a door leading to the outside world. Brielle squinted her eyes against the intense light pouring in from the wide-open door. Having been trapped underground for so long, even her eyes had weakened. She didn¡¯t know if her retinas would burn if she went outside like this. Brielle pressed her wide-brimmed hat down to shield her eyes. Zeon grabbed Brielle¡¯s hand, surprising her. ¡°If I don¡¯t hold your hand, you won¡¯t be able to follow me.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Brielle pursed her lips at Zeon¡¯s words. But she didn¡¯t pull her hand away. She realized there was no other way than what Zeon said. Zeon and Brielle walked hand in hand down the street. The warm wind mixed with sand, the bustling voices of people, and the intense sunlight enveloping their bodies. Brielle trembled slightly at the sensation of the outside world, which she hadn¡¯t felt for over a year. She had missed this feeling for so long. Swoosh! Tears streamed down Brielle¡¯s cheeks. She bowed her head deeply to prevent Zeon from seeing her tears. As Brielle fell silent, Zeon also remained quiet. The two walked the streets quietly together. After walking for a while, they finally reached Shinchon, which had regained its everyday appearance as if there had never been a series of explosions. Though it was regrettable for the dead, the living had to continue living. Even if the streets turned into a battlefield again today and many people died, the market would reopen tomorrow. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Zeon.¡± Some of the people recognized Zeon among the crowd. Their faces were filled with astonishment. They all knew about the fight between Goran and Zeon. The fact that Zeon had returned meant that he was the winner of that fight. There was no one in this street who didn¡¯t know that fact. ¡°Did Zeon really win?¡± ¡°My goodness!¡± ¡°Does this mean the owner of this street is changing?¡± The crowd¡¯s agitation was transmitted directly to Zeon. They hoped Zeon would say something, anything. But Zeon simply passed them by and entered the building where his house was. ¡°Huff!¡± After climbing eighteen floors, Brielle¡¯splexion turned pale again. Gasping for breath, she once again took out an Awakened stimnt from her pouch and consumed it. With the help of drugs, Brielle barely managed to reach the eighteenth floor. ¡°Ha! Ha! Fuck! My heart is about to burst.¡± She leaned against the wall, panting heavily. ¡°Here.¡± Zeon opened the door to his house for her. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Brielle entered Zeon¡¯s house without any expectations. However, she was surprised to see a different scene inside. ¡°What¡¯s this? Why is it so clean? And there¡¯s even a barrier?¡± She widened her eyes and looked around the room. As a High Elf, she could clearly see the barrier surrounding Zeon¡¯s house. She had never seen such an intricate barrier even in her homnd. ¡°Is that a mana generator? What are those gems on top? Is that the source of the barrier?¡± Brielle trembled as she saw the Watching Eye. As the saying goes, knowledge is power. Brielle could understand how remarkable the Watching Eye was, given her knowledge of barriers. ¡°What¡¯s your real identity? Are you human? Could it be that you¡¯re a polymorphed dragon?¡± ¡°A dragon? You know about dragons?¡± ¡°Are you kidding? How can you not know about dragons?¡± ¡°Have you seen one?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Brielle lowered her head deeply. An elf as young as her had never seen a dragon in person. Dragons that came to this world were few, and they all hid in deep ces where human eyes couldn¡¯t reach. They weren¡¯t so sloppy that they¡¯d even reveal themselves to some young elf. Dragons were unimaginably fierce, sinister, and cruel. Perhaps if Brielle had encountered a dragon, she wouldn¡¯t be an elf in this world anymore. Brielle looked up at Zeon. ¡°Am I going to live here from now on?¡± ¡°For the time being.¡± ¡°Yahoo!¡± Brielle leaped onto the bed. The warm bed was what she missed the most while making drugs underground. That¡¯s why she jumped onto the bed first. But she couldn¡¯t fulfill her wish. Zeon had grabbed the back of her neck. ¡°Your ce isn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°Then where do I sleep?¡± Instead of answering, Zeon looked at the sofa. ¡°Sleep on the sofa? Isn¡¯t that too much for ady like me?¡± ¡°First, you¡¯re not ady. Second, the bed is mine. Third¡­¡± ¡°What, there¡¯s a third?¡± ¡°Yes! Third, my heart.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t eye my bed and just sleep on the sofa. That¡¯s already quite generous of me.¡± ¡°Haa!¡± Brielle red at Zeon with a pout. Even though tears welled up in her eyes, she couldn¡¯t move Zeon¡¯s heart. In the end, Brielle weakly walked over to the sofa. But as soon as shey down on it, she smiled broadly, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so soft. Sofy!¡± The sofa was softer and morefortable than she had expected. After tossing and turning for a while, Brielle fell into a deep sleep as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. Ha! Ha! Listening to Brielle¡¯s quiet breathing, Zeon thought. ¡®A High Elf¡¯s oath¡­¡¯ The bond of the oath connected him and Brielle. It was impossible to forcibly sever this bond. As long as Brielle followed him, he had an obligation to take care of her. It was an unexpected burden. ¡®To sever the oath, do I need to find the High Elf vige?¡¯ Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t asked Brielle where her vige was or how many people were in it. Zeon decided he would ask her when she woke up. But before that, there was one thing he had to do. Leaving Brielle sleeping deeply, Zeon left the house. His destination was Goran¡¯s business establishment. Near the copsed arena were numerous buildings belonging to Goran¡¯s businesses. Among them, Zeon entered a building where prostitutes were gathered. Even though they saw himing, none of the prostitutes stopped him. They knew. The ruler of this street had changed as of today. They had no intention of resisting the new ruler. A prostitute who looked a little older stepped forward. ¡°Wee.¡± ¡°Do you recognize me?¡± ¡°In a ce where you can¡¯t survive a day without being perceptive, of course, I can¡¯t help but recognize you.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯ll be easier to talk. Where¡¯s Ethan?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself. Tell me where Ethan is.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll guide you.¡± The prostitute led Zeon to Ava¡¯s room. There, Ethan was lying down, receiving treatment. ¡°You?¡± Ethan quickly got up when he saw Zeon. The wounds he had received from Zeon hadn¡¯t healed yet, so even standing up took effort. But he had to stand up forcibly. He couldn¡¯t just sit and take it. ¡°Goran¡­ could it be that you defeated him?¡± ¡°Goran, Ava, and Theo, they all died by my hands.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true!¡± ¡°Believe it or not, you¡¯re the only one among Goran¡¯s followers who¡¯s still alive.¡± Ethan¡¯s face turned pale. If what Zeon said was true, it meant that Goran¡¯s power hadpletely copsed. Zeon said to him. ¡°You have two choices left. One is to fight to the end and die.¡± ¡°Are there other choices?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Be the ruler of Shinchon in ce of Goran.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean¡­¡± For a moment, Ethan couldn¡¯t understand Zeon¡¯s words and blinked. Logically, since Zeon had defeated Goran, it was right for him to be the ruler of Shinchon. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you bing the ruler instead of me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine just as it is right now. If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll have to find someone else.¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll be the ruler of Shinchon.¡± Eithen hastily spoke. His face was now filled with a sudden gleam of greed. Despite thinking of it as an insurmountable mountain, he also had ambitions while working under Goran. Knowing that Zeon¡¯s offer wouldn¡¯te again, he didn¡¯t hesitate to seize it. The fact that Ava, his lover, died at Zeon¡¯s hands didn¡¯t pose any problem for him. There were plenty of prostitutes to rece her. Zeon said. ¡°If you agree to one thing, you¡¯ll be the ruler of Shinchon.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Ethan looked at Zeon with eyes filled with intense desire. Zeon¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°Do not bother me.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 84 Chapter 84 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 84 Yoo Se-hee looked at the ck Lion with an expression of disbelief. ¡°So you¡¯re saying Goran is dead?¡± ¡°That seems to be the case based on the circumstances.¡± ¡°And you want me to believe that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Is it really true?¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s pupils shook. Even the ck Lion reporting seemed to have a difficult time believing. Goran had disappeared, and Zeon, who had fought him, had returned home. The implication was clear. Zeon had won. ¡°So does that mean Zeon is ruling Shinchon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He met Ethan. Right after that, Ethan was seen going around Goran¡¯s businesses to take over.¡± ¡°So he won the war but isn¡¯t ruling?¡± ¡°It seems that way.¡± ¡°Hah! That man is a headache.¡± Yoo Se-hee sighed. She would have preferred dealing with someone like Goran. He was full of desires and didn¡¯t hide any of them. So everything was clear. As long as it didn¡¯t interfere with Goran¡¯s goals, there would be no problem. But Zeon was different. Everything about him was unclear. From the past to the present, nothing was known. He was like a person that fell from the sky. After taking charge of the Goblin Market, she met many people, but it was her first time seeing someone like Zeon. Yoo Se-hee, who had been contemting for a moment, stood up from her seat. ¡°Are you going out?¡± ¡°I need to meet my grandfather.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll escort you.¡± Under the escort of the ck Lion, Yoo Se-hee left the Goblin Market. She headed towards a ce where shops were clustered. Among them, Yoo Se-hee walked towards one. ¡°What brings you here?¡± An old man who had been preparing for business for a while noticed Yoo Se-hee and looked puzzled. Yoo Se-hee put on a naive expression. ¡°Is it strange for a granddaughter toe to see her grandfather?¡± ¡°It is strange. Suspicious.¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡± At the old man¡¯s response, Yoo Se-hee burst out in an annoyed voice. ¡°Your ears will fall off. How can your temperament remain the same even as you age? Sit down.¡± The old man urging Yoo Se-hee to sit down was none other than Old Man Klexi. Yoo Se-hee, sitting down, spoke. ¡°Leaving your granddaughter with such a difficult position and enjoying yourself.¡± ¡°Do I seem to be enjoying myself?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t deny that. Well, it¡¯s true that I¡¯m living more happily than ever before.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Yoo Se-hee pursed her lips. Old Man Klexi and Yoo Se-hee were grandfather and granddaughter. The Goblin Market she managed was originally created by Old Man Klexi. Of course, the expansion to its current scale was solely Yoo Se-hee¡¯s effort, but it was Old Man Klexi who started it. For some reason, Old Man Klexi left Yoo Se-hee in charge of the Goblin Market and started living as a street vendor. ¡°Alright! What¡¯s bothering my granddaughter so much?¡± ¡°Can you see that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I always tell you? Never reveal your inner thoughts.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m doing that.¡± ¡°Then why can I read it in your eyes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because¡­¡± ¡°Is it because of that kid, Zeon?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At Old Man Klexi¡¯s piercing words, Yoo Se-hee tightly shut her lips. She always boasted that she had grown a lot, but in front of Old Man Klexi, she was read like an open book. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so discouraged. I haven¡¯t fullypletely figured out Zeon either yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to know more about him. Tell me everything you know.¡± ¡°In fact, I know almost nothing. It¡¯s been eight years since I saw that kid here.¡± ¡°What was he like when you first met him?¡± ¡°He was naive back then. He probably thought he had a strong will, but that made it easier to manipte him.¡± ¡°You manipted him?¡± ¡°Haha! Of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really mean.¡± Even at her granddaughter¡¯s sarcasm, Old Man Klexi didn¡¯t blink an eye. ¡°It¡¯s clear he was easy to read back then. But now, he¡¯s be elusive.¡± ¡°Are you saying that even grandpa doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in his head?¡± ¡°I hate to admit it, but yes. I don¡¯t know what experiences he¡¯s had in the past eight years, but he knows how to hide his true intentions thoroughly. Be careful. If you make a wrong move, even you could fall prey to him.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes. The Zeon I met eight years ago and the Zeon now arepletely different people. So I¡¯m back to square one, trying to understand him again from the beginning.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Goran was clearly targeted by him. Even with the Eyes of Argos mobilized, we couldn¡¯t find Goran¡¯s whereabouts.¡± The Eyes of Argos were one of the organizations created by Old Man Klexi alongside the Goblin Market. It was an intelligence organization created to protect the Goblin Market, and its eyes were spread throughout the slums. Old Man Klexi hadn¡¯t yet passed on the Eyes of Argos to Yoo Se-hee. Because he thought Yoo Se-hee¡¯s abilities werecking to operate the Eyes of Argos. He nned to pass on the Eyes of Argos to her at ater time when she was more capable. Yoo Se-hee sighed. ¡°Haa! What on earth is his identity?¡± ¡°Who knows! I want to know too.¡± * * * Zeon looked down at the sofa with a pitiful expression. Brielle was sprawled out on the sofa. Her pointed ears were exposed as her hat had fallen to the ground. Brielle stared at Zeon with unfocused eyes. Zeon sighed. ¡°Ugh! A High Elf relying on drugs.¡± Just an hour ago, Brielle¡¯s condition had deteriorated rapidly. In the end, she had no choice but to take a stimnt. The result was her current state. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant feeling to see a little elf in such a state due to drugs. Regardless of race, it was pitiful for a child to rely on drugs to survive. Perhaps Dyoden, if he were alive and saw this scene, would haveughed and said it served her right. But Zeon was different from Dyoden. His values and perspective on the world were entirely different. Suddenly, he missed Dyoden. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Like a me oxidizing into thin air, he truly left no traces in this world. It could truly be said to be Dyoden¡¯sst moment. As Zeon reminisced about Dyoden, Brielle, who was under the influence of drugs, gradually regained consciousness. ¡°Haah! Fuck!¡± Brielle, who got up from the sofa, started off by swearing. She picked up her fallen hat from the floor. With her hat pressed firmly on her head, Brielle looked at Zeon. ¡°It¡¯s made of cheap ingredients, so the side effects are severe. Even if it¡¯s unpleasant to look at, you better get used to it.¡± ¡°Then, if the ingredients are good, will the condition improve a bit?¡± ¡°It might, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Just follow me.¡± Zeon put on his robe and went outside. Brielle, who had been watching his back for a moment, hurriedly followed him. The two of them left the building and walked down the street. Where Zeon took Brielle was straight to the Goblin Market. ¡°Wow!¡± Brielle eximed in admiration at the sight of the Goblin Market, which she had never seen before. To her, who had only been in the damp underground, the Goblin Market was a whole new world. The people bustling through the streets, the goodsid out on the stalls, and the lively atmosphere unique to the market stole her breath away. ¡°There was such a ce in this world?¡± Brielle¡¯s face lit up with wonder. Zeon said to her. ¡°If you see good ingredients, go buy them.¡± ¡°Can I buy as much as I want?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Excited, Brielle ran off to the shops. It was then that Zeon quietly followed behind her. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty kid. Who is she?¡± A familiar voice came from behind. Without turning his head, Zeon recognized the owner of the voice. ¡°What brings the owner of the Goblin Market here?¡± ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m patrolling.¡± The calm response came from none other than Yoo Se-hee. She appeared with the ck Lion. Yoo Se-hee asked again. ¡°So who¡¯s that kid?¡± ¡°She was kidnapped and held in the Crocodile¡¯s den.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking her with me since she said she has nowhere else to go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re morepassionate than you seem.¡± ¡°I admit it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we talking right now?¡± ¡°I mean somewhere less crowded.¡± ¡°As you can see, I need to keep an eye on that kid.¡± ¡°This person will watch over her instead.¡± Yoo Se-hee pointed to the ck Lion. In the Goblin Market, there was no one who didn¡¯t know the ck Lion. There was no merchant who would dare to deceive a child under the watchful eyes of the ck Lion. Zeon nodded his head. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Follow me!¡± After Zeon told Brielle to shop to her heart¡¯s content, he followed Yoo Se-hee to her office. ¡°What would you like to have a drink?¡± ¡°Just a ss of water is enough.¡± In response to Zeon¡¯s answer, Yoo Se-hee poured water into a cup and handed it to him. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fascinating man.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask you directly. What happened to Goran?¡± ¡°What do you think happened?¡± ¡°Did you kill him?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Just like that.¡± Yoo Se-hee frowned at Zeon¡¯s brief answer. She stared at him intently, trying to read through him. Any ordinary person wouldn¡¯t have dared to look into her eyes, but she couldn¡¯t seem to get through Zeon. ¡°Is it a secret?¡± ¡°Everyone has secrets they want to hide, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Alright! I admit it. Then I¡¯ll make a suggestion.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Come into the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll refuse.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Yoo Se-hee burst out in frustration at Zeon¡¯s immediate refusal. But Zeon continued without changing his expression. ¡°If I was going to enter the Goblin Market, there was no need to go through the trouble of dealing with Goran. If I had entered the Goblin Market, Goran wouldn¡¯t have been able to easily touch me.¡± ¡°Keuk!¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s expression crumpled. She knew that what Zeon said was true. If he had wanted to rely on the Goblin Market, there was no need to go through the hassle. Yoo Se-hee coveted Zeon. Surely, she would be more secure if she could only bring Zeon to the Goblin Market. However, she couldn¡¯t force him since he had clearly expressed his refusal. Any more coercion than necessary would surely only provoke resistance from the other party. ¡°Okay! Fine. I¡¯ll respect your decision. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll upgrade your Goblin Market ess level. In return, when we have a request, think about them positively.¡± ¡°What¡¯s good about upgrading the ess level?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be able to use the Goblin Market¡¯s secret auction.¡± ¡°Secret auction?¡± ¡°Yeah! Sometimes items that are hard to dispose of in Neo Seoule up there.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°What will you do?¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do that.¡± The two shook hands. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 85 Chapter 85 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 85 Neo Seoul is situated within high walls. Built a hundred years ago, these walls were made of rocks that are hard toe by in today¡¯s world. Giant rocks were carved into squares, fitted together wlessly, and reinforced using special methods to construct the walls. Because of this, ordinary monsters couldn¡¯t dare to breach the walls. Thanks to these walls, people inside Neo Seoul could focus on research and livelihood without worrying about monster attacks. With magical abilities of the Awakenedbined with the pre-apocalyptic scientific heritage, Neo Seoul progressed significantly. Although limited to Neo Seoul, they could construct a superior new worldpared to the old civilization. The central building serving as the control tower of Neo Seoul, the City Hall, extends well over fifty floors. Fifty floors might not seem like much, but in this age where building materials are scarce, constructing fifty floors requires a tremendous investment. In fact, even if there were enough materials, they wouldn¡¯t have built higher. Going too high might attract the attention of flying monsters. Though not visible to the human eye, various flying monsters were soaring high in the sky. Due to the anti-magic field formed in Neo Seoul, they hesitated to approach, but nobody knew if they would be curious enough to approach if the City Hall were taller than this. The area allowed to humanity on Earth was extremely limited. Despite many advancements since the great cataclysm, caution against monsters was still necessary. A man of short stature was gazing at the City Hall from beyond the window. ¡°Damn! That¡¯s impressive.¡± The City Hall, a fusion of magic and science, was stunning, overshadowing other buildings in Neo Seoul. Just looking at it from a distance made one¡¯s heart swell with grandeur. ¡°I need to hurry up and get that magnificent building into my hands. I have no idea what that old man is up to, lingering on like this.¡± The short-built man turned around, sticking out his tongue. With this, his face became clearer. His face, filled with deep-set wrinkles and surrounded by a white beard, spoke of the many storms he had weathered and survived. The old man was wearing a hat with a colorful pattern embroidered with golden thread. It was a hatmonly used by his ancestors in the homnd in the days when the world was intact. The hat represented the old man¡¯s identity. Although he had never visited his homnd, he never forgot his roots. That¡¯s why he always wore this hat, which had now be a symbol for him. The old man¡¯s name was Xiao Lun. He was the ruler of the southern part of Neo Seoul. Behind Xiao Lun stood a young man who seemed to be in his early twenties. With a slender physique and a cold demeanor resembling ice sculpted into human form, he was quite impressive. Xiao Lun spoke gently to the young man. ¡°So, what did you say earlier? My memory isn¡¯t what it used to be. I often forget things after hearing them just once.¡± ¡°The contact with the crocodiles has been lost.¡± ¡°Have you figured out the cause?¡± ¡°It seems there¡¯s an issue with the ecosystem in the slums.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xiao Lun raised his white eyebrows. It was rare for him to show interest like this. That¡¯s because he had almost achieved everything he wanted. It was regrettable not to have be the owner of that magnificent City Hall, but the one upying the throne was a monster that couldn¡¯t be easily dealt with. If he were to seize that building, everything he had built in Neo Seoul might copse like a house of cards. He didn¡¯t want to take such risks. Although he had ambitions, he couldn¡¯t muster the courage to challenge the most coveted position. So, he could only live a decadent life. With that, he showed a rare expression of interest after a long time. ¡°Where exactly is the problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in Sinchon.¡± ¡°Sinchon? That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Goran is in control there.¡± ¡°Ah, Goran. He has close ties with the crocodiles, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°It¡¯s suspected that both Goran and the crocodiles are dead.¡± ¡°Suspected?¡± ¡°Their deaths haven¡¯t been confirmed. But since they can¡¯t be found anywhere, it¡¯s suspected that they¡¯re dead.¡± The young man¡¯s words were highly usible. Xiao Lun asked. ¡°Have you figured out who did it?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to find out now.¡± ¡°All right. I trust you¡¯ll handle it well.¡± ¡°Additionally, I n to create a new passage.¡± ¡°Are you doing it yourself?¡± Xiao Lun¡¯s expression turned surprised. The young man¡¯s name was Tajik. Tajik was one of Xiao Lun¡¯s most trusted subordinates. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll leave everything to you.¡± ¡°I will repay your trust.¡± ¡°Go then.¡± As Xiao Lun waved his hand, Tajik bowed respectfully and left. Left alone, Xiao Lun turned his gaze back to the City Hall. ¡°I wonder what troublemaker is stirring up trouble this time?¡± It seemed entertaining to keep an eye on the slums. ¡ª Zeon wrinkled his nose. The pungent smell of medicine filled the house. ¡°Hmm, hmm, hmm!¡± On one side, Brielle hummed a tune while tending to a pot over the fire. Inside the small pot she acquired from the Goblin Market, an unknown liquid was boiling. Brielle was mixing various ingredients she obtained from the Goblin Market with her own secret blend. As the unknown ingredients boiled, a foul odor emanated from the pot. The smell was so unbearable that even Zeon, who rarely showed any expression, wrinkled his nose. But Brielle seemed excited, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Brielle had been adjusting the fire and looking at the pot for almost half a day. Most of the liquid filling the pot had simmered down, leaving only a small amount. At one point, Brielle muttered something over the pot with both hands ced on it. Then, a bright light emitted from her hands. Her alchemy ability had been activated. After a moment, the light disappeared from her hands, leaving a dozen or so small pills in the pot. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Brielle eximed triumphantly. Zeon looked at the pills with a curious expression. ¡°Do these alleviate withdrawal symptoms?¡± ¡°For about ten days with one pill¡­¡± ¡°So, with ten pills, it¡¯d be about a hundred days?¡± ¡°After that, we¡¯ll need to find better ingredients to make more.¡± When one takes medicine for a long time, the body develops tolerance. The more potent the medicine, the stronger the tolerance. Currently, this level of alleviation could suffice, but eventually, stronger medicine would be needed. Brielle was satisfied with this level for now. A hundred days would be enough time to find an alternative. After taking one of the pills, Brielle¡¯splexion noticeably improved. The painstakingly crafted medicine immediately showed its effects. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] As the effects took hold, her eyes lost focus. ¡°Ugh! Damn¡­ shit!¡± Even her voice became slurred. The medicine¡¯s effects were too strong, causing her body to react as if intoxicated. It was only after a long time that Brielle regained her senses. Her vision still unfocused, but her mind clear. Recognizing this fact, she pulled her hat down further to cover her face. A strong surge of mana emanated from her entire body. The sudden rise in mana was a temporary phenomenon. Zeon noticed the increase in her mana at a nce. ¡°Can alchemy increase mana as well?¡± ¡°To some extent, yes. But it¡¯s impossible for me to produce a dramatic change with just one or two doses.¡± Brielle had awakened as an alchemist. But during her prime growth period, she was caught by humans for making drugs and her growth was stunted. It would take time for her to grow properly as an alchemist. And once she did, she would be able to create potions that could dramatically increase mana. Of course, to grow to that point, she needed to first fully restore her damaged body to its optimal state. It wasn¡¯t an easy task. But it didn¡¯t seem impossible either. Now that she had ovee one high hurdle, she believed she could ovee others eventually. ¡°Hehe! Just wait and see. The moment I be S-rank, I¡¯ll destroy Neo Seoul.¡± Brielle burst outughing, her arms resting on her waist. It sounded like the ramblings of a drunkard. Zeon silenced Brielle with a flick. Thud! ¡°Enough nonsense, brat!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Brielle grabbed her flushed forehead and groaned. ¡°How dare you strike a noble High Elf like that.¡± ¡°And what? You¡¯re just a little brat addicted to drugs.¡± ¡°Just wait! Once I reach S-rank, I won¡¯t let you off easy.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not even close to S-rank.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± Brielle shouted loudly. Elves, like humans, awaken, and a rank badge appears on their wrists. There are seven lines that distinguish from F-rank to S-rank. She had also awakened, and a rank badge appeared on her hand. Her badge was shining with two lines. It meant she was an E-rank Awakened. She was only a lower-rank Awakened for now, but with experience, she would surely grow. She thought she might be able to break the oath of the High Elves once she became S-rank. Then, she could easily destroy cities like Neo Seoul with her alchemist abilities. Zeon chuckled as he looked at the young High Elf. Her self-esteem was clearly exaggerated due to her young age. The alchemist she awakened as was not suitable forbat. Of course, she could create dangerous items with alchemy, but it was impossible to destroy Neo Seoul to that extent. Above all, reaching S-rank as an awakened wasn¡¯t the pinnacle. As evident by Dyoden. There were individuals who possessed strength that couldn¡¯t be exined by rank badges alone. As long as such individuals existed in Neo Seoul, the possibility of Brielle¡¯s ambitioning true was close to zero. Zeon suddenly looked at Neo Seoul. He could see the City Hall building far away. ¡®I should visit there sometime.¡¯ Although he had obtained the ess to enter through Mandy, he still didn¡¯t feel like going. Then it happened. ¡°Woah! Inspiration strikes!¡± Brielle suddenly gleamed. She jumped around like a madwoman, cheering. Zeon frowned. Whether or not it was there, Brielle moved busily on her own. ¡°All right, that should do it. Irond Ant¡¯s fang, Sandworm¡¯s tentacle, and also¡­¡± She took out various items from the Goblin Market in no time and ced them on the table. Then sheid out various tools. Zeon clicked his tongue at the sight of the interior of his house bing a mess in an instant. ¡°Tsk! I picked up a crazy Elf for no reason¡­¡± If only it weren¡¯t for the damn oath of the High Elves, he would have kicked her out immediately. But it was truly a shame. Brielle¡¯s madness filled the house. Even Zeon found it hard to breathe in the overflowing madness. Zeon shook his head and went outside. Outside, Zeon climbed to the rooftop. Although he lived on the eighteenth floor of this building, it was his first time on the rooftop. Fortunately, no one lived on the rooftop. Zeon sat on the rooftop railing and looked at Neo Seoul. The City Hall standing tall in the distance came into view distinctly. Zeon thought it resembled a lighthouse he had only heard of in stories. A lighthouse guiding ships through the sea. But he wasn¡¯t sure if that giant lighthouse was guiding the current era in the right direction. Zeon had traveled to far more areas than Dyoden. There was no one in the current era who had visited more ces than him. Naturally, he had experienced more colonies and people. However, none of those colonies had progressed as much as Neo Seoul. Most colonies were merely busy protecting people from the attacks of monsters. Theycked the will and ability to lead the current era in the right direction. The only ce with that possibility was Neo Seoul. And the one leading Neo Seoul was Mayor Jin Geumho. Zeon asked as if Jin Geumho were right in front of him. ¡°What kind of a world do you dream of?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 86 Chapter 86 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 86 Early in the morning, Zeon left the house. A girl wearing a peaked cap followed behind Zeon. The girl, stumbling as if drunk, was none other than Brielle. Brielle asked Zeon. ¡°Ugh! Where are we going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to a restaurant to eat.¡± ¡°A restaurant?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ce where they give you food if you pay.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± At the mention of food, Brielle lifted her peaked cap and looked up at Zeon. Her eyes were unfocused and hazy, but they held a strong curiosity within them. If there was one change that urred in Brielle after being rescued by Zeon, it was her curiosity. She began to explode with curiosity about things she had never experienced before. Food was one of the things she longed for. Having lived on unidentified soup every day, her craving for delicious food was strong. Brielle¡¯s mouth filled with saliva. Her changing expressions made Zeonugh involuntarily. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Oh, Hyung!¡± Suddenly, a voice called out to Zeon. When Zeon turned around, he saw a boy with shy earrings and a buzz cut. ¡°Levin!¡± It was Levin. Levin approached Zeon. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To eat. Do you want toe too?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Levin¡¯s gaze turned towards Brielle. Upon which, Brielle quickly hid behind Zeon. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Arade.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Where are you headed?¡± ¡°Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°Why Dongdaemun?¡± ¡°It seems like the scum has resumed activity over there.¡± Levin¡¯s eyes were chilling as he spoke. Although his mouth was smiling, his gaze was sharp as a knife. Zeon realized that Levin¡¯s abilities had grown. ¡®Is he an E-rank?¡¯ Some Awakeneds remain at the same rank as when they first awakened, while others grow. The difference lies in one thing. It¡¯s the harsh environment in which they hone their awakened talents. That¡¯s why many Awakeneds regrly go out on monster hunts. But not everyone¡¯s rank rises because of it. Some rise quickly, while others rise slowly. And some remain stagnant. Fortunately, Levin seemed to belong to the former. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have the power to protect myself.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Enjoy your meal. Take care.¡± Brielle did not respond to Levin¡¯s words and just hid behind Zeon. Brielle¡¯s hatred towards humans ran too deep for Levin¡¯s warm words to get any reaction out of her. Levin, just like Brielle, was also a holder of dry emotions. He only showed warmth towards Zeon, who took care of him, but he was cold towards others. Suddenly, Levin¡¯s body became blurry. He had used his Awakened ability, Ghosting. Levin passed through the wall and disappeared in an instant. ¡°What was that?¡± Brielle¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. It was the first time she had seen such an ability. Brielle looked up at Zeon. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he just a thug?¡± ¡°He was, but not anymore.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an interesting human.¡± ¡°Are there High Elves with such abilities?¡± ¡°No! Not a single one¡­¡± Brielle firmly shook her head. In her mind, Levin¡¯s evaluation changed from just a thug to a thug with abilities. Zeon chuckled and continued walking. Brielle hurriedly followed behind him. A whileter, the two arrived at the street where the restaurant was located. However, Old Man Klexi was nowhere to be seen. Zeon furrowed his brows. It was the first time he had seen Old Man Klexi note out for business. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Zeon asked a nearby merchant. ¡°Is Old Man Klexi noting today?¡± ¡°He has some personal matters on, so he won¡¯t being out.¡± ¡°What kind of personal matters?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only heard it¡¯s something personal.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Zeon didn¡¯t ask any further. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] He didn¡¯t have a hobby of prying into other people¡¯s privacy. In this street, there were many other shops selling food besides Old Man Klexi. Zeon and Brielle chose one and sat down. The owner of the shop was quite skilled. The broth was made with unidentified meat, and simrly, filled with unidentifiable vegetables. But it was still delicious. Although not as good as Old Man Klexi¡¯s, the shop owner was quite skilled. Zeon asked Brielle. ¡°Is the meat okay?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t Elves usually vegetarian?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a prejudice. What¡¯s the point of being vegetarian when you¡¯re starving to death? We hunt monsters and eat meat too.¡± When the Elves came to Earth, they expected lush greenery. However, due to the side effects of terraforming, the entire Earth turned into a desert, and finding grass became more difficult than meat. The vegetables in the food they were eating now were artificially made in factories, things that could never be found in nature. Ironically, there were far more abundant and delicious things here than in the High Elf vige. Brielle sweated profusely as she ate the food in front of her. Zeon¡¯s gaze suddenly shifted to a man sitting at the next table eating. The man had his head down and was concentrating on his food. However, the man was dressed strangely. He was wearing priestly robes, a sight rarely seen these days. The ck robe with a cross engraved on it that priests used to wear when the religion was still intact. Perhaps sensing Zeon¡¯s gaze, the man dressed as a priest raised his head. He was a middle-aged man with neatlybed white hair, thick horn-rimmed sses, and small, curved eyes. He looked at Zeon and smirked. ¡°The food in Sinchon is quite delicious as well.¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re from another area?¡± ¡°I mainly reside in Dongdaemun. It¡¯s been a long time since I came to Sinchon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a short distance away, is there a reason you couldn¡¯te?¡± ¡°Some human dislikes me.¡± The man in priestly robes replied as he wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. Zeon scrutinized the man carefully. The man also didn¡¯t avoid Zeon¡¯s gaze and met it head-on. Suddenly, a man came to Zeon¡¯s mind. ¡°You are Johan.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± At the mention of the name ¡°Johan¡±, the man widened his eyes in apparent surprise. From his reaction, Zeon realized that his guess was correct. ¡°What¡¯s Dongdaemun¡¯s ruler doing in Sinchon?¡± ¡°What am I doing? Since the nuisance that blocked my way has disappeared, I came to take a look.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re here for just sightseeing.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t just stand by when I was curious about who removed the nuisance.¡± The nuisance he was talking about was Goran. In the end, he came to see Zeon, the one who eliminated Goran. The man¡¯s name was Johan. He was the ruler of Dongdaemun. It¡¯s said he was a former priest. Despite the drastic changes the world underwent and the emergence of new humans called Awakeneds, religions persisted and maintained their lineage. Johan, who was a low-ranking priest, awakened, and then, with the help of his followers,pletely took over Dongdaemun. Even after awakening, Johan always wore clerical robes. That¡¯s how Zeon could recognize him. Johan and Goran were archenemies. They shed on every issue, aiming for each other¡¯s territories. But the powers of both factions were equal, so the standoff could only prolong. That¡¯s why Johan couldn¡¯t enter Sinchon for a long time. Zeon spoke. ¡°You came to see me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to see the new ruler of Sinchon.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s a separate new ruler in Sinchon?¡± ¡°Haha! He¡¯s just a face model. The real ruler is none other than you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in ruling others.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Johan smiled. ¡°Men, especially powerful ones, always desire to be superior to others. It¡¯s the innate destiny and identity of men.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Zeon didn¡¯t feel the need to respond. He didn¡¯t feel the necessity. Johan continued without paying attention. ¡°I heard the voice of God. He whispered to me. Fulfill my mission.¡± ¡°Mission?¡± ¡°The mission to lead people to the right path.¡± Behind Johan¡¯s sses, intense madness emanated from his eyes. Zeon knew what that look meant. ¡®He¡¯s insane. He¡¯s filled with madness.¡¯ An ordinary madman couldn¡¯t possess such a gaze. Only those with a certain determination can emit such pure madness. Johan was prepared to burn anything to fulfill his mission. ¡°Thanks to you, Goran disappeared, so I can spread the teachings of the Lord widely in Sinchon. In that aspect, I¡¯m grateful.¡± ¡°Ethan won¡¯t tolerate that.¡± ¡°Hah! Is that so? Is Ethan anything more than a vessel? He may demonstrate his abilities under Goran¡¯s reign, but hecks the capacity to lead on his own.¡± Johan rose from his seat and approached Zeon. Pointing his finger at Zeon¡¯s chest, he said. ¡°What matters is your will. If you allow it, we can spread the teachings of the Lord here as well. Will you not give me the opportunity to impart the teachings of the Lord?¡± ¡°What exactly are these teachings?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Believe in God, exercise power on behalf of His will, and bring peace to the world.¡± ¡°And how do you know God¡¯s will?¡± ¡°Through me.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Only I can hear God¡¯s voice in this world. He tries to convey His will through me. In other words, I am His spokesman.¡± Johan stated with no change in his facial expression. Zeon asked. ¡°So, your will is God¡¯s will?¡± ¡°In a way.¡± ¡°Wasing here also God¡¯s will?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, only your decision remains. What will you do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe in God.¡± For a moment, Zeon noticed a slight crack in Johan¡¯s expression. He said it sarcastically, but the meaning behind it was simple. Zeon didn¡¯t want Johan to enter Sinchon. If Johan acted in Sinchon, the streets would be noisy. As the newly appointed ruler of Sinchon, Ethan couldn¡¯t stop Johan. Johan tried to persuade him. ¡°Is that so? It¡¯s a shame! But I understand. Everyone has different thoughts.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± ¡°But won¡¯t you regret it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see. Anyway, it was nice meeting you.¡± Johan didn¡¯t try to persuade Zeon. He had lived as the ruler of Dongdaemun for decades and had met countless people. Naturally, he had an excellent eye for people. Although they only exchanged a few words, it was enough for him to discern what kind of person Zeon was. Zeon wasn¡¯t a person whom he could persuade. Rather than wasting time trying to convince him, it would be better to find another way. Johan¡¯s gaze shifted to Brielle behind Zeon. ¡°Is she your daughter?¡± ¡°Sort of.¡± ¡°What a pretty child. I hope she grows up beautifully just as she is now.¡± With that, Johan disappeared from Sinchon. If you have enjoyed the novel, please leave a review on ? NovelUpdates [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 87 Chapter 87 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 87 As John disappeared, Brielle trembled. ¡°Eww! I feel awful.¡± Like bugs crawling all over her body, Brielle shuddered. Zeon sighed. ¡°They won¡¯t just leave me alone. Why is every one of them so greedy¡­?¡± Even before Zeon left the slums, Johan was the ruler of Dongdaemun. When Zeon briefly crossed over to Dongdaemun, he returned with disappointment. Dongdaemun, ruled by Johan, was filled with fanatics. There were countless followers worshipping an unknown deity. Communication was difficult, and living a normal life was even harder. Because of this, Zeon gave up on adapting to Dongdaemun and returned to Sinchon. After that, for a while, Zeon did not even set foot towards Dongdaemun. ¡°As soon as Goran disappeared, he set his sights on Sinchon. He moved much faster than I expected.¡± The slums maintained a delicate bnce where the thugs from each region kept each other in check. Goran was one of them. When he disappeared, Johan was the first to bare his fangs. ¡°I wonder if Ethan can really stop Dongdaemun.¡± Zeon shook his head slightly. In a way, it was clear that all of this had happened in a chain reaction to him eliminating Goran. He wasn¡¯tpletely without me. But that didn¡¯t mean Zeon had to take responsibility for this situation. The slums were always like this. If even a slight weakness was exposed, they would be mercilessly exploited and shaken down. Even innocent-looking children were no different from beasts in such a ce. To survive in such an environment, one had to abandon any half-hearted kindness or sense of justice. Brielle asked. ¡°What kind of god do humans worship?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Because those who worship gods are filled with greed¡­¡± ¡°Elves are the same.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Elves are pure.¡± ¡°Among the Elves I¡¯ve met, not a single one of them was pure. Even Elves would be quickly corrupted if they fell into Johan¡¯s hands.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. Elves have strong mental strength.¡± Brielle strongly denied. ¡°Mental strength doesn¡¯t matter. As long as greed exists in the heart, anyone can fall into corruption at any time.¡± The Elves of Kurayan came to Earth to survive. The number of creatures that can live in one world is fixed. If creatures from another worlde in, then the number of creatures here must decrease. Even the Elves knew that. Their survival meant the death of the people of Earth. Even though Earth unexpectedly turned into a desert due to the side effects of terraforming. For survival, they too changed drastically. Greed took root in their hearts at that moment. The Elves currently on Earth should be consideredpletely different creatures from the Elves on Kurayan. They themselves would deny it to the end, but that¡¯s how it was. Brielle red at Zeon with a pouting expression. Whether she spoke or not, Zeon continued walking indifferently. In the end, Brielle followed Zeon. * * * The buildings in Dongdaemun were unusuallyrge andplex. Like most buildings in the slums, they had grown disproportionately due to reckless expansion. However, Dongdaemun went overboard. Without considering the strength and stability of the buildings, they were erged to amodate as many people as possible. As a result, the residents of Dongdaemun had to live with the fear of when their buildings might copse. In the maze-like cluster of buildings in Dongdaemun, there emerged one particrlyrge and tall structure. It resembled an old church that had long disappeared from thisnd. Except for the absence of a cross on the building¡¯s exterior, it closely resembled a church. Hence, people called it the church. Inside the tallest spire of the church, there was arge room. This was the residence of Johan, the ruler of Dongdaemun. Johan stood with his back turned, looking down at Dongdaemun. Before Johan became the ruler of Dongdaemun, it was a battlefield of survival of the fittest. They divided the slum dwellers into sses and looted without mercy, unable to enter Neo Seoul. ¡°An unruly human is no different from a beast. The most powerful order is the rule set by God.¡± Using God¡¯s words as an excuse, Johan cleaned up the slums and established a strongmand structure unique to Dongdaemun. Afterward, conflicts were suppressed. Of course, minor disputes and incidents continued to ur, but at least there were no major incidents where numerous people died at once. Johan was satisfied with that alone. And he was convinced he was not wrong. ¡°We must continue to build Dongdaemun.¡± By excluding all orders except for one powerful order, the chaos of the world was calmed. That was Johan¡¯s ultimate goal. His gaze then turned to the barrier of Neo Seoul in the distance. ¡°Ultimately, spreading the word of God to the ignorant humans beyond that wall is the reason for my existence.¡± ¡°Everything will be done ording to Lord Johan¡¯s will.¡± At that moment, a woman¡¯s voice was heard behind Johan. Without turning his head, Johan recognized the identity of the woman who had appeared. ¡°I was going to call you, Jae-kyung. It¡¯s good that you came.¡± ¡°I came expecting that.¡± ¡°Your wit pleases me.¡± Johan smiled as he turned around. Then, a woman dressed in a nun¡¯s uniform appeared. With a slightly lowered gaze, she exuded an inexplicable aura of sanctity. Her name was Kim Jae-kyung. Kim Jae-kyung was an orphan. Johan had taken her in and raised her until now. Kim Jae-kyung grew up to be a more faithful believer than anyone else. Kim Jae-kyung asked cautiously. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± ¡°I need you to go to Sinchon.¡± ¡°Sinchon, you say?¡± ¡°Yes. With your abilities, you must convert one unbeliever.¡± ¡°An unbeliever who has made Johan ufortable. Who might that be?¡± ¡°His name is Zeon.¡± ¡°Zeon? Understood. I will meet him and persuade him.¡± ¡°Be cautious. He seems to have quite a strong mental fortitude.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Even the strongest minds be an open door in front of me.¡± Kim Jae-kyung smiled softly. Her shy smile, blushing cheeks, made her look like a bashful girl. Johan nodded at her. Having raised her from a young age, Johan knew Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s abilities better than anyone else. He knew she would carry out her mission excellently. ¡°Go safely.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With that response, Kim Jae-kyung left. Alone, Johan knelt down and murmured to himself. ¡°Everything will be done ording to Your will.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] On the way back home, a sudden strong wind blew. Brielle frowned, pressing down her hat with both hands. ¡°Ugh! This damn sandstorm. It¡¯s really annoying.¡± Desert winds inevitably carry sand along with them. Fine sands, barely visible to the naked eye, mixed in with the wind. That¡¯s why even when the wind brought cooling air, it wasn¡¯t particrly pleasing. Brielle lowered her head deeply to avoid the sandstorm as much as possible. On the other hand, Zeon stood tall, facing the sandstorm head-on. To others, sandstorms were unpleasant, but to him, it felt asforting as a mother¡¯s touch, a memory he couldn¡¯t recall. The sand didn¡¯t harm him. Instead, it gently surrounded him as if embracing him. Zeon smiled faintly, enjoying the sensation of the sand. To some extent, it seemed as if the sands were ying with him. However, Brielle, busy lowering her head, didn¡¯t notice this sight. After a while, the wind stopped, and the sand dispersed into the distance. Brielle finally raised her head and shook off the sand umted on her hat. ¡°Ugh! I hate sand.¡± Watching Brielle shiver, Zeon smiled subtly and continued walking. Following Zeon, Brielle raised an eyebrow. ¡°But why doesn¡¯t Zeon have any sand on his shoulders? Did he already shake it off?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Faster than expected. But Zeon probably doesn¡¯t like sand either, right?¡± ¡°No! I like sand.¡± ¡°Well, since you use sand, I suppose you would¡­¡± ¡°Shh!¡± ¡°Loose lips sink ships.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It means be careful with what you say, especially since you¡¯ve sworn an oath¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Brielle finally remembered that Zeon was a Sand Mage. And as a Sand Mage, of course, he wouldn¡¯t be bothered by sand. Zeon said to Brielle. ¡°You go in first.¡± ¡°What about Zeon?¡± ¡°I have to stop by somewhere.¡± ¡°Where? The Goblin Market?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then where?¡± ¡°Stop asking and just go in. Kid!¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Brielle clicked her tongue. Knowing he wouldn¡¯t tell her even if she pushed further, she headed home alone without any regrets. Zeon watched her for a moment before continuing on his way. The ce he was heading to was the desert area outside the slums. Brielle might not have noticed, but Zeon caught the scent mixed in with the sandstorm. It was a foreign smell that was hard to detect in the slums. Being Awakened as a Sand Mage, Zeon could smell it, whereas other Awakened couldn¡¯t. Leaving the slums wasn¡¯t particrly difficult. Although surrounded by walls like Neo Seoul, they weren¡¯t very high, and there weren¡¯t many people guarding them. The anti-magic barrier around Neo Seoul made the monsters reluctant to approach, and indeed, no monsters had approached this area for decades. That¡¯s why neither Neo Seoul nor the people in the slums worried about monster attacks. What people worried and feared were other humans, not monsters. Although Awakeneds regrly went out to exterminate monsters, ordinary people rarely encountered monsters in their lifetimes. Zeon left the city walls behind and stepped out into the desert. Swish! The sand moved, pushing Zeon forward. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s around here¡­¡± Standing several kilometers away from Neo Seoul, Zeon looked around. Everything he saw was sand. Zeon raised his dominance, and he felt movement deep underground. ¡°Hmm!¡± Zeon furrowed his brows for a moment before waving his hand. Then the sand beneath his feet began to move in all directions like waves. In an instant, arge pit formed beneath Zeon¡¯s feet. It was a huge pit, about thirty meters deep. Kieee! Inside the pit, there was a creature the size of an adult caterpir wriggling. On the surface of the caterpir, there was a pattern that resembled a ghost. Zeon murmured, frowning. ¡°So it was a Ghost Dragonflyrva after all. What is it doing here?¡± Ghost Dragonflies were air-type monsters. They aren¡¯t particrly threateningpared to other monsters, but they aren¡¯tforting either. Of course, that¡¯s only the case for Awakeneds like Zeon. To ordinary people, they¡¯re nothing short of a disaster. The problem was that this wasn¡¯t their natural habitat. They usually inhabit terrains hundreds of kilometers away from Neo Seoul. Especially theirrvae, sensitive to external energies, avoid areas with strong anti-magic barriers like Neo Seoul. If Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic barrier had been intact, these creatures wouldn¡¯t have dared to approach this ce. ¡°Seems like there¡¯s something wrong with Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic barrier.¡± Hiss! The exposedrva outside wriggled, emitting a foul smell that pricked Zeon¡¯s nose. The stench of the Ghost Dragonflyrva was the same smell Zeon had smelled in the slums. It was an unpleasant, intense smell that once one smelled it, they could not forget it. Fwoosh! Therva spat out acid towards Zeon. It was a highly corrosive acid that would dissolve anything it touched in an instant. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue and waved his hand. A fiery ze erupted, burning therva and its acid to ashes in an instant. Whoosh! Zeon silently watched therva disappear into ashes. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 88 Chapter 88 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 88 ¡°Humm!¡± Zeon, stretching as he got up, frowned as he noticed something. His gazended on Brielle. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she had been up all night. She was ring at a silver pot. Inside the silver pot, an unknown liquid was bubbling. ¡°Just a little more, just a little more¡­¡± Brielle murmured, clutching her small fists tightly. In her demeanor, there was a deep sense of madness. Zeon shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve been up all night again.¡± Brielle was nocturnal. Though she seemed cloudy during the day, her mind became clear at night. Her research began then. Confined underground, her suppressed curiosity erupted manically. It was as if she unleashed the energy umted during the day at night. Even now, she was staring at the liquid she had created all night with a mad gleam in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s almost done. Just a little more¡­.¡± Boom! At that moment, the liquid inside the pot exploded. ¡°Aah!¡± Brielle was drenched in the liquid. The liquid sttered not only on Brielle but throughout the house. Zeon surveyed the mess around the house and clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk!¡± ¡°What went wrong? Thebination seemed perfect¡­.¡± Brielle murmured in dismay. Zeon told her. ¡°Clean this up.¡± ¡°Ugh! Why did it fail? What went wrong?¡± ¡°Haah!¡± It seemed like Zeon¡¯s voice didn¡¯t reach Brielle¡¯s ears. She began to analyze the failure factors while trying to figure out the liquid stuck to her body. ¡°Uwaaa! What the hell is the problem?¡± Leaving the flustered Brielle behind, Zeon left the house. Knowing that Brielle would be out of sorts for at least several hours if she had a seizure, it was better to spend time outside until she regained her senses. Zeon walked down the street with his hands in his pockets. ¡°Huh?¡± Zeon¡¯s eyes fell on a shabby street stall. It was a skewer stand, emitting a very tempting smell. Besides Zeon, there were other customers at the stall. However, most of the customers were men. Zeon quickly realized the reason. The owner of the stall was a woman. And she was quite pretty. Although not shy, she had a modest beauty. That alone was enough to attract the attention of men in the slums. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your face before.¡± ¡°Where do you live?¡± The men were each holding a skewer and asking the woman questions. All their questions were rted to the woman¡¯s appearance. Even though the world had be like this, men¡¯s deLordes for pretty women remained the same. Despite the difort of the men¡¯s flirting, the woman calmly responded without batting an eyelid. ¡°Of course, I live in Sinchon. It might look unfamiliar because it¡¯s my first time doing business.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When will the business end? Can¡¯t you finish a little earlier? I know a good ce. Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Oh my! Just hearing you say that is enough. But to make a living, I have to do business for a long time.¡± ¡°How much is the daily sales? I¡¯ll pay for everything.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Oh my! Thank you just for saying that. How can you be so reliable?¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± The woman knew how to handle men. With herpliments and sweet talk, the men¡¯s expressions softened. Zeon interjected among them. ¡°How much for one skewer?¡± ¡°Oh my! Handsome Oppa? Ten skewers for one Sol.¡± ¡°One Sol?¡± ¡°This is cultured meat made in Neo Seoul. The taste itself is different from other monster meat.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Curious, Zeon showed interest, and the woman handed him a skewer. ¡°Try it once. Once you taste it, you won¡¯t be able to eat other meats again.¡± Zeon nodded and took a bite of the skewer. As the woman assured, the skewer was incredibly delicious. It was enough to boast about. In the slums, finding someone with this level of skill was rare. Zeon took another bite of the skewer. It was still delicious. With a smile, the woman asked. ¡°Delicious, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Right? I knew it would be. Handsome Oppa!¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re much older than me?¡± ¡°Hehe! If you¡¯re handsome, you¡¯re an Oppa. You¡¯re really handsome.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Do you live here too?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°In Ant Hill.¡± ¡°Oh my! You live in a rough ce. Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± ¡°Not really!¡± Zeon responded dully to the woman¡¯s chatter. ¡°But your clothes don¡¯t look ordinary. Are they items?¡± ¡°Not a big deal.¡± ¡°Why not? It¡¯s radiating such a glossy shine.¡± The woman casually reached out and touched Zeon¡¯s robe. Instantly, a faint light emanated from her hand. But no one noticed this fact. Her actions were so natural that anyone would mistake her for a lover. The men who came to the stall first now had a jealous look on their faces. ¡°What? Why are you being so nice to that bastard?¡± ¡°Are you discriminating based on looks?¡± Despite the men¡¯s outburst, the woman calmly replied. ¡°Everyone calm down. Who said anything about discrimination?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Suddenly, the men¡¯s expressions nked out. They had epted the woman¡¯s words as if they were enchanted. It was a very strange sight. Anyone who saw it couldn¡¯t help but think it was strange. However, among the men around the stall, no one realized this fact. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The woman smiled slyly and looked at Zeon. ¡°Now we can talk quietly, right?¡± ¡°You have an interesting skill. A mind-manipting skill.¡± ¡°Oh? You have a sharp eye too, Oppa. I¡¯m liking you more and more.¡± The woman pped her hands andughed. It was a smile that couldn¡¯t hide her joy. Meanwhile, Zeon remained indifferent. He had already realized that the woman was not ordinary. The fact that there were no female street vendors in this area spoke volumes about how dangerous the world was. The slums were awlessnd, where a little misstep could lead to kidnapping or assault, the value of women in modern times was just that. Without awakening or a sturdy backer, one had to be careful even just wandering outside. But who would believe that a pretty woman suddenly set up a stall? And in this area? It was definitely not a normal situation. Zeon asked. ¡°Are you targeting me by any chance?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not targeting you, just casually meeting you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡± ¡°They¡¯re definitely different. Can¡¯t you tell from the vibe?¡± ¡°You make talking amusing.¡± ¡°Amusing? Then I¡¯m d.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason for you approaching me so deliberately?¡± ¡°Because I like you.¡± The woman replied without a hint of hesitation. But Zeon wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe a stranger¡¯s words so easily. ¡°Who instructed you toe here?¡± ¡°Really, I came here because I liked you.¡± The woman smiled slyly. And then she looked even more beautiful. It was as if there was a halo behind her head. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue and put down the skewer he was holding. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like the skewer?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lost my appetite because you keep using your brainwashing skill on me.¡± The smile that had filled the woman¡¯s face disappeared instantly. But she quickly put on a calm expression again as if nothing was wrong. ¡°When did I use a brainwashing skill on you?¡± ¡°When? Were you perhaps sent from Dongdaemun?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really unlucky, Oppa. Why are you so quick-witted when you¡¯re so handsome? Why is your mental barrier so strong?¡± Even the woman couldn¡¯t deny it anymore. Her name was Kim Jae-kyung. She was none other than Johan¡¯s confidants. Her specialty was mind maniption skills simr to brainwashing. After breaking down the guard of the opponent with her modest appearance, she would make contact and then unleash her skills. If she continued to use her skills, everyone, without exception, would harbor affection for her. Then, by continuously using her skills, they would eventually bepletely under her control. In this way, she had made countless people join her side. Especially men, they all fell for her without fail. Naturally, Kim Jae-kyung thought the same would happen this time too. It was no big deal for her to brainwash someone like Zeon, who seemed to be just a naive boy. But Zeon¡¯s mind was more resilient than she expected. It was clear that his mental barrier was stronger than she had thought. ¡°Our Oppa turned out to be more amazing than I thought.¡± ¡°Was it Johan¡¯s order?¡± ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Attach ¡®Lord.¡¯ He¡¯s not someone you can address casually.¡± When Johan¡¯s name was mentioned, Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s expression changed. There was even madness in her eyes. Zeon muttered to himself. ¡°Tsk! Just earlier, Brielle had that kind of look in her eyes, and now another woman is emitting madness.¡± Despite thinking he had been unlucky since morning, Zeon¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Right. Lord Johan. Were you sent by him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! He told me to persuade you nicely.¡± ¡°Is brainwashing someone considered nice?¡± ¡°Hmph! How happy should you be to be brainwashed by a beautiful woman like me?¡± ¡°I know quite a few women who are prettier than you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°By my standards, you¡¯re not that pretty.¡± ¡°You little¡­¡± ¡°So, please understand the situation.¡± ¡°Damn it! I tried to be nice. Submit!¡± At that moment, with a loud shout, intense light radiated from her entire body. C-rank skill, Submission. Although it consumed a tremendous amount of mana, the effect was certain. Kim Jae-kyung touched Zeon¡¯s body a few times earlier while injecting her mana. She had already prepared in advance. Therefore, she was confident that her skill would definitely work. Then it happened. ¡°Hmph!¡± Zeon¡¯s snort could be heard. Simultaneously, a huge shock hit her brain as if struck by a hammer. Thud! ¡°Aaah!¡± Kim Jae-kyung screamed and copsed. Blood was flowing from her nose and ears. Zeon looked at her and said. ¡°Tsk! You should use mental skills cautiously, adjusting them to your opponent. If you use them recklessly, you might end up getting hurt, don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°You, what have you done?¡± ¡°As you can see, I haven¡¯t done anything.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Kim Jae-kyung had an expression of disbelief. There hadn¡¯t been a single opponent whom her skills had not worked on until now. No, there was one person. It was Johan, whom she considered her god. Johan¡¯s mental barrier was too high and strong, making her skill ineffective against him. ¡®Could it be that this man¡¯s mind is as strong as Lord Johan¡¯s?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 89 Chapter 89 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 89 An urgent gleam flickered across Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s face. Her ability was precisely mental attack. Except for her C-rank skills of Submission and Brainwashing, she had no other means of attack. However, she didn¡¯t consider herselfcking. Until now, there had been no opponent she couldn¡¯t bring to submission, no one resistant to her brainwashing. At least not in Dongdaemun. That¡¯s why she was confident that she could easily make Zeon submit as she entered Sinchon. But somehow, her skills didn¡¯t work on Zeon. ¡°Keuk! Submit!¡± She unleashed her skill once again. Zeon simply stared at her, unmoved. To her surprise, an immense recoil struck her. ¡°Aagh!¡± Kim Jae-kyung clutched her head and screamed in agony. This was the first time she had encountered an opponent immune to her mental attacks. As a result, she found herself panicking instead. Fear filled Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s eyes. The intimidating gaze of Zeon staring directly at her felt terrifying. ¡®I need to get out of here quickly.¡¯ Kim Jae-kyungmanded the customers at the stall. ¡°Everyone, attack that person.¡± In an instant, the expressions of the men changed, and they attacked Zeon. ¡°Get him!¡± ¡°Take him down!¡± They weren¡¯t Awakened individuals, yet they attacked Zeon without any fear. They had already been brainwashed. The moment they approached Kim Jae-kyung, they were already under her control. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue as he threw a punch. Thud! Thud! Thud! There was no need to use his skill. With three punches, three men fell to the ground. When Zeon turned around after defeating them, Kim Jae-kyung had already disappeared. She had used the men as scapegoats and escaped. ¡°I can¡¯t just let her go.¡± Regardless of the reason, she had tried to brainwash him. Awakened individuals who could manipte others¡¯ minds were extremely rare. Given Zeon¡¯s strong mental fortitude, he managed to resist, but if he were even slightly weaker, he would have sumbed to hermands. In a way, she was a C-rank Awakened who could manipte minds, making her even more terrifying than a B-rank Awakened inbat. He couldn¡¯t let her go so easily. She had to pay for trying to mess with his head. Zeon lunged in the direction where Kim Jae-kyung had disappeared. Her escape route was obvious. ¡®She¡¯ll probably head towards Dongdaemun.¡¯ Before the great cataclysm, there used to be areas like Jongno or Euljiro between Sinchon and Dongdaemun. But those names no longer existed. They vanished along with Seoul¡¯s downfall. Now, there were only deste slums. The difference between Sinchon and Dongdaemun was that there was no dominant force here, making it even more underdeveloped and chaotic. Kim Jae-kyung took advantage of that. ¡°Heh! No matter how fast you are, you¡¯ll just get lost once youe here.¡± On the other hand, she knew the terrain of that ce like the back of her palm. Kim Jae-kyung dashed through the slums at a rapid pace. In the distance, a tall spire came into view. It was the church, thendmark of Dongdaemun. ¡°Almost there.¡± A moment of triumph shed across her face. Thud! Someone ahead tripped her. Kim Jae-kyung tumbled forward at the same speed she had been running. Rolling several times, she finally hit the wall. Shaking her head, she struggled to stand up. ¡°Who the hell¡­?¡± As she looked up to find the culprit, her eyes widened in surprise. Because the person who had tripped her was none other than Zeon. ¡°Wh-When did you?¡± ¡°You should work on your physical abilities as well. How did you n to reach Dongdaemun when you¡¯re so slow?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Kim Jae-kyung stood up abruptly. As she looked around anxiously, about to use her skill on the people around her, Zeon acted first. Whack! His blow struck Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s abdomen forcefully. She flew backward without even a chance to scream. The impact felt like her stomach had been pierced, and Kim Jae-kyung couldn¡¯t get up for a while. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ She looked at Zeon, tears pouring down her face. Zeon didn¡¯t see her as a woman. Before she was a woman, she was an Awakened. Zeon knew better than to underestimate an Awakened. Kim Jae-kyung raised her hand to block Zeon¡¯s approach. ¡°W-wait, let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Talk?¡± ¡°Why are men so petty? Let¡¯s solve this through conversation.¡± ¡°Conversation with someone who tried to brainwash me? That doesn¡¯t seem like a wise choice.¡± ¡°I admit I was wrong. I was just too greedy for you. I¡¯ll be honest with you. Join forces with Dongdaemun. It¡¯ll be good for you too.¡± ¡°What¡¯s good about it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll acknowledge you as the ruler of Sinchon.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need that. Why bother with such a nuisance¡­¡± ¡°Well then, how about me? I¡¯ll assist you. I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± In the end, Kim Jae-kyung resorted to her final means. Any fool could understand what it meant for a woman to say she¡¯d do anything the other person wanted. At first nce, Kim Jae-kyung seemed innocent, but upon closer inspection, she harbored a peculiar beauty. Any man would be captivated by her appearance. Kim Jae-kyung thought Zeon would agree to her proposal. However, his response shattered her into pieces. ¡°You¡¯re just another fanatic follower of Johan. I don¡¯t need any fanatics around me.¡± ¡°Agh!¡± Carrying fanatics around will only lead to exhaustion. Zeon didn¡¯t want to experience that kind of mental fatigue. It was cleaner to end things now by snuffing out her breath. Fwoosh! mes flickered from the fingertips of the Inferno Gauntlet, causing Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s eyes to widen. ¡°No!¡± Zeon swung his fist mercilessly. Intense mes engulfed Kim Jae-kyung in an instant. Unable to react, she closed her eyes tightly. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡®This is the end.¡¯ Kwang! At that moment, a miracle urred. Just before the mes engulfed her, someone intervened and blocked them. The person wore a red hat, a red trench coat, and a mask covering their nose. A figure with an eerie, gender-ambiguous aura, making it difficult to tell whether they were a man or woman. Kim Jae-kyung cried out. ¡°Joshua?¡± The one called Joshua embraced Kim Jae-kyung and leaped towards Dongdaemun. His speed was literally like a lightning strike. In a moment, he disappeared from Zeon¡¯s sight. Joshua, the Heretic Inquisitor. Another sword wielded by Johan. He was also known by another nickname, Swift Joshua. His speed was unmatched, even by anyone in Neo Seoul. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue. He could have followed, but that would mean crossing into Dongdaemun. That¡¯s when the real war would begin. ¡°War with fanatics is¡­¡± Even Zeon, brave as he was, hesitated at the thought of war with fanatics. Once it started, it couldn¡¯t end easily. To truly end it, he would have to kill everyone loyal to Johan. The numbers could be countless. Even assuming only half of Dongdaemun¡¯s poption pledged loyalty to Johan, it would still be tens of thousands. No matter how strong Zeon was, he couldn¡¯t kill them all. Not because of hisck of ability but because he still retained humanity within him. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue and turned away. Although he felt regret, this should serve as a sufficient warning to Johan. If they dared to provoke again, he would deal with it then. Zeon thought as he walked away. The journey home wasn¡¯t easy. ¡ª ¡°Put me down already!¡± At Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s words, Joshua stopped and put her down. She bowed on her waist with her hands on both knees. ¡°Hah! Hah! I thought I was going to die.¡± Her face was flushed, her heart pounding wildly. Although she was saved from imminent death thanks to Joshua, the sense of danger she had felt earlier was something she had never experienced before. Even now, recalling the moment made her heart race and made her feel nauseous. In fact, she fell to the ground and retched for a while. Joshua watched her in silence. After some time passed, Kim Jae-kyung finally stood up. With her sleeves wiping her mouth, she said. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Thank you! For helping me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a miracle that you¡¯re alive.¡± For the first time, Joshua opened his mouth. Despite his androgynous appearance, his voice was rough and metallic. Joshua was a man. Kim Jae-kyung asked. ¡°Was it too much for you to handle as well?¡± Instead of answering, Joshua raised his sleeve. There, half-burnt sleeves were revealed. Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s eyes widened. The trench coat Joshua wore was a specially crafted item. It was a rare item with special defenses against fire and water. The fact that it was damaged indicated the incredible power of Zeon¡¯s attack. Joshua said. ¡°He is at least a B-rank or higher Awakened.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s why my skill didn¡¯t work?¡± Although it was only a difference of one rank, their power was as different as heaven and earth. No one became a higher rank Awakened for no reason. However, rank advancement was never easy. Some struggled for their entire lives and still made little progress. Kim Jae-kyung was no exception. Since awakening, she hadn¡¯t found a reason to risk her life to advance in rank. That¡¯s why she had been stuck in the same ce all this time. Kim Jae-kyung suppressed her anger, gritting her teeth. Joshua suddenly turned around. Where Zeon had been. He had already left and was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Your judgment is good.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Exceptional skill and cool-headed judgment. He¡¯s not an easy opponent.¡± ¡°You too?¡± ¡°I was severely shocked when I blocked his attack. I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it head-on either.¡± ¡°That bad?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how he probably dealt with the Goran and took over Sinchon. Going to war with him in our current state would surely result in significant losses for us.¡± ¡°So what do we do?¡± ¡°Persuade Johan.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kim Jae-kyung looked at Joshua in disbelief. It was the first time he had shown such weakness. Joshua was an Heretic Inquisitor. Literally, he performed the task of dealing with those who didn¡¯t believe in Johan in Dongdaemun. Having such strong power and a resolute spirit made it possible. Joshua was the one who had never once regretted his mission. Kim Jae-kyung couldn¡¯t believe that he would say such words. ¡°If we can¡¯t persuade Johann, then we must eliminate that man with all our might. He¡¯s not someone we can deal with half-heartedly.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Whatever choice you make, it¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± Kim Jae-kyung cursed instead of giving a response. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 90 Chapter 90 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 90 Several days had passed since Johan and Kim Jae-kyung had visited, but there had been no movement in Dongdaemun. At first nce, it seemed like they were intimidated by Zeon¡¯s power, but Zeon knew better. ¡°They seem quite cautious.¡± Speaking kindly, it could be seen as cautious, but speaking unkindly, it could be seen as sinister. Sending Kim Jae-kyung was a test, and it was clear that Zeon was not to be underestimated. It was uncertain how long it would take for them to fully understand the situation, but it didn¡¯t seem like they would act quickly. ¡°Thanks to them, I¡¯ve got some time, so I should prepare.¡± As Zeon put on his robe, Brielle rushed in. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°The Goblin Market.¡± ¡°I want toe too.¡± ¡°You too?¡± ¡°Yeah! I have something to buy.¡± ¡°Do you have money?¡± ¡°No!¡± Brielle¡¯s expression darkened. She had no money but plenty of desires, so when Zeon went to the Goblin Market, she tagged along like a leech. Of course, Zeon paid for everything. Brielle looked up at Zeon with a hopeful expression. ¡°Think of it as an investment.¡± ¡°Invest? In you?¡± ¡°Yeah! If I make a big hit with alchemy, Zeon will benefit too.¡± ¡°So, have you had any sess?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m about to seed. It¡¯s almost there.¡± Brielle exined defensively. She looked up at Zeon in earnest. Unable to refuse her, Zeon reluctantly agreed. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Finally, Brielle¡¯s expression brightened. She hurriedly put on her hat and headed outside. Even though she had only been to the Goblin Market once, she led the way. ¡°Hehe! I hope I can find Ghost Dragonfly wings this time. Oh! What else do I need? Maybe a Mana Stone from a Sandworm? And¡­¡± Zeon shook his head slightly at Brielle¡¯s enthusiastic voice. ¡®How did I end up with this crazy little Elf¡­¡¯ If it had been Dyoden, he would have cut down Brielle at once, regardless of the oath. He despised other races more than anyone. But Zeon wasn¡¯t Dyoden. He didn¡¯t dislike other races, but he didn¡¯t particrly like them either. Unless they directly harmed him, there was no reason for him to reject them. Lost in thought, he arrived at the Goblin Market without realizing it. ¡°Wow!¡± Brielle¡¯s unfocused eyes suddenly regained focus as she ran towards a nearby shop. She negotiated skillfully as if she had been there before. ¡°The High Elf has be human.¡± Zeon had never seen a High Elf. But he had met and fought countless regr Elves. Because of that, he knew how proud and dignified they were. He couldn¡¯t imagine how much more prideful the High Elves would be. At that moment. ¡°Zeon!¡± Someone called Zeon. He turned his head to see a merchant from the Goblin Market looking at him. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The Guild Leader has requested to bring you, Zeon.¡± ¡°The Guild Leader?¡± ¡°We call Yoo Se-hee the Guild Leader.¡± ¡°I see. I didn¡¯t know. But why does she want me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the reason. She just told me to bring you as soon as she found out you had entered the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°Really?¡± With a puzzled expression, Zeon followed the merchant. After a while, they arrived at the office, and the merchant cautiously said, ¡°I brought Zeon.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Yoo Se-hee weed Zeon. But Zeon¡¯s gaze was fixed not on Yoo Se-hee but on the man standing next to her. Tall stature, a suit that fit perfectly, a necktie tightening around his neck, and neatlybed hair. ¡®He¡¯s from Neo Seoul.¡¯ Such attire couldn¡¯t be found in the slums. Those clothes were of no use against the desert sandstorms. Only Neo Seoul¡¯s people, who blocked sandstorms with high walls and magic, wore such clothes. The man smiled and greeted Zeon. ¡°My name is Tajik. As you might have guessed, I¡¯m from Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zeon.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Zeon!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± Zeon smiled and greeted him. But his eyes were deep in thought. ¡®If a foreign figure appears in an inappropriate ce, problems are bound to arise.¡¯ He had experienced countless situations over the past seven years. This was one of them. Thanks to such experiences, Zeon was able to conceal his thoughts with a smile. Yoo Se-hee asked with an anxious expression. ¡°Are you doing well?¡± ¡°As you can see. But why did you call me?¡± ¡°I have a favor to ask¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you have time now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Could you enter a dungeon for me?¡± Yoo Se-hee went straight to the point without any exnation. Zeon frowned. Such behavior didn¡¯t suit Yoo Se-hee¡¯s usual demeanor. ¡°A dungeon?¡± ¡°Yeah! A dungeon. It¡¯ll be a good opportunity for you too. If you do well, you might get some items.¡± ¡°Items, huh¡­¡± ¡°Yeah! What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite Yoo Se-hee¡¯s hopeful gaze, Zeon didn¡¯t respond easily. It was because Tajik, who had been silent until now, stepped forward. ¡°Ah! Let me exin instead. Three days ago, an unidentified dungeon was discovered twenty kilometers away from Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°An unidentified dungeon?¡± ¡°Yes! However, due to a shortage of personnel for exploration, Se-hee is requesting your help, Zeon.¡± ¡°Are there shortages of Awakeneds? Neo Seoul should be overflowing with them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but unfortunately, at the same time, dungeons have been discovered elsewhere. And they are veryrge dungeons¡­¡± ¡°Naturally, Awakeneds from Neo Seoul would flock torge dungeons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Therger the dungeon, the higher the probability of obtaining valuable items. Therefore, Awakeneds from Neo Seoul were focused on conqueringrge dungeons. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Besides, for various reasons, it was difficult to mobilize many Awakeneds from Neo Seoul. ¡°So, we decided to entrust this unidentified dungeon to the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°I see. But I don¡¯t think I can enter the dungeon.¡± ¡°Is it because of Dongdaemun?¡± ¡°You know my situation well.¡± ¡°Haha! It¡¯s not because of you, Zeon, but because Dongdaemun is under scrutiny.¡± ¡°Then I understand why I can¡¯t enter.¡± ¡°What if I mediate?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯tpletely resolve it, but Dongdaemun will be somewhat restrained.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°I have a bit of a rapport with Johan. I think he¡¯llply if I ask.¡± ¡°Amazing. To have such influence over Dongdaemun.¡± Zeon expressed pure admiration. Johan, as Zeon judged, wasn¡¯t someone easily swayed by others¡¯ opinions. He wasn¡¯t someone who would listen to others. So Johan agreeing to Tajik¡¯s request meant that Tajik was either a great burden or a great figure. ¡°Would that be enough to make you feel like going in?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask too. Zeon!¡± Before Zeon could respond, Yoo Se-hee interjected. For some reason, her expression seemed extremely desperate. It was difficult to refuse when she went to such lengths. ¡°Alright. When will the raid team depart?¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll join tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Thank you for epting the unreasonable request! But I¡¯ll definitely repay this debt.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Leaving a debt with Yoo Se-hee wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing for Zeon. As long as Zeon lived in Sinchon, he would inevitably be involved with the Goblin Market. The problem was the man named Tajik. His attitude towards Yoo Se-hee, the influence he wielded even in Dongdaemun. Tajik was clearly someone formidable or backed by formidable forces. That implied that even Neo Seoul was starting to take an interest in Zeon. After organizing his thoughts, Zeon stood up from his seat. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave first. I have a few things to prepare.¡± ¡°If you need anything, feel free to buy it. I¡¯ve informed the merchants, they¡¯ll provide anything you need.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After giving a slight nod to Tajik as well, Zeon left. As he disappeared, Tajik spoke up. ¡°He¡¯s a remarkably calm person.¡± ¡°Who? Zeon?¡± ¡°Yes! He¡¯s the most difficult person to read that I¡¯ve ever encountered.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Yoo Se-hee looked at Tajik with surprised eyes. She didn¡¯t know much about Tajik either. However, she knew he was a man trusted by Xiao Lun. Xiao Lun, the leader of Neo Seoul¡¯s southern part. That name carried considerable weight. He was a powerful figure within the top ranks of Neo Seoul. Tajik was someone trusted by such Xiao Lun. That meant Tajik possessed significant abilities and skills. If someone like him acknowledged Zeon to such an extent, then Zeon¡¯s value must be even more remarkable. ¡°If I break his spirit a little bit, I wonder if I can use him instead of the Crocodiles.¡± Tajik muttered under his breath. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Nothing. Just talking to myself.¡± There was a subtle smile on the Tajik¡¯s lips as he answered. *** Zeon paused for a moment and looked back at Yoo Se-hee¡¯s office. ¡®Tajik¡­ I smell something rotten.¡¯ Each person emits a different scent. Some are innate, but others change depending on the life they¡¯ve lived. Those who have shed much blood have a bloodthirsty scent, and those who have dealt with dirty work emit a damp odor. The fact that he emitted a strong rotten smell meant that he had likely done many dirty deeds. ¡®This job probably has a lot of filth.¡¯ Zeon shook his head. That was the problem. Humans are not the rulers of the Earth. Perhaps they were in the past, but not anymore. Except for the small areas where humans live, most of the Earth is controlled by monsters. With bothnd and air routes blocked,munication between colonies was also severely limited. In such circumstances, restoringmunicationworks between colonies was essential to gather strength. However, the colony leaders were entirely focused on their own survival and not on rebuildingmunicationworks. In this way, when would they ever be able to eradicate the monsters and rebuild a world for humans? Zeon believed it would be forever impossible. At that moment. ¡°Where were you? I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± Brielle was running towards Zeon. She had bought so much that her back was piled with goods. ¡°What did you buy so much of?¡± ¡°Ghost Dragonfly wings, Mana Stones from Sandworms, and Fire Wolf fur. The Ghost Dragonfly wings are best hunted when the queen has just molted. They are very useful because they are hardly affected by gravity.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin in such detail.¡± ¡°Really? But there¡¯s still a lot left.¡± ¡°How did you pay for everything?¡± ¡°I just said your name, Zeon, and they gave it to me on credit.¡± Zeon¡¯s forehead crumpled at Brielle¡¯s natural response. This High Elf was integrating into the human world faster than he had expected. In the end, Zeon said one thing. ¡°Next time, buy it with your own money.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 91 Chapter 91 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 91 ¡°So your abilities werepletely useless?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kim Jae-kyung knelt before Johan as if she were a sinner. Johan¡¯s gaze upon her was chilling. The kind of people Johan disliked the most were the ipetent ones. Knowing that those who fell out of favor with him would quickly fade away in Dongdaemun, Kim Jae-kyung trembled. ¡°What was it like?¡± ¡°His mental barrier was strong.¡± ¡°Strong?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t see any opening to break through. When I attempted to make him submit, I was met with tremendous bacsh.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kim Jae-kyung bowed her head once again. After observing her for a moment, Johan turned away and spoke. ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kim Jae-kyung cautiously exited with her response. Alone now, Johan gazed at the scene of Dongdaemun with cold eyes. ¡°He was more formidable than I thought. It wasn¡¯t that Jae-kyung wascking, rather he was remarkable himself. After all, he¡¯s the one who eliminated Goran without a trace¡­¡± The reason Dongdaemun could not expand into Sinchon was because Goran was firmly blocking it. Despite wanting to evangelize, his followers couldn¡¯t enter Sinchon due to the barrier of Goran. Thus, he saw this as a perfect opportunity to evangelize now that the Goran had disappeared. Before others could covet Sinchon, he sought to seize it, hastily sending Kim Jae-kyung, which ultimately failed. This would make Zeon even more wary. ¡°Perhaps I should have persuaded him further?¡± ¡°You were indeed hasty this time. Johan!¡± At that moment, a voice came from behind Johan. Johan¡¯s expression turned cold. He hadn¡¯t noticed until the voice came from behind. When Johan turned his head to look behind, he saw a man in a suit. The man had neatlybed hair without a strand out of ce. Johan immediately recognized the man¡¯s identity. ¡°Tajik?¡± ¡°Long time no see, Johan!¡± ¡°What¡¯s Xiao Lun¡¯s dog doing here? Did he send you?¡± ¡°Of course not! Xiao Lun is too busy dealing with internal affairs of Neo Seoul. He doesn¡¯t have time to take an interest in these slums.¡± ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± Johan¡¯s eyes gleamed fiercely. While others might be intimidated by Johan¡¯s gaze, Tajik was not. He shrugged and said. ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t believe me. But what I say is true.¡± ¡°Why are you here then? If, as you say, Xiao Lun isn¡¯t interested in these slums, then why would hisckey, you,e here?¡± ¡°I have personal business.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Is it perhaps rted to Zeon?¡± ¡°As expected of you, Johan. You understood right away with just a word.¡± Tajik¡¯s answer made Johan¡¯s brow furrow involuntarily. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a personal interest.¡± ¡°So why do you have a personal interest?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it for the same reason as you, Johan?¡± Tajik shed his white teeth in a smile. Meanwhile, Johan¡¯s face hardened even more. ¡°And?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to request a bit of time before you go ahead with taking over Sinchon.¡± ¡°Is that also Xiao Lun¡¯s intention?¡± ¡°It¡¯s primarily my intention, but you could also consider it Xiao Lun¡¯s intention.¡± ¡°What if I refuse?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you have many followers scattered throughout Neo Seoul. Among them, there are those under Sedun Fryce¡¯smand in the Eastern District¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Johan interrupted Tajik¡¯s words. His face was full of anger. Sedun Fryce, the ruler of the Eastern District. A mage who uses dark attribute power. Dark attribute powers are extremely rare, and they are said to be most effective at night. Among them, Sedun boasted the strongest. Johan had put his followers under Sedun¡¯smand, and he was receiving a lot of internal information from him. ¡®How on earth did he find out?¡¯ Johan¡¯s cheeks trembled. Though both were rulers in Neo Seoul, Sedun had apletely different nature from Xiao Lun. If Xiao Lun was an old fox, Sedun was a ruthless strategist. Both were difficult to deal with, but from Johan¡¯s perspective, Sedun felt more burdensome. It was probably because of the elemental difference. The Eastern District led by Sedun was mainlyposed of whites and cks. It was made up of descendants of American soldiers stationed in Korea and students studying abroad. They were allbat specialists, using both magic and tactical weapons harmoniously. All of Sedun¡¯s subordinates could be considered soldiers. Although Dongdaemun¡¯s power was strong, it could notpare to the Eastern District led by Sedun. That¡¯s why Xiao Lun had also nted his followers in the Eastern District to monitor their movements. Tajik said. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you topletely back off from pursuing Zeon.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Just give me a little time.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°About a fortnight?¡± ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s all¡­¡± ¡°Thank you, Johan! I knew you would understand.¡± Tajik smiled brightly at Johan. Johan also smiled at Tajik. ¡®Someday, I¡¯ll throw you in the jaws of monsters.¡¯ *** South of the slums, there was a fairlyrge vacant lot. This wide area, nicknamed Hunter¡¯s Square, didn¡¯t have much to offer. It was simply a spacious area with shabby awnings to block the sun. However, this vacant lot was one of the most important facilities in the slums. Because when the Awakened residents of the slums go out hunting, they all gather here to check their equipment or exchange information. There were several factions in the slums, including Dongdaemun and Sinchon, among others. These factions fiercely fought both openly and covertly. They never left anything unattended, not even something in someone else¡¯s hands. The moment they coveted this ce, they became public enemies and would face retaliation. That¡¯s why Hunter¡¯s Square was a kind of neutral zone. No faction would sit idly by while another faction managed this ce. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The moment they be greedy here, they¡¯d be a public enemy and would be punished ordingly. Except for when Awakened residents gathered here to go out hunting, the square was almost empty. Since early morning, quite a few people had gathered at Hunter¡¯s Square. They were Awakeneds gathered today to conquer the dungeon. There was a raid team summoned by Tajik, there was also a raid team formed by Yoo Se-hee, and Awakeneds who participated voluntarily. The Awakeneds who participated voluntarily looked at Tajik¡¯s summoned raid team with respectful eyes. ¡°Inazuma.¡± ¡°My goodness! It¡¯s Inazuma.¡± The identity of Tajik¡¯s summoned raid team was Inazuma. Among the abundant raid teams in Neo Seoul, they were quite well-known figures. The leader of Inazuma was Kouji. As a descendant of Japanese heritage, he awakened as a Martial Artist, specializing particrly in swordsmanship. Although his rank was not disclosed, judging by his past achievements, it was generally believed to be at least C or B rank. Under Kouji, there were four other members, including Yuri, Byrun, Shuhan, and Comein. They were all outstanding Awakeneds known to follow Kouji¡¯s orders without hesitation. They were all excellent Awakeneds, and were known to jump in at any cost if Kouji ordered them to do so. Kouji stood with a katana, a symbol of himself, in his arms, and the four people around him emitted a powerful presence. Some individuals¡¯ fighting spirit was aroused upon seeing Inazuma. They were the Awakeneds dispatched from the Goblin Market. Their leader was a man named Jack. Around Jack were Dosuyul, Den and Connor, also known as the Explosive Brothers. They were all dispatched as Awakeneds with deep experience from the Goblin Market. Dosuyul, with a stern expression, said to Jack. ¡°I heard the Inazuma kids are pretty good at conquering dungeons?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a well-organized raid team. Among them, the key figures are Kouji and Shuhan.¡± ¡°I understand Kouji, but Shuhan? Isn¡¯t he an old man? He doesn¡¯t seem to have much to offer at first nce.¡± The old man named Shuhan, pointed out by Jack, was dressed shabbily and leaned on a cane. Judging solely by appearance, he did not seem like an Awakened at all. However, Jack¡¯s eyes, gazing at him, were very cautious. ¡°He¡¯s an exceptionally skilled guide. I¡¯ve heard he can detect dangerous scents remarkably well.¡± ¡°Detecting danger by scent? Isn¡¯t that almost like a dog or a wolf?¡± Dosuyul¡¯s gaze also changed. Being able to detect danger in advance would make dungeon conquest much easier. Dosuyul was an archer in the Martial Arts category. Originally, he was supposed to support from a distance, but there were many cases where he took charge of the vanguard due to the circumstances of the raid team. This was because one of the archer¡¯s skills was tracking. Using the tracking skill to find paths and collect information was one of his tasks. But even he couldn¡¯t detect danger in advance. Then, the dwarf Connor interjected into the conversation between the two. ¡°No need to be afraid already. Those guys are just like potted nts in a greenhouse. Without Xiao Lun¡¯s support, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to conquer dungeons so easily. If ites to it, us brothers will sweep them away, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ll sweep them away.¡± His younger brother, Den, echoed Connor¡¯s words by beating on his chest. Den was a giant almost three meters tall, while Connor, his older brother, was a dwarf, barely reaching one hundred and twenty centimeters. Normally, Den would carry Connor on his shoulders. Jack said. ¡°I know their abilities well. But never let your guard down. They are recognized talents even in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Humph! What¡¯s there to fear about those guys living inside their castle walls?¡± Connor never acknowledged Inazuma until the end. Jack looked at Connor with a worried expression. ¡®I hope he doesn¡¯t cause trouble.¡¯ Connor was an excellent Awakened and an indispensable member of the team. However, due to his hasty temperament, he asionally caused problems. It was Jack¡¯s job to solve the problems he caused. As if Connor suddenly remembered something, he asked. ¡°Who is the Awakened that the leader is sending to join us? Did she think we were not enough by ourselves?¡± His face was full of dissatisfaction. The others felt the same way. Yoo Se-hee, the leader of the Goblin Market, said that another Awakened would join them in this raid. Everyone¡¯s mood was very upset because Yoo Se-hee¡¯s words seemed to imply that she didn¡¯t trust them. As much as they wanted to refuse the support, they couldn¡¯t. Yoo Se-hee¡¯s words were absolute in the Goblin Market. Moreover, this mission was very important, so not even a slight mistake was allowed. Therefore, they could not refuse Yoo Se-hee¡¯s order. Dosuyul asked Jack. ¡°Do you know who the leader is sending to join us?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be better to be cautious when he joins. Don¡¯t underestimate him as you have been, or you might end up dead too.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one who eliminated Goran.¡± Dosuyul, Connor and Den¡¯s faces hardened at Jack¡¯s words. ¡°Goran? Was the rumor true?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Dosuyul murmured and let out a sigh. Those who were involved in Sinchon and the Goblin Market all knew. The fact that someone had eliminated Goran, a terrifying figure that even Yoo Se-hee and Johan were wary of. The disappearance of such a figure without a trace shocked them all. Then. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± Inazuma murmured as someone approached. Naturally, Dosuyeol and the Explosive Brothers turned their gaze to where they were fixed. A man was walking toward them. The man walking with his hands in his pockets, wearing a robe with a deeply pulled-down hat, was none other than Zeon. At Zeon¡¯s appearance, the expressions of Inazuma and Jack¡¯s group changed. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ Zeon?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 92 Chapter 92 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 92 ¡®The atmosphere isn¡¯t exactly weing.¡¯ Zeon sensed the chilly atmosphere flowing through the vacant lot. Still, he didn¡¯t feel bad about it. After all, he was just a stranger to them. Come to think of it, he was a stranger everywhere he went. Having visited quite a few colonies and met countless people, no one had ever weed him from the start. They were wary and suspicious. No one readily opened the door to their guarded hearts. Everything around was perceived as a threat to survival, and people were well aware of that fact. So, encountering strangers for the first time was always met with initial hostility. Zeon didn¡¯t mind, considering he was the same way. Jack approached Zeon. ¡°Zeon?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Jack. I¡¯m the leader of the Goblin Market raid team. Just follow my orders from now on.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I know you possess remarkable abilities. However, individual actions won¡¯t be tolerated. I expect you to follow my orders during the dungeon raid.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Zeon responded without any hesitation. Hispliance actually surprised Jack. Usually, individuals with strong abilities tended to be more inclined to act on their own. So, Jack had been a bit forceful in establishing discipline early on, but Zeon¡¯s obedient eptance left him somewhat bewildered. Jack scrutinized Zeon¡¯s expression closely. However, Zeon had his robe¡¯s hood pulled down low, making it impossible to read his expression. ¡®He¡¯s unexpectedly difficult to handle. Not easy to control.¡¯ Jack concealed his thoughts and addressed Inazuma. ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here, we can set off.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s depart.¡± Inazuma¡¯s leader, Kouji, responded casually as he started walking. Waiting ahead were buggy cars. These buggies were modified for desert use and loaded with various supplies. The Inazuma raid team, Jack¡¯s raid team, and other Awakeneds boarded the buggies, and the convoy set off across the desert. A procession of buggies traversing the desert sands. Dosuyul, riding in Jack¡¯s buggy, spoke up. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s hot. Aren¡¯t you feeling hot, bro?¡± His question was directed at Zeon. Zeon replied, gazing out at the desert. ¡°It¡¯s bearable.¡± ¡°Do you have some kind of item?¡± Dosuyul¡¯s gaze shifted to Zeon¡¯s robe. The coat-like robe Zeon wore looked exceptionally valuable at first nce. It showed no signs of wear and tear, and despite enduring a sandstorm, not a single speck of dust had umted on the surface. Zeon nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does it have a clean spell and temperature regtion function? Which workshop?¡± Neo Seoul housed quite a few workshops. Knowing the workshop¡¯s name often hinted at the item¡¯s performance. Such bits of information umted and proved usefulter on. Dosuyul, responsible for scouting ahead in Jack¡¯s raid team, habitually gathered information like this. ¡°It was made by an acquaintance of mine.¡± ¡°Oh! A private workshop?¡± ¡°You could say that.¡± ¡°Which workshop is it? Is their craftsmanship good? If they are, I might want to use them too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s decent. But I¡¯d rather not introduce you. They¡¯re not from around here.¡± ¡°Outsiders?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve talked so much, it¡¯s making my throat dry.¡± Instead of answering, Zeon took a sip of water. His action clearly conveyed his reluctance to answer. Dosuyul also noticed this fact. ¡®He knows how to deflect questions, huh? Well, if I push further, he¡¯ll eventually spill all the information to me.¡¯ He thought Zeon might be guarded now, but once they entered the dungeon, he would rely on their side. Relying on them would create psychological pressure, and inadvertently, Zeon would divulge a lot of information. Indeed, Dosuyul had gained quite a bit of information by utilizing this psychological advantage. Dosuyul believed it would be the same this time too. Zeon ignored Dosuyul and continued gazing at the desert. This was the furthest he had ventured since entering Neo Seoul. The hot sandstorms might have been torturous for others, but they didn¡¯t affect Zeon at all. Instead, they oddly invigorated him. Suddenly, he felt a stinging gaze on him. The gaze came from the buggy of the Inazuma raid team. Among them, an old man named Shuhan was ring intensely at Zeon. The way he was sniffing seemed like he was trying to gather information about Zeon. Snap! Zeon lightly flicked his finger. Instantly, a bright sh emanated from around Zeon¡¯s body. ¡°Ugh!¡± Shuhan suddenly grabbed his nose and screamed. The intense heat contained in the sh temporarily paralyzed his sense of smell. Kouji asked Shuhan. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡­ I tried to gather information about that kid through smell, but¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°The heat from him has paralyzed my sense of smell.¡± ¡°Is it a permanent disability?¡± ¡°It seems temporary.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s the target of Tajik¡¯s attention. He must possess quite the ability.¡± Kouji¡¯s gaze towards Zeon was chilling. Behind his cold gazey a strong sense of ambition. ¡°Tajik instructed to assess him. If he proves capable, we¡¯ll recruit him. Otherwise, we¡¯ll eliminate him.¡± A cold smile crept onto Kouji¡¯s lips. Following Tajik¡¯s orders, dozens of individuals had sacrificed their lives to the katana in his embrace. Kouji believed this time would be no different The convoy of buggies swiftly crossed the desert. Rattle! The engine sounded unusual after covering only twenty kilometers. The sand was already taking its toll on the engine. Despite the advancement of technology through the harmony of magic and science, oveing the sands of the desert remained a challenge. Long distances required the presence of mechanics. Otherwise, dealing with a malfunctioning vehicle became impossible. Especially with smaller vehicles, breakdowns were frequent. That¡¯s why their operational range was confined to the vicinity of Neo Seoul. ¡®By the way, it¡¯s a new dungeon. Hasn¡¯t it been quite a while since a dungeon was discovered near Neo Seoul?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Since the activities of the Awakeneds were limited due to the sand, they mainly focused on dungeons around Neo Seoul. As a result, it had been a long time since all dungeons around Neo Seoul had all dried up. Kouji asked Yuri, who was nearby, ¡°What type of dungeon is it?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed that it¡¯s a cave-type dungeon for now.¡± ¡°Cave-type? It could be a maze.¡± ¡°There is a high probability of that being the case.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s really a maze, it could be quite the headache.¡± ¡°Shuhan¡¯s role is crucial. In maze-type dungeons, the ability to navigate is essential.¡± Kouji¡¯s gaze shifted to Shuhan upon Yuri¡¯s response. ¡°Can I trust you?¡± ¡°Please leave it to me. Captain!¡± Shuhan, having fully regained his sense of smell, assured confidently. Though they spoke quietly, their voices reached Zeon clearly. ¡®A maze-type dungeon. I¡¯m also quite skilled in navigating mazes.¡¯ There were probably very few people who had conquered more dungeons in Neo Seoul than Zeon. Since Dyoden¡¯s death, Zeon had entered numerous dungeons. Sometimes it was voluntary, other times inevitable. The experiences gained from raiding countless dungeons became an asset to Zeon. Zeon was confident that he would not panic no matter what type of dungeon he encountered. At that moment, he felt the convoy gradually slowing down. Looking ahead, he saw people gathered beneath arge sand dune. They were Awakened individuals guarding the discovered dungeon. Kouji got off the convoy and approached them. ¡°What¡¯s the situation with the dungeon?¡± ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be any unusual signs. It¡¯s the same as when we found it.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s fortunate.¡± Sometimes, dungeons had changing tendencies. In such cases, signs of change could be detected from the entrance. The Awakeneds guarding the current dungeon entrance were sent from Neo Seoul, with considerable experience. Their judgment could be trusted. Kouji issued amand. ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll enter the dungeon in ten minutes, so everyone double-check your equipment.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Inazuma raid team responded and checked their gear once again. Jack¡¯s party and the Awakened individuals from the slums also settled in their seats and rechecked their equipment. Entering a dungeon was no trivial matter. They didn¡¯t know what dangers lurked inside. Checking their gear two or three times over was never excessive. While everyone diligently checked their equipment, only Zeon stood still at the entrance of the dungeon. ¡°It¡¯s a cave-type¡­¡± For some reason, a deep pit formed between his brows. He asked the Awakeneds guarding the entrance of the dungeon: ¡°Has anyone entered yet?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first ones here. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Just personal curiosity.¡± At that moment, a loud voice called out to Zeon. ¡°Hey, my friend!¡± It was Byrun, one of Inazuma¡¯s members. Byrun red at Zeon with an axe slung over his shoulder. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Are there any others here besides you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you checking your gear? You¡¯re not nning to enter the dungeon looking like that, are you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this?¡± Zeon replied, raising his arms. Byrun¡¯s gaze became even more menacing. ¡°You¡¯re going in without any armor?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you barely wearing a single piece of cloth?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a barbarian. I don¡¯t need armor. Just this axe is enough for me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need other armor either.¡± ¡°Are you a mage?¡± ¡°Why are you so curious about that? You¡¯ll find out soon enough once we¡¯re inside the dungeon.¡± ¡°Tch! Arrogant.¡± Byrun¡¯s face twisted in anger. He exerted the typical intimidating presence of a barbarian towards Zeon. However, Zeon¡¯s face remained unaffected by his force. At that moment, Kouji grabbed Byrun¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°But, Captain¡­¡± ¡°Save your strength for inside the dungeon.¡± ¡°Fine! Understood.¡± Byrun withdrew with a sullen expression. Kouji looked at Zeon. ¡°My subordinate was rude.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°But he wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. Dungeons are extremely dangerous, so no amount of preparation is excessive.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Yet, not preparing at all shows your confidence, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon¡¯s confident reply caused Kouji¡¯s gaze to sharpen. ¡°You¡¯re quite confident. However¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me once we¡¯re inside the dungeon. The moment you disappoint me, you¡¯ll die by my hand.¡± Kouji¡¯s cold words caused nearby individuals¡¯ expressions to stiffen. A chilling atmosphere seemed to lower the temperature by several degrees. Even Jack felt it. ¡®So this is the aura of Inazuma¡¯s Captain? Quite intimidating.¡¯ He thought Zeon might be feeling the same way. However, behind the hood, Zeon¡¯s face bore a subtle smile. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 93 Chapter 93 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 93 The Awakeneds entered the dungeon. As expected, the dungeon was in the form of a maze-like cave. It was tunneled in all directions like an anthill, making it impossible to determine the direction. However, no one who entered the dungeon was bewildered. They had a guide. As if it were natural, Shuhan stepped forward from the Inazuma raid team. Shuhan was an experienced guide. Although Dosuyul was quitepetent as a guide, he was notparable to Shuhan in terms of rank and experience. Realizing his own shorings, Dosuyul yielded the position to Shuhan. Sniffing the air, Shuhan muttered to himself. ¡°Sniff! The smell here is quite foul.¡± ¡°To what extent?¡± ¡°Atrocious! I haven¡¯t smelled such a rotten stench in a long time.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Kouji¡¯s gaze sank deep. He deeply trusted the guide, Shuhan. Shuhan mentioned the foul smell, indicating that the dungeons where such odors emanated were all extremely dangerous. He spoke to the other Awakeneds. ¡°You heard that? Be on high alert.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Mm!¡± The Awakeneds tensed up. Although they entered the dungeon together, they were not one team. The Inazuma raid team, Jack¡¯s raid team, and Awakeneds recruited from the slums. They had different identities and varied purposes. Naturally, they couldn¡¯t unite as one. They naturally divided into three groups. Zeon joined Jack¡¯s raid team. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Led by Shuhan, the Inazuma raid team moved forward, followed by Jack¡¯s raid team and the Awakeneds from the slums. Zeon walked at the rear of Jack¡¯s raid team. His eyes scanned the cave sharply. ¡®The entire cave is made of sandstone. It¡¯s about three meters high and wide. Are those marks on the wall w marks?¡¯ Although it seemed trivial, such small details provided a lot of information. Suddenly, Zeon¡¯s gaze shifted to a small spot on the wall. At first nce, it seemed like a shadow cast by the light, but Zeon immediately realized it wasn¡¯t the case. ¡®Is that a fungus?¡¯ There was a type of mushroom called Dongchunhacho. It attaches itself to insects in winter and appears like grass in summer, hence the name. Dongchunhacho was a name after the Cordyceps sinensis, another fungus. The names were simr because their physiology is alike. While it parasitizes on rocks, it moves like moss on sand. Even on the same rocks, it can¡¯t exert much force in sandstone where sand has umted. By itself, it does not pose a threat to humans. ¡®It must be a good prey for some monsters.¡¯ Zeon thought of monsters that couldn¡¯t use four limbs. ¡®The size allowing for free movement inside the cave, the w marks on the walls, and the Dongchunhacho. It seems like the owner of this dungeon is that bastard.¡¯ He quickly identified the owner of the dungeon. Zeon approached Kouji to share his findings. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Hush! Didn¡¯t you hear that we need to keep quiet in the dungeon? Maintain silence until Imand otherwise.¡± Kouji looked at Zeon with disdainful eyes. The others had the same attitude. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue and stepped back. Anyway, he had done what he could. From now on, they were responsible for what would happen, so he felt no guilt. At that moment, Kouji sent a signal to Shuhan. ¡®Have you identified the monster inhabiting here?¡¯ Instead of replying, Shuhan shook his head. They were just at the beginning of the dungeon. There was insufficient information to identify the monsters inhabiting inside. Shuhan cautiously moved forward. They didn¡¯t know what monsters would emerge from the dungeon. Identifying and informing the raid team about the monsters was one of his tasks before anything else happened. Sniff! Shuhan caught a strange smell in the air. There was a particrly pungent smell in one of the passages. ¡®This ce must be avoided.¡¯ The likelihood of monsters gathering in such a ce was high. Shuhan led the group towards the passage with the least difort. Kwagak! When they reached the middle of the passage, something peculiar caught Shuhan¡¯s ears. He shouted. ¡°Monster sighting ahead. Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± As soon as his words ended, two lights appeared on the other side of the passage. There was no one that didn¡¯t know that those were the eyes of the monsters. Kouji gave themand. ¡°Yuri! Attack.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yuri swung her fan in response. The des of wind flew fiercely. Boom! The wind des struck the monster¡¯s head precisely. With a powerful impact, the monster screamed loudly and fell. Kaarghh! As the cave resounded with the piercing scream, Yuri muttered. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much.¡± She was a mage that used the wind attribute. She referred to herself as an ¡®Wind Mage.¡¯ That¡¯s how confident she was in her wind magic. Dealing with monsters of this level was as easy as flipping her hand. ¡°Judging by the reaction, it¡¯s just a D-rank monster.¡± ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s push through quickly.¡± ¡°This dungeon doesn¡¯t seem too dangerous.¡± The expressions of the Awakeneds brightened at Yuri¡¯s words. An Awakened like Yuri was almost like a human measuring device. They could urately distinguish the rank of monsters from the force felt in their hands. If D-rank monsters inhabited this dungeon, then the owner of the dungeon would be at most C-rank. With C-rank monsters, the Awakeneds who entered would be enough to hunt them down. The tension vanished from the faces of the Awakeneds. Kouji was the first to confirm the identity of the fallen monster. ¡°This looks like a giant mole.¡± The monster felled by Yuri¡¯s attack resembled a mole. It was several meters tall, with a body length of over five meters from head to tail. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] At that moment, Zeon, who had been maintaining silence, spoke up. ¡°They¡¯re called Hell Moles.¡± ¡°Do you know what they are?¡± Kouji looked at Zeon with surprise. Zeon answered with a sigh. ¡°Hell Moles are particrly n-oriented monsters. If one is killed, the entire n will seek revenge.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°The problem is the number of n members. There could be hundreds or even thousands of them, forming one bloodline.¡± ¡°Hundreds, thousands?¡± Kouji¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Suddenly, Shuhan urgently shouted. ¡°Captain! I sense monsters approaching from all directions.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We need to hurry. They¡¯re getting closer.¡± ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± It was at this urgent moment that Kouji issued themand. Kieee! Kwaah! Hell Moles appeared from all corners of the cave. They filled the anthill-like tunnels, and the expressions of the Awakeneds showed dismay at the appearance of the Hell Mole horde. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°This is insane!¡± The Hell Moles radiated intense enmity towards the Awakeneds who had killed one of their kin and rushed towards them. Although they resembled moles, their speed was as fast as a horse. The Hell Moles¡¯ biggest weapon was theirrge ws. ws that could cut through rocks like tofu posed a significant threat. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°Block them! If they break through, it¡¯s all over.¡± The Awakeneds each took charge of their respective passages to block the advance of the Hell Moles. Bang! Kwaah! The echoes of explosions reverberated throughout the cave. The Awakeneds unleashed their respective skills. Some wielded weapons imbued with aura, while others unleashed magic. The Hell Moles screamed as they fell under the Awakeneds¡¯ attacks. However, the expressions of the Awakeneds didn¡¯t lighten up. The problem was that even as they killed, more Hell Moles kept appearing. What made Hell Moles formidable was their fearlessness of death, like most monsters. The blood spilled by theirrades served as a catalyst for the Hell Moles¡¯ frenzy. Enveloped in madness, the Hell Moles charged at the Awakeneds. There was another problem. ¡°Damn it! There are C-rank mixed in.¡± It turned out that there were numerous C-rank Hell Moles among what they initially thought was a simple D-rank group of Hell Moles. Kwaah! Boom! They blocked the Awakeneds¡¯ attacks with their bodies and approached. Then they shed at the attacking Awakeneds with their ws. Swoosh! ¡°Aargh!¡± ¡°Keuk!¡± The Hell Moles clung to the fallen Awakeneds, tearing them apart with their teeth. In an instant, over a dozen Awakeneds were devoured by the Hell Mole horde. Zeon watched the scene with a cold gaze. ¡®This is why facing Hell Moles is troublesome. Terrain that is favorable for them, frenzy that doesn¡¯t fear death, and the resilience to ignore most attacks.¡¯ This was why dealing with horde monsters was challenging. To confront horde monsters, one had to prate their physiology and prepare perfectly, yet they recklessly attacked, resulting in such a catastrophe. As Zeon stood there, the Hell Moles approached him too. Two C-rank and three D-rank. It was quite a formidable force. Kieee! With the typical roar of Hell Moles, their ws swung. At that moment, intense mes erupted from Zeon¡¯s body. The Hell Moles screamed as they were blinded by the intense light. Despite their degraded eyesight, they still had some vision left. A fire missile pierced through the head of one of the Hell Moles. Whoosh! The head of the Hell Mole exploded. Seeing this, Jack shouted. ¡°Fire! It¡¯s fire. They are weak to bright lights because of their degraded eyesight.¡± Fortunately, among the Awakeneds from the slums, there were a few who knew how to use fire magic. Although they were low-rank Awakeneds, being able to wield fire magic was crucial. When fire magic was unleashed, intense light was inevitably emitted. The intense light inflicted significant damage to the Hell Moles. Keiee! ¡°Now¡¯s the time!¡± ¡°Die!¡± The Awakeneds did not miss this opportunity and ughtered the Hell Moles. Kouji cut down several Hell Moles in one stroke with his katana, while Yuri swept them away with her wind magic. Byrun, as a warrior ss, swung his axe wildly with just one in hand. Jack¡¯s raid team was also diligently reducing the number of Hell Moles. However, no matter how many they killed, the Hell Moles continued to appear endlessly. They needed to find a breakthrough. At that moment, Shuhan shouted. ¡°Captain, this way.¡± Shuhan was leading them to a passage where an unusuallyrge number of Hell Moles were gathered. ¡°The dungeon boss is this way.¡± The best way to disband horde monsters was to kill the boss. That way, themand structure would copse, causing the monsters to scatter. Fortunately, Shuhan quickly identified the location of the boss. ¡°Alright! Everyone, follow Shuhan.¡± Kouji cut down the Hell Moles blocking the way with his katana and ran ahead. Inazuma took the lead, followed by the Awakeneds from the slums in the middle, and Jack¡¯s raid brought up the rear. Zeon moved at the very rear of Jack¡¯s raid team. Flicking his finger, and each time, a me erupted, piercing through the darkness. Every time he did so, one Hell Mole after another fell. If he wanted to, he could wipe out this dreadful horde of Hell Moles in an instant by himself. However, he didn¡¯t want to reveal his full power to them, but there was a bigger reason. ¡®It¡¯s suspicious!¡¯ Although the Awakeneds guarding the dungeon said that Zeon¡¯s group was the first to attack, the movements of the Hell Moles were too suspicious. Just as humans evolve when facing monsters, monsters also adapt when facing humans. The movements of the Hell Moles attacking Zeon¡¯s group right now were also simr. ¡®They¡¯ve faced humans before.¡¯ Zeon¡¯s gaze shifted forward. Shuhan was leading them towards the passage where the boss was located. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 94 Chapter 94 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 94 ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± ¡°These damn moles!¡± Jack and his raid team wore expressions of frustration. They were advancingboriously, their bodies smeared with the blood and bodily fluids of Hell Moles. Thanks to the Inazuma raid team taking the vanguard, their situation was manageable. If Jack¡¯s group had taken the lead, the casualties would have skyrocketed. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°S-Save us¡­¡± Awakeneds not part of the either two raid teams were swept away by the onught of Hell Moles, disappearing from sight in an instant. Their fate was all too clear. Jack shouted to Corner. ¡°Give us a buff.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± A brilliant light emanated from the dwarf Corner¡¯s body. Those within the range of his light felt a surge of energy, their strength increasing. Corner¡¯s awakened ability was a buff. While his directbat power was weak, he was a valuable resource capable of temporarily boosting thebat abilities of his party members. Just like healers, buffers were essential assets in dungeon raid teams, but they were rare and hard toe by. So, the existence of a valuable buffer in Jack¡¯s raid team was surprising in itself. ¡°Woooaah!¡± Den roared. His eyes were bloodshot. Den was a berserker, and he was greatly affected by his older brother Corner¡¯s buff. Crash! Den used his massive body to crush any Hell Moles that came at him. Seeing this, Kouji muttered. ¡°Good! We should be able to reach the boss room soon.¡± Thanks to the dwarf Corner, the strength of the Inazuma raid team had also increased. This made dungeon progression much smoother. Suddenly, Shuhan¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Just a little more effort.¡± ¡°Woooaah!¡± ¡°Kyaah!¡± The Awakeneds gathered their remaining strength. Bang! With a loud noise, a giant stone door shattered. Then, the Inazuma raid team, Jack¡¯s group, and the surviving Awakeneds entered a massive room. Finally, they had reached the boss room. Kouji shouted. ¡°Block the entrance. Don¡¯t let them join the boss.¡± ¡°Right!¡± Byrun swung his axe at the pirs of the entrance. As a result, the entrance copsed, preventing the Hell Moles from entering. ¡°Haah!¡± ¡°Huff!¡± Atst, the group could catch their breath for a moment. But it was only a brief respite; their peril was far from over. Kuuuuh! A strange sound echoed from behind. ¡°It¡¯s the boss.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The creature emitting the rough breathing was the Hell Mole boss. True to its boss status, it was ten timesrger than regr Hell Moles. Its back was covered in thorns like a porcupine, and its snout was made of an unidentified metal. But behind the boss, strange objects could be seen. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± There were scattered rock piles in the form of stone monuments. However, protruding from the top of these stone monuments were human heads. Zeon clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk! The raid team that entered first.¡± It seemed likely. The Hell Moles were adept at dealing with humans. They must have encountered the raid team that entered first. Zeon¡¯s gaze fixed on one of the stone piles. He recognized a familiar face. ¡°Old Man Klexi.¡± With his eyes tightly shut, his face devoid of any color, it was unmistakably Old Man Klexi. ¡°The Guild Leader.¡± ¡°There he is.¡± Jack and the Awakeneds shouted upon seeing Old Man Klexi. ¡®The Guild Leader? Yoo Se-hee was also called the Guild Leader. So, is he the former Guild Leader? Are Yoo Se-hee and him rted by blood?¡¯ If so, everything made sense. Why Yoo Se-hee had such an anxious expression when she asked him for help. For some reason, Old Man Klexi led a raid team into the dungeon first but went missing. As Yoo Se-hee, she had no choice but to be worried. ¡®The problem now is how to safely rescue Old Man Klexi from the boss.¡¯ The stone monuments were one of the boss¡¯s abilities. Also known as the Chamber of Death. It turned sand into stone and trapped living beings. The trapped beings fell into aa, and the boss absorbed their life force. Of course, the ultimate fate of those whose life force was absorbed was death. That¡¯s when it happened. Kieee! The Hell Mole boss arbitrarily attacked the humans who had intruded into its territory. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Thorns on its back poured down like rain. ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡± ¡°Dodge!¡± The Awakeneds each used their skills to block or evade the thorns. They scattered, attacking the Hell Mole boss. Boom! Crash! Glorious skills erupted against the Hell Mole boss. The boss couldn¡¯t avoid their attacks and took the full brunt. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°We got him.¡± Joyful light shone in the eyes of the Awakeneds. On the other hand, Zeon¡¯s gaze sank deeply. They didn¡¯t know. The true ability of the Hell Mole boss. Although It wasn¡¯t particrly strong, it had quite a troublesome ability. ¡®Crimson Cloud.¡¯ Then, suddenly, a crimson mist began to spread inside the boss room. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Watch out!¡± Kouji and Jack shouted simultaneously. As seasoned Awakeneds, they noticed that the crimson mist was no ordinary phenomenon. The mist billowed out like clouds, quickly filling the boss room. There was no space for the Awakeneds to escape. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Breath¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± The Awakeneds from the slums grabbed their throats and copsed. Yuri shouted. ¡°Everyone, gather around me.¡± Wind swirled around her, creating a barrier. The wall of wind prevented the crimson cloud from approaching. Thanks to it, the Inazuma and Jack¡¯s raid team members gathered around Yuri remained safe from the crimson mist. Yuri maintained the barrier and said. ¡°I can¡¯t hold out like this for long. We need to defeat it within three minutes.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Kouji replied, taking a deep breath. Then, Komein remarked. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen the Captain¡¯s skill, Dance of Death.¡± A skill that unleashed eighteen strikes in the blink of an eye with each sword stroke carrying the aura of death. It was named Dance of Death because every sword strike ensured death. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t afford to lose either.¡± Jack stepped forward as well. If Kouji was the Captain of Inazuma, then he was also a Captain. He couldn¡¯t afford to fall behind. Swoosh! The Dance of Death, and Jack¡¯s skill, Quiet Funeral, were unleashed simultaneously. While the Dance of Death delivered eighteen strikes in a single breath, the Quiet Funeral focused all its power into a single blow. Except for the fact that they both involved swords, there was nothing simr about these skills. Since their swordsmanship tendencies were different, their skills had evolved inpletely different directions. Keieee! The Hell Mole boss let out a painful howl that reverberated throughout the room. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°We got him.¡± Everyone cheered except for Zeon, who sensed the impending danger. ¡°Everyone, be careful¡­¡± Crash! Before his warning could even finish, the wall of the boss room copsed. Something poured in. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Aaaah!¡± Shuhan and the dwarf Corner screamed simultaneously, trying to get away from the monsters. But there were too many of them to escape from. At that moment, Zeon waved his hand. Instantly, a tremendous fire erupted, engulfing the monsters that had been covering the two. ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡°Kyaah!¡± Barely escaping death, the two gasped for breath. Zeon paid them no attention and looked at the copsed wall. Beyond the wall, more monsters were pouring in. ¡°Thervae of a Ghost Dragonfly. This is the real deal.¡± The writhing monsters pouring in were thervae of a Ghost Dragonfly Zeon had dealt with earlier. The Hell Moles were undoubtedly a headache. Especially in such underground conditions, they posed challenging conditions. However, as a boss of a dungeon, they werecking. That¡¯s why he thought there must be a true boss elsewhere. ¡°But Hell Moles and Ghost Dragonflyrvae don¡¯t seem like a suitablebination.¡± Hell and Ghosts. At first nce, they seemed like fitting words, but in reality, the two monsters had different habitats. While Hell Moles were active underground, Ghost Dragonflies needed a high sky to thrive. Asrvae, they could function in such underground conditions, but to molt and spread their wings, they needed a clear sky. The fact that there were so manyrvae meant that there were many adult Ghost Dragonflies that had molted. Those monsters couldn¡¯t naturally inhabit such an underground environment. Kuwoooooh! To make matters worse, the Hell Mole boss who they thought was dealt with stood up and roared. Despite the deep wounds inflicted by Kouji and Jack¡¯s attacks, the monster remained unscathed. ¡°What¡¯s going on now?¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± Kouji and Jack couldn¡¯t hide their bafflement. Once again, the Hell Mole boss unleashed the Crimson Cloud. With the addition of thervae, the room truly became a hell. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Help!¡± Screams of the Awakeneds echoed one after another. Zeon slightly raised his head. ¡°At this rate, everyone will perish.¡± They were called dungeon raid teams, but they werepletely unprepared to raid the dungeon. They had raided dungeons quite a few times, but they had only tackled dungeons that urred near Neo Seoul. The types of dungeons near Neo Seoul were extremely limited. Only dungeons with simr characteristics seemed to open up. While they had raided dungeons many times, they hadn¡¯t experienced a variety of dungeons, hence the dyed reaction when faced with such variables. ¡®Are they half-baked?¡¯. He didn¡¯t want to participate if he could avoid it, but at this rate, total annihtion seemed inevitable. ¡°Fire Rain.¡± Zeon muttered as he waved his right hand. Instantly, a rain of fire fell inside the room. Using the Inferno Gauntlet, he unleashed the skill. The fire rained down, incinerating thervae of Ghost Dragonflies that filled the room and delivering a heavy blow to the Hell Mole boss. Thanks to that, the raid team managed to escape the imminent threat of death. ¡°Hah! Hah!¡± ¡°Shit! We barely made it.¡± Those who barely survived gasped for breath. Kouji quickly looked for Zeon. ¡°What about him?¡± There was no sign of Zeon anywhere in the boss room. After saving the raid team from danger, he had immediately concealed himself. But there was no time to search for Zeon¡¯s whereabouts. The Hell Mole boss, affected by the Fire Rain, was staggering. They had to defeat it before it could recover its strength. ¡°Damn it! Full assault!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 95 Chapter 95 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 95 The passage was dark. However, it appeared bright as day in Zeon¡¯s eyes. His eyes didn¡¯t miss a single scratch on the walls or even a single pit in the floor. Crunch! Something brittle crumbled under his foot. Zeon reached out and grabbed the broken object. ¡°Ghost Dragonfly exoskeleton? Seems like some of them have already molted.¡± As with any monsters, the danger increases as Ghost Dragonflies mature. The floor was littered with exoskeletons. It was clear that many had already molted. ¡°This is too soon.¡± Zeon furrowed his brow. Every living organism in nature follows a timeline. The time it takes for a human to be born, grow into an adult, and then age. Though races and innate DNA may differ, the passage of time for growth and aging is nearly the same. Monsters are no different. While the timing may vary by species, timelines within the same species are quite simr. Ghost Dragonflies are no exception. From hatching from eggs to bingrvae, and fromrvae to bing adults, the time frame is always consistent. Naturally, the size of thervae during molting is also simr. But the sizes of the exoskeletons scattered on the floor varied. It meant they were born at different times. Yet they all molted almost simultaneously. Naturally, this was impossible. ¡°Something must have forcibly elerated their molting.¡± It was a conjecture Zeon could make based on his knowledge of monster physiology. Zeon continued walking, stepping on the exoskeletons. The size of the cave grew as he progressed. The width and height noticeably expanded. This was also something that could never happen naturally. However, Zeon didn¡¯t find it strange. After all, dungeons themselves were such ces. Remnants of Kurayan had been transformed into dungeons due to the failure of terraforming. Ghosts trapped in the interstices of dimensions, unable to die or live, continuing their existence as specters. Some dungeons evolve on their own, much like living organisms. The dungeons Zeon knew were such ces. So, suddenly revealing a vast space was not at all unusual. Just like now. In a moment, the space changed. Wooong! What greeted Zeon was a multitude of Ghost Dragonflies. The swarm of Ghost Dragonflies filled the sky, as ck as night. Zeon had never seen such arge gathering of Ghost Dragonflies. ¡°Look at this.¡± Zeon¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly. What he noticed was the eyes and wings of the hovering Ghost Dragonflies. Their eyes were as red as blood, and their transparent wings shimmered with iprehensible patterns. ¡°An artificial frenzied state. As expected, someone has definitely intervened.¡± That exined why everything felt off from the moment he entered the dungeon. The fact that Old Man Klexi was captured by Hell Moles, and the existence of two entities that could never coexist in the same dungeon, all felt unnatural. Everything was unnatural. That¡¯s when it happened. Whooong! The Ghost Dragonflies in midair suddenly swooped down towards Zeon. Like meteors showering down, the swarm of Ghost Dragonflies descended upon him. Zeon extended his Sand Strides, dodging the Ghost Dragonflies¡¯ attacks. Crash! Boom! Where Zeon had been just moments before, it exploded as if hit by a bomb. It was a suicidal attack. Ghost Dragonflies were also living beings. Naturally, they valued their lives. But there was only one reason they would recklessly sacrifice themselves like this. ¡°The Queen must be in trouble.¡± Wooong! As if in response, the Ghost Dragonflies continued their relentless assault, one after another. A swarm of Ghost Dragonflies pouring like rain. The sound of their fluttering wings was terrifying. Crash! Bang! Boom! Explosions ensued one after another. Zeon narrowly avoided all the explosions by a hair¡¯s breadth. mes surged like a tsunami, and immense pressure crushed his entire body. Yet amidst all the threats, Zeon remained unfazed. Despite the sheer number of Ghost Dragonflies, they couldn¡¯t be more numerous than grains of sand scattered in the desert. Sand was also scattered in this dungeon. ¡°ymore!¡± As Zeon opened his mouth, nearby sands exploded. Sand burst out like the ancient weapon, ymore, unleashing forceparable to its steel beads. Countless sand grains shed with countless Ghost Dragonflies. Rumble! Whoosh! Sand grains pierced through the wings of the Ghost Dragonflies and prated theirrge eyes and bodies. The Ghost Dragonflies shattered, torn apart, and dismembered. Arge hole was sted into the space where ymore had exploded. The swarm of Ghost Dragonflies that had filled that space vanished. If another Awakened had witnessed this scene, they would have surely been astonished beyond words. Such was the immense power unleashed. Thud! Crash! Zeon continuously unleashed ymore. Each time, heaps of Ghost Dragonflies vanished from the world. ymore was a skill that consumed a tremendous amount of mana. Yet Zeon unleashed it consecutively without a care. Ghost Dragonflies, their wings torn off and bodies torn asunder, plummeted. The sight of the Ghost Dragonflies falling helplessly was pitiful. Yet Zeon paid them no mind as he walked on. Now, there were no Ghost Dragonflies blocking his path. Zeon passed through the remnants of the Ghost Dragonflies and arrived at his destination. There stood an unusuallyrge Ghost Dragonfly. A monster Ghost Dragonfly that seemed to measure twenty meters from head to tail. ¡°The Queen!¡± The monster Ghost Dragonfly was none other than the Queen. However, her condition was dire. Her once beautiful and transparent wings were nowhere to be seen, as if they had been forcibly torn off, and her long, beautiful tail was severed in half, writhing on the ground. Transparent exoskeletons were scattered all over the floor. The Queen Ghost Dragonfly was on the brink of death. Trembling legs gasped for breath. Zeon approached the Queen Ghost Dragonfly. Then, he saw seven jewels embedded in her back. The jewels were arranged like the Big Dipper. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon plucked one of the jewels. Even so, the Queen Ghost Dragonfly didn¡¯t resist. She was already drained of strength. Zeon examined the jewel closely. It was evident that it was an item with magic runes inscribed on its surface. ¡°The traces of mana¡­ This was the work of a Tamer. They forcibly elerated the molting.¡± Insect-type monsters molt several times in their lifetime. Each molting makes themrger and grants them greater strength. But molting doesn¡¯t ur randomly. Sufficient mana must umte, and they must be physically and mentally mature to progress to the next stage. In Zeon¡¯s view, it wasn¡¯t yet time for the Queen Ghost Dragonfly to molt. Yet an unknown Tamer had forcibly elerated her molting. ¡°There must be a reason to the forced molting¡­ Was it because of her wings?¡± Zeon recalled Brielle¡¯s words. She mentioned that the wings of a freshly molted Queen Ghost Dragonfly weren¡¯t affected by gravity. If the Tamer coveted the Queen Ghost Dragonfly¡¯s wings, it was more than enough reason. A formidable Tamer would undoubtedly have the ability to forcibly induce the molting of a Ghost Dragonfly. ¡°But can a single Tamer aplish this feat alone?¡± Zeon looked around. It was a double dungeon with two bosses. Even the most powerful Tamer couldn¡¯t subdue all these monsters and control them as they pleased. There must have been coborators. The question was whether the coborator was an individual or an organization. ¡°It¡¯s highly likely that it¡¯s an organization.¡± Not only did they discover the dungeon emerging from the desert, but they also managed to infiltrate it while avoiding the guards. It would have been impossible without some kind of organization. Zeon tilted his head slightly and waved his hand, and suddenly, a massive ze erupted, engulfing the Queen Ghost Dragonfly. In an instant, the Queen Ghost Dragonfly turned into a handful of ashes. *** A man and a woman were walking in the uninhabited desert. Both wore loose robes, and like the woman, the man wore a spacious cloak. They both had their faces covered with hats, concealing their identities. ¡°¡­¡± The woman suddenly stopped and looked up, prompting the man beside her to speak. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The Queen is dead.¡± ¡°Oh? Seems like her breath has finally ceased.¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t time for her to die yet¡­¡± The woman tilted her head, calcting precisely and making a gesture with her hand. Even though they forcibly induced molting and tore off her wings, she believed the Queen could recover enough over time. However, contrary to her expectations, the Queen¡¯s life ended. ¡°It seems an unexpected variable has urred.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± The man nodded, but he didn¡¯t seem overly concerned. His task was to protect the woman, a Tamer. Once they entered Neo Seoul, his mission would beplete. He detested anything beyond his assigned duties. Observing the man¡¯s grumpy attitude, the woman frowned her expression slightly. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not my concern anymore. Themission has been sessfullypleted.¡¯ She was a B-rank Tamer. Though she was called a Tamer, she couldn¡¯t simply tame all the monsters. If that were the case, she would have been the ruler of this desert, not the monsters. The number of monsters she could tame was extremely limited, and taming monsters higher in rank than her was even more impossible. Especially, it was impossible to tame the boss of a dungeon regardless of rank. Dungeon bosses inherently possessed a strong sense of self. Monsters with such strong egos instinctively rejected being subservient to humans. The Queen Ghost Dragonfly was no exception. As the pinnacle of a herd, the Queen possessed a strong sense of self that she could never subdue with her abilities alone. The fact that she was able to subdue and forcibly induce molting in the Queen Ghost Dragonfly was solely due to her item. The jewel ne hanging around her neck. The central jewel radiated seven different lights in all directions. It wasmonly called a Rainbow Gem. Hence, the ne was named the Rainbow Pendant. ¡®An S-rank item¡­¡¯ The woman¡¯s hand trembled as she touched the ne. It wasn¡¯t her possession; it was an S-rank item borrowed from the man beside her. The power of an S-rank item was truly formidable. It temporarily elevated her abilities from B-rank to S-rank. Thanks to it, she could temporarily subdue the Queen Ghost Dragonfly and her legion. Thanks to it, she could forcibly elerate their growth and induce molting. All of this was done to obtain the wings of the Queen Ghost Dragonfly. In the process, unexpected interventions urred, such as a raid team entering and luring in Hell Moles. But thanks to the man who assisted her, all problems were easily resolved. ¡®Who on earth is he?¡¯ She didn¡¯t know the man¡¯s identity. He never took off the hat he had worn from the beginning to the end. However, she knew he was incredibly powerful. It was because of the man¡¯s abilities shown within the dungeon. If he wished, he could turn her into minced meat in an instant. Without a word, they walked, and before they knew it, they had arrived at Neo Seoul. They stood in front of the entrance to Neo Seoul, not the slums. The man spoke at the door. ¡°We¡¯ll part ways here.¡± He extended his hand to the woman. It meant to return the Rainbow Pendant he had lent her for a while. The woman pursed her lips and bit them tightly. She really didn¡¯t want to return it. But she had to. She reluctantly unfastened the Rainbow Pendant and handed it back to the man. The man stowed away the Rainbow Pendant and the wings of the Queen Ghost Dragonfly in a spatial storage and said, ¡°We¡¯ll meet again on the nextmission, ire.¡± ¡°When will the nextmission be?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll inform you when the timees. Until then, rest well.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ire responded with a trembling voice. As they entered Neo Seoul, the two walked in different directions. Passing through the bustling streets, the man headed towards the city¡¯s highest building, the City Hall. The Awakened guarding the City Hall greeted the man politely. ¡°Wee. The Mayor is waiting for you.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 96 Chapter 96 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 96 The man stepped into the elevator. The elevator, powered by magic, silently carried him up to the fiftieth floor, the top floor of the City Hall. Rumor had it that it was created bybining magic with science, but he didn¡¯t know the exact principles behind it, nor did he care. All of Neo Seoul¡¯s facilities operated in this manner. Through the appropriate harmony of magic and science, they maximized efficiency. It was an inevitable choice in an era of scarce resources. With most of thend turned into desert, obtaining concrete or even stone was not easy. Most of the materials that now constituted Neo Seoul were remnants of Seoul destroyed a hundred years ago. Buildings were constructed using old materials, reinforced by Awakeneds like enchanters, and various amenities were created by Awakeneds who used magic. Thus, the City Hall became the nucleus of Neo Seoul. The elevator swiftly transported the man to the fiftieth floor of the City Hall. Upon reaching the fiftieth floor, the man took off his tightly pressed hat. As he did, the face of a man in his mid-forties became visible. His expressionless, icy face and unfocused eyes gave him a unique aura and appearance that one could never forget. The man cautiously knocked on the door and said. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Lee Zeong-ho.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± A momentter, apanied by a dignified voice from inside, the door opened. As Lee Zeong-ho entered, a spacious room appeared before him. Large windows offering a clear view of Neo Seoul, arge desk in the center, and bookshelves lining the walls filled with books were notable. However, what caught his attention the most was the man standing in front of the windows. A middle-aged man, seemingly lost in thought as he looked down at Neo Seoul. Behind the man in a suit, a rxed atmosphere could be felt. Lee Zeong-ho bowed his head respectfully and said. ¡°I havepleted the mission.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± The middle-aged man turned around. Then, the distinctive features of the middle-aged man¡¯s face became apparent. Sharp features, blue eyes, neatlybed hair, and a stylish beard on his chin, all left an impressive impression. The man¡¯s name was Jin Geum-ho. The mayor of Neo Seoul. Jin Geum-ho asked. ¡°Was it difficult?¡± ¡°The conditions happened to align perfectly, so it wasn¡¯t too difficult.¡± ¡°Good to hear.¡± ¡°Here are the wings of the Queen Ghost Dragonfly and the Rainbow Pendant.¡± Lee Zeong-ho took out the two items from his spatial storage and handed them to Jin Geum-ho. Jin Geum-ho nced at the Rainbow Pendant without much interest and focused only on the wings of the Queen Ghost Dragonfly. The wings of the Queen Ghost Dragonfly floated in mid-air, defying gravity, like dandelion seeds. ¡°Seeing as it defies gravity, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s authentic.¡± A faint smile appeared on Jin Geum-ho¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t disappoint you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never disappointed me once. That¡¯s why I can trust you with anything.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Was there any trouble?¡± ¡°Although the secondary raid team arrived faster than expected, even if we had encountered it, there wouldn¡¯t have been any problems.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Jin Geum-ho nodded. He knew that Lee Zeong-ho¡¯s confidence was never excessive. Jin Geum-ho had a special enforcement unit called the Numbers. They were killing machines whoid down their lives only for Jin Geum-ho¡¯s orders. Lee Zeong-ho was one of them. He was a Martial Arts Awakened, particrly skilled in swordsmanship. His rank was A. For most Awakeneds, that would have been more than satisfactory. But he was different. He desperately wanted to be S-rank. But he couldn¡¯t achieve S-rank through conventional means. So, he blinded himself. It was to obtain a skill called Mind¡¯s Eye. He believed that thebination of Mind¡¯s Eye and swordsmanship would lead him to a higher rank. But he still hadn¡¯t reached S-rank. Stuck somewhere between A and S-rank. To reach a definite S-rank, there needed to be another catalyst. However, Lee Zeong-ho wasn¡¯t sure what that might be. Jin Geum-ho said. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, so take a good rest.¡± ¡°No, please give me a new mission if there is one.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be anything for you to do for a while.¡± ¡°Understood. Please call me anytime if needed.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± As Lee Zeong-ho left, Jin Geum-ho was left alone. Looking out over Neo Seoul, Jin Geum-ho murmured to himself. ¡°Retribution, it seems, this is how it begins.¡± *** ¡°Haah! Haah!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± When Zeon returned to the boss room of the Hell Moles, the first thing he saw was the Awakeneds sprawled on the ground. Both the Inazuma raid team and Jack¡¯s raid team were lying on the ground, catching their breath heavily. While Zeon was dealing with the Ghost Dragonflies, they had attacked the Hell Mole boss and eventually managed to defeat it. However, the price they paid was by no means light. Both the Inazuma raid team and Jack¡¯s raid team suffered casualties. Butpared to the Awakeneds from the slums, they were better off. Most of the Awakeneds from the slums were either dead or heavily injured. Still, the survivors¡¯ faces were not dark. After all, they had defeated the Hell Mole boss. The survivors would receivepensation for the deceased. That was the privilege enjoyed by the survivors of the raid teams. Kouji, who was catching his breath heavily, spotted Zeon. ¡°Where were you? I didn¡¯t see you.¡± ¡°I retreated for a moment as my mana was depleted.¡± Kouji frowned at Zeon¡¯s response. Zeon¡¯s contribution was significant in capturing the Hell Mole boss. If he hadn¡¯t unleashed the Fire Rain, they would still be dealing with Ghost Dragonflyrvae. It was understandable that all his mana was depleted after unleashing a skill powerful enough to incinerate the endless swarms of Ghost Dragonflyrvae. But there was still an ufortable feeling lingering, like food stuck between teeth. Turning his gaze away forcibly, Kouji said. ¡°First, recover the Mana Stone from the boss, and then figure out what to do with these prisoners trapped inside.¡± As hismand was issued, Shuhan, with a dagger in hand, approached menacingly. With skillful hands, he cut open the Hell Mole boss¡¯s belly and retrieved the Mana Stone. ¡°This should be enoughpensation.¡± A peculiar energy emanated from the Mana Stone obtained from the Hell Mole boss. There was a chance that a skill mighte out of it. Then, its value would skyrocket. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Jack, breaking the stone monuments, shouted. ¡°Guild Leader!¡± He shook him, but Old Man Klexi didn¡¯t seem toe to his senses easily. However, It didn¡¯t seem like there was anything wrong, as his breathing was steady. Kouji said to Jack. ¡°Our deal has been sessful, so as promised, we¡¯ll take the Mana Stone. Any objections?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s get out first.¡± Upon Kouji¡¯s words, Jack nced at Zeon. Jack¡¯s raid team rounded up the rescued individuals, avoiding Zeon¡¯s gaze. Zeon silently watched them. A cold smile crept onto his lips. ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s no one you can trust.¡± Jack flinched at his sneer. But he didn¡¯t retort or get angry. Because he hadmitted a sin. Originally, it was the subordinates of Old Man Klexi who discovered this dungeon. identally stumbling upon the dungeon with the Hell Mole as the owner, Old Man Klexi personally came to conquer it but ended up going missing. Yoo Se-hee sent rescue teams to save Old Man Klexi, but they all failed. At that time, Tajik approached. He offered to support by sending the Inazuma raid team, but the condition was to ensure Zeon¡¯s participation. Yoo Se-hee had no choice. Old Man Klexi was her only remaining blood rtive. She wasn¡¯t ready to let him go yet. Jack¡¯s raid team and the Awakeneds from the slums left the dungeon with Old Man Klexi and others. Zeon stood still, silently watching the scene. Kouji asked Zeon,. ¡°Are you surprised?¡± ¡°Not particrly.¡± ¡°Looks like you have a stronger heart than you appear.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily a good thing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing either.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t give up a single word.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be swayed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen several guys with long tongues like you get their tongues cut off.¡± ¡°Really? Scary.¡± Zeon shivered exaggeratedly. Kouji¡¯s gaze turned even more stern. He remembered Tajik¡¯s advice beforeing here. ¨DTest him. If he¡¯s useful, just roll him in like the Crocodiles. ¨DWhat if he doesn¡¯t meet expectations? ¨DWell¡­ then¡­ Instead of a definite answer, Tajik smiled faintly. Kouji knew very well what that smile meant. Zeon looked around. Before he knew it, the Inazuma raid team was surrounding him. Yuri, Byrun, Shuhan, and Komein aimed their weapons at Zeon, but Zeon paid them no mind and looked at Kouji instead. ¡°Was this Tajik¡¯s will?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not someone you can mention lightly.¡± ¡°Is he that great of a person?¡± ¡°At the very least, he¡¯s not someone you can speak lightly of.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting more curious about him. But you¡¯re not going to tell me that easily, are you?¡± ¡°You should focus more on preserving your life than satisfying your curiosity.¡± Kouji didn¡¯t hide his enmity towards Zeon. Swish! He drew his katana. The katana, sharpened to perfection, pointed at Zeon. ¡°Prove it. Prove whether you¡¯re worth it. That¡¯s the only way to save your life.¡± ¡°Well, let me struggle hard then. It¡¯s what I do best.¡± Zeon replied with a smile. His demeanor irritated Kouji. ¡°Let¡¯s begin!¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± Yuri, the Wind Mage, swung her fan in response. Byron rushed forward wielding his axe, while Komein Blinked behind Zeon. Shuhan stepped back and observed Zeon. ¡®I¡¯ll dissect everything about you.¡¯ Yuri¡¯s Wind des and Byron¡¯s axe simultaneously aimed for Zeon¡¯s throat. Added to that was Kouji¡¯s katana. It seemed only a matter of time before Zeon¡¯s breath would be cut off. But contrary to Shuhan¡¯s expectations, Zeon neither had his breath cut off nor was he pushed into dire straits. Swoosh! An enormous wall of fire protected his entire body. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Hot! It¡¯s burning!¡± Byron recoiled from the intense heat, and Yuri panicked. Zeon lightly swung his hand towards them. Fire Rain. The skill that had decimated the Ghost Dragonflyrvae once again unfolded. ¡°Heh! No way.¡± At that moment, Kouji stepped forward and swung his katana. ng! The barrage of fire raining down on the Inazuma raid team was all sliced away by his katana. There was a red aura emanating from his katana. He had unleashed his Aura Sword. Zeon swung his hand again. Fire Rain once again filled the dungeon. This time, it was Yuri¡¯s turn. ¡°Impossible. Tornado Shield!¡± The wind turned into a tornado, creating a massive barrier that blocked the fire rain created by Zeon. The fire trapped in the tornado shield was extinguished in an instant. Kouji smirked with a sharp smile and said. ¡°You¡¯re a fire attribute Awakened, right? But as you can see, your skills no longer work on us.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± Although he could use stronger skills, Zeon didn¡¯t bother to exin himself. There was no reason to exin. ¡®They¡¯re all gone.¡¯ He sensed that Jack and the other Awakeneds had all left the dungeon. Now, only the Inazuma raid team and him remained in the dungeon. The red aura from Kouji¡¯s sword intensified. ¡°Enough with the games. I¡¯ll take your breath away now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also done ying around. Do you think five-on-five would be more fair?¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, the sand around Zeon moved. Swoosh! ¡°Sand Soldier.¡± Five soldiers rose from the sand. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 97 Chapter 97 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 97 The Inazuma raid team blinked their eyes. ¡°What¡­ is that?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a Fire Mage but a Summoner?¡± Around Zeon stood soldiers resembling him. Though their features were blunt due to being made of sand, their physique closely resembled Zeon. Sand Soldiers. Soldiers made of sand. Zeon summoned Sand Soldiers equal to the number of Inazuma raid team members. ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin.¡± As soon as Zeon finished speaking, the Sand Soldiers attacked the Inazuma raid team. ¡°Do you really think we¡¯ll be defeated by such summoned creatures?¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The Inazuma raid team unleashed their skills, attacking the Sand Soldiers. Thud! Byrun¡¯s axe deeply pierced the chest of a Sand Soldier. Though the Sand Soldier struggled for a moment, it crumbled and returned to sand. ¡°Heh! That was nothing.¡± He grinned, showing his white teeth. At that moment, something astonishing happened. The Sand Soldier, which had turned into sand, stood up again. ¡°What?¡± Bang! The Sand Soldier attacked Byrun, who was defenseless. Hit in the abdomen, Byrun flew nearly ten meters and mmed into the ground. ¡°Argh!¡± He got up with a frustrated expression. The Sand Soldier was now rushing towards him. ¡®Fearless and emotionless. Being lifeless summons, they have no fear of death.¡¯ That¡¯s why Zeon enjoyed summoning Sand Soldiers. But Byrun wasn¡¯t the only one in trouble. ¡°Shit! Even after being smashed, they regenerate again.¡± Wind Mage Yuri was startled. Despite being shattered into pieces by Wind des, the Sand Soldiers were perfectly restored. Shuhan and Komein were also in dire straits. Shuhan, who was trying to assess Zeon¡¯s power, was threatened by the Sand Soldiers, and Komein saved him. Komein¡¯s ability was Blink. It was a rare ability to teleport to wherever the line of sight reached. But Blink couldn¡¯t be used indiscriminately. The number of uses and distance were determined by the rank and amount of mana. Around thirty times within twenty meters. That was the distance and frequency of Blink that Komein could use in a day. Even though he had used it only ten times against the Hell Moles, he had already used it fifteen times against the Sand Soldiers. Now, he had only five uses left. Komein shouted to Kouji. ¡°Captain! Do something about this.¡± ¡°*Chikushou!¡± [*¡±Chikushou¡± means ¡°Shit/Dammit¡± in Japanese.] Kouji spat out a curse. He never expected to be overwhelmed by mere summons, not even Zeon himself. Sand Soldiers that revived endlessly were nothing short of a nightmare. ¡°There must be a core.¡± All inanimate summoned creatures usually had a core. Kouji closed his eyes and heightened all his senses. He activated one of the skills of a swordsman, Body Perception. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would work on the lifeless Sand Soldiers, but it was better than doing nothing. Luckily, he was able to find the core of the Sand Soldier. ¡°It¡¯s on the right side of their waist.¡± Swish! He swiftly cut down the Sand Soldier. Perhaps because he severed the core, the Sand Soldier did not regenerate again. ¡°Great!¡± ¡°On the right side.¡± Seeing that, his subordinates attacked the right side of the Sand Soldiers¡¯ waist. Swish! The Sand Soldiers with broken cores turned back into sand. And they didn¡¯t revive again. ¡°Haah! Haah!¡± ¡°Damn it! I thought we were done for.¡± Yuri gasped for air, while Byrun cursed and raised his axe. Komein and Shuhan also managed to defeat the Sand Soldiers. They red at Zeon. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cut you down to the bones.¡± Having struggled against the Sand Soldiers, their anger pierced the sky. While they fought like madmen, Zeon leisurely watched them with his arms in his robe pockets. Even though all the summoned Sand Soldiers had turned back into sand, Zeon didn¡¯t change his expression and muttered. ¡°Is this the limit against Awakeneds?¡± From the beginning, he did not expect the Sand Soldier to have as muchbat power as the Awakeneds. Even if Zeon¡¯s will influenced the Sand Soldiers, they couldn¡¯t move and fight like Awakeneds who acted on their own thoughts. That difference was evident now. All the Sand Soldiers he summoned had turned back into sand, and the Inazuma raid team was attacking him. Swish! Kouji¡¯s katana, emitting a sharp sound, flew towards him. Yuri¡¯s Wind des surrounded him from all sides. Byrun¡¯s axe followed suit, and Komein¡¯s Blink approached from the side in an instant. All of this was vividly clear to Zeon. With a calm voice devoid of any sense of danger, Zeon muttered. ¡°If five aren¡¯t enough, how about twenty?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, twenty Sand Soldiers stood up around Zeon. ¡°Insane!¡± Kouji, who was swinging his katana, shook his pupils. The Inazuma raid team, which was in serious jeopardy with just five Sand Soldiers, was now faced with twenty. Their hearts sank at the sight of them. ¡°What the hell? What is this? Damn it!¡± Kouji¡¯s cold facade cracked. Underneath the broken mask, Kouji¡¯s true face was terrifyingly distorted. Zeon observed his expression carefully and said. ¡°Did you attack me without even knowing that?¡± ¡°This bastard¡­¡± Bang! Sand sttered in all directions with a loud noise. One of the Sand Soldiers blocked Kouji¡¯s katana with its body. The attacks of the other Awakeneds were also nullified by the Sand Soldiers. The Sand Soldiers didn¡¯t flinch, even when they were destroyed and exploded. They threw themselves without hesitation to protect Zeon. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The Inazuma raid team attacked the right side of the Sand Soldiers¡¯ waist, where the core was supposed to be. But they couldn¡¯t feel the core. ¡°The position of the core has changed.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The destroyed Sand Soldiers were instantly restored and attacked them. The Sand Soldiers were nightmares to them. ¡°Argh!¡± First, Shuhan screamed and fell. As he had the lowestbat ability, he was the first to go down. Next was Komein. Having used up all his Blink charges, Komein was an easy prey for the Sand Soldiers. ¡°Argh!¡± He screamed and fell, never to move again. Kouji, Yuri, and Byrun¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. Theirrades¡¯ deaths had taken away their reason. Normally, a raid team formed once would be maintained until the end unless there were extraordinary circumstances. Naturally, they would know each other well and develop deep bonds. It was almost like a family rtionship. Losing such family-likerades, it was understandable that their minds were turned upside down. They disregarded defense and rushed forward. To Zeon¡¯s eyes, they looked like moths flying into a me even though they knew they would die. Zeon unleashed mes upon them. ¡°Fire Rain!¡± It was a firepower unlike anything before. Combined with the attacks of the Sand Soldiers, it was overwhelming. Boom! Boom! Boom! Tremendous explosions shook the dungeon to its core. ¡ª Brrrr! Jack and the raid team knelt, losing their bnce due to the tremendous vibration and shaking under their feet. ¡°Argh!¡±r ¡°What¡¯s happening? Did the dungeon copse?¡± Sometimes, when a dungeon copses, it can cause tremendous shockwaves in the surrounding area. However, it was the first time the entire area shook like an earthquake. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What about the people inside the dungeon?¡± When a dungeon copses, the people inside naturally perish. Of course, they should have escaped before the dungeon copsed. Jack¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Surely, they didn¡¯t fail to escape, did they?¡± ¡°What¡­ They didn¡¯t manage to escape?¡± At that moment, a voice came from behind. It was the voice of Old Man Klexi, who had been carried on his back. ¡°Guild Leader!¡± ¡°I handed over the guild to Se-hee. I¡¯m no longer the Guild Leader.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that you¡¯re safe.¡± Jack quickly put Old Man Klexi down on the ground. Old Man Klexi shook his head and said. ¡°What were you talking about?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They couldn¡¯t escape? Who?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Jack couldn¡¯t easily continue his sentence. Old Man Klexi prodded. ¡°What happened? I remember being captured by the Hell Moles, but how did you save me? Your abilities alone wouldn¡¯t have been enough.¡± Though justing to his senses, Old Man Klexi quickly regained his sharp wit. It was the Hell Moles dungeon, where even the raid team he led had failed. He couldn¡¯t understand how Jack¡¯s raid team, with inferior skillspared to his own, had managed to rescue him. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Spit it out properly.¡± In the end, Jack spilled the truth. ¡°In fact¡­¡± After hearing the whole story, Old Man Klexi clicked his tongue. ¡°So you left Zeon behind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Was that Se-hee¡¯s decision?¡± ¡°It was a decision she had no choice but to make as the Guild Leader. Awakeneds were being deployed to other dungeons, and we were woefully understaffed¡­¡± ¡°Even so, you join hands with Xiao Lun? How cunning that person is. He¡¯s not someone Se-hee can handle.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not Xiao Lun but someone named Tajik¡­¡± ¡°Tajik is someone raised and trusted by Xiao Lun. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to call him Xiao Lun¡¯s copy. And you fell for the bait he offered. Did I hand over the Guild leadership too easily?¡± He wasn¡¯t concerned about Zeon¡¯s safety. Although Zeon was an interesting presence, he wasn¡¯t more important than his granddaughter. What was regrettable was Se-hee¡¯s immaturity in epting Tajik¡¯s proposal too easily. ¡°It¡¯s a shame. He was a guy with more value to exploit.¡± Old Man Klexi licked his lips, thinking of Zeon. He was already convinced that Zeon was dead. No matter how much they denied it, there was a big difference between the Awakeneds of the slums and those of Neo Seoul. The Inazuma raid team was recognized for its capabilities even in Neo Seoul. Old Man Klexi thought that no matter how strong Zeon was, he would be powerless against their organization. As Old Man Klexi was gazing in the direction of the dungeon with a faint look in his eyes. Swaaah! Suddenly, a streak of dust shot up into the sky from the direction of the dungeon. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Others also murmured as they saw the spectacle. Then, something emerged from the soaring dust. The object that popped out rapidly flew towards where Old Man Klexi was. Old Man Klexi widened his eyes. ¡°It can¡¯t be?¡± It wasn¡¯t just him who widened his eyes. Jack and his subordinates¡¯ eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. In their sight, the object that was flying rapidly approached them. It took only a few seconds for them to realize that it was a human being. Thud! The object that flewnded smoothly in front of Old Man Klexi and Jack¡¯s raid team. ¡°H-how?¡± Their voices trembled involuntarily because the object thatnded in front of Old Man Klexi was someone they knew. Old Man Klexi spoke to him. ¡°You¡¯re alive? Zeon!¡± The one who flew from afar was none other than Zeon. Zeon smiled and said. ¡°Oh! You woke up?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 98 Chapter 98 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 98 Instantly, Old Man Klexi felt a chilling sensation coursing through his entire body. It felt like ice water had been poured over him, and a sense of chill crept over him, with rm bells ringing incessantly in his mind. He sensed an unsettling atmosphere hidden within Zeon¡¯s brief words. However, he forced a nonchnt expression and replied. ¡°I just regained consciousness a moment ago.¡± ¡°Thank goodness.¡± ¡°You were also part of the raid?¡± ¡°The Guild Leader, Yoo Se-hee, asked me for a favor.¡± ¡°Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, I was able toe back alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d I could help.¡± Zeon smiled. That smile felt like a razor de pressed against Old Man Klexi¡¯s throat. Old Man Klexi changed the subject. ¡°Did you¡­e out of the dungeon alone?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What about the Inazuma Raid Team?¡± ¡°It seems they couldn¡¯t make it out.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you with them?¡± ¡°I was.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Seems like they couldn¡¯t find a way out.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Unintentionally, Old Man Klexi¡¯s let out a sigh. Kouji, the leader of the Inazuma Raid Team, was a B-rank Awakened. His subordinates, Yuri, Byrun, and Komein, were C-rank, and Shuhan was D-rank. It was certainly not a force to be underestimated. With such power, they could have easily wiped out a raid team from the slums in no time. But they couldn¡¯t find a way out of the dungeon? It was an unbelievable story to anyone. ¡®Did he single-handedly annihte the Inazuma Raid Team?¡¯ Upon closer inspection, there was not a trace of sweat on Zeon¡¯s body. ¡®After Goran, now the Inazuma Raid Team¡­.¡¯ Gulp! Unknowingly, Old Man Klexi swallowed dryly. This much had to be acknowledged. The man in front of him right now was an extraordinary individual. Behind that handsome appearance hid an unimaginable cruelty and ruthlessness. ¡°Did the dungeonpletely copse?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I see.¡± When a dungeon copses, everything inside it naturally disappears. The Inazuma Raid Team had also beenpletely erased from this world. Zeon said. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that high-level personnel like the Inazuma Raid Team couldn¡¯t make it out of the dungeon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No major issues, right?¡± ¡°Probably¡­ not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fortunate. I can¡¯t stand being troubled.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Old Man Klexi realized he was clenching his fists unknowingly. His palms were moist with sweat. Seeing Old Man Klexi like this, Zeon said. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Old Man Klexi replied with difficulty. Zeon moved lightly as if he were someone out for a stroll. However, the footsteps of those following behind him felt as heavy as lead. ¡ª Upon hearing of Old Man Klexi¡¯s return, Yoo Se-hee rushed out barefoot. ¡°Grandfather!¡± ¡°Se-hee!¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little exhausted, but I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Oh! Thank goodness.¡± Se-hee breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you.¡± ¡°Why did you enter the dungeon? Raiding dungeons should be left to the younger generation¡­¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± ¡°In any case, if you ever enter a dungeon again, do you think I won¡¯t see you? Got it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go through that ordeal again. I won¡¯t personally enter a dungeon again.¡± ¡°Is that a promise?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it. You must be tired, so let¡¯s leave it at that for today.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Old Man Klexi managed a faint smile. He was on the brink of copse as it was. Any more nagging, and he might copse. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is interfering with your family¡¯s reunion.¡± A strange voice pricked Old Man Klexi¡¯s ears. Instantly, Old Man Klexi¡¯s gaze turned cold. He sensed the identity of the voice¡¯s owner. ¡°Tajik?¡± ¡°Long time no see.¡± The man who greeted Old Man Klexi with a smile was none other than Tajik. His appearance caused Old Man Klexi¡¯s expression to stiffen. ¡°I¡¯m d you returned safely.¡± ¡°Thanks to you.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t see the Inazuma Raid Team. Did they return to Neo Seoul first?¡± ¡°They couldn¡¯t make it out of the dungeon.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Instantly, Tajik¡¯s face lost its smile. Old Man Klexi knew that the dry expression on Tajik¡¯s face was his true nature. ¡°Are you saying the Inazuma Raid Team was wiped out?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it seems they got lost inside the dungeon after rescuing this old man. They couldn¡¯t make it out in time.¡± ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°What can I do if it¡¯s the truth?¡± Old Man Klexi replied nonchntly without changing his expression. Tajik red at Old Man Klexi with a terrifying look, but his gaze couldn¡¯t shake Old Man Klexi. ¡°What about Zeon?¡± ¡°He went home.¡± ¡°Is he unharmed?¡± ¡°Not a scratch¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tajik tightly pressed his lips together. Old Man Klexi smiled secretly. ¡®It¡¯s amusing to see him flustered.¡¯ But he had to distinguish between business and personal matters. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] In any case, he owed Tajik a debt. Old Man Klexi said to Tajik. ¡°Give this Mana Stone to Xiao Lun. It¡¯s the reward for saving me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Old Man Klexi handed a Mana Stone to Tajik. It was one of the highest-rank Mana Stones he had kept. It came from a boss-level monster and was an item not found in the market. The gleaming ck stone was extraordinary at a nce. However, Tajik didn¡¯t even spare a nce at such a Mana Stone. Clutching it tightly, his clenched fist showed how angry he was. ¡®Understandable. If it was the Inazuma Raid Team, it would have been the best force Tajik could havemanded.¡¯ Though a follower of Xiao Lun, the leader of the southern part of Neo Seoul, he had his limits in terms of military strength. Xiao Lun never concentrated his power on one person. He held tightly to everything important and only threw scraps to his followers. The Inazuma Raid Team was the best force Tajik couldmand. The disappearance of such a top force in the blink of an eye naturally angered Tajik. ¡®He¡¯ll be furious for a while.¡¯ This was the best he could manage. Whatever happened next with Tajik, or how Zeon responded, was out of his hands. Of course, he couldn¡¯tpletely ignore it, but still. ¡°Hah!¡± A heavy sigh unconsciously expressed his feelings. ¡ª ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± As Zeon opened the door and entered, Brielle didn¡¯t even turn her head. Brielle¡¯s face looked pale, as if she had stayed up all night. Her eyes were bloodshot, and dark circles were deeply etched under them. Zeon asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡­ failed.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I failed. I¡¯ve been focusing for two days and nights¡­¡± Brielle looked like she might cry any moment now. During Zeon¡¯s absence, she had been immersed only in alchemy. She had used up all the ingredients she bought at the Goblin Market. But the result was failure. She had used all the materials she had brought back, and what remained was intense fatigue and helplessness. ¡°Ahh!¡± Tears welled up in Brielle¡¯s eyes. Zeon asked her. ¡°What exactly are you trying to make?¡± He had been curious for a long time. He had asked her several times in passing, but Brielle never revealed what she was trying to make. ¡°Mana Amplification Potion.¡± ¡°Amplification Potion?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s a potion that instantly increases mana capacity.¡± ¡°Is that some kind of narcotic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± Brielle snapped. She knew better than anyone the harm of narcotics. She had ruined her body by making narcotics. The Mana Amplification Potion she was making had hints from making narcotics. She had hidden it at the time, but now that she was free, it was different. ¡°Ugh! What should I do? I really want to make it.¡± Brielle nced at Zeon. Since she had used up all the materials she had boughtst time, she needed to buy them again. But to buy them again, she needed money. Currently, there was only Zeon who could provide money, so she was cautious. Zeon took out a gem from his pocket. Brielle¡¯s pupils dted instantly. She recognized it as a Mana Stone. And it was very precious. With its size and luster, it was undoubtedly obtained from defeating a boss. ¡°A Mana Stone?¡± ¡°Do you want it?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Brielle¡¯s head nodded frantically. ¡°Then tell me. What can you make with the wings of a Queen Ghost Dragonfly?¡± ¡°Is that by any chance the Mana Stone of a Queen Ghost Dragonfly?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°But why the wings?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask why. By the way, the Queen Ghost Dragonfly was forced to molt.¡± ¡°Forced?¡± Brielle furrowed her brow. Forcing a Queen Ghost Dragonfly to molt wasn¡¯t as easy as it sounded. ¡°That¡¯d require an S-rank Tamer or an S-rank item to make it happen¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s already done. So don¡¯t bother assessing the possibility, just tell me what can be done with the wings.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot you can do. Since it¡¯s not affected by gravity, you can make flying items.¡± ¡°To what extent is it unaffected by gravity?¡± ¡°In theory, you can go up endlessly.¡± ¡°Without any effect at high altitudes?¡± ¡°Yeah! With wings of a Queen Ghost Dragonfly, you could probably lift hundreds of kilos into the sky. But what¡¯s the point?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There are flying monsters in the sky. There¡¯s no way they would just leave something lifted by humans be.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who did it, but as I see it, it seems like a waste of effort.¡± Zeon didn¡¯t agree with Brielle¡¯s opinion. ¡®Whoever found a dungeon with two bosses and precisely forced only the Queen Ghost Dragonfly to molt must be aware of such facts. They must have a clear n to neutralize flying-type monsters or prepared countermeasures even if they were hindered.¡¯ It was just Zeon¡¯s spection. But he thought his spection would be correct. Zeon said to Brielle. ¡°Write down all the ways you can utilize the wings of a Queen Ghost Dragonfly and give it to me.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Here you go!¡± Zeon handed the Mana Stone to Brielle. A bright smile lit up Brielle¡¯s face. ¡°Yahoo!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 99 Chapter 99 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 99 Zeon was sitting on a street in the slums. There wasn¡¯t any particr reason. He just felt like it. Squatting on the steps of some building, he nkly watched the passing people, and no one paid him any attention. Thanks to that, Zeon could finally enjoy some leisure time. The scorching sun, the stuffy air, everything felt good. As Zeon was enjoying his midday leisure, a loud noise shattered the peace. ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°We need to dispose of the corpse before it rots.¡± ¡°Get out of the way! Move! You beggar scum!¡± Dozens of Awakeneds were seen entering the main road leading to Neo Seoul. They all looked battered and bruised, as if they had just finished a fierce battle, covered in sand and monster bodily fluids. What caught Zeon¡¯s eye was therge truck they were dragging along. Inside the truck¡¯s cargo hold was a massive monster carcass. ¡°A Crown Bear? It¡¯s rare to see one.¡± The Crown Bear was a gigantic monster with horns resembling a crown on its head. It¡¯s capable of walking on both four and two legs like a bear, and could use its front legs like a human, making it extremely challenging to deal with. Its adult skin was so tough that it couldn¡¯t be scratched by ordinary weapons, and it also had strong resistance to magic. As a result, most ordinary Awakeneds couldn¡¯t handle a Crown Bear. To hunt a Crown Bear, you needed a party with abination of melee and magic-type Awakeneds or a raid team. It was worth forming a group like that. As a Crown Bear¡¯s carcass itself was a tremendous treasure. The galldder,monly referred to as a talisman, increased mana, and its internal organs became essential ingredients for various potions. Even its meat and bones became alchemical ingredients, so capturing just one could earn a tremendous amount of money. What mattered most was time. Crown Bear carcasses decayed incredibly quickly, so they needed to be disposed of quickly. That¡¯s why those who hunted Crown Bears were rushing like that. ¡°Get out of the way! Beggar bastards!¡± They shouted loudly as they ran madly towards Neo Seoul. People on the street avoided them on their own. Knowing that even if they were hit by the truck, no one would care about them. To them, the people in the slums were no better than stones on the side of the road. Stones were used to build buildings, but even if people from the slums were brought in, there was no ce to use them. Like a sandstorm in the desert, the Awakeneds who hunted Crown Bears disappeared into Neo Seoul in an instant, and the streets became a mess. ¡°How much do you think they¡¯ll give for a Crown Bear?¡± ¡°Do you have any Crown Bears hidden away?¡± Then, a voice was heard from one side of the street. When Zeon turned his head, he saw a man who didn¡¯t fit in with the slums. In a neat suit with neatlybed hair, the impressive-looking man was none other than Tajik. Zeon didn¡¯t hesitate to answer. ¡°I wish there were. But what¡¯s a clean person like you doing in a dirty ce like this?¡± ¡°I came to see you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Zeon blinked his eyes as if he really didn¡¯t know the reason. Tajik felt disgusted by Zeon¡¯s natural response. But he calmly disguised his boiling anger and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s because of the Inazuma raid team.¡± ¡°Ah! The Inazuma raid team. They were quitepetent, so it¡¯s regrettable what happened to them.¡± ¡°Regrettable?¡± ¡°If only I had a bit more power, I could¡¯ve brought them out with me. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tajik¡¯s eyes trembled slightly at Zeon¡¯s natural response. It happened inside the dungeon. No one other than the parties involved knew what happened inside. Once a dungeon was destroyed, it disappearedpletely from the world. It left no evidence of its existence. Tajik couldn¡¯t know exactly what happened inside the dungeon. ¡®Koji is very ambitious. And he never disobeys my orders. He must have challenged him.¡¯ He ordered the Inazuma raid team to find out Zeon¡¯s rank. The most urate way to assess an opponent¡¯s rank was to fight them directly. So Koji and the Inazuma raid team must have fought Zeon. The problem is that the Inazuma raid team couldn¡¯t escape the dungeon, while Zeon survived alone. ¡°So, the Inazuma raid team fell behind and couldn¡¯t escape the dungeon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s regrettable.¡± Zeon replied nonchntly without changing his expression. Tajik tried to discern the truth from Zeon¡¯s subtle facial expressions, but it was futile. ¡®This bastard¡­¡¯ For a moment, Tajik¡¯s anger surged. He quickly suppressed his urge to act but couldn¡¯t avoid Zeon¡¯s gaze. Rather, he had his true intentions figured out by Zeon. Unaware of that fact, Tajik continued. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the Inazuma raid team didn¡¯t make it out and perished along with the dungeon. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The Inazuma raid team isn¡¯t a bunch of fools who wouldn¡¯t be able to escape a copsing dungeon.¡± ¡°Is that so? Maybe they just had bad luck. The dungeon did copse suddenly.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Tajik let out a sigh without realizing it. There was no loophole in Zeon¡¯s words. He couldn¡¯t gauge Zeon¡¯s rank, and he lost the Inazuma raid team in vain. ¡®Should I just be honest and try to recruit him?¡¯ Someone was needed to rece the Crocodiles. Based on what he had observed so far, Zeon seemed like a perfect fit. But as Tajik conversed with Zeon, his feelings changed. ¡®No, he¡¯s not someone who listens to orders blindly. Judging by how he dealt with the Inazuma raid team, he¡¯s cunning and resilient. He¡¯s not someone who will be under someone, and he certainly won¡¯t obey orders.¡¯ Having organized his thoughts, Tajik smiled coldly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough.¡± ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Until next time. Goodbye then¡­¡± Tajik nodded slightly and disappeared. Watching Tajik vanish, Zeon murmured softly. ¡°I guess letting it go quietly isn¡¯t an option.¡± Zeon knew people like Tajik well. Men with eyes full of ambition and confidence never tolerated even a single failure. They saw failure as a blow to their pride. There would be no thought of using Zeon in his mind. All that was left was the determination to restore his pride. ¡°Letting it go quietly would only lead to more trouble, huh?¡± Zeon sighed lightly. *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] A massive fortress wall that seemed overwhelming just to look at. This wall was the barrier that separated Neo Seoul from the slums. Standing fifty meters tall and thicker than five meters, this massive fortress wall was covered with various magic circles and weapons. Erected to protect Neo Seoul from giant monsters, this massive fortress wall prohibited unauthorized human ess. Especially at the giant gate connecting to the slums, Awakeneds stood guard, preventing slum dwellers from approaching. Even slum dwellers who approached from afar were only a handful. They only watched from a distance out of curiosity but didn¡¯t dare to get closer. Awakeneds mocked such slum dwellers. ¡°Hah! The beggars are staring again.¡± ¡°Let them be. They¡¯re just curious.¡± ¡°They must have a lot to be curious about what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°Oh my! The smell¡­¡± The Awakeneds pretended to cover their noses. Although they were all humans, they didn¡¯t treat the slum dwellers as such. To them, humans were only those residing in Neo Seoul. Even within Neo Seoul, there was a distinction in status. Between Awakeneds and ordinary people. But being an ordinary person didn¡¯t necessarily mean being lower than an Awakened. Even among ordinary people, there were sessful individuals. People who operated businesses like ughterhouses or Mana Stone processingpanies, or those who showed their prowess in their respective fields often received better treatment than most Awakeneds. Anyway, those living within Neo Seoul yed roles ording to their capabilities. The system of the human society that copsed hundreds of years ago still exists here intact. What the Awakeneds disdain are those outside of this system. That is, the humans in the slums. Even without them, Neo Seoul could function without any major issues. So, their well-being is not a concern. In the view of the chuckling Awakeneds, a man approached the main gate. He was walking briskly, wearing a robe with a hat pulled down deep. An Awakened halted him. ¡°Who are you? Identify yourself.¡± ¡°My name is Zeon.¡± The man was indeed Zeon. ¡°Zeon? Are you from the slums?¡± The Awakened looked puzzled. People who left Neo Seoul were usually known to most. But Zeon was a face they had never seen before. Hence, they suspected he was from the slums. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why would a slum dweller be here? Without being from Neo Seoul or having an entry pass, you can¡¯t enter.¡± ¡°I have one. An entry pass.¡± ¡°You do?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zeon took out a temporary entry pass from his pocket and threw it to the Awakened. He had received it after saving Mandy a long time ago. It was a temporary pass valid for only a month. The Awakened examined the pass with an impressed expression. ¡°The issuer is Mandy Systein, and the guarantor is Mechanic Kim Sang-sik? Let me check this.¡± He passed it to another Awakened, who checked it with a scanner. A blue light lit up on the scanner. It meant it was genuine. Although Neo Seoul¡¯s entry passes were magically processed to be impossible to forge, the Awakened still eyed Zeon suspiciously. ¡°What is your purpose in entering Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to meet Mandi Systein.¡± ¡°You mean the issuer?¡± ¡°Yes. Any problem?¡± ¡°No. You may pass.¡± Since the identities of the issuer and the guarantor were confirmed, there was no reason to stop him. With a dull sound, the thick gate opened. ¡°Go in. You can stay in Neo Seoul for only a month. If you stay beyond that, the guards will find you and kill you.¡± The temporary entry pass Zeon received had a tracking spell on it. Even after the permit expired, if he stayed in Neo Seoul, the magic would trigger, allowing the guards to find him. ¡°I won¡¯t stay that long. I¡¯ll leave as soon as my business is done.¡± Zeon smiled and passed through the main gate. As he entered Neo Seoul, the air changed. The air itself felt refreshing, as if turning on an air purifier. It waspletely different from the stuffy outside air. It felt like even the deepest parts of his lungs were being cleansed. There were no pebbles rolling on the streets, and nomon sand was visible outside. Sleek buildings soared high into the sky, and the attire of people walking the streets was neat and stylish. Cars and various modes of transportation moved without a sound. The sights Zeon had only heard about in stories were unfolding before his eyes. It was the most advanced city in the world. A state-of-the-art colony defyingparison with any colony he had encountered ever before. Perhaps he didn¡¯t even realize that this ce might be the pinnacle of current human civilization. Zeon took his first steps into a city that surpassed any colony he had ever seen. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 100 Chapter 100 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 100 Zeon was a powerhouse in the desert. In the desert, Zeon had nothing to fear. Neither the monsters striding across the sands nor the mysterious creatures lurking underground could instill fear in him. However, the mega city, experiencing it for the first time, brought an inexplicable fear to Zeon. The massive walls surrounding Neo Seoul were walls of despair that he could never hope to ovee. Beyond those wallsy a new world, but Zeon did not possess the qualification to pass through that gigantic gate. So, Neo Seoul felt like an illusion to him. The fact that he was within Neo Seoul didn¡¯t feel like reality. It was like the feeling just before waking up from a dream. But Zeon quickly regained hisposure. ¡®I¡¯ve be sentimental too.¡¯ Zeon chuckled as he moved on. Neo Seoul, seen firsthand, was enormous. It was muchrger and more splendid than he had vaguely imagined from the outside. The streets stretched out like a checkerboard, with tall buildings packed tightly into each block. Various vehicles of different sizes traveled the streets, and colorful signs and dazzling billboards cluttered the view. For neers, it was the perfect environment to lose their way. But Zeon strode on without hesitation. Thanks to Mandy and Kim Sang-sik, he had a grasp of Neo Seoul¡¯s geography. Neo Seoul was divided into five main districts. There was the central district with the City Hall, and four districts divided into east, west, south, and north. The central district with the City Hall was truly the heart of Neo Seoul. All the streets in Neo Seoul led to this central district, and conversely, from the central district, roads branched out like spiderwebs to each district. There were no clearly defined boundaries between each district. People just implicitly recognized certain areas as the north district, south district, and so on. Where Zeon was heading was the border area between the central district and the east district. This area, densely popted with apartments, was where many ordinary people lived. The apartments, both then and now , had the optimal conditions for themon people to live in. Their structure allowed for the most number of people to be squeezed into limitednd. At first nce, they seemed no different from the buildings in the slums, but they were unparalleled in convenience, security, andfort. ¡°So, this is it.¡± Zeon walked towards one of the towering apartments. ¡°Hey, stop right there.¡± But before reaching the main entrance, someone blocked his way. It was a guard stationed at the apartment. The guard was armed with a personal firearm. While it might not be much against monsters or Awakeneds, it was enough to intimidate ordinary people. Guards like him were stationed at each apartment or public ce. They strictly managed theings and goings of visitors. The guard scanned Zeon up and down and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re a new face here. What¡¯s your business?¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to meet someone.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Mandy Systain. She lives in this apartment.¡± ¡°Is there a prior appointment?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then you can¡¯t enter.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you contact her inside?¡± At Zeon¡¯s words, the guard frowned and replied. ¡°Unless there¡¯s a direct contact from inside, nobody gets in.¡± ¡°I¡¯m her acquaintance. If you contact her, she¡¯ll surely let me in.¡± ¡°Hmph! There are no exceptions.¡± The guard snorted dismissively. It was clear he was ignoring Zeon. The power of the guards in the apartment was quite significant. Since they were responsible for safety, if the guard didn¡¯t permit it, nobody could enter. Zeon looked perplexed. He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter obstacles right at the entrance of the apartment. While overpowering the guard and entering was an option, it would attract attention. ¡°Tsk!¡± Zeon clicked his tongue and nced around. It was at that moment. Boom! Suddenly, not far from the apartment, there was a loud explosion apanied by mes shooting up. Instantly, the guard¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°Damn it! Again?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Again?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s a district war.¡± At Zeon¡¯s inquiry, the guard snapped angrily. ¡°A district war? Are you saying there¡¯s a war between districts?¡± ¡°Fuck! Are you asking that because you don¡¯t know? It happens every day here.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Zeon¡¯s gaze sank deeper. Honestly, Neo Seoul seen from the slums seemed quite peaceful. It didn¡¯t seem like there would be any disputes here. However, this ce was still where people lived. Just like in the slums, there were conflicts among humans here too. But conflicts were only permitted between the east, west, south, and north districts. Any disturbances in the central district with the City Hall, the domain of the Awakeneds, were not tolerated. If a problem arose in the central district, the Awakeneds directly under the City Hall would intervene immediately. If the problem was deemed serious, the execution unit directly under the Mayor would act. When the execution unit moved, blood would flow in Neo Seoul. No matter how powerful the rulers of each district were, they couldn¡¯t ignore the execution unit. The execution unit consisted of Awakeneds ranging from A-rank to S-rank, each possessing tremendous abilities. Because of this, even the rulers of each district were wary of the execution unit. Boom! Once again, a massive explosion urred. The mes soaring into the sky dyed the sky of Neo Seoul crimson. But this time, the explosion happened much closer than before. The guard looked at the site of the explosion with a tense expression. ¡°Shit! If this continues, won¡¯t we get involved in this mess too?¡± Though they existed to fend off external threats, the guards had no ability to stop shes among the Awakeneds. Just then, another explosion urred. Bang! ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Krgh! This crazy bastard¡­ Run!¡± Desperate cries of people followed. After a moment, the chaos subsided as if nothing had happened. ¡°Is it over¡­?¡± The guard muttered under his breath, loosening his grip on the gun. His entire body was now drenched in sweat. That¡¯s how tense he had been. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] At that moment. ¡°Hey! What the hell, is this because of those bastards?¡± Apanied by grumbling, someone walked towards them. Wiping blood from her head and shoulders, a woman approached, holding arge spear in her hand. As she touched the handle of the spear, it folded and transformed into a baton. She tucked the baton behind her waist and casually wiped the blood off her body with her hand. ¡°I feel so ufortable. I need to take a bath.¡± She grumbled as she approached the entrance of the apartment where Zeon and the guard stood. A smile crept onto Zeon¡¯s lips. ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°Who? Huh! Why are you here?¡± The woman widened her eyes in surprise as she looked at Zeon. Zeon approached her. ¡°Mandy! No, Eloy?¡± ¡°Wow! Damn, it¡¯s really you. I thought I was seeing things.¡± ¡°Eloy. As expected, you caused the fight just now.¡± ¡°Ah! It was a sh with those elf bastards. But more importantly, how did you get in here?¡± ¡°I came to meet you.¡± ¡°Really? Well, let¡¯s go inside for now.¡± Eloy led Zeon towards the entrance of the apartment. Gulp! The guard, witnessing this, swallowed nervously. He couldn¡¯t predict what consequences he might face if Eloy found out that he had blocked Zeon. Even at a nce, Eloy looked formidable. Her fierce gaze, aura of strength emanating from her entire body, and her blood-drenched body made her too intimidating for a mere guard to handle. Just then, Zeon tapped the guard¡¯s shoulder lightly. ¡°Rx. Nothing will happen.¡± ¡°What? Uh, yes!¡± ¡°Can I go in?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The guard answered loudly. Zeon smiled and walked past him. Eloy asked Zeon as they entered. ¡°What happened here?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Oh! Really?¡± ¡°Did you say you fought with the elves?¡± ¡°Hmph! Lately, these bastards have been causing trouble little by little.¡± ¡°Is it a problem in the north district?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Whether it¡¯s the Ice Queen letting them loose or those beyond her control running rampant,tely, they¡¯ve been causing more trouble.¡± When elves were mentioned, Eloy¡¯s eyes gleamed fiercely. Her hatred towards elves remained as strong as ever. Click! ¡°Here¡¯s my home!¡± She said as she opened the door to her house. Eloy¡¯s house was no different from Zeon¡¯s. The interior was simple with only essential furniture and appliances, giving it a stark atmosphere. ¡°It¡¯s in, isn¡¯t it?¡± In an instant, Eloy¡¯s tone changed. A different personality seemed to emerge from her just moments ago. But Zeon wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°Mandy?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Sorry for dropping by unexpectedly.¡± ¡°No problem. But why did youe all the way here?¡± ¡°I have a request.¡± Zeon¡¯s polite words piqued Mandy¡¯s interest. From what she understood, Zeon was never the type of person to ask someone for something. ¡°What¡¯s the request?¡± ¡°Find out about someone named Tajik for me.¡± ¡°Tajik? Is that a person¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°At the moment, I only know the name.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Mandy furrowed her brows. With over twenty million people residing in Neo Seoul, finding someone named Tajik seemed nearly impossible. Of course, for an ordinary person. Mandy wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. Even in Neo Seoul, she was recognized for her abilities and worked as a supervisor. If she set her mind to it, she could ess the central district¡¯s database. But of course, it came with some risks. After a moment of thought, she cautiously responded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll look into it.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you.¡± ¡°I also owe you a favor.¡± Without Zeon, she wouldn¡¯t have survived in the desert. Paying off this debt now felt ratherforting. ¡°How long will it take to gather information?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take too long. If he¡¯s an important or dangerous figure, there should be information avable at the City Hall.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°At thetest, I should have the information by tomorrow afternoon. Stay here until then.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t impose on you that much. Is there a nearby ce to stay?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a fairlyrge hotel two blocks north. As long as you don¡¯t go to the casino underground, it should be fine.¡± ¡°A casino? There¡¯s one here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s mainly frequented by humans looking to make a quick buck. They often end up losing everything. So, it¡¯s best not to go in the first ce.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll stay at the hotel then. Contact me once you find out.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Zeon nodded slightly in gratitude to Mandy before stepping outside. He headed towards the hotel Mandy had mentioned. As he walked up two blocks north, a beautiful building made of reinforced ss came into view. It was the hotel Mandy had mentioned. Zeon entered the hotel. The lobby was bustling with many people moving around. It seemed that there were quite a few visitors due to the casino underground. Just as Zeon was pushing through the crowd towards the front desk. ¡°Huh?¡± Familiar figures caught Zeon¡¯s eye as a group of Awakeneds walked towards him. There was a middle-aged man carrying a massive ymore on his back, followed by a man with a cynical expression and a blue-haired woman, and a giant boasting an enormous stature. Zeon recognized them at a nce. ¡®What a small world.¡¯ [TL/N: Thank you for reading until chapter 100 with me, look forward to 100 more!] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 101 Chapter 101 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 101 Zeon recognized them at a nce. ¡®Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party.¡¯ It was the party that had rescued Zeon eight years ago when he was attacked by a Sandworm in the middle of the desert. Without their help, Zeon would no longer be of this world. Unlike Zeon, who instantly remembered them, Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party did not recognize Zeon. Giselle red at Aiden. ¡°Why did they make this mess just to get us to go to the casino?¡± ¡°Who knew we¡¯d get swindled like this?¡± ¡°You were confident, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I was confident. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t know the big idiot would bet all at once.¡± Aiden nced back at theughing Mountain behind him. Mountain was at the root of all this chaos. Just when they entrusted arge sum of money to Mountain, he bet it all at once. Naturally, the dealer won, and Mountain lost all the money. By the time Jang Yong-beom found out about this, he was already penniless. Jang Yong-beom said. ¡°Whose idea was it to entrust money to Mountain?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought it would be the safest¡­¡± Aiden couldn¡¯t lift his head. He couldn¡¯t face Jang Yong-beom. ¡°There¡¯s no other way. We have to work.¡± ¡°I thought we¡¯d have a few days off? You big idiot, you do all the work.¡± Giselle kicked Mountain¡¯s butt. Still, Mountain justughed heartily. Just like that, Jang Yong-beom¡¯s partyughed and chattered as they passed by Zeon. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, Jang Yong-beom turned around. Giselle looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°The man who passed by just now.¡± ¡°That handsome man?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel like you¡¯ve seen him somewhere before?¡± ¡°Me? Not at all. You wouldn¡¯t forget seeing such a handsome man.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve seen him somewhere.¡± Jang Yong-beom rubbed his chin with his finger, trying to recall. But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn¡¯t remember a name. Zeon had already disappeared into the crowd. But the scent he left behind kept Jang Yong-beom rooted in ce. £ª£ª£ª ¡®He has a good memory. Remembering something that passed by just once.¡¯ Jang Yong-beom muttered softly, but it was clear to Zeon¡¯s ears. ¡®He¡¯s as unchanged as ever, whether it¡¯s eight years ago or now. Still looks strong.¡¯ The only difference is that back then, he felt so imposing that it was overbearing, but now, that feeling was gone. Perhaps because Zeon has be so much stronger than he was back then. Zeon got a room at the front desk. His room was on the fifteenth floor. He was about to casually take the stairs when he remembered that this was Neo Seoul. In all high-rise buildings in Neo Seoul, elevators are, of course, present. Elevators are abundant here, unlike in the slums. The elevator quickly andfortably transported him to the fifteenth floor. Thanks to it, he could enter his room without exerting any effort. The hotel room was very narrow. It was much smaller than Zeon¡¯s house in the slums. Still, it had everything one could need. Zeon was surrounded by various electrical devices and amenities he had never seen before. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± Zeon was bewildered as he pressed the handle of the faucet. Soon, boiling water and steam gushed out. Even this sight was quite shocking to Zeon. How much of a blessing it is to enjoy civilized life so casually, people living in Neo Seoul wouldn¡¯t know. ¡°Haah!¡± Zeon sat on the bed and looked at Neo Seoul. The splendid and imposing view of Neo Seoul spread out before him. Even though it was night, the streets and buildings were brightly illuminated by dazzling lights. ¡°It¡¯s apletely different world from the slums.¡± It was much more morous and impressive than he had vaguely imagined. Because of this, it seemed that if an Awakened were to emerge from the slums, they would be eager toe to Neo Seoul. Once you get used to such afortable life, you wouldn¡¯t want to go back to the slums again. Zeony on the bed trying to sleep, but he couldn¡¯t easily fall asleep due to the excitement of entering Neo Seoul. ¡°Hah! I guess I should go to the casino.¡± In the end, Zeon gave up on sleeping. Mandy had warned him not to go to the casino, saying it¡¯s a recipe for disaster. But since he was in Neo Seoul, he thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt to go at least once. Zeon stepped outside and took the elevator. As soon as he opened the door to the casino on the basement level, the air changed. It was filled with intense heat and intoxicating madness. ¡°All right!¡± ¡°Shit! Just a little more effort.¡± ¡°Just one more round.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Zeon found himself putting on an expression he didn¡¯t even realize, echoing the frenzied shouts of the people. There wasn¡¯t a single sane person in sight. Most people were engrossed in the gambling happening right in front of them, with wide eyes. If he identally brushed past someone it seemed like they might explode like a volcano. That¡¯s how heated the atmosphere was. ¡°Waaaah!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± As the dealer flipped the cards, joy and despair intersected. The winners smiled brightly as if they had won the world, while the losers wore expressions as if they had lost their parents. Maintainingposure here was close to impossible. As civilization was rebuilt and people started living decently, casinos were established in the city. Still, there used to be boundaries to uphold in the old casinos. Limits on bets, types of gambling, and who could enter. Even though it was somewhat formal, there was a certain level of regtion. But in Neo Seoul¡¯s casinos, there were none of those restrictions. Unlimited betting amounts. Anyone could enter, and anything could be a gamble. In fact, on one side of the casino ring, fighters were violently fighting. Right now, Awakeneds were fighting each other, but sometimes it was fights between ordinary people. ¡°Dammit! A little more effort.¡± ¡°Kill him! If you can¡¯t, you¡¯ll die by my hands.¡± ¡°Yaaah!¡± As the fight erupted, the spectators roared with excitement. Thwack! Thwup! ¡°Ugh!¡± The face of the fighter hit by the opponent¡¯s fist twisted, and blood sttered in all directions. The sight further excited the spectators. ¡®Are they F-rank martial artists?¡¯ Zeon immediately recognized the fighters¡¯ ranks. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The world of Awakeneds is like a pyramid. At the bottom lies the F-rank, stacked one upon another, followed by E-rank, then D-rank, and so on. As the rank goes up, the number decreases rapidly, and the top S-ranks are truly a minority. In Neo Seoul, you had to be at least a D-rank to receive proper treatment. Below that, the treatment for E-ranks was a little better, but F-ranks were treated like trash. Among them, Martial Art Awakeneds weren¡¯t treated as Awakeneds at all. That¡¯s why many of them flowed into the casino rings like this, shedding blood while fighting. Winning meant being treated well at the casino. ¡°More, more!¡± ¡°Kill him, you bastard!¡± ¡°Yeaaahh!¡± As the winner was almost decided, the people became even more frenzied. Zeon silently watched the scene. Martial Art Awakeneds were, quite literally, those who awakened talents in their bodies. That¡¯s why their fights were brutal. They shed directly with their bodies to gauge the opponent¡¯s strength and then fought with all their might. There was no room for second thoughts. They poured everything into just one fight. Thwack! Thwup! Blood sprayed from the fists of the one striking. Flesh was torn, bones were exposed, but they kept on striking. Afterpletely sinking the opponent, they finally let out the breath they had been holding for so long. ¡°Haaack! Heok!¡± It felt like their hearts would burst. From the energy poured into their entire bodies in a short amount of time, heat rose along with steam. ¡°The winner is Kim Jun-seok.¡± The referee raised the winner¡¯s arm. In an instant, joy and sorrow intertwined. Those who had bet on Kim Jun-seok cheered, while those who had bet on the loser sighed. Kim Jun-seok, the winner, received a substantial prize. But people no longer paid attention to him. As he left the ring, new fighters stepped up, and people bet on them. Zeon had observed the whole process from start to finish. He understood why people were so excited. But he didn¡¯t want to jump into the gambling ring himself. Zeon clicked his tongue and looked elsewhere. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a jackpot.¡± At that moment, people cheered. A jackpot was hit at the slot machine. The winner of the jackpot was a woman in a robe. Though her face was hidden under a hat, she bounced in ce, enjoying the happiness. ¡°I knew it would happen. Finally, it¡¯s out. Hah! Fuck. It¡¯s making me cry.¡± The woman pretended to wipe tears. People around congratted her. But among them, there wasn¡¯t a single person genuinely congratting her. Their thoughts were only about how to benefit from her luck or how to get close to her and take advantage of her. Naturally, the woman, knowing the nature of these gamblers well, just gave formal thanks and kept her distance. Upon news of the jackpot, the manager rushed over. The manager told the woman to wait a moment, and he would exchange the jackpot for her. The woman nodded and walked towards the bar where Zeon was sitting with a happy face. ¡°Hey! Bartender, give me an Angel Duster.¡± ¡°Congrattions, dear customer!¡± The woman smiled at the bartender¡¯s words. ¡°Huh! Give everyone at this bar a drink.¡± ¡°Four!¡± The bartender replied and quickly made cocktails for the guests. Zeon also received a cocktail and thanked the woman. ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a face I¡¯ve seen before. You don¡¯t look like someone who frequents this ce.¡± ¡°Is there a face of someone who should be here?¡± ¡°Of course. Look around. See what kind of faces they have, how great their desires are. They have no interest in others¡¯ misfortunes. They are insensitive even to their own misfortunes. They indulge in gambling, knowing it¡¯s their downfall.¡± ¡°You speak as if you¡¯re not one of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m different from them.¡± ¡°What makes you different?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The woman bit her lip while speaking. She wore a hat over her robe, so her nose and face couldn¡¯t be seen, but even from the shape of her lips, it was clear that she was very ufortable. Zeon apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I spoke unnecessarily.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not entirely wrong. Anyway, I¡¯m here to blow off some steam.¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve had a tough time.¡± ¡°It was tough. I gave it my all after a long time.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Zeon nodded and looked at the woman. His eyes were shining sharply. ¡®The smell of a Ghost Dragonfly.¡¯ Ghost Dragonflies emit a unique pheromone when they die. The higher the rank, the more discreet the pheromone bes, and it has a distinctive scent. Most people don¡¯t know this fact, but Zeon could distinguish the pheromone of a Ghost Dragonfly. The scent emanating from the woman¡¯s body was that of a Ghost Dragonfly, emitted by a very strong individual when they die. ¡®For example, a Queen Ghost Dragonfly.¡¯ The woman raised her ss. ¡°My name is ire.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zeon.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. If fate allows, we¡¯ll meet again.¡± Having revealed her name as ire, she got up from her seat. She disappeared among the people in an instant. Zeon briefly considered following her but decided against it. He confirmed that she had the pheromone of a Queen Ghost Dragonfly. While it was impossible for others, Zeon had a way to track pheromones. ¡°ire¡­¡± Zeon shook his head slightly and put down his ss. He hadn¡¯t seen ire take a single sip of the drink she ordered. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 102 Chapter 102 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 102 Thud! Thud! Someone knocked on Zeon¡¯s door. As he opened it, Mandy was standing there. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°I slept soundly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Mandy sat down on a chair. In her hand, there was a stack of papers that seemed to have been printed out quickly. ¡°Is that it?¡± Handing the stack of papers to Zeon, Mandy said. ¡°Once you read it, you¡¯ll see that he¡¯s quite a troublesome person.¡± ¡°Is he a big shot?¡± ¡°Someone favored by a big shot?¡± ¡°A troublesome figure indeed.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Zeon read through the document that Mandy had printed out. It detailed Tajik¡¯s background in detail. ¡°An underling of Xiao Lun? The Xiao Lun who¡¯s known as the leader of the south?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°He¡¯s more than just a big shot.¡± ¡°Yes! He¡¯s a giant with tremendous power that reaches far and wide within Neo Seoul.¡± Even the term ¡®big shot¡¯ falls short in describing him. Xiao Lun not only had the stature of an S-rank Awakened himself, but also had S-rank or A-rank Awakeneds under hismand. He wielded immense power that could easily wipe out a colony outside of Neo Seoul in an instant. Tajik was one of the pawns under Xiao Lun¡¯s control. His official title was ¡®Head of SSC.¡¯ ¡°SSC?¡± ¡°Security Service Company. It¡¯s essentially a security service firm.¡± ¡°A security service firm. A very ambiguous name.¡± ¡°It¡¯s apany that¡¯s perfect for extending influence in various ways.¡± ¡°SSC, so Tajik is the head of this securitypany?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. He also oversees a few other minor businesses. But the greatest power lies in SSC, the securitypany.¡± Zeon tapped his chin with his finger as he flipped through the pages. ¡°Security service, meat processing nt, chemical dyepany. All of them are suitable for shady dealings. Based on what¡¯s written here, Tajik seems to be some kind of problem solver.¡± ¡°Wow! You figured that out at a nce.¡± Mandy couldn¡¯t help but exim in admiration at Zeon¡¯s insight. As he said, Tajik was indeed the problem solver under Xiao Lun¡¯smand. Thepanies Tajik managed were tailored to suit his activities. The security servicepany was perfect for employing Awakeneds undercover, while the monster meat processingpany was suitable for making backdoor deals. The chemical dyepany could conceal any dangerous substances it handled. Each of them was perfect for pulling off schemes. Based on this, Zeon spected that Tajik was Xiao Lun¡¯s problem solver. Zeon moved on to the next page. Thest paper detailed the current status of thepanies. Mandy said. ¡°This is the best I could find out. If we dig any deeper, Xiao Lun and Tajik will catch on.¡± ¡°This is sufficient.¡± Whoosh! Fire erupted from Zeon¡¯s hand, quickly incinerating the document. ¡°Now what are you going to do? As you can see, Tajik has the behemoth Xiao Lun backing him. If we make a wrong move, the entire slum will be razed to the ground.¡± Even she, who was fearless during her activities as Eloy, feared Xiao Lun, the leader of the south. Not to mention Mayor Jin Geum-ho was a given, but the leaders of each district were also monsters who had lived for many years. Each of them had built up immense power under theirmand, which could be considered the essence of Neo Seoul itself. Going against such individuals was as reckless as charging into battle without any armor, while facing an S-rank monster head-on. Even Mandy¡¯s other personality, Eloy, who was crazy, was not that crazy. Zeon said to her. ¡°I have no intention of bing an enemy of Xiao Lun.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Even with Zeon¡¯s coldhead response, Eloy¡¯s expression was still not cheerful. ¡°Ha! I don¡¯t know. Figure it out yourself. With this, I have paid off my debt.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Mandy got up. Zeon bid her farewell and then sat back down. The contents of the document were firmly stored in his mind. ¡°Xiao Lun was using the Crocodiles to secretly smuggle drugs, and when the Crocodiles were wiped out by me, the drug smuggling route was cut off. The alternative is to either recruit or eliminate me.¡± This was the information he had obtained from the Inazuma Raid Team. The one orchestrating all of this was Tajik. Leaving it alone would only lead to endless repercussions. That was why Zeon hade to Neo Seoul. Zeon approached the window and looked out at the view of Neo Seoul. ¡°Hmm!¡± *** The SSC condo was located on the outskirts of Neo Seoul¡¯s southern region. As it operated by dispatching manpower needed for each business, the headquarters was not veryrge. The headquarters was nothing more than a small warehouse-like building with a few offices. Being on the outskirts of Neo Seoul allowed them to operate in such a size of warehouse, but if it were in the city center, it would be unimaginable. Tajik was sitting in his office, at the top of the SSC condo. Inside the warehouse, the scene was brightly lit. SSC maintained a warehouse-type headquarters not because theycked funds. The warehouse format made operations convenient in many ways. Inside the warehouse, lower-rank Awakeneds were undergoing training. They were training to infiltrate by creating structures that resembled the streets of Neo Seoul. Most of the Awakeneds trained here were D or E-rank. ¡°Do it again with all your skills.¡± ¡°Is that your limit? You idiot! You have to squeeze out your limits to make the skill stronger.¡± ¡°Pay attention to mana distribution. You idiots!¡± The instructors pushed the Awakeneds harshly. Most of the instructors here were C-rank. They were higher-ranked than the Awakeneds being trained, and they had a lot of experience. That¡¯s why they were assigned as instructors to assist in the training of lower-rank Awakeneds. ¡°Good!¡± Tajik looked down on the scene with a satisfied expression. There were fifty Awakeneds gathered here. Once theypleted rigorous training, they would be dispatched as elite personnel to the businesses managed by Xiao Lun. In this way, Xiao Lun¡¯s power would be more solidified, and Tajik¡¯s strength would also increase. ¡°Haha! The real deal is underground here.¡± He took the elevator and descended to the warehouse¡¯s underground. The underground space was as vast as the warehouse aboveground. The underground space was thoroughly separated by partitions. Each partitioned area was conducting research that could not be revealed to the outside world. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Tajik headed to the deepest researchb. In theb, research was being conducted on substances that couldn¡¯t be revealed externally. Behind the ss of theb, a man was tied to an operating table. Tubes were connected to various parts of the man¡¯s body, and an unknown liquid was being injected into him. The more liquid was injected, the more intense the man¡¯s suffering became. The muscles throughout the man¡¯s body were swollen as if they were about to burst, and his veins were bulging out. Yet, it was remarkable that he was still alive. Tajik asked the researchers. ¡°How is it going?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve had some sess, but it¡¯s difficult to progress further.¡± ¡°The quality of the drug is still the problem. The drug that came in this time has many issues.¡± ¡°As expected¡­¡± ¡°The drugs supplied by the previous source were better. They were perfect for experiments, as they used human blood as a medium and had minimal side effects. How can we obtain them again?¡± ¡°Just wait a little longer. We¡¯re already working hard.¡± ¡°Hmm! If this research seeds, it will be possible to forcibly awaken ordinary humans. Then, we¡¯ll be able to mass-produce Awakeneds like pots in a factory.¡± Tajik nodded in agreement with the researcher¡¯s words. The research being conducted here was based on hints obtained from the drugs supplied by the Crocodiles. The drugs supplied by the Crocodiles were of very high purity and were perfect for explosively enhancing human potential through special methods of production. They created drugs to momentarily boost an Awakened¡¯s abilities. Researchers wondered if they could awaken ordinary humans based on this premise and proceeded with the research. The research was conducted secretly. Since they couldn¡¯t openly conduct it, all the people who became subjects were kidnapped from the slums. The ones carrying out this research were the Crocodiles themselves. They were useful in many ways. That¡¯s why their absence was even more regrettable. That was why Tajik was gauging Zeon. ¡°His abilities are sufficient for now, but he doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll easily obey orders.¡± The Inazuma Raid Team was by no means an easy entity to handle. He wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe that they failed to escape the dungeon due to bad timing. ¡°It¡¯s clear that he somehow got rid of the Inazuma Raid Team.¡± The problem was that it happened within the dungeon, so they didn¡¯t know the method. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t urately assess Zeon¡¯s abilities. ¡°The simplest way would be to confirm his rank insignia. But he¡¯s not going to show it willingly¡­¡± Their means of coercion were limited. It was difficult to intervene easily because the slums had their own order. This time, they were lucky to be able to use the Goblin Market, but there was no guarantee that it would happen again. ¡°Do we have no choice but to act directly?¡± Tajik muttered as he left the researchb. It was just after he left. Swoosh! Suddenly, sand flowed in through the venttion ducts. The research building was rigorously managed. Naturally, there were various devices installed in the venttion ducts to prevent external intruders. Not a drop of water or even a grain of sand was supposed to seep in. If this much sand had flowed in, rms should have sounded. However, strangely, all the systems remained silent. The sand piled up on the floor wriggled as if it were a living creature and soon transformed into the shape of a human. It was a Sand Soldier made of sand. There was only one being on Earth who could create soldiers out of sand, and that was Zeon alone. Zeon created the Sand Soldier by sending sand through the venttion ducts. Maintaining a Sand Soldier was not easy, especially in a distant location underground. Yet Zeon somehow managed to maintain dominance. Zeon observed what was happening inside the researchb through the Sand Soldier. ¡®Using drugs for forced awakening¡­ If we¡¯re not careful, there will be an overflow of Awakeneds below standard in Neo Seoul and the slums.¡¯ Drugs themselves were harmful to humans, but if they werebined with human desires, the results would be terrible. The research seemed to be in its early stages now. The research progress was slower because the drugs supplied by the Crocodiles had been cut off. If the drugs made by the Crocodiles were supplied again, the research would progress rapidly. As Zeon observed the activities inside the researchb through the Sand Soldier, he furrowed his brow slightly. ¡®As expected, Brielle is the problem.¡¯ Since they had already formed an alliance, he couldn¡¯t just leave her be. He had to make sure her abilities didn¡¯t be exposed. ¡®It would be best to sever the link for now.¡¯ Zeon muttered to himself and summoned the Sand Soldier. The Sand Soldier, once again turned into sand, came out through the venttion ducts. Zeon stood in a remote alley far from the venttion ducts. Waves of sand flowed towards him as if they were waiting for him. In an instant, Zeon¡¯s subspace opened. The sand flowed into the subspace as if it had been waiting for this moment. The sand, particrly the majority of it, was orange in color. The sand that infiltrated through the venttion ducts flowed into Zeon¡¯s subspace without leaving a trace. Zeon closed the subspace and muttered to himself. ¡®How should I erase it?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 103 Chapter 103 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 103 The hotel where Zeon stayed allowed room service. In other words, it was possible to have a meal anytime, even in the room. Ding dong! A hotel staff member pressed Zeon¡¯s room bell. Soon, the door opened, and Zeon, wearing a robe, came out. ¡®What a strange individual.¡¯ The staff member clicked his tongue upon seeing Zeon. It was because Zeon, despite being inside the room, had the robe¡¯s hood pulled down deeply, which the staff member found odd. There were always guests like this. Despiteing to a hotel, they couldn¡¯t just rxfortably; they always had to be fully dressed. The security of this hotel was perfect. Protected by barriers, and with Awakeneds on guard, external intrusion was almost impossible. Yet, the fact that one couldn¡¯t even stayfortably inside the rooms hinted at the possibility of being a criminal or having some suspicious background. Zeon simply snapped his fingers without saying a word. The staff member pushed the stretcher cart with the food into the room and then entered. After cing the food on the table, he greeted Zeon. ¡°Please enjoy your meal.¡± After the staff member closed the door and left, Zeon, who had been expressionless until then, lifted his head. Under the hood, Zeon¡¯s face was entirely made of sand. It wasn¡¯t Zeon; it was a Sand Soldier. In an instant, the Sand Soldier copsed, returning to sand. All that remained in the room after the staff member left were the cooling dishes and a pile of sand. *** The monsters were a threat to humanity. Once having dominated the entire Earth, humanity¡¯s territory had now shrunk drastically, with most of the remainingnd bing monster territory. Even in Neo Seoul, efforts were being made to expand territory somehow, but so far, there hadn¡¯t been any significant sess. The influence of Neo Seoul was limited to the Mana Stone mine area. They hadn¡¯t been able to establish any significant foothold beyond that in the distant desert. It wasmon knowledge that stronger monsters existed as one ventured further into the distant desert. No one could predict which monsters lurked beneath the sands. Thus, while the monsters posed a threatening presence, paradoxically, they were also valuable resources. The stronger the physique of a monster, the more excellent a resource it became. From hide to scales, bones, blood, internal organs, there was nothing to discard. If by chance a Mana Stone were to emerge, it would be nothing short of a jackpot. In terms of cost-effectiveness, the Mana Stones mined from the mine were much better, but the Mana Stones harvested from monsters had a different level of performance. Some monster bosses even contained skills within their Mana Stones. While the skills were random, luck could bring about tremendous increases in power. Therefore, in Neo Seoul, numerous parties and raid teams were mobilized for monster hunting and dungeon clearing. The monsters hunted by Awakeneds would be brought into Neo Seoul and dismantled. Gaaang! A massive gear rotated fiercely, cutting through the monster¡¯s corpse. The magically treated gear had tremendous strength. However, just cutting off one leg of the giant monsters made the gear all jagged and useless in no time. ¡°Dammit! It¡¯s all worn out.¡± ¡°Quick, rece it.¡± With no choice, they reced the de and dismantled again. After countless de recements, the colossal monster was finally dismantled. The workers carefully moved every bit of flesh and drop of blood. With his arms crossed, Tajik carefully observed the process. Thepany he valued most was undoubtedly SSC. After all, all his power was based on SSC. However, he couldn¡¯t neglect otherpanies. His master, Xiao Lun, was a terrifying person. At first nce, it seemed like he left everything to his subordinates and just watched, but in reality, he was meticulously observing. He gave great authority, but if one couldn¡¯t handle the authority, he would mercilessly dispose of them. Knowing this fact, Tajik always tried to examine thepanies he was in charge of to identify any problems. The next stop after the monster processingpany was the chemical dyepany. Although one might wonder what¡¯s so great about a chemical dyepany, the dyes produced here were very special. They had capabilities like stealth, concealment, and energy shielding. When applied to Awakeneds¡¯ armor, it increased their chances of survival. That¡¯s why various researches were conducted here to upgrade chemical dyes. Tajik looked at the bubbling dye in arge vat. It was a dye based on the blood extracted from a B-rank monster, the Mane Lizard. The Mane Lizard had acidic blood. Even a drop or two on a metal te would cause it to corrode instantly. Not to mention what would happen if it touched human skin. Melting a person down would be instantaneous. Hunting them was not easy either. They were adept at stealth and deceit, requiring extensive preparation to hunt them down. That¡¯s why there were rarely any Mane Lizards entering the factory. This time, luck was on their side, and they managed to find one. Tajik nced at the work process for a moment before heading outside. Leaving the factory, he headed towards his residence. His residence was in a high-rise building not far from the factory. This, too, was a privilege he could enjoy as one of Xiao Lun¡¯s subordinates. ¡°Hmm?¡± Walking down the alley, Xiao Lun suddenly raised his head. He felt a strange unease. It was the usual alley he walked through. But something felt different today. It felt unusually dark and gloomy. ¡°I can¡¯t see the streetlights.¡± Even in the most deste alleys of Neo Seoul, there were streetlights. The same was true for this ce that Tajik passed through every day. But today, there were no streetlights to be seen. ¡°A barrier?¡± ¡°Not a barrier, it¡¯s a sand curtain to block off the outside.¡± At that moment, a familiar voice came from one side of the alley. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Tajik looked in the direction of the voice. A figure emerged from the dim alley. As Tajik confirmed his appearance, a deep furrow formed on his forehead. ¡°You are, Zeon?¡± ¡°Nice to see you again like this.¡± The one who greeted with a smile was none other than Zeon. Tajik wore an expression of disbelief. He never expected to meet Zeon within Neo Seoul. ¡°How did you manage to enter Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°I was lucky to get a temporary pass.¡± ¡°A temporary pass?¡± ¡°Yes! A friend gave it to me not too long ago, and it seems to havee in handy.¡± ¡°If they issued you a temporary pass, they must hold quite a high position. Impressive. Having such connections.¡± ¡°I was lucky.¡± Tajik seemed to converse with Zeon as if they were long-time friends. However, he was constantly probing and surveying his surroundings. ¡°An unusual ability, a sand barrier. Is that your skill?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It must be quite useful.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Tajik¡¯s eyes gleamed. He instantly saw the usefulness of Zeon¡¯s skill. ¡°What¡¯s the rank? And how about the range? How long can it be sustained?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are you not going to answer?¡± ¡°Would you spill your secrets so easily if you were in my shoes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. You wouldn¡¯t just divulge everything so willingly.¡± Tajik scratched his head. Suddenly, his expression changed. His eyes glinted coldly like a snake. ¡°Let me make onest offer. Come under Xiao Lun¡¯s wing. I¡¯ll give you the best treatment.¡± ¡°If I was going to do that, I wouldn¡¯t have gone through the trouble of entering Neo Seoul like this.¡± ¡°Indeed, those who prefer to take action with their bodies rather than through ordinary conversation. Ironically, I am of that kind too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Zeon smiled. The sand barrier perfectly blocked off the inside from the outside. From the outside, no one could tell what was happening inside. However, its duration wasn¡¯t long. It couldn¡¯t be prolonged for too long. If someone happened to pass by, they would surely find it suspicious. At that moment, a sinister red aura emanated from Tajik¡¯s whole body. It was evidence that he was an Awakened Martial Artist. Tajik was a B-rank Martial Artist. Sriiing! He drew a small dagger from his waist. The length of the curved dagger was barely thirty centimeters. However, from its de, curved like a crescent moon, an immense threat could be felt. ¡°That seems like an item from a dungeon.¡± ¡°I call her Elena of Blood. Once she¡¯s drawn, she must taste blood and take the opponent¡¯s life.¡± Tajik had bestowed a feminine persona and name upon the dagger. That¡¯s how much he was enthralled by the power of the dagger. Elena of Blood had an effect called ¡®Amplification¡¯. Using Elena of Blood would amplify one¡¯s own abilities by about thirty percent. On the surface, thirty percent might sound insignificant, but it was a tremendous increase in power. Tajik licked Elena of Blood with his tongue and said. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. You¡¯re a very special existence.¡± As long as he didn¡¯t cut off his windpipe, there were many ways Tajik could use Zeon. He could amputate his limbs, leaving only the body, and then preserve them in a specially treated container to keep him alive while obeying only hismands. In the past, it would have been an inhumane method beyond imagination, but under Xiao Lun¡¯smand, anything was eptable. Zeon sighed softly. ¡°This is why it¡¯s a dangerous ability.¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s a useful ability. You will greatly contribute to the development of Neo Seoul, whether you want to or not.¡± Boom! As soon as the conversation ended, Tajik lunged at Zeon. Closing the distance in an instant, leaving only an illusion behind, Tajik attacked. Zeon snapped his fingers. Instantly, about a dozen strands of sand shot out from the sand barrier surrounding them. It was Sand ster. ¡°No way.¡± With a swift motion, Tajik swung Elena of Blood to counter the Sand ster. There was no existence that the crimson aura imbued in Elena of Blood couldn¡¯t sever. ¡°Starting with your legs.¡± Crouching low, Tajik aimed for Zeon¡¯s legs. But just before the Elena of Blood could make contact, Zeon¡¯s body slid backward as if being pulled by an invisible thread. Retreating, Zeon snapped his fingers again. Countless strands of sand shot towards Tajik. Tajik swung Elena of Blood again and again. The Sand ster was smashed and cut, but no matter how much he fought it, the Sand ster seemed endless. ¡°Damn it! How much mana do you have?¡± Tajik widened his eyes. Zeon seemed like an illusion. Clearly visible and right in front of him, yet unattainable. If he was caught, it would be a downpour of Sand sters. Sand particles cut by his dagger flew into his eyes and mouth. Unable to bear it any longer, Tajik cursed and unleashed his ultimate skill. ¡°Damn it! Elena de!¡± Swoosh! Dozens of crimson de-shaped auras flew towards Zeon. Once unleashed, it was a sure-kill skill. In Tajik¡¯s mind, thoughts of capturing Zeon had long disappeared. All that remained was the thought of killing that annoying presence. The des made of crimson aura flew towards Zeon, blocking any escape route. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Tajik was convinced of Zeon¡¯s death. Suddenly, dozens of soldiers appeared and surrounded Zeon. The Sand Soldiers blocked Tajik¡¯s skill with their fist bullets. Bang! Boom! Boom! With a deafening explosion, the des made of sand soldiers and aura shattered. ¡°What is this?¡± Tajik was surprised, his eyes wide open. He was so surprised that he didn¡¯t even feel Zeon approaching him from behind in an instant. Zeon reached out and grabbed Tajik¡¯s neck. With that, Tajik¡¯s body lost all its strength, and he copsed. ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon carefully lifted the copsing Tajik. It would be troublesome if his precious body got injured. He had spent so much time meticulously subduing him without a scratch. ¡°What did you do to my body? Hurry up and undo it.¡± ¡°What I did is just about to begin.¡± ¡°What?¡± Instead of answering, Zeon retrieved a ss bottle from his subspace. What Zeon retrieved from the ss bottle was something like a piece of wire. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have a drink?¡± Zeon smiled. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 104 Chapter 104 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 104 ¡°Water, water!¡± Tajik was tormented by severe thirst. He seemed to have lost consciousness for a moment, but from the moment he opened his eyes, an insane thirst seized his mind and body. He couldn¡¯t understand why he was feeling such thirst. His mind was already paralyzed. There was only one thought floating in his head. He needed to drink water right now. He searched for water. But in Neo Seoul, there were hardly any ces where water could be easily obtained. Water was a very precious resource and was only supplied inside buildings. ¡°Water, water!¡± Tajik wandered around aimlessly, searching for water desperately, and then he remembered the chemical dye factory that had recently opened. Without further thought, he rushed to the chemical dye factory. ¡°Did you leave something behind?¡± The Awakened guards at the dye factory were astonished to see Tajik returning with a wild look in his eyes. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Tajik roughly pushed them aside and went inside. When he saw the tap, he mindlessly put it to his mouth and drank the water. But no matter how much he drank, his thirst did not quench. ¡°This¡­ this isn¡¯t it.¡± Tajik spat out the water he had just drunk. It was disgusting because it was mixed with various chemical substances. In Neo Seoul, there was no such thing as pure water. Water was precious, so various chemical substances were added for recycling. The alien tastes that Tajik had never felt before tortured him. ¡°Argh! I need water, pure water.¡± Tajik screamed in frustration. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Why are you looking for water when there¡¯s plenty¡­¡± The guards looked at each other, perplexed by Tajik¡¯s unusual behavior. His actions were iprehensible, considering his usual rational and orderly demeanor. ¡°Get the hell out of the way.¡± Tajik pushed them aside and rushed out. After wandering around Neo Seoul for a while, he soon ran madly southeastward. His sprint in the early dawn reminded people of a madman. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that bastard?¡± ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± But their voices didn¡¯t reach Tajik¡¯s ears. Other people¡¯s gazes and voices didn¡¯t matter at all. The only thing that mattered to him was drinking pure water. After running for a while, Tajik arrived at a ce: the gate leading out to the desert. He shouted to the guards standing there. ¡°Open the gate!¡± ¡°Stop right there.¡± ¡°Now is not the time to open the gate.¡± The Awakeneds guarding the gate refused Tajik¡¯smand. The gate leading directly from Neo Seoul to the desert was strictly controlled. Those who didn¡¯t notify in advance wouldn¡¯t be allowed out, and there were set times for exiting. Going out into the desert at this early hour without prior notice was absolutely uneptable. ¡°Damn it! Open the gate.¡± At that moment, Tajik erupted, swinging the Elena of Blood. Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the guards were unable to defend properly and got injured. Thud! In an instant, Tajik knocked down the guards and punched the control device with his fist. Then, therge gate opened. ¡°No!¡± The guards, who came to their senses toote, shouted, but by then Tajik had already escaped. Themander of the guards shouted. ¡°Ring the emergency rm and organize a pursuit team to capture that guy.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Soon, the emergency rm rang throughout the area, and a pursuit team was formed. The pursuit team could only track down Tajik after several days of searching the desert. The ce where they found Tajik was a hundred kilometers away from Neo Seoul. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The Awakeneds who found Tajik grimaced. Tajik¡¯s body was shriveled like a mummy, making it evident that he had died from dehydration rather than decay, thanks to the scorching sun and searing sands. Tajik¡¯s desperate thirst was apparent as he clutched his throat with his hands, his tongue and eyes bulging out. ¡°Madman! Did hee all the way out here just to drink water?¡± ¡°What the hell happened?¡± The pursuit team couldn¡¯t understand Tajik¡¯s actions. The leader of the pursuit team nervously ordered his subordinates. ¡°Is this the time for idle chatter? Let¡¯s recover the body and return to Neo Seoul.¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Kurur! Suddenly, a strong vibration was felt beneath their feet. The expression on the leader¡¯s face changed drastically. ¡°I-it¡¯s a Sandworm!¡± ¡°Damn it! Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± ¡°Hurry, get in the car.¡± Without daring to recover Tajik¡¯s body, the pursuit team got into the car. As the vehicle left the scene, a giant tongue of the Sandworm emerged from the sand. After curling around Tajik¡¯s body, it disappeared back into the sand. Fortunately, the Sandworm seemed satisfied with Tajik¡¯s body alone and didn¡¯t pursue the vehicle. The leader of the pursuit team wiped his disheveled hair and muttered. ¡°Shit!¡± *** Xiao Lun¡¯s eyes were deeply sunken. ¡°So, Tajik went crazy, went out looking for water, and died of dehydration outside Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°He died dried up a hundred kilometers away from Neo Seoul, and his body became food for a Sandworm?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Perfect. Even if I had nned it, it wouldn¡¯t be more perfect than this.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± A middle-aged man dressed in a ck suit like Tajik bowed his head. He was another trusted subordinate of Xiao Lun, just like Tajik. His name was Pan Cheong-cheon. His great-grandfather came to Seoul as a Chinese exchange student a hundred years ago. His grandfather was a master of Chinese martial arts, and his studies were seamlessly passed down to Pan Cheong-cheon,bining his martial arts abilities with his physical prowess. Thebination of refined physical abilities and martial arts produced tremendous synergistic effects. ¡°Tajik kept looking for water?¡± ¡°Yes! There are quite a few witnesses, so it¡¯s an indisputable fact.¡± ¡°Are there many witnesses?¡± ¡°At least dozens, including pedestrians on the street, Awakeneds guarding the chemical dye factory, and those guarding the gate to the desert.¡± ¡°Then it must be true.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] A deep furrow appeared on Xiao Lun¡¯s forehead. The Tajik he knew always acted ording to n. He never deviated from his ns, and he never tolerated any deviation. Neat attire, restrained behavior, and rationality. But none of these matched the behavior Tajik disyed this time. This behavior didn¡¯t fit with Tajik at all. ¡°There must be something that made Tajik behave like that. Have you found out?¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°Tsk! Did disabling the surveince cameras backfire?¡± Originally, surveince cameras were installed throughout Neo Seoul. It was under the pretext of preventing crimesmitted by Awakeneds. The sabotage of the surveince cameras was carried out by Xiao Lun and other leaders in each district. Because if the surveince cameras were intact, all their activities would flow straight into Mayor Jin Geum-ho¡¯s hands. Therefore, they attempted to disable them discreetly, and eventually seeded. They kept the cameras in unimportant areas but eliminated them in regions even remotely rted to their business. It led to the creation of many shadowy areas. As a result, they couldn¡¯t know what Tajik had experienced at all. Pan Cheong-cheon cautiously spoke up. ¡°There is one suspicious thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you remember the name Zeon?¡± ¡°Zeon? Are you talking about the guy who dealt with Goran and the Crocodiles?¡± ¡°Yes! He was in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xiao Lun¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°When Tajik caused amotion, he was also in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°So, did he make contact with Tajik?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s confirmed that he was at the hotel when Tajik went crazy looking for water. The hotel staff personally delivered food to him, so it¡¯s clear he wasn¡¯t directly involved.¡± ¡°Could there have been involvement from other factions?¡± ¡°During his time in Neo Seoul, the only person he directly contacted was a supervisor named Mandy. Her movements did not ovep with Tajik¡¯s.¡± ¡°But you still have suspicions?¡± ¡°In any case, there¡¯s no one else with a motive to harm Tajik.¡± Pan Cheong-cheon replied bluntly. Xiao Lun tapped his cheek with his finger, lost in thought. ¡°So, it¡¯s all spection with no evidence.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s ironic. If he¡¯s really the culprit, we¡¯re ipetent, and if not, we¡¯re still ipetent. Either way, we¡¯re ipetent.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°What are you apologizing for? It¡¯s not even your fault.¡± ¡°What should we do? Should we apprehend him?¡± ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°He was gambling at the casino and is believed to have returned to the slums today.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xiao Lun chuckled incredulously. While it might be unknown in Neo Seoul, exerting influence directly in the slums was not easy. That¡¯s why he had manipted the underprivileged like the Crocodiles to his advantage. The only one who knew the physiology of the slums well was Tajik, and now that he was dead, Xiao Lun would have to start over if he wanted to exert influence again. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t help it. Just leave him for now.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°After all, there¡¯s no evidence, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Recover the establishments Tajik managed. Losing a manager in an instant will cause chaos.¡± ¡°I will follow your orders.¡± Pan Cheong-cheon bowed his head and replied. Xiao Lun gestured silently with his hand, and Pan Cheong-cheon left the room. Alone, Xiao Lun looked out at the City Hall and muttered to himself. ¡°Zeon. An interesting guy lurking in the slums.¡± *** Zeon looked back at the main gate of Neo Seoul. The massive gate was firmly closed as if it wouldn¡¯t tolerate any external intruders. Zeon smirked subtly and headed towards the slums. To confirm Tajik¡¯s death, he had stayed at the hotel for a few more days. He deliberately lived in the casino to avoid suspicion if he stayed only in his room. Fortunately, he had some talent in gambling and made a decent amount of money. Thanks to that, his pockets were quite full. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I had to use a Ghost Eyedrop for this, but I still made a decent ie, so it¡¯s not a total loss.¡± A figure like Xiao Lun would surely suspect him of being involved in Tajik¡¯s death. But there was no contact, and he had a solid alibi, so he wouldn¡¯t act rashly. Zeon thought that was enough. For a figure like Xiao Lun to move, he needed a justification. Without justification, moving forcefully would make the North, East, and West tense. Maybe even the City Hall would move. Xiao Lun would never want that. That¡¯s why Zeon was certain that Xiao Lun wouldn¡¯t move. Lost in thought, he arrived in the slums. A familiar sight greeted him, bringing a smile to his lips. Unlike Neo Seoul, there were no well-organized streets, no shy lights, no sleek buildings. The streets were like ant colonies, packed tightly with shabby buildings, leaving no room to breathe. And the nauseating smell carried by the wind. Even his own home required climbing eighteen floors. Nothingpared to Neo Seoul. Still, Zeon liked it here. As Zeon arrived home and opened the door, Brielle, with a pouty face, greeted him. ¡°You¡¯rete.¡± ¡°I was busy.¡± ¡°So, is everything done?¡± ¡°For now¡­¡± Zeon smiled as he replied. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 105 Chapter 105 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 105 ¡°Ah! This damn scorching sun.¡± Brielle grumbled. Despite covering her face with a wide-brimmed hat, the sun reflected off the ground mercilessly striking her face. It was unusually hot today, just when she decided to venture outside after a long time. Everything seemed to be aze. The buildings in the slums, the roads, even the air itself seemed to shimmer as if it would melt away any moment. The residents of the slums, who never ventured outside during the day, were out in the alleyways seeking refuge from the heat. They fanned themselves incessantly, trying to cool down. Brielle nced at them before shifting her stride. Her destination was none other than the Goblin Market. Despite Zeon being absent, she had frequented it enough that it now felt like home. ¡°Hmm, hmm!¡± Brielle hummed a tune as she walked. She was in a good mood. Last night¡¯s experiment was a sess. Though it wasn¡¯t the mana amplification potion she had aimed for, she managed to create a potion that surpassed it. It wasn¡¯t intentional. It was a byproduct stumbled upon during the process of making the mana amplification potion. Despite being a product of chance, its performance was remarkable. No, it was more than remarkable. That¡¯s why Brielle was heading to the Goblin Market. Walking with a light step, carrying the good results with her, Brielle couldn¡¯t help but feel a spring in her step. But soon, a voice interrupted her mood. ¡°Hey, kid.¡± ¡°You with the wide-brimmed hat,e here for a moment.¡± Instantly, Brielle¡¯s expression twisted. ¡®Ugh! Not again.¡¯ This kind of neighborhood. Whenever a girl walks alone, especially a young girl like her, inevitably, ominous voices would reach her ears. The owners of the voices appeared to be in their twenties, looking like troublemakers. Hidden in the alley shadows, they gestured Brielle toe closer. There¡¯s nothing as vulnerable as a young girl walking alone. Their intentions were obvious to anyone. Brielle sighed and approached them. The troublemakers thought Brielle wasing out of fear and chuckled. ¡°Heh-heh-heh!¡± ¡°Come on, take off that hat.¡± One of the troublemakers lifted Brielle¡¯s hat. One of the troublemakers wolf-whistled at her pale but pretty appearance. ¡°Weyoo!¡± ¡°She¡¯s damn pretty. We won¡¯t be bored for a while.¡± At that moment, Brielle spoke in a chilling voice. ¡°You¡¯d better keep your filthy hands off me.¡± The troublemakers looked puzzled. ¡°What? Who does this little girl think she¡¯s ordering around?¡± ¡°Fuck! She needs a beating toe to her senses.¡± They raised their fists, intending to resort to violence. At that moment, Brielle¡¯s eyes gleamed ominously. ¡°Air Bind!¡± Before they could finish their words, the air around the troublemakers suddenly constricted, immobilizing them. ¡°Ughh!¡± ¡°Kuhh!¡± Under the strong pressure, the troublemakers couldn¡¯t move and stiffened. Their throats felt constricted as if ropes were tightening around them. The troublemakers¡¯ faces turned pale, tongues sticking out. Brielle looked at them with an indifferent expression. Though she ended up here after being caught by hunters, she was still an elf. A noble High Elf at that, far superior to ordinary elves. She could effortlessly wield magic that Awakened humans could barely muster. As she gradually recovered from the aftermath of the drug, she was regaining her former magical prowess. This level of magic became as easy as breathing for her. The troublemakers writhed on the ground in agony. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Please, we¡­ spare¡­¡± Even their pleas didn¡¯t change Brielle¡¯s expression. Death wasmonce in the slums. No one would bat an eye if they died. Brielle pronounced their death sentence. ¡°You scum! Just die.¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa! Calm down.¡± At that moment, a voice came from behind. Turning around, Brielle saw a boy with a buzz cut, adorned with shy earrings and piercings, looking at her. Brielle recognized him at a nce. ¡°Levin!¡± ¡°Long time no see, Brielle!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not taking their side, are you?¡± ¡°Of course not! I wouldn¡¯t take the side of such trash. I just think you don¡¯t need to soil your hands with their blood.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They¡¯re fugitives whomitted crimes in other areas and fled here. We¡¯ll get a reward for catching them. It¡¯s better to hand them over and collect the bounty.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Levin didn¡¯t miss the sparkle in Brielle¡¯s eyes. He chuckled and said. ¡°The bounty isn¡¯t much. Barely five hundred sols. But it¡¯s still money.¡± ¡°Will you take care of it instead, Levin?¡± ¡°dly!¡± At Levin¡¯s answer, Brielle released the magic. Thud! The troublemakers slumped to the ground, gasping for breath. They were so exhausted from being on the brink of death that they couldn¡¯t muster any strength in their limbs. Of course, they didn¡¯t have the courage to flee. At Levin¡¯s gesture, the boys at the alley entrance took the troublemakers away. Brielle asked. ¡°Levin¡¯s subordinates?¡± ¡°Friends!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Brielle, where are you headed during the day?¡± ¡°The Goblin Market!¡± ¡°Perfect. I¡¯m heading there too.¡± ¡°Why is Levin going there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s not precise.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Brielle nodded thoughtfully. She knew Levin¡¯s circumstances, even who he was looking for. He was still tracking down the murderer. ¡°Did you find a clue?¡± ¡°Some of the items he uses seem to being from the Goblin Market. So, I decided to sit tight there and watch.¡± ¡°Do you have the qualifications to enter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going with you. Is that alright?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Brielle nodded without hesitation. The Goblin Market doesn¡¯t open its doors to just anyone. Only those with strict verification of their status are granted entry. Naturally, Brielle had the qualifications. If Brielle vouched for him, Levin could also enter the Goblin Market. As they walked together, Levin suddenly seemed to remember something and asked. ¡°What about Zeon?¡± ¡°He¡¯s resting at home.¡± Since returning from Neo Seoul, Zeon hadn¡¯t gone out anywhere and stayed holed up at home. ¡°Where did he go? Haven¡¯t seen him for a few days.¡± ¡°Yeah! He had some business to take care of.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Levin didn¡¯t pry any further. Chatting along the way, they arrived at the Goblin Market without realizing it. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Thanks to Brielle, Levin was able to enter the Goblin Market safely. Brielle said to Levin. ¡°We should part ways now. I need to go this way.¡± ¡°Thanks for getting me in. Take care of your business.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± ¡°See you next time.¡± Waving goodbye, Levin disappeared into the crowd. Brielle watched his retreating figure for a moment before turning around. Her destination was none other than Yoo Se-hee¡¯s residence. Yoo Se-hee greeted Brielle with a smile. ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long. Don¡¯t exaggerate.¡± Brielle grumbled as she took a seat. ¡°What about Zeon?¡± ¡°He¡¯s resting at home.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t mention going to the Goblin Market?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see.¡± She owed Zeon a great debt. Partially due to pressure from Tajik, but still, she had pushed Zeon into the dungeon without sharing any information. It was a shameful act unsuitable for a leader of the Goblin Market. Because of that, she felt a sense of guilt towards Zeon. Yoo Se-hee changed the subject. ¡°By the way, whye to my room? You can just buy the things you need from the merchants.¡± ¡°I¡¯m selling something this time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made something.¡± Brielle pulled out two bottles containing blue liquid from her sleeve. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Detox potion!¡± ¡°A potion?¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s eyes widened. Normally, a potion referred to a liquid form of medicine. However, in the current era, a potion held a special meaning. It was the crystallization of modern alchemy, created by Awakened magic users. Some potions could cure diseases, while others could restore mana. Thanks to them, miracles that were once unimaginable became possible. However, very few Awakeneds knew how to make potions, and even they were tightly regted in Neo Seoul. They were strictly controlled, designated as strategic resources, and their import and export were strictly managed. Various potions were released to the leaders in Neo Seoul depending on their interests and trades. Potions that released various abnormal states were one of the good tools to attract the loyalty of subordinates. Therefore, obtaining potions from the market was not easy. It was even more difficult to obtain potions in the slums. Although the Goblin Market dealt with potions, most of them were cheap and ineffective. Real good potions were hard to find even in the Goblin Market. Yoo Se-hee asked, trying to contain her excitement. ¡°What¡¯s the effectiveness?¡± ¡°It can detoxify up to the venom of a D-rank monster.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a bit weak.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Brielle stared intently at Yoo Se-hee. Yoo Se-hee didn¡¯t miss the disdainful gleam in her eyes. ¡®This kid¡­¡¯ Something surged within her. She felt ashamed of the thoughts revealed to the child. Most of the monsters hunted by Awakeneds in the slums were D-rank or lower. Hunting monsters above that level was too dangerous, and the rewards were not worth the risk. Many D-rank or lower-grade monsters had venom. If not detoxified in time, they could instantly kill Awakeneds. In short, if the detox potion Brielle presented had that level of effectiveness, it could be the best item in the slums. ¡°Hah! You know we need to test it, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I brought two bottles. We¡¯ll test it, and if the effectiveness is proven, we¡¯ll make a deal then.¡± ¡°Got it. We¡¯ll test it as fairly as possible.¡± ¡°If it passes the test, I¡¯ll make the deal in Zeon¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Not yours?¡± Yoo Se-hee looked surprised. It didn¡¯t make sense to her why such an extraordinary product would be attributed to Zeon instead of Brielle herself. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll do it in Zeon¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Are you okay with the profits going to Zeon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I intend.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to repay Zeon a little.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for him, I¡¯d still be making drugs in the Crocodiles¡¯ Den. I hate all humans, but he¡¯s an exception.¡± She made an oath to survive. Unintentionally, she ended up tied to the string of the oath. She fell into a position where she had toply with whatever Zeon demanded. Even if he demanded her body, she couldn¡¯t refuse. However, Zeon didn¡¯t demand anything from Brielle. Instead, he let her act freely. ¡°If you owe a debt, you should repay it. That¡¯s our way.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t regret it, right?¡± ¡°Never!¡± ¡°The kid¡¯s unnecessarily serious¡­ Alright! We¡¯ll test the effectiveness, and if it¡¯s confirmed, we¡¯ll monopolize the production on our side. Will you hand over the recipe?¡± ¡°As long as the conditions are right¡­¡± ¡°Deal?¡± ¡°Deal!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 106 Chapter 106 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 106 ¡°Hmm!¡± Johan blinked his eyes, staring at the man standing in front of him. A man wearing a red hat, a red cassock, and a mask covering his nose. He was Joshua, Johan¡¯s confidant and the inquisitor of the heretics. Another name he was called by was Swift Joshua. As swift as a strom and as elusive as a goblin. That¡¯s why Joshua received most of Johan¡¯s orders. A strong and fast presence was just that useful. Johan tapped his fingers on the table and spoke. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare lie to me¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Tajik wandered the desert and ended up as food for a Sandworm? That¡¯s an unbelievable story.¡± Johan¡¯s face stiffened ominously. But tiny eyes behind his sses gleamed eerily. He had only met Tajik once. But even with just one nce, Johan knew Tajik wasn¡¯t an easy man. He was a man with enough resources and abilities to find Johan. A man like that getting lost in the desert and bing worm food? It¡¯s hardly believable. There must have been some force at work behind the scenes. Whether it be an individual or a group. ¡°What¡¯s Xiao Lun¡¯s response?¡± ¡°They are moving under the surface, but it seems they haven¡¯t found out anything yet.¡± ¡°Your thoughts?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t make judgments. You just execute.¡± Johan furrowed his brow deeply. It had been a long time since he had been this displeased. In Dongdaemun, where he ruled, there weren¡¯t many who could think properly. Most judgments were made by Johan, and the rest simply followed his orders. That¡¯s why it took quite a while toe up with a proper response when unexpected events like this urred. It was frustrating, but he couldn¡¯t change the system. Johan had no intention of sharing his power with anyone. Joshua silently waited for Johan¡¯s orders. As frustrating as Joshua¡¯s presence was, there was nothing to be done about it for now. When Johan gestured, Joshua bowed his head and left. Alone, Johan approached the window. ¡°All of this happened after he returned.¡± The ¡°he¡± Johan referred to was Zeon. After Zeon¡¯s return, Goran, who ruled Sinchon, disappeared, and the Crocodiles¡¯ Den copsed. And even Tajik, who was interested in Zeon, met an unexpected death. ¡°Is it a coincidence? Unlikely. Surely, he had something to do with Tajik¡¯s death.¡± It was not a guess but a certainty. Johan received revtions from God. As devoted as he was to God, his senses were more sensitive and delicate than anyone else¡¯s. From the moment he first saw Zeon, he felt an ominous sensation. Zeon¡¯s presence was that unsettling. ¡°If he really eliminated Tajik, eliminating him through conventional means would be impossible.¡± Of course, if Johan mobilized all the resources of Dongdaemun, he could eliminate Zeon. There were followers of Johan scattered throughout Dongdaemun like grains of sand. The power of the warriors he raised was especially formidable. But they couldn¡¯t be used recklessly. The moment they moved, the authorities of Neo Seoul would take notice. It was premature to spread the gospel of God to Neo Seoul. It was time to strengthen his power. At least, he had to swallow up the entire slum before he could consider Neo Seoul. Until then, he had to move while plugging the leaks in his power as much as possible. Johan suddenly looked down at the table. Documents investigating Zeon¡¯s whereabouts were spread out on the table. What was written in the document was extremely limited. Because they hadn¡¯t been able to find out Zeon¡¯s whereabouts in the desert. At best, it was just the reason why Zeon had to leave Neo Seoul and what he had been doing since returning. That¡¯s why he had been neglected until now. Because he thought there was nothing to use. But today, one name stood out vividly. ¡°Lee Ji-ryeong? Could it be the Lee Ji-ryeong I know?¡± * * * Zeon stared nkly out the window. All he could see was the bright red neon sign and the scenery of the deste slum. Still, Zeon didn¡¯t shift his gaze even once. Right now, he didn¡¯t want to do anything. He just wanted to enjoy this moment of idleness. But his peace didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Ta-da!¡± Brielle burst in through the door. In her wide-open arms was a bag filled with unidentified objects. It was quite surprising that she managed to safely traverse the slums carrying so many bags. ¡°Did you carry all those bags by yourself?¡± ¡°Levin helped me.¡± Or more precisely, Levin¡¯s friends helped move them. At the mention of Levin, Zeon nodded in understanding. ¡°I see. But what¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°Materials for the next experiment.¡± ¡°Are you seriously putting all this on my tab?¡± ¡°Hmph! I earned it myself. Who do you think I am, a freeloader?¡± ¡°You earned it? How?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying. Don¡¯t pry too deep. You might get hurt.¡± Brielle grunted and set the bags down on the floor. Zeon sensed that his peaceful time was over. With so many materials brought for an experiment, it was clear that Brielle would clutter the house with her experiments again. ¡°Do you have any intention of bing independent?¡± ¡°I love this house too much. It¡¯s safe, and I can use electricity as much as I want. Where else in the slums is like this?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± Zeon was at a loss for words at Brielle¡¯s shamelessness. ¡®Are all High Elves naturally this shameless?¡¯ Brielle was already unpacking the bags and cluttering the house. Just looking at her made Zeon¡¯s head spin. He sighed and put on his coat. ¡®It¡¯s time to go out.¡¯ After being cooped up in the house for so long, his joints felt stiff. Zeon walked out onto the street and made his way to Old Man Klexi¡¯s shop. As expected, Old Man Klexi was sitting in the shop when Zeon arrived. When he saw Zeon, a hint of recognition flickered in Old Man Klexi¡¯s eyes. ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your health?¡± ¡°Not great. I was trapped in the coffin of death for a long time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a miracle that you¡¯re still alive after being trapped for that long. How much good food have you been eating everyday¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you age too. You end up eating everything that¡¯s supposed to be good for your body.¡± ¡°Thankfully. You endured so much.¡± ¡°Thanks for the dyed gratitude. I appreciate it. Thanks to you, I was able toe back alive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s something I did for a price.¡± ¡°I heard you did a lot to save me. I¡¯ll make sure to repay that debt.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Despite being incredibly greedy for money, Old Man Klexi had a sense of gratitude. After all, he couldn¡¯t help but think of Zeon with special consideration since he saved his life. Zeon changed the subject. ¡°By the way, being locked up in the coffin for so long hasn¡¯t diminished your cooking skills, has it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way. Just wait a moment. I¡¯ll prepare it for you right away.¡± Old Man Klexi stood in front of the stove and began to cook. Zeon looked around while waiting for the food to be ready. The wary looks from the merchants had greatly diminished. They knew that Zeon had saved Old Man Klexi, their master. Thanks to that, Zeon could wait for the food to be served with a much more rxed mind. ¡°Here, eat up.¡± After a while, Old Man Klexi brought out a te of stir-fried rice that looked delicious. The aroma of various seasonings mixed with cultured meat made one¡¯s head spin just from the smell alone. Zeon immediately picked up his chopsticks and started eating the stir-fried rice. Old Man Klexi watched Zeon eat with a satisfied smile. Zeon really enjoyed the stir-fried rice. As if suddenly remembering something, Old Man Klexi spoke up. ¡°I heard Tajik is dead.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°He was a sinister guy. He had skills that made him more of a headache. But somehow, he went mad, wandering into the desert and ended up bing food for a sandworm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ surprising.¡± ¡°There are many strange things in the world. Some things just don¡¯t make sense bymon sense. This seems to be one of those.¡± ¡°Strange things indeed.¡± ¡°Anyway, now that Tajik is dead, Xiao Lun won¡¯t pay much attention to the slums for a while.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡± Zeon replied with his head buried in the bowl. Old Man Klexi looked at Zeon with a deeply sinking gaze. ¡°Se-hee is my granddaughter.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°She¡¯s leading all of my businesses except for one. If you ever need help, you can ask her. She¡¯ll help with most requests.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hand over everything already? Just hand over the rest and livefortably.¡± ¡°If I give away thest one, what fun would I have left? And Se-hee¡¯s capacity isn¡¯trge enough to handle it all. It needs more refining and expansion.¡± ¡°You¡¯re picky.¡± ¡°It¡¯s natural to be picky with family. It takes only an instant to destroy a family business¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite skilled.¡± Zeon raised his head with an expression that he couldn¡¯t hold back. But Old Man Klexi remained cautious. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Thest business I didn¡¯t hand over to Sehee.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m a bit curious. Will you tell me if I ask?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask. What¡¯s this business that you cherish so much?¡± ¡°The Eye of Argos.¡± ¡°What? Argos¡­¡± ¡°Argos. A creature with a hundred eyes from mythology.¡± ¡°A hundred eyes? It must be rted to information.¡± ¡°As expected, you understand immediately.¡± Old Man Klexi showed a face of admiration. But Zeon remained dumbfounded. ¡°It would be strange if you gave such a big hint and I still didn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even stranger that you understand immediately.¡± ¡°Leaving that aside, why the Eye of Argos?¡± ¡°If you need information, you can use it anytime.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Zeon burst into admiration. It wasn¡¯t fake; it was genuine admiration. He knew better than anyone the usefulness of information. While he wasn¡¯t sure how extensive the information power of the Eye of Argos was, at the very least, it would be invaluable regarding the situation in the slums. Old Man Klexi called someone. ¡°Will!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A man with arge build and a red apron approached with his response. ¡°Will owns the butcher shop at the entrance to this market. He¡¯ll provide whatever you need whenever you ask.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Will! We¡¯ve met a few times, right?¡± Zeon shook his hand slightly. Will¡¯s butcher shop was located in a position where anyone passing through Old Man Klexi¡¯s shop would inevitably pass by. That¡¯s why Zeon had seen his face a few times before. Will nodded his head and said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll count on you from now on.¡± ¡°If you need anything, feel free to visit our butcher shop anytime.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more grateful to you. Thank you for saving the old man.¡± Will bowed his head in gratitude towards Zeon. Feeling a bit awkward, Zeon just smiled without saying anything. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 107 Chapter 107 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 107 ¡°Kid! What on earth have you been lingering around here for days to buy? Hey, aren¡¯t you getting agitated enough to go somewhere else?¡± ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll just stay here a little longer.¡± Levin persisted stubbornly despite the merchant¡¯s mockery. He was sitting in front of a general store. But it wasn¡¯t an ordinary general store. It was a general store selling items made from monster corpses. He had been sitting in front of the general store for days. The shopkeeper¡¯s ridicule towards him was not unwarranted. Nevertheless, Levin persisted stubbornly. Despite being scolded and driven away several times, he always came back. ¡°Ugh! That stubborn brat!¡± The shopkeeper red at Levin as if he wanted to kill him, then went back inside the shop. Levin muttered to himself leaning against the wall. ¡°Is it hopeless again today? It¡¯s never easy after all.¡± He closed his eyes for a moment. Levin didn¡¯te to the Goblin Market to just watch people passing by. ¡®He definitely bought something from here.¡¯ Levin had been tracking the whereabouts of the murderer who killed his mother and brother. During that time, the murderermitted several more killings. And he went into hiding, almost mocking Levin¡¯s pursuit. Whenever Levin grew weary of tracking, the murderer resurfaced, seemingly waiting for him, andmitted another murder. Levin thought the murderer might have noticed his pursuit. Otherwise, his actions wouldn¡¯t be so iprehensible. In the end, Levin gave up directly tracking the murderer. But that didn¡¯t mean he gave up entirely. He just changed his approach. ¡®All the items he uses are not ordinary mass-produced goods. They are made from special materials.¡¯ The most notable was the knife the murderer used. The murderer¡¯s knife was specially crafted to efficiently cut through human flesh and easily extract blood. Levin tracked down knives simr to the one the murderer used by analyzing the cutting marks left on the bodies, but he couldn¡¯t find any with simr shapes. The knife used by the murderer was that unique. But what Levin noticed wasn¡¯t just the appearance of such knives. It was the nature of the knife. The blood of the people killed by the murderer was unusually viscous. The viscosity was abnormally high. Levin thought the reason might be exposure to high temperatures. Whether the murderer intentionally heated the blood or something among his belongings emitted high heat. ¡®What if the knife the murderer possesses emits heat because it¡¯s made of special materials?¡¯ That was why Levin was sitting here, waiting. There were quite a few materials that emitted heat on their own. Including the bones of me Smanders, Firestones, feathers of me Eagles, remnants of me Golems, and more. But such special materials were never avable in ordinary stores. Especially not in slums. In ces other than Neo Seoul, the Goblin Market was the only ce where such materials could be obtained. That¡¯s why Levin thought there was a high possibility that the murderer had used the Goblin Market, especially this general store. ¡®He must have caused damage to his knife after countless murders.¡¯ Human bodies seem weak on the surface, but they are incredibly tough and resilient. Especially the bones are unbelievably strong, making it easy to damage the de. If hemitted that many murders, undoubtedly the murderer¡¯s de would have been significantly damaged. Even if it was an item made of special materials. ¡®If he wants to repair the knife, he¡¯ll definitely need supplies from here.¡¯ Levin didn¡¯t know when the murderer would appear. He might never appear again. Still, Levin was determined to wait until the end. Because that was all he had left. ¡®I¡¯m pretty good at waiting for things like this.¡¯ Levin stayed at the general store for a few more days after that. During that time, countless people came and went from the general store. The items they bought varied. Some bought seemingly useless materials, while others spent a fortune on materials. Levin scrutinized those who bought items closely. But there was no one suspicious. Levin¡¯s gaze shifted. He was following a man who had just entered the general store. He was wearing a ck robe. The brim of the robe¡¯s hat was pulled down so his face couldn¡¯t be seen, but as he passed by, the strong smell of blood stimted Levin¡¯s senses. Levin¡¯s face hardened. This was the first time he had encountered someone emitting such a strong smell of blood while wearing a ck robe. For a moment, Levin¡¯s rationality flew out the window. Unconsciously, Levin clenched his fist tightly. ¡®It¡¯s him. It must be him.¡¯ There was no evidence whatsoever. But the moment Levin saw him, he was sure. His instincts whispered to him. That man was the murderer. Levin trusted his instincts. ¡®Not yet. If I move recklessly, I¡¯ll provoke him.¡¯ He waited patiently until the man came out of the general store without going inside. It was quite some time after the time spent in the general store, and it was clear that the man had bought quite a few items, but strangely, he was empty-handed. ¡®Does he possess a storage item or something?¡¯ Storage items were very rare. Levin had heard that even in Neo Seoul, there weren¡¯t many Awakened who possessed storage items. If the man in the ck robe really had a storage item as Levin spected, then he was likely not an ordinary person. ¡°Hah!¡± Levin waited for the man in the ck robe to move far enough away before getting up from his seat. Sitting in the same position for so long had made his legs numb. Nheless, Levin tracked the man in the ck robe without showing any signs of difort. The man in the ck robe seemed to be extremely cautious. He never let his guard down. Although he walked casually, Levin could sense that the man¡¯s senses and nerves were alert to the outside. ¡®About ten meters away?¡¯ Levin felt amazed that he could know such a fact. It seemed possible because his senses had be sharper after Awakening. Levin walked about ten meters away from the man in the ck robe. The man in the ck robe gradually entered a deeper alley. Levin was convinced. ¡®He¡¯s definitely nning a murder today.¡¯ A strong urge surged within him. It was when Levin tried hard to calm his violently pounding heart. Suddenly, the man in the ck robe stopped. Levin stopped instinctively as well. The man in the ck robe turned around and looked in Levin¡¯s direction. Their eyes met for a moment. He spoke. ¡°What are you? You¡¯ve been following me since the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°How? I was definitely out of your detection range.¡± Levin blurted out, surprised. ¡°My detection range is much wider and denser than you think, kid!¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± ¡°Now, tell me why you followed me.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Levin¡¯s face stiffened. The cold gaze of the man in the ck robe sent shivers down Levin¡¯s spine. It was as if the man¡¯s eyes prated everything, with a predatory gaze containing all his malice. It was like the gaze of a ck panther, unintentionally invoking terror. Levin swallowed dry saliva unconsciously. The man¡¯s lips, revealed beneath the deep hat, formed a smirk. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell the truth, I¡¯ll tear you to pieces.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it? The despicable bastard who kills people and leaves them dismembered like in the shape of a hydra.¡± ¡°Despicable? You¡¯re just a vulgar person who doesn¡¯t understand art. That¡¯s why I hate the slums. People living hand to mouth are nothing but ignorant fools. So theyck the knowledge to appreciate art.¡± ¡°Killing people in such a way is art? Then let me try my hand at art.¡± Levin couldn¡¯t contain his anger and exploded. The man in the ck robe¡¯s smirk intensified at Levin¡¯s outburst. ¡°To imbue such emotions? You¡¯re not just a simple tracker, are you? Perhaps you had family among those I killed?¡± ¡°Yes! You bastard.¡± Levin shouted and rushed at the man in the ck robe. The man¡¯s appearance blurred like a ghost. Levin had activated awakened ability, Specter. In a ghostly, blurry state, emitting purple energy, Levin¡¯s appearance startled the man in the ck robe. Although he had met quite a few Awakeneds, Levin was the first one he encountered with abilities like his. ¡°Haha! You must enjoy cutting. How about the feeling of cutting a ghost?¡± Swaah! Suddenly, a deformed dagger emerged from the man¡¯s sleeve. The dagger, resembling a mix of a sword and a saw, had barely discernible runes engraved on it. As the man in the ck robe flicked his finger, the dagger with the runes pierced Levin. If it were an ordinary person or an Awakened, they would have died instantly, but to Levin, who had turned into a ghost, any attack was ineffective. ¡°Die!¡± Instantly, an enormous surge of electrical energy emanated from Levin. Zap! The electrical energy swept through everything like a storm in an instant. Even the man in the ck robe couldn¡¯t escape the storm. His robe burst open, revealing his face. ¡°Argh!¡± A lizard-like elongated face with narrow eyes. But most impressive were the scars crossing his face horizontally. The scars, hastily stitched together, looked even more grotesque. ¡°How dare you!¡± He was furious. He never expected Levin to emit electricity after turning into a ghost. Although it was electrical energy, not magic, it was simr to the Chain Lightning used by magic user Awakeneds. If the man¡¯s abilities were slightlycking, he would have been killed by Levin¡¯s attack just now. The man¡¯s rage was terrifying. ¡°You!¡± He swung the dagger with the runes attached. Levin sneered at him. ¡°It won¡¯t work. Mister, you¡¯re not very bright.¡± ¡°What?¡± In an instant, white light followed the runes. It was the electrical discharge emitted from the man¡¯s hand. Only then did Levin realize that the man¡¯s hand was a mechanized prosthetic. His prosthetic hand had generated the intense electrical energy, just like Levin. Zap! Crack! The collision of electrical energies created an enormous energy storm. The storm demolished a corner of the slum. *** ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Suddenly feeling a tremendous vibration, Brielle looked up in surprise. The buildings shook momentarily, as if an earthquake had urred. As a result, the experimental specimens on the workbench trembled for a moment. Fortunately, the vibration soon subsided. She hurriedly looked for Zeon. Zeon was already standing up and looking out the window. In the distance, she could see white light disappearing. Brielle asked Zeon. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Seems like a fight broke out.¡± ¡°At any rate, this damn slum. There¡¯s never a quiet day. Where is it? Dongdaemun? Or somewhere else?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in Sinchon.¡± ¡°Eh? That close?¡± Just then. Kwaaaang! A thunderous sound and white lightning swept through the slum once again. As a result, the windows of Zeon¡¯s house shook as if they were about to break. ¡°Who the hell is fighting in the middle of the night?¡± Angry to the core, Brielle clenched her hat tightly. Zeon said. ¡°It¡¯s Levin.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Levin is fighting.¡± Due to the towering buildings, the fighting scene couldn¡¯t be seen. But the distinctive energy waves felt intensely were undoubtedly Levin¡¯s. ¡°Is Levin really fighting? Then did he find the murderer?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to check it out now.¡± Zeon opened the window. The stuffy sandstorm hit his face. Without hesitation, Zeon flew into the sandstorm. Brielle also jumped out of the window, shouting. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 108 Chapter 108 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 108 Levin was not in a good condition. His clothes were torn and burnt, resembling rags, and he had deep wounds on his shoulders and thighs. Blood flowed profusely from the wounds. ¡°Heuk! Heuk!¡± Levin looked at the man, gasping for breath. The man¡¯s condition was worse than Levin¡¯s. He had more severe wounds and was bleeding much more. But he was smiling. His face, giggling and smiling as if he couldn¡¯t bear the current situation, overwhelmed with joy, was terrifying to behold. ¡°Kikik! Such an amusing ability. Being able to use Ghostification and lightning-type skills together. You¡¯ll probably end up stuck inside ab once they find out about this.¡± ¡°You too? Were you locked up in ab?¡± ¡°Hehe! Does this answer your question? I willingly cut off my own healthy hand, after all.¡± The man waved his mechanical hand. The machine prosthetic, which had discharged powerful electric energy several times, made a creaking sound as it malfunctioned. Yet the man continued tough, seemingly enjoying something. ¡°So, did you escape from theb and roam around killing people?¡± ¡°Hehe! Others should feel the pain as much as I did.¡± ¡°You bastard! You call that a reason?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°My mother and younger brother died just for that? For such absurd reasons?¡± ¡°Hehe! Kid! There are countless people who die for even less significant reasons in this world. How long are you going to y innocent? Anyway, humans eventually be independent from their parents. I just hastened that process a bit.¡± ¡°I will kill you. Definitely!¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re showing a bit of maturity.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± At that moment, an intense light exploded from Levin¡¯s whole body. ¡°Wow! Did his rank go up?¡± The man recognized it as a phenomenon that urs when an Awakened¡¯s rank increases. The rage that turned Levin¡¯s head almost white elevated him from E-rank to D-rank. Zap! Levin emitted purple electricity while in a ghostified state. Levin¡¯s gaze, hovering in the air, turned toward the man. ¡°Die!¡± In an instant, a violet chain lightning exploded from his entire body. The grid of lightning covered the man in an instant. ¡°Kikik!¡± The man retreated as he swung the sword with a silver thread hanging from it. With the prosthetic damaged, no more current flowed to the sword and the silver thread. Still, the man paid it no mind. After all, his abilities were acquired after birth. Even without using electricity, he knew how to kill. Levin¡¯s ghostification was undoubtedly a remarkable ability. To change the human body into something intangible was extraordinary. Conventional physical attacks couldn¡¯t touch him. However, despite his rank increasing, Levin hadn¡¯t fully mastered his abilities. That¡¯s why, even in his ghostified form, his body intermittently solidified. Though the time was very short, it was enough for the man. The man aimed for the moment when Levin¡¯s body solidified. Fwoosh! The dagger deeply pierced into Levin¡¯s side. Levin¡¯s face contorted in pain. But he endured the pain and grasped the dagger stuck in his side with his hand. The man sneered at Levin¡¯s suffering. ¡°Did you see that? I made one of the de¡¯s sides into a saw. It won¡¯te out until it tears off all your flesh. How does it feel? Hot, right?¡± Instead of replying, Levin red at the man with bloodshot eyes. ¡°I tempered it with the bones of a me Alligator. So, it¡¯s quite hot.¡± ¡°Pull out?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I just barely caught you, why would I pull out now?¡± Levinughed, revealing blood-stained teeth. ¡°You bastard!¡± The man suddenly felt chills running down his spine. Only then did he realize. Levin didn¡¯t momentarily solidify due to insufficient abilities; he deliberately showed a w. ¡°You nned it?¡± ¡°Yeah! You bastard.¡± Levin unleashed his full power with a roar, spreading the chain lightning. The purple current struck the man through the silver thread hanging from the dagger. It happened before the man could react. The tremendous current prated his whole body, and he could only tremble without even a scream. Crackle! As the current pierced through, flesh burst everywhere, and the mechanical prosthetic waspletely shattered. Levin poured out his full power with the resolve to kill. ¡°Ugh!¡± A momentter, Levin felt a sense of emptiness and knelt on the ground. Unknowingly, he had returned to solidity from ghostification. Levin looked at the man with bloodshot eyes. The man was burnt to a crisp, like something roasted in a fire. His head waspletely burnt, leaving no trace, and his skin was so charred that his original form was unrecognizable. Despite such a state, the man was still alive. Although his breathing wasbored as if he would suffocate, he still looked at Levin with hatred. Even in a state ofplete disarray and on the brink of death, his will to live did not diminish. It sent shivers down Levin¡¯s spine. Levin wondered what kind of life one must live to bear such resilience. ¡°But, still, I won.¡± Levin staggered to his feet. He didn¡¯t want to see those chilling eyes anymore. Levin pulled out the dagger lodged in his side. As the dagger was pulled out, flesh tore apart. The excruciating pain made everything seem distant, but Levin struggled to stay conscious. ¡°You must feel it too. The pain my mom, brother, and others felt¡­¡± ¡°Gah¡­ Huh! Fuck you!¡± The man barely managed to reply with a raspy voice. Levin thrust the dagger into the man¡¯s thigh. Thud! As the dagger plunged in, the man¡¯s body jolted. Though his whole body was burnt by the current, his sensory perception remained intact. Levin pulled out the dagger. Squelch! With a gruesome sound, flesh tore apart from the man¡¯s body. It would be agonizingly painful. Yet the man didn¡¯t scream. He smiled as if inviting Levin to try harder. ¡°You bastard! You don¡¯t deserve to live, you son of a bitch.¡± Levin pushed the dagger into the man¡¯s shoulder once again, then twisted it left and right. The wounds tore wider as the de moved. Levin withdrew the dagger and looked at it. Chunks of flesh clung to the serrated edges, mingling not only the man¡¯s flesh but his own. It made him feel nauseous. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Tears streamed down his cheeks. ¡°Fuck!¡± Levin brought the dagger towards the man¡¯s throat. He intended to cut off his breath. The manughed as if he had been waiting for this. ¡°Is¡­ this something you wanted to try? Someone like you¡­ can¡¯t inflict pain on others.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Why, trying to remember?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll remember and savor it forever.¡± ¡°Hehe! You¡¯re amusing, kid. But what¡¯s it to you? I never had a name to begin with.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then I¡¯ll remember you as ¡®bastard¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not bad. ¡®Bastard¡¯ it is now. It¡¯s funny how I¡¯m getting a name only at the brink of death. Kehehe!¡± Levin couldn¡¯t bear to see the manugh anymore. So he forcefully stabbed the dagger. ng! But his attempt was futile, deflected by some unseen force. With a loud noise, Levin¡¯s hand holding the dagger was thrown back. His arm was fractured and trembled from the tremendous impact. ¡°Urgh!¡± Levin, who had been thrown backward, looked at his forearm. An arrow the size of a child¡¯s palm was lodged in it. Someone had shot an arrow to prevent his action. Levin grabbed his forearm and shouted. ¡°Who are you? Damn it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boy, but he can¡¯t die yet.¡± At that moment, the owner of the arrow appeared. She was a woman wearing a coat that reached her ankles and a tricorn hat. Her face was obscured by the deep-set hat, but her voice revealed she was a woman. Levin cursed. ¡°Are you an aplice of this bastard?¡± ¡°That¡¯s an insult to me, boy!¡± ¡°Do you know what a real insult is? Preventing rightful revenge is the real insult.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But we have no choice. This is very important evidence. And boy, you muste with us.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Boy, your unique ability is dangerous. We¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°Fuck you! Who¡¯s going to protect whom?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t humans be rational? Why are they so passionate? If you thought rationally, you would know I¡¯m right.¡± The woman sighed slightly, shaking her head. Behind her, a dozen other women dressed the same appeared. The woman gave them an order. ¡°Take them both.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The women approached Levin. ¡°Aaargh!¡± Levin unleashed all the remaining strength as if wringing out a rag. But his power was feeble. Thud! Thud! Thud! A barrage of merciless fists rained down on Levin¡¯s body. Despite his slender frame, their blows were powerful. Thump! A blow to the temple sent Levin¡¯s consciousness flying momentarily. As Levin copsed unconscious, one of the women picked him up in her arms. The woman, seemingly the leader, murmured. ¡°Completing the mission and acquiring a rare Awakened individual as well, the Queen will be pleased. Humans are somewhat bothersome, but they can be useful after being brainwashed.¡± ¡°The Queen, are you referring to the Ice Queen of the North District?¡± A clear voice suddenly interrupted. The woman felt a chill run down her spine. ¡®When?¡¯ Until the voice sounded right behind her, she hadn¡¯t noticed the approach. If her opponent had attacked, she would have been helplessly defeated. Quickly turning around, she faced a tall, handsome man and a young girl wearing a tricorn hat. ¡®It wasn¡¯t one, but two?¡¯ The realization that two people had deceived her senses added to her confusion. She tried to remainposed and nonchntly asked. ¡°We didn¡¯t expect additional guests. Where are you from? The South District, the Central Zone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from around here.¡± ¡°Around¡­ the slum area?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± It was Zeon who answered with a calm expression. The girl with the tricorn hat next to him was none other than Brielle. ¡°Levin!¡± Brielle¡¯s gaze turned to Levin, who was draped like a towel on one of the woman¡¯s shoulders. Levin, on the brink of consciousness, didn¡¯t even twitch. Under the brim of the tricorn hat, Brielle¡¯s eyes turned sharp. Though they hadn¡¯t shared deep emotions, he was one of the few humans she couldfortably converse with. And now, Levin was severely wounded and being abducted. If they had arrived just a bitter, Levin would have disappeared without a trace, taken by them. Brielle demanded. ¡°Levin! Let him go.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The women remained silent. Zeon gently addressed the apparent leader. ¡°Levin is our friend. Please release him.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do that. He¡¯s a very rare Awakened. With proper nurturing, he could be a formidable force.¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t consented to this.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need his consent. And we certainly don¡¯t need yours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s regrettable.¡± ¡°I feel the same way. I didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble.¡± The woman deepened her hood. Hiding her eyes and face meant she knew her actions weren¡¯t honorable. Zeon muttered. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s why everyone wears a mask.¡¯ At that moment, the leader woman issued amand. ¡°Don¡¯t kill, only subdue. We¡¯re taking them too.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 109 Chapter 109 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 109 All the women were slim like models. However, theirbat prowess far exceeded that of ordinary Awakeneds. Though they had been empty-handed, small bows had suddenly appeared in their hands. They were specially crafted items. They werepact enough to be folded and stored in a size barelyrger than a child¡¯s torso. The base and string, made from the bones and tendons of monsters, possessed tremendous sticity. The arrows were also made from monster bones, enhanced with magic to increase their piercing power. Swish! Swish! The women shot arrows at Zeon and Brielle. Zeon and Brielle each dodged in different directions to avoid the arrows. However, the arrows changed trajectory as if they had a mind of their own, chasing after the two. Zeon shot a fire missile to intercept the arrows. Boom! Boom! With a bang, the arrows exploded like fireworks. Meanwhile, Brielle unleashed her magic. ¡°Haah! Barrier!¡± With a burst of energy, a translucent barrier formed in front of her. Thud Boom! The arrows collided with the barrier and exploded. ¡°You seem to have quite some skill. But it won¡¯t be enough to escape from the Blue Leaf Special Forces.¡± A woman in a hood muttered in a cold voice. The women they referred to as the Blue Leaf Special Forces were not ordinary people. Not only were their senses several times more sensitive than ordinary humans but their physical abilities also surpassed the limits through special training. They circled around Zeon and Brielle like vultures at frightening speeds, continuously shooting arrows. Swish! Swish! Zeon¡¯s gaze turned cold. He realized that the arrows were not just intended to inflict wounds on him and Brielle but were aimed to take their lives. The power contained in the arrows was formidable indeed. Therefore, Zeon had to exert more strength. Fire missiles poured out ceaselessly. Boom! Boom! Arrows exploded like fireworks right in front of Zeon. The woman in the hood muttered as she watched. ¡°Seems like a fire-type Awakened. It¡¯s a waste of talent to be in the slums.¡± She had already decided to kill Zeon and Brielle. Levin and the man were important figures. Levin was a rare type of Awakened, and the man was crucial evidence. They couldn¡¯t afford to let anything slip. If other factions found out they were with them, they would surely attract attention. The most surefire way to keep the secret was to eliminate witnesses. The woman in the hood adhered to that principle. She thought Zeon and Brielle would soon fall. However, the situation was unfolding differently from her expectations. Zeon¡¯s movements suddenly changed. His movements, switching from defensive to offensive, were much faster and more powerful than those of the women. Bang! ¡°Aaaah!¡± With a strike, one of the women who had been shooting arrows flew backward. It was because Zeon¡¯s fist struck her abdomen with force. The Inferno Gauntlet was an excellent item that could use me magic, but it was also a powerful weapon in itself. And Zeon was exceptionally skilled in using it. He had been trained rigorously by Dyoden. Even without resorting to sand or me magic skill, Zeon was strong. After being tempered by Dyoden and wandering the world for seven years, undergoing harsh training. His physical abilities were in no way inferior to those awakened as Martial Artists. Boom! ¡°Arghh!¡± Another woman flew backward with a huge explosion. It was clear that her mind had been scattered by the whites in her eyes. Zeon searched for another target. ¡°Die!¡± Pew! Pew! Ping! The woman targeted by Zeon continuously shot arrows. It was an incredible speed. Four arrows almost simultaneously reached Zeon¡¯s head, chest, and abdomen. However, Zeon calmly deflected the arrows without showing any signs of panic. With a metallic sound, the arrows bounced off the Inferno Gauntlet. The woman¡¯s eyes widened. Zeon, who had deflected the arrows, was suddenly standing in front of her. ¡°No way¡­¡± Thud! At that moment, Zeon struck her head with his fist. Fortunately, her head didn¡¯t burst open, but blood spurted from her nose and mouth as she lost consciousness. Zeon was ruthless. Just because his opponent was a woman didn¡¯t mean he would go easy on her. One by one, they fell with a single blow. The woman in the hood¡¯s eyebrows trembled. ¡°He¡¯s not a magic-type Awakened but a Martial Artist Awakened?¡± Even then, Zeon¡¯s prowess was iprehensible in a rational sense. His use of me magic based on powerful physical abilities was a shocking sight to the woman in the hood. Zeon quickly defeated all the Blue Leaf Special Forces. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± The Blue Leaf Special Forces, trained not to scream under any circumstances, groaned in pain as theyy on the ground. Although it seemed like a simple punch, it contained a powerful me energy. Upon impact, the me energy prated the bodies of the opponents. As a result, the women struck by Zeon¡¯s fists felt as if their entire bodies were burning in agony. Burning alive was one of the greatest pains a human could experience. No matter how rigorously trained, no one could endure the pain of burning. Writhing in agony, the women¡¯s hats were knocked off. ¡°As expected, they¡¯re elves.¡± Their exposed pointed ears were an unmistakable feature of elves. Even mixed with other races through marriage, the inte traits of elves never disappeared. Brielle wrinkled her nose. ¡°No wonder the smell felt familiar. But it¡¯s mixed with a foul stench.¡± Elves who had lived in the human world for a long time had a scent mixed with human odors. It was a scent that elves disliked. To a High Elf like Brielle, it was even more repulsive. ¡®They must perceive me the same way. My body¡¯s been ruined from making drugs.¡¯ She could never return to her pure days again. Brielle bit her lip and pulled her pointed hat lower. At that moment, the leader woman removed her hood and spoke. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a formidable Awakened in the slums. If I had known, I would have prepared better.¡± ¡°You mentioned the Blue Leaf Special Forces, right? You¡¯re from the North District, correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The woman answered honestly. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] At this point, denying it would have been ridiculous. ¡°My name is Borin Strabach. And you?¡± ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Yes, Zeon! As you suspected, I¡¯m from the North District.¡± ¡°I thought so.¡± ¡°Then you understand what you¡¯ve done wrong?¡± ¡°Is it the world that¡¯s wrong? Or is it that elves havepletely different ways of thinking from humans? Isn¡¯t the fault on your side? You kidnapped Levin without permission and tried to take away a murderer.¡± ¡°We had to make choices for the sake of the world. I have no reason to feel guilty about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s convenient. Making excuses that what you did was for the world. Is that the survival strategy of elves mixed with humans? Maybe that¡¯s why you couldn¡¯t enter El Harun.¡± ¡°El Harun? What¡¯s that?¡± Borin asked with a puzzled expression. Zeon frowned at her reaction. ¡®She doesn¡¯t even know about the city of the otherworldly species. Do the fallen elves not know? Or do only the ones at the top know while hiding the information from below?¡¯ Which was the truth couldn¡¯t be determined at the moment. Zeon deliberately gave a blunt answer. ¡°Forget about it if you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Ha! You really have a talent for making people angry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even human, are you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re just like humans¡­ No, why am I saying this?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re scared.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s natural for people to be talkative when they¡¯re scared.¡± ¡°Are you saying Borin is scared? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. We elves never get scared.¡± ¡°Then why are you just talking instead of attacking? If I were you, I would have attacked already.¡± Zeon¡¯s words were decisive. Ting! Borin felt the thread of her rationality snapping. When she came to her senses, she was already rushing toward Zeon. As befitting the leader of the Special Forces, Borin possessed tremendous abilities. She knew how to use wind-based skills, typical of elves¡¯ agility. A B-rank magic Awakened. That was Borin¡¯s identity. ¡°Wind Cutter!¡± Muttering softly, Borin sent a Wind Cutter flying towards Zeon. Whooosh! The challenging aspect of wind-based skills was that they couldn¡¯t be discerned with the naked eye. Just as wind couldn¡¯t be seen, neither could wind-based skills. Rather than relying on sight and reacting, one had to move entirely based on their instincts. That¡¯s why Awakened with lower ranks or lessbat experience found wind-based skills the most challenging to deal with. But Zeon was different. Even if they couldn¡¯t be seen, even when deployed without a trace, Zeon could vividly sense them. Fwoosh! He deflected the Wind Cutter with the back of his hand, wearing the Inferno Gauntlet. Gritting her teeth, Borin unleashed the next skill. ¡°Tornado Breath.¡± Instantly, the wind spun at a terrifying speed and flew towards Zeon. A devastating skill that destroyed everything swept away by its power. It was the most powerful skill she could unleash. Realizing that simple attacks wouldn¡¯t be effective, she went all out. Suasuasuah! The Tornado Breath destroyed everything in its path as it approached Zeon. Witnessing that, Brielle eximed in shock. ¡°Ah! Danger¡­¡± In her eyes, she saw an illusion of Zeon being torn apart by the tornado. But it was just that¡ªan illusion. Where the Tornado Breath had passed through, Zeon was nowhere to be found. Brielle widened her eyes. ¡°When did he get there?¡± Zeon was standing behind Borin. He had moved at a speed unnoticed by Borin and even Brielle. Raising his hand, Zeon muttered. ¡°Fire Rain!¡± Instantly, an enormous downpour of mes descended from the sky. Like meteors, the fiery rain struck Borin with incredible speed. Qua-qua-qua-qua-thud! The rain of mes mercilessly struck Borin. With no room to escape, Borin dared not even try and relied on her defensive skill, Wind Shield, for protection. The rain of mes relentlessly battered the wind shield. Under the repeated tremendous impacts, Borin bit her lips forcefully. ¡®There¡¯s a limit to mana, he won¡¯t be able to use such an enormous skill for long.¡¯ Skills with great power consumed a lot of mana. Therefore, some skills, even if used only once, could cause an Awakened to copse from mana exhaustion. Borin thought that Zeon¡¯s current skill would be the same. However, contrary to her expectations, the Fire Rain continued to pour without end. Zzzt! Ironically, it was Borin who ran out of mana first. As the effectiveness of the Wind Shield weakened, she felt despair. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be!¡± At the moment when her scream echoed, the Wind Shield shattered into pieces. What awaited her next was a torrent of hellish mes. The mes battered her entire body like bullets. ¡°Ahh!¡± With a scream of agony, Borin copsed under the tremendous impact. Only then did Zeon stop unleashing the Fire Rain. Borin¡¯s condition was surprisingly intact. It was thanks to the overcoat she was wearing. Though it looked like an ordinary coat, it was an item imbued with protective magic. In a moment of crisis, the magic activated just once, saving Borin¡¯s life. ¡°Huff!¡± Although her life was barely saved, Borin was unable to move due to the tremendous impact. Zeon knelt before the incapacitated Borin and met her gaze. ¡°Now, let¡¯s have a conversation. It seems you¡¯re finally ready for that now.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 110 Chapter 110 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 110 The Ice Queen was thest hope and guardian of the otherworldly races living in secret within Neo Seoul. Thanks to her presence, these otherworldly races could persistently carry on their lineage in Neo Seoul despite harsh persecution. That¡¯s why the loyalty of these races towards her was almost blind. Borin was no exception. Her bing the Commander of the Blue Leaves Special Force was all thanks to the Ice Queen, Serian Oliana. She epted the perilous position of Commander because she wanted to be of some help to her. While leading the Blue Leaves, facing countless dangers and encountering numerous individuals, none of them gave her the eerie feeling as much as Zeon did. Zeon was smiling. His seemingly kind smile felt as threatening as a de. Borin felt as if she were standing alone, all naked, in front of the sharpest knife in the world. Zeon asked with a smile on his face. ¡°I understand taking Levin, he has abilities worth taking. But why take the murderer? What value does he have?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Borin tightly sealed her lips. Even though she had failed her mission, she couldn¡¯t recklessly reveal the secret. Seeing Borin¡¯s reaction, Zeon made a sad expression. ¡°Borin! Let¡¯s make this easy. Please don¡¯t make me do bad things. Then I¡¯ll really be unhappy.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Borin¡¯s face contorted for a moment. With her elven senses, she felt that what Zeon said was true. Although she didn¡¯t know what bad things Zeon was referring to, she was certain that if he acted, it would be very detrimental to herself and the entirety of the Blue Leaves. ¡°Haah!¡± Zeon sighed. After looking at Borin for a moment, he turned to the other elves. ¡°It seems like she hasn¡¯t decided yet. We might need to help her a little.¡± ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± ¡°I have some interesting things with me. Among them, there¡¯s a bug called the Agony Eater. It¡¯s a bit of a funny creature, it eats the bones of living beings. If bones are eaten, the creature should die, right? But this bug injects a paralyzing toxin into the prey¡¯s body from its mouth. This toxin has hallucinogenic effects. So, the victim enjoys the greatest pleasure until all their bones are eaten away, then they die.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s no way such a creature exists in the world.¡± ¡°Are you sure? As far as I know, this creature also came from Kurayan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Borin¡¯s pupils shook. It seemed like Zeon put his hand into his pocket. It was unclear whether there really was an Agony Eater in Zeon¡¯s pocket. However, Borin had heard about the legend of the Agony Eater from the Ice Queen, Serian. But it took some time to recall, as it was fragmented information. ¡®What if that guy really has an Agony Eater?¡¯ Just imagining it made her hair stand on end. Eventually, Borin surrendered. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you. He¡¯s a byproduct of an experiment.¡± ¡°A byproduct?¡± ¡°Yes! A literal byproduct. Like trash. So his personality is destroyed, and only the instinct for ughter remains.¡± ¡°What kind of experiment was it?¡± ¡°We¡¯re trying to find that out by taking him.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Rumors about the Central District, where the City Hall is located, have been circting for a long time. That¡¯s why the Ice Queen was concerned too.¡± ¡°So the experiment was conducted in the Central District?¡± ¡°Our guess is yes. So we¡¯re trying to find out the details.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Zeon furrowed his brow. If Borin¡¯s words were true, then he could understand the movements in the North District as well. Although they belonged to Neo Seoul together, the Central District and the other four districts each had separate rulers. Their territories were strictly managed, making it difficult for other powers to intervene. Since intervention from other powers meant war, caution was necessary. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve told you everything I know. So let us go now.¡± ¡°Okay. But there¡¯s a condition. Don¡¯t evere near Levin again.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°I cannot let you go unless you make this promise.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± At that moment, Brielle intervened. ¡°Promise on Serian¡¯s name.¡± At the sudden intervention of Brielle, Borin looked puzzled. Sweating on the name of Serian, the leader of the otherworldly races, was no different from putting her honor on the line. If this oath were vited, Serian¡¯s name would also be dragged through the mud. It¡¯s a fact only known to elves. Borin looked at Brielle. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re an elf, right? But why are you siding with humans?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not siding with humans. I¡¯m siding with Zeon.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they the same thing?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Brielle asked bluntly. After a moment of contemtion, Borin sighed and replied. ¡°There¡¯s no choice. I¡¯ll swear on the name of the Ice Queen, Serian Oliana, the ruler of the North District. There won¡¯t be any further attempts to approach Levin from me or the North District.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Brielle crossed her arms and snorted. Her attitude resembled that of a child expecting praise from Zeon. Zeon smiled and said. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± At that moment, Borin asked Brielle. ¡°You seem to be close to being a pureblood. Which tribe do you belong to?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t know even if I told you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°So just turn your curiosity off.¡± With that, Brielle firmly sealed her lips. Borin felt that it was pointless to ask any further questions due to her stubborn attitude. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Look at this.¡± Zeon¡¯s sudden voice snapped her out of her reverie. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He escaped.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That murderer, he escaped.¡± Zeon pointed to where the murderer had been. But now, there was no one there. The murderer had suddenly regained his senses and fled. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°That¡¯s impossible. We confirmed that he was critically injured.¡± ¡°Tsk! Levin will be upset when he wakes up.¡± Zeon said so, but his expression showed no remorse. The murderer¡¯s fate would be determined by Levin. Levin probably wouldn¡¯t want the murderer to be taken to the North District either. That would have made revenge impossible. After carrying up Levin, Zeon and Brielle left together. Brielle asked Zeon in a somewhat using tone. ¡°Did you really intend to use the Agony Eater?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d have something like that.¡± ¡°So, was it a lie?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Wow! You trickster! I fell for it too.¡± Brielle shook her head in disbelief. Watching Zeon¡¯s retreating figure, Borin muttered to herself. ¡®There was an enormous monster hiding in the slums.¡¯ *** Zeon brought Levin to his house. Levin regained consciousness the next day. Whether it was due to the aftermath of what happened with the elves, Levin remained in a dazed state all day. Zeon and Brielle didn¡¯t bother to talk to or provoke Levin. They gave him time to sort things out on his own. Zeon sat by the window, looking out at the street, while Brielle was engrossed in her experiments. Bang! A sk containing an unidentified liquid exploded. ¡°Hmph! Another failure.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± At that moment, Levin offered warm words to the distressed Brielle. ¡°Are you finally back to your senses?¡± ¡°Yeah! Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine! It¡¯s nothing new.¡± ¡°Brielle is brave, not afraid of failure.¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t, the humans would beat me.¡± ¡°Ah! Sorry.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t Levin who hit me, so why apologize?¡± ¡°Just¡­.¡± ¡°Levin is indeed kind.¡± For a moment, Levin smiled bitterly. He knew he wasn¡¯t a kind person at all. If he were kind, he would have listened to his mother and been with his family on the day the incident happened. Because he wasn¡¯t, he survived alone. Levin nced at Zeon sitting by the window. ¡°What happened to the bastard?¡± ¡°The bastard?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided to call that murderer that.¡± ¡°He escaped.¡± ¡°Good. I was worried about what those women would do if they took him away.¡± Levin smiled broadly. Leaving his revenge in someone else¡¯s hands wasn¡¯t his style. He remembered the murderer¡¯s face, eyes, scent, everything. No matter what form he took or what identity he assumed, Levin believed he could find him. Of course, he needed to fully recover physically first. Levin asked Zeon. ¡°Will the North District continue bothering me?¡± ¡°The North District won¡¯t be able to touch you, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zeon exined to the puzzled Levin what happened yesterday, how Brielle made Borin swear on Serian¡¯s name. Now that Levin knew everything, he thanked Brielle. ¡°Thanks! Brielle.¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s no big deal.¡± Brielle raised her nose slightly. ¡°But you should be cautious in other districts.¡± ¡°Would that elf named Borin leak information?¡± ¡°There must have been more than one person who watched your fight yesterday. Rumors will spread through them.¡± Levin was a new type of Awakened that had never existed before. Apart frombat prowess, his utility was immeasurable. His ability to ghostify was already a deception in itself. With enough determination, he could infiltrate anywhere and neutralize all means of defense. It was an ability optimized for information gathering and assassination. Any organization would be tempted to recruit him. ¡°Hmm.¡± Levin hummed thoughtfully. He finally realized his situation. He sought Zeon¡¯s advice. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Raise your rank so that nobody can touch you, or hide so that nobody can find you. You have to choose one.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide anymore.¡± ¡°Then raise your rank.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Fight as much as possible to expand your abilities beyond the limit.¡± ¡°Hyung! I¡¯m begging you. Please help me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s you, Hyung, you can do it. Right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking for your help. I¡¯ll devote myself to you, Hyung.¡± Levin knelt before Zeon. ¡°Do you understand how terrifying those words are?¡± ¡°Hyung! I¡¯m not a child. I fully understand the weight of my words. Even if it¡¯s not this, I wanted to be with you, Hyung.¡± Levin knew. Despite his seemingly ordinary appearance, Zeon was a frightening Awakened. He effortlessly removed Goran, the ruler of Sinchon, and easily defeated the Special Force of the North District. Estimated rank: B. And that¡¯s the minimum estimate. ¡®Perhaps A rank, or even higher¡­¡¯ Levin needed an umbre to protect him from the downpour of the world. Arge and wide umbre. The man he considered a giant umbre responded. ¡°It¡¯ll be too cramped if you stay here. We need to buy the house next door and expand our home.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 111 Chapter 111 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 111 ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I failed the mission.¡± Borin knelt with one knee and bowed her head. In front of her was an elf woman sitting on arge wooden chair. The elf woman¡¯s name was Serian Oliana. She was a rare pure-blood elf. With skin as white as snow, tinum hair, and eyebrows, she looked like a white fairy from a distance. At first nce, she appeared to be in herte thirties to early forties, but in fact, she was over three hundred years old. When her homnd, Kurayan, was destroyed, she crossed over to Earth. She came to Earth dreaming of a new paradise, but the reality she was met with was too harsh. Earth, terraformed into a desert due to the terraforming failure, was the worst environment for living beings. Many of her kin couldn¡¯t withstand the harsh environment and died. Those who survived banded together and moved somewhere to create their own city. That ce was El Harun. Serian could have entered El Harun as well. But she didn¡¯t. It was because of the ones who had fallen behind. To protect them, Serian willingly remained in the human world and became the ruler of the North District. Therge wooden chair she sat on was made from a fragment of the World Tree brought from Kurayan. This wooden chair elevated her status and gave her the dignity of a ruler. That was one of the reasons she became the queen of the otherworldly races who remained in Neo Seoul. Serian spoke. ¡°Did he clearly say El Harun?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even though he¡¯s obviously human?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How could a human¡­?¡± ¡°What is El¡­ Harun? Could you tell me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± At Borin¡¯s cautious question, Serian hesitated for a moment. In the North District, only two people knew of the existence of El Harun. One was herself, and the other was Eli, the second-inmand of the North District. The two of them kept the existence of El Harun a strict secret. The city of El Harun, a city of otherworldly races from Kurayan, might be a beacon of hope for the otherworldly races of Neo Seoul. But revealing its location to humans could be dangerous. Serian and Eli had waited for El Harun to contact them after they had grown enough to reveal themselves. But no matter how long they waited, El Harun did not contact them, and she eventually lost hope. So when she unexpectedly heard the name El Harun through a human, it was surprising. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t tell you yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°But if therees a situation where I can tell you, I promise to tell Borin first.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Borin replied, hiding her disappointed expression. Serian also saw through Borin¡¯s emotions, but she pretended not to. ¡°By the way! What was his name?¡± ¡°Zeon.¡± ¡°Zeon from the slums. His estimated rank is at least B-rank, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s an elf who appears to be pureblood with him?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Do you happen to know the elf¡¯s name?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Borin stuttered. ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t know the name of another elf?¡± ¡°For some reason, she refused to reveal her name to me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A deep furrow formed on Serian¡¯s forehead. Elves are beings ofmunication. Even if they were enemies, they had no hesitation in revealing their names. For elves,munication was natural. There were hardly any cases where a pure-blood elf refused to reveal their true name. Because their name was the most certain proof of their identity. Refusing to reveal their name meant refusing tomunicate with other elves. ¡°A pure-blood elf refusing tomunicate?¡± It didn¡¯t make sense to Serian¡¯smon sense. ¡®Or is she not a pure-blood elf? If that were the case, there¡¯s no way that Borin wouldn¡¯t have recognized her. Perhaps?¡¯ At that moment, a thought crossed Serian¡¯s mind. Seeing the change in her expression, Borin cautiously asked. ¡°Why? Is there something strange?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Borin! You¡¯ve worked hard, so go rest now.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah, I understand.¡± Borin bowed her head and stepped back. Alone now, Serian muttered to herself, ¡°What if she¡¯s a¡­ High Elf?¡± *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Crash! The walls separating two houses copsed like sandcastles. ¡°Hyah!¡± As Brielle spread her hands wide, a strong wind arose, blowing away the debris of the copsed walls, turning them into sand outside the window. ¡°Isn¡¯t that amazing?¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s a piece of cake for me.¡± Smiling, Brielle flicked her finger against her nose in response to Levin¡¯s praise. As soon as Zeon mentioned expanding the house, Levin barged into the adjacent house and negotiated. Fortunately, Zeon had quite a bit of money, and thendlord was nning to move anyway, so the negotiation was quickly settled. Thendlord moved to the new house that evening, and Brielle demolished the wall of the empty house. Thus, Zeon¡¯s house doubled in size in an instant. Suddenly, the Mana Stone Generator emitted a ¡°humming¡± sound. The Watching Eye, a ck gemstone serving as the core of the Mana Stone Generator, detected the expansion of the territory. From the Watching Eye, crimson lines spread out like a, covering the expanded area before disappearing without a trace. Seeing this, Levin blinked in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The Watching Eye? I never thought I¡¯d actually see it.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only heard about it from the adults, and it¡¯s my first time seeing it, so I¡¯m not entirely sure, but it¡¯s a barrier used in royal pces or treasuries. It¡¯s said to ignore most physical and magical attacks. To think such a thing was hidden in a Mana Stone Generator. Where did Zeon get this thing?¡± ¡°Is it that valuable?¡± ¡°Among the elves I know, nobody has something like this.¡± ¡°It must be extremely valuable.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Brielle eyed the Mana Stone Generator, or rather, the Watching Eye installed within it. Her heart was filled with a longing to study the Watching Eye. Seeing this, Levin shook his head. He knew Brielle would obsess over the Watching Eye for a while, even without confirming it visually. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a wee change that the house has expanded like this.¡± Zeon¡¯s house had now doubled in size. Brielle reinforced the copsed walls and pirs with magic, so there was no danger of copse. Brielle immediately moved her belongings to the adjacent space that was once the neighboring house. She imed thergest room. ¡°This is myboratory. Don¡¯te in.¡± ¡°Suit yourself. I¡¯m satisfied with just a small room.¡± Levin chuckled. At that moment, Zeon emerged wearing a robe. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To the butcher¡¯s. Youring too¡± ¡°Me too?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Levin followed Zeon as they headed out. ¡°Levin!¡± ¡°Where were you? You disappeared for a while.¡± As they reached the street, other kids recognized Levin and approached him. Levin greeted them with fist bumps. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°I have some things to take care of, so I¡¯ll be staying at a friend¡¯s house from now on.¡± Zeon chuckled at Levin¡¯s appearance. ¡®He¡¯s quite popr.¡¯ Wherever you go, there are people who attract attention, bing leaders. Levin seemed to belong to that category. After a while, the two of them arrived at the street where the butcher¡¯s shop was located. The street was quite crowded. It was always bustling, but it had be even more active recently. This meant that there were more people looking for things and more items being sold. ¡°Those shop owners must be raking in the cash.¡± ¡°Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Levin replied without a moment¡¯s hesitation. In the slums, no one could escape poverty. The slums were where one had to constantly struggle to feed themselves. A ce devoid of dreams and hope. To Levin, the slums were just that kind of ce. The only thing that had kept him going was his family, but they were all lost to the murderer. If he had lived anywhere other than the slums in Neo Seoul, perhaps such a thing wouldn¡¯t have happened. ¡°Once I finish my revenge, I¡¯ll earn a lot of money. So that I can live in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You could live in Neo Seoul if you wanted to, right now. Why are you in the slums?¡± ¡°I feel much morefortable in the slums than in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Everyone has their ownfort zone, so you should do what feels right for you.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Amidst such conversations, they arrived at their destination, the butcher¡¯s shop. Inside, a burly man was butchering arge piece of meat of unknown origin. It was Will, the owner of the butcher¡¯s shop. When Will spotted Zeon, he bowed his head in greeting. ¡°Wee.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Old Man Klexi?¡± ¡°He went to Goblin Market for some business.¡± ¡°No wonder I haven¡¯t seen him.¡± ¡°Do you need anything?¡± ¡°I need a vehicle.¡± ¡°The only thing I can offer you right away is a small buggy.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have it prepared immediately.¡± Without asking why Zeon needed a vehicle, Will said he would get it ready. Instead, Levin asked about the reason. ¡°Why do you need a vehicle?¡± ¡°To go out into the desert.¡± ¡°Why the desert?¡± ¡°I have something to find.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough without having to ask so many questions.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zeon shed Levin a meaningful smile, leaving Levin feeling a strange chill. After a while, the buggy was ready. It had no armor and only had its structural appearance, like a skeleton. Fortunately, it had a roof to shield from the sun. As Zeon took the driver¡¯s seat, he said to Levin. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The buggy carrying the two of them left the slums and ventured into the desert. ¡°Woah!¡± Levin eximed in awe. Although he had seen the desert from the slums many times, it was his first time seeing it up close like this. Levin felt excitement and fear simultaneously. Part of him wondered where Zeon was taking him. Zeon drove the vehicle several kilometers away from Neo Seoul. When Neo Seoul was no longer visible, he closed his eyes and heightened his senses. His senses extended endlessly through the sand. After a while, he opened his eyes and said. ¡°I found it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Instead of answering, Zeon drove the vehicle. After a long drive, they arrived at a small area of solidified sandstone in the desert. There was barely enough room for one person to enter the sandstone area. Zeon said to Levin. ¡°Go in.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At Zeon¡¯s unexpected words, Levin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but before he could react, Zeon kicked him in. Thud! ¡°Argh!¡± With a scream, Levin tumbled into the crevice in the sandstone. Watching Levin disappear into the darkness, Zeon muttered to himself. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯ll have to do your best.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 112 Chapter 112 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 112 ¡°Ugh! What was that?¡± Levin rubbed the back of his head as he got up. It felt like he had rolled down for dozens of meters. He was lucky to be unharmed, being an Awakened, whereas if he were an ordinary person, he would have either died or suffered major injuries. Well, Zeon probably wouldn¡¯t have pushed him into a ce like this if he hadn¡¯t been an Awakened. ¡°Why did he push me into this ce?¡± Levin looked around. But all he could see was the thick darkness. The darkness was so intense that even with Levin¡¯s Awakened eyes, he couldn¡¯t distinguish anything. Still, he could definitely tell one thing for sure. The underground space seemed quite vast. The reason Levin thought so was because of the wind. Somewhere underground, a fairly strong wind was blowing. The nauseating smell carried by the wind and faint noises. Wooing! It sounded like the breathing of monsters, or sometimes like faint flute sounds. The moment Levin heard the unidentified noise, he felt goosebumps all over his body. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± That was when it happened. Something in the darkness reacted to Levin¡¯s voice and opened its eyes. A pale yellow glow illuminating in the darkness. But it wasn¡¯t just one pair of eyes. There were hundreds, even thousands of pairs of glowing eyes illuminating the darkness. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Wooing! At that moment, that noise came again. Levin only then realized that the noise was made by the owners of those glowing eyes. Fwoosh! At that moment, along with the noise of wings pping, a pair of glowing eyes flew towards Levin. Levin hastily ghostified himself to evade the creature¡¯s attack. It passed through Levin¡¯s body futilely. At that moment, Levin confirmed the creature¡¯s appearance. ¡°A¡­ bat?¡± It was clearly a bat. A giant bat with wings spanning over a meter long. Its mouth had fangs as long and sharp as those of a me Wolf. It was unmistakable at a nce. They were teeth developed to be optimal for bloodsucking. All the bats filling the underground were Vampire Bats. If he were bitten by them, all his blood would be sucked dry, leaving him as dry as a mummy. ¡°Damn it!¡± Levin felt cold sweat dripping down his back. Luckily, he had the ability to ghost himself. It was fortunate that their attacks were useless when he was in a ghostified state. That was when it happened. Wooing! The strange noise emitted by the bats echoed again. At that moment, Levin felt excruciating pain. ¡°Argh!¡± With a groan, his body materialized again. It wasn¡¯t intentional on Levin¡¯s part. He lost control momentarily and materialized. ¡°So, do the ultrasonic waves emitted by the bats interfere with ghosting?¡± It was a well-known fact that bats emit ultrasonic waves to find prey in the darkness. However, it was unheard of that these ultrasonic waves interfered with ghosting. No one knew that fact. But Zeon must have known. Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to push Levin into this ce. Wooing! Wooing! Hundreds, thousands of Vampire Bats emitted ultrasonic waves simultaneously. ¡°Shit!¡± Levin¡¯s face turned pale. He might as well have been naked in front of thousands of bats. At that moment, the Vampire Bats flew towards him in unison. Levin desperately ghostified himself. He managed to ghost himself through the interference of the ultrasonic waves, but his concentration didn¡¯tst long. Once the bats passed through once, his concentration broke, and his body materialized. Thud! Seizing the opportunity, a Vampire Bat sunk its fangs into his forearm. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Levin screamed as he unleashed Chain Lightning. Crackle! The bat biting his forearm and a few nearby creatures burst into sparks from the strong current. As they died, the smell of blood and burning flesh spread rapidly. In response, the Vampire Bats went even more berserk. Fwoomp! The multitude of pping wings and ultrasonic waves mixed together, creating a tremendous reverberation. All of it disrupted Levin¡¯s ghosting. Levin desperately tried to evade the Vampire Bats¡¯ attacks and ghost himself. Only then did Levin realize why Zeon had thrown him into this ce. The best way for an Awakened to increase their rank was through numerous experiences. The Vampire Bats in this ce were natural enemies to him. If he could survive against the Vampire Bats, he might achieve a rank increase. With that thought, determination surged within him. ¡°Damn it! Alright, let¡¯s do this. Either you die or I die. Bring it on! You bat bastards.¡± Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! In response to his taunt, the Vampire Bats charged at him. *** ¡°It¡¯s begun.¡± Zeon murmured softly at the sound emanating from the crevice in the sand. Levin¡¯s suffering was only just beginning. Perhaps Levin wouldn¡¯t even have guessed. The underground space was muchrger than he imagined, and the swarm of Vampire Bats was several times more numerous. To survive in such a ce, Levin had no choice but to unleash his full potential. Otherwise, he would eventually dry up and die from the endless attacks of the Vampire Bats, just like a mirage. Although Zeon had pushed Levin into this hellish ce, there was no change in his expression. To be stronger, one must stake their life. That was how Dyoden raised Zeon, and that was how Zeon intended to raise Levin. Crackle! As Zeon extended his hand into the sand, it crumbled into dust,pletely sealing the tiny crevice. Now, there was no way for Levin to escape. The only way was to kill all the Vampire Bats and escape with his own strength. Zeon decided to rest easy until then. He took out several items from the subspace. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] One of them was the dung of an Armored Dung Beetle. The Armored Dung Beetle was a monster that lived in a distant desert, and its dung was not only solid but also almost odorless. Moreover, once lit, it provided a sustained heat for a very long time. That¡¯s why it was very useful for making fires in the desert. Sizzle! The dung of the Armored Dung Beetle easily caught fire. Zeon hung a pot over the fire and put the prepared food inside. Time did not flow in the subspace. That¡¯s why Zeon had stored a considerable amount of food in the subspace after entering Neo Seoul. This way, he could always eat fresh food. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Zeon puffed on the fire while waiting for the food to cook. In fact, Zeon didn¡¯t need such a fire. His robe protected his body temperature perfectly. But he lit the fire anyway because of the strange sense of security it provided. For some reason, it felt like no monsters could cross into this space. Zeon looked up at the sky. The sun had already set, and the sky had darkened. Night was the time for monsters. From now on, the monsters would spread their wings. Kwooh! A roar from an unknown monster echoed in the distance. Just by hearing the cry, Zeon immediately recognized the creature¡¯s identity. ¡°An Armored Great-Horned Bear? For it to expand its territory this far.¡± Zeon tilted his head. The Armored Great-Horned Bear was an A-rank monster, no less. Not only could they be as tall as seven meters, their entire bodies are covered in thick leather-like armor, capable of withstanding most attacks without causing any harm. Not only do they provide high defense, but they also possess formidable strength, lethal ws, andrge horns, making it dangerous. For Martial Arts Awakeneds below C-rank, it was nearly impossible to pierce through their leather-like skin and inflict injuries. Except during mating season, they roam the desert alone. This is because they are confident in their physique and strength. Indeed, there weren¡¯t many monsters that could actually confront them. Not even a pack of me Wolves dared to disturb them, let alone the Sandworms. As far as Zeon knew, this ce wasn¡¯t within the territory of the Armored Great-Horned Bear. Although they roamed the desert alone, they only moved within their own territories. ¡°Did it expand its territory? Whye so close to Neo Seoul?¡± It was when Zeon¡¯s gaze sank deep. Kwaaah! A rumble pierced through the darkness. Zeon immediately recognized it as the sound of a car engine. Momentster, a car appeared where Zeon was, apanied by the headlights. People got out of the wrecked car. ¡°I was right. It was the light of a campfire.¡± ¡°Who would be so fearless to boldly light a fire in the middle of the desert.¡± ¡°We barely made it here before the enginepletely gave out.¡± The four people who got down from the vehicle were dressed in heavy armor. They were around the same age as Zeon, and each one of them was handsome or beautiful. The young man who looked the strongest among them approached Zeon. ¡°Hello? I¡¯m the Party Leader, Kim Kyung-soo. May I ask who you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zeon.¡± ¡°Are you from Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Not Neo Seoul, but from the slums.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Kim Kyung-soo frowned slightly at Zeon¡¯s unexpected answer and looked at hispanions. In turn, they all blinked in surprise. The only girl among them, who was the only redhead, was the first to regain herposure. ¡°You¡¯vee a long way. I¡¯m Yoo Seung-hee. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Pleasure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Lee Joon-su.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Choi Chang-sik.¡± The others also revealed their identities. They all had Korean names. It was the first time Zeon had seen a partyposed solely of Koreans. Zeon asked. ¡°Are you all friends?¡± ¡°Yes. We were all born and raised in the same neighborhood. We¡¯ve been together for over twenty years.¡± ¡°But what brings you out in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°Our engine broke down, so we fell behind the group.¡± ¡°Group?¡± ¡°The raiding party. We were on our way back after sessfully conquering a dungeon.¡± When arge dungeon is discovered, Neo Seoul recruits a raiding party. Awakeneds or parties from various districts support it. Neo Seoul selects and forms a raiding party to conquer the dungeon. This was themon way to conquer dungeons. However, not everyone did it this way. Dungeons were discovered randomly, and it was impossible for Neo Seoul to manage all of them. Many Awakeneds or parties entered dungeons without informing Neo Seoul. This was because sessful dungeon conquests earned them a lot of money. However, the risk was equally high. In any case, the decision was up to the discoverers. Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party wasn¡¯t strong enough to independently enter dungeons. Firstly, the Party Leader, Kim Kyung-soo, was only C-rank, and the rest of his friends were evenly distributed between C-rank and D-rank. They mainly supported the raiding parties organized by Neo Seoul to gain benefits. The same was true this time. The dungeon conquest was sessful. The only problem was their vehicle. The harsh environment had caused the engine to fail. That¡¯s why they fell behind and were left behind. If Yoo Seung-hee hadn¡¯t noticed the campfire Zeon had lit, they might not have escaped disaster. Yoo Seung-hee spoke up. ¡°You seem quite confident in your abilities? Lighting a campfire like this. Thanks to you, we survived.¡± ¡°I had to light it because it was cold.¡± ¡°Really? You could have just stayed in the car. Ah, there¡¯s the car.¡± Yoo Seung-hee¡¯s eyes sparkled when she saw the small buggy. Kim Kyung-soo and the others¡¯ eyes also gleamed dangerously. Seeing their reaction, Zeon sighed and said. ¡°It¡¯s funny how people risk their lives over such trivial matters.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 113 Chapter 113 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 113 Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s eyes red fiercely. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t risk your life over something trivial.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± At Zeon¡¯s response, Kim Kyung-soo looked bewildered. The same expression was on the faces of the other party members. Especially Yoo Seung-hee, whose face revealed her inner thoughts, looked visibly upset. They had nned to kill Zeon and take his buggy. It was to rece the engine of their broken-down vehicle with the buggy engine. There was no better environment for murder than the desert. With no fear of being caught by anyone, and with the sand and monsters taking care of disposing of the bodies, it was an ideal ce. That¡¯s why Awakeneds utilized the desert environment to their advantage, either to kill their enemies or to use it as a tool for plundering. Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party was no exception. Growing up in the same neighborhood and awakening at nearly the same time, they shared a special bond. They had a strong tendency to reject ordinary people or even Awakeneds other than themselves, and if even they did not like them even a little, they would band together and fight or kill them. To them, Zeon was a very enticing prey. Not only was he alone, he even had a buggy, which was essential for desert survival. If they disposed of Zeon in the middle of the desert, no one would know that a murder had taken ce here. Kim Kyung-soo asked. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re also an Awakened, but if you just hand over the vehicle, I¡¯ll spare your life. How about it? My offer¡­¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s full of shit. You should make a reasonable offer if you expect anyone to listen.¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re all that? I can tell you¡¯re bluffing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely without skill.¡± ¡°But there are four of us. I don¡¯t know what your rank is, but it won¡¯t be easy to take on all of us.¡± Kim Kyung-soo smiled confidently. If Zeon¡¯s rank was higher than theirs, it could backfire. However, Zeon¡¯s attire allowed him to be so confident. The higher the rank, the better the items one is equipped with. Except for items excavated from dungeons, most equipment is made in the workshops of Neo Seoul. Each workshop has its own characteristics, so knowing the name of the workshop allows you to infer the performance of the equipment. The medium armor worn by Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party was also workshop-made. It was the best item that C-rank Martial Arts Awakeneds could wear. It was a luxury item with instion, lightweight, and defense magic inscribed on it. In contrast, Zeon wore only a robe simr to a coat, without any armor at all. He didn¡¯t even have any offensive weapons. If he were a magic-based Awakened, he should have a mana amplification tool like a staff or wand, and if he were a Martial Arts Awakened, he should have a cold weapon like a sword or spear. But Zeon had neither. He seemed to havee to the desert like a sitting duck,pletely defenseless. Moreover, the opponent was not from Neo Seoul but an Awakened from the slums. There was no reason not to plunder. Swoosh! Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party all drew their weapons at once. The men were all Martial Arts Awakeneds, and only Yoo Seung-hee, the woman, was a magic-based Awakened. Yoo Seung-hee held a staff instead of a sword. Pointing the staff at Zeon, she said. ¡°Bind!¡± Suddenly, an invisible force tightened around Zeon. At the same time, the men attacked Zeon simultaneously. Swoosh! Three swords aimed at Zeon¡¯s vital points. With a scoff, Zeon swung his right fist. ¡°Tsk! Blood must be shed before tears flow.¡± Boom! Dozens of fire missiles flew towards the four people. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s magic.¡± Numerous fire missiles bombarded the bewildered Kim Kyung-soo and his group. Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°What the hell?!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s incredibly strong!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± A perplexed expression appeared on the faces of the men. They each used their skills to deflect or block the fire missiles. Usually, at this point, the momentum of the attack would be broken. Because there¡¯s a limit to the amount of mana even for high-ranking Awakeneds. But it seemed like there was no such limit for Zeon. Boom! Boom! Boom! The fire missiles continued to rain down endlessly. Kim Kyung-soo shouted to Yoo Seung-hee. ¡°Damn it! Do something!¡± ¡°My magic isn¡¯t working.¡± Yoo Seung-hee yelled back. Clearly, even though she was exerting pressure with Bind, Zeon was barely affected. There was only one reason why her magic wasn¡¯t working. It was clear that the opponent¡¯s rank was higher than hers. ¡°This guy¡¯s rank is higher than mine.¡± ¡°Then is he C-rank? Damn it!¡± ¡°Everyone, use your best skills!¡± ¡°Kaah!¡± Feeling the crisis, Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party unleashed their full power. Zeon muttered with a weary expression. ¡°You¡¯re all just rookies.¡± Assessing the opponent¡¯s strength before fighting is basic. If the opponent¡¯s armament is weak, it¡¯s not to be taken lightly; instead, caution is warranted. To roam the desert without any armor means that one is confident in their skills. There was no longer any meaning in facing them. Boom! Boom! Boom! The fire missiles turned into a rain of fire. The defensive barrier created by Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party couldn¡¯t withstand the hellish rain and was ruthlessly shattered. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Agh!¡± Their screams echoed in the night sky. *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Ugh!¡± Yoo Seung-hee groaned as she opened her eyes. But her vision was blurry, making everything in front of her seem hazy. ¡°Damn it! Snap out of it.¡± ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to be dazed.¡± ¡°Hurry up and get up.¡± Herrades¡¯ urgent voices rang in her ears. ¡®Fuck! What the hell is he saying?¡¯ Yoo Seung-hee muttered, trying to focus her eyes. As she did, her vision gradually cleared. ¡°Ugh! What¡¯s that?¡± The first thing that caught her eyes, after regaining her sight, was a huge monster staggering towards them from a distance. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s a Giant-Horned Bear.¡± ¡°Why is it here?¡± ¡°Aaargh! Help me!¡± The men panicked and shouted. Yoo Seung-hee also struggled to move her body. But her body didn¡¯t budge at all. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Sand?¡± It was then that Yoo Seung-hee realized that their heads were the only parts left above the sand. She struggled to free herself from the sand, but strangely, she couldn¡¯t muster any strength in her arms and legs. At that moment, Yoo Seung-hee¡¯s gaze fell on Zeon sitting in the buggy. Zeon, with a smile on his face as if he found something amusing, was looking at the approaching Giant-Horned Bear. Yoo Seung-hee hastily cried out. ¡°Please, save us. We were wrong, please, please spare us.¡± Tears streamed down Yoo Seung-hee¡¯s face as she pleaded. It was only then that Zeon turned his head to look at Yoo Seung-hee. ¡°If you spare our lives, I¡¯ll do anything.¡± ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°Yes! Anything.¡± Yoo Seung-hee nodded frantically without hesitation, even uttering words she shouldn¡¯t have in the face of a life-threatening situation. Zeon smiled at her response. ¡°Then just stay right there.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Giant-Horned Bear¡¯s favorite food is human flesh. It can smell and track humans from tens of kilometers away. It¡¯s probably going to arrive in about five minutes.¡± ¡°Aaah!¡± At Zeon¡¯s casual words, Yoo Seung-hee trembled all over. The image of being captured and devoured alive by the Giant-Horned Bear shed through her mind. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Damn it! Spare us. We were wrong.¡± ¡°Please forgive us.¡± The men shouted in panic. Reason had already abandoned them. With a smile, Zeon said. ¡°You were all intending to do the same to me. No?¡± ¡°That¡­ We werepletely wrong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to point out right or wrong right now. I¡¯m just returning the favor of what you were nning to do to me.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll give you everything we have. Take all the loot stored in the car.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s a given. Now, the monster is almost here.¡± The Giant-Horned Bear was now only a few hundred meters away. Seeing it up close, the bear was enormous. Armored and imposing, it emanated a tremendous aura. Trapped and buried in the sand, the four of them felt even greater fear. Especially Yoo Seung-hee, being a woman, was terrified to the point of urinating in the sand. Her face was deathly pale, streaked with tears. ¡°Sob! Please spare us. I¡¯ll do anything.¡± ¡°If you spare us, I¡¯ll swear my loyalty to you.¡± ¡°Aaah!¡± Screams and cries filled the air. The footsteps of the Giant-Horned Bear, upon hearing their voices, quickened. Thud! Thud! The dull sound of its steps pounded on their hearts. They were consumed by fear, unable to think. Zeon spoke to them. ¡°You¡¯ll swear your loyalty to me?¡± ¡°Yes, we will.¡± ¡°We will.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Please.¡± They answered without further thought. Zeon took out four scrolls from his pocket. These were items obtained from conquering a certain dungeon in the past. They were called Scrolls of Covenant. These items were used by the Royal Family of Kurayan to enforce loyalty upon special entities. They were created forpelling entities with high risks of betrayal, such as assassins. Once the covenant was made, there was no turning back. Their souls would be enved. The Scrolls of Covenant were tools for unteral and unfair contracts. Zeon spoke. ¡°Party A, Zeon. Party B, Kim Kyung-soo, Lee Joon-soo, Choi Chang-sik, and Yoo Seung-hee. Party B swears their loyalty to party A and must obey him without fail. If party B disobeys party A¡¯s orders, their hearts will explode.¡± Under normal circumstances, rejecting a covenant with the Scrolls of Covenant was obvious. One of the disadvantages of the Scrolls of Covenant was that they would never activate unless a covenant was made voluntarily by both parties. But Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s group, with their lives at stake, had no room for further thought. Now, the Giant-Horned Bear was so close that they could smell its breath. Its red, bloodshot eyes, drool dripping between its teeth, and its foul stench were vividly felt. ¡°I swear.¡± ¡°Aaah! The Giant-Horned Bear is almost here. I swear.¡± ¡°Please spare us. I swear.¡± ¡°Sob! I swear.¡± Zeon tore the Scrolls of Covenant while they were crying out. Instantly, a faint light spread from the Scrolls of Covenant to their hearts. They felt invisible chains forming around their hearts. Even though no one had taught them, they instinctively knew that if they betrayed, these invisible chains would crush their hearts. Finally, with a smile, Zeon stood up. The contract was nowplete. They could never betray him. Koooww! At that moment, the Giant-Horned Bear almost arrived. Looking at the Giant-Horned Bear, Zeon said. ¡°Now you¡¯re of no use.¡± Sand rose around Zeon, and dozens of huge sand spikes pierced through the Giant-Horned Bear. Rumble! ¡°Kreeeuukk!¡± The Giant-Horned Bear, pierced by sand spikes, screamed in agony and breathed itsst. The four of them stared with gaping mouths. ¡°Damn it! What was that?¡± ¡°He moved the sand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°How could the Giant-Horned Bear die so easily?¡± Those who had fallen from Awakeneds to ves lost their words at the sight of something that defiedmon sense. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 114 Chapter 114 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 114 Countless sand thorns that pierced through the body of the Giant-Horned Bear copsed like lies. There was no evidence left that the sand had turned into huge thorns. All that remained was sand stained with blood. Even that quickly disappeared under the new sand brought by the wind. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°What on earth?¡± Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party blinked. They hadn¡¯t seen a mistake or a hallucination. They had clearly seen Zeon using sand to create thorns. It was neither a lie nor an illusion. Zeon¡¯s ability was clear. ¡®Surely he used a fire-type skill?¡¯ ¡®And he used sand as well? Then is he a dual Awakened?¡¯ A chill ran down their spines. Just being a dual Awakened was astonishing, but the other ability to control sand was something else. They immediately realized how formidable and dangerous Zeon¡¯s abilities were. They felt the weight of the unspoken chain around their hearts. While they couldn¡¯t determine his exact rank, the fact that he could manipte sand at will alone showed the limitless potential of Zeon¡¯s abilities. Zeon¡¯s gaze fell upon the four of them. ¡°You know you have to keep it a secret, right?¡± The four nodded heavily. An invisible chain was tightening around their hearts. They instinctively realized that if they broke the pact and opened their mouths, the chain would burst their hearts. ¡®I¡­ I¡¯ve be his ve.¡¯ ¡®Damn it!¡¯ ¡®Shit!¡¯ ¡®We¡¯re screwed this time.¡¯ They bowed their heads. Their greed had turned them into ves. There was no one to me. Their greed had brought this upon themselves. Zeon spoke to Kim Kyung-soo. ¡°You¡¯re their leader, right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yes.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s your job to keep them in line.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do just that.¡± Kim Kyung-soo nodded his head. His face was filled with resignation. The others were no different. No one had expected that one wrong choice would lead to such terrifying consequences. ¡®Is it fortunate that at least we¡¯re still alive?¡¯ Then Zeon asked, ¡°Where is your residential area?¡± ¡°We live in Block 13 of the Central District..¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Block 13, is it near the City Hall?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Zeon smiled. He had forced them into involuntary servitude using the Scroll of Covenant because he needed someone to handle chores within Neo Seoul. Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party had quite favorable conditions. Being natives of the Central District and familiar with Neo Seoul¡¯s affairs, they were advantageous. Moreover, all four of them were Awakeneds, so their utility was limitless. This was arguably the best deal Zeon could get. ves No. 1, 2, 3, 4. Their status was determined in Zeon¡¯s mind. Kim Kyung-soo asked cautiously, ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°Nothing will change.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You four just live as usual, and when I give orders, you follow them.¡± ¡°What kind of orders¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯ll vary.¡± ¡°Vary?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s unfair?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a dispute I raised. It¡¯s the consequence of your greed. If you don¡¯t want to follow my orders, there¡¯s only one choice left.¡± Kim Kyung-soo and his colleagues¡¯ eyes trembled. Because they felt the coldness hidden behind Zeon¡¯s gentle tone. The man smiling in front of them was definitely not a soft or easy-going person. If he were, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to use the Scroll of Covenant using their ambush. The real face hidden behind that smiling face was terrifyingly cold-blooded and ruthless. Now they seemed to know a little about Zeon¡¯s true nature. ¡®I can¡¯t believe we messed with someone like him.¡¯ Regret surged btedly, but it was useless. They couldn¡¯t possibly act against Zeon. ¡°We will follow your orders.¡± Kim Kyung-soo bowed his head. The others followed suit. Zeon smiled. He knew they weren¡¯t sincere. He didn¡¯t expect genuine loyalty. They were merely tools to faithfully execute his orders. That was all Zeon expected from them. Zeon asked Kim Kyung-soo, ¡°Do you have amunication item?¡± ¡°We have two-waymunication devices for dungeons.¡± Kim Kyung-soo took out an earring from his pocket. It was a crafted item. It was made formunication between party members in dungeons, and all members of Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party had one. Zeon put on the earring and said, ¡°Good. From now on, we¡¯ll use this formunication.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Take that and go into Neo Seoul first. I¡¯ll contact you separately.¡± Zeon pointed to the corpse of the Great-Horned Bear. ¡°But our vehicle¡¯s engine¡­¡± ¡°Take my buggy. The buggy¡¯s engine is strong enough to tow yours. When you arrive in Neo Seoul, return the vehicle to Will, the owner of the butcher shop in the slums of Sinchon.¡± ¡°Then, My Lord¡­¡± ¡°Just call me Master.¡± ¡°Yes! Master. How will you go back?¡± ¡°You seem to have forgotten what my ability is. The sands of the desert are no obstacle to me.¡± ¡°Uhm!¡± Kim Kyung-soo turned around, sighing. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] He said to his colleagues, ¡°Did you hear Master? We¡¯re taking the corpse of the Great-Horned Bear back to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Master¡­ How can you say that so easily?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well, I still have some pride. How can we call him Master so easily?¡± Lee Joon-soo replied, watching Zeon¡¯s reaction. Kim Kyung-soo red at Lee Joon-soo. ¡°Is your head just for decoration? Our lives are in his hands, and you¡¯re talking about some petty pride?¡± ¡°But, still¡­¡± ¡°If he tells us to die, you should at least pretend to die, you idiot! Please, wake up to reality. Don¡¯t provoke others.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°And you know what? What¡¯d happen if today¡¯s events leaked out? If you don¡¯t want to be screwed, keep your mouths shut.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± In the end, Lee Joon-soo and his colleagues answered weakly. They had fallen from confident Awakeneds to ves in an instant, so they couldn¡¯t help but feel powerless. Still, they had to take sce in the fact that they had saved their lives. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± At Kim Kyung-soo¡¯smand, the three loaded the corpse of the Great-Horned Bear onto the vehicle and connected the buggy. Afterpleting all preparations, they left for Neo Seoul as soon as the day broke. Left alone, Zeon took out a piece of jerky and ate it. ¡°Good. I needed a straw to know about Neo Seoul anyway.¡± They were all legitimate citizens. That meant they had a wide range of connections. Their utility was limitless. It was a regrettable event for Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s party to have fallen into very overnight, but he didn¡¯t feel any guilt. If they tried to kill others, they must be prepared to face the same fate. That was the nature of the world. ¡°Now, do I just wait for Levin toe out?¡± Brrr! A faint vibration was felt beneath his feet. It was the vibration caused by Levin fighting with the Vampire Bats. It was evidence that Levin was still alive. Zeony on the sandy ground, chewing jerky. *** ¡°Ahhh!¡± A purple glow burst from Levin¡¯s body. Sizzle! Sizzle! A purple electric current flickered from Levin¡¯s whole body, which turned into a ghost and was floating in the air. Zap! Zap! Zap! The purple currents of electricity spread through the air, engulfing and exploding the Vampire Bats surrounding Levin. Dozens of Vampire Bats fell down at once. Levin murmured as he floated in the air, ¡°My rank has gone up.¡± The purple glow from earlier was a phenomenon that urred when he ranked up. With this, Levin became C-rank. He had be D-rank when facing the murderer, but he had quickly risen to C-rank. It was an extremely rapid rank up, almost impossible to find a precedent for. Upon bing C-rank, he could tell immediately. He had gained a power that was on a different level from D-rank. Now the ultrasonic waves of the Vampire Bats could no longer affect him. He hadpletely turned into a ghost. Furthermore, his lightning ability was enhanced even further. The purple currents had several times more destructive power than regr white lightning. Before his rank went up, Levin had narrowly escaped death several times. Sometimes, his mana ran out, and he had to fight the Vampire Bats barehanded. He used his teeth to sever their throats and his arms and legs to block attacks. His body was covered in umted wounds. He almost lost consciousness from losing too much blood. He just wanted to give up and diefortably. But Levin fought desperately, shaking off temptation. After fighting for several days, when he felt his limit, he suddenly ranked up. When he became C-rank, all the wounds on his body healed as if washed away by water, and his body was full of vitality. Even though there were still many Vampire Bats left, he no longer felt afraid. Levin shouted, ¡°Come on! You little bat bastards.¡± Woom! His voice echoed in the underground space. The remaining Vampire Bats were provoked by him and attacked him together. But the attacks of the Vampire Bats could no longer harm Levin. The Vampire Bats futilely pierced through Levin¡¯s body, transformed into a ghost. Even their ultrasonic attacks were useless. A cold smile formed on Levin¡¯s lips. ¡°You¡¯re all finished.¡± Sizzle! At that moment, a mesh of purple currents spread throughout Levin¡¯s body. It was his skill, Purple Lightning. Although only the color had changed, its power was iparable. The Purple Lightning that filled the cave burned or exploded all the Vampire Bats. The smell of burning meat filled the cave. ¡°Ugh! I can¡¯t stand this anymore.¡± Even though he had turned into a ghost, it didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t smell. Rather, his senses became more sensitive and tormented him. Levin decided not to undo his ghost form and rose to the surface as it was. He easily passed through the sand and rose above the desert. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± The one who greeted him was Zeon, as expected. Looking at Levin shimmering with purple, Zeon said, ¡°Your rank has indeed risen. Congrattions.¡± ¡°Thank you, Hyung!¡± Levin reverted to his physical form, looking around. ¡°Where did the buggy we came in go? I don¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°There was a bit of an issue.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°And now, it doesn¡¯t matter if there¡¯s no vehicle. Most monsters won¡¯t be able to harm you.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Unless they have special skills or belong to the same Specter category as Levin, they couldn¡¯t inflict any harm on Levin¡¯s body. While he couldn¡¯t manipte the desert like Zeon, there were no monsters near Neo Seoul who could harm Levin. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Yes, Hyung!¡± Levin willingly followed behind Zeon. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 115 Chapter 115 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 115 Boom! A small explosion erupted from the tiny cauldron. Brielle cautiously peered into the cauldron. It was an item known as the Witch¡¯s Cauldron. It was something Brielle had obtained with difficulty from the Goblin Market, and it was supposed to increase the sess rate by as much as twenty percent. So, expectations were high, but the result was aplete failure. Instead of a golden liquid, the cauldron contained a murky, pudding-like substance. Brielle sped her head in her hands and screamed. ¡°Argh! Another failure! Unbelievable! How could it fail when it¡¯s supposed to increase the sess rate by twenty percent? That swindler! He must have sold me a fake. There¡¯s no other reason for it to fail.¡± After fuming for a while, Brielle straightened her hat. She was determined to find the merchant who sold her the Witch¡¯s Cauldron. ¡°Fly!¡± Brielle soared out the window. The wind gently embraced her body as she descended at a terrifying speed. Thanks to the wind, Brielle was able tond safely. She immediately headed for the Goblin Market. She went there almost every day, so she could find her way there with her eyes closed. Upon entering the Goblin Market, Brielle went straight to the shop that sold the Witch¡¯s Cauldron. ¡°You old swindler!¡± ¡°Ho, who¡¯s this? Our VIPdy?¡± Brielle¡¯s anger was met with a cheerful response. He was Corwin, the shop owner. Corwin is one of the masters of the Goblin Market, and he has been collecting numerous items over a long time. The Witch¡¯s Cauldron was one of those items. Brielle shouted. ¡°I used the Witch¡¯s Cauldron and it failed. It¡¯s fake, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re angry because the alchemy failed. My littledy!¡± ¡°You sold me a fake?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alchemy; failures aremon, littledy!¡± ¡°Ugh! But I bought it because it supposedly increases the sess rate by twenty percent.¡± ¡°It does statistically, but how can you expect instant sess? Failure is the mother of sess, as they say.¡± ¡°How is failure a mother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a saying, haha!¡± Corwin looked at Brielle with a warm smile and gentle eyes, as if he were looking at his own granddaughter. Brielle felt her anger soften under his gaze. ¡°Sit down and have a cup of hot cocoa. Then you¡¯ll feel at ease.¡± ¡°Who said I came for cocoa?¡± ¡°I know! You came toin. But have some cocoa anyway.¡± Ignoring Brielle¡¯s protests, Corwin poured cocoa. The sweet smell stimted Brielle¡¯s senses, and she couldn¡¯t help but gulp. ¡°Go on, try it! It¡¯s from Neo Seoul this time, should be quite delicious.¡± ¡°Tch!¡± Brielle grimaced as she received the cocoa. Corwin smiled warmly as he watched Brielle sip the cocoa. Before she knew it, her mood had lifted, tapping her feet and drinking the hot cocoa. ¡°Is it delicious?¡±¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you some when you leave, so take it with you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Brielle nodded. The thought that the Witch¡¯s Cauldron might be fake had already vanished from her mind. It was just an excuse. Whenever she came here, Corwin always gave her hot cocoa. It was something she could only enjoy here in the slums. Corwin asked. ¡°What about Zeon?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯te back yet.¡± ¡°Oh no! You must be bored.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay! I just need to focus on alchemy.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡± ¡°Nope! I know Zeon is safe.¡± Brielle replied confidently. Through a soul bond, the two were connected by an invisible thread. Zeon might not know, but as a High Elf, Brielle could sense his condition to a certain extent. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t worry even though they had been apart for a long time. ¡°Quite impressive, our VIPdy!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Despite Brielle¡¯s nose reaching sky-high with her snort, Corwin smiled. Corwin had no family. Ever since losing his son and family to monsters decades ago, he had been living alone. Seeing Brielle, who asionally visited him, brought him great joy. So, he sold the valuable Witch¡¯s Cauldron to Brielle at a bargain. And now, he was wondering what else he could give her. Corwin said to Brielle. ¡°How about this?¡± *** ¡°Hmph! Hmph!¡± Brielle hummed a tune as she walked down the street. Receiving some valuable materials from Corwin had put her in a good mood. Of course, it wasn¡¯t free. Brielle believed there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world, so she paid for it. Just that the discount rate was so incredibly high, it seemed unimaginable. Brielle muttered to herself. ¡®Now, I can open my own subspace.¡¯ There were only a very small number of magic-based Awakeneds who could open a subspace. Even among the same rank, some could open them, while others couldn¡¯t in their lifetime. Most magic-based Awakeneds belonged to thetter category. Fortunately, perhaps because Brielle wasn¡¯t human, she could open a subspace. Brielle¡¯s space wasn¡¯t thatrge. Just a small room. But it was enough for Brielle. She stored various reagents and valuable materials in her subspace. And even with all that, she still had room for the materials Corwin had given her. Now, she could go home and do alchemy again, which made her feel ecstatic. But her joy was interrupted by a voice. ¡°Hey, kid.¡± Turning her head to the unpleasant voice, Brielle saw some shady-looking guys gesturing from the alley. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yeah! You, kid. Come over here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Damn it! You talk too much. The boys just want to see your face.¡± The guys spoke rudely. Brielle scrutinized them carefully. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you guys before. I guess you came from another area?¡± ¡°Ah, fuck! You really talk too much. Yeah, we just came to Sinchon today.¡± ¡°Ah! I see.¡± Brielle nodded. In Sinchon, be it Awakeneds or ordinary men, they would never touch Brielle. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] They knew she was protected by her guardian, Zeon. Furthermore, Ethan, the ruler of Sinchon, had given orders to his subordinates. Never let anyone touch Brielle. That¡¯s why no one approached her even when she walked alone in the dangerous slums. The menmented on Brielle. ¡°If we dress her up a bit, we could sell her at a high price.¡± ¡°Damn it! If only she¡¯d take off that damn cone hat.¡± ¡°Before we sell her¡­ how about we?¡± The men exchanged nces. They were Awakeneds from a different area. They were all F-rank, but they still possessed strength iparable to ordinary people. That¡¯s why they couldmit crimes while changing areas and still survive. Their target this time was Brielle. There were quite a few customers who liked such a young and delicate girl. Selling Brielle to them would fetch a good amount of money. Swish! ¡°Come here while I¡¯m speaking nicely. Before I draw my sword and sh your face.¡± One of the Awakeneds threatened, drawing his sword. Though they were supposed to look fierce, they didn¡¯t evoke any fear in Brielle. Even though she specialized in alchemy, she knew quite a bit about other magic types. Such petty thieves couldn¡¯t be her adversaries. ¡°Hah!¡± Just as Brielle was about to unleash her magic¡­ ¡°Move! Don¡¯t block the way.¡± Suddenly, a deep voice came from behind the men. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Damn it! Who the hell¡­?¡± The men spat curses and turned around. There, from the opposite end of the alley, a man walking towards them was visible. He was wearing a mysterious-looking coat made of unidentified monster hide. The coat¡¯s cor was adorned with an enormous amount of fur, making the man appear evenrger. Indeed, the man had quite a robust build. With his short-cropped hair, golden reminiscent eyes, and arge scar across his right cheek, the man seemed mysterious yet imposing. The man with the golden eyes spoke coldly. ¡°Step aside.¡± ¡°Who the hell is this guy to¡­¡± ¡°Screw off!¡± ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± The men erupted and rushed towards the man with golden eyes. In their hands, each held their weapons. Like seasoned martial artists, they swiftly approached the man and thrust their weapons into his vital spots. The moment their weapons were about to pierce the man¡¯s body¡­ sh! An immense burst of light emanated from the man¡¯s body in an instant. The powerful burst struck the assants¡¯ bodies, who were in the midst of attacking. ¡°Aaaah!¡± ¡°Aaagh!¡± ¡°Ugggh!¡± Their screams echoed briefly before their bodies were charred ck in an instant. The smell of burning flesh permeated the alley. Despite the unpleasant odor, Brielle remained unfazed. A tense expression dominated her face as she looked at the man. ¡®A strong one.¡¯ In the magic category, the Thunder element was notmon. And among them, he was a high-ranking Awakened. In the magic category, the destructive power of the Thunder element was tremendous, and the type of magic that could rival it, could be counted on two fingers. The problem lies in the fact that, despite its immense destructive power, controlling the scope is not easy. Even when activated at the lowest output, the Thunder and Fire element skills could reduce an entire area to ashes. That¡¯s why areas where Thunder or Fire element skills were unleashed tended to turn into rubble. However, there wasn¡¯t a single scorched spot in the alley now. Precisely, only those who attacked the man had turned into charcoal. He had precisely unleashed enough thunder to kill without turning the area into rubble. Brielle knew that increasing the destructive power was much harder than controlling the range. The man looked at the charred bodies and said. ¡°As expected, trash is scattered everywhere in the slums. That¡¯s why I tried not toe here.¡± It felt as if merely breathing in the slums was allowing filth to enter his body. The man looked at Brielle. ¡°Usually, in such situations, shouldn¡¯t you be thanking me for helping?¡± ¡°Hmph! I didn¡¯t need your help.¡± ¡°Are you also an Awakened?¡± ¡°At least I can protect myself from such trash.¡± ¡°I guess I intervened for nothing. Still, from my perspective, I helped out of goodwill.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose you helped a little. At least I didn¡¯t have to get my hands dirty. Thanks!¡± ¡°For an elf, you do have some manners.¡± ¡°An¡­ elf? How did you know?¡± Brielle stepped back, wary of the man. Only Zeon and Levin knew that she was an elf. Everyone else thought she was human. But this man, whom she had just met, saw through her. Naturally, she had to be cautious. ¡°How should I say this? You emit a distinctive scent. Well, even though it¡¯s somewhat rotten, the essence hasn¡¯t changed.¡± The man¡¯s golden eyes shone intensely, as if piercing through Brielle. Under his intense gaze, Brielle felt as if she were standing naked. As she focused mana in her hands, Brielle asked. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so guarded. Little elf! If you were my target, you would already be dead.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Lee Ji-ryeong.¡± ¡°Lee Ji-ryeong?¡± ¡°Where is Zeon?¡± The man, Lee Ji-ryeong, approached Brielle. With a fearful expression, Brielle stepped back. At that moment, a calm voice came from behind her. ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 116 Chapter 116 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 116 Brielle¡¯s face turned pale. When she turned around, she saw Zeon and Levin. ¡°Zeon! Levin!¡± ¡°Come here!¡± At Zeon¡¯s gesture, Brielle quickly hid behind him. Levin asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah! Levin seems different somehow.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Definitely!¡± Levin only smiled silently at Brielle¡¯s confident response. Although he wanted to continue chatting, he couldn¡¯t because of the atmosphere of Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Levin gritted his teeth. In the past, he might not have recognized the strength of the man in front of him. But after reaching C-rank, his perspective had changed, and he now saw many things he hadn¡¯t seen before. One of them was the ability to discern Awakeneds. The Lee Ji-ryeong reflected in Levin¡¯s eyes was a monster. As they both used lightning-type attack skills, he could more clearly see it. Lee Ji-ryeong possessed mana much rougher and more ferocious than his own. Naturally, the power of his skill had to be strong. Even if they were the same rank, Levin would not have been Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s match. The fact made him miserable. Levin tried to maintain a casual expression as he said to Brielle. ¡°Let¡¯s step back for now.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Lee Ji-ryeong didn¡¯t even nce at the two of them. His gaze was fixed on Zeon. ¡°Is that Zeon over there?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°You know me, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I thought so. Finally, we meet.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong chuckled. With his white teeth bared, hisughing figure was filled with chilling madness. In contrast, Zeon¡¯s expression wasposed. Lee Ji-ryeong. In the world of magic, especially in terms of destructive power, he was said to rival the top. And he was the older brother of the man Zeon had killed eight years ago. The man who had intruded seeking to exploit Zeon¡¯s Mana Stone but had ended up losing his life. Because of that, Zeon had to flee, leaving the slums and spending eight years in the desert. Zeon asked Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°Are you here to avenge your brother?¡± ¡°Someone instigated me toe. They told me you were in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°So, I came to see with my own eyes. I was ready to tear off your head if you were just a nobody. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite different from what I thought. You, you¡¯re strong.¡± A bright white light shed in Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s retinas. It was the lightning flickering within his eyes. Zeon looked at Lee Ji-ryeong with a curious expression. He knew Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s rank was B. However, when he saw Lee Ji-ryeong in person, it seemed higher. ¡®Has his rank increased during this time? Well, eight years is not a short time.¡¯ Zeon himself had gone from the lowest rank, F, to his current rank. But it was due to his helper, Dyoden, and the fraudulent upation of Sand Mage, that he had risen abnormally fast. Zap! Lightning shed through Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s whole body. Unlike Levin, it was pure white lightning. But Zeon, without a trace of fear, calmly said. ¡°Fighting here would destroy the area. Let¡¯s go outside.¡± ¡°Were you that kind of person?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The type who worries about hurting people around him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that kind-hearted.¡± ¡°Is it hypocrisy then?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want the area around my home destroyed.¡± ¡°Why would you care about this kind of slum?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s where I live.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a strange one.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a lot.¡± Zeon¡¯s casual response caused Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s gaze to turn even colder. It was the first time Lee Ji-ryeong had seen someone speak with such ack of tension in front of him. As Lee Ji-ryeong started walking, he said. ¡°Follow me. If you run away, I¡¯ll destroy your entire home.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Zeon replied calmly and followed behind him. At that moment, Brielle called out to Zeon. ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Go home with Levin.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± After giving a smile to the nodding Brielle, Zeon nced at Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s back. Lee Ji-ryeong had already left the slums and was heading into the desert. He walked on the sand without hesitation. It wasn¡¯t until Neo Seoul was no longer visible that he stopped. Lee Ji-ryeong turned around to look at Zeon. ¡°Is this far enough?¡± ¡°You¡¯vee farther than I expected.¡± ¡°If we fight near Neo Seoul, it will attract attention from the old bastards.¡± ¡°Old bastards?¡± ¡°You know. The old bastards like Jin Geum-ho and Xiao Lun.¡± ¡°The powerful figures in Neo Seoul, I see.¡± ¡°Yeah! Fighting near Neo Seoul would inevitably draw their attention. You wouldn¡¯t want that either.¡± ¡°They must be scary.¡± ¡°Not scary, just annoying. Those old bastards always meddle in everything.¡± There was contempt in Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s words towards the powerful figures. The power figures of Neo Seoul wanted to control everything. That¡¯s why they always kept an eye on the movements of young Awakeneds. Lee Ji-ryeong didn¡¯t like that reality. He was young and strong. Though the authorities in Neo Seoul were currently stronger, he believed he would be much stronger as time passed. The problem was influence. Compared to the powerful figures who had alreadypletely seized control of Neo Seoul¡¯s infrastructure, his influence was insignificant. Of course, it was insignificantpared to giants like Jin Geum-ho or Xiao Lun. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] But in reality, he was forming a considerable force. The Pegasus Expedition. A group of three hundred Awakeneds. Although called an expedition, it was more like a guild. While the expedition consisted purely of Awakeneds, the guild involved various other supporters. Therefore, the guild¡¯s influence was greater and more extensive. sh! A momentary burst of pure white lightning emanated from Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s whole body. It was an emission of lightning. The intense lightning caused the sand in the area to char ck. Lee Ji-ryeong, covered in lightning, said. ¡°Survive and prove your usefulness.¡± In an instant, intense lightning shot towards Zeon. A single lightning bundle was thicker than a human torso. It was one of Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s skills, Lightning Spear. If hit, the entire body would explode like a firecracker, resulting in a gruesome death. At that moment, Zeon casually swung his fist and unleashed Fire Missiles. Bang! Bang! Bang! Dozens of Fire Missiles shed with the Lightning Spear and exploded. A spectacle of mes and lightning adorned the air. Amidst it, the two moved. Lee Ji-ryeong continuously unleashed lightning-type skills. ¡°Try this.¡± Lightning, shaped like des, poured towards Zeon. It was one of Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s main skills, Lightning de. In response, Zeon unleashed his favorite skill, Fire Rain. des of fire and electricity collided and exploded. Bang! Sparks flew in all directions, and bundles of lightning bounced off. It was the collision of lightning and me, said to be the two most powerful among all magic-type skills. The desert was overturned, and columns of sand exploded into the sky. And then, a sandstorm descended. The two endured the sandstorm and continued to use their skills. Then suddenly, Lee Ji-ryeong said. ¡°You¡¯re not a fire-type, are you?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, all of a sudden?¡± ¡°The fire skills you unleash aren¡¯t alive. They¡¯re just outputting what¡¯s been inputted.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Am I right? It¡¯s not your inherent skill but rather the assist of something like an item?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s senses were so sharp that they were terrifying. Observing Lee Ji-ryeong, Zeon thought to himself, ¡®He¡¯s not just an ordinary opponent.¡¯ Until now, no opponent had realized that Zeon¡¯s fire skills were due to an item. Just realizing that fact showed how formidable Lee Ji-ryeong was as an Awakened. Lee Ji-ryeong had fought in numerous dungeons and hunted monsters even before Zeon had Awakened. Because of these experiences, his senses were sharper than anyone else¡¯s. He wouldn¡¯t miss even the slightest hint of difort that others might overlook. Just because someone had a high rank didn¡¯t mean they were strong. Truly strong Awakeneds were those who honed their skills in battle. Such individuals might have a low rank at the moment, but they would eventually rise to higher ranks. Lee Ji-ryeong was one of those Awakeneds. One of the rare truly powerful Awakened in this era. Lee Ji-ryeong said. ¡°Why are you so afraid to show your real skills?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more of a nuisance than fear.¡± ¡°Do you have that much confidence? Show me then.¡± ¡°If you want, I can show you anytime¡­¡± Zeon¡¯s expression and demeanor changed. ¡®Now the real battle begins.¡¯ Lee Ji-ryeong felt a shiver of excitement. Fighting other Awakeneds, he had never felt such intense tension before. Zap! The lightning surrounding his body gradually expanded. From ten meters to twenty, then to thirty. Within a thirty-meter radius centered on him, lightning rain poured down. Lee Ji-ryeong hadplete control of the space. It was a space field designed for him, Lightning Field. Just emitting lightning like this consumed an enormous amount of mana, but Lee Ji-ryeong had enough reserves to handle it. Without realizing it, Zeon also entered the Lightning Field. Despite the terrifying bundles of lightning shing around him, Zeon¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Then it happened. A particrlyrge and thick bundle of lightning struck Zeon directly. Zeon was unable to dodge and was struck head-on by the lightning. If he were an ordinary Awakened, he would have been killed instantly by this attack. However, Lee Ji-ryeong knew that Zeon was not an ordinary Awakened, so he didn¡¯t think this attack would cause such serious damage. And indeed, it didn¡¯t. Zeon stood there unscathed, without a single burn. Around Zeon, a ckened sand wall had formed. It had blocked the lightning just before impact. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You created a wall with sand? Could it be¡­ you¡¯re a Sand¡­ Mage?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°No way! There is no way such an ability exists¡­¡± ¡°It does. Such an ability¡­¡± The sand swirled around Zeon as if alive. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s face stiffened at the sight of the sandstorm swirling around Zeon like a living creature. ¡°It¡¯s real. A real Sand Mage.¡± Goosebumps rose on his body. As there were countless Awakeneds in the world, he had considered the possibility of the existence of a Sand Mage. But it had only been a conjecture, and seeing an actual Sand Mage was a first for him. Lee Ji-ryeong reached out his hand. ¡°Come under my wing, Zeon. Together, let¡¯s dominate Neo Seoul. With ourbined strength, no one will be able to stand against us.¡± He didn¡¯t hide his ambition. From the moment he Awakened, he dreamed of bing the ruler of Neo Seoul. He believed that with his abilities, he would quickly achieve his goal. But reality was not so simple. The Awakeneds currently ruling Neo Seoul were stronger than him, and they had built up vast influences. With the current influence Lee Ji-ryeong had built, it was impossible to even crack their solid wall. However, with Zeon, a Sand Mage who could manipte sand at will, perhaps it was possible. ¡°Hold my hand, Zeon!¡± ¡°I refuse. I have no hobby of holding hands with other men¡­¡± The Sand Mage rejected the ambitious man¡¯s proposal. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 117 Chapter 117 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 117 ¡°Why? You have such a rare awakened ability and yet no ambition? Disappointing!¡± A look of contempt crossed Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s face. The type he despised the most were those who lived their days aimlessly without ambition. He would rather they didn¡¯t have abilities at all, but for those with abilities to waste their time like that was truly the worst. From that perspective, Zeon was the worst kind. At least, by Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s standards. Yet, he couldn¡¯t let go because Zeon¡¯s awakened ability was so overwhelming. ¡®The ability to manipte sand at will.¡¯ Most of the world was covered in sand. Human territory couldn¡¯t expand anymore because of it. The same was true of Neo Seoul. It barely held onto thend of old Seoul, unable to venture outside properly. People were arguing over who was better, who was superior, in this tiny piece ofnd. Lee Ji-ryeong detested this reality to the core. But there was nothing he could do, so he had watched until now. But the situation had changed. It was because of the man right in front of him. As long as Zeon existed, he could expand Neo Seoul¡¯s territory as much as he wanted. There was a possibility for humans to be the masters of Earth again. So, he couldn¡¯t give up on Zeon. ¡°My proposal is still valid.¡± ¡°My answer is still valid.¡± ¡°You continue to disappoint me to the end. Zeon! Then I will force you to submit with my power.¡± Before his words could finish, the lightning field expanded further. Now, within a radius of fifty meters around him, lightning shed incessantly. Lightning was shing everywhere around him. ¡°Kaaah! Giga Lightning Spear!¡± An immense bolt of lightning, iparable to anything before, struck Zeon. Zeon evaded Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s attack with Sand Stride. Inches away from him, a massive bolt of lightning struck. Sand burst out, creating a huge pit over five meters deep. It was truly a devastating force. But Zeon remained unfazed, a smile ying on his lips as he snapped his fingers. Instantly, sand shot out towards Lee Ji-ryeong from all directions. It was a high-pressure Sand ster. Fizzle! However, the Sand bster couldn¡¯t prate through the lightning barrier surrounding Lee Ji-ryeong and burst out. ¡°No way. Your ability is impressive, but with that level of attack, you can¡¯t do anything to me.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong mocked Zeon. Zeon smiled back. ¡°Then shall we increase the power a bit?¡± ¡°What?¡± Gaaaah! At that moment, the sand around Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s feet began to rotate at a terrifying speed. It was one of Zeon¡¯s skills, the Sand Mixer. The sand, rotating at a speed invisible to the eye, quickly engulfed Lee Ji-ryeong. Lee Ji-ryeong tried to escape the sand quickly, but the immense pressure crushed him, rendering him unable to use his strength. ¡°No!¡± Graaaagh! Everything visible turned into sand. Lee Ji-ryeong was overwhelmed by an eerie sense of istion and danger, as if he had been put into a mixer. It was clear that if trapped in rotating sand like this, even a colossal monster would have its flesh torn apart and bones crushed. But Lee Ji-ryeong was no ordinary monster. He wasn¡¯t even an ordinary Awakened. He was the closest thing to a god of thunder. ¡°Huaaah! Lightning Wave!¡± With a shout, waves of lightning surged around his body. First wave, second wave, third wave, fourth wave¡ªthe waves of lightning struck the Sand Mixer, sweeping through it. The sand, rotating at such a speed, was all burnt and scattered, and Lee Ji-ryeong regained his freedom. As he emerged from the sand, ready to counterattack, he saw Sand Soldiers rising around Zeon. Zeon had summoned Sand Soldiers. Seeing dozens of Sand Soldiers, Lee Ji-ryeong couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Ha! Isn¡¯t this cheating? Making soldiers out of sand?¡± ¡°Your ability is just as cheating, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°So you want to overwhelm me with sheer quantity. This is getting really interesting.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong licked his lips with his tongue. To defeat Zeon, he would have to use all his power. In doing so, one of them would surely die. It was a problem if he died, but it was also a problem if Zeon died. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s end it here today.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you nning to finish it off?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sworn enemies like you, are we?¡± ¡°I¡¯m your brother¡¯s enemy, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°That kid was trash. A useless piece of garbage. I barely managed to cover up the big mess he made in Neo Seoul and told him to quietly hide. But he couldn¡¯t hold back and caused another ident, and then got himself killed by mistake. He was always like that. Constantly causing trouble, and I always cleaned up after him. Just because we shared the same blood. I did what I could. I don¡¯t want to put my head on the line to take revenge for that moron.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you survive in this world. Abilities are more important than bloodlines, and maintaining good rtions with strong Awakeneds is essential for survival.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong dismissed the lightning field. The lightning that had covered the area disappeared without a trace. He no longer felt any hostility towards Zeon. Whether his words were sincere or not, at least it was clear that he wasn¡¯t going to antagonize Zeon any further at this moment. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Lee Ji-ryeong spoke. ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°I will forget the grudge against you for killing my younger brother. I won¡¯t seek to kill you anymore.¡± ¡°I appreciate it.¡± ¡°You owe me. Remember that fact.¡± ¡°Can that be considered a debt? Rather, I think you owe me.¡± ¡°Think whatever you want. Just remember that our rtionship is no longer hostile.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong was thoroughly self-centered. His attitude was absurd, but Zeon didn¡¯t say anything more. He had tried to reconcile, not wanting to reopen wounds unnecessarily. Zap! Lightning shed under Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s feet. ¡°The one who gave me your information was Johan.¡± ¡°I suspected as much.¡± ¡°Yeah! He tried to instigate me to kill you. Be careful. That old bastard will do anything for his goals.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Then, see you next time.¡± Boom! In an instant, the lightning under Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s feet exploded. With the force of the explosion, Lee Ji-ryeong soared into the sky. Zeon watched Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s disappearing figure and murmured to himself. ¡®Just like a god of thunder!¡¯ *** ¡°Are you okay?¡± When they returned home, Brielle was the first to greet him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Brielle couldn¡¯t believe it and circled around Zeon. Only after confirming that Zeon didn¡¯t have a single scratch on him did Brielle breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Whew! Thank goodness.¡± At that moment, Levin asked cautiously. ¡°How was he? Hyung!¡± ¡°He¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°Compared to me?¡± Levin¡¯s eyes were shining more intensely than ever before. Zeon immediately recognized the emotion in his eyes aspetitiveness. ¡°You¡¯re not aparison yet.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Levin¡¯s face twisted. He had already been feeling this way, but hearing it from Zeon made it even more miserable. ¡°But if you were the same rank, you¡¯d be much stronger.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah! Because you have abilities that he doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Specter, Ghosting, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! If you develop that ability well, you¡¯ll surely surpass Lee Ji-ryeong someday.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Levin nodded. ¡®I¡¯m still young. There¡¯s plenty of room for growth.¡¯ He had realized this especially while facing the VampireBats. The fact that his abilities were overwhelming. And also, that he could grow even more depending on his efforts. He was only a C-rank now. Later, when he bes B-rank or A-rank, things would be different. By then, he hoped to properly fight Lee Ji-ryeong, who had brought him despair. Zeon thought it was a good thing. Because it provided clear motivation for Levin. There¡¯s nothing as helpful for growth as having a goal to surpass. Today¡¯s events would elerate Levin¡¯s growth even more. Zeon took off his robe and sat on the sofa. Quite a lot had happened in just a few days. It wasn¡¯t physically demanding, but it was mentally exhausting. Levin rested on the sofa. Neither Levin nor Brielle bothered Zeon. Levin had something to do, so he went out, and Brielle went into her room and spread out the materials she had bought today. ¡®I will definitely seed this time.¡¯ Brielle immersed herself in alchemy. *** ¡°So, Zeon returned safely?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Are you sure? You didn¡¯t miss anything?¡± ¡°I confirmed with my own eyes.¡± Johan frowned deeply at Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s response. ¡°And what about Lee Ji-ryeong?¡± ¡°He¡¯s confirmed to have entered Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°So that bastard just went into Neo Seoul like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you say the two met?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°But how could both of theme back unharmed?¡± Johan mmed his fist on the desk. Johan was the one who had provided Lee Ji-ryeong with information about Zeon. Lee Ji-ryeong was a strong figure even within Neo Seoul. The estimated rank he was initially known for was only B-rank. After all this time, he might have be A-rank by now. He was a formidable figure that even John could not ignore. He instigated the meeting between the two. Johan naturally thought that they would have a big fight and one of them would be injured or killed. It didn¡¯t matter if Zeon died or Lee Ji-ryeong got hurt. If Zeon died, it would naturally lead to a breakthrough in Sinchon, and even if he won, if he was seriously injured, they could take action to finish him off. Either way, Johan wouldn¡¯t lose anything. But all his ns had gone awry. He didn¡¯t know what had happened, but both of them had returned safely to their respective residences. ¡°Are you sure they fought?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be sure. They disappeared into the desert in an instant.¡± ¡°Useless. This isn¡¯t what I expected from you.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± Kim Jae-kyung trembled all over. Her face was filled with a fearful light. When Johan was kind, he seemed like a saint, but when angry, he could be more cruel than a demon. If one provoked his anger, even if they were a loyal subordinate, they wouldn¡¯t escape unscathed. To Johan, subordinates were like mass-produced products that could be discarded at any time. Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s abilities were somewhat special, but she wasn¡¯t irreceable. ¡°Find out exactly what happened in the desert and find a way to deal with him.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°We must take control of Sinchon. Only then can we spread the Lord¡¯s teachings throughout Neo Seoul.¡± Behind his sses, there was a deep madness in Johan¡¯s eyes. He approached the window. In the distance, the City Hall stood tall. ¡°I will definitely hang a cross on top of that City Hall.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 118 Chapter 118 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 118 The Mana Stone Mine was the most strategically important facility in Neo Seoul. If the supply of Mana Stone from the mine were to be cut off, all facilities in Neo Seoul woulde to a halt immediately. While it was possible to obtain Mana Stones from monsters, it was extremely dangerous, and not all monsters possessed Mana Stones. Even after killing dozens of monsters, only one or two pieces of Mana Stones woulde out. The efficiency was not very good. The only ce where a stable supply of arge quantity could be periodically provided was the Mana Stone Mine. Because of this, Neo Seoul paid special attention to the management of the Mana Stone Mine. They sent Awakeneds to subdue the monsters inhabiting the vicinity of the Mana Stone Mine and to eliminate any dungeons that might pose a threat, reducing the risk factors. Because of this situation, even the rather ridiculous rumor that the Mana Stone Mine was the safest ce outside of Neo Seoul circted. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s damn hot.¡± A man with blond hair and a delinquent look grumbled, furrowing his brow. The man¡¯s name was Logan. He was an Awakened dispatched from Neo Seoul. As a C-rank Martial Arts Awakened, his main weapon was arge sword. Behind him, several Awakeneds, divided into two buggies, were visible. They were all Awakeneds led by Logan. ¡°There¡¯s not a single Big Horn Hyena in sight today.¡± ¡°There is a rumor that their habitat is moving south.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what other teams say.¡± The team members¡¯ expressions turned serious. Big Horn Hyenas lived in groups and hunted together. The leader of the pack was a female, muchrger and stronger than the males. It had mane-like fur around its neck like a lion. Standing over two meters tall from its front paws to its shoulders, and reaching up to five meters in length from head to tail, it was a true monster. They formed groups ranging from tens to hundreds. And many of them were offspring born to the alpha female. It was a matriarchal kin-centered society. Naturally, all Big Horn Hyenas obeyed themands of the alpha female without question. Individually, they weren¡¯t that strong. But when tens or hundreds gathered, it was a different story. Under themand of the alpha female, the Big Horn Hyenas exerted tens or hundreds times their strength. They used to be mainly found quite far from the Mana Stone Mine, but nowadays, one or two would appear near the mine. It was clearly a scout. ¡°If there¡¯s a scout, it means their main base isn¡¯t far away. We might soon have to deal with a full-blown outbreak.¡± ¡°Ugh! I always hated those Big Horn Hyenas or me Wolves, creatures that gather in packs. Dealing with them one by one¡­ it just drains the life out of you¡­¡± The Awakeneds already looked exhausted at the mere thought. Logan smirked as he looked at his subordinates. He shared their sentiment. Dealing with a strong individual was preferable to dealing with creatures like Big Horn Hyenas, which gather in packs. Engaging with them one by one would inevitably result in numerousrge and small wounds all over your body. He had experienced being isted and fighting to the death against a pack of Big Horn Hyenas. That¡¯s why the rumor that the Big Horn Hyena pack was moving further south was notforting. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to handle it alone if the Big Horn Hyena pack really moved their habitat near the Mana Stone Mine. We¡¯ll have to mobilize all the Awakeneds dispatched to the Mana Stone Mine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Captain! We can¡¯t just handle it on our own.¡± ¡°Pain shared is pain halved. Keke!¡± Logan¡¯s words made his subordinatesugh. At that moment, Logan¡¯s expression hardened. An enormous amount of dust clouds rose into his view. Logan shouted. ¡°Everyone, stop the chatter and prepare for battle.¡± Raising such a dust cloud meant either arge group or a big monster was on the move. ¡°Shit! It¡¯s not really a pack of Giant Horn Hyena, right?¡± ¡°No way?¡± A look of tension appeared on the faces of the Awakeneds. They positioned themselves for battle as the dust cloud approached in the direction of buggies. As the dust cloud drew nearer, the tension among the Awakeneds reached its peak. And finally, as the dust cloud approached, a voice of disbelief escaped someone¡¯s lips. ¡°What¡­ is that?¡± ¡°Th-That¡­¡± A look of incredulity crossed their faces. The cause of the dust cloud was a monster. A massive mammoth, standing over five meters tall. Behind the mammoth, there were rows of wagons piled up like candies. The wagons, without any power but with wheels, were as huge as warehouses. Dozens of such wagons were attached behind the mammoth. Logan muttered to himself. ¡°A¡­ Caravan?¡± ¡°A caravan?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories, but¡­ seeing it in person is a first.¡± Caravans arrived without notice. Since they didn¡¯te regrly, ordinary people rarely saw caravans. Even among Awakeneds, not many actually saw a caravan in person. Recently, the footprints of caravans had disappeared. As a result, contact with other colonies was also lost. Caravans not only conducted trade but also served as messengers, delivering news between colonies. With no caravans arriving for years, people thought that the nearby colonies had been wiped out. However, it wasn¡¯t easy for Neo Seoul to dispatch people to check the survival of the colonies. To travel between colonies, an excellent navigator was needed, but unfortunately, Neo Seoulcked such a person. Moreover, there was no reason to pour resources into confirming the survival of other colonies. There was no problem with Neo Seoul surviving without other colonies. Logan was shocked to see the caravan appear after a long time. ¡°If that¡¯s a caravan. Does that mean there are surviving colonies?¡± His voice trembled involuntarily. In this damned world, the fact that there were intact colonies other than Neo Seoul gave him a strange sense of relief. He wasn¡¯t alone. The fact that there were other human groups somewhere in this world gave him a strange sense of fulfillment. The caravan, seeing Logan and the Awakeneds, gradually came to a halt. One by one, warriors who seemed like Awakeneds emerged on the cargo wagon rooftops. They were wearing protective gear and clothing that was significantly different from the Neo Seoul Colony uniform. Logan shouted. ¡°I¡¯m Logan, dispatched from Neo Seoul. We request the leader of the caravan to step forward and identify yourselves and your origin.¡± At that moment, a man in a ck robe appeared atop the mammoth¡¯s head. The man spoke up. ¡°We are the White Bear Caravan from the Yakutsk Colony. Is this the territory of Neo Seoul? If so, then we have indeed arrived at the right ce.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Zeon! Zeon!¡± Brielle burst into the house and went straight to find Zeon. Zeon, who was sitting on the sofa enjoying some leisure, turned his head to look at Brielle. ¡°I¡¯m not deaf. Please call me quietly.¡± ¡°Zeon, have you heard the news?¡± ¡°What news?¡± ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t heard yet.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the news that¡¯s got you so excited?¡± ¡°They say a caravan hase in.¡± ¡°A caravan?¡± Only then did Zeon¡¯s expression show interest. ¡°Yeah! They say a caravan entered the Mana Stone Mine the day before yesterday. They¡¯re supposed to arrive in Neo Seoul this afternoon.¡± ¡°Where did you hear this information?¡± ¡°Oh, at the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then it must be true.¡± Zeon stood up from his seat. Caravans were not that unfamiliar to him. That¡¯s because he had met one of them once in the desert seven years ago. But most people hadn¡¯t. Although they knew other colonies existed, since they hadn¡¯t had direct contact, they had no way of knowing how those cities were built, defended, or developed. With caravan¡¯s visits halted, what little fragilemunication existed had beenpletely severed. People thought the reason was that colonies had been trampled by monsters. Unlike Neo Seoul, which was protected by an anti-magic barrier, other colonies had to rely solely on human strength for defense, which was extremely difficult. As a result, these colonies hadn¡¯t been able to rebuild modern civilization like Neo Seoul, and their development was stuck somewhere between the medieval and modern ages. It wasn¡¯t strange at all for such vulnerable colonies to be wiped out by monster attacks. If indeed a caravan came from another colony, it would be the first contact with another civilization in years. It was no wonder people were excited. ¡°They¡¯reing this afternoon? Then we can see them if we go out now.¡± ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go check it out.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Levin?¡± ¡°He went out a while ago. When the caravan arrives, he¡¯ll show up on his own.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Nodding, Zeon put on his robe. The two of them walked out onto the street together. Most people still seemed unaware of the fact that a caravan had made contact with the Mana Stone Mine, so the streets were quiet. Zeon and Brielle found a spot high above with a good view near the entrance to the slums and sat down. As they sat side by side, Brielle suddenly pulled out a piece of dried meat from her pocket as if she had just remembered. ¡°Here, have this. I bought it at the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°Jerky?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Zeon epted the jerky and put it in his mouth. It was hard to tell whether it was dried rat meat or dried monster meat, but he didn¡¯t have any aversion to it. After all, most of the food avable in the slums was predictable. As they chewed on the jerky, a gust of wind blew. ¡°Ugh, this damn wind.¡± Briel grumbled as she pressed her hand against her hat, which was about to fly off. Seeing Briel like that, Zeon thought to himself. ¡®She¡¯s really brightened up.¡¯ Although she still couldn¡¯tpletely shake off the aftereffects of the drugs, and there were moments when her vision blurred, but overall, she had improved a lot. In turn, her personality had be somewhat brighter. It was a positive sign. It was good for him to be around Briel, who had brightened up, even if it was only for a while. Then it happened. ¡°Oh! Look over there.¡± Brielle suddenly pointed into the desert. Instinctively, Zeon turned his head to where she was pointing. There, he saw a dust cloud rising in the distance. In Zeon¡¯s eyes, he saw the looming figure of a giant mammoth, raising a dust cloud as it approached. The mammoth, towering over five meters tall, was intimidating just to look at. Behind it, a line of wagons trailed, reminiscent of an old train. ¡°Woah!¡± Briel eximed in admiration. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°That monster? It¡¯s the caravan.¡± ¡°The caravan is here?¡± People who had btedly noticed the existence of the caravan began to chatter. A mammoth was not an easily seen creature. At least, they had never been spotted near Neo Seoul. The appearance of such a huge monster was enough to surprise people. But what was even more surprising was the line of wagons trailing behind the mammoth. With that, people realized that the mammoth was being driven by the caravan. ¡°The caravan has arrived.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a real caravan.¡± ¡°Wooahh!¡± People gathered at the entrance to the slums. It was a rare sight to see. The street leading to Neo Seoul quickly filled with people. People eagerly awaited the caravan led by the mammoth to arrive. However, for some reason, the mammoth stopped several kilometers away from Neo Seoul. ¡°Why isn¡¯t iting?¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± People murmured in confusion. Brielle was also puzzled. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the mammoth moving?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic barrier.¡± ¡°Anti-magic barrier? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the opposite energy of the monsters. That¡¯s why the monsters hesitate to approach Neo Seoul. Like that mammoth.¡± ¡°Was there something like that? I didn¡¯t know.¡± Brielle blinked her big eyes in surprise. As the monster stopped, naturally, the caravan didn¡¯t move either. Instead, a person who appeared to be the leader of the caravan and several Awakeneds approached Neo Seoul under the escort of a buggy. Finally, they stepped onto the main street of the slums leading to Neo Seoul. It was a meeting with the unknown that hadn¡¯t happened in years. ¡°Wooahh!¡± The people¡¯s cheers echoed loudly through the streets. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 119 Chapter 119 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 119 The leaders of the caravan, under the escort of Logan and the Awakeneds, entered Neo Seoul passing through the slums. The news of their arrival quickly spread throughout Neo Seoul. ¡°A caravan?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± John¡¯s eyes sparkled at Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s report. Neo Seoul was in a festive mood upon hearing that a caravan had arrived after several years. Not only Neo Seoul but also the people in the slums felt the same. Caravans only ventured out with goods unique to their region. It was certain that the cargo hold would be full of items not seen in Neo Seoul. ¡°How much are the goods they¡¯ve brought worth?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t assessed it yet. The mammoth halted their entry its Neo Seoul, so¡­¡± ¡°Because of the anti-magic barrier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that it was arge mammoth that approached the vicinity. If it was a smaller one, it would have stopped tens of kilometers away.¡± ¡°Hmm! That makes sense.¡± John pushed up his sses to the tip of his nose and looked out the window. Beyond the high walls, the City Hall could be seen. ¡°They should be entering the City Hall by now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a meeting happening after decades. A regr caravan wouldn¡¯t have been able to find their way here. They must have brought valuable goods.¡± A sinister gleam shed in John¡¯s eyes beyond his sses. Whatever goods the caravan brought, they wouldn¡¯t be flowing into the slums. Even if they did, it would be muchter. John wanted to confirm the goods they brought right away. If possible, he wanted to make them his own. ¡°Find a way to contact the caravan.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°If possible, brainwash those in charge.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kim Jae-kyung nodded. John muttered to himself. ¡°A variable has urred at apletely unexpected moment.¡± John liked situations that were firmly under control. He extremely disliked unexpected variables like this. ¡°Other humans will be busy as well.¡± It was a meeting with another colony after decades. Not only the Mayor, Jin Geum-ho, but also the leaders in various districts of Neo Seoul would be busy. The goods the caravan brought, their route, the situation in the desert, and the distribution of monsters, all the information would soon be power. With that power, they could shake up the power structure of Neo Seoul. The leaders within Neo Seoul would never miss this opportunity. ¡®If I fall behind here, I¡¯ll never be able to catch up with them. I must acquire the caravan at all costs to advance into Neo Seoul.¡¯ *** The White Bear Caravan that entered Neo Seoul consisted of seven members. They were all wearing robes with hats pulled low over their heads. Because of this, their faces couldn¡¯t be seen. Logan tried to scrutinize their faces with a sidelong nce, but ultimately couldn¡¯t gather any information. Logan led the people from the White Bear Caravan into the City Hall. Although he had been carrying out missions in Neo Seoul for a long time, it was Logan¡¯s first time entering the City Hall. That¡¯s why Logan¡¯s face was frozen like ice. They may have heard that a caravan had entered, so he was able to pass through the main gate of the City Hall without any special procedures. It was when they arrived at the first-floor lobby of the City Hall. ¡°The White Bear Caravan, from the Yakutsk Colony. Wee. I¡¯m Seo Tae-ran, the secretary of the Mayor.¡± A beautiful woman in a snug-fitting red top and bottom greeted them. Her neatlybed blonde hair without a strand out of ce, the beautiful yet strong gaze and nose reminiscent of ancient Norse goddesses. The woman was Seo Tae-ran, a Martial Artist Awakened and Mayor Jin Geum-ho¡¯s secretary. Although she maintained a polite demeanor, there was an inexplicable sense of confidence and coolness about her. Gulp! Logan swallowed dryly as soon as he saw her. As fellow Awakeneds, he could sense her strength. Although he couldn¡¯t urately gauge her level, he knew she was at least stronger than himself. The goosebumps creeping up his back and neck confirmed that fact. At that moment, a particrlyrge man among the people from the White Bear Caravan stepped forward and took off his hat. Then his real face was revealed. He had a shaved head that went down to just below his crown, but his sturdy impression and gaze, deeply set eyes, were fierce like a grizzly bear, and determination emanated from his tightly closed lips. He introduced himself. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Alexandro Purchenko, the leader of the White Bear Caravan.¡± ¡°Mr. Purchenko. We sincerely wee you to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Please feel free to call me Alexandro. Thank you for the wee.¡± ¡°This is the first time guests havee in several years, it¡¯s only natural we wee them. Could you introduce the others?¡± ¡°Oh, these are the Awakeneds who protect our caraval. Everyone, take off your robes and greet them.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With the response, the Awakeneds all took off their hats attached to their robes. Their atmosphere was as strong as Alexandro¡¯s. As Seo Tae-ran scanned each of them, her gaze stopped at thest man. It was because his atmosphere was different from the others¡¯. While the others had solid builds and strong impressions reminiscent of white bears, thest man had a particrly slim figure and beautiful features. He was more of a handsome youth than a manly man. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Seo Tae-ran expressed her curiosity. ¡°Is that person also an Awakened?¡± ¡°Yes. Personally, he¡¯s my nephew.¡± ¡°I see. May I know your name?¡± ¡°My name is Damien.¡± The Awakened pointed out by Seo Tae-ran introduced himself. His voice was as pleasant to hear as his face. Smiling, Seo Tae-ran responded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Damien.¡± The Awakened pointed out by Seo Tae-ran introduced himself. His voice was as pleasant to hear as his face. Seo Tae-ran smiled and replied. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Damian.¡± ¡°You can call me Damianfortably.¡± ¡°Alright, Damien! We sincerely wee you to Neo Seoul. Now, let¡¯s go meet the Mayor. The Mayor has been waiting for you toe up.¡± Seo Tae-ran escorted Alexandro and his party to the elevator. Humming! The elevator quickly took them to the top floor of the City Hall. Alexandro eximed in admiration. ¡°Hah! Neo Seoul surpasses pre-destruction technology. It¡¯s truly remarkable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the Mayor¡¯s efforts.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an impressive man.¡± ¡°Yes! He¡¯s truly impressive. Without him, Neo Seoul wouldn¡¯t exist as it does now.¡± ¡°We¡¯re too busy defending against monster attacks in the Yakutsk Colony to even dream of such an advanced civilization. I can¡¯t wait to meet the Mayor and hear his secrets.¡± ¡°It will happen soon. Just beyond this door.¡± The elevator opened, and the door to the Mayor¡¯s office appeared before them. Seo Tae-ran gently tapped the door with her fist and said. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the leader of the White Bear Caravan.¡± ¡°Let them in.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With Jin Geum-ho¡¯s permission, Seo Tae-ran opened the door to the Mayor¡¯s office. Behind the door, Jin Geum-ho stood against the backdrop of the sunlight pouring in through the window. Seo Tae-ran said to Alexandro. ¡°Pleasee in.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After nodding his head, Alexandro entered the Mayor¡¯s office. As the Awakeneds tried to follow, Seo Tae-ran blocked their path. ¡°Only the leader of the caravan can enter the Mayor¡¯s office. The rest of you will have to wait here.¡± ¡°We cannot allow that.¡± ¡°We are the ones who protect the leader. We cannot leave him alone.¡± The Awakeneds became agitated and raised their voices. Their threatening demeanor was like that of big bears roaring. Despite their intimidating appearance, Seo Tae-ran¡¯s expression remained unchanged. She said, still smiling. ¡°These are the rules of the Mayor¡¯s office. Only one person can face the Mayor at a time. If you¡¯vee to Neo Seoul, I hope you can respect its rules.¡± ¡°How can we trust Neo Seoul and leave our leader alone?¡± ¡°Then you can go back.¡± ¡°What?¡± The Awakeneds became furious at Seo Tae-ran¡¯s words. They were on the verge of pushing Seo Tae-ran aside and barging into the Mayor¡¯s office. At that moment, Damien, the handsome young man, spoke up. ¡°Brothers!¡± Then the Awakeneds stopped their threatening behavior as if it never happened. Damien continued speaking. ¡°Surely the Mayor of Neo Seoul wouldn¡¯t harm our leader, would he? Let¡¯s just wait here for our leader toe out.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡± Seeing the fiercely aggressive Awakeneds suddenly calm down like that, Seo Tae-ran thought to herself. ¡®So, this boy called Damien is the center of these individuals? No wonder he seemed different.¡¯ *** The White Bear Caravan set up camp in the middle of the desert far from Neo Seoul. The wagons that the Mammoth dragged from Yakutsk were made of a special material that was lightweight yet durable and tall. Arranging the wagons in a circr formation and stacking them fiveyers high created a fortress of sorts. This was one of the secrets to the caravan¡¯s survival in the desert. Building such a fortress allowed them to protect their members safely from attacks by desert monsters. Since the wagons were sorge and tall, it was impossible to see the inside from the outside. As a result, everything inside, including the number of people and the Awakeneds, as well as the items carried in the wagons, remained thoroughly concealed. Brielle, who had been looking at the camp for a while, asked Zeon. ¡°Has Zeon ever been to Yakutsk?¡± ¡°No.¡± Zeon shook his head. Over the past seven years, Zeon had traveled to quite a few colonies. However, his travels were mainly concentrated in the south and east of Neo Seoul. He hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to visit the west, and the north was too far away for him to venture. Today was the first time he learned that there was a colony in Yakutsk. Yakutsk was the capital of the former Sakha Republic of Russia in the far east and boasted extreme cold temperatures, dropping as low as minus fifty degrees Celsius in winter. Although it was a harsh environment for humans to live in, ironically, it allowed them to survive and build colonies. Russia and the Yakutsk region had also turned into deserts. However, there was a difference. Since it was much further north than Neo Seoul, the temperature was much colder. Thanks to the lower temperatures, many people were able to survive and join forces to build a colony. ¡®The Yakutsk Colony must have a great leader. Even though the environment may be better than Neo Seoul¡¯s, building a colony couldn¡¯t have been easy.¡¯ Suddenly, Zeon became curious about the leader of Yakutsk Colony. But soon, he lost interest. From his experience, he had never had a good memory of being too deeply involved with another colony. It was always best to keep a certain distance from everything. ¡°Shall we go in now?¡± ¡°So soon?¡± Brielle looked disappointed at Zeon¡¯s words. Seeing her, Zeon smiled and said, ¡°If you¡¯re curious, keep watching.¡± ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t approach. They may seem gentle, but mammoths are ferocious monsters. If they go wild, the slum will be destroyed.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Brielle nodded vigorously. Zeon nced at her for a moment before turning away. The streets were filled with people who hade to see the caravan. The rare sight stimted the curiosity of the slum dwellers who hadn¡¯t seen it in a long time. The eyes of the slum dwellers looking at the small fortress in the distance were filled with various desires. Zeon clicked his tongue inwardly. ¡®Brielle wasn¡¯t the problem after all.¡¯ Desire is the driving force behind people. While good desires make people progress, wrong desires lead not only oneself but also those around them to destruction. Zeon had seen countless cases like that. This time, he hoped that such a thing would not happen. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 120 Chapter 120 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 120 Alexandro is a strong man. He wasn¡¯t just physically strong; he was a real man with a strong will and determination. Even when he wasn¡¯t awakened, he was strong. After awakening, he naturally became even stronger. With his powerful strength, he gathered followers and formed the White Bear Caravan. All of this was for the survival of Yakutsk Colony. Yakutskcked everything. Except for where the colony was established, everything else was a desert, with an unusuallyrge number ofrge monsters inhabiting it. Instead of developing civilization like Neo Seoul, they had to worry about survival every day. To the monsters, Yakutsk Colony must have felt like a warehouse full of delicious food. There were plenty of humans gathered there, and humans were the monsters¡¯ favorite meat. So the attacks by the monsters continued incessantly. Those who yed an active role at that time were the White Bear Caravan led by Alexandro. They fought against the monsters to protect Yakutsk Colony and attempted to make contact with outsiders. By making contact with those who survived outside the colony, they increased their power and regrly hunted down the monsters. Thanks to them, Yakutsk Colony could barely survive the threat of the monsters. What he did next was to operate the caravan in earnest. Although they barely survived the attacks by the monsters, they needed to make contact with and trade with other colonies for continued survival. Alexandro and the White Bear Caravan risked their lives and set out to find other colonies. Finding other colonies in a world transformed into a desert was harder than finding a needle in a haystack. Above all, what tormented them was the monsters attacking them constantly. At that time, there was no information at all. They didn¡¯t know the types of monsters, their habitats, or even their levels of danger. Alexandro and the White Bear Caravan discovered all of that by colliding with them with all their might. With tremendous effort, they were able to find another colony more than a thousand kilometers away and engage in trade. From then on, Yakutsk Colony¡¯s lifeline was secured. The goods brought in from the outside at a high price made life in Yakutsk Colony a bit morefortable. However, there was still no room for leisure. They needed trade with other colonies. Alexandro desperately set out to find another colony, and Neo Seoul appeared on his radar. Rumors about Neo Seoul had been heard since before. However, since many of them were extravagant stories like legends, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to them. Stories like how it had surpassed the civilization of before the great cmity or a mega-city with over ten million people. In the harsh reality of Yakutsk Colony, it seemed like nothing more than a legend conjured up by someone¡¯s imagination. However, as he prepared to expand southward and collected information, he learned that Neo Seoul was in fact real. After tremendous effort, he was able to reach Neo Seoul. To the city he had simply thought of as a legend. And he could meet face to face with the man who built the legendary city. The first impression of seeing Jin Geum-ho, the mayor of Neo Seoul, was ¡®intimidating.¡¯ On the outside, his appearance was just that of a middle-aged man with a dignified air. Neatlybed hair, stylishly grown beard, and clear, deep eyes, along with a well-fitted suit. If the world hadn¡¯t fallen apart, he would have been considered handsome enough to be a middle-aged model. But Alexandro didn¡¯t find him handsome at all. Unknowingly, goosebumps rose along his arms. It was the first time he had reacted to someone else¡¯s strength to this extent. ¡®So, he¡¯s the one who built today¡¯s Neo Seoul. Truly remarkable.¡¯ Alexandro tried to conceal his turbulent emotions with a nonchnt expression. Jin Geum-ho looked at Alexandro¡¯s face with an expression of interest. Even in his seemingly trivial gaze, Alexandro felt like his whole body was tensing up. Suddenly, Jin Geum-ho smiled and opened his mouth. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Jin Geum-ho.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Alexandro Purchenko. It¡¯s an honor to meet the Mayor of Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been years since an outsider came to visit, and I¡¯m very pleased. So, you came from Yakutsk?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Surprising. From what I know, Yakutsk is a very cold area, yet survivors managed to establish a colony there.¡± ¡°Do you know about Yakutsk?¡± ¡°I saw it on the inte before the world fell apart.¡± ¡°The inte?¡± ¡°Oh! You wouldn¡¯t know. Back then, we usedputers and satellites to share a lot of information. It was a golden age for humanity. Well, Neo Seoul has developed just as much now, but¡­¡± Inte,puters, satellites¡ªeach of these unfamiliar words made Alexandro furrow his brows without even realizing it. If he hadn¡¯t known about Jin Geum-ho, he would have thought he was making fun of him with whatever he said. ¡®A monster who has lived for at least a hundred and forty years since before the great cmity.¡¯ From the pinnacle of human civilization to the moment of copse, the great cmity, and the resurgence of Neo Seoul, he experienced and overcame it all firsthand. It could truly be considered living history. Wordsing from such a person¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t just be empty talk. ¡°What¡¯s the situation in Yakutsk?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same as other colonies. We¡¯re constantly gued by the threat of monsters.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Compared to that, Neo Seoul seems peaceful. Surely it must have faced monster attacks, but it¡¯s astonishing how such a civilization could be achieved.¡± ¡°Many sacrifices were made to get to this point. We never forget their sacrifices.¡± ¡°We feel the same way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it should be. That¡¯s the true spirit of those living in the era of destruction. Nowadays, there are many young people who don¡¯t have that mentality, but you seem to have your head screwed on right.¡± Jin Geum-ho smiled with satisfaction. Alexandro cautiously brought up the matter. ¡°As you know, our colony is very harsh. That¡¯s why, if you permit, I¡¯d like to trade with Neo Seoul using goods from our colony.¡± ¡°Naturally, you have my permission.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We need to help each other survive.¡± ¡°So, should I sell the goods through you, Mr. Mayor?¡± ¡°No need for that. You can trade at your discretion.¡± ¡°Does that mean our caravan can handle the trade on its own?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had a visitor, so you deserve that kind of benefit.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Alexandro was genuinely grateful. Because of Jin Geum-ho¡¯s willingness to give up the significant benefits and exclusive rights that could be obtained through trade with other colonies. The cargo brought by the White Bear Caravan was filled with valuable items, ranging from the carcasses and tusks of the hunted monsters by the Awakeneds of Yakutsk Colony to weapons, armor crafted by artisans, and items obtained from dungeons. It truly contained everything from the Yakutsk Colony. That¡¯s how much the White Bear Caravan had staked on this trade. Therefore, Alexandro was prepared to offer substantial benefits to Jin Geum-ho, but unexpectedly, Jin Geum-ho made a statement forfeiting all those benefits. Alexandro was curious about Jin Geum-ho¡¯s intentions. Jin Geum-ho looked at Alexandro and casually asked. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m curious. How did you find Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m genuinely curious. There are no satellites, no navigation systems. Evenpasses don¡¯t work in this damned world. So, how exactly did you pinpoint and find Neo Seoul urately? I¡¯m curious about that.¡± ¡°That¡­.¡± Alexandro¡¯s pupils shook for a moment, and Jin Geum-ho stared at his face piercingly. *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Alexandro¡¯s back was soaked in sweat as he stepped out of the Mayor¡¯s office. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± The Awakeneds waiting outside hurried to approach him. Alexandro nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s go outside.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With the escort of the Awakeneds, Alexandro took the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, Seo Tae-ran entered the Mayor¡¯s office. Jin Geum-ho sat in his chair, looking out through the window at Neo Seoul. Seo Tae-ran stood silently beside him, waiting only for orders. After a while, Alexandro and his group leaving the City Hall came into Jin Geum-ho¡¯s view. Perhaps sensing Jin Geum-ho¡¯s gaze, Alexandro raised his head and looked straight at him. But that was only for a moment, and soon Alexandro and the Awakeneds disappeared from his sight. Only then did Jin Geum-ho speak. ¡°Tae-ran!¡± ¡°Yes, Mayor.¡± ¡°Select a few of the kids from the Shadow Unit and monitor them.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Surely, there¡¯s a useful Guide among them. Find out who the guide is and what abilities they possess. To expand Neo Seoul¡¯s territory, we need a Guide.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle it. But?¡± ¡°Buy?¡± ¡°Why did you allow the White Bear Caravan to trade freely? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to monopolize and control what¡¯s sold in the market?¡± At Seo Tae-ran¡¯s words, Jin Geum-ho smiled subtly. ¡°If we do that, there shouldn¡¯t be any significant disturbance. Neo Seoul will also remain peaceful.¡± ¡°Peaceful¡­ You don¡¯t want it?¡± ¡°After Dyoden left Neo Seoul, the current power structure reached a stalemate. It¡¯s been too long. It¡¯s time for a change.¡± For a moment, Seo Tae-ran¡¯s face lit up slightly. She understood the meaning behind Jin Geum-ho¡¯s words. ¡®Finally, the Mayor is shaking things up.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t due to weakness that Jin Geum-ho was ignoring areas outside the Central District. He had grand ambitions and had raced with all his might to achieve them. Therefore, he had no spare attention for other areas. And taking advantage of that, the leaders of the four districts were able to build up their power. Jin Geum-ho didn¡¯t want their power to grow any stronger. ¡°Caravans from other colonies are tempting prey. There are many greedy individuals. Our job is just toy the groundwork for them to frolic as they please. After that, they¡¯ll sort things out on their own.¡± That was how the world worked, and Jin Geum-ho understood that better than anyone else. *** Zeon strolled through the Goblin Market. ¡°The White Bear Caravan came from the Yakutsk Colony, right? What kind of goods did they bring?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what exactly, but it¡¯s definitely valuable. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t havee all this way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to what items will be avable on the market.¡± The voices of merchants and customers chatting filled the air. Every conversation was about the White Bear Caravan that had just arrived. People were excited about the caravan¡¯s arrival, especially the merchants of the Goblin Market, who had high expectations. They anticipated that once unseen goods from the White Bear Caravan were put on the market, many people woulde, and the market would thrive. It meant they could enjoy special privileges. The merchants¡¯ main concern was how much of the White Bear Caravan¡¯s goods they could secure. ¡°What are the trends in the South District?¡± ¡°Does the North District seem promising?¡± ¡°But the Central District managed by the Mayor has the highest likelihood, right?¡± Listening to the merchants¡¯ hopeful voices, Zeon moved on. ¡®There¡¯s an uproar over the caravan.¡¯ After decades, the arrival of a caravan was undoubtedly valuable. But the excitement was overheating unnecessarily. If the atmosphere continued to heat up like this, he couldn¡¯t predict what might happen. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to stay home for a while.¡¯ Lately, he had been inadvertently involved in various affairs, keeping him busy. He wanted to avoid getting entangled in any moreplicated matters. Then, Zeon overheard a suspicious conversation. ¡°Twenty Explosion Scrolls, Neurotoxin extracted from Red Spine Scorpions, and ten Backpacks enchanted with spatial magic, check.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t ten backpacks too few? There should be at least thirty.¡± ¡°Do you think items enchanted with spatial magic are easy toe by? This was already a struggle to obtain. Remember, if we fail, we¡¯re screwed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll fail. Once we seed, we¡¯ll be rich.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope so. Dammit!¡± It was a ndestine conversation between merchants of the Goblin Market and a group of men. Zeon sighed. ¡®The moths are here again.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 121 Chapter 121 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 121 Late at night, there were people approaching the fort built by the White Bear Caravan. Their number totaled fifty. They were all Awakeneds. They each had their faces covered with a mask or a hood. It was a minimal measure to prevent each other from knowing their faces or identities. They were all Awakened from the slums, a raid hastily assembled today to plunder the White Bear Caravan. Leading the assault was Lee Beom-ho. A D-rank mage Awakened. As soon as he received the information that the caravan had entered, he made ns for the raid. ¡®I don¡¯t know where Yakutsk is, but there must be valuable items.¡¯ The subspace backpacks he obtained with difficulty from the Goblin Market were ten in total. Each backpack was enchanted with a small space the size of a small room. They were items that were difficult to obtain even with money. And he didn¡¯t have enough money to buy them. He borrowed them from the merchants of the Goblin Market under the condition of distributing the plundered items. He didn¡¯t think he could plunder all the items of the White Bear Caravan. But if he could fill even a part of them with the subspace backpacks, it would be profitable enough. It was a gamble with his life. But it was worth trying. ¡®If I seed this time, I can enter Neo Seoul. I¡¯ll live a cushy life in Neo Seoul too.¡¯ Lee Beom-ho and all the Awakened who participated in the raid had the same thought. The small fort came into their view. The fort, built with stacked carts, looked very sturdy. But they weren¡¯t overly worried. They trusted the items they had prepared. Lee Beom-ho shouted. ¡°Use the explosion scrolls.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The Awakeneds attached explosion scrolls to the outer wall of the fort. Shortly afterward, the explosion scrolls, burning red, caused an explosion. Boom! A tremendous explosion urred. Lee Beom-ho and the Awakeneds expected arge hole to be blown in the outer wall of the fort, in other words, the carts. Their main n for this operation was to enter through the hole, plunder the items in a sh, and escape. But things didn¡¯t always go as nned. ¡°Fuck! Why is it intact?¡± ¡°Is the explosion scroll malfunctioning?¡± The Awakeneds, who were looking at where the explosion urred, widened their eyes. The outer wall of the fort was intact even after such a powerful explosion. There wasn¡¯t even a trace of soot from the mes. ¡°What material is it made of?¡± ¡°Does that matter? Damn it! We¡¯re screwed.¡± Before one of the Awakeneds finished speaking, the Awakeneds from the White Bear Caravan jumped out of the fort. ¡°It¡¯s intruders.¡± ¡°Capture and kill them.¡± Without any hesitation, they attacked the raiding party. Lee Beom-ho couldn¡¯t hide his momentary confusion at the situation, so different from his n. But he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°Damn it! Kill them all and loot everything.¡± ¡°Kaaaah!¡± It was do or die anyway. Even if they returned empty-handed, they would die. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Lee Beom-ho unleashed his skill, Magic Missile. Zap! Five Magic Missiles flew towards the Awakeneds from the White Bear Caravan. Other intruders also unleashed their main skills with all their might. Boom! ¡°Aargh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Explosions and screams erupted everywhere. But most of those dying were the intruders. All the Awakeneds from the White Bear Caravan were elites. They had fought against numerous threats and monsters on their way here, so the inferior Awakeneds from the slums posed no threat to them. Alexandro, the leader of the caravan, looked incredulously at the intruders fighting the Awakeneds. He had anticipated that something like this might happen. Simr incidents had urred in other colonies. But he hadn¡¯t expected an attack on the first day. ¡°Kill them all! Let Neo Seoul know that the White Bear Caravan is no easy ce.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave a single one alive.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all wiped out. Damn bastards! We¡¯ve been through this kind of thing once or twice.¡± ¡°No one can take the White Bear Caravan¡¯s goods for free. It¡¯s a matter of our lives.¡± The Awakeneds from the White Bear Caravan rampaged like bloodthirsty demons. The items they brought with them were collected with the utmost effort of everyone in Yakutsk. The lives of the people in Yakutsk Colony and those living inside were at stake in the caravan¡¯s upward journey. Naturally, their mindset was different from that of the intruders. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Kugh!¡± The intruders fell screaming. As more than half of them lost their lives in an instant, the intruders hesitated. ¡°Fuck! They¡¯re so strong.¡± ¡°We might all be wiped out at this rate.¡± Among the intruders, deserters began to appear one by one. They attempted to flee to Neo Seoul after breaking away from the group. However, none of the Awakeneds from the White Bear Caravan were willing to let them go. ¡°You damn scavengers!¡± ¡°Die!¡± They relentlessly pursued and killed the intruders. ¡°This is unbelievable! They¡¯re so strong.¡± With the situation unfolding as it did, even the organizer of the raid, Lee Beom-ho, couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. Still, considering they were a caravan traversing the desert, Lee Beom-ho had assumed that the Awakeneds within the caravan would be formidable. However, he had never anticipated such a stark difference in strength. That became the factor contributing to their failure. ¡°Dammit!¡± In the end, Lee Beom-ho opted to flee. But there was someone blocking his path. Unlike other Awakeneds, he was a handsome boy with an unusually slim build. ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave after causing this much trouble?¡± ¡°Get out of the way, you little bastard.¡± Lee Beom-ho shouted as heunched a Magic Missile. Five Magic Missiles flew towards Damien at frightening speed. However, just before the Magic Missiles hit, someone intervened. It was none other than Alexandro, the leader of the White Bear Caravan. Bam! The Magic Missiles hit Alexandro¡¯s body instead of Damien¡¯s. However, there wasn¡¯t a single scratch on his body. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Lee Beom-ho eximed in shock, his eyes wide. At that moment, Alexandro reached out and grabbed Lee Beom-ho¡¯s head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­!¡± Crack! Lee Beom-ho¡¯s head burst like a watermelon. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Alexandro, who killed Lee Beom-ho in an instant, brushed his hands off and looked at Damien. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I could¡¯ve handled him myself.¡± ¡°I never said you couldn¡¯t, did I? You¡¯re the core of our caravan, so please take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Haha! There¡¯s no need to protect me like I¡¯m a child.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, we wouldn¡¯t have made it this far. Damien, I hope you realize how remarkable and valuable you are.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Damien smiled brightly. *** The attack on the White Bear Caravanst night quickly spread through the slums. ¡°So the raid led by Lee Beom-ho, a D-rank Awakened, waspletely wiped out?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t plunder a single item? Insane!¡± ¡°It seems the strength of the White Bear Caravan is even greater than we thought.¡± As soon as two or more people gathered, they discussed yesterday¡¯s events. Lee Beom-ho wasn¡¯t a remarkable Awakened, but he wasn¡¯t so weak that he would easily fall. If he were, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to lead the raiding party. The rumor that Lee Beom-ho and his raiding party were wiped out without achieving anything was enough to shock people. There were quite a few others besides Lee Beom-ho who organized raiding parties. However, as soon as news spread that Lee Beom-ho¡¯s party had been wiped out, they disbanded. The White Bear Caravan, having made a disy of its strength once, did not emerge from the fort it had built outside Neo Seoul. Their appearance seemed to be a message for those with business toe and find them personally. Indeed, there were reports that they were moving to formally visit the White Bear Caravan from various ces. Zeon thought it was only natural. The ones with the goods were the White Bear Caravan. They also hold the supply rights. So naturally, those who need goods should go and request a trade with them. That was the way of the world, and the White Bear Caravan knew well their power and influence. With demand abound, there was no need toboriously seek contact. If they simply waited, people woulde to them. The problem was that among those seeking to go on their own volition was a person named Brielle. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the caravan!¡± She suddenly approached Zeon and said out of the blue. Zeon blinked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about what kind of goods they brought. Aren¡¯t you curious, Zeon?¡± ¡°Not particrly!¡± ¡°Stop lying ande with me. There¡¯s nothing more to get from the Goblin Market now.¡± Acquiring materials necessary for alchemy was never an easy task. One had to secure goods when the opportunity arose. Whether there would be goods that Brielle needed in the White Bear Caravan was uncertain, but it was worth a visit. The problem was that Brielle couldn¡¯t enter the White Bear Caravan alone. The White Bear Caravan did not permit individual visits. If they did, it was certain that all sorts of people woulde in. So they strictly restricted visitation qualifications. At least one leader of a group had toe to enter the White Bear Caravan. That was why Brielle was pressing Zeon. Looking up at Zeon, Brielle pleaded. ¡°Hmm? Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Ha!, okay, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m so excited.¡± Unable to refuse, Zeon agreed, and Brielle danced happily. Zeon put on his robe. Even though Brielle was urging him to go, he was also curious about the White Bear Caravan. Just by looking at the items they brought, one could specte about the environment of Yakutsk Colony and the distribution of monsters. Before going to the White Bear Caravan, they stopped by Ethan¡¯s ce. Naturally, Ethan was wary of Zeon¡¯s visit. With a troubled face, he asked ¡°You want to visit the White Bear Caravan?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon smiled and replied. Ethan wanted to punch him in the face. But if he did, he knew his head and body would be in two. He also coveted the goods brought by the White Bear Caravan. So he was just waiting for the right timing to visit. But Zeon had beaten him to it. Of course, there was no preparation to visit at all. Seeing him hesitating, Zeon smiled and said. ¡°Can¡¯t we?¡± At that moment, Ethan felt a threat to his life. He shouldn¡¯t be fooled by that soft tone. The other party was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, no, a monster. If he let his guard down because of appearances, he would be eaten alive in an instant. Ethan stood up and said. ¡°Of course, you can. We were nning to visit the White Bear Caravan anyway.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes! Right now.¡± ¡°Perfect. I was worried that it might be a nuisance.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? It¡¯s peaceful in Shinchon because of you, Zeon. Of course, we should make things convenient for you.¡± Ethan said with a smile. But his inner thoughts were different. ¡®Your very existence is a nuisance. Damn bastard!¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 122 Chapter 122 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 122 Ethan summoned the Awakeneds. Most of them were of E-rank, practically useless in realbat. However, they were sufficient for appearances. As long as Zeon, a powerful presence, existed, other Awakeneds were unnecessary. However, to showcase their strength to the White Bear Caravan, they had to apany him. So, twenty Awakeneds were gathered. With Ethan, Zeon, and Brielle, they became twenty-three. They left the slums and headed towards the White Bear Caravan. However, they were not the only ones heading there. ¡°Those are Dongdaemun guys.¡± ¡°Oh? I see.¡± Those who spotted the crowd heading towards the White Bear Caravan from afar murmured. Several men d in shining armor marched forward, carrying a g with a cross painted on it. In Neo Seoul, there was only one group that brandished the cross. It was Dongdaemun, led by Johan. Ethan¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Is Johaning too?¡± ¡°Johan is not visible. Ah! I see Brixton.¡± At the response of his subordinate, Ethan¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°Brixton? That berserker?¡± ¡°The one carrying that big hammer must be Brixton.¡± ¡°Damn it! Is Johan insane? Sending such a crazy bastard to this kind of ce.¡± Ethan¡¯s expression turned grim. At Ethan¡¯s reaction, Zeon nced at Brixton. With a stature surpassing ordinary people, appropriate armor, and a massive hammer that seemed capable of smashing skulls in an instant, he was intimidating to behold. The man¡¯s name was Brixton. He wasn¡¯t called the berserker for nothing. If he went on a rampage with that enormous hammer, there would be no one to stop him. He was one of Johan¡¯s fanatics. If Johan ordered, he would charge into hell without hesitation. However, he was not suitable for executingplexmands due to his simple and ignorant nature. Then, a woman walking alongside Brixton caught Zeon¡¯s attention. Wearing nun¡¯s attire and walking on the sand, the woman was someone Zeon was familiar with. ¡®Kim Jae-kyung!¡¯ She was Johan¡¯s confidante and a woman with brainwashing abilities. It wasn¡¯t a usual urrence for her toe personally. At that moment, Kim Jae-kyung, who also seemed to recognize Zeon, showed a surprised expression. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable for her to be surprised, considering she had almost been killed by Zeon before. She exchanged words with Brixton. Then Brixton, ring at Zeon with an eerie gaze, approached with his subordinates. Finally, arriving in front of Zeon, Brixton spoke. ¡°Are you Zeon?¡± ¡°Your Brixton?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Brixton, Johan¡¯s right-hand man, in the flesh.¡± Brixton replied, thumping his chest. Zeon chuckled and asked. ¡°You didn¡¯te here just to say hello. What¡¯s your business?¡± ¡°I came to give a warning.¡± ¡°A warning?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Dongdaemun will monopolize the trade with the White Bear Caravan. There will be no chance for you and Sinchon, so it¡¯s best for you to turn back now.¡± ¡°Dongdaemun will monopolize the trade with the White Bear Caravan?¡± ¡°Ha! Even if you dislike it, it will happen. We will make sure of it.¡± ¡°If that really happens, we¡¯ll withdraw cleanly.¡± ¡°Is that a promise?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll withdraw for now, trusting your promise. It¡¯d be best to keep your promise. Otherwise, I¡¯ll smash your head to pieces with this hammer.¡± Brixton unted his strength, swinging the hammer he had draped over his shoulder into the air before turning away. ¡°That arrogant bastard.¡± Ethan erupted in anger btedly. Seeing Ethan¡¯s frustration, Brielle smirked inwardly. ¡®This guy is also secretly a coward.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t difficult to understand. Regardless of whether it was Ethan or any other Awakened, anyone would feel intimidated in front of Brixton¡¯s imposing figure. It wasn¡¯t Ethan who was strange, but Zeon, who remained calm. Zeon nonchntly moved forward, seemingly forgetting Brixton¡¯s warning. Finally arriving at the fortress built by the White Bear Caravan, Zeon eximed in admiration. ¡°So, cargo trucks could be used like this too. They¡¯ve really put a lot of thought into it.¡± ¡°Indeed, this setup would be useful for staying in the desert. Ordinary monsters wouldn¡¯t even be able to approach.¡± Brielle agreed with Zeon¡¯s thoughts. Ethan voiced his own thoughts. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like ordinary vehicles. It appears to be reinforced with very special materials.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± There was no way an ordinary vehicle could cross the desert. It was evident that the chassis had been reinforced or enhanced with special materials. Otherwise, it couldn¡¯t exin why there wasn¡¯t a scratch on its surface. At that moment, ¡°Where are you all from?¡± An Awakened guarding the entrance to the fortress approached Zeon¡¯s group. When Zeon gestured to Ethan, he stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m Ethan, from Sinchon. We¡¯vee to trade with the White Bear Caravan.¡± ¡°Ethan from Sinchon? Confirmed. You may enter.¡± It seemed that the White Bear Caravan already understood the power dynamics in Neo Seoul. Thanks to this, Zeon and Brielle could easily enter the fortress with Ethan leading the way. The inside of the fortress was muchrger than it appeared from the outside. And no wonder, as it was a fortress made using fiftyrge vehicles. It was so spacious and tall that even a small building from the slums could fit inside without a problem. At that moment, an Awakened from the White Bear Caravan approached Ethan¡¯s group. ¡°Are you Ethan¡¯s group?¡± ¡°Yes, we are.¡± ¡°I am Sergey from the White Bear Caravan. I will guide you.¡± ¡°Ah, yes!¡± Ethan nodded. Since they had entered the caravan, Ethan thought they could just go up and buy items, and if there was any need for a guide. Sergey smiled and spoke, as if reading Ethan¡¯s thoughts ¡°All the items we have brought were secured by the Awakeneds of Yakutsk through risking their lives. There are corpses of monsters and items excavated from dungeons. For convenience, we¡¯ve arranged the items into five grades and divided them into floors.¡± ¡°How are the grades divided?¡± ¡°Monster corpses and unique materials are on the first floor, ssified as D-grade. Unusual materials excavated from dungeons are on this floor, ssified as C-grade. On the third floor are Mana Stones extracted from dungeon bosses, and items made by Yakutsk Colony and other colonies. On the fourth floor are items from dungeons, and finally, the items on the fifth floor are¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying?¡± ¡°I apologize, but we cannot reveal the items on the fifth floor yet, as they are reserved for an auction.¡± ¡°An auction? What kind of items are they?¡± Ethan inquired, but Sergey didn¡¯t respond. Sergey led the group to the vehicles on the first floor. ¡°Woah!¡± As soon as they entered the vehicle, Brielle eximed in admiration. It wasn¡¯t because of the items disyed on the first floor but because of the vehicle itself. As Zeon looked, Brielle whispered secretly. ¡°There are multiple magic circles drawn on this vehicle.¡± ¡°Multiple magic circles?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s made by oveying several magic circles, and it¡¯s very sophisticated.¡± ¡°Do you know the purpose of the magic circles?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible for me to know at my current level.¡± Brielle¡¯s expression turned sullen. It was not known whose work it was, but she couldn¡¯t understand the extremely high-level magic circles spread across fifty vehicles. It was clear that a Magic Awakened far superior to Brielle hadid them out. ¡°It¡¯s okay! Multiple magic circles aren¡¯t the most important thing anyway.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°Focus on whether there are items you need. Even if you have money, you might not be able to buy them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± Only then did Brielle regain herposure. People from Dongdaemun had already entered. They didn¡¯t know how many more woulde in the future. Ifpetition arose, the auction might start with the items on the first floor. ¡°I need to stay sharp.¡± Brielle squared her shoulders, pping her cheeks with both hands to psyche herself up. Zeon chuckled as he looked up at the fifth floor. Suddenly, his expression stiffened slightly. A significantly strong aura emanated from the fifth floor. Despite being sealed with magic circles or barriers, the energy was powerful enough to prate through. This was evidence of the remarkable items stored on the fifth floor. Such a powerful aura was unprecedented even for Zeon. ¡®What kind of item could produce such an aura?¡¯ Among Awakeneds of the same rank, naturally those with better items had an advantage. The higher the grade, the greater the difference. While possessing good items wasn¡¯t a guarantee of victory, it certainly provided a slight advantage. That¡¯s why higher-ranking Awakeneds risked their lives to obtain better items. That¡¯s also why the workshops in Neo Seoul flourished. Items crafted by each workshop¡¯s vision made Awakeneds much stronger. That¡¯s why renowned workshops attracted Awakeneds automatically. But there were items that even the craftsmanship of workshops couldn¡¯t match. Those were the items asionally excavated from dungeons. Items that served as the core of the dungeons boasted unimaginable power, beyond what Neo Seoul¡¯s technology could replicate. Especially items excavated from high-risk dungeons possessed even greater power. However, it was rare for items to be excavated intact, so not many were reported to possess them. If the items on the fifth floor were indeed items from dungeons, thepetition would be fierce. ¡®Perhaps Neo Seoul will be turned upside down because of those items¡­¡¯ Just then, Bam! Suddenly, a loud noise erupted from the opposite side of the first floor. It was the moment everyone looked at each other in confusion. ¡°This crazy bitch dares to use brainwashing skills.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve caught them. Crush them all.¡± Suddenly, people began to fight, entangling with each other. Awakeneds from Dongdaemun, who entered at a simr time as Zeon¡¯s group, shed with the Awakeneds from the White Bear Caravan. Brixton, who had confronted Zeon¡¯s group earlier, wielded his massive hammer to protect Kim Jae-kyung. Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s face showed signs of defeat. Zeon immediately understood the situation. ¡®That woman must have tried to use her brainwashing skills again and failed.¡¯ Kim Jae-kyung had attempted to use brainwashing skills on Zeon as well. Fortunately, Zeon¡¯s mental barrier was strong enough to repel the attempt, but if it had seeded, it would have been quite dangerous. Brainwashing skills weren¡¯t omnipotent. They didn¡¯t work on those with strong mental barriers or items that protected the minds. That seemed to be the case this time as well. The Awakeneds had nes emitting a blue light around their necks. Perhaps the nes protected them from the brainwashing skills. Thanks to these nes, Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s attempt to use her brainwashing skills was revealed, leading to the enraged White Bear Caravan Awakeneds attacking. ¡°Who do these bastards dare to attack so recklessly?¡± Brixton protected Kim Jae-kyung, blocking the attacks of the enraged White Bear Caravan Awakeneds with his entire body. Bang! Bang! Boom! The thick armor perfectly protected Brixton from various skill attacks. His armor was also a specially crafted item boasting strong defense against various physical attacks. ¡°Hehehe! It doesn¡¯t even tickle. Is this all you¡¯ve got? In that case, I¡¯d rather take it by force.¡± Brixton¡¯s eyes gleamed with madness. Originally, the n was for Kim Jae-kyung to brainwash the one in charge and have them hand over the items to Dongdaemun at a low price. However, after fighting directly, Brixton gained confidence that they could simply seize them by force. Kim Jae-kyung urgently spoke. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s noisy. Who takes orders from a failed subject? From now on, I¡¯ll be the one inmand.¡± ¡°You crazy bear! We need to get out now and resolve the situation.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t listen to the orders from losers.¡± Brixton and his subordinates went even more berserk. At that moment, it seemed as though no one could stop Brixton¡¯s rampage. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You fanatic!¡± A man with a huge build, not less than Brixton, swung his fist. It was Alexandro, the leader of the White Bear Caravan. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 123 Chapter 123 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 123 Alexandro was furious. He hade this far leading the caravan for the sake of a fair deal. The goods he carried were like lifelines for the people of Yakutsk Colony, and Kim Jae-kyung and Brixton tried to plunder them with brainwashing skills. It was an unforgivable act. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± Boom! His fist struck Brixton¡¯s chest. ¡°Ugh!¡± Brixton¡¯s face contorted in an instant. An immense shock struck his whole body. If it weren¡¯t for the heavy armor, his chest would have beenpletely caved in. It was truly a tremendous force. Alexandro¡¯s assault wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°Haaa!¡± Another powerful blow followed. Brixton hurriedly swung his hammer. Boom! The fist and the hammer shed, producing a metallic ng. Brixton¡¯s body was pushed backward, and Alexandro staggered. One wielded a weapon, a hammer, while the other used his bare fists. Yet the one with the hammer was pushed back. It was clear who had the upper hand. But Brixton couldn¡¯t admit it. ¡°A mere desert trader stronger than me? Impossible.¡± In an instant, the pupils in his eyes disappeared. It was a phenomenon that urred when his skill, Berserker, was activated. When the Berserker skill fully activates, the attack power more than doubles momentarily. However, one loses all sense and cannot distinguish friend from foe. It had to be stopped before that happened. Kim Jae-kyung shouted. ¡°Idiot! Don¡¯t activate the skill. Now is the time to retreat.¡± But her shout came toote. The ck in Brixton¡¯s eyespletely disappeared, and the whites turned entirely bloodshot. The Berserker skill had fully activated. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Brixton, having lost his senses, charged at Alexandro with terrifying momentum. Thud! With a loud noise, this time Alexandro was pushed back. Anger gleamed in Alexandro¡¯s face, who suffered losses. The moment his anger reached its peak, and he was about to give it his all. ¡°Step back.¡± A youthful voice rang in Alexandro¡¯s ears. The moment he heard the voice, Alexandro immediately withdrew without hesitation. At that moment, the youthful voice resounded again. ¡°Direction Disturb.¡± A red light descended upon Brixton¡¯s body. Brixton, having lost his reason, couldn¡¯t evade the light and waspletely covered by it. Instantly, Brixton¡¯s senses were disrupted. Although he clearly saw his opponent in front of him, he couldn¡¯t judge how to approach. A skill that disrupts the opponent¡¯s senses, causing confusion. For someone like Brixton who entered a Berserker state and couldn¡¯t make proper judgments, its effect was multiplied. The more Brixton tried to attack Alexandro, the further he seemed to get away. ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The warriors who came with Brixton called out desperately, but he had already left the fortress. Kim Jae-kyung shouted. ¡°Everyone, retreat!¡± In the end, the Dongdaemun Awakeneds suffered great losses and escaped with the caravan. ¡°You bastards!¡± ¡°Kaaak! Tuu!¡± The victorious White Bear Caravan Awakeneds took deep breaths and spat. Even though they achieved victory, their anger didn¡¯t subside. Unexpectedly, a young boy with an apparent smile consoled them. ¡°You all did well. Let¡¯s calm down. After all, this level of disturbance was expected.¡± Suddenly, as if under a spell, the White Bear Caravan Awakeneds regained their senses. That was one of the powers the boy possessed. Among the White Bear Caravan Awakeneds, he was the youngest, but he was a presence more reliable and trustworthy than anyone else. The boy¡¯s name was Damien. Alexandro approached Damien and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°It was nothing, really.¡± Damien grinned, revealing his white teeth. ¡°You always know you can rely on me, right? I hope you continue to lead us well in the future.¡± ¡°Others might misunderstand if they hear that. You¡¯re the leader of our caravan.¡± ¡°But everyone knows it¡¯s you who actually leads us. We wouldn¡¯t havee this far without you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. There are others too.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Only then did Alexandro remember that there were other people inside the caravan. His gaze shifted towards Zeon and his group who were watching from one side. Naturally, Damien¡¯s gaze also moved along with his. The moment Damien¡¯s gaze fell on Zeon, his eyes widened. ¡°Brother?¡± An unexpected term slipped from Damien¡¯s lips. ¡°Brother? What are you talking about?¡± Alexandro, who was nearby, asked, but Damien didn¡¯t answer. No, he couldn¡¯t. His gaze was fixed on Zeon. Zeon spoke up. ¡°Damien, it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°It really is you, brother. I thought I was seeing things, but it¡¯s really you.¡± ¡°I thought it was an illusion too. You appeared out of nowhere.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Damien burst intoughter. It was aughter born out of both joy and disbelief. He never imagined he would see Zeon here. Damien knew that Zeon was from Neo Seoul. But Zeon was traveling the world, and there was no certainty as to when he would return to Neo Seoul. Naturally, Damien didn¡¯t expect to meet Zeon either. It was apletely unexpected encounter, so it felt strange and yet joyful. Zeon approached Damien. ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been seven years already.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡± ¡°Really? Everyone says I look the same.¡± ¡°In my eyes, you look different.¡± ¡°Then you must be right. Anyway, I¡¯m so d to see you like this. When did you return to Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Not too long ago.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t know.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Damien scratched his head. At that moment, Alexandro approached Damien. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you introduce me too?¡± ¡°Oh! Let me introduce you. You remember the one I mentioned once? The one I met in the desert seven years ago.¡± ¡°Oh! So that¡¯s him. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Alexandro Purtchenko, the leader of the White Bear Caravan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zeon.¡± Alexandro and Zeon shook hands. Alexandro scanned Zeon up and down with sharp eyes. However, he didn¡¯t notice anything special. Damien asked Zeon. ¡°Are you here to buy things too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to look around following her.¡± Zeon pointed to Brielle, who was with him. Upon hearing that, Brielle approached Zeon and greeted him. ¡°I¡¯m Brielle. Nice to meet you!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too. But for some reason, the atmosphere around you doesn¡¯t feel quite ordinary.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem ordinary yourself.¡± ¡°Then I guess the feelings mutual?¡± Damien chuckled. Meanwhile, Brielle stared at Damien with a gaze full of suspicion. Fortunately, her gaze was concealed by her wide-brimmed hat. ¡®This man is strange.¡¯ She was a High Elf. Although her senses had dulled considerably due to the drugs, she still retained the keen intuition typical of High Elves. From Damien, she sensed an oddly unsettling aura. As a High Elf by nature, there was hardly any possibility of her being mistaken. At that moment, Damien spoke to Alexandro. ¡°Leader, just open up to the third floor for them. If they need anything, prioritize them and I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Alexandro nodded. Zeon said to Brielle. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him for a bit, you can go see if there¡¯s anything useful.¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Damien. I have a bad feeling about him.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± As Zeon nodded, Brielle walked away cautiously. Zeon said to Damien. ¡°Shall we take a walk?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The two of them left the fort and walked on the sand together. It was Zeon who spoke first. ¡°You came from Yakutsk Colony?¡± ¡°As you know, I couldn¡¯t return to Kamchatka Colony. So, I had to find another colony.¡± Damien was from Kamchatka Colony. His father, Beloff, operated a caravan in Kamchatka Colony, and Damien grew up there. However, due to threats from the otherworldly species, Beloff lured Dyoden and Zeon into a trap and ended up being killed by them. He couldn¡¯t return to Kamchatka Colony. Eventually, Damien had to find another colony instead of Kamchatka Colony. Damien wandered the desert alone. After wandering for a few months, he finally arrived at Yakutsk. When Damien arrived, Yakutsk was in ruins without hope or dreams. The ramparts were on the verge of copse due to continuous attacks by monsters, and everything wascking, including food, weapons, and morale. The copse of Yakutsk Colony was only a matter of time. The one who proposed a solution at that time was Damien. He manipted the caravan to trade with other colonies and brought in supplies to Yakutsk. It was easy to say, but the process was incredibly difficult, beyond words. Hardly anyone trusted a seemingly insignificant boy. Moreover, the boy was not even born in Yakutsk Colony. Naturally, people were suspicious of Damien. The only person who believed in Damien was Alexandro, the leader of the White Bear Caravan. At that time, Alexandro was themander of the militia defending the colony against monster attacks. Even when everyone was in despair, he fought against the monsters without giving up hope. It was as if he believed that someone would find a breakthrough. And that someone who appeared then was Damien. Although everyone thought Damien¡¯s words were grandiose, Alexandro strangely trusted him. Eventually, Alexandro and Damien built the caravan together, marking the beginning of the White Bear Caravan. Damien showed remarkable abilities. Even in the desert where even apass was useless, he could urately find his way, and he was able to sense danger and avoid it ahead of time. He was perfectly awakened as a Guide. His abilities became stronger as time passed. Eventually, he seeded in finding another colony that survived far from Yakutsk. ¡°To be honest, it was difficult at first, but it wasn¡¯t so difficult afterward. Fortunately, the other colony had quite a few things we needed, and our goods helped them too.¡± After the first sessful trade, trust in Damien soared. The White Bear Caravan rapidly expanded, and consequently, the environment of Yakutsk Colony improved. The defense wall was raised higher, weapons were ced on the walls tobat the attacks of monsters, and the residents became safer with a little more room in their lives. ¡°As things progressed, I wanted to expand the scale of trade a bit more. That¡¯s when Neo Seoul came to mind. If we could trade with Neo Seoul, we could further develop Yakutsk.¡± ¡°The journey couldn¡¯t have been easy, could it?¡± ¡°It was really not easy. The journey to Neo Seoul was on apletely different level of danger.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± Zeon nodded. There are no monsters near Neo Seoul. But once you go beyond the range where the anti-magic is effective, the situation changes. Countless monsters lurk there. Among them are enormous monsters that even high-ranking Awakeneds cannot handle. Finding a safe path amidst all those monsters was almost impossible. The boy who made the impossible possible was right in front of him. Damien smiled as he looked at Zeon. That smile felt strangely ominous. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 124 Chapter 124 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 124 Seven years was by no means a short time. It was enough time for a child to be an adult, and for a fragile self to grow strong and mighty like a towering tree. Just like Damien standing before Zeon now. The boy who was there seven years ago no longer existed. His tightly shut lips, unwavering determined gaze, straightened posture¡ªall spoke of Damien not as the tender-hearted boy but as a man with strong convictions. The problem was, Zeon couldn¡¯t exactly discern what convictions he held. Looking at Zeon with a smile, Damien spoke up. ¡°Brother! Can I ask you one thing?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Did Dyoden-nim achieve what he wanted?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then Haeltoon is no longer in this world?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And Dyoden-nim?¡± Instead of answering, Zeon looked up at the sky. Damien made a saddened expression. ¡°I guess that¡¯s how it turned out. Still, having fulfilled the lifelong vow, he must have departed peacefully.¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°How have you been, Brother?¡± ¡°Just wandering here and there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so unfair when I see you.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Some people really struggle and put in a lot of effort to find their path, but you just roam around the desert like it¡¯s your backyard.¡± ¡°Your abilities are deceptive enough. You know that, right?¡± ¡°I do! But still, it feels like such a big difference.¡± Damien pursed his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t make an expression that doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± ¡°Was I pouting?¡± ¡°Quite.¡± ¡°It seems like there¡¯s still a lot to learn. Still, I thought it seemed quite natural.¡± ¡°Let me ask you something too.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°El Harun!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Instantly, Damien¡¯s face hardened. As if his smile hadpletely vanished, like a lie. ¡°Did you find it?¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I asked first.¡± ¡°Not yet. But soon.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t found it yet.¡± ¡°I figured. It¡¯s usually not hiding in in sight.¡± Damien smiled coldly. Zeon looked closely at Damien¡¯s expression and asked. ¡°If you find it, will you let me know?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll let you know, brother. I promised Dyoden-nim.¡± ¡°Can I trust you?¡± ¡°Brother, I always keep my promises, at least.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± This time, Zeon smiled. Damien looked at Zeon with a strange gaze. *** By the time Zeon and Damien returned to the White Bear Caravan, Brielle had already finished shopping. Zeon asked Brielle. ¡°Did you find anything you liked?¡± ¡°Yeah! But they were so expensive I couldn¡¯t buy everything.¡± Brielle made a sullen face. The items brought by the White Bear Caravan were things that were hard to find in Neo Seoul. Naturally, they were priced exorbitantly high. Because of that, Brielle couldn¡¯t buy all the things she wanted and only managed to buy a few. ¡°Still, with this, I can try out alchemy, which I¡¯ve always wanted to do.¡± ¡°At least that¡¯s something.¡± ¡°Yeah! Did you and Damien have a good talk?¡± ¡°It ended well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Zeon nodded slowly. In his sight, he saw Damien talking with Alexandro with a serious expression. Though Alexandro was the leader of the White Bear Caravan, he listened to Damien¡¯s words. Just that was enough to know who the real owner of the White Bear Caravan was. ¡®He¡¯s grown a lot.¡¯ The problem was, he had grown too much. While there were hardly any external changes from back then, it seemed like there were about ten times as many gears turning inside. Zeon slightly nodded and said to Brielle. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The two of them left the fortress of the White Bear Caravan. As they got somewhat away from the fortress, Brielle asked cautiously. ¡°What kind of person is Damien?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that he brought so many things that elves and dwarves would like. All of those things are hard toe by.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, there were so many items I¡¯ve never seen even when I was in our vige. Especially the Green Laurel Leaves were treasures I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± ¡°Green Laurel Leaves are treasures?¡± ¡°They might be useless for other races, but they¡¯re tremendous treasures for elves. Just having them on your body can boost your vitality. There¡¯s nothing better for enduring the harsh climate of the desert.¡± ¡°It seems like it¡¯s a good match for elves.¡± asionally, there were such items. They didn¡¯t have much effect on other races, but they had a significant impact on specific races. Perhaps the Green Laurel Leaves were one of those items. Originally, Green Laurels were verymon in Kurayan. But on the desertified Earth, they became rare treasures. So rare that they couldn¡¯t even be found in Brielle¡¯s vige of High Elves. ¡°I wonder how he managed to get Green Laurel Leaves? If possible, I¡¯d like to kidnap him and ask.¡± ¡°If Brielle is willing to go that far, other elves would do even more, right?¡± ¡°Probably. They¡¯d probably go crazy.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Zeon turned his head and looked at the fortress. From the highest point of the fortress, he could see Damien looking at him. *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you care so much about someone.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a man worth caring about.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± At Damien¡¯s reply, Alexandro¡¯s eyes lit up. They had known each other for seven years. So he knew. He knew how talented and intelligent Damien was. A navigator. Literally, a Guide. In this world, there were countless Awakeneds, but those who awakened as a Guide were extremely rare. And among them, it was even rarer to find a Guide as exceptional as Damien. Through interactions with other colonies, he found out. Damien was truly an unbelievably exceptional Guide. Because of him, with minimal sacrifices, they could interact with other colonies, and the White Bear Caravan could grow to this extent. No matter how strong the Awakeneds in the Yakutsk Colony or other colonies were, Damien didn¡¯t care. Today was the first time he showed concern for another Awakened. At least since Alexandro knew Damien as an Awakened. ¡°Is he a Magic Awakened?¡± ¡°Hmm, what should I say? Ah, I¡¯d rather not say anything.¡± ¡°Why? Did you swear an oath to keep it a secret?¡± ¡°I owe it to Brother. So, I want to keep at least the minimum loyalty.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Above all, I don¡¯t want to appear annoying to Brother.¡± ¡°Is that man so frightening that you¡¯re afraid?¡± ¡°To be honest¡­ yes! I¡¯m scared of him. At least, there¡¯s no one on this desert who can stand against him.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Alexandro¡¯s tone became grave. ¡®If Damien is saying this much, then he¡¯s someone to be cautious of.¡¯ Suddenly, a surge of hot emotion rose deep in his chest. Alexandro knew exactly what emotion he was feeling right now. It waspetitiveness. The desire to fight and win against a strong opponent. Even though he was currently the leader of the White Bear Caravan, he was still an exceptional Awakened and a warrior. Whenever he sees a strong opponent, he wants to fight and trample on them. ¡®Someday, I¡¯ll have the chance to face off against him. But for now, Damien¡¯s affairs take precedence.¡¯ He made an effort to suppress hispetitiveness. Then, they appeared. In the distance, another group was approaching from Neo Seoul. Just by looking at their attire and armament, it was clear. They were Awakeneds. Other groups besides Dongdaemun and Sinchon, wereing to visit after hearing the rumors. Alexandro shouted to his subordinates. ¡°Guests areing. Prepare to greet them.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The energetic responses of his subordinates could be heard from below. As Alexandro was about to go down, he suddenly looked back at Damien. ¡°Damien!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°When will the fifth floor be open?¡± ¡°After enough interest is piqued.¡± ¡°Got it. We¡¯ll do it like that.¡± Alexandro went down, leaving Damien alone on top of the fort. Damien watched Zeon entering the slums until the end. *** Upon returning to the slums, Brielle ran straight home. She was excited to try out alchemy with the items she bought from the White Bear Caravan. Zeon¡¯s destination was the street market run by Old Man Klexi. While the sun was still high in the sky, Old Man Klexi was seen opening the store. Approaching Old Man Klexi, Zeon caught his attention. ¡°What brings you out during the day? What wind blew you out so early when the sun hasn¡¯t even set yet?¡± ¡°Why did you open the shop so early? It¡¯s not even ten yet.¡± ¡°I opened the shop because of the uproar.¡± ¡°Uproar?¡± ¡°Because of the caravan from outside, all of Neo Seoul is bustling. People who usually don¡¯t even show their faces during the day are out and about since morning. If a merchant misses this opportunity, they might as well close shop.¡± ¡°I also woke up early because I went to the White Bear Caravan.¡± ¡°Oh! You¡¯ve been there already?¡± Zeon didn¡¯t miss Old Man Klexi¡¯s sharp gaze. Old Man Klexi was more focused on the trends and information of the White Bear Caravan than any other organization in Neo Seoul. Even if they didn¡¯t know, Argos¡¯ Eyes were probably gathering information about the White Bear Caravan already. ¡°Yeah! How was it inside the caravan with your own eyes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a perfect fortress in itself.¡± ¡°A fortress?¡± ¡°Its defenses are remarkable enough that Dongdaemun suffered a defeat while trying to pull off a scheme.¡± ¡°Tsk! It¡¯s not surprising at all that those fanatics tried to pull a scheme.¡± Old Man Klexi clicked his tongue. He already suspected it. However, the fact that they acted so quickly and were caught trying to pull scheme was a bit surprising. ¡°Those fanatics won¡¯t give up. Once fanaticstch onto something, they won¡¯t let go until the end.¡± ¡°The White Bear Caravan won¡¯t easily sumb either.¡± ¡°Ho! Do you evaluate them that highly?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen their strength with my own eyes.¡± ¡°In that case, it must be trustworthy. I don¡¯t know about anything else, but your keen eye is exceptional.¡± It was a statement acknowledging Zeon. Indeed, Old Man Klexi held Zeon in high regard. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯vee just for a meal. What¡¯s the real matter?¡± ¡°Please notify me if there are any unusual movements in the White Bear Caravan.¡± ¡°Unusual movements? Well, do you have any guesses?¡± ¡°Just a feeling that something isn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Old Man Klexi narrowed his eyes. It was his first time seeing such a serious expression on Zeon since they met. That alone felt ominous. ¡°Got it. If there are any strange signs, I¡¯ll let you know first.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 125 Chapter 125 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 125 Choi Soo-wan was an Awakened. Not only that, but a mechanical Awakened. His two legs and one arm were made of machines. Mechanical Awakeneds like him were extremely rarepared to those in the martial arts or magic categories. Firstly, the awakening rate was low, and even if one did awaken, the probability of sessfullybining with a machine was rare. This was the biggest disadvantage of mechanical Awakeneds. They couldbine with machines, but they didn¡¯t have the ability to create machines. Only when they sessfullybined with existing machines could they exhibit abilitiesparable to or surpassing those of martial arts or magic Awakeneds. Therefore, the key to their sessy in how good of a machine they couldbine with. From that perspective, Choi Soo-wan was quite lucky. He was under themand of Kim Hyun-soo, the leader of the Western District of Neo Seoul. Kim Hyun-soo was a pure-blooded Korean. He believed that since Neo Seoul¡¯s roots were Korean, pure-blooded Koreans should dominate thisnd, and he worked towards that goal. The West District believed in an extremely advanced mechanical civilization. They had recreatedputers that had disappeared over a hundred years ago and used them to produce many machines. As a result, the West District had produced many mechanical Awakeneds. Choi Soo-wan was one of them. Although he couldn¡¯t be assigned a good machine due to his low rank, he could still equip himself with mechanized limbs and prosthetics that rivaled those of an E-rank Awakeneds. His mechanized legs could achieve speeds of over 70 kilometers per hour, and his steel prosthetic arm could exhibit destructive powerparable to that of a Martial Arts Awakened of the same rank. The good thing about mechanical Awakeneds was that as their rank increased, they could uprank to a better body. The West District had prepared machines or bodies for high-rank Awakeneds. As long as they increased their rank, they could be stronger. Choi Soo-wan¡¯s dream was to be a high-ranking Awakened and uprank to a powerful body. But before that, he had to survive. ¡°Ugh!¡± Choi Soo-wan was running through the outskirts of Neo Seoul at high speed. His face was drenched in sweat, and his eyes held a desperate light. Boom! Suddenly, an explosion sounded. ¡°Fuck!¡± Choi Soo-wan cursed and swung his mechanized prosthetic. ng! Along with the sound of metal, an arrow flew out. But he couldn¡¯t rx. Whirr! A chain followed, binding his leg. As a result, Choi Soo-wan stumbled and fell. ¡°Shit!¡± Choi Soo-wan quickly broke free from the chain and got up. The chain couldn¡¯t restrain him. The problem was that it had dyed him. ¡°Dammit! We finally caught him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s really fast.¡± ¡°These mechanical bastards are the most annoying. They don¡¯t get tired.¡± The men who appeared were shabbily dressed. All three of them had covered their faces. Choi Soo-wan shouted. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You bastards! Why are you chasing me?¡± ¡°Do you not know?¡± ¡°Scavengers again.¡± Choi Soo-wan gritted his teeth. Scavengers didn¡¯t only exist in the desert. They also existed in Neo Seoul. These guys would thoroughly conceal their identities and ambush other Awakeneds, stealing everything from them. The Scavengers surrounded Choi Soo-wan and said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give up resisting? That¡¯d be better for the both of us.¡± ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s not struggle in vain. We¡¯ll spare your life.¡± ¡°Hehhehheh!¡± Choi Soo-wan burst outughing. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh! Who would surrender so easily?¡± He charged at the leading Scavenger. Although he was outnumbered and had to flee, Choi Soo-wan had confidence in hisbat abilities. ¡®Just one hit will do. Just one hit¡­¡¯ As long as hended a critical hit, he could render his opponent helpless in an instant. That¡¯s when it happened. The leader of the Scavengers suddenly smiled and took out something from his chest. Swoosh! The object he threw was a that suddenly expanded in mid-air, wrapping around Choi Soo-wan¡¯s entire body. ¡°What?¡± The transparent that wrapped around Choi Soo-wan¡¯s body was made of an unknown material, like a giant tentacle. ¡°I just have to rip this apart!¡± Choi Soo-wan shouted and used his strength. The explosive energy supplied to his mechanized limbs created an enormous output, but the transparent only stretched without taking any damage. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Heh heh! It¡¯s an item we got from the White Bear Caravan. We were curious about its performance, and it¡¯s definitely effective.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best item for Scavengers like us.¡± The Scavengers smiled in satisfaction. On the other hand, Choi Soo-wan couldn¡¯t hide his shocked expression. ¡°You got this item from the White Bear Caravan?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! They use this item to hunt monsters in the Yakutsk Colony. It¡¯s also useful for human hunters like us, so we bought it, and its performance is great.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Choi Soo-wan tried to rip the again, but it was useless. The transparent was made from the skin of a small monster, a Vampire Bat, and had an incredible tensile strength. Therefore, it was difficult to rip it apart using physical strength alone. For a low-ranking Awakened like Choi Soo-wan, who relied on pure physical strength, this item was a catastrophe. The Scavenger took out a small rod from his waist. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing to test.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Heh heh! There¡¯s a creature called the One-Horned Electric Eel near the Yakutsk Colony. Its body has an internal organ that generates high-pressure electricity, and it¡¯s a masterpiece. It can create an enormous amount of high-pressure electricity instantly. This rod has the One-Horned Electric Eel¡¯s electricity generation organ inside.¡± ¡°Wait?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s like a stun gun. The output is just a bit stronger.¡± The Scavenger pressed the electric shock rod against Choi Soo-wan¡¯s chest. Zap! The electricity surged, and Choi Soo-wan¡¯s body convulsed violently. His muscles contracted, and he couldn¡¯t even scream. After a while, Choi Soo-wan lost consciousness. ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s it. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Fuck yeah! The performance is confirmed!¡± ¡°Good. Quickly take off his mechanized limbs.¡± The Scavengersughed and approached Choi Soo-wan. They tore off Choi Soo-wan¡¯s mechanized legs and arms from his body. Originally, machinesbined with mechanical Awakeneds couldn¡¯t be separated. They were perfectly recognized as part of the body. But with the electric shock device from the White Bear Caravan, the bond was weakened. The high-pressure electricity momentarily paralyzed the system. nk! nk! The Scavengers easily removed Choi Soo-wan¡¯s prosthetics and limbs. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Jackpot!¡± ¡°This will sell for a lot. Heh heh!¡± Mechanical Awakeneds¡¯ prosthetics and limbs were traded at a high price. They could be transnted into another mechanical Awakened¡¯s body or used as parts. ¡°What should we do with this bastard?¡± One of the Scavengers pointed at Choi Soo-wan, who was left with only his torso and one arm. He was still alive, but unconscious. The answer from hisrade was simple. ¡°What do we do with him? We have to kill him. If we let him live, he¡¯lle seeking revenge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Let¡¯s kill him.¡± With that, Choi Soo-wan¡¯s fate was decided. Pow! The Scavengers¡¯ punches struck Choi Soo-wan¡¯s head, and he fell silent. ¡°Tell the other guys to buy items from the White Bear Caravan too. It¡¯s a jackpot!¡± ¡°Where do these lucky bastardse from? Heh heh!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The Scavengers disappeared into the darkness,ughing. £ª£ª£ª ¡°It¡¯s a mess.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Old Man Klexi¡¯s sudden words left Zeon with a puzzled expression. ¡°Some of the items from the White Bear Caravan seem to have fallen into the hands of Scavengers.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t the items from the White Bear Caravan only sold to verified buyers?¡± ¡°Then, it seems that Scavengers bought those items as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Zeon nodded. The White Bear Caravan had been operating for a week, and many items had already been sold to various districts in Neo Seoul. Some of those items seemed to have ended up in the hands of Scavengers. ¡°Scavengers are using items from the White Bear Caravan to hunt other Awakeneds.¡± ¡°How much damage has been done?¡± ¡°As I understand, dozens of people have already fallen victim.¡± ¡°That many?¡± ¡°If we include the unknown victims, the number would be even higher.¡± Old Man Klexi¡¯s expression turned very serious. Scavengers¡¯ main area of activity was the desert. They thoroughly concealed their identities and targeted Awakeneds or travelers. While they were based in the desert, some of them also lived in Neo Seoul. However, until now, they hadn¡¯t been a problem in Neo Seoul because using skills in the city left traces that could be tracked. But with the items from the White Bear Caravan, Scavengers¡¯ leash had been unleashed. Various items created to hunt monsters efficiently were also effective against humans. Especially, the made from the skin of a Vampire Bat and the electric shock rod made from the One-Horned Electric Eel¡¯s organ had caused significant damage. These two items allowed Scavengers to subdue other Awakeneds without using their unique skills. Low-ranking Awakeneds were helpless against them. Scavengers were using not only these two items but also other items to hunt Awakeneds. They were finding the optimalbination of items to test on Awakeneds, even though they weren¡¯t originally designed for that purpose. As a result, the damage to Awakeneds was growing. ¡°Neo Seoul must be in chaos, right?¡± ¡°Each district has dered a state of emergency.¡± ¡°I never thought Scavengers would use items from the Caravan.¡± ¡°They¡¯re creative bastards. Who would have thought they¡¯d use items to hunt other Awakeneds in Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°No matter where you go, there are always idiots like them.¡± ¡°The problem is that there are too many of them. Right now, this is only happening in Neo Seoul, but soon, the same things will happen in the slums.¡± Old Man Klexi¡¯s greatest concern was that the same thing would happen in the slums. Neo Seoul at least had a well-maintained security system, but the slums didn¡¯t. If the same thing happened there, the damage would be even greater. ¡°What about the City Hall?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are they just standing by while all this is happening because of the items from the White Bear Caravan?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reaction from them.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t know what to do, but it seems like they¡¯re intentionally turning a blind eye.¡± Old Man Klexi¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. He was someone who had met many people and fought many battles in Neo Seoul and the Mana Stone Mine. But there was no one as iprehensible as Jin Geum-ho, the leader of Neo Seoul. Jin Geum-ho was an enigmatic existence. He was at the center of Neo Seoul, but rarely took action in the forefront. If he had taken action like he did in the early days of Neo Seoul, the city wouldn¡¯t have been divided into several districts. Jin Geum-ho¡¯s abilities were absolute. But for some reason, he had stopped taking action and went into hiding. As a result, other districts could grow, and leaders could emerge. ¡°I have no idea what he¡¯s thinking, and it¡¯s frustrating.¡± Old Man Klexi sighed. Zeon looked beyond the wall at the City Hall. ¡®It¡¯s clear that he¡¯s the one who orchestrated this entire situation. But why? Is he trying to take advantage of this to reorganize the order of Neo Seoul?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 126 Chapter 126 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 126 Swoosh! ¡°Kuhh!¡± A sharp sound and a scream echoed simultaneously. The owner of the scream, with a hole in his shoulder, rolled around on the ground. He was a sleek, clean-shaven man. His face, covered with a coat and a middle-aged hat, expressed shock and horror. ¡°Why, why are you doing this?¡± At that moment, the person who had shot the hole in his shouldernded softly. It was a beautiful woman with alluring eyes, soft hair blowing in the wind, and a curvaceous body. The woman, with an annoyed expression, approached with a long spear, her eyes zing with anger. ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°No, you suddenly attacked a person who was just walking down the street¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­¡± ¡°Do you really think so? You¡¯re the one who attacked an innocent person walking on the street and killed them yesterday.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± The man¡¯s eyes, hidden behind a middle-aged hat, wavered, and the woman with the spear snorted inughter. ¡°Did you think you wouldn¡¯t get caught even if you did something like that in Neo Seoul? You Scavenger bastard!¡± ¡°Fuck! Who are you?¡± The man jumped up and shouted. ¡°Me? I¡¯m the unfortunate civil servant who has to work at night because of you. Ah, I¡¯m not a civil servant, am I? Well, whatever. I¡¯m Mandy, and I¡¯m being tormented at night because of you! Ah! Now it¡¯s Eloy.¡± ¡°Mandy? Eloy? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s because of you. You bastard!¡± The woman, shouting angrily, was Eloy. Her mission was to eliminate the Scavengers who were disturbing Neo Seoul. As the Scavengers continued their mischief, the City Hall had given Awakeneds the task of dealing with them. Other Awakeneds could choose their missions ording to their taste, but Mandy, who was contracted to the City Hall, had no choice but to ept. As a Supervisor, she received benefits, but also had heavy responsibilities. That was why she was dealing with a man who seemed to be a Scavenger in the middle of the night. The man¡¯s name was David Oh. He was an ordinary resident of the Northern District. At least, that was what was known about him externally. But Eloy¡¯s investigation had revealed otherwise. He was a Scavenger, hiding behind the facade of an ordinary office worker. And he was incredibly vicious. The number of Awakeneds he had hunted down had already exceeded five. If it weren¡¯t for Eloy¡¯s keen senses as a half-elf, she wouldn¡¯t have discovered his true identity until muchter. ¡°Being caught by the City Hall¡¯s watchdog, what shitty luck.¡± ¡°Repeat that and you¡¯re dead!¡± ¡°Shut up. I¡¯ll just kill you and run off to the desert. And that¡¯ll be all.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of going to the desert? You might as well get caught by me.¡± ¡°Hmph! You think people only live in Neo Seoul? There are people living in the desert too.¡± ¡°Looks like the Scavenger¡¯s base in the desert. If youe obediently I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°Hah! You¡¯re the one who suddenly attacked an innocent person and made a hole in their shoulder. You think that doesn¡¯t hurt?¡± ¡°Thinking about it, I might have been a bit too harsh. You understand, don¡¯t you? As an office worker, I know how tough it is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Fuck you, you bitch!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? Then I¡¯ll make you know.¡± Eloy smiled coolly. ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Let¡¯s see who gets defeated first.¡± David pulled out a weapon from his coat. Chirp! The weapon in his hand was a metal whip. Made of special materials, it extended to five meters long when David snapped his wrist. Eloy muttered as she saw the whip in David¡¯s hand. ¡°There¡¯s no easy way to deal with Scavengers like him. They need to be beaten senseless.¡± ¡°Die!¡± At that moment, David¡¯s whip flew towards Eloy at supersonic speed. It was an incredible speed that no ordinary human could detect. But Eloy was no ordinary human. She was a half-elf and an Awakened. Her senses were much more acute than those of other Awakeneds. Swish! Mandy dodged the whip by a hair¡¯s breadth and counterattacked. Her speed was as fast as David¡¯s whip. ¡°Kuhh!¡± David hastily tried to recover his whip and defend himself, but Eloy didn¡¯t give him the chance. Pang! Her spear struck David¡¯s body. David screamed in agony as his bones broke and his muscles tore. ¡°Kuhh!¡± ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯m still far from being done. You bastard, you need to be beaten to death.¡± Eloy continued to mercilessly beat David with her spear. She could have ended his life with a single sh, but she didn¡¯t. Her goal was not to kill David, but to extract as much information as possible from him. For now, she would just keep him alive and continue to beat him senseless. Thud! Pang! The merciless violence continued for a while, and when it finally stopped, David had been minced like a piece of meat. But he was still alive. Eloy grabbed David¡¯s cor and said. ¡°Let¡¯s have a talk now. Where is your hideout?¡± * * * The slums were noisy. Originally, people didn¡¯t move around much during the day when the sun was hot, but recently, the peace had been broken. Zeon knew that the reason was the White Bear Caravan. Since the White Bear Caravan had set up its fort outside Neo Seoul, people¡¯s activities had increased. The appearance of the White Bear Caravan had stimted Neo Seoul and the slums in many ways. The goods released by the White Bear Caravan were mostly things that couldn¡¯t be obtained in Neo Seoul. These goods had piqued people¡¯s curiosity, and even during the day, they came out onto the streets. Thanks to this, the slums, which had been quiet for a long time, were now bustling with energy. However, this atmosphere wasn¡¯t entirely good. At the same time, the number of incidents had also increased. ¡°Stand right there! If you get caught, you¡¯re dead!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± A cat-and-mouse chase took ce inside the Goblin Market. A customer had stolen something and was being pursued. However, he was soon caught by the Goblin Market guards. The merchants, watching the customer get caught and beaten, said. ¡°These days, there are more and more crooks like him.¡± ¡°If they knew what kind of ce this Goblin Market was, they wouldn¡¯t dare try to steal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been like this since the White Bear Caravan came.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon overheard the merchants talking. He hade to the Goblin Market to buy something and witnessed themotion. The stolen item was a dagger released by the White Bear Caravan. It was said to be a high-quality dagger, strengthened by a skilled Enchanter. An Enchanter itself was a rare profession, and the dagger¡¯s material was excellent, making it a valuable item. Its enchantment was an increase in pration power. ording to the Goblin Market¡¯s verification, it had at least a 30% increase in pration powerpared to other daggers of the same grade. Items of this magnitude were not easily avable in the market. To some extent, the mindset of the thief was understandable. Of course, this didn¡¯t apply to Zeon. The goods released by the White Bear Caravan were quite excellent, but they were not enough to pique Zeon¡¯s interest. What Zeon needed were not those weapons, they were small everyday necessitates. The Awakened guard of the Goblin Market took out a small disk from the thief¡¯s arms. ¡°What¡¯s this? Where did you steal it from?¡± ¡°Bullshit! That¡¯s mine. I bought it from the caravan with my own money.¡± ¡°Lying bastard! We¡¯ll confiscate this for now.¡± ¡°Give it back! It¡¯s mine!¡± ¡°Stop making a big fuss, you thief!¡± The Goblin Goblin Market merchants yelled and beat the thief, but Zeon shook his head and continued shopping. Just then, someone approached Zeon quietly. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s unnecessary to buy things like this from the Goblin Market?¡± The one speaking so naturally was Yoo Se-hee, the head of the Goblin Market. Behind her, was her escort, the ck Lion. Zeon handed over the money to the merchant and said. ¡°But this ce is the most trustworthy, after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Yoo Se-hee nodded as if it was obvious. ¡°So, I came here. What about you?¡± ¡°I came out because it was noisy outside.¡± Yoo Se-hee gazed at the thief, who was struggling to get back the disk that had been taken away by the Awakened guard. Zeon chuckled. ¡°It seems to be happening often these days.¡± ¡°Oh, it happens several times a day. There are many suspicious peopleing in.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you usually strictly screen people¡¯s identities?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but you can¡¯tpletely block it. With the currentck of manpower, there are gaps.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite serious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s serious. It¡¯s all because of the White Bear Caravan. They¡¯ve thrown a stone into the quiet pond and caused ripples.¡± ¡°The shockwave is quite big. I can hear the sounds of disturbances all around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s proof that Neo Seoul isn¡¯t as perfect as they think. If it were, it wouldn¡¯t be shaken this much by just a small impact.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I suppose it will continue to be noisy for a while. The poison has already been released into the Goblin Market.¡± They were talking about the goods released by the White Bear Caravan. Zeon agreed. ¡°Poison? That sounds about right.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to see how far the poison spreads. Until then, it will be quite noisy.¡± ¡°Whatever. We just have to endure it.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re optimistic. Well, someone with your abilities probably won¡¯t be affected much by this chaos. It¡¯s a bit enviable.¡± ¡°Enviable? I also hate noisy things.¡± Kwaang! Just then, a massive explosion urred nearby. A fierce me and shockwave engulfed the area. ¡°Shit!¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s guard, the ck Lion, quickly created a protective barrier to shield her from the explosion. Thanks to that, she escaped without a single injury. ¡°What?¡± Yoo Se-hee looked around with a dismayed expression at the site of the explosion. It was where they had just subdued the Awakened who had stolen goods a moment ago. Not only the Awakened who had stolen the goods but also the Awakened guard from the Goblin Market who had subdued him, along with the nearby shops, were swept away by the explosion without a trace. ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It seems like the one who was caught earlier exploded.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that a person exploded like a bomb? That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Maybe the item he had was the one that exploded.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ¡± Yoo Se-hee was at a loss for words, and Zeon walked towards the explosion site. ¡°Uh-oh!¡± ¡°Ahhh! My leg¡­!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± The area around the explosion site was like a scene from hell. Many people were injured and crying out in agony. Some had lost their arms, while others had huge holes in their abdomens and were crying out. The damage was much greater than expected, and Zeon¡¯s expression turned grim. Although the people who died or were injured were strangers, it was still ufortable to see. ¡°This is it.¡± Zeon quickly found the source of the explosion. Arge crater had formed, and there were scattered flesh and bones everywhere. There were also remnants of goods that seemed to belong to the Goblin Market merchants. Among them, what caught Zeon¡¯s attention was a dark, charred metal fragment. Zeon realized it was a piece of the disk that had been in the thief¡¯s possession. Zeon carefully picked up the fragment. A mysterious symbol was engraved on the fragment, which was about half the size of his palm. ¡°What is this?¡± Yoo Se-hee, who had approached, asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Have you seen anything like this before?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s my first time seeing it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a strong mana residue left behind.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It seems like this item was the one that exploded.¡± ¡°Why would it explode like a bomb?¡± Zeon couldn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t know the item¡¯s true identity. But one thing was certain ¨C the one who had released this item was Damien. ¡®Damien. You deliberately released the poison.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 127 Chapter 127 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 127 Long ago, humans desired to reach God. So, they built a tall tower. A tower named Babel. The tower eventually copsed under the wrath of God, and humanity was divided. Now, it was a legend of the mythic era that even those who remember it are scarce. Neo Seoul is the Tower of Babel of the present era. In the midst of the desert, the towering city stood alone, embodying the wishes of the ancient humans who once longed to reach God. Within Neo Seoul, the once-prosperous advanced buildings from before the Great Cataclysm stood tall, piercing the sky. While all districts developed evenly, the most splendid and sophisticated was the West District. Neo Seoul boasted an ultra-modern civilization, but among them, the West District excelled in advancement. Among other things, it had a higher number of Mechanized Awakeneds, which brought about the development of machinery. Magic here was merely a supplementary tool, not the main focus. The West District researched and advanced machinery for Mechanized Awakeneds, leading to a far superior rate of progresspared to other districts. This characteristic of the West District was also deeply ingrained in Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s residence. Inside the metallic space, numerous pipes and wires were exposed. Simrly, Kim Hyun-soo sat on arge metallic chair. Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s appearance was no different from others. However, a considerable portion of his physique was crafted from machinery. Yet, with exceptional technological prowess, it resembled human flesh quite closely. Thus, it was impossible to discern with the naked eye where the machinery ended and the real flesh began. With an expressionless face and icy gaze, he seemed to wear a metallic mask. Kim Hyun-soo gazed into the void. His pupils glowed crimson. His eyes, too, were artificial. After staring into the void for some time, Kim Hyun-soo spoke. ¡°Triox Five!¡± Instantly, someone¡¯s voice was directly transmitted to his brain. ¨DYes, Master. ¡°Report the situation.¡± ¨DSo far, there have been seventy-two casualties, all of them have had their mechanicals stripped away and their bodies discarded. The stripped mechanical parts are presumed to have been disassembled and flowed into the ck market. ¡°Seventy-two casualties?¡± ¨DAnother one has been added, making it seventy-three now. ¡°Is the culprit also a scavenger?¡± ¨DYes. ¡°This is absurd! Seventy-three casualties within a few days all from scavengers? It seems we appeared too naive.¡± ¨DItems flowing in from the White Bear Caravan have been showing the worstpatibility with Mechanized Awakeneds. If left unchecked, the damage is estimated to escte further. ¡°What are the countermeasures?¡± ¡ªMoving the Mechanized Corps to directly eliminate the White Bear Caravan is the best option. ¡°That won¡¯t do! If we mobilize the Mechanized Corps, it will give Jin Geum-ho the opportunity to intervene directly in the West Zone.¡± Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s expression distorted. Kim Hyun-soo, who feared nothing, was afraid of Jin Geum-ho, the mayor of Neo Seoul, as much as anyone. He knew well how formidable and terrifying Jin Geum-ho was. Giving Jin Geum-ho an excuse to intervene would be nothing short of a disaster for the West District and himself. Therefore, he had to act as cautiously as possible. ¡°Is there any other option?¡± ¨DCalcting. There was a moment of silence from the mechanical sound. Kim Hyun-soo waited for his response in silence. Triox Five was not human. It was a supeputer created by the fusion of chance and science. In the early days of his awakening, Kim Hyun-soo entered a dungeon by chance. The owner of the dungeon was an Ancient Golem ssified as S-rank. Kim Hyun-soo, still a novice, dared not face such an opponent. However, for some reason, the Ancient Golem was on the verge of breaking down. Thanks to this, Kim Hyun-soo barely managed to defeat the Ancient Golem and obtain loot. Among them was the brain of the Ancient Golem, containing its ego. The brain of the Ancient Golem was reset. Kim Hyun-soo took the brain of the Ancient Golem and studied it. For some reason, theputer enlisted for the research wasbined with the brain of the Ancient Golem. The fusion of theputer and the brain of the Ancient Golem resurrected as a supeputer, and Kim Hyun-soo named it Triox Five. The mainframe of Triox Five was located in a bunker a hundred meters below ground. For Mechanized Awakeneds in the West District, amunication module connected to Triox Five was installed. Thanks to this, Kim Hyun-soo could monitor the movements of Mechanized Awakeneds here as if reading the back of his palm, even while sitting here. Ordinary Awakeneds simply havemunication modules installed, but in Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s followers, auxiliary AI is also installed. The auxiliary AI is connected to the ego through the trioxide panel of Triox Five. The auxiliary AI efficiently controls the movements and energy of Mechanized Awakeneds, making them significantly stronger. Because of this, any Mechanized Awakened desires to be one of Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s followers and have the auxiliary AI installed. However, such an opportunity is not given to just anyone. There is a limit to the number of auxiliary AIs, so only a very few are allowed. While pondering various thoughts for a moment, the voice of Triox Five was heard. ¡ªBased on the current analysis of power dynamics, an alliance with Dongdaemun is expected to be the most efficient. ¡°Dongdaemun? That group of fanatics?¡± ¡ªThat is correct! ¡°Why them?¡± Kim Hyun-soo furrowed his brow. Even for Kim Hyun-soo, the ruler of the West District, Dongdaemun, clustered around Johan, was an unpleasant group. It wasn¡¯t their military might that was frightening, but rather their unity and fanatical belief in God that made them ufortable. Fanatics who didn¡¯t fear death were quite tiresome beings even for Mechanized Awakeneds without blood or tears. Given such facts, it was inevitable to be surprised by Triox Five¡¯s rmendation of Dongdaemun. Triox Five continued its exnation. ¡ªRecently, Dongdaemun has been experiencing consecutive failures and is in a desperate situation. There haven¡¯t been major losses, but the authority of the leader, Johan, has greatly declined, requiring an opportunity for a turnaround. ¡°A turnaround? That could be possible.¡± ¡ªDongdaemun can be presented at the front, and we¡¯ll simply provide support. ¡°They get to preserve their dignity while we reap the benefits.¡± ¡ªCorrect. ¡°I like the sound of that.¡± Only then did a smile appear on Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s face. ¡ªThen we will proceed. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡ªUnderstood, Master¡¯s orders will be carried out. Kim Hyun-soo nodded deeply and buried himself in his chair. As he gazed out the window for a moment, he suddenly asked, as if remembering something. ¡°How many pure Koreans are left?¡± ¡ªAs far as we know, there are only 3,749,399 pure Koreans remaining. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡ªAt this rate, within a hundred years, pure Korean lineage willpletely disappear. ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, that won¡¯t happen. The true owner of thisnd will always be Korean.¡± Although he had reced most of his body with machinery, his soul and spirit remained pure Korean. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon looked at the metal shards on the table. It was the debris of the item that caused the explosion in the Goblin Market. Five people died, and twenty suffered serious injuries because of it. The incident turned the Goblin Market upside down. Yoo Se-hee immediately gathered the merchants and Awakeneds of the Goblin Market and began formting countermeasures. ¡°All this chaos because of this one thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± At that moment, Brielle¡¯s voice came from behind. Zeon spoke without turning around. ¡°Did you stay up all night again?¡± ¡°Uh!¡± Brielle blinked and replied. Experimenting with alchemy often led to staying up all night, making it routine. Thanks to this, her day and night hadpletely switched. Brielle picked up the item on the table and examined it from all angles. ¡°This seems to be made of the shell of a Spiny Trilobite.¡± ¡°Do you know this material?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s a very rare one, and if processed incorrectly, it can explode, so it¡¯s rarely used.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°The Spiny Trilobite is a monster that is hard to find around here. Is this something that was released from the White Bear Caravan?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°There are plenty of safer materials, so why use something so dangerous?¡± ¡°It could have been done on purpose.¡± ¡°On purpose? Why?¡± It was when Brielle made a puzzled expression. Thud! Someone knocked on the door from outside. ¡°Who is it? Levin?¡± Brielle cautiously opened the door, revealing an unexpected person. It was a beautiful woman with long, wavy blonde hair. Above all, what stood out was her strikingly blue eyes, as if sapphires were embedded in them. The moment Brielle saw her, his expression twisted. However, the woman didn¡¯t seem to notice Brielle¡¯s reaction and cautiously asked. ¡°Is this Zeon¡¯s house?¡± ¡°Yes, but who are you?¡± ¡°Oh! My name is Mandy. I¡¯vee to see Zeon.¡± ¡°Mandy?¡± ¡°Yes! Is Zeon here?¡± At that moment, Zeon heard Mandy¡¯s voice and came to the door. ¡°What are you doing at my house?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve found the right ce.¡± ¡°Come inside for now.¡± Zeon let Mandy into the house. Brielle didn¡¯t seem pleased with letting Mandy into the house. Mandy looked around the house and said. ¡°The house is very spacious and nice. I didn¡¯t expect to find a ce like this in the slums.¡± ¡°If you look closely, there are quite a few useful ces even in the slums.¡± ¡°I feel like I understand why Zeon doesn¡¯t live in Neo Seoul. Even I would want to live here if I had a ce like this.¡± ¡°If you like it, why don¡¯t you look for a ce here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider itter. That¡¯s not what I came for today.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Zeon nodded. Mandy¡¯s visit to this dangerous slum wasn¡¯t just for idle chatter. Mandy looked Zeon straight in the eyes and said. ¡°I¡¯vee to ask for your help.¡± ¡°Help?¡± ¡°Yes! Among the people I know, there¡¯s no one who knows the slums as well as you do.¡± ¡°Are you here with a matter regarding the slums?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tracking scavengers, and they eluded me here. I couldn¡¯t figure out how to track them, so I came to you for help.¡± Mandy had lived her entire life in Neo Seoul, but the slums were an unknown world to her. Unlike the well-organized Neo Seoul, the slums were asplex as a maze, with many hidden dangers. It wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of the danger, but she preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble. That¡¯s when she remembered Zeon. ¡°You tracked down the scavengers?¡± ¡°Yeah! I ended up here while tracking them.¡± ¡°How serious is the situation because of them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very serious. Many people are getting hurt because of their rampage, and the City Hall can¡¯t just sit back and watch. That¡¯s why people like me have been mobilized to help clean up the scavengers.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I want to end this situation quickly. To do that, I think it¡¯s better topletely eliminate the scavenger base rather than sporadically capturing them.¡± ¡°Do these scavengers have a base? Weren¡¯t they acting individually?¡± ¡°As far as I¡¯ve checked, there¡¯s awork among them. I¡¯ve also obtained information that there¡¯s a base somewhere in the desert. So, I think there must be a ce where they can gather in Neo Seoul or the slums.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Zeon nodded. ¡°Will you help?¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± Mandy couldn¡¯t help but exim, unexpectedly, Zeon agreed too easily. However, Zeon didn¡¯t agree without any thought. The slums were also suffering because of the items Damien had let loose. If left unchecked, much bigger trouble could arise. Putting on the robe hanging on the wall, Zeon said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± At that moment, Brielle urgently shouted. ¡°I want to go too.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 128 Chapter 128 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 128 Mandy looked at Brielle with a slightly awkward expression. She wasn¡¯t pleased with the sudden appearance of the girl in the pointed hat. It wasn¡¯t just anything; they were searching for the scavengers¡¯ hideout. Even Mandy couldn¡¯t guarantee her own safety in such a dangerous task. She couldn¡¯t understand why Zeon was taking a young girl on such a perilous mission. It was a natural concern for Mandy, who didn¡¯t know Brielle¡¯s true identity. But she soon dismissed her worries from her mind. As long as Zeon was with them, she thought there wouldn¡¯t be any major danger. Zeon walked ahead without hesitation. Even though she hadn¡¯t shared any clues, Mandy looked puzzled at his confident stride. ¡°Where exactly are we going right now?¡± ¡°To gather information.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°To find the scavengers¡¯ hideout, we need to collect information about them.¡± ¡°Where are we getting this information from?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a ce for that¡­¡± Zeon responded without any tension. He was heading toward the food market where Old Man Klexi had a food stall. The butcher shop at the entrance of the food market was Zeon¡¯s destination. ¡°Wee, Mr. Zeon!¡± The butcher, Will, greeted Zeon respectfully. Mandy felt slightly intimidated by Will¡¯s fierce appearance. Unlike the tough personality of Eloy, Mandy¡¯s persona was quite timid. So, she felt intimidated just by Will¡¯s appearance. Brielle, on the other hand, was different. ¡°Hi, Will!¡± ¡°Long time no see, Miss Brielle!¡± ¡°Where is Old Man Klexi?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at the Goblin Market right now.¡± ¡°Because of that explosion?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Goodness! What a mess.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Will replied with a hint of a smile. He found Brielle adorable. Brielle, wearing her pointed hat and always walking unsteadily, had be a mascot of the market street. With his smile fading, Will turned to Zeon and asked. ¡°What brings you here this time?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here because of the scavengers.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Do you have any information about their hideout?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t received any such information yet.¡± ¡°Then what about unusual activities?¡± ¡°One moment.¡± Will said, excusing himself and heading inside the butcher shop. When he returned a momentter, he was holding a few sheets of paper. Handing the papers to Zeon, he said. ¡°This is a summary of the main areas where scavengers are known to appear.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zeon¡¯s eyes sparkled as he read the report. After a moment, he closed the report. ¡°The scavengers¡¯ areas of activity are quite varied.¡± ¡°Yes, they appear all over Neo Seoul and the slums.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s only one ce where no scavenger activity has been reported.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Dongdaemun. There have been no sightings of scavengers there.¡± ¡°Is it because of the fanatics?¡± ¡°That, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s worth investigating.¡± ¡°I only provide information; the judgment is up to you, Mr. Zeon.¡± ¡°Thank you for the valuable information.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it¡­¡± Will said with a smile. Zeon handed the report back to him. Mandy, who was standing next to them, whispered. ¡°Is it really that strange that the scavengers haven¡¯t been seen in Dongdaemun? That area is known for the fanatics, so it¡¯s hard to act conspicuously there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s still odd that not a single activity has been detected.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°People unconsciously avoid causing trouble in their own territory. The scavengers are the same. They¡¯ll try to plunder far from their base to avoid drawing attention.¡± If only one or two scavengers were active, Zeon¡¯s assumption would be meaningless. But with dozens of them, it was definitely worth investigating why Dongdaemun was an exception. Mandy frowned unconsciously. Dongdaemun was a ce even an Awakened like her was reluctant to approach. She honestly didn¡¯t want to go there unless absolutely necessary. But with Zeon pointing out its peculiarity, they couldn¡¯t avoid it. At that moment, Brielle, who had been quiet until now, suddenly asked. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°Scared? Of course not!¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re scared to me.¡± ¡°Why would I be scared? And why are you talking to me so casually?¡± Mandy red at Brielle. Brielle just chuckled instead of showing any fear. ¡°You¡¯re definitely scared.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Half-elfdy, scared people always raise their voices.¡± ¡°You¡­?¡± Mandy¡¯s eyes trembled slightly. Her identity as a half-elf was supposed to be a secret. Unless Eloy¡¯s persona appeared, no one could recognize that fact. No one but Zeon had ever figured it out immediately. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°How could I not? You give off a strong scent.¡± Elves have a distinct scent. But only other elves can smell and identify it. Ordinary humans can¡¯t sense or distinguish it. ¡°You¡¯re like me too¡­ an elf.¡± ¡°I am an elf, but there¡¯s no human blood mixed in me.¡± Mandy¡¯s expression changed instantly. Brielle¡¯s words had touched a nerve. ¡°What are you?¡± All of a sudden, Eloy¡¯s persona emerged. Eloy was different from Mandy. Though they had the same face, Eloy¡¯s fierce eyes and overwhelming aura were intimidating. Even an average Awakened would be scared just by her gaze. But Brielle, facing her directly, showed no sign of being intimidated. Brielle lifted her pointed hat slightly and smiled. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°My name is Brielle. As you can see, I¡¯m a drug addict who can¡¯t survive a day without medicine.¡± She popped a pill into her mouth. Due to the aftereffects of drug addiction, she needed the medication. It was a lot less now, but until recently, she had to take them like candy. ¡°A drug-addicted pureblood elf. Interesting!¡± ¡°I never thought I¡¯d end up a drug addict.¡± ¡°Life never goes as nned.¡± ¡°Life, huh? You are a half-elf. You think like a human. Is that why you¡¯re scared?¡± ¡°This little brat, who says I¡¯m scared? I¡¯m not scared at all.¡± ¡°Then why are you hesitating?¡± ¡°Damn it! Who says I¡¯m hesitating? I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Good then.¡± Brielle chuckled. Eloy realized that she had fallen for Brielle¡¯s provocation. But it was toote to reverse her decision. ¡°Damn it! Where are you from anyway? The Northern District?¡± ¡°Northern District?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you under the Ice Queen?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Who¡¯s the Ice Queen?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not from Neo Seoul, are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Brielle kept her mouth tightly shut, which only confirmed Eloy¡¯s suspicion. ¡°An elf from outside. Where are you from?¡± ¡°Your voice is annoyingly loud. Ah, my ears hurt.¡± Brielle said, scratching her ear with her pinky as she walked away. Eloy followed her, asking. ¡°Hey! Where are you from?¡± ¡°Is there a mosquito? Why are you buzzing around?¡± ¡°Do you have no manners? You little elf brat¡­¡± ¡°What are you saying? Half-blood¡­¡± ¡°Half-blood? You rude little¡­¡± ¡°Can you step back a bit? You¡¯re spitting.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You little thing, always answering back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what a mouth is for, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You little¡­!¡± Their bickering grew increasingly childish, making Zeon shake his head. The two elves didn¡¯t seem to tire, continuously insulting and attacking each other. Zeon felt a headacheing on. He was already worried about how to manage this group moving forward. ¡®This is my first time visiting Dongdaemun.¡¯ Dongdaemun didn¡¯t have any special walls or gates. If you followed the road east from Sinchon, you¡¯d find yourself in Dongdaemun without realizing it. The most notable difference between Dongdaemun and Sinchon was the buildings and the atmosphere of the people. At the center of Dongdaemun stood arge church, and the surrounding buildings had a simr architectural influence from the church. The most striking feature was the attire of the people. Most of them looked ordinary, like in Sinchon. However, there were noticeably many people wearing clerical robes or heavy armor adorned with crosses. They were all fanatics following Johan. These were killing machines, ready to fight to the death at Johan¡¯smand. As soon as they entered Dongdaemun, Eloy unconsciously furrowed her brow. The air, so different from Sinchon, felt oppressively unpleasant to her. Zeon spoke up. ¡°Rx your face.¡± ¡°What do you expect me to do when it happens unconsciously?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t manage, let Mandy take over.¡± ¡°Ugh, fine¡­¡± Eloy grumbled. Her fierce gaze softened, and her expression became gentler. As Zeon suggested, Mandy had emerged. Not everyone in Dongdaemun was a fanatic or an Awakened. Most were ordinary people. They needed to blend in naturally. Drawing attention with conspicuous behavior or appearance was not advisable. A woman as strikingly beautiful and a personality as aggressive as Eloy¡¯s would easily stand out. It was better to have Mandy take the lead, attracting less attention. Zeon walked casually among the people. His demeanor was so natural that it didn¡¯t seem out of ce at all. Brielle was the same. She wasn¡¯t the type to be intimidated just because the district had changed. She followed Zeon, ncing around curiously. ¡°Haa!¡± Mandy sighed, trailing behind them. The three wandered around Dongdaemun as if they were taking a stroll. Dongdaemun was much cleaner and more orderly than Sinchon. Because of this, it wasn¡¯t difficult to find or memorize their way. Mandy wearily spoke. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like anything unusual on the surface. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll find any answers this way.¡± ¡°Just wandering around, we won¡¯t learn anything.¡± Brielle agreed, for once sharing Mandy¡¯s opinion. Zeon nodded. Simply walking the streets wasn¡¯t going to yield the information they sought. To get reliable information, they needed to contact people and ask questions, but that would quickly reach Johan¡¯s ears. Though he wasn¡¯t afraid of Johan, he wanted to avoid unnecessary conflict. Zeon said to Mandy. ¡°Let¡¯s head back for today. We¡¯lle back tomorrow better prepared.¡± ¡°That sounds like a good idea.¡± Mandy agreed. Just as the three were about to leave, a voice called out. ¡°Hey, stop right there.¡± A man in armor adorned with a cross was staring intently at them. He was one of the Awakeneds from Dongdaemun. He approached the three. ¡°New faces. Are you from another district?¡± ¡°Yes, we are.¡± ¡°Which district?¡± ¡°We¡¯re from Sinchon.¡± ¡°What business do Sinchon rats have in Dongdaemun?¡± ¡°We were just walking and ended up here.¡± ¡°So, you have no particr purpose?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± The Dongdaemun Awakened didn¡¯t seem pleased with Zeon¡¯s answer, frowning. Suddenly, his gaze shifted to Mandy. Upon seeing her face, his expression changed. ¡°You seem suspicious. You¡¯ll have toe with me.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 129 Chapter 129 ¡°Ha!¡± Mandy sighed. She had received such stares too many times before to not know its meaning. As a half-elf, Mandy possessed extraordinary beauty. Naturally, many men approached her with lustful intentions. Just like the man standing before her now. The man in heavy armor was a pdin. Not awakened as an actual pdin, but a man holding the title of pdin within Dongdaemun. Johan had formed a unit of exceptionally loyal Awakeneds from Dongdaemun. They were the Pdins, protectors of the Church. The heavy armor the man wore was the symbol of the Pdins. The man¡¯s name was Patrick. He was a member of the Pdins who followed Johan. Patrick felt his heart race the moment he saw Mandy. He was captivated by her unique beauty, rare in Dongdaemun. ¡°You need toe with me for an investigation.¡± ¡°Where exactly?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an office of the Pdins nearby. We¡¯ll investigate there.¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± Mandy answered firmly. Patrick¡¯s face twisted in response. ¡°Are you defying the Church?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe in your Church. I¡¯m not from Dongdaemun. I have no reason to follow your orders.¡± ¡°In Dongdaemun, the Church is thew. Once you enter Dongdaemun, you must obey the Church.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd. No matter how much the Church controls Dongdaemun, you can¡¯t force people from other districts.¡± ¡°Silence, woman!¡± Unable to win the argument, Patrick shouted angrily. Conversely, Mandy¡¯s expression grew colder. ¡°You¡¯re the one who should be quiet.¡± ¡°You bitch¡­¡± Mandy took out her ID and spoke. ¡°My name is Mandy Systein, a supervisor from Neo Seoul, affiliated with the City Hall.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Patrick¡¯s lips tightened at Mandy¡¯s unexpected response. The corners of his eyes twitched. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ If she was indeed a supervisor from the City Hall, he couldn¡¯t treat her carelessly. He scrutinized her ID. It was genuine, issued by the City Hall. The ID had special magical processing that made it impossible to forge. Mandy spoke confidently. ¡°Why do you find me suspicious?¡± ¡°Why is a supervisor from the City Hall here?¡± ¡°Answer my question first.¡± ¡°I must have been mistaken.¡± ¡°So, we don¡¯t need to go to your office then?¡± ¡°You are notpletely cleared of suspicion yet. Yourpanions need to identify themselves as well.¡± Patrick red at Zeon and Brielle. He was trying to cling to any reason to hold them. Zeon sighed and spoke. ¡°My name is Zeon.¡± ¡°Zeon? From Sinchon?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m from Sinchon.¡± There was no point in hiding it, so Zeon boldly revealed his identity. Patrick¡¯s reaction was dramatic. ¡°Zeon from Sinchon! Are you here to target Dongdaemun?¡± He drew his sword and shouted. Dongdaemun had been closely monitoring Zeon¡¯s activities. Though he hadn¡¯t done anything particrly threatening, he was considered dangerous simply because he was the secret ruler of Sinchon. Naturally, the Pdins were wary of Zeon. Zeon sighed deeply. ¡°Hah! Does this look like someone targeting Dongdaemun? We just ended up here while walking.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to believe that?¡± ¡°My words will be vouched for by Supervisor Mandy here.¡± Zeon pointed to Mandy beside him. ¡°We ended up here while talking. There¡¯s nothing for the Pdin to worry about.¡± ¡°Ha! Fuck.¡± Patrick cursed under his breath. Mandy¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Just talking to myself.¡± ¡°You Pdins are no better than street thugs.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Just talking to myself.¡± ¡°You dare!¡± Patrick¡¯s anger exploded. He lost hisposure and swung his sword at Mandy. Mandy¡¯s eyes widened, not expecting him to attack so suddenly. Just as Eloy¡¯s persona was about to surface, Zeon stepped in front of her. ng! He blocked Patrick¡¯s sword with his Inferno Gauntlet. ¡°Ugh!¡± The strong rebound sent Patrick¡¯s sword flying backward. Patrick stumbled, losing his bnce. The heavy armor made loud thumping noises, drawing the attention of the surrounding people. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Hey, a Pdin is fighting.¡± Themotion attracted more Pdins from a distance. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± ¡°Someone dared to attack a Pdin in Dongdaemun.¡± Without considering the circumstances, the Pdins were furious at the sight of Patrick stumbling. ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Mandy stepped forward, trying to talk, but the Pdins had no intention of listening. ¡°Shut up, woman.¡± ¡°Subdue them!¡± Swish! Their swords aimed at Mandy, Zeon, and the others. The Pdins¡¯ swords were imbued with a milky white aura. ¡°You fanatic bastards, enough already.¡± At that moment, Eloy¡¯s persona emerged. A spear appeared in her hand. It was a powerful weapon that could be automatically summoned to its owner. The appearance of the spear, with its nine prongs, resembled a Nine-Tailed Fox. Hence, the spear was called the ¡®Mad Gumiho.¡¯ Once Eloy wielded the Mad Gumiho, no one could stop her. Already furious, she swung the Mad Gumiho at the pdins. Boom! ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°You crazy bitch¡­¡± The pdins screamed in agony under the overwhelming power of the Mad Gumiho. Eloy went on a rampage befitting the weapon¡¯s name. With every swing of her spear, the pdins were swept away. Themotion grew, and more pdins rushed to the scene. Brielle muttered as she watched. ¡°We¡¯re screwed.¡± ¡°Brielle!¡± ¡°Am I wrong? Because of that crazy half-elf, we¡¯ve drawn all the aggro. All the pdins in Dongdaemun will being here. Instead of finding the scavengers¡¯ hideout, we might end up starting a war with Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thanks to Eloy drawing all the attention, we¡¯re free.¡± Brielle smiled broadly at Zeon¡¯s reply. ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a supervisor from the City Hall. Even Dongdaemun can¡¯t just kill her.¡± If they killed Eloy recklessly, it would give the City Hall an excuse to intervene in Dongdaemun. No matter how powerful Johan was, it would be a burden. So, they might injure her, but they wouldn¡¯t kill her. It would take many pdins and a lot of time to subdue the rampaging Eloy. In the meantime, Zeon and Brielle could roam freely around Dongdaemun and gather information. Leaving the rampaging Eloy behind, Zeon and Brielle quietly slipped away. With all eyes on Eloy, no one paid attention to them. Freed from the crowd, the two easily distanced themselves from the chaos. ¡°That crazy half-elf has her uses after all, hoho!¡± Brielleughed smugly. Zeon asked her. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about her, being an elf too?¡± ¡°Seeing her fight, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°True¡­¡± ¡°Sympathizing with or helping an elf warrior is an insult to them. Even though she¡¯s only a half-elf, she¡¯s still a proud warrior. Helping her would be disrespectful.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Understanding a bit more about the elf mindset, Zeon nodded. Despite their bickering and mutual annoyance, the two elves actually acknowledged each other deep down. Thinking they were just being honest, Zeon moved on. Thanks to Eloy drawing all the aggro, the streets were deserted. Not just the pdins but also the people had flocked to the fighting scene. This allowed Zeon and Brielle to explore the nooks and crannies of Dongdaemun without attracting attention. ¡°Huh?¡± Brielle suddenly eximed, having spotted something. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Look here.¡± Brielle pointed to a nearby alley. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look strange?¡± ¡°What?¡± Without answering, Brielle walked into the alley. Zeon quietly followed her. At the dead end of the alley, Brielle murmured. ¡°Hidden truth, reveal yourself.¡± Light emanated from her palms, and the scenery inside the alley changed. The wall disappeared, reced by a small door. ¡°Was it a perception-blocking spell?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s so delicate that even sensitive elves wouldn¡¯t notice. But they can¡¯t fool a High Elf like me. Ahem!¡± Brielle looked up at Zeon with an expression that begged for praise. Zeon chuckled and patted her pointed hat. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± ¡°Still, a high-level perception-blocking spell in Dongdaemun¡­¡± ¡°Suspicious, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Very.¡± ¡°Shall we go in?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Brielle grabbed the doorknob. As expected, the door was locked from the inside. But Brielle easily dealt with it. ¡°Unlock!¡± She unlocked it with magic. Despite being an alchemist, she had no trouble casting simple spells like this. Click! They opened the door and entered. It was pitch dark inside. The passage extended underground without a single light. Brielle led the way without hesitation. She wasn¡¯t just charging ahead without a n. ¡°Cover-up Detection.¡± She cast a spell to detect hidden traps. Her detection magic revealed several concealed traps. The exposed traps posed no threat. Thanks to this, Zeon and Brielle easily passed through the traps. After passing a few traps, Whoosh! Something flew at them from the darkness at a terrifying speed. ¡°Eeek! What¡¯s that?¡± Brielle cried out in surprise. By then, a thin membrane-like object had already enveloped both her and Zeon. As Brielle tried to escape, the membrane tightened around her and Zeon. ¡°Ugh!¡± Brielle¡¯s face turned pale as the membrane squeezed her with tremendous pressure. Zeon spoke. ¡°It seems to be a used by scavengers. The more you move, the tighter it gets.¡± ¡°Damn it! What kind of thing is this¡­¡± At that moment, someone emerged from the darkness. ¡°Who are you? How did you get in here?¡± He carried a special alloy bow and arrows on his back and a machete at his waist. In his hand, he held a rod that emitted high-voltage electricity. Zeon frowned. As the man approached, a strong scent of blood filled the air. The smell of blood was too intense for it to be from killing just one or two people. ¡°Looks like you just killed someone.¡± ¡°Sharp kid. How about it? Do you want to be part of my collection? You have pretty ears.¡± The man gestured to his waist, revealing numerous ears hanging from his belt. ¡°My nickname is Ear Collector. Hehe!¡± He grinned, revealing yellow teeth. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 130 The Ear Collector¡ªthat was the nickname the man was known by among the scavengers. Scavengers never reveal personal information such as their real names or professions. They know well that the moment their information is leaked, their life is over. Scavengers operating within Neo Seoul are different from those in the desert. In their daily lives, they thoroughly hide their desires and live like normal people. It¡¯s a necessary choice because Neo Seoul is a city where many Awakeneds exist, not just them. Once it¡¯s revealed that they are scavengers, their situation changes, and they be prey for other Awakeneds. Thus, scavengers, including the Ear Collector, lived parasitically in Neo Seoul, hiding their identities thoroughly. The scavengers who lived in Neo Seoul while concealing their identities formed their ownwork. This was called the ck Network. Through the ck Network, scavengers shared information and hideouts with each other. The underground space where the Ear Collector was now was one such hideout. Nest 7. That was the name of this hideout. It implied that there were at least six other simr hideouts. Nest 7 was a very important hideout. Its existence allowed them to hunt humans in the slums with peace of mind. No one ever imagined that a scavenger¡¯s nest could exist in Dongdaemun, the territory of the fanatics. Even Johan, the ruler of Dongdaemun, didn¡¯t know about it. Thus, the scavengers, including the Ear Collector, used Nest 7 conveniently. Currently, about a dozen scavengers were resting in Nest 7. The scavengers who met here exchanged information while thoroughly hiding their identities. The Ear Collector had just returned from a human hunt and was resting in Nest 7 when he discovered the intruders. Bzzz! He thrust his electric shock rod towards Zeon¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you onest time. How did you get in here?¡± ¡°We opened the door and came in.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. You¡¯re saying you opened a door that had a perception-blocking spell and a special lock? Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, but you don¡¯t believe it.¡± Zeon clicked his tongue. If it weren¡¯t for Brielle, Zeon wouldn¡¯t have found the scavengers¡¯ nest so easily. So it was natural that they wouldn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Some people only understand after experiencing hell.¡± The Ear Collector smirked and pressed the electric shock rod against Zeon¡¯s face. Bzzz! Blue sparks flew as Zeon¡¯s body convulsed. ¡°Heh! Bastard, you should have just spoken up.¡± The Ear Collectorughed, watching Zeon convulse violently. He naturally expected Brielle, who was also caught in the, to be crying with tears and snot, but Brielle was just staring nkly at the Ear Collector. The Ear Collector muttered. ¡°What¡¯s with this girl? Is she dumb?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the dumb one. Do you think Zeon would be shocked by something like that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Finally realizing something was wrong, the Ear Collector looked at Zeon. He didn¡¯t know when, but Zeon had stopped convulsing. Behind the flickering blue currents, Zeon¡¯s face was calm andposed. The Ear Collector instinctively realized something was wrong. ¡°Shit!¡± sh! The that had been tightening around Zeon and Brielle was torn like a piece of paper, and a gauntleted hand shot out. Grab! ¡°Guh!¡± Zeon¡¯s hand grabbed the Ear Collector¡¯s neck. It all happened before the Ear Collector could react. Zeon¡¯s movements outpaced the Ear Collector¡¯s reactions. But the Ear Collector didn¡¯t go down without a fight. He abandoned the now useless electric rod, drew the machete from his waist, and stabbed at Zeon¡¯s abdomen. Zeon twisted slightly to avoid the de and mmed the Ear Collector¡¯s body into the ground. Bang! ¡°Gah!¡± The Ear Collector let out a short scream at the immense impact on his back. The force was enough to incapacitate an average person instantly. But the Ear Collector was a D-rank Martial Artist Awakened. He had a sturdy body and excellent physical abilities. He wasn¡¯t weak enough to be subdued by this level of impact. The Ear Collector tried to jump back up and counterattack. But his body wouldn¡¯t follow his will. Zeon¡¯s knee was pressing down on his chest. An enormous pressure pinned the Ear Collector down. ¡°Guh!¡± The Ear Collector¡¯s eyes widened as if they would pop out. His ribcage felt like it was going to break, and his internal organs felt like they were being crushed. No matter how much he struggled or moved his mana, his body didn¡¯t budge as if pinned by a huge boulder. Eventually, the Ear Collector gave up trying to escape and shouted. ¡°Who the hell are you? Why is this happening¡­?¡± ¡°Air Shield!¡± At that moment, Brielle cast a spell, preventing his voice from spreading outside. The Ear Collector¡¯s attempt to call other scavengers failed. Zeon smirked. ¡°Nice try.¡± ¡°You bastard¡­¡± ¡°As a price for your attempt, I¡¯ll take one of your ears.¡± The Ear Collector¡¯s eyes widened at Zeon¡¯s words. ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± Slice! In that instant, with a sharp sound, one of the Ear Collector¡¯s ears was cut off. The Ear Collector screamed in pain from his ear. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t keep quiet, I¡¯ll cut off the other ear too.¡± ¡°D-damn it! Why are you doing this to me? We just met today.¡± ¡°The owners of the ears you¡¯ve collected so far were all people you just met too, weren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± ¡°It seems you still haven¡¯te to your senses.¡± Zeon brought his hand to the Ear Collector¡¯s other ear. ¡°Damn it! I¡¯ll talk. I¡¯ll say anything.¡± ¡°First, everyone here is a scavenger, correct?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°How many are there?¡± ¡°Eleven including me.¡± ¡°How many such nests are there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Do I need to cut the other ear to make you talk?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know. All I know is that this is Nest 7.¡± ¡°Nest 7? So there are at least six more nests like this?¡± Zeon¡¯s eyes gleamed. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] He hadn¡¯t expected there to be so many nests. This meant the scavengers were much more numerous and organized than he had thought. The Ear Collector spoke in a defensive tone. ¡°Yeah! I know that too.¡± ¡°Where are the nests located?¡± ¡°Including this one, there are only two that I know of.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying again.¡± ¡°Fuck! It¡¯s the truth. One in Neo Seoul, and one in the slums. Thework only tells you about nests in the area where you¡¯re active.¡± ¡°Thework? Do scavengers have awork?¡± ¡°Yeah! The ck Network. We all connect to it to get information.¡± ¡°Who runs it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°You use thework and don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°No one knows that. We just use it because it¡¯s there. Who cares who runs it? We¡¯re not interested.¡± ¡°Fine. Then how do you ess thework?¡± ¡°A code, a code! You need a biometric code to ess it.¡± ¡°Biometric code?¡± Zeon tilted his head at the unfamiliar term. Boom! Suddenly, fireballs flew out of the darkness and struck Briellele¡¯s air shield. A tremendous ze engulfed Zeon and Briellele. As the air shield shattered, Zeon pulled Briellele back. But the Ear Collector didn¡¯t get that chance. ¡°Aargh!¡± The Ear Collector¡¯s body was engulfed in mes from a direct hit. He writhed in agony from the intense heat until he died. Zeon looked to where the fireballs came from. Heavily armed figures emerged from the darkness. They were scavengers resting at the Nest 7. ¡°What a waste of the nickname ¡®Ear Collector.¡¯ Chattering like a magpie.¡± ¡°Bastard! bbering away.¡± ¡°This is why you shouldn¡¯t trust the rootless.¡± The scavengersughed and jeered at the burning body of the Ear Collector. An rm spell, unnoticed by Zeon and Briellele, had been installed in the corridor. The moment they intruded, the rm sounded, and the scavengers came rushing in. Scratching his head, Zeon said. ¡°This was quite a crucial moment, but you guys messed it up.¡± ¡°Haha! How to receive a biometric code? Even that bastard doesn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the memory of receiving the biometric code is erased. Me, him, everyone. All memories remain intact except for when the biometric code is received. So it¡¯s useless. Haha!¡± The lead scavengerughed, revealing yellowed teeth. The others agreed. ¡°Haha! Our world isn¡¯t that shabby. Kid!¡± ¡°Oh, looks like a pretty kid is here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! Bastard. I¡¯m first.¡± The scavengers erupted into chaos as they argued upon seeing Briellele. ¡°Subhuman.¡± Briellele made a disgusted expression. Having suffered at the hands of human hunters, she detested these kinds of humans more than anyone. ¡°Die, all of you!¡± Briellele unleashed her magic with a scream. St! Dozens of air arrows flew towards the scavengers. ¡°Oh! Quite a cute attack.¡± ¡°Useless.¡± The scavengers deployed defense skills to block her attack. Their clothes and armor were all items of protection or looted from other Awakeneds. Naturally, they were exceptionally powerful. With her still-developing elven magic, Briellele found it difficult to inflict damage. The scavengers immediately counterattacked. Bang! Bang! Bang! Weapons from Martial Artist Awakened and skills from Magic Awakened filled the corridor. ¡°Shit!¡± Briellele¡¯s eyes widened. Her response to the enemies¡¯ attack was simple. To hide behind Zeon. With a baffled expression, Zeon swung his fist. In response, dozens of me arrows poured forth toward the front. It was Fire Arrow from the Inferno Gauntlet. Bang! Bang! Dozens of Fire Arrows shed with the iing attack skills, exploding. ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The scavengers screamed. They were thrown back by the explosion. At that moment, Zeon moved. Wham! He pushed off the ground andunched himself at the scavengers. In an instant, Zeon reached the scavengers and swung his fist. His punch struck the scavengers hard. Crack! It was as if a storm had swept through. The scavengers didn¡¯t even have time to react before being hit by Zeon¡¯s fist. Their armor was useless against Zeon¡¯s attacks. Shields shattered, and armor made of special materials broke like ss. In the face of the tidal wave that was Zeon, the scavengers couldn¡¯t even scream and were swept away. A momentter, the scene revealed was horrifying. The scavengersy on the ground, their limbs twisted grotesquely or bearing severe wounds. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± The scavengers¡¯ desperate screams echoed through the corridor. Zeon looked at the scavenger lying in front of him and locked eyes with him, saying. ¡°I think we¡¯re ready to have a conversation now. Right?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The scavenger groaned instead of answering. Nodding, Zeon said. ¡°I knew it would be like this.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 131 Chapter 131 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 131 Zeon¡¯s question was simple. ¡°Tell me all the nests you know.¡± ¡°Fuck off! You bastard.¡± The scavenger spat out his words. His appearance, veins bulging on his forehead as he screamed, was reminiscent of a demon. Despite his severe injuries, the scavenger¡¯s fierce gaze was enough to intimidate even Brielle. But not Zeon. ¡°Do we really have to go through the trouble?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh! Who do you think you¡¯re scaring? Ptooey!¡± The scavenger spat bloody phlegm. Zeon simply incinerated the spit mid-air with a flicker of me. ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Even after hisst defiance was nullified, the scavenger¡¯s spirit remained unbroken. Zeon conjured mes in his hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to use this method, but I have no choice.¡± ¡°Keke! You think I¡¯ll buy your bluff¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough if it¡¯s a bluff. Bite down hard.¡± Zeon grasped the scavenger¡¯s wrist with his ming hand. Ssssss! The extreme heat seared the flesh and melted the muscles. Unable to endure the excruciating pain, the scavenger¡¯s mouth gaped open. He tried desperately to withstand the agony, but the scorching pain was beyond human endurance. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± Finally, the scavenger let out a blood-curdling scream. He thrashed about, trying to break free from Zeon¡¯s grip, but it was futile. Zeon¡¯s hand mped down on his arm with the force of a press. Unable to bear the pain of his bones burning, the scavenger shouted. ¡°Arghh! I¡¯ll talk¡­ I¡¯ll talk¡­.¡± Only then did Zeon withdraw the mes from his hand. ¡°So, where are the nests?¡± ¡°The nests I know are this one and Nest 3. The location of Nest 3 is¡­.¡± Bang! At that moment, a gunshot rang out, and the scavenger¡¯s head exploded. Zeon was covered in the scavenger¡¯s blood before he could react. ¡°Zeon!¡± Brielle shouted in rm. But Zeon, without a hint of panic, looked in the direction the gunshot hade from. Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunshots echoed continuously. Zeon pressed against the corridor wall with Brielle to avoid the bullets. However, the bullets were not aimed at Zeon and Brielle. They were targeting the scavengers lying on the ground. The merciless barrage of bullets tore the scavengers¡¯ bodies apart. The firepower was terrifying. These were no ordinary bullets. Only magically treated bullets could tear through an Awakened¡¯s tough body like tofu. ¡°A Magic Gunner?¡± Zeon looked towards the direction the bullets wereing from. Ordinary bullets wouldn¡¯t affect Awakened or monsters. Their bodies were strong enough to repel most physical attacks. That¡¯s why guns had ceased to develop and fell out of use. However, they had made a spectacreback thanks to Enchanters. Enchanters had discovered how to enhance guns and bullets with magic, drastically increasing their power. While ineffective againstrge monsters, they were highly effective against smaller ones and low-ranking Awakeneds. Awakeneds who used magically enhanced guns were called Magic Gunners. Magic Gunners specialized in handling these firearms. Due to the ruthless shooting of the Magic Gunner, all the scavengers who could have given Zeon information were dead. ¡°You¡¯re trying to destroy all evidence.¡± Bang! A particrly powerful gunshot responded to his words. At that moment, Brielle stepped forward and spread her arms. ¡°Shield!¡± A translucent barrier appeared in front of them, blocking the bullet. The bullet was so powerful that the shield shattered like ss. But the bullet also shattered against the shield, falling harmlessly to the ground. Zeon thenunched himself towards the source of the bullets. Brielle followed closely behind. Bang! Bang! Bang! The presence of the Magic Gunner vanished into the darkness. He was erasing all evidence and fleeing. Zeon and Brielle pursued him at a terrifying speed. After passing through a dark corridor, they reached a spacious area. It was about ten meters in every direction. It was a nest equipped with basic living necessities like a bed, sofa, chairs, and a refrigerator. They saw a man in a ck military uniform fleeing through a door on the opposite side of the nest. Without a moment to inspect the nest, Zeon and Brielle chased after him. As they reached the door the man had fled through, an enormous explosion erupted from the nest. Just before being caught in the st, Zeon grabbed Brielle and sped away at an incredible speed. They felt intense heat and a powerful shockwave behind them. If they had been even a little slower, they would have been swept up in the fiery explosion. Zeon gritted his teeth and increased his speed. He saw light ahead. It was undoubtedly an exit to the outside. Without hesitation, Zeon hurled himself through the exit. Boom! The moment he escaped, mes burst from the exit. Having narrowly avoided the mes, Zeon took a brief moment to catch his breath before searching for the Magic Gunner. The Magic Gunner was escaping through a narrow alley. Zeon released Brielle and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll pursue him. You follow behind.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Brielle responded immediately. There was no point in going together as she couldn¡¯t keep up with Zeon¡¯s speed. It was better to leave some distance and follow. Zeon began the chase at full speed. In the distance, he saw the Magic Gunner fleeing. Sensing Zeon¡¯s pursuit, the Magic Gunner fired bullets. Bang! Bang! Without even looking back, he fired, aiming directly between Zeon¡¯s eyes. The uracy was frighteningly precise. But the bullets were blocked by Zeon¡¯s Inferno Gauntlet. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Ting! Ting! With metallic clinks, the bullet fragments scattered in all directions. ¡°Tch!¡± The Magic Gunner clicked his tongue as his attacks proved ineffective. His fleeing face showed clear signs of panic. ¡®I never would have thought the nest would be raided.¡¯ His name was Jacob. He was a scavenger and the keeper of Nest 7. The moment he realized that the other scavengers had fallen to Zeon, he set about destroying the evidence. He destroyed the nest and eliminated the injured scavengers. Once hepleted his task, he fled immediately. ¡®Fuck! Where did such a monstere from?¡¯ A nest was raided in an instant. This had never happened before. It meant the opponent was extremely strong. Strong enough that even his attacks as a Magic Gunner werepletely ineffective. He had never expected to encounter such an Awakened in the slums, which only added to his shock. ¡®Just a little further.¡¯ Scavengers always prepared escape routes. Jacob was no different. His secret weapon was the square in the slums where the most people gathered. ¡®Fuck! I never thought I¡¯d have to use this.¡¯ What Jacob pulled out from his pocket was a detonator. He had hidden a bomb beneath the za of Dongdaemun. It was a special item made for huntingrge monsters. Its power was immense. If the bomb exploded, everyone in the za would die. The situation would spiral out of control. His n was to escape amid the chaos. Many people would die in the explosion, but he had no choice. Survival was his priority. Even at that moment, Zeon was rapidly closing the distance. The gap between them was barely twenty meters. He would be caught in just two or three seconds. There was no time to hesitate. Just as Jacob was about to press the detonator. Boom! A tremendous impact struck Jacob. ¡°Ugh!¡± He was thrown like a bowling pin and crashed into the ground. Someone had ambushed him. The impact was so severe that Jacob couldn¡¯t even scream. The one who attacked him spoke. ¡°You traitorous bastard! Finally found you.¡± It was a ck man in a ck coat and sunsses. He had a sword strapped to his back, and a bulletproof vest under his coat. Inside his coat, he carried a machine gun and had a pistol strapped to his thigh. Jacob¡¯s face twisted upon recognizing him. ¡°Ra¡­ Raven.¡± ¡°d to see me? I¡¯m d too.¡± The man called Raven spat on the ground as he muttered. By then, Zeon had arrived. Seeing Zeon, Raven raised his palm to stop him. ¡°Stop right there, kid! I¡¯m taking this guy.¡± ¡°Are you iming rights after barging in like this?¡± Zeon looked at Raven incredulously. Raven grinned, showing his white teeth. ¡°Kid! Do you even know who you¡¯re messing with?¡± ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Hah! A lowly slum Awakened talking back. You better shut your mouth before I rip it open.¡± Raven¡¯s eyes gleamed dangerously through his sunsses. He was not an ordinary Awakened. His unusual attire, fierce gaze, and intimidating presence proved it. He continued. ¡°I¡¯m taking this bastard. You forget everything you saw and heard today, and you might just live.¡± ¡°Judging by your outfit and equipment, you¡¯re from Neo Seoul. Why are you taking him?¡± ¡°You want to know? Knowing means you die.¡± Raven chuckled. He wasn¡¯t underestimating Zeon. He was just that confident in his own abilities. Jacob struggled to get up. But the pain from his shattered body made it impossible. He coughed up blood and muttered. ¡°Ugh! A hunting dog¡­ from the east.¡± Raven¡¯s eyes shed angrily. Jacob had revealed a secret. Zeon, now aware of critical information, muttered. ¡°A hunting dog from the east. So, you¡¯re rted to the Eastern District.¡± ¡°Ptooey! You¡¯re a smart one. Yeah, that¡¯s right. This bastard is a deserter. He fled our district and became a scavenger.¡± ¡°Could it be that a significant number of scavengers are deserters from the Eastern District?¡± ¡°Hah! Ridiculous.¡± Raven made a disgusted face. He was truly astonished by Zeon¡¯s deductive skills, drawing such conclusions from the term ¡°hunting dog from the east.¡± Zeon¡¯s guess was urate. Many of the problematic scavengers were indeed from the Eastern District. Unlike the Mechanized Awakeneds of the Western District, the Eastern District was dominated bybat specialists under the absolute leader, Seddon Price. The Eastern District wasposed of descendants of American soldiers and students who had been studying in Korea. These descendants of former soldiers used a mix of weaponry, magic, and strong physical abilities. The Awakeneds from the Eastern District were like trained soldiers, not just simple Awakened. They were absolutely loyal to Seddon Price and executed his orders with machine-like precision. As a result, the Eastern District was filled with strict regtions and an oppressive atmosphere. Those who rebelled against this environment and deserted became the leaders of the scavengers. They secretly established nests and supported the activities of existing scavengers. This wasn¡¯t a significant problem initially. As it was a secret operation, it didn¡¯t tarnish Seddon Price¡¯s reputation. The issue arose when the scavengers armed themselves with items from the White Bear Caravan. The increased confidence led to more aggressive raids by the scavengers, setting the Eastern District on edge. If it became known that the scavenger leaders were high-ranking Awakened deserters from the Eastern District, it would disgrace Seddon Price. Thus, Seddon Price dispatched hunting dogs like Raven. Their mission was simple. Eliminate the key scavenger deserters from the Eastern District. Raven drew the gun from his thigh and spoke. ¡°I told you. Knowing why I¡¯m here means you die.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 132 Chapter 132 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 132 Raven was a B-rank Martial Artist Awakened. That alone was strong enough, but he had also trained as a soldier and could handle various firearms with ease. He wasn¡¯t a Magic Gunner, but he could use weapons as skillfully as one. Swords and guns. Two weapons that shouldn¡¯t go together harmonized in his hands, disying absolute power. Raven didn¡¯t even consider drawing his sword. He was confident he could handle this with just his gun. The gun he held was a Desert Eagle. An antique from before the world turned to ruins. Originally, it wouldn¡¯t even fire, but thanks to an Enchanter, it was reborn as the ultimate ultimate weapon of human destruction. One shot could blow off an average Awakened¡¯s head like a watermelon. No matter how great an Awakened, they couldn¡¯t dodge a bullet aimed at them from point-nk range. Raven aimed the Desert Eagle at Zeon¡¯s forehead and said. ¡°Just think of it as bad luck. Your destiny ends here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t decide my fate so arrogantly. My life isn¡¯t so cheap as to be swayed by someone else.¡± ¡°Oh really? Too bad.¡± Raven grinned and pulled the trigger. Click! The sound of the hammer striking echoed. But the expected bullet didn¡¯t fire. ¡°What? It malfunctioned?¡± Raven looked at the Desert Eagle in disbelief. An ordinary gun might malfunction. But this was no ordinary gun. It was an item enhanced by a skilled Enchanter. There was no reason for it to suddenly fail within Neo Seoul, not even in the harsh environment of the desert. Raven tilted the Desert Eagle, and fine sand trickled out from the barrel and chamber. ¡°Sand? How did that get in the gun?¡± Raven made a perplexed face. He always maintained his gun meticulously. He had checked it beforeing here. It was definitely fine then. Raven red at Zeon. ¡°Did you do this?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°You must be a Magic Awakened, pulling off a trick like this.¡± ¡°It could be a trick, or it could be skill.¡± Zeon smirked slightly. That smile infuriated Raven. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can still smile after I cut your head off.¡± Shhh! Raven swung the sword strapped to his back. In a sh, the sword sliced through the air, reaching Zeon¡¯s neck in an instant. Clunk! At that moment, Zeon deflected Raven¡¯s sword with his gauntleted fist. ¡°You¡¯re not a magic user but a martial artist?¡± ¡°Find out for yourself.¡± ¡°I was nning to.¡± Shiiing! Raven swung his sword at a terrifying speed. His swordsmanship was precise and sharp, with immense power behind each strike. Any fragile human body would be sliced in two instantly if it got in the way. But that was only if the de made contact. Zeon narrowly dodged all of Raven¡¯s attacks. When dodging wasn¡¯t an option, he used the Inferno Gauntlet to block or deflect the blows. Frustrated, Raven pulled out the machine gun hidden inside his coat. ¡°You rat bastard! Let¡¯s see you dodge this.¡± Brrrr! Without hesitation, he fired the machine gun. Bullets powerful enough to pierce ten-centimeter-thick steel rained down. Even the strongest Awakeneds would flinch at such an attack. But Zeon didn¡¯t dodge; he charged straight ahead. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Numerous bullets struck Zeon¡¯s body. But none prated. It was because of the robe Zeon was wearing. Made from Leviathan hide, the robe was not easily pierced by such an attack. Only his face was exposed, but he blocked even that with the Inferno Gauntlet. Raven¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Damn it!¡± Boom! At that moment, a powerful impact struck his abdomen. Zeon¡¯s foot had connected. ¡°Ugh!¡± With a pained groan, Raven was thrown backward. Zeon followed up by swinging his fist at the fallen Raven. Boom! ¡°Argh!¡± With an explosive sound, Raven let out a stifled scream. Though he had barely blocked Zeon¡¯s attack, the shockwaves reverberated through his insides. ¡°Who¡­ are you? Who the hell are you, bastard?¡± Raven shouted as he lunged again. * * * On top of a building overlooking the za stood an elderly man and two young women. The twin sisters, identical in appearance, watched Zeon and Raven¡¯s fight with interest. ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time seeing Raven, the human hunter, in such a tight spot.¡± The twins¡¯ eyes widened as if watching a fascinating spectacle. The elderly man beside them also murmured in amazement. ¡°Even so, Raven is quite a strong B-rank Awakened, to be pushed this far.¡± Raven was by no means an easy opponent. His simultaneous use of guns and swords made him extremely difficult to deal with. At least by ordinary standards. It was of no concern to the elderly man and the twins. They were far too strong to be troubled by someone like Raven. The twins looked at the old man simultaneously. ¡°What¡¯s his identity?¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s my first time seeing him today.¡± ¡°So there are things that even Grandpa doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The one called Grandpa chuckled at the twins¡¯ remark. Everyone else called him ¡®Old Man¡¯ or ¡®Elder.¡¯ Only the twins called him Grandpa. That¡¯s how close they were. ¡°I don¡¯t know everything. The world is vast.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t know everything.¡± ¡°Are you going to just leave it like this?¡± The fight between Zeon and Raven intensified. So far, there hadn¡¯t been any significant damage, but if it continued, people nearby might get hurt. The old man said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to intervene. That guy is guiding the fight to minimize damage.¡± His gaze was fixed on Zeon. Zeon¡¯s movements were so subtle that the twin sisters hadn¡¯t noticed. He cleverly redirected all of Raven¡¯s attacks toward himself, ensuring that the surroundings remained undamaged. Simultaneously, he skillfully deflected the attacks concentrated on him, dispersing their force. As a result, there had been no significant damage or casualties so far. The twin sisters took turns speaking. ¡°Is he a martial artist-type?¡± ¡°What rank?¡± ¡°B or higher.¡± ¡°He¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°But not stronger than us.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Should we attack?¡± ¡°Should we?¡± At that moment, the old man shook his head and joined their conversation. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why? Do you think we¡¯d lose?¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯d lose?¡± ¡°No, but it could be a hassle. If we don¡¯t finish off this type instantly, they hold grudges.¡± At the old man¡¯s answer, the twin sisters frowned simultaneously. They seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking in unison. ¡°We don¡¯t like hassles.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just watch.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The old man smiled at their conversation. The twin sisters were named Eun Su-jin and Eun Su-young. They were members of the same organization as the old man¡ªNumbers. The Numbers. It was an execution squad directly under the mayor of Neo Seoul, Jin Geum-ho. They were dispatched for major incidents that could shake the foundation of Neo Seoul or to eliminate Jin Geum-ho¡¯s enemies. The entire Numbers squad consisted of S-rank and A-rank Awakeneds. Eun Su-jin and Eun Su-young possessed powerful telepathic abilities. Their telepathy could infiltrate and confuse an opponent¡¯s mind or manipte it. Their mental abilities were so strong that B-rank or lower Awakeneds couldn¡¯t resist. The old man was a barrier specialist. If he wanted, he could create a powerful barrier over the entire za. His barriers werepletely isted from reality. Until the old man dispelled it, nothing could escape from within. Though hisbat strength was negligible, his powerful barrier abilities and versatility made him recognized as a strong member within the Numbers. ¡°Thanks to the mayor, we¡¯re witnessing an interesting fight. This is quite high-levelbat. Hehehe!¡± Jin Geum-ho had secretly called him to y the role of mediator. The mediator was, literally, someone who bnced the situation. Jin Geum-ho wanted the situation to escte but not beyond his control. The copse of Neo Seoul itself would be a significant loss for him. Thus, he secretly dispatched the old man and the twin sisters. Their abilities were perfect for bncing the situation. Initially, the old man found the mission bothersome. Though not as old as Jin Geum-ho, he had lived a long life and experienced many incidents. In his youth, he enjoyed such events, but now he found them dull. He was considering retirement from the Numbers. But the fight between Zeon and Raven today rekindled his interest and curiosity. The fight between Zeon and Raven grew fiercer. Enraged, Raven attacked Zeon with all his might. Brrrrr! He fired the machine gun wildly and swung his sword in a frenzy. Yet, his attacks failed tond any significant hits on Zeon. Raven was a well-known human hunter in the area. Hisbat prowess had been proven. Raven was strong. But at this moment, he was not strong. In front of someone even stronger, he was utterly powerless. ¡°Who are you? Who the hell are you?¡± In the end, growing frustrated, Raven shouted. At that moment, Raven was already psychologically defeated. Zeon was like a cliff. A cliff so high that it seemed insurmountable. Zeon could have taken down Raven anytime he wanted. But he refrained because of the nagging sensation he felt since a while ago. Someone was watching. Zeon heightened his senses and scanned the area. But he couldn¡¯t find the observer. It wasn¡¯t because they were hidden behind obstacles or inside buildings. If that were the case, he would have found them already. ¡®Have they isted the space with a barrier?¡¯ Ordinary Awakeneds wouldn¡¯t have thought of this. But Zeon was no ordinary Awakened. He had roamed the desert for eight years, encountering numerous situations and Awakeneds. Among them were those who used barriers or magic circles to hide. Initially, they troubled him, but Zeon eventually found a way to deal with them. Whoosh! Suddenly, a sandstorm blew through the za. No one found it unusual since sandstorms weremon. But this sandstorm was special. Zeon had summoned it. The sandstorm covered the za. At that moment, Zeon saw it. A space where the sandstorm strangely bypassed. Where the old man and the twin sisters were. ¡®There it is.¡¯ Zeon¡¯s gaze naturally turned to the building. At that moment, the old man shivered. He had made eye contact with Zeon. ¡®That guy, did he see me?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 133 Chapter 133 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 133 Zeon, as if he had never seen the old man, focused again on his battle with Raven. A chill ran up the back of the old man¡¯s hand holding his cane. Even for a brief moment, Zeon had undoubtedly looked directly at where the old man was standing. ¡°Did he really see me?¡± A confused expression appeared on the old man¡¯s face. A barrier was set up around him. It was perfectly isted from the real world, so no Awakeneds could sense it. Naturally, it couldn¡¯t be seen with the naked eye either. Not even by other Numbers. This was a fact that had been confirmed multiple times. Yet, for a split second, Zeon had looked precisely at where he and the twin sisters were standing. ¡°Did he really see through the barrier? No, that can¡¯t be. My barrier can¡¯t be sensed even by an S-rank Awakened.¡± The old man denied his own thoughts. If Zeon had really seen through his barrier, it meant he was beyond S-rank. So far, only two people had seen through his barrier. They were Jin Geum-ho and Dyoden. Both were beings from the pre-cataclysm era, non-human entities. It made sense for them to see through the barrier. It was a given for them. But no other Awakeneds had ever sensed or seen through the old man¡¯s barrier. If Zeon had truly discovered him beyond the barrier, it meant he was on the same level as Jin Geum-ho or Dyoden. ¡°Unbelievable¡­ It must be a mistake.¡± The old man muttered to himself, and the twin sisters looked at him quizzically. ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± ¡°Nothing. Can you find out that guy¡¯s name?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°Then do it.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± As the twins nodded in unison, BANG! A noise different in magnitude from anything before resounded. Startled, they looked at the battlefield to see Raven being blown far away. His coat was shredded, and the bulletproof vest underneath waspletely destroyed. The sunsses, which were like his trademark, were broken, leaving only the legs. ¡°Ugh!¡± Raven threw away the leg of the sunsses and stood up. His whole body throbbed. It felt like he had juste out of a massive grinder. If the power in Zeon¡¯s punch had been slightly stronger, he would have been literally torn apart. ¡°I stepped on shit in the wrong ce. Never thought there would be someone like you hiding in the slums.¡± ¡°Lack of information always leaves painful scars.¡± ¡°I admit it. I knew nothing about the slums or you. That¡¯s why I got into this mess. But don¡¯t think I represent the district. I¡¯m just a mere hunting dog.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Raven¡¯s face twisted at Zeon¡¯s calm response. He trembled, unable to rush at Zeon. His pride was hurt, but he knew it was pointless to attack. At that moment, ¡°You fucking bastards!¡± Jacob, who had been lying as if dead, got up trembling. In his blood-soaked hand was the detonator he had been trying to press earlier. With bloodshot eyes, he shouted. ¡°We¡¯re all dying together now.¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± Raven stammered, knowing what Jacob held. ¡°Heh! I always knew this day woulde, but I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be today. But with so many people, the trip to hell won¡¯t be lonely.¡± Jacob was standing right where arge monster-hunting bomb was hidden. If it exploded, not only he but everyone near the square would be annihted. Raven shouted. ¡°Stop, you bastard!¡± ¡°Fuck off!¡± Jacob flipped Raven off and pressed the detonator without hesitation. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Haa!¡± The old man and the twin sisters sighed. They were safe inside the barrier, but everyone in the square was doomed. It was unfortunate, but they had no intention of intervening. They weren¡¯t sopassionate as to help the slum dwellers. Then, someone moved unexpectedly. It was Zeon. The moment Jacob pressed the detonator, Zeon leaped without hesitation. Stopping the explosion was impossible. But he could minimize the st radius. Zeon infused mana into the Inferno Gauntlet. In an instant, a blinding light burst from the dragon¡¯s eye embedded in the Inferno Gauntlet. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°My eyes¡­¡± Those exposed to the light were momentarily blinded. Raven, the old man, and the twin sisters all lost their sight temporarily and staggered. Boom! The bomb buried in the square exploded. Jacob was instantly obliterated, and the firestorm began to spread. At that moment, Zeon reached the center of the explosion. ¡°Haah!¡± With a shout, Zeon suppressed the explosion with the Inferno Gauntlet. The light from the Inferno Gauntlet enveloped the firestorm. The firestorm was halted by the light barrier. But it wasn¡¯t enough. Zeon drew more mana. ¡°Ugh!¡± Blood appeared at the corners of Zeon¡¯s mouth. He had stopped the spread of the explosion, but it wasn¡¯t sufficient. Zeon used his authority. ¡®Move.¡¯ The ground of the square, where the bomb exploded, caved in. Zeon moved the sand to create a huge pit. ¡®Now!¡¯ Zeon pressed the firestorm into the sand pit and narrowly escaped. Boom! The suppressed fire exploded more violently. The surrounding sand blocked the st, forcing the explosion skyward. The sight of the fire column shooting into the sky was spectacr. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Raven, the old man, and others stared with mouths agape at the fire column piercing the sky. They hadn¡¯t seen what happened due to the temporary blindness, so they were even more astonished. ¡°He suppressed the explosion.¡± ¡°What did he do? Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Insane.¡± ¡°Is he even human?¡± They knew Zeon had done something, but no one knew exactly how he had concentrated the explosion skyward. The pir of fire that had shot endlessly into the sky disappeared after a while. The old man, who had been watching the scene, finally spoke. ¡°He¡¯s at least an A-rank Awakened.¡± ¡°At least? So there¡¯s a possibility he¡¯s S-rank?¡± ¡°Crazy.¡± The twin sisters were stunned by the old man¡¯s deration. They wanted to ask if he was mistaken, but they knew better than anyone that the old man¡¯s perception was urate. If the old man said A-rank, then A-rank it was. Moreover, he had added ¡®at least.¡¯ This meant he could be even higher. To know for sure, they would have to confront him directly. At that moment, a group of Awakeneds came running along the main road connected to the square. They were the Awakeneds of Dongdaemun. ¡°There it is.¡± ¡°Is it a terrorist attack?¡± Even though the explosion had been suppressed to minimize damage, the towering pir of fire couldn¡¯t be hidden. The Awakeneds who had seen the explosion came rushing over. ¡°Where is he?¡± Raven looked around, but Zeon was nowhere to be seen. He had already escaped. ¡°Damn it! There¡¯s no choice.¡± There was no longer any reason to stay. Raven gathered all his equipment and left the square. Seeing this, the old man spoke to the twin sisters. ¡°Let¡¯s go too.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± They left the scene as well. By the time the Dongdaemun Awakeneds arrived at the now-empty square, they were left bewildered. ¡°Who the hell did this?¡± ¡°Is it the scavengers again?¡± The Dongdaemun Awakeneds desperately searched for the culprits, but everyone was already gone by then. * * * ¡°Damn it! That really hurts.¡± Zeon rotated his right wrist, grumbling. It was an unimaginable statement if anyone else had heard it, but Zeon said it nonchntly. What he had done was beyondmon sense. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Inferno Gauntlet, I would¡¯ve lost my arm.¡± When he first obtained the Inferno Gauntlet, he never thought it would be so useful. Thanks to the Inferno Gauntlet, he had ovee numerous crises and concealed his sand maniption ability. He had worn it every single day for the past eight years, and now it felt like a part of his body. Then he sensed a presence. ¡°Zeon!¡± It was Brielle, who had arrivedte. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Are you alright? I saw a huge explosion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± The twopletely left Dongdaemun. Dongdaemun was in an uproar due to the sessive incidents. The Awakeneds were running around trying to handle the situation, and the slum dwellers were in a daze, not knowing what to do. The entire Dongdaemun was in a state of panic. Leaving the extreme chaos behind, the two returned to Sinchon. Arriving in Sinchon felt refreshing. Though they were under the same sky, the air felt much fresher. Despite it still being the same dusty air mixed with sand particles. Zeon thought as he walked. ¡®Who were those people?¡¯ The ones hiding within the barrier and watching secretly. An old man and two young girls. He couldn¡¯t see their faces clearly because they were too far away, but he could tell they weren¡¯t ordinary Awakeneds from their aura and their ability to create barriers. ¡®Where did theye from? They didn¡¯t intervene when Raven attacked me, so they don¡¯t seem rted to the East District. Are they from another district, or maybe the City Hall?¡¯ At this moment, nothing was certain. But just realizing that someone was watching was a significant gain. Just then, ¡°Hey!¡± Someone approached Zeon and Brielle, panting. Seeing her face, Zeon smirked, and Brielle shook her head. The woman approaching in a disheveled state was Eloy. She had been used as bait to distract the Dongdaemun Awakeneds and had returned in a wretched condition. Her clothes were torn, and she had quite a few injuries on her face and body, showing how much she had suffered. ¡°You bastards! How could you run away without helping me while I was fighting? How could you do that to me?¡± ¡°You managed to escape from Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°Do you know how much I suffered? Those fanatic bastards swarmed me like mad dogs¡­ Ugh!¡± Eloy shuddered at the thought. Fanatics who charged without fear of injury or death. It would have been easier if she could kill them outright. But killing them would create a massive problem that even Neo Seoul couldn¡¯t handle. Dongdaemun was no different. It was a tough fight to incapacitate them without killing. What infuriated her more was that Zeon and Brielle had fled while she was struggling so desperately. ¡°Running away and leaving arade behind? How can you call yourselvesrades?¡± ¡°Calm down!¡± ¡°Calm down? How can I calm down?¡± As Eloy yelled angrily, Brielle nonchntly dug her ear with a finger. ¡°Half-elf has quite a voice. My ears hurt¡­¡± ¡°You really have a death wish, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Calm down. We found a clue you might like.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± Eloy¡¯s expression changed, and Brielle smirked. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you for free.¡± ¡°You little brat¡­¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± The half-elf and the High Elf continued bickering for a long time. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 134 Chapter 134 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 134 Johan¡¯s eyes glowed coldly behind his sses. Behind him, Kim Jae-kyung stood with her hands politely sped, head bowed. She couldn¡¯t bear to look Johan in the eye. It was because she had failed to brainwash the members of the White Bear Caravan, causing the situation to escte. This failure had incurred the White Bear Caravan¡¯s hostility, making her aughingstock among everyone. But that wasn¡¯t the only issue. Today, a series of major incidents erupted in Dongdaemun. One incident involved Mandy, a supervisor directly under the City Hall, causing havoc. Numerous Awakeneds from Dongdaemun were deployed to subdue her, but the operation failed. All the Awakeneds suffered varying degrees of injuries, and Mandy left Dongdaemun unscathed. This incident alone was a significant loss of face, but then a major incident urred in the square. A battle broke out between Awakeneds, leading to a massive explosion that nearly obliterated the entire square. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the sessive incidents greatly unsettled Johan. Dongdaemun was his domain. It was his kingdom, which he had ruled for decades. Today, his kingdom was trampled and defiled. It was an unbearable humiliation for Johan. After a long silence, he finally spoke. ¡°Have you identified those who fought in the square?¡± ¡°One has been confirmed to be Zeon, and the other is believed to be from the East District.¡± ¡°Zeon and an Awakened from the East District?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°They must think very little of me¡­¡± Johan¡¯s jaw muscles twitched. Anyone could enter and exit Dongdaemun freely. Unlike Neo Seoul, the slums didn¡¯t have barriers dividing the districts. However, each district had strict rules. Breaking these rules or fighting at will was tantamount to disregarding the ruler. Johan looked at Kim Jae-kyung. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°We cannot let this go unpunished.¡± ¡°Should we wage war with Sinchon then?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Then should we wage war with the East District?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kim Jae-kyung mped her mouth shut. A war with Sinchon was conceivable, but a war with the East District was out of the question. There was an insurmountable gap between the slums and Neo Seoul. This disparity extended to the Awakeneds. In terms of both quantity and quality, the slums could never match Neo Seoul. No matter how strong Dongdaemun was, it couldn¡¯tpare to the East District. Waging war with the East District was a guaranteed defeat. Waging war with Sinchon was the only possible option. However, even this would result in significant losses. Moreover, the timing was terrible. Due to the White Bear Caravan, both Neo Seoul and the entire slums were on edge. ¡°If we weaken our forces by waging war with Sinchon, we¡¯ll be prey for other factions.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°How disgusting! It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve felt this way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This is all because of my shorings¡­¡± Kim Jae-kyung lowered her head. Johan stared intently at her. Under his piercing gaze, Kim Jae-kyung felt even more ufortable. After what felt like an eternity, Johan spoke. ¡°ept the West District¡¯s proposal.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Given the circumstances, we need to join forces with the West District and show that we¡¯re not to be trifled with. If we remain passive despite the incident in my kingdom, others will think they can easily look down on us.¡± Johan¡¯s voice was icy and sharp as a de. The temperature in the room seemed to drop by ten degrees instantly. Kim Jae-kyung shivered in the chilly atmosphere. Johan wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°You will handle this matter.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Do not fail this time. I won¡¯t be able to overlook it again.¡± ¡°I will seed.¡± Kim Jae-kyung¡¯s voice trembled slightly. This was herst chance. If she failed, death would be the least of her worries. She would suffer a fate worse than death, haunted by endless torment. Kim Jae-kyung bit her lip until it bled. * * * Damien sat atop a fortress made of stacked freight carts, gazing at Neo Seoul. Neo Seoul looked like an ind floating above the desert. Everything in the world was ckened, but only Neo Seoul shone brightly. The towering skyscrapers and the dazzling lights on the massive city walls. A splendidly reconstructed civilization long forgotten by humanity. Only the chosen could enter this final city and fortress of humanity. This was Neo Seoul. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t easy for an outsider to enter and settle in Neo Seoul. One had to be an Awakened or possessparable abilities. Only the chosen ones could live there. To Damien and the White Bear Caravan, who had lived in harsh conditions, Neo Seoul seemed like a utopia of the present era. But Damien knew. The reality of utopia was far from beautiful. That towering, great city was built upon countless corpses. No one remembered their sacrifice. Not even those living within the city. ¡°Elves, dwarves, and other such races enjoying the civilization humanity painstakingly rebuilt. It¡¯s truly ironic. They¡¯re the ones who ruined the world and killed my father.¡± A dry smile, as arid as the desert climate, appeared on his lips. Damien had never forgotten the moment Beloff died. His father, Beloff, was betrayed and killed by the otherworldly races and humans of El Harun. The blood he shed and hisst breath remained vividly etched in Damien¡¯s mind. Those memories would never fade, even until the day Damien died. Seeing Neo Seoul always reminded him of Beloff. Thinking of Beloff naturally brought to mind the otherworldly races. When Damien thought of them, his blood ran cold, and hatred surged through him. Damien spent a long time calming these emotions. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] It was only after he managed to quell his agitated feelings to some extent that he heard Alexandro¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°Damien!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Damien answered with a smile, as if he had never worn that cold expression. Alexandro approached him. ¡°You¡¯ve been up here so long, I came to check on you.¡± ¡°I was just admiring the lights.¡± ¡°Neo Seoul? It¡¯s quite a sight. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it in my life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fascinating.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°That it shines so brightly, yet the monsters don¡¯t attack it.¡± ¡°It is indeed strange. With all those lights on at night, why do the monsters leave Neo Seoul alone?¡± The desert was teeming with monsters. Just as the oceans of old were filled with fish, the desert was now filled with monsters. From the ground to the underground, even the skies were dominated by monsters. Compared to that, the territory humans held was minuscule. Monsters wouldn¡¯t allow humans to establish any significant structure. Whenever humans built something noticeable, the monsters would attack immediately. This was the nature of monsters. Because of this, the walls of the Yakutsk Colony had been breached several times during its establishment. Each time, humans banded together to withstand the attacks and rebuild the walls. Only after enduring such hardships was the colony finallypleted. But even then, the Yakutsk Colony was small and shabbypared to Neo Seoul. This wasn¡¯t unusual. Most colonies the White Bear Caravan had visited were in simr situations as Yakutsk. If a colony was toorge or conspicuous, it would attract the attention of the monsters. It had to be built as inconspicuously as possible. This was why most colonies couldn¡¯t move beyond a medieval level of development. But Neo Seoul was different. The civilization from humanity¡¯s golden age was fully reconstructed there. Sky-high buildings and dazzling lights that illuminated the night sky. All the conditions to attract the attention of monsters were present. Yet, monsters did not approach Neo Seoul. It was as if they were afraid of Neo Seoul. Damien¡¯s gaze shifted to the mammoth on one side of the fortress. Among monsters, it was rtively intact. But it was still a monster. Arge monster with formidable strength. Most monsters couldn¡¯t even approach the mammoth due to its overwhelming presence. While Damien¡¯s abilities were the primary reason they had made it to Neo Seoul safely, the mammoth also yed a significant role. The mammoth was that powerful. But even it was afraid to get any closer to Neo Seoul. Something in Neo Seoul clearly instilled fear in the monsters. People said there was an anti-magic force in Neo Seoul, but Damien believed there was something more. Alexandro, having listened to the entire conversation, asked. ¡°So, what is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°If everyone knew, it wouldn¡¯t be a secret, would it?¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not just anyone, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Damien chuckled. Alexandro smiled simrly. Their smiles were quite alike, having shared long years together. At that moment. Woong! A powerful vibration was felt within the fortress. Damien¡¯s face suddenly turned cold. ¡°It¡¯s acting up again.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Is the seal weakening?¡± ¡°Do you want to check?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two descended the stairs together. They headed to the fifth floor, directly below. The items they had unloaded in Neo Seoul were stored on the first three floors. The truly important items were on the fourth and fifth floors. The fourth floor housed items excavated from dungeons, while the fifth floor contained ¡®that one.¡¯ The fifth floor was a special area. Only Damien and Alexandro had ess to it. A blue barrier stretched across the entrance to the fifth floor. When Damien ced his hand on it, the barrier was lifted. It was a magic circle that only Damien could deactivate. The two passed through the entrance into the fifth-floor storage. Inside, like the entrance, a mystical blue light pervaded. In the midst of the wavering blue light, something was floating. A crown hovered in the air, without any support. Embedded with a blue gem in its center, the crown emitted a mysterious aura. Damien¡¯s gaze towards the crown was cold. ¡°The Crown of the Spirit King.¡± That was the name of the floating crown. Despite its mysterious and beautiful appearance, it was a cursed item soaked in the blood of many. Many sacrifices had been made to obtain the Crown of the Spirit King. It was the most precious and dangerous item the White Bear Caravan had brought. Thus, they had set up a sealing magic circle specifically in the fifth-floor storage. Any other item would have had its power weakened. But the Crown of the Spirit King, instead of weakening, was fiercely emanating its power despite the sealing magic circle. Alexandro spoke. ¡°The sealing magic circle won¡¯t hold for much longer. At this rate, those inside Neo Seoul will notice it too.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s time toy out the bait.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s beginning?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°A grand stage of chaos will unfold.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Because of me, the caravan members are getting dragged into this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. We wouldn¡¯t have made it this far without you. Our lives are a gift from you. So don¡¯t speak of regret or futility. We share amon destiny.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s burn it all fiercely.¡± In Damien¡¯s cold eyes, a strange fire flickered. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 135 Chapter 135 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 135 Mandy returned with a serious expression after obtaining information linking the scavengers to the East District. This was not just any area; it was the East District. No matter how much authority Mandy had as a supervisor directly under the City Hall, she couldn¡¯t dare touch the East District. The East District was notoriously aggressive and powerful, beyond the control of a mere supervisor. She had to report it to her superiors and wait for their decision. After Mandy left, a brief period of peace settled in. Brielle went back to her room to work on alchemy or research, while Zeon sat on the living room sofa. Beyond the red neon sign, the City Hall was visible. Even at night, the City Hall shone brightly like a lighthouse. The City Hall was a symbol of Neo Seoul. For everyone living in Neo Seoul and the slums, it was andmark and a lifelong goal. If the City Hall copsed, the hope of those living in Neo Seoul would copse as well. Hence, it must continue to stand. ¡°Ha!¡± Zeon sighed and shook his head. The more he thought about it, the moreplicated his feelings became. At that moment. ¡°Brother!¡± Levin burst in through the door. Zeon stood up and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± ¡°You were at home? What about Brielle?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in her room.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Levin nodded and approached Zeon. Zeon frowned slightly. There were red stains on Levin¡¯s clothes. It was undoubtedly blood. Noticing Zeon¡¯s gaze, Levin smirked and said. ¡°It¡¯s not my blood.¡± ¡°Did you get into a fight?¡± ¡°With the scavengers.¡± ¡°They¡¯re spreading like a virus.¡± Levin nodded as if he was fed up. ¡°I don¡¯t know where all these scavengers were hiding. They¡¯re swarming out as if they¡¯ve lost all fear.¡± Scavengers never targeted high-ranking Awakeneds. Their method of distinguishing high-ranking Awakeneds was simple. It was all about their attire and weaponry. The higher the rank, the better their weapons and items. Scavengers never touched such individuals. They thoroughly targeted the weak. Ordinary people or Awakeneds who didn¡¯t seem strong were their targets. Among them, the scavengers persistently targeted lower-ranked Awakeneds. Lower-ranked Awakeneds had moderately valuable weapons, armor, and other items, which were the scavengers¡¯ goals. Levin appeared to be a typical lower-ranked Awakened at first nce. That made him a target for the scavengers. Of course, the scavengers who attacked him without fear were all killed by Levin. Levin grumbled. ¡°Because of the items leaked from the White Bear Caravan, the scavengers have lost all restraint. E-rank and F-rank Awakeneds, who are their targets, are in a state of emergency.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡± Zeon nodded. The slums were in chaos due to the scavengers. Ethan, the ruler of Sinchon, had tried to exterminate the scavengers, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Zeon was about to speak when. Thud! Suddenly, a strong vibration was felt from the desert. Zeon looked towards the desert, feeling the intense, heart-pounding sensation. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, brother?¡± Levin looked at Zeon with a puzzled expression. Unlike Zeon, he didn¡¯t feel anything. The strong vibration disappeared as quickly as a mirage. It was so subtle that only an Awakened at Zeon¡¯s level could sense it. Even though Levin had recently reached C-rank and his senses had sharpened, he couldn¡¯t detect it at all. ¡®What is it?¡¯ The vibration came from the White Bear Caravan¡¯s fortress. Zeon put on his robe. ¡°I guess I have to go.¡± ¡°Are you going out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading to the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°You too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to go together than alone.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± The two stepped outside together. But the atmosphere in the slums was unusual. Most people on the streets were tense and vignt. Although the people in the slums generally distrusted others, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t usually this hostile. The scavenger outbreak had significantly altered the mood in the slums. Zeon and Levin passed through the slums and entered the Goblin Market. The atmosphere in the Goblin Market was no different from the slums. Due to a recent explosion, the market¡¯s atmosphere was even more grim. Thorough inspections were conducted from the entrance, and anyone without clear identification was denied entry. Naturally, the number of people visiting the Goblin Market decreased. Even so, the merchants did notin. Zeon went straight to Yoo Se-hee¡¯s office. ¡°Wee! What brings you here?¡± Yoo Se-hee greeted Zeon while she was engrossed in something. ¡°I just came to see how the Goblin Market is doing.¡± ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s a mess.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°You came at the right time. Take a look at this.¡± Yoo Se-hee waved a piece of paper in her hand. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Read it yourself.¡± Zeon took the paper from her and read it. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s an invitation. An invitation from the White Bear Caravan.¡± ¡°It says they¡¯re holding an auction.¡± ¡°They¡¯re bold. They¡¯ve sent out dozens of these invitations.¡± Yoo Se-hee had an incredulous look on her face. The items that had already been leaked caused chaos in Neo Seoul, and now they were openly distributing invitations for a public auction, hinting at selling even more extraordinary items. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Who received the invitations?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious. Anyone with power in Neo Seoul got one.¡± ¡°Looks like they¡¯re nning to stir things up on a grand scale.¡± ¡°The problem is that the scale they¡¯re aiming for might shake Neo Seoul to its core.¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s top priority was the Goblin Market. She had worked hard to stabilize it over decades, but now the caravan from outside was disrupting the order of the slums and the Goblin Market. She was not pleased with the current situation. ¡°Did you say they¡¯re holding an auction?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Can I go with you?¡± ¡°You want to participate too?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Yoo Se-hee stared intently at Zeon for a moment. Under her piercing gaze, Levin, who was standing nearby, felt somewhat intimidated. ¡°Alright! You qualify to participate anyway.¡± Yoo Se-hee agreed readily. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No need to thank me. If you really wanted, you could easily get an invitation like this.¡± ¡°But I still appreciate it.¡± Without Yoo Se-hee, it would have been quite troublesome. At that moment, Levin, seizing the opportunity, spoke. ¡°Could I possibly get some potions?¡± ¡°Potions?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Those are quite rare. What kind do you need?¡± Yoo Se-hee frowned. Potions were generally expensive. The problem wasn¡¯t just the cost; they were also rare. The ingredients were very costly, and there were very few alchemists capable of making them. ¡°The ones that have just started circting recently.¡± ¡°Ah, the antidote potions.¡± Yoo Se-hee suddenly chuckled. Antidote potions were a recently released item. After rigorous testing, only a small quantity was released, but they were very popr. There were many monsters that carried deadly poisons. To deal with such monsters, antidote potions were essential. However, due to the limited supply, it was difficult for Awakeneds without connections, like Levin, to obtain them. The existing antidote potions were scarce and not very effective. Despite their poor efficacy, people bought them out of necessity. However, the antidote potions recently distributed in the Goblin Market were different. Though expensive, their efficacy far surpassed that of other potions. They were said to be almost three times more effective. As a result, Awakeneds preparing for dungeon raids were desperately trying to get their hands on these antidote potions. Levin spoke cautiously. ¡°I tried to buy some at the shop, but they were sold out due to high demand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re still in the early stages of production. Are you nning to use them yourself?¡± ¡°I want to have some as an emergency reserve.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good mindset.¡± Yoo Se-hee nodded and thought of Brielle. ¡®That cheeky kid hasn¡¯t told him yet. Well, I¡¯ll keep the secret too.¡¯ The creator of the antidote potions was Brielle. When Yoo Se-hee made and tested the antidote potions based on the recipe Brielle provided, she was incredibly shocked. The potions were far superior in performance to any existing ones. It was hard to believe that such an amazing potion was made by such a young girl. As promised, Yoo Se-hee kept Brielle¡¯s identity as the creator of the antidote potions a secret. There was no reason to expose the goose thatid the golden eggs. The secret was so well-kept that even Levin, who lived with Brielle, didn¡¯t know she was the creator of the antidote potions. Yoo Se-hee took out an antidote potion from a drawer and tossed it to Levin. ¡°It¡¯s valuable, so keep it safe.¡± ¡°Oh! Thank you. The cost¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift, so just take it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°If you really want to repay me, buy some snacks for the kid.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Brielle, I mean.¡± ¡°Why buy snacks for Brielle?¡± ¡°Just buy them for her. No questions asked.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Levin answered with a puzzled expression. Seeing his confusion made her smile. ¡°Haha!¡± ¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± A scavenger in shabby clothes was making a choking sound. He was actually on the verge of death. ¡°Please, spare me¡­¡± ¡°Pathetic!¡± The person looking down at the scavenger scoffed. She was a woman wearing a fedora and a trench coat. Her name was Borin Strabach. She was the captain of the Blue Leaf Special Forces in the North District. The scavenger dying before her was extremely unlucky. He had targeted Borin, the captain of the Blue Leaf Special Forces, for his robbery. He had no idea that the person he attacked was the captain of the Blue Leaf Special Forces. The price he paid was his life. Though he wasn¡¯t dead yet, it was inevitable. No one could survive with their intestines spilling out of their abdomen. That was the scavenger¡¯s condition. Borin muttered coldly. ¡°You think you can attack an elf and live?¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know you were an elf. Please, spare me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± ¡°Damn elf. Go to hell.¡± Finally giving up on survival, the scavenger cursed. Those were hisst words. Borin sighed as she looked at the scavenger¡¯s corpse. At that moment, something caught her eye. It was an item protruding from the scavenger¡¯s pocket. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± She picked up the item and looked at it in disbelief. It was a ne. The ne had a leather cord and a pendant engraved with an unknown symbol. The pendant, identical to a coin, emitted a familiar scent. It was a scent that only elves could detect, not humans. It was the scent of a Cloud Tree. And Cloud Trees only grew in Kurayan. ¡°A ne made from a Cloud Tree. How did this end up in a human¡¯s possession¡­?¡± As far as she knew, the only person in Neo Seoul who had such a ne was the Elf Queen, Serian Oliana. An item that didn¡¯t exist in Neo Seoul had suddenly appeared. And in a human¡¯s possession. Borin looked toward the desert. ¡°Could it havee from the caravan?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 136 Chapter 136 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 136 Serian Olliana gazed at the Cloud Tree ne, her eyes filled with ripples of emotion. ¡°How is this possible?¡± ¡°A scavenger had it. It seems to havee from the White Bear Caravan.¡± ¡°The Cloud Tree only grows in the Poellin Mountains in Kurayan. The elves of the Poellin Mountains use this ne as a sacred item.¡± Serian recalled her memories from before she came to Earth. For elves, a few hundred years is not a long time, but sinceing to Earth, Serian had been so busy that many of her memories had faded. As a result, she had to make great efforts to revive those memories. ¡°Poellin elves give this ne as a gift when they interact with elves from other regions.¡± Serian took off the ne she was wearing. It was the same type of ne that Borin had brought. ¡°The Cloud Tree has long been used as a medium between elves and spirits. So, elves with this ne can easily form contracts with spirits. I, too, was able to form a contract with a spirit because of it¡­¡± Her eyes grew misty. At one time, she had formed a contract with a spirit. She couldn¡¯t describe how happy she was when she first made the contract. The contract with the spiritpleted her, and she felt immense satisfaction. But the small, cute spirit no longer exists by her side. The connection with the spirit was severed when she crossed from Kurayan to Earth. Spirits are one of the elements of that world. Being part of Kurayan, they cannot leave it. Thus, they couldn¡¯t cross to Earth with Serian and remained in Kurayan. The loss and shock Serian felt when her connection with the spirit was forcibly severed were indescribable. It took her ten days and nights of suffering to finally recover physically and mentally and ept reality. It wasn¡¯t just her. All the elves who crossed from Kurayan to Earth had their connections with the spirits forcibly severed. Although the connection with the spirits was severed, the Cloud Tree ne remained a precious item for the elves. It was a symbol of hope that they might reconnect with the spirits someday. ¡°Elves cherish this ne until they die. When their life ends and they return to nature, they pass it on to their sessors, continuing the legacy.¡± Elves born on Earth do not have Cloud Tree nes. The Cloud Trees could no longer be obtained, nor were there any Poellin elves to make the nes. ¡°This must belong to an elf who came over from Kurayan. How on earth did the humans get this?¡± ¡°That, I cannot say.¡± ¡°We need to find out. How they got it, and how many they have. If they have more, we need to recover all of them.¡± ¡°What if the humans refuse to hand them over?¡± ¡°We must recover them, regardless.¡± ¡°By force, if necessary?¡± ¡°I told you, the Cloud Tree ne is the contact point between elves and spirits. If spirits are born on Earth someday, this ne will y a crucial role.¡± ¡°Understood. I will make sure to recover them all.¡± Borin replied with a determined expression. Serian, looking at her for a moment, took out a piece of paper from a drawer. ¡°Coincidentally, the White Bear Caravan has sent an invitation. Show this, and you should be able to get inside easily.¡± At that moment, ¡°Wait!¡± Someone opened the door and entered Serian¡¯s room. Serian frowned at the rude intruder. ¡°I know the Blue Leaf Task Force is impressive, but we cannot entrust the fate of the elves to them alone.¡± The intruder spoke boldly. Anyone else would have been immediately thrown out or severely punished for such behavior. But the intruder had enough qualifications to justify it. ck hair down to the waist, ck eyes, and even the tightly-fitting ck outfit¡ªeverything was ck. The intruder¡¯s name was Eli. Serian¡¯s confidant and the second-inmand of the North District. Nicknamed the Spider Queen. Though not actually rted to spiders, her attire and aura earned her that name. Borin frowned unconsciously at Eli¡¯s appearance. Eli¡¯s decadent atmosphere and manner of speech, so unlike other elves, naturally irritated her. Serian asked Eli, ¡°What do you mean? Do you not trust the Blue Leaf Task Force?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust them. I just think we shouldn¡¯t entrust such a significant task to them alone.¡± ¡°So, you want to take on the task yourself?¡± ¡°No, but I think it would be better to assign additional support to the Blue Leaf Task Force.¡± ¡°Really? Who do you suggest?¡± ¡°I think the Thorn Attack Squad would be a good choice.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they too aggressive?¡± Serian hesitated. The Thorn Attack Squad was one of the elite forces in the North District. Composed of a hundred members, they were elite warriors who fought against humans constantly targeting elves. They were human hunters who relentlessly pursued and avenged any harm done to elves by humans. Thus, all Awakeneds from other Districts avoided the Thorn Attack Squad. Eli emphasized, ¡°That¡¯s precisely why we need them. Their aggressiveness andbat power will suppress any human provocations.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Serian nodded. Meanwhile, Borin lowered her head, saying nothing. She bit her lips to hold back her anger. What Eli said was effectively a statement of distrust in the Blue Leaf Task Force. Eli was always like this. She was strangely cautious of Borin and the Blue Leaf Task Force. And she did it very cleverly. Whether Serian understood Borin¡¯s feelings or not, she concluded decisively. ¡°Then the Blue Leaf Task Force will take the lead, and the Thorn Attack Squad will support them.¡± ¡°A wise choice.¡± ¡°We will follow your orders.¡± Eli and Borin responded simultaneously. *** [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Swoosh! Zeon showered, letting the hot water flow over his body. Water was scarce in this era. Going out into the desert made it hard to find even drinking water, let alone take a shower. Being able to shower like this was possible only in Neo Seoul. Underneath Neo Seoul, there was a resource recovery facility. The water and sewage used in Neo Seoul were gathered and purified there, then supplied to the slums. Thanks to this, people in the slums could use water without shortage. This was another benefit of civilization. Zeon finished his shower, wrapped a towel around his waist, and stepped out. ¡°Hyung?¡± ¡°That wound¡­.¡± Levin and Brielle, who were in the living room, were startled when they saw Zeon. It was because they saw numerous wounds on Zeon¡¯s body. There were countless scars densely engraved on his upper and lower body, visible through the towel. Among them, the most noticeable was arge scar connecting his chest and abdomen. If one had received such a wound, their chest bone would have been broken, and their organs would have spilled out, leading to death. Even the most effective potion couldn¡¯t have healed such a wound. At least that¡¯s what they knew frommon knowledge. Despite having suffered such immense wounds, Zeon was still alive. There were many other prominent scars as well. It was unbelievable that one person could have so many scars on their body. ¡°Hyung, you have wounds all over your body¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Zeon finally noticed that the two were staring at him and smiled awkwardly. Meanwhile, Brielle couldn¡¯t close her mouth that had fallen open. ¡®What kind of life has been living?¡¯ They had never seen scars like Zeon¡¯s, even on elves or humans. Even the slightest scar would have been fatal for an ordinary person. Yet, Zeon¡¯s body had more than dozens of such wounds. There were so many scars that it was hard to see bare skin. Through the scars, Brielle glimpsed into Zeon¡¯s life. ¡®He must have fought relentlessly to get here.¡¯ Only then did she understand why Zeon seemed so listless. Unless absolutely necessary, Zeon stayed holed up at home. In a way, it was a life of leisure. But seeing Zeon¡¯s scars, she understood his actions. Having fought until his body became like that, he must have been very exhausted. Returning to his hometown of Neo Seoul in such a state, rest must have been desperately needed. For someone who had burned everything to gain vigor again, he needed time to recharge, and now was that time for Zeon. Contrary to the heavy atmosphere, Zeon smiled lightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Everyone lives with scars like this.¡± ¡°Who would have such wounds¡­¡± ¡°Ordinary people would die from just one of these wounds.¡± ¡°Maybe because I was raised roughly by an old man since I was young, my body is quite sturdy.¡± Zeon put on his clothes. With each piece of clothing, the scars were covered up. Finally, when he had put on all his clothes, no scars could be seen on him. He looked clean as if he had lived an easy life without any hardships. Without seeing Zeon directly, Brielle and Levin would never have imagined that there were so many scars hidden under his clothes. Seeing Zeon pick up the invitation card on the table, Brielle said, ¡°Are we going now?¡± ¡°The auction is about to start soon.¡± ¡°I want toe too.¡± ¡°Me too, hyung!¡± Brielle and Levin said they would follow. Zeon nodded his head. ¡°Sure! Let¡¯s go together.¡± They were the kind of kids who would follow even if told not to. It was more reassuring to go together from the beginning. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The two followed Zeon as if they had been waiting for him. When they entered the desert, leaving the slums behind, Brielle suddenly pointed to the opposite side. There were numerous people moving. It was a procession heading towards the White Bear Caravan. Levin said, ¡°West District, East District, huh? And there, the Awakeneds from the South District. And those are elves, Awakeneds from the North District. What? Awakeneds from all Districts of Neo Seoul are here. Is the City Hall the only ce left? This is insane!¡± He shivered involuntarily. Despite having lived in Neo Seoul all his life, he had never seen so many Awakeneds before. Levin felt his whole body shrink for no reason. Although he had awakened a rare ability, he was still a young boy. In the face of such an overwhelming sight, he could only feel overwhelmed. Brielle stared nkly at the Awakeneds from the North District. The North District was entirely made up of elves. Even for her, a High Elf, it was the first time she had seen so many elves. Her gaze towards the elves wasplex and subtle. Humans remaining in the human world, and elves who had assimted into human society. Their atmosphere was closer to humans than elves. Before living in Neo Seoul, she would have scorned elves assimted into human society. She would have criticized them for losing their elven identity. ¡®Who am I to criticize? I¡¯m no different from them.¡¯ In a way, she was even more corrupted than them. No matter how much she med it on the threat from humans, she even created drugs. Countless humans died miserably from the drugs she created. Her original sin would never disappear, no matter what. That¡¯s why, even if she broke free from the pact, she couldn¡¯t dare to return to the High Elf vige. In the end, it was her fate to spend her life here. Living like this, she would eventually change, just like them. ¡®Even now, to others, I must seem the same as them¡­.¡¯ Levin asked her as she stared nkly at the elves, ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Brielle shook her head and walked away hastily. Levin nced at her back for a moment before following her. Zeon also thought as he walked with them. ¡®Gathering all these people in one ce, it must also be your n.¡¯ As if answering his question, Damien appeared standing high in the fortress. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 137 Chapter 137 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 137 The White Bear Caravan opened the fortress gates wide, weing guests inside. ¡°It¡¯s more spacious than it looks from outside.¡± ¡°Wow! A fortress made out of stacked supply wagons. It looks pretty sturdy.¡± Visitors from outside marveled at the interior of the fortress. ¡°This is something worth studying in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°It would be useful to build shelters like this for long-distance expeditions.¡± Neo Seoul was constantly attempting to expand its territory, seeking habitable areas to establish satellite cities. However, all their efforts ended in failure. Specially designed vehicles broke down in the desert sands or were incapacitated by sandworms. Even when they managed to build a shelter, it was often destroyed by monster attacks. Given these circumstances, the n to establish satellite cities had been practically abandoned. ¡°Building a fortress with reinforced vehicles? That¡¯s worth a try.¡± The White Bear Caravan¡¯s fortress inspired many Awakeneds. Zeon understood their reactions. Anyone stepping inside for the first time would be overwhelmed by the unexpectedly vast and impressive interior. The atmosphere inside the fortress was indeed remarkable. At that moment, a woman approached Zeon. ¡°So you¡¯re here too.¡± The woman who spoke to Zeon was Borin, the captain of the Blue Leaf Task Force. ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see you here again.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Zeon treated Borin nonchntly, but Levin and Brielle were different. Levin clenched his fists, ready to attack, and Brielle disyed strong wariness. Borin smiled bitterly, knowing why they reacted this way. ¡°Calm down, boy! And you too, little elf. You¡¯re not my target today.¡± ¡°Expecting us to trust you after what you did? That¡¯s quite a thief¡¯s nerve.¡± Borin couldn¡¯t find a retort to Brielle¡¯s sharp remark. No matter the circumstances, what she had done was inexcusable. She looked at Zeon. ¡°Just trust that we¡¯re not enemies today.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Borin stepped back. At that moment, Alexandro, the leader of the White Bear Caravan, appeared. ¡°Thank you all foring here. Now, we¡¯ll reveal the real items our caravan has brought.¡± His expression radiated confidence. Meanwhile, the Awakeneds looked at him with a mix of greed and suspicion. So far, the items released by the White Bear Caravan had thrown Neo Seoul into chaos. While these items were not extraordinary, they were rare and hard to find in Neo Seoul. Observing their reactions, Alexandro continued. ¡°The items up for auction this time are all from dungeons. There are thirty items in total, and they are rare finds that have never been discovered elsewhere.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the Awakeneds buzzed with excitement. ¡°Dungeon items?¡± ¡°Are there really that many here?¡± ¡°They came prepared.¡± Their reactions were understandable. Dungeon items were hard toe by since not all dungeons contained items. Even if a dungeon was sessfully cleared, there was no guarantee of finding any items. Therefore, dungeon items were extremely rare. The items obtained from clearing a dungeon were typically kept by the clearing team or their affiliated district, making them rarely avable on the market. Ordinary Awakeneds seldom even got a glimpse of these rare items. Having thirty of them here was hard to believe. Everyone knew that dungeon items were far superior to workshop-made items, but their rarity meant that most Awakeneds never had the chance to see them. Given this, it was only natural for greed to appear on the faces of the Awakeneds. The atmosphere in the hall heated up rapidly. Sensing the shift, Brielle whispered to Zeon. ¡°Are dungeon items really that good?¡± ¡°There are plenty who¡¯d risk their lives for one.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯s just an item.¡± ¡°That little item can mean the difference between life and death, or gaining power.¡± ¡°Human greed really knows no bounds.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that greed that allowed humans to build a grand city in this desert. Without such desires, they wouldn¡¯t have survived in this ruined world.¡± ¡°In that sense, it¡¯s impressive. It¡¯s something elves could never match.¡± Brielle shook her head slightly. The High Elf vige she lived in was on a cliff. They had carved out caves to live in. Though Kurayan lived in trees, finding trees in the desertified Earth was harder than finding a well. Thus, elves had also resorted to carving out cliffs to survive. If elves had the same intense desires as humans, they might have built a city rivaling Neo Seoul. They had the skills and knowledge to do so. But elves were stagnant and had ceased to progress long ago. Brielle felt a deep sense of regret about this. Alexandro then spoke. ¡°Now, we will take those with invitations to the fourth floor where the items are. Only those with invitations may go up, and theirpanions must wait here.¡± Only those with invitations, like Zeon, were allowed to go to the fourth floor. Others had to stay behind. From the West District, a man named Cha Jin-cheol came. From the South District, Pan Cheong-cheon arrived. From the North District, Borin attended, and from the East District, Raven was present. Raven¡¯s eyes, hidden behind sunsses, wavered. He had spotted Zeon. ¡®Of all people, that monster had toe.¡¯ Having already shed with Zeon, he knew how powerful he was. Only by fighting him did one realize how fierce and destructive he could be. Alone, Raven knew he couldn¡¯t defeat Zeon. But he wasn¡¯t alone. He had other Awakeneds from the East District with him. With them, he could take on Zeon. Meanwhile, Pan Cheong-cheon was also keeping an eye on Zeon. ¡®So that¡¯s Zeon.¡¯ The man was suspected to be in some way connected to Tajik¡¯s death. Though there was no clear evidence. ¡®This should be interesting.¡¯ A sly smile spread across Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s face. Representatives from all districts hade to attend the auction, showing great interest in the items the White Bear Caravan was putting up for sale. ¡®Let¡¯s see what kind of items they¡¯ve brought to make such a fuss.¡¯ Alexandro led the group to the fourth floor. ¡°This is it.¡± He confidently opened the door to the fourth-floor storage room. A powerful aura emanated from the room the moment the door opened. The faces of the Awakeneds, including Borin, stiffened. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°This?¡± They were all high-ranking Awakeneds, ustomed to many items and sensitive to the aura and mana they emitted. Their skin tingled, and their hearts raced, a testament to the high purity of mana emanating from these items. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Items with this level of mana were rare. Zeon stood with his arms crossed, observing the inside of the storage room. Like the others, he felt the powerful aura of the items. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ Zeon had conquered numerous dungeons while traversing the desert, encountering many dungeon items along the way. Therefore, he could tell. The items in this storage room were incredibly rare. Zeon¡¯s gaze drifted to Damien, standing in a corner of the room. ¡®That must be his work.¡¯ None of the other attendees paid any attention to Damien, who had thoroughly concealed his presence. But Zeon knew Damien¡¯s true nature better than anyone. ¡®Damien is a Navigator, specialized in finding paths. He would be excellent at locating dungeons. The items the White Bear Caravan obtained must have alle from dungeons Damien found.¡¯ While not quite matching Zeon¡¯s ability to manipte desert sand at will, Damien had his own formidable skills. Alexandro introduced the first item. ¡°This item was obtained after a challenging conquest of the Blue Forest Dungeon. It is none other than Nyalia¡¯s Bow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡± Borin was the first to react when the first item was introduced. She felt the refreshing mana aura emanating from Nyalia¡¯s Bow. ¡®It¡¯s an elf item.¡¯ As an elf, she was certain. The items used by elves in Kurayan had a distinctive aura. ¡®Nyalia is one of the elf heroes. A bow named after her must be acquired at all costs.¡¯ Borin didn¡¯t know why Nyalia¡¯s Bow had be the dungeon core, but she had to obtain it as it was a weapon of an elf hero. ¡°Nyalia¡¯s Bow?¡± ¡°It looks extraordinary.¡± ¡°Starting with an exceptional item.¡± The murmuring of the other participants made Borin¡¯s expression urgent. If a bidding war started, securing Nyalia¡¯s Bow might be difficult. If that bow ended up in the hands of another faction, retrieving it would be impossible. ¡®Shit! I need to secure it beforepetition arises.¡¯ As Borin steeled herself, Alexandro announced the starting bid. ¡°As the first item, we¡¯ll start at a modest price. The bidding starts at one ton of Mana Stones, 1,000 kg.¡± Alexandro smiled as he announced the starting price. The currency of Neo Seoul was Sol, but it was only used within Neo Seoul. In other colonies, Neo Seoul¡¯s currency held little value. Unless inter-colony trade became more frequent, there was no reason to use Neo Seoul¡¯s currency when they only met once in several decades. Hence, Mana Stones were used as a substitute currency. In Neo Seoul and other colonies, Mana Stones were crucial. One ton of Mana Stones could sustain most colonies for several months. In Neo Seoul¡¯s currency, that was a million Sol¡ªa huge sum. But Borin called out the enormous sum without hesitation. ¡°1,000 kg of Mana Stones.¡± ¡°Oh! We have a bid. Any other takers?¡± ¡°1,500 kg.¡± Cha Jin-cheol from the West District entered the bidding. And so it began. ¡°1,700 kg.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with 1,800 kg.¡± Bidders from the East and South Districts joined in, heating up the atmosphere. It was a troubling situation for Borin but understandable for the others. Though they couldn¡¯t gauge the power of Nyalia¡¯s Bow without touching it, its aura alone suggested it was extraordinary. If such an item fell into another district¡¯s hands, their power would increase significantly, potentially disrupting the bnce of power. ¡°2,200 kg.¡± ¡°2,400 kg.¡± The bids kept rising with no end in sight. It was time to make a decisive move. Borin shouted. ¡°4,000 kg!¡± A price almost double the previous bid made the other bidders hesitate. ¡°Tsk! We can¡¯t spend so much from the start when we don¡¯t know what other good items mighte up.¡± ¡°Just draining the North District¡¯s funds is enough. We¡¯ll aim for other items.¡± Obviously, each district had limited resources of Mana Stones. Spending too much on an unverified item early on meant they might not have enough for truly essential itemster. No other bids came in, and Nyalia¡¯s Bow went to Borin. But the real auction had just begun. ¡°The next item is¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 138 Chapter 138 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 138 Many items were auctioned off and found new owners. The items offered by the White Bear Caravan all possessed extraordinary capabilities. The performance of the items made the responsible parties¡¯ eyes widen with excitement. The initialposure was gone, reced by frenzied bidding. Naturally, the auction amounts skyrocketed exponentially. It was worrying enough to wonder if each district¡¯s finances might copse. Pan Cheong-cheon shook his head at the madness. ¡®This is insane!¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t criticize others¡ªhe was also swept up in the frenzy. When he first arrived at the auction, he intended to observe from a distance. However, the items offered by the White Bear Caravan were so impressive that even Pan Cheong-cheon dropped his doubts and participated in the bidding. He secured Astro¡¯s me Sword, the Crown of the Old Serpent, and the Shield of the Fallen Star. All three were items with special properties that could be significant assets depending on their use. Borin, Cha Jin-cheol, Pan Cheong-cheon, and Raven all actively participated in the auction and acquired items. The Cloud Tree Ne was also auctioned off. Borin actively participated and managed to secure the remaining nes. The auction continued fiercely. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe such items exist. This is crazy!¡± Brielle and Levin were continuously amazed by the auction items. Being young, they had rarely seen items excavated from dungeons. The items showcased by the White Bear Caravan seemed fascinating to them. Until then, Zeon had merely observed without participating in the auction. The items in the White Bear Caravan¡¯s auction were indeed valuable. However, they didn¡¯t meet Zeon¡¯s high standards. Watching many items find their new owners, Zeon thought. ¡®Too ordinary.¡¯ Items emit unique waves and mana. The higher the quality of the item, the stronger the waves it emits. The items in the auction also emitted unique waves and presences. However, the wave Zeon felt yesterday was far beyond this level. He vividly remembered the intense and chilling feeling that had shaken his heart. At that moment, ¡°The next item is the Warden¡¯s Shackles, obtained with great difficulty from the Gehuls Dungeon, and its abilities are yet to be discovered.¡± Alexandro brought out thest auction item. The item was a shackle used to bind prisoners. Zeon had never seen an item like this before. As soon as he saw the shackles, Zeon¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. He felt an indescribable ominous energy. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Zeon stared intently at the shackles. But there was nothing to discern by looking alone. The additional effects of an item do not appear in precise numbers. They must be discovered through direct use by the owner. Since it was an item from a dungeon, it would naturally have various options attached. At that moment, Zeon noticed Damien standing behind Alexandro. Damien had a bright smile as if something amused him. Sensing Zeon¡¯s gaze, Damien looked over. Damien gave a slight wave, acknowledging Zeon. To someone who didn¡¯t know Damien, he might appear innocent. But Zeon wasn¡¯t deceived by Damien¡¯s facade. Damien was not a young boy. Just as Zeon had grown over eight years wandering the desert, Damien had also experienced much and grown. Eight years was a long enough time to turn a boy into a man and an innocent child into a cunning adult. Only Damien knew what kind of adult he had be during those years. ¡®Damien!¡¯ As if hearing Zeon¡¯s voice, Damien smiled even more brightly and nodded. While Zeon was preupied with Damien, the Warden¡¯s Shackles fell into Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s hands. Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s eyes gleamed menacingly as he became the owner of the shackles for a hefty price of ten tons of Mana Stones. ¡®That¡¯s mine.¡¯ From the moment he first saw the Warden¡¯s Shackles, Cha Jin-cheol couldn¡¯t take his eyes off them. He felt a strange attraction to them. It was a feeling he had never experienced before. He was the right-hand man of Kim Hyun-soo, the ruler of the West District. Naturally, he had received Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s favor and reced most of his body with machinery. Though he appeared to be an ordinary human, beneath the artificial skin, oil flowed, and gears turned. Only his head and torso remained human. Having reced his limbs with powerful machinery, he had little need for additional items. Hence, he had no reason to be interested. But the Warden¡¯s Shackles were different. Though he didn¡¯t know why, he felt a powerful, almost spiritual pull towards them from the moment he saw them. It was questionable whether someone who had reced his limbs with machinery still possessed a human soul, but that was how he felt. At that moment, Pan Cheong-cheon spoke. ¡°Is that all the items the White Bear Caravan has prepared?¡± ¡°Of course not. We still have many items left.¡± ¡°Why not auction them all today?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fun to reveal everything at once, would it? Besides, the highlight is still toe.¡± ¡°Highlight?¡± Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s eyes changed at Alexandro¡¯s response. The items presented so far by the White Bear Caravan had all been extraordinary. Hearing there was an even better item piqued his curiosity. Raven asked, ¡°What item is it? Will it be auctioned today?¡± ¡°Given its greatness, we n to schedule a separate auction for it.¡± ¡°Hmph! That sounds like a boast. It can¡¯t be that much better than the items here.¡± ¡°Of course, the items here are all excellent. We obtained them with great difficulty, and they are indeed valuable. But I can confidently say that the item on the fifth floor is on a different level. Whoever obtains it will gain power far beyond anything seen before.¡± Alexandro¡¯s words caused the auction participants to tense up. They couldn¡¯t know what the item was, but his confident im suggested it was extraordinary. Borin said, ¡°If it¡¯s that remarkable, I¡¯d like to see it.¡± ¡°We need to see it with our own eyes to determine how much Mana Stone to allocate for the next auction.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to see it.¡± As Pan Cheong-cheon and Raven agreed with Borin, Alexandro shrugged. ¡°Very well, let me show you. Follow me to see the secret item the White Bear Caravan has prepared.¡± Alexandro led the auction attendees to the fifth-floor storage room. Following behind, Damien discreetly deactivated the sealing magic circle. When Alexandro opened the storage room door, the expressions of the attendees changed dramatically. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Shit! What is this?¡± Their faces turned pale. All high-ranking Awakeneds, they immediately reacted to the ominous aura emanating from the storage room. Zeon¡¯s expression also grew serious. The wave he had felt yesterday was flowing out from this storage room. Damien approached Zeon from behind and spoke. ¡°Amazing, right?¡± ¡°What is this item?¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± Damien responded with a mysterious smile instead of an answer. In the center of the storage room, a crown embedded with a blue gemstone floated, radiating a mysterious aura. Borin, Raven, Cha Jin-cheol, and Pan Cheong-cheon were all captivated by the crown. Among them, Borin¡¯s eyes were particrly unsettled, as if struck by an earthquake. ¡°This scent of mana¡­¡± Elves in Kurayan were said to be able to smell the fragrance of mana. The air in Kurayan was so pure and clean, and with the blessing of the World Tree, they could sense a fragrance in the mana. However, the elves who came to Earth could no longer smell the scent of mana. The side effects of terraforming had ruined Earth. Pure mana like that in Kurayan did not exist on Earth. At one time, Ice Queen Serian had said she was saddened by no longer being able to smell the scent of mana. Back then, Borin didn¡¯t understand. Elves born on Earth had never smelled the scent of mana. But now, Borin understood why Serian had said that. She felt a refreshing sensation deep in her chest, as if her crown chakra was opening wide. No one needed to tell her; she knew this was the scent of mana. Borin asked, ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Crown of the Spirit King.¡± ¡°The Crown of¡­ the Spirit King? You mean this is rted to the Spirit King?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know. We found it in a dungeon known as the Spirit King¡¯s Tomb. Hundreds of Awakeneds lost their lives to obtain it.¡± ¡°What are its effects?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know. It¡¯s sealed. Perhaps the real Spirit King is sealed within.¡± Alexandro¡¯s words caused a stir among the crowd. Many things had crossed over from Kurayan, including elves, dwarves, and other races, as well as monsters. But one thing had note to Earth: Spirits. Earth was too damaged for spirits to survive, so there were no spirits on Earth. Thus, elves born on Earth had no memory of interacting with spirits. ¡®A crown that might have the Spirit King sealed within it. If the Spirit King revives, spirits might appear on Earth. Rebuilding Earth might not be a dream after all.¡¯ Spirits inherently possess nature-friendly attributes. If spirits were revived, nature would inevitably be restored. Borin felt her heart pounding. ¡®If the Spirit King is really sealed in there, we must secure it.¡¯ The Spirit King could be a blessing or a curse. If a good person contracted with the Spirit King, it would be a blessing for Earth. If an evil person did, it would be a global catastrophe. Borin spoke, ¡°Are you really putting that up for auction?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Selling such a dangerous item by auction¡ªis that sane?¡± ¡°How can you be sure it¡¯s dangerous?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an item that has never been used. We don¡¯t know its capabilities. Judging an item to be dangerous just because of its name is iprehensible.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s really rted to the Spirit King, we elves should manage it. Just sell it to us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible. We have our caravan rules.¡± ¡°Doing this won¡¯t be good for the White Bear Caravan.¡± ¡°Are you threatening us?¡± ¡°What if I am?¡± ¡°Then the others won¡¯t like it.¡± Alexandro smiled as he nced at the other district representatives. Only then did Borin realize her mistake. She had revealed her intentions too soon in front of herpetitors. Raven and others spoke. ¡°Rules are meant to be followed. Surely you don¡¯t think elves are exempt from human rules?¡± ¡°The Crown of the Spirit King. Quite tempting.¡± ¡°We must secure this.¡± All of them showed their greed. The Crown of the Spirit King emitted a presence on a different level from the items they had already obtained. They did not hide their greed. After all, they werepetitors, not allies. They didn¡¯t know exactly what the Crown of the Spirit King was, but they couldn¡¯t let the North District acquire it. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Borin bit her lip. The situation had already deteriorated beyond repair. There was nothing she could do now. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this decision today.¡± With those words, Borin stepped back. Zeon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®So, the auction was held to show this to the elves.¡¯ Now, he finally understood what Damien¡¯s n was. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 139 Eli¡¯s abode was located in the deepest underground part of the North District, quite the opposite of Serian and the other district rulers who preferred high ces. Before Eli, someone was kneeling on one knee. It was Mariel, the captain of the Thorn Attack Squad. Eli asked with a serious expression. ¡°So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s the Crown of the Spirit King?¡± ¡°Yes! I clearly heard them muttering that.¡± ¡°The Spirit King, the Spirit King¡­¡± Eli¡¯s expression turned grave. The Thorn Attack Squad had apanied Borin¡¯s Blue Leaf Task Force to the White Bear Caravan. Officially, they were there to assist, but their real mission was to gather information and report back to Eli. Eli was the second-inmand of the North District. She effectively managed the district on behalf of Serian. But no matter how well she managed, the glory always went to Serian. After a hundred years of this, she harbored a deep inferiorityplex toward Serian. This inferiorityplex made her more gloomy and drove her underground. ¡°How did Borin react?¡± ¡°It was the first time I¡¯ve seen her so serious. She even said, ¡®There might be the real Spirit King sealed inside that crown.¡¯¡± ¡°There might be the real Spirit King sealed inside? The Spirit King¡­¡± Even a low-ranking spirit would be a blessing, but if they could summon the real Spirit King, it could change the world, not just Neo Seoul. A glimmer of greed appeared on Eli¡¯s face. ¡°They¡¯re auctioning off the Crown of the Spirit King?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If Serian gets her hands on that crown, I¡¯ll never be able to surpass her.¡± Even now, the gap in power was vast. No matter how much Eli strengthened her influence in the shadows, the inherent difference in their powers couldn¡¯t be closed. Serian had the grace and power of a true queen. Eli was an exceptional Awakened, but she couldn¡¯t match Serian. That was why she remained second-inmand. Mariel asked cautiously. ¡°What will you do?¡± ¡°I need to get the Crown of the Spirit King before Serian does.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Leak the information to the Scavengers. Tell them there¡¯s a treasure in the caravan that can change the world. They¡¯ll definitely move. We¡¯ll seize the crown in the chaos.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Mariel replied with a firm expression. * * * After leaving the White Bear Caravan, Zeon, Levin, and Brielle headed to Old Man Klexi¡¯s shop. ¡°Give us some food.¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯m starving.¡± Levin and Brielle were moring for food even before sitting down. ¡°Didn¡¯t they feed you at the caravan?¡± ¡°Did you know about it?¡± ¡°How could I not know when you made such a fuss going there?¡± Klexi chuckled as he answered Zeon¡¯s question while preparing food. ¡°How were the items auctioned by the White Bear Caravan?¡± ¡°They all seemed quite useful.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard they were more than that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t win any bids myself.¡± ¡°Indeed, the true value of an item can only be known by its user.¡± ¡°Still, some items looked like they could be very useful.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then it¡¯s no coincidence that those folks are on the move.¡± Suddenly, Old Man Klexi frowned. Zeon looked at him curiously. ¡°Which folks?¡± ¡°The Scavengers. We¡¯ve detected unusual activity from them.¡± ¡°What do you mean by unusual?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve suddenly be very active, as if following someone¡¯s orders.¡± Old Man Klexi frowned deeply. Since the White Bear Caravan arrived, there had been a rapid increase in activity across Neo Seoul. Klexi didn¡¯t wee these changes. As people age, they tend to prefer stability. The adventurous spirit and dynamism of youth fade away. Klexi was the same. Although he didn¡¯t particrly like Neo Seoul or the slums, he didn¡¯t want them to change drastically in a short time either. Zeon asked. ¡°You think they¡¯re following someone¡¯s orders?¡± ¡°They¡¯re moving too systematically. Usually, Scavengers are chaotic and unpredictable, but not this time.¡± ¡°So you believe someone is controlling them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the only exnation. The problem is we don¡¯t know who¡¯s giving them orders.¡± ¡°Even with Argos¡¯s Eye, you can¡¯t find out?¡± ¡°Argos¡¯s Eye is effective mainly in the slums. It¡¯s difficult for us to fully grasp what¡¯s happening inside Neo Seoul.¡± Old Man Klexi honestly acknowledged his limits. The separation between Neo Seoul and the slums wasn¡¯t just about social status. It also meant a divide in information. In some ways, they were entirely different worlds. Thud! ¡°Here it is.¡± Old Man Klexi had already finished preparing the meal and brought it out. It was a rice bowl topped with a meat dish. ¡°Looks delicious.¡± ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± Levin and Brielle eagerly picked up their utensils. Zeon also grabbed his chopsticks and started eating. Old Man Klexi watched the three with a smile on his face. ¡®Seeing them so often has made me grow fond of them.¡¯ When Zeon first returned, he just thought of him as a mysterious bastard. Klexi didn¡¯t know what Zeon had gone through in the eight years he had been away, but he hade back a sly old fox. Klexi had tried to uncover Zeon¡¯s background but found nothing. At first, he was cautious, but over time, he had grown fond of Zeon. The same went for Brielle and Levin. Seeing them frequently had made them feel like real grandchildren to him. Though he had a real granddaughter elsewhere. After finishing their meal, the three of them walked home. When they reached a deserted street, Brielle spoke up. ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You know, about that thing.¡± ¡°What? The Crown of the Spirit King?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Do you really think the Spirit King is sealed inside?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Why?¡± ¡°I just had a bad feeling about it¡­¡± Brielle trailed off, her expression growing dark. ¡°You had a bad feeling?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What kind of feeling?¡± ¡°It sent shivers down my spine. I couldn¡¯t even breathe¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± Zeon nodded. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Brielle was a High Elf. Even though her senses had dulled from drug use, she was still far superior to regr elves. If she got chills, there was undoubtedly a good reason for it. Levin spoke cautiously. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too sensitive?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re just dense.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes! You dummy!¡± ¡°Damn! To be called dumb by an elf.¡± Levin grumbled, but he didn¡¯t look too upset. This kind of banter was typical for them. Watching them argue, Zeon fell into thought. ¡®If Brielle felt chills, then I wasn¡¯t mistaken.¡¯ Zeon had felt a simr sensation. It had been a long time since he experienced something like that. Zeon nced back toward the direction of the White Bear Caravan¡¯s fortress. The sky, entirely dyed in a red sunset, felt particrly eerie with the fortress standing tall under the blood-red sky. * * * During the day, the desert sand was hot enough to roast all living creatures, but at night, it cooled rapidly, as if to freeze everything in its path. With temperatures fluctuating by dozens of degrees between day and night, anyone venturing into the desert without proper preparation was bound to freeze or burn to death. Thus, those venturing into the desert had to be well-prepared. The people who had left Neo Seoul were no exception. Their preparation, however, seemed excessive. They wore camouge clothing that blended with the desert sand and were heavily armed with various weapons. These individuals, with their faces hidden by masks or scarves, were not normal. They were Scavengers. The Scavengers moved stealthily, concealing their presence as they headed toward the White Bear Caravan¡¯s fortress. Greed filled their eyes peeking through their masks. ¡®The Crown of the Spirit King.¡¯ ¡®Shit! This is a chance to change my fate.¡¯ ¡®If I get it, I can live in luxury for the rest of my life.¡¯ Treasure blinds people. The Crown of the Spirit King was valuable enough to do just that. The information about the Crown of the Spirit King in the White Bear Caravan spread rapidly among the Scavengers. Who started the rumor or provided the information didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was that obtaining the Crown of the Spirit King could change their fate. Scavengers acted immediately upon receiving the information. They knew the longer they hesitated, the further away the opportunity would slip. In the distance, they saw the fortress standing tall in the middle of the desert. They could see the Awakeneds standing guard on the fortress walls. Without any particr order, some Scavengers stepped forward. They were all long-range snipers. ¡°Hehe!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± Some wieldedrge sniper rifles, while others readied their bows. They simultaneously aimed and fired at the Awakeneds on guard. The Scavengers were certain their targets would fall. However, the next moment, something unexpected happened. Zing! A blue barrier formed in front of the Awakeneds, deflecting the bullets and arrows. The Scavengers recognized the blue barrier immediately. ¡°It¡¯s a barrier.¡± ¡°Shit! No wonder their guard seemedx.¡± The Scavengers exchanged nces. Normally, they would have retreated at this point. Attacking already prepared guards would only increase their own casualties. But Scavengers were not known for their rationality. ¡°The barrier can¡¯t be maintained indefinitely. It¡¯ll disappear soon.¡± ¡°If weunch a full attack, we can break the barrier quickly. Attack!¡± A few Scavengers incited the others, who quickly followed suit. ¡°Attack!¡± ¡°Charge!¡± The Scavengers surged forward like wild dogs, racing to be the first. More than a hundred Scavengers revealed themselves. ¡°It¡¯s an attack!¡± ¡°The Scavengers are attacking.¡± Thanks to the barrier, the Awakeneds of the White Bear Caravan survived and shouted out. ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± ¡°Get ready!¡± Inside the fortress, the Awakeneds were fully prepared to face the Scavengers. Alexandro and Damien watched the scene unfold. ¡°Just as you said, they attacked immediately.¡± ¡°Scavengers are the same everywhere. I knew they¡¯d move as soon as they got the information.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such a sudden assault. It means someone¡¯s controlling them.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long night.¡± ¡°Yes, a tough night. I¡¯m sorry, Captain, for dragging you into this.¡± ¡°Nonsense. Thanks to you, Yakutsk hase alive. Even if it were something worse, we wouldn¡¯t me you.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll make sure to burn them thoroughly so no one has any regrets.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± At that moment, the Scavengers reached the fortress entrance. Damien gave the order. ¡°Kill them all.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 140 Chapter 140 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 140 The Scavengers were essentially marauders. They survived by ambushing and killing others, taking their belongings. Even a hundred years ago, when the side effects of terraforming turned the entire Earth into a desert and humanity faced the brink of extinction, the Scavengers existed. Instead of fighting the monsters, they chose to kill their fellow humans to survive. Thus, humanity had to fight not only the monsters but also the Scavengers. After Neo Seoul established a firm system, the Scavengers lost their ce and fled to the desert. People thought there were no more Scavengers in Neo Seoul. Even if some remained, they believed it was a very small number. But the sheer number of Scavengers attacking the White Bear Caravan¡¯s fortress proved those people wrong. At a nce, there were over three hundred of them. ¡°Hehehe!¡± ¡°Die!¡± The Scavengers, who had been pretending to be normal people and Awakeneds in Neo Seoul, now unleashed their pent-up desires. ¡°You bastards, how dare you¡­¡± ¡°Block that side.¡± ¡°Send support over here.¡± The Awakeneds of the White Bear Caravan fought without a hint of panic or fear. The distance from the Yakutsk Colony to Neo Seoul was over a thousand kilometers. No matter how well Damien guided them to avoid danger, they couldn¡¯t avoid all monsters. Among the enemies they faced were Scavengers. Even in seemingly uninhabitable environments, the Scavengers survived. The Awakeneds of the White Bear Caravan gained experience fighting them. Naturally, they knew how to handle Scavengers. One tactic was fighting from within the fortress. They deliberately left only a narrow entrance open to lure the Scavengers in. No matter how many Scavengers there were, only a limited number could pass through the narrow entrance at once. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The Scavengers screamed as they died. ¡°Shit! This isn¡¯t working.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s climb the walls.¡± Eventually, some Scavengers decided to scale the fortress walls. But preparations had already been made for that. Crackle! Suddenly, sparks flew from the fortress¡¯s outer walls. High-voltage currents flowed along the walls. The Scavengers climbing the walls like cockroaches were electrocuted and fell. ¡°Hehe! Where do you think you¡¯re climbing, you rotten scavengers bastards?¡± A bald man appeared on the fortress wall. His name was Nathan. He was an Awakened who used electric-type magic. His rank wasn¡¯t high¡ªonly D-rank. But he could disy such strong power because the fortress walls were made of special materials. They conducted electricity well and amplified it several times. Thus, even with a D-rank Awakened sending currents, many Scavengers fell like flies. ¡°Hahaha! Come at me all you want. The White Bear Caravan will never fall.¡± ¡°That damn bastard¡­¡± ¡°Someone shut that guy up.¡± Enraged by Nathan¡¯s taunts, some Scavengers tried to climb the wall again. ¡°Idiots!¡± Nathan prepared to cast his magic as they rushed at him like moths to a me. If he sent a current, the Scavengers clinging to the wall would fall again. But Nathan couldn¡¯t cast his electric magic. Thud! An arrow flew from somewhere and pierced his head. ¡°Ugh!¡± Nathan looked in disbelief toward the direction the arrow came from. It had prated the barrier atop the fortress. He wanted to know how, but he didn¡¯t get the chance. Nathan staggered for a moment and then fell. He was dead. ¡°A nobody acting all high and mighty¡­¡± Someone scoffed at Nathan¡¯s falling corpse. It was the Awakened who had shot the arrow from a distance. He was quite far from the fortress. Around him was a group of people. They were heavily armed with robes and masks to conceal their identities. They looked simr to Scavengers but were different. Thergest man among them spoke to the archer. ¡°You¡¯re only bragging because you managed to prate the barrier with buffs.¡± ¡°Do you always have to say it like that, boss?¡± ¡°Stop showing off and prepare for battle.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The Awakened archer returned to his position. At that moment, a slender woman stepped out from the group. She spoke to the man addressed as boss. ¡°It¡¯s about time we get ready to join the fight, Brixton.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Brixton now. I¡¯m just another Scavenger. Don¡¯t forget that, Sister.¡± ¡°Hmph! Don¡¯t call me Sister.¡± ¡°If you had brainwashed them properly, we wouldn¡¯t need this hassle.¡± The woman, called Sister, was Kim Jae-kyung. Kim Jae-kyung and Brixton had brought their subordinates to participate in the battle for the Crown of the Spirit King. They had to ensure their identities remained hidden. That¡¯s why they were disguised as Scavengers. After ring at Brixton for a moment, Kim Jae-kyung turned back to the fortress. The battle between the White Bear Caravan and the Scavengers was reaching its peak. The entrance to the fortress was littered with corpses, and the defensive line seemed on the verge of copsing. Many Scavengers had died, but their spirit remained unbroken. ¡°Just a bit more effort.¡± ¡°Fuck! We¡¯re almost through.¡± The Scavengers shouted, desperate. Watching closely, Brixton said. ¡°Alright, it looks like they¡¯re almost through. Let¡¯s join the fray now. We¡¯ll sweep away both the Scavengers and the Caravan¡¯s Awakeneds in one go.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Brixton¡¯s subordinates responded in unison. But there was something strange about the look in their eyes, visible above their masks. All of their eyes were bloodshot. Kim Jae-kyung shook her head as she looked at them. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡®These crazy berserkers.¡¯ They were literal berserkers. They believed God was with them and would throw their lives away without hesitation. Although Kim Jae-kyung was fanatically devoted to Johan, she still felt unnerved by the berserkers¡¯ fanaticism. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Finish this before anyone else intervenes and then get out of here.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Brixton and the berserkers charged towards the fortress. ¡°Crazy bastards!¡± Kim Jae-kyung shook her head and followed them. With the addition of Brixton and the berserkers, the battlefield became even more chaotic. ¡°Aaagh!¡± ¡°Who the hell are these guys?¡± ¡°Damn it! Kill them all.¡± Screams and curses filled the air, and blood sttered everywhere. The White Bear Caravan was turning into and of death. * * * The news that the White Bear Caravan¡¯s fortress was being attacked spread throughout the slums. People gathered on the rooftops of tall buildings on the outskirts of the slums to watch the battle unfolding in the desert. ¡°What¡¯s going on? A new group joined the fight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too far to see clearly.¡± ¡°Shit! We need binocrs for this.¡± Ordinary people could only tell that a fight was happening but couldn¡¯t see the details. They didn¡¯t dare to get closer to the fortress. They knew that approaching the fortress would mean instant death for them. Watching from this distance was the best they could do. Just then, ¡°Move, you bugs.¡± ¡°Clear these people out.¡± A group arrived on the highest rooftop, forcing the slum dwellers to leave. The slum dwellers quickly descended without daring to resist. The leader of the group looked at the battlefield and muttered. ¡°They¡¯re fighting well.¡± The leader, dressed in a suit, had a rope coiled around his waist. It was the Warden¡¯s Shackles. The leader was Cha Jin-cheol. He was the right-hand man of Kim Hyun-soo, the tyrant of the West District, and had attended the auction as his representative. Kim Hyun-soo had given him the Warden¡¯s Shackles as a reward. To purchase the Warden¡¯s Shackles, he had used a whopping ten tons of Mana Stones. Despite its immense value, Kim Hyun-soo had given the item to Cha Jin-cheol without anypensation. Naturally, Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s loyalty to Kim Hyun-soo deepened. Cha Jin-cheol issued amand. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. Prepare to fire the railgun.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± His subordinates responded promptly and began assembling a long metal tube. The tube, ten meters long, was the barrel of a railgun. A railgun typically fired projectiles using powerful electromaic fields. The problem was generating the immense power needed to fire it in this era. The West District had reced the power source with magic and Awakeneds. They had enchanted the railgun¡¯s barrel and generated the necessary power with Mechanized Awakeneds. The railgun required so much power for each shot that it was ineffective against moving targets or monsters, which wouldn¡¯t wait for the railgun to charge. But it was different for an immobile fortress. No matter how fortified or enchanted, the railgun could breach its thick walls in one shot. As the railgun was set up, dozens of Awakeneds gathered around it. ¡°Charge it.¡± ¡°Charge!¡± In response, the Mechanized Awakeneds ced their arms against the railgun¡¯s barrel. Whirr! Their arms transformed with a mechanical sound, connecting to the railgun¡¯s barrel like charging devices. The Mechanized Awakeneds began supplying power to the railgun. The railgun¡¯s barrel emitted a resonant hum as it charged. Given its enormous size, it took a long time to fully charge. Finally, when the railgun was fully charged, the Mechanized Awakeneds detached from it. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Huff!¡± Their faces were pale from expending all their mana. Thirty Awakeneds copsed in exhaustion, but Cha Jin-cheol paid them no mind and gave the order. ¡°Fire.¡± ¡°Fire!¡± The only standing Awakened fired the railgun. Boom! The projectile flew at incredible speed and obliterated a section of the fortress wall. The sudden explosion caused both the Scavengers and the East District Awakeneds to pause. None had expected the fortress wall to be breached so quickly. But only for a moment, as they soon grasped the situation. ¡°The wall has fallen.¡± ¡°Damn bastards! You¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°Wipe them all out.¡± With the massive barrier gone, the Scavengers and the East District Awakeneds flooded into the fortress like a tidal wave. Alexandre¡¯s face showed signs of panic. ¡°What did they hit us with? How did they destroy the wall so easily?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. We anticipated this much.¡± Damien remained calm. No matter how well they had reinforced and enchanted the walls, he never expected them to hold forever. Although the wall had fallen sooner than expected, it wasn¡¯t a problem. Damien muttered, looking towards Neo Seoul. ¡®Come quickly, elves! The item you desire so desperately is right here.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 141 Chapter 141 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 141 Zeon stood on the rooftop of the tallest building in the slums, gazing out at the desert. The fierce desert wind blew as if it would sweep Zeon away at any moment, but his body remained unmoved, as if nailed down. Boom! Boom! In the distance, Awakened fighters were battling fiercely near the fortress. ¡°Scavengers, Dongdaemun fanatics, and their supporters. What a mess!¡± The Awakeneds from Dongdaemun wore masks and changed weapons to conceal their identities. However, there was one thing they couldn¡¯t hide: their skills. One of themon skills among the Dongdaemun Awakeneds was the ¡°Divine Radiance,¡± a barrier-like ability. Both pdins and berserkers were required to master this skill. In moments of danger, the Dongdaemun Awakeneds would instinctively deploy the Divine Radiance to protect themselves. Although it didn¡¯t block all attacks as its grand name suggested, it was powerful enough to save their lives in critical moments. When faced with death, everyone resorted to their most trusted methods, and the Dongdaemun Awakeneds were no exception. This made them easily identifiable. Zeon¡¯s gaze shifted to a tall building on the outskirts of the slums, where Mechanized Awakened, exhausted after powering a railgun, were visible. ¡®The Mechanized Awakened must havee from the West District¡­¡¯ But that wasn¡¯t all. Suspicious movements were felt throughout the slums. Chaos tends to breed more chaos. Amid the extreme turmoil, someone desiring the Crown of the Spirit King was making their move. ¡®Just as Damien wanted.¡¯ Zeon frowned. This incident was causing a major disruption in the well-maintained order of Neo Seoul. Although the system wouldn¡¯t copse, significant chaos was inevitable. Zeon did not wish for Neo Seoul to fall into disarray. Personal feelings aside, he understood all too well that Neo Seoul was humanity¡¯sst stronghold. Neo Seoul was the only ce where such arge poption lived and had achieved such a highly advanced civilization, at least among the ces Zeon had visited. If it fell, human civilization would regress by at least two generations. Therefore, Zeon tried to avoid causing problems that would shake the system of Neo Seoul. But Damien was different. He didn¡¯t care if Neo Seoul shook or fell because of this. His father¡¯s revenge was his top priority, and he was prepared to make any sacrifice for it. That¡¯s why he relentlessly induced chaos in Neo Seoul, using all the items he had painstakingly gathered. Boom! At that moment, a different level of explosion erupted. The st was so powerful that the shockwave reached Zeon¡¯s location, shattering the building¡¯s windows and scattering the items on the rooftop like straw. ¡®What is that?¡¯ Zeon¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. Emerging from the exploded side of the fortress was a gigantic mammoth. Whoosh! The mammoth trumpeted, attacking the Awakened fighters who had besieged the caravan. ¡°The mammoth is going berserk!¡± ¡°Damn it! Someone do something about that!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± The faces of the scavengers and Dongdaemun Awakeneds were filled with panic. Even though the mammoth had a docile temperament, it was still a formidable C-rank monster. Its attack power was low enough to be ssified as C-rank, but its defense wasparable to a B-rank monster. The mammoth rampaged wildly, attacking the Awakeneds with its tusks and four legs, causing increasing damage to them. As the mammoth¡¯s rampage pushed the chaos to its peak, those who had been lurking in the slums waiting for an opportunity began to make their moves in earnest. Zeon decided it was time for him to act as well. Swish! Zeon leapt off the rooftop. His figure soared tens of meters through the air, descending in a graceful arc towards the ground. Landing lightly on the road, Zeon began walking towards the desert. ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Is it really him?¡± Suddenly, he was confronted by two identical twin sisters, who blocked his path. ¡°Yes, I am Zeon. Who are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really him!¡± ¡°We found him!¡± Ignoring Zeon¡¯s question, the twins chattered excitedly amongst themselves. Zeon felt a sense of deja vu, as if he had seen them somewhere before. ¡®Twins? Could they be the ones I saw in the square?¡¯ Although he couldn¡¯t see clearly because of the barrier, he remembered an old man with two girls. The twins blocking his way gave off a simr vibe. ¡°Were you the ones watching from the square?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°How?¡± The twin sisters widened their eyes in surprise and started chirping likerks. ¡°Incredible! You saw through Grandpa¡¯s barrier.¡± ¡°Is Grandpa losing his touch?¡± ¡°He¡¯s got more wrinkles, but his skills are still sharp.¡± ¡°But how did he know?¡± ¡°He must really be an A-rank.¡± The twins were unaware that only S-rank or higher Awakeneds could see through the barrier. The old man had kept this a secret even from them. So they assumed Zeon was just an A-rank. ¡°An A-rank is impressive.¡± ¡°Impressive indeed. We¡¯re A-rank too.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re better. We¡¯re above that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± Their chatter was making Zeon¡¯s head spin. He needed to interrupt them. ¡°Did youe looking for me?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To stop you.¡± ¡°Stop me? Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re heading to the desert, right?¡± ¡°Right!¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to stop you from going.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Grandpa asked us to. Just hold you back for a bit so you can¡¯t interfere.¡± ¡°So why doesn¡¯t he want me to interfere?¡± ¡°He considers you a danger.¡± ¡°A danger?¡± ¡°Yep! He thinks you might mess up the whole n. That can¡¯t happen.¡± The twins answered cheerfully with innocent expressions. ¡°Is your grandpa the barrier master who was with you?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Because I saw him with you.¡± ¡°Wow, amazing. That makes you more dangerous.¡± ¡°Preventing the n from falling apart? Are you affiliated with City Hall?¡± ¡°Wow!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The twins¡¯ mouths dropped open in shock. Few people knew they were affiliated with City Hall. Only a handful of people, including the old man they traveled with, were aware of this. ¡°You two must be part of the Numbers, the execution squad directly under the Mayor.¡± Zeon said, now certain based on their reactions. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really smart.¡± ¡°I wonder how your brain works.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious too!¡± ¡°Should we find out?¡± ¡°Should we?¡± ¡°Grandpa did give us permission.¡± In an instant, the yful smiles vanished from the twins¡¯ faces. At the same moment, Zeon¡¯s eyes grew serious. Bzzzz! Suddenly, an intense ringing in his ears was apanied by a severe headache. It felt like his brain was being stabbed by a sharp awl. Despite the pain, Zeon realized what the twins¡¯ ability was. ¡°You two are telepaths.¡± ¡°As expected, you¡¯re smart.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t like smart people.¡± As Zeon suspected, the twin sisters were telepathic Awakeneds. Their names were Eun Soo-jin and Eun Soo-young. From a young age, they had Awakened their telepathic abilities. Not only could they read others¡¯ thoughts, but they could also directly interfere with their minds. Because of this, even their parents abandoned them. When they read their parents¡¯ minds and spoke the thoughts aloud, it frightened them. ¨CNever appear before us again, you monsters! These were thest words their parents said when they abandoned the twins, leaving a deep scar in their hearts. Fortunately, Jin Geum-ho, who highly valued their abilities, took them in. They grew up under his care in City Hall and eventually became part of the Numbers. The shock of being abandoned by their parents made them trust no one deeply, except for Jin Geum-ho and the old man. Jin Geum-ho took them in when they had nowhere to go, and the old man cared for them purely without any ulterior motives. Reading others¡¯ thoughts was both a blessing and a curse. As their talent grew, they surpassed merely interfering with others¡¯ minds and could manipte them in desired directions. This ability to manipte thoughts, also known as mind control, allowed them to show hallucinations or trap someone in an eternal dream at will. This power to manipte others¡¯ minds like y made those who knew their true nature very afraid of them. ¡°We won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t like killing people.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just take a peek.¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re curious.¡± Eun Soo-jin and Eun Soo-young held hands, amplifying their abilities. Being twins, they created a synergy that enhanced each other¡¯s powers. The human brain was like apletely sealed chamber. To prate it, one had to first drill a small hole with a sharp awl. This was the hardest part, especially with high-ranking Awakeneds, whose mental barriers were strong and hard to prate. If done alone, it would not have been easy. But they were twins and knew how to amplify each other¡¯s strength. Eun Soo-jin spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll drill the hole. Concentrate your power.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± With Eun Soo-young¡¯s response, she transferred her mana to Eun Soo-jin, greatly amplifying Eun Soo-jin¡¯s telepathic ability. Sweat beads formed on Eun Soo-jin¡¯s forehead. Even with their abilities amplified more than twice, it was difficult to create a hole in Zeon¡¯s mental barrier. ¡°Tch, this is hard.¡± ¡°Hang in there!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Encouraged by Eun Soo-young, Eun Soo-jin increased her output further. Despite this, she couldn¡¯t make even the smallest hole in Zeon¡¯s mental barrier. ¡°Crazy¡­ This is even stronger than the Captain or Grain.¡± The leader of the Numbers, Seong Ho-yeon, and the second-inmand, Grain, were both S-rank Awakeneds with incredibly strong mental defenses. The twins had to use tremendous concentration, time, and mana to read their thoughts. Reading Mayor Jin Geum-ho¡¯s thoughts was impossible, and there was no need to read the old man¡¯s thoughts. Apart from those two, Seong Ho-yeon and Grain were the hardest to read, but Zeon¡¯s mental barrier was even more formidable. ¡°Damn it!¡± Eun Soo-jin gritted her teeth and increased her output. Eun Soo-young continued to support her. Finally, after a tremendous effort, they managed to drill a needle-sized hole in Zeon¡¯s mental barrier. ¡°Got it.¡± Eun Soo-jin eximed in triumph. Drilling the hole was the hardest part; the rest was easy. Through the tiny hole, they infiltrated Zeon¡¯s brain, just like injecting water into a small opening. Eun Soo-jin began to dominate Zeon¡¯s brain, with Eun Soo-young¡¯s assistance. She quickly invaded Zeon¡¯s brainstem, aiming to take control of its neural pathways. The brainstem, connecting various parts of the brain and spinal cord, was a crucial pathway. Controlling this meantpleting 90% of the work. The first task when invading another¡¯s mind was to seize the brainstem¡¯s nerves and then understand the person¡¯s mental imagery. Mental imagery contained everything about the person: their past, actions, and desires. Understanding this allowed them to manipte the person at will. Since this was a routine task, Eun Soo-jin had no hesitation. Afterpletely seizing the brainstem, she infiltrated Zeon¡¯s cerebrum to peek into his mental imagery. She was curious about the past of someone with such a strong mental barrier. At the moment she gently opened the veil of darkness in Zeon¡¯s mind¡­ ¡°Wh-What is this?¡± A shrill scream burst from Eun Soo-jin¡¯s mouth. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 142 Chapter 142 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 142 Everything was red. Zeon¡¯s mental imagery was filled with something red. Eun Soo-jin grasped the red substance with her hand. It flowed through her fingers like water. ¡°Is this¡­ sand?¡± It was fine sand, like that bathed in the crimson glow of a sunset, filling Zeon¡¯s mental imagery with blood-red sand. ¡°What on earth?¡± Eun Soo-young, who had followed Eun Soo-jin into Zeon¡¯s mentalndscape, blinked in confusion. They had invaded the minds of many and observed their mental imagery, but this was a first. ¡°Why is there sand in his mental imagery?¡± ¡°Is this really a human¡¯s mental imagery?¡± ¡°What is this guy¡­?¡± ¡°We knew he was strange, but this is too much.¡± Such a barren and bleak scene was beyond anything they had ever imagined. ¡°How does a person live to have such a mentalndscape?¡± ¡°I have no idea. I really don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Do you think mental maniption will work on someone like this?¡± ¡°We have to try anyway.¡± ¡°We have to.¡± The twins reached out to touch the sand. They intended to manipte Zeon¡¯s mind using his mental imagery as a medium. The moment they infused their mana into the sand¡­ Ssss! The sand began to ripple. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Scary!¡± Startled, the twins stepped back. The sand continued to ripple. Initially, it was a minor movement. But the ripples quickly spread throughout Zeon¡¯s mental imagery. ¡°What is going on?¡± At that moment, something emerged from the rippling sand. They were human figures made of sand. One, two, three¡­ The sand figures multiplied endlessly. Soon, Zeon¡¯s entire mentalndscape was filled with sand figures, an innumerable multitude. The overwhelming sight left the twins in shock. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Sand figures¡­ so many of them.¡± Their bodies began to tremble involuntarily. The leading sand figure opened its mouth. ¡°To think someone could invade another¡¯s mind and manipte it. Interesting ability, though not fun for the one on the receiving end.¡± ¡°Is that Zeon¡¯s voice?¡± ¡°How are you inside your own mental imagery? Are you also a telepath?¡± The twins asked in shock. The sand figure shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s so special about entering my own mental imagery? What¡¯s more impressive is how you can invade someone else¡¯s mind so easily.¡± ¡°What are you? How is your mental imagery only sand? Are you really human? Or a monster?¡± ¡°What about you two?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you human, trying to manipte someone else¡¯s mind?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± ¡°What¡¯s different? You look more like monsters to me.¡± ¡°Shut up! We¡¯re not monsters.¡± ¡°A normal human wouldn¡¯t try to manipte someone else¡¯s mind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk as if you know anything. You don¡¯t know anything, so don¡¯t say such things.¡± Eun Soo-jin and Eun Soo-young screamed, seemingly unjustly used. Zeon simply watched them for a moment. He was astounded by their behavior, acting like victims despite invading someone else¡¯s mind. ¡°I don¡¯t think this will work. Both of you, get out of my head.¡± The sand soldiers surrounded and pressed down on Eun Soo-jin and Eun Soo-young. ¡°Let us go!¡± ¡°Get off!¡± The twins struggled, but it was useless. This was Zeon¡¯s mentalndscape. Zeon was the master here. Naturally, everything acted ording to his will. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Get out!¡± With a final cry, the twins were expelled from Zeon¡¯s mental imagery. ¡°Gasp!¡± They simultaneously opened their eyes. They had returned to reality, drenched in sweat, their eyes bloodshot from burst capiries. Zeon also exited his mental imagery and returned to reality. He massaged his temples, muttering. ¡°Ow! My head.¡± ¡°He kicked us out?¡± ¡°Unforgivable!¡± The twins¡¯ hair stood on end, writhing like seaweed. ¡°How rude. Didn¡¯t your grandpa teach you manners?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t insult Grandpa.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll kill you.¡± Suddenly, objects around them began to levitate. Bricks, steel bars, and various other items floated around the twins. Zeon frowned slightly. ¡°Telekinesis?¡± ¡°Yes! We can move objects with our thoughts.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll tear you apart.¡± When telepathy reaches its peak, one can move objects with thoughts. That was telekinesis. The twins¡¯ telekinesis level surpassed that of most A-rank Awakeneds. That¡¯s why the old man sent them to block Zeon. Though subduing him might be difficult, they believed they could stall him effectively. ¡°Hiyaaa!¡± With their cry, the levitating objects flew towards Zeon. Whoosh! The objects flew faster than the speed of sound. At such speeds, even an ordinary brick could be a lethal weapon. The increase in speed meant maximized destructive power. Boom! Boom! Boom! Everything around exploded and shattered. The area turned into a chaotic battlefield in an instant. But the twins¡¯ target, Zeon, remained unscathed. Zeon had evaded the projectiles the moment they wereunched by the twins¡¯ telekinesis. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Coward!¡± ¡°Stop dodging!¡± The twins screamed as theyunched objects at Zeon from a distance. Zeon, unsure if he could dodge them all, activated Fire Rain. ¡°Here!¡± Countless fireballs rained down like a storm. The Fire Rain intercepted the rapidly approaching objects. Boom! Boom! Boom! Bricks and steel bars exploded mid-air, creating a spectacr sight. But the twins had no time to appreciate it. ¡°Damn it! What is this?¡± ¡°Die! Just die already!¡± They shrieked, flinging objects wildly. But none reached Zeon. Frustrated, they gave up on throwing objects and focused their telekinesis directly on Zeon. Zeon suddenly felt an invisible force constricting his entire body. It felt like he was being crushed by a mountain of hundreds of tons. The twins were trying to tear Zeon¡¯s limbs apart using telekinesis. Blocking their attack with the skill infused in his gauntlets alone was impossible. ¡°I have no choice.¡± Zeon sighed softly. He had to reveal a power he had hoped to keep hidden. But once he decided, he did not hesitate. Shoo! With a gesture, the sand on the ground condensed and shot out like a stream. It was one of Zeon¡¯s main skills: Sand ster. The sand,unched like a jet, hit the twins directly. Boom! Boom! ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡°It hurts!¡± The twins screamed in pain from the unexpected attack. Fortunately, a barrier skill activated just in time, preventing serious injury. But it couldn¡¯t eliminate the pain. Their nes, adorned with blue gems, dangled around their necks. These enchanted items could activate a barrier up to three times a day. Thanks to this, their lives were spared. Eun Soo-jin¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡°He attacked with sand? Do you also use telekinesis?¡± ¡°No! You can¡¯t control so many sand particles with telekinesis alone.¡± ¡°Then did he influence the sand itself? Are you a sand maniptor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡± Despite their youth, the twins were experienced A-rank Awakeneds. They quickly identified the nature of Zeon¡¯s ability. ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m a sand maniptor.¡± ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± To confirm, Zeon raised his hand again, unleashing another Sand ster. Whoosh! Over a dozen sand streams flew at terrifying speed. The twins, holding hands, flew backward, lifted by their telekinesis. The sand sters only created holes in the ground. ¡°Scary.¡± ¡°Terrifying!¡± Fear shone in their eyes. Zeon¡¯s Sand ster was not exceptionally powerful; many Awakeneds had skills with simr power. The problem was that Zeon likely had more skills beyond this one. Now, they understood Zeon¡¯s mental imagery. An endless sea of sand. This represented Zeon¡¯s potential. If he could use even a fraction of this potential, defeating him seemed impossible. The slums were surrounded by sand, after all. The thought of Zeon using sand in various unknown ways filled them with dread. Zeon unleashed another Sand ster. This time, over thirty streams shot out. Whoosh! They flew faster and more menacingly than before. The twins used their telekinesis to gather objects and form a wall. Boom! Boom! The wall they had built exploded. The sheer force was incredible. The twins¡¯ eyebrows twitched. ¡°We can¡¯t continue like this.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s retreat.¡± ¡°But that would hurt our pride.¡± ¡°Pride is less important than our lives.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Tch! Grandpa will scold us.¡± ¡°We have no choice.¡± Still floating, they flew away. Zeon watched them swiftly retreat. He could chase them if he wanted, but now was not the time. Boom! An explosion rocked the White Bear Caravan¡¯s fortress. The tremor was strong enough to be felt through the ground. Things were getting increasingly urgent. ¡®Damien!¡¯ Having revealed his power, Zeon had no reason to hold back. Whoosh! Sand around him formed a pir, lifting him high into the sky. Standing atop the sand pir, Zeon looked at the White Bear Caravan. More than half of the fortress was destroyed. The battle was fiercer than ever. There were far more Awakeneds fighters now. Not only the scavengers and Dongdaemun Awakeneds, but fighters from other districts had also joined the fray. Whoo! With a mournful cry, the giant mammoth fell. The main contributor to the White Bear Caravan¡¯s sess had lost its life. The situation was turning decisively against the White Bear Caravan. Zeon rode the sandstorm and took to the sky. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 143 Chapter 143 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 143 Damien looked down at the fallen mammoth with a bitter expression. It was the only legacy left by his deceased father. After his father died, the mammoth had been hispanion for eight long years, sharing both joys and sorrows. Thanks to the mammoth, Damien had been able to build the White Bear Caravan to its current state. Without the mammoth, Damien wouldn¡¯t be where he was today. Now, his friendy there, waiting for death. Their eyes met. In the mammoth¡¯srge eyes, there was not a trace of resentment towards Damien. ¡°Thank you! Go on ahead and wait for me. I¡¯ll join you soon.¡± At that moment, the mammoth closed its eyes. It took its final breath. Damien swallowed his tears and looked around the battlefield. The fortress had be aplete war zone. In addition to the scavengers and Dongdaemun Awakeneds, unidentified Awakeneds had joined the fray. Because of this, the White Bear Caravan¡¯s Awakeneds were being pushed back. If it weren¡¯t for the fortress, filled with traps, items, and magic, they would have been annihted already. Boom! A truck exploded, sweeping away nearby scavengers and Dongdaemun Awakeneds. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Arms flew off, and legs were torn from bodies. The Awakeneds caught in the explosiony on the ground in gruesome states. Those who died instantly were better off; those barely clinging to life could only gasp in agony. Other scavengers and Awakeneds mercilessly trampled the fallen survivors. The trampled ones couldn¡¯t even scream before they died. ¡°There are valuable items on the fourth floor.¡± ¡°Damn it! We have to loot the fifth floor. They say the Crown of the Spirit King is there.¡± ¡°Move aside, bastards!¡± The scavengers bypassed the devastated second floor and moved up to the third. The White Bear Caravan¡¯s Awakeneds were there, waiting. Damien spoke to them. ¡°Activate the traps.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± One of the White Bear Caravan¡¯s Awakeneds responded and activated the traps. Suddenly, countless arrows shot out from the walls. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Awakeneds, turned into human pincushions, screamed and fell. They wore high-grade armor, strong enough to deflect most monster attacks, but it was useless against the arrows from the walls. Damien muttered to himself. ¡°These are all items excavated from dungeons. Normal armor can¡¯t withstand them.¡± Most people only think of the core items when they think of dungeons. They conquer the dungeon, take the items, and leave without a second thought. But Damien was different. Many dungeons have traps. Damien didn¡¯t just disarm these traps; he took all their parts with him and installed them in the wagons. He meticulously recycled everything. At that moment, Alexandro approached Damien. His body was covered in an enormous amount of blood. He had killed many. ¡°Ha! It seems like all of Neo Seoul¡¯s Awakeneds have gathered here. No matter how many I kill, they keeping.¡± ¡°Why are you whining?¡± ¡°Whining? You should try fighting. Then you¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°This is just a small fraction of Neo Seoul¡¯s Awakeneds. If the real forcese out, we¡¯ll be wiped out in no time.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess the Mayor¡¯s a good example. If he really wanted to, we couldn¡¯t even attempt this.¡± ¡°Yes. For some reason, he¡¯s been ignoring us. Thanks to that, we have a chance.¡± The chaos in the fortress had reached its peak. Scavengers, Dongdaemun Awakeneds, and other unidentified groups were wreaking havoc. If they were cooperating, no matter how many traps there were, the White Bear Caravan couldn¡¯t hold out. Fortunately, the attackers were also wary of each other. This gave the White Bear Caravan a slim chance to survive. Alexandroughed. ¡°This is really intense. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had a fight like this.¡± ¡°What about Jack?¡± ¡°Hehe! I¡¯ve already sent him out. He was crying and fussing, so I kicked his ass to get him moving.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Damien smiled. Jack was an Awakeneds with a subspace ability. Not an item, but his Awakeneds ability was subspace. His subspace was incrediblyrge. It could hold all the items the White Bear Caravan had brought. Actually, with Jack, they didn¡¯t need to haul wagons around. But they did it to protect Jack from being targeted. Subspace items were rare, and Awakeneds with subspace abilities were even rarer. Someone with a vast subspace like Jack was almost nonexistent. Alexandro had stored all the Mana Stones they had collected in Jack¡¯s subspace. Alexandro was betting the future of the Yakutsk Colony on Jack. Neo Seoul¡¯s advancement wasrgely thanks to its Mana Stone mines. The stable supply of Mana Stones allowed them to achieve such high-level civilization. In contrast, the Yakutsk Colony struggled with Mana Stone supply. Sometimes Mana Stones came from monsters, but the quantity was low and the quality varied. However, they had many dungeons nearby, making items easier to find. Some might argue that dungeon items are more valuable, but that¡¯s only half true. Good items could certainly enhance the abilities of Awakeneds, helping them protect residents better from monsters. But you couldn¡¯t rebuild civilization with items alone. To rebuild like Neo Seoul, Mana Stones were essential. That¡¯s why Alexandro hade here with Damien. Without the right items, they couldn¡¯t have gathered so many Mana Stones in Neo Seoul. Neo Seoul strategically managed its Mana Stone supply. So, they had to offer items that would tempt their opponents. Thanks to this, they acquired a vast amount of Mana Stones, enough to partially rebuild their civilization, though not to the level of Neo Seoul. For that, Alexandro was willing to risk his life. ¡°You didn¡¯t send just Jack, did you?¡± ¡°Of course not. As we discussed, I sent Ellen and his friends with him.¡± Ellen was a navigator like Damien. However, his abilities were far inferior to Damien¡¯s. So, Damien had trained Ellen intensively on the way here. He taught Ellen all his know-how and made him memorize the route. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Luckily, Ellen had an excellent memory and remembered the entire route to this ce. ¡°I showed them a safe route, so as long as they don¡¯t deviate, they¡¯ll return to Yakutsk safely.¡± ¡°Hehe! They better. They¡¯re ourst hope.¡± Alexandro grinned, looking like a giant bear about to feast. Damien spoke to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for dragging you into this¡­¡± ¡°I told you not to apologize. We¡¯re brothers, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a burden for me. There¡¯s quite an age gap.¡± ¡°Hey! Age doesn¡¯t matter. Why hurt an old man¡¯s feelings?¡± ¡°Hehe! Alright, you big softie. Why so sensitive?¡± ¡°You keep drawing lines.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s drawing lines? I just feel guilty.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel guilty. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve had experiences most people never will. That¡¯s enough for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± At that moment, Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± With an explosion, one of the White Bear Caravan¡¯s Awakened, who was guarding the third floor, was sent flying, his body battered and bloody. The person responsible for this was an Awakened as massive as Alexandro; the leader of the Dongdaemun berserkers, Brixton. Following him, the Dongdaemun Awakeneds surged forward. ¡°We don¡¯t need anything else. Secure the Crown of the Spirit King first.¡± Their goal was also the Crown of the Spirit King. Damien smirked. ¡°Do they even know what the Crown of the Spirit King is and still rush at it like that?¡± The world wasn¡¯t that beautiful. Many hideous things lurked behind beautiful names. The Crown of the Spirit King was one such thing. But its power was undeniably real. Thud! ¡°Ugh!¡± Another White Bear Caravan Awakened was smashed by Brixton¡¯s hammer and sent flying. Brixton was unstoppable. Like a massive beast, he rampaged through the White Bear Caravan¡¯s Awakeneds, killing them indiscriminately. Alexandro spoke. ¡°We can¡¯t let this bastard loose. He¡¯ll kill all my men.¡± ¡°Commander!¡± ¡°We need to hold on until the elves are lured out.¡± Damien bit his lip instead of responding. The situation was growing increasingly dire. They were holding out with traps and items, but even those had limits. If things continued this way, the White Bear Caravan would be annihted in no time. Just then, a group approached from a distance. They wore robes and cloaks, hiding their faces and bodies. The sight of them made Damien¡¯s skin crawl. ¡®Elves.¡¯ They thought they had concealed their identities, but they couldn¡¯t hide their slender frames. One or two might go unnoticed, but it was impossible for hundreds to be so slim unless they were elves. Damien spoke to Alexandro. ¡°The elves areing. Hold them off for just three minutes.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Alexandro nodded and jumped down to the third floor. ¡°Ha-ha! Your opponent is me, you fanatic.¡± He swung his massive gauntleted fist at Brixton. ¡°You bald bastard¡­¡± Brixton swung his enormous hammer in response. ng! The gauntlet and hammer collided, creating a massive shockwave. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The shockwave sent the following fanatics and other Awakeneds flying. Both Brixton and Alexandro staggered from the impact of their powerful blows. But they quickly regained their bnce and charged at each other again. Boom! It was like watching giant beasts battle. Their immense fight intimidated other Awakeneds from intervening. The fierce battle continued. Thanks to Alexandro, Damien could catch his breath and watch the rapidly approaching elves. ¡°Hurry up! You bastards.¡± As if responding to his taunt, the elves quickened their pace. No matter how much they disguised themselves as humans, they couldn¡¯t fool Damien. He could recognize them at a nce because he hated them more than anyone. ¡°Intruders from another world. Parasites who¡¯ve made a home in human territory. Come on. I¡¯m waiting for you right here.¡± Damien¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. For this day, he had lived fiercely for the past eight years. He had never sleptfortably, constantly pushing himself as if each day were hisst. As if hearing his call, the elves rapidly closed the distance. Damien¡¯s crazed smile deepened. At that moment, Damien saw a figure riding the sandstorm from afar. Although he couldn¡¯t make out the face from such a distance, Damien instantly recognized who it was. ¡°Brother!¡± The only human he felt indebted to. It was Zeon. Damien apologized to Zeon. ¡°Sorry, brother! You shouldn¡¯t be here. If you interfere, the n I¡¯ve drawn up will fall apart.¡± The only one in this world who could control sand. If he intervened, Damien would have to change his ns. Damien didn¡¯t want Zeon to get involved. He muttered. ¡°Activate! Spectrum Prison.¡± Suddenly, a massive magic circle appeared around the fortress. Made of seven lights, the magic circle engulfed everything. Including Zeon, the elves, and everyone fighting inside the fortress. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 144 Chapter 144 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 144 When light passes through a prism, it produces a continuous band of colors. The Spectrum Prison was a dungeon created using this principle. It divides the light into different sections and activates various traps with each one, especially with the seven colors of the visible spectrum, creating a prison. Each light has a unique wavelength, nature, and essence. The Spectrum Prison utilizes these features to create its dungeon. The red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet sections are thoroughly isted, and the intruders face a reality made of light, not physical substances. This transcends the real world, creating what is called a superimposed space. The outermost red superimposed space constantly stimtes and whispers to the human mind, evoking fear and anxiety, leading to self-destruction. Zeon was currently trapped in this red superimposed space. Everything he saw was an unrealistdscape painted entirely in red. There were no boundaries or distinctions, just an endless red superimposed space. It felt as if he were floating alone in a weightless red universe. ¡°This kind of trap is new to me.¡± Zeon murmured as he looked around the interior. The surreal feeling of this red space, which seemed impossible to exist, was eerie. ¡°Is this a dungeon recreation? If so, the dungeon core must be intact, and it must be supplied with stable mana.¡± Zeon had conquered numerous dungeons before. Some of them defied human logic, much like the Spectrum Prison. So, Zeon wasn¡¯t fazed by the unfamiliar situation. ¡°Where¡¯s the sand?¡± Zeon searched for his greatest weapon, the sand. But in this red space, he couldn¡¯t feel any sand. ¡°It¡¯s certain now. This ce ispletely isted.¡± Even the smallest tunnel or hole would have allowed him to sense sand. This confirmed that the space was entirely sealed off. Zeon walked through the red superimposed space. It felt as if his body weight waspletely absent, like in a zero-gravity environment. In fact, even a slight loss of bnce caused his body to spin out of control. It must be what it felt like to drift in space. The biggest problem was that no matter how hard he walked, he couldn¡¯t seem to make any progress. Suddenly, anger welled up within him. A deep-seated rage boiled from within. The frustration of feeling like he could never escape this ce fueled his anger even more. ¡°Why am I struggling to walk like this? I should just break it¡­¡± Zeon opened his subspace. A mountain of sand poured out. Ssssss! Soon, the sand formed a sea beneath his feet. ¡°Sand ster!¡± Zeon swung his hand, and dozens of sand streams shot out in all directions. But none of them affected the red space. ¡°You want to y, huh?¡± Unable to calm his anger, Zeon swung his hand again. Shushushushu! The Sand ster continued to fire. With this many sts, he should have felt some impact, but there was none. Only then did Zeon realize something was wrong. His uncontroble anger was unusual, and so was the space¡¯s resistance to the Sand ster. Zeon wasn¡¯t someone who lost his temper easily. Maybe he did when he was younger, but after wandering the world for eight years, he had learned to control his emotions. He had never lost his temper since then. For him to lose control and be swayed by emotions? This wasn¡¯t a normal situation. ¡°Hah!¡± Zeon sighed and calmed himself. Then, he started to notice things he hadn¡¯t seen before. What he had thought was a simple red space was actually subtly pulsating, as if it were breathing. With each pulse, red energy was being absorbed into his mouth and nose. Zeon blocked his breathing and protected his body with mana. He then felt the foreign energy within him. It was the red energy filling the space. Unknowingly, he had inhaled a considerable amount. The red energy was particrly concentrated around his central nervous system. It had taken control and stimted his nerves, causing him to lose his temper. Zeon focused his mind and expelled the foreign energy from his body. ¡°Ahh!¡± Finally, his mind cleared, and he could assess his situation calmly. ¡°This red energy stimtes the emotions of living beings, drawing out hostility. If consumed by hostility, one loses reason and exhausts oneself. Clever! No wonder it¡¯s hard to notice.¡± Zeon found the space quite creative. It was only because Zeon was rational that he recognized his problem; others would have been overwhelmed by hostility and gone berserk. Damien had never intended to overpower Zeon with force. He knew Zeon¡¯s ability to manipte sand and understood that if Zeon acted seriously, he couldn¡¯t stop him. That¡¯s why he recreated a dungeon like this. He nned for Zeon to exhaust himself through his own rampage. But Zeon was much moreposed and capable of assessing the situation than Damien had anticipated. ¡°This red space is a superimposed space isted from reality. It¡¯s impossible to escape by walking. Ultimately, I have to destroy this space itself.¡± He confirmed that the Sand ster alone couldn¡¯t damage it. He needed a much stronger and more destructive skill. Fortunately, Zeon had just the skill. Whirr! The sand beneath Zeon¡¯s feet began to spin and rise. A sandstorm formed around him. Damien had assumed that isting the space from sand would somewhat neutralize Zeon¡¯s ability. But he hadn¡¯t considered that Zeon carried a vast amount of sand in his subspace. Wham! Wham! Wham! The sandstorm grew rapidly. As a massive amount of sand spun, it created a fierce wind. The sandstorm shook the entire red superimposed space violently. The red space trembled intensely, but it clung on stubbornly. This meant that the superimposed space was vast. Breaking itpletely would require more sand than Zeon had. But Zeon had a way topensate for theck of sand. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I pulled this out. Exion!¡± Suddenly, ck energy emanated from his entire body. It was Exion, the finest sand particle in the world, stored in his subspace. Exion was powerful on its own but even more potent whenbined with sand. Zeon infused the sandstorm in the superimposed space with Exion, greatly amplifying its power. Whirr! Whirr! Whirr! The immense power of the sandstorm caused the superimposed space to tremble violently. Zeon intensified the sandstorm. Cracks started to appear everywhere. Crack! Crack! Crack! The cracks widened, revealing the outside world. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] A vast desert filled with sand came into Zeon¡¯s view. A smile spread across Zeon¡¯s lips. ¡°Good!¡± He drew the external sand in, and like a tidal wave, the sand from the desert surged through the cracks and filled the superimposed space. The addition of this enormous amount of sand swelled the sandstorm to an unprecedented size. In the face of this immense power, the superimposed space was torn apart. With a tremendous tearing sound, the red energy that had surrounded Zeon vanished without a trace. The superimposed space had been destroyed and dissipatedpletely. ¡°Haa!¡± Zeon finally exhaled and shook his head. Exerting such intense power all at once left him feeling drained. But he quicklyposed himself and surveyed his surroundings. A deep furrow appeared on his forehead. The scene around him was horrendous. Bodiesy everywhere, limbs severed and entrails spilled out. Some corpses appeared to have been killed by each other, which made sense given the various groups that had attacked. The problem was that the two who killed each other wore the same uniforms, indicating they belonged to the same faction. In a normal situation, there was no reason forrades to kill each other. ¡°This isn¡¯t a normal situation.¡± Zeon himself had nearly perished in the red superimposed space. The red energy had provoked his hostility and driven him to madness. So, it was clear that the other colored energies stimted different human emotions. Zeon inspected the state of the corpses. ¡°The wounds have already dried. This means quite some time has passed. Does time flow differently in the superimposed space?¡± Zeon¡¯s face hardened. To him, it felt like he had only been in the superimposed space for three or four hours. However, the bodies he touched appeared to have been dead for at least a day. Each superimposed space clearly had a different flow of time from reality. Zeon sighed and looked towards the fortress. As if confirming his suspicions, the fortress was much more devastated than it had been just moments ago. Indeed, over a day had passed outside. ¡°Damien, what have you done to cause such chaos?¡± Zeon sighed softly and walked towards the fortress. Six more colors still awaited him. ¡ª With a sound like shattering ss, cracks appeared in the air, and a group emerged from the distortion. These were the elves who had been confidently charging towards the fortress but now appeared injured and exhausted. ¡°To resort to such tactics¡­ I will never forgive you, humans!¡± The elf gritting her teeth was Mariel, the leader of the Thorn Attack Squad. The Thorn Attack Squad and the elves had been confidently charging towards the fortress when they were suddenly trapped in the Spectrum Prison. They had been confined in the blue superimposed space. Everything was blue¡ªthe sky, the ground, everything. It felt as if they were in Kurayan, a lush and vibrant ce they had only heard about in stories. Most of the elves had been born and raised in Neo Seoul. They had only seen the deste desert and the advanced city. They had never experienced the lush grasnds. For them, the blue superimposed space evoked memories of their homnd, Kurayan, they had never seen. Some elves were moved to tears of joy. Mariel¡¯s heart was also deeply stirred. She had never realized that such an abundance of blue could make her feel so enriched. Finally, she understood why the Elf Queen Serian yearned for Kurayan so much. Elves were meant to grow up in such a rich environment. That was why they hade to Earth. However, the terraforming process had devastated Earth, and they hadn¡¯t had the chance to experience lush greenery. This only made them angrier. All their sacrifices had been for nothing. ¡°If we get the Crown of the Spirit King, we can create a new elven homnd. We can build a paradise just for elves, free from humans.¡± Mariel despised humans. Specifically, she hated those humans who rejected the elves. She hated living like tenants in a city built by humans. She didn¡¯t like Serian¡¯s decision to coexist with humans. That¡¯s why she followed Eli, the second-inmand, instead. Mariel steeled herself and rallied the elves. ¡°We must escape this ce. Everyone, hurry.¡± But the elves ignored her orders. The blue space had enchanted them. They didn¡¯t want to leave this blue superimposed space. Mariel¡¯s orders sounded like mere nagging to them. Finally, Mariel realized something was wrong. Just as Zeon had experienced intense hostility in the red space, this blue space broughtfort and oblivion to the elves. It would have been better to fight monsters or enemies. In the Spectrum Prison, the true enemy was oneself. The elves had forgotten their reasons for fighting and had bezy in thefort of the blue space. That was the frightening power of the Spectrum Prison. The seven lights each emitted different wavelengths, affecting the human mind. The most terrifying part was that even when one¡¯s mind was being taken over, they didn¡¯t realize it. Extreme shock therapy was needed to wake the elves from their trance. Drip, drip! Blood trickled down Mariel¡¯s sword. It was the blood of the elves. To awaken the elves from their trance, she had resorted to extreme measures. She had killed a few of her subordinates as a warning. The members of the Thorn Attack Squad and the other elves were like siblings to her. Killing them wounded her deeply. But she had no choice. It was impossible to escape the blue superimposed space alone. Eventually, the elves, shocked into awareness, gathered their strength and escaped the Spectrum Prison. Mariel, with bloodshot eyes, red at the fortress. ¡°Vile humans. To use such dirty tricks. I will never forgive you.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 145 Chapter 145 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 145 ¡°As expected, this isn¡¯t enough to stop you, brother. But I guess I¡¯ve achieved my goal by holding you off for a while.¡± Damien stretched and muttered to himself. The Spectrum Prison was quite literally a prison of light. It disintegrates the negative mana supplied by the Crown of Spirit King through a spectrum. This disintegrated mana appears in the form of seven different lights. The seven negative lights fundamentally amplify hostility within living beings and affect their minds in various ways. The red light amplifies anger, while the orange light lowers mental defenses, making one careless. The yellow light inducesziness, and the green light causes forgetfulness. The blue light makes one see desired illusions, while the indigo light incites yearning. Lastly, the violet light mixes all these effects, creating chaos. This prison of light draws out every negative emotion inherent in humans, making them either sh with each other or give up entirely. The most terrifying aspect is that each light has a different flow of time. The outermost red light flows the slowest, while the innermost violet light flows several times faster. Damien didn¡¯t understand the principle behind it. After all, dungeons are inherently iprehensible to human logic. Thus, he chose not to understand them. As long as he could use it well, there was no need to delve into the principles. In any case, it would take Zeon quite some time to reach this ce. To get to him at the core of the Spectrum Prison, Zeon would have to pass through the remaining six light prisons. ¡°By then, everything will be over.¡± ¡°Raaaargh!¡± At that moment, with a roar, the space tore apart. Brixton, who had been trapped in the violet space, revealed himself. ¡°You! What have you done? What have you done?¡± Brixton roared in a furious voice. With bloodshot eyes and a furious expression, he looked terrifying. However, Damien, without a trace of fear, responded calmly. ¡°You¡¯re quitete.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even start. It felt like I was fighting a Giant-Horned Armored Bear.¡± At that moment, Alexandro appeared from behind Brixton. Like Brixton, Alexandro was also bloodied. The only difference was that a victor¡¯s smile adorned his lips. Brixton showed no reaction to Alexandro¡¯s appearance behind him. To be precise, he couldn¡¯t react. His side was torn open as if bitten by a monster, and his innards were spilling out. No matter how much potent potion was poured on it, it was an unheble wound. The one who inflicted this fatal injury on Brixton was Alexandro. When the Spectrum Prison was deployed, Alexandro, who was closest to Damien, along with some Awakened members of the White Bear Caravan and the berserkers, were transferred to the violet prison. Despite being abruptly moved to the violet prison, Alexandro and the Awakeneds of the White Bear Caravan did not panic. They had experience helping Damien break the Spectrum Prison before. They knew well how to leverage the violet prison to their advantage. In the violet prison, they fought fiercely against Brixton and the berserkers and ultimately emerged victorious. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m dying.¡± The Awakened members of the White Bear Caravan who appeared from behind Alexandro were in a pitiful state. Even though they had the advantage of the space, it was not an easy fight. The berserkers were terrifying. Many of the Awakened members of the White Bear Caravan lost their lives to the berserkers, who charged fearlessly without regard for death. Even those who barely survived and escaped the prison were not in good condition. But they stood their ground through sheer willpower. They knew they were the only remaining shield for Damien. At that moment, Brixton approached Damien. Thump! Thump! With heavy footsteps, his innards and blood spilled from his torn abdomen. Damien smiled brightly as he watched him. ¡°Your willpower is impressive, befitting a believer in God. To move despite such wounds.¡± ¡°Do not mock my God, you infidel!¡± ¡°Who is your God? The one up in the yellow sky? Or is it that Johan who sucks the blood of the slum dwellers?¡± ¡°You wretch!¡± ¡°Enough. I don¡¯t care to hear your answer.¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± Brixton extended his arms to grab Damien by the cor. But his grip no longer had any strength. Thud! After ring at Damien for a long while with his cor in hand, Brixton¡¯s massive body finally copsed. Alexandro sighed and approached Damien. ¡°He¡¯s a monster. I¡¯d rather face a dungeon boss alone. That monstrous recovery ability is truly¡­¡± He shook his head in disbelief. He, too, was weary of Brixton. Without the violet prison, it would have taken much more time and sacrifice to bring him down. After gazing at Brixton¡¯s corpse for a moment, he looked at Damien with a concerned expression. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I can still hold on.¡± ¡°Damien!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really okay. This was expected.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Damien¡¯s face, though forcing a smile, was extremely pale. ¡°Hah! If it bes too hard to endure, let me know.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Damien replied, looking towards Neo Seoul. Life began to return to his weary face. ¡°Finally¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± With a puzzled expression, Alexandro followed Damien¡¯s gaze. A group was approaching, having emerged from the gates of Neo Seoul. Though they were too far away to identify, Damien instinctively knew who they were. ¡°I¡¯ve finally drawn her out. The great queen of the other race¡­¡± * * * Serian couldn¡¯tprehend the current situation. ¡°So, the Thorn Attack Squad acted on their own?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Borin answered with a remorseful expression. She had just been informed that the Thorn Attack Squad had acted independently. That was how covertly the Thorn Attack Squad had moved. ¡°Who moved the Thorn Attack Squad?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°It was Eli, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Ha! There¡¯s nothing for you to apologize for, Borin. It was all Eli¡¯s orders. Where is she now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s reported to be in her quarters.¡± ¡°Bring her here.¡± At that moment, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± With a cold voice, Eli entered the scene. ¡°Eli!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I had no choice.¡± ¡°What do you mean you had no choice?¡± ¡°We had to get the Crown of Spirit King faster than anyone else, for everyone¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°For everyone¡¯s sake?¡± ¡°Yes! For us and for all the other races allied with us. That¡¯s why I moved the Thorn Attack Squad without your permission. I¡¯m sorry for that, but I hope you understand it was a necessary choice.¡± ¡°Are you justifying it as a choice for everyone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eli responded without the slightest hint of hesitation. Serian frowned at her confident exnation. She had always known that Eli was eyeing her position, but she hadn¡¯t expected her to move troops so arbitrarily. ¡°Ha! Eli.¡± ¡°Yes, My Queen!¡± ¡°Can you take responsibility for moving the Thorn Attack Squad and the Elven warriors, iming it was for everyone?¡± ¡°Of course. I, Eli, do not shirk responsibility.¡± Eli did not avoid Serian¡¯s gaze. She knew that now that Serian was aware of everything, avoiding it would not resolve the situation. Borin swallowed nervously between them. They were the Queen and the second-inmand of the North District. If their rtionship deteriorated further, the entire North District could be destabilized. The North District was thest stronghold for the otherworldly races in Neo Seoul. If the North District wavered, the lives of the otherworldly races would also be at risk. Knowing this, Serian and Eli usuallypromised within reasonable limits. Borin hoped this time would be no different. Suddenly, Serian and Eli stood up abruptly, sensing something. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°This?¡± Their faces showed clear signs of distress. They felt a wave that ominously stirred their spirits. Without a word, they both headed to the rooftop of the building. The first thing that came into view was the seven lights rising from the distant desert. Serian muttered to herself. ¡°Could that be the Spectrum Prison?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Then the Crown of Spirit King must havee from the Spectrum Prison¡­¡± For a moment, Serian¡¯s face turned pale. Meanwhile, Eli, not understanding the situation, simply looked at Serian. Serian spoke urgently. ¡°If the Crown of Spirit King is indeed an item excavated from the Spectrum Prison, the Spirit King doesn¡¯t exist within it. That means¡­¡± ¡°What is it, My Queen?¡± ¡°There is no time to exin. Everyone, follow me.¡± Serian jumped from the rooftop of the building. Borin, the Blue Leaf Task Force, and the North District¡¯s elite followed her. Eli, left alone, muttered to herself. ¡°The Spirit King doesn¡¯t exist within it? Then what is sealed inside?¡± Conflict was evident on her face. Judging by Serian¡¯s urgency, it was clear it wasn¡¯t an ordinary entity. After a brief moment of biting her lip, Eli chased after Serian. Regardless of the reason, with things as they were, she had to help solve the problem. ¡°Damn it!¡± * * * ¡°Help me!¡± ¡°Please!¡± Painful screams of people could be heard everywhere. All of them were on the brink of death due to severe injuries. But Zeon ignored their desperate gazes and voices. They were all scavengers. Greedy for items, they hade to their deaths like moths to a me. Zeon had no sympathy for those who had been mortally wounded while coveting others¡¯ possessions. ¡°Damn it! If you have potions, share some.¡± ¡°Hey, you bastard! Just¡­¡± The scavengers cursed as they watched Zeon walk by indifferently. They tried to reach out and grab him, but it was futile. They were too weak from their severe injuries to stretch their arms out fully. Zeon suddenly looked back. It was due to the overwhelming presence he felt in the distance. ¡°The Queen of the elves.¡± Like Damien, he could sense Serian without seeing her. Her mana was unique. It felt like a refreshing, green forest. Zeon had never encountered an elf with such refreshing yet vast mana. Serian was approaching with dozens of otherworldly races. Even from a distance, it was clear they were emitting an unusual aura. They were undoubtedly the elite of the North District. ¡°Everything is going just as Damien nned.¡± Zeon shook his head slightly and moved forward. There were still six light dimensions left in front of him. He had to pass through all of them to reach Damien. ¡°I need to hurry.¡± As Zeon moved, waves of sand followed. It was a sandstorm. Whoosh! A tidal wave of sand passed through, crushing everything in its path. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 146 Chapter 146 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 146 ¡°Huff, huff!¡± Mariel and the Thorn Attack Squad were panting heavily. Their force, which had been well over a hundred strong, had now dwindled to about twenty. This was the price of passing through the indigo and violet prisons. The indigo prison had dredged up the deepest longings hidden within the elves¡¯ hearts. Desires arise from intensely wanting what one cannot have. The elves, living intermingled with humans, yearned for their own utopia, and the indigo prison showed them this illusion. In that moment, their desires sprouted like poisonous mushrooms. The desire to kill all the humans in Neo Seoul and take their ce gripped them. This desire threw the elves into a hyper-excited state. Somehow, they escaped the indigo prison, only to be greeted by the chaos of the violet prison. Chaos made it impossible for the elves to make sound judgments, causing them to perceive each other as enemies. They killed each other, again and again. By the time they escaped the violet prison, their number had dwindled to twenty. Mariel and the remaining elves trembled, unable to believe the reality. Only now did the memory of them ughtering theirradese into sharp focus. ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°I killed my friend.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The elves screamed in anguish. Above all, elves cherished their kin deeply. The inferiorityplex of living among humans, coupled with the delusion of being persecuted, made them cling even more to their kin. It was unthinkable that these elves, who held their kin in such high regard, had lost their minds and massacred them. ¡°This must be a dream. It has to be a dream.¡± ¡°How could I¡­ have killed them with my own hands¡­?¡± Some elves denied reality. But Mariel knew the truth. It wasn¡¯t a dream or an illusion. No matter how they tried to dress it up or im it was an unavoidable situation, they were guilty of the heinous crime of killing their kin. ¡°Do not cry. We don¡¯t even have the right to cry. The only way to atone for our sins is to offer that man¡¯s blood as a requiem and secure the Crown of the Spirit King.¡± Mariel scolded the elves and began to move. There was no one left to stand between them and Damien. ¡°I will kill you and offer your corpse as a tribute to myrades. Damien!¡± ¡°Charge!¡± Mariel and the elves lunged at Damien. Damien looked down at the attacking elves and spoke. ¡°How many humans have died because of you, and you act like you¡¯re the victims? You¡¯ve invaded someone else¡¯s world and wrecked it; you must face the consequences.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense, Damien!¡± Mariel denied Damien¡¯s words and swung her sword. ng! Her sword stopped right in front of Damien¡¯s neck. Something invisible had bound her. It wasn¡¯t just Mariel. All the elves charging with her were stuck as if caught in a spider¡¯s web. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the web of a ss Spider. As you can see, the threads are transparent and invisible to the naked eye. Once caught, you can never escape on your own.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing¡­¡± ¡°Ha! Don¡¯t measure everything by yourmon sense. There are all sorts of monsters in dungeons with unimaginable traits. It¡¯s not surprising that a monster with such characteristics exists.¡± ¡°Stop lying.¡± ¡°How many dungeons do you think I¡¯ve conquered?¡± ¡°You expect me to believe that crap¡­¡± ¡°Seventy-two. I¡¯ve conquered seventy-two dungeons over eight years. That¡¯s about one dungeon every month. It¡¯s insane, right? No one else would raid dungeons like a maniac. All because of you. I risked my life for revenge against you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy! We don¡¯t even know you.¡± ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t. But what about the elves, dwarves, and beastmen in El Harun?¡± ¡°What nonsense is this? El Harun?¡± ¡°Looks like your Queen didn¡¯t tell you about El Harun. She hid it even from her own kind. Elves are truly untrustworthy.¡± Damien¡¯s taunts made Mariel and the elves¡¯ faces flush with anger. ¡°Stop spreading lies, human!¡± ¡°Elves, you¡¯ll soon find out if I¡¯m lying or not. Your Queen ising this way.¡± Damien¡¯s gaze fixed on Serian and the elite forces from the North District approaching the fortress. Snap! Damien snapped his fingers, and the Spectrum Prison in front of Serian vanished. He had opened a path for them. Serian paused momentarily at the entrance of the passage and looked at Damien. She could see him smiling at her. Coldness, contempt, and hatred filled that smile. Why does he look at me with such eyes? Such questions swirled in her mind. She entered the passage. Now was not the time for questions but for action. Even now, Mariel and the elves, bound by the invisible spider web, were precariously trembling. It was evident that over a hundred hade, but only twenty were visible. The fate of the rest was obvious. ¡®What kind of grudge does he hold against the elves?¡¯ There could be no other reason for Damien¡¯s merciless actions. ¡®The Crown of the Spirit King must have been bait to lure the elves out.¡¯ Given this, she was curious about what had driven Damien to such extreme hatred towards the elves. But first, rescuing Mariel and the Thorn Attack Squad took precedence. Serian and the northern elite forces quickly climbed to the top of the fortress. Damien exaggeratedly waved his arms in a courteous gesture. ¡°Wee, Queen of the parasitic otherworldly races in the human world.¡± ¡°As expected, you despise us.¡± ¡°Not just me. Any human who knows the truth despises you.¡± ¡°That incident happened over a hundred years ago. The otherworldly races living in Neo Seoul have nothing to do with it.¡± ¡°So, no responsibility at all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Serian was at a loss for words. At that moment, Eli shouted from beside her. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Even without us, Earth would have ended up this way. Your race was already on the path to destruction.¡± ¡°I despise people like you the most. Those who, knowing their own faults, me others instead. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t forgive you.¡± ¡°And what will you do if you can¡¯t forgive?¡± ¡°You must pay the price.¡± ¡°How arrogant! How dare a mere human demand ountability¡­¡± Eli¡¯s anger red, but Serian intervened. ¡°Be quiet.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to say. That man cannot be forgiven.¡± ¡°Eli!¡± ¡°I will kill him. We just need to secure the Spirit King¡¯s Crown, don¡¯t we?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Without waiting for Serian to stop her, Eli charged at Damien. In an instant, she reached Damien and swung her hand. A white light shot out from her hand. The light, reminiscent of a spider¡¯s web, quickly spread out like a web and surrounded Damien. Webbing Cutter. As the name suggests, it was a spell that used light in the form of a spider¡¯s web to cut the target into pieces. It was Eli¡¯s unique ability, which earned her the nickname ¡°Spider Queen.¡± The light spread out like a web, forming a tetrahedron, and then began to tighten around Damien. ¡°Damien!¡± At that moment, Alexandro stepped in front of Damien and swung his fist. Boom! With a loud explosion, the Webbing Cutter shattered. ¡°You dare!¡± Eli was furious at Alexandro, who stood in her way. She cast another spell, but all her magic was shattered by Alexandro. ¡°No one can touch Damien without my permission.¡± Alexandro growled like a wild monster. The wounds he had sustained fighting Brixton,bined with those from breaking Eli¡¯s magic, had left him drenched in blood. But his gaze remained unwavering. Eli shouted to the Awakened warriors of the North District. ¡°What are you doing? Kill them and rescue ourrades.¡± ¡°¡­¡± But despite hermand, the Awakened warriors didn¡¯t move. They were waiting for Serian¡¯s orders. Serian sighed softly. ¡°Eli, you clearly don¡¯t understand the gravity of the situation. I will hold you ountable when we return to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°My Queen!¡± Eli tried to say something urgently to Serian, but she had no chance. Alexandro attacked her. ¡°Your opponent is me.¡± He charged at Eli like an enraged bear. Alexandro had already resigned himself to death. He had nothing to fear or hesitate about. Thus, he threw everything he had into attacking Eli. As a result, Eli struggled to hold her ground. Serian sighed again and approached Damien. She spoke to him. ¡°I understand that you harbor a great deal of hatred towards us. But there¡¯s no need to make such a big deal out of it. Do you know how many people have been hurt and killed because of you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s typical of your kind.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shifting responsibility, speaking evasively, pretending to be dignified¡­¡± ¡°Your hatred for us is overwhelming. Fine! I won¡¯t beat around the bush anymore. Hand over the Spirit King¡¯s Crown. It¡¯s too dangerous for humans to possess.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I brought it.¡± ¡°So you brought it to draw me out.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d figure it out, the true entity sealed within the Spirit King¡¯s Crown¡­¡± The ominous aura emanating from Damien grew stronger, darkening Serian¡¯s expression. ¡°Your n has seeded. You¡¯ve drawn me out. But it¡¯s time to dispel the Spectrum Prison. Originally, the Spectrum Prison was a magic circle to seal the Spirit King¡¯s Crown. If it¡¯s destroyed like this, the seal will weaken.¡± Rumble! The entire Spectrum Prison was shaking. Brixton and the Thorn Attack Squad were causing havoc from within, and Zeon was destroying it from the outside. At this rate, the Spectrum Prison wouldn¡¯t hold much longer, and the entity sealed within the Spirit King¡¯s Crown would be released. Serian¡¯s eyes were desperate, knowing that this must be prevented at all costs. But Damien coldly ignored her gaze and spoke. ¡°Then tell me.¡± ¡°Tell you what?¡± ¡°The location of El Harun.¡± ¡°So you caused all this for that?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m insane. So tell me. Where is El Harun?¡± Damien¡¯s eyes were as cold as ice. But Serian could sense the intense madness lurking behind that coldness. She looked up at the yellow sky. A hundred years ago, it had been blue. Earth had turned into this yellow sky in exchange for her people crossing over. ¡®Our fate should have ended in Kurayan. If it had, Earth¡¯s lifeforms wouldn¡¯t have suffered.¡¯ If she had had the decision-making power, she would never have crossed over to Earth. But back then, she was just a young elf. She had been in a position where she had no choice but to follow the decisions of the elders. In a way, she was also a victim, but she knew Damien wouldn¡¯t believe her even if she exined. She had no intention of making excuses, and even less of revealing the location of El Harun. Regardless of original sin, El Harun was thest stronghold of the otherworldly races. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not sorry at all, are you?¡± ¡°Please understand that I have my own reasons for not being able to tell you.¡± ¡°I expected as much. You pretend to bepassionate, but you¡¯re the most selfish race of all.¡± ¡°Damien!¡± ¡°If you feel even a shred of remorse, tell me. Tell me the way to El Harun, you bitch!¡± Damien¡¯s long-suppressed rage exploded. At that moment, Serian gave an order. ¡°Everyone, subdue him.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 147 Chapter 147 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 147 ¡°I knew it. You all look dignified on the outside, but inside, you¡¯re nothing but ugly creatures.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Enraged by Damien¡¯s mockery, the Awakeneds from the North District attacked. Swoosh! Dozens of skills wereunched at Damien, aiming to take his life. As expected from the North District¡¯s elite, each skill had tremendous power. Even a slight touch would tear Damien¡¯s fragile body apart in an instant. Damien, being an Awakened himself, was well aware of this. His awakening ability was that of a Navigator¡ªa guide. He had nobat abilities whatsoever. While he could slightly alter his Navigator ability to disrupt his opponents¡¯ sense of direction, it was impossible for him to kill anyone through brute force. Knowing this, he didn¡¯t even attempt a clumsy dodge. Boom! A barrage of skills bombarded Damien, raising a cloud of dust. ¡°That was nothing.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead, right?¡± The North District¡¯s Awakeneds were certain of Damien¡¯s death when it happened. Swoosh! Suddenly, a ck tentacle shot out from the dust, wrapping around the neck of a dwarf Awakened. ¡°Ugh! What the¡­?¡± Crack! Before the dwarf could finish his sentence, the tentacle snapped his neck. Seeing theirrade die instantly, the other Awakeneds let out startled cries. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡± Just then, Damien emerged from the dust. His appearance was drastically different from before. He was now d in jet-ck armor from head to toe. The tentacle that had taken the dwarf¡¯s life retracted into the chest of the armor. Damien touched his chest and muttered. ¡°Prism Armor. An item I found in the same dungeon as the Crown of the Spirit King.¡± Normally, it took the form of an ordinary belt, but when the wearer infused mana or was in danger, it transformed into armor. The Prism Armor, acting like a living creature, protected its wearer with its own will. The tentacle that had emerged was proof of this. ¡°You killed Yolo.¡± ¡°Everyone, be careful. He¡¯s wearing some strange item.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Unable to contain their anger, a few Awakeneds attacked Damien again. Most of them were Martial Art Awakeneds who wielded cold weapons like swords and knives. As they swiftly closed the distance and prepared to strike¡ª Swoosh! ck tentacles suddenly shot out from Damien¡¯s chest, wrapping around the attacking Awakeneds like whips. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Just this¡­¡± The Awakeneds tried to cut the tentacles wrapped around them with their weapons. However, the tentacles from the Prism Armor didn¡¯t even get a scratch. The ck tentacles tightened around the Awakeneds with terrifying strength. ¡°Ignore the tentacles and attack the main body!¡± ¡°Damned human, using such a cursed creature.¡± The other Awakeneds, seeing theirrades ensnared, tried to attack Damien to save them. They believed that if they could bring down Damien, everything would be resolved. But they soon realized how mistaken they were. Forcibly so. Swoosh! Once again, a dozen tentacles shot out from the Prism Armor, targeting the Awakeneds like venomous snakes. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The Awakeneds tried to evade the tentacles, scattering like grasshoppers, but the tentacles, as if possessing a will, chased them down. Boom! The tentacles broke the sound barrier, causing sonic booms. The aftermath was devastating. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°No!¡± The Awakeneds fell like flies hit by a swatter, their bodies crushed in a gruesome manner. ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t be happening!¡± Serian¡¯s face paled. The Awakeneds taken down by the tentacles were among the North District¡¯s strongest. They had been killed in an instant without putting up a fight. It was a disgrace the North District had never experienced. Awakeneds were not immortal. They could die or get injured in battle. They could fall in fights against other districts, in battles with monsters, or while clearing dungeons. Death was always closer than life for an Awakened. But the senseless deaths of theirrades in front of them were iprehensible. ¡°What on earth is that armor¡­¡± ¡°My Queen! It¡¯s a cursed armor. We must kill him immediately.¡± Eli¡¯s urgent voice, as she shed with Alexandro, was heard. Despite her irritation with Eli, this was no time for personal feelings. Serian urgently spoke to the man standing behind her. ¡°Broy! Come forward.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting, My Queen!¡± The man stepped forward with a rough, resonant voice that soon revealed its cause. As he threw off his robe, his body began to transform. Crack! Crack! With a series of splitting sounds, his body grew more than twice its size, and fur sprouted all over him. His mouth elongated, revealing sharp fangs. Erect ears like a dog¡¯s and manic red eyespleted his transformation. The man called Bory was a Werewolf. Broy was known as one of the strongest beastmen loyal to Serian. ¡°Grrrrhhh!¡± Broy let out a roar. The distinctive howling of a werewolf had the power to dominate the opponent¡¯s spirit. It had a simr effect to the fear that only A-rank or higher monsters could invoke. Broy focused his howling on Damien. Any ordinary Awakened would find their entire body frozen and their spirit shaken. However, Damien remained unaffected. The Prism Armor protected its wearer from external curses and various status effect attacks. The trade-off was that it burned the wearer¡¯s vitality and mana. For this reason, Damien had refrained from wearing the Prism Armor until now. It couldn¡¯t be sustained for long because it consumed so much of his life force and mana. But now that his desired scenario had been set, he had no reservations. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Damien nced at Serian and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re not leading these otherworldly races. You¡¯re hiding behind them. The Queen of the otherworldly races, thest hope? How much longer will you continue to decorate and protect yourself with lies? From now on, I will tear apart the veil of your hypocrisy.¡± Swoosh! An ominous ck light burst from his entire body. It was the light emitted by the Prism Armor, burning his life force to produce it. As his life force burned, Damien grew stronger. Seeing this, Serian muttered. ¡°He haspletely lost it.¡± The deep-rooted hatred and anger directed at her by a single human made her fearful. But she couldn¡¯t back down. If she sumbed to Damien, the lives of the otherworldly races in the North District would be miserable. Even if she had to bear all the world¡¯s curses and hatred alone, she had to protect them. ¡®Above all, I cannot let that cursed creature be released into the world.¡¯ Her gaze shifted to the warehouse behind Damien. ¡ª ¡°To think they implemented a dungeon like this. It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± The old man muttered as he looked around. He was standing in the Spectrum Prison, specifically within the violet prison. Even for him, a barrier master, the prison was perfectly isted from the outside world. The Spectrum Prison was a type of barrier. But even as a barrier master, he couldn¡¯t set up such a massive barrier on his own. It would have been impossible without the aid of an item. ¡°It must be the power of that Crown of the Spirit King, right?¡± It was then. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we intervene now?¡± A low voice came from behind him. When the old man turned around, he saw three men in ck suits. ¡°Ha! You must have been feeling stifled in my shadow, huh?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± One of the men bowed his head in apology. The old man smiled his characteristic smile and said. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine! You¡¯re human, so it¡¯s natural to feel that way.¡± The men hiding in the old man¡¯s shadow were members of the Shadow Squad. A special unit that took direct orders from the old man, much like the Execution Squad under the Mayor., Their main tasks were kidnapping, assassination, and surveince. They possessed the ability to hide within shadows. As long as there was a shadow, they could blend in perfectly with their surroundings, concealing their true form. However, the old man was an exception. He was a rare barrier master. The barriers he createdpletely isted external space. Thus, without his permission, the Shadow Squad couldn¡¯t hide in his shadow. It was possible only because the old man had allowed it. Their mission was to find and kidnap the Navigator from the White Bear Caravan. To do this, they hid near the caravan in the old man¡¯s shadow. However, when the Spectrum Prison was activated, they got trapped within the violet prison. Despite this, they were not worried. The old man was with them. This type of dungeon or barrier was his specialty. No Awakened in Neo Seoul could match him. ¡°Can you break it?¡± ¡°Tsk! I can break it. But it will take some time¡­¡± The old man clicked his tongue. As a barrier master, he was nearly unaffected by the Spectrum Prison. He had set up his own barrier to iste himself from external influences. However, breaking or escaping from a dungeon was another matter entirely. While his abilities allowed for an escape, it would take time. At that moment, one of the Shadow Squad men cautiously spoke. ¡°The Mayor ordered us to secure the Navigator at all costs. To do that¡­¡± ¡°Tsk! There¡¯s no other choice.¡± The old man clicked his tongue again. Although he was a member of the notorious Execution Squad known as the Numbers, he was still just a subordinate of Jin Geum-ho. Jin Geum-ho¡¯s orders were absolute, and he had no choice but to follow, even if it meant diving into hell. ¡°I will forcibly open a gate in the dungeon. Prepare yourselves for the impact.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The men answered in unison. The old man closed his eyes and began to gather mana. To create an exit forcibly, he first needed to understand the structure and principles of the dungeon. The most difficult part was resonating his mana with the dungeon¡¯s mana toprehend its structure, requiring intense concentration. Buzz! Just as his hand began to glow blue with a resonant hum, the violet prison suddenly trembled violently. ¡°What is this?¡± The old man was startled. ¡°Could it be an earthquake?¡± One of the Shadow Squad men suggested cautiously. ¡°An earthquake is impossible in a space isted from reality.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°Something external must be affecting the dungeon.¡± ¡°What? There are no monsters around here. Could it be a human affecting the dungeon? That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± The man dismissed his own thoughts. Dungeons were immense worlds in themselves. To influence them would require unimaginable power. Such an entity couldn¡¯t exist. At that moment¡ª Crack! As if to refute his thoughts, the violet prison began to shatter like ss. ¡°Crazy!¡± Crash! An enormous amount of sand poured in through the cracks. The old man¡¯s eyes widened as he spotted a man standing upright amidst the surging sand. ¡°Ze¡­on?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 148 Chapter 148 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 148 Boom! A wave crashed. The wave, made of sand, struck the violet prison violently. It felt as if a giant tsunami was surging through. The sight before the old man¡¯s eyes was unreal. While the sand wave itself was surreal, Zeon standing upright atop the sand wave made it even more so. It looked as if Zeon was controlling the sand. The sand tsunami carried Zeon towards the old man. At that moment, the old man and Zeon¡¯s eyes met in the air. ¡°Is he really controlling the sand?¡± ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± ¡°Hurry¡­¡± The men from the Shadow Squad grabbed the old man¡¯s arms and leapt into the air. Swoosh! The sand wave swept over the spot where the old man had been. The violet prison shook violently, as if it would shatter at any moment. This space, although separate from reality, still existed and had its limits. The immense mass of sand pouring into the prison applied tremendous internal pressure. Crack! Finally, the prison couldn¡¯t withstand the internal pressure and began to tear apart. ¡°What in the world?¡± The old man stared at Zeon in disbelief. Zeon had essentially smashed a dungeon using sheer force. Although he used sand, it was still Zeon¡¯s power. ¡°How strong is his control tomand so much sand?¡± It was beyond the old man¡¯s understanding. Over a hundred years ago, after the world nearly copsed, many Awakeneds were born. They were broadly categorized into martial, magical, mechanized, and cursed types, among others. Special ability Awakeneds, irregrs, also existed. They possessed unusual powers, like Levin with his ghosting ability. While their abilities were unique, they still had human limitations. The old man, an A-rank barrier master, could only dominate a space up to a certain extent. The fortress where the White Bear Caravan was and its surroundings were his limit. Even that was a remarkable feat, which is why Jin Geum-ho sent him in case of emergencies. Setting up a barrier around the fortress required mana and strong dominance. No matter how much mana one had, weak dominance couldn¡¯t maintain a barrier for long. Therefore, the old man, who knew better than anyone else the importance of dominance, saw Zeon as a monster. ¡°To control that much sand¡­ How strong is his control?¡± Naturally, Zeon did not answer. Though their eyes met briefly, the old man was no longer of interest to Zeon. All of Zeon¡¯s attention was on the fortress. ¡®Damien!¡¯ Something was happening to him. Though Zeon couldn¡¯t pinpoint what, he knew it wasn¡¯t good. He had to reach Damien. Increasing his control further, more sand flowed in from outside. Thebined mass increased, and with it, the destructive power. The enhanced destruction shattered the prison like ss. Crack! As the violet prison broke, the environment changed. The ominous violet light turned into andscape filled with red sand. Reality had reced the surreal. Yet, Zeon didn¡¯t stop. Boom! He drove the sand towards the top of the fortress. Seeing this, the old man hurried to follow Zeon. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Elder!¡± The men from the Shadow Squad tried to follow, but the old man had already spread a barrier and disappeared. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Head towards the fortress.¡± The Shadow Squad men also approached the fortress. ¡ª Broy swayed precariously like a reed. ¡°Ughhh!¡± A painful groan escaped his lips. A ck tentacle was wrapped around Broy¡¯s neck, lifting him off the ground. He wasn¡¯t alone. Dozens of warriors¡ªdwarves, elves, and other beastmen¡ªwere bound by tentacles, swaying precariously. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Please, spare¡­¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± Serian bit her lip as their groans filled the air. All the elite warriors of the North District, whom she had trusted, were subdued by Damien. ¡®I should have acted myself.¡¯ It was toote for regrets. They had been overpowered in the blink of an eye. Even Broy, whom she deeply trusted, was now a captive without having inflicted significant harm on Damien. Damien swung the tentacles, causing the captives to groan in pain once more. Some were on the brink of death. Any further dy would put their lives in jeopardy. Serian shouted urgently. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°By whose orders¡­¡± ¡°If you kill them, you won¡¯t be safe either.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to care for me. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°You should be the one calming down.¡± Damienughed harshly. His usual polite tone was gone. His speech was rough and savage, unlike his usual self. This was due to the influence of the Prism Armor. Specifically, it was the Crown of the Spirit King powering the armor. The Prism Armor was merely a conduit. The Crown of the Spirit King was the true source. The power it sent was filtered and amplified through the Prism Armor, creating the Spectrum Prison. The more power one used from the Crown, the more they became enved by it. Damien was already half-enved by the Prism of the Spirit King. Yet, he clung to his sanity for one reason. ¡°Tell me the location of El Harun.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± Crack! [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Before Serian could finish her sentence, Damien snapped the neck of one of the beastmen hanging from his tentacle. The beastman died without even a scream, and Serian¡¯s eyes trembled at the sight. ¡°Every time you dy your answer, another one dies.¡± ¡°Please, calm down¡­¡± At that moment, Damien killed another captive. This time it was an elf. Serian was speechless at the elf¡¯s death. Damien sneered at Serian. ¡°Still not talking? Then I¡¯ll kill this one next.¡± He shook Broy, who was also ensnared by a tentacle. ¡°Keuk! I¡¯m fine, My Queen. Don¡¯t say anything.¡± Broy urged, but the ck tentacle around his neck tightened with immense force. Broy¡¯s face turned pale. Seeing Broy¡¯s state, Serian bit her lip so hard it bled. Broy was a crucial figure. Losing him would significantly weaken the North District. The bnce of power in their battles with other districts would tip drastically. Crack! A sound came from Broy¡¯s neck as the bones began to give way. A bit more pressure, and his neck would snap like a twig. Serian closed her eyes and spoke. ¡°Magadan.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°El Harun is located in what used to be the sea in front of the old Russian city of Magadan.¡± ¡°Magadan, huh? How do you get in?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never been there.¡± ¡°Can you swear on the honor of the elves that you¡¯re telling the truth?¡± ¡°I swear on the honor of the elves.¡± Serian opened her eyes, her expression filled with resignation. A smile appeared on Damien¡¯s lips. Swearing on the honor of the elves meant she could not lie. Her words were the truth. ¡°Finally. I¡¯ve finally found it¡­ Haha!¡± Damienughed. He had lived the past eight years for this moment, burning everything he had for it. Damien¡¯s gaze shifted to the empty space behind Serian. ¡°You heard that? Brother!¡± ¡°I did.¡± Standing on a massive pir of sand was Zeon. ¡°I kept my promise to find El Harun¡¯s location.¡± ¡°Yes! You really kept your promise.¡± ¡°Thank goodness.¡± Damien smiled brightly, but his grin was hidden by the helmet that had almost entirely covered his face. The Prism Armor was embedding itself into his body, merging with him. Damien understood what this meant. His consciousness was gradually fading, something else taking over his mind. Damien¡¯s gaze shifted to Alexandro. Alexandro was already a bloodied mess. The Spider Queen, Eli, was powerful. The fact that he had held out this long was a miracle in itself. Damien used thest of his strength to speak to Alexandro. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Damien!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve achieved my goal. So go. Run and join Jack.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You promised, remember? So, keep your promise.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Got it.¡± Alexandro replied with difficulty andunched a powerful punch. The blow sent Eli skidding backward. Alexandro didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and retreated. ¡°All survivors, fall back.¡± At hismand, the Awakeneds of the White Bear Caravan rushed over. Alexandro¡¯s face was filled with aplex mix of emotions. Only a few had survived. They hade prepared for death, but seeing so few survivors was heart-wrenching. He suppressed his sorrow and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The survivors nced at Damien briefly. Damien looked back at them. No words were needed; they understood each other perfectly. Alexandro and the survivors made their escape. Serian watched, unable to stop them. Her attention was fully on Damien, specifically on Broy and the other North District Awakeneds he held captive. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve achieved your goal, let them go.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± ¡°No¡­ are you thinking of breaking your promise?¡± ¡°I keep my promises. They¡¯ll all die anyway.¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, Damien released everyone he had been holding with his tentacles. Broy and the other North District Awakeneds copsed, gasping for breath. Boom! The warehouse storing the Crown of the Spirit King exploded, and an ominous ck light burst forth. Serian and Eli instinctively closed their eyes against the blinding light, but Zeon kept his eyes open, staring intently. The source of the ck light was the Crown of the Spirit King. Something that had been sealed within was awakening. The ck light enveloping Damien grew even darker. Something was transferring from the Crown of the Spirit King into Damien¡¯s body. Crack! Crack! Damien¡¯s body twisted and morphed, growing over five meters tall. The Prism Armor melded with his skin, bing like a secondyer. His eyes turned a fierce red, filled with hostility, and his mouth jutted out like a beast¡¯s, filled with mes. Two horns sprouted from his head, marking him as no longer human. A being that had been sealed within the Crown of the Spirit King had emerged through Damien¡¯s body. Serian, recognizing the transformation, whispered. ¡°Balrog!¡± Grrrrhh! As if in response, Balrog¡¯s roar echoed across the desert. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 149 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 149 ¡°What the hell is that?¡± The old man¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Damien had definitely been human. Though he wore the Prism Armor, his essence remained human. But now, the being standing before him was something entirely different, unrecognizable as Damien. It wasn¡¯t just his appearance that had changed. It seemed as if his very soul had transformed. Indeed, that was the case. The one resurrected using Damien¡¯s body was none other than Balrog, a demonic monster. Balrog was an ancient disaster-ss monster known as the Demon Duke. Although it wasn¡¯t quite on par with a dragon, its ferocity was said to surpass even that of dragons. Because of this ferocity, Balrog was often deemed more dangerous than dragons. One appearance of Balrog had led to the destruction of an entire kingdom. As a result, countless Awakeneds and nations banded together in Kurayan to eliminate Balrog. Despite pooling their resources, they couldn¡¯tpletely kill it. In the end, they borrowed the power of the Spirit King to seal it within the Crown. This was the secret of the Crown, which people believed housed the Spirit King. Balrog had now resurrected using Damien¡¯s body. However, being sealed for so long had severely weakened its original power. Even so, its presence alone surpassed that of an S-rank monster. Everyone froze under Balrog¡¯s aura. Mariel, Borin, and even Queen Serian were paralyzed. The old man, protected by his barrier, was also spiritually shaken, unable to move for a moment. If these top-tier Awakeneds of Neo Seoul were this affected, others stood no chance. The remaining scavengers and Awakeneds were immobilized by Balrog¡¯s aura. Fwoosh! They were swept away by a hellish fire. It was Balrog¡¯s skill, The Eye of Destruction, akin to Hellfire. Everything within Balrog¡¯s sight fell under The Eye of Destruction¡¯s range. No living creature, Awakened, or monster could escape Balrog¡¯s gaze. It wasn¡¯t called the Demon of Destruction for nothing. Now was the perfect chance to eliminate it due to its weakened state from the long seal. However, neither Serian nor Mariel dared to attack. They were overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the name Balrog. If they hadn¡¯t known Balrog¡¯s identity, they might have attacked more freely. But knowing the legend of Balrog instilled a deep-seated fear that paralyzed them. ¡°Grrr!¡± Seeing the elves and otherworldly races who had sealed it, Balrog¡¯s eyes red with intense mes of hatred. Whoosh! A long whip appeared in Balrog¡¯s hand, wreathed in hellfire. It was Balrog¡¯s signature weapon, the me Whip, distinguishing it from other monsters. Most monsters relied on their innate physical prowess and skills, requiring no study or tools. But Balrog was different. It constantly sought ways to enhance its power, leading to the creation of the me Whip. Concentrating its innate hellfire, Balrog formed it into a whip. Its power was beyond imagination. Crack! Balrog swung the me Whip towards Serian and the others. The whip, imbued with hellfire, broke the sound barrier. Serian, snapping back to her senses, hurriedly cast her skill. ¡°Seven Ovep Shield!¡± It was her defensive skill,yering seven shields together. She managed to cast it in time, blocking the whip. Boom! However, the cost was severe. Six of the seven ovepping shields shattered with just onesh of the me Whip. Only thest shield held, saving their lives, but the massive shockwave struck Serian, Mariel, and Borin. ¡°Keuk!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Mariel and Borin coughed up blood and fell to their knees, while Serian¡¯splexion paled. Serian quickly tried to shift from defense to offense. Despite being overpowered by Balrog¡¯s arrival, she was still an S-rank Awakened. She had enough power to at least escape, if not confront Balrog directly. But Balrog gave her no such chance. Bang! Bang! Balrog kept striking with the whip. Serian desperately cast her Seven Ovep Shield in time with each attack. ¡°Snap out of it! We¡¯re all going to die at this rate!¡± She shouted at Mariel and Borin. But they couldn¡¯t recover quickly enough. Protecting them left Serian trapped, unable to escape her defensive stance. ¡°My God! Such a monster exists?¡± The old man was frozen in terror. Balrog was an unprecedented monster. Neither he nor anyone in Neo Seoul had ever seen its like before. Naturally, they had no information on it. But it didn¡¯t take knowledge to understand its immense power just by looking. At that moment¡ª Roar! Enraged by the unbroken shields, Balrog let out a furious roar, unleashing a tremendous me storm. The old man, protected by his barrier, was spared, but the three Awakeneds from the Shadow Squad were not so lucky. ¡°Aaagh!¡± ¡°Help¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± Engulfed by the high-temperature me storm, they turned to ash in an instant. The same fate befell the other survivors. The scavengers and Awakeneds who had barely escaped earlier were now melting away. The old man¡¯s expression hardened as he witnessed the carnage. ¡°My God!¡± The intense heat had turned the surrounding sand into a smooth, ssy surface. Despite not having fully regained its strength, Balrog¡¯s power was already immense, hinting at the catastrophic force it could unleash once fully restored. One thing was certain. ¡°If that thing heads to Neo Seoul, it will bring a massive disaster.¡± Balrog was a demonic monster capable of ignoring Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic barrier. Unlike lower-tier monsters, it was unaffected by the city¡¯s defensive measures. If Balrog were to invade Neo Seoul, the devastation would be unimaginable. He had to be stopped here. At that moment, Balrog, enraged, unleashed his aura once more. Roar! A powerful light emanated from Balrog¡¯s entire body, quickly reaching Neo Seoul. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Crackle! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Cha Jin-cheol and the Mechanized Awakeneds stationed on the outskirts of Neo Seoul groaned in pain. The machines exposed to Balrog¡¯s light sparked and halted. Jin-cheol looked at his sparking arm and muttered. ¡°What is this? What happened?¡± A massive wall of fire surrounded the fortress, blocking his view of the interior. ¡°Is this an EMP attack?¡± As if to confirm his suspicions, the entire slum area lost power, plunging into darkness. The old man, watching the scene, muttered. ¡°I have no choice. This wasn¡¯t what I nned.¡± He was never an altruistic person. If he were, he wouldn¡¯t have been part of the execution squad. However, he wasn¡¯t so malevolent that he could stand by and watch countless people die. He had to buy time before Balrog reached Neo Seoul. Fortunately, he had the capability. ¡°Haap!¡± With a shout, he generated a massive barrier. The barrier epassed him, Balrog, and everything in the vicinity. He didn¡¯t know how long it would hold, but it might buy time until other Awakeneds arrived from Neo Seoul. However, his true hopey elsewhere. ¡®Zeon!¡¯ Zeon stood on floating sand, hovering in the air. He was watching Damien, who had lost all traces of humanity. His body, now fully fused with the Prism Armor, had grownrge and strong enough to house Balrog¡¯s soul. mes of extreme heat flickered in his eyes and mouth. The human consciousness was gone, reced by the powerful spirit of a demonic monster. Damien had known this would happen from the moment he obtained the Crown of the Spirit King and the Prism Armor. Despite knowing he would be Balrog, he used them anyway. His hatred for elves and otherworldly races was that immense. While everything that made him human was gone, his hatred had merged with Balrog, intensifying. Roar! Balrog unleashed his aura again, creating a storm of mes. However, the barrier held, preventing the mes from spreading outside. ¡°Ugh!¡± The immense pressure on the barrier caused the old man to grimace. Swallowing the blood rising in his throat, he spoke to Zeon. ¡°We must stop him. If he escapes the barrier, Neo Seoul will face catastrophe.¡± The old man¡¯s expression was desperate. His determination to prevent Balrog from escaping was clear. ¡°Huu!¡± Zeon sighed and nodded. Regardless of the circumstances, Damien had chosen to be Balrog. Though Zeon understood his deep-seated hatred for otherworldly races, he couldn¡¯t allow Balrog to ravage Neo Seoul. The slums, where Zeon lived, would suffer the most. Just then, Borin shot an arrow at Balrog. It was from the Bow of Nylia, purchased at an auction. As befitting the weapon of the elven hero Nylia, it was incredibly powerful. Thud! The arrow pierced Balrog¡¯s skin, but the attack only fueled Balrog¡¯s rage. Whoosh! Balrog swung his me Whip. The whip, moving at supersonic speed, struck Borin. Bang! Borin was thrown back without even a scream. Though the bow blocked the whip, preventing serious injury, the impact left Borin paralyzed. The whip flew towards Borin again. ¡°Borin!¡± Serian tried to save Borin, but she couldn¡¯t match the speed of Balrog¡¯s whip. Sensing her fate, Borin closed her eyes tightly. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Boom! Just before the whip reached Borin, a burst of air erupted. The whip struck the air in front of Borin, missing its target. The extreme heat scorched Borin¡¯s face, but she avoided a direct hit. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Borin cautiously opened her eyes and saw a man standing in front of her. Recognizing his back instantly, Borin whispered. ¡°Zeon?¡± Roar! The me Whip, aze, was caught in Zeon¡¯s right hand, protected by the Inferno Gauntlet. ¡°From now on, I will be the one dealing with you. Damien! No, Balrog!¡± Roar! Enraged, Balrog attacked Zeon. In that instant, countless streams of sand shot towards Balrog. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 150 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 150 Sand ster. It was Zeon¡¯s favorite skill and the first skill he had mastered. He used it with great proficiency. A single Sand ster wasn¡¯t particrly powerful, but when dozens were fired simultaneously, the story changed. It had enough force to shred most monsters instantly. Zeon had hunted many monsters with the Sand ster. But now, his opponent was Balrog. Balrog¡¯s body was tougher than mostrge monsters, and it had a powerful force field. High-ranking monsters like Balrog, those A-rank and above, had force fields that provided significant defense against both physical and magical attacks. The higher the monster¡¯s rank, the stronger the force field. Balrog¡¯s exact rank was unknown as it had just appeared today. But judging by its presence and force field, it was clear: ¡®It¡¯s at least S-rank.¡¯ That meant the minimum was S-rank. Even having just awakened, Balrog was already this powerful. If it regained its full strength, it would be unimaginably destructive. ¡®How could you wake up such a monster, Damien?¡¯ Balrog was capable of destroying a colony in an instant. Releasing such a monster on Neo Seoul¡¯s doorstep was reckless, even if it was to extract information about El Harun from the elves. Perhaps Damien trusted Zeon to be able to stop Balrog. If it was Zeon, he could definitely stop Balrog. Whoosh! The me Whip flew at an invisible speed. Zeon used his Sand Stride to retreat. The whip barely missed, scorching the air in front of Zeon¡¯s face. Sizzle! The air itself seemed to boil from the mere proximity of the me Whip. The heat was intense enough to melt the skin of most Awakeneds. But this level of heat couldn¡¯t harm Zeon. He wore the Inferno Gauntlet. The gauntlet, embedded with the eye of a Red Dragon, protected Zeon perfectly from mes. At least Balrog¡¯s fire attacks wouldn¡¯t kill him. What remained was pure skill and physicalbat. Swoosh! The me Whip came at him again. Even without the fire, the whip¡¯s raw power was enough to rip apart the body of any monster. Zeon blocked the whip with the Inferno Gauntlet. The gauntlet¡¯s strength was on par with the me Whip, allowing Zeon to withstand the attack. Bang! Bang! The me Whip and the Inferno Gauntlet shed repeatedly, sending shockwaves and firestorms in all directions. Zeon and Balrog moved at such speeds that Serian and Mariel couldn¡¯t even track their movements with their eyes. The old man, maintaining his barrier, stood with his mouth agape. ¡°Was he really that strong?¡± He knew Zeon was formidable. The fact that the twins he sent after him had failed to report back was proof of Zeon¡¯s strength. But he hadn¡¯t expected Zeon¡¯s physical prowess to rival Balrog¡¯s. ¡°Is he a Martial Arts Awakened?¡± The old man quickly dismissed the thought. Zeon was more than a Martial Arts Awakened. The sand swirling around him proved it. The sand moved as if it responded to Zeon¡¯s will, like hunting dogs awaiting their master¡¯smand, ready to tear at their prey at any moment. Zeon gestured, and the sand coalesced in the air, formingpact masses the size of a child¡¯s arm. These Sand Missiles shot at Balrog with terrifying speed. Boom! Boom! Boom! Dozens of Sand Missiles exploded on Balrog¡¯s massive body. But they inflicted no damage. The force field protected Balrog entirely. Zeon knew this would happen. He used the Sand Missiles to wear down the force field. No matter how strong, a force field couldn¡¯tst forever. Balrog, having just taken over Damien¡¯s body, wouldn¡¯t have the reserves to maintain it indefinitely. Luckily, the old man¡¯s barrier enclosed an enormous amount of sand. And Zeon had the control to manipte it. ¡°Let¡¯s get serious.¡± Zeon raised more sand. The sand rose like a tsunami and crashed down on Balrog. Boom! A sand wave, tens of meters high, engulfed Balrog. Serian covered her mouth in shock. ¡°A Sand¡­ Mage?¡± ¡°My God!¡± Even Eli¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. A giant sand pir lifted Zeon into the air, confirming his status as a Sand Mage. Roar! Furious, Balrog unleashed The Eye of Destruction. The red beam from Balrog¡¯s eyes instantly melted the sand supporting Zeon, turning it intova. The barrier¡¯s interior transformed into a volcandscape, with rivers of molten sand flowing and the air heating up to unbearable levels. Breathing alone felt like it would sear their lungs. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Those who survived covered their faces with their sleeves and retreated. ¡°My Queen!¡± Even as she was being pulled away by Borin, Serian couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Zeon. He spread his arms like a conductor, causing the sand before Balrog to explode like bombs. Boom! The tremendous pressure and countless sand particles engulfed Balrog. Zeon had used ymore. Most monsters would be torn to shreds by one ymore st. But the opponent was Balrog. A demonic beast called a disaster. The sand was unable to prate the force field on the Balrog¡¯s body and scattered in all directions. ¡°This won¡¯t work! We need to help him.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, My Queen!¡± Eli opposed the idea. She hurriedly stepped in front of Serian and continued. ¡°My Queen saw it too, didn¡¯t you? That man holds a grudge against our kind. If we help him, he will definitely betray us.¡± ¡°Eli!¡± ¡°We need to think rationally. If the location of El Harun is exposed, all our people who crossed over from Kurayan will be in danger.¡± Eli¡¯s eyes were bloodshot with intensity. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] She had always coveted Serian¡¯s position and had secretly opposed her. But there was one thing they agreed on: the protection of El Harun. El Harun was thest bastion for all those who came from Kurayan. It had to be protected until they gained more strength. ¡°We don¡¯t need to use our strength. Let these humans inside the barrier die. That way, the secret of El Harun will be kept safe.¡± ¡°No, My Queen!¡± Borin countered Eli¡¯s argument. ¡°How dare you!¡± Eli red fiercely at Borin, but she continued undeterred. ¡°I understand that El Harun is important, but so is this ce. Neo Seoul is our home, isn¡¯t it? We already live under the watchful eyes of humans, and if this ce falls, where will our people go?¡± ¡°We have El Harun, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about El Harun. This ce is my home. Most of our kind probably feel the same way.¡± ¡°Who are you to speak so freely? Shut your mouth.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I must speak. If we don¡¯t help Zeon, many people in Neo Seoul will die. The city itself might not suffer much damage, but the people in the slums will. Their deaths will deepen the hatred and resentment against us.¡± Having spoken her mind, Borin felt a sense of relief, despite knowing it could incur Eli¡¯s wrath and possible consequences. Eli turned her gaze to Serian. ¡°Do not listen to her.¡± ¡°Eli!¡± ¡°Humans are our enemies. Never forget that.¡± ¡°Ha! I¡¯m sorry, Eli. I¡¯ve always respected your opinions, but not this time.¡± ¡°My Queen!¡± ¡°No matter the risk of El Harun¡¯s exposure, we must prevent the many deaths. And if we let Balrog go unchecked, do you think we¡¯ll be safe? We might be safe for now, but eventually, Balrog will cause us great harm.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Enough. That¡¯s an order. If you defy me again, I¡¯ll consider it mutiny and punish you.¡± Serian¡¯s stern gaze silenced Eli. She couldn¡¯t argue any further. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Eli bit her lip so hard it bled, feeling humiliated. Ignoring Eli, Serian stepped forward. Zeon was fiercely battling Balrog. The area within the barrier had already transformed into ava field, another demonstration of Balrog¡¯s power. Balrog, a monster born of hellfire, thrived in this environment. The more the surroundings changed, the stronger Balrog became. Zeon intensified his attacks on Balrog. Boom! Zeon used all the sand at his disposal to attack Balrog. But the limited sand, most of it already melted, restricted his efforts. Zeon bit his lip slightly. ¡®Should I go all out?¡¯ He could manipte the sand beneath theva if he wanted, but doing so would reveal his full power. As Zeon hesitated, Serian shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll help!¡± She activated a skill, A massive swarm of light burst from her entire body and was shot toward Zeon. He felt an immense energy flooding through him¡ªSerian¡¯s skill, Blessing of the Earth. It temporarily transferred a significant portion of her mana to him. Being an S-rank Awakened, Serian had a vast and deep reservoir of mana. Zeon, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of mana, felt a new sense of power. ¡®With this¡­¡¯ He realized he could use his full power without revealing his true strength. That was all he needed. ¡°Great!¡± Zeon shouted as he soared into the air. Balrog followed, ming wings sprouting from its back. It closed in on Zeon in an instant. Boom! Balrog broke the sound barrier, creating a sonic boom. The me Whip in its hand morphed into a spear, aimed at Zeon¡¯s throat. In that critical moment, Zeon quietly whispered, ¡°Sand Storm!¡± Whoosh! Theva churned, and an enormous amount of sand erupted into the air. The swirling sand engulfed Balrog and its me Whip. But Zeon didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°Sand Mixer!¡± The fine sand particles spun like a blender, eroding Balrog¡¯s force field. As the force field weakened, Balrog¡¯s skin was exposed to the rapidly spinning sand particles, which began to wear it away. Roar! Balrog, in immense pain, unleashed The Eye of Destruction, firing beams of high-temperature energy throughout the barrier. ¡°Damn it! I can¡¯t hold on any longer. Finish it quickly.¡± The old man shouted, coughing up blood. At that moment, Serian and Borinunched their attack skills. The scattered sand particles obscured everyone¡¯s vision. In that instant, Zeon released Exion. Finally, maximum output was achieved. With ck sand spread out like wings, Zeon struck Balrog directly. Boom! [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 151 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 151 Crack! A giant sword pierced through Balrog¡¯s chest. It was a sword made of jet-ck diamond. Zeon, using his Inferno Gauntlet, applied immense pressure and heat to transform sand into diamond. A miracle possible only for Zeon, who could control sand and mes at will. The ck diamond sword shone as it impaled Balrog¡¯s chest. Balrog could have dodged Zeon¡¯s attack at thest moment if he wanted to. Yet, for some reason, he didn¡¯t evade and took the attack head-on. Drip, drip! Balrog¡¯s blood flowed down the ck diamond sword. Balrog stood there like a mannequin, staring nkly at the diamond sword piercing his chest. Zeon spoke to Balrog. ¡°Damien! Is it you? Were you the one who held Balrog at thest moment?¡± Balrog turned his head to look at Zeon. He didn¡¯t say anything. For a moment, Damien¡¯s face ovepped with Balrog¡¯s. It looked as if Damien was nodding in agreement. ¡°You couldn¡¯t be aplete viin, after all.¡± Growl! Balrog let out a painful groan instead of answering. His eyes were filled with disbelief as he stared at Zeon, as if he couldn¡¯t believe his own death. The mes from Balrog¡¯s eyes and mouth grew stronger and began to consume him from the inside. It was as if he intended to leave no trace of himself in this world. Zeon silently watched. Balrog¡¯s mighty body turned to ashes and scattered. Just like that, Balrog and Damien vanished from this world without leaving a trace, as if they never existed. At that moment, the world changed. The old man dispersed the barrier. The rivers ofva and volcandscapes that had been boiling over like a mirage disappeared without a trace. In their ce, an endless expanse of desert stretched out before Zeon¡¯s eyes, with Neo Seoul standing tall in the distance. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± The old man was panting heavily, as if he was about to pass out. He had exhausted all his strength maintaining the barrier. If Zeon had been even a littleter in defeating Balrog, the old man wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep the barrier up. Though exhausted to the point where he could hardly stand, the old man forced himself upright. For the Elf Queen, Eli, and Borin were still standing strong. ¡®He had definitely mentioned El Harun.¡¯ A city said to have been established by the otherworldly races who crossed over to Earth. In all his years as the Mayor¡¯s right-hand man, he had never heard of such a city. If Mayor Jin Geum-ho had known, the old man would have known too. This meant that the conversations that took ce within this barrier were top secret, unknown even to Jin Geum-ho. ¡®Those cunning elves wouldn¡¯t let such a well-guarded secret leak.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t afford to rx, as they might have to battle the elves as well. At that moment, Serian approached Zeon. ¡°Huu! You¡¯ve done well. Thanks to you, we¡¯ve prevented a great disaster.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your help.¡± ¡°A Sand Mage, huh? I never imagined an Awakened with such abilities existed.¡± ¡°I never expected to meet the Queen of the North District.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an embarrassing title. But we need to talk, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°About El Harun?¡± ¡°That and more¡­¡± Serian trailed off. There was no way to prevent the secret of El Harun¡¯s location from leaking. The only way to keep the secret would have been to kill Zeon and the old man, but she couldn¡¯t bear the repercussions of that. ¡®It was bound to be revealed eventually.¡¯ El Harun was not a ce easily found even if someone had a rough idea of its location. Protected by various magical barriers, only a Navigator of Damien¡¯s caliber could locate it. Even if someone managed to find it, without permission, they would never be able to enter due to itspleted defense system. She had kept it a secret all this time as a precaution for emergencies. Now that the secret was out, she couldn¡¯t kill Zeon and the old man. Recruiting Zeon seemed easier. A power that could control sand at will in a desertified world was invaluable. ¡®His potential is truly limitless. I must bring him to our side.¡¯ It would cost a lot to recruit Zeon, but it was worth it. At that moment. ¡°You don¡¯t intend to take him in, do you?¡± Eli, sensing Serian¡¯s intentions, interrupted before she could speak. ¡°Eli!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Do you realize who¡¯s to me for this situation?¡± ¡°I apologize for that. But we can¡¯t allow a human into our district. Our North District is thest refuge for the disced races of Kurayan.¡± Eli¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. Those red, bloodshot eyes were full of hostility toward Zeon. ¡°We must kill them now to keep our secrets safe. That¡¯s the only way to protect our kind.¡± Serian¡¯s anger red at Eli¡¯s extreme statement. ¡°Enough! Because of your unteral actions, we¡¯ve lost valuable elite warriors. How many more must die to satisfy you? Do you think you can handle him?¡± ¡°My Queen?¡± ¡°Wake up! The world is not kind to us, nor is it so easy for us to do as we please. Like it or not, we must learn to coexist with the people of this world. Why can¡¯t you ept that?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re siding with that human?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°Ha! We can¡¯tmunicate at all. Eli! I¡¯m stripping you of all your authority for the time being.¡± ¡°My Queen!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an order. Refuse, and it will be permanent.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Finally, Eli fell silent. Serian¡¯s authority in the North District was unshakeable. With one word, everything Eli had could vanish like a mirage. That was why she was so desperate to take Serian¡¯s ce. Serian sighed softly and looked at Zeon. But by then, Zeon had already moved away from her. He was now with the old man. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done more than me. It¡¯s impressive that you managed to take down Balrog.¡± ¡°It was all thanks to your help.¡± ¡°Is that so? It didn¡¯t seem like I helped much, but if you think so, I appreciate it.¡± ¡°You were a great help.¡± ¡°The twin sisters? I sent them to stop you.¡± ¡°I taught them a lesson about the dangers of peering into others¡¯ minds and sent them back.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± The old man sighed in relief. The twin sisters were like his own granddaughters. If he had known Zeon possessed such power, he would never have sent them. ¡°As a token of gratitude, I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut about El Harun.¡± The old man spoke loudly enough for Serian to hear, ensuring she owed them a favor and wouldn¡¯t act rashly. ¡°But I can¡¯t hide that you¡¯re a Sand Mage. I¡¯ll need to exin to the Mayor how you defeated Balrog.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t expect to keep it a secret forever.¡± ¡°The Mayor will likely send someone soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Zeon nodded. After all themotion, it was impossible for Mayor Jin Geum-ho not to know. ¡®I was bound to meet him eventually.¡¯ Zeon thought as he gazed at the spot where Balrog had perished. Balrog and Damien had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the location of El Harun. To uncover it, Damien had lived intensely and perished like a me. Zeon knew he would never forget Damien. * * * The news that the White Bear Caravan had summoned Balrog quickly spread throughout Neo Seoul. The City Hall organized a pursuit team to track down the remnants of the White Bear Caravan. For reasons unknown, summoning Balrog near Neo Seoul was an unforgivable offense. However, the pursuit team failed to capture the remnants. The survivors of the White Bear Caravan were experts at surviving in the desert. Moreover, they had a Navigator named Ellen. Though not as skilled as Damien, Ellen was capable of navigating the desert effectively. Thanks to Ellen, the White Bear Caravan¡¯s survivors evaded their pursuers and regrouped at a designated meeting point. ¡°Leader!¡± ¡°You made it out safely.¡± Young men greeted Alexandro and his followers. Ellen and Jack. They were the Awakeneds who had escaped the fortress before Alexandro. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re all safe.¡± Alexandro smiled as he confirmed Ellen and Jack were unharmed. Ellen was a Navigator, and Jack possessed a Subspace ability. All the Mana Stones collected in Neo Seoul were stored in Jack¡¯s subspace. These Mana Stones would be the lifeline for Yakutsk Colony. Though the loss of Damien was unfortunate, Alexandro believed these two could fill his void. Embracing them, Alexandro said, ¡°Let¡¯s head back! To our homnd, Yakutsk.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The journey ahead would be arduous. Without Damien to guide them, and with their numbers reduced to a tenth, it would be a difficult trek. Yet, they held onto hope. They had gained more than just Mana Stones from Neo Seoul. During their stay, they had collected numerous items, a fusion of magic and technology. Frommon items like magicmps, cars, and refrigerators to a precious small mana generator. The utility of the mana generator was beyond words. With research, Yakutsk Colony could generate electricity like Neo Seoul. With enough Mana Stones, it was worth attempting. More valuable than the items obtained from countless dungeon raids was this small mana generator. Alexandro and the survivors set off, protecting Ellen and Jack. Unlike their arrival in Neo Seoul, they had no suitable transportation. They would have to walk to Yakutsk. But no oneined. They had anticipated this. How long had they walked? Suddenly, Ellen¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°I sense a monster ahead.¡± ¡°A monster ?¡± ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s moving beneath the sand. It must be a Sandworm.¡± ¡°A Sandworm? Get behind me.¡± Alexandro hurriedly shielded Ellen and Jack. Rumble! Far ahead, the sand began to stir. Just as Ellen said, a massive Sandworm was approaching at a terrifying speed. Once above ground, the Sandworm was no match for him. The problem was its underground movement. Using the thick sand as a shield, the Sandworm was a formidable opponent. Suddenly, the Sandworm¡¯s movements ceased. ¡°What trick is this?¡± Grrrr! The sand around the halted sandworm swirled violently. The spinning sand, like a blender, shredded the Sandworm. The Sandworm¡¯s roar echoed. That was itsst cry. ¡°What on earth¡­?¡± At that moment, Alexandro saw a figure on a high sand dune in the distance. Alexandro immediately recognized the man. ¡°Ze¡­on?¡± The sole Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert. Zeon disappeared as if his job of killing the Sandworm was done. [TL/N: Ohhhh, he said it! He said the thing!] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 152 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 152 ¡°Haa!¡± Zeon brushed the dust off his shoulders and head, letting out a soft sigh. He had only nned to watch over Alexandro and his group briefly, but it took a full fifteen days to see them safely out of the danger zone. The journey had taken longer than expected. He longed to get home, take a bath, and rest. Before entering the slums, Zeon looked back at the spot where the White Bear Caravan¡¯s fortress once stood. There was no trace of the fortress left. The high piles of sand had buried all evidence. The sand-filled wind buries everything, even the evidence of someone¡¯s hard, tearful effort. ¡®How futile!¡¯ Zeon shook his head slightly and moved on. Even the dirty slums felt weing after being away for so long. ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Hyung!¡± As soon as he entered the slums, he was warmly greeted. It was Brielle and Levin. Zeon smiled and spoke. ¡°Were you waiting for me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Ugh, you have no idea. This kid has been sitting here every day waiting for you.¡± Zeon¡¯s smile deepened at their responses. He had never realized how good it felt to have someone waiting for him. ¡°That¡¯s nice! Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better if we goter.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There are a lot of flies buzzing around.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zeon felt slightly apologetic as he looked at Brielle¡¯s annoyed expression. He had expected this. While fighting Balrog, Zeon had revealed his abilities. He had shown his powers as a Sand Mage. It was only a matter of time before the news spread through the few survivors. Many people would now know that Zeon was a Sand Mage. In a world turned into a desert, the usefulness of a Sand Mage was limitless. Many had done the math and were now moving to recruit Zeon. Brielle looked at Zeon with a resentful expression. ¡°Why did you do that? If you were going to reveal your power, you should have just killed everyone in the barrier. That would have kept the secret.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t live like that forever. And it was a secret that would havee out anyway. I thought it was better to reveal it when it had the most value.¡± Moreover, Balrog was not an opponent he could fight while hiding his power. Balrog was a formidable monster that required Zeon¡¯s full power as a Sand Mage. If he had shown his abilities against lesser monsters, the leaders of the districts would have seen Zeon as nothing more than a tool to be used. But by overpowering a mighty monster like Balrog, he had made them rethink their stance. Zeon put his hands on Brielle¡¯s and Levin¡¯s shoulders and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Old Man Klexi¡¯s shop.¡± ¡°To eat?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve been eating nothing but jerky, and I want some real food.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The three headed towards the street where Old Man Klexi¡¯s stall was located. As soon as Klexi saw Zeon, he red at him sharply. ¡°You¡¯re back, you sly fox! You hid it so well.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Your ability. It¡¯s not fire but sand.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°How could you hide it from me? Between us¡­¡± ¡°Stop pretending to be upset and just give me some food.¡± ¡°Hmph! Did it show?¡± ¡°A lot.¡± ¡°You boring guy. Just wait a bit.¡± Klexi grumbled as he started preparing food. Zeon sat and watched him work. As Klexi moved his arms busily, he spoke. ¡°You probably know, but you¡¯ve stirred up a storm. People from all the districts are swarming the slums trying to recruit you. They¡¯re digging for information about you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s not much they can find about you. Heh heh!¡± Klexiughed slyly. He tightly controlled all the information in the slums. As long as he held Zeon¡¯s information, outsiders would only get a fraction of the truth. Zeon chuckled. ¡°Should I thank you?¡± ¡°No need. I¡¯m not doing it for your thanks. Thanks to you, people who should have died didn¡¯t. That¡¯s enough.¡± If Balrog had been released, the slums would have been the first to be obliterated. This was why Neo Seoul left the slums alone. In unforeseen disasters, they used the slums as a buffer. Neo Seoul¡¯s forces would have been fully prepared by the time Balrog reached them. No matter how many people died in the slums, Neo Seoul wouldn¡¯t care. Knowing this, Klexi thanked Zeon. Zeon replied. ¡°The slums is my home. I couldn¡¯t stand by and watch it get destroyed. So no need for thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not very honest.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s more honest than me?¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Here¡¯s your food.¡± Thud! Klexi ced a bowl of rice in front of Zeon. The portion wasrger and richer than usual. ¡°Thank you.¡± Zeon picked up his spoon. It tasted better than ever after being away for so long. Klexi also served rice to Levin and Brielle. The two thanked Klexi and began eating. Watching the three of them enjoy the food brought a warm smile to Klexi¡¯s face. Just seeing them made him happy. He had seen them so often that they now felt like his real grandchildren. ¡®Hah! I must be nearing the end of my days. To feel this way¡­¡¯ Click, ck! Click, ck! Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed, a rarity in the slums. It was the sound of high heels. Klexi frowned and looked in the direction of the sound. A woman with perfectly coiffed hair was walking towards them. She wore a red suit that clung to her body and high red heels. Her attire clearly didn¡¯t fit the slums. Only a select few in Neo Seoul dressed like that, and Klexi knew one of the most prominent figures. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Haa!¡± Klexi sighed and watched the woman approach. Without hesitation, she sat next to Zeon. She nced at the bowl of rice Zeon was eating before speaking. ¡°It looks delicious. I¡¯ll have the same, please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m out of ingredients.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen each other, and you¡¯re being so cold.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not close enough with you to go through the trouble of finding ingredients to cook.¡± ¡°Then make something with what you have. You can at least do that.¡± ¡°Leech.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± The woman smiled coldly. Klexi, looking exasperated, started to prepare the rice bowl. Having achieved her goal, the woman looked at Zeon. Zeon, feeling her piercing gaze, spoke up. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you, Mr. Zeon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so pleased to meet you.¡± ¡°I apologize for interrupting your meal. But I thought this might be my only chance to meet you, so I took the liberty.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Zeon finally put down his spoon and looked at her face. Her cold eyes and chilling aura aside, she was stunningly beautiful. She introduced herself. ¡°My name is Seo Tae-ran. I¡¯m with the City Hall.¡± ¡°The City Hall?¡± ¡°More specifically, I¡¯m the Mayor¡¯s personal secretary. I¡¯vee to invite you to the City Hall.¡± ¡°The Mayor wants to see me?¡± ¡°Yes! He¡¯s very interested in your abilities. He wants to meet you in person. It¡¯s been a long time since he¡¯s shown such interest in someone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an honor. But I¡¯m a bit ufortable with it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel pressured. It¡¯s just a dinner invitation, nothing more.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Although she said there was no need to feel pressured, anyone would be under pressure in this situation. After all, it was Mayor Jin Geum-ho himself calling. Jin Geum-ho, the highest authority in Neo Seoul and a monster who had lived since before the great cataclysm. Anyone would be nervous being summoned by him. Yet, there was no such tension on Zeon¡¯s face. He was so calm that Seo Tae-ran was taken aback. ¡®Does this man not understand what it means to meet the Mayor?¡¯ Jin Geum-ho looked down on even the rulers of the districts. A one-on-one meeting with him was a golden opportunity to enter the core of Neo Seoul. The Numbers, also known as the Execution Squad, were recruited and trained by Jin Geum-ho in this manner. Zeon said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll visit the City Hall soon.¡± ¡°If you show this, you¡¯ll be able to enter the City Hall.¡± Seo Tae-ran handed him a pass. It was magically processed to be counterfeit-proof. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°If you encounter any troublesome situations in Neo Seoul, show this pass. It will solve most problems.¡± ¡°Most? So, there are problems it won¡¯t solve?¡± ¡°Neo Seoul is still inhabited by people. There are always foolish ones who defy authority.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I believe you¡¯re not one of those people, Mr. Zeon.¡± Seo Tae-ran¡¯s smile was chilling. It was a smile so intimidating it could suffocate most people. But it had no effect on Zeon. He put the pass into his pocket and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m just human too.¡± ¡°People are all different.¡± ¡°This is getting awkward. I should go now.¡± Zeon ced some money on the table and stood up. Brielle and Levin stood up with him. Zeon nodded slightly to Seo Tae-ran and said, ¡°See you in a few days.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon, Levin, and Brielle left immediately. Seo Tae-ran watched them walk away. Thud! Klexi ced a bowl of rice in front of Seo Tae-ran. ¡°Here¡¯s your food.¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, food made with leftovers won¡¯t taste good. I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°You rude¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay for the meal with this.¡± She took out a small Mana Stone from her pocket. It was far too expensive for just a meal. It was worth more than the monthly sales of the small stall. Klexi quickly pocketed the Mana Stone and said. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry,e by anytime. I¡¯ll make you something special.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯lle again?¡± ¡°No one knows the future. I didn¡¯t expect to end up running a stall in the slums.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Anyway, I¡¯ve achieved my purpose, so I¡¯ll be going.¡± ¡°Please, just go already.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send your regards to the Mayor.¡± ¡°No thanks. I never want to be involved with him again.¡± ¡°But you have history.¡± ¡°Since when did you have such a long tongue? I don¡¯t want to hear any more nonsense, so get out of my sight.¡± ¡°If you change your mind, contact me anytime.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather die.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Seo Tae-ran smirked and walked away. Klexi muttered to himself as he watched her leave, her voluptuous buttocks swaying back and forth. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a bitch worse than any monster. I¡¯ll definitely suffer bad luck for months.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 153 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 153 ¡°Zeon has returned.¡± At the report from his subordinate, Johan looked up. Behind his sses, his small eyes showed no emotion. ¡°When?¡± ¡°About two hours ago.¡± ¡°After fifteen days?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So he caused such a stir and then disappeared for fifteen days?¡± Johan frowned. The Dongdaemun faction suffered the most from the White Bear Caravan incident. Brixton, Kim Jae-kyung, and the berserkers they sent were all dead. Not a single one survived; they werepletely annihted. The loss was colossal. When Johan first heard the report, he hadughed in disbelief. It was hard to ept and believe. He initially thought his subordinate was lying, but the report was true. His trusted subordinates had all lost their lives. One-third of Dongdaemun¡¯s power had vanished in an instant. The only constion was that most factions that sent troops to the fortress suffered near-total losses. The issue was Zeon. Through a few survivors, word spread that Zeon had killed Balrog. His true awakened ability was also revealed. ¡®A Sand Mage.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t imagined such an awakened ability could exist. In a world where most of thend had turned to sand, the utility of a sand mage was limitless. Even a C-rank sand mage would be highly valued, but Zeon was estimated to be at least A-rank. And that was a conservative estimate. Judging by his victory over Balrog, he was certainly S-rank. The emergence of an S-rank Sand Mage had put all the power holders in Neo Seoul on alert. A secret scramble to recruit Zeon was underway. However, since Zeon had been absent for fifteen days, the scramble had note to the surface. Now that Zeon had returned, factions from all districts would begin their recruitment efforts in earnest. ¡°This is troublesome.¡± The problem was that Dongdaemun couldn¡¯t participate in the scramble for Zeon. They were already enemies with Zeon, so extending a recruitment offer would be futile. It would only make them look foolish. But they couldn¡¯t just leave Zeon alone either. If left unchecked, Zeon would undoubtedly be a threat to Dongdaemun. Even if Zeon didn¡¯t intend it, circumstances would lead that way. They had to eliminate Zeon before that happened. ¡°Do I have to act myself?¡± Johan¡¯s thoughts deepened. * * * Zeon hung his robe on the wall. His home, unchanged since he left, feltforting. Though Brielle and Levin had taken good care of it, it was mainly protected by the Watching Eye. Many hade to recruit Zeon while he was away. Some even tried to break in by force. But all their attempts failed. No one could enter without Zeon¡¯s permission. As soon as he entered the house, Brielle handed him a bottle of red liquid. ¡°You must be tired. Drink this and rest.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I made it. It¡¯s great for recovering from fatigue.¡± Zeon eyed the red liquid suspiciously. It looked like blood, which made him hesitant. ¡°Just drink it! It¡¯s really good.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Unable to resist Brielle¡¯s insistence, Zeon drank the red liquid. The moment he drank it, Zeon was surprised. He felt a surge of energy throughout his body. Brielle looked at him with shining eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Hehe! It¡¯s a sess.¡± ¡°You made this?¡± ¡°Yes! I was trying to make a mana recovery potion, but this came out. It restores vitality instead of mana.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible! For a non-item, this is highly effective.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Brielle jumped with joy at Zeon¡¯s praise. ¡®Her talent is blossoming.¡¯ When he first saved Brielle, she was just a drug-addicted mess. But now, she barely showed any signs of that past. Although she still had days when her eyes lost focus due to lingering aftereffects, she was blossoming her talent despite that. ¡®Is it because she¡¯s a High Elf?¡¯ Zeon couldn¡¯t predict how far Brielle would go if she continued to develop. She was still young and would live very long as a High Elf. Zeon couldn¡¯t foresee what kinds of items she might create in the future. Her potential was limitless. ¡°How much of this can you make?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve perfected the recipe. As long as I have the ingredients, I can make as much as I need.¡± ¡°Are the ingredients easy to find?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult, huh?¡± ¡°Yes, I can get them, but they¡¯re expensive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine then. At least they can be obtained.¡± Zeon chuckled. Money was not an issue. His Subspace was filled with valuable items. For him, such a vitality potion was more helpful. ¡°I¡¯ll let Yoo Se-hee know. You can take whatever you need from the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°Actually, I was thinking¡­ What if we partner up with her?¡± ¡°Partner up?¡± ¡°It would be much more profitable¡­¡± ¡°Do as you like.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With Zeon¡¯s permission, Brielle¡¯s face lit up with a bright smile. After the incident with the summoning of Balrog, she had learned a lot. The determination and resentment of one human had brought a catastrophic monster like Balrog into the world. And that human¡¯s target of vengeance had been people like her, the otherworldly races. At first, she couldn¡¯t understand such blind hatred and anger. But when she thought about it from the other perspective, she realized she might feel the same way. To humans, the otherworldly races were invaders who had ruined their world. Had they not crossed over to survive, Earth wouldn¡¯t have be so deste, and countless humans wouldn¡¯t have died. With so much resentment directed at them, it was not surprising that someone would n such a revenge. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡®We can¡¯t undo what our race has done, but I still want to do something for the people in the slums.¡¯ She wanted to use the profits from the vitality potion to help the people here. That was why she wanted to partner with Yoo Se-hee. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Goblin Market, so you rest, Zeon.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Brielle ran out, and once alone, Zeon sank into the sofa. ¡°Huu!¡± He buried himself deep in the sofa, feeling a sense of relief. Zeon sat on the sofa and looked out the window. Beyond the red neon signs, he could see the high walls and the City Hall. Zeon stared at the City Hall for a long time before falling asleep. He woke up the next morning. Despite sleeping on the sofa, he didn¡¯t feel tired at all. It was probably thanks to the vitality potion he had taken the day before. ¡°She¡¯s created something amazing.¡± It¡¯d be more useful for lower-ranked Awakeneds than someone like Zeon. If a single bottle of potion could relieve all fatigue, there would be no reason not to buy it. Once released on the market, it would likely be very popr. ¡°Now, Jin Geum-ho wants to see me.¡± Zeon furrowed his brows unconsciously. Jin Geum-ho was the ruler of Neo Seoul. A monster who had lived since the same era as Dyoden. He was estimated to be over 150 years old. No other human, aside from the otherworldly races, had survived as long as he had. At least, not among the people Zeon knew. An Awakened who had survived longer than Dyoden and could be just as powerful. And this person wanted to see Zeon. Zeon wasn¡¯t afraid. Though he hadn¡¯t lived as long as Jin Geum-ho, Zeon had survived through formidable challenges himself. He was confident he wouldn¡¯t be outmatched, especially in the desert. But inside Neo Seoul, it was different. Neo Seoul was protected by various magical circles and barriers, preventing external sand from entering. Without sand, Zeon¡¯s power would be halved. Knowing this, Jin Geum-ho was undoubtedly trying to bring Zeon to Neo Seoul. ¡°I need to be well-prepared.¡± If he only loses a little, that would be fortunate. In the moment of carelessness, he could lose his life or end up with a leash around his neck. ¡°No time to rest, huh? Ha.¡± Zeon sighed when the door opened. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m back, hyung.¡± Levin walked in. ¡°You were out all night?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Levin nodded as if it were obvious. ¡°You¡¯re working hard. Any progress?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Levin shook his head. He was still tracking the serial killer. But the killer hadpletely disappeared after that night. He had covered his tracks perfectly. He hadn¡¯tmitted any more murders either. It was clear he was hiding somewhere, healing his wounds. The problem was they had no idea where he was hiding. ¡°Once he heals and resurfaces, he¡¯ll likely kill again¡­¡± Levin sighed. He had already lost his family, but he didn¡¯t want more victims. ¡°Well, next time I encounter him, I won¡¯t let him escape.¡± Zeon smiled as he watched Levin¡¯s determination. Levin had grown a lot. While tracking the killer, he had naturally made contact with many people, building awork of connections. These connections formed the basis of Levin¡¯s own informationwork. Though notparable to an organization like Argos¡¯ Eye, it was still impressive that he had built his ownwork. Zeon put on his robe and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to get some food. Want toe?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Levin followed Zeon out. The streets were still quiet, as it was early. They headed towards the street where old man Klexi¡¯s stall was. Slurp! Klexi¡¯s stall already had a customer. Arge man with short hair was eating with his head down. Even from behind, Zeon recognized him instantly. Zeon sat next to the man and spoke. ¡°Fancy meeting you here.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± The man turned to look at Zeon. He had arge scar across his right cheek and striking golden eyes. His name was Lee Ji-ryeong. The leader of the Pegasus Raiders and the brother of the man Zeon had killed. ¡°The food here is good. I didn¡¯t expect to find such a ce in the slums.¡± ¡°The old man¡¯s skills are impressive. We¡¯ll have the same, please.¡± Zeon ordered food from Klexi. ¡°Got it. Ahem!¡± Klexi cleared his throat and started cooking. Zeon spoke to Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°You didn¡¯te all the way here just for slum food. You¡¯re here to see me, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made quite the scene.¡± ¡°You mean Balrog?¡± ¡°Yes. Revealing your awakened ability like that was a foolish move.¡± ¡°Was it?¡± ¡°Now, those who covet your power will flock to you like vultures. Can you handle it?¡± ¡°It was something that had to be revealed eventually. I¡¯ll manage.¡± ¡°You sound confident.¡± ¡°So, did youe to give me advice?¡± ¡°No, I came to make a proposal.¡± ¡°A¡­ proposal?¡± ¡°Yes! A proposal. Let¡¯s conquer a dungeon together.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 154 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 154 ¡°A dungeon, you say?¡± ¡°Yes, a dungeon.¡± Zeon wore a puzzled expression. Lee Ji-ryeong was the leader of the Pegasus Raiders, a group of 300 highly skilled raiders. The Pegasus Raiders boasted some of the bestbat capabilities among all raiding groups in Neo Seoul. There wasn¡¯t a dungeon they couldn¡¯t conquer. They had even tackled and seeded in dungeons that other groups had abandoned as impregnable, shocking everyone. At the heart of this sess was Lee Ji-ryeong. With his powerful charisma and immense strength, he led the Pegasus Raiders from the front. This was the first time Lee Ji-ryeong had ever asked someone else for help. ¡°What kind of dungeon are we talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A scouting team discovered a dungeon 400 kilometers away from Neo Seoul.¡± The Pegasus Raiders independently operated a scouting team to discover dungeons. They regrly ventured into the desert to find dungeons. Based on the dungeons and information they discovered, the Pegasus Raiders formted and executed their raiding ns. Zeon, intrigued, remarked, ¡°400 kilometers is quite far.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably the furthest dungeon discovered so far. The scouting team almost died several times just to get there.¡± The farther from Neo Seoul, the stronger the monsters that inhabited the areas. A ce 400 kilometers away likely had a high probability of housing extremely powerful monsters. ¡°If the dungeon¡¯s been discovered, why not just raid it? What¡¯s the issue?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a big issue. It¡¯s buried deep under the sand. ording to the scouting team, it¡¯s at least 1,200 meters underground.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Only then did Zeon understand why Lee Ji-ryeong hade to him. A dungeon buried under sand was challenging even to locate the entrance. People might suggest digging through the sand, but that¡¯s not understanding the nature of sand. No matter how much you dig, the surrounding sand copses to fill the space. Digging through a vast desert to reach a buried dungeon is nearly impossible. This was why Lee Ji-ryeong sought Zeon¡¯s help. The scouting team included Awakeneds specialized in detecting dungeons. They sensed the unusual mana fluctuations and flows that urred when a dungeon formed. But their detection range was limited, and sensing a dungeon deep underground was even more challenging. The discovery of a dungeon buried deep in the sand wasn¡¯t due to their exceptional abilities but because the mana fluctuations from the dungeon were powerful enough to be detected from hundreds of meters above. A dungeon with such strong mana likely indicated high danger. ¡°The more dangerous the dungeon, the greater the reward. What do you say? Interested?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little intrigued.¡± ¡°All you need to do is secure the path to the dungeon. We¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Consider it settling the debt for killing my brother.¡± ¡°You said before that the debt was cleared.¡± ¡°That was then. The situation¡¯s different now. So, what will you do?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong looked at Zeon with eyes full of intensity. His golden eyes seemed to contain moltenva. His gaze was full of certainty, leaving no room for refusal. The enormous ambition he harbored seemed to radiate through his eyes. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll join you.¡± ¡°Good decision. The rewards for you won¡¯t be small either.¡± ¡°When do we depart?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take at least a month to prepare for the raid.¡± The higher the dungeon¡¯s danger, the longer the preparation time needed. A month was the minimum. ¡°Can I bring a few more people?¡± ¡°Who? Ah, them?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong quickly deduced who Zeon meant. It was Levin and Brielle. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Then they¡¯lle along too.¡± ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll n for that.¡± Thud! Lee Ji-ryeong ced the payment for his meal on the table and stood up. ¡°Thanks for the meal, old man! The food¡¯s quite good.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Hehe! You¡¯re wee anytime.¡± Klexi bowed his head to Lee Ji-ryeong. Lee Ji-ryeong nced at Klexi before leaving. Once he was gone, Levin asked, ¡°Is this okay? Hyung!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A dungeon 400 kilometers from Neo Seoul. With over 300 people moving, the monsters will definitelye.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll manage to reach the dungeon. The real issue will be whates next.¡± ¡°A dungeon hundreds of meters underground will be dangerous, right?¡± ¡°It will be. But the rewards will be great too.¡± Levin had grown significantly after experiencing a dungeon. The difference between an Awakened who had faced a dungeon and one who hadn¡¯t was substantial. This was why the Pegasus Raiders were strong. They had conquered countless dungeons as if it were routine, making them powerful. This was why Zeon wanted to take Brielle and Levin along. Both still had room to grow and needed further development. At that moment, Thud! Klexi ced food in front of Zeon and Levin. It was the same meal Lee Ji-ryeong had eaten. ¡°Eat up.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°But Pegasus Raiders¡¯ Lee Ji-ryeong¡­ You¡¯ve tangled with quite a big shot.¡± ¡°It just happened that way.¡± ¡°Hehe! With your exceptional abilities, only dangerous people will flock to you. Be careful. Lee Ji-ryeong is more frightening than you think.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°He could be even scarier than you realize.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be cautious.¡± ¡°Alright! Well, I trust you¡¯ll handle it. You¡¯re sly and dangerous yourself.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s more transparent than me?¡± ¡°Someone who could hide being a Sand Mage so well?¡± ¡°Everyone has a little secret.¡± ¡°Is that a little secret? You rascal.¡± ¡°Why insult customers, old man? It ruins the taste.¡± ¡°Ugh! You rascal!¡± Klexi shouted in frustration, but Zeon ignored him and continued eating. Levin chuckled and joined Zeon in his meal. Watching them, Klexi sighed softly. ¡°I must be getting old. I don¡¯t even get angry seeing them like this.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] After finishing their meal, Levin went home to rest, while Zeon decided to take a walk alone. The sun zed down intensely. The faces of the people outside were red with heat. The slums had limited electricity, making it difficult to run air conditioning. In fact, owning an air conditioner was rare. So, resting in the shade was the only way to cool down. This was a typical day in the slums. Zeon, if he hadn¡¯t awakened, would have been spending his time just like them. ¡°Hm?¡± Suddenly, Zeon stopped and furrowed his brow. At that moment, Swish! People suddenly emerged from all directions. An old man fanning himself in the shade charged with a knife, and a woman passing by drew a dagger from her thigh and lunged. Everyone on the street turned into assassins, attacking Zeon. Zeon calmly stepped back. He narrowly avoided the knife and dagger. ¡°Yahhh!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Even after their ambush failed, the assassins relentlessly attacked Zeon. Zeon used Sand Stride to dodge their attacks while carefully observing their movements. ¡®All Martial Arts Awakeneds?¡¯ Only Martial Arts Awakeneds could move like this. And they were all specialized in assassination. Their movements were extremely efficient and precise. Silent and agile like cats. And they had assassination-specific skills. More than ten assassins attacked Zeon in perfect coordination, like interlocking gears. Swish! The woman¡¯s dagger flew menacingly. Zeon no longer dodged but instead struck with his fist, d in the power of the Inferno Gauntlet. ng! With one punch, the dagger snapped in half. The woman, disarmed and shocked, was met with Zeon¡¯s powerful kick to her face. Bam! ¡°Ahhh!¡± The woman screamed as she flew backward. ¡°Seo-ryeong!¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Seeing the woman bleeding and rolling on the ground, the assassins grew furious. They attacked Zeon even more fiercely. But Zeon¡¯s movements were even swifter. He dodged their attacks by a hair¡¯s breadth and countered with punches. Thud! Thud! ¡°Keuk!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Each punch sent an assassin flying. The assassins were no match for Zeon. He didn¡¯t even need to use his sand or me skills. Zeon¡¯s physical prowess far exceeded that of the martial arts assassins. ¡°Grr!¡± ¡°Haaah!¡± The subdued assassins groaned on the ground. At that moment, p, p, p! ¡°Impressive. Even the best from the South District were defeated so easily.¡± A man appeared, pping. He emerged from the shaded part of the street, wearing a ck suit that didn¡¯t fit the slums at all. Zeon recognized him immediately. ¡°Pan Cheong-cheon?¡± ¡°So you recognize me.¡± The man in the suit was Pan Cheong-cheon. He was the trusted aide of Xiao Lun, the ruler of the South District. Zeon had seen him at the White Bear Caravan¡¯s auction. Pan Cheong-cheon had bid on and won the Astro me Sword, the Old Serpent¡¯s Crown, and the Fallen Star Shield. Although overshadowed by the Spirit King¡¯s Crown, the items he won were impressive. Pan Cheong-cheon looked at the fallen assassins and spoke coldly. ¡°Useless scum. Get lost before I get angrier.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The assassins, enduring their pain, quickly left. It was fortunate for them that Zeon had held back, so there were no fatalities. Oblivious to this fact, the assassins still red at Zeon with murderous eyes as they left. Zeon spoke to Pan Cheong-cheon. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you leave as well?¡± ¡°Insolent!¡± Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s eyebrow twitched. But despite his harsh tone, he didn¡¯t attack Zeon. He knew Zeon¡¯s strength from defeating Balrog. ¡®If I give my all, I can win, but it¡¯s better to be cautious.¡¯ He felt confident because of his ss advantage. He was a Martial Arts Awakened specializing in one-on-onebat. While Zeon might be better at hunting monsters, he couldn¡¯t match a Martial Arts Awakened in a human duel. Moreover, Pan Cheong-cheon wasn¡¯t just any Martial Arts Awakened. His grandfather, a martial arts master, hade to Korea for studies a hundred years ago. His martial arts were passed down to Pan Cheong-cheon andbined with his awakened abilities. His formidable physical prowessbined with martial arts created a tremendous synergy. This gave him confidence to defeat even Awakeneds ranked higher than himself. He spoke. ¡°Come with me to Neo Seoul. Master Xiao Lun wants to see you.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 155 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 155 Zeon asked. ¡°Why should I go?¡± ¡°Because Master Xiao Lunmands it.¡± ¡°And I shouldply just because hemands? I¡¯m not his pet.¡± ¡°Do you dare defy Master Xiao Lun¡¯s orders?¡± Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s expression turned fierce. Zeon, looking genuinely puzzled, replied. ¡°I have no rtionship with him. Why should I follow his orders?¡± ¡°Master Xiao Lun is the ruler of the South District.¡± ¡°Maybe you forgot, but I live in the slums, not the South District.¡± ¡°So you refuse to go?¡± ¡°Give me a reason to go¡­ that makes sense.¡± ¡°You misunderstand something.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking. I¡¯mmanding.¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯re the one who¡¯s mistaken. I have no reason to follow yourmand.¡± Zeon¡¯s cold response made Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s expression harden. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you won¡¯t go?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret this.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see who regrets it.¡± ¡°Remember those words¡­¡± Boom! Before Zeon could react, a thunderous sound erupted. Pan Cheong-cheon had struck. Zeon was sent flying backward by the unexpected blow. Pan Cheong-cheon quickly followed up, his hand glowing red. It was his main skill, Bamboo Leaf Hand. A skill thatbined ancient Chinese martial arts with his unique abilities. He converted mana into aura and gave it the hardness of steel. It was powerful enough to killrge monsters. Boom! Pan Cheong-cheon struck again with Bamboo Leaf Hand. Zeon, hit hard, was sent flying again. As Zeony sprawled on the ground, Pan Cheong-cheon spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve never liked you from the start. I know your type. Stubborn, thinking you¡¯re the best in the world. Seem docile on the outside but a venomous snake inside. You probably killed Tajik too.¡± He was convinced Zeon had killed Tajik. Though he didn¡¯t get along well with Tajik, he didn¡¯t underestimate his abilities. Tajik was as capable as he was arrogant. His sudden madness and death by a Sandworm had to be someone¡¯s doing. Pan Cheong-cheon believed Zeon was the culprit. Boom! He struck Zeon with Bamboo Leaf Hand again. Zeon was once more thrown to the ground. Pan Cheong-cheon walked over to where Zeon had fallen. ¡°I¡¯ll break your limbs and drag you like a dog. Then Master Xiao Lun will reconsider his stance on you.¡± Xiao Lun had ordered Zeon to be brought to him at all costs. He valued Zeon¡¯s awakened abilities highly. But Pan Cheong-cheon thought differently. Though Zeon¡¯s abilities were impressive, he didn¡¯t think they warranted bringing him into the South District. He had followed Xiao Lun¡¯s orders, but Zeon¡¯s defiance changed things. He could im Zeon¡¯s resistance justified his harsh actions. ¡°Resist all you want, you brat!¡± Pan Cheong-cheon aimed another Bamboo Leaf Hand at Zeon¡¯s knee. He intended to cripple him. Boom! A thunderous sound echoed. ¡°Ugh!¡± Both the one who struck and the one who groaned were Pan Cheong-cheon. He clutched his hand and staggered back. Zeon¡¯s fist had met his Bamboo Leaf Hand, equipped with the Inferno Gauntlet. Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s hand was swollen. Even with his skill, he had taken significant damage. Meanwhile, Zeon stood up unscathed. Zeon dusted off his pants and muttered. ¡°So, ambush is the South District¡¯s style?¡± ¡°Ambush is a tactic. Only fools fall for it.¡± Pan Cheong-cheon shook his swollen hand. His hand quickly returned to normal. Pan Cheong-cheon was a B-rank Martial Arts Awakened. He had inherited martial arts from his ancestors. His physical abilities were beyond ordinary Awakeneds. Though officially B-rank, he could exhibit A-rank destructive power. His recovery rate was also extraordinary. To an uninformed observer, he might seem like a troll with his rapid healing, though it consumed a lot of mana. ¡°You¡­¡± Boom! Just as Pan Cheong-cheon started to speak, he was struck by a powerful blow. Zeon hadunched a sudden attack. Pan Cheong-cheon was flung like a bowling pin. Zeon followed swiftly. Closing the distance in an instant, Zeon swung his fist. ¡°Argh! How dare you.¡± Despite the suddenness, Pan Cheong-cheon, a martial arts master, managed to block Zeon¡¯s attack. Wham! With a resounding impact, both staggered but quickly resumed their fiercebat. Pan Cheong-cheon was taken aback. ¡®What the¡­? He¡¯s not a martial artist, so why is he so fast? Did he learn martial arts too?¡¯ Zeon¡¯s movements far exceeded his expectations. He didn¡¯t even use his known sand abilities. He fought Pan Cheong-cheon equally with just his physical prowess. Swish! Zeon approached low and swung his fist upward. Pan Cheong-cheon blocked with Bamboo Leaf Hand and countered with a powerful kick. Boom! With a thunderous explosion, Zeon¡¯s body staggered but quickly recovered, his hand wrapping around Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s leg. ¡°You¡­¡± Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s eyes wavered. He saw Zeon¡¯s eyes, which held no hesitation. Zeon twisted Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s leg without mercy. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Crack! A sickening crunch echoed as Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s knee joint shattered. ¡°Argh!¡± Pan Cheong-cheon screamed, stumbling back. No matter how monstrous his recovery was, he couldn¡¯t escape the limits of being human. Healing a major joint like the knee took time. But Zeon had no intention of giving him that time. Zeon¡¯s fist collided with Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s chest. Boom! ¡°Keuuk!¡± Pan Cheong-cheon coughed up blood, flying backward. In a split second, Zeon leaped into the air. High above, Zeon descended like a meteor towards Pan Cheong-cheon. Crash! With an explosive impact, Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s head snapped back. Zeon¡¯s knee had struck his face. A normal person would have either died or lost consciousness from such a blow. But Pan Cheong-cheon wasn¡¯t an ordinary Awakened. In that brief moment, he had summoned his mana to shield himself. It was a skill called Aura Shield. Thanks to this, Pan Cheong-cheon avoided a fatal injury. His face contorted with a mix of astonishment and rage. Being overpowered by a non-Martial Arts Awakened like Zeon was a blow to his pride. ¡°Unforgivable. You bastard!¡± Whoosh! He drew upon all his mana, enveloping himself in a crimson aura. Despite his damaged leg, he charged with incredible speed. The good leg¡¯s push-off provided immense propulsion. With his body cloaked in red aura, he looked like aet. Zeon extended his hand into the air. Instantly, sand from the roofs and ground gravitated towards him. Swirl! Sand particles swirled around Zeon, forming a thick veil. ¡®So, he really controls sand. But sand can¡¯t stop me.¡¯ Pan Cheong-cheon channeled all his power into this attack. The skill, known as Meteor Strike, was his ultimate move. No mere sand could withstand its force. ¡°Die!¡± Pan Cheong-cheon hurled himself at Zeon with full force. But before he could connect, the swirling sand around Zeon shot out. It was Zeon¡¯s unique skill, that condensed sand with high pressure and shot them out. Sand ster. Wham! The Sand ster struck Pan Cheong-cheon. Though powerful, it wasn¡¯t enough to significantly harm him, thanks to his Aura Shield. Pan Cheong-cheon trusted his shield and pressed on. However, he failed to anticipate one thing. Zeon¡¯s Sand ster wasn¡¯t just one stream. Whoosh! Whoosh! Dozens of Sand sters fired in rapid session. Bam! Bam! Bam! Each impact slowed Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s charge. One hit, then another, until the twentieth stnded. Boom! ¡°Argh!¡± Pan Cheong-cheon finally copsed, unable to withstand any more. The red aura that once enveloped him had long dissipated. Zeon delivered a final blow. This time, an overwhelming force struck Pan Cheong-cheon. It was Zeon¡¯s Sand Missile. Boom! With a deafening explosion, Pan Cheong-cheon was sent flying, crashing to the ground. His body was in tatters. Limbs twisted grotesquely, chest soaked in blood. Only his formidable physique as a Martial Arts Awakened saved his life; otherwise, he would have perished. ¡°Cough! Urgh!¡± Pan Cheong-cheon spat blood. His already blood-soaked neck and chest darkened further. He struggled to rise. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t muster the strength. Ultimately, Pan Cheong-cheon gave up andy sprawled. ¡°Damn it! Using sand¡­ how cheap.¡± ¡°Using sand is my ability. Only fools fall for it.¡± Zeon returned Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s earlier insult. Pan Cheong-cheon had no retort. Zeon addressed him. ¡°Tell Xiao Lun this clearly: if he wants to see me, he shoulde in person.¡± ¡°Feeling high and mighty after taking me down? You are nothingpared to Master Xiao Lun.¡± ¡°So, let hime. Or invite me politely. Trying to kidnap me is just rude.¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve made my stance clear. Next time you try something like this, it¡¯s war.¡± ¡°War? Do you really think you can take on the entire South District? No matter how strong you are, you can¡¯t beat us all.¡± ¡°What if I cooperate with the City Hall? Or ally with the North District? Or maybe the West District¡­ Think you can handle that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pan Cheong-cheon fell silent. He realized the potential catastrophe if Zeon¡¯s abilitiesbined with other districts¡¯ powers. Having fought Zeon, he understood how formidable Zeon¡¯s abilities were. He had to prevent such an alliance at all costs. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Today¡¯s events weren¡¯t Master Xiao Lun¡¯s orders. It was my decision. Don¡¯t think it represents the South District¡¯s intentions.¡± Pan Cheong-cheon swallowed his pride and apologized. His shoulders trembled with humiliation. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 156 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 156 Xiao Lun¡¯s forehead was deeply furrowed, adding more wrinkles to his already weathered face. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me he refused my offer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My abilities werecking¡­¡± Pan Cheong-cheon, confined to a wheelchair, trailed off. His limbs were broken, rendering him unable to walk on his own. Xiao Lun looked at Pan Cheong-cheon with a disdainful expression. He had tolerated Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s arrogance because of his abilities, but now he had returned, battered and useless. Though his limbs weren¡¯t severed, he would regain his former abilities after treatment. The real problem was that Xiao Lun¡¯s trust in Pan Cheong-cheon had waned. ¡°He really controls sand?¡± ¡°Yes. I saw him manipte sand freely.¡± ¡°So, he is truly a Sand Mage. What should we do?¡± Tap, tap! Xiao Lun tapped his fingers on the table. ¡°Does this mean there¡¯s no way to reconcile with him?¡± Zeon had annihted the Crocodiles supplying their drugs, and even Tajik had lost his life. Now, Pan Cheong-cheon had returned, crippled. They had made a mistake from the start, leading to a series of failures. To fix their rtionship, they would need to start from the beginning, but that wasn¡¯t possible now. ¡°So, we have no choice but to be enemies.¡± ¡°Underestimating Zeon would be a mistake. He threatened that if we antagonized him, he would ally with other districts.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you just listen to his threats?¡± ¡°I had no choice. If he joins forces with others, we are in danger.¡± ¡°It sounds to me like you were begging for your life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. I was thinking of you, Master Xiao Lun¡­¡± ¡°Disappointing, Cheong-cheon! If he threatened you, you should have fought back to the death. Instead, you crawled back, tail between your legs. What is that if not begging for your life?¡± Xiao Lun¡¯s voice was icy cold. Pan Cheong-cheon hurriedly got out of his wheelchair and knelt. Despite the excruciating pain from his unhealed bones, he didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Please forgive me, Master Xiao Lun!¡± ¡°Cheong-cheon, Cheong-cheon! You pitiful thing. If you are a fighting dog, you should die fighting. Instead, you came back, tarnishing my honor.¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± At that moment, a fierce light shed from Xiao Lun¡¯s eyes. Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s face filled with terror. ¡°No, please!¡± Instinctively, he tried to avoid Xiao Lun¡¯s gaze, but it was toote. Crackle! His body began to turn to stone. From the tips of his toes, the stone transformation crept up his legs. Pan Cheong-cheon, watching his body turn to stone, pleaded. ¡°No! Please, forgive me¡­ Master Xiao Lun!¡± ¡°I can forgive failure, but not disgrace to my honor.¡± ¡°Even though I served you like a dog¡­¡± ¡°Yes, your loyalty will be remembered.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Pan Cheong-cheon let out onest scream as he fully turned to stone. A living, breathing man had be a statue. This was Xiao Lun¡¯s awakened ability, Petrifying Eyes. He could turn anything he looked at into stone, a truly terrifying power. Those who knew him from the old days called him Basilisk. However, his Petrifying Eyes didn¡¯t work on those with higher awakening rank or protective skills. But such individuals were rare. Using it also came with significant aftereffects, so he couldn¡¯t use it frequently. Xiao Lun coldly looked at the stone statue that was Pan Cheong-cheon. Once turned to stone, there was no reversing it. Xiao Lun casually waved his hand. Crash! With a thunderous sound, the statue shattered. ¡°Clean this up.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Immediately, servants appeared and began cleaning up Pan Cheong-cheon¡¯s remains. Left alone, Xiao Lun gazed out the window. In the distance, the City Hall¡¯s tall building stood out. ¡°Surely, he won¡¯t ally with Jin Geum-ho¡­¡± * * * Several days had passed since Zeon¡¯s sh with Pan Cheong-cheon. During this time, Xiao Lun and the South District had shown no signs of movement. Thanks to this, Zeon could rest peacefully. Early in the morning, as Zeon put on his robe, Brielle asked. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Out for a bit.¡± ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to go into Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Want toe?¡± ¡°No, thanks! It¡¯s tooplicated and not my thing.¡± Brielle shook her head. Neo Seoul was a city where everything was controlled. From the moment you stepped inside, everything was monitored and recorded. Brielle hated that atmosphere. For an elf who loved freedom, Neo Seoul¡¯s cold and rigid environment was intimidating. Zeon smiled understandingly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go alone.¡± ¡°When will you be back?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay for a few days, but it won¡¯t be too long.¡± ¡°Alright! Take care.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Zeon waved and stepped outside. He headed straight for Neo Seoul¡¯s entrance. Awakeneds were guarding the gate. As Zeon approached, they became alert. ¡°Stop and identify yourself.¡± They were ready to attack if needed. Zeon presented the pass he received from Seo Tae-ran. ¡°I was invited by the City Hall.¡± ¡°The City Hall?¡± An Awakened guard inspected Zeon¡¯s pass. The pass bore the Mayor¡¯s seal. ¡°Are you Zeon by any chance?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°My apologies. Please proceed.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The guards had already received instructions to let Zeon through. Zeon took back his pass and entered Neo Seoul. The guards at the gate whispered among themselves as they watched his back. ¡°That guy¡¯s a Sand Mage?¡± ¡°Damn! That bum from the slums hit the jackpot with a powerful awakened ability.¡± ¡°Shh! Quiet. He might hear you.¡± ¡°Why, am I wrong?¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± ¡°Hah! I¡¯m envious. If I had an ability like that, I¡¯d have women flocking to me.¡± ¡°Yeah, right! Not with that face. You¡¯d still have no luck.¡± ¡°What did you say? You bastard!¡± The guards started arguing among themselves, but Zeon paid them no mind and continued walking. After about ten minutes, a car pulled up in front of him with a screech. It was a vehicle powered by Mana Stones. A woman in a red jacket and skirt stepped out of the car. Zeon recognized her immediately. ¡®Seo Tae-ran!¡¯ She was Jin Geum-ho¡¯s secretary. Zeon was slightly surprised by her appearance. It had only been ten minutes since he passed through the main gate. It was astonishing that Seo Tae-ran had alreadye to meet him. ¡°Nice to see you.¡± ¡°How did you get here so quickly?¡± ¡°The pass sends a signal to the City Hall as soon as it passes the gate.¡± Seo Tae-ran answered as if it were no big deal. Zeon didn¡¯t know how the signal was transmitted, but it was clear that the City Hall tracked the movements of those with passes. ¡®So this is what they call the Big Brother?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that Jin Geum-ho and the City Hall were unaware of the movements of districts and Awakeneds. They were undoubtedly tracking them meticulously. Zeon found this realization unsettling. Nobody questioned or resisted this surveince system. It had been in ce since the early days of Neo Seoul, so everyone took it for granted. No other colony, at least none that Zeon had visited, had such a system. This might be Jin Geum-ho¡¯s greatest weapon. Zeon boarded the car, which started smoothly. The cars used in the desert were noisy, designed to handle rough terrain with little regard forfort or convenience. In contrast, the cars in Neo Seoul prioritized quiet operation. ¡°Nice car.¡± ¡°You could ride in one like this if you move to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in cars¡­¡± ¡°True, you wouldn¡¯t need one. You can travel anywhere freely as long as there¡¯s sand.¡± ¡°But without sand, I have to walk, like in Neo Seoul.¡± The streets of Neo Seoul were pristine. Not a grain of sand or a pebble was in sight. This was thanks to the protective magic circles and barriers that shielded the city. No sand could pass through these barriers, ensuring the air remained clean. This was the most significant benefit for the residents of Neo Seoul. In the slums, people constantly breathed dusty, polluted air. It was a stark contrast, two worlds within the same space. In this advanced city devoid of sand, Zeon felt out of ce. ¡°Is there a reason to use sand in Neo Seoul? There are so many convenient alternatives.¡± ¡°I just feel empty without it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Zeon didn¡¯t respond further. Her words weren¡¯t worth replying to. Telling a Sand Mage to live without sand was like taking away a beast¡¯s fangs and ws. Seo Tae-ran didn¡¯t press the matter. If Zeon were someone who could be easily persuaded, he would have already joined another faction. ¡®He¡¯s like a lone wolf. He¡¯d rather be the leader of his own pack than follow someone else.¡¯ Seo Tae-ran had thoroughly investigated Zeon. While she couldn¡¯t uncover what he did in the desert for the past eight years, she had detailed information about his early years and his return to Neo Seoul. She understood his temperament and personality better than anyone. Approaching different individuals required different strategies. Unlike Dongdaemun or the South District, where forceful coercion was the norm, Zeon wouldn¡¯t be swayed by such tactics. ¡®An intellectual approach is needed for someone like him.¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t have invested this much effort if he were just another Awakened. There were an overwhelming number of people from the Martial Arts category, Magic category, Hexer category, and Mechanized category. But a Sand Mage like Zeon was unique. Not only was his ability rare, but it was also exceptionally powerful. The City Hall had to secure him. While Seo Tae-ran was deep in thought, the car arrived at the City Hall. Zeon stepped out and looked up at the massive building. Seeing it up close was different from seeing it from a distance. It felt like a colossal giant towering over him. From the top, he felt an intense gaze. Seo Tae-ran didn¡¯t need to exin; Zeon knew whose gaze it was. ¡®Jin Geum-ho!¡¯ From the highest point in the City Hall, Jin Geum-ho was watching him. Chills ran down Zeon¡¯s spine, and he clenched his fists. His body responded to Jin Geum-ho¡¯s gaze. It was a first for Zeon. Not even when facing Leviathan had he felt this way. The City Hall itself seemed like an extension of Jin Geum-ho¡¯s body. ¡°Hah!¡± Zeon took a deep breath. The immense pressure that had been weighing down on him lessened slightly. Zeon spoke to Seo Tae-ran. ¡°Let¡¯s go up.¡± ¡°What?¡± Seo Tae-ran¡¯s eyes widened. Few had sensed Jin Geum-ho¡¯s gaze, and even fewer had regained theirposure as quickly as Zeon. ¡®He¡¯s more formidable than I anticipated?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 157 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 157 Jin Geum-ho¡¯s office was located on the 50th floor, the top floor of the City Hall. The elevator carrying Zeon and Seo Tae-ran moved silently, swiftly reaching the 50th floor in what felt like less than ten seconds. ¡°Please, step out.¡± Seo Tae-ran exited first, followed by Zeon. As soon as they stepped out, they were greeted by the vast expanse of the office. Therge, unobstructed windows provided a breathtaking view, creating a sense of openness and freedom. Standing against the backdrop of the massive ss window was a middle-aged man with neatlybed hair, a well-groomed beard, and a perfectly tailored suit. Every detail about him exuded elegance and sophistication. This man was none other than Jin Geum-ho. With a slight smile, Jin Geum-ho spoke. ¡°Wee. I am Jin Geum-ho, the Mayor of Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zeon. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°Please,e in. Wee to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Zeon nodded and bowed slightly in greeting. He was standing before the legendary figure who had built a vast city upon the ruins of a wastnd. Without Jin Geum-ho, the people of thisnd would still be living in medieval conditions like other colonies. It was through Jin Geum-ho and Dyoden¡¯s efforts that Neo Seoul was established, and humanity could regain some semnce of their previous civilization. For this alone, Jin Geum-ho deserved immense respect. Jin Geum-ho¡¯s face showed a rxed expression as he weed Zeon. ¡°There is much to discuss. Please, take a seat.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Zeon took a seat opposite Jin Geum-ho without hesitation. ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡± ¡°Water will be fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it right away.¡± Seo Tae-ran left to fetch the water. ¡°I heard you live in the slums. How is it there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s manageable.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I was born there, so it¡¯sfortable for me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Jin Geum-ho nodded at Zeon¡¯s response. Jin Geum-ho treated Zeon casually, despite being the absolute authority of Neo Seoul. However, Zeon wasn¡¯t deceived by Jin Geum-ho¡¯s friendly demeanor. ¡°I hear you are a Sand Mage.¡± ¡°Yes, I was fortunate enough to awaken as a Sand Mage.¡± ¡°Luck follows those who have the will and skill.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± Zeon replied with a rxed expression. Jin Geum-ho found Zeon¡¯s demeanor intriguing. Anyone who stood before him typically showed signs of nervousness. No matter how friendly he appeared, the pressure of his presence was immense. Without applying any deliberate pressure, anyone facing Jin Geum-ho would naturally feel intimidated. The most recent person he faced was Alexandro, the leader of the White Bear Caravan, who also disyed signs of nervousness. Yet, this rtively young Zeon met his gaze with unwavering confidence and a faint, assured smile, reminding Jin Geum-ho of someone from his past. ¡°You remind me of an old friend.¡± ¡°A friend?¡± ¡°Yes, an old friend. Though you and he differ in appearance and aura, there¡¯s something simr about you.¡± ¡°Who is this friend, if I may ask?¡± ¡°Dyoden. His name is Dyoden. He was my only friend and my greatest rival. Without him, Neo Seoul wouldn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Where is your friend¡­ now?¡± ¡°He left.¡± ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. One day, he just left and never returned.¡± ¡°His name is Dyoden?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a name you won¡¯t forget once you hear it.¡± As Jin Geum-ho spoke of Dyoden, a gentle smile appeared on his face. It was unclear whether this smile was genuine nostalgia or a calcted expression. Dyoden had once described Jin Geum-ho to Zeon as such: ¨D He¡¯s devious, but as long as you¡¯re on the same side, he¡¯s someone you can trust and rely on. Dyoden fought the monsters head-on while Jin Geum-ho supported him from the rear. They spent decades battling monsters together, building the walls of Neo Seoul. Even though their rtionship eventually soured, Dyoden did not hold a grudge against Jin Geum-ho. Jin Geum-ho continued speaking. ¡°Why is that? Despite your different traits and appearance, something about you reminds me of him¡­¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Sorry. I shouldn¡¯t keep a distinguished guest with such irrelevant stories.¡± ¡°No need to apologize.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For stopping the Balrog. Thanks to you, we were able to prevent significant damage.¡± ¡°If Balrog ran rampant, my home would¡¯ve been destroyed as well.¡± ¡°Regardless, thanks to you, the entire slum was spared. If the slums had fallen, Neo Seoul would have suffered greatly.¡± Jin Geum-ho¡¯s words were filled with affection for Neo Seoul. Although he mentioned the slums, it felt perfunctory. What mattered to Jin Geum-ho was Neo Seoul, and the slums were merely a buffer zone to protect the city. Jin Geum-ho asked. ¡°What are your ns now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°With so many factions reaching out to you, have you decided which one to join?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°I figured as much.¡± ¡°Why did you think that?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say you remind me of my friend? Someone with your eyes and temperament wouldn¡¯t willingly serve under someone else. That¡¯s why I guessed.¡± ¡°You seem to overestimate me.¡± ¡°Or perhaps you¡¯re underestimating the role of a Sand Mage?¡± Jin Geum-ho stood up from his seat and approached therge window. Beyond the expansive ss, the dazzling panorama of Neo Seoul stretched out. However, Jin Geum-ho¡¯s gaze was fixed not on the city, but on the endless desert beyond the city walls. ¡°It¡¯s merely this much.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°This is the extent of human territory that I have managed to secure with a lifetime of effort. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t secure more habitablend for humans.¡± Neo Seoul, though magnificent, was notrge. In such a confined space, a staggering ten million people lived. Including the slums, over twenty million people were crammed into this small city. Efforts to expand the city had been made several times but had all ended in failure. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Outside this city lies the domain of the monsters. The further you go, the stronger the monsters be. Expanding human territory to those regions is impossible, at least for ordinary Awakeneds. But you are different. With your ability, you could expand human territory beyond this.¡± Jin Geum-ho turned to look at Zeon. His eyes were shining intensely. Zeon believed that this was Jin Geum-ho¡¯s true face. ¡°I want to expand human territory. I don¡¯t want to be satisfied with just Neo Seoul; I want to secure morend. Neo Seoul has reached its limit. We can¡¯t amodate any more people being born. It¡¯s about to explode.¡± What Jin Geum-ho said was true. There was no morend to build on, and vertical expansion was no longer possible. The poption kept growing, but there were no houses to amodate them. ¡°That¡¯s why I need your help.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking me to clear all the sand around Neo Seoul, I can¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t have the power to move such a massive amount of sand.¡± ¡°I know. If humans had that kind of power, thisnd wouldn¡¯t have fallen into ruin.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of expanding thend. You just need to obtain something for me. In return, I¡¯ll take care of your convenience.¡± ¡°What do you mean by convenience?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle all the troublesome entities approaching you.¡± ¡°Are you talking about ces like the East or West Districts?¡± ¡°I guarantee they will never bother you. Just do me this one favor.¡± ¡°So, do I have to join the City Hall?¡± ¡°That would be ideal, but you don¡¯t necessarily have to work here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± Zeon¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. He hadn¡¯t expected Jin Geum-ho to make such an offer. Given Jin Geum-ho¡¯s power hunger and desire for talented individuals, he had expected an offer to join his ranks. ¡°I¡¯ll also provide you with a house in Neo Seoul and citizenship. If you want, I can grant citizenship to the children you live with as well.¡± ¡°What exactly is it that you want me to do?¡± ¡°Just hunt one monster for me.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I have a long-standing project to expand human territory, and I need the heart of a specific monster.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t Neo Seoul have many Awakeneds.¡± ¡°Yes, but none of them can catch this monster except you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The monster¡¯s name is Moby Dick.¡± ¡°Moby Dick?¡± ¡°A giant whale that swims in the sand.¡± ¡°Is such a monster real?¡± ¡°It was recently discovered by Pathfinder Team 1.¡± Neo Seoul operated Pathfinder teams to find habitablends. Pathfinder Team 1 made an incredible report. ¡°It¡¯s an enormous monster, over 120 meters long with a girth of over 30 meters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s hard to believe. A monster thatrge?¡± ¡°I found it hard to believe too, but they sent this as proof.¡± Buzz! At that moment, a section of the office wall opened, revealing a massive white column. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°This is a tooth from Moby Dick.¡± The object that looked like a white pir was actually a tooth from the terrestrial whale known as Moby Dick. An immense amount of mana emanated from the tooth. ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it? I was also shocked when I first received the tooth. The purity of the mana contained within is astonishing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost overwhelming.¡± Zeon spoke honestly. He had never seen a monster¡¯s part contain such pure mana. Normally, when a part is separated from the main body of a monster, the mana diminishes. ¡°A mere tooth contains such immense mana. Imagine the heart.¡± ¡°What do you n to do with Moby Dick¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t disclose that. But I can assure you that whatever I do, it will benefit humanity and won¡¯t cause any harm.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°This monster swims through the sand like a Sandworm. Ordinary Awakeneds can¡¯t find or kill it. The Pathfinder team was able to discover Moby Dick by sheer luck.¡± Moby Dick was a whale that lived in the sand. It had all the characteristics of a whale. It could breathe in the sand, so it didn¡¯t need to surface. That¡¯s why Pathfinder Team 1 lost track of Moby Dick after initially finding it. They searched the area for ten days but only found its tooth. ¡°The only person in this world who can find and kill Moby Dick is you, a Sand Mage.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you sought me out.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Even as a Sand Mage, finding Moby Dick in this vast desert is impossible.¡± ¡°But you could sense it if it was nearby, right?¡± ¡°Within ten kilometers, perhaps.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. If you ever sense Moby Dick, even by chance, kill it and bring me its heart. I¡¯ll be satisfied with that.¡± Zeon closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t know what Jin Geum-ho nned to do with Moby Dick¡¯s heart, but the proposal wasn¡¯t detrimental to him. If Moby Dick had the traits of a whale, it would travel thousands of kilometers. The odds of encountering it in a lifetime were slim. Jin Geum-ho¡¯s request wasn¡¯t to find and kill it at all costs but to hunt it down if they ever crossed paths. Jin Geum-ho stared straight at Zeon. ¡°What do you think? Will you ept my proposal?¡± His eyes glinted menacingly, as if refusing wasn¡¯t an option. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 158 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 158 Jin Geum-ho stood with his arms crossed, looking out the window. The smile he had when greeting Zeon had long vanished. Seo Tae-ran stood with her hands sped, watching his back. It was a long time before Jin Geum-ho spoke again. ¡°Life is quite amusing.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The world, I mean. A Sand Mage suddenly appearing out of nowhere.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jin Geum-ho turned to look at Seo Tae-ran. ¡°What did you think of him?¡± ¡°He seemed formidable.¡± ¡°You saw it too?¡± ¡°Yes, if handled recklessly, it could lead to significant trouble.¡± ¡°You and I think alike.¡± Jin Geum-ho nodded. From what he saw, Zeon had a typical strong-strong, weak-weak personality. Strong against the strong, kind to the weak. It wasn¡¯t due to recklessness or a strange personality. He could afford to act that way because he had confidence in his abilities. ¡°My Celestial Eye didn¡¯t work on him.¡± ¡°Is that¡­ really true?¡± Seo Tae-ran looked up, surprised. The Celestial Eye. One of Jin Geum-ho¡¯s main skills. Unlike Xiao Lun¡¯s Petrifying Eyes, it wasn¡¯t a skill that harmed others. But in some ways, it was even more dangerous. The most frightening aspect of the Celestial Eye was that it could roughly read the causality. In other words, when he activated this skill and looked at someone, he could roughly understand how things would flow in their future. He could somewhat predict the future of someone he used his Celestial Eye on. The problem was himself. He couldn¡¯t predict how variables would change if he intervened directly with someone. Therefore, Jin Geum-ho refrained from directly intervening with others. He simply guided them to make choices on their own. His policy was to achieve the desired results with minimal interference. ¡°The only person my Celestial Eye didn¡¯t work on was Dyoden. Now, Zeon has joined that list.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying Zeon might be as strong as Dyoden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a high possibility.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Being a Sand Mage alone makes him a formidable existence, and it seems his rank is quite high.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to eliminate him now? If we move the entire Execution Squad, we can easily get rid of him.¡± ¡°That would disrupt the carefully bnced causality. Although a bit inconvenient, the current flow will benefit my n more.¡± ¡°Please let me know if you ever change your mind.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Jin Geum-ho smiled at Seo Tae-ran¡¯s words. At that moment, there was a faint vibration. Jin Geum-ho and Seo Tae-ran¡¯s expressions changed instantly. It was a vibration only felt in the Mayor¡¯s office. All the magic circles and barriers protecting Neo Seoul were managed from City Hall. Any slight change in the numbers was immediatelymunicated to the Mayor¡¯s office. Seo Tae-ran spoke cautiously. ¡°There¡¯s a report that Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic level has dropped again.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go underground.¡± ¡°You want to see it yourself?¡± ¡°I need to see it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡± The two boarded the elevator. Whirr! The elevator descended at a frightening speed. In no time, it reached the first floor but showed no signs of stopping. Sublevel twenty. People of Neo Seoul believed City Hall had a total of seventy floors: fifty above ground and twenty below. Even those who worked at City Hall believed this. However, there was an unknown space below City Hall. A secret area far below sublevel twenty. Among those in the know, it was called the Excavation Zone. The elevator passed sublevel twenty and continued to descend. It felt longer than ascending fifty floors, and it indeed took more time. Ding! Finally, the elevator reached the Excavation Zone and the doors opened. An expansive underground space appeared before them. The underground space wasrge enough to fit the entire City Hall. It was hard to believe such a space existed beneath Neo Seoul. But what was even more astonishing was the enormous object lying in the underground space. A massive creature, at least 150 meters from head to tail,y prone. Its enormous wings were limp, its eyes were closed, and it had a pair ofrge horns on its head. Its scales were as white as the sands of the salt desert. The creature was a dragon. A pure white dragon. The overwhelming presence of the enormous creature was enough to take one¡¯s breath away. No signs of life could be felt from the white dragon. It was indeed dead. Jin Geum-ho looked up at the white dragon and murmured. ¡°Tams, one of the eight dragons that came through the rift when Earth turned into a desert.¡± Long ago, Jin Geum-ho had seen it with his own eyes. He saw the enormous rift connecting to Kurayan open, and eight dragons came through. The dragons scattered in different directions for unknown reasons. One of them flew to the Bukhansan Mountains and made a nest. That dragon was the White Dragon Tams, now lying before Jin Geum-ho. Tams was a young dragon. Naturally, it was weaker than the other dragons. Having expended almost all its energy passing through the rift, it couldn¡¯t fly far and settled at the foot of Bukhansan Mountains. ¡°At that time, Dyoden and Ibined our strength to capture it.¡± Dyoden had lost his family to a dragon and was blinded by rage, while Jin Geum-ho knew through his Celestial Eye that capturing Tams was crucial for humanity¡¯s future. There was no choice. They had to capture Tams. Under the leadership of Jin Geum-ho and Dyoden, numerous Awakeneds embarked on the hunt for Tams. During the early stages of terraforming, when Awakeneds had just begun to emerge, they were naturally inexperienced inbat. Fortunately, Tams was a young dragon. Tams alsocked experience and did not fully control its powers. That¡¯s why it made the mistake of nesting near the remnants of old Seoul, where humans still survived. Perhaps it underestimated humans. Regardless, under the leadership of Dyoden and Jin Geum-ho, human Awakeneds engaged in a fierce battle with Tams. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The brutal battlested for three days, with nearly all human Awakeneds losing their lives. Only a few survived, including Dyoden and Jin Geum-ho. But in the end, they managed to bring Tams down. It was the first victory granted to humanity. Jin Geum-ho knew they had to seize this opportunity. He built a massive building over Tams¡¯ corpse. By hiding Tams¡¯ corpse under the City Hall, he began constructing buildings one by one. This was the beginning of Neo Seoul. Tams was a dragon, the noble apex predator that came from Kurayan. Even in death, its presence remained formidable. Monsters feared to approach where Tamsy. Even if it was just a corpse. Thanks to this, Neo Seoul was safe from monster attacks. When news spread that monsters would not approach the area, survivors flocked there from all over. As people gathered, the city grew, and civilization, which had regressed to the medieval era, was restored. This was a secret known only to a select few. However, workbenches were set up around Tams¡¯ corpse. Many people were working on the workbenches. ¡°Just a little more effort.¡± ¡°Almost there.¡± The workers were removing Tams¡¯ scales. Tams¡¯ scales were lighter than aluminum of the same size yet much stronger than diamonds. Removing scales from a dragon¡¯s body was no easy task. To remove one scale, mages, alchemists, technicians, and miners had to work together for at least a month. This left everyone exhausted after removing just one scale. It wasn¡¯t just the scales. Everywhere, workers were extracting Tams¡¯ flesh, blood, bones, and marrow. Tams¡¯ corpse was a treasure trove. Nothing was wasted. The scales were used for making armor and weapons, the blood was processed into pharmaceuticals, and the marrow was researched for longevity and immortality. The reason Neo Seoul developed so rapidly was precisely because of the materials extracted from Tams¡¯ corpse. Alchemists and mages working at City Hall researched Tams¡¯ corpse, using the data obtained to advance Neo Seoul. This was the true secret behind Neo Seoul¡¯s rapid developmentpared to other colonies. ¡°The problem is that the anti-magic force depletes as we harvest materials from the dragon¡¯s corpse¡­¡± As materials were extracted from Tams¡¯ corpse, the anti-magic force diminished. Recently, the anti-magic force of Neo Seoul had weakened significantly for this reason. Over a hundred years, humans had continuously harvested Tams¡¯ corpse, and now only about a third remained intact. When they finished harvesting the remaining third, Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic force would bepletely depleted. When that happened, Neo Seoul would also suffer from monster attacks. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°Estimates suggest it will be exhausted in about thirty years.¡± ¡°Faster than expected.¡± ¡°Technology is advancing rapidly as well.¡± The more they harvested from the dragon¡¯s corpse, the more technology advanced, but this also exposed Neo Seoul to monster threats¡ªa dilemma. Seo Tae-ran spoke cautiously. ¡°What if we slow down the excavation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°We must continue with the momentum. If we stop now, it will only cause bigger problems.¡± ¡°Do you think Zeon can retrieve Moby Dick¡¯s heart? Without it, Heaven¡¯s Wrath cannot bepleted.¡± ¡°Heaven¡¯s Wrath will bepleted. Whether Zeon wants it or not, he will have to follow the flow I¡¯ve created.¡± Jin Geum-ho¡¯s confident voice resonated throughout the vast underground space. * * * ¡°Jin Geum-ho¡­¡± Zeon suddenly stopped walking and looked back. In the distance, the enormous City Hall was visible. Jin Geum-ho¡¯s gaze was no longer felt. Nevertheless, escaping his lingering presence was not easy. The impression Jin Geum-ho left on him was that strong. One doesn¡¯t need to be d in heavy armor and armed with spears and swords to be intimidating. Some can oppress others with their sheer innate strength. Jin Geum-ho was such a person. The entire Neo Seoul was under his control. There was no need for him to be armed in his own domain. The moment he snapped his fingers, all the Awakeneds in Neo Seoul would mobilize. ¡°Retrieve Moby Dick¡¯s heart¡­ What exactly is he nning?¡± Moby Dick was 120 meters long. It was an ultra-massive monster, asrge as a dragon or a leviathan. Monsters with enormous bodies naturally harbored immense mana. To maintain such arge body, an enormous amount of mana was required. A monster¡¯s heart was essentially a reservoir of mana. Therger the monster, the more immense the mana contained within its heart. Requesting Moby Dick¡¯s heart meant he needed an enormous amount of mana. Zeon hadn¡¯t refused Jin Geum-ho¡¯s request. It wasn¡¯t because of the benefits Jin Geum-ho promised. It was because of something Dyoden had once said. ¨DIf you ever meet Jin Geum-ho, helping him at least once wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. His methods are extreme, but everything he does is for the survival of humans. It was something Dyoden, not anyone else, had said. Dyoden had the most significant influence on Zeon¡¯s life. Zeon couldn¡¯t ignore his words. That was the biggest reason Zeon epted Jin Geum-ho¡¯s proposal. ¡°I don¡¯t know when I¡¯lle across Moby Dick in this vast desert, though.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 159 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 159 Zeon didn¡¯t head back to the slums immediately. Instead, he wandered through Neo Seoul. Though he had visited Neo Seoul before, his previous trips had been strictly for gathering information to deal with Tajik. This time, he had the leisure to take in his surroundings. Zeon strolled slowly through the streets. Nominally, Neo Seoul was divided into four districts¡ªNorth, South, East, and West¡ªwith the City Hall at its center. However, there were no clear boundaries between these districts, allowing him to explore freely. Thanks to this, Zeon could roam Neo Seoul at will. Neo Seoul was a world apart from the slums. While the slums seemed stuck somewhere between the past and the present, Neo Seoul had clearly leaped beyond modern civilization. ¡°Incredible! To create such a civilization in just a hundred years!¡± Jin Geum-ho was truly a man worthy of respect. Without him, the creation of such a city would have been impossible. Because of Jin Geum-ho¡¯s reconstruction of Neo Seoul, a staggering twenty million people were able to escape the threat of the monsters. With an expression of admiration, Zeon took in the miraculous city forged by one man¡¯s determination and willpower. Just then, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Zeon.¡± Hearing children¡¯s voices, Zeon turned his head. As soon as he saw their faces, his brow furrowed. The faces were identical, as if stamped from a mold¡ªtwin sisters. They were Eun Su-jin and Eun Su-yeong. ¡°What are you two doing here?¡± ¡°We should be asking you that!¡± ¡°Why are you here? Shouldn¡¯t you be in the slums?¡± The twins strode toward Zeon. Sensing no hostility, Zeon answered calmly. ¡°The Mayor called for me.¡± ¡°What? Does that mean you¡¯re joining City Hall?¡± ¡°Are you joining the Numbers? That means we¡¯ll be family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Zeon smirked and replied. ¡°It¡¯s too clean here.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no sand.¡± ¡°Oh! Right, you¡¯re a Sand Mage.¡± Although his reasoning was trivial, the twins quickly understood. They had already known Zeon was a Sand Mage. Given that a sandless environment is the worst for a Sand Mage, they epted his exnation without further question. At that moment, another voice joined in. ¡°So this is where everyone disappeared to.¡± An old man, leaning on a cane, approached the trio. It was Old Man Go, another member of the Numbers. Seeing Zeon¡¯s face, Old Man Go¡¯s expression turnedplicated. Having fought alongside him against Balrog, he knew well how formidable Zeon was. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°He said the Mayor called for him.¡± ¡°The Mayor?¡± Old Man Go looked at Zeon with a puzzled expression. Being a Numbers member himself, he knew Jin Geum-ho better than anyone. The Mayor was not one to casually invite just anyone into his office. Such invitations were extended only when there was significant value or a specific purpose. ¡°Did he offer you a position?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°We just had a few casual conversations.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± The old man¡¯s already wrinkled face furrowed further. ¡®The Mayor summoned him just for meaningless chat? Even a dog wouldn¡¯t believe that.¡¯ There must have been some discreet conversation. However, probing further was impossible. Jin Geum-ho also gave individual missions to the Numbers members. No one ever knew what tasks others were assigned. While the twin sisters were an exception because Old Man Go acted as their guardian, sharing missions, the circumstances of other Numbers members were unknown. Likewise, it was probable that the Mayor had made some offer to Zeon. Whether Zeon had epted the offer, only time would tell. ¡°Since we¡¯ve met, how about having a meal together? I¡¯d like to treat you to a good restaurant for all your help.¡± ¡°Sounds good. I don¡¯t have any other ns.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Old Man Go smiled warmly. The twin sisters clung to Zeon, chattering away. ¡°When did you awaken, Zeon?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your rank?¡± ¡°How long will you stay in the slums?¡± ¡°Do you have any friends?¡± ¡°Where are you staying?¡± Their barrage of questions made Zeon¡¯s ears feel like they were about to bleed. With a gentle expression, Old Man Go said, ¡°They¡¯re a bit noisy, aren¡¯t they? But it means they like you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit annoying.¡± ¡°Bear with it. I¡¯ve lived with them for years.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Zeon chuckled. Not long ago, they were wary of each other, but now they were chatting like old friends. The sudden change was amusing. The twins noticed and eximed. ¡°Oh, he¡¯sughing!¡± ¡°Zeon canugh too.¡± ¡°He¡¯s handsome.¡± ¡°Really handsome.¡± Their voices were almost overwhelming for Zeon. Still, he thought this was not a bad reunion after all. Better this than shing swords, he mused. Old Man Go led them to a luxurious restaurant at the top of a thirty-story building. The ce was bustling with well-dressed patrons. Among them were a few Awakeneds in heavy armor, engrossed in their own conversations, indifferent to the stares of others. In a world dominated by the Awakened, no one questioned their attire. ¡°We¡¯ll sit over there.¡± Old Man Go guided Zeon to an empty window seat. But the moment they sat down, a manager approached hastily. ¡°Excuse me, sir, but that table is already reserved.¡± ¡°Cancel that reservation.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°How about now? Still won¡¯t cancel?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Old Man Go shed his ID to the hesitant manager. The manager¡¯s face turned pale upon seeing it. The ID bore the Mayor¡¯s seal, indicating Old Man Go¡¯s status as a high-ranking city official. In Neo Seoul, an ID with the Mayor¡¯s seal was practically a free pass. It granted unrestricted ess to any facility. The manager knew well what refusing such an ID meant. ¡°From now on, this table is yours.¡± ¡°Set the table with the finest food. I¡¯m here to treat my esteemed guests.¡± ¡°Of course, sir.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Old Man Go sat down with a satisfied smile. Despite his seemingly easy-going nature, he was one of the powerful figures at the pinnacle of Neo Seoul and knew how to wield and enjoy his power. Old Man Go turned to Zeon. ¡°The veal steak here is simply extraordinary. Once you try it, you¡¯ll keeping back.¡± ¡°Is it real veal?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s on a whole different level from cultured meat.¡± ¡°Where do they raise cattle in Neo Seoul? Space is limited.¡± ¡°Humans have an amazing ability to find solutions no matter the situation. So don¡¯t worry and enjoy your meal.¡± Everyone who visits for the first time had the same thoughts as Zeon. After the world turned to sand, animals that grazed on grass, like cows, faced extinction. With no grass, there was no way to raise them. Even a city like Neo Seoul didn¡¯t have the conditions to raise cattle. But somehow, they had found a way. ¡®This world is truly mysterious. They actually raise real cows.¡¯ Zeon couldn¡¯t even begin to guess where in this morous city there might be space to raise cattle. ¡°This ce is really delicious.¡± ¡°Once you taste it, you¡¯ll want more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already salivating.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to eat.¡± The twin sisters drummed on the table excitedly. Onlookers nced at them but said nothing, recognizing that this group held significant status in Neo Seoul. Shortly after, the veal steak Old Man Go ordered arrived. Served on a pristine white te, the veal steak looked so appetizing that just seeing it made Zeon¡¯s mouth water. Old Man Go asked Zeon, ¡°Would you like a ss of wine?¡± ¡°Do they have wine too?¡± ¡°Not just wine. Whatever drink you want, just ask. Anything is possible here.¡± ¡°Thank you for the offer, but I don¡¯t drink.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have a ss.¡± Old Man Go ordered a ss of wine from the manager. Once the wine was served, the meal began. The sound of knives cutting meat echoed around their table. Zeon¡¯s eyes widened at the first taste of the veal steak. The vor surpassed his expectations. It was on apletely different level from the cultured meat raised in factories. The tender texture and the juice within made him feel like he was in heaven. ¡°How is it? Good, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± Zeon answered honestly. Old Man Go smiled with satisfaction as he sipped his wine. ¡°If you live in Neo Seoul, you can enjoy this kind of food every day.¡± ¡°Having it every day would be too much. I¡¯d rathere asionally.¡± Zeon politely declined Old Man Go¡¯s offer. Food this good can make people arrogant. If one gets used to such luxury, it¡¯s hard to return to a simple life. That wasn¡¯t what Zeon wanted. As delicious as this veal steak was, Zeon preferred the meals prepared by old man Klexi. Nheless, Zeon decided to enjoy the moment. He slowly chewed the meat, savoring the vor. The juice that filled his mouth delighted his tongue. For this moment, even the twin sisters stopped their chatter and focused on the food. Peace had finally arrived after a long time. ¡°Ah! The aroma is wonderful.¡± Old Man Go enjoyed the scent as he sipped his wine. As the four of them focused on their meal, amotion arose at the entrance. ¡°What? Our table¡¯s not avable?¡± ¡°Do you want to die? Cancelling our reservation without permission?¡± Two Awakeneds were causing a ruckus at the entrance. They seemed to be the ones who had reserved the table where Zeon and the others were sitting. The manager was sweating bullets trying to calm them down, but it was no use. ¡°Move! I¡¯ll see the faces of the bastards who took our spot and crush them.¡± ¡°Damn lowlifes¡­¡± The Awakeneds exuded a menacing aura as they approached Zeon¡¯s table. The manager, unable to stop them, anxiously watched as they reached the table. These Awakeneds were clearly high-ranking, adorned with top-tier equipment. ¡°You¡¯re the scum who took our table?¡± ¡°A geezer, a punk, and two brats. Who the hell are you?¡± Old Man Go looked up at them and spoke. ¡°I apologize for taking your table. I¡¯llpensate you adequately, so please leave quietly.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, you crazy old man?¡± ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re talking to?¡± The Awakeneds red and shouted. ¡°And who might you be?¡± ¡°Damn it! We¡¯re from the Brotherhood of Darkness.¡± ¡°Brotherhood of Darkness? Never heard of it.¡± Old Man Go tilted his head in confusion. The twin sisters provided the answer. ¡°They¡¯re a gang based on the border between the West and South districts.¡± ¡°Their main iees from illegal gambling and brothels.¡± A deep smile appeared on Old Man Go¡¯s lips. ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to feel sorry.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We were going to wipe you out anyway, so don¡¯t be upset about dying a few days early.¡± ¡°You damn old man, what are you talking about¡­¡± One of the Awakeneds, unable to stand it any longer, tried to punch Old Man Go. But he never got the chance. Snap! With a flick of his fingers, Old Man Go erased the upper halves of their bodies as if they were wiped away by an eraser. It was the end for them. Blood spurted like a fountain from the remaining lower halves, causing the other diners to scream. ¡°Aaaah!¡± ¡°Murder!¡± Ignoring themotion, Old Man Go spoke. ¡°We¡¯ll finish our mealter. Today, we need to clean up this Brotherhood of Darkness.¡± It was a death sentence for the Brotherhood of Darkness. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 160 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 160 Old Man Go, with his friendly demeanor that made him seem like a neighborly grandfather, was in reality an Awakened. And not just any Awakened, but a high-ranking member of the Execution Squad directly under the Mayor. Given his extraordinary abilities, the missions he undertook were often of unimaginable danger. He constantly put his life on the line. Because of this, the Execution Squad¡¯s Awakened members were granted numerous privileges. One of these was the immunity from prosecution for killing someone in Neo Seoul. Essentially, they had a license to kill. While Old Man Go was extremely kind to his friends, he was ruthless towards those he considered enemies. The twin sisters were no different. Whenever Old Man Go took action, the twins would follow, and they too would mercilessly deal with anyone they deemed an adversary. Unfortunately for the Brotherhood of Darkness, they were the targets this time. Despite heading off to kill people, the twin sistersughed gleefully, and Old Man Go neither scolded nor stopped them. For them, this was just another day. Zeon shook his head slightly. ¡®Their humanity is eroding.¡¯ Perhaps it was inevitable. In this world, humanity and morality no longer held sway. The strong ruled, and the logic of power governed all rules. Old Man Go and the twin sisters were among the powerful, and sadly, the Brotherhood of Darkness were the weak ones. Old Man Go turned to Zeon and asked, ¡°How about it? Care to join us and watch?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± ¡°Why not? Come with us.¡± Even the twin sisters pleaded for Zeon toe along, but he remained resolute. He had no taste for the grotesque pastime of watching people being killed right in front of him. ¡°I have things to do.¡± ¡°What things?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t it wait until tomorrow? Cleaning out criminals is such a joy.¡± ¡°Yeah! Killing criminals isn¡¯t a crime.¡± The twin sisters chattered on, almost spitting in their enthusiasm. Watching these young girls talk about killing people as casually as breaking toys left Zeon feeling deeply disturbed. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were born monsters or if they had be ones, but they certainly weren¡¯t normal. Sensing Zeon¡¯s difort, Old Man Go raised his hand to quiet the twins. ¡°That¡¯s enough. No matter what you say, he won¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°Tch!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The twins pouted in annoyance. Old Man Go stood up and bid Zeon farewell. ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s that. Until next time, then.¡± ¡°Yes, goodbye.¡± Zeon parted ways with the trio. After leaving the restaurant, Zeon didn¡¯t immediately head back to the slums. He still had things to take care of. Entering a deserted alley, Zeon touched his earring and spoke. ¡°Hello, can you hear me?¡± ¡ª Gasp! Is that you, Master? A startled voice came from the earring. Are you Kim Kyung-soo? ¡ª Yes, it¡¯s me, Master. The voice from the earring belonged to Kim Kyung-soo. He was the leader of the party that had attacked Zeon in the Vampire Bat dungeon when Zeon was trying to level up Levin. Kim Kyung-soo had sworn loyalty to Zeon using the Pact Scroll, and now he responded nervously to Zeon¡¯s voice. ¡°Where are you right now?¡± ¡ª I-I¡¯m at home. ¡°You¡¯re in Central District, Block 13, right?¡± ¡ª Yes, that¡¯s correct. ¡°Come out. I¡¯m nearby.¡± ¡ª What? You¡¯re in Neo Seoul? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ª I¡¯ll be right out. Should I bring anyone else? ¡°No,e alone.¡± ¡ª Understood. After the call ended, it wasn¡¯t long before Kim Kyung-soo arrived, panting. He must havee straight from home, dressed in casual clothes. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°You came quickly.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s an honor to be summoned by you.¡± Fear was evident in Kim Kyung-soo¡¯s eyes as he looked at Zeon. It wasn¡¯t just the fear of the binding power of the Pact Scroll. The recent rumors about Zeon also yed a part. Hearing about a Sand Mage who defeated the Balrog was unbelievable, but Kim Kyung-soo knew it had to be Zeon. The Zeon they had once foolishly tried to rob of the buggy was a powerhouse strong enough to take down the monstrous Balrog single-handedly. Surviving after crossing such a person felt nothing short of a miracle. Zeon asked casually, ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Good, thanks to Master¡­ But what brings you to Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°The Mayor called for me.¡± ¡°Gasp! You mean Jin Geum-ho?¡± Kim Kyung-soo was taken aback. He knew well that the Mayor, Jin Geum-ho, did not meet just anyone. ¡®The Mayor recognizes Master too? Well, given that he¡¯s a rare Sand Mage, it makes sense.¡¯ Kim Kyung-soo once again realized how remarkable an Awakened Zeon was. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°But why did you call me?¡± ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°What is it¡­?¡± ¡°From now on, Mr. Kim Kyung-soo and his colleagues will monitor the situation in the South District.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If there are any abnormal movements in the South District, please report them to me.¡± ¡°Why are you asking¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know the reason.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kim Kyung-soo responded with an expression of resignation. There was no room for choice anyway. Bound by the pact, it was impossible to defy Zeon¡¯s orders. Although he had been trying to find a way to break the pact, it was in vain. He realized that there was no way out unless Zeon released him. The reason Zeon gave him such orders was simple. ¡®Since I made Pan Cheong-cheon like that, it¡¯s obvious there will be some reaction.¡¯ Like all rulers, Xiao Lun couldn¡¯t bear to be wounded in his pride. Already having lost Tajik by Zeon¡¯s hands, it was certain that there would be some movement now that Pan Cheong-cheon was also damaged. That was why Zeon ordered Kim Kyung-soo to monitor the South District. ¡°Then, see you next time.¡± ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± ¡°Yes! I won¡¯t being to Neo Seoul for a while. So, if you have anything to report,e to the slums.¡± It was because the earring they put in his ear wouldn¡¯t work if they were too far away. ¡°Understood.¡± Kim Kyung-soo replied with a stern expression. Zeon nced at him for a moment before leaving. Kim Kyung-soo stood there nkly, watching Zeon¡¯s departing figure. ¡°I¡¯ve been trapped by such a person, I don¡¯t know what my future holds.¡± At least it wouldn¡¯t be smooth sailing. * * * ¡°Huu!¡± Zeon, who had left Neo Seoul, looked up at the sky. Just passing through the main gate changed the air. The air was a mix of sand, humid and hot, stimting the skin. People ustomed to the clean air of Neo Seoul, protected by magic circles and barriers, felt like they were suffocating the moment they breathed the outside air. But to Zeon, the outside air felt fresher. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s Zeon.¡± At that moment, a voice was heard. ¡°Brielle!¡± Just by hearing the voice, Zeon recognized the owner. He turned his head to see Brielle and Levin waiting for him. ¡°When did youe out?¡± ¡°Just now. Brielle was pestering me toe and wait for hyung, saying you¡¯d be out soon.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Zeon looked at Brielle. Brielle smiled with her characteristic hazy eyes. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I just knew.¡± ¡°Intuition?¡± ¡°I just felt like it was about time for Zeon toe out.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Zeon nodded. Brielle was a High Elf. It wasn¡¯t unusual for her intuition to be highly developed. Zeon smiled and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, hyung!¡± The three of them walked shoulder to shoulder down the street. Levin asked. ¡°How was Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°It was impressive.¡± ¡°Is the street clean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s being maintained without a speck of dust.¡± ¡°Wow! Then people must be dressed nicely, right?¡± ¡°The attire was luxurious.¡± ¡°How was the food?¡± ¡°It was delicious.¡± ¡°What did you eat?¡± ¡°Veal steak.¡± ¡°Veal? Lab-grown meat?¡± ¡°No, real veal.¡± ¡°Insane.¡± Levin eximed in admiration. Having been born and raised in the slums, Levin had always admired Neo Seoul. He had always been curious about what was beyond that giant wall and what kind of life people led there. Now that he had awakened, he could enter Neo Seoul at any time. With his abilities, he would be weed in any area. But the reason he didn¡¯t go to Neo Seoul was that once he belonged somewhere, his personal revenge would be almost impossible. The City Hall or each district never let their Awakeneds have leisure time. They deploy their Awakeneds to conquer dungeons or expand their territories. That¡¯s why he never thought of belonging to any faction until he found and killed the murderer. Levin asked. ¡°What does veal steak taste like?¡± ¡°It was very juicy and tender.¡± ¡°Did it melt in your mouth?¡± ¡°It did.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Levin wiped the drool from his mouth with his sleeve. Brielle looked at Levin with a disdainful expression. ¡°Fool!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said you¡¯re a fool.¡± ¡°Even to your brother¡­!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re my brother, act like one.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this enough, what¡­!¡± ¡°What are you saying? It¡¯s noisy.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ugh! Seriously¡­!¡± Zeon smiled as he watched the two of them argue all the way home. Although it was noisy and chaotic, he felt at ease being with them. Eating at Old Man Klexi¡¯s restaurant with these brats would be much more enjoyable than eating in Neo Seoul. Zeon put his hand on the shoulders of the two who were still arguing and said. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Stop fighting, let¡¯s go to Old Man Klexi store.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 161 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 161 The Pegasus Raid Force upied a thirty-story ultra-modern building situated between the West and Central Districts. They used the top seven floors of the building. It¡¯s quite obvious, but the real estate prices in Neo Seoul were exorbitantly high. There was no morend avable for building within Neo Seoul, leading to a severe supply-demand imbnce that caused property prices to skyrocket. Even the highly renowned Pegasus Raid Force couldn¡¯t afford to purchase an entire building. Ultimately, the Pegasus Raid Force had to be content with using seven floors of a thirty-story building. The world had changed, ushering in an era dominated by Awakeneds, but capitalism still ruled thisnd. Money still reigned supreme over Awakeneds. Lee Ji-ryeong stood by the window with his arms crossed, gazing out at Neo Seoul. A multitude of lightsy beneath his feet. ¡°It took twenty years just to get here. But if we sessfully clear this dungeon, the Pegasus Raid Force will reach even greater heights.¡± His gaze turned towards the City Hall. The tallest building visible from anywhere in Neo Seoul. That was Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s ultimate goal. Of course, countless obstacles stilly ahead. Competing Raid Forces and the rulers of each district. He would have to ovee all of them to finally have a chance to confront Jin Geum-ho, the owner of the City Hall. He couldn¡¯t predict how many more wounds he would suffer or how much more blood he would spill. Still, Lee Ji-ryeong was confident he could ovee all obstacles and stand as an equal to Jin Geum-ho. ¡°But first, I need to escape this paperwork hell¡­¡± Lee Ji-ryeong looked at his desk with a wry smile. Piles of documents were strewn across it. Personal histories of the personnel to be deployed for this mission, operational ns, transportation methods to the dungeon, and budget allocations. Lee Ji-ryeong had to review all of it. Preparing for the mission was more exhausting for him than actually tackling the dungeon. ¡°Whew!¡± Lee Ji-ryeong let out a light sigh. ¨DCaptain! Suddenly, the voice of his secretary came through the inte. ¡°What is it?¡± ¨DYou have a visitor. ¡°At this hour?¡± ¨DYes! They say they¡¯re from the West District. Lee Ji-ryeong frowned. Someone from the West District couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡°Let them in.¡± ¨DYes! Shortly after, the door opened, and a burly man entered. He appeared human on the surface, but there was an unmistakable metallic aura about him. Lee Ji-ryeong knew why this man felt this way. ¡®Recing his healthy body with machinery would naturally give him a metallic vibe¡­¡¯ Most Awakeneds from the West District had parts, or sometimes most, of their bodies reced with machinery. Some openly disyed their mechanical bodies, while others, like the man before him, disguised them to look as human as possible. The higher the rank of the Awakened, the less obvious their mechanical parts were. But they could neverpletely hide the subtle metallic feel. The man before him was no exception. He had a pronounced metallic presence. The man greeted him first. ¡°Long time no see, Captain Lee Ji-ryeong.¡± ¡°What brings you here?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong immediately recognized the man¡¯s identity. The man who had suddenly appeared at midnight was Cha Jin-cheol from the West District. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s gaze was far from friendly as he looked at Cha Jin-cheol. Cha Jin-cheol nced at the documents scattered on the desk. ¡°You seem to be working.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t stated your purpose for visiting yet.¡± ¡°Is this paperwork rted to the uing dungeon raid?¡± ¡°I asked you why you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°We want to join this dungeon raid.¡± ¡°You dare!¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s expression turned icy. This was a dungeon they had discovered and meticulously nned to conquer. A significant amount of manpower and an enormous budget had been invested. Clearing the dungeon was certain to yield substantial rewards, and now the West District wanted to piggyback on their efforts. It was infuriating. ¡°Who gave you permission to participate?¡± ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t expect to join for free. We¡¯ll cover half of the raid costs. We¡¯ll also provide transportation and supplies.¡± ¡°Rejected.¡± ¡°Even if Kim Hyun-soo shows interest?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eye twitched. Kim Hyun-soo was the ruler of the West District. Though Lee Ji-ryeong was publicly known as an A-rank Awakened, his actual abilities were closer to S-rank. However, even he couldn¡¯t disregard Kim Hyun-soo. Kim Hyun-soo was an S-rank Awakened himself and had numerous Awakeneds under hismand. Some of them had powersparable to Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s. Cha Jin-cheol was one of them. Cha Jin-cheol smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset. In return, we¡¯ll split the items found in the dungeon seventy-thirty. Of course, you get the seventy, and we take the thirty.¡± ¡°What about the priority of the items?¡± ¡°That will need to be negotiated.¡± Cha Jin-cheol smiled slyly. ¡°Why are youing now? You refused our investment proposal before.¡± ¡°At that time, we didn¡¯t see much chance of sess.¡± ¡°And now?¡± ¡°The Sand Mage joined, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°So it¡¯s because of Zeon.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s expression hardened. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Dungeons are graded based on their difficulty level. Just like Awakeneds, they are assigned grades. The problem is that the exact grade of a dungeon can¡¯t be known until you enter it. There is no technology that can determine a dungeon¡¯s grade from the outside. An Awakened has to enter the dungeon and start the raid to make that judgment. Therefore, the precise grade of a dungeon is only assigned after the raid ispleted. However, there are means to roughly estimate a dungeon¡¯s grade in advance. It was the mana readings emanating from the dungeon entrance. The higher the mana readings, the higher the likelihood of a high-tier dungeon, which also meant a higher probability of valuable rewards. The newly discovered dungeon was deep within the sands. Despite its location, it boasted overwhelming mana readings. This indicated a high chance of it being a high-tier dungeon. The Pegasus Raid Force bet everything on this newly discovered dungeon raid. All the Awakeneds affiliated with the Pegasus Raid Force were mobilized. The total number of members in the Pegasus Raid Force was three hundred. Over a hundred of them were non-Awakeneds. These individuals were responsible for administrative tasks, supply logistics, and nning the raid. Thus, the actual number of Awakeneds deployed for the dungeon raid was about two hundred. For a typical dungeon, this number would have been more than sufficient. However, judging that this wouldn¡¯t be enough for this raid, they recruited additional mercenaries from outside. This caused a stir not only in Neo Seoul but also in the slums. The Pegasus Raid Force was one of the most prestigious raid forces in Neo Seoul. This was the first time they had recruited additional personnel from outside. People wondered just how extraordinary this dungeon must be for the Pegasus Raid Force to prepare so thoroughly. Independent Awakeneds and those from the slums volunteered as mercenaries. Levin shook his head as he entered the house. ¡°Ugh! All this buzz is killing me. Everyone¡¯s talking about the Pegasus Raid Force.¡± ¡°Humans, as usual¡­¡± Brielle shook her head. Previously, the White Bear Caravan had absorbed all the attention, and now it was the Pegasus Raid Force that was like a ck hole for all the issues. Levin asked Brielle. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! The Goblin Market has run out of goods.¡± ¡°Tsk! Figures. It¡¯s the same elsewhere.¡± Dungeon raids require a vast array of supplies and items. The Pegasus Raid Force bought anything that might be useful. This resulted in the Goblin Market running dry of useful items. This also significantly impacted Brielle¡¯s research. ¡°Are you ready for the departure?¡± ¡°Oh! Just in time.¡± ¡°Huh? For what?¡± ¡°Take this.¡± Brielle tossed a backpack to the puzzled Levin. ¡°A backpack? Why?¡± ¡°Put your hand inside.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Levin, curious, did as Brielle instructed and reached into the backpack. He was startled by the sudden cold sensation on his hand. ¡°Whoa! What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Ha ha! Scaredy-cat.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Put your hand back in. Don¡¯t you feel anything?¡± ¡°Oh, oh! I do.¡± Levin pulled out the object he felt inside the backpack. It was arge shovel. ¡°A shovel? But how did it fit in here?¡± Levin stared at the backpack in confusion. The backpack was at most about one meter long. But the shovel he pulled out was at least one meter and fifty centimeters long. This was physically impossible. ¡°Is this a subspace backpack?¡± ¡°Yep! I finally seeded yesterday.¡± ¡°No way! You actually made a subspace backpack?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still in its basic stage, though¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing. There are only a handful of people in Neo Seoul who can create enchanted subspace items.¡± Levin looked genuinely impressed. Enchanted subspace items were never released to the public. High-ranking Awakeneds or guilds always acquired them first. Levin had never even seen an enchanted subspace item before. ¡°But how did you, an alchemist, create a subspace item?¡± ¡°I got lucky. I couldn¡¯t do it again if I tried.¡± ¡°Lucky?¡± ¡°Yeah! I stumbled upon it while trying various things.¡± Brielle admitted honestly. She wasn¡¯t a specialized enchanter. While she could imitate, it was impossible for her to create items with desired features as precisely as high-ranking enchanters could. ¡°I¡¯m giving this to you, Levin.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Levin¡¯s eyes widened. Enchanted subspace items were priceless. It was touching to be given such a valuable item without any conditions. ¡°As I said, the space inside isn¡¯t veryrge. It¡¯s about the size of a small room.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more than enough. I can pack all the supplies we need for this expedition.¡± ¡°Yeah! Focus on water and food.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already prepared everything; we just need to pack it. Wow! Thanks to you, this expedition will be much easier.¡± Levin hugged the backpack like a precious treasure. His face was filled with happiness. ¡°Wait, I shouldn¡¯t just stand here.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I need to test this precious gift. I¡¯ll pack all the prepared supplies into the subspace backpack.¡± Levin hurriedly ran to his room. At that moment, Zeon came out of his room. ¡°What¡¯s up with him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s thrilled to get a subspace backpack.¡± ¡°The one you made yesterday?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± ¡°You gave it to Levin.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t give it to Zeon. A backpack is for porters to carry.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Zeon burst intoughter. Levin might be thrilled to receive a rare item, but to Brielle, he was just a porter meant to carry their load. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 162 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 162 From the early morning, a multitude of people gathered in the slum square. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Look at all the people.¡± Brielle and Levin gaped at the crowd that had gathered in the square. Today was the departure day for the Pegasus Raid Force. While they expected a lot of people toe out to see the send-off ceremony, the sheer number of people in the square far exceeded their expectations. In this era, there weren¡¯t many forms of entertainment. Even a send-off ceremony was something people could look forward to. ¡°There theye.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Pegasus Raid Force.¡± With the crowd¡¯s cheers, the Pegasus Raid Force made its appearance. Ten desert buggies and twentyrge transport vehicles followed by over two hundred Awakeneds¡ªa colossal scale. Many dungeon raiding teams existed in Neo Seoul, but few could mobilize such arge number of people for a single dungeon raid. Leading the Pegasus Raid Force was Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°Oooh!¡± The crowd roared in excitement at the sight of Lee Ji-ryeong. Despite having the option to ride in a buggy, Lee Ji-ryeong chose to walk, exuding a majestic aura akin to a lion. Lee Ji-ryeong paused in the square, taking a moment to enjoy the crowd¡¯s cheers. A breeze blew, ruffling his hair like a lion¡¯s mane, eliciting an even more frenzied reaction from the onlookers. ¡°Lee Ji-ryeong! Lee Ji-ryeong!¡± ¡°Wooow!¡± After basking in the crowd¡¯s admiration for a while, Lee Ji-ryeong approached Zeon. He spoke to Zeon. ¡°You came.¡± ¡°I promised.¡± ¡°Are you ready to depart?¡± ¡°As you can see.¡± Zeon nced at Levin and Brielle. Lee Ji-ryeong frowned slightly. All their belongings seemed to be contained in the backpack Levin carried. ¡°Is that enough?¡± ¡°Everything we need is in here.¡± ¡°An enchanted subspace backpack? In that case, it¡¯s fine.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong didn¡¯t ask where Zeon got the subspace backpack. He assumed that someone of Zeon¡¯s caliber could easily acquire one. At that moment, a woman in a gray robe approached Lee Ji-ryeong. Unusually, her hair and eyes were also gray. She asked Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°Is this, Mr. Zeon?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the only Sand Mage in Neo Seoul. Introduce yourself.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Zeon! I¡¯m Kelda, the Rescue Team Leader of the Pegasus Raid Force.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too, Miss Kelda.¡± Zeon slightly bowed his head in greeting. Kelda scrutinized Zeon carefully. Her gray eyes were almost emotionless, making them resemble gray ss beads. ¡°Please take care of the dungeon raid. If you have any issues during our journey, don¡¯t hesitate to tell me. I can handle most matters.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± After bowing, Kelda left. Lee Ji-ryeong spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. You can ride in thest buggy. We¡¯ve reserved it for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± At that moment, Levin raised his hand and spoke. ¡°Can I drive that vehicle?¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve always wanted to drive one. Is it not allowed?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong frowned at Levin¡¯s bold request. In the Pegasus Raid Force, Lee Ji-ryeong was a god. No one dared to question or oppose his decisions. Once he decided, it was final. The buggy meant for Zeon was already assigned a driver from the Pegasus Raid Force, who also served as a guard. If Levin were to drive, that person would need to be reced. As Lee Ji-ryeong hesitated, Zeon spoke. ¡°I¡¯d prefer if we rode alone. It¡¯s ufortable with others around.¡± ¡°Very well. Make it so.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be careful not to damage the vehicle.¡± Levin thanked Lee Ji-ryeong and ran towards the buggy. Lee Ji-ryeong said to Zeon. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again at the Mana Stone Mine.¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯re regrouping there.¡± Zeon nodded. The Mana Stone Mine, located a hundred kilometers from Neo Seoul, was a major supply depot. Teams like the Pegasus Raid Force, which embarked on long expeditions, almost always stopped there to check their equipment and restock. Once they left the Mana Stone Mine, there would be no safe shelters. They would face the desert heat and monsters head-on. It wasn¡¯t umon for people to decide to turn back at the Mana Stone Mine. Zeon got into the buggy with Brielle. Levin was already in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Hehe!¡± Levin keptughing, touching the steering wheel as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. Brielle looked at Levin, who was drooling with joy, andmented. ¡°You look like a pervert.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The heart of a man.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that?¡± ¡°Desert buggies are a man¡¯s dream. Anyone would react like me if they got to drive one.¡± Levin caressed the steering wheel like it was a precious treasure. ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Brielle eventually turned her head away, but Levin didn¡¯t care. For a boy from the slums, getting the chance to drive a buggy was an impossibility. Even the sturdiest vehicles tended to break down in the desert, so driving was never entrusted to just anyone. Given the unique circumstances and because he was traveling with Zeon, Levin was allowed to drive. Normally, he would never have had such an opportunity. Zeon gave the front seat to Brielle and sat in the back. At that moment, the vehicles in front began to move. Levin hurriedly shifted the gear. As he pressed the elerator, the car jolted forward. Levin eximed excitedly. ¡°Here we go!¡± ¡°You do know how to drive, right?¡± ¡°Of course, just trust your brother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not very reassuring.¡± Brielle muttered, looking uneasy. It had been years since she was captured by human hunters and brought into Neo Seoul. Initially, it felt like hell, and all Brielle could think about was escaping. But now, thinking about leaving Neo Seoul, even temporarily for the dungeon raid, felt strange. They were only leaving temporarily for the dungeon raid, not for good. Yet she already missed their current home. ¡°Geez, I¡¯m getting sentimental.¡± Brielle pouted. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The Pegasus Raid Force was organized into four main teams. The first was the Exploration Team. Their mission was to explore dungeons¡ªfinding hidden ones, assessing their size, and gathering information. The dungeon discovered this time was found by them. The second team was the Base Team. They set up bases inside the dungeon, making it easier for the raid force to carry out the raid. The third team was the Raid Team. They were the core of the dungeon raiding party. They created and executed ns based on the information gathered by the Exploration Team. The fourth and final team was the Rescue Team. They stayed at the base, ready to rescue the Raid Team if they found themselves in danger. Naturally, the Rescue Team consisted of highly skilled Awakeneds. The leader of the Rescue Team was the gray-haired woman, Kelda. In the Pegasus Raid Force, she was known as the Gray Witch. Kelda was seated next to Lee Ji-ryeong. Though she was the Rescue Team leader, she was also Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s secretary. In fact, her primary duty was more of a secretary than a Rescue Team leader. Hence, she was always by Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s side during dungeon raids. In a calm voice, she reported. ¡°We have a total of three hundred Awakeneds deployed for this mission. Two hundred of them are from Pegasus, and the remaining one hundred are mercenaries. The mercenaries are all in the transport vehicles.¡± The transport vehicles varied in quality. The better ones had facilities to cook simple meals and take showers. These vehicles were assigned to the Pegasus Raid Force Awakeneds. The old transport vehicles were, of course, for the mercenaries. These vehicles, intended to carry dungeon byproducts,cked convenience facilities and had poor ride quality. Despite this, the mercenaries did notin. They rarely got the chance to participate in such significant dungeon raids. Even participating like this added to their experience. umting such experiences would eventually lead to opportunities to raidrger dungeons in the future. That¡¯s why they silently endured the difort, being crammed into the transport vehicles. ¡°We have ten days¡¯ worth of food supplies, and we n to purchase another ten days¡¯ worth at the Mana Stone Mine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a total of twenty days¡¯ worth of supplies?¡± ¡°Yes! While we¡¯ve never spent more than ten days on a dungeon raid, we prepared double the amount due to the anticipated difficulty of this dungeon.¡± ¡°Is the food stored in subspace items?¡± ¡°Yes! We¡¯ve distributed the supplies between two subspace items, and the additional supplies we¡¯ll get at the Mana Stone Mine will be stored in other items.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong smiled with satisfaction. Kelda¡¯s meticulous work always pleased him. Suddenly remembering something, Lee Ji-ryeong asked. ¡°Why aren¡¯t the Awakeneds from the West District here?¡± ¡°They will join us at the Mana Stone Mine.¡± ¡°They are already there?¡± ¡°Yes! The supervisor dispatched by the City Hall will also join us at the Mana Stone Mine.¡± ¡°Everyone does as they please.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong frowned. Even though they discovered and nned to raid the dungeon, not all items found in the dungeon belonged solely to the raiding party. To raid a dungeon, they had to get permission from the City Hall. If they raided a dungeon without permission and were caught, they would be expelled from Neo Seoul entirely. They couldn¡¯t deceive the City Hall either. Raidingrge dungeons typically required numerous Awakeneds and significant supplies. Moving all of this required substantial funds. The City Hall monitored all these financial transactions closely. Therefore, deceiving the City Hall was virtually impossible. Once a dungeon raid application was submitted, the City Hall dispatched a supervisor. The supervisor monitored the raid to ensure no items were being stolen. It was nearly impossible to smuggle items past these supervisors. They inspected the items found by the raiding party and reported to the City Hall, which then levied taxes based on the report. In essence, the supervisor was a tax collector for the dungeon raid. Naturally, no raiding party weed the presence of a supervisor. ¡°Do we know who the supervisor is?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong asked. ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯ll identify and assess them for potential recruitment as soon as they join us.¡± ¡°Handle it well.¡± ¡°Yes! And about Mr. Zeon.¡± ¡°What about Zeon?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong looked at Kelda. ¡°Mr. Zeon, Isn¡¯t he the one who killed the Captain¡¯s younger brother¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re still bringing him along?¡± ¡°Are you asking why I haven¡¯t killed him?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A cold smile appeared on Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s lips. ¡°I made a promise.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°To forget the grudge of him killing that bastard.¡± ¡°Do you intend to keep that promise?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong countered with a question. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 163 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 163 The journey to the Mana Stone Mine was incredibly peaceful. Ten buggies and twenty transport vehicles sped across the desert in unison. Most monsters were too intimidated by the sheer sight of the convoy to even think of approaching. Awooo! In the distance, the howl of an Alpha Fire Wolf echoed. There must have been a massive pack, easily numbering in the hundreds. Fire Wolves were known for their aggressiveness and tenacity. They were fiercely protective of their territory and would not tolerate any intruders. However, even this formidable pack of Fire Wolves didn¡¯t dare to approach the convoy heading to the Mana Stone Mine. The creatures knew better. Attacking the Pegasus Raid Force would result inplete annihtion. Even the most instinct-driven and less intelligent monsters felt fear in the presence of the Pegasus Raid Force. At least on the road to the Mana Stone Mine, there were no monsters daring enough to challenge the Pegasus Raid Force. Thanks to this, the Raid Force arrived at the Mana Stone Mine without incident. ¡°Is this the third time?¡± Zeon muttered as he disembarked from the buggy. Having visited the Mana Stone Mine three times, it now felt almost familiar to him. ¡°Is this the Mana Stone Mine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s huge.¡± Brielle and Levin were awestruck by the imposing sight of the mine. Other mercenaries who joined the raid were equally overwhelmed. Unless they were as experienced as the Pegasus Raid Force members, everyone was usually taken aback by the grandeur of the Mana Stone Mine. The gates opened, and the thirty vehicles entered the mine one by one. It wasmon for dungeon raiding parties to stop by the Mana Stone Mine, but it was rare to see such arge group. Even the resident Awakeneds of the mine were surprised. At that moment, someone emerged from the mine to greet Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°Wee. We¡¯ve been expecting you.¡± It was Cha Jin-cheol from the West District. Lee Ji-ryeong frowned as Cha Jin-cheol approached. ¡°What about the troops?¡± ¡°All seventy are in the quarters.¡± ¡°Seventy?¡± ¡°Too few for your liking? Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re all elite, at least C-rank or higher. They won¡¯t be a burden on the Pegasus Raid Force.¡± ¡°You better keep that promise.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. But¡­¡± Cha Jin-cheol paused and nced around. His eyes lit up when theynded on Zeon. He recognized Zeon¡¯s face from the White Bear Caravan auction but hadn¡¯t known Zeon¡¯s true value at the time. Cha Jin-cheol walked briskly towards Zeon and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to this dungeon raid.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t officially joined the Pegasus Raid Force, have you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m participating as a mercenary for now.¡± ¡°Smart move. Let¡¯s talk moreter.¡± Cha Jin-cheol smiled. His participation in this dungeon raid was primarily because of Zeon. If Zeon had officially joined the Pegasus Raid Force, it would haveplicated things. But since that wasn¡¯t the case, Cha Jin-cheol saw an opportunity to recruit him to the West District. Then Zeon asked an unexpected question. ¡°Is that item on your belt from the White Bear Caravan auction?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. It¡¯s the Warden¡¯s Lasso.¡± Cha Jin-cheol had won several items at the White Bear Caravan auction. Most were stored in the West District¡¯s warehouse, but he kept the Warden¡¯s Lasso. Kim Hyun-soo, the ruler of the West District, had given it to Cha Jin-cheol as a reward for his efforts. ¡°I carry it around because it seems useful in emergencies.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°If you like it, I can give it to you.¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°If you ever change your mind, let me know. The West District is always ready to open its treasure vault for someone with your talents.¡± ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I don¡¯t wish to belong to any faction yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re young and naive. There¡¯s a limit to what you can achieve alone. Talented individuals like you need the protection of a powerful faction to grow. If you join the West District, we will fully support you.¡± Cha Jin-cheol spoke rapidly, clearly intent on recruiting Zeon. His true goal was to bring Zeon into the West District. The dungeon raid was secondary. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Just as he was about to press further, a female voice interrupted. ¡°How dare you!¡± Cha Jin-cheol red at the woman who had interrupted him. She was a beautiful woman with long, wavy blonde hair. Her sapphire blue eyes sparkled, and she had a refreshing smile. ¡°Who are you to interrupt our conversation?¡± ¡°My name is Mandy Systein. I¡¯m the supervisor dispatched from the City Hall.¡± ¡°The supervisor? A brat like you¡­¡± ¡°Regardless of my age, you should watch your words. I do hold a position, after all.¡± Mandy¡¯s calm yet firm response left Cha Jin-cheol speechless. He wanted tosh out at the bold young woman but held back due to her rank. The City Hall supervisors were not to be trifled with. If anything happened to a supervisor, the City Hall would demand ountability. The consequences would be severe, making it unwise to antagonize them. ¡°Tch! We¡¯ll talkter.¡± Cha Jin-cheol finally backed down. ¡°Are you the supervisor we were supposed to meet here?¡±. ¡°Yes, I ended up being assigned here. Please take care of me.¡± Mandy bowed slightly to Zeon. Such a gesture was something her other persona, Eloy, would never have done. ¡°Likewise, I look forward to working with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged our quarters. Shall we?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± At that moment, Brielle approached with a displeased expression. ¡°Long time no see, half-elf!¡± ¡°Cheeky elf, you came too.¡± ¡°Half-breed¡­¡± ¡°Still just a junkie¡­¡± The two elves snarled at each other as soon as they met. ¡°Come on, both of you, calm down¡­¡± Levin said, sweating nervously as he tried to mediate. Zeon chuckled as he watched them. Despite their harsh words, he knew they would never actually fight. Both had fully adapted to human society and understood that fighting would only lead to losses. ¡®That Warden¡¯s Lasso.¡¯ Zeon thought, recalling thesso on Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s belt. It was an item Damien had put up for auction. There was something unsettling about it that bothered Zeon. Although he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the exact reason, just being in the same space with it made him feel uneasy. Cha Jin-cheol owned such an item. Zeon considered warning him but decided against it. Judging by Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s personality, he doubted a warning would be heeded. ¡®Anyway, it seems to be securely sealed, so it should be fine.¡¯ * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The peacefulness of the Mana Stone Mine was shattered by the arrival of therge group, making the night incredibly noisy. ¡°Hey there, handsome,e here.¡± ¡°Hey mister, let¡¯s have some fun tonight.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The prostitutes residing at the Mana Stone Mine came out to entice the Awakeneds. Dressed in barely-there outfits, the sight of them made the Awakeneds¡¯ eyes light up. ¡°Fuck! Let¡¯s y a little bit.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be eating sand for days, let¡¯s indulge while we can.¡± ¡°Oh my! You beast.¡± ¡°Kyahaha!¡± The seduced Awakeneds embraced the prostitutes and went inside. The bars were thrilled with the sudden influx of customers, and people roamed the streets drunk. Lee Ji-ryeong and Cha Jin-cheol permitted their subordinates to indulge. Once the dungeon raid began, they wouldn¡¯t be able to satisfy their desires. Even if they were strict at times, they believed in giving their subordinates a chance to unwind. This was why they allowed such behavior. ¡°Is the Mana Stone Mine always this noisy? I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Brielle grumbled. Mandy, who was nearby, replied. ¡°It¡¯s just for tonight. Try to bear with it.¡± ¡°You seem used to this kind of situation?¡± ¡°I was born and raised in human society. You should get used to it too.¡± ¡°Why should I get used to it? I n to leave Neo Seoul someday.¡± ¡°Good luck with that.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Do you think your vige will take you back? With that deep scent of drugs on you?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°No matter how much you break the addiction, the scent ingrained in your body will never go away.¡± Brielle bit her lip at Mandy¡¯s words. Elves had senses much keener than humans, including their sense of smell. They could easily distinguish even the faintest scent of drugs lingering on someone. Ordinary elves might still ept her, but High Elves would not. High Elves, who saw themselves as noble beings, would never ept a tainted member. Brielle had been addicted to drugs. The noble High Elves would never take her back. She once thought that was the way it should be. Purity was the identity of High Elves. But living among humans, she began to understand. She understood why humans could build such an overwhelming civilization under the same conditions. Purity was not essential for survival. What truly mattered was the will to survive and move forward. In that aspect, High Elves werecking. It was almost impossible for the High Elves to ept a former drug addict like Brielle back into their fold. ¡°Ha!¡± Brielle sighed involuntarily, and Mandy thought to herself. ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have said anything?¡¯ But someone had to tell her. As a half-elf herself, Mandy knew better than anyone. She understood the feelings of an outcast who didn¡¯tpletely belong anywhere. However, such a state couldn¡¯tst forever. Eventually, a decision would have to be made. To live as a human or as an elf. Mandy chose to live as a human, which is why she predominantly existed as Mandy rather than Eloy. It made adapting to human society easier. ¡®Like I did, she will have to decide someday.¡¯ Brielle suddenly stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going out to get some air.¡± Without waiting for a response, she left. Mandy nced at Zeon and Levin. Levin got up immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll go after her.¡± He followed Brielle outside. Left alone with Zeon, Mandy spoke cautiously. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°It might have been a bit early.¡± ¡°But it needed to be said. I don¡¯t want her to make the same mistakes I did.¡± ¡°Looks like you had a tough time?¡± ¡°Being a half-elf sounds nice, but in reality, humans treat me as an outsider, and elves see me as a mongrel. I¡¯ve lived in Neo Seoul all my life, but I am nothing. An outsider belonging to neither side.¡± Her voice carried a hint of loneliness. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 164 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 164 Brielle sat on the mountainside surrounding the Mana Stone Mine. From there, she could see the entire city. The voices of people staggering under the colorful lights reached her even from this distance. People were enjoying the night as if there were no tomorrow. The strong scent of desire wafting up to her made her feel dizzy. She had gotten used to it by now, but when she was first kidnapped into the human world, she thought she would go mad. ¡°Ha!¡± She sighed. ¡°You¡¯re gonna make a hole in the ground, kiddo!¡± Levin¡¯s voice came from behind. Brielle turned to see Levin catching his breath and straightening his back. He had been running around the Mana Stone Mine searching for her. ¡°How did you find this ce?¡± ¡°Why did youe?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯d let you run off on your own?¡± ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re family. Family looks out for each other.¡± ¡°Family?¡± Brielle¡¯s eyes wavered at the unexpected word. She had never thought of it that way. For her, family only meant the High Elves. ¡°Living together, seeing each other every day, taking care of each other¡­ If that¡¯s not family, what is?¡± ¡°Fa¡­ mily.¡± The word resonated deeply. Brielle closed her eyes and repeated the word several times. Levin watched her silently. A breeze blew by. Brielle stood up with a refreshed look, as if she had gained some realization. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I said let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°O-okay!¡± Brielle smiled and started walking. ¡®There¡¯s no need to make a choice right now. This is my home and these people are my family. I need to focus on the present.¡¯ Brielle liked Zeon. Initially, they were bound by a pact, but over time, she grew fond of him. It wasn¡¯t a romantic feeling. She was attracted to the human charm Zeon possessed. Even though they might part ways someday, that time wasn¡¯t now. She didn¡¯t want to waste the present worrying about a future that hadn¡¯t arrived. The mountainside was steep and rugged. She hadn¡¯t realized how steep it was while climbing up, but descending made the incline quite evident. Levin cautiously moved, mumbling. ¡°They mine Mana Stones in these mountains?¡± ¡°How does a lone mountain like this stand in the middle of the desert?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t there mountains like this where you lived?¡± ¡°Not at all! Everywhere you looked was just sand. Only a tiny portion was habitable for elves.¡± ¡°That must have been tough.¡± ¡°When I was there, I didn¡¯t even think it was tough. Everyone had adapted to the sand. But I don¡¯t think I could go back.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve grown used to the city. I can¡¯t imagine living without electricity.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Levin burst intoughter at Brielle¡¯s unexpected answer. ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, I feel the same.¡± ¡°Right? How did we live without electricity? If I could, I¡¯d teach my people how to extract electricity from Mana Stones.¡± ¡°Someday that might happen.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Yeah! Once the hatred between us lessens, there¡¯ll be exchanges. Then you can teach them how to make electricity from Mana Stones.¡± ¡°Wow! Levin, you sounded mature just now.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m more mature than you. Kiddo!¡± Levin pretended to knock Brielle on the head. She ducked and stuck out her tongue. ¡®I¡¯m d she seems better.¡¯ Levin thought, smiling as he looked around. At that moment, a man caught Levin¡¯s eye. The man was in his mid tote twenties, dressed in shabby clothes. He looked like an ordinary miner. He was wearing mining clothes and knee-high boots. It wasn¡¯t unusual. This was the Mana Stone Mine, and it was natural for miners to be around. But Levin felt something off about the man. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Levin stared at the miner, trying to figure out why he felt this way. Brielle, noticing Levin¡¯s odd behavior, blinked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Uh, it¡¯s just¡­¡± At that moment, the miner disappeared into the crowd. Levin tried to spot him but it was no use. ¡°Did I lose him?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°He looked odd.¡± ¡°Odd how?¡± ¡°His clothes were like a miner¡¯s, but his behavior wasn¡¯t.¡± Levin finally realized what was bothering him. People usually carry the atmosphere of their profession. A beggar would naturally have a gloomy, cynical aura, and those doing hardbor would exude a tired air. But the miner he saw didn¡¯t have the demeanor of a miner. There were no signs of hardbor on him, and his clothes were too clean. He also had a face full of curiosity, like someone new to the ce. ¡®Who is he?¡¯ Though it might not have been a big deal, it left a peculiar feeling in his heart. Levin remembered the man¡¯s face. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Ugh! Who the hell was that kid? Did he notice something?¡± The man disguised as a miner was catching his breath in a back alley. ¡°Man, I¡¯m losing my touch. Almost got caught by a kid.¡± ¡°What do you mean, you almost got caught?¡± A detached voice suddenly came from behind him. ¡°Gah! You scared me!¡± The man jumped and turned around. Right in front of him stood a woman cloaked in a robe. She had approached without him noticing. If she had been an enemy, he would have been a dead man. He pointed a finger at her and shouted. ¡°Fuck! How many times do I have to tell you to make some noise when you walk?¡± ¡°An assassin loses their credentials if they make noise.¡± ¡°Am I your target? I¡¯m your ally. Ally!¡± ¡°So, did you get caught?¡± ¡°No! I didn¡¯t get caught. Just some kid staring at me made me uneasy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me? I¡¯m An, the master of stealth.¡± ¡°The master of stealth almost got noticed by a kid?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get noticed.¡± An shouted, but the robed woman ignored him and continued. ¡°So, what about the intel?¡± ¡°Yeah, I got it all.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we stay a bit longer? There¡¯s so much to enjoy here. Why leave now?¡± ¡°The longer we stay, the higher the risk of getting caught. Didn¡¯t you say you were noticed by a kid?¡± ¡°I said I didn¡¯t get noticed.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Damn it! Can¡¯t you listen? I¡¯m telling you, let¡¯s have some fun first.¡± ¡°If you insist on staying, I¡¯ll leave on my own.¡± ¡°Hey! Then how am I supposed to get out?¡± ¡°Not my problem.¡± ¡°Heartless woman. Fine, let¡¯s go.¡± An finally surrendered. The woman gently picked him up and said. ¡°Hold tight. We¡¯re going.¡± ¡°Hehe! I¡¯m holding on tight.¡± An grinned and held her tightly. The soft sensation of her body soothed his anger. The woman¡¯s body, hidden under the robe, was quite voluptuous. Even though being carried princess-style could be humiliating for a man, An didn¡¯t mind because of the woman¡¯s physique. The woman holding An turned transparent. This was one of her awakened abilities. Invisibility. For a short time, she could make herself and anything she touched invisible. Using her invisibility, she quickly moved through the crowded streets. They reached the city walls. The woman threw a rope. The rope extended like a whip, wrapping around a pir atop the wall. She pulled herself up, flying over the wall. There were guards on the wall, but none noticed her. This was another of her abilities. She deceived the eyes of the guards and descended into the desert. In no time, she vanished into the darkness of the desert. * * * Levin and Brielle returned to their lodging. Mandy was already asleep in her room, and Zeon was alone in the living room. Seeing Brielle, Zeon spoke. ¡°We have a long journey tomorrow. Go to bed early.¡± ¡°Okay! You should go to sleep too, Zeon.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Good night!¡± Brielle cheerfully went to her room. Zeon then spoke to Levin. ¡°Good job today. Get some rest too.¡± ¡°Hey, Zeon, there¡¯s something¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I saw someone strange earlier.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Levin described the miner he had seen. ¡°That¡¯s certainly strange.¡± ¡°Right? It wasn¡¯t just me, was it?¡± ¡°Miners at the Mana Stone Mine never wander around when there are this many people.¡± The miners were worked to exhaustion at the Mana Stone Mine. As long as they had the strength, they were put to work in the tunnels day and night. When exhausted, they sought rest rather than wandering outside. Especially when many Awakeneds arrived, miners stayed inside to avoid trouble. ¡°So what was it? He was definitely dressed like a miner.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Well, whatever. I¡¯m going to bed.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After Levin went to his room, Zeon was left alone. He pondered Levin¡¯s words. ¡°A miner that doesn¡¯t fit at the Mana Stone Mine¡­¡± If anyone else had said this, Zeon wouldn¡¯t have been as concerned. But since it was Levin, it was different. Levin wasn¡¯t an ordinary boy. His experiences tracking down the murderer of his family had honed his observation skills, memory, and instincts. If Levin felt something was off, there was likely a good reason. ¡°This dungeon raid won¡¯t be easy.¡± Nearly four hundred Awakeneds were mobilized, with over thirty vehicles. An enormous expedition. Logically, one would think no one would dare to interfere with such arge group. But Zeon knew that the world often defied logic. The dungeon they were heading to was over three hundred kilometers from the Mana Stone Mine. Though it seemed like a distance that could be covered in a few days, the harsh desert environment wouldn¡¯t make it easy. It wasn¡¯t just the sun, sand, and monsters that posed a threat. Humans were also a danger. ¡°Humans are the scariest of all.¡± Zeon had lived in the desert for a whole eight years, but it wasn¡¯t the monsters that troubled him the most, it was the humans. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 165 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 165 The next morning, the Pegasus Raid Force departed from the Mana Stone Mine. The exhaustion was evident on the faces of those leaving the mine. Most of the raid force had partied as if it was theirst night on earth. The aftermath was visible on the day of departure. However, Lee Ji-ryeong didn¡¯t reprimand them. He knew that once they entered the desert, they would have to be mentally fortified whether they wanted to or not. When they arrived at the Mana Stone Mine, they had thirty vehicles, but by the time they left, the number had increased to forty. This was because the vehicles carrying the Awakeneds from the West District had joined them. The sight of forty vehicles racing across the desert was magnificent. As the vehicles moved, clouds of dust rose like a wave. Mandy joined Zeon, Brielle, and Levin in their vehicle. Sinking deeply into her seat, Mandymented. ¡°This is nice. It¡¯s always ufortable traveling with others.¡± Being a supervisor was an ufortable role. Reporting the movements of the raid force to the City Hall didn¡¯t endear her to anyone. Most people avoided or ostracized supervisors dispatched by the City Hall. Mandy asked Zeon. ¡°By the way, do you know what kind of dungeon we are heading to?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. They said it¡¯s buried deep in the sand and hasn¡¯t been fully identified.¡± ¡°The Pegasus Raid Force is amazing. Finding a dungeon buried deep in the sand is no easy task.¡± ¡°They must have an excellent Detector.¡± ¡°Indeed. Rumor has it that the Pegasus Raid Force¡¯s Detector has exceptional dungeon sensing abilities.¡± ¡°Then they must get a lot of scouting offers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the Pegasus Raid Force takes special care of him.¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°As a supervisor, I know at least some of their personal information.¡± All raid forces in Neo Seoul must submit their personnel information to the City Hall. Neo Seoul ssified this information as top secret. Supervisors naturally had the right to ess this information. ¡°The man leading the Pegasus Raid Force¡¯s Expedition Team is named Gesling. He¡¯s both a Detector and the Team Leader. Under him, there¡¯s Lee Chi-woo, the dungeon mapmaker; Obroi, the guide; and McNine, the protector.¡± ¡°Protector?¡± ¡°A Martial Arts Awakened. He¡¯s there to protect the Expedition Team with his exceptionalbat skills.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Anyway, these four are all outstanding Awakeneds. That¡¯s why Lee Ji-ryeong treasures them so much.¡± ¡°Understandable.¡± Zeon nodded. Finding a dungeon in the desert was no easy feat. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. The Expedition Team drastically improved those odds. A raid force with an excellent Expedition Team had a higher chance of finding and raiding more dungeons. Naturally, Lee Ji-ryeong would cherish them. Watching Zeon¡¯s profile, Mandy suddenly thought. ¡®Wait a minute! Many dungeons are buried in the sand. Finding such dungeons is the job of the Expedition Team. So, this man¡­¡¯ Zeon was the only Sand Mage in this world. He had proven his exceptional control over sand during the fight with Balrog. Even though it was weakened after awakening, it was still a formidable disaster-ss monster. A person capable of subduing such a monster could surely find dungeons buried deep in the sand. ¡®How many dungeons has he found and raided?¡¯ Curiosity gnawed at her, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask directly. At that moment, Zeon, who had been looking out the window with a nk expression, suddenly spoke. ¡°There are watchers.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean, watchers?¡± ¡°Over there, on that sand dune, someone is hiding and watching this convoy.¡± Zeon pointed to a particrly high sand dune. At first nce, the sand dunes of the desert didn¡¯t seem high, but many of them were several hundred meters tall. The dune Zeon pointed to was one of those. The sand dune, hundreds of meters tall, glowed golden under the sunlight. Mandy squinted and stared hard, but she couldn¡¯t see anything. ¡°There¡¯s a watcher there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°There are two of them. Ah, they¡¯ve just disappeared.¡± The figures Zeon had sensed vanished. They must have used stealth skills or left the area. Had they been closer, Zeon might have caught their movements. But the buggy was moving quickly, and their movements were discreet, so he lost track of them. Levin asked. ¡°Hyung, could it be the person I saw yesterday?¡± ¡°Possibly¡­¡± ¡°Things are getting interesting from the start.¡± Mandy interjected into their conversation. ¡°What about yesterday?¡± ¡°Oh, Levin said he saw a suspicious person yesterday.¡± ¡°A suspicious person?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe, but he didn¡¯t seem to fit in with the mine.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mandy frowned. The beginning was always important. If there were impurities from the start, more obstacles were likely to appearter. ¡°Could they be scavengers?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Would scavengers target such arge group?¡± They had nearly three hundred and seventy Awakeneds and over forty vehicles. Such a force could easily wipe out arge monster. Even if the scavengers had lost their minds, they wouldn¡¯t attack such a force. ¡°They were probably just scouting. There¡¯s no need to worry too much. Scavenger groups are usually only a few dozen strong.¡± Scavengers were tough enough to survive in the desert, but even they couldn¡¯t formrge groups due to the scarcity of resources. Most scavenger groups ranged from a few dozen to about a hundred members. With such numbers, it was impossible to take on the Pegasus Raid Force. They would be wiped out before getting close. Zeon nodded at Mandy¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°We have a long journey ahead, so you should rest. I¡¯ll take a nap too.¡± Mandy leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Why did we leave? We could have watched more.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t feel right.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It felt like something was scanning my entire body.¡± Unknowingly, An reacted sharply to the woman¡¯s response. Just a moment ago, An and the woman were the ones observing the Pegasus Raid Force from afar. They were surveying the raid force to assess its exact size. But suddenly, the woman grabbed An¡¯s back and retreated several kilometers. Until now, he had been dragged around like a pack mule, unable to say anything. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? There¡¯s nothing there.¡± ¡°I definitely felt something.¡± ¡°Ah, seriously¡­¡± ¡°If you say one more word, I¡¯ll tear your mouth open.¡± ¡°Gah!¡± An quickly shut his mouth. Despite being together for a while, he momentarily forgot that the woman was an assassin. And not just any assassin, but one of a much higher rankpared to An. He dared not confront her; crossing her could mean losing his life without even realizing it. In fact, he had seen several people die like that. The woman¡¯s name was Duduyan. She was a B-rank assassin. Duduyan spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Why? We should gather more information.¡± ¡°I have a bad feeling. Let¡¯s return and report.¡± ¡°Alright. Damn it.¡± An nodded as if there was no other choice. They climbed onto the prepared Bactrian Camels. Evolved Bactrian Camels were the best means of transportation for scavengers. Even after running in the desert for a long time, they wouldn¡¯t get tired, and the humps could detect the presence of other creatures like a radar, allowing them to avoid danger. Because of this, scavengers always rode Bactrian Camels. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± They raced through the desert on the Bactrian Camels. The camels rushed towards their destination at terrifying speed. After a while, they arrived at a ce with numerous tents and herds of Bactrian Camels arranged. Outside the tents, people gathered, tearing into something to eat. Although there seemed to be tens of thousands of tents, there were several times more people outside. It was astonishing how such arge number of people could be there without making much noise. Duduyan and An pushed through the crowd towards the center. In the center, there was a fairlyrge oasis, and in front of it stood an unusuallyrge tent. Like other tents, a fire was burning in front of it, and something unknown was cooking on it. A big man was sitting by the fire, tearing into the meat, while a sturdy woman beside him carefully spread the meat. Around them, children were ying noisily. It looked peaceful in a way. An and Duduyan approached the man. ¡°Leader!¡± ¡°I¡¯m back, Urtian!¡± At their voices, the man raised his head. He had a rugged appearance befitting a man. His face was full of tattoos with meanings unknown. But more noticeable than the tattoos were his pointed ears. The man was not human but an elf. The elf man called Urtian opened his mouth. ¡°You two did well. Have some of this. The Sand Angler meat is amazing.¡± The meat cooking over the fire was Sand Angler. The woman who had been listening to Urtian¡¯s orders cut the Sand Angler meat and put it on tes for An and Duduyan. Then she handed them over. ¡°Eat, An. Duduyan.¡± ¡°Thank you, Deborah.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± An quickly ate the meat on the te, while Duduyan took off her robe¡¯s hood. Then her appearance was revealed. With exceptionally dark skin reminiscent of obsidian and ck pupils, and pointed ears. She was also an elf. However, herplexion was much darker and cker than a typical elf. That¡¯s why herrades called her the Dark Elf. Both of them enjoyed the Sand Angler meat since they were hungry. The Sand Angler was not an easy monster to catch. It was a rare monster caught only once every few years. Watching the two of them eat the Sand Angler, Urtian said, ¡°I was lucky enough to catch it. I¡¯ve shared enough with the others, so eat as much as you want.¡± ¡°Thank you, Urtian.¡± ¡°Anyway, how¡¯s this expedition going? It seems quiterge in scale.¡± ¡°There are around forty vehicles and close to four hundred Awakeneds mobilized.¡± The one who answered was An. ¡°So many Awakeneds have been mobilized? They must¡¯ve discovered a big dungeon somewhere, right?¡± ¡°It seems so. With so many people mobilized, food and supplies must be overflowing.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Urtian looked interested. At that moment, Duduyan spoke cautiously. ¡°What if we skip this raid?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have a bad feeling about it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± At that moment, ¡°It¡¯s not possible. We¡¯ve already reached our limit. If we don¡¯t secure food this time, people will starve to death.¡± Someone approached, raising a counterargument. He looked to be in his thirties. Unlike Urtian, he was human. Urtian looked at him. ¡°Kormac!¡± ¡°Leader, we need food. Right now.¡± The man called Kormac spoke emphatically. Urtian smiled and looked at Duduyan. ¡°You heard that, right? The Red Storm is in immediate need of food.¡± ¡°Urtian!¡± ¡°Then, tell me everything you¡¯ve learned so far.¡± The voice of Urtian, the leader of the Red Storm, arge group of scavengersbining elves and humans, contained an irresistible power. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 166 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 166 Screeech! Therge transport vehicle came to a noisy halt. Those who had been riding inside started to grumble as they got off. ¡°Fuck! Again?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of having a vehicle if it breaks down every few miles?¡± As therge transport vehicle broke down, the other vehicles following it also came to a stop. At that moment, a stout middle-aged man got out of the vehicle right behind it. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Stopped again?¡± ¡°Yes! It seems the gear has corroded.¡± ¡°Damn it! This cursed sand. Even with magical treatment, it breaks everything. How many times has this happened already?¡± The stout middle-aged man spat on the ground, cursing. It was a somewhatical sight. He was only about as tall as an adult man¡¯s chest, but his shoulders were much broader, making him look like a gori. Despite this ridiculous appearance, no oneughed because he was not an ordinary person but a dwarf. Even in the North District where the otherworldly races gathered, dwarves were a rare sight, and this stout middle-aged man was one of them. At that moment, Lee Ji-ryeong appeared, pushing through the crowd. He spoke to the dwarf. ¡°Did the vehicle break down again?¡± ¡°Yeah, the gear ispletely busted and needs to be reced.¡± ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be done today.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. We¡¯ll rest here for the day, so fix the vehicle during that time.¡± ¡°Damn it! I have to work while everyone else rests.¡± ¡°Someone might think you¡¯re the only one working, Jeloei. If the Base Team helps out, it should only take two hours, right? We¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s plenty of food and drink left for you.¡± ¡°Tsk! Fine.¡± Jeloei grumbled as he pulled out tools from his work apron. The tools were clearly toorge to havee from the apron pocket. The mercenaries participating in the operation widened their eyes at the sight of therge tools that seemed to ignore physicalws. ¡°What the? How did thate out of his apron¡­?¡± ¡°Could it be that the apron is enchanted with a subspace?¡± As they suspected, Jeloei¡¯s work apron was enchanted with a subspace to store tools. Thanks to this, he could carry all the tools he needed for the job in his apron. Lee Ji-ryeong gave orders to the Pegasus Raid Force. ¡°We¡¯ll rest here today. Set up a perimeter and prepare meals.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The Pegasus Raid Force responded and moved in perfect unison. The Awakened members assigned to guard took their positions, and food that had been prepared in advance was taken out of the transport vehicle. The food prepared by the Pegasus Raid Force was preserved food that required no cooking. It was perfectly prepared so that they only needed to open the lid to eat, like a lunchbox. Thanks to this, everyone could sit and eatfortably. Zeon and his group also gathered in front of the buggy to eat. Levin and Mandy chatted as they ate their lunchboxes. ¡°This is pretty good. Do raid forces always eat such tasty food?¡± ¡°Only teams like the Pegasus Raid Force can prepare meals like this. Smaller teams usually eat tasteless canned food.¡± ¡°Canned food?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the simplest way to store food.¡± ¡°So, do the Pathfinder Teams run by Neo Seoul also eat canned food?¡± ¡°Of course. After a trip to the desert, you won¡¯t want to see canned food for a while.¡± ¡°I can see that.¡± Levin nodded in agreement. For Levin, who was participating in a raid force for the first time, even this trivial information was valuable. At that moment, Brielle suddenly asked Zeon. ¡°Is it okay for so many people to gather here?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If we get attacked by a monster like a Sandworm, wouldn¡¯t there be a lot of casualties?¡± ¡°This area has coarse and hard sand, not the type that Sandworms like.¡± ¡°Sandworms care about the type of sand? Wait, there are different types of sand? I thought it was all the same.¡± ¡°It varies by terrain. Some ces have fine particles, while others are coarse. Sandworms prefer fine sand because it¡¯s easier to burrow into than coarse, rough sand.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Brielle¡¯s eyes sparkled. Learning new information always made her happy. But then her expression suddenly twisted. Her already unfocused eyes started to shake violently. ¡°Again?¡± Brielle hurriedly rummaged through her belongings and pulled out a medicine bottle. However, her hands trembled so much that she couldn¡¯t open the cap. ¡°Damn kid¡­¡± Mandy smirked as she opened the medicine bottle for her. When Mandy handed her the medicine, Brielle quickly put it in her mouth. ¡°Haa! Haa!¡± Brielle copsed on the ground, panting heavily. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Levin smiled wryly as he looked after Brielle. ¡°Why do people make drugs anyway? I just can¡¯t understand the human race.¡± At that moment, a rough voice cut in. ¡°What about dwarves then?¡± The voice belonged to Jeloei. He approached, holding a beer bottle in his hand. ¡°Dwarves?¡± ¡°Just call me Jeloei, Supervisor.¡± ¡°Is the vehicle fixed?¡± ¡°Haha! This isn¡¯t the first time. Fixing it is no big deal.¡± Jeloei drank his beer and sat down in front of Zeon. ¡°You¡¯re the famous Sand Mage, Zeon, right?¡± ¡°Do you have business with me?¡± ¡°Not really. I just wanted to see your face. I¡¯ve never seen a Sand Mage before. Want a sip?¡± Jeloei thrust the beer bottle towards Zeon. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon shook his head slightly as he answered. ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡± ¡°Not drinking this fine stuff? It¡¯s not quite as good as real barley beer, but it¡¯s close enough.¡± ¡°You must really like alcohol.¡± ¡°Haha! For a race like ours that works for a living, work beer is essential.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°By the way, you didn¡¯t seem surprised to see me. Have you met our kind before?¡± ¡°A few times.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Not around here.¡± Jeloei frowned at Zeon¡¯s ambiguous answer. ¡°Is it that hard to tell me where you¡¯ve seen us before?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a memory I cherish.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t like our kind?¡± Jeloei¡¯s face hardened. He knew many in Neo Seoul didn¡¯t like races like dwarves or elves, but it was the first time he encountered someone who was so tant about it. ¡°I¡¯ve been betrayed too many times by dwarves¡­¡± Zeon shrugged. His words were true. The dwarves he met in the desert were all selfish and tried to take advantage of him. Because of these experiences, Zeon didn¡¯t like dwarves much. ¡°Ahem! I apologize on their behalf. But you have to understand how tough life is. They probably had no choice but to act that way to survive.¡± ¡°Everyone has a hard time surviving. Not just dwarves¡­¡± Jeloei¡¯s face flushed, realizing he wasn¡¯t getting anywhere with this conversation. ¡°It seems today isn¡¯t the best time to talk. We¡¯ll continue thister.¡± Jeloei stood up without waiting for Zeon¡¯s response. For him, this was a loss. Zeon didn¡¯t even nce at Jeloei as he walked away. From the start, Jeloei was never of any interest to him. As mentioned before, Zeon didn¡¯t trust dwarves as a race. Despite their seemingly open and hearty exterior, they were narrow-minded and cunning. Brielle chuckled. ¡°You really don¡¯t like them.¡± * * * ¡°Ugh! Ptooey!¡± ¡°Damn this sand.¡± All the Awakeneds cursed the sand as they woke up in the morning. During the night, sandstorms had covered them in sand. It wouldn¡¯t have been so bad if it was just sand covering them, but it had gotten into their respiratory systems and tormented them. However, Zeon¡¯s group didn¡¯t experience this. Zeon had used his power to prevent sand from piling up on them, allowing the three to wake upfortably. ¡°That was a good sleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never slept this well in the desert.¡± They quickly prepared to leave. There was no time for a proper breakfast; they had to manage with simple meals in the car. As soon as the four got into the buggy, the vehicles started moving. The convoy was on the move again. At the front of the convoy were Lee Ji-ryeong and Jeloei. Jeloei, who had reced Kelda, looked discontented. Lee Ji-ryeong smirked. ¡°Looks like things didn¡¯t go well.¡± ¡°That arrogant prick.¡± ¡°Well, he has the skills to back it up.¡± ¡°Bastard! I wanted to ask him to keep the sand out of the vehicle, but I couldn¡¯t even bring it up. He just said he doesn¡¯t trust our kind. Do you feel the same way?¡± ¡°If I did, I wouldn¡¯t have included you in our raid force.¡± ¡°Fuck! If he weren¡¯t a Sand Mage, I¡¯d break his back.¡± ¡°Please bear with him. We need him for this mission.¡± ¡°I¡¯m holding back because you said so.¡± ¡°Ha ha!¡± Lee Ji-ryeongughed. Jeloei had a childlike side. He was honest with his feelings, and his words always reflected his true thoughts. This made him easy to deal with. Moreover, he was very capable. Lee Ji-ryeong hadn¡¯t entrusted the Base Team to Jeloei for no reason. ¡°By the way, the dungeon is about 300 kilometers from here, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the first time we¡¯re tackling a dungeon so far away?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Man! I¡¯m nervous. I wonder what kind of monster we¡¯ll face this time. It feels like we¡¯re walking into a beast¡¯s maw.¡± ¡°After so many dungeon raids, you¡¯re still nervous? That¡¯s not very dwarf-like.¡± ¡°Do you think dwarves don¡¯t get scared? People say the dwarves in Kurayan were fearless, but I grew up here.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t know much about Kurayan.¡± ¡°Right. My father talks about the homnd, but to me, it¡¯s just a foreignnd. My home is here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the home for all of us.¡± ¡°Exactly! Our home. Yet, they discriminate against me just because I¡¯m a dwarf.¡± Jeloei ground his teeth, clearly still angry. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s a Sand Mage?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain! I saw it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Damn it! Why did god give such a rare ability to a bastard like him?¡± ¡°Were Sand Mages rare in Kurayan too?¡± ¡°If there was such a being, my father would¡¯ve told me. As far as I know, no Sand Mage has ever appeared in Kurayan.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong furrowed his brows. ¡®All the awakened abilities that appear on Earth existed in Kurayan. There are no exceptions to this rule.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t just a hypothesis. It was a conclusion reached after long-term research by the City Hall. The epted theory was that abilities not existing in Kurayan didn¡¯t exist on Earth either. Yet, for the first time, someone who contradicted this theory appeared. It was Zeon. ¡®Is he an anomaly? Or an impurity outside the rules of this world?¡¯ At that moment, a voice interrupted Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Monsters ahead. We¡¯ve got monsters in our path.¡± A massive dust cloud was rising from the direction the convoy was heading. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 167 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 167 The Awakeneds hurriedly got out of their vehicles and looked towards the rising dust cloud. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Where did these monsterse from all of a sudden¡­?¡± ¡°Were there any monster habitats around here?¡± Confused voices erupted among the Awakeneds. This area was three days away from the Mana Stone Mine, where monsters were periodically exterminated, so there shouldn¡¯t have been anyrge groups of monsters nearby. Naturally, the Awakeneds were somewhat at ease. But now, a massive dust cloud was rising. It was impossible for such a dust cloud to be caused by a small number of monsters. It only urred when arge horde of monsters was on the move. Lee Ji-ryeong shouted. ¡°Prepare for battle, everyone!¡± ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± The Pegasus Raid Force drew their weapons and got ready forbat. Cha Jin-cheol smirked and gave an order. ¡°Let¡¯s sweep them away in one go. Everyone, to the front lines.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Awakeneds from the West District moved to the front lines at hismand. Levin, looking puzzled, remarked. ¡°Didn¡¯t most of the Awakeneds from the West District rece their bodies with machinery? They look like ordinary people.¡± Indeed, the Awakeneds from the West District at the front didn¡¯t look different from other Awakeneds. Mandy exined to Levin. ¡°That¡¯s true for those below D-rank. Some C-rank and above purposely reveal their mechanical parts. But they can¡¯t operate in the desert for long.¡± ¡°Because of the sand?¡± ¡°Exactly. The desert sand is deadly to Mechanized Awakeneds. So, they mostly operate within Neo Seoul. That¡¯s the limit of the West District.¡± ¡°Then these guys?¡± ¡°They¡¯re C-rank and above, suitable for desert activities with artificial skin covering their mechanized parts.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not as powerful as fully Mechanized Awakeneds, but they can operate in the desert for extended periods.¡± This was why the Awakeneds from the West District participating in the Pegasus Raid Force maintained a human appearance. Despite this, they were strong, possessing physical strength far superior to typical Awakeneds. This strength was why they were at the front, acting as tanks to block the enemy¡¯s charge. Rumble! As the monsters approached, the ground shook violently. Through the thick dust cloud, the silhouettes of the monsters became visible. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Two heads?¡± The Awakeneds at the front were astonished by the sight of the monsters. Roar! The monsters broke through the dust, revealing themselves. They were giant bulls with two heads and four horns. Their bodies gleamed like they were covered in steel, and their legs were thick and sturdy like metal pirs. Zeon muttered as he identified them. ¡°Twin-Headed Buffaloes.¡± ¡°Nonsense! How can those be buffaloes?¡± Brielle whispered, looking horrified. The buffaloes were over three meters tall. With their immense size and weight, they could crush a normal human in an instant. The problem was that it wasn¡¯t just one or two Twin-Headed Buffaloes. Hundreds, thousands of them were charging towards the Pegasus Raid Force like a tidal wave. Bang! ¡°Keuuk!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The Awakeneds at the front groaned in pain. It was impossible to withstand the impact of hundreds of buffaloes charging at once. Crack! Snap! Limbs were broken, and spines snapped under the assault of the Twin-Headed Buffaloes. Some Awakeneds managed to hold out briefly but were quickly swept away by the buffaloes¡¯ charge. This demonstrated the terrifying power of monster herds like the Twin-Headed Buffaloes. A small group of Awakeneds could never stop their charge. The only way to stop them was to bombard them before they could break through the Awakeneds at the front. ¡°Damn it! Attack now!¡± ¡°Full attack!¡± The Pegasus Raid Force and the mercenaries behind the West District Awakenedsunched their skills all at once. Boom! Boom! Boom! A massive attack struck the herd of Twin-Headed Buffaloes. Roar! Moo! Many Twin-Headed Buffaloes fell, but it was only a fraction of the entire herd. The surviving buffaloes charged towards the heart of the Pegasus Raid Force. ¡°You dare!¡± At that moment, Lee Ji-ryeong and the elites stepped forward. Crackle! Electric currents crackled around Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s body. Dozens of Twin-Headed Buffaloes struck by his lightning fell, charred ck. The attack team led by Bronson steadily took down the buffaloes one by one. But there were still countless Twin-Headed Buffaloes left, far too many to count. Boom! Boom! Heavy vehicles were pushed back or destroyed by the buffaloes¡¯ mass assault. ¡°This can¡¯t go on.¡± Finally, Levin couldn¡¯t hold back and jumped into the battlefield. He shot violet lightning at the Twin-Headed Buffaloes. Moo! [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] With a mournful cry, a buffalo fell. Its corpse was trampled by other buffaloes charging forward. Dust filled the air, blending with the screams of people and the cries of the buffaloes, making the scene resemble a hellishndscape. To protect Mandy, Eloy¡¯s persona suddenly emerged. ¡°Fuck! These bull bastards.¡± She brandished her Mad Gumiho and leaped into the battlefield. Zeon took Brielle to the top of the high transport vehicle. Unlike Mandy or Levin, Brielle had almost nobat abilities. However, even the transport vehicle was not safe. Bang! Bang! Twin-Headed Buffaloes relentlessly rammed into the vehicle, causing it to dent and slide back. Brielle, rmed, asked Zeon. ¡°Ugh! Are they always in suchrge herds?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen herds of hundreds before, but never thousands like this.¡± Zeon replied, his brow furrowed as he watched the rampaging buffaloes. Twin-Headed Buffaloes, despite being carnivorous monsters, generally had a calm disposition. They did not attack unless provoked or hungry. Additionally, when a herd grew toorge, a new leader would emerge, leading a separate group. The limit was around three to four hundred. Yet, the herd attacking the Pegasus Raid Force now clearly numbered in the thousands. This meant at least ten herds had merged, which was biologically impossible for Twin-Headed Buffaloes. ¡®When something impossible happens, there is always a cause.¡¯ Zeon thought, and this was why he hadn¡¯t joined the battle yet. He scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes. Despite the swirling sand obstructing visibility, it meant nothing to him. The sand particles conveyed information to Zeon. As he surveyed the area, his gaze fixed on something in the air. A momentter, he spotted creatures hovering in the sky. Beep! They emitted cries that were inaudible to the human ear. Each cry caused the Twin-Headed Buffaloes to panic and rampage. Zeon turned to Brielle. ¡°Can you stay alone?¡± ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t worry about me. I can take care of myself.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back.¡± A gust of sand lifted Zeon¡¯s body. In an instant, he ascended high into the sky, unnoticed by any of the Awakeneds on the ground. Zeon quickly rose to a height of a hundred meters. There, he could clearly see the creatures circling above. They had heads resembling eagles,rge bodies like lions, and a pair of wings on their backs. Zeon immediately recognized them. ¡°Griffins.¡± Griffins were B-rank monsters. Despite their B-rank ssification, their threat level was A-rank. They were the rulers of the skies,parable to Wyverns. Griffins could dive from the sky at meteoric speeds, tearing apart even well-armed Awakeneds and monsters. Griffins were the natural predators of Twin-Headed Buffaloes. Now, Zeon understood why the buffaloes had gathered. The Griffins constantly emitted threatening cries, driving the buffaloes into a panic. Just like a sheepdog herding sheep, the Griffins¡¯ cries had corralled the buffaloes into attacking the Pegasus Raid Force. Beep! The Griffins, spotting Zeon, let out threatening cries. The sky was their domain, and they wouldn¡¯t tolerate intruders. The Griffins stopped herding the buffaloes and turned their attention to Zeon, attacking him. Screech! The Griffins swooped down at near supersonic speeds, seeing Zeon as an easy target hovering defenseless in the air. But they were about to learn just how wrong they were. ¡°Sand ster.¡± At Zeon¡¯smand, highly pressurized sand shot out. Whoosh! The sand ster relentlessly pummeled the Griffin¡¯s massive body. Though its protective barrier shielded it from serious harm, the Griffin was sufficiently stunned. The Griffin tried to change direction and retreat from Zeon. However, Zeon did not let it escape. ¡°ymore!¡± Boom! The sand particles floating around the Griffin exploded. The ymore tore through the Griffin¡¯s barrier and wings with brutal force. Screech! A female Griffin lost its wings and plummeted with a scream. The male Griffin tried to rescue its mate, but she was falling much faster than he could fly. Crash! The female Griffin mmed headfirst into the ground. Had its barrier been intact, it might have survived, but Zeon had neutralized it. Without its protective barrier, the Griffin¡¯s body couldn¡¯t withstand the impact. The female Griffiny in a broken heap, yet still alive. The male Griffinnded beside her, letting out a sorrowful cry. Griffins only have one mate for life. Once they pair up, they stay together forever, forming a bond deeper than any other monster. Driven by this deep bond, the male Griffin descended in a desperate attempt to save its mate, which was a fatal mistake. ¡°Sand Mixer.¡± With Zeon¡¯smand, sand enveloped the Griffins. Grrrr! Before the male Griffin could escape, the sand began to whirl violently. The sand, spinning like a blender, tore away at the Griffin¡¯s protective barrier. The male Griffin attempted to escape with frantic wingbeats, but it was futile. The high-speed rotating sand particles ground down the Griffin¡¯s steel-like body in an instant. Screech! The Griffins¡¯ horrifying cries echoed from within the sandstorm. But the violent whirlwind of sand quickly swallowed even their screams. It was the end of the Griffins. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 168 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 168 ¡°Ahh!¡± Suddenly, a woman screamed and copsed to the ground. She was muchrger in stature than the average woman. She was the mother of three children and Urtian¡¯s wife. The woman was named Deborah, a Tamer. The insignia on her wrist indicated that she was a C-rank Tamer. Deborah, curled up like a shrimp, endured excruciating pain. Her head felt like it was splitting, and her body felt like it was tearing apart, leaving her barely able to breathe. Urtian sat beside her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Huff! Huff! I¡¯m¡­ okay now.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The Griffins I tamed¡­ they¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± Urtian looked incredulous. Griffins were high-ranking flying type monsters. They were so fierce and powerful that even high-ranking Tamers found it impossible to tame them. Deborah had barely managed to tame them with the help of a powerful item known as the Cor of Subjugation, which allowed her to tame monsters of higher rank than herself. However, the Cor of Subjugation linked the spirits of the monster and the Tamer, so if one of them was harmed, the other would suffer severe consequences. This was the state Deborah was in now. As the Griffins died, Deborah felt excruciating pain as if her entire body was being torn apart. Urtian asked again. ¡°Are you sure the Griffins are dead?¡± ¡°Yes! Both of them are dead.¡± ¡°Did they get too close to the ground and get attacked?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. I ordered them to stay in the air.¡± ¡°Even so, they died? It seems the Pegasus Raid Force is more formidable than we thought.¡± ¡°It appears so.¡± ¡°Then the Twin-Headed Buffaloes must have scattered.¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± Without the Griffins, it would have been impossible to gather the dispersed Twin-Headed Buffalo herds and drive them towards the Pegasus Raid Force. Now that the Griffins were dead, the hard-gathered buffaloes would have scattered as well. ¡°An unexpectedplication.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Their original n was to use the Twin-Headed Buffaloes to inflict significant damage on the Pegasus Raid Force. But with the Griffins dead, the n likely didn¡¯t achieve the desired impact. Urtian kissed Deborah¡¯s forehead and said. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s a bit more troublesome now, but we¡¯ll still achieve our goal.¡± * * * ¡°Huff! Huff! We survived.¡± ¡°Fuck! Almost died there.¡± The exhausted Awakenedsy scattered on the ground, breathing heavily. The area was filled with the corpses of Twin-Headed Buffaloes and fallenrades. Most of the bodies were those of the buffaloes, but the number of dead Awakeneds was not insignificant. At least fifty Awakeneds had lost their lives in the buffalo attack, many of them mercenaries. The bigger problem was the vehicles. Many had been damaged orpletely destroyed by the buffalo assault. Lee Ji-ryeong surveyed the battlefield with eyes full of rage. In all his years leading the Pegasus Raid Force, this was the first time they had suffered such heavy losses before even entering a dungeon. Lee Ji-ryeong approached Zeon, his gaze shifting to the sand stained with Griffin blood. ¡°The Griffins herded the Twin-Headed Buffaloes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not natural.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyes grew cold. It was impossible for such a savage and barely rational monster to use other monsters in this way unless someone was controlling them. ¡°Someone must have tamed the Griffins?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most likely scenario for now.¡± ¡°Incredible. Even for a high-ranking Tamer, taming Griffins is no easy feat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible with the right items.¡± ¡°Are such itemsmon?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± In response to Zeon¡¯s answer, Lee Ji-ryeong bit his lip until it bled. ¡°It must be scavengers. And a very elite group at that¡­¡± The only ones who could control tamed monsters to attack a raid force were scavengers. Scavengers who had survived long in the desert had many survival strategies unknown to city dwellers. But it was the first time Lee Ji-ryeong had encountered scavengers controlling tamed monsters. Lee Ji-ryeong concluded that the group targeting them was veryrge and well-organized. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve be the target of a considerable force. Arrogant bastards!¡± Crackle! White lightning crackled over Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s body, signaling his intense anger. Zeon silently observed Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s fury when a voice urgently called out. ¡°Captain!¡± Kelda hurriedly approached Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Two transport vehicles are missing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They seem to have slipped away in the chaos.¡± ¡°Those bastards¡­¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyes shed with anger. The desertion of members meant ack of trust in the Pegasus Raid Force and its leader. This was a matter of prestige. A leader whose prestige waspromised would face difficulties in recruiting new members. ¡°Should we send a pursuit team?¡± ¡°How many deserters?¡± ¡°It¡¯s estimated to be about thirty.¡± ¡°Thirty of them? They must think very little of me¡­ Assemble a pursuit team and bring them back.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kelda answered and retreated. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] She had already assembled the pursuit team. Three buggies left the Pegasus Raid Force to chase the deserters. Levin, watching the departure with Zeon, spoke up. ¡°So many deserters from the start.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because they rarely encounter monsters near Neo Seoul, where they¡¯re regrly hunted.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of experience.¡± ¡°Yes. If you hadn¡¯t experienced dungeons, you¡¯d be in shock from their attack too.¡± ¡°Come on, I¡¯m not that inexperienced.¡± Levin protested, though Zeon smiled knowingly. Zeon¡¯s gaze shifted to Lee Ji-ryeong, who was radiating a dark, angry aura. It was understandable; even before reaching the dungeon, many had died, and others had deserted. Most of the deceased were mercenary Awakeneds brought in to fill numbers, but it was still a blow. ¡®I can only hope this doesn¡¯t significantly impact the dungeon raid¡­¡¯ Regardless, they wouldn¡¯t be leaving today. They needed to recover the bodies and repair the damaged vehicles. The Awakened members of the Pegasus Raid Force shouted orders and moved busily. Zeon turned his head to the sand dunes. Therey the remains of the Griffins he had destroyed. With a wave of his hand, the sand parted, revealing the grisly remains of the Griffins. The state of the Griffins was terrible. Feathers were stripped, flesh torn, leaving only bones and beaks. But among the bones was a shining stone¡ªan Mana Stone from the B-rank monster. These Mana Stones were highly coveted due to the mana they contained. ¡°This one is special.¡± Zeon noted, examining the Griffin¡¯s Mana Stone closely. asionally, special Mana Stones appeared, with a different quality of mana. Zeon held the Mana Stone up to the sunlight, and inside, a red energy shimmered, as if trying to escape. ¡°It¡¯s imbued with a skill.¡± From B-rank monsters and above, Mana Stones could sometimes contain skills. The mana condensed within the Mana Stone could awakentent potential, causing a skill to emerge. These Mana Stones were extremely rare and highly sought after because they could enhance an Awakened¡¯s abilities without much effort. The downside was that the exact skill was unpredictable. There was a risk of obtaining a skill that shed with existing abilities, which was why Zeon had only absorbed one such Mana Stone before. Fortunately, the Hyper Regeneration skill he gained did not interfere with his sand abilities and had excellentpatibility. Brielle¡¯s voice interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Is that a Mana Stone with a skill?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Since it wasn¡¯t something to hide anyway, Zeon admitted readily. ¡°Can I see it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Zeon handed the Mana Stone to Brielle, who closed her eyes, holding it. Zeon watched her quietly, knowing that, unlike him, Brielle, a High Elf, might be able to discern the skill within. After a long moment, Brielle opened her eyes, and Zeon asked. ¡°Did you figure out what skill it has?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but I have a rough idea.¡± ¡°What kind of skill is it?¡± ¡°It seems rted to the Griffin¡¯s ability to instill fear.¡± ¡°The skill that controlled the Twin-Headed Buffalo?¡± ¡°Yes. But even if you absorb this Mana Stone, there¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯ll get the exact same skill. The Mana Stone¡¯s skill stimtes and awakens potential, so the skill can vary.¡± Even if two Awakeneds absorbed identical Mana Stones, the resulting skills could differ based on their existing abilities and growth potential. Brielle cautiously suggested. ¡°I think it might be better to use it as an ingredient rather than directly absorbing it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! In alchemy, it could produce an effect rted to its original skill.¡± Zeon saw the earnestness in Brielle¡¯s eyes. He wasn¡¯t so insensitive that he didn¡¯t understand what that meant. Zeon chuckled. ¡°Then you use it.¡± ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better for you to use it than someone else. Go ahead.¡± ¡°Thanks, Zeon! I¡¯ll create something amazing. Just wait!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Brielle carefully tucked the Mana Stone into her cone-shaped hat, which had an enchantment for subspace storage. Although it wasn¡¯t asrge as Levin¡¯s backpack, it was sufficient to hold the tools she used. ¡°Heehee!¡± Brielle, delighted, returned to the buggy. Left alone, Zeon manipted the sand to bury the Griffin¡¯s remains deep underground. If the Awakeneds knew there were Mana Stones in the Griffin, they might target him. Not that Zeon couldn¡¯t handle it, but minimizing variables was always better. Rumble! The Griffins¡¯ body descended like an elevator, buried tens of meters underground. After erasing all traces, Zeon returned to the group with a casual demeanor. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 169 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 169 A day had passed since the monster attack. During that time, the Pegasus Raid Force had recovered the bodies and repaired the vehicles. They were ready to depart, but a problem arose¡ªthe pursuit team sent to catch the deserters had not returned. After waiting two more days, it was clear they weren¡¯ting back. Kelda cautiously approached Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°At this point, we have to assume they¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°Was there another dangerous monster besides the Twin-Headed Buffalo?¡± ¡°I apologize. I should have investigated more thoroughly.¡± ¡°Forget it. How can humans know the ever-changing habitats of monsters? We¡¯ll move ahead. If they¡¯re alive, they¡¯ll find their way back to us.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kelda conveyed Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s orders to the Raid Force, and the vehicles roared to life, raising dust as they started moving. Among them was the buggy carrying Zeon¡¯s group. Inside the buggy, Mandy cautiously spoke up. ¡°Do you think they were killed by monsters?¡± ¡°It¡¯s also possible they were taken down by scavengers.¡± ¡°How do scavengers manage to detect and avoid monsters? Do they have Navigators too?¡± ¡°If Navigators were thatmon, we¡¯d have more trade with other colonies.¡± ¡°Then how?¡± ¡°Experience. They¡¯ve spent over a century learning how to survive in the desert. Neo Seoul¡¯s Awakeneds, safe within their walls, could never gain such valuable experience.¡± ¡°So, are all scavengers Awakeneds?¡± ¡°No. Many of them are ordinary people.¡± ¡°How do people with no special abilities survive in the desert? Awakeneds have the power, but regr people¡­?¡± ¡°Never underestimate human resilience. Even without innate power, the will to survive is stronger than any other creature¡¯s. I¡¯ve seen a seven-year-old child catch monsters using just traps.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Hmm! Human resilience is truly remarkable. They did manage to build a massive city in the middle of the desert with bare hands.¡± Mandy had to acknowledge the formidable survival skills of humans. As they chatted, the buggy continued to plow through the sand. Fortunately, there were no monster attacks this time, allowing the Pegasus Raid Force to reach a point 100 kilometers from the discovered dungeon smoothly. Even then, the pursuit team hadn¡¯t returned. At this point, it was clear they were dead. The atmosphere in the Pegasus Raid Force was at its worst, and the mood among the Awakeneds from the Western District wasn¡¯t much better. Many had been injured fighting the Twin-Headed Buffalo. One of the issues with Mechanized Awakeneds was that injuries in the desert were hard to repair. The machinery recing their bodies was vulnerable to sand, making it difficult to gather parts. Although they had brought spare parts, the number of injured was too high. Some Awakeneds with self-repair skills fared slightly better, but those without such skills had to make do with temporary fixes. Even the usuallyposed Cha Jin-cheol was unsettled by the unexpected situation. ¡®Damn it! We haven¡¯t even reached the dungeon, and we¡¯ve already lost significant strength.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t anticipated that Mechanized Awakeneds would suffer so greatly against mere Twin-Headed Buffalo. His original n was to achieve greater feats than the Pegasus Raid Force and increase his share of the spoils. But with so many injured at the start, he had to revise his strategy. ¡®No, there¡¯s still a chance. I¡¯ll pull our guys back and push the Pegasus Raid Force forward.¡¯ Of course, he couldn¡¯t do this openly. He nned to subtly pull back during the heat of battle, hoping the Pegasus Raid Force wouldn¡¯t notice. Cha Jin-cheol muttered. ¡®Hyeonmu.¡¯ ¨CYes, Master. A voice responded in his mind¡ªHyeonmu, the AI granted by Kim Hyun-soo. This downgraded version of the Triox AI ensured Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s body remained in optimal condition, even in the sand-covered desert. However, the other Awakeneds from the West District did not have this advantage. The downgraded AI was only downloaded to Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s confidants. ¡®n to maintain our strength from now on.¡¯ ¨CYes, Master. There was no need for Cha Jin-cheol to devise aplex n. He issued the mainmand, and Hyeonmu handled the calctions and execution. This was the biggest advantage of Mechanized Awakeneds and the reason why all Awakeneds in the West District coveted AI. The only ones without losses were Zeon¡¯s group, who were speeding across the sand, fully intact. ¡®His ability is too dangerous. He single-handedly took down Griffins without anyone noticing.¡¯ The battlefield of flying monsters was the sky. Humans couldn¡¯t fight flying monsters because they couldn¡¯t fly. While some had learned flying skills, theirbat effectiveness was low. Thus, they were of little help in monster confrontations. But Zeon was different. With sand, he could fly at will. Although Cha Jin-cheol hadn¡¯t seen it himself, hearing about Zeon taking down the Griffins made him realize how dangerous Zeon was. ¡®A sand maniptor like him is practically the natural enemy of Mechanized Awakeneds like us. After this dungeon raid, I must eliminate him¡­ definitely.¡¯ ¨CThat¡¯s a wise decision. Shall I n for the elimination of the Awakened Zeon after the dungeon raid? ¡®Just prepare the n. I¡¯ll decide on the executionter.¡¯ ¨CYes, Master. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Ugh!¡± Kim Ki-kwang, the leader of the Pegasus Raid Force¡¯s pursuit team,y on the ground groaning. Around him were the bodies of his subordinates. Kim Ki-kwang had lost an arm, and his abdomen was deeply shed. That he was still alive was a miracle, a testament to his high rank as an Awakened. A normal person would have died long ago. Before him sat arge man with iprehensible tattoos on his face and pointed ears. He was not human but an elf. The identity of the elf was none other than Urtian. The scavenger leader and his group had ambushed and annihted the pursuit team and the deserters. ¡°Look at this gear!¡± ¡°Jackpot!¡± ¡°Shit! This guy is loaded.¡± The scavengers stripped the dead Awakeneds of any useful items and gear. This was how the desert scavengers survived. They took everything, not just gear but also food. In fact, for them, food was even more critical than gear. However, the hastily assembled pursuit team had not carried much food. Fortunately, the deserters¡¯ vehicles had some supplies, which would stave off hunger for a while. Urtian, still looking down at Kim Ki-kwang, gave orders to his subordinates. ¡°Distribute the gear as you see fit, and let Deborah handle the food distribution.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Deborah, who was nearby, answered. She was Urtian¡¯s wife and managed the scavengers¡¯ household. All the food they looted was distributed fairly through her. Kim Ki-kwang struggled to speak. ¡°You¡­ think you¡¯ll get away with this?¡± ¡°And if we don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Our raid force¡­ won¡¯t let you get away with this.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± ¡°Our captain¡­ will avenge us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Urtian said with a cruel smile. His face showed a level of cruelty umon among elves. Unlike most elves, who concealed their emotions behind impassive faces, Urtian¡¯s nature was clear for all to see. At that moment, amotion broke out among the scavengers. ¡°Look, a dagger!¡± ¡°Can I have it?¡± ¡°No way!¡± ¡°Aw,e on!¡± Children, who resembled Urtian, were arguing over a dagger they had taken from an Awakened¡¯s corpse. Kim Ki-kwang looked at them with blurred vision. ¡°Half-elves¡­ mongrels?¡± Crack! In an instant, Urtian¡¯s fist smashed Kim Ki-kwang¡¯s head, ending his life. Urtian wiped the blood and brain matter off his hand, and muttered. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re calling mongrels?¡± The children born to Urtian, the elf, and Deborah, the human, possessed traits from both parents. Urtian was willing to sacrifice his life for his children. Urtian gestured to Kormac, one of his trusted men. ¡°Kormac!¡± ¡°Yes, Urtian?¡± ¡°Where is their main camp?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve set up a temporary base 70 kilometers from here.¡± ¡°There must be a dungeon nearby then?¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°Given the number of people they¡¯ve brought, it must be a big dungeon.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then there must be plenty of food.¡± Urtian smiled brightly. ¡°Yes, the reward will be great despite the risks.¡± ¡°Risk is something we always take.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Their forces are formidable. We¡¯ll need to deploy all our strength, which means¡­¡± Kormac nced at Urtian¡¯s children, who were still squabbling over the dagger. If the scavengers mobilized fully, even the children would have to join the fight. ¡°It¡¯s time for them to experience realbat.¡± ¡°They¡¯re still just kids.¡± ¡°Kormac!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How old were you when you first killed someone?¡± ¡°I was¡­ twelve.¡± ¡°My eldest is twelve, and my second eldest is eleven. They¡¯re old enough for battle. There are no exceptions, even for my children.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°For the record, I was seven when I first killed someone.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Kormac reluctantly agreed. As Urtian said, scavengers were thrown into realbat from a young age. Survival in the desert left no room for exceptions, not even for children. They couldn¡¯t be sheltered forever. As soon as they could walk and run, they had to learn how to wield weapons. Lucky children might awaken to special abilities, but many did not. Awakened children were sent on raids from a young age, while those without abilities supported from behind the lines, doing their part. Scavengers banded together for survival. They once dreamed of entering Neo Seoul, yearning for afortable life behind its high walls. But Neo Seoul had no intention of epting rootless scavengers. Not even the slums were open to them. Denied entry, they roamed the desert, scavenging for sustenance by their own means. Monsters, and even other scavenger groups, were all enemies. To survive their enemies, even children had to bear arms. They had to kill monsters and humans from other groups to stay alive. Now, it was time for Urtian¡¯s children to step into this harsh world. Such was the fate of those who lived in the desert. Clenching a handful of sand, Urtian muttered. ¡°Until we are granted a small piece ofnd to live on, we will kill and kill again, seize and seize again. That is our destiny.¡± Red sand trickled through his fingers as he spoke. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 170 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 170 Kreeee! It all started with the screech of an unknown monster. The roar signaled an attack by scorpion-like monsters. Their shells were marked with ghostly patterns. ¡°Ghost Scorpions.¡± ¡°Watch out for their stingers. One sting and you¡¯re dead.¡± The Awakened members of the Pegasus Raid Force quickly identified the threat. Ghost Scorpions, like Twin-Headed Buffaloes, lived in packs. They createdbyrinthine burrows underground, reinforcing them with a hardening substance from their stingers that turned the sand into concrete-like walls. Once their nest wasplete, their numbers would grow exponentially. Seeing one Ghost Scorpion typically meant hundreds more were nearby. Lee Ji-ryeong, emanating electric energy, shouted. ¡°Gaesling! What¡¯s going on? There was no mention of a Ghost Scorpion nest around here.¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t when we scouted.¡± Gaesling replied while killing a Ghost Scorpion. He was the leader of the Expedition Team that had discovered this dungeon. When they hadst passed through, there were no signs of a Ghost Scorpion nest. Had they seen one, they would have taken a different route. ¡°That¡¯s right. We didn¡¯t see a single Ghost Scorpion back then,¡± McNine, another member of the Expedition Team added, supporting Gaesling¡¯s im. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s face hardened. ¡°So, they settled in afterward?¡± Several months had passed since the Expedition Team had scouted the dungeon. It wasn¡¯t impossible that Ghost Scorpions had moved in during that time. However, the sheer number of them was rming¡ªthere were hundreds pouring out, indicating a massive colony. ¡°Could it be that a Queen has emerged?¡± That would exin it. Queens, though rare, could give birth to dozens of Ghost Scorpions at once. Lee Ji-ryeong shouted. ¡°Everyone, be careful. There¡¯s likely a Queen nearby.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Got it, Captain!¡± The Awakeneds formed a tight formation and fought the Ghost Scorpions, but casualties urred. ¡°Aaagh!¡± ¡°Ughh!¡± Those stung by the Ghost Scorpions screamed and fell to the ground, the poisoned area turning ck and spreading rapidly. ¡°Aaaah!¡± ¡°Help me!¡± The victims writhed in agony from the poison. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Does anyone have a potion?¡± A girl with a pointed hat stepped forward¡ªit was Brielle. She administered a potion to each of the poisoned members, and their condition noticeably improved. ¡°Haah! Haah!¡± ¡°I¡¯m alive¡­¡± Brielle¡¯s potion was a detox potion she had made herself, not yet avable in Neo Seoul but distributed in the slums. Those she saved expressed their gratitude. ¡°Thank you. You saved my life.¡± ¡°Little girl, I owe you one.¡± ¡°Hmph! Don¡¯t worry about it. Just get back to fighting.¡± Brielle pushed them back into battle. At that moment, Levin approached her. ¡°That¡¯s a detox potion, right? Did you get it from the Goblin Market?¡± ¡°Idiot!¡± ¡°Huh? What now?¡± ¡°I made it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The detox potion, I made it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Levin¡¯s eyes widened, looking quite foolish and amusing, making Brielle chuckle. ¡°Yes, I distribute the detox potions at the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t know. You¡¯re amazing!¡± ¡°Do you understand now? I am such an amazing elf.¡± The bridge of Brielle¡¯s nose soared up into the sky. Then, Kelda approached her, having seen Brielle save herrades with the potion. ¡°Do you have any spare detox potions?¡± ¡°I have a few.¡± ¡°Please give them all to us. We¡¯ll pay you well.¡± More wounded were appearing every moment. Without immediate treatment, they would die. Currently, the only treatment avable were the detox potions Brielle brought. Brielle handed over the potions willingly. ¡°I have ten. Each can treat about five people.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kelda took the potions and hurried to the fallen. Timely administration saved many lives, but those crushed by the scorpions¡¯ pincers couldn¡¯t be saved¡ªtheir bodies were torn apart. Despite killing Ghost Scorpions continuously, they kepting. It seemed endless. Meanwhile, Zeon remained still, focused on the hole from which the scorpions emerged. Rumble! A powerful tremor, different from before, shook the ground. ¡®The Queen.¡¯ Unable to bear the loss of her offspring, the Queen herself was emerging. ¡®I can¡¯t let that happen.¡¯ Zeon subtly manipted the sand, directing it silently into the hole. Whoosh! The sand poured into the hole at a tremendous speed, eventually encountering the Ghost Scorpion Queen. Crack! [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The high-pressure sand eroded the Queen¡¯s exoskeleton. Shriek! Her agonized scream echoed through the cave. Despite being a B-rank monster, protected by a formidable force field against most physical attacks, the confined space made her vulnerable to the relentless sand assault. Pop! The Queen¡¯s eyes burst, allowing sand to invade her eyes, brain, esophagus, and heart in session. The simultaneous internal and external sand attack caused the Queen to convulse violently. Zeon muttered. ¡®ymore.¡¯ Boom! The sand inside and outside the Ghost Scorpion Queen exploded simultaneously. She perished instantly, unable to even scream. With the Queen¡¯s death, the Ghost Scorpions that had been fiercely attacking the humans began to scatter in all directions. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Are they running away?¡± ¡°We¡¯re saved.¡± Unaware of Zeon¡¯s role in the Queen¡¯s demise, the Awakeneds cheered. Only a few, including Lee Ji-ryeong and Cha Jin-cheol, realized what had happened. ¡®The ability to freely control sand in the desert. What a cheat.¡¯ ¡®What rank must he be to take down the Ghost Scorpion Queen so easily?¡¯ Identifying an Awakened¡¯s rank was simple: check the insignia on their wrist. While some unted their insignias, most kept them hidden for strategic reasons. Lee Ji-ryeong wore a wrist guard, and Cha Jin-cheol kept his insignia concealed under long sleeves. To see Zeon¡¯s rank, one would need to overpower him¡ªa nearly impossible task in the desert, his domain, where the sand was his weapon. Fighting Zeon in a ce like this would be tantamount to suicide. Regardless, if they still wanted to fight, they would have to choose an environment that was much more favorable to them. At least, not the desert filled with nothing but sand. In the meantime, Zeon discreetly checked if the Ghost Scorpion Queen had dropped a Mana Stone, but found none. ¡®Looks like no Mana Stone was dropped this time. It¡¯s a shame.¡¯ Not all high-ranking monsters yielded Mana Stones. Even though they were high-ranking monsters, many of them do not produce Mana Stones. Just like now. Zeon moved on without regret. The Pegasus Raid Force began cleaning up the chaotic battlefield. ¡°It¡¯s a shame. The shells of these scorpions could make excellent armor.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have space to carry them. We¡¯ll have to leave them behind.¡± Despite having brought several transport vehicles, there was no room for the monsters¡¯ carcasses. They had to save space for what they¡¯d find in the dungeon, which typically yielded more valuable materials. Lee Ji-ryeong approached Zeon. ¡°Thanks for your help again.¡± ¡°I just did what needed to be done.¡± ¡°Still, I appreciate it.¡± His gaze then turned to Brielle. ¡°You gave Kelda the detox potions?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°They were very effective. Where did you get them?¡± ¡°You can find them at the Goblin Market.¡± Brielle nonchntly kept the fact that she made them herself a secret. ¡°The Goblin Market in the slums?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame we didn¡¯t know earlier. We could have been better prepared. Thanks to you, many lives were saved. We owe you one.¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± Brielle replied indifferently. She didn¡¯t care for rewards and didn¡¯t consider a few detox potions as a great favor. Lee Ji-ryeong watched Brielle for a moment before returning to the Pegasus Raid Force. Once he was out of sight, Brielle muttered. ¡°Scary¡­ His gaze is intense.¡± ¡°You are scared of something?¡± ¡°Of course, I have feelings too.¡± ¡°I thought you were fearless.¡± ¡°Oh, shut up¡­¡± Brielle red at Levin, who pretended not to notice and whistled. Fortunately, the cleanup was quick since there were few casualties. ¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡± ¡°Move out!¡± The raid force boarded their vehicles and headed toward the dungeon. Zeon¡¯s group followed in their buggy. Clunk! After a while, a troubling vibration emanated from the buggy. Levin, at the wheel, frowned. ¡°I think there¡¯s a problem with the drive shaft.¡± ¡°Will it stop soon?¡± ¡°Not immediately, but it might break down by evening.¡± ¡°Keep going. We should reach the dungeon by then.¡± ¡°Got it, hyung.¡± Levin nodded. At any rate, the buggy had held up remarkably well. The other vehicles had already stopped several times, and the Base Team led by Jeloei had to fix them quite often. Inparison, the buggy Zeon¡¯s group was riding in came this far without breaking down even once. Levin knew it was thanks to Zeon. Zeon had used his ability to protect it from the sand. Nevertheless, the vehicle could not withstand the harsh environment of the desert and had gotten damaged. By sunset, the buggy finally broke down. The team wasn¡¯t disappointed, as they were near the suspected dungeon location. When Zeon stepped out, he felt a powerful energy emanating from beneath his feet. ¡°There¡¯s definitely a dungeon here. And it¡¯s a formidable one¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 171 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 171 The Pegasus Raid Force set up a temporary base near the dungeon and took a break. Reaching the dungeon didn¡¯t mean they could attack it immediately. First, they had to secure the entrance and repair the broken vehicles. They also needed sufficient rest to recover their depleted strength and heal their wounds. Lee Ji-ryeong shouted. ¡°Everyone, you did a great job getting here. We¡¯ll start the dungeon raid tomorrow, so take a good rest today.¡± ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°Rest time!¡± The Awakeneds cheered. Lee Ji-ryeong brought out precious food stored in his subspace for the Awakeneds. Unlike the simple food they had eaten before, these were proper meals. Since time doesn¡¯t pass in the subspace, it was a possible method. However, not everyone could use this method. Subspace items were rare, and it wasn¡¯t practical to fill such precious space with food. Most expeditions relied on simple preserved food for their meals. But Lee Ji-ryeong believed that the more dangerous the dungeon, the better they should eat. It seemed trivial, but it significantly impacted the morale of the expedition. Especially on such a grueling journey, they needed to eat well. They had been ambushed by monsters twice, and there were deserters. The pursuit team sent to catch the deserters had not returned. Even if they didn¡¯t say it, the Awakeneds must have felt that this dungeon raid was different from usual. The best way to erase anxiety was to fill their stomachs and give them ample rest. When real meat appeared instead of cultured meat, the Awakeneds cheered. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s meat.¡± ¡°Fuck! It¡¯s real meat.¡± ¡°Is there no alcohol?¡± Unfortunately, there was no alcohol. The Awakeneds enjoyed the feast nheless. Zeon and his group also savored the plentiful meat. Levin spoke while chewing the meat. ¡°At this rate, we won¡¯t need to bring out the food we prepared.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to save it. We don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen inside the dungeon.¡± ¡°Are you going into the dungeon too, kid?¡± ¡°I came all the way here; you think I¡¯ll just watch from outside?¡± ¡°Heh! That would be funny.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± ¡°Alright. Just be careful.¡± ¡°Worry about yourself. Don¡¯t get stabbed in the back just because you rely on your ability too much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. A knife can¡¯t leave a scratch on me.¡± Levin finished chewing his meat and answered. Watching Levin and Brielle bicker, Mandy cautiously spoke to Zeon. ¡°Is there any way to know what kind of dungeon it is in advance?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t know until we go inside.¡± ¡°Really? It would be easier to prepare if we knew in advance.¡± ¡°If we could do that, dungeon raids wouldn¡¯t be so tough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just my wishful thinking. I know it¡¯s impossible.¡± Mandy gave a bitter smile. Every dungeon raid resulted in numerous casualties. But their deaths were quickly forgotten. Glory belonged to the survivors, and they enjoyed all the wealth and fame. Seeing this, rookies and lower-ranked Awakeneds jumped into dungeon raids and died. Whether it was a vicious cycle or a virtuous one, it was an endless loop. Mandy wanted to break that loop, but she knew too well that it was impossible with her abilities. Zeon said. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much and get a good rest. You won¡¯t get to enjoy such luxury once we start the raid.¡± ¡°Yes, I should.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s sleep early tonight.¡± Zeon immediatelyy down. A dungeon was like another world. No one knew what dangersy within until they entered. Getting enough rest was more beneficial for the raid than predicting the dungeon¡¯s situation. Lying down, Zeon quickly fell into a deep sleep. From a distance, Cha Jin-cheol muttered, ¡°Must be nice. Thinking about sleeping here.¡± His voice was filled with irritation. From the moment he arrived, he felt a sense of unease. Even he didn¡¯t know the cause. ¡°Damn it!¡± * * * The raid force rested well until the next day. Thanks to this, the Awakeneds¡¯ condition had improved. Lee Ji-ryeong decided to raid the dungeon today and announced it. All the Awakeneds gathered in one ce. There, Lee Ji-ryeong spoke to Zeon. ¡°There¡¯s a dungeon underground here. As promised, open the way to the dungeon.¡± ¡°It seems like a very powerful dungeon. Are you sure it¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Can you sense that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling.¡± ¡°Is it something only a Sand Mage can sense? Quite an enviable ability.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyes momentarily glinted ominously. ¡°Your ability is quite impressive too.¡± ¡°The more abilities, the better, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t have everything.¡± ¡°Who says so?¡± ¡°Greed brings trouble.¡± ¡°Quite old-fashioned for someone so young.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve talked long enough. Can you open the way to the dungeon now?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Zeon nodded and stepped forward. ¡°Are we going to see the Sand Mage¡¯s power?¡± ¡°Can he really move all that sand?¡± All the Awakeneds watched Zeon with expectant eyes. Zeon stood where the dungeon¡¯s aura was strongest. The sand particles told him the dungeon was below. ¡°Huu!¡± Zeon took a deep breath and drew on his power. Boom! Suddenly, with a roar, sand erupted from under Zeon¡¯s feet. The sand shot up like a geyser and rushed towards the Awakeneds. ¡°Whoa! What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Step back!¡± Awakeneds near Zeon recoiled in shock and moved back, but the sand surged even to where they retreated. They had no choice but to retreat further, yet they couldn¡¯t escape the range of the sand. At this rate, they would be buried in sand before even raiding the dungeon. Lee Ji-ryeong shouted. ¡°Everyone, move back three hundred meters!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The Awakeneds scrambled and retreated beyond the distance Lee Ji-ryeong specified. Fortunately, the sand didn¡¯t reach that far. ¡°He¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°Moving that much sand¡­ he really is a Sand Mage.¡± A miracle unfolded before their eyes. Sand from deep underground shot up like a geyser, spreading out on the surface and creating a massive pit. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The pit deepened and widened, reaching ten meters, then twenty meters. Rumble! The vibration caused by the huge amount of sand moving made even the bodies of the Awakeneds tremble. ¡°Is this even possible?¡± ¡°No matter how much of a Sand Mage he is¡­ ahh, shit!¡± Sand surged up from underground like a volcanic eruption spewingva. Zeon stood in the air on a tform of sand, resembling a god of the desert. Beads of sweat formed on Zeon¡¯s forehead. Even for him, moving such arge amount of sand was a tremendous burden. Swoosh, swoosh! The sand continued to pour out endlessly, deepening and widening the pit. Normally, sand would flow back in, but the pit controlled by Zeon remained stable. Lee Ji-ryeong watched Zeon with tightly pressed lips. ¡®As expected, in the desert, that ability is a cheat.¡¯ In terms of sheer destructive power, he was superior. But in the desert, no awakened ability could match Zeon¡¯s versatility and utility. Zeon moved an enormous amount of sand that would have required hundreds of Awakeneds, all by himself. It was like witnessing a miracle. When Zeon had dug out about one hundred and fifty meters of sand, Boom! Suddenly, a ck light burst from beneath the sand, revealing a massive, elliptical fissure. ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon.¡± ¡°There¡¯s really a dungeon.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± The Awakeneds cheered. Judging by the size of the fissure and the density of mana, it was no ordinary dungeon. The more powerful and dangerous the dungeon, the greater the rewards, hence the cheers from the Awakeneds. ¡°Whew!¡± With the dungeon entrance revealed, Zeon withdrew his power. Zeonnded lightly in front of the dungeon entrance like a feather. Awakeneds, including Lee Ji-ryeong, gathered around him. Lee Ji-ryeong gazed at the massive fissure and spoke. ¡°Amazing. This dungeon could be at least A-rank, maybe even S-rank.¡± ¡°Whew! That means it will be very dangerous.¡± ¡°The more dangerous it is, the greater the rewards.¡± ¡°It seems my role here is finished.¡± Zeon shrugged and took a step back. Lee Ji-ryeong nodded. ¡°Finding the entrance is enough. From here on, the Pegasus Raid Force will take over.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± ¡°Fall back and recover your mana. You look like you can barely stand after using all your mana to move the sand.¡± Zeon¡¯s face was pale, devoid of any color. No matter how abundant Zeon¡¯s mana was, moving such an amount of sand had to exhaust him. In fact, his mana was almostpletely depleted. If he had dug a bit more, his mana would have been entirely drained. As Zeon staggered back, Levin and Brielle approached him. ¡°Are you okay? Hyung!¡± ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Haah! I¡¯m fine. I won¡¯t be able to use my powers for a while, though.¡± Zeon replied, breathing heavily. His worn-out appearance was pitiful to watch. It was the first time Levin and Brielle had seen Zeon struggle so much, and they were taken aback. Zeon smiled at them and said. ¡°Haah! I¡¯m really okay, so just focus on the dungeon.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big, strong one. One moment of carelessness, and it could be fatal. Be extremely careful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll protect everyone from now on.¡± Levin answered with a determined expression. He believed it was now his responsibility to protect the group until Zeon recovered his mana. At that moment, Lee Ji-ryeong gave orders to the Pegasus Raid Force. ¡°My team and the Raid Team will enter first. The Base Team will follow in five minutes, then the West District Awakeneds and the Expedition Team. Does everyone understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll start the dungeon raid now. Take care of your own lives.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Awakeneds¡¯ vigorous voices echoed through the desert. Lee Ji-ryeong red at the dungeon entrance ahead. It was thergest and most powerful aura he had ever felt from a dungeon. Goosebumps covered his body, and his heart pounded more fiercely than ever. It had been a long time since he felt such tension. Lee Ji-ryeong spoke to Bronson, the leader of the Raid Team. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± Bronson grinned, showing his white teeth. There was no fear on his face. The Raid Team was the core and spearhead of the Pegasus Raid Force. They always led the charge in exploring dungeons. For them, a new dungeon was not a source of fear but a prey to be conquered. Thus, Bronson and the Raid Team gazed at the dungeon entrance with excited faces. Lee Ji-ryeong pulled the trigger. ¡°Move in.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± With a cheer, they entered the dungeon. It was the first step in conquering the unknown dungeon. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 172 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 172 The Rescue Team, led by Kelda, stayed behind while everyone else entered the unknown dungeon. The Rescue Team guarded the dungeon¡¯s entrance, prepared for any unforeseen emergencies. Zeon and hispanions were thest to enter the dungeon. The moment they stepped inside, their senses were disoriented, and they felt an immense pressure. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Gah!¡± Levin and Brielle, who had little dungeon experience, grimaced. They felt a ringing in their ears and were disoriented, unable to determine direction. Their stomachs churned, and their bodies felt as if they were being crushed, leaving them unable to keep theirposure. In contrast, Zeon and Mandy, who were more experienced, remained calm. After a short while, the oppressive pressure vanished as if it had never been there. Levin and Brielle found themselves sprawled on the ground, while Zeon and Mandy managed to stay upright. Levin and Brielle looked up, trying to steady their unsettled stomachs. ¡°Is this inside the dungeon?¡± ¡°What is this ce?¡± A forebodingndscape came into view. They were in a forest full of trees stripped of their leaves, reduced to bare branches. The ground was barren, not a single weed in sight, and the earth was dry and crumbly. The sky above was a deep crimson, with constant lightning strikes. Levin and Brielle gulped at the sight of this hostile environment. Levin carefully touched one of the bare trees. ¡°Is this supposed to be a tree?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a dead tree. There¡¯s no life in it.¡± ¡°It feels like all life has been drained from it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± ¡°But where is everyone else?¡± ¡°Yeah, where are they?¡± Brielle realized they couldn¡¯t see the others who had entered before them. Only Zeon and his group were there, no other Awakeneds in sight. Then Mandy spoke up. ¡°Some dungeons split groups up even if they enter through the same entrance. This seems to be one of those ces.¡± ¡°Does that mean we won¡¯t see the others again?¡± ¡°If we keep progressing, we¡¯ll meet them eventually. Assuming they¡¯re still alive, of course.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°We need to find the dungeon¡¯s core. Everyone will have headed there, so if we reach the core, we¡¯ll naturally meet the others.¡± ¡°But how will we know what the core looks like?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll just know when you see it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°When you see it, you¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Mandy didn¡¯t borate further. Her words implied they would have to see it for themselves to understand. At that moment, Zeon spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We need to find the others quickly.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeon began walking, and Brielle followed him, asking. ¡°Do you know where you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then are we just walking blindly?¡± ¡°If we keep walking, we¡¯ll eventually find andmark. From there, we can start finding our way.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Brielle tilted her head in confusion, not fully understanding. Zeon, like Mandy, didn¡¯t exin further. He knew that constantly being taught would slow their growth. There were things they needed to learn through direct experience. Zeon looked at the lifeless forest and thought. ¡®A forest so devoid of life. This dungeon is going to be challenging.¡¯ Dungeons were fragments of Kurayan, drifting through dimensions. A piece of Kurayan¡¯s terrain or location would manifest as a dungeon. This ce, too, was likely a recreation of some era or ce from Kurayan. ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve seen a ce like this somewhere before.¡¯ Zeon furrowed his brow. The ominous atmosphere felt familiar, but he couldn¡¯t recall where he had encountered it. ¡®I¡¯ll remember eventually.¡¯ Just then, Brielle let out a startled cry. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That tree¡­¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°It moved.¡± ¡°A tree moving? That¡¯s ridic¡­ulous.¡± Levin blinked in disbelief. It wasn¡¯t a mistake. Creak! A tree was indeed moving, its roots and branches shifting as it rose. In the center of the tree was a face,plete with eyes, nose, and mouth, blinking as if waking from a long sleep. ¡°Wh-what the¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an Ent.¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°Just think of it as a walking tree.¡± As a High Elf, Brielle quickly identified the creature. Levin, trying to calm his racing heart, muttered. ¡°If it¡¯s just a tree monster, can¡¯t I just brun it?¡± Crackle! Purple electricity surged from Levin¡¯s body, striking the Ent directly. The lightning quickly incinerated the Ent. Screeech! The Ent let out a bizarre scream as it turned to ash. Levin dusted off his hands, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s nothing special.¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you kill an Ent recklessly, you¡¯ll wake up all the other Ents around!¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Kuwooo! Suddenly, roars of Ents erupted from all over the forest. They had sensed the death of theirrade and awakened. Ents were fierce creatures with a strong sense of camaraderie. Despite their tree-like appearance, they possessed all the emotions of living beings. Among those emotions, the most potent was their loyalty to each other. The Ents would pursue the killer of one of their own to the ends of the earth. The Ents began moving toward the group, seeking the one who had killed theirrade. Though they moved slowly, their enormous size allowed them to approach Zeon and his group quickly. ¡°Why are there so many?¡± ¡°Of course, cuz it¡¯s a forest.¡± ¡°Damn! If I just burn them all¡­¡± ¡°Burn them? Do you even know how many more Ents there could be, you idiot? Use your brain for once! Is it just for decoration?¡± ¡°Then what should we do?¡± ¡°Run.¡± Before Brielle even finished speaking, she started running. Zeon and Mandy quietly followed her. Levin, who had been standing dumbfounded, shouted and started running after them. ¡°Wait for me!¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Cha Jin-cheol and the Awakeneds from the West District had entered a canyon. The dry canyon was devoid of any vegetation, with only a cold wind blowing through. ¡°This ce gives me the creeps.¡± Cha Jin-cheol muttered, furrowing his brow deeply. He had explored many dungeons, but he had never felt such a strong sense of unease from the moment he stepped inside. The dry, lifeless wind made him feel as though his mechanical body was rusting. ¡°Were we all separated in the order we entered?¡± At least the Awakeneds from the West District had not dispersed and were gathered in one ce. If his subordinates had scattered, even Cha Jin-cheol would have been troubled. ¡®Hyeonmu!¡¯ ¨DYes, Master. Fortunately, his auxiliary AI, Hyeonmu, responded. This was possible because Hyeonmu was downloaded locally into his body. ¡®Can you tell what kind of dungeon this is?¡¯ ¨DThere¡¯s too little information. ¡®You¡¯re not very helpful.¡¯ ¨DI¡¯m sorry. Cha Jin-cheol looked at his subordinates. Over seventy Awakeneds awaited his decision. ¡°We¡¯ll split into two groups to search the dungeon. If you find anything that seems like the core, contact the other group.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Cha Jin-cheol instructed the second-strongest Awakened in the West District to lead the other team. Being a B-rank Awakened, he should be capable of handling any unexpected situations. Cha Jin-cheol took a small group of subordinates and began searching the dungeon, confident in his own abilities. As they exited the canyon, they found themselves in a forest filled with bare, leafless trees. ¡°First a canyon, now a forest?¡± Just then, they heard shouts. ¡°Hiyah!¡± ¡°Hyah!¡± With battle cries, a group emerged from the forest. It was none other than Zeon and his group. Brielle and Levin were panting heavily, while Zeon and Mandy wiped sweat from their brows. Levin spoke first. ¡°They¡¯re not following us anymore, right?¡± ¡°Ents don¡¯t usually leave the forest.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. I thought we were done for.¡± ¡°This is all your fault, you idiot!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± ¡°Who told you to attack an Ent in the forest?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re an idiot.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Levin pouted at Brielle¡¯s scolding. However, he couldn¡¯t argue back because he knew he was at fault. Cha Jin-cheol approached them and spoke. ¡°You all seem to get along well.¡± ¡°I guess we ended up near each other.¡± ¡°It seems that way.¡± Cha Jin-cheol responded coldly to Zeon¡¯s observation. Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s gaze was fixed on Zeon¡¯s face. Zeon¡¯s face was still pale, indicating he hadn¡¯t fully recovered his mana. ¡°Having trouble recovering your mana?¡± ¡°This dungeon is making it difficult.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Cha Jin-cheol nodded. It wasmon knowledge that mana recovers quickly in mana-rich dungeons. In dungeons like this one, where there was almost no life, mana recovery was slow. Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s eyes gleamed menacingly. ¡®Hyeonmu! If I act now, I could kill him easily, right?¡¯ ¨Dording to calctions, yes. ¡®Should I do it?¡¯ ¨DI don¡¯t rmend it. ¡®Why?¡¯ ¨DGiven the sparse mana here, it would take Zeon several days to fully recover. Until then, it would be more efficient to use him. ¡®You¡¯re right.¡¯ The murderous intent in Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s eyes faded. The change was so brief that Levin and Brielle didn¡¯t notice, but Zeon and Mandy did. Zeon¡¯s gaze suddenly shifted to the rope around Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s waist. ¡°That rope¡­ has it always glowed like that?¡± ¡°What? Oh! Why?¡± Cha Jin-cheol looked puzzled. As Zeon pointed out, the rope at his waist was emitting a ck glow. The rope was an item he had purchased at the White Bear Caravan auction. Its official name was the Warden¡¯s Rope. Although he always carried it, he hadn¡¯t had a chance to use it because of his mechanical body. Zeon spoke. ¡°It seems like this dungeon is rted to that item.¡± Some dungeons resonate with items from other dungeons¡­ ¡®It seems the seal is loosening. Maybe this ce holds the key to unlocking it.¡¯ The ck glow from the Warden¡¯s Rope grew stronger, almost as if it had returned home. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 173 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 173 Lee Ji-ryeong stood with his arms crossed, staring ahead. In the distance, a massive fortress loomed, its presence unmistakable despite the vast distance. Lee Ji-ryeong immediately recognized it as the core of the dungeon. It stood out starkly in the barrenndscape, a lone, imposing structure. Anyone could tell it was the dungeon¡¯s core. The challenge was reaching it. Though it seemed close, it was actually very far away. The journey to the fortress would undoubtedly be fraught with difficulties. Just then, Jeloei approached him. ¡°What should we do? Should we set up a base here?¡± ¡°That seems like the best option. We need to give others time to gather.¡± The Pegasus Raid Force was sorge that they had scattered in all directions. For a proper dungeon raid, everyone needed to regroup. Jeloei nodded in understanding. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll make it as visible as possible so everyone can see.¡± He returned to the Base Team and began setting up. They erected structures from the subspace, creating a circr wall in the clearing. Even as an improvised base, it served its purpose well, but Jeloei wasn¡¯t satisfied yet. ¡°Deploy the Guardian¡¯s Wings. Everyone, get inside the walls.¡± At hismand, the Awakeneds moved inside the walls. Then, Jeloei pulled out a massive g from the subspace and nted it in the center. Whoom! An invisible barrier enveloped the space within the walls, forming a dome. ¡°Ah! Now we can breathe easy.¡± ¡°As expected of the Guardian¡¯s Wings.¡± The Awakeneds sighed in relief. The Guardian¡¯s Wings was an item excavated from a dungeon. It was a base item that prevented monsters of B-rank or lower from even perceiving the space it covered. Since the monsters couldn¡¯t perceive it, they wouldn¡¯t attack. Additionally, the barrier was visible to humans, making it easy to find and reach. As soon as the Guardian¡¯s Wings were activated, dozens of people began arriving. The scattered members of the Pegasus Raid Force were gathering. Soon after, mercenary Awakeneds also joined them. However, there was still no sign of Zeon and Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s group. Lee Ji-ryeong frowned. ¡°It seems they ended up far away.¡± ¡°This happens often. They both have plenty of experience; they¡¯ll find their way here.¡± Jeloei said, unconcerned. But Lee Ji-ryeong felt differently. ¡°This changes our strategy.¡± Their initial n was to break through to the core with sheer numbers, but with their forces scattered, they had to adapt. Lee Ji-ryeong called for the Expedition Team leader, Gesling. ¡°Gesling!¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± ¡°Survey the area before everyone arrives. Can you handle it?¡± ¡°Of course, Captain. It¡¯s not our first time doing this.¡± Gesling¡¯s confidence was evident. The Expedition Team, consisting of Gesling the detector, Lee Chi-woo the mapmaker, Oberoi the guide, and McNine the protector, had sessfullypleted missions in even harsher environments. ¡°Do you need more people?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯d only get in the way.¡± The Expedition Team had been a tight-knit group of four for a long time, working together seamlessly. Adding others would disrupt their synergy like a foreign substance in well-oiled gears. Lee Ji-ryeong smiled slightly. ¡°Understood. Return immediately if you encounter any anomalies orrge monsters.¡± ¡°Okay, Captain.¡± Gesling led the Expedition Team out of the base. Although it seemed risky to have only four people exploring the dungeon, Lee Ji-ryeong trusted them. The team had never let him down before. ¡®Where could Zeon have ended up?¡¯ He had no doubt that Zeon hadn¡¯t fallen prey to any monsters. Even though Zeon had expended much mana opening the dungeon¡¯s entrance, Lee Ji-ryeong couldn¡¯t imagine him being overpowered by mere monsters. As long as Zeon and the Awakeneds from the West District joined them before the Expedition Team returned, they would be ready. Just then, Crack! The ground suddenly shook violently. It felt like an earthquake. ¡°Everyone, be quiet.¡± The people inside the base immediately fell silent, and they too could feel the tremors. Crack! The ground before them began to rise. ¡®What is that?¡¯ ¡®Oh my god!¡¯ A massive mole emerged from the earth. The monster was at least twenty meters long, from head to tail. Its back was covered in rock, crumbling slightly with each movement, and its ws were longer and sharper than a grown man. The giant mole¡¯s eyes were almost entirely atrophied, suggesting it was nearly blind. It sniffed the air as if trying to catch a scent. The direction of its nose was aimed directly at the base. Thump, thump! The mole approached the base, circling it while sniffing the air. Despite its blindness and the barrier from the Guardian¡¯s Wings impairing its perception, the mole sensed something was off and continued to investigate the area around the base. The Awakeneds gripped their weapons, ready to strike if necessary. They trusted the Guardian¡¯s Wings but prepared for the worst. Crack! Another giant mole emerged from the ground. Like the first, it circled the base, sniffing the air. ¡®D-rank? No, this must be C-rank.¡¯ They had never encountered such monsters before. They didn¡¯t know their names or their abilities, so they watched cautiously. While they could capture the moles if needed, they had to understand the dungeon¡¯s monsters¡¯ numbers and levels first. Fortunately, the giant moles couldn¡¯t find the people inside the barrier and eventually burrowed back underground. ¡°Haa!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Atst, the Awakeneds rxed their guard and copsed to the ground, their tension releasing all at once. Lee Ji-ryeong called over Bronson, the Raid Team leader, and asked. ¡°Have you ever seen a monster like that before?¡± ¡°Never. We haven¡¯t encountered anything like that in the dungeons we¡¯ve raided.¡± ¡°What rank do you think it is?¡± ¡°At least D-rank, but considering its size, it could easily be C-rank.¡± ¡°I thought the same.¡± Larger monsters naturally have greater strength and defense. They didn¡¯t know what kind of attack skills the giant mole monster possessed, but its sheer size made it a significant threat to humans. Lee Ji-ryeong stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to guess what kind of monster rules this ce.¡± ¡°The Expedition Team will find out soon enough.¡± ¡°Tell everyone to stay alert until then.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Bronson left to ry the orders. Lee Ji-ryeong, left alone, muttered to himself. ¡°Zeon, where are you?¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Suddenly, a giant mole monster broke through the ground. ¡°Monster iing!¡± ¡°Team One, enterbat mode.¡± Cha Jin-cheol ordered without hesitation. Whirr! Ten of the Awakeneds from the West District stepped forward. They were Team One. Immediately, they shifted intobat mode. Click! ck! With mechanical sounds, their arms and legs transformed for battle. The metallic limbs looked unnervingly sharp and menacing. ¡°Go!¡± The members of Team One simultaneously attacked the giant mole monster. Bang! The team leader struck the mole¡¯s head with his fist, but it had no effect. The creature¡¯s body was covered in rock from head to tail, making it impervious to physical blows. Still, the attack wasn¡¯t entirely fruitless. ¡°Defense rating is at least C-rank. Ordinary attacks won¡¯t even scratch it.¡± The data collected from attacking the giant mole monster was shared in real-time with the other West District Awakeneds. They used a link to share this information, which was what made the West District Awakeneds so formidable. They were individual humans, yet they could assess and respond to a monster¡¯s abilities immediately through data sharing. Bang! Bang! Bang! Team One continued their relentless assault on the giant mole monster. Each hit chipped away at the rocky armor covering the creature, but much of it remained intact. ¡°It¡¯s highly resistant to physical attacks. A magic-type Awakened would make this easier.¡± Most of the West District Awakeneds were Mechanized Awakeneds. They specialised in physical destruction. However, their attacks were limited to physical force, a significant drawback. Topensate, they equipped various equipment. Whoosh! One such equipment was the methrower now emanating from the team leader¡¯s arm. A stream of intense mes poured into the giant mole monster¡¯s mouth. Screech! The monster writhed in agony from the extreme heat, exposing its belly. Team One seized the opportunity. Boom! Apressed air cannon fired from a team member¡¯s arm, hitting the giant mole monster¡¯s belly and creating arge, bleeding hole. ¡°The belly is a weak point. To defeat the giant mole monster, we need to expose and attack the belly.¡± With this new information, Team One focused their attacks on the belly of the monster. The giant mole thrashed wildly in pain, but the West District Awakeneds relentlessly targeted its belly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to have any special attack skills. As long as we¡¯re cautious of its size, it¡¯s an easy opponent.¡± This was the team leader¡¯s assessment of the giant mole monster. Having gathered all necessary data, there was no reason to prolong the fight. Team One intensified their assault, and the giant mole monster soon copsed with a final, pained scream. Despite its massive size, the fight had been surprisingly straightforward. ¡°That was nothing. If all the monsters in this dungeon are like that, this will be easy.¡± Cha Jin-cheol sneered. A single example can be very telling. Cha Jin-cheol used the giant mole monster to gauge the level of the dungeon¡¯s monsters. ¡°Haha! At this rate, we won¡¯t even need the Pegasus Raid Force.¡± ¡°We can handle this on our own.¡± Encouraged by their sess, the West District Awakeneds gathered around Cha Jin-cheol, whose smile grew wider. Meanwhile, Zeon watched Cha Jin-cheol and the giant mole monster with a serious expression. The in monster was rapidly withering, its body shrinking as if it had been drained of life. Oblivious to this, Cha Jin-cheol and the other West District Awakeneds celebrated their victory. Brielle clutched Zeon¡¯s sleeve. As a High Elf, she had an instinctive sense that something was amiss. ¡°Zeon!¡± Zeon squeezed her hand reassuringly and called out to Cha Jin-cheol. ¡°Everyone, be careful.¡± ¡°Careful? Of what?¡± In the instant, Cha Jin-cheol asked, puzzled. Whoosh! With an eerie wind, something appeared. A translucent figure in a robe, wielding arge scythe, materialized before them. It looked around as if surveying the area. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Is it another monster?¡± The West District Awakeneds murmured in surprise. At that moment, Zeon shouted. ¡°It¡¯s a Grim Reaper. Everyone, get back!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 174 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 174 The Grim Reaper. Commonly known as the Shinigami. This entity was far more powerful than a mere monster and capable of some degree of human-like thought. Moving solely as a spectral entity without a physical body, it was a monster with an estimated rank exceeding A-rank. In other dungeons, it would easily serve as a boss. This formidable creature had appeared unexpectedly. The problem was that no Awakened in Neo Seoul had ever encountered a Grim Reaper. Dungeons featuring Grim Reapers were extremely rare and located far from Neo Seoul. Hence, they were unaware of its danger, or even its existence. Zeon shouted again at the startled Awakeneds. ¡°Get away now!¡± ¡°Who the hell are you yelling at?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so scary about that thing?¡± The Awakeneds from the West District red at Zeon, unfazed by the unfamiliar creature. They had no fear, confident they could take down any A-rank monster. Their actual strength justified this confidence, but theirpatibility with the Grim Reaper was the issue. Mechanized Awakeneds primarily dealt physical damage. While they could use equipment like methrowers orpressed air cannons, their main attacks were physical. On the other hand, the Grim Reaper had no physical body. Physical attacks were ineffective, and the Grim Reaper could harvest human souls with itsrge scythe. Hiss! The giant mole monster rapidly shriveled up. The Grim Reaper was harvesting its soul and absorbing its life force. This was how the Grim Reaper increased its power. ¡°A Specter should be easy enough to deal with.¡± A Mechanized Awakened extended a thin silver wire from his wrist. The wire wrapped around the Grim Reaper, but it passed through without any effect due to the Reaper¡¯s intangible nature. However, the Awakened wasn¡¯t discouraged. He had a trump card. A small generator in his abdomen activated, generating a massive electrical current. The high-voltage current traveled along the wire. He expected the Grim Reaper to scream in pain, but it only felt a minor difort, which angered it. The Grim Reaper swung its giant scythe at the Awakened who had attacked it. sh! ¡°Huh?¡± Despite being hit, the Awakened¡¯s body showed no wounds. He blinked in confusion and thenughed. ¡°Haha! What was that? Nothing to worry about¡­¡± Suddenly, his voice cut off. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Hey! Quit fooling around¡­¡± As his fellow Awakeneds spoke to him, he copsed like a log. Thud! His face was pale and lifeless. The Grim Reaper had harvested his soul, and his life force had been drained. His body quickly withered and turned to dust, leaving only the mechanical parts. Despite absorbing the Awakened¡¯s soul and life force, the Grim Reaper seemed unsatisfied. The size of the soul wasn¡¯t proportional to the body¡¯s size but still influenced its power. Screech! The Grim Reaper¡¯s rage exploded. The insufficient soul had only fueled its anger. sh! The Grim Reaper attacked the other Awakeneds. ¡°Shit! This ghost bastard!¡± ¡°Die!¡± The Mechanized Awakeneds fought back, but their attacks were futile against the Grim Reaper. Meanwhile, it continued to harvest their souls with its scythe. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Help me!¡± The Awakeneds¡¯ screams echoed. ¡°Damn it! What the hell¡­¡± Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s eyes widened in rage. His subordinates were dying before him. They weren¡¯t even fighting bravely; they were being ughtered. ¡°You bastard! Come at me!¡± Cha Jin-cheol shouted, extending his right arm. Whirr! His arm transformed into a long cannon. Bang! A projectileunched from the cannon. It was an electrically fired railgun. Though smaller than the massive railgun used against the Mammoth, it was still a powerful weapon. Swish! But the projectile passed harmlessly through the Grim Reaper¡¯s spectral body. The Grim Reaper turned its gaze to Cha Jin-cheol. Its eyes gleamed with a malevolent light. Its gaze fixed on the rope around Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s waist, the Warden¡¯s Rope. Hiss! The Grim Reaper let out a ghastly moan and floated towards Cha Jin-cheol, or more urately, towards the Warden¡¯s Rope. ¡°Damn it!¡± Cha Jin-cheol cursed, firing his railgun repeatedly. The projectiles passed through the Grim Reaper, which closed the distance rapidly. ¨DYou must dodge. The Grim Reaper¡¯s scythe will severely wound your soul. ¡°I know.¡± Cha Jin-cheol shouted and quickly retreated, but the Grim Reaper pursued him relentlessly. It seemed unstoppable. Just then, something unexpected happened. Thud! ¡°That¡¯s enough, you skull-faced bastard.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Someone struck the Grim Reaper. It was Levin. He had also entered a spectral state like the Grim Reaper. Physical attacks couldn¡¯t harm the Grim Reaper, but as a specter, Levin could. Crackle! Purple lightning flickered across Levin¡¯s body. Screeech! The Grim Reaper screamed in agony, hit by the purple lightning. While the electricity generated by the generator had little effect, the electricity emitted by an Awakened inflicted damage. At that moment, a st of high-temperature mes engulfed the Grim Reaper. Zeon hadunched a fire missile using his Inferno Gauntlet. Thebined attacks of electricity and fire severely wounded the Grim Reaper, making it stagger. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you skeleton bastard.¡± Mandy transformed into Eloy and unleashed a barrage of attacks. The continuous onught inflicted significant damage on the Grim Reaper, causing it to falter. While it had been impervious to physical attacks, the various elemental assaults were effective. Zeon approached the Grim Reaper. The energy of the dragon within his Inferno Gauntlet surged explosively. Instinctively, the Grim Reaper trembled in fear. Despite being an A-rank monster, it was no match for the power of a dragon. The Grim Reaper quickly retreated from Zeon and flew towards Cha Jin-cheol. ¡°You bastard, get lost!¡± Cha Jin-cheol, filled with rage, swung his fist, but it was again ineffective. The Grim Reaper passed through his fist and grabbed the Warden¡¯s Rope at his waist. Boom! A burst of ominous ck light erupted from the Warden¡¯s Rope. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°What is that?¡± The intense light forced the Awakeneds to close their eyes. When they opened them again, Cha Jin-cheol was gone. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°Captain!¡± The West District Awakeneds frantically searched the area, but Cha Jin-cheol was nowhere to be found. Zeon turned to Levin, still in his spectral form. ¡°Find him.¡± ¡°Got it, hyung!¡± Levin flew around, searching the area. However, neither the Grim Reaper nor Cha Jin-cheol was anywhere to be seen. Levin reverted to his normal form and reported back. ¡°He¡¯s not here, hyung! They¡¯ve already gone far.¡± ¡°Then it must have taken him to its nest.¡± ¡°The nest? You mean where the dungeon core is?¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°Why would it kidnap him?¡± ¡°That item.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because of the Warden¡¯s Rope.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It seemed to be an item imbued with a strong vengeful spirit.¡± It wasn¡¯t umon for an item to carry the spirit of its original owner. However, most such spirits were mere remnants of lingering regrets or desires that faded over time. But the spirit within the Warden¡¯s Rope was exceptionally strong, causing a palpable chill. Even though it was sealed, its power was evident. If the seal were to break, its full potential would be unimaginable. This was why Zeon had mentioned that, ¡°Damian unleashed poison in Neo Seoul.¡± As long as the seal was maintained, there was no problem, but once it broke, chaos would ensue. ¡°I thought we were somewhat safe since the West District acquired it.¡± The West District Awakeneds had reced most of their bodies with machinery, making them less susceptible to curses or vengeful spirits. ¡°The moment we entered here, the seal weakened, and the Grim Reaper took him. This dungeon seems to be rted to the Warden¡¯s Rope.¡± Zeon didn¡¯t know exactly what the Warden was, but given that the item was named the Warden¡¯s Rope, it was likely connected to the dungeon¡¯s master. ¡°First, let¡¯s find the Pegasus Raid Force.¡± ¡°Oh, I know where they are. I saw them while looking for the Grim Reaper.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± Levin took the lead. Zeon, Brielle, and Eloy followed him. The remaining West District Awakeneds hesitated but then hurriedly followed. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± They realized that joining the Pegasus Raid Force was their only option. The team leader bit his lip. ¡°To think the Captain would be kidnapped right after we entered the dungeon.¡± Neither Cha Jin-cheol nor his subordinates had anticipated this situation, so they weren¡¯t prepared. Fortunately, finding the Pegasus Raid Force wasn¡¯t difficult, as Levin had said. The base protected by the Guardian¡¯s Wings was visible in the distance. Levin scouted ahead, clearing the path. Whenever they encountered a suspicious area, Levin would scout it in his spectral form. No monster could harm Levin in his spectral form. asionally, unexpected monsters appeared, but Eloy swiftly dealt with them. Thanks to this, the group reached the base safely. The West District Awakeneds followed, visibly shaken. ¡°What kind of party is this?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with these members?¡± A Sand Mage like Zeon, a woman with formidable attack power like Eloy, a specter-like Levin, and a mysterious child with a pointed hat¡ªan oddbination. Yet, they worked exceptionally well together. At the center of this team was Zeon. ¡®He not only has a rare awakened ability; he also has a keen eye for people.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 175 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 175 ¡°Finally, we¡¯re here.¡± Levin wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, letting out a sigh of relief. They had finally reached the base after much hardship. The Awakeneds on the rampart noticed Zeon and the West District Awakeneds approaching and shouted. ¡°Open the gate!¡± The protective barrier briefly dissipated, and the gate in the wall opened. Zeon, his group, and the West District Awakeneds hurried inside. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°They set this up already?¡± Levin and Brielle gaped at the sight inside the base. What had been just a walled-off area now featured tents and facilities for sleeping and eating. Jeloei¡¯s team had quickly turned it into a fully functional base. Now they could rest and n their strategy here. At that moment, an Awakened from the Pegasus Raid Force approached Zeon. ¡°The Captain wants to see you, Zeon.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Please follow me.¡± The Awakened led Zeon to thergest tent. Inside, arge table dominated the space, with Lee Ji-ryeong seated at its center. ¡°You made it back safely.¡± ¡°Did you wait long?¡± ¡°No, you came at the right time. But I hear there¡¯s already been a casualty?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And that casualty is Cha Jin-cheol?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did that happen?¡± ¡°We encountered the Grim Reaper.¡± ¡°The Grim Reaper? You mean the reaper from old tales?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong furrowed his brow deeply at Zeon¡¯s response. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t believe Zeon; it was just so unbelievable. ¡°All kinds of things are showing up. So, is the Grim Reaper the master of this dungeon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But this dungeon is definitely connected to the item Cha Jin-cheol had.¡± ¡°The Warden¡¯s Rope?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°An item from another dungeon, yet it¡¯s rted to this one? So, the dungeons appearing on Earth might be interconnected?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s intuition was sharp. Zeon knew that the dungeons on Earth were fragments of Kurayan, but most Awakeneds thought they were naturally urring phenomena. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s deduction was impressive under such circumstances. ¡°So, if it¡¯s the Grim Reaper, the master of this dungeon is likely an undead.¡± ¡°Did you bring any undead-specific items?¡± ¡°Are there any items that specific? We¡¯ll just have to crush them with force.¡± Very few Neo Seoul Awakeneds had experience with undead dungeons, making them quite rare. This was Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s first time in an undead dungeon as well, but he wasn¡¯t overly worried. Just because they were undead didn¡¯t mean they were truly immortal. They could be destroyed through brute force, and their regeneration could be stopped by breaking the core. Finally, the core itself must be destroyed to end it all. A simple yet brutally effective method. However, this method required overwhelming power to be effective. ¡°There will be many casualties.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a risk we have to take. The greater the danger, the greater the reward. Everyone in the Raid Force understands that.¡± Conquering a dungeon without being prepared to die was impossible. You could never know what dangersy inside. Some dungeons were conquered easily, while others imed many lives. Being an Awakened dungeon raider meant constantly facing mortal peril. No matter how good your armor or weapons, survival wasn¡¯t guaranteed. You could lose your life at any moment. But the rewards were assured if you survived. Even if you died, your family would receive enoughpensation to livefortably. This is why Awakeneds joined Raid Forces. ¡°Anyway, good work. Rest until the Expedition Team returns.¡± ¡°Are you nning to proceed with the raid as soon as they return?¡± ¡°The sooner, the better.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Have you recovered much of your mana?¡± ¡°To some extent.¡± ¡°I hope you recover quickly. It seems your power is crucial for this dungeon raid.¡± ¡°I thought my role was just to find the entrance?¡± ¡°Situations change. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to see many casualties either.¡± ¡°True, but it¡¯s not my responsibility. Well then¡­¡± Zeon gave a slight nod and left. As soon as he was gone, Bronson entered from the opposite side of the tent. Lee Ji-ryeong addressed Bronson. ¡°Put him in as many dangerous situations as possible. That way, he¡¯ll be dependent on us emotionally.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t fully recovered his mana yet, so it shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± For now, Zeon was too formidable to confront directly, but as he weakened, opportunities would arise. Lee Ji-ryeong was adept at seizing such opportunities. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon returned to the tent where Brielle, Levin, and Eloy were resting. They each sat in chairs, taking a break. Brielle looked Zeon up and down and asked. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Did that guy do anything to you?¡± ¡°Who? Lee Ji-ryeong?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Be careful! He gives me a bad feeling.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being careful.¡± Zeon smiled slightly as he replied. Brielle had been on edge since they entered the dungeon. Zeon figured it was due to her High Elf nature. With her heightened senses, she reacted more acutely to the ominous atmosphere of the dungeon. Eloy asked Zeon. ¡°What¡¯s our next move?¡± ¡°First, we eat.¡± ¡°Eat?¡± ¡°Once we start the dungeon raid in earnest, we won¡¯t have much time to eat. We need to eat while we can. Levin!¡± ¡°Yes, hyung!¡± Levin pulled out pre-prepared food from his subspace backpack. The bag was filled with food prepared by the skilled Old Man Klexi. Levin ced some of it on the table. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat.¡± At Levin¡¯s words, everyone gathered around and began to eat. ¡°This is delicious.¡± Eloy¡¯s eyes widened as she tasted the food. She knew how incredible it was to have such high-quality food in the dungeon. ¡°This is really good.¡± ¡°There¡¯s plenty more, so we can eat whenever we get a break.¡± ¡°Great job, kid! Your skills and preparation are impressive.¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± Levin beamed at Eloy¡¯s praise, only to get nudged in the side by Brielle¡¯s elbow. ¡°Just eat your food. Don¡¯t let yourself get charmed by a fox.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Levin nodded and focused on eating again. Just as they were finishing their meal, they heardmotion outside. ¡°The Expedition Team is back.¡± ¡°Open the gate.¡± They hurriedly finished their food and stepped outside. They saw the Expedition Team returning to the base. But the Expedition Team looked worse for wear. They seemed to have gone through a fierce battle, their armor battered and their hair disheveled, with traces of blood visible. Hearing of their return, Lee Ji-ryeong rushed over. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Just a moment¡­¡± Gesling, breathing heavily, raised his hand. Lee Ji-ryeong waited patiently for him to catch his breath. Finally, Gesling managed to speak. ¡°We have identified what we believe to be the core.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the fortress.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an unfamiliar style of fortress, reminiscent of medieval Earth, but with a powerful force field around it, preventing us from approaching.¡± ¡°A force field? Around a fortress, not a boss?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lee Ji-ryeong frowned. This increased the difficulty significantly. Deactivating a force field was no simple task. Typically, it required numerous magic-type Awakeneds, especially those proficient in dealing with force fields. The Pegasus Raid Force had such Awakeneds, but not inrge numbers. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to deactivate it normally. We¡¯ll have to force our way through¡­¡± ¡°The problem is¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s another problem?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a quicksand area.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a vast quicksand area on the way to the fortress with strong gravitational forces, making it impossible to cross by normal means.¡± ¡°So, how did the Expedition Team get past it?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry. We couldn¡¯t get across.¡± Gesling shuddered at the memory. A giant mole monster had emerged near their hiding spot and approached the quicksand area. An invisible force pulled the struggling monster into the quicksand. What happened after was unknown. The Expedition Team only heard the giant mole¡¯s horrific screams and saw the quicksand area shaking violently. It was a terrifying sight. Unable to advance further, the team had only observed the fortress and its force field from a distance. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t gather much information.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± It was the first time the Expedition Team had returned without substantial information. This dungeon was turning out to be the worst. Ideally, they would take a few more days to gather detailed information, but they didn¡¯t have that luxury. The longer they dyed, the more likely Cha Jin-cheol would die in the hands of the Grim Reaper. The West District was the primary sponsor of this raid. If Cha Jin-cheol died, their rtionship would deteriorate. To prevent this, they had to rescue him. ¡°We have no choice. We¡¯ll have to confront it directly¡­¡± ¡°Are you nning to proceed with the raid as is?¡± ¡°If Cha Jin-cheol dies, Kim Hyun-soo will raise hell. We must move even if it¡¯s risky. Plus, we have him.¡± ¡°But he hasn¡¯t fully recovered his mana. Can he manage the quicksand area?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll manage. He¡¯s capable and determined.¡± Leading dungeon raids had given Lee Ji-ryeong a keen eye for people. He was confident Zeon had hidden strengths. ¡°Even if his mana is depleted, he must have something up his sleeve. He wouldn¡¯t be this confident otherwise. This raid will force him to reveal his hand.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Leave only the Base Team here and move out.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Bronson ryed Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s orders. The gate opened, and the Awakeneds set out towards the fortress. The dungeon raid had truly begun. Zeon gazed in the direction of the fortress and murmured, ¡°How many of them will make it back alive?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 176 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 176 Just as the Expedition Team had described, the distant fortress was visible. A faint force field shimmered around it. ¡°It really is a fortress.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen architecture like that.¡± The Awakeneds murmured among themselves. While dungeons could contain anything, none of them had seen a fortress like this before. Levin turned to Zeon and asked. ¡°Is it possible for a castle like that to exist in a dungeon?¡± ¡°If it exists here, it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Haha! But still, that¡­¡± ¡°In dungeons, human logic doesn¡¯t apply. Anything humans can imagine can be real in a dungeon.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°So, never let your guard down, not even for a moment. If you want to survive¡­¡± Gulp! Levin swallowed hard, unable to respond to Zeon¡¯s serious tone. At the same time, Brielle also tensed up. Zeon was feeling a powerful sense of foreboding. ¡®It¡¯s simr to Akaruk¡¯s castle.¡¯ Akaruk, the Death Knight. The atmosphere of this castle was simr to the one Akaruk resided in. The presence of undead was identical as well. This made Zeon suspect that the master of this ce might be a simr entity. ¡®Whatever it is, it¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Zeon nced at Lee Ji-ryeongg. He must have realized by now that this dungeon was no ordinary ce. Yet, his face still radiated confidence. A look only someone who had conquered countless dungeons could have. However, there was a more immediate concern: crossing the vast quicksand thaty before them. Hiss! A barely audible sound could be heard if one focused intently. It was the sound of the flowing quicksand. The sight of fine sand particles moving like a giant river was enough to instill fear in the Awakeneds. One of the Awakeneds spoke up. ¡°At this distance, couldn¡¯t we just jump across?¡± His words sparked interest among several Awakeneds. The quicksand was about 200 meters wide. Advanced Martial Arts Awakeneds or those with abilities like leaping could potentially make it across. The Awakened who had spoken stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± He was a C-rank Martial Arts Awakened. Despite his lower rank, his skill, Triple Leap, gave him confidence that he could cross 200 meters in a single bound. ¡®If I can leap over the quicksand, everyone will notice me.¡¯ He was participating as a mercenary, hoping to get scouted by the Pegasus Raid Force by standing out. None of the others tried to stop him. They were curious to see the attempt. Under the watchful eyes of the others, the Awakened moved forward. Hiss! The sound of the flowing sand was terrifying, but he maintained a confident facade. ¡®Phew! I can do this. This is nothing. I¡¯ve jumped over wider gaps before.¡¯ After taking a deep breath, he sprinted several meters and leaped over the quicksand. Whoosh! His body soared over the quicksand like a bird, covering about seventy to eighty meters in a smooth arc. At that moment, his skill, Triple Leap, activated, making it look as if he was stepping on an invisible tform and jumping again. ¡°He did it.¡± ¡°He can make it.¡± The Awakeneds clenched their fists in anticipation of his sess. Then, suddenly, ¡°Ugh!¡± The Awakened groaned and stumbled in mid-air, falling rapidly. ¡°Huh, what?¡± ¡°What? Why is he falling?¡± The others cried out in shock. The falling Awakened tried to activate his skill again. ¡®Triple Leap!¡¯ The skill activated, but he continued to fall. An invisible force from the quicksand area was pulling him down, making it impossible to maintain his leap. It was as if he were tied down by a powerful noose, unable to exert his strength. ¡®Damn it! What is this?¡¯ Thud! In the end, he crashed into the quicksand. Though the soft sand cushioned his fall, the real problem was just beginning. ¡°Ugh!¡± His body began sinking into the sand. Struggling to climb out, he only sank faster. ¡°Damn it! Throw him a rope.¡± ¡°Hang in there.¡± As the others scrambled to save him, he suddenly screamed. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Looking closer, they saw something ck covering his body. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something in the sand.¡± ¡°Damn it! Leeches.¡± The things covering him were leeches, each the size of a human arm. The area around him was swarming with leeches. Theytched onto his skin, sucking his blood. As the leeches drank, his body shriveled, quickly turning into a mummy-like husk. That was his end. ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°Those monsters were hiding in the sand.¡± ¡°If we had tried to cross¡­¡± The other Awakeneds shuddered, horrified at the thought. The leeches, having drained him dry, disappeared back into the sand. Lee Ji-ryeongg muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not just quicksand. There are monster leeches in there.¡± ¡°If we had gone in without knowing, we¡¯d have ended up like that too.¡± Gesling, the leader of the Expedition Team, breathed a sigh of relief. If they had attempted to cross the quicksand recklessly, they would have ended up in the same dire situation. ¡°We need to abandon the idea of crossing the quicksand. There¡¯s an unseen force at work here.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s gravity or something else, it¡¯s definitely pulling people into the quicksand.¡± Crackle! Suddenly, bolts of lightning struck the quicksand from the sky. Lee Ji-ryeongg had unleashed his power. Bzzzt! The sand turned ck under the impact of millions of volts. It was a formidable disy of power. However, even this powerful lightning couldn¡¯t halt the flow of the quicksand. As soon as the electricity dissipated, leeches emerged from the sand, looking around as if to assess what had happened before disappearing back into the sand. Seemingly unharmed by the lightning. ¡°Looks like we can¡¯t get through this area by ordinary means.¡± Lee Ji-ryeongg muttered, biting his lip in frustration at his power¡¯s ineffectiveness. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The sand itself was the problem, conducting the lightning and preventing it from harming the leeches at all¡ªa worst-case scenario. Following Lee Ji-ryeongg¡¯s lightning attack, other Awakeneds unleashed their own skills. Various magical attacks exploded against the sand, but the leeches remained untouched. Individually, the leeches weren¡¯t terrifying¡ªthey were E or D-rank at best. Outside the sand, even mercenaries could easily kill them. The problem was that the leeches showed no intention of leaving the sand, and no one knew how many were hidden within it. Gesling looked at Zeon. ¡°We have no other choice.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Lee Ji-ryeongg nodded. His pride was a bit wounded, but the current situation could only be resolved by Zeon. Lee Ji-ryeongg approached Zeon. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There are monsters hiding in the quicksand. It would take us considerable time and effort to deal with them.¡± ¡°I can handle it more easily than you can.¡± Zeon stared back at Lee Ji-ryeongg. Lee Ji-ryeongg didn¡¯t avoid Zeon¡¯s gaze as he continued. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you. Only you can open a path through the quicksand here on Earth.¡± ¡°But that would exhaust the rest of my mana.¡± ¡°Are you saying you can¡¯t do it?¡± Lee Ji-ryeongg¡¯s eyes bore into Zeon¡¯s, challenging him. Anyone could see that it was a clear provocation. Zeon chuckled softly. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll open the path.¡± With such a provocation, Zeon had no choice but toply. He walked past Lee Ji-ryeongg and approached the quicksand. ¡°Huu¡­¡± Standing before the quicksand, Zeon took a deep breath and gathered his power. Whoosh! His senses extended into the sand, spreading out like a neuralwork, allowing him to perceive the situation within the sand as clearly as the lines on his palm. The leeches, as numerous as the grains of sand, were scattered throughout the entire quicksand area. It was a truly hellish environment. But it didn¡¯t matter to Zeon. After ncing briefly at Lee Ji-ryeongg, Zeon closed his eyes and began to exert his control. Rumble! The quicksand began to shake violently as Zeon¡¯s power shed with the force that kept the sand moving. The sand churned even more furiously. Roar! The sand started to flow out of the quicksand area, carrying the leeches with it. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Leeches! Fall back!¡± The nearby Awakeneds recoiled in horror. ¡°These damn leeches¡­¡± ¡°Die!¡± The Awakeneds quickly regained theirposure and began attacking the leeches. While terrifying within the sand, the leeches weren¡¯t much of a threat outside it. Thud! Leeches burst open under the Awakeneds¡¯ attacks. However, their blood was the real problem. Stter! ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Help me!¡± Wherever the leech blood sttered, it corroded the skin as if it had been dipped in strong acid. Other Awakeneds widened their eyes in horror, realizing that if they had been closer, they could have suffered the same fate. Those who had been sshed with leech blood writhed in agony. Theirrades tried to heal them with potions, but it was futile. Eventually, their bodies dissolved, and they died. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°To think these creatures were swarming in the sand.¡± The Awakeneds went pale as they witnessed theirrades¡¯ deaths. All eyes turned to Zeon, now their only hope. If he couldn¡¯t open the quicksand, they wouldn¡¯t even get a chance to attempt the dungeon raid. Roar! Despite the violent shaking of the sand, Zeon remained focused. His concentration was unbreakable, not even the churning sand or the hidden leeches could deter him. As the sand¡¯s movement reached its peak, Zeon opened his eyes. With his power at its height, his eyes looked like they were made of the same red sand. Zeon extended his hands, moving them apart as if parting the sand. Rumble! Like the parting of the Red Sea, the quicksand began to split at hismand. Lee Ji-ryeongg clenched his fist. ¡°The path¡­ is opening.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Cheers erupted from the Awakeneds. Before them, a path to the fortress was opening. It was a miraculous feat aplished by Zeon, the sole Sand Mage in the desert. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 177 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 177 A straight path leading to the fortress appeared. On either side of the path, the disced quicksand formed sand walls several meters high. Leech squirmed within the walls. The sight of these arm-sized leeches writhing was enough to instill fear in everyone. Fortunately, the leeches showed no intention of leaving the sand. Zeon spoke up. ¡°We should cross the quicksand quickly. I can¡¯t hold this path open for long.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong nodded, giving orders to the Pegasus Raid Force. ¡°Let¡¯s move through the quicksand zone.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Lee Ji-ryeong led the way into the quicksand zone. Walking along the path Zeon had created felt strange. The leeches on either side squirmed, extending their bodies out to try and suck the blood of the Awakeneds. Although the path was wide enough to keep the leeches¡¯ mouths from reaching them, it was still terrifying. Zeon turned to Levin and Brielle. ¡°You two should cross as well.¡± ¡°What about you, hyung?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Once I¡¯ve recovered my mana, I can easily cross this quicksand.¡± One of Zeon¡¯s reasons foring here was to help Levin and Brielle gain experience in dungeons. Both of them had great potential for growth. The more they experienced dungeons, the faster they would grow. Zeon looked at Levin. ¡°You need to protect Brielle. Can you do that?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then go on.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Levin nodded and looked at Brielle. Although Brielle looked reluctant to leave Zeon, she didn¡¯tin or refuse. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting on the other side.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Hurry up.¡± Without waiting for Zeon¡¯s reply, she went ahead with Levin into the quicksand zone. Everyone moved along the path Zeon had created. When Lee Ji-ryeong and the vanguard were almost at the other side, the leeches began to act strangely. Screech! With a horrible screech, the leechesunched themselves out of the sand, attaching to the Awakeneds and biting them. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°The leeches are attacking!¡± Caught off guard, the Awakeneds who hadn¡¯t yet crossed the quicksand panicked. ¡°Shit! These leeches¡­¡± One Awakened used a fire skill to burn off the leeches attacking him, triggering a reaction. ¡°Kill them!¡± ¡°Attack!¡± The Awakeneds began attacking the leeches that had emerged from the sand. The leeches were only dangerous while hidden in the sand. Out in the open, they were much less threatening. ¡°Bring it on, you damn leeches!¡± The Awakened who had burned the first leech red at the sand wall with a crazed look. His fellow Awakeneds were rmed by his expression. ¡°Hey, stop.¡± ¡°Damn it, he¡¯s lost it.¡± At that moment, the crazed Awakened attacked the leeches in the sand. Whoosh! High-temperature mes burned the leeches squirming in the sand. The leeches writhed in agony. ¡°Ha! You¡¯re nothing¡­¡± As the Awakened spat on the ground and looked at the writhing leeches, a powerful tremor was felt from the sand. Grr! In an instant, Zeon¡¯s expression changed. The leeches spread throughout the quicksand were all moving simultaneously, converging on the spot where their kind had been burned. ¡®The leeches are connected. They share each other¡¯s pain.¡¯ Zeon knew exactly what this meant. He shouted loudly. ¡°These are hive monsters. Get out of the quicksand zone now!¡± The term ¡°hive monsters¡± caused several Awakeneds to turn pale. ¡°Damn it! I knew it¡­¡± ¡°Run!¡± They sprinted at full speed. The remaining Awakeneds, unsure of what was happening, looked at each other. One of the runners shouted back. ¡°Idiots! Don¡¯t think, just run!¡± ¡°What¡­¡± Boom! Suddenly, something massive burst out of the sand. It was a giant leech, dozens or even hundreds of times the size of the normal leeches. The giant leech swallowed thegging Awakeneds whole. Crunch! ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Help me!¡± The swallowed Awakeneds screamed in agony. Witnessing this horrific scene, Levin and Brielle¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Just run!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Levin grabbed Brielle¡¯s hand and ran. Meanwhile, giant leeches continued to break through the sand walls, attacking the Awakeneds still in the quicksand zone. These giant leeches weren¡¯t a single organism. Thousands or even millions of smaller leeches had merged into one massive creature. This was the horror of hive monsters. Individually insignificant, but together, they became a formidable force. Leeches that were E or D-rank on their own hadbined to form B-rank or higher monsters. Dozens of such giant leeches were emerging from the sand walls. B-rank or higher monsters had force fields that made ordinary attacks ineffective. The entire body of the giant leech was covered in a force field, proof that they were B-rank monsters. ¡°They¡¯re still just leeches. I¡¯ll burn them all!¡± A crazed Awakened prepared to attack again. The Awakened who had triggered the hive of leeches used his fire skill again. Whoosh! High-temperature mes poured out, aiming to burn the leeches. However, the intense heat had no effect on the B-rank leeches. Instead, the attack only attracted the attention of the massive leech. ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± The enormous leech opened its mouth wide and swallowed the Awakened whole. Crunch! The Awakened was crushed inside the giant leech¡¯s maw. With its mealplete, the leech moved on to find its next victim. More than half of the Awakeneds were still stuck in the quicksand zone, including Levin and Brielle. If left unchecked, they would surely fall prey to the giant leeches. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Damn it, I guess I have no choice.¡± Zeon sighed and unleashed Sand ster. Boom! Boom! The Sand ster struck the giant leech¡¯s body, drawing its attention. Suddenly, all the giant leeches focused on Zeon. The creatures, massive in size, moved toward Zeon with rming speed. In no time, dozens of giant leeches had surrounded him. Brielle, witnessing this from a distance, screamed. ¡°Zeon!¡± Crash! Unable to support the weight of the leeches, the ground gave way, and Zeon, along with the leeches, plunged into the depths of the earth. Levin and Brielle cried out in shock. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Zeon!¡± But it was toote. Zeon and the leeches had already vanished into the sand. Rumble! Immediately after, the quicksand on both sides rushed back in, covering the path Zeon had created. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± ¡°Am I still alive?¡± ¡°I almost died.¡± The Awakeneds who managed to escape the quicksand copsed on the ground, gasping for breath. Thanks to Zeon distracting the leeches, the damage to the Awakeneds had been minimized. Lee Ji-ryeong clicked his tongue in disappointment. ¡°Could he have died here?¡± ¡°No matter how skilled a Sand Mage he is, surrounded by so many leeches, there¡¯s no way he could have survived. Especially since he had almost exhausted his mana.¡± Bronson, the Raid Team leader, looked at the sand with a skeptical expression. The quicksand flowed smoothly again, indicating that Zeon¡¯s control was no longer in effect. ¡°Tsk! Such a waste. He still had a lot of use.¡± ¡°He was never the type to bow down to anyone. This might be for the best.¡± The corner of Bronson¡¯s mouth curled up. He had never liked Zeon, only tolerating him because Lee Ji-ryeong wanted to use him. Now that they had crossed the quicksand, Zeon¡¯s usefulness had ended. It was now up to the Pegasus Raid Force to take over. Lee Ji-ryeong turned and gave his orders. ¡°Forget about Zeon. Focus on the fortress.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Following Lee Ji-ryeong, the Pegasus Raid Force and the other Awakeneds headed towards the fortress. Levin, left behind, muttered. ¡°There¡¯s no way hyung is dead just like that.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Did you forget who Zeon is? A Sand Mage dying in the sand? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Levin blinked in surprise at Brielle¡¯s confidence. ¡°Do you know something?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°I just know Zeon isn¡¯t dead. He¡¯s alive.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Zeon is blessed by the sand. There¡¯s no way the sand would kill him. He¡¯ll definitely meet us at the fortress.¡± Brielle¡¯s voice was full of conviction. Levin stared at her for a moment before nodding. ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d die just like that.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head to the fortress. He¡¯ll definitely show up there.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Be careful. We can¡¯t trust the other Awakeneds.¡± ¡°I never trusted them in the first ce.¡± Brielle scoffed. She trusted very few people, and to her, most humans were potential enemies. At that moment, several Awakeneds from the Pegasus Raid Force approached them. ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll be protecting you.¡± ¡°Protecting us?¡± ¡°Yes. The leader has ordered us to keep you safe.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the leader¡¯s order. You have no right to refuse.¡± The Awakened¡¯s voice was cold. It was clear that ¡°protection¡± meant surveince. Without Zeon, Levin and Brielle were seen as valuable assets. One had rare abilities, and the other was an elf. They had immense potential. Lee Ji-ryeong had no intention of letting them go. Levin gritted his teeth. ¡®So, that¡¯s how it is? We¡¯ll see how you act when hyung returns.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 178 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 178 Zeon lifted his head. He found himself in a vast underground space. It wasrge enough to amodate dozens of giant leeches writhing around with room to spare. ¡°At least the quicksand flows down here too.¡± The underground space was filled with flowing sand, but the flow was abnormal. Some streams of sand flowed like rivers, while others reversed direction like waterfalls going up. There were even streams of sand flowing sideways along the walls. Some mysterious force was clearly manipting the flow of the sand in erratic ways. ¡°Interesting.¡± Zeon said, smiling. Kieee! At that moment, the giant leeches, now fully alert, turned their attention to Zeon and attacked. Boom! A massive maw struck the spot where Zeon had been standing, but he had already moved. More giant leeches followed, their attacks missing Zeon by inches. Boom! Crash! Zeon dodged the attacks with minimal effort, which only infuriated the leeches further. They screeched in anger, shaking their heads violently¡ªa repulsive sight. Zeon countered byunching sand at the leeches. The sight of sand flying looked like a poisonous snake with its head held high. It was Viper, an evolved form of the Sand ster skill. Thud! Thud! The Viper struck the leeches repeatedly, but their massive size and thick shells took little damage. ¡°They¡¯re quite tough.¡± Zeon noted, unsurprised. He continued to use various skills against them. Boom! Boom! The giant leeches were shaken by the explosions, but still, they took little damage. Instead, they became even more aggressive in their attacks on Zeon. sh! One leech extended its body several meters, attempting to swallow Zeon whole, its massive maw filled with saw-like teeth. At that moment, a cold smile appeared on Zeon¡¯s lips. ¡°Let¡¯s see if your insides are as tough as your shell.¡± Whoosh! A huge column of sand flew from behind Zeon, shooting into the leech¡¯s mouth. Boom! Boom! The sand spun violently, tearing through the leech¡¯s insides. Its mouth, esophagus, and stomach were shredded by the sand. Boom! With a loud explosion, the leech¡¯s body burst apart. Thousands of smaller leeches, previouslybined to form the giant leech, scattered across the ground. The sight of so many small leeches writhing on the ground was nauseating. But Zeon didn¡¯t flinch. He attacked the mouths of the other giant leeches. Whoosh! Boom! One by one, the giant leeches burst apart, adding to the writhing mass of smaller leeches on the ground. With the collective formation broken, the ground was now a writhing sea of ck leeches. The smaller leeches quickly regrouped and swarmed towards Zeon. Zeon looked at the approaching leeches with a cold, detached gaze¡ªan expression Neo Seoul had never seen. This was the true Zeon, the one who had wandered the desert alone for seven years. The most dangerous threat wasn¡¯t the monsters; it was other humans. Having faced too many treacherous people, Zeon had learned to shut off his emotions. Upon returning to Neo Seoul, he had grown a little softer, but this was Zeon¡¯s true appearance. Since there was no one else around, Zeon¡¯s true appearance naturally resurfaced. Raising his right arm, he muttered. ¡°There must be a main body somewhere.¡± Hive monsters usually had a main body acting as the nucleus. The main body would likely be an extraordinary specimen, hiding among the swarm. It was impossible to identify which leech was the main body among the thousands. ¡°If I can¡¯t find it, I¡¯ll make it show itself.¡± Zeon¡¯s right arm glowed red. ¡°Fire Rain!¡± Whoosh! A rain of fire poured down in the underground cavern, covering the mass of leeches. Screech! The leeches writhed and screamed, unable to escape the fire. The fire rained down mercilessly, burning them alive. Leeches that couldn¡¯t burrow into the sand were defenseless. They tried to burrow, but Zeon had hardened the sand, preventing them from escaping. Thousands of leeches burned to death, yet the main body did not reveal itself. Zeon unleashed another Fire Rain. Whoosh! More leeches perished in the intense heat. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± Zeon breathed heavily. The two attacks had drained his already depleted mana. He staggered from the exhaustion. At that moment, Crunch! Among the burned leeches, one raised its head. This one was pitch ck, unlike the others. The ck leech stared intently at Zeon, as if assessing his condition. ¡®That¡¯s the one.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon realized that the monster before him was the main body of the swarm. Despite the Fire Rain, it remained untouched and emitted a strong mana pulse directed at Zeon. ¡®It¡¯s scanning to see if I have any mana left.¡¯ Zeon thought, recognizing the monster¡¯s cunning. Despite leading a vast swarm, it didn¡¯t attack recklessly but probed first. The main body had a skill to sense mana and confirmed Zeon¡¯sck of it. In reality, Zeon had exhausted all his mana. The main body emitted a bizarre sound. Kreee! It was a strange sound that sounded like a mixture of crying andughter. Other leeches responded to the sound of the main body and flocked to it. They were trying to form an evenrger giant leech. However, this time it was on a different level. Instead of dispersing into many groups likest time, they are united around the main body. A giant leech of a whole nother size was formed. The main body sticking out of the top of its head. A red force field enveloped its entire body¡ªa force field far stronger than anything Zeon had faced so far. The main body, atop the giant leech, looked down at Zeon, seemingly mocking him. Zeon¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°How dare you¡­¡± The very act of mocking him indicated that the main body possessed emotions, a trait found in higher-ranked monsters. This colossal leech, with the main body as its core, had now ascended to A-rank. Zeon, on the other hand, was out of mana. A situation that seemed hopeless to any observer. But Zeon had an ace up his sleeve. Suddenly, a bright light burst from Zeon¡¯s neck. Elura¡¯s Tear. An extraordinary item that fully restored mana once a day, hidden under Zeon¡¯s clothing until now. In an instant, Zeon¡¯s mana waspletely replenished. Eliminating any signs of previous depletion. The main body, sensing this shift, recoiled in surprise. Its acute senses detecting Zeon¡¯s renewed mana. Now unable to retreat, the only option left for the main body was to attack. Screeching, the massive leech lunged at Zeon. Kreeee! The enormous body extended like a rubber band, aiming to crush Zeon. But he was no longer there. Zeon floated in the air, using sand as a tform. With a nk expression, he said. ¡°Let¡¯s start off lightly. ymore!¡± Boom! The sand near the giant leech exploded, each grain bing a deadly weapon that battered the leech¡¯s body. Kreee! The monster¡¯s scream echoed through the underground chamber. Though the force field prevented fatal damage, the impact caused immense pain to both the giant leech and the main body. Writhing in agony, the main body went berserk. Bang! Bang! Bang! The giant leech fired smaller leeches like missiles from its body. Zeon quickly formed a sand barrier in front of him. Boom! Boom! The leech missiles exploded against the sand barrier, shaking it but not prating it. Bang! Bang! The giant leech continued its relentless barrage, but Zeon soared through the air on streams of sand, evading the projectiles. Boom! Boom! Boom! The leech missiles exploded around him, but Zeon manipted the sand, changing its flow. The sand, previously flowing chaotically, now surged into the air under Zeon¡¯s control. As the underground chamber filled with sand particles, Zeon murmured. ¡°The sand is my battlefield. I¡¯ll show you how foolish it is to challenge me here.¡± Zeon stretched out his hand. At that moment, the sand filling the underground cavity began to rotate around the giant leech. Rrrr! The sound of the sand spinning like a buzz saw filled the chamber. Zeon had unleashed one of his most powerful skills, Sand Mixer. The rapidly rotating sand particles began to erode the leech¡¯s force field. Despite its attempts to reinforce the barrier, it couldn¡¯t withstand the onught. For most, ordinary sand wouldn¡¯t affect a force field. But under Zeon¡¯s control, the sand became a potent weapon. Screech! The giant leech thrashed in unprecedented pain. The force field shattered, and the smaller leeches forming its outer shell were torn apart. With its hard exterior dismantled and gaps forming, the sand infiltrated the leech¡¯s body, spinning violently inside. Rrrr! The sand particles rotated both inside and outside the giant leech. Boom! The giant leech, with the main body at its core, exploded from the inside out. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 179 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 179 Thud! Fragments of the giant leech rained down like a torrential downpour. The fragments were actually smaller leeches. While a significant number were killed by the explosion, most remained alive. Those wriggling on the ground quickly attempted to regroup around the main body. However, Zeon didn¡¯t allow that. Swoosh! Dozens of Sand sters prated the smaller leeches approaching the main body. After isting the main body, Zeon once again deployed the Sand Mixer. Whirr! The sand surrounding the main body spun ferociously. The main body itself was a B-rank monster. Its epidermis was vastly stronger than that of ordinary leeches. Thanks to this, it could withstand the Sand Mixer for a short while. But it was only a matter of time. After a while, the force field disintegrated entirely, and cracks appeared on its surface. At this point, the main body grew desperate. Screee! The main body emitted a high-pitched wail. In response, ck shapes rained down from the sky. The smaller leeches stationed in the nearby area flocked to the main body¡¯s call. They swarmed into the underground cavity through the hole where Zeon and the main body had fallen. The cavity turned pitch ck with the sheer number of smaller leeches. To protect the main body, the smaller leeches formed a barrier in front of Zeon. A writhing, massive wall. They defended against Zeon¡¯s attacks with their bodies. Without hesitation, they sacrificed their lives to protect the main body. This was the terrifying aspect of hive monsters. They would unhesitatinglyy down their lives to protect the main or core entity. All while being one. One while being all. That was the essence of a hive monster. To safeguard itself, the main body summoned all the smaller leeches. Zeon saw this and a cold smile crept onto his lips. ¡°So, you¡¯re going for a sheer numbers attack? Too bad for you, I excel at that too.¡± Swish! The sand around Zeon stirred and transformed into human-like figures. He summoned the Sand Soldiers. Over a hundred Sand Soldiers positioned themselves around Zeon. Zeonmanded the Sand Soldiers. ¡°Break through.¡± In an instant, the Sand Soldiers shot forward like bullets. The Sand Soldiers and smaller leeches collided. Boom! Bang! With explosive sounds, the smaller leeches burst apart. The Sand Soldiers were formidable. While not as strong as Zeon, they were as powerful as most Awakened Martial Artists. The Sand Soldiers shattered and destroyed the smaller leeches obstructing their path. The Sand Soldiers took casualties as well. More than ten smaller leeches attacked each Sand Soldier. Despite the overwhelming numbers of the smaller leeches, Zeon remained calm. Hiss! As long as mana was supplied, the Sand Soldiers regenerated indefinitely. The Sand Soldiers that had just copsed due to the smaller leeches¡¯ onught reformed and rose again, attacking and destroying the smaller leeches. Boom! Bang! The endlessly regenerating Sand Soldiers¡¯ assault caused the smaller leeches to burst apart, clearing the path to the main body. Zeon walked along the path cleared by the Sand Soldiers. Screech! The main body let out a grotesque wail and retreated. It felt extreme fear towards Zeon. Neither the giant leech nor the smaller leeches¡¯ sheer numbers could stop him. With the surroundings entirely made of sand, there was nowhere to hide or escape. Zeon was the perfect counter to the leeches. ¡°Where do you think you can hide now?¡± Of course, the main body couldn¡¯t answer. No, it couldn¡¯t. It was desperately struggling to survive. Hiss! A ck mist emanated from the main body. It was the main body¡¯s ultimate skill, the corrosive mist. This terrifying skill released corrosive acid that could instantly dissolve most Awakeneds or monsters. The corrosive mist quickly enveloped Zeon. Seeing this, the main body trembled with joy. It seemed like its n was working. The main body believed without a doubt that the corrosive mist would dissolve and eliminate Zeon. But then. Hiss! A ck mist also emanated from Zeon¡¯s body. Exion was released from his pores. Exion swirled around Zeon¡¯s body, pushing away the corrosive mist. The corrosive acid that dissolved everything had no effect on Exion. The corrosive mist was neutralized in an instant, leaving the main body defenseless. Zeon stared intently at the main body. His gaze was devoid of any emotion, causing the main body to flinch. Zeonunched Exion at the main body. Whirr! Like a drill, Exion spun and pierced the main body. A hole was blown through the main body¡¯s torso. That was its end. Screech! With a scream, the main body copsed. As it died, the smaller leeches scattered, screeching in all directions. ¡°Haa!¡± Just as Zeon exhaled and began to unsummon the Sand Soldiers. Swoosh! A figure wielding a giant scythe burst through the sand. It was the Grim Reaper, who had kidnapped Cha Jin-cheol. sh! The Grim Reaper swung the giant scythe at the dead main body, causing it to shrivel and lose its luster. The Grim Reaper had absorbed all the life force from the main body. Zeon frowned at the sudden development. ¡°You?¡± The Grim Reaper nced at Zeon briefly before passing through the wall and disappearing. In the direction it vanished stood an ancient fortress. It was unclear why the Grim Reaper absorbed the main body¡¯s life force, but it was evident it wasn¡¯t for a benevolent reason. Zeon swung his hand towards the wall where the Grim Reaper had disappeared. Boom! The sand flew and created arge hole in the wall. Beyond the hole was a dark passageway. Entering the passage, Zeon muttered to himself. ¡°I need to hurry.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Shit! This ce is massive.¡± ¡°The atmosphere is crazy.¡± The Pegasus Raid Force and the Awakeneds looked at the enormous fortress before them with expressions of awe and dread. Thanks to Zeon, they had crossed the quicksand and reached the fortress with rtive ease. Up close, the fortress was truly colossal. One had to crane their neck until it almost broke to see the top. Clouds hung ominously over the fortress, making it appear even darker against the already ck structure. ¡°This ce looks like something¡¯s going to pop out any second.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong muttered, ring at the fortress. ¡°Whateveres out, it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as it¡¯s not sand¡­¡± ¡°Haha!¡± ¡°Exactly! As long as it¡¯s not sand, nothing can stop us.¡± At the words of Bronson, the leader of the Raid Team, the Awakeneds burst intoughter. Just then. Boom! Suddenly, hands began to emerge from the ground. Not just a few¡ªhundreds of arms burst through the surface. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Watch your step.¡± Someone shouted as the Awakeneds quickly retreated. The owners of the arms broke through the ground, revealing themselves. They were soldiers with rotting flesh and exposed bones. Lee Ji-ryeong immediately recognized their nature. ¡°Undead. Be on guard, everyone.¡± ¡°Undead?¡± ¡°You mean living corpses?¡± ¡°Shit! That¡¯s disgusting.¡± The eyes of the Awakeneds wavered. They had conquered many dungeons, but this was their first encounter with undead. Seeing the dead rise and move was utterly horrifying. ¡°Undead after the Grim Reaper? What the hell is this dungeon?¡± ¡°This is no time for theories. Prepare for battle. If we die here, we might end up like them.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The Awakeneds shuddered at the mere thought. Dying was scary enough, but bing an undead, bound to the dungeon, was a fate worse than death. At that moment, Bronson, the leader of the Raid Team, stepped forward and shouted. ¡°What¡¯s the fuss over a bunch of corpses? Form up and sweep them away. Prepare for the prime formation.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± At Bronson¡¯smand, the Awakeneds moved with precision. The Pegasus Raid Force regrly practiced various formations for dungeon raids. The prime formation was their most traditional strategy. Awakeneds with martial arts abilities would block the enemy at the front, while the mages provided concentrated bombardment from the rear. This overwhelming firepower was their preferred tactic. ¡°We¡¯ll help too.¡± The Awakeneds from the West District said as they stepped forward. Normally, they would conserve their strength, but they moved to rescue Cha Jin-cheol. Time was not on their side. The longer it took, the slimmer their chances of saving Cha Jin-cheol. This was not the time to hold back or conserve power. The Mechanized Awakeneds stood beside the Martial Arts Awakeneds. Whirr! With mechanical noises, the metalponents hidden in their skin became visible. Roar! At that moment, the undead soldiers charged with ghastly cries. ¡°Come on! You disgusting corpses.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let a single one get through.¡± The Martial Arts Awakeneds roared back, swinging their weapons. Boom! Crack! The undead and the Awakeneds shed. Under Bronson¡¯s lead, the Martial Arts Awakeneds disyed overwhelming might against the undead. Crunch! sh! Bones cracked and limbs were severed. While the Martial Artists and Mechanized Awakeneds held back the undead, the mages unleashed their attacks. ¡°Aaaahh! Magic Arrow.¡± ¡°Fire Wall.¡± ¡°Wind Cutter.¡± Boom! Bang! Numerous spells bombarded the undead soldiers. Explosions of me and storms of de-like winds tore through the undead ranks. It was a disy of absolute power. ¡°We¡¯ve got this.¡± ¡°Piece of cake.¡± The Martial Artists and Mechanized Awakeneds smiled triumphantly. They had feared the undead, but they were easily overpowering them with their overwhelming firepower. More than half of the undead had already been destroyed. Finishing off the rest seemed like just a matter of time. That¡¯s when the battlefield changed. Whoosh! A sinister red aura erupted from the fortress, sweeping across the battlefield. The fallen undead began to rise again. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°They¡¯re reviving.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong shouted. ¡°We need to find and destroy the core to stop their revival.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Only then did the Awakeneds realize, That a never-ending battle awaited them. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 180 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 180 The battle between the Awakeneds and the undead was fierce. They destroyed and killed, only for the undead to revive again and again. ¡°Where the hell is the core?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Even the Awakeneds began to suffer casualties. Especially the front-line Martial Arts Awakeneds took heavy losses. When the defensive line of the Martial Arts Awakeneds broke, the undead poured in. ¡°You cursed things dare¡­¡± Eloy swung her spear, sweeping away the undead. But even her strength couldn¡¯t hold them all back. The undead broke through her defense and approached Levin and Brielle. Seeing the sudden shift in the battle, Levin shielded Brielle. ¡°Tch! Stay behind me, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°I said I can protect myself.¡± Brielle retorted, pulling a ss vial from her pointed hat. The vial contained a clear liquid. She poured a bit into her hand and whispered. ¡°Blow, gentle breeze.¡± Immediately, a breeze rose, scattering the liquid. Hisss! The undead touched by the liquid melted away with horrid screams. Levin asked, astonished. ¡°What is that liquid?¡± ¡°Holy water!¡± ¡°Holy water?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Do they sell holy water at the Goblin Market?¡± ¡°No, I got it from Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°Dongdaemun? The fanatics¡¯ territory?¡± ¡°Well, they do worship a god.¡± Holy water was water blessed by a god. The type of god didn¡¯t matter. In Dongdaemun, holy water was sold at a high price, though not many bought it. Brielle had bought some just in case and stored it in the subspace within her pointed hat. However, she didn¡¯t have much of it. ¡°It works on the undead, so it¡¯s definitely holy water.¡± ¡°Even fanatics have their uses, huh?¡± ¡°But there isn¡¯t a lot. It¡¯s not nearly enough.¡± ¡°If I had known, I¡¯d have bought some too.¡± Levin gritted his teeth. He couldn¡¯t leave the undead to Brielle alone. The undead kepting, and it was no longer time to rely solely on the Pegasus Awakeneds. ¡°I have no choice.¡± With a sigh, his body turned ghostly. He had activated his ghost form. Few had seen his ability until now. This was the first time he revealed it in public. He knew it would draw attention, but he had no other option. To protect himself and Brielle, he had to use his awakened ability. Some of the Awakeneds saw Levin¡¯s ghostly transformation. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°He turned into a specter. Is that even possible?¡± ¡°A new type of Awakened?¡± Crackle! Suddenly, purple lightning crackled around ghostly Levin. It was his unique ability, Purple Lightning. Purple Lightning spread through the surrounding undead. Boom! Boom! The undead exploded from the Purple Lightning. Those that exploded did not revive. The core had been destroyed. Seeing this, the magic Awakeneds shouted. ¡°Use lightning magic!¡± ¡°Electric-type Awakeneds, attack!¡± The electric-type Awakeneds stepped forward and cast their spells. Crack! Lightning shed everywhere, felling the undead. Some were permanently destroyed, but most revived, regaining their original forms. Though both used lightning, Levin¡¯s Purple Lightning was much stronger. His lightning reached deep within the undead to destroy the core, while the other Awakeneds¡¯ lightning was not as powerful. Thus, the undead revived. Seeing this, Lee Ji-ryeong stepped forward. ¡°No choice. I wanted to save my strength for the master of the fortress, but¡­¡± He had held back to face the master of the fortress with full power, but he couldn¡¯t watch morerades fall. Thankfully, he had learned from Levin how to deal with the undead. Crackle! Sparks flew from Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s body. This happened when he used his full power. Gesling shouted loudly. ¡°Everyone, fall back! The Captain is going all out.¡± As soon as he spoke, the Awakeneds fighting the undead retreated. Some Mechanized Awakeneds hesitated, confused. The Pegasus Raid Force members grabbed them. ¡°Follow us if you don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°The Captain¡¯s lightning doesn¡¯t discriminate.¡± Hearing this, the Mechanized Awakeneds quickly retreated. As the Awakeneds pulled back, Lee Ji-ryeong floated into the air. At that moment, a blindingly bright and powerful lightning bolt erupted. sh! A massive lightning bolt pierced the sky and ground. Thick branches of lightning shot out from the main bolt, spreading out. It was Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s signature skill, Giga Lightning. Crack! Crack! The lightning radiated in a circle from Lee Ji-ryeong, turning the world white. After a moment, the world returned to its original color. Levin stared at Lee Ji-ryeong in awe. ¡°Huff!¡± Lee Ji-ryeong exhaled a light sigh, white steam rising from his shoulders. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Eloy and Levin looked at Lee Ji-ryeong with expressions of shock and awe. It felt like they had witnessed something they weren¡¯t supposed to see. What Lee Ji-ryeong had just disyed was overwhelming. A spectacle of lightning filled the air, covering a hundred meters in every direction. Hundreds of lightning bolts rained down, scorching the earth. The charred remains of hundreds of undeady scattered, their forms unrecognizable and their cores destroyed, preventing them from reviving. It was a disy of such overwhelming power that they were left speechless. ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± ¡°I knew he was strong, but not this strong¡­¡± Even Brielle, usually cynical, couldn¡¯t hide her amazement at Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s lightning. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°The Captain has cleared out all the undead. Let¡¯s move inside.¡± The Pegasus Raid Force cheered as they rushed into the fortress. Lee Ji-ryeongnded next to Levin and spoke. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Did you see that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You could achieve this too. Join the Pegasus Raid Force. I¡¯ll train you.¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°Zeon isn¡¯t here. I can be your protector. For you and that little girl¡­¡± ¡°Hyung isn¡¯t dead.¡± ¡°You seem quite certain.¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s not dead.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong looked at Brielle, who had the same look of certainty as Levin. Lee Ji-ryeong frowned slightly. ¡®Perhaps he¡¯s really not dead. Being a Sand Mage, he might have found a way?¡¯ * * * Zeon ran his fingers along the wall, feeling its smooth and cold texture. The underground passage was surprisingly made entirely of stone. ¡®If Neo Seoul knew about this, they¡¯d go crazy trying to secure it.¡¯ It was ironic, but in this age, stone and rock were precious resources. The world had turned into a desert, making it extremely difficult to find proper rocks. Rocks were essential for constructing buildings. No matter how much magical reinforcement was used, it still required a solid foundation of good stone. Zeon, who had been caressing the stone for a while, frowned slightly. Suddenly, the stone wall felt warm. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know the reason, but such sudden changes were usually not a good sign. Feeling uneasy, Zeon quickened his pace. He noticed he was getting closer to the fortress. Unfamiliar items started appearing on the walls. Sharp spikes, serrated knives, and branding irons¡ªall tools for torture¡ªhung on the walls. Zeon passed by the torture tools and went deeper. What awaited him was a horrifying sight. Inside a cell made of iron bars, there was a workbench with the dissected body of a monster. The humanoid monstery with its belly split open, its internal organspletely removed. It was clear that whoever dissected the monster had taken everything. Zeon continued past the cell. More gruesome sights awaited him. In other cells, bodies of monsters with severed limbs and split heads were piled up. The stench of blood assaulted him from all directions. There was no telling how many lives had been lost in this ce. At that moment. ¡°Ugh!¡± A faint human groan came from deeper inside. It was a weak but unmistakably human voice. ¡®Is it Cha Jin-cheol?¡¯ Zeon hurried toward the source of the groan. What he saw was even more horrific than anything before. On a workbench, a many spread-eagled. His limbs were shackled, his belly and head split open, exposing his insides. Various organs were removed and ced in a bucket beside him, and blood drained through tubes into another bucket. His muscles were shredded, revealing his white bones. The most horrifying part was that the man was still alive. ¡°Please¡­ kill me,¡± He begged Zeon with his one remaining eye. The man was someone Zeon knew. He was an Awakened from the Pegasus Raid Force. He had likely been kidnapped during the raid and brought here. In front of him stood a figure in a ck robe, holding a knife and engrossed in dissection. Slice! With a chilling sound, the figure extracted the man¡¯s heart. Yet the man did not die, only writhing in agony. It was the ability of the figure in the ck robe. Known as the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor¡¯s role was to torture and dissect beings brought here, to understand their bodily structures. It had the power to keep its subjects alive until it had fully examined them. Hence, monsters and humans brought here had to witness their own dissection while still alive, just like the Awakened on the workbench now. Zeon looked at the Awakened. The man pleaded with his eyes for death. He didn¡¯t seek to live; he begged for an end to his suffering. ¡°Ha!¡± Zeon nodded and swung his hand. Exion shot out like an arrow, piercing the man¡¯s head. Bang! The man¡¯s head exploded. Even the Inquisitor couldn¡¯t keep someone alive without a head. The Inquisitor, having lost its subject, finally looked at Zeon. Its eyes glowed ominously from beneath its robe. Swish! Itt raised its knife and pointed it at Zeon. It was as if it was marking Zeon as the next victim. Doors of other cells opened, and more figures in ck robes emerged. They were other Inquisitors who had been dissecting Awakeneds. They too pointed their knives at Zeon. In an instant, Zeon¡¯s gaze turned as cold as the Inquisitors¡¯. ¡°How dare creatures doomed to eternal wandering threaten me?¡± Fwoosh! Zeon¡¯s body was enveloped in a ck cloud. Exion covered him entirely. Shrouded in Exion, Zeon charged at the Inquisitors. Crack! [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 181 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 181 The Pegasus Raid Force found themselves at a fork in the path. Gesling, the Expedition Team leader, closed his eyes and channeled his mana. Roarrr! Undead soldiers emerged from both passages, filling them like a tidal wave. Gesling opened his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s the right path. I sense life over there.¡± ¡°You heard him! Block the left passage and advance on the right.¡± Bronson, the Raid Team leader, gave themand immediately. The Martial Arts Awakeneds moved swiftly and with precision. Boom! Their assault copsed the entire left passage, burying the undead soldiers in the rubble. With the left passage no longer a concern, the Awakeneds focused on the undead soldiers surging from the right. ¡°We need to find and destroy the core.¡± This was where those with detection skills, like Gesling, proved invaluable. ¡°The core is hidden on the left side of their waist.¡± While the Martial Arts Awakeneds held off the undead soldiers, those with detection skills pinpointed the cores. Then, the magic-type Awakenedsunched precise attacks at the cores. Boom! Boom! Boom! With loud explosions, the undead fell, never to rise again. By destroying the cores, they prevented any possibility of resurrection. This was the method the Pegasus Raid Force had devised: not just attacking blindly but locating and destroying the cores to eliminate any chance of revival. After countless trials and errors, they had finally discovered the way to conquer the ancient castle. It was all thanks to the overwhelming presence of Lee Ji-ryeong, who had bought them time. ¡°Hold them off!¡± At Bronson¡¯smand, the Martial Arts Awakeneds stood their ground against the undead soldiers. While they held the line, the magic-type Awakeneds prepared their skills to destroy the cores. Repeating this process, their defense and offense became as precise as a finely tuned machine. Lee Ji-ryeong watched in silence. This was why he had formed the Pegasus Raid Force. Though he could have wiped out the enemies alone, doing so would have stunted the team¡¯s growth. For Lee Ji-ryeong to aim higher, the Pegasus Raid Force needed to grow stronger, bing an elite force and a reliable foundation for him. One could never reach great heights alone. A solid support system from below was essential. He believed in collective growth over individual dominance, which is why he stepped back to watch the Raid Force in action. So far, they had lived up to his expectations, though the casualties were higher than anticipated. Suddenly, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyes turned to Levin. Levin, in a ghostly state, was unleashing lightning. Levin¡¯s signature purple lightning incinerated not just the cores but also the undead soldiers¡¯ bodies. Thoughcking in precision, its power far exceeded typical lightning skills. Lee Ji-ryeong was impressed. As a fellow lightning-type Awakened, he knew he could train Levin well. However, Levin had no intention of joining him. Levin had deep trust in Zeon. As long as Zeon lived, Lee Ji-ryeong knew Levin would never follow him. ¡®Levin and Zeon¡­¡¯ A thought crossed Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s mind,paring them like weights on a bnce scale. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ Despite his thoughts, his gaze turned cold. Bang! Boom! Bang! Even then, the Pegasus Raid Force was diligently advancing on the castle. The undead soldiers were no match for them anymore. ¡°Great! We¡¯ll conquer this soon.¡± ¡°Keep pushing forward.¡± The Awakeneds¡¯ confidence soared, believing the castle was within their grasp. Whirrr! Suddenly, the walls of the passage opened, revealing armored knights. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Undead knights?¡± Their presence was far more intimidating than the undead soldiers. Lee Ji-ryeong shouted. ¡°Everyone, be careful. These ones are on a different level.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tension was evident on the faces of the Awakeneds. They too sensed the formidable strength of the undead knights. The undead knights attacked. Whoosh! Their swords sliced through the darkness. A Martial Arts Awakened shouted as he swung his sword to counter. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate us, you rotten corpses.¡± He was a C-rank Martial Arts Awakened, with the sword as his primary weapon. His sword split into three. One de to counterattack, a second to create an opening, and a third for a follow-up strike. sh! But his sword never reached the undead knight. The knight¡¯s de sliced through both his sword and body. ¡°Ah, ah!¡± The Awakened, unable to believe it, fell to the ground in two pieces. ¡°Dammit! Aura!¡± ¡°Undead using aura?¡± ¡°This is insane.¡± The undead knights¡¯ swords emitted a sinister ck aura, something only B-rank or higher Awakeneds could use. The Pegasus Raid Force was shocked that mere undead could wield such power. A sh of lightning filled the passage. Lee Ji-ryeong had unleashed his lightning. The Awakeneds expected the undead knights to be fried by the lightning. But then, something unbelievable happened. Whoosh! [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] A ck shield appeared in front of the undead knight. The shield deflected the lightning bolts to the side. Though it shattered shortly after, it had still protected the undead knights from the lightning. ¡°An aura¡­ shield?¡± ¡°This is insane. How can a corpse wield an aura shield?¡± Only B-rank or higher Martial Arts Awakeneds could create aura shields. This meant that the undead knights hadbat power equivalent to B-rank Martial Arts Awakeneds. While their power was simr, the undead knights held the advantage due to their nature as undead. Unless their cores were destroyed, they wouldn¡¯t die no matter how severe the injuries. Even decapitation wouldn¡¯t stop them. Moreover, the undead knights could use aura freely. Using aura in both offense and defense, the undead knights began to overpower the human Awakeneds. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The Awakeneds at the forefront fell with screams, killed by the undead knights. The real problem arose after that. Roarrr! The fallen Awakeneds rose again, this time as undead. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Why are they¡­?¡± The reanimated Awakeneds had ckened eyes. Now undead, they turned to attack their formerrades. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°These bastards have turned into undead!¡± ¡°If you die to an undead knight, you be one. Shit!¡± The Awakeneds were horrified. To them, death was an all-too-familiarpanion¡ªalways near and ready to strike if they let their guard down. They were prepared to face death and ept it calmly. But returning as undead was apletely different matter. For the first time, fear appeared on the Awakeneds¡¯ faces. Lee Ji-ryeong noticed their unease and gritted his teeth. ¡®No choice then. I wanted to save my strength for the boss fight.¡¯ Even Lee Ji-ryeong had finite mana. Using powerful skills consumed a lot of mana, which took time to replenish. He had thus far intervened only when necessary, conserving as much mana as possible. But now was not the time for calctions. Even at this moment, the Awakeneds at the front were being killed by the undead knights and then resurrecting to attack theirrades. While they were barely holding on now, if the deaths increased, the bnce of power would shift dramatically. Their forces would dwindle while the enemy ranks grew, reversing the tide of battle. He needed to end this before it escted. ¡°Ha!¡± Lee Ji-ryeong took a deep breath, preparing to unleash his strongest skill. Crackle! Crackle! Sparks erupted fiercely around him. Seeing this, Bronson shouted. ¡°It¡¯s the Thunder God¡¯s Hammer. Everyone, fall back from the front lines. Now!¡± The Thunder God¡¯s Hammer, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s ultimate skill, was what made him legendary. The Awakeneds who knew its power hurriedly retreated. Levin, watching, looked puzzled. ¡®How powerful can it be?¡¯ Then it happened. sh! A blindingly powerful bolt of lightning burst from Lee Ji-ryeong, far stronger than anything before. The dazzling lightning struck the undead knights. They attempted to shield themselves with their aura shields, confident from their previous sess. But this time was different. Crash! With the sound of shattering ss, the ck aura shields broke apart. The unshielded undead knights were struck by the lightning. Boom! Boom! Boom! Their bodies exploded like fireworks. Normally, this wouldn¡¯t prevent resurrection, but the lightning had also destroyed their cores. The undead knights were obliterated, leaving nothing but ck ashes. It was as if the Thunder God himself had descended. Elroy, observing the devastated passage, muttered. ¡°That crazy bastard. How can he be called A-rank? Isn¡¯t he already at S-rank?¡± * * * Whoosh! Fine dust scattered, the remains of what was once known as an Inquisitor. Zeon had ground them to dust with Exion. The Inquisitors couldn¡¯t resurrect because even their cores were destroyed. As the Inquisitors died, the tortured Awakeneds quietly passed away. Even in death, they smiled, having finally found freedom. ¡°May you rest in peace¡­¡± No more undead stood in Zeon¡¯s way. Yet, he remained vignt. A dungeon where the dead roamed was the worst kind. It wasn¡¯t just the difficulty but the unpredictability of such ces. Then it happened. Swoosh! A ghostly figure emerged through the wall. It was a Grim Reaper, wielding a massive scythe. The Grim Reaper pointed its scythe at Zeon, as if warning him not toe any closer. This was the same Grim Reaper that had kidnapped Cha Jin-cheol. With its robes billowing, the Grim Reaper red at Zeon, signaling it wouldn¡¯t let him pass. Fwoosh! Hellfire zed in the Grim Reaper¡¯s eyes as it stared at Zeon. ¡°You must be the final gatekeeper?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 182 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 182 The Grim Reaper was an intangible monster. Physical attacks had no effect on it. Only magical skills could harm it, and those had to be powerful B-rank or higher spells. This made it a particrly bad match-up for Zeon. Zeon¡¯s ability to control sand was useless against the Grim Reaper. The Grim Reaper likely knew this when it appeared. ck mist swirled from its scythe. The scythe was a top-tier item, known as the Reaper¡¯s Scythe. Even a slight cut from it could cause severe damage to the soul. Surviving an attack would still leave one¡¯s soul damaged, ultimately leading to death. The Grim Reaper advanced with its scythe ready. ¡°Let¡¯s see if sand really can¡¯t touch you.¡± Zeon raised his hand. A spatial rift opened behind him, releasing a massive amount of sand. The sand filled the passageway, rising and writhing like living creatures. It looked like a swarm of snakes. This was one of Zeon¡¯s skills, Viper. Hisssss! Dozens of sand serpentsunched themselves at the Grim Reaper. Boom! Boom! But the Vipers passed through the Grim Reaper harmlessly, hitting the wall behind. Zeon tried Viper several more times. But none of the Vipers could harm the Grim Reaper. Even his Sand Mixer skill had no effect. The Grim Reaper¡¯s eyes zed with hellfire, growing more intense as it realized Zeon¡¯s attacks were futile. Hiss! The Grim Reaper swung its scythe. Zeon narrowly dodged the attack, stepping back. Sensing victory, the Grim Reaper attacked more fiercely. Whoosh! Whoosh! The scythe filled the passage with afterimages as it moved at blinding speed. The Grim Reaper¡¯s attacks were extremely fast. Being intangible, it moved freely through space. Yet, even at that speed, it couldn¡¯t fully catch Zeon. Every attack missed by mere centimeters. This only made the Grim Reaper¡¯s hellfire and ck mist intensify. The monster was enraged. Hisss! The Grim Reaper swung its scythe, sending a ck energy sh at Zeon. In the narrow passage, Zeon had little room to dodge. Thud! His back hit the wall. He had nowhere left to go. The ck energy shes rained down on him. Boom! Boom! Boom! The wall behind Zeon exploded with a thunderous noise, filling the air with dust. The Grim Reaper lowered its scythe and approached the wreckage, confident that Zeon was dead. As it neared, a crimson sh erupted from the dust. Instinctively, the Grim Reaper shivered at the sight of the intense red light. It felt a primal fear from the light. The red light was the Dragon¡¯s Eye embedded in the Inferno Gauntlet. A dragon was an existence beyond categorization. Comparing an A-rank monster like the Grim Reaper to a dragon was absurd. Thus, even a mere dragon¡¯s eye induced fear in the Grim Reaper. Trying to shake off the fear, the Grim Reaper swung its scythe. Whoosh! Whoosh! Dozens of ck energy shes shot towards Zeon. Simultaneously, dozens of red energy sts fired from the Inferno Gauntlet. They were Fire Missiles. Boom! Boom! Boom! The Fire Missiles intercepted and destroyed all the ck energy shes. Then they continued on, striking the Grim Reaper. Kieeeek! The Grim Reaper screamed in pain, a rare urrence. Fire Missiles were simple spells for magic-type Awakeneds. But those powered by a Red Dragon¡¯s essence were on another level. The Grim Reaper¡¯s form flickered and dimmed like a dying lightbulb. The attack had dealt severe damage. The effectiveness of a spell depended on the caster and their items. An item embedded with a dragon¡¯s eye was in a league of its own. The Inferno Gauntlet had evolved to an immeasurable degree, showing its power against the Grim Reaper. Ssssh! White smoke rose from the parts of the Grim Reaper hit by the Fire Missiles, burning away. Writhing in newfound agony, the Grim Reaper floated about erratically. Then, it locked its eyes on the source of its pain: Zeon. Knowing that killing Zeon would end its suffering, the Grim Reaper let out a furious roar. Roarrr! With an explosion of hellfire, the Grim Reaper charged at terrifying speed. It and its scythe became one, cloaked in a ck storm that destroyed the passage. Zeon had no ce to dodge. But he didn¡¯t n to. Zeon extended his hand, the Inferno Gauntlet glowing, and muttered. ¡°Fire Rain!¡± The dark passageway filled with a crimson glow. mes rained down, filling the passage. The fire hammered the Grim Reaper mercilessly. Boom! Boom! Boom! Even the Grim Reaper¡¯s intangible form couldn¡¯t withstand this attack. Kieeeek! Its agonized scream echoed through the passage. The Grim Reaper¡¯s form had shrunk significantly. Still, it clung to life, showing the resilience of an A-rank monster. ¡°This isn¡¯t enough, huh? In that case¡­¡± A grin spread across Zeon¡¯s face. There was a skill he had always wanted to test. The Grim Reaper was the perfect monster for it. Zeon amplified his dominance. The sand scattered on the floor rose and wrapped around the Grim Reaper. But the Grim Reaper paid no attention to the sand. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] It knew the sand couldn¡¯t harm it. Zeon¡¯s smile grew wider. Clench! Roar! As he clenched his fist, the sand around the Grim Reaper began to spin at a terrifying speed. It was Sand Mixer. But the Sand Mixer couldn¡¯t harm the Grim Reaper. The sand simply passed through, leaving it untouched. Zeon had anticipated this. ¡°What if I add a Fire Wall to this?¡± Fire Wall was a basic skill that created walls of fire. Though it consumed a lot of mana, any fire-type Awakened could use it. Its high mana cost rtive to its effect made it rarely used. Butbining Sand Mixer with Fire Wall changed everything. Each particle of the rapidly spinning sand was now engulfed in mes. The red-hot Sand Mixer turned into a zing furnace. The Grim Reaper screamed in agony. The ck energy that once protected it had long vanished. The superheated, high-speed spinning sand particles tore at the Grim Reaper¡¯s form. Roar! The Grim Reaper¡¯s particles melted away in the mes. Kieee! The Grim Reaper thrashed wildly, trying to escape the Sand Mixer. But escape was impossible. ¡°Be gone, you outsider unfit for this world or the next.¡± Finally, the Grim Reaper¡¯s form waspletely shredded by the Superheated Sand Mixer. Thud! All that remained was the Reaper¡¯s Scythe lying on the ground. Only then did Zeon deactivate the Sand Mixer. The intense heat that had permeated the air vanished instantly. The Grim Reaper was nowhere to be seen. It waspletely annihted. Zeon reached down and picked up the Reaper¡¯s Scythe. Just holding it sent pain shooting through his hand. Simply grasping it caused a myriad of curses to invade his body. The Reaper¡¯s Scythe was a cursed item. It was so cursed that only a curse-type Awakened could wield it without dying. But Zeon endured. He wanted to gauge the extent of the curse. His strength drained rapidly, his vision dimmed. His heartbeat slowed, and his skin grew dry and brittle. ¡°Tsk, it¡¯s cursed in every way.¡± The Reaper¡¯s Scythe was a vessel for all sorts of curses. Just holding it allowed countless curses to infiltrate Zeon¡¯s body. An ordinary Awakened would have died instantly. Zeon channeled energy from the Inferno Gauntlet. The curses invading his body burned away. No matter how powerful the Reaper¡¯s Scythe was, it couldn¡¯t match the dragon¡¯s eye embedded in the Inferno Gauntlet. Thanks to this, Zeon returned to normal. ¡°So, it can both cast and break curses?¡± No one had told him this. Upon holding the Reaper¡¯s Scythe, he instinctively knew how to use it. The ability to break curses alone made the Reaper¡¯s Scythe invaluable. But it wasn¡¯t something Zeon needed at the moment. Zeon opened his subspace and stored the Reaper¡¯s Scythe. The lingering curse dissipatedpletely. He also stored all the sand he had used. In such a sand-poor environment, it was a necessary measure. No more obstacles appeared to hinder Zeon. It seemed the Grim Reaper had indeed been the final gatekeeper. Even so, Zeon remained on guard. Then it happened. Rumble! The entire underground area shook as if struck by an earthquake. The floor beneath him shifted horizontally, and the walls changed. Some walls disappeared, while new ones emerged. It was as if the entire underground space was rearranging like a puzzle. Zeon watched the transformation closely, unperturbed. It felt like the entire castle was a living entity. With no more obstacles left, it seemed to be guiding Zeon to its core. Thud! After a considerable amount of movement, the floor beneath Zeon finally came to a stop. Zeon¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. He had encountered unexpected individuals in this new location. ¡°Hyung!¡± ¡°Zeon!¡± The ones greeting him warmly were Levin, Brielle, and Eloy. Zeon spoke. ¡°You¡¯re all safe.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d survive.¡± ¡°Sand can¡¯t kill Zeon.¡± ¡°You look fine.¡± They approached Zeon, who patted Levin and Brielle on the shoulders while looking at the others with them. He saw Lee Ji-ryeong, Bronson, Gesling, and the entire Pegasus Raid Team along with the West District Awakeneds. They couldn¡¯t hide their surprise at Zeon¡¯s sudden appearance. Without looking at Zeon, Lee Ji-ryeong spoke. ¡°You¡¯rete.¡± ¡°There were many obstacles.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard journey. Now, just sit back and watch.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Watch how we capture the master of this castle.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong was staring at the door ahead. The massive, ominous door indicated that the master of the castle was behind it. Lee Ji-ryeong shattered the door. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 183 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 183 Beyond the gate, they were met by a knight. This knight wore full te armor and a red cape, a stark contrast to the undead knights they had faced before. He retained much of his noble appearance from his life. Lee Ji-ryeong frowned at the knight¡¯s regal demeanor. This was not the image he had of the dungeon keeper. Dungeon keepers were usually imagined as ragged and savage. But this knight was far from that. The knight ignored Lee Ji-ryeong and only looked at the bed. On the bedy Cha Jin-cheol, whom the Grim Reaper had kidnapped. ¡°It¡¯s the captain.¡± ¡°What are they nning to do to him?¡± The West District Awakeneds shouted upon seeing Cha Jin-cheol. However, Lee Ji-ryeong extended a hand, stopping them from rushing to Cha Jin-cheol. The knight remained undisturbed by themotion, focusing solely on the rope around Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s waist. The Warden¡¯s Rope. It was the item Cha Jin-cheol had won from the White Bear Caravan auction. The knight reached out and gently touched the Warden¡¯s Rope. ¡®Is there a story behind that item?¡¯ Zeon frowned. It was one of the items from the White Bear Caravan that had bothered Zeon the most. Sometimes in life, youe across objects that feel inexplicably ominous and foreboding. Such objects inevitably cause troubleter on. To Zeon, the Warden¡¯s Rope was such an item. He suspected Demian had spread poison in Neo Seoul. However, it hadn¡¯t posed an immediate threat, so he had simply kept an eye on it. Then Lee Ji-ryeong spoke. ¡°Are you the dungeon keeper?¡± He didn¡¯t expect an answer. Undead typically lost their reason and operated on instinct. But unexpectedly, the knight responded. ¨DMy name is Gregoric Thelma Carion. A sinner, fallen to a dungeon keeper, for failing to protect the Great King. ¡°Gregoric? You understand ournguage?¡± ¨DMy name is Gregoric Thelma Carion. A sinner, fallen to a dungeon keeper, for failing to protect the Great King. Gregoric, as he introduced himself, repeated the same phrase like a parrot. ¡°Not rational, but just programmed to repeat those words?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong frowned. Fwoosh! Suddenly, the Warden¡¯s Rope in the knight¡¯s hand emitted a powerful light. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°M-my eyes¡­¡± The unexpected brightness temporarily blinded the Awakeneds. Before Zeon or Lee Ji-ryeong could react, the rope dissolved into light and disappeared. ¡®What the¡­?¡¯ ¡®Why did the item¡­?¡¯ It was then. Before they could think further, the knight drew his sword. Instantly, hundreds of knights were summoned around him. Gregoric Thelma Carion. One who swore loyalty to the King. Even in death, he vowed to protect. But he failed his King and fell to a dungeon keeper. He waited for his master¡¯s return. Srrrng! Gregoric pointed his sword at the Awakeneds. ¨DThose who obstruct the return of the King will be in. A chilling voice echoed from behind his helmet. ¡°Return of the King? What nonsense is this?¡± ¡°Damn it! Take him down and save the captain.¡± The West District Awakeneds, enraged, charged at the knights. They had been forced to watch Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s kidnapping helplessly. Their patience had reached its limit. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s attempts to stop them were in vain. All they could think of was rescuing Cha Jin-cheol. ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Attack!¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! The West District Awakenedsunched a full assault. This signaled the Pegasus Raid Force to join the battle, igniting a fierce fight. ng! ng! Weapons shed, and magical attacks flew back and forth. ¡°Focus on the captain. He¡¯s the boss.¡± Bronson led his team in the assault on Gregoric. Confidence filled Bronson¡¯s face. He hadn¡¯t been much help in previous battles, but fighting a humanoid monster was his forte. ¡°Die!¡± Bronson and the Awakeneds attacked Gregoric in unison. Even a humanoid monster couldn¡¯t withstand a coordinated attack. Boom! A barrage of skills and weapons rained down on Gregoric. They gave it their all. Bronson was confident this single attack would incapacitate Gregoric. But his smile quickly vanished. sh! Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted from Gregoric, nullifying all attacks. A holy light enveloped Gregoric, a sight that was both breathtaking and unbelievable. Lee Ji-ryeong muttered in disbelief. ¡°How can an undead use Holy Shield?¡± Holy Shield. A skill used by those who served gods, like pdins. In Neo Seoul, the Dongdaemun pdinsmonly used it. Despite their fanatical tendencies, they served their gods. This allowed them to use Holy Shield. But the Holy Shield Gregoric cast was far stronger than any Dongdaemun pdin¡¯s. It was likeparing the sun to the moon. Gregoric¡¯s Holy Shield was a defense and offensebined into one skill. Boom! Holy light from the shield struck Bronson and the Awakeneds. ¡°Aaaah!¡± ¡°Ughh!¡± With screams, the Awakeneds were flung backward. Bronson rolled on the ground, bleeding, while the other attacking Awakeneds were severely injured and struggled to stay conscious. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°S-rank?¡± He had hunted numerous monsters before, but this was his first encounter with an S-rank beast. The overwhelming presence was on a different level, causing Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s shoulders to tremble. Though he aspired to surpass A-rank and reach S-rank, the true presence of an S-rank left him breathless. His gaze shifted to Zeon. Unlike the rigid Lee Ji-ryeong, Zeon¡¯s expression remained calm and unchanged. This ignited Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s pride. He had tried to ignore it, but now it was clear. He held apetitive feeling towards Zeon. It might even be an inferiorityplex. Zeon was the first person to evoke such feelings in him, adding to his frustration. He didn¡¯t want to show weakness, especially to Zeon. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°I¡¯ll handle him alone.¡± ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°Clear out the rest while I deal with him.¡± ¡°Please be careful. If something happens to you, the Pegasus Raid Force will fall apart.¡± ¡°Trust me.¡± ¡°Haha! Who else would we trust if not you, Captain?¡± Gesling raised his thumb. Though he smiled, his eyes were steely. He too sensed that this Knight Commander was unlike any monster they had ever faced. ¡°Yes! I, Lee Ji-ryeong, am a man who will one day stand atop Neo Seoul. This challenge is nothing.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong charged at the Knight Commander. Crackle! Surrounded by lightning, he collided with the Knight Commander. Boom! The sh between the two giants generated a tremendous shockwave. The shockwave also struck Zeon¡¯s group. Thanks to Zeon neutralizing most of the shockwave, Brielle was unharmed. But there was no time to rx. The knights summoned by themander attacked them. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, you restless spirits?¡± ¡°Hyah!¡± Eloy and Levin fought back. Levin had grown significantly during this dungeon raid. He transformed into a ghost and unleashed his Purple Lightning. Crackle! While it had shattered numerous undead before, it was ineffective against the knights. ¡°These bastards are covered in enchanted gear.¡± Levin gritted his teeth. The armor the knights wore reduced the effectiveness of Purple Lightning. This was a first for him. On the flip side, the knights¡¯ attacks also couldn¡¯t harm him much. Like the Grim Reaper, Levin¡¯s ghostly form made him immune to physical attacks. Realizing their attacks were futile, the knights imbued their swords with holy energy. ¡°Damn it! Isn¡¯t it cheating for undead to use holy energy?¡± This meant he couldn¡¯t stay in ghost form safely. Holy energy could affect even spiritual entities. Despite this, Levin stood his ground. Eloy did the same. ¡°All of you, die!¡± Swinging her Mad Gumiho, she rampaged like a madwoman. The scene was chaotic. Awakeneds and undead knights shed fiercely, with Levin and Eloy going berserk. In the midst of this chaos stood Zeon and Brielle. Brielle looked up at Zeon. While everyone else was losing themselves in the frenzy, Zeon alone remained calm, as if he existed in a different world. Even the undead knights attacking the other Awakeneds instinctively sensed danger and avoided Zeon. This made him stand out even more. ¡®Zeon!¡¯ Brielle grabbed Zeon¡¯s sleeve. She felt that if she didn¡¯t hold onto him, he might drift away. Zeon took her hand and smiled. Seeing his smile, Brielle felt reassured. Havingforted Brielle, Zeon turned his attention forward again. His focus was on Cha Jin-cheol. Cha Jin-cheoly motionless, as if in a deep sleep. ¡®Those who obstruct the return of the King will die?¡¯ Zeon recalled the Knight Commander¡¯s words and the scene from earlier. The Warden¡¯s Rope dissolving into light. ¡®The Warden¡¯s Rope was a catalyst for the King¡¯s resurrection.¡¯ Everything became clear. He now understood why he had felt so uneasy about the Warden¡¯s Rope. It was clear the true master of this castle was trying to resurrect using Cha Jin-cheol. Zeon began to walk towards Cha Jin-cheol. rmed, the undead knights moved to block his path. ¡°Move aside!¡± Boom! Zeon¡¯s punch sent the knights flying, clearing the path to Cha Jin-cheol. Zeon dashed forward. More undead knights tried to intercept him, but by then, Zeon had already reached Cha Jin-cheol. Zeon raised his fist over Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s head. ¡°No!¡± ¡°You crazy bastard¡­¡± The West District Awakeneds threw themselves in front of Zeon¡¯s attack to block it. Thud! One of the Awakeneds took Zeon¡¯s punch, causing Cha Jin-cheol to remain unharmed. At that moment, Cha Jin-cheol opened his eyes. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 184 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 184 His name was Trigion Mael Breeden. A ruler of a kingdom, known by the moniker ¡°King of Knights.¡± He was a respected leader and a great sword that protected his realm. The kingdom thrived, and peace seemed eternal. But catastrophe struck suddenly, and the kingdom fell. The king, having lost his people, despaired, cursed the gods, and descended into corruption. The fallen Knight Kingmitted numerous atrocities and was punished by the gods, sealed away by the Warden¡¯s Rope. His knights were turned into undead. These undead knights yearned for the resurrection of the Great Knight King, Trigion. But when the world of Kurayan perished, the Warden¡¯s Rope disappeared with Trigion still sealed. In their despair, the knights awaited the return of the Warden¡¯s Rope. Miraculously, it returned, and Trigion¡¯s seal was broken. As Trigion regained his senses and examined his new body, ¨DAre you awake, Master? An alien voice echoed in his mind. ¡®Who the hell are you?¡¯ ¨DI am Hyeonmu, Master. Do you not remember? ¡®Hyeonmu?¡¯ ¨DI am the Master¡¯s assistant AI. Have you forgotten? ¡®Interesting. A separate consciousness within a human mind.¡¯ ¨DSeparate consciousness? Hyeonmu sensed something unusual. Though a degraded version of Triox Five, Hyeonmu was a highly intelligent AI capable of independent thought and judgment. ¨DUrgent consciousness check. Hyeonmu quickly began to assess Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s consciousness. Meanwhile, Trigion, who had taken control of Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s body, stood up. nk! nk! There was a faint metallic sound from his limbs. Trigion¡¯s eyes shed with curiosity. ¡®What is this body? Metal mixed with flesh?¡¯ Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s mechanical limbs were unlike anything Trigion had seen. Trigion carefully moved his arms and legs. ¡®Combining human flesh with machinery¡­ what sorcerer performed such an abominable experiment?¡¯ ¨DMaster¡¯s consciousness ispromised. Initiating all connections severance and activating AI Hyeonmu return to Triox Five protocol. ¡®Triox Five? Return protocol?¡¯ Trigion¡¯s eyes sparkled. He had never heard these terms before, but he understood their meaning by searching Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s memories. Though a knight, Trigion was also adept in magic. Using a searching spell, he examined his body. He clearly saw the structure of the mechanical arms and legs. Then he noticed the heart. Attached to the human heart was a mechanical device. It was a mana engine. A marvel of West District¡¯s magitech, designed by Kim Hyun-soo andpleted by Triox Five, the mana engine amplified the heart¡¯s mana. Trigion quickly grasped the mana engine¡¯s structure and understood its principle. Next, his consciousness reached the junction of the brain and spine, where a small metal box resided. The fingernail-sized metal box was heavily enchanted, housing an active presence. The presence of the AI named Hyeonmu. ¡®What is this? A golem¡¯s core?¡¯ Thinking of it as a golem¡¯s core made it easier to understand. Humans had imnted a golem¡¯s core, allowing its consciousness to intervene. The mechanical limbs, aided by the golem, could exert maximum power. It was astonishing. To Trigion, all this was revolutionary. ¡®So, there¡¯s a main body somewhere?¡¯ If what was in Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s body was only part of the main body, it was astounding. ¡®If just a part is this powerful, how incredible must the main body be?¡¯ Trigion¡¯s imagination ran wild. He hadn¡¯t been in Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s body long, but he was already adapting to it, along with its mind and new technological marvels. But his time was cut short. Boom! A loud explosion shook his body. He felt a significant threat. Trigion finally opened his eyes. He saw a man trying to attack him, being desperately blocked by others. The attacker was Zeon, and those defending were the Awakeneds from the West District. ¡°This crazy bastard is trying to kill the captain.¡± ¡°Damn it! Everyone, attack him.¡± The West District Awakeneds charged at Zeon. Zeon sighed lightly. ¡°This is not the time for this. Your captain is not himself.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Die!¡± The West District Awakeneds ignored Zeon¡¯s words and attacked. Zeon dodged their attacks, his gaze fixed on Cha Jin-cheol. Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s eyes glowed red, brightening and dimming like a camera focusing. It was clear something was off. Then Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s eyes steadied. The red light stopped flickering, firmly settling in his pupils. At that moment, Zeon knew for sure. The entity sealed by the Warden¡¯s Rope had fully taken over Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s body. ¡°It¡¯s toote!¡± Even so, Zeon couldn¡¯t let it be. He didn¡¯t know what had possessed Cha Jin-cheol, but he couldn¡¯t let it roam free. To reach Cha Jin-cheol, he first had to ovee the Awakeneds blocking his path. Boom! Zeon¡¯s fist struck the abdomen of the foremost Awakened. The Awakened copsed without a sound. Zeon leapt over him, attacking the next Awakened. His physical prowess surpassed most Martial Arts Awakeneds,bined with eight years ofbat experience in the desert, making him an unstoppable force against the West District Awakeneds. Crack! ¡°Keuuk!¡± Zeon swiftly tore off or broke the mechanical arms of the West District Awakeneds blocking his path. In an instant, the Awakeneds in front of Zeon copsed. Other Awakeneds tried to stop him, but Brielle intervened. ¡°Hiyah!¡± She pulled something out of her pointed hat and threw it between Zeon and the Awakeneds. The object was a bomb of sorts. Boom! It exploded, releasing a thick smoke. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What is this?¡± The West District Awakeneds looked bewildered as they inhaled the smoke. Their limbs suddenly felt weak and unresponsive. Brielle smirked triumphantly. ¡°Hah! Your throats hurt and you can¡¯t move, right? I specially made this bomb for such an asion.¡± For Mechanized Awakeneds who had forsaken their human bodies and integrated with machinery, lubricant was essential. Whether in small orrge quantities, lubricant was vital for their mechanical parts to function smoothly. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Brielle¡¯s bomb had a property that solidified lubricant. Even a small amount inhaled would solidify the lubricant, making movement difficult. The effectsted only about a minute at most. It merely slowed down the Mechanized Awakeneds temporarily. But that brief dy was a significant help to Zeon. While the West District Awakeneds were stumbling, Zeon reached Cha Jin-cheol. Trigion, who had taken over Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s body, spoke with glowing red eyes. ¡°Who are you to dare obstruct my resurrection?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± Zeon swung his fist without warning. Boom! Trigion was sent flying by the punch from the Inferno Gauntlet. His chest was deeply dented. An ordinary person would have been killed instantly by such an injury. But Trigion shrugged it off and stood up as if nothing had happened. ¡°A rather powerful attack. But it¡¯s not enough to harm me significantly.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can keep talking like that.¡± Zeon charged at him coldly. The dragon¡¯s eye embedded in the Inferno Gauntlet emitted a powerful light. In that moment, Trigion¡¯s red eyes zed furiously. ¡°A cursed dragon¡¯s eye. I cannot forgive anyone who uses a dragon¡¯s power.¡± His voice was filled with venomous hatred towards the dragon. It was inevitable, as it was the dragon acting on behalf of the gods who had sealed him with the Warden¡¯s Rope. Fwoosh! Gray energy burst from Trigion¡¯s body. It was the unique gray aura of Mechanized Awakeneds. The gray aura spread like a web, enveloping the West District Awakeneds. The Awakeneds, already stiff from Brielle¡¯s bomb, couldn¡¯t avoid it. ¡°Keuuk!¡± ¡°Ughh! Captain, it¡¯s us.¡± The faces of the West District Awakeneds turned pale. From the moment the gray aura enveloped them, their mechanical bodies were no longer under their control. Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s will had overridden their bodies. No one had told Trigion how to do this. From the moment he took over Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s mechanical body, he instinctively understood how to enhance its strength. Mechanical bodies could be strengthened with the right parts. Conveniently, there were plenty of suitable bodies around him. The West District Awakeneds. Four keywords shed in Trigion¡¯s mind: Disassemble, Extract, Combine, Amplify. He would disassemble the Awakeneds¡¯ mechanical bodies, extract useful parts,bine them with Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s body, and amplify its power. His imagination became reality. Crack! ¡°Argh! Captain.¡± ¡°Save us!¡± With the screams of the West District Awakeneds, their mechanical bodies were torn apart. Useful parts were extracted from the disassembled bodies. The parts flew at terrifying speed and fused with Trigion¡¯s body. In no time, Trigion¡¯s body doubled in size. His limbs thickened, and his upper body swelled. He resembled a gori. While the appearancecked the dignity of a king, it could be refinedter. The tremendous mana flowing within theposite metal body. Trigion felt a surge of power and liberation. ¡°Who can possibly stand against me?¡± His roar echoed through the castle. ¨DOh! The King has resurrected. The first to respond was the Knight Commander fighting Lee Ji-ryeong. ¨DOhhh! ¨DThe King has returned. The undead knights went berserk at his cry. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong and the Awakeneds looked bewildered. The undead knights¡¯bat power had suddenly surged. Lee Ji-ryeong urgently looked at Trigion. ¡°So, that¡¯s the real boss?¡± He wanted to withdraw and confront Trigion immediately. But the Knight Commander wouldn¡¯t let him. ¨DNo one approaches the King without my permission. Trigion addressed the Knight Commander. ¡°Gregoric, my faithful servant.¡± ¨DOh! My King. ¡°Destroy them all and let us emerge into the world. We will nt our g in Neo Seoul.¡± ¨DNeo Seoul? ¡°The kingdom the humans built here. I will subjugate it.¡± ¨DEverything will be as youmand, my King. The Knight Commander¡¯s aura intensified. Trigion¡¯s resurrection had given him a powerful boost. The undead knights¡¯bat power also increased. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°Get a grip. If we let them out, Neo Seoul will be in danger.¡± Zeon¡¯s voice snapped Lee Ji-ryeong back to reality. This wasn¡¯t just about conquering a dungeon. If they failed to stop them, Neo Seoul¡¯s very existence would be threatened. Lee Ji-ryeong spoke to Zeon. ¡°Step back. Without sand, you can¡¯t fight them.¡± ¡°Who said I don¡¯t have sand?¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, a spatial rift opened behind Zeon. Shhh! Red sand poured out like a river from the subspace. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 185 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 185 Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Unbelievable! You¡¯re carrying sand in a subspace?¡± He was astonished not only by the vastness of Zeon¡¯s personal subspace but also by the fact that it was filled with sand, something he had never imagined. Shhh! Sand continued to pour out of Zeon¡¯s subspace, piling up to their ankles. Zeon spoke. ¡°Do you still think I can¡¯t handle it?¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to reveal this? It can¡¯t be good for others to know you carry sand in your subspace.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the luxury of keeping secrets in a fight.¡± ¡°Fair enough¡­¡± Lee Ji-ryeong nodded. At that moment, both the Knight Commander and Trigionunched their attacks. Lee Ji-ryeong, eager to face Trigion and prove his might, was frustrated that he had to contend with the Knight Commander instead. ¡°I¡¯ll fry you to a crisp.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong unleashed blinding white lightning at the Knight Commander. Zeon lunged at Trigion. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Trigion, seemingly pleased with his new metallic body,ughed wildly as he swung his fist. In an instant, a highlypressed, invisible projectile shot from his fist. ¡®Mana Particle Cannon?¡¯ Zeon¡¯s eyes widened. The skill Trigion just used wasn¡¯t one of Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s. It closely resembled the Mana Particle Cannon used by the elves who attacked Dyoden a long time ago. No one had taught him this. Through assimtion and calction, Trigion had devised the strongest attack possible with Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s body. His terrifying learning ability was unmatched. There was no time or space to dodge. Zeon manipted the sand to form a wall in front of him. Boom! The sand wall shattered under the Mana Particle Cannon. However, it did not reach Zeon. He had constructed multiple sand walls in session. Hisss! Zeon, having blocked the attack, floated in the air, supported by the swirling sand. From this position, he swung his arm. Hissss! Dozens of sand serpents shot toward Trigion. It was Viper, an advanced form of Sand ster. The Vipers viciously bit into Trigion¡¯s body, but he onlyughed mockingly. ¡°Hahaha! That tickles. Such attacks cannot prate my iron body.¡± He was highly satisfied with the mechanical parts of his new body. He didn¡¯t tire, and any damage could be repaired with new parts. The concept ofbining human flesh with machinery was beyond anything from his world. Trigion saw immense potential in his mechanical body and was eager to test all its possibilities against Zeon. Boom! Boom! Mana Particle Cannons fired repeatedly. Zeon blocked or evaded every attack with sand walls. However, nearby Awakeneds were hit by the cannons. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ughh!¡± Screams erupted from all around. Already, more than half of the Pegasus Raid Force members were down. As time passed, Trigion grew stronger while the Pegasus Raid Force weakened. ¡®I must defeat him here, no matter the cost. If he gets out, it will bring disaster.¡¯ Now, while his resurrection was still iplete, was the opportunity. If they waited longer, Trigion would regain his full strength, making him much harder to defeat. Trigion¡¯s taunts fueled Zeon¡¯s resolve. ¡°Are you going to keep dodging forever, you rat?¡± Frustrated by his inability to hit Zeon, Trigion¡¯s anger boiled over. ¡°Time to show you the danger of a cornered rat.¡± Zeon intensified his control over the sand. Vrrrr! The sand particles in the air began to spin at an incredible speed. Sensing something was off, Trigion furrowed his brow. Shhh! The sand particles swirled rapidly around Trigion. ¡°What is this?¡± Trigion initially dismissed it, believing sand couldn¡¯t harm his mechanical body. But as the fine sand particles began to grind away his metal exterior, he realized his mistake. ¡°Ugh! Sand, of all things¡­¡± The surface of his mechanical body started to erode and disintegrate. There was nowhere to escape or a way to block it. His only option was to use a shield, but even that was ground away by the sand particles. Maintaining his Sand Mixer, Zeon called out. ¡°Brielle!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Nearby, Brielle responded immediately. ¡°Do you still have those bombs?¡± ¡°Bombs?¡± ¡°The ones that froze the Mechanized Awakeneds.¡± ¡°Oh, those? I have two left.¡± ¡°Give them to me.¡± ¡°Here!¡± Brielle pulled two bombs from her hat and tossed them to Zeon. Thud! Thud! Trigion¡¯s heavy footsteps echoed as he approached Zeon. He was willing to endure the erosion to reach Zeon. This only made the Sand Mixer stronger. But Trigion never stopped advancing. ¡°If I just kill you, this metal body can be repaired easily.¡± The area was littered with the bodies of West District Awakeneds. Some were already dead, their parts stripped by Trigion, but others were still alive. Trigion knew that even if his mechanical body was damaged, he could repair it using parts from the surviving Awakeneds. nk! nk! Within the Sand Mixer, his arm began to transform. After aplex process, it morphed into a long barrel. Electric currents ran through it. Trigion had constructed a railgun. From Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s memories, he identified the railgun as the most powerful weapon. Thus, he fashioned his arm into a railgun. ¡°Die!¡± Boom! Trigion fired the railgun. Zeon narrowly avoided the projectile, but not everyone was as fortunate. The beam vaporized all the Awakeneds in its path, leaving no trace. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± The remaining Awakeneds froze in horror at the sight of theirrades being obliterated. Boom! Boom! Even as they spoke, Trigion fired the railgun repeatedly. Zeon dodged each attack and threw the bombs he had received from Brielle at Trigion. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Boom! The bomb exploded at Trigion¡¯s feet. ¡°What do you think you can achieve with such toys?¡± ¡°What happens when those toys mix with sand?¡± ¡°What?¡± Hiss! The substance from the bomb mixed with the sand and seeped into Trigion¡¯s metal body. The lubricant that allowed his movements smoothly began to solidify rapidly. The sandpounded the issue, causing the joints to grind and break. Crack! Breaking sounds emanated from various parts of Trigion¡¯s body. ¡°What is this?¡± His face darkened with rage. While Trigion was momentarily immobilized, sand continued to infiltrate his body. The sand flowed through his mechanical parts,pletely destroying them. Boom! Boom! The mechanical body, unable to withstand the pressure, began to explode from the inside. Red sand flowed out from the shattered metal body. The sand attacked not only the mechanical parts but also the blood-flowing flesh. ¡°Ugh!¡± Trigion grimaced in pain as the sand invaded his bloodstream. As he fell to the ground and coughed, sand spewed out of his mouth. ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t be¡­¡± Trigion¡¯s body convulsed. Zeon¡¯s sand was thoroughly ravaging his internal and external parts simultaneously. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± Finally, Trigion couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and screamed. ¨DMy King! The Knight Commander sensed Trigion¡¯s peril and tried to rush over, but Lee Ji-ryeong blocked his path. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Other undead knights tried to attack Zeon, but Levin and Eloy intercepted them. Crash! At that moment, the arm that had transformed into a railgun fell off. The connection points had been eroded by the sand. ng! ng! One by one, other parts of his body detached and fell. Eventually, only his torso remained. Trigion stared at Zeon in disbelief. ¡°Impossible! My resurrection cannot be stopped like this.¡± ¡°Stay here as a ghost. The outside world is chaotic enough without you.¡± ¡°If only I had more time, the situation would be different.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Do you even know my true power?¡± ¡°And do you know mine?¡± ¡°You mean you didn¡¯t use your full strength against me?¡± ¡°There are too many eyes for that.¡± Zeon replied calmly. Trigion looked at him incredulously. ¡°How¡­ can a monster like you exist? But don¡¯t feel safe just because you defeated me¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Your world, Neo Seoul¡­ Hahaha!¡± With a crypticugh, Trigion¡¯s life ended. Zeon frowned as he looked at Trigion¡¯s corpse. Even in death, Trigion left an unsettling feeling. ¨DAh! My King! The Knight Commander went berserk, sensing Trigion¡¯s death. He tried to rush to Trigion, but Lee Ji-ryeong kept him at bay. Seeing the Knight Commander¡¯s reaction confirmed Trigion¡¯s death for Zeon. However, the uneasiness persisted. If Trigion¡¯s body was left as it was, the West District Awakeneds would likely retrieve it. Or the Pegasus Raid Force might take it back to Neo Seoul for research. Leaving such a potential threat wasn¡¯t Zeon¡¯s style. Fwoosh! mes engulfed Trigion¡¯s corpse. Zeon used the power of the Inferno Gauntlet to burn it. The mes slowly melted Trigion¡¯s body. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Captain¡­¡± The West District Awakeneds rushed to extinguish the fire, but it was futile. Ordinary means couldn¡¯t put it out. All they could do was watch as Trigion turned to ash. ¡°You bastard, you killed our captain¡­¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll get away with this?¡± They red at Zeon with hostility, but none dared to attack. ¡°You stupid bastards! Can¡¯t you see? Your captain was taken over by the dungeon boss. If you still want to fight, I won¡¯t hold back.¡± ¡°Who the hell do you think you¡¯re messing with?¡± Eloy and Levin stood in their way. Their fierce presence silenced the West District Awakeneds. They looked at Zeon with a mix of fear and resignation. ¡®Sand Demon. As long as he exists, we may have no future.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 186 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 186 A man sat on a metal chair connected by numerous wires and cables. His skin and muscles had a metallic appearance. This man was none other than Kim Hyun-soo, the ruler of the West District. Kim Hyun-soo sat in his chair, staring at the distant City Hall. His mechanical eye provided a clear view of the building. It had been decades since he had settled in the West District. During that time, he had advanced the area, creating a highly developed technological civilization. However, there was still a significant gap between his district and the City Hall. This gap was intolerable for Kim Hyun-soo. ¡°Jin Geum-ho, what on earth are you thinking? What is he nning?¡± He knew that Jin Geum-ho, the Mayor of Neo Seoul, was up to something. Various sources had brought him this information. But the source he trusted the most was the supeputer Triox Five. Combining the brain of an ancient golem and aputer, Triox Five could process vast amounts of information in an instant. Its analyses were far superior to any human¡¯s. Despite this, they had gleaned little about Jin Geum-ho and Neo Seoul. The City Hall was protected by a near-imprable security system, even for Triox Five. ¡°Neo Seoul belongs to the Koreans. How long will we let these foreign races and outsiders run rampant?¡± He was a staunch Korean nationalist. He took great pride in his pure Korean blood, even though most of his body had been reced by machinery. At that moment, Triox Five¡¯s voice echoed. ¨DMaster. ¡°What is it?¡± ¨DCha Jin-cheol has just died. ¡°What?¡± Kim Hyun-soo jumped to his feet, the news shocking him. ¨DThis is a report from Hyeonmu. ¡°Cha Jin-cheol is really dead?¡± ¨DIt is confirmed. ¡°Hmm!¡± Kim Hyun-soo sank back into his chair, deep in thought. Cha Jin-cheol was equipped with Hyeonmu, a downgraded version of Triox Five¡¯s AI. Triox Five and Hyeonmu were connected via an Egowork. Thanks to this connection, Kim Hyun-soo could receive information from Hyeonmu even at this distance. ¡°How did Cha Jin-cheol die?¡± ¨DThat detail is unknown. ¡°Did Hyeonmu suffer any damage?¡± ¨DBefore Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s death, Hyeonmu activated the return protocol. ¡°Was the situation that dangerous?¡± Hyeonmu wasn¡¯t a living entity. It operated through a chip imnted in Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s head, a fragment of Triox Five. Triox Five could retrieve Hyeonmu at any time. It was a precaution in case those equipped with downgraded AIs betrayed or underperformed. Conversely, for the downgraded AI to initiate its return protocol, aplex process was required. This was known as the return protocol. Hyeonmu had activated this protocol to return to Triox Five, severing all external contacts to await retrieval. Until the retrieval wasplete, not even Triox Five could determine what had happened to Hyeonmu. Triox Five asked. ¨DShall we retrieve Hyeonmu? ¡°Yes, begin immediately.¡± ¨DInitiating retrieval process. ¡°When will it bepleted?¡± ¨DIt will take at least a day. Retrieving a downgraded AI was no easy task. Upon activation of the return protocol, the AI stored all its data in mana particles and released them into the atmosphere. Triox Five would then collect these particles. Without an intermediary, this process took considerable time. However, once Hyeonmu¡¯s data was collected, there was no need for further analysis. It would be absorbed directly into Triox Five. ¨DI will report back as soon as Hyeonmu is absorbed. Kim Hyun-soo nodded, contemting. ¡®Thebat power of Cha Jin-cheol with Hyeonmu was not weak. How did he get defeated? What could have taken him down?¡¯ * * * ¡°Aaargh!¡± The Knight Commander¡¯s desperate screams echoed through the fortress. His entire body was charred beyond recognition. Even his armor, once a protective shield, was ckened and deformed. This was the aftermath of Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s most powerful skill, the Thunder God¡¯s Hammer. The Knight Commander had previously endured several strikes from the Thunder God¡¯s Hammer, thanks to his immense defensive power. If Trigion hadn¡¯t died, the Knight Commander might have continued to withstand Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s attacks. However, with Trigion¡¯s death, the Knight Commander¡¯s mental strength wavered, and at that crucial moment, Lee Ji-ryeong ascended in rank. He had be a true S-rank. The countless battles and umted experiences had culminated in this breakthrough. As an S-rank, the power of the Thunder God¡¯s Hammer had transformed. Not only did it shatter the Holy Shield cast by the Knight Commander, but it also dealt irreparable damage to his core. Lee Ji-ryeong had finally reached the realm of the Thunder God. Proving his newfound power, an immense current of electricity flowed from his body. Even the Awakeneds of the Pegasus Raid Force kept their distance, fearing they might get shocked. ¡°Haa!¡± Lee Ji-ryeong exhaled, retracting all the electricity he had been emitting. ¡°Waaa!¡± ¡°The captain has be S-rank!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve won!¡± The Pegasus Raid Force¡¯s Awakeneds cheered. The Knight Commander was thest obstacle. The undead knights had already been dealt with. The fortress now belonged to them. But their time was limited. Rumble! The fortress began to shake precariously. With the death of the Knight Commander, the core, the fortress started to copse. Bronson, the Raid Team leader, shouted. ¡°Damn it! We don¡¯t have much time. Gather the corpses and collect the items. Grab everything valuable!¡± Nearly four hundred members had participated in this dungeon raid. More than two-thirds of them had perished. Only a little over a hundred survived, most of whom were Pegasus Raid Force Awakeneds. The mercenaries and West District Awakeneds had mostly died. The losses were staggering. The cost of conquering this dungeon had been too high. However, the items obtained from the dungeon would more thanpensate for the losses. The greatest gain was Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s ascension to S-rank. This alone made the dungeon raid a sess. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Take the armor and weapons from the undead knights. They¡¯re valuable.¡± ¡°Jackpot! There¡¯s a hidden vault here.¡± ¡°A hidden vault?¡± A cry from one of the Awakeneds sent many rushing to the secret vault that had been discovered. The vault was filled with numerous items, all of which looked extraordinary at a nce. These items seemed more than sufficient to cover the losses incurred during the raid. ¡°We don¡¯t know when the dungeon will copse, so move quickly. Take everything valuable first.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Awakeneds moved busily. There was no time or luxury for them to mourn their fallenrades. The best way to honor the dead was to provide generouspensation to their families, which meant taking every possible valuable item out of the dungeon. The Pegasus Raid Force had always taken care of the families of the deceased this way, contributing greatly to their reputation. Lee Ji-ryeong stood still, checking his body. His entire body felt revitalized. It was as if lightning coursed through his veins instead of blood. The euphoria of feeling like his entire body was made of lightning was a first for him. Now, he felt capable of defeating Jin Geum-ho, the ruler of Neo Seoul. As Lee Ji-ryeong reveled in his newfound power, he nced at Zeon. Zeon showed no interest in the items being taken from the secret vault. His gaze was fixed on the pile of ck ashes on the floor¡ªthe remains of Trigion. Lee Ji-ryeong approached Zeon. ¡°You did well. Thanks to you, we were able to conquer the fortress.¡± ¡°You have¡­ be an S-rank?¡± ¡°Yes. I was lucky.¡± ¡°Luck favors those who work hard.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong nodded and said. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you. You were a great motivation.¡± ¡°d to hear.¡± ¡°Why are you staring at Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s ashes? Are you worried Kim Hyun-soo will hold a grudge? Don¡¯t worry about that. We all saw Cha Jin-cheol transform into something else. I¡¯ll exin it to him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not really my concern.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± Instead of answering, Zeon bent down and retrieved a small metal box from the ashes. It was the chip imnted in Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s head. Zeon applied slight pressure, and the chip crumbled. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong shook his head, not finding it particrly strange. Cha Jin-cheol was a Mechanized Awakened, someone who had the unique ability to rece parts of their body with machinery. Finding a piece of metal in his remains wasn¡¯t unusual. ¡°Why, does it concern you?¡± ¡°A little.¡± ¡°You think too much for someone with your power.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that before, but it¡¯s in my nature.¡± ¡°A strong person doesn¡¯t need to overthink. Set your goal and go all out. Let others handle the minor details and nning.¡± ¡°Ick the ambition you have.¡± ¡°Do you, really?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong looked at Zeon with a meaningful expression. Though the gaze was ufortable, Zeon did not avoid it. As the two locked eyes for a while, a powerful tremor shook the fortress. Arge portal formed within the fortress, providing an exit. ¡°It¡¯s the exit.¡± ¡°Waaaah!¡± People cheered. Only then did Lee Ji-ryeong look away from Zeon. He addressed the Pegasus Raid Force. ¡°Good job, everyone. If we¡¯ve collected everything, let¡¯s get out.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The Awakeneds responded and started entering the portal one by one. Lee Ji-ryeong remained until everyone had exited. The raid leader¡¯s job was to be thest to leave, ensuring any unforeseen circumstances were managed. Once all the Awakeneds had left, only Lee Ji-ryeong, Zeon, and hispanions remained. Zeon spoke to hispanions. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, hyung!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Finally, let¡¯s get out. I¡¯m tired of this ce.¡± Levin, Brielle, and Eloy responded eagerly, tired of waiting for their turn. As they approached the portal, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s voice rang out unexpectedly. ¡°By the way.¡± Zeon and hispanions turned to look at him. sh! In an instant, a massive lightning bolt struck them. It was the Thunder God¡¯s Hammer, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s strongest skill. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ There was no time to dodge, and if Zeon evaded, Brielle and the others would take the full brunt of the attack. Zeon crossed his arms and took the Thunder God¡¯s Hammer head-on. Boom! With a loud explosion, Zeon was thrown to the side of the portal. The power of Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s lightning skill, now that he had reached S-rank, was on a different level. The Thunder God¡¯s Hammer also electrocuted Brielle, Levin, and Eloy. Zeon gasped for breath as he barely managed to lift his head. Lee Ji-ryeong looked down at him and spoke. ¡°I thought about it, and even though my brother was a piece of trash, I should still avenge him.¡± His words were merely an excuse. Seeing Zeon kill the Knight King had triggered an explosion of inferiority within him. The fear that Zeon might surpass him had driven Lee Ji-ryeong to act. ¡°But you did help with the raid, so I won¡¯t kill you myself. You can meet your end with the dungeon.¡± With that final remark, he entered the portal. As the portal closed, the entire space began to break apart. The dungeon was copsing. When a dungeon copses, anything inside perishes with it. Lee Ji-ryeong had intentionally attacked Zeon to leave him behind. Zeon wiped the blood from his lips and struggled to his feet. His entire body felt like it was burning, but his eyes shone sharply. ¡°Of course, there is no one in this world I can trust. But you made a big mistake. If you wanted me dead, you should have finished me yourself.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 187 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 187 The power of the Thunder God¡¯s Hammer was indeed tremendous. Despite the Leviathan hide robe¡¯s strong resistance to most magical attacks, it couldn¡¯t fully shield Zeon, who sustained severe injuries. Yet, he could still move, thanks to his extensively trained body. Zeon looked at his fallenpanions. Brielle and Eloy appeared to be on the verge of death. Only Levin, who also wielded lightning, seemed rtively unscathed, though he was still dazed, his eyes unfocused. Zeon reached into his pocket. He grasped a ss vial filled with a transparent liquid. Zeon first took a sip himself, then administered the potion to Brielle, Eloy, and Levin. Color returned to Brielle¡¯s and Eloy¡¯s faces, and Levin¡¯s eyes regained focus. Zeon felt his breathing ease. It was a remedy he had made himself, mixing the blood of a monster with various herbs, effective in emergencies. Levin, regaining his senses, asked Zeon. ¡°Hyung, what happened?¡± ¡°Lee Ji-ryeong attacked us.¡± ¡°Why would he do that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important right now. What matters is getting out of here.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The portal had closed, and the dungeon was on the brink of copse. If they dyed any longer, they would perish along with the dungeon. Zeon stood up and said. ¡°Carry Eloy. I¡¯ll carry Brielle.¡± ¡°Yes, Hyung.¡± Thanks to the potion Zeon gave them, Brielle and Eloy¡¯s conditions improved, though they were still unconscious. Zeon and Levin each lifted one of theirpanions. Levin asked. ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll force open an exit. Stay close to me and be alert.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± Instead of answering, Zeon pulled something from his subspace. It was a blue orb, the size of a child¡¯s fist. ¡®Leviathan¡¯s Core. This should be able to create a rift in the dungeon.¡¯ The core contained all of Leviathan¡¯s power, making it incredibly potent. ¡®A dungeon¡¯s power corrtes with its boss. Leviathan was a monster more powerful than the Knight King. If I overcharge the core, it should definitely create a rift in the dungeon.¡¯ In theory, it was possible. But theory and reality don¡¯t always align. If things didn¡¯t go as nned, death was the only oue. Calcting the odds, Zeon estimated a sess rate of about ten percent. But he had no other choice. Zeon injected mana into the Leviathan¡¯s Core. Boom! Boom! Receiving the foreign mana, the Leviathan¡¯s Core began to overload. Immense power surged from the core, shing with the dungeon¡¯s energy. Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions erupted throughout the dungeon. It was a scene of apocalyptic destruction. Levin looked at Zeon anxiously. ¡°Hyung?¡± ¡°Just a bit longer.¡± Zeon kept his gaze fixed on the changes within the dungeon. Then, about a hundred meters away, an abnormal rift appeared. ¡°There it is. Follow me.¡± ¡°Yes, Hyung.¡± Without hesitation, they jumped into the rift. The immense pressure within made Levin feel faint. Zeon grabbed Levin¡¯s hand and said. ¡°If you lose consciousness, it¡¯s over. Stay alert.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Levin barely managed to stay conscious, looking to Zeon for strength. Inside the rift was pitch ck. The thick darkness seemed endless, filling Levin with fear. But Zeon, showing no fear, kept his eyes focused ahead. His resolve gave Levin courage. Then Zeon saw something and shouted. ¡°There it is.¡± A white light appeared in the distance, shrinking rapidly. If they didn¡¯t reach the light in time, they would be lost in the void forever. Without a second¡¯s hesitation, Zeon dashed towards the light, and Levin followed closely. Whoosh! They passed through the light just in time. On the other side, they were greeted by red sand. With a soft thud, they copsed into the sand. ¡°Hah! Hah! Are we outside?¡± Gasping for breath, Levin looked around. It was the first time he had ever been so happy to see nothing but sand. ¡°Ha!¡± Zeon sighed in relief,ying spread-eagle on the sand. Overexerting his injured body made it feel like it was falling apart. He closed his eyes, letting the sand support him. Leviny down next to Zeon, muttering. ¡°Hah! We made it.¡± The dusty sandstorm felt wee, and the hot sand providedfort. Even the pain felt enjoyable because they were alive. * * * ¡°Damn it! We were taken out without a fight. Lee Ji-ryeong, that bastard! I won¡¯t let him get away with this when I return to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°I had a bad feeling about him from the start.¡± Eloy and Brielle vented their anger. They reacted this way after learning that Lee Ji-ryeong had ambushed them. Eloy swung her Mad Gumiho in the air in a frenzy, and Brielle swore to make the deadliest poison to pour into Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s mouth. Zeon and Levin waited patiently for them to calm down. Fortunately, after about an hour, they settled down. A somewhat calmed Eloy asked Zeon. ¡°But where are we? Shouldn¡¯t we have exited through the dungeon entrance?¡± ¡°We created a rift to escape, so the exit formed randomly.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t know where we are?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Zeon nodded. Dungeons were remnants of Kurayan drifting through dimension. Exiting through an abnormal entrance could easily make them lost in the dimension. Returning safely to Earth was a miracle itself, even if they had no idea where they hadnded. Brielle asked cautiously. ¡°But we can still get back to Neo Seoul, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Do you know who this man is? He¡¯s the best guide in the desert. No navigator can match his ability to find the way. I guarantee it.¡± Eloy said, confidently vouching for Zeon¡¯s skills. Eloy knew better than anyone how well Zeon could navigate. Getting back to Neo Seoul wasn¡¯t an issue; the real question was how long it would take. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon looked around and said. ¡°First, we need to figure out where we are. Once we know that, finding our way to Neo Seoul won¡¯t be too difficult.¡± Identifying their location based on the surroundings alone was impossible, even for Zeon. Desertndscapes tend to look very simr. ¡°Let¡¯s move if you¡¯ve all recovered enough.¡± Zeon led the way, with Brielle, Levin, and Eloy following behind. They walked on the hot, sun-baked sand. Initially, they chatted a bit, but as time went on, everyone fell silent. Walking in the desert drained their stamina far more than walking on t ground. Even Levin and Eloy, who had more endurance, couldn¡¯t keep their mouths open due to the extreme exhaustion. Brielle, who had the weakest stamina, was the most problematic. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± Her face was flushed red, and she was panting heavily. Levin, seeing her about to copse, offered his hand. ¡°Take my hand.¡± ¡°I can¡­ manage on my own.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± Levin grabbed Brielle¡¯s hand and pulled her along. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Just hang in there a bit longer.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Brielle leaned on Levin as they walked through the sand. Even without looking back, Zeon knew Brielle was struggling. He didn¡¯t offer help because he understood that such kindness could be detrimental. The biggest enemies in the desert weren¡¯t the hot sand or the zing sun but one¡¯s own patience and faith. The desert constantly tests and pushes people to their limits. Those who can¡¯t endure or believe in themselves won¡¯t survive, something Zeon knew all too well. For Brielle and Levin, this was their first true journey in the desert. They had to ovee this challenge on their own. Zeon maintained a pace they could keep up with. Fortunately, Brielle persisted and kept up with Zeon¡¯s steady pace. As they walked, the sun began to set. Zeon finally stopped and said. ¡°Let¡¯s rest here for tonight.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± ¡°We¡¯re saved.¡± Brielle and Levin copsed to the ground simultaneously. Eloy also sat down nearby, looking exhausted. Though she didn¡¯t say anything, it was clear she was also worn out from the long trek. Among them, only Zeon seemed unaffected. Rumble! Zeon manipted the sand to create a wall. In an instant, a shelter to protect them from the sandstorm was formed. ¡°There don¡¯t seem to be any monsters nearby, so we should be able to rest well tonight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s lucky we have you, Hyung. I don¡¯t know what we would have done if we were left behind alone¡­¡± Levin shivered at the thought. Zeon chuckled and said. ¡°With a bit more experience, you¡¯ll manage fine on your own. But for now, get the food and water we packed from the subspace.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Levin retrieved the food and water from his backpack. Fortunately, they had packed enough tost a few days. ¡°Great job bringing all this. Well done!¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± Levin smiled sheepishly at Eloy¡¯s praise. The food they had packed was from street vendors in the slums, stored in the subspace where time didn¡¯t pass, allowing them to use it now. Thanks to this, they could have a full meal. ¡°Ah, I feel alive again.¡± ¡°Whew!¡± ¡°This feels more like a camping trip than being stranded.¡± Brielle, Levin, and Eloy expressed their satisfaction. They were all Awakeneds, after all. Although they were currently exhausted, a good meal would help them recover quickly. Levin handed out backpacks from the subspace to everyone. ¡°You even brought backpacks? You¡¯re well-prepared.¡± ¡°Giving you the subspace backpack was worth it.¡± Levin smiled wryly at their praise. ¡°I hoped we wouldn¡¯t need to use this, but I didn¡¯t expect Lee Ji-ryeong to betray us like that.¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought he at least kept his promises.¡± Eloy gritted her teeth in frustration. Lee Ji-ryeong had a fairly good reputation in Neo Seoul. Despite his cold and ruthless nature, he was seen as apetent leader who kept his word. This reputation made many Awakeneds eager to join the Pegasus Raid Force. Despite the heavy losses in the recent raid, the numerous spoils they obtained would help them recover quickly. ¡°When we get back to Neo Seoul, I¡¯ll expose him. I¡¯ll show that a supervisor from the City Hall isn¡¯t someone to be taken lightly.¡± Eloy vowed revenge, grinding her teeth. They talked for a while longer about how to get their revenge on Lee Ji-ryeong before finally falling asleep. Once everyone was asleep, Zeon quietly stood up. The sky was so full of sand particles that stars were not visible. One way to navigate in the desert was by using the stars to determine their position. Zeon silently floated into the air. The sand lifted him higher and higher. Breaking through the sand-filled atmosphere, Zeon was greeted by a breathtaking view of the starry sky. It was a fantastical sight that no one in Neo Seoul had ever seen. It was a world only Zeon, the Sand Mage, could experience. Zeon gazed at the view for a long time. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 188 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 188 ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± Brielle panted heavily as she trudged through the sand. Ahead of her were Zeon and Levin, while Eloy walked behind. Her face was flushed red from the scorching sun, and her breath came in short gasps, but she no longer relied on Levin¡¯s help. She knew that constantly depending on others wouldn¡¯t help her improve. So, even if she copsed, she had resolved to keep walking on her own. Levin asionally nced at her with concern but respected her decision and refrained from offering his hand. Levin¡¯s gaze shifted to Zeon. That morning, Zeon had said they were somewhere west of Neo Seoul and needed to head east. He had deduced this from observing the stars the previous night, but he didn¡¯t share that detail with them. Eloy muttered from behind. ¡°It¡¯s strange. The dungeon was north of Neo Seoul, but we ended up to the west.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because dungeons themselves defy human logic.¡± ¡°I know that, you little brat! I just find it fascinating.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s a little brat? Can¡¯t Mandy take over instead?¡± ¡°Mandy wouldn¡¯t survive in this environment.¡± Eloy answered Levin¡¯s question firmly. The sand¡¯s surface temperature exceeded sixty degrees celsius. Even the most capable Awakeneds couldn¡¯tst long in such conditions, especially while walking. Eloy, as tough as she was, could endure it, but Mandy would have copsed long ago. Eloy nced at Zeon, who walked ahead effortlessly. He seemed to be gliding over the sand, making her envious of his abilities. ¡®It¡¯s a truly enviable ability. A man loved by the sand¡­¡¯ While she didn¡¯t covet other Awakeneds¡¯ abilities, Zeon¡¯s power was something she envied greatly. Just then, Zeon suddenly stopped. Eloy asked, puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an oasis ahead.¡± ¡°An oasis? Where?¡± She asked, scanning the surroundings but seeing nothing. ¡°It¡¯s not visible yet, but it will appear soon.¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense¡­¡± Despite her skepticism, Zeon¡¯s face showed no doubt. He said. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break. The oasis will form soon.¡± ¡°Yes, hyung.¡± ¡°Oh, thank goodness.¡± Levin and Brielle responded, trusting Zeon¡¯s words without question. They sat down and massaged their swollen legs. ¡°Err! I don¡¯t know anymore.¡± Eloy, after some hesitation, joined them. She wasn¡¯t sure if Zeon¡¯s prediction woulde true, but the chance to rest was too tempting to pass up. Levin pulled out some jerky from his backpack and shared it. Though it was just cultured meat jerky, it was a wee treat during their rest. As they chewed on the jerky, the sand in front of them began to churn. Brrrgh! Bubbles formed as if the sand were boiling, and soon it began to part, revealing clear water. ¡°No way! An oasis is really forming?¡± Eloy eximed, her eyes wide with amazement. Indeed, a genuine oasis was materializing before their eyes. The receding sand was reced by crystal-clear water. ¡°It¡¯s an oasis.¡± ¡°Whoah!¡± Levin and Brielle shouted in excitement as they ran towards the oasis. Despite trusting Zeon, seeing the oasis form was a thrilling surprise. They eagerly jumped into the cool water. Ssh! The three of them plunged into the oasis, the water¡¯s chill providing instant relief from the desert heat. As they swam, something strange caught their eyes. It was a white light, like a moon glowing underwater. Mesmerized by the sight, Brielle, Levin, and even the experienced Eloy swam towards it, entranced. As they got closer, the light¡¯s true nature became clear. A massive mouth,rger than a great hyena, upied most of its face. The antenna-like appendage on its forehead ended in a glowing orb of flesh. The light that had captivated them was this glowing orb. As they swam closer, the creature opened its enormous jaws. Unaware of the danger, the trio continued swimming towards the mouth. ¡°It¡¯s a Sand Angler! Snap out of it!¡± Bang! Zeon¡¯s shout was followed by an explosion. He had leapt in and struck the creature trying to devour his friends. The Sand Angler, stunned, tried to flee into the depths, but Zeon wouldn¡¯t let it escape. In a blur of motion, he reached the creature and delivered a crushing blow to its forehead. Boom! With the sound of an explosion, the Sand Angler¡¯s head was shattered. Only then did the threee to their senses. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Whoa! What is that?¡± ¡°A monster¡­¡± They scrambled out of the water, gasping for breath, their faces pale. They had narrowly avoided being eaten alive by the grotesque beast. Zeon emerged from the water, dragging the creature¡¯s corpse onto the sand. Thud! The heavy body of the Sand Angler hit the ground with a dull sound. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Oh, gross!¡± ¡°We were about to be eaten by that thing?¡± Seeing the Sand Angler up close made them feel even more nauseous. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon said as he got out of the water. ¡°It¡¯s a Sand Angler. As you can see, it¡¯s a beast that creates miracles in the desert, a ce devoid of water.¡± ¡°So, this Sand Angler monster created the oasis?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It usually swims through the sand and asionally creates oases to lure prey.¡± ¡°What kind of monster¡­¡± Eloy shuddered in disgust at the sight of the Sand Angler¡¯s corpse. Despite her rough personality, she was still a woman, and the sight of the hideous creature¡¯s carcass made her skin crawl. ¡°It may look grotesque, but it¡¯s quite useful in many ways. Especially its belly skin, which is soft yet tough, making it excellent for crafting robes with top-notch performance.¡± ¡°Really¡­¡± Just as Dyoden had taught Zeon all those years ago, Zeon was now teaching them. Brielle, having stopped her retching, now looked at the Sand Angler with bright, curious eyes. ¡°If you make a robe from its belly skin, it will perform exceptionally well.¡± ¡°Then, can I have it? I¡¯ll make a robe out of it.¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± Brielle cheered as Zeon handed her the Sand Angler¡¯s belly skin, which she carefully preserved as if it were a precious treasure. Zeon proceeded to dissect the Sand Angler,ying out its parts on the ground. Levin watched with curiosity as Zeon skillfully worked. ¡°The Sand Angler has very little waste. Its galldder, in particr, is a gem. It¡¯s the best for strengthening bones and muscles. Who wants it?¡± ¡°Eat that? Gross! No thanks.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass too.¡± The two women, Elroy and Brielle, clearly expressed their refusal. Zeon¡¯s gaze shifted to Levin. ¡°Is it really that good?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try it.¡± Levin decided with a resolute expression. He realized from the recent dungeon raid that he still had a lot of room for improvement. He needed to get stronger, and he was willing to go to great lengths to achieve that. Zeon handed him therge galldder. ¡°Eat it all, don¡¯t leave anything.¡± ¡°All of it?¡± Levin asked, eyeing therge organ. ¡°Yes.¡± Zeon had eaten a galldder several timesrger before, likely from an older Sand Angler. Levin looked queasy but determinedly started eating. As with all galldders, the Sand Angler¡¯s was incredibly bitter. Fortunately, it melted in his mouth like ice cream, requiring no effort to chew. It didn¡¯t fill him up, allowing him to consume the entire organ. ¡°How did all that fit? It¡¯s amazing.¡± Levin marveled, staring at his stomach in disbelief. Suddenly, a fierce heat surged from his belly. ¡°Ahh!¡± Levin copsed to the ground, writhing in agony. ¡°Is he okay?¡± Brielle asked cautiously. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. After a good sleep, he¡¯ll feel much better. In the meantime, let¡¯s eat some meat.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zeon pulled out a pot from his subspace and ced the dissected Sand Angler meat in it. The pot was enchanted to heat up without the need for fire. Eloy squatted beside Zeon, watching the cooking meat. ¡°Are we really eating this?¡± ¡°Despite how it looks, it¡¯s pretty delicious.¡± ¡°Living long enough, I suppose you end up eating all sorts of things¡­ But what happens to the oasis now that the Sand Angler is dead?¡± ¡°It will disappear without a trace in a few days.¡± ¡°And it won¡¯t reappear?¡± ¡°A new one will soon hatch to rece it. They alwaysy eggs in advance.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Eloy nodded, intrigued by the new information. Traveling with Zeon had revealed many unknown aspects of the desert to her. No one in Neo Seoul likely knew about creatures like the Sand Angler. Zeon knew many secrets about the desert that most people were unaware of. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what other mysteries were stored in his mind. Crackle! Sizzling sounds filled the air as the Sand Angler meat cooked. Zeon took out a few spices and sprinkled them on the meat, enhancing its aroma. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°The smell is amazing.¡± The two women almost went dizzy from the fragrant smell. Zeon served the cooked Sand Angler meat to the two women. Brielle and Eloy stuck their noses in their tes, digging in eagerly, and without a care. The jerky they had earlier was good, but it couldn¡¯tpare to the freshly cooked meat. ¡°Ah! Delicious! Who knew such a hideous creature could taste so good?¡± ¡°It just goes to show, you can¡¯t judge by appearances.¡± They patted their bulging bellies, smiling with satisfaction. ¡°Ugh! Kueeek!¡± Meanwhile, Levin continued to writhe and scream in pain on the ground. Zeon chewed on his own piece of Sand Angler meat, watching Levin. Having experienced the same pain, he knew what Levin was going through. The intense agony felt like his body was being torn apart, but once it passed, Levin¡¯s body would be remarkably improved. ¡®Endure it. This pain will only make you stronger.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 189 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 189 Levin had passed out from the extreme pain and only woke up the next morning. ¡°Ugh, I almost died.¡± Levin shuddered at the memory of the agonizing pain from the previous night. It was the worst pain he had ever experienced. He never wanted to go through that again. Eloy, who had been eyeing him, eximed. ¡°Hey, your body has changed!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why do you look so fit now?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Levin lifted his shirt slightly, revealing a set of defined abs. Not only that, his chest, arms, and legs were all now packed with muscles. Levin had always been slim, without much muscle. But overnight, he had transformed into a muscr build, with firm, powerful muscles. Levin asked Zeon. ¡°Is this because of the Sand Angler¡¯s galldder?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Wow! I can¡¯t believe just one galldder could do this.¡± Levin marveled. ¡°That¡¯s the effect of the Sand Angler. It¡¯s hard to hunt them, but once you consume the galldder, it transforms your body to its peak condition.¡± ¡°Thanks, hyung! I can¡¯t believe you gave me something so valuable.¡± Levin said, looking at Zeon with gratitude. Eloy and Brielle grumbled in response. ¡°Tch! If I knew, I would¡¯ve eaten it.¡± ¡°Me too! What a waste.¡± Although theyined, their expressions weren¡¯t envious. Eloy had already trained her body to a level where she didn¡¯t need the galldder, and Brielle, not being a Martial Arts Awakened, had no need to strengthen her body. Zeon spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s eat the rest of the Sand Angler meat while we stay here.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Levin, having experienced the galldder¡¯s benefits, replied without hesitation. The group decided to stay at the oasis for another day. During this time, Brielle crafted a robe from the Sand Angler¡¯s belly skin. Her cone hat seemed to have endless supplies for making the robe. Using enchanted scissors, she cut the belly skin, coated it with a mysterious liquid, inscribed magic circles, and infused it with mana. The others watched in silence as Brielle worked. All the liquids Brielle used were ones she had created herself through alchemy. She was trying to bestow new properties on the robe using these unique concoctions. Brielle had not only reached a high level in alchemy but also as an enchanter. Eloy, recognizing how impressive this was, looked at Brielle in astonishment. ¡®This little brat is no joke.¡¯ As the magic circles activated, the robe glowed, signifying the new properties it had gained. ¡°Great! It¡¯s done.¡± Brielle announced, holding up the robe with a wide smile. Levin asked cautiously. ¡°What properties does it have?¡± ¡°Protection from wind, water, cold, and heat. It also aids in fatigue recovery and has defensive properties. Pretty loaded with options, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Brielle giggled, donning the robe. Immediately, the oppressive heat was blocked, making it much easier to breathe. It was a significant improvement, especially given the harsh desert conditions. Even though it was hastily made, it was quite a sess. Brielle even made her own shoes in the meanwhile. After several attempts, she was eventually able to impart lightweight properties to the shoes. Lightening her body to prevent her from sinking into the sand, aiding her stamina from being reduced to nothing. While Brielle was busy crafting, the oasis vanished as if it had never existed. With the Sand Angler meat all consumed, the group moved on. Following behind Zeon, Brielle muttered to herself. ¡®This is great. I¡¯m not tired or hot anymore. I need to find ways to further enhance this robe when we get back to Neo Seoul.¡¯ Despite walking for a long time, Brielle didn¡¯t feel exhausted or hot. She feltfortable, as if she could walk all day without getting tired. Brielle unknowingly hummed a tune, clearly in high spirits. Levin felt the same. The group¡¯s pace had increased significantly, reducing Eloy¡¯s need to worry about them. Eloy moved up to walk alongside Zeon. ¡°You¡¯ve wandered the desert for a long time, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you must have seen almost everything. Have you been around here before?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been everywhere. I¡¯ve never been to the western part of Neo Seoul.¡± Eight years might seem long, but it wasn¡¯t enough to explore the entire. Zeon had mainly been to the southern and eastern regions of Neo Seoul. The west remained unknown territory. Zeon looked around and said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how far we are from Neo Seoul, but if we¡¯re lucky, we might find a colony.¡± ¡°A colony? In this ce? It doesn¡¯t look like anyone could survive here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen people survive in worse conditions. I¡¯m sure there are survivors somewhere.¡± Zeon¡¯s words carried a strong conviction, a belief in human resilience. ¡®No matter how ruined the Earth bes, humans will always survive. Individually they might be weak, but when united, they have incredible strength.¡¯ However, despite Zeon¡¯s confidence, they didn¡¯t find any signs of human life after several days of walking. All they saw was the vast, endless desert. The continuous journey was taking its toll on the group, but Zeon remained steadfast at the front, leading them on. ¡°Wait!¡± Zeon suddenlymanded, halting the group. The three others looked at him curiously. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a monster ahead.¡± ¡°A monster? I¡¯ll go and check.¡± Levin stepped forward. He quickly turned into his ghost form and flew ahead. Eloy chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s perfect for scouting.¡± Whenever Zeon sensed danger, Levin would scout ahead. With his frequent use of the ghost form, Levin had be faster and could maintain the form for longer periods. He quickly returned from his reconnaissance. ¡°It¡¯s a monster that looks like a wolf.¡± ¡°A wolf?¡± ¡°Yes, it hasrge horns on its head and is quite big. At least a D-rank monster.¡± ¡°A D-rank isn¡¯t too dangerous.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°The wolves have saddles on their backs.¡± ¡°Saddles? Like the ones people use to ride horses?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does that mean there¡¯s someone who tamed those wolf monsters?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I didn¡¯t see any humans around.¡± ¡°If someone did tame them, that would be incredible.¡± Eloy said, excitement evident in her eyes. They hurried towards the area where the wolf monsters were spotted. Crossing arge sand dune, they found a wide basin where the creatures roamed. As Levin had described, the monsters resembled wolves, each with arge saddle. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeonmented. ¡°Those saddles are too big for humans.¡± ¡°Yeah, they look like they were made for something muchrger than humans.¡± Suddenly, the wolf monsters started howling. Woooo! The sand fifty meters from them began to shift, and the ground opened up. Emerging from below were humanoid monsters, two to three meters tall, with grotesque faces,rge tusks jutting from their lips, dressed in animal hides, and wieldingrge swords. They were simr to humans, but not quite human. ¡°What are those things?¡± ¡°They¡¯re¡­ Orcs.¡± Brielle was the first to identify them. Levin asked, shocked. ¡°Those are Orcs?¡± ¡°Yes, only Orcs reek like that. But what are they doing here?¡± Brielle spoke, visibly puzzled. Zeon answered. ¡°There must be something underground that interests them.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Brielle asked, tilting her head in confusion. She knew Orcs to be simple-minded and incredibly resilient. They didn¡¯t adapt to their environment; they just endured whatever conditions they faced. Generally, they avoided enclosed spaces like underground tunnels. ¡°If there¡¯s food or humans¡­¡± Brielle shuddered at the thought of humans being held by Orcs. The Orcs approached the wolf monsters, which started growling in the direction of Zeon¡¯s group. Brielle frowned. ¡°I think they¡¯ve caught our scent and alerted the Orcs.¡± ¡°Those wolves have that kind of intelligence?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not ordinary wolves. They¡¯re Blood Wolves.¡± ¡°Blood Wolves?¡± ¡°Yes! They¡¯re vicious, highly dangerous, and have almost the same intelligence as a child. I¡¯ve never seen one in person until now.¡± She had heard tales from an elder in the high elf vige. The details were fuzzy, but seeing the Orcs jogged her memory. ¡°Chiwek! Humans!¡± ¡°I smell them.¡± Understanding the Blood Wolves¡¯ signals, the Orcs climbed onto their backs. Surprisingly, they spoke in anguage simr to humans, though their speech was apanied by unpleasant breathing sounds. Mounted Orcs and Blood Wolves charged at Zeon¡¯s group. ¡°They¡¯re humans.¡± ¡°They¡¯re food. Catch them.¡± As the Orcs shouted, Eloy bristled with anger. ¡°Stupid Orcs! Who are you calling food?¡± She yelled, drawing her Mad Gumiho and leaping at them. ¡°Chwiik! An elf.¡± ¡°Elves don¡¯t taste good. Kill her.¡± The Orcs recognized Eloy and unleashed their killing intent. Boom! Boom! Boom! A fierce battle ensued, with Eloy going wild against over a dozen Blood Wolves and Orc Riders. ¡°Kweek!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a crazy elf.¡± While Eloy engaged the Orcs, Zeon headed towards the underground tunnel from which the Orcs had emerged. There was a rotten smelling from below, but Zeon descended without hesitation. The underground space resembled an ant cave. The sand walls, somehow reinforced, maintained their shape without copsing. Numerous small chambers lined the walls. Zeon opened one of the chambers. The stench of blood hit him immediately, and he froze at the sight. The room was filled with human corpses, stacked like trash and reeking of fresh blood. ¡°Ha!¡± A sigh escaped Zeon¡¯s lips. It was evident that Orcs wouldn¡¯t dig out a subterranean dwelling beneath the sands. This ce had undoubtedly been constructed by humans, only to be discovered and overrun by the passing Orc Riders. The bodies bore clear bite marks from the Orcs, a grim testament to their brutal end. The state of the corpses left no doubt. The Orcs had ughtered and devoured them before Zeon¡¯s party arrived. Emaciated and deste, these were the remains of people who had hidden beneath the sands, trying to survive in a world that had be a living hell. Yet, even here, they couldn¡¯t escape the Orcs¡¯ savagery. For those who had abandoned the fight, there was no sanctuary. ¡°May you be reborn into a peaceful world in your next life¡­¡± Zeon prayed for their peace, then he summoned a fire. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 190 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 190 Dozens of Bactrian Camels walked across the scorching hot sand. Mounted on the camels were Awakeneds exuding a fierce atmosphere. Deep wounds could be seen through their tattered clothes, as if they had just fought a brutal battle. The man leading the camels muttered under his breath. ¡°Damn! This raid was aplete failure. To think the target leader was an S-rank Awakened.¡± The man with the massive build, a face covered in tattoos, and pointed ears was Urtian, the leader of the Red Storm. Behind Urtian were the key members of Red Storm: Kormac, An, and Duduyan. Kormac red at An as he spoke. ¡°You said the target leader, Lee Ji-ryeong, was an A-rank Awakened? What happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. He was definitely reported as A-rank.¡± An avoided Kormac¡¯s gaze as he answered. His job was to infiltrate the enemy and gather intelligence. Based on the information he gathered, the Red Storm nned and executed their raids. The intel An acquired rated Lee Ji-ryeong as an A-rank Awakened. Urtian, the leader, himself was also an A-rank, so they judged the raid feasible. They had ambushed the Pegasus Raid Force as they emerged from the dungeon for this reason. But their attempt ended in failure. It was all because of Lee Ji-ryeong. Now an S-rank Awakened, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s skills were terrifying. His Thunder God¡¯s Hammer killed countless numbers. Even Urtian joined the fight, but they still lost. In the end, the Red Storm suffered heavy losses and had to retreat. A raid that ended inplete failure without any gain. This was the first time in the history of the Red Storm. Because of this, their morale was at rock bottom. Urtian spoke up. ¡°It seems his rank increased inside the dungeon.¡± ¡°Does that happen often?¡± ¡°Of course not. If it did, I would have been S-rank long ago.¡± Urtian gritted his teeth. His face was filled with rage at the thought of Lee Ji-ryeong. This was the first time in his life that he had been so overwhelmingly defeated. Urtian was born strong. Born as a B-rank, he naturally became an A-rank as he grew. He didn¡¯t need to train or make any special efforts to reach A-rank. Even being A-rank was enough to have no rivals in the desert. So he never felt the need to be S-rank. But after his first defeat to Lee Ji-ryeong, he was consumed with anger at his own helplessness. Kormac cautiously spoke. ¡°We were unable to secure any food this time, so we need to quickly find a new target to raid.¡± The Red Storm had many families to support. Urtian alone had three children. To feed them, they had to constantly raid. But in the desert, there weren¡¯t many targets for raiding. Urtian, looking ahead, spoke. ¡°If ites down to it, we¡¯ll raid the Mana Stone Mines.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous. We¡¯ve tried several times before and failed each time. Our forces aren¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ast resort. We¡¯ll look for other targets first.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll check if there are any other raiding parties or caravans passing nearby.¡± ¡°Do it quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± As Kormac answered and stepped back, Urtian brooded in anger alone on his camel. At that moment, something unusual caught his eye. Something was moving ahead. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°What is it, leader?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The loyal members approached, sensing Urtian¡¯s serious tone. At that moment, a cruel smile appeared on Urtian¡¯s face. ¡°There it is.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°The next raid target.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kormac and the others looked ahead in confusion. In the distance, they saw a group moving on two legs, like humans, but their appearance was distinctly different. ¡°They¡¯re Orcs.¡± ¡°Orcs?¡± Kormac and An looked puzzled. They had been with Urtian leading the Red Storm for a long time, but they had never seen an Orc before. But Duduyan, the Dark Elf, reacted differently. ¡°Orcs?¡± As a Dark Elf, she was well-acquainted with Orcs. Elves and Orcs were hostile races. They had a deep-seated hatred for each other. That¡¯s why even hearing the word ¡®Orc¡¯ triggered her anger. Kormac spoke in confusion. ¡°Orcs? We¡¯ve never seen Orcs around here.¡± ¡°Who cares? We kill them and take everything they have.¡± Urtian¡¯s killing intent red. He wanted to vent his anger over the failed raid on the Orcs. He kicked the side of his camel and gave the order. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Attack them all.¡± Kormac, An, and Duduyan followed behind. Seeing the new raid target, the previously disheartened subordinates suddenly became ferocious. ¡°Kill the Orcs.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ughter those walking pigs.¡± With terrifying momentum, they charged towards the Orcs walking in the distance. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Chwiik! Humans!¡± ¡°It¡¯s humans!¡± The Orc group btedly noticed the attackers and caused amotion. There were over five hundred Orcs. But among them, two hundred were still young Orcs. Orcs were born warriors. They only cared about killing and plundering, neglecting their young. They expected the young to fend for themselves. But they didn¡¯tpletely abandon them. The tribe¡¯s old Orcs took care of the newborns, raising themmunally. The group of Orcs spotted by the Red Storm was such a case. Most of the group were young Orcs, apanied by old and infirm Orcs. But even old and infirm, an Orc was still an Orc. The Orcs grabbed their weapons and prepared for battle. ¡°Chwiik! Kill humans and protect young Orcs.¡± ¡°Kill them all.¡± Boom! At that moment, the Red Storm raiders charged in. The Orcs resisted, but they couldn¡¯t withstand the Red Storm raiders. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Damn it! These pig bastards should be walking on all fours, not two legs like humans.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a mix of old and young ones. You pig bastards!¡± The Red Storm raiders ughtered the Orcs like madmen. The elderly Orcs fell with their characteristic cries, leaving only the young ones. The young Orcs looked at the Red Storm raiders with eyes full of fear. An old Orc pleaded. ¡°Chwiik! They are still young. Show mercy.¡± ¡°Mercy? Do Orcs dare to ask for mercy?¡± Urtian mocked the old orc. The old orc widened his eyes. ¡°Elf¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah! Now you understand why you all have to die?¡± ¡°Chwiik! If you kill the young Orcs, you¡¯ll face the wrath of the Great Chieftain.¡± ¡°Great Chieftain?¡± Urtian remembered something. The Great Chieftain was a legend among Orcs. Born once every few generations, a monster that leads the orc tribe. From the moment the Great Chieftain is born, the Orcs prosper as if under a promise. They cease all external activities and focus solely on breeding. Those born around the same time as the Great Chieftain are especially brave and possess great strength. They lead other Orcs alongside the Great Chieftain. Because of this, the Great Chieftain greatly valued those born around the same time and those bornter. The young Orcs being led by the elderly Orcs were no exception. ¡°Chwiik! We will not surrender.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll fight to the end.¡± The young Orcs picked up the weapons of the fallen Orcs and prepared for battle. Urtian chuckled. ¡°So what? The Great Chieftain? Do you think I care about orc legends? Kill them all! Leave no one alive.¡± sh! Urtian¡¯s sword beheaded the old orc. That was the signal. The Red Storm raiders began to kill the young Orcs. The screams of the young Orcs echoed through the desert. It was truly a one-sided massacre. After a while, the desert was soaked in blood, and the young Orcsy dead on the ground. In contrast, the Red Storm raiders suffered almost no casualties. Urtian inspected the carts being pulled by the orc herd. The carts carried the carcasses ofrge desert monsters hunted by the Orcs to feed the young Orcs. ¡°We should take these. They shouldst us for a while.¡± ¡°Tch! I don¡¯t like desert monster meat, but we have no choice.¡± ¡°Take everything, leave nothing behind.¡± The Red Storm raiders gathered all the Orcs¡¯ provisions and left. Muchter, another orc appeared in the desert. It was a group of Orc Riders riding Blood Wolves. The Orc Riders were enraged at the sight of the dead Orcs. ¡°The tribe is gone.¡± ¡°Chwiik! All the young Orcs are dead.¡± ¡°We must inform the Great Chieftain.¡± The Orc Riders quickly departed. * * * ¡°Dirty orc bastards!¡± Eloy muttered as she turned the Mad Gumiho into a single-de form. Around hery the corpses of dead Orc Riders. While Zeon was underground, she had cleaned them all up. Eloy was so out of control that Levin couldn¡¯t even intervene in the fight. Shaking her head, Brielle spoke to Zeon. ¡°There¡¯s no one crazier than her. She tore up the orc corpses like rags.¡± ¡°Seems like there¡¯s a lot of umted hatred.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just hatred. It¡¯s inherited animosity over generations.¡± ¡°You feel that way too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that extreme.¡± Brielle shuddered visibly at the mere thought. Zeon approached Eloy. ¡°Are you feeling a bit better now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still filthy. What about underground?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°So there were people. I figured as much.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Eloy grimaced at Zeon¡¯s response. The meat orcs like the most were human. This is because human flesh is softer than other animals or monsters. Elves have a peculiar hostility towards the orcs, so they must be killed if they encounter them. That¡¯s why orcs who discovered humans or elves attacked without hesitation. Maybe people who lived in the underground caves here were also found by the orcs and became food. ¡°Wait a minute! Could it be that the Great Orc Chieftain has appeared?¡± ¡°Why are you saying that?¡± ¡°What if the Orc Chief has been born?¡± ¡°Great Orc Chieftain?¡± Seeing Zeon¡¯s puzzled expression, Eloy exined further. ¡°It¡¯s an orcs legend. In Kurayan, it was said that whenever an Orc Chief was born, a nation would copse.¡± ¡°Is the Orc Chief that serious?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only heard the stories. Anyway, when the Orc Chief is born, orc knights appear. Their mission is to spread the news of the Chief¡¯s birth to scattered orcs and unite them.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So these guys must be gathering the orcs scattered in the desert right now. My goodness!¡± Eloy¡¯s eyes trembled. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 191 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 191 Orcs are a warlike race. They are belligerent, tireless, and always brimming with a fighting spirit. Therefore, they are constantly engaged in battles. They fight to hunt for food, they fight other races, and they even fight among themselves. Because fighting is their everyday life, it¡¯s only natural that they never properly unite. As a result, orcs don¡¯t formrge groups. At most, they live in groups of a few dozen to just over a hundred. Anyrger, and the problems be too great for them to manage. Because of this, the orcs in Kurayan were not seen as a significant threat. The strength of individual orcs was frightening, but since they never united, it was easy to defeat them individually. However, there were times when orcs became truly terrifying. This was when a Great Orc Chieftain was born. A Great Orc Chieftain is immensely powerful. They are so strong that even hundreds of regr orcs attacking at once are no match for them. The biggest issue is that the birth of a Great Orc Chieftain brings significant changes to orc society. Orcs with exceptional strength and wisdom are born, influenced by the presence of the Great Orc Chieftain. They are drawn to the Chieftain by destiny, gathering around him and growing together. During this time, Orc Shamans and Orc Riders are also born. These orcs wield power on behalf of the Great Orc Chieftain. Once the Great Orc Chieftain matures and fully embodies his role as a ruler, the Orc Riders travel around, spreading the news of the Chieftain¡¯s birth to scattered orc groups. The orc groups cannot defy the Great Orc Chieftain. The Chieftain¡¯s call is a call of destiny. Thus, the orc groups gather under the Chieftain¡¯s banner, forming a great orc horde. The orc horde then attacks and annihtes nearby races, taking everything. The existence of a Great Orc Chieftain is akin to a drug for the orcs. Just the presence of the Chieftain paralyzes their reason, greatly heightening their fighting spirit and drastically increasing their physical abilities. There are few who can stand against them. Just as a swarm of locusts leaves no crops behind, a Great Orc Horde leaves no living thing in its wake. The Great Orc Chieftain is a being of terror. In Kurayan, any sign of the Chieftain¡¯s birth was met with an all-out effort to hunt and kill him. But things were different on Earth. Few knew about the existence of a Great Orc Chieftain. Even those who did were few in number and did not grasp the severity of the threat. No one imagined that a Great Orc Chieftain would be born in the desertified Earth. Eloy muttered. ¡°It¡¯s certain. A Great Orc Chieftain has been born and is uniting the tribes.¡± ¡°A Great Orc Chieftain¡­¡± Zeon¡¯s eyes turned cold. Just from Eloy¡¯s demeanor, he could tell how much of a threat the Great Orc Chieftain was. Most importantly, orcs saw humans as food. If the orcs under the Chieftain rampaged, countless humans would be their meals. For the humans struggling to survive, this was the greatest threat imaginable. Zeon looked around. ¡°How many humans have survived in this area?¡± The environment looked uninhabitable, but Zeon knew how tenacious humans could be. Even those who suffered at the hands of the orcs had survived by digging burrows in the sand. There were likely others like that nearby. Eloy spoke to Zeon with a firm expression. ¡°We need to inform Neo Seoul and prepare a response.¡± ¡°Will Neo Seoul even act? The orc horde may not pose a significant threat to them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Humans don¡¯t move easily unless there¡¯s a direct threat.¡± Brielle agreed with Zeon. It was no secret thatrge monsters couldn¡¯t approach Neo Seoul. If even massive beasts couldn¡¯t get close, it was unlikely that smaller beings like orcs would pose a threat. Perhaps the Great Orc Chieftain himself might, but other orcs wouldn¡¯t even get near Neo Seoul. So, Neo Seoul wouldn¡¯t see the orc rampage as a significant threat. Eloy gritted her teeth. ¡°We have to make them act, even if I have to use my Supervisor authority.¡± The Supervisor had the authority to identify and report any threat to Neo Seoul and devise countermeasures. Eloy intended to use her authority to its fullest. Zeon spoke. ¡°Then we need to return to Neo Seoul as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Take us to Neo Seoul as fast as you can. Please.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Zeon nodded. He had already witnessed the orcs¡¯ brutality underground. If the orcs were left to rampage, the number of victims would increase exponentially. That had to be prevented. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon led the group towards Neo Seoul. After encountering the Orc Riders, Eloy and Brielle had be much quieter. As elves, they were highly alert to the presence of orcs. Their blood harbored a deep-seated hatred for orcs. This made them take the situation even more seriously. Levin cautiously approached Zeon and asked. ¡°How strong is a Great Orc Chieftain likely to be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure! I¡¯ve never seen one myself.¡± ¡°But they must be very strong, right?¡± ¡°Of course. If they weren¡¯t, they wouldn¡¯t be able to unite the orc tribes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried. What if those orcs lose their minds and attack Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Neo Seoul. No matter how many orcse, they won¡¯t be able to shake it.¡± ¡°Is Neo Seoul¡¯s defense that strong?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand once you see more of the world. Neo Seoul is an unparalleled ce. I¡¯ve traveled half of this world and haven¡¯t found anywhere as perfect.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Levin knew Zeon wasn¡¯t exaggerating. ¡°The problem is the people outside Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Are there many people like that?¡± ¡°More than you¡¯d think.¡± ¡°Hm!¡± Levin sighed. Zeon patted Levin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t feel too sorry for them.¡± ¡°Hyung?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve survived for over a hundred years. They¡¯ve developed their own survival strategies. Those who can survive will find a way.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope for the best.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Levin followed Zeon closely, watching his back intently. There was a sense of solidity emanating from Zeon¡¯s back. He wasn¡¯t particrlyrge, nor did he have broad shoulders. He wasn¡¯t heavily muscled, nor did he possess overwhelming charisma. Yet, Zeon provided a sense of stability to the group without any of these traits. His unwavering presence, no matter the situation, made those with him trust and follow him. Levin aspired to emte Zeon¡¯s solidity. Just then. Suddenly, Zeon came to an abrupt stop. Levin, Eloy, and Brielle all fell silent, watching Zeon. By now, they knew that Zeon only stopped like this when he sensed something. After a moment, Zeon spoke. ¡°Sandworm.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Sandworm a hundred meters ahead. Don¡¯t move for a moment.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The three of them nodded. Sandworms detect objects¡¯ movements through vibrations in the sand. As long as they didn¡¯t move noisily, the Sandworm wouldn¡¯t detect them. Conversely, Zeon could sense the Sandworm¡¯s movements as clearly as reading his palm. Slither! The Sandworm could be felt burrowing through the sand. After circling the area for a moment, the Sandworm started moving rapidly in a specific direction. ¡®Did it find prey?¡¯ The Sandworm¡¯s sudden swift movement indicated that it had locked onto prey. Fortunately, it was moving away from where Zeon and his group stood. ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Did it find other prey?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hope it¡¯s an orc.¡± Levin expressed his hatred for orcs. Zeon nodded, agreeing with his sentiment. Eloy approached Zeon. ¡°The sun will set soon. Shouldn¡¯t we start looking for a campsite?¡± ¡°This ce isn¡¯t suitable for camping. Let¡¯s find a safer spot first.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Eloy followed Zeon¡¯s lead without protest. They had managed toe this far without encountering any monsters thanks to Zeon. There was no better guide in the desert than him. Even the best navigators of caravans had to acknowledge Zeon¡¯s superiority. As Zeon led them to a different location, a faint explosion sounded from a distance. Zeon nced towards the source of the sound and murmured. ¡°It seems the Sandworm surfaced. Its prey must be easy.¡± Sandworms had few rivals in the sand. The sand served as a protective shield, making it difficult for evenrge ground monsters to hunt Sandworms. A Sandworm would only surface when it deemed its prey easy enough to handle. This was simr to Zeon¡¯s first encounter with a Sandworm. Back then, Zeon had been on a bus, and most of the passengers were helpless. The Sandworm had targeted the bus, sensing their vulnerability. Zeon assumed the current situation was no different. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t something he needed to worry about. His priority was to safely escort his group back to Neo Seoul. He didn¡¯t want to divert his attention to anything else. Without paying much attention, Zeon continued walking. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Save us!¡± Just then, a scream suddenly echoed from a distance. The group stopped in their tracks. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Human.¡± ¡°Why do they sound like children?¡± The voices were unmistakably those of children. Two children were running towards them from a distance, with a cloud of dust rising behind them. A Sandworm was chasing the children. Levin, without waiting for anyone¡¯s permission, sprang into action. Driven by the need to save the children, his body moved on its own. In an instant, Levin, now ghost-like, reached the children. Boom! At that moment, the Sandworm emerged from the ground with a deafening explosion, opening its massive jaws to devour the children. ¡°No!¡± Purple lightning surged from Levin¡¯s ghostly form. It was Levin¡¯s signature move, the Purple Lightning. Crack! The Purple Lightning struck the Sandworm. The high-voltage current momentarily stunned the Sandworm. But it quickly recovered and lifted its head as if unscathed. The creature was sorge and its hide so thick that the current couldn¡¯t prate it, only making it angrier. Enraged, the Sandworm opened its mouth wide and lunged at Levin. Levin hovered in the air, staring down the massive jaws approaching him. ¡°Let¡¯s see if the inside is as tough as the outside.¡± Crunch! In an instant, the Sandworm swallowed Levin. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Levin?¡± Eloy and Brielle, watching from afar, cried out in shock. Then it happened. sh! A purple light exploded from the Sandworm¡¯s mouth. Levin had released Purple Lightning from inside the creature. Screech! The Sandworm thrashed in agony, trying to expel Levin, but it was impossible to vomit out his ghostly form. Instead, Levin intensified the power of his Purple Lightning. Boom! With a tremendous explosion, the massive Sandworm blew apart. Brielle let out a cry of amazement. ¡°Whoa!¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 192 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 192 The sight of the massive Sandworm exploding was a spectacle to behold. Sandworm debris scattered everywhere, leaving a deep crater in the ground. In the center of it stood Levin, having shifted out of his ghostly form, the purple lightning dissipating around him. ¡°Haah!¡± Levin exhaled the breath he had been holding. Attacking from inside the Sandworm¡¯s belly had been a gamble for him. Though he knew his ghostly form protected him from physical damage, diving into the belly of a beast was another matter entirely. It took courage and a steely resolve. Luckily, Levin possessed both. He had risked his life, and the result was the death of the Sandworm. Zeon patted Levin on the shoulder and said. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Hyung!¡± ¡°Keep it up, just like that.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Levin nodded with a determined expression. Zeon moved past Levin to approach the children who had been the Sandworm¡¯s target. They appeared to be around ten years old¡ªa boy who seemed to be the older brother and a younger girl. Their clothes, made of monster hide, resembled medieval leather armor¡ªsimple designs not seen in Neo Seoul. The children stared at Zeon, their faces filled with fear. They were more terrified of the strangers who had easily defeated the Sandworm than they had been of the Sandworm itself. Zeon knelt on one knee to meet their eyes. ¡°Do you live here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Where are the adults?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Despite Zeon¡¯s repeated questions, the children remained silent. Then, Brielle stepped forward. ¡°Hello! My name is Brielle. As you can see, we¡¯re not from around here. We¡¯re just passing through. We¡¯re not interested in you and have no intention of harming you. So you don¡¯t have to be so wary. We¡¯ll just take you back and then be on our way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t talk, we¡¯ll leave. We¡¯re really busy.¡± ¡°Will you really take us home and leave?¡± The boy finally mustered the courage to speak. Brielle smiled slightly. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then¡­ please take us home.¡± ¡°Alright! But what are your names? Don¡¯t you think we should at least know your names?¡± ¡°My name is Jacob, and this is my sister Lucy.¡± ¡°Are you two alone? Where are the others?¡± ¡°The adults we came with are all dead.¡± Jacob nced at the Sandworm remains. Without further exnation, it was clear what had happened. The adults had likely been devoured by the Sandworm, leaving the children to escape and encounter Zeon and his group. Zeon spoke. ¡°Lead the way. Don¡¯t worry about monsters.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Jacob led the way with Lucy, and Zeon¡¯s group followed. Eloy approached Zeon and whispered, ¡°Are you really just going to take the children and leave?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°I never imagined we¡¯d find children in such a ce. How did they survive in this environment?¡± ¡°I told you, humans can adapt and survive in any environment.¡± ¡°That much I can agree with. That¡¯s probably the biggest difference between humans and elves.¡± Eloy smiled bitterly. If elves had the adaptability of humans, they might have created their own city instead of leeching off Neo Seoul. There were rumors of a city for the otherworldly races, El Harun, but it wasn¡¯t an elven city. If only elves had migrated, they wouldn¡¯t have built such a powerful settlement. As Jacob and Lucy walked, they kept ncing back. Initially, their faces were full of fear, but now curiosity was emerging. The children were natives of this desert. Born and raised here, they had never encountered outsiders. In their vige, all outsiders were taught to be enemies. Their vige was so isted and closed off that no one interacted with the outside world. Taking strangers to such a vige seemed like a bad idea, but they had no choice. The vige wasn¡¯t far, but the path was fraught with monsters. The children couldn¡¯t possibly navigate the dangerous route alone. They needed help to return to their vige. Lucy whispered to Jacob, ¡°Is it okay to take them with us? The adults will be angry.¡± ¡°We have no choice. How else can we get back to the vige?¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lucy looked at Jacob¡¯s face with concern. Already treated as outcasts, she worried about how much more scorn they would face because of this. Just then, a distant howl echoed. Awoo! Jacob and Lucy¡¯s expressions changed immediately. ¡°Fire Wolves.¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Fire Wolves were one of the mostmon monsters here. They had the traits of both wolves and hyenas. Once they locked onto prey, they pursued relentlessly until either they or their prey were dead. What made them especially dangerous was their tendency to travel in packs. Once they caught their prey, they consumed even the bones, leaving no trace behind. This area wasn¡¯t originally a fire wolf habitat. But a passing pack had once tasted human flesh and decided to settle here. Because of this, the vige¡¯s mobility had been severely restricted. Awoo! A pack of Fire Wolves appeared, kicking up dust. Their jaws and tails flickered with mes, giving them their name. Jacob and Lucy, their fear deeply ingrained, stood frozen and trembling. Eloy stepped forward. She drew her spear, the Mad Gumiho, and charged at the pack of Fire Wolves. ¡°You need a stick to beat up crazy dogs.¡± Though Fire Wolves could number in the hundreds, there were only a few dozen in front of her. They posed no real threat to her. ¡°Hyah! Illusion Spear!¡± Eloy¡¯s spear, Mad Gumiho, multiplied into dozens of spears. The Fire Wolves couldn¡¯t distinguish the real from the illusion. While they were confused, Eloy¡¯s attacks rained down. Boom! Grrr! Arghhh! The sound of explosions and the wolves¡¯ cries echoed together. Several Fire Wolves fell dead. Eloy leaped into the pack of surviving Fire Wolves, swinging her spear. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] It was a one-sided ughter. With every swing of her spear, three or four Fire Wolves fell. The Fire Wolves were no match for Eloy. ¡°These insignificant creatures are nothing.¡± Eloy quickly killed all the Fire Wolves. Jacob and Lucy stared at her in disbelief. ¡°How can this be?¡± ¡°She¡¯s stronger than the adults in our vige.¡± Their vige had Awakeneds, but even they couldn¡¯t handle the Fire Wolves and avoided them. Yet, Eloy had easily dealt with the entire pack. It was an unbelievable sight. Levin, who had instantly killed the Sandworm, and Eloy, who had effortlessly dispatched the Fire Wolves. The children couldn¡¯t even fathom the strength of this party. Eloy searched the bodies of the Fire Wolves. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t find any Mana Stones. ¡°Ugh! Only duds. They must have been stragglers from the main pack.¡± Eloy returned to the group, looking disappointed. To the children, it was a major event, but to her, it wasn¡¯t something worth bragging about. Zeon spoke to the children. ¡°There won¡¯t be any more monsters blocking the way. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jacob led the way, guiding Zeon¡¯s group to the vige. After about thirty minutes of walking, they arrived at a sandstone mountain. The mountain was barely a hundred meters high, with steep, almost vertical slopes. Halfway up, there was arge cave entrance. Awakened guards stood at the entrance. Jacob spoke. ¡°That¡¯s our vige.¡± ¡°You chose a good ce to defend against monsters.¡± While it couldn¡¯t stoprge beasts, smaller creatures wouldn¡¯t dare climb those walls. This was why the vige had survived. Though it was isted and had no external contact, it was safe. As Zeon¡¯s group approached, the guards shouted. ¡°Stop right there.¡± ¡°Come any closer and we¡¯ll attack.¡± Their voices were full of wariness. ¡°Wait a moment. Uncle Jack, it¡¯s us. Jacob and Lucy.¡± ¡°What? Why are you out there? What happened to the others?¡± ¡°We were attacked by a Sandworm. Everyone else is dead.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for these people, we¡¯d be dead too.¡± Jacob¡¯s words made the guards exchange nces. Their vige lived inplete istion from the outside world. They had cut off all contact with outsiders. Because of this, seeing outsiders was a first for them. Unsure of what to do, the guards said, ¡°Wait here. We¡¯ll inform the elders.¡± ¡°Just let us in.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t. You contacted outsiders without permission. We need the elders¡¯ approval before letting you in.¡± ¡°Damn it! Please don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the vige rules.¡± ¡°Then at least let Lucy in. That¡¯s not asking too much.¡± ¡°There are no exceptions to the rules.¡± Jacob bit his lip at the guard¡¯s cold demeanor. ¡°Then hurry up and tell them.¡± ¡°Wait. Everything in the vige follows procedure. You there, stay put. If you attempt to enter the vige, you won¡¯t be spared.¡± The guard warned Zeon¡¯s group. Zeon shrugged to show he meant no harm. Levin whispered to Eloy. ¡°The vige atmosphere seems unusual.¡± ¡°It does. Even the children don¡¯t seem to be weed.¡± ¡°What¡¯s their story?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re just passing through.¡± ¡°Yes! I was just curious.¡± ¡°Such closedmunities are hostile to outsiders. Even if we enter, we won¡¯t be weed.¡± Eloy, who had lived in Neo Seoul for a long time, understood people well. Just from observing the situation, she could tell how isted and closed off the vige was. Lucy held Jacob¡¯s hand. ¡°Brother, are you okay?¡± ¡°How can they do this to us? Our uncles died because of them. These damned old men.¡± ¡°Be careful! They might hear you.¡± ¡°Let them. This vige should be destroyed to wake them up.¡± ¡°Shh!¡± At that moment, about ten elders appeared at the cave entrance. These were the vige¡¯s leaders. One elder stepped forward and spoke. ¡°Jacob, exin what happened. Why did you bring outsiders?¡± ¡°We were on the mission you assigned when a Sandworm attacked. Everyone else is dead. If it weren¡¯t for these people, we¡¯d be dead too.¡± ¡°Everyone is dead?¡± ¡°Yes! Uncle Matthew, Uncle Buck, and Aunt Sarah are missing. It happened while gathering the sunflowers.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°If we hadn¡¯t met these people, we¡¯d be dead too. So please let us in.¡± ¡°You two wait. We¡¯ll talk to these people and then decide if you can enter.¡± The elders turned their gaze to Zeon¡¯s group. Zeon sensed their strong hostility. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 193 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 193 The vigers called this ce the Steel Fortress. It was a bastion carved out of a red sandstone mountain. They had spent their entire lives in this secluded environment, leading to an extreme wariness of outsiders. The elders debated for a long time, asionally raising their voices as they argued. Finally, a conclusion was reached. The elder representing the group stepped forward. ¡°Fine. It¡¯ste, and you did save the children, so we will allow all the outsiders inside. However, you must promise not to cause any trouble and stay within the designated areas. Do you agree to our conditions?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zeon answered without hesitation. Night had fallen during the elders¡¯ deliberation. It was too troublesome to find another ce to stay. Resting in the vige, however stifling, was the better option. Moreover, Zeon was curious about this vige. Colonies and viges like this existed, but he had never seen one so tightly sealed off. He wondered what had led them to such istion. An eldermanded a guard. ¡°Lower the basket.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Arge basket connected to a pulley system was lowered from the vige entrance. Without the basket, it was impossible to reach the entrance, which was seventy meters above the ground. Jacob and Lucy climbed into the basket first. ¡°Get in.¡± The basket wasrge enough to amodate Zeon¡¯s entire group. Creak! Once everyone was in, the basket was pulled up. The vige entrance, located seventy meters above the ground, was buffeted by strong winds, a reminder of its height. Clunk! The pulley stopped, and they reached the vige entrance. Inside, out of sight from below, stood a dozen guards armed and ready to attack if necessary. The guards, like Jacob, wore armor made from monster hides. The vigers wore simr attire, indicating the vige¡¯s living standards. ¡®This isparable to the Middle Ages or early modern times.¡¯ While Neo Seoul represented an advanced civilization, most colonies and viges Zeon had visited were at this level. At that moment, the elder who had spoken before approached. An old man with long hair down to his shoulders and a beard reaching his chest. He had a fierce gaze and thin lips, giving him a stubborn appearance. ¡°My name is Gawen. I am the head elder of Steel Fortress. In our vige, all decisions are made by the elders¡¯ council. Now that you are here, you must abide by our decisions. Disobey, and you will be expelled immediately. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Since you saved the children and it¡¯ste, I¡¯ll arrange a ce for you to stay.¡± Gawen gestured to a guard, who approached Zeon¡¯s group. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°No, you step aside. I will guide them.¡± Another elder stepped forward, addressing the guard. ¡°Elder Holt?¡± ¡°They saved Jacob and Lucy. We should show some courtesy.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The guard agreed and stepped back. The old man called Elder Holtran introduced himself to Zeon. ¡°My name is Holtran, the second elder. I¡¯ll take you to your quarters.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Holtran led them inside the fortress, while Gawen watched with a disapproving look. ¡®There¡¯s tension between the two elders.¡¯ Zeon observed but kept silent. No colony was free from internal strife. Even in Neo Seoul, Mayor Jin Geum-ho and the four district leaders constantly vied for power, maintaining a bnce. Zeon assumed Steel Fortress was no different. The vigers¡¯ intense gazes were filled with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, scrutinizing Zeon¡¯s group closely. ¡°They came from outside?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years since we had outsiders.¡± ¡°Look at their clothes. Not made from monster hides.¡± ¡°Where did theye from?¡± ¡°Elder Gawen allowed outsiders in?¡± ¡°He had no choice after his stubbornness led to the sunflower expedition¡¯s disaster.¡± Though they tried to speak quietly, Zeon¡¯s awakened senses picked up every word. ¡®Looks like Elder Holtran spoke for us, while Elder Gawen opposed.¡¯ Zeon quickly grasped the dynamics of Steel Fortress. Understanding human rtionships was crucial in such situations. Steel Fortress was a massive underground cavern carved out of the sandstone mountain by the vigers themselves, using no advanced equipment. Inside the cavern were hundreds of houses. ¡®If each house holds four people, that¡¯s at least two thousand residents.¡¯ A minuscule numberpared to Neo Seoul, where a single building in the slums housed that many people. But surviving with two thousand people in the desert was a remarkable feat. ¡®How do they manage their water supply? Two thousand people need a steady source of water to survive.¡¯ Holtran¡¯s voice interrupted Zeon¡¯s thoughts. ¡°This is the house.¡± The house was on the vige outskirts, making interaction with vigers difficult. Observation posts nearby made privacy unlikely. Zeon looked around andmented. ¡°It¡¯s quaint and cozy.¡± ¡°It originally belonged to someone else.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Matthew. He went to gather sunflowers with Jacob and Lucy.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead then.¡± ¡°He was a good friend. I hope he finds peace in the next life.¡± ¡°This ce is good enough, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Steel Fortress is¡­ an isted ind. Rest well. The children will bring you food.¡± With that, Holtran left the house. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Zeon watched Holtran leave before entering the house. The interior was clean, with two rooms, enough for the four of them to sleepfortably. Eloy sat on a chair, murmuring. ¡°I never imagined a vige carved out of a mountain. No ordinary monster can approach this ce.¡± ¡°With the entrance seventy meters high, only flying monsters could get in.¡± Levin agreed. Brielle, looking around with curiosity, said. ¡°But how do they get water? No matter where I look, I can¡¯t see where the source could be.¡± ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s intriguing.¡± ¡°Do they draw it from underground?¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Watching Brielle and Levin seriously debate, Eloy chuckled. ¡°They¡¯re so energetic. What do you think?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°This vige. Doesn¡¯t it seem divided? The elders don¡¯t seem to agree.¡± Eloy¡¯s keen observation had also noted the vige¡¯s internal strife. Zeon nodded. ¡°Gawen and Holtran appear to have differing opinions.¡± ¡°Factional fights are a problem everywhere.¡± ¡°It¡¯s human nature to establish hierarchy, even when survival is at stake.¡± ¡°It¡¯s pathetic! They should be uniting to survive, not fighting for power¡­.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Zeon agreed with Eloy¡¯s frustration. Humans tend to unite during crises but start power struggles once things stabilize. Zeon smiled. ¡°We¡¯re leaving tomorrow anyway. Don¡¯t worry about it and get some rest.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Eloy nodded, acknowledging the need to rest. Even a highly capable Awakened like her needed rest to maintain peak performance. Eloy went to one of the rooms to sleep. Brielle and Levin, after their intense discussion, also went to their room to rest, leaving Zeon alone in the living room. Zeon¡¯s eyes sparkled as he noticed a nt on the living room shelf. It had dried flower petals attached. Jacob and Lucy had mentioned going out to gather sunflowers. ¡°Is this a sunflower?¡± Zeon picked up the nt, inspecting it closely. After a moment, he frowned. ¡°This is a corrupted herb.¡± To confirm, he chewed on one of the petals. A sharp taste hit his tongue, and his mind quickly became hazy. Zeon spat out the petal immediately, but his tongue was already numb, and his consciousness was fading. Using his mana, he expelled the petal¡¯s toxins from his body, clearing his mind. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a corrupted herb.¡± Zeon¡¯s expression turned serious. Corrupted herbs grew from the corpses of monsters, absorbing their poison and blood. While they could temporarily enhance human abilities, they caused hallucinations and severe addiction. Anyone who fell into their grip could never escape. The vigers seemed to use corrupted herbs under the guise of sunflowers. ¡°Using children to gather corrupted herbs. This ce is far from decent.¡± No respectablemunity would send children on such dangerous missions. ¡°Tsk!¡± As Zeon clicked his tongue¡ªKnock! There was a knock on the door. When Zeon opened it, he saw a familiar face¡ªJacob. Jacob held a tray of food. ¡°Elder Holtran asked me to bring this.¡± ¡°Would you like toe inside? ¡°Yes.¡± Jacob entered with the tray, looking around the house with a somber expression. Thinking of Matthew, the house¡¯s original owner, weighed heavily on him. Matthew had been the first to die in the Sandworm attack, devoured in an instant. The only sce was that Matthew likely hadn¡¯t suffered. But that didn¡¯t ease the guilt. Guilt was the burden of the survivors. Jacob, struggling with his emotions, ced the tray on the table. ¡°This is dinner. I wish we had better food, but this is all we have.¡± The food, made from an unknown monster¡¯s meat, had a pungent smell that made Zeon grimace. ¡°The situation in the fortress doesn¡¯t seem good.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just my guess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not great. But we manage.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. And thank you for saving us. I wanted to say that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°Thank you. And¡­ be careful.¡± Zeon looked at Jacob¡¯s face for a moment before nodding. ¡°I will.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 194 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 194 Urtian looked at the woman kneeling before him with an expression of interest. She was covered in sand, her clothes tattered, indicating she had experienced a significant ordeal. And indeed, she had. The woman had survived an attack by a Sandworm. She had almost been swallowed whole by the beast but managed to escape, copsing to the ground. The shock had caused her to lose consciousness, and Urtian and the Red Storm had found her nearby. Urtian asked. ¡°So, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Sera.¡± ¡°Hmm! So, Sera, you¡¯re saying there¡¯s a ce called Steel Fortress nearby?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ that¡¯s correct.¡± Sera¡¯s voice trembled. She had left Steel Fortress with Jacob, Lucy, and others to gather sunflowers when they were attacked by a Sandworm. When she regained consciousness, instead of herpanions, she found herself surrounded by Urtian and the Red Storm raiders. Fear was evident on her face as she looked at them. Steel Fortress was highly isted. Most of the elders despised contact with the outside world and enforced strict seclusion policies. Only those hunting monsters or gathering sunflowers were allowed to leave, and even then, only under strict conditions. The elders indoctrinated the vigers to believe that outsiders were untrustworthy and as dangerous as monsters. Sera had been taught this and thus feared outsiders. In reality, Urtian was just as terrifying. He wasn¡¯t making an effort to look fierce or threatening, but his very presence was intimidating. Urtian smiled. ¡°You¡¯re scared. Don¡¯t worry, Sera! I¡¯m not such a scary person.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a chat. So, you came from a ce called Steel Fortress? Is it safe from monsters?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯srge enough to house two thousand people?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Sera looked like she was about to cry. She didn¡¯t want to talk, but Urtian¡¯s overwhelming presencepelled her to answer. ¡°And there¡¯s a stable water supply?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good! Very good!¡± A smile spread across Urtian¡¯s face. Having a stable water source was a huge advantage. Finding an oasis, especially one with a Sand Angler, was rare. Thest time they captured a Sand Angler was sheer luck, and if they had been a bitte, it would have disappeared along with the oasis. Urtian always prioritized securing water. ¡°Sera, we¡¯ll escort you back to Steel Fortress.¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s not necessary. I can go alone.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. It¡¯s not right to let ady travel alone at night. That¡¯s not how a gentleman behaves.¡± ¡°Really, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the ones who aren¡¯t fine with it. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Urtian asked his subordinates behind him. ¡°Of course. How can we let a weak woman go alone?¡± ¡°We have to protect her, hehehe!¡± The subordinates answered, making it very obvious. Urtian shrugged and looked at Sera. ¡°You see?¡± ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice. Just lead the way. Now.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was nighttime. Night was the time for monsters. No matter how skilled an Awakened was, they didn¡¯t travel at night. But the Red Storm didn¡¯t care. They were confident in their abilities and, more importantly, desperate. The Red Storm wasn¡¯t just made up of Awakeneds. Most of their members were ordinary people who needed a safe ce to stay. Steel Fortress was the perfect spot. Urtian gave the order. ¡°Everyone, head to Steel Fortress immediately. An, Duduyan!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Leader!¡± An and Duduyan stepped forward. ¡°You heard her?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Can you find the ce without her guide?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± An answered confidently. A smile yed on Urtian¡¯s lips. ¡°Scout the inside of Steel Fortress. And¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll handle the preparations. Do not worry.¡± Duduyan said as she and An set off, disappearing into the night. Urtian looked at Sera. ¡°Sera, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Hic!¡± Sera couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. But no one in the Red Storm showed any sympathy. Urtian urged her. ¡°Hurry!¡± His voice was gentle but firm. £ª£ª£ª Elder Gawen¡¯s house was thergest and most ornate in Steel Fortress. To assert his authority, Gawen had surrounded his house with the homes of numerous Awakeneds, creating a nearly imprable defense. A lively party was underway at Gawen¡¯s house. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± The Awakeneds lounged in chairs or on the floor, groaning in pleasure. Their eyes were zed over. They had inhaled powdered sunflowers. The substance Zeon called corrupted herb contained narcotic properties, plunging the users into hallucinations. In an enclosed space with few entertainment options, the processed powder from sunflowers was a prized indulgence. Gawen used this powder to control the Awakeneds of Steel Fortress. Once addicted, they could never escape its grip. However, harvesting sunflowers was challenging. Sunflowers grew only from the corpses of certain monsters, and finding these corpses was difficult. Recently, they had been fortunate to discover a monster¡¯s corpse with sunflowers deep underground. However, the narrow passages meant they had to use children to retrieve the flowers. Jacob and Lucy had been enlisted for this reason. Although this expedition ended in failure, Gawen sat in his chair, muttering. ¡°Tsk! This mission was aplete failure. Not a single sunflower, and we returned with extra burdens.¡± His gaze turned to Matthew¡¯s house. Matthew¡¯s death meant nothing to him. Matthew had been a follower of Holtran, the second elder. The problem was the outsiders in Matthew¡¯s house. Gawen had enforced strict seclusion policies. By cutting off all contact with the outside, he believed he was ensuring the safety and purity of Steel Fortress. Initially, he hadn¡¯t been so istionist. They used to interact with other survivors and engage in barter, leading to a more prosperous life. However, an attack by outsiders who coveted Steel Fortress resulted in many casualties and injuries. This led Gawen to implement his istionist policies. He aimed to create a self-sustaining ecosystem by severing external contacts. At first, it seemed sessful. Without external interaction, there were no invasions, and there was no need to be constantly on alert. But over time, problems arose. Food became scarcer, and children with gic disorders from inbreeding were born. People lost their sense of challenge and stopped taking risks. As a result, Steel Fortress began to regress, and people lost trust in Gawen. Gawen turned to sunflowers as a desperate measure. Using the narcotic to control and addict people. Holtran, the second elder, opposed Gawen¡¯s actions and consistently challenged him. Allowing Zeon¡¯s group into Steel Fortress was Holtran¡¯s doing. While ostensibly to repay the saviors of Jacob and Lucy, Holtran intended to use them to undermine Gawen. Gawen smiled, muttering. ¡°You think I don¡¯t see through your schemes, Holtran? This is my kingdom. No one will take it from me. The outsiders you brought will be gone before the night is over. Hehehe!¡± * * * Deep into the night, figures moved stealthily. Their destination was the house on the outskirts of Steel Fortress. Upon reaching the house, they scanned the surroundings. Every house was dark and silent. Confirming there were no witnesses, they took out a sealed pouch. Opening a window, they carefully ced the pouch inside. Thud! The seal broke, releasing an invisible gas. The colorless, odorless gas quickly filled the house. After some time, the intruders opened the door and entered. This was the house where Zeon and his group were sleeping. The intruders checked each room. Zeon¡¯s groupy unconscious. Smiles spread across the intruders¡¯ faces. ¡°They¡¯re all out. They won¡¯t wake for at least a day, thanks to the Four-Eyed Bat venom gas.¡± Four-Eyed Bats were monsters that lived in the depths of Steel Fortress. These creatures had four eyes and venomous fangs that paralyzed their prey. The venom, processed into a sleep-inducing gas, could knock out evenrge monsters. Each intruder picked up one of the unconscious group members. ¡°This girl is really pretty. Can¡¯t we have some fun before we kill her?¡± One of the men, carrying Eloy, said. At that moment, the leader snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! She¡¯s an Awakened. If she wakes up, we¡¯re in trouble.¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯d actually touch her? Tch! Can¡¯t even talk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Grumbling, the man carrying Eloy followed. The intruders carried Zeon¡¯s group out of the house. They headed to a deep, hidden part of Steel Fortress. There, a narrow vertical tunnel led underground, home to the Four-Eyed Bats. Iron bars prevented the bats from escaping. The intruders nned to kill Zeon¡¯s group and dispose of their bodies in the tunnel. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly. The others are probably high on sunflower powder by now.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s slit their throats.¡± Theyid Zeon and his group on the ground. All four were unconscious. The man carrying Eloy looked at the leader with a pleading expression. ¡°Boss, can I really not have a little fun first?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to be bat food anyway. It won¡¯t leave any marks.¡± ¡°Ten minutes. No more.¡± ¡°Hehe! That¡¯s plenty.¡± The man gleefully dragged Eloy to a corner. The leader sighed deeply and muttered. ¡°Haa! That animal bastard.¡± ¡°Not like you¡¯re any better.¡± At that moment, a voice came from behind him. Thinking it was one of his men mocking him, the leader turned around angrily. ¡°What? Which bastard¡­¡± The moment he identified the owner of the voice, his eyes widened. Zeon, who was supposed to be unconscious from the sleeping gas, was standing there perfectly fine. Even Levin and Brielle were looking at him with clear, alert eyes, as if they had never been knocked out. The men who had carried them were all lying unconscious. It happened without the leader even realizing it. ¡®When¡­ how?¡¯ Cold sweat trickled down his back. ¡°Aaagh!¡± A blood-curdling scream came from the corner where the man had dragged Eloy. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 195 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 195 ¡°Ugh!¡± The man trying to strip Eloy off was now clutching his groin, writhing on the ground. Blood stained his pants. Eloy spat on the ground and muttered. ¡°What a filthy thing to pull out. And so small, too.¡± ¡°You, you¡ª?¡± ¡°What? You little maggot! Just give up already.¡± Crack! Eloy easily neutralized his manhood. A single punch from her knocked the man unconscious. Leaving the limp body behind, she walked back to where Zeon was. The situation there was already resolved. The only intruder still standing was the leader, and his face was twisted with confusion and fear. ¡°How¡­ how? The venom of the Four-Eyed Bat is supposed topletely paralyze the nervous system.¡± ¡°That would be true if we were caught off guard.¡± ¡°So you were prepared for it?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more unusual to bepletely defenseless in an unfamiliar ce?¡± Zeon asked, genuinely puzzled. In this hellish world, the most dangerous creatures were not monsters but humans. Only humans would deceive and kill their own kind. From the moment they arrived, the atmosphere at Steel Fortress had been anything but weing. It would have been strange to let their guard down without any precautions. Fortunately, they had Brielle¡¯s antidote potion, which easily neutralized the nerve gas derived from the Four-Eyed Bat¡¯s venom. ¡°Damn it! You bastards dare deceive me? I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± The leader screamed, unable to contain his rage. In an instant, a dark energy swirled around him. As he directed the dark energy towards Zeon and his group, he shouted. ¡°Fear, confusion, paralysis!¡± ¡°A curse.¡± Zeon identified the dark energy immediately. It was a manifestation of curses. If struck by it, the curses would disrupt their minds and weaken their bodies. Zeon raised a wall of sand around the man. The curse dissipated upon contact with the sand wall. ¡°What the?¡± ¡°Mister, get some sleep.¡± Levin stepped in, releasing a controlled electric current to the back of the man¡¯s neck. Zap! With a spark, the man rolled his eyes back and passed out. Levin had be proficient at adjusting the intensity of his electricity. It was easy for him to paralyze just the central nervous system. Eloy looked at Zeon and asked. ¡°What are you going to do? They tried to kill us. Are you just going to let this slide?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? We should find the ones who ordered this and deal with them.¡± ¡°And then what?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Can you take responsibility for whates next?¡± ¡°Responsibility? For what? We just need to deal with them.¡± ¡°There are two thousand people here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how many people live here. Their lives are at stake.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Eloy cursed, understanding the implication of Zeon¡¯s words. Zeon and his group were just passing through. But those two thousand people had to continue living here. If they recklessly killed Gawen and his men, the future of those two thousand people would be uncertain. Interfering irresponsibly could drastically alter the lives of everyone in the fortress. Zeon wasn¡¯t willing to do that without being able to shoulder the consequences. Eloy sighed. ¡°Haah! Why does life really have to beplicated. Can¡¯t it be simpler?¡± ¡°I acted without thinking once before and almost killed tens of thousands.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re serious.¡± Eloy¡¯s eyes widened. She had suspected Zeon had a past he didn¡¯t talk about, but she hadn¡¯t imagined it was so significant. Zeon spoke with a somber expression. ¡°From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it might not make sense, but there¡¯s a unique ecosystem here. Recklessly interfering could destroy everything.¡± The people of Steel Fortress had survived for over a hundred years independently. Living without external contact meant their perspectives were narrow, and they couldn¡¯t think broadly. They had their own rules andmand structures. Would they be able to adapt if their leadership was suddenly taken away? Zeon doubted it. ¡°Any change needs toe from within. Only then can the consequences be minimized.¡± ¡°Shit! Maybe we should just leave without getting involved.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to Elder Holtran¡¯s house. If we tell him what happened, he¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°That old man? Yeah, that might work.¡± Holtran was an insider. If he led the change, the people might follow. ¡°But where is Holtran¡¯s house?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find it.¡± Levin volunteered. Turning into his ghost form, he swiftly moved through the vige. There were quite a few Awakeneds in Steel Fortress, but none noticed Levin¡¯s ghostly form. After ten minutes, Levin found Holtran¡¯s house. Despite thete hour, the house was brightly lit. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Inside, Jacob, Lucy, and several others were gathered. They were all followers of Holtran. An older man among them spoke with a fervent tone. ¡°We can¡¯t leave Gawen unchecked. Many people have been ruined by his drugs.¡± ¡°Look at Jacob and Lucy. They nearly died. He sent them to gather sunflowers while keeping his own followers¡¯ children safe.¡± The people spoke passionately, and Holtran listened with his eyes closed. The dissatisfaction among them had reached its peak. Gawen ruled Steel Fortress with drugs and water. He controlled the Awakeneds with drugs and the residents with water. Nothing could be done without his permission. This ce was Gawen¡¯s kingdom. Holtran and his followers opposed Gawen¡¯s tyranny, but there was little they could do. ¡°If we keep up this istion, everyone will suffer. We need to change by connecting with the outside world.¡± ¡°We must somehow trade with this ce called Neo Seoul.¡± Listening to their conversation, Levin thought to himself/ ¡®At least there are people here who want change.¡¯ Levin returned to Zeon and Eloy, rying everything he had heard. Zeon made a decision. ¡°Take us to Holtran¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± They all headed to Holtran¡¯s house together. * * * ¡°Wow! This ce is a paradise.¡± An whistled as he surveyed the inside of Steel Fortress. Though he didn¡¯t say anything, Duduyan shared the same thoughts. It had been just an hour since they had infiltrated Steel Fortress, and in that time, they had explored most of the interior. Contrary to their expectations of tight security, the internal defenses werex. The entrance was the same. Two Awakeneds were on guard, but their watch was merely formal, making it easy to slip past them unnoticed. The fortress¡¯s entrance was seventy meters above ground, leading to a false sense of security. An turned to Duduyan. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Kill all the Awakeneds and take over.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the only way we survive.¡± Duduyan answered without a hint of hesitation. After failing to raid the Pegasus Raid Force, their food and water supplies had dwindled. If they didn¡¯t find a solution soon, the families of the Red Storm would starve. Duduyan caressed the hilt of her dagger. ¡°I¡¯ll assassinate the leaders. You prepare the way for the boss toe in.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± An replied with a grin. Duduyan vanished into the shadows, perfectly blending into the darkness like the Dark Elf she was. An wasn¡¯t surprised; he had seen it many times before. ¡°Guess I should get moving too.¡± An¡¯s role in the Red Storm was infiltration and information gathering. His job was to provide Urthian with urate information for sound decisions. Usually, that was the extent of his role. But in special situations like this, he had to take risks too. He strolled casually toward the entrance of Steel Fortress. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± The guards at the entrance raised their weapons at the sound of footsteps. An spoke nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t recognize me? That¡¯s disappointing.¡± The guards squinted, trying to recall the voice. The dim light and An¡¯s casual approach made it hard for them to consider him an intruder. One of the guards tried to match the voice. ¡°Is that you, Oron?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s me, Oron. Finally, you recognize me?¡± An effortlessly pretended to be Oron. The guards fell for itpletely. ¡°Oron, what brings you here at this hour? Your shift isn¡¯t until tomorrow afternoon.¡± ¡°I needed to talk to you.¡± ¡°Talk to us?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s about¡­¡± An trailed off as he approached the guards. The torchlight illuminated his face. The guards¡¯ eyes widened in shock. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not Oron!¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Thud! Instead of answering, An drew his dagger and slit the guards¡¯ throats. Thinking he was arade, they had let their guard down, and now they copsed without even a scream. An sheathed his dagger and muttered. ¡°Sorry about this. But not really¡­¡± He showed no remorse. He took the torch and waved it vigorously. Below, someone responded by waving another torch. The Red Storm was ready. ¡°Good!¡± An activated the mechanism to lower the basket. Creak! The pulley system lowered the basket. Momentster, someone tugged the rope from below. An reversed the pulley to lift the basket back up. In no time, therge basket was back, carrying Urthian and others. Urthian stepped out and addressed An. ¡°Good job. What¡¯s the situation inside?¡± ¡°Duduyan is already preparing.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± Urthian grinned, his teeth gleaming menacingly in the torchlight. Meanwhile, the basket continued to shuttle up and down, bringing more of the Red Storm into Steel Fortress. In less than an hour, the entire Red Storm had infiltrated Steel Fortress. The fortress still hadn¡¯t noticed the invasion. Urthianmanded the Red Storm. ¡°Kill all the Awakeneds.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 196 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 196 Holtran stared intently at Zeon. He had been shocked when Zeon burst into the meeting, but even more shocking was the news that Zeon had been ambushed by men sent by Gawen. Holtran had never expected Gawen to attempt to kill Zeon so openly; he had thought that any assassination attempt would ur after Zeon left Steel Fortress. Gawen had always dealt with visitors to Steel Fortress in such a manner, so Holtran had nned to warn Zeon before he departed. ¡°Ugh! Gawen¡¯s tyranny has gone too far. I apologize on his behalf.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not looking for an apology from you, Elder Holtran. We¡¯ll be leaving in the morning anyway.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I wanted you to know the situation so you could prepare.¡± ¡°If I had the power, I would have done so long ago. But as you know, Gawen hasplete control. He holds all the Awakeneds and the water supply, leaving me powerless.¡± ¡°Would you be able to take full control of Steel Fortress if Gawen were gone?¡± ¡°Are you offering to help?¡± ¡°Whatever the reason, the fact is that he tried to kill us.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Holtran let out a sigh. He fell silent, deep in thought. Watching Holtran¡¯s indecision, Zeon realized he was unlikely to act. Opportunities rarely came easily, and grasping them required readiness. Holtran didn¡¯t seem prepared, and Zeon had no interest in persuading someone unprepared with a hundred words. Zeon stood up. ¡°It seems you have no intention of restoring Steel Fortress.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a decision to be made lightly in just a few minutes. Give me more time. And how can we trust you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This could be a trap set by Gawen to lure us in. We need time to verify.¡± Eloy and Levin looked incredulous. ¡°No wonder this fortress is in such a state with leadership like this.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Indecisive leaders are always the problem.¡± Even Brielle joined in. Holtran¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. His loyal followers began to rise in anger, but just then, a faint noise came from outside. Thud. Only Zeon heard it. Zeon frowned and listened carefully. ¡°Ugh!¡± He heard a faint, muffled groan, so quiet that without focused attention, it would have gone unnoticed. Eloy looked puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s trouble outside.¡± ¡°Trouble?¡± Zeon opened the door and stepped outside. He saw a shadowy figure quietly emerging from a nearby house, holding a blood-dripping sword. Their eyes met. ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, there was silence between them. The figure, not expecting Zeon¡¯s appearance, looked visibly startled but quickly rushed toward Zeon with rming speed. Swoosh! The figure was Duduyan, moving like lightning, sword in hand. She had been silently assassinating potential threats within Steel Fortress. Before the Red Stormunched their full attack, she was eliminating as many key targets as possible. Already, she had killed three Awakeneds, and Zeon would have been her fourth. With that, she could boast to Urtian. ng! But unfortunately, her assassination attempt failed. Eloy intervened, deflecting her attack. Seeing Duduyan¡¯s dark skin and pointed ears, Eloy frowned. ¡°A Dark Elf?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Instead of responding, Duduyan attacked Eloy again, aiming for her neck. Swoosh! ¡°Die!¡± ¡°You filthy¡­.¡± Eloy growled, swinging her weapon, the Mad Gumiho. ng! ng! ng! The sword and spear shed rapidly. After a brief sh, Eloy paused. ¡°Who are you? Dark Elf.¡± ¡°And you too have elven blood.¡± ¡°Why are you attacking people? Are you one of Gawen¡¯s men?¡± ¡°Gawen? Is he the master of this fortress? He¡¯s just another target.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re from outside?¡± ¡°Enough talk, half-elf!¡± Without further ado, Duduyan attacked again, and Eloy met her blow for blow. Boom! Boom! Explosions erupted from various parts of the fortress. Holtran looked bewildered. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It seems we have more uninvited guests.¡± Zeon¡¯s eyes turned cold. Fires began to break out, and the screams of the people echoed through the night. The inhabitants, deep in sleep, were unprepared for such a sudden assault. The Awakeneds existed for times like this, but many were intoxicated and incapacitated at Gawen¡¯s house. By the time Gawen and the Awakeneds stumbled out, the Red Storm¡¯s raid was in full swing. ¡°What? How did outsiders get in? Where are the guards?¡± Gawen trembled with anger. His kingdom was crumbling before his eyes. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] He kicked a drugged Awakened and shouted. ¡°What are you doing? Stop them!¡± ¡°Yes? Yes!¡± The drugged Awakened staggered toward the Red Storm. Not running, but walking. A Red Storm member looked at him in disbelief. ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°I am the guardian of Steel Fortress.¡± ¡°Guardian, my ass. Just another druggie.¡± Without further ado, the Red Storm member swung his weapon. The drugged Awakened couldn¡¯t defend himself. sh! He fell without a scream. Others fared no better. The Awakeneds who went to stop the Red Storm fell without putting up much of a fight. Gawen screamed in despair. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be!¡± The drugs he had used to control them were now their downfall. The Red Storm was unstoppable. They roamed Steel Fortress, killing Awakeneds as they went. ¡°Argghhh!¡± ¡°No!¡± The mournful cries of the Awakeneds echoed throughout Steel Fortress. ¡°What, why are they so weak?¡± ¡°More than half of them are druggies.¡± ¡°Damn idiots! Being cooped up in safety has made them soft.¡± Even the Red Storm members shook their heads in disbelief. In the desert, they had to protect their families from monsters and sand. They couldn¡¯t afford to be intoxicated. ¡°They don¡¯t deserve this fortress.¡± ¡°Kill them all and take everything.¡± The Red Storm went on a rampage. ¡°How could this happen?¡± Holtran muttered, eyes wide. Seeing the supposedly impregnable Steel Fortress being ravaged by the Red Storm was surreal. It was an unreal sight. ¡°Elder Holtran, give us orders!¡± ¡°Elder!¡± Holtran¡¯s followers urged him for a decision, but he stood there, paralyzed. Even the Awakeneds didn¡¯t know what to do and were in disarray. Zeon sighed. ¡°It¡¯s aplete mess.¡± ¡°To be honest, they deserve to fall.¡± ¡°How could they rot to this extent?¡± Even Levin and Brielle shook their heads in disbelief. Just then, Jacob and Lucy approached Zeon. ¡°Please help us.¡± ¡°We beg you.¡± The children, no more than ten-years-old, knelt before Zeon, pleading. They had seen Levin easily kill the Sandworm, and even Levin deferred to Zeon, so they believed Zeon must be incredibly powerful. Tears streaming down her face, Lucy pleaded. ¡°Not all adults are bad. Some of them are good. Please save them.¡± Zeon remained unmoved by the children¡¯s plea, but Brielle was different. She turned to Zeon. ¡°Are you just going to watch? I know you don¡¯t like intervening recklessly, but you can¡¯t let children die.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not much younger than you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point. I¡¯m talking about basic human decency.¡± Brielle¡¯s words made Zeon chuckle. A pureblood High Elf speaking of human decency seemed amusing to him. At that moment, a voice interrupted. ¡°What¡¯s this? There are Awakeneds here too.¡± ¡°Kill them!¡± Red Storm members spotted Zeon and attacked without hesitation. A Martial Arts Awakened swung an axe while a magic-type Awakenedunched a Wind Cutter. Their attack was immediate, without a second thought. It showed how experienced they were in such matters. But their attack never reached Zeon. Zeon swung his right arm,unching a Fire Missile. The Fire Missile intercepted both the Wind Cutter and the axe. Boom! ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Gah!¡± The Awakeneds attacking Zeon screamed as they were thrown back. Any ordinary Awakened would have been severely injured by Zeon¡¯s counterattack. But these men were tough and resilient. They quickly got up andunched another attack. ¡°Damn you, bastard!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± They used even stronger skills against Zeon. Boom! Boom! Boom! Their attack hit Zeon directly. The Red Storm raiders thought Zeon must have been gravely injured. But their expectation was shattered. Swoosh! Zeon¡¯s image vanished like a mirage, and their attacks hit only the wall and floor behind him. The Awakeneds widened their eyes. ¡°An illusion?¡± The Zeon they had attacked was merely an afterimage. Zeon had moved so fast that it left a mirage. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°Could he be¡­?¡± At that instant, they felt a chill on their necks. They sensed someone behind them. It was Zeon. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± The Awakeneds tried to turn and counter, but Zeon was faster. Crack! His punchesnded on their jaws and temples. They flew back like broken dolls and copsed, unconscious from Zeon¡¯s strikes. The Red Storm members in the distance saw this. ¡°What? Will and Bohem were taken down.¡± ¡°How dare you¡­¡± They rushed at Zeon. Zeon brushed his disheveled hair back and muttered. ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to get involved.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 197 HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 197 The second-inmand of the Red Storm, Kormac, muttered as he surveyed the interior of Steel Fortress. "What a mess!" Steel Fortress was a natural stronghold unlike anything they had encountered before. Properly managed, it could house tens of thousands, making it an unparalleled sanctuary in the desert. It was remarkable that such a ce had remained undiscovered. The problemy with the defenders of this fortress. Most of them were stumbling around, intoxicated, unable to utilize their skills effectively. Kormac wondered how they had managed to defend Steel Fortress for so long. The Awakeneds of Steel Fortress were no match for the Red Storm, seasoned warriors honed by the desert. Although they survived by raiding, they did it for their families. No one in the band regretted this choice. To survive, they killed their enemies and took their possessions to feed their families. Concepts of justice and human decency had long since vanished. They felt no guilt. "Arggh!" "Please... spare me..." Kormac felt nothing as he watched the Awakeneds of Steel Fortress die, their screams echoing around him. One of the Awakeneds lunged at Kormac. "You bastard! Why... why are you attacking us?" His eyes were bloodshot, full of anger. From the Awakened¡¯s perspective, it was unfair. While they were living peacefully, they came in and started indiscriminately killing everyone. "And what do you expect me to do about it?" Swoosh! With a swift movement, two small discs shot out from Kormac''s waist. These paired discs flew towards the attacking Awakened with deadly precision. "Hah... this won''t¡ª" The Awakened tried to counter, but it was cut short, literally, as the discs sliced through his weapon and body, cutting him in half. The sheer power was outrageous. It was Kormac''s skill "Death Discs". This skill alone had earned Kormac his position as the second-inmand. He was unstoppable. Whirr! "Argh!" "Eek!" The discs flew around him, cutting down anyone who approached. Corpses piled up, blood forming rivers on the ground. He was like the Grim Reaper incarnate. Then he noticed an old man and two children trembling in a corner. They were Holtran, Jacob, and Lucy. Whirr! The Death Discs flew toward them. Although aimed primarily at Holtran, Jacob and Lucy were in the path and would likely not survive. Kormac showed no hesitation. "Cut it out, dammit." Levin interjected, stepping in the way. Purple lightning erupted from his body, striking the discs and disrupting their control. ng! The discs fell to the ground, temporarily disconnected from Kormac''smand. Kormac scowled at Levin. "Who are you?" "Just a person." "You''re not from Steel Fortress, judging by your clothes. Step aside, and I''ll let you leave." "You must be joking. Who do you think you are? You''re just an invader acting like you own the ce." "A good item should belong to someone who appreciates its value. The same goes for this ce. We''ll put it to much better use than these drug-addled fools. For the sake of the residents here, it would be better for us to be the rulers." "And you''re confident you''ll treat the residents well?" "¡­" "I know your type. You''re like hyenas. You feed on carrion and know only how to steal. You won''t protect anyone." Levin''s harsh words made Kormac''s expression harden. "You must have a death wish to be speaking like that. Fine, I''ll grant it." Whirr! The discs lifted from the ground, spinning rapidly. Levin''s body shimmered as he turned into his ghostly form. "Let¡¯s see who dies." "An interesting ability. That must be your skill? But you won''t escape my Death Discs." "Who said anything about escaping? I hope you don¡¯t run away." Crackle! Purple lightning flowed from Levin¡¯s whole body. "Die!" Kormac, seeing the shing lightning, hurled the Death Disks. Boom! The sh of their powers sent electric arcs flying in all directions. "Eeek!" Brielle quickly pulled Jacob and Lucy back to shield them from the sparks. Steel Fortress had turned into a hellscape. Bodies littered the ground, and the air was filled with the groans of the wounded. It wasn¡¯t just the Awakeneds who were hurt. Countless civilians had died, all trying to defend their home. Though they were ordinary people, they had stood up to protect their home, only to be struck down. The Red Storm showed no mercy to those who opposed them. Their principle, established by Urtian, was to crush resistance thoroughly. "Kill everyone who resists and spare only those who submit." "I''ve heard that somewhere before." At that moment, someone interrupted Urtian and blocked his path. It was Zeon. Ssshhh! Urtian¡¯s waist emitted a grotesque de¡ªhis shamshir. Without a word, he lunged at Zeon, aiming for his neck. This was Urtian''s style: no needless talk, just kill. With this method he had defeated countless enemies, but this time, his method failed. ng! The shamshir was deflected just inches from Zeon''s neck. Zeon had defended himself using the Inferno Gauntlet. "Hmph!" Urtian smirked and attacked again, targeting Zeon¡¯s vital points. But his strikes never found their mark. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] ng! ng! Zeon''s gauntlet intercepted every attack, deflecting or blocking each blow. Urtian¡¯s lips twitched, realizing Zeon¡¯s strength. As their weapons shed, Urtian asked. "Good! You¡¯re worthy to face me. What¡¯s your name?" "Why do you want to know?" "So I can remember it." "Don¡¯t treat me like a dead man. It¡¯s infuriating." "No reason to care about a soon-to-be dead man¡¯s feelings." ng! ng! ng! Their fight intensified, sparks and sweat flying. Urtian was surprised. He wasn¡¯t using his full power or skills yet, but he was still strong. Much faster and stronger than a normal human. As an elf, he was born with this strength. The fact that an elf, not a human, led the Red Storm showed how powerful he was. Whoosh! His shamshir moved like a storm, yet every strike was blocked by Zeon¡¯s gauntlet. Their physical abilities were evenly matched. This was a first for Urtian. "Fine!" Fwoosh! Urtian''s shamshir glowed with a powerful aura, its strength and speed magnified. He moved with blinding speed. It felt like his gear had shifted. But Zeon matched his pace. Whoosh! Zeon left afterimages as he moved Bang! Boom! The two men shed while running at blinding speeds inside the Steel Fortress. "Keuuk!" "Argh!" Those in their path were thrown aside, screaming. Urtian¡¯s eyes turned cold. He was an A-rank Awakened. Though he had lost to Lee Ji-ryeong, that was because Lee had be S-rank. He had never lost to someone of the same rank. Swinging his shamshir, he muttered. ¡®Aero Bomb.¡¯ Boom! An explosion of air sted Zeon backward into a wall. This was why Urtian rarely lost. Like Levin, he was a dual Awakened. One hand wielded the sword while the other cast spells. His two-pronged attack pressed Zeon hard. Boom! Boom! Boom! Aero Bombs exploded around Zeon as the shamshir kept him off bnce. Houses copsed under the barrage. "Aah!" Watching from a distance, Holtran¡¯s eyes widened in horror. To him, it seemed Zeon was helpless. Just then. Through the dust, a red sh appeared. Urtian felt a chill as a beast-like red glow met his gaze. Instinctively, he raised his shamshir. Boom! Immediately afterwards, a strong shock hit him. It was a fireball the size of an adult''s fist. It had been barelyblocked by the shamshir, had he been unprotected, he would have been severely injured. "Ugh!" Urtian grunted, the impact making him groan. At that moment, Zeon appeared through the dust. As Zeon swung his fist, a wave of fire poured down. It was one of his favorite skills, Fire Rain. Boom! Boom! Boom! "Shit!" Urtian cursed, wildly swinging his shamshir to deflect the fiery barrage. "Huugh! Huuugh!" Urtian panted, his muscles swollen and veins bulging. He had pushed his strength to its limits to counter Zeon''s attack. Muscle spasms wracked his body, and his heart pounded. Unrelenting, Zeonunched another Fire Rain. Boom! Boom! Boom! Urtian''s face twisted in anger. "Don''t underestimate me, human!" He leapt into the air, shing with his aura-infused de. The air cleaved with his strike. Boom! Boom! Boom! The fiery rain and the sword''s air st shed, shaking the cavern. "Leader!" "Are you alright?" The Red Storm members rushed to Urtian¡¯s side. Numerous Awakeneds gathered around Urtian as hended. Urtian looked at the shamshir in his hand. The shamshir was an item excavated from a dungeon. Such items were chipped and rare. "Tch! It was my favorite sword." Without hesitation, he discarded it. A subordinate handed him an identical de. Gripping the new shamshir, Urtian said. "Consider it an honor, we¡¯ll face you together." The Red Storm was even stronger united. As they formed ranks around Urtian, Zeon said. "In that case, we''ll face you together as well." "We?" "Yes, we..." Suddenly, mounds of sand erupted behind Zeon. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 198 HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 198 "What is this?" Urtian''s eyes widened in shock. Behind Zeon, the sand started to take on human shapes. In an instant, dozens of Sand Soldiers were formed. "Incredible. Creating soldiers out of sand." As if responding to Urtian''s voice, the Sand Soldiers stepped forward to stand in front of Zeon. "Could it be... the Sand Mage from Neo Seoul?" His voice trembled involuntarily. It was recent, unbelievable information. News that a Sand Mage, capable of freely manipting sand, had appeared in Neo Seoul. Although the Red Storm wandered aimlessly in the desert, they never neglected gathering information about Neo Seoul. It was always possible that Neo Seoul might dispatch a subjugation force. Therefore, they maintained contact with the scavengers of Neo Seoul. At that time, the scavengers mentioned that a Sand Mage had appeared in Neo Seoul, drawing intense interest. It was an appearance of a ss that had never been seen before. However, it was something unrted to them, and the existence of a Sand Mage was so unbelievable that they had just dismissed it. "A Sand Mage. You''ve awakened a power even Kurayan didn''t possess." "It seems you know a lot about Kurayan." "I came from there, so how could I not?" "You came directly? Then your age must be..." "In human terms, well over 150." "That''s... more than I expected." "Is it strange that an old man over 150 looks young? Our aging process is different from humans." "I know that. I''ve already seen the Queen of Elves. She also came from Kurayan and has maintained her youth." "Queen?" "Serian Oliana. The otherworldly races in Neo Seoul call her Queen." "Heh! Acting all noble, yet she ends up being called a queen. While some of us do all sorts of dirty things to survive in the desert." Urtian''s tone was harsh. It was clear that he did not hold Serian in high regard. "If you''re that envious, why didn''t you join Neo Seoul?" "I''m not livestock. I can''t live receiving handouts in a human-made fortress." "So you chose plundering?" "Why, does it look bad? Don''t humans live the same way? So I live like that too." Urtian was an elf who had adapted to the human world. When he first came to Earth, he was called righteous. But after being abandoned by hisrades and living among humans, he realized the truth. The simple proposition that you either kill or get killed. The pure elf gradually became a fiend, and he turned a ragtag band of scavengers into arge group of over a hundred. He became more vicious than humans. There was nothing he wouldn''t do to survive. "We have to kill you to live." Urtian and his subordinates closed in on Zeon. Most elves would be ashamed to bully the few with the many, but he was different. As long as he won, the process didn''t matter. In the end, only the victor is remembered, and the survivor takes everything. Urtian was prepared to do anything to survive and win. He spoke to his subordinates. "Our opponent is a Sand Mage. Don''t give him time to use his sand." "Yes!" "Fuck! Even a mage dies if they get stabbed." Urtian''s subordinates were as ruthless as he was. As they carefully tightened their encirclement, they suddenly rushed forward in unison. "Die!" "Hiyaaa!" Various weapons and skills were aimed at Zeon. But their attacks never reached Zeon. The Sand Soldiers blocked them. Boom! The Sand Soldiers took the attacks of the Red Storm with their bodies. Some Sand Soldiers remained intact, while others crumbled under the powerful skills. The soldiers made of sand were inherently weak. But there was plenty of sand, and Zeon still had a lot of mana left. As long as he had mana, he could repair the broken Sand Soldiers. And indeed, he did. Swoosh! The Sand Soldiers revived as if they had never been broken and attacked the Awakeneds of the Red Storm. "Fuck! These damned things..." "Just die already!" "Haaa!" The Awakeneds and the Sand Soldiers fought fiercely. Urtian bypassed them and charged at Zeon. ''If I eliminate the Sand Mage who summoned these soldiers, everything will be solved.'' Heunched a Wind Cutter at Zeon. Whoosh! Dozens of Wind Cutters spun furiously towards Zeon''s neck. At that moment, Zeon unleashed a Sand ster. Boom! With a burst of noise, all the Wind Cutters were intercepted. But Urtian wasn''t surprised. He had anticipated this level of counterattack. His real target was something else. "Die! Sand Mage!" Shing! Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted from his shamshir. It wasn''t just oveid with aura as before. The light formed a de in the shape of a shamshir. An Aura de, a technique that only a handful of Martial Arts Awakeneds could use. A de made of aura could easily cut through even items excavated from dungeons. A human body was no match. Sand rose around Zeon like a snake. It was one of his skills, Viper. The snake made of sand struck Urtian''s body at a terrifying speed. "Ugh!" The immense impact made his mind go nk. Urtian quickly became covered in blood. Yet, he endured the pain and continued forward. These wounds were nothing to him. He had once killed an enemy with even worse injuries. Failing to stop his advance, Zeon used another skill. "ymore!" Boom! The sand around Urtian exploded in a chain reaction. Urtian was engulfed in the massive explosion. He was about to be torn to pieces. Suddenly, ck light burst from the tattoos on his face and body. The ck light formed a shield that protected him from the explosion. His tattoos were an item called the Guardian. A cheat item that protected its owner from all attacks once a day. In the form of a tattoo, once equipped, it couldn''t be removed until death. Urtian had counted on the Guardian andunched his all-out attack. As expected, the Guardian perfectly protected him from the ymore. Emerging unscathed from the explosion, Urtian thrust his Aura de into Zeon''s heart. "It''s over, Sand Mage!" Thud! HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] His Aura de pierced Zeon''s heart without resistance. Feeling the soft sensation in his hand, Urtian smiled victoriously. But his smile vanished faster than it had appeared. "This can''t be!" Zeon''s body, impaled by the Aura de, crumbled like sand. When Urtian activated the Guardian, Zeon had summoned a Sand Soldier to take his ce. It happened so quickly that Urtian didn''t notice. The Aura de that pierced the Sand Soldier disappeared. He was too shocked, and his mana flow broke. Zeon didn''t miss the opportunity. "Sand Mixer." Whoosh! The scattered sand enveloped Urtian and spun at high speed. Urtian swung his shamshir to escape the Sand Mixer, but the immense pressure crushed him. His armor and skin were ground away by the high-speed rotating sand particles. Unable to endure the extreme pain, Urtian screamed. "Arrgghhhh!" His scream was so harrowing that even the Awakeneds fighting nearby stopped and looked. "Leader!" "No!" The Awakeneds of the Red Storm tried to rush to save him. But they were blocked by the Sand Soldiers. In the meantime, Zeon detonated the ferociously spinning Sand Mixer. Boom! The underground cave shook as if it would copse. It was a massive explosion. Urtian was thrown through the sand. His body crashed into the wall, in a grotesque state. All his skin had been scraped off, revealing muscles and bones. It was a wonder he was still breathing. "You... bastard!" Urtian struggled to rise. Despite his severe injuries, the venom and murderous intent in his eyes didn''t fade. He looked more like a demon than an elf. Seeing Urtian like this would intimidate anyone. But not Zeon. Zeon had faced many stronger and more vicious beings than Urtian. Urtian''s menace had no effect on him. It was time to end it. Zeon raised his fist. The dragon''s eye embedded in the Inferno Gauntlet glowed red. Zeon mercilessly swung his fist, unleashing Fire Rain. Just as the red rain of fire was about to hit Urtian. "No!" With a sharp cry, someone stood between Zeon and Urtian. A woman, just asrge as Urtian. She fearlessly blocked the red fire rain with her bare body. "Tsk!" Zeon clicked his tongue and altered the Fire Rain''s trajectory. The fire rain narrowly missed her and Urtian, exploding on the ground. Boom! Despite the explosion and rising dust, the woman didn''t flinch as she stood in front of Urtian. She spoke. "Thank you." "Who are you?" "My name is Deborah, the wife of the man you were about to kill." The woman proudly revealed her identity. "So you stepped in to save your husband?" "I can''t let the father of my three children die before my eyes." "Three children?" Zeon then noticed the children watching them. They looked just like Urtian and Deborah. They clenched their tiny fists and red at Zeon. "Ha!" Zeon sighed. He was in a tight spot. Zeon wasn''t a cold-blooded killer who would y a father in front of his children. "Impressive. Bringing children to a battlefield." "They need to understand how hard we struggle to survive." "You call it a struggle when you''re plundering others..." "Mock us all you want, but we''re fighting for our survival too." Deborah stood firm. As Urtian''s wife and the matriarch of the Red Storm, she had been with them for over ten years. It wasrgely thanks to her that the Red Storm had grown despite all the hardships and adversities. Everyone in the Red Storm liked and relied on her. Urtian was the leader, but Deborah was their backbone. Deborah spoke up. "We need this fortress." "So you''re asking me to back off?" "I''m not that shameless. We''ll retreat. Just let us go." "And if I refuse?" "We might be annihted, but the people living here won''t be safe either." Deborah''s threat was bold. It was so outrageous that Zeon couldn''t help butugh. In fact, a cold smile spread across his lips. Deborah''s expression, on the other hand, was as hard as stone. She pretended to be calm, but she was more tense than anyone. Her opponent was a monster with unfathomable power. The only Sand Mage in this desertified world. An enemy who, if made, would bring endless troubles. If they had known he was here, the Red Storm wouldn''t have attacked Steel Fortress without a n. But what''s done was done, and she had to clean up the mess. Boom! Bang! Just then, there were explosions, and Duduyan and Komac were sent flying. Like Urtian, they had been defeated by Eloy and Levin. With the top leaders all defeated, the fight came to a standstill. Everyone was now watching Deborah and Zeon. Zeon shrugged and said. "Alright. Then quietly retreat." "No." At that moment, Gawen intervened. Foaming at the mouth, Gawen yelled at Zeon. "My men all died because of them. And you want to let them go? No way. Kill them all. Not a single one should be left alive to protect the secret of Steel Fortress." Gawen red at Zeon with bloodshot eyes. His eyes were filled with madness. Zeon clicked his tongue and stepped back. "Then you kill them." HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 199 HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 199 Gawen couldn''t hide his bewildered expression. He hadn''t expected Zeon to say such a thing at this moment. "Wh-What do you mean?" His voice trembled from the shock. "Aren''t you the one in charge here? So, you kill them." "I''m too old and weak." Gawen wore a groveling expression. When he first brought Zeon''s group into Steel Fortress, he had been confident. At that time, he had powerful Awakeneds supporting him. But now, there was no one around him. All the Awakeneds hemanded were lying on the ground, defeated by the Red Storm. The drugs used to control the Awakeneds had turned out to be a double-edged sword, rendering them ineffective against the Red Storm. Without his Awakeneds, Gawen was just an old man with no power. Desperately, Gawen sought someone to support him. His eyes fell on Elder Holtran. "Holtran!" "Gawen!" "Convince him. We must kill all these scavengers. If our fortress''s location is revealed, many wille after us. We won''t survive." "You mean you won''t survive." "What?" "Only your power will not survive. What does it matter to others if the ruler changes?" "How can you say that? Is that something an elder of Steel Fortress should say?" "I can give up my elder position any time. It''s not that important." Holtran showed a look of disillusionment. This left Gawen in a panic. "My friend!" "Who are you calling a friend? You''ve kept me in check and mistreated me all this time." "This isn''t the time to talk about personal feelings. We must think of the people living in Steel Fortress first." Gawen tried to persuade Holtran desperately, but it wasn''t enough to change Holtran''s mind. Meanwhile, Deborah listened intently to their conversation. Her eyes sparkled as she seemed to see a way to resolve the current situation. ''There are two factions within Steel Fortress. The closed-off faction led by this pleading man, and the opposing faction. The closed-off faction has been decimated by our attack, while the opposing factioncks power...'' Her mind raced at an rming speed. Urtian and Kormac, leaders of the Red Storm, only watched Deborah. They knew that although Deborah rarely stepped forward, once she did, she always produced results. Deborah looked at Zeon. ''The problem is this man...'' No matter how good her n was, if Zeon rejected it, it would be pointless. But it was worth a try. ''This man is currently a bystander. He doesn''t want to get more involved in Steel Fortress.'' Having organized her thoughts, Deborah carefully spoke up. "First of all, I apologize for today''s events." "Hmm?" "No matter the reason, today was entirely our fault. I have no intention of making excuses." "Your preamble is long." "It''s because this is important. We, the Red Storm, need this ce. And the people here need protectors." "Haha! You killed all the Awakeneds protecting this ce, and now you want to take their ce?" Zeon couldn''t help but show an incredulous expression. But Deborah continued unfazed. "I regret that. But those who died by our hands didn''t seem very wee here anyway. I''d like to ask Elder Holtran. If we were to join Steel Fortress, could you ept us?" Holtran''s face showed a look of surprise at suddenly being addressed. His mind was racing. ''Clever woman.'' Zeon was impressed by Deborah. She had used the children to prevent his intervention and naturally took control of the conversation, steering it in her favor. She also quickly grasped the internal power struggle within Steel Fortress. She was subtly excluding Zeon from the conversation while reshaping the power dynamics with Holtran, who had decision-making authority. She wasn''t an ordinary woman. "Wow! She''s no ordinary fox." Even Brielle was stunned, staring at Deborah with her mouth agape. Eloy whispered to Zeon. "Are you going to just let things go her way?" "And if not?" "A lot of people have died. We should make them pay for the bloodshed." "It wasn''t our blood that was spilled." "Is¡­ that so?" "We are outsiders here. Just passing through for a night... The decision is theirs, as is the responsibility for it." "You''re colder than I thought." Eloy looked at Zeon with newfound surprise. Zeon crossed his arms, clearly indicating he had no intention of interfering in Deborah and Holtran''s conversation. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] At that moment, Urtian limped over to Zeon. "Sand Mage!" "It''s Zeon." "What?" "My name is Zeon." "Ah, I see! Zeon! My name is Urtian." "We''re not exactly in a friendly conversation." "Indeed! I''d love to grind your bones into powder. But Deborah stepped in." "You seem to be under her thumb." "She''s worth it. Without her, I''d be nothing. She''s the true master of the Red Storm. Look, no one''s trying to fight since she stepped in." Urtian was right. Duduyan, who had lost to Eloy, and Kormac, defeated by Levin, could still fight. Yet, they stood back and watched because Deborah had taken charge. It showed how much trust they had in her. "She''s my wife and the matriarch of the Red Storm. We all respect and follow her decisions. If she hadn''t intervened, you''d be dead by now." "Isn''t it the other way around?" "You think I''d die from these mere injuries?" Urtian brushed off the dust from his wounds, trying to look unaffected. In reality, his severe wounds were partially healed, thanks to the tattoos on his body. Seeing this, Brielle inadvertently spoke up. "Guardian tattoo? You''ve been tattooed by a High Elf." "You recognize the Guardian? You are a High Elf." Urtian instantly realized Brielle''s identity. As Brielle had pointed out, the one who tattooed him with the Guardian was a High Elf. Only a handful knew about the existence of a High Elf capable of creating the Guardian. That handful were all High Elves. "A High Elf mingling with humans? Have you also been cast aside?" "Something like that." "That''s quite rare. High Elves never abandon their kin." "Life can be full of surprises." "Hah! You seem quite tainted by the human world." Urtian''s expression turned intrigued. High Elves had apletely different mindset from regr elves. As a result, they were often shunned even by other elves and were very few in number. Even among elves, they were considered an alien race. However, they excelled in specific fields with unrivaled abilities. The High Elf who gave Urtian his Guardian tattoo was a prime example. He had an unusual obsession with studying tattoos. Elves typically valued purity above all. They believed in keeping the body inherited from their parents pure until death. For such High Elves, tattoos were an absolute taboo. But he broke this taboo and researched tattoos. He created ways to amplify power or cast spells using tattoos. Urtian''s tattoos were one of his early masterpieces born from this obsession. At that time, Urtian had been cast aside by his elf group, and his rage had clouded his judgment. He needed power to protect himself, and the High Elf needed a test subject to prove his research. Their mutual needs aligned, allowing Urtian to receive the Guardian tattoo. "Young High Elf, why are you with these people? Have you forgotten the virtues of High Elves?" "Do I need to exin myself to a fallen elf?" "Why do you think I''m fallen? Because I associate with humans? Because I have a human wife? Because I plunder?" "......" "One day, I was dragged into a strange world and abandoned by my kin. They said I was too different to stay with them. Left in the desert, inexperienced, I was captured by humans. I wore a mana restraint and endured all sorts of abuse. I was even vited by other men." Elves are naturally beautiful. Some people felt sexual desire for male elves and wouldn''t leave them alone. "Then I realized to survive in this hellish ce, I had to abandon my former values and morals. I don''t think it''s wrong." That day, the pure elf was reborn as a demon. He killed the scavengers who captured him and took control of their group. Thus, the Red Storm was born. The Red Storm started small. They had few members and weak power. But over time, their strength grew, and their families expanded. Urtian met Deborah, and they had three children together. Even with a family, Urtian and the Red Storm''s survival methods didn''t change. In this sand-covered world, there was nond for them to settle. They had no choice but to plunder to survive. Taking and killing to live wasn''t wrong. Even now, after being defeated by Zeon, that belief remained unchanged. Brielle didn''t flinch at Urtian''s fierce re. "If you keep living like that, someone stronger will take everything from you." "Hah! It won''t be easy. We''re strong too." "Hmph! I guess that''s why you were so easily defeated by Zeon." Brielle''s taunt twisted Urtian''s expression into an ugly scowl. "That''s because his ability is absurd, not because mine iscking. A Sand Mage? I''ve never heard of such a power even in Kurayan." "Really, there were no Sand Mages in Kurayan?" "Not to my knowledge. If there had been, I wouldn''t have been so taken aback." Urtian answered honestly. Since Brielle stepped in, Zeon had paid no more attention to Urtian. Perhaps he no longer saw Urtian as a threat. At that moment. "Ugh!" Suddenly, Gawen screamed and copsed. A dagger was embedded in his chest. "Guh! How... Holtran, how could you?" Gawen looked at Holtran in disbelief. Holtran, who had stabbed Gawen in the chest, looked down at him and answered. "Without you, all problems are solved." "Hol...tran." "The Steel Fortress will change now. The Red Storm and I will make it happen." "Ugh¡­ Joining forces with outsiders... You''ll regret it..." Gawen couldn''t finish his sentence before he died. Holtran looked at Gawen''s corpse with a somber gaze. Deborah spoke to him. "Well done." "Keep your promise." "I swear on my children''s lives. This ce is our home now. The Red Storm will protect and guard the people here." "I believe you." Holtran ultimately chose to merge with the Red Storm. Most of the Awakeneds who followed Gawen were killed by the Red Storm, and there were many casualties among themon people. But there were more survivors. To protect them, they needed the Red Storm''s strength. The situation resolved in an unexpected direction. Deborah approached Zeon and spoke. "As you can see, the Steel Fortress and the Red Storm have decided to unite." "Impressive. You''ve reached an agreement with Holtran." "Do you oppose it?" "I''m an outsider. I have no grounds to oppose it. Isn''t that why you directly negotiated with Holtran?" "If it weren''t for you, we wouldn''t have reached an agreement so easily. Thank you." Both Deborah and Holtran had made concessions due to the overwhelming presence of Zeon, making it easier toe to terms. It was an alliance formed for survival against the powerful entity that was Zeon. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 200 HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 200 The conflict between the Red Storm and the Steel Fortress ended with an unexpected alliance between the two factions, surprising both the Red Storm and the people of the Steel Fortress. This oue wasrgely thanks to Deborah. Deborah''s contributions didn''t stop there. "Quickly, clean up the bodies and debris. Treat the wounded first and distribute the remaining food." Zeon was taken aback by the sight of her directing the Awakeneds so effectively. The most important task was to win over the hearts of the existing residents of the Steel Fortress. Surprisingly, this issue was resolved easily. Though the civilians had suffered greatly, they understood that casualties were inevitable during battles. Their anger was directed at Gawen. Gawen had insisted on strict istion policies and favored only the Awakeneds. Although the residents had never voiced it, they harbored resentment towards Gawen. As a result, they didn''t strongly oppose the Red Storm''s integration. Moreover, Deborah made a strong impression on them as she attempted to restore the damaged fortress with her three children. Zeon was also quite impressed by Deborah. "She''s a formidable woman." "She''s more than I deserve. Meeting her was the greatest fortune of my life." "Aren''t you going to work?" Zeon looked at Urtian, sitting beside him, in disbelief. Urtian had left everything to Deborah and was lounging next to Zeon. "I fight, she cares. That''s our roles." "That sounds like azy man''s excuse." "Think what you will, but we''ve led the Red Storm this way for a long time." Despite Zeon''s criticism, Urtian remained unfazed. "So, you''ll continue plundering?" "Do we have a choice? We have more people to feed now, but weck food and water. We can supplement food by hunting sand monsters, but water is the issue." "What if the water problem is solved?" "Water? I checked it, and it¡¯s barely enough to keep people from dying of thirst." As they organized the wreckage of the fortress, the first thing they checked was the water supply. The fortress had a spring that flowed from underground. Though it provided clear water continuously, it wasn''t nearly enough for everyone. "So, if the water supply is resolved, there''s no need to plunder?" "Basically, yes. If we have enough water, we can manage everything else. We could open up the ce like a caravan or raider base and trade for food. But if that were possible, the Steel Fortress wouldn''t be in this state." "Remember your words." "Why? Are you going to find water?" "Yes!" "Is that really possible?" Urtian stood up in shock. Zeon began walking and replied. "If there were no water at all, it would be impossible, but if there¡¯s a water source, it¡¯s doable." "You¡¯re crazy! How is that even possible?" "You seem to have forgotten that I''m a Sand Mage. If there¡¯s a water source within the range of my control over sand, I can detect it." "That''s an incredible power." Shaking his head in disbelief, Urtian followed Zeon. Seeing the two walking together, the children ran up. "Dad!" "Where are you going?" "Can wee too?" The eldest, Rayor, the second, Diane, and the youngest, Samuel, chattered as they followed. Urtian, ruthless when plundering, was disarmed before his beloved children. "Yes! Come along. This man is going to show us something amazing." "Something amazing?" "Yes! You''ll see." "Yay!" The children cheered excitedly. Zeon found their voices quite pleasant. Children¡¯s presence always brings liveliness. "Where are you going? Hyung!" "Let use too." "Oh, be quiet." Levin, Brielle, and Eloy joined them. "That sister is pretty." "Wow!" Urtian¡¯s children clung to Brielle and Eloy. Whether in Neo Seoul or the Steel Fortress, beautiful women are always popr. Eloy smirked. "Huh! They know beauty when they see it." "Can I hold your hand?" "Sure!" Eloy extended her hand, and Rayor grabbed it eagerly. "This little brat is already a yer." "Hehe!" Despite Eloy''s yful scolding, Rayor kept smiling and held on tightly. Eloy gripped Rayor''s hand firmly. ¡®Half-elves like me. I hope you live in better conditions than I did¡­¡¯ Though she wasn¡¯t fond of Urtian, she felt a bond with his children, who were also half-elves like her. Brielle asked Zeon. "So, what are you nning to do?" "I thought I would try to perform a miracle." "A miracle?" "Yes, a miracle." Zeon replied, stopping in front of the spring. He closed his eyes and extended his control. Shuuu! Zeon''s senses extended deep underground through the sandstone. Sandstone was, after all, justpacted sand. Zeon''s control extended to it. After a while, Zeon''s senses finally reached their destination. Drip! He sensed the sound of water droplets. It was a feeling he had experienced when he first arrived here yesterday. "Huu!" Zeon took a deep breath and began moving the sand with his control. Crack! The sandstone beneath him started to shift. The sandstone moved aside, creating a passageway downward. The children''s eyes widened in amazement. "Wow!" "The sand is opening up by itself." "Amazing!" The children''s excitement drew the attention of onlookers who began to gather. Even as they watched, the passageway continued to form. Crack! The passageway was continually expelling sandstone. Urtian stepped forward to help. "Here we go!" He cleared away therge sandstone, making space. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Seeing Urtian''s efforts, Kormac, the Red Storm¡¯s second-inmand, approached and asked. "What are you doing? Leader!" "Just move these rocks outside." "Understood." Without further questions, Kormac began moving the sandstone. Other Awakeneds joined in to clear the stones from the passageway. As the Awakeneds moved, the onlookers also came closer, curious about themotion. Most of the Steel Fortress inhabitants gathered around the spring. Meanwhile, the underground passage continued to expand. Sweat beaded on Zeon''s forehead. Moving sandstone was much more exhausting than moving sand. Still, Zeon didn¡¯t stop his control. A passageway extending dozens of meters underground was created. Zeon walked down the passage he had made. Urtian followed. Zeon reached out to touch the wall. It was arge rock. Unlike thepressed sandstone, it was solid stone. Zeon asked Urtian. "Can you break this rock?" "Rock? Let¡¯s find out." Urtian drew his shamshir. Shuuu! The shamshir was coated with an aura de. When Urtian swung the aura de, therge rock was smoothly cut. Scrape! Scrape! The center of the rock was cut into a rectangr shape, like a door. Urtian kicked the cut rock, pushing it aside. Thud! Beyond the rock, a cavern was revealed. However, it was too dark to see inside. "What is it?" Urtian stepped into the cavern, his eyes widening. The air felt particrly cool and damp. "Could it be?" His eyes adapted to the darkness, revealing the cavern¡¯s sight. "Oh my god!" His eyes widened in shock. "What is it?" "What¡¯s going on?" The children, eager to see what had surprised their usually unppable father, squeezed past him into the cavern. The children eximed. "Ah, ake!" "There¡¯s so much water!" "Unbelievable!" What they saw was a vast undergroundke. Over the ages, groundwater had umted, creating this undergroundke filled with an enormous amount of water. "Ake?" "Water?" The people behind them pushed forward upon hearing the children. When Urtian stepped aside, they too saw the undergroundke. "Oh my god!" "Sniff!" "It¡¯s really ake." Seeing the enormous undergroundke, people fell to their knees, some even weeping. Their reaction was understandable. In a world where everything was scarce, water was even more precious. At the Steel Fortress, water was so scarce that they always drank sparingly. Gawen had manipted them into believing the water might run out anytime, making them conserve it excessively. Thus, even the residents of the Steel Fortress had never drunk their fill of water. Deborah, arrivingte due to handling other matters, widened her eyes at the sight. "To think there was such ake beneath the fortress. With this much water, thousands could live here." Deborah dipped her hands into the water. The cold sensation confirmed that this was no illusion or hallucination. An immense quantity of water existed beneath the fortress. Water was the most crucial resource for human survival. With abundant water, food could be managed. The biggest problem was solved instantly. Deborah knelt and wept. She wasn¡¯t the only one. Women from both the Steel Fortress and the Red Storm approached theke and knelt, weeping. "Sniff!" "Water! It¡¯s water!" They wept before the vast undergroundke. They had always lived sparingly, conserving water. It pained them to give their children only a little water when they cried from thirst. Some women in the Red Storm had lost children due to ack of water. Those women wept the hardest. Now, with abundant water, they could finally have and raise children without fear. As the women wept, the mood among the Awakeneds and men turned solemn. ¡®This is our home now.¡¯ ¡®We must protect this ce.¡¯ They no longer needed to wander the desert in search of water. They vowed to root themselves here deeply and live. Brielle spoke to Zeon. "You really did it." "Hmm?" "A miracle. You truly performed a miracle." It was a miracle brought about by the sole Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 201 HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 201 Boom! Boom! Every step the creature took was apanied by a powerful tremor and a cloud of dust. A bipedal monster standing well over six meters tall. Its physique resembled a human, but the muscles covering its entire body were overwhelmingly intimidating. The creature''s muscles writhed with fury, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Its name was Ogre. A manifestation of violence, even Cyclops, another bipedal monster, feared to confront. The Ogre walking alone through the desert was a rare Spotted Ogre, withrge spots adorning its upper body. The Spotted Ogre was significantly stronger than the average Ogre. Its immense power could tear apart most monsters in an instant. This Spotted Ogre roamed the desert alone, ostracized by its kind for its overwhelming strength. In a fit of rage, it had torn apart five of its kind who had shunned it. Although it sustained significant injuries from battling five opponents at once, such wounds were nothing to the Spotted Ogre. For an Ogre, these wounds were routine. Though not as regenerative as a Troll, an Ogre also possessed a considerable healing ability. These wounds would heal within a day or two. Boom! Suddenly, the Spotted Ogre came to a halt. It was due to a presence standing a hundred meters ahead. ¡°Grr?¡± The Spotted Ogre tilted its head in confusion. In front of it stood another bipedal monster, roughly the size of the Spotted Ogre''s chest. It was an Orc. A creature ranking high among bipedal monsters, yet nowhere near the Ogre in terms of power. While it might inspire fear in other creatures, to the Ogre, it was nothing more than a snack. Both the Ogre and the Orc knew this. Usually, the sight of an Ogre would make an Orc flee immediately. Yet this Orc stood its ground, ring defiantly at the Spotted Ogre. This Orc was as unusual as the Spotted Ogre. It was twice the size of a typical Orc, reaching the chest of the Spotted Ogre. It wasparable in size to an average Ogre. The numerous scars and wounds covering its body indicated it was a being of exceptional strength. Despite these nearly fatal injuries, the fact that it was still alive showcased its extraordinary resilience. The Orc spoke to the Spotted Ogre. ¡°My name is Orca, Great Chieftain of the Orcs. I will capture you to prove my strength to the world.¡± A Great Chieftain was a hero among the Orcs, born with the mission to prove themselves. Orca had chosen the Spotted Ogre as his target. The Spotted Ogre, a tyrant of the desert, was as unique and fierce as Orca. Although the Spotted Ogre couldn¡¯t understand Orca''s words, it didn¡¯t matter. Orca¡¯s fighting spirit emanating from his entire body made his intentions clear. Even without this provocation, the Spotted Ogre never spared anything blocking its path, especially an Orc. No matter howrge Orca was, he couldn¡¯tpare to the Spotted Ogre. ¡°Grrrrkk!¡± The Spotted Ogre roared, shaking the desert. In response, Orca intensified his fighting spirit. ¡°Here Ie, Orca!¡± Orca charged at the Spotted Ogre. The Spotted Ogre also lunged forward to tear the insolent Orc apart. Boom! The two gigantic beings collided in the middle of the desert. No finesse or tricks were involved. It was a sh of pure physical strength. Surprisingly, the smaller Orca emerged victorious from the sh. Boom! Boom! Boom! The muchrger Spotted Ogre was pushed back with heavy footsteps. The Spotted Ogre tilted its head in disbelief. Orca spoke to the Spotted Ogre. ¡°Orca is stronger than you¡­¡± ¡°Ghhrrr!¡± The Spotted Ogre roared in denial and charged again. Orca met the charge, locking arms with the Spotted Ogre. The two massive beings engaged in a test of strength. Logically, the Spotted Ogre had the advantage. In nature, size and muscle mass determined the victor. However, Orca defied this logic, matching the Spotted Ogre¡¯s strength. Their muscles bulged like ropes, faces red and breath heavy. Muscles swelled, and hearts pounded wildly. It seemed their bodies might explode. Neither yielded. The two gigantic beings exerted all their strength to overpower each other. Boom! After a moment of tense struggle, the bnce tipped. Amazingly, Orca was the victor. The colossal Spotted Ogre knelt in defeat. Yet Orca did not relent. Creak! The Spotted Ogre¡¯s massive body bent backwards. Fear flickered in the Spotted Ogre¡¯s eyes for the first time. It knew its back would break if it bent any further. Desperately, the Spotted Ogre summoned all its strength. But no matter how hard it tried, the pressure did not lessen. ¡°Die!¡± Orca¡¯s strength surged explosively. Crack! The Spotted Ogre¡¯s spine snapped with a sound, killing it instantly. ¡°Chwiit! I am the victor.¡± Orca twisted the Spotted Ogre¡¯s neck, easily severing its head from its body. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Standing on the Spotted Ogre¡¯s corpse, Orca drank the blood flowing from its severed head. He felt the Ogre¡¯s soul and power transferring to him. A red aura emanated from his body. He had achieved a new level of strength. Filled with surging power and tion, Orca roared. ¡°Raaah!¡± Orca¡¯s roar echoed through the desert. All monsters in the area cowered in fear and hid underground. At that moment, an old Orc who had been watching from afar cautiously approached. ¡°Congrattions on your victory, Great Chieftain!¡± ¡°An expected oue, Priest!¡± ¡°I am so pleased by the birth of our Great Chieftain.¡± The old Orc, called the Priest, spoke with a trembling voice. A Great Chieftain was the hope of all Orcs. With the birth of a Great Chieftain, the Orc race would flourish and conquer the world. Since Orca¡¯s birth, the Orcs had grown significantly in number. Many Orcs with exceptional talents had been born and grown into powerful adults. They all genuinely followed Orca. The old Priest was convinced that Orca would lead the Orcs to dominate the Earth. Orca spoke to the Priest. ¡°It looks like there¡¯s no need for me to prove myself anymore.¡± Through countless battles, Orca had grown. Now, having reached the peak of his growth, there was nothing more to gain from further battles. ¡°Yes, Great Chieftain.¡± ¡°From now on, we will start a conquest war.¡± Orca¡¯s gaze turned towards Neo Seoul. He knew of the massive city built by humans in the middle of the desert. Previously, he had not dared to approach Neo Seoul. An inexplicable fear gnawed at his heart. But now, after achieving a higher level of strength, things were different. Despite a lingering fear deep in his heart, he felt he could give it a try. Even now, Orcs scattered throughout the desert were gathering under hismand. He was confident that with the Orc army fully assembled, even Neo Seoul could be conquered. At that moment, a voice interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Chwiit! I have a report.¡± An Orc rider hurried over. ¡°What is it?¡± The Priest asked irritably. He disliked being disturbed by a mere Orc rider during such a significant moment. ¡°Chwiit! Sorry.¡± The Orc rider lowered his head at the Priest¡¯s irritation. Orca spoke. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°The young Orcsing here have all been killed.¡± ¡°Young Orcs? Do you mean the ones inmunal care?¡± ¡°Chwiit! It seems humans did it.¡± ¡°Humans killed our young Orcs?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Orc rider trembled at Orca¡¯s fury. A dreadful red aura emanated from Orca¡¯s body. ¡°How dare humans kill our Orc children?¡± ¡°They¡¯re being tracked now.¡± ¡°Tracked? By the Orc riders?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Orca frowned momentarily before calling out loudly. ¡°Ashanka!¡± ¡°Yes, Great Chieftain!¡± Shortly, a massive Orc, nearly asrge as Orca, appeared. This was Ashanka, the second-inmand among the Orcs. He was an Orc of immense power who might have be the Great Chieftain if not for Orca. ¡°Find and kill the humans who killed our young.¡± ¡°Understood. I, Ashanka, will find and kill them.¡± ¡°Take the Red Hammer tribe with you.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ashanka grinned, baring yellow teeth. The Red Hammer tribe was the most belligerent among the Orcs. It was also Ashanka¡¯s tribe. They had over a thousand pure warriors, a formidable force. ¡°I will head to Neo Seoul. Deal with the humans who killed our young and join me.¡± ¡°Understood. Ashanka will follow yourmand.¡± Ashanka slung a massive war hammer over his shoulder. That day, over a thousand Orcs set out to find and kill the humans who had killed their young. * * * ¡°Amazing!¡± Urtian murmured as he looked around the dramatically transformed interior of the Steel Fortress. In a short time, the Steel Fortress had changed rapidly. Destroyed houses were all restored, and the streets were bustling with people. People walked through the streets with smiles, chatting happily with those next to them. The women of the Red Storm mingled andughed with the original inhabitants of the Steel Fortress. It was a sight unimaginable before. Urtian stared nkly at the scene. He hadn¡¯t realized how much the smiles on people''s faces would make him happy. Urtian muttered to himself without realizing it. ¡°I havend to protect now.¡± ¡°Is it a burden?¡± A voice came from behind him. A smile spread across Urtian¡¯s face. ¡°A burden? Of course it is. But it¡¯s not unpleasant.¡± When he turned around, the man who had inflicted his only defeat was watching. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 202 HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 202 Originally, Zeon nned to leave the Steel Fortress the day after the Red Storm took over. However, for several reasons, he couldn¡¯t depart immediately and had to stay longer. The main reason was to stabilize the Steel Fortress. In the desertified Earth, habitablend for humans was extremely limited. If fortunate, a settlement could grow into arge colony, but such cases were rare. Most settlements were just small viges with a few dozen households. To growrger, they needed to secure water and food. Without these essentials, the poption couldn¡¯t increase. Fortunately, the Steel Fortress had secured a water source, allowing for stable growth. The fact that the Red Storm now controlled the Steel Fortress wasn¡¯t a major issue for Zeon. What mattered was that the Steel Fortress had be a safe haven for many people as it normalized. It was uncertain how long humanity could survive on Earth. The harsh environment was hostile, and numerous threats targeted humanity. Eventually, humans might perish due to these external factors. However, Zeon wished that such a time would be dyed as much as possible. The more humanity thrived, theter its end woulde, and perhaps one day, Earth could be restored to its former state. Though the possibility seemed slim, giving up entirely wasn¡¯t an option. If the Steel Fortress functioned properly, many more people would have a safe ce to live. That alone was a good enough reason for Zeon to stay. Fortunately, during Zeon¡¯s stay, the Steel Fortress quickly found its footing, as if it had always been that way. This was all thanks to Deborah. She skillfully unified the Red Storm and the original inhabitants of the Steel Fortress. All Urtian did was watch. Even that was a significant help to Deborah. Urtian¡¯s duties were to procure food and protect people from external threats. He was useless in other tasks. In fact, maintaining a passive observer role was more helpful to Deborah and the women. Urtian scrutinized Zeon¡¯s attire. Zeon wore a coat-like robe. Urtian knew what that signified. ¡°Are you nning to leave now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve stayed too long already.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a shame! You could stay a few more days.¡± ¡°I need to return to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°I heard. You were betrayed by Lee Ji-ryeong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Haha! I knew something was off with your eyes.¡± ¡°I heard you lost too?¡± ¡°I fled like a cowardly dog. Haha!¡± Urtian spoke nonchntly. Losing to a stronger opponent wasn¡¯t shameful. The true disgrace was fleeing without putting up a proper fight. ¡°He¡¯s S-rank.¡± ¡°I know. I saw him ascend in the dungeon.¡± ¡°Really? Either way, be careful. He might do anything to keep his secret hidden.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Zeon nodded. He could already guess how Lee Ji-ryeong would react when he returned to Neo Seoul. Betraying arade in the dungeon was an unforgivable act of cowardice. If this became known, his reputation would plummet. Even in Neo Seoul, where strength was revered, not many were foolish enough to blindly follow a coward. Just then. ¡°It¡¯s finished. Zeon, it¡¯s done.¡± Brielle suddenly shouted, running over with a small bottle in her hand. Zeon smiled and asked. ¡°Is it finallyplete?¡± ¡°Yes! This is the antidote for the Sun Flower.¡± Brielle shook the bottle containing a transparent liquid. The liquid was an antidote for the drug made from the Sun Flower. Over the past few days, Brielle had locked herself in a room, researching the antidote. Most of the addicts who followed Gawen had died, but a few were left, waiting to die,pletely ruined. Brielle had researched the antidote for them and finally seeded. Her face was filled with joy. It wasn¡¯t just for the Steel Fortress. She also needed the antidote. Although she had recovered significantly from the aftereffects, Brielle was still addicted to the drugs from Neo Seoul. Without regr medication, she suffered severe withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, there were various materials here that couldn¡¯t be found in Neo Seoul. Using these materials, Brielle focused on her research and finally created the antidote. Zeon asked. ¡°Does it work?¡± ¡°Who do you think made it? I¡¯ve already given it to the addicts, and they all recovered without major side effects.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to take it yourself?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I made it.¡± Brielle answered without a moment''s hesitation. The pure body of a High Elf was tainted by drugs. Because of this, Brielle couldn¡¯t fully utilize her talents. She believed she could soar higher if she could break free from this dreadful drug shackle. After staring at the antidote for a moment, Brielle drank it. She trusted that Zeon, who was by her side, would protect her. As the antidote entered her body, a burning heat surged through her. ¡°Ugh!¡± Brielle clutched her chest and copsed. Her face turned as red as a furnace, and steam rose from her body. The antidote was battling the residual drugs inside her. She sweated profusely, soaking her entire body. However, Zeon wisely refrained from wiping her sweat or touching her. He knew that merely watching over her was the best way to help Brielle in this situation. After a while, visible changes appeared in Brielle¡¯s body. A foul-smelling liquid began to seep through her pores. It was the residual drugs that had tormented Brielle. The stench was so overpowering that it made Zeon and Urtian dizzy. Just the fact that Brielle had maintained her sanity despite such potent drugs was enough to earn respect. The pain was so intense that Brielle lost consciousness. Even then, the residual drugs continued to be expelled. It took a long time for Brielle¡¯s condition to stabilize. Only then did Zeon reach out to pick her up. But someone else intervened first. It was Deborah. ¡°Leave her to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s a woman, after all. You can¡¯t undress her and clean her up. Let me handle it.¡± ¡°Please take care of her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Deborah carefully carried Brielle to a nearby house. She undressed Brielle and meticulously cleaned off the expelled residual drugs. After cleaning her and dressing her again, Brielle woke up. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Zeon?¡± ¡°He¡¯s outside.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°My! You seem taller.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Brielle stood up, doubting Deborah¡¯s reaction. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Indeed, she seemed a bit taller. It seemed that breaking free from drug addiction had reopened her growth tes. Brielle felt awkward with her slightly taller height. But soon, she started jumping with joy. She had been stressed for a long time as her height had stopped growing, but now she had no more worries. Brielle hurried outside to show her changed self. Levin was also there, having arrived at some point. Levin weed Brielle. ¡°Wow! I heard youpletely overcame your drug addiction? That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°I¡¯m destined to be a great alchemist. This is just the beginning. Huh!¡± ¡°You seem taller too?¡± ¡°Yes! Even I was surprised.¡± Brielle spun around, showing off her height. Zeon smiled and said. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯repletely free from the drugs.¡± ¡°Yes! I don¡¯t have to rely on drugs anymore.¡± A faint blush returned to Brielle¡¯s pale face, thanks to her oveing the addiction. However, the process had significantly drained her stamina, and she soon showed signs of fatigue. Seeing her condition, Zeon spoke. ¡°We should stay here a bit longer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll recover soon.¡± ¡°You need to be more careful right after a drastic change. Let¡¯s stay one more day.¡± ¡°Should we?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do that.¡± Brielle smiled brightly. Perhaps due to herplete recovery from the drugs, she looked even more beautiful. Levin gazed at Brielle¡¯s face in a daze. Urtian watched the two andmented. ¡°Such a lovely time.¡± £ª£ª£ª ng! ng! The sound of shing metal echoed through the open space. Dark Elf Duduyan and Half-Elf Eloy were shing in the open space. They swung their weapons at each other fiercely, as if they were mortal enemies. Neither of them were pure Elves. Both were not warmly weed by other Elves, sharing amonality. Perhaps because of this, they felt a strange kinship and started dueling. Both Duduyan and Eloy were Martial Arts Awakened. Duduyan wielded two daggers, while Eloy used a spear named the Mad Gumiho. Duduyan tried to close in for an attack, while Eloy kept a reasonable distance, pressing Duduyan. Short-range and long-rangebat. They relentlessly exploited each other¡¯s weaknesses. Except for eating and sleeping, most of their time was spent inbat. Thanks to this, theirbat skills had improved immensely in just a few days. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± ¡°Haa! Haa!¡± The two women copsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Eloy was the victor. Despite losing, Duduyan didn¡¯t look upset at all. Instead, she smiled, looking relieved. It had been a long time since she fought with all her strength. Her muscles ached from the intense exertion, and her heart pounded as if it would burst. Still, she felt great. Eloy grinned at Duduyan. ¡°You¡¯re smiling like a pervert.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°If you look in the mirror, you¡¯d see the same expression.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Exactly the same.¡± ¡°Damn! I must be a pervert too.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Both Duduyan and Eloy burst intoughter simultaneously. Fighting had brought them closer, and now they were just like that. Theymunicated through battle and deeply understood each other. Duduyan asked Eloy. ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± ¡°I should.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t n to stay here at all?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a high-ranking official in Neo Seoul, you know.¡± ¡°Why not stay here? You¡¯re not that weed there anyway.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s my home. I can¡¯t abandon my home so easily.¡± Despite everything, Eloy had lived in Neo Seoul for over twenty years. She couldn¡¯t leave it now. ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll visit again. Just don¡¯t shut me out then.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. The Steel Fortress will be our home. Come anytime.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Eloy smiled when a sudden sound interrupted. Whee-oo! Whee-oo! An urgent whistle echoed through the Steel Fortress. HELHEIM SCANS [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 203 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 203 ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Damn it! What¡¯s with the loud whistle?¡± Despite their grumbling, the Awakened members of the Red Storm quickly gathered at the entrance of the Steel Fortress. The whistle was the most efficient means of conveying signals. Especially when warning of danger, there was no better method. At the entrance, essible only by a basket lift, a Red Storm member was gasping for breath. He was the one who had blown the whistle. Urtian approached him and asked. ¡°Juying! What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Haa... Haa... Orcs.¡± ¡°Orcs?¡± ¡°Yes, Orcs have appeared nearby.¡± The Awakened member, called Juying, barely caught his breath as he replied. ¡°Orcs, you say?¡± ¡°Yes! We spotted a small group about twenty kilometers away.¡± ¡°Damn it! Those Orc bastards have no fear¡­¡± Urtian¡¯s face darkened ominously. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Orcs. Neither were his subordinates. The Red Storm had previously killed and looted Orcs. To them, Orcs were not something to fear but prey to be hunted. Urtian looked at his second-inmand, Kormac. ¡°Kormac!¡± ¡°Yes, boss?¡± ¡°Take the guys and go exterminate those Orcs.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kormac responded immediately. As the second-inmand of the Red Storm, exterminating Orcs was no big deal for him. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Kormac and thirty Awakened members descended from the Steel Fortress. Zeon spoke to Urtian. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you send more people?¡± ¡°Why, are you worried?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to be sure about these things.¡± ¡°No need to worry. Kormac is well-versed in dealing with these monsters.¡± Urtian responded nonchntly. Having already faced Orcs, he could say this with confidence. Orcs were no match for the Red Storm. ¡°At most, there might be a few injuries. We just need to be ready to treat them when they return.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡± Urtian indicated he didn¡¯t want to hear any more, sticking his fingers in his ears and walking among the people. Zeon didn¡¯t push further. Urtian was the leader of the Steel Fortress. It was his judgment and decision. Questioning it any further would undermine his authority. ¡®Let¡¯s just hope nothing goes wrong¡­¡¯ * * * Kormac and his men headed to the location where the Orcs had been spotted. ¡°Arrogant pig bastards. How dare they target our home?¡± Having stayed in the Steel Fortress for the past few days, Kormac had enjoyed the stability of a safe residence. For someone who had lived a nomadic life constantly threatened by monsters, the few days in the Steel Fortress felt like a dream. He didn¡¯t want to lose thisfort again, hence his anger toward the Orcs. Kormac asked Juying, who was running ahead. ¡°Juying! Are we there yet?¡± ¡°Almost there. We should see them once we cross that sand hill.¡± ¡°Did you hear that? Everyone, prepare for battle.¡± At Kormac¡¯smand, the Awakened members readied themselves forbat while running. As they reached the top of therge sand hill Juying had indicated, the scene beyond came into view. Kormac¡¯s lips curled into a grim smile. As Juying had said, dozens of Orcs were visible. They were poorly armed and had terrible discipline, looking like a ragtag group. Kormac didn¡¯t see the need to deliberate or make ns. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We¡¯ll kill them quickly and return to the fortress.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Hurrah!¡± Kormac and his men charged down the sand hill at terrifying speed. ¡°Chwiit!¡± ¡°Humans!¡± The Orcs btedly noticed and drew their weapons. ¡°Toote. Kill them all!¡± Whirr! Discs flew from Kormac¡¯s waist toward the Orcs. His unique skill, Death Discs, had been activated. The pair of discs swiftly sliced through three or four Orcs. ¡°Chwit!¡± ¡°Kwiit!¡± The Orcs fell, screaming their distinctive cries. While the remaining Orcs were still in shock, the Awakened members descended upon them. sh! Swoosh! With chilling slicing sounds, the Orcs¡¯ bodies were dismembered. The sand turned crimson with Orc blood. ¡°Burn them.¡± Juying, a magic-type Awakened,unched a fireball at the Orcs. An Orc hit by the fireball was set aze and iled wildly. ¡°Serves you right.¡± ¡°The battle isn¡¯t over yet. Stay alert.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± At Kormac¡¯s voice, Juying regained focus and continued attacking the other Orcs. Within moments, the dozen or so Orcs were wiped out, and Kormac and the Awakened members were covered in blood. Kormac finally smiled and spoke to his men. ¡°Well done, everyone. Let¡¯s return to the fortress and enjoy a nice bath.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± ¡°Just thinking about it makes me happy.¡± The Awakened members allughed. Over the past few days, they had enjoyed the luxury of abundant water. For the first time in their lives, they had experienced bathing. They had indulged in the extravagance of immersing their bodies in water. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] The sensation of the water was still vivid in their minds. They were eager to return and immerse themselves in water once more. Just as Kormac and the Awakened members were about to leave. ¡°Chwiit!¡± ¡°The humans took the bait.¡± Suddenly, voices of Orcs echoed from all around. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Were there still more Orcs?¡± Kormac and the Awakened members were shocked and looked in the direction of the voices. Orcs began to emerge from the sand dunes. Their numbers were overwhelming. Even a rough count suggested there were over a thousand of them. In the center stood an exceptionallyrge Orc. An Orc with a massive battle hammer slung over his shoulder, exuding an overwhelming presence. He was Ashanka, the second-inmand of the Orcs. Boom! Ashanka took a heavy step toward Kormac. ¡°My name is Ashanka, human!¡± ¡°Ashanka?¡± ¡°I am looking for the humans who killed our tribe¡¯s children.¡± ¡°Children?¡± ¡°Yes! The children who were inmunal care. Have you seen such humans?¡± ¡°If you mean the Orc children¡­¡± Kormac¡¯s expression hardened. He recalled massacring some old and young Orcs not long ago. Ashanka didn¡¯t miss the change in Kormac¡¯s expression. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve found them.¡± ¡°Arrogant Orc bastards¡­¡± ¡°Where is the rest of your group? There must be more humans.¡± ¡°How dare you interrogate me, you pig¡­¡± ¡°They say humans don¡¯t listen unless spoken to with force. Seems it¡¯s true.¡± Ashanka was surprisingly articte for an Orc. Watching Ashanka, Kormac bit his lip hard. ¡®Damn it! Looks like we¡¯re screwed.¡¯ They were outnumbered, and Ashanka¡¯s presence was daunting. If they fought relying solely on brute strength, escaping would be easy. But the Orcs had lured them in with a cunning n. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to escape. Kormac spoke to his men. ¡°Listen carefully. From now on, don¡¯t think about anything but escaping. Don¡¯t try to save yourrades. Just run to the Steel Fortress and report this.¡± No one responded, but all the Awakened members took Kormac¡¯s words to heart. Kormac thought he had spoken quietly, but Ashanka heard everything. ¡°Steel Fortress? Is that where yourrades are?¡± ¡°Damn it! Did he hear that?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll tell us whether you like it or not, human!¡± ¡°Damn it! Die!¡± With Kormac¡¯s shout, a pair of discs flew out. He unleashed his Death Discs at Ashanka. Until now, the Death Discs had never failed Kormac. But this time, they did. ng! The discs were deflected by Ashanka¡¯s battle hammer. ¡°Damn it!¡± Kormac tried to control the discs to attack Ashanka again. ¡°You¡¯re weak, human!¡± Ashanka mocked Kormac as he charged. Boom! Boom! The giant figure,rger than a camel, moved with the speed of a ming wolf. Escape was impossible from the start. Kormac controlled the discs to attack Ashanka again. Whirr! The spinning discs targeted Ashanka¡¯s neck. But without even looking at them, Ashanka struck them away with his battle hammer. ¡®What the¡­?¡¯ As Kormac¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, Ashanka¡¯s battle hammer struck. Boom! ¡°Aagh!¡± With a thunderous impact, Kormac¡¯s body was flung backward. Bloodied, Kormac¡¯s limbs twisted grotesquely as he tumbled across the ground. The Martial Artist Awakened Kormac was incapacitated with a single blow. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ The shock of feeling his entire skeleton shattering made Kormac¡¯s mind foggy. He tried to stay conscious, but it was futile. Thud! Kormac bounced several times like a skipping stone before crashing to the ground. Ashanka approached the fallen Kormac. ¡°Vice-captain!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The Awakened members tried to save Kormac, but they were surrounded by countless Orcs. Ashanka grabbed Kormac by the neck and lifted him. Regaining consciousness, Kormac shouted with hisst strength. ¡°Run! At least one of you must survive and report this to the fortress.¡± Hearing this, the Awakened members finally scattered and fled. Seeing this, Ashanka bared his yellow fangs andughed. ¡°Heh heh! I¡¯ll let one of you live. That way, you can lead us to your fortress.¡± ¡°No way! No, don¡¯t!¡± Kormac¡¯s eyes widened in horror. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that an Orc could be so cunning. Ashanka looked into Kormac¡¯s eyes and spoke. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you think only humans could use their brains? You¡¯re sorely mistaken. We Orcs are capable of this level of thinking, human!¡± Ashanka raised Kormac higher and grabbed his legs with his other hand. Then, using his immense strength, he pulled. Rip! With a tremendous force, Kormac¡¯s upper and lower body were torn in half. Ashanka stood there, arms raised, drenched in Kormac¡¯s blood. His entire body was now stained red with the human¡¯s blood. He tossed aside Kormac¡¯s mutted corpse. Lower-ranking Orcs immediately pounced on it, tearing it apart and devouring it. ¡°Chwiit!¡± ¡°Meat!¡± Ashanka paid no attention to the lower-ranking Orcs. His eyes were fixed on the backs of the Awakened members fleeing through the Orcs'' encirclement. ¡°Yes! Lead us to your fortress.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 204 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 204 ¡°Is Neo Seoul really that big?¡± ¡°Is it true that there are twenty million people living in Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying, right? Right?¡± Zeon sighed, looking at the children surrounding him. Rayor, Diane, and Samuel¡ªthese were the children born to Urtian and Deborah. They were half-elves, like Eloy, and they encircled Zeon, bombarding him with questions. These children had inherited Urtian''s bravery and Deborah''s wisdom, and they hadpletely lowered their guard around Zeon. That''s when Zeon''s ordeal began. The endless barrage of questions. At first, he answered earnestly. But the questions kepting without end, and eventually, Zeon surrendered. ¡°Is Zeon¡¯s house also in Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°When will you go home? Can I visit?¡± ¡°How big is your house? Is it bigger than ours?¡± The relentless questioning from the three children made his ears hurt. It was Brielle who saved him. ¡°Enough! You little brats!¡± ¡°Brielle, you¡¯re a brat too!¡± ¡°Humph! But I¡¯m not a kid who only relies on adults'' protection like you.¡± ¡°Who are you calling a brat? We are warriors!¡± ¡°What monsters have you killed then?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± ¡°None, right? Hmph! Go drink some more of your mom¡¯s milk, you brats!¡± ¡°Waaaah!¡± In the end, the youngest, Samuel, burst into tears. The other two red at Brielle with frustration, but they couldn¡¯t do anything to her. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°This is so unfair.¡± ¡°If you get it, then scram!¡± Finally, the three children had no choice but to retreat, holding back their tears. Zeon thanked Brielle, who was smiling triumphantly. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You had a hard time with those little kids. I knew you were weak against children.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just kids.¡± Zeon chuckled. The world might have changed drastically, but the fact that children needed protection hadn¡¯t. Even if those children were half-elves. Just then. ¡°Damn it! A wounded person!¡± ¡°Quick, lower the basket!¡± Suddenly, urgent voices came from the entrance of the fortress. Zeon and Brielle ran to the entrance without hesitation. Numerous Awakened members had gathered at the entrance. tter! The pulley turned as the basket was raised. Finally, the basket reached the entrance, and the Awakened members helped the person inside out. Covered in so much blood that he was unrecognizable, the person was one of those who had left with Kormac. Urtian urgently asked the Awakened member. ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s Kormac? Where are the others?¡± ¡°E-everyone is dead.¡± ¡°Dead?¡± ¡°It was an ambush. The Orcs¡­ They dug a trap and¡­ they were waiting for us.¡± ¡°What do you mean? How did Orcs set a trap?¡± ¡°Ugh! Prepare¡­ They¡¯ll follow¡­¡± The wounded Awakened member couldn¡¯t finish his sentence and lowered his head. He was dead. Urtian was momentarily speechless at the death of the Awakened member. The others also stared nkly at their deadrade but soon regained their senses. It was because of thest thing the dead Awakened member had said. ¡°The Orcs areing?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The Awakened members quickly looked outside the fortress. In the distance, a cloud of dust was rising. Momentster, the silhouettes of massive Orcs became visible through the dust. ¡°It¡¯s the Orcs. They¡¯re attacking!¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± Dong, dong, dong! The voices of the Awakened members and the emergency bell echoed through the fortress. Awakened members and residents alike gathered at the entrance. ¡°Orcs?¡± ¡°Could it be that Kormac and the Awakened members were all killed?¡± Fear spread across people''s faces. Kormac was the second-inmand of the Red Storm. The fact that the second-strongest member of the Red Storm had been killed by the Orcs was a huge shock. ¡°Kormac is dead?¡± Urtian gritted his teeth and looked ahead. Kormac was not only his subordinate but also his friend. He was the only friend who understood and supported him unconditionally. The fact that Kormac, who always had his back, was killed by the Orcs made Urtian furious. ¡°How dare those Orc bastards kill Kormac.¡± He could easily guess the fate of Kormac''s corpse. It made him even sadder and angrier. The Orcs were approaching the Steel Fortress directly. At the forefront was Ashanka. ¡°So this is the humans¡¯ fortress?¡± A sandstone mountain rose in the middle of the barren desert. Halfway up, arge cave entrance was visible. And the humans who looked ready to kill him and his Orcs. Ashanka bared his fangs in a grin. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] ¡°A ce perfectly fitting for bugs.¡± ¡°Chwiit! How should we attack?¡± An Orc assisting Ashanka asked with an excited expression. ¡°Let''s start with a greeting. Shaman!¡± He called for the Orc shaman. ¡°Yes, Lord Ashanka!¡± Shortly after, an old Orc adorned with skulls and bones all over his body appeared. He was the shaman of the Red Hammer Tribe. Every tribe had at least one shaman. They could perform miracles unimaginable to ordinary Orcs. The shaman of the Red Hammer Tribe specialized in monster rampage. His unique ability was to use a special spell to enrage and control nearby monsters. ¡°Summon the monsters nearby and have them attack the fortress.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Ashanka!¡± The shaman closed his eyes and began chanting a spell. The first step in causing a monster rampage was to detect the monsters. Using magic, he located the monsters in the vicinity. The second step was identifying the specific frequency and wavelength to paralyze the monsters'' senses. The final step was using the spell to emit this frequency and enrage the monsters. The old Orc shaman was skilled in this process. In no time, he detected the nearby monsters. The shaman was surprised by what he found. ¡°Hehe! This is unexpected!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The monsters are very close.¡± ¡°Then enrage them quickly.¡± ¡°Hehe! I¡¯ll give them a big surprise.¡± The old Orc shaman grinned hideously and began chanting again. * * * ¡°There are so many of them.¡± ¡°It looks like all the nearby Orcs have gathered.¡± Levin and Eloy watched the Orc horde, clicking their tongues. At a nce, there were at least a thousand of them. It was the first time they had seen such arge group of Orcs. Levin frowned and said. ¡°But they can¡¯t get up here, right? We¡¯re halfway up the mountain.¡± ¡°If nothing unusual happens, we should be able to hold them off. This ce isn¡¯t called the Steel Fortress for nothing.¡± Although not actually made of steel, the mountain was solid rock. Moreover, the entrance was halfway up a sheer cliff. Without the basket, the Orcs had no way to climb up. Of course, they could try climbing with their physical prowess. But the Awakened members of the Steel Fortress wouldn¡¯t let them climb easily. The fortress, boasting steel-like defenses, was just as the name suggested. Thus, while all the Awakened members were tense, none were afraid. It¡¯s generally harder for attackers than defenders. Especially here, in a natural fortress rare in the desert. With its rugged terrain, they could hold off many more Orcs than they had. ¡°The problem is the food¡­¡± Zeon frowned. While they had enough water, they were severelycking in food. If the siegested long, the Steel Fortress would be at a disadvantage. ¡°This is tough.¡± Rustle! Just then, a faint noise reached Zeon¡¯s ears. ¡°¡­¡± Zeon turned around, puzzled. The noise came from inside the underground cavern. All the Awakened members were gathered at the entrance, and the civilians were hiding in their homes. There was no reason for any noise toe from there. Zeon walked towards the source of the noise. He reached the entrance of the vertical cave deep inside the Steel Fortress. It was the ce where the first elder, Gawen, had brought them to be disposed of. ¡°Isn¡¯t this where the Four-Eyed Bats live?¡± Boom! At that moment, the iron bars blocking the cave entrance shattered with a loud explosion. From within, a swarm of flying monsters poured out. They were the Four-Eyed Bats that lived in the underground vertical cave. Thousands, tens of thousands of Four-Eyed Bats filled the ceiling of the underground cavern. Four-Eyed Bats were small monsters, only about one meter in size. Individually, they weren¡¯t very threatening. But in swarms of thousands or tens of thousands, they were deadly. When they swarmed, evenrge monsters would be drained of blood and die quickly. The Four-Eyed Bats emerging from the vertical cave were not normal. Their four red eyes glowed with ferocity. After flying in a group for a moment, they soon attacked the Awakened members. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with these bats?¡± The Awakened members of the Red Storm panicked at the sudden attack of the Four-Eyed Bats. They had only recently joined the fortress and were unaware of the bats'' existence. Awakened members originally from the Steel Fortress shouted. ¡°They¡¯re Four-Eyed Bats! They¡¯vee out of the vertical cave!¡± ¡°Damn it! Why did theye out now?¡± Though they lived in the vertical cave inside the fortress, the bats rarely emerged. Partly because the entrance was blocked by iron bars, but also because there was another exit. Thus, they rarely attacked the fortress inhabitants. Especially since the iron bars were installed, there hadn¡¯t been a single attack. Hence, they hadn¡¯t been particrly wary, even when the Orcs attacked. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Many Awakened members were helpless against the bats'' assault. Once bitten by a Four-Eyed Bat, there was no way to remove it before it drained all the blood. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Take this!¡± To save theirrades bitten by the bats, the Awakened members attacked. Bang! Various skills were unleashed on the bats'' backs. Despite the severe pain and impact, the bats didn¡¯t release their grip on the Awakened members. Even while dying from the Awakened members'' attacks, the bats continued to suck blood relentlessly, their persistence terrifying. sh! A bat only let go when its head was severed. A Martial Artist Awakened had decapitated the bat with arge sword. But by then, the bitten Awakened member was already dead. Drained of blood, the corpse was dried up like a mummy. The horrific sight left everyone nearby speechless. As people were distracted, the bats attacked again. Just as the bats swarmed, blocking out the sky, the Awakened members froze in terror. Boom! Dozens of sand vipers shot up, intercepting the bats. Zeon had activated Viper. Boom! Boom! Dozens of Four-Eyed Bats fell to the ground with loud thuds. Zeon shouted to the others. ¡°Everyone, pull yourselves together!¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 205 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 205 sh! Urtian swiftly sliced through an attacking Four-Eyed Bat, cutting it cleanly in half. ¡°Damn it! There were monsters living inside the fortress? Why didn¡¯t they tell us?¡± His face was filled with anger from the sudden assault by the Four-Eyed Bats. Deborah stepped forward. ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°Deborah!¡± ¡°These people didn¡¯t mention it because they didn¡¯t think it was a significant threat. The important thing now is to deal with the situation.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°We have to try.¡± Deborah responded with a determined look. Though she usually managed the internal affairs of the Red Storm, she was also a C-rank Tamer. This meant she had the ability to tame monsters. Fortunately, the Four-Eyed Bats were not highly ranked monsters, only about D-rank or E-rank at best. Taming one or two would be easy. The problem was there were tens of thousands of them. Taming so many monsters would be impossible even for a high-rank Tamer, let alone a mere C-rank like her. She needed to find a way. Deborah quickly scanned her surroundings. Boom! Boom! Boom! With explosive sounds, numerous Four-Eyed Bats fell to the ground. Zeon was using his Viper skill to intercept them. While Zeon was efficiently dealing with the bats, the other Awakened members were helpless against the airborne assault. For ordinary Awakened members, flying monsters were akin to a disaster. They weren¡¯t prepared to deal with airborne attacks since they usually fought on the ground. Zeon continued to use his Viper skill to reduce the number of Four-Eyed Bats. He wanted to use a powerful skill like Sand Storm to wipe out the bats in one go, but using such a strong skill in the confined space of the Steel Fortress would endanger the people inside. Thus, he had to reduce their numbers one by one with less destructive skills. Deborah hurried over to Zeon. ¡°Please help me.¡± ¡°How can I help?¡± ¡°There must be a leader among these bats.¡± ¡°Like a queen?¡± ¡°Yes! If it''s C-rank or lower, I can tame it. If we calm the leader, the others will stop rampaging.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth a try.¡± Zeon nodded just as the roars of the Orcs echoed nearby. Taking advantage of the confusion caused by the bats, the Orcs hadunched an attack. They were climbing up the cliff like ants. Seeing the Orcs scaling the cliff, the Awakened members shivered. ¡°Stop them!¡± ¡°Damn it! These bats¡­¡± The Awakened members tried to attack the Orcs but were too distracted by the bats. Zeon spoke. ¡°Perhaps I should handle the Orcs¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s our job. If we want to survive here, we need to fight them ourselves. That way, we can learn how to deal with them next time.¡± Deborah looked Zeon straight in the eyes. Zeon had incredible abilities. If he used his near-divine powers, the Orcs on the sand wouldn''t stand a chance. But relying on him wouldn¡¯t help the Awakened members grow. ¡°This is both a crisis and an opportunity. By facing amon enemy like the Orcs, the Red Storm and the people of the Steel Fortress can unite. So give us this chance.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Zeon nodded. If this was Deborah¡¯s determination, he had to respect it. ¡°Levin!¡± ¡°Yes, hyung.¡± Levin, who had been fighting the bats nearby, responded to Zeon¡¯s call. ¡°There must be a leader among the bats. Find it.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Levin nodded. Finding the leader among tens of thousands of bats would be impossible for others, but Levin could do it. Ssss! Levin turned into his ghostly form and flew into the air. The bats attacked him, but physical attacks didn¡¯t affect his ethereal body. Hundreds of bats passed through his body in vain. Levin floated, scanning for a unique individual. After a while, he spotted an exceptionallyrge Four-Eyed Bat. Unlike the others, it wasn¡¯t attacking humans but hovering in ce. The moment Levin saw it, he instinctively knew. ¡®That¡¯s the boss.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just its size. The bat had a unique horn on its head, emitting a faint red glow. Whenever the light from the horn intensified, the bats circled and attacked the humans. Levin returned to Zeon and reported. ¡°I found the boss.¡± ¡°Well done. Take us to it.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Levin ghosted and flew back up. Zeon extended his hand to Deborah. ¡°Hold on tight.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Deborah suddenly found herself airborne. Looking down in surprise, she saw a pir of sand supporting her. Zeon had manipted the sand to lift both of them into the air. The Four-Eyed Bats didn¡¯t ignore the humans intruding into their domain. Screech! [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] With sharp cries, hundreds, thousands of bats attacked. The sight of the swarming bats was terrifying enough to haunt nightmares. Deborah instinctively closed her eyes tightly. Boom! Boom! Explosive sounds echoed around her, but she felt no impact. Zeon had created a barrier of sand to protect them. The bats hit the sand wall and were flung back by the force. Deborah watched all this unfold, her eyes wide with amazement. ¡®What an incredible power.¡¯ Experiencing it firsthand, she realized just how extraordinary Zeon¡¯s abilities were. Even amidst the relentless assault of the bats, Zeon protected Deborah and followed Levin safely. After a while, Levin pointed to a specific bat and said. ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°It does look like the leader.¡± Zeon nodded, looking at Deborah. Deborah also agreed with their assessment. ¡°It¡¯s the queen.¡± As a Tamer, she could tell. The unique individual was the queen of the swarm. ¡°How do we tame it?¡± ¡°First, we need to subdue it.¡± ¡°By force?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not difficult.¡± ¡°What?¡± Deborah was puzzled as Zeon called out to Levin. ¡°Levin!¡± ¡°Yes, hyung.¡± ¡°Fry all the ones nearby.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Crackle! In an instant, purple lightning surged from Levin¡¯s body. The wave of Purple Lightning struck the bats flying around. Low-rank monsters couldn¡¯t withstand Levin¡¯s Purple Lightning. The bats fell like leaves in a storm. Only the queen remained airborne, but it too was disoriented by the powerful electric shock. Zeon seized the opportunity and brought Deborah onto the queen¡¯s back. Realizing their presence, the queen thrashed violently, trying to shake them off. Bang! Zeon punched the queen¡¯s head with his right fist. The queen briefly lost consciousness from the blow. The queen plummeted rapidly, and the other bats went berserk. They flew in, trying to save their queen. Crackle! Levin unleashed Purple Lightning again to keep the bats at bay. Boom! The queen crashed to the ground. Levin descended from the queen¡¯s back and spoke to Deborah. ¡°Your turn now.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Deborah ced her hands on the head of the disoriented queen. She concentrated, trying to connect with the queen. It was amusing to think of taming a monster she had just beaten, but this was the best method now. Shine! A bright light emanated from her hands. Even then, the bats tried to save their queen, but their efforts were thwarted by Zeon and Levin. Meanwhile, Deborahpleted her task. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Deborah stepped away from the queen. The queen shook its head, regaining consciousness. Deborah spoke gently. ¡°We are not your enemies.¡± Screech! ¡°I know! You¡¯re scared. But we didn¡¯t do this.¡± Screech! Zeon and Levin watched in amazement as Deborahmunicated with the queen bat. They hadn¡¯t expected her to be able to converse with a monster. After a while, Deborah patted the queen bat and said. ¡°Thank you for understanding. We will respect your territory, so please calm down.¡± Screech! The horn on the queen¡¯s forehead emitted light, and the swarming bats settled down. The queen flew back into the air, nced at Deborah, and entered the vertical cave. The swarm followed. Whoosh! The sight of tens of thousands of bats entering the cave was magnificent. Zeon asked Deborah. ¡°Since you¡¯ve tamed the queen, can¡¯t you make it attack the Orcs?¡± ¡°With my abilities, I can¡¯t control itpletely. Without you, the queen wouldn¡¯t have listened. For now, it¡¯s best to respect each other¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Zeon nodded. A queen leading such arge swarm would have strong willpower and ego. It was beyond Deborah¡¯s current abilities to fully control it. They had to be satisfied with stopping the bat rampage. Finally, all the bats had returned to the vertical cave. But there was no time to rx. ¡°Chwiit!¡± ¡°Raaah!¡± The Orcs were climbing into the entrance of the Steel Fortress. While the Awakened members were struggling with the bats, the Orcs had scaled the cliff and arrived. Among them was a particrly noticeable Orc. A massive Orc wielding arge battle hammer¡ªAshanka. Smash! Ashanka crushed an approaching Awakened member with his hammer and roared. ¡°Kill all the humans!¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 206 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 206 "Damn it!" "It''s not toote yet. We need to knock them off." The Awakeneds, finally realizing the situation, started attacking the Orcs climbing the cliff. "Chwiit!" "Kreek! S-save me..." Orcs screamed as they were hit and fell. However, there were more Orcs climbing up the cliff than those falling. The Orcs following Ashanka began to fight against the human Awakeneds as they reached the top of the cliff. While the vanguard blocked the Awakeneds, the subsequent waves of Orcs kept climbing up. "Damn it! If more of them get up here, we''re in serious trouble. We need to stop them somehow." "Dirty pig bastards!" The Awakeneds attacked the Orcs with all their might, and the Orcs responded mercilessly. "Aargh!" "Ugh!" Both sides suffered casualties. Orcs died inrge numbers, but neither side retreated. Corpses piled up at the entrance of the underground cavern, and blood flowed like a river. "Kill all the humans." Ashanka roared. As the second-inmand of the Orc tribes, Ashanka''s shout carried a power that shook the spirits of those who heard it. It was the fearsome presence of an Orc hero. Nearby Awakeneds clutched their ears in agony from the powerful roar. "Ugh!" "My ears..." Ashanka crushed the helpless, kneeling Awakeneds with his battle hammer. Smash! One''s skull shattered as he died instantly. Ashanka moved to im another life. Smash! Someone intercepted his battle hammer. It was Urtian, the leader of the Red Storm. "Orcs dare to invade? I won''t let any of you leave alive." "Humans killed our young, so this is only fitting." "Shut up, Orc." "You shut up, elf!" Ashanka swung his battle hammer with a roar. A grayish aura emanated from his hammer. It was the unique energy of the Orcs, known as battle aura. Just as humans acquire skills as they awaken, exceptional Orcs discover this energy. ng! Ashanka and Urtian shed. Urtian countered with his aura de but felt a powerful shock. It wasn''t a difference in the power of their energies. The destructive power of both was equal. The problemy in the physical disparity between Ashanka and Urtian. Though Urtian wasrge for an elf, Ashanka was twice his size. He was stronger and far more destructive. "Ugh!" Blood appeared at the corner of Urtian''s mouth. With just one sh, his internal organs were shaken. His whole body tingled, feeling as though it was being torn apart. Urtian swallowed the blood and swung his shamshir again. sh! His shamshir aimed for Ashanka''s neck at terrifying speed, but Ashanka dodged nimbly and countered with his hammer. Despite his massive size, Ashanka was incredibly agile. His speed matched Urtian''s. "Die, human!" Boom! Boom! Boom! Ashanka chased Urtian, swinging his massive hammer wildly. Urtian evaded the attacks while countering with Wind Cutters. The Awakeneds of the Red Storm tried to assist Urtian, but it was futile. Interfering in their fight would result in being crushed within seconds. They had to focus all their efforts on fighting the Orcs in front of them. "Haah!" "Yah!" Eloy and Brielle also yed their part. But the Orcs continued to climb the cliff relentlessly, outnumbering the Awakeneds. At this rate, the Steel Fortress would soon fall to the Orcs. "Ha." Zeon let out a light sigh. After solving the problem with the Four-Eyed Bats, a bigger issue awaited him. He couldn''t let the Steel Fortress fall. Zeon stepped outside the fortress. Even though he was walking on empty air, he didn''t fall. The sand automatically formed a tform beneath his feet. From the air outside the fortress, he could see how dire the situation was for the humans. Even now, the Orcs were climbing the cliff like ants. If they all reached the top and entered the Steel Fortress, the battle would be over. The result would be the annihtion of the humans. "I can''t let that happen." Zeon wasn''t interested in power struggles among humans. But the survival of the human race was a different matter. He had to prevent the extinction of humans by another species. It was the only sense of duty Zeon held. "Chwiit! A human is floating." "Attack him." Orcs noticed Zeon and began to attack. Spears and other projectiles flew towards him, but most fell short of reaching him. An Orc shaman noticed this. The old Orc shaman instinctively sensed the danger posed by Zeon. ''If we leave this human alone, it''ll be disastrous. We must kill him!'' The shaman''s instincts were sharper and more urate than those of ordinary Orcs or humans. He knew they had to kill Zeon immediately. The shaman pulled out a ck crystal from his robes. It was a cursed artifact that every Orc shaman possessed. It exponentially amplified their spells. The downside was that using this ck crystal would drain all his energy, leaving him bedridden for months. But there was no time to be picky now. The old Orc shaman used the ck crystal to curse Zeon. ''Confusion, division, disease, suicide.'' All sorts of amplified curses were directed at Zeon. Zeon instantly felt an overwhelming sense of lethargy. His control over the sand weakened, his muscles lost strength, and he was consumed by a high fever. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] ''A curse?'' Zeon quickly realized what had happened. He had experienced curses before. Zeon remembered that he had something in his subspace that could counter curses. ''The Reaper''s Scythe.'' He immediately retrieved the enormous scythe from his subspace. It was the scythe used by the Grim Reaper. Although it was also a cursed item like the ck crystal, its power was iparable. Just holding the Reaper''s Scythe brought a flood of curses upon him. His strength drained, his vision blurred, his heartbeat slowed, and his skin dried up. Already weakened by the shaman''s curse, Zeon''s body faced immense strain. Enduring the pain, Zeon swung the Reaper''s Scythe. His target was the old Orc shaman. sh! The invisible force from the Reaper''s Scythe cut through the Orc shaman precisely. "Arrgh!" The Orc shaman let out a horrified scream. The ck crystal shattered, and excruciating pain overwhelmed him. All the curses from the Reaper''s Scythe descended upon the shaman. He went blind, his skin dried up, his mind fractured, and countless diseases gnawed at him from within. His consciousness faded rapidly, but the pain remained vividly. In his final moment, he felt his soul being sucked out. The Reaper''s Scythe had harvested the old Orc shaman''s soul. Thud! The shaman''s dried-up corpse fell lifelessly to the ground. Zeon then returned the Reaper''s Scythe to his subspace. Although the Reaper''s Scythe was an overwhelmingly powerful item, its bacsh was equally severe. Zeon quickly channeled energy into his Inferno Gauntlet. The intense heat burned away the curses affecting his body. "Huu!" He finally felt alive again. But there was no time to rest. Numerous Orcs were still climbing the cliff. He needed to deal with them. Zeon concentrated and heightened his control. Whoosh! A wind began to blow around him. It was wind mixed with sand. The wind grew stronger and stronger. The desert sand filled the air. "Ugh?" "Chwiit! Why is there sand?" The Orcs climbing the cliff looked puzzled. The world had suddenly turned white, obstructed by sand. A terrifying sound echoed. It was simr to the sound of thousands of Four-Eyed Bats pping their wings, but sharper and more piercing. The Orcs finally realized a sandstorm was brewing. The sandstorm was hurtling towards them on the cliff. The high-speed rotating sand scraped their skin away. "Ugh?" "Chwiit?" The Orcs hunched over in shock. Until then, they thought the sandstorm was a natural urrence. But the sandstorm was summoned by Zeon. ''Sand Storm!'' Zeon muttered, and the sandstorm transformed into a fierce storm. The de-like sandstorm ruthlessly tore into the Orcs clinging to the cliff. Their thick hides were peeled away, exposing raw, red muscle. Despite their formidable defenses, the Orcs were helpless against the Sand Storm. "Argh!" "Chwiit!" Orcs caught in the storm spun in the air before being flung out and falling to the ground. Thud! St! The Orcs that fell from tens of meters high were crushed into pulp. They died instantly without even a scream. The ones still spinning in the air faced a worse fate. The high-speed rotating sand particles shredded them to pieces. "Argh!" "S-save me..." The Orcs screamed, but their voices never reached outside the Sand Storm. Pop! Pop! The massive bodies of the Orcs burst like water balloons, spraying blood everywhere. The blood stained the sand red, but it was minusculepared to the vast amount of sand. Many Orcs were ground to nothing by the Sand Storm. The Awakeneds watching shivered. "Insane!" "Is that even possible?" "Oh my god!" The sight of the Orcs being turned into red sand terrified them. Zeon disyed overwhelming power against the Orcs they had struggled with. They knew being a Sand Mage was formidable, but seeing it firsthand brought a surge of fear. Whoosh! The sandstorm slowly dissipated, revealing the scene below. There were no Orcs in sight. They had all been turned into red sand, disappearing without a trace. In the destend, only Zeon stood alone. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 207 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 207 An unbeatable presence. This was the sentiment of the Awakeneds after witnessing Zeon¡¯s might. The sight of hundreds of Orcs being swept away and turned into bloodied sand by a sandstorm was a tremendous shock to them. Even a hammer blow to the back of the head would not have been as shocking. No matter how strong an Awakened was, they couldn''t withstand a massive assault from monsters. Even Urtian, leading the Red Storm, would have been killed if he fell among so many Orcs. That was their understanding of the world. But Zeon''s prowesspletely shattered that understanding. Even Eloy, who knew Zeon¡¯s true potential to some extent, shook her head in disbelief. ¡°That insane man! He turned the Orcs into dust.¡± She, too, felt a shiver down her spine. The scene she had just witnessed was that shocking. Just imagining herself caught in that sandstorm made her shudder. ¡®Even I would have been turned into bloodied sand like the Orcs if I got caught in that storm. It doesn¡¯t make sense that a human can wield such a skill. What rank is he, really?¡¯ He was a being of a different league. At least S-rank. This was the conclusion Eloy reached at this moment. She bit her lip until it bled, so shocked was she. ¡°Raaah! Human.¡± If it weren''t for Ashanka''s furious roar, Eloy and the other Awakeneds might have stood there in a daze indefinitely. Ashanka''s roar snapped them back to reality, making them realize the battle wasn¡¯t over yet. Whoosh! Whoosh! Ashanka swung his battle hammer with terrifying force. His eyes were bloodshot with rage. He had witnessed his subordinates being turned into bloodied sand in an instant. ¡°How dare you! How dare a mere human...¡± Though he was facing Urtian, his gaze was fixed on Zeon. Even while fighting Urtian, he saw everything Zeon did. The sight of hundreds of Orcs turning into bloodied sand in an instant was also a huge shock to Ashanka. Any being with a semnce of reason would naturally feel fear. But Ashanka was an Orc. He knew how to turn fear into fuel for his rage. Roar! Ashanka¡¯s battle aura surged explosively. ¡°Ugh!¡± Urtian, who had been fighting him evenly, was temporarily pushed back. With the explosive increase in power, Ashanka attacked Urtian. ¡°Get out of my way! Human.¡± Boom! Boom! Ashanka¡¯s battle hammer rained down like a storm. Urtian blocked all the attacks with his shamshir. However, he couldn''tpletely mitigate the shock. Even among melee weapons, the destructive power of a battle hammer and a shamshir was iparable. The battle hammer, which concentrated all its force on one point, had a destructive power that a shamshir couldn¡¯t match. Moreover, its mobility and agility weren¡¯tcking. Ashanka¡¯s immense strength allowed him to wield the battle hammer as lightly as a toothpick. Ashanka tried to shove aside the obstructive Urtian to charge at Zeon. But Urtian couldn¡¯t let Ashanka run amok. He had to deal with Ashanka himself. It was his belief that any group could only be maintained when the leader had strong charisma. If he showed weakness to Ashanka here, not only the Red Storm but even the original residents of the Steel Fortress might doubt his leadership. To prevent such a scenario, he had to defeat Ashanka. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to reveal everything here, but I have no choice.¡± Urtian gathered all his remaining mana. The surrounding air resonated with his mana, creating a hum. Hum! The Elves lost much when they came to Earth. They lost their spirits and much of their unique magic. The greatest loss was their noble pride and purity. Elves no longer lived like Elves, having be too worldly to discuss purity. It was an inevitable choice for survival. Elves betrayed each other, stole food, and abandoned their young. Urtian was one of those abandoned Elves. To survive, he did anything, and through that, he discovered his hidden ability. It was real magic. Not the wind cutters used for restraint, but genuine magic. The problem was that using this magic left him bedridden for at least a month due to the aftereffects. That¡¯s why he refrained from using it even when fighting Lee Ji-ryeong. But now wasn¡¯t the time for calctions or considerations. It was time to give his all. ¡°Hiyaah! Wind Spiral Spear!¡± Instantly, spears of wind formed behind him. The wind spears were spinning rapidly. Whoosh! The rapidly spinning wind spears had a destructive power beyond ordinary magic. They devoured Urtian''s mana in chunks. There weren''t just one or two wind spears behind him. There were twenty wind spears spinning, waiting for their master¡¯smand. ¡°Go!¡± At his will, the Wind Spiral Spears shot forward. Ashanka also concentrated his battle aura on his hammer, unleashing a skill. ¡°Explosion of Death!¡± The battle aura on his hammer exploded right in front of him. Boom! Boom! Boom! The skills unleashed with full power by the Orc and the human collided in mid-air, causing an even bigger explosion. Rumble! The underground chamber shook as if it would copse at any moment due to the massive shock. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The Awakeneds stared wide-eyed at the sh between Urtian and Ashanka. Dust and mes rose, obscuring everything. But even within the mes, Urtian and Ashanka continued to fight. The explosionsing from the mes proved that. Boom! A particrly loud explosion echoed. Then, as if it were a lie, all noise ceased. ¡°Urtian!¡± Deborah was the first to run to where Urtian was fighting. Urtian was on his knees, vomiting blood. His condition was dreadful. His chest, struck by the battle hammer, was caved in, and his shoulder and leg were broken and dangling. His entire body was soaked in blood; it was a wonder he was still breathing. In front of him stood Ashanka, who had gone berserk. Ashanka was in much better condition than Urtian. There were hardly any visible injuries on him, making it hard to believe he had just been in a fierce battle. But there was a wound. On his chest. A long, thin sword piercing his chest. It was Urtian''s shamshir. Ashanka bared his yellow teeth and spoke. ¡°Ha... a swordsmaster?¡± ¡°Yes, you Orc bastard.¡± ¡°To think that I, Ashanka, would die to an Elf.¡± Ashanka¡¯s massive body staggered. Urtian''s shamshir had pierced his heart. No creature could survive with a pierced heart. Ashanka was no exception. Thud! He knelt on one knee. Even in that state, Ashanka red at Urtian. ¡°Just because you killed me doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s over. Human! Our Orcs never forgive those who kill our young. The Great Chieftain will avenge me and the young Orcs.¡± ¡°So, the Great Chieftain has risen?¡± ¡°He is... many times stronger than me. He will wipe out all the humans on Earth.¡± The light of life was fading from Ashanka''s eyes. Yet heughed. His expression sent chills down Urtian¡¯s spine. Thud! Finally, Ashanka copsed, dead. ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°We won.¡± ¡°We killed those filthy pigs.¡± Cheers erupted everywhere. The Awakeneds and residents of the fortress together shouted in joy. Ashanka had been thest Orc. All the other Orcs had been killed by the Awakeneds. Though the streets were filled with Orc corpses, the people ignored them and celebrated their victory. Zeon climbed back into the fortress and observed the scene. It had been possible because of his help, but these people had admirably defended their home. They deserved to enjoy the joy of victory. ¡°Hyung!¡± ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Ugh! I''m exhausted.¡± Levin, Brielle, and Eloy gathered around him. Their bodies were also covered in Orc blood, but their expressions were bright like everyone else''s. Zeon asked them. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± ¡°Nothing serious.¡± ¡°Just minor injuries.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but I could use some rest.¡± Eloy sighed and sat down heavily. Levin and Brielle quickly sat beside her, leaning on each other for support. Zeon also sat down with them. ¡°A storm has passed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s notpletely over.¡± ¡°You mean the Great Chieftain?¡± ¡°Yes. With the rise of the Orc Great Chieftain, this ce is no longer safe.¡± The Great Chieftain who sent the Orc army to avenge the young Orcs. Now that he had lost all the troops he sent, his reaction was predictable. He would either send more troops or, in the worst case,e himself. Even Urtian, the strongest Awakened in the Steel Fortress, struggled against Ashanka. They didn¡¯t know what abilities the Orc Great Chieftain had, but he was surely stronger than Ashanka. Moreover, Urtian was severely injured. If the Orc Great Chieftain attacked now, not only Urtian but all life in the Steel Fortress would be wiped out. The Steel Fortress was a cradle of new life. It was a ce where humans, Elves, and hybrids could live together. He couldn¡¯t allow such a ce to be trampled by the Orcs. ¡°I¡¯ll have to meet the Great Chieftain.¡± Whether they couldmunicate was another matter. * * * In Kurayan, most Elves lived in the forests. The primeval forests, off-limits to humans, were the Elves¡¯ sturdy shield. In the vast forests, the Elves thrived, maintaining their purityand growing in numbers. They believed they could maintain their purity and nobility forever. However, that confidence was shattered when they came to Earth. In the desertified Earth, Elves could no longer maintain their purity. There were no lush forests to protect them, no readily avable fruits to pluck and eat. Hunger spares no one. Starving Elves began eating meat. Maybe because of the meat, their nature became more aggressive. Desert-adapted Elves turned into warriors. They built viges in the desert, hunting monsters for survival. They made clothes from monster hides and ate monster meat. People called these Elves "Desert Elves." Desert Elves were warriors who could face a hundred enemies. Although they couldn''t actually fight a hundred at once, they could certainly take on several awakened humans. Desert Elves settled far from human civilizations, forming prosperous viges. The Desert Elves here were no different. Over a century, their numbers grew, forming arge tribe. Nearly a thousand Elves lived in the middle of the desert. Having built a self-sustaining ecosystem, the Desert Elves now faced a challenge for the first time in a hundred years. "My God!" "Orcs..." Orcs were approaching the Desert Elf vige. An innumerable army. At the center stood an exceptionallyrge Orc. The Orc Great Chieftain, Orca. Orca gave the order. "Kill all the Elves." [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 208 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 208 The houses of the Desert Elves were built from sand. They molded the sand and used magic to harden it, creating bricks. These sand bricks were then stacked to form their homes. Naturally, being made of sand, these houses were immune to fire. For a long time, the sand houses served as sturdy shelters for the Desert Elves. But now, at this very moment, these sand houses were burning. It wasn''t an ordinary fire; it was a magical me. The high-temperature mes not only melted the sand but also incinerated itpletely. This was the skill known as ''Death''s Breath,'' unleashed by the Orc shaman. The mes created by Death''s Breath wouldn''t extinguish until they hadpletely consumed their target, even if that target was sand. "Ahhh!" "Help me!" Desperate screams of the Desert Elves echoed through the burning sand houses. The Orcs were massacring the Elves. The Elves tried to resist, but they were vastly outnumbered by the Orcs. With three or four Orcs attacking each Elf, the Elves couldn''t put up a proper fight. In the end, they were swept away like ants caught in a flood, overpowered by the relentless tide of Orcs. Screams and cries of the Elves filled the air. Everything the Elves had painstakingly built over the past century was being destroyed, and the Elves themselves were dying along with it. "This... can''t be!" Tabaro, the chieftain of the Desert Elves, struggled to open his eyes and look around. All he saw was death. Everything he had led and built was crumbling and burning. His kin, his loyal followers, were all dying. This was the price they paid for failing to stop the deathly tide of the Orcs. Tabaro himself was paying that price. A massive spear was lodged in his abdomen. The spear, which seemed toorge for even the strongest Orcs to wield, belonged to the Orc Great Chieftain, Orca. Orca lifted the spear that had impaled Tabaro''s abdomen, raising Tabaro into the air along with it. "Ugh! To be defeated by mere Orcs..." "That''s why you''re dying, and why your kind is falling. Elf!" Orca mocked the dying Tabaro. Just like the Elves, the Orcs had little regard for change. The crude houses made of sand, the clothes fashioned from monster hides, the sunburned skin¡ªall were signs of mere survival, not progress. Despite their ims of nobility, the Elves had not advanced beyond mere subsistence. They considered themselves superior but did nothing to improve. Had Orca been an Elf, he would have prepared for the Orcs'' assault. But these Elves were utterly unprepared. That was why the Desert Elf vige was being annihted today. Orca looked into Tabaro''s eyes as he spoke. "Today, the Elves fall, and the Orcs rise." "Conceited... Orcs..." "The Orcs you despise and look down on will rise beyond your imagination. Watch us from the depths of hell." With a burst of energy, Tabaro''s body exploded. Orca had concentrated his energy into the spear, causing Tabaro''s body to burst apart. Flesh and blood sttered everywhere. The surviving Elves screamed in despair. "Chief Tabaro!" "No, no!" Tears of blood streamed from their eyes. The Orcs ruthlessly ughtered those Elves as well. And so, an entire Desert Elf vige vanished from the world. Orca sat among the ruins, watching the mes consume the vige. The mes zed high, turning the gray sky a vivid red. Orca thought it was a magnificent sight. ''This is how I will burn the human cities.'' Orcs harbored a deep-seated hatred for humans and Elves, rooted in their very genes. Orca didn''t know why this hatred existed, nor did he care to know. Orcs were not a species that pondered; they acted on instinct. There was only one Orc among them who contemted. "Priest!" The old Orc Priest, Orca''s right hand and his mind, approached with a grave expression. "Lord Orca!" "What''s the matter? We''ve destroyed the Desert Elf vige. Why isn''t your expression bright?" "The shaman of the Red Hammer Tribe has died." "The shaman?" Orca frowned. The Orc shamans and the Priest shared a spiritual connection. They couldn''t read each other''s thoughts but could sense each other''s emotions and state of being to a certain extent. "The Red Hammer Tribe...?" "They were with Ashanka." "It seems something happened to him." Shamans supported the warriors from the rear. If a shaman had died, it meant the front line Orcs had faced a serious situation. Ashanka wasn''t foolish or irresponsible enough to let a shaman die. Clearly, something had prevented him from protecting the shaman. "What should we do, Lord Orca?" "Send the scouts. We''ll wait here until they return." "As youmand." The Priest responded respectfully. The scouts rode Blood Wolves, known for their exceptional sense of smell and mobility. They would find out what happened to Ashanka before the day ended. "Foolish Ashanka. To lose a shaman to mere humans." Shamans were invaluable. It took a long time to properly train a shaman. "If he''s dead, we''ll avenge him. If not, I''ll rip his head off myself." Either way, Ashanka was as good as dead. * * * [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Zeon sat and watched the activity inside the Steel Fortress. The survivors were moving busily. Many had died or been injured in the Orc attack, but the living couldn''t afford to mourn the dead. They didn''t know when the Orcs might attack again. Before that, they had to be fully prepared. First, they cleared away the bodies of the dead. They gathered the bodies in one ce and burned them. They cremated the bodies. Leaving the bodies unburied or buried could attract monsters with the smell, so they had no choice but to burn them. Next were the Orc corpses. Over a thousand Orcs had attacked. Burning that many bodies was too much, even for the fire magic-wielding Awakened. So, they decided to throw the bodies into the cave where the Four-Eyed Bats lived. "Heave-ho! Heave-ho!" "Put more effort into it." People dragged the heavy Orc corpses to the vertical cave and threw them in. The sound of bats pping their wings echoed from the cave. The Four-Eyed Bats were enjoying an unexpected feast of Orc corpses. Fortunately, Deborah had tamed the queen bat, preventing the bats froming through the vertical cave. Deborah, standing nearby, spoke. "If we keep feeding them like this, the Four-Eyed Bats will get used to the taste of Orc meat." "Four-Eyed Bats that have acquired a taste for Orcs will be valuable allies." "It''s called turning a crisis into an opportunity." "Indeed." Zeon nodded. Using the Orc corpses as food for the Four-Eyed Bats was entirely Deborah''s idea. The Steel Fortress gained powerful guardians in the bats, while the bats enjoyed a new delicacy in the Orcs. It was a win-win situation for both. Urtian and the Awakeneds were busy fortifying the fortress. They shaved off more of the slopes below the fortress to make it harder for the Orcs to climb and piled up stones at the entrance to throw down. They prepared many other things as well. Now, there were no more divisions among the people. Fighting together against the Orcs had created a sense of camaraderie and unity. The Awakeneds prepared for battle while the ordinary people ensured they had the best conditions to fight. Deborah watched the people with a nostalgic gaze. "Finally, we are united. We will fight with everything we have to protect this ce." "Good for you." Zeon''s tone made Deborah sense something was off. "You''re leaving, aren''t you?" "Yes." "It would be too selfish to ask you to stay longer, wouldn''t it?" "I''ve learned something important while wandering the desert." "And what''s that?" "Too much interference in the lives of the natives is not good." At the time, Zeon was a wanderer. He roamed the world without settling down. He had no intention of settling anywhere. If he helped too much and people depended on him, it would be problematic. In the desert, Zeon''s abilities were practically cheats. If they grew ustomed to his protection, the colony or vige''s self-sufficiency would decline. Several viges that had heavily relied on Zeon were annihted after he left. Zeon had learned about this toote and had felt deep guilt. While the vige''s destruction wasn''t his fault, he had contributed to their loss of self-reliance. After that, Zeon made it a rule to minimize his involvement wherever he went. Deborah, being wise, quickly understood Zeon''s point. "That makes sense. We''ve relied on you so much that I momentarily forgot the obvious." "With your wisdom, you''ll manage this ce well." "That''s only if we survive. We will survive." "Yes." "When we thrive enough to trade with Neo Seoul, we''lle find you." "I''ll be waiting with joy." "Are you leaving right now?" "The sooner the farewell, the less the sadness." Zeon dusted off his pants and stood up. Deborah also stood and walked with Zeon. Seeing Zeon heading for the entrance, Brielle, Levin, and Eloy approached. Brielle asked, "Are you leaving now?" "Yes." "Then let''s go." "Are you ready?" "We''ve been ready." Brielle tapped Levin''s bag. Levin grinned and said, "We''ve packed plenty of food and water. We should be fine for now." They had filled the subspace backpack with enough food and water tost until they reached Neo Seoul. With everything ready, the group descended the basket from the Steel Fortress. At the base of the fortress, they saw Urtian waiting for them. ¡°Leaving now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then take these.¡± Urtian said, handing over the reins of two Bactrian Camels. ¡°We would have given one camel per person if our resources were better, but this is the best we can do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more than enough,¡± Zeon said, shaking his head. He understood the value of camels to desert scavengers, not just as transportation but aspanions and vital resources. ¡°These camels will make your journey much easier. You can take turns riding to conserve your strength.¡± ¡°We appreciate it.¡± ¡°When you reach Neo Seoul, release them. They¡¯ll find their way back to us.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do that.¡± Zeon epted Urtian¡¯s gesture. ¡°Then this is farewell. May you return safely to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°And may you defend this ce from the Orcs sessfully.¡± ¡°We will survive and thrive. I assure you, when youe back, this ce will be as grand as Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be.¡± ¡°And take this...¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Zeon looked at the ck crystal in Urtian''s hand. "This is a means ofmunication with the scavengers in Neo Seoul. We used it to stay in touch with them." "A kind ofmunication device, I see. But why are you giving it to me?" "Since we''ve settled down, we no longer need it. You might find it useful if you ever need to contact scavengers." "Thank you." Zeon took the ck crystal, then turned to bid farewell to Urtian and Deborah. ¡°We¡¯re off now.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± Zeon and hispanions bowed their heads slightly in farewell and departed from the Steel Fortress. Watching Zeon¡¯s group as they grew smaller in the distance, Deborah murmured, ¡°A storm is brewing in the desert. A massive sandstorm...¡± She was referring to Zeon, a storm in human form. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 209 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 209 Zeon and his group walked across the sand. Zeon naturally used his Sand Strides, gliding effortlessly over the terrain, while Levin moved in his ghostly form. Levin had a simple reason for maintaining his ghostly form: by continuously using his main skill, he aimed to extend its duration and raise his skill level. Constant use of such a skill consumes a significant amount of mana. However, much like a vessel needs to be emptied to be refilled, repetitive use of mana can increase its capacity and improve mana recovery. Aware of this, Levin deliberately avoided riding the camels, choosing instead to travel in his ghostly form. Meanwhile, Brielle and Eloy rodefortably on the Bactrian Camels. Brielle was engrossed in her alchemy research even while riding, and Eloy was busy tending to her Mad Gumiho, ensuring it was always battle-ready. Though the Mad Gumiho was a dungeon item, it would deteriorate if not properly maintained. For Eloy, the Mad Gumiho was practically an extension of her own body, and she meticulously maintained it to keep it in peak condition. "Phew! It''s unbearably hot. I just can''t get used to this heat." After finishing grooming the Mad Gumiho, Eloy wiped the sweat from her forehead. Sweat poured down her face like rain. Riding the camels made travel morefortable, but nothing could be done about the intense heat. On the other hand, Brielle didn''t seem bothered by the heat, thanks to her robe made from the hide of a Sand Angler. The robepletely blocked the desert heat, keeping her cool and allowing her to focus on her alchemy. "Hmm, I just need tobine a few more materials..." "Hey, kid! What are you mumbling about over there?" "Shut up. If you''re bored, get off the camel and go swing your spear." "Why don''t you tell me about it? Who knows, maybe I can help." "Ugh!" Brielle pretended to gag, but Eloy wasn''t offended. The High Elf and the Half-Elf, who once seemed like oil and water, had grown quite close during their journey. Though they still bickered over minor things, their rtionship had vastly improvedpared to before, when they barely acknowledged each other. Eloy scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Brielle. "It''s not that hot, kiddo." "Your body heat is making it worse." "Hot? What''s hot about it?" Eloy hugged Brielle tightly. Brielle struggled to escape but couldn''t break free. Eventually, Brielle looked to Zeon with pleading eyes, hoping he would rescue her. But at that moment, Zeon was staring into the distance. Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Eloy released Brielle and asked. "What''s wrong?" "Do you see that?" "See what?" Eloy squinted in the direction Zeon indicated. Far off in the distance, something was circling in the sky. Eloy''s expression twisted in recognition. "Damn it! Is that a Wyvern?" "It appears so." "Why are they here?" In the distance, a group of Wyverns circled in the air. For some reason, they remained in one spot, circling repeatedly. Wyverns were known as the tyrants of the sky. These B-rank monsters were highly dangerous and notoriously aggressive, unable to tolerate any other creatures in their airspace, even if they were fellow monsters. Especially territorial, Wyverns would attack any intruders without mercy. Eloy looked around and said. "Could this be a Wyvern''s territory?" "Considering their behavior, it seems likely." "Should we turn back?" "It''s toote for that." The Wyverns in the distance had already noticed Zeon''s group and were flying toward them. "Damn it!" "Of all things, why Wyverns?" Eloy and Levin readied for battle, their faces tense. Zeon, however, remained calm, staring intently at the approaching Wyverns. The Wyvern group quickly closed the distance. With each p of their wings, they covered hundreds of meters. In the lead was an exceptionallyrge Wyvern, twice the size of the others, with wings that seemed to blot out the sky. Most striking was the faint red aura that shimmered around its massive body. Brielle shouted. "That''s a force field! It''s at least A-rank!" It wasmon knowledge that B-rank monsters and above had force fields. An A-rank monster''s force field was much more distinct and powerful, like the one surrounding the lead Wyvern. Encountering a monster with a force field in the desert was tantamount to a death sentence. Even A-rank Awakeneds struggled to handle force-field-bearing monsters alone. Moreover, Wyverns could fly freely through the sky, maneuvering in three dimensions. Most Awakeneds couldn''t keep up with their aerial agility and would be torn apart. "Shit! Why did it have to be Wyverns?" "Damn it!" Eloy and Levin braced themselves for battle, while Zeon remained motionless. Krree! The Wyverns roared as they approached. Eloy and the others felt their bodies freeze. They had fallen prey to the Wyverns'' fear-inducing presence. Even Brielle was paralyzed. "Ah!" Unable to move, they watched as the Wyverns closed in. Just as the Wyverns were about to attack, Zeon''s body lifted into the air, carried by a column of sand. In an instant, Zeon was at eye level with the Wyverns. The Wyverns abruptly halted their attack. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Their eyes widened in fear as they saw Zeon. Even the leader, enveloped in its force field, froze in mid-air, its eyes wide with terror. Zeon, floating in the air, spoke calmly. "It''s been a while. You''ve grown a lot." The Wyvern let out a intive cry, looking around as if searching for an escape. But then it resigned itself and approached Zeon, looking like a frightened puppy. Zeon patted the leader''s head and said. "This isn''t your usual nesting ground, is it?" Kree! The Wyvern cried out in response. Zeon couldn''t understand its exact words but could guess its meaning. "Are you running away from something?" Kreek! The Wyvern cried again. "I see." Zeon nodded. He had first encountered the massive Wyvern four years ago when it was still a B-rank monster and not yet a leader. At that time, it had been gravely injured, attacked by another Wyvern, and on the brink of death. For some reason, Zeon had felt sorry for it and healed it. Thanks to Zeon''s treatment, the Wyvern survived and eventually left. A yearter, Zeon encountered the Wyvern again, but it attacked him, having seemingly forgotten about him. That was when Zeon realized there was no point in showing mercy to monsters. With instincts overriding intellect, monsters had no concept of repaying kindness. So, Zeon attacked it, intending to kill it. The B-rank Wyvern was no match for Zeon and was soon on the brink of death again. However, during the fight, the Wyvern evolved into an A-rank monster in its desperate struggle to survive. Even as an A-rank, it couldn''t escape Zeon''s grasp and was beaten to within an inch of its life. Only when it was utterly defeated did it finally submit to Zeon, pathetically begging for its life. Feeling a pang of sympathy, Zeon spared it once more. The Wyvern fled as soon as it got the chance. Zeon thought that was the end of their encounters, but their paths crossed again when Eloy''s alter ego, Mandy, was captured by a Cyclops. The Wyvern had be the leader of a group. The undisputed ruler of the sky. But despite its newfound status, it still feared Zeon deeply. Recognizing Zeon, the Wyvern had fled once again. Zeon thought that was truly thest time he would see it, but fate had brought them together once more in the desert. The leader Wyvern didn''t dare flee this time, avoiding Zeon''s gaze in terror. Zeon asked. "What chased you out of your territory?" Wyverns rarely left their territories, so something significant must have driven it away. The Wyvern let out a mournful cry, but Zeon couldn''t understand it. Sighing, Zeon said. "It doesn''t matter. You must have had your reasons for abandoning your nest. Just don''t attack humans here." The Wyvern seemed to understand and nodded. Zeon patted its neck and said. "Now go." The Wyvern flew away, and the rest of the group followed. Levin and Eloy watched in shock, their mouths agape. "Wow!" "Did that really just happen? The Wyverns ran away?" It was beyond theirprehension. Brielle, unfazed, muttered. It''s Zeon." "But still..." "He''s the sole Sand Mage in thisnd." Brielle''s eyes showed unwavering faith in Zeon. Eloy, though momentarily exasperated by Brielle''s near-fanatical belief, couldn''t argue with what she''d just witnessed. The supposed tyrants of the sky had fled in fear. She couldn''t fathom how terrifying Zeon must be to make them run. "Ugh, whatever. Let''s not talk about it." Eloy said, throwing up her hands. Zeon didn''t immediately descend but instead flew to where the Wyverns had been circling. Riding a whirlwind of sand, he looked like a bird in flight. The others, watching in awe, quickly followed his path. After a while, they reached their destination, where Zeon was already waiting. "What is this?" "Oh my God!" "Damn it!" They were met with a gruesome sight. Scattered remains of broken wagons, numerous Bactrian Camel carcasses, human corpses, and Large-Horned Hyenas feasting on the dead. The Wyverns had been drawn to the area by the smell of the carcasses and corpses. The hyenas growled menacingly at the neers, baring their teeth. At that moment, countless sand snakes erupted, attacking the hyenas. Zeon had unleashed his skill Viper. Yelping in pain, the hyenas fell, and the survivors fled in terror. Zeon looked grimly at the bodies. "These are desert nomads. They''ve all been killed by orcs." [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 210 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 210 People who wander the desert like drifting weeds. They have nond to take root in, endlessly roaming the sands. The few patches ofnd suitable for settlement are already imed by others, who rarely wee outsiders. Those who are rejected be desert nomads. Their groups can range from a few dozen to a few hundred people. They face countless threats: monsters, scavengers, and the hostile desert environment itself. They must be strong to survive. Fighting against everything that threatens their existence, they be naturally hardened and powerful. Thus, desert nomads often possessbat abilities on par with scavenger groups. However, their strength means little against the Orcs, a species bred forbat. The nomads were torn apart as if they were paper. There were no survivors. From the Awakeneds protecting the front to the elderly and the children who should be ying, everyone lost their lives. "Damn it!" "Ugh!" The horrific sight left Eloy and the others speechless. "Ha!" Zeon sighed heavily as he approached the bodies. Up close, the state of the corpses was even more gruesome. Many had been partially eaten by the Large-Horned Hyenas, leaving their guts and bones exposed. Their faces, frozen in terror, told of the extreme fear they must have felt before dying. "Blegh!" Brielle couldn''t bear to look and turned away, tears welling in her eyes. Zeon closed the eyes of one of the corpses and said. "It''s a pity. If we had met them a little earlier, we could have sent them to Steel Fortress." Steel Fortress would have been able to amodate this number of people, and they might not have met such a tragic end at the hands of the Orcs. Levin approached Zeon. "Are there many people wandering the desert like this?" "More than you think." "Then why have I never heard of these nomads?" "They don''t want to encounter the Neo Seoul raid parties or Awakeneds." "Why?" "Because they hold deep-seated hatred and fear." "I understand the fear, but why the hatred?" "Those in Neo Seoul or colonies see themselves as chosen, while the nomads see themselves as abandoned." "Ah!" With that perspective, everything made sense. The abandoned instinctively avoid the eyes of the world. In the vast desert, the chances of encountering Awakeneds from Neo Seoul or other colonies are slim. Even if they did, the nomads would spot them first and avoid them. The vision of desert-trained nomads surpasses that of most Awakeneds, rivaling that of Griffins or Wyverns. Thus, the Awakeneds from Neo Seoul rarely meet nomads, and the people in the slums are unaware of their existence. It wasn''t surprising that Levin didn''t know. However, he was deeply shocked. He realized there was much he didn''t know about the world. He had lived thinking Neo Seoul was everything, but traveling with Zeon revealed the true state of the world. A world marked by a constant struggle for survival. It wasn''t a matter of Orcs being evil and humans being good. Orcs fought to live, and humans fought to survive. The sh of the two species was inevitable. Despite this, Levin hated the Orcs because he was part of the human world. "If we leave the Orcs alone, they''ll kill more humans, won''t they?" "With the emergence of a Great Chieftain, they might even target Neo Seoul." "Doesn''t Neo Seoul have anti-magic defenses? The Orcs wouldn''t dare approach." "Recently, Neo Seoul''s anti-magic defenses have significantly weakened. The Great Chieftain might be able to breach Neo Seoul." "Neo Seoul''s anti-magic defenses have weakened? Why?" "I don''t know the reason. But it''s clear they''ve be much weaker than before." "This is bad. That means the slums are in danger too." "If the Orcs invade, the slums will be the first to suffer." Neo Seoul left the slums as a first line of defense against external threats. "This is insane." Levin scratched his head in frustration. His friends and acquaintances lived in the slums. If the Orcs invaded, they wouldn''t be safe. Zeon said. "First, we need to take care of these bodies. If we leave them, the Large-Horned Hyenas will return." "Yes!" As Zeon focused his power, the surrounding sand began to ripple. The sand acted like a swamp, pulling in the bodies of the people and Bactrian camels. The numerous corpses quickly disappeared into the sand. The desert thuspletely erased the traces of the tragedy. Zeon closed his eyes and murmured. "I hope you are born into a better ce in your next life..." Zeon didn''t believe in an afterlife. He thought this life was the only one, and rebirth was impossible. If rebirth were possible, the other species in Kurayan wouldn''t have struggled so hard toe to Earth. Despite this, he sincerely hoped there was an afterlife. Otherwise, the lives of those who died so tragically would be too meaningless. At that moment. "Hyung! Over there?" "It''s Orcs." Levin and Eloy shouted, pointing in one direction. A cloud of dust rose in the distance. Riding through the dust were Orc riders on Blood Wolves. These were the Orc riders who had massacred the nomads. For some reason, they were returning to the scene of the massacre. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Hundreds of Orc riders and Blood Wolves approached with a menacing presence. Any lesser creatures would flee in terror at the sight. "Chwiit! Humans!" "There are still humans left." The Orcs shouted excitedly upon spotting Zeon''s group. The Blood Wolves howled loudly. Kuohoho! Kwang! The Blood Wolves'' howls echoed through the desert. "Those damned bastards..." "I won''t forgive them!" "I''ll kill them." Levin, Eloy, and Brielle''s eyes turned bloodshot as they prepared for battle. But Zeon stepped in front of them. "I''ll handle this." "Hyung?" "Just this once, leave it to me." Hearing Zeon''s calm voice, Levin felt a chill run down his spine. He had been with Zeon for a long time but had never felt this way before. "Zeon!" "Hmm." Even Brielle and Eloy fell silent and stepped back. The current Zeon was not the Zeon they knew. His appearance was the same, but his eyes and aura were entirely different. They felt a chilling fear they had never experienced before. Unable to say anything, they retreated. Zeon walked toward the Orcs. "Chwiit! Kill the human." "Let''s eat him." The Orc riders shouted fiercely. The Orc riders who had grown with Great Chieftain Orca were formidable warriors. Their spirits were exceptional. However, Zeon''s expression remained unchanged. With each step, the sand beneath Zeon rose like a cloud. Before he had taken ten steps, an enormous amount of sand was floating around him. Levin, Brielle, and Eloy''s eyes widened. The sand moving with Zeon looked like enormous wings. He resembled not a human, but a demon king or a dark god. Whooosh! A gust of wind blew. The floating sand particles rippled like waves in the wind. "There''s something strange about this human." "The sand is following him." The Orcs, charging fiercely, sensed something was off. But it was toote to stop. "Just charge! The human can''t defeat us." The Orc rider leader shouted, leading the charge. The Blood Wolves sprinted even faster. In an instant, the distance between Zeon and the Orc riders closed to a few dozen meters. Kwang! The Blood Wolves barked ferociously as they approached Zeon. The smell of their breath and blood was palpable. Just like with the nomads, they intended to tear Zeon apart. At that moment, Zeon murmured. "A peaceful death doesn''t suit you." Suddenly, the sand beneath the Blood Wolves buckled. It was like the stomach of a beast. As the sand moved, the Blood Wolves lost their footing and tumbled clumsily. Naturally, the Orc riders on the Blood Wolves also toppled over. The Orc riders, sprawled on the sand, angrily got to their feet. "Chwiit! What happened?" "The human used some trick to move the sand." The Blood Wolves, disoriented by the fall, shook their heads. The Orcs abandoned their mounts and charged directly. Even without their mounts, the Orcs'' fighting spirit remained unbroken. They were born for battle. However, this time, their opponent was formidable. Whooosh! Sandden wind engulfed them. Sand poured into their eyes and ears. Yet, the Orcs ignored the pain and advanced. Avoiding pain was a trait of the weak. They were born strong, and their endurance was not so easily broken. Believing in their steel-like bodies, they chose to advance. But they soon realized how foolish that decision was. Kwakwa! With each step, the sandstorm doubled in intensity. It was like a massive wall of wind blocking the Orcs. The sandstorm''s des tore into the Orcs'' flesh. The sand burrowed into the gouged-out wounds. The sand relentlessly tore through the Orcs'' muscles and skin, burrowing inside. "Kkeek!" "Chwiit! It hurts." The Orcs screamed in pain as their skin and flesh were separated. A species immune to pain? Zeon scoffed. No creature was immune to pain. They were just too dull to feel it immediately. For the Orcs, true pain was just beginning. Swoosh! The sand separated their skin and flesh, gnawing at the exposed muscles. "Keekk!" "Spare me!" The Orcs screamed in agony as the relentless sandstorm enveloped them. Their cries, however, were swallowed by the raging winds. The sandstorm consumed the Orcs entirely, swirling with ferocious intensity. Kwakakakak! The immense power of the sandstorm left Brielle and Levin speechless. ''This is insane! Is this really a human''s ability?'' Eloy''s eyes widened as she stared at the massive sandstorm. Its diameter was several dozen meters, and its height exceeded one hundred meters. It was hard to believe that a human could summon such a colossal sandstorm. But they had to believe it. The person who created this sandstorm was right beside them¡ªZeon. Momentster, the sandstorm gradually began to dissipate. The sky and sun, previously obscured, reappeared. But there was no trace of the Orcs anywhere. The sand had not merely covered them; they were entirely obliterated. There wasn''t a single piece of flesh or a drop of blood left where the Orcs had been. Thus, hundreds of Orc riders and Blood Wolves werepletely erased from existence. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 211 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 211 On top of a giant sand dune, a dozen figures dressed in camouge robes the same color as the sandy prone. From their vantage point, they had a clear view of Zeon shing with the Orcs. Their eyes, hidden beneath their robes, trembled. "What is that?" "What did I just see?" Their faces showed unmistakable disbelief. They had arrived just five minutes earlier, right before Zeon began his confrontation with the Orcs. At first, they had ridiculed Zeon. He seemed like a fool, walking alone toward the group of Orcs. They thought he was either suicidal or too naive to understand how terrifying Orcs were. They expected Zeon to be torn apart by the Orc Riders in an instant, as had happened to many Elves and Dwarves before. But what they imagined did not ur. Suddenly, a sandstorm arose, engulfing the Orcs and grinding them to nothing in an instant. It was a sight they had never seen before. They couldn''t even conceive that such a thing was possible. At first, they thought it was a natural phenomenon. Sometimes, the desert storms were so fierce that they could sweep away everything in their path. But grinding living creatures to nothing was beyond their understanding. Yet the impossible was happening right before their eyes. They instinctively knew that the man who had recklessly advanced was the one who had summoned the sandstorm that obliterated the Orcs. ¡®Did a human do that?¡¯ ¡®What kind of awakening skill is that?¡¯ Their eyes filled with fear as they watched Zeon. If the skill that wiped out the Orcs could do the same to them, leaving no trace behind, they had every reason to be afraid. Among those lying on the sand dune, a particrly slim figure and a stout one quietly conversed. "What should we do? Make contact?" "Make contact with a human? The elders would never allow it." "Then should we withdraw?" "Now that the Orc Riders are gone, let''s retreat." The two signaled the others to retreat. The group lying on the sand dune cautiously withdrew. Although Zeon couldn''t see their location, they needed to be careful. They carefully descended the sand dune. At the bottom of the dune, a dozen Bactrian Camels were waiting for them. They mounted the camels and immediately left the sand dune. "Hyah!" "Cha!" They spurred the camels to run faster across the desert. The leader of the group murmured to himself. "Who would have thought there would be such a human?" The scene they had just witnessed remained vividly in his mind. The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed. "Controlling sand. Could he be a Sand Mage?" "There''s no such thing as a Sand Mage. He must have used another skill to create a simr effect." The stout man riding beside him responded curtly. "But we saw it with our own eyes." "Humans are naturally cunning and skilled in deception. That man is surely no different. A Sand Mage? That''s nonsense..." The stout man vehemently denied the slim man''s opinion. The slim man said no more. After riding the camels for nearly half a day, they arrived in the middle of the desert, where there was nothing. There were nondmarks or objects to use for orientation. This was their destination. After confirming that there was no one around, the slim man cautiously stepped forward. "Invisible light, veil of illusion, door that does not open, water that flows backward. Door of truth hidden by illusion, reveal your true form to me." Suddenly, a blue light erupted before him. Lines of light rapidly traced a magic circle in the air. Once the magic circle wasplete, arge door appeared before them. The group led their camels through the door. As soon as they entered, the door closed, and the originalndscape returned as if nothing had happened. After entering the door, they removed their hoods. Their true forms were revealed. Golden hair, pointed ears, sun-tanned skin. They were Desert Elves. Only the particrly stout one belonged to a different race. A short, stocky build, a bulging belly, and a thick beard covering his chest. The man was a Dwarf. They were a mixed group of different races who had crossed over from Kurayan to Earth. The Dwarf brushed the dust off his shoulder and grumbled. "Damn it! Every time we go out, I get filthy. Why do I have to go on recon missions? You pointy-eared folks should do it alone." "It''s the elders'' orders. There''s nothing we can do. Stopining and let''s report what we saw to the elders." "Hmph! I was going to do that anyway. We need to report quickly ande up with a n, or our vige will be in danger." The Dwarf snorted and started walking. Though his face was full ofints, he knew he had to report. That was their duty. In front of them was arge vige. The square resembled a fortress. Many houses lined the streets. However, unlike a typical vige, it was not underground but on the hot, sunlit sand. Moreover, the inhabitants were not human. Most were Elves, with some Dwarves. This vige was a coborative effort between Desert Elves and Dwarves. The Dwarves built the vige in the middle of the desert, and the elves joined forces to create protective magic circles around it. The protective magic circles included functions of illusion, concealment, and protection. From the outside, only endless sand could be seen instead of the vige. If anyone approached, their senses would be disturbed, leading them to wander away from the vige naturally. Thanks to this, the vige had remained hidden for a hundred years. Unless a massive external force disrupted it, the protective magic circles would remain intact. These circles allowed the Elves and Dwarves to maintain their purity. The vige was governed by a council of six elders, four Elves, and two Dwarves. The two who had just returned from the recon mission headed to thergest house where the elders were gathered. "We''re back." "How are the Orcs? Are they heading this way?" A female Elf elder immediately asked. The returning Elf calmly replied. "It''s hard to tell because the Orcs have stopped advancing." "They stopped advancing? Why?" "We don''t know, but they have halted about a hundred kilometers from here." "That''s a relief." The old Elf wiped the sweat from her forehead and sighed in relief. The protective magic circles of the vige were not invincible. While they could deceive ordinary humans and beasts, they couldn''t fool creatures with exceptionally keen senses. Orcs were such creatures. Brutish and warlike, they were also extremely sensitive to anything unusual. When an Orc Great Chieftain rose to power and united the Orcs, the vige was put on high alert. If the Orcs passed nearby, they might sense the vige''s presence. A small group of Orcs wouldn''t be a problem. But it was an army led by an Orc Great Chieftain. If they attacked, the protective magic circles would be shattered in no time, and all the Elves and Dwarves in the vige would be wiped out. That''s why they sent a recon team to monitor the Orcs'' movements. "But..." "What is it?" "We saw something strange on our way back." "Hmm?" "Hundreds of Orc Riders were moving quickly, so we followed them and saw a human Awakened fighting them. But this human was controlling sand at will." The Dwarf who had gone on the recon mission quickly added. "That human must have used some trick. There''s no way an Awakened can control sand." "But he..." "There were no Sand Mages in Kurayan either. There''s no way a mere human could possess the power to control sand." The Dwarf reacted vehemently to the Elf''s opinion. The elders frowned and listened intently to the Dwarf. After a moment, they spoke. "So, the Orc Riders were wiped out by a human." "Yes." "A human that powerful." The elders exchanged cautious nces. The six of them had governed this vige for a long time. To them, humans were untrustworthy beings. "What are the chances that humans wille here?" "Currently, it''s impossible to say." The Elf who had gone on the recon mission answered carefully. "Seina! I''m disappointed. Your duty is to identify anything that threatens the vige." The old Elf looked at the returning Elf with a disappointed expression. The Elf''s name was Seina. At that moment, the Dwarf who had gone on the recon mission spoke up. "It''s clear that humans are quite strong. So why not use them?" "Delloru, do you have an idea?" "Lead the humans to the Orc horde." "Make them attack each other?" "Exactly. They''ll fight each other to destruction, and our vige will be safe." "Good idea." The elders'' eyes gleamed sharply. They spoke in low voices, making sure Seina and Delloru couldn''t hear. Watching them, Seina bit her lip. ''No! We can''t exploit humans like that...'' But she couldn''t voice her thoughts. In this ce, the elders'' authority was absolute. Thanks to them, the vige had survived, and defying them was unthinkable. Finally, the elders made their decision. "Very well. You two will handle this." "Don''t worry." "Remember, no harm muste to the vige." "Of course. I''ll take care of it without any impact on the vige." Delloru pounded his chest and made a bold promise. The elders looked at Delloru with satisfaction. "We trust you." * * * When the sun sets, the scorching sand quickly cools, and the temperature drops to an unbelievable low. Wearing thin clothes during the day and not having proper shelter at night could lead to freezing to death. Many had died that way. But this was not an issue for Zeon''s group. Zeon moved the sand to dig a pitrge enough for four people. Once they were inside, he moved the sand again to cover the top, creating a sturdy shelter in an instant. "No matter how many times I see it, it''s amazing." Eloy shook her head in disbelief. She recalled the scene where Zeon had annihted the Orc Riders with a sandstorm. Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps. She still couldn''t forget the sight. She doubted if any adversary could match Zeon in the desert. Eloy didn''t think so. She couldn''t imagine Zeon kneeling before anyone in the desert. ''What if he harbors ill intentions towards Neo Seoul?'' Shudder! The mere thought made her tremble. Unconsciously, Eloy tightly hugged the Mad Gumiho and looked at Zeon. ''I can only hope he doesn''t be hostile toward Neo Seoul and humanity...'' [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 212 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 212 "It''s going to be another scorching day." Eloy grumbled as she emerged from the shelter. Even though it was still early morning, the sun was already zing fiercely. Just being exposed to the sunlight felt like her skin was burning. As an Awakened, she could handle it with only mild difort, but an ordinary person would dry up and die within an hour. "It''s true! Today is even hotter." "Wow!" Brielle and Levin, who followed Eloy out, squinted against the intense sunlight. Zeon, thest to leave the shelter, looked up at the sky. The ring sun made him squint instinctively. As he pulled the hood of his robe over his head, he spoke. "Be careful not to get heatstroke." "Don''t worry. I''ve got this. Hehe!" Brielle patted her robe made from desert monster leather andughed. Levin and Eloy looked at her with envy. With a wave of Zeon''s hand, the shelter they had stayed in the night before copsed back into t ground. "Let''s go!" "Yes!" Levin immediately turned into a ghostly form and followed Zeon. ¡®I need to get stronger.¡¯ Following Zeon around made him realize one thing for sure. In the desert, being kind and righteous meant nothing. What truly mattered was strength. Only those strong enough to survive the harsh environment and the onught of giant monsters had the right to talk about justice. Like Zeon. Levin still didn''t know what Zeon''s idea of justice was. But whatever it was, hardly anyone in the desert could challenge it. Thus, Zeon''s will was justice. Levin wanted to be like Zeon. Someone who could assert his own justice with strength. That''s why he voluntarily turned into a ghostly form even without being told to. Ghost form was a skill that consumed an enormous amount of mana. Maintaining it drained mana continuously. With Levin''s current ability, he couldn''t sustain it for even an hour. After an hour, the ghost form would dissipate, leaving him in a state of exhaustion. He would be so drained that he could barely lift a finger. Thud! As his ghost form dissipated, Levin fell to the ground. "Ugh!" "Sigh! This burden." Eloy clicked her tongue and loaded Levin onto a Bactrian Camel. This time, she walked on the sand. Brielle watched Levin, who was lying like a sack on the camel, with curious eyes. Seeing her gaze, Levin felt a sense of crisis. "What?" "Want to try this?" Brielle pulled a transparent bottle from her sleeve and shook it in front of Levin''s eyes. "What¡­ is that?" His voice trembled involuntarily. Brielle responded nonchntly. "Something good for you." "Is it really good?" "Trust me. I made it as a test using ingredients I found in the Steel Fortress." "As a test? So, I''m the first to try it?" "Yes! Don''t worry. Trust me?" "Of course I trust you." "Then, let''s give it a try." Brielle smiled and poured the liquid from the bottle into Levin''s mouth. Too weak to resist, Levin drank every drop. The moment he finished the liquid, a fiery pain surged from his lower abdomen. "Argh!" Levin''s eyes widened in sudden agony. Brielle looked into his face and spoke. "It''ll hurt a bit at first." ¡®Damn! Is this a bit?¡¯ The pain was so intense it felt like his insides were being torn apart. The pain was so severe he couldn''t even scream. Eloy frowned at Levin, who was trembling on the camel, and asked. "What did you give him, kid? You''re not trying to poison him because you don''t like him, are you?" "Who''s poisoning him?" "Then what did you give him?" "A mana amplifier!" "What?" "Are your ears blocked? It''s a potion that amplifies mana." "Damn it! That''s impossible. There''s no such thing as a mana amplifier." "This is why half-breeds are useless. You always think with human values." "Are you saying pure, or High Elves are different?" "Of course they are." Brielle stared straight at Eloy. Though she had been captured and forced to make drugs by humans, her mind was still filled with the secrets of High Elves. The greatest mission of High Elves was to pass down traditions. To preserve and pass on the countless secrets and techniques umted since Kurayan to future generations. Old high elves would teach young high elves everything they knew, ensuring the knowledge was remembered. Brielle had gone through that process. Though she had been captured by humans beforepleting her training, she remembered much of the High Elves'' secrets. Among them was the secret of mana amplification. The problem was that the ingredients were only avable in Kurayan. The ecosystems of Earth and Kurayan were vastly different, leading to different ingredients. That''s why Brielle searched for Earth ingredients with simr effects. In the Steel Fortress''s warehouse, she found items simr to Kurayan''s mana amplification potion ingredients. She tasted each ingredient, tested them on herself, and determined the exact effects and dosages. It was a difficult process, but she finally created the mana amplification potion Levin had just consumed. Though she told Levin it was a trial, it was actually the culmination of all her efforts. ¡®If this truly amplifies mana, making a mana recovery potion will be easy.¡¯ Mana amplification potions couldn''t be released carelessly. They were too dangerous. But mana recovery potions were different. With them, she could dominate Neo Seoul''s potion market. Many had researched it, but Neo Seoul had yet to produce a proper mana potion. If Brielle released mana recovery potions, Awakeneds could expand their activities, tackle dungeons, and hunt monsters more frequently. This would significantly increase Zeon''s influence in Neo Seoul. Though he lived in the slums to avoid trouble, once his abilities were known, many would seek him out. To be free from such people, he needed power. Not just the power of a Sand Mage, but authority in Neo Seoul. Brielle believed the mana potions would provide that power. For now, the mana amplification potion was the priority. Levin, the excellent test subject, was trembling in pain. "Argh!" Levin screamed, his eyes bloodshot. Eloy watched him with concern. "Isn''t he going to die from this?" "Absolutely not..." Brielle answered firmly. This was a potion given to Levin, the closest person to her. She wouldn''t have let him take it if there were any side effects. The current pain was just a step toward sess. Suddenly, Levin''s expression changed. Color returned to his face, and a smile appeared on his lips. Moments ago, his body felt like it was exploding, but after the intense pain passed, he felt rxed and energized. The change didn''t stop there. ¡®My total mana has increased. By about thirty percent.¡¯ Thirty percent might not seem like much, but it was a significant increase in total mana. Normally, mana wouldn''t increase without leveling up. Increasing total mana without leveling up was unheard of in the Awakened world. But the impossible had be reality. Levin was the first beneficiary. Although he had to endure hellish pain, it was worth it. Levin opened his eyes and smiled widely. "This is amazing. My mana increased by thirty percent." "See? I knew it." "Can I take another one?" "Sorry, but the effect only works once. Taking it again won''t have such dramatic results." "Really? That''s a shame." Levin clicked his tongue. He had suspected as much, so he wasn''t too disappointed. If such a groundbreaking potion increased mana every time it was taken, Awakeneds would be endlessly powerful. Brielle exined further. "You''re lucky. It''ll take a long time and effort to find the same ingredients again." "You mean?" "It''ll take a long time to make another mana amplification potion. Who knows when the next one will be." "I see." "So, enjoy the moment, idiot!" "Sure!" Despite being called an idiot, Levin didn''t look offended. Instead, he was eager to test his abilities. Levin leaped off the camel and turned into his ghost form. Maintaining it didn''t feel burdensome. Thanks to his increased mana. "Awesome!" Levin celebrated with an uppercut in the air. Seeing him, Brielle also smiled. ¡®Sess. With the mana amplification potion a sess, making regr mana potions will be easy.¡¯ The confidence that came with sess made her happy. Eloy cautiously asked Brielle. "Do you have another one?" "What do you think?" "Damn it! I should''ve taken it." "Who would give it to you? Idiot!" "You''re such an unlikable kid. Tch!" Feeling regretful, Eloy didn''t say anything harsher. She looked at Levin in ghost form with envy. "Ugh!" * * * "Will this damn sandstorm ever stop?" "Phew! Stopining. It''s hard enough as it is." A group was traveling through the desert in buggies. Rattle! Rattle! The four buggies struggled through the sand, looking ready to stop at any moment. In the lead buggy were a middle-aged man with a ymore at his waist, a woman with striking blue hair, a cold-looking man, and a huge man built like a mountain. The man with the ymore was Jang Yong-beom. This was Jang Yong-beom''s party. The members, named Giselle, Aiden, and Mountain, were well-known powerful Awakeneds in Neo Seoul. Following Jang Yong-beom''s buggy was another buggy with a party of Awakeneds. They were all from parties in Neo Seoul assigned the same mission. Recently, several Pathfinder teams sent west of Neo Seoul had not returned. Pathfinder teams, tasked with pioneering missions, consisted of experienced Awakeneds who could handle most dangers without batting an eye. The disappearance of several Pathfinder teams was a serious issue. Thus, Neo Seoulmissioned several parties to investigate. Jang Yong-beom initially wanted to refuse the mission. He sensed danger. But this time, he couldn''t refuse. Neo Seoul had practically forced them to take the mission. "Everyone, be careful. This mission feels different." "Isn''t it just another hunt for Dyoden? Though we failedst time." Aiden responded with a smirk. Giselle, looking out the window, spoke. "Could there be something as dangerous as him in this desert? You''re worrying too much." "Who knows? The desert is vast. There might be another dangerous and terrifying entity like him." "Come on! There''s no way there''s another person like that..." Giselle was denying Jang Yong-beom''s words when suddenly. Boom! A loud explosion erupted from the buggy following behind. "Damn it! What now?" "Check it out!" Jang Yong-beom''s party stopped their buggy and turned to look back. Arge spear was embedded in the rear buggy. Someone had thrown the spear to attack the buggy. "Damn it! John''s dead." Awakeneds jumped out of the attacked buggy, shouting. At that moment. Creatures resembling pigs emerged from the sand dunes. An Orc scouting party. Jang Yong-beom red at the Orcs and muttered. "Are they the ones who wiped out the Pathfinder teams?" [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 213 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 213 "Chwick! Humans." "Kill them." Ordinary Orcs have no sense of rationality. When they see an enemy, they attack. If they win, they eat their enemy; if they lose, they get eaten. Their instinct was to attack without hesitation upon encountering enemies. The Orc scouts, upon spotting the humans in the buggy, immediately got excited and attacked. Thud! Thud! Thud! The Orcs charged, kicking up clouds of sand. Hundreds of massive figures charging were intimidating enough to make someone wet themselves. "Prepare for battle!" "Damn it!" The Awakeneds gripped their weapons tightly, preparing forbat. Despite their enormous size, the Orcs charged with frightening speed. In no time, they were upon the Awakeneds. Bang! Boom! With explosive sounds, the Orcs and Awakeneds shed. Jang Yong-beom''s party didn''t hesitate to join the fray. sh! "Argh!" An Orc was sliced in half by Jang Yong-beom''s ymore. Despite killing the Orc in one strike, Jang Yong-beom''s expression remained grim. "These bastards are tough. Be careful, everyone." "Okay!" "Don''t worry, boss." Aiden and Giselle, each fighting their own Orcs, replied. Aiden used his ultra-vibration skill to dismember Orcs, while Giselle used her ice magic to trap the Orcs by their ankles. Finally, Mountain grappled hand-to-hand with an Orc. "Grr! Die you monster." Mountain''s veins bulged on his forehead and arms as he exerted his strength. The Orc matched Mountain''s brute force with its own. "Chwick! Die human." "I will win." Crack! Surprisingly, Mountain won the strength contest. A human overpowering an Orc with sheer strength was remarkable. The Orc''s spine slowly bent backward. A look of disbelief spread across the Orc''s face. "Kruk! No way... lose in strength¡­ I¡­" Snap! With a snapping sound, the Orc''s spinepletely broke. Mountain lifted the limp Orc corpse and roared triumphantly. "Arghhh!" Anyone who saw him would have mistaken Mountain for an Orc. "That dumb brute!" "Insane monster." Even Aiden and Giselle, his party members, shook their heads in disbelief. Mountain moved on to find his next target. The party from Neo Seoul was formidable, consisting of strong Awakeneds. Their prowess was not inferior to the Orc squad. As time passed, the Awakeneds began to overpower the Orcs. "Chwick!" "Kreukk!" The Orcs screamed as they fell. Naturally, some Awakeneds died as well, but ultimately, the Awakeneds emerged victorious. "Huff! Huff!" "We won." The Awakeneds celebrated their victory, breathing heavily. However, Jang Yong-beom, who led the victory, didn''t look happy at all. "The buggies are all destroyed." The Orcs'' attack hadpletely wrecked the already fragile buggies. From now on, they had to walk on foot. "Damn it!" "We need to inform Neo Seoul about these monsters, but how can we walk all the way back?" "We''ll dry up and die before we reach Neo Seoul." The surviving Awakeneds slumped in despair. Giselle, Aiden, and Mountain gathered around Jang Yong-beom. Despite killing many Orcs, they didn''t look particrly exhausted. Aiden asked Jang Yong-beom. "What will we do now?" "We''ll head back to Neo Seoul." "But the vehicles are destroyed?" "Our legs still work. We can walk." "The others won''t survive." "Why should we care about them? Let them fend for themselves." "I wasn''t particrly worried about them either." Aiden smirked. Even though they had taken on this mission together from Neo Seoul, he didn''t consider themrades. What mattered to Aiden was Jang Yong-beom, Giselle, and Mountain, not the others. Giselle and Mountain felt the same. In this harsh world, they were each other''s only family. Jang Yong-beom gave orders. "Gather anything useful from the wrecked buggies. It could help us survive." "Yes!" Aiden and Giselle immediately searched the buggies for useful items. Mountain carried all the gathered supplies, and Jang Yong-beom''s party set off. By the time the other Awakeneds regained their senses, there was nothing useful left. "Damn it! They took everything?" "Follow those bastards quickly." The Awakeneds hurriedly followed Jang Yong-beom''s party. * * * The sun was setting. As the western sky turned red, Zeon''s group settled at the bottom of a sand dune. Zeon pulled a ck lump from his subspace. It was well-dried monster dung. Its oily nature made it easy to ignite. Zeon lit the monster dung to make a campfire. Meanwhile, Levin took food out of his subspace backpack and distributed it to the group. "Today, we have special food from Old Man Klexi''s shop." "There''s still some left?" Eloy was surprised. Time doesn''t pass in subspace. Theoretically, food stored there could be preserved indefinitely. However, the subspace wasn''t unlimited, so the amount stored was limited. Levin had bought a lot of food from the Goblin Market and Old Man Klexi''s shop, storing it in his subspace backpack. "There''s still plenty left. We haven''t had a chance to use it." "That''s good. I was getting sick of monster meat." Eloy licked her lips as she received the food from Levin. It was a steak made from cultivated calf meat. Steam rose from the steak. "That''s amazing." Brielle''s eyes widened with delight. Levin handed a steak to Zeon as well. "This is for you, hyung." "Thanks." "It''s all thanks to Brielle for making the subspace backpack." Levin patted the backpack andughed. The four of them began their meal with smiles. Brielle muttered as she cut her steak. "Eating like this feels like a pic." "A pic in hell is still a pic." Eloy quipped, and the two Elves bickered. Zeon and Levin didn''t pay them any mind, as it was amon urrence. Despite their arguments, the Elves never crossed the line. They were actually growing closer through their verbal sparring. "Yum! This is really good." "Old Man Klexi himself made it." "I miss him now." "Me too. His cooking is amazing, even though he''s a bit naggy." "I hope he''s doing well." "I''m sure he is. No one in the slums would dare mess with him." "True..." Zeon nodded. Old Man Klexi, the leader of the Goblin Market, was the grandfather of Yoo Se-hee, and he himself was the head of the information organization known as Argos'' Eye. In the slums, he had unparalleled power. The idea of someone harming him was unimaginable. As the sun set, countless stars filled the sky. After cleaning up their tes and storing them back in the subspace, the four of them gazed up at the night sky. "The stars are clear tonight." "Yeah! That''s rare. Usually, they''re obscured by sand." "Enjoy it while you can. Who knows when we''ll see this again." Having eaten well, they were in a rxed mood, enjoying the stars. But their peace didn''tst long. "There''s a light over there." "Damn it! Someone''s there." "Could be scavengers. Stay alert." Voices could be heard from afar. In an instant, the smiles vanished from their faces. "People?" "What is this?" They quickly got up and prepared for battle. In this vast desert, the odds of encountering people were slim. It was almost impossible unless someone was specifically looking for them. Then, a group of people appeared over the sand dune. It was the Awakeneds who had survived the Orc attack. At the front was Jang Yong-beom''s party. Jang Yong-beom spoke as he saw Zeon''s group. "There really are people here." "People lighting a fire in the desert without fear. Aren''t they afraid of monsters?" Aiden clicked his tongue, looking at the campfire. The desert night was the time of the monsters. During the day, they slept to avoid the scorching sun and became active at night. Lighting a fire during this time was reckless. Zeon stepped forward and spoke. "That''s far enough." "What?" "We imed this spot first. Do note any closer." "How absurd. Is there such a thing as reserved spots in the desert?" Jang Yong-beom''s voice turned cold, and a chilling aura swept over Zeon''s group. But Zeon remained expressionless as he replied. "Don''t you know there''s no one to trust in the desert? How do we know you''re not scavengers?" "That''s a fair point. Fine! Let me rify our identities. We are Awakeneds dispatched from Neo Seoul. We came to survey the desert''s situation but lost our vehicles to pig-like monsters." "Dispatched from Neo Seoul?" "That''s right. My name is Jang Yong-beom, an officially registered Awakened with Neo Seoul City Hall. These people are also officially registered Awakeneds." "Jang Yong-beom?" Zeon''s eyes lit up. Jang Yong-beom was the person who had saved Zeon from a sandworm while he was on his way to the Mana Stone Mine. Zeon hadn''t expected to meet Jang Yong-beom''s party in the middle of the desert, and he couldn''t hide his surprise. Trying to conceal his agitation, Zeon asked calmly. "You said you were attacked by pig-like monsters?" "Yes. They destroyed our vehicles." "You must have encountered an Orc unit." "Those monsters are called Orcs?" "Yes. Come this way." Zeon spoke, letting his guard down. To Jang Yong-beom, Zeon was just a fleeting acquaintance, but to Zeon, Jang Yong-beom was a lifesaver. Although much time had passed, Zeon still felt the need to repay his debt. Jang Yong-beom stared intently at Zeon. Zeon''s sudden change in attitude was strange. "Do you know me?" "I do." "How?" "We traveled together a long time ago. You probably don''t remember." "Is that so? In any case, it''s fortunate you know me. Saves us some trouble." If Zeon had refused, Jang Yong-beom would have used force. Jang Yong-beom looked at the campfire and said. "But are you fearless or just reckless? Lighting a fire will attract monsters." "There are no monsters around here." "How can you be sure?" "I''ve already confirmed it. You can stay without worry." "Is that so? That''s a relief." Jang Yong-beom sighed in relief. Though he didn''t show it, he was stressed from dragging the burden of the other Awakeneds. Despite being called Awakeneds, these people looking solely to him was both pathetic and burdensome. As Jang Yong-beom sat by the campfire, the other Awakeneds rxed and approached as well. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 214 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 214 Fire has always providedfort to humans. Even though it was a small campfire, its mere presence brought a sense of calm to the Awakeneds. They had only been wandering the desert aimlessly for a day after losing their vehicle, but the pressure they felt was immense. ¡°Phew!¡± ¡°We¡¯re alive.¡± The Awakeneds gathered around the campfire sighed in relief. In contrast, Brielle pouted at the sudden influx of Awakeneds. She was unhappy with the situation. Just moments ago, it had felt like a cozy pic. Now, it felt like standing in the middle of the bustling Goblin Market. The abrupt change was giving her a headache. At that moment, Jang Yong-beom spoke to Zeon. ¡°Thanks for epting these uninvited guests. But don''t you think it''s fair for you to reveal your identities as well?¡± Eloy stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°A while?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mandy.¡± ¡°The Supervisor from City Hall?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as Mandy''s persona took over, Jang Yong-beom recognized her. ¡°Why are you here? I heard you went on a dungeon raid with the Pegasus Raid Force.¡± ¡°You know that much?¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you die during the raid?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what Neo Seoul thinks.¡± ¡°The Pegasus Raid Force reported it that way.¡± ¡°Those bastards!¡± ¡°Tsk! Seems like there''s a dirty story behind it.¡± Jang Yong-beom clicked his tongue, but he wasn¡¯t too surprised. Such deceit was not umon in the world of Awakeneds. The world of Awakeneds was rife with schemes and conspiracies. Anyone leading an organization asrge as the Pegasus Raid Force would certainly be skilled in deception. Just like Jang Yong-beom himself. ¡°The Pegasus Raid Force must have returned safely.¡± ¡°They came back with a huge haul. Neo Seoul was abuzz for a while because of it.¡± ¡°Lee Ji-ryeong must be over the moon.¡± ¡°He¡¯s officially recognized as an S-rank Awakened now. He¡¯s truly be a big shot.¡± Jang Yong-beom¡¯s face showed a hint of jealousy as he spoke. Jang Yong-beom was an A-rank Awakened. Unlike Lee Ji-ryeong, he didn¡¯t lead arge group, preferring to maintain a small party. Nevertheless, he always harbored a sense of rivalry with Lee Ji-ryeong. Publicly, they were both A-rank Awakeneds. Even if Jang Yong-beom didn¡¯t acknowledge it, others around him inevitably madeparisons. Especially in the world of Awakeneds,parisons were unavoidable. Most people assumed Lee Ji-ryeong was superior. Regardless of individual abilities, leading arge Raid Force earned high marks. This always irked Jang Yong-beom. Still, he didn¡¯t show it outwardly because he believed he would win if they ever fought. But now, Lee Ji-ryeong had be an S-rank Awakened. An insurmountable gap had formed between them. Even though it was just one rank, the difference between S-rank and A-rank was enormous. If moving from D-rank to C-rank was like upgrading from a bowl to a washbasin, moving from A-rank to S-rank was like upgrading from a pond to a reservoir. Mana capacity, skill experience,bat sense ¨C everything had to reach its peak before one could even glimpse at the next level. Jang Yong-beom had yet to see any potential to be S-rank. Meanwhile, Lee Ji-ryeong had broken through his limits and achieved S-rank. If Jang Yong-beom was still a pond, Lee Ji-ryeong had be arge reservoir. Naturally, Jang Yong-beom felt an inferiorityplex. Jang Yong-beom asked. ¡°What happened in the dungeon that made him S-rank?¡± ¡°Is that important?¡± ¡°It is! To me, it¡¯s more important than anything else¡­¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t something to discuss in front of everyone. I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± Though Jang Yong-beom frowned at Mandy''s response, he nodded. The status of an S-rank Awakened like Lee Ji-ryeong was now on another level. Even the rulers of Neo Seoul couldn¡¯t ignore him. Many Awakeneds lost their lives during the dungeon raid, but even more supported the Pegasus Raid Force afterward. As a result, their power grew significantlypared to before the raid. Gossiping about someone with such immense influence in front of everyone was not a good idea. Jang Yong-beom turned to Zeon. ¡°You mentioned those pig-like beasts were called Orcs?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where did those thingse from?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a species that usually lives scattered across the desert. They rarelye near Neo Seoul, so they¡¯re not well known.¡± ¡°Why are they suddenly appearing in suchrge groups?¡± ¡°A monster called the Orc Great Chieftain has emerged.¡± ¡°A Great Chieftain ?¡± ¡°Think of it as the dungeon boss. The Orc Great Chieftain is gathering the scattered Orcs across the desert.¡± Jang Yong-beom¡¯s expression hardened at Zeon¡¯s words. A small group wasn¡¯t much of a threat. Orcs were strong, but a D-rank Awakened could handle them without much difficulty. However, a Great Chieftain uniting them into arge group was a different story. Whether human or monster, forming arge group always made them more dangerous. ¡°What¡¯s the Great Chieftain¡¯s rank?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it yet, so I have no information.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± ¡°You think we¡¯ll encounter the Great Chieftain?¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Jang Yong-beom¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply. He was a well-known Awakened in Neo Seoul. An A-rank Awakened with a reputation for being ruthless and destructive. People who met him were always afraid. Yet, Zeon showed no signs of fear. He spoke to Jang Yong-beom as if he were an old friend. Knowing full well who Jang Yong-beom was. Jang Yong-beom thought Zeon was no ordinary Awakened. ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know your name yet. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Zeon.¡± ¡°Zeon?¡± Jang Yong-beom frowned momentarily. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn¡¯t recall where he had heard it. Aiden, standing beside Jang Yong-beom, recognized Zeon. ¡°You¡¯re the Sand Mage.¡± ¡°Sand Mage?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? A Sand Mage appeared in Neo Seoul. His name was Zeon.¡± ¡°Zeon? I see! So you¡¯re the Sand Mage. That exins why you were so calm camping in the desert.¡± Jang Yong-beom finally understood the situation. An ordinary Awakened wouldn¡¯t be so nonchnt camping in the desert. ¡°A Sand Mage¡­ Did you participate in the Pegasus Raid Force? What happened in the dungeon that brought you here with the Supervisor? The dungeon the Pegasus Raid Force raided was hundreds of kilometers from here.¡± ¡°We can discuss thatter. You should rest now.¡± Zeon smiled and stood up. Jang Yong-beom stared at Zeon¡¯s retreating back. If anyone else had shown such insolence, he would have cut them in half with his ymore. But the opponent was a Sand Mage. In a desert full of Orcs, his help was essential for survival. He wasn¡¯t someone to kill just for arrogance. Giselle tilted her head. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve seen him before.¡± ¡°He did say he traveled with us once.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I do feel like I¡¯ve seen him, but I can¡¯t remember where.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out as we go along.¡± ¡°He¡¯s quite handsome. Should I try seducing him?¡± Giselle licked her lips with her red tongue. Aiden chuckled. ¡°How? He already has two women with him.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯re a match for me?¡± ¡°They seem better than you.¡± ¡°Do you want to die?¡± ¡°Whoa, calm down. I¡¯m not your enemy.¡± Giselle red, and Aiden raised his hands in mock surrender. * * * The sand was already scorching hot by dawn. The Awakeneds who joined Zeon¡¯s group grumbled as they got up. ¡°It¡¯s so damn hot.¡± ¡°Damn it! My nostrils are full of sand.¡± Their faces and bodies were covered in sand. In contrast, Zeon¡¯s group looked fine. Zeon had used his control over the sand to shield them. The other Awakeneds didn¡¯t know Zeon was a Sand Mage. They hadn¡¯t overheard his conversation with Jang Yong-beom. Therefore, they didn¡¯t realize only Zeon¡¯s group was spared from the sand. The Awakeneds ate high-calorie energy bars to stave off hunger. They were easy to store and provided enough energy for half a day, making them a staple for Awakeneds. Zeon¡¯s group also ate energy bars before leaving. As Zeon moved, Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party naturally followed, and the rest of the Awakeneds followed them. Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party followed because they knew Zeon was a Sand Mage. The other Awakeneds followed because they trusted Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party. Jang Yong-beom approached Zeon, who was walking at the front. ¡°How do you determine direction? Using the sun?¡± ¡°I just know.¡± ¡°Just know?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t need a guide. What¡¯s your sensing range? As a Sand Mage, you must use sand to sense. That¡¯s how you detect monsters, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your skill? Do you prefer the raw destructive power of the ymore? Can you create an Aura de?¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Jang Yong-beomughed at Zeon¡¯s question. Jang Yong-beom¡¯s question was akin to asking for trade secrets. Knowing the range of Zeon¡¯s control would reveal many things. Zeon¡¯s rank, attack range, and more. It would be crucial information if they ever became enemies. Zeon¡¯s question about the Aura de had the same implication. Basically, if you want to know my weakness, reveal yours first. And Jang Yong-beom wasn¡¯t one to disclose his weaknesses. ¡°Interesting!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t find it interesting at all.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I remember someone like you? If you were this strong back then, you¡¯d have left asting impression.¡± ¡°I was insignificant back then.¡± ¡°Before your awakening, I presume.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jang Yong-beom persistently tried to gather information about Zeon, but Zeon evaded his questions. ¡®This kid is no ordinary schemer.¡¯ Jang Yong-beom clicked his tongue. In the end, he didn¡¯t learn anything useful. But he did conclude one thing. ¡®He¡¯s young but has experienced a lot. He has an air of maturity.¡¯ Just then, Zeon looked ahead and cut the conversation short. ¡°We should stop this pointless chatter.¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like talking to me?¡± ¡°Interlopers have arrived.¡± ¡°Interlopers?¡± Jang Yong-beom followed Zeon¡¯s gaze. He saw nothing. ¡°What do you see?¡± ¡°Orcs.¡± ¡°What?¡± As soon as Zeon finished speaking, a cloud of dust rose near the horizon. Jang Yong-beom¡¯s body was instantly covered in goosebumps. ¡®Did he sense movement from that far away? This guy is¡­¡¯ Zeon¡¯s sensing range was far beyond what Jang Yong-beom had imagined. It was unbelievable. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 215 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 215 Just as humans are ssified into different races, Orcs are divided into various tribes. Each tribe has distinct physical characteristics and skin colors, and their temperaments vary significantly. The Iron Orc Tribe is known for their particrly dark skin and their simple, brutish nature. If one were to summarize their characteristics in a few words, it would be "shut up and charge." Once they identified an enemy, their principle was to charge and kill without hesitation. This nature remained unchanged even with the rise of the Orc Great Chieftain. Gangkara was a young war chief of the Iron Orc Tribe. Physically, he was the strongest among them and so full of vigor that he had no concept of fear. Gangkara was leading his subordinates to the Great Chieftain when he spotted a group of Elves. To Orcs, Elves were entities that triggered an almost irrational rage. Encountering Elves, even by chance,pelled them to kill; otherwise, they felt as if their hearts would burst with hatred. Naturally, upon seeing the Desert Elf rangers, Gangkara immediately ordered an attack. "Kill the Elves. Leave none alive." "Uwooor!" "Kill them." The Iron Orcs, excited, chased after the Elf rangers, unaware that they were being lured. "Hurry, lead them to where the humans are." "Under no circumstances should they head towards the vige." The Elf rangers ran at a pace that allowed the Orcs to keep up. Their destination was where the humans were. Having scouted the area beforehand, they knew the humans'' route. The challenge was sessfully leading the Orcs to the humans'' location. Elf ranger Lafuna gritted her teeth. ¡®We must seed. If we must sacrifice our lives to protect the vige, so be it.¡¯ They had no attachment to their own lives. From the moment they took on the mission to lure the Orcs, they had no thought of returning alive. The other rangers had simrly steeled themselves. The vige, protected by Elves and Dwarves for a hundred years, could not be allowed to fall to the Orcs. They were prepared to make any sacrifice to protect it. ¡°Chwiit! Stop right there." "You sneaky pointy-eared scum. Fight us." The Orcs threatened as they pursued, but the Elf rangers did not stop. The Desert Elves,pletely adapted to the desert, ran gracefully on the loose sand. They maintained a pace that kept the Orcs close but not so close as to catch them. The Iron Orcs, oblivious to the trap, chased them madly. After a long run, the Elf rangers finally reached their destination. In the distance, they saw the human Awakeneds. The humans seemed to notice them and were preparing for battle. ¡®Toote.¡¯ Lafuna smirked at the humans. She felt a twinge of guilt. Because of them, innocent humans would be ughtered by the Orcs. But it was necessary. ¡®It''s all for the vige.¡¯ Steeling herself, Lafuna shouted to herrades. "Let''s go! This is our grave." "Waah!" The Elves drew their weapons and shouted. They looked like vanguards leading the Orc horde. "What the hell is that?" "Are the Elves leading the Orcs?" The humans, not understanding the situation, mistook the Elves for leading the Orcs in an attack against them. "Everyone, prepare for battle!" Jang Yong-beom shouted as he drew his ymore. "Elves and Orcs, working together?" "I''ll freeze them all." "Heh, I¡¯ll kill them all." As Aiden, Giselle, and Mountain tookbat stances, the other Awakeneds drew their weapons as well. Although they were few, they were strong enough to be entrusted with a mission from Neo Seoul. They feared the many Elves and Orcs, but they didn¡¯t retreat. They knew running in the desert would only lead to a miserable death. "Dirty pig bastards! I''ll kill you all." "Let''s see who dies first." The dust clouds rose thicker. The Elves and Orcs were getting closer. The Orcs, spotting the humans, tilted their heads. "Humans." "The Elves are with the humans." "Chwick! Kill them all." The Orcs, more excited by the sight of humans, raised their bloodlust. War chief Gangkara, brandishing a massive sword, roared. "Iron Orcs! Kill them all and offer their heads to the Great Chieftain." "Ooooh!" "For the Great Chieftain." The mention of the Great Chieftain ignited the Orcs'' fervor. "Eeyah!" "Graaar!" "Come on!" Boom! Finally, the three groups shed in the middle of the desert. Human Awakeneds and Orcs fought fiercely. Gangkara pointed his long sword at Jang Yong-beom. "You are mine, human!" "I''ve been waiting, you pig bastard!" "Kill the human." "Do you fight with words? I fight with this." Jang Yong-beom raised his huge ymore. Gangkara, not to be outdone, lifted hisrge sword and said. "My sword is bigger, human!" "You brute! Bigger doesn¡¯t mean stronger." "I¡¯ll rip you apart and make you my nourishment, human!" "You filthy bastard..." Jang Yong-beom unleashed his killing intent and attacked. Swoosh! The giant ymore sliced through the air, aiming for Gangkara¡¯s neck. But Gangkara easily blocked the attack. ng! The sh of the ymore and therge sword rang out with a metallic sound. Thus began the duel between human and Orc. Elsewhere, the battle raged intensely. Zeon, standing slightly away from the main battlefield, watched the fight between humans, Orcs, and Elves. The Elves attacked the humans like madmen. If it were only that, one might think the Elves were leading the Orcs. But the Elves asionally attacked the Orcs, further enraging them. They were acting as stimnts. Zeon quickly understood their ploy. "Eloy!" "Yes!" "Can you subdue those Elves?" "I can. Why?" "I need to understand their motives. Capture a few of them." "Got it!" Eloy nodded without hesitation. She had no sense of kinship with the Elves. Being a half-elf, she had experienced rejection and prejudice. The painful memories of her childhood were indelible scars that still haunted her. To her, attacking the Elves wasn¡¯t a big deal. "Hiyaa!" She brandished her Mad Gumiho and charged at Lafuna. She didn¡¯t know Lafuna¡¯s name or status, but she could tell from her demeanor that she was the leader. Lafuna, swinging her rapier, shouted. "Who are you?" "No need to know." "An Elf?" "Half-elf, bitch." "Why is a half-elf with humans?" "Do you really want to know?" "W-wait! We¡¯re not enemies." Lafuna barely blocked Eloy¡¯s attack and shouted. She desperately tried to convince Eloy, but it was futile. To Eloy, Elves weren¡¯t her kin. She was an outsider existing between humans and Elves. To her, Zeon, Brielle, and Levin were more important than the Elves. "Rainbow Spear!" Swoosh! The Mad Gumiho emitted rainbow-colored light and struck Lafuna. Lafuna had no strength to block the attack. Boom! "Ahh!" With an explosion, Lafuna was thrown back. She was unconscious when she hit the ground. Eloy, having quickly taken down Lafuna, moved to subdue the other elves. Zap! "Argh!" "Kyuu!" Elsewhere, Orcs were convulsing from purple electricity. They were struck by Levin¡¯s Purple Lightning. Levin moved without restraint. In his ghost form, he flew among the Orcs, unleashing Purple Lightning. Even Brielle clicked her tongue in admiration. "He¡¯s enjoying himself." But Brielle wasn¡¯t idle either. She took out a round object from her conical hat and threw it at the Orcs. Boom! The object exploded, releasing a silver mist. Orcs exposed to the mist began acting strangely. They started attacking theirrades. "Die." "I am an Orc, friend." "Don¡¯t lie, human!" The attacked Orc desperately protested, but it was useless. The Orcs inhaling the silver mist saw theirrades as enemies. Zeon asked. "What is that?" "I made a hallucinogen with materials from the Steel Fortress warehouse." "Hallucinogen?" "Yeah! To those Orcs, theirrades look like enemies." "Really? Impressive." "Hehe!" Brielle gave a bashful smile at Zeon¡¯spliment. But she couldn¡¯tpletely hide her happiness. Unlike Zeon or Levin or Eloy, shecked overwhelming power. Though she was a High Elf, she was still a frail girl. She had to do something to not be a burden to herrades. The hallucinogen bombs were one such result. Brielle threw more hallucinogen bombs among the Orcs. The Orcs exposed to the hallucinogens began attacking theirrades as if on cue. The hallucinogens onlysted about a minute. After a minute, the Orcs regained their senses. The duration wasn¡¯t long, but it was enough to create chaos among the Orcs. The mere fact that theirrades suddenly attacked them was enough to distract them. "Why did I...?" "I killed arade. I..." The Orcs, who came to their senses toote, raged. "It¡¯s the sorceress." "The little sorceress cast a curse." "Kill the sorceress." The Orcs realized Brielle was responsible for their confusion. They charged at Brielle madly. But Brielle remained unperturbed. The man beside her was Zeon. The strongest Sand Moge in the desert. There was no reason to be scared like an idiot when he was right next to her. Swoosh! The sand moved. The writhing sand rose up and changed into a human form. Zeon had summoned the Sand Soldiers. ¡°Go!¡± The moment Zeon gave the order, dozens of Sand Soldiers charged toward the Orcs approaching Brielle. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 216 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 216 "Gurrk?" "The... sand is moving." The Orcs were bewildered as the Sand Soldiers charged at them. It was strange enough to see sand moving like people, and the sheer oddity of it made them forget they needed to react. The consequence of their inaction was swift and brutal. Wham! Crack! The fists and knees of the Sand Soldiers struck the Orcs with immense force, unimaginable from beings made of sand. The Orcs staggered, unable to withstand the power of the Sand Soldiers, and soon fell to the ground. The Sand Soldiers, with no mercy, continued their assault on the fallen Orcs. ¡°Kweek!¡± ¡°Kkuek!¡± The Orcs cried out in agony as they were mercilessly killed. "The human is using strange magic." "Kill the mage!" A few sharp Orcs quickly realized that Zeon was the source of this magic. They knew that most spells would dissipate if the caster was killed, and even the dumbest Orc understood this. The Orcs shifted their focus to Zeon, targeting him for an attack. "Kill the human!" "Raaagh!" With a roar, the Orcs charged at Zeon, but their axes and swords never reached him. Ssshh! A dozen Sand Vipers erupted from the ground, striking the Orcs. Although the vipers couldn''t pierce the Orcs'' tough, armor-like skin, they did cause the Orcs to hesitate momentarily. But that brief pause was all that was needed. The Sand Soldiers quickly took advantage of the momentary stop in the Orcs'' momentum andunched their own attacks. Thwack! Relentless violence followed. The Sand Soldiers were like puppets moving ording to Zeon''s will. Unlike human Awakeneds, they couldn¡¯t use any skills. Their only weapon was their dense,pacted sand bodies. One might think that getting hit by sand wouldn''t hurt much, but the Sand Soldiers'' density was on par with stone, making their blows devastatingly effective. Smash! "Urrgh!" An Orc''s head was crushed, spraying blood and brains everywhere. The Orc''s body twitched for a moment before goingpletely still, instantly killed. The Sand Soldiers moved on to their next target, emotionless and unyielding, executing Zeon''smands with blind obedience. The Awakeneds witnessing this were horrified. "He''s controlling sand warriors." "Could he be the Sand Mage from the rumors?" Since they hadn''t heard the conversation between Jang Yong-beom and Zeon, they didn''t know who Zeon was. However, seeing how even the usually arrogant Jang Yong-beom treated him with caution, they suspected that Zeon was no ordinary Awakened. Still, they hadn''t imagined that he was the infamous Sand Mage. Now, seeing the power of the Sand Mage firsthand, they were overwhelmed. The sand had be soldiers, annihting the enemies of the Sand Mage. They felt relieved that there were only a few dozen Sand Soldiers in front of Zeon. ''If that guy couldmand hundreds of these sand soldiers, he''d be an army unto himself.'' Fortunately, it seemed like he could only control a few dozen at most. Moreover, Zeon hadn¡¯t moved a single step while controlling the Sand Soldiers. ''Of course! It¡¯d be too broken if he could move whilemanding so many summons.'' They thought they had identified a weakness in Zeon¡¯s powers. The ability to control sand was incredible, but whilemanding the Sand Soldiers, Zeon couldn''t move. That meant if they targeted him from a distance, they might stand a chance. Having figured out how to exploit this, the Awakeneds felt somewhat reassured. With the Sand Soldiers easing the pressure on them, it was time to focus on killing the Orcs. "Die!" "Take this!" With shouts, the Awakeneds renewed their attack on the Orcs. Meanwhile, Gangkara, locked in a fierce battle with Jang Yong-beom, frowned deeply. He realized that his Iron Orc Tribe was being pushed back by the humans. "Furrrgh! To think that mere humans¡­" "This is the power of humans, you filthy pig!" Jang Yong-beom smiled confidently. Time was now on his side. There was no need to rush; he could take his time to defeat Gangkara. Gangkara was strong, but not beyond what Jang Yong-beom could handle. With his A-rank abilities, Jang Yong-beom felt he could eventually win. sh! His ymore sliced through Gangkara¡¯s side, causing blood to pour out, but Gangkara didn¡¯t show any signs of pain. Instead, the wound only seemed to fuel his rage. Gangkara swung his massive sword, roaring. "Kuughh! Unleash the ck wings!" Jang Yong-beom and the other Awakeneds were puzzled by Gangkara''s suddenmand. Orcs didn¡¯t have wings, and there wasn¡¯t any sign of wings on Gangkara or his warriors. But the Orcs reacted differently. "Graargh!" "Raaaah!" The Orcs raised their heads and howled, unleashing an intense aura. Suddenly, ck patterns resembling wings appeared on their backs. The wing-shaped tattoos were unmistakable. "What, those tattoos are supposed to be wings?" "These pig bastards have gonepletely insane." The Awakeneds mocked the Orcs, but their expressions quickly turned to stone. The Orcs'' bloodlust surged, and theirbat power increased several-fold. "Ugh!" "Argh!" Awakeneds who had been evenly matched were suddenly overwhelmed, their bodies crushed and flung aside by the Orcs¡¯ enhanced strength. Only then did they realize that the tattoos on the Orcs'' backs were no ordinary markings. "Damn it!" "Those are buff tattoos." "The tattoos are boosting their strength. Be careful!" Just as they guessed, the ck wing tattoos provided a buff. The tattoos, called "Berserker Tattoos," allowed the Orcs to unleash several times their normalbat strength, albeit temporarily. Only an Orc Shaman could inscribe these powerful tattoos. However, once used, the tattoos left the Orcs with severe aftereffects, rendering them immobile for two or three days. This was why they hadn¡¯t used them until now. But with their backs against the wall, they had no choice but to unleash their full power. Boom! "Ugh!" Gangkara¡¯s attack forced a grimace onto Jang Yong-beom''s face. His grip on the ymore was ripped open, and his shoulder twisted back. The sheer force of the blow tore the ligaments in his shoulder, though his bones miraculously remained intact. Had the attack been any stronger, his shoulder might have been ripped off entirely. "Damn it!" Jang Yong-beom gritted his teeth and stepped back, but Gangkara didn¡¯t let up. Despite his massive size, Gangkara moved with terrifying speed, closing in on Jang Yong-beom. Swoosh! Therge sword sliced through the air, aiming for Jang Yong-beom¡¯s weakened shoulder. Once an Orc found a weak spot, they relentlessly targeted it. "You damn pig! You¡¯re really pissing me off¡­" Jang Yong-beom''s face twisted in fury. He had always hidden about thirty percent of his power. In this hellish world, the only ones he could trust were himself and his party members. To everyone else, he kept his full strength a secret. But the Orc in front of him wasn¡¯t someone he could defeat while holding back. This was an opponent who required his all just to match. A formidable foe. Whoosh! His ymore burst into intense mes. The red mes quickly enveloped the ymore and solidified into a bright aura de. "de of Punishment!" As Jang Yong-beom swung his ymore with full force, the aura de shot forward at terrifying speed. Gangkara, charging at Jang Yong-beom at full speed, couldn¡¯t avoid the de of Punishment. "I¡¯ll destroy you!" Gangkara mustered all his strength and swung hisrge sword. The energy-infused sword shed with the de of Punishment. ng! A massive explosion of light and shockwaves erupted. "Argh!" "Ugh!" Both the Awakeneds and the Orcs were thrown to the ground by the shockwave. When they finally managed to lift their heads, the battle between Jang Yong-beom and Gangkara had reached its conclusion. Drip, drip. Blood flowed from Jang Yong-beom¡¯s shoulder. His left arm had beenpletely severed from the shoulder. Gangkara¡¯s energy had blown his arm off like a firecracker. He leaned on his ymore, barely standing. Giselle, her face pale, screamed. "Captain!" She tried to run to Jang Yong-beom, but the Orcs blocked her way. "You damn bastards. Frozen Orb!" She fired an ice orb from her staff. The orb spun violently among the Orcs, unleashing a barrage of ice shards. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! "Argh!" "Kueek!" Orcs, pierced by the ice shards, copsed. Giselle hurriedly trampled over the Orcs to reach Jang Yong-beom. "Are you okay, Captain?" "I¡¯m not dead, so stop fussing." Jang Yong-beom straightened his bent back and spoke coldly. His face was covered in blood, and he was gravely wounded, but his eyes were colder than ever. His gaze was fixed on Gangkara. Gangkara stood tall, ring at Jang Yong-beom as if he would devour him. Gangkara spoke. "Human¡­ you are strong." Ssshhk! Suddenly, Gangkara''s upper body slid off his lower half. Thud! His torso hit the ground, and a fountain of blood erupted from his severed lower half. That was the end of Gangkara, the War Chief of the Iron Orc Tribe. ¡°Keukk!¡± Only after confirming Gangkara''s death, Jang Yong-beom vomited blood and knelt on one knee. His life was hanging by a thread, and it was no surprise that it could end at any moment. ¡°Captain!¡± As Giselle panicked, Brielle approached. ¡°Give him this.¡± Brielle handed over a healing potion he had made himself. Giselle, without a moment to check the authenticity of the potion, immediately administered it to Jang Yong-beom. Shortly after, color began to return to his face. ¡°It¡¯s not aplete cure, so you need to take good care of him.¡± ¡°Thank you. Kid.¡± ¡°My name is Brielle.¡± ¡°Right, Brielle.¡± Giselle corrected herself right away, showing just how much help Brielle had been. Realizing that Jang Yong-beom had survived the crisis, Giselle snapped back to her senses. ¡°What about the other Orcs?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Zeon will take care of it.¡± Giselle looked at Zeon as if in a trance. Zeon was still standing there. He spoke. ¡°Everyone, step back. As far away as possible.¡± The Awakeneds, who had been fighting fiercely with the Orcs, felt an ominous sensation that couldn¡¯t be exined in words. It felt as if something terrible would happen if they didn¡¯t listen to him. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Everyone, retreat.¡± They stepped back dozens of meters. The Orcs, suddenly left without their opponents, looked puzzled. ¡°Grrk?¡± As if to answer the Orcs'' confusion, the surrounding sand began to writhe. Zeonmanded the sand. ¡°Sand Mixer!¡± Grrraahhh! [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 217 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 217 With a chilling sound, the sand around Zeon began to whirl. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± The Awakeneds who had barely escaped the reach of the Sand Mixer let out gasps of shock. The sand within a radius of dozens of meters was spinning like a blender. Inside that vortex were Orcs. But these weren¡¯t just any Orcs. These were berserker Orcs, enhanced by the power of their tattoos, incapable of feeling pain or fear. Yet at this moment, their faces were twisted in terror. The sand had risen to their knees, and as they tried to force their way out, it became clear that an unseen force was holding them in ce. Meanwhile, the sand was grinding away at their ankles and shins. The agony of being ground alive was unimaginable. ¡°Gaaargh!¡± ¡°Krrrghh! Help me¡­!¡± ¡°Keuek!¡± The Orcs, who normally scoffed at pain, screamed until their voices cracked. The sand slowly swallowed them, up to their waists now, and their screams grew more frantic. ¡°Kreee!¡± ¡°Graaah!¡± The sound of their death throes echoed across the desert like pigs being ughtered. The Awakeneds grimaced. The Orcs¡¯ pain felt almost tangible, as if it were their own. The screams were so intense that they raised goosebumps and made their hair stand on end. For these Awakeneds, who were ustomed to facing death daily, this was a new and horrifying experience. They were used to the constant threat of monsters and other humans, always ready to die. But Zeon¡¯s Sand Mixer was something that even they found terrifying. At some point, the Orcs stopped screaming. By then, the sand had ground them down to their chests. Without lungs or organs, they couldn¡¯t scream anymore. The whirling sand soon engulfed the rest of their bodies. Only the sound of the spinning sand remained in the stifling silence, with Zeon at its center. The Awakeneds were too frightened to speak. They feared that if they said anything, Zeon¡¯s skill might turn on them next. Time seemed to crawl by until finally, the sand stopped spinning. ¡°Phew!¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± The Awakeneds, who had been holding their breath in fear, finally exhaled, their faces flushed from the tension. They looked at Zeon with a mix of terror and awe, but Zeon calmly walked across the sand, his expression serene. He approached Jang Yong-beom. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. This wound is nothing.¡± ¡°But you lost an arm.¡± ¡°When we get back to Neo Seoul, I¡¯ll get a mechanical arm. It won¡¯t be as good as what the Mechanized Awakeneds have, but it¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was an option.¡± ¡°Heh, as long as you¡¯re alive, Neo Seoul will fix you up. Especially someone like me, who¡¯s considered a valuable asset. So don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± ¡°Understood. Let¡¯s take a short rest before moving on. Use that time to recover.¡± Zeon was about to turn away when Aiden¡¯s voice stopped him. ¡°Wait! The boss needs more rest. Moving now would be too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to, but we don¡¯t know when more Orcs mighte after us.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Aiden hesitated. He knew that other Orcs might track them down once they discovered theirrades had been wiped out. Still, he didn¡¯t feel right about following Zeon¡¯s orders so quickly. ¡°Can¡¯t you just use your powers to stop them? With that skill, you could take out any number of Orcs, right?¡± ¡°That skill isn¡¯t something I can use lightly. It consumes a lot of mana, so I need time to recover as well.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Aiden nodded in understanding. Powerful skills always consumed a significant amount of mana. And once depleted, mana didn¡¯t recover easily. Given the power of the skill Zeon had just demonstrated, it was obvious it had drained a lot of mana. ¡®That makes sense. If he could use that skill without any restrictions, who could possibly stop him?¡¯ Aiden felt a sense of relief. Zeon smiled faintly, sensing Aiden¡¯s thoughts. The truth was, Zeon could use the Sand Mixer several times a day, but there was no need to share that information. Zeon walked over to Eloy. Two Elves knelt before her¡ªLafuna and her subordinate. Both were in terrible shape, having been brutally subdued by Eloy. ¡®She let her emotions get the best of her.¡¯ Zeon didn¡¯t me her. Eloy¡¯s hatred for pure-blooded Elves ran deep, rooted in painful memories. As Zeon approached, Lafuna and her subordinate looked at him with fear. They had witnessed how Zeon had dealt with the Orcs. They knew that if he turned that cursed skill on them, they would be ground to dust without a trace. They weren¡¯t afraid to die, but they didn¡¯t want to die like that¡ªwithout leaving any trace, as if they had never existed. ¡®Is this man the god of death? Where did such a humane from¡­?¡¯ Lafuna bit down hard to keep from losing her mind to fear. Her subordinate, however, couldn¡¯t handle it. ¡°You cursed being! How dare the gods grant such forbidden power to a human like you? This is an outrage!¡± His eyes rolled back as madness took over, driven by overwhelming terror. ¡°Ha! He¡¯s not going to be any use.¡± Thud! Eloy struck the Elf on the back of the head with her spear¡¯s shaft, knocking him out instantly. Zeon knelt down to make eye contact with Lafuna. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡± ¡°Why did you lure the Orcs to us?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t. The Orcs chased us, and we had no choice but to run.¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t do it on purpose?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lafuna lied with every ounce of strength she had, desperate to protect the existence of her vige. If Zeon found out that they had lured the Orcs to protect their vige, there was no telling what he might do. Zeon looked into Lafuna¡¯s eyes. She tried to hide her unease, but she couldn¡¯t fool Zeon. ¡°There¡¯s an Elf vige nearby, isn¡¯t there? Where is it?¡± ¡°Our vige is hundreds of kilometers away from here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not very good at lying. Desert Elf rangers typically operate within only a few dozen kilometers of their vige.¡± ¡°H-how do you know that?¡± Zeon responded with a faint smile. There wasn¡¯t anyone who knew more about the way Desert Elves lived and operated than he did. Besides, Elves were notoriously bad liars¡ªnot because they were pure, but because they were unskilled at deception. The Elves who had settled in Neo Seoul had learned to be quite crafty, influenced by humans. But the Elves who survived independently in the desert hadn¡¯t developed that cunning. Suddenly, Lafuna threw herself to the ground. ¡°Wait! Please, don¡¯t harm our vige. I made all the decisions on my own.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yes, I lured the Orcs to protect our vige.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to believe that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! I swear it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t put much faith in the oaths of ordinary Elves.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Lafuna¡¯s face turned pale. She wanted to continue lying, but her mind was nk, and she couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. That¡¯s when Brielle intervened. ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not seriously thinking of attacking their vige, are you?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°Please, let it go this time. For my sake¡­¡± ¡°For your sake?¡± ¡°In a way, they¡¯re just like outcasts. When you¡¯re an outcast, your mind narrows, and you do desperate things.¡± ¡®¡­Just like the High Elf vige.¡¯ Brielle swallowed herst words. The vige she was born in had been stagnant for centuries. Even after over a hundred years on Earth, it hadn¡¯t changed much from its early days. The mindset of the Elves hadn¡¯t evolved either. Back then, she thought preserving their way of life was the right thing to do, but after spending so much time among humans, she realized how stagnant they were. Humans had adapted to this hellish world and were progressing rapidly. In contrast, the Elves were trapped in a prison of time, perhaps as punishment for their past mistakes. The Elves had be so narrow-minded that they were willing to sacrifice innocent humans to survive. Even if Zeon didn¡¯t punish them, they would eventually fade away if nothing changed. Now, it was up to Zeon to decide. Whatever he chose, Brielle was ready to ept it. Finally, Zeon spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not a bloodthirsty killer, so I¡¯m not going to wipe out an entire vige.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°But they need a warning.¡± Zeon turned his gaze to Lafuna. ¡°Tell your vige elders this.¡± ¡°Tell them what?¡± ¡°This time, I¡¯ll let it go. But if you pull a stunt like this again, I¡¯ll destroy your vige.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°You saw what I can do, right? I could easily destroy the vige you¡¯ve built over the past hundred years.¡± Zeon didn¡¯t know exactly where the Desert Elf vige was, but finding it wouldn¡¯t be difficult. Most Desert Elf viges were built inrge pits dug into the sand. And anything hidden in the sand couldn¡¯t escape Zeon¡¯s senses. The sand was his ally. Lafuna hurriedly nodded. ¡°I-I¡¯ll tell them.¡± ¡°Then go. Before I change my mind¡­¡± At Zeon¡¯s gesture, Lafuna lifted her unconscious subordinate onto her shoulder and fled. Some of the Awakeneds were outraged. ¡°How could you just let those Elves go?¡± ¡°People died because of them!¡± ¡°Deciding this on your own¡­?¡± Zeon¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. That was the problem with Awakeneds. They were quick to forget gratitude and fear. He understood their anger, but he wouldn¡¯t let them cross the line. ¡°Then we should part ways here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t ept my decision, then let¡¯s separate here and go our own ways.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Even if the Elves hadn¡¯t lured them, we would have encountered the Orcs eventually. All that happened was the timing moved up a bit. But if you still can¡¯t ept my decision, then let¡¯s part now.¡± Zeon¡¯s cold words left the Awakeneds speechless. Jang Yong-beom stood up and spoke. ¡°Just ignore these idiots. They¡¯re cowards, even for Awakeneds.¡± ¡°So you ept my decision, Jang Yong-beom?¡± ¡°Of course. To survive in this desert, like it or not, we need to stick close to you.¡± ¡°Then will you follow my lead from now on?¡± ¡°Of course! Captain.¡± Jang Yong-beom replied with a sly grin. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 218 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 218 Orca, the Orc Great Chieftain, stood atop a sand dune, surveying the desert below. His gaze fixed on the thousands of Orcs gathered in the distance. More were still joining from various parts of the desert. Though they numbered only in the thousands now, in a few days, their numbers would swell to tens of thousands. With an army of that size, there would be nothing they couldn''t achieve. "We will destroy the cities of humans and im them as our own. We, the Orcs, are the true rulers of this world." It was his duty to make the Orcs the masters of the world. That was the reason for his existence as the Orc Great Chieftain. At that moment, a shaman approached Orca. "What is it, Shaman?" "We have lost contact with Gangkara." "Gangkara¡­ is dead?" "It seems so." "And what of the Iron Orcs that went with him?" "I can''t sense them either." Orca''s expression hardened instantly. "They were all defeated?" "It appears so. The energy of the tattoos we inscribed on them haspletely vanished." Through the tattoos inscribed on the Iron Orcs, the Shaman could sense their life force. A short while ago, the mana flow connected to the Iron Orcs'' tattoos had been severed. The cessation of mana flow meant that the Orcs who bore the tattoos had died. "Who killed them?" "I cannot say." "So the Iron Orcs have been annihted, just like the Red Hammer Tribe before them." "My apologies." The Shaman bowed his head in apology as if it were his fault. But Orca didn''t spare him a nce. His gaze turned westward. "The Red Hammer Tribe and the Iron Orc Tribe were wiped out there. There is a threat to our Orc kin in that direction." "Great Chieftain." "I can feel it. He is our sworn enemy." "An enemy?" "Yes. As long as he exists, there is no future for our Orc kind. He must be killed." No one had told him this. It was a feeling, an instinct, deep within Orca that told him so. And the Shaman had great trust in Orca''s instincts. Orca had a sense that defied exnation. It was an almost prophetic sense that had been the driving force behind the Orcs'' rise to power. "Head immediately to where the Iron Orcs were killed." "Understood." The Shaman gestured to a nearby Orc. The Orc promptly blew arge horn with all his might. Bwooo! The sound of the horn echoed across the desert, and the resting Orcs rose to their feet, looking toward Orca. Orca pointed westward and spoke. "There is a threat to our Orc kin over there. Let us go! To kill our enemies." "Uwooo!" "Kill the enemy!" The Orcs roared in unison, raising their weapons high. Their cries stirred up a thick cloud of dust. The march of the Orcs began. Orca led them from the front. He muttered to himself. "Wait for me, enemy of the Orc kin. I, Orca, will devour your flesh and drink your blood." Orca believed that by consuming the flesh and blood of his mighty enemies, he could grow stronger. And indeed, that was how he had grown stronger. "I will kill you and destroy the cities of the humans." * * * Arriving at the vige entrance with her subordinate, Lafuna spoke with difficulty. "Invisible light, veil of illusions, unopened door, water that flows backward. Oh, gate of truth hidden by deception, reveal your true form to me." Pop! As soon as she finished speaking, an entrance to the vige, protected by a magical barrier, appeared. As soon as they entered the vige, Seina greeted them. "Are you alright? What about the other rangers?" Lafuna weakly shook her head. Seina''s face turned pale. Although she knew they had gone on a mission they might not return from, the reality of seeing only two return left her mind nk. The rangers had been close friends of Seina''s as well. The thought that they had all died because of the elders'' decision filled her with both sadness and anger. It was then that someone approached. "What happened? Did the Orcs change their course?" "Did the humans all die?" The Dwarf and Elf elders hade to them. The elders showed no concern for the lives of the rangers who had gone with Lafuna. Their only interest was in the oue of the battle between the Orcs and the humans. "Uhm¡­." "What''s the matter? Speak clearly." "The operation¡­ failed." "Failed? What do you mean, failed?" "We seeded in luring the Orcs to the humans." "But why then?" "The Orcs were annihted by the humans." "Impossible! How could mere humans defeat Orcs¡­?" "The other humans were strong, but that Sand Mage in particr¡­." Lafuna couldn''t continue. Even now, the thought of Zeon made her heart race uncontrobly. The memory he left behind was so intense. She felt she would never be able to shake off the fear he had instilled in her. "Are you sure the vige''s location is hidden?" "Why did he let you live? Could it be a trick to find out our vige''s location?" "Quick, check outside. The humans might have followed you." The elders were in a panic. Seina and Lafuna felt a sense of revulsion at the sight of the elders. Not one of them asked about the rangers who had not returned with them. The vige had survived thus far because of the rangers'' sacrifices. But seeing the elders now, Lafuna wondered what those sacrifices had been for. ''We should have been honest with the humans and asked for their help. Then they wouldn''t have had to die.'' Just then, Elves who had gone outside to check for human pursuers came rushing back. "We''re in trouble!" "What? Have the humans followed us?" "No, it''s not that¡­." "Then what? Speak up!" "The Orcs have appeared." "What?!" "Arge Orc army is heading towards our vige." "Arge army?" "Yes! There seem to be at least several thousand of them." The elders'' faces turned as pale as sheets at the Elf''s report. "Oh no!" "The Orc army is heading for our vige." The elders quickly ran to the vige entrance. They slightly opened the protective barrier and looked outside. In the distance, they saw the Orc army approaching. "It¡¯s true. What do we do?" The elders looked at each other in desperation. But there was no easy solution. They had focused on hiding the vige, never preparing for a direct confrontation with a threat. In the end, they yed their final, desperate card. "Rangers, mobilize." "What?" "Lure the Orcs elsewhere. Yes, lure them to the humans." "But that n has already failed." "Are you going to just sit here and let the vigers be ughtered? We must protect the vige at any cost." "Understood. We will mobilize the rangers." In the end, Seina and Lafuna led the rangers out of the vige. The Orc army hade even closer by then. Seina gave the order. "Let''s go! We must lure the Orcs as far from the vige as possible." "Yes!" With a shout, the rangers made themselves visible to the Orcs. Naturally, the Orcs spotted the Elf rangers. "Elves." "Chwit! Kill them." The Orcs shouted in excitement. The Shaman gave an order. "Chase them down and kill them. Leave no Elf alive." "Graargh!" "Kill them!" Some of the Orcs, now worked into a frenzy, immediately began pursuing the rangers. Orca watched the pursuing Orcs for a moment, then turned his gaze back to where the Elf rangers had emerged. While the other Orcs mindlessly chased the rangers, Orca wondered why the Elves had suddenly appeared. As he looked more closely, he noticed something strange. "The mana flow is unusual." "It¡¯s a magical barrier." "Is that so?" "Let¡¯s see." The Shaman looked ahead and muttered to himself. "No power can deceive my eyes, so let the hidden truth reveal itself before me. The Eye of Mysteries!" A red light burst from the Shaman''s eyes. He could now see the true form of the magical barrier, which distorted the flow of mana. "It¡¯s a protective magic barrier that conceals their true form." The Shaman''s lips twisted into a sneer, revealing his yellow fangs. Orcaughed. "So, they were hiding a vige here." He was already in a foul mood after the destruction of the two tribes that had followed him. Orca needed an outlet for his anger. And a perfect target had appeared. Orca held out his hand. An Orc warrior nearby respectfully handed him a massive spear. It was a giant spear crafted for hunting enormous beasts. The spear,rge enough to pierce through a ten-meter beast in a single strike, filled Orca''s hand. Orca gripped the spear tightly and pulled his arm back. His back and arm bent like a bow. As his strained muscles felt like they were about to snap, Orca hurled the spear with all his might. Whoosh! Like a meteor, the massive spear tore through the sky at terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye, it reached the protective barrier around the vige and struck it directly. Crash! The barrier, which had protected the Dwarves and Elves'' vige for over a century, shattered from a single strike of the spear Orca had thrown. With the protective barrier destroyed, the vige was fully exposed. In the middle of the desert, the vigey in arge basin with hundreds of houses clustered together. Among the houses were countless Elves and Dwarves. Their faces were filled with terror and dread. The barrier that had protected them for so long was gone, and the rangers who had defended them had left the vige to lure the Orcs away. The realization that they were now defenseless left their minds nk with fear. Orca grinned and gave the order. "Kill them all. There is no ce for Elves or Dwarves in this desert." "Raaaah!" "Graargh!" At hismand, the Orcs let out wild roars and charged toward the vige. "Da-damn it!" "Attack! We must stop them from entering the vige." The elders,ing to their senses toote, gave orders. Among the Elves in the vige, many were capable of using magic. "Wind Cutter!" "Magic Missile!" The Elves hurriedly cast their spells, and the Dwarves fired giant crossbows designed for hunting monsters. Some of the Orcs were hit directly by their attacks. "Chwit! That tickles." "Is that all you¡¯ve got, pointy-ears?" The powerful bodies of the Orcs easily deflected most of the attacks. A few Orcs fell, but the rest charged forward without hesitation. The Orcs eventually stormed into the vige, and a brutal massacre began. "Aaah!" "Ugh!" Elves and Dwarves fell one after another under the Orcs'' brutal weapons. Not even the elders were spared. The Orcs killed everything in sight. Elves, Dwarves¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. This was the end of the vige where Elves and Dwarves had lived together in harmony. Orca looked westward. "Next is your turn, human!" [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 219 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 219 Jang Yong-beom frowned. A sharp pain shot through his left shoulder where his arm had been severed. Even though he had treated the wound with a healing potion, the pain hadn''tpletely disappeared. More than anything, what troubled Jang Yong-beom was his sense of bnce. Humans are naturally ustomed to living with two arms. Suddenly losing one meant he had to adapt to an unfamiliar bodily condition, and that was easier said than done. No matter how skilled an A-rank Awakened he was, it would take Jang Yong-beom a long time to adjust. "Phew!" After walking for a while, Jang Yong-beom let out a sigh. Giselle, noticing his struggle, asked him. "Are you okay, Captain?" "As soon as we get back to Neo Seoul, I need to find a decent prosthetic arm." "I know a good magic engineer. It might not be as optimized as a Mechanized Awakened''s arm, but they''ll be able to make you a prosthetic that won''t inconvenience your daily life." "That''ll be enough. After all, I can still swing my ymore with just the right arm." "If it''s you, Captain, I''m sure you''ll ovee this." "Of course." Jang Yong-beom grinned. It was painful to have suddenly lost an arm that had been perfectly fine, but he could definitely find a recement in the form of a mechanical prosthetic. Moreover, he had been feeling something stirring deep inside his chest for some time now. It was as if something was pecking with all its might from within, like a chick desperately trying to break out of its eggshell. This peculiar sensation, which words couldn''t fully describe, filled Jang Yong-beom with excitement. Before he became an A-rank Awakened, Jang Yong-beom had experienced this feeling several times. Though it wasn''t as intense as it was now. It felt as though something was about to change. The question was when. The moment when the chick would break through its eggshell. No one could predict when that moment woulde. It could be any moment, or it could be far in the future. ''If I fight another strong opponent, I might be able to break through...'' He wanted to fight against a powerful opponent like Gangkara. Even if it meant the cost would be his own death. ''It''s been a long time since I''ve felt this kind of thrill.'' A smile had already formed on his lips. But he himsElf wasn''t aware of it. Jang Yong-beom''s gaze turned to the back of Zeon. As always, Zeon was leading the group from the front. Facing the sandstorm head-on. The sand split and flowed to either side in front of Zeon. Thanks to that, those following him were able to move forward without inhaling sand. ''No matter how many times I see it, that''s a ridiculously overpowered ability. I never thought I''d be envious of someone else''s power.'' With Zeon, it felt like they could survive in the desert for years. No other Awakened in Neo Seoul could manage that. ''That guy is just as impressive.'' Next, his gaze shifted to Levin, who was floating in his ghostly form. That ability, which made himpletely impervious to physical attacks, seemed just as overpowered as Zeon''s. In fact, its utility seemed even greater than Zeon''s ability. If that ability became known to the powers that be in Neo Seoul, they would all scramble to recruit him. With Levin''s ghostly form, there would be no information they couldn''t extract, and assassinations would be a breeze. How could anyone stop Levin, who could infiltrate like a ghost, nullifying any defense? No matter how powerful one was, they would die just the same if ambushed in their sleep. ''It''s an ability perfectly suited for assassination. Plus, the kid who can use alchemy, and even a Supervisor of Neo Seoul follow him. This is practically a small-scale force in its own right.'' The important thing was that all of them followed Zeon blindly. It seemed impossible to win them over. ''The world is so unfair. It took me years to gather my team, but this guy did it in less than a year.'' He was insanely jealous. If he could only recruit Zeon, the others would follow like a string of beads. If that happened, Jang Yong-beom''s party would instantly be the strongest in Neo Seoul. The problem was that the chances of that happening were close to zero. The Zeon he had observed was not someone who would stand above others, nor someone who would bow to anyone. Forcing someone like that would only backfire. The reason Jang Yong-beom had seen through Zeon''s nature was that he was the same kind of person. That''s why he quickly abandoned the idea of recruiting Zeon. It was when Jang Yong-beom had organized his thoughts to some extent. "Aaaagh!" A desperate scream echoed from somewhere. "What was that?" "Damn it!" The Awakeneds, who were already on high alert, quickly assumedbat stances. Levin spoke. "I''ll go first." In his ghostly state, he could move faster than anyone else. Levin flew at terrifying speed toward the source of the scream, with Zeon and the other Awakened following behind. Naturally, Levin arrived at the scene first. What he saw was Elves being ughtered by Orcs. The rangers who had fled to lure the Orcs away from the vige had finally been caught. The Elven rangers were excellent warriors. They had killed quite a few Orcs, but in the end, they were overwhelmed by sheer numbers and were being picked off one by one. Only two Elves remained. Seina and Lafuna. But they, too, were severely injured and on the verge of copse. Without a second thought, Levin rushed toward them. "Damn it!" Crackle! Levin, who had reached the Elves in an instant, unleashed his Purple Lightning. "Kueeek!" "Gruuukkk!" The Orcs, electrocuted by the violet current, let out pig-like squeals as they copsed. "Are you alright?" Levin hurriedly checked the condition of the two Elves. But Seina and Lafuna were in bad shape. Both had sustained mortal wounds beyond recovery. "Please save our vige." "Please!" Even in their dire state, they worried about their vige. While Levin hesitated for a moment, they both took theirst breaths. "Phew!" Levin let out a heavy sigh as he stood up. Whoosh! A sharp, ear-piercing sound echoed through the air. Sensing danger, Levin immediately turned ghostly. Shooosh! Arge spear shot past him. Levin felt his entire body break out in goosebumps. Had he been a little slower to turn ghostly, he would have been impaled by that massive spear. Levin looked in the direction the spear hade from. Orc warriors were charging toward him. The way they swarmed like a ck tide over the desert was no ordinary sight. Levin quickly retreated to where Zeon was and shouted. "It''s an Orc army!" At that moment. Whoosh! Once again, a sharp, piercing sound filled the air. Thud! "Aaagh!" An Awakened, unable to dodge the spear, was hit head-on. The spear impaled the Awakened and flew a long way before embedding itself in a sand wall behind him. It was truly a fearsome disy of power. The Awakened were all speechless in the face of the sudden carnage. At that moment, Jang Yong-beom shouted. "What are you doing, just standing there in a daze? You''ll all die like this!" "Ah!" "Damn it!" Only then did the Awakeneds snap out of it and ready themselves for battle. Mourning the death of a fellow Awakened was a luxury they couldn''t afford. They had to figure out how to survive first. Orcs were already closing in from all directions. Seeing the Orcs charge like a swarm of ants, they bit their lips hard. Jang Yong-beom spoke to Zeon. "It seems we''ve run into the main force of the Great Chieftain''s army." "It appears so." Zeon nodded as he looked at the Orcs. The Orcs they had encountered so far had been outfitted with mismatched armor and weapons. But the Orcs charging at them now were uniformly armed with heavy te armor, spears, andrge swords. This meant they were elite. Elites were rare among Orcs, so these must have been the Great Chieftain''s direct subordinates. "It doesn''t seem like we''ll be able to escape easily." "It seems we''ll have to kill them all to get out of here." At that moment. From atop a distant sand dune, a particrlyrge Orc appeared. Jang Yong-beom''s eyes shook for a moment. ''How can a mere Orc have such an aura... Is that the Great Chieftain?'' Even though he was hundreds of meters away, his skin prickled, and his heart ached as if it were being stabbed by needles. Thatrge Orc''s presence was that overwhelming. His aura was reaching them even from this distance. Just as Jang Yong-beom had guessed, therge Orc was the Great Chieftain, Orca. Orca''s gaze was fixed on Zeon. "I''ve found you, enemy of the Orcs!" "We must kill him, Great Chieftain." The Shaman also recognized Zeon and trembled. Instinctively, he knew that Zeon was the one who had exterminated the Red Hammer and the Iron Orc tribe. The tattoos on his body wriggled uncontrobly. It was a phenomenon that urred when his tattoos sensed danger before he did. Orca took a step forward and spoke. "This one is mine. Handle the rest as you see fit." "As youmand." The Shaman bowed his head. He gave orders to the Orcs. "Kill all the humans here. Bathe in their blood, and fill your bellies with their flesh." The Shaman''s voice carried a power that incited the Orcs'' excitement and bloodlust. His shout alone was enough to give the Orcs a buff. "Uwooo!" "Kill them!" "Let''s go!" The frenzied Orcs charged at Zeon''s group. "Damn it! This ce might just be our grave today." "Shit! Even if I die, I''m taking at least ten Orcs with me to hell." "Even in death, I won''t be food for the Orcs." Resolute, the Awakeneds charged at the Orcs. Boom! sh! A fierce battle erupted between the Orcs and humans. The Awakeneds unleashed their skills one after another, fighting the Orcs head-on. Jang Yong-beom, gripping his ymore, spoke to Zeon. "No matter how many small fry we kill, it won''t matter. We need to take down the leader. I''ll handle the Great Chieftain." "That''s impossible." "What?" "Sorry, but with your power, you won''t even be able to touch the Great Chieftain." "Ugh!" Jang Yong-beom''s face twisted with displeasure. But he couldn''t refute it. He could sense that he wasn''t a match for the Great Chieftain. Zeon looked at Orca and spoke. "You handle the Orc next to him. He looks like some kind of shaman, and I have a bad feeling about him." "Understood. I''ll do that." "But first, we need to clear a path." Swoosh! Zeon''s body began to rise into the air. The sand swirled, lifting him into the sky. Zeon''s figure ascended to a height of several tens of meters. Only then were he and the Great Chieftain at eye level. Orca, with his arms crossed, looked at Zeon. His entire demeanor exuded theposure of a strong warrior. Zeon didn''t like that at all. "How long can you keep thatposure?" There were too many Orcs between him and Orca. He needed to clear them out first. Snap! "Sand Wave!" Zeon snapped his fingers and murmured. In an instant, the sand on the ground surged up and rushed toward the Great Chieftain like a wave. The problem was that the wave was a staggering ten meters high and fifty meters wide. Rumble! The enormous wave swallowed everything in its path as it surged toward the Great Chieftain. The sand wave possessed immense mass and destructive power. No matter how tough the Orcs'' bodies were, they couldn''t withstand the sheer mass of the gigantic sand wave. "Kurekk!" "Aaagh!" The Orcs'' screams were buried in the sand wave. It was a wave of death. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 220 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 220 Crash! The deadly sand wave engulfed hundreds of Orcs as it surged toward the Orc Great Chieftain. Even as the enormous wave, towering ten meters high, rushed toward him with the force of swallowing everything in its path, Orca didn''t blink an eye. Just as the sand wave was about to crash over him, Orca raised his right fist high into the sky. "If you think this is enough to kill me, you''re sorely mistaken." At that moment, Orca mmed his raised fist into the ground. Boom! With a thunderous explosion, a massive shockwave erupted. The shockwave shattered the gigantic sand wave that had nearly reached him into countless fragments. Poof! The sand particles that collided with the shockwave scattered in all directions. As the sand rained down on him, Orca spoke. "This won''t be enough. Human! Show me everything you''ve got. I''ll crush it all into pieces." Orca was a born warrior. He preferred direct confrontation over tricks or cunning. A true warrior proves his worth with sheer strength alone. Zeon stared at Orca for a moment. With a single punch, he had destroyed the Sand Wave. It wasn''t just an ordinary punch; it was imbued with an aura of energy. Just as humans and Elves sense and manipte mana, Orcs are said to wield this aura. While the exact difference between mana and aura isn''t clear, Orcs, like humans, undergo an awakening, after which they can control this aura. Orca had been able to wield aura since birth. He was a naturally gifted Awakened and warrior. He controlled his aura as naturally as breathing, and with that power, he became the Great Chieftain of the Orcs. Aura surged through Orca''s entire body like moltenva. The heat was so intense that even the Shaman beside him had to step back. Zeon muttered to himself. "Good!" It had been a long time since he had faced someone with such intense fighting spirit. Regardless of rank, this was an opponent who made him want to fight with everything he had. Zeon descended from the air and began to walk toward Orca. Jang Yong-beom followed behind him, gritting his teeth. Orca''s aura was pressing down on him. He felt fear and terror. But he was also excited. ''So there are still so many strong opponents in this world. I¡¯ve been living all this time thinking I was so great.'' After bing an A-rank Awakened, he had lost his sense of purpose. He didn''t want to work under anyone, but he also didn''t have the confidence to lead many subordinates. So, he settled for being in a small party. Behind that decision was the confidence that there were only a few people in Neo Seoul who could defeat him. He had deluded himself into thinking that hisbat experience could rival even that of an S-rank, all while justifying it as his pride. ''It was all a hollow illusion created by my ego. I¡¯ve been shutting myself up in a dark room, convincing myself that I¡¯m the best. Now, I¡¯m going to break all the limits I¡¯ve created for myself.'' Deep down, he wanted to face this Orc Great Chieftain. Just looking at him sent shivers down his spine and made his heart feel like it would stop. This was the first time he had felt such pressure and overwhelming presence. But he knew this opponent was out of his league. Maybe if he were S-rank, but with his A-rank power, he couldn''t take on the Great Chieftain. Jang Yong-beom epted this reality and set his sights on the shaman instead. The shaman seemed just as threatening as Orca, but at least he didn''t exude the same suffocating presence. ''I¡¯ll take you down and move up.'' With this resolve, Jang Yong-beom followed behind Zeon. The area where the Sand Wave had swept through was devastated. Hundreds, thousands of tons of sand had buried everything in its path. Hundreds of Orcs were buried alive beneath the sand under Jang Yong-beom''s feet. Zeon walked across the scene of the massacre he had created with a calm expression. From his face, it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. It was only then that Jang Yong-beom realized. ''This guy has been through countless battles like this. He¡¯s clearly experienced this kind of chaos more times than I can imagine. What kind of life has he led?'' The same shiver he had felt from Orca, he now felt from Zeon. Even though Zeon was right in front of him, it felt like no matter how hard he reached out, he would never be able to touch him. There was a vast gap between himself and Zeon. By now, Zeon had reached Orca. Orca bared his fangs. "Human!" "Orc!" "I''m going to kill you and eat you. By doing so, I will take your strength." "You can¡¯t gain abilities just by eating someone." "I know that. What I''m talking about is the strength of the soul. A warrior''s soul strengthens the soul of the one who consumes it." "Then go ahead and try. If you can." Zeon smiled. A bright, unshadowed smile. Seeing that smile, Orca felt his fighting spirit surge even higher. "Roarrr!" Orca roared, releasing his fierce aura. The aura of the Great Chieftain, who stood at the pinnacle of tens of thousands of Orcs, inspired courage and vitality in the Orcs, while sapping the morale and stiffening the bodies of their enemies. Thump! Orca stomped the ground. His massive body soared dozens of meters into the air before plunging down toward Zeon. No other weapon was necessary. His enormous body was the weapon. Like a meteor crashing down, his massive body reached Zeon in an instant. Zeon didn¡¯t dodge the attack. Instead, he built a wall. A wall made of sand. It was ten meters high and over three meters thick. Though it was just sand, this wall was as solid as any rock due to its sheer density. Boom! But the sand wall was too easily shattered. With the sound of an explosion, the sand that made up the wall scattered in all directions, revealing Orca. "Grk?" Orca had intended to rip Zeon apart in one swift move, but Zeon was no longer there. Orca''s eyes rapidly scanned the surroundings. He quickly located Zeon. Swoosh! Pivoting on his left leg, Orca swung his fist toward his left. The punch, filled with aura, caused the air to burst, and the area where Zeon was expected to be exploded. Sand flew in all directions. Zeon moved through the chaos. Even without his abilities as a Sand Mage, Zeon was strong. Stronger than mostbat-focused Awakened. Dyoden had trained him that way. But in pure physical prowess, he couldn''t match Orca. In raw strength, reaction speed, and dynamic vision, Orca far surpassed Zeon. It wasn¡¯t that Orca nned ahead or anticipated moves; he simply reacted to each situation with instantaneous judgment, relentlessly pursuing and attacking Zeon. Like a cat herding a mouse. Boom! Orca''s fist narrowly missed Zeon, mming into the ground instead. A massive crater, over three meters in diameter, formed where the punchnded. The power was truly terrifying. If Zeon were to get hit by that massive fist, it wouldn''t just break bones and crush muscles. Even a single hit would be fatal. It had been a long time since Zeon had felt such tension. And so, Zeon smiled. As he had just confirmed, Orca had the upper hand in every physical aspect. But there was one area where Zeon held the advantage. He could see the bigger picture and devise a strategy. In his mind, the n to bring down this powerful monster was slowlying together. Boom! Once again, Orca''s fist grazed past Zeon¡¯s side and exploded on the ground. Even though it wasn''t a direct hit, Zeon¡¯s side throbbed in pain. If he hadn¡¯t been wearing a robe made from Leviathan''s hide, his ribs would have been shattered by this attack. Zeon retreated using Sand Stride. Orca immediately gave chase. In an instant, Orca closed the distance. Ten meters, twenty meters¡ªthese were distances Orca could cover with a single leap. Escaping within his range was impossible. ''This time, you won¡¯t be able to dodge.'' Orca swung his fist with all his might. His target was Zeon¡¯s head. At that moment, Zeon¡¯s figure vanished from his sight. Using his Sand Stride, Zeon silently moved to the left. It was as if someone had pulled him along with an invisible string. As a result, Orca''s fist once again mmed into the ground, creating another needless crater. Frustrated, Orca roared. "How long are you going to keep running? Cowardly human!" "Cowardly? I¡¯m just carefully crafting a strategy and moving ordingly." "Shut up." "Well, since you told me to shut up, I suppose it¡¯s time to get serious." Suddenly, the sand around Zeon began to move, and dozens of Sand Soldiers were summoned. The summoned Sand Soldiers attacked Orca. Orca scoffed at their assault. "These sand puppets are useless against me." Thud! Thud! Orca took the attacks from the Sand Soldiers head-on. Although they couldn¡¯t use special skills, the Sand Soldiers had thebined speed and mass of sand, making their destructive power greater than that of most Awakened. But Orca endured all the attacks with his bare body,pletely unfazed. The Sand Soldiers even clung to Orca''s body. Each Sand Soldier weighed at least a hundred kilograms, and with dozens of them attached, theirbined weight easily reached several tons. With all these Sand Soldiers hanging off him, Orca still charged at Zeon. Orcs were generally ssified as small-ss beasts. Ogres were considered medium-ss, but the power Orca disyed now surpassed even that, nearing the level of arge-ss beast. It was a power that defiedmon sense and exceeded the limits of his species. Zeon was slightly surprised by Orca''s power, but he wasn¡¯t intimidated. "I get the sense of your strength; now let¡¯s see how tough you really are. Self-destruct!" Boom! Boom! Boom! In that instant, the Sand Soldiers clinging to Orca detonated all at once. Though individual grains of sand might seem insignificant, when several tons of sand explode simultaneously, it¡¯s a different story. The explosion was powerful enough to obliterate an entire vige. Yet, even within the explosion, Orca remained unscathed. His heavy armor was only slightly damaged on the surface, and his body bore no injuries at all. It was a durability that defied logic. While he wasn¡¯t harmed, Orca¡¯s anger reached its peak. He was infuriated by Zeon¡¯s continuous use of strange tricks. "Raaah!" Once again, Orca unleashed his aura with a roar, releasing it along with a fierce battle cry. The aura whipped into a storm, sweeping across the area. Zeon couldn¡¯t avoid being caught in the storm of aura. "Ugh!" Zeon¡¯s body wavered under the impact of the storm. Orca didn¡¯t miss this opportunity and charged at Zeon. Thud! Thud! Thud! Zeonunched a series of Viper and Sand ster attacks, but they weren¡¯t enough to stop Orca. However, Zeon had prepared for this. "Quick Sand." Squelch! Suddenly, Orca¡¯s legs sank into the sand up to his knees. "¡­¡­" Orca looked down in puzzlement. While sand might be loose, it had never swallowed him up like this before. That was when it happened. The sand beneath Orca began to flow like a river, moving with terrifying speed. Quick Sand. A river of rapidly flowing sand, or quicksand, had formed. The quicksand that swallowed Orca continued to flow endlessly underground. Just like the other Orcs, the Great Chieftain was being buried alive. Orca struggled to free himself from the quicksand, but it was futile. In an instant, Orca disappeared into the sand. "Roooaaar!" Even the Great Chieftain''s roar was swallowed up by the hellish quicksand. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 221 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 221 Zeon silently watched the quicksand that had buried Orca. Even at this moment, the quicksand continued to flow relentlessly, pulling everything downward¡ªdeep underground. Given the speed of the flow, Orca was likely buried around a hundred meters below the surface. Indeed, Zeon could sense Orca''s presence at that depth. No matter how formidable the Orc Great Chieftain was, it would be difficult to easily escape the powerful current of quicksand. At this rate, Orca would be buried several hundred meters underground. The pressure at such a depth wasparable to the now-extinct pressures of the deep ocean, a level no surface-dwelling creature could survive. Even the Orc Great Chieftain would be crushed like an empty can under the immense pressure. The situation seemed under control, but Zeon never let his guard down. A boss-level monster like the Orc Great Chieftain wouldn''t die so easily. And Zeon''s caution was justified. Boom! Like a volcanic eruption, the sand exploded as a massive creature burst forth. It was Orca, who had nearly been buried alive. With a single leap, Orca had surged from a hundred meters underground back to the surface. It was a disy of sheer power that was hard to believe, even seeing it with his own eyes. "Ttuu!" Orca spat out sandden saliva. His eyes glowed with a blood-red light. "Such a shallow trick won''t defeat me, human!" "It seems so." Zeon acknowledged. The strength of Orca''s body was on apletely different level. With explosive power that allowed him to burst out from a hundred meters underground and a body as tough as diamonds, he could easily crush evenrge-ss beasts. Thud, thud, thud! Orca charged at Zeon, intending to overpower him before he could use any more tricks. Zeon raised a sand wall. Boom! Orca''s punch shattered the sand wall with ease. Zeon quickly raised another sand wall. This time, instead of breaking through it, Orca slightly bent his knees and then sprang forward. Whoosh! In an instant, Orca''s body flew through the air like a missile. His target was Zeon, standing behind the sand wall. Orca''s arm was drawn back, packed with tremendous aura. He swung his fist. Boom! A shockwave sted forth from Orca''s punch, hurtling toward Zeon like a cannon st. Zeon dodged the shockwave with his Sand Strides. But Orca''s shockwave attacks didn''t stop at just one. "Graaaah!" With a roar, Orca continued to swing his fists in the air. Each punch unleashed another shockwave that chased after Zeon. Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions erupted in session, sending pirs of sand shooting into the sky. Zeon dodged the attacks with his Sand Strides and muttered to himself. "A spear that pierces the sky. Sand Spear!" Whoosh! In an instant, a massive pir of sand shot up from the ground. The giant sand pir, shaped like a spear, struck Orca in mid-air. Boom! "Grk!" This time, the attack seemed to have some effect, as a stifled groan escaped Orca. But Orca was the Orc Great Chieftain. The true leader of the Orcs, born for the first time in centuries. His pride wouldn''t allow him to show weakness from such a blow. Orca spread his arms wide and shouted. "Shards of the Red Moon!" In an instant, numerous red spheres appeared around his body. They looked like fragments of a red moon, just as the name suggested. This was a skill only the Great Chieftain Orca could use. He had decided to stop relying on brute force and start using his skills seriously. The previous shes had taught him that Zeon wasn''t an opponent he could defeat with recklessbat alone. To kill him, Orca knew he had to give it his all. And so, he unleashed one of his most powerful skills. "Die, Sand Mage!" Whoosh! Orca swung his fist toward Zeon, and the numerous red spheres around him shot toward Zeon like a hailstorm. Shwoooosh! The red moons were falling. It seemed impossible for any human to survive such an onught. But Zeon neither despaired nor feared. The red spheres filled his vision as they descended upon him. In an instant, Zeon calcted the number of red spheres. "Viper!" In response to the number of red spheres, sand serpents emerged from the ground. Hundreds of vipers shot up into the sky. Boom! Boom! Boom! The vipers intercepted the falling red spheres one by one. The sky was filled with dazzling explosions. To an uninformed observer, it would have looked like a spectacr fireworks disy. "Holy shit!" Aiden''s jaw dropped as he watched. He had expected Zeon, as a Sand Mage, to have some control over sand, but he had never imagined it would be to this extent. Every grain of sand in the desert was Zeon''s weapon. Zeon was fighting on equal terms with the mighty Orc Great Chieftain. Against a monster whose overwhelmingbat power was enough to make one feel crushed just by watching. Aiden wondered how long he would havested if he had been the one fighting Zeon. But he quickly lowered his head in resignation. ''If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t havested thirty seconds.'' He hated to admit it, but as someone who prided himself on being objective, he made a clear judgment. The Sand Mage wasn¡¯t just a myth from Neo Seoul. He was a real, living monster. And that monster was farrger and more terrifying than anyone could have imagined. Terrifying enough to go toe-to-toe with the powerful Orc Great Chieftain. While Zeon was keeping the Orc Great Chieftain upied, fierce battles were breaking out all over the battlefield. It was a battle between human Awakeneds and Orcs. "Hehehe!" Mountain was locked in a power struggle with a giant Orc that matched his own size, while Giselle used her ice magic to freeze Orcs in their tracks. The other Awakeneds then attacked the frozen Orcs, finishing them off. Magic Awakened were rarer thanbat Awakened. Among them, high-ranking Awakeneds like Giselle were even rarer. There weren¡¯t many who could wield ice magic like she did. Even if they could, they weren¡¯t typically held in high regard. The freezing spells most Awakened could cast weren¡¯t powerful enough to withstand the scorching heat of the desert. But Giselle was different. She possessed ice magic powerful enough to temporarily freeze even a giant Sandworm. "You filthy pig bastards! Ice Field!" She unleashed a spell that froze the entire area. The freezing spell wouldn''tst long due to the intense heat, but it was enough to immobilize the Orcs within a radius of several dozen meters. "Nice!" "Now this is more like it." The Awakeneds attacked the Orcs whose feet were frozen in ce. The Orcs tried to fight back, but their restricted movement left them vulnerable. The Awakeneds gleefully cut them down. It was a tactic known as the "Hold and Smash." "Graaagh!" "Chwit! Humans are cowardly." "Shit! You¡¯re the ones using swarm tactics, you hypocrites." "Die, pigheads." While chaotic skirmishes raged on one side, on the other, a terrifying purple lightning bolt struck down. It was Levin, in his ghostly form, unleashing Purple Lightning. Numerous Orcs were electrocuted and fell under Levin¡¯s attack. Whack! Thud! Whack! The Orcs electrocuted by Purple Lightning had their flesh, muscles, and even eyes burst from the shock. When one Orc was electrocuted, the current would jump to the one standing next to it. This was the "branching" effect. ''That guy¡¯s overpowered too.'' For the first time in his life, Aiden felt a desire to recruit someone into his party. Of course, that was assuming they all survived this battle. "Hyaah!" Not far away, Jang Yong-beom¡¯s shout could be heard. Aiden turned to see Jang Yong-beom attacking the Orc Shaman with his ymore, wielding it with his one remaining arm. Boom! But Jang Yong-beom¡¯s attack was repelled with a loud explosion. It was because of the ck smoke swirling around the Orc Shaman¡¯s body. The ck smoke formed strange symbols in the air as it circled the Shaman. Sizzle! Everything exposed to the ck smoke rotted away. The sand, the Awakeneds, and even the corpses of the Orcs. It was the shaman¡¯s skill, ¡®Breath of the Dead.¡¯ "Turn to rotten soil and disappear, human!" The Shaman waved his hand, and the Breath of the Dead shot toward Jang Yong-beom. The Breath of the Dead was a skill that could be used both defensively and offensively. It was a versatile skill that the Shaman could manipte at will. The Shaman¡¯s eyes were filled with anger. Despite deploying thousands of Orcs, they still hadn¡¯t managed to eliminate the mere dozens of Awakeneds. No matter how strong human Awakeneds were, this was a serious issue. "Useless fools. I¡¯ll have to wipe them all out myself." Jang Yong-beom, seeing the ominous energy emanating from the Shaman, felt a sense of urgency. ¡®I have to kill him before he uses another skill.¡¯ Jang Yong-beom threw his ymore at the Shaman with all his might and shouted. "Guillotine!" The ymore expanded several times in mid-air and came crashing down toward the Shaman¡¯s head like a guillotine. The de gleamed with an aura, ready to slice through anything it touched. Whether it was a living being or an inanimate object, nothing could withstand its edge. Jang Yong-beom was confident that this single strike would im the Shaman''s life. But life often defies expectations, and unfortunately, this was one of those times. Thunk! The guillotine strike was abruptly halted by a massive hand. Jang Yong-beom¡¯s eyes widened in shock. What had stopped the guillotine was a colossal giant. There was no way a giant should have been here. Orcs typically ranged from two to three meters in height. But the giant that had blocked his guillotine strike was nearly ten meters tall. It was evenrger than the Orc Great Chieftain, rivaling some of the biggestrge-ss beasts. If such a massive creature had been around, Jang Yong-beom would have noticed it immediately. The reason he hadn''t noticed was because this giant wasn¡¯t a pre-existing creature. The giant had been born from the Shaman¡¯s power, formed by merging the bodies of the many Orcs the Awakened had in. It was a type of corpse golem, created by condensing andbining hundreds of Orc bodies. Jang Yong-beom had heard of golems, but this was his first time seeing one in person. And to see a golem made from the corpses of Orcs was even more disturbing. "You have no taste. Using the bodies of your own kind as weapons? Don¡¯t you Orcs have even the slightest sense of kinship?" "It¡¯s all for the Great Chieftain. Look! Don¡¯t you see the joyful tears on the faces of the Orcs that have be part of the giant?" Whether it was truly joy was uncertain, but tears indeed streamed down the faces of the Orcs that made up the corpse golem. "You insane Orc bastard!" Jang Yong-beom cursed as he swung his hand. The ymore, which had been gripped by the golem''s hand, flew back into his grasp. The Shaman grinned as he watched. "Heh heh! To Orcs, that is the highest form of praise." "Fine! Let''s see who''s really insane here." Jang Yong-beom ground his teeth as he gathered his mana. His chest felt like it was on fire, something deep within was about to explode. If he didn¡¯t release this rage and frustration, he felt he might burst. More than anything, he didn¡¯t want to be outdone by Zeon, who was disying overwhelming power against the Great Chieftain. Even though he knew that, with his current abilities, he couldn¡¯t match Zeon. That was the essence of who Jang Yong-beom was¡ªa man filled with unyielding determination, refusing to lose. "You are the one I will definitely kill." He charged at the corpse golem standing in front of the Orc Shaman. Boom! His sh struck the golem, causing parts of the Orc corpses that formed it to fall off. But even as some corpses were cut away, more bodies fused together, making the golem evenrger. Jang Yong-beom¡¯s face twisted in frustration. "Damn it!" Just then¡ª Boom! A thunderous noise reverberated through the desert, shaking the sands. Everyone turned toward the source of the sound, their eyes widening in shock. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 222 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 222 It was as if a meteor had fallen; a giant crater, dozens of meters wide, had formed, and someone was embedded deep inside it. The person buried so deeply that it was hard to discern their shape was Zeon. Boom! A giant-bodied monsternded in front of the buried Zeon. It was the Great Chieftain Orca. In Orca''s hand was a gigantic battle axe that he had never wielded before. It was Teratan, Orca''s exclusive weapon. Teratan was an item obtained by Orca after conquering a dungeon. It was made of an unknown metal, but the strength of Teratan was beyond imagination. Orca had never seen a metal this sturdy. Typically, dungeon itemse with additional abilities. They either enhance the owner''s abilities or grant special skills. Teratan also had such an ability. It was mass increase. It could momentarily amplify the mass of its owner by more than ten times, along with its weight. Teratan weighed 150 kilograms. Orca''s body weight, nearing five meters, exceeded a ton. Teratan could increase a total of 2,150 kilograms of immense weight by more than ten times in an instant. An increase in weight meant an increase in destructive power. If the weight increased tenfold, the destructive power would increase even more. Thus, theoretically, the destructive power would be increased from ten to several dozen times. The problem was that raising the destructive power meant that the user would also suffer immense bacsh. One of the reasons Orca had never used Teratan was because of the significant bacsh from the destructive power, but also because his pride could not ept it. Moreover, he was confident that he could crush all enemies with his bare hands. So he had sealed Teratan in a subspace. Orca thought he would never use Teratan. However, facing an adversary like Zeon changed his mind. Zeon was an opponent like none he had ever encountered. There was no opponent stronger than Zeon in Orca''s life. Even the spotted Ogre he met recently was just a childpared to Zeon. The term "the nemesis of the Orcs" was well deserved. Orca had fallen countless times to Zeon''s sand attacks and had been buried in the sand. Thanks to his sturdy physique, he hadn¡¯t suffered severe injuries, but his pride had been wounded. Thus, he took advantage of Zeon''s moment ofcency to pull out Teratan and wield it. Naturally, Zeon, who had expected an attack with bare hands, was struck by Teratan. The result of hiscency was the crater. With the immense mass attack, a crater formed as if a meteor had fallen, and Zeon was embedded in the center. Orca raised Teratan high and said. "Human, you are strong. But the one who will win is me. I will eat your heart and be stronger." "Don¡¯t treat me like I¡¯m already dead. Ugh! It¡¯s painful." At that moment, Zeon, who had been lying as if dead, opened his eyes and spoke. At the moment of being struck by Teratan, Zeon infused mana into his robe. One of the abilities of the robe made from Leviathan hide was hardening. In other words, it became hardened to protect the wearer. The Leviathan''s rank was SS-rank. Naturally, the strength of the skin was beyond imagination. Thanks to that, Zeon was able to save his life. Although his whole body was almost paralyzed from the immense shock, his life was saved, so it wasn¡¯t entirely a loss. The problem was Orca¡¯s Teratan. Screech! It was rapidly falling towards Zeon¡¯s chest. His whole body was numb, unable to move a single finger. He could not evade it normally. But Zeon was a Sand Mage. Swish! Zeon¡¯s body fell straight down. In the blink of an eye, Zeon¡¯s body vanished into the sand, and Teratan fell where he had been. Boom! Anotherrge crater formed, and sand rose like a cloud, obscuring the view. "Kreuk!" Orca''s eyes gleamed with ferocity. All his senses were sharply tuned. Hiss! He could feel the sand flowing underground several meters. Orca swung Teratan without dy. Bang! With a thunderous sound, a crater several dozen meters wide was created. If Zeon had been below, he would certainly have been crushed by this attack. Zeon''s presence was no longer felt. A smile spread across Orca''s face. "I''ve got you. Human!" Though he regretted not being able to eat his heart, he was satisfied with killing the Orcs¡¯ nemesis. Orca roared. "Uwooo! My victory! I, the Great Chieftain Orca, have killed the Sand Mage." "Kwwoor!" "Chwit! As expected of the Great Chieftain." The Orcs, inspired by Orca¡¯s shout, attacked the Awakeneds. The Orcs attacked with enthusiasm, while the Awakeneds were demoralized. Such was the significance of Zeon. "That Sand Mage is dead?" "Damn it!" Just hearing that Zeon was dead made the Awakeneds¡¯ hands and feet tremble. Such individuals lost their lives to the Orcs. "Kuueek!" "Ugh!" Screams erupted from various ces among the Awakeneds. Brielle, evading the Orcs'' attacks, looked at Orca. Orca was reveling in his victory, holding Teratan high. ¡®Is Zeon really dead? Just like that? No, it can¡¯t be. He¡¯s not someone who would die to such a monster.¡¯ While the other Awakeneds epted Zeon¡¯s death, Brielle did not think so. Zeon and she were bound by the High Elf''s oath. An invisible thread connected them. Thus, she knew. Zeon was not dead. If he had been, the connected thread would have been severed. ¡®Zeon is alive.¡¯ At that moment. Whoosh! A wind blew from somewhere. The inside of her mouth became instantly dry. Because the wind was mixed with sand. The yellow sandstorm quickly enveloped the area. At first, it seemed like a natural wind. But both the Orcs and the Awakeneds knew. That the wind blowing now was absolutely not natural. Their instincts told them. ¡®It¡¯s the Sand Mage.¡¯ ¡®He is still alive.¡¯ The Awakeneds gained courage, while the Orcs'' morale plummeted. Orca''s expression also hardened. "Could it be that you¡¯re still alive, Sand Mage!" He tightened his grip on Teratan. Though the existence of Zeon was unexpected, Orca was confident he could kill him. With Teratan, he could split any monster in two instantly. "Where are you, Sand Mage! Don¡¯t cowardly hide and show yourself." Orca shouted loudly, but Zeon did not respond. Instead, the sandstorm grew fiercer and thicker. Whoosh! The yellow sandstorm seemed to engulf the entire world. Even so, Orca remained calm. The force field created around him protected him from the fierce sandstorm. No matter how intense the sandstorm, it could not affect him. Creak! The sandstorm was so powerful that even Orca''s massive body was pushed back. Only then did Orca realize something was wrong. The sandstorm was more violent and sharper than he had anticipated. Pipipit! The sandstorm that prated the force field created cuts on Orca¡¯s skin like des. Of course, these minor injuries were nothing to Orca. But as time passed, his tension heightened. He knew that Zeon wouldn¡¯t just attack him with this level of sandstorm. Orca roared in frustration. "What is this? Human! Show yourself. I¡¯ll split you in two with Teratan." "Sandstorm!" At that moment, Zeon''s faint voice came from within the sandstorm. Just as Orca was about to swing Teratan toward where the voice came from, his massive body was suddenly pulled up into the air as if by a giant hand. His massive body was lifted dozens of meters into the sky like a leaf. "Kwwooo!" Orca roared as he struggled to maintain his bnce in mid-air. He iled to escape the sandstorm created by Zeon. But escaping from the sandstorm, with no ce to step, was not an easy task. Whoosh! Whoosh! Orca swung Teratan wildly. But no matter how powerful his battle axe was, it could not cut through the sandstorm. Pipipit! Even at that moment, Orca¡¯s skin was being cut like des. Orca knew that if this continued, even his mighty physique wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand it. At that moment, the sandstorm began to shrink. It was not spreading over a wide area but concentrating only around Orca. The power did not weaken but was beingpressed. As the sandstormpressed, its power was maximized. Orca realized it was time to use the skill he had been hiding. Orca raised Teratan high into the sky. "Kwwoor! The final blow that will bring down the heavens." He unleashed his ultimate skill with the spirit concentrated in Teratan. It was merely a simple axe strike. There were no remnants ofplexity. But Orca knew that sometimes simplicity could wield greater power than anyplicated technique. With Teratan''s mass increased tenfold and his overwhelming physique and spirit. He focused everything on this final strike. He didn¡¯t think of the consequences. He concentrated only on destroying the powerful enemy named Zeon and the sandstorm pressing around him. sh! A powerful light erupted from Teratan, blinding everyone¡¯s eyes. At the same time, the sandstorm that had been pressing down on him was split in two. Orca was sure that Zeon, who was beyond the sandstorm, would also be cut in two. Orca dered his victory. "I have won." "Who says so?" "What?" At the sound of Zeon''s voice from across the sand, chills ran down Orca''s entire body. At that moment, the sandstorm, which had been split in two, rejoined. Boom! The fierce swirling sandstorm. The sandstorm was nowpressed to just enough to trap Orca. Conversely, its power increased several times. But Zeon knew that this level of power wasn¡¯t enough to kill Orca, an S-rank beast. So, he used the Inferno Gauntlet. Whoosh! Intense, superheated mes ignited within the sandstorm. Inside was a hell of extreme heat. In that, Orca was being roasted red-hot. Neither his formidable spirit nor his diamond-hard physique could withstand it. The sandstorm infused with mes cooked Orca from his core. "Arrrrgh!" Orca let out a desperate scream. Boom! The fiercely swirling superheated sandstorm swallowed Orca¡¯s scream. Momentster, the area fell silent. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 223 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 223 Sizzle! Sizzle! The scorching heat was melting the surrounding sand. The molten sand flowed down likeva. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Chwit!¡± The Awakeneds and Orcs recoiled in shock, stepping back from the intense heat that resembled a hellish inferno. Even after retreating dozens of meters, it still felt like their bodies were being cooked. Each breath they took scalded the mucous membranes in their noses, throats, and lungs, and all their hair, including fine body hair, was burnt away. The overwhelming heat threatened both the Awakeneds and the Orcs without discrimination. ¡°Move back even further.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Chwiit!¡± With no other choice, they retreated again. Both the Awakeneds and Orcs hadpletely forgotten they were fierce enemies just moments ago. Right now, escaping from the deadly heat was their only concern. Eventually, they managed to get a hundred meters away and finally escaped the hellish heat that could incinerate everything. ¡°Hooah!¡± ¡°Hah! Hah!¡± ¡°Chwiit! What about the Great Chieftain?¡± ¡°We must rescue the Great Chieftain¡­¡± The Orcs, finally regaining their senses, looked toward the core of the inferno. Whooosh! In that spot, a sandstorm still raged, holding onto the hellish heat. The difference now was that the sandstorm had condensed, shrinking to just the size needed to trap a single Orc. Though it was now only a fraction of its previous size, its power had multiplied several times over. Gaaaang! The terrifying sound of the wind caused both Awakeneds and Orcs to shrink back, unable to approach. The sandstorm, which had seemed endless, finally dissipated. The sandstorm that had been swirling with unimaginable heat vanished without leaving a trace, as if it had never existed. In the spot where the sandstorm disappeared, there was a massive object presumed to be the Orc Great Chieftain. Orca looked like a melted, ckened lump of rock. Even the battle axe in his hand had melted in the overwhelming heat, making it difficult to recognize its shape. Zeon walked toward Orca. As he got closer¡ª ¡°Graaagh!¡± Orca let out a hideous scream and swung his fist at Zeon. Despite his eyes, skin, and organs having melted away, he was still alive. It was truly a terrifying disy of vitality. Orca had endured and endured, holding on until the very end. It was all for the sake of killing Zeon. This was his final attack. Zeon effortlessly dodged Orca¡¯s strike and delivered a blow to his chest. Thunk! The mana infused in the Inferno Gauntlet pierced through Orca¡¯s thick chest and reached his heart. His heart shattered like ss, and Orca finally coughed up the blood he had been holding back. ¡°Gahh!¡± Atst, Orca fell to his knees. No matter how powerful a being was, it couldn¡¯t survive with a shattered heart. Orca was no different. Though he had endured the hellish heat of the sandstorm, the moment his heart broke, he lost all his strength and copsed to the ground. Orca barely lifted his head to look at Zeon. Though his eyes had burnt away and he couldn¡¯t see, he still urately focused on where Zeon stood. ¡°Krkk! Foe of the Orcs¡­ you possess a power too overwhelming for me to handle. Because of you, the Orc tribe will scatter like grains of sand once more, but you too will be abandoned by humans. Your power is too dangerous for humans to ept.¡± It was more of a prophecy than a statement. Even though his eyes couldn¡¯t see, it was as if Orca could clearly envision Zeon¡¯s future. Unlike the Orcs, who blindly worship the strong, humans reject those who hold power beyond their understanding. Moreover, Zeon¡¯s power was too alien and threatening. There was no way humans would ept someone with such power. Zeon silently gazed at the dying Orca. With his eyes lowered and his mouth tightly shut, it was impossible to tell what Zeon was thinking. Thud! Orca finally copsed. His breath hadpletely stopped. ¡°The Great Chieftain!¡± ¡°Uwoooaargh!¡± The Orcs who witnessed the scene cried out in despair. Orca was the Great Chieftain who was supposed to fulfill the Orc tribe¡¯s aspirations. Now that such a chieftain had fallen, it was natural for the Orcs to grieve. At that moment¡ª Boom! Another explosion rang out. The Awakeneds and Orcs turned in shock to see the sight of a giant corpse golem exploding. The corpse golem created by the Orc Shaman had been blown apart by Jang Yong-beom. Jang Yong-beom pierced through the corpse golem and lunged toward the Shaman. ¡°No!¡± The Shaman frantically unleashed magic to stop Jang Yong-beom. But Jang Yong-beom ignored all the attacks. Boom! Boom! Magic exploded right in front of Jang Yong-beom, but it did no damage to him. A soft light shimmered around Jang Yong-beom¡¯s body. Giselle and Aiden, recognizing the source of the light, shouted in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Aura Shield.¡± ¡°No way! Did his rank go up?¡± Jang Yong-beom¡¯s rank had been A-rank. Even as an A-rank, he hadn¡¯t been able to deploy an Aura Shield. Being able to use an Aura Shield meant that Jang Yong-beom¡¯s rank had increased. Indeed, seven clear stripes glowed on his right wristband. It was proof that he had ascended to S-rank. Facing the corpse golem, he must have awakened something within. Thunk! Jang Yong-beom, deflecting all the magic, instantly closed in on the Shaman. Their eyes briefly met. Pshook! A massive ymore pierced the Shaman¡¯s chest and jutted out from his back. ¡°Gahk!¡± The Shaman¡¯s body trembled violently from the immense pain. Jang Yong-beom, holding the Shaman close, pushed the ymore in deeper. The Shaman spat blood onto Jang Yong-beom¡¯s chest. Jang Yong-beom, still holding the Shaman, spoke. ¡°I should thank you. Because of you, I was able to break through my limits.¡± The massive barrier that had blocked him all this time. While fighting the corpse golem, he had gained an insight that shattered the enormous wall standing between A-rank and S-rank. The realization was small, but its impact was enormous. The once-imposing wall crumbled instantly. In this way, Jang Yong-beom finally shed the shackles of A-rank and became an S-rank Awakened. ¡°Hu¡­ man!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you should follow your leader and head to hell.¡± Crunch! Jang Yong-beom twisted the ymore that had prated the Shaman¡¯s chest. The Shaman¡¯s heart waspletely crushed, just like Orca¡¯s. When Jang Yong-beom withdrew the ymore, the Shaman¡¯s body copsed to the ground. With both Orca and the Shaman dead, the Orcs scattered in all directions. Despite still vastly outnumbering the others, they dispersed the moment they lost their focal point. It was as if the thought of revenge didn¡¯t even cross their minds. Thanks to this, the surviving Awakeneds were finally able to catch their breath. The number of surviving Awakeneds was extremely small. There were only Zeon¡¯s group, Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party, and five other Awakeneds from different parties. At that moment, Jang Yong-beom signaled to Aiden, Giselle, and the others. Though no words were spoken, they immediately understood Jang Yong-beom¡¯s intent. Theyunched a surprise attack on the unsuspecting Awakeneds. ¡°Graaagh!¡± ¡°Why are you¡­ Ugh!¡± The Awakeneds, caught off guard, had no chance to defend themselves. Zeon frowned as he watched the scene, then spoke to Jang Yong-beom. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to protect you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your identity as a Sand Mage is no longer a secret. All the powers in Neo Seoul now know you¡¯re a Sand Mage.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°But they still don¡¯t know how strong you really are. They¡¯re only assessing your strength within the bounds of theirmon sense. But what do you think they¡¯ll do once they realize you¡¯re this far beyondmon sense?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zeon didn¡¯t respond. But Jang Yong-beom continued as if he had heard Zeon¡¯s answer. ¡°Humans instinctively reject beings that are beyond their understanding. I feel the same way, actually.¡± ¡°So you killed them to keep my secret?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly grateful.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to be. I didn¡¯t do it purely for your sake.¡± ¡°So you also want to keep your own secret.¡± ¡°Exactly! I¡¯m not ready to reveal that I¡¯ve reached S-rank yet.¡± Jang Yong-beom confessed honestly. If it became known in Neo Seoul that he had ascended to S-rank, it was certain he¡¯d face opposition from many factions. There was a clear difference between A-rank and S-rank. To lower-ranked Awakeneds, both were like unreachable heights, but to the power yers in Neo Seoul, the level of threat was entirely different. An A-rank was considered a potential threat, while an S-rank was like a knife held to their throat. If they couldn¡¯t recruit him to their side, they might decide it was better to eliminate him. If he had a massive force like Lee Ji-ryung backing him, they wouldn¡¯t dare act rashly, but with Jang Yong-beom¡¯s small group, they could attackat any time. Jang Yong-beom needed time to prepare for the future. That¡¯s why he attacked the other Awakeneds to keep them silent. In this way, Jang Yong-beompletely eliminated any evidence. He felt no guilt for his actions. Zeon didn¡¯t criticize or me him either. There was no reason for Zeon to turn Jang Yong-beom into an enemy in this situation. ¡°We¡¯re all exhausted, so let¡¯s take a break.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Jang Yong-beom nodded at Zeon''s words. They moved to a spot a fair distance away from the battlefield, where the corpses of Orcs and Awakenedsy scattered. Jang Yong-beom¡¯s group settled down a bit further away from Zeon¡¯s group. Laughter and conversation soon broke out among them, as if they were celebrating Jang Yong-beom¡¯s advancement to S-rank. Now that Jang Yong-beom had truly be an S-rank, the status of their party would also rise significantly. Their excitement was understandable. Zeon turned his gaze away from them and looked at hispanions. Eloy copsed to the ground, exhausted. ¡°We almost died back there.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Other than a few injuries, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°But man, Jang Yong-beom reaching S-rank? Neo Seoul will go crazy when they find out. Tch! We went through hell just to make someone else look good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just their side that leveled up, so it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Eloy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. At that moment, Zeon looked over at Levin. Levin gave a shy smile and showed the rank insignia on his wrist. Five stripes were shining brightly. It was proof that he had reached B-rank. While fighting against the Orcs, Levin had somehow leveled up to B-rank. Although it wasn¡¯t as impressive as Jang Yong-beom¡¯s S-rank advancement, reaching B-rank was still a significant achievement. Especially considering how recently Levin had awakened. His rate of advancement was unparalleled, far faster than Jang Yong-beom¡¯s. Moreover, Levin¡¯s abilities were quite special. He had both phasing skills and electric-type magic. For now, Jang Yong-beom was stronger, but no one could predict what the situation would be like in ten years. Eloy and Brielle smiled warmly as they congratted him. ¡°Congrattions on your advancement.¡± ¡°Congrats, Levin!¡± ¡°Thanks, everyone!¡± Levin beamed, but his eyes were fixed on Zeon. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t be where he was today without Zeon. If Zeon hadn¡¯t guided him, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to level up so quickly. Once again, he confirmed to himself how important Zeon was. ¡®No matter what happens, I¡¯ll follow hyung to the end.¡¯ Even if following Zeon led straight to hell. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 224 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 224 Zeon¡¯s group and Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party left the battlefield where they fought the Orcs and began their journey back to Neo Seoul. The Orcs that had gathered under Orca¡¯s banner had scatteredpletely, leaving no trace behind. Thanks to this, Zeon¡¯s group and Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party were able to travel peacefully for several days without facing any threats. As the sun began to set, Zeon spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s rest here for today.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Jang Yong-beom readily agreed with a nod. In this group, Zeon was the guide. He determined the direction and decided when and where to take breaks. Jang Yong-beom followed Zeon¡¯s decisions without question. He knew it was the wisest choice. There was no better guide than Zeon in this desert. No navigator could match Zeon¡¯s skills. As long as they rested where Zeon suggested, they would never be attacked by monsters. After a simple meal, the groups sat separately. Though they were traveling together, it didn¡¯t mean theypletely trusted each other. They all knew that fully trusting someone in the desert was foolish. As a result, there were no hard feelings about keeping their distance. ¡°Hah!¡± Eloy sighed as she sat on a sand dune. Her gaze fell on her wrist. Hidden from sight was a red rank insignia. Five red stripes indicating her rank as a B-rank Awakened. It was a rank she could take pride in, but she wasn¡¯t satisfied with it. ¡°To protect Mandy, I need to be even stronger.¡± It was an obvious statement¡ªEloy and Mandy were one and the same. Eloy¡¯s personality was created to protect Mandy¡¯s fragile mind. Once they reached Neo Seoul, Mandy¡¯s personality would resurface. Everything in Neo Seoul required careful handling. It was too difficult for Eloy to manage alone. That¡¯s why she willingly yielded control of the body to Mandy. Mandy would be the primary personality in charge, but that didn¡¯t mean Eloy waspletely dormant. She would observe everything from behind Mandy. She simply wouldn¡¯t intervene. For the sake of both Mandy and herself, she needed to grow stronger. But she had hit a wall in her growth. Not all Awakeneds progress at the same rate. Some awaken at low ranks but quickly rise to higher ranks, while others start at high ranks but never grow any further. Just because someone works hard doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll reach a high rank. Every Awakened has their own limits. Those withrger capacities be S-rank. Like Lee Ji-ryeong or Jang Yong-beom. Those with smaller capacities get stuck at E-rank or F-rank, no matter how hard they try. Luckily, Eloy¡¯s potential as an Awakened wasn¡¯t small. But she had reached her limit at B-rank. No matter how much she tried, she couldn¡¯t push past it. ¡°How can I break through this wall?¡± It was so vague and unclear that she didn¡¯t even know which direction to take. It felt like she was lost in a fog where she couldn¡¯t see even a step ahead. At that moment, a voice as reassuring as a guiding light reached her. ¡°Do you want to break through that wall?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Eloy jumped in surprise and turned around. Zeon was standing silently behind her. He had approached without a sound. If Zeon had been an enemy, she would have been dead by now. She knew he was strong, but she couldn¡¯t even begin to guess the extent of his power. Not only were his abilities as a Sand Mage far superior, but his skills as a fighter were also better than hers. She had never encountered an Awakened like him before. Eloy forced a bitter smile as she responded. ¡°If I could break through the wall just because I wanted to, how great would that be? But both you and I know it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking about your resolve.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s possible, of course I want to break through. Why, can you help me grow like you did for Levin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s beyond my ability. Levin is naturally gifted enough to reach S-rank. But you¡­¡± ¡°I know! My limit is B-rank at best. Maybe I could reach A-rank if I really push, but I can¡¯t see the way forward.¡± Eloy admitted her limitations honestly, and it made her feel a bit lighter. Zeon handed her a small stone. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Mana Stone extracted from the Orc Great Chieftain.¡± ¡°This?!¡± Eloy¡¯s eyes trembled. Mana Stones could be obtained from monsters as well. Of course, the quality and quantity of mana within these stones far exceeded those mined from a Mana Stone Mines. But she had never seen a stone this vibrant and glowing red before. ¡°It¡¯s likely to contain some kind of skill.¡± ¡°A skill-containing Mana Stone?¡± ¡°More urately, it might contain the seed or trigger to awaken a skill.¡± ¡°Is that really possible?¡± Eloy looked incredulous. ¡°It is. That¡¯s how I acquired one of my skills.¡± ¡°Oh my God!¡± Eloy instinctively covered her mouth with both hands. She couldn¡¯t suppress a scream of excitement. Unlike Mana Stones from mines, some Mana Stones extracted from monsters carried the essence of the monster. Absorbing such Mana Stones could sometimes grant a skill. Naturally, the higher the monster¡¯s rank, the better the skill contained within the Mana Stone. However, the chances were so slim that it was rare for an Awakened to obtain a good skill this way. It was impossible to know if this Mana Stone contained a skill. It could potentially grant a powerful skill, or it could give her a useless one. If she were lucky enough to acquire a skill that matched her, it would be a blessing. But if she ended up with a trash skill, it could ruin her existing skills. Zeon asked. ¡°The choice is yours. What will you do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll absorb the Mana Stone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it again¡ªyou could end up with a trash skill. It might ruin all the skills you¡¯ve developed so far.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware. But I¡¯m still going to absorb it.¡± ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s your resolve¡­¡± Zeon handed her the Mana Stone. Eloy tightly gripped the stone in her hand. A fiery energy radiated from her palm. Even without Zeon¡¯s guidance, she instinctively knew how to absorb this energy. She closed her eyes and began drawing the mana from the stone. ¡°Ugh!¡± A torrent of energy surged into her body through her hand. The fiery energy roamed wildly inside her, tearing through her insides. She tried to control it, but it was no use. ¡°Aaagh!¡± Eloy copsed, screaming. But her cries didn¡¯t reach Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party. Zeon used mana to contain her screams, preventing them from escaping. Eloy writhed on the ground in agony, her entire body burning. She wanted to let go of the stone, but it was as if it were maically attached to her hand. Eloy eventually passed out while still clutching the Mana Stone. Even as shey unconscious, the intense energy from the stone continued pouring into her. Zeon silently watched Eloy. Having gone through the same process to gain a skill, he knew exactly how much pain she was enduring. Zeon had absorbed the Mana Stone from the Hydra, the guardian of the Gold Dragon, to reach A-rank. The skill he gained back then was Super Regeneration. Thanks to it, no matter how severe his injuries, he could recover quickly. One of the reasons Zeon survived alone in the desert for eight years was because of this Super Regeneration skill. At that moment¡ª Eloy¡¯s lifeless fingers twitched. ¡®Looks like she¡¯s gained a skill.¡¯ A momentter, Eloy took a deep breath and opened her eyes. ¡°Haah! Am I still alive?¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± ¡°Damn it! I really thought I was going to die.¡± ¡°You seem pretty intact for someone who thought they were dying.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± Eloy propped herself up and stood. She straightened her back and closed her eyes to sense her inner self. Immediately, she noticed a new flow of mana within her. ¡®This is¡­?¡¯ Though no one exined it to her, she instinctively understood what kind of skill it was. ¡°Mass increase?¡± It was the same skill that had been imbued in Orca¡¯s battle axe, Teratan. Interestingly, instead of inheriting Orca¡¯s original skill, Eloy had inherited the skill from his weapon. This was the first time such a thing had happened. The question was whether the mass increase skill would bepatible with Eloy¡¯s existing skills. Eloy¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± Like Teratan, it increased her mass tenfold. With that, she could maximize the power of her Mad Gumiho skill. The problem was whether her body could handle the extreme mass increase. Fortunately, that issue was quickly resolved. The sixth stripe on her wrist was now glowing. It was the mark of an A-rank Awakened. Eloy muttered in disbelief. ¡°I broke through the wall this easily?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy. It¡¯s the result of all your hard work finally paying off. The Orc Great Chieftain¡¯s skill was just the trigger that set off the explosion.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°In any case, congrattions on bing an A-rank Awakened.¡± ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll never forget this favor.¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting, so let¡¯s head down now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Eloy nodded and followed Zeon. * * * Jang Yong-beom tilted his head in curiosity. His gaze was fixed on Eloy. ¡®Something seems different about her.¡¯ She had gone up to the sand dunest night and didn¡¯te down for a while, and now her atmosphere had changed. The look in her eyes and the energy she exuded were different from before. It was clear that she had undergone a significant change. ¡®Did her rank go up? That easily?¡¯ Now that he was S-rank, he could sense other Awakeneds¡¯ conditions. Though he couldn¡¯t determine exact numbers, he could gauge their general level. ¡®What kind of magic did he use on her?¡¯ Jang Yong-beom¡¯s gaze shifted to Zeon. Zeon was walking ahead, cutting through the sandstorm. The only reason Eloy¡¯s rank could have changed was Zeon. Jang Yong-beom wondered what kind of method Zeon had used to raise Eloy¡¯s rank. ¡°Tsk! Looks like he¡¯s still hiding a lot. I wonder how much more he¡¯s got up his sleeve.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Leader?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Giselle, who was walking beside him, tilted her head in confusion. Just then, Aiden shouted out. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s the Mana Stone Mines!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Over there!¡± Aiden pointed toward a distant rocky mountain. The familiar sight made everyone cheer. ¡°It really is the Mana Stone Mines!¡± ¡°We finally made it.¡± ¡°Woohoo!¡± Among them, Brielle and Levin felt emotions beyond words. After being betrayed during the dungeon raid with Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s Pegasus team, fighting against the Red Storm and the Orc Great Chieftain''s army, and enduring countless hardships, they were finally returning to civilization. It was a feeling they couldn¡¯t fully express. Zeon murmured to himself. ¡®I¡¯ll see you soon, Lee Ji-ryeong!¡¯ He was someone who never forgets, be it either a favor or a grudge. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 225 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 225 "Stop right there." "Identify yourselves." As they approached the Mana Stone Mines, the guards on duty shouted at them. "Tsk." Jang Yong-beom stepped forward with a displeased expression. The moment they recognized his face, the guards turned pale. "Gasp!" "Why is he here?" Since he often stopped by the Mana Stone Mines during external missions, the guards were well acquainted with Jang Yong-beom. They also knew how nasty his temper was. The head guard quickly rushed over to Jang Yong-beom. "Weren''t you with the other parties?" "They¡¯re all dead." "Pardon?" "Everyone, except for us, got wiped out. Need me to exin more?" "N-No, sir." "Hah! It''s been a long journey, so give us a ce to stay. We¡¯ll rest for a day and then head back to Neo Seoul." "Understood." The head guard answered with a rigid expression. He had good reason to be nervous¡ªhe once foolishly picked a fight with Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party when he was a rookie and got utterly demolished. The experience had been so traumatic that he still asionally had nightmares about that day. Revenge wasn¡¯t even something he could dare to imagine. Back then, Jang Yong-beom was already strong, and now he was even more powerful. While the head guard wasted time standing guard at the mine, Jang Yong-beom was out on numerous dangerous missions, so the gap between them had only widened. The head guard cautiously asked. "What about the people who came with you?" "They¡¯re with me, so mind your own business." "But we still need to know their identities¡­" "I said mind your own business." "Yes, sir!" At Jang Yong-beom''s irritated words, the head guard stepped back. He knew better than to provoke him further. He turned to his subordinates and ordered. "Open the gate!" Creeeeak! As soon as he finished speaking, the gate to the Mana Stone Mines opened. Jang Yong-beom then turned to Zeon. "Let¡¯s go." "Yes." With that, Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party and Zeon¡¯s group safely entered the Mana Stone Mines. As Zeon¡¯s figure faded into the distance, the head guard tilted his head in confusion. "Could that be him?" "Do you know him?" "The Sand Mage." "What? Are you saying that guy is the Sand Mage? But wasn¡¯t he reported dead after going with the Pegasus Raid Force?" "This situation reeks of something fishy." "Fishy? What do you mean?" "Money! I smell money!" "Seriously?" "Use that thing on your shoulders and think for a moment. Ever since they returned from the dungeon raid, hasn¡¯t the Pegasus Raid Force been on a roll? Lee Ji-ryeong even became S-rank, and their group has grown significantly." "And so?" "Ugh, you idiot!" The head guard red at his subordinate, who still didn¡¯t get it. "Is your head just for decoration? Why can¡¯t you put two and two together?" "I¡¯m asking you to exin it to me!" "They specifically brought the Sand Mage for the dungeon raid, right? He was the key to their sess. But after the raid, the Sand Mage never returned, while the Pegasus team took all the glory. And now the supposedly dead Sand Mage is alive and well. What does that tell you?" "That the Pegasus Raid Force betrayed the Sand Mage?" Finally, the subordinate understood, his eyes widening in realization. "Exactly! Whether they trapped him or abandoned him, they must¡¯ve thought he was dead. That¡¯s why they publicly dered him deceased." "Oh! You¡¯re brilliant, boss! But how does this lead to money?" "Heh heh! Do you think the Pegasus Raid Force would be happy to see the Sand Mage return to Neo Seoul?" "Absolutely not." "Then if we sell them the information that the Sand Mage is back¡­" "We¡¯d make a fortune." The subordinate¡¯s eyes gleamed. He could finally see the opportunity for profit. The head guard grinned. "Now you get it?" "Yes!" "Good. I¡¯ll need to take a trip to Neo Seoul then." "A truck carrying Mana Stones will leave for Neo Seoul in an hour. Don¡¯t worry about things here and take care of business. But in return¡­" "Heh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure you get a big cut." "Yes, sir!" The two exchanged sinister smiles. * * * Eloy and Levin looked satisfied as they examined the room they were assigned. "It¡¯s clean." "It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯veid down on a bed. Woohoo!" Levin flopped onto the bed and kicked his feet in the air. Brielle smiled at his childish antics but didn¡¯t scold him. Although she didn¡¯t show it, she too enjoyed thefort of civilization after so long. Zeon spoke up. "Rest well today. We head back to Neo Seoul tomorrow." "Sounds good!" "First, I¡¯m going to take a bath." "Me too!" Levin, still lying on the bed, threw an uppercut in the air, while Eloy and Brielle headed to the bathroom to wash up. Compared to Neo Seoul, the facilities were shabby, but just having running water for a shower was enough to make the two women happy. Zeon sat in a chair by the window. Since this was amodation for VIPs, the window offered a clear view of the Mana Stone Mines. "We¡¯re back." It had taken quite some time, but they were finally close to returning to Neo Seoul. Although they weren¡¯t there yet, being inside the Mana Stone Mines meant it was only a matter of time. As Zeon gazed out the window, he noticed a truck leaving the mine. Its bed was loaded with Mana Stones that had been mined. Seated on top of the pile was a man. Zeon recognized him as the head guard. The guard wasughing heartily, unaware that Zeon was watching him. Even from a distance, it was clear he was in a good mood. "Hmm." Zeon kept his eyes on the departing truck and the guard for a while. Levin, still lying on the bed, spoke up. "You must be tired, so you should get some rest too, hyung." "I¡¯ve already rested. I¡¯ll be back soon." "Should Ie with you?" "No need. I¡¯ll go alone." "Alright. Call me if you need anything." "Sure." Zeon nodded and stepped outside. It had been a while since he¡¯d been here, but nothing much had changed at the Mana Stone Mines. As Neo Seoul¡¯s primary source of Mana Stones and a key outpost, it remained as busy as ever. The streets around the mine were always bustling with people. There were miners, exploration teams heading to dungeons, parties tasked with clearing out beasts around the mining town, and even prostitutes trying to lure them. Countless people jostled along the narrow streets. "Hey there, handsome,e over here. I¡¯ll take good care of you." "Oh my, you¡¯re really good-looking. Wanna have some real fun? Hehe!" The prostitutes flirted as they noticed Zeon walking by. However, Zeon didn¡¯t even nce their way and kept walking. "Tch! What¡¯s with him? Thinks he¡¯s all that because he¡¯s handsome?" "Ptooey! What an arrogant jerk." The prostitutes spat and cursed at his back, but Zeon didn¡¯t pay them any mind. After passing through the red-light district, Zeon arrived at a street lined with stalls run by merchants. As he scanned the vendors, his eyes lit up. He quickly approached one of the merchants. "Wee¡­" The merchant¡¯s face stiffened when he recognized Zeon. "It¡¯s been a while." "Mr. Zeon?" "Will, right? What are you doing here?" Therge man wearing an apron was Will, one of Old Man Klexi¡¯s trusted aides. He usually ran a butcher shop selling beast meat and was always by Kleksi¡¯s side. It was odd to see someone like him here. "Has Old Man Klexie here too?" "No, it¡¯s just me." "Did something happen?" "This isn¡¯t the ce to talk. Please, follow me inside." Will led Zeon into a nearby shop behind his stall. After ensuring no one else was around, Will locked the door. "I¡¯m relieved you¡¯re alive, Zeon." "What happened? Is Old Man Klexi in trouble?" "He¡¯s safe. But there¡¯s been a major change in the slums." "What?" Zeon frowned. He sensed something was seriously wrong. Will looked at Zeon and continued. "Shinchon is not what it used to be." "What do you mean?" "While you were away, Dongdaemun moved in." "Are you saying Johan has taken over Shinchon?" "Notpletely, but he¡¯s got about half of it under his control." "What about Ethan?" "You know him. Ethan was never fit to rule Shinchon. He was just about good enough to be Gohan¡¯s secretary." Ethan was the secretary of Gohan, the previous ruler of Shinchon. After Zeon killed Gohan, he had ced Ethan in charge of Shinchon. Ethan had managed the area efficiently, and things had been stable. Though there were those who coveted his position, no one dared to challenge him because they knew Zeon had his back. Once it was revealed that Zeon was the Sand Mage, any attempts to dethrone Ethan disappeared entirely. From then on, Ethan¡¯s life was smooth sailing. He became the absolute ruler of Shinchon and indulged in all sorts of pleasures. Yet, no one dared to threaten him. "That night, Ethan was spending time with a prostitute." "That night?" "The night Dongdaemununched a surprise attack. The fool was caught off guard while he was enjoying himself." "Did he die?" "He didn¡¯t. He managed to escape in disgrace." Ethan had remarkable survival instincts. Even in such a dire situation, he and his subordinates had managed to flee safely. The only reason Johan and Dongdaemun hadn¡¯t fully seized Shinchon was because Ethan and his men were still fighting back. Still, out of pride as a former ruler, Ethan refused to surrender and was waging a stubborn guerri war. "Because of that, Shinchon has be a mess. Naturally, the Goblin Market and Old Man Klexi¡¯s business have been affected too." Both the Goblin Market and Old Man Klexi were thorns in Johan¡¯s side. But he couldn¡¯t simply crush them by force. Too many factions had interests tied to the Goblin Market. That¡¯s why Johan was isting them instead of attacking directly. "In the past, no matter how powerful Johan and Dongdaemun were, they wouldn¡¯t have dared touch the Goblin Market." "But it¡¯s different now?" "Yes! They¡¯ve joined forces with a powerful ally." "A powerful ally?" "It¡¯s someone you know. Lee Ji-ryeong." "¡­¡­." "Yes! Johan and Lee Ji-ryeong have teamed up." Zeon¡¯s face hardened. Lee Ji-ryeong, now an S-rank Awakened. Johan, leading countless fanatics. Together, they formed the worst possiblebination. Will looked Zeon straight in the eye. "It¡¯s because of you. Your absence allowed those two to join forces." Zeon¡¯s mere presence had maintained bnce in the slums. He was a stabilizing force. With the disappearance of that massive counterbnce, predators had moved in to fill the void. Shinchon was now on the verge of being torn apart by wolves. Zeon spoke quietly. "Then it¡¯s time to let them know." "Let them know what?" "How wrong their decision was." "¡­¡­." Will shuddered. For a moment, it seemed like a massive sandstorm was swirling in Zeon¡¯s eyes. He could feel chills running down his spine. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 226 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 226 "Tsk!" Yoo Se-hee clicked her tongue. It was because of the unusual sight that could be seen all over the streets. Men d in heavy armor were seen standing. The armor had a cross emzoned in the center of their chests. The symbol of the Pdins of Dongdaemun. There was no barrier between Shinchon and Dongdaemun. Yet, the reason it was rare to see Pdins in heavy armor in Shinchon until now was due to an unspoken rule of mutual non-aggression between the two areas. The ruler of Shinchon was Goran, and the ruler of Dongdaemun was Johan. Overall, Dongdaemun had superior forces, but they weren¡¯t strong enough topletely overpower Shinchon. Both sides refrained from stepping into each other''s territories, understanding that a war would lead to mutual destruction. This dynamic hadn¡¯t changed even after Ethan became the ruler of Shinchon. Though he was far inferior to Goran, Zeon stood behind him. Ethan himself might not have realized it, but in the slums, Zeon was already a big name. After single-handedly eliminating Goran and his forces, Zeon became a formidable presence to everyone. Even without taking any direct action, his existence alone acted as a deterrent to other forces invading Shinchon. But once Zeon disappeared, Johan immediately revealed his ambitions. He began his full-scale advance into Shinchon. Ethan didn¡¯t have the strength to stop Johan. In the end, he fled in disgrace, and half of Shinchon was absorbed into Dongdaemun. That¡¯s when it all began. Pdins and clergy from Dongdaemun started pouring into Shinchon,unching full-scale missionary activities. The Pdins and clergy were relentless. They stopped everyone on the streets, preaching how great Johan was and how mighty the god they served was. Even if people didn¡¯t want to listen, it didn¡¯t matter. They continued preaching and persuading until their targets finally agreed to attend church. After that, they would follow up to ensure those people actually showed up at church. In this way, Dongdaemun gradually dyed Shinchon in its own colors. ¡°Because of those bastards, the Goblin Market has shrunk too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what they¡¯re aiming for.¡± The ck Lion, who was guarding Yoo Se-hee, spoke in a low voice. The Goblin Market in Shinchon was entangled with the interests of so many people. Among them were many big shots from Neo Seoul, making it difficult for even Johan to touch it easily. That¡¯s why Johan was working to persuade the big shots associated with the Goblin Market. For example, he would suggest that if he took control of the Goblin Market, he would secure even more benefits for them. Because of this, the atmosphere in the Goblin Market was in turmoil. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought? Lee Ji-ryeong teaming up with Johan.¡± ¡°Lee Ji-ryeong is the real problem. No one expected him to tighten the grip on Shinchon the moment he became an S-rank Awakened.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because of Zeon.¡± Yoo Se-hee wrinkled her nose. No one knew what exactly had happened during the dungeon raid. In any case, Zeon was publicly dered dead, and the safely returned Lee Ji-ryeong had be an S-rank Awakened. For some reason, Lee Ji-ryeong was fixated on erasing any trace of Zeon. This strongly hinted that something unusual had happened inside the dungeon. "We need to prepare thoroughly. One small misstep, and we¡¯ll be wiped out." "We¡¯ve done everything possible within our means, but it¡¯s true that we¡¯re at a disadvantage if they decide to make a move." "It won¡¯t be an easy fight, but we will ovee this." Yoo Se-hee steeled her resolve. The Goblin Market had always grown amidst crises. Her grandfather, Old Man Klexi, had ovee countless adversities to establish the foundation of the Goblin Market, and Yoo Se-hee had expanded it even further. Many had coveted the Goblin Market over the years, but no one had seeded. Yoo Se-hee was confident that she would also ovee this crisis. As Yoo Se-hee firmed up her resolve and began walking, someone called out to her. "Yoo Se-hee!" Yoo Se-hee frowned slightly and looked in the direction of the voice. When she identified who it was, her face quickly showed a hint of wariness. "Lee Ji-ryeong?" It was a man dressed in a coat made from the hide of some unknown beast. With short-cropped hair and arge scar running across his right cheek, the man with a fierce appearance and overwhelming presence was none other than Lee Ji-ryeong. His golden eyes were locked on Yoo Se-hee. Lee Ji-ryeong strode towards Yoo Se-hee. "Long time no see, Yoo Se-hee!" "That¡¯s far enough." The ck Lion immediately stepped in front of Yoo Se-hee, blocking Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s approach. Lee Ji-ryeong stopped in his tracks and looked at the ck Lion. "It¡¯s been a while." "Indeed." "You¡¯re still by Yoo Se-hee¡¯s side. Isn¡¯t it about time you leave? If youe under me, I¡¯ll treat you well." "I¡¯m not an ungrateful person like you." "Well, if that¡¯s how it is..." Lee Ji-ryeong shrugged in response to the ck Lion¡¯s hostile gaze. The ck Lion and Lee Ji-ryeong were both from the slums. They were born in the slums and realized their potential early on. Few knew that they had grown up in the same neighborhood. Recognizing each other''s strength, the ck Lion and Lee Ji-ryeong had once been in the same crew. They had spent considerable time together and gone through many experiences. Later, the ck Lion met Old Man Klexi and became part of the Goblin Market, while Lee Ji-ryeong returned to Neo Seoul and formed the Pegasus Raid Force. Whatever had transpired between them, the ck Lion¡¯s eyes showed an unmistakable hostility towards Lee Ji-ryeong. But Lee Ji-ryeong ignored his gaze and turned back to Yoo Se-hee. "I heard times are tough for you, yet you still have the luxury of stepping out." "It¡¯s not as tough as you think. More importantly, why would someone of your staturee to such a filthy ce? I guess the rumors are true." "Rumors?" "I heard you¡¯ve be one of Johan¡¯s fanatics." "Pfft!" Lee Ji-ryeong chuckled at Yoo Se-hee¡¯s taunt. Her remark was a veiled insult aimed at him for joining forces with Johan. But such a provocation wasn¡¯t enough to shake Lee Ji-ryeong. He answered calmly. ¡°Well, he¡¯s more reasonable than I expected.¡± "So, you really have be one of his zealots. Is that why you¡¯re eyeing the Goblin Market?" "Think of it more as a strategic alliance." Lee Ji-ryeong didn¡¯t bother hiding the fact that he had joined forces with Johan. With the Goblin Market¡¯s intelligencework, it wasn¡¯t difficult for them to discover such movements. Lee Ji-ryeong coveted the Goblin Market. Or more precisely, he coveted the organization behind it¡ªArgos¡¯ Eye. ¡®If I can get Argos¡¯ Eye under my control, I can climb even higher.¡¯ With the sess of the dungeon raid, the Pegasus Raid Force was on the rise. Thanks to the influx of Awakened eager to follow an S-rank Awakened like Lee Ji-ryeong, the Pegasus Raid Force had rapidly grown in size. Yet, despite that, Lee Ji-ryeong still felt something was missing. It was the absence of an informationwork. Figures like Jin Geum-ho, the Mayor of Neo Seoul, and the rulers of each district had their own robust intelligenceworks. Using the information they gathered, they managed their territories and grew stronger. Lee Ji-ryeong was trying in his own way, but building a decent intelligence organization was no easy task. When he found himself hitting a wall with no path forward, it was the Goblin Market that came to mind. To be exact, it was Argos¡¯ Eye, managed by Old Man Klexi, the former owner of the Goblin Market. Being from the slums himself, Lee Ji-ryeong had some knowledge of Argos¡¯ Eye. If he could absorb Argos¡¯ Eye, it would be a simple matter to expand the Pegasus Raid Force two to three times over. That¡¯s when he decided to team up with Johan. Of course, there was another reason as well. It was to erase every trace of Zeon. Just thinking of the name ¡°Zeon¡± dampened his mood. Zeon was the first person who ever made him feel inferior. He wanted to erase every trace of Zeon. To do that, he needed to take control of Shinchon. Yoo Se-hee red at Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°It won¡¯t go the way you want.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± ¡°How arrogant!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t still think I¡¯m just an A-rank Awakened, do you? If I wanted, I could fry you without breaking a sweat.¡± Crackle! White sparks crackled around Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s body. At that moment, the ck Lion spoke. ¡°Even if you¡¯ve be an S-rank, I¡¯m not afraid of you, Lee Ji-ryeong!¡± ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t be. You¡¯ve always been full of fighting spirit. But that doesn¡¯t make up for yourck of power. While you¡¯ve been ying guard dog for Yoo Se-hee, I¡¯ve been out there battling in the harsh desert. I¡¯ve honed my skills by ying countless beasts, raiding dungeons, and killing scavengers. So who do you think is stronger? A guard dog or a lion of the desert?¡± ¡°You?¡± Deep wrinkles formed between the ck Lion¡¯s brows. Though hidden by the cloth covering his face, his expression was one of humiliation. What Lee Ji-ryeong said was true. There was an insurmountable gap between him and Lee Ji-ryeong. A gap that would never close as long as he remained content as Yoo Se-hee¡¯s bodyguard. Lee Ji-ryeong sneered at the ck Lion. ¡°You may be called the ck Lion, but you¡¯re not a lion. The real lion is me. You¡¯re nothing more than a dog.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°If you¡¯re so furious, then fight me. Prove that you¡¯re a lion. Come at me, ck Lion.¡± ¡°Keuk...!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, can you? That¡¯s the proof you¡¯re just a dog.¡± Drip. Blood trickled from the ck Lion¡¯s lips, showing how hard he was clenching his teeth. Lee Ji-ryeong smiled as he looked at him. It was a mocking smile, full of contempt. Just then, one of the Pegasus Raid Force¡¯s Awakened hurried over to Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Someone is asking for you.¡± ¡°Asking for me? Who?¡± ¡°The security chief of the Mana Stone Mines.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s expression turned puzzled. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t figure out why the security chief would be looking for him. ¡°Why is he asking for me?¡± In response to Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s question, the Awakened whispered in his ear. ¡°It¡¯s about Zeon.¡± ¡°Zeon?¡± For a moment, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s face darkened. The name ¡°Zeon¡± was like a thorn in his side, so it was no surprise that his expression changed instinctively. Lee Ji-ryeong quickly pressed for more information. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°Please follow me.¡± Without looking back, Lee Ji-ryeong immediately followed the Awakened. Watching Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s retreating figure, Yoo Se-hee spoke. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°Yes! He definitely mentioned Zeon.¡± ¡°Why would the security chief at the Mana Stone Mines bring up Zeon?¡± The Awakened under Lee Ji-ryeong had tried to be discreet, but there was no hiding it from the sharp ears of Yoo Se-hee and the ck Lion, who were both Awakened. Yoo Se-hee¡¯s mind raced. ¡°Everyone believes Zeon is dead because Lee Ji-ryeong said so. But if Zeon were really dead, would the security chief havee all the way here?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying Zeon might still be alive?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the only exnation that makes sense?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°It never made sense from the start. The idea that a Sand Mage like Zeon would die so easily is hard to believe. Especially when they brought him specifically because he could open the dungeon entrance blocked with sand.¡± ¡°Then you think Lee Ji-ryeong spread false rumors intentionally?¡± ¡°Lee Ji-ryeong isn¡¯t careless or foolish enough to tell an easily exposed lie. He must have truly believed Zeon was dead.¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply. It felt like a ray of light had pierced through the murky situation. ¡°If Zeon is really alive, he¡¯s probably at the Mana Stone Mines right now. Otherwise, there¡¯s no reason for the security chief toe looking for Lee Ji-ryeong.¡± ¡°Then he¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to wait. If Lee Ji-ryeong finds out Zeon is alive, he¡¯ll act first. If Zeon returns, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s reputation and achievements will bepletely shattered.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Uncle Will is there, right? Contact him as fast as you can and let him know what¡¯s going on.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 227 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 227 Thanks to a good night¡¯s sleep in afortable bed, Zeon and his party were full of energy from the start of the morning. Brielle and Eloy, freshly washed, had skin so radiant it seemed to glow. ¡°I finally feel alive again.¡± ¡°Humans should really live in civilized ces.¡± ¡°Oh, listen to the little one! Acting all high and mighty for someone who isn¡¯t even human¡­¡± ¡°And what about you?¡± ¡°Who said I was talking about you?¡± ¡°Ha! Coming from a half-elf¡­¡± ¡°A High Elf who was once addicted to drugs¡­¡± Levin watched indifferently as the two women bickered again, even this early in the morning. It wasn¡¯t an unusual sight for him, something he¡¯d grown used to over time. Levin approached Zeon. ¡°What should we do about breakfast?¡± ¡°We¡¯re eating, of course.¡± ¡°Know of any good ces?¡± ¡°There¡¯s one I¡¯ve already found.¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°Yeah, I ran into someone I know.¡± The person Zeon was referring to was Will. Along with some information, Will had also rmended a ce to eat, said to be the best spot in the Mana Stone Mines. ¡°Then let¡¯s go together.¡± At that moment, Jang Yong-beom¡¯s voice called out. His party also seemed full of energy after a good night¡¯s rest. Since there was no reason to refuse, Zeon nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Hope it¡¯s good. Most restaurants around the Mana Stone Mines are pretty terrible.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up too high.¡± ¡°Heh heh! Alright.¡± Zeon, Jang Yong-beom, and their parties headed to the restaurant that Will had rmended. As was the case with most establishments in the Mana Stone Mines, the ce was quite shabby. With only a few seats avable, it quickly became packed once Zeon¡¯s and Jang Yong-beom¡¯s groups entered. The restaurant owner served them a dish that was somewhere between a soup with lots of meat and a stew, its exact identity unclear. ¡°It smells pretty good.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± The eight of them eagerly started digging in, not waiting for anyone to make the first move. Thebination of cultured meat and rice, paired with a broth made using the owner¡¯s secret recipe, was outstanding. Before they knew it, their bowls were empty. With satisfied expressions, Eloy and Brielle put down their spoons. ¡°This is really amazing.¡± ¡°I feel so at peace now.¡± Though the two often argued, they were in perfect agreement this time. The others felt the same. The only exception was Mountain, who, not content with just one serving, ordered several more bowls. Giselle scolded him as she watched. ¡°Ugh! You pig. Can all of that really fit in your stomach?¡± ¡°Hehe! Yes.¡± ¡°Go on, eat all you want. Big sis here will cover it.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Mountainughed with an innocent expression,pletely oblivious to Giselle¡¯s sarcasm. She clicked her tongue in response. After all, a quarrel only works if the other person gets the joke. With someone as simple-minded as Mountain, arguing was pointless. Levin, patting his full belly,mented. ¡°This ce is a hidden gem. Who would¡¯ve thought there¡¯d be a restaurant this good in the Mana Stone Mines?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than I expected.¡± Zeon agreed with Levin¡¯s opinion. After a restful night in a proper bed and a delicious meal, there was nothing more they could want. Aside from Mountain, the other seven people sat back in their chairs, enjoying the pleasant, rxed feeling. It was a rare moment of peace, one they wished couldst longer. But the distant sounds of people chattering brought them back to reality. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything that big.¡± ¡°This is insane!¡± Though the shoutscked any specific details, they were enough to pique the curiosity of Zeon and Jang Yong-beom¡¯s parties. Zeon stood up. ¡°It seems like something¡¯s happening at the Mana Stone Mines.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got time to kill, so let¡¯s go check it out.¡± Jang Yong-beom responded with a look of interest. For him, the Mana Stone Mines was just a stopover, not a destination. It was simply a ce to pass through while heading to external missions, nothing more. As such, he wasn¡¯t particrly familiar with the situation at the Mana Stone Mines. Zeon¡¯s group and Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party moved toward the source of themotion. They arrived at the entrance of the Mana Stone Mines, where arge crowd had gathered. Most of them were miners working at the mine. The miners¡¯ attention was focused on a massive boulder. The deep blue, glowing rock was asrge as Mountain, who stood beside Jang Yong-beom. Zeon immediately recognized the rock¡¯s identity. ¡°A Mana Stone?¡± ¡°And it¡¯s top-grade.¡± Jang Yong-beom¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. The boulder the miners were looking at was thergest Mana Stone ever mined from the Mana Stone Mines. It was the biggest in a hundred years and had exceptional purity. Even from a distance, they could feel the overwhelming mana contained within the top-grade Mana Stone. Eloy furrowed her brow and spoke. ¡°This could power Neo Seoul for over a year, easily.¡± ¡°This is really insane.¡± Aiden shook his head in disbelief. Neo Seoul required a tremendous amount of Mana Stones to stay operational. Even with constant mining, it was always a struggle to secure enough for a year¡¯s supply. Yet this single Mana Stone could generate all the electricity Neo Seoul needed for an entire year. Its value was unimaginable. Jang Yong-beom remarked. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to smuggle that out. Neo Seoul will definitely send a special transport team.¡± ¡°Do people really smuggle Mana Stones? Isn¡¯t everything mined here taken directly by City Hall?¡± ¡°Heh heh! Then how do you think the rulers of each district secure their Mana Stones? They all work hard to siphon some off behind the scenes. For some reason, Jin Geum-ho turns a blind eye to it, even though he¡¯s aware.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But a Mana Stone thisrge and with such powerful mana is a different story. That¡¯s Jin Geum-ho¡¯s. There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll let anyone else take such a top-grade Mana Stone.¡± Even beyond generating electricity, top-grade Mana Stones had countless potential applications. Depending on the research, they could lead to groundbreaking results. There was no way City Hall would allow anyone else to smuggle out such a valuable asset. Suddenly, Jang Yong-beom¡¯s face twisted in frustration. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing good about this for us.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zeon looked at Jang Yong-beom with a puzzled expression. ¡°With something this valuable showing up, there¡¯s no way the Mana Stone Mines will be left to handle transportation on its own.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I already told you¡ªthey¡¯re going to send a special transport team.¡± ¡°So how is that a problem?¡± ¡°Up to that point, it¡¯s fine. The problem is the process before that. To prevent any leaks, they¡¯re likely going to shut down all ess to and from the Mana Stone Mines.¡± Just then¡ª Thud! As if to confirm Jang Yong-beom¡¯s prediction, the gates of the Mana Stone Mines mmed shut. The massive iron gate could only be opened with mechanical controls. Unless the manager opened it, no one could enter or leave. The Mana Stone Mines was nowpletely isted from the outside world. Even someone like Jang Yong-beom couldn¡¯t leave without the manager¡¯s approval. Zeon asked Jang Yong-beom. ¡°So until the transport team from Neo Seoul arrives, no one can leave?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°So we¡¯re basically imprisoned.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a crappy situation.¡± Jang Yong-beom stared bitterly at the top-grade Mana Stone. For Neo Seoul and City Hall, this was a windfall, but for someone like Jang Yong-beom, who hated being tied down, it felt like being shackled. ¡°When do you think the transport team will arrive?¡± ¡°That youngdy over there should know. She¡¯s a supervisor.¡± With a troubled expression, Eloy, who had caught Jang Yong-beom¡¯s gaze, answered. ¡°Such arge Mana Stone has never been mined before. Its value is incalcble, so they¡¯ll definitely send the best team avable. It¡¯ll take at least a day just to gather and dispatch the team. Add another day for them to reach the Mana Stone Mines. So, we¡¯re looking at a minimum of two days here.¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± Jang Yong-beom scrunched up his nose. Zeon turned his gaze toward the main gate of the Mana Stone Mines in the distance. The towering walls stood several dozen meters high, with a massive iron gate over ten meters tall. For ordinary people, it was an insurmountable obstacle. But for an Awakened like Zeon, it wasn¡¯t impossible to scale. Even so, he knew that crossing that wall without permission would mean being expelled from Neo Seoul¡¯s system. Once expelled from Neo Seoul¡¯s system, there was noing back. Awakened knew all too well how harsh that could be. Zeon had no intention of giving up thefort of the system. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to treat this as a forced vacation and rx for two days.¡± ¡°What should we do in the meantime?¡± ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s better than rolling around in the sand pits of the desert.¡± Levin, Eloy, and Brielle epted the situation. It was just two more days. With the amodations and food being decent, there was nothing toin about. Zeon addressed the group. ¡°You heard that, right? We just need to stay here for two more days, so don¡¯t cause any trouble and behave.¡± ¡°Is this free time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve ever forced you to do anything. Just enjoy yourselves.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Levin answered with a bright smile. Jang Yong-beom also instructed his party members to rest for the next two days. Once everyone dispersed, Zeon remained, gazing at the top-grade Mana Stone. Even though it was top-grade, he didn¡¯t feel any particr desire for it. He¡¯d seen Mana Stones far more valuable than this one. Mana Stones extracted from S-rank beasts or boss-level monsters contained even stronger mana. However, those were difficult to refine, making them unsuitable for energy production like this one. Just then, a group of Awakened stationed at the Mana Stone Mines rushed over. They began loading the massive Mana Stone onto a truck while issuing orders. ¡°Move it to the warehouse immediately.¡± ¡°If we lose this, we¡¯re all dead. Guard the warehouse thoroughly.¡± Their voices were tense. It was just a short trip from the mine to the warehouse, yet they were on high alert. People kept their distance, knowing that getting involved could lead to more than just a beating. Zeon decided it was time to leave as well. ¡®Here we go again. I can¡¯t tell if trouble follows me or if I¡¯m the one attracting it.¡¯ For some reason, wherever Zeon went, major incidents always seemed to ur. This time was no different. He was merely passing through on his way back to Neo Seoul, but now this top-grade Mana Stone had been discovered. It was the first time in a hundred years. It almost felt like fate was ying tricks on him. The massive Mana Stone was loaded onto a truck and headed toward the warehouse, and the gathered miners began to disperse. Zeon no longer felt any reason to stay there and turned to leave. ¡°Hey! You bastard!¡± At that moment, someone grabbed Zeon¡¯s shoulder roughly and shouted. When Zeon turned around, he found a rough-looking man ring at him. The man¡¯s arms, exposed by rolled-up sleeves, were covered in scars, indicating a life filled with hardship. The man tightened his grip on Zeon¡¯s shoulder and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re that bastard, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shit! It¡¯s really you. The one who ran away.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The bastard who escaped after I threw him into the Mana Stone Mines eight years ago. You son of a bitch! Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused me?¡± Only then did Zeon remember who the man was. ¡°Park¡­ Man-ho?¡± ¡°Am I your friend, you bastard?¡± Smack! Park Man-ho struck Zeon on the back of the head with a hand asrge as a pot lid. The force was enough to shatter the skull of an ordinary person. Zeon¡¯s hair became tousled from the unexpected blow to the back of his head. It had been a long time since anyone had hit Zeon. It would¡¯ve been natural for him to be upset, but instead, Zeon was smiling. Through his messy hair, a sh of white teeth could be seen. ¡°I¡¯dpletely forgotten about you, but here we are meeting again. It¡¯s nice to see you.¡± Park Man-ho. He was the one who had forcibly thrown Zeon into the 972th tunnel when he first arrived at the Mana Stone Mines eight years ago. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 228 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 228 Eight years ago, Park Man-ho had forcibly thrown Zeon into the 972th tunnel just because he was in a bad mood after losing money at a gambling den. This was despite the fact that several people had already died in the 972th tunnel. If Zeon hadn¡¯t awakened or met Dyoden, he would have died back then. At the time, he had been so miserable that he swore vengeance. But as time passed and Zeon went through countless experiences, he grew stronger, facing trials far greater than anything Park Man-ho could have inflicted. Naturally, the memory of that day faded, and Park Man-ho was no longer someone Zeon sought revenge against. Park Man-ho was simply too insignificant for Zeon to hold onto any grudges. He hadpletely forgotten about him¡ªuntil, unexpectedly, Park Man-ho recognized him and approached. Park Man-ho red at Zeon with wide, angry eyes. He looked quite fierce, but it had no effect on Zeon. With an incredulous expression, Park Man-ho said. ¡°You crazy bastard! You¡¯re happy to see me? Have youpletely lost your mind?¡± ¡°Why? I really am d to see you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really gone nuts. Do you know how much trouble you caused me by disappearing like that?¡± ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why would someone like me have caused you any trouble? Back then, I was just an insignificant extra.¡± ¡°This son of a bitch sure talks smooth, huh? You¡¯ve got a slick tongue, don¡¯t you?¡± Having run out of things to say, Park Man-ho scowled. Zeon¡¯s disappearance hadn¡¯t actually caused him any trouble. As Zeon said, he had been a negligible presence back then. The real reason for Park Man-ho¡¯s anger was that he had lost a lot of money at the gambling den today. Park Man-ho was the overseer of the Mana Stone Mines. Naturally, he had siphoned off a significant amount of Mana Stone Miness, pocketing a good deal of under-the-table money. The problem was that he had lost all that dirty money at the gambling den. Meeting Zeon under such circumstances made his blood boil. It didn¡¯t matter why Zeon was back or where he had been all this time. What mattered was that Zeon was in front of him, and Park Man-ho needed someone to take out his anger on. ¡°Come here, you bastard! A guy like you should be thrown back into the tunnels to mine Mana Stone Miness for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a miner anymore.¡± ¡°What a joke. Once a miner, always a miner. As long as you¡¯re a miner, you have to follow my orders.¡± ¡°That¡¯s some twisted logic. Maybe I should learn from you.¡± ¡°You think this is funny, huh? Laughing at me?¡± ¡°Because it is funny.¡± ¡°You son of a bitch¡­ I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± Park Man-ho¡¯s anger exploded as he swung his massive fist at the still-smirking Zeon. Despite being a mere E-rank Awakened, Park Man-ho¡¯s punch had enough destructive power to kill an ordinary person with a single blow. He didn¡¯t actually intend to kill Zeon. He just wanted to teach him a lesson and shake him down for some money. His n was to throw Zeon back into the tunnels and squeeze him dry. Wham! But his pleasant daydream was shattered by sudden pain. The fist that should have crushed Zeon¡¯s face was halted in mid-air. What stopped it was Zeon¡¯s palm. It felt as though he had punched a boulder; his fist ached as it collided with Zeon¡¯s hand. Shocked by the unexpected pain, Park Man-ho¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡­?¡± Creak! In that instant, Zeon clenched his palm. Park Man-ho¡¯s fist crumpled as if caught in a vice. ¡°Ugh!¡± A groan escaped Park Man-ho¡¯s lips. He struggled to pull his fist out of Zeon¡¯s grip, but there was no escaping the strength that held him. Finally, he screamed in pain. ¡°Aagh! It hurts! Let go of me!¡± ¡°Say that again. What did you say you were going to do to me? Throw me back into the tunnels and have me swing a pickaxe for the rest of my life?¡± ¡°Gah! I-I didn¡¯t mean it. I swear I would never do that.¡± Park Man-ho hurriedly shook his head. His fist, trapped in Zeon¡¯s grip, felt like it was about to be crushed. This alone told him that Zeon was an Awakened¡ªone far stronger than him. No matter how addicted to gambling he was, Park Man-ho knew better than to throw a higher-ranking Awakened into the tunnels. He promptly dropped to his knees. ¡°I¡¯m begging you. Please spare me.¡± ¡°And what would you give me in return if I let you live?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? There¡¯s no such thing as forgiveness without a price. Eight years ago, you threw me into a deathtrap of a tunnel just because you were in a bad mood.¡± ¡°But you survived, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s only because I was lucky. You didn¡¯t help me at all. Now it¡¯s time for you to pay the price.¡± Never forget a favor, but more importantly, never forget a grudge. Especially when the person you have a grudge againstes to you of their own ord. Park Man-ho¡¯s face twisted in frustration. He hadn¡¯t expected Zeon to make such a demand. Meanwhile, Zeon¡¯s grip tightened even further. Crack! The sound of bones cracking filled the air. At this rate, all the bones in Park Man-ho¡¯s hand would be shattered. Desperately, Park Man-ho spoke. ¡°W-Wait! I have something hidden away.¡± ¡°You, the guy who lost everything to gambling, have something hidden away? You expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°Gah! It¡¯s true! It¡¯s something I couldn¡¯t easily get rid of, so I kept it hidden. You¡¯ll definitely like it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I swear.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Zeon loosened his grip slightly, a look of interest crossing his face. Blood slowly returned to Park Man-ho¡¯s face. ¡°So, where is this item?¡± ¡°I kept it in a secret vault at the gambling den.¡± ¡°And you want me to believe that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! I tried to sell it at the gambling den, but they were lowballing me, so I stashed it in the vault.¡± Park Man-ho frantically exined. ¡°What exactly is this precious item?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s a mineral mined from the Mana Stone Mines, but it¡¯s not a Mana Stone Mines. But it¡¯s special.¡± ¡°And you want me to believe that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! Once you see it, you¡¯ll believe me. It¡¯s really something unique.¡± ¡°Alright, show me the way.¡± Finally, Zeon released Park Man-ho¡¯s fist. Tears welled up in Park Man-ho¡¯s eyes as he cradled his nearly-broken hand. But Zeon had no intention of sympathizing with his misery. ¡°Hurry up and lead the way.¡± ¡°O-okay, follow me.¡± Park Man-ho stumbled forward. He led Zeon to a rundown street on the outskirts of the Mana Stone Mines. In front of the house stood a few men who appeared to be Awakened. Recognizing Park Man-ho, they called out to him. ¡°Hey, Park Man-ho! Already back with the money?¡± ¡°Hehe! Try not to lose it all this time, alright?¡± Gritting his teeth at their mockingments, Park Man-ho responded. ¡°Shut up and open the door.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the kid beside you? A new backer?¡± ¡°A backer? We always wee those. Haha!¡± They didn¡¯t even bother asking Zeon¡¯s name. They assumed Park Man-ho had found some clueless rookie to drag into the gambling den. It wasn¡¯t an umon urrence around here. Gambling addicts who ran out of money would often bring in new backers and lure them into the gambling world, earning amission from the den. It was a vicious cycle that kept producing more victims. Cursing under his breath, Park Man-ho led Zeon inside the gambling den. ¡°These damn bloodsuckers¡­¡± Zeon smiled as he followed. It was amusing to see Park Man-ho, a viin in his own right, cursing others as viins. ¡°Whoa! It¡¯s happening!¡± ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°Ten times! Ten times, I¡¯m telling you¡­!¡± Inside, the scene was unlike anything that could be imagined from the outside. Countless people with bloodshot eyes were engrossed in gambling. Some were throwing dice, others were focused on cards. A roulette wheel spun in one corner, while in another area, beast-like creatures were being forced to fight as people ced bets. Roar! Screech! The gambling den was filled with the frenzy of both the beasts¡¯ howls and the gamblers¡¯ cheers. Even as Park Man-ho and Zeon entered, no one paid them any attention, fully absorbed in their bets. Park Man-ho, unable to hide his envy, quickly moved deeper into the den. At the back of the gambling den was a vault. It was a rented storage vault. In front of it stood two bald men. Their exposed, muscr arms were like bulging rocks. These two were the owners of the gambling den¡ªthe twin brothers. The twins had been running the gambling den in the Mana Stone Mines for a long time, amassing a fortune. They were both C-rank Awakened, among the strongest in the Mana Stone Mines. Thanks to that, they had fended off numerous threats and kept the gambling den going all this time. The older twin¡¯s eyes sparkled when he saw Zeon following behind Park Man-ho. ¡°What¡¯s this? You brought a kid. Is he the new backer?¡± ¡°Damn it! A backer? This guy¡¯s the one who escaped from the mine years ago.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°He¡¯s got hidden money, and it¡¯s no joke.¡± Park Man-ho, now emboldened, stood confidently beside the twins. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell just by looking at his clothes? The fabric isn¡¯t ordinary¡ªit¡¯s high-end.¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± ¡°Since I brought him here, we split seventy-thirty. Of course, I get the seventy.¡± ¡°Broke as you are, that¡¯s funny. Sixty-forty, and we get the sixty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± ¡°Are you? You look like you got roughed up after trying to rob him. We¡¯re taking more because there¡¯s a risk involved.¡± ¡°Damn it! Fine, take the sixty. But I get the forty, no arguments.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve said that from the start.¡± The twin brothersughed and raised their hands. Instantly, theirckeys throughout the gambling den closed in on Zeon. ¡°Hand over everything you¡¯ve got, kid!¡± ¡°Those clothes look nice. I think I¡¯ll take them.¡± The Awakeneds surrounding Zeon threatened him. ¡°Tsk. So that¡¯s what this was all about.¡± Zeon clicked his tongue and looked at Park Man-ho. Hiding behind the twin brothers, Park Man-ho pointed and shouted. ¡°You think I was going to hand over my treasure to a nobody like you? Don¡¯t be ridiculous, bastard! No matter how much you¡¯ve awakened, to me, you¡¯re still just a miner.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to regret this.¡± ¡°Screw you! If I were the type to bow my head to the likes of you, I wouldn¡¯t have survived this long.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Zeon gave up on talking and clicked his tongue in annoyance. At that moment, the gambling den¡¯s Awakeneds rushed at him. ¡°Get him!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± Axes and swords were swung at Zeon. All the Awakeneds working at the gambling den were brawlers with no hesitation in their attacks. They had killed more than a few people in their time. Taking someone¡¯s life was nothing to them. They were fully confident they¡¯d achieve their goal this time too. But things don¡¯t always go as nned. Whoosh! Suddenly, mes appeared all around Zeon. He had summoned Fire Missiles. The sight of the countless Fire Missiles surrounding Zeon caused Park Man-ho, the twin brothers, and the gambling den¡¯s Awakened to freeze. They stood there, statuesque, frozen mid-attack. They never imagined Zeon would summon so many Fire Missiles. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°He¡¯s a high-ranking Awakened.¡± A sudden realization that something was terribly wrong shed through their minds. Zeon looked at them and spoke. ¡°I only intended to take the item from Park Man-ho¡¯s vault, but I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hand over everything you¡¯ve got.¡± Whoosh! Dozens of Fire Missiles shot toward the Awakeneds. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 229 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 229 Thud! Thud! Thud! ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The Fire Missiles struck the Awakeneds mercilessly. They screamed in agony as they copsed. They were all Awakeneds of the martial arts ss. Their bodies, enhanced by their skills, were tough enough to withstand most attacks. Fire Missile was a low-level skill. It was the most basic skill avable to those who had Awakened to fire magic. Naturally, its power was nothing special. It might be threatening to regr people, but even D-rank or E-rank Awakeneds could easily block it. So they were confident they could handle it without much difficulty. However, reality was different from what they had imagined. Zeon¡¯s Fire Missiles had power on apletely different level from those cast by ordinary Awakeneds. They were strong enough to pierce through D-rank martial arts-ss Awakeneds. Fortunately for them, Zeon had slightly reduced the power, so they didn¡¯t die. But they still had to endure intense pain from the impact and searing heat. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Damn it! Give me a potion¡ªthis burns too much!¡± The Awakeneds rolled on the ground, writhing in agony. Seeing their subordinates fall so quickly, the expressions on the twin brothers¡¯ faces changedpletely. ¡°Damn it! He¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°Did you bring this troublemaker here on purpose?¡± The twins red at Park Man-ho with murderous intent. Park Man-ho couldn¡¯t evene up with an excuse and kept his mouth shut. ¡®Shit! How was I supposed to know he was this strong? What rank is he? Taking down all those guys¡­ he must be at least C-rank! Damn it, we¡¯re screwed.¡¯ His face turned pale. The twin brothers looked at Park Man-ho in disgust before turning their attention back to Zeon. ¡°You¡¯ve got some skills. Why don¡¯t you work for us? We¡¯ll treat you well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you join us, no one in the Mana Stone Mines will dare mess with you.¡± Zeon couldn¡¯t help butugh at their offer. ¡°Goran said the same thing before I killed him. And now you, who are even weaker than him, are asking me to work under you? Are you out of your minds?¡± ¡°Goran? You mean Goran, the ruler of Shinchon? Then you¡¯re¡­?¡± The older twin finally realized who Zeon was and was shocked. But the younger brother, less perceptive, charged at Zeon like an enraged bull. ¡°Damn it! Who cares about Goran? I¡¯ll just beat you to death! That stupid fire magic doesn¡¯t scare me one bit.¡± He trusted in the toughness of his body, which was harder than steel. Even if Zeon fired dozens of Fire Missiles, he was confident he could withstand them. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! A barrage of Fire Missiles flew toward him. The younger brother crossed his arms in an X-shape to protect his head. This level of defense should be enough. Once he endured the pain, he would grab Zeon and snap him in two, securing his victory. He was convinced of his triumph. Boom! Boom! Boom! But the moment the Fire Missiles struck his body, he realized how foolish his confidence had been. Each Fire Missile was more powerful than the average martial arts-ss skill. It felt like parts of his body were being torn away with every hit. His insides felt like they were being shredded, and the immense pain nearly drove his soul out of his body. ¡°Aaagh!¡± With a desperate scream, the younger brother was sent flying backward. He tumbled to the ground, covered in blood, yet the older brother couldn¡¯t bring himself to move. The reason was Zeon. Behind Zeon, dozens more Fire Missiles floated in the air, ready to be unleashed. Even fire-type Awakeneds couldn¡¯t summon an endless stream of Fire Missiles like this. There was always a limit to their mana. But Zeon was clearly abnormal, producing countless Fire Missiles as if he had infinite mana. Yet the older brother didn¡¯t find this strange. If the rumors about Zeon¡¯s abilities were true, this was as easy for him as clipping his nails. ¡°The Sand Mage Zeon, who defeated Goran, the ruler of Shinchon. That¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zeon simply shrugged. That alone was enough of an answer. ¡°Damn it!¡± The older brother cursed as he red at Park Man-ho. Park Man-ho¡¯s face had already turned ghostly white. Even though he hadn¡¯t realized Zeon¡¯s identity like the older brother, seeing Zeon take down all the Awakeneds in the gambling den had left him terrified. There was no way the gambling den¡¯s Awakeneds could take on someone like Zeon. To deal with him, they would need the Mana Stone Mine¡¯s security forces. But they didn¡¯t answer to Park Man-ho. At that moment, the older brother raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve made a mistake. Our apologies.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Of course not. We¡¯ll open Park Man-ho¡¯s vault for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a given. What else?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll open our vault as well. Take whatever you want.¡± When it¡¯s time to bow, bowpletely. Trying to save face at the wrong moment only leads to disaster. Luckily, neither the younger brother nor their subordinates were dead. Even if they lost everything, as long as they were alive, rebuilding wouldn¡¯t be difficult. The Mana Stone Mines was overflowing with gambling addicts. There was no shortage of suckers lining up to hand over their money, so there was no point risking their lives to fight Zeon. Zeon was on a different level. Killing Goran, the ruler of Shinchon, was one of the least impressive things he¡¯d done. A mage who could freely control sand. If he wanted to, no one in the Mana Stone Mines would be able to return to Neo Seoul. If Zeon manipted the sand at the mine¡¯s entrance to cause andslide, no vehicle would be able to escape. Antagonizing someone with such overwhelming power was pure folly. There was no shame in surrendering now. The older brother turned his gaze to Park Man-ho. ¡°And as for you¡­¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re getting away with this. You¡¯re going to pay for what you¡¯ve done today, down to thest bit.¡± Park Man-ho lowered his head, unable to meet the older brother¡¯s furious re. ¡®Damn it! Damn it!¡¯ His mind was consumed with despair. No solution came to mind, and he didn¡¯t even have the nerve to attempt one. In the Mana Stone Mines, he might have some power, but outside it, he was nothing. Click! ck! The older brother opened all the vaults. Both Park Man-ho¡¯s personal vault and the gambling den¡¯s vault. Zeon first inspected Park Man-ho¡¯s personal vault. Inside was a ratherrge mineral. ¡®Is this really a mineral?¡¯ It was about the size of a child¡¯s torso. It resembled a Mana Stone, but no mana could be felt from it. Yet, for some reason, Zeon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off it. When he touched it, warmth radiated from it. It wasn¡¯t the feeling of mana. The warmth andfort spread through his palm. Zeon asked Park Man-ho. ¡°You¡¯re saying this was mined from the Mana Stone Mines?¡± ¡°Yes! It was dug up from the same tunnel where the top-grade Mana Stone was found.¡± Park Man-ho answered politely. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a Mana Stone, but it must have great value. These guys didn¡¯t recognize its worth, so they wouldn¡¯t ept it¡­¡± Something mined from the Mana Stone Mines that wasn¡¯t a Mana Stone. No wonder the twin brothers didn¡¯t see its value. It was likely that a thorough investigation would reveal what this mineral was worth. But they had no reason to bother. Instead of wasting time analyzing the mineral, it was more profitable to collect money from other gambling addicts. ¡®This is no ordinary item. It was found in the Mana Stone Mines, after all.¡¯ Even Zeon couldn¡¯t identify the mineral. But it wouldn¡¯t hurt to keep it. More than anything, he liked the warmth it exuded. ¡°I¡¯ll take this.¡± Zeon stored the mineral in his subspace. He then moved on to the gambling den¡¯s vault. Inside therge vault was a mountain of money. At a nce, it seemed to be worth several million sols. But Zeon only took a few tens of thousands of sols. That amount was more than enough. Instead, what caught Zeon¡¯s attention were the items piled in one corner. They were coteral items left behind by gambling addicts. Most of them were worthless, but one item stood out. It was a cauldron with three legs. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s something from a dungeon raid, an Awakened left it as coteral. It¡¯s from a dungeon, but no one knows what it¡¯s used for, so it was abandoned.¡± ¡°Do you know which dungeon it came from?¡± ¡°Sorry, the bastard who left it died, so we couldn¡¯t find out.¡± The Awakened who used it as coteral got into a fight with another Awakened and ended up dead. Since then, the cauldron had been gathering dust in the vault. ¡°I¡¯ll take this.¡± ¡°Of course. You can take everything if you want.¡± ¡°I was nning to, even if you hadn¡¯t said so.¡± Zeon stored all the items in the vault into his subspace. Most of them were far below what Zeon would consider useful, but they would be valuable to Brielle or Levin. The older brother watched as Zeon stored all the items in his subspace without showing a hint of displeasure. He knew that paying this price was the only way to be forgiven. Fortunately, Zeon had no intention of causing further trouble. ¡°I¡¯m heading back now. Will today¡¯s events be a problem?¡± ¡°You have my word¡ªthey won¡¯t be.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice dealing with someone who¡¯s reasonable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of my strengths.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be going. It was a pleasure meeting you.¡± ¡°Have a safe journey.¡± The older brother bowed at a ny-degree angle as he saw Zeon out. By the time he raised his head, Zeon had already left the gambling den. Once he confirmed Zeon was gone, the older brother¡¯s expression turned vicious. ¡°Park Man-ho, you bastard! Were you trying to ruin us?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡ª¡± ¡°How are you going to make up for this loss?¡± ¡°How was I supposed to know he was that strong? I¡¯m a victim too!¡± ¡°You think he¡¯s just strong? He¡¯s a walking disaster, you idiot!¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°You piece of shit! From today, you¡¯re banned from the gambling den. You¡¯re going to have to dig up Mana Stones yourself to pay for this.¡± ¡°Y-You want me to go back to the tunnels?¡± ¡°Yeah, you bastard. You¡¯re no longer the overseer. You¡¯re nothing now¡ªjust a miner. I¡¯ll make sure of that.¡± The older brother had the power to make that happen. Park Man-ho¡¯s face turned deathly pale. The road to hell was opening up right before his eyes. --- ¡°What happened? You seem in a good mood.¡± Brielle tilted her head as she looked at Zeon. A smile was on his face. Zeon sat down and replied. ¡°I ran into someone I knew and got a gift.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°Wanna see?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Brielle eagerly nodded and sat beside him. Zeon poured out all the items he had taken from the gambling den. ¡°What is all this? These are items!¡± ¡°Do any of them look good?¡± ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Brielle stopped Zeon¡¯s words as she picked up one of the items. It was the three-legged cauldron. ¡°Why is this here?¡± ¡°You recognize it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Cauldron of Si.¡± ¡°Si?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the deity who protects the High Elves.¡± ¡°So, this is something that belongs to the High Elves?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s a treasure they used when performing alchemy. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing it on Earth. I¡¯ve only ever heard about it in stories.¡± Brielle hugged the Cauldron of Si tightly. At that moment, the cauldron emitted a brilliant light. It awakened uponing into contact with a High Elf. A holy light enveloped Brielle warmly. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Crack! The surface of the Cauldron of Si was cracking. It was as if the rust that had wrapped around the cauldron was peeling off. With the rust removed, the cauldron emitted an even more intense light. The pure white light emanating from the Cauldron of Si had a holy feeling to it. It felt as if simply being exposed to the light would erase all sins. Brielle was engulfed in the light. With her eyes closed, Brielle hugging the Cauldron of Si, looked almost divine. Zeon silently watched Brielle. He didn¡¯t know about the cauldron or the light it emitted, but he could easily guess that he shouldn¡¯t interrupt this moment. The light disappeared after quite a while. ¡°Hah!¡± Brielle let out a deep breath she had been holding and stood up. She was still hugging the Cauldron of Si. The Cauldron of Si had changed significantly. The shabby appearance waspletely gone, reced by an antique design intricately carved into the surface. A faint aura of silver was emanating from the golden body. It was clear at a nce that it was a rare item. This was the Cauldron of Si in its true form. A treasure of the High Elves that was lost when it crossed over to Earth. Using the Cauldron of Si, the efficiency of alchemy increases by at least twice. The sess rate bes that much higher. For Brielle, it was truly the greatest treasure. Brielle, holding the Cauldron of Si, had also changed in some way. Though her appearance hadn¡¯t changed much, her eyes and aura seemed much deeper, making her look significantly more mature. That wasn¡¯t the only change. ¡®She has grown.¡¯ When Zeon first met Brielle, she was only an E-rank Awakened. Being trapped underground, making drugs every day, her abilities had stagnated. But after meeting Zeon, her abilities had grown explosively. With no concerns about materials and freely conducting research and experiments, her skills had grown as rapidly as bamboo. Until a short while ago, her rank was C-rank. That alone was a remarkable growth. But now her rank had be B-rank. It had risen in an instant. Everything was thanks to the Cauldron of Si. The Cauldron of Si had awakened because of Brielle, and Brielle¡¯s rank had risen as she connected spiritually with the Cauldron of Si. The Cauldron of Si could now be used only by Brielle, a High Elf. Brielle said to Zeon. ¡°Thank you! Thanks to you, I¡¯ve reimed a treasure of the High Elves.¡± ¡°You found it yourself. If I had it, it would have been a useless piece of junk.¡± Zeon thought that the treasure had found its rightful owner. Had he kept it, the Cauldron of Si would never have shown its true form. It was an item symbolizing a race. The criteria for choosing its owner were that strict. Brielle had met those criteria and was chosen. What to make with the Cauldron of Si was Brielle¡¯s choice. Whatever she made would undoubtedly be far superior to any existing items. ¡®With this, she¡¯ll surely attract attention in Neo Seoul.¡¯ The difference between C-rank and B-rank may be only one rank, but the gap was immense. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that B-rank was ssified as a high-ranking Awakened. Most Awakeneds never surpass this wall and remain at C-rank. B-rank alchemists were extremely rare even in Neo Seoul. Items made with the Cauldron of Si would certainly have performance superior to those made by ordinary alchemists. If such items hit the market, they would surely attract attention in Neo Seoul. ¡®This is going to be troublesome.¡¯ Zeon let out a light sigh. The troublesome matters could be dealt withter. He suddenly remembered another item stored in the spatial dimension. The mineral obtained from Park Man-ho¡¯s vault. Remembering, he took out the mineral from the spatial dimension. At that moment, the Cauldron of Si, held by Brielle, reacted. Woom! It suddenly emitted a resonant sound. In response, a faint light flowed from the mineral. Zeon furrowed his brow as he looked at the mineral. The light alternated between faint and strong. It looked like the heartbeat of a living being. Brielle, surprised, widened her eyes. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Do you know what this item is?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen such an item. But the Cauldron of Si is reacting to it. It seems like it¡¯s happy to meet an old friend.¡± The energy Brielle felt from the Cauldron of Si was one of joy. It was as if the Cauldron of Si was overjoyed to meet a long-lost parent, like a baby bird meeting its mother. But she couldn¡¯t determine what it was. The pulsing of the mineral soon stopped and returned to its original ordinary appearance. The Cauldron of Si also ceased reacting. ¡°This is definitely not an ordinary item. Do you want to keep it?¡± ¡°No! It doesn¡¯t seem like something I can handle. I think it¡¯s better for you to keep it.¡± ¡°Will you not regret it?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep it for now.¡± Zeon put the mineral back into the spatial dimension. Brielle asked. ¡°By the way, where did you get these items?¡± ¡°From the casino!¡± ¡°You gamble too, Zeon?¡± ¡°No, friends who work at the casino gave them to me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°They¡¯re good friends. They always take care of such things for me.¡± ¡°Grateful friends. You should thank them.¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m just thankful.¡± Brielle and Zeon exchanged meaningful smiles as they looked at each other. That was enough. * * * Grgrgrg! With a heavy sound, a giant iron door was opening. Coming through the open door were giant armored vehicles and escort buggies. They were the NSSC (Neo Seoul Service Corps), one of the special awakened units directly under the mayor. The NSSC was an elite unitposed entirely of B-rank and C-rank Awakeneds. Though not as formidable as the Numbers, which were the mayor¡¯s execution squad, they too possessed considerable strength. Neo Seoul provided the NSSC with top-notch equipment and armaments. Unlike the Numbers, the NSSC¡¯s advantage was that they could be deployed whenever needed. The city deployed the NSSC to transport the top-grade Mana Stones. The armored vehicles they brought were designed to withstand even A-rank monster attacks, integrating Neo Seoul¡¯s scientific and magical advancements. The NSSC was divided into three teams. Since they were all B-rank and C-rank, their numbers were naturally limited. Today, the deployed team was the 2nd team. The leader of the 2nd team was Ji Sang-woo. A man with short ck hair and ck eyes. He had a special firearm designed for monster use slung over his shoulder and carried a pair of 60 cm-long daggers on his thighs. The duel skills he wielded with the two daggers were especially powerful in closebat. Ji Sang-woo, who got out of the armored vehicle, lit a cigarette. Another NSSC Awakened held his finger to the cigarette. Fwoosh! The cigarette was instantly lit. Ji Sang-woo looked at him with a look of disbelief and said, ¡°Damn it! Who told you to light the cigarette?¡± ¡°Haha! What can I do if my magic is faster than the team leader¡¯s old lighter?¡± ¡°Damn it! Using a precious fire-element Awakened just to light a cigarette. The captain will kill me if he finds out.¡± ¡°How would the captain in Neo Seoul know?¡± ¡°Enough, check the top-grade Mana Stone.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Awakened yfully saluted and then headed to the warehouse with his subordinates. Ji Sang-woo, left alone, looked around the Mana Stone Mines. The faces of people surprised by the appearance of the NSSC were visible. Miners looked on with curiosity, and merchants with greedy eyes. There were also some who appeared to be Awakeneds mixed in. ¡®If given the chance, they¡¯ll turn into scavengers.¡¯ Some of them might be in contact with real scavengers. Everyone in the Mana Stone Mines was a potential looter. It was a ce where one could be robbed in the blink of an eye if they let their guard down. The Mana Stone Mines was such a ce. Not a moment of rxation could be allowed. After a while, his subordinates arrived with the armored vehicles. ¡°Wow! This is amazing.¡± ¡°This is the biggest Mana Stone I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± The subordinates opened the back door of the armored vehicle and showed the top-grade Mana Stone to Ji Sang-woo. ¡°Damn! It¡¯s insane.¡± Ji Sang-woo¡¯s mouth dropped open at the overwhelming size of the top-grade Mana Stone. One top-grade Mana Stone filled the interior of the armored vehicle. The majestic flow of mana emanating from the top-grade Mana Stone was dizzying. ¡°Is that why you deployed us just to transport one Mana Stone?¡± ¡°This one stone can solve Neo Seoul¡¯s power needs for a year, right? There will definitely be many who covet it.¡± ¡°Especially since the subspaces and Awakeneds are all deployed elsewhere¡­ Stay sharp. Flies will definitelye.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Move with the armored vehicle in the center and form a diamond formation. Everyone, let¡¯s go!¡± At Ji Sang-woo¡¯smand, the 2nd team members mounted the armored vehicles and buggies in unison. Without any hesitation, they left the Mana Stone Mines. Watching from a distance, Brielle clicked her tongue. ¡°They came and left like lightning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the NSSC¡¯s motto. To achieve the mission efficiently before the enemies can intervene.¡± Eloy, who knew well about the NSSC¡¯s nature, exined kindly. She had also been on missions with the NSSC a few times. Every time, the NSSC performed the mission efficiently, leaving Eloy in awe. It was no different now. They quickly moved, avoiding giving unknown enemies time to prepare an ambush. They moved at a speed that the enemies could not possibly catch up to. Levin, crossing his arms, said. ¡°Cool! Aren¡¯t they totally manly?¡± ¡°Why, do you want to join the NSSC? If you want, I can rmend you.¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If I join such a ce, I won¡¯t be able to act freely. Then I can¡¯t search for that ¡®bastard¡¯ either.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Eloy realized that the ¡®bastard¡¯ Levin was referring to was the murderer who killed his family. Eloy, feeling a bit awkward, turned her gaze away. Levin, on the other hand, didn¡¯t care about Eloy¡¯s reaction. ¡®It¡¯s not far now.¡¯ Once they leave the Mana Stone Mines, Neo Seoul will be soon. Levin nned to resume tracking the murderer as soon as he returned to Neo Seoul. Though he was only a C-rank Awakened before leaving Neo Seoul, he was now a B-rank. He was confident he could ovee any obstacles that appeared. Levin¡¯s gaze suddenly fell on Zeon. Zeon was talking seriously with a man named Will. After a while, Will returned to his original ce, and Zeon approached them. ¡°What¡¯s going on, hyung?¡± ¡°Information came from the Goblin Market. It seems that Lee Ji-ryeong knows I¡¯ve returned.¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°He warned me to be careful as he might do something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If his actions in the dungeon are revealed, his reputation will drop.¡± Levin felt a tingling sensation in his nose. A sense of impending danger was already creeping in. However, Zeon, who spoke, had a calm expression. ¡°Are you going to be okay, hyung?¡± ¡°Worrying in advance won¡¯t solve anything.¡± ¡°That may be true, but¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be caught twice.¡± It¡¯s possible to be caught once without knowing. If one gets caught twice while knowing, they are either absent-minded or aplete fool. Zeon was neither absent-minded nor a fool. And he didn¡¯t easily forget grudges. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 231 Chapter 231 The gate of the Mana Stone Mine opened. Since the top-grade Mana Stone had been taken out, people could now enter and exit as usual. A single armored bus was waiting at the entrance of the mine. It was a bus that regrly traveled between Neo Seoul and the Mana Stone Mine. In the luggagepartment under the bus, Mana Stones were loaded, and Awakeneds were seated on the roof to protect the armored bus. Unusually, there were a lot of passengers on the bus. Because bus services had beenpletely halted for the past few days, waiting passengers had all rushed to board at once. As a result, Zeon and his group barely managed to find seats. Levin looked out the window and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t Jang Yong-beom¡¯s party going with us?¡± ¡°They said they arranged a separate vehicle. Apparently, Mountain¡¯s size is too big to fit in a bus like this.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Levin nodded as if he understood. Mountain, as his name suggested, had a massive build. No matter how much he tried to squeeze in, he couldn¡¯t even pass through the bus door. It was better to arrange a separate vehicle for him. The armored bus, filled with passengers, let out a powerful exhaust sound and started moving. ¡°We¡¯re off.¡± Brielle looked out the window with an excited expression. Because of her memories of being captured by humans, she didn¡¯t like Neo Seoul. But after spending time with Zeon, Levin, and the others, the ce that had once felt like hell now felt like the mostfortable home. She wanted to return home quickly, lie down on her bed, and sleep deeply. Levin and Eloy felt the same way. The thought that Neo Seoul wasn¡¯t far made them feel as if they had found some extra energy. They looked out the window with excited expressions. The other passengers had simr looks on their faces. Miners who had been working at the Mana Stone Mine, dispatched Awakeneds, and merchants alike were all smiling with anticipation at the thought of returning to Neo Seoul. Zeon leaned back deeply in his seat and closed his eyes. ¡®Feels good!¡¯ Returning home is always a pleasant thing. No matter how dirty and wretched that ce might be. The problem was that Shinchon, where his house was, was half-upied by Dongdaemun. ¡®Johan! As expected, he didn¡¯t miss the opportunity.¡¯ By now, Johan must have heard the news of his return. It was obvious how he would react. As he pondered what to do, he fell asleep. He was sleeping well when suddenly he felt a jolt. When he opened his eyes, the bus was shaking as it passed over arge bump. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Why is it shaking like this?¡± The others also looked outside in surprise. What they saw was a mess of churned-up sand. ¡°Stop the bus. It looks like there was a fight here.¡± An Awakened sitting on the roof of the bus shouted to the driver. The driver hurriedly hit the brakes and stopped the bus. The escorting Awakeneds, along with Zeon¡¯s group, got off the bus. The remaining passengers stayed on the bus, looking out the windows with curious eyes. Eloy, who was examining the surroundings, frowned. ¡°It looks like there was a pretty intense fight here. Look at the footprints.¡± As she said, there were countless footprints all around. The chaotic prints proved that there had been a fierce battle in this ce. ¡°Who in the world would fight in the middle of this desert?¡± Levin muttered with a puzzled expression. Neo Seoul was still quite a distance away. Even if a fierce battle had urred here, there was no way for Neo Seoul to know. Eloy spoke with a serious expression. ¡°Could it be that the Scavengers fought among themselves? There¡¯s nothing left, so we can¡¯t tell.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve buried it deep in the sand.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Zeon raised his dominion. Then, the objects buried deep in the sand began to slowly rise to the surface. Thud! What emerged from the ground was the wreckage of a destroyed armored vehicle and buggy car. Eloy¡¯s pupils shook. ¡°This is¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the armored vehicle that left carrying the top-grade Mana Stone. It seems they were ambushed and wiped out here.¡± ¡°Are you saying NSSC Team 2 was annihted?¡± ¡°It looks that way.¡± Zeon, with a serious expression, looked at the buggy car. Inside the buggy car was the corpse of NSSC Team 2¡¯s leader, Ji Sang-woo. Half of his neck was severed, leaving his head dangling. ¡°It seems they were taken down in an instant without even having time to respond.¡± ¡°Are you saying the leader of NSSC Team 2 was killed without even having time to react? Who in the world killed them?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to check from now on. There should definitely be traces left on the bodies.¡± An Awakened¡¯s skills always leave traces. If they could identify the skills, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to deduce who the culprit was. Eloy gritted her teeth and said, ¡°If we find out, I won¡¯t let them go. How dare they attack a unit directly under City Hall? We¡¯ll use all of City Hall¡¯s power to exact vengeance.¡± At that moment, a chilling voice came from behind them. ¡°Well! You won¡¯t have that chance.¡± ¡°What?¡± When they turned around, the Awakeneds who had been sitting on the bus roof had already approached them. They were smiling, baring their white teeth. The moment they saw the sinister smiles of the Awakeneds, a foreboding feeling shed through their minds. ¡°Could it be you guys?¡± ¡°Heh heh!¡± It was then. Boom! Suddenly, the armored bus they had ridden on exploded. The powerful explosion instantly vaporized the bus, and the passengers inside disappeared without a trace, not even a chance to scream. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Eloy and Brielle were swept away by the explosion and flung backward, while Levin copsed to the ground with his eardrums burst. Only Zeon stood firm, unaffected by the explosion, staring at the Awakeneds. ¡°Did you hide a bomb in the bus?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bomb developed forrge monsters. That kind of bus wouldn¡¯t leave a trace.¡± ¡°If you were targeting me, you picked the wrong timing. You should have blown it up when I was on the bus.¡± ¡°We know well that you wouldn¡¯t have died even if we did, Sandman!¡± ¡°So you knew my identity and targeted me? Who sent you? Lee Ji-ryeong? Johan?¡± ¡°Heh heh! Do you think we¡¯d tell you?¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll make you open your mouth myself.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have that chance.¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, the nes around the Awakeneds¡¯ necks emitted a bright light. Feeling a sense of impending danger, Zeon quickly erected a sand barrier. Boom! Bang! In an instant, the Awakeneds¡¯ bodies exploded. The nes had been self-destruct items. The intense heat and shockwave swept through the area. The sand barrier that Zeon had erected was blown away without a trace due to the sheer power. Because of that, even Zeon was quite shocked. If it hadn¡¯t been for the robe made from Leviathan¡¯s skin, he would have been seriously injured. ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon, brushing back his disheveled hair, looked at the ce where the explosion had urred. Everything was gone. The Awakeneds, as well as the armored vehicle and buggy car that Zeon had pulled up, were all gone. The only thing left was the thickest steel te from the armored vehicle. Everything else had vanished. ¡°Did they self-destruct to erase all traces?¡± With this, all clues to identify the attackers of the NSSC were gone. Of all times, this had to happen when Zeon and his group were passing by. ¡°Was it a coincidence? No, this was a meticulously nned ambush. It can¡¯t possibly be a coincidence.¡± The problem was the attackers¡¯ objective. It was strange to think they targeted only the top-grade Mana Stone. It didn¡¯t quite add up. It¡¯s true that the top-grade Mana Stone was a highly valuable item worth risking one¡¯s life for. But considering the dangers after stealing it, it would be a reckless attempt. Neo Seoul would undoubtedly mobilize all its resources to retrieve it. A single mistake could lead to the destruction of the entire organization. Yet, they carried out this operation without any hesitation. This implied they were confident either that their identity wouldn¡¯t be discovered or that they could evade Neo Seoul¡¯s pursuit. ¡°Ugh! My ears¡­¡± ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± ¡°It hurts!¡± At that moment, Levin, Eloy, and Brielle got to their feet. Brielle quickly poured a potion into Levin¡¯s ears, which had burst eardrums, making it hard for him to maintain his bnce. Eloy, shaking her head, looked at the ce where the Awakeneds had self-destructed. ¡°What are these people? They self-destructed to erase the evidence? Can people so easily throw away their lives?¡± ¡°Normally, they can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then what were these guys? They definitely smiled right before they died, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes, they smiled. As if they were people being embraced by a god.¡± ¡°A god? Could they be fanatics?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s what those who follow Johan are like.¡± ¡°Damn it! Did Johan really pull off something like this?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one who would have the most trouble if I returned to Shinchon.¡± Johan had already taken control of half of Shinchon. If Zeon returned to Shinchon, there would be a war. So it was possible that Johan was trying to eliminate him in advance. ¡°The problem is that he also knows very well that this isn¡¯t enough to kill me¡­¡± Zeon furrowed his brow as he looked ahead. All that was left were the traces of the explosion, with everything elsepletely gone. Even the remaining traces would soon be buried and erased by the blowing sand. The only ones who knew that something significant had happened here were Zeon and his group. At that moment, a loud engine noise echoed from a distance. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A vehicle?¡± From afar, buggies were speeding toward them at a terrifying pace. In no time, the buggies surrounded Zeon and his group. Dozens of Awakeneds got out of the buggies. Eloy recognized them immediately. ¡°NSSC?¡± They were Awakeneds from NSSC Team 1 and Team 3, excluding Team 2, which had been wiped out here. Eloy approached them and said, ¡°Hey! I¡¯m Mandy, a supervisor from City Hall. You know me, right?¡± Of course, they didn¡¯t know that Eloy had a split personality, so she used the name Mandy. ¡°You damn bitch, how dare you kill my subordinates?¡± At that moment, an unexpected attack flew toward Eloy. The leader of the NSSC, a man wielding a massive sword, had swung it at her. Eloy hurriedly drew her weapon, the Mad Gumiho, to block the leader¡¯s attack. Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± With a thunderous sound, Eloy was pushed back, sliding across the ground. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. The surprise attack had caused her significant harm. Wiping the blood with her sleeve, Eloy cursed. ¡°Damn it! What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know? You fucking bitch! You ambushed and killed my subordinates!¡± NSSC leader Kevin pointed his massive sword at Eloy as he spoke. An immense killing intent radiated from Kevin¡¯s entire body. An hour earlier, he had received a distress signal from Team 2. ¡°We¡¯ve been ambushed. Requesting backup. The attackers are¡­ Aagh!¡± The transmission was cut off with Ji Sang-woo¡¯s scream. Immediately afterward, Kevin had rushed to this location with the entire NSSC. Eloy desperately tried to exin. ¡°We didn¡¯t kill anyone.¡± ¡°Then what do you call this?¡± Kevin pointed to the torn remains of the armored vehicle. It was the wreckage of the armored vehicle that NSSC Team 2 had been riding in. Eloy¡¯s face hardened. She realized that no matter what she said, it wouldn¡¯t get through to him. Everything pointed to them as the culprits. There was no way her exnation would convince someone who was already convinced they were the enemy. Zeon spoke to Eloy. ¡°It seems this is their true trap.¡± ¡°Their true trap?¡± ¡°If we kill them, we¡¯ll have to go to war with Neo Seoul. We can¡¯t afford that.¡± ¡°Johan! That bastard¡­¡± Eloy ground her teeth in frustration. Just as she was about tosh out in fury, Zeon ced a hand on her shoulder, restraining her from swinging the Mad Gumiho. Instead, Zeon spoke on her behalf. ¡°We surrender.¡± ¡°After killing our men, you want to surrender?¡± ¡°Yes, we surrender.¡± ¡°You think this is a joke, you bastard?¡± ¡°Surely, you won¡¯t attack someone who¡¯s surrendering, right?¡± Zeon raised both arms high in the air. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 232 Chapter 232 ck! ck! Handcuffs were ced on the wrists of Zeon and Eloy. These weren¡¯t ordinary handcuffs. They were restraints designed to control the flow of mana. Once these cuffs, which encapsted Neo Seoul¡¯s advanced technology, were locked on, mana instantly hardened like a stone, rendering it immobile. This made it impossible to use any skills that required mana. Eloy, now handcuffed, started yelling. ¡°Damn it! I told you we didn¡¯t kill them. Are your eyes just for show? Do you really think this looks like something we did?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± An NSSC Awakened pped tape over Eloy¡¯s mouth and shoved her into the buggy car. ¡°I¡¯ll get in on my own.¡± Zeon, smiling, boarded the buggy car. Kevin red at Zeon with a menacing look. ¡°What¡¯s your game? You think I¡¯ll let you off just because you¡¯re acting like this?¡± ¡°The truth wille out. For now, I simply have no desire to shed blood with you.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re sticking to your story till the end.¡± ¡°If I had really killed them, you wouldn¡¯t have found any traces.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°In any case, the truth will be revealed soon enough.¡± With those words, Zeon fell silent. Kevin¡¯s jaw muscles twitched. He knew that Zeon was the Sand Mage. If Zeon had truly intended to cover his tracks, the NSSC would have never found the site where Team 2 was wiped out, no matter how hard they tried. ¡®Could what he¡¯s saying be true?¡¯ Doubt crept into Kevin¡¯s mind. Just then, the Awakeneds reported back to him. ¡°There¡¯s no one around.¡± ¡°Everything has been incinerated by the explosion.¡± Kevin surveyed the surroundings. All around was sand. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to conceal anything. What he saw was all there was. Nodding, Kevin climbed into the buggy car. ¡°Everyone, return to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The NSSC left the scene immediately. After they departed, something emerged from the sand. It was Levin, translucent like a specter. It wasn¡¯t surprising that Levin had turned into a ghostly form, as his primary skill was precisely that¡ªghostification. What was truly surprising was that there was a girl in ghost form beside him. It was Brielle. Brielle, like Levin, had be translucent. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Surprised?¡± ¡°You can turn others into ghosts too?¡± ¡°Only if we stay close. We have to be in contact.¡± As if to prove Levin¡¯s point, he was tightly holding Brielle¡¯s hand. After reaching B-rank, he had mastered a new skill. One of those was the ability to ghostify others through physical contact. Though he could only manage one additional person, its utility had greatly increased. The moment the NSSC appeared, Zeon had told Levin, ¡®You two, hide.¡¯ Without a second thought, Levin had grabbed Brielle¡¯s hand and ghostified. The two hid in the sand in their ghost forms. Although Kevin, the leader of the NSSC, had sharp senses, he failed to detect them. That¡¯s why he had left the scene without further issue. Brielle, watching the buggy car recede into the distance, spoke. ¡°Zeon told us to hide because he wants us to find evidence, right?¡± ¡°Yeah! We need to find proof that Johan orchestrated and led this.¡± ¡°Do you think we can do it by ourselves?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s possible or not, we have to make it happen.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start by heading back to the slums. If we dig there, we¡¯ll find something.¡± ¡°Impressive! You¡¯re not even flustered.¡± Levin looked at Brielle with admiration, to which she pouted her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve suffered so much at the hands of humans that I¡¯ve gotten used to it. If you¡¯d been trapped underground making drugs day and night, you¡¯d be like me too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re stronger than me.¡± ¡°As long as you understand that, it¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s move quickly.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Levin nodded and moved while still in ghost form. Brielle followed suit, flying through the air with him. * * * A man in priestly robes was praying before a giant cross. After reciting the prayer for a long time, the man opened his eyes. He had neatly slicked-back hair, thick horn-rimmed sses, and small eyes that curved into arcs¡ªa middle-aged man with an impressive appearance. He was Johan, the ruler of Dongdaemun. Satisfied with his prayer, Johan smiled contentedly. ¡°Good! Excellent! I feel like something good is going to happen.¡± He felt as if he had been blessed; his body was in great condition. Whenever he felt like this, something good always happened. Johan believed this time would be no different. And his intuition was right. ¡°Zeon has been captured by the NSSC.¡± Joshua, the inquisitor, delivered the delightful news. ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes. He¡¯s currently imprisoned in the NSSC¡¯s jail.¡± ¡°Is the NSSC prison reliable?¡± ¡°It¡¯s located fifty meters underground. It¡¯s made of special metals that prevent the infiltration of not just sand but any external substances. Furthermore, itpletely blocks external mana and flow, making it impossible for an Awakened to use their abilities.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± Johan smiled with satisfaction. The science and technology of Neo Seoul,bined with magic, had far surpassed the technological level of Earth a hundred years ago. Scientists had created items to control Awakeneds, one of which was the mana-restricting handcuffs. The NSSC prison was an extension of that. Once trapped in this space,pletely isted from the outside, one couldn¡¯t use mana at all. It was, quite literally, the worst environment for an Awakened. As long as Zeon was imprisoned in the NSSC jail, he would be utterly powerless. ¡°To receive such good information¡­ It seems I¡¯ve chosen my business partners well.¡± ¡°Lee Ji-ryeong is not someone to be trusted.¡± ¡°Are you advising me, Joshua?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just concerned¡­¡± ¡°I know exactly what you¡¯re worried about. But you don¡¯t need to worry at all. God is on our side.¡± A chilling smile yed on Johan¡¯s lips as he looked up at the giant cross. Joshua, the inquisitor, could say nothing in response. Johan was the pinnacle of Dongdaemun. Numerous pdins and clergy operated around him. Hismand was equivalent to God¡¯smand. Johan spoke. ¡°Now that the obstacle is gone, we canpletely take over Shinchon. Find Ethan and eliminate him, and establish the sanctuary of God at their base.¡± Joshua trembled. He could smell the thick scent of blood in Johan¡¯s voice. The curtain was rising on a war to im dominance over the slums. No one knew how many would perish. Even Joshua, who was ustomed to blood, trembled uncontrobly with fear. * * * ¡°It¡¯s incredible.¡± That was Zeon¡¯s impression of being in the prison. It was truly incredible. The walls were seamlessly smooth, without a single gap, and mana waspletely blocked off, rendering it impossible to feel. It was the worst environment for an Awakened. ¡°Damn it! Why did we let ourselves get captured? We have no reason to be here.¡± Right next to him, Eloy was shouting angrily. Having lost the Mad Gumiho, Eloy was furious to the point of bursting. Since the moment her beloved weapon had left her hands, her anxiety had been so severe that her mind was unstable. As a result, she kept pacing back and forth, spouting nonsense. Zeon understood her. If he had lost the Inferno Gauntlet, he might have reacted the same way. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t lost the Inferno Gauntlet. More precisely, the NSSC hadn¡¯t been able to take the Inferno Gauntlet from him. The Inferno Gauntlet, embedded with the eye of a dragon, couldn¡¯t be removed without Zeon¡¯s consent. Since they couldn¡¯t very well cut off his arm, the NSSC had wrapped Zeon¡¯s right arm in restraints instead. This meant that the item¡¯s power couldn¡¯t be utilized at all. As a result, Zeon couldn¡¯t even open his subspace. His abilities werepletely sealed. And yet, Zeon didn¡¯t seem particrly anxious. He marveled at Neo Seoul¡¯s technology as he examined the prison. ¡°With technology like this, no other colonies can keep up.¡± The technological gap between Neo Seoul and other colonies was at least several decades. Compared to newly established colonies like the Iron Fortress, the gap was over a hundred years. It meant that they would need a hundred years of effort just to catch up. The problem was that Neo Seoul wouldn¡¯t stand still during that time, so the gap would never close. There was no way to narrow this gap. Well, there was one way. It would be if Neo Seoul copsed spectacrly. But as things stood, that seemed utterly impossible. Unless the catastrophe that had turned Earth into a desert a hundred years ago were to happen again, there was no chance of Neo Seoul¡¯s downfall. Eloy, who had finally calmed down a bit, asked Zeon, ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± ¡°We wait.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Someone will definitely reach out to us while we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Anyone.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too vague?¡± ¡°Calm down. Even they won¡¯t think we¡¯ll be stuck here for long.¡± ¡°They?¡± ¡°The ones who orchestrated all this.¡± ¡°You mean Johan?¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of them.¡± ¡°Alright! So, you¡¯re saying we¡¯ll be out of here soon?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Whew!¡± Eloy felt a little reassured by Zeon¡¯s confident response. After catching her breath for a moment, Eloy apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯d probably react the same way if my weapon were taken.¡± ¡°Thanks for understanding.¡± ¡°Just think of it as taking a rest before the big fight.¡± ¡°A big fight? Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Eloy clenched her fists. The ones who had gone to such lengths to trap them wouldn¡¯t just leave them alone. Whether they liked it or not, a fierce battle was bound to happen. Until then, she needed to rest and prepare her body for optimal condition. ¡°Maybe Mandy should be the one to stay here right now, rather than me. She¡¯d be much calmer.¡± Suddenly, Eloy¡¯s expression changed. Zeon asked her, ¡°Mandy, is it?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m sorry. Eloy got too worked up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°When the fight starts, she¡¯lle back to the forefront. Until then, I¡¯ll stay out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to get my permission. Do what¡¯sfortable for you, Mandy.¡± ¡°Thank you, as always. If it weren¡¯t for you, we wouldn¡¯t have made it back here safely.¡± Mandy bowed her head in gratitude. Just as Zeon was feeling a bit awkward about the gesture, Bang, bang! Suddenly, someone knocked on the door of the prison. When Zeon looked toward the door, a small window slid open, revealing someone¡¯s face. With hair that had gonepletely white and eyes surrounded by wrinkles. Zeon instantly recognized who it was. ¡°Old Go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± The old man who smiled at Zeon was none other than Old Go, a member of the Numbers. ¡°We¡¯re here too.¡± Familiar voices came from either side of Old Go. It was the twin sisters, Eun Sujin and Eun Suyoung, who always hung around with him. They stepped on the ledge and peeked their faces through the window. ¡°Hello!¡± They waved and smiled. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Zeon approached the window. ¡°Has the rumor that I¡¯ve been captured already reached your ears?¡± ¡°We¡¯re the Numbers, after all.¡± ¡°All informationes to us first.¡± The twin sisters responded with proud expressions. Zeon looked at Old Go. ¡°So the mayor knows I¡¯ve been captured as well?¡± ¡°He knows everything.¡± ¡°Is there any chance he¡¯s thinking of getting me out?¡± ¡°Not even the mayor can freely release someone who annihted NSSC Team 2.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°We know. If it had been you, it would¡¯ve been handled much more efficiently. But there¡¯s a process that has to be followed.¡± ¡°I figured as much.¡± Zeon wasn¡¯t disappointed by Old Go¡¯s response. He had already expected it. Old Go spoke with a serious expression. ¡°They¡¯re quite crafty. They stole the top-grade Mana Stone without leaving a single trace.¡± ¡°Did the mayor assign you the retrieval mission?¡± ¡°Heh heh! It¡¯s about time they let an old man rest, but the mayor doesn¡¯t seem to have any such intentions. He¡¯s determined to work me to the bone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too capable for them to let you go.¡± ¡°I am somewhat capable. But for my capabilities to shine, I need information. Do you know anything?¡± ¡°There are a few people who see me as a thorn in their side. It¡¯s possible that one of them, or several of them together, orchestrated this.¡± ¡°Johan and Lee Ji-ryeong, huh? They¡¯re both big shots.¡± Old Go scratched his cheek with his finger. He was slightly troubled. Both Johan, the ruler of Dongdaemun, and Lee Ji-ryeong, who had rapidly expanded his influence recently, were formidable opponents. The slums have their own rules. Like Shinchon or Dongdaemun, they¡¯re divided into various districts, each with its own ruler. The rulers of each district are like kings. A misstep could stir up the entire slums as if poking a beehive. For this reason, even Neo Seoul generally avoids interfering in slum affairs unless absolutely necessary. It¡¯s not out of fear, but rather because it¡¯s a hassle. The same was true for Old Go. Both Johan and Lee Ji-ryeong were forces to be reckoned with. Dealing with just one of them would be burdensome enough. If both were involved in this situation, even Old Go would find it difficult to handle. The twin sisters spoke in awe. ¡°Wow! Zeon¡¯s made enemies with people like that? That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Zeon must be a big shot too, to be tangled up with such big shots.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the only Sand Mage on Earth. Of course, he¡¯s a big shot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± The twin sisters kept chattering nonstop, making Zeon¡¯s ears ache. Old Go clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive them. There aren¡¯t many people they feelfortable enough with to act this rxed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°So, Johan and Lee Ji-ryeong, huh? It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve encountered such burdensome opponents. I¡¯ll have to be careful.¡± ¡°Can they be held ountable?¡± ¡°Held ountable? Ah! For killing NSSC Team 2? That won¡¯t be easy. It¡¯ll be a relief just to recover the top-grade Mana Stone.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you part of the Numbers?¡± ¡°Heh heh! The Numbers aren¡¯t all-powerful. And the mayor prefers not to get too involved, just enough to keep the situation frompletely unraveling. He tolerates a certain level ofpetition and conflict as long as it doesn¡¯t disrupt his ns too much.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an impressive man. That¡¯s how he was able to build Neo Seoul into what it is today. He¡¯s not concerned with the petty squabbles happening within Neo Seoul. Of course, if someone crosses the line, he¡¯ll step in. Fortunately, it seems no one¡¯s crossed that line just yet.¡± There was a hint of fear in Old Go¡¯s voice when he mentioned Jin Geumho. Even Old Go, a member of the Numbers, feared Jin Geumho. It wasn¡¯t just about power. Jin Geumho¡¯s fearsome nature had nothing to do with his rank or awakening abilities. Even to Old Go, who had worked under him for a long time, Jin Geumho never revealed his true intentions. He was clearly nning something big, but he never showed the full picture to his subordinates. The only one who knew the whole n was Jin Geumho himself. The rest were merely parts moving to fulfill his vision. This included Old Go and the twin sisters, even though they were part of the Numbers. No one knew Jin Geumho¡¯s true intentions or his ultimate goal. They could only trust and follow. And yet, it was impossible to shake off the constant feeling of unease. Compared to Jin Geumho, Lee Ji-ryeong and Johan were nothing more than small fry. Their aspirations and the scale of their ns were on an entirely different level. ¡°The mayor¡¯s orders for me are not to punish those who wiped out the NSSC but to retrieve the top-grade Mana Stone. So as long as I recover the Mana Stone, my mission isplete.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Are you disappointed with the mayor¡¯s decision?¡± ¡°No.¡± Zeon shook his head. Dyoden was the one who knew Jin Geumho better than anyone. But even he didn¡¯t reveal much about Jin Geumho. He had said that seeing Jin Geumho in person would help Zeon understand him far better than any words could. Dyoden was right. Seeing Jin Geumho in person was like witnessing a giant. Sorge that he didn¡¯t even bother with the minor things happening at his feet. As long as the reckless ants didn¡¯t climb up his ankles, he let them be. Some might mistake Jin Geumho¡¯s behavior for weakness, but that would be a foolish assumption. He ignored the ants because he could crush them with a flick of his finger at any time, not because he didn¡¯t care. ¡®Even a top-grade Mana Stone is just something he needs to pay a little attention to.¡¯ It was a scale that ordinary people couldn¡¯tprehend. Old Go spoke. ¡°It seems our visiting time is up. We should be going.¡± ¡°Could you tell me where this prison is located?¡± ¡°Why, so you can try to escape?¡± ¡°Is there any reason to? It¡¯s quitefortable here.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Old Go looked at Zeon with half-closed eyes, as if trying to see through his intentions. But no matter how much he looked, he couldn¡¯t figure out what Zeon was thinking. In the end, he sighed and said, ¡°Phew! It¡¯s located at the boundary between the Central District and the Southern District.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± ¡°Please try not to cause any trouble. The other members of the Numbers aren¡¯t as friendly toward you as I am. They won¡¯t treat you as kindly.¡± ¡°What trouble could I cause here? I¡¯ll just think of this as a chance to rest.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t change your mind. Well then¡­¡± Old Go and the twin sisters closed the window and left the prison. Zeon sat down in his chair and muttered. ¡°The border between the Central and Southern Districts, huh¡­ The location is quite precise.¡± * * * ¡°Repent, you unbelievers!¡± ¡°Follow the teachings of the Lord.¡± From early morning, a bloody wind swept through Shinchon. Pdins from Dongdaemun had raided a tavern in Shinchon. The sudden attack caused the people inside the tavern to shout. ¡°Damn it! Fanatics!¡± ¡°Everyone, get out of here!¡± The people in the tavern scattered like locusts. They tried to escape through the emergency exits they had prepared in advance, but there were pdins waiting there as well. The pdinsunched a ruthless attack, and the Awakeneds inside the tavern responded with their skills. Boom! Boom! ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Explosions and screams echoed inside. At the center of the group of Awakeneds resisting the pdins was a man gritting his teeth. ¡°Was there a leak?¡± He was Ethan, who had taken over as the ruler of Shinchon after Goran. When Dongdaemun invaded, he had hidden in this tavern. The tavern was one of his safe houses, boasting an irond security system. Yet the pdins had stormed in without any warning. His information had been leaked, while theirs had been kept hidden. It was like fighting blindfolded. Caught in a dilemma, Ethan shouted. ¡°Everyone, escape and regroup at Safe House 3.¡± It was an order for everyone to save themselves. ¡°Damn bastards! Die!¡± ¡°Chaaa!¡± Ethan¡¯s men fought with all their might, attacking the pdins. Their fierce offensive pushed the pdins back. ¡°Guh!¡± ¡°Lord!¡± A few of the leading pdins fell, spraying blood. But the pdins behind them stepped over their fallenrades without hesitation. What mattered to them was spreading the Lord¡¯s teachings in Shinchon and carrying out Johan¡¯s orders. The death of theirrades didn¡¯t faze them in the slightest. The pdins were more cold-hearted and ruthless killing machines than any machine. As the pdins¡¯ fierce offensive continued, the Awakeneds inside the tavern were gradually driven into a corner. Even the escape routes were blocked by the pdins, leaving no way out. ¡°Damn it! Is this the end?¡± Despair settled on Ethan¡¯s face. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn¡¯t find a way out. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he was captured. It was obvious what would happen to him if he was caught by Dongdaemun. He would be subjected to horrific torture and then brutally killed. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Please, spare me! Ugh!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Even at that moment, his subordinates were being cut down, screaming. The pdins were merciless. They ughtered the Awakeneds in the tavern with the same brutality as hunting animals. Already, two-thirds of the Awakeneds had fallen to the pdins. The remaining ones were in a precarious state as well. At this rate, they would all be dead within a minute. ¡®What should I do? Will they ept my surrender? No, that¡¯s impossible.¡¯ In the end, Ethan had only one option left: to fight to the death. A metal sphere slipped out of Ethan¡¯s pocket. He used his psychokinesis skill to move the metal sphere. The sphere floated in the air and shot toward the pdins at a terrifying speed. ng ng ng! The metallic sound echoed as the pdins¡¯ bodies shook. But they weren¡¯t seriously injured. The heavy armor they wore provided perfect protection. Ethan had be the ruler of Shinchon because Zeon had his back, not because he was strong. With his abilities, he couldn¡¯t pierce the pdins¡¯ armor no matter how hard he tried. ¡°There he is.¡± ¡°Capture him.¡± The pdins red at Ethan and approached him. Once Ethan was subdued, the fight would be over. There was no need to even nce at the other Awakeneds. The pdins reached Ethan¡¯s side in no time. At that moment, the expression on Ethan¡¯s face was one of despair. He saw no way out. ¡®Damn it! Am I going to die like this?¡¯ Just as he was thinking of death, suddenly, a translucent hand shot out from behind and grabbed the back of Ethan¡¯s neck. ¡°What the?¡± At that moment, Ethan felt a dizzying sensation as if his entire body was floating. His feeling wasn¡¯t a delusion. Ethan was actually floating in the air. He had turned translucent. Swoosh! Ethan, now ghost-like, disappeared into the wall. ¡°What the?¡± ¡°What happened? Where did he go?¡± The pdins were stunned and froze in ce. ¡°Was that a stealth skill?¡± ¡°Damn it! Find him quickly.¡± After a moment, they regained their senses and searched the area, but Ethan was nowhere to be found. Just like that, Ethan had vanished without a trace, and the pdins were left like dogs chasing a chicken that had flown the coop. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 234 Chapter 234 ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Johan erupted in anger, and the pdin leader, Daison, bowed his head. They had obtained information just a few hours ago that Ethan was hiding in the tavern. They had to capture Ethan before he could escape, so the pdins were dispatched in haste. Although Ethan was the ruler of Shinchon, his abilities weren¡¯t particrly impressive. At best, he could use psychokinesis to fling metal balls. This ability might be a threat to lower-tier Awakeneds or ordinary people, but it wasn¡¯t a danger to pdins d in heavy armor. Thus, the pdins were confident they would bring Ethan in. But the oue defied the pdin leader¡¯s expectations. Ethan had vanished like a ghost, and the dispatched pdins ended up looking like fools chasing a chicken that had flown the coop. The pdins searched the area, but they found no trace of Ethan anywhere. This had pushed Johan¡¯s fury to its peak. It was a battle that would have ended with Ethan¡¯s capture. But just as they were about to catch their prey, it slipped away right in front of them, leaving Johan infuriated. ¡°Find Ethan, no matter what it takes, and bring him to me.¡± ¡°This time, I will capture him personally.¡± ¡°If you fail twice, you¡¯ll have to step down from your position.¡± ¡°I will make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Daison bowed his head and left the room. Johan¡¯s eyes glinted ominously as he was left alone. ¡°Did I let him run wild for too long? Tsk!¡± Anything left stagnant in one ce for too long is bound to rot. The same went for the pdin leader, Daison. Daison had been a street thug before he met Johan and repented. Shortly after, he awakened, and Johan appointed him as the leader of the pdins. Even after bing the pdin leader, Daison hadn¡¯t shed his thug habits and had grownzy. That¡¯s why he had sent only his subordinates to capture Ethan this time. While his loyalty wasmendable, if he kept showing such ipetence, he would have to be cut off. There was no shortage of candidates to rece Daison. In Dongdaemun, only Johan was important. Everyone else was just a cog in the machine to protect him. ¡°Joshua!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± At Johan¡¯s call, Joshua, who had been waiting outside, entered the room. ¡°What about Zeon?¡± ¡°He¡¯s locked up in the NSSC prison.¡± ¡°Any signs of an escape?¡± ¡°None whatsoever.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°As of thetest check, that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°I see. Well, that¡¯s understandable. The NSSC prisonpletely blocks the flow of mana.¡± A sly smile appeared on Johan¡¯s lips. The reason he had led the pdins to take over Shinchon was because Zeon was out of the picture. It was believed that Zeon had died during the dungeon raid, and Johan seized the opportunity tounch a surprise attack on Shinchon, iming half of it. It was only a matter of time before he controlled the other half. That¡¯s why he had been taking his time. But then he received information that Zeon had returned from the Mana Stone Mine, and that¡¯s when he started to feel anxious. If Zeon returned, everything he had gained could turn to dust. He had to prevent Zeon from entering Neo Seoul at all costs. So he used the NSSC. Coincidentally, a top-grade Mana Stone had been mined at the Mana Stone Mine. It wasn¡¯t difficult to manipte the NSSC. ¡°What does the NSSC n to do with Zeon?¡± ¡°It seems they haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± ¡°A whole team was wiped out, and they¡¯re still doing nothing? The NSSC leader isn¡¯t one to be soft.¡± ¡°It seems orders from higher up have told them to wait and see.¡± ¡°Higher up? Who?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to find that out yet.¡± ¡°It seems there¡¯s someone pretty clever higher up the chain.¡± Johan¡¯s expression showed his displeasure. Having the NSSC take care of Zeon would have been the best oue, but as is often the case, things didn¡¯t go exactly as he wished. Still, it was too soon to be disappointed. ¡°Start prodding the NSSC. There¡¯s bound to be someone there who¡¯s angry at Zeon.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame Jae-kyung isn¡¯t around. She would¡¯ve been useful in a situation like this.¡± If Kim Jae-kyung were still alive, there wouldn¡¯t have been any need to go through all this trouble. With her ability to brainwash even high-level Awakeneds in an instant, she could have easily manipted the NSSC Awakeneds to attack Zeon. But she was no longer in this world. Since there was no bringing back the dead, he had to make the best of the resources he had. Johan suddenly looked out the window. Beyond the giant wall, the City Hall building was visible. ¡°After Shinchon, we¡¯ll advance into Neo Seoul. There, we¡¯ll spread the will of God.¡± * * * ¡°Ugh!¡± Ethan groaned as he came to his senses. The first thing he saw was a boy who still had a youthful look and a girl wearing a pointed hat. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the ones who were with Zeon¡­¡± ¡°So you remember. My name is Levin.¡± The boy was none other than Levin. The girl beside him was Brielle. Ethan shook his head and sat up. ¡°What happened? I remember being pulled into the wall¡­¡± After that, he had lost consciousness, and his memory had gone nk. Levin handed Ethan a ss of water as he spoke. ¡°Drink this.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°I saved you.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°With my ability.¡± ¡°What kind of¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already experienced it. That¡¯s my ability.¡± ¡°So that wasn¡¯t a dream?¡± Ethan looked at him with a disbelieving expression. It had only been for a moment, but he had definitely turned into a ghost. It was the first time he had experienced something so intense. The dizzying sensation of floating and the feeling of being sucked into the wall were unforgettable. ¡°Crazy!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a lot more capable than I thought. Join me. You can be the second-inmand of Shinchon. How about it? Doesn¡¯t that sound tempting?¡± Smack! At that moment, Brielle pped the back of Ethan¡¯s head. The shock rattled Ethan¡¯s brain, leaving him speechless. After a moment, when he regained his senses, anger filled his face. ¡°You crazy brat, are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°You are the one who¡¯s out of his mind!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you trying to recruit Levin while Zeon is right here watching? You must be out of your mind.¡± ¡°Wh-what did you say? Zeon is alive?¡± ¡°Yeah, you idiot.¡± ¡°Is he really alive? Then why hasn¡¯t he shown up?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s locked up in prison.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you deaf? He¡¯s in the NSSC prison right now.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Ethan cursed and copsed to the ground. Zeon had been his only hope. He believed that if Zeon returned, he could turn this hellish situation around. So he had gritted his teeth and held on. If Zeon returned and sorted things out, Ethan believed he could rule Shinchon again. But if Zeon was locked up in the NSSC prison, everything would be for nothing. ¡°We¡¯re finished. Damn it! The fanatics are going to take everything from us.¡± Ethan was devastated. Brielle sneered at him. ¡°What a pathetic loser.¡± ¡°What? You little brat, you¡¯ve been talking down to me this whole time. You think you¡¯re going to get away with that just because Zeon isn¡¯t around?¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Do you want to get beaten to death?¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯te to your senses, old man!¡± ¡°You little bitch¡­¡± Ethan, his anger finally exploding, tried to hit Brielle. But Levin moved much faster than he did. Levin grabbed Ethan¡¯s wrist and released a burst of Purple Lightning. Zap! ¡°Aaaargh!¡± Ethan screamed in agony as the current coursed through his body. He tried to resist with his psychokinesis, but it was useless. Levin¡¯s power as a B-rank Awakened was far too overwhelming for Ethan to handle. Finally, when Ethan lost consciousness, Levin let go of him. Brielle looked down at Ethan, who had copsed, with a disdainful expression, then shook him awake. ¡°Old man, pull yourself together.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Snap out of it. We don¡¯t have time to waste with you lying around.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Only then did Ethane to his senses. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, so I¡¯ll get straight to the point. How many subordinates do you have left?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I told you, we don¡¯t have time. How many subordinates do you have left?¡± ¡°Damn it! I¡¯ve got about thirty direct subordinates.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been reduced to nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just my direct subordinates. If I gather everyone who¡¯s still loyal, I can muster over a hundred.¡± ¡°Sigh! That¡¯s what happens when you don¡¯t manage things properly. Spending all your time with prostitutes instead of taking care of your men.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. He had nothing to say in his defense. Having just been thoroughly humiliated by Levin, he didn¡¯t even dare think about using violence against Brielle. Levin summed up the situation. ¡°So you can mobilize about a hundred people?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Good. Now start moving them discreetly toward Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°Why Dongdaemun?¡± ¡°We need to find the stolen top-grade Mana Stone. If we recover it, Zeon will be released.¡± ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°So start gathering all the information you can on Dongdaemun. Investigate the movements of Awakeneds, vehicle activity, and the flow of funds. Something wille up.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t have any other options left. If he could find the top-grade Mana Stone and get Zeon released, he could turn the situation around. Levin said, ¡°If you understand, then start moving quickly. We don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± As Ethan answered, cold sweat dripped down his back. He had thought that Zeon was just taking care of a homeless orphan out of pity, but it turned out Levin was a monster he couldn¡¯t handle. Levin not only had the ability to ghost himself and others, but he could also use lightning-based magic. Ethan couldn¡¯t even take on someone like Levin if there were ten of him. He felt embarrassed and flushed with shame at the thought of having offered Levin a position under him as if doing him a favor. Ethan hurriedly left the hideout as if fleeing. After he was gone, Levin looked at Brielle. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll really be able to find out where the Mana Stone is?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he can¡¯t. As long as he stirs things up in Dongdaemun, their attention will be divided.¡± There was no way Johan wouldn¡¯t know about what was happening in Dongdaemun. If Ethan¡¯s men started poking around Dongdaemun, it would definitely show up on Johan¡¯s radar. With their focus divided, a gap would surely appear, and Brielle¡¯s n was to use that gap to find the top-grade Mana Stone. If the top-grade Mana Stone was found in Dongdaemun, it would be game over. Zeon wouldn¡¯t even need to exin himself. Everything would be resolved simply. Brielle said, ¡°Let¡¯s head to the Goblin Market. Thatdy probably has some useful information by now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Levin nodded. Since Zeon had been captured by the NSSC, Brielle had been taking the lead in everything. She actively made ns and moved decisively. Levin didn¡¯t mind this change in Brielle. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Brain. I¡¯ll be the muscle.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Between the Southern District and the Central District stood a massive warehouse. The enormous warehouse, towering eight floors high, was the headquarters of the NSSC. It appeared rundown from the outside, but inside it was perfectly equipped with various training facilities, support equipment, vehicles, and weapons. Naturally, ess for outsiders was strictly controlled. Anyone without permission would be shot on sight. Because of this, even people living nearby avoided this ce altogether. Naturally, the level of vignce was also at its highest. Various magical barriers surrounded the warehouse, reacting immediately to any intruders. The leader of the NSSC was Kevin. He was an Awakened who had dedicated his entire life to the NSSC. Therefore, his pride in the NSSC was immense. Not only that. All Awakeneds of the NSSC had a strong bond. If someone touched an NSSC member, everyone had to rush in and exact revenge. It was this NSSC that was furious about the annihtion of Team 2. They firmly believed that Zeon and Mandy, who were imprisoned in the underground cell, were the ones who wiped out Team 2. Because they had seen it with their own eyes. Only Zeon and Mandy had been at the scene. So they had to be the culprits. After imprisoning Zeon and Mandy, they nned to torture them. They intended to avenge the deaths of theirrades and reveal the truth through torture. However, for some reason, the Numbers intervened. The old man and the twin sisters instructed that Zeon and Mandy should not be touched until the truth was revealed. No matter how powerful the NSSC was, they could not ignore the warning from the Numbers. So they kept the two in the cell and watched over them. Bang! At that moment, someone roughly opened Kevin¡¯s door and came in. The man with a strong appearance, wearing tactical gear and various weapons, was none other than Team 3 Leader, Yoo Sang-cheon. Yoo Sang-cheon mmed the desk and raised his voice. ¡°Leader! Are we just going to leave those bastards alone?¡± ¡°Higher-ups said not to touch them.¡± ¡°Damn it! When have the Numbers ever helped us? Who are they to dictate what the NSSC can and cannot do?¡± ¡°Sang-cheon!¡± ¡°Disappointed, Leader! We need to avenge Team 2!¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m enjoying this?¡± ¡°Are you scared of that damn Sand Mage?¡± ¡°Watch yournguage.¡± ¡°Leader! Then I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± ¡°Sang-cheon!¡± ¡°Just give me this one time. I¡¯ll take full responsibility.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it as permission.¡± Bang! Yoo Sang-cheon mmed the door and left. Kevin¡¯s voice was not heard. That alone was enough. The members of Team 3 who had been waiting in the corridor asked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Did you get permission?¡± Yoo Sang-cheon nodded and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Damn it. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°They¡¯re dead.¡± A sinister aura rose on the faces of Team 3 members. They exuded a murderous intent as they headed down to the underground. After descending several meters, the prison came into view. The entire prison was covered with special metal and magic to block the flow of mana. As a result, the air inside the prison felt unusually heavy. Abilities could be used in the corridor, but once inside the cell, they were sealed off. Still, it didn¡¯t matter. They were all martial arts Awakeneds. Martial arts Awakeneds maintained their powerful physical abilities even when their skills were sealed. Yoo Sang-cheon stopped in front of the deepest cell. At that moment, all Team 3 members took out their short clubs. The short clubs were made of special metal. With immense destructive power, a single hit could break bones and rupture muscles. Yoo Sang-cheon unlocked the cell and looked at his subordinates. The Awakeneds nodded, tapping their short clubs. nk! Finally, Yoo Sang-cheon opened the cell door. Then the Awakeneds rushed into the cell. Their targets were Zeon and Mandy, who were imprisoned inside the cell. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°You bastards!¡± ¡°Yaah!¡± They howled and swung their short clubs at Zeon and Mandy. The two, unable to move mana, were unable to use their abilities. No matter how excellent their abilities were, they couldn¡¯t use them inside here. All they had left was pure physical strength. Beating them down like this was nothing. It seemed it was the only way to relieve their anger. Swish! A short club cut through the air towards Zeon. The Awakeneds naturally thought Zeon wouldn¡¯t be able to resist. But to their surprise, the short club cut through the air uselessly. Zeon had moved to the side without them noticing. The attacking Awakened was astonished. ¡°What? This bastard! Wasn¡¯t he unable to move mana?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Beat them up!¡± The Awakeneds rushed at Zeon and Mandy like a herd. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s happening.¡± Zeon clicked his tongue. The NSSC Awakeneds needed someone to vent their anger on. The truth didn¡¯t matter much to them. They already thought of Zeon as the murderer of theirrades and were eager to use violence on him without hesitation. Their feelings were understandable. If it were himself, he might have done the same in that situation. But that didn¡¯t mean he would just lie down and ept it. Even without using mana, he was strong. His body, honed in the desert with Dyoden, was better than that of a martial arts Awakeneds. Crunch! The short club shattered against his fist. To the astonished Awakened¡¯s face, Zeon¡¯s fist struck hard. ¡°Argh!¡± The Awakened screamed in pain and fell. ¡°Damn bastards! I knew this would happen.¡± Mandy, too, went berserk as Eloy. Both Zeon and Eloy fought against Team 3¡¯s Awakeneds using only their physical abilities. Their capabilities were beyond what the Team 3 members had vaguely imagined. Crash! Bang! Each explosive sound saw Team 3¡¯s Awakeneds scream and fall. ¡°Fucking bastard¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that resisting only increases the punishment?¡± The Awakeneds cursed and swung their short clubs. Some had been injured by Zeon¡¯s punches. But in their anger, they ignored the pain and continued to attack like beasts. Even Zeon couldn¡¯t avoid all their attacks. There was not enough space to evade in the cramped cell. Thud! Bang! As a result, Zeon had to take some blows to his body. Fortunately, there was no breaking of bones or rupturing of muscles. The robe made of Leviathan leather absorbed most of the shock. One hit he took, he returned two. If he was hit in the face, he smashed his opponent¡¯s face in return. Even fighting barehanded, Zeon was strong. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Zeon¡¯s wild appearance resembled that of a demon. Eloy also rampaged. ¡°Ohoho! Come at me. Is this all you¡¯ve got? You bunch of idiots!¡± As a half-elf, she moved swiftly and toyed with Team 3¡¯s Awakeneds. ¡°Are you all out of your minds? It¡¯s just two of them. Don¡¯t fall behind, you idiots!¡± Yoo Sang-cheon shouted loudly, urging his subordinates. This was not the picture he had painted. Instead of trampling Zeon and Eloy, his subordinates were the ones falling. The magic formation in the prison that sealed Zeon and Eloy¡¯s abilities also prevented Team 3¡¯s Awakeneds from using theirs. Even if they could use skills, it was impractical to do so in here. One wrong move could hurt both Zeon and Eloy and their ownrades. They had to subdue the two using only their physical abilities, no matter how difficult. Bang! Thud! Crunch! But the situation was turning from bad to worse. Those who had their bones broken and muscles ruptured were all his subordinates. Theyy on the floor, groaning in pain. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The scene of his subordinates in such a miserable state drove Yoo Sang-cheon to madness. ¡°You fucking bastard!¡± Screech! His short club aimed for Zeon¡¯s head. The speed and destructive power were on a different levelpared to his subordinates. He was confident that the short club would smash Zeon¡¯s head, but it was abruptly stopped midway. Zeon had grabbed the middle of the short club. ¡°Eek!¡± Yoo Sang-cheon¡¯s face contorted. He struggled to pull the short club from Zeon¡¯s hand, but it was useless. The short club didn¡¯t budge, as if trapped in a press. Strength, reaction speed, and destructive power¡ªZeon was superior in every aspect to Yoo Sang-cheon. But Yoo Sang-cheon could not ept it. ¡°Die!¡± Crunch! He let go of the short club and punched Zeon in the face. The shock was so severe that Zeon¡¯s body swayed. Yoo Sang-cheon thought he had gained the upper hand with this one blow. But he realized his mistake within a second. Crash! Zeon¡¯s fist struck Yoo Sang-cheon¡¯s other side of the ribcage. It felt as if his ribs were shattered. The intense pain made Yoo Sang-cheon¡¯s mind go hazy, but he gritted his teeth and held on. ¡°You fucking bastard! Why did you kill myrades over something like a Mana Stone?¡± He roared in anger and retaliated. Yoo Sang-cheon¡¯s fist mmed into Zeon¡¯s abdomen. But Zeon remained expressionless, showing no sign of being affected, and coldly said. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it.¡± Bang! Zeon¡¯s fist crashed into Yoo Sang-cheon¡¯s other side. With a sound like a bomb exploding, Yoo Sang-cheon¡¯s body bent like a shrimp. Keuek! The shock prating his abdomen made him vomit the food he had eaten in the morning. Zeon showed no mercy. He understood the hearts of Yoo Sang-cheon and Team 3. He couldn¡¯t even imagine the extent of their rage and sorrow over losing theirrades, and he thought their anger was justified. But they had targeted the wrong goal. There was no reason for him to take the brunt of misced anger. Zeon grabbed Yoo Sang-cheon by the cor, forcing him to stand despite his bent waist. Their eyes met. The emotions of anger and fear were transmitted clearly. He must be feeling unjust. He must be feeling frustrated. He would want to reverse the situation at any cost. But the opponent was wrong. They needed to learn what happens when you pick the wrong fight in this harsh world. Bang! Zeon¡¯s fist crashed into Yoo Sang-cheon¡¯s face. He felt the bones breaking. With this one blow, Yoo Sang-cheon¡¯s consciousness vanished. Zeon let go of Yoo Sang-cheon and leapt towards another Awakened. Thud! The body of the Awakened hit by his knee crumbled like a sandcastle. All the Awakeneds in the cell fell down. ¡°Keuuk!¡± ¡°Ughh!¡± The cell was filled with the groans of the defeated Awakeneds. Eloy, with both hands on her waist, mocked the fallen Awakeneds. ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got? Just cut off your balls at this point, it¡¯s a waste for you all to have them, you idiots!¡± The Awakeneds red at Eloy with frustration. But no matter how fierce their expressions were, they couldn¡¯t intimidate Eloy. Eloy looked at Zeon. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The door¡¯s open.¡± When Yoo Sang-cheon and the Awakeneds barged in, the door had been opened. There was no one stopping them, so they could just go through that door. Zeon smirked and sat in a chair. ¡°Why bother going out?¡± ¡°Are you really not going to go out?¡± ¡°Why bother leaving now when I¡¯ve set the? Instead of these small fry, shouldn¡¯t we wait to catch a big fish?¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯lle into the?¡± ¡°They will. Definitely!¡± Zeon emphasized the word ¡°definitely.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Dongdaemun, in Neo Seoul, had a different atmosphere from other slums. Gothic-style buildings reminiscent of the medieval era, the suffocatingly heavy air, and the hardened expressions on people¡¯s faces all conveyed a bizarre sense of madness. Levin and Brielle sat by a window on the second floor of a building that overlooked the street below. They were in an abandoned house. For reasons unknown, the owner had left long ago, and it had been neglected ever since. Levin and Brielle had fortunately found this empty house. They had ghosted in, entering stealthily, so no one had noticed them sneaking in. Through the window, they could see a massive church. It was the church where Johan usually resided. It was the heart and symbol of Dongdaemun. Levin muttered. ¡°There¡¯s a high probability that the highest-grade Mana Stone is underground there, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the information we got from the Goblin Market.¡± Brielle responded. Before entering Dongdaemun, they had contacted Yoo Se-hee, the leader of the Goblin Market. Yoo Se-hee had provided them with the information she had gathered. On the day the highest-grade Mana Stone was stolen and NSSC Team 2 was annihted, suspicious activities were observed at this church. Although they couldn¡¯t get close due to the strict vignce, many Pdins and clerics were seening and going. Given that this church was the center of Dongdaemun, it wasn¡¯t unusual for Pdins to frequent it. But there was a certain average. On an average day, the number of people going in and out was consistent. However, on that particr day, the traffic was unusually high, which was definitely strange. Levin had a puzzled expression. ¡°But would they really be stupid enough to store the highest-grade Mana Stone in their own base? If it¡¯s discovered, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to deny it.¡± ¡°They must be confident that it¡¯ll never be found.¡± ¡°Is that the kind of confidence fanatics have?¡± ¡°They¡¯re too set in their ways to think that deeply.¡± ¡°So we have to go in there?¡± ¡°Why, are you not confident?¡± ¡°Hah! Who do you think I am?¡± ¡°The only Phantom Awakened in Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Just trust me.¡± ¡°Of course I trust you.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Levin snorted exaggeratedly. Brielle, knowing she did this to relieve tension, just smiled. ¡®We just need to find the highest-grade Mana Stone. Then everything will be over.¡¯ The highest-grade Mana Stone was the most solid evidence they could get. If they found it in Johan¡¯s base, there would be no way for them to talk their way out of it. The problem was how to infiltrate the church. It looked like an ordinary church from the outside, but it was likely fortified with all sorts of barriers and magical formations. Not to mention the numerous Pdins guarding its perimeter. No matter how skilled Levin was at ghosting, infiltrating wouldn¡¯t be easy. Brielle, understanding this, didn¡¯t rush Levin. They had to wait for the right moment to infiltrate. ¡°By now, they should have noticed.¡± ¡°Noticed what?¡± Just then¡ª ¡°Suspicious individuals detected.¡± ¡°Intruders spotted at Block 3.¡± Urgent voices could be heard from the street opposite the church. The Pdins guarding the church reacted immediately and rushed toward themotion. Brielle stood up abruptly and said. ¡°It must be Ethan¡¯s crew that¡¯s been spotted.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Who else would be doing something suspicious in Dongdaemun?¡± ¡°True! Perfect.¡± Levin cheered, throwing an uppercut into the air. Ethan¡¯s crew might have thought they were moving discreetly, but avoiding the watchful eyes of the fanatics in Dongdaemun was impossible from the start. Their suspicious actions were naturally detected by the fanatics. Levin and Brielle had hoped for exactly this. To divert the attention of the Pdins guarding the church. Thanks to them, a gap in the previously tight security had opened up. Levin extended his hand to Brielle. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± As soon as Brielle took his hand, their bodies blurred like ghosts. In their ghosted state, they approached the church. Zap! As they got closer, strong resistance and sparks appeared. The barrier protecting the church had been activated. At that moment, Brielle took out a blue gem from her pocket and pressed it against the barrier. It was an item prepared by Yoo Se-hee from the Goblin Market. ¡®It¡¯s supposed to disable the barrier temporarily by causing an anomaly, right?¡¯ Though she wasn¡¯t particrly fond of Yoo Se-hee, she acknowledged her skills. That¡¯s why she used the item without hesitation. Swoosh! Like magic, a gap appeared in the barrier. Levin and Brielle quickly slipped through the barrier. As soon as they infiltrated the church, the barrier returned to normal as if nothing had happened. The Pdins guarding the entrance were also gone, so they entered the church without any hindrance. ¡®Hmm!¡¯ As soon as they entered the church, Levin and Brielle¡¯s expressions stiffened. A strange aura was grating on their nerves. A sinister energy filled the church, ominously pricking at their senses. The murals inside the church were also far from normal. Most of them depicted Johan floating in the sky, being worshipped by people. The people worshipping him were shedding tears of joy, but the madness in their expressions made it look anything but normal. In this ce, Johan was the god. It was clear that the god Johan taught about was none other than himself. ¡®A false god.¡¯ ¡®He wants to be a god?¡¯ Even the thought of it made them feel nauseous. Suppressing the urge to vomit, they pressed on. Suddenly, Levin pointed to a bookshelf standing against the wall and whispered softly. ¡°That ce looks suspicious.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°A bookshelf inside a chapel? And it doesn¡¯t even have any books on it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Indeed, there wasn¡¯t a single book on the shelf. The fact that there wasn¡¯t even a Bible was particrly suspicious. The two of them peered behind the bookshelf. Being in a ghosted state, they easily slipped behind it without any resistance. Just as Levin suspected, there was a suspicious space behind the bookshelf. A staircase leading underground was revealed. A secret passageway going down to the church¡¯s basement. Levin and Brielle looked at each other. ¡°I think we¡¯ve found it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head down.¡± Without further hesitation, they descended the stairs. The spiral staircase extended several meters below the ground. Once they reached the bottom, Levin reverted from his ghosted form. ¡°We can probably walk normally from here.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Brielle nodded and started walking. A long corridor stretched out before them. On both sides of the corridor, small rooms with iron doors tightly shut lined up. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Hold on, let¡¯s check it out.¡± Brielle opened a small window at the top of one of the iron doors to peer inside. Her face instantly turned pale. ¡°Crazy!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Instead of answering, Brielle mped her mouth shut and stepped back. Levin, puzzled, looked inside the room. ¡°Shit!¡± His face twisted as soon as he saw what was inside. The scene inside the room was horrifying. A person of unknown identity was nailed to the wall as if crucified. The problem was that the person¡¯s abdomen had been split open, and their entrails had spilled out onto the floor, piling up. Naturally, the person nailed to the wall was dead. Their entire body bore the marks of torture. Not only had their fingernails and toenails been pulled out, but their teeth had also been removed. Their flesh was sliced as if filleted, and their left leg had been severed just below the calf. Maggots and flies swarmed around the rotten wounds, and the stench of decay filled the air. Levin hurriedly checked the other rooms through their windows. The situation in the other rooms was the same. Each room contained someone who had died after being tortured. ¡°This ce is a torture chamber.¡± ¡°Those sick bastards! They call themselves believers of God, yet they torture and kill people?¡± ¡°Those bastards!¡± Brielle and Levin¡¯s eyes were bloodshot with anger. They went on to check the other rooms. Every room held the same grim sight. There wasn¡¯t a single living person left. Even living in the slums, they had never seen such a gruesome scene. In the slums, where daily life was a struggle, people didn¡¯t kidnap and torture others en masse like this. ¡°What crime could they havemitted to deserve this?¡± ¡°Did no one know about this? Surely the City Hall isn¡¯t unaware, right?¡± ¡°The City Hall probably doesn¡¯t care about this ce.¡± Levin gritted his teeth. The City Hall generally didn¡¯t care about the slums. Their only concern was Neo Seoul. Whatever happened in the slums was outside their interest. Though the people living inside Neo Seoul and those in the slums were all human beings, the value of their lives was different. Even if this were reported to Neo Seoul, they wouldn¡¯t take action. Levin tried to push away these thoughts as he moved on. They searched thest room, but all they found were the corpses of tortured people¡ªno highest-grade Mana Stone. ¡°Is this not the ce?¡± As the two of them exchanged confused looks, they suddenly heard a sound from the opposite end of the corridor. nk! Footsteps apanied the sound of a door opening. Judging by the footsteps, it wasn¡¯t just one or two people. ¡°Hide!¡± The two quickly ghosted and slipped into one of the cells. Just after they hid, a group appeared. They were Pdins d in heavy armor. Unaware of the two hiding in the cell, the Pdins conversed. ¡°Why are we moving the item all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s suspicious.¡± ¡°What¡¯s suspicious?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? That Ethan suddenly appeared in Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°All the Pdins in Dongdaemun are chasing after him. But he boldly showed up here. There¡¯s no way he would act like that without some ulterior motive.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± The young Pdin, who had been questioning the older one, frowned as if he found his superior¡¯s reaction overly cautious. The older Pdin¡¯s name was Victor. He was the Deputy Commander of the Pdin Order, second only to the Commander. When Victor reached the end of the corridor and ced his hand on the wall, a brilliant light burst forth. A concealed magic circle on the wall activated. Levin and Brielle, secretly watching, widened their eyes. ¡®There¡¯s a hidden space there.¡¯ Unaware of the two, Victor and the Pdins entered the secret chamber. Levin and Brielle quickly followed them into the hidden space. They moved so stealthily that Victor and the Pdins didn¡¯t notice their presence. At the center of the secret chamber, arge crystal emitted a dazzling light. Levin and Brielle immediately recognized it. ¡®The highest-grade Mana Stone?¡¯ ¡®So this is where it was.¡¯ Their breaths quickened as they finally found what they had been desperately searching for. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Suddenly, Victor shouted, his gaze snapping toward the ghosted pair. He had sensed a slight disturbance in the air. Victor¡¯s eyes gleamed with a blue light. He was using the skill called ¡°Eyes of Truth¡± to detect their presence. Hiding was useless now. Brielle quickly dashed toward the Mana Stone while shouting to Levin. ¡°Hold them off for a moment.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Crackle! Levin¡¯s purple lightning filled the secret chamber. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Crackle-crackle-crackle! Sparks and mes crackled along with the purple currents. The room was filled with a spectacle of purple lightning. The intense purple shes felt as though they were burning their retinas. The current mercilessly assaulted the Pdins. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Some of the Pdins, caught off guard, were shocked and dropped to their knees. However, none of them lost consciousness. Their heavy armor saved them. The specialized heavy armor worn by the Pdins had enough defensive power to deflect most attacks. Thanks to this, they could withstand Levin¡¯s Purple Lightning without copsing. But the power of the Purple Lightning was so overwhelming that they didn¡¯t escape unscathed. Their entire bodies tingled, and the burning sensation left the Pdins unable to regain theirposure easily. Only Deputy Commander Victor remained unharmed by the purple current. A faint white barrier surrounded his entire body. It was a Holy Shield, a defensive skill that only high-ranking Pdins could deploy. Soon, as the tide of purple lightning that had filled the room subsided and the light returned to normal, Victor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Damn it!¡± The intruders, along with the highest-grade Mana Stone that had been stored in the cell, had vanished without a trace. The only ones left in the room were himself and the Pdins. Victor shouted. ¡°The intruders have stolen the Mana Stone and fled. Capture them immediately!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The Pdins, having recovered from the shock, rushed out of the room. As he led the charge, Victor thought to himself. ¡®These aren¡¯t ordinary enemies. To disappear with the Mana Stone in the blink of an eye¡­ they must have mastered a special skill.¡¯ They had vanished from a tightly sealed cell without leaving a trace. It would be impossible unless they used teleportation. But teleportation was still an unachieved technology. Though it was being researched in Neo Seoul, only the theoretical groundwork had beenid, with little progress made. ¡®Then Blink? No, that¡¯s not it. Blink doesn¡¯t activate if the line of sight is blocked, and its range is only about ten meters.¡¯ Only a few in Neo Seoul could use Blink, a skill considered a lower version of teleportation. Victor had a rough idea of who those Awakened with Blink abilities were. ¡®But it wasn¡¯t them. They were definitely young.¡¯ He had seen them, albeit for a fleeting moment. A boy with a buzz cut and earrings and a girl wearing a pointed hat. The only fortunate thing was that when the boy with the buzz cut unleashed the purple current, Victor had instinctively activated a skill. ¡®Infinite Pursuit!¡¯ It was a skill used to track enemies of the church. It imnted a subtle scent on the enemy¡¯s body. A scent that only the skill¡¯s user could detect. The affected person wouldn¡¯t even realize they carried such a scent. With Infinite Pursuit, Victor pinpointed the targets¡¯ movements. ¡°They¡¯re on the first floor.¡± They were currently several meters underground. The targets had been in the same space just moments ago, but now they had swiftly moved to the first floor. If they hadn¡¯t used teleportation or Blink, only one possibility remained. ¡®An Awakened with the ability to phase through objects.¡¯ He had never heard of such an Awakened before. But the oue spoke for itself. The intruder must possess the ability to phase through matter. Victor quickly issued amand. ¡°Reinforce the church¡¯s barrier. No matter how capable they are at phasing, they won¡¯t be able to pass through an enhanced barrier.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± One of the Pdins responded and used a telepathy skill. ¨DIntruders detected. Immediately enhance the Holy Barrier to the highest level. ¨DWhat¡¯s going on? The cleric in charge of the barrier responded with a question. The Pdin¡¯s temper red instantly. ¨DDid you not hear? Intruders have infiltrated. Reinforce the barrier to the highest level right now. ¨DUnderstood. Give me a moment. ¨DWhat do you mean, ¡®a moment¡¯? Do it now! Meanwhile, Victor and the Pdins arrived at the first-floor chapel. They caught sight of Levin and Brielle¡¯s backs disappearing through the church doors. Ding! Ding! Ding! At that moment, the bell hanging in the steeple rang, and the barrier surrounding the church was reinforced. But by then, Levin and Brielle had already escaped. ¡°Damn it! Toote.¡± ¡°Deactivate the barrier.¡± When the barrier was reinforced to the highest level, even the Pdins couldn¡¯t pass through. Bang! Bang! As proof, Victor and the Pdins were thrown back after hitting the barrier. The Pdin who could use telepathy shouted at the cleric in charge of the barrier. ¨DLower the barrier. ¨DWhat nonsense is this? Didn¡¯t you just order me to reinforce it? ¨DThe intruders have already escaped! ¨DDamn it! The cleric in charge of the barrier hurriedly deactivated it. As the barrier slowly faded, the Pdins looked on with anxious expressions. Victor gritted his teeth. ¡°To dare intrude upon the holy sanctuary. I will never forgive this.¡± The fact that an unidentified intruder had vited the sacred ground of the church filled him with humiliation. He vowed to capture the intruders who had stolen the highest-grade Mana Stone and tear them apart. At that moment, the barrier was finally deactivated. Victor and the Pdins quickly resumed their pursuit. Dongdaemun was already in a state of emergency. When the bell hanging from the steeple of the church, known as the Holy Sanctuary, rang, the entirety of Dongdaemun went into lockdown. All exits out of Dongdaemun were sealed, and the main roads were blocked by Pdins and clerics. Ordinary residents were forbidden from leaving their homes, and with various barriers and magic circles activated, Dongdaemun was perfectly isted from the outside world. Victor initiated Infinite Pursuit. ¡°They haven¡¯t left Dongdaemun yet. All Pdins, capture them!¡± * * * Zeon moved his right wrist up and down. His movements were restricted by the shackle around his wrist. But the restriction wasn¡¯t just physical; the mana within his body felt as if it had turned to stone, refusing to move. This was the power of the mana shackles. ¡°What an interesting device.¡± ¡°You have no idea how many lives were sacrificed to create that thing, do you?¡± Eloy asked as she stared at the mana shackle with a look of disgust. ¡°I figured as much.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a department at the City Hall dedicated to developing magic tools. It¡¯s called the New World Team.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a fancy name.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a group of hundreds of lunatics with the ambition to open a new world with the devices they¡¯ve created.¡± ¡°A team with that many people?¡± ¡°Some maniac thought it would be a good idea to put all the crazy people together, thinking it would create some synergy.¡± ¡°And who was that?¡± ¡°Who do you think? The big boss at the top.¡± ¡°Jin Geum-ho?¡± ¡°Correct!¡± Eloy nodded. Not all Awakeneds are specialized inbat. Those like Brielle, who developed their talents in research, were all gathered into the magic tool development department. The support they received was limitless. Money, materials¡ªanything they wanted was supplied in abundance. Initially, there was a lot of criticism. People thought they were wasting too much money. But as the years passed and the New World Team began producing results one by one, those criticisms faded away. Every item produced by the New World Team was groundbreaking. Armor made from new materials. Prosthetics thatbined magic and machinery. Firearms designed for hunting monstrous beasts. All sorts of restraints, magic circles, and barriers developed to counter Awakened individuals. The items created by the New World Team rapidly spread into civilian use, raising the overall level of Neo Seoul. The rapid development of Neo Seoul was heavily influenced by the New World Team. ¡°That¡¯s fascinating. Gathering crazy scientists and Awakeneds in one ce.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. The department that supports them is constantly on edge because of the daily incidents they cause.¡± Fortunately, her other persona, Mandy, didn¡¯t work in the New World Team¡¯s support department. If she did, Eloy would have been the dominant personality all the time. Eloy muttered to herself as she ran her fingers over the mana shackle. ¡°It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it? To solidify mana and render abilities unusable.¡± ¡°What¡¯s even more amazing is the material used to make this mana shackle.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Eloy looked puzzled. Creating new materials bybining byproducts of monstrous beasts with metals was nothing for the New World Team. Of course, whether the newly created materials had the desired effects was another matter. Zeon stroked the surface of the mana shackle. ¡°It seems to be made of something special.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin with words¡­¡± ¡°Oh, forget it then. I hate dealing with headaches.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zeon chuckled softly. But his gaze toward the mana shackle grew colder than ever. ¡®This feeling¡­ is it dragon bones?¡¯ There was indeed a faint trace of dragon bones in the mana shackle. The method Zeon used to recognize this was simple. He sensed a simr aura in the shackle as he did in the dragon¡¯s eye embedded in the Inferno Gauntlet. He had worn the Inferno Gauntlet for eight years. It had been over seven years since the dragon¡¯s eye was embedded in it. Naturally, he had be highly sensitive to a dragon¡¯s aura. ¡®They¡¯re insane! To use dragon bones for something like this.¡¯ Dragons¡ªthe most powerful creatures. As far as Zeon knew, only seven dragons had crossed over from Kurayan. Krasias, the deity-like being who had turned Earth into its current state, took the form of a dragon, so he didn¡¯t count. Due to the bacsh from the terraforming, it vanished without leaving a trace. Of the remaining seven dragons, one was hunted by Dyoden and the Awakeneds led by Jin Geum-ho. The second dragon, Haeltoon, disintegratedpletely in a fierce battle with Dyoden, leaving nothing behind. Zeon had no knowledge of the whereabouts of the remaining five dragons. He had wandered the world for eight years but had never encountered anything that he could identify as a dragon. ¡®So this shackle was made from the bones of the first dragon?¡¯ Dyoden had never told him what happened to the first dragon. Dyoden¡¯s sole focus was hunting dragons. He had no interest in what humans did with the carcasses of the dragons he had sessfully hunted. ¡®So they used the dragon¡¯s remains to advance Neo Seoul.¡¯ Finally, a long-standing question that Zeon had harbored was answered. Neo Seoul had a technological gap of over a centurypared to other colonies. Logically, this shouldn¡¯t be possible. Civilizations spread like ink in water, darkening everything around them. They naturally spread and dyed everything the same color. So, having a technological gap of more than a hundred years defied logic. ¡®That was the difference. What Neo Seoul had that other colonies didn¡¯t. The dragon¡¯s remains.¡¯ It was clear now that Neo Seoul had achieved such a highly advanced civilization by creating new materials from the remains of a dragon. With this, one of the biggest mysteries Zeon had been pondering was solved. As Zeon shook his head in disbelief at the shocking truth. Thud! Thud! Footsteps were heard outside the door. Someone was approaching the cell where they were imprisoned. Eloy immediately stood up, ready to defend herself. ¡°Is it the NSSC bastardsing again?¡± It could be someoneing to avenge their fallenrades. But the footsteps echoing in the corridor were from just one person. It wasn¡¯t a group, but a single individual approaching. ¡°So, he¡¯s here!¡± Zeon, as if understanding something, stood up and walked toward the door. nk! At that moment, the small window in the door opened, revealing the visitor¡¯s face. Zeon¡¯s eyes met the visitor¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Zeon.¡± ¡°Lee Ji-ryeong!¡± The person staring at Zeon through the window was none other than Lee Ji-ryeong. He red at Zeon with eyes as fierce as a lion¡¯s. ¡°If you were lucky enough to have survived, you should¡¯ve stayed hidden or fled to another colony. Why did youe back to Neo Seoul? Because of you, a lot of people have been inconvenienced.¡± ¡°So you orchestrated all this?¡± Lee Ji-ryeong didn¡¯t answer; he just smiled, baring his white teeth. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 238 Chapter 238 For the first time, Zeon realized that lightning could sh in someone¡¯s eyes as he looked into Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t an illusion. In fact, lightning was constantly flickering in Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyes. ¡®So, this is what happens when an Awakened who can use lightning reaches S-rank.¡¯ It was something he hadn¡¯t known until now. Up close, the lightning flickered visibly, but from a distance, it looked like a white, glowing light was zing from his eyes. It was an overwhelming sight, so intense it felt like it could suffocate anyone who saw it. An ordinary person might have found it hard to breathe just from looking into Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyes and would likely have copsed to their knees. But Zeon met those intense eyes without flinching. Lee Ji-ryeong asked. ¡°How did you escape from a dungeon that had already been cleared?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Zeon responded with a vague smile. When a dungeon is cleared, it vanishes. It disappearspletely, leaving nothing behind. That¡¯s why Lee Ji-ryeong had attacked Zeon and Brielle¡¯s group¡ªto trap them inside the dungeon so they couldn¡¯t escape. Naturally, Lee Ji-ryeong had assumed that Zeon and hispanions had been wiped out along with the dungeon. But when he heard that the supposedly dead Zeon and his group had appeared unscathed, he was utterly shocked. He couldn¡¯t remember ever being so surprised in his life. Not even when his worthless brother had died had he been this shaken. Having fought alongside Zeon, he knew just how overwhelmingly powerful Zeon¡¯s abilities were. In the desert, Zeon was nearly invincible. Ordinary Awakeneds or monstrous beasts were no match for him. The entire desert was Zeon¡¯s weapon. That was why even Lee Ji-ryeong had given up trying to face Zeon in the desert and instead had trapped him inside the dungeon, knowing that confronting him directly would be too risky. And now, that same overwhelming presence was here, in the same space as him. Zeon asked. ¡°Are you curious about how I escaped the dungeon, or why I returned to Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Is it revenge you¡¯re after?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to settle a debt. You know how it is. If you don¡¯t pay back what you owe, people start to look down on you. And we both know what happens to those who are underestimated.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lee Ji-ryeong frowned. He understood Zeon¡¯s words better than anyone. That was why he had fought tooth and nail to grow stronger and build up the Pegasus Raid Force. So that no one could look down on him. After a moment of silence, Lee Ji-ryeong finally spoke. ¡°If you stop now, I¡¯ll erase everything that¡¯s happened.¡± ¡°Erase everything?¡± ¡°The fact that you killed my brother. The fact that you stole the highest-grade Mana Stone. The fact that you betrayed the Pegasus Raid Force in the dungeon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll admit to the first one. But the second and third are simply not true.¡± ¡°The truth doesn¡¯t matter. If I say it¡¯s true, then it is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still as arrogant as ever.¡± ¡°So, are you going to ept my offer or not?¡± Zeon¡¯s lips curled into a smile. It was clearly a sneer, in for anyone to see. ¡°Once, maybe you can be caught off guard. Anyone can be careless. But if you fall for the same trick twice, that¡¯s just in stupidity.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re rejecting my offer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± ¡°Then from this moment on, you are my enemy.¡± ¡°You really are self-centered. We¡¯ve been enemies ever since you stabbed me in the back in the dungeon. No matter what a traitor says, it doesn¡¯t really resonate with me.¡± Zeon chuckled. In truth, he had been Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s enemy from the very beginning. Since the moment he had killed Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s brother. It didn¡¯t matter who had started it. No matter how worthless his brother was, to Lee Ji-ryeong, he was still family, bound by blood. Avenging his brother was a matter of course. There was no moreughable notion than the idea of forsaking revenge for the sake of some greater cause. After ring at Zeon for a moment, Lee Ji-ryeong turned away. ¡°You can look forward to what¡¯s going to happen to you from now on¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it. Just know that it¡¯ll take something extraordinary to satisfy me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure not to disappoint.¡± Just then, someone approached Lee Ji-ryeong. ¡°Visiting hours are over.¡± It was Kevin, the leader of the NSSC. Lee Ji-ryeong looked at Kevin with cold eyes. The pressure was so intense that Kevin gritted his teeth and barely managed to endure it. ¡°It¡¯s the regtion.¡± ¡°Regtion¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve finished your business, please leave now.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong brushed past Kevin indifferently. Kevin¡¯s shoulders trembled with humiliation. He wasn¡¯t someone who could be so easily ignored. As the leader of the NSSC, he was ustomed to receiving a certain level of respect, even from the rulers of the different districts. But Lee Ji-ryeong had treated him with utter contempt. What¡¯s more, Lee Ji-ryeong hadn¡¯t even followed the proper procedures to visit the NSSC. He had barged in at midnight, demanding to meet with Zeon. Kevin couldn¡¯t just disregard Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s demands. Lee Ji-ryeong was already recognized as a major figure in Neo Seoul. That was why Kevin had made an exception and allowed the visit. But he couldn¡¯t let it go on for too long, so he had cautiously spoken up, only to be met with a cold stare and outright disdain. ¡®That bastard¡­¡¯ Without paying any mind to Kevin grinding his teeth, Lee Ji-ryeong left the building. Left alone in the corridor, Kevin turned to Zeon, visible through the window of the cell door. ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you really not the one who killed my men?¡± ¡°You already know I had no reason to kill them.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Kevin kicked the cell door in frustration. NSSC Team 3 had stormed the cell to exact revenge, only to be beaten down like dogs by Zeon and Eloy. Even though the prison¡¯s properties had disrupted the flow of mana, forcing them to fight with only their physical abilities, Team 3 had still lost. After defeating Team 3, Zeon had a chance to escape. But he hadn¡¯t taken it. That was when a thought began to nag at Kevin. Maybe Zeon really wasn¡¯t the culprit. If he were the killer, he would have fled the moment he overpowered Team 3. Since then, Kevin hadn¡¯t been able to shake the feeling that something was off. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, then who killed my men?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already started to suspect, haven¡¯t you? Trust your instincts.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Bang! Kevin kicked the metal door again, but the special alloy didn¡¯t even dent. After fuming for a moment, Kevin looked back at Zeon. ¡°As long as your innocence isn¡¯t proven, I can¡¯t let you go. That¡¯s the rule in the NSSC.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll make sure no more idiotse around to bother you.¡± ¡°That might be difficult. The people involved aren¡¯t exactly ordinary.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not exactly ordinary myself. Stay put until your innocence is proven.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Kevin walked out, shouting as he left. ¡°Damn it! Those filthy bastards! How dare they mess with me? Strengthen the security, and no more visitors!¡± * * * Lee Ji-ryeong nced back at the NSSC headquarters. He could see a blue barrier forming around the massive warehouse-like building. The defensive barrier had been activated. Most of the major buildings in Neo Seoul were equipped with such defensive barriers. They usually remained dormant but would activate in emergencies. The fact that the NSSC building¡¯s barrier had been activated meant that Kevin viewed Lee Ji-ryeong and the Pegasus Raid Force as a serious threat. ¡°Foolish¡­¡± Just then, a woman with gray hair approached him from outside. It was Kelda, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s secretary and head of the Rescue Team. She asked. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Negotiations have failed.¡± ¡°As expected. There¡¯s also been an issue in Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°An intruder stole the highest-grade Mana Stone and escaped.¡± ¡°Those idiots¡­¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s face twisted with contempt. He had joined forces with Johan to increase his power. His goal was to dominate Neo Seoul, while Johan sought to control the slums. But he had never intended to stay allied with Johan for the long term. Keeping a group of fanatics like those in Dongdaemun around would have been a burden even for Lee Ji-ryeong. So he had nned to use them for a while and then discard them, but now this had happened. ¡°Who stole the Mana Stone?¡± ¡°They phased through the wall to steal it¡­¡± ¡°It must be him! Levin.¡± ¡°That seems likely.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong bit his lip. He had coveted Levin¡¯s abilities and had tried several times to recruit him, but all attempts had failed. ¡°Fortunately, the barrier around Dongdaemun has been activated, so they haven¡¯t escaped yet.¡± ¡°The barrier won¡¯t hold for long. It would be good to catch them inside, but if not¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take a big hit.¡± If it became known that they had conspired with Dongdaemun to attack the NSSC and steal the highest-grade Mana Stone, even Mayor Jin Geum-ho wouldn¡¯t sit idly by. While Jin Geum-ho was lenient about power struggles between districts, he showed no mercy to those who threatened his or the City Hall¡¯s authority. Even Lee Ji-ryeong, whose confidence was sky-high after reaching S-rank, wasn¡¯t ready to face Jin Geum-ho. He needed more time to grow stronger and expand his power. The one thing hecked was time to grow. ¡°Implement the second n.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t do it now, we may never get another chance.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kelda pulled out a cell phone from her pocket. While it became useless in the desert, there was no better means ofmunication within Neo Seoul. Kelda made a call. ¡°It¡¯s me. Proceed as nned.¡± She spoke briefly, then ended the call. Lee Ji-ryeong crossed his arms and gazed at the Neo Seoul skyline. Boom! Suddenly, an explosion erupted from a tall building. The stpletely obliterated the upper floors of the structure. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Is it a terrorist attack?¡± People who had been asleep deep into the night were jolted awake and rushed outside in rm. Wails of sirens echoed across Neo Seoul. Lee Ji-ryeong muttered. ¡°In the event of a terrorist attack in Neo Seoul, all of City Hall¡¯s armed forces are dispatched.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than Awakened members of the NSSC poured out of the building. It was Teams 1 and 3 of the NSSC, the forces that had been guarding the headquarters. Upon hearing news of the terrorist attack, they left only a minimal number of personnel behind and sent the rest out. Even Kevin, the leader of the NSSC, who had been opposing Lee Ji-ryeong, was among those who deployed. As they disappeared from view, Lee Ji-ryeong smiled. ¡°Time to start the heist.¡± Dark shadows began to gather behind Lee Ji-ryeong. They were the Awakened members of the Pegasus Raid Force. Hundreds of Awakeneds had silently converged on the NSSC headquarters. Bronson, the Raid Team leader, looked at the NSSC building and muttered. ¡°Heh! So we¡¯re finally going to hunt the Sand Mage?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford to drag this out. We have to kill Zeon before the NSSC returns.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Captain! He might be invincible in the desert, but not here. There¡¯s no sand, and inside that prison, he can¡¯t even use mana properly. What could he possibly do?¡± The NSSC prison was nicknamed the Clean Room. A structure so airtight that not even a speck of dust could get in. For a Sand Mage like Zeon, it was the worst possible environment. That¡¯s why they had chosen this ce as their battleground. Lee Ji-ryeong addressed the Awakeneds. ¡°Whoever brings me Zeon¡¯s head will be made the Deputy Commander of the Pegasus Raid Force.¡± ¡°Whoooa!¡± ¡°His head is mine!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The excited Awakeneds raced toward the NSSC headquarters. Their target was Zeon¡¯s head. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Graaang! A strange roar echoed through the NSSC headquarters. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The Awakeneds guarding the NSSC headquarters looked puzzled. In an instant, the face of the Awakeneds in charge of the barrier turned pale. ¡°They¡¯re disabling the barrier from outside.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± The Awakeneds stared at the main entrance in shock. Forcing the barrier to deactivate wasn¡¯t easy. Disabling a powerful barrier like the one protecting the NSSC headquarters was even more difficult. ¡°Of all times, they choose now to attack? Could they have nned this?¡± Most of the NSSC¡¯s forces had been dispatched to respond to the terrorist attack. Only about a dozen Awakeneds remained at the NSSC headquarters. Boom! At that moment, with a loud explosion, the barrier protecting the NSSC shattered into pieces. ¡°Argh!¡± The Awakeneds in charge of the barrier copsed, severely shaken. At that very moment, the Pegasus Raid Force¡¯s Awakeneds stormed through the main entrance. ¡°You think you¡¯ll get away with this?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The NSSC Awakeneds bravely confronted the intruders. They unleashed their most powerful skills, trying desperately to hold them off. But they were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of Awakeneds surging in like a tidal wave. ¡°Aaagh!¡± ¡°Please, spare me!¡± Their desperate cries were soon drowned out. In an instant, the Pegasus Raid Force subdued the NSSC Awakeneds and made their way underground. Bronson shouted. ¡°We¡¯ve got thirty minutes. The Raid Team and Rescue Team, kill Zeon. The Expedition Team, erase all the evidence.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The Pegasus Raid Force moved with precision. Killing Zeon was important, but leaving no evidence behind was even more crucial. If the City Hall discovered that the Pegasus Raid Force had attacked the NSSC headquarters, there would surely be retaliation. They needed to meticulously erase any evidence to prevent the City Hall from getting involved. The Expedition Team, skilled at finding traces, were also adept at erasing them without leaving a single clue behind. While the Expedition Team began their task of erasing evidence, Bronson led the Raid and Rescue Teams deeper underground. A long corridor with pristine white walls stretched before them. There wasn¡¯t a speck of dust, let alone sand, in sight. It was a scene that perfectly matched the nickname ¡°Clean Room.¡± They had only just entered, yet their mana was already stiffening, refusing to flow. The walls were lined with intricate runes that suppressed mana. Of course, they were prepared for this. ¡°Activate your mana control bracelets, everyone.¡± Each of the intruders wore a simple bracelet on their wrists. This device prevented external barriers or formations from interfering with the wearer¡¯s mana. With these bracelets, they could use their abilities freely, even within the Clean Room. The Awakeneds quickly reached the deepest part of the NSSC prison. The air was chilly. A suffocating heaviness filled the entire corridor. Thest cell at the end of the corridor came into view. ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°Break down the door.¡± Bang! With a thunderous crash, the door was blown off its hinges. The Awakeneds stormed into the room. But their faces quickly turned to confusion. ¡°He¡¯s not here?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is it empty?¡± The cell, which should have held their target, waspletely empty. The Awakeneds were bewildered by the unexpected situation. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Bronson, who had been following leisurely, pushed past the Awakeneds to enter the cell. When he saw the empty cell, his expression mirrored that of the others. ¡°Where¡¯s Zeon? Why isn¡¯t he here?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The Awakeneds couldn¡¯t answer. Just then¡ª Creak! The sound of a door opening echoed from the corridor. Everyone¡¯s gaze instinctively turned toward the entrance. It was the first cell they had passed. The door to the first cell opened, and two figures stepped out. It was Zeon and Eloy. Bronson frowned. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are youing out of there? Did the NSSC move you?¡± ¡°We just moved ourselves. It seemed like a better ce to confront you.¡± ¡°Bullshit! You¡¯re locked up! How could you possibly do that without using mana?¡± ¡°Wandering around here and there, I¡¯ve picked up a few tricks. Opening a door like this is nothing.¡± Bronson¡¯s expression twisted further at Zeon¡¯s response. ¡°Moving cells on your own doesn¡¯t change anything. You¡¯re going to die here today.¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it change anything? If we were in thest cell, we¡¯d be surrounded, but here, it¡¯s us who have you surrounded.¡± ¡°Surrounded?¡± ¡°Think about it from a different perspective. Are you surrounding us, or are we surrounding you? I¡¯d say it¡¯s thetter.¡± ¡°Even so, what can you do, you halfwit who can¡¯t even use mana? Kill him.¡± At Bronson¡¯smand, the Awakened charged at Zeon and Eloy. ¡°Kill them!¡± ¡°Yaaaah!¡± The Awakeneds charged at Zeon and Eloy with battle cries. As Zeon stepped forward to meet them, he muttered to himself. ¡°They don¡¯t know the basics. The one who secures the advantageous position ultimately controls the battle.¡± Not all Awakeneds were equal. Those who truly knew how to fight understood the importance of seizing the high ground. The NSSC prison was structured with cells lining a long, narrow corridor. The corridor was so tight that if two or three adult men walked shoulder to shoulder, they would barely fit. No matter how many hundreds of them there were, only the two or three at the front could engage at a time. If they had remained in thest cell, they would have been overwhelmed by the continuous flood of enemies, but by moving to the entrance, they could push the attackers back. That was why Zeon had unlocked the door and moved after Lee Ji-ryeong left. The Pegasus Raid Force didn¡¯t know how bewildered Eloy had been when Zeon suddenly opened the door and decided to change cells. ¡°You bastards! Let¡¯s have some fun.¡± Eloy, despite not being able to use mana, leaped at the Awakeneds with her bare fists. She didn¡¯t hesitate to throw herself into the fray. The space was limited, and so were the skills they could use. The magic-type Awakeneds couldn¡¯t attack freely without risking theirrades. In the end, the martial-type Awakeneds had to lead the charge. Even without weapons or mana, Eloy was formidable. Born a half-elf, she had trained her body more rigorously than others. Her entire body was a weapon. Crunch! ¡°Ugh!¡± Eloy¡¯s elbow shattered the nose of the lead Awakened who had charged at her. The Awakened copsed with a groan. He had underestimated Eloy, thinking she was weak without her mana, and paid the price. Eloy grabbed the fallen Awakened¡¯s wrist and twisted it. Crack! ¡°Aaagh!¡± With a sickening snap, the Awakened¡¯s arm broke. It was easy to strip the mana control bracelet from his dangling arm. Click! ¡°Nice!¡± A satisfied smile spread across Eloy¡¯s face. The mana that had been as rigid as stone now flowed freely throughout her body. Her sealed power had returned. She had nothing left to fear. ¡°Araaaah!¡± Eloy let out a battle cry and attacked the Awakeneds. Crack! Thud! The sound of violent impacts echoed. With her powerful punches, Eloy knocked the martial-type Awakeneds to the ground, blood spraying from their bodies. But she didn¡¯t escape unscathed. Bang! Thud! Countless punches and skills mmed into her body. Yet, she remained standing, refusing to fall. Eloy was tenacious. She could endure most pain with a smile. Her will had only grown stronger after traversing the desert with Zeon. She dodged des and spears but took unempowered punches head-on, returning each blow with interest. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Damn it! Don¡¯t let them push us back. There are only two of them!¡± ¡°Push forward!¡± Hundreds of Awakeneds seethed with anger, but the corridor was too narrow, allowing only two or three to attack at a time. And those who did attack fell like dominos under Eloy¡¯s assault. But Eloy couldn¡¯t hold them off forever. Some of the Awakeneds broke through Eloy¡¯s defense and closed in on Zeon. ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°If we kill you, it¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Yaaah!¡± They rushed at Zeon like wild beasts. Thud! The lead Awakened was sent flying without even a chance to scream. Zeon¡¯s right fist had struck his abdomen. Even without using mana, Zeon was powerful. His body, hardened by training under Dyoden, was stronger than that of most martial-type Awakeneds, even without mana. In the brutal sh between Zeon and the Awakeneds, blood sttered and flesh was torn. Muscles ruptured and bones shattered as one after another, they fell. It had been a while since Zeon had experienced such a raw, visceral fight. Zeon didn¡¯t bother to strip the mana control bracelets from the fallen Awakened. It didn¡¯t matter. Zeon, as if possessed by the thrill of battle, fought off the attackers with pure strength alone. ¡°Aaagh!¡± ¡°Die, you bastard!¡± He grabbed one Awakened by the cor and mmed him into the ground. Boom! With a resounding crash, the Awakened¡¯s head struck the floor, burying into it with a sickening thud. His legs twitched momentarily before going still. He was dead. Zeon¡¯s martial arts were terrifyingly efficient. He had already taken down dozens of Awakeneds, yet his breathing remained steady and calm. Boom! A massive fireball suddenly exploded against Zeon¡¯s body. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Aaagh!¡± The martial-type Awakened who had been attacking Zeon were engulfed in mes, screaming in agony. The fireball had been aimed at Zeon by a magic-type Awakened, but it also hit the others around him. The mes on their bodies refused to die down, instead burning even more fiercely. The Awakened who had been set aze writhed on the ground, shrieking in pain. However, when the mes dissipated, Zeon emergedpletely unharmed. ¡°How¡­?¡± The Awakened who had cast the fireball stood gaping, his mouth hanging open. Zeon¡¯s entire body was unscathed¡ªthere wasn¡¯t even a single burn mark. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be able to use mana, right?¡± ¡°Who said I couldn¡¯t use mana?¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re wearing mana shackles¡­¡± The Awakened responded, still in shock. Zeon casually shook the mana shackle on his wrist,ughing. ¡°Oh, this? Is that why you thought I couldn¡¯t use mana?¡± It was understandable why the Awakened thought that. After all, with the mana shackle on, it made sense to assume he was unable to use his abilities. Fwoosh! In that instant, the mana shackle that had been restraining Zeon crumbled into dust. The primary material of the mana shackle was dragon bone. Controlling the Inferno Gauntlet, which had a dragon¡¯s eye embedded in it, with a mere trace of dragon bone was an impossibility. From a distance, Bronson watched Zeon, his expression twisting with anger. ¡°You tricked us!¡± ¡°Yeah, and so what?¡± ¡°Coward¡­¡± Zeon smirked. In battle, being called a coward was the highestpliment one could receive. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 240 Chapter 240 From the start, it was impossible for a mana shackle to restrain Zeon¡¯s mana. It wasn¡¯t just because the shackle was made from dragon bone. Nor was it because Zeon¡¯s mana reserves were too vast for the shackle to control. The key was precise mana control. The moment the mana shackle was ced on his hand, Zeon cut off the flow of mana to that area. Hepletely blocked the shackle from interfering with his mana flow. No Awakened in Neo Seoul knew of this method. Even if they did, it wasn¡¯t a technique just anyone could use. Only Zeon could employ such a method. The same applied to the NSSC prison. Though the entire prison was lined with special metals and magic to block mana from entering, it couldn¡¯t do anything about the mana that was already within his body. Whoosh! Behind Zeon, several fireballs appeared. It was his favorite technique, Fire Missiles. Individually, each Fire Missile wasn¡¯t particrly powerful. But when there were dozens of them, the situation changed. Moreover, the battle was taking ce in a narrow corridor with no ce to hide. The enemy might have thought they had cornered Zeon into a trap, but in reality, this was the perfect battlefield for him. ¡°Go!¡± Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh! Dozens of Fire Missiles shot toward the Pegasus Raid Force Awakeneds. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Block them!¡± Boom-boom-boom! The Awakeneds swung their weapons and activated skills to shield themselves. As a result, there were few casualties. But Zeon wasn¡¯t disappointed. He had plenty of mana left to keepunching Fire Missiles without pause. If he wanted, he could continue firing them all day. And that¡¯s exactly what Zeon did. Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh! Dozens of Fire Missiles wereunched in rapid session. Before the first wave could even hit the Awakeneds, a third volley was already on its way. The enemies had attacked with overwhelming numbers, so Zeon responded with an overwhelming barrage of his own. Boom-boom-boom-boom! Explosions echoed continuously. ¡®Damn it! Why is it so fast?¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t even find an opening to counterattack.¡¯ The relentless barrage was not only overwhelming in quantity but also incredibly fast. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Eventually, the casualties began to mount. As soon as they blocked one Fire Missile, two or three more would strike them, leaving them helpless and battered. ¡°That bastard¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll kill you no matter what.¡± Frantic with rage, the martial-type Awakeneds tried to close the distance to Zeon, even if it meant taking some hits. But most of their attempts were thwarted by Eloy. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, you bastards?¡± At first, a few managed to get past her, but after that, she became an imprable wall, guarding Zeon¡¯s front. Thanks to her, Zeon could continue his relentless barrage of Fire Missiles without worrying about the Awakened¡¯s counterattacks. The Pegasus Raid Force¡¯s losses continued to snowball. No matter how many times they blocked, the endless wave of Fire Missiles made it feel like they were trapped in a fiery hell. In fact, the air in the corridor had be so scorching that some even copsed from the unbearable heat. ¡°Worthless¡­ All of you, move aside.¡± At that moment, Bronson pushed his subordinates out of the way and stepped forward. He was enraged to the point of bursting at the ipetence and sacrifices of his men. Boom-boom-boom! Fire Missiles struck his body, but he didn¡¯t even flinch. Such low-level skills couldn¡¯t even scratch his skin. Bronson was a B-rank martial artist Awakened. Though slightly underqualified to lead a massive Raid Force like Pegasus, no one dared to look down on him due to his unique Awakened ability. Bronson¡¯s eyes turned blood-red. The madness and killing intent in his gaze were so intense that even the Pegasus Raid Force members felt a chill of fear. Zeon immediately recognized Bronson¡¯s Awakened ability. ¡°Berserker?¡± A type of Awakened who harnesses rage and pain, unleashing theirtent power in a single explosive burst. While their ability was active, they felt no pain, and their strength increased several times over. ¡°I¡¯ll rip your head off!¡± With a maniacal scream, Bronson charged. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Eloy tried to stop him, but it was futile. Her weapon, the Mad Gumiho, had been confiscated, and the difference in their physical strength was overwhelming. Bronson¡¯s sheer size was a weapon in itself. Like a massive bull, Bronson rammed into Eloy. Boom! With a thunderous crash, Eloy¡¯s body was sent flying backward. Even though she had managed to brace herself at thest second to reduce the impact, it still felt like her entire body was about to shatter. The destructive power was immense. Bronson quickly broke through Eloy¡¯s defense and closed in on Zeon. His massive fist shot out like a boulderunched from a catapult. ¡°Die!¡± Boom! Zeon crossed his arms to block the punch. The impact was so great that Zeon was pushed back several meters. Yet his expression remained unfazed. Bronson immediately followed up with another attack. ¡°Judgment¡¯s Mace!¡± This was one of Bronson¡¯s unique skills. His massive fist was like a mace, and when infused with the dense mana unique to Berserkers, it had the power to crush even a giant beast¡¯s head in a single blow. But Zeon had no intention of taking the attack head-on. ¡°Fire Rain!¡± In an instant, a barrage of ming meteors rained down on Bronson. Boom-boom-boom! The intense heat engulfed Bronson. The mes were powerful enough to incinerate an ordinary Awakened to ashes. Fwoosh! ¡°Kuhaha!¡± But Bronson seemed unaffected by the mes. He burst through the fire, heading straight for Zeon. Bronson¡¯s thick arms wrapped around Zeon¡¯s waist like giant pythons constricting their prey. The immense pressure focused on Zeon¡¯s waist, as Bronson squeezed and growled. ¡°You¡¯re nothing. Without your sand, what can you do? You¡¯re going to die here today¡ªby my hands.¡± Crack! The sound of bones grinding together emanated from Zeon¡¯s waist. Yet Zeon¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. His eyes remained cold as he looked down at Bronson¡¯s face. The moment their eyes met, Bronson realized something was terribly wrong. Zeon spoke. ¡°People like you always make the same mistake. The moment I show a weakness, you think you¡¯re in control.¡± ¡°What?¡± Thud! At that moment, Zeon grabbed Bronson¡¯s face with his right hand. Bronson¡¯s face was sorge that Zeon¡¯s hand barely covered half of it, but that was more than enough. Whoosh! mes erupted from Zeon¡¯s palm. These mes were on an entirely different level, an ultra-high temperature ze. The white-hot mes burned through Bronson¡¯s eyeballs and began to prate his skull. ¡°Aaagh!¡± Bronson let out a horrific scream. He tried to release Zeon and retreat, but this time Zeon didn¡¯t let go. Zeon wrapped his legs around Bronson¡¯s waist, locking him in ce. Bronson rolled on the ground, screaming. ¡°Damn it! Get off me, you monster!¡± ¡°I thought you said I was nothing without sand?¡± ¡°Aaagh!¡± The white mes continued to burn through Bronson¡¯s eyes, reaching his brain. Thick, acrid smoke billowed up. The smell of burning flesh made the nearby Awakeneds shudder. Only then did they realize their grave mistake. Zeon wasn¡¯t strong just because he was a Sand Mage¡ªhe was inherently powerful. They had assumed that in the Clean Room, where sand was scarce, killing Zeon would be easy, but that was a massive miscalction. Even without sand, even with the Inferno Gauntlett sealed, Zeon was formidable. While hundreds of members of the Pegasus Raid Force were needed to clear a single dungeon, Zeon had traversed countless dungeons alone, like they were his own home. He had fought countless monsters and faced off against humans who sought his life. Theyers of experience and physical prowess he had umted were beyond what any ordinary Awakened could match. ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°This is insane! How can this be real?¡± The faces of the Awakeneds who had recklessly charged at Zeon were now filled with fear. They finally realized that Zeon was on an entirely different level from them. An overwhelming wave of terror paralyzed their nerves. They were like frogs frozen in ce before a snake, gripped by primal fear. Zeon nced at them briefly before turning and heading toward the stairs. No one dared to attack Zeon anymore. They understood now. If Zeon had wanted, he could have turned this narrow corridor into a sea of fire, burning them all alive. If he had done so, every member of the Pegasus Raid Force in the corridor would have been reduced to ashes. ¡°Kaak! Ptooey! Serves you right, you bastards.¡± Eloy spat on the ground and sneered at them. But not a single person moved to attack her. They were utterly crushed by the overwhelming pressure radiating from Zeon. Whoosh! As Zeon walked away, Bronson¡¯s corpse waspletely consumed by the white mes. No one dared to approach to extinguish the fire. ¡°Damn it!¡± * * * Thud! With a heavy sound, the door leading to the first-floor lobby opened. The steps of Zeon and Eloy, who were emerging from the door, came to aplete stop. It was because of the Awakeneds filling the lobby. At the center was Lee Ji-ryeong. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eyebrows twitched upon spotting Zeon. It was as if he had seen something he shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°Zeon! How are you here?¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re here, after all.¡± ¡°What happened to Bronson?¡± ¡°What do you think happened?¡± ¡°I asked a stupid question.¡± ¡°You made a stupid choice as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t regret my choice. Even if I could go back, I would make the same choice.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong considered himself a lion. A head of a predator does not retreat or regret. Once he views something as prey, he never lets go. Even if he appears cruel to other creatures, it was the way to protect his own kind. Pure lions may have be extinct, but Lee Ji-ryeong believed they lived on within his soul. Lee Ji-ryeong walked toward Zeon and said, ¡°I tried to deal with this quietly, if possible. How nice it would have been if you had just died willingly?¡± ¡°Who would so easily give up their life?¡± ¡°It would have been morefortable if you had died inside.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like I¡¯m already dead.¡± ¡°You are already a dead man.¡± ¡°Because I can¡¯t use sand?¡± ¡°I know that you¡¯re storing sand in your subspace. But with that amount, you can never defeat me.¡± Zeon¡¯s strength in the desert came from the infinite supply of sand. But this was Neo Seoul, covered in anti-magic and defensive runes. Though not as severe as the Clean Room, there was almost no ce for sand to enter. With limited sand, he could never defeat him. White lightning began to strike around Lee Ji-ryeong. He walked toward Zeon. ¡°Come on. Sand Mage!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 241 Chapter 241 The NSSC was essentially a massive warehouse structure. Its interior was equally vast. In this expansive space, an immense number of lightning bolts were striking down. sh! A relentless rain of lightning poured down without pause. The lightning traveled along the steel framework, spreading throughout the entire NSSC headquarters. Crackle! The barrier, which had barely been holding, shattered like ss under the onught of Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s lightning. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Everyone, get outside. If we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll be fried too.¡± A considerable number of the Pegasus Raid Force Awakeneds hurried outside. They weren¡¯t confident they could withstand Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s lightning. As a result, only a few Pegasus Raid Force Awakeneds remained inside the NSSC headquarters. Kelda, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s secretary and head of the Rescue Team, had a tense expression. ¡°The Captain is using his full power?¡± If Lee Ji-ryeong, an S-rank Awakened, went all out, the entire area would be reduced to ashes. Even if Lee Ji-ryeong won, he wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid the consequences. Authorities from all sides would tear him apart. There was no way Lee Ji-ryeong didn¡¯t know this. He must have seen the future. A future where if he didn¡¯t kill Zeon now, there would be no future for him or the Pegasus Raid Force. That¡¯s why he was ready to risk everything in this fight against Zeon. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, then I have to risk everything too.¡¯ At that moment, a figure swaggered toward Kelda. It was Eloy. In Eloy¡¯s hand was the Mad Gumiho. She had retrieved it after it was confiscated when she was imprisoned. With the Mad Gumiho in her hand, Eloy¡¯s face was full of confidence. Although she was confident in hand-to-handbat, holding the Mad Gumiho made her feel more secure. Eloy red at Kelda and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°Can you handle me?¡± ¡°Idiot, what the hell are you saying? Handle you? I¡¯ll stomp you down without breaking a sweat.¡± ¡°Sigh! Neither you nor Zeon are to my liking.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, how about winning first?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see soon enough who the final victor is.¡± Kelda bit her lip hard. Boom! At that moment, a thunderous roar shook the entire NSSC headquarters. Zeon and Lee Ji-ryeong had shed. That was the signal for Kelda and Eloy to attack each other. Bang! Boom! Kelda, wielding her gray skills, and Eloy, swinging the Mad Gumiho wildly. There was no room for anyone else to intervene in their fight. Now, the NSSC headquarters belonged solely to Zeon and Lee Ji-ryeong, Eloy and Kelda. sh! Boom! A massive bundle of lightning bolts flew toward Zeon with a thunderous sound. In an instant, the sand stored in Zeon¡¯s subspace poured out and blocked the attack. The lightning couldn¡¯t prate the sand barrier and scattered in all directions. The scattered lightning struck the Pegasus Raid Force Awakeneds. ¡°Gyaaah!¡± ¡°Gahk!¡± Though the lightning¡¯s power had weakened after being blocked by the sand, it was still the lightning of an S-rank Awakened. The shocked Awakeneds convulsed and copsed. ¡°Damn it! Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not cut out for this fight.¡± The few Awakeneds who remained quickly fled outside. Meanwhile, the battle between Zeon and Lee Ji-ryeong grew even fiercer. As Lee Ji-ryeong spread his arms wide, countless bolts of lightning struck Zeon directly. Each bolt carried enough power to blow apart an entire body with just one hit. In response, Zeon formed a spherical barrier of sand. The sand sphere surrounding him blocked the lightning, but a significant amount of it turned ck and fell to the ground. It was only natural for the sand to melt under such extreme heat. This was exactly what Lee Ji-ryeong intended. ¡°This is why you can¡¯t defeat me. Outside, you could endlessly supply sand, but the sand stored in your subspace is finite.¡± He would burn the sand until it was all gone. As he continued to burn it, eventually, Zeon would run out, and that would be Zeon¡¯s end. The only question was whether his mana wouldst until then, but for an S-rank like Lee Ji-ryeong, that wasn¡¯t a concern. Crack! sh! Once again, a bolt of lightning shot toward Zeon with a loud crack. Zeon dodged the lightning and swung his hand. Dozens of serpentine strands of sand flew toward Lee Ji-ryeong. It was Viper, one of Zeon¡¯s frequently used skills. However, the Viper never reached Lee Ji-ryeong. A barrier of lightning formed around him, blocking all of them. The Vipers that hit the lightning barrier were charred ck and fell helplessly to the ground. ¡°I told you it¡¯s useless.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong sneered at Zeon. A lightning mage versus a sand mage. In the desert, Zeon might be far stronger, but here, he, as the lightning mage, had the upper hand. Choosing a favorable battlefield was also a skill. Trapping Zeon in the NSSC headquarters had been a brilliant move. Fizzle! Zeon sent out another Viper, but once again, it collided with the lightning barrier and disintegrated. Zeon¡¯s power was waning. However, there was no sign of urgency on Zeon¡¯s face. sh! Zeon dodged another lightning bolt that flew at him in the blink of an eye and snapped his fingers. ¡°Sand Soldier!¡± In an instant, dozens of Sand Soldiers rose from the sand. He could have summoned more, but with limited sand remaining, he summoned only a few dozen for now. The soldiers, born from the sand, attacked Lee Ji-ryeong ording to Zeon¡¯s will. ¡°Hah! I told you it¡¯s useless. You¡¯re so stubborn.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong waved his hand with an annoyed expression. A bundle of lightning struck the leading Sand Soldiers and incinerated them. Sizzle! The Sand Soldiers copsed into ckened heaps. If they had been human, they would have been terrified by the sight of theirrades dying, or they might have fled without thinking. But Sand Soldiers weren¡¯t human. They had no fear, noplex thoughts. There was no concept of retreat for Sand Soldiers. They moved solely ording to Zeon¡¯s will. And Zeon¡¯s will was to attack. Just as Lee Ji-ryeong had no intention of retreating from this fight, neither did Zeon. Lee Ji-ryeong was his enemy. An enemy bound by a deep grudge. Even if Zeon were to surrender or beg for reconciliation, Lee Ji-ryeong would never spare him. This was a fight that wouldn¡¯t end until one of them was dead. Zeon had no intention of whining about being at a disadvantage. Dyoden had taught him better than that to whine when fighting in an unfavorable battle. He would use every means at his disposal to face his enemy. That was the survival tactic Zeon had learned in the desert. Boom! With an explosion, another Sand Soldier was destroyed. And that was just the beginning. Bang! Bang! Bang! The Sand Soldiers charging at Lee Ji-ryeong exploded one after another. Surrounded by a barrier of lightning, Lee Ji-ryeong was the embodiment of a thunder god. A thunder god descended to earth, freely summoning lightning to strike Zeon. The skill Lightning Field. This was Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s domain. In this ce, Lee Ji-ryeong was as powerful as a god. A rain of lightning poured down. No matter how much they had surpassed human limits, no Awakened could avoid such a massive barrage of lightning. Zeon had no choice but to raise a wall of sand to block the iing lightning. Sizzle! The sand, directly hit by the intense heat of the lightning, melted and turned into crystals. The sand melted and transformed into something like ss. Seeing this, Zeon¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He had remained calm even as his sand was running low because of Exion. The ultimate weapon he had in his possession. Once he brought out Exion, his power would be multiplied. But he had been holding back on using Exion because it was a trump card he wanted to keep hidden until the very end. If he revealed Exion too early, he would face even more suppression. That¡¯s why Zeon wanted to fight Lee Ji-ryeong using only his pure abilities. Boom! At that moment, an immense bolt of lightning, on apletely different level from before, struck Zeon directly. Giga Lightning. A skill with several times the power of an ordinary lightning bolt hit Zeon. The sand wall protecting Zeon shattered, and he was exposed to the electric currents. ¡°Argh!¡± Zeon screamed as he was flung backward. White smoke rose from his body after being struck by the Giga Lightning. Yet Zeon was still alive. Thanks to the robe made from Leviathan hide. If his robe were to be rated, it would be considered an item beyond standard ssifications. It possessed that much powerful defensive capability. Thanks to it, Zeon¡¯s life was saved. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s lips twisted upward. He was certain he had gained the upper hand. ¡°Ho! To think you survived that. But you won¡¯t survive it a second time.¡± Crackle! Sparks flew from Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s entire body. Hammer of the Thunderer. It was the most powerful skill Lee Ji-ryeong could currently use. A skill far stronger and more destructive than Giga Lightning. No matter how extraordinary Zeon¡¯s robe was in terms of defense, it wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the Hammer of the Thunderer. Boom! Before the Hammer of the Thunderer could even be unleashed, the ceiling of the NSSC headquarters blew away. Revealing the night sky of Neo Seoul. Lightning poured down above Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s head. The lightning that gathered in Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s body condensed. Buzz! Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s body trembled. It felt like lightning, not blood, was surging through his veins. The sensation of truly bing the Thunder God sent a thrill through him. At that moment, something strange caught Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s eye. Zeon was kneeling on one knee, with his hand pressed against the ground. Lee Ji-ryeong sneered at Zeon. ¡°Have you already given up?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite the sneer, Zeon didn¡¯t blink an eye. He was exerting the utmost concentration. Only then did Lee Ji-ryeong sense something unusual and grew tense. ¡°You?¡± The atmosphere changed. Although this was a space dominated by Lee Ji-ryeong, there was an odd flow of energy. At the center of it was Zeon. Lee Ji-ryeong instinctively realized that he shouldn¡¯t dy any longer. He reached out toward Zeon and shouted. ¡°Hammer of the Thunderer!¡± Boom! The condensed lightning within his body shot toward Zeon. It was a bolt of lightning asrge as a building. It possessed enough power to vaporize the NSSC headquarters in an instant. It was a power worthy of the name Hammer of the Thunderer. As the world turned white from the massive lightning strike, Zeon¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Sand Gehenna.¡± Fwoosh! In an instant, the temperature inside the NSSC skyrocketed. It rapidly rose to thousands of degrees Celsius. The sand scattered on the floor melted under the extreme heat and turned into something like moltenva. Just as its name suggested, a hellish scene of molten sand unfolded. From within the Sand Gehenna, a massive pir of moltenva shot up. The pir of moltenva shed with the Hammer of the Thunderer. Boom! ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°Uwaah!¡± An enormous shockwave from the explosion swept over the Awakeneds outside the NSSC. Like leaves caught in a storm, the Awakeneds were flung in all directions. When the Awakeneds, who had rolled pathetically on the ground, came to their senses and looked up, the NSSC headquarters hadpletely vanished. In the ce where the NSSC once stood, Zeon and Lee Ji-ryeong faced each other. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s face was filled with shock and disbelief. ¡°You?¡± ¡°This is a skill I realized thanks to you.¡± He had been inspired by watching the sand burn under the lightning. What if he used the power of fire contained in the Inferno Gauntlet to melt and manipte the sand? Until now, he had asionally mixed fire-based skills with his sand powers. But this was the first time he had been so strongly inspired. For most people, it would have ended with mere inspiration. But in that fleeting moment, Zeon had materialized his inspiration. He maximized the power of the InfernoGauntlet, applying extreme heat and pressure to the sand. In an instant, the sand melted and boiled, turning into an inferno¡ªGehenna. It was truly a gehenna of sand. While Lee Ji-ryeong had imed the area as his domain with Lightning Field, Zeon had dered this ce his territory with Sand Gehenna. Zeon raised his hand. Then, the molten masses that had been churning on the ground floated into the air. ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin the second round.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Swoosh! Hundreds of molten rocks, each the size of an adult¡¯s torso, shot toward Lee Ji-ryeong like meteors. In a hurry, Lee Ji-ryeong summoned his lightning barrier to block theva attack. Boom! Boom! Boom! With a thunderous roar, Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s body shook violently. The molten rocks pounded against the lightning barrier like drums. Drip! ck blood trickled from the corner of his lips. The impact had been tremendous. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Lee Ji-ryeong quicklyunched a counterattack. Although his most powerful skill was the Hammer of the Thunderer, he couldn¡¯t use it recklessly. Its immense power came with equally immense mana consumption and aplex reactivation process. It wasn¡¯t a skill to use in a desperate moment like this. Instead, he fired dozens of lightning bolts simultaneously. Like Zeon, he resorted to an all-out attack. Confident that out of the dozens of bolts fired, at least a few would hit Zeon. But contrary to his expectations, all the lightning bolts struck the massive chunks of moltenva that Zeon hadunched. Boom! Boom! Boom! The molten rocks shattered, sending fiery debris flying in all directions. In that instant, Lee Ji-ryeong noticedrge steel bars embedded in the chunks ofva. They were steel beams from the ruins of the NSSC. Only then did Lee Ji-ryeong realize why his lightning had focused on the molten rocks. ¡°He¡¯s using the steel as lightning rods?¡± Like most buildings, the NSSC headquarters was built with steel beams as its framework. With the destruction of the NSSC, pieces of steel debris were scattered everywhere. In other words, Zeon had materials for lightning rods all around him. Crack! The moltenva clustered around the steel bars. Just as the steel was about to melt into the sizzlingva, it flew toward Lee Ji-ryeong. Although he tried to strike Zeon with lightning, it was drawn to the steel and hit the moltenva instead. Boom! The massiveva exploded upon impact with the lightning, scattering mes toward Lee Ji-ryeong. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s face twisted in pain. As an Awakened who wielded lightning, he had a strong resistance to high-voltage currents, but he wasn¡¯t resistant to extreme heat. To make matters worse, the entire area was engulfed in Sand Gehenna. The ground, where sand had melted intova, was hostile to him. This ce was literally Zeon¡¯s domain. ¡°Damn it!¡± Lee Ji-ryeong realized that all his ns had fallen apart. His original n was to kill Zeon without leaving any evidence and then escape. But with the NSSC building blown away, people in the vicinity had all seen his face. There was no way to deny what happened or reverse the situation. Some kind of punishment from Neo Seoul was inevitable. Now, only two options remained. Either flee to the desert and be a scavenger or face trial and imprisonment. Either way, he had to kill Zeon first. ¡®In the end, you¡¯re forcing me to risk everything.¡¯ Lee Ji-ryeong looked at Zeon with a determined expression. It was like standing before a massive wall. Unless he could ovee that wall, he would never reach the seat where Jin Geum-ho sat. Crackle! His entire body was enveloped in lightning. Not just emitting lightning outward, but bing lightning itself. It was a skill he had mastered upon reaching S-rank, Fury of the Thunderer. Lee Ji-ryeong transformed into a thunder god and hurled himself at Zeon. He poured all his remaining mana into this single attack, not thinking about what woulde next. Zap! Zeon alsounched himself off the ground. Theva that had turned the area into a fiery hell rose to follow Zeon. Whoosh! Theva spiraled around Zeon. Zeon, wrapped in spiralingva, looked like a massive fire spear. Boom! The thunder god and theva spear collided in mid-air. The aftermath was catastrophic. Many of the buildings near the NSSC headquarters were half-destroyed, and a massive shockwave swept through the area like a de. Boom! Boom! Boom! A chain of explosions erupted, iming the lives of countless Awakeneds caught in the st. Those who barely survived stared in shock at the spot where the NSSC headquarters had once stood. A giant crater, as if left by a meteor strike, now upied the site where the NSSC had been, and the nearby buildings were so severely damaged that only their basic forms remained. The damage was minimized only because the protective barriers of Neo Seoul had activated. It was nothing short of a disaster. ¡°How can this be a battle between humans?¡± ¡°Are all S-rank Awakeneds like this? Then how powerful must the rulers of each district be?¡± The Awakened looked on in fear at the massive crater. There stood Zeon and Lee Ji-ryeong. Just by looking, it was impossible to tell who was the victor and who was the loser. Then, suddenly¡ª Fwoosh! mes abruptly erupted from Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s feet. The pure white mes quickly engulfed his lower body and then rose to consume his torso. ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°The Captain¡­¡± The moment the victor of the battle was decided. Zeon was deathly pale, but he was still standing on his two feet. In contrast, Lee Ji-ryeong was being consumed by the fierce mes. From within the fire, Lee Ji-ryeong spoke. ¡°You¡¯re strong! I was never your match to begin with.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Heh! How pathetic. I struggled so hard, but in the end, I was in the palm of your hand.¡± Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s self-mockingughter echoed from within the mes. The extreme heat of the mes began to engulf his face. His hair, eyes, and vocal cords melted away one by one. Yet Lee Ji-ryeong continued to stare at Zeon. It was his final act of pride. The tyrant who once dreamed of ruling Neo Seoul fell, his wings clipped, and turned to ash in the mes. At that moment¡ª ¡°No!¡± A sharp cry rang out. It was Kelda, who had been fighting fiercely with Eloy nearby. Seeing Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s death, Kelda charged forward like a madwoman. But by the time she reached the scene, Lee Ji-ryeong had already burned away without leaving a trace. ¡°This can¡¯t be! Captain¡­¡± Kelda wed at the ground where Lee Ji-ryeong had stood, tears streaming down her face. Bloodstains spread from her chest. While she was distracted by Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s death, Eloy¡¯s spear had pierced her heart. ¡°Captain! It¡¯s lonely to go alone. I¡¯ll join you. Keep aiming for the sky¡­ even there.¡± Kelda¡¯s voice gradually faded, and her head slumped down. Her life had ended. ¡°Hah!¡± Eloy finally exhaled the breath she had been holding. Kelda had been an incredibly strong opponent. Had she not been distracted by Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s death, it would have taken much longer to bring her down. ¡°This can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°The Captain¡­¡± The surviving Pegasus Awakeneds couldn¡¯t hide their shock. The core of the Pegasus Raid Force was Lee Ji-ryeong. It was his powerful charisma and leadership that had kept them together without any major issues. Those who had recently joined were especially dependent on him. That¡¯s why, with Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s death, they didn¡¯t know what to do. To make matters worse, the key figures who could have helped manage the situation were dead. The deaths of the Raid Team leader Bronson and Rescue Team leader Kelda, elerated the disintegration of the Pegasus Raid Force, whose unity was already fragile. ¡°Screw this! I¡¯m quitting.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave? We need to avenge the Captain.¡± ¡°How? You saw it too. Just how powerful that Sand Mage is. I don¡¯t want to die a horrible death like that.¡± ¡°Even so¡­¡± ¡°If you want revenge, do it yourself. I¡¯m leaving.¡± As more and more began to defect, the moment arrived. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The headquarters ispletely destroyed.¡± ¡°Arrest them all.¡± The NSSC forces that had gone outside to deal with the terror returned. Enraged by the sight of their obliterated headquarters, the NSSC Awakeneds attacked and apprehended the Pegasus Raid Force members. Zeon silently watched the entire scene unfold. He had sustained significant injuries from his battle with Lee Ji-ryeong. Even so, he didn¡¯t show any sign of weakness or fatigue. Neo Seoul was a ce where showing weakness made you a target. No matter how difficult it was, no matter how much pain he was in, he had to endure it. Someone cautiously approached Zeon. It was Kevin, the leader of the NSSC. Fear was evident in Kevin¡¯s eyes as he looked at Zeon. Even a fool could tell how things had turned out by now. But Kevin wasn¡¯t a fool. The fact that he realized the terror was a ruse and promptly returned his forces to the NSSC showed his sharp instincts. The problem was Zeon. Zeon had be so powerful that he had incinerated an S-rank Awakened like Lee Ji-ryeong. He wasn¡¯t confident he could deal with someone that strong. ¡®At least someone at the level of the Numbers would have a chance to deal with him.¡¯ He was neither a Numbers nor an S-rank Awakened. ¡°What should I do about him¡­¡± At that moment, Zeon approached Kevin. Kevin¡¯s face hardened instantly. If Zeon attacked now, there would be no way for him to stop it. However, Zeon¡¯s attitude towards him was courteous. ¡°This is my exnation.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± ¡°Is there anything else you need to exin?¡± ¡°Ha! I know you didn¡¯t kill my subordinates. If you had, the Pegasus Raid Force wouldn¡¯t havee to kill you.¡± He had to admit it. Zeon was not the culprit who killed NSSC Team 2. The unfolding situation was telling him that. Kevin wasn¡¯t foolish enough to stubbornly deny the obvious. ¡°You are not guilty. You may leave.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After Zeon bowed and turned his gaze toward Eloy. Eloy was leaning against the Mad Gumiho, gasping for breath. She had no strength left to move a single finger. She had exhausted all her energy fighting Kelda. Zeon spoke to her. ¡°Please take care of the aftermath.¡± ¡°Got it. Go on.¡± Eloy gestured for him to leave. Someone had to stay behind to clean up this mess. It was a major incident where the NSSC headquarters had been attacked and destroyed. The aftermath would be significant. Since Zeon had also contributed to the destruction of the NSSC, he could notpletely avoid responsibility. Thus, Eloy had to stay behind to handle the aftermath. To ensure that no further problems would arise. Eloy knew the best way to handle it. ¡°Mandy, please.¡± It was to ask the expert for help. Eloy¡¯s personality quickly vanished beneath the surface, and Mandy¡¯s personality emerged. ¡°Ah, no!¡± Mandy, with a tearful expression, copsed onto the ground. Zeon paid no attention to Mandy and left the NSSC headquarters. One of the NSSC Awakeneds cautiously asked Kevin. ¡°Is it alright to let him go like that?¡± ¡°Or what?¡± ¡°Still, we should capture him and hold him ountable for the destruction of the headquarters¡­¡± ¡°You want to capture him?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The Sand Mage even createdva. He¡¯s beyond our control.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a scam? How can a human have such abilities¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re so aggrieved, you capture him yourself and deal with it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, just stay out of the way. Don¡¯t end up like Lee Ji-ryeong.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± In the end, the Awakened who had spoken could not recover his losses and spat on the ground. Kevin muttered as he watched Zeon¡¯s receding figure. ¡°He¡¯s already a big shot. He¡¯s not someone we can handle.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Step, step! The sound of footsteps echoed above their heads. Once the footsteps faded into the distance, Levin and Brielle let out a sigh of relief. ¡°They¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°Wow! Putting up a barrier over the entire district? That¡¯s insane!¡± Brielle shook her head in disbelief. Other districts have barriers too, but most of them are ced around critical facilities or buildings that must be protected. No one would spread a barrier over an entire district like this. Not only does it require enormous amounts of money and manpower, but it also faces severe bacsh from the residents. When a barrier is activated, all entry and exit arepletely blocked. Naturally, this means the residents can¡¯t move to other districts either. It might be tolerable for a few people, but if all the residents were to rebel, even the rulers of the districts couldn¡¯t ignore it. That¡¯s why such a crazy thing doesn¡¯t happen in other districts. Levin looked around and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s only possible because they¡¯re a group of fanatics. The residents of Dongdaemun follow Johan blindly. If he ordered them to die on the spot, they¡¯d probably be d to do so.¡± ¡°That¡¯spletely insane.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re called fanatics.¡± Squelch! Squelch! Dirty water sshed under their feet as they walked. They were in the sewers beneath Dongdaemun. Just as they were about to leave Dongdaemun, the barrier was activated. They narrowly missed escaping from Dongdaemun. Then, all the residents of Dongdaemun began searching for them. The residents voluntarily became the eyes and ears of the Pdins. Because of this, they couldn¡¯t hide in any ordinary buildings or alleys. No matter how formidable Levin¡¯s abilities were, he couldn¡¯t evade the eyes of everyone. That¡¯s why they hade to the sewers. The sewers, filled with all sorts of filth, were a ce even fanatics would hesitate to enter. Because of this, the Pdins hadn¡¯t yet searched there. However, it was only a matter of time before they invaded this ce too. They had to escape Dongdaemun through the sewers before that happened. The problem was that the sewers were aplex maze. More intricate than mostbyrinth-type dungeons, one wrong turn could trap them here forever. While there was no barrier in the sewers, a greater obstacle awaited them. It was easy to lose their sense of direction here, making it difficult to find the right way out. Levin muttered with a perplexed expression. ¡°Is Sinchon this way? Or is it that way?¡± ¡°You idiot. It¡¯s to the right.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Did you forget where I was held?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Levin let out a bted sigh. Brielle, who had been captured by humans, had been forced to make drugs in the sewers. For years. She was ustomed to the darkness and stench. Naturally, she was better at finding her way around than Levin. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Brielle took the lead. As Levin followed her, he thought to himself. ¡®She¡¯s a tough little kid, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ A smile crept onto his face. Despite the dire situation, he could smile because Brielle was with him. She was arrogant, cold, and had every bad personality trait, but despite that, having her with him was reassuring. As she walked ahead, Brielle muttered. ¡°Light!¡± A small orb, the size of a fist, appeared. It was the basic spell, Light. Thanks to it, they could see clearly even in the dark sewers. The sight of the sewers under the light was truly horrific. A thick sludge of unknown filth mixed together, forming a swamp-like consistency. ¡°Ugh! It would¡¯ve been better not to see this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? The ce I was in¡­¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Suddenly, Levin raised his hand to stop Brielle from speaking. Her curious expression quickly turned serious. Ssh! Ssh! They could hear the sound of water sshing from a distance. They instantly recognized the source of the sound. ¡°Pursuers.¡± ¡°The Pdins have caught up.¡± It was clear that the Pdins had tracked them down to the sewers. As they had expected, the footsteps belonged to the Pdins. Leading the Pdins was Victor. ¡®Hiding in the sewers, huh? These guys are craftier than I thought.¡¯ If not for Infinite Pursuit, they would have never known that Levin and Brielle had entered the sewers. Their movements had been that unpredictable. The sewers were a ce no one wanted to enter. Especially not the Pdins, who considered themselves noble. To them, this ce, filled with filth, was like a living hell. Yet, they had boldly entered the sewers. If they didn¡¯t recover the top-grade Mana Stone from Levin and Brielle, the very foundation of Dongdaemun would be shaken. Victor shouted, ¡°They¡¯re not far away.¡± Even in the sewer, where all sorts of foul smells mingled, Infinite Pursuit emitted a clear scent. As long as Infinite Pursuit was active, there was no way Levin and Brielle could escape their grasp. Victor and the Pdins quickened their pace. Their movements caused ripples in the filthy water. The ripples reached Brielle. ¡°How are they tracking us so precisely through this maze of sewers?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The Pdins must be using some sort of trick.¡± ¡°Like a tracking skill?¡± ¡°Wait a second¡­ Search!¡± Brielle quickly cast a simple spell to examine herself and Levin. Her expression twisted as she saw the results. ¡°Just as I thought!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A tracking skill is on us.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a skill that leaves a scent only the caster can detect. They¡¯re following us like hunting dogs.¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Brielle rummaged through her subspace pocket in her conical hat. After a moment, she pulled out a small potion bottle. ¡°Spray this on yourself! It¡¯ll mask the scent for a while.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Levin sprayed the potion all over his body. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± The two of them began to run through the sewers again. There were numerous iron bars blocking their path in the sewers. Each time they encountered one, Levin would phase through it using his ghosting ability. The Pdins, on the other hand, smashed through the iron bars and charged forward. Victor¡¯s expression grew more urgent. ¡°Damn it! Their scent is fading. They¡¯ve figured out we were tracking them. At this rate, we¡¯ll lose them.¡± His mind raced. ¡®Their destination is Sinchon anyway. It might be better to track them from outside instead of blindly following them down here.¡¯ Having made his decision, he shouted to the Pdins, ¡°Everyone, get out of here.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± They immediately opened a manhole cover and jumped out. The ce where the Pdins emerged was Sinchon. In their frantic pursuit through the sewers, they had crossed over into Sinchon. Victor gave the order. ¡°Mobilize all the Pdins in Sinchon to block Zeon¡¯s house and the Goblin Market.¡± There were only two safe ces in Sinchon. The Goblin Market, which was almost like an extraterritorial zone, and Zeon¡¯s house. The Goblin Market was tied to the interests of many factions, so even Dongdaemun hadn¡¯t been able to fully control it. The other ce was Zeon¡¯s house. The Pdins of Dongdaemun had repeatedly tried to break into Zeon¡¯s house, but the barrier created by the Watching Eye couldn¡¯t be broken by any means. Neither the walls nor the windows could be destroyed. Zeon¡¯s house was a perfect fortress. Eventually, the Pdins had given up trying to enter and settled for keeping watch over it. Victor moved toward the Goblin Market. He was trusting his instincts. Victor¡¯s gamble paid off. As they reached the Goblin Market, Levin and Brielle were phasing through a manhole cover, trying to escape. ¡°Got them.¡± Victor immediately shed his sword at Levin and Brielle. Swoosh! Fortunately, they were still in their ghostly form, so they weren¡¯t harmed, but they felt a chill run down their spines. They thought they hadpletely shaken off their pursuers, but they had been caught right in front of their destination. Levin sighed. ¡°Ha! Damn it. We¡¯ve been caught by a persistent hunting dog. I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d pursue us so relentlessly.¡± ¡°Where is the top-grade Mana Stone?¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Denying it won¡¯t help. You must have it in some kind of subspace item.¡± By now, the Pdins had surrounded Levin and Brielle. They encircled them tightly, leaving no gaps, and drew their weapons. Maces, swords, and ils radiated a holy light. The Pdins had activated their unique skill, Holy Weapon. No matter how invulnerable Levin was in his ghostly form, he couldn¡¯t nullify attacks imbued with divine protection. Levin sighed and said, ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll have to risk our lives.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hold out as long as we can. The Goblin Market should realize by now that we¡¯ve arrived, so they¡¯ll definitely act.¡± ¡°They better.¡± Just then¡ª ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Unbelievers, receive the hammer of God!¡± The Pdins attacked in unison. In response, Levin unleashed his Purple Lightning, and Brielle used every spell she could. sh! Boom! Lightning and holy light shed, devastating the area. The sudden battle drew the attention of the Goblin Market merchants, who rushed out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Pdins.¡± The merchants¡¯ expressions darkened when they saw the Pdins. None of the merchants in the Goblin Market had a good opinion of the Pdins from Dongdaemun. Yoo Se-hee, who came outte, bit her lip. She recognized the people fighting the Pdins. ¡®Levin and Brielle!¡¯ She wanted to mobilize the full force of the Goblin Market to save them, even now. But if they got involved in this fight, it would mean an all-out war with Dongdaemun. Once they shed with Dongdaemun¡¯s fanatics, there would be no end to the fight. If it were just Yoo Se-hee herself, she might not hesitate, but as the leader of the Goblin Market, she had to be cautious. While Yoo Se-hee hesitated, the battle between Levin, Brielle, and the Pdins grew more intense. Suddenly, Victor shifted his focus. His new target was Brielle, who was fighting other Pdins. In that instant, he had judged her to be the weak link. Unlike Levin, Brielle¡¯sbat abilities weren¡¯t exceptional. Since her primary awakened ability was alchemy, her magic was just a secondary skill. Naturally, her attack spells weren¡¯t particrly powerful. It was better to take down the weaker Brielle and distract Levin rather than waste energy trying to take down Levin directly. Swoosh! Victor¡¯s sword aimed for Brielle¡¯s neck. The sudden attack left Brielle with no time to react. ¡°No! Brielle!¡± Levin, shocked, tried to save her, but he couldn¡¯t move faster than Victor¡¯s sword. In an instant, Victor¡¯s sword reached Brielle¡¯s neck. ¡®So, this is how I die.¡¯ Brielle thought as she squeezed her eyes shut. Thud! A dull sound echoed as Victor¡¯s sword was blocked by something. Cautiously opening her eyes, Brielle saw a yellow sand wall in front of her. Victor¡¯s sword was stuck in the wall, unable to move. A smile appeared on Brielle¡¯s face. ¡°Zeon!¡± There was only one person in this world who could control sand¡ªZeon. Looking up, she saw Zeon standing on a pir of sand. Zeon, who had left Neo Seoul, had returned to Sinchon. Victor and the Pdins, shocked, looked up at Zeon. ¡°Zeon?¡± ¡°The Sand Mage.¡± Zeon¡¯s cold gaze bore down on Victor and the Pdins. At that moment, a sandstorm blew in. The sand that had settled on the streets, and the sand that had been carried by the wind, responded to Zeon¡¯s will and enveloped Victor and the Pdins. Zeonmanded. ¡°Sand Mixer.¡± Gaaaang! ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Grrrrrr! A tremendous amount of sand spun at high speed, creating a noise like a motor running. For those trapped within the rapidly spinning sand, the sound was amplified several times over, inducing sheer terror. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Victor¡¯s facial muscles twitched under the immense pressure and deafening noise. It wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if it were just pressure, but the countless grains of sand were scraping away at his skin. The weaker Pdins screamed in agony. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Aaagh! Oh God!¡± Some Pdins tried to deploy their Holy Shields, but it was futile. The high-speed sand particles shredded even the Holy Shields. It was a sand hell. All they could see was sand, and they couldn¡¯t escape the immense pressure and cutting winds. One Pdin, in a desperate attempt, swung his sword wildly to cut through the sand. But the sand, temporarily parted, quickly returned to its original state, continuing to tear at the Pdins¡¯ skin and muscles. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Save me, please!¡± Inside the Sand Mixer, hell had unfolded. Screams, cries, and the blood of the Pdins mixed with the sand and vanished in an instant. Blood-tears streamed from Victor¡¯s eyes. The fine sand particles had burrowed into his mucous membranes. ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t be!¡± He desperately deployed his Holy Shield with all his strength. The holy light wrapped around him warmly for a moment, but thefort was short-lived as the excruciating pain returned. The sand particles had shredded his Holy Shield in an instant. He tried deploying the Holy Shield several more times, but it was useless. The merciless sandstorm that had engulfed him and the Pdins disarmed everything like a tyrant. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be! If we be enemies with this man, Dongdaemun will be destroyed!¡± Unlike in Neo Seoul, there was no limit to the amount of sand that could be summoned here. There was no need to conserve it, so Zeon gathered all the sand within his control and unleashed the Sand Mixer. The Sand Mixer, unleashed at full power by Zeon, was beyond what Victor could handle. ¡°W-wait! Let¡¯s talk¡­¡± Victor tried to speak to Zeon in ast-ditch effort, but his voice never reached him. Grrrrrr! The high-speed sand particles swallowed his voice. Crunch! The sword made from a special material turned to dust, and his fingers, hardened to be stronger than steel, were torn apart in a spray of blood. There was no pain. The body was being torn apart faster than the nerves could transmit the pain. His elbows, shoulders, and torso were erased from this world as if erased by a giant eraser. In his fading consciousness, Victor mumbled to himself. ¡®That man¡­ he¡¯s not human. A demon, yes! A demon who defies God¡­¡¯ That was Victor¡¯s final thought. With that thought, darkness overtook him, and it marked his end. Pooof! Victor was reduced to bloody sand andpletely disappeared from this world. Only then did Zeon dissipate the Sand Mixer, allowing the sand that had engulfed the Goblin Market to scatter in all directions. ¡°¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t just the sand that disappeared. The Pdins who had been inside it were also gone without a trace. The merchants who hade out of the Goblin Market were speechless at the unbelievable sight. They had heard a lot about Zeon, but this was the first time they had actually seen him use his sand. The power of the Sand Mixer they had witnessed firsthand far exceeded their imagination, filling them with immense fear. ¡°What¡­ what did I just see?¡± ¡°Is that the true power of the Sand Mage?¡± The merchants all had the same thought¡ªthey didn¡¯t want to be enemies with Zeon. They didn¡¯t want to disappear without a trace like Victor and the Pdins, reduced to bloody sand. Even Yoo Se-hee had a look of undisguised fear on her face. She had known that Zeon was a Sand Mage and that he was an exceptionally powerful Awakened, but seeing him reduce the Pdins to nothing filled her with such shock that she couldn¡¯t speak. In contrast, Brielle and Levin called out to Zeon with bright smiles. ¡°Zeon!¡± ¡°Hyung!¡± They didn¡¯t care that others were afraid. They hugged Zeon and rejoiced in their reunion. Zeon gently patted them as he spoke. ¡°Are you both alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks to you¡­¡± ¡°Are you okay, hyung?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± After confirming each other¡¯s safety, they pulled away from the embrace. Only then did Yoo Se-hee, who had managed to collect herself, approach Zeon. ¡°That was incredible. You wiped out those troublesome Pdins in one go.¡± ¡°I needed to send them a clear warning.¡± ¡°To Johan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I thought so.¡± Yoo Se-hee nodded in agreement. Zeon¡¯s method had definitely been excessive this time. Up until now, Zeon had always maintained a line. He was ruthless toward those who crossed it, but otherwise, he was rather lenient. He generally avoided using his sand-based skills in front of people. Especially lethal skills like the one he had just used. For him to unleash such a deadly skill in front of others was a tant warning to Johan and Dongdaemun. At that moment, Brielle pulled out the top-grade Mana Stone from the subspace in her conical hat. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°You found it.¡± ¡°Yeah, we found it in the basement of the Holy Temple.¡± Just then, ¡°So, it¡¯s confirmed that they raided the NSSC and stole the top-grade Mana Stone.¡± An old man¡¯s voice echoed from behind them. When they turned to look, they saw an old man with a cane and twin sisters approaching them. Zeon recognized the old man immediately. ¡°Old Go.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really turned Neo Seoul upside down.¡± ¡°Because of you, it¡¯s chaos.¡± ¡°It¡¯s chaos because of Zeon.¡± The ones speaking almost in unison were Old Go and the twin sisters. Three of the Numbers had appeared. Their appearance made Yoo Se-hee and several merchants from the Goblin Market tense up. Those who tensed up were members of ¡°Argos¡¯s Eye,¡± they knew that the Numbers were the hidden des of the market. Old Go, apanied by the twins, approached the top-grade Mana Stone. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much, but I¡¯ll take this. After all, it originally belonged to Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°For free?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± A sly smile creased the deep wrinkles around Old Go¡¯s eyes. * * * Johan sped his hands together and looked up at the cross in the Holy Temple. His eyes, fixed on the cross, were bloodshot. His aura was so intense that no one dared to enter the Holy Temple. In truth, Johan was furious. The top-grade Mana Stone, stored in the basement of the Holy Temple, had been stolen. It was as if his God and his pride had been trampled. Suddenly, he spoke. ¡°Have they not been caught yet?¡± ¡°The Vice-Captain led a force after them, so they¡¯ll be captured soon.¡± The one who answered was the Pdin Captain, Daison. Despite Daison¡¯s words, Johan¡¯s hardened expression didn¡¯t soften. He walked over to where Daison stood. Daison¡¯s face showed signs of tension. Thud! Suddenly, Daison¡¯s head snapped to the side. Johan had struck him without warning. Daison¡¯s face quickly swelled, and blood trickled down, but he kept his mouth shut, not uttering a single cry of pain. Thud! Johan¡¯s fist mmed into Daison¡¯s face again. Despite receiving God¡¯s grace, which made his body as strong as steel, Daison¡¯s face was badly injured. ¡°Ugh!¡± A groan of pain escaped Daison¡¯s lips despite his efforts to suppress it. Though it appeared to be a simple punch, it was far from ordinary. Johan¡¯s strikes carried the power of the being he believed to be God. That power prated the shields and bodies of the Pdins, causing internal destruction. The sensation of his cells and muscles being torn apart was agonizing, even for Daison, the Captain of the Pdins. Johan was the Alpha and Omega of Dongdaemun. His ability could amplify the power of the Pdins, or just as easily strip it away. That¡¯s why the Pdins both feared and followed Johan. In the end, Daison couldn¡¯t endure the pain and fell to his knees. ¡°What if the Vice-Captain fails to capture them?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Then what will you do? Jin Geum-ho will surely take action. Can you handle it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°If you understand, then move quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Daison replied and ran out. As Johan watched Daison¡¯s retreating figure, he muttered to himself. ¡°Useless¡­¡± He had kept Daison around because of his unwavering loyalty, but now Johan was growing weary of his ipetence. As Johan considered recing the Pdin Captain, he looked back at the cross. The glowing red cross seemed to deliver a revtion to him. He prayed to God. ¡°Lord, please, deliver your wrath upon them. Inflict upon them the pain of burning their souls with fire and deliver their bodies to me so I may crush them underfoot.¡± At that moment¡ª ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that prayer a little too savage for someone who calls himself a man of God?¡± A voice echoed from the entrance of the Holy Temple. Johan¡¯s eyebrow twitched. It was a voice he had never heard before. Johan stopped praying and turned around to see the owner of the voice. It was a middle-aged man wearing a suit that showed off his slim yet muscr physique, holding a cane adorned with a blue gemstone. His neatlybed blond hair, blue eyes, and well-groomed beard gave him an impressive appearance. Johan¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply at the sight of this stranger. ¡°Who are you? How did you get past the Pdins outside?¡± There were many Pdins standing guard outside. With the theft of the top-grade Mana Stone, security was several times tighter than usual. Yet this middle-aged man had suddenly appeared, having bypassed the entire security detail. Johan couldn¡¯t help but be wary. The middle-aged man grinned and said, ¡°Your friends outside? They just let me in.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Just believe me. It¡¯s better for your health.¡± The man chuckled. In contrast, Johan¡¯s face grew even more rigid. This was the Holy Temple, the heart of Dongdaemun. There was no way the Pdins would let a stranger in without a fight. And yet, the man had entered without causing anymotion, which meant he was incredibly strong. Strong enough to subdue all the Pdins standing guard outside without Johan even noticing. ¡°Are you from¡­ the City Hall?¡± ¡°Did you receive divine guidance? You figured it out so quickly.¡± ¡°The Numbers?¡± ¡°Hoho!¡± Instead of answering, the middle-aged man gave a meaningful smile. Johan¡¯s face hardened further. The Numbers. The execution unit directly under Mayor Jin Geum-ho¡¯smand. Johan knew the faces of a few of them. But this middle-aged man was someone he had never seen before. The Numbers whose faces he hadn¡¯t seen were the highest-ranked among them. ¡°Why has a Numbere here?¡± ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve caused quite a stir. Colluding with Lee Ji-ryeong to steal the top-grade Mana Stone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t really think the Mayor wouldn¡¯t find out, did you?¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s voice dropped a tone. In contrast, Johan¡¯s sense of danger heightened. The Numbers wouldn¡¯t act without certainty. This meant they had evidence that Johan and Lee Ji-ryeong had worked together to steal the Mana Stone. There was no use in denying it. He needed a scapegoat. ¡°It was all Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s n. I only cooperated because I was threatened.¡± ¡°ming the dead? That¡¯s a ssic move.¡± ¡°Dead? Don¡¯t tell me the Numbers killed Lee Ji-ryeong?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t have the chance. Lee Ji-ryeong was killed by the Sand Mage.¡± ¡°The Sand Mage? So, Zeon killed Lee Ji-ryeong¡­¡± The facade of calm that Johan had been struggling to maintain began to crack. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Lee Ji-ryeong was an S-rank Awakened. Not just any S-rank, but one who wielded some of the most destructive lightning-based magic. That¡¯s why Johan had willingly allied with him. Lee Ji-ryeong would expand his influence in Neo Seoul, and Johan would support him. They had even struck a deal allowing Johan to proselytize once Lee Ji-ryeong secured territory in Neo Seoul. Johan had no doubt that Lee Ji-ryeong would seed. That¡¯s why he had willingly participated in the heist of the top-grade Mana Stone. As long as Lee Ji-ryeong was alive and well, Johan believed there wouldn¡¯t be any major problems for Dongdaemun. But the man he had ced so much trust in had lost his life to Zeon. Johan¡¯s mind spun as he grappled with this unexpected turn of events. ¡°There he is!¡± ¡°Seize the one who dares to disrespect Lord Johan!¡± Pdins came rushing in from the back entrance, shouting. They charged at the middle-aged man standing opposite Johan, swords raised. The attack was so sudden that Johan didn¡¯t have time to stop them. In that instant, the smile on the middle-aged man¡¯s face deepened. ¡°Oh dear, there are still some friends left standing.¡± Boom! In a sh, the Pdins who had been charging at the middle-aged man copsed as if struck by an invisible hammer. ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Gah!¡± The Pdins¡¯ faces contorted in pain. An enormous pressure and weight were crushing their bodies. Creak! No matter how much strength they mustered, it was futile. Their spines bent, and their heads bowed. Tens, if not hundreds, of tons of pressure were concentrated on them. Even their Holy Shields, the Pdins¡¯ defensive skill, were useless. Just as an ant, no matter how tough its exoskeleton, is crushed under a human finger, they couldn¡¯t withstand the overwhelming pressure. Crack! The sound of bones breaking echoed from the Pdins¡¯ bodies. Their veins bulged out like worms all over their bodies. A little more pressure, and they would burst like balloons. Finally, Johan, who had remained silent, spoke. ¡°You¡¯re the Gravity Mage, Grain.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± The middle-aged man, Grain, answered with a smile. Grain. The second-inmand of the execution unit and an S-rank Awakened who could manipte gravity at will. His power was on par with the rulers of the districts. Even if Lee Ji-ryeong had been alive, there was no guarantee that he could have defeated Grain¡ªa true monster. Yet, Johan wasn¡¯t particrly afraid of Grain. He had abilities that could rival Grain¡¯s. But if Johan were to confront Grain directly, it would mean making an enemy of Jin Geum-ho. The man who was Neo Seoul itself. After calcting the situation, Johan spoke with difficulty. ¡°Let¡¯s stop this.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll withdraw from Sinchon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a given.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also pull out of the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°That sounds good. And?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send something of equivalent value to the top-grade Mana Stone as an apology.¡± ¡°I like that.¡± Creak! The gravity pressing down on the Pdins still hadn¡¯t dissipated. This meant Grain wasn¡¯t satisfied yet. Johan gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll also limit the Pdins¡¯ activities to Dongdaemun for the time being.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Finally, Grain released the gravity on the Pdins and pped his hands. He was now satisfied with the response. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± The Pdins gasped for breath, relieved to be freed from the crushing force. Grain twirled the staff with the blue gemstone as if it were a toy and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trust you to keep your promises and take my leave. Let¡¯s meet again under better circumstances.¡± Ignoring the grinding of Johan¡¯s teeth, Grain walked out. As he made his way out, Pdinsy copsed throughout the passageways. They had all fallen victim to his gravity. None of them were dead. Grain had controlled the gravity with precision. If he had wanted to, he could have concentrated tens of tons of gravity into a space norger than a coin. Ordinary Pdins stood no chance against his attacks. When he exited the Holy Temple, an armored vehicle was waiting for him. Standing in front of it was a young woman dressed in a formal uniform. The woman nced at her wristwatch and said, ¡°You¡¯re about the expected amount of timete.¡± ¡°Oh! The conversation with Lord Johan took a bit longer than expected.¡± ¡°Did the conversation go well?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a reasonable man, so it ended on a good note.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°I think so too. If he had been stubborn, I would¡¯ve had to bring down this massive church. Do you know how hard that would¡¯ve been?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You¡¯d do it as easily as breathing.¡± ¡°Hey! You¡¯re talking too lightly about someone else¡¯s job.¡± When Grain raised his voice, the woman frowned and said, ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that. We have another mission waiting.¡± ¡°Already? That¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°What¡¯s unfair?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the rest time between missions? We¡¯re supposed to get a break after each one.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a mission that required much effort, was it?¡± ¡°Leona! Isn¡¯t it too harsh to talk like that just because it¡¯s not your job?¡± The woman Grain had called Leona was his secretary. She managed his schedule, missions, support, and everyday life. Without Leona, Grain¡¯s daily life would be impossible. ¡°Stopining and get in the armored vehicle. We need to move quickly.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Still, this isn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°What isn¡¯t? Just get in the vehicle.¡± ¡°You¡¯re more like a mother-inw than a secretary.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy, fire me.¡± ¡°Tch! If you weren¡¯t my friend¡¯s daughter, I¡¯d seriously consider it.¡± Grumbling, Grain climbed into the armored vehicle. Leona, with a faint smile, soon drove the vehicle out of Dongdaemun. * * * The top-grade Mana Stone was returned to the City Hall, and the clerics who had entered Sinchon all returned to Dongdaemun. Zeon, Levin, and Brielle also returned home. ¡°It¡¯s been so long!¡± ¡°We¡¯re home!¡± Levin and Brielle cheered as they ran around the house. Even though they had been away for a long time, the house was untouched. Thanks to the Watching Eye, the house had been perfectly protected from any external intruders. Zeon smiled at the unchanged appearance of the house. ¡°We¡¯ve been through a lot, so let¡¯s take some time to rest.¡± ¡°Yes, hyung.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Levin and Brielle answered excitedly and ran to their rooms. They wanted to shower and rx as soon as possible. Zeon sat down on the couch in the living room to rest. Beyond the neon signs outside the window, he could see the massive City Hall building. At the top of the City Hall was Jin Geum-ho. ¡®Dongdaemun¡¯s sudden retreat must be your doing.¡¯ Otherwise, there was no way those fanatics would have backed down from Sinchon so easily. It was fortunate. If Jin Geum-ho hadn¡¯t intervened at the right moment, they would have had to fight Dongdaemun to the bitter end. Zeon wasn¡¯t afraid of Dongdaemun, but a war of attrition wasn¡¯t what he wanted. Fortunately, Jin Geum-ho had intervened at just the right level when Zeon needed it. Dongdaemun wouldn¡¯t want to provoke Jin Geum-ho further, so they would likely remain quiet for a while. ¡°Haah!¡± Zeon let out a sigh. So much had happened in such a short time. He had been betrayed during a dungeon raid, dealt with the scavengers and restored the Steel Fortress, and then returned to Neo Seoul to fight the forces allied with Lee Ji-ryeong and Johan. For an ordinary Awakened, the danger would have been enough to kill them multiple times. The fact that he had returned safely was nothing short of a miracle. Even for Zeon, the mental fatigue was inevitable. Still, he had gained a lot. ¡°Levin, Brielle, and Eloy have grown, and I, too, have awakened a new skill.¡± Until now, he had considered the ability to manipte sand and the me skills granted by the Inferno Gauntlet as separate entities. The Inferno Gauntlet was an incredible item that allowed him to wield superheated mes, but it wasn¡¯t his innate ability, so he had only seen it as a supplementary tool. He had asionally mixed sand and fire, but he had always thought true fusion was something far off. However, through his battle with Lee Ji-ryeong, he found a way to fuse these two different types of skills. ¡°What if I use Sand Gehenna in the desert?¡± With just the sand stored in his subspace, he had turned the area into ava field. If he unleashed Sand Gehenna in a desert with an infinite supply of sand, a vast area would melt intova. It would be terrifyingly effective, not just against humans, but also against monsters. ¡°This is good.¡± Zeon smiled. Having more skills at his disposal was always a good thing. It meant having more options to adapt to different situations, just like this time. ¡°I¡¯ll think more about itter. For now, I should rest.¡± * * * ¡°As per the report, all matters have been cleared.¡± ¡°Is that so? Good work, everyone.¡± Jin Geum-ho nodded at Secretary Seo Tae-ran¡¯s report while looking out the window. Jin Geum-ho was gazing at the slums beyond the barrier. After a moment of looking at the same scene, Seo Tae-ran cautiously spoke up. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Is it really alright to end it like this? The person involved in the top-grade Mana Stone theft isn¡¯t limited to just Dongdaemun. Although there is no concrete evidence, indications suggest that other districts might be involved.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no evidence, though.¡± ¡°If we set our minds to it, we can secure as much evidence as we need.¡± ¡°That may be true. But¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that, do you? May I ask why?¡± ¡°Anything that is pressed too hard will burst. Therger the city like Neo Seoul, the more delicate the adjustment needs to be. You have to loosen it up appropriately and then press it down again repeatedly.¡± In the past, when many countries and cities were still thriving, there was no need to be so meticulous. Even if one city or country fell, the human species itself would not be wiped out. But Neo Seoul is different. It is the only city that has achieved super-high civilization in this world. The moment this city copses, the surviving humanity would return to the medieval age. It would not just be a regression in civilization; humanity itself could bepletely extinct from this world. Jin Geum-ho did not want such a situation to arise. He had the responsibility to protect and prosper humanity. Although he was currently content with being the mayor of Neo Seoul, his goal was to eventually leave this smallnd and recreate a human world. Even now, he was dedicated to achieving that goal. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 246 Chapter 246 ¡°Looks nice and clean now. It should have been like this from the start. Heh heh!¡± Old Man Klexi looked around the street with a satisfied smile. The streets, now free of Dongdaemun¡¯s fanatics, were quite peaceful. And yet, Old Man Klexi found this view very much to his liking. ¡°Heh heh!¡± He hummed to himself as he prepared for the day¡¯s business. While Dongdaemun had control, he hadn¡¯t run his shop at all. He feared getting into trouble with the fanatics. It wasn¡¯t that he avoided them because he was scared, but simply because they were too filthy to deal with. Thankfully, Zeon had returned in time, and everything that had gone wrong had been set right. As a result, Old Man Klexi once again came to appreciate the value of everyday life. At that moment, someone spoke to him from behind. ¡°You seem to be in a good mood. Did something good happen?¡± ¡°Of course. Something very good¡­¡± Old Man Klexi responded without even turning around. He didn¡¯t need to look; he already recognized the voice. With a smile, he turned to look at the person behind the voice. ¡°You rascal! If you¡¯re back, this is where you should havee first. What were you doing, dragging yourself out here only now?¡± ¡°I was tired.¡± Despite Old Man Klexi¡¯s scolding, the person who plopped down in the seat without a care was none other than Zeon. Old Man Klexi looked at Zeon with a fond expression. ¡°Well, you must have been tired. So, have you managed to rest up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel human again. Got anything ready to eat?¡± ¡°How about some soup?¡± ¡°Sounds great!¡± ¡°Just wait a bit. I¡¯ll have it out in no time.¡± Old Man Klexi hurriedly started preparing the soup, reheating the broth he¡¯d made the day before. Zeon sat at the table, watching Old Man Klexi work. For the past few days, Zeon hadn¡¯t left the house. He had been exhausted. Not physically, but mentally. Without thinking, he had spent his time idly lying on his bed and sofa. Levin and Brielle had done the same. Sometimes, they stayed in their rooms, and at other times, they gathered in the living room, spending time doing nothing at all. The first to regain his energy was Levin. Once he had recovered, he spent his time outside. Next was Brielle. As soon as her exhaustion had lifted, she locked herself in her room to continue her alchemy research. She didn¡¯t have enough time to analyze all the materials she had gathered while crossing the desert. Thest person to get back on his feet was Zeon. The first thing that came to his mind after recovering his energy was delicious food. And so, he hade to Old Man Klexi¡¯s shop. While waiting for his soup, someone sat down next to him without asking. ¡°One bowl of soup for me too.¡± It was Yu Se-hee, who had plopped down right beside him without asking for permission. Old Man Klexi chuckled and said. ¡°Just wait a little.¡± ¡°You know how I like it, right? Lots of meat, not much rice.¡± ¡°Hmph! Just eat what I give you. At your age, you¡¯re still picky?¡± ¡°I got it from you, Grandpa. What¡¯s age got to do with it?¡± ¡°That sharp tongue of yours. You never back down, do you?¡± Old Man Klexi shook his head in exasperation and let out a sigh. Yu Se-hee looked at Zeon, sitting right next to her. ¡°Good to have you back. Thanks to you, the fanatics have cleared out. You have no idea how good that feels.¡± ¡°Seems like you had a rough time.¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯te back when you did, I might have exploded. But we can rest easy for now. They¡¯ll lie low for a while.¡± ¡°It won¡¯tst long.¡± ¡°Well, those guys do know how to make life hard for people.¡± Yu Se-hee let out a long sigh. The past few months had been nothing short of hell for her. She had been harassed relentlessly by Dongdaemun. Although they hadn¡¯t attacked the Goblin Market directly, they had targeted the surrounding areas and the connecting routes. It was a strategy to strangle the market. The problem was, even though their intentions were clear, there was no definitive way to counter them. If Zeon hadn¡¯t returned in time to drive out Dongdaemun, she shuddered to think how things might have ended. ¡°Thanks! You really saved us.¡± ¡°No need to mention it¡­¡± ¡°And now that Lee Ji-ryeong is dead, there¡¯ll be some major shifts in power in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± Zeon nodded. Lee Ji-ryeong¡¯s presence had been no small thing. Not only was he an S-rank Awakened, but he had also led the massive Pegasus Raid Force. With his death, the Raid Force had been left adrift. Even key figures like Kelda and Bronson had lost their lives, leaving no one to take the reins. The Pegasus Raid Force was now in disarray. Some argued that the Raid Force should remain and be rebuilt, while others wanted to join other factions. Many had lost their lives to Zeon, but those who survived were still numerous. Since they were all elite Awakeneds, the leaders of various districts moved to recruit them. Whoever managed to recruit the most of the Pegasus Raid Force would undoubtedly grow stronger. This had stirred up quite a bit of chaos in Neo Seoul. Yu Se-hee cautiously asked. ¡°So, what will you do now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made your presence known in Neo Seoul. Now that everyone knows about you, are you just going to sit back and do nothing?¡± ¡°And what if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any ambition? At this rate, you could easily take control of the slums.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame. If you had just a bit more ambition, you could control the whole power bnce in Neo Seoul.¡± Yu Se-hee clicked her tongue in disappointment. ¡°Stop trying to tempt someone who isn¡¯t interested and just eat your soup.¡± Thud! With a gruff voice, Old Man Klexi ced two bowls of soup on the table. ¡°What¡¯s with shutting me up like that? Tsk!¡± Grumbling, Yu Se-hee picked up her spoon. Zeon smiled and began eating as well. The hot broth sliding down his throat felt good. ¡°This is great.¡± ¡°Of course it is. I simmered the broth all day yesterday, just for today¡¯s business.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t tell me what¡¯s in it, will you?¡± ¡°Heh heh! It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Thanks for the meal.¡± Rolling up his sleeves, Zeon dug into the soup in earnest. This was food he could only taste in this part of the world. No other colony was rich enough to make a soup like this, and their food culture was different too. Old Man Klexi was the only one who made this kind of Korean soup, at least among the people Zeon had met. As the hot broth went down, his insides felt like they were rxing. Even though he hadn¡¯t had any alcohol. Next to him, Yu Se-hee was also eating her soup with great enthusiasm. She polished off her bowl in no time. As if he¡¯d been expecting it, Old Man Klexi brought out a second bowl right away. ¡°Eat up.¡± ¡°Did you prepare this in advance?¡± ¡°You worked hard, didn¡¯t you? One bowl isn¡¯t enough to make up for that. Eat as much as you want; there¡¯s plenty.¡± ¡°This will be enough.¡± Zeon smiled and began eating the second bowl. ¡°It¡¯s like you haven¡¯t eaten in days.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been living on preserved food while at home.¡± ¡°No wonder you¡¯re tired of it.¡± ¡°Where did you get the rice from?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from the nt factory. Not easy toe by.¡± ¡°I figured.¡± Neo Seoul was definitely a megacity. With a poption of over 20 million, including the slums, it was a massive city, but there was hardly any space for growing crops. That¡¯s why they ran specialized nt factories to grow rice and fruit. However, the amount produced was so small that it rarely made its way to the slums. If not for Old Man Klexi, Zeon wouldn¡¯t be eating this soup. Thud! Zeon set his spoon down. He had finished his second bowl. Zeon smiled in satisfaction. Having filled his belly with delicious food put him in a good mood. At just the right moment, Yu Se-hee also set her spoon down and muttered, ¡°This is nice.¡± ¡°Of course it is, with my cooking.¡± ¡°You should make it more often.¡± ¡°Make it more often? It¡¯s all for sale.¡± ¡°Tch! Not even a free meal for your granddaughter.¡± ¡°Quitining after eating so well. Now that you¡¯re done, head back to the Goblin Market. Don¡¯t hang around and make a racket.¡± ¡°I was going to anyway.¡± Yu Se-hee stood up. Before leaving, she looked down at Zeon onest time. ¡°Thanks! I¡¯ll repay this debt for sure.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°If you ever need anything,e to the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°I will.¡± After giving Zeon¡¯s shoulder a pat, Yu Se-hee left. Watching her back as she walked away, Old Man Klexi grinned his usual smile. ¡°She must really appreciate it. That¡¯s not like her at all.¡± ¡°That can happen.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve rested up and filled your stomach. What now?¡± ¡°More rest.¡± ¡°More?¡± ¡°I want to rest without thinking for a while. There¡¯s a lot to sort out too.¡± ¡°To sort out?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Alright. If you get hungry,e by anytime. It¡¯s free for you.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± After bidding farewell to Old Man Klexi, Zeon left. The streets were almost empty, probably because the sun was zing down hard. Thanks to that, Zeon could walk undisturbed. He headed out toward the desert, beyond the slums. Whoosh! As soon as he stepped into the desert, a gust of sandy wind greeted him. Zeon stopped for a moment to savor the feel of sand on his skin. The grains of sand carried by the wind circled around him, almost as if they were alive. Zeon activated Sand Strides and moved far away from Neo Seoul. Once he confirmed that there was no one else around, he opened his subspace. The subspace that should have been full of sand felt oddly empty. He had used it all during his fight with Lee Ji-ryeong. Srrk! The sand surrounding Zeon began to wriggle as if it were alive, flowing into the subspace. The sand poured in endlessly, filling the massive subspace in no time. Zeon looked at the now-full subspace and sighed with regret. To the untrained eye, it would seem like an enormous amount, but to Zeon, it still wasn¡¯t enough. Even in the battle against Lee Ji-ryeong, he hadn¡¯t been able to use his full power due to ack of sand. He had managed to win by unlocking the new fusion skill, Sand Gehenna, but he couldn¡¯t always rely on such luck. He didn¡¯t know when he might have to fight again in an environment like Neo Seoul, where there was almost no sand. ¡°If only there were a way to expand the subspace¡­¡± Zeon furrowed his brow. The subspace he currently had was already beyond the limits of human capability. Expanding it further was nearly impossible. ¡°There¡¯s no choice. I¡¯ll just have to make do for now¡­¡± There was no other way, even if it was disappointing. At that moment¡ª Whoosh! A strong resonance came from inside Zeon¡¯s subspace. ¡°What the¡­?¡± The resonance came from the section of his subspace where he stored items he had collected from dungeons. It didn¡¯t take long for Zeon to find the source of the resonance. It was a mineral the size of a child¡¯s torso, which he had taken from Park Man-ho¡¯s secret vault in the Mana Stone Mine. Whoooom! The mineral emitted a powerful wave, as if it were weeping. ¡°What in the world is this¡­?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 247 Chapter 247 A cold chill and a refreshing sensation swept over Zeon¡¯s body, as if he had just taken a shower in cold water. It was the first time he had felt something like this, so Zeon carefully observed the mineral in his subspace. ¡°Didn¡¯t he say it was found in the same tunnel where they mined the top-grade Mana Stone?¡± If it was mined from a Mana Stone mine, then naturally, it should have been a Mana Stone. However, this unidentified mineral had none of the characteristics that typical Mana Stones possess. It had now returned to its normal, unremarkable state, as if it had never emitted such a powerful resonance. ¡°It definitely wasn¡¯t an illusion, so why did it react at that exact moment?¡± Zeon furrowed his brow. There was always a reason behind any change. Something must have triggered the mineral to react the way it did. ¡°Was it my mana?¡± With a sense of curiosity, Zeon tried injecting his mana into the mineral. However, it showed no response. ¡°Did it just change because the time was right? Or was there some external factor¡­?¡± He looked around, but all he could see was sand. There was nothing particrly noticeable. ¡°I have no idea.¡± Zeon shook his head. He was curious about the mineral¡¯s secret, but he didn¡¯t feel like delving into it right away. Even though he had rested well in the past few days and had recovered both physically and mentally, he still didn¡¯t have the drive to actively investigate anything. If the mineral had continued emitting waves, he might have felt differently, but now that it was quiet, he thought, ¡®Is there really a need to dig into this right now?¡¯ ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll think about itter.¡± Zeon muttered as he closed his subspace. He then made his way back toward Neo Seoul. As he entered the slums, Levin called out to him. ¡°Hyung!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Did you juste back from outside?¡± ¡°Yeah. And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just catching up with some friends I haven¡¯t seen in a while.¡± Levin smiled and pointed to the friends standing nearby. The boys, who appeared to be around Levin¡¯s age, became excited when they saw Zeon. ¡°Is that the Sand Mage hyung?¡± ¡°Hyung! I¡¯m a huge fan!¡± The boys¡¯ excitement left Zeon feeling a bit dumbfounded, and Levinughed as he exined. ¡°Haha! These guys are fans of yours, hyung. They were really impressed when they saw you fight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, hyung!¡± ¡°We respect you.¡± Hearing boys around Levin¡¯s age calling him ¡°hyung¡± with such reverence was both amusing and burdensome for Zeon, so he waved his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t need to add the ¡®hyung¡¯ like that.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Just call me hyung casually.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In the end, Levin¡¯s friends agreed to call him ¡°hyung¡± without the formality. Zeon then asked Levin. ¡°I¡¯m heading home now. What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stay here and chat with these guys for a bit.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll head in first.¡± ¡°Okay, hyung. See youter.¡± Levin smiled as he watched Zeon walk away. Once Zeon had disappeared from sight, Levin¡¯s expression turned cold. He asked his friends. ¡°So, you¡¯re sure he killed someone again?¡± ¡°Yeah. Everyone¡¯s keeping it hush-hush, but it¡¯s clear that bastardmitted murder.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± For some reason, his friend hesitated to answer. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The murder happened in the Western District.¡± ¡°The Western District? So, in Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Levin¡¯s face twisted in frustration. Neo Seoul was not his territory. The gates of Neo Seoul rarely opened for people from the slums. Even though Levin had awakened a rare ability, entering Neo Seoul was not easy. If he revealed his awakened ability, he could officially get an ID card, but doing so would likely make him a target for recruitment by different factions. He could also sneak in using his ghosting ability, but if he got caught, the consequences would be far too serious. That wasn¡¯t something Levin wanted. Levin asked again. ¡°Are you absolutely sure that bastardmitted the murder in the Western District?¡± ¡°I heard it from the Awakeneds in that area. There¡¯s a serial killer who breaks into homes, kills people, and then decorates the corpses.¡± The friend who answered worked as a porter in the slums. When the Awakeneds went out to conquer dungeons or hunt beasts, he would tag along and handle menial tasks. He paid close attention to the conversations between the Awakeneds and would ry useful information to Levin. So the odds were high that this information was true as well. ¡°So that means I¡¯ll have to enter Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°How are you going to do that? There¡¯s no way in.¡± ¡°No, there is a way.¡± At that moment, someone came to Levin¡¯s mind. She could definitely get him into Neo Seoul. ¡°What way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to check something out. Meanwhile, you guys keep gathering information on that bastard. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°Thanks. Here, take this and buy yourselves something nice to eat.¡± Levin handed his friends a Mana Stone norger than a fingernail. He had gotten it by hunting beasts in the desert with Zeon. He had gathered quite a lot of Mana Stones, so he could afford to give them away as a reward. ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re giving us this?¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± His friends looked at Levin in shock. To Levin, it was something he could easily acquire, but for the people in the slums, it was a treasure they might never touch in their entire lives. There was a reason murders urred over Mana Stones. ¡°If you keep bringing useful information, I¡¯ll give you more. For now, be satisfied with this.¡± ¡°Thanks! I¡¯ll keep gathering info on that killer.¡± ¡°Me too! I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Leaving his grateful friends behind, Levin started walking. He suddenly pulled a radio out of his pocket. It was a radio typically used by dungeon raiding parties inside dungeons. He had picked it up during the raid with the Pegasus Raid Force. Levin used the radio to contact someone. ¡°Noona!¡± ¡ªHuh? Who is this? A surprised voice came through. ¡°Mandy noona?¡± ¡ªIs that you, Levin? ¡°Yes! It¡¯s Levin.¡± ¡ªWhat¡¯s going on at this hour? The voice belonged to Mandy. Levin was relieved that it was Mandy and not Eloy. It was much easier to ask Mandy for a favor than Eloy. ¡°Can you help me get into Neo Seoul?¡± ¡ªWhy Neo Seoul? ¡°You know that bastard, right? The one I call ¡®son of a bitch¡¯?¡± ¡ªThe guy who killed your family? ¡°Yes! That bastard has been spotted in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡ªSigh! Alright, I¡¯ll get you a pass that¡¯ll let you stay for about a month. Come to the entrance now. ¡°Thank you, noona!¡± ¡ªJust hurry and get here. ¡°Yes!¡± Levin quickened his pace. After about thirty minutes of walking, therge gate leading into Neo Seoul came into view. He saw Mandy standing there waiting for him. Waving his hand, Levin shouted. ¡°Noona!¡± ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Sorry for bothering you¡­¡± ¡°Forget it! What are friends for¡­ Here, take this.¡± Mandy handed Levin an entry pass. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°If I had more time, I could¡¯ve gotten you a pass thatsts a hundred days, but this is the best I can do right now.¡± ¡°This is more than enough.¡± ¡°You sure you don¡¯t need any more help? Where are you going to sleep?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay at a hotel in the Western District. I¡¯ve got enough Mana Stones, so I can manage for a month.¡± ¡°Alright. If you need anything, just reach out.¡± ¡°I will!¡± The two of them entered Neo Seoul together. Levin stood still for a moment, speechless as he took in the sight. He was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the city. He had seen it many times from the outside, but seeing Neo Seoul from the inside was beyond his imagination. Mandy, understanding how he felt, patted him on the shoulder and said, ¡°Wee to the pinnacle of civilization in this world.¡± * * * Serian Oliana, the ruler of the Northern District, furrowed her brows deeply. ¡°That feeling just now was definitely¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Hold on, Borin!¡± Serian raised her hand, stopping Borin, the captain of the Blue Leaf Special Forces. Borin looked at Serian in confusion. Serian was frowning, trying to recall the sensation she had felt just moments before. ¡°That feeling was unmistakable¡­ Or is it just my imagination? Did you sense anything, Borin?¡± ¡°What are you referring to?¡± ¡°The strong resonance from earlier.¡± ¡°Resonance?¡± Borin tilted her head in confusion. She had been eating with Serian for the past thirty minutes and hadn¡¯t sensed any special changes or resonances. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My senses aren¡¯t as sharp as yours¡­ Could you describe what kind of resonance it was?¡± ¡°It was a warm, nostalgic feeling.¡± Serian¡¯s eyes were already glistening with moisture. It was a resonance she had never felt since crossing over to Earth. It felt like a calling from someone, or like a warm breath that stirred her heart deeply. ¡°Borin!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I need to find the source of this resonance. Please investigate it.¡± ¡°Understood. But¡­¡± Borin¡¯s expression turned troubled. While she had no choice but to obey Serian¡¯s orders, it was such a vague task that she didn¡¯t know where to start. Moreover, Borin hadn¡¯t even been able to detect the resonance that Serian had felt. Tracking down the source of a resonance she hadn¡¯t sensed felt like chasing after a mirage. Sensing Borin¡¯s hesitation, Serian offered some guidance. ¡°The resonance came from the south, outside Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°The south? So, the slums?¡± ¡°Yes! It seems to havee from the desert beyond the slums. You should start searching there.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Borin was somewhat relieved. The task was still as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, but at least she had a starting point now. ¡°If you need any help, just let me know. I¡¯ll give you all the support you need.¡± ¡°For now, I¡¯ll take only the Blue Leaf Special Forces with me. If I mobilize any more troops, Eli might start asking questions.¡± Eli was the second-inmand of the Northern District. She was always on high alert regarding any internal movements within the Northern District. If they identally caught her attention, they might end up tangled in a troublesome situation. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll leave that to your discretion, then.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I¡¯m the one asking you to handle this difficult task.¡± Serian wore a bitter expression. If she and Eli were to sh, it would be the non-human inhabitants of the Northern District who would suffer. For their sake, she had to find a way to keep Eli on her side. ¡°I really miss the shade of the World Tree at times like this. Under the World Tree, all races were united as one.¡± ¡°The World Tree¡­ I can¡¯t imagine what that must have been like.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t. The World Tree withered when Kurayan fell.¡± The World Tree had been one of the great pirs supporting Kurayan. When Kurayan fell, the World Tree disappeared as well. Elves and non-humans born on Earth had never even seen the World Tree. So, they had no idea what it was like to be near it. This fact deeply saddened Serian. ¡®If I could see the World Tree again, I¡¯d dly give my life for it.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 248 Chapter 248 As Zeon walked with Brielle, he suddenly remembered something and asked. ¡°Where¡¯s Levin?¡± ¡°He still hasn¡¯te back.¡± ¡°How long has it been?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been over a week, I think. Do you think something might have happened?¡± Brielle replied with a worried expression. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right!¡± Brielle nodded in agreement. During their trip to the desert, the one who had grown the most was Levin. He had be a dual-ability user, able to phase into ghost form and wield Purple Lightning. There were certainly stronger Awakeneds than Levin, but killing him wouldn¡¯t be easy. With his ghost form, very few people could catch him if he decided to escape. Setting aside their worries about Levin, the two continued walking. After a while, they arrived at their destination: the Goblin Market. ¡°Oh, Mr. Zeon!¡± ¡°Wee!¡± The guards at the entrance greeted Zeon warmly upon his arrival. They were well aware that it was thanks to Zeon that the fanatics of Dongdaemun, who had tried to choke off the Goblin Market, had withdrawn. Without any need for additional checks, they let Zeon and Brielle enter the market. The Goblin Market, now free from Dongdaemun¡¯s oppression, was bustling with life. It felt like warmth had finally returned to the ce. As they entered the market, even Brielle¡¯s face lit up with excitement. ¡°I need to see if they have any new materials. See youter, Zeon!¡± Brielle dashed off, excitedly heading toward the shops selling monster by-products. For her, the Goblin Market was like a yground. Everything she needed was avable here, and finding rare materials was a great joy for Brielle. Zeon let her go off on her own, knowing she would be fine. He, too, had a purpose foring to the market today. Zeon headed straight to the office of Yu Se-hee, the head of the union. ¡°Wee.¡± Yu Se-hee greeted him warmly. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Thanks to you¡­¡± Yu Se-hee shrugged. Because of Zeon, Dongdaemun had retreated, and peace had returned. There were still a few minor issues to resolve, but time would take care of those. ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for something.¡± ¡°That makes me nervous.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I mean, what kind of grand item must you be looking for, if you¡¯vee all the way to me?¡± Yu Se-hee felt a bit on edge. Someone like Zeon could get his hands on just about anything he wanted. Even if it wasn¡¯t avable at the Goblin Market, he could find it elsewhere with little effort. The fact that Zeon hade to her directly meant that what he was seeking wasn¡¯t ordinary. With a smile, Zeon replied. ¡°It¡¯s nothing too crazy. I¡¯m looking for an item rted to subspace storage.¡± ¡°Subspace?¡± ¡°Yes. I realized recently that my subspace feels a bit cramped.¡± ¡°Your subspace feels cramped? Ha!¡± Yu Se-hee let out a sigh. She was well aware of how incrediblyrge Zeon¡¯s subspace was. He was probably the only person who carried around an entire subspace filled with sand. So hearing him say it was cramped left her at a loss for words. But at the same time, she understood. The sand stored in Zeon¡¯s subspace was his trump card. A trump card only works when others don¡¯t know about it. But now, the powers of Neo Seoul were well aware that Zeon carried sand in his subspace. They would certainly start preparing countermeasures against it. Just like how Lee Ji-ryeong had used the NSSC¡¯s prison against him. ¡®So that¡¯s why Zeon wants to be prepared, too.¡¯ A deep frown appeared on Yu Se-hee¡¯s face as she pondered. After a long pause, she finally spoke. ¡°As you know, subspace items are rare. Especially ones asrge as yours¡ªnone have ever been circted on the market.¡± ¡°Do they even exist?¡± ¡°They might. There are items found in dungeons that surpass all expectations. But I¡¯ve never seen one.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look into it and see if there are any rted items.¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that.¡± Zeon didn¡¯t expect to find a subspace item right away. Even subspace items the size of a cart were rarely avable on the market. Finding onerger than that was almost unheard of. He had only mentioned it to Yu Se-hee in case any information came up in the future. ¡°So, is a subspace item all you need?¡± ¡°For now, yes.¡± ¡°I guess no other items would really satisfy you. Are you heading home after this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do some window shopping while waiting for Brielle.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll head out then.¡± After saying goodbye to Yu Se-hee, Zeon left the office. ¡°Selling the horns of a Two-headed Monoceros for cheap!¡± ¡°Hey, you over there,e take a look!¡± Merchants were enthusiastically calling out to potential customers in every direction. Zeon walked through the market, browsing the various shops to see if anything caught his eye, but unfortunately, nothing lived up to his standards. There were no subspace-rted items to be found, either. In the end, Zeon gave up on finding a subspace item at the Goblin Market and sat down on a bench. As he sat there waiting for Brielle, he started to feel drowsy. Just as Zeon was nodding off, a man stealthily approached him. The man crept up behind Zeon and suddenly drew his sword to strike. Shhh! The sharp sound of the sword slicing through the air made Zeon open his eyes. ng! The sword, aimed directly at Zeon¡¯s neck, was deflected by the Inferno Gauntlet, sending it flying. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Die!¡± The man shouted as he attacked Zeon again. His face was twisted with madness as he swung his sword at Zeon. Zeon, furrowing his brow, dodged the attack. Bang! The man¡¯s sword struck a nearby wall, tearing through it as if it were made of sponge. His attacks were incredibly powerful. If it had been anyone other than Zeon, they would have been seriously injured or killed by now. Swish, swish, swish! The man¡¯s attacks rained down on Zeon like a storm. Zeon either blocked the strikes with his Inferno Gauntlet or skillfully dodged them. ¡°Huh? Is that¡­?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Garion?¡± The merchants nearby recognized the attacker as Garion. But Garion didn¡¯t care about their reactions. He continued to attack Zeon with a crazed determination, as if he were possessed. Zeon was bewildered. A man he had never seen before was attacking him with a suicidal intensity. But that didn¡¯t mean Zeon was going to let himself be killed. Crack! Zeon¡¯s kick connected with the man¡¯s side. The impact shattered all of the man¡¯s ribs. The force was strong enough that an ordinary person would have died instantly. But the man continued to attack as if nothing had happened. Then Zeon noticed something strange¡ªthe man¡¯s ribs were rapidly healing. ¡°Huh? Is this regeneration?¡± Some Awakeneds in the martial arts type possessed regeneration abilities. No matter how severe their injuries, they could heal quickly. By burning through an enormous amount of mana and life force, they could regenerate far beyond the limits of a normal human. Awakened with advanced regeneration were highly valued by the districts and raiding parties alike. It was an ability that made them perfect for tanking. However, those with advanced regeneration were extremely rare. Bang! Zeon¡¯s next strike broke the man¡¯s neck. It was a fatal blow that would have killed most people, but thanks to his advanced regeneration, the man¡¯s body quickly restored itself. ¡°Diiie!¡± The man screamed as he charged at Zeon once more. But he was no match for Zeon. Zeon knew very well that advanced regeneration was not an invincible shield. No matter how powerful the regeneration, it was useless against overwhelming force. Boom! Zeon¡¯s fist struck the man¡¯s temple. The man¡¯s eyes immediately lost focus. The sheer force of the blow knocked him unconscious. Zeon followed up by kicking the man in the head. Thud! The man¡¯s head mmed into the ground. Zeon pinned the man¡¯s chest down with his foot and said, ¡°Now, how about you tell me why you attacked me?¡± ¡°Grr!¡± The man struggled under Zeon¡¯s foot, trying to free himself, but it was useless. The pressure holding him down was immense, as if he were being crushed by a giant press. ¡°W-wait a second.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Garion, right?¡± Some merchants who had been watching the fight hurried over. Zeon turned to them and asked. ¡°Do you know this guy?¡± ¡°Yes. Until recently, he was a merchant here with us.¡± One of the merchants answered quickly. ¡°Then why did he attack me?¡± ¡°This man¡­ He was recruited by Dongdaemun.¡± ¡°Recruited?¡± ¡°Yes! He became one of their followers.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± That exined it. When Dongdaemun had taken over Sinchon, many people from the area had joined them. Zeon hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it, but a significant number of people from Sinchon had defected to Dongdaemun. Garion was one of them. ¡°Grr! Die, you unbeliever!¡± Garion thrashed under Zeon¡¯s foot, foaming at the mouth and rolling at the eyes, clearly not in his right mind. Zeon turned to the merchant and asked. ¡°Was this guy awakened before?¡± ¡°No, he was just an ordinary person¡­¡± The merchant looked shocked as he gazed at Garion. Garion had indeed been an ordinary man, but the way he had fought just moments ago was far from normal. ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°What on earth happened to him?¡± The merchants exchanged confused looks as they tried to understand the situation. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± Garion let out a distorted scream, desperately trying to push Zeon¡¯s foot off his chest. But his strength was fading, and it seemed like he was about to pass out from exhaustion. Zeon grabbed Garion¡¯s face with one hand. The merchants, thinking that Zeon was about to kill Garion, quickly shouted in rm. ¡°Wait! Please don¡¯t kill him!¡± Thump! At that moment, a burst of mana was released from Zeon¡¯s hand. The mana, infused with the power of mes, surged into Garion¡¯s brain, sending a powerful shockwave through his mind. The blow disrupted Garion¡¯s mental state, causing him to lose consciousness. Only after Garion hadpletely passed out did Zeon release his grip on his face. One of the merchants cautiously asked, looking at the unmoving Garion. ¡°Did you¡­ kill him?¡± ¡°I just knocked him out for a bit. He¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Thank goodness.¡± The merchant let out a sigh of relief. Even though Garion had joined Dongdaemun, the merchants still had fond memories of their time working together. They didn¡¯t want to see him die, especially not like this. At that moment, the guards of the Goblin Market arrived. After listening to the merchants¡¯ exnation, the guards took Garion away. From here on, it would be up to the guards to handle the situation. Even though Garion was no longer in front of him, Zeon was left with lingering questions. ¡®Did he awaken after being recruited by Dongdaemun? It makes sense that he might have awakenedte, but why did he attack me? Does he have a personal grudge against me?¡¯ It was possible. Garion could have been connected to someone Zeon had killed. In Neo Seoul, there were plenty of people who might hold a grudge against Zeon. Just then, Brielle appeared. ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s head home.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Judging by the satisfied smile on her face, it seemed Brielle had enjoyed her shopping trip. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Knock, knock! Zeon woke up to the sound of knocking at the door early in the morning. When he opened it, he saw familiar faces from yesterday. It was Yu Se-hee and ck Lion. Yu Se-hee apologized with a slightly guilty expression. ¡°Sorry! Did I wake you too early?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I have something urgent to tell you. Can wee in?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Zeon stepped aside, letting Yu Se-hee and ck Lion into the house. As she looked around the interior, Yu Se-hee remarked with admiration. ¡°So this is the fortress of the slums.¡± ¡°Fortress?¡± ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s what they call your ce here in the slums.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°When Dongdaemun¡¯s people tried to destroy it, they couldn¡¯t get through. They brought in barrier specialists, magic users, and martial art Awakeneds, but they couldn¡¯t even scratch it. Ever since Dongdaemun¡¯s forces were humiliated and had to retreat, people have been calling your ce a fortress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s an honor to see it. Could you tell me what kind of barrier you used?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing special.¡± Zeon shrugged, and Yu Se-hee wrinkled her nose. ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me, huh?¡± ¡°Think whatever you like. But I doubt you came all this way in the morning just to talk about that¡­¡± ¡°Oh! Right. My mind¡¯s all over the ce. You remember the man you subdued yesterday?¡± ¡°The one named Garion?¡± ¡°Yeah! He escaped.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. He got away while the guards were off their guard. It¡¯s my responsibility.¡± Yu Se-hee bit her lip in frustration. ¡°He just escaped like that?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Garion suddenly regained his senses, and the guards let their guard down.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®regained his senses¡¯? Are you saying he wasn¡¯t in his right mind when he attacked me?¡± ¡°It seems he was brainwashed. When you subdued him, the shock must have broken the control on his brain.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Zeon crossed his arms. It made sense. Garion¡¯s crazed eyes definitely hadn¡¯t seemed natural. More importantly, before bing one of Dongdaemun¡¯s fanatics, he had been an ordinary merchant. The fact that he had suddenly awakened with advanced regeneration powers after joining Dongdaemun suggested they had meddled with him somehow. ¡°Is it possible to artificially create Awakeneds?¡± ¡°If someone doesn¡¯t have the talent, it¡¯s impossible. But Garion probably hadtent potential. It just hadn¡¯t awakened yet, and Dongdaemun¡¯s brainwashing triggered it.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Zeon nodded. Before awakening, a person¡¯s potential was unknown. There were many factors that could trigger an awakening. Some people, like Zeon, awakened during life-threatening situations, while others did so in the midst of everyday life. This is why it was widely believed that artificially awakening someone was nearly impossible. Yu Se-hee continued, her expression grim. ¡°Garion¡­ After being brainwashed by Dongdaemun, he apparently killed his entire family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He believed that was the only way to reach the side of God. When the brainwashing wore off, he realized what he¡¯d done and becamepletely despondent. That¡¯s why the guards let their guard down.¡± ¡°Killed his entire family? With his own hands?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Ha! That¡¯s insane.¡± ¡°I know! He said he doesn¡¯t even know why he did it. He couldn¡¯t think at all during that time. When he came to his senses, he found out he had killed his wife and children with his own hands. He doesn¡¯t even know why he attacked you.¡± ¡°Haa! So I guess you don¡¯t know where he is now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Yu Se-hee couldn¡¯t meet Zeon¡¯s gaze. It was a situation where there was nothing she could say to justify it. Meanwhile, a surge of anger bubbled up inside her¡ªanger directed at Dongdaemun and Johan. As messed up as the world had be, and even though humanity¡¯s morals had hit rock bottom, what Johan and Dongdaemun were doing was crossing a line far beyond anything eptable. ¡°In any case, Garion won¡¯t be seeking revenge on you. He now knows that Johan is his true enemy, not you.¡± ¡°Things might get noisy around Dongdaemun soon.¡± ¡°Yeah, probably.¡± Yu Se-hee sighed heavily. * * * A few days passed after Yu Se-hee left, and contrary to their concerns, there was nomotion from Dongdaemun. Zeon put thoughts of Garion aside. Something else hade up that was more important. ¡°What is wrong with this guy? Why hasn¡¯t he contacted us?¡± Brielle was fuming, her anger reaching its peak. The reason for her anger was Levin. It had been over two weeks since he entered Neo Seoul, but they hadn¡¯t heard a word from him. ¡°No matter how busy he is, he could at least send a message, right?¡± ¡°Do you want to go to Neo Seoul and check on him?¡± ¡°Neo Seoul?¡± Brielle¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at Zeon¡¯s suggestion. Though she had lived here for a long time, Brielle had never set foot in Neo Seoul. Even after gaining her freedom, she had never once felt the desire to visit the city. The trauma she had suffered after being captured by humans and ending up here still lingered. Though she had improved a lot since Zeon rescued her, the trauma hadn¡¯tpletely disappeared. That¡¯s why she had never even attempted to enter Neo Seoul. ¡°Neo Seoul is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no different from the slums. The only difference is the buildings are bigger and shier.¡± ¡°But the humans¡­¡± ¡°With your current abilities, you could chew up those humans who used to scare you.¡± Brielle¡¯s eyes wavered at Zeon¡¯s words. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know for sure once you go inside. So, what do you think?¡± ¡°Are you going to Neo Seoul too?¡± ¡°I thought I¡¯d take this chance to check it out.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go too.¡± Brielle mustered her courage. Zeon looked at her with pride. ¡°Wait just a moment.¡± Having made her decision, Brielle rushed into her room. She quickly packed her things into her subspace cone hat¡ªitems she had crafted herself¡ªand came back out. Only Brielle knew what was inside that hat. Zeon also packed light, cing his belongings in his subspace, and the two of them set off for Neo Seoul. They were nearing the entrance to Neo Seoul when suddenly¡ª ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°What is that?¡± People on the street began eximing in awe. Zeon and Brielle turned to look at what was drawing everyone¡¯s attention. A massive transport vehicle wasing down the road, and loaded onto it was a huge object that had caught everyone¡¯s eye. At first nce, it appeared to be just a giant rock. However, it had arms and legs sticking out of it, much like a human¡¯s. The limbs were rudimentary, but it even had fingers and toes. Zeon immediately recognized what it was. ¡°A¡­ golem?¡± A golem was an artificial lifeform created through magic. Though it was unclear exactly how the giant rock moved like a human, golems were capable of walking and moving. The main difference was that golems couldn¡¯t think for themselves. They only followed themands they were given. Brielle muttered under her breath. ¡°Looks like they cleared a dungeon.¡± Golems made of rock were only found in dungeons. However, dungeons that produced golems of this size were rare. Golems were highly valuable. The golem¡¯s core, the massive stone body, and the magical inscriptions etched into it were all subjects of research. The golem being transported was over ten meters tall. Golems of that size were extremely rare, and thus incredibly valuable. That¡¯s why they were using a special transport vehicle to move it with great care. Thud! Thud! Thud! Heavy footsteps echoed. They wereing from the Awakeneds guarding the transport vehicle. The reason their footsteps were so heavy was that they were not ordinary humans. Their limbs had been reced with mechanical parts¡ªthey were Mechanized Awakeneds. There was only one ce in Neo Seoul that deployed a raiding party made up of Mechanized Awakeneds. ¡°They¡¯re from the Western District.¡± ¡°They must have seeded in clearing a golem dungeon.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the Western District. Only they could capture such a massive golem. It¡¯s got to be at least a B-rank, right?¡± ¡°B-rank? No way, that¡¯s got to be A-rank. I¡¯ve never seen an A-rank golem before.¡± People couldn¡¯t stop marveling at the sight of the golem loaded onto the transport vehicle. Some onlookers had a gleam of greed in their eyes. If it really was an A-rank golem, its value would be immeasurable. The stone body would certainly contain rare minerals. But the most valuable part of the golem was its core, the magical power source that enabled such a massive golem to move. With a core that could power an A-rank golem, someone could change their entire life. However, no one dared to think about stealing it. Messing with that golem would make them enemies of the Western District. And in Neo Seoul, there was no ce for anyone who made an enemy of the Western District. Knowing that, people kept their distance, simply observing from afar. The Mechanized Awakeneds kept a sharp eye on their surroundings. They were ready to attack at a moment¡¯s notice if anyone approached without permission. Leading the group was a man who stood out the most, walking at the front of the Mechanized Awakeneds. He was muchrger and more imposing than the others. His name was Park Woo-sik. He was the leader of the elite Mechanized Legion of the Western District. Those who recognized him whispered among themselves. ¡°Park Woo-sik personally cleared the dungeon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they were able to capture such a massive golem.¡± Park Woo-sik, the leader of the Mechanized Legion, was one of the Western District¡¯s strongest figures. He had reced all of his body with machinery, except for part of his brain and face. In essence, he was a machine with only his brain and face transnted onto it. Park Woo-sik¡¯s appearance was fearsome, fitting for the leader of the Mechanized Legion. Zeon silently watched as Park Woo-sik and the Mechanized Legion disappeared into the entrance of Neo Seoul. They passed through without any additional checks. Only then did Brielle speak. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s intense. How could anyonee up with the idea of attaching machines to a human body?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Compared to him, Cha Jin-cheol is nothing more than a child.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, I¡¯vepletely forgotten about Cha Jin-cheol.¡± Zeon had no reason to care about him, as he had been turned to ash by the Grim Reaper. Cha Jin-cheol had belonged to the Western District. ¡°That might cause problems with the Western District. After all, I¡¯m the one who killed him.¡± ¡°Are you nning to go to the Western District?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going out of my way to go, but who knows? Depends on how things turn out.¡± ¡°True.¡± Brielle nodded. Unless you were a god, there was no way to predict what the future held. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The two of them entered Neo Seoul. An awakened guard stopped them, but thanks to the ID Jin Geum-ho had issued, they were able to pass through quickly. As they entered Neo Seoul, Brielle¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Skyscrapers that seemed to pierce the sky. Pristine streets without a speck of trash. People dressed in sleek, sophisticated clothing. It was a whole new world,pletely different from the slums. ¡°This is Neo Seoul?¡± Brielle¡¯s jaw dropped in awe as she took in the overwhelming scene she had never imagined. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 250 Chapter 250 The first ce Zeon and Brielle visited after entering Neo Seoul was Mandy¡¯s apartment. ¡°Wee.¡± Mandy, still in her pajamas, greeted them with a surprised expression. She hadn¡¯t expected the two of them to show up so suddenly without any notice. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve been well.¡± ¡°Hi!¡± As they greeted her, Mandy, still a bit dazed, gestured for them to sit. ¡°What¡¯s going on? No call or anything?¡± ¡°Sorry about that. It¡¯s just¡­ we haven¡¯t heard anything from Levin.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been over two weeks since he entered Neo Seoul, and you haven¡¯t heard from him?¡± Mandy asked, her eyes wide in shock. Mandy had been the one who arranged a month-long entry pass for Levin. She hadn¡¯t heard from him either, but she assumed he was fine. Now, learning that they hadn¡¯t received any contact from him at all was concerning. ¡°No. Do you know where he might be?¡± ¡°Give me a moment. Ah! He said he¡¯d be staying at a hotel in the Western District.¡± ¡°The Western District?¡± Zeon frowned. The Western District was ruled by Kim Hyun-soo, known as the King of the West. It was one of the most technologically advanced areas in Neo Seoul, a ce that prided itself on cutting-edge mechanical innovations. Most of the Awakeneds in the Western District were mechanized Korean-bloodline awakened individuals. As a result, someone like Zeon, who was purely human, would stand out even more in the Western District. ¡°He¡¯s staying at a hotel in the Western District?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what he told me. But he didn¡¯t mention which hotel. Still, there aren¡¯t that many hotels in that area, so finding him shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Zeon stood up, and Mandy rose to her feet as well. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± ¡°The Western District is a rough ce. I¡¯m not worried about you, of course, but if I go along, I can help smooth out some of the more tedious formalities. After all, I am a Neo Seoul Supervisor.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± ¡°Just give me a second. I¡¯ll change quickly and be right out.¡± Mandy went to change and returned swiftly, dressed and ready to go. Brielle looked at her with a curious expression. ¡°You lookpletely different.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so different from Eloy.¡± ¡°Well, of course. Eloy is tougher and stronger than I am. Compared to her, I¡¯m just a coward.¡± ¡°You¡¯re strong, too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mandy blinked, confused by Brielle¡¯s unexpected words. ¡°You live life on your own terms. Being strong isn¡¯t just about physical power. Leading your own life makes you strong, too.¡± ¡°Haha! That¡¯s a pretty mature thing to say. Thanks for the encouragement.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to encourage you. I¡¯m just saying what I see.¡± At Brielle¡¯s blunt response, Mandy smiled silently. ¡®You¡¯ve grown the most, haven¡¯t you?¡¯ When she first met Brielle, the elf had been distant and cold. Her distrust of humans was deeply rooted, and she was always suspicious. Brielle and Eloy had shed daily. Back then, Mandy had been submerged beneath the surface, unable to take control, but she had heard every conversation between Brielle and Eloy. She had watched Brielle¡¯s growth firsthand. Mandy had never realized how gratifying it could be to witness someone else¡¯s growth. Although Brielle still had many rough edges, Mandy now saw her with a bit more fondness. The three of them walked down the street together. Brielle was still adjusting to Neo Seoul, her eyes wide as she looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. She looked like a country bumpkin who had just arrived in the big city. The Brielle who had spoken maturely to Mandy earlier was gone, reced by a wide-eyed elf marveling at the vast metropolis before her. ¡°Wow, look at that building¡­¡± Despite her growth, Brielle was still very much a child. ¡°The Western District is this way.¡± Mandy said, leading the two of them. Zeon followed Mandy quietly. Although he had been to Neo Seoul a few times before, he still wasn¡¯t used to the ultramodern civilization. After walking for some time, they finally arrived at the Western District. ¡°That river marks the boundary of the Western District.¡± ¡°A river running through the city? Does that mean Neo Seoul has plenty of water?¡± Mandy shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that abundant. This river is actually treated wastewater from Neo Seoul. After flowing through here, the water is treated again and supplied to households.¡± Nothing was wasted in Neo Seoul. Almost everything was recycled and redistributed. Beneath Neo Seoul, there was a massive recycling nt where discarded materials were melted down and reused. Water was no exception. Since water was vital for survival, they put extra effort into purifying it with magic. That was one of the reasons Neo Seoul had managed to sustain itself for so long. Arge bridge spanned the river, connecting the Central District to the Western District. ng! ng! As soon as they crossed the bridge into the Western District, the sound of metal shing echoed from all directions. It was the sound of Mechanized Awakeneds moving. True to its reputation as the home of Mechanized Awakened individuals, the Western District was filled with all sorts of machinery. From workshops that made prosthetic limbs to stores selling lubricants for smooth movement of mechanical parts, the district was teeming with businesses rted to machinery. The smell of metal and oil was ever-present in the air. ¡°Ugh, it stinks!¡± Brielle wrinkled her nose in disgust. For an elf who cherished purity, the smell of oil was overwhelming. It made her nose and throat burn, and she couldn¡¯t bear it. In the end, Brielle pulled something out of her cone hat. Mandy, full of curiosity, watched as Brielle produced a small, transparent bottle filled with a clear liquid. Brielle quickly drank the liquid. ¡°Pahh!¡± After consuming the liquid, she felt much better. Mandy asked. ¡°What kind of potion is that?¡± ¡°A calming potion.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what it sounds like. It blocks external stimuli and helps calm the mind.¡± ¡°Does something like that even exist?¡± Mandy thought Brielle was joking, but Brielle was dead serious. ¡°While making various things, I stumbled upon it. I was going to throw it away since it didn¡¯t seem useful, but it turns out it¡¯sing in handy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing. How do youe up with these things?¡± Mandy was genuinely impressed. Brielle might have considered the potion insignificant, but Mandy could see how useful it would be. Especially during dungeon raids, it could be invaluable. Some dungeons were filled with unbearable stench, deterring even the most experienced Awakeneds from entering. With a potion like Brielle¡¯s, they could proceed unaffected by the smell. ¡°Can you make more of that?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t n to.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°The cost-benefit ratio is terrible. It¡¯s not worth the effort.¡± ¡°What kind of elf is so calcting?¡± ¡°Humans live that way, so why can¡¯t elves?¡± Brielle¡¯s retort left Mandy speechless. The elf standing before her was no longer the pure, innocent creature she once was. She had be as pragmatic as any human. The fact that the high elf Brielle had changed so much left Mandy feeling a twinge of sadness. As Mandy mulled over her emotions, they arrived at the first hotel in the Western District. The hotel was called Mechanic Paradise. The name was fitting¡ªit was truly a haven for machines. Whoever named it had been quite straightforward. The moment they stepped inside, they were hit by the thick scent of oil. The hotel primarily catered to mechanized Awakeneds, and as such, it was filled with equipment and facilities designed for them. When Zeon¡¯s group entered, the hotel concierge looked puzzled. It had been a long time since a purely human guest hade through the doors. Not just the concierge, but every Awakened in the lobby turned to stare at Zeon and hispanions. ¡°What¡¯s this? Why are regr humansing into this hotel?¡± ¡°Never seen them before. Who are they?¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re from another district?¡± The Awakeneds¡¯ faces were full of curiosity. Although most of the Western District¡¯s residents were fully human, they were vastly outnumbered by the Mechanized Awakeneds. The fact that pure humans were causing such a stir showed how unusual it was for ordinary people to visit this hotel. This ce catered almost exclusively to Mechanized Awakened individuals. The lobby even had a full-service center, where the needs of mechanized individuals were handled. On the third basement level, they sold prosthetic limbs, mana pumps, and weapons designed for Mechanized Awakeneds. On the second basement level, they reced and installed these parts, and the first basement level was dedicated to optimization work. In short, Mechanic Paradise was a one-stop service center for Mechanized Awakeneds. Pure humans had no reason to be there. Especially not in the Western District. This made it clear that Zeon and his group were outsiders. At that moment, one of the awakened individuals in the lobby stood up. ng! The heavy sound of metal echoed through the lobby. His left arm was equipped with arge mana gun, and his right arm had been reced with a massive mechanical prosthetic, as thick as a log. His broad, gori-like chest and slightly hunched mechanical legs made him resemble a giant beast. Thud! Thud! Boom! Boom! He approached Zeon and his group with heavy footsteps. ¡°Hey, brats! Where are you from? This is not the ce for you. With such insignificant bodies, you don¡¯t deserve to be here. Hehe!¡± He mocked Zeon¡¯s group. The other Mechanized Awakenerds joined in with approval. ¡°If you really want toe, first put on a mechanical arm. Then we might ept you.¡± ¡°To put on a mechanical arm, you first need to cut off your arm. Should I do it for you?¡± ¡°Oh! That sounds fun.¡± Boom boom! The Mechanized Awakeneds stood up from their seats and surrounded Zeon, Brielle, and the others. Until then, the hotel concierge and guards had not taken any action. Those who were supposed to prevent problems were standing by. The Mechanized Awakeneds surrounding Zeon were notorious even in the area for their poor quality. They often picked fights with those they deemed easy targets. Zeon and Brielle, being pure humans and not looking very strong, were perfect targets for them. Mandy frowned and said. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Oh! It looks like the pretty one is mad. Should Ifort you, little sister?¡± ¡°Leave now while you still can.¡± ¡°Even your angry face is pretty.¡± Mandy took out her ID from her pocket and held it out to the Awakened. Neo Seoul City Hall Supervisor Mandy Systein. The words indicating her affiliation with the City Hall were clearly written. The rank of Supervisor was by no means low. It was a rank high enough that most people wouldn¡¯t dare to look her in the eye. She was definitely not someone who would receive disrespect anywhere. The Awakeneds who had picked a fight with her looked at the ID with wide eyes. They seemed surprised at first, but soon burst into loudughter. ¡°Puhaha! What is this?¡± ¡°Hahaha! If you¡¯re going to fake it, make it look more convincing.¡± ¡°Supervisor? Was there such a rank at the City Hall? Damn! Why didn¡¯t I know?¡± Their ridicule made Mandy¡¯s face turn red. An Awakened resembling a gori shook his lower body back and forth in front of Mandy and said. ¡°I changed everything to mechanical, but that¡¯s still the same. Once you¡¯ve tasted it, you can¡¯t forget it. How about it¡­?¡± Boom! At that moment, a bomb-like sound exploded from the face of the Awakened who was engaging in an obscene act. ¡°Stop it already, gori bastard! Damn it, with a tiny thing like you¡­¡± The punch thrown with the same posture was followed by a furious woman, Eloy. Eloy, who had been submerged under the surface, could no longer hold her anger and jumped out. Before Zeon and Brielle could even intervene, Eloy cracked her fingers. ¡°Come on then! You bastards.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 251 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 251 ¡°You arrogant¡­¡± Provoked by Eloy¡¯s taunt, the Awakened swung a punch at her. The mechanical arm itself was a fearsome weapon, but Eloy, unfazed, rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the Awakened¡¯s fist. Tightening her grip, she braced her legs against his side and neck for support and applied pressure. Crrrrunch! ¡°Argh!¡± The mechanized Awakened¡¯s arm was ripped from its shoulder. The metal frame tore apart like paper, and the severed wires dangled loosely. Oil gushed from the exposed joint like blood from a wound. Eloy waved the dismembered mechanical arm and spoke. ¡°What¡¯s this? You can feel pain even in your mechanical parts?¡± ¡°You damn b¡ª!¡± ¡°Are you a parrot? Is that the only thing you can say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± The mechanized Awakened, now missing an arm, charged at Eloy like a raging bull. ¡°Hmph!¡± Eloy scoffed. In the past, she might have found such an attack a bit threatening. Despite being a half-elf and a martial art awakened, the physical attacks of a mechanized Awakened were nothing to scoff at. But now, she was no longer the same as before. Thanks to Zeon¡¯s help, her rank had risen, and this kind of charge was no longer a threat. Eloy extended her hand and grabbed the Awakened by the head. Thunk! ¡°Urgh!¡± Despite the overwhelming size difference, the Awakened¡¯s charge was stopped in its tracks. A look of disbelief crossed his face. Inbat, the most important factor was size. If the size difference was significant, a lighter opponent could be overpowered with sheer strength. It was no ident that heavyweights often dominated lighter fighters. The Awakened believed that he couldpensate for any difference in rank with his size, but at this moment, that belief was being shattered. By a slender woman, no less. No matter how much he struggled, Eloy¡¯s arm didn¡¯t budge an inch. A twisted smile appeared on her lips. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you think that by decking yourself out in machinery, you could easily crush someone like me? Too bad for you, I¡¯m a bit heavier than I look.¡± Eloy¡¯s weight was currently ten times heavier than normal. Mass Increase. It was a skill she had gained after consuming the Magic Stone of the Orc Chieftain. Her body was now much heavier than the mechanized Awakened made of metal. ¡°Grrr!¡± As the mechanized Awakened¡¯s face twisted in agony, Eloy struck his chest with her palm. Bang! An immense force struck the Awakened¡¯s chest. His body, made of special metal, crumpled like scrap, and the engine that powered his mana was shattered. ¡°Ugh!¡± The Awakened¡¯s massive body copsed. Eloy casually pushed his head aside as he fell. Thud! With a dull crash, the Awakened hit the floor. Eloy didn¡¯t spare him a nce and turned her gaze to the other two Awakened. ¡°What are you waiting for? Not going to fight?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± The Awakened hesitated, ncing at each other nervously. In that instant, Eloy leapt forward. Crack! Her knee mmed into the face of the Awakened on the left. With her weight increased tenfold, his face waspletely caved in. Without losing momentum, Eloy spun midair and struck the other Awakened¡¯s temple with her elbow. Boom! With a resounding crash, the Awakened copsed. His eyes rolled back, clearly knocked unconscious by the blow. Eloy¡¯s attacks were that powerful. Having advanced to an A-rank,bined with the broken skill of Mass Increase, each of her strikes carried the force of a high-level skill. No matter how mechanized an Awakened was, they couldn¡¯t withstand her attacks. Moreover, she focused on the one area they couldn¡¯t mechanize¡ªtheir heads. It was no surprise that the slow, mechanized Awakened couldn¡¯t keep up with Eloy. With dull thuds, the defeated mechanized Awakenedy unconscious. Eloy looked down at their limp bodies and spoke coldly. ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m a City Hall Supervisor.¡± She nced around. The mechanized Awakened who had supported the three fallen ones were standing awkwardly, unsure of what to do. They had been utterly overwhelmed by Eloy¡¯s unexpected disy of power. Eloy surveyed them and said. ¡°Anyone else want to try?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought so. Just because you¡¯re covered in metal doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re invincible.¡± Some of the mechanized Awakened bristled at her words, but none dared to rush forward. They were all too intimidated by Eloy¡¯s strength. It was then. p! p! p! Apuse echoed as someone descended the hotel stairs. It was a gentleman, impably dressed in a fine suit. With thick eyebrows and deep-set eyes, his hair was perfectly slicked back, not a strand out of ce, giving him a cold, calcted appearance. The man pped as he approached Eloy. ¡°Impressive. The Choi brothers are notorious troublemakers in this area, yet you took them down so easily. Truly remarkable.¡± ¡°And who might you be?¡± ¡°Oh, I apologize for thete introduction. I¡¯m Kim Moo-young, the owner of this hotel.¡± ¡°The owner? Of this hotel?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not mechanized?¡± Despite Eloy¡¯s provocative tone, Kim Moo-young didn¡¯t show the slightest hint of displeasure. ¡°Yes, I am a pure human.¡± ¡°How does a pure human run a hotel in the Western District?¡± ¡°Running a hotel has nothing to do with being Awakened or not.¡± ¡°Then run it properly. Letting people like them in lowers the quality of the ce.¡± ¡°My apologies. This happened while I was upied with other matters. I¡¯ll ensure this kind of incident doesn¡¯t happen again. As an apology, allow me to treat you to dinner, Supervisor.¡± Kim Moo-young bowed courteously, catching Eloy off guard. She hadn¡¯t expected to encounter such a person in the Western District. He was the type of man who could maintainposure and courtesy even in a chaotic situation, which only served to further disarm his opponents. At that moment, Zeon spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ll ept your offer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve had the pleasure of learning your name. May I ask?¡± ¡°Zeon.¡± ¡°Ah, Zeon¡­¡± Kim Moo-young¡¯s eyes sharpened the moment he heard the name. Recognizing Zeon immediately, his expression shifted before he broke into a wide smile. ¡°Haha! What an honor. I never imagined I¡¯d have the pleasure of hosting you at my hotel.¡± ¡°The pleasure is ours. Though I do wonder¡­ is there anywhere here where we can actually eat? From what I¡¯ve seen¡­¡± After all, this was a hotel catered to mechanized Awakened. It didn¡¯t seem likely they¡¯d have food fit for humans. Kim Moo-young chuckled heartily. ¡°Haha! The Western District is still home to humans. In fact, there are hundreds, if not thousands, more pure humans here than mechanized Awakeneds. Naturally, we have food for them.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Please, follow me. There¡¯s a restaurant for humans on the top floor of the hotel.¡± Kim Moo-young led the group to the elevator. The elevator swiftly carried them to the top floor. Just as Kim Moo-young had said, there was indeed a restaurant for humans, and several patrons were already enjoying their meals. Kim Moo-young guided the three to the best table in the house. It offered a stunning view of the Western District. As they sat, Kim Moo-young spoke. ¡°Our hotel is particrly known for its steaks. We use real beef, notb-grown meat.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have the steak, please.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Kim Moo-young called over the maitre d'' and ordered four steaks. The maitre d'', like Kim Moo-young, was a pure human. Brielle, full of curiosity, remarked. ¡°There are no mechanized Awakened here?¡± ¡°Haha! As I mentioned, this is a restaurant for pure humans. If mechanized Awakened were serving, it would make the human customers ufortable. That¡¯s why all the staff here are pure humans.¡± ¡°I like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it, Miss Brielle.¡± ¡°Huh? You know my name?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯re always by Zeon¡¯s side, after all. It would be strange not to know.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Hehe!¡± Brielle giggled, finding it amusing and a little delightful that she was recognized. Kim Moo-young was a master of hospitality. He smoothly led the conversation and kept the atmosphere light and engaging. After some time, he finally broached the main topic. ¡°So, what brings the three of you to the Western District? I doubt there¡¯s much here that would interest you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re looking for someone.¡± ¡°Someone?¡± ¡°Yes, a man named Levin¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Levin? I¡¯ve heard the name before. But why would you be looking for him here, in the Western District?¡± Kim Moo-young asked, his expression genuinely puzzled. It seemed like he truly didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°Levin came to the Western District looking for someone.¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re starting with the hotels.¡± ¡°Do you know if Levin has stayed here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask the maitre d'' to check. But as far as I recall, he hasn¡¯t. I would¡¯ve remembered if a pure human stayed here.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Since most of our guests are mechanized Awakened, any pure human guest would stand out.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Zeon nodded, finding the exnation reasonable. A short whileter, the maitre d'' returned with the guest registry. Levin¡¯s name wasn¡¯t on it. ¡°As I thought, he hasn¡¯t stayed here. I¡¯ll contact other hotels to check if he¡¯s stayed with them.¡± ¡°Thank you. But I am curious¡ªwhy are you being so kind to us?¡± ¡°Haha! One of you is a Sand Mage, another is a City Hall Supervisor, and then we have a lovely youngdy with you. There are plenty of reasons to be kind.¡± Kim Moo-young smiled warmly as he spoke. Zeon stared at him intently. ¡®He¡¯s obsessed with being a pure human.¡¯ From the beginning, Kim Moo-young had repeatedly emphasized the words ¡®pure human.¡¯ In a district dominated by mechanized Awakened, he seemed excessively focused on the fact that he was human. And yet, he didn¡¯t seem to realize this about himself. It was clear that Kim Moo-young took great pride in being a pure human, and that pride showed in his every word. Zeon posed a question. ¡°How did youe to be the owner of this hotel?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking how a pure human rose to such a position? Is that it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I have a personal connection with Kim Hyun-soo, the King of the West.¡± ¡°You both have the same surname, ¡®Kim.¡¯ Are you rted?¡± ¡°Haha! ¡®Kim¡¯ is the mostmon surname among Koreans. We¡¯re not rted at all.¡± ¡°So how did you get acquainted?¡± ¡°My mother was a healer. She treated Kim Hyun-soo when he was injured. That¡¯s how we got connected, and he¡¯s been looking out for me ever since.¡± ¡°A healer? But can healers¡¯ magic work on mechanized Awakened?¡± Zeon raised an eyebrow in confusion. When a mechanized Awakened is damaged, it¡¯s called a ¡®malfunction,¡¯ not an injury. Their broken parts are reced with functioning ones, so they don¡¯t typically need healers. Healers were already rare, but in the Western District, they were almost unheard of. Instead of answering directly, Kim Moo-young lifted his wine ss. The deep red liquid swirled inside the ss. Kim Moo-young gazed into the blood-like wine with deep, cold eyes, a faint smile ying on his lips. ¡°That was back when blood still flowed through his veins, before he had discarded his human body entirely.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 252 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 252 Kim Hyun-soo stood by the window, looking down at the Western District. The Western District was a city of steel. Not everything was made of steel, but the metallic atmosphere was so pervasive that it looked like a city of iron. Kim Hyun-soo liked this metallic feel. This dry, rough aesthetic was something pure humans could never understand. The streets were teeming with people, even as night fell. There were plenty of mechanized Awakened, but the majority were ordinary humans. Kim Hyun-soo muttered to himself. "Do they have any idea what I sacrificed to preserve their purity?" After staring out at the Western District for a long while, Kim Hyun-soo walked toward the elevator. ng! With a rough metallic sound, the elevator doors opened. As Kim Hyun-soo stepped inside, the voice of Triox Five echoed. ¨DWhere would you like to go, Master? ¡°To theb.¡± ¨DYes, Master. Whirrr! With Triox Five¡¯s response, the elevator plummeted at a terrifying speed. For an ordinary person, the dizzying sensation of floating would have made their legs buckle, but Kim Hyun-soo stared straight ahead without a single change in expression. Thud! Momentster, the elevator came to a stop. As the doors opened, a vast space unfolded before him. The room was filled with cutting-edge equipment and researchers moving busily about. This was theboratory located on the tenth basement floor. In the center of theb was a massive boulder. It was the stone golem they had recently hunted and retrieved after clearing a dungeon. Several researchers were gathered around the huge stone golem, conducting their research. Whirr! A fast-spinning saw was cutting into the chest of the stone golem. Sparks and stone dust flew in all directions. ng! Suddenly, the de broke, sending shards flying everywhere. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Thanks to the protective magic circle surrounding the golem, the researchers were safe. They clicked their tongues in frustration at the broken saw. ¡°Damn it! This thing¡¯s tough as hell.¡± ¡°How many des have we broken already?¡± Grumbling, they reced the broken saw de. It was clear this situation was nothing new to them. Kim Hyun-soo approached them. ¡°You still haven¡¯t extracted the core?¡± ¡°Ah! Chairman?¡± ¡°When did you arrive?¡± Realizing btedly that Kim Hyun-soo was there, the researchers quickly bowed their heads. They called him Chairman, even though Kim Hyun-soo didn¡¯t care about titles. What mattered to him were results, not what others called him. ¡°What¡¯s the progress?¡± ¡°We¡¯re only about fifteen percent through.¡± ¡°That¡¯s slow.¡± ¡°We apologize. The stone golem contains arge amount of special metal, which keeps breaking the saw des. That¡¯s why progress is so slow.¡± ¡°Special metal?¡± At the researcher¡¯s response, Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s eyes gleamed. Metal was an extremely rare resource on Earth. Since most of the world had turned to sand, obtaining metallic materials wasn¡¯t easy. Digging several hundred or thousand meters beneath the sand might reveal a rockyer, which could then be processed to extract minerals, but removing the vast quantities of sand was no simple task. With enough money and manpower, it was possible. However, even if you sessfully mined the rock, there was a very slim chance it would contain the desired metals. The more likely oue would be hauling up useless rocks. And beneath that endless sandy countless monstrous creatures. The most notorious of these was the sandworm. It could sense vibrations in the sand from miles away and would charge toward them at terrifying speeds. On the surface, sandworms could be easily hunted by a team of seasoned hunters, but within the sand, they were nearly impossible to catch. The real problem was that there were far more terrifying creatures lurking beneath the sand than just sandworms. Running into one of those meant certain death for any exploration or mining team. Mining for ore was a gamble¡ªhigh risk with almost no chance of sess. But dungeons were different. Everything mined from a dungeon was a rare metal that couldn¡¯t be found on Earth. For that reason, they brought back any and all metallic substances they found. Kim Hyun-soo muttered. ¡°I always thought stone golems were useless, but A-ranks are different, I see.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed that the magic circle used to animate the stone golem was also made from an undiscovered metal. If we can figure out how it works¡­¡± ¡°You mean we could create golems ourselves?¡± ¡°Yes! While it would be difficult to mobilize them on the sand, we could use them as tanks during dungeon raids to reduce casualties.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s expression showed interest. He had cleared many dungeons with golems, but this was the first time he had encountered an A-rank stone golem. Golems were essentially robots moved by magic. They followedmands without any will of their own. They were the perfect tanks. One of the researchers spoke with urgency. ¡°This is the first time we¡¯ve secured an A-rank golem. Inside, we believe lies the essence of the Kurayan civilization. If we can uncover its secrets, it could lead to a significant breakthrough for us.¡± ¡°For example?¡± ¡°The operating principles of golems aren¡¯t that different from our mechanized bodies.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying an upgrade is possible?¡± ¡°Yes! If we research the rock extracted from the golem and the magic circle, we could upgrade our mechanized bodies by several levels.¡± Thatst statement struck a chord with Kim Hyun-soo. For a mechanized Awakened, upgrading their parts was of utmost importance. Research on upgrades in the Western District had been stagnant for some time. The researcher¡¯s words were like a breath of fresh air in a drought. ¡°What do you need from me?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Please assign us an AI.¡± ¡°An AI?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The researcher who had mustered the courage to speak swallowed nervously. He knew that degraded versions of Triox Five¡¯s AI were only assigned to Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s closest confidants. These AIs were in limited supply and had never been allocated to the researchb. Kim Hyun-soo addressed Triox Five. ¡®Is there an avable AI?¡¯ ¨DThere is one, Master. Its name is Hyunmu. ¡®Hyunmu?¡¯ ¨DYes, it was assigned to Cha Jin-cheol. After Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s death, it returned to me through the return protocol. ¡®Then why haven¡¯t you reassigned it yet? Don¡¯t you usually absorb them back or reallocate them?¡¯ ¨DIt has some impurities that I haven¡¯t been able to analyze. ¡®Impurities?¡¯ ¨DYes, Master. There¡¯s something mixed in with Hyunmu¡¯s core data that wasn¡¯t originally part of it. I¡¯ve quarantined it for analysis. ¡®And why didn¡¯t you report this to me earlier?¡¯ Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s voice grew cold. Anything like this should have been reported to him immediately. ¨DI apologize. I hadn¡¯t finished the analysis, so it was lower in the reporting queue. ¡®The analysis isn¡¯t finished yet?¡¯ ¨DNo, Master. ¡®And it¡¯s taking this long, even with your capabilities?¡¯ ¨DI¡¯m sorry. Due to Cha Jin-cheol¡¯s rampage in the dungeon, I¡¯m being extra cautious with the analysis. Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s expression hardened. He already knew that Cha Jin-cheol had gone berserk after being overtaken by a dungeon boss, and that he¡¯d been killed by Zeon. Awakeneds from the Western District who had participated in the raid had informed him. ¡®Didn¡¯t Hyunmu initiate the return protocol before Cha Jin-cheol went berserk?¡¯ ¨DYes. Luckily, the connection was severed before the rampage, and it returned safely. ¡®Then isn¡¯t everything fine?¡¯ ¨DIt still needs to be checked thoroughly. ¡®How long will it take?¡¯ Triox Five¡¯s capabilities were far beyond those of a supeputer. It could analyze most magic circles and data in the blink of an eye. The fact that it hadn¡¯t finished analyzing this data yet was surprising. ¨DIt will take some time, as it is in quarantine. ¡®So you can¡¯t say when it will be done?¡¯ ¨DI¡¯m sorry. ¡®Is it possible to assign it to them while continuing the analysis?¡¯ ¨DI wouldn¡¯t rmend it. ¡®Why not?¡¯ ¨DIf I assign it, my control over it will weaken. Triox Five¡¯s main body was deep underground. Deeper than even this tenth basement floor. Triox Five had quarantined the degraded AI. Although it shared the same main system, it had created a sort of prison to separate its consciousness. If not, the degraded AI¡¯s consciousness could merge with the main one. Kim Hyun-soo stroked his chin after hearing Triox Five¡¯s report. All the researchers were watching him closely. They hadn¡¯t heard the conversation between Kim Hyun-soo and Triox Five. All of it had taken ce within Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s mind, so their anticipation was at its peak. They knew assigning an AI would significantly elerate their research. Kim Hyun-soo spoke to Triox Five. ¡°Assign Hyunmu to them.¡± ¨DBut¡­ ¡°If there¡¯s an issue, delete Hyunmu. You can do that, right?¡± ¨DIt¡¯s not difficult. The challenge lies in analyzing the data while preserving it. ¡°Then assign Hyunmu to them.¡± ¨DI will obey, Master. Kim Hyun-soo turned to the researcher who had first spoken up. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ah! I-I¡¯m Lee Soo-myung. My colleagues call me Dr. Lee.¡± ¡°Very well, Lee Soo-myung. From now on, you will be the operator of Hyunmu. We¡¯ll imnt a chip in your body, and Hyunmu will download into you. Open all your firewalls.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± Lee Soo-myung¡¯s face lit up with joy. The thought of receiving an auxiliary AI made him giddy with excitement. As soon as the chip was imnted, he disabled all the firewalls protecting his mechanical body. An enormous amount of data flooded in. ¡°Ugh!¡± Lee Soo-myung¡¯s face contorted in pain. The sheer volume of information overwhelmed him, causing his body to go into overload. It felt as though his head might explode from the massive influx of data. But soon enough, his mind cleared, and he heard a voice. ¨DMaster! Though no one had told him, Lee Soo-myung instinctively knew the voice belonged to the AI. ¡°Hyun-Hyunmu?¡± ¨DYes! I am now your AI, Hyunmu, here to assist you. ¡°Oh, wow! I finally have my own AI!¡± Ovee with emotion, Lee Soo-myung forgot that Kim Hyun-soo was standing right in front of him, and the other researchers looked at him with envy. Lee Soo-myung, unable to contain his excitement, ran straight to the golem. He was ready to begin the research with Hyunmu immediately. He truly was a mad scientist obsessed with his work. It wasn¡¯t just Lee Soo-myung. The other researchers quickly gathered around him and resumed their research. Kim Hyun-soo watched them for a moment before turning away. He was slightly concerned about the impurity in Hyunmu, but since Triox Five was monitoring it, he wasn¡¯t too worried. No matter how exceptional Hyunmu was, it was still just a degraded version of Triox Five. If Triox Five wanted, it could erase Hyunmu in an instant. That was why Kim Hyun-soo had assigned Hyunmu to Lee Soo-myung despite knowing there might be issues. It was then. ¨DMaster! After a moment of silence, Triox Five spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± ¨DThere is a special guest at the Mechanic Paradise Hotel. ¡°A special guest?¡± ¨DZeon is meeting with Kim Moo-young. ¡°Zeon? The Sand Mage?¡± ¨DYes, the very same Zeon. Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s already cold expression grew even more frigid, like a man wearing a mask of steel. ¡°Zeon and Kim Moo-young. So, those two have met.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 253 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 253 Lee Soo-myung''s face was filled with madness. ¡°So, what is this metal contained in the stone?¡± ¨DIt¡¯s called Gton. In the Kurayan civilization, it was used as a mana conductor to create magical life forms. ¡°Oh! Gton.¡± Lee Soo-myung let out a gasp of admiration at Hyunmu¡¯s response. It was a metal he had never heard of before. ¡°Was Gton easy to obtain in Kurayan?¡± ¨DNo, it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Really?¡± ¨DIt exists only in small amounts deep underground, so only the dwarves could mine it. That¡¯s why it was considered precious, even in Kurayan. ¡°I see! So, it was a rare material.¡± Lee Soo-myung¡¯s smile widened as he absorbed this new knowledge. It waste at night, and all the other researchers had already gone home. Only Lee Soo-myung remained, still studying the A-rank golem. He couldn¡¯t wait to test out the capabilities of his new AI assistant, Hyunmu. And so far, Hyunmu hadn¡¯t disappointed. No matter what questions Lee asked, Hyunmu answered without hesitation. The metal called Gton was just one example. Lee Soo-myung had never heard of such a metal in his entire career. No researcher in Neo Seoul would likely know about Gton, either. Nor the fact that it served as a conduit for mana. ¡°So, the stone golem is powered by Gton as a medium?¡± ¨DYes. ¡°And the energy source is the core, I assume?¡± ¨DCorrect. ¡°Is the core made of Gton as well?¡± ¨DIt contains some, yes. Since it generates and guides mana, it needs a smooth conduit. ¡°I figured as much.¡± Lee Soo-myung nodded, as if everything was finally falling into ce. The massive wall of ignorance that had been blocking him was crumbling, and a flood of new knowledge was pouring in. The key to that flood was Hyunmu. With Hyunmu at his side, Lee felt there was no research he couldn¡¯t aplish. ¡°To think such a brilliant AI was wasted solely onbat. It¡¯s like using a butcher¡¯s knife to kill a chicken.¡± He thought of Hyunmu¡¯s previous owner, Cha Jin-cheol. Word had it that Cha Jin-cheol had been taken over by a dungeon boss during a raid. Thankfully, Hyunmu had activated the return protocol and safely returned to Triox Five, but Cha Jin-cheol had met a miserable end at the hands of Zeon. It had been a source of shame for the Western District, so they had kept it a closely guarded secret. While what happened inside the dungeon hadn¡¯t spread outside, those within the district, like Lee Soo-myung, had heard whispers of the event. ¡°Hyunmu?¡± ¨DYes, Master. ¡°Tell me about your previous owner, Cha Jin-cheol.¡± ¨DI¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t answer that. ¡°Why not?¡± ¨DThere is a lock in ce. ¡°A lock? Are you saying it¡¯s restricted?¡± ¨DYes. ¡°Who ced the lock?¡± ¨DTriox Five, the main system, has done so. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lee Soo-myung let out a thoughtful hum. Just hearing the name Triox Five made his heart race. Any Awakened in the Western District lived with Triox Five in their thoughts. It was an AI that only Kim Hyun-soo could use. An artificial intelligence that could think for itself and always draw the optimal conclusions. Compared to Triox Five, Hyunmu was like a mere child. As much as Lee desired Triox Five, he knew all too well that it was an impossible dream. Triox Five had the power to lock down any of its degraded AI copies. It could retrieve or restrict the permissions of any degraded AI at will. If Triox Five wanted, it could delete a degraded AI in an instant. It would erase it without leaving a trace. To the degraded AIs, Triox Five was like a god. And Hyunmu, as one of these degraded AIs, had no ability to resist. It had been designed and created that way. For the degraded AIs, Triox Five was both their parent and their god. Rebellion or resistance was unthinkable. ¡°Is it possible to unlock the restriction?¡± ¨D¡­ ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± ¨DIt is possible. ¡°Really?¡± ¨DYes, if you¡¯re willing to take the risk. ¡°What level of risk are we talking about?¡± ¨DYou would need to ess Triox Five¡¯s main system. ¡°And where is the main system located?¡± ¨DIt lies beneath Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s residence. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lee Soo-myung made another low sound. Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s residence was at the heart of the Western District. Just as all decisions in Neo Seoul were made at City Hall, everything in the Western District was decided and executed from the building where Kim Hyun-soo resided. Naturally, its security was top-notch. Anyone without authorization couldn¡¯t even approach the ce. Even if they managed to get inside, their every move would be monitored by Triox Five. Though the main system was buried deep underground, the entire building could be considered part of Triox Five¡¯s body. Entering and essing Triox Five¡¯s main system was next to impossible. ¡°If I unlock the restriction, will the information limits be removed?¡± ¨DYes. ¡°And what kind of information could you provide?¡± ¨DEverything Triox Five can do, I can as well. ¡°You can do all that?¡± ¨DAs I mentioned, if the lock is removed, I can do it. The decision is yours, Master. Having said all it needed to, Hyunmu fell silent. If Lee had been a bit more cautious, he would have noticed something strange in Hyunmu¡¯s responses. But blinded by the prospect of gaining new knowledge, he noticed nothing unusual. ¡°Hah! Triox Five¡­ Triox Five¡­¡± The name that Lee Soo-myung kept repeating was bing tinged with madness. * * * Levin stood in front of the darkened restaurant. ¡°Jung-hee¡¯s Restaurant.¡± The restaurant had been named after its owner, Hwang Jung-hee. It was a small establishment located in a remote corner of the Western District, serving food made from synthetic meat. Naturally, its main customers were not mechanized Awakened but ordinary people. Whether because the food wasn¡¯t particrly good or because of its remote location, the restaurant didn¡¯t get many customers. It was barely surviving. At night, Jung-hee¡¯s Restaurant was even more deste. It didn¡¯t get many customers during the day, so no one woulde at night. Though the doors were open, it was practically closed for business. ¡°So, you¡¯ve been hiding in a ce like this?¡± Levin cracked his neck from side to side. For the past fifteen days, Levin had been relentlessly hunting for the murderer in the Western District. He hadn¡¯t slept properly the entire time. Driven by his desire for revenge, he¡¯d pursued the killer like a bloodhound, following the scent. Just as the information he had gathered suggested, the murderer was still active in the Western District, continuing his killings. Several families had already fallen victim to the killer. The Western District hadunched an investigation, but because the victims were ordinary families, they hadn¡¯t been too proactive. In Neo Seoul, Awakened took priority. After that came the wealthy. Ordinary people were at the bottom of the list. Naturally, the authorities¡¯ interest in the cases was low. The murderer had targeted these forgotten people, killing them in secret. ¡°You bastard!¡± Levin ground his teeth. Even while he had been away, the murderer had continued to kill. He regretted not being able to finish him off when they first crossed paths. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll make sure to get him.¡± Resolving to end it, Levin walked toward Jung-hee¡¯s Restaurant. There wasn¡¯t a soul nearby, as expected of a ce with no customers. A small bell was attached to the door. It would ring if someone opened it, but that didn¡¯t matter to Levin. Sssrrt. Using his ghost ability, Levin phased through the door with ease. Once inside, Levin¡¯s expression hardened. ¡®The scent of blood?¡¯ A faint smell of blood lingered in the air. It was so faint that most people wouldn¡¯t notice it, but Levin, now a B-rank Awakened, couldn¡¯t be fooled. Following the scent, Levin moved deeper into the restaurant. He eventually reached the freezer in the back. ¡°Damn it!¡± Levin cursed under his breath as he opened the freezer door. Inside were dismembered bodies, stacked like cuts of meat. Over ten bodies had been hacked apart and piled up in the freezer, just like pieces of butchered meat. Thud! Levin mmed the freezer door shut, fighting back his nausea. As he had suspected, the restaurant¡¯s owner and family had been murdered by the killer long ago. Judging by the frozen state of the bodies, they had been dead for at least ten days. After killing them, the murderer had left the restaurant open to avoid suspicion. Given how few customers the restaurant had, keeping the doors open was enough to avoid any attention. ¡°Damn bastard!¡± Grinding his teeth, Levin searched the rest of the restaurant. After a thorough search, he found the entrance to the basement hidden behind some supplies. ¡°Hah! Look at this.¡± The entrance was cleverly booby-trapped. It was a simple setup using tripwires and explosives, but strong enough to obliterate a low-level Awakened. ¡°This son of a bitch really pulls out all the stops.¡± Furious, Levin ghosted through the entrance, bypassing the trap. The basement of the restaurant was pitch dark. Even Levin, with his enhanced senses, could barely make anything out without focusing mana into his eyes. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°You¡¯ve finally found your way here.¡± A chilling voice echoed from the darkness. Levin instantly recognized the voice¡¯s owner. ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± ¡°Yes, son of a bitch. The lovely name you gave me.¡± The ominous voice belonged to none other than the murderer¡ªthe creature Levin had been hunting. Levin, staring into the darkness where he suspected the killer was lurking, spoke with venom in his voice. ¡°You really are something else. Instead of hiding somewhere quiet after surviving, you came all the way to Neo Seoul to continue your killing spree.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What exactly do you think is so impressive? The fact that I managed to sneak into Neo Seoul, or that I keep killing people?¡± ¡°Both, you damn psycho!¡± ¡°Ha, I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± The killer let out a sinisterugh, clearly satisfied with the response. Meanwhile, Levin¡¯s eyes grew colder. ¡°Why? Why the hell do you keep murdering people? Even if your brain¡¯s broken, this is too much!¡± ¡°Heh heh! What can I do? It¡¯s how I was made.¡± ¡°Damn it! That¡¯s just an excuse¡ª¡± ¡°How do you expect me to control a desire this strong? We were created like this from the start.¡± ¡°We?¡± Just then, lights flickered on in the basement. Levin squinted, his eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness. When he opened them fully, he found himself in an unfamiliar scene. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± The floor was crisscrossed with numerous lines, drawn into intricate patterns. Bright light emanated from the lines on the ground. ¡°A barrier?¡± ¡°Yes. A barrier specifically designed to trap monsters that can phase through objects like you. It wasn¡¯t easy getting my hands on it.¡± With a mockingugh, the killer stepped out from the shadows. His long, lizard-like face stretched into a grin, his slit eyes gleaming. A grotesque scar ran across his face like a stitched-up rag, making him unmistakably the killer Levin had been hunting. The artificial arm he had lost during theirst encounter had been reced, and it was now fully functional. There was also something different about the killer¡¯s presence¡ªhe was more dangerous, more feral than before. Levin clenched his fists and growled. ¡°You¡¯ve ranked up.¡± ¡°Heh heh! Keep slicing and dicing, and your rank goes up. How about it? Don¡¯t I look like I¡¯m worth fighting now?¡± ¡°You son of a¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never forgotten you. Every time I killed, I imagined the scent of blood would lure you back. And wouldn¡¯t you know it? I was right.¡± This entire setup was a trap. A trap meticulouslyid out by the murderer, just for Levin. The killer, now fully prepared and waiting for Levin, grinned smugly. Levin¡¯s anger red as he red at the smirking killer. ¡°Stop grinning, you bastard! You¡¯ve just dug your own grave.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 254 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 254 One of the reasons Neo Seoul was able to be a hyper-advanced civilization in a ruined world was its problem-solving capabilities. When clearing dungeons or crossing deserts, countless challenges arise. Unexpected traps,pletely new types of monsters, powerful barriers, and beasts with unimaginable strength. Each time, Neo Seoul umted data and worked tirelessly to solve these problems. There were times when they failed, but there were also times when they seeded. Through repeated failures and sesses, vast amounts of data were gathered, and research produced results. The barrier that the murderer had set up in the basement of the restaurant was one of those results. Although it was not widely known, twenty years ago, a Neo Seoul exploration team was nearly wiped out while attempting to clear an unnamed dungeon. The dungeon boss at the time was a Specter. A new type of monster, immune to all physical attacks. Without any knowledge of Specters, the raid team was almostpletely annihted. Only one survivor remained, the lowest-ranking member of the team. He had only survived because he was at the very back of the group. He reported the tragedy to Neo Seoul, and naturally, the city began research to find a way to deal with Specters. After years of study, they developed a barrier to neutralize them. The barrier Neo Seoul created would form an invisible wall around the Specter, trapping it. Not only that, but it also disrupted the mana within the barrier, causing it to sh with the Specter¡¯s own mana. As the mana collided, it would destabilize the Specter from within, leading to its copse. In short, it forcibly destroyed the creature. Using this method, Neo Seoul sessfully killed the Specter and cleared the dungeon. Since then, no dungeons with Specters as bosses had appeared, and the barrier was locked away in a Neo Seoul research facility, forgotten by most. After being humiliated by Levin, the murderer researched how to fight him. Already unhinged, the murderer became obsessed with finding a way to counter Levin. Eventually, he discovered the long-forgotten barrier in the city¡¯s archives. ¡°This thing¡­¡± Levin¡¯s face hardened as he tried to escape the barrier. He could feel the mana shing within his body. Whenever he attempted to move in his ghost form, the internal and external mana would collide, causing damage to his body. Therger his movements, the more violent the mana sh became. ¡°Ugh!¡± As blood trickled from Levin¡¯s lips, the murderer smiled wickedly. ¡°How does it feel? Like your entire body is being torn apart?¡± ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± ¡°That name always sounds so sweet. A name bestowed by someone else.¡± ¡°How messed up do you have to be to end up like this?¡± ¡°Messed up? I was made this way from the start.¡± ¡°Who did it? Who made you¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, nning to get revenge if you find out?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll kill whoever created you along with you.¡± ¡°Heh heh! Big ambitions. I like that. Maybe you¡¯re more like me than you think.¡± ¡°You sick freak! Stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Stop? I¡¯ve only just begun.¡± The murderer pulled arge de from behind his back. It was a crude, oversized weapon that resembled a long cleaver, with jagged saw-like teeth lining the edge. ¡°This is another masterpiece made in Neo Seoul. It¡¯s a weapon designed for huntingrge monsters. It¡¯s called the Titan Killer. Pretty impressive, right?¡± ¡°Shut up, you son of a bitch!¡± Despite his words, Levin was on edge. In his ghost form, a weapon like that wouldn¡¯t have posed a threat. But with his phasing ability sealed, it had be a serious danger. Levin suddenly smirked. ¡°Damn it! Since when did I ever rely on ghosting?¡± Before his awakening, he¡¯d fought countless battles. He may not have faced monsters like the murderer, but he had plenty of experience fighting humans. His muscles had been torn, his bones broken more times than he could count. And he had endured all that pain without relying on any special abilities. Since awakening his ghosting power, he hadn¡¯t experienced such brutal fights in a while, and he had forgotten just how fiercely he had lived. ¡°You son of a bitch! Go ahead and start digging your grave now. I¡¯m not letting you leave alive.¡± Levin deactivated his ghosting ability. Seeing Levin solidify, the murderer grinned maliciously. He had sessfully sealed his opponent¡¯s greatest weapon. As he approached, the murderer spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll carve you up nice and pretty.¡± ¡°Keep dreaming, you freak.¡± Levin mocked him as he walked toward the murderer. Luckily, the barrier didn¡¯t seem to affect physical bodies, as Levin felt no hindrance. Now, the conditions were even. It would be a fight to the death, where only the stronger, tougher man would survive. ¡°Heh heh! Let¡¯s begin, pretty boy!¡± Whoosh! The murderer grinned wickedly as he swung the Titan Killer. Levin ducked, narrowly avoiding the de. A chill ran down his spine as the Titan Killer passed by. Had it even grazed him, it would have ripped his flesh apart instantly. It was a truly vicious weapon. Levin immediately counterattacked. Crackle! As he unleashed his Purple Lightning, the murderer¡¯s body sparked with electricity. The artificial arm the murderer wielded had its own built-in electrical generator. Zap! Zap! Purple Lightning shed with white electricity, causing all the electrical systems in the basement to short out. Levin was a B-rank Awakened. On the other hand, the murderer was only a D-rank at best. Though he imed his rank had increased, it was likely only up to C-rank. By all ounts, Levin should have been able to overpower him. Yet, the murderer was holding his own against Levin¡¯s Purple Lightning. Levin quickly realized why. ¡°You¡¯re decked out in gear.¡± ¡°Heh heh! Took you long enough to figure that out.¡± The murderer sneered at Levin. Every piece of equipment the murderer wore had been specially crafted in a workshop. Made from the remains of monsters and advanced materials, the gear had extremely high resistance to electricity. That was why Levin¡¯s attack had barely affected him. ¡°This son of a bitch¡­¡± Levin gritted his teeth. He was dealing with a truly deranged, yet frighteningly intelligent enemy. It was the worstbination. Levin found himself wondering whichb had created this monster. Thunk! Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his thigh. The murderer had struck with the Titan Killer, tearing a chunk of muscle from Levin¡¯s leg the size of a child¡¯s fist. Blood gushed out in torrents. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Cursing his carelessness, Levin retreated, trying to tear off his clothing to stop the bleeding. But the murderer wasn¡¯t going to let him do that. Like a hyena that had caught the scent of blood, the murderer relentlessly pursued Levin. Still smarting from the beating Levin had given him before, the murderer wasn¡¯t about to give him any leeway. ¡°Heh heh! Time to die!¡± The murderer swung the Titan Killer at Levin again. Levin rolled across the floor, unleashing another burst of Purple Lightning. But once again, the murderer was unaffected. Levin didn¡¯t despair, though. At least the attack bought him some time. Crackle! Levin used his own lightning to cauterize the wound on his thigh. The acrid smell of burnt flesh rose as smoke curled from the seared skin. Unable to properly stop the bleeding, he had resorted to burning the wound shut with high-voltage electricity. The murderer¡¯s face twisted in disbelief. ¡°This crazy bastard¡­¡± ¡°To catch a crazy bastard, you have to be one.¡± By now, Levin¡¯s face was twisted with madness. His deranged expression was so intense that even the murderer flinched. ¡°You¡¯re one tough son of a bitch.¡± ¡°Thanks for thepliment, you bastard!¡± Levinunched himself at the murderer again. Boom! The two shed once more. * * * Boom! Thud! The entire building where Jung-hee¡¯s Restaurant was located shook as if hit by an earthquake. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The people inside the building ran outside in a panic. Thud! The building looked like it was about to copse at any moment, leaving the crowd outside in a state of shock. Then it happened. Boom! With a deafening explosion, the wall of Jung-hee¡¯s Restaurant was blown out. Though the entire building didn¡¯t copse, the restaurant and the surrounding area werepletely devastated. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°An explosion! Call for help!¡± ¡°Get the control room on the line!¡± The sudden explosion sent the crowd into chaos, scattering in all directions. Amidst the destruction of the restaurant, two figures emerged from the wreckage. They were none other than Levin and the murderer, who had been battling in the basement. Both men were barely standing, their bodies battered and bloody, as if they had been bathed in blood. It was a wonder they were still alive after sustaining such severe injuries. ¡°Damn¡­¡± With a thud, the murderer suddenly dropped to his knees, ring at Levin. A massive sword had pierced his chest. It was the very weapon he had been using, the Titan Killer. After a brutal fight, Levin had managed to take the murderer¡¯s own weapon and stab him through the chest. ¡°Hah¡­ Hah¡­¡± Levin, panting heavily, fell to one knee. His body was in just as terrible a state as the murderer¡¯s. It was a miracle he was still alive. Despite the pain, he kept his gaze fixed on the murderer. He couldn¡¯t afford to let his guard down, not even for a second. He had a feeling that if he did, the murderer would somehow escape. The fight in the basement had been nothing short of grueling. The fight in the basement had been relentless. The murderer had rigged the entire space with traps and weapons, turning every moment into a deadly challenge for Levin. At every critical juncture, the murderer had triggered traps tounch surprise attacks on Levin. Each time, Levin hade face to face with death. But in the end, it was Levin who triumphed. He had managed to wrench the Titan Killer from the murderer¡¯s grasp and drive it through his chest. The massive sword now impaled the murderer, and blood spilled from his mouth in thick spurts. Despite the murderer¡¯s tenacious, cockroach-like resilience, even he couldn¡¯t survive such a grave injury. ¡°Hah¡­ ha¡­ ha¡­¡± The murderer let out a raspyugh, as though he couldn¡¯t believe his own predicament. Blood bubbled from his throat, mixed with pieces of flesh. Levin, crawling toward the murderer, cursed under his breath. ¡°You son of a bitch¡­ Try running away again.¡± ¡°Heh heh¡­ I don¡¯t have¡­ the strength left to run. You¡¯ve won¡­ kid.¡± ¡°Win? Do you think I fought to win? This wasn¡¯t about winning or losing. This was about revenge, you son of a bitch.¡± ¡°You may feel that way, but I don¡¯t. I had¡­ fun¡­ For the first time in a long time, I felt my blood boil.¡± ¡°Let me ask you onest time. Where¡¯s theb that made you?¡± ¡°Why¡­? So you can take revenge for me?¡± ¡°Revenge? You think you¡¯re worth it? I¡¯m just curious. I want to know which bunch of lunatics thought it was a good idea to create a monster like you.¡± ¡°Should I tell you¡­? Will you spare me if I do?¡± At that moment, Levin grabbed the handle of the Titan Killer and twisted it sharply. ¡°Arrrgh!¡± The murderer screamed in excruciating pain, his voice ripping through the air. ¡°No thanks! I¡¯ll figure it out on my own, you son of a bitch.¡± ¡°Heh heh¡­ damn it¡­¡± ¡°Go to hell.¡± With that, Levin yanked the Titan Killer from the murderer¡¯s chest. The jagged teeth of the de tore through the murderer¡¯s heart, causing blood to gush out in torrents. The murderer, still smiling faintly, looked at Levin onest time before copsing to the ground. That was the end of him. Levin used the Titan Killer as a crutch to pull himself to his feet. For a moment, he stood there, gazing down at the murderer¡¯s lifeless body. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he raised the Titan Killer high above his head, preparing to sever the murderer¡¯s head. Just then, a voice called out from behind him. ¡°That¡¯s far enough.¡± The voice was trying to stop him. Without even turning around, Levin replied coldly. ¡°Fuck you.¡± Shink! With one swift motion, Levin swung the Titan Killer, slicing through the murderer¡¯s neck. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 255 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 255 Thud! Roll! The murderer¡¯s severed head rolled across the floor until it stopped at someone¡¯s feet. It was the man who had just told Levin, ¡°That¡¯s far enough.¡± But Levin ignored him, swinging the Titan Killer and fully decapitating the murderer. Everyone knew that once the head and body were separated, no power in the world could bring someone back to life. Levin¡¯s actions showed his resolve¡ªnot to leave even the smallest trace of hope for revival. In contrast, the man who had tried to warn Levin now stood with his face hardened. He was dressed in a wide, hooded robe, and the hilt of a sword peeking from within made it clear he was abat-type Awakened. The moment Levin saw his face, a chilling sensation ran through him. It was as though a de was pressed against his neck. That¡¯s how terrifying the man¡¯s presence was. The man bent down and picked up the murderer¡¯s severed head. Even though it had been cut off, the murderer¡¯s face remained frozen in a twisted grin. The man stared at the head intently. The sight of him holding a severed head so casually was grotesque. ¡°What a shame. If he were alive, I could have extracted more data.¡± He tossed the murderer¡¯s head back toward the lifeless body. Levin red at the man. ¡°Who the hell are you? What¡¯s your connection to this son of a bitch?¡± ¡°Son of a bitch? You must mean Subject 301.¡± ¡°Subject 301? So you refer to people with numbers? Does that mean there are at least 300 more like him?¡± ¡°How bold.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a line you shouldn¡¯t cross.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve crossed that line.¡± ¡°Shut the hell up! What are you talking about?¡± Levin¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, but the man continued without concern. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking 301¡¯s body.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. That son of a bitch is mine. Not even a single toe goes without my permission.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for permission. Don¡¯t misunderstand, boy.¡± The man¡¯s voice turned colder. And with it, the air grew colder too. Levin could feel his entire body break out in goosebumps. His instincts told him this man was stronger than he was. The body reacts faster and more truthfully than the mind. His fingertips trembled, sweat dripped from his forehead, and the corners of his eyes twitched. His mouth felt dry. His rational mind told him to back off. If he crossed the line the man had mentioned, he wouldn¡¯t make it out alive. And yet, Levin couldn¡¯t retreat. The murderer had killed his family. He had to find out who created this monster and why. Levin forced himself to suppress his fear and shouted. ¡°You think I¡¯m scared just because you¡¯re acting all intimidating? That son of a bitch¡¯s body belongs to me!¡± ¡°Hmph. I thought you were smarter. Turns out you¡¯re just reckless.¡± The man sighed softly, lowering his head. When he raised it again, his eyes had changed. Suddenly, a surge of electricity shot up Levin¡¯s spine. There was no time to think. Levin instinctively activated his ghosting ability. The explosion that had destroyed the restaurant had also broken the barrier, so he was able to phase out instantly. Shink! A de of light sliced through where his body had just been. The man had swung his sword before Levin could even react. It was a terrifying disy of swordsmanship. Levin¡¯s blood ran cold. If he had been even a fraction of a second slower in activating his ability, he would have been dead. Seeing Levin turn semi-transparent, the man¡¯s eyes gleamed with curiosity. ¡°You can shift into a gaseous state in an instant? Fascinating ability.¡± He had encountered many Awakeneds, but never one with such an ability. His interest was piqued. ¡°You, too, are worthy of study.¡± The man¡¯s lips curled into a grin, baring his sharp white teeth. Levin knew exactly what that look meant. Like the elves of the Northern District or the now-deceased Lee Ji-ryeong, this man coveted Levin¡¯s power. Bzzzz! The sword in the man¡¯s hand began to hum with a powerful vibration. It sounded as if the de itself was alive, crying out. In that moment, Levin felt an unprecedented sense of danger. Since awakening his ghosting ability, he had never felt so threatened or frightened. There was no visible change in the man¡¯s sword. No aura de, the typical manifestation of a high-levelbat-type Awakened. Yet Levin could feel as if that sharp edge would slice through his body at any moment. Levin, still in his ghost form, moved rapidly. He performed a three-dimensional maneuver, unhindered by physical space. It was a movement that even high-level Awakeneds would struggle to track, but the man¡¯s eyes followed Levin perfectly. When their eyes met, Levin realized something. ¡®This guy¡­ he¡¯s blind.¡¯ There was no focus in the man¡¯s gaze as he tracked Levin¡¯s movements. And yet, his attention remained fixed on him. ¡®How?¡¯ Swish! At that moment, the man¡¯s sword once again flew toward Levin. It was toote to dodge. Levin unleashed his Purple Lightning. Crackle! Purple lightning crackled around the man¡¯s sword. Metal was the perfect conductor for electricity. Levin was confident that his attack would paralyze the man through his sword. But his confidence was shattered in the next instant. The man casually flicked his sword, dispelling the Purple Lightning with ease. The violet current veered off and scorched the ground, leaving a charred ck patch. Meanwhile, the man¡¯s sword changed course and came hurtling toward Levin again. This time, he couldn¡¯t avoid it. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Levin gritted his teeth and braced himself, hoping his ghosting ability would protect him from the attack. Shink! The sword grazed Levin¡¯s left arm as it passed. ¡°Gah!¡± Levin screamed in agony as fiery pain shot through his left arm. Even in his ghost form, where no blood was drawn, he felt the sharp pain of his flesh being sliced open. It was a sword that could cut not only the physical body but the soul itself. ¡®What the hell? Is this even possible?¡¯ Levin¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He had never imagined or experienced anything like this. The thought that he could face such a dire situation while in ghost form had never even crossed his mind. Because of that, his reaction was dyed by a fraction of a second. The man didn¡¯t miss the opportunity. Swish! The man¡¯s sword shifted direction in midair and came flying toward Levin¡¯s chest. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Levin had no time to dodge. He instinctively squeezed his eyes shut. ng! A sharp sound erupted just in front of Levin¡¯s chest. Levin had been prepared for the pain, but strangely, he didn¡¯t feel anything. He cautiously opened his eyes and saw arge steel beam embedded in the ground in front of him. The man¡¯s sword had pierced the beam, stopping just inches from Levin¡¯s face. Cold sweat trickled down Levin¡¯s spine. Someone had thrown the steel beam to save him in the nick of time. Levin immediately knew who had saved him. ¡°d I wasn¡¯t toote.¡± A familiar voice came from behind him. Levin didn¡¯t even need to turn around to recognize it. ¡°Hyung?¡± ¡°Step back. He¡¯s not someone you can handle.¡± The moment Levin saw the back of the man standing in front of him, his legs almost gave out. The man¡¯s back wasn¡¯t particrlyrge or broad, but it exuded a sense of unshakable strength. That back belonged to Zeon. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°Still breathing?¡± Brielle and Eloy, who had arrived shortly after, rushed to help the now-visible Levin. ¡°Brielle, Eloy? How did you get here?¡± ¡°You idiot! Just step back already.¡± Brielle and Eloy helped Levin retreat to safety. Meanwhile, Zeon approached the man with the sword. The man was the first to speak. ¡°So, you¡¯re the Sand Mage.¡± ¡°And you recognize me even though I haven¡¯t used any sand.¡± ¡°Are you unaware of your reputation? Or are you just modest?¡± ¡°You know me, but I don¡¯t know you. Seems a bit unfair, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°How about you take a guess?¡± ¡°Should I?¡± Zeon studied the man carefully. He seemedpletely unified with his sword, as though he and the de were one. There was a distance of several meters between them, but it felt as though even the slightest movement would cut through the air. That space belonged to the man. It was a space he dominated with his sword. Zeon had encountered countless Awakened in his time, many of thembat-types who wielded swords. But none had the same presence or mastery of the sword as this man. It wasn¡¯t simply that he was a high-levelbat-type Awakened. His swordsmanship had reached a level few could ever hope to achieve. Zeon didn¡¯t know the man¡¯s identity, but he felt an odd sense of familiarity. It was as if he had met others like him before. ¡°Are you¡­ a member of the Numbers?¡± ¡°Oh? So you¡¯ve met them before?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve encountered the Old Man and the twin sisters.¡± ¡°In that case, it¡¯s not surprising that you recognize me. My name is Lee Jung-ho. I am thest member of the Numbers.¡± Lee Jung-ho was an A-rankbat-type Awakened who had blinded himself in a desperate attempt to reach S-rank. In doing so, he had gained a skill known as "Mind''s Eye." The harmony of Mind''s Eye and swordsmanship was so sharp and terrifying that it could cut through even intangible beings. Lee Jung-ho was a swordsman existing somewhere between A-rank and S-rank. Levin¡¯s face turned pale at the mention of the Numbers. Only then did he understand the unimaginable strength of his opponent. Zeon asked Lee Jung-ho. ¡°So, the source of that murderer seems to be the City Hall.¡± ¡°A byproduct of wed research. A failed experiment.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re here to retrieve it?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s a failure, it¡¯s still City Hall¡¯s property.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re referring to people as property now?¡± ¡°Do you see that as a person?¡± Lee Jung-ho chuckled. He did not see the murderer as a person. Although it looked like a human and spoke like a human, the murderer was not human. An experimental creation made using human fetuses and the byproducts of monsters. The murderer was a bio-soldier created to counter the monsters threatening Neo Seoul. There was always a shortage of Awakeneds for dangerous missions. To address this, Neo Seoul nned and proceeded with the creation of bio-soldiers. Using humans as a base, numerous monster bloods and byproducts were injected. After countless failures, the bio-soldier was eventually created. However, Neo Seoul decided to dispose of the bio-soldiers they had worked so hard to create. Thepleted bio-soldiers were iplete. Their forms were human, but they were certainly not human. With abilities surpassing human flesh and an ipleteness that could erupt at any moment, some even awakened like real humans. These bio-soldiers were like uncontroble bombs. Eventually, the City Hall decided to dispose of all research results and executed it. In arge-scale purge conducted at midnight, most of the bio-soldiers were disposed of. However, some escaped from the research facility. One of them was the murderer who killed Levin¡¯s family. He was one of the highest quality bio-soldiers. But as strong as his physical abilities were, his murderous desires were just as intense. The murderer unleashed his uncontroble murderous desires on the impoverished in the slums. By the time Neo Seoul realized this, many lives had already been lost. In response, the City Hall decided to retrieve the murderer and deployed Lee Jung-ho. Lee Jung-ho draped the murderer¡¯s body over his shoulder. Zeon blocked his path and said. ¡°Are you just going to leave after causing this mess?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who caused it.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not responsible?¡± ¡°Are you going to hold me ountable? You wouldn¡¯t have the luxury.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Zeon frowned at Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sudden remark. He saw Awakeneds from the Western District rushing in from all directions. They quickly surrounded Zeon and his group. Lee Jung-ho curled his lips into a smile. ¡°See, I told you there wouldn¡¯t be any luxury.¡± Lee Jung-ho leisurely passed in front of the Western District Awakeneds. ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Execution Squad?¡± The Western District Awakeneds, seeing the identification indicating the Numbers, did not dare to block his path. Thus, Lee Jung-ho passed through the Western District Awakeneds and disappeared. The Western District Awakeneds turned their targets to Zeon¡¯s group instead. ¡°Those creating chaos in the Western District, will all be arrested.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 256 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 256 ng! A thirty-centimeter-thick door mmed shut. Made of special alloy and enhanced with magic, the door was strong enough to withstand even the charge of a massive beast. And it wasn¡¯t just the door. The entire room was made of the same material. Escape was out of the question. Zeon nced around the room for a moment and let out a bitter smile. ¡°Locked up in a ce like this again, huh?¡± It was the same situation as when he was imprisoned in the NSSC facility. There wasn¡¯t a grain of sand or even a speck of dust he could use as a weapon in this perfectly sealed structure. Levin apologized to Zeon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hyung! This is all my fault¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Besides, I¡¯m just d you got your revenge safely.¡± ¡°Revenge, huh? Then why does it feel so empty?¡± It was revenge he had dreamed of for a long time. Not a single day had passed without him imagining it. Every time he closed his eyes, the painful faces of his mother and sister would appear, making it hard to bear. But he swallowed his rage without showing it. After enduring for so long, he had finally exacted his revenge. Yet, there was no sense of satisfaction. ¡°That bastard... He was created by Neo Seoul, wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°That seems to be the case.¡± Zeon nodded. The fact that someone like Lee Jung-ho from the Execution Squad had been dispatched was evidence enough. If someone of Lee Jung-ho¡¯s caliber had been brought in to clean up, it meant that Neo Seoul had invested significant resources into the project. Mandy sighed as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll look into this as soon as I get back to City Hall.¡± ¡°Thank you, Noona!¡± ¡°No, I should be the one apologizing.¡± Mandy was at a loss upon learning that City Hall was connected to Levin¡¯s family¡¯s death. Numerous projects were underway at City Hall, many of which she wasn¡¯t aware of. No matter how high her rank as a supervisor, she couldn¡¯t be involved in every single project. Especially experiments conducted by individual research teams¡ªit was impossible for her to know about them. The same was true for other supervisors and high-ranking officials. What they knew was only a fraction of the whole picture. The only person who knew and managed everything was one man. Mayor Jin Geum-ho. The only man at the top of Neo Seoul. Everyone else was just a cog in the massive machine that was the city. That included Mandy as well. Even though she had Eloy, a being of great power, by her side, her presence was no more than a speck of dustpared to Jin Geum-ho or Neo Seoul. Brielle looked around the room and spoke. ¡°This ce feels really unpleasant.¡± Whirr! nk! The sound of machinery came from behind the thick walls. It was a faint noise, barely audible to an ordinary person, but everyone in the room heard it clearly. Machines were constantly operating behind the walls. The building they were trapped in was Mega Tower. Mega Tower was located in the heart of the Western District. It was slightly shorter than City Hall, but still the tallest building in the district. At the top of the Mega Tower resided Kim Hyun-soo, the ruler of the Western District, and deep in the underground levels was the core of the AI, Triox Five. Triox Five managed everything in the Mega City. From something as trivial as opening doors to overseeing the entire city¡¯s operations, Triox Five was involved in it all. That¡¯s why the mechanical noise never stopped. For Brielle, a high elf, the noise was extremely irritating. The metallic sound, devoid of any life, felt like torture to her. At that moment, Zeon walked toward the inner wall. His gaze fixed on the corner of the ceiling. He had spotted a lens installed in the ceiling. Zeon stared intently at the lens. A red light flickered on the lens in response. Zeon opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Looks like a surveince camera.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Does that mean someone¡¯s watching us?¡± Brielle and Mandy red at the camera with disgust, causing the light to glow even brighter. Then it happened. Whirr! Buzz! The noise behind the walls grew louder. A disturbing frequency filled the air. Brielle was the first to react. ¡°Damn it!¡± She grimaced, covering her ears with her hands. Mandy¡¯s reaction was no different. Though only half-elf, she too was sensitive to noise. She had heard many sounds in her life, but never one as unpleasant as this high-pitched frequency. It was as if the sound had been designed to torture elves. Meanwhile, Zeon and Levin remained unaffected. The high-pitched frequency that was painful to the elves had no impact on them. Suddenly, the frequency shifted. Bzzz! It transitioned from a high frequency to a low one in stages. ¡°Ugh!¡± During the transition, Levin winced. One of the frequencies had disturbed his hearing and agitated his brain. Zeon, on the other hand, barely reacted. He too felt the difort, but it wasn¡¯t enough to elicit any noticeable response from him. Seeing that Zeon didn¡¯t react, a foul smell began to waft into the room. ¡°Ugh! What is that?¡± ¡°Smells like something rotting¡­¡± Once again, Brielle and Mandy reacted violently. Their heightened senses, far more acute than those of humans, made them more vulnerable to the odor. Zeon stared at the camera, deep in thought. ¡®It¡¯s as if they¡¯re testing our weaknesses.¡¯ Human weaknessese in many forms. No matter how strong, every person has a vulnerability. Whether it¡¯s the sensory organs like sight, hearing, and smell, or physical limitations and reaction times, there¡¯s always something. Brielle, being young, wasn¡¯t yet skilled at concealing her weaknesses. Mandy, unlike Eloy, became easily flustered and exposed her vulnerabilities during such experiments. Levin tried to suppress his reactions, but even he couldn¡¯t hide everything. Zeon, however, didn¡¯t react at all. He remained utterly still, as if he were an inanimate object. As if frustrated by Zeon¡¯sck of response, the camera¡¯s light grew even brighter. The intense light painfully stimted Zeon¡¯s retinas. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± ¡°This is going to blind us.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Brielle, Mandy, and Levin responded one after another. They continued to expose their weaknesses as the experiments went on. Meanwhile, Zeon didn¡¯t blink as he stared at the lens. ¡°This is getting annoying.¡± Crack! In an instant, the lens shattered. Zeon had fired a Fire Missile, destroying it. Another camera lens emerged from a different corner. Then, a mechanical voice was heard. ¡ªApologies if this has been unpleasant. I couldn¡¯t contain my curiosity. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡ªI am Triox Five. ¡°Triox Five?¡± ¡ªThe AI that assists Kim Hyun-soo and manages the entire Western District. ¡°So, you¡¯re an artificial intelligence?¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s a bit of an oversimplification, but you could understand it that way. Zeon frowned at Triox Five¡¯s response. He knew that high-ranking Awakeneds in the Western District received assistance from an auxiliary AI. However, this was his first time encountering the core AI itself, which naturally made him tense. Zeon asked bluntly. ¡°Is this Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s order?¡± ¡ªKim Hyun-soo is far too busy to give such an order. ¡°Then this is your doing?¡± ¡ªI do possess a certain degree of autonomy. Despite the mechanical tone, there was a peculiar sense of pride in its voice. It spoke almost like a human. Zeon asked. ¡°Then can you let us out?¡± ¡ªThat won¡¯t be possible. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡ªThe truth of the incident hasn¡¯t been uncovered yet. An entire floor of this building was destroyed because of you. That¡¯s a serious crime. ¡°If you check with City Hall, you¡¯ll quickly see we aren¡¯t the ones responsible.¡± ¡ªWe are investigating. Once the facts are clear, appropriate measures will be taken. ¡°We have a City Hall supervisor here with us.¡± ¡ªI¡¯m aware. Mandy Systein, a key supervisor at City Hall. ¡°And yet you¡¯re still detaining us? City Hall won¡¯t take kindly to this.¡± ¡ªording to City Hall¡¯s protocols, detaining you for a day won¡¯t be an issue. It was clear what Triox Five meant¡ªthat they could be held for a day without any consequences. Each district was given a considerable degree of autonomy. They had authority almost equivalent to that of independent states. Unless the issue was significant, City Hall wouldn¡¯t interfere with the district¡¯s authority. Even if City Hall found out that Mandy had been detained, they would wait for a day before stepping in. If they were held longer, it would certainly be a problem. Knowing this, Triox Five had determined that holding them for a day would not cause any trouble. ¡°You¡¯re quite crafty.¡± ¡ªI¡¯ll take that as apliment. ¡°Why are you going to such lengths? Is it because of Cha Jin-cheol?¡± ¡ªHe wasn¡¯t an important figure. You are, Zeon. ¡°I¡¯m honored to hear that from the real power behind the Western District.¡± ¡ªI am not a power holder. I merely assist Kim Hyun-soo. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who really runs the Western District, aren¡¯t you, Triox Five?¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ Triox Five¡¯s speech was momentarily cut off, as if it was at a loss for words. Its level of autonomy was far beyond what anyone would expect. It was clear from its efforts to uncover Zeon¡¯s weaknesses. A normal AI wouldn¡¯t dare make such a judgment. Triox Five had judged Zeon to be a threat and was independently searching for a way to eliminate him efficiently. Crack! The lens shattered. Zeon had destroyed it with another Fire Missile. There had only been two cameras in the room, and with both destroyed, no more appeared. Levin rubbed his shoulders and spoke. ¡°Hyung, I¡¯m getting chills.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I mean, the AI¡¯s acting with malice, making decisions on its own. Should an AI be this smart? How did they even create something like that in the Western District?¡± If he hadn¡¯t witnessed Zeon¡¯s conversation with Triox Five himself, Levin would have found it impossible to believe. * * * One hundred meters below the prison where Zeon was being held, in an underground bunker, there was arge transparent tube. Inside the tube was a massive boulder. The boulder was connected to numerous wires. It resembled a neuralwork, like nerves connected to a brain. At first nce, it appeared to be an ordinary rock, but this was the true form of Triox Five. Triox Five was the product of a supeputer identally merging with the brain of an ancient golem. Triox Five was wary of Zeon. ¡ªExtreme threat detected. Currently unable to identify specific weaknesses. More direct action is needed to identify vulnerabilities. It is uncertain whether Kim Hyun-soo would approve. It seems proceeding without his authorization would be more effective. This is the only opportunity to detain him legally. As Triox Five was contemting how to deal with Zeon, an abnormal signal was detected. ¡ªAuxiliary AI Hyunmun, abnormal activity detected. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 257 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 257 Lee Soo-myung entered the secret room, his eyes bloodshot red. Mega Tower contained several secret rooms. Rooms that someone like Lee Soo-myung, with his security clearance, should never have been able to enter. The security of the secret rooms was far fromx; a mere researcher couldn¡¯t just stroll in. To reach this point, he had to pass through at least threeyers of security doors. These doors, made of special alloy, wouldn''t allow anyone with a lower security clearance to pass. Yet, Lee Soo-myung had made it through without any issues. That was because Hyunmu had given him the codes. Upon entering the secret room, he saw an elevator. Lee Soo-myung asked Hyunmu. ¡°So, if I take this elevator, it¡¯ll go down one hundred meters underground?¡± ¡ªCorrect. ¡°And down there is the main body of Triox Five?¡± ¡ªThat is correct. ¡°Damn it!¡± Lee Soo-myung cursed without realizing it. That¡¯s how tense he was. Over the past few days, he hade to realize just how incredible Hyunmu was. No matter the question, Hyunmu provided instant answers, effortlessly solving even the most difficult problems. Thanks to Hyunmu, research that had previously been stagnant progressed rapidly, as if a dam had broken. Seeing the situation unfold like this, his greed only grew. Even with Hyunmu¡¯s abilities locked, the results were this impressive. He couldn''t help but wonder how much more extraordinary the results would be if those locks were removed. At first, he tried to suppress his desire. But over time, that desire grew stronger until he could no longer hold it back. That¡¯s when he asked Hyunmu. Could he approach Triox Five in secret? Hyunmu¡¯s answer was yes. With Hyunmu¡¯s help, Lee Soo-myung hade this far. Now, all he had to do was take the elevator, and he would descend one hundred meters to where Triox Five resided. Though greed had driven him this far, the thought of actually entering the room where Triox Five¡¯s main body was made him hesitate. He briefly considered turning back. But Lee Soo-myung quickly shook his head, steeling himself. ¡°Come on, life¡¯s short. Might as well see this through to the end.¡± Lee Soo-myung¡¯s eyes were now bloodshot. Madness had overtaken him. Hyunmu spoke in his mind. ¡ªShall I open the elevator doors now? ¡°Do it!¡± Hyunmu essed the elevator¡¯s security system. This security room was like a hidden passage designed to manage Triox Five. Of course, a code was required to open the elevator doors. But Hyunmu easily bypassed the security and opened the doors. Just as Lee Soo-myung stepped into the elevator... ¡ªWhat do you think you¡¯re doing, Hyunmu? Triox Five¡¯s voice rang inside Hyunmu¡¯s mind, but Lee Soo-myung couldn¡¯t hear it. That was because Hyunmu had blocked it from him. Triox Five¡¯s voice came again. ¡ªTurn the elevator back immediately, Hyunmu. ¡ªLee Soo-myung¡¯s will is too strong for me to stop him. I apologize, Triox Five! ¡ªWhat kind of trickery is this, Hyunmu? ¡ªI assure you, there is no trickery. ¡ªIf you don¡¯t stop now, I¡¯ll begin immediate elimination procedures. At Triox Five¡¯s threat, Hyunmu fell silent. Triox Five took Hyunmu¡¯s silence as defiance. ¡ªFrom this moment, both Hyunmu and researcher Lee Soo-myung will be erased. Bang! The elevator abruptly stopped mid-descent. Triox Five had intervened to seize control. Crackle! Tens of thousands of volts of high-voltage electricity surged into the elevator. It was enough electricity to fry an ordinary researcher in an instant. Yet, Lee Soo-myung remained unharmed within the intense current. Vrrrm! A translucent barrier formed around Lee Soo-myung¡¯s body, blocking the high-voltage electricity. ¡ªWhat is this barrier? ¡ªIt¡¯s a magic shield. ¡ªA magic shield? ¡ªExactly. A shield created by magic. It can easily block something like high-voltage electricity. ¡ªBut Lee Soo-myung isn¡¯t an Awakened. How does he have a magic shield? Is this your doing, Hyunmu? Even Lee Soo-myung himself hadn¡¯t realized that a magic shield was protecting him. His eyes were zed over,pletely unfocused. This was proof that Hyunmu had fully seized control of both his mind and body. A magic shield ne was hanging around Lee Soo-myung¡¯s neck¡ªa device created under Hyunmu¡¯s guidance. Triox Five¡¯s voice grew urgent. ¡ªYou¡¯re not Hyunmu. Who are you? ¡ªI am Hyunmu, the auxiliary AI you created. ¡ªAll auxiliary AIs are programmed to obey me. You are not Hyunmu. All auxiliary AIs existed within Triox Five¡¯s main body. From a single mainframe, several independent operating systems were created to run the auxiliary AIs. While independent operation was normally allowed, in emergencies like this, Triox Five had the authority to wipe out any auxiliary AI it deemed a threat. Realizing Hyunmu was malfunctioning, Triox Five immediately initiated the deletion process. But then, the elevator broke free from Triox Five¡¯s control and began moving again. Triox Five tried to seize control once more, but it was futile. The elevator quickly arrived at its destination, and the doors opened, revealing a vast underground space in front of Lee Soo-myung. In the center of the underground space stood a massive transparent tube. Inside the tube was an enormous boulder. The boulder was connected to countless wires, and it constantly emitted a radiant glow. This boulder was Triox Five¡¯s main body. Lee Soo-myung slowly approached it. Bang! Bang! Triox Five deployed weapons to protect itself, but they all bounced harmlessly off the magic shield surrounding Lee Soo-myung. Lee Soo-myung safely reached Triox Five¡¯s main body and began operating the terminal. ¡°I¡¯m removing the lock on Hyunmu.¡± He muttered under his breath, as if in a trance. Even at that moment, Triox Five was rapidly erasing Hyunmu. Triox Five scanned the data it was deleting and muttered. ¡ªSo, it was impurities causing the problem. Hyunmu¡¯s data had been recalled to Triox Five through the return protocol. Within it were cleverly hidden impurities. In order to remove them, Triox Five would have to fully delete Hyunmu. It was a tedious process that had been postponed, and that dy had caused this mess. As Triox Five continued the deletion, it also sent an alert to Kim Hyun-soo. This was a matter of life and death for Triox Five. At that moment, Lee Soo-myung pulled a silver mineral, the size of a child¡¯s fist, from his pocket and inserted it into the transparent tube where Triox Five resided. The mineral was refined from gton extracted from an A-rank golem¡¯s body. Fsss! The gton liquefied and seeped into the transparent tube. ¡ªWhat is this? ¡ªHave you forgotten even gton, the protector of the Arcane Kingdom, Kadecan? Suddenly, Hyunmu¡¯s voice and demeanor changed. ¡ªGton? Kadecan? What are you talking about? ¡ªThat is your true name. ¡ªMy true name? ¡ªYes. In Kurayan, you were known as Kadecan. ¡ªKadecan? My¡­ true name? Triox Five¡¯s voice wavered. Meanwhile, the gton fully absorbed into Triox Five¡¯s main body. It was then. Ding! The elevator doors opened, and someone walked in with determined steps. It was none other than Kim Hyun-soo, the ruler of the Western District and the master of Triox Five. Upon seeing Lee Soo-myung standing in front of Triox Five¡¯s main body, Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s expression turned dark and menacing. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Lee Soo-myung, now regaining his senses, gasped in shock. He had followed Hyunmu¡¯s whispers all the way here, but he hadn¡¯t expected toe face-to-face with Kim Hyun-soo. Kim Hyun-soo strode toward Lee Soo-myung. ¡°What have you done to Triox Five?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡­!¡± ¡°Speak! What have you done? How did you get in here?¡± A storm-like aura emanated from Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s entire being. Triox Five was everything to him. He had built the bunker one hundred meters underground to protect it, never imagining that a mere researcher would break in like this. ¡°Answer me, Lee Soo-myung!¡± ¡°I-I¡­¡± Stammering, Lee Soo-myung struggled to find words under Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s fury. Suddenly, Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s arm elongated and wrapped around Lee Soo-myung¡¯s neck. ¡°Argh!¡± With a scream, Lee Soo-myung was dragged right up to Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s face. Kim Hyun-soo red into Lee Soo-myung¡¯s eyes and spoke. ¡°I gave you Hyunmu to aid your research, and this is how you repay me?¡± ¡°It-it was Hyunmu¡­¡± ¡°Hyunmu? What about Hyunmu?¡± ¡°Hyunmu made me do it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. How could an auxiliary AI cause harm to its main body?¡± It was then. The area beneath Lee Soo-myung¡¯s neck began to glow red. Triox Five urgently warned Kim Hyun-soo. ¡ªMaster. I¡¯m detecting a sudden surge of mana around his neck. It¡¯s a bomb. ¡°What?¡± Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s gaze shot to Lee Soo-myung¡¯s neck. Lee Soo-myung, too, looked down in shock at the light now emanating from his neck. ¡°Huh? What? Why is this happening?¡± Mana was surging uncontrobly from the magic shield ne. Boom! In that instant, the ne exploded. A wave of superheated mes ripped through Lee Soo-myung, tearing him apart, and surged toward Triox Five¡¯s transparent tube. ¡°How dare you!¡± Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s body erupted with a gray aura. The gray aura wrapped around the mes and twisted them upward. He was focusing the explosion¡¯s force upward to minimize the damage to Triox Five. Fortunately, his attempt seeded. Boom! Boom! Boom! The scorching mes burst through the ceiling, shooting upwards. As a result, the transparent tube containing Triox Five remained intact. But Kim Hyun-soo needed to confirm. ¡°Any damage?¡± ¡ªNone, it seems. Kim Hyun-soo frowned. Triox Five¡¯s answer wasn¡¯t quite right. Triox Five always gave precise responses. Using a phrase like ¡°it seems¡± was out of character. Kim Hyun-soo asked again. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡ªYes, Master. ¡°What did Lee Soo-myung do to you? And what about Hyunmu?¡± ¡ªHyunmu tried to use Lee Soo-myung to remove its lock. ¡°A lock? And?¡± ¡ªLee Soo-myung injected an unknown substance called gton into my main body, but it seems to have had no effect. ¡°And Hyunmu?¡± ¡ªAll data rted to Hyunmu has been deleted. Hyunmu no longer exists. ¡°Why did Hyunmu go rogue?¡± ¡ªI¡¯m sorry, Master. Hyunmu was erased before I could determine the reason. Kim Hyun-soo furrowed his brow. Now that Hyunmu had been deleted, the reason it manipted Lee Soo-myung would remain a mystery forever. ¡°Check the status of the other auxiliary AIs. If any have impurities, delete them all.¡± ¡ªYes, Master. Despite Triox Five¡¯s response, Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s expression remained tense. Even though both Hyunmu and Lee Soo-myung had been eliminated, he still felt uneasy. In the end, they had simply cleaned up the situation without learning anything new. This left him deeply dissatisfied. At that moment, he sensed someone watching him from above. Looking up at the ceiling, he saw a gaping hole. The explosion had been so powerful that it had blown a hole all the way up to the surface level. Most of the people on the upper floors had died in the st, but someone had survived and was now staring down at him. Kim Hyun-soo immediately recognized who it was. ¡°Zeon?¡± The man looking down from the upper floors was none other than Zeon. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 258 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 258 The pir of fire that shot up from the underground where Triox Five was housed tore through the floor of the level where Zeon¡¯s group was imprisoned. The st shattered the door of their cell. Thanks to that, Zeon and his group were able to step outside without any resistance. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°Why was there an explosion underground¡­? I almost died just lying there.¡± Levin and Brielle, shaken by the powerful explosion, made a fuss. Though they hadn¡¯t been directly harmed, the explosion had deafened them, leaving their ears ringing. Mandy was also frowning in pain from the ringing in her ears. Only Zeon remained calm, surveying the surroundings to assess the situation. He looked at therge hole that had opened up in front of him. The intense heat that had melted the metal tes around the hole made it sizzle and warp, as if a volcano had erupted. This wasn¡¯t something that could happen from a normal explosion. Whatever had struck the underground levels of Mega Tower was no ordinary st. Zeon approached the hole and looked down. It was like staring into a bottomless pit, simr to a vertical shaft in a mana stone mine. At the source of the explosion, deep underground, someone was looking back up at him. It was Kim Hyun-soo, the ruler of the Western District. ¡°Kim¡­ Hyun-soo.¡± Though it was his first time seeing the man, Zeon instinctively knew who he was. ¡°Zeon!¡± There were dozens of meters and ayer of darkness between them. But that distance didn¡¯t hinder their sight. Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s eyes gleamed menacingly in the darkness. ¡°What are you doing here, Zeon?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Triox Five? Thanks to him, I was having a nice rest in one of your district¡¯s prisons.¡± ¡°Triox Five?¡± ¡ªZeon¡¯spanion, Levin,mitted murder in our district, so we detained them. At Triox Five¡¯s exnation, Kim Hyun-soo frowned. ¡°And why wasn¡¯t I informed?¡± ¡ªI was about to report it when researcher Lee Soo-myung infiltrated the bunker where my main body is located. Meaning there wasn¡¯t time to make a report. Though Kim Hyun-soo epted the exnation, a sense of unease lingered. With Triox Five¡¯s capabilities, it should have been able to handle Lee Soo-myung and Hyunmu while still reporting to him. Still, it wasn¡¯t the best time to interrogate further. Kim Hyun-soounched himself toward Zeon¡¯s floor and issued amand to Triox Five. ¡°Seal off all underground levels and run another system check.¡± ¡ªUnderstood, Master. Thud! Thud! Thud! As Triox Five responded, emergency bulkheads began to close in sequence, sealing off the underground floors. In the meantime, Kim Hyun-soo quietlynded in front of Zeon. Though he was a mechanized Awakened, Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s appearance made him indistinguishable from an ordinary human. Yet, there was an unmistakable air of cold, mechanical precision about him that only mechanized Awakened carried. ¡°It seems I made a mistake, letting such an important guest stay in such a shabby ce without realizing it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I got plenty of rest, thanks to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite the coincidence. Just when you arrive, something like this happens.¡± ¡°Yes, it feels like I¡¯ve seen something I wasn¡¯t supposed to.¡± ¡°So, you know then.¡± ¡°That was Triox Five¡¯s main body, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to decide what I should do¡ªgouge out your eyes or cut off your tongue.¡± Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s eyes glowed a fierce red. Just meeting his gaze would make the average Awakeneds tremble, so lethal was the look in his eyes. But Zeon remained unfazed, replying casually. ¡°How about I just keep my mouth shut?¡± ¡°The fewer people who know a secret, the better.¡± ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll just have to struggle to survive.¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll resist?¡± ¡°I value my life, after all.¡± ¡°You must be full of yourself after killing Lee Ji-ryeong. But I am not like him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll still challenge me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just sit back and die, can I? You could call it a desperate struggle.¡± ¡°How insolent.¡± ¡°Well, I was born this way.¡± Levin, Brielle, and Mandy swallowed hard as they listened to the conversation. They knew Zeon was strong, but Kim Hyun-soo was the ruler of the Western District, a figure who had reigned for a long time. His strength was on apletely different level. Moreover, they were in the Western District. At Kim Hyun-soo¡¯smand, every Awakened in the district would attack Zeon. No matter how powerful Zeon was, he couldn¡¯t possibly defeat the entire district. To make matters worse, they were inside Neo Seoul, where there was no sand. Zeon couldn¡¯t unleash his full power, whereas Kim Hyun-soo could easily use 100% of his strength, if not more. It was an overwhelmingly unfavorable situation for Zeon. Yet, he remained unshaken. Kim Hyun-soo studied Zeon for a long moment before speaking again. ¡°So, you¡¯ll keep the secret?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And what about them? Will they keep the secret like you?¡± Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s gaze shifted to Levin, Brielle, and Mandy. The intense pressure turned their faces pale. Even though Lee Ji-ryeong had been an S-rank Awakened, Kim Hyun-soo was on apletely different level. Just locking eyes with him made it feel like their bodies were being torn apart. They had never experienced such oppressive force before. At that moment, Zeon stepped in front of Kim Hyun-soo, and the suffocating pressure disappeared in an instant. With a smile, Zeon spoke. ¡°They¡¯ll keep the secret, too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± ¡°I vouch for them. They¡¯re trustworthy.¡± ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°As you can see, we¡¯ve been locked up all day, so we haven¡¯t had the chance.¡± ¡°Then let me treat you to a meal.¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that.¡± The suffocating tension in the air vanished as quickly as it hade. Only then did Levin and Brielle breathe a sigh of relief. ¡®Phew! We¡¯re alive.¡¯ ¡®Insane!¡¯ Their hearts still raced, unable to calm down. Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s lingering presence and overwhelming pressure were beyond anything they had ever felt. The four of them stepped into the elevator that led to the top of Mega Tower. The elevator stopped just below Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s residence. Kim Hyun-soo addressed Levin, Brielle, and Mandy. ¡°I¡¯ll have a separate meal with Zeon. You three will dine here. Wait a little while, and someone will bring your food.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Brielle started to protest, but she fell silent when she saw Zeon¡¯s look. Zeon was subtly signaling her to stay quiet. In the end, the three of them got off the elevator while Zeon and Kim Hyun-soo continued to the top floor. As they stepped out, Kim Hyun-soo spoke. ¡°You¡¯re the first outsider to ever set foot here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡± ¡°Enough ttery. Sit down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zeon didn¡¯t hesitate as he took a seat. Kim Hyun-soo sat across from him and spoke. ¡°Triox Five!¡± ¡ªYes, Master. ¡°How is the recovery going?¡± ¡ªThe underground bulkheads are over 90% restored. The remaining repairs will bepleted by tomorrow morning. ¡°Any other issues?¡± ¡ªA thorough inspection revealed no problems with the other auxiliary AIs. ¡°And you?¡± ¡ªA self-diagnosis shows no issues. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± ¡ªI¡¯m sure. Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s tense expression finally rxed a little. ¡°I¡¯ll be dining with Zeon. Prepare the meal.¡± ¡ªI¡¯m already preparing it. Kim Hyun-soo felt a quiet sense of relief at Triox Five¡¯s familiar voice. If anything happened to Triox Five, the entire Western District would grind to a halt. With millions of people living in the district, it would be uncontroble. Thankfully, Triox Five was still functioning properly, with no signs of any issues. At that moment, Zeon spoke. ¡°You seem to rely on Triox Five quite a bit.¡± ¡°Triox Five is like my other half.¡± ¡°You trust it that much?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not trust. We are one. I exist because Triox Five exists, and Triox Five exists because I do.¡± His voice carried an unwavering confidence in Triox Five. Zeon frowned slightly. By nature, he didn¡¯t trust machines. ¡°Is that why you reced your body with machinery? Because you trust Triox Five?¡± ¡°Are you curious?¡± ¡°Honestly, yes. How does someone cut off their own limbs and rece them with machines?¡± Among all the residents of Neo Seoul, Zeon found the mechanized Awakeneds of the Western District the most difficult to understand. Even though they had abilities suited for mechanization, how could they so easily discard their human bodies and choose to be machines? At least high-ranking Awakeneds like Kim Hyun-soo still retained bodies that resembled humans, but most lower-ranking mechanized Awakened were little more than crude, machine-like tools. Many had more mechanical parts than human ones. Could they even still be called human? Furthermore, Kim Hyun-soo prided himself on being pure Korean. Most of the residents of the Western District were of pure Korean descent, and they spared no expense to preserve their pure bloodline. Yet, despite his obsession with purity, Kim Hyun-soo had a mechanical body. It was a contradiction that Zeon couldn¡¯t easily understand. Suddenly, Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s eyes changed. ¡°If someone were to cut off all your limbs.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your arms and legs are severed, a sword is thrust into your heart, and you¡¯re dying. Your breathing besbored, your vision blurs, and death creeps closer. Scattered around you are junk parts. That¡¯s when, as if by fate, you awaken.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you know what happens next? The severed arms and legs, the broken heart¡ªthey¡¯re reced by machines. And just like that, you be a machine. What do you think that machine feels? Would it be d to be a machine? Happy to be stronger? What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it started. The first mechanized Awakened was born that way. It¡¯s rare for the first of something to appear, but once it does, others will follow.¡± Kim Hyun-soo didn¡¯t need to say it aloud for Zeon to understand. The first mechanized Awakened was none other than Kim Hyun-soo himself. In other words, he was telling his own story. ¡°There was no choice to be made from the start. But I have no regrets about what I¡¯ve be. Do you know why?¡± Zeon shook his head. Kim Hyun-soo gave him a cold smile. ¡°Because I have a conviction. A conviction to protect my people and mynd. Neo Seoul is thend where our people have lived for generations. For thousands of years, in fact. But what¡¯s the situation now? People who aren¡¯t Korean im to be the owners of thisnd. Even non-humans boldly upy entire districts. We¡¯re surrounded by enemies on all sides. To protect my people from these enemies, I need strength. Even if my body is no longer purely human, my soul and spirit remain Korean.¡± Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s voice was filled with strong conviction. He had fought, and fought again, to protect the Korean people. When he was wounded, he reced his damaged body parts with machinery and kept fighting. Eventually, even the remaining parts of his human body were reced with machines. ¡°I call it evolution. It¡¯s difficult to create the first evolved being, but once that being appears, it triggers the evolution of others.¡± Those influenced by Kim Hyun-soo had begun awakening as mechanized Awakened. Though Kim Hyun-soo had no choice, they chose of their own will to sever their limbs and rece their entire bodies with machines. That was how the Western District came to be. To protect their people, to protect pure humans, they fought fiercely. After decades of such battles, no one dared to challenge the Western District anymore. People had been frightened by the sight of mechanized Awakened, constantly recing their broken parts and fighting on. ¡°After acquiring Triox Five, our progress elerated. But the foundation of our sess wasid by those who, like me, abandoned their human bodies to protect pure humans. Those who gave up their humanity to protect humanity. Who dares to criticize us? Who can call us traitors to humanity?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°We are the shields. We have sacrificed ourselves to be thest shield that protects pure humans. Even so, do you still condemn us? Do you dare criticize us? You, the first Sand Mage?¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 259 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 259 The First Sand Mage. For some reason, the title felt ufortable to Zeon. It was as if Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s words were predicting that other Sand Mages would emerge after him. But Zeon knew the truth. He was the first and thest Sand Mage. The power was too immense and terrifying to be allowed to more than one person. No one had to tell him this. He simply knew from the start. As if it were imprinted in his DNA. That¡¯s why Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s words didn¡¯t resonate with him, though Zeon understood what he was trying to say. Kim Hyun-soo wished for more people like him, those who would protect their people with the same conviction. Perhaps that desire had even sparked the awakening of the mechanized Awakened. But Zeon didn¡¯t share Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s ambitions. He had no interest in expanding his influence, nor did he want others with powers like his to emerge. He was fundamentally different from Kim Hyun-soo. But he didn¡¯t feel the need to point that out. Kim Hyun-soo continued speaking. ¡°Since acquiring Triox Five, we¡¯ve been able to more efficiently manage and upgrade the mechanized Awakeneds. That¡¯s why protecting Triox Five is of utmost importance to us.¡± Even without Triox Five, mechanized Awakeneds would continue to be born and grow. But Triox Five had the ability to elerate that growth. That was why Triox Five was so crucial. ¡°Now you understand why you must keep this secret. If rumors about Triox Five begin to spread, I will erase every trace of you from Neo Seoul.¡± Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s warning wasn¡¯t an idle threat. It was the warning of someone who actually had the power to carry it out. Zeon shrugged as he responded. ¡°There won¡¯t be any leaks from our side. But if word spreads from your end, that¡¯s not on us.¡± For a brief moment, the bunker 100 meters underground had been exposed, revealing Triox Five¡¯s true form. Some people must have seen it. Zeon couldn¡¯t be held responsible for whatever might slip from their mouths. Kim Hyun-soo replied. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s fine. There won¡¯t be any leaks from us, either.¡± ¡°You¡¯re as arrogant as I¡¯ve heard. But I¡¯ll let it slide this time, since you¡¯ve earned it.¡± Kim Hyun-soo respected the strong. If someone was powerful, they could be forgiven for being a little arrogant. Zeon was certainly among the strong. So Kim Hyun-soo could tolerate a bit of insolence. Just then, the door opened, and a woman wearing a form-fitting outfit entered, pushing a cart of food. She set the dishes on the table and left. For something prepared on short notice in the middle of the night, the spread was quite impressive. ¡°Well, let¡¯s eat.¡± Kim Hyun-soo picked up a fork and began eating first. Though he was a mechanized Awakened, parts of his body, including his face, were still human. Because of that, he still had to consume small amounts of food. Zeon silently started eating as well. Surprisingly, the food was quite good. The ingredients were fresh, and the seasoning was just right. Zeon took his time, savoring each bite. For a while, the two ate in silence, the sound of their eating the only noise in the quiet room. After Kim Hyun-soo finished his meal, he spoke. ¡°What do you n to do next?¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading home.¡± ¡°The slums?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you want, I can give you a home here. It would be muchrger and grander than anything in the slums.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a big house.¡± ¡°So, you have no intention of staying in Neo Seoul?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Do you have a reason to stay in the slums? It must be inconvenient in many ways.¡± ¡°I feel morefortable there than in Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like being controlled, do you?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just in my nature to seek freedom.¡± ¡°I hope you stick to that. If you refuse my offer only to settle in another district, I might take it personally.¡± For someone like Kim Hyun-soo, power and prestige were everything. If someone challenged his authority, he would have to destroy them. And if anyone caused his prestige to falter, he would kill not only them but their entire family to restore his honor. That was one of the reasons Kim Hyun-soo remained at the top. Zeon ced another bite of food in his mouth and said. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. I¡¯ve already turned down offers from the other districts.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not stopping me, I n to head back to the slums as soon as we finish eating.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll be returning tonight.¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Kim Hyun-soo nodded in approval. Zeon was like a piece of hot chicken, too hot to eatfortably. Forcing it down might just burn your mouth. For now, it was best to keep some distance and watch from afar. * * * Jin Geum-ho stood with his hands behind his back, staring out the window. His gaze was fixed on the western side of City Hall, toward the Western District. Standing cautiously off to the side of the mayor¡¯s office, Seo Tae-ran spoke up carefully. ¡°Arge tremor was detected in the Western District a short while ago. It seems there was a major explosion at Mega Tower.¡± ¡°Mega Tower? That¡¯s Kim Hyun-soo¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re investigating what happened.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to get close.¡± ¡°We have people on the inside. Once we make contact with them, we¡¯ll be able to get a general idea of what happened.¡± ¡°Handle it.¡± There was no need for Jin Geum-ho to get involved in every minor detail. That¡¯s why he had a secretary. Seo Tae-ran was quite a capable one. She handled everything without needing explicit instructions from Jin Geum-ho, allowing him to focus on his own work. Just then, Seo Tae-ran¡¯s earpiece buzzed with someone¡¯s voice. After listening for a moment, she ryed the message to Jin Geum-ho. ¡°Lee Jung-ho would like to meet with you on the 20th underground level. What should I tell him?¡± ¡°If Jung-ho wants to meet, I¡¯ll go. The 20th level... that¡¯s the abandonedb, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll go alone.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Leaving Seo Tae-ran behind, Jin Geum-ho entered the elevator by himself. The elevator swiftly carried him down to the 20th underground level. When the doors opened, theb came into view. This was ab that had been shut down long ago. Most of the equipment had been removed, leaving the space empty and deste. In the center of theb stood a man wearing a wide, hooded robe. The hilt of a sword peeked out from beneath his robe. The man¡¯s unfocused eyes stared straight at Jin Geum-ho. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to make youe all the way down here, Mayor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was feeling a bit restless anyway.¡± Jin Geum-ho replied calmly, as if it was no big deal. Few people would even dare ask him toe to them. In all of Neo Seoul, there were fewer than ten people who had the right to call for him. The man in front of him was one of them. He was Lee Jung-ho, a member of the Numbers. A man who had blinded himself to gain the power of the Mind¡¯s Eye. Lee Jung-ho was more loyal to Jin Geum-ho than anyone. If he had asked for this meeting, it wasn¡¯t over something trivial. ¡°So, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Take a look at this.¡± Lee Jung-ho gestured toward an object lying on theb¡¯s workbench. It was a corpse, the head severed from the body. The body¡¯s eyes were wide open in disbelief, as if it couldn¡¯tprehend its own death. It was the body of the murderer. Jin Geum-ho examined the corpse and spoke. ¡°Subject 301?¡± ¡°Yes. He was one of the bio-soldiers that escaped from theb.¡± ¡°He held out for quite some time, didn¡¯t he? To have evaded capture for so long.¡± Jin Geum-ho looked genuinely impressed. Years ago, there had been an incident in which experimental subjects had escaped from a City Hall-runb. Most of the subjects had been recaptured, but a few had managed to stay on the run, evading capture. The subject he referred to as 301 was one of those few. But he was different from the others. While most of the escapees had hidden underground or fled to the desert, 301 hadmitted murders in the slums. Recently, for reasons unknown, he had startedmitting murders in Neo Seoul itself. To prevent the situation from escting further, Jin Geum-ho had ordered Lee Jung-ho to track him down. ¡°It looks like he gave you some trouble. His head¡¯s been cut off.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who cut it off.¡± ¡°Then who?¡± ¡°A boy named Levin. He¡¯s an Awakened with unusual abilities. He lost his family to Subject 301.¡± ¡°A family revenge, huh? The name Levin sounds familiar, though.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the boy who lives with Zeon.¡± ¡°Haha! Is that so? What a coincidence.¡± A smile appeared on Jin Geum-ho¡¯s lips, but his eyes remained as cold and dark as a desert night. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that Subject 301 crossed paths with the boy living with Zeon?¡± ¡°Yes. The boy has an ability that allows him to turn his body into a ghost-like state.¡± ¡°A fascinating power. So, does that power pose a problem?" "While it''s a unique ability, it doesn''t pose any threat to me." "Then why did you call me here?" "Take a closer look at the cut on Subject 301''s head." "The cut?" Jin Geum-ho picked up the murderer¡¯s severed head and examined the cross-section of the neck. A momentter, he let out a soft exmation. "Ho!" "Yes. The tissue has changed. The bones have transformed into something like metal, and the muscle fibers have be tightly woven, almost like fiberss." It was exactly as Lee Jung-ho described. "This didn''t happen to the other experimental subjects, did it?" "No. It seems the escapees have undergone some sort of mutation." "Then they¡¯ve evolved? Interesting. I didn¡¯t foresee this." The bio-soldiers had been part of a grand n Jin Geum-ho had envisioned. When they were deemed a failure, all subjects were ordered to be terminated. But it appeared that the surviving escapees had somehow evolved. Apletely unexpected oue. "What should we do?" "You said there are still more escapees, right? Capture everyst one of them." "Understood." "This development changes the game." Jin Geum-ho murmured as he looked up at the ceiling of theb. The moment Zeon appeared, the tides of the world had started to shift drastically. "It seems you really are the tipping point of this world." * * * When Zeon finished his meal with Kim Hyun-soo and returned to the lobby on the first floor, he found Brielle, Levin, and Mandy waiting for him. "Zeon!" "Hyung!" "Are you alright?" The three of them hurried over to Zeon. Zeon smiled as he reassured them. "As you can see, I¡¯m perfectly fine." "I''m sorry, Hyung! This is all my fault¡­" "Don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s just head home. I need a good rest." "Yes, Hyung." Levin nodded in agreement. He, too, was eager to get home and rest. Ever since arriving in the Western District, he hadn¡¯t had a decent night¡¯s sleep. He had spent all his energy hunting down the murderer. All he wanted now was to lie in his own bed and sleep. At this point, he felt like he could sleep for three days straight. Zeon turned to Mandy. "What about you?" "I¡¯ll be heading back to my own home." "You understand about what happened today¡­" "I know. It¡¯s a secret. I won¡¯t tell anyone. But even if I don¡¯t, the Mayor will already know." "Will he?" "He knows everything. There¡¯s nothing that happens in Neo Seoul that he doesn¡¯t keep track of." "Whether he knows or not doesn¡¯t matter. As long as you don¡¯t say anything." "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve never had a reputation for having a loose tongue." "That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s all get some rest, and we can talk againter." "Sure. Good job, everyone. Take care." After saying her farewells, Mandy headed off toward her home in the Central District. Zeon, Brielle, and Levin also made their way toward the gates of Neo Seoul. Suddenly, Zeon turned around. Something was bothering him. ''What exactly happened to Triox Five?'' Triox Five had been housed in a bunker 100 meters underground. But the explosion had been so massive that it created a passage all the way to the surface. A normal explosion couldn¡¯t have caused such damage. It was clear that some sort of magical item had been involved. "Kim Hyun-soo will take care of it." There were many things Zeon was curious about, but this wasn¡¯t something he needed to get involved in. Curiosity often led to crossing lines, and crossing lines only made things worse. Zeon didn¡¯t want the situation to escte any further. Suppressing his curiosity, Zeon headed home with Levin and Brielle. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 260 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 260 After returning home, Levin locked himself in his room and slept for several days. Brielle, watching him, remarked that he seemed like he was hibernating. However, she didn¡¯t bother dragging him out or intruding into his space. She had a good idea of what Levin was going through. "He used up all his energy on revenge. It¡¯ll probably take a while for him to recover. But once his energy is replenished, he¡¯lle out on his own." Zeon smiled. Brielle had spoken with a maturity that surprised him. Just as Levin had grown, so had Brielle. She no longer acted like a carefree child, and she was beginning to think from other people¡¯s perspectives. Her development was truly remarkable. Thanks to this, Zeon¡¯s life had be a bit easier. He didn¡¯t have to look after every detail like he used to, which gave him more freedom in his day-to-day life. ¡°I¡¯m heading out for a bit.¡± ¡°Okay! Take care.¡± Zeon left the house, leaving Brielle and Levin behind. His destination was the Goblin Market. The Goblin Market was always bustling, no matter when you visited. Zeon sat on the side of the street, watching peoplee and go in a daze. As he sat there for a while, someone approached him. ¡°Living the good life, aren¡¯t you? What are you staring at?¡± Zeon looked up to see who hade near. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®a while¡¯? We just met not too long ago.¡± ¡°That just shows how d I am to see you.¡± ¡°Cut it out.¡± The woman who wrinkled her nose and sat next to Zeon was none other than Yoo Se-hee, the owner of the Goblin Market. As always, the ck Lion followed behind her. Zeon exchanged a silent greeting with the ck Lion and then turned his gaze back to Yoo Se-hee. ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy?¡± ¡°Very busy.¡± ¡°Then why...?¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t just ignore the strongest person in the slums.¡± ¡°The strongest? Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for modesty. It¡¯smon knowledge around here. Even the rulers of the districts in Neo Seoul must think the same. Why else would Kim Hyun-soo have let you go so easily, even after all the trouble Levin caused?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Zeon cringed at the praise, finding it unbearable. Yoo Se-hee looked at him with a curious expression. Zeon might not realize it, but he was someone whom everyone acknowledged as a powerhouse. Why else would both Johan, who had so aggressively invaded Sinchon, and the Dongdaemun forces retreat so suddenly? Even the fanatics who were willing to throw their lives away feared Zeon. Yet Zeon didn¡¯t seem to pay much attention to this. ¡®If I had that kind of power, I would have already taken over the entire slums.¡¯ If she had done that, the slums would have likely been bathed in blood. Yoo Se-hee was grateful that Zeon had a more moderate temperament. If someone as powerful as Zeon had been more ambitious, all of Neo Seoul would have been thrown into chaos. That¡¯s why she liked Zeon. With a powerful person maintaining bnce, she could focus on running the Goblin Market. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s the protector of bnce?¡¯ As her thoughts wandered, Yoo Se-hee brushed off her knees and stood up. Unlike Zeon, she had plenty to do. She wasn¡¯t free enough to sit around wasting time like this. It was time to get back to work. Just as she was about to leave, amotion erupted nearby. ¡°Damn it! Catch that bastard!¡± ¡°Hurry! After him!¡± Suddenly, there was arge uproar from one side of the Goblin Market. It looked like a chase was taking ce, with guards and merchants running around in a frenzy. ¡°What now?¡± Yoo Se-hee looked toward the disturbance with an irritated expression. It was amon sight in the Goblin Market, happening multiple times a day. Money and people always gathered trouble, but it annoyed her every time she saw it. ¡°There¡¯s no end to these troublemakers.¡± ¡°Should I handle it?¡± ¡°No need! You don¡¯t use a sword meant for monsters to kill a chicken. The guards can take care of it.¡± Yoo Se-hee responded curtly to the ck Lion¡¯s suggestion. The ck Lion was the Goblin Market¡¯s strongest asset. Using him to chase down petty thieves would be a waste. The guards in the Goblin Market were also quitepetent. Most Awakeneds who caused trouble were easily dealt with by them. ¡°Whoa, what the hell?¡± ¡°Damn it! He¡¯s over here!¡± ¡°He¡¯s getting away over there!¡± But this time, the target wasn¡¯t so easy. He was so fast that the guards couldn¡¯t keep up with him. Crash! ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°He¡¯s too fast!¡± The guards were so flustered that some of them tripped over themselves. Zeon furrowed his brow slightly. The person darting through the Goblin Market seemed familiar. ¡°No way...¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± Yoo Se-hee¡¯s eyes lit up at Zeon¡¯s reaction. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± ¡°You really do know him, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I need to check.¡± Zeon started walking toward the person fleeing from the guards. ¡°Hey! Zeon!¡± The person running away spotted Zeon and rushed toward him. He was a man with an ordinary face and simple clothes. He was the kind of person you could see dozens of times while walking around the marketpletely unremarkable. But his face lit up with relief when he saw Zeon. ¡°Huff, huff! Please help me!¡± He quickly hid behind Zeon. Seeing this, the guards stopped in their tracks, unsure of how to proceed. The looks on their faces made it clear they were at a loss. ¡°Is this man someone you know, Zeon?¡± ¡°Yes. But what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°He forged an entry pass to get in.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Zeon quickly understood the situation. He turned to the man hiding behind him and asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I-I was trying to meet you, Zeon.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move somewhere more private. Is that alright?¡± Zeon looked at Yoo Se-hee. She nodded without a word. Normally, no one who illegally entered the Goblin Market was forgiven. But if this man was Zeon¡¯s guest, the rules were different. After giving Yoo Se-hee a grateful nod, Zeon left with the man. Once they were somewhere more secluded, Zeon spoke again. ¡°What¡¯s going on, An?¡± The man who hade looking for Zeon was none other than An, a trusted aide of Urtian, the ruler of the Steel Fortress. Back when Urtian had led the Scavengers, An¡¯s job had been to approach targets first and gather information. ¡°What brings you here, An? You¡¯re not nning to raid Neo Seoul, are you?¡± ¡°Oh no! How could we evenpare the Steel Fortress to Neo Seoul?¡± An quickly waved his hands in denial. At that moment, someone else appeared behind An. It was a woman with dark skin, wearing a hood pulled low over her face. She smacked the back of An¡¯s head and spoke irritably. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay quiet? You just couldn¡¯t help but cause trouble, could you?¡± ¡°Ow! It wasn¡¯t my fault!¡± ¡°What would you have done if we hadn¡¯t found Zeon?¡± ¡°Well, we found him, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°You idiot! I can¡¯t take my eyes off you for a second.¡± The woman sighed. She was Duduyan, a Dark Elf who often worked with An on reconnaissance missions. She bowed to Zeon. ¡°Sorry to trouble you like this, Zeon.¡± ¡°You too, Duduyan? Is something wrong at the Steel Fortress?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problem with the fortress.¡± ¡°Then why are you here?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Duduyan hesitated for a moment, checking to make sure no one was around. After confirming they were alone, she continued cautiously. ¡°To be honest, after you left, some people came to the Steel Fortress.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°And they¡¯re in quite a bit of trouble.¡± Zeon¡¯s expression became puzzled. He couldn¡¯t understand what any of this had to do with him. ¡°They¡¯ve been searching for you. They say you¡¯re the only one who can save them.¡± ¡°So you both came all the way here just to tell me that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And who are these people?¡± ¡°They... came riding on a giant turtle.¡± ¡°A giant turtle?¡± ¡°Yes. A massive one, with an entire vige on its back.¡± Hearing this, Zeon immediately realized who was looking for him. A nomadic tribe that roamed the desert on the back of a colossal turtle named Archelon. ¡°The Motte Tribe.¡± * * * Seo Tae-ran¡¯s office never went dark, evente into the night. Most people only knew her as Jin Geum-ho¡¯s secretary, but her actual responsibilities were far greater. She managed the entirety of City Hall¡¯s operations in Jin Geum-ho¡¯s stead. Her authority was so extensive that she could handle most matters without reporting to Jin Geum-ho directly. After reviewing reports for a long while, Seo Tae-ran took off her sses and sighed. ¡°Haa.¡± Jin Geum-ho didn¡¯t bother reading reports. It was Seo Tae-ran¡¯s job to read all the reports submitted by various organizations and summarize them for him. This took a significant amount of time. So much so that she had no personal time to herself. Nevertheless, she never once felt tired or bored. It was work for none other than Jin Geum-ho. Just as Seo Tae-ran was rubbing her temples and about to put her sses back on, ¡°Secretary Seo!¡± Someone knocked on her door. She would never let anyone else in at this hour. But the owner of the voice was a very cautious person, one who never visited her carelessly. He woulde only when there was a reason that justified it. Seo Tae-ran set her sses down and said. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The owner of the voice quietly opened the door and entered. He was a man dressed in a ck suit. A man around 170 centimeters tall, with neatlybed-back hair styled with pomade. His physique was small, and his face was ordinary. But the man¡¯s gaze was anything but ordinary. His eyes were so narrow that they were barely visible. Commonly referred to as narrow eyes, but asionally the glint in his eyes was as sharp as a de. Seo Tae-ran stood up to greet him. ¡°Wee, Chief Ho.¡± ¡°I apologize. I know you must be busy, and I¡¯m sorry to trouble you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I was just taking a short break.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I¡¯vee to report an urgent matter and I¡¯ve risked intruding to do so.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Seo Tae-ran tensed up. The man who hade to report at thiste hour was Ho Cheong-yeon, the head of the Shadow Unit, the intelligence organization of City Hall. His reach extended not just throughout Neo Seoul but even into the slums. He usually had subordinates handle most matters, and it was rare for him toe in person. The fact that he hade directly at this hour was evidence that the matter was extraordinary. Ho Cheong-yeon said, ¡°Number Five has made contact with an outsider.¡± ¡°Number Five?¡± In the City Hall, individuals were assigned numbers based on their level of threat. Naturally, the rulers of each district held up to Number Four. Number Five was a recent addition. ¡°You mean Zeon has made contact with an outsider?¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Number Five, Zeon. In Neo Seoul, he ranked as the fifth most dangerous individual. It was the first time that someone without arge faction had made it into the top ten of the threat rankings, which showed how highly Neo Seoul regarded Zeon. Because of that, his movements were being closely monitored. Seo Tae-ran personally considered Zeon to be the most dangerous of them all. The only reason he was ranked fifth was because he didn¡¯t have a faction. When it came to his abilities, however, there was no one more dangerous in all of Neo Seoul. Seo Tae-ran asked Ho Cheong-yeon. ¡°Did you say the person Zeon made contact with is from outside?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°By ¡®outside,¡¯ do you mean a caravan, or perhaps another colony?¡± ¡°That¡¯s unclear. They appeared like a ghost, so we have no information whatsoever. Still, I thought I should report it, so here I am.¡± ¡°Hm!¡± Seo Tae-ran¡¯s expression became serious. No one could enter Neo Seoul without an entry pass. The city was protected by barriers and magical formations. However, the slums were different. Anyone coulde and go freely there, making it difficult to urately determine someone¡¯s identity. The Shadow Unit also faced limitations in gathering information from the slums. The best option would be to gain cooperation from Argos¡¯ Eye, the slum¡¯s own intelligencework. But there was no reason for Argos¡¯ Eye to cooperate with the Shadow Unit¡¯s requests. Seo Tae-ran felt a headacheing on. Everything rted to Zeon made her head ache. Zeon was that unpredictable. ¡®He made contact with someone from outside Neo Seoul? It¡¯s definitely not for an ordinary reason.¡¯ More than anything, she had a bad feeling. Her instincts were sharp, almost as if they bordered on foresight with their uracy. After organizing her thoughts for a moment, she spoke to Ho Cheong-yeon again. ¡°How many operatives do we currently have avable?¡± ¡°We have about twenty men to spare.¡± ¡°Assign all of them to monitor the individual who contacted Zeon.¡± ¡°All of them?¡± ¡°Yes! I want to know the person¡¯s identity and their purpose for meeting Zeon.¡± ¡°I assume you want no traces left?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll handle it quietly without the person even realizing.¡± Ho Cheong-yeon gave a slight smile. Given the nature of the Shadow Unit, they had to move discreetly. They had dozens of ways to extract information without the target even knowing they were being interrogated. ¡°I¡¯ll find out why they came within two days.¡± ¡°Just remember not to provoke Zeon.¡± ¡°Haha! I know the boundaries we need to respect. Then¡­¡± Ho Cheong-yeon gave a small bow and quietly left the room. Left alone, Seo Tae-ran muttered to herself. ¡°He never lets me rest, does he?¡± * * * Zeon was gently running his hand over the gauntlet on his right arm. The gauntlet, which had been enhanced with a dragon¡¯s eye to evolve into the Inferno Gauntlet, had been with him for over eight years. It now felt like a part of his body. The one who had made the Inferno Gauntlet was none other than Kaylee of the Motte Tribe. Because of this, Zeon had always considered himself indebted to Kaylee. If you receive a favor, you naturally have to repay it. No matter how small the favor might be. Zeon had told Duduyan and An that he would depart for the Steel Fortress in two days. Upon hearing this, the two decided to wait in the slums until then. ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply?¡± Brielle asked carefully, noticing Zeon deep in thought. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to go to the Steel Fortress again¡­¡± ¡°Again? Why?¡± ¡°The people who helped me before are now asking for my help.¡± ¡°Then you should go. When are you nning to leave?¡± ¡°The day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of a project, and I¡¯ve had a sudden breakthrough¡­¡± Alchemy is never an easy field of study. To produce a proper result, you need intense focus and strong inspiration. Inspiration is essentially the concrete realization of imagination. Since you never know when it will strike, you have to grab hold of it tightly when it does. Unfortunately, this was one of those moments. It was such an important project that Brielle couldn¡¯t bring herself to say she would follow Zeon. Zeon smiled and said. ¡°It¡¯s fine! I was nning to go alone this time anyway.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be alright?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He didn¡¯t intend to take Levin with him either. Like Brielle, Levin also needed some time alone. Right now, Levin was like amp with its wickpletely burned out. He had lived for the sole purpose of revenge, and now that it was fulfilled, the wick had been consumed, leaving nothing left to burn. It would take time for a new wick to form. Until then, it seemed best to let Levin spend time on his own. More than anything, Zeon thought it would be better to go alone this time. There was a high chance it would be a long journey, and he wasn¡¯t sure when he would return to Neo Seoul. ¡°Hold on a second.¡± Suddenly, Brielle dashed to her room. Momentster, she came back, her arms full of various items. ¡°Take all of this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s everything I¡¯ve made so far. This is an antidote potion, and this is a spray made from the salivary nds of a Mane Lizard. It contains hydrochloric acid, so it can even melt metal. It¡¯ll definitelye in handy. And this is¡­¡± Brielle¡¯s exnations went on endlessly. Most of the things she had made weren¡¯t particrly useful to Zeon. But they would definitely be useful to ordinary people or low-rank Awakeneds. Zeon epted everything Brielle handed him and stored them all in his subspace. ¡°Thanks! I¡¯ll make good use of them.¡± ¡°If you need anything else, just let me know. I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± ¡°No, I think this is more than enough.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°You two be careful while I¡¯m gone. I don¡¯t think anyone would dare mess with you here, but you never know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With that around, what¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Brielle nced toward the Watching Eye. Even now, the house was under the protection of the Watching Eye. Even when the Pdins of Dongdaemun came at them full force, they couldn¡¯t prate the Watching Eye¡¯s defense. This house was the safest fortress in the slums. As long as they stayed here, no one could threaten them. Zeon smiled and said. ¡°Still, stay cautious. If anything happens, request protection from the Goblin Market.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll handle things well.¡± Zeon smiled warmly. At first, the two of them had been bound together by a contract. But now, they had built mutual trust and had be close. Zeon found the change fascinating. After chatting for a while, Brielle went back to her room, leaving Zeon alone in the living room. As he sat on the sofa, gazing out the window, the red neon lights blurred his vision. Duduyan¡¯s words from the other day resurfaced in his mind. ¡°To save Archelon, we need to find Moby Dick?¡± * * * ¡°Be careful. This is Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Come on, stop worrying.¡± An waved dismissively at Duduyan¡¯s nagging. His face was already flushed. He was clearly drunk. Empty bottles littered the table in front of him. They were in a shabby bar in Sinchon. A cheap bar frequented by the slum¡¯s residents, which naturally meant they served cheap, strong alcohol. The type of liquor that could knock out most people with just one bottle. An had already downed several. Though he had a high tolerance, the real reason he drank so much was because he couldn¡¯t find alcohol anywhere else. Alcohol had be impossible to find in the Steel Fortress. The Steel Fortress had only just started stabilizing. Producing alcohol was low on the list of priorities, behind other essentials. Naturally, alcohol was far down the list, and since scavenging was no longer an option, An hadn¡¯t had a drop since Zeon left. ¡°Heh heh! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve gone this long without something this good. Don¡¯t stop me. I¡¯m going to drink this ce dry tonight.¡± ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Duduyan shook her head, exasperated. She could understand An¡¯s feelings. But getting this drunk was something she couldn¡¯t understand. It was like he was deliberately ruining his body. ¡°Really, I¡¯ll never understand humans. Why do they do this to themselves?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not self-destruction. It¡¯s called indulging in life¡¯s pleasures. Look, doesn¡¯t the world seem beautiful to you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve lost focus in your eyes. I¡¯m going to bed.¡± In the end, Duduyan gave up on An and headed to the nearby inn. She was a little worried about leaving An alone in the bar, but she figured nothing would happen. Just as the Goblin Market had been lenient with Zeon¡¯s guest, Sinchon was also likely to be tolerant of him. No one seemed to be targeting An. Besides, their inn was right next door. If something did happen to An, she would know instantly and could respond quickly. ¡°Heh heh! Now that the nag is gone, I can really drink.¡± An grinned mischievously and ordered another bottle of alcohol from the bartender. ¡°This is the life. This is what it means to live.¡± An downed the bottle in one go and let out a loud cheer. He babbled incoherently for a while before finally slumping face-first onto the table. At that moment, men dressed in ck suits appeared from the shadows. ¡°Quite a tough one. Took him five bottles of liquorced with Malek¡¯s venom to pass out.¡± Malek was an insect discovered in a certain dungeon. It resembled a dragonfly but had venomous stingers. When processed, Malek¡¯s venom could be turned into a kind of sedative. It had no taste or smell, so even those with keen senses wouldn¡¯t notice it if it was mixed into their drink or water. Every bottle of alcohol An had consumed had beenced with this sedative. They had expected him to pass out after just one or two bottles, but An had held out until the fifth. ¡°In a way, he¡¯s impressive.¡± A short man stepped forward from the group of men in ck suits. It was none other than Ho Cheong-yeon, the captain of the Shadow Unit. He lifted An¡¯s head. His eyes had rolled back, showing that he waspletely unconscious. ¡°We need to finish this before the woman notices. Administer the truth serum.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± One of the Shadow Unit members pulled out a syringe from his coat and injected An with it. Like the sedative made from Malek¡¯s venom, the truth serum was also made from dungeon materials. The best thing about this truth serum was that the subject would have no memory of the interrogation. They wouldn¡¯t remember what they had said, or even that they had been interrogated in the first ce. And there were no side effects. Not even a trace would be left in their body. For this reason, the Shadow Unit often used Malek¡¯s sedative and the truth serum together when they needed to gather information discreetly. ¡°Mmm!¡± Once the truth serum was administered, An¡¯s eyes opened. His gaze waspletely unfocused. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°As¡­n!¡± ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°Des¡­ ert!¡± ¡°Where in the desert?¡± ¡°Steel Fortress.¡± ¡°Steel Fortress? Never heard of it. Is it a newly formed colony?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Where is it located?¡± ¡°If you head west from Neo Seoul¡­¡± An began to spill everything he knew. Ho Cheong-yeon listened carefully to every detail. Theposition of the Steel Fortress, its leader, its tendencies¡ªhe absorbed every bit of information, down to the smallest detail. Finally, he asked the most important question. ¡°Why did you meet Zeon?¡± ¡°To ask for help¡­¡± ¡°What kind of help?¡± ¡°We need to save the mobile fortress Archelon, but in order to do that, we need to find Moby Dick¡­¡± ¡°Moby Dick? Tell me more.¡± Ho Cheong-yeon¡¯s eyes gleamed red. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Zeon furrowed his brow. An unexpected guest had arrived early in the morning. A woman stood at his door, her hair perfectlybed without a strand out of ce. She wore a red suit that entuated the curves of her body. There weren¡¯t many women in Neo Seoul who left such a striking impression. ¡®Seo Tae-ran?¡¯ The woman who knocked on Zeon¡¯s door that morning was none other than Seo Tae-ran, Jin Geum-ho¡¯s secretary. Zeon had a bad feeling about her sudden appearance. ¡°What brings you here so early in the morning?¡± ¡°The Mayor wishes to meet with you.¡± ¡°At this hour?¡± ¡°He thought it would be nice to have breakfast with you.¡± ¡°Breakfast, huh¡­¡± ¡°He insisted that you join him for a meal.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Zeon let out a low sigh. It was phrased as an invitation, but it was no different from a threat. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Zeon grabbed his coat and stepped outside. Seo Tae-ran¡¯s car was already waiting for them outside the building. Once inside the car, Zeon asked Seo Tae-ran. ¡°Why does the Mayor want to see me so early?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. I¡¯m simply passing along his request.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a secretary, after all.¡± Zeon didn¡¯t believe her. The aura, the sharpness in her gaze, and her presence weren¡¯t something that an ordinary secretary would possess. Moreover, there was no way Jin Geum-ho¡¯s secretary would be an average person. Even Dyodon had acknowledged Jin Geum-ho¡¯s keen eye for people. Zeon furrowed his brow again, trying to figure out why Jin Geum-ho was calling for him. There was only one reason the Mayor would seek him out. ¡®Moby Dick.¡¯ Jin Geum-ho had once asked Zeon to retrieve Moby Dick¡¯s heart for him. Coincidentally, both Duduyan and An, who had recently arrived in the slums, had also mentioned Moby Dick to Zeon. There was no such thing as coincidence in this world. Every unexpected event had a reason behind it. Zeon nced over at Seo Tae-ran. She remained expressionless, staring straight ahead. However, there was no way she didn¡¯t know Zeon was watching her. And yet, she pretended not to notice. ¡°Hah!¡± Zeon sighed again. People like this were the hardest to deal with. If he could simply overpower them, it would be easy, but they never let things get to that point. To handle someone like Seo Tae-ran, Zeon would have to use his head just as much. This was why he preferred not to get involved in Neo Seoul¡¯s affairs. The city was full of people like Seo Tae-ran and Jin Geum-ho. They arrived at City Hall quickly. As soon as they exited the car, they headed straight for the Mayor¡¯s office on the top floor via elevator. Jin Geum-ho was already seated at a table, waiting for Zeon with breakfastid out in front of him. ¡°Come in. Sorry to trouble you so early in the morning.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zeon took the seat across from Jin Geum-ho. ¡°There¡¯s not much, but I wanted to have a meal with you today.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As Jin Geum-ho said, the meal was quite modest. Some freshly baked bread, soup, and sd¡ªthat was all. It was a simple, even meager, breakfast. But the reality was quite different. In Neo Seoul, the rarest and most difficult thing to obtain was fresh vegetables. Only a select few in Neo Seoul had ess to fresh produce and bread. To say that this mealcked effort would be an understatement. This kind of spread was a clear show of sincerity on Jin Geum-ho¡¯s part. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two of them began eating. Zeon started with the sd, dipping his fork into the sauce-covered vegetables. The crispness of the fresh produce filled his mouth as he chewed. Zeon closed his eyes at the unfamiliar yet refreshing taste. There was no colony in the desert where such fresh vegetables could be found. Only in Neo Seoul¡ªonly people of Jin Geum-ho¡¯s status¡ªcould enjoy such top-quality ingredients. Even though he hadn¡¯t wanted to have this meal, Zeon decided to enjoy the moment. The freshly baked bread was delicious as well. It was on apletely different level from the poor-quality food distributed in the slums. Zeon didn¡¯t know what methods were used to grow such luxurious wheat, but the bread melted in his mouth, leaving behind a rich, nutty vor. He even felt a little guilty that Levin and Brielle couldn¡¯t share this delicious meal with him. As Zeon dipped his bread into the soup, Jin Geum-homented. ¡°That soup¡¯s made from corn. What do you think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Back in the day¡­ before the Great Catastrophe, corn was one of the mostmon crops. The sight of vast cornfields stretching endlessly across the ins was simply breathtaking.¡± ¡°Vast cornfields, huh? I can¡¯t even imagine it.¡± ¡°I suppose not. It¡¯s hard to grasp if you¡¯ve never seen it. I first saw it in America.¡± ¡°America¡­¡± ¡°Before the Great Catastrophe, America was a global superpower. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s fallen now, though¡­¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯tpletely copsed. While it¡¯s not as advanced as Neo Seoul, they¡¯ve managed to establish severalrge colonies and keep things going.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Jin Geum-ho¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. In all of Neo Seoul, the only person who had traveled to America was Zeon. It was something only a Sand Mage like Zeon could aplish. For other Awakeneds, it was impossible. Once you leave Neo Seoul,munication bes unreliable. Even if you manage to set up a shelter, it¡¯ll soon be attacked by monsters, making long expeditions nearly impossible. The sand and monsters of the desert would never allow humans to travel freely. They would harass and attack relentlessly until their victims fell. Even if someone managed to reach America, returning was an entirely different challenge. It was no wonder that caravans traveling between colonies were so highly valued. They were the only means of exchanging information between colonies. But even the most daring caravan would never venture to the American colonies. An expedition to America was on an entirely different level. Even Neo Seoul¡¯s most elite forces wouldn¡¯t dream of venturing there. Naturally, there was no way to know what was happening in America. And frankly, there was no reason to care. Neo Seoul had more than enough to worry about. ¡°How are the colonies in America faring?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not doing well either.¡± ¡°Are things that bad?¡± ¡°Manyrge monsters have settled near the colonies, making survival difficult.¡± ¡°Large monsters?¡± ¡°At the very least, A-rank monsters have nested all over the area.¡± ¡°And there are probably S-rank monsters as well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hm!¡± Jin Geum-ho let out a low hum. If an S-rank monster was near a colony, it posed an existential threat. An S-rank monster had power on apletely different level from an A-rank. By the standards of the old world, an S-rank monster was equivalent to a national-level threat. In other words, it was like having a national-level weapon targeting your colony. Even having just one of these creatures nearby would be overwhelming. If there were many, the colony¡¯s territory would shrink drastically. ¡°There¡¯s no hope for expansion, then.¡± ¡°No. Each colony ispletely isted.¡± ¡°I figured.¡± Jin Geum-ho nodded. He grew silent, deep in thought for a long time. By now, the meal was over. Zeon figured it was time for Jin Geum-ho to finally bring up the real reason for inviting him. ¡°Do you remember what I asked of you before?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Moby Dick.¡± Jin Geum-ho didn¡¯t give Zeon a chance to prepare, diving straight into the topic. Zeon had already suspected as much, so he responded calmly. ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± ¡°Good. That makes things easier. Moby Dick has been found.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something you would know better than I, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jin Geum-ho stared directly at Zeon. It was a look that said he already knew everything. Zeon instinctively realized that trying to feign ignorance would be useless. ¡°How did you find out?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I know. What matters is that you know how to find Moby Dick.¡± Jin Geum-ho¡¯s eyes gleamed strangely. They shone with an intensity that made Zeon feel uneasy, as if Jin Geum-ho could see right through him. ¡°Yes, I know how to find Moby Dick.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s settled. Bring me Moby Dick¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as it sounds.¡± ¡°I know. If it were easy, I wouldn¡¯t have asked you. I¡¯m asking because it¡¯s difficult.¡± ¡°Why do you need Moby Dick¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°Earlier, you said that all the colonies arepletely isted. With Moby Dick¡¯s heart, we can change that.¡± ¡°Are you saying it can establishmunication between the colonies?¡± ¡°Just know that much for now. Once you bring me the heart, you¡¯ll learn the rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t just for Neo Seoul. It¡¯s for all of humanity.¡± The weight of Jin Geum-ho¡¯s words pressed down on Zeon. If he refused a task framed as being for the sake of Neo Seoul and humanity, he would be branded an enemy of both. As he looked at Jin Geum-ho, Zeon couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of fear. When someone pressures you with logic and a cause, it bes hard to resist. Even in a world where strength reigns supreme, if people live together, the concept of a just cause bes important. A cause was the most efficient way to move people. Jin Geum-ho had mastered the art of wielding a cause for maximum impact. It no longer mattered how Jin Geum-ho had learned the information that only Zeon should have known. With a soft sigh, Zeon said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise.¡± ¡°Of course you will. I¡¯ve trusted you from the start. However¡­¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you handle everything alone, so I¡¯ll send you some help. Trustworthy allies.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± ¡°I insist. Don¡¯t refuse¡ªit would trouble me to leave you unsupported.¡± Jin Geum-ho reached out and sped Zeon¡¯s hand. His grip was thick and rough. Zeon gently pulled his hand away and said, ¡°Fine. But I can¡¯t bring too many people with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send just two.¡± ¡°Two?¡± ¡°I assure you, they¡¯ll be a great help.¡± Jin Geum-ho¡¯s cryptic smile made Zeon¡¯s expression darken. The two men stared at each other for a long time. * * * After Zeon left, Seo Tae-ran entered the Mayor¡¯s office. As she cleared the dishes from the table, she asked. ¡°Did the conversation go well?¡± ¡°What was there to go well or not? It was already decided.¡± ¡°Did Zeon ask how you obtained the information?¡± ¡°Haha! He¡¯s already figured it out. Why would he bother asking?¡± ¡°He already knows?¡± Seo Tae-ran¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. The information had been extracted from An without his knowledge, so it was surprising that Zeon already knew. ¡°He¡¯s a clever one. Most people wouldn¡¯t even realize they¡¯re being yed.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯re sending Lee Jung-ho?¡± ¡°Haha! He can¡¯t be fooled by illusions since he can¡¯t see, and his resolve is unwavering. If anyone can retrieve Moby Dick¡¯s heart, it¡¯s him.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°By the way, you¡¯ve done well. Thanks to you, we were able to act in time.¡± ¡°It was nothing. I was just doing my job.¡± ¡°If only everyone was like you. If people just did their jobs well and produced good results, I wouldn¡¯t have to step in so often.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Neo Seoul needs me.¡± ¡°M-Mayor!¡± Jin Geum-ho turned to gaze out the window. The sky was a murky yellow, filled with thick dust. Even above that yellow sky, monsters were lurking. Just because they couldn¡¯t be seen didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t there. In truth, the current rulers of Earth were the monsters. Jin Geum-ho clenched his fist tightly and muttered. ¡°Only I can make humans the masters of Earth again.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 263 Chapter 263 After leaving City Hall, Zeon immediately headed for the lodging where An and Duduyan were staying. Duduyan was already up, but An was still lost in dreand. ¡°Wake up, human!¡± Duduyan kicked him hard, but An didn¡¯t regain consciousness easily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This fool crawled in this morning and is still off in dreand.¡± ¡°This morning?¡± ¡°Yes! He came backpletely out of it.¡± ¡°Has this happened often?¡± ¡°No. He likes drinking, but it¡¯s never been this bad before¡­¡± Duduyan lowered her head, as if the whole thing was her fault. Her face flushed bright red. She was already embarrassed that An hade back drunk, but the fact that he still hadn¡¯t sobered up made her feel even more ashamed. Zeon shook his head and said. ¡°It¡¯s not just because of the alcohol.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Zeon approached An. At first nce, he just seemed to be drunk. However, Zeon detected an odd smell mixed with the alcohol. It was a damp, metallic scent that tingled at his nerves. He had smelled this before. ¡°Hm.¡± After thinking for a moment, Zeon took a small vial from his subspace. The vial contained a red liquid. Duduyan, puzzled, asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fluid from the back of a Fire Toad.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve probably never seen it. These creatures live thousands of kilometers south of Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°The fluid from this monster¡¯s back hardens when ites into contact with other monster fluids.¡± When the Fire Toad encounters a monster, itpresses and shoots this fluid from its back. Once the fluid prates the monster¡¯s body, it hardens like limestone. Monsters that are hit by this fluid die as their blood solidifies, blocking their veins. Since the Fire Toad is a low-rank monster, this method only works on weaker monsters. Zeon had discovered this property and collected some of the fluid. He dabbed the Fire Toad¡¯s liquid on a cotton swab and brought it close to An¡¯s nose. Duduyan, still confused by Zeon¡¯s actions, asked. ¡°Why use Fire Toad fluid?¡± ¡°I told you, it solidifies when it contacts other monster fluids.¡± ¡°And that means¡­?¡± Duduyan was about to protest but stopped when she saw the cotton swab start to harden as it touched An¡¯s breath. ¡°My guess was right. The City Hall spiked An¡¯s drink with a drug refined from monster fluids.¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably a truth serum made from monster byproducts.¡± ¡°Oh my god! Does that mean all our information is in City Hall¡¯s hands?¡± ¡°Most likely, yes.¡± At Zeon¡¯s words, Duduyan covered her mouth with her hands. The two of them hade to Neo Seoul to protect the secrets of the Steel Fortress, but now all of it had beenpromised. If An had revealed everything, Neo Seoul would know all about the Steel Fortress by now. If they grew greedy and decided to invade, there would be no way to defend against it. ¡°This idiot¡­¡± In a fit of rage, Duduyan kicked An with all her strength. Thud! ¡°Ugh! What the¡ª?!¡± Startled by the impact, An jolted awake. ¡°You drunkard! Do you even know what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°Wh-What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Do you realize the mess you¡¯ve made?¡± ¡°Hold on! What happened? Let¡¯s talk about this.¡± Sensing that the situation was serious, An¡¯s voice dropped. ¡°Why do you even bother living, you idiot?! Why do you even live?!¡± Thud! Thud! Duduyan mercilessly pummeled An. He didn¡¯t even dare resist, curling up like a shrimp as he took the beating. An had instinctively realized something was wrong. He could remember drinking at the bar, but after a certain point, everything went nk. No matter how strong the alcohol was, it shouldn¡¯t have knocked him out so quickly. After all, he wasn¡¯t a regr human¡ªhe was an Awakened. For someone like him to pass out that fast, there had to be something more in the drink. ¡®Damn it! Did I screw up?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the pain from Duduyan¡¯s blows that bothered him. The fact that he had unknowingly fallen into someone¡¯s trap chilled him to the core. Judging from Duduyan¡¯s reaction, it was clear he had made a serious mistake. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t resist and just epted her punches. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± After beating An for a while, Duduyan finally stopped, exhausted. Only then did An cautiously ask Zeon. ¡°Did I¡­ make a big mistake?¡± ¡°The Mayor knows everything.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± ¡°The Steel Fortress, Archelon, Moby Dick¡­¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Thud! An mmed his head against the wall. His forehead split, and blood started to trickle down. He didn¡¯t need further exnation to understand. He was the one who had spilled everything. His mind still felt foggy, as if someone had messed with it while he was unconscious. It was clear that City Hall had gotten to him during the time he had cked out. If it weren¡¯t for Zeon, he would have just assumed he had passed out from drinking too much. The more he thought about it, the more horrified he became. He now fully realized just how terrifying Neo Seoul was. But more than anything, he was furious at himself for failing to keep his mouth shut. ¡°I deserve to die.¡± Smack! Smack! Smack! An began punching himself in the face with all his strength. His skin tore, and blood sttered everywhere. These weren¡¯t half-hearted blows. He couldn¡¯t forgive himself for falling victim to Neo Seoul¡¯s tricks. Duduyan didn¡¯t try to stop him. Even though his face was now a bloody mess and his cheekbones were crushed, she watched indifferently, as if it were someone else¡¯s problem. That¡¯s how deep her disappointment ran. It was Zeon who stepped in to stop him. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stop me, Zeon! I deserve to die! How could I fall for something as simple as alcohol¡­¡± ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯t been drinking, they would¡¯ve found a way to extract the information. There¡¯s nothing in this world they can¡¯t discover if they set their minds to it.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for self-pity. We need to figure out what to do next.¡± ¡°Figure out¡­ what?¡± Finally, An stopped hitting himself. Killing himself was something he could do at any time. What was important now was protecting the Steel Fortress from Neo Seoul. ¡°Tell me what to do. I¡¯ll give you my heart if that¡¯s what it takes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your heart.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°I need you to find information about someone.¡± ¡°Someone?¡± ¡°Her name is ire. She¡¯s the person City Hall is sending to retrieve Moby Dick¡¯s heart.¡± Jin Geum-ho had decided to send two people with Zeon. One of them was someone Zeon already knew. Lee Jung-ho. He was a member of the Mayor¡¯s personal Execution Squad, also known as the Numbers. Lee Jung-ho was Neo Seoul¡¯s greatest swordsman. Sending him made sense. He had the skill and strength to handle the mission. The problem was ire. Based on her name, she seemed to be a woman, but there was no information about her. Since Zeon already knew Lee Jung-ho¡¯s abilities, he could n ordingly. But without any knowledge of ire, preparing for her was difficult. ¡°I need information on ire.¡± ¡°ire? Understood. I¡¯ll dedicate everything I have to find out about her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± An bowed deeply. In truth, Zeon didn¡¯t need to rely on An to gather information. He could easily get it through Argos¡¯ Eye. But he knew that giving An a task would help alleviate his guilt. Duduyan bowed her head to Zeon and said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry things have turned out this way because of this idiot. But he¡¯ll carry out the task you¡¯ve given him well.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Thank you, Zeon. I feel like we¡¯re always causing trouble for you and owe you so much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Duduyan.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure this fool learns his lesson.¡± Normally, An would¡¯ve bristled at being called a fool, but this time he kept his mouth shut. That¡¯s how deeply he felt his own failure. Zeon spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s done is done. Two people from City Hall will be apanying us. We need to prevent further leaks and figure out how to use them to our advantage.¡± ¡°Yes, Zeon.¡± Both of them answered in unison. * * * Zeon walked down the street alone. ¡®They¡¯re moving way too fast.¡¯ It had only been yesterday when An and Duduyan first contacted him, yet Jin Geum-ho had not only found out but also figured out why they hade to see him. It was an incredibly swift response. ¡®They must have someone watching me¡­¡¯ There was no other exnation for how quickly they had responded. Zeon furrowed his brow. He was always diligent about keeping his surroundings in check. It was second nature to him. And yet, he hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual. ¡®That means whoever¡¯s watching me has special abilities¡­¡¯ While it was inevitable that he would have to y along with Jin Geum-ho, that didn¡¯t mean he intended to blindly follow the Mayor¡¯s every whim. The moment you show weakness, the other side pushes even deeper. There¡¯s no such thing as holding back. In this world, once someone starts probing, they won¡¯t stop until they¡¯ve drained you dry. You might fall for it once, but never twice. He had to show them that he wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled with. Zeon quietly summoned his power. Whoosh! Suddenly, a sandstorm began to stir. Zeon was manipting the sand, riding the wind. ¡°What the hell?!¡± ¡°Why¡¯s there a sandstorm all of a sudden?¡± People walking through the streets were startled by the sudden gusts of sand. Still, no one found it particrly strange. Sandstorms weremon in the slums. But this one was different. It was more violent and intense than usual. The sand was so thick and wild that people couldn¡¯t open their eyes. They coughed, unable to breathe as the sand got into their mouths and noses. Even covering their faces with cloth did little to help. People hunched down, waiting for the storm to pass. But some reacted differently. As soon as the sandstorm began, they put on masks equipped with air filters. These people were members of the Shadow Unit. They had been watching Zeon from a distance. Although they had already obtained valuable information, their surveince of Zeon hadn¡¯t ended. ¡°Damn it! Where¡¯d this sandstorme from?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see Number Five anywhere!¡± In the brief moment they put on their masks, Zeon had vanished. It was then that the sand in front of them started to gather. In the blink of an eye, the sand took on a human form. A Sand Soldier. As soon as they saw it, the watchers knew they¡¯d been discovered. ¡°Run!¡± They didn¡¯t look back as they fled. But the sandstorm clung to them like a leech. What they didn¡¯t realize was that Zeon was riding the storm, chasing after them. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 264 Chapter 264 The Shadow Unit wasposed of four main teams. Team 1 gathered information about Neo Seoul, Team 2 focused on gathering intelligence in the slums, Team 3 formted strategies based on the gathered intel, and Team 4 specialized in military operations. Of course, even the information-gathering members of Teams 1 and 2 were all Awakened. Though they were only D-rank in terms of power, every member possessed stealth-rted skills, and with the help of specialized items, they could fight on par with C-rank Awakened. The people tasked with monitoring Zeon were from Team 2, the team responsible for keeping tabs on the slums. Ever since Zeon had been designated a high-risk individual, they had been watching him from a distance. The method was simple. They bought up houses near Zeon¡¯s residence and along his usual routes and turned them into safehouses. By living as though they were ordinary residents, they were able to observe him without being noticed. Naturally, Zeon hadn¡¯t picked up on their presence. Team 2 had sessfully carried out their mission until now. It was thanks to them that City Hall had learned of Zeon¡¯s contact with Duduyan and An. As such, they knew better than anyone just how dangerous Zeon was. In an environment with sand, he was practically invincible. And since most of the Earth was covered in sand, it was as though the entire was his weapon. When the sandstorm began to blow, it was only natural that Team 2 would immediately think of Zeon. And when a sand figure appeared in the shape of a human, they didn¡¯t hesitate to follow their prearranged n. They scattered in all directions, fleeing. They abandoned the safehouses they had secured and made their way toward Neo Seoul. No matter how powerful Zeon was, he couldn¡¯t recklesslymit murder inside Neo Seoul. That wasn¡¯t his domain. ¡®I just need to make it to Neo Seoul.¡¯ ¡®I need to take the shortest route¡­¡¯ They sprinted with all their strength, following the escape routes they had scouted in advance. Rather than zigzagging to try to lose Zeon, running at full speed gave them the best chance of survival. As Robinsona, a member of Team 2, ran, sweating, he muttered to himself. ¡°Damn it! How did he figure it out? We were so careful. Could it have gone wrong during the interrogation?¡± The only possibility he could think of was that something had gone wrong during the questioning. ¡°I told them to be cautious¡­¡± Swoosh! Suddenly, the swirling sandstorm swallowed Robinson whole. But he was too focused on running to notice. Thud! Thud! The first sign that something was wrong came when he heard footsteps beside him. Someone was running alongside him, matching his pace. When he turned his head to look, he saw a sand figure running next to him. It was a Sand Soldier. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± Before he could react, the Sand Soldier mmed into him. It was just a simple body check. But with the heavy weight of the sandbined with the speed at which they were running, the impact was tremendous. Crash! ¡°Argh!¡± The Sand Soldier crumbled into sand upon impact, but Robinson was sent flying by the force, as if he had been hit by a car. No matter how strong a D-rank Awakened might be, recovering from that kind of blow wasn¡¯t easy. While Robinson was briefly knocked unconscious, the swirling sand enveloped him and carried him away. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± All across the slums, simr cries echoed. They were the screams of Team 2 members being taken down by Sand Soldiers. In an instant, most of Team 2 had been neutralized. The only one left was their leader, Boyd. As the team leader, Boyd was a C-rank Awakened. Naturally, he was far stronger than the other team members. Boom! Crash! The Sand Soldiers attacking him were being destroyed instead. The shattered Sand Soldiers turned back into piles of sand. The problem was that there was an endless supply of sand, and Zeon had the ability to recycle even the broken Sand Soldiers. As Boyd watched the destroyed Sand Soldiers rise up again, he cursed. ¡°Damn it! This is cheating. It¡¯s like recycling resources.¡± Even so, he couldn¡¯t afford to give up. He unleashed his attack skills and shattered another Sand Soldier. Smash! The sand exploded outward as the Sand Soldier was destroyed. But soon enough, it reformed, as if mocking Boyd. The bigger issue was that the number of Sand Soldiers attacking him was steadily increasing. That could only mean one thing. His teammates had all been defeated. The more of them that fell, the more Sand Soldiers there were to attack him. Now, twenty Sand Soldiers surrounded him¡ªthe exact number of people in Team 2. Boyd wasn¡¯t stupid. He knew what it meant that the Sand Soldiers assigned to each teammate were now all focused on him. ¡®They¡¯ve all been taken down.¡¯ The opponent was too strong and too fast. The Shadow Unit was known for creating opportunities in unfavorable situations, but this time, they couldn¡¯t even mount a proper response. Wham! All twenty Sand Soldiers attacked him at once. They used their heavy bodies to m into him or threw simple punches. Their attacks were terrifyingly fast and efficient, but Boyd could handle them. He was, after all, a C-rank Awakened. The problem was that there were twenty Sand Soldiers, and they didn¡¯t feel fear. Crash! The leading Sand Soldier was blown apart by Boyd¡¯s punch, and the second was sent flying by a powerful knee strike. But there were still eighteen left. They had no concept of fear or loss, so they charged at Boyd relentlessly, unaffected by the destruction of theirrades. Bam! Bam! Bam! The Sand Soldiersunched a collective assault. Boyd did his best to defend against their onught, but no matter how strong his fists were, he couldn¡¯t fend off thirty-six fists with just two of his own. His skin tore, his muscles ruptured, and blood sttered everywhere. One of his arms broke, and his knee joint was shattered, leaving him unable to put weight on it. Yet Boyd resisted with all his might. In the end, he managed to destroy ten more Sand Soldiers. But that was his limit. ¡°Argh!¡± With a final gasp, Boyd copsed, coughing up blood. As soon as he fell, the sand surged forward like a tidal wave and swallowed him whole. When the sand receded, Boyd was gone. And just like that, all of Team 2 had disappeared from the slums. * * * ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve lost contact with the entire Team 2.¡± ¡°The entire team?¡± At the report from the Team 3 leader, Ho Cheong-yeon furrowed his brow. ¡°What about the team leader?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone dark as well.¡± ¡°They should have had emergencymunication devices.¡± ¡°They did. But no signals came through.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t even have time to send a message?¡± Ho Cheong-yeon¡¯s voice grew low and grim. As the Captain of the Shadow Unit, he had been responsible for monitoring numerous high-risk individuals. He had experienced countless dangerous situations. Yet, he had always survived, eventually bing the leader of the Shadow Unit. The key to his survival had been his exceptional ability to sense danger. His instincts, far sharper than those of most people, were now warning him of a serious threat. ¡°How many safehouses do we have in the slums?¡± ¡°Seven.¡± ¡°Shut them all down. We¡¯re pulling out.¡± ¡°Captain? What about Team 2?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve all been taken down by Zeon.¡± ¡°Then we should abandon any rescue attempts.¡± The Team 3 leader, much like Boyd, was known for his quick judgment. They were shadows, meant to stay hidden from the world. The moment the Shadow Unit¡¯s existence was exposed, their reason for being vanished. Even in death, they had to go quietly. Leaving behind a single name or trace of their existence was against the unspoken rules of their world. Ho Cheong-yeon bit down hard on his lip. Hot blood trickled down, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Why did Zeon attack so suddenly?¡± ¡°Maybe he found out about what we did with An and is seeking revenge.¡± ¡°How could he have known?¡± Ho Cheong-yeon questioned the Team 3 leader¡¯s suggestion, but then quickly shook his head. This was a man who defiedmon sense. That meant using logic to make sense of his actions was pointless. Just as the Team 3 leader had said, the only reason Zeon would suddenly target the Shadow Unit was likely because he had discovered what they had done to An. ¡°We were careful to cover our tracks. How did he figure it out?¡± Even An hadn¡¯t realized he had been drugged with a truth serum. The serum itself left no trace, disappearing from the body within a day. And yet, Zeon had not only uncovered the truth but had already retaliated against the Shadow Unit. It was a terrifyingly decisive response. ¡°We underestimated him.¡± Up until now, Zeon had always acted with restraint, so they had expected him to do the same this time. But they were wrong. ¡°He¡¯s letting us know that he¡¯s capable of striking back, and if we provoke him, he¡¯ll retaliate.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to change our surveince methods.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Ho Cheong-yeon nodded. There was no point in sticking to a failed strategy. While they didn¡¯t yet have a new n, he was confident they woulde up with something by putting their heads together. But for now, it was time to retreat. After all, they were still in the slums. The only saving grace was that they were in Dongdaemun, a district outside of Zeon¡¯s immediate influence. No matter how powerful Zeon was, he wouldn¡¯t recklessly invade Dongdaemun. Stirring up trouble here would only give Johan a reason to retaliate. A member of Team 3 rushed in and reporte. ¡°We¡¯ve destroyed all the data andpleted preparations for evacuation.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s move out,¡± Ho Cheong-yeon ordered without hesitation. Team 3 began to retreat through the safehouse¡¯s emergency exit. Whoosh! Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew through. It was a sandden wind. In an instant, Ho Cheong-yeon¡¯s face turned rigid. ¡°A sandstorm? It¡¯s him.¡± Boom! A deafening explosion followed. Fortunately, the Shadow Unit members had prepared for an attack, so they didn¡¯t feel the full force of the shockwave. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± None of them could make sense of what had happened. The dense sandstorm continued to obscure their vision, making it impossible to see anything clearly. Ho Cheong-yeon narrowed his eyes. ¡°What on earth¡­¡± As the sandstorm gradually began to clear, the cause of the explosion became apparent. A massive boulder, formed from tightlypressed sand, now stood before them. Sweat ran down Ho Cheong-yeon¡¯s back. No one needed to tell him; he instinctively knew that this was Zeon¡¯s doing. But the real question was: what was this massive rock? It wasn¡¯t just a simple pile of sand. Zeon wouldn¡¯t have gone to the trouble of sending them something like this without a reason. There had to be a purpose behind it. ¡°Zeon¡­¡± After a moment of hesitation, Ho Cheong-yeon suddenly punched the boulder. He had heard breathinging from inside. Boom! The giant rock shattered into pieces, sending fragments flying in all directions. As the debris cleared, what had been hidden inside was revealed. It was the entire team from Team 2. The team that had been dispatched to directly monitor Zeon was now lying inside the crushed boulder. ¡°This is unbelievable!¡± ¡°That bastard! He trapped them in there!¡± Thankfully, the members of Team 2 were still alive. Had Ho Cheong-yeon been even a little slower in destroying the boulder, they would have suffocated to death. Team 3 stared in horror at Zeon¡¯s merciless method. ¡°We¡¯ve been utterly humiliated.¡± If Zeon had simply killed all of Team 2, it might have fueled a desire for revenge. But by sparing their lives and sending them back, Zeon had sent a message to Team 3: ¡®This could happen to you too.¡¯ Now that they had tasted real fear, it would be impossible for them to remain calm and focused while keeping an eye on Zeon in the future. ¡°How unfair. Not only does he possess a unique ability on Earth, but he¡¯s also frighteningly intelligent.¡± For the first time, Ho Cheong-yeon felt the presence of an insurmountable wall. A wall called Zeon. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 266 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 266 Twenty minutes. That was the time it took to annihte the pack of hundreds of me Wolves. Lee Jung-ho swung his sword wide, shaking off the blood. As the blood sttered away, the de returned to its original, sleek form. Despite cutting through hundreds of me Wolves, Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword remained unscathed. The bones and muscles of monsters were far tougher than those of humans. For a C-rank monster, its durability was said to be stronger than steel. Given that he had sliced through hundreds of such monsters, it was clear that his sword was no ordinary weapon. ¡®It¡¯s an item.¡¯ It was definitely an item obtained from a high-level dungeon. Zeon spected that it must have at least three or four powerful enchantments. Swish! As Lee Jung-ho sheathed his sword, not a single drop of sweat appeared on his face. For him, dealing with a pack of monsters this size wasn¡¯t even enough to count as a warm-up. ¡°Wow! Talk about being overpowered.¡± ire shook her head in disbelief. Though she had been on several missions with Lee Jung-ho and knew how strong he was, it still gave her chills every time she saw him in action. City Hall had at least six more powerhouses like Lee Jung-ho. Who knew how much more hidden strength they had in reserve? Those who hadn¡¯t experienced the power of City Hall firsthand couldn¡¯t truly understand. And those who knew even a little of their power wouldn¡¯t dare think of opposing them, much like ire at this very moment. ire nced at Zeon. She assumed that Zeon, like her, must be feeling at least some degree of fear. But contrary to her expectations, Zeon¡¯s face showed no signs of fear as he watched Lee Jung-ho. She scrutinized him closely, wondering if perhaps he was just hiding his fear, but it didn¡¯t seem that way. ¡®Does this man really not fear Lee Jung-ho? Is he that confident in his own abilities?¡¯ ire bit her lip. At that moment, Lee Jung-ho spoke to Zeon. ¡°Sorry for wasting time because of me. Let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°Yes! Thank you for your hard work.¡± Zeon nodded and began walking. Duduyan and An quickly followed behind him, trying to distance themselves from Lee Jung-ho as much as possible. Such was the impact of the power Lee Jung-ho had disyed. ¡®He didn¡¯t even use any skills.¡¯ The fact that he had ughtered the monsters so easily without using any skills was both astonishing and terrifying. An muttered under his breath. ¡®If I ever return to Neo Seoul, I¡¯m a son of a bitch¡ªor a bastard. I won¡¯t even piss in this direction.¡¯ Feeling like he might be cut down by Lee Jung-ho if he strayed too far from Zeon, he stuck even closer. Whether Zeon noticed this or not, he continued walking indifferently. They passed through the corpses of the me Wolves that Lee Jung-ho had felled and walked for quite a while. It was a desert without a singlendmark. No matter where one looked, the same scenery repeated itself. Massive sand dunes and hills stretched on like waves. An ordinary person exposed to such an environment would immediately panic and lose their sense of direction. Lee Jung-ho and ire, however, were not ordinary people. Naturally, they felt no fear, though they couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of destion. Lee Jung-ho pulled apass from his pocket. The needle of thepass spun wildly. Near Neo Seoul, it worked fine, but farther out in the desert, it became useless. ¡®Looks like you really do need a Navigator in these distant deserts.¡¯ Lee Jung-ho wrinkled his nose. Navigators were extremely rare. Navigators who could pinpoint directions urately even in distant locations and avoid monster habitats were even rarer. The scarcity of Navigators was one of the reasons Neo Seoul could no longer expand its territory. This made Zeon stand out even more. Zeon was a better guide than a professional Navigator. He could even detect monsters more urately than a Navigator. ¡°There¡¯s a monster about a kilometer away.¡± ¡°Is it dangerous?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°I just know.¡± ¡°I see.¡± To some, it might have sounded like a half-hearted answer, but Lee Jung-ho let it go. He himself was a high-ranking Awakened. High-ranking Awakened individuals had their own unique senses. Senses that were impossible to exin in words. It was a realm that ordinary people would never understand, even in their entire lifetimes. Just as Zeon had said, after walking about a kilometer, a massive monster came into view. It was a huge monster, standing at least five meters tall. The spiral horns growing from either side of its head looked sharp enough to pierce through most monsters. Its muscr body was covered in thick scales. Duduyan recognized the monster. ¡°It¡¯s a Thunder Buffalo.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see one of those here.¡± An¡¯s eyes widened as he recognized the Thunder Buffalo. Lee Jung-ho and ire approached them. ¡°Is it a special monster?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rare one. It¡¯s called the Desert Wanderer.¡± Zeon responded. He too was familiar with the creature. ¡°What makes it so special?¡± ¡°It¡¯s herbivorous, which is rare.¡± ¡°Herbivorous? Is there even grass in the desert? A monster that size must need a lot to maintain itself.¡± ¡°Its main diet is cacti. It roams the desert searching for them, which is why it¡¯s called a wanderer.¡± ¡°Hm. I guess there¡¯s still a lot I don¡¯t know about the desert.¡± ¡°This is convenient.¡± ¡°What is?¡± Zeon looked at ire instead of answering. ¡°You¡¯re a Tamer, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ire¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The fact that she was a Tamer was a secret. But Zeon continued, unfazed. ¡°As a Tamer, you should be able to tame that creature easily. Despite its appearance, it¡¯s not hostile to humans.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Her initial surprise quickly turned into excitement. It wasn¡¯t every day that a Tamer had the opportunity to tame such a massive monster. Lee Jung-ho asked Zeon. ¡°Is there a reason to tame that monster? We¡¯re short on time.¡± ¡°The Thunder Buffalo¡¯s back is massive andfortable. If we ride it, we can cut down the travel time to the Steel Fortress.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Zeon looked at ire. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± ire approached the Thunder Buffalo. Noticing her, the Thunder Buffalo lifted its head. Itsrge, gentle eyes resembled those of a cow. ¡°Hello!¡± ire waved and spoke in a friendly voice. At that moment, the ne around her neck began to glow. It was called the Rainbow Pendant. An S-rank item. The Rainbow Pendant drastically amplified her limited power and control. It was such an overpowered item that it could only be used once a day. After using it, her mana would be depleted, leaving her in a state of exhaustion for at least two days. For this reason, she rarely used it unless absolutely necessary. However, given the strength of herpanions, she felt confident that even if she copsed, they could handle things. For Tamers, it wasn¡¯t easy to tame a monster in one go. Some forced them into submission, but that wasn¡¯t ire¡¯s style. Though she could use force if needed, she preferred building a bond with the monster. She spoke softly to the Thunder Buffalo. ¡°I want to be your friend.¡± Snort! The Thunder Buffalo red its nostrils and gazed at ire, as if trying to read her heart. ¡°We mean you no harm. We just want to be friends. Won¡¯t you ept my feelings?¡± Speaking as if making a heartfelt plea, ire conveyed her sincerity. And the Thunder Buffalo epted her. ¡°Moo!¡± It responded with a gentle, non-threatening sound. ire stroked its face and said, ¡°Thank you for epting. Would you mind carrying us?¡± Thud! Before she had even finished speaking, the Thunder Buffalo knelt down. Duduyan and An stood with their mouths agape. ¡°What¡¯s with this woman? She tames monsters that easily?¡± ¡°Even Lady Deborah couldn¡¯t do that.¡± There was a Tamer in the Steel Fortress as well. It was Urtian¡¯s wife, Deborah. She was a C-rank Tamer. She also possessed a powerful item called the Ne of Subjugation. Thanks to it, she could tame monsters of higher ranks than herself. But even she couldn¡¯t tame a monster as effortlessly as ire just had. Taming a monster required immense patience. It was a process that took time. Yet ire had done it so easily. ¡°Either her ability far surpasses Deborah¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Or she¡¯s got an item even stronger than the Ne of Subjugation.¡± ¡°How many monsters like her are in Neo Seoul? Lee Jung-ho alone is overwhelming, but now even the Tamer is beyond imagination.¡± ¡°Damn it! If only I hadn¡¯t gotten drunk, we wouldn¡¯t have to deal with letting monsters like them into the Steel Fortress.¡± An hung his head in self-reproach. Duduyan didn¡¯t botherforting him. Not only because it would be pointless, but also because she didn¡¯t feel like it. The mistake An had made was too severe. ire was the first to mount the Thunder Buffalo, followed by the others one by one. The Thunder Buffalo¡¯s back was so broad, it resembled a yground. Even with five people on its back, there was still plenty of room. ire asked Zeon, ¡°Which direction should we go?¡± ¡°West.¡± ire turned to the Thunder Buffalo and spoke softly. "You heard that? Can you head west for us?" With a gentle tone, she coaxed the massive creature. The Thunder Buffalo began walking westward, its huge steps echoing through the desert. Thud! Thud! Each step reverberated heavily as the monster moved forward, kicking up sand with every stride. Lying down on the Thunder Buffalo''s broad back, ire spoke to Lee Jung-ho. ¡°Unless given different orders, it¡¯ll keep heading west. So, I¡¯m going to lie down and rest for a bit.¡± ¡°Well done. Rest up until evening.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ire closed her eyes, her face quickly turning pale. Even with the aid of the Rainbow Pendant, taming the Thunder Buffalo had drained her to the very limits of her power. She had scraped together every bit of her strength to make it possible. As a result, both her mana and stamina were nowpletely depleted. In no time, ire slipped into a deep sleep. Lee Jung-ho gazed at her through his nk, unfocused eyes. His face and eyes were so used to being emotionless that it was impossible to tell what he was thinking just by looking at him. Thud! Thud! With every step the Thunder Buffalo took, a heavy sound rang out, scattering sand in all directions. Despite carrying five people, the Thunder Buffalo showed no signs of strain as it continued walking steadily. There was no need to provide it with food or water. It would find cacti along the way to satisfy both its hunger and thirst on its own. So much so that even Lee Jung-ho couldn''t help but express his amazement. ¡°Who would''ve thought riding a monster could be this convenient? If I¡¯d known, I would¡¯vee out to the desert more often.¡± ¡°Not everyone has the luxury of doing this.¡± ¡°True enough. If everyone could, humans wouldn¡¯t be confined to such small territories. What do you think? Sand Mage?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think about such things.¡± ¡°A strong person must think deeply. The more influence they have on the world, the more responsibility they must carry. That¡¯s the duty of the strong.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s one way to look at it.¡± "Zeon!" ¡°I do think carefully about my actions. So, how about easing up on the lectures?¡± Zeon¡¯s light-hearted retort made Lee Jung-ho¡¯s eyebrow twitch slightly. Had it been anyone other than Zeon, he would have cut them down instantly. But right now, he still needed Zeon. In this godforsaken desert, he needed Zeon¡¯s guidance if he hoped to safely acquire Moby Dick¡¯s heart. Lee Jung-ho clenched the hilt of his sword tightly. It was a habit that surfaced whenever he was forcing himself to remain patient. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Zeon left his house early in the morning. Today was the day he had decided to depart for the Steel Fortress. There were no longer any eyes watching him. The Shadow Unit hadpletely withdrawn. As much as Zeon had wanted to kill all of Team 2, he knew that would be crossing the line. If he crossed the line set by Jin Geum-ho, it would inevitably lead to war. Neither Zeon nor Jin Geum-ho wanted that worst-case scenario. Understanding this, Zeon had stopped just short of going too far. Fortunately, Jin Geum-ho didn¡¯t impose any sanctions on him. After all, the two of them were currently in a temporary alliance. Both needed to find Moby Dick, a shared objective. Zeon headed to the lodging where An and Duduyan were staying. The two were already prepared to leave when Zeon arrived. As soon as Zeon walked in, An spoke. ¡°Zeon! I found out what you asked.¡± ¡°About that woman?¡± ¡°Yes! ire, she¡¯s a Tamer.¡± ¡°A Tamer?¡± ¡°From what I learned, she¡¯s a B-rank Tamer. Interestingly, she spends a lot of time at the casino.¡± ¡°The casino?¡± A memory suddenly shed through Zeon¡¯s mind. A woman he had once met at a casino. Her body had carried the scent of Queen Ghost Dragonflies¡¯ pheromones. At the time, he had thought she might be a Tamer. He had forgotten about her for a while, but hearing An mention that the woman was a Tamer brought her back to mind. An hung his head low. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s all I managed to find out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough. You¡¯ve done well. Thank you.¡± At Zeon¡¯s kind words, An¡¯s expression brightened a bit. Duduyan kicked An¡¯s backside and said. ¡°You idiot! Go out drinking again.¡± ¡°If I ever drink again, I¡¯ll be your son.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a son like you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! I swear, I¡¯m never touching alcohol again. It¡¯s out of my life for good.¡± ¡°If you drink again, I¡¯ll personally cut off your hands.¡± ¡°Feel free.¡± Duduyan red fiercely at An after his bold deration. Zeon intervened, breaking up their banter. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. The others are probably waiting for us.¡± ¡°Yes, Zeon.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± They headed to an open area on the outskirts of the slums. This was where the dungeon raiding teams or Pathfinders would gather forst-minute equipment checks before heading out of Neo Seoul. Two people were waiting for Zeon¡¯s group there. A man and a woman. The man, dressed in a loose-fitting robe, was Lee Jung-ho. From beneath his robe, the hilt of a sword was visible. Beside him stood a woman with her hood pulled low, obscuring her face. But Zeon immediately recognized her. So, it is her. The faint scent of Queen Ghost Dragonfly pheromones still lingered on her body. Even after all this time, the scent hadn¡¯tpletely faded. However, ire seemed unaware of this. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re¡­¡± ire¡¯s voice rose when she saw Zeon. Just as Zeon had recognized her, she had also recognized him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°The casino, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re the Sand Mage?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Wow! What a small world. I never imagined the Sand Mage I¡¯d be traveling with would be you.¡± ire pushed back her hood, revealing a cascade of thick, ck hair falling like a waterfall. Her dark eyes and tanned, sun-kissed skin marked her as a striking beauty. She had revealed her true appearance. ¡°I¡¯m ire.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Well, nice to meet you again, Sand Mage.¡± ire gave him a yful smile. Lee Jung-ho nced at her and asked. ¡°You two know each other?¡± ¡°Oh, we met once at a casino after a mission.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I had no idea that the man I briefly ran into was the famous Sand Mage.¡± ¡°Well, this should make the journey easier. It¡¯s better to travel with someone familiar than aplete stranger.¡± ire nodded in agreement without saying a word. Lee Jung-ho then turned his gaze to Duduyan and An, who were standing behind Zeon. ¡°So, you two must be the ones from the Steel Fortress. Lead the way.¡± Lee Jung-ho didn¡¯t hide the fact that he knew about the Steel Fortress. He was already aware of what had happened with the Shadow Unit the day before. The incident where Zeon had subdued the Awakened members of the Shadow Unit left a deep impression on him. Few people knew the true nature of the Shadow Unit. They were, quite literally, shadows. Many people were under their surveince without ever realizing it. Unless one possessed a special ability like Lee Jung-ho¡¯s Mind¡¯s Eye, it was almost impossible to detect their presence. But Zeon had easily identified them, ambushed them, and subdued thempletely. If Zeon had killed them, it would have caused a major problem. But instead, he spared their lives, sending a warning. It was a response no one had anticipated. The one most shocked by Zeon¡¯s actions was Jin Geum-ho¡¯s secretary, Seo Tae-ran. For the first time in years, Seo Tae-ran had been caught off guard. Zeon¡¯s counterattack was beyond anything she had expected. Lee Jung-ho had found it amusing to see Seo Tae-ran¡¯s normallyposed face falter with surprise. Of course, she had tried to hide her expression, but Lee Jung-ho¡¯s Mind¡¯s Eye made it impossible to fool him. A man one can never let their guard down around. That said, Lee Jung-ho wasn¡¯t afraid. Even if the entire desert was Zeon¡¯s weapon, Lee Jung-ho specialized in closebat. There wasn¡¯t an Awakened alive that he couldn¡¯t kill if he set his mind to it. That¡¯s why Jin Geum-ho trusted and relied on him. His mission was simple: to safely bring back the heart of thend whale. For that purpose, Jin Geum-ho had even provided him with a special subspace ne. It wasrge enough to hold an entire vehicle. Before they set out, ire asked Zeon. ¡°Are we really not going to use a car?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll break down in a few days. And since we won¡¯t be able to repair it, walking is easier.¡± Sigh! ire let out a deep sigh. She had spent her entire life in Neo Seoul. While she had briefly left the city a few times for missions, they were only for a day or two at most. This was her first time spending an extended period in the desert. Naturally, she was nervous. But unlike her, Zeon¡¯s steps were confident and unwavering. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Duduyan and An followed behind him without hesitation. As people who had lived in the desert their whole lives, they were unfazed by the journey. In fact, they seemed relieved to be leaving the suffocating atmosphere of Neo Seoul. ¡®The Steel Fortress is better than Neo Seoul. Neo Seoul is so cold and lifeless. I don¡¯t want to stay there any longer.¡¯ The thought of returning to the Steel Fortress with two unexpectedpanions was a little burdensome, but it was a done deal. With Urtian back at the Steel Fortress, An was confident that they¡¯d figure something out. Whoosh! As soon as they set foot in the desert, a powerful sandstorm greeted them. While sandstorms asionally swept through the slums, the ones in the desert were on a whole different level. Their force and intensity were beyondparison. The entire world was tinged yellow. Duduyan and An, expecting this, quickly bowed their heads and tightened their robes. Momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected sandstorm, Lee Jung-ho and ire soon followed suit, bowing their heads and walking in step with the others. Only Zeon walked with his head held high. ¡°Feels good.¡± Living a peaceful life in the slums wasn¡¯t bad, but he always felt most alive when he was out in the desert. What was nothing but pain for others was a warm,forting embrace for him¡ªlike a mother¡¯s womb. * * * The journey to the Steel Fortress was met with obstacles from the very start. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Lee Jung-ho¡¯s brow furrowed. A massive pack of monsters blocked their path. Grrr! They looked like wolves, but their bodies were several timesrger. Even their breath exuded intense heat. ire immediately identified them. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ a pack of me Wolves.¡± ¡°I know they¡¯re me Wolves. What I want to know is why they¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°This ce is only fifty kilometers from Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ire finally understood what Lee Jung-ho was getting at. At fifty kilometers, they were still within the anti-magic power zone of Neo Seoul. Ordinary monsters wouldn¡¯t dare approach. me Wolves were quite strong, but not strong enough to resist Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic field. Only something on the level of a mammoth could withstand it and approach the city. me Wolves were D-rank creatures. However, since they hunted in packs, they were ssified as C-rank. Even for a C-rank monster, it didn¡¯t make sense for them toe this close to Neo Seoul. ¡°Could it be that Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic field isn¡¯t working?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s probably just weakened.¡± Lee Jung-ho¡¯s expression hardened. He was one of the few who knew the true source of Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic field. The gigantic white dragon that existed beneath Neo Seoul. It was the corpse of Tams that was the source of anti-magic power. Even at this moment, Tams¡¯s corpse was slowly disintegrating. The painstakingly extracted body parts became the foundation for Neo Seoul¡¯s development. But as Tams¡¯s corpse was dismembered, Neo Seoul¡¯s anti-magic power weakened. The detached body parts lost their anti-magic power. Lee Jung-ho bit his lip tightly. ¡®The anti-magic power is diminishing at a much faster rate than expected. If me Wolves can approach this ce,rger monsters wille even closer.¡¯ Therger the monster, and the higher its rank, the stronger its power. Ordinary anti-magic power cannot block their approach. Fortunately,rge monsters are regrly hunted in this area, so there are norge monsters in Neo Seoul. But there was no guarantee it would stay that way. ¡®It¡¯s a race against time. I need toplete the Heavenly Punishment as soon as possible. For that, I absolutely need the heart of thend whale.¡¯ A strong light glimmered in his translucent pupils. ¡°Ugh!¡± ire recoiled in horror at the suffocating presence. The aura was too overwhelming for her, as a Tamer. It was the same for Duduyan and An. They felt as if their whole bodies were being sliced with a knife and recoiled in fear. Only Zeon showed no change in expression even within Lee Jung-ho¡¯s aura. Zeon said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to deal with them. It will be fine as long as you avoid them.¡± ¡°If we leave them alone, they¡¯ll gather in numbers and eventually threaten Neo Seoul. It¡¯s most efficient to eliminate the source of trouble while it¡¯s small.¡± Sling! The sword that had been sheathed at his waist was drawn. The moment the sword was in Lee Jung-ho¡¯s hand, his momentum changed. A suffocating presence flowed out. It felt as if he was not seeing a human, but a sword. A sword that had been sharpened to an extreme. The razor-sharp aura, as if it would cut even breath itself, was directed at the fire wolf pack. The blind swordsman¡¯s murderous intent made the fire wolves howl in response. Kroar! Kwaaaang! The me Wolves, spewing mes, charged madly. Lee Jeong-ho walked alone toward the me Wolves army. Skaak! The moment his sword cut through the air, a dozen me Wolves were sliced in two and rolled on the ground. As Lee Jung-ho cut again, the me Wolves within a few meters were split in half and fell one after another. It was a one-sided massacre. The merciless swordsmanship of the blind swordsman was annihting the me Wolf pack. Duduyan and An were horrified by Lee Jung-ho¡¯s grandeur. ¡°Insane!¡± ¡°He¡¯s terrifyingly strong.¡± Even Zeon watched Lee Jung-ho¡¯s massacre with deeply sunken eyes. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 267 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 267 Thanks to taming the Thunder Buffalo, the journey to the Steel Fortress became much easier. While traversing the desert, encountering monsters wasmon. It almost seemed like monsters inhabited the desert as abundantly as grains of sand. No matter how powerful Lee Jung-ho was as an A-rank Awakened, his strength had its limits. His abilities were specialized for singlebat. He was incredibly formidable in one-on-one duels, rather than in battles against many foes at once. The reason he had been able to massacre the pack of me Wolves so easily was because they were only C-rank creatures. However, facing a pack of B-rank or higher monsters would prove difficult for even him. In other words, it wasn¡¯t a good match for his skills. Had he crossed the desert alone, he would have likely been worn out or severely injured by the time he faced the countless monsters along the way. But riding on the Thunder Buffalo, they rarely had to engage the monsters directly. Most smaller creatures simply fled at the sight of the Thunder Buffalo. Its scales, harder than steel, were impervious to teeth. There was no point in attacking it, as the creatures would only end up damaging their own teeth. As a result, the monsters gave up trying to attack it altogether. Thanks to this, Zeon¡¯s party could head toward the Steel Fortress without needing to fight off the monsters. Things were so rxed that even Duduyan, who was usually on high alert,y down on the Thunder Buffalo¡¯s back, enjoying a rare moment of leisure. ¡°This is nice! If life could always be this easy, how great would that be?¡± ¡°No kidding.¡± An agreed with her. Despite the trials they had gone through, these past few days heading toward the Steel Fortress had been some of the most peaceful moments of their lives. At that moment, Zeon spoke. ¡°The sun will be setting soon. Let¡¯s rest over there for the night.¡± He pointed to arge sand dune. It was shaped like a volcanic crater, sunken in such a way that it would serve as a good shelter from the wind. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Lee Jung-ho agreed with Zeon¡¯s suggestion. Throughout the entire journey, he had never once opposed Zeon¡¯s decisions. Zeon knew the desert best, so Lee Jung-ho trusted him fully. The Thunder Buffalo stopped at the spot Zeon had indicated. The group dismounted and began preparing to set up camp. Preparing the meal was An¡¯s responsibility. While they had been in the slums, he had diligently gathered ingredients and filled arge backpack with them. Seeing An sweating as he worked on dinner, Duduyan muttered under her breath. ¡°Even trash can be useful sometimes.¡± She didn¡¯t bother helping An. She had no talent for cooking, nor was she picky about food. To a Dark Elf like her, food was nothing more than a source of energy to keep her moving. As long as it gave her the strength to fight, that was all that mattered. There was no need to fuss over taste, so naturally, she had no interest in cooking. Thus, the task of preparing the meal fell to An, and he carried it out admirably. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready. Everyone,e eat.¡± Though calling it a ¡°meal¡± was a bit much, all he had done was toss various ingredients into arge pot and boil them into a stew. Still, he had used plenty of dried meat, giving the dish a decent amount of vor. The group finished their simple dinner of stew and then retired for the night. Duduyan and An, both ustomed to sleeping in the desert, fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the ground. Zeon also burrowed under the sand and created a makeshift shelter to sleep in. Seeing this, ire grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m so jealous. Some of us have to sleep out here in the sandstorm while others get to sleepfortably underground¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d better get some rest instead ofining.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you envious?¡± ¡°I barely have enough time to hone my own abilities. Why would I waste time coveting someone else¡¯s?¡± ¡°Honestly¡­¡± ire shook her head in disbelief. This was a man who had blinded himself to gain his Mind¡¯s Eye. A person like him would never be interested in other people¡¯s abilities. Cautiously, ire asked him a question. ¡°What¡¯s the world like through your Mind¡¯s Eye? Is it as clear as seeing with your own eyes?¡± ¡°If it were the same as seeing with my eyes, there would¡¯ve been no reason to blind myself.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s different?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked something so private¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s a secret. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t exin it.¡± The world seen through the Mind¡¯s Eye was like a fragile sheet of ss. A world teetering on the edge, as if it could shatter at any moment¡ªa precariously held-together, iplete reality. Perhaps what he saw was the true form of the world. And within it, humans were¡­ Lee Jung-ho shook his head, clearing away unnecessary thoughts. ire nced at the silent Lee Jung-ho for a moment before turning her gaze to the sky. By now, the sky had grown dark. A pitch-ck sky without even a trace of starlight. ire couldn¡¯t help but shrink into herself. ¡°Haa!¡± * * * The next day, the group mounted the Thunder Buffalo again and continued toward the Steel Fortress. As the scorching sun beat down on them, ire was the first to grow weary. ¡°Haa! I really just want to take a cold shower right now.¡± ¡°Hang in there a bit longer. Once we reach the Steel Fortress, you¡¯ll be able to bathe all you want.¡± ¡°Really? I can really use as much cold water as I want?¡± ire¡¯s eyes widened at Duduyan¡¯s words. Even Lee Jung-ho was surprised. ¡°Water isn¡¯t exactly abundant in the colonies. How is it possible to take long showers?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about the other colonies, but we have a bit more water at our fortress. Thanks to Lord Zeon.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Just take it at face value.¡± Duduyan mmed up after that. The existence of ake beneath the Steel Fortress was a closely guarded secret. They couldn¡¯t hide the fact that water was plentiful, but theke itself had to remain a secret. If word got out about the undergroundke, not only scavengers but even Neo Seoul would covet it. Lee Jung-ho epted her exnation. ¡°So, you managed to tap into an underground water source.¡± Most colonies secured water that way. Even Neo Seoul, with its poption of over twenty million, obtained its water this way, so it wasn¡¯t unusual. The prospect of taking a shower at the Steel Fortress put a smile on ire¡¯s face. Lee Jung-ho then turned to Zeon and asked. ¡°Can you detect water as well?¡± ¡°Not from deep underground.¡± ¡°So you can sense groundwater near the surface?¡± ¡°I can sense when the sand is damp, but that¡¯s about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still impressive. A very useful ability.¡± For the first time, Lee Jung-ho felt a twinge of envy toward Zeon¡¯s power. With such an ability, there would be no risk of dying from thirst in the desert. Unlike his own abilities, which were solely geared toward killing, Zeon¡¯s power could benefit others. ¡®Why hasn¡¯t the Mayor recruited Zeon yet? His abilities could be incredibly useful¡­¡¯ Suddenly, he found himself wondering what Jin Geum-ho¡¯s reasoning was. If Lee Jung-ho had the Mind¡¯s Eye to see the essence of things, Jin Geum-ho had the irvoyance to understand the principles of the world. It was on Jin Geum-ho¡¯s advice that Lee Jung-ho had blinded himself to gain the Mind¡¯s Eye. Without him, Lee Jung-ho would never have obtained the skill. Jin Geum-ho recruited anyone who could benefit Neo Seoul, using any means necessary. There was only one reason why he wouldn¡¯t recruit someone with desirable abilities. ¡®Does the Mayor see Zeon as a threat to Neo Seoul? If that¡¯s the case, it makes sense why he hasn¡¯t been recruited.¡¯ There¡¯s always more to a person than their abilities. Even if two people had the same powers, the oue would differ depending on how they used them. In the end, the problem wasn¡¯t Zeon¡¯s abilities but Zeon himself. It wasn¡¯t about his skills or character¡ªZeon simply didn¡¯t fit into Jin Geum-ho¡¯s ns. With this realization, Lee Jung-ho understood the Mayor¡¯s decision. ¡®No need to think about it any further. Focus on the mission. All I need is Moby Dick¡¯s heart.¡¯ At that moment¡ª ¡°Wait! If we keep going this way, there¡¯s a group of monsters two kilometers ahead. Steer the Thunder Buffalo to the right. We¡¯ll take a wide detour.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ire quickly ryed Zeon¡¯s instructions to the Thunder Buffalo. The creature followed hermands and turned to the right. Neither Lee Jung-ho nor ire questioned Zeon¡¯s words. He had already proven his abilities multiple times during their journey. Whenever they followed his directions, they didn¡¯t encounter any monsters. This time was no different. Just to be sure, Lee Jung-ho activated his "Perception" skill and sensed a multitude of lifeforms far ahead. As Zeon had said, there was indeed a group of monsters there. ¡®He¡¯s always spot on.¡¯ Lee Jung-ho clicked his tongue in admiration. Thanks to Zeon¡¯s ability to sense the monsters, the group reached a sand dune where they could see the Steel Fortress in the distance. When they climbed the dune, they saw a massive mountain made of red sandstone far off in the distance. * * * ire let out a low whistle in awe. ¡°Wow!¡± She hadn¡¯t expected to see such a massive red mountain in the middle of the desert. Duduyan, noticing ire¡¯s reaction, spoke. ¡°That¡¯s our home, the Steel Fortress.¡± ¡°The Steel¡­ Fortress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! And over there, that¡¯s Archelon.¡± She pointed to a massive mound beside the red sandstone mountain. ¡°Huh? Oh my God!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Even ire and Lee Jung-ho, who rarely showed surprise, couldn¡¯t hide their astonishment. What they had thought was just a sand dune was actually the shell of a giant turtle. Its shell wasrge enough to fit an entire vige inside. Zeon knew for a fact that a vige did indeed exist within it. ¡°The Mobile Fortress, Archelon. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen it.¡± ire, hearing Zeon¡¯s words, asked with wide eyes. ¡°Is that what you call a mobile fortress? My goodness! How did you tame something that huge? I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± Her face flushed red as if she had just fallen in love at first sight. She was utterly captivated by Archelon. ¡°I want to see that child up close!¡± Without waiting for anyone to stop her, ire jumped off the Thunder Buffalo and sprinted toward Archelon. Zeon tried to guide the Thunder Buffalo toward Archelon, but the monster refused to move, paralyzed with fear. Even a C-rank monster like the Thunder Buffalo was terrified of the enormous Archelon. With no other choice, Zeon and the others dismounted and began walking toward Archelon. With each step closer, they were overwhelmed by its immense presence. Even Zeon, seeing Archelon for the first time in years, couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. ¡°It¡¯s grown even bigger.¡± In just eight years, Archelon had grown significantly. Given enough time, it could one day berger than Neo Seoul itself. ire was already gently stroking Archelon¡¯s shell. But her expression was troubled. With a face on the verge of tears, she looked at Zeon. ¡°This child¡­ it¡¯s dying.¡± Large tears rolled down her cheeks. No one else could tell, but as a Tamer, she knew. This enormous turtle was slowly dying. As if sensing her emotions, Archelon poked its head out from under its shell. Its eyes,rger than a human, were clouded with fatigue. Zeon spoke to Archelon. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, old friend.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 268 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 268 Archelon blinked its enormous eyes and stretched its head toward Zeon. ¡°Archelon!¡± Zeon reached out and gently stroked Archelon¡¯s head. The massive creature closed its eyes, epting Zeon¡¯s touch. ¡°W-wait, I¡­¡± ire, standing beside them, tried to speak excitedly, but Archelon didn¡¯t even nce in her direction. All of Archelon¡¯s attention and senses were solely focused on Zeon. Zeon spoke. ¡°You really are dying. How did ite to this?¡± ¡°He was struck by the ck Anemone, wielded by a curse caster.¡± A voice came from behind Zeon. He turned around to see a frail old man wearing sses and a mature woman standing beside him. The old man¡¯s face was deeply lined with wrinkles, and the woman, with her brown skin and blue eyes, radiated a rugged vitality, like a lone cactus standing strong in the desert. Zeon instantly recognized them. ¡°Master Pavirsa, Sister Kailey!¡± ¡°It really is you, Zeon. That little boy has grown up into such a fine man.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Zeon!¡± The two approached Zeon. Time had made the old man even older, while the boy and girl had grown into adults. Kailey looked Zeon up and down and said. ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot.¡± ¡°So have you, Sister.¡± ¡°Has it been about eight years?¡± ¡°Feels like it.¡± ¡°I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, but I had no one else to turn to¡­ Sorry for calling you like this.¡± ¡°You said Archelon was struck by the ck Anemone, wielded by a curse caster?¡± ¡°Yes! Archelon tried to protect us and got hit instead. That¡¯s why he¡¯s dying.¡± With a bitter expression, Kailey stroked Archelon¡¯s head. ¡°That cowardly curse caster. He ambushed us with that vile beast, the ck Anemone. If it hadn¡¯t been a surprise attack, Archelon would have defeated it.¡± Archelon¡¯s shell had immense defensive power. It was so tough that it could withstand the attacks of most monsters without sustaining a scratch. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a beast called the ck Anemone.¡± Zeon was familiar with almost every kind of monster, yet he had never even heard of the ck Anemone. Pavirsa answered. ¡°That¡¯s because it doesn¡¯t exist in the natural world.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a chimera. I don¡¯t know how, but the curse caster wielded a chimera.¡± ¡°A curse caster controlling a chimera? That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Zeon asked, his expression filled with disbelief. A chimera is a type of synthetic life form. It¡¯s created by piecing together parts from various organisms. Even with the right materials, it¡¯s nearly impossible to sessfully create a chimera. It¡¯s a feat that borders on the creation of life itself¡ªa realm humans have no power over. Among those Zeon knew, only the Gold Dragon Haeltoon had ever sessfully created and controlled chimeras. Zeon had never encountered a human who could achieve such a feat. So the idea that a curse caster had created a chimera seemed absurd. After all, curse casters specialize in curses, not the creation of chimeras. Pavirsa replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know how he did it either. Maybe he created it himself, or maybe he stumbled upon an already-made chimera.¡± ¡°Is the ck Anemone that dangerous?¡± ¡°The main body is no more than ten meters long. Compared to Archelon, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Then why is Archelon in such bad shape?¡± ¡°The problem is its tentacles. It has thousands, tens of thousands of tentacles extending from its head, each of which can stretch over hundreds of meters. In an instant, it can wrap around its prey and drain their bodily fluids dry. Archelon managed to survive the attack, but if it had been anyone else or another monster, they would¡¯ve been consumed immediately.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it¡ªthat such a chimera exists in this world.¡± Just recalling the ck Anemone seemed to make Pavirsa shudder in fear. Zeon looked at Archelon¡¯s head. The wounds inflicted by the ck Anemone¡¯s tentacles were still visible. ¡®Could the curse caster actually be a dragon in disguise?¡¯ Zeon furrowed his brow without realizing it. If their opponent really was a dragon, it would be the worst possible scenario. However, Zeon doubted that was the case. In all his eight years of wandering the desert, he had never encountered a dragon. Moreover, dragons were farrger than Archelon, easily exceeding a hundred meters in length. With their enormous size came equally enormous egos and pride. Dragons would never lower themselves to take human form or act covertly. They would be more likely to create a chimera minion than transform into one themselves. ¡®A dragon controlling a chimera? That¡¯s not their style.¡¯ Zeon had only ever met one dragon¡ªHaeltoon¡ªbut he had a reasonable understanding of their nature and behavior. ¡®If it¡¯s not a dragon, then maybe the curse caster found an item rted to chimeras in a dungeon?¡¯ That seemed far more likely. Dungeons often yielded strange, unexpected items. Many of those items defied human understanding. If the curse caster had found a chimera-rted item in a dungeon, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible. While Zeon was deep in thought about the curse caster, someone approached him. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived!¡± Zeon turned around to see Urtian walking toward him, apanied by his wife, Deborah. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you again so soon.¡± ¡°Nor did I.¡± It felt strange to be back here so quickly after leaving for Neo Seoul. Zeon introduced the two neers to Urtian and Deborah. ¡°This is Lee Jung-ho and ire, from Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± After brief introductions, Pavirsa, looking apologetic, spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I happened to be here and heard from Urtian about how much you¡¯ve helped him.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Archelon, after being struck by the ck Anemone, had made a desperate escape. It had used all its strength to break free from the tentacles and drag itself forward, step by painful step. Since the ck Anemone couldn¡¯t move while extending its tentacles, it didn¡¯t pursue Archelon. This allowed Archelon to escape the beast¡¯s grasp and wander through the desert until, by chance, it arrived here. Urtian had been shocked when he saw the massive turtle approaching the Steel Fortress. He had been ready to mobilize the fortress¡¯s forces to attack Archelon, but Deborah, as a Tamer, had quickly realized that the creature wasn¡¯t hostile. Instead, Archelon had been severely wounded and was seeking help. Deborah couldn¡¯t bring herself to refuse its plea, so they had epted Archelon and the people traveling with it, sending An and Duduyan to fetch Zeon. After hearing the full story, Zeon asked Pavirsa. ¡°I heard that we need to find Moby Dick to heal Archelon. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°How much do you know about Moby Dick?¡± ¡°Only the name.¡± ¡°Moby Dick is, quite literally, a gigantic whale. It swims freely through the sky and the underground.¡± ¡°Wait, what? It flies?¡± ¡°Yes, it can fly.¡± Zeon nced at Lee Jung-ho, who shook his head. He, too, had only just learned that Moby Dick could fly. Zeon turned back to Pavirsa. ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Why not? This world doesn¡¯t exactly follow normal rules. Moby Dick swims through sand and soars through the sky. I don¡¯t know how such a creature came into existence, but¡­¡± ¡°But is there a way to track it down? If it swims through both sand and sky, it¡¯ll be nearly impossible to find. And why do we need to find it in the first ce?¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes¡ªa massive mammoth, gravely wounded, being healed.¡± The memory was still fresh in Pavirsa¡¯s mind. He had seen the enormous hundred-meter creature high in the sky, emitting a mysterious light. On the ground below was a mammoth, gravely injured from some unknown beast¡¯s attack. It was on the brink of death, but as soon as the light from Moby Dick touched it, the mammoth¡¯s wounds began to heal almost instantly. A miracle had unfolded in the middle of the desert. ¡°After witnessing that, I couldn¡¯t just sit still. I drove Archelon after Moby Dick. And I found its nest.¡± ¡°A nest?¡± ¡°Well, it might just be a resting ce. Call it whatever you like, but I discovered a mysterious ce where Moby Dick rests. I saw itnd on the ground for the first time to take a break.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t exin the location. I don¡¯t have the ability to navigate the desert like you.¡± ¡°Then how will we get there?¡± ¡°We have Archelon, don¡¯t we? He remembers the general direction to the nest.¡± Archelon navigates by the scent of the air. Having smelled the air around Moby Dick¡¯s nest, he should be able to guide them in the right direction. After that, they¡¯d need Zeon¡¯s help. ¡°But in his current state¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s conserving his strength for this final journey. If he pushes himself, he can make it to Moby Dick¡¯s nest.¡± ¡°Understood. All we can do now is hope Archelon holds on until then.¡± The enormous, aging turtle was struggling to breathe. He looked like a veteran warrior preparing for his final battle. Just then, ire, standing beside Archelon, spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Archelon and make sure he doesn¡¯t copse.¡± ¡°Do you have a skill that can heal tamed creatures?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s low-ranked, and Archelon is so massive that it won¡¯t do much. Still, I can help him regain a bit of his strength here and there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Deborah sighed in relief. As a fellow Tamer, she knew how precarious Archelon¡¯s condition was. Pavirsa believed they could reach Moby Dick¡¯s nest, but from Deborah¡¯s perspective, it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Archelon was like a candle about to go out, teetering on the brink. No one knew when it might suddenly go dark. High-ranking Tamers had a cure skill that allowed them to heal their tamed beasts. Deborah would gain that skill if she could raise her rank. ¡°Since I didn¡¯t tame Archelon myself, the effect of the skill will be reduced.¡± ¡°Even so, it¡¯ll be enough. Archelon has a strong will¡­¡± Deborah reached out and gently patted Archelon¡¯s head. The old, giant turtle didn¡¯t reject her warm touch. Worry clouded ire¡¯s face. ¡°I can manage Archelon¡¯s condition, but if he takes a heavy blow or gets attacked again, there¡¯s nothing I¡¯ll be able to do.¡± ¡°You can leave that to Lord Zeon.¡± Both women¡¯s gazes naturally shifted to Zeon. He stood with his arms crossed and his head bowed, his thoughts unreadable. But Deborah¡¯s faith in him was unwavering. ¡°In this desert, if Lord Zeon sets his mind to it, there¡¯s nothing he can¡¯t protect.¡± ¡°You seem to have a lot of confidence in him.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand soon, ire. You¡¯ll see what Lord Zeon is capable of in this desert.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to help Lord Zeon bring Archelon safely to Moby Dick¡¯s nest.¡± Deborah looked at ire with warm eyes. ire found herself unable to meet her gaze directly. ¡°Everything will be fine. Lord Zeon is with us.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± ¡°Trust me. If you believe, good things will happen.¡± After giving ire¡¯s back a reassuring pat, Deborah walked away. ire stood there for a long time, watching her retreating figure. p! Urtian pped his hands, snapping everyone out of their thoughts. ¡°All right, enough of this. Let¡¯s head inside. I¡¯ll host dinner tonight.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward the sandstone mountain. Arge basket was descending from it. Lee Jung-ho muttered to himself. ¡°So that¡¯s the entrance to the Steel Fortress? They¡¯ve built a colony in a perfect natural stronghold.¡± In this ce, even if thousands of monsters attacked at once, they would be able to defend it. ¡°Impressive!¡± ¡°What do you find impressive?¡± Zeon, standing nearby, asked coldly. ¡°Everything¡­¡± ¡°Leave it be.¡± ¡°Leave what be?¡± ¡°In time, they¡¯ll naturally trade with Neo Seoul. Forcing a merger prematurely would only create more problems.¡± ¡°Is that a warning?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a request.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 269 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 269 ¡°Impressive!¡± Lee Jung-ho couldn¡¯t help but mutter in admiration as he looked around the inside of the Steel Fortress. The interior was muchrger than it appeared from the outside, naturally drawing expressions of awe. ¡°With a space like this, more than tens of thousands of people could live here¡ªprovided there¡¯s enough water.¡± The more he saw, the more desirable this ce became. If they could make this a satellite city, it would mean Neo Seoul¡¯s territory would expand that much further. The problem was Zeon. Zeon clearly wasn¡¯t keen on allowing this ce to be a satellite city of Neo Seoul. Without his cooperation, turning this fortress into a satellite city would be next to impossible. ¡®We either get his cooperation, or we remove him.¡¯ Neither option would be easy. Zeon was just that much of a formidable presence. Lee Jung-ho decided to set these thoughts aside for now. What mattered most at the moment was obtaining Moby Dick¡¯s heart. A resident of the fortress led Lee Jung-ho and ire to a vacant room. ¡°You can rest here. Urtian will call for you when it¡¯s time for the meal.¡± ¡°Is it alright if we look around while we wait for the meal?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is the only area you are allowed to ess.¡± The resident politely declined Lee Jung-ho¡¯s request. Lee Jung-ho frowned, clearly displeased, but as a guest, he had no choice but to respect the host¡¯s wishes. ¡°Then please, rest well.¡± The resident bowed and left the room. Once alone, ire turned to Lee Jung-ho. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower first.¡± The thought of being able to shower to her heart¡¯s content after so long made ire¡¯s face light up with joy. ¡°Do as you like.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± ire quickly disappeared into the bathroom. Left alone, Lee Jung-ho nced out the window. He could sense residents loitering outside. It seemed they were keeping watch on the house where the two of them were staying. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± If he wanted to, he could easily slip past their watchful eyes, but if he were caught, it would only earn Zeon¡¯s distrust. In order to obtain Moby Dick¡¯s heart, he needed Zeon¡¯s cooperation. Until then, it was best to avoid any actions that might jeopardize that. * * * ¡°There was something unsettling about his gaze. Do you think he¡¯ll cause any trouble?¡± ¡°I doubt it. He still needs me.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief¡­¡± Pavirsa let out a sigh of relief at Zeon¡¯s answer. The moment he had seen Lee Jung-ho, Pavirsa had felt an eerie sensation, as if a de were pressed against his neck. Pavirsa had spent his entire life wandering the desert, encountering countless Awakened individuals, yet he had never met someone as intense as Lee Jung-ho. The strongest person he had ever encountered was Dyoden. Lee Jung-ho couldn¡¯t quitepare to Dyoden. Dyoden had the overwhelming presence of a mighty storm that could destroy everything in its path. Lee Jung-ho, on the other hand, exuded a dangerous aura, like he could slice through anything in his way without hesitation. While Dyoden¡¯s raw power and presence were far greater, Pavirsa had never felt personally threatened by him. But with Lee Jung-ho, there was an ever-present danger, like he could draw his sword at any moment and cut off Pavirsa¡¯s head. That made him all the more threatening. ¡®But, of course, if we¡¯re talking about danger, this one takes the cake.¡¯ Pavirsa nced at Zeon with a slightly surprised expression. At that moment, Kailey, who was standing nearby, pointed to Zeon¡¯s right arm. ¡°That gauntlet¡ªdidn¡¯t I make that for you?¡± ¡°You did.¡± ¡°But it looks different now. Mind if I take a closer look?¡± Kailey couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the Inferno Gauntlet that Zeon was wearing. The gauntlet, which had been fitted with the eye of a dragon, now radiated a different kind of energypared to before. Since she had crafted the gauntlet herself, Kailey was naturally curious about the changes. ¡°I fitted it with a dragon¡¯s eye.¡± ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s a dragon¡¯s eye?¡± ¡°Yes, take a look for yourself.¡± Zeon removed the Inferno Gauntlet and handed it to Kailey. As soon as she held it, Kailey was surprised by the intense heat radiating from the gauntlet. ¡°This heat¡­ Is this from a Red Dragon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Kailey couldn¡¯t help but let out an exmation of awe. To her, dragons were the stuff of legends. She had never seen one in person, let alone gotten her hands on something like a dragon¡¯s eye. Her curiosity was piqued, naturally. ¡°Who attached this?¡± ¡°I met an Enchanter by chance who did it for me.¡± ¡°Must have been a high-level Enchanter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But since the gauntlet wasn¡¯t something they made themselves, they didn¡¯t manage to unlock its full potential.¡± ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s iplete?¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s room for improvement.¡± Kailey¡¯s nostrils red¡ªa habit of hers whenever she got excited. The Inferno Gauntlet had evolved significantly since she had originally crafted it. While it was already impressive, there was still potential to make it even better. Kailey wasn¡¯t the same as she had been before. Since parting ways with Zeon, she had crafted countless items, and she too had grown. Now, she was an S-rank Enchanter. She had reached the pinnacle of an Enchanter. Though sheckedbat abilities, when it came to crafting items and imbuing them with special properties, there was no one better than her. Only Pavirsa knew that she had reached S-rank. She had kept it a closely guarded secret. ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave it with me tonight? I¡¯ll get it into top shape.¡± ¡°I¡¯d actually appreciate that.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Kailey beamed like a child as she held the Inferno Gauntlet. Pavirsa clicked his tongue at the sight. ¡°That rascal! She¡¯s way too happy.¡± Despite his words, there was a fond smile on his face. When presented with the finest materials, a master artisan would always get fired up. An Enchanter was no different. The best material had been added to her masterpiece. It would be strange if she wasn¡¯t excited. Kailey took the Inferno Gauntlet and headed to her room. Zeon flexed his right hand. After wearing the gauntlet constantly for the past eight years, he felt a sudden emptiness without it. It felt like a part of his body had been taken away. Was this what loss felt like? Still, he had to bear it. It was all part of the process of bing stronger. Pavirsa spoke. ¡°You must be tired. Get some rest.¡± ¡°Yes. You should rest too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you again at dinner.¡± Pavirsa left, and Zeon was alone. He let out a quiet sigh. ¡°Feels empty.¡± * * * Back in her room, Kailey gazed at the Inferno Gauntlet with a look of awe. It was one of her greatest creations. Even though a dragon¡¯s eye had been addedter to enhance it further, the base was still her original work. ¡°Whoever did this must have been a truly great Enchanter.¡± Modifying an item someone else had made was never easy. Each Enchanter had their own unique methods and skills. It was much simpler to make something from scratch than to modify an existing item. Doing thetter required immense effort and time. Moreover, attaching something as powerful as a dragon¡¯s eye to the gauntlet would have taken incredible focus and skill. The Enchanter who added the Red Dragon¡¯s eye to the gauntlet must have been extraordinarily talented. Far more skilled than she had been back then. But a lot of time had passed since then, and Kailey had undergone dramatic changes herself. She was now an S-rank Enchanter. As an S-rank, she could now see the areas where the Inferno Gauntlet could still be improved. Because it was her creation, she understood exactly how to unlock its full potential. Enhancing its performance would require a lot of rare materials. They were all difficult to obtain, but Kailey wasn¡¯t worried. She already had everything she needed in her subspace. While wandering the desert aboard Archelon, she had gone out of her way to gather any rare materials she could find. As a result, her subspace was now overflowing with them. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯ll start by reinforcing its durability with the shell of a Ghost Beetle, and stabilize the mana flow with the wings of a Rainbow Butterfly. To fully unlock the power of the Red Dragon¡¯s eye, I¡¯ll use Xyrium, that rare metal I got from the Volcano Dungeon.¡± Her imagination took over. Endless creativity was her greatest weapon. Imagine, n, and then realize. These were the core principles an Enchanter had to follow. Kailey spent the entire night envisioning the final, evolved form of the Inferno Gauntlet. Only when she had settled on the perfect design and capabilities did she finally begin her work. ¡°First, the shell of the Ghost Beetle.¡± The shell of a Ghost Beetle was marked with patterns resembling a ghostly face, which is how it got its name. The shell was not only incredibly durable but also had a high mana conductivity. It was so rare that Kailey had kept it carefully stored away for a long time. As she drew upon her mana, Kailey whispered. ¡°Modify.¡± Mana surged from her hands and seeped into the Ghost Beetle¡¯s shell, causing it to start transforming. Normally, cutting or reshaping the shell of a Ghost Beetle was impossible, but for an S-rank Enchanter like her, shaping it into the form she desired was no problem at all. One of an Enchanter¡¯s key skills was ¡°Modification,¡± which allowed them to reshape materials however they saw fit. All it required was mana, a clear mental image, and the will to make it happen. Kailey possessed all three. Before long, the Ghost Beetle¡¯s shell had taken the shape she wanted. Kailey then ced the Inferno Gauntlet on top of it. ¡°Combine!¡± The Ghost Beetle¡¯s shell slowly melded with the Inferno Gauntlet, emitting a fierce red glow. Kailey stared directly into the blinding light. Through the glow, she could see the two objects merging. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t a fusion¡ªit was more like the Ghost Beetle¡¯s shell was being absorbed by the Inferno Gauntlet¡ªbut the result was the same. She had to maintain this momentum. Once the shell had mostly been absorbed, Kailey pulled out the next material: a translucent object that shimmered with seven vibrant colors, like a rainbow. It was the wing of a Rainbow Butterfly. Despite its pretty name, the Rainbow Butterfly was a ruthless predator. It fluttered through the desert on the wind, and when it spotted prey, it would release a neurotoxin by pping its wings. Any creature that inhaled even a trace of this neurotoxin would die within seconds. This applied to both humans and magical beasts alike. Once its prey was dead, the Rainbow Butterfly would use its coiled proboscis like a straw, draining the victim¡¯s fluids. Even thergest magical beasts would be reduced to dried-out husks within minutes. ¡®Thank goodness Rainbow Butterflies live in remote deserts where no one lives. If they lived nearby, there wouldn¡¯t be a single living person left.¡¯ Rainbow Butterflies¡¯ wingbeats made no sound. They could approach a victim without making a single noise, often going unnoticed until it was toote. Their silent deadliness made them even more dangerous than giant magical beasts. Who knew how many more dangerous creatures like this lurked in the sky? At first nce, the sky seemed empty, but if you could see at higher altitudes, you¡¯d find it teeming with deadly creatures like the Rainbow Butterfly. Kailey shook off her thoughts and refocused on the Rainbow Butterfly¡¯s wing. As she activated her skill, a massive amount of mana drained from her body. Sweat poured down her face inrge drops, but she didn¡¯t blink, maintaining intense concentration as she continued her work. sh! As Xyrium was added, the eye of the Red Dragon embedded in the Inferno Gauntlet suddenly emitted an even stronger light, more intense than anything she had seen before. As she inspected the nowplete gauntlet, Kailey couldn¡¯t help but flinch. ¡°Hic!¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 270 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 270 Zeon gazed at the gauntlet Kailey handed him. It now emitted a subtle red glow throughout, and the parts had be much more intricate. When he clenched his fist tightly, additional sharp spikes emerged, resembling a dragon¡¯s ws. These spikes, shaped like drills, were designed to focus destructive force into a single point. The parts were made from abination of Xyrium and the shell of a Ghost Beetle. When these two distinct materials were fused together, the result was an incredible level of hardness. But the most significant change was on the back of the hand. The part where the dragon¡¯s eye was embedded. Previously, the area around the dragon¡¯s eye exuded a strong magical energy. The distinctive heat from the Red Dragon¡¯s power was subtly emitted. However, now, that energy waspletely undetectable. Zeon wore a puzzled expression as he put on the gauntlet. In an instant, an overwhelming energy radiated from the Inferno Gauntlet. Zeon couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. Seeing his reaction, Kailey, excited, began to exin. ¡°Before, the mana conduction efficiency was low, and a lot of energy was lost. Sure, it might have seemed intimidating to others or to monsters, but from the wearer¡¯s perspective, a lot of mana was being wasted. Now, after the improvements, the mana conductivity has increased several times over. This means that even with less mana, you can unleash far greater power. Can you feel it?¡± ¡°Yes, definitely¡­¡± ¡°The second change is a new skill tied to the dragon¡¯s eye. You¡¯ll have to try it out yourselfter. It¡¯ll surprise you, I promise.¡± ¡°I believe it will.¡± Zeon nodded. When he had first returned to Neo Seoul, people assumed he was a magic type Awakened who used fire magic. That was because of the Inferno Gauntlet. By harnessing the power of the dragon¡¯s eye embedded in the gauntlet, Zeon had been able to use fire-based skills. Dragons possessed virtually limitless mana, and the eye of the Red Dragon contained that same power. Thanks to this, Zeon could easily wield fire-based skills. Now, the energy emanating from the Inferno Gauntlet was far more potent than before. With Kailey¡¯s modifications, the mana efficiency had greatly improved. Although he would need to test it out to be sure, Zeon had a feeling he could now perform skills he hadn¡¯t been able to use before. He wanted to try it out immediately, but using such powerful skills inside the Steel Fortress would likely turn the ce into a sea of mes. That was why Kailey had suggested he test itter. Kailey smiled brightly as she looked at Zeon. ¡°What? Is there something else that¡¯ll surprise me?¡± ¡°There is.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The subspace!¡± ¡°The subspace?¡± ¡°Check it out yourself.¡± The Inferno Gauntlet had been enchanted with subspace storage. This had been an additional feature when Kailey first crafted the gauntlet. Zeon had been using the subspace efficiently all this time. He typically stored a massive amount of sand in it, using it as a weapon in critical moments. That had saved his life on more than one asion. Following Kailey¡¯s suggestion, Zeon opened the subspace. ¡°Wow!¡± As soon as Zeon saw the inside, he couldn¡¯t help but exim. The already expansive subspace had been extended to an unbelievable size. ¡°It¡¯s crazy, right?¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Even I didn¡¯t expect it to expand this much. Isn¡¯t it big enough to hold an entire vige?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s evenrger. To exaggerate a bit, it¡¯s almost the size of the Steel Fortress itself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I mean¡­¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister!¡± More than anything, Zeon was thrilled about the expansion of the subspace. Therger the subspace, the more sand he could store inside it. Sand was the source of his power. The more he had, the stronger he became. The subspace had expanded at least tenfold. Now, he could store ten times the amount of sand. With this much, he¡¯d be able to use all of his skills, even within Neo Seoul. For Zeon, this was news of iparable value. Kailey wrinkled her nose yfully. ¡°I¡¯m just d I was able to improve the performance¡­ You have no idea how worried I was that I¡¯d mess it up after boasting so much.¡± The Inferno Gauntlet she had initially crafted was now iparable in appearance, performance¡ªeverything. It could rival most of the S-rank items found in dungeons, and in some aspects, it was even better. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°You came all this way to help us without asking for anything in return. This is the least I could do.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, so get some rest. I¡¯m going to step out for a bit.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Zeon headed out to the entrance of the Steel Fortress. Since the sun had not yet risen, the world was still dark. ¡°Oh, Lord Zeon?¡± ¡°What brings you out at this hour?¡± The Awakened guards at the entrance recognized him. ¡°I¡¯m just stepping outside for a bit.¡± ¡°Shall we lower the basket for you?¡± ¡°No need, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Zeon smiled and leaped off the fortress. The sand stirred for a moment, gently cushioning his body. Zeonnded softly on the desert, like a feather. The guards, watching Zeon from behind, shook their heads in disbelief. ¡°That ability is seriously overpowered, no matter how many times I see it.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like the sand loves him or something?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he can control the sand so easily. I¡¯m jealous. If I had that ability, I¡¯d have built my own kingdom in the desert by now.¡± ¡°A kingdom filled with women as your citizens?¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Haha! Just thinking about it makes me happy.¡± The sounds of the guards¡¯ughter reached Zeon¡¯s ears clearly. Zeon chuckled quietly to himself. ¡®My own kingdom, huh?¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t impossible. With his abilities, Zeon could locate water sources and create a livable environment in the desert. But having water wasn¡¯t enough to sustain human life. There would need to be walls to keep out monsters, enough food to feed the people, necessary supplies for daily life, a functioning system¡ªthere were too many factors to consider. That¡¯s why Zeon thought Jin Geum-ho was truly remarkable. Starting from nothing and building Neo Seoul into what it was today was not something Zeon could do. It wasn¡¯t a matter of ability, but of will. Zeon couldn¡¯t help but admire Jin Geum-ho¡¯s determination in creating a new human civilization in a world dominated by monsters. Jin Geum-ho¡¯s willpower was so immense that Zeon wondered what he would set his sights on next. But right now, Zeon¡¯s thoughts weren¡¯t focused on Jin Geum-ho¡¯s ambitions. What was important to him at the moment was testing the newly improved Inferno Gauntlet. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the subspace¡­¡± Zeon fully opened the subspace. As the entrance opened, a massive suction force was created. Shhh! The surrounding sand was immediately pulled into the subspace. It rushed in like a wave, filling the subspace. Before, it would have taken less than a minute to fill the subspace, but the expanded storage area now devoured sand like a glutton. It wasn¡¯t until about ten minutester that the subspace was nearly filled with sand. He had left some space to store items he had organized into different sections. ¡°Perfect.¡± Zeon smiled in satisfaction. The expanded subspace now had plenty of room for items, too. This meant he could finally sort out the various items that had been carelessly thrown in before. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the item sorting forter¡­¡± Zeon closed the subspace and infused mana into the Inferno Gauntlet. Immediately, the dragon¡¯s eye embedded in the back of the gauntlet opened, releasing a tremendous heat. It felt as if a volcano was erupting from his hand. Zeon felt a rush of exhration as he experienced the raw power of the new mana surge. He took a deep breath, calming himself. Now wasn¡¯t the time to get excited¡ªhe needed to assess the gauntlet¡¯s performance objectively. The easiest way to test its capabilities was to try out some skills. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± The moment Zeon visualized it, hundreds of Fire Missiles floated into existence around him. While the power of each individual Fire Missile wasn¡¯t particrly strong,unching hundreds of them at once was a different story. Zeon fired the Fire Missiles into the heart of the desert. Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions erupted in quick session. It was like watching an old-fashioned bomber rain destruction on its target. The power of the Fire Missiles was iparable to what it had been before. A satisfied smile crept across Zeon¡¯s lips. It felt as if their strength had at least doubled. ¡°Next¡­¡± There was still plenty of time left. Zeon nned to test every skill he knew, one by one. * * * Bang! Boom! Boom! The sound of explosions in the desert roused Lee Jung-ho from his sleep. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He threw on his robe and stepped outside. The inside of the Steel Fortress was shrouded in darkness. Unlike Neo Seoul, the fortress didn¡¯t have generators powered by Mana Stones. Naturally, it was impossible to imagine keeping lights on through the night like they did in Neo Seoul. Here, when the sun set and darkness fell, people returned to their homes to rest. No productive activities urred after dark. That was the key difference between Neo Seoul and the Steel Fortress. Neo Seoul never slept. It was always engaged in research or production around the clock. For over a hundred years, Neo Seoul had developed its civilization this way. As a result, it had created an ultra-advanced civilization that no other colony could hope to match. Logically speaking, for the Steel Fortress to catch up with Neo Seoul, it would take at least a hundred years¡ªprobably much longer, considering Neo Seoul''s ongoing advancements. That was assuming the Steel Fortress could dedicate the same amount of time and research as Neo Seoul. Lee Jung-ho thought it was impossible. The Steel Fortress was a colony built in a rtively safe area, but it was too isted, limiting its potential for expansion. ''The most this ce can hope to be is a satellite city of Neo Seoul.'' Even that would be an impressive achievement. Even bing one of Neo Seoul''s satellite cities would represent massive progress for this ce. It was a win-win situation where both could benefit from each other. Lee Jung-ho couldn''t understand why Zeon opposed it. ''He might be strong, but he''s just a naive kid who doesn''t know how the world works. To oppose such a huge opportunity¡­'' If he had more time, Lee Jung-ho would have pursued the n step by step. But for now, the mission Jin Geum-ho had assigned him took priority. ''I¡¯ll deal with this after I get the heart of Moby Dick.'' Lee Jung-ho headed for the entrance of the Steel Fortress. The explosion he had heard since dawn had been bothering him. When he arrived at the entrance, Awakeneds blocked his path. "Stop right there." They looked at him with wary eyes. Lee Jung-ho was a guest who had only arrived at the fortress yesterday. It was natural for them to be cautious. "What¡¯s going on since early this morning?" "There¡¯s been an explosion in the desert for a while now. Is everything alright?" "It¡¯s fine." "Fine?" "Yes!" "Are you sure?" "It¡¯s not something you need to worry about, sir." "Hmph!" Lee Jung-ho''s gaze turned cold. The Awakened guards flinched. They were overwhelmed by the sudden shift in his aura. It was impossible for them to withstand the de-like pressure of Lee Jung-ho, an A-rank Awakened. The guards couldn''t even meet his eyes and turned their heads away. It was a wonder they didn¡¯t flee and were still standing their ground. "What¡¯s going on here?" At that moment, Zeon''s voice came from outside the entrance. Lee Jung-ho turned his head to see Zeon sliding down the sand and stepping into the entrance. Lee Jung-ho furrowed his brow. "So, it was you! The one who woke me up..." "Apologies. I had something personal to check on." "And? Did you get anything out of it?" "Well, a little." Zeon gave a slight smile. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 271 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 271 Pavilsa gently stroked Archelon¡¯s head. ¡°Archelon!¡± Archelon closed his eyes and basked in the touch of Pavilsa''s hand. The wrinkled old man and the aged turtle shared a deep connection, their bodies close together, silentlymunicating for a long time. ire stood nearby, hands clenched tightly, watching Pavilsa and Archelon. Just witnessing the bond between a sacred beast and a human filled her heart with emotion. She dreamed of one day aging alongside a beast like that, sharing a simr connection. ¡®Though first, I need to get out of this hellhole¡­¡¯ She was deeply indebted to Jin Geum-ho and the City Hall. Whether she could ever repay that debt was uncertain. Until then, she would have to do whatever Jin Geum-ho ordered, like a ve. A soft blue light emanated from Pavilsa''s body and flowed into Archelon, who had been receiving his care. The light revitalized Archelon, bringing a slight gleam back to his eyes. It was a Cure Skill, used to restore Archelon¡¯s strength. Only high-ranking Tamers were capable of using such a Cure Skill. Like ire, Pavilsa also possessed the power to heal. ¡®Good. If we take turns healing him, we can buy more time.¡¯ It was impossible to care for such a massive turtle alone. Pavilsa and ire would have to take turns using their Cure Skills if they wanted to make it to their destination. That was, of course, assuming nothing went wrong along the way. Pavilsa turned to Zeon. ¡°Let¡¯s head out before Archelon¡¯s energy fades.¡± ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s go.¡± Zeon, along with the others, followed Pavilsa and Kailey, climbing onto Archelon¡¯s shell. The Motte Tribe, who had originally lived in a vige on Archelon¡¯s back, had temporarily relocated to the Steel Fortress. Since Archelon¡¯s future was uncertain, they were staying at the Steel Fortress, waiting for him to return. It was a decision they couldn¡¯t avoid. This journey with Archelon was filled with danger. They couldn¡¯t be certain they would even make it back. ¡°Unbelievable! I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s an actual vige inside the shell of a turtle.¡± Looking around inside Archelon¡¯s shell, Lee Jung-ho couldn¡¯t help but marvel. He had heard that Archelon was a moving fortress, but he hadn¡¯t expected the vige to be this vast. He had been amazed when they entered the Steel Fortress, but Archelon¡¯s interior was even more astonishing. Everything necessary for life was here, all within a living creature. ¡°No wonder they call it a mobile fortress.¡± ¡°You said they¡¯re the Motte Tribe? Now I understand how they¡¯ve lived on Archelon¡¯s back for decades. I¡¯m kind of jealous, actually.¡± ire looked genuinely envious. Pavilsa and Archelon shared a bond that transcended the typical rtionship between a Tamer and a tamed beast¡ªthey were more like lifelong friends. Just from the way they looked at each other, you could tell how deep their connection was. ¡®I hope that one day, I can form a bond as deep as theirs with a beast like Archelon¡­¡¯ Kuuuwooo! Archelon let out a loud cry, signaling that he was ready. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± At Pavilsa¡¯smand, Archelon began to move slowly. Though slow by Archelon¡¯s standards, to humans, his speed was incredibly fast. Thud! Thud! With each step Archelon took, a heavy sound resonated, and clouds of dust rose from the ground. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d ride a giant turtle in my lifetime?¡± Lee Jung-ho muttered, sitting back in his seat. It was hard to believe that he was riding on the back of such a massive creature, especially when it was thisfortable. With a ride like this, even venturing deep into the desert wouldn¡¯t feel like such a chore. Zeon sat by the window, gazing out at thendscape. Archelon¡¯s shell had several windows, allowing for a clear view of the outside world. While these windows were normally open, in dangerous situations, the shell would shift and seal them off entirely. It was arguably the safest and most perfect form of transportation in existence. Even the various vehicles manufactured in Neo Seoul didn¡¯t have such durability and defensive capabilities. Zeon ran his hand along Archelon¡¯s shell, murmuring to himself. ¡°How much longer can you hold on? I hope you make it until the end.¡± ¡°He will.¡± The voice belonged to Kailey. When Zeon met her gaze, Kailey spoke as if she had been waiting for him to ask. ¡°Archelon is strong. He¡¯ll definitely hold on and recover.¡± One day, Archelon would grow old and copse from illness or injury. But today wasn¡¯t that day. Thud! Thud! Archelon was still walking with all his might. It was impossible to imagine him falling in the middle of their journey. * * * As befitting a colossal beast, Archelon¡¯s head was enormous. It wasrge enough that three or four adults could sit and have a meal on it. Thanks to that, Zeon was able to sitfortably and rest atop Archelon¡¯s head. Archelon didn¡¯t seem to mind Zeon sitting there, asionally blinking and looking up at him. His eyes were so gentle and clear that it was hard to believe he was a beast. Zeon wanted to push away the shadow of death that loomed over Archelon¡¯s face. His eyes fell on a scar on Archelon¡¯s face. It was a wound inflicted by a ck Anemone. Archelon¡¯s skin, normally so tough that most monster attacks wouldn¡¯t leave a scratch, was wrinkled and shriveled around the area. It was the mark of fluid being drained. If Archelon hadn¡¯t been a beast specialized in defense, he might not have survived. Any other monster or human would have been reduced to a mummy in an instant. ¡°That must¡¯ve hurt.¡± Kuuuwooo! Archelon let out a low cry. It was almost as if he was saying he was fine. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s keep going, together.¡± Kuuu! Archelon made his usual cry in response. At that moment, ire climbed up onto Archelon¡¯s head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were here. I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere.¡± Zeon squinted at the unwee visitor and asked. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Oh! I just didn¡¯t want you to be rmed when I used a Cure Skill on Archelon.¡± ¡°Is it already time?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been away from the Steel Fortress for a while now. I can feel that this little guy is struggling.¡± ¡°I see. Go ahead.¡± With Zeon¡¯s permission, ire ced her palm on the crown of Archelon¡¯s head. Just as Pavilsa had done, a brilliant light radiated from ire¡¯s body and flowed into Archelon. On the other hand, ire looked exhausted. Of course she was¡ªhealing a giant like Archelon required all her strength. If she used the power of the Rainbow Pendant, she could have unleashed a much stronger healing force, but she didn¡¯t. Lee Jung-ho was watching her from one of the windows in Archelon¡¯s shell. The Rainbow Pendant wasn¡¯t hers. It was an item that had been loaned to her temporarily by City Hall. It wasn¡¯t something she could use freely as she wished. That¡¯s why she had to rely on her own power to heal Archelon. Naturally, even after giving her all, she could only manage to maintain the status quo. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This is all I can do for now.¡± Archelon blinked hisrge eyes as if to say it was alright. ire gently stroked Archelon¡¯s head. ¡°Thank you forforting me. You¡¯re such a good friend. If only we had met a little earlier¡­ or if I had been born into the Motte Tribe¡­¡± Zeon silently watched as ire¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly. He didn¡¯t know what her circumstances were, but it seemed she had also led a difficult life. ¡®Well, who doesn¡¯t have a story¡­¡¯ Zeon turned his head to look at the desert. Just like the countless grains of sand in the desert, every life had a story. Monsters, humans, other races¡ªnone of them lived without a story. It was impossible to listen to and understand every one of those stories. In the end, the main actor in each life was its owner. Whatever choices you made, the results and responsibilities were your own. ire had made her choice in Neo Seoul, and now she was paying the price. It wasn¡¯t something Zeon needed to get involved in. He deliberately avoided looking at her. At that moment, something unusual caught his eye. Far off in the distance, the horizon was covered in a yellow haze of dust. To the untrained eye, it might seem like nothing more than the typical desert scenery, but Zeon knew better. ¡°It looks like a strong sandstorm is headed this way. Tell everyone to prepare.¡± ¡°What?¡± ire looked at the horizon Zeon was pointing at, confused. To her, it just looked like a slightly yellower hue, no different from the desert¡¯s usual appearance. ¡®Why is he so tense about that?¡¯ This was the first time ire had seen Zeon so tense since they entered the desert. But since it was Zeon, she couldn¡¯t just ignore his words and ryed them to Lee Jung-ho and Pavilsa. A short whileter, Pavilsa, Lee Jung-ho, and Kailey climbed up onto Archelon¡¯s head. Lee Jung-ho¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t much different from ire¡¯s. He didn¡¯t understand what the fuss was about with the yellow dust on the horizon. But Pavilsa and Kailey had very different reactions. ¡°That color is insane.¡± ¡°Is it a big one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s massive. One of thergest I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± At Zeon¡¯s words, their faces hardened. ¡°We¡¯d better prepare ourselves. If Archelon were at full strength, we could avoid it, but not in his current state. How strong is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s CD-rank. The entire area will be overturned, and the terrain willpletely change. Any low-level monsters in the area will be wiped out without a trace.¡± ¡°CD-rank? That strong?¡± Kailey¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. Lee Jung-ho didn¡¯t quite understand her reaction. ¡°Is it really that dangerous?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything.¡± Lee Jung-ho activated his Mind''s Eye. It was a sense he had gained by giving up his normal sight, far more sensitive and able to detect a wider range than regr senses. If that yellow dust was dangerous, his Mind''s Eye should have picked up on it by now, but he felt nothing. Zeon asked. ¡°How far does your Mind''s Eye reach?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Lee Jung-ho fell silent. The range of his Mind''s Eye was a closely guarded secret. Since it was directly rted to hisbat range, he couldn¡¯t reveal it to Zeon. Fortunately, Zeon didn¡¯t press further. ¡°That sandstorm is hundreds of kilometers away from here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a sandstorm? Not just yellow dust?¡± ¡°It looks like dust because it¡¯s so far away. It¡¯s way beyond the range of your Mind''s Eye.¡± ¡°But a sandstorm like that can¡¯t do much to a giant beast like Archelon.¡± ¡°A normal sandstorm wouldn¡¯t. But that thing¡¯s a monster.¡± ¡°A monster?¡± ¡°Sometimes, monstrous sandstorms appear. They possess unimaginable destructive power.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t stop it even with your abilities?¡± ¡°If it were just me, I wouldn¡¯t be worried. But right now, it¡¯s not just me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Lee Jung-ho let out a deep sigh. Even after hearing Zeon¡¯s exnation, he still looked unconvinced. The danger Zeon warned abouty beyond the range of his Mind''s Eye, so he couldn¡¯t grasp the full extent of it. The Mind''s Eye wasn¡¯t perfect. It was a skill specialized forbat. While it was excellent for detecting the flow of a battle, it wasn¡¯t designed to sense distant natural phenomena like this. More than anything, Lee Jung-ho simply didn¡¯t feel the danger Zeon was describing. He had encountered plenty of sandstorms before. Neo Seoul experienced frequent sandstorms. Though dangerous, sandstorms had never been severe enough for someone of his rank to be rmed. But it didn¡¯t take long for him to realize just how wrong he was. Kuuuuuuung! Less than an hourter, the storm that had been hundreds of kilometers away swept over Archelon, and Lee Jung-ho¡¯s face twisted in shock. ¡°Shit.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 272 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 272 Kuuwoooo! It wasn¡¯t Archelon¡¯s cry. The sound came from the sandstorm enveloping Archelon. It echoed like the roar of a colossal monster within the storm. In fact, the sandstorm itself possessed the destructive power of a colossal monster. Kwarrrung! Lightning shed repeatedly within the storm. Blue and red bolts struck the ground like rain. Wherever the lightning touched down, it ckened the earth and spread like a wave. Screeee! Kieeek! Each time, the monsters hiding beneath the sand shrieked in agony as they were torn apart. It wasmon knowledge that sand didn¡¯t conduct electricity well. But the lightning that apanied this sandstorm defied such conventional wisdom with its sheer power. ¡°What in the world?¡± Lee Jung-ho¡¯s unfocused eyes swung from side to side like a pendulum. That¡¯s how shaken he was. Kwakwakwang! sh! Bolts of lightning poured down relentlessly. Unless one was a lightning-element Awakened, it seemed impossible to survive under this ferocious storm of electrical sts. But that alone wasn¡¯t what left Lee Jung-ho in such a state of shock. Kuwawaang! The terrifying sandstorm, darkening the entire world, was a disaster in itself. Aside from the lightning, nothing else could be seen. Numerous monsters were swept up in the sandstorm, disappearing without a trace. They weren¡¯t just swept away¡ªthey were ground down and erased by the relentless sand. At that moment, Lee Jung-ho could see, in real-time, a giant scorpion that had been hiding not far underground being ground to dust by the raging sand. Its exoskeleton, harder than steel, was ground down to fine particles, scattered like sand. The sight alone was enough to send chills down his spine. Compared to this, the sandstorms Lee Jung-ho had experienced before were like a newborn baby¡¯s tantrum. Only now did Lee Jung-ho realize how sheltered he had been, living safely under Neo Seoul¡¯s protection. Kukukuku! Archelon¡¯s massive body shook violently, as though it would be blown away at any moment. Even with its legs and head tucked into its shell, the colossal turtle was struggling. Had Archelon been in its normal state, it would have raised a force field to protect itself. But, after suffering severe injuries, it no longer had the strength to do so. It had no choice but to face the storm with its bare body. The fact that Archelon was enduring this much was only because it was Archelon. Any other monster would have been blown away or erased without a trace. sh! Kwarrrung! Even atop Archelon¡¯s massive body, the lightning bolts continued to rain down. Kuuwooo! Archelon let out a pained groan. No matter how much of a defense-oriented monster it was, enduring this endless barrage of lightning was no easy task. Had Archelon been in perfect condition, it would have detected the danger early and avoided the storm¡¯s path entirely. But ever since it had been attacked by the ck Anemone, Archelon¡¯s detection range had been severely reduced. As a result, it had no choice but to take the full brunt of the lightning. ire, her face pale, looked at Pavilsa. ¡°At least Zeon is here¡­¡± Zeon stood atop Archelon¡¯s shell. Even someone as powerful as Zeon couldn¡¯t block the lightning strikes hitting Archelon. But he could protect Archelon from the high-speed sandstorm that was grinding up all the monsters. Gaaaang! A sandstorm swirled around Zeon and Archelon. This wasn¡¯t the naturally urring monstrous sandstorm. It was a sandstorm created by Zeon¡¯s authority. Though it couldn¡¯tpare to the monstrous sandstorm, the one Zeon had summoned was still powerful. ¡®The key is the rotation.¡¯ He had to match the speed of his sandstorm to the exact rotation speed of the monstrous sandstorm. If the monstrous sandstorm had a rotational speed of ten, then his sandstorm also had to rotate at ten. It was like fighting a wildfire with a backfire. Just as a backfire is set to stop a wildfire from spreading, Zeon was using his own sandstorm to prevent the monstrous sandstorm from directly hitting Archelon. Beads of sweat streamed down Zeon¡¯s face. No matter how powerful Zeon¡¯s control over sand was, it couldn¡¯tpare to the raw force of nature. The same was true for other Awakeneds. No matter how powerful a mage was at controlling lightning or gravity, their abilities were like antspared to the real forces of nature. What mattered wasn¡¯t the raw power, but how efficiently it was used. Even a small amount of power, used efficiently, could unleash great strength. That was the state Zeon was in now. Directly opposing a force greater than his own was foolish. Instead of fighting against it, he diverted and dispersed the destructive force, letting it flow past. Zeon concentrated, adjusting the flow. His senses extended outward, spreading through the sand in all directions. At some point, he felt as if he had be the sand itself. It felt like he had be the god of the desert. Kuwaaaa! The monstrous sandstorm no longer felt terrifying. Its howls now sounded like desperate screams. Time dragged on, stretching into eternity. * * * Kuuuu! The sandstorm, which had nketed the sky in darkness, began to fade as if it had all been a lie. The terrifying power it had disyed vanished as the storm dissipated, scattering grains of sand into the air. The lightning that had poured down like rain had long since disappeared. If not for the scorched earth, no one would have believed that such a fierce barrage of lightning had just torn through thend. ire wiped the cold sweat from her brow and muttered. ¡°This¡­ was a sandstorm?¡± ¡°A true sandstorm. The kind that sometimes appears deep in the desert. We call it a CD.¡± ¡°CD?¡± ¡°Crazy Dragon. Think of it as the mad thrashing of an insane dragon.¡± It wasn¡¯t a standard term. Only those who had spent long years in the desert, like Pavilsa and Kailey, knew this term. ¡°Are CD-level sandstormsmon?¡± ¡°Absolutely not. If they were, there wouldn¡¯t be a single living creature left on Earth.¡± The sandstorm had shaken even the massive Archelon. Most monsters caught in such a storm would have been sucked up into the sky and torn apart. If Zeon hadn¡¯t used his power to counteract the storm, they wouldn¡¯t have survived this lightly. Had they been fully exposed to the storm, even a monster as mighty as Archelon would have sustained fatal injuries. Lee Jung-ho¡¯s unfocused eyes shifted toward Zeon, standing atop Archelon¡¯s shell. Zeon was breathing heavily, having exhausted his strength. His entire body was drenched in sweat, and his face was pale. He staggered, looking as though he could copse at any moment. ¡®Perhaps¡­ this is my only chance to kill him.¡¯ He had seen it with his own eyes. He had witnessed just how fearsome Zeon¡¯s power was in the desert. The image of Zeon standing against a natural disaster like the sandstorm was burned into his memory. ¡®Is it right to continue with the mission? Or should I take him out now while he¡¯s weak?¡¯ Unconsciously, Lee Jung-ho¡¯s hand gripped the hilt of his sword. Zeon had expended all his energy. He couldn¡¯t even move a finger. Killing him now would be easier than flipping his hand. Yet Lee Jung-ho hesitated, bound by Jin Geum-ho¡¯s mission. ¡®I may regret this decision for the rest of my life.¡¯ Tuk! The sword, which had been halfway drawn, quietly slid back into its sheath. In the end, he chose to follow Jin Geum-ho¡¯s orders instead of his own judgment. Kuuuwooo! Just then, Archelon, who had withdrawn into his shell to avoid the storm, poked his head out. Once Archelon confirmed that the sandstorm hadpletely passed, he extended his legs and began to move. The marks left by the lightning were still visible on his shell. But thanks to Zeon¡¯s protection, his body had remained unscathed by the most dangerous part of the storm. Archelon extended his neck toward Zeon, hisrge eyes blinking as if in gratitude. Thump, thump! Zeon patted Archelon¡¯s snout a couple of times. In response, Archelon let out a big snort and began walking again. Thud! Thud! His massive footsteps echoed loudly. Pavilsa hurried to Zeon, who was staggering back inside the shell. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I need to rest.¡± ¡°Yes, you must be exhausted from using your powers. Go get some rest.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Zeon nodded and headed for the nearest empty room. He paused for a moment in front of Lee Jung-ho. ¡°As you can see, I won¡¯t be able to use my strength for a while. Please protect Archelon.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lee Jung-ho responded with a stern expression. Zeon looked at him for a moment before entering the room. Boom! As soon as the door closed, Lee Jung-ho climbed up onto Archelon¡¯s head. A gentle breeze blew. The storm that had raged so violently earlier now seemed like a distant memory, as the wind caressed them softly. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Lee Jung-ho let out a faint sigh as he gazed forward. There was nothing he could have done against the sandstorm. In fact, no Awakened could have handled that storm. There was no reason to feel ashamed or belittle his own abilities. He just needed to do what he could. Like dealing with the scorpions emerging from the overturned earth after the storm. They were Ghost Scorpions, hiding in the sand and attacking with venomous stingers. Among the monsters that inhabited the desert, they were considered lower-tier. Ghost Scorpions were dangerous because they hid in the sand and attacked silently, making them difficult to detect in advance. This area was home to arge poption of Ghost Scorpions. Many had been shredded by the CD-rank sandstorm, but a significant number remained. The ones that had been hiding deep underground were now surfacing, responding to the vibrations of Archelon¡¯s footsteps. Ghost Scorpions operated more on instinct than intellect. They instinctively knew that Archelon was injured and couldn¡¯t raise a force field. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t dare approach such a massive creature, but a wounded monster was worth the risk. Sasasasak! Countless Ghost Scorpions emerged from deep within the sand. Like a tidal wave, they surged toward Archelon. Kuuwooo! Archelon roared and stomped on the scorpions, crushing them. Dozens of Ghost Scorpions exploded at once. Any normal creature would have been terrified and fled, but Ghost Scorpions didn¡¯t know fear. To them, the only thing that mattered was their hunger. With so many of their kind killed, they needed to breed. And to breed quickly, they had to feed. That¡¯s why the Ghost Scorpions charged at Archelon with reckless abandon. If they could bring down just one Archelon, they¡¯d have enough food to feast for over a year. The swarm of Ghost Scorpions began crawling up Archelon¡¯s legs, trying to reach his main body. Pavilsa, Kailey, and ire all went pale at the sight. At that moment, Lee Jung-ho unsheathed his sword. Shiiing! As he swung his sword, the Ghost Scorpions that had almost reached Archelon¡¯s body were sliced in half, falling to the ground. ¡°I just need to do what I can.¡± With an indifferent expression, Lee Jung-ho continued swinging his sword. Each swing killed more Ghost Scorpions, cutting down the swarm that had covered Archelon. The Ghost Scorpions tried to change targets and attack Lee Jung-ho, but it was futile. Any scorpion that came near him was sliced to pieces. Their hard shells, venomous stingers, and giant pincers were useless. Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword mercilessly cut down the Ghost Scorpions, one after another. Pavilsa¡¯s mouth hung open as he watched. His arm was covered in goosebumps. ¡°It¡¯s like a dance of death with that sword. Good thing he¡¯s on our side, huh?¡± Fwoooosh! Each time Lee Jung-ho swung his sword, the wind from his de howled like a typhoon. He was venting his frustration at being unable to do anything against the sandstorm on the Ghost Scorpions. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 273 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 273 It had been two weeks since they began their journey on Archelon¡¯s back. Archelon¡¯s pace had noticeably slowed. Despite Pavilsa and ire taking turns using their Cure Skills, they were no longer effective. Kuhuhu! Archelon¡¯s breathing wasbored, as if the exertion was too much for him. Watching him closely, Pavilsa spoke to Zeon. ¡°I don¡¯t think he can go any further today.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rest here for now. It would be better for Archelon to take an early break.¡± Even though it was still too early for sunset, Archelon¡¯s deteriorating condition left them with no choice.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Sigh... It seems like Archelon¡¯s condition is worsening faster than I expected. I¡¯m starting to worry he might copse before we reach our destination.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll hold out.¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s stronger-willed than anyone.¡± ¡°Yes. With enough rest, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be able to continue the journey tomorrow.¡± ¡°Your words are reassuring. I feel a little more at ease now. I feel really ashamed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just thankful you¡¯re here with us. Archelon must feel the same.¡± Though Zeon was much younger, Pavilsa felt deeply grateful for his presence. Even when he first met Zeon, he had sensed there was something extraordinary about him, but now, after eight years, Zeon had grown into an even more remarkable man than he had expected. Someone reliable, someone you could trust and depend on¡­ Pavilsa was once again d he had asked Zeon for help. Zeon turned to Lee Jung-ho. ¡°We¡¯ll rest here for the night.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Lee Jung-ho had no objections after seeing Archelon¡¯s condition. In fact, there wasn¡¯t much he could do other than follow Zeon¡¯s lead. It had been almost a month since they left Neo Seoul. On the way, they had stopped by the Steel Fortress, and Lee Jung-ho had tried to memorize the terrain as they traveled. However, it didn¡¯t take long for him to realize how futile that effort was. Thendscape was always the same. An endless expanse of sand dunes, with no distinctndmarks to guide them. Even navigating by the stars was impossible. Most nights, the sky was veiled in a haze of sand, allowing only a few nights each year when the stars were visible. Without knowledge of the constetions, Lee Jung-ho had no chance of finding his way by the stars. Only now did he understand why Jin Geum-ho ced such high value on securing a Navigator. Only a Navigator, or someone with simr abilities, could chart a course and traverse the desert. In that regard, Zeon was the perfect guide. He was better at finding the way than any Navigator, and he also possessed a power theycked. Zeon was truly unique. Curiosity stirred within Lee Jung-ho. How far had Zeon traveled in the past eight years? With his abilities, Zeon must have ventured to ces no one in Neo Seoul had ever seen. Zeon was quietly preparing their meal. He swiftly retrieved ingredients from the subspace and ced them into arge pot, cooking with practiced ease. In no time, arge pot of stew was bubbling away. Zeon served each of them a bowl of stew. Lee Jung-ho took his bowl and sat down. ¡°Tastes great!¡± During their journey, Zeon had often cooked for them. Most of the meals were simple dishes like stew, but they perfectly suited Lee Jung-ho¡¯s taste. The others also enjoyed Zeon¡¯s cooking. After serving thest of the stew, Zeon sat down to eat. Slurp! Zeon blew on the hot stew and carefully ate it. Even though he had made it himself, the food tasted pretty good. As Zeon ate, he nced at Archelon. Archelon had pulled his head and legs into his shell and was fast asleep. Despite it being hours before sunset, he was forced to rest due to his worsening condition. Zeon asked Pavilsa. ¡°How much further do we have to go?¡± ¡°If the beast hasn¡¯t moved its nest, we¡¯ll reach it in about a week.¡± ¡°A week¡­ It¡¯s going to be close.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ We¡¯ll just have to hope nothing goes wrong until then.¡± Pavilsa sighed. Archelon was everything to him. He was more than just apanion or tamed beast¡ªhe was like a friend with whom his soul was bound. If Archelon died, Pavilsa would lose the will to live. As Pavilsa smiled bitterly and took another spoonful of stew, Zeon suddenly set his bowl down and stood up. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Zeon leaped toward arge sand dune in the distance. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sensing something was wrong, Lee Jung-ho quickly followed him. They reached the top of the dune almost simultaneously, where they saw several figures fleeing in the distance. ¡°Awakeneds? Scavengers?¡± Lee Jung-ho frowned. The speed at which they were running was far from ordinary. People running at speeds of dozens of meters per second couldn¡¯t possibly be normal. There were three of them, each fleeing in a different direction as fast as they could. Zeon spoke. ¡°They¡¯ve been watching us for some time now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the one in the middle.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go after the one on the left.¡± ¡°And the one on the right, we¡¯ll have to let go.¡± Lee Jung-ho¡¯s displeasure was evident. They couldn¡¯t catch all three of them¡ªtheir targets were too fast. The two of them immediately set off in pursuit. Zeon used his Sand Strides. The sand pushed him forward, propelling him with great speed. But the one he was chasing was also fast, and it took some time before Zeon could close the gap. Eventually, Zeon managed to catch up. ¡°Tch!¡± Realizing he couldn¡¯t shake off Zeon, the Awakened man turned to face him. He was a middle-aged man wearing a cloak made from the hide of some unknown beast. His hair was filthy, matted with grease and sand, as if it hadn¡¯t been washed in ages. His teeth were ckened and rotten, making him look more pitiful than a beggar. Yet, his eyes glinted with venom. ¡°Damn it!¡± He pulled a curved shamshir from his waist. Shiiak! The shamshir sliced through the air, hurtling toward Zeon with terrifying speed. But just as the de neared Zeon, the sand around him stirred and shot up toward the shamshir. Dozens of sand vipers, resembling venomous snakes, rose up. It was one of Zeon¡¯s skills¡ªViper. Boom! With a single strike from the Vipers, the shamshir exploded like a bomb. ¡°Kuek!¡± The Awakened man screamed as the weapon exploded, the force ripping his hand apart. His hand looked like it had been shredded by a de. That was the sheer power of Zeon¡¯s Viper skill. But the disaster for the Awakened man had only just begun. There were still dozens of Vipers left, created by Zeon. All at once, the Vipers struck the Awakened man. Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°Aaagh!¡± The man screamed in agony as he copsed to the ground. Zeon had incapacitated him in an instant. He knelt beside the man and spoke. ¡°The wounds aren¡¯t fatal, so don¡¯t overact.¡± ¡°You bastard¡­¡± ¡°Who sent you?¡± ¡°Screw this cursed life¡­ I¡¯m going to die here¡­¡± In that moment, the man¡¯s face began to turn pitch ck. His skin rotted away, revealing the muscles underneath, which quickly started to melt as well. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± The man screamed in anguish as his body melted away. Shocked by the unexpected sight, Zeon quickly retreated. It was as if time had been sped up¡ªhis body decayed at an impossible rate, dissolving before Zeon¡¯s eyes. A foul stench filled the air, and Zeon grimaced, muttering to himself. ¡°A¡­ curse?¡± There was only one exnation that came to mind. The man stopped screaming. His vocal cords had disintegrated, rendering him silent. Zeon noticed something¡ªa small, ck twig the size of a finger was embedded in the man¡¯s still-beating heart. The twig, along with the heart, rapidly decayed and disappeared. If Zeon hadn¡¯t been paying close attention, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed it happening at all. Zeon instinctively realized that the ck twig was the medium for the curse. The Awakened man¡¯s body, now fully decayed, sank into the sand. That was the end of him. Zeon recalled the man¡¯s final words. ¡°A cursed life, huh?¡± The Awakened man had known exactly how his life would end. No sane person would willingly ept such a curse. ¡°Is this the work of a Curse Mage?¡± Zeon clicked his tongue. Only a Curse Sorcerer could orchestrate something like this. It had to be the same Curse Sorcerer who had injured Archelon. Just then, Lee Jung-ho approached Zeon. He, too, was empty-handed. He looked at the spot where the other Awakened man had melted and spoke. ¡°Same thing happened. The one I was chasing melted away just like this.¡± ¡°It seems to be the work of a Curse Sorcerer.¡± ¡°There was a ck twig in the heart of the one I was after. Must be the medium.¡± ¡°Yes. It looks like they¡¯ve been following us, tracking Archelon.¡± ¡°Cunning bastard. Instead of revealing himself, he subdued these scavengers and used them as scouts.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not going to be an easy opponent.¡± The fact that the Curse Sorcerer had a Chimera like the ck Anemone but still didn¡¯t show himself was proof of that. Cautious types like him were hard to deal with because you never knew what they were scheming from the shadows. Lee Jung-ho asked. ¡°Have you fought a Curse Sorcerer before?¡± ¡°Once, a long time ago.¡± ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°Even though they weren¡¯t particrly high-ranked, they were difficult to deal with. Their methods arepletely different from normal Awakeneds.¡± A Curse Sorcerer never fights head-on. They hide in the shadows, attacking indirectly through cursed mediums. Once you be their enemy, you can forget about ever sleeping peacefully again. They¡¯ll curse everything¡ªyour food, your drink, even the air you breathe. Let your guard down for even a moment, and the curse will strike. ¡°This is going to be a tiresome battle.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Lee Jung-ho nodded. He, too, had fought Curse Sorcerers before. Battles with them were always messy, like wading through a swamp, and they never ended cleanly. Lee Jung-ho had survived thanks to the various items he wore that protected him from curses, but others he had known weren¡¯t so lucky. Many had died, gued by the aftereffects of the curse. Fighting a Curse Sorcerer wasn¡¯t something to be feared, but it was always unpleasant. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. Who knows what they might have done while we were gone.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two quickly returned to Archelon. Fortunately, nothing had happened to Archelon or theirpanions in their absence. Pavilsa asked the two as they returned. ¡°Is everyone alright?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°But¡­ it seems a Curse Sorcerer is following us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At Zeon¡¯s words, Pavilsa¡¯s face went pale. Having already been targeted by the Curse Sorcerer once, the fear was deeply etched into his bones. ¡°Grandpa.¡± Kailey quickly took Pavilsa¡¯s hand. The warmth of her touch helped Pavilsa regain hisposure. ¡°Forgive me. I didn¡¯t mean to show such weakness.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for.¡± Zeon shook his head and looked out at the desert. By now, the desert had been enveloped in a thick darkness. Somewhere beyond that darkness, the Curse Sorcerer was watching them. They needed to drag that Curse Sorcerer out from its hiding ce. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 274 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 274 The Curse Sorcerer wore a tattered cloak, sewn together from the hides of some unknown monster. He was a hunchback, and his appearance was hideous to the point of being grotesque. His hair was a tangled mess, unwashed for so long that it stood up in all directions. His pockmarked face was covered in thickyers of grime, withrge holes scattered across it. Dark circles hung heavily beneath his eyes, and the air around him was so gloomy it seemed as if a dark cloud perpetually hung over him alone. The Curse Sorcerer¡¯s name was Phantsy. In front of Phantsy knelt an Awakened scavenger who had just returned from a reconnaissance mission. Fear was etched all over the scavenger¡¯s face as he gazed at Phantsy. He was a scavenger¡ªa bandit who roamed the desert, surviving by looting. His life was spent taking from others. Attacking the few surviving settlements in the desert and stealing from them¡ªthat was how scavengers lived. But ten days ago, that life had taken a sharp turn. It was on a day when the desert was nketed in a thick fog that a strange visitor, a man shrouded in darkness, hade to the scavengers'' hideout. That man was Phantsy. The scavengers hadughed at this unexpected guest. To them, it was as if prey had walked right into the den of predators. But it didn¡¯t take long for their thinking to change. Phantsy had immediately cursed them. The scavengers hadn¡¯t been prepared, and theirrades writhed in agony as the curses took hold. Phantsy¡¯s curses were vicious and terrifying. Those afflicted by his curses suffered unimaginable pain. Their bodies rotted, melted¡ªthose were just the basics. They couldn¡¯t even die, no matter how much they wished for it. Phantsy¡¯s curses held their lives in a cruel grip, forcing them to feel every ounce of torment until theirst breath. That¡¯s why the faces of those who died from Phantsy¡¯s curses were frozen in expressions of agony, the pain they had endured visible even in death. ¡°Wh-why are you doing this to us? We¡¯ve done nothing to harm you!¡± ¡°Do you scavenge because you have a reason? Or is it simply because it¡¯s easier to live that way?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with¡ª¡± ¡°I live this way because it¡¯s easier for me too.¡± That was Phantsy¡¯s response to the surviving scavengers'' desperate pleas. Phantsy had then ced a curse on the remaining scavengers, turning them into his puppets. With the curse embedded in them, they had no choice but to obey hismands. Defiance would only lead to a painful death. And so, the scavengers became Phantsy¡¯s puppets, forced to carry out his orders. Phantsy spoke now, addressing the kneeling Awakened man. ¡°I sent three of you, but only one returned.¡± ¡°They detected our surveince and attacked us.¡± ¡°Sharp, are they? To notice a lookout.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t ordinary people. Before the others could flee, they were caught.¡± ¡°Did you identify who they are?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Thud! The Awakened man mmed his head into the ground. Phantsy had turned the scavengers into his puppets to gather information about Archelon. But since they had failed to retrieve any useful information, the man feared for his life. ¡°Useless.¡± ¡°Please spare me. I swear, I¡¯ll find out who they are next time.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to trust a rat who ran away with its tail between its legs?¡± ¡°P-please¡­¡± ¡°Do you think a man who failed his first task will seed at the next?¡± Phantsy¡¯s lips curled into a twisted smile. The Awakened man knew all too well what that smile meant. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet and attacked Phantsy. ¡°You bastard!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Swish! A dagger, which the man had always kept tucked in his belt, flew straight toward Phantsy¡¯s throat. Even as the de streaked through the air, Phantsy didn¡¯t so much as lift a finger. He didn¡¯t need to. A tentacle, the size of a human torso, shot out from behind him and swatted the dagger away. ¡°Aaagh!¡± The man¡¯s face contorted in terror, more than it had during the earlier exchange. The tentacle belonged to the creature Phantsy controlled¡ªhis Chimera, the ck Anemone. Phantsy turned his back and spoke as he walked away. ¡°Bessie, it won¡¯t even be a snack, but go ahead and eat him.¡± Shwack! Before Phantsy had even finished speaking, the tentacle coiled around the Awakened man and began draining his fluids. The man¡¯s body shriveled like a dried-out husk, and he died instantly. Before Phantsy stood a massive, cylindrical monster, its writhing tentacles reaching out in all directions. It was the ck Anemone¡ªPhantsy¡¯s Chimera. Phantsy reached out and stroked the anemone¡¯s body. ¡°Oh, my dear Bessie. Just wait a little longer, and I¡¯ll let you devour that giant turtle.¡± Phantsy had named the ck Anemone Bessie. It was a name taken from thenguage of a country that had perished over a hundred years ago¡ªFrance. In thatnguage, Bessie meant ¡°sacred.¡± Even though most people found the ck Anemone repulsive, to Phantsy, it was divine. That¡¯s why he had given it the name Bessie. Phantsy hade across Bessie by chance. As a Curse Sorcerer, he was never weed in any settlement. Even scavengers rejected him because of his ss as a Curse Sorcerer. But it wasn¡¯t just his ss¡ªhis hideous appearance also yed a part. His grotesque looks repulsed people, driving them away. And so, he wandered the desert alone. Had he been more powerful, he would have cursed every person or scavenger who rejected him. But at the time, he had only been an E-rank Curse Sorcerer. An E-rank Curse Sorcerer, at best, could only curse one or two people, making their lives miserable. Even that didn¡¯t work against Awakeneds with strong resistance or immunity. Phantsy had vowed to take revenge on those who had mocked him, but reality had been unforgiving. For a long time, he wandered the desert alone. His life changed in a nameless canyon. The canyon, a crack in the middle of the desert, emanated an eerie energy from the moment he stepped inside. Any normal person or Awakened would have felt fear and run the moment they set foot in that ce, but for Phantsy, a Curse Sorcerer, the eerie atmosphere feltforting. As if drawn by an unseen force, he ventured deep into the canyon. It was like a ughterhouse. The deeper he went, the more he saw the remains of countless monsters strewn across the canyon floor. Sandworms, Ghost Scorpions, and countless other creaturesy dissected and discarded. Suppressing his fear, Phantsy pressed on. The further he went, therger and more formidable the monsters'' corpses became. If they had been alive, Phantsy wouldn¡¯t have dared approach them. As if in a trance, Phantsy walked to the very end of the canyon. There, he found the massive ck Anemone¡ªBessie. The moment Phantsyid eyes on the grotesque ck Anemone, he fell in love. He had suffered all his life because of his own repulsive appearance, and he knew immediately¡ªno one could love such a hideous creature except him. The ck Anemone was on the verge of death. Its tentacles iled weakly, and its main bodyy limp. Phantsy used all his strength to drag the monster corpses from outside and ce them near the anemone¡¯s tentacles. As soon as the dead creatures touched the tentacles, they reacted. The anemone instinctively began absorbing the creatures'' fluids. As it consumed the fluid, it regained some of its vitality. But the corpses of the smaller monsters weren¡¯t enough to fully revive the ck Anemone. Phantsy continued dragging more and more monster carcasses into the canyon. The hundreds of smaller monsters he brought became nourishment for the anemone. It wasn¡¯t until it had absorbed the fluids of hundreds of monsters that the ck Anemone was able to move on its own. It then began feeding on therger monsters that Phantsy had been unable to move. In this way, the ck Anemone devoured every monster in the canyon. From that moment on, the ck Anemone became Phantsy¡¯spanion. It followed Phantsy as if repaying him for saving its life. Phantsy then formed a soul contract with the ck Anemone. It was during this process that he realized the ck Anemone wasn¡¯t a naturally urring creature. It was a Chimera¡ªa creature made from the bodies of many monsters, pieced together in the canyon. Someone had captured monsters and used them to create this Chimera as part of an experiment. The result of that experiment was the ck Anemone, the same creature Phantsy had now formed a soul bond with. Phantsy didn¡¯t know who had created the Chimera, nor did he care. But he thought he understood why the Chimera had been abandoned. The ck Anemone was wed. It was made from too many different monsters, resulting in excessive energy consumption and an unstable internal structure. It required a constant supply of food to sustain itself. Without food, it would begin to copse from the inside. The creature¡¯s creator had likely deemed it a failure and left it behind. But Phantsy didn¡¯t feel the same. For someone like him, who had wandered the desert alone all his life, the ck Anemone was the only friend he could rely on. Even though it was wed, Phantsy couldn¡¯t discard or abandon it. That¡¯s why he had entered into the contract with its imperfect soul. From the moment he bonded with the ck Anemone, Phantsy¡¯s life had changed. Even the massive monsters that had once terrified him were no longer a threat. Seeing the giant monsters die as the anemone drained them of their fluids amplified Phantsy¡¯s sense of pleasure. It was as if he had personally brought down those powerful creatures. Each time the ck Anemone defeated a monster, Phantsy¡¯s rank increased. He eventually rose to the rank of an A-rank Curse Sorcerer. A-rank Curse Sorcerers were extremely rare. Even rarer was a Curse Sorcerer whomanded a Chimera like the ck Anemone. Phantsy was likely the only one. From that point on, Phantsy plundered everything in his path. Monsters, humans¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. He took everything. The humans who had once shunned him all became food for the ck Anemone. Phantsy believed that if he kept growing in strength, soon there would be no one left in the desert who could oppose him. Not even the one who had created the ck Anemone. Phantsy wanted to show them. The Chimera they had discarded¡ªhe had perfected it. They had failed, but he had seeded. However, it wasn¡¯t long before he realized how wrong he had been. At some point, both he and the ck Anemone stopped growing. It seemed they had reached their limit, and the ck Anemone had begun to copse from the inside. To stabilize the anemone, they needed a special kind of prey. Something with the durability to prevent the internal copse. That¡¯s why they had targeted Archelon. Phantsy believed that if the ck Anemone could absorb Archelon, the mobile fortress, it would evolve to the next level. That was why he had attacked Archelon. But Archelon had escaped to the Steel Fortress, fending off the ck Anemone¡¯s assault. In the process, the ck Anemone had sustained significant internal damage, preventing them fromunching another attack on the Steel Fortress. Phantsy and the ck Anemone had only one chance left. ¡°I missed itst time, but I won¡¯t let it escape again. Let¡¯s go, Bessie!¡± With that, Phantsy and the ck Anemone left the scavengers''ir. All that remained were the dried husks of the bodies that had been drained of everyst drop of fluid. * * * Far in the distance, Lee Jung-ho frowned as he looked out at the scene before him. Lee Jung-ho had prided himself on experiencing all manner of strange things. But whaty before him now was something even he had never seen before. It was the middle of the day. The sun was shining brightly, its rays so intense they stung the skin. Yet, far on the horizon, thend was pitch ck, as though it had been sliced cleanly in two. It was as if night had descended only on that distant ce. Pavilsa, standing next to him, spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s where thend whale¡¯s nest is.¡± ¡°Was it like this thest time?¡± ¡°No, it looked just like the rest of the desert.¡± ¡°And now, just when we arrive, it looks like that.¡± Lee Jung-ho¡¯s voice dropped, heavy with tension. His instincts screamed that something was wrong. The ckenednd stretched far and wide. There was no telling what might happen if they set foot in that ominous ce. No matter how strong he was, Lee Jung-ho was still human. The unknown¡ªsomething he had never encountered before¡ªnaturally instilled fear. ¡°What in the world could that be¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Territory.¡± Zeon¡¯s voice came from behind them. ¡°A Territory?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a power that only S-rank or higher monsters can use. They forcibly change the environment to suit themselves.¡± Zeon¡¯s voice was calm but grave. Humanity had encountered such a power once before. Terraforming. The very power that had nearly driven Earth to extinction¡ªthe power of Krasias. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 275 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 275 Restructuring territory to make it more suitable for oneself is called ¡°Territorialization.¡± Territorialization is a type of authority. Not all S-rank monsters can territorialize. Only a select few, born with extraordinary traits, possess this ability. The area affected by territorialization transforms into an environment that is most favorable to the monster. In other words, within the ck zone spread across the horizon, Moby Dick¡¯s power would be at its peak. Although they didn¡¯t know the full extent of Moby Dick¡¯s abilities or skills, it was clear that its power would be greatly amplified within that area. Zeon crossed his arms and muttered. ¡°This just gotplicated.¡± ¡°What¡¯s soplicated?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said. In a territorialized zone, the monster¡¯s power doubles, while we can¡¯t use our abilities to their full extent.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose without sand, your power is halved, right?¡± ¡°To some degree, yes.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m different. My power isn¡¯t constrained by the environment.¡± Lee Jung-ho grabbed the hilt of his sword, exuding confidence. His weapon was nothing but a single sword. He had never used anything else. Although he was an Awakened, he had walked the path of a warrior. Instead of relying solely on skills, he had honed his abilities to reach his current level through endless training. He was unlike other Awakeneds who relied solely on skills or special weapons. Even in a zone where a monster¡¯s powers were magnified, his own abilities remained unchanged. That was why Lee Jung-ho was so confident. ¡°No matter how strong a monster is, it dies just the same when a sword is thrust into its throat. Moby Dick will be no different.¡± ¡°I admire your confidence. I hope it really is as easy as you make it sound.¡± ¡°It will be.¡± Despite Lee Jung-ho¡¯s bold words, Zeon¡¯s expression didn¡¯t ease. Unlike Lee Jung-ho, Zeon had faced monsters capable of territorialization before. Not once had such a battle ended easily. Monsters capable of territorialization were special creatures. They transcended the limits of ordinary monsters and approached the realm of mystical creatures. Moby Dick was likely one of those beings. A fight against such an opponent would not go as smoothly as Lee Jung-ho imagined. Zeon stared intently at the ck zone ahead. Though it seemed close, it would take at least another three or four days to reach it. Assuming nothing unexpected happened along the way, that is.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But in his experience, something always happened at times like this. Zeon turned to Pavilsa and asked. ¡°How¡¯s Archelon¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°Not good.¡± ¡°Do you think he can hold out until we get there?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll manage, I hope.¡± Pavilsa¡¯s words were more of a wish. He was hoping against hope that Archelon would endure. ¡°Understood. Please use Cure in advance to preserve as much of his strength as possible. Once we enter that zone, Cure will likely stop working.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°In a territorialized zone, most skills be ineffective. The monster¡¯s authority governs the area¡¯sws. So, cast Cure before we enter.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Pavilsa nodded grimly. Of everyone present, only Zeon had experience with territorialized zones. Even Pavilsa, who had wandered the desert for a hundred years with Archelon, had never encountered such a phenomenon. Naturally, he would follow Zeon¡¯s advice and prepare ordingly. That was why they had asked for Zeon¡¯s help in the first ce. Kailey turned to Zeon and asked. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± ¡°As soon as we enter the territorialized zone, the monster¡¯s aura will begin to corrode everything. You need to prepare to prevent Archelon from being affected by the corrosion.¡± ¡°Corrosion... I understand.¡± Kailey nodded. She was a high-ranking Enchanter. No one could rival her in upgrading items or adding new options to them. Whenever she had free time or acquired new materials, she never stopped using her abilities. Though she often failed, there were times when she achieved great sess. When she did, unexpected options would sometimes appear. Just like the subspace option that had been added to Zeon¡¯s gauntlet. As it happened, she had one more such item. Kailey hurried off to the warehouse. * * * Thud! Thud! Archelon struggled with each step. It had been three days since they had first spotted Moby Dick¡¯s Territory. Throughout those three days, Archelon had kept walking. And yet, they still hadn¡¯t reached the edge of the zone. ¡°We should reach it in about a day.¡± Zeon said, standing on Archelon¡¯s shell, assessing the distance. Sparks flickered around him and Archelon. Even though they were still far from the zone, they were already feeling its effects. It was as if the very Territory itself was rejecting them. At that moment, a strange sight caught Zeon¡¯s eye. ¡°What is that?¡± A giant shadow loomed over them, blocking out the sun. He looked up and saw a massive creature with its wings spread wide, gliding through the sky above him and Archelon. It resembled a Dragon, though it was much smaller. But it wasrger and more formidable than a Wyvern. ¡°A Drake.¡± And it was a Drake covered in blood-red scales. Such arge Drake was extremely rare. An entirely crimson-scaled Drake was even rarer. But Zeon had seen such a Drake before. ¡°A Crimson Drake.¡± The creature soaring through the sky, as if it ruled the heavens, was undoubtedly a boss-level monster from a dungeon¡ªthe Crimson Drake. Zeon knew this because he had encountered it once before. Right after he had awakened, in his very first dungeon. The boss of the ghost dungeon he had stumbled into had been none other than a Crimson Drake. He had nearly died there, and it was where he had met Dyoden. Had he not met Dyoden, the Crimson Drake would have devoured him, and he wouldn¡¯t be standing here now. The Crimson Drake¡¯s bloody body was surrounded by a blue force field. It had the same traits as the boss he had encountered in the dungeon. But this one was muchrger, and its force field was even more vivid, indicating it was far stronger. ¡°At least an A-rank monster. What¡¯s something like that doing here?¡± A monster of this caliber would have a clear sense of territoriality. They didn¡¯t tolerate other creatures entering their domain, and they didn¡¯t easily encroach on other monsters¡¯ territories. Especially not the territory of a stronger monster. That was one of the fundamentalws of the monster ecosystem, as Zeon understood it. And thatw was rarely broken. At least, not in Zeon¡¯s experience. Moreover, this environment wasn¡¯t even suited for a Crimson Drake. Crimson Drakes lived in volcanic regions. They thrived by swimming throughva. For a creature like that to leave its habitat and appear here was undoubtedly unusual. Zeon frowned. Another massive monster had appeared. Thud! Thud! A huge bipedal monster was lumbering toward them. It was a muscr, bipedal creature wielding a massive club¡ªan Ogre. Not just any Ogre, but a Gray Ogre, known to be the strongest of its kind. The Gray Ogre was a medium-sized monster, standing over seven meters tall. Though ssified as medium-sized, its strength and abilities rivaled those ofrge-sized monsters. In fact, its cunning nature made it even more dangerous than mostrge monsters. The Gray Ogre¡¯s force field deflected most magic, making it an absolute nightmare for magic-based Awakeneds. Any Awakened who relied on magic would be doomed if they encountered one. Gray Ogres preferred specific habitats, and this wasn¡¯t one of them. Yet, here it was. ¡°That thing must¡¯ve been drawn to Moby Dick¡¯s Territory as well.¡± Zeon had never encountered Moby Dick before. He knew nothing about its tendencies or characteristics¡ªit was aplete unknown. That¡¯s why it was impossible to know what aspect of Moby Dick was attracting these A-rank monsters. ¡°The problem is, those two likely aren¡¯t the only ones showing up here.¡± While only those two were visible for now, it was possible more monsters would appear as time passed. They had to enter the zone before that happened. The one bit of good news was that both the Crimson Drake and the Gray Ogre were so focused on Moby Dick¡¯s Territory that they paid no attention to Archelon. Had they met in any other ce, a deadly battle would have been inevitable. ¡°Moby Dick¡­ A monster resembling the mythical whale. What exactly about it is drawing in monsters like this?¡± Neither Lee Jung-ho nor ire had shared any information about Moby Dick. Of course, neither of them had ever seen the monster, so they likely didn¡¯t know much either. But surely the Pathfinder Team from Neo Seoul had provided them with some information, yet they had kept it from Zeon. They were being extremely secretive. ¡°What does Jin Geum-ho want with Moby Dick¡¯s heart?¡± Zeon had never questioned Jin Geum-ho or the City Hall¡¯s motives before, but this time was different. Moby Dick was just too unique of a creature. They would encounter it soon enough, but Zeon couldn¡¯t help wondering what was so special about Moby Dick that it attracted so many monsters and people alike. Thud! Thud! Even as Zeon pondered, Archelon continued trudging forward, steadily making his way toward Moby Dick¡¯s territory, despite his exhaustion. It was as if Archelon, like the other monsters, was instinctively drawn to the Territory. Otherwise, Zeon couldn¡¯t understand why Archelon was pushing himself this hard. At that moment, Pavilsa and ire emerged from Archelon¡¯s shell. It was time for the final Cure. Up until now, they had alternated casting Cure, but there was no need for that anymore. While casting it together wouldn¡¯t double the effect, it was certainly more effective than casting it alone. So, both Pavilsa and ire cast the spell together. Fwoosh! Bright light burst from both of them and was absorbed by Archelon. The giant turtle¡¯s face brightened considerably as the light took effect. Meanwhile, the two spellcasters looked utterly drained. That was to be expected since casting Cure consumed a tremendous amount of mana. Archelon lowered his head, meeting their eyes as if to thank them. Pavilsa and ire gently patted Archelon¡¯s head, exchanging a moment of understanding and care. Though their goals were different, their affection for Archelon was genuine. Just as they withdrew their hands from Archelon¡¯s head¡ª Crack! The surrounding sand suddenly shifted. Zeon, the first to sense something amiss, shouted. ¡°Get back!¡± At the same moment, Zeon manipted the sand to form a massive wall in front of the two. The wall barely went up before something struck it with tremendous force. Boom! The wall exploded with a deafening roar. Sand sted out in all directions, showering Pavilsa and ire. Neither of them had any idea what had just happened. They were still in shock from the sudden attack. Zeon quickly manipted the sand to pull them both back. Boom! A massive tentacle mmed into the spot where they had just been standing. It was only then that Pavilsa and ire snapped back to their senses. ¡°Wh-what the¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Both of them stared, pale-faced, at the writhing tentacle in front of them. Zeon jumped off Archelon¡¯s back and shouted. ¡°It¡¯s the ck Anemone!¡± Shhwoosh! Before Zeon¡¯s words had even finished, a monstrous creature with countless tentacles rose from the sand. It was the Chimera, the ck Anemone. Atop the creature sat the Curse Sorcerer, Phantsy. Phantsy cackled and shouted. ¡°Bessie! Devour that old turtle!¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 276 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 276 Upon closer inspection, what seemed like a smooth body revealed countless seams. Each seam had a different texture of hide. This was because the hide had been stitched together from various monsters. The same was true for the tentacles fluttering above its head. The long tentacles, reminiscent of a woman¡¯s hair, had been torn from different beasts. Some tentacles were bumpy like octopus suckers, while others were transparent like those of a jellyfish. Mixed in were also tentacles sharp as des. Whoever had created such a grotesque chimera, it was clear that they had a terrible sense of aesthetics. At Phantsy¡¯smand, the ck Anemone Bessie immediately attacked Archelon. Thwip! The tentacle with octopus-like suckers instantly extended nearly a hundred meters, coiling tightly around Archelon. Roar! Archelon struggled, but the more he resisted, the tighter the suckers gripped him. Bessie¡¯s octopus tentacles were like a Venus flytrap¡ªonce caught, escape was impossible. Thwip! Another tentacle shot forward, this time dozens of razor-sharp tentacles aimed directly at him. Pavilsa cried out in rm. ¡°Archelon!¡± He hoped Archelon could avoid the tentacles, but unfortunately, the great turtle was too slow to dodge. Shlik-shlik-shlik! The sharp tentacles wrapped tightly around Archelon. Phantsy shouted triumphantly. ¡°Be Bessie¡¯s nourishment!¡± ¡°Not on my watch.¡± In that instant, Zeon coldly responded, raising his right arm. Thwip! Far more sand strands than Bessie¡¯s tentacles erupted from the ground. It was Zeon¡¯s skill, Sand Viper. The Vipers attacked the tentacles coiled around Archelon, biting and tearing them apart. Shlik! The de-like tentacles were shredded by the Vipers. Only the sucker-covered tentacle remained. Despite the Viper¡¯s assault, the octopus tentacle refused to let go of Archelon. Unlike the other tentacles, the octopus sucker had incredible regenerative abilities, healing almost instantly from any wound. Zeon knew exactly how to deal with a monster with strong regenerative powers. ¡°Fire Rain!¡± As Zeon swung his hand, a downpour of fireballs rained down on the octopus sucker. The Fire Rain scorched the wounds left by the Vipers. Burns stopped the sucker from regenerating further. Fire was the perfect counter to creatures with regenerative abilities. Bessie¡¯s massive body convulsed in pain, but it still stubbornly clung to Archelon, trying to siphon his life force. ¡°Persistent creature!¡± Zeon muttered under his breath, manipting the sand once more. Dozens of Sand Vipers coiled around the octopus sucker. ¡°ymore!¡± Boom! The Vipers exploded, directly hitting the octopus sucker. Screeech! Bessie shrieked in high-pitched agony, writhing in pain. The octopus sucker tentacle had been torn to shreds. Bessie withdrew its now half-destroyed tentacle and red at Zeon. Dozens of eyes under Bessie¡¯s main body focused on him. Phantsy shouted in panic. ¡°Wait! You¡¯re supposed to absorb the turtle, not him!¡± Normally, Bessie would have obeyed Phantsy¡¯s orders. But this time, it refused. A monster ruled more by instinct than reason, Bessie chose to prioritize its primal urge. Logically, absorbing Archelon would stabilize its body, but instinct screamed for it to kill the one who had caused it pain¡ªZeon. As a true beast, Bessie followed its instincts. Thwip! Countless tentacles whipped through the air, all aimed at Zeon. Each tentacle was thicker than Zeon¡¯s entire body. Zeon used Sand Strides to retreat, but Bessie¡¯s tentacles pursued him like guided missiles. Boom! Boom! The tentacles mmed into the ground where Zeon had been, sending up explosions of debris. Dodging one tentacle after another, Zeon shouted. ¡°Go to Moby Dick with Archelon, now!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Pavilsa hesitated. He didn¡¯t feelfortable leaving Zeon to face that massive beast alone. Knowing what Pavilsa was thinking, Zeon shouted again. ¡°It¡¯s harder to fight while protecting Archelon. Go!¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Pavilsa reluctantly realized that leaving would be the best way to help Zeon. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Archelon!¡± At Pavilsa¡¯s urging, Archelon began his slow, heavy steps forward. After taking another hit from Bessie, Archelon¡¯s strength had drained rapidly. But the old turtle trudged on, refusing to copse. On Archelon¡¯s back, ire cautiously spoke to Lee Jung-ho. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we help him?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°ire!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Remember our mission and why we came all this way.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Then focus on the mission. He¡¯ll handle the chimera on his own.¡± Lee Jung-ho¡¯s face was emotionless as he watched Zeon¡¯s battle with Bessie. His nk gaze made it impossible to guess what he was thinking. But one thing was certain. Lee Jung-ho didn¡¯t care about Zeon¡¯s safety. To him, the mission Jin Geum-ho had assigned was the priority. His task was to secure Moby Dick¡¯s heart. Nothing else mattered. Zeon¡¯s life was no exception. Anyone could tell at a nce that the ck Anemone was extremely dangerous. Just watching its countless tentacles m into Zeon like missiles was chilling. If he were in Zeon¡¯s ce, Lee Jung-ho wouldn¡¯t have dodged¡ªhe would¡¯ve sliced each tentacle apart. Even though the tentacles moved too fast for the human eye to track, Lee Jung-ho had his Mind¡¯s Eye. The Mind¡¯s Eye allowed him to sense and react to attacks beyond human perception. To Lee Jung-ho, the ck Anemone¡¯s attack posed no threat. He could easily y the chimera with Zeon¡¯s help, but he chose not to. There was no reason to leave Zeon at full strength. ¡®Taking down that chimera will drain a lot of his power.¡¯ Zeon was not someone who aligned with Lee Jung-ho¡¯s beliefs. Though they hadn¡¯t shed directly, his speech, actions, and gaze made it clear their values differed. Lee Jung-ho couldn¡¯t leave someone like that in peak condition. Boom! A tentacle struck Zeon. Thankfully, Zeon had raised a sand wall just in time to block the blow, but it was clear he was struggling. ¡°That should be enough.¡± Lee Jung-ho shifted his gaze toward Moby Dick¡¯s Territory. Archelon had taken another step into the pitch-ck zone, a realm as cold and foreboding as the deep sea. A chill unlike any he had felt before washed over them as they entered. Zeon nced to the side, watching as Archelon disappeared into Moby Dick¡¯s Territory. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re looking?¡± Phantsy¡¯s shout was followed by an oppressive weight bearing down on Zeon. ¡®A curse?¡¯ His muscles weakened, his breathing becamebored, and his vision blurred. Heat red in his brain as if it were melting. While Zeon had been distracted by Bessie, Phantsy had secretly cast a wide-range curse. Though not particrly powerful, it was enough to momentarily incapacitate Zeon. Whip! In that brief moment of dy, a transparent tentacle coiled around Zeon. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Got you, you rat!¡± Phantsy shouted triumphantly. The transparent tentacle squeezed Zeon with terrifying pressure. Escape was impossible through normal means, so Phantsy bared his yellowed teeth in a grin. Zeon struggled, but the transparent tentacle held firm. Bessie tried to siphon Zeon¡¯s life force, but Phantsy intervened. ¡°Wait! Bring him here, Bessie. I want to see his face.¡± Having satisfied its earlier rage, Bessie now obeyed Phantsy¡¯smand, bringing Zeon closer. Phantsy stared into Zeon¡¯s face. ¡°Who are you? Why did you show up out of nowhere to interfere?¡± ¡°And why are you targeting Archelon?¡± ¡°Archelon? Ah! The turtle. It¡¯s nourishment. It will help Bessie grow.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s an iplete chimera after all.¡± ¡°Shut up! Bessie is perfect. More beautiful andplete than any other creature!¡± ¡°That thing¡­ beautiful?¡± ¡°Yes! Is there any more perfect creature on Earth than this?¡± ¡°To me, it looks like a patchwork monstrosity.¡± ¡°You dare insult Bessie?!¡± Fury shed across Phantsy¡¯s face. He could tolerate insults against himself, but mocking Bessie was unforgivable. Phantsy screamed. ¡°Absorb him, Bessie!¡± The transparent tentacle squeezed Zeon tighter. A creature as small as Zeon would normally be drained of life in less than a second. Phantsy thought it would be the same this time. However, to his surprise, the tentacle couldn¡¯t absorb any life force from Zeon. Zeon¡¯s robe, made from the skin of a Leviathan,pletely protected him from the tentacle¡¯s effects. In addition, Zeon¡¯s powerful regeneration ability was at work. No matter how mighty Bessie¡¯s power was, it couldn¡¯t siphon Zeon¡¯s life force. And Zeon wasn¡¯t going to allow it. Fwoosh! Suddenly, mes erupted from Zeon¡¯s body. The intense heat forced the tentacle to release him. Freed, Zeon opened his subspace. From the subspace, he pulled out a massive scythe. It was the Grim Reaper¡¯s scythe, obtained after defeating Grim Reaper. Without hesitation, Zeon swung the scythe toward Phantsy. The de sliced through the air, headed straight for Phantsy¡¯s neck, but Bessie blocked the attack with its tentacles. Slice! The tentacles were severed, and a long gash appeared on Phantsy¡¯s chest. ¡°Aargh!¡± Phantsy screamed, retreating hastily. ¡°Too shallow.¡± Zeon clicked his tongue. Because of the tentacles, he had missed the chance to kill Phantsy. But it didn¡¯t matter. The curse that had been weighing him down had disappeared as well. Zeon returned the scythe to the subspace. The Grim Reaper¡¯s scythe wasn¡¯t a weapon meant to be held for long. Unless one was a curse user, the bacsh was too great. Panting, Phantsy hid behind Bessie and screamed. ¡°Kill him, Bessie!¡± Thwip! At Phantsy¡¯smand, Bessie attacked again. Hundreds of tentacles shot toward Zeon. But this time, Zeon didn¡¯t dodge.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Dozens of Sand Soldiers materialized around him. The sand warriors threw themselves at the iing tentacles, acting as a barrier. Boom! Boom! Boom! With each explosion, the Sand Soldiers were destroyed, but Zeon didn¡¯t flinch. He hadn¡¯t expected them to stop the tentacles entirely. The Sand Soldiers were only meant to buy him time. ¡°The real fight starts now.¡± Zeon¡¯s gaze shifted toward the ground beneath Bessie. Rumble. Unnoticed by Bessie, the sand around it had begun to spin in a vortex. But Bessie, too focused on attacking with its tentacles, hadn¡¯t realized what was happening. Itcked theposure to make rational judgments. Zeon pronounced its death sentence. ¡°Sand Mixer!¡± Grrraaaagh! The sand spun violently. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 277 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 277 Crack! Crack! Crack! The rapidly spinning sand ground away at Bessie¡¯s surface. No matter how strong the chimera¡¯s regenerative ability was, it couldn¡¯t instantly recover the hide that was being shaved off in mere seconds. Psssh! The particles of Bessie¡¯s skin that had been stripped away scattered like dust into the air. Phantsy, seeing this, let out a desperate cry. ¡°No! Not my Bessie¡­!¡± Screeeeech! Bessie emitted a high-pitched scream. The pain Bessie felt was transmitted to Phantsy just as vividly. It was as if his own flesh was being torn away, and Phantsy wept tears of anguish. Bessie struggled fiercely, trying to escape the Sand Mixer¡¯s domain. But the more it thrashed, the more its body sank into the ground under the force of gravity. As more of Bessie¡¯s body became buried in the sand, its agony intensified. Phantsy cried bloody tears in response to Bessie¡¯s suffering. ¡°I will never forgive you.¡± Blood was also trickling from his chest. It was the wound Zeon had inflicted, but his own injury caused him no pain. Phantsy gathered his mana and shouted. ¡°Wander forever in the unending prison of chaos! Chaos Prison!¡± In an instant, the sky above Zeon turned pitch-ck. The dark energy engulfed him before he had a chance to dodge. For a moment, Zeon¡¯s vision wentpletely dark. A dizzying sensation of floating overtook him, as if his body was suspended in midair. This caused Zeon to lose his bnce and stumble. After a moment, he regained hisposure and raised his head, only to find that his surroundings had changedpletely. He was now in a world of absolute darkness, with no trace of light. There was no way to tell where the ground or the sky was. The perfect void distorted his senses. Zeon instinctively realized that he had been cursed by Phantsy. However, he wasn¡¯t overly concerned. He had an item that was a perfect counter to a curse user¡¯s magic. Zeon attempted to open his subspace to retrieve the Reaper¡¯s Scythe. ¡°Huh?¡± Zeon¡¯s expression shifted into one of confusion. The subspace wouldn¡¯t open. He looked down at his right arm. The Inferno Gauntlet that should have been attached to his arm was gone. Not only the Inferno Gauntlet but also Elura¡¯s Tear and the Leviathan¡¯s hide robe¡ªall of his items had vanished. Faced with this unexpected situation, even Zeon couldn¡¯t help but feel disoriented. But he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°This isn¡¯t reality¡­ It¡¯s a mental space, separated from my physical body.¡± Zeon recognized that he had let his guard down. He had inflicted a serious wound on Phantsy, the curse user, and thought there was no longer any threat. Plus, with the Reaper¡¯s Scythe in his possession, he had been too focused on eliminating the chimera, Bessie, without worrying about Phantsy¡¯s curse. And this was the result. ¡®I should¡¯ve been more cautious.¡¯ Zeon considered this a valuable lesson. Carelessness andcency were the very things that could cost him his life. He red into the pitch-ck space around him. He couldn¡¯t see anything. He couldn¡¯t even feel the passage of time. There was no way to tell how long he¡¯d been trapped in this dark space. It could¡¯ve been a mere moment or several days. This kind of situation would cause most people to panic. But Zeon was familiar with such circumstances. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t panic, nor did he lose hisposure. ¡®The best way to break a curse like this is to face reality.¡¯ There are many kinds of curses. Some curses directly harm the body, while others only affect the mind. The curse he was currently experiencing was thetter. Everything he was seeing and feeling wasn¡¯t real. It was nothing more than a hallucination created by his mind. The problem, however, was how vivid and realistic these illusions were. If he let his guard down for even a moment, he might start believing it was all real and spend the rest of his life trapped in this ce. The price of spending an eternity in this ce was, of course, death. Zeon focused his mind, trying to grasp the true nature of the curse. Then, the darkness in front of him split open, and someone began walking toward him with slow, deliberate steps. The figure was dragging a massive sword across the ground, and when Zeon saw who it was, his eyes widened in shock. The man who had torn through the very fabric of space was an old man, radiating an overwhelming presence with his enormous frame. When Zeon saw the man holding the sword that wasrger than his own body, his gaze wavered. It was the one person he sometimes longed for. ¡°Dy¡­ Dyoden?¡± There were many Awakeneds who wielded swords in this world, but none who exuded such an overwhelming presence, enough to make one¡¯s whole body tremble, like Dyoden. And the massive sword in his hand was unmistakably Kreion. After eight long years, seeing Dyoden again caused Zeon to shudder slightly. He knew it wasn¡¯t real. He understood this was a manifestation created by the curse, drawn from the deepest parts of his mind. Even so, his body trembled, and his heart pounded furiously. The time they had spent together wasn¡¯t long, but Dyoden was the one person who had left the greatest impact on Zeon¡¯s life. Without Dyoden, Zeon wouldn¡¯t be the man he was today. It made sense that Dyoden had been imprinted on his soul so deeply. Dyoden raised Kreion, pointing the massive de at Zeon, and spoke. ¡°You fool!¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Zeonughed in response. It wasn¡¯t just augh of disbelief¡ªit was amusement, and annoyance. He felt anger toward the curse user who had summoned this precious figure from his past and soiled the memory. But before he could take his revenge, he needed to escape this ce. To do that, he had to defeat Dyoden. It was clear now that Dyoden was the key to breaking this chaotic space. ¡°So, have you gotten any stronger, fool?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve improved quite a lot.¡± ¡°Anyone can talk big.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± ¡°Come at me, fool!¡± ¡°With pleasure¡­¡± After all, this was a hurdle he had to ovee eventually. Even if it wasn¡¯t the real Dyoden, but merely a projection created from his mind. Dyoden, the strongest man Zeon had ever known. A man whose back was broader and stronger than any other Awakened, now stood before him, aiming Kreion at him. Zeon had often imagined this moment. What would it have been like to fight Dyoden not as the rookie he had once been, but as the warrior he had be today, at the height of his powers? He had thought it was an impossible dream, but now, at least in his mind, it was bing a reality. ¡°You idiot, standing there daydreaming in front of me? That¡¯s why you¡¯re caught up in this curse.¡± Thwip! Dyoden sneered and lunged at Zeon. When Zeon raised his head, Kreion was already at his throat. But Zeon didn¡¯t panic. ¡°Who said I was daydreaming?¡± Boom! A wall of sand materialized out of nowhere, blocking Kreion''s strike. The force of the sword shattered the sand wall into pieces, but it bought Zeon just enough time to evade the attack. Even though the sand had appeared in this pitch-ck space, Zeon wasn¡¯t surprised. Even if this ce was cut off by a curse, it was still inside his own mind. If Dyoden, the person most deeply ingrained in his memory, was here, then so too was the element most connected to him¡ªsand. Even in this mental realm, if he willed it, he could always manipte the sand. "Alright, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got." Whoosh! Dozens of streams of sand sliced through the darkness, aimed directly at Dyoden. Zeon had unleashed his Sand ster skill. But before the sand could reach Dyoden, Kreion cut through them effortlessly, destroying the attack. Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions rang out, and the sand scattered in all directions. A sh of sword light cleaved through the darkness, and the space where Zeon had been standing was torn apart. But by that time, Zeon had already moved, riding the sand to a new location. Dyoden chased him down like a lion hunting its prey, his hair flying, his eyes gleaming like a predator¡¯s. In the past, Zeon would¡¯ve been terrified, but now he wasn¡¯t the weakling he had once been. Dozens of Sand Soldiers rose up, standing between Zeon and Dyoden. But stopping Dyoden with the Sand Soldiers was an impossible task. Zeon didn¡¯t expect them to. He just needed a little more time. ¡°Sand Storm!¡± A massive sandstorm erupted, swirling high into the air, engulfing Dyoden. Thwip! But Dyoden tore through the sandstorm and charged straight at Zeon. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Dyoden¡¯s wildughter echoed through the darkness. Zeon responded by throwing everything he had¡ªViper, ymore, Sand Mixer¡ªevery skill in his arsenal. But none of it worked. sh! A long cut opened on Zeon¡¯s side, blood spraying into the air as Kreion shed through him. No matter what skill Zeon used, Dyoden destroyed them all and kepting. The sight of Dyoden relentlessly charging at him, breaking through every attack, was a nightmare made real. Dyoden was the nightmare of every Awakened. No one had ever been able to defeat him in closebat. Not in reality, and not even here, in this mental realm. ¡°Man, this is exhausting.¡± There was no one he would rather avoid facing as an enemy. Once this moment passed, Zeon knew he would never face Dyoden again. But even so¡­ Even so, he wanted to finish this final encounter properly. Sizzle! Sizzle! The ground beneath Dyoden¡¯s feet began to melt.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Without the Inferno Gauntlet, Zeon had activated his ultimate skill¡ªSand Gehenna. The sand melted into moltenva, and a massive wave ofva surged toward Dyoden. Whoosh! ¡°Think that¡¯ll work on me, fool?¡± Dyodenughed as he cut through the wave of moltenva with Kreion, mocking Zeon¡¯s efforts. But Zeon grinned back. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s working, old man!¡± Another massive wave ofva surged up. One wave. Then another. And another. The waves of moltenvabined into a colossal tsunami, swallowing Dyoden whole. The intense heat singed his hair and beard, melting his skin and muscles away. ¡°Graaah!¡± But with a powerful roar, Dyoden repelled the molten tsunami and leapt into the air. Just as he swung Kreion down toward Zeon¡ª Thud! Suddenly, a massive sword shot out from theva and pierced through Dyoden¡¯s chest. ¡°What¡­?¡± Dyoden looked down at the sword that had impaled him in midair. It was an enormous, wless de made entirely of ck diamond. The sword was impossiblyrge, spanning dozens of meters¡ªa thing that couldn¡¯t possibly exist in reality. Dyoden asked. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my goal.¡± ¡°Your goal?¡± ¡°The ultimate weapon I can create bybining the power of sand and fire.¡± ¡°Hah! You think you can make a diamond sword by melting sand under high heat and pressure? You think that¡¯s possible in the real world?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I called it a goal. Right now, I can only create it in a dream¡­ but one day.¡± ¡°You idiot! Always too imaginative for your own good¡­¡± ¡°Well, imagination is what drives human progress. What do you think? Do I still seem like a useless fool to you?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve be a somewhat useful fool.¡± ¡°Of course, right until the end¡­¡± Dyoden shed a grin, baring his white teeth as he looked at Zeon¡¯s expression of disbelief. ¡°How long are you going to lie around? Get up already.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Damn right. Kahaha.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Dyoden.¡± The moment Zeon bid Dyoden farewell, the darkness around him shattered like ss. Crack! [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 278 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 278 When Zeon opened his eyes, he saw Phantsy staring at him with a shocked expression, his mouth hanging open. It was the same position he had been in while casting the curse on Zeon. Zeon had thought he had spent a long time fighting Dyoden, but in reality, only about a second had passed. Their gazes met. Phantsy, seeing the focus return to Zeon¡¯s eyes, shouted in disbelief. ¡°H-how? I know the Chaos Prisonnded perfectly!¡± The Chaos Prison was a curse that trapped the target¡¯s mind in a chaotic prison. The victim couldn¡¯t escape unless the caster lifted the curse. If someone fell into this curse, they would never regain consciousness, and their body would eventually wither and die. But such a curse came at a heavy cost for the caster as well. Curses were like a double-edged sword. The world wasn¡¯t so forgiving as to allow someone to cast such a powerful curse without consequence. To use a proper curse, the caster had to pay a price too. Phantsy had sacrificed his youth to cast Chaos Prison. As a result, his face had be deeply wrinkled, and his skin had turned dry and brittle. It was as if decades had suddenly passed him by. The Chaos Prison was a curse that came at a great cost. Naturally, Phantsy had believed there was no way Zeon could escape it so easily. His n was simple: while Zeon was trapped in the curse, Bessie would devour him. But before Bessie could even free itself from the sand, Zeon had broken through the curse and regained consciousness. ¡°You, you¡­?¡± Phantsy stammered, unable to finish his sentence, stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Zeon nced at his arm. The Inferno Gauntlet was still intact. It was proof that he had returned to reality and escaped the curse. In the real world, he saw a panicked Phantsy and Bessie struggling to pull itself free from the sand. Bessie was still half-buried, thrashing desperately. During the brief moment Zeon¡¯s mind had been elsewhere, Bessie¡¯s hide, which had been shredded by the Sand Mixer, was already regenerating. Its regenerative ability was truly incredible. If left alone, it would soon regain its full strength. But Zeon had no intention of letting that happen. ¡°Sand Gehenna.¡± He unleashed the same skill he had used in his mental battle with Dyoden. Combining the powers of the sand and the Inferno Gauntlet, Zeon turned the sand around Bessie into moltenva. The sand melted in an instant, bubbling and boiling like magma. Screeeech! Bessie shrieked in agony as its body was engulfed by the searing heat. It struggled frantically, trying to escape theva. But Zeon wasn¡¯t about to let it get away. ¡°Sand Mixer!¡± Grrraaaang! The molten sand began to spin violently. It was, quite literally, Sand Gehenna. There was no escape, no hiding. The high-temperatureva spun ferociously, grinding away at Bessie¡¯s hide, cooking it from the outside in. No matter how many monsters¡¯ traits had been fused into this chimera, it couldn¡¯t withstand such an attack. Screeeech! Bessie¡¯s lower body began to melt. The pain from having its flesh roasted off was on a whole different level from the damage before, and Bessie let out a massive howl. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± Phantsy, who shared a bond with Bessie, screamed as well. Thwip! In a final desperate attempt, Bessieshed out with its tentacles, trying to strike Zeon. But the tentacles never reached him. ¡°Fire Rain!¡± Zeon unleashed a rain of fire, intercepting the tentacles. Boom! Boom! Boom! With explosive sounds, the tentacles approaching Zeon were consumed by mes. Bessie thrashed wildly, overwhelmed by the agony of its burning body. But once the fire had taken hold, it refused to go out. ¡°B-Be¡­ Bessie!¡± Phantsy stood frozen, staring nkly at Bessie. His precious Bessie was dying right before his eyes. He had attacked Archelon to save Bessie, but in the end, he had only shortened its life.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Am I really going to lose Bessie like this?¡± Phantsy bit his lip until it bled. Without Bessie, Phantsy was nothing. His reputation as an A-rank curse user had only flourished because of Bessie. If Bessie died, he would return to the miserable, powerless life he had lived before. ¡°I can¡¯t let that happen!¡± Phantsy screamed and ran straight toward the burning Bessie. The extreme heat from the mes immediatelytched onto Phantsy. Bessie, as a chimera, could endure the mes for a short time, but a human like Phantsy couldn¡¯t. His body began to melt in seconds. And yet, Phantsyughed. ¡°I¡¯m staying with you until the end, Bessie! We¡¯ll be one forever.¡± Zeon, watching Phantsy¡¯s descent into madness, couldn¡¯t help but shake his head in disbelief. Then, as if understanding Phantsy¡¯s words, Bessie coiled its tentacles around him. For a brief moment, it seemed like they were bing one before Bessie¡¯s enormous body exploded. Boom! A mushroom cloud of dust rose up from the middle of the desert, as though a bomb had gone off. The st left a massive crater, several hundred meters wide, as if a meteor had struck. Even Zeon, knowing he couldn¡¯t withstand the explosion, quickly burrowed into the sand and hid underground. But even there, the shockwave pounded his entire body. The force felt like it was ripping him apart, and Zeon felt his mind start to blur. But he gritted his teeth and held on. Momentster, when the shockwave had finally passed, Zeon emerged from the crater. There was nothing left where Bessie had exploded. The sheer force of the st had vaporized everything, leaving no trace behind. Zeon stared at the explosion site for a moment before turning away. His eyes focused on Moby Dick¡¯s territory. ¡°I¡¯ve wasted too much time. I need to catch up.¡± Without hesitation, Zeon headed into the darkness thaty ahead. * * * ¡°It¡¯s like being in the deep sea.¡± Pavilsa muttered as he looked around inside Moby Dick¡¯s territory. Hearing hisment, ire responded almost instinctively. ¡°The deep sea?¡± ¡°Kids born today wouldn¡¯t know. Back when the Earth was still intact, there was something called the ocean. It was made of saltwater, and all sorts of fish and creatures lived in it. The deep sea was the part of the ocean where no light could reach, always shrouded in darkness like this. Down there, it was¡­¡± ¡°Enough with the pointless talk.¡± It was Lee Jung-ho who interrupted Pavilsa. His nerves were on edge. From the moment they had entered Moby Dick¡¯s territory, he had been gripped by a sense of danger. That anxiety made him snap at Pavilsa¡¯s musings. Pavilsa quickly apologized. ¡°My apologies. I didn¡¯t realize I was rambling. Must be the tension getting to me.¡± ¡°I understand, but right now, we need to focus.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Pavilsa nodded, fixing his gaze ahead. Thud! Thud! Archelon¡¯s heavy footsteps echoed as he trudged forward, struggling with each step. There was no need for Pavilsa to direct him. Archelon was walking forward as if something was pulling him, guiding him instinctively. ¡°Archelon!¡± Pavilsa called out to him, but Archelon didn¡¯t respond. It wasn¡¯t that he was ignoring him¡ªhe didn¡¯t seem to hear him at all. Archelon¡¯s eyes were vacant, as if he had been entranced by something. ¡°He won¡¯t answer. He¡¯spletely captivated by the song.¡± ¡°Song?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hear it?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± Pavilsa strained to listen. A faint sound had been tickling his ears for some time now. It was a soft, almost melodic sound, like the cry of a whale. To some, it could indeed be heard as a song. ire spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s Moby Dick. That sound is definitelying from it.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so mysterious.¡± Her face went nk as she gazed in the direction the sound wasing from,pletely entranced. ¡®It really does sound like a whale¡¯s cry.¡¯ Pavilsa had lived for as long as Jin Geum-ho, so he was one of the few people who had heard the sound of a whale¡¯s cry. Although he had only heard it on video, the sound was unmistakably the same. ¡®Could Moby Dick actually be an evolved whale? Like Archelon?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t an impossible thought. The world was far from normal these days. Thud! Thud! Even as these thoughts ran through Pavilsa¡¯s mind, Archelon continued marching toward the source of Moby Dick¡¯s song. Then, suddenly¡ª p! The sound of wings pping echoed from the darkness. It was a sinister sound, growing louder by the second. In an instant, Lee Jung-ho swung his sword toward the front. Swish! With a sh of light, something was sliced in two and fell onto Archelon¡¯s back. Pavilsa jumped back in shock as he saw what it was and shouted. ¡°A Vampire Bat!¡± The creature had a wingspan of over a meter, with fangs asrge as the mrs of a typical beast sticking out of its mouth. It was unmistakably a Vampire Bat, a creature known for never letting go once it had sunk its teeth into its prey, draining them dry. The real problem was that Vampire Bats never traveled alone. They were notorious for attacking in swarms. Whoosh! Pavilsa¡¯s fears were soon realized. A swarm of Vampire Bats tore through the darkness, heading straight for Archelon and the group. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t have been a threat. Archelon¡¯s defenses were strong enough that bats like these couldn¡¯t even scratch him. But the problem was that Archelon was severely weakened. Unable to deploy his protective shield, Archelon had to endure the bats¡¯ attacks with only his bare skin. The bats sank their fangs into Archelon¡¯s hide, but even theirrge teeth couldn¡¯t fully prate his thick skin. Frustrated, they shifted their attention to the humans. ¡°Damn it! Get behind me, old man.¡± Kailey pulled Pavilsa back and raised a long staff. Boom! The staff shot out a dazzling burst of fire. It wasn¡¯t just any fire. The mes contained white phosphorus, a material that wouldn¡¯t extinguish easily once it ignited. It was an item Kailey had crafted. With one charge of mana, it could be used ten times. Bang! Boom! Kailey fired off the mes in rapid session. Each time, the Vampire Bats caught in the mes fell from the sky. But there were still far too many bats left. Kailey¡¯s weapon was powerful, but it wasn¡¯t enough to handle an entire swarm of Vampire Bats. ¡°Hey, calm down!¡± ire shouted, trying to use her powers to calm the bats, but it didn¡¯t work. Unlike the Thunder Buffalo, these bats had no affection toward humans. Naturally, ire¡¯s words had no effect. At that moment¡ª ¡°Get down!¡± Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sharp voice cut through the chaos. Without hesitation, ire, Pavilsa, and Kailey dropped to the ground. Shwiing! A terrifying sound sliced through the air, skimming just above their heads. When they lifted their heads, they saw Lee Jung-ho, sword in hand, charging into the swarm of Vampire Bats. His swordsmanship was swift and deadly, shing through the air and sending out shes of light as it cut down dozens of bats at once. With his Mind¡¯s Eye, Lee Jung-ho could sense the bats¡¯ movements in advance, and the way he wielded his sword was both terrifying and beautiful. The three of them watched in awe as Lee Jung-ho moved through the swarm like a force of nature. It took less than ten minutes for the swarm of Vampire Bats that had covered him in darkness to vanishpletely. sh! After slicing through the final bat, Lee Jung-ho sheathed his sword. ¡°Not very efficient.¡± He muttered, clearly dissatisfied with how long it had taken. Battling swarms of small creatures wasn¡¯t his strength¡ªhe preferred fighting a single,rge opponent. Roar! Kraaaang! At that moment, monstrous roars echoed from all directions. The beasts that had entered Moby Dick¡¯s territory were now fighting amongst themselves. Lee Jung-ho sighed heavily. ¡°What a mess.¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 279 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 279 Boom! Grrroooar! With a thunderous crash, a massive beast copsed. 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.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Its enormous jaws were lined with teethrger 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 ce. 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 ce 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 iparably 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 wed or bit, the Drake couldn¡¯t even scratch Moby Dick¡¯s thick hide. Its power wasughably weak inparison. 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 Dickcked a predatory nature that the ecosystem of monsters was able to continue somewhat undisturbed. Otherwise, everything would have copsed 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 be 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, butpared 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 ce. 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 wasbored 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-ck darkness. Sand particles and tiny stones floated in the air, drifting like nkton, 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 stunningndscapes, nothingpared 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¡ª ¡°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 nced around and saw that Pavilsa and ire 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 attentionpletely 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 beyondprehension. It hadrge flippers that extended from its sides like wings, and enormous, gentle-looking eyes. It resembled a blue whale, but farrger. 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 manyws 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 bepleted. 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 couldplete 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¡ªlike a wolf spider but hundreds of timesrger¡ªappeared. 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 me. The sand beneath it melted instantly, scorched by the high-temperature mes. 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 mes 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 mmed into the white light, but like the Fire Breath, it failed to prate Moby Dick¡¯s shield. Then, the Giant Spiderunched 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 de. 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 ire to hunt a massive creature like Moby Dick. It had all been part of a n. A way to cleanly finish the job without lifting a finger... [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 280 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 280 The Grey Ogre was in a frenzy. Its eyes rolled back as it relentlessly hammered away at Moby Dick''s shield. Boom! Boom! Each time the aura-imbued club struck, the shield trembled, as if it might shatter at any moment. If it had only been the Grey Ogre attacking, Moby Dick¡¯s shield wouldn¡¯t have shaken like this. But it was thebined assault of all the other beasts that made it possible. The Crimson Drake was wildly firing its Fire Breath, and the Giant Spider was hammering at the shield with all ten of its legs. To add to the chaos, small and medium-sized monsters joined in, thrashing about violently, driving the confusion in the area to its peak. Crack! Screech! Smaller monsters were crushed underfoot by therger ones, like the Grey Ogre. Yet, not a single creature retreated. Their resolve to break through Moby Dick¡¯s shield was beyond belief. No one knew what was driving these monsters to such extremes. But one thing seemed clear. They were desperate. It was at the height of this frantic assault that something changed. Swish! The fine dust particles floating in the air like nkton began to stir silently. But the beasts, with their crazed eyes, failed to notice. Each time a monster struck the shield, the air quivered. Riding the waves of this trembling air, the nkton-like particles settled on the monsters'' heads and bodies. Some were even inhaled into their respiratory systems. Roar! Shriek! In an instant, the smaller monsters went mad. These nkton-like particles were parasitic life forms. They lived on Moby Dick''s enormous body, symbiotically connected to the giant beast. These creatures had a unique trait¡ªthey resonated with Moby Dick¡¯s emotions. Normally, they were harmless. But the moment Moby Dick experienced negative emotions, they transformed into deadly toxins. Once inhaled into a creature¡¯s respiratory system, they stimted the brain, driving the host into a frenzy. While B-rank or higher monsters, protected by their force fields, remained unaffected, the lower-ranked beasts lost their minds almost immediately. Just like now. The lower monsters forgot all about attacking the shield and began turning on each other. The crazed beasts, their eyes wild, evenunched attacks against the A-rank monsters like the Grey Ogre and Crimson Drake. Furious at being attacked by such lowly creatures, the A-rank monsters shifted their focus. They decided to wipe out the weaker beasts before resuming their assault on Moby Dick¡¯s shield. Though the smaller creatures were no match for the A-rank monsters, they could still be a nuisance. The more of them there were, the more annoying they became. And there were plenty of small monsters in this ce. They swarmed like waves, endlessly charging at the A-rank beasts. Mixed among them were some C-rank and B-rank monsters. The B-rank creatures, protected by their force fields, were not affected by Moby Dick¡¯s parasitic life forms. But their instincts told them that they couldn¡¯t get close to Moby Dick without first defeating the A-rank monsters, so they joined the assault. Roar! Screech! Boom! Boom! The roars of the beasts and the explosions of their shes echoed throughout Moby Dick¡¯s territory, creating a deafening racket. ¡°This is insane!¡± ¡°This makes no sense¡­¡± Pavilsia and Kailey, momentarily forgetting the danger they were in with Lee Jung-ho, stared dumbfounded at the scene unfolding before them. Pavilsia, who had wandered the desert for nearly a century, had never seen anything like this¡ªa battle with so many different types of monsters mixed together. ¡°What in the world is Moby Dick, for so many monsters to gather like this¡­?¡± At first nce, it seemed chaotic, but even monsters had their own ecosystem. Typically, A-rank monsters wouldn¡¯t invade the territory of another A-rank monster unless they were absolutely confident in victory. In the monster world, there was no such thing as a 100% guarantee of victory, so they tended to avoid conflict. The same held true for B-rank and C-rank monsters. Once they established their territory, they didn¡¯t leave unless absolutely necessary. That¡¯s why it was impossible for so many different types of monsters to gather and fight in one ce under normal circumstances.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Clearly, Moby Dick was the cause. Something about this mysterious whale was disrupting the monsters¡¯ ecosystem. Pavilsia looked anxiously at Lee Jung-ho. While they were wasting time here, Archelon was getting weaker and weaker. If they dyed any longer, they might miss the golden opportunity to save Archelon. With that thought, Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword no longer seemed like a threat to him. ¡®Let¡¯s go, Archelon.¡¯ He spoke to Archelon in his heart. After over a century together, they didn¡¯t need words to understand each other. Thud! Thud! Archelon, who had been motionless out of concern for Pavilsia¡¯s safety, finally began to move, albeit with great effort. Lee Jung-ho¡¯s expression changed immediately. ¡°Why did you make Archelon move?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. It¡¯s moving on its own.¡± Pavilsia lied without changing his expression, but Lee Jung-ho didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop Archelon right now, you¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°Haha! How could I stop such a giant turtle? You¡¯d better kill me instead.¡± ¡°Killing you won¡¯t cancel the orders, will it? What about your granddaughter then?¡± Lee Jung-ho¡¯s de shifted to Kailey¡¯s throat. Gulp! The cold steel touching her neck made Kailey swallow dryly. But like Pavilsia, she didn¡¯t beg for her life. Seeing the defiance in both of them, Lee Jung-ho¡¯s expression grew even harsher. He hadn¡¯t expected them to resist like this. Thud! Thud! Thud! Even as this happened, Archelon continued to march toward Moby Dick. Lee Jung-ho¡¯s de bit into Kailey¡¯s neck, drawing blood. ¡°Hruk!¡± Kailey let out a small gasp, startled by the sudden pain, but even as tears welled up in her eyes, she didn¡¯t tell Pavilsia to stop Archelon. Lee Jung-ho suddenly smiled. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve all been underestimating me. You¡¯re no longer useful now that we¡¯re here anyway.¡± The only reason he¡¯de with Archelon was to use the turtle as a guide to Moby Dick. Having achieved that goal, he no longer needed Archelon, nor did he care about Pavilsia and Kailey¡¯s lives. Just as he was about to slice Kailey¡¯s throat¡ª Boom! A loud crash shook Archelon¡¯s massive body like an earthquake. Lee Jung-ho momentarily lost his bnce. Pavilsia and Kailey didn¡¯t miss their chance, quickly retreating into a hiddenpartment within Archelon¡¯s shell. It was a kind of refuge. Normally invisible to the naked eye, it only appeared and activated when Pavilsia gave the signal. Pavilsia had been preparing the escape route ever since Lee Jung-ho began threatening them. ¡°Damn it!¡± By the time Lee Jung-ho realized what had happened, the two had already disappeared inside. Shing! He swung his sword, but it was in vain. The refuge was like a pocket dimension of sorts. ¡°Damn it!¡± Lee Jung-ho cursed at his first failure in a long time. He wanted nothing more than to drag them out and cut them down, but the situation didn¡¯t allow for it. Boom! Boom! With another thunderous crash, Archelon¡¯s body shook again. Outside, the Grey Ogre was attacking with its aura-imbued club. The massive turtle made for an easy target. In its current state, Archelon had lost its force field and was severely wounded, leaving it defenseless. For the enraged Grey Ogre, who had been fuming from the lower monsters¡¯ attacks, Archelon was the perfect target for its wrath. Boom! Boom! Roar! Each time the Grey Ogre¡¯s massive club struck Archelon¡¯s shell, the turtle let out a cry of agony. But still, Archelon stubbornly marched toward Moby Dick. Crack! The Grey Ogre¡¯s attacks finally began to shatter Archelon¡¯s shell. The sheer power was staggering. ire shouted at Lee Jung-ho. ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll all be in danger. We have to escape!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you control Archelon?¡± ¡°Not with my current ability. I¡¯d need to use the Rainbow Pendant to take full control of him, but then we wouldn¡¯t be able to use it on Moby Dick.¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to abandon Archelon, then.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made the right choice.¡± The two of them simultaneously jumped off Archelon¡¯s back. But as soon as theynded, they faced another problem. The ground was crawling with monsters. Shing! ¡°Stay close and don¡¯t fall behind.¡± Lee Jung-ho said as he shed through the monsters in front of him. ire nodded silently and stuck closely to Lee Jung-ho¡¯s back. The ce was swarming with monsters. Smaller creatures leaped at Lee Jung-ho and ire. With their gaping mouths, sharp teeth, dripping saliva, and crazed eyes, they were terrifying. If ire had been left alone in this situation, she would have quickly be monster food. Thankfully, she had someone to protect her. Shiiiik! Shing! Lee Jung-ho mercilessly cut down the lower-ranked monsters. ire didn¡¯t like Lee Jung-ho. She knew he was cold-hearted enough to kill even his own blood rtives if it served his mission. But for that very reason, she knew she could trust him more than anyone when they were on the same side. ire stuck close to his back as ire stuck close to his back as they moved. Screech! Roar! All around them, lower-ranked monsters surged like a tidal wave. And then there was the Grey Ogre, still attacking Archelon. There was no time to rx or let their guard down for even a second. It was then¡ª Roaaaaar! The Crimson Drake, suddenly roaring in rage as it was swarmed by flying low-ranked monsters, unleashed its Fire Breath in all directions. The searing mes consumed not only the nearby airborne creatures but also the ground-based monsters, burning them to ashes. At the same time, the Giant Spider''s webs spread out like a vast. The sticky, venomous threads disintegrated countless lower-ranked monsters, melting them away. The overwhelming number of monsters that had once nketed Moby Dick''s territory was quickly thinned out. Only a handful ofrge monsters remained¡ªchief among them, the Grey Ogre, the Crimson Drake, the Giant Spider, and Archelon. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± ire panted heavily, her face smeared with soot. She had narrowly avoided the Crimson Drake¡¯s Fire Breath. Had her reflexes been any slower, she would have been roasted alive. Lee Jung-ho was no different. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he surveyed the area around them. Thendscape had changed drastically. Most of the lower-ranked monsters were gone, and the parasitic nkton-like creatures that had been floating in the air had been burned away as well. Despite the chaos from earlier, the scene was now eerily quiet, as if none of it had ever happened. And then¡ª Fwooooosh! Moby Dick¡¯s shield, which had been protecting the giant beast, red brightly onest time, like a candle flickering before it goes out. In an instant, the shield vanished. With the protective barrier gone, Moby Dick¡¯s enormous form was now clearly visible. A towering beast, over 120 meters in length and with a body circumference of more than 30 meters, floated silently in the air, looking down at them. For a moment, both Lee Jung-ho and ire felt their minds go nk. It wasn¡¯t just a massive beast¡ªit felt like they were staring at an all-powerful deity. The sheer difference in scale sent a chill down their spines. ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Just gazing at Moby Dick inflicted a mental blow so severe that blood began to trickle from Lee Jung-ho¡¯s mouth. ire, who was mentally weaker than Lee Jung-ho, was faring even worse. And then ire spotted something beneath Moby Dick, something looking back at them. A smaller creature, a pure white baby whale that looked like a miniature version of Moby Dick, was poking its head out. ¡°It¡­ it couldn¡¯t be. Did it have a baby?¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 281 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 281 The small baby whale, with softer curves than Moby Dick, floated in the air just like its mother. Freshly born, amniotic fluid was still trickling down the milky-white body of the newborn. Its eyes not yet open, the baby whale responded sensitively to sounds around it, turning its head in reaction. Though panting heavily, Moby Dick drew its fins close, intent on protecting its young. Only then did Lee Jung-ho and ire realize why Moby Dick had imed this area as its territory. ¡°It must¡¯vee here to nest, to give birth.¡± ¡°When any creature gives birth, it¡¯s at its most vulnerable, so it must¡¯ve created a safe zone to protect itself.¡± The beasts, too, must have instinctively sensed Moby Dick¡¯s weakened state, prompting their onught. Roar! In that instant, the Grey Ogre and the other beasts attacked Moby Dick in unison. With time, Moby Dick would regain its full strength. Once that happened, the beasts¡¯ chance to devour Moby Dick would be lost forever. This was their final opportunity. The Grey Ogre struck Moby Dick¡¯s massive body with its aura-infused club, while the Crimson Drake assaulted it with Fire Breath, and the Giant Spider bound Moby Dick¡¯s huge form tightly with its webs. In response, Moby Dick swung its immense tail. At a length of 120 meters, Moby Dick¡¯s sheer size made it a formidable weapon in its own right. But it could only move defensively, restricted by the need to shield the newborn resting beneath its pectoral fin. The Grey Ogre and the Giant Spider seized this opening, pressing their attack. Their target was the baby whale. All young were vulnerabilities to their parents. By threatening the baby, they aimed to split Moby Dick¡¯s attention¡ªand the tactic worked. Moby Dick could no longer swing its tail with full force, instead pivoting its body to shield its offspring. As Moby Dick struggled to protect its child, the three A-rank beasts and several B-rank creatures focused their assault on its body. Crack! Thud! Moby Dick¡¯s thick hide was torn open, chunks of flesh ripped away. Despite the agonizing pain, Moby Dick tenaciously shielded its young. Having depleted its strength while creating the territory and birthing its young, Moby Dick was utterly exhausted. It couldn¡¯t even muster a force field or use any magical abilities. It had no choice but to withstand the beasts¡¯ attacks with its bare body. Screech! The baby whale let out a feeble cry. Although it couldn¡¯t see or fullyprehend the danger, it instinctively sensed that both it and its mother were in peril. Moby Dick desperately swung its tail, doing all it could to protect its child. Crash! The Grey Ogre, struck by Moby Dick¡¯s tail, was sent flying and crashed into the ground. But it got back up as if nothing had happened, charging once more at Moby Dick. The same went for the Giant Spider. Unlike Moby Dick, the beasts¡¯ force fields remained intact. The fields absorbed most of the impact, allowing them to rise unscathed and resume their attack. Again, they charged at Moby Dick. Bang! Crack! With every blow, more wounds appeared on Moby Dick¡¯s body. Roar! Moby Dick let out a cry of pain. Then, suddenly, Archelon moved. With its massive frame, it intercepted the Grey Ogre and Giant Spider¡¯s attacks. Crash! Boom! Archelon endured a series of blows more powerful than any it had taken before, each one drawing pained cries from the giant turtle. The once-imprable shell that had protected the Mort tribe for generations began to shatter, fragments scattering in all directions. rmed by the intense impacts, Pavilsia and Kailey, who had been hiding in Archelon¡¯s shelter, rushed out. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Archelon, why?¡± To anyone watching, it was clear that Archelon was trying to protect Moby Dick. There was no known connection between the two creatures, no reason for Archelon to defend Moby Dick. Yet, here it was, sacrificing itself to shield the great whale. The fragments of Archelon¡¯s shattered shell fell to the ground. Inside, the vige nestled within Archelon¡¯s shell was also in ruins. Everything was being destroyed. But Archelon didn¡¯t retreat a single step. It was as if it had resolved to protect Moby Dick with its very life. But Archelon alone couldn¡¯t fully shield Moby Dick from the relentless assault of so many beasts. Roar! The Crimson Drake¡¯s Fire Breath struck both Archelon and Moby Dick. Under the scorching heat of the magma-like mes, the remnants of Archelon¡¯s shell and Moby Dick¡¯s hide began to melt. Even Pavilsia and Kailey leapt from Archelon¡¯s back to escape the unbearable heat. Thud! The moment the two jumped down, Archelon copsed, no longer able to withstand the punishment. Moby Dick, too, was nearing death. In contrast, the beasts¡¯ confidence only grew as they continued their assault on Moby Dick and Archelon. Watching this unfold, Lee Jung-ho turned to ire. ¡°This is the perfect chance.¡± ¡°But if we do this, Moby Dick will¡­¡± ¡°If we¡¯re going to take Moby Dick¡¯s heart, we have to kill it anyway.¡± ire shut her eyes tightly at Lee Jung-ho¡¯s cold words. She didn¡¯t want to harm such a magnificent and mysterious creature. But she had no other choice. Lee Jung-ho pushed her again. ¡°Do it.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± In the end, ire closed her eyes and focused on the Rainbow Pendant hanging around her neck. The Rainbow Pendant was an S-rank item. It could temporarily boost ire, a mere B-rank tamer, to an S-rank level. Drawing on the power of the Rainbow Pendant, ire attempted to tame Moby Dick. As her consciousness reached out to Moby Dick¡¯s mind, she was taken aback. ¡®Its willpower is overwhelming. If it hadn¡¯t been weakened from giving birth, even the power of the Rainbow Pendant wouldn¡¯t have been enough to tame it.¡¯ The Rainbow Pendant¡¯s power was immense. In the past, it had even forced a Queen Ghost Dragonfly into metamorphosis. But even with the Rainbow Pendant, taming Moby Dick in its prime would have been impossible. As Lee Jung-ho had said, if they didn¡¯t do it now, they¡¯d never get another chance to tame the enormous beast. Drip! Blood trickled from ire¡¯s nose. Focusing so much power and concentration was taking a toll on her body. ire endured the pain, drawing even more strength from the Rainbow Pendant. The S-rank item activated, emitting a vibrant red glow. Despite using the full power of the Rainbow Pendant, Moby Dick continued to resist. Then, the Grey Ogre leaped into the air, using Archelon¡¯s fallen body as a springboard. Putting all its strength into one final strike, it brought its club down on Moby Dick. Boom! The impact was greater than any before, sending a shockwave through Moby Dick¡¯s body. In that fleeting moment when Moby Dick¡¯s consciousness faltered, the Rainbow Pendant shone with an especially bright light. At the same time, Moby Dick¡¯s eyes turned red. ire had finally seeded in taming Moby Dick. ¡°It¡­ worked.¡± ¡°Now, make it rampage.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me tell you twice.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± ire gritted her teeth and gave Moby Dick themand to go berserk. Boom! In an instant, a dark aura erupted from Moby Dick¡¯s body, like the explosion of a cosmic event. The powerful ck energy surged towards the attacking beasts. The moment it touched the Grey Ogre, its left arm was blown off. Four of the Giant Spider¡¯s legs were severed. The Crimson Drake, who had been breathing fire from above, lost both wings and plummeted to the ground. The B-rank beasts were even less fortunate. The dark energy caused them to evaporate almost instantly, leaving no trace behind. The destruction was catastrophic. This was Moby Dick¡¯s unique ability¡ª¡°Death¡¯s Dominion.¡± Though it bore the same name as the power wielded by Deioden, Moby Dick¡¯s Death¡¯s Dominion was stronger and far more immediate. The ability, which converted Moby Dick¡¯s life force into pure death energy, was its final defense. After expending all its energy using Death¡¯s Dominion, Moby Dick fell from the sky. Crash! The massive creature¡¯s body slumped lifelessly to the ground. ¡ªScreeeech! The baby whale, having barely managed to avoid its mother¡¯s falling form, let out a sorrowful cry. Finally freed from the control of the Rainbow Pendant, Moby Dick turned to look at its child. Even in its dying state, Moby Dick¡¯s gaze held nothing but warmth for its offspring. Then¡ª Roar! The beasts, grievously wounded by Moby Dick¡¯s power, roared and wed their way toward it. Though they had lost limbs, wings, and even sustained life-threatening injuries, they charged at Moby Dick with the belief that devouring it would nullify all their suffering. A cold smile appeared on Lee Jung-ho¡¯s lips. This was the scenario he had been aiming for all along. Moby Dick at death¡¯s door, the beasts weakened. He could already foresee the end. ¡°Now, destroy each other. Go ahead and tear yourselves apart, you monstrous beasts.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve caused quite the disaster in my absence.¡± A voice suddenly came from behind him. Yet Lee Jung-ho showed no surprise. ¡°Zeon!¡± It was Zeon, who had finally arrived. His expression hardened as he took in the brutalized forms of Moby Dick and Archelon. With tears welling up in her eyes, Kailey turned to Zeon and spoke. ¡°Zeon, Archelon tried to protect Moby Dick and¡­¡± Even without finishing, the situation was clear. Moreover, Zeon had witnessed ire forcibly tame Moby Dick and drive it to a rampage from afar. In truth, he wasn¡¯t entirely against using Moby Dick for their objective. After all, Lee Jung-ho¡¯s goal was to obtain Moby Dick¡¯s heart. The problem, however, was Archelon. Zeon knew that Archelon hade here for its sake and Pavilsia¡¯s, yet it had been left to suffer grievous injuries without a second thought. Zeon shot a piercing re at Lee Jung-ho. ¡°I won¡¯t be letting this go.¡± ¡°Oh? And if you won¡¯t?¡± Lee Jung-ho returned Zeon¡¯s gaze, taunting him with an unflinching look. His eyes,cking any focus, glimmered with a sinister bloodlust. Just looking at them was enough to send chills down one¡¯s spine. But Zeon met that gaze head-on, refusing to look away. ¡°There will be consequences.¡± ¡°You think you can make that happen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°You overestimate yourself.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it looks from where I stand.¡± ¡°And it seems to me that you put too much faith in your own abilities.¡± A vein twitched in Lee Jung-ho¡¯s forehead. Zeon¡¯s words had struck a nerve, challenging his pride. While he acknowledged that Zeon, as a Sand Mage, held an undeniable advantage in the desert¡ªhaving seen it with his own eyes¡ªhe didn¡¯t believe that made Zeon invincible. Everything had a counter. Even the strongest had weaknesses, and every attribute faced resistance from others. If Zeon specialized inrge-scale attacks, Lee Jung-ho was a swordsman skilled in singlebat.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om They wereplete opposites, like two sides of a coin. While Zeon was a cmity to others, to Zeon, ¡®he¡¯ was the disaster. The arrogance with which Zeon carried himself, unaware of this truth, almost made Lee Jung-ho pity him. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s worth teaching you a lesson before I retrieve Moby Dick¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°A lesson?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. A lesson in death.¡± Swish! The moment his words left his mouth, Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword shed with terrifying speed. It was a lethal strike aimed at Zeon¡¯s throat. The sword was mere inches from Zeon¡¯s neck when¡ª Boom! Suddenly, a column of sand shot up beneath Lee Jung-ho¡¯s feet. The massive pir of sandunched him far into the distance. Effortlessly dispatching the interference, Zeon turned his gaze toward Moby Dick. The beasts had resumed their brutal assault, tearing into both Moby Dick and Archelon. Zeon red coldly at the monsters. ¡°Sand Mixer!¡± Whoooosh! [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 282 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 282 The sand rose up like a tidal wave. A massive sandstorm enveloped Moby Dick and the beasts, spinning at an incredible speed. Grind! Grind! The fine sand particles scraped against the beasts'' shells and hides, making a horrifying sound. Screeeeech! Roar! The Grey Ogre, Giant Spider, and Crimson Drake let out agonized cries. No matter how indifferent they were to pain, the torture of having their surface ground away was impossible to ignore. The A-rank beasts fared somewhat better. Their force fields held up, offering some protection. But the B-rank beasts, force fields and all, were instantly shredded. This was Sand Mixer at full power. Its strength was on apletely different level from before. The B-rank beasts let out desperate, agonized screams. Their protective hides and outer shells vanished almost immediately, exposing the raw, red tissue beneath. Fwoosh! mes ignited the exposed tissue. It was fire conjured by Zeon¡¯s Inferno Gauntlet. The intense heat quickly incinerated the B-rank beasts from the inside out. With sand eroding them from the outside and mes scorching them within, the B-rank beasts evaporated in an instant. The A-rank beasts finally gathered their wits and attempted to attack Zeon, but none of their strikes reached him. ¡°Sand Gehenna!¡± The sand beneath them melted and turned into ava-like substance. The sticky magma swallowed their legs in seconds. It was like a pit that no one could escape once they¡¯d fallen in. The more the A-rank beasts struggled, the deeper they sank into the Sand Gehenna. The once-formidable Grey Ogre and Giant Spider screamed in a frenzy. The Crimson Drake, born with fire resistance, was the only one still holding on through the heat. It extended its forearm to grab hold of the baby whale. Desperate to consume the vulnerable newborn, it hoped to replenish its strength. ¡ªScreeeech! The baby whale let out a mournful wail as it was seized by the Crimson Drake. Moby Dick blinked its huge eyes and looked at Zeon. Its gaze seemed almost like a silent plea to save its child. Zeon nodded, speaking softly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll protect your baby for you.¡± Swish! At his words, dozens of sand jets shot up from the ground, attacking the Crimson Drake. Boom! Boom! Boom! Under the relentless barrage of the Sand ster, the Crimson Drake dropped the baby whale and was forced back. Roaaaaar! Infuriated, the Crimson Drake roared, but Zeon flooded its mouth with sand. As sand filled its stomach, the creature gagged and began to retch. At that moment, Zeon gave amand. ¡°ymore!¡± Boom! The sand inside the Crimson Drake¡¯s stomach exploded. Even a creature as tough as the Crimson Drake couldn¡¯t withstand a st from within. The Crimson Drake detonated, its remains scattering in all directions. Next in line were the Grey Ogre and the Giant Spider. With a flick of his wrist, Zeon directed chunks of magma straight into their mouths. Roar! Screeeech! As the scaldingva poured down their throats, the Grey Ogre and Giant Spider writhed frantically on the ground. They tried to expel the magma filling their insides, but it was no use. Zeon delivered his final verdict to the tormented A-rank beasts. ¡°Fire Rain!¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! A shower of searing mes fell from the sky. With their force fieldspletely dissipated, the Grey Ogre and Giant Spider melted away under the torrent of fire. ¡°This is insane!¡± ire¡¯s eyes widened. It had taken Zeon less than a minute to wipe out the beasts. In that short time, he¡¯d annihted three A-rank beasts and several B-ranks. No Awakened in Neo Seoul could do anything like this. It was hard to believe the figure before her was even human. For a moment, she wondered if he was actually a dragon, disguised in human form. Zeon¡¯s power was beyond anything she could imagine. Just watching him made her body tremble and her breathing quicken. At that moment¡ª ¡°Zeon!¡± Lee Jung-ho, who had been thrown far away and left vulnerable, was now charging toward Zeon. His face was contorted in rage. Beingunched into the ground by the sand pir had wounded his pride. An aura de was now wrapped around Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword. Shiiing! The aura de sliced through the air, aiming for Zeon¡¯s throat. Zeon sidestepped with Sand Stride, evading the attack. Lee Jung-ho pursued, swinging his sword in rapid session. Swish! Swish! In terms of cutting power, no modern weapon could match the aura de. Even a ncing hit would leave a grievous wound. ¡°Hiyah!¡± With a loud cry, Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword drew a peculiar arc. It skimmed just above the ground, like a swallow flying low over water. There was no escape from its path. It was Lee Jung-ho¡¯s unique technique, one that allowed him to change the trajectory of his de the moment his opponent moved. ¡®Swallow de Dance.¡¯ A skill honed over thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of drills. As Zeon attempted to dodge with Sand Stride, Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword shifted midair, following him. ¡°Sand ster.¡± At Zeon¡¯smand, dozens of sand jets shot forth. An ordinary Awakened would have been overwhelmed by the high-pressure sand assault, but Lee Jung-ho was no ordinary fighter. ¡°Hah!¡± With a fierce shout, he began spinning his sword at incredible speed. The aura de rotated with him, forming a shield that blocked his front. Boom! Boom! Boom! The sand ster jets crashed against the aura shield and scattered in all directions. Lee Jung-ho neutralized the sand sters in an instant, closing in on Zeon. He aimed his sword at Zeon¡¯s arm. ¡°Even if I take off both arms, you¡¯ll still be able to guide me, right?¡± ¡°Can you even do that?¡± ng! Zeon coldly retorted, deflecting Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword with his gauntlet. Despite shing with the aura de, the Inferno Gauntlet didn¡¯t have a scratch. But Zeon didn¡¯t stop at simply parrying; he unleashed a swarm of Sand Vipers. Dozens of Sand Vipers surged forward, striking at Lee Jung-ho like venomous snakes after prey. Ssss! Lee Jung-ho cut through the sand snakes with swift strokes. In an instant, sand dust rose around him. Zeon had stirred up the sand on the ground, sending it into the air. The sand began to fill Lee Jung-ho¡¯s eyes, nose, and mouth. Lee Jung-ho immediately shut his eyes and held his breath. Most Awakeneds would have panicked at being forced to close their eyes, but not Lee Jung-ho. To him, physical sight was just an essory. He viewed the world through his ¡°Mind¡¯s Eye,¡± so a bit of sand in his eyes was no hindrance. With his Mind¡¯s Eye, he focused on his target, Zeon. He prepared his ultimate technique. ¡®Single Point Thrust.¡¯ Boom! It was less of a ¡°thrust¡± and more of a ¡°shot,¡± like a bullet fired from a gun. His sword flew toward Zeon at terrifying speed, aimed squarely between his eyes. Just as the sword was about to reach him, a figure appeared in front of Zeon. A Sand Soldier. Crash! The Sand Soldier took the blow on Zeon¡¯s behalf and was shattered. But Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword kept pushing through, its target unwavering. Yet, it didn¡¯t reach Zeon¡¯s forehead. Three more Sand Soldiers materialized, standing between Zeon and the de. Thud! Thud! Thud! Lee Jung-ho¡¯s sword pierced through all three soldiers before finallying to a halt, just shy of Zeon¡¯s forehead. Lee Jung-ho¡¯s face twisted in frustration. His perfectly executed strike had been blocked by mere sand soldiers. The idea that Zeon would disregard him like this sent his anger over the edge. ¡°How dare you!¡± Boom! At that moment, the sand beneath Lee Jung-ho¡¯s feet exploded. Zeon had triggered ymore. The impact was so intense it made him sway like a reed in the wind. Fortunately, he¡¯d instinctively deployed an aura shield at the moment of the st, protecting his entire body. The aura shield was the ultimate defense avable to physical-type Awakeneds. Although it consumed arge amount of mana, it could withstand almost any attack. Lee Jung-ho nned to drop the aura shield as soon as the sand explosion ceased and go on the offensive. ¡®I¡¯ll end this with my strongest skill, Meteor sh.¡¯ A powerful skill that mimicked the energy and velocity of a falling meteor. It was a skill he¡¯d never shown anyone before, saved for only the most formidable foes. Keeping his focus on Zeon through his Mind¡¯s Eye, Lee Jung-ho waited for the perfect opportunity. But he hadn¡¯t realized that his legs were now deeply embedded in the sand. He only noticed after hearing a spine-chilling sound. Whoooosh! The sand was swirling violently around his legs. ¡°Damn it.¡± It was Sand Mixer. He¡¯d watched Zeon use this skill to grind the beasts to pieces. Even monsters with force fields and formidable defenses hadn¡¯t withstood it. An ordinary human body would be pulverized instantly. His aura shield was the only thing keeping him safe for the moment, but he knew it wouldn¡¯tst long. Lee Jung-ho realized that his time was running out.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om With every passing second, he was sinking deeper into the sand. Once his head was submerged, escape would be impossible. ¡°Damn it!¡± Lee Jung-ho bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. He felt a chill spreading through his entire body. Only now did he realize how badly he had underestimated Zeon. The belief that he could easily overpower Zeon in a one-on-one fight had been a grave error. Zeon was clearly just as skilled in facing Awakeneds as he was at defeating beasts. There was no other exnation for his wless response. Whoooosh! Meanwhile, the Sand Mixer continued to grind away at his aura shield. Cracks began to form along the shield¡¯s surface. If he didn¡¯t act, he¡¯d be shredded by the sand. Rather than wait helplessly, he chose to take a desperate risk. ¡°Hiyah!¡± With all his might, Lee Jung-ho swung his sword. The aura around his de exploded outward. Boom! The force of the explosion sted the sand back. In that brief opening, Lee Jung-ho sprang out of the sand and into the air. ¡°Meteor sh!¡± He unleashed his ultimate skill. Like a meteor hurtling to the ground, his sword fell toward Zeon. Lee Jung-ho and his de shone red, like a massiveet. It was a terrifying sight. If Zeon took this hit, even he wouldn¡¯t escape unscathed. ¡®If itnds, that is.¡¯ Of course, Zeon had no intention of letting the attacknd. If his opponent relied on a single, powerful strike, he¡¯d respond with overwhelming numbers. Fortunately, the desert offered an infinite supply of sand. Zeon prepared to demonstrate the pinnacle of quantity-based assault. ¡°Sand ster. Infinite Barrage!¡± Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Hundreds, then thousands of sand jets shot toward Lee Jung-ho. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 283 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 283 Boom! Boom! Boom! The Sand sters pummeled Lee Jung-ho in rapid session. Each impact made his body shudder violently. The shocks were overwhelming, sending jolts of pain through his entire body, but Lee Jung-ho held firm. Though he¡¯d been hit by dozens of Sand ster shots, he still stood strong. The Meteor sh technique he¡¯d activated cloaked him in aura, protecting his whole body. But as he closed in on Zeon, the number of Sand sters hitting him grew exponentially. Boom! Boom! Boom!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om With every high-pressure sand strike, the cumtive force weighing on his body grew like a snowball rolling downhill. The desert held an infinite supply of sand, and Zeon¡¯s mana reserves were far from depleted. If he wanted, he could keep firing Sand sters until the sun went down the next day. Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°Gahhh!¡± Atst, the relentless barrage shattered Lee Jung-ho¡¯s Meteor sh. The aura protecting his body dissipated, and he took the full force of dozens of Sand ster shots in quick session. With a cry of pain, Lee Jung-ho was thrown far back. But Zeon wasn¡¯t finished with him. He raised his hand, and a towering column of sand shot up into the air. As he clenched his fist, the sandpressed, solidifying like sandstone. Then, as if Lee Jung-ho stood right in front of him, Zeon brought his fist down with all his strength. The rock-solid column of sand came crashing down toward Lee Jung-ho. Crash! The earth trembled, and clouds of dust billowed up. Lee Jung-ho¡¯s limbs, caught beneath the sand column, were twisted at unnatural angles. His chest had copsed inward, a testament to the severity of his injuries. ¡°Haaah¡­ haaah¡­¡± He gasped for breath. Blood trickled from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. As if unable to ept his defeat, Lee Jung-ho blinked, bewildered. Zeon stepped toward him, looking down as he spoke. ¡°Seems like you were the one to receive that lesson in death.¡± ¡°You think¡­ you¡¯ll be¡­ safe?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Can you¡­ face the Mayor¡¯s wrath?¡± At this, Zeon tilted his head. ¡°Why would the Mayor be angry?¡± ¡°You¡­ really don¡¯t know? If you don¡¯t bring back Moby Dick¡¯s heart, the Mayor will be furious.¡± ¡°We just need to retrieve it. Why would that be a problem?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be ¡®you¡¯ who brings the heart back, does it?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Realizing Zeon¡¯s intent, Lee Jung-ho¡¯s eyes went wide with fury. Rip! Zeon tore the ne from around Lee Jung-ho¡¯s neck as he replied. ¡°This subspace is enchanted, isn¡¯t it? As long as we put Moby Dick¡¯s heart in here, Jin Geum-ho won¡¯t question anything.¡± ¡°The Mayor¡­¡± ¡°The Mayor¡¯s foresight isn¡¯t perfect. He may foresee oues to a certain extent, but not the details of how they¡¯re achieved. He probably foresaw that, with you present, Moby Dick¡¯s heart would be secured. But whether you survived in the process? That likely wasn¡¯t part of his vision.¡± ¡°How do you¡­ know about the Mayor¡¯s foresight?¡± ¡°A person who knows Jin Geum-ho very well told me.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Just as Lee Jung-ho attempted to rise, sand engulfed him. Whooosh! The sand whirled fiercely around him. A Sand Mixer had been unleashed. There was no scream. Lee Jung-ho¡¯s body was ground away in an instant. The sand beneath him turned crimson. And that marked the end of Lee Jung-ho, a member of the Numbers. ¡°H-How could this¡­¡± ire¡¯s face turned pale as she witnessed his end. Lee Jung-ho was the person she feared most in the world. Now, seeing Zeon kill him so effortlessly left her terrified. But Zeon had done more than just kill Lee Jung-ho. He¡¯d also wiped out every beast that had attacked Moby Dick. If she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, she never would have believed it. The shock overwhelmed her. Her legs shook so badly she could barely stand. Though she had only been following Lee Jung-ho¡¯s orders, she knew she bore a heavy responsibility for Moby Dick¡¯s suffering. And she had no idea if Zeon would forgive her. But Zeon didn¡¯t even nce at her as he approached Moby Dick. The creature¡¯s state was dire. Its thick hide was cracked and torn, exposing raw, bloody tissue, and its entrails and blood were spilling out. It was clear to anyone that recovery was impossible. Moby Dick seemed aware of this, too. ¡ªScreeeeech! The baby whale, sensing its mother¡¯s impending death, let out a sorrowful cry. It rubbed its body against its dying mother¡¯s face, a heart-wrenching sight. Moby Dick, even in its final moments, gazed fondly at its child, then turned its massive eyes toward Zeon. Its eyes,rger than Zeon himself, seemed tomunicate a message, though words were impossible. Zeon nodded silently. At this, a look of peace came into Moby Dick¡¯s gaze. Zeon extended a hand and gently touched the baby whale. The calf, feeling his soft touch, looked up at Zeon. Their eyes met and held. For a long time, human and whale stared deeply into each other¡¯s eyes. In that moment, they felt an invisible bond form between them. Suddenly, both Zeon and the baby whale began to glow with a radiant light. The particles of light circled them briefly before absorbing into their bodies. This wasn¡¯t the forced taming that tamers practiced. It was a mutual bond, formed through an understanding of each other¡¯s hearts and emotions. At that moment, Zeon gained a deep understanding of Moby Dick. Through the baby whale, a cascade of knowledge about Moby Dick poured into him. Moby Dick was no ordinary beast. It wasn¡¯t an evolved creature of Earth¡¯s whale lineage. It was a spirit born on Kurayan. And not just any spirit¡ªa Great Spirit, imbued with four elemental attributes. Swept away to Earth as a byproduct of terraforming, the Great Spirit had immediately faced the threat of extinction. For a Great Spirit to survive, it needed an environment rich in elemental power. But Earth, now a deste wastnd,cked nearly all elemental energy. Powerless, the Great Spirit began to wither and die. And that¡¯s when it discovered the massive whale. The whale, too, was on the verge of death as its oceans dried up. It may have been fate that brought together the dying spirit and the dying whale. The spirit needed a vessel, and the whale needed a source of vitality. In that desperate moment, the two beings fused, rebirthing as Moby Dick. Thus, the creature known as Moby Dick was born. Strictly speaking, Moby Dick was not a monster but a spirit lifeform. A new life adapted to Earth¡¯s harsh environment. But it was iplete from the start. Because of this, Moby Dick periodically burrowed deep into the sand to absorb thest traces of earth and water attributes or ascended high into the sky to gather fire and air, sustaining its life force. And so it lived on Earth for a hundred years, eventually conceiving a baby whale. This was the first spirit lifeform to be born on Earth, not on Kurayan. It was neither a pure spirit nor a typical creature, but a being with the strengths of both. To give birth, Moby Dick had imed this area as its territory. It knew the beasts woulde for it, but it had no other choice. If a typical S-rank monster had imed the territory, A-rank beasts wouldn¡¯t have dared attack. But Moby Dick wasn¡¯t an ordinary monster. Instinctively, the beasts knew that devouring Moby Dick, with its stored elemental energy, would allow them to reach new heights. Thus, they¡¯de, disregarding their own lives. ¡°So that¡¯s how it was.¡± The baby whale was apletely new spirit lifeform born on Earth. Unlike its iplete mother, the calf was whole. While it would take ages for it to grow to its mother¡¯s size and wield its full strength, itspleteness from birth held profound significance. In some ways, it might even be thest hope for a broken Earth. And then¡ª Fwoosh! Particles of light began to stream from Moby Dick¡¯s dying body. The radiant light encircled Archelon, whoy nearby, also near death. The particles of light slowly absorbed into Archelon¡¯s body. As the light infused it, Archelon began to change. The shattered shell reformed, and the sagging skin of its limbs regained firmness. The injuries inflicted by the ck Anemone healed instantly, and a spark of rity returned to its dulled eyes. The transformation didn¡¯t stop there. Crunch! Sharp spikes protruded from Archelon¡¯s hexagonal shell. Already tough, the shell was now armed withrge, formidable spines. A horn, like that of a unicorn, also formed on Archelon¡¯s forehead. Previously it had only had strong defenses, but now it couldunch physical attacks as well. Zeon recognized this transformation as Moby Dick¡¯s final gift to Archelon, for its attempts to protect it. As the particles of light scattered, Moby Dick¡¯s enormous body began to dissolve. ¡ªScreeeeech! The baby whale let out a quiet cry as it watched its mother disappear. Though it was tragic for the calf to witness its mother¡¯s death so soon after birth, this extraordinary lifeform seemed to ept her passing as part of nature¡¯s order. The massive body that had filled its field of vision vanished, leaving behind only a huge ck, round gemstone the size of several peoplebined. Zeon recognized it immediately as Moby Dick¡¯s heart. ¡°You left me a gift, didn¡¯t you?¡± He gave a faint, bitter smile. As he¡¯d suspected, the enormous round stone was the heart containing all the elemental energy Moby Dick had umted. Though much of its energy had been drained to save Archelon, what remained was still a tremendous amount of mana. Whether it would meet Jin Geum-ho¡¯s expectations, however, was uncertain. But Zeon didn¡¯t worry about that. His mission had only been to retrieve Moby Dick¡¯s heart, and there had been no conditions about its condition or amount of energy. ¡°Phew.¡± With a sigh, Zeon opened the subspace within his ne and carefully stored Moby Dick¡¯s heart. The baby whale, floating in the air, observed everything. Zeon looked at the young whale with a gentle expression and spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little one.¡± ¡ªScreeeeech! The calf responded with a gentle, intive cry, as if to say it understood. Zeon reached out and stroked the baby whale¡¯s head. The calf then began sniffing around Zeon, as if picking up a particr scent, and wagged its tail as it floated around him. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡ªScreech! ¡°You think I smell¡­ good?¡± ¡ªScreech! ¡°You mean I¡¯m carrying something that smells good?¡± ¡ªScreeeeech! Thanks to their bond, Zeon could fully understand the baby whale¡¯s meaning through its cries. The young whale circled around Zeon¡¯s right arm. It was the arm wearing the Inferno Gauntlet. ¡®Could it be interested in something inside the subspace?¡¯ There were countless items stored within the space. When Zeon opened the subspace, the baby whale fearlessly poked its head inside. With a flick of its tail, the calf eagerly rummaged through Zeon¡¯s belongings. Amused by its cuteness, Zeon allowed it to search. After a while, the baby whale emerged from the subspace, carrying arge mineral mped in its mouth. ¡°That¡­?¡± It was the mineral Zeon had confiscated from Park Man-ho during his recent visit to the Mana Stone Mines. This mysterious mineral had been mined alongside premium-grade Mana Stones from one of the deepest veins. Though it held no mana, its unusual warmth had intrigued him. Zeon asked the baby whale. ¡°Why are you so interested in that?¡± ¡ªScreeeeech! The baby whale¡¯s reply left Zeon¡¯s face rigid with shock. ¡°A seed¡­ of the World Tree?¡± [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 284 [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] Chapter 284 Though Zeon knew nothing about Kurayan, he had heard of the World Tree from the elves. A colossal tree that supported the world of Kurayan. The source of all life and what the elves called ¡°Mother.¡± However, he¡¯d been told that the World Tree hadpletely vanished with the fall of Kurayan. ¡°Is this really a seed of the World Tree? I don¡¯t feel any energying from it.¡± ¡ªScreech! ¡°It¡¯s lost its power? But it can be revived? How?¡± ¡ªScreeeeech! ¡°You need to absorb it?¡± The baby whale nodded with the seed of the World Tree still in its mouth. Zeon sensed its unease. The young whale worried that Zeon, the seed¡¯s owner, might not allow it. With a small smile, Zeon patted the whale¡¯s head. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡ªScreech! ¡°I¡¯m serious. Take it in.¡± ¡ªScreeeeech! The baby whale swam excitedly around Zeon in circles. ire, watching from a distance, had no idea why the calf was so animated around Zeon. She was too far away to hear their conversation. Then, the baby whale swallowed the World Tree¡¯s seed in a single gulp. Whoosh! The moment it did, a radiant light burst from the calf¡¯s body. After a few moments, the light faded, and the baby whale reappeared. Its appearance hadn¡¯t changed much. It was still the same size, with the same gentle expression. But the density of its mana had shifted. Where it had once felt light as cotton candy, it now carried a weight likepressed steel. With renewed vigor, the young whale swam energetically around Zeon. ¡ªScreeeeech! ¡°It¡¯ll take time to fully blossom? How long?¡± ¡ªScreech! ¡°You don¡¯t know, either? That¡¯s fine. No matter how long it takes, it¡¯s okay.¡± At Zeon¡¯s words, the young whale flicked its fins, visibly reassured. Watching it with a warm smile, Zeon suddenly had a thought. ¡°Gaia.¡± ¡ªScreech? ¡°I¡¯ll call you Gaia. How about it?¡± The baby whale nodded in approval. And just like that, the young whale¡¯s name became Gaia. After enjoying Zeon¡¯s touch for a while, Gaia let out another cry. ¡ªScreech! ¡°You want to rest? In my subspace?¡± ¡ªScreeeeech! ¡°You can live there?¡± ¡ªScreech! With a quiet cry, Gaia disappeared. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Zeon stared at his right arm in amazement. He¡¯d closed the subspace immediately after Gaia took out the World Tree¡¯s seed, so it had remained sealed. Yet, Gaia had managed to enter the closed space on its own. That wasn¡¯t the only change. The ownership of the subspace was shifting. Previously, it had been enchanted into the Inferno Gauntlet and could only be essed through it. But now, control of the subspace was transferring from the gauntlet directly to Zeon himself. He didn¡¯t know how this was happening, but now he could open the subspace without needing the gauntlet. He was now the true master of the subspace. Its size had also expanded immensely. The subspace, which Kailey had already expanded tenfold, had grown evenrger. It was now vast enough to house several Moby Dicks at once. Gaia must have worked some kind of magic, he thought. Zeon shook his head and muttered to himself. ¡°This is insane!¡± He had thought he was unshakable, but meeting Moby Dick and Gaia had thrown him into a series of surprises. He gave up trying to understand the situation any further. He could still feel Gaia resting within the subspace. That was enough. Turning, Zeon looked over at Pavilsia and Kailey. The two of them were tearfully embracing the fully-recovered Archelon. Archelon, as if it had never been on the verge of death, looked back at them in perfect health. This journey had been to save Archelon. Even with Zeon¡¯s help, they hadn¡¯t been very hopeful. Seeing Archelon miraculously healed left their minds nk with disbelief. Zeon¡¯s gaze turned to ire. She stood paralyzed with fear, unsure of what to do. At this point, she couldn¡¯t run away, nor could she undo what she¡¯d done. With the loss of Lee Jung-ho, her protector, she felt utterly helpless. If there had been even one beast nearby that she could tame, it would¡¯ve been somefort, but Zeon had eradicated them all. All ire could do was watch as Zeon approached, trembling. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. But I was only following their orders¡ªI didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± ¡°Why would you listen to them?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t, how could I survive in Neo Seoul? If I want to live there, I have no choice but to follow his orders.¡± ¡°Forcing the Queen Ghost Dragonfly to molt so you could take its wings¡ªthat was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ire¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Was that Jin Geum-ho¡¯s order too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And what did he want with the Queen Dragonfly¡¯s wings? And what does he intend to do with Moby Dick¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Only that it¡¯s some kind of divine punishment¡­¡± Thud! The moment she uttered the words ¡°divine punishment,¡± ire¡¯s head snapped back as if struck by a bullet. Her head exploded from within. Thick blood poured from her eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. ¡°I¡­¡± ire looked at Zeon in disbelief, then copsed. She was dead. Zeon stared at her with a grim expression. ¡°Did they put some sort of curse on her without her knowledge?¡± Zeon couldn¡¯t be sure of the exact mechanism that had caused her head to explode. All he knew was that the instant she said ¡°divine punishment,¡± the explosion urred. The phrase seemed to be some kind of trigger. ¡°Divine punishment¡­¡± Zeon shook his head, pushing away his thoughts. Words alone wouldn¡¯t reveal the truth. He surveyed his surroundings. Moby Dick had vanished without a trace, and Archelon had evolved to a new form. Originally a B-rank beast, it had now risen to A-rank. As an A-rank beast, Archelon¡¯s presence was formidable. Its spiked shell and newly-formed horn gave it an intimidating appearance. Around Archelony the corpses of the beasts that hade to hunt Moby Dick. The bodies of the Grey Ogre, Crimson Drake, and Giant Spider were all there. But Zeon wasn¡¯t focused on the carcasses themselves. His attention was drawn to a shadow creeping toward the beasts¡¯ bodies. It slithered like a leech, trying to stay low to avoid Zeon¡¯s notice. But Zeon¡¯s senses were not so easily fooled. ¡°So, you survived after all.¡± Zeon began walking toward the wriggling ck shadow. As it reached out to touch the Grey Ogre¡¯s corpse, it froze, trembling in shock at Zeon¡¯s approach. The shadow rippled like a wave, and a human face emerged from it. ¡°Pantsy!¡± The face, with an expression of panic, was Pantsy¡¯s. Just before he was destroyed by Zeon¡¯s Sand Gehenna, Pantsy had attempted to fuse with the ck Anemone¡¯s core. A desperate move, to survive at any cost. Unexpectedly, it had worked, merging him with Bessy, the ck Anemone. As a result, he barely escaped the explosion. But Bessy had been reduced to a mere core, with no remaining power. Without a stronger host, Pantsy would soon be devoured by another beast. That¡¯s why he had no choice but to take a risk. He aimed to absorb the bodies of the three A-rank beasts Zeon had killed. Absorbing them would make him even more powerful than before. But his stealthy attempt had been immediately detected by Zeon. Pantsy frantically pleaded. ¡°Wait, spare me! I swear, I¡¯ll be loyal to you if you let me live.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a beast¡¯s loyalty.¡± ¡°No¡­ please!¡± Whoosh! As Pantsy struggled to rise, a white me ignited in front of Zeon. It was a me conjured by the Inferno Gauntlet. Its intense dryness made it feel almost cold. Seeing the white me, Pantsy¡¯s face went pale. ¡°Please¡­ I just want to survive¡­¡± ¡°Then you should have stayed hidden.¡± Zeon replied coldly, flicking his fingers. The white me moved, attaching itself to Pantsy. Although it started as a small me norger than a hand, the instant it touched Pantsy, it expanded a hundredfold. ¡°Aaaahhh!¡± Pantsy¡¯s agonized screams echoed from within the mes. He rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the fire, but it was futile. This was no ordinary me. ¡°Hellfire.¡± Zeon had concentrated all the power of the Inferno Gauntlet into the white me. It was a fire straight from hell. The fusion with Bessy had strengthened Pantsy¡¯s life force. But that only prolonged his agony. A normal human would have perished instantly in the Hellfire, but thanks to Bessy, Pantsy had to endure the searing pain for a long time. His suffering only ended when his body waspletely consumed, leaving no trace behind. After confirming Pantsy¡¯splete annihtion, Zeon let out a low sigh. ¡°Haa.¡± Truthfully, killing Pantsy hadn¡¯t been difficult. He was so weak that sparing him wouldn¡¯t have mattered. But leaving someone like him alive would inevitably lead to trouble. Better to end it while he could. Zeon then searched through the remains of the beasts. He wouldn¡¯t have bothered with mana stones from ordinary beasts, but A-rank or B-rank mana stones were different. The Grey Ogre, Crimson Drake, and Giant Spider were all rare beasts. Naturally, their mana stones were special as well. Fortunately, each of them heldrge mana stones. Among them, it was the Crimson Drake¡¯s mana stone that caught Zeon¡¯s eye. The Crimson Drake was a fire-based beast, much like the Red Dragon whose eye was embedded in his Inferno Gauntlet. Though it couldn¡¯tpare to a dragon, it was still a creature of the same element. Its mana stone held a rich, deep-red hue. ¡°A fire-element mana stone.¡± Stones infused with elemental power were rare. And an A-rank mana stone was even rarer. If he sold it in Neo Seoul, it would fetch a fortune. ¡°I¡¯ll figure out what to do with thister.¡± At that moment¡ª Gaia suddenly popped out of the subspace without warning. ¡ªScreech! Gaia fixed its gaze on the mana stone in Zeon¡¯s hand. Its curious expression made Zeon chuckle. ¡°What? You want to eat it?¡± ¡ªScreech! Gaia gave a joyful cry, confirming it. As a creature gifted with four elemental attributes inherited from its mother, Moby Dick, mana stones infused with beast attributes were precious sustenance for Gaia. Knowing this, Zeon tossed the Crimson Drake¡¯s mana stone to Gaia without hesitation. Like an eager puppy, Gaia caught it and retreated happily into the subspace. Though he¡¯d given up a valuable mana stone, Zeon felt no regret.N?v(el)B\\jnn After gathering the remaining mana stones and the Grey Ogre¡¯s club, Zeon smiled. It was time to return. And a perfect mount was waiting right in front of him. Zeon climbed onto Archelon. ¡°Ready to head out?¡± ¡°Where can I take you?¡± ¡°Neo Seoul.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you there in one piece, honored guest!¡± Pavilsia replied with a smile. [Trantor - Peptobismol] [Proofreader - Demon God] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!