Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert

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 created labyrinthine burrows underground, reinforcing them with a hardening substance from their stingers that turned the sand into concrete-like walls.

Once their nest was complete, 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 had last 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 claim.

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 alarming—there were hundreds pouring out, indicating a massive colony.

“Could it be that a Queen has emerged?”

That would explain 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 occurred.

“Aaagh!”

“Ughh!”

Those stung by the Ghost Scorpions screamed and fell to the ground, the poisoned area turning black 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—it 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 available 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 her comrades 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 available 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—their bodies were torn apart.

Despite killing Ghost Scorpions continuously, they kept coming. 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 manipulated 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!

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 succession.

The simultaneous internal and external sand attack caused the Queen to convulse violently.

Zeon muttered.

‘Claymore.’

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 flaunted 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—a nearly impossible task in the desert, his domain, where the sand was his weapon.

Fighting Zeon in a place 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 nonchalantly 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 glared 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.

In comparison, 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…”