Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert -
Chapter 98
[Translator – 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 alarm bells ringing incessantly in his mind.
He sensed an unsettling atmosphere hidden within Zeon’s brief words. However, he forced a nonchalant 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 to come back alive.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
Zeon smiled.
That smile felt like a razor blade pressed against Old Man Klexi’s throat.
Old Man Klexi changed the subject.
“Did you… come 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 annihilate 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 dungeon completely collapse?”
“Yes!”
“I see.”
When a dungeon collapses, everything inside it naturally disappears.
The Inazuma Raid Team had also been completely 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.
—
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 collapse as it was.
Any more nagging, and he might collapse.
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 glad 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 nonchalantly without changing his expression.
Tajik glared 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.
[Translator – 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 black stone was extraordinary at a glance. However, Tajik didn’t even spare a glance 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 have commanded.’
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 could command.
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’t completely ignore it, but still.
“Hah!”
A heavy sigh unconsciously expressed his feelings.
—
“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 glanced at Zeon.
Since she had used up all the materials she had bought last 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 dilated 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 plan to neutralize flying-type monsters or prepared countermeasures even if they were hindered.’
It was just Zeon’s speculation.
But he thought his speculation 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!”
[Translator – Peptobismol]
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