Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert

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 glance 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, his laughing figure was filled with chilling madness.

In contrast, Zeon’s expression was composed.

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 to come. 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 flashed 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 occupation of Sand Mage, that he had risen abnormally fast.

Zap!

Lightning flashed 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 a lack 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 glanced 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’ve come 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 become much stronger as time passed.

The problem was influence.

Compared to the powerful figures who had already completely seized control of Neo Seoul’s infrastructure, his influence was insignificant.

Of course, it was insignificant compared to giants like Jin Geum-ho or Xiao Lun.

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.

Flash!

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 black.

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 clashed with the Lightning Spear and exploded.

A spectacle of flames and lightning adorned the air.

Amidst it, the two moved.

Lee Ji-ryeong continuously unleashed lightning-type skills.

“Try this.”

Lightning, shaped like blades, poured towards Zeon.

It was one of Lee Ji-ryeong’s main skills, Lightning Blade.

In response, Zeon unleashed his favorite skill, Fire Rain.

Blades 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 flame, 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 discomfort 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 had complete 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 flashing around him, Zeon’s expression remained unchanged.

Then it happened.

A particularly large 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 blackened 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 our combined strength, no one will be able to stand against us.”

He didn’t hide his ambition.

From the moment he Awakened, he dreamed of becoming 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 manipulate 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.