Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Hammerson glared at Zeon.

“Sand? Did you just use sand as a weapon?”

“As you can see!”

Zeon shrugged.

Hammerson’s eyes grew even more terrifying.

He gripped his scimitar tightly and said,

“I’m lucky today.”

“All your subordinates are dead, and you’re saying you’re lucky? Are you insane?”

“Hmph! I can find as many subordinates like them as I want in Elharun. But there are no Sandmancers or guides.”

On Earth, which had become a desert, the abilities with the greatest usefulness were precisely those two.

At least a few Navigators, in other words, guides, had been born until now, but Zeon was the first person to awaken as a Sandmancer.

Even in Elharun, where nonhuman races lived together, no Awakened who controlled sand existed.

If they could control Zeon as they wished, he was certain to be of tremendous help to Elharun.

“You’ll have to come with me to Elharun.”

“That’s a very interesting offer, but I’ll refuse. I’m a little busy.”

“My words are not an offer. They’re an order.”

“Then I’ll refuse even more. Listening to other people’s orders doesn’t suit my nature.”

“You’ll obey even if you don’t want to. Elharun has many wondrous items.”

One of those was an item that interfered with the mind.

In Kurayan, items or Skills that interfered with a living being’s mind were themselves taboo.

If one used Magic or a Skill that artificially interfered with the mind, they would immediately be branded an enemy of the Order and become a target for execution.

But all such taboos had disappeared when they migrated to Earth.

It was a world different from what they had originally imagined.

Though the cause had been the reckless Terraforming.

In any case, they had to adapt to and survive in a world that had become a desert.

Those who had crossed over from Kurayan abandoned all useless regulations and taboos for the sake of survival. That was how items that interfered with the mind came to be made as well.

If he used that item, he would be able to make that arrogant Sandmancer submit easily. Of course, that came with the premise that he had to take him alive to Elharun.

But Hammerson was confident.

He was a Grade B Awakened.

And a Martial Type, at that.

The Rank Insignia engraved on his wrist proved that fact.

He was on a different level from the subordinates who had been pointlessly killed by Zeon.

His grade was Grade B, but armed with Elharun’s items, he could display martial power similar to Grade A.

That was why he had been dispatched here.

SWISH!

He charged forward at terrifying speed.

He intended to give Zeon no time to react.

But Zeon was already fully prepared.

SHOOOOSH!

More than ten Sand Blasters flew toward Hammerson.

Hammerson did not dodge the Sand Blasters.

Light seemed to shine from his chest, then covered his entire body.

The hemispherical light deflected all the Sand Blasters.

Zeon’s eyes gleamed.

‘An item? Or his own ability?’

SHAAAK!

Hammerson, who had approached in an instant, thrust his scimitar.

He did not aim for vital areas like the heart or brain. That was because he was confident that as long as those two parts remained intact, Zeon could be kept alive no matter what.

That was why Hammerson’s attack was frightening.

Zeon twisted his body to avoid Hammerson’s attack and fired Sand Missile.

“I told you, it’s useless.”

The hemispherical light covered Hammerson’s body again.

Zeon did not miss that moment.

‘It’s a tattoo.’

A tattoo could be seen briefly between the gaps in his armor.

The light was starting from that tattoo.

It was clear the tattoo amplified Hammerson’s aura and formed a barrier.

Zeon fired Sand Missiles again, but each time, they were blocked by the aura.

In the meantime, Hammerson’s sword strikes left several wounds on him.

Fortunately, the wounds were not deep, but they were enough to chill Zeon’s blood.

SHAAAK!

Red light erupted from Hammerson’s sword.

A Martial Type Awakened.

Among them, it was Sword Aura, something only those specialized in swords could use.

“You can still control sand without one arm, can’t you?”

Hammerson intended to cut off one of Zeon’s arms and subdue him.

It was to break his spirit.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

His sword split into three in an instant and clawed at Zeon’s body.

Zeon used Sand Walk and desperately avoided Hammerson’s attacks. But no matter how much he used Sand Walk, he could not shake Hammerson off.

Zeon bit his lip.

He caught a glimpse of the Rank Insignia on his opponent’s wrist.

Red Martial Type, Grade B.

By contrast, he was Grade D.

Leaving compatibility aside, the difference in ability was far too vast.

Moreover, his opponent was a swordsman class specialized in interpersonal combat.

From the beginning, it was an extremely tilted playing field.

It was that unreasonable a fight.

But Zeon neither complained nor felt dissatisfied.

He knew that battles in this era were like this. And he also knew that a higher grade did not necessarily mean victory.

A Rank Insignia was only one indicator. It was not absolute.

‘I’ll use everything I can use.’

As he retreated with Sand Walk, Hammerson followed him.

Zeon deployed Sand Blender where Hammerson set foot.

GRRRRIND!

The sand rotated at high speed and caught Hammerson’s ankles.

“Hmph! A Skill like this won’t work on me.”

Since he had already seen his subordinates fall victim to it, he had prepared thoroughly.

He shook off the sand gripping his ankles and launched himself into the air.

Zeon fired Sand Missile at Hammerson.

“I told you, it’s useless.”

Hammerson snorted.

He trusted the Aura Shield amplified through his tattoo.

It had already proven its effectiveness by neutralizing Zeon’s attacks several times. That was why he could charge at Zeon so recklessly.

“I suppose one arm won’t be enough. I’ll take one leg too.”

SHAAAK!

His sword, charging in an instant, aimed for Zeon’s arm and leg.

Zeon hurriedly raised a sand barrier to protect his whole body. But the sand barrier he had created shattered to pieces before the power of Sword Aura.

Zeon was exposed defenselessly.

“It’s my victory.”

It was the moment Hammerson was certain of his victory.

Ssssh!

Two figures rose silently behind him.

Soldiers made of sand.

They were Sand Soldiers.

“What?”

Hammerson was startled by the Sand Soldiers that suddenly appeared and ambushed him.

He spun in place and attacked the Sand Soldiers.

CRASH!

With an explosive roar, the Sand Soldiers shattered.

Hammerson stroked his chest in relief and looked at Zeon.

“So you did have something you were relying on. But that’s over too.”

His confidence came from having already neutralized all of Zeon’s Skills.

It was when he tried to charge at Zeon again.

GRRRRIND!

The sand began rotating around him.

Zeon had deployed Sand Blender once more.

“I told you, it’s useless.”

It was the moment Hammerson tried to launch himself away again.

GRAB!

The Sand Soldiers he had shattered revived and hugged Hammerson.

“What?”

For the first time, a bewildered expression appeared on Hammerson’s face.

The Sand Soldiers dragged Hammerson into the Sand Blender rotating at terrifying speed.

He had already sunk into the sand up to his knees.

“Grrgh!”

Hammerson tried to shake off the Sand Soldiers and escape the sand. But the more he struggled, the deeper his body sank into the sand.

He hurriedly deployed Aura Shield to protect his entire body.

GRRRAAASH!

The grains of sand rotating at extreme speed struck the Aura Shield, and a chilling sound rang out again and again.

“You bastard!”

Hammerson’s urgent shout burst out.

His body was already submerged in sand up to his shoulders.

The more he struggled to escape, the deeper the sand dragged him down like a swamp.

For now, the Aura Shield protected his body, so he was not wounded, but he could not maintain it indefinitely.

Once his mana was completely depleted, the Aura Shield would vanish as well.

When that happened, he too would clearly be ground apart by the sand rotating at extreme speed.

But Hammerson believed in himself.

He did not think that his mana, as a Grade B Awakened, would be inferior to Zeon’s.

Moreover, with a Skill of this power, the mana consumption was bound to be enormous.

That was indeed true.

Zeon’s face, after using Skills continuously, had turned white, and his mana was on the verge of running out.

But he had a fraudulent item.

An item that fully restored his mana once, and only once, per day.

It was Elura’s Tear.

FLASH!

Together with a bright light, his depleted mana fully recovered.

Zeon poured mana back into using Sand Blender.

Sand Blender, which had seemed to be losing strength for a moment, began rotating powerfully again.

GRRRAAASH!

“Damn it!”

Hammerson was completely swallowed by the sand.

His vision turned black.

All he could hear was the sound of sand rotating everywhere.

CRACKLE!

The sound of the Aura Shield slowly breaking echoed in the darkness.

Now, Hammerson’s mana was reaching bottom.

At that, the Aura Shield shook rapidly.

“N-no!”

Hammerson’s complexion turned pale.

At that instant, his mana was completely depleted, and the Aura Shield disappeared.

With the obstruction gone, the sand rotating at extreme speed began grinding Hammerson as he was.

“Kraaaagh!”

Hammerson’s desperate scream echoed from within the sand.

The existence known as Hammerson completely vanished from this world.

A moment later, after confirming that the sand had been stained with blood, Zeon sank down on the ground.

Hammerson’s life signs could not be detected anywhere.

“Haa! Haa!”

Zeon breathed raggedly.

His complexion had turned deathly pale.

Even after using Elura’s Tear, his mana had been completely depleted.

If the chain of Sand Missile, Sand Soldier, and Sand Blender had gone wrong even once, the one who would have died was him.

That was how strong Hammerson had been.

Through the fight with him, Zeon felt it keenly.

What he lacked.

It was an interpersonal Skill.

Sand Blaster and Sand Missile were not enough.

Sand Blender was excellent as an area Skill, but it was not suitable as an interpersonal Skill.

He needed a stronger interpersonal Skill.

Zeon put that concern aside for the moment and looked at Deioden.

“Heh-heh! Elven bitch, where is Elharun?”

He was holding a lump of flesh so mangled that its shape could not be recognized.

The identity of the lump of flesh was the female elf who had led the elf rangers.

Around the female elf were countless horribly mangled lumps of flesh. All of them were elf rangers and dwarf warriors.

While Zeon had struggled against Hammerson, Deioden had slaughtered the elves and dwarves without leaving a single one alive.

Deioden threw the female elf in his hand like a piece of luggage. That was because she had stopped breathing in the meantime.

His gaze turned toward the short dwarf sprawled on the ground.

It was Gofrey, who had brought the dwarf warriors.

Gofrey’s limbs had been horribly crushed.

“Grrgh!”

He looked at Deioden with a face filled with terror.

His opponent was a monster against whom the mana particle cannons did not work, and neither did the attacks of the elf rangers and dwarf warriors.

Not even Elharun had a monster like this.

Deioden crouched in front of Gofrey and said,

“Shorty. You tell me.”

“Grrgh!”

“Where is Elharun?”

“That is......”

“If you tell me, I’ll spare your life.”

“R-really?”

“Heh-heh! What would I use your worthless life for if I took it?”

“Then......”

A momentary light of conflict appeared in Gofrey’s eyes.

It was the moment he was about to speak about Elharun.

BOOM!

Suddenly, his head exploded.

Blood and brain matter scattered in every direction.

Blood and brain matter splattered on Deioden’s face as well.

Wiping away the foreign matter without the slightest concern, he muttered,

“It seems they placed a restriction spell that makes him explode the moment he tries to speak about Elharun’s location. Dogshit nonhuman bastards!”