Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert-Chapter 571

Chapter 571

Kwang! Kwaaaang!

Bundles of lightning as thick as pillars poured down like rain and struck the mana particle cannons.

The mana particle cannons, into which an enormous amount of City Hall’s finances had been poured, burst apart like toys.

Naturally, those operating the mana particle cannons could not remain safe.

In an instant, their bodies were charred black.

With the smell of burning flesh, white smoke rose from their bodies.

There were not even screams.

They died instantly, without even having the time to feel pain.

Years’ worth of City Hall’s budget and personnel evaporated in an instant, yet not a single person here had the thought that it was a waste.

The unprecedented, terrifying might left their minds completely blank.

They had to grit their teeth just to hold onto their fading consciousness.

“Damn it!”

Seong Hoyeon cursed and moved.

Most of the Awakened were frozen in fear, unable to move. Someone had to move first to rouse them.

As Seong Hoyeon moved, the Numbers followed, and behind them came the strike captains of each district, including Mac Krieger.

Seong Hoyeon shouted,

“Find its weakness first. There must be a vulnerable spot somewhere.”

“Okay!”

“Got it!”

The Numbers replied as they unleashed their skills.

Grain, the gravity mage, used Gravity Increase to press Behemoth down, and the twin sisters attempted to disrupt its mind with telepathy.

Old Man Go deployed a barrier to bind Behemoth in place, and the other Awakened unleashed the skills they were most confident in.

The SRT Team led by Mac Krieger approached Behemoth closely and attacked.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!

Countless attacks struck Behemoth’s massive body. But unfortunately, their attacks had no adverse effect whatsoever.

It had been strong to begin with, but after devouring many S-rank magical beasts and strengthening itself, Behemoth was calamity itself.

Hwa-ha-hak!

Suddenly, black ink sprayed from Behemoth’s body and poured down like rain.

“Aaagh!”

“S-save me!”

The Awakened screamed as they collapsed.

Where the rain touched their skin, holes were burned straight through as it melted away.

Those protected by heavy armor or defensive skills managed to survive, but those without such abilities met a gruesome end.

“You bastard!”

With a roar of fury, Seong Hoyeon pulled out a massive greatsword from his subspace.

It was a sword called Dragon Slayer, specially crafted to slay great magical beasts.

As its name suggested, it was a decisive weapon made to kill dragons.

Seong Hoyeon swung Dragon Slayer and struck Behemoth’s head.

Kkaang!

But Dragon Slayer rebounded after colliding with Behemoth’s force field.

Behemoth’s gaze turned toward Seong Hoyeon.

In that instant, a crimson beam of destruction shot toward him.

Flash!

At the moment of crisis, Seong Hoyeon hurriedly shielded himself with Dragon Slayer.

Kwaang!

“Ugh!”

With a thunderous explosion, Dragon Slayer shattered into pieces, and Seong Hoyeon’s body was flung backward.

His body crashed to the ground and rolled disgracefully.

“Captain!”

“Are you okay?”

The Numbers called out to him.

Fortunately, Seong Hoyeon quickly forced himself to his feet. But his face was clearly stricken.

Though he had saved his life, he had suffered considerable injuries.

His stomach churned as if he might vomit at any moment.

Suppressing the nausea by force, Seong Hoyeon said,

“I’m fine! Everyone, be careful.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Understood.”

The Numbers nodded and continued their assault.

The Awakened of each district matched their pace and launched wave after wave of attacks.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!

Numerous skills poured down like rain, hammering Behemoth. But Behemoth moved its steps indifferently, as if it had taken no damage at all.

Kwachik!

An Awakened who failed to dodge in time was crushed under Behemoth’s foot and burst apart.

“Crazy!”

“You’re telling us to stop that?”

Fear rose on the faces of the Awakened.

Its enormous size made it incredibly difficult to inflict meaningful damage.

Only the district leaders and the Numbers were capable of dealing effective blows; the attacks of the other Awakened had no effect at all.

Kwang! Kwaaaang!

Each time Behemoth moved, numerous Awakened were trampled and lost their lives.

“Damn it! How are we supposed to fight something like this?”

“I can’t see any way to defeat it.”

Despair surfaced on the faces of the Awakened.

Even after coming fully prepared, they could not even stop Behemoth from moving. That fact drove them to frustration.

But even as all others despaired, there were those who moved to create hope.

It was the Numbers and the captains of each district.

They were armed with exceptional skills and mental fortitude.

“Look at the horn. After discharging lightning, its color changes. It seems to serve as a mana charging core.”

“If we destroy that horn, we can at least seal its lightning skill.”

Even in the midst of crisis, they found their own breakthrough.

Mac Krieger shouted,

“We’ll destroy that horn. Cover our rear.”

Without waiting for Seong Hoyeon’s reply, he led the SRT Team into motion.

Kwaang!

A massive fireball fired from a magical weapon by a team member exploded against Behemoth’s head.

Its power was so immense that Behemoth’s head shook for a brief moment.

In that opening, Mac Krieger leapt into the air.

Around him, seven iron spheres rotated.

They were no ordinary iron balls.

They were weapons called Chaos Balls, concentrated with the technological prowess of the Eastern District.

Though the name sounded somewhat ridiculous, their power was anything but.

The Chaos Balls had the function of storing and amplifying skills.

Mac Krieger had stored one of his skills, Explosive Flame Sphere, within them.

A skill dozens of times more powerful than a normal fireball—once it exploded, it had enough power to destroy even a large golem in an instant.

Each Chaos Ball contained ten stacked Explosive Flame Spheres.

They were his trump card, prepared one day to take revenge on Seong Hoyeon. But now was not the time to be selective.

“Captain! Now!”

One SRT Team member shouted as he drove a massive blade into Behemoth’s head force field and twisted it.

Thanks to that, a gap formed in the field.

Paseuseu!

As the gap appeared, the force field went into a rampage, and the SRT Team member was reduced to ashes in an instant.

Swallowing his grief, Mac Krieger hurled all seven Chaos Balls in succession through the gap in the force field.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!

From the shock of the explosions, Behemoth’s massive head dropped downward with a jolt. The horn was no longer visible.

It had been destroyed in the blast.

“It’s done.”

The moment Mac Krieger cried out in triumph—

Behemoth swung its massive foreleg and struck him.

Kwaang!

“Keugh!”

Struck by Behemoth’s foreleg, Mac Krieger’s body was sent flying far away.

Unconscious, he crashed headfirst into the sand.

His fate was unknown.

But everyone knew that a golden opportunity had arrived.

The lightning that had rained down so fearfully vanished as if it had been a lie, and the force field that had protected Behemoth like an iron wall disappeared.

It was the precious opportunity Mac Krieger and the SRT Team had created with their lives on the line.

They could not let this chance slip away.

Seong Hoyeon shouted,

“Now! All-out attack!”

“Yes!”

“Uwoooo!”

The Awakened, who had been shrinking back, roared and charged at Behemoth.

Among them, the Numbers stood out the most.

“Gravity Collapse!”

Grain used his most powerful skill against Behemoth, now without its force field.

As gravity collapsed, Behemoth’s massive body was crushed down.

Against Behemoth, unable to move, the Numbers unleashed a barrage of lethal attacks.

Kwang! Kwaang!

Explosions rang out continuously, and Behemoth’s body shook.

Seong Hoyeon shouted,

“Just a little more. The end isn’t far.”

“Aaaah!”

“Die, you damn hippo bastard!”

The Awakened screamed as they squeezed out the last of their strength.

Under their attacks, Behemoth’s scales shattered and fell away.

Behemoth was becoming drenched in blood.

Victory seemed close at hand.

At that moment, Behemoth’s voice resounded.

—How troublesome.

Bang!

The instant Behemoth finished speaking, a shockwave erupted.

The shockwave struck the Awakened who were clinging to its body like ants.

“Aaagh!”

“Guh!”

The Awakened who had been attacking so fiercely were blown away like falling leaves.

Next, beams of destruction fired from Behemoth’s eyes and struck the Numbers.

“Keuhp!”

“Ugh!”

The Numbers hit by the beams were flung in all directions like bowling pins.

Fortunately, they did not lose their lives, but Old Man Go and the twin sisters were rendered incapable of resisting and fell to their knees.

“Damn it!”

“How the hell are we supposed to defeat this…?”

Despair rose on the faces of the Awakened who had avoided Behemoth’s attack.

Already, many had died or been injured.

Even after sacrificing their lives to attack it, Behemoth remained intact.

Overwhelming helplessness made it difficult for them to even move their hands and feet.

Just as defeat threatened to consume them.

“Sand Gehenna!”

Someone’s voice rang out across the battlefield.

It was a low voice, yet it pierced their eardrums with strange clarity.

Bubble! Bubble! 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

No sooner had the words ended than the sand beneath Behemoth’s feet melted and began to boil.

Seong Hoyeon instantly recognized the owner of the voice.

“It’s Zeon.”

At his shout, everyone raised their heads to look at the sky.

From high above, Zeon descended riding the sandstorm.

He unleashed skill after skill in succession.

“Fire Rain! Summon Sand Soldiers.”

The moment his words ended, a rain of fire poured toward Behemoth, and soldiers rose from the sand.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!

The rain of fire hammered Behemoth’s massive body.

Following that, the Sand Soldiers climbed onto Behemoth’s body and attacked.

Zeon shouted to Seong Hoyeon and the others,

“Leave the tanking to the Sand Soldiers. Fall back and focus on ranged attacks.”

“Understood.”

Seong Hoyeon obediently retreated.

The Awakened needed time to reorganize.

They had to attack from range and recover their stamina and mana. Close combat would come afterward.

Seong Hoyeon shouted to the Awakened,

“Everyone fall back. Magic types bombard it. Martial types recover your stamina.”

“Yes!”

“Understood!”

The Awakened responded and distanced themselves from Behemoth.

In the meantime, Behemoth attempted to escape from Sand Gehenna.

With its enormous size, breaking free from Sand Gehenna would normally have been simple. But Zeon did not allow it.

“Arghh!”

Zeon manipulated the sand deep beneath Behemoth’s feet, turning it into quicksand.

Paseuseuseu!

As the sand flowed downward into the depths of the earth, Behemoth’s body was dragged along with it.

In an instant, half of Behemoth’s massive body was trapped in the sand.

—Do not obstruct me, Sand Mage!

Enraged, Behemoth fired a beam of destruction at Zeon. But the Sand Soldiers threw themselves forward and blocked the beam in his place.

Thanks to that, Zeon gained time to unleash his next skill.

“Diamond Spear!”

Shuuuu!

The moment his words ended, a gigantic diamond spear shot up from underground and pierced Behemoth’s abdomen.

—Kraaaah!

Behemoth’s scream shook the desert.