Chapter 286

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 286

Zeon and Pathfinder Team 3 stood atop a high sand dune, looking down below.

They saw an enormous basin that was sunken deeper than the surrounding terrain.

Zeon frowned.

The Mana Stone Mine near Neo Seoul was located within a rocky mountain. Even an amateur could tell it was a mine based on its terrain.

But this place was different.

Zeon asked cautiously.

“Is this an open-pit mine?”

“Yes! The problem is, that place is home to monsters.”

“Monsters?”

Before the words left his mouth, the sand in the basin began to stir. Something briefly appeared.

It was long and sleek, resembling a snake, with what seemed to be suction cups underneath.

The creature thrashed about the basin before vanishing back into the sand. But in the wake of its movements, chunks of minerals the size of an adult’s fist rolled across the ground.

“Mana Stones?”

“Yes! As you can see, Mana Stones are buried beneath the sand.”

“It’s worth investigating. But…”

“Yes! The monsters are the problem. As you saw, only parts of the creature appear, so we can’t even guess what it is.”

There were more unknown monsters in the world than known ones.

While most of the monsters near Neo Seoul had been cataloged, this location was a full 300 kilometers away, making its ecosystem largely uncharted.

Moreover, for reasons unknown, the ecosystem of the monsters in the area had undergone significant changes.

The Giant Horned Hyenas that nearly wiped them out weren’t native to this area either.

Occasionally, such drastic ecological shifts occurred. For Pathfinder Teams, these moments were the most dangerous.

Zeon asked Eun So-young.

“Have you tried approaching it?”

“We were planning to set up a shelter first and then carefully investigate.”

“So, you haven’t gotten close yet.”

“Embarrassingly, no.”

Eun So-young lowered her head.

It felt like she was revealing a flaw in their professionalism.

Pathfinders were supposed to be brave.

They were meant to be full of curiosity and driven by the need to explore.

In other words, they required the courage to face any danger in the name of curiosity.

Eun So-young and her team met all these requirements. But they weren’t reckless.

They were not the kind of people to wander into the domain of an unfamiliar monster without a plan.

Their style was to observe patiently over time.

As she thought Zeon might view them as cowards, he spoke up.

“You made the right call.”

“Pardon?”

“Blindly entering the territory of an unknown monster is never a good idea. You did well.”

“R-right?”

“Yes. Now, let’s identify what kind of monster it is.”

“How will you do that?”

“Like this.”

Before he finished speaking, Zeon began manipulating the sand.

Grrrr!

The sand in the basin started spinning at high speed.

Clang! Clang!

Suddenly, metallic sounds rang out, and sparks flew as the sand collided with something below.

Fwoosh!

Then, a massive monster with eight legs emerged from the sand.

The creature resembled an octopus, but its legs were tens of meters long.

“Is that a Kraken?”

A monstrous creature said to have ruled the ancient seas.

The monster before them bore an uncanny resemblance to the Kraken.

Despite the ferocious spinning of the sand, the Kraken didn’t seem significantly injured.

Zeon noticed why and frowned.

“The Mana Stones are absorbing most of the impact.”

“What?”

“As you said, this is an open-pit mine. The sand below is practically filled with Mana Stones. They’re dispersing the energy of my skill, so it barely affects the monster.”

“That’s…”

Mana Stones were incredibly durable minerals.

If only a small amount were present, it wouldn’t matter, but with so many beneath the sand, they were diluting the effect of Zeon’s Sand Mixer.

On top of that, the Kraken’s body was surrounded by a distinct energy field.

This meant it was at least an A-rank monster.

It could even be S-rank or higher.

Of course, if Zeon fully committed, he could defeat it. But there was no reason to.

Securing and stabilizing the Mana Stone Mine was the responsibility of City Hall.

Zeon quietly manipulated the sand to move a single Mana Stone toward him.

The Kraken-like monster rolled its enormous eyes, scanning its surroundings, but it failed to detect Zeon or the other Awakeneds.

As soon as Zeon stopped the Sand Mixer, the Kraken sank back into the sand.

“Ugh! I can’t believe such a monster has claimed the Mana Stone Mine.”

“If we’d walked in blind…”

The thought alone made Pathfinder Team 3 shudder.

Meanwhile, Zeon picked up the Mana Stone.

“I can’t say for sure yet, but the purity looks good. We’ll need to analyze it in Neo Seoul to know for certain.”

The Mana Stone sparkled brilliantly under the sunlight, without a single flaw.

At first glance, its purity seemed exceptionally high.

These Mana Stones were scattered abundantly beneath the sand.

It was no surprise Neo Seoul would covet them.

‘However…’

Zeon scanned the surroundings.

The terrain wasn’t ideal.

Unlike the previous Mana Stone Mine, nestled within the natural fortress of a rocky mountain, this place was wide open, making it difficult to defend against monster attacks.

‘Well, that’s not my problem.’

It was up to City Hall to figure this out.

Simply confirming the existence of Mana Stones and a dangerous monster was enough for Zeon to consider his job done.

He tossed the Mana Stone to Eun So-young.

“That should serve as evidence of a Mana Stone Mine, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then let’s head back.”

“Yes!”

Eun So-young placed the Mana Stone in her pack and nodded.

Having completed their mission, she was eager to leave this dangerous place and return to Neo Seoul.

Zeon and Pathfinder Team 3 left the area near the Mana Stone Mine, where the monster was lurking.

After walking for a while, they spotted the vehicle they had used to arrive.

It was a heavily armored transport.

But the vehicle was now crumpled like paper.

It seemed to have been attacked by a monster.

“Damn it! Looks like we’re walking.”

“Ugh!”

The Awakeneds sighed.

The thought of walking back through the scorching desert to Neo Seoul was exhausting. But they were used to it.

Rarely did vehicles return in one piece from these expeditions.

Sand would jam the axles, or monsters would destroy the vehicles.

Unless it was a major expedition, mechanics didn’t accompany them.

“At least we have Zeon with us this time.”

Pathfinder members were skilled navigators, but they couldn’t compare to Zeon.

Everyone knew Zeon was better than any navigator.

Walking with him would be easier than the trip out. And their assumption proved correct.

“There’s a Sandworm ahead. Let’s take a detour. It’s probably full from a recent meal, so it won’t attack if we avoid it.”

Zeon’s sudden words confused the team. They saw nothing.

But when they looked closer, they noticed faint shifts in the sand, like something breathing below the surface.

They realized Zeon was right.

From that point on, they never doubted him.

They followed his guidance without encountering a single monster.

“This is amazing.”

“Now I get why they call him the Sand Mage.”

Even their campsites, chosen by Zeon, were safe.

At first glance, the sites seemed exposed, but Zeon explained.

“This area overlaps monster territories.”

“Isn’t that more dangerous?”

“Not really. monsters rarely attack each other unless there’s a significant power difference. They’ll stay cautious but won’t approach us.”

“I see…”

Following Zeon’s advice, the team avoided every danger.

In just three days, they reached Neo Seoul—a trip that normally took a week.

“Already here? Feels like a dream.”

Eun So-young’s team felt amazed.

Usually, the frequent monster attacks made progress slow.

With Zeon’s guidance, they traveled efficiently, arriving well-rested.

“Do you think Zeon would be interested in becoming a Pathfinder?”

“Why would he? That’s ridiculous.”

“You never know.”

“He doesn’t need this kind of work. Be realistic.”

“Tsk.”

As the team debated, Zeon approached Eun So-young.

“You’re heading to City Hall, right?”

“Yes.”

“Perfect. I need to go there too. Let’s go together.”

“Of course.”

Eun So-young felt reassured, even though they no longer needed his protection.

As Zeon walked beside her, he pondered.

‘How will he react?’

Both Lee Jung-ho and Claire, whom Jin Geum-ho had sent, were dead. Zeon had returned alone.

A typical ruler might be furious or use this as an excuse to detain or punish him.

Zeon was curious about Jin Geum-ho’s response.

When they reached City Hall, someone was already waiting.

“Welcome back.”

A woman in a sharp red suit—Seo Tae-ran—greeted Zeon first.

She ignored Eun So-young entirely.

“It’s been a while, Zeon. The Mayor is waiting for you.”

“Is that so?”

“Please, follow me.”

“Alright.”

Zeon entered the elevator with her.

The high-speed elevator whisked them to the top floor.

Ding!

The doors opened to reveal Jin Geum-ho, staring intently at Zeon.

His piercing blue eyes glimmered faintly.

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]