Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert

Jin Geum-ho’s office was located on the 50th floor, the top floor of the City Hall.

The elevator carrying Zeon and Seo Tae-ran moved silently, swiftly reaching the 50th floor in what felt like less than ten seconds.

“Please, step out.”

Seo Tae-ran exited first, followed by Zeon.

As soon as they stepped out, they were greeted by the vast expanse of the office.

The large, unobstructed windows provided a breathtaking view, creating a sense of openness and freedom.

Standing against the backdrop of the massive glass window was a middle-aged man with neatly combed hair, a well-groomed beard, and a perfectly tailored suit. Every detail about him exuded elegance and sophistication.

This man was none other than Jin Geum-ho.

With a slight smile, Jin Geum-ho spoke.

“Welcome. I am Jin Geum-ho, the Mayor of Neo Seoul.”

“I’m Zeon. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Please, come in. Welcome to Neo Seoul.”

“Thank you.”

Zeon nodded and bowed slightly in greeting.

He was standing before the legendary figure who had built a vast city upon the ruins of a wasteland.

Without Jin Geum-ho, the people of this land would still be living in medieval conditions like other colonies.

It was through Jin Geum-ho and Dyoden’s efforts that Neo Seoul was established, and humanity could regain some semblance of their previous civilization.

For this alone, Jin Geum-ho deserved immense respect.

Jin Geum-ho’s face showed a relaxed expression as he welcomed Zeon.

“There is much to discuss. Please, take a seat.”

“Thank you.”

Zeon took a seat opposite Jin Geum-ho without hesitation.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Water will be fine.”

“I’ll get it right away.”

Seo Tae-ran left to fetch the water.

“I heard you live in the slums. How is it there?”

“It’s manageable.”

“Is that so?”

“I was born there, so it’s comfortable for me.”

“I see.”

Jin Geum-ho nodded at Zeon’s response.

Jin Geum-ho treated Zeon casually, despite being the absolute authority of Neo Seoul.

However, Zeon wasn’t deceived by Jin Geum-ho’s friendly demeanor.

“I hear you are a Sand Mage.”

“Yes, I was fortunate enough to awaken as a Sand Mage.”

“Luck follows those who have the will and skill.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Zeon replied with a relaxed expression.

Jin Geum-ho found Zeon’s demeanor intriguing.

Anyone who stood before him typically showed signs of nervousness.

No matter how friendly he appeared, the pressure of his presence was immense.

Without applying any deliberate pressure, anyone facing Jin Geum-ho would naturally feel intimidated.

The most recent person he faced was Alexandro, the leader of the White Bear Caravan, who also displayed signs of nervousness.

Yet, this relatively young Zeon met his gaze with unwavering confidence and a faint, assured smile, reminding Jin Geum-ho of someone from his past.

“You remind me of an old friend.”

“A friend?”

“Yes, an old friend. Though you and he differ in appearance and aura, there’s something similar about you.”

“Who is this friend, if I may ask?”

“Dyoden. His name is Dyoden. He was my only friend and my greatest rival. Without him, Neo Seoul wouldn’t exist.”

“Where is your friend… now?”

“He left.”

“Where did he go?”

“I don’t know. One day, he just left and never returned.”

“His name is Dyoden?”

“Yes. It’s a name you won’t forget once you hear it.”

As Jin Geum-ho spoke of Dyoden, a gentle smile appeared on his face.

It was unclear whether this smile was genuine nostalgia or a calculated expression.

Dyoden had once described Jin Geum-ho to Zeon as such:

― He’s devious, but as long as you’re on the same side, he’s someone you can trust and rely on.

Dyoden fought the monsters head-on while Jin Geum-ho supported him from the rear.

They spent decades battling monsters together, building the walls of Neo Seoul.

Even though their relationship eventually soured, Dyoden did not hold a grudge against Jin Geum-ho.

Jin Geum-ho continued speaking.

“Why is that? Despite your different traits and appearance, something about you reminds me of him…”

“I couldn’t say.”

“Sorry. I shouldn’t keep a distinguished guest with such irrelevant stories.”

“No need to apologize.”

“Thank you!”

“For what?”

“For stopping the Balrog. Thanks to you, we were able to prevent significant damage.”

“If Balrog ran rampant, my home would’ve been destroyed as well.”

“Regardless, thanks to you, the entire slum was spared. If the slums had fallen, Neo Seoul would have suffered greatly.”

Jin Geum-ho’s words were filled with affection for Neo Seoul.

Although he mentioned the slums, it felt perfunctory.

What mattered to Jin Geum-ho was Neo Seoul, and the slums were merely a buffer zone to protect the city.

Jin Geum-ho asked.

“What are your plans now?”

“What do you mean?”

“With so many factions reaching out to you, have you decided which one to join?”

“Not yet.”

“I figured as much.”

“Why did you think that?”

“Didn’t I say you remind me of my friend? Someone with your eyes and temperament wouldn’t willingly serve under someone else. That’s why I guessed.”

“You seem to overestimate me.”

“Or perhaps you’re underestimating the role of a Sand Mage?”

Jin Geum-ho stood up from his seat and approached the large window.

Beyond the expansive glass, the dazzling panorama of Neo Seoul stretched out. However, Jin Geum-ho’s gaze was fixed not on the city, but on the endless desert beyond the city walls.

“It’s merely this much.”

“Pardon?”

“This is the extent of human territory that I have managed to secure with a lifetime of effort. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t secure more habitable land for humans.”

Neo Seoul, though magnificent, was not large.

In such a confined space, a staggering ten million people lived. Including the slums, over twenty million people were crammed into this small city.

Efforts to expand the city had been made several times but had all ended in failure.

“Outside this city lies the domain of the monsters. The further you go, the stronger the monsters become. Expanding human territory to those regions is impossible, at least for ordinary Awakeneds. But you are different. With your ability, you could expand human territory beyond this.”

Jin Geum-ho turned to look at Zeon.

His eyes were shining intensely.

Zeon believed that this was Jin Geum-ho’s true face.

“I want to expand human territory. I don’t want to be satisfied with just Neo Seoul; I want to secure more land. Neo Seoul has reached its limit. We can’t accommodate any more people being born. It’s about to explode.”

What Jin Geum-ho said was true.

There was no more land to build on, and vertical expansion was no longer possible. The population kept growing, but there were no houses to accommodate them.

“That’s why I need your help.”

“If you’re asking me to clear all the sand around Neo Seoul, I can’t do that. I don’t have the power to move such a massive amount of sand.”

“I know. If humans had that kind of power, this land wouldn’t have fallen into ruin.”

“Then why?”

“I’ll take care of expanding the land. You just need to obtain something for me. In return, I’ll take care of your convenience.”

“What do you mean by convenience?”

“I’ll handle all the troublesome entities approaching you.”

“Are you talking about places like the East or West Districts?”

“I guarantee they will never bother you. Just do me this one favor.”

“So, do I have to join the City Hall?”

“That would be ideal, but you don’t necessarily have to work here.”

“That’s interesting.”

Zeon’s eyes lit up with interest.

He hadn’t expected Jin Geum-ho to make such an offer.

Given Jin Geum-ho’s power hunger and desire for talented individuals, he had expected an offer to join his ranks.

“I’ll also provide you with a house in Neo Seoul and citizenship. If you want, I can grant citizenship to the children you live with as well.”

“What exactly is it that you want me to do?”

“Just hunt one monster for me.”

“Excuse me?”

“I have a long-standing project to expand human territory, and I need the heart of a specific monster.”

“Doesn’t Neo Seoul have many Awakeneds.”

“Yes, but none of them can catch this monster except you.”

“What do you mean?”

“The monster’s name is Moby Dick.”

“Moby Dick?”

“A giant whale that swims in the sand.”

“Is such a monster real?”

“It was recently discovered by Pathfinder Team 1.”

Neo Seoul operated Pathfinder teams to find habitable lands.

Pathfinder Team 1 made an incredible report.

“It’s an enormous monster, over 120 meters long with a girth of over 30 meters.”

“That’s hard to believe. A monster that large?”

“I found it hard to believe too, but they sent this as proof.”

Buzz!

At that moment, a section of the office wall opened, revealing a massive white column.

“What is this?”

“This is a tooth from Moby Dick.”

The object that looked like a white pillar was actually a tooth from the terrestrial whale known as Moby Dick.

An immense amount of mana emanated from the tooth.

“Hmm!”

“Impressive, isn’t it? I was also shocked when I first received the tooth. The purity of the mana contained within is astonishing.”

“It’s almost overwhelming.”

Zeon spoke honestly.

He had never seen a monster’s part contain such pure mana.

Normally, when a part is separated from the main body of a monster, the mana diminishes.

“A mere tooth contains such immense mana. Imagine the heart.”

“What do you plan to do with Moby Dick’s heart?”

“I can’t disclose that. But I can assure you that whatever I do, it will benefit humanity and won’t cause any harm.”

“…….”

“This monster swims through the sand like a Sandworm. Ordinary Awakeneds can’t find or kill it. The Pathfinder team was able to discover Moby Dick by sheer luck.”

Moby Dick was a whale that lived in the sand.

It had all the characteristics of a whale.

It could breathe in the sand, so it didn’t need to surface.

That’s why Pathfinder Team 1 lost track of Moby Dick after initially finding it. They searched the area for ten days but only found its tooth.

“The only person in this world who can find and kill Moby Dick is you, a Sand Mage.”

“So that’s why you sought me out.”

“Exactly.”

“Even as a Sand Mage, finding Moby Dick in this vast desert is impossible.”

“But you could sense it if it was nearby, right?”

“Within ten kilometers, perhaps.”

“That’s enough. If you ever sense Moby Dick, even by chance, kill it and bring me its heart. I’ll be satisfied with that.”

Zeon closed his eyes.

He didn’t know what Jin Geum-ho planned to do with Moby Dick’s heart, but the proposal wasn’t detrimental to him.

If Moby Dick had the traits of a whale, it would travel thousands of kilometers.

The odds of encountering it in a lifetime were slim.

Jin Geum-ho’s request wasn’t to find and kill it at all costs but to hunt it down if they ever crossed paths.

Jin Geum-ho stared straight at Zeon.

“What do you think? Will you accept my proposal?”

His eyes glinted menacingly, as if refusing wasn’t an option.