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Chapter 3

The Leader’s name was Jang Yong-beom.

Jang Yong-beom was a Martial Arts type Awakened.

His weapon was a massive claymore.

His combat style was tearing his enemies to shreds with the claymore infused with aura.

The woman who had momentarily frozen the scorching hot sand, her name was Giselle.

She was an Ice Magic type Awakened.

The Awakened who had used the Vibration attack was Aiden. He was the second-in-command of the party and possessed a keen eye and an outstanding brain.

Lastly, the giant who shattered the Sandworm’s head was named Mountain.

Despite the seemingly mild appearance, his true nature was exceptionally ruthless.

His brutality in tearing apart the desert monsters was quite famous even within Neo Seoul.

The party led by Jang Yong-beom was currently leaving Neo Seoul, heading towards the Magic Stone Mines.

Jang Yong-beom’s gaze toward Zeon was as sharp as a blade, as he asked.

“How did you survive?”

“What?”

“While everyone else became food for the Sandworm, how did you manage to survive alone?”

“I-I don’t know. When I regained consciousness, I was on top of the sand.”

Jang Yong-beom’s gaze became colder at Zeon’s response.

“Did you awaken, perhaps? Giselle, check the insignia on that bastard’s wrist.”

“Okay, Leader!”

The blue-haired woman, Giselle, answered and grabbed Zeon’s wrist.

“Ugh!”

Zeon couldn’t help but groan at the pain of his wrist being twisted.

Giselle examined Zeon’s wrist closely.

“Huh, no insignia?”

“Really?”

“Look! It’s not there.”

Giselle showed Zeon’s wrist to Jang Yong-beom.

As she said, Zeon’s wrist was clean.

Jang Yong-beom muttered.

“Did you just get lucky, not awaken?”

When someone awakens, seven thin lines appear on their wrist like a tattoo.

It looked exactly like old military rank badges, that’s why they called them awakening insignias.

If light appears on the bottom line, it’s F-rank; if it appears on the second line as well, it’s E-rank.

If it’s up to three, it’d be D-rank, if light comes on up to the fourth one, it’d be C-rank.

Additionally, the color of the insignia varies depending on the Awakened category.

Magic users have a blue color.

Martial Artists have red.

Sorcerers have gray.

Those who combine with machines have black.

Occasionally, there are those who awaken into other categories. However, they are extremely rare.

Those who deviate from the mainstream are called irregulars, but even irregulars have insignias on their wrists.

The insignia is proof of awakening and, at the same time, a shackle.

There is no more certain evidence of an Awakened One than the confirmation of the insignia.

On Jang Yong-beom’s wrist insignia, a red light was shining, clearly indicating that he belonged to the martial arts category.

Giselle, Aiden, and Mountain all had insignias on their wrists.

On the other hand, Zeon’s wrist was clean.

There was no sign of the awakening insignia, let alone any evidence of awakening.

Giselle spoke.

“He’s just a guy with insanely good luck.”

“Everyone else died, he’s the only one that survived, that isn’t just luck.”

“What should we do, Leader?”

“Anyway, we have to stop by the Magic Stone Mines. Put him in the car.”

“Hoho! A lucky man, indeed.”

Jang Yong-beom’s words made Giselle burst into laughter. However, Zeon couldn’t find it in himself to laugh.

‘Can they really not see this?’

In Zeon’s eyes, the insignia on his wrist was clearly visible.

Even though it was only the bottom line, evidence of F-rank, it was unmistakably the awakening insignia.

However, it seemed that his insignia was not visible to others at all.

‘What? Why can’t they see my rank insignia? Now that I think about it, the light is a little different.’

A deep orange color stained, like the color of sand lit by a crimson sunset.

Stories of Awakened individuals with this color insignias were unheard of.

Furthermore, the ability Zeon Awakened to was manipulating sand.

In moments of crisis, the surrounding sand moved according to his will.

Although it wasn’t powerful due to being F-rank, he could still control the sand within a certain radius.

Zeon suddenly glanced around.

Everything visible was a desert made entirely of sand.

After the five previous mass extinctions that occurred in the late Ordovician, late Devonian, end-Permian, end-Triassic, and end-Cretaceous periods, it was the sudden arrival of a sixth mass extinction.

In some ways, this sixth extinction could be considered the true apocalypse.

Ninety percent of life forms had become extinct, and most of the Earth had turned into a desert.

Rivers and seas disappeared, leaving the entire world covered in sand.

Nature continued its efforts to recover, but there was no certainty about when the former lushness would return.

In such a situation, having the ability to freely manipulate sand…

The entire desert was like his stage.

Only then did Zeon realize that his ability was far from ordinary.

He knew from his long experience in the slums that abilities that didn’t fit the norm could become a disaster.

‘If my ability gets exposed, I don’t know what might happen. I could be dragged to a lab and dissected.’

Fortunately, he had Awakened, but he was only an F-rank.

In the world of Awakened individuals, he was nothing more than a commoner.

He needed to enhance and elevate his abilities to survive. That would increase his chances of survival, even if only by a bit.

‘It’s one challenge after another. Damn it!’

Zeon bit his lip in frustration.

Even though he had awakened, the reality of not being able to openly reveal his awakened abilities was suffocating, but it was still better than when he was completely powerless.

Zeon chose to think positively.

Mountain spoke to Zeon.

“Hey, kid! Get on the cargo carrier.”

“The cargo carrier?”

“Why, don’t like it?”

“No way! I-I like the cargo carrier.”

“Then hop on.”

“Yes!”

With his reply, Zeon quickly climbed onto the cargo carrier. Soon after, everyone else got into the vehicle.

The vehicle, powered by Magic Stone, surged through the desert.

Zeon sat crouched on the cargo carrier, observing the desert landscape.

Before he knew it, the sun was nearing the western horizon.

The desert at dusk was several times fiercer and more intimidating than during the day.

No matter how remarkable a party made up of Awakened individuals was, survival couldn’t be guaranteed in the desert at night.

That’s why Jang Yong-beom hurriedly headed towards the Magic Stone Mines.

Thanks to that, they managed to arrive at the mines just before sunset.

“Is this the Magic Stone Mines?”

Zeon stood up in the cargo carrier and gazed at the Magic Stone Mines.

A massive rocky hill stood prominently in the middle of the desert.

Deep within the rocky hill lay the Magic Stone Mines. A tall fortress wall was built at the entrance of the hill, preventing the approach of Sandworms.

Awakened individuals stood guard atop the fortress wall.

Only through the front gate could one enter the inner sanctum of the rocky hill.

As Jang Yong-beom’s party approached, the Awakened individuals at the fortress gate opened it.

The vehicle passed through the gate as if sliding and entered the inner area.

Inside the fortress wall lay a small city.

As a major hub supplying Magic Stone to Neo Seoul, quite a few facilities and people resided within the rocky hill.

Though incomparable to Neo Seoul in size, it still had most amenities.

As Jang Yong-beom’s party’s vehicle stopped, one Awakened individual approached.

The moment they saw Jang Yong-beom’s face, the awakened individual’s face contorted.

Because they recognized his identity right away.

‘Why is this human trash here?’

Jang Yong-beom’s nickname was the Butcher.

His notoriety was widespread not only in Neo Seoul but also in the Magic Stone Mines.

“Long time no see. What business do you have here?”

“Mind your own business.”

“What?”

“I said, mind your own business. What will you do by knowing why I came here?”

The Awakened individual’s face turned red with Jang Yong-beom’s disdain.

Mountain stepped forward, towering in front of the Awakened individual’s tightly clenched fist.

“Why, you want to try something?”

“Ugh!”

Faced with Mountain’s enormous presence, the Awakened individual could do nothing but loosen their clenched fist.

Mountain, true to his name, was not only huge, but also possessed tremendous strength.

Not something a low-rank Awakened Individual could do anything about.

The Awakened One stepped back and spoke.

“I hope you don’t cause any trouble during your stay.”

“I’m not really interested in the mines, so don’t worry.”

Jang Yong-beom chuckled.

Although Jang Yong-Beom was strong enough to be nicknamed the Butcher, he was not foolish enough to cause a ruckus in the Magic Stone Mines directly managed by Neo Seoul.

His goal wasn’t within the mines but rather out there in the desert.

This place was merely an intermediate hub for activities in the desert.

“Oh, by the way, take that guy.”

Jang Yong-beom pointed at Zeon.

“Who’s that?”

“The bus that was heading here got attacked by a Sandworm. He’s the sole survivor.”

“TYou mean the bus carrying the miners?”

“Exactly! By the time we arrived, everyone else had been devoured by the Sandworm, and this one survived.”

Jang Yong-beom gestured toward Zeon in the cargo carrier.

The Awakened individual furrowed their brow.

“Hah! The manpower shortage is already chaotic…”

The Magic Stone Mines constantly suffered from a lack of manpower. While there were many applicants, many also perished.

Working deep underground demanded exceptional physical endurance, making it challenging for those with average stamina.

That was why they struggled constantly to acquire enough labor, accepting individuals regardless of status.

The Awakened individual Approached Zeon and said.

“Hey, kid!”

“Yes?”

“You volunteered as a miner, right?”

“Yes!”

“Then follow me. I’ll guide you to your quarters.”

“Understood.”

Zeon descended from the vehicle.

“Thanks for saving me.”

He nodded politely to Jang Yong-beom before following the Awakened individual.

Jang Yong-beom watched Zeon’s leaving figure with sharp eyes.

“What’s the matter? Leader!”

Giselle asked with a puzzled expression.

She was curious why Jang Yong-beom was looking at a seemingly ordinary person, like Zeon, like that.

“Something feels off.”

“What?”

“Isn’t it strange? Everyone else died, but he’s the only one who survived.”

“But we confirmed he’s not Awakened, right?”

“The Sandworm is not a monster that can be escaped with luck alone.”

“Mmm!”

Giselle mumbled with a sigh.

Watching Zeon as Jang Yong-beom moved away. she muttered under her breath.

“If it weren’t for that crazy old man, Butcher, I would’ve surely recognized what’s going on. What a shame.”

* * *

The place where the Awakened individual took Zeon was the miners’ lodging.

Pointing to the empty room devoid of any furniture, the Awakened individual said.

“This is your lodging.”

“It’s spacious. How many people sleep here?”

“Twenty.”

“What? Twenty… people?”

Zeon was surprised, although the room was relatively large, it still seemed cramped for twenty people.

Moreover, the smell of sweat from working in the mines was no joke.

It was terrifying to even imagine twenty men sleeping in one room, all smelling of sweat.

The Awakened individual chuckled as he observed Zeon’s contorted expression.

“I said twenty people, but not all of them sleep together in one room.”

“Why not?”

“Because a few folks might not return today, given how many accidents occur here daily.”

“Is mining work that dangerous?”

“That’s why they’re sending people like you, who have no abilities.”

For a moment, Zeon thought about punching the Awakened individual in the face. But doing so would undoubtedly lead to his immediate death or expulsion.

Anyway, now was the time to keep his head down thoroughly.

The Awakened individual said.

“Keep quiet. If you cause trouble, I’ll cut you into pieces and throw them out as food for the monsters.”

“Are there many monsters around here?”

“They’re abundant. If this place weren’t a rocky hill, it’d be a paradise for them.”

Their words weren’t merely meant to scare Zeon.

Although the appearance of a giant Sandworm was unusual, smaller monsters were frequently seen in the vicinity.

When corpses are left in the desert, there’s an eerie scent that someone somewhere catches, appearing like a ghost. And then, not a single bone fragment is left; everything gets devoured.

The deceased bodies from the Magic Stone Mines all become fodder for the Giant Horn Hyenas. It’s truly a complete disappearance, without leaving even the slightest trace in the world.

The Awakened Individual grinned with a cold smile.

“I guess you must have a reason why you chose to work in this place and live as a refuge. But you’ll soon realize how foolish that choice was.”

With that, the Awakened Individual left.

Zeon, who was left alone, stared at the door.

“It could be true, right? Only if I hadn’t Awakened.”

Zeon snapped his fingers.

The sand on the ground moved in tune with his gesture, almost as if the sand was dancing.