Chapter 432: Sand Beast
Leon sat motionless, his expression oddly conflicted. He quietly put away the Whispering Crystal, furrowing his brow in deep thought. How could he escape this Illusory Trial?
He had been trapped in this illusion for a long time, constantly watching for any changes. Yet, so far, he hadn't discovered anything at all.
What was going on...?
By now, he was certain the person who set up the Illusory Trial bore no malice. From the experiences of Leon Merlin, Ross Merlin, the Dragonblood Orc, and himself, it was clear—not only had they faced no danger, but they'd even gained a lot.
But if you're trapped in the illusion forever, no matter how many benefits you gain, it's all pointless.
No... that's not right...
If it's an Illusory Trial, there must be a way to break it.
Thinking this, Leon fell into deeper contemplation. The first place he appeared was a barren desert—he had already checked it thoroughly, and there was no sign of any alchemical array or the like.
So where exactly was the problem...?
For a moment, Leon’s nerves were frayed. Memories from the apocalypse kept surfacing—sometimes scenes of Northend’s destruction, sometimes moments when he’d barely escaped death.
Maybe... Maybe when the Illusory Trial's world, when Northend reaches its end, I'll finally be able to escape... But when will Northend be destroyed in this illusion?
Would Northend even be destroyed in this Illusory Trial? That was still unknown. If it didn’t end, would he be trapped here forever?
That’s impossible...
Leon rubbed his temples hard. If that were the case, it’d be better to just kill him. Suddenly, something clicked in his mind—he shot up from the wooden table, left the library without a backward glance, and strode down the dead street, heading out of Heather City.
He’d just remembered an experience—one from the apocalypse, second only to the destruction of the world itself in fear. He wanted to try using that memory to solve his current predicament.
Back then, he’d joined a group of over thirty mages, searching for food in the desert outside Heather City. As a newcomer to the apocalypse, Leon knew traveling alone was suicide. With a large party, survival odds increased. The others were seasoned veterans, and under their guidance, things went smoothly—until, on the way back, they took a different route. Thirty kilometers from Heather City, Leon’s group encountered a Sand Beast.
In the apocalypse, the Sand Beast meant death...
Leon hadn’t thought much of it at the time. Thirty-plus mages made for a formidable force. Ordinary magical beasts, even a Sand Beast, should’ve been manageable.
But things didn’t go as he expected.
This Sand Beast wasn’t ordinary—its strength far surpassed Leon’s imagination. In the very first clash, two mages were swallowed whole, unable to even fight back. Blood and flesh flew everywhere, the party thrown into chaos. Screams and cries for help echoed as the Sand Beast’s fangs dripped with blood.
Of the thirty-plus mages, Leon was the only survivor.
That scene—the Sand Beast’s savage, bloodthirsty attack—haunted Leon for years, turning into recurring nightmares. The beast’s gaping maw, its hunger for blood, lunging at him. Every time he dreamed it, he’d wake up drenched in cold sweat.
The worst part was, those nightmares never stopped.
After leaving Heather City, Leon cast a guidance spell and followed the path burned into his memory, his feet sinking into the scorching sand as he hurried toward a familiar direction.
The apocalyptic illusion was shaped by his memories—desolate desert, blood-red sun, gray sky, Heather City, Sanctuary Tower—all the things etched deep in his mind. If all those things existed, then that powerful Sand Beast from back then should exist too...
Now, his goal was to kill the Sand Beast. That way, he could resolve his inner turmoil—and maybe even escape the Illusory Trial.
He walked on the burning sand, retracing the route in his memory. For a moment, it felt like he’d gone back in time—except this time, he was alone. No group of thirty mages beside him.
"Shhh..."
A faint rustle of shifting sand was picked up by his ever-active Mana Harness. The sound was so subtle, you wouldn’t hear it even with your ear to the ground—only a nearly omnipotent Mana Harness could catch it. Leon didn’t move right away. He glanced around; though the desert was barren, it all felt eerily familiar.
Yeah, he’d been here before.
Back then, he was part of a group of thirty-plus mages. It was here they’d encountered the Sand Beast—leading to the party’s annihilation, with only Leon escaping to Heather City.
Years later, returning to this place, countless fragments of memory surged like a tide.
Just as he’d guessed, everything deeply imprinted in his memory appeared in the Illusory Trial—the powerful Sand Beast included.
"Boom!"
A thunderous crash split the air. The trembling sand was swept skyward, blotting out the sky. In that moment, a monstrous, jet-black figure radiating terror appeared before Leon. It was just as he remembered—massive, armored like iron, fangs gleaming, and a pair of dark red eyes locked onto him.
Instantly, a wave of terror engulfed Leon. Standing in that aura, he finally understood the mystery that had haunted him for years.
What rank was the Sand Beast that wiped out his entire team?
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He’d wondered about this more than once...
Now, at last, he understood—the Sand Beast was a level thirty-six monster.
Back then, a level thirty-six Sand Beast was almost unbeatable. Magic was drying up, legendary mages were dying off, and in a thousand years of Northend’s history, even Title Archmages were rare. Who could possibly kill a beast that strong?
With a guttural roar, the Sand Beast—towering several meters high, like a moving mountain—charged at Leon. Its two rows of razor-sharp fangs glinted in the harsh sunlight, sending chills down his spine. Its ironclad body was so tough, it inspired pure despair.
The Sand Beast moved with terrifying speed—in a blink, it was right in front of Leon.
The pressure it exerted was on par with Councilor Weiss of the Black Tower. In an instant, with a crisp "snap," its spiked tail sliced through the air. Any defense would be useless against those barbs...
As the beast lunged, Leon swung his staff, conjuring a mana shield. The spiked tail struck hard, sizzling on impact. The shield, tough enough to withstand even a Title Archmage’s assault, dimmed instantly before the Sand Beast’s strength.
The Sand Beast’s roar deepened—failing to crush Leon in one blow had made it furious. A chilling aura radiated from its body as it lunged, jaws wide, aiming for Leon’s head. Its fangs struck the mana shield first.
The shield, already dim, couldn’t withstand the monstrous force. The moment the fangs touched, a faint crack appeared and spread. Even Leon hadn’t expected such terrifying power. He raised his staff, summoning three ice walls and casting a haste spell on himself, retreating quickly before unleashing three trailing Fireballs.
The ice walls shattered instantly under the Sand Beast’s charge. The Fireballs exploded against its body, but the blasts only made its massive frame shudder. Its iron armor resisted magic—the attacks that could break a Title Archmage’s shield barely left a mark.
"Impressive..."