How to Quell the Sandstorm (1)
We rode on the back of a massive rhinoceros. Whenever monsters lunged at us along the way, we'd dismount and deal with them on the spot, or I'd handle them from range since I could attack from afar.
Ramirez kept insisting on jumping in himself, but since we were the ones who had to pick up his daggers afterward, I politely declined.
What the hell. To begin with, I couldn't even fathom what thought process led him to bring daggers in the first place.
"That guy," Han Seohyun said. "Isn't he kinda way too suspicious? Using daggers like disposable junk like that—he'd go bankrupt no matter what he hunted."
Even Han Seohyun, who had zero real combat experience, was side-eyeing you, man!
For someone like me, who'd survived by draping myself in lies and bluffs my whole life, this was amateur-hour camouflage. It was so sloppy I had to sigh.
Still, I had no intention of kicking Ramirez out.
For starters, anyone could see the guy was a powerhouse. You could tell just from his actions. Sure, his oddly sloppy disguise turned people's stomachs, but he always carried himself with total ease.
There was zero sense of crisis in Ramirez's demeanor.
I didn't know what his real talent was... but you couldn't explain that attitude without assuming he was ridiculously strong.
━What if that guy attacks you all?
'Doesn't seem like the type. I don't know his goal, but...'
I couldn't figure out why someone with that kind of power would hide it to join us, but that was exactly why I figured keeping him close was smarter.
[It's weirdly quiet around here. No signs of life at all. I was hoping we'd run into other survivors along the way.]
I nodded at Ramirez's words.
This area felt unnaturally devoid of human presence. Even accounting for us going in the opposite direction from the shuttle survivors, it was bizarre how zero signs of people we could detect.
[Maybe they all headed back to the center?]
[That'd be ideal, but...]
They were probably dead.
A sandstorm like this, with monster attacks coming nonstop? Not many could last.
We were pretty stacked, even if Han Seohyun lacked real battle experience. I could unleash 6-star hunter-level firepower if needed, and I hadn't even gone all out this hunt. Then there was Kim Jaeho, whose body mods pushed him beyond human limits, and Han Seohyun, who commanded tireless undead and could even raise monster corpses for swarm tactics in a pinch.
And Ramirez, suspicious as he was, was pulling more than his weight.
We were strong enough to repel monster waves that hit like a tidal wave.
But regular folks? No chance.
Isolated in this mess... well, it depended on the individual, but I wouldn't bet on good outcomes.
Anyway, all we could do was endure.
No electronics worked until the sandstorm cleared, so linking up with others or navigating out was off the table.
Our top priority was escaping the storm's range, but right now, with directions all screwed up, we couldn't even tell if we were heading out or deeper in.
The sun was setting too, darkness creeping over everything.
Time to make a plan.
"No choice. We'll camp here."
I told Han Seohyun to halt the monster.
[Something wrong?]
[Gonna spend the night here.]
[Here?]
Ramirez's reaction was understandable—this was flat, empty nothing. Not ideal inside a sandstorm. Best would be finding shelter to block it, like a cave.
But perfect spots didn't just pop up. No teeth? Bite with your gums. Still, we had it better than most.
[Prop up that monster as a wall, lay out the tent—we can make a decent shelter for a night.]
[Whoa! Smart!]
Ignoring Ramirez's over-the-top reaction, I calmly unpacked artifacts from my bag and set them up.
Lantern for light, rations for dinner. Meanwhile, Kim Jaeho and Han Seohyun threw together bedding with poles and tarps we'd prepped.
Ramirez just sat there, dazed.
"What's his deal?"
Han Seohyun gave me a deadpan look.
"Kept asking if there was anything he could help with, but he's useless, so I told him to sit. Now he's like that."
"What'd you say?"
"Sit. Means 'sit down,' right?"
"Not wrong, but that sounds like you're talking to a dog."
"Whatever."
Han Seohyun rolled his eyes at Ramirez.
Clearly still didn't like the guy. No point lecturing him on it, so I just shrugged it off.
If even Ramirez brushed off the glare, no need for me to meddle.
We wrapped up dinner with our rations. Ramirez kept his goggles on even while eating. I addressed him.
[Know anything about this sandstorm?]
He might know something, even as a first-timer like me.
[Ah, yeah. It's only been a few months since it started raging across Australia.]
[A few months?]
[About four or five months back, a top-tier monster popped out of a gate break. Estimated highest grade. That's what kicked up the storm.]
Its name: Evrika. A massive bird-shaped monster that roamed with a sandstorm spanning a 20km radius. It wasn't hyper-aggressive, more half-dormant, so they'd left it alone till now. Subjugating an S-grade-plus beast took massive resources, and Australia lacked the slack.
It never came this close before.
So the storm had been blowing far from our destination originally.
[No clue why Evrika moved in so close, but if it crosses the barrier... big trouble.]
If it hit the barrier, as Ramirez said, hell would break loose. Barrier falls, monsters flood through the gap.
Never heard Australia collapsed like that, so probably not, but still a crisis.
[Even if they ignored it before, shouldn't they hunt Evrika by now?]
[Mm. No hunters in Australia who can handle it. Asked for foreign aid, but no one's shown.]
Makes sense. This half-abandoned land drew zero interest.
No ideas on handling a top-tier monster myself, so tomorrow: focus on escaping the storm.
[Rest up, stockpile stamina for now.]
[Yeah.]
Still, night watch was mandatory. Order: youngest Han Seohyun first, me second, Kim Jaeho third, Ramirez last.
[Thanks.]
He got the courtesy. Didn't mention it was 'cause he was the least trustworthy.
Tired, Ramirez conked out fast.
'Should I just play dumb and ignore it?'
I asked Ray with my eyes closed.
━Even if you call him out, what then? No real answers.
True. Racking my brain, Ramirez's identity stayed a fog.
━Even with your future knowledge?
'Obvious fake name, but nothing rings a bell. Talent too. Hasn't even used his properly in front of me.'
I'd clocked his lies from the start. "Aiming correction"? No mana flicker when aiming or hitting.
That godlike dagger work? Pure skill.
Anyone else would've bought it. He wasn't channeling mana visibly. Ditch the shades, you'd see glowing pupils.
If I hadn't been analyzing my own mana circuits down to the stroke during recent Ray training, I'd have fallen for it.
'What bugs me is why the elaborate deception to fool us.'
My case was simple: criminal, government on my tail.
But Ramirez?
━Could be a criminal like you.
'Too sloppy for that.'
━True. First idiot I've seen main daggers without a recovery plan.
'Let it slide for now. Overthinking hurts me more.'
Stamina first.
Time would reveal it.
Luckily, no incidents during watches. Exhausted, even Han Seohyun—who usually battled nightmares—slept like the dead.
Morning, I packed the artifacts as I spoke.
[Best goal: head back.]
[Yeah. But how, in this mess?]
Situation sucked. Morning sky still choked with sandstorm haze.
[If Evrika doesn't move, escaping won't be easy.]
Visibility capped at 10 meters. No rash moves.
Especially aiming for evac—prime rule for lost folks: stay put.
Moving blindly? You'd drift farther from target. Yesterday had the excuse of fleeing combat spots, but now? Pure folly.
Our side was better off, though.
[Snag a flying monster, raise it as undead, send it up for bearings.]
[Ah! Genius!]
Ramirez beamed briefly, then grimaced like deep in thought.
Then, cautiously: [One favor?]
[Shoot.]
[If you send a bird up, can you tell me the storm's center?]
I narrowed my eyes. Why crave Evrika's position?
Caught off-guard, Ramirez looked stung.
[Uh, just curious where that epic top-tier boss is?]
Simple curiosity on storm origin? Plausible enough.
But felt off.
Anyway, no flyer yet...
"Boss! Jaeho hyung caught this! Raise it undead and fly it?"
Goddamn timing. Han Seohyun grinned, holding Kim Jaeho's pigeon-like monster catch.
[Oh! Flying monster secured! Now we get directions!]
Fine. Do it.
As Han Seohyun revived it, I eyed Ramirez.
[Find Evrika, then what?]
[Uh, just note monsters there, stay alert.]
I'm a lie expert. Lifetime of BS makes fakers obvious.
[That's a lie.]
Expected sheepishness. Instead, he grinned mischievously.
[Well, you've lied to me too.]
Han Seohyun eyed our vibe uneasily.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing."
[Won't hurt you. Might even help.]
I scowled. Help?
[How?]
[Urk.]
Ramirez shifted, face turning serious. Even flipped up his goggles. Jewel-blue eyes gleamed. Fake Latin name, but pure Irish looks. Flushed cheeks, sparkling azure. Handsome, sure—but irrelevant.
I squinted, scanning him.
Face rang a bell. Familiar.
Who... piecing it together—
[I'm here to take down Evrika.]
Evrika: at least high-grade. Soloing that? Few worldwide.
Puzzle clicked.
[Sorry for the lies. Name's Teika Cooper. 7-star hunter from the States.]
Teika Cooper. SS-potential gravity talent. America's top hunter.
Why the hell are you here?
I swallowed my scream.