Chapter 285: Desert Journey

Chapter 285: Desert Journey

As the first night in the desert gave way to dawn, the sun began its slow ascent into the sky. Although it was still early morning, it was starting to warm up and it would be very hot during the day. It could be said that the temperature was best for traveling at this time of day. Since everyone was convinced of this, there was no objection to leaving.

At first, moving through the desert was smoother than I expected. The fact that it was a gravel desert, not a sand desert, meant neither the hooves of cattle and horses nor the wheels of our carriages were trapped.

Hmm

Is there something out there?

As we continued our journey south while frequently consulting our compass, I sensed the presence of life. When I looked carefully in the direction of the sensation, I saw a slender, weasel-like creature standing on its hind legs and watching vigilantly. It seemed that despite the harsh conditions, life had found a way to thrive in the desert.

For the moment, the small creature had no value to warrant stopping. There was no need or value in capturing it. So we decided to leave it alone, but I decided to communicate telepathically with Lorenz just in case. It might at least make for an interesting story in his travelogue.

From above, the gravel desert seemed narrower compared to the sand desert, but walking through it now, it felt vast. I wonder just how immense the sand desert might be if this gravel desert felt so vast. The thought was dizzying, yet I wasnt reckless enough to voice it aloud.

Antares, I dont sense any strong presence like that snake from yesterday.

Indeed Well, I believe that snake mainly resides in the sand desert. It wouldnt be able to hide its huge body without burrowing into the sand, and it would be too conspicuous otherwise.

Do you think so? I heard from Woodsorrel that the snake can cast illusions on those who see its patterns and dull their judgment. If thats the case, standing out a bit wouldnt really matter, would it?

Hmm Now that you mention it, youre right.

I had responded without much thought about the Sovereign Dragon Snake, but Chriss counterargument left me at a loss for words. My reply had been based on the perspective of someone who couldnt use illusions.

Perhaps coming from the desert myself, I had underestimated the creatures that lived there. During my time as a scorpion, I often engaged in close combat, using my pincers, sand spiritual arts, and exoskeletal defenses. The only weapon I possessed that could surprise an enemy was my deadly poisonous stinger.

On the other hand, the Sovereign Dragon Snake didnt just rely on its formidable physique; it also possessed the means to debilitate its enemies. This ability might well be the source of its dominance at the top of the deserts food chain.

The creatures of the desert might be more ferocious than I had thought.

Are you just realizing that now?

Chris giggled as she watched me say such things. I was so embarrassed that all I could do was grunt. Chirik started chuckling after he heard our interaction.

Despite feeling ashamed for showing such a pitiful side to my disciple, I also felt a sense of relief. It was clear that Chirik, who had seemed so sad that day, was now laughing genuinely. I wished he could always smile like this.

Chirik. Big brother is your teacher. You shouldnt laugh too much.

Wha-!?

I suppose so, but

Woodsorrel often ran wild, driven by her curiosity, so physical intervention seemed the quickest way to stop her antics. Although I understood this, I couldnt bring myself to do it. Such actions were only possible because Chris and Woodsorrel shared a close bond.

Our journey continued without incident, and we decided to take a break when we reached a small hill. While some were visibly exhausted from the heat, others still had plenty of energy. However, waiting until we were completely exhausted to rest was risky. This made me realize once again that we shouldnt take the desert lightly.

Mika, Tigar. Sorry, but come with me.

Understood.

Hey, hey, where are we going during the break?

To answer Tigars question, I simply raised my finger upwards. Tigar seemed to grasp my meaning and responded with a short Alright.

After receiving Tigars approval, I created a sand platform beneath us, and together we climbed onto it. I then made the sand platform float in the air and we ascended straight into the sky.

Youre checking for the oasiss location, right?

Yes. Its important to keep tabs on our destination regularly.

The purpose of our flight was to determine the location of the oasis, which was our destination. With each stop, we aimed to redirect ourselves, striving to reach the oasis with minimal effort.

I didnt rush our ascent, which allowed Mika who had transformed into his demon form to easily catch up. It seemed that Mika was well prepared as he was carrying a compass separately from me. The three of us continued to climb together until the oasis came into view.

Hmm, its coming into sight.

Weve come up quite high That oasis, its bigger than we thought, isnt it?

Yes, its quite large.

Although the oasis was quite far away, it seemed quite large. This meant that we wouldnt struggle for a water source. It was at this moment that our resolve to reach that place strengthened even further.

After measuring our bearings with the compass, we were set to go in that direction. By repeating this process and making fine adjustments, I believe we will eventually arrive at our destination.

After descending to the ground, we ended our short break and immediately set off in the direction confirmed by the compass. After some time, as it was approaching noon and the temperature was about to peak, we decided to take another break to avoid traveling during the hottest part of the day.

At noon, we took another look from the sky to confirm the direction of the oasis. To our surprise, the deviation was greater than expected. Even though we were following the compass, there were some inevitable errors, which we corrected before resuming our journey as the temperature began to cool.

At this point, I was quite optimistic about the start of our desert journey, but If only my future self could tell the current me about the challenges that lay ahead, he would say, This is where it gets truly hard.