Chapter 258: Expedition Pushes Forward

Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Expedition Pushes Forward

The formation erupted.

A colossal sphere of compressed gravitational energy materialized above the Sandgrave Tyrant, its surface covered in rotating black rings that distorted the light around it. The sphere measured nearly twenty meters across, and its immense gravitational field immediately dragged the surrounding sand, shattered rocks, and fragments of the monster’s armor toward its center.

The Sandgrave Tyrant attempted to retreat, but the gravity surrounding its body intensified so violently that its remaining limbs were forced against the ground. The monster struggled with all its strength, its claws carving deep trenches through the sand, yet every movement only drew it closer to the center of the spell.

Kang Ji-hoon brought his hand down.

The enormous sphere descended.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The collision shook the entire desert.

A towering pillar of compressed sand erupted around the Sandgrave Tyrant as the gravitational sphere crushed its armored body against the ground. The impact drove the creature’s immense frame deep into the earth, shattering its remaining defensive plates and rupturing the glowing channels that had sustained its extraordinary resistance.

The ground beneath the monster collapsed into a vast crater, its edges spreading outward as waves of gravitational force swept across the battlefield. The remaining dunes crumbled beneath the pressure, while fragments of rock and broken chitin were flung high into the air before being dragged back toward the center of the attack.

The Sandgrave Tyrant released one final, agonized screech.

Its body convulsed beneath the immense pressure, but the gravitational field continued to compress its armored frame until the glowing amber channels beneath its shell extinguished one after another.

Then, at last, the monster fell silent.

The sphere dissipated into a storm of black particles, leaving behind a massive crater filled with broken armor and shattered stone. At its center lay the Sandgrave Tyrant’s enormous body, its limbs twisted at unnatural angles and its once-glowing eyes completely dark.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

The Awakeners stared at the devastation left behind by the attack, struggling to comprehend the sheer destructive power that had just been unleashed before them.

"It’s... dead?"

"Guild Master Kang actually killed it with one spell!"

"As expected of Guild Master Kang Ji-hoon, one of the ten National Awakeners!"

"That’s the difference between an ordinary S-Rank Awakener and someone at the very top of the country. His gravitational magic is terrifying!"

The battlefield gradually erupted into excited discussions, with several Awakeners openly expressing their admiration for the guild master’s performance. Even those who had witnessed Kang Ji-hoon fight before found themselves impressed by the scale of the attack, which had not only overwhelmed an S-Rank boss but also devastated a considerable portion of the surrounding terrain.

Park Tae-hyun landed near the edge of the crater, brushing sand from his shoulders as he examined the motionless creature.

"Now that’s what I call an attack," he remarked, glancing toward Kang Ji-hoon with a grin. "You certainly took your time preparing it, but I have to admit that the result was worth the wait."

Kang Ji-hoon lowered his hand, the gravitational pressure surrounding him gradually fading as he released a measured breath.

"I had to make certain that the spell would penetrate its defenses completely. An attack of that magnitude would have been a waste if it had merely damaged the outer shell," he replied, his tone composed despite the considerable amount of mana he had expended. "Besides, you and Guild Master Yoon created the opening I needed. Without your cooperation, forcing the creature into the center of the formation would have been considerably more difficult."

Ha-eun approached them with her summons following behind, a faint smile appearing on her face as she surveyed the crater.

"Still, finishing an S-Rank boss with a single decisive attack is an impressive feat, even by your standards, Guild Master Kang. The expedition members will certainly remember this battle for a long time."

"Hopefully, they’ll remember the importance of teamwork as well," Kang Ji-hoon answered. "Power alone isn’t enough to guarantee victory against an opponent of this caliber. If we had failed to coordinate our movements, the battle could have dragged on much longer and caused unnecessary casualties."

Nearby, Ares remained silent.

While the other Awakeners were still celebrating their victory, his gaze rested on the lifeless body of the Sandgrave Tyrant. Beneath his calm expression, a faint trace of interest appeared as he observed the residual energy lingering within the creature’s shattered body.

’Its defensive capabilities were impressive, particularly the way its armor distributed energy across its entire body. There may be something worth taking from it.’

Without attracting anyone’s attention, Ares quietly activated his power.

A nearly imperceptible ripple passed through the air around the dead monster, and the remaining energy within its body began to dissolve into particles that gradually disappeared into the surrounding darkness. The process was so subtle that even the Awakeners standing nearby failed to notice anything unusual, their attention occupied by the crater and the three guild masters.

The Sandgrave Tyrant’s remaining power was drawn into Ares, where it was absorbed by his Eclipse Authority.

He made no visible movement and offered no explanation, continuing to observe the battlefield with the same indifferent expression he had worn throughout the fight.

’That should be sufficient.’

Before anyone could begin discussing the next stage of the expedition, a group of Awakeners and support personnel appeared in the distance, advancing across the desert with equipment designed to retrieve monster corpses and recover valuable materials. Several transport vehicles followed behind them, accompanied by workers carrying reinforced containers, cutting tools, and mana-detection instruments.

At the front of the group walked Director Han Seung-ho.

He surveyed the battlefield as he approached, briefly examining the enormous crater before turning his attention toward the three guild masters and the Awakeners gathered nearby.

"Everyone, thank you for securing the area," he announced. "The boss has been eliminated, and the immediate threat appears to have been dealt with. Our retrieval teams will take over from here, so please give them enough room to work."

He turned toward the workers and began issuing instructions.

"Start by documenting the boss’s remains and checking the surrounding area for any residual mana fluctuations. Once the initial assessment is complete, divide into teams and begin collecting the usable materials. The smaller monster corpses should be transported outside the Gate first, while the boss’s remains will require additional equipment and careful handling. Make certain that every recovered item is recorded before it leaves the site."

"Yes, Director!"

The workers immediately spread out across the battlefield, some heading toward the smaller monster corpses while others approached the crater with specialized equipment. Several Awakeners accompanied them to ensure that no surviving creatures or unstable mana concentrations endangered the retrieval process.

Han watched them for a moment before returning to the three guild masters.

"How did the battle proceed?" he asked. "From the condition of the terrain, I assume the boss was considerably stronger than the preliminary assessment suggested."

"The preliminary assessment wasn’t entirely wrong," Kang Ji-hoon replied. "The monster was an S-Rank creature with exceptional physical strength and defensive capabilities. Its armor was difficult to penetrate, and it could move far faster than its size suggested, but we managed to identify its weaknesses and coordinate our attacks accordingly."

Park Tae-hyun folded his arms, his expression still carrying some of the excitement from the fight.

"It was a tough opponent, certainly, but nothing we couldn’t handle once we understood how it fought. Guild Master Yoon’s summons helped restrict its movements, which gave me enough opportunities to damage its joints. Once its defenses started failing, Guild Master Kang was able to finish it with his spell."

Ha-eun nodded in agreement.

"The expedition is progressing well overall. The Awakeners have been working together more effectively than I expected, and their ability to respond to unexpected situations has improved considerably since we entered the Gate. We’ve encountered several dangerous monsters already, but the teams have managed to maintain their formations and support one another when necessary."

She glanced briefly toward Ares, who stood slightly apart from the others.

"Mr. Tae Ho has also contributed to that improvement. His observations during our advance have helped us understand the monsters’ behavior more quickly, and the expedition members seem to have become more confident now that they have a clearer understanding of the dangers inside this Gate."

"Indeed," Kang Ji-hoon agreed. "His assessment of the situation has been useful, particularly when it comes to identifying threats before they become immediate problems. The expedition is proceeding more smoothly than I anticipated, and having someone with his level of perception among us has been a considerable advantage."

Ares listened without offering a response, allowing the three guild masters to continue their discussion while he observed the retrieval teams working around the crater.

Park Tae-hyun, however, appeared to recall something that had been bothering him since the briefing at the Gate entrance.

He turned toward Director Han, his expression becoming more inquisitive.

"Director Han, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. Earlier, when you introduced Mr. Tae Ho to us, you mentioned that his abilities were unusual, even by the standards of an S-Rank Awakener. What exactly did you mean by that?"

Han Seung-ho regarded him for a moment, seemingly weighing his response before answering.

"I’m afraid I can’t give you a definitive explanation, Guild Master Park. Mr. Tae Ho’s abilities don’t fit neatly into the categories we’re accustomed to, and our understanding of them remains limited. What I can say is that he has demonstrated capabilities that are difficult to assess through conventional methods, which is why the Association is continuing to observe his performance during this expedition."

Park raised an eyebrow.

"So even the Association hasn’t figured him out yet?"

"Not entirely," Han admitted with a small, diplomatic smile. "However, I don’t believe that should be a cause for concern. Every Awakener has their own circumstances, and some abilities are difficult to understand without sufficient experience observing them in action. I’m sure Mr. Tae Ho has his own secrets as well, just as the rest of us do."

His gaze briefly shifted toward Ares, but he made no attempt to draw him into the conversation.

"Besides, our present priority is ensuring that this expedition proceeds safely. Whatever the exact nature of Mr. Tae Ho’s abilities may be, his conduct so far has been exemplary, and his contributions have benefited the entire team. I see no reason to question him simply because we haven’t identified every aspect of his power."

Kang Ji-hoon nodded thoughtfully.

"That’s a reasonable position. An Awakener’s abilities are ultimately their own responsibility, provided they don’t endanger the people around them. I would prefer to judge Mr. Tae Ho by his actions rather than speculate about powers none of us fully understands."

"Agreed," Ha-eun added. "He’s been cooperative throughout the expedition, and I haven’t seen anything that would justify treating him with suspicion."

Park shrugged, apparently satisfied with their answers.

"Fair enough. I was curious, that’s all. If the Association hasn’t figured it out, there’s not much point in pressing the issue here."

Ares remained silent, his expression unchanged as the conversation moved on to the expedition’s progress and the resources recovered so far. He had little interest in explaining the nature of his power, particularly when doing so would reveal information that had no bearing on the task at hand.

After a short while, Han glanced at his communication device and frowned slightly as he checked the latest messages.

"I should return to the retrieval teams," he said. "Chairman Kang contacted me earlier to ask whether the expedition was proceeding as planned, and I haven’t had an opportunity to give him a proper update yet. I’ll call him back once I’ve left the Gate and have a clearer picture of the materials we’ve recovered."

"Understood," Kang Ji-hoon replied. "We’ll continue the advance after the injured have been treated and the teams have had sufficient time to recover."

"Please let Chairman Kang know that the expedition is progressing well," Ha-eun added. "We haven’t encountered any problems that we couldn’t handle, and our current formation remains effective."

Park gave Han a casual nod.

Han smiled faintly.

"I’ll relay the information. In the meantime, please ensure that everyone gets enough rest before proceeding deeper into the Gate. Even a successful expedition can become dangerous if the participants allow fatigue to compromise their judgment."

After exchanging brief farewells with the three guild masters, Director Han returned to the retrieval teams, where he continued supervising the workers and checking the progress of their operations.

With the immediate danger eliminated, the battlefield gradually settled into a more orderly scene. The retrieval teams worked around the crater, documenting the Sandgrave Tyrant’s remains and carefully extracting valuable materials from its shattered armor, while other workers gathered the corpses of the smaller monsters scattered across the desert.

Meanwhile, the expedition’s healers began treating the injured Awakeners.

Several participants had suffered bruises, strained muscles, or minor wounds during the earlier battles, while others were visibly exhausted from repeatedly reinforcing their bodies with mana. The healers moved from one group to another, applying recovery magic and treating injuries that could not be addressed through ordinary means, ensuring that everyone was fit enough to continue once the break ended.

Those who had suffered more serious injuries were instructed to remain behind with the medical team until their condition stabilized.

The remaining Awakeners gathered in designated resting areas, where they opened their supply containers and distributed food and water among their teammates. Some discussed the battle against the Sandgrave Tyrant with animated enthusiasm, while others preferred to sit quietly and recover their strength, conserving their mana in preparation for whatever awaited them farther inside the Gate.

Park Tae-hyun sat on a section of broken rock, eating a ration bar while examining his slightly reddened knuckles.

"That thing had a ridiculous amount of armor," he remarked to Kang Ji-hoon, who was drinking water nearby. "I must have landed dozens of clean hits, yet I barely managed to break through its defenses. If Ha-eun’s summons hadn’t restricted its movements, I might have needed considerably longer to bring it down."

Kang Ji-hoon set his container aside.

"Your attacks were effective, but brute force alone would have made the battle unnecessarily difficult. Its armor was designed to distribute incoming energy, which meant that repeatedly striking the same surface wasn’t always the most efficient approach. Once you started targeting the joints, however, the damage accumulated much more quickly."

"Easy for you to say. You dropped a gigantic gravitational sphere on its head and turned the entire battlefield into a crater."

"Because the opportunity presented itself," Kang answered calmly. "A powerful spell is only useful if the circumstances allow it to achieve its intended result."

Ha-eun, who had been checking the condition of her summons, joined their conversation with a small smile.

"Both of you are correct in your own ways. Park’s physical strength kept the monster occupied, and Guild Master Kang’s spell delivered the decisive blow. My summons provided the necessary support, but none of those contributions would have been enough on their own if we hadn’t coordinated our movements."

Park gave a low chuckle.

"Fine, fine. I suppose I can’t argue with that."

Nearby, Ares finished his meal and leaned back against a rock, listening to their conversation without interrupting. He had already absorbed the Sandgrave Tyrant’s remaining power, and while he had not yet examined the details of what he had obtained, there was no immediate reason to divert his attention from the expedition.

After approximately an hour of rest, the healers completed their initial rounds, and the expedition leaders began preparing everyone for the next stage of their advance.

"Make certain that your equipment is secure and your mana reserves are sufficient before we move," Kang Ji-hoon instructed the gathered Awakeners. "The boss’s defeat doesn’t guarantee that the remaining route is safe, and we must continue treating every unidentified area as a potential threat. Maintain your assigned positions, communicate any unusual findings immediately, and avoid pursuing monsters beyond the range of your supporting teams."

The Awakeners acknowledged his instructions before returning to their formations, and the expedition resumed its advance across the vast desert.

For a while, their progress remained relatively uneventful. The teams passed through several stretches of open sand and rocky terrain, occasionally encountering groups of lower-ranked monsters that were quickly dealt with by the frontline Awakeners. The participants had grown more comfortable working together, and their responses to sudden attacks were noticeably more coordinated than they had been at the beginning of the expedition.

Their next major encounter occurred near a series of jagged rock formations, where a group of B-Rank creatures emerged from narrow crevices and rushed toward the advancing formation. The monsters resembled heavily armored lizards, their dark scales blending with the surrounding stone as they charged with their powerful jaws open.

"Frontline, intercept them!" one of the team leaders shouted. "Ranged units, target the creatures approaching from the left! Don’t let them break through the formation!"

The Awakeners reacted immediately, their coordinated attacks preventing the monsters from reaching the support teams. Several swordsmen engaged the creatures at close range while ranged attackers unleashed volleys of magical projectiles, bringing the first wave down before the remaining monsters could surround them.

The encounter ended quickly, with only a few minor injuries requiring treatment.

After confirming that the surrounding area was secure, the expedition continued deeper into the Gate, where the terrain gradually changed from open desert to a landscape of enormous stone pillars and deep ravines.

Their relative calm did not last long.

A powerful roar echoed from beyond the pillars, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps shaking the ground. Moments later, several A-Rank monsters emerged from behind the rock formations, their massive bodies covered in thick scales and jagged protrusions that made them appear almost indistinguishable from the surrounding terrain.

The Awakeners immediately tightened their formation.

"Several A-Rank targets approaching!" an observer reported. "Their numbers are limited, but their mana readings are considerably higher than those of the previous group!"

"Maintain your positions and don’t let them divide us," Kang Ji-hoon ordered. "Guild Master Yoon, support the left flank. Guild Master Park, assist the frontline and prevent the largest creature from reaching our ranged units. The remaining teams should focus on isolating the smaller targets before they can reinforce one another."

Ha-eun directed her summons toward the left side of the formation, where the Stormcrest Griffin’s lightning strikes disrupted the advancing monsters while the Tidefang Serpent restrained one of the smaller creatures with powerful coils. The Ironhide Earth Bear charged into the opening created by their combined assault, knocking another monster away from the main group and allowing the frontline Awakeners to finish it.

Park Tae-hyun met the largest creature head-on, avoiding its snapping jaws before delivering a powerful punch to its armored chest. The impact forced the monster backward, and he followed with a sweeping kick that sent it crashing against a stone pillar, leaving it vulnerable to the coordinated attacks of the surrounding Awakeners.

Kang Ji-hoon used his gravitational magic to restrict the movements of the remaining targets, allowing the expedition members to eliminate them without suffering significant casualties.

Although the battle demanded more effort than the previous encounter, the Awakeners handled the A-Rank monsters with considerably greater efficiency than they had demonstrated earlier. Their teamwork had improved, and the lessons learned from the fight against the Sandgrave Tyrant had made them more cautious about exposing themselves to unnecessary counterattacks.

Once the final monster fell, the healers moved forward to treat the injured while the expedition members checked their equipment and assessed their remaining supplies.

Several Awakeners drank recovery potions to replenish their mana, while others received healing magic for the bruises and wounds sustained during the encounter. The team leaders confirmed that no one had suffered injuries serious enough to prevent them from continuing, and the expedition began preparing to move forward once again.

For the moment, their advance remained steady, and the expedition pressed deeper into the vast S-Rank Gate.