Chapter 39: Hunting in the Ashen Desert
Since he had gone through a lot in the past few hours, Azrael went to sleep. It was better to rest his brain before coming up with a plan.
The instant he felt the morning breeze over his face, his eyes sprang open. Standing up, he was able to get a better look at his surroundings.
"Just as I feared."
Now that he had a full view of the vast land, he realized just how large the Silver Desert truly was. It spanned far longer than even his improved eyes could see. The only things aside from the sand stretching for who knew how many countless miles—and the lava ocean pulsing to the east—were towers exactly like the one he stood in now.
’The best course of action will be to go as far away from the lava ocean. It’s possible that I’m overreacting and there won’t be a lava tsunami in the future, but it’s better to assume the worst,’ he concluded.
He descended the tower much faster than he had ascended. With most of the day still ahead of him, he sprinted west. His naked form was concealed by the silky robe as he left faint traces of footprints in the sand.
He didn’t dare use too much power all at once, fearing it might rob him of his vitality before he could find food and water. But despite that, the hot desert—with the lava ocean behind—raised the temperature severalfold.
Eventually, cracks began to appear on his lips. His throat began to dry up, making it harder to swallow.
’The Teapot can create water... but for that to work, I need some kind of liquid. Since its description stated it can turn any liquid into drinkable water, I presume it also includes lava and blood.’
His eyes darkened. ’There aren’t any monsters around... Using my own blood will be an absolute last resort.’
A subtle smile tugged at his lips. ’Now that I think about it, since my Purity has evolved to the next Rank, raising my Corruption shouldn’t endanger my sanity too much.’
His gaze briefly went to his skill, [Blood Manipulation]. The skill was tied to his Corruption, so raising it would make him undeniably stronger.