Navigating a desert defined by its mirages was a grueling test of patience and perception. To keep us on track, I kept my [Navigation] Skill active under a layer of mental suppression, while Eliza Storm, our B-Rank Wind 'Mage', worked her [Magic Sense] Skill to monitor our heading. However, this Floor possessed a unique environmental property that distorted mana wavelengths, rendering most standard tracking Skills unreliable or outright useless.
For me, this wasn't an issue. Having traversed this desert hundreds of times during my VR days, the layout was etched into my memory. I guided the party with as much subtlety as possible, nudging us toward the correct path without making it obvious that I knew exactly where the traps were laid. Elias Bailey, an A-Rank 'Spearman' and the other Warrior alongside John, was particularly perceptive, watching my movements with a narrow-eyed curiosity, but it was nothing I couldn't manage with a bit of misdirection.
Despite the authority that usually came with being an S-Rank, being a 'Support' Class proved to be a persistent social hurdle. I could feel them glancing my way, their eyes filled with a mix of skepticism and silent evaluation. They would lob indirect questions at me, testing my knowledge or my reaction time as if trying to reconcile my high rank with the "unpopular" nature of a 'Barrier' user. In their minds, an S-Rank Support still lacked the raw, visceral Stats of a combat Class. I didn't blame them; I had chosen the most discarded Class in the Tower, after all.
The harsh environment eventually forced a level of camaraderie. Two days of trekking through the furnace-like heat brought us closer, and while we encountered roaming monsters, the party handled them with such efficiency that I didn't even need to step in. Among them, Theo, our B-Rank 'Tank', was the most surprising. A mountain of a man who rarely spoke, he turned out to be a delicate craftsman, folding intricate origami out of small scraps of paper whenever we stopped for a breath, a quiet habit to stave off the stress of the shifting sands.
"[Time Remaining: 5 days 24 hours 56 minutes 47 seconds]"
By the end of the second day, the 'Blue Beam' had grown significantly larger on the horizon. Curiously, we hadn't crossed paths with a single other party or Ranker. While a smooth journey was usually a blessing, the total absence of other humans in a merged-floor scenario was an unsettling omen.
We finally decided to take shelter near a massive rock formation as the sun reached its zenith, turning the desert floor into a literal furnace. The closer we moved toward the pillar of light, the more the temperature soared. By this point, we had shed most of our outer gear to reduce movement restrictions, relying instead on our innate defenses.
For mana users, this meant [Mana Skin]; for John and the warriors, it was [Aura Skin]. These transparent layers of essence acted as a secondary dermis, insulating the body against the extreme environment. High-ranking individuals could even thicken these skins into a makeshift armor, which was yet another reason why the 'Barrier' class was traditionally deemed redundant by the masses.
"[Activating 'Glacial Dominion: Crystal Pillar' Lvl 2!]"
Deciding we needed a reprieve, I finally used my magic in front of them, conjuring thick ice molds. I began to shave down the ice, offering the cold energy as a relief measure against the blistering heat. The reaction was immediate. Shock and a hint of mounting irritation flashed across their faces. The silent question was written in their eyes: If you could manipulate ice magic this entire time, why are we only seeing it now?
They didn't voice their frustration though, choosing to trust me instead and greedily consume the shaved ice, but the tension was thick.
"There is a reason I haven't used my ice magic until now," I began, catching their confused stares. "You see..."
Before I could finish the explanation, the ground beneath the ice molds buckled and exploded upward. A massive, segmented horror burst from the sand, sending shards of ice flying.
"[Notice: You have encountered one of the Desert Sentinels, the Red Sand-Centipede!]"
"[Info: Red Sand-Centipedes are highly sensitive to 'Magic' and hunt in packs. Obtain the 'Red Gem' attached to its forehead. The 'Red Gem' is one of the 'Sun-Tokens'.]"
As the creature reared up, its many legs clicking in the heat, I looked at the party and let a small grin slip onto my face.
"...These oversized babies are really sensitive to magic."