They walked across the endless dunes.
But it was no longer scorching.
The desert sun still blazed overhead, but around them, the air shimmered with a cool, misty haze. Hazuki steadily channeled mana through his sword, the blade glimmering with a faint blue tint as Elemental Control: Ice coated the air in a light chill.
With Ridan's wind magic assisting, the airflow circulated like an invisible dome—cool, gentle, and comfortable.
"…Now this is how you cross a desert," Hazuki muttered, grinning as the breeze ran past his cheeks like a portable air conditioner. "Ahhh… luxury."
He walked in rhythm, loose and relaxed, sword in hand and sweat-free.
Ridan wasn't floating around this time. He'd wandered ahead just minutes earlier—then suddenly zipped back like a comet and landed squarely on Hazuki's shoulder, looking like a melting shadow.
"Yikes! It's hot out there!"
"Yeah, it's a desert," Hazuki said flatly without looking at him.
