Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1465 - 503: Discovery

Rein visualized the section of the Floating City's blueprints that detailed the layout of the prison.

Ahead, the corridor was flanked by holding cells designed specifically for Transcendent beings. These chambers were notably more spacious and constructed with greater durability, featuring reinforced alloy grilles and specialized energy restriction devices to neutralize melee-focused combatants.

The presence of an unidentified entity caused Rein to sharpen his focus and increase his alertness.

Nevertheless, Rein did not pause for long. He began to advance down the hall with measured steps.

The rhythmic sound, which closely resembled heavy breathing, grew more distinct. It appeared to be coming from the fifth cell on the right side, roughly twenty meters in front of him.

Furthermore, he detected additional faint noises echoing from the deeper reaches of the dungeon.

"Is there more than one?" Rein muttered under his breath.

"The temperature is rising as well."

Lost in thought, Rein's pace slowed slightly.

The shift in the climate was becoming unmistakable. Just by moving forward a few meters, the heat had spiked by no less than five degrees.

Such a minor thermal fluctuation posed no threat to him, as his Mutated Dragon Bloodline had already ascended to the 'Super' rank.

However, the heat suggested that the airflow he heard might not belong to a humanoid at all. It was more likely the work of high-energy entities like Giant Dragons or Dragon Descendants, known for their scorching breath.

"To survive for thousands of years... could it truly be a Giant Dragon?" A sharp light of realization flickered in Rein’s eyes.

He felt no fear toward Giant Dragons, even those ancient ones who had lived for millennia—unless he was facing a near-Demigod like the 'Red Dragon King' Straz.

Otherwise, with his current mastery of the Sixth Form of Dragon Vein Transformation, Rein was confident. While a guaranteed win wasn't certain, he had no reason to shrink from a fight.

As he drew closer, the air became increasingly stifling.

"Wait, something is wrong. The temperature here is nearly eighty degrees. Even a standard Giant Dragon wouldn't radiate this much heat through simple breathing without actively using its breath weapon."

"Is it a unique variant of a Fire Dragon?"

Rein was reminded of 'Anguskin,' the Ancient Fire Dragon that had once emerged from the heart of a volcano.

Driven by curiosity, he maintained his steady approach. As his line of sight shifted, the interior of the cell became visible, and he suddenly spotted a dull red radiance pulsing from the fifth chamber.

"This..."

Rein finally came to a complete halt.

He was certain that no Red Dragon or Fire Dragon possessed scales or skin capable of emitting such a vivid, luminous red glow.

He now stood directly in front of the first Transcendent holding cell.

Rein peered inside.

The room was vacant, and the floor was devoid of any remains or debris.

It was clear that not every cell in this facility was occupied, which was to be expected.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Rein moved on.

A skeleton rested on the floor of the second cell. Judging by its proportions, it seemed to be a Transcendent from the goblin race. It wore tattered rags that made any specific identification impossible.

After confirming the remains weren't human, Rein continued past it.

Now, his vantage point allowed him to see into a portion of the fifth cell on the right.

Inside was a creature that looked like a Naga, though it possessed four sharp, mismatched horns on its head. Standing over three meters tall, it radiated heat. Beyond the fiery glow, Rein noticed a sinister black mist swirling around the entity's head.

This black mist felt familiar to Rein; it seemed to share the same essence as the black worms he had discovered inside the skulls of the goblin corpses.

This was an intuitive realization born from his status as a Dawn Wizard.

The creature’s flesh looked strangely "fresh." Indeed, it was surprisingly well-preserved! Unlike the shriveled goblin remains, its skin appeared robust and sturdy, despite a slight dryness.

However, remembering the goblins tainted by the black worms, Rein understood the phenomenon.

Whether it was a Goblin Engineer or a Manipulator, their tissues didn't fully rot; the presence of the black worms seemed to halt or mitigate the process of decay.

As Rein moved closer to the cell to inspect the figure, the creature sensed his presence. It whipped around to face him, hissing a harsh accusation:

"Despicable... goblin... you dare... imprison Lais..."

Rein immediately caught the error in its speech.

Goblin?

He then noticed the creature’s eyes were completely devoid of pupils, filled only with a murky reddish-white color.

Based on its broken speech, it seemed the being was either delirious or acting on pure, lingering instinct.

As he observed the creature, Rein felt no desire to initiate an attack.

The being carried nothing of value—no rings, no necklaces, not even basic light armor.

His goal was to find the Sect Leader of the Valziger School, or at the very least, a human survivor.

The monstrous humanoid before him was not who he was looking for.

Still, the creature’s aura was formidable, positioned somewhere between the Late Stage and the Peak of the Legendary realm.

Rein wondered if this was its original strength, or if the black mist clinging to its face had altered its power.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, the red light surrounding the creature flared with intensity, sending a wave of blistering heat outward.

"Bang!!!"

The Naga-like entity lunged toward Rein, slamming violently against the heavy steel grilles of its cage!