Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1472 - 506: Dispute

Rein had already made his way back to the outskirts of the temporary camp, remaining completely oblivious to the recent events unfolding within the prison.

As Rein chanted the incantation, an oval-shaped mirror materialized in the air before him.

In the meantime, the camp's occupants noticed Rein's arrival, their faces lighting up with looks of astonishment.

"Lord Rein, seeing you return in one piece is truly a relief."

"How was the journey? Did things go according to plan?" Sword Saint Terrio rose to his feet, welcoming him with a warm smile.

"My thanks, Lord Terrio. It went quite well," Rein replied, nodding with a smile of his own.

"It appears you've returned with quite the haul, Lord Rein," Haleem remarked, his eyes drifting toward the ring of keys in Rein's hand as he smiled.

Haleem was well aware that even if he managed to advance to the rank of Dawn Wizard, his own strength likely wouldn't permit him to delve into the second level alone as Lord Rein had done.

"I managed to secure the keys, but there was no time for a full investigation; the creatures lurking inside are exceptionally formidable."

Rein gestured toward the key chain he held, shaking his head while wearing a forced, bitter smile.

He had no intention of revealing the actual truth.

He was currently standing on the Federation's territory, and there was no way to be certain that others wouldn't be consumed by greed if they knew what he found.

Furthermore, he preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble, choosing instead to amass his fortune in silence.

"Is that so? Are the monsters truly that powerful?" Terrio inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"Indeed. I came across..." Rein began, quickly summarizing the sequence of events.

"Lord Terrio, if you plan to explore, be sure to avoid the third level entirely. As for the second level, I recommend venturing there only in groups, accompanied by Lord Hernandez and other powerful experts."

Rein offered this sincere advice to Terrio as a gesture of goodwill.

Their interactions during this period had been pleasant, and Rein held Terrio’s character in high regard.

"Thank you for the warning, Lord Rein. I will proceed with caution," Terrio said with a nod.

Standing nearby, Hernandez seemed to catch onto something significant, his expression turning pensive.

Sword Saint Terrio and Hernandez did not doubt Rein's account, but to Haleem and the group of researchers, the description felt far too embellished.

Whispers broke out among the group at the rear:

"Isn't this a bit much? A single goblin corpse possesses strength equal to Sword Saint Terrio?"

"And claiming Lord Terrio needs a team just to survive there? Isn't this Lord Rein from the Empire looking down on our Federation's Sword Saint?"

"But what if Lord Rein is actually telling the truth?"

"I suspect Lord Rein might be exaggerating things a little."

"..."

These Second Level Liquidization Wizard researchers had never seen Rein’s true power, nor had they stepped foot into the first level themselves. From their perspective, Rein’s claims seemed like total hyperbole.

Even Haleem felt that Rein's assessment might be overly dramatic.

Rein naturally caught the sound of these whispers, but he remained indifferent to their opinions and felt no need to justify himself.

If they chose to listen, so be it.

If they ignored him and met their ends through lack of preparation, that was their own fault.

He had already fulfilled his obligation by giving Terrio a fair and honest warning.

"By the way, Lord Rein, you mentioned a specific term earlier—a Fiend Demon?" Hernandez suddenly spoke up, recalling the detail.

"Yes. Does that name ring a bell for you, Lord Hernandez?" Rein asked, interested.

Rein hadn't gone into detail about the three black mists merging, simply touching upon it by saying, 'After the monster was slain, black fog manifested into a Fiend Demon of immense power.'

"I seem to remember seeing it mentioned in an old text, though the reference was brief and lacked detail," Hernandez said, shaking his head.

"Supposedly, the Fiend Demon is a fragment of an ancient evil, one that cannot be fully or permanently destroyed."

"Oh? Were there any other details recorded?" Rein asked, falling into deep thought.

The claim that it couldn't be fully destroyed matched his experience; he hadn't absorbed any high-quality energy after defeating it.

"Nothing else was mentioned," Hernandez replied with a shake of his head.

"I appreciate the insight, Lord Hernandez."

Rein felt a flicker of disappointment.

He still felt a lingering sense of unease after his encounter with the Fiend Demon.

It seemed he would have to seek out Prince Menia to ask about this creature.

Given Menia's high rank and vast experience, he likely possessed knowledge of secrets that were hidden from typical Dawn Wizards.

"Lord Rein, now that you have returned, shall we proceed with our departure?" Sword Saint Terrio suggested.

While Rein had been scouting the prison, the rest of them had recovered their strength, and Terrio’s wounds had already fully mended.

"Certainly," Rein agreed with a nod.

...

Before long, the party followed the path indicated on the Floating City's blueprints. They moved through two passages and arrived at the third gate on the second level.

The third gate was located directly opposite the prison area. It was closer to the site where the Prototype had detonated, meaning there were very few goblin corpses in the vicinity.

This lack of danger only served to reinforce the researchers' belief that Rein had been lying earlier.

"Is that truly a massive steel gate?" Haleem marveled as he looked up at the thirty-meter-tall metallic structure looming before them.

"Indeed. A deployment bay for Giant Demon Statues would naturally require a passage of this scale," Rein answered. Having studied the Floating City’s design, he understood the reason for such grand proportions.

"The automated locking mechanism is broken; the only way to open it is by using this manual valve," Haleem noted, frowning as he pointed toward a circular dial that resembled a ship's steering wheel.