Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1473 - 506: Dispute (Part 2)

Despite being a Metal Series Wizard, Haleem knew that the gear assembly beneath the turntable required a staggering amount of physical force to rotate. Simply manipulating the metal would not suffice to unseal the entrance.

This helm-shaped circular dial, spanning over three meters in diameter, was clearly intended to be operated by either a demon statue or specialized goblin machinery.

Among those present, Lord Terrio the Sword Saint likely possessed the necessary strength, but a logistical problem remained: the dial sat at least two and a half meters above the floor, preventing a standard human from finding proper leverage from the ground.

As for attempting to warp the massive gate directly, that was far beyond Haleem's capabilities.

Perhaps Lord Rein is capable of it, Haleem mused.

"Hmm, I’ll take care of it," Rein declared, stepping forward without hesitation.

The same complications Haleem had weighed had already crossed Rein's mind.

Abruptly, his right arm expanded as dark silver Dragon Scales began to manifest. His entire frame surged upward until he stood over four meters tall—a size Rein had specifically chosen by limiting the extent of his transformation.

"Creak! Creak!"

A powerful Dragon Claw clamped onto the metal dial, forcing it to rotate with immense power.

"Rumble!"

The massive metal barrier, which stood tens of meters high and measured over a meter in thickness, finally began its slow ascent.

Suddenly, however, the situation shifted!

Red warning beacons began to strobe throughout the area, accompanied by a piercing, high-volume mechanical voice:

"Warning! Warning! Door No. 3 has been breached without authorization. Please neutralize the threat immediately. (Ancient Goblin language)"

"This is problematic. Every exit in the Floating City should be linked to the primary control room, but I didn't expect the security systems to still be operational," Haleem said, his expression darkening with concern.

"Lord Rein, you..."

"Don't panic, there is still time."

Due to the mechanical gear ratio, each full rotation of the dial only raised the heavy door by about ten centimeters.

Yet, as the sirens wailed, Rein’s speed reached an incredible level. The massive metal dial began to spin faster and faster within the grip of the giant Dragon Claw.

Consequently, the metal door rose with increasing speed.

"Move!" Hernandez shouted, quickly ushering the scholars and the Federal expeditionary force through the opening.

Sword Saint Terrio remained behind, utilizing his superior speed to stand guard by Rein’s side.

"That is sufficient, Lord Rein."

"Understood."

When Rein let go of the dial, he intentionally bypassed the locking mechanism.

As the dial whirled backward at high velocity, the door began a rapid descent toward the floor.

Nevertheless, given the agility of Rein and Terrio, crossing the threshold was a simple task.

"Swish, swish!"

Two shadows blurred as they dashed through the closing gap.

Just as Rein cleared Door No. 3, a sudden sensation caused him to glance back. Several hundred meters behind them, a pack of mechanical monstrosities resembling velociraptors were charging in their direction.

"Boom!"

A second later, the heavy metal door slammed shut, cutting the mechanical velociraptors off from Rein’s sight.

"Lord Rein, is something the matter?" Sword Saint Terrio asked, noticing Rein staring back at the sealed Door No. 3.

"It’s nothing, Lord Terrio. Let us proceed," Rein replied, shaking his head.

They had now successfully exited to the exterior of the Floating City. They stood upon a narrow maintenance ledge only two meters wide, overlooking a moat-like expanse of dark red magma far below.

However, since they were now much closer to the base compared to their earlier vantage point at the cave entrance, their surroundings were far more visible.

Hernandez and Haleem had already crossed to the far side using witchcraft and were currently assembling a basic steel bridge for the transition of the elite troops.

Rein and Terrio required no such assistance. Within five minutes, the entire group had returned to the original base camp established in Ressero Canyon.

The camp had grown significantly more robust during their absence.

Dozens of tents of various sizes now dotted the area, protected by active witch arrays.

When the camp realized that Rein, Terrio, and Hernandez had successfully rescued Haleem and the others, a roar of celebration broke out.

Within thirty minutes, high-priority intelligence began reaching the top-tier leadership of the Federation.

...

Meanwhile.

High in the sky between Antuhol and the Federation Capital, Zetaya.

A joint airship fleet belonging to both the Empire and the Federation resembled a massive dragon drifting through the clouds. The convoy stretched for miles as it made its steady way toward Zetaya.

Inside a massive Federation Airship leading the formation, a small group had gathered in a briefing room for a meeting.

The gathering had been triggered by an urgent report received just ten minutes prior.

"What? You're saying that ruin is actually a Floating City?"

The revelation struck those in the room like a bolt of lightning!

A Floating City!

It was a legendary artifact capable of sustained flight, possessing military might that dwarfed the Federation’s most sophisticated giant airships by tenfold.

"Indeed. This urgent dispatch arrived ten minutes ago. Everyone, examine the files on the table before we deliberate on our next move," Vice Speaker Bertrand said with a nod.

Because the Empire Delegation's final destination was Zetaya, the Federation Congress had appointed him to oversee the matters regarding the ruins.

He had been just as stunned as his colleagues when the news first broke.

Silence filled the room, broken only by the rustling of paper.

After several minutes, an elderly man holding a pipe finished reviewing the data. With a grave expression, he spoke: "The successful recovery of Haleem’s team, combined with the acquisition of vast ancient goblin archives and a Floating City, is undoubtedly an event worth celebrating."