Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1494 - 513: The Returning Airship (Part 3)

Menia's gaze was fixed on the faint outline of the mermaid princess, visible through Hela’s massive, towering avatar of water.

"Hold on! Prince Menia, there is an island just ahead. Trust me, if we can draw her there, victory will be mine!" Rein shouted with urgency.

"Hmm?" Upon hearing Rein’s unwavering confidence and the mention of nearby land, Menia immediately reconsidered the plan for a suicidal final assault.

"However, my physical stamina is almost depleted. I doubt I can sustain this Giant Dragon Form for much longer..."

"Do not worry, Prince Menia, I am here!" Rein declared with a solemn expression.

At that moment, Rein was unaware of Menia’s gaze from behind, her beautiful eyes studying him with a deep, inscrutable intensity.

Meanwhile, Hela, the Nether Sea Goddess, showed no rush to strike. She leisurely examined Rein in his Three-headed Dragon form and remarked:

"Mortal, you truly astonish me. After such a fierce struggle, the Dragon’s kin at your side is spent, yet you appear as vigorous as you were when this battle commenced."

"Still, I wish to see exactly how much longer your endurance can last."

"You want to test my stamina? I promise you won't be let down! Though, I must say, that filthy black water of yours could use a thorough cleaning," Rein retorted.

Beside him, Menia was struck with shock. She shot him a look that seemed to ask, 'Do you truly dare to speak such words? Are you not terrified that the Nether Sea Goddess Hela will unleash her full wrath upon you?'

"Blasphemer! You Blasphemer!!!"

"Mortal! You shall be completely consumed by the Nether Sea! Die!"

As expected, Rein’s provocation caused Hela to shake with fury. Her hundred-meter-tall liquid body began to rain down in a rage, her previous air of calm and composure vanishing instantly.

However, just as she prepared to cast a canopy of dark water over Rein and Menia, hundreds of glowing red iron spheres suddenly plummeted from the heavens, crashing into her vicinity!

"What?"

A confused Hela looked upward to see that the Empire airships, which had previously retreated, had made their return.

While the heavy side cannons of the airships lacked the power to truly harm the Nether Sea Goddess Hela, the barrage wasn't aimed solely at her; it also targeted the Manta Knights and Flying Fish Knights.

The strength of these Flying Knights was insufficient to withstand such a heavy bombardment, especially since these cannons were the most advanced models in the Empire, upgraded for maximum range and lethality for the visiting fleet.

Consequently, the tight perimeter established by the Sea God Sect’s flying knights was suddenly thrown into utter disarray.

"Now, go!"

Rein cast a quick glance at the returning formation of Empire airships, realizing their arrival was a calculated move to provide an opening.

Wasting no time, as the Empire’s soldiers were buying every second with their lives, Rein grabbed the exhausted Menia—who was barely holding her Giant Dragon Form—and charged through the broken ranks of the Sea God Sect’s knights toward the island.

"You think you can escape!"

Having just obliterated an airship with a beam of black light, Hela witnessed their flight and immediately gave chase.

It wasn't long before Hela also spotted the island looming ahead.

Blinded by her indignation, however, she dismissed the significance of the terrain.

In her estimation, the island was small; even if she encountered trouble, she could easily retreat back into the depths. Without a second thought, she brandished her Energy Trident and followed Rein onto the land.

Thirty seconds passed.

Once they reached the approximate center of the island, Rein turned around to confront the Nether Sea Goddess Hela.

"Have you finally stopped running? Do you believe that because we are no longer on the open sea, I cannot freely manifest my avatar?"

After the half-minute pursuit, Hela had regained her composure. Thinking she had seen through Rein’s strategy, her lips curled into a disdainful sneer.

"At the very least, it won't be as lopsided as it was on the water," Rein replied.

Rein gently set down the now human-form, weakened Menia, stepping in front to protect him.

"Is that so? Then I truly hope you believe that."

Hela let out a cold laugh at Rein’s remark.

Suddenly, Rein and Menia felt the ground beneath them tremble. They watched as four more massive avatars of the Nether Sea Goddess Hela marched in from the northwest, southwest, and northeast.

Hela had manipulated a staggering volume of seawater to create five avatars simultaneously, trapping Rein and Menia from every direction!

....