Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1499 - 515: Underground and Sea_2

Naturally, Rein had one final task to attend to before moving forward: he needed to verify the condition of that enigmatic mermaid girl belonging to an ancient lineage.

Her current state was baffling. Within her physical shell, no consciousness could be found—neither her own original soul nor any lingering traces of the Nether Sea Goddess’s possession remained. Nevertheless, blood continued to circulate slowly through her veins, and her skin appeared vibrant and delicate, as if she were still full of life.

She looked exactly as if she had simply fallen into a deep slumber.

....

A few minutes prior.

Upon the ocean's surface near the coastline of the island.

Reginald was desperately attempting to manage Ted, his massive dragon companion, while trying to catch up with Prince Menia and Rein. The two had already split off and were retreating toward the land, but Reginald found his path obstructed by Pope Egil of the Sea God Sect and a massive gathering of high-ranking Evil Sorcerers.

With no other choice, Reginald was forced to veer toward the opposite side, merging with the surviving imperial airship fleet that had arrived to provide valiant reinforcement.

His strategy was to use the combined firepower of the imperial airship formation to repel the enemy's initial assault, then search for a window of opportunity to link up with Menia and Rein.

He was painfully aware, however, that while Rein’s combat prowess remained as shocking as ever, Menia was in a terrible state. She could barely maintain her giant dragon form. If Menia were to lose her ability to fight, the tactical balance of the entire conflict would shatter, leaving both of them in extreme peril.

Because of this, his heart was currently consumed by intense anxiety!

"Imperial airship formation, synchronize with Lord Reginald! We must force a breakthrough toward the island ahead!"

Inside the captain’s quarters of the imperial flagship, the veteran major general had also witnessed the situation and issued the command without delay.

However, just as the airships pivoted to engage in a brutal dogfight with the Sea God Sect’s Manta Knights and Flying Fish Knights, a blinding pillar of white light suddenly erupted before their eyes!

This column of light surged from the heart of the nearby island, nearly lancing through the heavens. It expanded rapidly until its diameter was dozens of times larger than at the start, followed immediately by a devastating shockwave that swept across the island and slammed into the sea.

The atmospheric pressure sent countless flying knights of the Sea God Sect tumbling dozens of meters away. Meanwhile, the four remaining imperial airships tossed and turned violently, looking as fragile as candle flames flickering in a gale.

Only Reginald, through the bond with his dragon, managed to maintain a precarious stability in the sky.

"This... these fire element energy fluctuations, could it be..." Reginald’s face drained of color as he whispered to himself.

He was well aware that Rein was a Metal Series Wizard. For such fire-based Cultivation fluctuations to be released, it had to be Prince Menia. Yet, Menia had been on the verge of total exhaustion just moments ago; where could she have found the spiritual power required for such a massive strike?

Across the battlefield, the seasoned Pope Egil of the Sea God Sect watched the display, his expression shifting into one of triumph.

"That youth Rein is not a Dawn Wizard of the fire element. The only person capable of manifesting such powerful fire witchcraft is the woman known as the ’Red Queen’ Menia of the Dragan Empire."

"Considering her previous exhaustion, she shouldn't have been able to use witchcraft of this scale again. It appears she was forced into a self-destructive explosion by my master."

The group of high-ranking Evil Sorcerers flanking Egil nodded in agreement, their features lit up with joy upon hearing the Pope’s deduction.

"That would be a monumental success! I’ve heard that this Dragon Knight Menia is the Emperor’s own aunt and a pillar of the Dragan Empire’s strength; her death would be of immense significance!"

"I have heard the same. The ’Red Queen’ Menia is a legendary Guardian of the Dragan Empire. By having our Sea God Sect eliminate her, our Sect’s renown will reach unprecedented heights."

"Haha, in that case, should we press the attack and wipe out the rest of them right here?"

...

"Do not be so hasty. We must first investigate the situation on the island. As for Reginald, we can deal with him afterward." Pope Egil reflected for a moment before deciding to prioritize inspecting the island.

His logic was sound: first, if Rein had survived, being at the epicenter of such a witchcraft blast would have left him severely wounded. They could easily assist their goddess in preventing his flight, or perhaps even claim a lucky killing blow.

Secondly, Reginald was a known Earth Element Dawn Wizard, a specialist in defense. Combined with a Yellow Dragon gifted in Earth Witchcraft, he was essentially a walking fortress. Killing him quickly would be an arduous task.

Therefore, in terms of tactical priority, choosing to finish off Rein first was the superior option.

Consequently, a strange unanimity took hold of the battlefield. Both the Sea God Sect and the Imperial forces charged toward the island with desperate speed, resulting in even more ferocious skirmishes along the way.

Before long, the island’s landscape was revealed to the approaching groups.

In a heartbeat, nearly everyone was paralyzed with shock. Ceasing their combat, they stared at the massive crater that had been hollowed out and filled with water like a small lake. Many began scanning the perimeter, searching for any signs of life.

The terrain looked as though it had been scoured by a cyclone. Every bit of greenery had been obliterated, leaving behind only radiating patterns of dirt and shattered stone. The view was completely unobstructed.

The Nether Sea Goddess Hela was nowhere to be seen.

The three-headed dragon form of Rein had vanished.

Even after a thorough search, there was no trace of the Red Queen Menia.

It was as if all three combatants had been erased from existence by the blast.

This caused the high-ranking Evil Sorcerers of the Sea God Sect to begin murmuring among themselves.

"Is it possible they all perished together?"

"It is hard to say, but certainly possible!"

"Even if my master lost her avatar, if we have truly slain the ’Red Queen’ Menia of the Empire, this counts as a victory for us."

...

While these discussions reached Pope Egil’s ears, his brow remained furrowed. The scene before him did not match his expectations, and his perspective on the matter differed greatly from the rest of his Sect.