Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1503 - 517: Search and Divination

"Hmm?"

Rein’s gaze brightened as he reached the lowest level. Beyond the expected expanse of churning, dark red lava, he noticed several metallic ore veins protruding from the volcanic walls.

These were clearly heat-resistant raw ores; any common stone would have been liquified by the intense heat of the lava long ago.

Furthermore, Rein observed numerous creatures ranging several meters in length. They possessed crocodile-like bodies of a deep crimson hue, resembling dragons, and featured two fan-like fins upon their backs as they scurried across the surface of the molten lake.

"What kind of species are these? Looking at their features, do they carry the Red Dragon or a similar Red Dragon Bloodline?"

"However, those dual dorsal fins suggest an origin from an aquatic lifeform. It makes sense, considering this is an underwater volcano."

"With those sail-like fish fins and a preference for magma, I’ll call them Molten Double-Sailed Dragons for now," Rein noted after a careful look.

The sudden arrival of Rein, an unknown 'intruder,' drew the attention of several Molten Double-Sailed Dragons. Their eyes glinted with hunger as they lunged toward him, clearly marking Rein as their next meal.

"Swoosh!"

The Hardened Essence Gold gripped in Rein’s hand shifted instantly into a rapier. He thrust it forward, skewering the skull of a Molten Double-Sailed Dragon and pinning the beast to the spot.

Even though he killed the creature in one blow, Rein noted the significant physical resistance and toughness during the strike. The post-mortem muscle spasms were far more powerful than those of typical fierce beasts.

"Impressive vitality; it's likely a Dragon Descendant."

Rein had suspected as much the moment he saw their draconic heads. Dragons were notorious for their mating habits, capable of sireing offspring with almost any species due to their overwhelmingly dominant genes.

Despite Rein’s swift execution of their kin, the remaining double-sailed dragons showed no fear, continuing their relentless charge.

"If they are indeed Dragon Descendants, this becomes easy."

Rein allowed a trace of his own dragon bloodline aura to leak out. Immediately, the predators that sought to feast on him were paralyzed by bloodline suppression. They scattered in a panic, diving back into the safety of the lava.

Choosing not to give chase, Rein located a dry alcove within the rock wall and hurried back to the surface. He needed to bring Menia down as quickly as possible.

Approaching Menia, Rein called out softly, "Princess Menia?"

She remained unresponsive even after several attempts to wake her.

After a moment of deliberation, Rein whispered, "Princess Menia, I have to move you down to the lava lake."

He reached out and gently lifted Menia into his arms. The moment he touched her, he was struck by how warm and soft her body felt.

Menia’s crimson wizard robe appeared to be a high-tier witch artifact. It had automatically retracted during her earlier transformation and remained perfectly intact, possessing a texture as smooth as silk stockings that hugged her graceful curves.

As Rein held her, Menia let out a faint, delicate moan. Her head drifted naturally to rest beneath Rein’s chin, and the intoxicating scent of a mature woman filled his senses.

Her slender frame leaned into him, her chest pressing closer while her hips shifted against Rein’s lower abdomen.

Being a man who had practiced abstinence for quite some time, Rein found it impossible to prevent certain stray thoughts from entering his mind.

As he walked, Rein’s eyes involuntarily drifted down toward Menia.

One glance turned into many; he couldn't pull his eyes away. He found her breathtakingly beautiful and familiar, feeling a surge of pity and a sudden, irrational urge to kiss her.

During their previous soul-merging, Rein had solved a mystery: why Princess Menia often looked at him with such a strange expression.

He also understood why she had warned him so sternly against utilizing the Multi-Headed Dragon transformation.

Back in her youth at the Imperial Royal Academy, Menia had met a young man. Though he lacked royal status, he possessed the prestigious Red Dragon Bloodline. He was a disciplined genius, and the two eventually developed a deep, secret romance.

However, on the cusp of graduation, the young man’s intense training led to a true awakening—not of the Red Dragon Bloodline, but of the far rarer Multi-Headed Dragon Bloodline.

Crucially, according to the secret archives of the Dragan Empire, Multi-Headed Dragons were viewed as aberrations and malevolent foreign entities.

The tragic conclusion of their relationship was easy to imagine.

Rein hadn't seen every detail of her past, but he understood the core of her trauma.

It was this heartbreaking history that had kept Menia single all these years. Seeing Rein transform into a Two-headed Dragon back in the Ferdinand Forest had sent her into a trance-like shock, leading her to impose a gag order on the event.

Rein’s gaze now softened with genuine sympathy for her.

"A woman hailed as the Empire’s Valkyrie, always projecting strength and majesty... who could have known the pain she hides inside?"

Furthermore, since their consciousnesses had partially merged, they shared an inherent, deep-seated bond of affinity.

Combined with the alluring sight in his arms, Rein’s mind continued to wander toward more provocative thoughts.

With his heart racing, Rein leaped back into the chasm, descending toward the molten lake below. He quickly reached his chosen spot, preparing to set Menia down with care.