Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1543 - 531: Sudden Upheaval and Chaos

"Heh heh, Stuttgart, you're still as hasty as ever."

A voice tinged with malice echoed from every direction around them!

In an instant, the ground right in the middle of the Isodre School square gave way, exposing a bunch of tightly clustered openings.

These openings came in all sorts of sizes, from ones as small as a hand's span to giants over two meters wide. Right after, hordes of black-striped spiders in different sizes crawled up from below.

A slender figure in a hooded black robe emerged from one of the bigger openings as well.

Rein had sensed a faint watchfulness coming from various spots just moments ago. Yet, it stayed so subtle, and with all the Isodre School wizards nearby, nailing it down proved tough.

At last, he realized the foe was employing these strange spiders to form something like a monitoring web.

That's why he'd held back a good chunk of his power during the earlier fight, avoiding things like his Bloodline Transformation or Shadow Shifting.

Plus, the instant Rein spotted this hooded figure, he linked him straight to the details he'd reviewed previously.

Months back, once Staven's hit on him flopped, Rein had dug into the Tutkash School.

This guy was none other than Graham, head of the Tutkash School, an uncommon undead Dawn wizard. Above all, rumors pointed to him being tainted by the Evil God Nael Breccan already.

While Rein stayed composed.

The pair of older Isodre School wizards traded a heavy look, spotting worry, astonishment, and doubt in one another's gaze.

"That's Graham of the Tutkash School!" a Liquidized wizard from the school burst out.

"Sect Leader... The Sect Leader's truly teaming up with the Tutkash School!" another voice rang with utter letdown.

"It all makes sense now! No surprise our patrol reports got ignored. So the Sect Leader's been working with the Tutkash School all along!"

"Damn it, Yuri, your death was pointless. Who could've guessed the betrayer was the Sect Leader himself!" a Fog Wizard spat through clenched teeth, like he'd lost his own loved one in the clash with the Tutkash School.

Just as Rein had figured, the bulk of Isodre School wizards got fooled by Stuttgart and Deputy Sect Leader Malcolm.

"Tsk tsk, so youthful, yet you've reached High Rank Wizard at Dawn Late Stage. Lord Rein, you've really caught me off guard!" Graham pulled back his hood, showing a pale, gaunt face. He gave Rein a faint grin and remarked.

"Thanks, but I can do without praise from a lurker who hides in burrows like a rodent," Rein replied steadily.

"You!" Rein's retort instantly wiped the grin off Graham's face.

"Such a shame, though—a talent like yours ending up lost on the Shirendil Plateau." Graham dropped the fake smile, eyeing Rein with clear spite.

"Is that so? Just with you alone?" Rein shot him a sideways glance, then eyed the downed Gorlon Giant's body, adding:

"You aided in bringing back the Gorlon Giant, right? I bet you kept the real story from Stuttgart. Even if it got revived as an undead, its true controller probably wouldn't be Stuttgart, but you!"

"Or rather, the being you serve."

Rein’s statement made Graham's ashen, wicked features twitch a bit.

"Graham, is that the case?" Stuttgart's face grew stormy, his stare locked on Graham as he demanded.

"How could it be, Stuttgart? Don't you see Rein's just stirring trouble between us?" Graham shot back right away.

Graham's response caused Stuttgart to waver briefly. After all, his point held some weight, and Rein lacked hard proof on the Gorlon Giant issue.

"How sad." Rein shook his head with a sigh, saying, "Stuttgart, check your surroundings. Those odd spiders have this area sealed off, and it seems they've schemed against you and the whole Isodre School for ages."

"Rubbish! These odd spiders are here to take you down."

"Attack!" Graham swung his hand, sending the swarm of packed spiders charging at Rein.

Before Stuttgart could mull over Rein's warning, Graham drew a shadowy etched wooden case from his robe and snapped it open fast. A heart-shaped thing pulsing with bright yellow glow sat inside, right in Stuttgart's view.

"Stuttgart, see what I've got for you!" Graham cooed in a seductive tone.

"The Earth Core?" Stuttgart's look eased at once, his eyes on Graham turning much warmer.

"You've actually located the Earth Core!"

Stuttgart's gaze, brimming with excitement, stayed glued to the box, unable to shift.

The Earth Core ranks as a superior treasure to the Earth Element Essence, discovered only in beasts like Mountain Giants, Hill Giants, and Gorlon Giants, who wield exceptional earth element control by nature.

For High Rank Earth Wizards, its pull is immense; it boosts strength and crafts all sorts of High Rank Witch Artifacts.

But with those legendary or even demigod beasts wiped out, snagging an Earth Core turned incredibly rare.

"Naturally, I told you that once the odd spider nests spread evenly over the Shirendil Plateau, we'd definitely uncover an Earth Core."