Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1565 - 539: The Final Say
Previously on Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys...
Following Hamadi's departure, Rein lingered in the mansion for merely a single evening before heading back to the Bixiu Mechanization School's site, securing a secluded chamber, and diving into the examination of the Fifth Layer of the Meditation Method.
He never anticipated that mere moments after acquiring the Fifth Layer, he'd dive right into its study.
Based on his initial calculations, the soonest he'd meet the basic threshold for comprehension—achieving 90% qualitative shift in spiritual power—would be after a few years at minimum.
Rein had figured the task of etching 256 Will Runes for the Fourth Layer of the Steel Heart was challenging enough, yet upon glimpsing the Fifth Layer, he found himself rather at a loss for words.
"512 Runes? This..."
"This degree of challenge is truly..."
That said, Rein had no illusions of effortlessly mastering the Fifth Layer of the Advanced Meditation Method, so he soon composed himself.
Having pondered it briefly, he rose to his feet and wandered around the secret chamber, deep in thought.
"Ah, so a Fifth-level wizard starts altering the origin of their bloodline, gaining the initial power to transmit their extraordinary heritage. Their form transcends mere mortality, hovering between humanity and godhood—the famed Demigod stage."
"Naturally, greater challenges yield even mightier rewards."
"Once the Fifth Layer model of the Steel Heart Advanced Meditation Method is completely etched, it creates a 'Steel Heart' within the mental sea, boosting Metal Series Witchcraft potency by fivefold, vastly outstripping the mere doubling from the prior four layers."
A surge of longing filled Rein!
"Five times! Even ignoring the rest, this boost by itself would dominate utterly."
After mulling it over some more, Rein resolved to attempt the etching process.
The initial Will Rune.
...
The hundredth one...
...
The two hundredth...
...
The three hundred fifty-fourth!
"Whew~" Rein exhaled deeply.
His inaugural try concluded at three hundred fifty-four!
"Hiss~ Such a hurdle! It's beyond exaggeration!"
"Aiming for 512, yet short by more than a hundred... even I can scarcely hit Dawn Peak standards..."
Truth be told, Rein wasn't the type to surrender without a fight, but confronted with this disparity, a bitter smile crept across his face.
"It's no surprise that even Empire Emperors, flush with resources, lore, and hidden arts, mostly stall at the Dawn Peak stage."
"From what I recall, in the Empire's last two millennia, only three Empire Emperors have ascended to the Fifth-level Full Moon Wizard realm."
"The challenge is overwhelmingly steep!" Rein shook his head in resignation.
Yet, every start proves toughest, and this obstacle failed to dent Rein's resolve.
In the end, grand journeys begin with tiny strides.
Thus, Rein pushed through over a dozen more attempts... persisting until his spiritual power dwindled and his temples ached sharply, at which point he finally halted.
While his advancement climbed to three hundred sixty-six runes, the chasm to the 512-rune mark remained vast.
"Should I pour in some recovery boosts or..."
Were the goal four hundred runes, Rein would unhesitatingly allocate attribute points, but for this...
"Never mind, given the pace now, I'll hold off—I've just ten attribute points left. I'll think about assigning them after a few days if things truly bog down."
...
At the same time.
Within the Dragon Empire Palace.
Amid a lavish conference hall, Menia, Second Prince Everton, Grand Princess Renala, and a handful of aged royal kin convened a discussion.
By custom, while the Empire Emperor remains sidelined by exceptional circumstances, this body acts as the Dragon Empire's supreme governing force.
"...The events unfolding in the Patagonia Highlands carry immense weight, yet we're sorely lacking in Imperial Guardian manpower, facing real strain."
"Following yesterday's scrutiny by the Elder Council, a group of promising young Empire powerhouses who've attained Epic Level were nominated as Guardian prospects. This is the finalized roster—please review it. Absent any dissent, we ought to ratify it promptly."
From his position at the head, Menia gestured with a sweep of his arm as he spoke.
A few female clerks from the records section advanced, distributing copies of the list onto the surface before every attending royal member.
Right then, Second Prince Everton's heart skipped a beat.
Was it possible...
When the clerk bowed and presented the document, Everton's eyes swiftly scanned the contents:
"Tide Sword Saint’s primary apprentice Lambert.... Involved in numerous classified Empire missions... Achieved Sword Saint status one month prior..."
"Vice Chief of the Imperial Swordsmen Rein.... Bears an enigmatic Giant Dragon bloodline... Boasts impressive combat feats..."
"..."
Exactly as suspected!
Second Prince Everton's eyelids flickered sharply.
Should Rein join the Imperial Guardians, he'd gain instant eligibility for Dragon bonding trials, skipping the Dragon Knight training entirely to claim the title outright.
Even more crucially, the Empire's full arsenal of assets would unlock for him.
Consequently, his influence could surge dramatically once again!
Though his father might recover and resume rule, amid today's chaotic times, curbing that growing sway would demand careful deliberation.
Absolutely not—this has to be halted!
"I'm in favor. The Empire faces unrest right now, desperately requiring new Imperial Guardians; otherwise, us veterans might not sustain it much longer." One senior royal relative set aside the list, grinning as he approved.
"Absolutely! Take this Rein, for instance—his prowess is undeniable, having crushed Pantoscoke with ease; he should've joined the Imperial Guardian ranks ages ago."