Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1570 - 541

A peculiar odor hung in the atmosphere, blending staleness, herbal scents, and the reek of blood.

"Intruder!!"

Just as Rein began sensing the repelling force from this Small Secret Realm, a guttural bellow reverberated through the surroundings.

Rein scanned his vicinity swiftly and spotted multiple burly dragon-men brandishing lengthy war blades with hafts, rushing in his direction.

It happened that right after he forced his way into the Secret Realm, a patrol team of robust dragon-men detected him from the rear.

With the dragon-men's growls, even more dragon-men and odd dragon beasts were evidently drawn over to assault him.

"Gotta speed this up!"

Rein brought his palm down forcefully, unleashing a potent dark silver glow that struck the murky gray stone ground. As metallic waves propagated outward, the aggressive dragon-men got impaled by abrupt spikes erupting from below.

They remained fixed in place, upright like spits everywhere.

Drawn by the disturbance, the grotesque figure Lunfrell hurried in while muttering profanities:

"Blast it, these idiotic dragon-men always blow small matters out of proportion!"

"For an experimental subject like this escaping, they ought to..."

Lunfrell trailed off, his words failing him as his jaw dropped slightly, his eyes widening in astonishment at the 'skewer thicket' that had sprung up in front of him.

"This..."

"Who... who exactly are you?"

"Maybe you ought to reveal your identity first?"

Observing the hunchbacked fiend that reminded him of Quasimodo from that tale in his past life, Rein examined him with curiosity.

"Gulp! I... I'm Lunfrell, the overseer of this place." Lunfrell gulped down his fear anxiously.

He sensed the formidable spiritual energy pulsing from this youth, realizing full well that any evasion or attempt to intimidate with the Second Prince would probably leave him skewered like those nearby.

"Overseer, huh? Excellent." Rein gave a nod, somewhat satisfied by Lunfrell's caution, which spared him considerable effort.

"Where's the elves' location?"

"O... over there." Lunfrell pointed shakily toward one side.

"Lead the way."

"O... of course, my lord."

Before long, guided by Lunfrell, Rein reached the chamber confining the elves.

Upon viewing the listless, sluggish female elves, Rein's expression soured, releasing intense pressure as he demanded of Lunfrell: "What have you done to them?"

"N... nothing, I... " Beneath Rein's stare, Lunfrell quivered: "Th... this lord, I merely administered ongoing low-dosage sedative injections."

"To ease the blood draws?" Rein eyed the numerous puncture scars on the elves' limbs.

"Y... yes." With no way to conceal it, Lunfrell bobbed his head meekly.

"Which of them is Lady Darien Yueling?" Rein inquired, weaving in subtle spiritual energy to assess the befuddled female elves.

The unique vibrations at last affected the elves, particularly one whose wide eyes twitched noticeably when the name arose, then turned toward Rein.

Following a quick inspection, Rein confirmed she had to be Anna's mother.

Their features matched strikingly, at least eighty percent alike, bordering on ninety, and they also bore seven or eight percent likeness to Anna's aunt Delana.

"Greetings, Lady Darien, I'm a friend of Anna's." Rein advanced and stated.

"An... na?" The woman faltered, seeming somewhat confused, yet the name carried deep significance for her, prompting her to muster a response.

Her reactions alone told Rein he'd identified the correct individual.

"Indeed, Lady Darien, I'll get you out of here first."

Having arrived, Rein planned to liberate every elf present.

...

Yet he cast a look at Lunfrell standing close by, pausing briefly.

Aside from that, this creature's prowess in alchemy stood unparalleled in his experience; ending him felt somewhat profligate.

Furthermore, he'd checked the state of the female elves. Beyond their dullness, apathy, and frailty from extended sedative exposure, they hadn't suffered physical mistreatment.

This differed sharply from his earlier assumptions, picturing the elves chained to seats, enduring various degradations or compelled into reproductive roles, and so on.

Above all, he'd been entirely cooperative throughout and displayed clear timidity, potentially positioning him as a future ally for switching sides...

Thus, after a brief consideration, Rein refrained from a lethal strike but promptly evacuated the female elves.

Lunfrell observed Rein departing with the female elves, his feelings surging like a wild ride, leaving him rooted in place, stunned.

He'd believed his end was certain.

Yet... astonishingly, he lived.

One certainty lingered: the figure before him could have slain him with ease and minimal effort, yet chose not to, baffling him.

"Might he truly have come solely to free the elves?"

"Regardless, fortune from Lady Luck be praised!"

...

"Roar!!!" A savage, disordered dragon roar erupted behind Rein.

"Oh no, the initial test subject has broken free!" Lunfrell cried out.

Thanks to Rein's sabotage, the Witch Array restraining the first test subject had failed as well. Lacking the array's bonds, mere heavy chains alone couldn't possibly contain it.

"Hmm?" Rein turned toward the shadowy hall's interior, detecting the potent aura of the beast.

"Nearing Epic Peak?"

"What's that entity?"

"My lord... that's my specimen for the Super Evolution Potion, and it's rampaging uncontained. We should flee at once. It's probably evolved to Extremely Old Dragon tier by now."

"Extremely Old Dragon?" Rein's gaze sharpened.

That explained the faint impression he'd gotten earlier from the hall's depths.

"Huh? It takes this form?"

"Fascinating."

In a flash, Rein pondered his subsequent actions.

...

Within a secluded spot in the palace gardens, a pair of elders conversed idly.

"Elder Ivan, didn't Prince Menia's choice seem overly impulsive? Though young Lord Rein preserved her life, this feels rather precipitate," remarked one from the Elder Council.

Elder Ivan creased his forehead, temporarily at a loss for words.

For the Royal Family's ancient precepts decreed that upon verifying the Multi-Headed Dragon Bloodline in anyone, total eradication followed, offering no alternatives.

Still, through his dealings with Rein, no savage or turbulent traits had emerged, clashing with the historical accounts.

"This... for now, we can't verify if Lord Rein possesses the Multi-Headed Dragon Bloodline, can we?" Elder Ivan responded evasively after reflection.

"But..."

As the Elder Council member started to protest, a abrupt blast rang out sharply in the nearby Inner Ring!

...

"Boom!!!"

The intense detonation originated from Second Prince Everton's residence, accompanied by a furious dragon roar.

Above the Second Prince's mansion materialized a particularly savage and malformed abomination, featuring a primary dragon head flanked by four twisted or withered ones, inevitably evoking a Multi-Headed Dragon.

This abrupt event swiftly drew numerous Elite Griffin Knights diving in, and given the mansion's proximity to the Imperial Palace, seven or eight Imperial Dragon Knights materialized overhead without delay.

At that moment, Second Prince Everton reached the mansion's gateway, and witnessing the sight, he exploded in rage:

"Rein, you audaciously breach my domain!"

"I went merely to extract someone. Moreover, this beast stems from your faction's doing, correct?" Rein, hovering aloft with arms folded, wore a subtle smirk and pressed on, "No need to refute; I've got proof!"

"You!!" Everton's visage flushed scarlet, his torso rising and falling rapidly!

Previously, he'd claimed in the assembly that Rein harbored a malevolent Multi-Headed Dragon Bloodline, yet now his own Dragon Scale Brotherhood's creation appeared far more akin to that bloodline than Rein did.

Curse it!

Rein's declaration instantly caused the encircling group of Imperial Guardians and Elder Council members to regard Second Prince Everton with odd looks.

After all, merely two days prior, this Second Prince had proclaimed Rein's lineage as the Multi-Headed Dragon Bloodline, but today it appeared he'd unwittingly unveiled his scheme: covertly crafting a monster strikingly reminiscent of a Multi-Headed Dragon.

This couldn't help but cast doubt on the reliability of the Second Prince's earlier claims.

...