Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1467 - 504: Black Mist

"Vile... goblins, you employed traps... to seize the mighty Rebry..." A raspy, low voice vibrated from the ancient Minotaur.

"On this day, every one of you... shall die!"

The Minotaur spoke using the ancient common tongue. Being a Wizard, Rein possessed enough knowledge of the language to easily grasp his meaning.

"Why does he harbor such intense hatred for goblins?"

Even so, Rein remained calm despite being surrounded by numerous foes. He had already prepared himself for the possibility of an ambush before he ever set foot in the prison.

To that end.

Rein abruptly lifted his hand and struck the floor with great force.

"Steel Forest!"

In an instant, waves of dark silver ripples surged outward from Rein, washing over every inch of the hallway.

Since they were within the Floating City, the floors of every level were constructed almost entirely of metal. Though the structures were permanently fixed, the density of Metal Energy Particles within the Subspace was far greater than normal.

Consequently, the power of Rein’s Metal Series Witchcraft was not diminished; instead, it was boosted by over ten percent of its usual strength.

"Sss! Sss!"

A multitude of jagged shrubs and thorns, gleaming with a dark silver metallic sheen, erupted from the floor and shot upward with incredible speed!

"Moo~"

Sensing a looming threat, the ancient Minotaur, whose face was veiled in black mist, let out a heavy snort. Two-meter-long plumes of white air blasted toward the ground as he raised his massive black hooves and stomped down violently!

"Boom!!"

From the point of impact, a shockwave spanning several meters wide exploded outward.

Even though the blast only covered a small area, it was sufficient to halt the expansion of Rein’s Dawn Killing Move within that specific radius.

"Hmm~"

Rein was genuinely startled by this sight!

For an opponent to achieve such a feat, they undoubtedly possessed strength at the Epic-level.

But then, Rein witnessed something even more shocking!

At the far end of the corridor, the female goblin interrogator suddenly burst into motion, her figure becoming a mere blur.

"Hmm? What speed!"

"This is nothing like the clumsy, slow movements of the goblin corpses I fought before," Rein thought, his eyebrows arching in surprise.

It was one thing if the ancient Minotaur possessed Epic-level power, but the female goblin interrogator's swiftness was illogical. It stood in stark contrast to the rigid behavior shown by the goblin engineer and the Mechanical Land Bird Operator.

Rein found himself unable to explain the discrepancy.

However, Rein was certain of one thing: that black mist was, at the very least, preserving the opponent’s skin, muscles, and ligaments, preventing the decay that should have already occurred.

"Was she an Epic-level expert in life, or is she being buffed by that black mist?"

"Wait, could the black mist be magnifying specific traits?"

Suddenly, a realization struck Rein's mind like a bolt of lightning in the dark!

"This female goblin interrogator likely possesses a Thief-like speed specialty, while the Minotaur has Huge Strength." Rein’s gaze sharpened.

Against Rein’s 'Steel Forest'—a wide-range Dawn Killing Move—the female goblin's speed was effectively neutralized.

No matter how agile she was, she would be struck as long as she remained within the reach of his dark silver metal ripples.

There was no way to flee!

And so it was.

"Squelch!"

A massive spike, resembling a cactus needle, erupted from below and skewered the female goblin interrogator, pinning her in the air.

Simultaneously, another anomaly occurred on the opposite side.

As Rein’s metal ripples reached the feet of the human corpse wizard, the figure raised a hand. The dark silver ripples split around him like a river hitting a boulder.

Though the intense energy of the metal waves forced the opponent back, he had successfully blocked the assault.

"Hmm? The power of a Dawn Wizard?"

"Is he also being empowered by the black mist?"

"No, a wizard's witchcraft is fueled by spiritual power; it isn't certain if the black mist can enhance that."

Rein thought back to the goblin corpse in the lab coat back in the workshop. While that creature was a master of Goblin Engineering, the way it had activated the Demon Statues proved it was a wizard.

Yet, that creature's reactions had been very limited, showing no evidence of boosted witchcraft.

The most vital clue was that the ancient Minotaur and the goblin interrogator were both enveloped in black mist, whereas the human wizard and the lab-coated goblin showed no signs of it.

This was a glaring distinction.

Rein’s wide-area Dawn Killing Move, 'Steel Forest,' had failed to do much damage, with its only success being the impaling of the female goblin.

At that moment, the ancient Minotaur launched a swift counter-offensive.

"Moo!!!"

"Rebry.... will crush... you... you treacherous... crawling cowards!"

With a roar, the ancient Minotaur lowered his frame and tucked his elbow, pointing his singular, sharp horn directly at Rein. He charged with heavy steps, gaining momentum like a stampeding herd of bison, seemingly impossible to stop!

Meanwhile.

The withered human wizard extended a hand toward Rein, causing metal energy to swirl violently around him.

One by one, jagged spikes roughly a meter long manifested in the air around the wizard, their numbers multiplying with every passing second...