Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1472 - 506: Dispute

Rein was completely oblivious to the events unfolding within the prison, having already made his way back to the outskirts of the temporary base.

An oval mirror materialized in the air as Rein finished chanting his incantation.

Upon seeing Rein, the members of the camp all displayed looks of astonishment.

"Lord Rein, seeing you return in one piece is truly a relief."

"How did it go? Was everything smooth?" Sword Saint Terrio stood up, greeting him with a warm smile.

"I appreciate the concern, Lord Terrio. Things went quite well," Rein replied, nodding with a smile of his own.

"It appears you have returned with a significant haul, Lord Rein," Haleem remarked, his eyes drifting toward the ring of keys in Rein's hand as he smiled.

Haleem was well aware that even if he were to be promoted to a Dawn Wizard, his own strength would likely be insufficient to explore the second level solo as Rein had done.

"I managed to secure the keys, but there wasn't enough time for a full exploration. The creatures lurking inside are incredibly powerful."

Rein gestured toward the key chain, shaking his head with a forced, bitter smile.

He had no intention of revealing the actual truth.

He was currently on Federation territory, and there was no way to ensure that people wouldn't become greedy if they knew what he found.

Furthermore, he preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble, choosing instead to quietly build his fortune.

"Oh? Are the monsters truly that formidable?" Terrio inquired, his interest piqued.

"Indeed. I ran into..." Rein proceeded to give a brief summary of the encounter.

"Lord Terrio, if you decide to explore, please remember to avoid the third level entirely. As for the second level, it is best to travel in groups alongside Lord Hernandez or other powerful individuals."

At the same time, Rein offered this sincere warning to Terrio.

Their interactions during this journey had been quite pleasant, and Rein held Terrio’s character in high regard.

"Thank you for the advice, Lord Rein. I will certainly be cautious," Terrio said with a nod.

Standing nearby, Hernandez seemed to catch a vital piece of information, his expression turning pensive.

While Sword Saint Terrio and Hernandez did not doubt Rein’s description, Haleem and the team of researchers found it to be far too dramatic.

Many began to murmur amongst themselves in the back:

"Isn't this a bit much? A single goblin corpse has power equal to Sword Saint Terrio?"

"And claiming Lord Terrio needs a team just to survive there? Is this Lord Rein from the Empire looking down on our Federation's Sword Saint?"

"What if Lord Rein is actually telling the truth?"

"I suspect Lord Rein might be embellishing things a little."

"..."

These Second Level Liquidization Wizard researchers had never seen Rein’s true power, nor had they stepped foot into the first level. To them, Rein’s report sounded like a wild exaggeration.

Even Haleem felt that Rein’s assessment might be overly grim.

Rein naturally caught these whispers, but he remained indifferent to their opinions and felt no need to justify himself.

If they chose to listen, so be it.

If they ignored him and walked into their own deaths through lack of preparation, that was their own fault.

He had already fulfilled his duty by providing Terrio with an honest warning.

"By the way, Lord Rein, you mentioned a specific term earlier—a Fiend Demon?" Hernandez suddenly spoke up, remembering the name.

"Yes. Is it possible you have heard of it, Lord Hernandez?" Rein asked, curious.

Rein had glossed over the detail about the three black fogs merging, simply stating: 'After the monster was slain, the black fog transformed into a Fiend Demon of immense power.'

"I seem to recall seeing it mentioned in an ancient text, though it was just a brief reference without much detail," Hernandez said, shaking his head.

"Supposedly, the Fiend Demon is a manifestation of an ancient evil that cannot be fully wiped out."

"Is that so? Were there any other notes?" Rein fell into deep thought.

The claim that it couldn't be destroyed aligned with the fact that he hadn't absorbed any high-quality energy after its defeat.

"There was nothing else," Hernandez replied with a shake of his head.

"I appreciate the insight, Lord Hernandez."

Rein felt a hint of disappointment.

The encounter with the Fiend Demon had left him feeling quite uneasy.

He decided he would eventually have to ask Prince Menia about this creature.

Given Menia’s high status and vast experience, he likely possessed knowledge of secrets that were hidden from common Dawn Wizards.

"Lord Rein, now that you have returned, shall we continue our journey?" Sword Saint Terrio suggested.

The group had rested sufficiently while Rein was in the prison, and Terrio’s wounds had already mended.

"Certainly," Rein agreed with a nod.

...

The group soon followed the blueprints of the Floating City, passing through two corridors until they reached the third gate on the second level.

The third gate was located directly opposite the prison, near the site where the Prototype had detonated, meaning very few goblin corpses were in the area.

This sight only served to further convince the researchers that Rein had been exaggerating earlier.

"Is that truly a massive steel gate?" Haleem looked up at the thirty-meter-tall metal structure, unable to hide his amazement.

"Yes, a deployment bay for the Giant Demon Statue combat units would naturally require a massive exit," Rein explained. Having studied the Floating City’s design, he understood the scale of the architecture.

"The automated locking system is broken; we can only open it using this manual valve," Haleem noted with a frown, pointing toward a large, wheel-shaped dial nearby.