Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1499 - 515: Underground and Sea_2

Naturally, Rein had one final task to attend to before moving forward: he needed to verify the condition of that enigmatic mermaid girl, a survivor of an ancient race.

Her current state was baffling. No consciousness remained within her physical shell—neither her own original soul nor any lingering traces of the Nether Sea Goddess’s possession were present. Despite this, her blood continued to circulate slowly, and her complexion remained vibrant and delicate, appearing remarkably lifelike.

She looked as though she were simply caught in a deep slumber.

....

Only a few minutes prior.

Above the waves near the coastline of the island.

Reginald was struggling with every fiber of his being to command Ted, his massive dragon partner. He was desperate to reach Prince Menia and Rein, who had already retreated toward the island after separating. However, their path was obstructed by Pope Egil of the Sea God Sect and a formidable gathering of high-ranking Evil Sorcerers.

With no other choice, Reginald was forced to bank away, merging with the remaining imperial airship fleet that had arrived to provide valiant support.

His strategy was to utilize the combined firepower of the imperial airships to endure the enemy's initial onslaught. He hoped to find a gap in the chaos to reunite with Menia and Rein.

Deep down, he was aware of the grim reality. Even though Rein’s combat prowess remained as shocking as ever, Menia was in a terrible state, barely clinging to her giant dragon form. If Menia collapsed, the balance of the entire conflict would shatter, leaving both of them in extreme peril.

Because of this, his heart was consumed by frantic worry!

"Imperial airship formation, support Lord Reginald! Launch a forced breakthrough toward the island ahead!"

Inside the captain’s quarters of the imperial flagship, the veteran major general witnessed the unfolding crisis and barked out the command immediately.

Yet, just as the airships pivoted to engage the Sea God Sect’s Flying Fish Knights and Manta Knights in a violent skirmish, a blinding pillar of white light suddenly erupted before their eyes!

This pillar of light originated from the very heart of the nearby island. It seemed to pierce the heavens, rapidly expanding until its diameter had grown dozens of times larger. A massive shockwave followed, sweeping across the island and slamming into the ocean surface.

The resulting air pressure sent countless Sea God Sect flying knights tumbling dozens of meters away. Even the four surviving imperial airships were left reeling, swaying precariously like flickering candles caught in a gale.

Only Reginald, synchronized with his dragon, managed to hold his position in the sky.

"This... such intense fire element energy fluctuations. Could it be..." Reginald’s face drained of color as he whispered to himself.

He was well aware that Rein was a Metal Series Wizard. For fire witchcraft of this magnitude to be unleashed, it had to be Prince Menia. But Menia had been on the verge of total exhaustion; where could she have found the spiritual power required for such a devastating strike?

Meanwhile, the experienced Pope Egil of the Sea God Sect watched the spectacle with growing satisfaction.

"That youth Rein is not a Dawn Wizard of the fire element. The only one capable of manifesting such powerful witchcraft is the woman known as the ’Red Queen’ Menia of the Dragan Empire."

"Considering her weakened state earlier, she shouldn't have been able to cast such a spell again. It appears my Master has forced her into a self-destructive final strike."

Listening to the Pope’s deduction, the group of high-ranking Evil Sorcerers behind Egil nodded in agreement, their expressions turning gleeful.

"That would be a monumental triumph! I’ve heard that this Dragon Knight Menia is the Emperor’s own aunt and a pillar of the Dragan Empire’s strength. Slaying her is a feat of immense importance!"

"I have heard the same. The ’Red Queen’ Menia is a legendary Guardian. If our Sea God Sect is responsible for her downfall, our prestige will reach unprecedented heights."

"Haha! Should we press the advantage and wipe them all out right here?"

...

"Do not be so hasty. First, we must investigate the island. We can deal with Reginald afterward," Pope Egil decided after a brief moment of contemplation.

His logic was sound: first, if Rein had somehow survived, being at the epicenter of such a witchcraft explosion would mean he was certainly crippled by injuries. They could easily assist their Goddess in preventing his flight and perhaps claim some unexpected rewards.

Secondly, Reginald was a known Earth Element Dawn Wizard, a specialist in defense. Combined with a Yellow Dragon gifted in Earth Witchcraft, he was effectively a walking fortress. Killing him quickly would be an arduous task.

Therefore, in terms of tactical priority, eliminating Rein was the superior choice.

Thus, a strange, unspoken agreement took hold of the battlefield. Both the Sea God Sect and the Imperial forces raced toward the island, leading to even more savage fighting as they moved.

Before long, the island’s landscape came into view.

In an instant, the combatants were stunned into silence. They halted their attacks, staring at the massive crater that had been hollowed out and filled with water to form a small lake. Many began scanning the area, searching for any sign of life.

The terrain looked as if a hurricane had scoured it clean. Every bit of vegetation was gone, replaced by radial patterns of scorched earth and shattered stone. The view was unobstructed.

There was no trace of the Nether Sea Goddess Hela.

The three-headed dragon form of Rein was nowhere to be seen.

Even after a thorough search, not a single sign of the Red Queen Menia remained.

It appeared as though all three had vanished entirely within the blast.

This caused the high-ranking Evil Sorcerers of the Sea God Sect to begin whispering among themselves.

"Is it possible they all perished together?"

"It is hard to say, but certainly possible!"

"Even if our Master lost an avatar, trading it for the life of the Empire’s ’Red Queen’ Menia is a significant victory."

...

These comments reached Pope Egil’s ears, but he remained frowning. The scene before him did not match his expectations, and his perspective differed greatly from those of his subordinates.