Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1501 - 516: Ancient Sea Beast Glasers

"Pope, Vice Pope Meck has made his return."

"The giant beast Glasers has been successfully liberated from the Sealing Gate by Lord Meck. It is currently positioned roughly five nautical miles from our location."

"Excellent! Haha, it seems our Lord truly smiles upon us!" Egil, the Pope of the Sea God Sect, could not restrain a burst of triumphant laughter.

The high-ranking Evil Sorcerers standing behind Egil felt a wave of relief wash over them at this revelation.

While the Federation Sword Saint was undeniably a formidable opponent, the true depth of the Sea God Sect’s power was far greater than it seemed. Had their two epic-level champions not been occupied exploring various ruins and Sealing Gates, the Empire Delegation would likely have been wiped out instantly.

Naturally, the current situation had been entirely unforeseen.

The cult had assumed that once they secured the corpse of the ancient mermaid princess Niruela to serve as a vessel for their Goddess’s descent, no further risks or complications would arise.

"So, that monstrous ancient Sea Beast, ‘Grathes the Smoldering Eel,’ has been unsealed as well? Haha, wonderful! This is the perfect chance to test its might against that Federation Sword Saint."

"Indeed, with Lord Meck’s arrival, there is no longer any reason for us to withdraw."

"Precisely. Let the Federation witness the true overwhelming strength of our sect."

A spirited discussion broke out among the Evil Sorcerers.

Grathes was a colossal ancient eel, distinguished by purple markings across its hide that were actually natural conduits for high-energy electrical currents. When it attacked, it didn't merely knock its victims unconscious; it surged with enough electricity to ignite their bodies, reducing them to piles of ash.

This terrifying trait had earned it the title of the 'Smoldering Eel.'

Furthermore, it was a voracious predator. Ancient records claimed that even grey whales measuring dozens of meters in length were swallowed whole by the beast.

In the oceans of antiquity, any region inhabited by Grathes was stripped of large marine life, giving it a reputation as fearsome as that of the legendary ‘Leviathan Giant Whale.’

Though its power had inevitably waned after such a long imprisonment, the Evil Sorcerers remained confident that it possessed more than enough strength to slaughter a Sword Saint.

Meanwhile, on Sword Saint Terrio’s front.

After rapidly cutting through a squadron of Manta and Flying Fish Knights sent to block his path, he hurried toward the Dragon Knight Reginald and the surviving members of the Empire’s aerial fleet.

"Crown Reginald, where are Lord Rein and Prince Menia?" Terrio asked, his expression etched with worry.

By a twist of fate, Terrio had departed from Rein two days earlier to head north from Zetaya. However, he had been forced to halt his journey after receiving reports of catastrophic casualties during a military-led exploration of the Floating City Ruins.

This news had shocked Terrio, causing him to pause his trek.

Shortly after, he received a formal missive from Vice Speaker Bertrand of the Federation Congress. After weighing his options, Terrio decided to return to Zetaya to discuss the matter personally with Bertrand.

But before that meeting could take place, word reached him that the Empire Delegation had been caught in a massive ambush by the Sea God Sect in the coastal waters. Pushing his body to its limits, Terrio rushed to the scene without hesitation.

Despite the age gap, he felt a profound bond with Rein. He held a deep respect for Rein’s integrity and overwhelming power.

Now that he had arrived, however, Terrio realized the carnage was far worse than he had feared.

"Prince Menia has likely... fallen in battle. As for Lord Rein, his current condition is unknown..." Reginald spoke the words with visible pain.

Even a man as hardened as Sword Saint Terrio felt his heart tighten at the news!

"What!?"

"Prince Menia is dead? Are you certain of this?"

"I did not see it with my own eyes, but that final, massive surge of Fire Element witchcraft must have been unleashed by the Prince when she was mortally wounded. I can see no other explanation," Reginald replied, his voice heavy as he shook his head.

Reginald quickly laid out his reasoning. Terrio listened, eventually nodding with a dark, grim look on his face.

"To think... this has happened..." Terrio let out a weary, heavy sigh.

The Federation and the Empire had only just established a promising cooperation agreement. Yet, on the very edge of Federation waters, the delegation had been slaughtered and the Red Queen Menia had fallen.

Even though the Sea God Sect was responsible, how would the Empire interpret this tragedy?

Would they believe the Federation was playing a double game, secretly conspiring with the cults that plagued the Empire to assassinate their most powerful figures?

Moreover, the loss of someone as beautiful and extraordinarily talented as Menia felt like a staggering blow to the world in Terrio's eyes.

Still, the fact that Prince Menia and Lord Rein had fought so fiercely against the avatar of the Nether Sea Goddess and the main strength of the Sea God Sect was a testament to their incredible power.

"And what of Lord Rein? His fate is truly unknown? Has no one found him?" Terrio pressed urgently.

"We have yet to recover Lord Rein’s body. My suspicion is that he is hiding somewhere, likely on this very island, nursing severe injuries."