Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1502 - 516: Ancient Sea Beast Glasers (Part 2)

"Based on your deduction, the probability is extremely high. Because of that, seizing this island is our top priority!" Sword Saint Terrio gestured toward the landmass ahead, which bore a massive crater as if it had been struck by a falling star.

"Precisely! Lord Terrio, since we are in close proximity to the Federation, could you reach out to their high command? We need to request reinforcements from their military branches."

"Consider it done." Terrio gave a firm, decisive nod.

...

Zetaya.

Located on the top floor of the city hall, the first lavish office on the right side of the hallway served as the temporary headquarters for Vice Speaker Bertrand during his stay in the city.

Bertrand was currently deep in discussion with Councilwoman Trena, outlining safety measures for the upcoming exploration of the Floating City Ruins.

Their meeting was interrupted by an urgent knock as an attendant rushed in, breathless.

"An emergency military dispatch, Vice Speaker! While returning, the Empire delegation was ambushed by the Sea God Sect. The avatar of the Nether Sea Goddess has manifested personally. The delegation is in mortal peril!"

"What did you say!" Bertrand went rigid for a heartbeat. He then surged to his feet, his face pale with shock before turning a furious shade of red. "Move! Scramble the nearest Imperial Navy patrol ships and airship fleets immediately! We must save the Empire delegation regardless of the cost!"

"Understood!" The attendant gave a sharp salute and sprinted out of the room.

"Bang!"

His face twisted with frustration, Bertrand slammed his fist onto the heavy mahogany desk, his teeth gritted. "Sea God Sect!!"

Nearby, Congresswoman Trena watched the Vice Speaker lose his composure. She wasn't surprised by his outburst; as a Federation official, she grasped the terrifying implications of this event instantly.

If they failed... the consequences would be catastrophic.

An ambush by a divine avatar?

Despite her immense faith in Rein's martial prowess, their opponent was a deity. A dark cloud of worry settled over her heart.

Still, the full story wasn't out yet; there was a chance for a miracle. However, the next update arrived less than two minutes later, nearly causing Bertrand to collapse.

"Report! New intelligence confirms that Prince Menia of the Empire is presumed dead. Lord Rein is currently missing, and only 'Earth Pulse' Reginald has survived. Furthermore, the Empire’s airship fleet has been effectively wiped out," the attendant reported frantically.

Trena stood frozen, silenced by the news, but her sharp mind quickly caught the ambiguity of the phrasing. Military reports required precision. She snapped at the messenger: "What do you mean by 'presumed'? Why are you saying 'missing'?! Is there no concrete confirmation?"

Trena’s sharp rebuke seemed to snap Bertrand back to reality. He reacted with a roar, "What is the intelligence department doing? I want certainties! Do you understand?"

"Sirs, this... this intelligence was verified by Sword Saint Terrio himself." The attendant was rattled by Bertrand’s fury but managed to provide the crucial detail.

"Lord Terrio is on the scene?" Bertrand’s tension eased slightly.

"Yes, Sir. Lord Terrio is currently engaged in a brutal struggle against the Sea God Sect alongside the Empire's Lord Reginald. They are fighting for control of Reef Island."

"Reef Island?" Bertrand had never heard the name until this moment.

"Yes, Sir. Reef Island served as the final battlefield where Prince Menia and Lord Rein faced the avatar of the Nether Sea Goddess. Lord Terrio believes that to confirm what happened to them, we must first secure the island."

"However, the Sea God Sect refuses to back down. They are pouring in high-level elites and powerful fighters, leading to an all-out war on the island."

"Send out my orders. Coordinate with every available Federation unit near Zetaya. They are to provide immediate support to... what was it..."

"Reef Island," the attendant whispered.

"Yes, Reef Island! Also, contact the Federation’s Second Fleet in Zetaya and the Seventh Airship Squadron. They are to assist Lord Terrio at once."

"Yes, Sir!" The attendant hurried away once more.

As the commands rippled through Zetaya, the port echoed with the whistles of Federation warships setting sail. Combat airship squadrons filled the sky as the massive gears of the Federation's war machine began to turn with lethal speed.

...

At that same moment.

Rein was deep within a sea cavern hundreds of meters beneath Reef Island, oblivious to the chaos unfolding on the surface.

He was currently observing an ancient mermaid girl. Her beauty was otherworldly and lifelike, but it was her delicate, seemingly indestructible body that truly baffled him—it was something he had never encountered before.

After a thorough inspection, Rein sighed and stopped.

He lacked the necessary lore; the history and hidden truths of ancient mermaids were a mystery to him. He hoped that Prince Menia might have some insights once she regained consciousness.

After a moment of thought, Rein activated his Metal Morphing Spell. The magic-infused silver on his wrist shifted into a metallic ribbon, which he coiled around the girl's body.

It wasn't meant just to restrain her, but to serve as a tripwire. Even if she was asleep, he needed an early warning system to give him time to react if something changed.

Suddenly, Rein’s attention shifted to Menia, who was deep in a meditative trance. He could feel the surrounding fire element energy particles being pulled toward her.

"I see. Does her recovery process require a massive intake of fire element energy?"

Rein observed that Menia was vacuuming up almost every free fire particle in the vicinity. Her slightly pinched brow suggested that the current supply wasn't enough.

Rein understood that this was different from active witchcraft. Usually, one used spiritual power to pull energy from subspace, but Menia was in an unconscious healing state; she couldn't reach into subspace and had to rely on what was physically present.

Acting quickly, Rein cast the Fire Witchcraft 'High Temperature Force Field'.

As the fire element energy began to concentrate, the tension in Menia’s forehead started to fade. However, Rein realized her deep meditation and healing would take far longer than he anticipated. Half a day passed, and there was still no sign of her waking.

Rein remained by her side, continuously maintaining the 'High Temperature Force Field' to funnel energy to her.

"This isn't efficient. I'll be stuck here forever at this rate."

"Wait... this island was formed by undersea volcanic activity. Whether it's dormant or active, there should be a magma chamber below."

"In her current state, Menia would recover fastest near magma, much like the ancient fire dragon 'Anguskin'."

"The density of fire element energy in those environments is leagues beyond the surface. That’s why fire dragons love to submerge themselves in lava."

Rein’s eyes lit up at the idea. He decided to test the theory immediately.

As a master of the metal-series dawn killing move 'Blade-toothed Disc', his ability to dig through rock was far superior to any mechanical drill. Boring a hole was child's play for him.

Rein stepped back, placed a hand against the cavern floor, and released a surge of dark silver metallic ripples. A high-speed spinning disc manifested and began to drill downward.

The rock offered no more resistance than soft tofu.

"Hiss!"

Within minutes, Rein felt the disc break through into a hollow space. A wave of intense heat billowed up from the shaft.

"There it is—a magma chamber!"

After weighing his options, Rein returned to Menia. He set up a simple concealment witch array around her before diving into the new tunnel. For safety, he needed to scout the area before moving the Prince down there.

...

High above the Summer Sea.

An airship marked with the Imperial dragon crest was racing toward the Empire's borders.

This was the Storm. It was the only vessel from the delegation’s fleet that hadn't turned back, having been ordered to deliver an emergency report to the Empire's capital.

The captain's bridge was a whirlwind of activity.

"Move it! Dump any non-essential cargo! We need maximum speed!"

...