Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys

"Are they the people from the straight passage earlier, they've come over?"

This made Rein immediately realize that the battle from the straight passage before had likely spread to this place.

Thus, without continuing to observe, Rein immediately turned around, dragging the body of the female Blood Curse Naga, and walked towards the row of hanging cages; he planned to first rescue the targets Alyosha and the captured imperial colleagues hanging in the net cages.

As for the bronze doors and the statues, although he was curious, he had no intention of exploring them at this moment.

He was very clear about the mission's objective: to rescue Alyosha. Of course, rescuing the imperial colleagues along the way could possibly improve the mission rating or bring other rewards.

As for why he was dragging the body of the female Naga, that was because Rein intended to ask if it was worth any Merit Points or something of the like.

After all, he felt that this female Blood Curse Naga was very strong and should be 'valuable'!

At this moment, Rein glanced at the system notification:

[Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +1121]

[Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +2378]

[You have been through a battle, Beast Priest (Legendary) Experience +296]

[You have been through a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +1909]

(Note: The above skill experience has enjoyed a 30% increase from your exclusive talent 'Junior Extraordinary Understanding'.)

[Congratulations, you have defeated a formidable enemy and gained 2 Golden Skill Points!]

...

[Congratulations, your Beast Priest (Legendary) Profession Level has increased!]

"Hm?"

"Weapon Master didn't level up, but Beast Priest did?"

"Could it be because of the core skill 'Beastly Vitality' I used?"

"The target being large and ferocious sea creatures, so the experience is especially high?" Rein vaguely guessed.

Rein checked the system panel and found that the Beast Priest (Legendary) Profession Level had gone from lv2→lv3 (12/500), while the Weapon Master (Legendary) was more than halfway through level 7.

The upgrade to Beast Priest (Legendary) also gave him another attribute point and a skill point.

Having used two points in the previous battle, he now had 13 remaining attribute points, 1 remaining skill point, and 2 Golden Skill Points.

When Rein appeared from one end of the hall, dragging a corpse in his hand,

the people hanging there cheered!

Although they couldn't see clearly from a distance how Rein defeated the powerful Naga Leader, they knew they were saved!

Even though dying for the empire was an honorable thing, if they could survive, none present would choose to be martyrs.

Alyosha, in particular, clenched her small fists with flushed cheeks, and excitedly muttered to herself:

"Lord Rein is really amazing; I have no idea where Father found such a formidable young person!"

...

At the entrance of the hall,

which was the straight passage where Rein had heard the sounds of fighting before.

The Rock Team from the Sword Bearers Branch in Mingster were fighting while retreating, with the defense core of the team being a shield-bearing, injured man, and a young staff-wielding man.

If Rein had been there, he would have certainly recognized these two individuals.

These two were the Sword Bearers who had come to Meister on a griffin to handle the Cult the last time.

Behind them were four men and women in different attire, who seemed to belong to the same team as the shield-bearer.

However, like their captain, all of them appeared to be in bad shape—either their armor was damaged or their clothes were tattered and their faces were haggard.

In stark contrast to the exhausted state of the Rock Team, their opponents, led by a female Blood Curse Naga similar to Garnis that Rein had killed, wore relaxed smiles on their alluring human female faces, uninjured.

Unlike Garnis, this female Naga also had four arms but only wielded a gray wooden staff about one and a half meters long, with a spiraled top, in one hand.

She would occasionally swing the staff, directing an array of white-scaled fishmen, various sea creatures, and seven or eight male Blood Curse Nagas to attack the Rock Team.

With such strong opponents, it was no wonder the Rock Team was in such a dire state.

However, the Sea Clan, led by this female Naga, seemed to be herding the Rock Team rather than attacking with full force, leisurely launching their attacks.

"Captain, there's a fork in the road ahead, the missing imperial military personnel should be there," said a man in gray robes holding a Crystal Ball, rapidly speaking at the front of the team.

"You four go and check it out, Remiel and I will hold them here!" the shield-bearing strongman said in a deep voice.

At the moment, his face was tinged with purplish bruise, looking poisoned.

The Remiel he called out to was the young man with the wand whom Rein had met once.

The four team members nodded solemnly upon hearing Battista's words, knowing the captain was creating an opportunity for them; the entire team was exhausted though none had fallen yet!

Their mission was originally to investigate the condition of an island altar, as well as the fate of several elite imperial teams sent before them.

But unexpectedly, the Sea Clan had laid a heavy ambush around the altar, and beneath it lay a secret—a deep cave concealed there.

Moreover, around the entrance of the cave were signs of fierce fighting, suggesting that the imperial teams had ventured deep inside.