"Damn it, ah…"
All the twisted, feral souls writhing on the dark green spider's body turned their hateful gazes toward Golem One, who had already closed the distance. Their resentment and fury burned in their spectral eyes, as if their sheer malice could melt steel. But for Golem One—an unwavering executor of Punk's will—such emotions were utterly meaningless.
The golem extended its hands, each enhanced with Flo's magic claws, the sharp edges crackling with chaotic, scarlet energy.
Under the believer leader's terrified gaze, Golem One drove its claws straight into the dark green spider's body without hesitation.
Zzzzzt!
The instant its claws pierced the monster's flesh, the powerful corrosive slime covering the spider lashed back. Even though Golem One's body was crafted from the flesh of an Enchanter Demon, it began to melt upon contact with the acidic secretion. The linen wrapping its arms disintegrated into ash in an instant, revealing muscle fibers that sizzled as they eroded away.
The agonized souls drifting across the dark green spider's body swarmed toward the golem, biting and tearing at its exposed flesh.
Yet Golem One felt no pain. Even as its arm was reduced to a ragged mess of holes, it remained locked onto the spider's wound, ignoring the frenzied attacks.
"AAAGGGHHHHH—!!!"
Unlike the golem, the lunatic believers who had merged with the dark green spider had not entirely severed themselves from suffering. The moment Golem One's claws tore into their shared body, all the souls inhabiting the monster let out an ear-piercing wail, their combined agony shaking the very air.
"Useless howls of wretched ghosts."
Punk remained unfazed by their screaming torment. In the mere two seconds since Golem One's attack began, his spell was already complete.
Advanced Damage Spell: A high-level incantation that manifests over a thousand etheric energy blades in a space of 20 cubic meters, indiscriminately slicing everything within for one second.
As one of the deadly "Damage Spell" series, this advanced version was particularly lethal. The dark green spider, held in place by Golem One, had no means of escape.
Realizing the imminent threat, the believer leader roared in desperation:
"Goddess Tishachar, grant me strength!"
The remaining souls within the dark green spider exploded with their final reserves of energy. Dozens of spectral figures wreathed in green light burst from the monster's body, weaving themselves into an ominous spectral chain. The chain coiled around Golem One and violently yanked it back.
Although the barrier of abyssal energy surrounding the golem prevented direct soul corrosion, the sheer force of the chain was enough to wrench Golem One's claws free from the spider's flesh.
The moment the dark green spider's body was released, its limbs snapped together like a coiling spring—it was trying to escape Punk's attack radius.
"Dream on."
Punk's cold whisper cut through the chaos as he ordered Golem One to cast Steel Bind.
Thick tendrils of enchanted steel erupted around the spider, constricting its movement. However, the creature's corrosive mucus softened the metal upon contact, allowing it to sluggishly drag itself forward despite the heavy bindings.
The cave filled with the sound of sizzling corrosion as the dark green spider struggled against its restraints. It had managed to move a significant distance, but not far enough.
The energy blades descended.
Screeeech—!!!
A cacophony of shredding flesh echoed through the chamber. Although the spider had escaped the core of the spell's impact, nearly a third of its body was still caught in the onslaught. Etheric blades carved through its flesh like a thousand razors, severing limbs and flaying its chitinous hide.
The excruciating pain drove the dark green spider into a complete frenzy. Its body convulsed uncontrollably, and the already unstable fusion of souls began breaking apart. The acidic mucus covering its body boiled violently, bubbling like a cauldron on the verge of eruption.
Punk took a step back, wary of the creature's final throes.
Even Golem One, having freed itself from the spectral chains, did not move to attack. The golem's arms were now little more than exposed bone, a testament to the dark green spider's corrosive power.
This thing is dangerous for any melee unit.
Even with a body crafted from an Enchanter Demon's flesh, the golem had been significantly damaged. If it had been any ordinary fighter, it would have been dissolved entirely.
But Punk was not a melee combatant.
He was a mage.
No matter how potent the spider's acid was, it was useless if it couldn't reach him.
As Golem One repositioned to evade the flailing monster, Punk began a new barrage of Kinetic Burst spells, unleashing concentrated energy blasts toward the dying beast.
"AAAGHHH! DAMNED HERETIC, WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE—!!!"
The believer leader had lost the last vestiges of rationality. He no longer cared about survival—his only obsession was destruction.
The dark green spider's body convulsed as it expelled acid spheres in rapid succession, launching them wildly in Punk's direction.
Yet Punk remained composed.
These attacks are weak.
The monster had exhausted itself. The once-terrifying acidic bombardment had lost its potency. Even when the projectiles landed, they failed to penetrate Punk's layered defenses.
But there was another concern.
The boss.
The enemy hidden within the cave—likely the one responsible for orchestrating these heretical fusions—had yet to make a move. The acid barrage, while ineffective, could still serve as an alert if it escaped the confines of Punk's Silent Field.
He couldn't allow that.
Intercepting each acid sphere one by one, Punk systematically dismantled the spider's assault, ensuring no stray attack would reach beyond his suppression zone.
Ironically, the mindless rage of the dark green spider worked in his favor. It no longer had the clarity to target an external ally for assistance. Every last attack was directed solely at Punk, preventing any signal from escaping.
A brain is a useful thing. Too bad they never grew one.
Punk smirked as he effortlessly shattered another acid sphere with a well-placed Kinetic Burst.
The battlefield was his. The enemy had lost control.
And now, the execution would be clean.