"Three, two, one!"
Punk commanded Golem One to stand in front of him and prepared two spells in his hands, not yet casting them. Although Punk hadn't mastered the advanced magic technique—double casting—his long-term training had allowed him to prepare one spell while simultaneously getting ready for the next. As a result, Punk had already cast defensive spells like "Advanced Mage Armor," "Advanced Deflection Position," and "Advanced Swiftness." Now, the moment for the "bottom boss" had arrived.
"Rahhhh!"
With a loud roar from Golem One, the iron gate was shattered by the punch of the flesh-and-bone golem.
As the shielding circle around the gate collapsed, Punk, an official mage without any cover, was forced to reveal himself. To divert the enemy's attention, he decided to let Golem One create a massive distraction.
A burst of brilliance and heat erupted from the shattered shielding circle, and the energy leaked, setting the hollow iron door alight. The iron mass, warped by immense power, flew into the room, carrying with it scorching air waves.
"Boom!"
The iron gate hit the ground with a resounding crash, causing the enemy inside to react in surprise.
"Who goes there?"
The enemy's response was swift. The binding spell, "Steel Binding," released by Golem One, failed to catch its target. A hunched figure in a black robe narrowly avoided the steel branches, retreating toward an altar.
At that moment, Punk saw the enemy clearly.
A wrinkled old man with bloodshot eyes stood in front of him. The old man's upper body was clothed in a lavish robe, but his lower body had been transformed into that of a dry spider.
What struck Punk as most shocking was the black scar on the old man's face—exactly the same as the one he'd seen in a portrait of Erinka's grandfather. This scar had been inflicted during an adventure when Erinka's grandfather was young and had been soaked in shadow energy, making it impossible to remove. The fact that this old man bore the same scar revealed his true identity.
Punk's eyes widened in shock. The once-kind figure in the portrait had now transformed into the leader of a cult. Not only had his body been altered, but his mind had been corrupted.
"Damn it! Why didn't those idiots warn me? They're all sinners of the great Tishachar and must be condemned to eternal death!"
After the initial shock, the monstrous old man realized that his base had been infiltrated. His burning pupils narrowed, and his sparse white hair whipped around violently.
"Enough with the nonsense!"
Punk snapped out of his shock. He immediately unleashed the two spells he had prepared upon seeing the enemy avoid Golem One's binding spell.
Formal Plastic Energy Spell — Instant Flash:
Creates ten blinding flashes, each with a brightness of 14.2×507cd in one-hundredth of a second.
Official Level Conjuration System — Rage Muscle:
Stimulates the muscles of a creature, unlocking its full potential for five seconds.
The former spell filled the room with brilliant flashes, temporarily blinding the old man. The latter was instantly cast on Golem One, granting it five times its usual speed. The golem tore toward the enemy, leaving a trail of burning afterimages.
"How dare you—Tishachar's vengeance will be upon you!"
The blinded old man roared, but as the golem closed in, he activated the curing magic in his robe.
Behind the old man, the space twisted. A colorful portal sprang open, and the old man screamed, narrowly avoiding the golem's incoming punch by slipping through the portal.
"Boom!!"
The rock wall struck by Golem One was blasted into a deep hole, echoing with a tremendous roar.
"Damn! This is a big problem!"
Punk's pupils contracted sharply. With his parents' inherited knowledge, he immediately recognized the life-saving spell the old man had activated.
Master-Level Incantation Spell — Any Door:
Opens a spatial door to any location within 100 meters in a fraction of a second.
Punk saw the master-level spell's effect and confirmed that the old man's robe was indeed an extremely high-level magical artifact. The spell confirmed Punk's earlier suspicion.
"That robe is the real threat. The 'Any Door' spell favors mobility, but with his lower body transformed into a spider, the old man's melee capabilities are enhanced. He'll likely use his mobility to launch close-range attacks."
Punk's expression hardened. The half-spider transformation of the old man was far more advanced than the followers outside. His movements were far too fluid and agile, and Punk knew he couldn't underestimate the opponent's skill.
As the old man began to charge, Punk quickly prepared another spell.
"You... will be torn apart in the name of the great sacrifice!"
As predicted, the old man didn't plan on fighting the golem directly. Before being blinded, he had already positioned a portal next to Punk.
Punk, alert and aware, braced himself as a portal opened beside him. From the glowing doorway, a pair of green, dry limbs shot out with lightning speed, aiming for his throat.
"Ding—"
The sound of metal clashing echoed through the cave as Punk activated his defense.
Official Summoning Spell — Steel Shield:
Summons a powerful shield to protect against attacks, especially physical ones.
The limbs struck the shield with incredible force, but Punk resisted. The old man, seeing his attack blocked, retreated quickly, climbing the cave wall with astonishing speed.
Punk, with the shield summoned and his defenses up, backed away toward Golem One, signaling the end of their first confrontation.
"Very good... you're a worthy sacrifice. The great Goddess Tishachar will be pleased."
The high priest stood on the rock wall, his spider-like limbs twitching as his bloodshot eyes gleamed with madness.
"Sacrifice? My research needs excellent experimental material. A formal mage's soul would be perfect for my experiments."
Punk, his expression emotionless, dispelled the shield and refocused, his eyes glowing with an eerie azure light as small traces of purple energy danced in his pupils.