Unaware of the chaos unfolding in the town, Punk was already locked in battle with the High Priest.
The sea of flames roared around them as Punk unleashed a barrage of Kinetic Energy Bursts, each one aimed with deadly precision. Yet, the High Priest, moving with unnatural agility on his spider-like limbs, was no slower than Punk under High Swiftness. His dry, chitinous appendages blurred into afterimages as he twisted and darted, evading spell after spell with eerie precision.
Amidst this deadly dance, the High Priest completed his next incantation.
"This is the divine gift of Goddess Tishachar, a spell of transformation! You… shall be erased under her wisdom!"
With his proclamation, a swarm of fiery red spiders materialized at his side. Each one was the size of a human palm, their swollen abdomens pulsating with searing energy, exuding an aura of pure destruction.
Punk's expression hardened. He didn't hesitate—he immediately retreated while his analytical system processed the nature of the spell.
Spell Name: Unknown
Spell Status: Medium Modification
Base Spell: Exploding Fire Wolf – A standard summoning spell that conjures fire-elemental wolves, which detonate on impact.
Expected Negative Effects of Modification: Reduced power, lower spell resistance, diminished intelligence in summoned creatures, weaker penetration ability.
Expected Positive Effects of Modification: Increased mobility, higher numbers, sustained attack potential, reduced mana cost.
Dozens of explosive spiders scuttled toward him with unsettling speed. Even if their destructive force was somewhat weakened, Punk knew better than to underestimate them. If the High Priest was willing to use them in a battle of life and death, they were undoubtedly dangerous.
"Should I intercept with the golem?"
Punk dismissed his half-prepared damage spell and swiftly reinforced Golem One with Iron Armor Technique.
Official Summoning Spell – Iron Armor: Enhances defense with a layer of metal plating.
There was no chance of outrunning these creatures. The swarm was too numerous to simply sidestep, and Punk had no intention of letting them close in unchecked. He had confidence in his golem's power—it would have to cut through them.
Clad in heavy iron plating, Golem One charged forward like a crude iron colossus. With a single swipe of its bladed claw, it crushed the nearest spider—
"BOOM!"
A fiery explosion erupted, sending a shockwave rippling through the air. The blast staggered Golem One backward several steps.
"What the—?"
Punk narrowed his eyes.
He knew the original Exploding Fire Wolf spell well—it relied on high-temperature flames for its lethal effect.
But this variation…
The detonation had released a forceful heatwave alongside a concussive blast, momentarily disrupting Golem One's movements. If it had this reaction every time it struck a spider, dealing with an entire swarm would become problematic.
The High Priest grinned.
"Boy, do you still have time to be distracted?"
With a wave of his Mage Hand, he gathered another cluster of explosive spiders and hurled them forward. As they sailed through the air, their bloated bodies flared with an ominous crimson light.
"Damn it!"
Punk barely had time to react before—
"BOOM!!"
The Exploding Spider Ball detonated midair, shaking the cavern with an ear-splitting blast. The sheer force of the explosion carved a crater into the ground, sending a shower of molten rock and debris into the inferno below.
Punk rolled away, narrowly dodging a secondary fireball that followed. Even so, the shockwave had rattled him—he tasted iron in his mouth.
Internal damage.
Not severe—but not insignificant.
"Hahaha! You lack real combat experience, brat! A true mage learns to anticipate his opponent's next move!" the High Priest cackled.
He conjured another Exploding Spider Ball, preparing to unleash it. Seeing that Punk was struggling against the swarm, he continued summoning more. The fiery spiders divided into two groups—one flanking around Golem One, the other crawling onto his arms, forming an even larger Exploding Spider Ball.
"How much longer can you run?" he sneered, launching another attack.
But this time—
Punk didn't move.
"Why would I stop running… when I already have this."
His voice was calm.
Just as the Exploding Spider Ball left the High Priest's hand, Punk unleashed Kinetic Energy Suppression.
"You think that will hit me?"
The High Priest scoffed and sidestepped. With his spider limbs, his movement speed far exceeded that of High Swiftness, allowing him to dodge effortlessly.
Punk smirked.
"It's not over yet."
At that exact moment, he commanded Golem One to abandon its desperate attempts at blocking the explosive spiders.
Instead—
It activated its final stored spell.
Steel Binding.
Punk had been waiting for this.
The High Priest, focused entirely on dodging, hadn't anticipated an obstruction. As he moved to evade, his retreat was suddenly blocked by a rising mass of interwoven steel tendrils.
The timing was perfect.
The High Priest's many legs gave him immense speed, but at the cost of flexibility. Unlike Punk—who could twist and maneuver in midair—the High Priest couldn't adjust his trajectory fast enough.
He crashed directly into the steel barrier.
For the first time, his expression shifted to shock.
"Wha—?!"
And then—
he saw it.
Just ahead, Punk had laid down three pools of acid, perfectly positioned along the path of the oncoming spiders.
The spiders mindlessly charged through the corrosive liquid. Their fragile bodies couldn't withstand the acid—their legs dissolved, and their bloated abdomens ruptured prematurely, triggering chain explosions that engulfed the entire swarm.
The High Priest's face contorted in horror.
He hadn't realized until now—
An official-level mage couldn't possibly control this many summons simultaneously.
Which meant…
His spiders were programmed to detonate upon taking damage.
And now—
They were all packed tightly together.
"No… Impossible—!"
A blinding explosion consumed the battlefield.
The High Priest's body, along with his screams, was swallowed by the raging inferno. The heatwave blasted outward, searing everything in its path.
Punk remained motionless, watching coldly.
He wasn't one to relax prematurely.
He had analyzed the High Priest's combat style—it was purely offensive. A "kill before being killed" mentality.
But that didn't necessarily mean the enemy lacked a final escape plan.
And sure enough…
Punk's expression darkened.
Beneath the crackling flames, a faint ripple of spatial energy stirred.