Chapter 225 – Dual Casting

Bloodclaw’s decision was nothing short of desperate. The moment he realized the only thing he could use to buy time was the “Black Eagle Ring” in his possession, he immediately and ruthlessly abandoned it. Even though this would undoubtedly leave him with nothing to show for his efforts, it was still better than losing his life.

According to Bloodclaw’s reasoning, the Black Eagle Ring was flying in the exact opposite direction of his escape route. Punk would inevitably prioritize retrieving the ring over continuing to pursue him. Once Punk secured the Black Eagle Ring, he would have to change direction and accelerate again, and by then, he would have no chance of catching up.

However…

Upon witnessing Bloodclaw resort to the same “sacrificing the pawn to save the king” tactic again, Punk inwardly sneered. It was true that he wouldn’t abandon the Black Eagle Ring, but it was equally true that Bloodclaw must die today. Though one cannot have both the fish and the bear’s paw, this time Punk was determined to seize both.

“Daring to use the same trick twice in front of a mage? You’re courting death!”

Without hesitation, as the Black Eagle Ring shot explosively into the wilderness, Punk completed his spell preparations.

“Formal-Level Conjuration Spell—Mage Hand.”

“Metamagic Technique—Multiple Spellcasting.”

“Formal-Level Conjuration Spell—Kinetic Ejection.”

Empowered by the metamagic technique, two spells were cast simultaneously by Punk. The Mage Hand, shimmering with a faint purple light, swiftly intercepted the Black Eagle Ring’s path, while Punk himself continued chasing the recently turned Bloodclaw without slowing down in the slightest.

“Damn it, damn it! Metamagic! He knows another metamagic technique! How is this possible?”

Seeing Punk cast two spells simultaneously with apparent ease, Bloodclaw—who had lived for over four hundred years—instantly recognized it as the mage’s quintessential and formidable “Metamagic Technique—Multiple Spellcasting.”

The power of Multiple Spellcasting was undeniable. In theory, the “multiple” in Multiple Spellcasting had no upper limit. As long as a being possessed sufficient mental capacity, mana reserves, and mana output efficiency, the number of spells they could cast simultaneously was limitless. The notion of unleashing a rain of spells with a wave of the hand was far from an empty boast.

Of course, no one would wastefully cast spells in such a manner. Even at the Legendary level, where mental capacity and mana could support the simultaneous casting of thousands of spells, no one would mindlessly spam spells. After all, even the Grand Arcanists of old, who possessed “Netherese Cores” and claimed to have infinite mana, had limits on the total mana they could output per unit of time. When facing powerful enemies, there was no room for waste. Thus, most Legendary Experts opted to cast three to five spells simultaneously to ensure sustained combat capability and adaptability.

Naturally, at his current level, Punk found it quite strenuous to cast even two spells at once, let alone more.

Nevertheless, Punk’s power was enough to horrify Bloodclaw. Setting aside the fact that any spellcaster capable of learning the Multiple Spellcasting metamagic technique must possess astonishing potential and intellect, the mere fact that Punk had mastered two metamagic techniques was itself a terrifying weapon that sent shivers down one’s spine.Most importantly… this meant Bloodclaw’s last chance to escape had vanished.

Balancing on a slender branch, Bloodclaw watched helplessly as Punk’s “Mage Hand” snatched the coveted “Black Eagle Ring” he had dreamed of obtaining. Meanwhile, Punk himself continued pursuing at his original speed without the slightest pause.

Now Bloodclaw was truly at his wit’s end. Forcing down his anguish over losing the “Black Eagle Ring,” he frantically consumed another Doclayna Man-Eating Fruit to keep his battered body functioning. With as much ferocity as he could muster, he shouted:

“Black Robe, I’ve returned the Black Eagle Ring! What more do you want? Are you truly determined to wipe me out completely?”

“Wipe you out? Correct, that’s exactly what I’m doing!”

Punk’s reply carried bone-chilling coldness.

He could see Bloodclaw had reached a dead end. Whether for simple revenge or for the wealth Bloodclaw possessed, Punk wouldn’t relent. Bloodclaw’s threats seemed as laughable and powerless as the death cries of a cornered rat.

Hearing Punk’s response, Bloodclaw realized words were useless now. The killing god pursuing him couldn’t be deceived by bluffs or promises of profit. All the tricks Bloodclaw had used before were meaningless against a level fourteen spellcaster.

Counting the remaining Doclayna Man-Eating Fruits in his hand, despair slowly welled up in Bloodclaw’s heart.

He had enough fruits to maintain this desperate sprint for about three more minutes. But looking back at his pursuer—who knew why this mage’s mana hadn’t been exhausted? The vibrant violet glow of kinetic energy remained as bright and piercing as ever. In contrast, Bloodclaw could clearly feel his body gradually losing vitality. The rapid replenishment and consumption of massive life force was as dangerous as forcing lightning through a fuse. The enormous energy load caused tremendous damage—now Bloodclaw could feel every nerve, every inch of bone, every cell in his body screaming under the unbearable strain. This was no longer a question of how long recovery would take, but whether recovery was even possible.

“I can’t go on like this. If this drags on… I won’t even have the strength for a final stand.”

As the sunset’s afterglow bathed the entire plain, the warm sunlight falling on Bloodclaw’s profile helped him reach this nearly lifeless and numb conclusion.

Three final crimson Doclayna Man-Eating Fruits materialized in Bloodclaw’s pale hand. The sorcerer who had prioritized escape above all else finally recognized his inability to flee and resolved to fight desperately!

Seeing Bloodclaw gradually slow to a stop, Punk knew he had finally driven his enemy into a corner. But before feeling the joy of imminent success, he first breathed a sigh of relief—for Punk had seen the three Doclayna Man-Eating Fruits appear in Bloodclaw’s hand.But at this moment, thirteen minutes and fifteen seconds had already passed since Punk consumed the “Activation Potion.” In other words, the effects of the “Activation Potion” would wear off in just over a minute. Once weakened, Punk would have no choice but to give up pursuing Bloodclaw, especially since his own condition wasn’t great either—under the pressure of kinetic force, cracks of varying sizes had appeared in his bones.

However, Bloodclaw still had three “Doclayna Man-Eating Fruits” in his possession. These three fruits could sustain his escape for at least another two minutes or so. If Bloodclaw stubbornly pressed on, he might just manage to escape alive!

But… there are no “ifs” in this world.

Bloodclaw had no idea how much longer Punk’s “Mana Storm” state would last. He chose to abandon his escape and stake everything on a desperate fight.

“So… you can never truly see through a spellcaster, or rather, you should never assume you’ve already seen through a spellcaster.

Bloodclaw, you… are doomed!”

(End of Chapter)