Chapter 243 – Restrictions

Punk continuously dodged the Soul Shepherd’s attacks while seriously contemplating theoretical paths to victory. Despite the System’s assistance in analyzing the Soul Shepherd’s bizarre attack patterns, Punk still appeared thoroughly disheveled under the relentless assault of “Negative Energy Finger.”

However, during these few seconds of frantic evasion, Punk noticed some crucial details!

For instance, the Soul Shepherd’s attacks were remarkably monotonous. While “Negative Energy Finger” possessed devastating power—guaranteed to instantly obliterate Punk upon contact—Punk’s speed consistently outpaced the Soul Shepherd’s targeting by a slight margin. If he made no mistakes, theoretically, every “Negative Energy Finger” should only whiz past Punk without hitting him.

Yet the Soul Shepherd standing at the center of the arena seemed completely unaware of this. It appeared to only know how to use “Negative Energy Finger,” showing no intention of trying other innate spells. Even as one “Negative Energy Finger” after another failed to achieve anything beyond lowering the Trial Grounds’ temperature to over a hundred degrees below zero.

In reality, if the Soul Shepherd employed any large-area AoE spell, Punk’s current strategy of frantic dodging would become utterly meaningless.

Given Punk’s capabilities, he couldn’t possibly withstand three Master-Level area spells. The moment the Soul Shepherd used AoE attacks, Punk would undoubtedly perish.

But the Soul Shepherd, despite possessing intelligence no inferior to humans, seemed to have completely forgotten its wide-range innate spells like “Negative Energy Impact,” “Dark Erosion,” and “Death Spread.” It stubbornly focused on “Negative Energy Finger,” and didn’t even cast it continuously—only releasing one shot approximately every second.

Based on these observations, Punk could essentially confirm two pieces of intelligence:

“First, the Soul Shepherd cannot use AoE spells. Otherwise, it could end this battle immediately with just two area attacks, instead of fighting for so long without landing a single spell.

However, the Soul Shepherd definitely knows AoE spells—a Master-Level warlock surviving in the Nether Plane would have been overwhelmed by endless undead long ago without them. Therefore… it’s most likely restricted from using AoE spells. These Netherese Ruins must be imposing limitations on it.”

“Second: The Soul Shepherd can only attack using ‘Negative Energy Finger,’ and even this spell cannot be used consecutively. If the creature suddenly changed tactics—firing two or three ‘Negative Energy Fingers’ in quick succession, or using innate spells like ‘Negative Energy Strangulation’ or ‘Bone Claw’—Punk’s current precarious dance on the knife’s edge would certainly collapse. After all, as a fourteenth-level Formal-Level spellcaster, Punk’s reaction speed was far inferior to the fifteenth-level Master-Level Soul Shepherd.””However, the victories left behind by the Netherese Civilization were almost certainly not limited to just these two methods. After all, even if the enemy could only use ‘Negative Energy Finger,’ the inheritor could always narrowly dodge it. If the battle devolved into a contest of attrition, the inheritor would inevitably die, since a Formal-Level creature could never outlast a Master-Level one in terms of endurance. So, there must be more undiscovered restrictions placed on this creature.”

Punk clenched his fist tightly, already realizing where his “theoretical” chance of victory lay. Because the enemy was too powerful, there was absolutely no way Punk could win through direct confrontation. Thus, discovering and utilizing the restrictions imposed by the Netherese Ruins on the enemy was the only path to victory!

At this thought, Punk felt as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes. He quickly began analyzing all the seemingly insignificant details he had observed since arriving at this Trial Grounds. Punk was certain that the crucial information was hidden within these details.

The Soul Shepherd was no fool; it was an intelligent being. As a Master-Level powerhouse, its observational skills were at least on par with, if not superior to, Punk’s. It knew it was tightly constrained by this strange place. Although the Soul Shepherd could still maintain an absolute upper hand in battle against Punk due to its immense strength, it was well aware that once Punk uncovered the hidden restrictions and aids, its own situation would become truly perilous.

Therefore, the Soul Shepherd did not want to give its enemy time to think:

“Eliminate the enemy as quickly as possible—don’t allow him enough time to strategize!”

This was the conclusion the Soul Shepherd had reached!

The Soul Shepherd knew that Punk’s dodging speed was always just a fraction faster than its “Negative Energy Finger.” Each time, the terrifying beam of negative energy would narrowly miss Punk, appearing perilously close but ultimately ineffective.

It would have preferred to engage in a battle of attrition with Punk. After all, as a Master-Level creature, even though it had only recently advanced to level 15, its mana reserves were more than sufficient to exhaust ten Formal-Level Mages like Punk, who was only level 14. This was an undeniable fact.

But it seemed it had no choice!

“Very well, very well. As long as I can stop this ‘slippery eel,’ even if he discovers something, it won’t be enough to fear.”

Holding onto this self-consoling thought, the Soul Shepherd reluctantly halted its offensive. With great reluctance, it abandoned the certain victory of an attrition battle and, under the control of the Netherese Ruins, began casting another of its innate spells—the Master-Level Summoning Magic—”Summon Fang Specter” (innate spell version).

Within fractions of a second, as the eerie incantation rapidly concluded, two ethereal humanoid entities with ghastly pale, semi-transparent bodies materialized beside the Soul Shepherd. These monsters’ mouths were almost entirely filled with densely packed, sharp teeth—the only opaque parts of their spectral forms!

The newly summoned specters seemed to be in excruciating agony. Not only were their faces twisted into grotesque expressions, but they also immediately began shrieking and wailing incessantly upon appearing. The deafening sound nearly solidified into tangible waves that filled the entire Trial Grounds.”Hiss! This guy actually summoned minions… but could these two minions be hidden reinforcements? Did that Soul Shepherd really abandon a guaranteed war of attrition just to end the battle quickly?”

The moment the two wraiths appeared, Punk vaguely sensed something amiss. Judging from the situation so far, the Soul Shepherd seemed like the type of enemy that preferred steady, methodical tactics. It must understand the principle that “the more you do, the more mistakes you make” in these Ruins that imposed various restrictions on it! Yet now it had abruptly and aggressively summoned two wraiths – this was certainly food for thought!

However, Punk had no time to analyze all the battle details since the fight began while considering the appearance of these two wraiths. The two wraiths were already charging madly toward him. Punk could only immediately use the two magic needles condensed on his fingers to pierce his own eardrums – although Punk recognized that this type of wraith summoned by the Soul Shepherd couldn’t use any illusion attacks, the ordinary but extremely loud shrieks of Master-Level spell-summoned wraiths were enough to make Punk’s eardrums suffer unbearably. Rather than having his ears tormented by those sounds and wasting precious energy, it was better to personally eliminate the sound problem at its source!

My cold is getting better, thanks for readers’ concern. Finally, asking for votes and subscriptions!

(End of Chapter)