Chapter 445 – The Improved Spell of Sosennd

Since all plants in this oasis had undergone mutation, there must be a source for these changes. After careful consideration, Punk quickly identified the location of this origin…

“The lake”!

“What”?

“The lake is the source. My perception has fed me considerable information—the core of this silent oasis appears to be a lake. In this desert, the primary water source for oasis plants should originate from rivers and lakes. If these plants are acquiring Abyssal energy through external absorption, then the main nutrient medium they absorb should be the central lake.”

Frowning in thought, Punk strode directly toward the oasis center.

In fact, by perceiving the energy circulation of the ground plants, Punk discovered these mutated trees weren’t concealing or disguising their absorption of Abyssal energy at all. The feeling this oasis gave… was as if Sorsend feared incoming enemies couldn’t find the entrance.

“This Sorsend is truly confident. Or has he grown so impatient for ‘prey’?”

Muttering quietly, Punk slowly drew the emerald-green Emerald Staff from his back, its jade surface gleaming.

Initially, he had expected to spend some time locating Sorsend’s lair entrance. But now… the host had already flung the gates wide open. Regarding the discovery of the entrance, this “defender” Sorsend seemed more anxious than him, the “invader”!

“Ara ara, being looked down upon like this… suddenly makes this Sorsend piss me off even more.”

Following closely behind Punk toward the oasis center, Kane’s face twisted into a bloodthirsty grin.

Ultimately, both Punk and Kane were prideful professionals. Sorsend’s blatantly taunting trap inevitably stirred their tempers. Of course, whether Sorsend’s approach demonstrated sufficient caution remained debatable—after all, this level 19 mage couldn’t possibly know his secrets had been completely uncovered by Punk.

The small, nameless oasis wasn’t particularly large. This clearly artificial lair couldn’t occupy vast territory either. Overall, the oasis was only slightly larger than an ordinary city. With Punk and Kane’s speed, they could traverse from the oasis edge to its center in under a minute.

Upon reaching the center, just as Punk had perceived, a perfectly calm lake lay silently before them.

This was a massive, perfectly circular lake devoid of even a single waterweed. The entire water surface reflected sunlight like an enormous mirror, with tree projections swaying rhythmically across its polished surface. Through the crystal-clear water, one could vaguely discern the veins of every leaf.

To an uninformed observer, no one would suspect this breathtaking lake—like a gem embedded in the forest—served as a gateway to evil. It appeared so tranquil and harmonious with its surroundings, resembling an exquisite painting.

But neither Punk nor Kane were ones to be deceived by appearances.In fact, the moment Punk perceived this lake, he had already noticed its abnormality—the lake was saturated with vast amounts of Abyssal energy. However, due to an unknown magical effect, this Abyssal energy seemed to be sealed by some kind of restraint at the microscopic level. As a result, the entire lake appeared exceptionally calm from a macroscopic perspective.

But if one were to switch to a microscopic view, the observer would likely be shocked to discover—countless sealing runes distinctly embedded within the water elements of this lake. Vast amounts of Abyssal energy were frantically thrashing left and right under the confinement of these runes. If it weren’t for the numerous peculiar runes collectively forming countless Cages, this lake would likely be corrupted into a monstrous aberration by the Abyssal energy within minutes.

Yet, precisely because of these runes, this eerie lake maintained a peculiar state where the macroscopic and microscopic views were starkly different. Since the magical runes isolated the interference of Abyssal energy, the lake could harbor vast amounts of it without becoming contaminated.

“The feel of these runes… is it the Master-Level Conjuration spell ‘Prayer of Order’? But it also differs significantly from that rigid spell which only operates on a macroscopic level… Alright, it seems this is yet another modified spell, and in terms of refinement, it might even surpass Ovakain’s ‘Dragon Version Rapid Shift’!”

Bending down to condense a water sphere from the lake, Punk carefully sensed the magical effects within and soon gathered some previously unknown intelligence. Of course… for him, this was not good news.

Casually tossing the water sphere against a nearby tree, Punk watched as the seemingly normal giant tree began to slowly writhe, attempting to absorb the liquid. An inexplicable irritation welled up in his heart.

He had to admit that Master-Level powerhouses deepening their understanding of magic through spell modification had been a prominent advancement method since the era of Netheril. After all, modifying a spell could also serve as a trump card in combat, with the benefits far outweighing the minimal costs incurred during research. Generally, spellcasters reaching levels eighteen or nineteen would have one or two modified spells as their research subjects, whether strong or weak.

But… what annoyed Punk the most was that, as a legitimate inheritor of Netheril, he hadn’t even completed the modification of a very simple “Parasitic Worm” spell. And then there were Ovakain and Sorsend… their modified spells were already combat-ready!

“After this matter is concluded, I absolutely cannot delay modifying spells any longer. It must be prioritized, even ahead of comprehending laws!”

Having silently made this resolution, Punk temporarily set the matter aside.

In contrast to Punk, who had been analyzing the magical effects from start to finish, Kane—completely unprofessional in magic—focused on entirely different aspects. Perhaps knowing he wouldn’t discern anything even if he looked, Kane simply began jesting about Sorsend’s Oasis from an artistic perspective with a playful smile.

Having likely interacted with many Nobles during his time as a Kingdom Protector, Kane’s “artistic commentary” sounded quite convincing:”Hmm, although he lacks the sheer brilliance of yours truly, this Sorsend fellow has put some thought into the architectural layout. His use of greenery to accentuate the lake is quite commendable. This natural color enhancement is what we call ‘natural rendering’ back home—integrating nature’s essence into architecture always creates breathtaking beauty… It’s just a shame this Oasis still feels too rigid. If Sorsend kept a small pet or something, his artistry could truly be considered refined…”

“I don’t care about Sorsend’s artistic refinement, but Kane, I think you should come see this.”

Just as Kane’s rambling critique showed no sign of ending, Punk abruptly cut off the knight’s endless monologue.

Truth be told, Punk had no patience for Kane’s nonsense at that moment. Because in the direction his staff was pointing—right at the lake’s center—dense clusters of bubbles were emerging alongside a massive dark green shadow slowly rising from the lake waters!

Turning his head to give the stunned knight an exasperated look, Punk’s voice took on an odd tone:

“Kane, oh Kane… It seems Sorsend does possess some decent artistic sensibility after all. That ‘small pet’ you mentioned… he’s clearly had one prepared all along!”

(End of Chapter)