Chapter 108: The Prototype of a Tank Mage

Multi-form, three-dimensional positioning, complex strikes.

Such were the advantages of a "Domain Caster."

However, the outward diffusion of the soul was extremely difficult. Even Gune had taken nearly a month to reach the point where his spiritual power filled the soul ocean.

As for outward diffusion, who knew how long that would take.

This resulted in very few true "Domain Casters."

At least, Gune had never encountered any Domain Caster so far. Even in the Extraordinary Daily, he had barely seen any information about Domain Casters.

Gune set aside the various information about Domain Casters for now.

He continued to perceive other changes within himself.

"The density of source power has increased again. Last time, in that flesh cavern, my source power had already reached the level of a third-rank spellweaver."

"This time, with my promotion to second rank, the source power has transformed and improved."

"Now, my source power rivals that of a fourth-rank spellweaver." Feeling his dense and pure source power, Gune mused inwardly.

"I can now be regarded as a pseudo fourth-rank spellweaver."

"Both the source pool and the blood pool have expanded."

"The blood pool is nearly the size of three fists. As for the source pool, its capacity seems to exceed eight hundred source units."

"The physical body and extraordinary blood have also been significantly strengthened. After all, the standout feature of my extraordinary blood curseweaver is survivability."

Then Gune clenched his fist. With a slight squeeze, he could feel robust power burgeoning within his resilient body.

"Now, as my body continuously digests that writhing flesh, the growth rate of my defensive power is astonishing."

"Beneath the skin, a 'defensive scale membrane' has begun to form. This 'defensive scale membrane' is a defensive layer very close to scale armor. The prototype of a powerful tank physique is taking shape. Although there is still a long way from being a strong tank mage, I have already started moving in that direction."

After a meticulous self-observation, Gune composed himself.

"The improvement after advancing to second rank is indeed immense."

"Next, I need to condense the secret transit runes." Gune said softly.

Gune sank his mind again and began condensing his secret transit runes in this silent, dim underground chamber.

...

The next day.

Around noon.

Gune finished his morning work of brewing "high-grade premium potions."

Arriving at the sofa and fireplace area, Gune enjoyed the coffee ground and brewed by the maid while picking up the Extraordinary Daily.

As soon as he glanced over, a huge color image on the front page caught his attention.

The sky depicted in the color image seemed to be ignited by deep red flames from the abyss.

In the air above the island beneath the sky, a deep blood-red, as if splashed by boiling blood, seemed to show countless souls wailing, screaming, twisting, and struggling under the burning sky.

A feeling of viscosity, oppression, darkness, and death rushed toward him.

Just by looking at this picture, Gune sensed that something bad had happened.

Gune looked at the textual annotations on the side.

The evil spirit organization "Giant God Sect," whose Red Archbishop "Augusta" was known by many titles such as "Blasphemer," "Hand of the Shepherd God," "Panic Releaser," and "Death Herder," attacked and occupied "Buck Island Harbor" on November 24, then blood-sacrificed the entire Buck Island. Of the more than thirty thousand people on the island, few survived.

Reading this news, Gune narrowed his eyes, his breathing becoming heavy and deep.

Earlier, Gune had sensed that turbulent times were coming.

The possessor of the peculiar extraordinary profession "Hero," "Barbarian Saint," had gathered a large force and converged on Sugg Ruins City, an important border resource city in the north of the Yulan Empire.

This in itself involved evil and deathly plans.

Clearly, those evil spirit heretics, even those with alien races, would not let go until they destroyed the several great empires in the north.

And the tragedy on Buck Island reported in the Extraordinary Daily further revealed the ambitions of those troublemakers from evil spirit cults.

War had already come.

Gune narrowed his eyes, the killing intent in his heart growing heavier.

"Breathe in... breathe out..."

Gune took a deep breath to relax his mind as much as possible.

"Fortunately, my strength is now increasingly powerful, and the secret pattern potions I have researched can provide significant help to the Pioneer Corps."

"At least, I now possess some power to change the situation, and my role will not be too small."

Rubbing his temples, Gune sensed inward.

Last night, after Gune broke through.

He then proceeded to condense his secret transit runes.

This time, he condensed the eighth and ninth secret transit runes.

Condensing the eighth secret transit rune went without saying; it was very easy.

Condensing the ninth secret transit rune was also not difficult.

Gune estimated that if he forced it, condensing the tenth secret transit rune would not be a big problem.

But that would put considerable pressure on his soul.

Moreover, having condensed nine secret transit runes, he could already cast the nine-syllable "Demon Blade Curse" instantly.

So Gune saw no need to force the condensation of the tenth secret transit rune.

As he pondered.

Gune flipped his hand and took out the thick book "Rune Analysis" given by Mentor Olov, beginning an in-depth study.

With the significant improvement in his perception clarity of runes last time, Gune found that his understanding of rune arcana had clearly advanced a level.

For many mysterious operational principles of rune arcana, a brief deduction allowed him to grasp and comprehend them immediately.

Now, in his progress on rune analysis, Gune had begun to master rune arcana to a certain extent on his own.

He no longer needed to seek questions from Mentor Olov.

"By borrowing the vein of runes and delving deeper, I can increasingly understand the rune arcana deep within the world framework system."

"Even to the point where, upon deep understanding, I can master and even manipulate rune arcana."

"My main research direction at present is the 'world framework' type of rune arcana."

"After mastering this type of rune arcana, I can easily traverse between reality and shadow, and even open those involuted strange layers to hunt the creatures of the deep layers."

"You see, only high-level experts whose extraordinary professions inherently possess similar abilities can have the power to traverse shadow and reality."

"And they can only enter the shadow layer."

"As for me, with the world framework type of rune arcana, I can enter deeper layers."

"At the same time, if my attainment in world framework rune arcana is high enough,"

"I can even open 'channel nodes' and enter other real planes."

"This is a means only possessed by top-tier extraordinary professions like Planewalker, Plane Ranger, and Timespace Walker."

"Besides the world framework system of rune arcana, there are also natural element types, such as earth, wind, water, fire, lightning, light, darkness, etc."

"Those element-type cultivators of rune analysis will have an advantage over me in this regard. After all, my affinity for various natural elements is far less than my affinity for source power. Otherwise, I wouldn't be a spellweaver; I might have taken the element path."

"For a spellweaver like me, I can study special destructive arcane runes that can be attached to spells."

"For instance, the 'annihilation' of those giant beasts with annihilating destructive power that live in the void of other dimensions."

"Or the 'dragon breath' of adult dragons, which can unleash destructive power comparable to secret pattern spells."

"Or the 'true flame' innately mastered by demons living in the deepest parts of the abyss."

"These peculiar powers all possess their own special rune arcana."

"Even... in the future, when I am strong enough to become an Extraordinary Master, or even higher levels."

Gune narrowed his eyes, revealing a sharp glint.

"Those ancient, awe-inspiring beings said to have been sealed for a very long time—the Dominators."

"Their earth-shattering, bizarre, terrifying destructive power that defies natural laws—I can also study it."

"However... the power of Dominators is too terrifying. Even the slightest touch can lead to loss of control, madness, aberration, catastrophe, etc. In the face of a Dominator, death might be a good outcome."

"For ordinary people, approaching such power with a mortal body—calling it suicide would be overestimating them."

"For extraordinary experts, if they are strong enough, they can still lightly touch those terrifying powers."

"As for me... perhaps I have already touched them."

The unnameable flesh naturally surfaced in Gune's mind.

"That unnameable flesh might be the remains of some powerful, unnameable Dominator."

"For others, it is impossible to study that power, but for me, it is possible."

"This is the biggest difference between me and other cultivators on the path of rune analysis."

"At the same time..."

Gune narrowed his eyes.

"This time, when I go deep into the hunting layer, if the Death Beast has some powerful and peculiar means, after killing it and obtaining its corpse, I might be able to study it."

"Even if I can't research anything successful, the blood of the Death Beast is still very fragrant."

Just as he was pondering, Gune's expression suddenly shifted.

Then, Gune casually reached into his pocket.

The glass ball-like object given by George was trembling slightly.

"Is it starting?" Gune narrowed his eyes slightly.