Chapter Summaries

Punk seized a Hellas Handheld Torch from the Soul Shepherd and learned that it could amplify three Formal Level spells to Master Level strength. With his mana running dangerously low, he summoned a heavily empowered Wind Elemental to help him survive and seize more lanterns.

• Punk dodged the Soul Shepherd's attack, grabbed a lantern, and suffered severe but superficial injuries while escaping across the ground.
• Punk learned that the lantern was a Hellas Handheld Torch containing three Master Amplification Techniques that could boost Formal Level spells.
• Punk decided to use the amplified spells to obstruct the Soul Shepherd and create a chance to take the remaining lanterns.
• Punk spent two-thirds of his remaining mana to cast an enhanced Summon Wind Elemental, gambling that it would be strong enough to help him survive.

Punk summoned and amplified a powerful Wind Elemental, then ordered her to attack an isolated Fanged Vengeful Soul while he evaded the Soul Shepherd’s spell. As the battle shook the Trial Ground and injured Punk, he directed the Wind Elemental to target the vengeful soul’s Spell Core.

• Punk summoned a Wind Elemental and used the Master Amplification Technique to raise her combat power to around level fifteen of the Master level.
• Punk ordered the Wind Elemental to attack a nearby Fanged Vengeful Soul while he rolled away from the Soul Shepherd’s Negative Energy Finger.
• The Wind Elemental clashed with the Fanged Vengeful Soul, and the impact of their energies tore at space and injured Punk.
• Punk saw the second Fanged Vengeful Soul rushing to support its ally and prepared for the Soul Shepherd’s next spell.
• Punk ordered the Wind Elemental to keep attacking and stab the Fanged Vengeful Soul’s Spell Core.

Punk turned the Soul Shepherd’s attack against it by seizing control of one Fanged Vengeful Soul and helping the Wind Elemental destroy the other. The Soul Shepherd then launched a powerful Negative Energy Finger at the Wind Elemental, and Punk fired a precisely calculated Kinetic Cone to intercept it.

• The second Fanged Vengeful Soul transformed into a slender shape and moved to ambush the Wind Elemental as the first soul attacked.
• Punk cast Control Summoned Creature and successfully seized control of the second Fanged Vengeful Soul.
• Punk ordered the captured soul to bite the first soul’s tail, letting the Wind Elemental pierce and destroy its Spell Core.
• The enraged Soul Shepherd cast a powerful Negative Energy Finger at the Wind Elemental.
• Punk used his last Master Amplification Technique and released a Kinetic Cone to intercept the Soul Shepherd’s attack.

Punk turned the Soul Shepherd’s attack against it, using his summoned creatures to pierce its defenses and destroy its hidden Soul Flame. After confirming the Soul Shepherd was dead, Punk relaxed and called for the projection to collect the corpse.

• Punk intercepted the Soul Shepherd’s Negative Energy Finger with his Kinetic Cone, leaving it unable to cast another spell for three seconds.
• Punk’s Fanged Vengeful Soul broke through the Soul Shepherd’s negative-energy barrier, and the Wind Elemental stabbed through the opening into its neck.
• The Wind Elemental pierced the Soul Shepherd’s hidden Soul Flame and destroyed it with a burst of elemental energy.
• The Soul Shepherd’s summoned Fanged Vengeful Soul vanished, confirming its master had died.
• Punk dismissed the Wind Elemental, tossed aside his lantern, and called for the projection to collect the corpse.

After defeating the Soul Shepherd, Punk learned that his final trial would test his will by immersing him in the full memories of the Archmage Sky Scholar, Wedraxia Zakas. He prepared to face twenty-four thousand years of another person's life, which would cost him 460 years of his own lifespan.

• Punk repaired his eardrums, and the projection congratulated him for passing the Soul Shepherd trial.
• Punk questioned the projection about the Soul Shepherd, and learned it had come from an undead demiplane containing hundreds of thousands of Master-level undead.
• Punk asked to proceed to the final trial, but the projection warned that it would be different from what he expected.
• The projection explained that Punk would experience Wedraxia Zakas's memories and emotions from birth to death over twenty-four thousand years, while losing 460 years of lifespan in reality.
• Punk recognized that preserving his sense of self through the memories would be an exceptionally difficult test of will.

Punk began the fourth trial, experiencing the life of Wedraxia Zakas, a privileged boy born in the late Netherese era who was pushed toward magic by his grandfather. The chapter ended with young Wedraxia’s grandfather destroying his battle qi and ending his childhood dream of becoming a warrior.

• Punk accepted the fourth trial with confidence, and the projection sent his consciousness into Wedraxia Zakas’s life.
• Moss Zakas raised his infant grandson before the family and declared that Wedraxia would become a powerful spellcaster.
• Moss sacrificed his own advancement resources to provide Wedraxia with the best magical education and comforts.
• At fifteen, Wedraxia left his beloved childhood maid and went to study at a spellcaster academy, though he wanted to become a knight.
• Wedraxia secretly practiced battle qi alongside magic until his mentor discovered him.
• Moss rushed to the academy, destroyed Wedraxia’s battle qi, and forced him to abandon his dream of becoming a warrior.

Wedraxia’s memories revealed how his first heartbreak drove him to devote himself to magic after he killed Katie’s husband and Katie took her own life. After reaching Master Level and losing his family ties, he left the Zakas family to join a mage legion on the Netherese Civilization’s front lines.

• As a young apprentice, Wedraxia learned that Katie had left her contract and married a commoner she loved.
• Wedraxia used a divination spell to find Katie on her birthday and burned her husband to ashes despite her pleas.
• After Katie killed herself, Wedraxia was confined by his grandfather and threw himself into studying magic to punish himself and escape his guilt.
• Wedraxia advanced to Master Level and spent eight hundred years in his laboratory, while his family grew prosperous around him.
• After his grandfather died, Wedraxia refused to become head of the Zakas family and left for the Netherese Civilization’s front lines to enlist in a mage legion.

Wedraxia’s reckless battlefield assault ended his military career and left him a cautious, disillusioned logistics mage. More than a thousand years later, he was chosen as one of Skyfire Hassan-Banga’s apprentices, beginning his Legendary path by chance.

• Wedraxia led his unprepared squad in a battlefield assault, was badly wounded, and lost his entire squad.
• The military transferred Wedraxia to Sky City’s logistics department, where he spent more than a thousand years studying magic and reached the peak of level 19 master level.
• Hassan-Banga returned to Sky City gravely injured and began accepting apprentices as he faced death.
• Wedraxia attended Hassan’s apprentice selection without serious hopes of being chosen, but Hassan selected him as one of three apprentices.

Wedraxia rose from an unremarkable mage to the Legendary Archmage known as the Sky Scholar, inheriting Hassan's floating city, Sky City. After the Faerun Demon Vines devastated Netherese Civilization, Wedraxia joined the Vengeance Faction and helped leave behind seventy billion Legacy Bases, including his memories as an introduction and entrance test.

• Hassan named Wedraxia and two other Master Level spellcasters as his heirs, inspiring Wedraxia to pursue becoming Legendary.
• Wedraxia advanced to Legendary after a thousand years of study and battle, then earned the title of Scholar through his vast knowledge.
• As Hassan neared death, he left Wedraxia his possessions and floating city, Sky City, after losing faith in the Archmage Council.
• The Faerun Demon Vines invaded, and their attacks, aided by the gods, drove Netherese Civilization to the brink of defeat.
• Wedraxia supported the Vengeance Faction and helped leave behind seventy billion Legacy Bases for future generations.
• Wedraxia volunteered his memories as an introduction and entrance test, while the more valuable Netheril Scrolls remained sealed for inheritors strong enough to claim them.

Punk experienced Wedraxia-Zakas’s memories and learned from Skyfire Hassan that Netherese spirit meant pursuing dreams at any cost. As Wedraxia’s memory faded, Punk declared that roaming the void was his dream and that he had become a true Netherese.

• Wedraxia-Zakas’s memories ended after spanning 24,726 years, and he asked Punk what Netheril was.
• Punk described Netheril as a spirit shaped by its extraordinary magical civilization and its relentless pursuit of knowledge and power.
• Punk recalled Skyfire Hassan warning his students that Netherese dream-chasers would make any sacrifice or commit any betrayal for their ambitions.
• Wedraxia said his Netheril was ending and urged Punk to forge his own Splendor of Netheril.
• As Wedraxia dissolved into blue motes, Punk said roaming the void was his dream and declared himself a true Netherese.

Punk awakened after 569 years and discovered he had advanced to Level 16 Master Level. After completing the Fourth Trial, he asked how to obtain the Netheril Scrolls and leave the ruins, but learned that the legacy required him to find and enter it through his own power; when he asked to depart, the projection said Archmage Miggs-Onosen had important information to explain first.

• Punk awoke from his long dream and found that his meditation had advanced him to Level 16 Master Level.
• The projection congratulated Punk on completing the Fourth Trial and opening part of Netheril's knowledge.
• Punk asked how to obtain the Netheril Scrolls and leave, but the projection explained that he would have to find and enter the legacy by his own power to claim everything.
• Punk concluded that the full legacy was out of reach for now and asked the projection to let him leave.
• The projection told Punk to wait because Archmage Miggs-Onosen had left important information that still needed to be explained.

A projection warned Punk that the River of Fate, called “It,” maintained the universe and hunted Legendary beings, urging him to stay cautious and pursue Netheril’s legacy. Punk took the warning to heart but remained focused on leaving the Trial Ground.

• The projection explained that Ao created “It” to maintain the universe and that it manipulated events to preserve cosmic balance.
• The projection warned Punk that only Legendary beings could perceive “It,” and that they needed to survive its schemes and avoid provoking it.
• The projection identified “It” as the River of Fate and urged Punk to seek knowledge, trust his will, and pursue The Splendor of Netheril.
• Punk asked whether the warning came from Netheril’s Archmages, and the projection confirmed that Netheril’s destruction had freed “It” from its strongest restraints.
• The projection said that most Legendary beings would eventually die to “It,” and Punk accepted the warning before asking when he could leave the Trial Ground.

Punk emerged from the Netheril Ruins into a remote forest in the Faerun plane and considered joining a spellcaster organization to gain access to resources and knowledge. He concluded that, despite recognizing how Legendary powerhouses controlled ambitious mages, he had little choice but to join a Legendary organization before he could reach the Legendary realm.

• Punk emerged from hiding in the forest, severing the vines with a swipe and intimidating every living creature nearby.
• Punk wondered whether the projection had sent him to a reliable location and used mental power to seize a bamboo rat.
• Punk reflected on his need to find a place to study Master Level spells and join a spellcaster organization.
• Punk recalled how isolation prevented him from trading potions for ingredients and forced him to abandon many recipes.
• Punk concluded that Legendary powerhouses controlled the opportunities available to those below their rank, leaving ambitious mages with little choice but to join their organizations.

Punk weighed the major spellcaster organizations and chose Thought of Truth as the best fit for his needs and temperament. He set out toward the nearest city to pursue joining it.

• Punk ruled out the Mage Guild because its Lawful Good reputation made it unlikely to accept him.
• Punk rejected the Shattered Talisman Society because its constant internal conflicts carried too much risk.
• Punk dismissed the Masked Mage Guild and Council of Sages as unsuitable neutral organizations.
• Punk considered Thought of Truth’s history, teachings, freedoms, and obligations, then decided to join it.
• Punk continued toward the nearest city, knowing membership was necessary to access the organization’s resources.

Punk assessed his wealth and considered selling useless Master Level equipment for Thought of Truth exchange points as he traveled toward the nearest city. He emerged from the forest to find a blood-soaked, scorched clearing, leaving the cause of the devastation unknown.

• Punk considered Thought of Truth’s exchange system and concluded that selling equipment would be more worthwhile than exchanging gold.
• Punk inspected his possessions and judged the Black Hawk Ring, Tears of the Spring, and quill pen useless to him, though he hesitated to sell them.
• Punk continued through the forest toward the nearest city, enduring on wild fruit and looking forward to bread and jam.
• Punk reached a clearing where the land was scorched, trees were broken, feathers were charred, and blood and shredded flesh covered the ground.

Punk encountered a trio of adventurers hunting Harpies and sensed a strange aura of hatred and rage clinging to the creatures. He intervened to investigate, but the surviving Harpy tried to frame him as her master to turn him against the adventurers.

• Punk watched a Journeyman adventuring party kill two Harpies and corner a third, while sensing an unnatural aura surrounding the creatures.
• Punk decided to stop the fight and investigate the wounded Harpy; his Master Level presence froze the mage and rogue, but the paladin kept attacking.
• The surviving Harpy rushed toward Punk, let the paladin sever one of her wings, and claimed she had brought the adventurers to him as commanded.
• Punk recognized the Harpy's attempt to shift blame and provoke a fight, then seized her with Mage Hand and warned her not to call strangers her masters.

Punk captured a fleeing Harpy, but a Paladin under the influence of a psychic spell attacked him. After realizing a Journeyman Mage had cast Bloody Frenzy on the Paladin, Punk killed him with Kinetic Burst.

• Punk restrained the Harpy with Mage Hand as the adventurers froze in fear.
• The Paladin charged Punk and swung a holy Battle Qi Blade at him, but Punk deflected it with Mage Hand.
• Punk slapped the Paladin aside, then recognized the effects of the Journeyman-level psychic spell Bloody Frenzy.
• Mig Doka recalled that he had cast Bloody Frenzy on the Paladin to make him fight harder, burning away his reason and vitality.
• The frenzied Paladin charged Punk again, and Punk blew him apart with Kinetic Burst.

Punk killed the three adventurers who witnessed him defeat the paladin, then examined the injured Harpy and discovered that a strange aura fueled her obsessive thoughts. He learned that her tribe’s Priestess could heal her and decided to accompany her to investigate the Priestess and the aura.

• Punk killed Mig and the female rogue with a single Kinetic Burst after the paladin’s death.
• Punk burned the adventurers’ remains and examined the injured Harpy, who secretly planned to take him to her Priestess.
• Punk used Mind Listening and noticed a strange aura merging with the Harpy and intensifying her obsession.
• Punk offered to escort the Harpy to her tribe while questioning her about its Priestess.
• The Harpy refused treatment in a town, claimed her Priestess could heal any injury, and showed Punk a feather carrying Formal Level energy.

Punk learned that the Harpy tribe’s supposedly omnipotent Priestess was only Formal Level and followed an injured Harpy to the Black Claw settlement to investigate her strange blessings. He concealed his Master Level aura before reaching the tribe, intending to meet the Priestess without frightening her away.

• Punk confirmed that the Harpy’s Priestess was Formal Level and realized the tribe relied on brainwashing to maintain its rule.
• Punk treated the Harpy’s injured wing and agreed to follow her home to the Black Claw settlement.
• The Harpy told Punk that the tribe had been driven from its former territory by Orcs and that its Priestess gained her power in a Chosen Cave.
• Punk inferred that the Priestess’s blessings came from a strange aura and decided to conceal his power before meeting her.
• Punk cast Wyn's Aura Concealment and approached the settlement disguised as a Journeyman Level spellcaster.

Punk entered the Harpy tribe while concealing his Master Rogue-level aura, expecting to confront its Priestess. After detecting Gaisemi Mushroom poison in the meal served to him, he revealed that it could not affect a Formal Level powerhouse and seized the young Harpy who had poisoned him.

• Punk concealed his aura as a Harpy guide led him into the tribe, where the guards signaled that he was being taken to the Priestess.
• The guide invited Punk to wait in a treehouse and served him a meal while the Priestess was summoned.
• Punk identified Gaisemi Mushroom powder in the food through a system scan and realized the young Harpy had tried to poison him.
• Punk lifted the young Harpy with Mage Hand and explained that the nonmagical poison could not affect anyone above Formal Level.