The teleportation ring beneath my feet shimmered, and the familiar brilliance of Nazarick's 6th Floor Amphitheater unfolded before me—a massive arena carved from obsidian stone and ancient bones, surrounded by faintly glowing runes that pulsed with protective energy.
It was quiet, save for the low hum of mana veins running through the architecture. The artificial sky above shimmered with a faint twilight hue, painting everything in tones of blue and violet. The place had once been used for training, executions, and summoning rituals. Now, it would serve as my testing ground.
I stepped forward, my boots echoing on the polished stone, until I caught sight of two small figures near the edge of the amphitheater.
"Aura. Mare."
Both dark elves immediately turned, their youthful faces lighting up when they recognized me.
"Lord Alex!" Aura shouted, leaping down from the observation balcony, her twin braids whipping through the air as she landed gracefully in front of me. Mare followed, more hesitant and soft-spoken, clutching his staff nervously as he bowed low.
"L—Lord Alex! Welcome back! I… I didn't think you'd return so soon."
"Neither did I," I replied with a faint smile. "But I have something I need to test."
Their golden eyes flickered curiously.
"I need high-level dummies," I said simply, my tone calm but edged with command. "As many as possible. Make them durable enough to withstand heavy magical impact. I'll handle the rest."
Aura immediately saluted. "Understood! Give us a moment!"
She snapped her fingers, and the amphitheater came alive with activity. Dozens of spectral creatures—beasts conjured from illusionary essence—appeared around the perimeter, carrying enchanted metal frames. Within minutes, the floor was lined with humanoid training constructs, each one imbued with defensive enchantments strong enough to resist a Tier 8 spell.
Mare added a few defensive wards of his own, his voice quiet and steady as he chanted, the earth itself responding to his magic. A faint tremor rippled through the ground as an earthen shield rose beneath the dummies, ensuring the amphitheater's integrity would remain intact.
"Everything's ready, my lord," Aura said proudly, stepping back beside her brother.
I nodded once, my gaze scanning the dummies. My left hand still tingled faintly with residual Infinity energy—the Power Stone's essence now intertwined with my being. The purple veins of energy occasionally flared beneath my skin, pulsing in rhythm with my heartbeat.
"Good," I said, raising my hand. "Let's see what this can do."
I snapped my fingers.
A brilliant surge of violet light erupted from my hand, expanding outward like a silent explosion. In less than a heartbeat, every single dummy in the arena—over a hundred in total—disintegrated into shimmering ash. No flame, no scream, just raw erasure.
The echo of the power lingered in the air, vibrating through my bones.
Aura blinked, her eyes wide. "They're… gone."
Mare swallowed hard, his gaze darting between the empty field and me. "A-All of them… in one instant."
I flexed my fingers, watching faint sparks of purple energy dance between them. It didn't hurt—but it felt heavy, as though the power was constantly pressing against my body from within.
"Efficient," I murmured quietly. "Too efficient, maybe."
I took a step forward and raised my hand again, this time focusing the Power Stone's energy into a single point. A faint glow built around my palm before condensing into a beam.
"Let's test the output."
I released it.
The energy shot forward like a spear of destruction—bright, searing, and unstoppable. It struck the far end of the amphitheater, and in an instant, half the arena wall simply ceased to exist. The explosion of violet light was blinding, followed by a deafening BOOM that sent shockwaves tearing across the amphitheater.
The ground shook violently beneath my feet. Dust and debris rained from above as a portion of the upper balcony collapsed, scattering broken stone across the floor.
When the light finally dimmed, a massive crater gaped at the far end of the arena, still glowing faintly from the residual energy.
Aura and Mare both stared in open-mouthed shock, frozen in place.
"…Ah," I murmured, lowering my hand and surveying the destruction. "Fuck."
I exhaled slowly and ran a hand through my hair. I had underestimated it—by a long shot. The raw force of the Power Stone wasn't just overwhelming; it was volatile. If I wasn't careful, I could easily vaporize a quarter of Nazarick in full power.
Which is a lot. Given that the Power Stone can easily destroy a planet but only a quarter of Nazarick, you need to understand the power Nazarick's defense holds.
Aura blinked, finally finding her voice. "L-Lord Alex… you just—half the amphitheater—"
"I know." I sighed again, glancing at the crater with mild irritation. "The beam was only meant to test concentration control. I think I added too much power."
Mare clutched his staff tighter, nervously glancing at the still-glowing edges of the destruction. "D-Do you think Nazarick's barrier system will—"
"It'll hold," I interrupted, though the thought didn't exactly comfort me. I turned back to Aura. "Aura, call Albedo here. Immediately."
She straightened, nodding quickly. "Y-Yes, my Lord!"
As she vanished in a blur of motion to carry out the order, I stood silently amid the dust, my mind already working. The Power Stone's energy wasn't like normal magic—it was raw cosmic force, unrestricted by the laws of mana or tiered spell systems. My body could handle it, but the environment around me clearly couldn't. But given that, the beam didn't get past the Amphitheater border to the wilderness, I have to say the defense is good.
The air around my arm still shimmered faintly, flickering like a mirage from the sheer intensity of the residual energy. I clenched my fist slowly, feeling the vibration of reality bending ever so slightly at my command.
Behind me, Mare stepped closer, his tone timid but curious. "L-Lord Alex, I-is that one of your powers that you used to destroy Yggdrisil?"
I gave a faint nod. "No, this is something I just acquired. For now, I need to test its limits—and I'll need Albedo to reinforce the barrier grid while I do. And repair these fallen parts."
Mare hesitated, then nodded obediently. "Understood, my Lord."
~~~