Chapter 36: Strange Dungeon Exploration (5)

[Third Person's PoV] 

As Stephen soared through the atmosphere toward Mars, a radiant glow emanated from the grimoire clutched in Mars' hand, illuminating the battlefield with an eerie light.

[Mineral Creation Magic: Talos Doll Swarm]

The air around Mars crackled with power as dozens of crystalline effigies, shaped in his likeness, materialized from the ground. Their bodies shimmered with minerals and sharp-edged crystals, reflecting the ambient light like. They moved with unsettling synchronicity, charging toward Stephen and his allies with violent intent.

Suddenly, a thunderous crack split the air. All eyes, including Mars', turned toward the source of the sound. Hovering above, Stephen was suspended in mid-air, his hands engulfed in arcs of blazing magical energy. The glow intensified, radiating ancient, arcane power.

[Arcane Magic: Bolt of Balthakk]

With a sweeping gesture, Stephen thrust his glowing hands forward. Bolts of raw, mystical energy, resembling streaks of electrical fury, erupted from his fingertips and rocketed toward the Talos dolls. The ground below trembled under their force as the magical bolts tore through the air, relentlessly hunting their targets.

Each doll attempted to evade, but the Bolts of Balthakk curved in pursuit, following the crystal figures like hounds on a trail. With every impact, the lightning-infused magic smashed through the mineral constructs, shattering them into countless fragments. The remnants sparkled briefly before fading into the dust.

Seeing an opening, Yuno and Klaus seized the opportunity. Klaus conjured massive, spinning drills from the earth, their surfaces gleaming with sharp steel. Without needing to use a spell from his grimoire, he sent them spiraling toward Mars. At the same moment, Yuno raised his hand, summoning immense lances of wind, their forms swirling with deadly precision.

Klaus pushed his glasses up, his voice dripping with confidence. "This will teach you not to underestimate the power of the Golden Dawn!" His declaration rang through the dungeon, filled with pride.

The combined attacks tore through the air, the force of their magic creating shockwaves that reverberated through the dungeon's cavernous ceiling. As the spells impacted Mars' position, a massive explosion of smoke and debris rose into the air, obscuring the battlefield from view.

For a tense moment, silence reigned. Then, with a single, powerful sweep of his enormous mineral-crafted sword, the smoke was dispersed, revealing Mars standing unscathed. He was encased in formidable armor, fashioned entirely from minerals, its intricate design gleaming under the fading light of the grimoire.

Klaus stared, disbelief etched across his face. "How… How did that not do anything?!"

Mars' cold gaze swept over them. "Magic of your caliber is useless against me."

"THEN TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE!" Asta's voice roared, echoing through the dungeon. In a flash of movement, he appeared before Mars, swinging his massive buster sword with all his might.

Mars raised his own sword to block, but Asta's anti-magic blade cleaved straight through it, sending the shattered pieces flying in all directions. Mars' eyes widened in shock as his defense crumbled. He acted swiftly, conjuring a wave of minerals from beneath the ground, encasing Asta's feet in a solid trap.

Before Mars could capitalize on the moment, Luck streaked across the battlefield like a bolt of lightning. In a blur, he delivered a vicious kick to Mars' unprotected face, the force of the blow sending him skidding across the dungeon floor. Mars quickly regained his footing, his expression darkening as annoyance flickered in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Asta, with a grunt of effort, shattered the minerals binding his feet with a single swing of his sword. Klaus, still stunned, turned to Asta, frustration boiling over. "How is it that you, a commoner, can destroy his magic while we can't?! That's impossible!"

Mars' fury manifested in an overwhelming surge of magic. He conjured a tidal wave of minerals, towering like a wall of earth, and sent it crashing toward them with terrifying force. The wave was so dense and immense that it seemed impossible to cut through.

Asta leaped forward, swinging his sword, but even his blade couldn't entirely slice through the massive wave. The raw power of Mars' magic pressed down on them like a crushing weight.

Suddenly, a glowing, eldritch whip lashed out, pulling the others away from the impending destruction.

[Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Lair] 

Noelle conjures a water dome protecting those around her with her magic. 

As the wave of crystals passed, dozens of new Talos dolls emerged from the remnants, their eyes gleaming with malevolent intent. They encircled the group, tightening their ranks as they prepared to strike.

"Everyone, prepare yourselves!" Stephen's voice boomed as he smacked his wrists together, an eerie, resonant crack echoing in the air. The sound of glass shattering followed, and the world around them seemed to ripple and distort as if reality itself had been fractured.

Klaus's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What did you just do?"

"I simply transported us all to the Mirror Dimension," Stephen replied calmly, as the very environment around them began to shift. The floor, walls, and ceiling twisted, moving independently of one another like pieces of a surreal puzzle. The floor morphed into a kaleidoscope of shifting patterns, shimmering like fractured glass caught in a perpetual spin. 

Stephen hovered menacingly in the air, his cloak billowing behind him. With a slow, deliberate motion, he raised his hands, and the section of the floor Mars stood on heaved upward like a colossal pillar, smashing against the ceiling, which had suddenly become one of the walls. In the Mirror Dimension, the concepts of up, down, left, and right ceased to exist—everything was at the mercy of the caster's will.

Mars gritted his teeth as the ground beneath him shifted, trying to keep his balance. The ceiling, which had moments ago been overhead, slid to the side and became the wall as Stephen casually glided across it. While the others found themselves standing upside down on what had once been the floor, now the ceiling, Stephen moved effortlessly, his feet touching the wall as if gravity didn't exit

With a flick of his wrist, three glowing Eldritch magic circles manifested around Stephen's forearms as he sprinted along the wall toward Mars, who struggled beneath the massive pillar of stone crushing down on him. The magic circles pulsed with power as Stephen closed in.

Mars roared in frustration, conjuring another massive sword from the minerals in his grimoire. With a single swing, he cleaved the stone pillar into pieces, the debris scattering in every direction. He immediately swung his blade toward Stephen, but Stephen ducked beneath the strike with supernatural grace and delivered a crushing punch to Mars' abdomen.

The impact was tremendous. A spiderweb of cracks splintered across Mars' mineral armor, and the force sent him flying back. Everyone else watched in disbelief as Mars—who had effortlessly shrugged off their attacks earlier—was now reeling from a single blow.

As Mars was hurled through the air, Stephen made a sharp pulling motion with his hand. The wall shifted with a violent lurch, colliding with Mars' back and driving him forward like a ragdoll toward Stephen. With fluid precision, Stephen stood ready, his fist cocked back. 

The moment Mars came within reach, Stephen launched another devastating punch. His fist connected with Mars' chest, shattering more of the crystalline armor in an explosion of shards and sending Mars hurtling back once more. The force of the punch was so great that the wall behind Mars buckled and crumbled, collapsing from the sheer impact.

Stephen's wrist glowed with arcane energy as he made another pulling gesture. The debris from the collapsed wall came together, formed by an invisible force, and surged forward, carrying Mars back toward him with his arms spread out. When Mars was within striking distance again, Stephen delivered yet another punishing blow to his stomach.

This time, the armor protecting Mars' body crumbled entirely, and blood erupted from his mouth as the sheer force of Stephen's strike drove him deeper into the twisting environment. The walls, floors, and ceilings shifted once again, as if the Mirror Dimension itself responded to Stephen's will. Mars was sent crashing into the ever-shifting structure, his body ragdolling through the labyrinth of shifting architecture.

Mars groaned, blood staining his lips, his once-impenetrable armor shattered and scattered like debris around him. The raw power of Stephen's attacks had left him broken, yet not defeated.

Everyone stood frozen, staring at the scene in disbelief. Klaus, his voice barely a whisper, muttered, "There's... there's just no way... that power belongs to a commoner..."

Noelle, clearly fed up with his narrow-mindedness, groaned in irritation and shot him a sharp glare. "Will you shut up already! I've barely known Stephen, but even I know he's incredible, his power is simply incomprehensible."

Mimosa, wide-eyed and awestruck, stood beside them, her gaze locked on Stephen as he hovered effortlessly above the battlefield. He was taking on a mage they had all struggled with—yet here he was, dominating Mars as though it were effortless.

"How is this even possible?" she whispered under her breath, her admiration growing with every second.

Suddenly, Mars let out a primal roar, his voice echoing through the warped space of the Mirror Dimension. "ARGHHHH!!" A tremendous surge of mana exploded from him, forcing Stephen to slide back slightly. The ground trembled as Mars' magic flared with newfound intensity, the air around him vibrating with energy.

The minerals littered across the battlefield began to stir, gathering around Mars as he grew larger with each passing moment. His grimoire spun beside him, glowing fiercely as pages flipped, powered by his growing rage and desperation.

[Mineral Creation Magic: Titan's Heavy Armor!]

The transformation was immediate and terrifying. Mars' body swelled to the size of a giant, his form now covered in thick plates of mineral armor that glimmered menacingly under the distorted light of the Mirror Dimension. His head, small compared to his massive, hulking body, remained exposed, a glaring contrast to the colossal figure he now commanded.

Towering Stephen, Mars' rage was palpable as he fixed his cold gaze on his. His voice boomed, shaking the very air. "JUST WHAT ARE YOU!?" His tone was laced with frustration and fury.

Stephen remained unfazed, his expression calm and composed. Slowly, he levitated upward, rising to Mars' eye level. The magic circles surrounding his wrists flared brighter, swirling with arcane energy as they hummed in sync with his immense magical power.

"My name," Stephen's voice was calm yet carried an edge of authority, "is Dr. Stephen Strange." He paused, letting the name sink in. His piercing gaze met Mars' furious eyes without wavering. "And I am a Master of the Mystic Arts. Remember it well."

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