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"Thundering Explosion!"
As Harry uttered the spell, Voldemort's face momentarily registered surprise before quickly shifting into a mocking sneer.
Voldemort had truly experienced the Abyssal Battlefield firsthand. In fact, every outstanding graduate would head to the Abyssal Battlefield for their Warlock certification. This had been a tradition at Hogwarts since its founding. Even though the current era was one of peace, with no significant wars between the magical world and the Abyss for centuries, the tradition endured. Every ancient and respected magical academy carried this tradition forward. The peace they now enjoyed was fought for with the lives of countless wizards. As long as the Abyss existed, the vigilance against it would never wane.
Area-of-effect spells were useful in battles between wizards, but when used against the demonic races, they were almost like offering aid to the enemy. This had been recorded on the Abyssal Battlefield.
There was once a wizard who crafted an absurdly powerful wand, using the heart tendons of a demon lord. The wand, fixed in the form of a rocket launcher, could only cast a spell once a week and required a massive amount of magic to be infused beforehand. Its sole effect: Super Magic Specialty - Area-of-Effect Spell - Ultimate Power (Mythic).
Even the most basic explosion spell (Thunderclap Explosion) could level a 600-meter-tall rocky mountain. Due to the extreme amplification of spells, the wand's owner was granted special permission to use area-of-effect magic. The amplification was estimated at a minimum of 1,200 times, instilling great confidence in the wizards.
A test was conducted on a small demon patrol unit of about 3,000. The spell used in the test was an advanced version of the one Harry was now casting—Thundering Explosion.
The spell was awe-inspiring. The demons at the center of the explosion were instantly vaporized, and hundreds more were killed in seconds. But just as smiles spread across the wizards' faces, the devastating spell turned into a cruel joke.
Of the three demon captains leading the patrol, one was killed, but the other two, who were farther from the explosion's core, survived. After absorbing the vast amounts of magic energy released, they immediately ascended to the rank of demon lords. At least twenty centurions advanced to captain rank, and every surviving demon experienced at least one promotion during the explosion!
The aftermath left a terrifying force of more than 2,000 decurions, 200 centurions, over twenty captains, and two demon lords. They almost caused a massive disaster. Had it not been for nearly 10,000 wizards watching the test and intervening, the demons would have raised an army of over 20,000.
Since then, the use of area-of-effect magic on the Abyssal Battlefield has been permanently banned. Spells that spread power over a large area without concentrating it on a single point were the absolute worst choice against demons.
Voldemort was already prepared to laugh at Harry's mistake.
The red light of the explosion spell shot into the chest of a demon decurion, who was about to hurl a rock. Although ebony wood required an eightfold increase in magic power consumption, its triple spell amplification made the spell's power remarkably significant.
With a deafening explosion, stone fragments scattered like shrapnel, pelting the walls, ceiling, and floor with countless tiny craters. The explosion spell, empowered by the ebony wand's piercing enchantment, bypassed the demon's outer anti-magic skin and tore through its body, obliterating the magic core within!
The spell's power didn't leak out before the demon's shell was completely shattered, effectively neutralizing the usual limitation of area-of-effect spells against demons. By the time the body exploded, there was hardly any residual magic for other demons to absorb.
Voldemort's sneer froze on his face. He stared blankly at the scene before him, which seemed devoid of any magical logic, sinking into self-doubt.
"Could it be that the demons I brought in are fakes?"
"Or have I just been away for so long that these rock-headed idiots got nerfed in the 2.0 update?"
Before Voldemort could figure out what had happened, another red flash streaked by, and the sound of an explosion echoed again. The number of demons on the field dropped below ten.
The rhythmic, muffled gunfire from the ebony wand echoed in the chamber. Unlike the barrage of the white-ivory counterpart, which could unleash a dazzling display of shots, the steady, deliberate booms of the ebony wand, though less flashy, brought an undeniable sense of security to those around.
The plain and unadorned spell lacked any flourish. With a cold expression and without saying a word, Harry continued methodically targeting his enemies. He dodged the attacks from the demon centurion time and again, his nimble movements easily avoiding the blows. The two-meter-tall stone-like creature possessed terrifying strength, but it was far too slow. Under Harry's relentless kiting strategy, the centurion's efforts were in vain.
This was an extremely one-sided slaughter. Without the aid of higher-level demons, smaller demon squads were helpless against a wizard. Only the demon lords, leading their armies, could fully unleash the demons' terrifying potential. These lords, born with powers like space binding, area slow effects, and dimension gate teleportation, were the true adversaries of the magical world when facing the Abyss.
Without a demon lord to guide them, demons were nothing more than fodder—stone-headed creatures that could be kited to death, endlessly providing wizards with excellent magical materials.
The centurion, having lost all his subordinates, let out an ear-splitting battle cry at Harry. But such impotent rage had no effect on him.
The anti-magic skin of the centurion was much tougher than that of the decurions, rendering Harry's favored explosion spell ineffective. Although the ebony wand's piercing effect could bypass defenses, it wasn't enough against the centurion's thick skin. The spell only blasted a large crater on its surface, failing to destroy the magic core within. Worse still, the absorbed magic energy fueled the demon's healing, allowing it to mend its wounds.
Frustrated, Harry found himself in a stalemate with the centurion. Neither could overpower the other.
"Hey! Little Voldy!"
Harry turned his head and called out to Voldemort, who was watching from the side.
"Teach me that ray version of Avada Kedavra, will you? I could really use a spell that punches holes right about now."
With the Philosopher's Stone safely out of his mouth, Harry was finally able to speak more clearly. The potion's effects were down to the last minute, and to be honest, he didn't dare drag things out any longer. Once the potion wore off, his body would be too exhausted to handle the situation.
The longer this fight went on, the worse it was for Harry.
"Your potion's about to run out, isn't it?"
Voldemort, while a madman thanks to dark magic, wasn't an idiot. He could see through Harry's current predicament with ease. Potions were powerful, but their effects were never long-lasting. Such external aids could not be relied upon; only magic was the eternal strength of a wizard.
"Take your time playing with that stone-headed fool. One minute, maybe two?"
Voldemort smiled maliciously. "I think I can wait that long."
Instantly, a wall of black flames rose, sealing the underground chamber's only exit. The fire, similar to Fiendfyre, was not something to be trifled with—forcing a way through it would be near impossible.
"Your blood and flesh, and the Philosopher's Stone..."
Voldemort locked eyes with Harry, emphasizing each word: "They're mine."
"Professor Grindelwald!"
With no other options, Harry sighed and called out loudly.
"There's a limit to how long you can just sit back and watch. I really can't handle this anymore."
When in doubt, call for backup. After all, Harry knew he was still too weak to face this alone.
However, as Voldemort whipped his head around to scan the room, the empty underground chamber remained silent. There was no response.
(End of chapter)