What could this be?
The departing man was momentarily taken aback, turning to gaze back, only to find Enzo's hand upon the stele, which glimmered not with golden light, but with a myriad of colorful hues.
This—
The man was engulfed in astonishment.
Others were equally affected.
In that instant, the surroundings fell into an uncanny silence; everyone, even their breaths, seemed to slow as they fixed their eyes on the slowly emerging inscriptions upon the stele.
[Blood-red armor: Harnesses the essence of blood to forge a protective armor, bestowing formidable defense capabilities, and possesses the ability to evolve by absorbing other powers or materials. Its versatility is unmatched.]
[Spell Tier: Growth spell, tier variable]
[Spell Rating: Supreme]
[...]
The information revealed by the inscriptions left the others in a state of shock.
They could scarcely believe that Enzo wielded such a powerful spell.
At that moment, Rosanne interjected, "Quick, let's see how many points this spell is worth!"
Once more, the crowd turned their gaze to the numbers presented beneath the text.
The displayed number was unmistakably clear: ninety-eight.
Upon realizing this, the crowd was once again awestruck, and the previously mentioned man could not help but exclaim, "To think it reaches as high as ninety-eight points, just two shy of breaking a hundred! This qualifies as a formidable spell within the entire Steles Forest."
This revelation, surprisingly, left Enzo somewhat astonished.
He couldn't restrain his curiosity, asking, "Are there even more powerful spells within the Steles Forest?"
Upon hearing these words, the man erupted into hearty laughter, exclaiming, "Of course! You must understand, Steles Forest is part of the trial space, and the trial space is said to be no mere creation of this world, but a gift from the vast Starry Sky above us. There is an abundance of spells within the Starry Sky."
This revelation caused Enzo to temper his pride.
Perhaps to others in the world, his talent was indeed remarkable. However, when he gazed upon the entirety of the Starry Sky, he realized he might be just an ordinary individual.
With this thought, Enzo felt a profound yearning for the Starry Sky.
Moreover, he was curious about what those who scored over a hundred in Steles Forest might possess.
At that moment, Rosanne exclaimed with excitement, "We only need a few more points to unlock Steles Amusement Park! If only we could conjure another spell of such immense power!"
The demon race man interjected, "Hmph, that lad merely enjoyed a stroke of luck. Do you truly believe he can create a second spell?"
Rosanne shot him a glare, retorting, "Leonardo, if you would keep silent, none would mistake you for a mute. Your jealousy is palpable. Possessing the royal blood of the demon race yet outshone by a mere human . It seems your kind truly lacks noble souls!"
Furious, the demon race man, Leonardo, demanded, "Rosanne, what do you mean by that?"
At that moment, Enzo intervened, addressing Rosanne, "Miss Rosanne, do you mean to say that the stele permits an individual to submit multiple spells for evaluation?"
This statement startled everyone, as they suddenly recognized a potential.
In the next instant, Enzo again placed his hand upon the stele, channeling his insights about Flame Wings into it.
The stele radiated a golden light, and once again, lines of text materialized. However, the evaluation score for Flame Wings was a mere sixty points, significantly less than that of blood-red armor, which did not surprise Enzo.
Suddenly, a thought struck him: what if he could transmit the insights and constructs of the Ring of the World into the stele…
The method of totem condensation was, after all, a form of sorcery.
Yet, this notion was swiftly discarded. He was certain that the Ring of the World would yield a higher evaluation than the blood-red armor, but its existence must remain concealed.
"That's sufficient points."
Rosanne interjected.
The crowd, having been momentarily stunned, finally regained their composure.
They turned to Enzo, no longer harboring any disdain.
The stele began to tremble, coalescing golden light that then centralized and emitted a radiant beam, illuminating the apex of the stone archway, casting it in a resplendent golden hue. Subsequently, a swirling passageway materialized within the arch.
Simultaneously, a unique wave of energy radiated outward.
"It's opened!" Rosanne declared.
Without hesitation, the group surged into the passage, with Enzo trailing closely behind.
In the vicinity of the stone arch, a vast area remained bustling with individuals engaged in their contemplation of other steles. The disturbance caused by the activation of Steles Amusement Park interrupted their meditations, yet no one expressed frustration. Instead, they wore expressions of sheer delight, murmuring to themselves, "Steles Amusement Park has truly opened!"
These individuals hurried over, eager to enter the newly formed passage.
...
Within Steles Amusement Park.
Enzo and his companions traversed the passage, their eyes widening in awe at the spectacle before them.
They found themselves atop a mountain, beside which stood a solitary stone house, while below lay an unimpeded view of a densely packed array of steles extending towards another great peak.
Each stele radiated a formidable aura.
At that moment, a venerable voice echoed from behind. "After so long, visitors have finally arrived."
Startled, the group turned to see a beastfolk elder standing behind them, his body adorned with grayish-white fur, his eyes aged yet piercingly wise. Though his movements were slow, there was an inexplicable depth to his presence.
This elder possessed immense power.
The group surmised.
Curiosity piqued, Rosanne stepped forward and inquired, "Sir, may I ask who you are?"
The beastfolk elder smiled warmly and replied, "I am Dorek, the guardian of Steles Amusement Park. Feel free to ask any questions you may have."
Reassured, the group felt at ease.
The existence of a guardian for Steles Amusement Park was entirely expected.
However, Enzo sensed an unsettling similarity between Dorek and the elder who had introduced himself as Profaner Melokuhle.
It seemed likely that the two were acquainted.
Out of caution, Enzo refrained from pressing for answers.
Rosanne, however, appeared unperturbed and boldly asked, "Mr. Dorek, does this mean we may directly comprehend the spells within Steles Amusement Park?"
Dorek nodded amiably, his demeanor friendly.
He reminded them once more, "Although the flow of time within and outside Steles Amusement Park differs, I urge you to truly engage and select the spells that resonate with you, rather than desiring everything. Greed may ultimately leave you with nothing."
The group nodded slightly.
Only the demon race individual, Leonardo, scoffed, saying, "I entered Steles Amusement Park to master as many spells as possible. With my talent and the passage of time, what could I possibly fail to achieve?"
The elder, Dorek, merely smiled and remained silent.
This only fueled Leonardo's arrogance further. He approached the nearest stele and called out to the others, "I, Leonardo, shall begin here and fully comprehend every single stele!"
With that, he began to study the stele.
It must be said, Leonardo had reason to be prideful.
His talent was indeed considerable. After merely a glance, he was struck with insight, becoming immersed in the powerful spells described on the stele, peculiar energies emanating from him.
The others changed their expressions and hesitated no longer, moving towards other areas.
Rosanne and Enzo, however, had not departed.
At this moment, Rosanne took the initiative to approach Enzo, saying, "I still don't know your name."
Enzo replied flatly, "Enzo."
Unfazed by Enzo's indifference, Rosanne smiled and asked, "So, Mr. Enzo, shall we seek a place to explore spells together? There are simply too many steles in Steles Amusement Park. Finding one that suits us is no easy task."
Enzo shook his head in refusal, stating, "No need."
With that, he walked toward a stele.
Rosanne sighed in resignation, choosing not to press further, and instead made her way to another location.
After Rosanne departed, Enzo turned back.
Observing this, the elder Dorek inquired with a smile, "Young man, do you have something further to discuss?"
Enzo nodded and asked, "Mr. Dorek, might I inquire if you are acquainted with Mr. Melokuhle, the one who claims to be a Profaner?"
A spark ignited in Dorek's eyes as he responded, "Where did you hear about him?"
Indeed, they knew each other!
Realizing his assumption was correct, Enzo revealed no hesitation. He produced the Mithril Crystal Key and continued, "Mr. Dorek, I once encountered that Mr. Melokuhle in a realm of multiple layers of space. He entrusted me with this, stating it would unlock the treasure chest at the highest level of the Emerald Tower. However, I am at a loss as to its location.
Could you share any information?"
Dorek regarded the Mithril Crystal Key for an extended moment before shaking his head.
He replied, "I do indeed know Melokuhle; he is our captain. Yet, the trial space abides by its own rules. I am merely the guardian of Steles Amusement Park, and the whereabouts of the Emerald Tower are for you to discover on your own. I must caution you, though, although Melokuhle has bestowed upon you a key, it does not guarantee success in opening that chest.
Over the years, he has given away many keys, yet none have succeeded in unlocking a treasure."
With that, Dorek fell silent, seemingly lost in reminiscence.
Without receiving any news, Enzo did not give up either.
Enzo gently closed his eyes, channeling his formidable spiritual energy to probe the surrounding steles.
Dorek observed the scene, musing inwardly, "This indeed presents a clever approach, not to mention the formidable mental prowess involved, nearly a tenth the strength of a One-star novice deity. Melokuhle's discernment in selecting candidates remains as exceptional as ever. It remains to be seen just how far you can go, young man."
Dorek closed his eyes, choosing not to pay heed to the surrounding crowd.
Suddenly, he became invigorated, directing his gaze toward Enzo's location.