"Roar—"
Fire dragon flames jetted out, distorting the air with their intense heat. But the figure in front was instantly swallowed by the Compass, leaving only a few strands of hair slightly curled by the heat.
Beyond the enclosure, tall stands were packed with spectators. Besides Hogwarts students, there were also many officials from various Ministries of Magic and some teachers and students from the eleven wizarding schools.
On either side of the stands, several large Streaming Mirrors displayed the Champions' progress as they searched for the Golden Egg after being transported by the Portkey.
Additionally, dozens of small blue birds fluttered up and down around the arena, filming the competition and broadcasting it worldwide.
Although the mist obscured Wade's passage past the Scottish Dragon, preventing the crowd from seeing it clearly, the magic prevented the white mist from spreading around the Compass.
Thus, everyone witnessed the scene: the young man shot out of the cloud-like mist like an arrow, his body almost a blur, swiftly and decisively touching the Compass.
Behind him, flames surged with destructive power, but they were a step too slow, only futilely burning the air.
After a brief silence, the crowd's emotions erupted, and a tsunami of cheers swept through the stands.
Ravenclaw girls abandoned their usual composure and grace, excitedly jumping and screaming, "Did you see that? He did it! He really did it!"
People who had been so tense they could barely breathe cheered with joy. Regardless of whether they were Ravenclaw, or even Hogwarts students, everyone stood up at that moment, waving their arms and clapping vigorously.
Some students embraced tightly, their faces beaming with pride and self-satisfaction. Someone shouted, "He's the first! Wade is the first!"
Bagman stood at the commentary desk, his round face alight with excitement and enthusiasm, as if he himself were on the field. His booming voice echoed throughout the entire space—
"Unbelievable! Hogwarts Champion Wade Gray is the first to bypass the Dragon's obstruction, and completely unscathed! This is truly—oh, my goodness—"
Gasps and piercing screams rippled through the crowd.
Inside the arena, the other six Champions still fighting the Dragons were more or less distracted by the cheers from the stands. Involuntarily, they looked towards the Compass.
At that instant, Arjun from Mando was struck by a Dragon's tail, sending him flying far away like a sandbag.
Several terrible gashes appeared on his chest, blood splattered, and his Wand flew from his hand. He appeared to have lost consciousness.
At the same time, Isabella Santos from Castelobruxo didn't fully evade the Dragon's flames. Half of her body was alight, but she endured the intense pain to run the last stretch, collapsing onto the Compass and instantly vanishing from the spot.
"Isabella—"
Her friend's piercing scream echoed from the stands.
On the other side, another Castelobruxo student, Artur Faria, was also among the initial participants. He was fighting a Ukrainian Ironbelly. Hearing the scream, Artur instinctively looked in Isabella's direction.
In fierce combat, a moment of distraction can be fatal.
The Ukrainian Ironbelly, naturally vicious and quick to react, didn't miss this opportunity. It whipped its long tail, directly piercing Artur's stomach.
If the Wizards guarding nearby hadn't timely swung their Wands to deflect the Ukrainian Ironbelly's tail at the last moment, this blow would have gone straight through the center of his chest.
In a blink of an eye, three Champions were severely injured. The screams that had filled the stands now ceased completely.
Someone couldn't help but cover their mouth, tears welling up instantly, muttering in horror, "It's terrifying…"
Fortunately, the Ministry of Magic's pre-arranged rescue team acted swiftly, immediately sending the two severely injured students out of the arena. Before leaving, they signaled to the judges' table, indicating that both were still alive.
Bagman also paused for a moment, then blinked and regained his composure after seeing the scene.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we've just witnessed some incidents on the field. Arjun Rajput from Mando Academy is eliminated! Artur Faria from Castelobruxo is eliminated."
"It's a shame. These two contestants both had the potential to contend for the championship, but now their challenge must end here."
"Thanks to the Ministry of Magic's Auror rescue personnel and St. Mungo's medical team. The Dragon did not inflict fatal injuries on our Champions; they will receive timely treatment."
"I think everyone knows now—every competition is a life-or-death test. Champions must be more careful and give their all—oh, Isabella Santos from Castelobruxo is eliminated!"
Spectators who had been watching the arena quickly shifted their gaze to the Streaming Mirror, but they had already missed the moment Isabella fell.
They only saw Wade kneeling beside the unconscious girl, picking up her Wand and signaling surrender. Then an Auror suddenly appeared and took Isabella away.
"Wade Gray didn't go for the Golden Egg, but instead knocked out Isabella?" someone speculated reasonably.
Another student immediately retorted loudly, "Didn't you see the burns on that girl? She must have passed out from her injuries!"
Most people didn't dwell on the reason for Isabella's elimination. They simply watched anxiously as the remaining three Champions tried to get past the Dragon, worried that another person might get injured.
Not many people paid attention to the scene on the Streaming Mirror—in the dark and complex environment, only Wade Gray was searching for the hidden Golden Egg. How could such a "finding things" activity compare to fighting a Dragon?
…
Whether it was an old boot, a badge, or the seemingly glittering Compass, if it was a Portkey, the sensation of being transported was never pleasant.
After Wade stabilized himself, he immediately sensed a completely different atmosphere.
He appeared in a remarkably empty, dark, and cold place. The ground was covered in thick moss, and vines crawled up the walls. There were two passages, one on either side, suggesting he choose a direction to proceed.
The passage entrances were pitch black, and various strange sounds emanated from within: wind, water, low murmurs, gnashing teeth, and the clanking of chains dragging on the ground.
Faint roars, refracted and echoed, reached him, sounding like whispers from hell.
If he hadn't seen the stone pillars almost dissolving into the darkness above, and the giant serpent statues coiled around them, Wade almost wouldn't have recognized it—
This was no unfamiliar place; it was the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets, once home to the Basilisk.
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