A drop of water splashed from the cold stone wall, landing on Krum's shoulder with a soft plink, bringing with it a chill.
Viktor Krum instinctively turned his head to look, but seeing it was just a drop of cold water from above, he paid it no mind.
He walked silently through the dark underground tunnel, the faint glow from the tip of his Wand illuminating the narrow passage ahead.
Many people believed that Durmstrang students were just as devious, unscrupulous, and disregardful of human life as their reputation suggested—bad seeds thoroughly corrupted by evil.
Grindelwald's actions only deepened the world's negative impression of them.
Viktor Krum's appearance certainly fit the stereotype people had for them—
He had a distinct hooked nose, and his sallow skin made him look rather disheveled, giving him an overall gloomy appearance, and his indifferent gaze was far from endearing.
Though Krum now had countless fans, a year ago, before he became world-famous for Quidditch, he had endured much criticism and animosity from outsiders because of the school he came from and his dark, cold demeanor.
In others' eyes, it was as if he was a pervert who might throw a Dark Curse and torment someone at any moment.
But in reality, Viktor Krum's heart was far more upright and honorable than people imagined.
He understood the organizers' implicit suggestion for them to compete fiercely, but Krum ignored it, simply deciding to fulfill the objective of the competition—to find the Golden Egg and bring it back.
He wouldn't rob others, nor would he let others take the Golden Egg from him.
So, after entering the tunnel, he went straight ahead, encountering many cleverly arranged Magical mechanisms along the way, and even seeing opportunities to get the Golden Egg several times, but Krum didn't act rashly.
He was actually a student who specialized in certain subjects; topics involving astronomy, Herbology, A History of Magic, divination, or even Ancient Runes were not his forte.
Especially since the judges had set questions related to British A History of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards—how was he supposed to know that?
He wisely skipped what he wasn't good at, defeated two gargoyles attempting a sneak attack, and a Red Cap, finally arriving at a mechanism testing Transfiguration.
Krum looked down at his feet, where faint runes appeared on the ground, glowing faintly red.
This was a trigger-based binding Spell; one more step forward, and his legs would be entangled by Magical chains, possibly followed by other attacks, such as Potions or a Stunning Spell.
And on the stone wall not far ahead, dozens of fist-sized beetles crawled about, their wings a dark gold, making them look like countless Golden Eggs rolling on the wall at first glance.
From this distance, if he extended his Wand, he could just about touch the beetles on the wall.
Krum knew that the Golden Egg wasn't necessarily "hidden," but rather cleverly obstructed, requiring the mechanism to be solved to obtain it.
For instance, this time, he likely had to find the only beetle among the dozens that was transformed by a Transfiguration Spell, cast a counter-Spell, and revert it to its original form.
Or…
More simply, cast a counter-Spell on all the beetles, and the true Golden Egg would naturally reveal itself.
...
Some time later, Krum held the Golden Egg in his hand, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
His luck wasn't great; he only managed to identify the true Golden Egg-holding beetle when there were only seven or eight left.
During the transformation, there was a small line of text on the Golden Egg: Eyes that can see through appearances are more precious than powerful Magic.
Oh... this...
Krum, who hadn't actually seen through anything, felt his face flush slightly. He quickly shoved the Golden Egg into his pocket like a thief, and as he turned, he suddenly heard a voice echoing through the tunnel—
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT, IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Champions, please note! At the end of the competition, each Champion is only allowed to possess a maximum of one Golden Egg! Champions with more than one will be disqualified!
After announcing the notice in a serious tone, Bagman cheerfully added:
"Aha, remember, kids, one Golden Egg is just right, two Golden Eggs are bad news, and any more Golden Eggs will be terrible, the Champion trophy will run away! Crafty Champions, leave some opportunities for others!"
As soon as he finished speaking, laughter erupted from the stands, and many Wizards who had been watching the Streaming Mirror secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Krum, in the Chamber, couldn't hear the audience's commotion. He touched the Golden Egg in his pocket, frowning inwardly.
Having just obtained the Golden Egg and then hearing the Ministry of Magic's supplementary announcement, Krum naturally assumed this rule was a warning to him: Do not try to pocket all the Golden Eggs.
Krum frowned slightly, irritated again by the outside world's prejudice against Durmstrang students, causing his expression to grow even gloomier as he dragged his heavy steps towards the exit.
...
On the other side, Wade also heard the broadcast. He twirled his Wand, a faint smile playing on his lips.
At his feet, a Magic Golem scorpion held a pale yellow nut, trying to offer it to Wade.
There might be countless nuts hidden in the tunnel, but for a Magic Golem, which possesses very weak Magical Power but intelligence far surpassing most animals, it was exceptionally sensitive to such subtle Magical auras, easily identifying the true form of the Golden Egg.
Not far away, three other contestants lay fallen—Yuri Ivanov from Koldovstoretz, Laila Ben Rashid from Akatim, and Amina Jabari from Uagadou.
However, only Amina was sent into a trap by Wade using a Repelling Charm. Yuri, before that, was severely injured by Amina, who had transformed into a Cheetah and ambushed him. Laila, during her exploration, fell into a circular swamp and was covered in mud when an Auror pulled her out.
The injured Yuri and Laila had both been sent for treatment by Aurors, leaving only Amina as a "failed decoration."
The contestants still in the arena actually had a chance to obtain the Golden Egg—as long as they could first find a way to escape their current predicaments.
Amina sat by the wall, entangled in thorny vines—the thorns of this plant contained a potent paralyzing toxin. Once pricked, the toxin would quickly spread through the bloodstream, paralyzing the entire body.
Her mind was clear, but she couldn't move even a single finger. She could only roll her eyes, watching Wade take the nut from the Magic Golem scorpion, point his Wand, and softly chant a Spell. Moments later, the nut transformed into a Golden Egg.
Amina's eyes widened instantly, and she managed to push out a sound with her paralyzed tongue: "Golden... Egg?"
"That's right," Wade said, showing her the easily acquired prize in his hand. "This is the Golden Egg."
Amina watched his leisurely demeanor and asked with difficulty, "You... not... leaving?"
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