Papua, who had parted ways with Harry, was now leaning against the stone wall, his heavy breaths condensing into white mist in the air. Vines as thick as fingers were wrapped around his body, and the thorns' poison had paralyzed his muscles, making him unable to move.
But Papua's mind was still clear. He blinked, watching Wade Grey busy himself in the center of the Chamber of Secrets.
This fourteen-year-old boy was originally not taken seriously by anyone. They all thought he had some talent, but was definitely not good at fighting, and had a gentle personality.
A person's energy is always limited. How could one have spare energy to study other things if they had learned Alchemy to such a profound degree?
And what kind of people are Alchemists usually?
Before encountering Wade Grey, almost every Wizard would form an image in their mind when Alchemists were mentioned:
Wearing glasses, messy, unkempt, muttering profound knowledge that others couldn't understand all day long, often startled and nervous.
Physically weak, rarely in contact with the outside world, so they were socially awkward and seemed quite naive. Sometimes they could be very stubborn, rarely changing their minds once they committed to something.
And greedy for money… very greedy for money.
Studying Alchemy is an expensive hobby. Nicolas Flamel could turn lead into gold, and Terence Murray was very good at business, owning many company shares. But apart from them, most Alchemists were actually always short on money and had to find every way to earn it.
So if other Wizards wanted them to fix something, like a Sneakoscope or an Invisibility Cloak, they had to be prepared to be fleeced.
Alchemists are nerds, scholars, inventors; those with average skill are artisans, like oxen and horses on the assembly line of Aslan's Magic Workshop. They are certainly not warriors.
But when he was completely trapped by Wade, Papua realized — even if one only mastered Alchemy, it could still leave others helpless.
He struggled to fight off the drowsiness brought on by the paralyzing toxin, forcing his eyes open to look at Wade.
The black-haired boy sat on the steps, murmuring a Spell that no one could hear, his Wand tracing lines in the air.
The normally quiet plants in the Chamber of Secrets danced with his Wand. Vines peeled away from the walls, moss rolled up like a carpet from the corners, pebbles scattered across the floor, and a cluster of unknown wild grass bent over, pulling its roots from the soil. Some fingernail-sized insects fell out, scurrying around in a panic.
More and more Magic Golems began to form in the dim light. Wade didn't spend too much thought on their appearance; all the new Golems were shaped like scorpions. As soon as they landed, they scuttled, clicking and clacking, to the walls, ceiling, and entrance of the Chamber of Secrets.
A cold sensation suddenly touched Papua's temple.
He struggled to move his eyes and saw a palm-sized Scorpion Golem perched next to his ear, its stinger dangling near his neck. Although the Golem had no "eyes," Papua still felt as if he was being watched.
"Wade… why… why…" Papua asked hoarsely, "You… already… have… the Golden Egg…"
The last Golem landed on the ground, and Wade put away his Wand, sighing.
"Why do you all like to ask this kind of question? There's only one Champion. Sooner or later, I have to eliminate everyone else. Given that, is it really that hard to understand that I'd try to reduce obstacles for future matches?"
Of course, he didn't need to tell him about the other purposes: to demonstrate power to certain people, to show the value of being an Alchemist, or even to display simple Golem manufacturing methods.
Leaving aside everything else, being treated as a harmless lamb, while allowing one to surprise and overturn the situation when an opponent is relaxed, also means enduring others' contempt and misunderstanding.
Those emotions are like tiny thorns that prick one's self-esteem—they don't really cause harm, but they make one feel a subtle discomfort at all times.
However, Wade was not a weakling who could only defeat opponents by "playing dumb to catch a tiger."
Being underestimated has its advantages; but displaying strength and inspiring awe, does that only have disadvantages?
Reputation itself is like a Spell, directly convertible into power, wealth, and influence. It is a valuable intangible asset, worth more than gold.
As Wade spoke, a group of Scorpion Golems climbed onto the stone platform, stuffing the Golden Egg inside themselves—this time their bellies were hollow—and then quickly scurried away.
The ceiling of the Chamber of Secrets was like a dark dome, devouring all light, and the stone walls were pitted. The Scorpion Golems hid within, almost imperceptible.
Rustling sounds came and went, like dry leaves swept by the wind across a grassy plain, and cold sweat beaded on Papua's forehead.
Around him… above him… how many Golems were there? Dozens? Or hundreds?
Although the Golems were made of extremely simple materials, a common Fire Charm could burn away a large number of them. But if suddenly attacked by such a net of ambush, how many Champions could withstand it?
An Alchemist… an Alchemist like Wade Grey… just one of him, and in the blink of an eye, he could become an army…
He struggled to keep his eyes open, looking at the dark and empty corners of the Chamber of Secrets, listening to the faint sound of wind coming from the passage, and thought: Why isn't anyone stopping this? Don't the judges see what's happening here?
The confusion in Papua's eyes deepened.
He said hoarsely, "But… the rules…"
"Hmm, the rules of the competition."
Wade couldn't help but smile. He looked at Papua, his gaze like he was looking at a silly child:
"When the competition started, you could only carry your own Wand, a maximum of one Golden Egg per person, and you had to return with the Golden Egg—which rule did I break?"
Papua: "..."
He was dumbfounded, his paralyzed brain dizzy, and he couldn't speak for a long time.
"The rules don't forbid Champions from making Golems themselves in the arena, just as they don't forbid us from summoning other aids in the arena—like a Flying Broomstick, nor do they forbid contestants from transforming into animals."
"Spells, Herbology, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, even Dark Magic are not explicitly forbidden, so is Alchemy the only thing that can't be used?"
Wade said unhurriedly, "The rules also don't forbid Champions from attacking each other, setting obstacles for opponents, or forming alliances. Thirty-three contestants, only sixteen advance—this is inherently encouraging competition and combat, isn't it?"
Papua looked at him, feeling like he was gradually being convinced.
Even though he himself was still hanging on the wall.
Papua didn't know that the questions he had just raised were also the very issues hotly debated by the judges watching the match.
Some strongly demanded that the Ministry of Magic Aurors stop Wade Grey's actions, even declaring that he should be disqualified for violating regulations. But others insisted that his actions did not break any rules.
When Wade finished speaking, the Headmasters who had been angrily pounding the table in the judges' stand quieted down. Although their faces were grim, they no longer insisted.
If it were only the teachers and students of the Magic School and staff from the Ministry of Magic, they could have forcibly sought benefits for their students.
But at this moment, Wizards from all over the world were watching this competition, and the Headmasters ultimately had their reputations to consider.
However, seeing the countless Golems in the camera, many people still revealed expressions of despair.
Meanwhile, Abby and the others were completely unaware, quietly discussing tactics as they approached the Chamber of Secrets that Wade had prepared.
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