Rolf led five people to a new tent, on top of which was a table-sized model of the Hebridean Black Dragon, occasionally howling and flapping its wings.
But compared to this model, another roar, as if coming from close to the ear, was even more deafening. Even those who didn't understand dragon language could hear the anger in it.
Everyone's breath hitched, Hope bit her lip, her body trembling slightly; Natalia closed her eyes and prayed silently, Ganesh and Jabari's faces were also covered in cold sweat, their eyes filled with fear.
Among the contestants, only Vid remained relatively calm, while Rolf beside him showed a trace of sympathy in his eyes.
"It's angry, isn't it?" Ganesh asked shakily, "Why is it so angry?"
"Because of this."
Surprisingly, Rolf actually knew. He reached out and pointed at the small black dragon model on top of the tent.
"The Hebridean Black you're about to face is a young mother. She woke up to find her child missing and herself trapped in a confined space. Not far ahead, she could hear her child's cries off and on, yet she couldn't see her baby..."
Rolf paused, his expression showing both pity for the dragon mother and concern for the contestants.
He said, "If you were in her place, what would you do?"
Hope shivered and said in a very dejected tone, "I would tear apart everyone in front of me!"
"Exactly."
Rolf nodded, sighing, "The Ministry of Magic arranged it this way, also worrying that the dragon mothers might neglect their duties... In any case, don't harbor any illusions after you enter the field; that Black Dragon will definitely attack you with full force."
"Mr. Crouch from the Ministry of Magic says that if anyone feels they can't handle it, they can choose to give up, and there will be people stepping in in time to control the raging Black Dragon."
As he spoke, a clear and loud whistle cut through the silence of the tent, and Rolf quickly reminded, "Vid, it's your turn!"
Vid drew his Magic Wand, not looking at the tense expressions of the others, and followed Rolf out.
They bypassed the tent, walked through a narrow, shrub-surrounded passage, and at the end, a gap appeared in the woodland ahead.
"Good luck, Vid."
Rolf stopped and looked at Vid, saying, with a few unsaid worries in his round eyes.
Vid nodded at him, stepped into the arena with steady steps, his figure appearing extraordinarily composed.
Rolf blinked, feeling as if the sunlight had draped Vid in a golden armor, as if nothing could stump him.
He took a couple of steps towards the gap and looked at the scene ahead—
Seven Fire Dragons formed a huge circle, with a slowly rotating, mill-sized Golden Compass in the center. Each dragon was secured within a specific range with chains thicker than a wrist.
The closest was the Hebridean Black, its enormous body like a moving mountain, exuding a suffocating pressure.
Its wings were like those of a bat, its skin a dark, deep black, and its eyes flashed with ferocity and violence.
Most striking was its thick tail, covered with hard scales and spines, its arrowhead reflecting a cold, sharp light.
Seeing someone stepping out from the front, the Black Dragon immediately tried to pounce but was halted by the chains. It unhesitatingly opened its jaws, letting out an angry roar!
"Roar—"
The entire ground seemed to tremble, and a torrent of searing flames shot forward, surging towards Vid as if to burn this tiny figure to ashes.
Facing the oncoming flames, Vid quickly swished his Magic Wand: "Iron Armor Protection!"
An invisible barrier formed an indestructible shield, the flow of flames hitting it and immediately forming a golden-red wall of fire, the scorching air spraying out in all directions.
Vid didn't wait for the flames to dissipate, his Magic Wand immediately angled towards the sky as he shouted, "Aguamenti!"
—Although with such basic magic, he didn't need to chant the Spell, Vid didn't want to show off his skills in Nonverbal Spells just yet.
Clear water shot from the tip of the Magic Wand, tracing a silver arc through the air, then colliding with the flames, resulting in a violent reaction.
With a "sizzle," the water was evaporated by the flames, bursting into a massive cloud of white mist, spreading rapidly in all directions like clouds being pulled to the ground, enveloping the entire area.
The Black Dragon was startled by this sudden change, both panicking and enraged, lunging towards Vid's previous position again, only to be pulled back by the chain. It roared, spewed fire, and swung its massive tail, attempting to disperse the white mist to find the vanished enemy.
Its actions were precisely what Vid desired. He murmured spells and cast out a few more Aguamenti, the white mist spreading rapidly, obscuring even the scenery a few meters away.
But this wasn't a problem for Vid; the Black Dragon's commotion was louder than a pile driver, even if its figure was unseen, he could discern its position just by sound.
Vid also employed a Supersensory Charm on himself, enhancing his senses, making them extraordinarily sharp at this moment, almost able to capture the faintest air vibrations.
He remained vigilant, shaking his Magic Wand, casting Nonverbal Spells, Masking Spells, Ignoring Spells...
Regardless of their effectiveness, he cast them all indiscriminately.
The Black Dragon seemed to realize Vid had moved from his original spot, stomping around within its range, flapping its wings and wildly swinging its tail, sweeping everything it could touch.
Suddenly, Vid felt a strong gust from behind, accompanied by a powerful pressure.
Without a moment's hesitation, his body catapulted to the ground like a spring, hand propping on the ground to flip himself away from his previous position.
In that instant, the giant tail swept past where Vid had been, striking the ground and carving a deep trench, flinging stones and dirt into the air.
The Black Dragon's angry voice abruptly halted, the air suddenly filled with a dangerous and fierce killing intent.
Unexpectedly, an image formed in Vid's mind: the Black Dragon's ears twitching slightly, catching his evasion noise.
It tilted its head, inclining its body forward, pretending it hadn't noticed anything, while actually preparing to launch an attack.
The next second, it lunged, mouth wide open, revealing sharp teeth...
The image in Vid's mind dissipated, and he instantly swished his Magic Wand, murmuring, "Flock of Birds!"
A large flock of birds scattered in all directions, and the sudden noise startled the poised Fire Dragon into a brief stupor.
In that moment, Vid crossed the last stretch and slammed his hand onto the Golden Compass!