Sean and Zach set off toward the northwest. After passing through a river valley, the two followed the riverbank as they continued forward.
"This place is ridiculous," Zach sighed. "It's so huge. How long will it take before we find a trophy?"
"You should talk less and save some energy," Sean reminded him. The entire journey so far had been filled with Zach's complaints.
Sean himself had no better solution. The rules gave no clues about the trophies' locations. Although he could fly, the Flying Charm consumed far too much magic. If he flew for five minutes and still didn't find anything, it would be a complete waste.
The forest air was humid and stifling, but walking along the river valley at least brought a slight sense of coolness.
Eventually, they reached a waterfall, and the path ended.
"The only way is up that slope," Zach said, pointing to the left.
The slope was about twenty meters high, nearly vertical, and slick with moisture.
"That's too dangerous," Sean shook his head. "Let's just fly up."
"Right," Zach said. "I'll use a Levitation Charm to send you up first. Then you can pull me up."
He pulled out his wand, ready to cast the spell—but Sean stopped him.
"It's too high," Sean said. "The magical framework becomes unstable at that height. Something could go wrong."
Zach hesitated.
"Then what? We go around?"
"No need to make it that complicated."
Sean raised both hands.
The Flying Charm's magical framework began forming between his palms.
He hadn't intended to keep the spell secret anymore. In a match like this, he was bound to reveal it sooner or later. He might as well let Zach be the first to see it.
Three seconds later, the spell was complete.
Sean suddenly felt as light as a feather. His feet lifted off the ground.
Zach looked at his wand, then at Sean floating in the air.
"Did I already cast the spell?" Zach asked, confused.
"No," Sean replied. "This isn't Levitation."
"Grab my shoulders. I'll fly you up."
Still bewildered, Zach followed Sean's instructions and placed both hands on his shoulders.
Sean slowly ascended.
Zach hung onto his back like he was riding an elevator.
Within a few seconds, they had reached the top of the slope.
"What spell is that?" Zach asked curiously.
"It's called the Flying Charm."
Zach slapped Sean on the shoulder.
"Nice! You've got a spell this awesome and you never taught me?"
"I could teach you," Sean said casually.
"Really?" Zach's eyes lit up.
"Well… the casting requirements are a little strict."
Zach puffed out his chest confidently.
"Hey, I'm a fifth-year representative."
"Alright then," Sean said calmly. "First requirement: wandless magic."
Zach's expression stiffened.
There were only four or five people in Hogwarts capable of wandless magic.
"Second requirement," Sean continued mercilessly. "Both hands wandless. Twenty-eight magical frameworks."
Zach laughed loudly.
"Let's… keep moving."
The laughter was clearly meant to hide his embarrassment.
"I warned you it was strict," Sean said helplessly.
"When I saw you casting without a wand earlier, I didn't even realize you were using both hands wandless," Zach admitted.
"You've really opened my eyes today."
Zach had seen Sean before—one hand casting magic normally while the other cast wandless spells. That ability alone had already made Sean Hogwarts' secret weapon.
He had thought that was Sean's limit.
Now he realized the gap between himself and a true genius couldn't be measured by normal expectations.
Not long after they continued walking, they suddenly spotted a trophy.
It sat quietly on an ordinary rock.
The surroundings were completely unremarkable—just fallen leaves and dry branches.
"I can't get in," Zach said, pushing against something invisible.
"There's some kind of barrier."
The trophy was only about five meters away.
"It must be a magical barrier," Sean said.
"Good thing I have the ring."
He looked at the silver ring on his right index finger and stretched his hand toward the barrier.
Sean walked straight through it as if nothing was there.
Zach tried to follow—but slammed into the invisible wall again.
"Too bad it's not our trophy," Sean sighed.
Even before entering the barrier, they had recognized its shape.
It belonged to Ilvermorny.
Still, taking another team's trophy meant gaining a valuable bargaining chip.
Six hours later, the Castelobruxo team finally located all four trophies.
The one in front of them was the first they had discovered.
"It's Uagadou's," Matthew said, stepping out of the barrier with the trophy.
"Now you can tell me where the other three are," Claven said.
The Ilvermorny member assigned to follow Castelobruxo was none other than Claven.
After Ilvermorny entered the forest, Claven had chased the markers and caught up to Castelobruxo—who had started one hour earlier—in less than twenty minutes.
When Claven appeared, Matthew and the others had been completely stunned.
How had he caught up so fast?
"Of course," Matthew said.
"Using this position as the starting point…"
"One trophy is three kilometers northwest."
"Another is three kilometers northeast."
"And the last one…"
"Should be six kilometers due north."
The Forest God spell could sense magic within a five-kilometer radius.
However, Matthew and the others couldn't maintain the spell continuously due to their limited magic.
Their method was simple:
Cast the spell → sense five kilometers → stop → walk another five kilometers → cast again.
During the third casting, they detected a powerful magical presence at the edge of their range.
They were certain it was the barrier protecting a trophy.
After locating the first trophy—Uagadou's—they rested briefly and cast the spell again.
This time, exciting news appeared in their minds.
Three trophies remained.
And two of them were already within their detection range.
By analyzing the positions, they deduced that the four trophies formed a square.
Which meant the final one had to be six kilometers directly north.
"You're not lying to me, are you?" Claven asked coldly.
"Of course not," Matthew replied.
"We agreed to share the information. Besides, we made an Unbreakable Vow."
"How could we deceive you?"
"Is that so?" Claven said.
"Then thank you."
He turned and prepared to leave.
But Matthew spoke again.
"According to our agreement, we told you the information."
"But the agreement never said we couldn't attack you."
The moment those words fell—
Jerry, Anduin, Gurila, and the others surrounded Claven.
"One against six," Matthew said coldly.
"Even if you're a Daywalker, you'll still be eliminated."
Claven's crimson eyes flashed.
His fangs extended as he smiled wickedly.
"That might not be the case."
In the blink of an eye—
Claven transformed into a humanoid giant bat and shot into the sky.
This—
was the true form of a Daywalker.
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