The world narrowed to the whistling arc of the spiked flail.
For Cecil Hild, a wizard trained in the elegant, deadly dance of spell-casting, time seemed to slow to a crawl. His mind, a repository of counters and charms, raced through every option, every incantation he had ever learned, and found them all wanting.
What do I do? What do I do?
Disarming Charm? Useless. That was for wands, not for a monstrous lump of enchanted iron. Even if it worked, the weapon would fly toward him, and its sheer mass would crush him into a paste. Vanishing Charm? Too slow. Transfiguration? The runes on the shield had already proven that a fool's errand. He was facing a problem that his entire magical education had not prepared him for: pure, overwhelming, physical force.
His instincts screamed one final, desperate solution. Not finesse. Not control. Power. He had to repel it, blast it away, and create enough distance to think.
In the final moment before the flail connected, Cecil made his choice. He planted his feet, pouring every ounce of his magic and desperation into a single spell.
"CONFINGO!"
A blinding, orange-yellow light erupted from his wand, not as a bolt but as a concussive wave of raw, explosive energy. It slammed into the tower shield with the force of a battering ram.
BOOM!
The metal screamed, buckled, and caved in on itself before it was blasted backward, a fiery projectile that shot past Cecil's horrified companions and embedded itself halfway into the solid stone wall of the dueling room with a deafening crash.
For a heartbeat, Cecil felt a surge of triumph. But it died instantly, replaced by a cold, sickening dread. His curse had hit the shield, and only the shield.
Sean was gone from behind it.
He had anticipated the counterattack. The moment Cecil began his incantation, Sean had used the shield as a decoy, a massive piece of misdirection to draw the spell. He had shoved it forward and dropped low, the explosive heat of the Blasting Curse washing over his back as he charged in under the attack. As Cecil's curse sent the shield flying, Sean was already there, his body coiled like a spring, swinging the chain flail in a brutal, horizontal arc.
Cecil's training, ingrained and instinctual, saved his life. Though his mind was still reeling from the decoy, his body reacted.
"PROTEGO!"
A shimmering, blue-white halo flared to life around him, a desperate, last-second defense. The flail, swung with the full, unholy force of Sean's Giant Strength, crashed into the Shield Charm.
The impact was not a single sound but a symphony of destruction. First came the high-pitched shriek of magic under unbearable stress. Then, the blue halo spiderwebbed with a thousand tiny cracks. Finally, with a sound like a pane of glass the size of a door shattering, the Shield Charm exploded.
The remaining momentum of the iron ball, though diminished, was still immense. It caught Cecil's right arm. There was a wet, sickening crunch of bone. His wand snapped in two, the pieces arcing through the air as his body was thrown backward like a rag doll. He hit the ground hard and didn't move.
Silence descended upon the dueling room, thick and heavy.
Sean stood over his opponent, his chest heaving, adrenaline singing in his veins. He slowly let out a long, ragged breath. The battle had been brutally intense, second only to his life-or-death struggle with Quirrell. He had used everything he had, every trick and every ounce of strength, to narrowly secure the victory.
And the reward made it all worthwhile.
[Duel Won!]
[Conditions Met: Victory Against Superior Opponent. Bonus Extraction Granted (2 Abilities).]
[System Commencing Random Ability Extraction from Defeated Target: Cecil Hild.]
[Extracting...]
He felt that familiar double pulse of energy as the system worked.
[Extraction Complete!]
[New Ability Acquired: Legilimency (LV0)]
[Extraction Complete!]
[New Ability Acquired: Talent: Nimble Casting (LV1)]
Legilimency? Sean thought, a little surprised. You were supposed to register with the Ministry to learn that. Looks like the 'honorable' Cecil Hild wasn't as much of a rule-follower as Fleur thought. But at Level 0, he must have only just started learning it himself.
Still, the haul was excellent. A strong opponent yielded strong rewards. And more than Legilimency, Sean valued the second prize: Nimble Casting. He had been on the receiving end of Cecil's furious casting speed and knew firsthand how devastating it could be. This talent would fundamentally change his own dueling capabilities. This victory was worth the effort.
With a thought, he dismissed the system panel.
He watched as Cecil's friends, their faces pale with shock, rushed forward and carefully carried their unconscious companion out of the room. Sean turned and walked back to his attendants, every muscle aching. He took the bottle of water Aldrich offered him and drained half of it in one go.
"Let's leave," he said, his voice a bit hoarse. "The duel is over. After this, I doubt many more will be lining up to challenge me."
"As you wish, Young Master," Aldrich replied smoothly. "But first, allow me to retrieve your equipment. I noticed some... structural deficiencies during its use. I will visit the goblin alchemist tomorrow to have them properly repaired and reinforced for your future convenience."
"Good. Thank you, Aldrich."
"Everything for you, Young Master."
Bowing slightly, Aldrich took the enchanted bag and went to retrieve the battered shield and heavy flail.
At that moment, Fleur and Barre approached, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and disbelief. They were stunned not only that Sean had won but also by the sheer, brutal power with which he had done it.
Sean finished the last of his water. The fight had drained him, and he was still intensely thirsty. He was about to ask Aldrich for another bottle when Fleur stepped forward, holding out her own, her hand trembling slightly.
"Sean," she said, a slight blush coloring her cheeks, "I have an unopened bottle. Here, you should drink it."
Sean smiled, a tired but genuine expression. He reached out to take it. But the instant his fingers brushed against the cool glass, a familiar, gut-wrenching sensation seized him. A giant hook seemed to snag his navel, yanking him forward into an uncontrollable, sickening spin. The world dissolved into a blur. In the last distorted instant, he saw Aldrich's face twist into a mask of pure fury and heard Jensen's panicked shout echo as if from a great distance.
The next second, the water bottle fell, shattering on the stone floor.
A flash of sickly green light filled his vision.
Damn it all, was his last coherent thought.
Not again.
(End of Chapter)
***
[Check Out My Patreon For More Chapters On All
Of My Fanfics!!] [www. [email protected]/meowthtl]
[+300 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]