Chapter 147: An Unreliable Rescue
Chapter 147: An Unreliable Rescue
Effective! Seeing the success of the Dancing Spell against the Acromantula, Albert heaved a sigh of relief. He continued to cast the spell at the giant spider before him.
Even with two of its legs uncontrollably dancing, the Acromantula still charged at Albert, intending to tear its prey to shreds.
Albert was prepared. As the spider rushed towards him, he swiftly cast the 'All-Round Warding Charm,' creating a protective barrier that sent the unfortunate arachnid flying back once again.
This time, the large spider took a nasty fall. Due to the Dancing Spell affecting a few of its legs, it struggled to get up immediately and flailed about comically.
Albert quickly dispelled the protective barrier and, while the Acromantula was still flailing, he continued to cast the Dancing Spell on it.
Hit by multiple Dancing Spells, the Acromantula, which had just managed to get back on its feet, found all eight of its legs completely out of control. It was as if it were wearing ice skates, sliding and stumbling in place and ultimately falling over in a rather amusing manner.
"Spiders definitely aren't cut out for tap dancing," Albert muttered. He took a few steps back and began unleashing all the offensive spells he knew upon the comical spider, ensuring it was thoroughly finished off and spared further embarrassment in front of its companions.
In reality, Albert's victory over the Acromantula wasn't as effortless as it seemed. Acromantulas are ancient magical creatures believed to have been bred by dark wizards, and they possess a strong resistance to magic. Ordinary spells often have little effect on them.
Moreover, they are typically used to guard dark wizards' lairs or treasures, so they are adept at silently hunting down intruders and thieves.
Facing such monsters one-on-one still requires courage. Even adult wizards may struggle against these giant spiders, and Albert's performance was commendable.
After all, not every wizard can utilize defensive barriers as smoothly as Albert...ahem, I mean, as smoothly as a certain defensive specialist.
Spells vary in difficulty.
The commonly used Lumos spell is relatively easy to master, and reaching Level 2 in it is far less challenging than with other spells.
Lumos is frequently cast and easily learned.
The moderately difficult Ironskin Spell is highly useful, and its variant, the 'All-Round Warding Charm,' is even more challenging to learn.
One of the benefits of allocating system points is that it allows Albert to effortlessly master high-difficulty magic and use it skillfully. As his skill levels increase, the power of his magic grows stronger, and he can also develop more creative variations.
This eliminates the need for tedious experimentation and exploration of magic.
"What a waste," Albert muttered as he eyed the monster before him. He knew that this creature should yield Acromantula venom, a precious liquid that fetched a high price—a single pint sold for a hundred Galleons, and even more on the black market.
However, Albert also knew that he lacked the courage and ability to extract the venom from the Acromantula before him.
"Never mind," he sighed.
Albert regretted missing out on a substantial sum of Galleons, but he opened the task panel and chose to complete "Angry Counterattack." He then directly upgraded "Arachnophobia Spell" to Level 2 in the skill panel.
The feeling of allocating points was truly wondrous, as knowledge seemed to materialize out of thin air.
Albert closed his eyes and carefully recalled the information about the Arachnophobia Spell that had appeared in his mind. He raised his wand and gently waved it at the motionless Acromantula on the ground.
"Arania Exumai," he whispered.
A dazzling beam of magic struck the Acromantula, instantly sending it flying and leaving severe wounds on its body.
"This spell's damage is maxed out," Albert marveled. "It truly lives up to its reputation as a curse specifically designed to deal with spiders."
With the Arachnophobia Spell at his disposal, Albert felt more confident. At the very least, he wouldn't feel so restrained when facing Acromantulas in the future.
"Just you wait," he muttered. "I'll flip all of you over."
Albert was about to continue on his way when he paused again. A new task had appeared on his interface:
Spider Hunter:
You've never been one to let things go, especially when it comes to those who want to eat you. Defeat or take down these dark, hairy monsters and teach them a lesson they won't forget. Make them understand who they should never mess with.
Current Progress: 0/20 Rewards: 10,000 Experience, Item: Acromantula Venom (1 bottle), Title: Spider Hunter, Magical World Reputation +200
After reading the task, Albert's facial muscles twitched slightly. This system sure held a grudge! Well, of course not.
After all, he was a kind person who wouldn't hold grudges.
"Yaya, let's go," Albert said as he squatted down and ruffled Yaya's head affectionately. "You need to keep a lookout for me and make sure those big spiders don't sneak up on me."
Indeed, this was Albert's biggest concern at the moment.
Fortunately, although Yaya the puppy was timid, his vigilance was reliable. He always raised the alarm at the first sign of danger.
Albert and Yaya ventured further, and soon they reached another clearing. Albert hesitated for a moment before raising his wand and shooting green sparks into the sky.
In that moment, the night sky of the Forbidden Forest was illuminated by the sparks.
Many creatures within the forest looked up, their gazes following the direction of the green sparks.
Albert's adventure was not in vain, as red sparks appeared in the sky above the forest.
Fred and George realized that someone was coming to their rescue, so they sent red sparks to guide their rescuers.
Unfortunately, the twins had guessed wrong. It wasn't their professors from Hogwarts who had come to their aid, but their roommate and good friend, Albert Anderson.
At that moment, Albert was also facing some troubles. As he ventured deeper into the forest, he encountered more and more Acromantulas.
"Arania Exumai!"
With the sound of the Arachnophobia Spell, a beam of white light illuminated the dark forest once more, and another spider was struck by the curse, falling to the ground, never to rise again.
"Am I intruding on the spiders' lair?" Albert muttered as he surveyed the surrounding Acromantulas, some of which were motionless and might already be dead.
Along the way, Albert had lost count of how many Acromantulas he had defeated. He was too lazy to keep track anymore.
The situation didn't look optimistic. Large spiders often emerged from nowhere to attack him, and if not for Yaya's timely warnings, Albert would have been devoured by the Acromantulas.
Acromantulas are fierce predators that can ambush their prey almost silently.
After confirming that there were no immediate dangers, Albert once again sent green sparks into the sky. He felt that he must be getting close to Fred and George Weasley.
Yaya was also struggling. The Phantom Disguise spell took a toll on him, and he wobbled as he walked.
Albert wasn't feeling well either after using the Phantom Disguise spell multiple times. He ended up vomiting all the chocolate he had eaten earlier.
Realizing the situation, Albert's expression turned grim. He had just witnessed a shocking scene: an army of Acromantulas.
A horde of Acromantulas surrounded a large tree, and the Weasley twins, Fred and George, whom Albert had been searching for, were clinging to it, fending off the spiders attempting to get close.
Albert guessed that it must be a Guarding Tree, rumored to possess magical properties that repel dark creatures when one makes contact with its trunk.
However, absolutes rarely exist in this world.
Usually, Acromantulas would avoid Guarding Trees. But now, with fresh blood and meat within reach, the lure of their prey overpowered the tree's protective effect.
More and more giant spiders attempted to breach the tree's defenses, driven by the temptation of their potential feast. They wanted to drive the humans off the tree so they could indulge in the sweet taste of blood and flesh without restraint.
Indeed, temptation can sometimes make one fearless, and this seemed to hold true for the Acromantulas as well.
"Hold on, someone's coming! The Hogwarts professors are here to rescue us!" George shouted, firing red sparks into the sky with his wand to signal their rescuers.
"Don't get distracted; those big spiders are coming again!" Fred warned.
"Keep them away! Don't let them get close!" George added, trying to encourage himself in the face of these daunting arachnids.
The situation was far from ideal. The giant spiders were launching frequent assaults on the Guarding Tree, and the twins could only hold them off by casting barrier charms together.
Fortunately, not all Acromantulas dared to challenge the tree, or the Weasley brothers would have become their dinner long ago.
"What should I use to save them?" Albert muttered to himself, glancing at his wand and then in the direction of the twins.
If the number of Acromantulas had been smaller, Albert would have been confident in fighting his way through and bringing the Weasley brothers to safety. But the current situation was dire. Albert knew that even with his Spider Repelling Spell, he might not be able to face such a massive spider army. Unless he upgraded the spell to a higher level, increasing its range and effectiveness, breaking through their encirclement would be nearly impossible.
Albert was well aware of his own capabilities.
There was another option, of course. If he used the Phantom Disguise spell, he could probably pull it off. He could disguise himself, then immediately use the same spell to bring Fred and George away from the tree.
This backup plan was quite reliable, but... Albert did not want to expose his abilities unless necessary, as he had no explanation for how he had learned such advanced magic.
A genius?
Even a genius might not cut it! His proficiency with ancient magical text was already suspicious enough; how could he possibly explain his mastery of the Phantom Disguise spell?
Was his only option to wait?
Albert glanced at his experience pool and opened the 'Spider Hunter' task panel. Current progress: 20/20.
After claiming the 'Spider Hunter' reward, Albert's eyes fell on another new task that had appeared.
'Spider Slayer'.
You have gained some expertise in dealing with large spiders. Defeat as many Acromantulas as possible and make them understand who they are up against.
Current progress: 0
Reward: 50 points per spider.
Albert couldn't help but feel speechless at the sight of this new quest. He never expected to encounter a monster-slaying quest, but this particular monster seemed like a challenging one to 'farm'.
However, there was a way.
If he joined Fred and George on the Guarding Tree, he could 'camp' and slowly grind his way through the spiders.
But there was a significant problem.
How could he get to them? Breaking through the encirclement of the spider army would be no easy feat.
If he wanted to charge through, he would need to create an opening, which he could do with the Spider Repelling Spell. But how could he prevent being surrounded during the dash? It was quite a distance to the tree, and to get there safely, he would need... a shield.
Undoubtedly, fire would be the most suitable option. Creating a path of flames would not only drive away the surrounding Acromantulas but also illuminate the area, preventing him from tripping as he ran.
However, his Fire Spell was only Level 1, insufficient for what he needed to do.
Albert gritted his teeth and upgraded his Fire Spell to Level 2.
"Here goes nothing. As long as I keep grinding, it won't be a loss."
"Stay close, Yaya. Don't fall behind!" Albert whispered to his dog, his grip tightening on his wand. Taking a deep breath, he leaped out of his hiding spot and began casting the Spider Repelling Spell at the Acromantulas surrounding the Guarding Tree.
In that moment, Fred and George witnessed a dazzling display of white lights flashing among the spiders. The spider army surrounding the tree was forcefully torn apart, creating a path.
Several of the large spiders, which they had found so formidable, were knocked down by the spell.
The twins were stunned, unsure of what had just happened.
The next second, the forest erupted in flames, and two walls of fire spread towards the Guarding Tree, effectively isolating the Acromantulas outside the fiery barrier.
It all happened so suddenly that the dazed twins soon realized someone had come to their rescue.
As they prepared to climb down from the tree, a voice stopped them.
"Don't come down!" someone shouted.
Fred and George froze, looking at each other in confusion. That voice... Why did it sound so familiar?
Could it be...
(End of Chapter)
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