Chapter 168: Hogwarts Live-Action Challenge
Chapter 168: Hogwarts Live-Action Challenge
"I don't think 'Ultimate Challenge' is a good name," Fred told Michael. "An ultimate challenge shouldn't be so... definite."
"What if the final boss is defeated?" Michael asked.
"Then we tell the challengers that it's just a Black Iron Boss," Fred explained. "After Black Iron, there's Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Jade, Diamond, Master, Grand Master, and Monarch. Then there's one-star Monarch, two-star Monarch, all the way up to nine-star Monarch, and finally, a Divine Stage! Now, isn't that awesome?"
"Give everyone a break!" Michael rolled his eyes. "At this rate, we'll never finish this challenge game."
"Why should it end?" Fred countered. "A challenge game with a definite conclusion will soon be forgotten, but an endless game will keep people coming back for more."
"I have a feeling this memory will never fade..." Michael said. "Be honest, are you doing all this because everyone disliked the Hunger Games version you created?"
"How is that possible?" Fred rebutted, a little flustered. "I've given this a lot of thought. I've been considering how to make these games more interesting and beneficial for everyone... It's not a whim."
"Stop making excuses," Michael teased. "Your hesitation says it all."
Fred: "..."
Nearby, the professors watched the students tackle the challenges while also enjoying the playful bickering between Fred and Michael, smiling indulgently. Even Professor Snape refrained from making any snide remarks.
Over the course of the day, Fred had come to truly appreciate the capabilities of the Hogwarts professors.
His memory returned to the previous day at noon.
...
Padma had gathered a few girls, and in just one lunch break, they had sketched out a new design.
It was a vast space divided into seven distinct zones, each containing an intricate maze. From the outer zones to the inner ones, the area gradually decreased in size until they all converged at a central point.
Participants would choose one of the seven entrances and navigate through the seven layers of challenges before facing the final boss.
Failure or abandonment of the challenge would mean starting all over again.
Meanwhile, Michael and the other SSC members had borrowed the complete set of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' from the library and selected thirty-seven magical creatures suitable for the students' level.
Fred, on the other hand, had contacted Professor Moore through his friend's account and consulted with Newt Scamander to design a new alchemy creation.
Its colloquial name was the "Real-time Scoreboard."
But the inscription Fred etched onto it read—【Heroic Leaderboard】!
While Fred worked tirelessly on his alchemy project, Professor Flitwick rallied the entire school staff—from Dumbledore to Filch, from the soon-to-retire Professor Kettleburn to the Thestrals that pulled the school carriages; no one was left out.
Most of the staff enthusiastically joined in, except for Filch, who grumbled about the mischievous students taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble.
First, the Herbology professors and their advanced students took action. Overnight, they caused countless bushes to spring into existence, engulfing the previous game area. This formed the basic framework.
Although the thorny bushes weren't as dangerous as Devil's Snare, their prickles could deliver a painful sting. They grew densely, leaving only tiny gaps that allowed small insects like ants to pass through.
Then, Professor Flitwick and the advanced students from the Charms class set up various terrains between the bushes.
There were alleyways similar to those in the previous game, as well as swamps, forests, flower fields, small hills, and seemingly flat grasslands that concealed hidden traps.
Professor Flitwick enchanted some keys and paper airplanes to fly freely within the zones, providing clues that the students would need to capture.
Professor Flitwick also invited Gilderoy Lockhart to lend a hand. Lockhart enthusiastically waved his wand, declaring that he would create a unique spectacle. However, one of his spells backfired and hit him instead, sending him flying into one of Professor Flitwick's freshly made traps.
Professor Flitwick had no choice but to ask the students to send Lockhart to the infirmary.
Next up were the masters of Transfiguration: Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and their students. They transformed the maze zones into even more fantastical and surreal landscapes.
Tree branches became arched doorways, withered leaves turned into hanging rags, and rotten apples on the ground morphed into carriages exuding an air of decay.
Dumbledore also set up a few small mechanisms so that those who triggered the traps would temporarily transform into goats or wild boars. He clearly anticipated the moment his traps would be sprung with glee.
Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey contributed by bringing out their stock of potions, which they hid throughout the maze. Some potions could repel magical creatures, others could confuse enemies or provide healing; their uses were diverse.
However, Professor Snape was reluctant to let his potions be used indiscriminately by students who didn't know their value. Next to the useful potions, he placed potions with reverse effects.
For example, there were potions that induced vomiting or incessant hiccups, as well as those that caused fainting or made one's temperament volatile.
Then, the professor devised numerous logic puzzles and potion-related quizzes, and students who answered incorrectly would taste the bitter fruit of their lack of attention during class.
Finally, it was Professor Kettleburn and Hagrid's turn. According to Michael's list, they released different magical creatures into the respective zones.
Both of them desperately wanted the fire dragon Norberta to take on the role of the final boss, but this idea was unanimously rejected by the other professors.
In the end, they adopted Fred's suggestion.
The final boss of the last level was a snake that had been enlarged by an Engorgement Charm—a regular, non-venomous snake. However, under the influence of magic, it could resist most spells, move flexibly, and its body had grown to the size of a prehistoric beast.
The giant serpent slowly slithered in the final area, its scales shimmering with a metallic luster. Just a glance at its massive body was enough to scare timid children to tears.
Fred looked forward to the day when the students would defeat it.
Of course, there were also some harmless regular animals, as well as harmless but terrifyingly enlarged insects.
With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Fred assigned higher scores to the creatures that looked the most frightening, challenging the brave souls seeking high scores to face them.
Hmph.
Fairies are cute, aren't they? Can fairies give you points?
Fred thought to himself.
A giant worm burrowed underground, creating some secret tunnels in the maze. Professor Flitwick hid the entrances but left behind cryptic riddles as hints.
The Nightmares were also part of the game, ready to rescue students who found themselves in dire situations, occasionally creating a scary atmosphere.
Dumbledore had specifically assigned a group of house-elves to act as lifeguards.
They could Apparate freely within Hogwarts, their large ears able to pick up any sound in the maze, and their innate magic allowed them to sense people's most urgent needs, making them the most suitable rescuers.
This was also the first time that house-elves had appeared openly in front of the students.
When they first showed up, they scared some of the Muggle-born lower-grade students who mistook them for monsters in the maze, shouting, "Go away!"
But soon, students who had been rescued a few times began to affectionately call these elves "Little Lifesavers," and some even secretly gave the house-elves candies and treats, hoping they would help them skip classes or defeat their opponents, which was, of course, not allowed.
With everyone's concerted effort, the new game arena "grew" at a visible pace, and just a day and a half later, the first "trial run" began.
This was a miracle in everyone's eyes.
During the trial run, Fred and the professors observed from different directions, checking for any hidden dangers or areas that needed improvement.
The students lined up in a long queue at the entrance, while Filch glared at them, ensuring they followed the rules and didn't cut in line.
Even those who were quickly carried out by the house-elves immediately ran to the back of the line, eager to try again.
What motivated the students to keep challenging themselves was not just the presence of this large-scale live-action challenge amidst their dull and boring school life, but also the huge, constantly updating leaderboard near the entrance.
[Daily Points Ranking];
[Single-Run Scoring Ranking];
[Overall Points Ranking].
The game had just begun, and the competition for the top spots on the leaderboards was fierce, with scores rapidly changing.
Different names scrolled endlessly, and someone who was in first place just a few minutes ago could quickly find themselves at the bottom of the rankings.
Some rose unexpectedly, suddenly occupying the top position.
Even if one only managed to stay at the top for a few minutes, it was enough to brag about.
One of the reasons why classification games are so captivating is the sense of achievement and excitement that comes with instant feedback, and students could easily find satisfaction and joy in this.
And unlike ordinary people addicted to mobile games, these students had to study harder and master more magic to improve their scores in the maze, so the professors not only didn't stop them but also encouraged their participation.
The next chapter will be updated later in the evening.
(End of Chapter)
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