Chapter 180: Unexpected Turn of Events
Chapter 180: Unexpected Turn of Events
Liam was quite excited when he returned to his dorm, even though martial arts weren't particularly useful in this world. In wizards' battles, it was always a matter of trading spells from a distance, and Apparition allowed wizards to move around freely, making internal energy defenses largely ineffective against magic. Therefore, for close combat, the techniques he had learned from the Assassin Legacy were more than sufficient. Martial arts were merely an embellishment for him.
However, not all martial arts were of little value to Liam. For instance, the Purple Mist Divine Art was a significant gain. It enhanced one's senses, making hearing and vision much sharper and allowing for long-distance perception without triggering magic detection. It also provided physical protection, greatly strengthening one's defense. Additionally, it increased overall strength, agility, and attack power, which were typical benefits of internal energy cultivation.
This newfound ability significantly boosted Liam's survival chances, which was invaluable to him, given his fear of death.
After the trade, Liam didn't seek out new powers for a while. Instead, he focused on refining the abilities he had already mastered. Finally, ten days before Christmas, the Hogwarts students' field practice course began.
The course took place at an ancient native ruins site about seventy kilometers away. Castrobrusso had built an artificial ecosystem on the foundation of the remaining magic array at the ruins, and this ecosystem served as the venue for the field practice.
The day before the trip, Liam felt somewhat uneasy. According to the information he had received, this outing might be accompanied by a plot by the former Saints.
After finishing his afternoon class and preparing to return to his dorm to pack, Liam heard Headmaster Fernando's voice in the corridor: "Please follow me; there's something urgent I need to tell you."
Liam quickly found an excuse to say goodbye to Hermione and followed the voice, turning left into an empty corridor. Pushing open the wooden door at the end of the corridor, Liam saw Headmaster Fernando sitting at a table, with the shopkeeper from Mahogany Town, former Saint Skorzeny, sitting beside him.
"What's going on that you need to call me here now? Didn't you say the Chimera Society was planning to attack us during our trip tomorrow? We shouldn't be in contact, especially in a place like the school where there are so many people around."
"We didn't want to, but the situation has changed", Skorzeny said. "Today, the Brazilian Ministry of Magic received what they claim is reliable intelligence, indicating that the local Blood God Cult will attack you tomorrow. They have already begun mobilizing Aurors and enforcers to set up an ambush at the artificial ecosystem you'll be visiting tomorrow."
"Wait, what is the Blood God Cult? We were talking about the Chimera Society, a group within the former Saints, right?" Liam asked, puzzled.
"The Blood God Cult is the descendant of the black wizards who were suppressed by our ancestors, who enjoyed blood sacrifices and blood magic. After being driven underground by our ancestors, they have become the most powerful black wizard organization in the area. The local black wizard faction that was said to be collaborating with the Chimera Society refers to them", Headmaster Fernando explained.
"Ah, I see. Wouldn't it be a good thing for the Ministry of Magic to take out those black wizards in advance? You can't be upset just because you won't get to exact personal revenge, right?"
“No, absolutely not.” The two people sitting at the table shook their heads in unison. Then, Headmaster said, “The issue is that this intelligence is too suspicious. Even if I had gone to the Ministry of Magic before, they would have only sent a small Auror squad to patrol. Why are they mobilizing their entire force this time? These two organizations have been hiding here for over half a century after forming an alliance. How could they suddenly be exposed, and with so many secrets at once?”
“Exactly. Especially Dietrich, the leader of the Chimera Society. He was the most cunning of that batch of young Saints back then. Over the years, he’s evolved into a wily old fox. We, the former Saints, have been clashing with him for nearly half a century, and we’ve suffered far more defeats than victories. I don’t think such an important conspiracy would be so easily resolved by the Ministry of Magic’s bumbling group,” Skorzeny said.
“So why did you call me here today? I know far less than you do, and telling me all this won’t do much good,” Liam asked, curious about their intentions.
“We just want to let you know how dire the situation is. For your safety, we might need to adjust your field trip location tomorrow. However, given the current situation, we can’t guarantee that the new location will be completely safe. We’re informing you in advance so you can remain vigilant. If anything seems off, contact us immediately using the pin we gave you last time. Right now, the only thing we’re certain of is that your study tour is their target, and you are the only student we can reach within the group,” Headmaster explained to Liam.
“Why not just cancel the event then? Don’t tell me you’re more concerned about saving face and sticking to the plan,” Liam asked, puzzled.
“Of course, we want to cancel it, but the problem is that you flew here. If we cancel the event, what if they attack you on the way back? We can’t protect you once you’re outside the school’s protective perimeter,” Headmaster rubbed his temples and continued, “So, we decided to lure them here and deal them a significant blow, solving the problem at its root.”
“Have you informed the professors leading the trip?”
“We’ve already informed the two professors from Hogwartshouse, and they’ve agreed to remain vigilant. However, they will undoubtedly be a primary target, and they will have their own plans to deal with the situation. The students, on the other hand, will be more relaxed, which is why your role is crucial,” Fernando replied.
“Alright, I’ll be fully prepared tomorrow,” Liam nodded, realizing that the trip wouldn’t be as peaceful as he had hoped.
The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the professor’s voice echoed through the dormitory: “Please gather in the Common Room as quickly as possible. We have important news to share.”
After washing up, Liam made his way to the Common Room, where he found everyone already gathered. A few students looked uneasy, but others were trying to comfort them.
For instance, Zhang Qiu was gently stroking the hair of a small Ravenclaw girl, whispering something to her. Liam remembered her name was Alicia Heart, a second-year Pure-blood Wizard. Because both her parents were scholars, she had no prejudice against Muggle-born Wizards or Muggles. Hermione had even planned to recruit her into the Study Group, so Liam had a vague memory of her. She was a shy and introverted girl, and the events of that morning seemed to have frightened her. Zhang Qiu was softly reassuring her, and there were several other students in similar states, as the morning’s situation was quite unusual.
Once all the students had gathered and the atmosphere had calmed down, Professor Sprout and a bald man named Hans, whom Liam didn’t recognize, entered the room.
(End of Chapter)
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