Chapter 588: Three Eliminated
"Roar—!"
Like the Flame Stream of a Fire Dragon, a torrent of searing heat erupted forward, warping the air around it. Yet the figure ahead vanished in an instant—devoured by the Compass—leaving only a few strands of hair slightly curled from the intense heat.
Beyond the encircling barrier, towering stands were already packed with spectators. Among them were students from Hogwarts, but also numerous officials from foreign Ministries of Magic, and select faculty and students from eleven renowned magical schools.
On both sides of the stands, several giant streaming mirrors displayed live footage of the champions being transported via Portkey as they searched for the Golden Egg.
Additionally, dozens of blue birds fluttered ceaselessly above the arena, capturing the tournament action and broadcasting it worldwide.
Though the thick fog obscured the moment Wade passed by the Scottish Black Dragon, magic ensured the mist did not spread beyond the Compass’s boundary. Thus, everyone witnessed it clearly—the boy shot forth from the cloud-like fog like a lightning arrow, his body reduced to a blur as he struck the Compass with speed and precision.
Behind him, the dragon’s flames roared in destruction—but too late. They could only scorch the air in vain.
A brief silence fell—then erupted into a tidal wave of cheers. The Ravenclaw girls, abandoning their usual reserve, leapt and screamed in ecstasy: "Did you see that? He did it! He actually did it!"
Tension that had been suffocating moments before gave way to euphoric celebration. People from every house—Ravenclaw or not, Hogwarts student or not—rose to their feet, waving arms, clapping with forceful enthusiasm. Some students embraced one another, faces glowing with pride and awe. Someone in the crowd shouted triumphantly: "He’s the first! Wade is the first!"
Bagman, standing at the commentary booth, his round face flushed with excitement, sounded as if he were part of the stadium himself. His booming voice echoed across the entire space:
"Unbelievable! The Hogwarts champion, Wade Gray, has just become the first to clear the Fire Dragon’s obstacle—unharmed! This is—oh, my goodness—"
A chorus of screams erupted from the crowd. Someone screamed piercingly, cutting through the air.
Inside the arena, the remaining six champions, still locked in battle with the Fire Dragon, were momentarily distracted by the deafening cheers. Instinctively, they turned toward the Compass.
In that split second, Arjun Rajput from Mando was struck by the dragon’s tail and sent flying like a sack of sand.
His chest was slashed open, blood spraying through the air. His wand flew from his hand, and he collapsed unconscious.
At the same time, Isabela Santos from Castrobsche failed to fully evade the dragon’s flames. Half her body engulfed in fire, she gritted her teeth and staggered to the finish line, collapsing onto the Compass—vanishing instantly.
"Isabela Santos—"
A cry of anguish tore through the stands, from her friends.
On the other side, Castrobsche had another student in the first wave—Artur Faria—facing off against the Ukrainian Iron Belly. Hearing the scream, he instinctively glanced toward Isabela’s position.
In the heat of battle, even a single moment of distraction could be fatal.
The Ukrainian Iron Belly was vicious and swift. Without hesitation, it lashed out with its long tail, piercing Artur’s stomach.
Had it not been for a nearby wizard who quickly cast a spell to deflect the blow, the tail would have torn through his chest.
In an instant, three champions were severely injured. The screams that had filled the stands now vanished into silence.
Someone clutched their mouth, tears welling up. Panic-stricken, they whispered: "It’s terrifying..."
Fortunately, the Ministry of Magic’s pre-arranged rescue team acted swiftly, removing the two wounded students from the arena. As they left, they signaled the referees—both were still alive.
Bagman blinked, stunned for a moment, then shook himself back to life.
"Listeners, we’ve just witnessed an unexpected incident on the field. Mando’s Arjun Rajput is eliminated. Castrobsche’s Artur Faria is also eliminated."
"It’s a great shame—these two contenders were both strong candidates for the champion title. But their journey must end here."
"Thank you to the Ministry of Magic’s Aurors and the medical team from St. Mungo’s. The Fire Dragon did not deal a fatal blow. They’ll receive immediate treatment."
"I think everyone here now understands—every tournament is a test of life and death. The champions must remain cautious, and give it their all."
"Oh—Castrobsche’s Isabela Santos is eliminated!"
The audience, eager to shift their gaze to the streaming mirrors, turned too late—the moment Isabela collapsed had already passed.
All they saw was Wade Gray crouched beside the unconscious girl, picking up her wand and sending a signal of abandonment. Then, an Auror appeared out of nowhere and whisked her away.
"Wade Gray didn’t go after the Golden Egg—he knocked out Isabela Santos?" someone speculated.
Another student shot back immediately: "Didn’t you see the burns on her? She must have passed out from the pain!"
Most spectators didn’t dwell on the reason for Isabela’s elimination. They were too anxious, watching the remaining three champions struggling against the Fire Dragon, fearing who would be next to fall.
Few paid attention to the mirrors now—inside the dark, labyrinthine environment, only Wade Gray was searching for the hidden Golden Egg. What was this "treasure hunt" compared to battling a dragon?
…
No matter if it was an old boot, a badge, or a compass glowing with golden light—any Portkey felt terrible upon teleportation.
Once Wade steadied himself, he sensed an immediate shift in atmosphere.
He stood in a vast, dim, cold space. Thick moss covered the ground. Vines crawled up the walls. Two tunnels stretched off to either side, offering him a choice of direction.
The tunnel entrances were pitch-black. From within came strange, ancient sounds—wind, dripping water, low murmurs, the creaking of grinding teeth, the scrape of chains dragging across stone.
A faint growl, distorted by echoes and reverberations, drifted through the air—like a whisper from hell.
Had it not been for the stone pillar high in the darkness, and the giant serpent statue coiled around it, Wade might not have recognized it.
This wasn’t some unknown place.
This was the Chamber of Secrets—the very lair once inhabited by the Serpent Monster of Slytherin.
(End of Chapter)
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