Chapter 593: The Roar of the Tiger
"Depart?" Wade chuckled at the word. "If I wanted to leave, I could’ve done so long ago."
He pulled out the sack, tipped it open, and a cascade of Golden Eggs tumbled onto the ground, clattering like scattered coins. In the dim light, they shimmered with an intense, dazzling glow.
Amina stared, her eyes wide with disbelief, as the Golden Eggs—what her team had desperately searched for—now lay piled like a bountiful harvest of apples before her.
"You... you... you..." Her jaw worked awkwardly, struggling to form the words. "...rascal..."
She tried to glare at Wade with all the fury she could muster, hoping to shame him into remorse.
"What do you mean?" Wade asked, feigning surprise. "I didn’t steal these from you."
Amina: "..."
Was it my fault for falling so fast? Wasn’t it you who suddenly appeared out of nowhere and ambushed me?
—But being defeated by a boy three years younger? There wasn’t much room for protest.
Furious tears welled in her eyes. She shut them tightly, refusing to look at that infuriating face.
Unicorn Wand… you chose the wrong person!
"Come now, act like an adult," Wade said, stepping closer. "If the next person to enter is one of your allies, you still have a chance to get them to remove the paralysis toxin. But if you want the Golden Eggs, I’d advise you to head the other way."
Reluctantly, Amina opened her eyes, glaring at Wade with every ounce of defiance she could summon. Though silent, her gaze screamed volumes.
Wade nodded. "Exactly what you’re thinking… the remaining Golden Eggs on this path will fall into my hands too."
Amina forced out, "Rules… don’t… allow…"
"I heard you," Wade said calmly. "He only forbade me from leaving the stadium with more than one Golden Egg. But there’s no rule against picking them up and moving them elsewhere, right?"
"Why…" Amina frowned. "Why would you do that?"
"Hmm?" Wade raised an eyebrow. "In a situation where the conditions allow it, isn’t it standard practice to reduce your competition? But the main reason—"
He paused, his voice dropping slightly. Amina strained to lift her head just a little, and saw the faintest smile playing on his lips.
"—I can do it. And it’s not hard. So why wouldn’t I?"
The sheer, sun-like confidence in his tone struck her like a bullet, piercing through her chest. Her heartbeat stuttered. Her breath caught.
She watched as the boy—smaller than her in age, yet already nearly her height—walked deeper into the tunnel. Her heart pounded wildly. She couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think.
She should’ve been furious. But almost instinctively, she found herself hoping he’d keep winning. Hoping he’d stay proud, unbroken—his spirit sharp, unscathed by failure.
A sound echoed from the chamber. Another warrior had entered.
A voice rang out nearby.
"Wait—don’t attack!" Ryan Smith of Ilvermorny raised his hand. "I’m willing to put down my wand. Can you just let me speak for a moment?"
"Sure!" Asada Chika lowered her wand too. "I think we’re thinking the same thing."
Ryan nodded. "The announcement earlier confirmed that someone already inside has collected more than two Golden Eggs."
Asada Chika: "And they could’ve set traps, ambushed us from the shadows. This place is perfect for it."
Ryan: "So fighting each other now only plays into their hands."
"I agree," Asada Chika said. "But what about your school’s Seraphina? She came in earlier."
"True," Ryan admitted. "But I’m the first from Magic Institute to reach the second stage. If you two join forces, I’ll be in danger."
A cry of pain came from near the compass. Another challenger had arrived.
This time, it was Digo Costa from Castrobsche. He gritted his teeth, struggling to rise. He took a cautious step back, wand drawn, eyes narrowed.
The two before him repeated their plea—calmly, earnestly.
"We’re not enemies," Ryan said sincerely. "There are sixteen Golden Eggs in total. Even if all five schools joined forces, there’d still be more than enough. We can help each other through this challenge."
Asada Chika nodded in recognition.
"Fair point. But the first Golden Egg I find is mine," Digo said, his tone sharp. "Castrobsche is down to just me."
The others exchanged glances. They agreed—Castrobsche had little luck. No argument.
The tournament had a fifty percent elimination rate. At first, it sounded terrifying. But now, as they stood here, they realized—Golden Eggs were surprisingly abundant.
"But the ones who came before might have teamed up," Digo added. "And they’ve been here longer. To close the gap, we should wait for two more."
Ryan and Asada Chika nodded in agreement. They stood still, scanning the surroundings, waiting patiently.
Soon, two more figures materialized out of thin air—Cedric Digory and Fleur Delacour.
The offer to unite was accepted without hesitation. After a brief discussion, the five of them chose a tunnel and stepped inside.
With mutual support and constant vigilance, even when they triggered a trap, they managed to get through—helped by each other. All five were top students from their respective schools. None tried to play hero or slow the others down.
Not long after, they spotted Amina—trapped, entangled in thorny vines.
Their eyes met.
Amina’s mouth opened in a desperate plea for help, but the paralysis made swallowing impossible. A stream of glittering drool spilled from the corner of her lips.
Amina: "..."
...
"AHHHHHH! I’LL KILL HIM! I WILL KILL HIM!"
Once rescued, Amina still couldn’t fully control her limbs. She leaned heavily against Fleur, roaring like a caged tiger.
"Alright, alright," Fleur said gently, sympathy in her voice. "But who exactly are you talking about?"
"Wade Gray!" Amina snarled. "Forget searching for Golden Eggs on this path! He’s taken them all!"
"What?!"
The others gasped in shock.
Digo, standing beside Cedric, instantly stepped back. Asada Chika had already raised her wand, aiming it at Cedric’s back.
"What?!" Cedric blurted, startled. "Why would Wade do that? Is there some kind of misunderstanding?"
"How should I know?" Amina growled. "I can’t read minds! I saw him with a whole sack full of Golden Eggs!"
Amina roared again, a primal, furious sound.
"I WILL KILL HIM!"
(End of Chapter)
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