https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-694-The-Shortest-Distance-Between-Two-Points-is-a-Straight-Line-/13453097/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-696-What-the-Match-Is-Over-Before-I-Even-Start-/13453099/
Chapter 695: The Frustrated Sphinx
Chapter 695: The Frustrated Sphinx
After dealing with the Blast-Ended Skrewt, Ivan wasted no time and quickly moved through the newly blasted hole.
He knew the explosion would attract more monsters, and if he didn't want to get caught in an endless battle, he had to act fast!
Ivan continued forward in the dark, relying only on the faint Lumos light from the tip of his wand to navigate the dim Maze.
Just as he felt he was getting closer to the Maze's center, a bizarre creature suddenly appeared before him, standing like a statue.
It looked like a gigantic lion with a powerful body and fearsome claws, but what was peculiar was its head, which resembled that of an intelligent Witch.
"Sphinx!" Ivan murmured to himself.
He had seen this creature in The Monster Book of Monsters before. It was a Magical Creature originating from Ancient Egypt, where Wizards often used Sphinxes to guard valuable treasures. In his previous life, he had also read about them in Greek Mythology, which left a deep impression on him.
"Stop, young man!"
Before Ivan could get closer, the Sphinx stepped into the middle of the path, its long almond eyes fixed on him. In a raspy, deep voice, it said, "You must answer my question to proceed!"
"Sorry, I'm in a hurry! Sphinx, could you please step aside?" Ivan gripped his wand and asked.
"That's the rule! Only the Champion who guesses correctly has the right to continue. Otherwise, you can find another path to the end", the Sphinx said haughtily, lifting its head.
Without waiting for Ivan's response, the Sphinx cleared its throat and prepared to start the riddle game.
It had been thinking about this riddle for days, and it was not going to be easy to guess.
"Confringo~ (Exploding Spell)"
Just as the Sphinx was about to speak, Ivan raised his wand first. A hot flame slowly emerged from the tip of his wand, quickly expanding into a two-meter-wide fireball. With a formidable force, it surged toward the Sphinx.
The intense heat filled its vision and silenced the Sphinx's words.
Before it could react, the massive fireball flew over its head and crashed into the tall Hedge behind it.
Fire erupted, and the deafening explosion echoed through the narrow passage, accompanied by a wave of heat that nearly set its fur ablaze. The Sphinx's long almond eyes widened in shock as it turned its head stiffly, only to see that half of the Hedge had collapsed.
"Can I pass now, Sphinx?" Ivan lowered his wand and asked again.
The Sphinx swallowed hard, moved its body to the corner, and pointed to the path ahead with its paw. "Please, Master!"
"Thank you!" Ivan nodded in satisfaction, put away his wand, and walked toward the newly blasted opening.
However, as he passed by the Sphinx, the massive beast suddenly moved. Ivan instinctively thought the Sphinx was going to attack and quickly drew his wand.
The Sphinx hurriedly crouched, indicating it was harmless, and said in a frustrated tone, "Master, I just wanted to remind you that the answer to the riddle is a spider!"
Ivan stood speechless, gazing at the Sphinx before him. It seemed that The Monster Book of Monsters was right—these creatures really did love riddles.
But what good would it do to tell him the answer when he didn't even know the riddle?
Ivan shook his head, too exasperated to bother with the Sphinx, and continued moving forward.
After navigating a collapsed hedge, Ivan finally saw his goal. The Triwizard Cup, symbolizing ultimate victory, stood on a large pedestal about a meter high.
Ivan cautiously approached the pedestal, his nerves stretched to the breaking point, ready to react to any anomalies. Once he was close enough, he gently tapped the Cup with his wand.
Magic flowed down the cup's rim, gradually lighting up the entire vessel.
"Excellent, it's the real Cup, and no one has tampered with it!" After a thorough inspection with his detection magic, Ivan finally relaxed and picked up the Cup.
...
Meanwhile, Harry, who had started his journey second, stepped into the vast maze as a sharp whistle sounded.
Entering here was like stepping into another world. The noise and commotion from outside instantly vanished, replaced by a series of loud booms.
Harry knew these sounds were caused by Ivan, so he decided to follow the direction of the noise.
However, Harry soon regretted his impulsive decision. After only a few hundred meters, he encountered four attacks.
The most challenging of these was a Blast-Ended Skrewt, a creature with a hard shell covered in spikes. Despite casting Diffindo several times, Harry couldn't penetrate its defenses. In the end, he only managed to defeat it by accidentally hitting its soft underbelly.
Within minutes, Harry was already disheveled and grimy. This maze was far more dangerous than he had imagined. If not for the significant improvement in his spellcasting skills over the past few months, he would have been forced to abandon the competition and request outside assistance.
Panting heavily, Harry ran forward. As he rounded a corner, he suddenly felt the ground shake.
Was there an earthquake?
Confused, Harry was still trying to figure out what was happening when he saw Ivan's figure appear at the other end of the passage.
"Ivan!"
Harry called out happily, thinking he wouldn't have to stay in this dangerous maze any longer.
Ivan, who had also seen Harry, didn't return the greeting. Instead, he called out urgently, his face serious.
"Run back, Harry!"
Harry's steps faltered as he saw several sets of crab-like legs, over two meters long, emerge from the end of the passage, followed by hard carapaces and massive bodies.
It was a Blast-Ended Skrewt!
And not just one, but a whole group of them!
Harry's scalp tingled with fear. How many of these creatures had Hagrid raised?
Even more alarming, in addition to the Blast-Ended Skrewts, Giant Spiders, Red Caps, and other unidentifiable magical creatures also appeared.
Harry couldn't help but wonder if Ivan had somehow lured all the creatures in the maze to this spot!
But now wasn't the time to think about that. Without waiting for Ivan to remind him again, Harry turned and ran the other way.
However, the creatures moved much faster than they did...
(End of Chapter)
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