Chapter 946: Duel
Chapter 946: Duel
At the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Albert was steeling himself, making his final preparations. The upcoming duel was crucial for him.
As long as he defeated Professor Flitwick, he would complete the previously triggered task and no longer have to worry about battling Dark Wizards in the future.
Task: Challenge the Champion.
Filius Flitwick is an experienced dueling enthusiast who achieved the honor of becoming a Dueling Champion in his youth. Despite his old age, his prowess is still formidable. As your teacher, Flitwick intends to assess your true abilities on the last day of class. Survive against Flitwick for five minutes.
Reward: 5000 experience, gain skill: Wizard Dueling.
In addition, there is another task he is eager to complete.
Task: Surpass the Master.
Filius Flitwick is an exceptional Dueling Master, your teacher, and currently, a hurdle you barely seem able to overcome. Challenge him in a duel and emerge victorious to prove yourself.
Reward: 20,000 experience, 2 skill points, gain skill: Flitwick's Dueling Techniques.
"Are you ready, Mr. Anderson?"
Professor Flitwick looked at his star pupil with anticipation for the upcoming clash. He was well aware of Albert's potential and rapid growth, confident that it wouldn't be long before he became an outstanding Dueling Master.
"I'm ready, Professor," Albert replied.
The two strode into the clearing they had prepared, with no intention from the start to engage in the customary rituals of a Wizard's Duel.
If their opponent were a Dark Wizard, there wouldn't be an opportunity for such niceties.
The duel began without warning.
Others might have been caught off guard by a sudden Stunning Spell or been overwhelmed by a surprise attack.
However, Albert skillfully cast a Blasting Curse, casually deflecting the incoming spell as if he had just shooed away a mosquito.
Even as he blocked the Stunning Spell, Albert didn't forget to launch an offense against Professor Flitwick. He knew that merely defending wouldn't be enough; he had to disrupt his opponent's rhythm, or he would be suppressed and unable to create an opportunity to turn the tables.
A fireball flew towards Professor Flitwick—one of the most basic uses of the Exploding Curse, but Albert's magical power enhanced its potency significantly.
Undoubtedly, this was a highly dangerous spell.
Before the fireball could reach Professor Flitwick, he waved his wand, causing it to veer off course and explode, halving a large tree to its right, which bore the brunt of the unintended destruction.
Amid the crashing sound of falling trees, Albert used magic to abruptly pull the severed tree, sending it crashing towards Professor Flitwick.
Without diverting his attention, Professor Flitwick merely flicked his wand, causing the charging tree to abruptly freeze in mid-air before changing direction and crashing into several smaller trees.
In an instant, dead leaves swirled in the air, and under Professor Flitwick's control, they enveloped Albert, obscuring his vision. Hidden within the leafy barrage were three spells speeding towards Albert.
Even with his vision blocked, Albert waved his wand, summoning a thin shield in front of him to block the incoming surprise attack.
He would do the same.
Relying solely on the Blasting Curse for defense could lead to a significant disadvantage.
Albert waved his wand, conjuring a gust of wind that swept the swirling leaves towards Professor Flitwick, conveniently employing his opponent's earlier tactic against him.
This could be considered returning the favor.
Professor Flitwick made a slight wave of his hand, causing the violent wind to abruptly cease, and the swirling leaves to block Albert's spell. He stumbled slightly, having suffered a minor setback.
However, the counterattack came swiftly. The scattered leaves transformed into dart-like projectiles, flying at Albert from all directions.
Albert raised his wand high, as if holding a torch, and a large circle of flames erupted from the tip, instantly engulfing the surrounding leaves. Under Albert's control, the raging flames surged towards Professor Flitwick, seemingly intent on consuming him entirely.
In the next moment, Professor Flitwick waved his wand like a sword, cleaving the rolling flames in two and then shaping them into a fiery shield that deflected Albert's subsequent attacks.
Despite the intense and thrilling exchange of spells, both duelists remained unharmed, though the surrounding trees suffered collateral damage.
"Alright, Mr. Anderson, it's time to show your true prowess!" Professor Flitwick said encouragingly. "If your opponent were a Dark Wizard, you must not hold back when facing them."
From their initial clash, it was evident that neither duelist was using their full strength. Perhaps, at this moment, they were merely exchanging dueling techniques.
Albert had no choice but to prolong the duel; otherwise, how could he complete the first task?
Wizard duels could sometimes be extremely swift, ending in the blink of an eye, and at other times, enduring for five minutes could be a challenge.
Albert adjusted his slightly hurried breathing and raised his wand to launch a new round of intense attacks.
Instead of aiming the Blasting Curse at Professor Flitwick, he aimed it at the ground beneath his feet, causing a flurry of leaves to fly about and almost tripping the professor.
Seizing the opportunity, Albert launched a new wave of attacks, just as Professor Flitwick had once taught him—fast, precise, and relentless. Each successive attack became more oppressive, putting tremendous pressure on the professor. As he barely managed to hold his ground, another Blasting Curse nearly knocked him off his feet.
If Albert's offense had continued without pause, Professor Flitwick might have been defeated then and there.
Unfortunately, Professor Flitwick was also an experienced Dueling Master, and he wasn't about to give Albert such an opportunity.
The severed tree trunk seemed to grow legs and lunged at Albert with ferocious momentum, its imposing manner disrupting Albert's combat rhythm as he had been preparing to strike.
Without considering the consequences of being struck by the tree, Albert froze it with a Freezing Charm and then flung it toward Professor Flitwick, also deflecting the incoming spell toward himself.
Frowning at the approaching tree, Professor Flitwick waved his wand, shattering the tree trunk into fragments that became countless flying knives hurtling back toward Albert.
Albert pulled his arm, causing the wood chips heading toward him to change direction and fly toward the distant forest, wreaking havoc on the trees there.
Without pausing to glance in that direction, he sensed impending danger and had to sidestep to avoid it.
The spell whizzed past Albert, and the large tree that had been struck by Professor Flitwick's spell seemed to come to life, its lush branches reaching out like a giant hand swatting at Albert.
"This looks like a Transfiguration spell!"
Startled, Albert quickly erected a defensive barrier to shield himself. As the branches pounded on the barrier, he realized his mistake.
Just because Professor Flitwick taught Charms didn't mean he only used Charms in duels.
He had almost been tricked.
Indeed, one couldn't afford to be distracted for even a moment! Unfortunately, the five minutes were not yet up.
Albert intended to prolong the duel until the first task was complete, after which he would have an additional skill to increase his chances of defeating Professor Flitwick.
While the large tree relentlessly pounded on the defensive barrier, doing it no harm, the same couldn't be said for Flitwick's next move.
With a wave of his wand, he unleashed a spell that almost shattered the barrier.
Had that spell landed on a person, they would have surely perished.
Albert used the Disillusionment Charm to appear outside the range of the attacking tree, and with a Shattering Spell, he reduced the reaching branches to dust.
At this display, Professor Flitwick narrowed his eyes, growing more perplexed by his student's abilities.
Of course, he recognized the Shattering Spell, but its power seemed excessive, undoubtedly an advanced application of the spell.
Nevertheless, it was quite impressive, and it spoke to the sheer magnitude of Albert's innate magical power.
Albert waved his wand, and the dust coalesced into several spears that hurtled toward Professor Flitwick.
The halved tree trunk nearby suddenly sprouted legs and intercepted the incoming spears, serving as a shield for the professor. He then fired spells at Albert, which were easily deflected.
However, his subsequent attacks became more fierce and heavy, forcing Albert to struggle to maintain his defenses.
In the next moment, their spells collided, leading to a contest of magical strength.
Undoubtedly, Albert's magical power far exceeded that of Professor Flitwick.
Not wanting to directly confront his student's advantage, the professor manipulated the halved tree trunk to charge at Albert, intending to break their stalemate.
Simultaneously, they both ended their deadlock, with Albert pushing away the bothersome tree and mustering his strength to cast a spell at Professor Flitwick.
Sensing the impending danger, the professor conjured a thin shield, and the spell struck it with a deep thud, causing the shield to crack.
"Is that the Cutting Spell?"
Professor Flitwick recognized the essence of the spell—an advanced application of the Cutting Spell.
Typically, the Cutting Spell allowed the caster to precisely cut through objects according to their will, but no one had ever used it to this degree.
This was no longer a simple Cutting Spell; it had become a dangerous offensive charm.
If it had struck a regular wizard, the consequences would have been dire, as evidenced by the shield's cracks. Had Albert shouted the incantation, he might have broken through the shield entirely.
"I dare say that most people who claim to be Charms Masters would be ashamed to hide if they knew you could use these simple spells in such a way.
In a distant castle, Professor Flitwick temporarily fended off Albert, not giving him a chance to pursue, lest he conjure up something even more dangerous. The professor suspected that Albert had extensively customized many of his spells; otherwise, it wouldn't be easy to cast non-verbal spells with such fluency.
This style of dueling reminded him of Dumbledore.
In Dumbledore's hands, many spells became incredibly ingenious, as the late headmaster of Hogwarts had mastered the advanced applications of magic.
However, instead of anger, Professor Flitwick felt a surge of excitement, as if he were reliving his youthful days.
"Let's see your true prowess; don't disappoint me," Professor Flitwick murmured.
The duel continued, seemingly devolving into a protracted stalemate.
Professor Flitwick pressed on relentlessly, seemingly intent on forcing Albert to unleash his full potential and, in the process, understand his dueling style.
The few lessons prior were insufficient for Albert to grasp everything, and this was an excellent opportunity.
Of course, Professor Flitwick was also relishing the adrenaline-pumping sensation; it had been years since he'd felt this way, and it made him feel youthful again.
Albert had already acquired the Wizard Dueling skill, but he hadn't had time to upgrade it. Now, he could only barely withstand Professor Flitwick's onslaught.
While it may have appeared to outsiders that the two were evenly matched, Albert knew he was merely gritting his teeth and holding on. If he lost focus, he would likely lose the duel.
The destruction caused by their battle, evident in the surrounding felled trees, was a testament to their loss of control.
The commotion eventually drew Potter and his group to the scene.
It could be said that the prolonged clash, coupled with the loud noises, had inadvertently led them here, as they had been unable to locate Albert earlier after being outmaneuvered by him.
"Wow!"
Watching the two wizards exchange spells, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were all left stunned.
They had never imagined that wizard duels could be like this. No wonder Fred, George, and Lee Jordan had wanted to be spectators.
Someone unaware of the situation might have thought the two were dueling to the death.
The two wands shot out bright lights, and the spells collided, affecting the surrounding trees. Many trees suffered from the spell backlash, and even the dry leaves on the ground showed signs of being ignited again.
"No doubt, their magic is from a whole different world compared to what we're used to," Fred said, observing Albert as he countered Professor Flitwick's spells.
A massive explosion obliterated the trees that had been enclosing on Albert. In the blast, Professor Flitwick remained unharmed, shielded by a semi-transparent protective barrier that now bore cracks.
"That's a powerful blast! Isn't he afraid of blowing himself up?" Ron swallowed nervously.
"That's the Blast-Ended Skrewt spell," Sirius whispered, "more potent than when Peter faked his death."
Before they could recover from the explosion, the residual flames on the ground suddenly grew and rushed toward Professor Flitwick's protective barrier. But, just before the flames could detonate, Professor Flitwick vanished without a trace.
Immediately, Albert's footing became unstable, as if he were stepping into a swamp. His feet sank into the ground.
Albert quickly waved his wand, conjuring a protective barrier while countering Professor Flitwick's assault and buying himself time to extract his feet from the entrapping earth.
"Oh my, Professor Flitwick certainly doesn't hold back," Ron muttered, witnessing Albert being engulfed by the explosion.
"He's fine," Lupin assured him.
"How did he do that?"
"Disillusionment Charm."
"He's incredible," Sirius remarked, doubting he would fare well against Professor Flitwick.
The high-intensity battle raged on, and the situation gradually turned in Albert's favor. His youth and stronger magical prowess meant he could outlast Professor Flitwick.
He aimed to wear his opponent down and claim victory.
While it might seem underhanded, it was all for the win.
"Disarm!"
Seizing an opening, Albert successfully cast Expelliarmus, causing Professor Flitwick's wand to fly out of his hand, and the professor fell awkwardly to the ground, disarmed.
"I win!"
Glancing at the illuminated mission panel, Albert felt pleased. However, just as he was about to catch his breath, he felt a sudden impact, and his body went flying.
"What...?"
The eight people hovering in the sky were all left stunned by this turn of events.
Had Professor Flitwick turned the tables and won in the end?
"Even when you disarm your opponent, stay vigilant. Some wizards can still pose a threat without their wands. Only when you've completely subdued them can you let your guard down," Professor Flitwick explained as he waved his hand, summoning back his wand. He slowly approached Albert and offered his final piece of advice, "When dealing with enemies, never let down your guard."
(End of Chapter)
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