Chapter 981: Bargaining for Surrender
Chapter 981: Bargaining for Surrender
When did he ever have such leverage that it would bring the Dark Lord to him in person?
At this moment, Albert almost couldn't keep the expression on his face intact. He had originally thought that Voldemort wouldn't show up here. After all, with so many spectators at the Dueling Tournament, if Voldemort were to make a move on him personally, it would mean directly exposing the fact that Voldemort was still alive. Yet, here he was, disguised as someone else.
How dare you, the Dark Lord, disguise yourself as someone else? Your prestige as the Dark Lord has just plummeted! He really intends to kill me right here in broad daylight during the duel!
If one dies in a duel at the hands of their opponent, one can't blame anyone else, and it certainly won't expose the identity of the Dark Lord. Moreover, dying at the hands of a dark wizard like Alvoye wouldn't be surprising.
Who can blame me when this dark wizard Alvoye has killed countless people?
The situation is dire!
Albert reached for his wand, placing it on his knee, ever ready for Voldemort's sudden attack.
Fortunately, he wasn't completely unprepared.
Albert breathed a soft sigh, reaching into his pocket to pull out a few candies. He unwrapped one and popped it into his mouth, casually selecting the one containing the Felix Felicis among them.
If possible, Albert really didn't want to face off with Voldemort so soon, as it would put him at a huge disadvantage. He wouldn't be superior in any aspect, and he was still in his developmental stage.
If he had another fifteen years, no, ten years would be enough. Once he reached his peak in all aspects, going head-to-head with Voldemort wouldn't be a problem.
After all, with ten years of preparation, Albert was confident that he could defeat Voldemort.
As for now, he might be able to prevent himself from being killed, but... Albert really disliked this duel with such a low chance of winning and high risk.
The payoff did not justify the effort and risk.
Just then, the task panel triggered a new task.
As Voldemort was being held back by the event staff, Albert quickly opened the task panel, glancing at the name of the task: The Beginning of a Legend.
He didn't have the mind to look at the task details and scrolled straight to the end to see the conditions for completing the task: Repel Voldemort and win the game.
Task reward: 30,000 experience, 3 skill points, 2000 reputation in the magical world, and obtain one of Voldemort's designated skills.
The task rewards were plentiful, but... task rewards were usually related to the task's difficulty, so this task was extremely challenging. Moreover, the hardest part probably wasn't repelling Voldemort but winning the game afterward.
If he threw his scruples to the wind, he could shout right now: He is Voldemort! Then, he could drag the organizers and all the spectators here into this mess, and perhaps they could force Voldemort to retreat, but winning the game would likely be out of the question. The tournament might even be canceled.
In addition, there was another rather odd task: Dark Wizard Nemesis.
The condition for completing the task was to defeat the remaining two dark wizards and win the Dueling Championship.
The experience reward wasn't much, but it gave 1000 reputation in the magical world and also granted a skill called "Dark Wizard Nemesis."
This task was actually quite good. If Voldemort weren't here, it would be even better.
However, Albert suspected that the task was triggered because Voldemort had appeared.
He sent a message to his house-elf, Kara, who was outside, asking her to confirm if Dumbledore had arrived. If the headmaster came, she was to inform him of Voldemort's presence.
As long as Dumbledore was here to watch the match, it would be much harder for Voldemort to kill Albert.
But did Dumbledore really come?
Albert wasn't sure about that. He only knew that Bard had invited Dumbledore to watch the duel.
Ever since that elderly man found out that Albert had been targeted by Death Eaters, he had invited Dumbledore to watch the Dueling Tournament together to add an extra layer of insurance for Albert's safety.
The tickets for the members of the Order of the Phoenix were obtained from Bard. The tickets for the Dueling Tournament were so expensive. Who would be so extravagant as to give them away? Their relationship wasn't that good! Hopefully, Bard wouldn't mess things up.
Otherwise, he might have to resort to his backup plan.
Just because he couldn't beat Voldemort didn't mean that Voldemort could kill him.
Albert had his own plans. Voldemort might have some expectations of his strength, but he certainly didn't know his true capabilities.
Of course, such an advantage would probably only work at the initial confrontation, but that was enough.
Bartemius "Barty" Crouch Jr. was the perfect example. Thinking that he understood Albert's strength, he fell into a pitfall from the very first move.
Moreover, he had secretly brought the Felix Felicis with him, which he could use directly if necessary.
Although it might not amount to much against absolute strength, it was also related to the wizard's strength limit.
Albert was the type who had the strength but lacked experience, resulting in an inability to display his full capabilities. Fortunately, the Felix Felicis could make up for this shortcoming.
Most importantly, Albert had made many preparations for facing Voldemort ever since the Triwizard Tournament. Although some of those preparations were unusable now, Voldemort had come alone to kill him and was even disguised as someone else. Surely, he wouldn't want his identity exposed.
Moreover, Dumbledore was here as well. If necessary, the two of them could join forces, which would definitely force Voldemort to retreat.
Kara soon sent back a message confirming that Dumbledore had indeed come, which made Albert breathe a sigh of relief.
However, Dumbledore's expression in the audience seat was very serious. If it weren't for Snape telling him that Voldemort intended to make a move on Anderson, Dumbledore wouldn't have come here at all. Initially, he had tried to persuade Albert to give up the competition.
Unfortunately, by the time he received the message, it was already too late, and he had rushed to Spain in vain, unable to find Albert.
When Dumbledore saw the house-elf, Kara, coming to deliver a message, he realized that the worst had happened.
However, he still couldn't persuade Albert to give up the competition.
Dumbledore truly didn't understand why Albert was taking this risk. Was it because he was here? Or was it really as Albert said—that Voldemort couldn't do anything to him for the time being, and by forcing Voldemort to reveal his flaws, they could expose the fact that he had already resurrected to everyone?
To be honest, this proposal made Dumbledore hesitate. As long as the news of Voldemort's resurrection was exposed in advance, he wouldn't have to continue enduring such immense pressure in the British magical world.
"My master has given me other tasks... Please do your best to persuade him to give up the competition." Before leaving, the house-elf took off the communicator from her wrist and handed it to Dumbledore, along with the parchment, before hurrying away. She needed to follow her master's orders and take the McDougal sisters back to the safe house.
Looking at the Muggle-like device in front of him, Dumbledore fell into a brief silence. Finally, he continued to communicate with Albert, hoping to persuade him to give up the competition.
Dumbledore carefully examined the dark wizard named Alvoje sitting below. According to the information provided by Albert, this guy was actually Voldemort in disguise?
To be honest, even Dumbledore couldn't tell.
"How did you figure it out?" Dumbledore's gaze fell on the parchment, and he immediately understood what was going on.
There were two pieces of parchment inside the scroll, the first of which was filled with countless ink dots. However, the second piece showed the resting area for the contestants, with a marked ink dot representing Albert Anderson.
It seemed that Anderson was even more cautious than he had anticipated, and now he could only hope that his preparations would pay off! Before the duel, the commentator was giving an inspiring speech.
"...Our descendants will envy us for witnessing such an extraordinary event at a magical feast of this scale!"
The Dueling Tournament commenced amid excitement and cheers.
However, the surrounding noises suddenly ceased, as if someone had pressed a pause button. Many spectators stood up, and sobbing could be heard, with some viewers even burying their faces in their hands in fear.
The duel on stage had concluded.
Yes, it was already over! In just one exchange of moves, Pierre, who had been favored by countless people, was dead. He had been instantly killed by Black Magic; the outcome stunned numerous onlookers.
Lord Voldemort cast his spells swiftly, and his use of Black Magic was equally efficient. Their spells collided in the air, and then... Voldemort crushed Pierre, who could only watch helplessly as the curse bore down on him. Even if Pierre had declared his surrender, it would have been too late.
He was dead.
Killed by Black Magic, swiftly and decisively.
Even without using the Avada Kedavra curse, Voldemort could still take a life.
However, for Voldemort, the Avada Kedavra curse was evidently more practical, as it could silently take away the target's life as long as the spell hit its mark.
After Voldemort disposed of his opponent, Dumbledore immediately sent a message to Albert, still hoping that he would give up the competition.
However, the response he received remained unchanged: "Don't worry, he can't kill me that easily."
Dumbledore truly couldn't fathom where Albert's confidence came from.
If Professor Dumbledore knew that Albert's confidence stemmed from his words, he would surely ask him to stop and admit defeat. Standing there on the stage, he was utterly powerless to prevent what was about to unfold.
After hesitating for a moment, Dumbledore directly approached the organizers and offered to appear in front of Voldemort, hoping to exert some pressure on him.
In fact, Dumbledore's status still held considerable influence, and apart from those from Britain, most people were willing to give him face.
Although the contestants had signed a magical contract, absolving the organizers from any responsibility should someone die during the duel, if things continued like this, it would undoubtedly affect the future hosting of the Dueling Tournament.
No one would willingly risk their life to participate in such an event.
Dumbledore was invited by the organizers to be a special guest and co-host the tournament with the referee, in an attempt to prevent similar unfortunate incidents from occurring again.
When Albert entered the stage and saw Dumbledore, he knew that he now had a safety net against Voldemort, and he should focus his attention on dealing with the opponent before him.
"Let's make a deal!"
The dark wizard, Bocival, didn't rush to attack and instead smiled at Albert, saying, "I can concede, but... if you become the runner-up, your bonus will be mine, and if you become the champion, then let's pretend I never said anything."
"Are you just going to give up like that?" Albert warily eyed the man in front of him, afraid that he might attempt a sneak attack.
"I don't want to risk my life against the dark wizard, Avaje. That guy is dangerous, and it's not worth dying for money. If you want to fight him, I suggest you accept my proposal and face him when you're in your best condition." Bocival ignored the referee's astonished gaze and the audience's shouts, continuing, "Think about it; I don't think you have anything to lose here!"
"You're quite the schemer, but I agree. Aren't you afraid that I'll go back on my word later?" Albert didn't refuse. It would be better if the opponent surrendered directly, but he didn't mind fighting if necessary.
"Dumbledore, you heard that too, right?" Bocival said to the old man, "You be the witness."
Dumbledore nodded expressionlessly.
The second duel ended with Bocival choosing to surrender as part of their private deal.
Of course, they were greeted with a barrage of trash and angry curses from the audience.
Everyone was dissatisfied and demanded refunds.
They had spent so much money to witness an exciting Dueling Tournament final, not this disappointing display.
"I like seeing them frustrated yet unable to do anything to me."
Bocival still wore a smile on his face, unbothered by the objects being thrown at him.
Well, even if some agitated spectators used the Spell Arrow Curse on him, he still smiled, figuring that he had gained enough to make the trip worthwhile.
To be honest, most dark wizards participated in the tournament primarily for the money.
"Mr. Bocival, are you sure you want to give up the match?" the referee asked with a dark face.
"Yes, and I'll forfeit the rest of the matches as well." Bocival smiled, "I recall that contestants are allowed to surrender, right?"
"Of course, but if you just give up like this, you probably won't be able to participate in the International Wizarding Dueling Tournament again in the future." The referee reminded him with a stern expression.
No matter how one looked at it, this tournament was a mess.
If they refunded the tickets, they would likely incur a significant financial loss. Not offering refunds, on the other hand, would be unacceptable if they wanted to maintain their reputation.
After all, the tickets for the Dueling Tournament finals were much more expensive than the previous rounds, and it was supposed to be the most spectacular match. Instead, it had turned into a fiasco.
"I certainly don't want to die in vain. By the way, I suggest you try to persuade that young man to give up. He's a talented lad, and it would be a shame for him to die here." Bocival didn't think Anderson could defeat the dark wizard Avaje either.
However, these words didn't sound like something a dark wizard would say, but perhaps Bocival was just in a good mood after making a profit! The male witch's expression twitched, but after hesitating again and again, he still decided to negotiate with Albert.
They, of course, knew about Albert Anderson, a well-known genius in many fields.
However, no one truly knew how skilled Albert Anderson was in dueling, but his performance in the Dueling Tournament had undoubtedly showcased his remarkable talent and strength. He felt that it would indeed be a waste for such a person to die here, and Headmaster Dumbledore shared the same sentiment, which was why the elderly wizard had taken on the role of a special guest.
"You really don't plan to give up? Conceding isn't shameful, and there's no need to take such a risk. Your life is worth far more than ten thousand galleons."
"I never thought I would lose!" Albert refused, "I'll do my best, and you'd better be prepared for the aftermath of our battle." The referee earnestly advised him.
The tournament organizer looked at Dumbledore with pleading eyes, hoping that he could do something to prevent the situation from worsening. At this point, it would be better to just give the trophy and bonus to the dark wizard Avaje rather than risk another death.
There was also another reason: the gambling house had mentioned that they would be willing to contribute half of the champion's bonus if they could persuade Albert to give up the competition.
However, Albert decided to face Voldemort. He wanted to grow, and this was a necessary step in his journey. It was a relatively safe opportunity, and he felt it was worth taking.
(End of Chapter)
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