What... what is this situation?!
Why would a first-year Hogwarts wizard be standing up there?!
This was the thought racing through everyone's minds.
"So we're not in first place after all..." Noah said in a daze.
That simple sentence dealt critical damage to team captain Krum standing beside him. Krum stared at the figure on the third floor looking down at them, grinding his teeth as his face gradually burned with shame.
However arrogant he had been before, that's how humiliated he felt now.
It turned out that long before his arrival, this first-year Hogwarts wizard had already reached the mansion and had sufficient time to set everything up. No wonder he had always felt targeted by this house...
Turns out he had been insulting someone right to their face all along.
After the challenge ends, he should apologize to this young wizard, Krum thought. But before that, he had to get the Portkey and secure a ranking!
He looked at Ethan, his eyes still burning with fierce determination to win.
Meanwhile, the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor teams stood in shock.
Penelope looked up with her mouth hanging open, the astonishment in her heart impossible to express in words! She stared at that figure commanding all attention, radiating an almost otherworldly presence, her mind completely blank.
Why would Ethan Vincent be up there? Had he really reached the mansion all by himself?
Countless questions flooded her mind, making Penelope feel dizzy. It was as if the scene from the school selection was playing out before her eyes again.
Just then, she heard a choking whimper from beside her.
"Guh, guh..."
Penelope turned to see Sean Maikes from their team looking like he was about to faint. His eyes were wide with terror, his face ashen, and his whole body rigid. His upper and lower teeth were clenched tight, chattering uncontrollably and making grinding sounds.
He was terrified beyond measure, as if Ethan's mere appearance had shown Sean the most horrifying nightmare of his life.
Penelope sighed, "Sean, if you can't handle this, just withdraw. I'm afraid you'll collapse right in front of me..."
Before she could finish speaking...
A beast-like shriek suddenly erupted!
"AHHHHH!"
Everyone's hearts jumped, nearly leaping out of their chests. They angrily looked at the Hogwarts student who had suddenly screamed.
Hamburg clawed at his face, his bloodshot eyelids turned inside out, almost exposing his entire eyeballs. His appearance was deeply disturbing.
He stared at Ethan, spittle flying as he screamed: "Impossible! How could you possibly reach the mansion successfully?! That kind of monster... how could that kind of monster obey you?"
"Hahaha! You're lying to me! This is an illusion, right?!"
Ethan looked down at this hysterical contestant, carefully searching his memory. Tilting his head, he asked with genuine confusion: "Excuse me, but do I know you?"
Who is this person? Really not familiar.
As his words fell, like hitting a pause button, Hamburg's voice suddenly cut off, staring blankly at Ethan in disbelief.
Gemma Farley closed her eyes, unable to bear watching. Too much of a fool.
She raised her hand and cast a Stunning Spell at Hamburg.
"Thud."
Hamburg's body hit the ground, falling into peaceful sleep. Gemma kicked him aside in disgust, like discarded trash.
Penelope, who witnessed the whole process, suddenly realized that Sean's psychological endurance was actually pretty decent in comparison.
"Clap clap."
Ethan clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back to him. Scanning them with loving, tolerant eyes, he pressed his hands downward and said: "I know you're all excited, but don't get too excited yet. The real show is just beginning."
Everyone remained silent. They thought they were already deep in hell, only to discover the torment hadn't even started.
Under everyone's gaze, Ethan leaned his hands on the railing, bent forward, and spoke with heartfelt disappointment to those below: "Seeing the organizers turn this competition into such a boring affair, I feel deeply pained. How could such a simple challenge be worthy of all of you who have trained hard for years?"
His voice echoed through the empty mansion, deafening in its righteous authority.
Krum turned his head, asking in confusion: "Is this kid an organizer? Is this part of the official process too? Did Hogwarts rig the whole thing?"
Krum still couldn't believe how Ethan had managed to reach the mansion so quickly by himself.
Silence filled the air. The Hogwarts contestants wore deadpan expressions, their mouths sealed tighter than clamshells.
Finally, the kind-hearted Ravenclaw senior Penelope helplessly spoke: "I think... probably not. This is likely just something this student did on his own. Otherwise, we're also from Hogwarts. Why is only he standing up there?"
Krum said bluntly: "Because you're too weak."
"..."
Penelope forced a strained smile. Brother, there's a reason you're being specifically targeted.
"But don't worry! I've already prepared brand new rules and a completely new challenge mode for all of you!"
A loud declaration made everyone shudder. Ethan raised his fist passionately, punching the air twice for emphasis. His black hair flew dramatically, eyes blazing bright, like a deity descending from above!
Instinctively, Penelope felt an ominous premonition rising in her heart.
Ethan announced with theatrical flair: "I've decided to hold a mansion battle royale game."
He waved his hand, gesturing to his side as if introducing honored guests.
The next second...
"ROAR!"
That three-headed monster that made everyone's hearts race leaped out again! It instantly filled the third-floor corridor, its massive heads pressed against the ceiling, roaring in annoyance at the confined space.
Compared to the creature, Ethan seemed impossibly small. But the three-headed dog crouched restlessly yet obediently beside him. It didn't pounce down, just stared at them hungrily with six lightbulb-like orange-yellow pupils.
"I'm giving you half an hour to evade the three-headed dog's pursuit," Ethan declared cheerfully. "Whoever can survive until the end in this mansion gets the Portkey."
"By the way," Ethan raised his hand, shaking his leather bag, "all the Portkeys are with me."
"Of course, if you happen to find a Portkey I missed, you can naturally teleport away and claim your ranking and honor."
"Additionally, if you can defeat me and take this bag, that counts as your victory. I'll readily admit I'm inferior."
"Any questions?"
After speaking, Ethan thoughtfully waited a moment, looking down at the faces below. Some looked dazed, some thoughtful, and some burned with fighting spirit.
He grinned with immense joy.
Ethan spread his arms wide and slowly announced: "Then, let the competition begin."
The moment those words fell, Krum pounced out like a fierce tiger, heading straight for the stairs! His eyes erupted with the wild fighting spirit of a predator hunting prey!
He wanted to go directly for Ethan and seize the Portkey! Maybe he couldn't handle that three-headed monster, but Ethan? Krum was confident he could take down a first-year student!
Just then, the entire area was suddenly bathed in red light.
"Ugh!"
Krum frowned, stopping in pain. Looking down, he saw red rashes appearing one after another on his arm that had been hit by the crimson illumination.
Turning his head, he looked toward the window beside him and met the gaze of an enormously large eyeball. Like a descending moon, it watched them through the glass with its tunnel-like pitch-black pupil.
Fusion Artwork: Growing Crimson Fruit
Grade: Blue Rare
Description: Pop pop pop, fruit emerges; pop pop pop, fruit grows; pop pop pop, fruit bursts. This is the fruit's brief life.
Effect: The eyeball enlarges, the field of vision turns red, and flesh hit by red light will develop painful, itchy red rashes. With continued exposure, severe cases may lose mobility.
Evaluation: Looks scary and is indeed terrifying. But since it has no curse effects, the grade isn't very high.
"I said there's a three-headed dog, but I never said there was 'only' a three-headed dog," Ethan smiled, looking across at Krum on the stairs.
Opening his mouth, he mouthed the words clearly: Weakling.
BANG!
Krum felt the veins at his temples suddenly burst with pure rage!