The Old Ones of Hogwarts

Chapter 494, Part 503: The World Rekindles 4

Yes.

An anomaly is occurring.

Just as Saruman and Kag relaxed slightly and waited hopefully for Lina to get better, a sudden change occurred!

This chaotic space-time gap suddenly came to life!

As before, it wasn't a physical activation, but rather the arrival of a will, a pure "malice".

The cohesion and oppression of "madness"!

It's just stronger than before.

"Buzz—!!!"

A deep, resonant roar, inaudible yet directly affecting the soul, pierced the brains of Saruman and Kag simultaneously, like a million cold steel needles!

That wasn't a sound; it was a faint, unconscious emanation from the deepest recesses of this space, from that slumbering behemoth—

Impatient? Disturbed?

Or rather, it's the anger that arises when a "little bug" does something incomprehensible on your territory, but you can't do anything about it for the time being.

Ok.

The "little insect" here specifically refers to Ian. This trace of displaced anger has no effect on Ian's stable "domain," like a gentle breeze across a hillside. But for Saruman and Kag, two "mortals" already in extremely poor condition and deeply immersed in a polluted environment, it is nothing short of a catastrophe!

"Aaaaaah!!"

In an instant, the eerie, slowly writhing color blocks around us suddenly accelerated their rotation, twisting and deforming, emitting a dazzling light and whispers that could drive anyone insane!

The invisible spatial pressure suddenly increased tenfold, a hundredfold!

It was as if countless cold, slimy, invisible hands reached out from all directions, gripping their bodies tightly, squeezing them inward, trying to crush and flatten them, and completely integrate them into this madness!

"Damn it!"

The whispers of Cthulhu that filled the air intensified dramatically. They were no longer background noise, but transformed into clearly identifiable blasphemous statements filled with resentment and temptation. Like maggots clinging to their bones, they frantically burrowed into their minds, attempting to erode their last shred of sanity and lure them into giving up their resistance.

Immerse yourself in that eternal, chaotic dream!

This will, filled with anger, was meant to oppress and crush Saruman and the others, as if it was because Ian couldn't do anything about it and wanted to vent his anger on Saruman and Kag.

"Ugh!!"

Kag was the first to be hit. He was already exhausted of his fighting spirit and physical strength, and was only holding on by sheer willpower. At this moment, under the sudden and overwhelming mental and physical pressure that far exceeded his limits, he felt his bones groaning, his vision going black, and his ears ringing, as if he was about to be completely crushed in the next second!

"Damn it! That Cthulhu is going to kill us!" Kag had also learned a bit about Cthulhu, and it was all thanks to Saruman and Ian's reliable actions.

He clenched his teeth so hard that blood seeped from his gums, and used his last bit of strength to hold Lina tighter in his arms, but his own body trembled and bent uncontrollably.

His skin even began to show unnatural indentations, as if it were being pressed into place by invisible pressure!

"This is displaced anger!"

Saruman was also having a hard time.

He groaned, feeling his magic shield shatter instantly like paper under the pressure of that terrifying will! The whispers that directly affected his soul gave him a splitting headache!

Countless insane and blasphemous visions flashed before my eyes.

Even more terrifying, he felt the magic within his body, and even his soul itself, becoming sluggish and viscous, as if it were about to be assimilated and frozen by the "malice" of this space! He desperately urged his mental power to cast protective spells, but to little avail, and could only watch helplessly as he and Kag were like a small boat in a storm.

It is about to be completely swallowed up!

This wrath from Cthulhu's dormant will might merely be an unconscious "turning over" or "frowning," its true power not even targeted, but simply a sudden increase in the "environmental malice" of this area. But for Saruman and Kag, this was an irresistible catastrophe!

"How can such a powerful creature exist in the world!"

"This isn't magical at all!"

"Even dragons would be mere snacks compared to this creature!"

They finally understood firsthand what Ian meant by "extremely dangerous"! Simply getting too close and causing a slight change in the environment was enough to lead to their utter destruction!

"Teacher—Kag—Lina—" Saruman's heart was filled with despair. He never imagined that he would survive not at the hands of a legend, nor under the claws of a monster, but instead be crushed and driven mad in this unknown crevice because of an "environmental reaction" unintentionally triggered by the legend healing his companion!

Is this the end of everything?

Just as Saruman's consciousness was gradually fading due to the dual pressure, and Kag was on the verge of collapse—

Another anomaly has occurred!

This time, it came from Saruman himself!

Deep within his soul, that part that had been dormant since merging with his younger self, representing a thousand years of wisdom and vicissitudes, and especially containing a profound understanding and connection to the power of the "Raven"—was intensely stirred!

The oppressive, malicious, and insane aura of Cthulhu from the outside world, and Saruman's current predicament, were like two keys, simultaneously inserted into a hidden "keyhole" in his soul!

In an instant, Saruman's silver eyes, which had been glazed over with pain and despair, suddenly erupted with a completely different light...

A light as deep as the starry sky and as ancient as a well! A vast, restrained yet strange magical energy, imbued with the aura of "time" and "raven," erupted uncontrollably from the deepest part of his body!

This is not the power of the young Saruman.

This is the power of Saruman, the blind, legendary wizard who was deeply entangled with the power of ravens, a thousand years later!

It is a "legacy" that he brought with him during the integration process, which he has not yet fully digested and mastered!

Stimulated by a life-or-death crisis, catalyzed by the oppressive will of Cthulhu, and subtly resonating with the power of the "Raven" that saved Lina—

The will and power of the elderly Saruman briefly came online!

"snort!"

A deep, aged, yet undeniably authoritative snort emanated from Saruman's mouth. Though it was his voice, it carried a weighty quality that transcended millennia.

Saruman's demeanor and expression had completely changed. He straightened his back, which was almost bent under the weight, ignoring the space around him that was being squeezed so hard and the whispers that were eroding his soul.

This wizard, who would become a legend many years later, did not cast any complicated spells; he simply raised his right hand, palm up, and made a simple "lifting" motion.

With his movements.

A strange force field, semi-transparent and flowing with dark silver light, seemingly composed of countless tiny clock runes and raven wing phantoms, rapidly spread out from him!

This force field was not strong; in fact, it was somewhat illusory and unstable, as if it might collapse at any moment.

But it carries a unique "property"—a subtle influence on the "flow of time," and a hidden repulsion against "mad erosion"!

And a trace—a resonance that shared the same origin as the "Raven" power that Ian was using, but was weakened countless times! This thin layer of force field, like the most resilient soap bubble, actually temporarily isolated most of the terrifying will pressure and spatial compression from the outside world! It protected Saruman himself, as well as Kag and Lina, who were barely enveloped by his force field!

Kag's pressure eased abruptly, and he coughed violently, looking at Saruman, whose demeanor had drastically changed, with suspicion and uncertainty: "Saruman? You—?"

""

Saruman, the man in the older version of the top-tier character, didn't look at his longtime friend. His deep silver eyes warily scanned the still surging malice around him.

His brows were furrowed.

He could sense it.

The power he had forcibly generated through the fusion opportunity and the stimulus of crisis, which was not entirely his own, could not be maintained for long and would consume his already unstable soul fusion body.

But at least—it's held up for now.

He glanced at Ian, who was still engrossed in treating Lina and seemed oblivious to the dramatic changes around him, and smiled bitterly to himself: "This Your Majesty—he really does—cause more and more of a commotion each time."

He changed his address for Ian to a more honorable one.

Now, their only hope is that Ian can finish treating Lina as soon as possible, and then—find a way to get them out of this hellish place.

In the elderly Saruman's perception, the "malice" and "activity" of this area were constantly increasing as Cthulhu's trace of vengeful intent continued.

but.

The elderly Saruman paid no attention to this.

He has been calculating for a thousand years.

It can be said.

No one understands Cthulhu better than his younger self.

"Saruman? You—you...you've broken through?" Kag asked in surprise and doubt, looking at his best friend whose aura had suddenly changed, as if he had aged countless times in an instant, and who was emanating a magical aura that felt both unfamiliar and unsettling. That's why they're such good friends; they're quick to notice changes in each other.

Even someone as slow-witted as Kag could not.

He sensed it too.

The light in Saruman's silver eyes was no longer the sharpness and intelligence of youth, but rather a light imbued with endless vicissitudes.

Exhaustion, and a heaviness that comes from knowing too many secrets.

More importantly, the level of magic emanating from the other party, while still not as unfathomable as that of Ian Prince in the distance, had already surpassed the scope of "touching the threshold of legend"!

We've reached the realm of true legend!

Moreover, it seems that it's not as simple as just entering the realm of legend! They've spent their entire lives chasing legends, and they've even met Ian, a legend himself. Kag has certainly learned how to judge whether someone is a legend!

Soldiers are actually quite quick to learn.

Especially in terms of eyesight.

"Kag, long time no see."

Saruman, driven by his aging will, slowly turned his head to look at Kag. His gaze was incredibly complex, containing the bittersweet emotion of seeing a vibrant old friend again after a thousand years, anxieties about his impending fate, and a barely suppressed excitement. In short, it was a complexity that no actor could possibly replicate.

Furthermore, he did not directly answer Kag's question about "breakthrough," as it was too complicated, involving spacetime paradoxes and soul fusion, and this was not the time to explain.

The man first shook his head slightly, then nodded gently, and spoke in a deep, steady, hoarse voice honed by time.

"You could say that, but not entirely. I've temporarily—borrowed some power." His gaze swept over the fragile force field he had created, flowing with dark silver and clock runes, sensing the continuous, surging power of Cthulhu's will outside.

Like a tidal wave of malicious pressure and spiritual erosion.

After a moment's hesitation, he added, "Now, for the next few hours, I will be—a legend. And a legend specifically researched for 'that thing'."

His tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable confidence forged through countless trials and tribulations.

This confidence is not arrogance, but rather a foundation built upon a millennium of in-depth research into Cthulhu and its pollution system, and countless failures and deductions.

"Good, good, good! I knew you could do it! You've always been the best!" Kag didn't quite understand, but the word "legend" and Saruman's real, powerful aura, enough to temporarily withstand this terrifying environment, rekindled the flame of hope in his heart.

No matter what miracles happen to Saruman, as long as he can pull through and Lina can be rescued, we can ask about everything else later!

"Watch out!" Kag suddenly exclaimed. From the twisted and writhing color blocks surrounding the force field erected by Saruman, several translucent dark purple "tentacles" formed from pure malice and chaotic energy suddenly emerged, like sharks smelling blood, and lashed fiercely at the force field!

"Slap! Slap!"

The force field rippled violently, and the dark silver light flickered erratically, as if it could be shattered at any moment! In response, Saruman snorted coldly. Without making any move, he simply raised his left hand, joined his index and middle fingers together, and rapidly sketched several dark red runes in the air that were extremely complex in structure, full of asymmetrical beauty and blasphemous geometric meaning.

This time! History has changed!

These runes bear a faint resemblance to the surrounding Cthulhu madness, yet they are constrained by a cold framework of "order" and "analysis".

original.

Kag would die completely at this point, but the elderly Saruman would never allow it. His appearance had already changed history, which greatly boosted his confidence.

"Fight madness with madness, dismantle chaos with analysis—the 'Cognitive Deflection Spell'!"

Saruman chanted softly and flicked his finger. The dark red runes instantly flew out, accurately imprinting themselves on the malicious tentacles of the pulsating force field!

A bizarre scene unfolded!

Those tentacles seemed to be "confused" for a moment, and their attack movements were briefly slowed and confused. The pure malicious energy contained within them seemed to be briefly "interfered" and "deflected" by those runes, no longer concentrating on one point, but spreading outwards in a disorderly manner!

The impact force on the force field was immediately greatly reduced!

"This is—" Kag stared in disbelief. He had never heard of such magic before!

"The power of Cthulhu is essentially a torrent of chaos, madness, and incomprehensible information," Saruman explained quickly while maintaining the force field, as if lecturing a student. "Directly confronting it with the power of order is inefficient. The best approach is not confrontation, but rather 'misleading' and diverting its flow!"

"I'm analyzing and interfering with the unstable nodes in its structure." It must be said that years of research on Cthulhu have indeed given Saruman an unparalleled understanding of Cthulhu.

Knowledge will not let wizards down.

therefore.

This is the result of years of research on Cthulhu.

He actually managed to develop a lot of targeted magic.

very useful.