I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 362 Resistance! Spark!

"Merlin above!!!"

"Is this a deity, or a miracle?"

"My God! I saw Poseidon, the god of the sea!"

Several kilometers behind Irving, another huge cruise ship was brightly lit.

This is a Muggle tourist ship that suddenly stumbled into a whirlpool. It was late June or early July, the best month for tourism, and there were so many ships crossing the Strait of Messina that the port was overflowing.

No matter how tight the Ministry of Magic's protection is, some ships will still sail into the waters affected by the whirlpool.

Of course, it is more likely that it is some kind of external force in the seawater that is invisible to the naked eye.

At that moment, a group of wizards on the ship were preparing to maneuver the ship away from this sea area, and just as they were about to cast a spell, the sea erupted in chaos.

Yes—it exploded, it exploded visibly.

Like countless Muggles, they instinctively craned their necks to look into the depths of the vortex!

The giant's body shimmered faintly in the moonlight, adding a mysterious and magnificent scene to this deep sea.

The sight of a figure thousands of meters tall had a tremendous impact on them.

In this place—the closest place to the divine heaven.

Countless Muggles instinctively knelt on the ground, staring blankly at the figure.

They called upon their god.

Wizards certainly don't have Muggle gods in their mouths.

Amidst several exclamations of shock, "Merlin's beard!", the wizards immediately Apparated, heading towards the sea to see what had happened.

But instead, he crashed headfirst into the golden curtain.

There's no way to get through.

"What happened?"

"Why can't we get through?"

"Is it the Anti-Apparition Charm?"

Several wizards casually cast a transformation spell, conjuring a wooden plank, which they then stepped onto to stand on the sea.

Another wizard controlled the surrounding seawater, preventing it from churning, which saved them from being overturned.

"Look—there's someone inside!" a wizard exclaimed.

"Is anyone there?"

The others glanced over and, sure enough, saw an iceberg on the sea. Although they couldn't make out the face of the figure on the iceberg, they were certain that it was a person.

"Someone is fighting this giant!"

"fighting?"

The wizard had barely opened his mouth when the others turned to look at him. "Stop joking, okay? Fight? What are you going to fight with!"

"Are you blind? That's a giant hundreds of meters tall! Even if Merlin were alive—no—even if Solomon were alive, he couldn't defeat such a giant!"

Unlike the traditional Camelot legend, after King Arthur's death, Merlin entered Avalon and disappeared without a trace.

In the Harry Potter world, Merlin was dedicated to promoting the wizarding union and establishing equal relations with Muggles, and his influence can be found throughout Europe and even the world.

This is also an important reason why the catchphrase "Merlin's Beard" can be heard in different languages ​​and countries.

Merlin last appeared in the world about five or six hundred years ago, which was also the time when the International Wizarding Federation was founded. Merlin disappeared completely after that.

It is widely rumored that he is dead. Merlin, who has lived for over a thousand years, may have finally met his end in death.

However, there is another group of wizards, such as the members of the Order of Merlin, the organization that awards the Order of Merlin to wizards. They believe that Merlin did not die, and just as in the Muggle legends, he returned to Avalon in the mythology to quietly watch over the people of the world.

However, Irving knew that Merlin was definitely dead.

Because he is also one of the "Sparks".

If the previous heir survives, there will be no next heir.

So he must be dead.

As for Solomon, whom the Italians were referring to—he was also a famous wizard.

He was a king who once ruled the Mesopotamian plain. He was active before Merlin and lived around the first millennium BC. He was a famous alchemist, spellcaster, duelist, and spellcaster. He was the only wizard king in the history of magic to reveal his identity. He had a huge influence and was very famous throughout the Mediterranean coast.

His most famous story is that he created seventy-two demon apostles to serve him.

And the "Proof of the Wise" on his finger, ten magic rings, said to be the culmination of ancient alchemy, each ring possessing incredible power.

If a wizard possesses ten rings, he will have power comparable to that of a god.

In addition, King Solomon holds a lofty position in the history of wizards.

Modern wizards believe that the history of magic is divided after the death of King Solomon—before that it can be called the Wild Age, or, according to Muggle terminology, the Age of Gods.

Then came the Magic Calendar—also known as the beginning of civilization.

Only after this did wizards establish the magical civilization recognized by modern wizards.

And this is indeed the case; many modern rules of magic originated after Solomon's death, such as the use of wands for spellcasting. The earliest wands were invented around 400-500 BC.

This is discussed at considerable length in Professor Spencer's history of magic.

And after the two wizards mentioned earlier.

Others couldn't help but start thinking outside the box.

"Perhaps King Solomon could deal with such a giant. Didn't he create seventy-two demons? Perhaps those demons were just as huge."

A middle-aged wizard with dark skin and curly hair sighed.

"Forget about Solomon!" the Auror in command exclaimed. "That wizard was clearly caught in the crossfire. We need to find a way to rescue him. Go back and contact the department. Send someone from the Department of Mysteries to investigate what's going on with this veil!"

He had just given the order when a wizard behind him distorted spacetime and disappeared from the spot.

He then turned his gaze back to what lay behind the curtain.

That battlefield, seemingly from a divine era, a battlefield of gods.

"call!"

Irving exhaled a breath of cold air.

His eyes were fixed on the giant in front of him.

His feelings were far more profound than those of others.

Such a colossal giant—with just one breath, the resulting air is like a gust of wind.

With a twist of his body, he could stir up a storm.

Not to mention that twisted body made up of countless fleshy limbs.

A single glance at it will lower your SAN value.

He had to maintain a high level of mental isolation at all times, as the whispers of the Outer Gods were virtually everywhere.

"That is—"

Just as Owen was calmly suppressing the miserable and ferocious screams in his mind, the giant's body suddenly underwent a huge change.

His chest, with its mountain-like, stone-like muscles, suddenly contorted, and then an eyeball popped out.

It's getting bigger and brighter.

Before long, the single eye covered the giant's entire chest.

It was a blood-red eye, the whites of which were covered in blood vessels, and several tomoe-shaped flames in the black pupil. The flames flowed like water, and an evil aura was spreading out.

"Spark—was startled by my reality."

The image of the woman slowly emerged from the flames' eyeballs.

The same face that looks almost exactly like Irving's.

Her hair flowed like flames behind her head.

Its form is located among those magatama.

"No, not at all!" On the lonely Iceland floating on the high seas, Owen wanted to escape.

But he's still as stubborn as ever!

"You must have possessed the Giant King's body! Judging by your desire for another one—this possession must be incomplete," Owen said. "Sometimes, big doesn't necessarily mean good. It could be pathological or diseased, or it could be due to the body's inability to bear your magic, like tearing clothes. That's why you keep having those chosen ones bring you flesh and blood, to mend your clothes, right?"

Irving's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Too bad all that patching and repairing, he's turned himself into a monster!"

"Hmm—I think you look great right now, you're obviously a monster. If you were like that just now—anyone who didn't know better would think I have some kind of cross-dressing fetish!"

While he finds it amusing to impersonate Lani and Melina and flirt with the wizard, it doesn't mean he's willing to wear women's clothing with his own face!

You can use someone else's.

"Intelligence—the future spark that Ambrose values ​​most highly, you are far more intelligent than the others."

"But—" The woman in his pupils looked down at him coldly, "Your power is too weak. Since you are unwilling to agree to my terms, I cannot let this opportunity pass and allow you to leave."

"What—you're helping me up again?" Owen looked disdainfully at the lofty, godlike figure. "Didn't you just say I was a treasure of the supreme will? What, you want to steal me?"

"Hmm—Spark, you are indeed very clever." The woman suddenly regained her liveliness.

She crossed her arms and wore a cruel smile.

Suddenly, a purple light shone in the flame's pupils.

"Now that you understand, you should offer your body to me even more," she said. "This world will not be completely destroyed. I will take its place, like a child devouring its parents."

"I will facilitate the unification of the world, and in that way, you will have won a victory over the supreme will in a different way."

As an enemy? Why wouldn't you be happy to be one?

The woman's voice was melodious and alluring.

Irving's mind, illuminated by an eerie purple light, was suddenly overwhelmed by a flood of negative emotions—feelings of giving up, despair, and exhaustion that nearly extinguished his consciousness.

Never mind—that's fine!

Anyway, I can't defeat an enemy like that.

The idea that he might be able to negotiate a better deal—and other such thoughts constantly challenged his resolve.

Just like he said to Sirius.

What does the fate of this world have to do with him?

Was that his responsibility?

Is that his obligation?

Who demanded that he must fight against the Outer Gods?

He imposed everything on himself; if he lets go one day, it will undoubtedly be a relief.

Hmm—the world suddenly became so quiet and warm.

Just like Hufflepuff's lounge, with his soft, fluffy bed.

I wish I could crawl inside right now, fall asleep, and stay there until the universe is destroyed.

"Meow?"

Inside the pet backpack amidst blue sky and green grass, Sirocco's sapphire-like eyes were scrutinizing the branches emitting a faint glow.

It was fished out of the pool at the World Tree.

It was the same length as a normal wand, and its surface was covered with tender green leaves.

"Meow?"

The kitten stretched out its chubby paw and tentatively patted the branch.

Suddenly the light grew even brighter, as if some kind of rhythm was spreading out, determined to reach even the farthest reaches.

"ah!!!"

"Help--"

"The ship has sunk!!!"

So noisy—who is it?

Owen, who had already covered himself with the blanket, suddenly heard a commotion.

He didn't want to open his eyes.

But strangely, they saw "outside".

Unlike the calm, lake-like sea inside the curtain, the sea outside the curtain is turbulent, like boiling lake water, and the swirling eddies prevent anyone from getting close to the light curtain.

Wizards could only stay a little while by riding brooms or using spells to control the seawater.

In the distance, a Muggle cargo ship unexpectedly sailed into this area.

Despite being a massive ship weighing tens of thousands of tons, it was easily capsized by such huge waves.

The next second, countless containers and Muggles fell into the sea.

Screams and cries for help instantly filled the air.

"Concealment magic and Muggle-repelling charms are completely ineffective; more and more Muggles are heading this way. Ships from all over the Mediterranean!"

The wizards shouted loudly.

Several months prior, when the Calibdis Vortex was first enhanced, the Italian Ministry of Magic had already placed numerous exorcism and concealment spells around it.

These spells protected the cargo ships in the sea for more than a month.

But now—it's clear—their magic has finally completely failed.

It seemed as if some force deep within the ocean was pulling these Muggle ships, sending them one by one to their deaths.

"Save them first!" the Italian magic Auror commander ordered.

They are not dark wizards, after all.

Although they look down on Muggles, they will still save them if they feel they should, since they are all living beings.

However—they are too busy.

The relief efforts were a drop in the ocean.

Meanwhile, many more merchant ships sailed in from the surrounding area. There was more than one capsized ship. Every time they tried to rescue the people on one ship, people from two other ships would fall into the water.

Life is like duckweed; in the waves, a big wave becomes part of the ocean.

Screams—Cries—Struggles

It was like a nightmare.

All of this was clearly visible in Irving's tightly closed eyes.

It was as if the image was appearing directly in his pupils.

Look at that person who fell into the water!

Under the influence of his bewitching consciousness, Owen slowly walked into the deepest recesses of his memory.

That was a memory.

In my memories, it is also a sea.

It was also a cargo ship.

He remembered the rain that day; it was just as heavy as it is today.

Then someone fell into the water.

He remembered a fool who, without thinking, grabbed a lifebuoy and jumped into the sea.

He remembered that he had never told anyone else about it.

Everyone has moments when they're willing to risk everything.

Everyone has moments of fear and timidity.

There is nothing shameful about escaping; it is a biological instinct.

That is precisely why courage is so precious.

That is a hymn unique to humankind.

A noble hymn!

"hehe--"

"With great power comes little responsibility—damn it," the drowning boy quipped.

Ripples appeared in the pale purple sea beneath me.

Consciousness burst forth from the muddy Zhaotan.

On Iceland, Owen opened his eyes.

"Tsk tsk—" A smile curved his lips as he clicked his tongue. "This is the first time I've ever seen someone speak of betrayal and lies with such profound wisdom."

"So, you want my body?"

Irving's expression changed, his eyes filled with anger and arrogance, and his unrestrained voice echoed across the sea.

"Then you fucking come and get it!"

"I'm right here!!!"

"Click—"

A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the sky.

To bring a ray of light to this shadowy world.

The next moment, Irving raised his crystal wand.

Ancient magic surged from his arm through his wand.

It transformed into countless invisible threads.

Connecting with the forces of nature high in the sky.

"blast--"

He started waving his arms wildly.

"Sudden rain—"

"boom!!!"

Lightning surged and flowed from the dark clouds.

Owen was using the Weather Charm to manipulate these natural forces.

Ordinary spells would be useless against such an enemy.

Only the most primal, terrifying, and destructive curses could possibly harm her.

"hiss!"

A horse's neighing came from high above.

It turned out that the lightning bolts had coalesced into galloping horses, surging down with unstoppable force.

"Bang!"

It wasn't the sound of bombing.

It was more like a sound of impact.

Owen looked up, his eyes filled with surprise. The lightning-formed pegasus above the giant's head seemed to have crashed into something. He could even see the surging current constantly being released, but it couldn't move forward even an inch.

"Spark—" the woman's voice remained neither sad nor happy, "You are the only wizard who has reached such a height at such a young age."

Is this the most brilliant spark that Ambrose foretold?

Within the giant's eye, the woman slowly raised her arm. "I am not without supreme will, but I am still a deity."

Her voice, as clear as a wind chime, sounded like a resounding bell at that moment.

The bright sun shines down, and the emperor holds the law in his mouth.

Her words were probably heard by all the wizards and Muggles within a radius of several nautical miles.

"I said, the thunder will dissipate!"

As if it truly held the power of heaven, the surging lightning Pegasus vanished instantly, as if it had been wiped off a blueprint.

"I said, 'Let there be light!'" And so it was said.

High in the sky, a second sun rises.

The real star, a star that has shone for nearly a billion years, is now obscured by dark clouds.

The second sun, however, was a circular object resembling a magic circle, composed of ancient runes.

The interlocking rings reminded Owen of the ubiquitous signs he had seen in Ionia.

It was this Dharma ring that emitted a golden light.

The entire sea area within the "veil" was as bright as day.

Owen stood atop Iceland, looking up at the magnificent miracle like a lowly beast.

At that moment, he understood how the giants viewed the creation of the star rain.

That was only a few hundred feet away.

Now—it's a sea of ​​numbers.

"I say, you are bound by radiance!"

The light within the clouds suddenly became intense and bright.

The ring suddenly sank, like a falling meteor, but not that fast.

The magic circle in the sky was also reflected on the mirror-like sea surface.

Very soon—very soon.

Irving discovered that there was more than just reflection on the sea surface.

It really did create concentric magic circles, which kept shrinking around him.

Irving could feel that the space around him seemed to be confined.

All the conduits in the space used by Apparition were blocked.

He couldn't reach any of the pipes.

Although Apparition was never possible here to begin with, the enclosure is now undoubtedly much more secure.

It's likely that a previous successor used some kind of Apparition Charm that allowed them to escape the space passages, which were mostly sealed off.

He had previously stated that the struggle between the Outer Gods and their successors was a spiraling, escalating conflict, much like an endless arms race.

Now, this magic circle has finally blocked all the spatial passages; this is a product of the arms race.

The light is still gathering.

Those who claim to be gods have no time to breathe.

Golden light flowed, and high in the sky, the magic array produced countless swords forged from light.

A golden sword pierces through the dark clouds.

It attacked him directly.

Irving had no way to dodge; he could only watch—watch the golden sword pierce his heart with a thousand arrows.

"Whew—" At the critical moment, Irving forced himself to calm down.

"A god?" he murmured, the shock and fear fading from his face.

The Crystal Wand has never been so clear.

"Since there's no way to avoid it, then I'll show you what the ultimate barrier that bends the will of the gods truly is."

"Sanchez's Force Field!"

The azure light spots, like blooming roses, enveloped him completely.

The will of the gods is transformed into countless sharp swords.

The raindrops reflected the gleam of the sword, creating a dazzling display.

When the golden sword clashed with the rose, the scene of possession of the mind and body occurred.

All the golden swords brushed past Owen, as if they had encountered their natural enemy—like light rays bypassing a black hole, like the hand of a god's will being broken, forcefully pried apart.

All the swords flew toward his back.

Some even passed through the curtain and sailed outside.

Amidst the thunderous roar, towering waves erupted in the distance.

Another merchant ship was capsized.

"Um?"

The gods' doubts were deafening.

For ordinary people, this is the highest praise.

"After a thousand years, the Sparks have made some progress."

The giant's fiery pupils stared intently at him.

Owen noticed that the fire giant's body seemed to have become more petrified.

Hmm—it seems even the so-called gods aren't fighting him without any burden.

"Great magic, great skill, both are excellent."

As it spoke, several of the roots of its enormous eyes and thick eyelashes were slowly petrifying.

This evokes the image of a giant's massive stone body.

Irving has reason to believe that the gods are simply unable to fully and completely control this body.

Her strength exceeded the limits of her body.

No wonder she chose a Cyclops, because no other being could possibly inhabit his spirit.

"Not bad?" Owen chuckled. "Since everything here obeys your laws, and the forces of nature have no effect on you, then—"

Owen's eyes were filled with madness as he swung his crystal wand rapidly once more.

"Origin: Extreme Cold Storm"

The sea breeze suddenly calmed down.

In silence, a chilling gust of wind erupted from Owen's wand.

A white storm, like a raging sandstorm, swept through, freezing everything in its path.

The tranquil sea surface became an excellent ice rink.

The ice spread rapidly, reaching the feet of the hundred-foot giant in an instant.

Then, the stone began to shrink in the cold, and a layer of white mist covered its dark blue surface. The mist grew thicker and thicker, as if it were wearing a frozen armor.

Next—"Soul Torrent!"

(End of this chapter)