[Marvel's Hogwarts Professor] Chapter 706 - 710

Chapter 706: Confronting the Emperor

Draco noticed his father's slightly flattering attitude and said nothing.

He was no longer a young wizard from Hogwarts. Face was such a thing: take what should be taken and put down what should be put down. Obviously, in front of a wizard who could kill him with ease, there was no need to show dignity or save face. That would be merely seeking death.

But then...

"Draco, let's talk about Hogwarts first. How has it changed over the years we've been gone?" Vera didn't address Lucius. Instead, she asked his son who stood beside him.

Upon hearing this question, Lucius gave his son a meaningful glance.

Draco immediately spoke respectfully: "What would you like to know?"

"What do you think I want to know most right now?" Vera said with a half-smile, seemingly ignoring Lucius's expression from moments ago. Without waiting for Draco to speak, she asked directly: "Tell me about Dumbledore. You just said that Dumbledore disappeared. What happened?"

Regarding this question, Draco pondered for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts: "It's true that Headmaster Dumbledore disappeared. Two years after you, Professor Lockhart, and the others vanished, Headmaster Dumbledore also disappeared."

Hearing this, Vera frowned. What could have caused Dumbledore to disappear?

While she was deep in thought, Draco added: "We weren't entirely certain at the time, but Headmaster Dumbledore definitely vanished. However, regarding this matter, His Majesty Riddle provided us with certain information. It was also from that moment that the transformation of the wizarding world began!"

Speaking of this, there was a hint of pride in Draco's words. Yes, conquering the entire world and creating a magical empire was indeed something to be proud of.

But Vera didn't seem to care. She thought for a moment and asked again: "Why did Dumbledore disappear? Did Tom Riddle explain that?"

Lucius couldn't help but flinch when he heard Vera calling the Emperor by his first name.

Draco shook his head, indicating he didn't know.

Vera wasn't surprised. She pressed on: "Then tell me, after we left and before Dumbledore disappeared—what exactly did Dumbledore do?"

At this point, Vera's tone became serious, and her body exuded an intimidating power. It seemed that if either of them told any lies, they would be struck by lightning.

This made Lucius and Draco swallow nervously to relieve their inner tension. There was no way around it—these visitors were the knives, and they were merely fish and meat. One careless word, and they might not even keep their bodies intact.

"I remember that in the first year after you disappeared, Headmaster Dumbledore formed the Magical Innovation Alliance," Draco explained. "In his own name, he summoned representatives from Ministries of Magic worldwide and many powerful wizards. They said they wanted to jointly research and innovate a new magical system."

"That's all?" Vera asked.

"Also, Headmaster Dumbledore contacted the Ministries of Magic from various countries and prepared to form a wizarding alliance!" Lucius interjected.

"Did it succeed?" Vera asked directly.

"It was halfway through when Headmaster Dumbledore disappeared," Lucius said. "The progress was still very promising at that time. With their control over the Magical Innovation Alliance, the attitudes of the Ministries of Magic in various countries were considered friendly."

Vera was thoughtful, but quickly continued with her questions. "How did Dumbledore treat Tom Riddle during this time period?"

"I'm not sure about this, and I didn't receive any special news at the time."

That means no! Vera thought to herself, her expression becoming increasingly solemn.

Not specifically targeting Tom Riddle, plus her teacher's previous suppression of Voldemort... Dumbledore should have had the absolute advantage. How could he have disappeared so unexpectedly?

"What's Tom Riddle's current state?" Despite the overwhelming doubts in her mind, Vera continued questioning.

The changes in the world today were caused by two people: one was Dumbledore, the now-missing Dumbledore; the other was Tom Riddle, His Majesty who founded the Magic Federation Empire.

Based on her previous understanding of Voldemort, there was nothing wrong with describing him as a murderous madman and a leader of terrorists. However, to create a country and rule it? Vera still couldn't imagine casting such a role on Tom Riddle.

Just as Lucius opened his mouth to answer, suddenly...

"Since Miss Vera wants to know about my status so badly, she should ask me in person. Ask them, and they will only know a little bit about it!"

The voice was unusually familiar, and the tone surprisingly gentle. But Draco and Lucius shuddered when they heard it, cold sweat breaking out on their foreheads. Their bodies froze like stone, so stiff they dared not move.

Because this was His Majesty's voice. His Majesty Tom Riddle was here!

Vera turned around almost instantly upon hearing the voice behind her, drawing her wand and pointing it at Tom Riddle.

Tom Riddle was wearing simple black casual clothes, his wand hanging at his waist. He looked at Vera with a gentle expression.

"Tom Riddle!" Looking at the handsome young man before her, Vera spoke his name.

"Long time no see, Vera," Tom said with a smile. "We are all acquaintances, and I will forgive your rudeness this time. It's not polite to call me by my first name. Isn't that right, Ian?"

Tom Riddle turned to the left as he spoke.

At the same time, Ian appeared at Voldemort's left, holding his wand at the ready.

This visit to Lucius's house wasn't just to gather information. Another purpose was to test Voldemort. If Voldemort didn't appear, it meant that their isolation methods were still effective. If he was aware and rushed to the scene, then they would need to be more cautious in dealing with him. After all, their strongest shielding method had failed, and what would happen next would only be worse.

"Voldemort, I'm a little curious," Ian said, as the ring on his right hand quietly lit up. "How did you block our teacher's methods?"

Knowing there would be changes in the wizarding world, Lockhart had naturally given him some means of protection when he came. Of course, the same was true for Vera.

In response to Ian's question, Voldemort's expression turned cold almost instantly. He had not forgotten the time when he was imprisoned, tortured, and used as a test subject by Lockhart. All kinds of magical contracts and brands had been placed upon him, safeguards against his potential betrayal.

"Before you answer, Ian, please answer a question for me first," Voldemort said, his voice hardening. "Is Lockhart back? Or is he still in his new world?"

Chapter 707: The Illusion of Privacy

"Do you really want to know about the teacher?" Ian asked coldly. "Just follow me!"

Regarding Voldemort's question, Ian spoke in an indifferent tone. He didn't seem to care about the change in Voldemort's expression.

Then, Ian moved closer to Vera and gestured to Voldemort. Immediately afterward, the two of them leapt into the air, hovering high in the sky. They seemed to be waiting for Voldemort's move.

But Voldemort merely stared without taking any action, while the two of them flew away into the distance. Their speed was neither urgent nor slow, seemingly deliberately setting aside time to wait for Voldemort's reaction.

As for Voldemort—no, it should be said that His Majesty Tom Riddle—was just watching. Before him, Lucius and Draco lowered their heads and knelt on the ground. Looking at Tom Riddle, who was exuding a cold aura at this moment, they felt as though they had encountered the Dark Lord who had killed countless people more than thirty years ago, and their hearts were filled with fear.

Tom Riddle squinted his eyes and watched Ian and Vera flying into the distance. He resisted the urge to take action, simply snorting with disdain, not bothering with Lucius and Draco in front of him. He transformed into a black mist and drifted away in the wind.

The next moment, Voldemort's figure reappeared in an underground palace somewhere in the center of London. His footsteps echoed through the chamber—tread! tread! tread!

The moment he appeared in the underground palace, he took a few familiar steps forward, walked up to the high platform, and sat on the throne at the top of the palace. At this moment, the entire palace was deserted and quiet.

Voldemort sat on the throne, slowly stretched his right hand forward, and with a wave, black mist filled the air in front of him. Soon, the black mist floating before him transformed into waves like water, and then scenes appeared.

And what was shown in those scenes? Ian and Vera.

Lockhart had always been very mysterious. Especially regarding the existence of the New World—although Voldemort had been with Lockhart for a time, he knew little about it. However, he vaguely knew that Lockhart was probably from another world.

Whether Lockhart was from another world, or had traveled from the wizarding world to other worlds, none of this mattered much to Voldemort. The most important thing was the unknown power behind the new world.

He had not forgotten that Lockhart possessed magic, potions, and various magical resources that were beyond his comprehension. Originally, Lockhart's strength had been far superior to his own. After more than thirty years in the wizarding world, Lockhart may have made even further progress, especially since there was a mysterious and unknown world supporting him.

Voldemort didn't dare to gamble. In particular, he sensed a threatening aura from Ian and Vera. Although it was somewhat weak, there was no doubt that it could definitely harm him. This made him more wary of Lockhart, so he didn't take direct action, but chose to observe secretly. He hoped to uncover the secrets and strength behind people like Lockhart.

In the magical image, Ian and Vera walked together, concealing their presence, flying out of London, and landing at a villa in the suburbs.

"Vera, what do you think?" In his temporary safe house, Ian sat on the sofa and asked Vera.

But Vera frowned at this moment and did not reply. She had already prepared for a significant confrontation and had unleashed the trump card given by her teacher. Yet, despite their dramatic exit, Voldemort, as the leader of a country, hadn't made any move at all.

Given the opportunity, the other party didn't even attempt to attack them. Vera found it strange. Could it be that Voldemort was afraid of their teacher? That would make sense. But it wasn't like him to take no action whatsoever.

This time, they had also been preparing to test Voldemort's true capabilities. In the Marvel world, under their teacher's training, their strength had increased significantly. If Voldemort was of average power, the two of them could compete with or even defeat him.

Then there would be nothing to worry about—if Dumbledore wasn't a serious issue, they could handle things themselves. Especially when other allies arriving in the wizarding world would join them. Not only the people of the saints, but also the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj.

As long as Voldemort's strength did not exceed expectations, they were confident they could seize control and power to welcome their teacher back. But now, despite their provocation, Voldemort hadn't even reacted. How could that not arouse suspicion?

At this moment, Vera's mind raced with possibilities. At the same time, she turned her head and looked around, extending her mental power, as if trying to detect something.

The only explanation she could think of was that Voldemort was watching them to gather more information. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain his behavior. Of course, this also suggested that Voldemort wasn't completely confident about dealing with the two of them.

Vera's actions made Ian's expression change, and with his intelligence, he could naturally deduce the reason. Without hesitation, he raised his wand and began to draw runes one by one in mid-air.

In central London, Voldemort watched the scene unfold, noting the traces of familiar runes. He couldn't help but lick his lips, a fierce light appearing in his eyes. He had not forgotten that Lockhart had used the same methods to imprison him, treating him as a test subject and torturing him continuously. Finally, Lockhart had cast him out as a chess piece to fight against his other Horcrux clone.

Fortunately...

As Ian waved the wand in his hand, runes glowing with light gold appeared and flew around. Faintly, a layer of pale golden ripples emanated from the center, enveloping the entire villa.

Ian was casting a spell to block magical surveillance from a distance.

Vera also withdrew her mental power. She had just investigated the surrounding area. There were no wizards nearby, just ordinary people—at most, mundane individuals practicing meditation diligently. Nothing even remotely threatening.

Seeing Vera open her eyes and shake her head slightly, Ian immediately understood the situation around them. At the same time, Ian nodded, indicating that his magic had been successfully cast and they could speak confidently.

"According to the information obtained from Lucius and the others, Headmaster Dumbledore was once in a good position, and he carried out the plan completely according to our teacher's instructions," Vera said. "It stands to reason that Headmaster Dumbledore should have been able to implement the reformed magic system and reunite with the teacher. I didn't expect that he would disappear inexplicably in just two years. This is definitely the key to solving the mystery."

Ian nodded slightly and continued: "I think Voldemort must know some relevant information. But he's definitely not the one with the upper hand. Under the circumstances at that time, with Headmaster Dumbledore's mysterious methods, there was absolutely no chance for Voldemort to make a comeback. It must have been an accident!"

Vera nodded in agreement. "We should first investigate and see if there were any major changes or phenomena that year. As long as something happened, it can't be without traces."

"You're right, Vera, but the most important thing now is to gather the other companions who have arrived. Otherwise, it will be difficult for just the two of us to quickly discover any effective information."

The two of them continued their conversation, arranging their next steps.

However...

In the underground palace of distant London, Voldemort looked at the two figures talking in the light curtain before him with cold, calculating eyes. Every word and every move they made was clearly visible to him.

Ian and Vera's protective measures had no effect at all.

Chapter 708: The Stranger on Diagonal Avenue

Isle of England, East London.

Diagonal Avenue in the East District bustled with activity, filled with dense crowds of shoppers. A large number of fashionably dressed men and women carried various shopping bags as they moved through the thoroughfare.

The original name of Diagonal Avenue had long been forgotten. But the name derived from Diagon Alley, once the most famous place in the wizarding world. Of course, such a name had been chosen by relevant officials with the intention of pleasing wizards. In the Federation, becoming a wizard—even a squib—allowed one to reach the sky in a single step. Anything associated with wizards was a cult favorite. Even if it was just a name—that's how Diagonal Avenue was born.

As a well-known shopping street, the high-rise buildings and various shops lining both sides of the street were almost dazzling to behold. Nearly all the world's mainstream brands could be found here. After all, London itself was the center of the world at this moment, and all kinds of resources gathered in London. And who would miss out on establishing a presence in a prosperous place like Diagonal Avenue?

Here, wizards would come and go regularly.

At this moment, Kaecilius, dressed in designer clothing, walked leisurely down the street. He took in the wizarding world of 2033—the flying cars soaring high in the sky, the towering high-rise buildings, and the various exquisite shops. Feeling the prosperity around him, Kaecilius couldn't help but sigh.

Perhaps, in his world, the New York of the future should be like this.

It had been two or three days since he arrived in the wizarding world. He had gained a fairly good understanding of the general situation. Among the many things he'd learned, what puzzled him most was that there were numerous discrepancies in the information provided by Lockhart.

The most significant one was the timeline. Lockhart had once mentioned that the wizarding world was only at the year 1996 when he departed. The entire world situation had been very different from that in their history. It could be regarded as a parallel world, but with the presence of wizards.

However, Kaecilius had arrived 37 years after the time Lockhart had mentioned. The world situation had changed drastically. Britain had unified the world—no, it should be said that wizards ruled the world. All this made Kaecilius, who had just arrived, feel a sense of wonder.

In their own world, the extraordinary still hid in the dark corners of society. It wasn't like here, where magical ability was enthusiastically pursued, where practitioners walked in the light, standing at the top of society. The entire world's resources were tilted toward wizards.

To be honest, Kaecilius felt a twinge of envy. After all, most people with extraordinary abilities were accustomed to hiding in the shadows, working silently. If you could step out openly, show your strength, demonstrate your achievements, and gain the respect of everyone—why not do it?

Walking leisurely down the street, Kaecilius glanced briefly at his surroundings before heading toward a café. He would take a break, have a cup of coffee, and perhaps hear about anything interesting. In short, he was in no hurry.

With his understanding of Lockhart's strength, coupled with the power of the Eye of Agamotto, he couldn't imagine how Lockhart could possibly lose in this world. After all, it was impossible for a dimensional god-level entity to appear in this world, right? Therefore, he wanted to take his time and explore this world—Lockhart's homeland.

"Welcome to Star Coffee Shop!"

As he entered the café, a soft female voice greeted him. After glancing at the delicate-faced waitstaff and nodding slightly, Kaecilius paid them little mind and directly found a seat by the window, sitting down quietly. He took the menu and ordered some coffee and dessert.

Then he leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and appeared to be resting. But in fact, he extended his mental powers, sensing the information around him. Although he wasn't a professional at gathering intelligence, he understood the general principles.

The most efficient method was to directly approach a senior executive and inquire. Alternatively, one could piece together massive amounts of scattered information to uncover unknown truths. These were two distinct approaches.

At this moment, Kaecilius chose the second option. This way, he could quickly become familiar with present-day London. To be honest, if he were to play the role of a London native now, he would be more convincing than the real thing.

One minute and one second passed. Kaecilius kept his eyes closed, took a long breath, and seemed to fall into a deep sleep.

Suddenly...

"Sir, your coffee is ready. Please enjoy it at your leisure!"

A soft female voice broke his concentration. Kaecilius opened his eyes, nodded, then picked up the coffee and took a sip. He was curious to taste how coffee might have changed by 2033.

Well, no change at all.

Kaecilius commented silently to himself.

Then...

Tread! Tread! Tread!

Listening to the subtle footsteps, he watched as a young man holding a cup of coffee and wearing a black wizard robe slowly walked to the seat opposite him and sat down quietly.

Kaecilius frowned.

"Sir, you might want to try the new product in our store—'Hogwarts Tragedy!'"

The young man opposite pushed the coffee in front of Kaecilius and said softly.

"This cup is complimentary. I hope I can hear your thoughts on it."

The Tragedy of Hogwarts?

Kaecilius' right thumb caressed the ring hanging on his index finger, and his heart skipped a beat. Coming to the wizarding world, Luhan's natural guide had introduced him to some basic information. Although the current Wizarding Federation Empire had long since erased the history of Hogwarts, he still knew about the school's existence.

Looking at the black coffee being pushed toward him, Kaecilius smiled lightly, holding a spoon in his hand and spinning it slightly in the coffee cup. A small whirlpool formed, spinning constantly. Even when he pulled the spoon away, the whirlpool didn't stop, like an endless perpetual motion machine.

"The Tragedy of Hogwarts—that's an interesting name," Kaecilius said softly, lounging casually on the sofa. "If you want to hear my review, then first tell me the story behind the name."

Across from him, Voldemort—no, it should be said that Tom Riddle—looked deeply at the 'Grindelwald' sitting opposite him, with a trace of doubt in his eyes.

Strange... the other party doesn't seem to recognize me.

Moreover, why does Grindelwald have such a strong aura of another world, so much more potent than Ian and Vera before? There seems to be an essential difference.

These thoughts flashed through Tom Riddle's mind as he tapped his index finger on the table, as if contemplating the other's request.

Then...

"Better to be respectful than to disobey," Tom said. "The story behind The Tragedy of Hogwarts is naturally a piece of history from the past. This period of history marks the time when the once world-famous Hogwarts met its end. This cup of coffee is a tribute to that forgotten past!"

As Tom Riddle began recounting that period of history from long ago...

Suddenly...

BOOM!

A deafening explosion sounded in the distance, and powerful magical waves swept through the entire city at lightning speed.

Chapter 709: Duel of Worlds

"In the name of the disciples of the Supreme Sorcerer Lockhart, all descendants gather at the location of the original New York Temple..."

As the powerful magical wave rippled outward, an encrypted message emerged in Kaecilius' mind. Across from him, Voldemort's expression changed slightly. With his abilities, he could naturally detect the information carried by magical fluctuations, but it was obvious that the message was chaotic and heavily encrypted at first glance.

Although 'Grindelwald's' expression showed no significant changes, Voldemort could still tell from the slight movement in his eyes that the other party might have received something meaningful.

So it's true—Grindelwald and Lockhart have joined forces, Voldemort thought. I just don't know the extent of their alliance. If I could instigate a rebellion between them...

"Dumbledore, I believe you should be very familiar with him. He is the cause of Hogwarts' disappearance..." Although his thoughts were racing, Voldemort seemed not to have paid any attention to the distant explosion, and continued explaining the story behind the coffee called "Hogwarts Tragedy." He was attempting to link Grindelwald with Dumbledore, hoping to persuade him if possible.

Kaecilius, sitting opposite, had no intention of continuing to listen. Originally, he was merely curious about the changes in the wizarding world. It would be good to know the past history, but it didn't matter much if he didn't.

"Sorry, I have something urgent to attend to," Kaecilius interrupted. Although he sensed that the wizard before him was no ordinary person, he didn't feel particularly concerned.

However, Voldemort's eyes narrowed slightly.

From the beginning, he had felt something different about this Grindelwald. If it weren't for the strong aura emanating from the other party and the lack of any traces of disguise, he would have assumed he was an impostor.

But now...

"It's a bit rude to leave in the middle of a conversation," Tom Riddle said quietly.

At the same time, as if responding to some unspoken command, all the guests in the café quickly and orderly exited. The pedestrians in the surrounding streets likewise dispersed. In less than a minute, both the Star Café and Diagonal Avenue were completely deserted.

Only Kaecilius and Tom Riddle remained, sitting face to face.

Witnessing this, Kaecilius's expression grew solemn, and the ring on his finger glowed faintly. He couldn't detect the method behind the opponent's move just now—there was no magic, no mental power, not even magical energy. It seemed to happen naturally, as if it were a normal, everyday occurrence.

But how could that be possible?

Seeing the change in 'Grindelwald's' eyes, Voldemort's lips curled into a smile. The power of authority was easy to wield. At this stage of his life, only the transformations of those who had once been on the same level as him could arouse his interest.

"Long time no see, Grindelwald," Tom Riddle said, getting straight to the point. "I want to know, where have you been during all this time?"

Hearing this, Kaecilius immediately understood—he had been mistaken for Grindelwald. He was quite surprised when he first saw the wizard Grindelwald, who had essentially the same face as him. Although he roughly understood what was happening, Kaecilius had no intention of explaining. He gently touched the ring on his finger with his left hand.

"If you want to know, I can tell you," he said in an indifferent tone. "But what do you offer in exchange?"

At the same time, the ring on his right hand glowed with a faint green light, and a subtle time fluctuation slowly spread outward.

Sensing the danger, Tom Riddle's expression remained unchanged. But a careful observer would notice that his pupils had transformed into a tree-like pattern, resembling those of a venomous snake.

At this moment, both parties fell silent, looking into each other's eyes. The atmosphere suddenly became extremely oppressive, as if time itself had stopped.

Then...

"You are not him. Who are you?" Voldemort asked coldly, his tone certain.

"Well, if I'm not him, then who am I?" Kaecilius looked directly into Tom Riddle's eyes and replied casually.

"I don't know either, but I think I will soon find out," Tom Riddle said with a smile, staring into Kaecilius's eyes.

Then...

"Crucio!"

Voldemort flicked the fingers of his right hand, and a dark green diamond-shaped curse, emitting an agonizing wail, shot toward Kaecilius's face with lightning speed.

Immediately afterward...

Boom!

In an instant, a pale golden barrier appeared before Kaecilius. Though it appeared very thin, it firmly blocked the Cruciatus Curse.

"Is this how you treat guests?" Through the light golden film, Tom Riddle could clearly see the sarcasm on Kaecilius's face.

While speaking, Kaecilius waved his right hand, channeling magical power into his ring. A dark purple lightning bolt descended from the sky, striking toward Tom Riddle.

Boom!

A black shadow flashed, and Voldemort appeared unharmed on the other side of the café. He stared at what remained of his seat—now smashed to pieces by the deep purple thunder.

At the same time, Kaecilius also rose to his feet.

Voldemort could be seen toying with the wand in his hand, while Kaecilius raised his arms, causing silver-white dual blades to materialize in his hands.

Seeing the warrior-like stance of his opponent, Voldemort smiled. Although he now knew this Grindelwald was an impostor, he hadn't expected the other party to be foolish enough to confront him with mere blades.

"Crucio!"

Without hesitation, Voldemort waved his wand and cast the Cruciatus Curse again at Kaecilius. He wanted this person alive to extract enough information from his mind. In particular, he was very curious about why the other party had the same face as Grindelwald.

Across from him, Kaecilius saw the more powerful spell approaching. Without hesitation, his right hand simply sketched a circle in mid-air. In an instant, a red, flame-colored teleportation portal emerged. Simultaneously, an identical portal appeared behind Voldemort.

Whoosh.

The Cruciatus Curse passed through the teleportation portal, traversed space, and shot toward Voldemort's back.

Repay in kind—this was one of Kaecilius's favorite tactics. It also highlighted a feature he had discovered about wizards' spellcasting in this world: most spells cast were singular and tangible. The portals of Kamar-Taj completely overcame this type of magic. Of course, it was also due to the special nature of the magical energy in their bodies that allowed them to control the portals so effortlessly.

The moment spatial fluctuations appeared behind him, Voldemort immediately understood what was happening. As he spun around, Kaecilius saw Voldemort holding his wand and swinging it hard behind him. A wave of red flame-like light suddenly appeared, directly shattering the Cruciatus Curse into pieces.

Kaecilius did not miss this opportunity. Gripping his two blades, he suddenly rushed toward Voldemort.

Wizards in this world, including Lockhart, had one glaring weakness—they were helpless in melee combat!

Chapter 710: Blood and Time

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Waving the sharp blades in his hands, Kaecilius rushed toward Voldemort, intent on striking a lethal blow.

Seeing Kaecilius charging at him, Voldemort's eyes reflected a strange light as he pushed forward with his right hand. Instantly, a thick gray barrier materialized before him, attempting to block the opponent's attack. To be honest, he wasn't accustomed to this type of melee combat from a mage. After all, how could proper wizards engage in something as vulgar as physical combat?

Kaecilius didn't slow down—on the contrary, he accelerated. In a split second, a circular portal appeared before him. It took only a moment for the red flame-colored portal to fully form. Kaecilius rushed directly into it with practiced ease, raising the sharp blade in his hand and thrusting forward.

Space transformed, and with lightning speed, Kaecilius appeared behind Voldemort.

Buzz!

The sharp blade slid smoothly, piercing directly through Voldemort's heart from behind. However, what confused Kaecilius was his opponent's reaction—or lack thereof. The blade had clearly penetrated the body, and Kaecilius could feel the slight resistance of flesh and blood. But according to his experience, at the very least, the other party's body should have tensed reflexively. After all, the pain of being pierced through was enough to make anyone lose control momentarily. What's more, he had targeted the heart.

However, his opponent didn't seem injured at all.

Voldemort looked down at the blade protruding from his chest expressionlessly, his face revealing neither pain nor anger. Not being familiar with his opponent's fighting style had cost him this time. Fortunately... his body had been transformed!

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Just as Kaecilius was puzzling over this, a buzzing sound suddenly filled the air, and his expression changed dramatically. He watched as Voldemort's body began to cover the sharp blade with red, thread-like structures at a speed visible to the naked eye. These threads gave him a deeply unsettling feeling, and alarm bells rang in his mind. He quickly released his grip and took several steps backward.

In just a second or two, the blood-colored threads had completely enveloped the blade.

Then...

Under Kaecilius's horrified gaze, the blade transformed into blood-colored molten metal and merged into Voldemort's body as if being swallowed.

Tread! Tread! Tread!

Voldemort turned around and stared at Kaecilius, who wore Grindelwald's face.

"Interesting. Very interesting!" Voldemort uttered coldly.

The next moment, his entire form rapidly transformed into blood-colored mist and flew toward Kaecilius. He wanted to engulf him—to consume all his magical power, his flesh and blood, his soul, and his memories.

Kaecilius's expression changed dramatically when he saw the strange, bloody mist flying toward him. Although the blade he had wielded was condensed from magic and possessed both magical power and a hardness that would make it nearly indestructible to ordinary means, it had been consumed with frightening ease.

Now, his opponent's transformed body was rushing toward him. It was easy to imagine that after being touched by this bloody mist, escape from death would be nearly impossible. He cursed inwardly, thinking that Lockhart's world was truly full of monsters. At the same time, he retreated quickly, waving the ring on his hand to construct a barrier of red flames before himself, attempting to block the bloody mist.

In this situation, engaging the opponent in close combat would be suicidal.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

When the bloody mist encountered the first red flame barrier, it seemed momentarily halted, as if encountering this kind of energy for the first time. But soon, the barrier was consumed entirely. When the mist reached the second barrier, it flowed through it like water through paper, devouring it completely.

Fully utilizing the characteristics of what appeared to be Blood Abyss Insects, Voldemort broke through five or six barriers in rapid succession.

This caused Kaecilius's face to contort with dread. He cursed inwardly at encountering such a monster. The energy barriers had bought him only a little time, and now he could clearly see that this writhing weapon was composed of countless tiny insects—a naked monstrosity. No wonder his attack had no effect—it hadn't struck any vital area at all.

His mind racing, Kaecilius waved his hand, and a portal appeared behind him. Just as he was about to escape through it...

Suddenly...

BOOM!

The entire portal seemed to be strongly suppressed by some outside force, and it shattered with a deafening bang. Red, flame-colored sparks scattered everywhere.

Kaecilius bit his lip, realizing that his opponent had restricted his means of escape. Looking at the approaching bloody mist, he stretched his left hand forward and spread his fingers. Simultaneously, a green halo suddenly appeared around his left wrist. A powerful temporal force emanated from it, condensing into a green, roulette-like disc before his hand.

Kaecilius stared at the green roulette wheel imbued with the power of time, and a wry smile flashed across his face. He had originally thought he wouldn't need to use this at all, but less than a week later, here he was, using his trump card for self-preservation.

His right hand controlled the ring, slowly rotating it counterclockwise. The roulette wheel also began to reverse. In an instant, everything—the broken barriers, the approaching bloody mist, the destroyed tables and chairs—began to move backward.

Like rewinding a movie, everything began to reverse step by step, returning to its original position.

Time was reversing!

The bloody mist receded and then condensed back into human form, transforming into the appearance of Tom Riddle once more. Time stopped at this moment—everything was frozen in place.

Kaecilius took a long, hard look at Voldemort, committing his face to memory. Without hesitation, he opened a teleportation gate and departed directly, heading toward the location from which the encrypted message had been sent.

This time, without Voldemort's interference, the portal opened as expected.

The moment the portal closed, time resumed its normal flow.

Voldemort, who had been about to transform into his blood weapon form, stood motionless. He had been affected by the time manipulation and had no way to control it. But with his strength, he could still maintain his spiritual consciousness and soul in a normal state.

Therefore, after witnessing what had just transpired, he chose neither to take immediate action nor to follow Kaecilius.

America, New York, nighttime.

Call! Call! Call!

Even the most prosperous city had its desolate areas. For example, the Blanc District in New York was a notorious blighted area. The Wizard's Federal Empire wasn't particularly friendly to Black people, especially since the upper class were predominantly from England. Although there were many Black wizards, most remained at the lowest levels of society.

At this moment, Kaecilius was walking through the Blanc District, looking at the sparsely populated streets, and couldn't help but shake his head. He had known that Hell's Kitchen was never a good neighborhood, but he hadn't expected that in this alternate world, Hell's Kitchen—or its equivalent—wouldn't be much better.

Darkness could never be entirely extinguished!

But he didn't dwell on this; his focus was on reaching the meeting place. He wanted to ask Ian what had happened here, as everything was very different from the information that had been originally provided.