Rumble, rumble.
Explosions kept erupting one after another inside the dark cave. The ground shook as huge boulders came crashing down from above, making the whole scene look like the end of the world had arrived.
Whoosh.
Katsura Kotonoha appeared on the left side of the cave with a long sword in hand. She let out a deep breath and sent a message to the group chat in front of her:
At least four kinds of power, maybe even five, fused together.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: That's too much. I can't believe it can cheat like this.
Doujin Artist: Tsk, it's not following the usual rules at all.
Machete Girl: Definitely.
Katsura Kotonoha strongly agreed. Her eyes turned toward the enormous creature in front of her.
It was a golden humanoid at least four meters tall. It had no nose or mouth, and six thick arms extended from both sides of its body.
What was even more horrifying was the countless dark-red eyeballs scattered across its body. One look at it was enough to make anyone's sanity plummet.
Wandering Mogando was the target of Katsura Kotonoha's trip to Switzerland. But only after fighting it did she realize that it might not be Mogando alone.
It possessed a mixture of several different powers.
As far as Katsura Kotonoha knew, it had already displayed immense physical strength, eyes that could fire red beams, the ability to regenerate severed limbs, and the power to transform its body.
Kotonoha had previously read descriptions of "demons" in ancient books. They might be incarnations of certain rules, and they were extremely skilled at using those rules.
But powers based on rules were similar to the abilities used by the espers in the Academy City setting. Each person's ability was usually limited to one type. They should never have been able to use so many different abilities like this.
Based on Katsura Kotonoha's own deductions, along with the guesses of everyone in the group, they all believed that the Mogando before them had absorbed and fused with the powers of other demons.
The demons had actually joined forces. Now that was definitely not following the usual script.
Curly-haired Guy: Hey, hey, what do you mean by "cheating"? This is a perfectly normal move, okay? Who said demons can't absorb and devour one another? Failing to consider that was your own mistake, Kotonoha-chan.
Lazy Kitten: Tsk, you really know how to take the moral high ground and criticize people. If it were you, would you have seen it coming?
Curly-haired Guy: Hmph. Before a fight, Gin-san prepares countless backup plans. No matter what happens, I never lose my cool.
Pretty Boy from Skull Island: Oh? That's not what you said when the cross-dressing Void seduced you. You said, "I'm marrying her today. No one can stop me!"
Doujin Artist: Hahahaha, that's right! You were really determined back then.
Curly-haired Guy: Shut up! That's completely different!
This is an Actor: Hmm, it really is different. Back then, you were planning to get married, not go into battle.
After sending the message, Jellal closed his textbook and turned to leave the classroom.
Hermione, sitting below the platform, took a deep breath. She looked deeply conflicted. The question of whether she should learn celestial magic had been weighing on her mind for a long time.
As a truly diligent student, the happy ending she had dreamed of before entering Hogwarts was to graduate with excellent grades in every subject. But after her trip into the Forbidden Forest, she had also come to understand the importance of power.
If she continued studying step by step, she was confident that she could achieve her goal of excelling in every subject. But that alone would not turn her into a truly powerful witch.
Against an enemy as strong as Aura, the magical knowledge and theory she was so proud of had been completely useless. And that was without even mentioning the possibility of facing someone like Voldemort in the future.
Was she really going to become nothing more than a burden who could only talk, waiting for someone else to save her?
Hermione slowly clenched her small fists. She already had her answer.
Her eyes were no longer hesitant. She stood up and hurried toward Jellal while Harry and Ron stared at her in shock.
"Professor Zickrein." Hermione appeared in front of the young professor at the corner. "I've made up my mind."
"Have you?" Jellal seemed to have expected this. The corners of his mouth curved upward. "In that case, we'll start after school."
"Yes!" Hermione nodded, her expression firm.
After returning to his room, Jellal closed the door and began drawing a magic circle on the floor.
Unlike the magic system of the Harry Potter world, learning celestial magic systematically required meditation. This kind of meditation was not as simple as closing one's eyes and thinking. It had to be performed together with a magic circle.
The magic circle allowed him to communicate with the energy of the universe. He would then use his own magic power to synchronize with that energy, linking the universe and the human body together. That was the true essence of celestial magic.
Just as he was finishing the circle, Aura silently appeared behind him with a suitcase in hand.
"Master, everything you requested is ready."
As she spoke, the house-elf in a tailcoat took out several strange objects wrapped in black mist. A pendant, a ring, and a golden cup were arranged neatly on the floor.
"Thank you for your hard work, Aura." Without turning around, Jellal slowly finished the final stroke of the magic circle.
Aura did not leave the room. After hesitating for a moment, she spoke.
"Great Master, there is something Aura would like to say…"
"Are you wondering why I went to such lengths to gather Voldemort's Horcruxes?" Jellal walked to the desk and took an ornate crown from the cabinet.
Aura pressed her lips together without saying anything, but her expression clearly showed that he was right.
"It's simple. I'm hoping that Voldemort, after his shattered soul has been put back together, will provide me with some fresh entertainment."
Jellal pointed at the air with one finger. All the Horcruxes vanished as if they had never existed.
"If I may speak frankly, Master." Aura bowed slightly. "He isn't worth it. Voldemort is nothing but a foolish, arrogant madman who relies on violence. He isn't even worthy of becoming your servant."
"Hmm. That's why I never planned to make him my servant." Jellal nodded in agreement. "Relax, Aura. I simply want to see how strong he is at his peak when we meet."
Aura froze for a moment, then fell silent again.
"Besides, don't you think he would make an excellent sacrifice?" The corners of Jellal's mouth curved upward as he let out a quiet laugh. "The Tower of Paradise should be very pleased with such a powerful evil soul."
---
Read 30 advanced chapters on my patreon
patreon.com/GustinaKamiya
---