The moment those words were spoken, the students instantly stopped reminiscing.
No, it was more accurate to say the scenes in their memories became crystal clear!
Forty students from two houses in one class—back then, they'd been utterly powerless to fight back, forced to endure the professor's sharp tongue!
If they hadn't genuinely learned so much, they would've treated him like a second Snape right then and there!
"Professor, I think you're wrong!" George stepped forward with a serious expression.
Amidst stunned gazes and Tver's curious stare, Fred joined him.
"Yes, you've made a colossal mistake."
The twins exchanged a glance, then fixed their eyes on the professor in perfect unison.
"Our abilities haven't improved that much!" they declared with righteous conviction.
Silence hung heavy for several seconds...
"Exactly! We're nowhere near that good!"
"I still need you, Professor, to teach me personally!"
"I... I think I could give it a try..." Cedric said timidly.
Students: (ー`′ー)
"You two," Tver rescued Cedric, who was about to be mobbed, "don't lose faith in yourselves like that. I know better than anyone how hard you've worked these past two years."
"Have you already given up?"
"Don't you want to try—to actually defeat me once?"
The students' eyes grew brighter and brighter, until finally, they shone like light bulbs.
Right! The professor said we've improved so much—why not give it a shot?
They weren't third-year rookies anymore. Think of all the knowledge they'd gained these past two years, the statues they'd defeated...
They'd failed before—what was one more defeat? But what if they actually defeated the professor?!
Their eyes suddenly gleamed with mischief.
In their excitement, they'd forgotten that the assessment of their progress had also come from the professor...
"Feeling fired up?" Tver teased.
"Cut the chatter and get on with it!" George declared, voicing everyone's impatience.
Tver shot him a meaningful glance.
"In that case, our third duel officially begins!"
His posture was relaxed, not even drawing his wand.
Davies's eyes lit up.
Having learned from the previous two encounters, he'd resolved not to rush the attack.
But the professor's blatant underestimation of him? Wasn't that handing him the perfect opportunity?!
Not to use it would be a waste of the professor's two years of training!
He swiftly swung his wand, sending a precise, icy red beam hurtling toward the professor's position.
Just from that spell alone, one could see how much he'd improved over the past two years.
But...
A transparent shield blocked the red beam.
Shield Charm!
Davies recognized it instantly—and it was performed wandless and nonverbal.
No!
He suddenly sensed faint magical ripples surging beneath his feet—ripples he would never have detected before.
But now, after multiple ankle-pinching incidents, he could clearly pinpoint the direction of the disturbance!
He leapt backward instantly.
Sure enough, numerous hands surged from where he'd been standing and the surrounding area.
This time, though, they grasped at thin air, he thought smugly.
The very next second, though, he saw the stunned expressions on George and the others.
Before he could even ask, a red beam struck him!
Instantly, the familiar ropes bound him tightly, and his whole body stumbled backward, crashing to the ground.
Damn it, there's no ceiling!
Lying on the floor, staring up at the azure sky, Davies thought to himself, utterly baffled.
"Don't stop—meaning don't cease casting spells, and don't stop moving either."
"Because your opponents aren't pigs who'll dumbly wait for you to dodge before unleashing their next spell!" Tver stood with effortless ease. His wand had appeared in his hand at some point, hanging casually at his side.
A chill instantly ran through the students. That familiar feeling...
They dared not linger in their stupor any longer, immediately coordinating to chant various spells.
"Moreover, if you halt your offense, your opponents naturally gain the opportunity to continue attacking you."
"So, remember what I mentioned last year?"
"Rhythm!"
"Don't casually cede the rhythm to your opponents, letting them lead you by the nose!"
Tver shouted as he parried the students' sudden barrage of attacks. His nonchalant movements infuriated the students to no end.
Our attacks haven't stopped, yet you look so relaxed!
Compared to their first duel, however, their offense now showed clear structure. This improvement stemmed from last year's statue battle. Having experienced team coordination, they could now divide tasks and cooperate seamlessly.
The disruptors focused solely on using Transfiguration spells to restrict the professor's movements.
The attackers advanced in a well-layered, step-by-step assault, unleashing a continuous barrage of offensive magic that left Tver no breathing room.
Meanwhile, the support members concentrated on countering the suddenly surging ground and the professor's occasional counterattacks.
For a moment, the battle reached a stalemate.
Though they hadn't even grazed the professor's robe, no student except Davies had been hit!
A surge of confidence welled up within them.
Initially, they'd harbored some apprehension. After all, two years of experience had taught them no one would be foolish enough to doubt the professor's power.
Yet now, they were actually trading blows with him?!
It was precisely this moment of complacency that saw a burst of crimson light explode onto the ground!
They jolted in fright, but thankfully it only shattered the stone slabs, sending small pebbles flying...
No!
Cedric was the first to notice the pebbles' peculiarity, but before he could warn anyone, several classmates were struck by the fragments. Instantly, ropes surged forth, binding them.
Tver's coaching voice came through just in time.
"This is combat, not playing house."
"Maintain absolute focus until you're certain you've truly defeated your opponent!"
"Because you can't tell if he's genuinely weak or deliberately feigning weakness, waiting for you to show a weakness!"
Before the students could process these words, they felt the pressure they faced surge dramatically!
The professor abandoned his steady counterattack rhythm, instead unleashing shattered stones, concealed spells, and even charms that darted around with bird-like agility!
"Block every single one of the professor's charms! Don't relax until they're neutralized!"
Cedric shouted urgently, for a spell they thought they'd dodged had suddenly curved around and struck a student!
"Professor, didn't you say most charms fly straight?" George asked with a grimace.
This meant they'd have to expend massive energy countering charms, rendering their previously effective, fluid positioning completely useless...
"Right, most of them," Tver replied with a light chuckle.
"This is the battlefield. You won't just face wizards—you might encounter bizarre magical creatures or dark magic you've never seen before."
"So, don't measure any opponent with the mindset you'd use for ordinary wizards!"
The students looked utterly disheartened.
We never thought of you as an ordinary wizard either...