Before Bones could react, a large hole had already been torn in the ceiling of the Courtroom Ten, and all the spells she and several members of the Wizengamot cast were blocked by Pandora, who had turned back into a briefcase.
Vincent unfolded his briefcase and stretched it out into a long strip around himself.
Pandora transformed into a ring covered with cannons, and the dazzling spells could only strike the all-encompassing magical barrier it created.
Vincent sat on the seat that extended from the circular platform. He gently turned the handle, and the nozzle at the bottom of the seat slowly sprayed out a stream of hot air.
The parchment on the table was blown about by the airflow, and Rita, standing directly below, even with her elegant hairstyle disheveled, faithfully broadcast everything that was happening to the outside world.
Pandora's sixth form is a small flying gunship that combines offense and defense. The cannons on its ring can not only fire missiles, but also pure magical energy.
Vincent piloted it slowly upwards, locking onto the wizards who were still launching attacks.
"Bang—bang—bang—"
The missiles, reforged through Alchemy, were launched one by one from the cannon muzzle, and neither Slowing Charm nor freezing spells had any effect.
Even if the missile's outer shell is blown apart, the clay inside remains a rather troublesome problem.
Gradually, the frequency of the spell's attacks decreased, and the entire Courtroom Ten seemed to be coated with a layer of sugar.
The flying gunship slowly carried Vincent up to the hole in the ceiling.
He mouthed "wait for me" to his friends and family below, then passed through the hole and arrived at the Department of Mysteries on the ninth floor.
After Fudge issued the emergency order, the Ministry of Magic activated its Anti-Apparition Jinx throughout the entire underground space, and the staff there clearly wouldn't welcome Vincent coming through the main entrance.
Elevators are at risk of being shut down, and stairs are too slow; opening up exits floor by floor is the most efficient method.
Vincent looked around. It was a huge circular room with walls, floors and ceilings made of the same black basalt as the Courtroom Ten.
This was his first time visiting the Department of Mysteries. The twelve black doors embedded in the wall were illuminated by blue candlelight that seemed about to go out at any moment, making it both mysterious and eerie, and irresistibly inviting one to explore further.
"Since we're already here..." Vincent piloted the flying gunship slowly toward the nearest door.
The Department of Mysteries is as mysterious as its name suggests; no one knows what the Silencers who work there are researching.
But one thing is certain: the things being researched here are extremely dangerous, otherwise there would be no need to use black basalt, which is effective in resisting magic, on such a large scale.
Vincent stopped in front of the door, thinking about how to get in.
Just then, a sorcerer with a pale and gloomy face walked out from the other door.
He seemed oblivious to the noisy flying gunship, and as he walked, he vigorously tugged at his messy long hair, probably troubled by some problem.
Vincent watched quietly as he walked straight toward the hole in the floor.
Someone this big shouldn't fall.
Just as the wizard was about to fall, Vincent pressed the switch to launch the grappling hook at his back.
With a "thud," the wizard fell into the hole in the floor, but instead of falling, he remained suspended in mid-air.
He was so frightened that he flailed his arms and legs, shouting repeatedly, "Ah—am I going to die? I don't want to fall to my death! Merlin, please save me..."
Vincent, speechless, pressed the switch to retract the grappling hook. "Calm down, you're safe now."
The rescued wizard looked around, "Merlin!? Are you Merlin?"
Vincent's lips twitched. "I'm not Merlin."
"But there's no one here at all. If it's not Merlin appearing, then what is it—ah! What is this thing?"
The wizard jogged over, his eyes shining as he examined the flying gunship. "Muggle jet engines? They were actually reforged using Alchemy? It's just a bit noisy."
To be able to spot the power source of a flying gunship at a glance—that takes some skill.
"Merlin, what is this ring?"
"I am not Merlin, this is a magic barrier generation device."
"What about the things extending from the ring?"
"The muzzle of a missile launcher."
"This is amazing! It's a perfect work of art, Merlin. Does it combine Muggle technology and Alchemy?"
"Pretty much. Also, I'm not Merlin."
The wizard seemed not to have heard the second half of the sentence. He reached out and stroked the muzzle of the cannon with a look of ecstasy. "Merlin, did you build this?"
With a "click," the door behind the two was suddenly opened.
Vincent turned around and saw that they were other Ministry of Magic employees.
Judging from their unfriendly expressions and the way they were holding wands, they probably weren't there on business with the Department of Mysteries.
"Vincent Wayne, you have nowhere to run. Drop your weapons and get off that weird flying device right now!"
Vincent glared at the wizard who had his face pressed against the cannon muzzle; he seriously suspected the man was there to stall for time.
"I'll say it again! Vincent Wayne, drop your weapons and get off that weird flying device right now!"
The wizard suddenly leaned his head towards them, "This isn't some strange flying device! It's a masterpiece combining Muggle technology and Alchemy!"
"Broderick Bode Bode?" The Ministry of Magic employee recognized him. "You...you've become Wayne's hostage?"
"Hostages?" The wizard Bode looked at Vincent, then at his colleagues holding wands opposite him. "What hostages? I almost fell down there just now. If it weren't for Merlin's intervention—wait, why is there a hole in the floor all of a sudden?"
The Ministry of Magic staff were dumbfounded.
Merlin's miracle? This kid's probably gone mad from doing experiments.
"Wayne, do you think you can leave the Ministry of Magic safely by taking hostages? Surrender immediately! Our reinforcements will be here soon!"
Vincent glared at Bode again, convinced that the man was doing it on purpose.
"Wayne?" Bode, clutching the ring on the flying gunship, leaned closer to Vincent. "You're not Merlin?"
"I've told you many times, I'm not Merlin."
Bode let go, his face filled with disappointment, and fell to the floor. "If it's not true, then it's not. Thank you for saving me. By the way, were they here to arrest you?"
The expressions on the faces of the Ministry of Magic employees opposite them were almost about to break.
"Bode! Didn't you receive Minister Fudge's emergency order?"
"An emergency order? What emergency order?"
"Wayne attempted to murder the Minister for Magic in public and has been classified as an extremely dangerous dark wizard."
"Huh!?" Bode jumped up in fright. "You guys aren't kidding, are you? May- Wayne doesn't look like a bad guy."
Vincent was also starting to lose his composure; this wizard Broderick Bode Bode was either deliberately feigning madness or had something wrong with his head.