Dark clouds churned in the sky, constantly changing shape. While obscuring the moonlight, they also seemed to be concealing some kind of secret observation, as if a goddess walking among mortals had orchestrated all of this.
"So, you are the goddess representing the moon?" Ian stood in the dimly lit back garden of the temple, looking up at the sky where not a single star could be seen.
There were no electric arcs, no rain, only thick, dark clouds that covered the entire sky like a curtain. If it weren't for the light sources on the ground, it would have been pitch black.
"As the daughter of the Sun God, I have the right to decide when the sky should shine and when it shouldn't," the " Priestess," who had exercised some kind of right, responded with a light laugh.
Ian nodded upon hearing this.
This wasn't too far off from his deduction. If the Misty High Tower Illusion he had seen was correct, then the Black-Robed Skeleton he had found, who was the goddess before him, was indeed a fallen sun at that time.
"Set off?"
Ian glanced at the time on his wrist. He was apprehensive about facing a Legendary Wizard, but he had no choice but to confront him in order to return to the correct future.
Fortunately, he's managed to recruit a goddess into the ranks, otherwise he alone would definitely not be a match for the Legendary Wizard. What? Riddle? In terms of strength, this guy is actually the weakest of all Voldemort's Remnant Soul.
and.
Only someone with a screw loose would trust Voldemort to be a decent teammate. It's a miracle Riddle didn't betray them; he wouldn't have brought Riddle along if he wasn't afraid Riddle would stay and cause trouble.
In fact, Riddle himself didn't want to go.
"Couldn't you just lock me in the dungeon? Or send me back to Hogwarts?" he kept repeating, referring to the school he used to scorn.
Perhaps it was only at this moment that he realized how wonderful Hogwarts was.
"I can't just go back whenever I want. Only when Professor LeMay Nick that I live in this era can I return to Hogwarts under his guidance."
Ian certainly wanted to solve Riddle's problem first, but he couldn't open a time portal himself, since there wasn't a Great Clock with an Ancient Time-Turner in this era.
"This is truly the most terrifying thing I've heard today. Didn't you consider the possibility that you might not be able to return before you chased me here? Over a span of more than two thousand years, the error could be half your lifespan," Riddle commented sharply. "Honestly, I think you should go to Gryffindor."
I don't know if he was cursing or if he genuinely thought Ian was a brute.
"I trust my Alchemy Professor, and..." Ian was fine until he brought it up, but the mere mention of it made him furious. He shoved his wand right at Riddle's nose again.
"You're clearly talking about going back to the Wu's Orphanage! Going back to your childhood! Is this your childhood? You weren't even a fertilized egg at that age!"
Ian's wand was practically shoving up Riddle's nose.
"I clearly said... start from the beginning..." Threatened with the blown nose, Riddle quickly retreated. His hands were now tied behind his back and he wore Ian's custom-made collar around his neck. Let alone using magic, even mobilizing the Magic Power within his body, Ian's collar could blow his head off.
Heaven knows where a second-grade student got his hands on dragon's blood explosives.
Potions that can actually explode.
"Can you two outsiders please stop arguing? I'm the victim here, who should be sleeping soundly in my palace. Instead, I'm being conscripted to deal with a filthy Wizard."
The " Priestess," who could probably retrieve offerings from afar, was probably munching on fruit again. She had changed into a dashing suit of armor, and instead of holding a scepter, she had pulled out a giant sword from somewhere.
A giant sword that was even wider than her body.
"I only wanted to remove the curse from me, I didn't want to make an enemy of a Legend..." Riddle's voice became much softer, and after being disciplined, he was extremely obedient in front of the " Priestess ".
"If you can kill Helpo, the curse you've been cursed will naturally disappear. This is different from ordinary Dark Magic; it's an 'assimilation' method built upon the power Helpo himself possesses." The " Priestess " swung the greatsword in her hand, not as unwilling as she claimed, but rather with a sense of eagerness.
"Is that so...?"
Riddle's pupils flickered slightly.
I don't know what she's thinking.
"I bet he's up to some trick or scheme again." Ian's alarm bells went off when he saw Riddle's reaction; he knew that thoughtful look all too well.
"Don't assume everyone is as bad as you." Riddle rolled his eyes at the young Wizard and shook his hands, which were tied behind his back, vigorously.
"Not only do I not have a wand, I don't even have the hand to hold one, and you have your bomb around my neck. What are you worried about? By the way, the wand you broke belongs to your classmate, not me." Riddle showed no remorse as a prisoner, and even made a gloating remark.
"I don't think Mr. Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy would care about the loss of a wand, otherwise he'd have to have another son." Ian didn't care whose wand he broke off. It was questionable whether he could even bring Malfoy back; perhaps Malfoy had already been turned into one of those bizarre mummies.
Just as Ian was pondering whether Malfoy's life was truly fortunate...
"Your Highness, we are ready."
Priest Ryan led a neat procession of priests in robes with runes carved on their faces. Ian spotted four or five people wearing robes of different colors among them.
This even included the group of priests he had seen in that temple. The little Girl Cassandra was among them, being held protectively in front of her by the temple's High Priest, waving happily to Ian.
"What kind of spectacle is this?" Ian looked at the procession of hundreds of priests, or hundreds of Wizard, and thought that in later times, this scale could have been used to wage a Wizard war.
"I am merely an avatar, not the real body. Now we are facing a Legend who has become an angel, so of course we need to gather all the power we can."
"Besides the Night Watch, all the Wizard in the city are here." The goddess in armor rolled her eyes, thinking that this little Wizard was completely unaware of the weight of Legend.
certainly.
It wasn't that Ian underestimated his opponent.
He mainly felt that quantity could not make up for the gap in quality.
"I thought you were the main damage dealer, that you could take down Helpo in no time." Ian looked at the group of priests whose Magic Power power was roughly equivalent to his own before he enrolled in school.
to be honest.
He started to feel scared.
"Of course I'm the main force, but I'm just the main tank. To deal with Helpo, we still need you guys. Can't you see that my gear is designed for a tank?"
"Have you ever played God Chess? Don't you know my character is a tank?" Upon hearing this, the " Priestess " spun around a few times to show off her armor.
And then there's that giant sword, wielded with tremendous force.
"..."
The young Wizard was speechless. He turned to Cassandra, "Even if what you say is right, isn't it a bit inappropriate to let a child participate in this kind of battle?"
really.
Cassandra may be a gifted prophet, but her own magical abilities are clearly not high. In battles involving Legendary Wizard, she would hardly even be considered cannon fodder.
He was worried about Ian.
"Don't underestimate her; she's the key to victory." The " Priestess " who had shouldered the greatsword simply smiled and then stepped forward to lead the group of priests who were bowing.
A team composed of Wizard.
They set off in a grand procession towards Mount Vesuvius.
These priests all had their own methods of flying, Ian was overwhelmed by the variety of flying gadgets they displayed. His desire to break the monopoly of flying brooms in the future grew stronger.
"What should I do? I can't use magic." Riddle watched as the Wizard flew away one by one, Riddle eyes wide with helplessness as he looked at the little Wizard beside him.
"Of course I'll take you."
Ian grabbed Riddle, then transformed into a cloud of white mist, soaring into the sky. Carrying the swaying Riddle, he also rushed towards Mount Vesuvius.
"This is a clever application of Human Transfiguration, isn't it?"
Riddle was very interested in Ian's method of flight. He had not yet mastered the ability to turn himself into Black Mist, but he felt that Ian's magic was exactly what he needed.
"If you're lucky enough, you'll have a lifetime to think about this in Azkaban." Ian threw Riddle to the ground as he landed.
Riddle had fallen face-first into the ground like a dog eating shit, wasn't annoyed. He simply spat out a mouthful of black mineral mud, silently stood up, and looked at the dilapidated temple he had just left.
Night Curtain like thick ink, pressing heavily on the earth and shrouding everything in deathly darkness. An ancient and sinister temple, hidden in the pitch-black Night Curtain, resembled a lurking beast, exuding a chilling aura.
The temple's outline loomed in the darkness, its ancient walls bearing the marks of time. Occasionally, eerie green lights would peek out from the temple's cracks, flickering and leaping like will-o'-the-wisps, adding a chilling touch to the deathly still scene.
It was as if the building had risen from the ground, and it had only just emerged not long ago. A lot of soil, along with some plants, was still swaying in the breeze among the bricks and tiles of the temple.
What are they doing?
Ian arrived beside the goddess who was gazing at the temple.
Because he arrived quite late, he only saw a group of priests chanting incantations and casting spells at the temple, releasing spells from their hands to create a magical shield.
"I can sense the evil spirits within, so these priests Death to prevent Helpo from escaping to other times or places."
"This is a very necessary tactic when dealing with Legendary Wizard. You can never imagine how many trump cards Legend have. I've heard of a Legend named Merlin who tricked several gods like an eel." The goddess spoke of this with lingering fear, unsure if she was one of the victims.
" Helpo also mentioned Merlin, but if I remember correctly, Merlin lived after your time?" Riddle, an all-around excellent student, was very good at history.
He cautiously asked his question, somewhat puzzled.
"Before asking such a question, think carefully about what Legend really means." The goddess scoffed, mercilessly mocking Riddle's limited knowledge.
Riddle seemed lost in thought.
What does it mean?
The young Wizard then asked a question.
He has always been troubled by the Legendary Path.
"It means you have to make yourself the center of a story, throughout history." The goddess made no attempt to hide anything; she gave Ian a meaningful look.
"As for the specific story, that depends on your ambitions. The simplest would be to become Champion, but I don't think that's the path you want."
This goddess's eyes seemed to see into people's hearts, possessing a depth more dazzling than the stars, as if she could see through their bodies and directly into their souls.
"I can sense that your path is one that is even greater than greatness."
She suddenly spoke.
The details are unclear.
This left the young Wizard completely bewildered.
"Challenging Legend, that should be considered the core of a story, but I don't know if it conforms to the rules that run through history." Ian was more concerned about whether his Legendary Path would be smooth.
"Perhaps."
The goddess's answer, however, was vague.
At that very moment.
The protective barrier that enveloped the entire Dark Temple was finally complete, and all the priests prostrated themselves on the ground, using themselves as Magic Node to maintain the barrier.
Let's go.
The goddess took a step and moved.
Ian was about to follow.
A small hand grasped Ian's hand from behind.
"Gods, would you like me to sing for you? I heard you are going to fight a terrible and evil scourge." The little Girl Cassandra looked up at Ian with worried eyes. She was the only one who hadn't participated in the magic ritual, probably because she was too young to learn that kind of magic.
"If you feel it's necessary, of course, no problem." Ian patted Cassandra's head and put a bracelet on the little Girl's wrist.
It will keep you safe.
Ian still remembered the eruption of Mount Pompeii. He had originally planned to mobilize the city's residents before the eruption, but no one expected the trouble caused by Helpo. So, unable to carry out a full mobilization, he had to settle for second best, hoping to save as many people as possible.
"This must be a blessing!"
Cassandra looked at the bracelet on her wrist with surprise.
"It's just a simple alchemical tool."
Ian chuckled softly.
Looking back at the priests prostrate on the ground, Riddle hurriedly followed the goddess and was reluctantly held up by her, seemingly role-playing as the shield.
Soft singing came from behind him.
Tender yet beautiful.
The original cheerleading team was born ahead of schedule.
Ian did not turn around.
He gripped his wand tightly in his hand, while the temple remained utterly silent, seemingly indifferent to their arrival. However, the moment the three paused at the gate, the temple's heavy doors creaked open. An ancient and mysterious aura wafted out, accompanied by the creaking of the hinges.
The noise was particularly jarring in the silent night. The open door, in the darkness, resembled a vast, unfathomable Black Hole. In fact, in this eerie atmosphere, the slowly opening door seemed to be inviting these uninvited guests inside, inviting them to step into the depths of this temple filled with the unknown and mystery.
"Is this some kind of trap?" Ian wondered, but the real brute had already charged in, wielding Riddle and the greatsword.
"..."
Ian could only follow. The moment he stepped across the threshold, a chill ran up his spine. The temple was much larger inside than it appeared from the outside.
The walls were covered with glowing runes that writhed and changed shape like living things. The floor was made of some kind of dark stone, and you could feel subtle vibrations when you walked on it.
It was as if the entire temple was alive.
Where is Helpo?
The Reckless Goddess looked around, her eyes shining brightly in the dim light, like two small suns, providing Ian with a lot of light to draw upon.
" Avada Plague!"
Ian was equally decisive.
He immediately expanded his domain. Waves of green light, almost tangible, spread outwards from him, bubbling on the ground as if boiling.
"Hehe."
In the silent temple.
A few disdainful sneers rang out.
"It's him! Helpo!"
Riddle covered his eyes in terror, his eyes burning with an intense heat, as if some force was devouring his soul, and visible black furrows appeared around his eye sockets.
" Riddle, you have indeed lived up to my expectations."
A hoarse voice sounded.
It seemed to come from all directions.
You're a spy!
The Reckless Goddess gripped Riddle's neck tightly.
She lit up completely, and the dazzling golden light instantly illuminated every dark corner, making the entire temple, which was shrouded in the Avada Plague, bright and clear.
However, it didn't reveal where Helpo was.
"No! I didn't! I'm not a spy!" Riddle frantically grabbed the hands of the Reckless Goddess with both of his own, but Reckless Goddess hands were like iron clamps, preventing him from breaking free.
"Is it possible that he was just being used?" Ian saw Riddle almost rolling his eyes, and he could clearly sense the fear and resentment in Riddle's heart.
"Step! Step!"
Even though he was exhaling more than inhaling, Riddle still managed to utter two words. He sounded terrified, as if he were afraid of something. Upon hearing this, Ian looked down and saw a black shadow lurking beneath the Avada Plague.
"What's this!"
Ian quickly controlled his Avada Plague, trying to retreat and engulf the black shadow, but it was as if it didn't exist and couldn't be touched by Mahoutokoro at all.
"Damn it! It's the Silent Mist Nightmare!!" The Reckless Goddess looked down and saw several moving black shadows beside her, and she immediately let out an incredulous exclamation.
Perhaps out of conditioned reflex, she jumped into the air.
"..."
Seeing this, the little Wizard quickly leaped into the air.
"What the hell is this?!"
Ian unleashed Fiendfyre, merging with the Avada Plague, yet it still couldn't harm the shadowy figures in the slightest, as if they existed in a different dimension from Ian and the world.
"It is a special kind of life form that feeds on memories and secrets. Anyone who touches it will be pulled into a dream, where hidden memories, even secrets that they themselves may have forgotten, will be exposed."
The Reckless Goddess began to explain, her tone quite tense.
"You're a goddess, why are you afraid of special life forms?" Ian was greatly puzzled. Even if what was here now was just a fragment of her will, she still held the status of a goddess.
Hearing the little Wizard's doubts.
The Reckless Goddess revealed a smile that was more like a grimace.
"Guess where this life form originated?"
She still wants to be a riddle teller even at this point.
"Can't you just say it directly! Put me down! No! Take me out of here!"
Riddle, lifted up, roared loudly.
He saw dark shadows appearing on the surrounding walls, and he no longer cared about offending any gods; he felt a terror and threat emanating from his very soul.
"Simply put, even gods can get sick, and this creature is born from the gods' diseases. You can think of it as a virus nurtured by the gods' bodies."
"I can be infected too!" The Reckless Goddess panicked. " The Silent Mist Nightmare mustn't touch me, otherwise they can distort the past and future, and twist the entire history, by devouring my memories. That's the most terrifying thing about the Silent Mist Nightmare —they have the ability to modify stories that have already been set in stone!"
As he spoke.
The light emanating from the Reckless Goddess was so bright it almost blinded Ian.
She was clearly very worried.
" Apparition! Quick! Apparition!" Riddle grew increasingly terrified as he listened. He had never seen such Magical Creatures before, and he shouted at Ian at the top of his lungs.
"We can't move it... We've sealed off this temple..." The Reckless Goddess's voice was weak, and she seemed rather guilty. As soon as she finished speaking, laughter erupted from all directions.
"It seems his target isn't me and Riddle, but you." Ian noticed that the most Silent Mist Nightmare were around the Reckless Goddess, and immediately realized Helpo's scheme.
This guy... wants to kill a god, or seize something that belongs to the gods!
"Think of a way!"
As Ian addressed the rather useless goddess, he waved his wand, and a silver light shone from the tip of his wand, revealing Ariana's Patronus form.
This tactic really worked.
The Silent Mist Nightmare around him were forced back somewhat by the light of the Guardian Spirit.
but.
The Silent Mist Nightmare surrounding the Reckless Goddess, however, did not diminish but rather increased.
"No! This isn't Guardian Spirit!" The Reckless Goddess was astonished to find that her massive light bulb couldn't compare to the microscopic features on Ian's wand, and looked at Ian with utter astonishment.
certainly.
Seeing that the surrounding Silent Mist Nightmare were increasing, the Reckless Goddess no longer cared about delving into Ian's secrets.
"There's no other way! We have to use our trump card!"
She growled.
"Use it quickly! Use it quickly!"
A Silent Mist Nightmare had crept onto Riddle's face as he was lifted up.
"Is it the true form descending?"
Ian was also somewhat looking forward to it.
However.
"No."
The Reckless Goddess gritted her teeth and denied his guess.
"I won't let my true form come to a place full of viruses... so..." Suddenly, she raised her head and shouted at the dimly lit temple ceiling.
"Father! Brothers! Sisters! Help!"
Her voice was incredibly powerful, soaring straight to the heavens.
It truly is a powerful weapon, a ultimate move.
It just goes to show that a goddess truly lives up to her name; her voice is something no ordinary person could match.
(End of this chapter)