I Summon My Fist into an Attacking State (Seeking Follow-up Reads!)

Golden Legendary!!

Ethan's pupils widened slightly as he saw a faint golden light radiating from the edges of the painting in his view.

Paintings were divided into four tiers: White Rare, Blue Precious, Golden Legendary, and Purple Epic.

Using a fine, sturdy canvas, mixing pigments, and casting the Opening Charm and the Door Key spell.

With each brushstroke, he infused his own magic into the work.

Ethan had obtained his first [Golden Legendary].

This was also the highest-tier card he currently possessed.

[Name: Portal]

[Type: Item]

[Tier: Tier 1 · Golden Legendary]

[Description: "The cake is a lie."]

[Effect: ① When placed on an object, it creates a passage that penetrates through it. The penetration effect is determined by the user's magic power. Can be used repeatedly;]

[② The painting has two sides, Side A and Side B. Side A is the entrance, Side B is the exit. You can set the entrance and exit anywhere within a 30-meter radius. Objects entering from Side A will exit from Side B.]

[Note: When setting Side A and Side B, they must be within line of sight. Only one of the two effects can be active at a time.]

[Evaluation: A true portal, perhaps ultimately leading to the other side of life.]

"Whoa..."

Ethan examined the description and couldn't help but let out an exclamation of awe.

He could open doors without limit.

As long as his magic power was sufficient, not even the gates of Ravenclaw, let alone the heavily trapped doors of Gringotts, which were said to be openable only by goblins, could stop him.

Ethan suddenly realized.

If he had this card, getting the Philosopher's Stone wouldn't require dealing with the Three-Headed Dog or any obstacle course.

He could just open a door on the floor and drop straight down.

Moreover.

Ethan had a very exciting idea.

Doors could be opened on any object.

What about objects that weren't "inorganic"?

He'd have to try that later...

For now.

Ethan focused his attention on the second effect that had just appeared.

--"Portal."

It could teleport objects freely within a certain range.

Ethan seemed lost in thought.

He suddenly turned his head and looked at the two friends beside him.

A smile spread across his face.

Michael: ???

Ethan: ^▽^

"W-wait, Ethan! People can't, at least they shouldn't—ah!"

Michael suddenly stepped into empty space, as if a huge pit had appeared out of nowhere on the smooth lawn.

Darkness engulfed him as he plummeted downward.

But the next second, light returned, and Michael landed on the soft grass from above.

"W-what the hell...?"

Michael was dazed from the fall.

He looked up and saw Mandy standing not far away, mouth agape, face full of shock.

What just happened?!

Mandy was stunned.

Everything happened in an instant.

Without Ethan even drawing his wand, two rectangular frames appeared out of thin air—one on the ground, one in midair.

Then, Michael, who had fallen through the frame on the ground, tumbled out of the frame in the air.

It was... it was just like a short-range "Apparition."

But Apparition cannot move anyone other than oneself and those accompanying.

Mandy noticed that the oil painting Ethan had just finished on the easel was gone.

In its place was a card glowing with golden light in his hand.

Could this be a different magical system from wand-casting?

Mandy's eyes gradually lit up.

Incredible.

As a Ravenclaw seeker of knowledge, he now felt it wasn't just the card in Ethan's hand that was glowing.

Ethan himself was glowing!

Casting spells through paintings—unheard of.

This was absolutely the most groundbreaking invention of the century!!

Just then.

Mandy's pupils suddenly contracted, and he blurted out, "Watch out!"

"Whoosh!"

A gust of wind swept past.

Ethan squinted, feeling his black hair lift as grass blades and dust brushed across his face from above.

He looked up and saw Harry Potter on a Flying Broomstick.

In his hand was a transparent sphere.

"S-sorry, Ethan!"

Harry said breathlessly, but his tone carried an irrepressible excitement.

"Malfoy stole Neville's Remembrall and threw it toward you."

Oh, this part of the plot.

Ethan understood.

Harry was discovered to have Seeker talent, kicking off Gryffindor's Quidditch winning streak.

He remembered this scene existed.

But Ethan figured it had nothing to do with him.

He'd even sat farther away on purpose.

Yet somehow, that fateful ball still landed on him.

Ethan stood up, his hand gripping his wand from within his robe.

He turned his head, watching Malfoy lead a crowd of Slytherins marching across the lawn toward him.

The tense look on Malfoy's face suggested he wasn't just here to grab the Remembrall.

"..."

Harry's smile faded. He lowered his broom and nervously looked at Malfoy.

Mandy, Ron, and the Gryffindors all ran over, gathering around Ethan.

Even Michael scrambled to his feet, clutching his wand, and stood in the front line.

In just a few breaths.

The red, along with the three blues ahead, stood opposite the dark green, clearly divided.

As if, at a commander's order, these Young Wizards would charge headlong.

Ethan toyed with the golden card with interest, his Cobalt Blue eyes reflecting Malfoy's pale face.

"Go on, Draco, you'll definitely win."

Pansy whispered, nudging Malfoy's arm.

"...Vin, ahem."

Malfoy faltered, a faint blush creeping across his cheeks.

He forced himself to meet those cold, mocking eyes and said as firmly as he could:

"Vincent, I challenge you to a formal duel."

"Oh?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

Not running away, but coming closer to me?

Interesting.

"I accept your duel, Mr. Malfoy."

Ethan replied calmly, then turned to his companions.

"My assistant... Harry, would you be my dueling assistant?"

Called out by name, even though he had no idea what a "Dueling Assistant" was.

But at this moment, even if Ethan asked him to walk through a sea of blades or a mountain of fire, Harry wouldn't say a single "no."

Ridiculous—never mind how much Ethan had helped him before.

Just for the act of taking down Malfoy, Harry would do it without hesitation!

"Hmph, then it'll be Crabbe."

Malfoy said, surprised that Ethan actually knew the dueling rules.

So he really wasn't an ordinary Mudblood after all...

But no matter what.

His father had already warned him.

Today, he had to defend the Malfoy family's honor in front of everyone.

Otherwise... he probably wouldn't be going home this Christmas.

Too embarrassing to bear.

Thinking of this, Malfoy shivered.

It's fine.

Malfoy looked at Ethan, standing a dozen meters ahead.

At this distance, Ethan couldn't use that weird magic!

He remembered clearly—Ethan had shaken his hand first, and only then did the red rash appear on his skin!

As long as he kept his distance, there was nothing to fear.

Anyway, his father had also taught him a few "harmless" Minor Hexes.

Against someone his age, even Ethan, it would be more than enough.

Not only that.

Malfoy quickly glanced behind him.

Once he found an opening, his lackeys would help him fire off spells.

As long as he knocked Ethan flying, who cared if it broke the rules?

This duel, Malfoy had prepared for thoroughly.

As long as he wasn't taken down right from the start.

He'd have victory in his grasp!

He would win!

"We should bow first."

Ethan said with a smile, raising his wand and giving a very elegant slight bow.

At that moment, Harry suddenly noticed that Ethan was holding his wand in his left hand.

Huh?

Was Ethan left-handed? He didn't remember that...

Malfoy didn't notice this small detail.

He irritably pursed his lips, nodded perfunctorily, and shouted himself:

"Three, two, one—Leg-Locker—"

"BANG!"

Everything happened in an instant.

A heavy thud rang out.

Malfoy, who had just started chanting a spell, was sent flying!

He crashed onto the grass, instinctively twitching a couple of times, but couldn't push himself up.

A stream of nose blood trickled down his pale face.

The left side of his face swelled up rapidly, puffing into a bun.

He lay on the ground, crying and whimpering in pain.

Malfoy, down for the count!

Including his allies, all the students who witnessed the scene were dumbfounded.

Wh-what just happened?!

It's over already??!

They stared in shock at the spot where Malfoy had been standing.

In midair, a fist stood suspended out of nowhere!

It extended from a bizarre square doorframe, while on the other side, Ethan's forearm vanished into the same opening.

[Used Artwork: Portal!]

Ethan glanced at his own fist materializing ahead of him, casually shaking it loose—he felt no sense of "detachment" from his body.

The principle was simple.

He set up a Portal entrance beside himself and slipped his arm inside.

Then he placed the exit right next to Malfoy's face.

Whatever entered through the entrance would be perfectly replicated at the exit, position and motion alike.

So even though Ethan hadn't moved an inch, just swinging his fist in place, he could still land a heavy blow on Malfoy's face a dozen meters away.

In the dead silence.

Ethan's eyes shifted to the stunned "lucky one," Crabbe—the Dueling Assistant Malfoy had chosen.

He smiled amiably.

"Your turn."

—Magic's pretty amazing, isn't it?