Ancient Magic

The originally gentle and calm magic instantly boiled and surged, like still water turning into a raging torrent, wild and magnificent.

Those obscure and profound magic array patterns were already Andros's instinct; he didn't need to deliberately control them, he only needed to continuously sublimate them by urging his magic power.

The ancient aura of heaven and earth, which had been hidden for so long, was now fully revealed and clearly discernible amidst the boiling magic power.

Boom--!

The world suddenly changed, and a muffled thunderclap resounded throughout the valley. The moment the magic circle took shape, a barrage of thunderbolts crashed down from the sky.

The lightning, imbued with the essence of Ancient Magic, has undergone a qualitative change, becoming terrifyingly powerful. Even an adult Thunderbird struck head-on would instantly turn to ashes.

With that one move, Tom's magic power was almost completely depleted, leaving him looking utterly exhausted and listless.

"With my current strength, I can unleash another attack after using this one. I have completely mastered that wisp of primordial energy, and it moves at my will."

"But your foundation is insufficient. At this stage, one strike is your limit. You need to accumulate experience for a long time before you can capture that aura again."

Before he could finish speaking, Andros raised his hand again.

The second Ancient Magic erupted, unleashing a torrent of energy that swept in all directions, carrying a domineering power capable of isolating all things.

The blast wave swept through, uprooting all the trees in the entire valley.

The steep rock face was ruthlessly flattened, leaving it bare, as if shaving it with the sharp blade of heaven and earth.

After the two moves were over, Andros immediately stopped, said nothing more, and quietly accompanied Tom to digest all his insights.

Half an hour later, Tom let out a long breath, a clear light flashing in his eyes.

"How was it?" Andros asked softly as he returned to the Study Space.

Tom smiled calmly. "A very fruitful experience. I've completely mastered it."

Tom truly realized something today: the Study Space is ultimately a simulator and can never replace the real world.

While casting Ancient Magic in that space is certainly convenient, the laws of nature there are all simulated.

Lacking the weighty sense of the imposing power of the real world, it always falls short of true meaning.

He thus decided to use this secluded valley as his private training ground.

He casually cast a Muggle-Repelling Charm, simple and direct, prioritizing safety and privacy.

From now on, I'll come here every day, cast a couple of Ancient Magic, and leave as soon as I'm done. It's easy and efficient.

After resting for half an hour, my magic power was fully restored to its peak state.

With Andros's previous demonstration as a foundation, Tom cast the spell with exceptional ease this time.

In order to refine the details, he deliberately slowed down, to twice the pace demonstrated by Andros.

The magical power within his body surged and boiled, and the ancient aura of heaven and earth that he had previously been unable to grasp clearly emerged.

The spell was successfully cast in one smooth motion.

Tom, feeling pleased with his fruitful harvest, turned and headed back to Hogwarts.

He wanted to practice a little longer, but he had arranged to meet Qiu at the library that morning.

A true man keeps his word; he wouldn't stoop to such a degrading act as standing a girl up.

The following week felt like an eternity for all the young wizards in the school.

The dueling open class that everyone had been eagerly anticipating finally arrived as scheduled on Friday evening.

The event's popularity has already swept through the entire Hogwarts.

Even the Quidditch fanatic Wood has drastically reduced his training time.

The originally scheduled training session was cut by half an hour, a result of a joint protest from Gemini and Angelina, forcing them to compromise.

The Hospital Wing was packed every day this week.

Everywhere you look, you see students who have messed up their spell practice, ending up with bruises and swelling on their faces, hurriedly leaving with Madam Pomfrey's healing Potions.

Even before classes officially started, Madam Pomfrey's complaints never stopped, blaming the professors for being crazy.

Fortunately, Professor McGonagall patiently calmed the situation, preventing the medical director from rushing to the Headmaster's Office to request a halt to this "massive brawl."

At 8 p. m., almost all the students in the school gathered on time, filling the entire Great Hall.

The Great Hall has now been completely renovated.

The four long college tables that originally occupied most of the space were all removed, instantly making the space several times more spacious.

In the very center of the Great Hall, a brand-new, gilded arena stood out prominently.

The candlelight, floating in the air and arranged in a staggered pattern, was comparable to professional spotlights, firmly capturing the focus of the entire venue.

On either side of the main arena, four smaller secondary arenas were placed symmetrically. Their light was slightly dimmer, but still bright enough.

The students immediately erupted in discussion upon seeing this.

"Why are there five arenas for four academies? What's the extra one in the middle for?"

"No doubt, the main arena will be exclusively for the professor!"

"Holy crap, is Professor Snape going to duel with Professor Wilkinson? This is going to be quite a show!"

Amidst the expectant gazes of everyone, a group of professors made their grand entrance.

Albus Dumbledore led the way, followed by the teachers of each subject. Even Madam Pomfrey, who usually disliked joining in the fun, attended the event with a stern face.

Albus Dumbledore led Ross and Flitwick onto the central gilded ring and gently raised his hand.

The noisy Great Hall fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on the ring.

Albus Dumbledore's deep, gentle voice resonated throughout the hall. "First of all, thank you all for your active participation in this campus event,"

"At the same time, we must also thank Professor Wilkinson for his brilliant idea."

"As Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Wilkinson goes beyond simply focusing on classroom teaching."

"He is even more dedicated to helping everyone transform magical knowledge into practical combat skills. Let's give him a round of applause to thank him for his efforts!"

In an instant, thunderous applause erupted in the Great Hall.

The students' gratitude was heartfelt; no one dislikes Professor Ross is both practical and considerate.

Ten seconds later, Albus Dumbledore raised his hand to suppress the thunderous applause, preparing to continue speaking.

But just as he began, the tightly closed doors of the Great Hall were suddenly pushed open gently.

Tom led the Greengrass sisters slowly into the venue.

The surrounding students instinctively made way for him; Tom, now at Hogwarts, was a unique presence with his own aura.

Tom nodded apologetically to Albus Dumbledore on the ring, smiled slightly, and then led the two sisters to a corner to stand quietly.

Albus Dumbledore.

He wasn't upset because his speech was interrupted; a principal wouldn't be so petty.

However, I keenly noticed that Tom's demeanor had changed again in just a few days.

The Tom of the past was sharp and intimidating, exuding a sense of oppression that made people unconsciously restrain themselves.

But now, his temperament has become more wild and unruly, carrying a hint of unbridled primal violence.

Albus Dumbledore pondered to himself that this was most likely a change in his aura caused by practicing new magic.

It wasn't some kind of Dark Magic; he didn't detect a trace of darkness in Tom.

It seems I haven't paid enough attention to my students.

I should give Riddle a little pointers later; any magical practice requires careful control.