Alchemy Convention

Before setting off for Egypt, Skylar made a special trip to the Coiling Dragon Dungeon.

The dungeon hidden within the Suitcase Space was still warm and bright, with gentle light illuminating the four prisoners bound by the giant snake. A chilling atmosphere permeated the air, and faint moans and panting could be heard from the distant cells.

He approached slowly, his gaze settling on the four pirates. After three and a half months of torture, they had lost their former arrogance. The once invincible pirates were now ragged, haggard, and their eyes were filled with exhaustion and struggle. Skylar knew that they had finally reached their breaking point.

After all, they were Ge Lang's subordinates, belonging to the Singapore pirate lord's faction, and were reinforcements invited by Barbarossa, not warriors directly under Walpurgis or Barbarossa. Ultimately, they were only there for profit, and had no reason to fight Skylar to the death.

"It seems you've thought it through." Skylar chuckled, crossed his arms, and looked down at the four people in the cage.

One of the men, trembling, raised his head and spoke in a hoarse voice, "We... are willing to pledge our allegiance."

Skylar nodded in satisfaction. After a long period of torture and mental torment, they not only revealed the number of people and their fighting strength of the Pirate Family, but were even willing to submit to him, abandon their past stance, and become his subordinates.

Sarf, standing behind Skylar, stepped forward and said in a cool voice, "They have already revealed the details of all the Pirate Family —this time, only the pirate lord of Singapore, Ge Lang, and the Flying Dutchman of Barbarossa, if combined, make up about 100 people, of whom 42 possess Auror- level combat strength."

Skylar nodded; it was roughly as he had expected. After deducting the four prisoners, the 42 Auror- level combatants were reduced to 38, which was still within an acceptable range.

Thanks to Skylar's various arrangements, the Death Eaters and the Shadow of the Magic Dragon have both suffered heavy losses. The only forces that Walpurgis can still rely on are the Pirate Family and the Cobra of Persia.

Now that he knows information about the Pirate Family, Skylar will be more confident about future battles.

He paced slowly, his gaze sweeping over their wounds, each one a testament to the three and a half months of hardship they had endured. He said in a low voice, "Since you're willing to pledge your loyalty, don't disappoint me again."

He waved his hand, signaling Sarf behind him to release them from their restraints, and then said, "Sarf, they all possess elite Auror- level combat power. Turning them into House Elf would be a real waste. You'll train them first, then transform them and send them to Amelia Bones to serve as her guards!"

In the original story, after the Death Eaters announced their return, the first people they killed were Amelia Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with a strong sense of justice, and Emmeline Vance Vance, the Order of the Order of the Phoenix who was in charge of guarding the Muggle Prime Minister's residence.

Now that Amelia had become his ally, Skylar had to make plans for her safety. Amelia herself was quite powerful; in the original story, Voldemort even had to kill her personally. With the addition of four elite Auror as guards, her personal safety would be greatly guaranteed.

After placing the Sleeping Dragon Mark on all four of them, Skylar immediately set off.

[Four male pirates who serve as "servants" have been obtained!]

It was early morning, before dawn.

The Thestral carriage of Hogwarts were parked at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The dark creatures trembled slightly in the cold wind, their crimson pupils gleaming eerily in the darkness. Skylar and Akabane Sakura stood in front of the carriage, waiting for it to automatically adjust its direction.

Cherry Moon was dressed in a black kimono with a dark gold cloak over it, the sash embroidered with intricate talismanic patterns. In her hand, she held a delicate bell that emitted a faint, ethereal glow. She looked up at Skylar and smiled, "I'm really looking forward to attending such a grand event with you."

Skylar chuckled lightly, climbed onto the carriage, and said, "Let's talk about it when we get there."

Cherry Moon followed closely behind, sitting opposite Skylar. The Thestral flapped its wings, pulling the carriage into the air, piercing the night, and speeding towards Egypt.

A few hours later, the Thestral carriage landed in front of a magnificent complex of buildings. The Cairo Alchemy Research Center is one of the world's most prestigious academic institutions for alchemy. The tall golden archway is engraved with intricate alchemical runes, and the four stone pillars are inlaid with magical crystals, emitting a warm and soft glow.

Eleanor Hohenheim, who was waiting at the entrance, was the first to greet her. Today, she was wearing a dark blue gown with the Hohenheim Family crest and the membership badge of the International Alchemy Conference pinned to her chest, making her look dignified and noble.

"Skylar, you've finally arrived." Eleanor's face was filled with undisguised joy at their long-awaited reunion. However, when she saw Akabane Sakura beside him, a hint of surprise flashed across her face. "And this is...?"

"Let me introduce you. This is Akabane Sakura, a representative from the Mahoutokoro in Japan. She's been my pen pal since childhood and is currently studying at Hogwarts as an exchange student," Skylar explained in a deep voice.

Seeing Skylar's candor, Eleanor didn't say anything more. To be honest, although Skylar was now the undisputed son-in-law of the Hohenheim family, Eleanor knew that she wasn't actually Skylar's legal wife and had no right to interfere with Skylar romantic affairs and entanglements with other women.

The smartest thing to do is to turn a blind eye to this and pretend you know nothing about it.

Thinking of this, she elegantly gathered her brown hair, smiled, and shook hands with Cherry Moon to show her friendliness. She said with a smile, "Welcome. Let me introduce myself. I am Eleanor Hohenheim, the next head of the Hohenheim Family in Germany, and one of the special guests invited to the conference. The participants in this conference are all the top alchemists from various countries, but I have confidence in both of you. I wish you all the best."

Skylar smiled, took Eleanor's hand, kissed the back of her hand, and said, "The conference is about to begin, let's go in!"

The conference officially began, and the alchemists took turns showcasing their latest research findings, many of which were exquisite and breathtaking. Among them, Akabane Sakura's presentation attracted widespread attention.

She walked up to the display stand, took out a small bell, and gently shook it. The bell rang melodiously and ethereally, carrying a hint of mystery.

"This is the 'Demon-Suppressing Bell,' crafted by combining Eastern talismanic arts with Western alchemy," Cherry Moon explained. "The sound it emits can suppress the aggression and bloodlust of dark creatures."

Next, the host had her demonstrate the work on an Egypt Mummy, and the effect was astonishing. Moreover, this Demon-Suppressing Bell can target a wide variety of dark creatures, including Inferius, Zombie, Banshee, and China Zombie.

As soon as she finished speaking, a buzz of discussion broke out among the crowd. Some scholars looked surprised, while several alchemy masters examined the bell in her hand closely.

"Interesting..." an elderly alchemist exclaimed. "If it really works, this will be a groundbreaking study in defense against Dark Arts."

Next, it was Skylar's turn to go on stage.

However, when Skylar stepped onto the display stand, his hands were empty.

The entire venue fell silent for a moment, followed by hushed whispers.

He didn't bring anything with him?

"Could it be a special invisible alchemical artifact?"

Or does he simply not have any works to his name?

In the audience, some people looked puzzled, while others began to show impatience.

However, a young man next to her chuckled, his tone laced with undisguised disdain. "It seems this 'Hogwarts genius' is all talk and no action; he can't even produce a single work."

Eleanor turned her head and glanced at the man. He was a noble young master from a Europe alchemical family named Felix Vander, who was somewhat famous due to his family's influence and was quite arrogant.

This man had once pursued her and even proposed marriage, but she had firmly rejected him. It seems that after Skylar was publicly announced as her future husband, it aroused his jealousy.

"Are you so sure?" Eleanor asked calmly.

Felix shrugged, a sneer on his face. "Alchemy is all about physical demonstrations. He doesn't even have a single piece. What's there to see? Oh—is he going to give us a long, empty talk?"

Eleanor ignored him and continued watching Skylar on the stage.

After a few seconds, the host finally couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Malfoy, where is your work?"

Skylar calmly surveyed the crowd, and only after the surrounding chatter gradually subsided did he slowly raise his hand and gently wave it.

A strange halo appeared in the air, as if an invisible wave was slowly spreading. At first, these halos were just subtle fluctuations, but soon they began to change, intertwine, and merge in an incomprehensible way, eventually forming a dazzling spectrum.

The spectrum shimmered with subtle colors, resembling both matter and some kind of projection beyond reality. It was not confined to a specific form, but rather like a "door" to the unknown, sending shivers down one's spine as if glimpsing the essence of life.

A strange silence fell over the entire venue.

"What is this...?" someone finally murmured.

Skylar's voice was deep and clear. "This is the Other Shore."

At that moment, everyone's expression changed.

The alchemists below the stage sat up straight, and several senior alchemy masters wore unprecedented solemnity on their faces. They vaguely realized that this was not just some new type of alchemical item, but rather touched upon one of the ultimate mysteries of alchemy.

As is well known, the ultimate pursuit of alchemy has always been three stages: "Immortality," "resurrection," and "transcending eternity." Thus, it can be seen that the ultimate goal pursued by alchemy is actually the mystery of creating life.

"The Other Shore..." a white-bearded alchemy master repeated softly, his eyes filled with shock.

Another senior scholar stood up, staring intently at Skylar: "If this research is true, then... it will be one of the greatest discoveries in the history of alchemy."

The entire audience was stunned into silence. Everyone understood that the young wizard before them—his research—was enough to ensure that his name would be forever etched in the annals of alchemy.

At that moment, thunderous applause erupted.