The atmosphere inside Hogwarts Castle has undergone subtle but irreversible changes unknowingly.
This change did not happen overnight, but penetrated into every inch of the fabric of this thousand-year-old institution like boiling a frog in warm water.
The ancient stone corridor is now filled with a faint smell of ozone from time to time, similar to the smell of ozone after a thunderstorm, which is the trace left by the high concentration of magic floating and stirring in the air.
The running rhythm of the entire castle was suddenly accelerated, and the medieval laziness of the slow pace and floor-sweeping robes was completely swept away.
Among the students passing by the corridor, no one was holding old parchment and practicing those boring magic gestures such as 'Yingadim·Leviosa'.
On the contrary, they were in a hurry and gathered in small groups, arguing with red faces about the energy transmission efficiency and protocol standards of the newly installed "Arcane Energy Conduit Network".
In the dead of night, these young arcane apprentices gave up their rest and rushed into the Underground Trial Grounds expanded by Space Folding in groups. They worked all night long to calibrate the actual resonance frequency, trying to perfectly synchronize their magic power with the castle's Arcane Matrix.
Hermione·Granger was standing alone on the terrace of the tall tower at the moment. The cool night wind lifted her slightly smart dark researcher robe. Looking down her gaze, the Quidditch Pitch that once carried countless cheers and glory had long since disappeared.
Instead, there was a spectacle of heavy industrial magic construction site. A huge magical mechanical arm was waving in mid-air, and hundreds of tons of Anti-Magic Steel were melted, shaped, and finally assembled into the suffocatingly huge metal skeleton of "Arcane Astronomical Observatory".
This majestic building is like a steel giant, entrenched in the heart of Hogwarts. Of course, Empire has not issued any express regulations to prohibit traditional Quidditch sports.
But the reality is that this game of chasing a golden ball on a broomstick has been quietly and completely marginalized.
For today's students, participating in high-risk arcane research projects that often involve high-dimensional energy and can cause space collapse if not careful can bring a sense of accomplishment and glory that far exceeds holding up a light Quidditch House Cup.
Hermione withdrew his gaze and lowered his head to look at the portable "Arcane Tablet Terminal" that shimmered in his hand. On the screen, countless waterfall-like data streams and complex rune matrices were being refreshed rapidly.
"The resonance frequency of Leyline Nodes has stabilized again." She murmured softly, habitually raising her hand to push the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose, and analyzing the core indicators intently.
"Fusion is progressing faster than predicted by the brain model, and Arcane Network is accelerating to take over the underlying core of the castle."
At this moment, a long and oppressive shadow was silently projected on her arcane tablet.
Hermione felt slightly shuddered and turned around. He saw Ian - now Overlord of Hogwarts, Arcane Emperor of Wizarding World - leaning casually beside the mottled stone arch on the terrace.
His gaze crossed Hermione's shoulder and was fixed on the magnificent observation platform under construction in the distance.
In the darkness of the night, a faint smile, but full of control, was slowly blooming at the corner of his lips.
"This is the power of acceleration, Hermione." Ian opened his lips lightly, and his deep voice sounded unusually gentle in the night wind, but it also carried a heart-stopping calmness.
"Wizarding World The disgusting historical inertia accumulated over thousands of years, those old-fashioned rules and regulations, were finally completely disintegrated by the power of arcane magic."
Hermione took a deep breath, with unabashed admiration and a hint of concern intertwined in her eyes. "This is indeed a miracle, Ian." She replied truthfully, with a complex tone. "Our advancement speed is so fast that the entire Ministry of Magic has fallen into complete paralysis.
That idiot Cornelius Fudge has not dared to send any formal inquiry letter to the school for more than a week. As for <Daily Prophet>, those reporters who only care about eyeballs all day long can't even cover the surface of our new technology, let alone criticize us in newspapers like before."
Ian heard this and sneered disdainfully, as if he had heard some insignificant joke. "When the rhapsody that represents the progress of the times reaches its climax, those short-sighted noises like sparrows will naturally be crushed by the roaring wheel of the times." He waved his hand casually, as if to drive away a fly.
"Fudge and <Daily Prophet> are just minor local troubles, not even stumbling blocks. Our real challenge lies on the other side of English Channel."
Before he finished speaking, he flicked his finger casually.
"Buzz--"
Accompanied by a slight sound of spatial distortion, an extremely precise three-dimensional holographic world map suddenly unfolded in the air between the two people, and a faint blue light illuminated a corner of the terrace.
"Next week, International Confederation of Wizards will hold an emergency closed-door meeting at Paris." Ian stretched out his slender finger and tapped lightly on the holographic map.
Suddenly, the area representing Paris, France, on the map began to flash with a dazzling scarlet light. "And the primary topic of their summit is only one: regarding the illegal militarization of arcana without international authorization in the British magical community."
Upon hearing the news, Hermione's body tensed up suddenly, and the fingers holding the arcane tablet involuntarily tightened their strength. "They are scared." She pointed out the core of the problem sharply.
"Yes, fear comes from the unknown and powerlessness. And they have every reason to be afraid." Ian folded his hands on his chest, his tone as calm as if he was stating an objective reality Truth.
"The arcane energy we are unlocking is not just adding chips to the old balance. We are directly shattering that balance!"
A hint of scornful coldness flashed in his eyes. "They are not stupid. When a new high-dimensional energy that can make the traditional magic wand look like a backward primitive toy emerges, no one in power can continue to sleep peacefully and pretend to sleep."
"Then what are you going to do?" Hermione frowned, his mind racing, "Should we send a diplomatic delegation to Paris to mediate?"
Ian stared at the Paris of Blink on the holographic map, and twitched the corners of his mouth coldly. "It is impossible for us to send any diplomats to play Tai Chi with them. In the eyes of those transnational politicians, we are Today, they are still 'radical rebels' trying to subvert the regime within a sovereign country. Reasoning with them will not work. We must deliver a clear statement to the entire world - an iron-blooded statement that is crude and direct and cannot be distorted by the rhetoric of those bureaucrats!"
After saying that, he suddenly turned around and cast his eyes on a group of buzzing Rune Command Nexus Matrix suspended in the corner of the terrace.
"What is the current combat readiness status of First Formation?" he asked in a deep voice.
"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!"
Those suspended rune stones seemed to be alive, and a dazzling blue light erupted from the surface instantly, rising at an extremely fast frequency Blink. A cold mechanical synthesized voice sounded directly in the minds of the two people, "Report to the emperor, all First Formation personnel are functioning well and are on standby at any time, waiting for your highest deployment instructions!"
After receiving the confirmation, Ian turned his attention to Hermione again, with a hint of unquestionable majesty in his eyes.
"Hermione, you don't need to go with this Paris trip. You have a more important and core task: stay at Hogwarts and maintain the current acceleration of reform. I need Hogwarts Become the most indestructible rear Arcane Empire Cornerstone, not just a beacon with empty symbolic significance. Keep an eye on the trial field to ensure that the students' Arcane Matrix calibration protocol does not make any mistakes and is perfect."
Hermione opened her mouth and was about to say yes, but the sight in front of her made her swallow her words.
I saw Ian's original tall figure, suddenly enveloped by a violent wave of Arcane Energy, and the outline of the whole person began to become violently blurred and distorted.
As light and shadow intersected, pure energy began to reshape bones, flesh, and texture out of thin air. When the dazzling light finally dissipated, a brand new figure suddenly stood in place.
This is a 'clone' that looks exactly the same as Ian, but has a completely different temperament. He is wearing a set of improved Arcane Empire robes that are extremely elegantly tailored and full of modern and simple style. Compared with the original body, which is so tall that people dare not look directly at it. With a sense of coercion, this living avatar perfectly fabricated by Arcane Energy exudes an approachable and friendly aura that can even be said to be like a spring breeze. This is a flawless and perfect Creation, even the soul fluctuations are simulated vividly.
"For that grand event of Paris." This brand new avatar bowed slightly and said with a smile in an elegant voice that was rounder and more magnetic than the original body.
"Since we are going to a meeting, we must provide those high-ranking representatives with a pleasant face that they can sit down and talk slowly. Even if... the shadow of the Arcane Empire is about to completely envelope their conference hall."
Following a slight spatial fluctuation, the real Ian·body reappeared next to the clone like a ghost. His cold eyes penetrated the night and stared directly at the distant south.
"Of course," the voice of the main body was unabashedly solemn and domineering, "In order to ensure that the conversation atmosphere of this 'peace meeting' can always maintain 'extreme restraint and courtesy', Arcane War Sentinels of First Formation will accompany you throughout the process."