Stepping forward confidently was Karkaroff, who had been watching from the sidelines.
His expression was serious and determined, his slight frown showing the full weight of his resolve.
"Karkaroff, you..."
The wizard whom Karkaroff had just saved suddenly found the man before him seemed stranger and more imposing than ever.
He felt choked up, struggling to find the right words.
Karkaroff, with a slight tilt of his cheek, revealed a serious expression marked by deep lines.
"I don't need to say more about hypocrisy," he said. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't reported the silver wand to Seth, today's tragedy might never have happened. Since I can't celebrate victory with you, at least I will make sure you return alive!"
"Vice Principal Karkaroff!"
"Sir Karkaroff!"
"Igor!"
Hearing his sincere words, both the wizard he'd rescued and the others behind him were deeply moved by his sense of responsibility and loyalty.
But the wizard couldn't help but urge caution.
"But... the enemy ahead is incredibly powerful. Even Seth can't match him. If you confront him head-on, you'll die for nothing. It's better if we hold him back while you escape with the wounded."
"No!"
Karkaroff's eyes held a mix of determination and confidence.
"I can feel the strength of that Silver Wand. I'm not sure I can defeat him, but I believe I can at least hold him off."
The Pure Land Society wizards behind him exchanged shocked glances.
Karkaroff had always seemed capable, but nothing exceptional.
Could he have been hiding his true strength all along?
After all, as headmaster of Durmstrang, he was on the same level as the competition, it made sense he wouldn't be a mere name.
Perhaps he kept a low profile to avoid overshadowing the Jacobsen family.
His timely rescue of Knut also showed his keen magical insight.
They hadn't expected Karkaroff to be such a quietly powerful figure.
Suddenly, everyone reevaluated his past actions and saw them in a new light, realizing just how deeply he had concealed his true abilities.
Everyone turned to look at Karkaroff, their eyes filled not only with gratitude and trust but also a hint of admiration.
Thunderbird spoke up.
"Your confidence is impressive! Since you're so sure of yourself, let's see what you've got! If you don't die, they all live!" he challenged.
With that, Thunderbird was ready for a fight.
Without hesitation, Karkaroff stepped forward firmly and waved his hand, signaling the others to fall back.
Though everyone was still worried, their trust in Karkaroff made them slowly retreat, giving space for the two to face each other head-on.
Thunderbird drew his wand with a bold, dramatic flair and seemed to pull a scabbard out of thin air before drawing a dazzling blue fiery long sword.
"That's... the strongest magic from that silver wand gun!" the wizards behind gasped, tensing up.
They were familiar with this attack style.
Not long ago, when they fought alongside Seth, they could barely hold off Thunderbird's Fiendfyre sword.
And now, only Karkaroff stood between them and the opponent.
Everyone couldn't help but sweat for him.
Karkaroff stared at the blazing blue blade in Thunderbird's hand, swallowing hard to steady his nerves.
Despite the fear rising inside, he steadied his wand and raised it, ready to face the attack.
"Die!"
With a fierce cry, Thunderbird swung the fiery long sword down in a wide arc, the scorching flames painting a fan-shaped wave over ten meters wide.
The cold air around them seemed to heat up unnaturally.
Everyone watching squinted and instinctively took a step back.
Karkaroff felt a surge of fear, almost losing control, but he remembered the summon Alex had given him just moments before.
Gritting his teeth, he cast a spell urgently.
"All curses end!"
A pale golden light burst from his wand's tip, shining much brighter than the combined magic of the dozen wizards before, or even Seth's solo attempt.
After witnessing Karkaroff's Curse of Ending All Curses, the wizards of the Pure Land Society grew uneasy.
They wondered how such a powerful spell could possibly withstand the fierce flames raging before them.
But then something completely unexpected happened.
Karkaroff himself used the curse to hold his ground, firmly resisting the Thunderbird's blazing blue hell blade.
Not only did the curse stop the relentless fire from advancing even an inch, it also formed a semicircular shield around him.
The sheet of Fiendfyre wrapped tightly in the center, yet Karkaroff remained visible, faint but steady, using the weak yet remarkably durable Curse of All Curses to fend off the blue flames.
The fire was pushed back forcefully, making it impossible for the flames to reach him at all.
Surrounded by the blue fire, Karkaroff was momentarily stunned.
He couldn't feel any pressure from the flames, and oddly enough, he sensed that even if he reached out to touch them, they wouldn't cause him any harm.
Just as Karkaroff stood there, lost in thought, a sharp voice snapped him back to attention.
"Don't just stand there spacing out. What's wrong with you? Why does your spell look so weak? Don't you know how to make it more impressive? Maybe add some light effects or something?"
It was Alex, clearly unimpressed with Karkaroff's performance.
"Master? Is that really you? Can I speak to you?" Karkaroff asked quietly, his voice trembling with hesitation.
"Didn't I already say not to worry? I've sealed off the area, no one else can hear us," Alex replied sharply.
Hearing Alex's reassurance, Karkaroff finally exhaled in relief.
"Master, you really scared me for a moment. If you hadn't summoned me earlier, I would have thought you were a real Silver Wand. The pressure you give off, especially when casting spells, feels suffocating, like I might die right then and there."
"Don't be ridiculous. If you don't act convincingly, you'll be exposed immediately. But you... your act is way too obvious. Why are you shaking when I talk? Your face is as stiff as a board. Anyone watching would see right through you," Alex grumbled with a hint of annoyance.
Karkaroff looked a bit hurt by the criticism.
"I can't help it, Master. Your sudden summons caught me off guard. I didn't realize the silver wand in front of me was you, and your presence is so intimidating. How could I not be nervous?"
Alex sighed.
"Whatever. We're at this point now, so just get on with it. Use your magic to flick my Fiendfyre away so I can fall back with the flow and end this quickly. And remember, keep it sharp and confident. Don't act like some burnt-out light bulb."
Alex couldn't waste any more time on Karkaroff's fumbling.
He'd already lost patience watching him act like a big shot in front of the Pure Land wizards.
Meanwhile, Karkaroff put on a serious, stoic expression, masking the eye roll he'd just made.
He nodded quickly, then gathered all his magic power and focused it at the tip of his wand, ready to act.
Meanwhile, the wizards of the Pure Land Society, who had been anxiously watching from a distance, suddenly saw a dazzling flash of light erupt where Karkaroff stood, an area that had been previously surrounded by the blue Fierce Flame.
The brightness was blinding.
With a loud "boom!" it seemed as if Karkaroff had triggered some kind of explosion.