After Umbridge glanced at Robert with a venomous hiss, the Acromantulas turned their glowing green eyes toward him. The dim light of the Forbidden Forest made the countless eyes even more unsettling. For a moment, confusion flickered across their faces—they sensed no trace of the little wizard.
Umbridge growled, her voice dripping with anger.
"Invisibility cloak."
"He has an invisibility cloak!"
Only then did the Acromantulas realize the truth. Excitement and bloodlust surged through them.
"The taste of a little wizard… I've never had it before!"
"It must be better than poachers."
"That flesh would melt in the mouth without even needing poison."
"Find him!"
Not seeing Robert at first was fine; the Forbidden Forest was home to countless magical creatures capable of invisibility. But anything that wandered into the Acromantulas' territory had one inevitable path: death. Their webs were finely tuned to detect even the slightest vibrations.
Several Acromantulas began spraying webs in the direction Umbridge had indicated. Clumps of sticky silk floated through the air. Even the highest-grade invisibility cloak only concealed a person visually; it could not mask vibrations. If the webs touched him, the Acromantulas would sense his location immediately.
Robert's eyes darkened as he observed the spreading webs. Yet his expression quickly returned to calm. Every step he took was premeditated. Before sending Umbridge into this deadly territory, he had already prepared for the worst—what to do if he himself became the target.
Facing a communal, 5X-level magical creature like an Acromantula would terrify most wizards. But compared to truly dangerous creatures such as Dragons, Nifflers, or thousand-year-old Basilisks, Acromantulas were manageable. Their power lay in intelligence and cooperation rather than magic. Robert's abilities—Legendary Power, Legendary Life, and others—were particularly suited for handling such enemies. To him, even a single Acromantula was less threatening than a Troll.
Initially, Robert had no intention of causing trouble for the Acromantulas. But as the sticky webs spread, his eyes gleamed with cold resolve. If they wanted to stop him, he would not tolerate it. Acromantula poison was a highly valuable commodity, used in rare potions and magical herb cultivation. Even the blood, though less valuable, could contribute to crafting blood emeralds. Taking action was not a loss.
The webs had nearly covered the forest floor, filling every gap. Escape seemed impossible. Even under an invisibility cloak, Robert's capture was only a matter of time.
Umbridge, despite her organs burning in agony, let out a venomous laugh.
"Heh heh, heh heh! Those who oppose me will not have a good end! Robert, I may die, but you won't have it easy either!"
At that moment, smoke erupted from the forest floor. It condensed into a massive five-headed snake, its orange-yellow eyes fixed on the Acromantulas. Fear stirred in the creatures; their instinctive dread of snakes was undeniable. But their intelligence quickly prevailed.
"This is Transfiguration!" they hissed. "The little wizard wants to scare us and escape!"
The five-headed snake lunged at the Acromantulas. Its power, though overwhelming for a wizard, was no match for a 5X-level magical creature. Within seconds, the snake's mournful cry pierced the night as it dissipated back into smoke. The remaining Acromantulas fanned out, guarding every escape route with predatory precision.
"Little wizard… you won't escape!" Fangs clicked menacingly.
Suddenly, a brilliant beam of light, infused with sacred magic, pierced the darkness. It was Robert's Platinum-grade Lumos, its frequency adjusted and brightness maximized. The entire area was bathed in light. Acromantulas, accustomed to darkness, shielded their eyes, unable to see.
Robert emerged from under his invisibility cloak. He raised his Ashwood wand and, with practiced precision, cast:
"Sectumsempra! Sectumsempra!"
The invisible, cutting magic struck an Acromantula frozen in the glare of Lumos. Its tough carapace resisted initially, but Robert's mastery of Gold-grade Sectumsempra, combined with the weakening effect of the sacred light, tore through. The wound was fatal to a wizard, but for a 5X-level Acromantula, it was only a minor injury.
The creature hissed in pain.
"Little wizard! I'm going to eat you!"
Robert's plan, however, had anticipated this. His true strength did not lie in magic alone. With a deep breath, he activated his Legendary Power. His body surged forward like a cannonball, wielding the bat he had recently kept for protection. Air seemed to solidify around his swing. Crack! The bat shattered upon impact, sending terrifying force through the Acromantula's body. Half of it exploded in a spray of green blood.
Before the other Acromantulas could react, Robert collected poison fangs and a bottle of Acromantula poison. Another five-headed snake burst from smoke to cover his retreat. His voice carried clearly:
"I am not a little wizard for you to hunt. I have plenty of abilities. Whoever wishes to face my wrath, prepare yourselves. I am the heir of the Sprout Family. Dumbledore himself placed protective magic upon me, and there is a master whose name cannot be spoken who taught me Transfiguration."
The Acromantulas hesitated, fear flickering in their eyes. Even if Robert was bluffing, the risk of pursuing him outweighed potential gains. They abandoned the chase, turning their attention to Umbridge and the fallen Acromantula instead. Silence returned to the Forbidden Forest.
Robert reached the forest's edge, his tense expression slowly easing. He let out a hearty laugh. The plan had succeeded perfectly: defeating Umbridge, killing an Acromantula, and escaping unscathed. Every step had been carefully calculated. Unlike the overpowered protagonists in fanfiction from his previous life, Robert measured himself only against his own progress. Today's victory marked another step forward.
He examined his spoils. The Acromantula poison alone was invaluable—rarely sold and always a highlight at black-market auctions. A pint could fetch around 100 Galleons, but dividing it into smaller quantities could triple its value. For Robert, however, its worth as a potion ingredient and magical herb enhancer far exceeded any monetary gain.
Acromantula blood, too, could be used to cultivate blood emeralds. With the baby dragon hatched earlier, he now had two raw materials. A thought flickered—what would happen if he cultivated blood emeralds using both types of blood simultaneously? The curiosity made him grin.
Glancing at the system panel, Robert's eyes widened in surprise. Confusion and delight mixed across his face. Something new had appeared—an unexpected development in his journey.
This mission, filled with danger, strategy, and resource gathering, had proven his abilities and solidified his confidence. He was not merely surviving Hogwarts; he was mastering it, one step ahead at every turn.
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