Only after Lynn had swum quite a distance away did the spectators in the stands finally recover from the thrilling slaughter they had just witnessed.
Then—applause erupted.
"Was the dark cloud in the sky just now caused by Lynn?!"
A third-year Hufflepuff girl exclaimed, covering her mouth.
"It definitely was! Didn't you see that giant octopus get struck like that?" the boy next to her replied excitedly. "And those seven hands at the end! My Merlin! I've never seen that kind of magic before!"
"How on earth did he do that?"
"I don't know! But it was so cool!"
Likewise, those who had bet on Lynn to win were beyond ecstatic.
Several Gryffindor gamblers were already hugging each other, jumping and shouting, "We're rich! We're rich!"
Over in the Ravenclaw section, a usually composed sixth-year boy was waving his fist at the sky, muttering something—it was unclear whether he was thanking Merlin or Lynn.
The Hufflepuff stands were even livelier, like a festival celebration.
Hannah clung to Ernie's arm, jumping up and down. Susan stood on her chair, waving a Hufflepuff flag. Justin was so flushed with excitement that he kept saying to the classmates beside him, "I knew it! I knew it!"
As for the miserable state of that giant octopus—hardly anyone cared.
After all, it was common knowledge at Hogwarts that Lynn loved fishing.
And that octopus had just snapped his fishing rod.
Come on, that's a tough guy who could go toe-to-toe with dragons.
If you don't die, who will?
At the judges' table.
Madame Maxime looked at the giant screen, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She remained silent for a long moment before turning to look at Dumbledore beside her.
Dumbledore was currently covering his face with one hand, and it was impossible to tell whether he was contemplating life or holding back laughter.
Madame Maxime finally realized why Dumbledore had smiled when he saw Lynn deal with those two Grindylows so effortlessly earlier.
It really was gratification.
"I really envy Hogwarts," Madame Maxime remarked, her tone filled with sincere admiration. "To have such a brilliant student."
Dumbledore, who had been covering his face, lifted his head upon hearing this, his eyes instantly lighting up.
"If Mr. Lynn agrees," Dumbledore replied quickly, his tone as serious as it could be, "I wouldn't mind letting him transfer."
Madame Maxime: "..."
She looked at Dumbledore's perfectly straight face and fell silent for a second.
Then she spoke calmly.
"I mind."
Dumbledore: "..."
Then what are you envious of?!
Of course, he only thought that to himself.
He gave a dry laugh and turned his gaze back to the giant screen, pretending nothing had happened.
The discussions gradually subsided as Ludo Bagman stood at the commentary podium, glancing down at the timer in his hand.
Then his expression froze.
Good grief.
It was overtime.
According to the original schedule, the Hogwarts champions should have entered the water five minutes ago. As a result of the earth-shattering "octopus slaughter" just now, the entire commentary flow had been thrown into disarray, and he had completely forgotten to announce it.
Ludo looked up and glanced around.
The surrounding judges were whispering among themselves, discussing what had just happened. The audience was still excitedly chatting away, and no one seemed to care about the time at all.
He cleared his throat.
Ahem—
"Hogwarts champions, you may enter the water!"
On the giant screen, the image switched to the three Hogwarts docks.
Cedric, Harry, and Roger stood on their respective planks, wands in hand.
Their methods of entering the water could only be described as standard.
There was none of the lightness of Lynn's splashless entry, nor the stunning transformation into fish like the Uagadou students. It was simply the most ordinary diving posture, sending up three modest splashes.
Ludo's commentary sounded at just the right moment.
"The Hogwarts champions have chosen the Bubble-Head Charm! This is a very practical underwater breathing spell that creates an air bubble around the caster's head while underwater."
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of subtle teasing.
"Of course, compared to a 'talented' competitor like Mr. Lynn... well... this method does seem a bit plain. But that's alright—steady and reliable is also a strategy!"
A ripple of laughter spread through the stands.
...
Underwater.
Lynn hadn't swum far before he suddenly stopped.
He hadn't encountered any danger this time.
He had simply spotted a large fish swimming leisurely past him.
Lynn's eyes lit up, and he lightly tapped his wand.
Before the fish could react, it froze in place.
Then Lynn flipped over and mounted it directly.
"Go."
His voice wasn't loud, but the fish obediently flicked its tail and carried him forward at high speed.
It was more than twice as fast as swimming on his own.
Lynn nodded in satisfaction and patted the fish's back.
"Good fish. I'll treat you to earthworms later."
The big fish seemed to shiver and immediately swam even faster.
The rider and fish continued deeper into the lake.
The surrounding scenery gradually began to change.
The once-monotonous sandy lakebed slowly gave way to rough stone structures.
Those stones had been piled into crude house-like shapes, their surfaces mottled with algae and barnacles. Some doorways even had glowing shells hanging from them, casting a faint light through the dark water.
Lynn narrowed his eyes.
It looked like he wasn't far from the Merfolk settlement.
After swimming forward for a while longer, the stone structures became denser and more organized. Some houses were even two stories tall, with strangely shaped corals growing on their roofs.
Occasionally, he spotted one or two merpeople swimming between the houses. They would glance at him from afar before quickly disappearing into the clustered buildings.
Lynn climbed off the fish's back and patted it on the head.
"Alright, you can go back."
The fish seemed as though it had been granted amnesty. With a flick of its tail, it disappeared into the darkness in the blink of an eye.
Lynn continued swimming forward.
Soon, two figures appeared ahead.
Two merpeople blocked his path.
Their skin was iron-gray and as rough as sandpaper. Dark green, seaweed-like hair clung to their scalps in uneven patches. Their eyes were cloudy, set unnaturally far apart, and their jagged teeth were missing several pieces.
At this moment, they were holding crude spears, their tips pointed directly at Lynn.
"Stop!"
"Who goes there!"
Lynn stopped and looked at them.
"I am a champion participating in the Triwizard Tournament," he said. "I've come to the Merfolk village to find something."
The two merpeople exchanged glances.
They chattered a few sentences, which Lynn heard clearly.
"Is it him?"
"Should be."
"Was that huge commotion over there earlier caused by him?"
"Don't know. But the Chieftain said that if a champion comes, we should let them pass."
The two merpeople lowered their spears and stepped aside, clearing the path.
"You have less than an hour to complete your task," one of the merpeople said in English.
Lynn nodded.
"Thanks."
He continued swimming forward.
Passing through the two Merperson guards, the view suddenly opened up.
A massive Merperson village appeared before him.
Hundreds of stone houses were densely packed together, extending up the hillside along the lakebed. In the center of the village, on a huge square, hundreds—perhaps even thousands—of merpeople had gathered.
And in the very center of the square—
A tall stone pillar stood there.
---
Enjoying the story?
You don't have to wait for the next chapter!
Read up to 40 chapters ahead on Patreon.
Access to all active translations with a single membership.
If you'd like to support my work and binge ahead, consider joining my Patreon:
Patreon: patreon.com/mrfanfiction140
Happy Reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter!