The moment he appeared…
I smiled.
And struck.
"Avada Kedavra."
The Killing Curse erupted from my wand in a flash of lethal green—pure, absolute death given form.
Dumbledore did not hesitate.
A beam of golden magic surged from his wand, meeting my curse mid-air. The collision detonated with a thunderous shockwave, cracking the ground beneath us and blasting debris outward in all directions.
But I was already moving.
My wand twisted—
And the curse split.
Three beams of emerald death tore through the air simultaneously, branching like serpents striking from different angles.
For a fraction of a second…
Even Dumbledore was forced to react.
The ground surged upward.
A wall of earth rose before him—thick, reinforced, layered with transfiguration far beyond ordinary defense.
I shattered it.
Icicles screamed through the air, jagged and impossibly fast, piercing the wall and detonating it into fragments. Before the debris could even fall—
Blue fire followed.
A roaring jet of infernal flame tore forward, devouring everything in its path.
And just like that—
The duel began.
There was no testing.
No restraint.
No hesitation.
We went all out.
Magic erupted across the battlefield in a storm of destruction.
Transfiguration twisted reality itself—stone became steel, steel became sand, sand became weapons mid-flight. Spells collided in rapid succession, each one capable of ending lesser wizards instantly.
I did not switch wands.
I couldn't.
Salazar's wand remained in my grasp—steady, powerful, unmatched in its affinity for dark magic. Switching now… even for a second…
Would mean death.
Dumbledore knew it too.
Our focus locked entirely onto each other.
Nothing else mattered.
Through the chaos, I noted the Order retreating—forced back, escaping beyond my wards before vanishing entirely.
Cowards.
Or perhaps…
Strategic.
It didn't matter.
I pressed forward.
Spears of ice formed instantly—dozens—launching toward Dumbledore like a storm of frozen blades.
He countered with a sweeping motion—earth surged again, absorbing the impact—
But I was already dispelling my own flames.
Protego Diabolica had served its purpose.
Against him…
It was inefficient.
This battle required everything.
"Sectumsempra."
The curse tore through the air—faster than sound, invisible until it struck.
Dumbledore reacted—but not fully.
A deep slash carved across his waist, blood staining his robes.
I didn't pause.
Dark spells followed in rapid succession—curses layered with intent, designed not just to kill, but to overwhelm.
"Fulgur Noctis."
Black lightning erupted from my wand, splitting into multiple arcs that shattered the wall Dumbledore had conjured. Stone disintegrated instantly, reduced to dust under the unnatural force.
Another Killing Curse followed.
The phoenix screamed—
And Dumbledore vanished in a burst of flame.
He reappeared elsewhere, already casting.
His spells came faster now. Sharper.
Refined.
Modern magic—perfected.
Transfiguration at its peak.
Charms layered seamlessly into offense and defense.
Every movement efficient.
Every spell deliberate.
And slowly…
He began pushing me back.
I adapted.
A new spell formed at the tip of my wand—
A spiraling construct of pure magical force.
It launched forward like a drill—rotating, compressing, piercing through every barrier in its path.
Dumbledore's defenses shattered—
And the spell cut across his shoulder, tearing through fabric and flesh alike.
But he struck back instantly.
A cutting curse—sharp, precise—
It slashed across my left arm.
Pain flared.
But I ignored it.
Fire answered fire.
My blue inferno roared outward—
Dumbledore's firestorm met it head-on.
Golden-red flames clashed with azure destruction, spiraling into a vortex of heat and raw magical force.
My flames began to win.
Then—
He vanished.
I barely reacted in time—
A barrier snapped into place as he appeared behind me, his spell detonating against it with explosive force.
I countered instantly—
An ice column surged from the ground, massive, unstoppable—
He incinerated it with a flick.
Ash scattered through the air.
Lightning followed.
Ancient. Heavy.
It struck downward with devastating force—
He sensed it.
Vanished again.
The battle escalated further.
Spell after spell.
Counter after counter.
Power against power.
Mind against mind.
And for the first time—
I understood.
Why he was called the greatest.
Because he was not just powerful.
He was complete.
But so was I.
The duel raged on—until finally…
We stopped.
Both of us stood still.
Breathing heavily.
The battlefield around us was ruined.
Shattered stone. Burned walls. Craters carved deep into the ground.
The air itself trembled with lingering magic.
We stared at each other.
Understanding passed between us.
If we continued…
This would not end lightly.
One of us would die.
Perhaps both.
And neither of us…
Was willing to risk that.
Not yet.
A moment stretched.
Then—
I made my choice.
My life…
Was more important.
With a final look—
I vanished.
Apparition tore me from the battlefield in an instant.
And a moment later—
Dumbledore disappeared as well, his phoenix carrying him away in a burst of flame.
Silence fell.
The war…
Had truly begun.