Within moments, over twenty wizards from the Jacobsen family gathered around them.
Two of these wizards worked at Durmstrang, people Karkaroff recognized.
One was the school librarian, the other the flying instructor.
Since they were relatives of Jacobsen, their last names weren't Jacob, which explained why Karkaroff hadn't known them before.
"Principal Jacobsen, with so few of us, do you really think it's wise to take on those guys? From what I know, there are dozens of wizards in the Silver Wand," Karkaroff said, eyeing the troops being assembled and voicing his concerns.
Jacobsen scoffed, clearly unimpressed.
"Hah, dealing with a bunch of Flobberworms doesn't require unleashing a fire dragon. Don't let our small numbers fool you, we're all pure-blood wizards seasoned by countless battles. Raised in the harsh Norwegian climate, each one of us can easily hold our own against two opponents, not to mention me."
"If you can't even get rid of a bunch of dirty bedbugs, how can you call yourself the headmaster of Durmstrang?" Jacobsen sneered.
"What do you mean, 'you and me'? Why don't you just take me along?"
Karkaroff's face twitched helplessly.
He realized he might have overplayed his role earlier, but hearing Jacobsen speak that way made him wonder if he was truly being seen as second-in-command.
Did that mean he was expected to lead the charge later?
The thought made Karkaroff feel a twinge of regret, maybe he shouldn't have acted so grand.
Now that people actually believed in his authority, he guessed he might really be out on the streets soon.
Still, Karkaroff felt some relief when he received a message from Alex before setting off; the other party advised him to focus on protecting himself and then retreat when possible.
Feeling slightly more at ease, Karkaroff followed Jacobsen on his broomstick, and together they scoured all of Finnmark County for any sign of the Silver Wand.
After more than two hours of searching, they finally spotted their target about a hundred kilometers from Durmstrang.
"Master Seth, an unknown wizard just appeared right below us and is on guard. I think we're close to our target!" one of the Jacobsen family wizards called out excitedly to Seth.
Jacobsen sneered fiercely.
"I see him."
"Let's move! Grab him and find out where those others are hiding!"
Without hesitation, Seth pressed his broomstick forward, leading the charge toward the figure below.
The wizards on the ground couldn't miss the large group flying overhead.
As this band of Pure Land wizards swooped down like hungry tigers, the vigilant wizard on the ground fired a bright red magic flare into the sky, a signal they had agreed on to alert others when enemies were near.
But once the alarm was raised, the wizard knew he didn't stand a chance against so many foes.
Quickly, he prepared to escape using Apparition.
"Trying to run? Not so fast!" Seth said grimly as he dove toward him.
Raising his hand, he cast a cracking spell that destroyed the signal flare midair, then instantly reversed the spell and aimed it at the wizard attempting to Apparate.
"What?!"
The wizard had just begun to vanish when suddenly, as if struck by a powerful blow, his spell was interrupted.
He crashed heavily to the ground, only a few dozen meters from where he had tried to disappear. Clearly, Seth had blocked him mid-Apparition.
This was bad.
The wizard's eyes widened in shock.
Ordinary Wizards couldn't pull off such a complicated spell, and it was obvious Seth wasn't just any opponent.
Realizing he was outmatched, panic set in.
He tried to Apparate again, but sharp pain coursed through his body, breaking his focus.
He split apart unevenly, with a chunk missing from his right shoulder, blood staining the snow beneath him.
"You little brat, still trying to escape after crossing paths with us? You really don't know when to quit!" Seth growled.
Just as the watchful wizard was contemplating his situation, he suddenly found himself surrounded.
The leader, Seth Jacob, stepped onto the wizard's chest and kicked him until he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Where are your fellow rats hiding now?" Seth sneered, curling his lips.
"I... I don't understand what you mean. Why are you attacking me when I'm here alone?" he stammered.
He knew the people before him were dangerous, but he also understood that admitting any connection to the silver wand would only make things worse.
The Pure Land Society despised the silver wand with a passion.
"Hmph, talking tough, huh? Looks like I have to teach you a lesson!" Seth scoffed, feeling as if his intelligence was being insulted.
He had just fired a signal flare. Now he was pretending otherwise?
"Drill the heart and gouge out the bone!" Seth shouted, raising his wand fiercely and casting the Cruciatus Curse.
The wizard felt his soul twist in agony and let out a piercing scream.
Trained at Durmstrang, where black magic was emphasized, Seth showed no hesitation in using the Unforgivable Curse.
Everyone seemed used to this kind of cruelty, except Karkaroff, who watched with lingering fear.
After torturing the wizard for a while, Seth finally withdrew his magic and asked coldly, "Well? Remember anything now?
Or should I make you 'remember' with the Cruciatus Curse again?"
His eyes gleamed with contempt.
"So, where are your accomplices hiding?"
"They're camping about a kilometer north. I'm not with them. Please, let me go, I'm a pure-blood wizard too. I... uh..." the wizard gasped.
Before he could finish begging, a sharp pain suddenly struck his throat.
In shock, he realized his neck had been severed by a cutting curse.
He struggled to scream, but no sound came out.
Blood foamed from his mouth as his vision blurred and darkness claimed him.
Seth looked down at the corpse with contempt and spat, "People who work with scum deserve to beg for mercy, bah!"
Without wasting a moment, he mounted his broomstick and sped off toward the north, shouting, "Go full speed! We can't let those rats escape!"
Karkaroff, still in a daze, could only follow along instinctively with the others, but the scene he had just witnessed kept echoing in his mind.
'That was brutal, killed before he even finished his sentence?'
For the first time, Karkaroff truly understood the ruthless nature of the Pure Land Society; these people were not ones to be taken lightly.