Chapter 146 - CHAPTER 86

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Moriarty shook his arm, his wrist breaking free from the ice, and with a flick, the cedar wand leapt into the palm of his hand.

"Crying Under the Snow!"

Moriarty waved his wand in a circular motion, and a chorus of sorrowful weeping burst forth.

The tone was hauntingly melodious—like the lament of a soprano afflicted with misfortune, whose only recourse was to cry: helpless, pitiful, and saturated with melancholy.

Snowflakes drifted softly from the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall, each flake echoing the mournful cries. The weeping permeated the space, creating a suffocatingly sorrowful atmosphere.

Lilith and Jericho clutched their ears and stumbled toward the exit, desperate to flee the overwhelming sound. Diana, still in the hall, dropped to her knees. She curled into herself, burying her head between her legs, her expression twisted with agony.

Moriarty smiled faintly. This mind-affecting magic was working brilliantly—so effective, in fact, that even Dracula might be feeling its effects. Evidence of that came from Dumbledore: his eyes narrowed slightly as he activated Occlumency to shield his mind from the assault.

Yet the magic's influence wasn't entirely nullified. Dumbledore's expression faltered, his brow furrowing deeply. His face turned pale, and he swayed, taking several unsteady steps backward.

"How is this possible?" Dracula muttered, confusion lacing his tone.

"I underestimated Moriarty's strength… damn it!" The proud vampire grit his teeth, attributing this twist to his own miscalculation.

Memories of his dealings with the three Moriartys flashed through his mind.

"He never trusted me… he hid his strength… that deceitful brat!"

"But do you think you've won?"

Dracula roared at Moriarty with a mocking sneer.

"Impossible!"

Unwilling to let Dumbledore be defeated, Dracula summoned the remaining vestiges of his virus magic to manipulate the headmaster.

A sinister aura enveloped Dumbledore as blood-red tendrils spiraled around him. His robes darkened, as though stained with blood, and his lips curled into a twisted smile that flickered in and out of existence.

"Blood Bat: Soul Stealer!"

The Elder Wand pointed at Moriarty, and a blood-colored bat erupted from the wand's tip.

It soared high, spreading its wings so wide that they eclipsed the enchanted ceiling of the hall.

"Such outdated magic," Moriarty scoffed, raising his wand.

"Here's a surprise for you, Dracula— Dragon Whisper: Flashing Dragon Roar!"

With his incantation, a thunderous dragon's roar tore through the hall, shaking the very stones.

At the same time, blinding light erupted—

"ROAR!"

The sonic onslaught obliterated the blood bat mid-flight, reducing it to a crimson mist.

Before the haze cleared, Moriarty cast a Freezing Curse, a streak of pale blue light slicing through the fog and striking Dumbledore dead-on.

Ice spread rapidly across the older wizard's body, trapping him in a shimmering frozen prison.

Diana, too, succumbed to the spell, her figure encased in ice.

With the immediate threats neutralized, Moriarty's system chimed in to issue his rewards.

"Host has defeated Dumbledore at 50% strength and Diana at 40% strength. 100,000 points awarded!

Host successfully cleared the 'Dracula Game' with their team. Additional 100,000 points and a Mystery Prize awarded.

Open Mystery Prize now?"

200,000 points—Moriarty's mind brimmed with possibilities as he glanced at the spell list in the system's mall.

But he paused and responded,

"Open the mystery prize now!"

"Congratulations, host. You've unlocked the right to activate an additional Elemental Magic!

Choose one of the following advancement paths: Fire Element, Wind Element, or Thunder Element."

Moriarty was stunned. He had thought the system allowed only one elemental path. His current path—Water Magic—had felt exclusive.

But this prize offered more.

Fire. Wind. Thunder.

Moriarty contemplated each option.

Fire Element—he already knew it to be part of elemental magic. He had discovered an undead phoenix egg in the chamber beneath Slytherin Castle.

Wind Element—intimately familiar. Since his first broom ride, he had felt connected to the wind. His flying was unmatched, and both Dimoaka and the wind seemed to guide him on every flight.

Thunder Element—raw, untamed power. In the magical world, no witch or wizard had ever mastered thunder. It was said to be a pure, divine force, often mistaken for weather magic.

It carried the weight of destruction—and of justice.

All three options held incredible promise.

Moriarty asked the system,

"Which do you suggest?"

"This system cannot answer. All choices hold equal reward. It is up to the host."

He sighed. A difficult decision indeed.

But then, a thought struck him: the Quidditch World Cup.

He had promised Ludo Bagman he would represent England. His second year had just begun, but the tournament loomed close.

He would soon be competing on an international stage—in the skies.

That decided it.

"System, I choose Wind Element Magic advancement!"

"Please confirm. This will update the mall and all future quests and penalties accordingly."

"I confirm—Wind Element it is."

"Ding! Wind Element path activated. Updating system mall… adjusting quests…

Congratulations! Host is now a Level 0 Wind Magic Apprentice."

"Open the mall!" Moriarty commanded.

The menu shifted before him. Below the familiar Water spells, a new tab appeared: Wind Element Magic.

Moriarty's eyes widened at the costs:

Passive Magic – Fantasia of the Wind: 8,000 points

Giant Wind Column: 20,000 points

Windmill Fighter: 20,000 points

Cool Wind and Bone Erosion: 30,000 points

Capture of the Wind: 50,000 points

Whirlwind Cutting: 50,000 points

Doomsday Storm: 70,000 points

The Wind Howls: 70,000 points

Breeze Waltz: 100,000 points!

"Wind magic costs ten times more than water magic!" he exclaimed.

Indeed, his first water-element passive spell had cost only 800 points.

"Is it because wind magic is stronger than water magic?" he asked.

"No," the system replied firmly.

"All elemental paths—Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder—can lead to godhood. Every path has equal potential.

But do you recall how your Water Magic was activated?"

Moriarty nodded. He had first been exposed to water and fire elements—through the Ice Moon Necklace and the undead phoenix egg—before unlocking the water path.

"Correct," the system said.

You have not been exposed to wind element magic before. The mystery prize bypassed this step.

Therefore, to compensate for this missing experiential foundation, Wind Magic spells cost more.

Once you gain exposure to other elements before unlocking them, their prices will match Water Magic's."

Moriarty nodded in understanding.

"So if I get exposed to the thunder element before choosing it, the cost will drop?"

"Exactly."

Turning his attention back to the spell list, he made his decision.

"System, redeem Cool Wind and Bone Erosion, Capture of the Wind, Whirlwind Cutting, and Gust Roar."

"Confirming—redeem 4 Wind Magic spells for a total of 200,000 points?"

"Confirmed."

His point balance dropped instantly—but he felt no regret. What use were points if not to grow stronger?

The system processed the redemption.

A fresh breeze swept across Moriarty's face, and the knowledge of the new spells flooded his mind.

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