Bang! Boom!
The Basilisk's severed massive head crashed to the ground, its body collapsing with a thunderous roar. Dark, foul-smelling blood gushed from the creature's severed neck like a stream, flowing across the Chamber floor.
Looking at the Basilisk he had slain, Sean took a deep breath and once again wielded the giant Gryffindor sword, intending to press his advantage and charge at Marcellus Bulstrode, who was possessed by Tom, to cut him down as well.
After all, for Hogwarts' safety, for the students' well-being, to punish evil and uphold justice, Marcellus would surely be happy to die, perishing together with Voldemort's soul fragment!
So Sean didn't need to worry too much about Marcellus's safety—he could just cut him down and restore peace to Hogwarts!
Gripping the giant Gryffindor sword with both hands, Sean swung it as he prepared to charge at Marcellus.
But just then, the giant Gryffindor sword suddenly shrank rapidly, returning to its original size and becoming a normal-sized Gryffindor sword. At the same time, the sword seemed to become somewhat ethereal, actually slipping from Sean's hands and embedding itself point-first in the ground.
Raising an eyebrow, Sean reached out to pull the Gryffindor sword out again, only to find his hand passed right through the sword's hilt—he couldn't even touch the weapon anymore.
At that moment, information about Gryffindor's sword appeared on Sean's panel.
[Gryffindor's Sword: Magical item, enchanted weapon, relic of Godric Gryffindor. Only those with qualities truly recognized by Gryffindor can wield it. Highly destructive against magic, magical items, and magical creatures. Can change to appropriate size according to the master's build and will.]
Looking at the panel's notification, Sean's eye twitched slightly.
So when I needed to kill the Basilisk, I had Gryffindor-recognized qualities, but when I don't need to kill the Basilisk, I don't have Gryffindor-recognized qualities anymore, is that it!
Are you playing double standards with me, you weapon?
No longer paying attention to Gryffindor's sword—after all, it wasn't part of Sean's original plan anyway. Besides, while the Basilisk could resist magic, Sean didn't believe Tom, occupying Marcellus's body, could ignore his magic.
Opening the duel ability acquisition interface on his panel again, Sean kept an eye on Tom in the distance while looking at what he had gained from killing the Basilisk.
[Duel Won!]
[Conditions Met: Victory Against Ancient Magical Beast.]
[System Commencing Random Ability Extraction from Defeated Target: King of Serpents - Basilisk.]
[Opponent Strength Assessment: Legendary. Drawing Three Abilities.]
[Extracting...]
A surge of ancient, primal power coursed through Sean's veins. He felt his blood burn with venom, his skin tingle with the promise of impenetrable defense, and his eyes momentarily blur as something fundamental shifted in his vision.
[Extraction Complete!]
[Raw Abilities Acquired: Basilisk Venom, Basilisk Scales, Basilisk Eyes]
[Warning: Ability extraction target is not the same species as host, cannot perfectly inherit. Searching for solutions...]
[Searching...]
[Based on host personality, solution search complete.]
[Modifying extracted abilities to match host species characteristics and physical condition.]
[Modification Complete!]
[New Ability Acquired: Toxic Flow LV0]
[New Talent Acquired: Serpent King Scales LV3 (Animagus form exclusive talent)]
[New Talent Acquired: Serpent King Eyes LV3 (Animagus form exclusive talent)]
Looking at the panel notifications, Sean's face couldn't help but show a hint of a smile.
This was the first time he had simultaneously gained three abilities from a single opponent.
And because the Basilisk was different from wizards, lacking those unnecessary preferences, all three abilities Sean gained from the Basilisk were quite useful. Though after the panel's modifications, two of the extracted abilities couldn't be used immediately, it was precisely because of these two temporarily unusable talents that Sean could guess what animal his Animagus form would be.
As for the Toxic Flow magic evolved from Basilisk venom, this was now magic unique to Sean.
This magic could instantly poison anyone hit by it. Currently only LV0 Toxic Flow with just basic effects, but to improve this magic and gain more effects and stronger toxins, Sean would need not only constant practice to raise the magic's level, but also to seek out various powerful toxins and cast magic to absorb them for additional effects.
The current Toxic Flow already possessed the difficult-to-remove characteristic granted by Basilisk venom, so Basilisk venom could no longer improve this magic. To continue enhancing the magic, he would need to absorb other toxins.
For example, the Acromantulas in the Forbidden Forest.
With a thought, Sean closed the panel and looked toward Tom.
At this moment, Tom was standing beside the Basilisk's corpse, constantly stroking it. He had never imagined that such a powerful Basilisk would die at Sean's hands. He also hadn't expected that without Dumbledore even coming personally, just having the phoenix drop that dirty Sorting Hat would allow Harry Potter to obtain the Gryffindor sword hidden within and, through Sean Bulstrode's hands, use Gryffindor's sword to kill the Basilisk!
Without the Basilisk, more than half of his plan was ruined.
Turning to look at Sean and Harry Potter standing in the distance, Tom's ethereal face once again emerged on Marcellus's features. His expression twisted as he glared viciously at Sean and roared, "Sean Bulstrode, you will pay the price!"
Without answering Tom's words, Sean simply held his wand and gave Tom a dueling bow, then reached into his chest and pressed the pure white pocket watch. The watch's hands spun once, and a white mist flashed across Sean's body. In an instant, the stamina and energy consumed in the previous battle were restored to their state before the fight, when Sean had set the time.
Having done this, Sean and Tom simultaneously cast spells at each other!
The moment Sean and Tom began fighting, Harry also drew his wand, preparing to help Sean. But when Sean and Tom truly began their battle, Harry suddenly realized his earlier thoughts had been far too naive—this fight was beyond his ability to participate in.
Various magical lights, thunder, and flames crashed together madly between Sean and Tom, either mutually annihilating or entangling as they flew out, striking the ground or walls and leaving crater after crater.
Sean waved his wand, creating blue-white ripples in front of him that deflected a Stunning Spell, while his wand smoothly traced an arc from top to bottom, releasing a Disarming Charm at Tom.
Tom on the other side, was similar to Sean, with various magics completely integrated in his hands. The current Tom was only a soul fragment from Voldemort's student days, possessing only the power from that period—not yet the dark green madman of his Dark Lord era who only used the three Unforgivable Curses.
But even so, this still put great pressure on Sean, and he was gradually falling into a disadvantage!
Boom!
Sean unleashed his black smoke magic with full force, no longer caring if Harry witnessed it. His opponent's strength exceeded expectations, and conventional methods were no longer sufficient. However, this was also advantageous—the stronger Tom's power, the greater the benefits from defeating him. Though the situation was challenging, Sean had no doubt he would emerge victorious.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
One by one, black smoke arms extended from Sean's body, reaching toward Tom.
This magic was clearly something Tom had learned or created after graduation. The current Tom didn't recognize the spell. Looking at the black smoke arms grasping toward him, Tom continuously waved his wand. Balls of dull yellow flames shot from Marcellus's wand, striking the smoke arms and erupting in thunderous explosions.
The Blasting Curse. An absolutely high-level spell with astonishing destructive power. Peter Pettigrew had once used it to kill an entire street of Muggles while framing Sirius Black.
In Tom's hands, the Blasting Curse seemed inexhaustible, streaming out continuously and completely blocking Sean's smoke arms.
"Oh? My maxed-out smoke magic was actually blocked. As expected of Voldemort's Horcrux—truly formidable."
Muttering to himself, Sean waved his wand with one hand while his left reached to his waist, pulling out three potions with practiced ease. He bit off the corks one by one, then downed all three in quick succession. Casually discarding the empty bottles, Sean took a deep breath as the potions took effect. A smile played at the corner of his mouth as he said in a low voice, "Let me see how many more times you can block this..."
"Again!"
Sean raised his wand high, and the black smoke around his body soared skyward, intertwining to form a massive hand that blotted out the light, slamming down toward Tom.
Seeing this, Tom waved his wand frantically. A fireball far exceeding his previous efforts shot from his wand, striking the center of the giant smoke hand and erupting in an unprecedented explosion. Countless wisps of black smoke scattered outward, instantly obscuring all vision.
Tom looked at the spreading smoke and immediately sensed danger.
He retreated quickly, waving his wand defensively. A translucent spherical shield expanded from above his head, completely enveloping Marcellus's possessed body. Just then, a sharp claw of condensed smoke suddenly grabbed the shield, creating ripples across its surface.
Seeing the smoke claw, a sneer appeared on Tom's ethereal face. But before his expression could fully form, another smoke claw grabbed the shield, followed by a third, fourth, fifth... ten, fifteen... thirty. More and more claws seized the barrier, creating an ear-piercing sound like nails on a chalkboard. The cacophony grew louder and denser as countless ripples appeared across the spherical shield, and slowly, a crack began to form.
"Not good!"
Tom's expression shifted. He waved his wand violently. The moment the spherical shield collapsed and countless smoke claws reached for him, a pale blue gale spread outward, instantly dispersing the black smoke into nothingness.
The smoke cleared, and Tom immediately searched for Sean's location, but saw no trace of him.
Tom reacted with lightning speed. He immediately realized Sean was directly behind him and began to wave his wand for another attack.
But at that precise moment, Sean materialized behind Tom and delivered a devastating kick to Marcellus's lower back. A miserable scream—overlapping voices from both Marcellus and Tom—rang out. The possessed body seemed to fold backward, flying forward to crash hard against the wall.
Tom ignored the body's damage and pain, trying to make it stand, but suddenly discovered that the kick had directly shattered Marcellus's lumbar spine. Just as he began to cast healing magic, white light shot out, striking Tom's arm. The limb—Marcellus's arm—immediately went limp as if boneless. Though the hand bones remained intact, he could no longer control the wand.
He reached for the wand with his other hand, but white light continued to fall, and the bones in his limbs and spine vanished one after another. Except for those protecting vital organs and the brain, Sean used the Bone-Removing Curse—obtained from Lockhart and modified by his system from Lockhart's failed bone-healing spell—successfully subduing Tom.
Walking up to Tom, Sean stomped on and shattered Marcellus's wand, then reached into the boy's robes and withdrew the diary.
Feeling the diary's frantic attempts at mental influence, Sean recognized this as its final desperate ability.
The diary clearly realized its temptation had no effect on Sean whatsoever. Streaks of green light overflowed from between the diary's pages, coalescing into Tom's ethereal figure before Sean.
"Sean Bulstrode, since you know of my existence, you should understand what I am. My main body will return eventually. If he learns you destroyed me, he certainly won't spare you. Conversely, if you preserve me well, you might have a chance to become a subordinate and survive."
"Last year, your main body possessed some unfortunate soul and tried to steal the Philosopher's Stone from Hogwarts. I killed his host and drove him away. Do you really think your main body is generous enough to forget what I did?"
These words immediately left the diary speechless.
Here I am trying to reason and negotiate, and you tell me you already offended the main body last year? What's the point of anything I'm saying?
Tom's ethereal figure looked at Sean, essentially giving up, and spoke directly: "You cannot damage me. I am a Horcrux of the great Voldemort. I possess powerful magical protections. I am invincible!"
"What nonsense. Right here, there are at least two things that could destroy you: Gryffindor's Sword and a Basilisk fang. Either could pierce right through you. And you claim invincibility... Furthermore, even without those, there are many spells capable of destroying you."
Having said this, Sean casually tossed the diary onto the ground and pointed his wand at it.
"Toxic Flow!"
A dark purple light, viscous as liquid, shot from his wand tip and struck the diary.
This magic derived from Basilisk venom summoned poison with unique properties—much like the cursed fire of Fiendfyre—potent enough to destroy a Horcrux!