The Unicorn, in the midst of labour, trembled with fear at the sight of so many Acromantulas but was unable to move.
"Screee!"
Ho-Oh's cry rang out, the flames around it blazing brighter. Several Acromantulas shrank back.
Ho-Oh had sensed the danger in advance. While its power alone might have been enough to repel the Acromantulas, it couldn't simultaneously protect the Unicorn.
That was why it had called its master for help. Fire was a spider's greatest fear.
A cold snort came from the giant spider, and the retreating Acromantulas halted.
"Little wizard, blame your misfortune," the enormous Acromantula croaked, its voice ancient and brittle like a dying old man's. "Though I once promised someone I would no longer eat humans, my descendants are under no such restriction."
"Who told you to break Dumbledore's rules and enter the Forbidden Forest?"
Wayne's eyes lifted slightly, his wand slipping silently into his hand. "You must be Aragog."
"You know of me?" Aragog—the massive spider—sounded surprised.
"I'm Hagrid's friend."
"Hagrid's friend..." Aragog fell silent for a moment before finally taking a step back. "Even if you are Hagrid's friend, I cannot help you. You walked into this yourself. No one can save you now."
"I think you've misunderstood," Wayne shook his head. "I was merely saying... out of respect for Hagrid, if you leave now, I'll spare you and your children's lives."
"Oh?"
Aragog laughed in furious disbelief. "Does Hogwarts now offer courses in empty boasting? I'd like to see how you intend to 'spare' us!"
All the Acromantulas clicked their pincers menacingly as they closed in, a horrifying spectacle that would terrify even the bravest soul. Thousands of glowing green eyes shone with ravenous hunger in the darkness—each creature a walking treasure trove of valuable ingredients: venom, feelers, spider legs, even silk sacs.
Wayne raised his wand and suddenly grinned. "I've just realised—Acromantulas are treasure troves from head to abdomen."
Hearing this assessment, Aragog's voice turned icy. "Kill him!"
Zzt!
Countless strands of webbing shot from the Acromantulas' mouths—sticky enough to trap prey permanently. The web was always a spider's most effective hunting tool!
"Incendio!"
A blazing fireball erupted from Wayne's wand tip, swelling rapidly before exploding with a bang. A ring of fire expanded outward, reducing all silk to ashes. The foremost Acromantulas shrieked as flames licked their bodies, the stench of charred chitin filling the air.
Far from retreating, the scent of burning kin only enraged the swarm. These were predators who'd feast on their own dead—Wayne was practically serving them dinner.
He~tui!
With webs neutralised, they spat corrosive venom instead. The toxic liquid sizzled upon contact with the ground, releasing noxious fumes.
Wayne shielded himself with the Aegis Shield while glancing at the Unicorn sheltered beneath Ho-Oh's wings. The legendary Pokémon's presence nullified any poison.
With a pointed finger, Wayne murmured: "Fulminatus!"
Crack!
Divine wrath struck from the heavens, bolts ravaging Acromantula carapaces while others supercharged the existing flames, creating a spectacle of crackling pyrotechnics.
Wayne had named this combo technique: Thunderfire Blade!
Behind his shimmering shield, Wayne charged into the swarm, wand blazing.
"Reducto! Expulso! Petrificus Totalus! Fulminatus!"
A kaleidoscope of spells erupted alongside thunderclaps. Acromantulas fell in waves, their dying screeches harmonising with the storm. Even in darkness, Wayne's enhanced reflexes dodged every strand and venom glob.
"Damn it! How's one wizard this strong?!" Aragog retreated, shrieking: "Cease! Stop this! We'll let you and the Unicorn go—just stop!"
The ancient spider's heart bled—these were his children, though he'd sired thousands. Watching this massacre unfold was unbearable.
"You still don't comprehend, Aragog." Another Expulso cratered the earth, vaporising nearby spiders as Wayne sneered: "The question isn't whether you will spare me, but whether I will spare you!"
Zzzap!
The massive web of arcs descended, its blue radiance illuminating the nearby night sky. The spiders that came into contact with the electric net were instantly dismembered by the intense current, their remains scattered haphazardly across the ground.
Their hard exoskeletons and sticky silk proved utterly useless against the lightning net.
"I surrender! Little wizard, what must I do for you to spare us?" Aragog pleaded through gritted pain. He hadn't entirely escaped the net's reach either, losing one of his legs in the attack.
"Whimper~!"
"Whimper~!"
Amidst the carnage of battle, the faint whimpers of a young creature stood out sharply.
Wayne's relentless advance faltered slightly as he turned to look. A newly born Unicorn was nestled against its mother, suckling contentedly.
The mother Unicorn nuzzled her foal affectionately.
The heartwarming scene unexpectedly soothed the killing intent in Wayne's heart.
Aragog, cunning as he was, sensed the shift in Wayne's demeanour and seized the opportunity to press his case.
"Little wizard, this was all my fault, but you've already slaughtered so many of my descendants…"
"For Hagrid's sake, spare us. If you ever return to the Forbidden Forest, we won't dare trouble you again," Aragog bargained desperately. "Nor will we seek revenge against the Unicorns."
In mere minutes, hundreds of Acromantulas had perished—without so much as grazing a single hair on Wayne's head.
Aragog did not doubt that, given enough time, this young wizard could exterminate every last spider here.
"That's it?" Wayne scoffed, picking at his ear dismissively. "You thought you could devour me just because I'm small, and now that you can't win, you wanna run?"
"The world doesn't work that way."
With a snap of his fingers, another bolt of lightning struck, obliterating the nearby spiders. Then, with a sweeping gesture, he conjured an even larger electric net that enveloped the entire area. Though the gaps between the threads were wider this time, any Acromantula attempting to pass through would still lose limbs—if not more.
As for Aragog's massive size? He'd be diced into a hundred pieces without issue.
"What do you want from us?!"
Wayne strode over to the Unicorns. Wherever he stepped, any surviving spiders scrambled frantically to flee.
Legend had it that Unicorns only allowed pure maidens to approach and touch them, making them unapologetic perverts.
But Wayne possessed Magical Creature Affinity, and having just protected the two Unicorns, the mother showed no resistance to his presence. Instead, she greeted him with a gentle, affectionate sound.
Watching the foal feed contentedly, Wayne smiled and stroked its still-damp coat.
Truth be told, newborn creatures weren't particularly attractive, but once their fur grew in, it would undoubtedly be adorable.
Only after this did he leisurely rise and turn his attention back to the Acromantulas.
"Even if I consider Hagrid's favour, survival comes at a price."
With that, he used transfiguration to morph a nearby broken tree into a barrel, one metre tall and half a metre in diameter.
"Fill this barrel with your venom, and you may leave."
"How much?!"
Aragog couldn't believe his ears. Had this boy gone mad?!
Acromantula venom was the essence of their being, not mere saliva to be spat out at will.
"You're in no position to negotiate."
Wayne flicked his fingers, and the vines on the ground suddenly writhed to life, coiling tightly around Aragog's body and hoisting him into the air. No matter how much he struggled, there was no escape.
"Unless you fill this bucket today, I'll personally remove your venom sac and take it myself."
"It's up to you," Wayne said, then dispelled the lightning net.
He wasn't worried about the other Acromantulas seizing the chance to flee—as long as Aragog was under control, the spiders wouldn't dare.
Controlling an Acromantula of this size drained a significant amount of magical power, and with the Aegis Shield still active on him, Wayne preferred to conserve energy where he could.
"I agree," Aragog relented, sensing the renewed killing intent radiating from Wayne. "But you must keep your word. Once this barrel is full, you'll let me and my children go."
The older one grew, the more one feared death—even spiders were no exception.
Aragog had lived for fifty years, his eyes now clouded with severe cataracts, but he wasn't ready to die yet. He wanted to live out his natural lifespan, not perish at the hands of this young wizard.
"I'm a Hufflepuff—do you think I'd lie to you?" Wayne said without batting an eye.
Aragog was stunned.
He had assumed such a ruthless young wizard would either be from Slytherin or one of those reckless Gryffindors.
But a Hufflepuff?
Did his Head of House know he was this brutal?
Outmatched, Aragog had no choice but to pin his hopes on Hufflepuff's reputation for honesty.
He emitted a series of strange clicks, and the other Acromantulas sprang into action. What followed was a bizarre sight.
Hundreds of Acromantulas lined up in two orderly rows, each climbing onto the barrel, squeezing out their venom before weakly dropping off and sluggishly crawling away to make room for the next.
Losing their venom was like losing their essence—of course, they'd be drained.
A faint smile curled Wayne's lips.
Acromantula venom was one of the most expensive materials in the wizarding world.
A single pint (roughly 550 millilitres) sold for a staggering hundred Galleons—and even then, it was nearly impossible to find.
Not only was it essential for brewing advanced potions like Felix Felicis and Wit-Sharpening Potion, but it also served as a catalyst in many other concoctions, significantly enhancing their quality.
Even Snape only had a single jar of the stuff, and when Wayne had glanced at it a few times, Snape had stashed it away like he was guarding against thieves.
Miserly git.
Wayne's large barrel could hold at least thirty to fifty pints—enough to last him a year or two without worrying about running out.
And once it was gone?
The Forbidden Forest was Hogwarts' territory, and as one of the school's "flowers" and its future successor, wasn't it only reasonable for him to collect a little… protection fee?
With the Acromantulas dutifully "milking" themselves, Wayne turned his attention to the Unicorn.
Having eaten its fill, the young Unicorn had fallen asleep peacefully.
Beyond its natural beauty, Unicorns carried an aura of purity that Wayne found deeply soothing.
The creature, in turn, seemed unusually affectionate toward him, nuzzling its large head against him. Stroking the mother Unicorn's silky mane, Wayne suspected this might be linked to his "Innate Saint" talent.
The barrel was now about a third full, but the remaining spiders were dwindling. Aragog, still dangling from the tree, screeched frantically, ordering the other Acromantulas to squeeze out every last drop.
After all, whatever was left would have to come from him!
Rustle…
Rustle…
The forest, which had just regained its tranquillity, was once again thrown into turmoil. The distant darkness suddenly echoed with the sound of hooves, and Wayne activated his Dynamic Perception, instantly alert.
"Hunters! Get out of these lands!" The voice arrived before its owner.
A deep, powerful roar accompanied the sound of galloping. Ho-Oh angrily flapped its wings, ready to take flight, but Wayne gently soothed it.
Soon, over a dozen Centaurs leapt through the undergrowth, landing before Wayne. There were both males and females among them, all towering in stature and armed with bows, appearing formidable beyond measure.
Yet when they saw the scattered remains of spiders, the scorched earth, and the remaining Acromantulas queuing up to secrete venom, they were utterly stunned.
Upon spotting Wayne and the Unicorn beside him, they immediately raised their bows, aiming directly at him.
"Hunter, release the Unicorn!"
Wayne rolled his eyes. "Are you blind? Have you ever seen a hunter this small?"
He added, "And don't you recognise this school uniform?"
Though his build was relatively tall for a first-year student, he was still just a child.
"Wizards are cunning. Who's to say you're not a Dark Wizard who used Polyjuice Potion to disguise yourself as a young one?"
The lead Centaur remained wary, his gaze sweeping across the carnage-strewn scene. His hands clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white as he coldly declared,
"If you were hunting Acromantulas, I wouldn't interfere. But you must hand over the Unicorn."
Aragog, who had been eagerly anticipating a fight between the two sides, nearly choked on his fury.
'What kind of logic was this?'
'So spiders deserved to die, did they? No rights just because they were ugly?'
"Think you're entitled, huh?" Wayne's expression darkened abruptly. "Since when do I need your permission to do anything?"
"Lower those damn bows!"
Though he was usually amiable and easygoing with his classmates, joking around and getting along with everyone, that was only because they were his peers. If others treated him with respect, he naturally reciprocated.
But this was merely a reflection of Wayne's upbringing.
His system was the Demon King System.
And he, too, was a demon king!
Now, a group of creatures who weren't even human continued to aim their bows at him even after he'd explained himself.
This had ignited Wayne's wrath.
Dark thunderclouds gathered overhead once more, the air growing unbearably oppressive.
The Centaurs shifted restlessly, their hooves scraping the ground, yet their bows remained trained on Wayne without the slightest hesitation.
"Release the Unicorn and leave this forest. This is no place for you!" The same Centaur leader warned again. As he spoke, his bowstring was already drawn taut.
"A bunch of magical creatures living under someone else's roof, yet you dare act as if you own the place?" Wayne sneered, flicking his wand.
The arrows twisted astonishingly in mid-air. Under the stunned gazes of the Centaurs, the bows in their hands transformed into man-eating pythons that coiled tightly around their arms, their gaping maws poised to strike at their throats.
Chaos erupted as the Centaurs struggled to shake off the snakes, only to find themselves ensnared even tighter.
Sharp fangs sank into their necks, drawing pained howls. Aragog, witnessing this scene, unconsciously stilled his seven thrashing legs.
'And you still call yourself a Hufflepuff?'
'If this isn't Slytherin behaviour, I'll send you a barrel of Acromantula venom every year!'