It's just, why did these screams sound so wrong?
Two targets went in, so why did it sound like a dozen people screaming?
The burly man Jamie frowned. Amid the noisy clamour of the tavern, he pressed close to the wooden door, listening carefully.
Two seconds later. That's not right!
Jamie's eyes widened. These were clearly the screams of those dark wizards! And the screams were extremely shrill, like fingernails scraping glass, making one's heart tremble with fear.
They were actually counter-killed?!
Jamie was shocked. Could that peacock-like wizard have been playing weak to catch them all in one net?! That acting was too good! How terrifyingly formidable!
Jamie leaped up with a kick, using physical Alohomora. BANG! He smashed open the door.
In that instant, before his eyes could adapt to the darkness inside the room, an incredibly strong smell of rust hit him like a wall! By the light leaking in from the tavern, the six-foot-three Jamie froze in place, his brain momentarily stopping due to protective reflex.
Though he'd had blood on his hands many times in his life, he'd never seen such a horrifying scene. Like splashed oil paint, red liquid was spattered in large patches across the floor, walls, and even the ceiling. As if fallen into a crimson nightmare.
Dark wizards lay scattered across the ground. Their robes and the flesh beneath had been cut into strips by sharp glass, making it impossible to distinguish their original appearance.
From their fallen positions, Jamie subconsciously arrived at a terrible fact: they had actually killed each other. Without using spells. In fact, this didn't seem like human methods at all, but more like the slaughter of mindless beasts!
"Ah, ahh..."
Jamie staggered backward, but his legs went weak, and he fell on his bottom. He looked down, only to meet the gaze of an upturned face.
That face was stained with crimson, its mouth stretched to the extreme in a twisted smile. However, in those eyes that seemed ready to pop out of their sockets was substantial terror!
"Hehe, we're all sacrifices, sacrifices... no, save me, save me... We're all going to die!"
The wizard suddenly reached out a withered hand, gripping Jamie's ankle tightly!
"AHHH get away from me! Depulso!"
Jamie was scared out of his wits, shooting a spell that sent the wizard flying hard. His rough shouts made the tavern's noise gradually stop, looking at him strangely and mockingly.
A wizard joked: "What's wrong? Seen a ghost? Hahaha!"
Jamie would rather have seen a ghost. Ghosts returning from death were more normal than what he was seeing now!
What... what was going on?! This wasn't something humans could accomplish! Had they really summoned some entity? Triggered an evil curse?
Where did those two targets go?
Jamie looked to the side and was suddenly stunned. Because he saw that the golden-haired wizard he'd thought was playing weak was also collapsed on the ground, unconscious.
Huh? Where did that child go...
"Pat."
A small hand, cold as a corpse, pressed on Jamie's shoulder from behind. In that instant, Jamie felt all his hair stand on end.
When... when did...
The presence behind him slowly approached, warm breath spraying on his neck. Jamie didn't dare move and couldn't make a sound, his body trembling uncontrollably.
He heard a voice as gentle as a spring breeze whisper by his ear: "Play nice?"
"GAHHHHH!"
Jamie spun around with an elbow strike but hit a barrier harder than concrete, sending instant sharp pain through his bones. He saw one of the targets... that pure and noble-looking black-haired young master... smiling down at him.
"CRACK!"
In the tavern, a fierce-looking wizard smashed his cup and stood up, raising his wand toward Ethan and cursing: "You think you can..."
"ROAR!"
The mountain-like Hell Cerberus raised its heads, landing heavily on the ground with a THUD! Its black mane flying, six lantern-like orange-red eyes stared at that wizard.
"...do whatever I want," the fierce wizard smoothly sat back down, raising his cup to drink from empty air.
In the dead silence, Ethan chuckled softly and said: "I want to hire assassins. Which of you has killed at least one person?"
On his bow tie, the pure moonstone reflected beautiful and expensive radiance. The dark wizards looked at each other, then one by one raised their hands.
A vicious-looking old man grinned sinisterly and said: "Smart, knowing to come here for assassins. I specialise in family extermination. As long as the price is right, I guarantee money received, person gone. Children half price, Muggles thirty percent off."
"Me, and me! I once caught a lost Muggle boy to experiment with my dark magic. Those stupid animals are still posting missing person notices! Hahaha!"
"Boss, look at me! I only charge one Galleon per person... no, 12 Sickles is fine!"
In the tavern, dark wizards thinking Ethan was an important client enthusiastically recommended themselves. Only a few people, perhaps having never killed or having well-developed sixth sense, quietly slipped out of the tavern.
Ethan didn't mind them. He just surveyed the eager faces in the tavern and asked: "In your eyes, human life is cheaper than Galleons, right?"
A dark wizard immediately laughed and shouted: "Boss! Stop testing us! The brothers who stayed are all capable of big things!"
They didn't see the terrified expression on Jamie's face as he lay on the ground.
Getting a definitive answer, Ethan suddenly smiled brilliantly, his whole body glowing faintly under the lights. He patted his chest and sighed in relief: "That's good, that's good. Then I won't... have merit deducted."
Ethan raised his hand toward the Cerberus and said gently: "Leave none alive."
"ROAR!"
The Cerberus excitedly raised its heads, glaring at the instantly frozen expressions of its prey, crouching with muscles bulging. The next second, it shot forward!
Blood erupted!
"AHHHHH!"
Screams immediately filled the entire tavern! Ethan watched this scene with satisfaction, as if seeing large sums of payment flowing into his pockets.
So many people should satisfy your requirements, Mr. Client.
"You... you deceived us!" A dark wizard roared in disbelief. "You sinister, cunning monster! Who are you?!"
The people here weren't well-educated, and few would read the Daily Prophet. Plus, Dumbledore had protected Ethan's appearance and privacy, not letting Rita freely post photos.
Therefore, except for Hogwarts, most of the outside world only knew the name "Ethan Vincent" but didn't recognise his appearance. Let alone in Knockturn Alley.
Otherwise, Ethan's "pretending to be a target" plan wouldn't have succeeded so smoothly.
Ethan sincerely introduced himself: "Hello, sir. I'm called Ethan Vincent. The future leader of world change."
The dark wizard was confused: "E-Ethan wha... AH!" He was bitten away by the Hell Cerberus.
Oh my. Only then did Ethan realise that a catchy, memorable title was more convenient for spreading than his real name. For example, everyone knew "Voldemort", but few knew "Tom Riddle".
Wait, why was he comparing himself to Voldemort? He wasn't some evil, terrifying Dark Lord.
Amid the screams, Ethan shook his head with amusement. A memorable title...
Suddenly, inspiration flashed through his mind. Ethan's lips curved upward. He raised his right hand, snapping his fingers gracefully, and a deep black silk top hat appeared in his hand.
Then, pinching the brim, he elegantly swept it to his chest, bowing slightly toward the chaotic scene before him. His voice rang clearly in all the wizards' ears.
"I am known as Mr. Lamp. I wish only to punish evil and eliminate wickedness, using great art to spread the radiance of light and justice to the world."
As he spoke, a drop of blood splashed near Ethan's feet, staining his shiny leather shoes.
Fools like moths blindly and greedily pursue flames. Then are ultimately swallowed by flames in their terror, becoming kindling to light my path.
Lamp brightness increased
Title gained: Mr. Lamp
Current recognition: Little Known
Only among some dark wizards in Knockturn Alley will your name be whispered in fear
Curse Resistance gained
You will be difficult to bewitch, control, or have negative status effects applied by magic
Soul Fusion increased by 1%
48% becomes 49%