"Father—"
"Die—"
"D—"
The shout echoed in layers through the empty fortress corridors.
Ethan stared: "..." How did I become the Weasley family ancestor again?
"My son, rise." Ethan patted Henry's head like one might pet an overeager dog. Already getting used to this. Fine.
Henry sensed Ethan had no hostile intent and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Good—he's still on humanity's side. Though dealing with him feels like negotiating with a prehistoric monster.
In the corner, other prisoners lay collapsed on the ground in sheer terror. Henry raised his head, meeting those cold cobalt-blue eyes—inorganic, like a predator's—and forced himself to speak through gritted teeth:
"Please... save us. I am Henry Weasley of the Weasley family—we're wealthy and influential. Once we escape, we'll repay you! We'll do whatever you ask!"
In the end, Ethan left his three-headed dog card guardian with these prisoners to escort them safely out of the fortress.
Henry Weasley watched Ethan's figure disappear into the tunnel's depths, his chest surging with immense admiration. So powerful... Is this what a true wizard is? Sweeping through armies, acting as he pleases, answering to no one.
"He called himself 'Light'... What a strange name." Henry murmured aloud. "I really hope I can become someone like that... with the ability to protect everyone."
He steadied himself, gripping the blood-stained baton, his determined gaze sweeping over the anxious prisoners. "We cannot let down the hero's gift! Charge forward! Let's fight our way out!"
The three-headed dog snorted disdainfully, its breath corroding the walls with acidic vapor. The prisoners carefully stood up, retrieving fallen batons.
Rather than a noble hero, the youth who'd appeared from nowhere seemed more like an avenging demon from the depths of hell—using terror to fight terror, evil to devour evil. The only comfort: this particular demon stood firmly on humanity's side.
Ethan ventured deeper underground, casually dispatching the goblins who charged at him along the way. Where are their manners? The new fortress master has arrived, and they attack instead of kneeling in welcome? How rude. He shook his head in mock disappointment.
The underground fortress was a labyrinthine maze, with countless tunnels branching in every direction. Fortunately, he had the map the goblins had so generously provided. Otherwise, Ethan would have employed the principle "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line"—simply smashing straight through from the surface to the bottom.
The deeper he descended, the more oppressive the heat became. Eventually, even cooling charms couldn't prevent sweat from soaking through his robes. Along the thick black iron walls, crimson veins pulsed like living arteries, surging with intensely concentrated magical energy.
Finally, riding a creaking elevator through a pit filled with glowing ghostly blue ore, Ethan reached the fortress's deepest level—the heart, the Great Furnace.
Heat distorted the air in shimmering waves, instantly beading sweat on Ethan's forehead. A deep humming came from beneath his feet, bringing slight tremors—like a massive creature roaring underground, carrying extraordinary power.
Red-orange magma flowed past the pitch-black earth like rivers of fire, all converging into the central machine! It looked like a prostrate black iron beast, its massive body towering dozens of meters high!
The structure was roughly circular, its black shell showing the patina of long-term high-temperature forging—covered in bronze and reddish-brown mottling. Ancient runes glowed ghostly blue across its surface. From square observation ports surged blinding golden light that hurt to look at.
Using magma as blood, winding pipes as arteries. And the boundless magical power extracted from endless ghostly blue ore stones, continuously smelting inside—that was this great furnace's beating heart!
Thump-thump! Thump-thump!
Ethan stared at it transfixed, momentarily feeling his own heartbeat synchronize with its rhythm. Undoubtedly, within this furnace lay the ancient magic he sought—capable of killing the gatekeeper blocking his advancement path!
Simultaneously, Ethan sensed clearly that it wasn't complete yet. Still missing something crucial.
Just then, a hoarse voice rang out, "You came after all... [Lamp]."
Hearing this, Ethan paused, then shouted with exaggerated alarm, "Who's there? Show yourself!"
His eyes darted across the ceiling and upper levels. The goblin leader Ranrok, standing directly in front of the massive furnace, seethed silently. You little bastard. You truly deserve to die.
Grinding his teeth, he fixed his gaze on Ethan and spoke slowly, "However, I didn't expect the person who twice annihilated my forces would be some green behind-the-ears brat."
Only then did Ethan focus on the short figure before him. He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Funny, I didn't expect the dwarves from Snow White would have delusions of world conquest."
Even the Evil Queen would laugh her dentures off at this.
Ranrok's expression darkened further. Just two sentences with this brat and I already have a splitting headache. Infuriating!
"Smooth-talking brat... Maybe you have some ability, but what about the other humans?" Ranrok grinned maliciously, exposing sharp fangs, looking extremely sinister. "While you're flapping your gums with me, my subordinates have already slaughtered countless humans!"
Ranrok suddenly spread both arms wide, his eyes bursting with extreme fanaticism and confidence!
"This fortress was built by pouring all our goblin technology and resources into it! Impregnable! The alchemical technology within is beyond anything your wizards could research in a lifetime! Beyond your wildest imagination. As long as it exists, we're invincible—"
Before he could finish—
BOOM!
Earth-shaking tremors! Rubble rained down from above, scorching magma splashed everywhere, corroding the ground. Even that massive steel furnace trembled slightly!
Ranrok froze: "???" What happened?!
The goblin leader's pupils constricted sharply. This was definitely not a normal vibration—the fortress had suffered a tremendous external impact!
But—how is this possible?!
Ranrok's mind reeled. Glancing suspiciously at Ethan, he quickly pulled down his specialized goggles—carved with intricate magical runes—and connected remotely to the Surveillance Eye perched high above the fortress.
The image flickered to life. A bloody maw lunged straight at the lens!
"Gack!" Ranrok jerked back involuntarily, his heart skipping a beat.
Then he realized that bloody maw belonged to a freaking CABBAGE.
Wait—what? Ranrok stared in disbelief. Isn't he supposed to be fighting human wizards? Where the hell did carnivorous plants come from?!
"SIZZLE!" The Surveillance Eye immediately fired magical rays, incinerating the bizarre cabbage to ash. But before Ranrok could catch his breath, shadows crept across the lens from below—a massive net woven from strange purple vines, binding and blocking the eye's vision. To make matters worse, the vines showed alarming resistance to offensive spells!
This is... Devil's Snare? Ranrok's thoughts raced frantically. Doesn't Devil's Snare fear light?! Since when does it have full elemental resistance?!
His mind spun with questions—as if his meticulously planned battlefield was being overrun by an army of rampaging trolls he'd never seen coming.
In the final moment before the vision went completely dark, the goblin leader caught a glimpse of wizards soaring through the sky astride bizarre, ferocious beasts, diving like hawks toward the squealing goblins below.
In the silence that followed, only Ethan's clear, cheerful voice rang out:
"These are my wizard troops! Have you ever seen such cheerful and joyful—cough, such righteous wizards?"