The early morning air was crisp. Most of the audience still slept, though the first light of dawn had begun breaking over the mountains. The contestants from all four schools were resting, save for the vigilant guards from Britain and Hogwarts.
Then it happened.
From deep within the mountains, a deafening roar shattered the dawn's tranquility. It sounded like some ancient beast awakening. Whether audience member or contestant, everyone instinctively sprang up, wands materializing in their hands as they scanned their surroundings warily.
On the British side, the moment the roar echoed, Sunny Finch's twin hammers appeared in her grip. Other students seized their magical artifacts, immediately forming a defensive formation. Both traditional wizards and their British counterparts were on high alert.
While everyone remained bewildered, a massive screen rose above the encampment. On the screen, two wooden boxes floated silently in midair. Those who'd watched the entire competition recognized these objects: the activation items for the final two stone pillars.
Erwin's voice then echoed throughout the Changbai Mountains, clear and commanding.
"Good morning, everyone! The activation items for the final two stone pillars have appeared! Their location is precisely at the center of your arena. In one hour, the protective barrier surrounding these items will vanish. You need to reach the boxes within that hour and compete for them after the barrier drops! Once all stone pillars are activated, the final test of the third stage will commence: the battle for the Goblet of Fire! Good luck to all!"
Then his voice ceased abruptly.
Charlotte listened to the announcement, unable to suppress a wry smile. "It seems the Headmaster is forcing us into a decisive battle."
Cedric nodded. "Classic Erwin. He knows how to orchestrate drama. What's our move?"
Penelope didn't hesitate. "What choice do we have? We must rush there. Erwin said these are the last two, which means we must secure both! Otherwise, we're finished."
Charlotte agreed. "Correct. Numerically speaking, that's our only path. Let's move quickly. I didn't expect seven pillars to be activated already. I wonder what the current standings are."
The Hogwarts students wasted no time, hurrying toward the arena's center.
On the British side, the delegation was also mobilizing. Sunny Finch stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Only two remaining? That means seven pillars total have been activated. We have three, so four are unaccounted for. Unless all four are with Hogwarts—which seems unlikely—we're in a strong position. We should stick to the plan: secure one pillar. We absolutely must claim one."
The Kunlun students nodded in agreement and began moving toward the center.
The Beauxbatons girls rubbed their sleepy eyes.
"Only two left! Looks like we'll be able to take hot baths soon!"
Fleur smiled, brushing a stray hair from her face. "Look at you all, so pathetic. But you're right. Get a bit more sleep—you're still not fully awake."
Beauxbatons continued their leisurely approach.
The most distressed by the news were Durmstrang. Seven pillars activated meant that even if distributed evenly at two each, one school definitely had three. Even if Durmstrang secured both remaining pillars, it would be insufficient. They were already destined to lose.
This realization plunged the Durmstrang team into deep depression. Viktor Krum clenched his fists, resentment burning in his chest. How could they have already lost before accomplishing anything? It was absurd. The team was already considering surrender. Everyone looked to Krum.
"Should we give up?" a Durmstrang student asked tentatively.
Silence fell over them.
Krum gritted his teeth. "No. Even if we lose, we can't lose so pathetically. Without a single pillar, how can we face Durmstrang? We've already sacrificed so much! This time, we absolutely cannot leave empty-handed. Even securing just one of these final two pillars would be worthwhile. At least we won't have nothing."
Krum's words stirred renewed fighting spirit among the Durmstrang students. "Yes! Even if we lose, we can't lose so miserably!"
Krum stood. "It's settled then. We must claim at least one—and if possible, both! I refuse to believe our luck will always be this terrible."
The Durmstrang players rose, spirits high. However, they didn't know their misfortune was far from over. Sometimes having dreams is admirable, but the pain of shattered dreams can be devastating.
The Durmstrang team began converging on the center.
With Erwin revealing his hand, the audience grew excited. They knew the moment of decisive battle was imminent. The real confrontation was about to begin.
Britain and Hogwarts arrived at the target location first. Both sides had already spotted the two wooden boxes floating in midair, but neither made the first move. Instead, they quietly observed their surroundings. The boxes were there—they couldn't escape. But their opponents were also present. Therefore, from any perspective, neutralizing the enemy first was the correct strategy.
The center was an open clearing without tree cover—completely exposed. Both sides had already spotted each other. The instant their eyes met, Charlotte and Sunny Finch attacked simultaneously. Their opening salvos signaled the engagement's start.
Instantly, Hogwarts and Britain began a new round of combat.
Charlotte's target was clear: she focused relentlessly on Sunny Finch, giving her no opportunity to establish array formations. A continuous barrage of spells swept toward Sunny Finch. None of the individual spells were particularly powerful, but their sheer frequency was overwhelming, leaving Sunny Finch with no chance to set up formations.
Seeing this, Sunny Finch appeared to have anticipated the strategy. She simply waved her hand, and two British students withdrew from the battlefield. They moved to the sidelines, beginning to regulate their breathing, preparing for large-scale spell casting.
As magical power mobilized within their bodies, the air grew humid. The sky gradually darkened. Lightning serpents danced within the dark clouds, which looked exceptionally oppressive.
Erwin was somewhat surprised—Britain had actually been concealing such a technique. Were these two jointly casting lightning magic? But then Erwin shook his head. No, it seemed more complex than simple lightning magic. Erwin observed for a while, then his eyes lit up.
So that's it. It seemed his research into British magic remained insufficient. Indeed, how could Kunlun's magic, developed over so many years, not have unique applications?