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Under the logic of Ripple Breathing, magical energy was closely tied to life force, and the technique pushed that life force toward its limit.
In many cases, the system had not been wrong.
A strong body truly was a key foundation for becoming a caster.
The reason Dudley could release spells lay in his specially made wand. It could guide the magical energy within his body outward, while the magic crystal set into the wand served as support.
Add the attribute boosts after three rounds of meditation...
The enhancements were fully stacked.
It was not strange at all that one Confringo could injure a dragon. If he could not damage a dragon, that would be the unreasonable part.
'So strong.'
The spectators swallowed hard.
"Is this the strength of Hogwarts's Chief Wizard? No wonder he leads the disciplinary group."
A student who looked to be from Hogwarts exclaimed.
"Chief Wizard?"
The surrounding spectators, who did not understand, immediately caught the key phrase and came forward to ask.
The title echoed the Wizengamot's Chief Warlock, a position most famously held by Dumbledore. A wizard associated with such a title was destined to be a rising star.
After the young wizard explained, they finally understood the origin of this nickname.
With Dudley's reputation at Hogwarts, there was not a single student from first year to seventh year who was unconvinced by him. Therefore, the students had secretly given him the nickname Hogwarts's Chief Wizard.
Of course, this was an informal title and had not been officially recognized.
Even so, it was already remarkable.
The surrounding wizards nodded as they understood the reason.
He was only a fourth-year student, yet even seventh-years admired him. Add dragon speech and the glimpse of ability he had just shown, and their evaluation of Dudley rose again.
At that moment, the situation in the arena changed once more.
Dudley took a vial of potion from his pocket.
Bagman, who had been watching Dudley through Omnioculars, immediately shouted excitedly.
"A potion! It is a potion! Champion Dursley has taken a potion."
"What sort of potion could it be?"
Before Bagman could give the other wizards room to imagine, he continued shouting.
"Merlin's beard! Champion Dursley has actually put away his wand. He is charging toward the Hungarian Horntail! Why is he so fast?"
"How is his movement so agile? The dragon's fire cannot touch him at all."
"Incredible. Champion Dursley is moving as though he has eyes on the back of his head. He dodged the dragon's tail attack!"
"Look! He has climbed onto the Hungarian Horntail. He has raised his fist. What is he going to do?"
Dudley smashed his fist heavily onto the Hungarian Horntail's head.
The dragon shuddered as if struck by a heavy blow and immediately grew dizzy. It tried hard to throw Dudley off, but what it received was another blow, then another, then another.
It was as though someone were hammering iron with a great mallet.
After releasing a miserable cry, the Horntail staggered several times and fell to the ground with a thud, sending dust into the air.
"This... this... how... how exactly did he do that?"
Bagman was completely stunned.
He had never imagined that a Hungarian Horntail, famous for its ferocity, would be beaten down by an underage wizard's fists.
What sort of fist was that?
There was no reason for it.
The Hungarian Horntail's skull was extremely hard. Even steel could hardly damage it.
Why were so many evil dragons in medieval stories invulnerable to blades and spears? Because those dragons were modeled after the Hungarian Horntail.
Was that the kind of fist a human could have?
Dumbledore, watching Dudley in the arena, said unhurriedly, "I believe I know the reason, Mr. Bagman."
Hearing that, Bagman did not hesitate and immediately handed the amplifier to him.
"Aside from being extremely outstanding in Charms and Transfiguration, our champion Dursley is actually most skilled in Potions."
"What?! You mean he is most skilled in Potions?"
Dumbledore paused there. Bagman understood very well and played the supporting role perfectly. Their back-and-forth successfully captured the spectators' attention, and everyone listened closely.
"He is the one student personally recognized by Professor Snape, Hogwarts's Potions master, as his successor. While receiving his teacher's true instruction, he has also developed through his own tireless effort a potion that enhances the body's physical abilities."
Snape's title as a Potions master carried considerable weight. He was the youngest Potions master in the wizarding world.
"I never imagined Professor Snape, with that solitary nature of his, would take a student," Karkaroff said, his eyes flickering.
His relationship with Snape was rather complicated.
Both were former Death Eaters, but Karkaroff had escaped Azkaban by betraying his companions, a disgraceful act. Incidentally, the list of Death Eaters he had named included both Snape and Lucius.
Lucius had spent a great deal of money to escape imprisonment in Azkaban, so his attitude toward Karkaroff was neither close nor friendly. He treated him almost like a stranger.
Snape was different.
He was a Potions master, Dumbledore had vouched for him, and the Aurors had found no evidence of any crime. Therefore, he had remained safe.
"What is it? What does it do?" Bagman swallowed and asked.
Karkaroff's focus was Snape's student. Bagman's focus was the potion itself.
What sort of potion could produce such a powerful effect and allow someone to beat a dragon down with his bare hands?
If possible, he wanted...
"Oh, it is truly a brilliant idea."
Dumbledore's slow, leisurely manner of speaking fully drew out the spectators' anticipation and the curiosity of the other judges.
He blinked and said in a slightly mischievous tone, "Please forgive an old man over a hundred years old. Sometimes I do think I ramble a little. Where were we? Ah, yes. That potion is called the Bresta Potion. It can grant a wizard several animal abilities."
"A-animal? Several?"
Bagman stammered. His entire attention had already fallen on the potion, and the other judges seemed much the same.
"Let me think. The eyes of an eagle, the ears of a wolf, the speed of a leopard, and the strength of a bear."
Dumbledore listed the Bresta Potion's effects one by one.
"So that is why his movements were so fast and agile? That is why his strength is so exaggerated?"
"This is simply marvelous."
The spectators could do nothing but marvel.
The judges' expressions, however, differed. Madame Maxime looked bitter. Facing such an outstanding wizard, the chance that her student Fleur would win this tournament had become far too small.
Karkaroff's face was frighteningly gloomy.
Lucius remained calm and composed, as though nothing could shake him.
Bagman's eyes flickered with desire.
The stage of hiding strength was nearly over.
It was time to step into the spotlight.
Of course, that also applied to Mr. Potter, the Dark wizard.
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