After burning all the Acromantulas blocking his path to ash, Karl did not rashly continue forward.
Instead, with a forceful wave of his sleeve, he manipulated the sky-filling flames and the Phoenix to transform into a high wall of fire, blocking the line of sight from Hogwarts Castle and the covered bridge.
"Fire Treasure, go stop Professor Flitwick and Milo. Don't let them come over."
"Eeyah!"
Fire Treasure tensed its little face, nodding with a mock-serious expression.
Then, in the next second, it giggled and rubbed its cheek against Karl's before quickly flying out beyond the wall of fire.
"Mischievous!"
Karl closed his eyes and took a deep breath, instantly transforming into the Ice Crystal Phoenix.
After all, he was about to face a Basilisk. He was still very wary of that ghostly thing that could kill with its eyes.
To some extent, the threat a Basilisk posed to people was no less than Fiendfyre, and it was even more convenient.
After all, when facing the pursuit of Fiendfyre, one could still find ways to dispel it or escape for their life.
But a Basilisk's killing method was very simple; as long as eye contact was made, one would drop dead before they could even react.
He felt that if a Dark Wizard controlling a Basilisk were to launch an attack, they would only need to take the thing to a crowded place.
Then they'd shout, "Everyone, look at me! Look at me! I have an announcement!" and then release the Basilisk the moment everyone looked over.
"Whoosh—"
Cold winds howled as ice and snow descended.
After Karl's transformation into the Ice Crystal Phoenix appeared, the eternal glaciers of Freljord seemed to reappear in this place.
The scorched earth left by the flames was quickly covered in frost, as if it had turned into a polar ice field.
The air that was just scorching hot rapidly turned into a biting cold wind, with heavy snow falling and ice crystals spreading.
Illuminated by the moon in the sky and the white wall of fire, Karl's pupils shone brightly, and his translucent, azure body emitted a noble and mysterious light.
"This feeling—it's really not bad!"
"The Ice Phoenix spreads its wings! The storm is with me!"
Unable to suppress his inner chuunibyou soul after all, Karl recited two of Anivia's lines and dived straight toward the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"So this is what a Basilisk looks like."
Deep green scales covered its entire body, and its hideous head held a pair of cold, heartless yellow eyes.
This Basilisk probably wasn't very old; it didn't have a body as massive as the one in the Chamber of Secrets. It was roughly as thick as the rim of a bowl, and as for its length, it was impossible to guess because it was coiled up.
"Hiss!"
Meeting Karl's observing gaze, the Basilisk reared up fiercely, opened its mouth, and revealed two sharp fangs.
"Has it already launched an attack?"
The moment he made eye contact with the Basilisk, Karl sensed an invisible ripple striking him.
However, for him in his transformed Phoenix form, it was as harmless as a light breeze against his face.
In fact, besides wanting to test his newly acquired abilities, this was the primary reason Karl chose to transform into the Ice Crystal Phoenix: a Phoenix is immune to the killing gaze of a Basilisk.
Don't be fooled by the fact that phoenixes are only classified as 4X among magical creatures, seemingly inferior to dangerous 5X creatures like Acromantulas, Basilisks, or Dragons.
Magical creatures.
In reality, this classification standard is based on the level of danger a magical creature poses to Wizards. The Phoenix is rated 4X not because it lacks offensive power, but because very few Wizards have ever successfully tamed one.
In fact, as a divine bird endowed with spiritual wisdom, the Phoenix's wonders surpass all other magical creatures.
To a Phoenix, Fiendfyre is no different from ordinary fire, and the Basilisk's dangerous gaze has no effect whatsoever.
It can teleport through space at will, its song possesses magical power, and its tears can heal wounds.
Most importantly, a Phoenix is immortal; even the Avada Kedavra only causes it to be reborn.
Although Karl's Ice Crystal Phoenix was very different from Fawkes—for instance, it couldn't teleport, had no magical song, and no healing tears.
However, as a demigod bird that controlled the elemental power of ice and snow, it could similarly achieve resurrection and rebirth, and it was unafraid of Fiendfyre or the Basilisk's gaze. Furthermore, in terms of combat, it left Fawkes far behind.
"It's only polite to reciprocate! You take a move from me too! Glacial Storm!"
As Karl flapped his wings, an infinite and majestic power of ice and snow instantly froze this part of the world.
A blizzard let out a shrill howl as it swept through heaven and earth. Whether it was the brandishing Acromantulas or the Basilisk attempting to strike, all had been turned into ice sculptures.
"Ah! Avada Kedavra!"
The Dark Wizard beside the Basilisk erupted in an ominous blood-red light. After breaking through the ice, he let out a roar and fired the Killing Curse at Karl.
"That strange blood-light again! But I'm different now!"
"Crystallize! Frostbite!"
With a thought from Karl, a solid wall of ice rose to block the Avada Kedavra.
Simultaneously, ice spears radiating infinite cold whistled forth, easily piercing through the defense of the blood-light. After skewering the Dark Wizard's body, they pinned him to the ice sculpture of an Acromantula.
"Crack!"
Amidst the sound of shattering, fragments of ancient armor scattered across the ground from the dead Dark Wizard.
Good news: loot dropped.
Bad news: the equipment is broken.
"Ice and snow, dissolve."
Karl circled once in the air. The blizzard quietly subsided, and the frozen world was thawed.
At the same time, all the ice sculptures immediately turned into powder and collapsed. It was as if the Basilisk and those Acromantulas had never appeared,
Completely vanishing from the world.
Clean and hygienic! Quite environmentally friendly!
"What on earth is this thing?"
Karl flew closer and shifted back into human form. He casually Transfigured a stone into a box and collected the armor fragments.
"I'll take these back for Dumbledore to see. Maybe he'll find something."
Just then, a message came from Fire Treasure through their mental link; it was about to lose its hold.
Because besides Professor Flitwick and Milo the Wampus, Professor McGonagall, Nina, Professor Sprout, and the Little wizards had all arrived.
"Incinerate!"
Raging flames rapidly spread outward from Karl, turning into a sea of fire that reduced all traces of the freezing to nothing.
The power of ice and snow was his current trump card; it was better not to let too many people know about it.
Once everything was settled, Karl dispelled the sea of fire and the Gubraithian Fire that maintained the fire wall.
At this point, the flames that had ravaged the land finally disappeared, leaving only scorched earth and the ash from the burned Spider Queen swarm.
Of course, the situation in front of the covered bridge was very grim. Shredded magical plants and the carcasses of Acromantulas were everywhere.
There were also stone statues covered in scars and nearly destroyed, and shattered floor tiles that Professor McGonagall had turned into a pride of lions.
Not to mention the collapsed bridgehead and the defensive positions that had been blasted several times by spells.
"Karl!"
After the fire wall vanished, the Little wizards sprinted toward Karl, their excitement comparable to that of fanatic fans in the Muggle world.
This time, Charlie Weasley dodged Tonks and was the first to reach Karl's side. "Where are the Dark Wizard and the Acromantulas?"
"They've already been burned to ash and merged into the earth."
Hearing this answer, the Little wizards immediately began to cheer. "Karl won! We won! Hogwarts won!"
Amidst waves of cheers, Karl was hoisted up and repeatedly tossed into the air by them.
"Hey, hey, hey! Put me down!"
"Don't touch me all over!"
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