Harry Potter: I am the Legend

In an instant, all the constructs surged onto the white island at the center of the lake, leaping high into the air. Just as Osivia's shoulder pushed Hoffa aside, a construct seized her arm.

Hoffa vanished into thin air, while Osivia entered her strongest state of human transformation. Her entire body turned into metal.

With one punch, she sent the construct gripping her flying. But the next moment, hundreds, thousands of constructs engulfed her.

In less than ten seconds, the constructs dispersed, revealing Osivia pinned to the ground, like a praying mantis overwhelmed by a swarm of ants.

The constructs' arms intertwined like massive steel locks, chain after chain, rendering her immobile. To make matters worse, the black metal seemed to carry some substance that made it difficult for Osivia to maintain her transformed state.

"Bastards!" Osivia gritted her teeth.

Silby glanced at her and said indifferently, "Aside from your rage, you are nothing—hardly worth my interest."

"You think you can hide behind the scenes and manipulate everything!?"

Silby grinned, revealing a row of teeth glinting with cold light. "Did you really think your arrival here wasn't part of my plan? That the merfolk would allow you passage without my permission? That—"

Before he could finish, a blade pressed against his neck.

Hoffa emerged from ghost-like steps, saying, "Let her go."

Silby remained calm, shaking his head. "The other three Houses may survive, but no Slytherin will. Those outdated fools, unwilling to accept change, fearing progress—they have no place in my new world. They'll inevitably be swept away by history."

With that, all the constructs raised their weapons, and at least a thousand of them pointed at Osivia's head.

"Let her go!" Hoffa repeated.

The blade cut through the skin of Silby's neck and reached his bone, but it could go no further. His bone was pure black metal.

Standing still, Silby mockingly remarked, "Even Godric Gryffindor once pointed a sword at my neck like this, but he's been dead for over a thousand years."

"What do you want?" Hoffa asked.

"I won't kill her—yet. But that depends on your decision, Hoffa."

The next moment, countless constructs put away their weapons and forcefully lifted Osivia.

Silby nudged the Hogwarts Orb with the tip of his metal boot, flicking it like a soccer ball toward Hoffa. "The Hogwarts Orb, forged by the four founders, contains the courage of Gryffindor, the loyalty of Hufflepuff, the power of Slytherin, and the password of Ravenclaw.

The founders claimed it was to protect the school. But let's be real—it was to store Slytherin's magic and subject me to eternal torment.

Now, awaken the Hogwarts Orb and release the source of Slytherin's magic."

"Never, you monster!" Osivia roared, restrained by countless constructs.

Bang!!

Silby's hand moved like lightning, then retracted just as swiftly. A bullet shot from his palm, and Osivia's left arm was severed on the spot.

She bit her lip, refusing to make a sound.

Seeing this, Hoffa held the dimly glowing orb, veins bulging on the back of his hand.

"Why me?"

"It requires Ravenclaw's password, so naturally, it must be done by a descendant of Ravenclaw."

"What if I refuse?" Hoffa asked.

Silby smiled faintly and raised one finger.

A construct immediately tightened its grip on Osivia.

"You have three minutes to decide. Every ten seconds, I'll break one of this Slytherin lady's bones. If you want her to live, work for me."

Sweat began dripping from Hoffa's forehead.

"Do you think she's my friend?"

"Oh, is she not?" Silby raised a finger.

Crack!!

A construct twisted Osivia's arm behind her back, snapping it in half. She didn't utter a sound, staring daggers at Silby.

Hoffa's foot arched tautly as he rasped, "You've got the wrong person. I'm not truly Ravenclaw. Most people think I'm a Gryffindor. I don't know the password."

"The long years have granted me insight into human nature. I've met Rowena Ravenclaw herself. No one understands true Ravenclaws better than I do, Hoffa Bach."

Silby raised a second finger.

Osivia's left arm was snapped again.

"Stop!" Hoffa ground his teeth, lifting his arm. Sweat streamed down his face as he could no longer ignore the situation.

"Hoffa! Don't you dare!" Osivia cried out in pain.

Silby raised a third finger. The construct behind Osivia stomped on her leg, breaking it.

She bit her lip until it bled but still refused to cry out.

"I know you too well, Hoffa," Silby said, laughing softly. "You have talent, remarkable even by the standards of my time.

You're meticulous, pouring your all into even a fifty-Galleon task.

But your outdated morals, your kindness, your compassion—they are emotions a true wizard has no need for.

Those emotions are merely tools for manipulation, and fortunately for you, you've met me. I will refine you, strip away the impurities, and make you shine like never before in this chaotic world."

"Shut up!" Hoffa growled through gritted teeth, cutting off Silby's monologue.

"How do I know the password?" he asked.

"Don't deceive me. You're Ravenclaw—you know it, don't you?"

Silby said quietly, "Now, speak the password to the orb."

Sweat dripped onto the hazy surface of the orb. Hoffa vaguely knew the password. It was obvious, engraved on the coin. Yet his tongue felt tied, unable to utter those words.

The man before him was no longer the mad youth of summer. Stripped of his disguise, Silby was undoubtedly the strongest opponent Hoffa had ever faced.

If Hoffa unlocked the seal and released Slytherin's magic, restoring Silby's ability to wield it, he would become an even greater threat than Grindelwald or Voldemort.

Turning his head slightly and waiting for a moment, Sylby sighed, shook his head, and raised another finger.

"It seems you still lack sufficient pressure, little brother."

Hoffa jerked his head up. "Stop! If you still want me to awaken the orb for you!"

"Hoffa!!"

Ossivia struggled, shouting, "Think clearly! This is a monster—"

"Shut up, Professor Romanoff." This time, it was Hoffa who cut her off. His face was drenched in cold sweat, but his gaze remained fixed on Sylby, unwavering.

Sylby smiled faintly, withdrawing his finger.

"Two minutes left."

"No." Hoffa rejected firmly.

"Hm?"

Sylby smiled again, raising another finger.

"One minute is enough!"

Hoffa added, "But first, you must let her go."

"And why would I do that?"

"I need absolute silence to focus and think. That woman is a distraction."

"What's the fun of gambling without stakes?" Sylby asked softly, narrowing his eyes.

"I am a Ravenclaw. My life is paramount above all else. Do you think I'm foolish enough to engage in a contest I can't win? Do you think I lack the vision to make that investment? This school is finished. I'll unlock the orb for you."

"Then why save her?" Sylby asked with a smirk.

Hoffa took a deep breath. "I like beautiful women, but not ones who are disabled. My life's ambitions are modest. If even my boss can't grant me this small indulgence, how can you expect me to work for you?"

Ossivia was on the verge of breaking down.

"Hahahaha." Sylby laughed heartily. After his laughter subsided, he shook his head. "How old are you?"

"Life is what it is. You've lived a thousand years and only have one goal, haven't you?"

"No wonder when I offered you luxury cars, you refused to trade."

"Exactly."

"You've convinced me."

Sylby waved his hand.

The constructs all dispersed, leaving only two. One gripped Ossivia by the head and the other by the ankles, dragging her toward the lake.

"Don't do this, please!" Ossivia begged, her voice almost a plea as she looked at Hoffa.

Hoffa turned his head slightly. "This isn't your fate, Professor."

As soon as he finished speaking, she was hurled into the lake beneath the island, like a discarded sack.

Soon, a dark shadow grasped her arm, dragging her into the glowing, white-tinted waters. She struggled briefly before being pulled under entirely by the shadow, vanishing from the lake's surface.

Sylby waved again.

All the constructs' glowing eyes dimmed and went out. Like dumplings, they sank one after another into the lake, in perfect unison. The white island at the lake's heart fell into a profound silence.

"Now, is it quiet enough?" Sylby asked.

"You sent them after her, didn't you?" Hoffa's expression darkened.

"Don't be like that, little brother. A Slytherin's life is not significant enough to warrant my full attention."

Hoffa took a deep breath and nodded slightly.

The next moment, he let go of the orb.

In a flash, a massive, razor-sharp sword, fully activated, slashed toward Sylby's head with the speed of a startled hare.

Clang!

Sylby, as if anticipating it all along, caught the sword with one hand, stopping it just a centimeter from his forehead.

His gentle expression remained unchanged as he smiled and said, "I knew, little brother, that you wouldn't surrender so easily."

As he finished speaking, the Hogwarts Orb fell to the ground.

"You deceived me for an entire summer, and you still want me to help you lift the curse? Dream on!" Hoffa gritted his teeth in fury.

"I never deceived you from the beginning. I even told you on the train about the curse I bear. I admire you, Hoffa. I admire your attitude toward life."

Sylby held the sword blade with one hand, casually running his metallic hand along it until it reached Hoffa's hand.

"We are the same—equally lonely, equally without family, equally unnoticed by others. You should help me."

Hoffa stared at Sylby's black metal hand as it rested on the back of his own. Under the immense pressure, the giant sword began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Don't try to act close with me. Those words are meaningless. I know to you, emotions are nothing more than tools to achieve your goals."

"You've grown, Hoffa, and that brings me joy," Sylby said gently. "But even with this shallow transfiguration spell of yours, you can't kill me. Not even in my current state, without any magical power."

The moment he finished speaking, Sylby tightened his grip on Hoffa's hand.

Hoffa screamed in agony as his fingers were crushed in an instant, as if under a hydraulic press.

Sylby snatched the giant sword from Hoffa and swallowed it whole.

He licked his split lips and smiled. "Did you know? Back in my era, students weren't even allowed to use wands."

Clutching his right hand, Hoffa staggered backward. While in his activated state, his crushed hand began to regenerate and swell back to normal.

After about eleven seconds, his hand was restored, though the lingering pain still gripped him.

Sylby watched Hoffa with interest. "Not bad. It seems there's another magical creature's power within you, rapidly repairing your injuries. A phoenix? No, that's not right... it's a Thunderbird. No wonder."

"Activated state. It's a transfiguration technique I developed this year," Hoffa said hoarsely.

"Not bad. Highly efficient and quite suited to you."

Sylby continued, "But this state requires a significant amount of mental energy to balance the internal forces. Ultimately, it's still not a perfect transformation—too many flaws."

"Are you planning to teach me, Master of Magic?" Hoffa retorted sarcastically.

"I could, though transfiguration isn't my specialty. But over a thousand years, I've encountered countless masters of transfiguration. However..." Sylby smiled faintly,

"That would require you to sincerely seek my guidance. Unfortunately, you're merely stalling for time, hoping that Slytherin girl will relay your message, aren't you?"

Hoffa clenched his lips tightly.

"Well, as a matter of fact, she is doing exactly that."

With a wave of his hand, Sylby caused the surrounding mist to swirl violently before dispersing.

As the mist cleared, the entire lake transformed into a massive mirror, reflecting a scene outside Hogwarts. Ossivia, in a half-snake form, clutched her arm and stumbled through the forest, sliding along the ground.

Standing atop the white island, Hoffa's face turned pale.

"Do you want to know how well I understand this school?"

Sylby smiled. "I built this school. Everything that happens here is within my control. Did you really think I would let that Slytherin girl go without doing anything?"

He waved his hand again.

The image shifted. In the real world, hordes of black constructs emerged from the Black Lake. Every few meters, a few of the constructs collapsed onto the ground, opening their pitch-black chests to reveal yellow solid materials hidden inside.

Hoffa's face turned ashen upon seeing this. There was no doubt—Sylby's meticulous planning far exceeded his imagination.

Sylby spread his hands. "Right now, every construct outside has been fitted with specially-designed explosives. Each carries approximately 100 kilograms, and the combined energy equals about ten thousand tons of TNT."

He spoke nonchalantly. "Say the command and unlock the orb. Otherwise, I'll destroy this school, along with everyone inside—your friends, your teachers, this school, and everything that gives your life meaning will vanish in an instant."

"But if you help me break Slytherin's curse, I'll let you do whatever you want in the new world I create. I can give you endless power, endless wealth, and limitless authority. You'll become my proxy and the leader of the new world."

"Choose. Will you ascend with me, or perish with the school?"

(End of Chapter)

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