As Catalina finished her sentence and the final utterance of “hand” resounded, Skyler opened his mouth, releasing an overwhelming torrent of black mist!
The secret of the art of the Aetherform – the art of shooting Squid’s Ink!
In an instant, a riot of magical colors illuminated the scene. The eight wizards on the opposing side were not mere spectators.
They responded with incredible speed, devising countermeasures on the spot. Swiftly escaping the range covered by the black ink, they invoked various family secrets or personally crafted spells for mutated iron armor.
The expanse enveloped by the black mist was vast. After evacuating the area, the wizards scanned their surroundings, but Skyler was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, Skyler’s voice echoed, its source seemingly nearby yet also distant. The sound created intricate ripples in the water, creating the illusion that Skyler was omnipresent. “We may all be senior elite students, but don’t lump me in with the likes of you who like being high of your power. How about…”
“How about experiencing that feeling for yourselves for once?”
The underwater atmosphere plunged into absolute tranquility, yet paradoxically, everyone sensed a subtle increase in water pressure against their skin.
The eight wizards scanned their surroundings, only to find nothing amiss. Suddenly, the water surrounding them rippled as if an invisibility charm had abruptly failed. Within the undulating water, a multitude of Skyler figures materialized—hundreds of them!
Each Skyler bore a distinct expression—some beamed with joy, some frowned in contemplation, and others glared with cruelty and madness. At the same time, some remained indifferent, as if the unfolding spectacle held no significance for them. The commonality among them lay in their identical faces, figures, and attire. Simultaneously, every Skyler drew their wands and aimed them at the wizards!
Skyler’s original magical transfiguration spell—Heavenly Array of Deities and Buddhas!
Hundreds of Skylers!
What an astounding concept!
Keep in mind that a second-year Skyler had already triumphed over Gallup in a direct duel. Did you notice? Even though their primary objective was to capture Skyler alive and manipulate him for their own purposes, they had also steeled themselves to eliminate Skyler if capturing him proved unattainable.
In their deployment, they dispatched a team of eight individuals, each equipped with artifacts designed to enhance their combat capabilities underwater. Moreover, they strategically placed additional traps in proximity to the hostages.
With the exception of Draco, all team members hail from influential families, and each elite senior student from Beauxbatons Academy possesses over a 90% chance of prevailing in one-on-one combat against an average adult wizard!
While the traps set around the hostages were deemed expendable, they intended to capitalize on every advantage at their disposal. Their confidence in overpowering Skyler through sheer strength was evident.
It’s crucial to note their lingering disdain for Skyler, which is evident in their somewhat rushed and flawed trap arrangements. Notably, as a traverser well-versed in the plot’s intricacies, Skyler had detected irregularities in the mermaid tribe’s behavior.
Now, their realization of their grave miscalculation dawned upon them. Skyler, having deciphered their trap, refrained from directly approaching the hostages—an outcome anticipated by the assailants. Yet, the manner in which hundreds of Skylers materialized proved to be a striking visual spectacle that caught them off guard.
Many among them, possessing extensive knowledge and education, swiftly discerned that Skyler’s transfiguration wasn’t reliant on conventional body transfiguration techniques or any mere hybrid animagus water-related gimmick.
Instead, it constituted a genuine method of bodily transfiguration, a magical evolution into an unknown and fantastical creature. Their suspicions deepened upon witnessing Skyler unleash the black mist.
This was an uncharted magic, operating on an entirely unprecedented plane. The proximity to Skyler underscored the augmented combat prowess he wielded underwater, surpassing their own advantages derived from enchanted artifacts.
More disconcerting was the overwhelming sense of oppression that Skyler imposed beneath the water’s surface. Each droplet of lake water seemed to carry a subtle, tingling force, almost as though repelling them. Skyler had become an invincible sovereign in the water, a force they found unnerving.
As each Skyler initiated the incantation, the water resonated with a symphony of intricate sounds—varied pitches and ethereal tones undulating through the aquatic environment. The incantations were both mesmerizing and chilling, echoing through the water in a way that sent shivers down their spines.
The situation became even more ominous as hundreds of voices melded in a collective incantation. The tips of the wands are illuminated with a myriad of colors, reminiscent of a captivating firework display on the verge of unleashing soul-stealing hues.
The faces of 6th graders Irina, Miles, and Gallup among the group mirrored an ashen pallor. Their visages lacked any trace of color, and even the hands that clutched their wands trembled involuntarily.
Despite their reluctance to acknowledge it, fear seeped into their beings—an intense fear that rendered them devoid of fighting spirit. Despair and powerlessness took root in their hearts, and Skyler had become an invincible force in their eyes.
Gallup, haunted by memories of a painful incident in the fourth grade that landed him in the school hospital, now faced a similar plight underwater.
Without external witnesses or professors to intervene, the quivering fish tail of his lower body betrayed his inner turmoil. Struggling to control the rigid tail, he managed to stay afloat, lips trembling as he stammered, “Wha-what should I do?”
Comparatively, 7th graders Catalina, Eleanor, and Hector exhibited greater composure. Though an unsettling feeling lingered, panic did not wholly consume them. Their unease stemmed from the stark realization that Skyler’s strength far surpassed their expectations.
In the end, Catalina, with her innate courage, was the first to regain her composure. She scolded, “Don’t panic! These ‘Skyler’ are soulless copies created by the transfiguration spell. They can’t cast real magic!”
Upon hearing this, a wave of energy swept through the group. Hector exclaimed, “Exactly! These can’t be real. If he had such powers, why bother dealing with us? Why not just eliminate us altogether? Together, we can use powerful magic to break through the encirclement of these replicas!”
Several wizards brandished their wands, conjuring columns of boiling water that, upon impact, burst into a deluge of blistering bubbles.
While they were occupied with dismantling the replicas, the genuine Skyler remained invisible, lurking nearby, biding time for the opportune moment.
A wry smile curled his lips; if these individuals couldn’t discern their own transfiguration spell, it would indeed be dull. However, judging by their enthusiasm, the shock of their creation seemed to have left them bewildered.
Observing their enthusiasm, one could surmise that they believed destroying all the replicas would secure their victory. Perhaps they assumed that by doing so, they could either defeat Skyler or, at the very least, unveil his true identity. Little did they realize that the real Skyler might not be among them at all.
Skyler shook his head in response to the exaggerated reactions of his opponents. Employing the “silent and wandless casting” technique, he discreetly unleashed two spells—one, an “offensive spell” aimed at breaking through defenses, and the other, a genuine stunner spell that swiftly incapacitated Gallup.
“There’s an ambush!” Irina, witnessing her comrade’s sudden fall, couldn’t suppress her inner fear and cried out, “Damn it, he’s nearby, he’s invisible!”
“Calm down!” Hector commanded, “Keep reinforcing your iron armor spells! Let’s stick together to minimize the risk of surprise attacks!”
Impressively, the response was swift and coordinated.
Even though Skyler was their adversary, he couldn’t help but silently acknowledge their effective countermeasures. Hector proved his leadership qualities, demonstrating composure and strategic command during the crisis. As an enemy, Skyler begrudgingly acknowledged Hector’s talent.
However, these were still foes, and the memory of Gemma lingered in Skyler’s mind. Amid the battle, he found himself momentarily distracted, recalling the second-year prefect who had invited him to her farm for a vacation. A subtle disturbance flickered through his otherwise calm demeanor.
“Hector… You are indeed a remarkable talent. Originally, in my plans, the Ghost Society was a faction I aimed to conquer… but now, you’ve become my mortal enemy.”
Skyler contemplated as he saw the look on Hector’s face, revealing how much he felt betrayed after experiencing the ambush by these Ghost Society members.
The Nightshade Mystic Market itself better prove to be a great choice of an assault in his plan, wishing for the connection with the Aurors to be more worth than these kids’ lives.