After making sure there were no other lives left to save, Sagres began a thorough cleanup.
A powerful spatial barrier silently descended like an immense web, layering itself over the entire region.
Any form of Apparition, Portkey, or escape method relying on spatial distortion was completely neutralized.
Immediately afterward, the pair left the tunnels and arrived at the summit of the volcano.
Once again, Sagres raised his wand.
"Ɇ₳Ɽ₮ⱧQɄ₳₭Ɇ."
In an instant, a deafening roar erupted from deep underground.
The walls above every passage shattered, and countless boulders came crashing down, precisely sealing every route and ventilation shaft leading below, turning the entire stronghold into a colossal stone tomb.
The rumbling had not yet subsided, and faint cries of despair and muffled groans from the trapped inhabitants could still be heard.
Sagres looked down at the dormant volcano, which had remained silent for countless years, and at the nest of evil that had just been permanently entombed.
His expression remained utterly devoid of emotion.
Vast amounts of magic gathered at the tip of his wand, radiating a glow that made one's heart tremble.
Then, a violent burst of magical energy erupted like an invisible giant hammer, striking deep into the earth's crust.
Rumble—!!!
The ground shook violently, groaning as though in agony.
A terrifying crimson light erupted from the depths of the volcano, tearing through the night sky.
Scalding, viscous magma mixed with unmelted boulders shot into the sky like an enraged beast.
Burning fragments of rock were hurled high into the air before raining down like meteors.
Deadly poisonous gases and dense volcanic ash spread instantly, swallowing everything in the blink of an eye.
Blistering shockwaves roared outward, sweeping away everything and dragging all into the vortex of destruction.
The entire volcano, together with all the lives within, all traces of their existence, and all the twisted evil and ambition buried there, was utterly consumed in the earth-shattering eruption and unimaginable heat.
The towering flames illuminated the stern profiles of Sagres and Nightingale, the shifting light and shadows dancing across their faces.
Silently, they watched the destruction unfold until they were certain that no life could escape the sea of boiling magma.
"The power of nature."
Sagres spoke calmly.
Then, he and Nightingale Apparated away, returning to the Potion Ingredients Expo.
At night, the expo possessed an even more fantastical atmosphere than during the day.
Countless magical lanterns floated through the air like fallen stars, bathing the grounds in brilliant light.
Rather than dwindling, the crowds had only grown larger after nightfall.
An impromptu market had sprung up in the open area outside the main venue. Witches and wizards had spread blankets across the ground and set up stalls selling all manner of strange trinkets, snacks, and handicrafts.
The air was filled with the aroma of food and the lively hum of voices.
Sagres and Nightingale emerged from a secluded corner, the subtle ripple caused by Apparition completely concealed by the noise of the crowd.
Like two ordinary visitors, they naturally blended into the bustling market.
Stopping by a sizzling food stall, Sagres casually bought two skewers of unidentified grilled meat covered in a special sauce and handed one to Nightingale.
Just then, the distant rumbling that had persisted for some time, along with the ominous orange-red glow staining the clouds, finally began attracting more and more attention.
Witches and wizards stopped and looked up, whispering and pointing towards the crimson horizon, their faces showing a mixture of curiosity and unease.
"What's happening over there?"
"It sounds like thunder, but it doesn't look like it..."
"Is that a volcano? I thought there was only a dormant one in that direction."
"That's quite a disturbance..."
Nightingale glanced at Sagres.
Without changing his expression, Sagres took another bite of his skewer and walked towards a relatively secluded patch of shadow.
"The power of nature."
He repeated the words he had spoken upon leaving the volcano, his voice low.
After swallowing his food, his gaze swept across the murmuring crowd before finally settling on Nightingale. Under the glow of the magical lanterns, his grey eyes appeared unfathomable.
"If my guess is correct," he began slowly, his voice nearly drowned out by the distant rumbling and the noise of the market, "then I have far too many questions."
"First, the cost and the paradox. Altering time recklessly, especially attempting to eliminate a key individual, often results in catastrophic consequences. The history books are full of examples of entire bloodlines being erased or regional magical balances collapsing as a result. So why isn't he afraid? Unless..."
Sagres paused and lowered the skewer in his hand.
"Unless he firmly believes that no matter what he does, the outcome will still be better than the future he originally came from. So just how terrible was that original future? Was it a disaster beyond our imagination? Or..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Does my existence itself bring about even greater calamities in the future?"
Nightingale listened quietly, her eyes reflecting the lantern light.
"Second, timing. Why now? Why not when I was weaker? During my childhood, I remained within the Greengrass manor, but I was hardly invincible. Choosing to act only after my powers matured more than doubles the difficulty. It makes no sense. Unless..."
He fell silent briefly.
"Unless he was unable to choose an earlier point in time. Perhaps the Time-Turner itself has restrictions on where and when one may arrive. Or perhaps the earlier timeline was protected by some powerful force that prevented interference."
One question followed another, though he clearly did not expect Nightingale to provide the answers.
"And then there is the matter of 'never being able to go back.'"
Sagres continued as though organizing his thoughts.
"That point is crucial. Time-Turners have rules and limitations, but 'unable to return' usually implies that the tool itself has been damaged, or..." He paused. "That the temporal anchor of origin has disappeared."
His voice grew quieter.
"Did he come from the future, only to discover that the path back had been severed? Or did he come from a past that no longer exists because of some major change?"
Nightingale finally spoke, her tone calm.
"No matter where he came from, his existence itself is a major variable. His knowledge, the techniques he brought, and the hatred he cultivated have already become part of our present. If we do nothing, perhaps his interference will drive the original future into an even more unknown abyss."
Sagres remained silent for a moment. The distant volcanic eruption cast flickering red light across his face.
"This operation has already failed once. We destroyed the stronghold."
His voice remained steady.
"But he still has nine followers scattered across different locations, carrying out unknown missions. And as for the leader himself, we have no idea where he is hiding or what powers he possesses."
He finished the last piece of meat and tossed aside the skewer.
His eyes once again became sharp.
"We need to investigate every clue related to abnormal goblin activity, forbidden temporal magic, and, most importantly, large-scale bloodline grafting experiments."
"Gringotts, the Department of Mysteries, and even the minds of certain wizards may hold the answers we need."
Sagres's tone turned cold.
"I need to know who he is, where he came from, and..." His gaze shifted towards the distant crimson glow on the horizon.
"...what kind of future would drive someone to risk shattering time itself in order to escape it."
___
o(*≧▽≦)ツ💫 Read up to 12+ chapters in advance on Patreon/DarkDevil1