The cave where Emeric and the others found themselves wasn't particularly deep, but the ground was flat. If it weren't for the lack of human traces above, they might have even suspected it was man-made.
Because of the dry and level terrain, the wizards who had fainted from magic exhaustion weren't carried out when the headmaster and others arrived. Instead, they tended to right there—of course, this was also to prevent being discovered by pursuers, though they didn't know Allen had already abandoned the idea of chasing them.
At this moment, Emeric finally understood why the place was in such a state—all thanks to the massive rolling creature that resembled a stone disc.
It hardly qualified as a magical beast by traditional standards, aside from its large size and its extraordinary skill at concealment.
That was why it had managed to remain hidden despite so many wizards in the area—it clearly had no intention of engaging them directly.
But now, that was no longer a problem: its egg had just been shattered.
The furious mother now attempted to fight desperately, while the seemingly powerful wizards before it were a group nearly decimated in the previous encounter.
The wizards attacked the rolling creature with everything they knew—spells of immense destructive power were unleashed—but all to no avail.
If Allen's dodging magic had been maddening, the defense of this creature was downright hopeless.
Spells powerful enough to blow up a room merely produced sparks when they struck it. The massive turtle continued rolling forward at full speed. If it managed to reach them, this cramped cave might have become a grave for the Ilvermorny wizards.
Fortunately, there was Charlid—thankfully, Charlid.
As the giant turtle advanced, he devised a final solution at the critical moment: using his magic to forcefully create tiny, extremely hard stones, subtly altering the creature's path. Just as it was about to reach its target, he shifted its trajectory by two meters.
The price, however, was severe—at the last moment, a shard of stone pierced through his left shoulder, leaving his entire left arm dangling across his chest, supported only by magically-created bandages.
And this was just the beginning. The turtle, briefly dazed, began furiously attacking every target around it. Jets of water, ice, and other magically-formed projectiles rained down on the wizards.
Even after its weak point had been exploited and it had been physically worn down, it ensured one final shock for everyone—the shell didn't just break; it detonated. While the explosion wasn't overwhelmingly powerful due to its properties, it left lasting wounds and an indelible humiliation for the wizards.
Meanwhile, as Allen was conjuring flowers on the table, the guards at Mahoutokoro noticed something amiss.
"Stop! Who are you? Reveal yourselves!"
It wasn't that they didn't recognize the recent guests—it was that the group looked terrifyingly disheveled, like a bunch of beggars. Even Charlid himself was covered in mud and grime, the result of the turtle's last self-detonation.
The sheer volume of mud and debris, combined with the explosion, had battered everyone. Exhausted from the previous battle, they had no magic left even to clean themselves.
After defeating the turtle, the island echoed with furious roars—its egg could not hatch alone. Clearly, this magical creature was unlike ordinary turtles.
It didn't abandon its egg.
This made matters worse. Realizing they had no energy to deal with another creature, the wizards expended their remaining magic to quickly Apparate near Mahoutokoro. Their goals were twofold: change clothes and find protection.
At this point, even a normal sixth-year wizard could have overwhelmed Ilvermorny's elite. Concerned more with survival than appearances, Charlid wisely avoided lingering outside.
However, at the school's entrance, they were stopped. Even the most presentable professors were now covered in mud and debris. Had there been a concept of "refugees" in the wizarding world, the guards might have expelled them immediately.
Charlid attempted to assert his identity, but other professors restrained him. One professor stepped forward to negotiate on their behalf.
The guards, however, refused to recognize them—they had only been there a short time and only knew the most famous wizard among the group.
The argument escalated, forcing the guards to brandish wands. One cast a spell, and the exhausted professors immediately collapsed.
If another Mahoutokoro professor hadn't intervened, the situation could have been far worse. Once the group left, the guard casually remarked to a companion,
"See? No wonder Hogwarts students used to beat their professors. Ilvermorny professors are all soft!"
"Shh! Be quiet! Last time, students weren't allowed to know. You'll offend someone if you speak like that!"
"Bah, what's there to fear? I'm telling the truth!" he muttered, though he fell silent—school rules had to be followed.
Upon returning, the Ilvermorny professors couldn't simply ignore the situation. Order was jointly maintained by three schools, and such a massive mishap required explanation.
Thus, a narrative was concocted by many: why were these strong professors found outside the campus, disheveled and exhausted?
The answer was simple—they were conducting magical research.
A deviation in magical experiments was normal; many wizards died attempting them each year. Such activities commanded respect.
It was a convenient excuse—and everyone believed it.
Turning to the students, the professors began their explanations. Hosting a ball while professors were injured would have been inappropriate.
As for other schools, Professor McGonagall approached the table where Allen had just collected his magic.
"Good evening, Professor. Is there something you need?"
"This magic is remarkable—did you invent it?"
Before Allen could answer, someone interjected:
"Of course, Professor! Allen spent the entire afternoon refining this magic—it's truly amazing!"
The professor's face lit up.
"Very well. Starting tomorrow, Allen, you will serve detention—spending free periods helping your house head. And let this be a reminder: modifying magic is serious business. I don't want you facing the same dangers as the Ilvermorny professors."
Allen's thoughts churned with complexity.
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