Orion recalled the various anomalies of Regulus's childhood: awakening magic at ten months old, speaking complete sentences at one, and a comprehension of magic far surpassing his peers.
Reason told him that what his son said might be true.
"To what extent can you actually perform right now?" Orion asked.
Regulus didn't answer directly, only saying, "If Father wants to know, why not try for yourself?"
A strange light flashed in Orion's eyes as he stood up. "Follow me."
On the wall at the end of the study hung a seemingly ordinary portrait of the House of Black. Orion stepped forward and lightly tapped the Sirius pattern in the bottom right corner with his wand.
The portrait slid slowly to one side, revealing a hidden stone door. Complex magical runes were carved onto the stone door. Orion chanted an incantation, the runes glowed red, and the stone door slowly opened.
Inside was the Black family training room, spacious with a floor paved in hard black stone.
Runes for magical protective charms were embedded in the surrounding walls, and various training targets and props were stacked in the corners.
He had been here a few times as a child, but because he was young then, Orion wouldn't let him perform high-intensity training here.
"Do not hold back." Orion walked to the center of the training room and drew his wand, his dark green robes billowing behind him. "Just like a real wizard duel."
Regulus also drew his wand, his fingertips gripping the familiar wooden texture. The four-star model operated quietly in his consciousness, and magic flowed steadily along the star-track paths, permeating his entire body.
"Begin." As soon as Orion spoke, his wand was already raised. A silent Expelliarmus shot like lightning, aimed straight for Regulus's chest.
Regulus shifted his feet slightly to sidestep it. Simultaneously, he tapped the ground with his wand, and an invisible Shield Charm formed instantly in front of him, just in time to block the Impediment Jinx that Orion followed up with.
He moved quickly, his figure weaving nimbly through the training room to avoid Orion's attacks.
Orion's attacks were dense and precise: Expelliarmus, Impediment Jinx, Leg-Locker Curse, and Petrificus Totalus—spell after spell without a moment's pause.
The magical fluctuations were heavy and condensed, clearly the result of years of accumulation.
As the thirteenth head of the Black family and a member of the Wizengamot, his strength far exceeded that of an ordinary adult wizard.
Being able to hold a position in the Wizengamot and keep the Black family stable on the eve of turmoil meant he was by no means an average person.
Regulus's defense was equally airtight.
He didn't use a wide-range Shield Charm. Instead, based on the direction and speed of the spells, he instantly generated miniature Shield Charms at the necessary positions to intercept them precisely.
Sometimes he rolled sideways, sometimes he took quick, teleport-like steps. His physical flexibility and reaction speed benefited from long-term magic guidance and physical tempering.
Every movement was concise and efficient, without any redundancy.
"Not bad, but not enough." Orion's voice rang out, and the power of his spells suddenly surged.
He waved his wand, and the stone wall on one side of the training room suddenly cracked. Several boulders whistled as they smashed toward Regulus.
Regulus's eyes narrowed; he chose not to take them head-on.
He waved his wand rapidly, firing several Blasting Curses simultaneously, shattering the boulders into pieces.
At the same time, water quickly emerged in the air, engulfing the floating dust and rubble, transforming into countless sharp attacks that shot toward Orion at high speed.
A look of approval flashed in Orion's eyes. He waved his wand again, and the sharp attacks were intercepted in mid-air, igniting into black flames and burning to ash in the blink of an eye.
He continued to wave his wand, no longer using conventional spells.
The air in the training room suddenly became viscous. Regulus felt a powerful pressure rushing at him, as if being squeezed by invisible walls.
This was an Oppression Curse belonging to the Dark Arts. It acted directly on the human body; the more one struggled, the greater the pressure. If one couldn't effectively escape or resist, they would be crushed.
Regulus took a deep breath, and magic erupted instantly. A Constant Shield Charm radiated from his body, isolating the power of the Oppression Curse.
He began to take the initiative. With a light tap of his wand, several silent Expelliarmus spells shot toward Orion from different angles.
Simultaneously, several sharp stone spikes sprouted from the ground, blocking Orion's path. The tips of the stone spikes glowed with a faint red light, imbued with Blasting Curses.
Orion hadn't expected him to counterattack so suddenly and with such tricky methods.
He waved his wand quickly, deploying a wide-range Shield Charm to block the Expelliarmus. At the same time, he pushed off with his toes, leaping into the air to avoid the stone spikes.
As he landed, the tip of his wand glowed with a blackish-red light. A distinct Dark Arts spell shot out—a silent casting, incredibly fast.
Regulus had anticipated it. He threw his body backward, and the black-red curse grazed his shoulder, hitting the stone wall behind him and leaving a charred mark.
He rolled with the momentum, pointing his wand at Orion's feet. Blue-white flames instantly spread, forcing Orion to retreat.
The commotion in the training room grew louder. The stone walls were hit by spells, sending debris flying.
The floor was repeatedly damaged by ice, fire, and stone spikes, becoming pitted and uneven.
The air was thick with the magical residue of colliding spells, causing the surrounding temperature to fluctuate wildly. The runes of the protective charms lit up frequently, neutralizing the overflowing destructive power.
Orion grew more alarmed as the fight progressed.
Although Regulus's magic wasn't as strong as his, his control precision far exceeded that of ordinary people. His spell transitions, timing, and tactical execution were all too mature for a young wizard.
Especially his defense; it seemed passive but always managed to block attacks at the most critical moments, and he could even use the environment to counterattack. This kind of combat awareness was something many adult wizards lacked.
He no longer held back, his wand movements becoming faster as he alternated between Dark Arts and conventional magic.
Oppression Curses, Severing Charms, Bone-Breaking Curses, Blasting Curses, Lightning Strikes, and Transfiguration—various spells wove into an offensive web that shrouded Regulus.
Regulus's breathing remained steady, his eyes clear.
His brain worked at high speed, calculating the trajectory and power of every spell. Countless miniature Shield Charms formed instantly around him, precisely intercepting every attack.
His body was like the nimblest swift, weaving through the offensive web and occasionally counterattacking.
He could clearly sense the trajectory of Orion's magic flow and predict the direction of his next spell. Every counterattack aimed directly at Orion's weaknesses.
"Bang!"
With a loud crash, one of Orion's powerful Impediment Jinxes hit Regulus's shoulder, but Regulus only staggered a few steps.
That was a vicious hit. A normal person would likely cough up blood, and someone weaker might lose their grip on their wand and their ability to fight.
But it didn't affect Regulus much. Using the momentum of his retreat, he fired an extremely subtle silent spell from his wand, hitting Orion's wand.
Orion's wand trembled slightly, and his offensive rhythm was broken.
Regulus seized the opportunity. His magic erupted in full force as several spells shot out simultaneously, targeting Orion's vital points.
Orion's eyes sharpened as he retreated quickly, deploying a sturdy Shield Charm to block all the attacks.
But just then, he suddenly discovered that countless stone vines had sprung from the ground, entangling his ankles.
This was a Transfiguration he hadn't noticed at all!
Orion was stunned for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle. With a light tap of his wand, the vines disintegrated instantly, falling away as dust.
But that brief pause was enough for Regulus to close in, his wand pointed straight at Orion's chest.
At that moment, Orion's wand suddenly emitted a dazzling white light. It was a Lumos Solem, instantly illuminating the entire training room.
Regulus instinctively closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Orion had already circled behind him, his wand lightly touching the back of Regulus's neck.
"You lost." Orion's voice was calm, his breathing steady. Dealing with the current Regulus was still not a problem for him.
Regulus stopped his movements and lowered his wand. There was no trace of frustration on his face; instead, he wore a slight smile. "I see the gap now."
Orion withdrew his wand, his voice full of emotion. "You truly surprise me. To achieve this level at the age of eleven… many adult wizards might not even be your match."
He looked at the mess in the training room. "Your magic control, combat awareness, and understanding of magic have reached an astonishing level, completely unlike what one would expect from someone your age."
"This is only the result of six months." Regulus turned around and put away his wand, his breathing slightly hurried. "I haven't hit a bottleneck yet. I will only get stronger in the future."
Orion took a deep breath, then nodded and clapped Regulus firmly on the shoulder without asking further about how exactly he had done it.
"I must admit, your performance at Hogwarts was indeed restrained."
Then, he added, "Very restrained."
Hearing this, a sincere smile spread across Regulus's face.
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