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"Your friend Hagrid was taken away because of what happened fifty years ago. In order to find the real culprit, I need your help."
Dudley looked calmly at the giant spider and spoke in a simple, clear tone.
"What happened fifty years ago had nothing to do with me. That was not something we Acromantulas were capable of doing. But those foolish wizards stubbornly believed Hagrid did it, that I did it. Because of that, they drove Hagrid out of school."
Aragog rubbed his large pincers together. "I cannot help him. No wizard would believe the words of an Acromantula. It was the same before, and it is the same now."
"Of course. After all, Acromantulas are classified alongside werewolves and trolls as extremely dangerous creatures."
Dudley's words made Aragog very angry, especially when he heard himself placed alongside relatives of mountain trolls.
"And I know what is inside the Chamber of Secrets."
"A basilisk that has slept for a thousand years."
A sharp cry interrupted Dudley's words.
"No. Do not say that name."
Aragog seemed extremely afraid. More accurately, after hearing that name, all the Acromantulas around them retreated several steps at once.
The basilisk was the natural enemy of all spiders, and Acromantulas were among its favorite prey.
"I came here hoping you would come with me and help me find it."
"No. Impossible. That ancient creature is our mortal enemy."
Aragog kept shrieking. After hearing Dudley's words, his reaction became especially intense.
"So, you refuse? Even with Hagrid in trouble, you're choosing to ignore it?" Dudley continued. "You have not even heard my conditions."
"We cannot save him!" Aragog rubbed his two front pincers together, producing a sharp sound. "And out of respect for Hagrid, my colony and I have never actively harmed a single human. We have suppressed our instincts for a full fifty years. I believe that is already enough."
"It seems I'll have to choose another method."
"No. I think you no longer have the chance to choose another method."
As soon as Aragog finished speaking, the other Acromantulas began moving toward Dudley. Inch by inch, they pressed in on him, their pincers clicking in a dense chorus. Many eyes gleamed on those ugly black heads, staring greedily at Dudley. As for Aragog, the leader of the Acromantula colony, he slowly retreated, moving toward the enormous dome-shaped spider nest behind him.
Dudley did not show the slightest fear. It was as if the things around him were not giant spiders, but a swarm of ants. He watched the scene with interest.
"You just said you have never actively harmed a human."
"Correct. But I said actively. You delivered yourself to our doorstep."
Dudley's complete lack of panic made Aragog somewhat uneasy, but he no longer had the luxury of caring.
He was already old. He was gradually losing control over his descendants, especially because the rule against actively attacking humans had caused dissatisfaction among many young Acromantulas. Acromantulas loved eating human flesh. That was carved into their genes. If he let Dudley go this time, then some fearless spider would definitely challenge him.
"Then will you eat me too?" Dudley asked.
Aragog seemed somewhat impatient. "No, I will not. I never eat humans. Not now, and not in the future."
"This conversation is over. Children, eat him."
At Aragog's command, a swarm of spiders large enough to darken the sky pounced toward Dudley.
"Tsk." Dudley curled his lips. "I really hate using violence, whether against humans or magical creatures."
In the eyes of the Acromantulas, Dudley's muscles instantly swelled, turning him from a small giant into a true one.
"I have always convinced people with virtue, but I have never refused violence when necessary."
With a wet splat, an Acromantula that tried to ambush him was sliced in half by an invisible wave of air.
Snake Awakens.
One of the Zoldyck family's assassination techniques. The hands moved at high speed, producing a slashing effect.
Several more giant spiders lunged at him from the front, only to pass through Dudley's body and hit nothing but empty air.
Dudley appeared on the other side, as if he had teleported.
Shadow Step.
A movement technique based on speed and silence.
The invisible air wave swept in again, and several more Acromantulas failed to dodge in time and were dismembered.
Crack, crack.
Dudley twisted his neck slightly, spread his five fingers, and clenched them with force. A burst of cracking sounds immediately rang out.
It was as loud as a string of firecrackers.
"I'll play with you for a little while."
Several more giant spiders pounced.
Bang!
The giant spiders burst apart in midair, and green fluid splattered across the ground.
This was Dudley's plainest, simplest move.
His fist.
Very quickly, Dudley transformed into a humanoid meat grinder. Wherever he passed, not a single Acromantula remained whole.
The fearsome Acromantula colony was like a swarm of helpless ants before him. With one casual strike, a whole patch of them died.
The Acromantulas were not afraid. Instead, they kept charging toward Dudley one after another.
Spider-wave tactics.
Numbers were their greatest advantage.
They were able to occupy a place in the Forbidden Forest, which was full of magical creatures, because they had no natural enemies here and because of this endless evil spider-wave tactic. Even herds of unicorns had to avoid their territory.
Dudley slowly stepped forward with his left foot, and his right foot immediately followed, taking a strange step. The Acromantulas' vision blurred. Dudley, who had originally been alone, suddenly split into countless figures, all appearing before them with the same posture and movements.
The Acromantulas, whose brains were not especially large, were instantly dumbfounded, unable to distinguish the real from the fake.
Rhythm Echo.
A technique that used visual distortion to confuse the enemy.
The Zoldyck family's assassination techniques were equally absurd on a frontal battlefield.
Hiss, hiss, hiss.
The Acromantulas kept making sounds.
One Dudley was already terrifying enough. Now there were so many of him. Wouldn't that wipe them all out?
With an Acromantula's limited brain capacity, it was very difficult for them to understand what visual distortion meant.
And this was still far from over.
In the next moment, tiny sparks of electricity suddenly flickered across Dudley's body.
Hamon Energy.
With a casual slap, a nearby Acromantula was smashed into a lump of meat paste.
His physique had improved enormously since he first enrolled. If he were to compete with Hagrid in strength again, Hagrid would probably lose one-sidedly.
Moreover, in hand-to-hand combat experience, Dudley was much stronger than Hagrid. In addition, Hamon protected his body, further enhancing all his stats.
Then he clenched both hands, and golden Hamon filled Dudley's fists.
In the eyes of the giant spiders, Dudley's entire body radiated light. Behind him, a huge image seemed to appear faintly.
Humanoid, powerful, mysterious. Its gaze was sharp, carrying an unmatched aura. Gold and purple intertwined together.
It was like a god looking down upon all living things.
The only pity was that its exact appearance could not be seen clearly.
"Then..."
Dudley slowly breathed out the word, white mist drifting from between his teeth.
"Ora oraoraora!"
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