Chapter 29: Flashbang!

The moonlight was bright and clear.

Godric’s Hollow.

At the top of the clock tower of the small church in the town square, two figures stood one behind the other.

The man in front wore a long black leather coat. His striking heterochromatic eyes stood out, and his face was as rugged and chiseled as if carved by a blade, with sharp, well-defined features. He stood silently at the highest point of Godric’s Hollow, gazing into the distance, appearing as refined and arrogant as an aristocrat from the old world.

This man was none other than Gellert Grindelwald, the wizard who had turned the entire European wizarding world upside down.

Behind him stood an elegant and beautiful woman—Vinda Rosier, Grindelwald’s most trusted aide.

"Sir... why the sudden, grand-scale assault on this place?" Vinda broke the silence.

"Because I want to know why a busy man like Dumbledore would suddenly go to such great lengths to protect these two children, especially given the current intensity of the situation." He turned to look at Vinda. "So, I decided to 'invite' them over for a proper meeting."

As Grindelwald spoke, he looked once more toward the distance, where the mist was beginning to dissipate. "I must say, Dumbledore has an excellent eye. Few people at that age could so easily knock down my men."

Grindelwald watched with an appreciative gaze as Livid emerged completely from the clearing mist. The boldness and magical proficiency Livid displayed at such a young age caught his interest.

"If I could snatch that child away from Dumbledore, I imagine his expression would be quite spectacular, wouldn't it?" A look of anticipation flickered across Grindelwald’s face.

A faint smile touched Vinda’s lips. "The child is already surrounded..."

...

By now, as the white mist cleared, Livid stood fully exposed before the Acolytes.

Even though these Acolytes had been told by their teammates that the enemy was merely an eleven-year-old boy, they still found it surreal to see him standing there. An eleven-year-old had truly managed to take down several experienced Acolytes.

Livid looked at the Acolytes slowly closing in around him, his mind calmer than ever before.

"Ha! It really is just a little brat who hasn't even grown his hair out yet!"

"Olev was taken down by such a little brat? Hah! I’ll be able to laugh at him for the rest of my life!"

"Little brother, you look so cute. Come into sister's arms..."

"Put down your wand, kid, unless you want to suffer!"

"Hmph! One Cruciatus Curse and he’ll behave!"

"Yo! Olev, you’re awake?"

"Get lost! Let me kill him!"

"That won't do! Have you forgotten the orders?"

"..."

Livid was completely surrounded. The Acolytes he had previously knocked out had been revived by their comrades and were now glaring at him with bitter hatred. To them, being defeated by a child was a profound humiliation. If not for Grindelwald’s order to take him alive, they would have used the Killing Curse rather than the Cruciatus.

"I’ll say it one more time: drop your wand!" an Acolyte hissed coldly.

"Why waste words? Expelliarmus!"

A red spell surged toward him. Livid simply leaned slightly to the side, dodging the Disarming Charm.

"Hah! Jester! Your spell couldn't even hit a little brat!"

"Love! Shut your mouth!"

The Acolyte who had missed glared fiercely at Livid, who had made him look like a fool. "Stupefy!"

"Bang!"

Just as Jester finished shouting, Livid’s own Stupefy hit. It slammed into Jester’s Shield Charm, cracking it! Jester was stunned, stumbling back a step—and that single step triggered another round of mocking laughter from the others. After all, he had not only missed his target but had been forced back by the child’s attack.

As the laughter died down, someone remarked, "You have to admit, that kid’s spells pack quite a punch."

"Of course, why else would they have been taken down?"

"Hahaha!"

"Stop it, enough of that!"

"Come on, kid. I’m standing right here. If you can break through my Shield Charm, I’ll admit defeat!"

...

Livid stood in the center, surveying the relaxed Acolytes around him. They had him surrounded and believed he was out of options. It was like a cat playing with a mouse.

In other words, their guard was at its lowest.

Livid slowly raised his wand... but the Acolytes didn't take him seriously. They had already seen his magic. While impressive for his age, it was impossible to escape their encirclement today. That was why some were even taunting him, standing still and inviting his attack. The others, seeing him raise his wand, only grinned, showing no signs of tension.

"At what point did you get the illusion that I was unable to fight back?" Livid asked softly.

The Acolytes erupted in laughter. "The kid is still bluffing. How pathetic."

Livid said nothing more. He raised his wand above his head and covered his eyes with his left hand.

"Lumos!"

"Huh?" The Acolytes stopped laughing. They watched him with confusion, wondering why he would cast a simple light spell instead of an offensive one.

A tiny point of light appeared at the tip of Livid’s wand. As the Acolytes fixed their eyes on it, the brightness of that tiny speck increased a hundredfold in an instant!

"嗡!"

It was as if a giant flashbang had detonated right in the middle of the Acolytes!

"Ah!"

Screams rang out one after another. Every Acolyte who had been staring at the light was blinded by the intense glare.

Livid quickly pointed his wand at his ears. "Muffliato!" Then he pointed it at his throat. "Sonorus!"

The Acolytes, suddenly robbed of their sight, were caught off guard and unable to stop his actions. Livid took a deep breath and let out a deafening roar!

"ROAR!"

The immense sound shattered windows all across Godric’s Hollow! The townsfolk, who were already hiding in their homes out of fear, trembled in terror.

"Ah!"

The Acolytes, already blinded, were struck as if by lightning. This earth-shaking roar was the final blow. They clutched their ears in agony and collapsed to the ground. Blood trickled from their ears—a Shield Charm could not withstand a sonic attack!

Livid stood calmly, watching the Acolytes fall one by one, unable to even maintain their defensive spells. As a former young biologist, he knew exactly where the human body was most vulnerable. The eyes and eardrums were two of those points. Once attacked, a person would instantly lose the ability to act.

As for the Lumos and Sonorus spells, their power could be adjusted based on the wizard's intent. Magic was, by nature, idealistic; fueled by Livid’s intense will and emotion, these two simple spells had their effects amplified a hundredfold. Combined, they achieved the effect of a super-powered flashbang and sonic grenade.

Livid flicked his wand, and the stones on the ground transformed into thick ropes, binding the incapacitated Acolytes.

Just as Livid let out a breath of relief, he felt a hand land on his shoulder.

"Well done... but at what point did you get the illusion that you were safe?"

Livid stiffened and slowly turned his head, only to see Grindelwald looking at him with a faint, mocking smile.