"Newland and Sigefin are both fine young men."
Dumbledore said with emotion.
As the headmaster of Hogwarts, he remembered every student who had graduated from the school and was especially familiar with the current ones.
Newland and Sigefin were naturally no exception.
The truth was, Dumbledore hadn't thought highly of either of them at first.
Both of their personalities were too extreme.
Although Sigefin's extremity leaned toward justice, Dumbledore still didn't see it as a good thing, because it meant that if Sigefin ever faced a major upheaval in the future, he would likely break down and swing from one extreme to the other.
That was exactly what "the harder something is, the easier it breaks" meant.
As for talent...
To be honest, while Newland and Sigefin's talent was already excellent among ordinary wizards...
In Dumbledore's eyes, it was only decent.
He himself had been one of the greatest geniuses of his era, and later taught geniuses such as Voldemort and Lily Potter.
Because of that, he knew better than anyone that compared to talent, personality was far more important.
Newland and Sigefin might achieve something in the future, but the greater possibility was that they would simply fade into obscurity.
That had been Dumbledore's prediction for the two of them.
Given Dumbledore's many years of teaching experience and wisdom, those two predictions could be considered authoritative.
But now, things had changed.
After following Link, both Newland and Sigefin had burst forth with a brilliance that shouldn't have belonged to them.
Dumbledore was deeply puzzled.
He didn't know whether his earlier judgment had been wrong, or whether all these changes were caused by Link's appearance.
What couldn't be denied was that Newland and Sigefin had already grown into outstanding people capable of standing on their own.
Once they accumulated more experience, taking charge of the Auror Command and the Hit Wizard Command would be no problem at all.
Hearing Dumbledore praise the two of them, Link merely shook his head in silence.
The situation on the advance team's side could hardly be called good.
Watching Newland and Sigefin personally brave the danger left him with mixed emotions.
He felt both gratified and worried for them.
Taking a deep breath, he lowered his head toward the formation beneath his feet, which was radiating enormous magical fluctuations.
Only after seeing that the emblem of the British Ministry of Magic at the center of the formation had lit up more than halfway did he finally relax slightly and slowly raise his wand.
"Everyone! Follow me into battle!"
As Link roared, a huge mass of hazy light finally burst forth from the formation engraved into the floor of the teleportation hall, enveloping everyone present.
The Aurors and the Hunter Corps immediately raised their wands and cheered.
Ever since earlier, they had been watching the battle on Newland's side.
By now, they could barely suppress the killing intent in their hearts.
While the British Ministry of Magic was filled with excitement...
The situation for Newland's team continued to worsen.
Under the repeated slicing of the spatial blades, the outermost spatial force field they had deployed had long since been cut to pieces.
Not only that, the terrifying net-like spatial destruction device descended together with endless spatial rifts.
The moment it collided with the spatial force field, an enormous wave of spatial power burst out, cutting all the surrounding space into nothingness.
Inside the force field, Newland and the others, who were protecting the teleportation formation, immediately coughed up blood.
The violent spatial shock blasted the blood out of the force field itself.
Only through sheer willpower were they barely able to maintain both the teleportation formation and the spatial force field.
If Professor Dumbledore saw this, he'd probably start praising Space Locks all over again. After all, unlike what happened in Krakow, Sky City is truly going all out this time! Just a few dozen portable Space Locks are enough to withstand an attack like this. That also means Hogwarts and the British Ministry of Magic, equipped with Space Lock reinforcement devices, would survive even Sky City's world-ending self-destruction!
The thought suddenly crossed Newland's mind.
He didn't know why such an idea had appeared at a time like this.
The immense spatial shock had already injured his internal organs, even his brain.
His chest and abdomen throbbed with pain, and his head felt dizzy.
He still had an important mission to complete.
Yet he couldn't stop his thoughts from wandering.
Why?
Could it really be because Professor Dumbledore had spent the past several days talking nonstop about Space Locks and asking him to help get a few more?
That really was possible!
After learning that Newland had accepted Link's orders to lead the advance team and had been entrusted with a large number of Space Locks, Professor Dumbledore had practically followed him everywhere, talking about nothing else.
For several days, Newland had even dreamed about Dumbledore's old face every night.
Thinking about him now...
Really wasn't strange.
As he thought that, Newland felt as though Dumbledore had appeared before him once again.
Through that illusory figure, Newland could even see the terrifying black spatial rifts in the distance continuously devouring the force field, while the Aurors of his squad exhausted themselves and fell one after another.
"Professor Dumbledore, just showing up as a ghost doesn't help! If you really want the Space Locks, hurry up and come save us! I saved two for you. If I die, you won't get them!"
Newland subconsciously complained.
But after saying that, he shook his head with a bitter smile.
He really must be done for.
He was already talking nonsense.
Judging by the progress of the teleportation formation, Link and Dumbledore would still need quite a while before they could arrive with the main force.
"Sigh..."
Newland let out a long sigh.
No matter what, it didn't really matter if he died.
But no matter what, he had to protect the teleportation formation so Link could continue his plan!
Everything he had now had been given to him by Link.
If that was the case, then giving his life for Link wasn't something he couldn't accept.
Thinking that, Newland tightened his grip on his wand.
The confusion on his face disappeared, replaced by determination and ruthlessness.
But just as he was about to fight to the death...
The phantom of Dumbledore before him didn't disappear.
Instead, it winked at him.
Newland was stunned.
He was certain his mind had cleared.
If that was true...
Why was the phantom he had imagined still there?
He had no time to think further.
Because the phantom of Dumbledore opened its mouth and spoke in a voice only he could hear.
"Boy, I heard every word! Those two Space Locks are mine once we get back!"
"Huh?"
Newland stared with his mouth hanging open.
Then overwhelming joy surged through him.
"Professor Dumbledore!" Newland shouted. "You really came? I'm not dreaming? My goodness! I..."
The phantom ignored the noisy Newland.
It became more and more solid until it finally transformed into the real Dumbledore.
BOOM!
A vast platinum holy light poured from his body, instantly covering the entire sky and protecting both the teleportation formation and Jerusalem below.
For the first time, the descending spatial rifts pressing down from above came to a halt.
The two forces collided.
The spatial force field created by the Space Locks shattered instantly.
Yet Dumbledore's platinum holy light displayed even greater power, directly holding back the overwhelming tide of spatial destruction devices.
Protected by Dumbledore, Sigefin finally had a moment to spare.
He instinctively looked down at Jerusalem below.
To his surprise, despite suffering such horrifying damage from Sky City's attack, this ancient city hadn't merely failed to send out troops to fight back.
Not a single organization or individual had stepped forward to maintain order or organize the evacuation of the civilians.
Nearly everyone in Jerusalem, regardless of their faith, had fallen to their knees, continuously praying toward Sky City and toward Sigefin and the others.
Sigefin couldn't see their expressions.
But simply watching their prayers, he could feel their sincerity.
At the same time...
They were also indifferent.
Buildings around them were burning.
Parents who had lost children were crying in grief.
The wounded were screaming in agony.
Yet they acted as though they saw none of it and continued praying.
The bizarre sight sent a chill through Sigefin's body.
Goosebumps spread across his skin.
As a wizard born in Sky City, he had never spent much time among Muggles.
So while he couldn't exactly say he despised them, he certainly couldn't say he respected them either.
In his mind, Muggles were merely a pitiful group in need of sympathy, care, and protection.
But now...
The Muggles before him made him feel fear.
"Stop looking at those Muggles!"
Newland's excited voice suddenly rang out.
"The main force's here! Look!"
Sigefin blankly turned toward the direction Newland was pointing.
Just in time to see the brilliant light surrounding the teleportation formation gradually fading.
In its place...
Figures slowly became clear.
Standing at the very front...
Was Link's tall figure.
The appearance of that scene only made the believers in Jerusalem below even more devout.
Staring at the countless figures that suddenly appeared within the formation, as if they had seen heaven itself, they knelt down in excitement with tears streaming down their faces.
Some even happily slit their own throats with blades, offering everything they had, including their lives, to God.
Sigefin couldn't help shivering again.
Newland finally noticed both what was happening in the city below and Sigefin's strange reaction.
Unlike Sigefin, Newland, who had grown up at the bottom of Muggle society, didn't care at all about what those believers were doing.
He slapped Sigefin hard on the shoulder until Sigefin turned to him in pain.
Only then did he burst into laughter.
"I told you not to look at those Muggles. And don't pity them either. They don't need that."
"But..."
"No buts!"
Newland interrupted him.
"You don't actually think they're pitiful, do you? Give me a break! Muggles are far stronger than you think! Hurry up and get rid of that prejudice of yours!"
Sigefin immediately objected.
"I don't look down on Muggles!"
"Thinking they're pitiful is looking down on them! Muggles have never been weak! If you don't believe me, go down there and insult their god. I guarantee they'll turn around, charge straight through your magic, and twist your head off!"
Newland spoke fiercely.
He thought Sigefin was unbelievably foolish.
Fanatics were always lunatics.
That was practically common knowledge among all Muggles.
Feeling bad for people like that made no sense whatsoever.
That was what Newland was thinking when the platinum holy light protecting everyone suddenly opened a gap.
Almost instantly, the spatial destruction devices that had been locked in a stalemate with the holy light surged through the opening together with the spatial rifts.
Sigefin no longer had the leisure to worry about the Muggles.
Almost instinctively, he raised his wand and cast a protective charm.
Although that kind of defense was almost useless against spatial rifts...
At least it could hold them back for a moment.
What surprised Sigefin was that Newland made no move at all.
There was even an excited smile on his face.
Sigefin's spellcasting paused.
The anxiety in his heart gradually settled.
He knew Newland well.
Unless he was absolutely certain, there was no way he'd still be grinning like an idiot at a moment like this.
Sure enough, the moment that thought crossed his mind...
A blazing white pillar of light erupted from the teleportation formation beneath everyone's feet and shot straight through the opening in the holy light toward the sky.
The spatial destruction devices trying to exploit the opening, together with the spatial rifts they carried, were reduced to dust the instant they collided with the pillar.
Only then did Sigefin realize in astonishment...
That pillar erupting from the teleportation formation was actually made entirely of Fiendfyre.
Its energy density was simply so high that it had transformed into something almost indistinguishable from pure light.
The sight completely erased Sigefin's caution.
Instead, excitement filled him.
Because in this world...
Only Link could unleash Fiendfyre of such terrifying power!
BOOM!
Like a gigantic sword, the terrifying pillar of Fiendfyre pierced through the shattered space and drove straight into Sky City's deployment port.
Under the fervent gazes of the Aurors, flames and smoke swept through the entire deployment port.
The explosion inside was so terrifying that even the Aurors thousands of meters away could clearly feel the shockwave.
At the same time... Link's figure finally became completely solid.
He smiled and nodded at Newland, Sigefin, and the others.
Then he raised his wand high and pointed it toward Sky City.
"Kill..."
The next moment, battle cries swept across the sky!
Countless wizards riding flying broomsticks poured out of the teleportation formation.
Like a plague of locusts blotting out the sky, they charged toward Sky City.