Every goblin present glared at the traitor with murderous hatred. The goblin in question remained unmoved, showing no remorse whatsoever. He simply wanted to survive. He recognized Erwin's ambition and understood the Cavendish family's overwhelming power. Therefore, he knew the ultimate victor would be Erwin. He had merely chosen the winning side—the others, in his estimation, were just being obstinate.
Ragnok's eyes burned with killing intent as he stared at the traitor. No orders were given. No one moved initially. Then, chaos erupted.
The goblins understood the moment the recording played that they were finished. This was no longer a matter of confession or negotiation. The evidence was irrefutable.
The wizards reacted immediately. The four Heads of House struck first. Spells flew from their wands in rapid succession. Snape flicked his wand sharply, and his signature Sectumsempra curse tore through the air. One goblin didn't even have time to react before being violently thrown back. Lucius Malfoy, witnessing this, laughed appreciatively. "Severus, your skill is as formidable as ever!"
Snape glanced briefly at Lucius but remained silent, continuing his methodical assault on the goblin forces. Lucius understood Snape's taciturn nature and didn't take offense. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he drew his wand and sent a powerful curse flying toward another target.
Professor McGonagall's eyes showed a flicker of reluctance initially. But after dodging one goblin's desperate attack, her resolve hardened. Showing mercy here would accomplish nothing. McGonagall was compassionate, but she was no naive idealist. Those who had survived the dark days of the First Wizarding War were never soft-hearted when necessary.
Professor Sprout, despite her typically cheerful demeanor and somewhat comical wide-brimmed hat, dispatched goblins with ruthless efficiency. Her wand movements were faster and more decisive than her usual herb-pruning techniques.
Professor Flitwick, the diminutive dueling champion, was even more impressive. His wand moved with machine-like precision, unleashing an astonishing variety of spells in rapid succession. No one dared approach his combat zone, fearing they'd be caught in the devastating crossfire. He engaged seven goblins simultaneously, a calm smile on his face throughout. His almost cheerful demeanor even impressed Erwin.
Besides the four Heads of House, the patriarchs of the pure-blood families also fought with enthusiasm. Opportunities for legally sanctioned combat were exceptionally rare. Even without using Unforgivable Curses, the satisfaction was immense.
The distinguished wizards Erwin had specifically invited—all renowned throughout the magical world—were no ordinary combatants. They moved with incredible speed and efficiency, as though competing for targets.
The Cavendish family wizards, all wearing identical formal robes, engaged the goblins using a specific tactical formation. Even amidst the fiercest combat, they maintained their structured arrangement perfectly.
Positioned in a modified square formation, the wizards in the front row constructed defensive barriers while the second and third rows launched coordinated attacks. After each volley, the rear ranks rotated forward seamlessly. The assault continued relentlessly without pause—an unbreakable shield paired with overwhelming offense.
Furthermore, any wizard capable of sensing magical signatures would discover that their power was interconnected, functioning as a unified whole. This was the ward formation technique Erwin had learned from Old Tom—the only advanced formation he'd successfully mastered. Despite Old Tom's patient instruction, Erwin simply couldn't grasp more complex runic theory.
This operation served dual purposes: destroying Gringotts and training his forces. Such opportunities were rare. They had powerful support now, but the next time they deployed, it would be in a life-or-death battle with no room for practice.
As for the Auror squads from the Ministry of Magic—they wouldn't even get a chance to participate. There simply weren't enough goblins to engage everyone.
Ragnok watched his people fall one by one, his eyes filled with grief and impotent rage. "Erwin Cavendish, you deserve death!"
With that declaration, Ragnok raised his hand and fired a bolt of sickly green light directly at Erwin—the Killing Curse.
Erwin stood motionless, making no attempt to dodge. A spectral shield materialized before him. Ragnok's curse struck the phantom barrier directly, producing a sharp, crystalline sound. The shield's form flickered but held firm, completely intact.
Seeing Ragnok attack Erwin directly, a surge of intense killing intent erupted from every wizard present—the four Heads of House, the pure-blood representatives, and the Cavendish forces alike.
Erwin raised one hand. "Continue dealing with the other goblins."
The wizards nodded acknowledgment. No one objected to his command.
Erwin turned his attention to Ragnok, whose face displayed utter disbelief. He smiled coldly. "Why bother with futile gestures? You should take a proper look at the situation. Look at your people. If this continues, your entire race will be extinct."
Ragnok scanned his surroundings frantically. The marble floor was littered with goblin bodies. Not a single wizard lay among the dead. The assembled wizards displayed their overwhelming superiority—these magical beings simply couldn't match them. This was humanity's power, the reason magical creatures had been subjugated for centuries. Wizards had long since reached the pinnacle of magical development, and they possessed numbers. That combination was why they'd subdued even "divine" beings one by one.
Ragnok's face twisted with grief and fury. "Why? Why must you force us to this extreme? We've been obedient! Why won't you leave us any path to survival?"
Erwin offered no answer.
In truth, Erwin harbored no personal hatred toward goblins. Though he believed those of different species inevitably had divergent interests, that philosophical position wasn't why he was attacking them today. He moved against them for one simple reason: these goblins were blocking his strategic objectives.
Only by controlling Britain's financial infrastructure could Erwin gradually expand his sphere of influence throughout the wizarding world. Therefore, those who stood in his way had to be eliminated—regardless of whether they were "innocent" in any meaningful sense.