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Moriarty looked contemptuous. "This is a stupid plan that only a headless idiot would come up with! Why do you think I'll do as you say?" "That depends on the students standing before you. If you don't want them to die, you'd better cooperate." Dracula's voice was filled with the smugness of a villain, clearly believing he had struck a nerve. "Sure enough, you're still a brainless fool. As I've said before, you don't have the power to control every student and professor," Moriarty sneered coldly. "If I'm not mistaken, the 'game' you've arranged is a checkpoint trial. Each person corresponds to a stage, and each stage is guarded by a professor, right? How about it? Did I get it right?" He shouted boldly toward the castle, as if striking directly at Dracula's plan. For a moment, the castle was silent. Then, with a whoosh, the students collapsed in front of the gate simultaneously. Dracula's voice followed: "You're absolutely right, so I won't bother hiding my true intentions anymore—it's exhausting. I'm a straightforward vampire, after all." Dracula, perhaps sealed away for too long, couldn't seem to stop talking. However, the mood changed abruptly. "I will stop controlling the students and guarantee their safety. Send someone to check—they're just asleep. Now, let me be honest. I've infected four professors with my viral magic. They each guard a level. If the three of you can pass all the trials, Hogwarts will be returned to you." Moriarty gestured for Charlie and Leon to examine the students' conditions. Jericho leaned close and whispered, "Sir, Dracula's actions don't add up. He was so cautious earlier, hiding his real plan, but now he's eager to lead us into the castle?" Moriarty gave Jericho a nod of approval. At that moment, the system chimed with a ding-dong. > "Dracula's headless body has been detected as a hostile entity. The host is now presented with three missions: Easy, Medium, and Difficult." Mission 1 (Easy): Reject Dracula's game. Report the incident to the British Ministry of Magic and mobilize the entire wizarding community to counter Dracula. Note: Avoids direct conflict with Dracula, but exposes the host's identity and undermines the goal of becoming the mastermind behind the scenes. Reward: None. Failure Penalty: None in the short term. However, exposure of your ambitions will delay the main mission, eventually leading to the host's erasure by the system. Mission 2 (Medium): Accept Dracula's challenge. Team up with Lilith and Jericho to pass the three trials. Reward: 100,000 points and a mysterious gift pack. Failure Penalty: Death (not system erasure). Mission 3 (Difficult): Reject Dracula and lead the Hogwarts pureblood army to storm the castle and reclaim Hogwarts by force. Reward: 150,000 points. Failure Penalty: Death (not system erasure). "What's inside the mysterious gift pack?" Moriarty asked. > "It contains rare and valuable items. Individually, they would cost tens of thousands of points in the system mall." "Seems like a good deal..." Moriarty mused. He glanced at Jericho, then back at the looming castle. He was inclined to pick the second mission—but not at the cost of putting Jericho and Lilith in danger. Jericho appeared to sense his hesitation. He stepped forward, chest out. "Sir, if you command it, I'll enter the game without question. I'm sure Lilith feels the same." This wasn't bravado—it was Jericho's sincerity. During the battle against the Quinlan family, all he'd managed were minor interference spells. Even Marcus had fought on the front lines, while Jericho hid behind the others. It was an unbearable truth for someone who called himself Moriarty's second-in-command. He now wanted desperately to prove his worth. And Lilith? Moriarty remembered the proud lady. He had flown to Malfoy Manor to inform her, and she had agreed without hesitation. Without further delay, Moriarty selected "Mission 2." He returned with Lilith, and together with Jericho, they tended to their classmates and entered the castle. The door slammed shut behind them. The Grand Hall lit up—but the four long house tables were gone. In their place stood a massive chessboard. The board was square, made up of 64 alternating black and white tiles. Thirty-two life-sized chess pieces stood upon it—16 black and 16 white—each as tall as an adult. "When I was possessing Minerva McGonagall, I discovered a chess set in her office. Clearly, she enjoys the game," Dracula's voice echoed. "You call it wizard's chess, but it's just chess—introduced to Europe by the Turks. Choose one person to play. They must select a side—black or white—and then substitute one of the pawns. I'll control Mag—Professor McGonagall—as a chess piece. Whoever captures their opponent first wins." "So, victory isn't determined by traditional rules, but by capturing the other?" Lilith asked, arms folded, eyes scanning each piece with keen interest. Moriarty and Jericho exchanged glances. If that was the condition, then perhaps there was a loophole to exploit. Dracula must have sensed this because he suddenly grew silent. Then, minutes later, his voice returned, but colder. "Girl—Lilith, is it? Very well, I'm adding a rule! If you capture her but don't win, she will die—not just in the game, but in real life! Professor McGonagall survives only if you capture her and win." Jericho burst into laughter. "You must've only just realized your rule had a hole in it, huh? You waited till someone pointed it out before fixing it. Honestly, if your head were still attached, it'd be redder than Weasley's hair!" Dracula's rage was palpable. "Enough! Who's playing?!" "Let me!" "Of course it's me!" Jericho and Lilith spoke in unison, then turned to look at each other. "Do you even know how to play wizard's chess? No, don't answer. Everyone knows Quidditch is the only thing you're good at," Lilith said, brushing past him. Raising her foot, she stepped confidently onto the board. "Fine, the first round is yours," Jericho said with a shrug. "You're right—my chess skills are rubbish. I just wanted to give Dracula a hard time." "Give him a hard time?" Lilith snapped. "That's our Transfiguration professor out there!" She walked cautiously across the board, analyzing each piece. At last, she declared, "I choose White." "White it is. That makes McGonagall Black," Dracula said impatiently. "Choose your replacement piece—now!" Lilith narrowed her eyes. "You didn't say I had to go first." "You—!" Dracula's words stuck in his throat. "Hahaha!" Jericho laughed uncontrollably. Even Moriarty couldn't help but smile. Lilith's interruptions disrupted the eerie, tense mood Dracula had tried to create. The air was charged, but no longer with fear. If anything, Lilith was on the verge of driving Dracula mad. Clearly, Dracula lacked experience in designing challenges. Why had he even attempted this trial setup? Moriarty watched intently as Dracula used his power to transform Professor McGonagall into a knight. She appeared atop a horse, wielding a spear, ready to charge. Lilith's eyes sparkled. She moved to the queen's square and stood tall with confidence. "As a distinguished pure-blood lady, of course I'll play the queen." "Game start!" Dracula cried, his voice echoing with relief throughout the castle.
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