Hogwarts: The Mafia Lord of Slytherin-Chapter 644: [] The Final Duel Ends Here!

After Lance Lee spoke, the twin swords in his hands shattered into glittering shards.

Then, his body slumped to the ground.

Lance Lee, having pushed his strength beyond its limit and utilized a forbidden secret technique, was completely drained.

With a roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the battlefield, Lance Lee slowly collapsed.

A faint smile remained on his face.

It was clear that Lance Lee was not afraid of death.

Or perhaps, for him, death was a welcome release?

No one knew exactly what Lance Lee was thinking.

Dumbledore and Grindelwald watched Lance Lee fall.

The two legendary wizards couldn’t help but breathe a heavy sigh of relief.

Then, they sat down directly on the ground, the last of their magical reserves flickering out.

The energy fluctuations around their bodies began to dissipate rapidly.

This was the aftereffect of forcibly controlling divine power.

Despite their bodies showing no immediate injury, they seemed ethereal, as if they might vanish at any moment.

Given their abilities, they could have easily mastered this power if their talents hadn’t been traded away long ago to the gods—the Deathly Hallows.

They hadn’t done it on their own; they had forcibly broken the ancient agreement.

With Erwin’s help, they had reclaimed their talents, and Erwin had granted them divine power directly.

But power without experience or cultivation was like forcing a seed to grow.

It was devastating for two centenarians.

"It’s really tiring," Grindelwald rasped, looking up at the sky. "I didn’t expect that at this stage of our lives, we’d still have to fight like this!"

Dumbledore lay back, closing his eyes. At this moment, he was nothing like the revered Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"It was indeed tiring," Dumbledore admitted, a weary smile touching his lips. "But it was worth it. To be honest, I’ve been hoping for a battle like this for a long time! To experience this before the end—I think it’s enough."

Grindelwald nodded, lying down beside his old rival, his old love.

"Albus," he asked softly, "do you regret it?"

Dumbledore paused.

Then, he gently took Grindelwald’s hand, a gesture of a lifetime of unspoken history.

"I only regret not going to Nurmengard to find you sooner," Dumbledore murmured. "Not being with you sooner!"

Grindelwald smiled, tightening his grip slightly.

"Speaking of which," he joked, "we still haven’t decided who won!"

However, after Grindelwald finished speaking, there was no reply.

Grindelwald’s heart tightened.

He turned his head.

Dumbledore was no longer breathing.

The greatest wizard of the age had passed away, his curtain falling peacefully.

After a brief moment of silence, Grindelwald let out a soft chuckle.

"It seems I’ve won after all," he whispered. "Because I died later than you. Wait for me on the way, Albus."

With that, Grindelwald closed his eyes.

Moments later, he was still.

On the sea, Erwin clenched his fists behind his back.

He sensed it instantly. Dumbledore and Grindelwald had both fallen.

Similarly, the era they represented had come to an end.

Erwin’s eyes darkened slightly.

Emperor Zheng Qin noticed Erwin’s shift immediately.

"What?" Emperor Zheng Qin taunted. "Heartbroken? Yes, they were your guides. Some of the people who helped you the most. They’re dead—how could you not be heartbroken? Erwin, it was you who started this war! You could have entrusted the Source to me, and when I left this world, I could have taken you beyond the walls! This world would have remained unchanged! And you destroyed it all. Erwin, you are the sinner!"

Emperor Zheng Qin spoke with a hint of madness, eager to finally see Erwin crack.

He waited for Erwin to break down, perhaps to lash out in rage.

However, to his surprise, upon hearing these words, Erwin showed no reaction whatsoever. His expression didn’t even flicker.

Emperor Zheng Qin frowned.

Erwin laughed. "Your Majesty, times have changed. All this is old news to me. If there’s anyone in this world who understands me best, it’s you. You should know very well that in everything I do, self-interest is paramount. What you’re saying has no effect on me. Don’t resort to such clumsy tactics."

Emperor Zheng Qin was silent for a moment, then he suddenly laughed.

"I thought I was ruthless enough, but I didn’t expect you to be even more so. Yes, you’re right, everything prioritizes profit. I underestimated you, and I underestimated the people you brought. But, Erwin, as you said, I understand you. If their deaths leave you unmoved, what about the people of your Cavendish family?"

As Emperor Zheng Qin finished speaking, Erwin’s expression shifted slightly.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, in Monty Meng’s sector...

Rivers was using Apparition to kite the legendary general, reappearing in flickers of displaced air.

He couldn’t beat Monty Meng head-on, so Rivers led him in circles, harassing him whenever Monty Meng turned his attention elsewhere.

This tactic annoyed even a veteran like Monty Meng.

His sword slashed through empty air once again as Rivers vanished.

"Is all you can do is run?" Monty Meng roared.

Rivers Apparated, appearing a safe distance away. He calmed his breathing, though his heart hammered.

"General Meng, I’m not being cowardly!" Rivers called out, his tone infuriatingly casual. "I’m just following orders! Master said I only need to hold you off. My objective is clear, isn’t it?"

"Are you truly that gutless?" Monty Meng demanded. "You won’t even face me head-on?"

Rivers shrugged. "General Meng is right, I am indeed very cautious! I just don’t dare!"

His nonchalant attitude was infuriating.

But Rivers wasn’t swayed by provocation.

To the outside world, Rivers appeared reckless, perhaps even simple-minded.

He wasn’t very bright; although loyal, he seemed foolish.

But as mentioned before, Rivers’s apparent foolishness stemmed from his understanding that Erwin didn’t need many intelligent people around him, hence his act.

Was he truly foolish?

Of course not.

On the contrary, the fact that Rivers could hide his capabilities for so long in front of someone as brilliant as Erwin proved he wasn’t an idiot.

He clearly understood he had absolutely no advantage against Monty Meng.

He was no match for the general, and naturally, he wouldn’t engage in a direct confrontation!