[131] Silence Before the Storm

In the centre of the arena lay a colossal fire-breathing dragon. A Ukrainian Ironbelly.

Its massive body was firmly bound by thick iron chains, yet this could not conceal its ferocity. The chains scraped against the ground with a grating sound as it struggled, its enormous body twisting. Each struggle caused the ground to tremble.

Its gleaming grey scales shimmered with a metallic sheen in the sunlight, as hard as steel. Its scarlet eyes, like two burning flames, stared at Hall with pure hatred. As Hall approached, it let out a deafening roar. The audience instinctively covered their ears.

Hall's gaze remained calm. He showed no fear. He even observed the behemoth before him with amusement. He raised his chin slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if observing an amusing pet.

The golden egg he wanted peeked out from behind the dragon. Its location was completely concealed behind the beast. The dragon would have to move.

Hall thought to himself: he needed to find a way.

The most dangerous thing about the Ukrainian Ironbelly, besides its iron-hard scales, was its long, sharp claws. The claws were highly venomous — even a single contact was no joke. But Hall was not afraid. He knew that as long as he remained calm, he could always find a way through.

Suddenly, Hall moved.

His speed was astonishing. Like a bolt of lightning streaking across the sky, he vanished from his spot in an instant.

A gasp rippled through the stands. People stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with astonishment. They had not even seen how Hall moved. His speed was unbelievable. They craned their necks, desperately searching the arena for Hall's figure.

Hall reappeared on the left side of the dragon.

"This..."

"Too fast!"

"Merlin's Pumpkin Juice! How did he get there?"

Draco jumped to his feet, his eyes glued to Hall. He covered his mouth in astonishment. "This — this is incredible speed!" He turned to Blaise beside him, his face beaming with excitement. "Blaise, did you see that? Was that teleportation? No, it wasn't teleportation, but his speed was just too fast!"

"Draco! Can you keep your voice down?!" Blaise covered his ears, wincing.

Many people around turned and glared at Draco. He gave an awkward laugh. But he still could not help whispering to Blaise, "I need him to teach me that."

On the arena, Hall dodged attacks of flames and claws while searching for an opening. His movements were incredibly agile. He bent slightly, his body moving nimbly from side to side. Every movement seemed calculated, every dodge perfectly timed.

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Those seemingly effortless movements secretly surprised the professors present. They nodded slightly, their eyes full of admiration.

"For a student his age, such magical control is astonishing. Not to mention his incredible speed."

An old man stroked his white beard, praising Dumbledore.

Hall had no time to pay attention. He had been observing the dragon's movements, discovering that while its attacks were fierce, they were also highly mechanical. By mastering its rhythm, it was easy to dodge. Using his speed, he continuously circled the dragon. Whenever the Ironbelly was about to attack, he swiftly changed direction. He seemed to transform into a gust of wind, darting back and forth across the arena at a dazzling speed.

The audience watched in stunned silence. Only the Slytherin rest area erupted in cheers. Draco jumped up excitedly, waving his arms and shouting Hall's name.

"No," Hall thought. He could not waste any more time. He had to find its weakness, force it to move, and claim the golden egg.

Finally! Hall keenly seized the opportunity.

When the Ironbelly's ferocious attack missed, it hesitated for a moment. In that instant, Hall moved. His body charged towards the Ironbelly's abdomen with astonishing speed, so fast the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

"What's he going to do?"

The audience gasped, their faces tense. "Too dangerous!"

That was the belly of the Ukrainian Ironbelly — its most vulnerable yet most dangerous spot. The claws could strike anything that came near at any moment.

Just as Hall approached, he suddenly leaped up, deftly flipping through the air, and landed steadily on the Ironbelly's back. His fingers gripped the scales like iron pincers, preventing himself from being thrown off.

Riding on the dragon's back, Hall surveyed the entire arena. He turned to look at the high stands, even having the leisure to wave at Draco standing in the crowd. He did it with utter composure, as if strolling in a garden and suddenly spotting an acquaintance.

Draco saw Hall and returned his smile with a smug grin. "Ha! You dare question Hall's abilities?" Clearly, Draco, emboldened by the lure of money, had lost all sense of self.

Hall sat high on the dragon's back. He saw the weakness — just below its neck, a small, darker scale stood out. He knew his goal was to obtain the golden egg, not to actually harm the dragon. If he dared to harm it, not only the school and the Ukrainian Ironbelly Protection Society, but even his brother Charlie would immediately rush back and beat him up.

So now, Hall had only one path.

Without hesitation, he pulled a dagger from his pocket. Its blade gleamed coldly in the sunlight. Amidst gasps of alarm, the dagger plunged into the scale, precisely severing it.

Not a drop of blood was drawn. There was not even a scratch. The dagger was enchanted — it would turn any creature it struck into stone for five minutes. However, Hall estimated that with the Ironbelly's thick hide, the duration would be compressed to a maximum of two minutes.

Hall was unconcerned. He drew the dagger, twirled it in his hand, and sheathed it.

"Roar!!!" The Ironbelly roared in pain, struggling violently to shake Hall off. Hall had anticipated this. He gripped the scales tightly, pressing himself firmly against its back, refusing to be thrown. His body seemed to merge with the dragon, moving with its every movement.

The scale he had severed was swiftly stored in his pocket. The people around were completely absorbed in the match and did not notice this small action.

Just as the Ironbelly howled in agony, its body slowly began to turn to stone before the stunned eyes of the audience.

Hall, riding on the back of the gradually petrifying dragon, kept his eyes fixed on the golden egg not far away. He knew time was of the essence. Before the dragon was completely petrified, he adjusted his posture and quickly moved along its spine towards the egg.

His heart pounded slightly — a mixture of tension and excitement. The dragon behind him was completely petrified. He had less than two minutes.

He landed not far from the golden egg. At his speed, there was plenty of time. Almost instantly, Hall stood before it. He reached out and firmly grasped the golden egg. At that moment, it was as if the whole world had fallen silent.

A thunderous cheer erupted from the audience.