Chapter 648: Suppression and Power

The hand wearing the emerald-green ring rested against the bronze railing.

John slowly descended the staircase from the second floor.

"Five years ago, this place was consumed by chaos."

"Families that should have been allies became mortal enemies over trivial interests."

"An unregulated society bred parasites that ate away at everyone’s profits."

"Disparities in information created injustice. Unfair dealings gave rise to conflict, and conflict led to killing."

He reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped onto the first floor, entering the same space as everyone else.

John said calmly, "Killing causes magic to decline."

His gaze swept across the influential figures gathered there. Those harbouring ulterior motives instinctively avoided his eyes.

John did not care. Instead, he began walking through the crowd, and wherever he passed, people automatically made way for him.

"Interests are both shackles and bonds."

"We gather because of them, unite because of them, and restrain ourselves because of them."

"I do not wish to see wizards killing one another either. The rules I created serve wizards, and they serve power."

"Fairness is full of contradictions no matter where you go."

"I cannot make things fair for every wizard. But I can guarantee one thing."

John stopped in the centre of the crowd.

"What I see will be fair."

His gaze settled on three men in front of him.

The surrounding wizards immediately moved away, leaving the three conspicuously exposed.

The three had clearly not expected this and visibly began to panic.

"Yaxley. Avery. Carrow."

John called out their names one by one, then walked up to them and asked calmly, "I forgave you for once standing against me. Why did you fail to cherish that mercy?"

Yaxley forced himself to remain composed and asked in confusion, "Mr Wick, we have never been your enemies."

John smiled.

He turned his back on them and walked towards one end of the hall.

"What Voldemort gave you was nothing more than fear. What I gave you was the generosity that allowed you to survive."

"Unfortunately, you squandered my generosity," John said indifferently. "Did you really think I wouldn’t know who was interfering with the materials industry?"

"Let me think about what you were trying to accomplish."

John continued, "Were you trying to damage the Longbottom family’s reputation? Or were you trying to bring down this alliance?"

"The fact that Voldemort could still command your loyalty even after his death is rather surprising."

John raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

A duelling platform rose from the floor between them.

"Should I send you to your beloved master?"

John stepped onto it openly, his expression indifferent.

"Come up, or be expelled now."

Realising that their actions had been exposed, Yaxley exchanged glances with Carrow and Avery.

All three stepped onto the duelling platform together.

The action immediately drew a chorus of boos.

People around them began condemning their shamelessness.

John raised a hand and pressed it down lightly, silencing the crowd.

"Hah~ My friends, there is no shame in knowing your own limits," John said with a faint smile. "Power can make people lose themselves. I’m pleased that some still understand exactly how much they’re worth."

The entire hall burst into laughter.

Their mocking, contemptuous gazes cut into the three men’s pride like knives.

Yaxley’s face flushed red, and his resentment towards John deepened.

The three assumed fighting stances.

John said unhurriedly, "I think you may have forgotten the proper etiquette before a duel."

He drew his wand and slowly raised it.

"Now... bow." woosh!

A force pressed down on all three of them, compelling their bodies to bend.

No matter how they struggled, it was useless. With barely any effort, John forced three former members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight to bow at a perfect ninety-degree angle.

That display of strength filled everyone with apprehension.

After all, none of these men were weaker than an Auror.

John inclined his head slightly.

The pressure vanished.

Without hesitation, all three attacked at once.

Three beams of light shot towards John.

Boom!

John raised his wand and blocked all three spells.

The three men immediately followed up with seamless coordination, firing spell after spell.

But without exception, every spell stopped in front of John.

Not one could even get close to him.

John was displaying his strength, making it clear to everyone that he was no ordinary student fresh out of school.

An alliance was an investment.

If he did not let them see his power, how could they feel secure putting their faith in him?

So when John stood unmoving and blocked every attack, those who admired him could not help exclaiming in amazement. The heads of the newly joined ancient families all wore different expressions.

"All right. I think it’s time you rested."

John tilted his head aside, avoiding a streak of green light.

He looked at Carrow, who had cast the spell, then raised his hand.

Woosh!

A beam of white light instantly pierced through Carrow’s body.

Carrow’s face twisted in pain as he stared in disbelief at the white light passing through him.

He struggled to reach out, hoping his companions would save him.

But the outstretched hand visibly began crumbling into dust like sand.

In barely two seconds, a living man had been reduced to ashes.

Terrifying.

That was the instinctive reaction of everyone present.

"Was that... a Reductor Curse?"

Mr Weasley murmured to himself.

Percy, however, had nothing but pride in his eyes.

The other two realised something was wrong and tried to flee.

John’s eyes narrowed into vertical pupils.

The two men had barely pushed through the crowd when their bodies stiffened.

Their faces rapidly turned grey, and both collapsed to the floor.

One was dead.

The fate of the other two was unknown.

Silver Hand Manor fell into complete silence.

John calmly stepped down from the duelling platform.

He said indifferently, "I am not someone who delights in killing."

"What they crossed was the bottom line of what it means to be a wizard." John snapped his fingers, and sheets of parchment flew in from around the manor. "What they were doing was dragging people back into the darkness."

Everyone received a copy and looked it over.

The parchments detailed how the three families had passed off inferior goods as superior across multiple industries. Even more unforgivable was that they had secretly taken pleasure in torturing Muggles and conducting experiments on human bodies.

"I will explain the situation to the Ministry of Magic." John’s gaze swept over those whose expressions had changed. "What we need is to protect the present more fiercely than anyone else."

Among the Ancient Alliance, Lucius began to applaud.

"Lord Wick, please allow me to offer my applause for your nobility."

His applause was like a signal, and those who had been slow to react began clapping as well.

The heads of the Sacred Twenty-Eight also applauded in agreement.

They had accepted the killing.

And they had unified under a new form of address.

Not Lord Silverhand. But..

Lord Wick.

Lord John Wick.

The Ancient Alliance and the Silver Hand Alliance.

They now shared a single name.

The Second Dynasty.

John had personally stepped forward to consolidate this vast dynasty.

He would not be stingy with the interests in his hands.

The businesses belonging to the three families would be divided up amid laughter and conversation during this banquet.

Mr Weasley’s expression was not particularly good, but he said nothing.

As someone who liked Muggles, even he believed what those three families had done was enough to send them to the execution chamber.

"Percy." Piers walked over with a smile. "I think we should go have a drink over there."

Percy naturally agreed.

This was the world of fame and influence. Even if you disliked it, you could not simply refuse to take part.

Mr Weasley was also pulled away by the head of the Prewett family to have a drink with Mr Macmillan.

John walked to the side and clinked glasses with Lucius.

"Thank you for your help, Lucius."

"You’re too kind, Lord Wick." Lucius glanced towards Mr Weasley and asked quietly, "He’s one of Dumbledore’s people. Will that be a problem?"

John also looked at the somewhat uncomfortable Mr Weasley and chuckled.

"He’ll adapt. We’re not evil. In some respects, we’re the ones standing on the side of justice."

What was justice?

Those who held the majority decided what justice was.

The Second Dynasty encompassed every aspect of life in British wizarding society, from food and clothing to housing and transportation. Even something as small as a quill could be a product tied to the Second Dynasty’s interests.

They controlled more than half of the wealth in wizarding society.

And they had the ability to make everyone’s lives better.

That was justice.

John was not exaggerating. Under his control, with pure-blood suppression removed, true fairness had finally begun to emerge.

The cycle of mutual slaughter had disappeared. He had reduced the number of lives being lost.

That was justice.

Dumbledore?

He had relied on his immense magical power and the glory of two great battles. Beyond that, he had never truly managed the affairs of the wizarding world.

John was different.

The changes he brought were leading towards the light.

The Young Wizards Foundation alone was enough to make families across the world turn towards him.

That was justice.

So what if Mr Weasley was uncomfortable with it?

He could remain secure in his position as head of the second ancient family. Once he stepped back and Percy took his place, the Weasleys would still remain allies of the Second King.

John chuckled.

"We will only grow stronger, Lucius."

He raised his glass.

"To an even more glorious tomorrow!"

Everyone in the hall raised their glasses, their eyes burning with enthusiasm as they looked at the young man.

His youth was his greatest asset.

His youth was their greatest guarantee.

The Second Dynasty had at least another hundred years ahead of it.

And those who had boarded this ship would enjoy a century of prosperity.

Lucius smiled as well.

There were three stars on his cane. Raising his glass with his other hand, he called out loudly, "To Lord Wick."

The second toast displayed Lucius’s position.

Under his leadership, the Malfoy family had entered the most prosperous period in its history.

And as his son grew older, that prosperity would only become greater and endure even longer.

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