Chapter 402: Fierce Battle

Inside Hogwarts Castle.

All the professors, Aurors, and members of the Order of the Phoenix were bolstering the castle's defensive magic, while nervously watching the battle in the distance.

Their top priority now is to delay.

Delay until Headmaster Dumbledore returns.

Voldemort has John tied up outside, so their task is to hold the castle.

"How is Harry?"

When Hermione came to Professor McGonagall's side, Professor McGonagall asked her.

"He is currently unconscious, but shows no signs of losing life."

Hearing this, Professor McGonagall's eyes lit up.

That means their plan succeeded.

As for why Harry hasn't woken up, they can only blame it on the dissipation of Voldemort's remnant soul, which has affected Harry's own soul.

"Then that's good."

Professor McGonagall let out a breath of relief, and his gaze turned back to the distant battlefield where flames shot into the sky.

"Now we just need to hold this place and wait for Headmaster Dumbledore to return."

Hermione also followed Professor McGonagall's gaze toward the distant battlefield belonging to John.

Her eyes were filled with worry and anticipation.

Back to the edge of the Forbidden Forest battlefield.

Boom—

John's figure flew backward out of the explosion's smoke and dust, flipped twice in midair, and landed steadily.

The wound on his cheek was healing at a visible speed.

In the smoke, Voldemort cleared the mist before him, pointed his wand at John, and a sickly green ray shot out.

John sidestepped to avoid it, and at the same time swung his wand, flinging out a scarlet spell.

Voldemort didn't even dodge; he simply raised his wand, pointed it at John, and cast the next spell.

When John's spell struck Voldemort's wand in his hand, the spell was directly deflected.

At the same time, Voldemort's next spell had already blasted toward John's face.

John frowned, raised the Iron Armor Spell to block.

I don't know if it's an illusion, but I always feel Voldemort is blocking his attacks too easily.

He didn't even exert much force, just barely blocked with his wand.

Given John's current magical output, even Dumbledore couldn't possibly resolve it so effortlessly.

But he didn't have time to think further, as Voldemort's next wave of attack surged in like a tide.

Voldemort basically doesn't need to defend; he goes all-out on the offensive.

John, however, must frequently raise his defenses, so the battle's situation gradually tilts toward Voldemort.

Something's off.

John silently thought, Voldemort once again casually deflected his spell.

Instead, John directly lifted a large stone wall to block the line of sight.

Voldemort waved his wand, and the stone wall shattered with a sound.

When John's figure reappeared, he was already enveloped in golden flames, like a burning star.

Relying on the propulsion of the golden flames, he shot straight toward Voldemort in a fierce collision.

Voldemort blinked in surprise.

"What kind of move is this again?"

But he didn't dare underestimate it, and continuously swung his wand.

The Killing Curse rained down like bullets toward John.

But John's speed was too fast; his silhouette wrapped in golden flames nimbly weaved through the gaps of the Killing Curse.

In an instant, John had already rushed to Voldemort's face; the golden flames condensed into a scorching shockwave that slammed hard into the temporary Mercury Shield Voldemort had raised.

Boom—

Voldemort, shield and all, was instantly flung backward, crashing hard into the Forbidden Forest behind him.

It snapped more than a dozen thick ancient trees, sending a shower of shattered wood and dust flying.

John seized the moment, turning into a fireball that shot up into the sky, then the next instant plummeted like a meteor straight onto Voldemort's position.

Boom!!

The earth trembled, and broken stones and wood flew in all directions.

When the smoke cleared, John stood at the center of a pit over ten meters in diameter, the golden flames gradually receding to reveal his stern visage.

At the pit's bottom, Voldemort was tightly wrapped in the Mercury Shield, but its surface was covered in spiderweb-like cracks.

The next second, the Mercury Shield suddenly transformed, turning into countless silver needles that shot toward John like a downpour.

John had been prepared; the Iron Armor Spell deflected all those fine silver needles, producing a crisp tinkling sound.

He then seized the opportunity to leap out of the pit.

Voldemort followed closely, rising from the pit with his black robes billowing.

A trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, his eyes blazing with fury.

"The circus act ends here!"

Instantly, fierce fire spewed from the tip of Voldemort's wand, forming a huge fire snake.

The vast trees of the Forbidden Forest became prime fuel for the fierce fire, and in an instant the entire forest turned into a scarlet sea of fire.

John felt no fear at all, his wand raised high.

Golden Flame instantly surged like a vast ocean, colliding head-on with the Fierce Fire.

The two flames burned wildly in the Forbidden Forest, devouring and tearing at each other, emitting a deafening hiss.

Meanwhile, John and Voldemort, in the Sea of Fire, continuously waved their wands, blasting Magic Spells at each other.

However, John's Magic Spells were all deflected by Voldemort's wand, leaving him on the defensive.

Boom—

In the intertwined Sea of Fire, a vast Stone Forest suddenly sprang up.

The Stone Forest surged forward to crush Voldemort, who snorted coldly; a few Crush Spells shattered its attack into pieces.

At the same time, he waved his hand backhand, turning countless Black Mist into countless thorny vines that burst from the ground, winding toward John.

Golden Flame reignited around John, burning those vines to ash.

The next moment, a Mercury Longsword condensed from the Sea of Fire shot forth, aiming straight for John's throat.

John sidestepped, casually conjuring a shield to deflect the Mercury Longsword.

Then he hurled it with great force.

The shield spun into a sharp Circular Saw, slicing toward Voldemort's waist.

Finally, it was directly bounced off by Voldemort's Mercury Shield.

The two fought back and forth in the Sea of Fire, Magic Spells and swords intertwining and colliding, darkening the sky.

Bearing unicorn blood and the power of the Magic Stone, John's endurance was no problem.

Even occasional wounds needed no special treatment; his body healed automatically.

But Voldemort was equally strong, drawing power from the Elder Wand; his magic was endless, and each clash of Magic Spells left John's hand numb.

Moreover, his peculiar defense made John's Magic Spells hardly able to inflict real harm.

Point‑to‑point Magic Spells were deflected by his wand, while wide‑range attacks were blocked by his Mercury Shield.

John frowned, realizing that continuing like this was no solution.

Although they fought back and forth, John's mind remained tightly tense, his soul not yet fully recovered, and prolonged battle would only push him further into a disadvantage.

In the end, perhaps before Dumbledore's support arrived, he would have to fall first.