Chapter 405: Heroes do not flee in battle

Crack.

On the battlefield facing Voldemort.

John looked at the cracked Poison Fang in his hand and tsked.

He had been fighting Voldemort too hastily, the Poison Fang had been hit by multiple explosions, could no longer withstand it, and shattered completely.

He casually threw away the shattered Poison Fang, his gaze locking back onto Voldemort.

He curled his lip in a mocking smile, his wand pointing straight at John.

「Without the Poison Fang, what can you use against me? 」

Voldemort sneered as he spoke.

John, however, calmly pulled another Poison Fang from his bosom.

「You're joking, you think a Snake Monster only has one fang? 」

Voldemort's smile froze on his face, a flash of annoyance passing through his eyes.

But while John appeared relaxed on the surface, he was complaining inwardly.

A Snake Monster has more than one Poison Fang, but he wasn't crazy enough to pull out all of its fangs and carry them around.

He only had this last one left on him.

But he couldn't show weakness, otherwise once Voldemort saw his trump cards exhausted, his assault would only become more fierce.

For now, the most important thing is still to hold him off.

Heaven knows what trap Voldemort has prepared for Dumbledore and the others, and how long it will take them to return.

They might not even make it back.

Pah pah pah.

John quickly dismissed that ominous thought in his mind and launched another attack.

But he could feel his body growing heavier and heavier.

His soul could barely withstand such high-intensity combat.

If only he had known, he would have let Dumbledore and the others delay their plan...

But that wouldn't work either, the longer the delay, the more Voldemort's power would snowball, making him harder to deal with—not to mention more people would die because of it.

Just as the two were fiercely clashing, Harry and the others returned.

Harry still held the Sorting Hat in his hand.

Boom.

Coincidentally, they saw John get blasted away by Voldemort's strike, the Snake Monster's Poison Fang flying from his hand.

「John! 」 Hermione exclaimed.

Fortunately, John rolled to his feet and stood up immediately, suffering no serious injury.

But the last Poison Fang was also lost.

John wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze sweeping over Harry and the others.

He didn't understand why they had come back holding a broken hat.

But he still reached out his hand to them: 「Give me the Poison Fang! 」

He didn't know if Harry was hard of hearing or what, but he actually threw the Sorting Hat over.

「Catch, John! 」

John instinctively caught the flying Sorting Hat, then froze.

「What, why are you giving me this thing!? I want the Snake Monster's Poison Fang! 」

「Huh? But we don't have any Poison Fang either! 」

Harry replied blankly from over there.

John's mouth twitched.

So why did you throw a hat at me?

Are you supposed to wear it and trade insults with Voldemort?

But it's not really Harry's fault, since he truly had no other ideas.

All he could do was try a desperate measure, throwing over the Sorting Hat that had once pulled out the Gryffindor Sword, praying for a miracle.

Voldemort mocked their desperate, last-ditch effort.

「Oh, you plan to fight me with a hat? 」

「I'm actually a little scared. 」 Voldemort's mocking voice echoed across the open field.

John didn't care anymore, casually tossed the Sorting Hat aside, and once again faced Voldemort.

Without the threat of the Snake Monster's Poison Fang, Voldemort fought even more recklessly.

But John was no pushover, still able to trade blows with Voldemort.

But he clearly felt his soul was about to give out.

At most ten minutes, his soul would likely fall into slumber again.

Boom!!

John was hit again by a Magic Spell from Voldemort, sent flying backward and crashing heavily to the ground.

He struggled to get up, kneeling on one knee and gasping heavily.

His vision began to blur.

But he still forced himself to stand.

Actually, there is still a retreat option: hide in the Castle.

Relying on the Castle's protective shield to rest and recover, while praying for Dumbledore to return soon.

But this means Voldemort will launch a full-force attack on the castle.

Originally the shield could have held for a long time, but under Voldemort's full-force onslaught it probably won't last long.

Even if he strikes again before the shield breaks, it cannot change the fact that the shield is low on health.

At that time, those inside the castle will face the Death Eaters and dark magic creatures everywhere, and countless will die as a result.

So he cannot retreat; he must hold Voldemort here!

Voldemort looks at John mockingly and steps closer.

"Give up resistance, Meilik, submit to me, and I will grant you a swift end."

"Hah..."

Hearing that, John grinning, unafraid, looks at Voldemort and raises his wand again.

"... A hero does not flee from battle."

Just as John's words fell, a silver light flashed in his blurry vision, drawing his attention.

It seemed to shine from the Sorting Hat.

But before John could confirm, Voldemort gave a mocking smile.

"Then take your ridiculous heroism and die together."

Having said that, Voldemort raised his wand again.

Several magic spells flew at him; John quickly rolled to dodge and returned fire.

After a few rolls, John reached the Sorting Hat and finally saw the source of that silver gleam.

It was a silver‑glinting exquisite hilt, the blade sunk into the Sorting Hat, its true form unknown.

John stared, not even knowing when the sword had appeared.

But it appeared in the Sorting Hat that Harry and the others threw over; it must have been prepared for him by Harry.

So John had no time to think, not even knowing what the sword was for.

He went all in again.

Only to see golden flames ignite around him again as his right hand plunged into the Sorting Hat and gripped the icy hilt.

The next second.

Swish!!

John again turned into a stream of light and surged toward Voldemort.

Voldemort blinked, unsure where John got the courage to engage him in close combat.

He raised his hand and unleashed several magic spells.

John, propelled by golden flames, dodged like a ghost and quickly closed in on Voldemort.

But Voldemort had already raised a mercury shield; John had seen this move many times before.

But this time John was not coming at him with a golden‑flame ram.

Instead, he violently thrust his right hand, pulling the silver‑light longsword from the Sorting Hat.

As the blade left the sheath, a blinding sword light wrapped in golden flames, like dawn's first light, sliced straight at Voldemort's mercury shield.

Sizzle!!

Blood spattered everywhere!

The mercury shield, like butter under a hot knife, was instantly cut through.

The sword light's momentum undiminished, it slammed into Voldemort's chest, leaving a deep wound down to the bone.

At the same time, John's terrifying power surged through the blade into Voldemort, blasting him away.

A spray of blood trailed all the way as Voldemort crashed heavily into the rubble, dust flying.

The whole field fell silent.

The silver‑light longsword in John's hand finally revealed its full form.

It was a pure silver‑white blade, engraved below with Gryffindor's name and a lion emblem, the hilt set with a brilliant ruby.

It was indeed the Gryffindor Sword!

"It's the Gryffindor Sword! John has truly been acknowledged!"

Harry and the others in the distance were so excited they almost jumped up.

Who would have thought that a desperate ploy would actually let John draw the Gryffindor Sword?

You know John is a Ravenclaw, after all.

"John!"

"That sword can destroy Horcruxes!"

Harry's shout came through, reaching John's and Voldemort's ears.

Voldemort clutched his chest, his face pale.

John gripped the hilt tightly, staring at Voldemort.

The offense and defense have reversed.