Chapter 72: The Layers of the Cruciatus Curse

The spider trembled violently beneath Allen’s wand, its legs curling inward, helplessly sliding across the tabletop...

Perhaps five seconds passed, perhaps ten—Allen finally lowered his wand, and the giant spider collapsed onto the table...

Allen panted as he stared at his handiwork; only by casting this spell himself could he feel its true power. Suddenly, a faint thread of pleasure stirred within him—as if born from the act of casting...

“Clap! Clap! Clap!” Professor Quirrell slowly clapped his hands. “I never expected your Cruciatus Curse to achieve such power so quickly—you clearly have talent!”

Allen remained lost in the sensation of the spell, unwilling to respond to Professor Quirrell...

Professor Quirrell stepped out from the shadows and whispered softly beside Allen’s ear: “Now do you understand what evil rage is?”

These words pulled Allen slightly free from the spell’s grip. After this firsthand experience, he finally understood what evil rage meant.

The words Professor Quirrell had used to guide him—those scenes—could never have been performed by the spider. Yet Allen had been immersed in them, truly believing the spider would do such things, and thus felt such intense rage.

Upon closer thought, these scenes were merely fabricated charges against the spider; in reality, the spider was incapable of any of it.

When a person forms malicious associations with something, the rage stirred by those associations is evil rage.

“Yes, I understand!” Allen nodded at Professor Quirrell, his eyes still distant.

“But this is not enough!” Professor Quirrell gave him no time to recover. “The craving for cruelty fueled by evil rage is only the second layer. Now let us learn the third.”

“What? That was only the second layer? I thought the spider was in agony enough already?” Allen was stunned by Quirrell’s words.

“Your casting power was barely one-tenth of mine. When you master the third layer, you’ll reach about half my strength!” Professor Quirrell whispered seductively into Allen’s ear.

Allen’s inner struggle returned. A flicker of clarity appeared in his eyes—he sensed something was wrong, but couldn’t say what. He was caught in contradiction.

Professor Quirrell saw his struggle and pressed on: “Mastering the third layer is simple. You need only use evil rage to stir within yourself a craving for cruelty, then cast the Cruciatus Curse ten times on the teaching tool...”

“This curse is simply that easy!” Professor Quirrell placed his hand on Allen’s shoulder, his voice thick with allure.

Allen’s gaze grew hazy again; the fleeting clarity vanished. Yet his instinctive resistance clashed fiercely with his desire to continue—the desire won, until that faint thread of pleasure from casting the Cruciatus Curse overwhelmed everything else.

Allen stared at Professor Quirrell with bloodshot eyes. Quirrell nodded in satisfaction—he understood Allen’s choice.

“Maintain your evil rage, and continue practicing...” Professor Quirrell’s voice pulled Allen deeper, irresistible.

Allen mechanically raised his wand, letting the evil rage within him burn hotter. Finally, he snapped his eyes open and aimed at the “teaching tool”: “Crucio!”

“Crucio!”

The “teaching tool” died instantly upon the second Cruciatus Curse. Professor Quirrell, as if expecting this, immediately produced another spider and replaced it seamlessly.

Allen paid no attention to it.

Madness had seized his mind. With bloodshot eyes, he continued casting the Cruciatus Curse...

The power of his Cruciatus Curse seemed to grow stronger. The second “teaching tool” exploded after three curses. Professor Quirrell had prepared for this—he cast a shield to block the splattering fluids, but one drop still landed on Allen’s hand.

The faint burn jolted Allen out of his frenzy. He finally realized what he was doing...

He noticed his rage was rapidly fading—already half gone—but his craving for cruelty was growing stronger, and with it, the curse’s power.

That faint pleasure within him had transformed into ecstasy. With each casting, the ecstasy intensified. His earlier frenzy had been driven by the desire to push this ecstasy to its peak.

“Why is my rage fading?” Allen asked his first question.

Professor Quirrell had observed every change in Allen. Calmly, he replied: “This is a normal process.”

“The third layer of the Cruciatus Curse is cold, calculated craving for cruelty,” Professor Quirrell said gently, uttering words that chilled the bone.

“Look! Your Cruciatus Curse grows stronger with each cast. You’ve touched the third layer after only a few attempts. I didn’t lie to you, did I? This curse is simple—and immensely powerful!”

“If you press on, your rage will vanish completely. You will become utterly calm, while your craving for cruelty remains—and then you will enter the third layer!” Professor Quirrell whispered again, seductive, into Allen’s ear.

Allen’s eyes grew distant again. He felt himself slipping back into Quirrell’s words—and Quirrell now produced the third “teaching tool.”

The third “teaching tool” was a gray rabbit...

The rabbit now stared curiously at Allen, meeting his gaze.

Allen couldn’t help reaching out to tease it. The rabbit sniffed his hand with its damp little nose...

“Why switch to a rabbit?” Allen asked involuntarily.

Professor Quirrell sneered: “You no longer need ugly creatures to dull your sympathy. Your task now is to cast the curse coldly upon this ‘teaching tool.’ Remember my lesson: cold, calculated craving for cruelty. Begin!”

Allen felt his body stiffen. He changed the subject: “Is the Cruciatus Curse only three layers? Is cold craving for cruelty the final one?”

Professor Quirrell seemed to sense Allen’s hesitation—but he didn’t seem to care.

“There is a fourth layer. Even with the third layer, your power is only half mine. Only with the fourth layer can you match me.”

“What is the fourth layer?” Allen felt his throat dry again.

“The fourth layer is enjoying the act of cruelty,” Professor Quirrell said briefly.

He lowered his head to meet Allen’s eyes. Allen saw no emotion whatsoever in Quirrell’s gaze.

“Isn’t there a growing ecstasy within you now? When you amplify it to a certain point, you will fully enter the fourth layer. You will begin to enjoy cruelty—and only then will you unleash the Cruciatus Curse’s full power.”

“Now, continue practicing! You’ve touched true power—and you’ll master it soon!” Professor Quirrell’s low, magnetic voice whispered in Allen’s ear, irresistible.

Allen slowly raised his arm, pointing his wand at the oblivious rabbit, which sniffed around as if nothing were about to happen...

Yet Allen’s eyes grew clearer and clearer...