Hogwarts Card System Chapter 224

Chapter 223: Call for help! Call for help, quickly!

Under the Disillusionment Charm, Ted and his companions, each wearing a safety helmet enchanted with the Melting Frost Armor spell to lower their temperature, and having consumed Ted’s Flame Resistance Potion, stealthily hid behind a large rock, observing the underground world of fire.

There were definitely several hundred fire-attribute elemental creatures of various sizes here.

The smaller fire elementals were fine, around level 5, not difficult to deal with. But many looked like they would be tough opponents, which made things complicated.

However, the real problem was the Molten Core Giant wandering in a small area in the very center!

Just by looking at its size, one could tell it was definitely not something that could be dealt with by ordinary means.

Molten Core Giant Ragnarat, Level 10 Fire Elemental Creature / Level 5 Elite Unit / Level 2 Molten Core Giant…

A Level 17 elite unit, one with its own name!

Damn!

Ted immediately abandoned the idea of “just trying it out.” Trying this thing would mean death!

Ted: “Call for help! Quickly! Call the Ministry of Magic! Go to Hogwarts and invite Dumbledore!”

One cloud-piercing raven, Dumbledore comes to meet! Anzu, go quickly!

…

Dumbledore arrived a few hours later.

He met Ted at the temporary camp set up by the dwarves and gnomes near the deep pit.

As for the Ministry of Magic, Ted didn’t bother with it. Whether the dwarves and gnomes communicated with them or Dumbledore contacted them, it had nothing to do with Ted.

In fact, if it weren’t for harvesting a chunk of experience and completing subsequent quests, he could have left right now.

Ted didn’t think this matter absolutely required him. He wasn’t the Savior—as long as he didn’t have such a moral burden, he wouldn’t carry it.

“I’m still a child~”

The quest [Explore the Mountain Anomaly (Blue)] had been completed, rewarding experience, the material card [Mountain Peak (Blue)], and 200 reputation with Dicamond.

However, the gnomes, using their magical devices to collect magical data, discovered that the natural magical array in the lava pool at the center of the fiery land was actually a door!

A large amount of fire magic was pouring into this world, beginning to transform it.

Even more terrifying, it was unclear what world was connected on the other side, but it was gradually seeping into this world.

It was like two bubbles touching and beginning to merge!

A world entirely composed of fire magic, likely filled with lava, flames, and fire-attribute elemental creatures, was gradually infiltrating this world!

With just this small amount, the nearby magical environment and ecosystem had already begun to undergo drastic changes. Imagine what would happen if a large area truly merged. The local area might even turn into a volcano!

After the gnome master artisans reached this conclusion, the system triggered another quest:

[Block the Planar Passage! (Red)]

You and your teammates have discovered the source of the regional anomaly: a world of fire is seeping into this one. If left unchecked, the entire Great Britain, the British Isles, and even the entire European continent will be unrecognizable.

Objective: Block the planar passage and stop the merging of the two worlds.

Reward: 1850 experience, 300 reputation with the Demi-human village of Dicamond, 300 reputation with Hammerfort, 100 reputation with the British Ministry of Magic, cards [Underground Lava River (Blue)], [Flame Essence (Red)].

Ted: This… can I still piggyback on this quest?

…

On the dwarf side, Clara took Gold Calendar back to Hammerfort to find the dwarf elders and gnome master artisans.

On the wizard side, Ted wrote a letter and had Anzu deliver it to Dumbledore at Hogwarts.

However, Anzu transmitted a message to Ted less than a minute after taking flight. Due to the distance, it wasn’t very clear, but the general meaning was understood—unknown targets spotted! Quite a few of them!

Such a coincidence? Unknown targets discovered precisely at this time?

Ted consumed spiritual energy and began to contact Anzu from a distance.

Anzu was already several kilometers away from here, so normal means of communication wouldn’t work.

Switching to Anzu’s perspective, he saw a group of short figures stealthily gathering in the forest below and at the edge of the mountain base.

They were goblins!

And they were dressed neatly, wearing robes and leather armor, holding various cold weapons.

Ted counted, there were about eleven or twelve of them!

These goblins were different from those Ted had seen in Diagon Alley or Gringotts. Their attire and expressions were different, carrying a fierce and ruthless air.

And they even had a few magical beast pack animals and mounts.

Thunder Bulls, enormous in size, twice as large as normal cattle, with massive horns. But they were docile and incredibly strong, excellent at carrying heavy loads. They were called Thunder Bulls because their bodies constantly emitted a low, rumbling sound like distant thunder.

At this moment, three Thunder Bulls were carrying numerous large bundles.

As for the other goblins who weren’t riding Thunder Bulls, they had their own mounts—they were giant birds!

Had the goblins tamed these things?

Ted noticed that although the few giant birds varied in size and appearance, they all wore a headband with a red crystal embedded in it on the back of their heads…

They were currently gathered, seemingly discussing something, but after a short while, they seemed to have reached an agreement and began to organize themselves, heading towards the sinkhole where Ted and his group were!

This, they were up to no good!

Ted glanced at Jerry and Shirley, then at Mr. Shvarov, and hesitated before saying, “Mr. Shvarov, I’m afraid we’ve run into trouble.”

Goblins were an ancient race that had repeatedly contended with wizards for leadership of the magical world. However, after several defeats in recent centuries, they had now completely retreated to a secondary role.

But this was only on the surface.

Because, like wizards, goblins had their own civilization and social organization, and were spread across the world.

For example, Gringotts had branches in almost every magical community in every country.

As the saying goes, “a centipede dies but never falls,” and although the goblins had failed in several rebellions over hundreds of years, eventually becoming a race specializing in finance and metallurgy, many among them remained unwilling to give up.

Among goblins, Gringotts was naturally the largest branch. They had close ties with wizards, were originally neutral, and had now become pro-wizard.

Relative to the pro-wizard faction, there was naturally an anti-wizard faction.

Although powerless to resist the magical world constructed by wizards, they still held grudges and deeply resented wizards.

This faction was further divided into two branches: one longed for the glory of their ancestors, determined to overthrow wizard rule and establish a new goblin order.

These were the “Revivalists,” the most extreme of the goblins. They were basically regulars on various national Ministry of Magic wanted lists, unable to show their faces openly and forced to work underground.

The other branch, while also longing for ancestral glory and wanting to do something, knew that goblins were no longer a match for wizards. Although they wished to act, they could restrain themselves.

On the surface, they got along, but in reality, they had almost no contact with wizards, let alone cooperation. This branch was called the “Neutralists.”

However, many of these Neutralists could at any time become Revivalists.

Some even had contact with the Revivalists, secretly providing assistance, such as financial support, intelligence, or helping to cover up traces.

Furthermore, even the pro-wizard Gringotts goblins could not guarantee that there were absolutely no members of the other two factions disguised among them.

With control over currency issuance and exchange, eighty percent of the magical metal smelting business, and thirty percent of the magical item manufacturing business, Gringotts’ influence spread throughout the magical communities of various countries, possessing immense power.

The other two factions, unless they were brain-dead, would certainly take action.

And this small goblin team belonged to the Neutralist faction.

Goblins either engaged in legitimate financial services or illegal scams. They either inherited traditional craftsmanship, smelting unique magical metals, or crafting high-end magical items for sale.

But there were also restless goblins who were dedicated to roaming the world, “recovering” unfortunate lost ownerless treasures.

These goblins often searched for ancient magical ruins, tombs of great wizards, rare magical creature gathering places, and similar sites based on various clues… What they did, of course, was “recovery”!

How do you think Gringotts got so many magical items of unknown origin?

These goblins called themselves adventure teams—derided as “looting teams” by wizards—and like keen-scented hyenas, they would never miss any major commotion or opportunity to get rich.

This time, they had discovered an abnormal disturbance in the ley line magic through divination, hoping to seize the opportunity to gain some benefits while the British Ministry of Magic was preoccupied.

There was a large amount of abnormal magic being born, accumulating, and fluctuating underground, which was definitely not ordinary. So these goblin adventure team members also took it very seriously. And sure enough, in less than three days, they had found the place.

…

“Stop! What are you doing?!” Mr. Shvarov suddenly appeared on a rocky outcrop, shouting down at the silently advancing goblin team.

The goblins were startled, not expecting a dwarf to suddenly appear above them.

But the two leading goblins immediately exchanged glances. One of them nudged the giant bird between his legs and stepped forward, smiling obsequiously at Shvarov. “We are a goblin merchant caravan, just passing through. Is there anything, esteemed dwarf?”

Shvarov stroked his long beard with a serious expression. “A goblin merchant caravan? I’ve never heard of any goblin merchant caravans passing through here before.”

The old goblin chuckled and explained, “We were in a hurry, so we took a shortcut. This is our first time coming this way. We were quite nervous about it.”

Shvarov shook his head. “Regardless of your reasons, this is Hammerfort territory. The area ahead is sealed off. You cannot enter without permission. Turn back!”

“This…” The old goblin’s face darkened.

The goblins behind him also had unfriendly looks in their eyes, some muttering quietly, “Dead dwarf!” “Damn alien species,” and other insults.

The leading old goblin and the other goblin exchanged glances again, their eyes glinting fiercely.

If there was only this one dead dwarf, why not just finish him off?

The goblins covertly reached for the weapons in their robes or at their waists.

Shvarov saw all of this and secretly remained vigilant.

(End of chapter)