Hogwarts: The Mafia Lord of Slytherin-Chapter 651: [] The Unraveling of Fate

Even with his knowledge of the future, Erwin was still at a disadvantage in the duel. Emperor Zheng Qin’s magical energy was growing increasingly violent, black mist swirling around him like a living storm.

"Erwin, you are no match for me," Emperor Zheng Qin’s voice boomed, echoing across the sea. "Even if you destroy the Nine Cauldrons! I will die, yes, but do you possess the strength to survive the aftermath?"

As he spoke, he threw a punch.

A torrent of black mist condensed into a roaring dragon that slammed into Erwin’s chest. Erwin’s eyes widened; he couldn’t dodge in time. The impact sent him careening backward, crashing against the choppy waves. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his vision blurring.

Emperor Zheng Qin stared down at him coldly. "See? This is the difference between us."

Erwin forced himself to stand, his legs trembling but his resolve ironclad. "Indeed," he rasped, wiping blood from his lip. "Even if he’s a fake, the First Emperor remains the First Emperor! Are you not going to make your move? If you don’t, all your time spent hiding will have been for nothing!"

Emperor Zheng Qin’s eyes narrowed, startled by the declaration. He scanned the horizon, sensing nothing. For a moment, he believed Erwin was bluffing—

Whoosh.

A streak of red light flashed past, striking directly at Emperor Zheng Qin.

Despite the First Emperor’s lightning-fast reflexes, the bolt of red magic struck true. Emperor Zheng Qin was hurled backward, skidding across the water’s surface.

The red light slowly coalesced into a translucent, spectral form.

Erwin straightened his posture, a faint smile touching his lips. "It seems I wasn’t wrong. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Gryffindor."

The soul before him was unmistakable. Gryffindor, one of the Four Founders. Erwin had suspected this the moment he sensed Emperor Zheng Qin’s essence being drained.

Emperor Zheng Qin glared at the specter. "It was you? You’re still alive?"

Gryffindor’s form shimmered, his smile bright. "Greetings, Your Majesty! It has been a long time. It feels like just yesterday I struck at your source."

"You survived the backlash?" Emperor Zheng Qin snarled.

"No," Gryffindor corrected gently. "I died. As you can see, I left only a wisp of my soul behind. My existence was a price—a terrible one, paid with the silence of the magical world—but it seems worth it to see you weakened."

"You damn rat!" Emperor Zheng Qin roared. "If I hadn’t been in a dormant state, I never would have given you this chance!"

"Perhaps," Gryffindor conceded. "But you won’t have the luxury of revenge. A pity I couldn’t finish the job in one strike."

Gryffindor turned his gaze to Erwin. At that moment, two additional spectral figures drifted into view beside the young wizard: Ravenclaw and Slytherin. They hadn’t come to fight—they lacked the power for that now—but they had come to witness the end.

They looked at Gryffindor with complex, sorrowful expressions.

"Long time no see," Gryffindor chuckled, addressing his old colleagues. "It looks like I’m not the only one left in this mess. You two aren’t faring much better."

Ravenclaw’s eyes welled with spectral tears. "We never thought we’d see you again, Godric."

"Don’t be like that," Gryffindor said softly. He then turned back to Erwin. "We should catch up, but we can’t help you further. The rest is yours to finish."

Erwin nodded. "Of course."

Gryffindor snapped his fingers—though no sound came—and the three Founders vanished, departing to converse among themselves.

Erwin returned his focus to Emperor Zheng Qin.

"Now," Erwin said, his voice steady. "Our origins are equal."

Gryffindor’s surprise attack had stolen another fragment of the First Emperor’s origin, tipping the scales.

Emperor Zheng Qin stared at Erwin, a look of grim respect on his face. "I truly underestimated you, Erwin. Your scheming and your intelligence... they impress me. But make no mistake—the victor will still be me."

He raised his hand.

The Imperial Seal flew from his grasp, hovering in the air. A terrifying pressure began to emanate from it.

Erwin smiled. "Is this your final card? Coincidentally, I have one as well."

He raised his hand, and the enchanted ring on his finger fell away.

As it struck the ground, the spatial ring began to transform. It expanded and shifted, revealing an identical Imperial Seal—save that this one was missing a corner, which had been painstakingly repaired with gold.

The moment the jade seal landed in Erwin’s hand, his appearance began to shift rapidly. His hair grew long, his features reshaping into a distinctly Eastern visage. His enchanted robes, usually varying by situation, bled into a solid jet-black dragon robe—the exact regalia of the First Emperor.

At that moment, Emperor Zheng Qin and Erwin looked like reflections in a warped mirror. Similar faces, identical dragon robes, and the same seal.

Emperor Zheng Qin looked at Erwin, his eyes narrowing. "So that is it. You rely on the power of the main world—the power of this reality itself."

Erwin hovered in the air, a faint, overwhelming pressure radiating from him. "You are right. I walked the High Road, so I draw upon its power."

"Then let me see," Emperor Zheng Qin challenged, "how strong the power of the outside world truly is!"

With a shout, Emperor Zheng Qin tossed his seal into the air. Erwin mirrored the motion.

The two seals collided, not with physical force, but with a shockwave of pure magic that rippled across the sea.

Emperor Zheng Qin drew his Qin King Sword, its edge gleaming with deadly light. "This will be your end."

Erwin’s smile didn’t fade. "Coincidentally, I possess this as well."

With a wave of his hand, a wand of amethyst, a sword of heroes, and several shimmering blue fragments materialized before him.

Erwin clenched his fist in the air.

Crack.

The wand, the sword, and the fragments shattered simultaneously, dissolving into motes of light. The light twisted and fused, swirling violently until it coalesced into a single shape.

An identical Qin King Sword appeared before Erwin.

He grabbed it, the weight settling perfectly into his grip.

No more words were exchanged.

Erwin and Emperor Zheng Qin charged.

Their swords met in a clash of steel and magic, ringing out like a bell tolling for the end of an era. In the blink of an eye, they exchanged over a hundred blows, a blur of motion and lethal intent.

Then, they sprang apart.

A wound had opened on Emperor Zheng Qin’s chest. Golden blood oozed out, contrasting sharply with his black robes. His expression was grim; he hadn’t expected Erwin to match his strength so completely.

"Erwin," Emperor Zheng Qin rasped, "you are strong. But it is not enough. Since you wish to see my true power, I will show you the absolute difference between us."

He waved his hand.

The ground trembled. From the depths of the sea, a colossal structure rose—white jade towers piercing the sky, connected by bridges that defied physics.

A plaque above the main gate bore three massive characters: 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Epang Palace.

The floating palace drifted behind Emperor Zheng Qin. A beam of light shot from the plaque, converging upon the First Emperor’s head, solidifying into a majestic crown.

Emperor Zheng Qin hovered before the Epang Palace, his aura merging with the building’s ancient power. At this moment, he was no longer a mere fragment or a fake—he was the complete First Emperor, restored to his prime.

Erwin watched this manifestation of power.

He remained perfectly calm.

He had known this was coming. He had made extensive preparations, walked every step of the path he had chosen, and devised countermeasures for the impossible.