From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 566 Backlash
"Ignorant vermin!" Raphael, who had been repeatedly mocked by Ivy with words and actions, finally abandoned his pretentious facade and roared angrily, "Your world will become a sea of ​​fire because of your choice! No one can save it again! Because I will destroy you here and throw your soul into the River Styx to be washed over and over again!"

Ivy calmly dodged Raphael's claws wreathed in hellfire, showing no intention of stopping to fight seriously: "It's just the same old clichés over and over again. Don't you have time to prepare your lines beforehand? Are you just going to shout and roar dryly? I thought that if I pushed you to your limit, I'd hear some beautifully written and deeply moving odes."

Several portals spewing sulfurous fumes opened, and several Cambyons with the same identities as Raphael rushed out. Each of them was armed with a steel fork and a scimitar, and they immediately attacked Ivy and Shadowheart.

"You noisy flies! You have no idea where my limits are!" Raphael commanded his men, "Surround them! Compress their space!"

“Of course, your limits are at least half that of a typical archdemon.” Ivy’s mithril staff unleashed a series of multicolored rainbows, repelling all the surrounding Cambion. “Just look at these poor wretches, a bunch of neglected half-demons huddling together for warmth. It’s just that their chosen master is utterly incompetent; thousands of years have passed, and he’s still just a lowly Blood War logistics officer. If you ask me, you’d be better off being a mortal and finding a more ordinary job. How about a circus clown? I know a circus owner at Baldur’s Gate who needs a clown to attract customers. If you, Raphael, applied, you’d definitely be their star. The Doomsday Circus in Livington—just mention my name.”

"I! Am not! A mortal!" Raphael's face was completely distorted by rage as he gritted his teeth and shouted each word clearly.

"After all these years, you still haven't abandoned that teenage notion that you're the most special?" Ivy's figure vanished from his spot, only to reappear from the other side of the hallway lounge amidst a silver mist. He raised his mithril staff to block Cambion's steel fork, then calmly drew his beast-biting sword and beheaded him. "If you don't want to be a mortal, then just be a good second-generation demon. Your father, Mephisto, must be lacking in demons to appease his subordinates. Anyway, you always like to be down there, how about pretending to be a dream demon?"

The four obelisks scattered on the floor of the lobby lounge were enveloped in a green light curtain, and arcs of electricity of the same color crossed the battlefield and landed on Raphael, as if he were wearing a heavy green armor.

"Your actions are nothing but an attempt to provoke me, to distract me and expose my weaknesses! You have no chance of defeating me!" Raphael, who had amassed his fortune through deceiving mortals over many years, knew that the best way to trap someone was to stir their emotions and make them lose their reason. "Don't forget that I am a great demon! I will make you watch as everything you cherish is devoured by the flames of hell!"

Having fully absorbed the soul power of the four obelisks, Raphael leaped high into the air, then unleashed a torrent of hellfire capable of burning the entire House of Hope to ashes as possible, his target naturally being Ivy's only companion and lover on the field, Shar and Serene, the chosen ones of the gods, Shadowheart.

"You've chosen the wrong opponent! You devil!" Yingxin held the adamantite shield that Ivy had specially crafted for her in front of her, and with her right hand, a double-headed sword that shimmered with black and white divine power immediately appeared in her hand.

The white blade, as bright as moonlight, now radiated pure fury, while the black blade, as deep as the night sky, was entwined with a tangible sorrow.

Shadowheart, having blocked Raphael's first wave of attacks with her adamantite shield, spun forward, her twin-bladed lightsaber also striking. The white blade pierced through the hellfire surrounding Raphael, while the black blade pierced deep into the half-demon's body, causing him to let out a heart-wrenching howl.

As a divine art unique to the gods, the blade formed by the Moon Blade is considered a +4 magical weapon, possessing the effects of life drain, slaying undead, and disrupting magic. Not only can it restore the user's health upon impact, but it can also interfere with the target's spellcasting, and against undead, it has a powerful dispelling and destroying effect.

After being infused with the same divine power as Shar, the twin-headed sword summoned by Shadowheart possesses distinct characteristics. The Black Blade is also considered a +4 magical weapon, but its special features are increased damage, slaying living creatures, and disrupting magic.

As a goddess who hates all things in the world, Shar's divine power is adept at bringing oblivion to her believers and inflicting pain on her enemies. Therefore, Raphael could not bear the pain and howled after being struck by the black blade of the double-headed sword.

"Those Soul Pillars!" Shadowheart, trapped within the Campion encirclement, shouted to Ivy, "They're providing power to Raphael! We must destroy them!"

Ivy was well aware of this.

Long before he arrived at the Mansion of Hope through Mammon’s portal to hell, he saw that Raphael had placed thousands of souls bound within the four obelisks in the lobby and lounge. These people were Raphael’s debtors, who would not only be eternally deprived of their freedom, but would also be used by Raphael as disposable objects at any time.

The methods Ivy had previously used to decorate the foyer could now come in handy.

"Stop him!" Raphael screamed, seemingly having completely lost his mind.

More portals opened in the hallway of the Mansion of Hope, and one after another, Cambyons emerged from them. Raphael's reinforcements also included some real demons, but they were all of a rather low rank; the lesser demons were the highest class among them.

These cannon fodder demons swarmed towards Ivy, seemingly carrying out Raphael's order to protect the Soul Pillar, but in reality, both he and Ivy knew that no matter how many low-level demons there were, they couldn't possibly stop Ivy's extraordinary spellcasting ability.

After discreetly shaking his head, Ivy waved his staff, drawing a magical arc in front of him. This arc, radiating bright light, frightened away many low-level demons, but when they were pushed into contact with the arc by their companions behind them, they were not harmed.

The demons, thinking they had survived, sneered as they advanced, but a violent explosion behind them wiped them all out.

The four soul pillars standing in the corner of the hall had been completely reduced to fragments. The moment the magical arc swept over them, they shattered as if they had been hit by a powerful explosive. The shockwave and sharp shards knocked down the demons surrounding the obelisk.

In an instant, the howls of low-ranking demons with mangled limbs and the lamentations of souls with distorted faces and uncertain forms resounded throughout the Mansion of Hope, alarming the other adventurers in the castle.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"It must be Raphael who's back!" In the dungeon of the Mansion of Hope, the newly freed dwarf girl Hope screamed nervously, drawing the attention of the adventurers fighting nearby.

The prison is located at the very bottom of the House of Hope, suspended beneath the floating castle by a steel structure embedded in the rock, constantly exposed to the stench and scorching winds of Afonas.

The guards of Hope are a group of little devils and two Observer Eye Demons. This combination is enough to stop most people who come to break into the prison, but it is difficult to deal with the adventurers who are skilled in various arts.

“We’ll be there to help soon,” Gale reassured him, using a teleportation spell to bring Hope to his side. “Actually, I think even if it’s just Ivy on her own, she can easily handle Raphael’s Cambyon.”

“Raphael is no ordinary Cambion!” Hope shook his head repeatedly, his face almost overflowing with fear and lingering dread. “He has lived for thousands of years, accumulating countless knowledge and souls. Those souls imprisoned in the obelisks can become his nourishment at any time!”

“Ivy noticed that a long time ago.” Asdalon pulled a dagger from the body of a small demon. “The Black Mass ritual? Right? Even I could guess it. As long as the four Soul Pillars in the foyer are destroyed, Raphael’s power will be like a rootless plant. Maybe Ivy will suddenly unleash magic when their battle is at its most intense, and then taunt Raphael.”

"No, no, no..." Hope buried her face in her hands, letting out a desperate sob. "Destroying the Soul Pillar won't weaken Raphael; instead, it will give him the opportunity to devour souls! If he eats enough, he can still activate the Black Mass Ascension Ritual and become an Ascended Great Demon..."

Gale and Asdallen exchanged a glance and immediately called out to their teammates, "End the fight quickly! We have to go help Ivy!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"You tampered with my Soul Pillar beforehand? Very astute..." A bloodthirsty smile bloomed on Raphael's face. "But you've made a grave mistake! I'll show you the true flames of hell!"

The great demon's skin shattered into pieces, like broken pottery, and deep purple flames shot out from the cracks, burning Raphael's blood-stained robes into a wisp of smoke.

His shattered skin transformed into black armor, its sharp edges reflecting a deep, eerie light. Amidst the raging inferno of hellfire, Raphael's body grew taller and taller, transforming in the blink of an eye into a true, terrifying demon.

The proudly standing demon declared: "I am the master of the Mansion of Hope, and I will also become the master of Avernus!"

Raphael's handsome face, which could have deceived naive girls, disappeared, replaced by a black head with indistinct features, whose only distinguishable feature was a huge, curved horn visible in the hellfire.

Along with his body, Raphael's wings and tail also grew exponentially, resembling a shield and whip made of armor plates glued together by hellfire, exuding a terrifying aura. Raphael had completely abandoned his humanity and human form; apart from still walking upright, it was difficult to associate him with humans anymore.

Encased in hellfire and black devil armor, Raphael crouched slightly, his thick hind legs cracking several floor tiles as he transformed into a streak of blackish-purple light and darted toward Ivy.

The ascended demon Raphael no longer needs to cast spells or summon minions; his sheer physical strength and unparalleled speed are enough to destroy any enemy that stands in his way.

"You are facing the great demon of hell, the future master of Afonas! I am Raphael, and I swear in the name of all the pungent flames of hell, I will not refuse!" The Ascended Demon leaped onto Ivy's head and slammed the spikes on his elbows into the mage who had ruined his entire plan.

In the previous battle, Raphael had already discerned that Ivy was not only a highly skilled wizard but also a master swordsman. His elven curved sword could effortlessly decapitate every enemy, and he could also use his superior skill to deflect and parry their weapons to ensure his own safety.

Therefore, Raphael decided to rely on the powerful physical attributes of the Ascended Demon to overwhelm his opponent with sheer strength and speed.

As he expected, the vicious elbow strike did indeed hit the wizard who was raising his staff. Even the mithril staff, which was inlaid with a huge gem, bent into an arc that fit Raphael's elbow, and even the huge gem on the staff head stopped shining.

Thinking he had outmaneuvered the wizard, Raphael raised his other hand, intending to plunge his gleaming claws into the wizard's chest and crush his heart to prevent any future trouble.

However, when he actually inserted his arm into the other person's chest, the tactile feedback he received left him quite puzzled.

The staff that Raphael had smashed into a U-shape suddenly melted as if it couldn't withstand the high temperature on his body, and even the wizard's entire body transformed into a thick, viscous liquid.

Ivy's confident voice came from behind Raphael: "Rotation, how about it?"

Before Raphael could react to Ivy's words, the molten substance that had his arm embedded in it quickly expanded, engulfing the enormous ascended demon.

Only then did Raphael understand what had caused the unusual sensation in his arm. What enveloped him was not the usual liquid-based fluid, but a mass of liquid metal that was constantly radiating high temperatures.

"You think you can trap me like this—ugh!" Before Raphael could finish speaking, Ivy's elven curved sword pierced into his body through the gap.

“Of course, that’s not all.” Ivy smiled gently. “You have no other options, do you? Either become his nourishment or lend me a hand.”

"What?" Raphael, struggling to break free from the heavy liquid metal, was confused by Ivy's nonsensical words. "What nonsense are you spouting!"

"I'm sorry you misunderstood, but I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to them." Ivy turned the mithril staff in her hand around and used the sharp tail, forged by the Lonely Mountain dwarves, to pierce Raphael's body again, then began to sing without a care in the world.

The moment the song began, Raphael felt a fear that came from the depths of his soul. The fear made his limbs weak and the hellfire on his body flickered like a candle about to be extinguished by a gentle breeze.

"Ah—" The burning pain from his fingertips awakened Raphael's wavering soul. He tried his best to pull his hand away from the liquid metal body, wanting to find out why he was injured.

The demonic limbs, constantly spewing forth hellfire, should not have suffered any harm from the flames and high temperatures.

Raphael was horrified by what he saw—the demonic armor covering his entire body was beginning to peel away from his fingertips, revealing a grayish-brown color beneath, exposing the soft, deep red limbs that were now severely burned by the intense heat from the liquid metal.

Raphael screamed in terror, struggling desperately to break free of his grip, but the harder he struggled, the more exhausted he felt—an exhaustion that didn't originate from his body, but from the depths of his soul: "This is impossible!"

It's not impossible.

Because the song Ivy sang was a grand movement of Ainu, or rather, a poor imitation of that grand movement.

Upon leaving Middle-earth, Ivy spent some time alone with Ilúvatar, the creator god there, who shared with him some extremely profound knowledge. At that time, Ivy's power was still shallow, and although he tried his best to understand, he was still unable to grasp it.

Just like when faced with advanced mathematical knowledge, if you can't do something, you just can't do it, regardless of how hard you try.

Ever since achieving legendary status, Ivy has always wanted to try to recreate the grand musical piece he had memorized, but no matter how he tried, he could never quite get it right.

This trip to hell gave him a new inspiration.

Music is not for solitary enjoyment; it requires an audience. Even Ilúvatar, the creator god, created an Enurian ensemble from her own thoughts to appreciate grand musical movements together.
If the Great Symphony of Ilúvatar could guide the Ainu to create the entire universe, then the beggar's version of the Great Symphony of Ilúvatar could only guide the souls of some mortals, stirring their broken emotions, making them resonate with each other, and together rebel against Raphael, who used the power of his soul to transform into an ascended demon.

The foundation upon which the Ascended Demon was built had crumbled. Raphael’s massive demonic body looked more fragile than a piece of paper, like a completely burned-out bundle of firewood. Although the grayish-white embers could still maintain its general shape, a mere breeze would be enough to reduce it to ashes.

As Ivy drew his weapon, Raphael's demonic body and the sculpture formed from the solidified, scorching metal immediately collapsed to the ground, shattering and vanishing.

What shattered was the molten metal repeatedly scorched by hellfire, and what was annihilated was Raphael's demonic body.

Looking at the souls scattered throughout the Mansion of Hope, Yingxin was speechless with shock. Her gaze swept over her lover, and she quickly stepped forward, taking out a handkerchief to wipe Ivy's wounds: "You've lost so much blood..."

That's natural. Even if it becomes legendary, Ainu's grand symphony is not something that can be sung casually, let alone that Ainu not only wants to imitate it, but also wants to innovate on it.

Large amounts of blood flowed down his face, and even the star-patterned robes that surrounded his body were stained with glistening blood.

“It’s alright…” Ivy said in a hoarse voice.

“We won… Raphael is dead…” Yingxin placed her finger to Ivy’s lips, trying to stop him from speaking. “You need to rest…”

“There’s one more thing to do…” Ivy gently kissed Shadowheart’s fingers, then condensed the Grimoire of Destruction from nothingness and held it high.

The storm of souls reached the heavens and the earth. Thousands upon thousands of innocent souls, trapped in the Soul Pillar by Raphael and then devoured by him, transformed into a giant vortex, all of which were thrown into the unfolded Grimoire of Destruction, together becoming a musical score and a painting.

(End of this chapter)