The person is at Hogwarts, but the system is in Middle-earth!

Go through the door.

"It's Wizard's Chess!" Ron's voice rang out, a mixture of surprise and delight. "A giant Wizard's Chess set."

This is a huge room with a black and white checkered chessboard on the floor, and stone chess pieces taller than life-size placed opposite it.

In Lovi's eyes, the room transformed into a dark, vast ancient battlefield. The ground was paved with black and white boulders, and at the other end of the battlefield stood two rows of towering giants, clad in heavy granite armor and wielding massive stone swords and chain hammers powerful enough to cleave a person in half.

[WARNING: Entering Campaign Dungeon]

[Scene Loading: Pelennor Plains - Simulation Exercise]

[Enemy Unit: Gargoyle Legion]

“We have to play chess to get through,” Ron said, looking at the faceless stone statues. “But it’s not just about playing chess…we have to become the pieces.”

Harry swallowed hard. "Should we join in?"

"Yes," Ron began to direct, "Harry, you go to the bishop's seat. Hermione, you stand over there by the castle. As for me..."

Ron walked up to a black knight and patted the stone horse.

"I want to be a knight." Ron mounted his horse.

Then he looked at Rowe: "Rove, you will take the place of the knight on the other side."

Rowe nodded and strode toward the empty spot. The black stone horse was about to let him ride it, but Rowe pushed its head away.

"Go down, old horse," Rowe said. "At this distance, cavalry will only be sitting ducks."

"Love! You have to get on!" Ron yelled from the other side. "That's the rule!"

"rule?"

"In my hometown, the infantry is the core of the front line."

He stood on a square of the chessboard, feet apart, weight lowered, adopting a standard defensive stance.

Ron opened his mouth, but in the end gave up: "Okay... as long as you're in that square. White goes first."

The war has begun.

With a dull rumble, the enemy infantry advanced two squares.

"Harry, move four squares to the right and forward!" Ron shouted the order.

On the chessboard, the giant stone statues began to move.

Whenever a piece is captured, the white pieces ruthlessly smash it, sending stone chips flying like severed limbs.

In Loewy's system filter, it was a scene straight out of hell.

Friendly infantry killed in action

[Enemy heavily armored trolls break through the defense line]

"Love! Move two squares to the left and forward, and eat that bishop!" Ron roared.

Without any hesitation, Rowe charged out like a cheetah. In his view, the "bishop" was a Saruman follower wearing a top hat and holding a staff.

He rushed to the target and kicked the base of the statue; luckily, the sole of his shoe was hard enough.

The heavy stone statue swayed, forced back by Luo Wei's impact, and was then judged by the rules to be "eaten," automatically dragging its broken body off the chessboard.

"Well done!" Harry shouted.

However, the battle soon turned brutal.

The White Queen, wielding a massive stone scepter, began rampaging across the battlefield. She mercilessly shattered the Black pieces' defenses, smashing statues to dust.

[WARNING: Boss unit "Angmar Witch King" is approaching]

As the White Queen turned toward Lowe, a huge shadow fell over him.

"Love! Run... No, you can't run!" Hermione screamed. "That's the rule for knights!"

The White Queen raised her stone scepter high and smashed it down on Rowe's head with a whistling sound.

If this blow lands, it would crush not only a person, but even a block of iron.

"Love!" Harry cried out in despair.

At the critical moment, Luo Wei did not close his eyes and wait for death.

He suddenly raised his left hand, and the black frying pan, like a vibranium shield, rushed towards him. At the same time, he gripped his wand tightly against the back of the frying pan with his right hand, curling his whole body into a ball.

when--!!!

The deafening clang of metal against metal echoed throughout the hall.

Luo Wei felt as if he had been hit head-on by a speeding, fully loaded truck. The immense impact traveled up his arm and through his entire body, making his bones seem to groan.

But he blocked it.

Although he was thrown back three meters by the shock, and his shoes left two scorch marks on the chessboard, he remained standing.

The White Queen paused for a moment, as if even the magical logic hadn't processed this situation—a chess piece had actually withstood a fatal blow?

"My God..." Ron was stunned. "You...you actually blocked it? That's a chess piece! You can't fight a chess piece!"

Luo Wei shook his numb left hand and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva: "In my hometown, chess pieces can kill! If you don't want to die, win this game, Commander!"

Ron was jolted awake by the roar. He looked at the ravaged chessboard and at Rowe, who stood tall despite the blood trickling from his mouth. His expression changed.

He was no longer a child playing games, but a real commander.

"I understand," Ron said in a low voice.

He quickly assessed the situation, then his face turned pale.

"Harry, step back." Ron's voice trembled. "Get ready... once I move, you go to the general."

"What?" Harry realized what was happening. "No, Ron! That's suicide!"

"This is the only way!" Ron turned to look at the terrifying White Queen. "I must be eaten before you can checkmate the king."

"No!" Hermione screamed.

"This is war!" Ron roared back, his face resolute. "Listen, Rowe is right. To win, someone has to sacrifice. Do you want to protect everyone?"

Harry bit his lip, tears welling up in his eyes.

Ron took a deep breath and patted the stone horse beneath him.

"Knight, move to H3."

In the system's view, Rowe saw that the red-haired boy, Ron Weasley, who usually only ate chicken legs and copied homework, was now radiating a golden light.

[Friendly Hero Unit: Ron Weasley]

[Status: Desperate Charge]

Ron rushed out and stopped in front of the White Queen.

The White Queen turned around and raised her scepter.

"Ron!"

The scepter fell heavily.

Ron was hit and flew off his horse like a rag doll, crashing heavily to the ground and lying motionless.

"Now!" Though his heart was breaking, Harry knew he couldn't waste this opportunity. He rushed towards the King, shouting, "General!"

The sword in the White King's hand clattered to the ground.

They won.

The system notification sound rang in Luo Wei's ears:

【Battle Victory】

[Achievement Unlocked: The Meaning of Sacrifice]

[Attribute Boost: Constitution +2]

Ignoring the warnings, Rowe rushed towards Ron first.

"Ron!" Hermione rushed over and knelt down on the ground.

Rowe quickly checked Ron's breathing and pulse.

"He's still alive." Luo Wei breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "He's just passed out. A classic concussion."

"We can't abandon him." Hermione wiped away her tears and looked at Ron lying in the corner of the chessboard.

"He's fine, he just needs rest." Rowe stood up, hung the frying pan back on his waist, his eyes resolute. "But he has completed his mission. Now, it's our turn."

He looked up at Harry. The skinny boy was staring intently at the door in front of him.

"Harry," Rowe said in a deep voice.

Harry turned around, his face streaked with tears, his eyes filled with hesitation and fear.

"Don't be afraid." Rowe patted Harry on the shoulder, then glanced at Hermione. "Let's go together."

"But Ron..."

"Leaving him here is the safest option. Those pieces are no longer moving," Rowe said, pointing to the scattered pieces. "Besides, we still need you on the road ahead."

"That's right." Hermione stood up, still sobbing, but her eyes hardened. "We have to stop that person. For Ron."

Harry nodded and wiped his face.

"Let's go." Rowe gave Harry a push. "Don't let the Commander's sacrifice be in vain."

The three of them crossed the chessboard and headed towards the door leading to darkness.

Watching Harry and Hermione's retreating figures, Rowe glanced at the glaring red bar on the system interface.

[Lowe Baskin's condition]

HP: 70% (Minor Internal Injury)

Teammates: Harry, Hermione (Ron left the team due to serious injury)

"What a terrible battle." Rowe pulled a chocolate bar from his pocket and popped it into his mouth.

He glanced one last time at Ron lying on the ground and whispered, "Get some sleep, Sam. We'll take over the rest of the journey for you."