327 Chapter 326 "Crude Teaching"
By day, Wentworth weathered the relentless barrage of Grindelwald's teachings with determined resolve. However, he couldn't help but rue the irony of enduring such trials from the very man he once idolized.
Yet, for all the challenges he faced, none seemed quite as daunting as the nightly ordeal of sharing quarters with a dragon.
While the prospect of dueling Grindelwald himself might have stirred excitement in the hearts of many aspiring wizards, the reality of contending with his monstrous pet held little allure for Wentworth.
Night after night, he found himself locked in combat with the formidable Norse Spinosaurus, each encounter a grueling test of skill and survival.
It quickly became apparent that the Dragon, a creature synonymous with mythical prowess and ancient legends, was a formidable adversary indeed.
Unyielding in its resolve, Nibelungen had learned from each defeat, never repeating the same mistake twice.
With each confrontation, Wentworth discovered that brute force alone would not suffice against an opponent of such cunning and intelligence.
Faced with the daunting realization that his usual tactics were futile against such a formidable foe, Wentworth was forced to adapt. With wand in hand, he sought out creative solutions to overcome the Dragon's defenses, each duel a test of ingenuity and resourcefulness.
In the initial skirmishes, neither side could gain a decisive advantage; their strengths were evenly matched, each unable to penetrate the other's defenses.
Yet, every night, Wentworth diligently applied the spells he gleaned from Grindelwald's teachings, honing his craft against the indomitable Dragon.
With each passing night, Wentworth's efforts bore fruit. Slowly but surely, he began to tip the scales in his favor. It wasn't until a week had elapsed, a week of relentless struggle for dominance, that Wentworth finally achieved a breakthrough.
As he planted his foot upon the defeated Nibelungen, he beheld a moment of triumph—a moment in which the once-rival creature bowed its head in submission.
Witnessing the defeated beast prostrate itself before him, emitting a soft, almost plaintive sound, Wentworth recognized it as a gesture of surrender.
Suppressing the urge to burst into laughter at the absurdity of the situation, he instead delivered a firm kick to the Dragon before gesturing towards the gaping hole it had wrought in the outer wall.
"Finally, you've acknowledged my worth," Wentworth said.
Intrigued, Nibelungen complied, inching towards the entrance of the cave with a newfound curiosity.
Upon reaching the cavern's threshold, it settled into a seated position, effectively barricading the entrance with its formidable frame.
"Tonight, I can finally bid farewell to this blasted mountain breeze!" Wentworth exclaimed with a grin, casting a triumphant glance at Nibelungen before him.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from behind Wentworth, causing him to pivot on his heel. Standing there was none other than Grindelwald.
Instantly, Wentworth's demeanor shifted, his expression morphing into one of deference as he stood before his formidable grandfather.
Without uttering a word, Grindelwald approached Wentworth. His gaze fixated on something.
Before Wentworth could react, his wand leaped from his grasp, drawn towards Grindelwald's outstretched hand.
Bewildered, Wentworth watched as Grindelwald effortlessly claimed his wand, concealing it behind his back.
With a simple command to "continue," Grindelwald swept out of the room, leaving Wentworth to ponder the implications of his abrupt departure.
A sudden realization dawned on Wentworth, his expression shifting from confusion to alarm.
He turned on his heel just in time to witness Nibelungen, previously preoccupied by the breach in the wall, rising to its full height.
A mischievous glint flickered in Wentworth's eyes as he addressed the creature, "Nibelungen, I caution you, though I—"
Before he could finish his warning, Nibelungen lunged towards him with startling speed, catching Wentworth off guard.
"You must be kidding me!" Wentworth shouted in despair as he trying to deal with the current problem.
Wentworth's instinctive reaction was to flee the room, but as he dashed towards the door, he collided with an invisible barrier, rebounding with a resounding thud at the feet of Nibelungen.
With the creature looming over him, claws poised menacingly, Wentworth seized the opportunity to cast a spell, pointing towards the creature's belly and uttering, "Sectumsempra!"
However, before the incantation could take effect, Wentworth was unceremoniously swatted against the wall by the powerful swipe of Nibelungen, his spell thwarted.
As the creature let out a triumphant roar, closing in on him with menacing intent, Wentworth couldn't help but grimace. "Simple and brutish, just like my grandfather's teachings," he muttered under his breath.
Despite emerging victorious in securing his right to the room that night, Wentworth found himself relegated to the hole in the wall, forced to share his sleeping quarters with the relentless onslaught of the cold night wind.
Determined to regain the upper hand, Wentworth devised a plan for the following day. "Tomorrow, I'll tether my wand to my waistband," he resolved, "and let's see how you manage to keep it from me!"
Yet, to his surprise, when he retrieved his wand from Grindelwald the next day, he found his spellcasting to be remarkably smoother, as though the magic flowed more effortlessly through him.
After numerous attempts, Wentworth concluded that his observations were not merely a figment of his imagination.
While his wand had been confiscated by Grindelwald the previous day, save for spells like the fluorescent flicker that could be cast without a wand, he had failed to perform any advanced magic without it.
However, on this particular day, the spells seemed to flow more smoothly and swiftly in the hands of the wand's current possessor.
That night, without awaiting Grindelwald's instruction, Wentworth boldly retrieved his wand, presenting it before Grindelwald before retreating to his room.
As he departed, a faint smile graced Grindelwald's lips momentarily before vanishing into the shadows.
Meanwhile, Nibelungen observed Wentworth's actions intently, a solemn gaze fixed upon him. Upon seeing Wentworth without his wand, the creature visibly relaxed.
Yet, as Wentworth entered his room, Nibelungen emitted a deafening roar, a warning echoing through the cavern.
Unfazed, Wentworth extended his finger, beckoning the creature forth with an air of indifference. With a confident tone, he issued a command, "Come here!"
Nibelungen, across the chamber, was visibly taken aback by Wentworth's boldness, momentarily frozen in surprise. However, as if shaking off its astonishment, the creature swiftly sprang into action.
With a fierce roar, Nibelungen unleashed a searing dragon flame in Wentworth's direction before charging forward, its massive form hurtling toward him without hesitation.
Caught off guard by the sudden assault, Wentworth braced himself for the impending clash as the two adversaries once again engaged in combat.
With no clue on who was going to win the spar by the end of the day, Wentworth could only try his best meanwhile his grandfather was sitting in a room, reading a book.
"You need to be this much to carry my name," Grindelwald spoke softly as he continued reading.
