Gringotts.
In Diagon Alley, Ivan arrived outside Gringotts.
He didn't do any disguise, no black cloak, no need to dress himself up like a dark wizard.
Being a Metamorphmagus, as long as Ivan wanted, he could instantly change into anyone he had met.
And now, Ivan chose a young man in his twenties.
This young man had no distinguishing features—a completely random face Ivan had spotted on an ordinary day.
Additionally, Ivan had altered the appearance of his wand.
Using Transfiguration, his Sycamore wand now looked entirely different to the naked eye.
"So, how do we get in?"
To infiltrate Gringotts, Ivan had considered countless plans.
But in the end, he realized there was no need to overcomplicate things.
What defines a flawless operation?
Eliminating all witnesses—it's the simplest and most effective method!
"Alright," Ivan muttered, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Let's go with the plan: no holds barred."
Without hesitation, Ivan walked confidently towards the imposing entrance of Gringotts.
At the grand doors stood two goblin guards clad in scarlet and gold uniforms. Ivan gave them a cursory glance and shrugged.
"Stupefy," he whispered.
In the next instant, two silent beams of magic struck the guards.
Powerful magic surged through the air, even without the amplification of Ivan's wand.
Though not enhanced by his Sycamore wand, with Ivan's current mastery of spellcasting, the damage caused by basic and intermediate spells was nearly indistinguishable whether cast with or without a wand.
"Ahhh!!"
A wizard exiting the bank suddenly noticed the fallen goblin guards and screamed in terror.
"What's happening?"
"What's wrong?"
"Someone's attacking Gringotts!"
The commotion spread like wildfire, and chaos erupted on the streets outside Gringotts.
Ivan, however, paid no attention to the panic.
He glanced at the uniforms of the goblin guards. When he cast his spell earlier, he noticed the fabric had offered some resistance.
"Gringotts really is wealthy,"
"Even their guards' uniforms are alchemical artifacts."
He sighed, but dismissed the observation without much thought.
Continuing forward, Ivan ignored the terrified men and women fleeing the bank. Customers and staff alike scrambled in panic, their business with Gringotts forgotten in the mayhem.
Since Ivan had chosen to storm Gringotts head-on, there was no point in subtlety.
Besides, he wanted to test the extent of his current power.
"Who are you?"
An elderly goblin, barely reaching Ivan's knees, stepped forward. Despite its diminutive size, the goblin's presence exuded authority.
It was flanked by several wizards, evidently hired as Gringotts' security.
"Put down your wand immediately!"
As the old goblin shouted, more and more goblins rushed over from all directions.
Of course, the goblins didn't truly step forward.
Goblins are inherently greedy and self-preserving; expecting them to rush into a fight with wands blazing was absurd.
Moreover, by the laws of the wizarding world, goblins were forbidden from wielding wands. This meant that, apart from their incessant chatter, most of the goblins in Gringotts posed no real threat.
"This is Gringotts! How dare you attack—" the old goblin began, his voice sharp and indignant.
Ivan frowned, uninterested in the goblin's rambling. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and blasted the goblin aside.
"Put down the wand?" Ivan repeated mockingly, spreading his empty hands. "Do you even see a wand in my hand?"
Wandless magic?!
The wizards accompanying the goblin were stunned.
Those employed by Gringotts were undoubtedly among the best. Most were top graduates from renowned magical schools. Even if they weren't on the level of Bill Weasley, the eldest Weasley sibling and a curse-breaker, they were still considered Hogwarts elites.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Stupefy!"
"Diffindo!"
The wizards began casting their spells at Ivan in unison.
In an instant, the enclosed space lit up with the glow of colorful magical beams. The chaotic display sent the ordinary wizards nearby scrambling for safety.
As for the goblins, apart from one startled scream, they quickly ducked behind counters, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.
"Not bad," Ivan muttered, analyzing the incoming spells with his magic-enhanced vision.
His sharp magical perception dissected each spell's structure, speed, and power in real-time.
It had to be said: the wizards employed at Gringotts were skilled. Compared to most Aurors their overall level is higher.
"Is this the power of money?" Ivan mused with a faint smirk on his lips.
With that thought, his movements quickened.
Facing the barrage of spells raining down on him, Ivan raised one hand and flicked his wrist lightly.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A translucent barrier materialized in front of him, effortlessly absorbing and deflecting the onslaught of spells.
Not only did the barrier neutralize the attacks, but as Ivan stepped forward, some of the spells began rebounding off the barrier and hurtling back toward their casters.
"Ahhh!"
Cries of pain echoed as the reflected spells struck the wizard security guards, knocking them to the ground one after another.
"Pathetic," Ivan muttered, shaking his head. "Truly pathetic. Too weak."
With each step he took, two or three wizards collapsed, felled by their own rebounded magic.
What made it worse for his opponents was that the spells reflected by Ivan were amplified in strength, striking with greater force than when they were initially cast.
This ensured that nearly every wizard hit by a rebound remained down, unable to rise again.
Before long, Ivan's skillful manipulation of counter-curses and spell deflection left the entire Gringotts hall in disarray.
The wizards who had come to Gringotts for routine business huddled low on the floor, trembling and hoping to avoid becoming collateral damage.
The goblins, meanwhile, stayed firmly hidden behind their counters and barriers, muttering curses under their breath but not daring to peek out or act against Ivan.
"That's it?"
Looking at the wizard guards lying on the ground, Ivan felt very bored.
He didn't even use one tenth of his strength, and these people had already fallen.
"There's no challenge here at all," Ivan muttered, curling his lips.
Spotting a particularly vocal goblin who had been swearing loudly from behind cover, Ivan lazily flicked his hand.
Bang!
With a resounding explosion, the once-solid counter was obliterated into ashes in an instant.
What stunned the onlookers even more was the precision of the attack. Ivan's spell had destroyed only the counter, leaving the goblins and nearby wizards entirely unharmed.
The sheer finesse of such magic was awe-inspiring, even to those accustomed to powerful spells.
"Who the hell is he?"
The same question echoed in the minds of nearly everyone present.
This man had single-handedly defeated dozens of highly skilled combat wizards—Gringotts' finest security forces.
The power and control he displayed were beyond anything they could fathom.
Too strong.
So strong, it was almost incomprehensible.
"Hmm?" Ivan murmured to himself, shifting his attention.
He had been about to select the foul-mouthed goblin as his guide to lead him into the underground vaults.
But just then, he sensed a distinct ripple in the space around him.
Hmm.. A spatial disturbance.
"Apparition?" Ivan mused aloud, his eyes narrowing. "The Aurors from the Ministry of Magic, perhaps?"
It was clear that someone had alerted the Ministry of Magic as soon as Ivan began his assault on Gringotts.
But this efficiency really shocked Ivan...
__________
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