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Amidst the stunned silence of the audience, the class finally drew to a perfect close.
The second lesson on Combat Magic was over, but not a single student moved to leave.
Even the professors in the front rows remained seated, eager to see exactly what C-Class Combat Magic Jack would teach.
Seeing everyone rooted to their spots, Jack didn't comment.
Thirteen students stepped forward, their eyes burning with fervent anticipation.
Jack didn't keep them in suspense. He announced the spell directly.
"The reward this time is the C-Class Combat Magic: Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A wave of discussion immediately swept through the crowd. What kind of magic was this 'Great Fireball Technique'?
"Sounds like a fire-based spell. I already know Incendio. I wonder how this 'Great Fireball' compares."
"My guess is it's probably similar to Incendio, maybe a modified version."
"Does that mean Incendio is also a C-Class spell?"
"So C-Class Combat Magic isn't all that impressive. I just learned Incendio. It's... fine for lighting firewood, I guess."
Instantly, most students lost interest, thinking Combat Magic was just so-so.
A C-Class spell good only for starting fires? Hardly seemed worth the hype.
Among the thirteen on the platform, the older students who had already mastered Incendio felt particularly underwhelmed. This reward seemed... mediocre.
Jack ignored the discussions. He directly created two shadow clones.
"These two clones are at the Apprentice Mage level. Watch closely and see the true effect of the Great Fireball Technique."
The two clones positioned themselves at the front and back of the classroom, nearly fifty meters apart.
Once in place, they simultaneously began weaving hand signs: Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger!
Their mouths opened as one, and each expelled a fireball the size of a large basin, which shot straight forward across the room.
The moment the fireballs appeared, the temperature in the entire classroom skyrocketed by dozens of degrees. Students sitting near the paths of the fireballs felt like they were about to combust on the spot.
Fortunately, Jack had made them clear a wide berth beforehand, or they might have been incinerated instantly.
Even so, everyone felt waves of blistering heat slam against their faces, roasting their skin bright red.
The Weasley twins, ever the pranksters, mischievously tossed their quills and notebooks toward one of the fireballs.
The items burst into flames a full meter away from the fireball itself, turning instantly to ash.
The surrounding students shuddered, scrambling backward in panic.
"Merlin's beard! How hot is that thing?!"
"Must be hundreds of degrees!"
"It ignites things from a meter away! A person would be charred before they even got close!"
The two fireballs met mid-air with a thunderous BOOM!
A violent explosion erupted, flames instantly blooming outwards and spreading in all directions. Even though the students had moved back several meters, the searing flames still licked at the space before their eyes.
Students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff broke out in a cold sweat. Were they going to lose their lives just for watching a demonstration?!
Just as the flames were about to engulf the panicked students, Jack's calm voice rang out from the podium.
"Undetectable Extension Charm!"
Instantly, the distance between the students and the flames stretched impossibly wide. In the blink of an eye, the inferno was dozens of meters away.
When the flames subsided, a massive crater, one meter deep, scarred the floor where they had met.
A dead silence fell over the room. Everyone stared dumbfounded at the crater.
Not just the students, but even the professors in the front rows and the Ministry officials swallowed hard, their throats dry.
"Whoever the hell said this Combat Magic was the same as Incendio, come out here! I dare you!"
"This is basically a bomb!"
"This is just a C-Class Combat Magic? Then what about B-Class, A-Class, and the S-Class above them? World-ending devastation?"
"Who said the Great Fireball was only good for lighting firewood? Go on, light some with that!"
"If I kneel down and call Professor Jack 'Dad,' will he teach me this spell?"
The Ministry officials stared at the crater, sucking in sharp breaths of cold air. Thank Merlin we didn't try anything this time! We wouldn't have survived that!
And this was just cast by Apprentice Mages! If Jack himself used it, wouldn't he be able to blow up the entire Ministry of Magic!
Cadwallader remembered the sky full of flames from before and felt a renewed wave of relief at his own prudent decisions.
On the platform, the twelve students (besides Hermione), witnessing the destructive power of the Great Fireball Technique, were both shocked and ecstatic.
They never imagined Professor Jack would reward them with such a powerful spell. This was leagues beyond anything taught at Hogwarts.
Some seventh-years graduated without their offensive spells packing this much punch.
And they had received this immense power simply for studying hard!
Each of them secretly vowed to dedicate themselves even more to learning Combat Magic from now on.
Even Hermione felt a twinge of regret. The Great Fireball was so powerful, and she had given up her chance to learn it.
Sure, the Shadow Clone technique was good a B-Class Combat Magic but it was still auxiliary, with no offensive power.
Hermione took a deep breath, forcing the negative thoughts away.
It's fine, Hermione. Chin up! There will be other chances to learn Combat Magic!
The Shadow Clone is B-Class, and the Multi-Shadow Clone is A-Class! They're far superior to a mere C-Class Great Fireball!
After the demonstration, Jack recalled his clones and addressed the thirteen excited students.
"Are you ready? I will begin teaching you now!"
The thirteen nodded eagerly, desperate to learn the spell immediately.
Jack fixed his gaze on them. His left eye instantly shifted to a blood-red hue, the pupil morphing into a series of concentric circles adorned with nine tomoe.
It lasted only for a moment before his eye returned to normal. Yet, the students found the complete knowledge of the Great Fireball Technique from the hand signs and magical coordination to the release seared perfectly into their minds, as if they had spent days mastering it within the Tsukuyomi illusion Jack had crafted to resemble the classroom.
Only two people looked utterly bewildered, completely unaware of what had just transpired.
Jack had specifically excluded them from the Tsukuyomi space. One of them was Hermione Granger, who was destined to learn the Shadow Clone technique instead.
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