What followed was a battle unlike anything the four portraits had ever witnessed.
"Golems usually have various resistances," Lewis said calmly before the fight began. "The best way to deal with them is force-type magic."
"Got it."
Hermione and Ciri both nodded.
Force magic was the manifestation of pure physical impact maintained by magic—force without mass. Because of this, it couldn't be countered by elemental resistance. Only raw physical durability could resist it.
Spells like Magic Missile, Shield, and Arcane Explosion all belonged to this category.
For constructs like golems, wizards could stack magical resistance or elemental immunity during their creation—but force damage?
That had to be endured physically.
Ciri raised her silver sword—crafted by Lewis after slaying the Chimera—and infused it with a Force Sphere.
Hermione abandoned her usual Disarming Charm and began preparing Magic Missile.
As for Lewis—
He coated his blade with a druidic spell:
Rusting Grasp.
Perfect for dealing with metal constructs.
A hybrid of druid and wizard—
He intended to use both.
Then—
They stood still.
Waiting.
The golems approached.
Heavy.
Relentless.
Just as they closed in, Lewis raised his free hand.
"Chain Lightning."
A bolt as thick as an arm burst forth, slamming into the lead golem.
Then it jumped.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five times.
Six golems struck.
The first—
Collapsed instantly, its internal structure obliterated.
The second—
Barely held together, its core charred black.
The third and fourth—
Emitted thick smoke.
The last two—
Though less damaged, moved stiffly, their joints compromised.
With a single spell—
The formation was shattered.
Lewis and Ciri surged forward.
Lewis's blade cleaved into a golem's waist—
And the metal began to decay.
Rapidly.
As if time itself accelerated.
The armor rusted, crumbled—
And snapped apart under his strike.
Bisected.
Ciri rolled under a descending warhammer, then drove her blade upward.
The golem's head—
Didn't just split.
It collapsed inward, crushed like it had been struck by a battering ram.
Hermione's Magic Missile struck precisely at a joint—
Dropping another golem to the ground.
In one exchange—
The golems were nearly wiped out.
Lewis understood one thing clearly:
No argument was more convincing than strength.
From the beginning, he had never intended to persuade the portraits with words.
In their eyes—
Ancient magic was supreme.
They were the Keepers.
Everything they did was for the sake of the weak.
And the weak—
Should listen.
Arrogant?
Yes.
But also—
Reality.
Ancient magic was powerful.
Modern wizards couldn't compare.
So naturally—
If even the Keepers struggled with something, then lesser beings had no right to interfere.
But Lewis intended to prove otherwise.
Ancient magic wasn't everything.
Humanity had its own foundation.
And beyond this world—
There were greater powers.
In Lewis's eyes, these golems were impressive.
Strong.
Durable.
Autonomous.
Against ordinary students, they would have been unstoppable.
And more importantly—
They were mass-produced.
Expendable.
If he could learn how to create them—
He'd never lack cannon fodder again.
Within three minutes—
The first wave was completely dismantled.
The four portraits stared in stunned silence.
Fitzgerald was the first to react.
"That's not enough—we need something stronger!"
And so—
Something truly dangerous descended.
Another golem.
But not like the others.
This one stood over five meters tall.
A metal giant.
Weighing dozens of tons.
When it landed—
The ground trembled.
Even Ciri frowned.
This thing—
Could crush a dragon with one hand.
Completely out of their league.
She and Hermione both looked toward Lewis.
He didn't disappoint.
"Fall back," he said calmly. "Use acid arrows. I'll hold it."
The giant golem advanced, sword in hand.
Each step shook the chamber.
Hermione and Ciri retreated to the doorway.
Lewis stood alone.
Waiting.
"Acid Fog."
A thick green mist spread across the battlefield.
Where it touched metal—
It hissed.
Corroding.
The giant golem was engulfed.
Ordinary constructs would have melted within moments.
But this one—
Endured.
Its massive frame resisted the corrosion.
If it could kill Lewis before the acid broke through—
It would win.
So it raised its sword—
And brought it down.
Lewis didn't move.
At the last moment—
He leapt.
And transformed.
A great eagle took flight—
Then shifted again.
Four legs.
A serpent tail.
A lion's head.
A Chimera.
"An Animagus?" Rookwood's portrait exclaimed. "Or… something more?"
Bakar narrowed his eyes.
"…That's no ordinary form. Lion, eagle, badger, serpent… is that a Chimera?"
Even he couldn't hide his admiration.
"To create such a form… remarkable."
Rackham observed quietly, "Each aspect corresponds to the four houses… courage, wisdom, loyalty, ambition…"
The portraits' expressions grew complicated.
But Lewis ignored them.
The battle wasn't over.
The Chimera opened its jaws—
And unleashed lightning.
Bolt after bolt struck the giant golem.
It didn't collapse—
But its internals were failing.
Joints sparked.
Movements slowed.
It swung wildly—
But couldn't hit its airborne opponent.
Even when it did—
The Chimera regenerated quickly.
Ten minutes passed.
Finally—
The golem faltered.
Its core systems were destroyed.
Its armor corroded.
It could barely stand.
Lewis seized the moment.
Diving from above—
He slammed into its head.
Like the final piece removed from a collapsing structure—
The giant golem fell.
With a thunderous crash.
Lewis dispelled the acid fog and landed, returning to human form.
Hermione and Ciri rushed to his side.
Lewis looked up at the portraits and smiled faintly.
"Well?"
"Do we qualify now?"
The four exchanged glances.
Bakar spoke first.
"Though you lack ancient magic… your mastery of magical creatures has earned my respect. I acknowledge you."
Rookwood followed.
"That transformation alone places your potential on par with ancient magic. I accept your strength."
Rackham nodded.
"You embody the virtues of all four houses. You are worthy."
Fitzgerald sighed.
"…Very well."
"You possess power comparable to ancient magic. I will believe your intentions are not corrupt."
"But whether you can truly solve this problem… I still have doubts."
She paused.
"However… you've proven yourselves."
"We will allow you to proceed."
Lewis hadn't expected this.
With his charisma and enchantments—
He had still needed brute strength to convince them.
But it didn't matter.
Because now—
The path forward opened.
The mirror-like floor shifted—
Becoming liquid.
The "water" drained away like an emptying pool.
And beneath it—
A hidden passage was revealed.
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