Irina obediently nodded and took out the two-way mirror once again.
Unlike the previous two times, this time the "hissing" snake language coming from the two-way mirror was much longer. The eerie hissing echoed through the chamber, making the surroundings seem even more ominous.
Translating these "hisses" into human language, the meaning was: "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts founders."
As Harry's voice from the mirror fell silent, the massive Slytherin statue began to move. The mouth on Slytherin's face opened wider and wider, eventually forming a huge gaping hole.
Lynn and Irina's sharp senses detected something moving inside the Slytherin statue's mouth, accompanied by a rustling sound, as if something was slithering up from deep within the sculpture.
With a wave of his wand, Lynn rapidly charged ten alchemical formations, while Irina raised her own wand, ready to face whatever monster might emerge from the statue.
Soon, an enormous entity fell out of Slytherin's mouth and crashed onto the ground, shaking the entire chamber. It was none other than the Basilisk of the Chamber of Secrets - a gigantic serpent over ten meters long, its colossal body even thicker than Lynn's height. Two yellow lamp-like eyes glared menacingly at them.
Upon locking gazes with the Basilisk, Lynn and Irina felt an immense force assault them, as if trying to obliterate them in an instant. However, the alchemical invisible eye-glasses they wore released a gentle energy, blocking the Basilisk's peculiar power and preventing it from harming them.
"Attack!" Lynn shouted, his wand slashing through the air as the ten alchemical formations simultaneously fired a torrent of golden beams at the Basilisk.
Powered by the Philosopher's Stone, each formation could unleash over thirty golden beams per second. With all ten formations operating simultaneously, over three hundred beams bombarded the Basilisk every second!
*Clang! Clatter!*
Countless golden beams struck the Basilisk's body in an instant, erupting sparks everywhere. The Basilisk's scales were extremely tough, possessing not only formidable magical resistance but also incredible physical durability.
Each golden beam could only leave a white mark on its body, unable to inflict deeper damage. Yet these beams, which could previously blast through the skulls of formidable trolls with their decent magic resistance, relentlessly battered the Basilisk.
Although a single beam couldn't penetrate the Basilisk's defenses, the accumulated barrage gradually wore down its scales. Like water dripping on stone, this ceaseless onslaught of over three hundred lethal beams per second steadily tore through its protection.
To maximize damage, Lynn focused the beams on the same area of the Basilisk's body. Within three minutes, a bloody gash appeared as the densely packed golden rays tore through its defenses, inflicting wounds on its flesh!
"Ssssss..." Enraged by the searing pain, the Basilisk hissed furiously and lunged towards them.
"Scatter!" Irina cried, rolling to the right to evade the attack.
The moment the Basilisk moved, Lynn had already reacted, diving to the left while firing a Shattering Charm at the serpent's wound.
From the other side, Irina raised her wand and cast a non-verbal Freezing Charm. Unfortunately, the Basilisk's immense magic resistance rendered it immune to her spell.
The two wizards kept retreating, circling around the stone pillars in the chamber while luring the Basilisk, which relentlessly pursued them, jaws agape to bite.
"Diffindo!" Seeing the Basilisk open its massive maw, Irina didn't hesitate to cast the Severing Charm.
A grey beam of light shot forth, striking the roof of the Basilisk's mouth and tearing through its flesh. Foul-smelling blood gushed from its venomous fangs.
Unlike its scale-protected exterior, the Basilisk's inner mouth lacked such defenses. This allowed Irina's curse to easily slice through when it hit the roof of its mouth.
Every creature has weaknesses, and the Basilisk was no exception. Though its outer body boasted incredible magic and physical resistance, its insides were far more vulnerable. Otherwise, in the original story, Harry couldn't have slain it with a single stab from the Sword of Gryffindor through its mouth.
After Irina's spell injured the Basilisk, Lynn looked contemplatively at her before giving a slight wave of his wand. The ten alchemical formations simultaneously shifted their aim towards the Basilisk's two yellow, lamp-like eyes.
Lynn and Irina both wore the alchemical invisible eye-glasses that protected them from the Basilisk's deadly gaze and petrifying stare. Thus, earlier Lynn hadn't targeted its eyes, which now posed no threat to them. However, having discovered the effectiveness of attacking from within, the Basilisk's eye sockets became Lynn's prime target - for besides its mouth, they were the creature's most vulnerable areas.
In the blink of an eye, the Basilisk's two glowing yellow orbs were blasted apart by Lynn's formations. What were once lamp-like eyes were now empty, hollow sockets oozing copious amounts of black blood onto the crimson-stained floor.
The Basilisk seemed to have suffered severe trauma, hissing as it thrashed and writhed, its entire body convulsing as more black blood poured from its ruined eye sockets.
"It seems we can slay this beast without even using our trump card," Lynn remarked coolly as he dismissed five of the formations, watching the Basilisk's struggles wane.
Irina also smiled, for their victory now appeared imminent with the Basilisk gravely wounded.
"Is that so? Well, I don't think so," a chilling voice suddenly rang out from behind them.
Lynn and Irina whipped around, eyes alert and wary. A young witch dressed in Gryffindor robes strode slowly into the chamber, a sinister smile playing on her lips as she clutched a diary to her chest. It was this eerie diary that truly put them on guard.
(end of chapter)