Chapter 179: "The Fierce Battle"

The enormity of the situation settled upon Harry like a heavy cloak. With the roosters neutralized and reason proving ineffective, he was left with no choice but to engage in direct combat. Gripping the Sword of Gryffindor tightly in his right hand, he faced the colossal serpent, his heart pounding a fierce rhythm in his chest. The basilisk towered above him, its scales gleaming ominously in the dim light of the chamber.

"Come on then," Harry muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, steeling himself for the battle ahead. "Let's end this quickly. It's past my bedtime already."

The basilisk, its patience worn thin by Harry's provocations, struck first. Its massive head lunged forward with frightening speed, jaws gaping wide enough to swallow Harry whole.

"Kill... must kill..." the basilisk's deranged hissing filled the chamber, sending chills down Harry's spine.

Harry's instincts, honed by years of training, kicked in. He dove to the side, feeling the rush of air as the serpent's fangs snapped shut mere inches from where he'd been standing. As he rolled to his feet in one fluid motion, he slashed out with the Sword of Gryffindor, scoring a glancing blow along the basilisk's scales.

Sparks flew as the legendary blade met the basilisk's near-impenetrable hide. The cut was shallow, more of an insult than an injury, but it was enough to enrage the beast further. Suddenly, its tail whipped around with unexpected speed. Caught off guard by the rapidness of the movement, Harry had no time to react. The blow caught him squarely in the ribs, sending him flying across the chamber like a rag doll.

"Bloody hell!" Harry gasped as he slammed into a pillar, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He hit the ground hard, the cold stone unforgiving against his body. But his enhanced physique, a result of years of knight training, allowed him to spring back to his feet almost instantly. His armor had absorbed most of the impact, but he could feel the beginnings of bruises forming beneath it.

There was no time to catch his breath or assess his injuries. The basilisk's head came crashing down again, its fangs gleaming menacingly in the low light. Harry barely managed to raise the sword in a defensive stance. The impact jarred his arm, threatening to knock the sword from his grasp. Muscles straining, he pushed back against the enormous weight, gritting his teeth with the effort.

"Too quick for its size," Harry thought, his mind racing to formulate a strategy. "I need to create some space."

With a roar of effort that echoed through the chamber, he managed to deflect the basilisk's head to the side, its fangs scraping against the stone floor with a sound like nails on a chalkboard. Seizing the moment, Harry launched into a flurry of strikes, his blade a blur of motion. The basilisk's scales were tough, but under the onslaught of Harry's enhanced strength and the magical sword, they began to give way. Dark ichor oozed from a series of cuts along the serpent's neck.

"Pain... so much pain..." the basilisk hissed, its voice a mixture of agony and rage that almost made Harry pity the creature.

The basilisk reeled back, thrashing wildly in its fury. Its massive body smashed into the chamber's pillars, sending debris raining down. Harry was forced to dive and roll to avoid being crushed by the falling stones. As he came up from his roll, he felt a searing pain across his back. One of the basilisk's fangs had grazed him during one of the earlier confrontations, leaving a long, shallow cut. The venom burned like fire, but thanks to his immunity, it was more of an annoyance than a mortal threat.

"That's going to leave a mark," Harry grimaced, pushing through the pain and forcing himself to focus on the fight.

The battle raged on, becoming a deadly dance of lunges and dodges. The basilisk, driven by its madness, attacked relentlessly. Its massive head struck out again and again, each time missing Harry by mere inches. Harry's reflexes were pushed to their limits as he ducked, rolled, and leaped to avoid the deadly fangs. When opportunities presented themselves, Harry struck back. He managed to land several blows with the Sword of Gryffindor, leaving deep gashes in the basilisk's scales. Dark ichor flowed from these wounds, making the chamber floor slick and treacherous.

Despite its injuries, the basilisk showed no signs of slowing down. Its wild thrashing increased, making it harder for Harry to predict its movements. The chamber echoed with the sounds of their battle - the basilisk's furious hisses, the clash of sword against scales, and Harry's labored breathing.

In a moment of desperation, the basilisk lunged forward, its jaws snapping shut just inches from Harry's face. Harry dove to the side, rolling across the damp chamber floor. As he scrambled to his feet, he realized he had inadvertently positioned himself dangerously close to the basilisk's thrashing tail.

Before Harry could regain his footing and move to safer ground, the basilisk's tail whipped around again. However, this time, Harry was prepared for the strike. He leapt over the sweeping tail with acrobatic grace, using his momentum to run up the basilisk's body. The serpent twisted violently, trying to dislodge him. Harry's enhanced strength was pushed to its limits as he fought to keep his footing on the shifting scales.

"Just... a little... further," Harry panted, inching his way towards the basilisk's head, knowing that was where he needed to strike to end this.