Ch 51: First Match

October 1st

Alright, so today started like any other day—me, dragging myself out of bed at an ungodly hour, still half-asleep, and heading to the undercroft for my monthly Gacha spins.

I pulled up the system, took a deep breath (because let's face it, this thing loves trolling me), and hit [Spin] three times.

The first result? [Portal Vein]. Now, if you're thinking, "Oh wow, that sounds super cool!" let me stop you right there. This thing is basically a fancy implant that lets you open portals between worlds. Sounds great, right? Except I already have the World Hopper ability, which does the same thing but without the whole surgery bit. So yeah, useless. Thanks, Gacha.

Second spin? [Medical and Surgical Knowledge]. Okay, fine. I can't say no to knowing how to patch people up if things go south. But do I currently need to perform open-heart surgery in a magic castle? Nope. Into the "maybe later" pile it goes.

And finally, the third spin… [Inventory]. Now this was what I needed! See, the Gacha system already has storage, but it's stingy—it only holds stuff I win from it. This new Inventory feature, though? It lets me store anything. I could literally carry an entire library in my pocket now.

With my spins done, I headed to the Room of Requirement to check on the preparations for tonight's big event.

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Later That Day

The Room of Requirement had outdone itself, transforming into the perfect underground dueling arena. Think dim lighting, enchanted barriers to contain spells, and a vibe that screamed "secret wizard fight club." Students were filing in, all wearing masks and cloaks to keep things anonymous. Anonymity was key—after all, no one wanted their professors to find out they were hexing their classmates for fun.

Standing on the central platform, dressed as my alias Sentry (because being mysterious is half the fun), I waved my hands dramatically to get everyone's attention.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the first-ever match of Masquerading Mayhem!" My magically amplified voice echoed through the room, and the crowd cheered. "I'm your host, Sentry, and tonight we're kicking things off with an epic showdown. Representing Ravenclaw, we have the enchanting and unpredictable Madam Moon!"

Luna stepped forward, her mask decorated with stars and moons. She gave a little wave, and I swear I heard someone whisper, "That's definitely Luna Lovegood." Gee, thanks for ruining the mystery, genius.

"And her opponent, representing Slytherin, the fierce and fiery Dragon!"

Draco strutted into the arena, his dragon-themed mask looking a little too realistic. Typical Malfoy—always extra. He waved to the crowd like he was a celebrity, which, in his mind, he probably was.

"Quick reminder," I said, addressing the crowd. "Real names stay secret. Seriously, don't go around asking people who they are—it ruins the fun and, you know, defeats the whole point of the masks."

With that, I raised my hand and shouted, "Let the duel begin!"

---

Malfoy, being Malfoy, didn't waste a second. He shot off an "Expelliarmus!", trying to disarm Luna right out of the gate. Subtlety? Never heard of it.

Luna, on the other hand, was cool as a cucumber. She deflected the spell with a casual flick of her wand and countered with a "Stupefy!", forcing Malfoy to dodge. The crowd ooh-ed and ahh-ed as the duel heated up.

Malfoy went on the offensive, firing off a rapid series of spells: "Depulso!", "Flipendo!", "Descendo!". He was clearly trying to overwhelm her, but Luna just kept dodging, her movements almost... graceful.

Then she struck back. "Glacius!" she called, sending a sheet of ice sliding toward Malfoy. He nearly slipped, managing to block it with a hastily cast "Protego!".

The duel was officially on.

Luna switched tactics, casting "Obscuro!" to blind Malfoy. The crowd erupted in cheers as he flailed around, trying to dispel the magical blindfold.

"Oh, come on, Dragon," I called from the sidelines. "You're not gonna let Madam Moon outshine you, are you?"

Malfoy snarled something under his breath and broke free of the spell, firing off a dramatic "Bombarda!" that sent a nearby dummy flying. Luna countered with a quick "Levioso!", lifting him a few feet off the ground.

"Not again!" he shouted, flailing mid-air.

The crowd was loving it. Someone yelled, "Get him, Moon!" as Luna cast "Accio!", pulling Malfoy's wand slightly off course. She followed up with a perfectly aimed "Stupefy!", which hit him square in the chest.

Malfoy hit the ground with a thud, groaning. The room erupted in cheers as I stepped forward, raising my hands for silence.

"And the winner is... Madam Moon!"

Luna bowed to the audience, ever the picture of elegance, before helping Malfoy to his feet. He muttered something that might have been "good match" before slinking off.

---

As the crowd began to disperse, I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride. The first match of Masquerading Mayhem was a massive success. The buzz in the room was electric, and students were already signing up for future duels.

This was just the beginning. Something told me the underground circuit was going to be the highlight of the year. And me? I was at the center of it all.

---Note

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