Chapter 554

"Your Excellency Turan, it's truly not easy to meet you."

As soon as Grindelwald's voice fell, the Goblin King, who had been cautiously retreating, suddenly stiffened.

In an instant, six golden shields surrounding his body levitated at high speed, forming a defensive perimeter. Above his head, a red-gold Disc of Fate hovered, radiating an aura of immense magical power. His fairy sword remained sheathed at his waist, but his grip on his scepter tightened instinctively.

Behind Turan, dozens of golden spears and intricately crafted weapons infused with powerful magical energy materialized in mid-air, their tips locked onto Grindelwald and Dumbledore. The tension in the air was palpable, an unspoken warning of imminent conflict.

He was on full alert. Every last card had been played.

For a long time, the relationship between Grindelwald and Dumbledore had been a mystery—like enemies, but not quite, like friends, but never fully allies. Yet, despite knowing this, why had he, Turan, allowed himself to be blinded by impulse?

Why had he trusted Dumbledore's invitation so readily?

First, Grindelwald invited Voldemort—who ended up dead.

Now, Dumbledore invited me. I fear my fate will be no better.

A deep sense of regret filled Turan. He was furious with himself for being swayed by the allure of power, for ignoring the instinct that had warned him against stepping into this trap.

"Dumbledore," Turan finally spoke, his voice carrying a forced steadiness, "can you tell me when exactly you joined forces with Grindelwald?"

Despite his composed tone, there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. He quickly replayed the events in his mind—the moment Dumbledore had set foot in America, every move he had made since then.

But the deeper he thought, the more alarmed he became.

Dumbledore had never explicitly asked for anything.

From the very beginning, he had merely observed, letting others act while he remained on the sidelines. Even the strategy for ambushing and suppressing Grindelwald hadn't come from Dumbledore—it had been Speaker Snott of the Magical Congress who had proposed it.

Dumbledore had expressed no personal ambitions, no desires of his own.

When others sought his opinion, he had offered only mild suggestions, never once using his authority to force anyone's hand. He had played the perfect role of a neutral observer, a supporter—never a leader.

And that was why Turan had trusted him.

Because, in the entirety of the Magical Congress, there was no one who didn't trust Dumbledore.

Even Speaker Snott himself had felt assured by the great wizard's apparent passivity.

Dumbledore had seamlessly integrated himself into their system, not disrupting their interests but instead subtly reinforcing them, making it easy to believe in his goodwill.

And yet…

Had he let his guard down too much? Had he miscalculated?

Turan's breath grew unsteady.

Dumbledore did not respond immediately to his question. Instead, he seemed deep in thought, as if reflecting on information he had just processed.

Beside him, Grindelwald watched with keen interest, clearly entertained by the exchange between the two. He, too, remained silent, as though waiting to hear Dumbledore's response.

The eerie stillness in the room was suffocating.

For a moment, a foolish glimmer of hope sparked in Turan's heart.

Was it possible that he was overthinking things?

That Dumbledore had never truly aligned himself with Grindelwald?

Perhaps… this was nothing more than a reunion between old acquaintances.

Clinging desperately to this last shred of hope, Turan waited for Dumbledore's answer.

Minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity.

Then, at last, Dumbledore stirred. His piercing gaze settled on Turan, and his expression betrayed nothing.

As if recalling the question from before, he finally spoke.

"I have never made any agreement with Gellert," he said, his voice measured and calm. "Nor have I entered into any form of alliance with him."

For a fleeting moment, Turan felt a rush of relief.

But then came the next sentence.

"However, for the goblins to continue existing in the wizarding world, I believe it would be best… if you did not."

The words were spoken plainly, without emotion.

Yet, the chill they carried was enough to send an icy dread coursing through Turan's veins. His entire body went rigid, and a cold sweat broke out on his brow.

What did he mean by 'not exist'?

No, the meaning was clear—Dumbledore was saying he needed to die.

"Why, Dumbledore?" Turan demanded, his voice hoarse. "Tell me the reason!"

Deep down, perhaps he already knew the answer. He just needed to hear it from Dumbledore himself.

"You know the reason," Dumbledore replied softly, his gaze unwavering.

Turan clenched his fists, his heart twisting with anger and despair.

"Does it really have to be this extreme?" he asked bitterly. "Will you leave no hope for the goblins?"

"We only wanted to stand on our own. You know this, Dumbledore."

His voice trembled with the weight of history—the struggles of his people, the centuries of oppression.

Dumbledore sighed.

"Stand on your own?" Grindelwald interjected with a chuckle, his tone laced with mockery. "That's a rather noble way to put it, isn't it?"

"But tell me, Turan—do you truly believe that?"

Turan fell silent.

How could anyone rise without taking from others?

The wizarding world was not limitless. Resources, power, and influence—there was only so much to go around.

If the goblins were to gain more, it would come at the cost of wizards losing something.

Turan understood this all too well.

But even so, even knowing this undeniable truth, he couldn't help but feel unwilling.

His gaze hardened.

"Dumbledore, I know we won't make it out alive today," he said, his voice steady despite his grim fate. "But even your reputation in the wizarding world won't survive the backlash of allying with Grindelwald."

"Grindelwald's influence in the United States is too great. The Ministry of Magic in other countries will never accept MAC's involvement with him."

A flicker of suspicion passed between Dumbledore and Grindelwald.

Turan smiled inwardly.

If he was going to die here, he would make sure to leave behind a seed of distrust.

Even if his people suffered immense losses today—even if the goblins were once again suppressed—so long as he survived, the fire of his people would not be extinguished.

Grindelwald suddenly clapped his hands together, the sound sharp and deliberate.

"Turan, stop struggling," he said coldly. "This time, you won't escape."

"As for my relationship with Dumbledore… don't concern yourself with it."

His gaze darkened, and then, as if amused, he smirked.

"But you might find this interesting."

Grindelwald's voice dripped with amusement as he continued.

"Turan, the great Goblin King, is attempting to incite the third Goblin-Wizard War. He has been cultivating a spy—Vice-President Chenos of the Magical Congress—while disguising his actions as mine."

"He sought to assassinate Speaker Jack and throw the American wizarding world into chaos."

"But, of course, that is just the surface."

His grin widened.

"The most interesting truth was discovered by none other than the great White Wizard, Dumbledore."

"Turan, the Goblin King, is not just a rebel… but an invader from another world."

"He seeks to plunge everything into war and use the chaos to invade the wizarding world.

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Marvel x Star Wars: Avengers in the Clone Wars

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