On the system panel, intense changes were occurring. The parts of Ancient Weather Magic originally shrouded in iron black lustre were now covered by rich bronze lustre, with flickering silver glints within.
Although portions of the text remained dim, preventing the overall assessnt from reaching the Iron level, Ciel only needed to redy his shortcomings. Ancient Weather Magic mastery could leap dramatically in a short ti, possibly jumping directly to near Silver level!
Simultaneously, the text for Occluncy blazed intensely.
[Occluncy (Gold, platinum traces erging)]
As his consciousness imrsed in natural will, every minute and second made the golden radiance slightly more brilliant than before. The Illusion Potion was indeed working, allowing him to contact denser natural will through this wondrous potion's effects even when lightning intensity couldn't be increased.
Though he didn't know whether the natural will contacted through Illusion Potion truly existed or was an extrely realistic hallucination created by the potion, the system panel changes were undeniably real.
Just as he planned to continue revelling in this wondrous feeling of becoming a thunderstorm, letting Ancient Weather Magic and Occluncy progress further, a brutally rough ntal force invaded his mind. It was Snape's voice.
"Fool. Have you forgotten? While you're imrsed, your body is also suffering. This pain will also be amplified. If you continue extending the ti, when the pain sensation floods back all at once... Do you think your Occluncy can handle it?"
Snape's brutal interruption imdiately awakened him. Though his endurance should exceed Snape's estimated limits, Illusion Potion wasn't so unique resource that would be completely gone once used. Why push toward extres and add unnecessary risks?
Instantly, his Occluncy operated at full power. All distracting thoughts were banished from his mind. Even that thunderstorm-like experience was expelled. On the system panel, the glowing Ancient Weather Magic and Occluncy returned to calm.
But in reality, an even greater wave was approaching. As Snape warned, while he enjoyed the Illusion Potion's benefits, the potion also amplified pain. When his consciousness returned, agony far exceeding the sum of all his previous suffering spread through every nerve and inch of flesh.
His expression suddenly beca as pale as paper. He didn't know what enduring the Cruciatus Curse felt like, but this experience was probably comparable. Excessive pain could directly destroy one's spirit.
Like Neville's parents, who suffered incurable ntal injuries under repeated Cruciatus Curses and could only remain in St. Mungo's Hospital. Many wizards also suffered ntal aftereffects from the Cruciatus Curse.
Fortunately, his Occluncy had strengthened compared to before entering the Room of Requirent. Facing the sudden flood of pain, though Occluncy's load skyrocketed with a precarious feeling, under his gritted determination, the protection wasn't destroyed.
Until the pain finally dissipated. His pain-curled body finally relaxed. He gasped heavily. His charcoal-like skin cracked repeatedly from the electric damage. New skin erged with waves of painful itching.
But he was sowhat accustod to this sensation. While gritting his teeth, he could spare energy to thank Snape, who stood tensely nearby, constantly sprinkling healing potions on him.
"Professor. Thank you for the warning. Otherwise I'd be in more trouble."
But Snape's expression remained tense, as if he hadn't recovered from the earlier tension. His powder-sprinkling hand visibly trembled upon close inspection. He squeezed out through gritted teeth:
"Ciel Sprout. I must be mad to agree to brew Illusion Potion for you. If you'd died here today or gone insane, everyone would assu I'd been torturing you with Cruciatus Curses. If you want to send to Azkaban, just say so directly."
He smiled wryly. The earlier events had indeed been risky. Without Snape's tily intervention, his Occluncy might truly have been broken by intense pain.
But when his gaze fell on the system panel, seeing the progress in Ancient Weather Magic and Occluncy, even Lightning Resistance now showed bronze hues within its iron black lustre, his eyes still burnt with intensity.
[Lightning Resistance (Iron, bronze traces erging)]
This suffering hadn't been wasted. This level of progress amplification equalled an entire day of electric shock! With several more sessions, he was confident that before Quirrell returned to Hogwarts, he could directly push Ancient Weather Magic mastery to the Silver level. Occluncy might even impact the Platinum level!
Thinking this, he said to Snape: "Professor. Practice makes perfect. Since we have experience and nothing went wrong, this proves the thod's safety is guaranteed. Those materials should be enough for more than one Illusion Potion, right?"
Hearing this, Snape's face twitched. He thought he'd been crazy enough during his school days. He hadn't expected to et soone crazier today. Snape said coldly:
"Consecutive Illusion Potion usage in short intervals could permanently trap you in hallucinations. The next dosage must wait at least seven days. Of course, you could try your luck with taking chances. Will you risk that?"
Hearing this, he showed regret. Since Snape spoke this way, the Illusion Potion's side effects were quite troubleso. Better forget it. He'd wait seven days safely. Besides, even without Illusion Potion, he could still progress through electric shock, just with reduced effects.
"Never mind. I won't take the potion for now. Professor, I want to be electrocuted here a while longer. You should go rest first."
Snape's eyes widened. He rembered him being electrocuted until his entire body was charred, with flesh regenerating from underneath. Even without the Illusion Potion's sensory amplification effects, such pain was definitely hellish. Yet this little badger wanted to continue?
Before he knew about this, how many tis had he been electrocuted in this room? How many tis had he repeated this process? For a mont, even Snape, who bore unimaginable pressure, fell silent.
This little badger Ciel Sprout, whom no professor favoured at enrolnt, was truly remarkable. His mind recalled Professor Sprout's confident declaration at term's start:
"My Ciel has legendary potential!"
Snape's lips slowly curved into a strange smile. He murmured internally: "Legendary potential? I thought you were exaggerating, Pomona. But now it seems even you probably underestimated your little badger."
Strangely, Snape's countless anticipated endings suddenly didn't seem so pessimistic. Perhaps this little badger could truly change sothing.
Then, under his surprised gaze, Snape said: "I'll research Illusion Potion. Reducing dosage intervals and minimising amplification of negative sensations like pain. It needs ti."
His eyes brightened. If this were truly possible, it would trendously help his future runic studies and mastery of other ancient magics. "Thank you, Professor."
Then he left the now dimd Room of Requirent with Snape. Snape headed to his office. He turned back, re-entering the Room of Requirent to face coiling electric bolts.
Without the Illusion Potion's amplifying effects on natural will sensation, ability growth imdiately slowed. But accumulated progress was still considerable. He repeated this process until night beca exceptionally dark and deep, the darkest hour before dawn, before he finally rubbed his aching temples, relaxed his tense spirit, and walked toward the small greenhouse.
While he acted in the sixth-floor corridor, the Golden Trio had spent all night under the Invisibility Cloak, aching and drowsy, but they perked up. Besides constantly entering and exiting that strange door, he finally showed other activity.
They'd monitored Snape many tis before without discovering any clues. Perhaps they could breakthrough with him? With this thought, the trio quietly followed him.
Seeing him head toward the small greenhouse, all three widened their eyes. Only one thought remained: "Really? Isn't he tired? After a whole night's trouble, nearly 4 AM now, he's still returning to work in the greenhouse?!"
Hermione had always thought herself very hard-working and was puzzled why she couldn't catch up to him despite superior talent. Seeing this scene, her unwillingness directly vanished. She almost wanted to laugh.
How could she compete? The man could practically go sleepless all night. Compete with what? This schedule would probably kill her in two days!
Seeing him opening the greenhouse door, the trio exchanged glances and quickly followed inside. But imdiately, the scene in the small greenhouse made their faces turn pale.
He walked straight to the greenhouse corner, approaching the variant humanoid bioluminescent mushrooms. His gaze fell on the reward orb above them, eyes flashing strangely. The reward orb was quite full, very close to maturity. It might even be ready after one more blood feeding.
Thinking this, his eyes flashed. This ti, he'd feed them more. Earlier maturity might reveal Quintaped weaknesses sooner. He might prepare counterasures against Quirrell in advance. Though Quirrell might not co for him, preparation was better than none.
The next mont, he directly cut his artery, letting blood spray like a water gun over the soil planted with variant humanoid bioluminescent mushrooms. Unprecedentedly rich blood, misting with trendous vitality, drove these already bloodthirsty variants nearly mad.
The human faces on them opened wide, as if breathing sweet blood. Strange, disgusting crimson fuzz waved constantly, absorbing any blood they could contact.
Under the Invisibility Cloak, the trio slt this thick bloody scent, all turning pale and feeling nauseous. They'd never expected to see such a scene in the small greenhouse. He was actually feeding so evil-looking plants with fresh blood?
Imaginative Harry imdiately connected this to the magical world's disappearance cases. Could those disappearances be caused by plants like these? Did Snape recruit him to exploit his plant cultivation talent for these things?
Suppressing nausea and fear, Harry looked at Ron and Hermione. "We need to get closer. See clearly what those plants are. To understand what Snape really wants."
Ron and Hermione nodded while covering their mouths. They slowly stepped toward the variant humanoid bioluminescent mushrooms. The closer they got, the more bone-chilling feelings surged through them.
Hermione's voice revealed shuddering fear: "I've never seen anything like this. 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi' has no plant matching it. This must be a Dark Arts creation."
Harry clenched his fists. "This confirms it. These plants are definitely suspicious. We have to do sothing..."
But the next mont, under the Invisibility Cloak, Ron's body swayed. Without Harry and Hermione's quick reflexes, one grabbing Ron, one covering his mouth, he would have cried out.
Hermione whispered: "Ron! What are you doing?!"
After steadying himself, Ron pointed to his leg with a pale expression: "I accidentally brushed against that disgusting thing. I think it pricked ? I'm not sure."
Harry and Hermione quickly examined Ron's leg. Hermione frowned. "Ron. Besides your leg hair, there's no wound. Are you sure you were pricked and injured?"
Ron's face flushed red. "First, I said I might have been pricked. Second, I didn't say injured; maybe just brushed, but it's disgusting, understand?!"
As both looked displeased, Harry quickly stopped them. "Stop talking. That was too loud just now. Ciel seems to have noticed sothing."
All three imdiately held their breath. Indeed, they saw him frowning, looking around as if searching for sothing. Fortunately, they wore the Invisibility Cloak. He couldn't discover them.
Monts later, he walked to the door, opening the greenhouse to ventilate and disperse the thick bloody sll. Taking this opportunity, the trio quickly left the greenhouse.
After going far away, their voices finally grew louder: "Good! Now we finally know what Snape and Ciel are up to. Figure out what that thing is, and maybe we can stop a big conspiracy!"
They excitedly discussed this, no longer feeling drowsy.
At this ti, his gaze fell on the slightly sunken mud at the greenhouse entrance. He roughly guessed what happened. "The Golden Trio, wearing the Invisibility Cloak to investigate ?"
He shook his head. It didn't matter. He wasn't planning to participate anyway. These three reckless little lions could think whatever they wanted.
Rather than their thoughts, he closed the greenhouse door, his burning gaze falling on those reward orbs. After feeding on large amounts of blood, these variant humanoid bioluminescent mushrooms seed to finally take the last step toward maturity. The reward orbs beca like heavy, ripe fruit.
After taking a deep breath, he reached out and gently touched them. The next mont, dozens of orbs imdiately flowed into his body!
[Curses (Silver)]
[Quintaped Transfiguration (Iron)]
On the system panel, text for Curses and Quintaped Transfiguration suddenly appeared!
Reviews
All reviews (0)