The moment Rhine mentioned it, Hagrid's eyes widened to the size of saucers.
"Sixty-five million years ago?"
"By Merlin's beard—that's ancient!"
Hagrid hadn't even finished his History of Magic classes. To him, the oldest figures he could name were the four founders of Hogwarts.
Well, and maybe Merlin, who people constantly cursed or praised in passing—but even that only dated back a few thousand years. Compared to dinosaurs, that was practically yesterday.
Faced with such temptation, Hagrid couldn't help himself—even with the task of escorting Rhine into the wizarding world—he eagerly followed Rhine to the collection room.
As the door opened, they were greeted by a spacious hall nearly a dozen meters wide, in the center of which stood several fully reconstructed dinosaur fossil exhibits.
"Merlin's beard… what are these?!"
Hagrid stared in awe, utterly mesmerized by the sight of the massive bones.
Rhine smiled as he began his introduction.
"This one's a Triceratops. Herbivore—but don't let that fool you. It's got a nasty temper and enough weight to stomp most predators into mush."
"This one here is a Pterosaur. A carnivorous flying reptile—the apex predator of the skies."
"And these are Velociraptors. They're smaller, but vicious and cunning. Highly social hunters who work in coordinated packs. A group of them could take down prey many times their size."
He paused and sighed in mild regret.
"The Dinosaur Museum actually offered to send me a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil as thanks for a novel I wrote for them."
"But the thing's just too massive—there's no way I could fit it in this collection room."
"If you're interested, Hagrid, I could take you to see it next time. It was the apex predator of its time—the largest carnivorous creature to ever walk the land."
Hagrid gulped audibly, utterly spellbound.
Just seeing these fossils gave him an overwhelming sense of joy.
He wanted nothing more than to curl up with one and fall asleep.
And now Rhine was telling him there was something even bigger? A T. rex?
The Triceratops was already enormous—how huge was a Tyrannosaurus supposed to be?!
Maybe the Muggle world had plenty of lovable creatures after all. He'd missed out on so many treasures!
By the time Hagrid came back to his senses, he was practically gushing over Rhine's fossil collection.
"Stunning… absolutely stunning."
He stared longingly at the fossils, like he might throw his arms around one and never let go.
Seeing the mood was just right, Rhine spoke up.
"Hagrid, pick one you like and take it with you."
Hagrid nearly jumped.
"I—I couldn't possibly!"
He was about to refuse when Rhine continued, genuinely:
"They're just taking up space here, and once I head off to Hogwarts, I won't be around to admire them anyway."
"But if you keep one for me, they'll have a new owner who truly appreciates their beauty. And when I'm at school, I can visit your hut to see it—that sounds better, doesn't it?"
"Besides, I'm really curious about the magical creatures in your world. I give you a fossil, and you let me meet some of those amazing beasts—that's a fair trade, right?"
"It's not every day you meet someone with the same taste. Hagrid, if you really consider me a friend, don't say no."
Hagrid's eyes misted over as he pulled out a handkerchief to dab at the corners.
It was true—he didn't have many friends. His passion for dangerous magical creatures often made others avoid him.
But meeting Rhine—it was like finding a kindred spirit.
"Well… alright then. My hut's not very big, so I'll just take the Velociraptor fossil."
"Rhine, once you're at Hogwarts, you must come visit me. I'll have a gift ready for you."
"I've got plenty of delightful little fellows you'll love."
"And let me tell you a secret—I've got connections in the Forbidden Forest. Centaurs, unicorns, and other adorable friends—I'll show you everything!"
As Hagrid spoke enthusiastically, Rhine's expression brightened.
Because just then, the system interface flashed before him:
[You have established an Acquaintance-level Bond with Yuan Hong.]
[You have acquired the talent: Iron Skin and Diamond Bones — impervious to blades and bullets, fire and water, immune to curses, and extends lifespan.]
Success!
He'd finally formed a proper connection with Hagrid!
Though Rhine couldn't help but feel a little disappointed—Hagrid was straightforward and kind-hearted, but not quite the type to consider someone a "close friend" after just one meeting.
Of course, exceptions existed—like Harry Potter and his friends, whose life-and-death experiences forged unshakable bonds. Rhine wasn't at that level yet.
For now, they'd passed the threshold of casual acquaintance, but hadn't reached the level of "close friendship." So Mastery of the Staff wasn't unlocked.
But Rhine wasn't worried.
Once he got to Hogwarts, he'd have plenty of opportunities to interact with Hagrid. Reaching that deeper level of connection was only a matter of time.
He wasn't in any immediate danger—no rush to obtain the next talent.
With Iron Skin and Diamond Bones, his safety was already more than covered.
[Claim reward?]
Staring at the prompt on the system screen, Rhine took a deep breath.
How could he possibly resist?
Still, he wasn't sure what might happen upon activation of the talent. Just to be safe, he figured it was best to find a private place.
Turning to Hagrid, he said:
"Hagrid, my stomach's feeling a bit off—I'll pop into the bathroom real quick."
"Take your time picking out the fossil. Once I'm out, we'll head to the magical world together."
Hagrid nodded cheerfully, his eyes still gleaming as he gazed at the dinosaur bones.
Rhine hurried to the bathroom, locked the door behind him, then issued the command.
[Claim reward]
The screen flickered.
[Current Connections: Prince Bi Gan (Life-and-Death Bond), Spiritual Owl (Close Friendship), Yuan Hong (Acquaintance)]
[Current Talents: Heart of Seven Apertures, Night Vision, Windborne Gift, Iron Skin and Diamond Bones]
The moment the new talent was added to the list, Rhine felt an immense wave of heat surge through his body, coursing through his flesh and bones.
Crack—pop—crack!
He felt his skin and skeleton tighten, condense, and grow stronger.
Looking into the mirror, he noticed a faint bronze-gold sheen spreading across his skin, radiating an aura of indestructibility.
He poked his own arm experimentally—and heard the faint chime of metal striking metal.
Before long, the golden-bronze hue faded and sank beneath his skin.
Rhine let out a breath of relief.
If he'd walked out looking like that, he would've attracted far too much attention. Now, at least, he looked completely normal—subtle and discreet.
Yet beneath the surface, he could feel it:
A sense of unshakable safety—as if nothing in the world could harm him.
And within his bones and muscles, he could sense a ferocious strength, just waiting to be unleashed.