At this moment, Char gazed at the system panel, watching in awe as the reward information for the Elber Tree underwent a dramatic transformation.
[Greatly enhanced flight capabilities (Diamond level)]
[The ability to deduce floating spells is significantly enhanced (Platinum level)]
Compared to before, this was a true qualitative leap. Char knew from experience that diamond-level abilities were something most wizards could only dream of attaining in their lifetime. Anyone with a diamond-level skill could already be called a true expert—perhaps even a legend. With diamond-level flying ability, Char could probably join a professional Quidditch team, if he wanted.
But it was the platinum-level enhancement to his floating spell deduction that really made his heart race. Now, the triple-combination magic he'd theorized—levitation spell, hanging golden bell, golden bell falling—suddenly felt within reach. These rewards alone made Char's perilous journey into the sky more than worthwhile.
Yet, as he looked closer, a new line appeared in the reward list, shimmering with a black iron luster.
[Ancient Weather Magic Extremely Weak Perception (Black Iron Level)]
Char blinked, surprised. "Ancient weather magic?" he murmured.
He vaguely recalled the concept of weather magic. For instance, Newt Scamander's famous magical suitcase had different climates inside, thanks to weather spells. The enchanted ceiling in the Hogwarts Great Hall, which mirrored the sky outside, was another example of meteorological magic.
But "ancient weather magic" was a new term for him. His mind raced. "Ancient magic in the Harry Potter world is never simple," Char thought. "The Patronus Charm is ancient magic. Lily's love magic, which protected Harry and defeated Voldemort, is another form of ancient magic. What could this ancient weather magic be? Could wizards really call down storms and control the elements, like in myths and legends?"
He let his imagination run wild for a moment, but quickly reined it in. After all, the Elber Tree would take at least half a year to mature. He probably wouldn't even see these rewards until the end of his first year at Hogwarts, if then. And even then, the reward was only black iron-level insight into ancient weather magic. To truly master it? That could take years—perhaps not until he could propagate and graft more Elber Trees.
"It's too far off to worry about now," Char decided.
With great care, he removed the Elber tree from its bottle. The sapling, preserved for years, seemed to yearn for the clouds. It floated from his hand, its delicate roots reaching out and embedding themselves in the cloudbank. The Elber tree vanished into the mist, and a prompt flashed on Char's system panel: planting successful. A brilliant orb of reward light hovered in his vision.
Char finally let out a breath, feeling a wave of relief. "It'll be a long time before the Elber tree matures," he thought. "No point staying up here."
He turned his Nimbus 2000 and prepared to descend. But suddenly, the broom's magic faltered. It was like being shot from a bow—Char was sent hurtling headfirst toward the ground from twelve thousand meters up!
Even Char's expression grew serious. "The Nimbus 2000 is out of control?" he realized. Looking back, he saw the broom was encased in ice, nearly an ice sculpture. He'd pushed it far beyond its design limits. No one at the Flying Broomstick Company could have imagined a wizard would take a broom this high.
Char frowned. "No wonder the Elber tree's reward is so high. This is actually life-threatening!"
The world spun around him as he plummeted, the sensation of weightlessness alternating with crushing force. An ordinary person would have been torn apart by the g-forces alone. Char focused, knowing that if he hit the ground at this speed, even his legendary constitution might not save him.
He whipped out his wand, casting spells in rapid succession. "Wingardium Leviosa! Wingardium-Leviosa! Levicorpus! Hanging fuchsia!" He layered levitation and hanging spells, desperately trying to slow his fall. But the broom was so far gone that it was nearly impossible to control, and Char's magical reserves were running low.
Still, every spell helped a little. "If this keeps up, I'll end up like Neville—broken bones at best," Char thought grimly. "That wouldn't be so bad, but Aunt Sprout would force me to stay in the infirmary for a week. What about my work?!"
A fierce determination welled up inside him. "No! Just like Jerusalem can't fall, a company slave can't lose his job!"
He cast another levitation spell, and suddenly, the force of his fall decreased dramatically. The spell was much more effective than before. Char glanced at his system panel and saw that his Floating Spell had jumped from bronze to silver level in a matter of seconds. The Hanging Golden Bell Curse's silver luster had also deepened.
"Could it be that this constant shift between weightlessness and overweight is excellent training for these spells?" Char wondered. But there was no time to ponder. He focused all his energy on casting levitation spells, determined to avoid a hospital stay.
Meanwhile, on the Quidditch pitch, the Gryffindor team was slogging through another brutal practice. Harry, distracted by Hagrid's request to invite Char for tea, glanced up at the sky. He spotted a black dot spiraling downward—much bigger than a Golden Snitch.
"Harry! Why did you stop?" Wood barked. "Training can't stop! How are we going to beat Hufflepuff if we're lazy?"
But Harry was transfixed. As the black dot grew, he realized it was Char, plummeting out of control on his broom.
"Levitation spell! Wait, what's the incantation?" Harry fumbled for his wand, but before he could act, Char crashed into the ground, leaving a human-shaped dent.
The Gryffindor team stared in shock. Harry turned pale. "Is he… alive?"
Wood was about to call for Madam Pomfrey, but then Char calmly pulled himself out of the crater, checked his broom, dusted himself off, and waved. "Hello. Sorry, I flew too high and lost control of my broom. You all continue training—don't mind me."
The Gryffindor players looked at each other, then at Wood. "Captain, who did you say we were going to beat? Hufflepuff, with Char on their team?"
As Char was about to leave, he paused, a strange sensation running through his body—a heat, almost like energy flowing inside him. Was it internal bleeding? No, he felt better than ever.
He checked his system panel and saw it: the legendary ability [Enhanced Vitality (Legendary Level)] was shining even brighter.
There was no mistake. The fall hadn't weakened him—it had made him stronger.
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