Char's heartbeat quickened. If the small silver bucket could further amplify the rewards from the Devil's Snare, the benefits would be immeasurable. The thought sent a jolt of energy through him. He quickened his pace, returning immediately to the greenhouse.
He took out the mutated Devil's Snare root, the cuts from his Divine Edge spell already showing faint signs of healing, hinting at the new branches that would soon grow. The process was slow, however; it would likely be half a month before he saw any real progress.
"I wonder if the bucket will really work on this," he mused. "In any case, it's time to give it more nutrients. Might as well do it in the silver bucket."
He placed the gnarled root inside the bucket and took out his potion. With a practiced flick of his wand, he used a Levitation Charm to disperse a few drops into a fine mist that settled over the root.
The effect was instantaneous and startling. The misty potion was drawn into the Devil's Snare root with the force of a vortex, the cuts on its surface swirling with vapor. Char had used this atomization method before, but it had never created such a dramatic reaction. The absorption speed and efficiency had increased tenfold. It was as if the Devil's Snare had suddenly developed a ravenous appetite.
"It seems the bucket's ability to stimulate vitality is truly extraordinary," he breathed. "And it works on the Devil's Snare!"
He added two more drops of potion, which the root eagerly absorbed. He then turned his attention to the system panel, hoping to see a significant change in the reward information. A moment later, a flicker of disappointment crossed his face. There were changes, but they weren't as dramatic as he'd hoped. The [Binding and Controlling Spell Chain] trait gained a few more motes of golden light, and the silver on the [Fire-Fearing Skin] brightened slightly. It was an improvement, but far from the qualitative leap he had envisioned.
"Oh well," he sighed, consoling himself. "It's better than nothing. Over time, with more plants, the cumulative increase will be significant." Any free benefit was still a win.
Since the bucket worked on the Devil's Snare, would it work on his other plants? He immediately tested it on the Piranha Algae and the Guardian Tree. The results were interesting. "No reaction from the Piranha Algae," he noted. "But the Guardian Tree responded well, and its rewards were also slightly enhanced."
After trying it on several common magical plant seeds, he discovered a pattern: the bucket's effect was concentrated on land-based plants. Aquatic plants seemed to be completely unaffected.
"What's the principle behind this?" he wondered, staring at the few remaining, faded ancient characters on the bucket's surface. He tried to decipher them, but it was useless. They were so close, yet so far beyond his understanding.
He gave up with a sigh. "Never mind. This is not something a magical illiterate like me can figure out. I'll consult a professional when I get the chance. For now, I'll just make do."
His focus returned to the Devil's Snare. The sooner he finished treating the primary nodes, the sooner new branches would grow. Though he was waiting for the large potion delivery from the Ministry, he still had enough on hand to treat a few more. It was already dawn, but there was still time before class. Instead of having a leisurely breakfast, he would rather spend that time cultivating. These small, stolen moments of effort, accumulated over time, would yield rewards beyond imagination.
He waved his wand again and again, casting the Divine Edge Shadowless Spell with intense focus. Its power was immense; a single slip in concentration could slice the entire root to pieces. The mental strain was enormous, and soon, sweat beaded on his forehead. But the effort paid off. On his system panel, the silver light of the Divine Edge spell slowly, steadily grew brighter.
He continued until he had created over twenty primary nodes and the last drop of potion was gone. "That should do it," he breathed, a sense of satisfaction washing over him. "The first-level nodes have met the minimum standard for the next stage. Now, I can plant it. All that's left is to wait for the experimental field and the Ministry's potion."
He glanced at the time. "It's almost time for class. What's first today? Transfiguration with Gryffindor."
As he walked toward the classroom, he thought about the upcoming lesson. He had excelled in Herbology and Charms, but Transfiguration—the subject that demanded the most innate talent—was a different story. He could manage the basics if he pushed himself to the limit, but true understanding had always eluded him. The trio in the original books had struggled with it too; even in the final battle, Harry and Ron rarely used Transfiguration. Its difficulty was legendary. The main goal for the entire first year was simply to turn a match into a silver needle, a feat only Hermione had accomplished so far.
When Char had last tried, the match had only trembled slightly. But he was different now. His magical perception and raw power had grown immensely. A new confidence took root. "Turning a match into a needle… I should be able to do that now. It's time to take Transfiguration seriously."
He knew how crucial it was. All the greatest wizards—Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Voldemort—were masters of it. It was the core of advanced magic. Besides, the sub-quest for the Whomping Willow required the Disillusionment Charm, a complex piece of Transfiguration.
The class bell rang as he took his seat. Professor McGonagall swept the classroom with her stern gaze. "I know the first class after the holiday is often difficult," she began, "but since you are here, I expect you to be attentive. No one will fall asleep in my class, will they?"
Even Neville, who had been about to yawn, sat up straight. That was the power of Professor McGonagall.
She began her lecture, patiently repeating the basic theory of Transfiguration. The subject was so difficult that she had to go over the fundamentals again and again, hoping that with each repetition, a few more students might grasp a little more.
As he listened, Char felt something click. Before, the concepts had been a confusing jumble he could only memorize by rote. Now, he could see the underlying structure. He was surprised to find that the principles of Transfiguration were surprisingly similar to the insights he had gained from his platinum-level spells.
"Microscopic," he realized, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "The introduction to Transfiguration is about using magic to change objects at a microscopic level. It's not an illusion; it's a real change to the object's properties. In the language of my past life, it's like changing molecular and atomic structures. No wonder it's so difficult. The starting point of Transfiguration is equivalent to the ultimate level of other basic spells!"
With this realization, a flood of inspiration washed over him. McGonagall's lecture, the contents of the Half-Blood Prince's textbook, the discussions with the masters at the hearing—it all churned in his mind like erupting magma.
Just as Professor McGonagall mentioned another subtle, complex point, Char couldn't contain himself. He shot to his feet.
"Wonderful!" he exclaimed. "That's brilliant!"
The entire class turned to stare. Hannah, sitting nearby, whispered urgently, "Char?"
He came back to his senses, flushing slightly. "Apologies, Professor," he said quickly. "It's just… what you said was so brilliant. I was so absorbed, I couldn't help myself."
A strange, surprised look crossed McGonagall's face. "And what, Mr. Sprout, did you find so brilliant?"
Char took a moment to gather his thoughts, then explained the connections he had just made, incorporating his own understanding from his advanced spells. The other students, both Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, stared at him with blank confusion.
"What is he talking about?" Harry and Ron whispered to Hermione.
"It sounds like… a very advanced Transfiguration concept," she said uncertainly. "I can't understand all of it."
Harry and Ron looked at each other as if they'd seen a ghost. They knew Char was a magical powerhouse, but in Transfiguration, hadn't he been just as lost as them? How had he suddenly progressed so far that even Hermione couldn't keep up?
Professor McGonagall, however, was listening with rapt attention, her eyes shining with excitement. She took a deep breath, suppressing a thrilled smile. "Char," she said, her voice filled with encouragement, "take out your wand. Try to turn the match into a silver needle."
He nodded, holding his ash wand, his mind replaying the countless subtleties that had just fallen into place. Under the watchful eyes of the entire class, he tapped the match. A surge of magic flowed from the tip of his wand.
"Microscopic. Change at the micro level. A strong will to drive the magic."
The next moment, the match flashed, and a shining silver needle appeared in his hand.
The students around him gasped, their eyes wide with disbelief. Before this, only Hermione had managed it. Now, it was Char. But he wasn't finished. He looked at the silver needle as if he had just pushed open the door to a vast treasure house.
"That's not all," he murmured to himself. "I can do more."
He raised his wand again. McGonagall silently gestured for the class to remain quiet.
The tip of his wand danced. With each point, the objects before him shifted and changed. A lighter. A teapot. A birdcage. Exquisite hollow carvings and ornate vases. Even figures from the anime of his past life appeared one by one as he waved his wand. He was completely lost in the magic, only jolted back to reality by the bell signaling the end of class.
He looked up to see the entire room staring at him as if he were a god.
Professor McGonagall began to applaud. "A perfect Transfiguration performance!" she praised, her voice ringing with pride. "Char, your understanding of Transfiguration is already far ahead of everyone in the first year. Twenty points to Hufflepuff!"
Deafening cheers and applause filled the classroom. Char's heart pounded in his chest, not because of the points, but because his system panel was undergoing a seismic shift. The platinum light on all his advanced spells had reached an unprecedented level of brilliance. His breakthrough in Transfiguration had triggered a rapid improvement in all his magical abilities.
And that wasn't all. A new line of text had appeared in his ability column.
[Transfiguration (Iron Grade)!]
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