A look of stunned surprise crossed Char's face as he watched the reward orb above the Shadow expand with incredible speed. As the Shadowthorn that commanded ancient shadow magic, its role was not just limited to the rewards it provided. It was, in itself, an extremely powerful combat asset.
The problem was its growth rate. Due to a lack of specific nutrients in the soil, its development had been agonizingly slow. All this time had passed, and Char had seen no visible growth. As the special nutrients in the greenhouse soil were further depleted, he had estimated that the Shadow's maturation would take decades.
But now, after performing the Demeter ritual, the soil from the small silver bucket could actually accelerate its growth? In just a few moments, the Shadow had undergone a drastic transformation. The thorns on its body were sharper and harder, each one gleaming with a deep, chilling color. Even more obvious was the fact that the area of shadow it controlled had nearly doubled.
Just then, the Shadow, looking as if it had overeaten, left a final message woven from the darkness.
"Separate. So full. Father, I need some time to digest this."
Then, it sank back into the earth, the writhing shadows gradually returning to normal. Char looked up at the massive reward orb floating above, a satisfied expression on his face. By a conservative estimate, the nutrients the Shadow had just absorbed would allow it to mature three full years earlier than before. If this could happen just three or four more times, it would reach its full maturity.
When Char tried to activate the small silver bucket again, however, it remained silent. The pleasant, ringing sound was gone, replaced by a dead quiet. It was clear that the artifact could not be activated again so soon. A look of regret crossed Char's face, but he quickly recalled the legend Dumbledore had shared. In ancient Greece, the worship of Demeter was performed four times a year, corresponding to the four seasons.
A new guess formed in his mind. "Perhaps that is the rule for using the silver cup. Four times a year, on average once every three months?" If that was the case, a spark of joy lit up his eyes. "By my second year, at the latest, the Shadow will definitely reach maturity. I'll finally get the reward of ancient shadow magic. If I accumulate enough experience before then, I might even be able to comprehend it in one fell swoop."
He made a mental note to research ways to repair the silver bucket; if he could restore it even slightly, the speed of his progress would be even faster.
His gaze then turned to the remaining enchanted soil in the bucket. Most of its ancient magic had been absorbed by the Shadow, but a small amount remained. According to his observations, this magic had the power to accelerate the maturation of magical plants. His eyes lit up. There was still some power left, enough to ripen one of his other plants. But which one?
There was only a little soil left, so its effect would be limited. He had to use it where it would provide the most immediate benefit. The Guardian Tree and the other Shadowthorns would take too long to mature. The Devil's Snare still needed its third-level nodes processed. The only suitable candidates were the Piranha Algae and the newly transformed Blood Jade.
However, the Piranha Algae was an aquatic plant, and his previous experiments had shown that the silver bucket had no effect on it. The decision, then, was simple.
Char carefully mixed the remaining soil into the plots where the Blood Jade was growing. The next moment, the plants reacted as if they had been given a powerful tonic. Both the bright red and the emerald green variants began to swell and thicken, their colors deepening as if real blood were now flowing through their translucent forms. The reward orbs above them expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye, growing heavy and ripe like fruit on a branch.
Anticipation surged through him. It seemed that with the help of the silver bucket, the Blood Jade might mature today. But he knew it also required blood with extremely strong vitality. A look of determination settled on his face. A little blood was nothing compared to his Legendary Life ability. If it meant the Blood Jade would mature, it was worth it.
He waved his wand, opening a small cut on his arm, and squeezed a mist of blood over the plants. Nourished by the vitality in his blood, the Blood Jade's maturation accelerated even further. Char continued to feed them, his face filled with anticipation as he stared at the reward orbs, waiting for the moment they would finally bear fruit.
At that same time, deep in the Forbidden Forest, a shrill wail echoed through the trees. Another unicorn fell, its body stiff, its eyes wide with fear. A figure in a black hood tore open its throat, swallowing the silver blood with greedy, gurgling sounds. Even after the body was drained, he continued to suck at the wound, desperate for every last drop. He even licked the blood that had spilled onto the ground.
Feeling a surge of power in his borrowed body, a cold voice still emanated from under the hood. "Not enough. It's still not enough. This little strength won't be enough to get past those damned obstacles."
Quirrell's trembling voice followed. "Master… Master… the unicorn's blood is becoming less potent, but the curse is growing stronger. If I continue, I'm afraid my body will collapse before we recover enough strength."
"Then find blood with more vitality!" Voldemort's furious voice hissed. "Blood that can restore even more of my strength!" His tone softened slightly. He knew he had to rely on Quirrell, and couldn't push him too far. "Do not worry, Quirrell. Once I have the Philosopher's Stone, all these hidden dangers will be gone. And I will create a new body for you, one much younger, more handsome, and more powerful than this pathetic vessel."
Quirrell's breathing quickened, his eyes flashing with ambition and desire. "Master, I will do my best!"
Voldemort was satisfied. "Good. And another thing. It has been several days since the Hufflepuff boy's confinement ended. The commotion they made… Dumbledore, that suspicious old fool, was surely watching. The attention should have died down by now. It is time to ask him how to get past his mutated Devil's Snare."
"Yes, Master," Quirrell nodded respectfully. "The boy must still be in his little greenhouse. I will go find him at once." He carefully licked the last drop of unicorn blood from the corner of his mouth and, feeling the new power coursing through him, walked quickly toward the castle.
At that exact moment, in the small greenhouse, Char's eyes were fixed on the reward orbs above the Blood Jade. They were so full they looked as if they were about to explode. The last of the silver bucket's magic was exhausted, and their growth slowed to a crawl.
Char's expression was calm, but his eyes burned with an unshakeable determination. He would see this through. If the bucket's magic was gone, he would use his own blood to make up the difference. He bit the tip of his tongue and spat a fine mist of bright red blood.
The moment the blood mist enveloped the plants, the nearly stagnant reward orbs swelled one last time. That was all it took.
Rows of prompts suddenly appeared on his system panel.
[You have cultivated the Blood Jade to maturity.]
[You can obtain rewards: a slight increase in hematopoietic capacity (Silver level), extremely weak blood purification (Black Iron level), Dragon Fire (Black Iron level)]
[You have cultivated the Blood Jade's variant form to maturity.]
[You can obtain rewards: a slight increase in hematopoietic capacity (Silver level), extremely weak blood purification (Black Iron level), toxins (Black Iron level)]
A strange, triumphant light flashed in Char's eyes. Mature!
He reached out, and the heavy, ripe orbs of light flowed into his body like a vast sea. His eyes widened. The words [Hematopoietic capacity improved] flashed on his system panel, shining with a silver luster. Then, from within the silver, a brilliant golden light burst forth. With every passing second, as more of the rewards poured into him, the golden light grew more intense.
A fire ignited in his bones, an itching, burning sensation as new blood was produced, rushing through his veins. The blood he had lost was replenished in an instant, and a powerful surge of life coursed through him. The golden light completely consumed the silver, solidifying into a new, higher state.
[Improved hematopoietic ability (Gold level)], promotion!
In his ears, Char suddenly heard a new sound: the gurgling of his own blood, now flowing not like a stream, but like a mighty, rushing river.
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