Char didn't pay any attention to the part about using dark transformation on himself. The issue of his talent was troublesome, yes, but it was a problem he could ultimately solve with his planting system. He had no intention of giving up his human form, of becoming a disfigured, inhuman creature like Voldemort. However, the section before that, the part about the mutual checks and balances and integration of three kinds of blood magic, was directly related to the problem he was currently facing with his Blood Jade. It was truly inspiring.
A flash of insight struck him, and he waved his wand, beginning to operate on the third set of transforming Blood Jade. After a while, his forehead was covered in a dense layer of sweat, and he let out a long sigh of relief. He looked at the reward light ball above the jade. It was slightly more stable than before, but it was clear that it would still take a long time for the transformation to be complete.
He was a bit helpless. He understood the principle of balancing the three types of blood magic, but putting it into practice was incredibly difficult, especially since the magic in the Kraken's blood was so much stronger than that of the dragon or the Acromantula. To strike a balance, he had to be extremely careful. The entire process required an incredibly high level of magical perception, and his own was still lagging behind.
"To truly balance the three types of magic and completely transform this third set of Blood Jade," he murmured, "I'm afraid I'll have to wait until my magical perception reaches the Platinum level and undergoes a qualitative change." He shook his head. "Fortunately, after adding the blood of the Kraken, it's no longer just a waste of vitality. Over time, the third set of Blood Jade should be able to gradually balance the three types of magic on its own and achieve the transformation. Even if I don't intervene, it won't die."
For Char, that was enough. Given enough time, his magical perception would eventually undergo that qualitative change, and the transformation of the Blood Jade would be a natural next step.
He then remembered the inspiration he had gotten from Porgy Charlemagne's dark magic: the idea of using Dark Magic Transfiguration to transform plant seeds and artificially induce specific variants. After his experience with modulating the three types of blood magic, he now had a better idea of how to approach it. The idea was feasible, but the difficulty would be much higher than simply completing the transformation of the Blood Jade. To permanently modify a plant's genetics was a far cry from temporarily making a seed more powerful. The former was like giving an athlete a stimulant; the latter was like re-engineering the human race. The difference in difficulty was immense. He suspected that even a Platinum-level magical perception wouldn't be enough. Diamond-level, maybe. He was still a long way from that.
He sighed. In the short term, he wouldn't invest any more time or energy in that direction. It was a mirage, far beyond his current abilities. He glanced at his system panel. All his spells and magical knowledge, including the Dark Magic Transfiguration he had just learned, were now basically stuck, all due to his insufficient magical perception. It was a stark reminder. Learning spells was important, but the root and the most essential thing was always magic power itself. Magic was a technique for using that power. If one's own magic was not up to par, no other magic would be effective.
"My magical perception and magical strength have been holding me back for long enough," he resolved. "It needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. And to solve it, for me, there's only one thing to do—farm."
Now that he had found the Isle of Drear, he wouldn't delay any longer. The work of reclaiming the wasteland had to begin now. Only with land could he plant, and only with planting could he tame more trolls and produce more Goldfish Spider Plants. Only by improving his own magical perception could he achieve that qualitative change as quickly as possible. And only with that qualitative change could all the magic that had been stuck for so long finally be unleashed.
After a moment of thought, he headed for the infirmary. First, take care of the protective spells and the Floo Network.
Tonks's head still ached. The scene at sea kept replaying in her mind: Porgy Charlemagne, the Kraken… but most of all, the image of Char standing in front of her, withstanding the Kraken's attacks time and time again. She hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now, looking back, her blood ran a little hot, her heart fluttering. Her usually pink hair had turned a bright, fiery red, matching her mood.
Just as she was clutching the bedsheets, there was a knock on the door. "Senior Tonks. Is it a bad time?"
Her body trembled slightly, her breathing growing more rapid. Is it Char? she thought. "It's fine," she said, her voice trembling. "Come in."
Char's figure appeared in the doorway. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became a bit awkward, and Tonks's cheeks grew hot. This normally rebellious Hufflepuff suddenly felt a little afraid to look at him.
Char was filled with uncertainty. Would she… still be doubting my involvement in Umbridge's death?
Tonks clenched her fists. "Char," she said, her voice trembling, "thank you for… the Kraken—"
But to her surprise, Char's face was a mask of confusion. "Kraken? What Kraken? I don't know what you're talking about. Senior, are you hallucinating after hitting the reef?"
Tonks was startled. "But… that day we went to the North Sea… we ran into Porgy Charlemagne. He used dark magic and summoned the Kraken with a strange flute. You fought the Kraken to protect me…"
Char's expression became even more bewildered. "Senior, what on earth are you talking about? How could I, a weak, pitiful, and helpless child, fight against a Kraken? Do you need me to call Madam Pomfrey for you? It would be very troublesome if you've hit your head."
Tonks's mouth tensed. Weak, pitiful, and helpless? That's not what you were like when you were dragging me to the point of breaking down for days on end! At the same time, she felt a strange sense of loss. Does he not want to have anything to do with me? She had been quite popular in school. Boys had lined up to ask her to the Yule Ball. Had she become less mature after graduation? Or was it just that she was so much older than him? Seven or eight years… her eyes dimmed.
She shook her head, trying to push the thought of the Kraken from her mind. After a moment of silence, she continued, "Alright. Then just pretend it never happened. Maybe I really did hit a reef at sea. But thank you for protecting me and bringing me back."
Char shook his head. "It was you who protected me first, Senior. If anyone should be thanking anyone, it should be me."
Tonks's mood suddenly brightened. "So, we are at least friends then?"
Char was surprised for a moment, then nodded. "Of course. As long as you stop following me around every day, trying to find evidence that I killed Umbridge and put me in Azkaban."
Tonks chuckled, then asked again, "Did you kill Umbridge?" Before he could answer, she shook her head. "I've been investigating these past few days. You spend your days either farming or in the library. How could you be involved in Umbridge's death? You're just a student. You're not capable of killing anyone. It seems I lack experience and was looking in the wrong direction. But according to the Ministry's clues, Umbridge did die in the Forbidden Forest. How can I explain that? It's a headache."
Char looked at her, and she gave him a knowing look in return. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Umbridge was a high-ranking official at the Ministry. Why would she go into the Forbidden Forest for no reason? There has to be a motive. Maybe she was feeling down because of a problem at work and wanted to go for a hike to clear her head. So she came to the Forbidden Forest."
Tonks paused, then nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. A very valuable direction. There are many people at the Ministry who can testify that Umbridge was in a terrible mood during that time. It's understandable that she wanted to get some fresh air. She overestimated her abilities and rashly entered a dangerous place like the Forbidden Forest to relax. It's only natural that something unexpected happened. I think that's what I'm going to report. Do you have anything to add, junior?"
Char thought for a moment. "Actually, it doesn't matter how Umbridge died. The dead are gone. The most important thing is to comfort the living. With the death of a beloved colleague, one can only imagine the panic among the Ministry's employees. Especially those who were close to Umbridge… how sad they must be. Perhaps you could recommend to Minister Fudge in your report that some consolation benefits be distributed? I think this will help everyone feel better during their grief, so that no one loses control of their emotions and says crazy things. Of course, we must also take precautions. Umbridge's death in the Forbidden Forest shows that Hogwarts's protection of the forest is not strict enough. You should suggest that the Ministry allocate another sum of money to Hogwarts for the guarding of the Forbidden Forest to prevent similar tragedies from happening again. Headmaster Dumbledore will undoubtedly do a good job of protection."
Tonks stared at him blankly. For a moment, she was a little skeptical. Are we both in the system? How do you know how to do this? The corners of Char's mouth twitched. In his previous life, he had seen many such things. It came naturally.
Tonks was very efficient. Now that she had a course of action, she didn't hesitate. She quickly wrote the report in front of him, ready to submit it to Fudge the next day. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
Char pondered for a moment, then brought up the matter of the protective magic and the Floo Network for his new island. Tonks smiled slightly. "The minister will surely be very happy when this report is submitted. He will agree. But I also have a small request."
Char nodded. Tonks was willing to stop focusing on Umbridge's death and help him with his problem. It was reasonable for him to agree to a small request.
"This request cannot be heard by others," she said. "Come here, junior."
He came closer, thinking she might want to ask for some rare herb or potion. A warm feeling suddenly appeared on his cheek. He was stunned. "Senior?"
Tonks's pink hair became even pinker. She wiped her mouth, as if taking revenge on him for not acknowledging the Kraken. "What's wrong, junior? Did you take your senior's little request seriously?" She took the report and left, leaving him with one last word. "Wait until I get my next holiday. You're welcome to Hogsmeade for some Butterbeer." Then she was gone.
Char touched the warm spot on his face and gave a wry smile. In his two lifetimes, it was the first time he had ever been kissed. And by Tonks, of all people. Isn't she afraid I'll sue her for molesting a minor? he thought wryly.
A moment later, he shook his head, the distracting thoughts disappearing. Tonks would die in the final battle. Many people would. Some, like Susan Bones and Cedric Diggory, would be gone even sooner. He didn't have the power to change that yet. He had no time to think about anything else.
Another batch of Goldfish Plants were ripe. He headed for Hagrid's hut. At the same time, Tonks returned to the Ministry and submitted her report. Fudge, who didn't care how Umbridge had died but knew he needed an explanation, read it with a growing smile. "Good, very good. Rigorous investigation, meticulous evidence. This must be the truth of the matter. And the follow-up recommendations are even more valuable. The dead are gone. What's important is to comfort everyone, learn from our mistakes, and do a good job of protection." He saw a clear path forward. He would give the Ministry employees some benefits, and everyone would be happy. He would give Hogwarts some money, and Dumbledore would be happy. The matter would be settled. He readily approved Tonks's request to help Char with his protective magic and Floo Network. He was impressed with the young Auror. He had been worried she would be too straightforward, but she was sensible. He took out a document and wrote her name on it, approving her for a permanent position.
At that moment, Char had come to the back of Hagrid's hut, where the five trolls were tamed. A new batch of Goldfish Spider Plants were ripe, their orange-red color attractive, heavy reward light balls floating above them. He extended his hand, and the light balls sank into his body, a waterfall of system prompts appearing before his eyes.
[You have cultivated mature Goldfish Spider Plants]
[Reward: Slight Improvement in Magical Perception (Black Iron Level)]
…
He took a deep breath and looked at his system panel. The improvement in his magical perception was still at the Gold level, but now, a tiny bit of platinum light had appeared above it. Even though it was faint, it made him incredibly happy. He was finally at the node for promotion to the Platinum level. He could feel his perception of magic becoming more refined, the light of his spells visibly stronger. Almost there, he thought, clenching his fists. It won't be long now.
Heavy footsteps approached. It was the male troll. Char pointed to the ripe Goldfish Spider Plants. "You can eat these," he said. "I agree." This was his usual practice. He would give some to his aunt and Snape, and the rest to the trolls. It was only fair.
But this time, the troll, who usually fought over the plants, seemed to have lost interest. It came to Char and, with its poor vocabulary and a series of gestures, knelt down and bowed, as if begging for something. Char watched it for a long time, then looked in the direction it was pointing. He saw that the female troll's belly was bulging. "Is it pregnant?" he realized. "Wait… are you asking if I can find a wider spot for it? To make it more comfortable?"
The male troll smiled and nodded repeatedly. Char felt a surge of emotion. Trolls were stupid, yes, but they were not emotionless monsters. In fact, they were better than many people. After a moment of consideration, he used gestures to express his own meaning. "I have an island. I'll be able to take you there in a few days. There's the sea and the mountains. You can move freely, just don't damage the fields. There will be plenty of food to keep you well-fed. It's very wide. Are you willing to go?"
The male troll stood there, trying to process the information with its meager brain capacity. Just when Char thought it hadn't understood, it called the other trolls over and began to babble at them. They all looked at Char. Then, with a rumble, they began to beat their chests with their huge fists, making a sound like muffled thunder. They roared in their own language, "Gronnak! Gronnak!" Char knew the word. It was the troll word for "king." Before, he had conquered them with violence. But now, they were being genuine. The look in their eyes was no longer just respect and fear. It was… worship.
A smile appeared on Char's face. He told the trolls to wait patiently, then returned to his small greenhouse. There were still many plants waiting for him. Before starting his work, his eyes fell on the small porcelain bucket. Every day, he would knock on it, to see how far away he was from being able to use the Demeter Ritual again. But every time, the sound was dull. This time, however, as he approached, he felt that something was different. The dull lines on the bucket were suddenly glowing faintly. His breathing hitched. "Huh?!"
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