Just as the shadow neared its full maturity, an ominous energy hummed through the air.
Countless shadows spread out above the ground from it like a slow, living wave, crawling steadily in one determined direction.
It was as if the Shadow itself sensed an unseen presence, a warning signaling urgent matters ahead.
Anxiously, it seemed to alert Char with subtle movements.
Char's eyes shifted sharply toward that direction, attuned to every slightest motion.
A soft, almost imperceptible sound escaped him—a mixture of anticipation and curiosity.
Across that expanse, the shadows' kin stirred: spectral companions and the eerie shadow thorns dotting the landscape.
This was because Char had previously been deprived of vital nutrients containing ancient magic,
and so only the intelligent Shadow had emerged, a singular being capable of wielding ancient shadow magic.
The lingering shadow thorns, although far superior to mere ordinary plants or creatures,
stood as a completely distinct breed when compared to the solitary Shadow.
Now, poised on the brink of full maturity, the Shadow anxiously gestured toward the shadow thorns—as if issuing a silent command.
Could it be?
Char recalled peculiar folklore about the shadow thorns, a strange phenomenon detailed in ancient herbal lore.
When shadow thorns assemble in large numbers, they sometimes encircle their mightiest member,
coalescing into a formidable and dense Shadowthorn tree—an unprecedented living entity.
Time was slipping away; hesitation wasn't an option.
Driven by instinct, Char made an immediate decision and sprang into action.
He had collected far more ancient ash from the temple on Dria Island than initially expected.
Even if some of it was wasted due to incorrect assumptions,
it wouldn't hinder the eventual cultivation of other ancient plants.
But, if the guess proved accurate,
then the returns from this endeavor would increase enormously.
In the next moment, Char raised his wand with intent.
Clusters of ancient ash cascaded gently onto the scattered shadow thorns.
Simultaneously, the tip of his wand radiated the intense light that once gave birth to the first Shadow.
The ancient magic dormant within the thorns began to stir with newfound vigor.
Gradually, waves of shadows shifted and rippled.
Under the influence of the scattered ash, their speed and range of movement accelerated rapidly.
The entire floor of the small greenhouse appeared swallowed by these creeping, living shadows.
Then, as the shadows extending from the main Shadow merged with the shadow thorns around it,
something extraordinary occurred—almost as if the thorns were being irresistibly drawn out to join the central figure.
Clusters of shadow thorns converged upon the Shadow,
embracing it tightly as if affirming their unity.
Even the animated magic within these ancient shadow thorns seamlessly merged with the power of the central Shadow.
In the blink of an eye, the Shadow's form expanded dozens of times right before Char's eyes,
transforming fully into a colossal Shadowthorn tree, its body composed of tangled thorns and swirling shadows!
Yet this was only the beginning.
Even to Char's eyes, the glowing orb of reward light floating above the Shadow had reached its maximum potential.
It swelled endlessly, glowing brighter and brighter,
until it finally burst forth with the sparkling brilliance of a flawless diamond!
On Char's system panel, lines of notifications flashed swiftly.
[The Shadowthorn variant you have cultivated has triggered a clustering effect under specific conditions, resulting in a new variant plant: the Shadowthorn Tree.]
The rewards available to you have changed.
[Shadow Increase (Gold Level) has evolved to Shadow Control (Diamond Level).]
[Torn Wounds (Silver) has been upgraded to Shadow Corrosion (Platinum).]
[A minor amount of Ancient Shadow Magic Enlightenment (Iron Level) has transformed to Ancient Shadow Magic Entry Configuration (Gold Level).]
[...]
[Due to the unique properties of the Shadowthorn Tree, it retains the ability to continuously grow.]
[Each time you level it up, you receive rewards corresponding to that level.]
Reading these updates, Char's eyes glistened with surprise and a hint of excitement.
This unexpected evolution in the Shadowthorn was a remarkable boon.
Before this, even the plain Shadow might not have granted Char rewards reaching the platinum tier.
Now, with this incredible mutation,
the Shadowthorn Tree had soared to the diamond ranking.
The enhancements in rewards were unmistakable.
Moreover, as the Shadowthorn Tree continued to absorb and integrate more shadow thorns, it promised to keep growing.
This meant Char could anticipate a steady and ever-increasing flow of magical rewards.
Compared to his previous expectations, it was an overwhelming success!
Now, staring resolutely at the diamond-glowing reward orb above the Shadowthorn Tree,
Char took a slow, calming breath, then reached out his hand.
Instantly, the radiant orb poured its brilliant light into Char's body.
On the system display, the words "Fog Time" blurred and shimmered momentarily.
At that same moment,
Char sensed an unfamiliar magical power coursing through his veins,
blending seamlessly with his own magic essence.
The sensation was akin to a shadow becoming tangible,
similar to the profound magic of the shadow realm he had encountered during his explorations before.
As this newfound power fused fully within Char's blood,
fresh words shone clearly on the panel.
[Shadow Mastery (Diamond Level)!]
Simultaneously, Char felt an intuitive command over shadow magic awakening within him.
Where shadows stretched, this was now his domain.
With a slight flick of his finger,
the shadow magic filling the greenhouse spiraled toward him,
forming distinct shapes at his whim.
Even Char's magical strength and perception were heightened,
further amplified by the supportive shadow magic.
"Is this truly diamond-level shadow control?" Char murmured, pleased and confident.
Had he possessed this ability earlier during his forays into the shadow realm,
his magic would no longer be suppressed by shadows.
Instead, shadows would empower and enhance his abilities.
Within the shadow realm, he would have felt perfectly at home.
Then, with a graceful wave of his hand,
the shadow magic coalesced into a slender, razor-sharp blade,
slicing across the ground.
Wherever the blade passed, it cleaved obstacles effortlessly,
leaving behind corrosive shadow magic that slowly eroded everything it touched.
This was the second newly unlocked ability revealed on his system panel:
[Shadow Erosion (Platinum Level)!]
Char had already witnessed the devastating power of shadow magic.
For enemies of frail constitution,
particularly wizards,
a wound inflicted by this shadow magic spelled grave consequences.
With Char's instinctive mastery,
these spells could even undermine and degrade rival magic.
In effect, all of Char's spells now carried far greater destructive potential.
Should an opponent underestimate even a minor spell from Char,
they risk facing severe damage.
Soon after, a vision unfolded within Char's mind,
recalling the profound enlightenment he had once received from ancient weather magic.
Before him lay a mythical battlefield,
two towering figures standing as colossal as mountains.
Unfathomable magical power radiated from them.
No incantations were needed.
Their sheer magical presence clashed, stirring fierce winds and fracturing the earth beneath them.
Witnessing this spectacle,
Char's face paled with a mix of awe and apprehension.
"Mythical level," he breathed.
"Is this a scene from a battle that legends once told of?"
"Could it be the fabled clash between Titans from a forgotten era?"
The gulf between mythical and legendary power was starkly on display.
If he were to stand in such a battlefield today,
survival itself might be uncertain.
Then, one of the figures raised a hand,
and solemnly uttered,
"Perthro!"
Suddenly,
shadows surged violently, swallowing the ground and everything on it.
It was as though the kingdom of shadows had breached into the real world,
intent on engulfing all within its dark grasp.
Char's fate beyond this moment remained unknown.
The scene blurred into dark, swirling shadows,
leaving only one rune glowing clearly amidst the gloom.
The fundamental structure of magical runes appeared before Char's eyes.
Compared to the fleeting glimpses he had of ancient weather magic,
his understanding of ancient shadow magic had deepened immensely.
The magical rune arrangement he had acquired contained thirteen interconnected nodes.
As the scene around him settled back to normal,
Char noted the now-clear wording on the system panel: "Ancient Shadow Magic."
A gleam of joy illuminated his features.
Should he master this thirteen-node magical rune configuration,
and align with the natural will of shadows,
his mastery of ancient shadow magic would likely surpass that of ancient weather magic,
whose progress was limited by the absence of such advanced rune knowledge.
This opened the door to reaching Platinum-level mastery!
"If I plant that shadow flower again, my affinity for shadow magic will climb to the diamond tier."
"All shadow-related abilities will surge dramatically."
"This makes the true power of ancient shadow magic a thrilling mystery."
As Char's various magical skills grew steadily stronger,
his reward from the Shadowthorn Tree significantly boosted his power.
The Shadowthorn Tree itself proved a formidable ally.
Yet, at this moment,
having just transformed into its new form, the Shadow remained unconscious,
deep in slumber,
and would need time to awaken.
Its thorns bristled densely like sharpened swords,
enveloped in thick, potent shadow magic.
If struck by the tree's assault, even a powerful creature such as a fire dragon would suffer severe injury.
And, with the ability to launch attacks aided by shadows,
even elite Aurors might find themselves ensnared.
After a while, calm returned to Char's mind.
His gaze dropped to the remaining ancient ash on his skin.
Though some ash was used to mature the shadowthorns,
he still had ample reserves.
If used wisely,
future benefits might rival or exceed those gained this time.
But at present, he had no suitable candidates worthy of this ash.
The mythical plants—World Tree Roots and Fire God Seeds—were out of consideration.
He knew little of their needs.
And the amount of ancient magic required for mythical plants was staggering.
What he held was scarcely enough to satisfy even minor needs.
Among other ancient flora,
only the Whomping Willow was partially cultivated,
and it was barely at the initial stage.
Even with ancient ash, Char couldn't progress further yet.
Currently, the best use for the ash was likely the mutated guardian tree seed he had just obtained.
By applying ancient ash, he could accelerate its germination.
Though reaching full maturity might take longer,
it wouldn't be far off.
However, this dilemma troubled Char.
The seed required specific conditions to upgrade its reward level after maturity.
He remained uncertain what those conditions were.
If matured directly, it would likely grant diamond-level rewards,
which was already impressive.
But Char possessed several diamond-level magic rewards already,
especially from his shadow magic gains.
Another diamond-level reward wouldn't dramatically increase his prowess.
Conversely, upgrades to epic or legendary tiers would greatly shift his power.
Epic rewards were rare and highly valued by Char,
while legendary ones were even more elusive.
He believed ten diamond-level abilities combined still lacked the strength of a single epic ability.
Thus, Char hesitated to waste the seed's potential chance for upgrade.
"If only I could find a way to raise its reward level—"
He looked at the guardian tree seed nestled near his chest.
That glance was accompanied by a soft sigh.
The system panel shimmered with lights of diamond, epic, and legendary hues.
But Char recalled the purple glow of epic rewards hadn't been so prominent before.
Now, it represented nearly 30% more.
The legendary light also increased slightly,
while the diamond portion, though still overwhelmingly large, had diminished marginally.
He observed again and again, confirming the change.
Doubt and bewilderment clouded his eyes.
This suggested that somehow, unknowingly, he had begun meeting conditions to level up the guardian seed's rewards.
During this time, he'd focused on preparing the blood of a five-legged monster,
paying little attention to the seed.
Char remembered how, when he visited Sprout Island and captured lightning with the rod,
the guardian tree seed showed no signs of change.
What had changed since?
What new factor influenced its growth?
Eliminating impossible options,
Char homed in on one possibility:
the guardian tree's inherent resistance to dark magic.
His greatest trial lately—battling cursed energy in the temple on Dria Island—might be key.
Recalling that encounter,
Char sensed something unusual.
The cursed magic at the temple was overwhelming.
The snake he summoned, cursed itself, was utterly powerless against the dark forces,
crushed quickly and mercilessly.
He logically expected the curse to cause immense pain,
his body decaying under its influence.
Mentally, he had braced himself.
Yet during the fight, he felt none of the expected suffering.
His resistance to dark magic was likely the reason,
though he doubted it was strong enough to counter an epic-level curse.
Could it be the guardian tree seed had played a protective role?
If so,
Char believed he understood the key condition to upgrade its reward level:
Protection against dark magic.
With this thought,
his eyes fell on the voodoo doll in front of him.
A warm smile softened Char's lips.
He sliced his finger gently and squeezed fresh drops of blood near the doll.
Its eyes brightened instantly,
despite its stomach being full of Char's essence which it had yet to digest.
What voodoo doll would refuse the life-giving blood of its master?
Especially blood infused with vitality and vibrant life.
Eagerly, it began drinking.
As the blood entered, an expression of rapture spread across its face.
"Enjoy this day," Char whispered with a tender smile.
"Is it tasty?"
The voodoo doll nodded eagerly, pecking as if savoring each drop.
"Want more?"
It nodded again, brimming with enthusiasm.
"But I worry your wounds might not be fully healed yet. Can you endure it?"
The doll's face flickered with concern,
then it confidently patted its chest.
"The damage is healed completely."
"I'm stronger than ever."
"Master, please keep feeding me. I will do whatever it takes!"
Hearing this,
Char nodded, relief washing over him.
His smile widened with kindness.
"Healed?"
"Good, very good."
"Then, let's get back to work."
Char lingered a moment, feeling the residual power of the reward infuse his veins — a tangible confirmation that progress was being made.
His thoughts turned to the future, to the potential lying in wait within the ancient ash and the dormant guardian seed in his possession.
It was a reminder that despite the tremendous gains, the path ahead remained challenging and full of mystery.
However, Char was determined not to be deterred by uncertainty.
His resolve strengthened by the knowledge that every step forward brought him closer to mastering ancient magics long lost to time.
In this quiet moment of reflection, he allowed himself a small, hopeful smile, knowing that the journey had only just begun.
__________________________
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