Erwin returned to his dormitory that afternoon, his stomach rumbling from skipping lunch amid the earlier spectacle. Even from his room, the buzz of excited chatter drifted up from the Slytherin common room below.
A towering stack of gifts dominated one corner, too many to unpack right away. He waved his wand, shrinking them and stowing them in his enchanted ring for later. Cracking open the window, he watched as a procession of owls swooped in, depositing more parcels before snatching bits of jerky from a nearby shelf. It had turned into a full-blown delivery operation, a testament to his skyrocketing popularity. Gifts poured in from all sides.
Of course, Erwin hadn't been idle. He'd sent out his own packages—to the professors, a select few shadow prefects in Slytherin, and key business allies like the Malfoys, Mr. Parkinson, and the Selwyn patriarch. Each one was identical: a sleek mobile phone, complete with instructions. They wouldn't activate until Cavendish Communications launched, but that only heightened the recipients' anticipation. Professor Flitwick, for one, had pestered him endlessly about a start date, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Freshening up the sheets with a quick spell, Erwin flopped onto the bed and summoned the System interface with a thought. The holiday event blinked insistently—a special Yuletide gift selection, its timer ticking down: "0:00:32."
He watched, transfixed, as the seconds vanished. A chime echoed in his mind.
[The Yuletide gift selection is now active. Draws cost wizarding acclaim and follow a probability-based system with no guarantees, though purple and gold rewards are more likely. Each draw: 10,000 acclaim. Ten-draw bundle offers a 10% discount. Proceed?]
Erwin blinked. Ten thousand per pull? That was steep—harder to farm than battling for it. His hard-earned acclaim topped just over a million, good for maybe a hundred draws. Far from the "one-pull legend" he'd joked about. Still, the boosted odds for rarities tempted him. Best to test the waters.
He tapped the draw button. The interface erupted in a whirl of festive lights. A pair of enchanted reindeer burst from the center, hauling a miniature sleigh with a jolly figure at the reins—Santa Claus, but with Erwin's own face, complete with a bushy white beard. The caricature leered sleazily as it rummaged in its sack, hurling holographic cards into the air. They hovered before him like a surreal poker hand.
Erwin stared, torn between amusement and annoyance. Festive flair made sense for the holidays, but this? He couldn't find a skip option, so he soldiered on, flipping the cards one by one. Three violet glows and two golden bursts ignited, blindingly bright.
His jaw dropped. That was the "boost" in action? No wonder limited events were addictive. At this rate, a hundred draws could net him twenty golds easy. He was wide awake now.
[Ten-draw complete. Gained: 5 Talent Points!]
[Ten-draw complete. Purple: Upgrade Charm – Elevates any spell by one level without conditions!]
[Purple: Advanced Talent Point x1!]
[Purple: Item Upgrade Charm x1 – Enhances one magical item!]
[Gold: Talent – Infinite Firepower. Activate for 5 seconds of Spell Energy-free spellcasting. Channel your inner legend – true power in a blink! Cooldown: 7 days.]
[Gold: Passive Talent Upgrade Charm x1 – Transforms a gold passive into legendary rainbow-gold!]
Erwin scanned the haul, his pulse steadying into awe. Every piece was a gem, but those golds? Game-changers. He pocketed them for now—no rushing into activations. Better to clear the board first. Steeling himself, he selected the hundred-draw bundle.
The sleigh reappeared, Santa's antics unchanged. Cards scattered in a glittering cascade. Erwin pointed at one. "Flip 'em all – let's see the shine!"
They obeyed, unleashing a radiant storm. Golds dazzled first, but as excitement built, the lights dimmed across the board, shifting to the edges like courtiers bowing to royalty. A single card drifted down, the rest forming respectful lines—even the golds. It rotated slowly, unleashing a prismatic beam laced with gold that pierced the virtual sky.
The chime rang triumphant.
[Congratulations! Supreme rainbow-gold reward unlocked: Talent Plunder!]
[All pools upgraded: Costs x10, now including rainbow-gold rarities!]
[Talent Plunder: Rainbow-gold, rule-based ability. Defeat foes to siphon their magic, converting it into your own reserves via ancient laws. Level up like a true adventurer – your path to power just got a shortcut!]
Erwin exhaled, a grin breaking through. This wasn't just a draw; it was a turning point. With Plunder, every duel became an investment. The holidays had delivered more than gifts—they'd handed him the keys to dominance. As the interface faded, he lay back, already plotting his next moves. Slytherin wouldn't know what hit them.
...
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