"This… this feeling—" Charles's eyes widened, and veins bulged across his body. His Blood Production Ability Enhancement had just reached Gold Level, but the sensation it brought was more intense than ever. Power surged through him, a strength so overwhelming it felt as if a Giant had taken residence inside his body.
His gaze fell to the system panel, and what he saw made his heart race. When his Blood Production Ability Enhancement hit Gold Level, two of his Legendary Abilities, Legendary Life and Legendary Power, flared as if awakened. Their brilliance slowly intensified. Though the growth wasn't extreme, in this brief moment, the increase already surpassed the total progress he had painstakingly achieved by training with Trolls over countless days.
A surge of exhilaration filled Charles's eyes, and he couldn't help but laugh. Previously, he had only guessed that blood was tied to life constitution and strength. Perhaps enhancing blood production could boost Legendary Life and Legendary Power, nudging them toward Mythical Level—beyond Legendary. Now, his hypothesis was confirmed.
This marked the second puzzle piece toward achieving Mythical Level abilities, the first being external tempering. Charles inhaled deeply, excitement dancing in his gaze.
"Raise my Blood Production Ability to Legendary Level," he muttered. "Or acquire a few more Legendary-level abilities related to life and strength… Maybe then, I could push a certain ability straight to Mythical Level."
The difference between Legendary and Mythical abilities was immense. If an ability reached Mythical Level, it would exist in an entirely different dimension. Mythical strength could shake mountains like the Titans of legend, and Mythical Life could grant lifespans of thousands, even tens of thousands, of years, with recovery and defense so powerful few spells could harm him. Lord Voldemort's pursuit of immortality paled in comparison to what Mythical Life offered. Thinking of it, Charles felt a thrill of anticipation.
Yet, he quickly calmed himself. "From Legendary to Mythical, it seems like a single step, but the path is at least ten times longer than the journey from Bronze to Legendary. Gathering other puzzle pieces, or even raising Blood Production to Legendary Level—it could take forever. I'll take it one step at a time."
Charles's eyes returned to the system panel, where a new line of text slowly formed: Bloodline Purification. Compared to the rapid growth of Blood Production, this ability advanced at a snail's pace. Its faint bronze luster gradually intensified but never fully reached Bronze Level, leaving only a few specks of bronze. Still, Charles felt hope.
This ability had the potential to slightly increase his talent. His Magic Intensity and Magic Perception had already exceeded the natural limits of his original talent, making further improvements exceedingly difficult. The effect of reward orbs would soon diminish. An orb that once offered significant growth might soon require five or ten, or even twenty or thirty, just to achieve the same effect.
If Bloodline Purification could raise his talent cap, it could mitigate these diminishing returns, saving Charles considerable resources. He closed his eyes and focused on his body. Unlike descriptions in novels from his previous life, where purifying one's bloodline brought noticeable sensations, Charles felt nothing. Only after casting familiar Charms a dozen times did he sense a subtle improvement.
"Perhaps my Magic Perception has improved a tiny bit?" he mused with a wry smile. But in reality, the effect was negligible. Improving talent through Bloodline Purification alone wouldn't yield dramatic results—at least not until the ability reached Silver or Gold Level.
Charles wasn't discouraged. Patience was key.
Then, a sudden itch in his throat made him cough. Strange, he thought. Since gaining Legendary Life, he hadn't felt tired, let alone needed to cough. The next cough brought a surprise: sparks flew from his mouth.
Charles's eyes widened. Could it be? The effects of harvesting the blood emerald were nearing completion. Two more abilities were forming on the system panel: Dragon Fire and Poison.
The Dragon Fire ability, though Bronze Level, grew rapidly. As it did, the itch in Charles's throat intensified. Coughs became stronger, spewing increasingly dense sparks. Finally, a violent sneeze expelled a thin ball of orange-red flame from his mouth, radiating heat like a young dragon's breath.
Charles stared in awe. Dragon Fire allowed him to breathe flames like a dragon! Unlike magic, it required no wand or Charms, making it a perfect surprise attack. A well-timed use could easily catch enemies off guard—even actual dragons might be perplexed. His mood brightened immediately. Dragon Fire was an unexpected boon.
Next, Charles examined Poison. Reaching the threshold between Bronze and Silver, he hoped for a versatile ability—perhaps to poison enemies through contact or make his Charms toxic. However, the reality disappointed him.
"I can control the intensity and onset of Poison at will," he said, frowning. "But for now, it only exists in my blood."
Unless an enemy drank his blood, the ability was useless. Vampires aside, who would be foolish enough to do so? Charles shook his head in disappointment but stored the ability for future use.
Outside the Little Greenhouse, Quirrell's figure approached. Instantly, Lord Voldemort's voice rang in Quirrell's mind, dripping with greed.
"Quirrell," Voldemort said, voice ravenous. "Inside there, Charles's scent… so fragrant. His blood is more valuable than a unicorn's! Find every possible way to acquire it!"
Charles, oblivious to the looming threat, marveled at his new powers. Gold-level Blood Production surged within him, Legendary abilities glimmered with renewed vigor, and Dragon Fire promised devastating potential. Bloodline Purification and Poison hinted at future growth. Step by step, Charles's path to Mythical Abilities was beginning to take shape.
The journey from Legendary to Mythical was daunting, but each new ability, each spark of growth, reinforced a singular truth: Charles was no longer bound by limits. He was a force that would redefine strength, life, and magic itself.
And outside, the world's most dangerous wizard now hungered for a single, irreplaceable ingredient: Charles's blood.
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