Chapter 238: Revealing Hidden History! New Skill: Spiritual Vision Lv1
"Ahhhhhhhh!!"
In the commotion, Luna tilted her head and smiled at Ethan. "Shall we go back?"
"Yes," Ethan nodded, not bothering with the first year's tactlessness. He was eager to return and examine what that withered branch truly was.
"Portal."
A black door materialized beneath their feet. Before everyone's eyes, the two figures vanished in a flash.
"Ethan truly is unmovable as a mountain, swift as thunder," a student murmured in amazement. Their figure became desolate in the cold wind.
Hermione pressed her lips together, staring fixedly in the direction where Ethan disappeared, as if facing an unsolvable problem.
Ginny glanced at Hermione and raised her hand, gently patting her shoulder in comfort.
Ron shook his head, watching this, thinking of his dear pet that Ethan had taken away. You're my best pet—you'll never betray me! Ethan, give my treasure back to me!
Elsewhere, Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map, wanting to see what everyone was doing. However, when his gaze touched upon a particular name on the map, Harry's breathing stopped.
Sirius Black.
He was rapidly running toward him.
Harry jerked his head up, gazing vigilantly toward the direction of Sirius's name on the map. But what entered his vision was the "Spotted Dog" running toward him. His best, most loyal animal friend.
What?
Harry froze. Perhaps seeing the Marauder's Map in his hand, the spotted dog halfway through its run suddenly slammed on the brakes. On that fluffy face, a humanized expression of panic appeared. Then it turned and ran.
"Harry?" Hearing Ron's voice, Harry snapped back to attention. He quickly looked at the map. But the name "Sirius Black" had already disappeared from it.
Maybe the map just malfunctioned. In any case, the fugitive couldn't possibly be a dog, Harry thought this way. But in his heart, an unavoidable doubt lingered, difficult to set aside.
I remember that this 'Spotted Dog' was borrowed from Hagrid by Ethan.
Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets.
Compared to when it initially swirled with eerie green mist and echoed with the basilisk's slithering, now the chamber was even more sinister.
At the manhole-like entrance, a magnified skeleton was now installed. Like an embrace, its ribcage surrounded the doorway, its massive skull hanging down and using those pitch-black, hollow eye sockets to observe every person who entered. Guaranteed to give them a feeling of being welcomed as a guest.
The four walls were covered entirely with eerie paintings. "Night Curtain" with countless eyes growing from the darkness, "Landscape of the Horizon" with endless blood-red surging at the end, and also a portrait of a pale-haired, pale-blue-skinned young girl. Sometimes, one could feel a chilling coldness emanating from that painting.
Headless, gray-white sculptures stood in the four corners, with plaques attached that read: "Please don't stare for prolonged periods—they get shy."
Beyond this lay numerous artworks, all gradually purchased by Ethan.
"Once the eyeball grapes mature, we can consider holding a public exhibition," Ethan stroked the unripe grapes, muttering affectionately. This was an experimental variety he and Neville cultivated together. From his fingertips, he could feel the crystalline lens rotating beneath the skin.
With these luminous artworks present, the chamber's surroundings were completely silent. Even the tiny crawling insects had urgently moved out, terrified that one day they'd find themselves painted into one of those paintings by that scary two-legged creature.
In the center of the chamber, several comfortable, soft sofas and side tables were arranged.
"Thank you," Luna accepted the hot milk poured from a skull-shaped hand on the side table. She expressed dissatisfaction that Ethan hadn't brought her on the adventure.
"I hope you'll grow a bit more and become stronger first," Ethan said.
Luna glared, puffing her cheeks. "I can take care of myself! If I miss these fun adventures, there won't be another chance!"
"Next time for sure," Ethan smiled, ruffling Luna's fluffy hair.
This foolproof soothing method failed today.
Slap. Luna picked up a book and gently smacked Ethan's hand. She hummed softly, stuck her tongue out at Ethan, and made a silly face. "Anyway, next time I'll definitely cling to you so tightly you can't shake me off!"
"Haha, then I look forward to it," Ethan laughed.
After quieting down, Ethan eagerly retrieved that withered branch and began examining it. This time, the information didn't display immediately.
[Conducting historical authentication...]
[Scholarship level three, authentication passed]
[You will unveil more hidden history]
There were actually conditional restrictions! Ethan's brows raised. If not for his diligent studying habits and the precious Felix Felicis knowledge Professor Snape had taught him, he truly wouldn't have passed authentication. Now, Ethan's interest intensified further.
[Name: Remnant of the Arrogant Sun]
[One of three fragments from approximately four hundred years ago, shattered during a war known as "The Battle of Overturned Stone," left by the high-level existence "The Arrogant Sun"]
[The Setting Sun's Remnant]
[You have gained knowledge of one layer of hidden history]
[A lamp ignites within your skull]
[You have obtained: Spiritual Vision Lv1]
[Shh—close your eyes, and you shall glimpse the world's truth. Whether you wish to or not.]
When the text appeared, Ethan's eyes suddenly brightened. As if cleansed by a spiritual spring, washing away the impurities and barriers humans are born with, becoming crystal clear.
Ethan closed his eyes. He opened his "inner eyelids."
And saw a completely new world. Like clustering fireflies, white light points gathered together, dancing and lingering around his hands and body, seeming to feed on his thoughts.
Ethan turned his head to look. He saw a blurry human silhouette. Within it swirled a pale blue radiance, white flying insects clustering even more densely around the figure's head.
Until a voice sounded: "Ethan, you finally see it."
Ethan opened his eyes, meeting Luna's smiling blue gaze.
"Yes, I see it," Ethan smiled. For the first time, he felt like he was catching up to others.
"Those are Chattering Spirits," Luna said lightly, speaking as if it were the most ordinary thing. "When people think, they attach themselves even more intensely, flying into people's brains and muddling their thoughts."
Luna leaned close to Ethan, speaking in a mysterious tone. "The strange thing is, Slytherin's Crabbe and Goyle never have them swarming their heads. I'm currently investigating."
"Haha," Ethan couldn't help but chuckle, matching her lowered tone. "They must be up to something strange."
After all, heads emptier than that were quite rare. Ethan expressed disdain internally.
Having gained this new perspective, Ethan played with it endlessly out of curiosity. He tried looking upward. From the endless sky, he faintly saw swirling mist. However, he couldn't see clearly.
Perhaps once the Spiritual Vision skill levels up, I'll be able to see more, Ethan thought to himself. Recalling when he used the silver key, those bursts of eye-bubble phenomena definitely were not creatures of this world. And that attendant bringing chilling winter—the "Girl in the Mirror."
"It seems this world still holds many secrets, many things I don't know," Ethan took a deep breath. His eyes blazed with a light of knowledge-seeking desire.