Chapter 239: Advancing to Painting Level Three! Judgment Materials Obtained!
Settling his mind, Ethan redirected his gaze back to the withered branch in his hand.
[The Setting Sun's Remnant]
[Its exterior appears as a blackened, desiccated piece of wood, with nothing extraordinary about it whatsoever.]
[But if its missing solar core can be filled, perhaps its true power can be awakened.]
A missing solar core, Ethan thought. He lowered his head, gazing at the sun rune in his own palm. Tentatively, he pressed it against the flickering red-light withered branch.
I wonder if this ancient magic text, refined through countless temperings, can become the core to awaken this remnant sun?
Immediately following, an incredible scene unfolded.
A dazzling golden light erupted from his palm. Like the sun rising in response to a summons, it illuminated the entire darkened chamber as bright as daytime. Even Luna, immersed in her book, lifted her head to look at Ethan with surprise and fascination, her eyes widening slightly.
She watched as the golden stream of magical power flowed from Ethan's palm into the withered branch, seeping within it and nourishing its hollow interior. It transformed into delicate, golden filaments, resembling a spider's web, and formed the symbol of a sun upon its surface.
At the same time, the scorching heat that had inhabited his palm these past days also vanished completely, becoming refreshingly cool like never before.
[You have successfully filled the missing solar core and awakened the Remnant Sun!]
[Now renamed to: Momentary Sunrise]
[You can use it to deliver a lethal strike to any non-divine being]
[After one use, it will dissipate, but residual fragments may remain]
Ethan couldn't help but feel his breathing catch. He stared in shock at the withered branch lying quietly on the ground, wrapped in golden light. Though its exterior hadn't changed much, it now radiated an entirely different aura of majesty.
"Can kill any living thing except the gods," Ethan murmured distractedly. He bent down and picked up the withered branch, feeling an incomparable power flow from his hand throughout his entire body. As if, simply by possessing it, he could possess the entire world.
Ethan said quietly, "No wonder That One Without a Nose was so obsessed with his old wand. There's certainly some merit to it."
Like a greedy wolf, Ethan's eyes gleamed brilliantly. He knew now how to kill the guardian at the Gate of Advancement.
Christmas vacation. Secret location, before the Gate of Advancement.
BOOM!
Like a mountain collapsing, a gigantic head plummeted from the sky. The spraying blood stained the river within the painting crimson. An enormous antler, thick enough for a ship to pass through, fractured and crashed to the ground, making the earth tremble.
[Impossible. How could a mere mortal possess the power of a high-level divine?]
The Gate's guardian, Gribble, from its fallen head, was filled with shock and disbelief. Its pupils were round and dilated, staring blankly at the black-haired human standing before it, its gaze fixed on that withered branch radiating golden brilliance in Ethan's hand. From it, a searing aura emanated that made its soul tremble—a high-level existence it couldn't match. Merely a single swing had severed its head.
[Human, how did you obtain it? This is impossible.]
The guardian rasped, torrents of blood flowing from its mouth.
"All thanks to my own efforts and hard work," Ethan replied.
Gribble: [...]
I don't believe you, you devious human.
Perhaps earlier, a single roar from it could have shaken Ethan's spirit. But now it could no longer block his advance.
[Congratulations! You have successfully defeated the guardian]
[The Gate of Advancement · Gate of the Stag has opened!!]
RUMBLE!
The Gate of Advancement, large enough to accommodate an entire building, sprayed with the guardian's fresh blood, slowly opened. What entered Ethan's vision was a torrent of brilliant, golden light, illuminating the cold, lifeless land as if it were coated with gold leaf and wrapping Ethan within it.
Ethan opened his eyes wide, feeling a tremor of shock within his heart. By this point, he was utterly exhausted. Merely swinging that withered branch once had completely drained every cell in his body of its magical power. Each breath was unbearably painful. However, when bathed in that splendid golden light, all fatigue seemed to vanish.
Ethan couldn't help but take steps forward, walking one by one into the opening gateway. Behind him, he left a trail of blood-red footprints. The moment he crossed the threshold, Ethan felt his mind go completely blank. Not until two seconds later did he feel the overwhelming pain.
It hurts so much!
Ethan clenched his teeth hard, veins bulging on his neck. Within his body, every bone seemed to be shattered and then restructured, bringing unbearable agony. Yet Ethan was even more thrilled because he genuinely felt his body gradually transcending the mortal realm.
[You have, as a mortal, crossed the Gate of the Stag]
[Your body and soul will be reshaped in the radiance]
[Mortal → Initiated One]
[An Initiated One is an existence that has glimpsed the world's secrets. You no longer remain grounded—you have drawn one step closer to the heights]
[Painting Skill Advancement Condition Achieved!]
[Boundless Imagination Lv2 → Obsessed Imagination Lv3]
In an instant, countless phantom figures flashed before Ethan's eyes. There was the adult Henry Weasley from the past—Ethan saw him grown up, carefully cradling a pure white flower in his armor-clad hands. There was Miss Eve Black, lying in a gently falling bed, sleeping without waking. If not for her chest rising and falling, she'd look like a beautiful corpse. And many others—people Ethan knew, didn't know, or even those who didn't quite look human.
Suddenly, Ethan's pupils contracted. Among these rapidly passing phantom figures, he saw a red-haired, green-eyed girl. From birth to death, screaming in green light.
[You obtained inspiration: Lily—A Moment of History]
[Obsessed Imagination Lv3: With suitable materials and inspiration, you can construct scenes indistinguishable from reality—including the life forms within them]
[By your hand, giving them life]
"ROOOOOARRR!"
Behind him, the gigantic head of the downed guardian on the ground emitted a sound like a battering ram—low, profound, and filled with despair. It gazed longingly at Ethan's receding figure, looking up at that splendid golden light pouring from within the gate. Tears of melted copper streamed from its eyes, streaming down its face and scorching the ground.
Then it watched in disbelief as the broken antler that had fallen from it flew into Ethan's embrace.
Guardian: ???
Wait, does it have automatic pickup?
[Congratulations!]
[As a mortal, you have accomplished what was nearly impossible!]
[You obtained: Broken Horn of Guardian Gribble, Fresh Blood, and Soul Fragments]
[All are rare, extraordinary materials, containing the furious essence of judgment]
Judgment elements? Ethan's eyes flickered. Immediately, he thought of his "good brother"—Pettigrew!