Erwin opened his personal panel.
[Name: Erwin Cavendish]
[Age: 11 years]
[Identity: Current head of House Cavendish, current Hogwarts first-year]
[Talents:]
[Transfiguration: 3/10]
[Common Spellcasting: 6/10]
[Talent in the Dark Arts: 9/10]
[Potions: 6/10]
[Ancient Magic: ?/10 (Unlocked; requires special means to access)]
[Pets: None]
[Special Skill Cards: Magic Reserves (Gold), Magical Creature Affinity (Gold)]
[Spell Mastery: Summoning Charm (Accio) (Level 1), Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa) (Level 1), Shield Charm (Protego) (Level 1), Patronus Charm (Expecto Patronum) (Level 1), Occlumency (Level 1), Piertotum Locomotor (Level 1), Killing Curse (Level 1), Imperius Curse (Imperio) (Level 1), Cruciatus Curse (Level 1)]
[Magic Proficiency: 5100]
[Items: 3 large slices of meat, 2x Magic-Boosting Potions (cheaper version), 1x Grindelwald's Puppet, 1x Ever-Changing Suit, 1x Mysterious Egg, 1x Acacia Wood Wand]
[Wizarding Acclaim: 600]
Erwin nodded in satisfaction. This lottery draw had given him a solid start in the wizarding world.
A thought crossed his mind. "System, can I build this magic proficiency through my own training?"
The inner voice replied: [Yes, you can gain proficiency through personal practice. The System is just a shortcut—it can't replace your efforts]
Erwin nodded. In that case, he didn't need to burn through the system's points just yet. He could hone his skills naturally first.
He tossed the book aside with a scoff. Why bother with textbooks when you have a system like this? Let the professors underestimate him if they wanted.
With a flick of his wrist, his wand slipped into his hand. Clearing his throat, Erwin felt a thrill—this was his first real spell. He recalled the Levitation Charm's incantation and motion: a swish and flick.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Nothing. The air remained still.
His face darkened. A failure on the first try? He was the protagonist here, for Merlin's sake.
Unwilling to accept it, Erwin straightened up, assuming a more focused stance. Maybe his casual attitude had thrown it off.
He tried again.
...
Half an hour later,
Erwin's expression was thunderous, a faint aura of frustration radiating from him. He'd cast the spell over fifty times, draining every drop of magical energy in his reserves. Success rate? Barely half.
He slumped, forced to admit his everyday spellcasting talent wasn't anything special.
Just then, birdsong pierced the window, chirping relentlessly. It grated on his already frayed nerves.
Instinctively, Erwin swung his wand. "Avada Kedavra!"
A jet of green light erupted from the tip. It struck a bird mid-flight, and the creature plummeted, lifeless, to the sill. It wouldn't wake again.
Erwin froze, piecing it together. The system's talent assessment was spot-on. He had a knack for the Dark Arts.
But a nagging doubt surfaced. "System, is there a Trace on my wand?"
[There was initially, but as your System, it's my duty to eliminate risks. The Trace has been removed]
Reassured, Erwin could experiment freely. "Tom!"
A knock sounded, and the old butler entered. "Yes, young master?"
Tom had been stationed outside, ready for any call—like now.
"Where are those two scouts we captured last time?" Erwin asked.
Tom blinked at the sudden question but replied promptly. "Rivers has them locked up, sir. You said we might need them later, so we kept them alive."
"Have Rivers bring them here. It's time."
Tom bowed. "Right away, young master." He hurried off.
Erwin wanted to test this dark talent properly—was it genuine aptitude, or beginner's luck?
Half an hour later, in a secluded clearing near the old manor, two captives knelt in the dirt, faces pale with dread. Rivers had dragged them there like sacks of flour.
Erwin and Tom approached, with Rivers falling in step. "Young master," Rivers said eagerly, eyes wide. He'd heard tales of magic from Tom and was itching for a glimpse.
The prisoners spotted Erwin and pleaded, "Young Master Cavendish, mercy! Please, don't kill us!"
Erwin ignored them, waving the others back except Rivers and Tom. He drew his wand, and curiosity lit their faces.
Rivers whispered, "Is he about to—"
Tom shushed him sharply. "Quiet, or you'll feel the spell yourself."
Rivers clamped his mouth shut.
Erwin leveled his wand at the first man. "Cruciatus Curse!"
A sickly green beam lanced out, striking the captive. Agonized screams filled the air as the man convulsed on the ground, sweat beading on his forehead, eyes bulging in terror.
Erwin pocketed his wand. The man lay twitching, broken.
He frowned, recalling the books: Unforgivable Curses demanded intense negative emotions—a burning hatred for Avada Kedavra, sadistic glee for Cruciatus. Yet he'd cast them effortlessly, almost absentmindedly.
Was this the perk of a nine-out-of-ten talent in the Dark Arts? It came as naturally as breathing.
Erwin sighed inwardly. He wasn't some villain; he was just... efficient. Glancing at the writhing prisoner, he couldn't deny the curses' raw power.
...
You've made it to Chapter 10— now you know why this story is a global superhit.
To keep your curiosity satisfied, I'm turning up the heat: I will be posting 5 chapters EVERY DAY to fuel your binge-reading. But I'm raising the stakes even further:
THE GOAL: Get us into the TOP 100 Powerstone Rankings.
THE REWARD: I'll drop a 10-CHAPTER MEGA-BOMB the moment we hit it!
THE KICKER: As long as we STAY in the Top 100, I'll keep dropping 10 Chapters EVERY DAY on top of our usual 5!
My promise: The updates never stop, and the quality never drops. In return, I need you to SMASH that Powerstone button! You keep us ranked; I keep the chapters flowing.
—MrGrim.