"It is not entirely impossible!"
As he pondered the matter carefully, Dumbledore's eyes brightened with a scholarly spark. Under normal circumstances, an Animagus could only transform into ordinary creatures; it was impossible to become a magical beast.
This was because magical creatures possessed inherent magic and various unique racial magical talents within their bloodlines.
Such traits would inevitably clash with a wizard's own magical essence, leading to a catastrophic failure of the transformation that could result in the wizard permanently losing their humanity—the tragedy of a Maledictus was often a shadow of what happened when magical bloodlines collided.
However, little Goku was an outlier. The Great Ape he transformed into was fundamentally an expression of his own Saiyan biology; there was no external magical conflict because the potential lived within his own marrow. Furthermore, according to Goku, the transformation was triggered by the combination of his tail and the radiation of a full moon.
Many of the prerequisites for becoming an Animagus were deeply intertwined with the lunar cycle, as the ritual relied on harnessing the moon's power.
For instance, keeping the Mandrake leaf in one's mouth began at the full moon and ended at the next. After the leaf was removed, it had to be placed in a crystal phial filled with the caster's saliva to absorb pure moonlight.
Thus, this process would essentially be a transition: moving away from a biological transformation triggered by the tail and toward a controlled, magical transformation governed by the Animagus ritual.
One of the primary requirements for a successful Animagus transformation was the ability to suppress the animalistic nature while maintaining human consciousness.
If Goku could succeed using this method, he truly might be able to retain his rationality. Of course, while it sounded simple in theory, the actual execution carried significant risks. But Dumbledore felt confident; he was, after all, the greatest Transfiguration master in the world.
He could modify the Animagus ritual specifically for Goku's unique physiology, minimizing the danger to the greatest possible extent. If Goku could master the Great Ape form and increase his strength tenfold, Dumbledore would no longer have to worry about the boy's safety while searching for the Dragon Balls.
After finishing the afternoon session on the theoretical foundations of Transfiguration and having dinner, Dumbledore brought Goku back to Hagrid's hut once more. This time, however, it wasn't for physical conditioning, but for combat training.
As for the opponent, it certainly wasn't going to be Dumbledore himself. The Headmaster knew that dueling Goku provided little benefit to the boy's ki training; Dumbledore couldn't engage in a fist-to-flesh brawl and would instead rely on long-range magical output.
The arena for Goku's combat training was the entirety of the Forbidden Forest, and his opponents were the myriad magical creatures that called it home.
"Goku, you are very strong, but many magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest possess their own unique abilities. Do not be careless," Dumbledore cautioned seriously before they entered the tree line. Many dangerous creatures possessed specialized magical talents alongside their powerful physiques.
Moreover, their magic was often cast instinctively and instantaneously, with a raw power far exceeding that of an average wizard. In fact, many spells used by wizards today were originally created by observing and researching the innate magic of these creatures.
"Goku, some of them might be a bit fierce, but they aren't truly evil at heart. So, if possible, please try not to kill them," Hagrid requested, his voice full of concern for his "little friends."
Goku patted his chest confidently. "Don't worry, I ate my fill at dinner!" To him, unless he was hungry, he wouldn't hunt animals for no reason. He was entering the forest to temper himself by sparring with powerful creatures, and sparring naturally required a sense of proportion.
"Take this. In about two hours, channel your ki into it, and you will be brought back here," Dumbledore said, handing Goku a ball of yarn. It was a Portkey he had fashioned moments ago, set to trigger at the doorstep of Hagrid's hut. No matter how deep into the forest Goku traveled, activating the Portkey would bring him back instantly.
"I'm going in!" Goku took the yarn ball, and with a flash of movement, he charged into the dark depths of the Forbidden Forest.
Once Goku's figure had completely vanished into the gloom, Dumbledore turned to Hagrid. "Hagrid, I would like you to learn ki magic from little Goku. Are you willing?"
"Professor, I'll do whatever you say," Hagrid nodded without a moment's hesitation. He had no personal interest in fighting or ki magic; his heart belonged to magical creatures.
However, if Dumbledore asked him to do something, he would do it faithfully. If Dumbledore, then the Transfiguration professor, hadn't stood up for him years ago, he would have been framed as the Heir of Slytherin and rotted in Azkaban.
Deep within the Forbidden Forest, Goku leaped through the dense canopy, searching for a suitable training partner. As he ventured further, he quickly found a group of ideal targets.
They were a colony of massive spiders—the smallest the size of a human child, and the largest comparable to an elephant. They possessed eight knife-like legs and four cold, compound eyes. They had just caught a herd of elk and were busy wrapping the carcasses in silk cocoons to hang from the thick branches.
Upon spotting Goku, they immediately emitted sharp "hissing" sounds—the unique language of their species. Miraculously, as these sounds reached Goku's ears, he found he could understand their conversation.
"Who is this? Is it a human?"
"Definitely a human. Looks like we're in luck tonight!"
"I've heard human flesh is the most delicious. Too bad Father won't let us eat Hagrid when he visits."
"It's fine. Father only said we can't eat Hagrid; other humans don't matter."
"Then what are we waiting for?"
A swarm of Acromantulas lunged toward Goku, radiating murderous intent. The largest of the group, leading the charge, was also the fastest. It reached Goku without hesitation, raising a razor-sharp leg to skewer him.
It intended to pin the boy like a bug and toss him directly into its waiting mandibles. An insignificant human child like this wasn't even enough to share among so many siblings—first come, first served.
Unfortunately, its leg only pierced through a blurred afterimage. The real Goku had already leaped above it, delivering a powerful descending kick that slammed into the creature's back.
"Hiss!"
The giant spider felt an irresistible, titanic force crash down upon its spine. Its massive body was driven helplessly into the dirt, its eight legs splayed out in every direction. It tried to stand, but found its legs had turned to jelly; it couldn't lift its own weight.
"Do you guys want to fight? I love fighting!"
Having dropped the foremost Acromantula, Goku excitedly dove into the oncoming swarm. For a moment, the air was filled with flying giant spiders. In the wizarding world, an Acromantula is classified as an XXXXX-level beast, a threat level equal to that of a dragon.
They possess immense size, terrifying speed, and formidable strength, complemented by the ability to spray webs and lethal venom. Their venom is so potent it is used to brew the deadliest of potions; on the black market, a single pint can fetch a hundred Galleons.
While an individual spider might not match a dragon's raw power, they are social hunters, making a colony far more dangerous than a lone dragon.
But against Goku, their numbers meant nothing. He moved like a whirlwind, his fists and feet striking with the force of cannonballs, sending the monstrous arachnids tumbling through the undergrowth in a chorus of confused chattering and broken silk.
***
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