Drip. Drip.
Blood slid down the severed snake tail in Ethan's hand, splashing onto the massive, ancient tome that had drifted out from his robes.
Like parched roots soaking up water, the blood hit the delicate, soft leather of the cover and vanished almost instantly. The surface seemed to stretch and smooth out, gaining a youthful luster as if the book were a woman undergoing a sudden rejuvenation.
--- Dark creatures saturated with dense magic provided the finest nourishment.
Then, the transformation truly began.
Flip-flip-flip!
The pages began to turn of their own accord, windless and frantic. Ethan's gaze was pulled toward it instinctively, his eyes tracking the motion like a cat watching an automatic feeder. He stared without blinking, his breath held in sharp anticipation.
Finally, the frantic rustling slowed. The blood had smoothed out the once-clotted, wrinkled parchment, stopping on a brand-new page.
Dense, twisted script—looking as though it had been etched by frantic claws—met Ethan's eyes. As he looked, the words translated themselves into concepts he could understand:
[ Ritual: Domain of the Map ]
[ Using the power of flame and tempering, forge a piece of land entirely into "My Domain," transforming it into an unshakable, absolute fortress. ]
[ ■■ (Obscured by brown stains), when the floods that covered the world descended, a fisherman successfully performed the ritual by chance, creating an Ark to shelter life. ]
[ ■■ (Torn away), people created a tower reaching toward the firmament, attempting to communicate with God. ]
[ ...In the end, they all perished. ]
[ For this is an act that defies fate and usurps the divine authority of "Creation." It is an act of ultimate sacrilege. ]
[ The ritual is as follows: ]
What followed were dozens of pages of incredibly complex incantations.
Even with the blessing of his Erudition skill, Ethan felt his vision blur and a dull throb pulse behind his temples.
"No wonder certain feats in the past were called 'miracles,'" Ethan muttered, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Based on the probability of success, this is effectively zero."
But he was different. He possessed the complete ritual process; he knew every single condition required. He could actively construct this miracle.
"The Domain of the Map... it can massively reinforce a specific territory and turn it into one's own domain. Isn't this perfectly suited for the current Hogwarts?"
Ethan's eyes lit up. He glanced at the snake tail in his hand, now shriveled and drained of blood. He didn't toss it away, instead tucking it back into his robes. It was still a rare magical ingredient, after all. Waste was a sin.
Ethan carefully finished reading the ritual and summarized the requirements:
The Core: A high-level material imbued with Light and Fire elements to act as the heart of the entire ritual.
The Foundation: A sturdy location capable of containing the massive incantations. The spells had to be inscribed across the entire territory—in this case, within the walls of Hogwarts Castle.
"Condition one is already handled," Ethan murmured. With a wave of his hand, a floating shrine manifested in the air.
Clang!
The moment it appeared, a searing, warm light instantly illuminated the gloomy darkness. It was the ultra-high-grade material dropped by the Grim Reaper earlier—the [Remnant Spark]!
It lay quietly within the shrine like a miniature sun. It contained a power so immense that even the death-permeated "Veil" could not erode it. It was the perfect core for the ritual.
"And the second condition, a place to engrave the spells... Hogwarts is huge; there's bound to be a suitable spot."
The first two conditions were manageable. The crux, however, lay in the third.
"...A powerful sacrifice is required—one who offers themselves actively and willingly to act as the kindling to ignite the fire."
Ethan's eyes darkened, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the floor.
This was different from when he opened the "Spider's Gate." While that also required a "voluntary sacrifice," the bloodthirsty Gate wasn't particularly picky about the semantics of "voluntary"—a little brainwashing usually did the trick.
But this ritual was different. Because all the keywords involved were essentially "positive" or "holy" in nature, the sacrifice had to be a truly devout believer.
"I can't afford to gamble on this. If the sacrifice isn't pure, the entire ritual will fail."
"The Domain of the Map is crucial. Combined with the Gringotts goblins' blueprints, once successful, Hogwarts will become an indestructible fortress—a sanctuary even against the Reaper himself. I won't have to worry about anything."
"To collect the rest of the Reaper's remains, I'll eventually have to leave the country... It wouldn't do to have my home base stolen while I'm away."
Just then, a voice hissed in his ear, dripping with temptation.
[ Don't you already know the best candidate? ]
[ That man who is supposed to die anyway... the one who trusts you implicitly... ]
Ethan's cobalt-blue eyes grew misty. Along with the voice, an image naturally surfaced in his mind: a figure with flowing white hair and a long beard.
Albus Dumbledore.
[ Yes... you have already given him so much. Now, it is time to collect the payment. ]
[ Besides, what does he have left to live for? A poor old man who destroyed everything he ever cherished with his own hands. ]
[ You gave him a beautiful dream; let him become the roaring kindling amidst that happiness, transformed into your power... ]
[ Go... go and ignite his final value. You know he will agree gladly— ]
THUD!
Ethan slammed the Necronomicon shut.
As the heavy pages snapped together, he thought he heard a faint, frustrated shriek from within the binding.
"Can't let my guard down for a second, can I?" Ethan scratched his head. "I was this close to being swayed."
He wasn't looking for ultimate, lonely power. He was just an "art student" who occasionally ran into trouble while painting his masterpieces.
If he sacrificed Dumbledore, there would be one less person in the world capable of appreciating his "exquisite art"!
"Sigh. When I think about it that way, I really am a worldly person. I need an audience. I can't just admire myself in isolation."
Ethan sighed deeply, feeling as though he were terribly mundane.
"But who to sacrifice? Truly a difficult problem..."
Many were willing to offer themselves to him, but Ethan saw himself as a guiding lamp, an explorer—not a blazing forge that consumed its own. On the path of the Lamp, there was no need to treat others like scrap metal to be melted down.
"Forget it. If it comes down to it, I just won't perform the ritual," Ethan said, shaking his head. "At worst, I'll just paint a few more Portrait Sentinels."
"Even if they aren't as effective as the Domain of the Map..."
It was a pity, but Ethan knew that if he compromised his principles too easily, his "brushstrokes" would lose their soul. Besides, if he didn't have a problem with haphazard sacrificing, Hogwarts would have been leveled long ago.
[ By reading the ritual literature, you have learned Ancient Magic: Chant of Shaping ]
[ Chant of Shaping: When the hammer falls, you may bestow a brand-new attribute upon any object. ]
[ Note: After several uses, a cooldown period is required. Otherwise, the high temperatures will melt the user's arm. ]
--- An upgrade spell!
Ethan immediately gave it a much simpler, more direct name in his head.
In an instant, a flash of inspiration struck him. He blurted out in excitement, "The wardrobe! I can use this magic to upgrade the Universe in the Wardrobe!"
If he could give the sealed wardrobe a new attribute, perhaps he could make it functional even in cramped spaces. That would ensure that the next time he encountered the Naga, she wouldn't escape!
No sooner said than done.
Ethan abruptly withdrew from his "Moony" persona's headspace and returned to the group waiting for him.
"Well?" Gemma Farley asked nervously. "Did you catch her—?"
Before she could finish, a flash of silver light erupted.
Shing!
The massive, silver-white heavy hammer appeared in Ethan's grip!
With blood splattered across his face and a grin so wide it nearly reached his ears, Ethan hoisted the hammer high above his head.
The group: "?!!"
Oh no! Ethan's 'Khorne' persona is taking over!!
Humanity! Whatever little bit of human Ethan is left, don't lose now!!
In the next second, amidst a chorus of terrified gasps, Ethan brought the heavy hammer crashing down!
KLANG!
[ You have used Chant of Shaping. "Universe in the Wardrobe" has been bestowed with a new attribute. ]
[ "Access" ]
Immediately following the prompt:
Whoosh—
A swirl of iridescent colors, carrying a terrifying aura, drifted out from the wardrobe!
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