Chapter 578: Advancement
Chapter 578: Advancement (Request for Subscriptions, Favorites, and Votes)
In the following practice session, the Reading Club members showcased their recent training results through Magic's demonstrations. Liam felt that everyone present had made significant progress during this period, having grasped the true methods of combat. The only shortcoming was their lack of practical combat experience.
However, practical combat experience was something that couldn't be trained for at the moment, so Liam had to find other ways to help everyone.
Thus, in the remaining time, Liam and Hermione took turns conducting one-on-one Combat Practices with the Study Group members, hoping to make up for this deficiency as much as possible. Besides one-on-one Combat Practices, they also practiced small team coordination with two to three people, learning to cover each other and prevent enemies from attacking their allies' backs.
When the Curfew bell rang, the Reading Club members left the classroom in small groups, tired but excited. Liam and Hermione naturally stayed behind to tidy up. After everyone had left, Hermione asked, "I sense you're a bit anxious. Can you tell me what's been happening recently?"
"Based on my judgment, the intensity of the war is likely to increase significantly in the next few months. Last week, Lupin told me that the number of Southeast European wizards, particularly from Greece and Turkey, entering the country has greatly increased. A wizard responsible for border control told him that many of these wizards are Dark Wizards. On the other hand, the number of mysterious disappearances and attacks has decreased significantly compared to before."
"Isn't it because Rose Crystal and the others destroyed the Dementor, so they've retreated?" Hermione asked curiously.
"No", Liam shook his head. "Destroying the Dementor only curbed the Death Eaters' random attacks, but the attacks orchestrated by the Dark Lord won't decrease because of this. Do you think a Dark Wizard like the Dark Lord would consider the feelings and safety of his subordinates?"
"You mean that the Dark Lord's forces are growing stronger, but their activities are decreasing?" Hermione's expression showed deep thought. "You're right, that is indeed unusual. It seems they are indeed planning something big. They must be lying low to gather strength."
"Exactly", Liam nodded. The incident at the end of last year had already warned Liam that, according to the story's inertia and everyone's needs, many things were bound to happen. However, when these events occurred, they might not follow the original plot's trajectory.
For example, Malfoy was indeed working on repairing the Vanishing Cabinet, just like in the original story. However, this year, Professor Dumbledore was unharmed and wouldn't be going to the center of the Black Lake in the cave to drink the poison. In this situation, Liam believed that the attack described in the original story might manifest in a completely different way. Therefore, he had recently increased his surveillance of the Room of Requirement's entrance and the corridor leading to it, hoping to prevent any major mishaps.
The following days were peaceful, and Liam and Hermione continued to methodically improve their strength. One day, before dinner, while Liam was studying the application of runes in the Alchemy Lab, he suddenly felt the red light orb in his mind begin to pulse, slowly beating like a heart.
"Liam, what's wrong?" Hermione, who was brewing a potion nearby, noticed Liam's unease and asked.
"I think it's time for my breakthrough", Liam said with a smile after closing his eyes and quietly sensing his body's condition for a moment.
"That's fantastic." Hermione clenched her fists and waved them in front of her. "Let's start now."
"Sure." Liam nodded and walked with Hermione into the Multiverse General Store. As soon as they entered, Liam approached the Alchemical Array with four small spheres floating and rotating, representing Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. He felt an unprecedented sense of closeness to this Alchemical Array.
Liam immediately channeled his consciousness into the Alchemical Array and began to manipulate the energy above. Soon, the four small spheres started to pulse in sync with the rhythm of his heartbeat. Hermione, meanwhile, sat quietly on the side, sensing the changes in the power within this tiny dimension.
Over the next week, Liam dedicated himself entirely to mastering the energy of the Alchemical Array, aside from brief breaks for meals and hygiene in other worlds. In Hermione's perception, the resonance between Liam and the energy in front of him grew stronger with each passing day.
At the end of the week, the resonance between Liam and the Magic Array reached its peak, signaling that the most crucial step in the creation of the Rose Madonna was about to begin.
"The next step is the soul, preferably the soul of a deceased intelligent being", Liam thought to himself as he began to take out one gray sphere after another. Each sphere contained the souls of 10,000 intelligent beings on par with humans.
During the process of creating the Rose Madonna and sensing the rules, Liam did not need to remain silent all the time. In fact, he found that chatting with Hermione helped him maintain a positive mindset. So, after understanding what the gray spheres were through her perception, Hermione asked, "These souls—where do they come from?"
"All the souls here were connected to me in some way when they died", Liam said in a low, grave voice, half-joking. However, Hermione did not react as he expected; instead, she smiled at him, her eyes seeming to say, "Do you really think I don't know you?"
"Alright, let me explain", Liam said, laughing at his failed attempt to surprise her. He quickly sobered up and continued, "These souls primarily come from three worlds. The smallest portion comes from the Radiation World, from the Raiders and Mutants we cleared out. The second-largest group comes from the World of A Song of Ice and Fire, from the souls of Nomadic Tribes, Slave Owner Armies, and pirates killed in war. The largest group comes from the World of The Lord of the Rings, from the Goblins and Orcs of Mordor and the Misty Mountains. I spent a lot of effort purifying these souls."
"So, this is a million souls of intelligent beings?" Hermione asked, pointing to the gray spheres scattered around. "Does the Philosopher's Stone, or the Rose Madonna, really require that many souls?"
"Actually, the minimum is 300,000", Liam shrugged. "But using 300,000 carries a high risk. Both Teacher Luo Zhen and Nicolas Flamel likely used around 500,000 souls, all gathered during the Black Death that swept through Europe."
"So, you gathered a million souls without the moral guilt they might have felt", Hermione said.
"Exactly, it helps me maintain inner peace. But in a way, I might be more ruthless than they were, because all of these million souls' deaths are connected to me", Liam said softly, and Hermione noticed a hint of melancholy in his demeanor.
"I don't see it that way", Hermione said, wrapping her arms around Liam from behind. She spoke with firm resolve, "Because I know that if these evil beings hadn't died, many more innocent lives would have been lost."
"Thank you!" Liam turned and held Hermione's hands, then gently kissed her. After they parted, he looked into her eyes and said, "Just now, the fluctuations in magic power amplified my mental state, and I was in a dangerous condition a few minutes ago. Thank you for bringing me back. Now I can proceed with the most critical step."
(End of Chapter)
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