Chapter 580: The Door
Chapter 580: The Door (Please subscribe, favorite, and vote)
"You're awake." Hermione said with a tone of pleasant surprise when she saw Liam open his eyes. Her eyes were slightly unfocused, as if she had just emerged from a peculiar state of stupor. "You were there for a whole hundred days without moving, and your Life's aura was erratic. If I hadn't been able to feel that you were still alive through our connection, I would have gone mad."
"Sorry, for making you worry." Liam stepped forward and hugged Hermione tightly. "I'm back, and I've succeeded."
"You mean you can now match Dumbledore and the Dark Lord in power?" Hermione asked curiously.
"In terms of power level, yes. I can now face them head-on, but I still can't defeat them due to my lack of experience." Liam thought for a moment and then added, somewhat regretfully, "It's inevitable. Using the Multiverse General Store, which connects the Multiverse, as my anchor point allows me to fully leverage my strength across different worlds. However, in each specific world, I'm still slightly inferior to those who are favored by the rules of that world."
"You can't be serious. The Dark Lord is favored by the world? He's killed so many people and done so many evil deeds. How can he be favored by the world?" Hermione's eyes widened in disbelief.
"He is indeed favored by the world", Liam corrected her. "To the entire world, what we humans do is too insignificant. The Dark Lord's killings and evil actions have caused us great harm, but they are not significant enough to draw the attention of the World Will. It's like we wouldn't pay attention to a war between two ant colonies in our yard."
"That sounds terrible. Let's not talk about this anymore." Hermione felt the conversation becoming too heavy and changed the subject. "By the way, do you feel any different now?"
"Let me sense it." Liam closed his eyes and focused, beginning to feel the door in his mind. He had been curious earlier about why the symbol that appeared when he mastered the rules was a door. Upon inspection, he found that the door was not empty or covered in countless runes. Instead, it was adorned with a pattern that covered its entire surface.
The pattern consisted of ten circles, connected by twenty-two lines. As Liam mentally traced these circles, he felt the meanings they represented being conveyed to him.
"Crown, Wisdom, Understanding, Mercy, Severity, Beauty, Victory, Glory, Foundation, Kingdom. This is the Tree of Life!" Liam recognized the meaning of the pattern on the door. "When Teacher Luo Zhen mastered the rules, the symbol that appeared in his mind was the Rose Madonna. In my case, it's a door, which might be due to my choice of the Multiverse General Store as my anchor point, connecting the various worlds."
After a thorough examination, Liam realized that the door had brought him a comprehensive enhancement. It was almost as if he had ascended to a higher level of Life. At least, a quick check revealed that his body was now more perfect, his understanding of all Magic had deepened, and he could now perform Alchemy without the need for an Alchemical Array. Additionally, he could feel other positive changes in himself, though it would take time to fully grasp them.
"In any case, now I finally have the confidence to act for our goal in the coming war", Liam said happily to Hermione. He then reached out and removed the Rose Madonna from the Alchemical Array.
"This is the best news I've heard in a long time. By the way, what's the difference between this gem and the Philosopher's Stone we protected in our first year?" Hermione looked curiously at the pink gem in Liam's hand. "You've always called it the Rose Madonna. Even though it looks similar, there must be a significant difference, right?"
"To be honest, it doesn't differ much from the Philosopher's Stone created by Nicolas Flamel in many aspects. For example, both can produce the Elixir of Life and can turn base metals into precious metals. I think the only difference for the vast majority of people is the method of use. If you use the Philosopher's Stone method to use the Rose Madonna, then the Rose Madonna is no different from a cobblestone, and vice versa."
"For the vast majority of people? That means there are other differences, then", Hermione noticed something peculiar in Liam's words.
"Yes, for most people, these two seem to be the same thing. However, for me, the Sickle can serve as a powerful amplifier of strength that can only be used by me and those I designate. So I'm thinking of turning it into a wand or a Magic Bracelet for convenience in the future", Liam said, examining the small Rose Madonna in his hand. "Of course, not right now."
In reality, Liam was eager to create a powerful magic artifact immediately. However, given the Rose Madonna's immense power and value, he needed time to design the magic item carefully and gather as many useful materials as possible from various worlds.
Considering that Hermione had accompanied him for over three months, she must have been extremely tired. Therefore, Liam took her to the World of the Rose Maidens for a good relaxation. For British people, attending a few pleasant afternoon teas is indeed a very relaxing experience, especially when you're drinking tea with some very friendly peers.
Of course, some of these peers (mentally speaking) might be a bit younger in appearance. However, this didn't hinder Hermione from thoroughly relaxing and having a great time with them.
While Hermione was playing and having fun with the Rosary Maidens and Alice, in the Laboratory, Teacher Luo Zhen looked at the Rose Madonna Liam had brought and sighed.
"Your growth rate has indeed far exceeded my expectations. I always thought that even if you were exceptionally talented in this area, you wouldn't be able to create a Rose Madonna until you were in your twenties."
"That's because I've had better luck and have seen more things", Liam didn't get carried away by his teacher's praise. He was very clear about the reasons behind his achievements.
"Mainly because of your luck", Teacher Luo Zhen said. "When I created the Rose Madonna, my world strongly suppressed me. Although I mastered the rules, I didn't do it as perfectly as you. So I could only create a lower-grade Rose Madonna fragment."
"So that's how it is", Liam finally understood why Teacher Luo Zhen couldn't create a perfect Rose Madonna. He was fortunate that the Multiverse General Store, though small, was still an independent world. As the Master of this independent world, Liam naturally received full support from it, leading to the creation of the alchemical miracle, the Rose Madonna.
Over the next two weeks, Liam and Hermione spent a happy time at Teacher Luo Zhen's Manor. After both had adjusted, they bid a tearful farewell to Teacher Luo Zhen, Alice, and the Rosary Maidens.
"Ah, finally back", Hermione said with a smile after they stepped through the portal back to the Laboratory. Having been away for over three months, she was very happy to feel the ground of Hogwarts Castle under her feet again.
"Yes, it feels great to be home. These kinds of trips will become more frequent. Since you've chosen to face everything with me, you'll gradually get used to this lifestyle", Liam said.
(End of Chapter)
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