Tom slowly opened his eyes, a peculiar red glint flickering within his emerald, snake-like pupils. Outwardly, he seemed unchanged, but only he—and the System—knew the profound transformation that had taken place within.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained…]
[Ancient Forbidden: Emotional Magic - Pain]
[Ding! Special energy source detected… Fusion… Congratulations, host! All talent attribute points increased by one!]
[Ding! Congratulations, host… Magic level increased!]
"…"
Tom slowly raised his right hand, studying his palm as the shift in his very being filled him with immense satisfaction.
And now, the report…
[Name: Tom Marvolo Riddle]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 21]
[Occupation: Wizard, Professor, Dark Lord]
[Magic: SSS (God of Magic! Those who reach this level include Merlin!)]
[Talents (Max level 10)]: (as follows)
[Charms: ??? (Fire Scales… oh no, Tom, this is your innate ability; you can deduce it yourself from a mere glimpse!)]
[Transfiguration: 10 (Transfiguration? No! It's a non-life-related creation magic taught by God!)]
[Defense Against the Dark Arts: ??? (Symbolic? No! A savior in the true sense!)]
[Dark Magic: ??? (Compared to you, Voldemort (remnant soul) is as obedient as a baby)]
[Potion Mastery: 9 (One of the world's most outstanding potion masters, and one of the rarest in the entire history of magic!)]
[Alchemy: 7 (A renowned alchemist)]
[Prophecy: 10 (Looking to the future! Are you kidding me?)]
[Special Talents]: (as follows)
[Basilisk's Eyes (Controllable; anyone with magic power one level or less below your own will die if it stares at them.)]
[Serpent's Bloodline (Descendant of Salazar Slytherin; naturally able to communicate with and even control snakes.)]
[Born of Fire (A natural-born flame darling; immune to all fire damage, and permanently increases fire spell proficiency by 1 level.)]
[Nine Lives (Literally, you have nine lives.)]
[Mastered Spells: Avada Kedavra (Killing Curse) (Level 10, max level), Imperius Curse (Level 10), Fiendfyre (Level 10), Exorcising Weapon (Level 10)... Ancient Magic - Attack (Level 10), Ancient Magic - Defense (Level 10), Ancient Magic - Cast (Level 9), Tops Field (Level 5)]
[Special Abilities]: (as follows)
[Ancient Magic Rune: Thanatos' Gaze]
[Ancient Taboo: Emotional Magic - Pain]
[Item: Elder Wand (Thestral Tail Feather) "Quality: Mythical"...]
Beyond achieving the SSS-rank—God of Magic—his magic had evolved. He had also mastered a new 'special ability,' and even his talents had undergone a transformation. Statistically, each talent had increased by one point, a feat not solely attributable to reaching 'God of Magic' status.
This was a transformation born from the complete assimilation of the 'Ancient Taboo!' Since emotions formed the very bedrock of magic, an enhanced aptitude for magical learning was hardly surprising.
"Whoa!!! Tom!~"
Compared to Tom, who could barely maintain his composure, the System was practically bursting with excitement.
"Hmph... In a few centuries, they won't speak of 'Great Merlin,' but 'Great Tom!' " Voldemort's remnant soul chuckled slyly before resuming its insistent prodding. "How does it feel?"
Tom remained silent, as the surge of power struck him as little more than an illusion—hardly worth mentioning. For example, right now, I feel I could face Death himself from The Tales of Beedle the Bard. But he refused to believe that Death, the creator of the Elder Wand, was without his own stratagems. After all, the other is a god.
Regardless, his current strength could not be denied. Tom, already on the cusp of becoming a 'God of Magic,' had certainly secured a place among the top ranks of the SSS-level—God of Magic—category after fully merging with the 'Ancient Forbidden Technique,' even newly ascended!
Crack!
The air rippled with spatial distortion down below. Tom glanced down to see Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, the two old men having Apparated onto the scene already aware of the events unfolding. Worry etched itself onto Dumbledore's face, while Grindelwald wore an expression of guarded apprehension. They had witnessed the potency of that strange power upon the Lanlock dragon, and now Tom had absorbed it… Should Tom be similarly affected, it would spell doom for wizards and Muggles alike.
In this world, Tom was the only SSS-rank being: a true god of magic! After all, the other gods occupied their own domains; even the 'incarnation of the cat god' existed within its own alternate dimension. As for Merlin, regardless of his continued existence, he was not present in this world. And, even considering strength, they felt Tom could easily crush the legendary Merlin, whatever his true power may be.
Therefore, should Tom decide to wreak havoc, they doubted anyone could stop him. Gazing at Tom now, they felt not unlike their younger selves, looking at Harry for the first time upon his Hogwarts entry. The only difference now was that they were slightly older.
"Tom…"
Dumbledore said, looking at Tom, whose composure was as glacial as ever, and whose manner was tinged with concern. "Are you alright?"
"…"
Tom remained silent, and a heavy stillness descended. After a prolonged pause, amidst the old men's escalating anxiety, Tom slowly spoke. "Dumbledore, I will not be contributing to the rebuilding of Hogwarts."
"…"
Phew!
Dumbledore and Grindelwald noticeably deflated, the relief in their hearts sparking uncontrollable smiles.
"You rascal!" Grindelwald said, leaning against Dumbledore's shoulder.
"I do not require your funds!" Dumbledore said with a smile, a sharp glint in his eyes. "I have my means of procuring the necessary funding to rebuild Hogwarts." He recalled that a number of goblins had joined Lanlock in his rebellion.
"By the way, Tom." Grindelwald's tone was laced with curiosity. "What became of that thing? Is it alive or dead?"
"Lanlock?" Tom, floating in mid-air, cast a glance into the distance. "It fled."
But it was of little consequence. The creature was utterly bereft of its power. Of course, it retained its original fairy abilities, but even fully armed it was no match for Tom. Much like Voldemort's remnant soul. Tom half-hoped they would offer some amusement and stave off a touch of boredom.
Crack!
Another ripple of spatial distortion sounded, and a familiar figure emerged in the distance. Nagini's Apparition prowess paled in comparison to Tom's, hence her delayed arrival. She scanned the surroundings with disbelief written across her serpentine features.
"Tom, someone's here to see you." The two old men exchanged a knowing glance and Apparated away in unison. Tom stared blankly at their place of departure, then shifted his gaze towards Nagini, his expression suddenly shifting to surprise.
Not on account of Nagini, but due to…
[Ding! Host detected access to hidden information: Ancient Taboo, Hidden information fully explored. Hidden Quest… Unlocked!]
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