Chapter 27: Transformation, Silver-Tier Spell

The three consecutive system prompts flashed before Ciel's eyes, and with them came a wave of sensory input far more powerful than any he had experienced before. It was a dizzying, exhilarating rush. He could almost hear the subtle hum of magic flowing through his own blood vessels, a silent river of power now singing in his ears. The very air around him seemed to whisper, a chorus of magical potential waiting for his command. The feeling, however, was as fleeting as it was intense. By the time he came back to his senses, the world had returned to normal, but something within him had fundamentally changed. He looked at his system panel and noticed a subtle shift in the description of his Magical Perception Enhancement ability. Though it was still rated as Bronze, a faint, coppery sheen was now visible within the dark bronze luster, a clear sign that it was on the cusp of evolving to the next tier. "So close," he murmured, a smile touching his lips. "It's on the verge of a breakthrough." He was about to look away from the panel when his gaze caught on a few other lines of text, and his breath hitched. The ratings for his two most-used spells, the Soil-Loosening Charm and the Pruning Charm, had changed. The Pruning Charm, once a solid Bronze, now shimmered with a bright, silver light bleeding through the bronze. It, too, was close to advancing. But the transformation of the Soil-Loosening Charm was even more profound. The Bronze luster had completely faded, replaced by a pure, brilliant silver light that enveloped the text. [Soil-Loosening Charm (Silver Tier)] Ciel took a deep breath, blinking as if to clear his vision, half-convinced he was seeing things. For nearly two months, he had practiced those two spells day and night, casting them thousands of times, yet they had remained stubbornly stuck at the Bronze level. He had barely used them in the past few days. How could such a dramatic change happen for no reason? "Wait..." he muttered, his mind racing. "The improvement happened right after my magical perception was enhanced again. That must be it. The enhancement of my perception allowed me to make breakthroughs in the spells themselves." It all made sense now. It wasn't a lack of practice that had held him back; it was a fundamental limitation in his ability to perceive and control his own magic. His previous efforts were like trying to paint a masterpiece with a blunt, clumsy brush. Now, with a finer tool in hand, the true potential of the spells could be unlocked. Looking at the new Silver-tier rating for the Soil-Loosening Charm, a genuine joy grew in his eyes. The system's ratings were not arbitrary; a change in tier always signified a qualitative shift, a fundamental improvement in the spell's nature. He was eager to experience it. He hurried to the Hogwarts greenhouse. Standing before his experimental plot, he took out his ash wood wand and began the familiar motion, pointing the tip downward and drawing a spiral from the center outwards. "Terra Laxus!" A yellowish-brown light, several shades richer and deeper than before, burst from the tip of his wand and sank into the soil. The moment he cast the spell, he could feel the difference. The magic within the spell felt more active, more vibrant, as if it had a life of its own. He watched as the soil began to churn and turn over. "The range has expanded," he noted, "and the depth of the loosened layer is greater. That alone will significantly increase my planting efficiency. But that doesn't seem like a qualitative change..." Curious, he knelt and picked up a handful of the freshly tilled earth, examining it closely. A moment later, his eyes lit up. He could vaguely feel a new energy emanating from the soil, a sense of enhanced vitality. He grabbed a handful of soil from an adjacent, untreated patch and compared the two. The difference was undeniable. "The Silver-tier spell stimulates more vitality in the soil," he realized. "The probability of a seed surviving and sprouting in this soil will be higher. Even a slight increase could be the difference between success and failure when cultivating high-difficulty plants." He took a deep breath, a new understanding dawning. The planting spells his aunt had taught him weren't just for convenience; they were essential tools for a Herbologist. "To make real progress," he murmured to himself, "I need to raise these spells to the Legendary level. The Lumos Charm, too. That will be the key to cultivating the truly powerful magical plants. By then, I'll be able to make anything grow. A Patronus Tree? How about a Patronus forest?" The fervent excitement gradually subsided, replaced by a quiet resolve. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For now, his focus had to be on the Lumos Shrooms. "First, loosen the soil again," he decided. "Then, continue today's illumination." He was once again immersed in his work, casting one Silver-tier Loosening Charm after another. Even if a single spell didn't stimulate much vitality, the cumulative effect was significant. In his experimental plot, the Lumos Shroom mycelium was clearly more active, more vibrant than before. A look of satisfaction on his face, he waved his wand again. "Lumos!" He felt another jolt of surprise. The Lumos charm, too, felt stronger, more refined than before. "Is it the influence of the Soil-Loosening Charm's improvement?" he wondered. "It must be. Commonly used spells must share some common principles." The thought resonated with a deep logic. It was like Transfiguration; a master of that art generally had a proficient grasp of most other forms of magic. Dumbledore, before becoming Headmaster, was the Transfiguration professor. Professor McGonagall, his most likely successor, was a Transfiguration Master. The principle must apply to Herbology as well. How could a wizard who could use the Loosening Charm at a Legendary level be poor at casting a simple Lumos? He suddenly understood. The spells were interconnected. His eyes became even more fervent. If the Loosening Charm's improvement also enhanced his Lumos charm... didn't that mean the maturity time for these Lumos Shrooms would be much shorter than he had expected? Thinking of the rewards that awaited him, his enthusiasm for waving his wand grew even higher. In the blink of an eye, three days passed. (End of Chapter) *** [Check Out My Patreon For More Chapters On All Of My Fanfics!!] [www. [email protected]/meowthtl] [+300 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter] [+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter] [Thank You For Your Support!]