The loneliness of the starry sky was like a dark abyss—the longer a wizard stared into it, the harder it became for their soul to break free.
Among the twelve great magical forces, Night Magic could actually be divided into two distinct parts.
One half represented the night sky, embodying silence and darkness.
The other half was the brilliance of the stars, symbolizing life and illumination.
The stars themselves were further categorized into suns and planets.
A sun referred to a celestial body that could emit its own light, while planets were lifeless bodies incapable of producing their own radiance—only able to reflect or absorb the light of others.
The secrets of astrology were hidden within these celestial bodies.
Each star could be thought of as a word, and the entire starry sky—with its countless celestial connections—formed a grand and unfathomable magical tome.
As for the remaining darkness—
It was a trial for those who sought mastery over it.
Without a strong heart and an unyielding will, no wizard could pierce through the abyss and grasp the knowledge hidden within the stars.
"Why is it so restricted?"
Penelope frowned.
If the ancient wizards had hidden their magical wisdom within the night sky, shouldn't they have meant for it to be passed down?
This idea of sealing knowledge away—placing a book on a pedestal only to lock it away from its readers—felt contradictory to her.
She couldn't understand it.
"Perhaps, they were conflicted as well."
Based on what Ivan had uncovered so far, there were clues hidden within the Secret Space.
A pattern was emerging—one that pointed toward a far more complex history than what was recorded.
"According to my theory," Ivan began, "the ancient wizards were likely not wiped out by external forces. Instead, they may have brought about their own destruction."
"Their own destruction?"
Penelope's eyes narrowed.
"Ivan, are you saying that the ancient wizards fell to civil war?"
"Yes."
"This is the most likely explanation for the extinction of the ancient wizards."
Ivan shared the information he had gathered with Penelope, inviting her to analyze it alongside him.
Even Penelope, after carefully considering the details, had to admit that Ivan's theory made sense.
"The ancient wizards once possessed an incredibly advanced magical civilization," Ivan continued. "Their power was unparalleled."
"But… they were not alone in wielding it."
Ivan theorized that the twelve branches of magic had been distinct schools in ancient times, each with its own beliefs and methods.
They had pursued different paths, all striving to reach the highest limits of magic that could be attained in this world.
"And then… there's the number seven."
7—a number imbued with magic, capable of breaking fate and conquering death.
The more Ivan studied this, the more certain he became.
7 was the limit.
The highest attribute threshold that the system allowed for enhancement.
Ivan had already touched upon the level of 6 in magic.
And he could feel it—this wasn't just an increase in power, it was a complete shift in existence.
It wasn't pride that made him believe it.
It was simply reality.
At 6 points, Ivan no longer felt bound by the limitations of an ordinary human wizard.
Even compared to the greatest wizards of legend, he could tell—he had stepped into a different realm entirely.
Wizards were still humans.
Even Archmages were the beginning of something beyond humanity.
But at Ivan's level—
This was true transcendence.
A complete ascension of life itself.
Not to mention anything else, Ivan had a strong premonition—his lifespan was no longer a limiting factor.
If he wished, he could live forever.
Not only that—he could also preserve his youth indefinitely through magic.
Voldemort's lifelong obsession had been immortality. Yet, ironically, the very thing he desperately sought would forever elude him.
Meanwhile, those who had no particular desire for immortality could easily attain it.
"What does the number seven represent in this context?"
However, Penelope struggled to understand what Ivan meant by that statement.
After all, only Ivan himself understood the concept of attributes the way he did.
Even Dumbledore and the other great wizards had never considered magic in numerical terms.
"It's a system of classifications I devised."
Ivan briefly explained his method of categorizing attributes such as Magic, Soul, Will, and Thought:
"Based on observable performance, I've divided these attributes into seven levels—with Level 1 being the weakest and Level 7 being the strongest."
"Ah! I see."
Penelope quickly grasped the concept and agreed that having accurate data would help her better understand her own capabilities.
"Then what's my current magic level?"
"It should be Level 4."
Among all the attributes, only Magic, Soul, and Physique were capable of bringing about true qualitative transformations in a wizard.
By contrast, the attributes of Thinking, Will, and Mind were there to fully unlock and refine the potential of the first three attributes.
"The first three determine potential, while the last three determine ability."
Ivan continued, "Potential defines the upper limit of a wizard, while ability determines the lower limit."
No matter how gifted a wizard was, if they failed to think critically, control themselves with willpower, or set clear goals with their heart, then—even if they possessed immense magical power—they would be nothing more than a ticking time bomb, dangerous to both themselves and those around them.
"Don't underestimate Level 4 magic power."
"After just one magical transformation, your magic is already exceptional—even among others at Level 4."
After all, Penelope had already achieved Animagus transformation.
And in such a short time, she had successfully undergone a second magical transformation—proving her extraordinary potential.
It was no exaggeration to say that Penelope had already surpassed Professor McGonagall in terms of raw potential.
If this were a game, and their power levels were measured in stats, then the original Penelope, upon her introduction, would have a level cap of 63, while Professor McGonagall would be at 67.
That was the gap between them.
Although Penelope was exceptional, she was still beneath McGonagall—one of the greatest witches of their time.
And not just Penelope—even Hermione would have been limited to a level cap of 61 in the future if not for Ivan's intervention.
In terms of raw magical talent, Hermione was actually ten levels lower than Penelope.
In the original timeline, Hermione appeared stronger, but that was simply due to the difference in fate—not because Penelope was inferior.
If viewed over a longer timespan, when both were in their fifties or sixties, Penelope's strength would undoubtedly surpass Hermione's.
Once again—fate at birth and the last three attributes determined a wizard's lower limit.
In the wizarding world, the best way to break through the "level cap" was to take risks and practice complex magic—such as Animagus Transformation, Magical Transformation, and Dark Magic Transformation.
Animagus Transformation not only enhanced the last three attributes but also greatly strengthened both magic and soul.
This was why, when Professor McGonagall successfully became an Animagus, her level cap increased from 67 to 69.
Penelope, on the other hand, had risen from 63 to 65.
However, the risk of Animagus Transformation paled in comparison to Magical Transformation.
Thus, the benefits gained from it were nowhere near as significant.
Not to mention—Penelope's current magical transformation had shattered the Level 70 cap, pushing her all the way to 71.