The idea of trying to cultivate the guardian tree again surfaced in Charles' mind. His heart stirred at the thought.
After all, planting the guardian tree was a milestone every herbalist had to reach.
What's more, the guardian tree offered profound insights into Defense Against the Dark Arts and resistance to dark magic. Both were incredibly practical. On top of that, the guardian tree itself was a rare and valuable herb—imbued with innate powers that could repel dark magic.
The earlier it was cultivated, the more Charles could benefit.
However, Charles didn't rush to act.
He had just recently advanced his skill [Magic Perception Enhancement] to the Silver Level, which would play a critical role in processing the guardian tree seeds. That step alone was no easy task.
Another ability, [Water Enhancement], was also key. It enhanced his magical perception—crucial to succeeding in this complex endeavor.
But Charles couldn't exactly stay underwater the whole time, could he?
The guardian tree seeds must not come into contact with any liquid, aside from the specifically prepared potion. Any deviation drastically reduced the chance of success.
Submerged beneath the surface, Charles' thoughts ran faster than usual."Being fully submerged activates the underwater bonus effect. But… is that truly necessary?""Maybe there's a way to trigger [Water Enhancement] without compromising the seed's preparation…"Spurred by this idea, Charles immediately began testing what triggered the [Water Enhancement] effect.
He slowly extended one hand out of the water.
The boost still remained active.
His eyes sparkled."So complete submersion isn't the necessary condition. Interesting…"Encouraged, he extended his other hand. Then, one leg. Then the other.
Before long, Charles floated on his back—half of his body exposed to the air.
Still, the water enhancement effect persisted.
Charles' mind raced."Back then, I didn't feel the effect until my head was underwater…""Even now, with most of my body exposed, as long as my head is submerged, the boost stays active."A flash of insight lit up in his mind.
He'd found the trigger condition."The ability seems to evaluate whether I'm underwater by checking the status of my head.""As long as my head is in contact with water—even without full submersion—the water boost is effective!"His eyes lit up with excitement.
If this was true, utilizing this ability during guardian tree seed cultivation just got a lot easier."For instance…""That should work."Charles fetched a transparent tank, filled it with water, and placed it over his head like a helmet.
It looked odd—almost comical—but he didn't care.
What worked was what mattered.
This was just a basic application. In the future, when he studied advanced mental magic like Occlumency and Legilimency, maybe he could go further.
He could hypnotize himself—or use spells—to simulate the sensation of his head being underwater. If he could fool his senses into thinking he was submerged, perhaps he could cheat the system and trigger the effect.
If that were possible, the practical uses of [Water Enhancement] would be endless.
For now, though, those were thoughts for later.
At this moment, his focus returned to the task at hand—the third attempt at processing the guardian tree seeds.
His breathing slowed. His mind calmed.
With the lessons of two previous failures behind him, Charles now felt a sense of assurance.
He retrieved a new set of guardian tree seed materials.
With a wave of his wand, he gently tapped the seeds.
This time, the magical energy channeled into them smoothly—cheerful and fluid.
And then he felt it—something new. A subtle but unmistakably sacred energy awakening inside the seed.
It was faint but real.
The seeds were no longer dormant.
On his first two attempts, Charles had felt completely blind to the process. But now, though it was still blurry, he could grasp the general outline.
As the sacred power inside the seed built toward its peak, Charles carefully immersed it in the potion.
That's when he felt it—like a heartbeat within the seed.
It vibrated with a magical rhythm.
It even felt like the seed was breathing.
A realization struck him."So that's why we tap the reagent bottle with the wand... why we cast spells at this stage."It wasn't just ceremony. It was to help the seed absorb the potion, to assist it in awakening—guiding its heartbeat and breathing into sync with the magic.
If done correctly, the process would require less energy and yield better results.
Charles felt his understanding deepen.
He focused all his attention, straining to hear the rhythmic vibrations of the seed's magic.
Thump.
Thump.
And then, with that beat as his guide, Charles struck the reagent bottle gently with his wand, syncing the vibration with the seed's pulse.
He infused the potion with his magic, creating resonance between the potion and the seed's inner power.
The sacred energy surged.
A warm sensation of joy and vitality radiated from the seed.
But now came the most complex part.
The magic of the potion, the magic within the seed, and Charles' own magic were all interweaving—creating a growingly intricate web.
Last time, this is where he had panicked, relying on luck.
But this time, his mind was clear.
He tracked each thread of magical flow, patiently untangling the knots.
Thump.
The vibration came again.
Charles struck with precision.
The energy surged once more.
For a moment, the sacred power wavered—threatening to collapse—but then steadied itself.
It began to climb again.
Charles took a deep breath.
Only one final tap remained.
And this time, he was prepared.
Wearing his water-filled helmet, he stared forward. Bubbles floated into view, but he ignored them.
The boost from [Water Enhancement] surged to new heights.
His [Magic Perception Enhancement] shimmered more brightly than ever on the system panel.
Still, the magical entanglement remained chaotic.
Charles estimated he'd need to upgrade to Gold Level magic perception to easily handle this part in the future.
For now, though, he was 40% confident.
And that was enough.
His mind stilled. His gaze sharpened.
With unwavering resolve, Charles made his final tap.
At the same moment, he drew concentric ripples through the air with his wand and chanted:
"Protego-Arboris!"
A pulse of power radiated outward.
At first, the sacred energy inside the seed began to drop—alarming Charles.
The potion's color shifted from vibrant green to clear and translucent."Did I fail… again?"But then—
From beneath the guardian tree seed, tiny white roots began to stretch outward.
A system prompt appeared:"Guardian Tree Seed Processing: Successfully Completed."Charles froze.
Then his eyes widened.
A radiant reward orb appeared above the guardian tree seed.
He had done it.
After two failures and intense self-reflection, Charles had successfully processed the guardian tree seed.
This was no longer just about leveling up or following game mechanics.
He was starting to understand the essence of magic—its rhythms, its harmonies, and the life that pulsed through every enchanted thing.
And this time, he had felt it all.
The journey was far from over.
But this moment?
It was a major step forward.
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