Erwin drew four item upgrade cards from his rewards. He already had a clear plan for them. Naturally, the first would go to his wand.
Though many of Erwin's spells no longer required a wand, its true value for an advanced wizard lay in amplifying spell power. The Elder Wand's legendary strength came from its unmatched enhancement, which was why even Voldemort coveted it. To honor Dumbledore by digging up his grave? That was a commemoration too grim for words. A children's tale with such dark twists felt wildly out of place.
Erwin shook off the thought. Children's stories could be surprisingly resilient—owls dying on the page, yet still deemed suitable for those under twelve. But that was beside the point.
He pulled out his amethyst wand, the first upgrade card shimmering in his hand. He'd never closely examined it since it shed its acacia outer layer. Even if he wanted to, identifying its core material was beyond him. As for consulting his mother... he'd sent her off to Helena on a pretext during the lottery draw. By now, she should be returning; the crown wouldn't let Ravenclaw stray for long.
No matter. Functionality trumped mystery, especially after facing Death itself. As far as Erwin knew, no living wizard had glimpsed the Grim Reaper. He was likely the first of his generation to do so. The trio who'd claimed the Deathly Hallows? They belonged to another era.
Erwin activated the card, targeting the wand. A stream of light surged into it, and the amethyst rod trembled violently. Fearing an explosion, he gripped it tightly. After three or four tense minutes, it stilled.
The changes were striking. Golden threads now spiraled from the handle, weaving upward to gild the tip. A faint mist swirled within the translucent core, giving it an ethereal aura. Erwin was instantly smitten—power aside, the aesthetics alone justified the upgrade.
He checked its details:
[Item Name: Unknown Material Wand]
[Forged from unknown materials, it strongly enhances all magic.]
[Special Effect 1: Provides a 10% bonus to all spells.]
[Special Effect 2: Bound to Erwin Cavendish; unusable by anyone else.]
[Special Effect 3: Summons instantly to its master, regardless of distance.]
[Special Effect 4: Upgradable.]
The System's panel made everything feel like a game—leveling up gear through victories. Erwin shook his head; no point dwelling on it. He was thrilled, especially with the third effect. Even if disarmed in a duel, he could recall it without limit or delay. Far superior to Harry's Summoning Charm against Voldemort.
Pocketing the wand, Erwin eyed the next card. A purple reward yielding such potency? And with further upgrades possible, it might one day rival the Elder Wand. Eager, he applied another card.
But a System chime interrupted: [Upgrade card level mismatch. Item is now gold rank. Requires a gold upgrade card to proceed.]
So that was the system—purple to gold, gold to legendary, perhaps. Erwin wasn't deterred. His luck had been uncanny; a top-tier wand felt inevitable.
Shifting focus, he turned to his inventory. Weapons secured power, but gear ensured survival. With the eight ancient pure-blood families circling like sharks and a five-year pact with Death looming—harsher than any hasty vow—Erwin needed every edge.
He selected his enchanted robes, the Ever-Changing Suit, and activated the card. Light enveloped it, followed by another chime: [Congratulations, host. Enchanted robes upgraded to gold rank. View details?]
Erwin confirmed, anticipation building for what came next.
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