Obviously, using a secondhand wand—especially one belonging to a Dark Wizard—is not a wise choice.
But for the Granger family, this wasn't a hard and fast rule.
In fact, they had a tradition of using wands inherited from their ancestors.
The [Plant Affinity] talent worked just as well on wands made of wood as it did on living plants. For a Granger who had awakened this trait, the side effects of a secondhand wand simply didn't exist.
The reason Basil's grandmother hadn't allowed him to use his father's or grandfather's wands before his memory awakening was simple: he hadn't shown any dominance over plants yet.
He didn't get hurt by them, sure, but he couldn't command them.
So, according to tradition, he was supposed to go to Ollivanders and find a wand that "chose" him.
But his current financial situation didn't allow for that luxury.
As for this Blackthorn wand...
According to the subtle laws of wand ownership, a conquered wand usually shifts its allegiance to the new master.
Not to mention, Basil now had the [Plant Affinity] talent.
If he wasn't short on Gems, using this wand to activate the [Wand Skin] function would have been the correct choice immediately.
But actually, the reason Basil didn't activate it right away wasn't a lack of Gems.
After killing Fenrir, he had pocketed 5,000 Gems.
He hesitated because he was worried he wouldn't be able to swap the base wand later.
He really wanted the heirloom wand passed down through the Granger generations. But his grandmother had locked it inside a quartz box sealed with magic.
He had spent days trying to open it.
But today, after resolving his doubts about the nature of magic, he decided to accept his fate.
The [Wand Skin] system was what mattered. The Skins were the key.
The bonuses came from the Skin, not the base wand underneath.
Now that the game was "Realized," Skins like [The Extraordinary Guide], [Duelist Master], [Dragon Knight], [Time Wand], and [Obsidian Shadow] would definitely have effects far beyond simple cosmetic changes.
Who knows? This might be the catalyst that lets him skyrocket in power!
He couldn't drag his feet any longer.
"That tickles!" Basil rubbed his ear, which Fanta had just affectionately pecked, and fed the owl another piece of dried mouse.
Then, his right hand reached out firmly and grabbed the Blackthorn wand.
Clatter!
Gems: 5932.432 (-2000)
The wand in his hand dissolved into specks of blue light and merged into his body.
His consciousness was pulled away, re-entering the mental projection of Hogwarts.
The [Magic Book] flipped open. A wand icon appeared in the bottom right corner... BOOM!
Waves of magnificent, indescribable colors flashed before his eyes.
One by one, wands with unique designs, surging with various powerful energies, appeared before him.
He subconsciously reached out.
As if possessed, he moved toward the [Dragon Knight] skin, which floated nearest to him.
It was breathtaking. The natural flaws of Blackthorn—its many branches and thorns—were utilized artistically in this design.
The handle was carved into the shape of a roaring dragon's head. The wood was black with a metallic sheen.
The fiery red shaft was covered in a spine of black, razor-sharp spikes.
However...
[Ding! Data Missing... Spend 1000 Gems to Reproduce? USABLE.]
As his hand got closer, the description of the [Dragon Knight] floated across his retina:
> [Dragon Knight]
> Length: 14 Inches
> Wood: Blackthorn
> Core: Troll Whisker (exceptionally rigid)
> Lore: Born from the legend of Wizard King Arthur. It houses the great miracle of the Eternal King's ascension in Britain.
> Effect: The power of the King of Knights makes the wand incredibly durable, harder than stone or metal.
> Core Resonance: The wand core beats with the heart of a Red Dragon!
> Stats:
> Your spells will be filled with the power of a Red Dragon—scorching explosive force!
> Damage vs. Dragons: +50%
> Fire Spells: +50%
> Strength: +10%
> Crit Rate: +50%
> Crit Damage: +10%
>
>
>
>
"Yes!" Basil gritted his teeth.
Clatter!
Gems: 3932.441 (-1000)
A wand that felt like it was forged from metal, radiating constant warmth, appeared in his hand.
Deep inside the wand, a heavy, rhythmic thumping—the heartbeat of a Red Dragon—began to sync with Basil's own heart.
Thump. Thump.
In an instant, it felt like a fire had been lit inside his chest.
His blood grew thick and viscous, flowing like scorching magma.
His muscles began to bulge. Faint, overlapping scales flashed across his skin before vanishing.
His blue eyes momentarily shifted into golden, vertical slits.
[Family Trait: Red Dragon Blood (New)]
> Note: When Dragon Blood is ignited, your skin resists spells with damage under 3. Health +20. Immune to Fire Damage under 50. Fire Damage Resistance +50%.
But it wasn't over yet.
That was just the passive change from the [Dragon Knight].
He had forgotten a unique mechanic of wands in the game.
Basic Attacks (Auto-Attacks).
In the game, wizards could wave their wands to deal damage to nearby enemies equal to their "Attack" stat.
This mechanic was also being "Realized."
Just as Basil was wondering why he felt drawn to pick the [Dragon Knight], another physical mutation grabbed his attention.
The so-called "Magic Field" around him began to spin.
An invisible force was born, wrapping around Basil and the wand.
In his mind, the [Magic Book] fluttered open.
The "Mana" stat in his personal info transformed back into "Attack."
[Attack: 7 + 3]
He swung the wand violently at the empty air.
BOOM!
A streak of black-and-red light flashed, and a violent blast of air pressure slammed against the window.
Basil's pupils dilated in shock.
"Holy sht! That's a 'Basic Attack'?!"
"Is this the First Stratum of Magnetic Field Rotation?!"
"With this kind of power... what in the wizarding world can stop me? Just thinking about it gets me rock hard!"
If that blast had hit Fenrir's head, it would have popped it like a watermelon.
"Is it because of the Strength, Crit, and Crit Damage bonuses?"
He didn't dwell on it.
Because, in the game, acquiring a wand also meant the appearance of the "Mana Bar."
Recovering from his excitement, he realized that alongside the "Magic" defined by wizards (willpower/intent), there was now something else in his body.
It was a warm, fluid-like non-material substance that radiated a faint sense of majesty.
It flowed through his limbs and veins like water.
"Devil's Snare!"
He focused his attention on this new substance and activated the Summon Card.
The substance inexplicably decreased by a chunk.
Simultaneously, a blue light flashed, and a Devil's Snare composed of vines and snake-like tendrils appeared in the room.
No physical stamina was consumed. It only took a bit of mental focus.
"Devil's Snare!"
This time, he pushed the concept of "Wizard Magic" (Willpower) and mixed it with this new substance.
The substance decreased again.
A portion of his physical stamina vanished.
A larger Devil's Snare appeared before him.
Focusing his attention, his absolute control over the summon allowed its stats to float across his retina.
> [Magical Plant: Devil's Snare]
> Level: 2
> Mana Cost: 2
> Health: 130 + 10
> Damage: 10 + 5
> DPS: 2 + 1
>
>
"So this is... 'Mana'?"
"Using both sources at once summons a creature one level higher? It's like having an Echo that gives [Devil's Snare +1]."
Basil's expression turned complex. Did he just become a "Blue Bar Mage" from a generic Western fantasy novel?
He now had three ways to cast spells:
1. Stamina/Willpower (Wizard style).
2. System Mana (Game style).
3. Both (Hybrid/Boosted).
And he felt that the recovery of this "System Mana" was very much like Internal Energy (Neili) from Wuxia novels. It regenerated as it cycled through his body.
Perhaps because he hadn't had it for long, this 'Mana' didn't improve after use.
Unlike standard Wizard Magic, which grew subtly stronger with practice (like a muscle), this System Mana remained exactly the same in quantity as when it first appeared.
It didn't absorb anything from the outside to recover.
It was as if an unbreakable law had been written into it, defining its quality and state. When spent, it simply regenerated from nothingness, resetting to its default state.
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