The magical world of Africa looked exactly this wild.
It was like this: 'Go with the flow.'
Ian adapted to it imdiately.
"Alright."
He thanked the man and walked across the vine bridge.
From the outside, the hut did not look particularly large, but the interior was a whole other world.
It was far more spacious and comfortable than it appeared from outside and had clearly been enhanced with an Undetectable Extension Charm. The furnishings were simple yet complete: a wooden bed covered with clean linen sheets; a desk; a chair; and, in the corner, a small, stone-built wash area.
It was old, yet surprisingly tidy.
The animal-hide blanket on the bed was thin but flea-free. Several insect-repelling herbs were placed in a clay jar in the corner of the table, filling the air with the faint scent of lemongrass.
A short candle burned quietly inside the oil lamp container in the corner, casting a soft glow.
"Not bad."
Ian was quite satisfied with the accommodation. He locked the door and cast several simple alarm and soundproofing spells. When traveling outside, it was always best to be cautious.
After taking these precautions, Ian looked around once more.
It was hardly luxurious, but that was normal. Much like the familiar Leaky Cauldron, most wizard inns had been passed down through the generations.
Old, worn, and simple; those were practically standard features for establishnts of this kind. Most wizards also lacked the Muggle obsession with extravagant luxury hotels.
"At least it's better than the living conditions of those Indian fellows. Simple doesn't necessarily an filthy."
Ian read magical newspapers too, so he knew that wizards and Muggles lived in nearly identical environnts.
Rats ran rampant there, scorpions hid beneath the bedboards, and the air constantly carried the stench of stagnant water. Both Muggles and wizards were thoroughly accustod to it, making it one of the world's most uniquely 'marvelous' places.
By comparison, this place could practically be called 'comfortable'.
"I'll stay here for a few days. Who knows when I'll be able to return to my own era?"
Ian sighed. Although he had achieved a great deal, he still found himself missing Hogwarts.
He walked over to the window.
Outside, an endless rainforest stretched away into the distance. Moonlight filtered through the canopy, scattering mottled shadows across the ground. In the distance, he could hear the low growls of leopards and the croaking of frogs. There was no roar of automobiles or light pollution from Muggle cities; only pure, primordial silence. It was strangely soothing, and Ian's mood improved once again.
"Clearly, this room bears traces of magic."
He still rembered that he was staying in an inn in a marketplace. Logically speaking, scenery like this should not exist outside.
However, for wizards, anything was possible. After carefully examining the magic woven into the inn, he quickly confird his suspicions.
It was indeed using spatial magic to connect to a beautiful forest, though only in the form of an ultra-clear mirage.
Although the outside was not a real forest, Ian could still sense its aura and breathe its fresh air. Such was the wonder of the magical world.
Of course...
Due to the inn's creator's limited magical skill, climbing out of the window would not actually lead to the forest. One would probably just fall into the inn's courtyard instead.
Ian did not test this theory. After all, the inn's creator had clearly anticipated such behavior, placing magic on the windows to prevent residents from climbing through them.
Although Ian could easily have bypassed such restrictions, he was rely a guest staying at the inn and had no intention of causing trouble.
Perhaps a Gryffindor student would be curious enough to try it.
But Ian was not a pure Gryffindor student.
"It's ti to study! No matter where they are, Ravenclaw students must always prioritize learning!"
After taking several deep breaths of fresh air, Ian sat cross-legged on the bed.
He took out the secret manual that Caleb had given him and gently stroked the rough hide of the beast that covered it. The leather felt warm to the touch, as though it still retained the body heat and wisdom of its previous owners.
Today's gains had far exceeded his expectations.
Not only had he obtained the materials needed to repair the ti machine, but he had also discovered a potential path for developing human alchemy. Master Caleb's craft of embedding power deep within flesh and blood was a possibility in itself.
"This really is another perfect example of 'Among any three people, there is always one who can be my teacher'. The wisdom of the ancestors was truly right."
Ian took a deep breath and sighed with emotion.
Although his face would be considered foreign to the land from which that saying originated, he opened the book with the reverence of a pilgrimage.
The pages were not made from ordinary paper but from the hide of so unknown beast as thin as cicada wings yet extraordinarily durable. Dense ancient text and incredibly complex diagrams were inscribed upon them using a special kind of magical ink.
Although he could not fully recognize the writing, whenever he focused on the words and diagrams, they seed to co alive, naturally transmitting their aning directly into the depths of his consciousness and transcending the barrier of language itself.
'An application of "Comprehension" magic text, huh?'
Ian imrsed himself in it quickly, like a desert traveler parched for ages finally discovering a spring, greedily absorbing the vast and unique knowledge recorded within the book.
[Analyzing the foundational energy-circuit construction principles of 'Finger Bone Key Carving.' Alchemy EXP 25!]
[Understanding the symbiotic harmonization theory between 'Life Origin' and 'External Magical Inscriptions.' Human-body alchemy comprehension greatly increased!]
[Mastered seven foundational 'Bone Script' variants and their combinational effects. Magic Text proficiency 18!]
[Derived the ancient variant of the 'Flesh Separation Healing Spell' and techniques for micro-manipulation of magic power. Healing magic / precision-control EXP 15!]
...
Excitent glead within Ian's eyes.
The system of knowledge recorded in the book differed greatly from his studies of European alchemy and magic texts, yet the two disciplines also shared strange commonalities, constantly producing sparks of inspiration.
Many of the difficult problems he had encountered in his alchemy experints were solved in entirely new ways here.
Likewise, many of his hypotheses about the interaction between the human body and magical energy were verified and expanded upon by the system.
Although it may sound sowhat immoral, places with fewer moral constraints often advance knowledge related to the human body far more rapidly.
dical progress ca from human experintation, and the advancent of alchemy related to the human body was much the sa.
Thus, these disciplines developed far faster in Africa, India, and other chaotic regions than in more civilized societies. After all, people going missing was hardly considered a major issue in Africa.
Places like this were practically breeding grounds for Dark Wizards.
Of course...
Magic itself possesses neither good nor evil.
Ian still believed that everything depended on the person wielding the magic.
What shocked him most was the concept of engraving magic directly onto the origin of life itself.
"Fortunately, my will is strong enough that I have no desire to join the ranks of the Dark Wizards."
The library at Hogwarts was a treasure trove of the magical world, and its Potions and Transfiguration studies were undoubtedly top-tier. However, when it ca to the specific and dangerous field of 'human-body alchemy,' particularly the gentler path aid at enhancent rather than transformation, Africa had clearly forged its own uniquely profound path.
"Every region truly has its own specialty and hidden masterpieces."
Ian muttered softly, his awe at the diversity and depth of the magical world growing even stronger. Previously, as a legendary wizard, he had believed that his knowledge was almost complete.
Now, however, it seed he had rely caught a glimpse of a leopard through a bamboo tube.
"Study harder! Study harder!"
Ti slipped away rapidly amidst his focused learning.
Outside the window, the magical light spheres gradually dimd, signalling the arrival of night in the outside world. By the ti Ian felt his eyes growing sore and finally lifted his head from the sea of books, he realized it was late at night.
Reluctantly, he closed the to and carefully put it away.
Even though he had only completed a preliminary reading, he had gained enough knowledge to rival years of independent exploration. He felt that, particularly with regard to combining the human body with magic, a whole new world had opened up to him.
Even the long-absent System Panel had finally regained so presence today.
After using magic to clean up, Ian lay down on the bed.
Though his body was tired, his mind remained abnormally active from absorbing so much new knowledge. He closed his eyes, cald his thoughts and gradually drifted off to sleep.
As expected, he had dreams.
Of course, they were not so hazy dreamscape.
Just an ordinary dream.
"How rare. This ti it's actually a lucid dream."
Ian found himself flying above the endless African savannah.
The night sky was crystal clear, and the river of stars hung so low that they almost felt within reach.
Below him stretched a vast, mysterious land. The night wind swept through grasslands taller than a person, producing rustling sounds like the deep breathing of the earth itself.
The dream felt unbelievably real.
He could feel the cool night breeze on his skin, sll the earth and grass and distant acacia trees, and hear countless nocturnal sounds, the faraway howls of hyenas, the low rumbling of lions and the chorus of innurable insects.
As he flew overhead, Ian took in everything below.
He saw herds of black antelope moving cautiously beneath the moonlight. He saw a solitary elephant slowly wandering along, its enormous ears flapping like giant palm leaves.
Naturally, he also saw many magical creatures.
For instance, a beautiful purple Venomous Horned Beast was nibbling on glowing mushrooms.
Several Quafflebirds suddenly burst from the grass before vanishing in an instant.
And on a distant hill, he thought he saw the figure of the exceedingly rare demiguise slowly moving through the darkness.
That was a truly rare species.
As recorded in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the demiguise is an extraordinarily rare and mysterious magical creature classified as XXXX dangerous.
Demiguises are born with perfect invisibility abilities. Their fur could change colour to match their surroundings, making them almost impossible to detect within their natural habitat.
Only experienced wizards could safely approach and discover them. They were gentle by nature, but once threatened, they beca extrely defensive.
Of course...
This was not the reason why the demiguise had beco so rare.
The most valuable part of a Demiguise was its fur.
This was one of the finest materials for crafting a Cloak of Invisibility. Cloaks made from it offered exceptional concealnt and extraordinary durability, far surpassing ordinary invisibility enchantnts.
As the saying goes, a man is guilty because he possesses a treasure.
Due to their perfect invisibility, gentle yet elusive nature and imnse magical value, Demiguises were considered close to extinction in Ian's era.
How should one put it?
It was essentially the sa principle as when people heard that a certain creature could enhance virility, and it actually worked. Once that happened, the species would quickly beco endangered.
The Demiguise's situation was more or less the sa.
Of course, since Lord Voldemort was still active at this ti, there were several decades to go before Ian's own era.
Therefore, Demiguises were not yet critically endangered.
After all, alchemical devices capable of detecting Demiguises had not yet been invented, and most wizards could not perceive their presence.
They could not detect soone wearing a Cloak of Invisibility either.
Not everyone possessed Ian's Raven form and true sight, which allowed him to perceive Demiguises.
"Only in a dream would I just watch silently. If this were reality, I'd catch a few and breed them so their descendants would multiply endlessly."
Ian's thoughts had nothing to do with kindness.
Rather, he had always been devoted to raising potion and alchemy ingredients in captivity, striving towards the grand goal of complete self-sufficiency.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifeti, that was his principle.
Praising his own wisdom inwardly, Ian continued to enjoy the sensation of soaring freely through the dreamscape.
For the mont, he cast aside the many concerns of reality.
Still, a faint sense of confusion lingered deep in his heart.
This dream was far too real.
The details were too vivid, surpassing even the limits of his own experiences and knowledge.
It was a kind of intuition.
And a wizard's intuition was usually accurate.
Sure enough...
As he flew above a massive baobab tree, sothing unexpected happened.
Beneath the tree's shadows, a cheetah that had been lying motionless on one of its thick branches, perfectly blending into the night, suddenly raised its head.
Its pair of faintly glowing green eyes locked onto Ian in the sky.
That alone was not strange. Animals could sotis sense abnormalities.
But what happened next caused even Ian's dream consciousness to freeze.
"What the hell?"
Just as he reacted in astonishnt... The cheetah neither growled nor attempted to attack.
Instead, it spoke.
A low, hoarse voice, carrying ancient rhythms and primal power, echoed directly in his mind, as though originating from the depths of the Earth itself.
"Foreign star, powerful and ancient soul, why have you stepped upon this land scorched by the sun? I can feel it, your arrival has made our land burn hotter.'
Its tone carried inquiry, along with faint caution.
"Hm?"
Ian stopped abruptly in mid-air, staring at the cheetah below in shock.
Its mouth hadn't moved at all, yet the voice had undeniably co from it, or perhaps passed through it.
"You… you can speak? This isn't an ordinary dream?" Ian's consciousness fluctuated with disbelief.
A rumbling sound, similar to a chuckle, erged from the cheetah's throat. Those deep green eyes seed capable of seeing through everything.
"A dream? Yes... and no. This is the Savanna Dream: the web that connects all spirits. You, outsider, your radiance upon this web blazes like fire in the darkness, awakening many sleeping beings."
It rose gracefully to its feet and paced along the branch, its movents fluid and powerful.
"We have noticed you. Your power system is completely different from ours, yet it carries the blessing of the Sun… and also… the dust of ti? A very interesting combination."
"Who are you?" Ian asked cautiously, his dream consciousness tightening subtly.
"Who I am is unimportant," the cheetah replied, its voice distant and ancient. "You may think of as one voice of this land, an observer. What matters is why you have co, Star Traveller. Your arrival has caused ripples across this ancient spiritual web. Are you rely a passerby or a herald of change?"
Its gaze seed to pierce through the dream itself, staring directly at Ian's essence.
"There is the scent of transformation upon you… and also danger. You have touched a branch of ti that should not have been touched, awakening existences that should not have been disturbed..."
Ian remained silent for a mont, realizing that this was far from an ordinary dream. It was so form of contact with higher local entities.
Carefully, he responded:
"I an no offense. I am rely a lost traveler. I was brought here by accident, and now I seek the way ho."
"You… are local gods?" Ian asked tentatively.
The other party did not deny it.
As expected.
He had been noticed by the gods.
From the leopard's words, the reason was not difficult to infer.
His arrival had been too conspicuous and the Sun God's blessing had exposed him.
(End of Chapter)
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