A faint gleam flashed in the darkness.
From Ethan's hand hanging at his side, a trace of magical power leaked out like a thread, attaching itself to Sean's unsuspecting back.
Penelope didn't notice anything had happened.
Too tired to waste more words with Sean, she pulled Ethan over and raised her wand to cast a Disillusionment Charm on him. However, to her surprise, Ethan stopped her.
"No need," Ethan raised his hand with a smile. "You don't need to cast spells on me, Senior Clearwater. Thank you for your kindness."
"Don't worry about me, just go with them."
"But..."
Looking at Ethan's smile, Penelope thought he was "putting on a brave face." That made sense—people with such natural talent usually had high self-esteem. Even if it put them at a disadvantage, they wouldn't accept charity or help from others.
But this was also quite childish behavior. Ethan was indeed still a child who hadn't grown up.
Penelope shook her head and tried to persuade Ethan a few more times. Seeing that he insisted, she stopped arguing. She had done her best. They had already wasted precious time, and this assessment was crucial for her too.
Seeing Ethan's silent demeanor, Penelope felt a pang of sympathy.
"After the test is over, I'll take you to eat candy from Honeydukes," she whispered comfortingly in his ear, boldly pinching his tender cheek.
Straightening up, she cast a Disillusionment Charm on herself, turned around, and caught up with Sean and the others, who were already waiting impatiently.
"..."
Ethan helplessly touched his reddened cheek. Ever since he'd stopped being entirely human, it had been a long time since anyone treated him as a pure child.
He watched the figures quickly disappear into the night and murmured, "Alright, it's time for me to start moving too."
Time to test the new card's effects!
"Whoosh—"
Ethan took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement as he closed his left eye. His vision went dark.
However, within a few breaths, several clusters of light suddenly appeared in the darkness! Like someone who had just woken up opening their eyes.
At first, this light was very blurry. But as Ethan slowly input magical power, the light expanded and became clearer and clearer.
Moonlight, the Black Lake, and protruding rock platforms. And those figures crouching on them, hard and massive like layers of rocks! Under the moonlight, their skin surfaces gleamed with a purple metallic luster.
These were the giant purple toads outside the cave!
And this field of vision was still bouncing up and down, moving.
—This was actually another person's moving field of vision!
[Name: Gate in the Pupil]
[Type: Tool]
[Grade: First Tier—Blue Rare]
[Description: I am watching.]
[Effect: Can connect with one of your own eyes to share vision; can be controlled as an independent entity within a certain range; can also attach to external objects and move with them]
[Evaluation: Eyes that can directly gaze upon radiance must be pitch black; using this card will automatically trigger fear in others. Please use with caution]
[This painting is of extraordinary quality and has been automatically added to the gallery]
[Current gallery collection: 5 paintings]
[Beginner's gift pack opening progress: 5/5]
[Conditions met! Beginner's gift pack ready to open!]
At the same time, on the back of Sean Mike, who was under a Disillusionment Charm, crouching in the edge shadows with his teammates casting sleep and calming spells:
Squish.
A round eyeball opened.
Like a freshly extracted eyeball from a socket. The whites were covered with blood vessels, the pupil pitch black and lightless, like a tunnel leading to an unknown destination. As if it could absorb others' consciousness into it.
However, it was on Sean, who was under a Disillusionment Charm. Affected by the connected magical power, after a brief appearance, it became transparent along with everything else.
The Slytherin student behind Sean: ???
This student froze for a moment, immediately getting goosebumps all over his back.
Wh-what the hell was that?!
But when he focused and looked a second time, he found nothing there.
...He must have seen wrong.
The Slytherin student shook his head, suppressed an instinctive unease, attributed this feeling to nervousness, and continued walking forward.
In a place no one could see, the eyeball rolled around flexibly, surveying the surroundings. Controlled by Ethan from far away. Sharing the scenes it saw with Ethan's closed left eye.
Step by step, they went deeper into the cave.
This not only solved the limitation that portals had to be set within visual range, but also satisfied the conditions for opening the beginner's gift pack in one fell swoop.
However, Ethan wasn't in a hurry. He planned to open the gift pack after this assessment ended perfectly.
Bright moonlight fell, outlining Ethan's lonely figure. At this moment, he was the only one still remaining at the starting point of the selection. He looked like he had been abandoned, pitiful and alone.
On the stone platform, Professor McGonagall saw this scene and couldn't help but frown.
Ethan... was he being ostracized?
Although she knew this competition would definitely not be easy for Ethan—others were 5v20, but Ethan was 1v24—she hadn't expected him to just stand there motionless, not even moving at all. As if he had completely given up.
Was he still thinking of a method, or was he at his wit's end?
Regardless, Ethan was already far behind the others. He was bound to be eliminated from this selection.
Professor McGonagall sighed inwardly and withdrew her gaze, focusing her attention on the other candidates.
"Using Freezing Spell (Glacius) to freeze the lake surface, then quickly skating across while the toads are distracted by flying fish created with Transfiguration."
"Miss Gemma Farley, Slytherin's prefect—this move is both elegant and swift. Her team is the first to reach the cave. Excellent, truly excellent."
"Gryffindor's Oliver Wood's idea is also interesting. His team used Transfiguration to create brooms, then applied modified Levitation Charms to pass over the toads from above—Merlin! Someone fell down!"
"Sean's team used Disillusionment Charms. Worthy of Ravenclaw, very steady. Although not fast, they successfully reached the cave without losing anyone."
The professors closely monitored the students while discussing among themselves, making appreciative sounds.
This year's students were truly talented! Even third-year Cedric, after a hard fight, successfully disguised himself as a fellow toad and smoothly reached the cave. Worthy of Hufflepuff, who loved small animals.
But soon, the professors noticed the out-of-place figure—Ethan Vincent, still standing at the starting point.
The assessment had been going on for half an hour, but he remained motionless. As if... he was waiting for something. A solemn atmosphere flowed around him, like an eagle overlooking the entire situation, waiting to strike.
But—only by reaching the cave could one obtain the crucial precious items. With Ethan standing motionless at the starting point, there was absolutely no possibility of success!
The professors looked at each other in confusion. Finally, they turned their gazes to Professor Flitwick, who had argued against everyone else to let Ethan participate in the selection.
Flitwick: "..."
No—he was just a normal person. How could he possibly understand Ethan Vincent's thoughts?!
Professor Flitwick anxiously watched the motionless Ethan. His heart was both anxious and worried. He hoped this selection wouldn't leave Ethan with psychological trauma...
At the starting point, Ethan half-closed his eyes and suddenly curved his lips.
It was time.
The lake scene had changed to a cave with towering stone pillars. Sean, who thought himself so capable, hurry up and take him toward the success you think is destined to be yours.
Then, he would personally snatch that success away.
After all, this was such a mutually helpful, collaborative competition.
"Hehehe..."
Ethan couldn't suppress his light laughter, his cobalt-blue eyes curving with anticipation and joy.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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