Calming his mind, Ethan's gaze returned to the withered branch in his hand.
"The Setting Sun's Remnant."
It looked like a charred, dry piece of wood, with nothing out of the ordinary about it.
But if its missing solar core could be filled, perhaps its true power could be awakened.
A missing solar core... Ethan's expression flickered.
He lowered his head, looking at the sun rune in his palm.
Tentatively, he pressed it onto the "withered branch" that was flickering with red light.
He wondered if this ancient magic script, forged through countless refinements, could become the core to revive this setting sun.
Immediately after, an incredible scene unfolded!
A dazzling golden light erupted from his palm!
Like the sun rising at a summons, it illuminated the dim Chamber of Secrets as bright as day!
Even Luna, engrossed in her book, looked up, gazing with surprise and fascination, as Ethan's eyes widened slightly.
He watched the golden river of magic flow from his palm into the "withered branch," seeping into it and nourishing its empty interior.
It transformed into strands of golden threads, like a spiderweb, forming a sun symbol on its surface.
At the same time, the scorching heat in his palm, which had been present for days, also disappeared.
He felt a refreshing coolness he had never experienced before.
"You have successfully filled the missing solar core and awakened the setting sun!"
"Now renamed: Instant Sunrise."
"You can use it to deliver a fatal blow to any non-divine creature."
"*It will vanish after one use, but may leave behind a remnant."
!!
Ethan couldn't help but gasp, staring in shock at the withered branch, now entwined with golden light, lying silently on the floor.
Although its appearance hadn't changed much, it exuded a completely different aura of majesty!
"It can kill any life except gods..." Ethan murmured, lost in thought.
He bent down and picked up the withered branch.
He felt an unparalleled power flowing from his hand throughout his body.
It was as if, by possessing it, he could possess the whole world.
Ethan: "No wonder Voldemort was so obsessed with the Elder Wand; there's certainly some truth to it."
Like a ravenous wolf, Ethan's eyes sparkled.
He knew how to kill the guard in front of the Gate of Promotion.
Christmas holiday, at the Gate of Promotion in the hidden place.
"Boom—!!!"
Like a collapsing mountain, a giant head fell from mid-air.
The splattered blood stained the winding river in the painting.
A deer antler large enough for a boat to pass through broke off and crashed to the ground, shaking the earth.
"No, impossible—! How can a mere mortal possess the power of a high-ranking god—?!"
The fallen head of the Gate of Promotion's guardian, Gribby, was filled with shock and disbelief.
Its eyes were wide, staring blankly at the black-haired human standing in front of him!
His gaze fixed on the "withered branch" in Ethan's hand, which glowed with brilliant golden light.
From it, he sensed a scorching aura that made his soul tremble.
It was a high-ranking being that he could not match.
With just one swing, it had severed his head.
"Human... how exactly did you get it... This is impossible..." the guardian said hoarsely, as blood flowed from his mouth.
Ethan: "All thanks to my own hard work and sweat."
Gribby: "..."
I don't believe you; you humans are very bad.
Perhaps earlier, his roar could have made Ethan's heart tremble.
But now, he could no longer stop Ethan's advance.
"Congratulations! You have successfully defeated the guardian!"
"Promotion · Stag Gate has opened!!"
"Rumble—"
The Gate of Promotion, large enough to accommodate a house, slowly opened, splattering the guardian's blood.
What met Ethan's eyes was a torrent of golden light!
It illuminated this chilly land as if it were plated with a layer of gold foil, enveloping Ethan within it.
Ethan's eyes widened, feeling a shock in his heart.
By this time, he was also utterly exhausted.
Just one swing of that "withered branch" had completely drained the magic from every cell in his body.
Every breath was excruciatingly painful.
However, when bathed in that brilliant golden light, all fatigue seemed to vanish.
Ethan couldn't help but take a step, walking into the opened doorway, leaving a trail of blood-red footprints behind him.
The moment he stepped through the doorway, Ethan felt his mind go blank with a "whoosh."
It wasn't until two seconds later that he felt an immense pain in his body!
It hurt so much!!!
Ethan bit down hard, a vein bulging in his neck.
Inside his body, every bone felt as if it had been shattered and then reshaped, bringing unbearable pain!
But Ethan became even more excited, because he truly felt his body gradually transcending mortality.
"You, a mortal, have crossed the Stag Gate."
"Your body and soul will be reshaped in the light."
"Mortal → Knower"
"A Knower is an existence that has just begun to understand the mysteries of the world. You are no longer confined to the ground; you are one step closer to a higher position."
"Painting skill promotion conditions have been met!"
"Unfettered Imagination Lv2 → Enraptured Imagination Lv3"
In an instant, countless shadows flashed before Ethan's eyes.
There was Henry Weasley from the past.
Ethan saw him grown into an adult, carefully holding a glowing white flower with his armored hand.
There was also Miss Eve Black.
Ethan saw her lying on a slowly descending bed, fast asleep, as if she were a beautiful corpse if not for the rising and falling of her chest.
And many, many others, some Ethan knew, some he didn't, and some who didn't even look human.
Suddenly, Ethan's pupils contracted.
Among the rapidly flashing shadows, he saw a red-haired, green-eyed girl, from birth to screaming death in a green light.
"You gained inspiration: Lily – A Piece of History."
"Enraptured Imagination Lv3: With suitable materials and inspiration, you can construct scenes as real as reality—including the creatures within."
"It is by you that they are given life."
"Roar...!"
Behind him, the massive head of the guardian on the ground let out a low, sorrowful roar like a battering ram.
He looked at Ethan's back with immense envy, gazing up at the brilliant golden light pouring from within the door, tears of molten brass flowing from his eyes.
They rolled down his cheeks, scorching the ground.
Then, he watched helplessly as his fallen antler flew into Ethan's embrace.
Guardian: "???"
No, how is this automatically picked up?!
"Congratulations!"
"As a mortal, you have accomplished an almost impossible feat!"
"You have obtained: The Broken Antler, Blood, and Soul Fragment of Gribby, the Gatekeeper."
"All are rare extraordinary materials, imbued with the furious essence of judgment."
Judgment element?
Ethan's gaze shifted, and he immediately thought of his "good brother"—Pettigrew!!
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