The fierce wind howled as freezing raindrops were stretched into long silver threads by the rapid airflow.
Every beat of Thunderbird Aether's three broad pairs of wings created violent vortices that tore straight through the rain curtain.
He let out a loud cry, which was simultaneously translated into Lucien's ears.
"Boss, that long worm down there looks disgusting! Do you need my help fighting it?"
Lucien sat steadily upon Aether's back. Hearing this, he patted the Thunderbird's neck, his tone calm and composed.
"No need. Just stay in the sky later and help me guide the lightning."
The wind carried large raindrops toward Lucien, but before they could touch him, an invisible barrier silently deflected them away, leaving his clothes completely dry.
At this moment, the smile on Lucien's face came not from the impending battle, but from the system prompt floating before his eyes.
[Loan Triggered: Advanced Elemental Thunder Sigil (Monthly Loan)]
[Loan Content: Obtain the Advanced Elemental Thunder Sigil, increasing the host's affinity with the Thunder element, accelerating the learning speed of Thunder Magic, and increasing the power of Thunder Magic by 50% when cast.]
[Loan Task: Slay one Mature Basilisk]
[Does the Host wish to borrow?]
A loan related to the Elemental Sigils had actually refreshed.
Lucien's mood instantly improved. This was practically a gift from heaven.
He genuinely wanted to give the system a thumbs-up.
The previous Basic Thunder Sigil had already proven more than worthwhile, since it amplified the power of all Thunder Magic.
And the higher the level of magic, the more terrifying that amplification became.
Moreover, the Elemental Sigils allowed him to communicate directly with corresponding natural elements while casting spells. The Basic Thunder Sigil alone could already slightly draw down heavenly lightning, elevating his spells to an entirely new level.
If it advanced into the higher tier, then its ability to attract lightning would undoubtedly become even stronger, which essentially meant a substantial increase in elemental affinity.
Lucien also remembered that after borrowing the Basic Thunder Sigil, the system had mentioned there would be a "small surprise" once every Elemental Sigil had been collected.
Honestly, he was quite curious about it.
As for a Mature Basilisk, wasn't there one directly beneath him right now?
Ordinary Basilisks only lived for eight or nine hundred years. This particular Basilisk had survived since Salazar Slytherin's era and was now over a thousand years old.
It definitely qualified.
"Borrow."
[Ding! Loan application successful!]
[Comment: One step closer to completing the Elemental Sigil collection. You can do it, Host ( ¯ ︶ ¯ )]
What collection? What exactly had the system been playing lately…
Before Lucien could finish complaining internally, he suddenly felt a scorching yet majestic power flood into his right hand.
Lowering his head, he saw that the silver-white lightning sigil branded onto his thumb had visibly become more intricate and profound, as though it contained the authority of thunder itself.
Amid the constantly dancing purple arcs of electricity surrounding the sigil, a wisp of far more agile cyan lightning suddenly appeared.
A faint pressure began radiating from Lucien's body.
As though responding to a call from the same source, the already violent storm clouds above grew even more turbulent.
Silver lightning snaked wildly through the sky as thunder continuously roared. At this moment, the power of a thunder god seemed to resonate directly with Lucien.
"Oi, Boss, you smell even better now!"
Aether let out an excited cry. Thunderbirds were extraordinarily sensitive to this kind of pure and powerful lightning aura.
Lucien smiled and patted this little trouble maker once more before turning his sharp gaze toward the rain-soaked ground below.
The Basilisk's dazzling emerald scales stood out clearly within the dark storm.
Its enormous body twisted violently across the muddy grass as it attempted to shake off the constant harassment.
Meanwhile, the black-and-red alchemical puppet left bright magical trails behind it as it circled around the Basilisk, ambushing it repeatedly and steadily driving it toward the open field according to Lucien's instructions.
The black vortexes within Lucien's eyes spun faster and faster.
He muttered softly, his voice carrying a trace of amused satisfaction.
"One snake, multiple uses."
Rain poured down relentlessly while thunder exploded across the sky.
Upon the empty field.
The massive Basilisk rolled violently through the mud, its hard scales grinding against the soaked earth.
From time to time, it opened its enormous jaws and spat streams of corrosive venom that released clouds of white smoke, attempting to melt the ghost-like alchemical puppet darting around it.
The puppet was an inanimate construct, so the Basilisk's deadly yellow eyes had no effect on it whatsoever.
However, the Basilisk's overwhelming size and flesh-melting venom still posed a serious threat.
The puppet's surface burned with blazing magical flames that instantly evaporated incoming rain into white steam, while it skillfully avoided direct collisions with the monster.
Suddenly, the Philosopher's Stone embedded within the puppet's chest shone brilliantly like a miniature sun.
"Hisssss—!"
Hundreds of condensed magical beams erupted from the puppet's surface.
The beams curved strangely through the air like living creatures, automatically tracking and firing toward the Basilisk.
The Basilisk let out a furious hiss. Instead of dodging, it suddenly coiled its gigantic body together, using its thick, heavily scaled torso to shield its comparatively vulnerable eyes and head.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Some of the scattered magical beams glanced off the scales and shot away, blasting muddy craters into the surrounding ground.
Most of the beams, however, slammed directly into the Basilisk's scales.
But before impact, much of the magic was already weakened.
When the attacks finally struck the scales, they exploded only into showers of dazzling yet ineffective sparks, like fireworks crashing against solid steel.
The display looked spectacular, but it inflicted almost no real damage at all.
In the flashes of lightning, the puppet and the Basilisk crossed paths dozens of times.
Just as the Basilisk once again used its massive body to block the incoming beams, completely obscuring its own vision—
The puppet suddenly stopped.
Its right arm lifted high into the air as the structure unfolded layer by layer. Amid a sharp mechanical hum, dazzling magical energy rapidly gathered together.
It was preparing to fire another super high-output Magic Energy Cannon.
But this was also the exact opportunity the Basilisk had been waiting for.
At the very instant the puppet began charging energy, the Basilisk's tightly coiled body exploded outward like a spring compressed beyond its limit.
Its enormous form shot forward like a runaway steam engine, carrying enough brute force to crush everything in its path.
The puppet attempted to interrupt the charging process and evade, but the forced cancellation caused a slight delay in its movements.
The Basilisk's enormous tail, thick as a stone pillar, tore through the rain with a piercing shriek and slammed directly into the puppet's waist.
CRACK—!
The sharp sound of shattering cut through the storm.
The black-and-red puppet was sent flying like a kite with a snapped string before crashing heavily into the muddy field in the distance.
The Basilisk slowly raised its head.
Its yellow slit pupils swept across the empty field before greedily locking onto the distant silhouette of Hogwarts Castle through the curtain of rain.
Countless fresh, warm lives awaited within.
________
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