Free Web NovelChapter 230: The Aura of a Lord and The Perfect Alibi
The golden light from the interface bathed the dark, curtained bed in an almost holy glow. Orion sat perfectly still, his breath catching in his throat as the first block of text materialized.
[ ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED! ]
Tier: 3 (Ultimate)
Name: The Youngest Knight of Merlin
Description: You didn’t just win an award; you manufactured a political necessity. You orchestrated a scenario so perfectly that the Ministry of Magic had no choice but to bestow their highest historical honor upon a thirteen-year-old boy. You manipulated the Minister, leveraged the Head of the DMLE, and outmaneuvered the Chief Warlock. You have secured a legacy that cannot be erased.
Reward: The Lord’s Ambition (Passive Ability).
Orion frowned, tilting his head. "The Lord’s Ambition? Is that a Charisma buff?"
"It is so much more than that," Sparkle’s voice vibrated with excitement. "Have you ever wondered why, when Dumbledore or Voldemort enters a room, the air seems to freeze? Why the temperature drops, and everyone suddenly feels the instinct to kneel or flee? It isn’t just their reputation, Orion. It is a physical manifestation of their magical density."
The screen shifted, displaying a silhouette of a wizard radiating waves of force.
"The Lord’s Ambition allows you to project your magical core outward as a tangible, atmospheric pressure. It literally pulls the ambient magic around you and makes it heavy. It is the defining aesthetic of a true Lord of Magic—Dark or Light. It commands absolute, instinctual submission from those with weaker cores."
"I can project an aura," Orion murmured, a thrill of genuine power running down his spine. "Like Dumbledore, or Snape when he’s truly furious."
"Exactly. Dumbledore does it through sheer, flawless control and decades of raw power accumulation," Sparkle explained. "Yours is a System-granted ability. You don’t have to build it up for fifty years. You can turn it on and off at will."
"How?"
"It’s not a physical switch," Sparkle instructed. "It ties directly into your perception of magic. Focus on your core. Don’t push the magic into a spell; push the weight of the magic out into the room."
Orion closed his eyes. He found the deep, indigo reservoir of his core. Instead of drawing a thread of magic to cast a Lumos, he visualized the entire reservoir expanding, pressing against the boundaries of his physical body, and bleeding out into the surrounding air.
He released the flow.
Instantly, the atmosphere within the four-poster bed changed. It was as if the gravity in the small space had suddenly doubled. The air grew thick, heavy, and crackled with a silent, oppressive static. Robin the Niffler, who had been sleeping soundly at the foot of the bed, suddenly woke up with a startled squeak, flattening himself against the mattress and shivering, his beady eyes wide with instinctive terror.
Orion snapped his eyes open and instantly retracted the feeling, pulling the weight back into himself.
The heavy, suffocating pressure vanished, and the air returned to normal. Robin let out a shaky breath and quickly burrowed under a pillow to hide. freewebnoveℓ.com
"Incredible," Orion breathed, staring at his hands. "It’s a localized suppression field. If I use that during a duel, or an interrogation... the psychological advantage is absolute. They will feel defeated before I even raise a wand."
"It’s the ultimate intimidation tactic," Sparkle agreed proudly. "Now, for the second Tier 3."
The golden text shifted, scrolling upward to reveal the next notification.
[ ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED! ]
Tier: 3 (Ultimate)
Name: The Puppet Master of Whitehall
Description: You successfully manipulated not only Lucius Malfoy—a seasoned, ruthless politician—but the entirety of the Ministry of Magic to do your bidding. You engineered the freedom of Sirius Black without ever stepping foot inside a courtroom or casting a single spell in his defense. Your manipulative tactics are god-tier. You didn’t just play the game; you moved the players like pieces on a board.
Reward: The Reflection Clone (Active Skill).
Orion stared at the word ’Clone’. His analytical mind instantly began calculating the logistical impossibilities.
"A clone," Orion whispered. "Like a homunculus? A physical duplicate?"
"Better," Sparkle’s interface flashed a brilliant, pulsing gold. "It is an active skill. When activated, you create a perfect, physical, magical duplicate of yourself. It is not an illusion. It has mass. It casts a shadow. It registers as ’you’ on magical maps and sensors."
"A decoy," Orion realized, the sheer magnitude of the tactical advantage hitting him.
"A highly intelligent decoy," Sparkle corrected. "The clone is essentially your reflection given form. It is entirely subservient to your will. It will follow your exact commands, and because it is created from your own template, it can act, speak, and mimic your mannerisms flawlessly."
"Can it cast spells?" Orion asked quickly.
"Basic ones, yes. Its magical core is a fragmented reflection of yours, so it cannot cast a Patronus or Fiendfyre level spells, but it can cast standard hexes and charms."
She paused, adding the critical parameters.
"There are rules. Only one clone can exist at a time. The physical integrity of the clone is fragile; if it takes significant damage, it will dissipate instantly into harmless smoke. And the best part?"
"What?"
"When you recall the clone, or when it dissipates, all of the memories and experiences the clone gathered during its existence are instantly transferred back into your own mind."
Orion fell back against his pillows, staring blankly at the golden screen. He felt like he had just been handed the keys to the universe.
"An absolute, undeniable alibi," Orion breathed. "I can be in two places at once. I can sit in the Great Hall eating dinner while my clone is in the Restricted Section. I can have my clone attend History of Magic while I practice spells in the trunk. I can be in my dormitory while the clone investigates the Forbidden Forest."
He let out a low, disbelieving laugh.
"With my own Invisibility Cloak, the Marauder’s Map, the All-Speak, and now a physical duplicate..." Orion shook his head. "It’s practically cheating. I am untrackable. I am everywhere and nowhere."
"You are the ghost in the machine," Sparkle agreed, sounding incredibly smug. "The ultimate infiltrator."
"I need to test this immediately," Orion decided, pushing the covers off and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Learn as much as I can about this clone and see how it operates. Tomorrow, I will do it tomorrow."
He looked back at the glowing blue screen, a sudden thought striking him.
"Wait," Orion frowned slightly. "You said there were three Tier 3 achievements from the Pettigrew operation. That’s the Aura and the Clone."
He leaned forward, his blue eyes narrowing at the interface.
"What is the third one, Sparkle?"
