The Outrageously Expensive Energy Core and the Weasley Twins' Successful Business Venture
As Aaron read Hades's introduction, he couldn't help but secretly marvel.
He instantly realized the purpose of this spirit stone; the divine artifact forged by the Argus Ancestor was still missing two final items.
One is a rare material that can withstand powerful magic; the Díloúsi's Tooth can meet this requirement. The other is an energy core, and the appearance of the current Hades has solved this problem.
But it's too damn expensive. Two thousand Magic Points are enough for him to buy the first Ghost Mask or two and a half talismans. Adding the one thousand Magic Points for the Díloúsi's Tooth, he would have to Sign-in at Hogwarts for a year to save up for the cost of those two materials.
Aaron took several deep breaths to calm his excited emotions.
"Master, what's so special about this Dark Spirit Stone?"
"There are two specific methods. One is direct absorption. Below the Holy Magus, it can increase Magic Power by one-tenth, and above the Holy Magus, it can increase Magic Power by one-tenth."
"Hiss!"
Aaron gasped.
Good heavens, that's really good heavens.
He didn't consider anything above the Holy Magus, as that was too far removed from him, but even a fraction of the Magic Power he possessed was quite attractive to him.
He could fight Voldemort to a draw after consuming one spirit stone, and he was confident he could crush Voldemort to the ground after consuming two.
However, increasing his strength by one-third based on his current level is not cost-effective, only a few points more than directly increasing his Magical Energy with Magic Points.
However, consuming a spirit stone when your Magic Power reaches 20,000 points will maximize your benefits, and you might even be able to directly advance to the rank of Holy Magus.
"What about the third method?"
"To create physical embodiments of different personalities, possessing independent thinking abilities, but being loyal to their host."
Aaron pondered for a moment, "How strong is the avatar?"
"Starting as Grand Archmage, the strength of the avatar can be improved through training or by the user consuming Magic Points."
"Two thousand Magic Points for a loyal servant of a Beginner Grand Archmage doesn't seem like a bad deal!" Aaron murmured. "But what if the avatar is killed?"
"The Reincarnation Bloodstone is immortal and can be used infinitely, but there will be a certain cooldown period."
As for the other spirit stones, they need to be activated repeatedly, each time costing 1,000 Magic Points or Magic Power. After resurrection, the avatar's strength will remain at its previous peak.
"I understand," Aaron said. The incarnation of the Reincarnation Bloodstone is necessary; as for the other spirit stones... we'll deal with that later!
"Also, a friendly reminder," the leader said enticingly, "By collecting these spirit stones, you can learn all of the Dark Emperor's magic."
Aaron was immediately tempted, but then he thought of his Magic Points being reset to zero, and how he was still just a weak, pitiful, and helpless Beginner Grand Archmage...
"Don't try to disturb my resolve!" Aaron cursed through gritted teeth.
Collecting one spirit stone would require at least 12,000 Magic Points, a number that means he would have to work hard for many years, which is definitely not something he can do in the short term.
In the early morning, the first rays of sunlight shone through the window onto Aaron's face.
He stretched comfortably, got up, washed his face, and started cooking.
With a wave of the Wand, eggs, meat, and various vegetables floated in mid-air, were cleaned, and then landed on the plate.
Aaron straightened his clothes and started cooking.
As Aaron smelled the gradually increasing fragrance in the air, his gratitude towards his Salks Ancestor surged.
It means he's not short of money right now, otherwise he would definitely turn his beverage shop into a restaurant. With his skills, he would be letting down the teachings of a master chef if he didn't make a fortune.
A dozen minutes later, Abei flew over, drawn by the scent.
"Vegetable and chicken breast rolls, ham and potato pancakes, a bucket of milk, and I even roasted two chicken legs for you," Aaron said between bites. "We only had enough ingredients, so this is all we could make. Make do with this!"
Abei nodded excitedly, wiped his drool, and jumped onto the dining table, spinning around wildly.
At Hogwarts, it has to be more discreet when eating. At home, it's a bit better; there's no worry about revealing its identity, but the Butler strictly arranges the menu, so it can only eat until it's about 80% full at each meal.
It's still more comfortable to be with a friend; you can eat your fill and eat well, and both your mood and appetite can be fully satisfied.
After breakfast, Aaron took Abei out of the Small Shop.
A man and a dragon strolled through Diagon Alley, but due to the panic brought to the entire Magic World by Voldemort's resurrection, this shopping mall exclusively for Warlock was now in a state of desolation.
Many people are afraid to open shops, and some owners of long-established businesses have been arrested by the Death Eater.
The only business still operating normally is Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, run by Fred and George; all other shops are strictly restricted by the Ministry of Magic.
"What a turbulent time!" Aaron sighed. He had finally gained the right to enjoy life freely, but the current state of the Magic World always made him feel somewhat awkward.
When Aaron arrived at the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, he was greeted by a cacophony of laughter and chatter that contrasted sharply with the desolate street outside.
"Impressive, their business acumen is truly remarkable." Aaron nodded to himself and stepped into the store.
The store was full of customers, and there were Warlock of different ages in front of each shelf, a large part of whom were minors.
The boxes were piled high, and various props such as Pepper-Up Potion, Nosebleed Nougat, Trick Wand, and Auto-Answering Quill were displayed on the counter.
"Aaron," Fred greeted him warmly, "You didn't even tell me you were coming."
"Even if I told you, I doubt you'd have time."
"You're different," George said. "This store couldn't have opened without your startup capital!"
"I think Mrs. Weasley would be very proud of you. She would never have imagined that your store could be this popular. There are more customers here than in all of Diagon Alley combined."
Fred and George exchanged a smile. The two brothers weren't particularly wealthy at the moment, but with the potential of this shop, becoming rich was only a matter of time.
Coming from a poor Weasley family must feel a great sense of accomplishment to have built their business to this extent.
"Would you like to learn more about our store?" George asked with great interest.
"I'll just take a look myself. You two bosses should go and serve the customers first. Every second wasted is money lost!"
"But..."
"No buts," Aaron interrupted. "I'll ask if there's anything I don't understand."
"Fine!" George shrugged. "Whatever makes you happy."
"I almost forgot." Fred slapped his forehead. "I remember you also ordered a batch of goods from us, ten sets each of Pepper-Up Potion and other slacking-off props, right?"
"Are there that many?" Aaron's lips twitched slightly.
"Consider the extra one a gift," George said with a nonchalant smile. "It's free."
"No, really no," Aaron hurriedly waved his hand and said, "I can't buy that many right now, three sets are enough."
Besides, it wouldn't be appropriate not to accept money; even close brothers keep clear accounts!
"You absolutely deserve credit for making this store a success," Fred said earnestly. "The toughest days of starting a business are over, and we'd be embarrassed to take your money now."
"That's right, from now on you can take anything in the store for free," George nodded.
Aaron raised an eyebrow, knowing he couldn't talk about money with these two brothers anymore.
"In that case, give me three sets of each of the 'slacking off' props so I can try them out first."
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I'll be staying in Diagon Alley for the time being, and I'll come back here to get what I need when I run out.
"No problem," Fred said with a smile, then took three boxes from a row of crates and filled one box to the brim. "Pepper-Up Potion, Nosebleed Nougat, Coma Flower Candy Fever Candy, Vomit Candy, vomiting candy, Blood Burst Beans. These are the only kinds we have developed so far. Try them out and remember to give us a good review."
"Got it." Aaron winked at Abei, who immediately jumped up and stuffed the box into his pocket.
"Want to grab something else?" George pointed to the shelves a dozen meters away. "We also have a lot of joke products, Portable Swamp, Fat Tongue Toffee, Quick-Witted Answering Quill..."
"Never mind, I'm not really interested in those things."
"I think so too," Fred said with a meaningful smile, then led Aaron to a light pink counter. "The things here are more suitable for you."
There are quite a few girls who like you, but as far as we know, you haven't even had your first love yet. It's a waste of your good looks.
"Here are a few things that can help you." George pointed to a box on the display case. "With just one incantation, you can enter a realistic dream, although it only lasts for thirty minutes and has some side effects, but it's very popular."
Aaron blinked and silently marked the thing with an X in his mind.
A false dream? That's nothing compared to his Illusion Magic and Mind Space.
"Not satisfied?" George wasn't surprised. He unscrewed the cap of a glass bottle a crack. "How about we change it to this?"
Aaron sniffed the air, his expression changing slightly. He asked in surprise, "Amortentia, and of pretty high quality. Where did you get this stuff?"
"Don't worry, we sourced our goods through normal channels."
"And we don't sell this to children; only children over ten are eligible to buy it," George said seriously. "You happen to meet the requirements."
How about it? Want to give it a try? It's a catalyst for love!
"Heh!" Aaron took a step back, somewhat reluctantly. "Do you think I need this thing?"
Fred and George exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Yes, we need to."
Aaron:...
It's not very harmful, but it's extremely insulting!
He just didn't want to waste his energy on this kind of thing; he wasn't the kind of single guy who couldn't find a girlfriend.
"Everyone knows how outstanding you are, but your experience in this area is really... indescribable!" Fred exclaimed. "If I had half your charm, I could have dated three or five girlfriends at the same time at Hogwarts and still not messed things up."
Aaron felt an inexplicable urge to hit someone, but he suppressed the impulse. "You guys have really misunderstood. I don't need this thing."
"No, you do," Fred said.
"I was just too embarrassed to ask," George added.
"I, you guys... damn it!" Aaron rolled his eyes speechlessly. "I have Amortentia, that's for sure."
Upon hearing this, Fred and George exchanged surprised glances. "Can we interpret this as you preparing to use Amortentia on the girl you like?"
However, I still have to remind you that it's best to use the Love Potion only if you both like each other; otherwise, the love you gain is unreliable.
"You two have quite the imagination," Aaron sneered. "Besides the Amortentia, I have dozens of Potions, all traded from Professor Snape, just to satisfy my collecting hobby. I have no other intentions. Do you two understand?"
"Understood," the two said in perfect unison.
"Are you really not considering getting a girlfriend or something?" Fred asked.
George started counting on his fingers, "Hermione, Xilin, and Luna, at least three!"
"You two," Aaron took a deep breath, sounding somewhat weary, and said, "I'm busier than you think. I don't have time to think about those things, so please don't overthink it, understand?"
After saying that, Aaron picked up Abei and walked towards the door.
Fred and George watched his retreating figure, a playful smile playing on their lips.
"I have a good idea, but I feel it's a bit... unfair."
"What a coincidence, Fred, I had the same idea."
But he'll be grateful to us later, right?
"That's a must, but we need to plan it out carefully first."
After Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Aaron gave a wry, frustrated smile.
What exactly happened during this period? Why are so many people concerned about him?
If Ru Kuan hadn't gained the power of the Horse Talisman, he would have suspected that he was cursed.
"It's a coincidence, it must be a coincidence."
Aaron shook his head, dismissing all sorts of random guesses.
As for my father, they've been concerned about it for years, and I guess my grandfather has been too.
As for the Weasley Twins, they've always been the type to stir up trouble, so it's normal for them to crack jokes.
Thinking this way, Aaron felt much more relaxed and walked towards the Ollivanders Wand Shop.
Ollivander has been crafting fine Wand since 382 BC.
Despite the same dilapidated signboard, Ollivander never considered replacing it with a new one.
Ring ring!
Aaron opened the door and went in, and the jingling bells rang out, announcing the arrival of a customer to the shopkeeper.
"Ollivander, your lovely grand-nephew has come to see you."
"Wait a mininute."
A clear female voice came from the back room, leaving Aaron somewhat bewildered. The voice sounded somewhat familiar!
A moment later, a young and beautiful woman dressed in a blue Warlock's robe came out, her cascading silver hair illuminating the room.
"Gaius, it's been a long time," Phoebe Delacour said with delight.
"What are you doing here?" Aaron asked in surprise.
"You recommended me!" Phoebe said with a smile. "You forgot that after the competition last year I said I wanted to find a job in Britain, and you recommended me to be a sales clerk at Ollivanders Wand Shop."
Aaron:...
It seems there is such a thing.