Mists of History

Merlin could actually tell that Matthew had practiced a meditation method!

And he was just a magical portrait now.

Merlin indeed knew about the meditation method, so why hadn't it been passed down?

Matthew voiced his question: "Professor Merlin, why wasn't the meditation method passed down?"

"'The Meditation Method' was passed down from 400 AD to 600 AD.

But starting from the 6th century, 'The Meditation Method' mysteriously vanished overnight.

After that, 'The Meditation Method' could no longer be described by any means, and even related memories extracted with Memory Magic would be erased by some mysterious power.

As time went on, fewer and fewer wizards mastered 'The Meditation Method,' and it gradually became lost."

A flicker of confusion passed through Merlin's eyes at this moment.

"I'm also very curious how you managed to learn 'The Meditation Method' in this era."

Matthew's mind was in turmoil. He hesitated over how to explain this question; he couldn't reveal the secret of being able to travel to another world.

Fortunately, Merlin seemed to see that he didn't want to dwell on this topic and said considerately, "Everyone has their own secrets.

But the situation now seems a bit different. A conversation of this depth between us was impossible before.

That mysterious force that erased 'The Meditation Method' seems to have disappeared.

It should be around the last century. Over two hundred years ago, a scholar studying Ancient Runes was also curious about the phrase 'Meditation is the key to runes.' He came to ask me the meaning of 'meditation,' but at that time, I couldn't discuss 'The Meditation Method' with him."

"Even this level of communication was interfered with..." Matthew couldn't imagine what kind of power could achieve such a feat. "Is it the power of magic?"

Merlin said, "In the 6th century, wizards who had mastered 'The Meditation Method' all tried to find the source of the mysterious power, but until 'The Meditation Method' was lost, no one could uncover the truth."

"But as for whether it's the power of magic..." Merlin paused, then said, "I believe it is."

"Can magic really reach this level..." Matthew was dazed. Such a wide-ranging influence, lasting over a thousand years and still in effect, only fading in the last century.

Matthew suddenly thought of Voldemort's Name Curse. As long as someone said "Voldemort," he could sense their location. Perhaps that mysterious power was also some kind of curse.

But Voldemort's Name Curse only sensed location; it wasn't on the same level as a mysterious power that could interfere with reality.

Matthew asked again, "Then how was the phrase 'Meditation is the key to runes' in the manuscript preserved?

I saw in the manuscript that this sentence was a record of a conversation between the Slytherin Dean and you. Doesn't this form also count as discussing 'The Meditation Method'?

According to what you just said, wouldn't this kind of communication be erased?"

"I only said that one sentence back then. My teacher didn't learn the content of 'The Meditation Method' from it." Merlin's tone became much heavier. "That mysterious power isn't rigid."

Matthew suddenly remembered that the Professor Merlin before him should have been active around the 10th to 12th centuries. If the mysterious power had been interfering since the 6th century, how did he know all this?

Matthew voiced the doubt in his heart: "You were a student of the Slytherin Dean, centuries apart from the 6th century. How did you come to know these things?"

Merlin smiled slightly. "I once delved into a little of the Secret of Time. I learned these things within 'Historical Time.'"

Matthew was very surprised. Merlin could actually see history from so long ago. Even if he saw it in the 10th century, it was still over four hundred years from the 6th century.

The current Wizarding World also had an item for time travel—the Time-Turner—but its safe travel limit was only a few hours. Exceeding that time would cause serious consequences.

"I sense the Rhythm of Time on you. If you wish to continue exploring the mysteries of history, I can activate this Time Force within you and send you to the past." Merlin paused, then added, "This portrait of mine doesn't have the specific memories of 'The Meditation Method.' Perhaps you can obtain 'The Meditation Method' from my past self."

Matthew was very puzzled. Did he have time-related power on him?

Then, he immediately remembered that every time he traveled through worlds via the Disk, he seamlessly returned to the moment he left. Perhaps this was the influence of the Time Force Merlin mentioned. Other than that, Matthew really couldn't think of anything else related to time.

Matthew was very interested in traveling to the past. Perhaps he could obtain a better "Meditation Method" from past time.

He asked, "Is going back to the past dangerous?"

"Exploring the mysteries of time is a very dangerous thing, so you must first pass a trial of going back to the past before I will help you return to a thousand years ago." Merlin continued, "I will send you to 1943.

My teacher once raised a Basilisk in the castle's Chamber of Secrets, but he didn't take this pet with him when he left Hogwarts. Basilisks have very long lifespans; it was still alive in the chamber a thousand years later.

In 1943, a student opened the chamber and caused deaths. I need you to go back to 1943 and kill that Basilisk."

Matthew's heart stirred. He knew that the student who opened the chamber in 1943 was Voldemort, who was still attending Hogwarts at the time, then known as Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Matthew felt he could handle that Basilisk. He nodded and said, "After I kill the Basilisk, how do I come back?"

"There is a secret passage in the chamber leading to the Forbidden Forest. After killing the Basilisk, you can leave the chamber through the secret passage, then return to this room, and I will send you back."

Then, Merlin said with a serious expression, "After you go back to the past, a layer of hidden Time Force will protect you. You must return here before this Time Force is exhausted, or you will enter a parallel timeline and never be able to return to the current one."

He emphasized further, "After going back to the past, the Time Force will conceal your traces. As long as you don't act, you won't be discovered. But once you start interfering with past events, the Time Force will lose its concealment effect.

Also, you must not let anyone who can live to the current timeline see you. This will cause a massive drain on your Time Force."

Matthew understood. Essentially, he had to avoid interfering with the current timeline. He needed to steer clear of Dumbledore, Voldemort, and others.

Matthew asked again, "But wouldn't killing the Basilisk also interfere with the current timeline?"

Merlin smiled slightly and reminded him, "There is no Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets on the current timeline."

Matthew's pupils sharply contracted, his heart pounding wildly—there was actually no Basilisk in the current timeline!

Was this no longer the original timeline from the source material?

Was he fated to go back to the past and kill the Basilisk?

What would happen if he refused right now?

Matthew felt a rebellious bone growing at the back of his head, and he couldn't help asking:

"What if I choose not to go back to the past and kill the Basilisk?"