"It seems careers, like personas, have different levels."
Personas all started out as black text on a white background, but their colors changed as they leveled up.
Meanwhile, his new career had appeared in a bright red font unlike anything he had ever seen before. It made sense that it was different from his previous careers.
That raised another question: how were careers generated?
He could understand how he had acquired the Student career when he enrolled at Hogwarts, but who had given him the Dark Lord career?
Quirrell? Voldemort?
After spending some time together, had Quirrell come to accept him completely? Or had Voldemort struggled with himself for a long time, only to realize in the end that he couldn't convince himself, and so had truly begun to treat Tom as his true self?
He would have to find a way to test that.
If higher-level careers had effects, then if he evolved his original Student career into Professor or Headmaster, would he gain new effects as well?
If black text on a white background meant a career's level was too low to grant any effects, then could a green career, just one level above it, have effects?
"I'll have to keep experimenting. I don't have enough test subjects yet."
Over the next two days, Tom carried on with his life as usual.
Apart from his regular breaks, he spent most of his time either training his body outside the castle or practicing spells in the Room of Requirement. The rest of the time, he spent reading.
Quirrell had brought him far too many books. For a long time to come, he wouldn't be short of knowledge to absorb.
Tom also noticed that the books were much easier to understand than before, especially when it came to Defense Against the Dark Arts. He grasped the sections on spells and dark creatures particularly quickly.
There was no need to guess why. Through the [Dark Lord (Career)], he had gained Quirrell's abilities.
Quirrell was a theoretical genius even Dumbledore praised. Even if Tom could only use some of his abilities, the results were already obvious.
"So I've only gained Quirrell's abilities?"
Given the current timeline, there should still be plenty of Death Eaters in the Wizarding World. Many had evaded capture, while many others were still locked up in prison, awaiting execution.
According to the effects of the [Dark Lord (Career)], Tom should have been able to use their abilities too. But he couldn't.
"Do the other Death Eaters have to know who I am before I can use their abilities?" Tom worked out the reason.
But he was still a student. He couldn't exactly run into Azkaban and shout, "I'm Voldemort!"
That left only two Death Eaters he could reach at Hogwarts: Snape and Little Tail.
But both of them were in much better shape mentally than Quirrell. Winning their trust wouldn't be easy.
He'd have to think it over.
Time flew by.
After second period one morning, Ron asked Tom curiously, "Big brother, I've noticed you seem a lot more tired lately."
Tom had always been full of energy. No matter how much physical exertion he put himself through each day, he had always looked bright and alert. Recently, though, a trace of fatigue had appeared on his face.
If he kept going like this much longer, he'd probably develop dark circles under his eyes.
"I don't know either." Tom propped his chin on his hand.
After thinking it over, he guessed it was because of the spells.
With such an excellent theorist as Quirrell at his side, Tom had spent even more time on spellwork, following the principle that he might as well make good use of him.
Spells took a tremendous toll on his mental energy. Although [Innate Divine Strength] had improved it somewhat, the effect wasn't all that great.
That was why he felt so drowsy.
He had [Laziness], but that persona was only Lv.1. Cutting his rest time in half still wasn't enough.
Tom wanted to improve his [Laziness] persona, but with how much of a workaholic he was, who could possibly think he was lazy?
The progress on [Laziness] remained at a pitiful 0.
In contrast, [Diligence] had reached Lv.4, while [Wisdom] was already close to Lv.MAX and would soon evolve.
"Big brother, do you want to rest for a while?" Harry asked with concern.
"No need. I have my own way." Tom waved him off, then reminded them, "Keep following the training plans I gave you. The school will be organizing a Dueling Club next month, and I'll be checking how you're doing then."
"Yes!" Ron and Harry immediately stood up straight.
After watching Tom head mysteriously upstairs again, Ron's expression shifted to one of worry.
"Harry, what should I do? I'm really no good at dueling."
He still couldn't even change the color of his pet rat, let alone cast proper offensive spells in a real fight.
At least his physical fitness had improved a lot.
"Don't ask me. Apart from a basic Floating Charm, all I can manage is the Expelliarmus the big brother taught me yesterday, step by step. I don't know if that'll be enough."
"Don't feel pressured." Tom suddenly came back and reassured them. "You'll be competing against people your own age. Apart from those Pure-bloods with family traditions, they won't be much stronger than you."
With that, he left again.
Ron: (;へ:)
"I am a Pure-blood."
["Friendliness" +1 progress]
Room of Requirement.
Several dummies darted rapidly back and forth across the room.
At Tom's latest request, the Room of Requirement had changed its shape and added a few enchanted tracks beneath the dummies, allowing them to move automatically at high speed.
Enemies on a real battlefield wouldn't stand still like training dummies and let someone attack them, so practicing on moving targets was essential.
Tom wasn't aiming to be a champion of the practice range.
Expelliarmus!
Diffindo!
Expelliarmus!
A string of glowing bolts of magic shot out.
Every shot hit its mark. All the dummies' heads burst open.
The benefits of physical training were starting to show.
Faster reflexes, more agile movement, sharper dynamic vision...
If he hadn't transmigrated, this body alone would have made him a prodigy.
Half an hour later, Tom collapsed face-down on the floor and closed his eyes to rest.
"Your stamina's been flagging lately, real self. You're using up a lot of magic." Voldemort spoke slowly.
It seemed he had finally accepted that he was a Horcrux.
"I know. I'll adjust my schedule soon." Tom waved a hand.
He had increased his training too suddenly, disrupting his original routine.
"If only I had some Potions. If I could brew a few Vitality Potions, I might be able to stay alert without cutting back on my training."
Vitality Potion was a potion that appeared on the O.W.L. exam. It restored not only physical energy, but mental energy as well.
Wait.
Suddenly, Tom sat bolt upright.
"Horcrux, are you still any good at stealing?"
"Stealing? What are you talking about? Even as a Horcrux, I've inherited the will of the great Voldemort. Why would I stoop to something as sneaky as theft?" Voldemort snorted.
"I'm just asking if you're good at it. I want to steal a Potion Ingredients Storage."
"Uh..." Voldemort fell silent for a moment. "If Quirrell completely gave up control of his body and let me take over, even a high-security vault at Gringotts couldn't stop me."
"Great!" Tom's lips curled into a smile.
Snape, here I come!
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