Rapid Growth

With the Christmas holiday drawing to a close, Kano chose to return to school on the last day of the break.

He adjusted his appearance in the full-length mirror, then took the Hogwarts robes from Kreacher and pulled them on.

But he immediately noticed something was wrong. Before the holiday, the hem had reached his ankles; now it only came to the bottom of his calves.

When he had first enrolled, these robes had dragged across the tops of his feet. In just two months, Kano had grown more than ten centimeters.

"Young master, perhaps you simply grow faster. Children change every day, after all."

Kreacher tried to comfort Kano, but Kano himself frowned.

Heroes in Celtic culture generally shared one trait: they grew extraordinarily quickly. Not quite growing at the sight of wind, perhaps, but still far beyond ordinary people.

Once they became strong and skilled in battle, fate would bring them challenges.

"Perhaps my challenge will come soon," Kano murmured to himself as he boarded the Hogwarts Express.

Nothing was said along the way. When he saw the castle's warm lights glowing in the night once more, Kano could not help drawing his wand and setting off a golden-red firework.

Several heads seemed to poke out from the windows of Gryffindor Tower, and they released a few fireworks in response.

When Kano returned to the common room, Harry and Ron immediately came over to greet him.

"The Christmas gift was amazing, Kano." Ron patted him on the shoulder. "I've been absolutely crushing everyone with that chess set."

"Honeydukes really is a magical shop. I never knew there were so many delicious magical sweets." Harry voiced his thanks as well.

"You'll learn more in time. There are plenty of interesting things in the wizarding world."

After chatting for a while, Harry mysteriously pulled out a robe that looked like flowing silver liquid and placed it in Kano's hands.

"I don't know who sent it to me. They said it was something my father left behind." Harry patted the robe. "Ron says it's an Invisibility Cloak."

Kano held the Invisibility Cloak, one of the Deathly Hallows passed down through the Peverell family, and slowly let his magic seep into it.

Druids did not merely protect nature. The original purpose of their calling had been to forge a connection between humanity and nature, allowing people to survive more easily in this harsh world.

Thus, druids also crafted magical items. Their materials included sacred trees, mistletoe, special stones, and more.

Yet any crafted magical item would inevitably bear traces of human handiwork. Even druids could not avoid that.

But the Invisibility Cloak in Kano's hands felt wholly natural, as though it had formed of its own accord. He could not even analyze its materials, much less understand the principles behind its effects.

Legend said this cloak had belonged to Death himself. Perhaps it truly was connected to a god.

But the age of gods had long passed. Even if druids could still draw upon their power, the gods themselves had long since vanished without a trace.

"It truly is a remarkable treasure, Harry. Make sure you keep it safe." Kano returned the Invisibility Cloak to Harry, who solemnly put it away.

"Of course I'll keep it safe. It was my father's, after all."

Kano and Ron exchanged glances, then smiled and shook their heads.

Harry, who had grown up in the ordinary world, could not understand how precious the Invisibility Cloak was. But he treasured everything his parents had left him.

Not long afterward, Hermione returned to school as well. The three youngsters whispered mysteriously about something, while Kano was busy arranging his bed and had no interest in joining them.

If he remembered correctly, it was about the Mirror of Erised?

That mirror could reflect what a person desired most in their heart. Many people had starved and died of thirst before it. But in the end, it was all an illusion; becoming lost in it would bring no change to reality.

What would Kano see in the mirror? He did not know either. Perhaps the smile of the little girl from his previous life when she had been saved, perhaps the parents he had never met in this life, or perhaps those who had lovingly cared for him as he grew up in Fairyland?

Kano did not know what image he desired most. He only wished to fulfill his destiny as soon as possible and bring a little comfort to his long-dead parents.

Several days later, on a fog-shrouded morning by the Black Lake, two fully armored knights mounted on warhorses once again leveled their lances and charged at one another.

Just as his opponent's lance was about to strike him, the smaller knight barely managed to twist his waist. The powerful lance grazed his side, and the larger knight across from him could not rein in his momentum, pitching forward slightly.

The smaller knight's lance struck directly into his opponent's abdomen and knocked him from his horse. He pointed his lance down at the fallen opponent, then lifted his visor.

"Owen, were you holding back?"

The fallen knight rose with some difficulty, lifted his own visor, and spat to the side.

"Kano, you've grown stronger. During our last spar, you dodged my charge, but you didn't have enough strength afterward to knock me from my horse."

Owen drew his sword, raised his shield, and signaled for Kano to dismount and fight on foot.

Owen adopted a cautious strategy. He kept his body hidden behind his shield, striking in the gaps between Kano's attacks and slowly accumulating wounds on Kano's body.

But Kano wanted to test how much his strength had increased. He swung his heavy oak sword, hacking at Owen's shield again and again until even the family crest upon it was shredded beyond recognition.

In the end, before Kano could collapse from blood loss, Owen was driven to his knees by one of Kano's powerful blows, and a gap appeared in his tight defense.

Kano took the opportunity to thrust forward with the sword resting against the edge of Owen's shield. The blade slid into Owen through his neck, piercing his entire chest.

Owen's body turned back into thick fog. Before long, he emerged from the mist again in ordinary clothes.

"Good lad, you beat me."

Kano was currently connected to the earth through vines. Fine vines ran into his internal organs at one end and linked to the ground at the other.

The pallor caused by his blood loss gradually faded from his face, and the sickly drowsiness vanished as well.

Only then did Kano rise to his feet and shake his head at the delighted Owen.

"I only won because my strength has increased. My horsemanship and swordsmanship still haven't surpassed yours."

Owen laughed and patted Kano on the shoulder. "What are you thinking? Everyone has things they're good at and things they're not. Other than that guy Lancelot, who could guarantee they were good at everything?"

"And after I defeat you, stronger Knights of the Round Table will naturally spar with you. You'll learn from their experience and keep improving."

"Then when can I become a real knight?" Kano asked.

"At your rate of progress, next year. You'll definitely make it next year." Owen still chose to brush him off. Some things, everyone tacitly agreed not to tell Kano.

You'll understand when you grow up. jpg.

"Then at least tell me who I'll be sparring with tomorrow?" Kano asked helplessly.

"They won't be too much stronger than me. We don't want to leave you traumatized." Owen reassured Kano. "But that's the day after tomorrow. As for tomorrow... how are your magic studies going?"

"My mother seems to have said she'll send someone to give you a magic examination tomorrow. You'd better prepare yourself, since she's never understood the meaning of moderation."

Kano's face turned pale again. Not just anyone could endure Morgan's "love."

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