The Limits of Magic

After completing the contract with Voldemort and absorbing all his magical knowledge and memories, Ian secluded himself for several days.

He slowly digested and absorbed that immense flood of memories, allowing it to completely merge with his own consciousness.

Voldemort had conducted countless Dark Magic experiments throughout his life. Their cruelty and distortion were enough to drive any ordinary wizard insane.

As a result, Ian had to frequently use the Patronus Charm to regulate his emotions, using the magic of happiness to neutralize those cold and violent memories.

The cost was enormous, but the gains were equally astonishing.

With his extraordinary memory and logical thinking, Ian absorbed all that vast body of knowledge within just a few short weeks.

He worked almost without sleep or rest. Only when his assistant Momo reminded him did he remember that he had made an appointment with Madam Rosmerta.

By the moment all the memories had fully merged into his mind, Ian had mastered nearly all of Voldemort's magical techniques from his lifetime.

He had learned Wandless Levitation, advanced applications of Legilimency, and the natural switching of Parseltongue.

He had already dabbled in these abilities before, but now they had reached the level Voldemort had possessed at his peak.

More importantly, he had gained the truly terrifying part of Voldemort—his battle experience.

Over the course of his long life, Voldemort had clashed with Dumbledore many times.

The details, tempo, and psychological battles of every fight had been carved completely into Ian's mind.

It was an experience that no book or simulation could ever provide.

"I am now one of the most learned wizards of the modern age."

Ian wrote in his notes, "Leaving aside alchemy masters like Nicolas Flamel, I am unmatched in the fields of spellcraft and Dark Magic."

His only weakness was his magic.

Although his knowledge was endless, his own magical power remained at the limit of twenty-five times that of an ordinary wizard.

This was the upper limit that the Magic Core within every wizard could withstand.

However, Voldemort's memories had given him the answer.

Voldemort had once broken through this limit by an extreme method—Horcruxes.

Every time he tore apart his soul to create a Horcrux, the rupture generated immense magical fluctuations.

Voldemort used his Magic Core to absorb that overflowing energy, forcibly expanding his own magical capacity.

The process was excruciating, but extremely effective.

According to Ian's analysis, Voldemort's magical strength at his peak had been sixty times that of an ordinary wizard.

"That explains why, even with the Elder Wand in hand, Dumbledore could only fight him to a draw."

Ian closed his eyes and murmured, "At the foundation, Voldemort was stronger than anyone else."

But he had no intention of copying that path.

Ian had already achieved profound attainments in the study of souls, and he knew full well that splitting the soul caused irreversible damage.

Even modifying the soul section of the Life Code could not repair that kind of rupture.

He gently opened the research notes Voldemort had left behind, his thoughts deep and solemn.

"If I can replicate that energy wave without splitting the soul, I can break through the limit safely."

That would be the direction of his next research.

However, Ian was not satisfied with this alone.

Even after absorbing all of Voldemort's knowledge, he still felt that something was missing.

"Two people are still missing." He wrote two names on the paper—Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald.

In Voldemort's memories, Dumbledore's philosophy of spellcasting was entirely unique. His nearly perfect philosophy of Harmonizing Magic could be called the pinnacle of Light Magic.

Grindelwald, meanwhile, represented another extreme—a Mental Magic system centered on faith and will.

If he could obtain all the knowledge of both men, Ian's magical system would truly reach perfection.

"By then, I will transcend the limitations imposed on wizards by every dimension." he thought.

However, he also understood that this would not be easy.

Both men were wizards with indestructible wills. They could not be threatened or manipulated into submission.

They would rather die than betray their convictions and sign a contract.

Ian sat down beside the fireplace, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest.

"Grindelwald..."

After thinking for a moment, he lowered the tip of his pen and wrote, "Perhaps I should wait until next summer vacation—after I obtain the Philosopher's Stone—before meeting him again."

As for Dumbledore, he still had no idea where to begin.

"Perhaps," he said softly, "I can use the chaos caused by next year's Chamber of Secrets incident to look for an opportunity."

The firelight danced, reflecting the faint, deeply hidden smile in his eyes.