A sky full of crimson flooded Wayne's consciousness, but fortunately, his current mental strength was far beyond what it used to be, preventing him from being overwhelmed into unconsciousness by the powerful torrent of thoughts.
Yet digesting such a vast amount of memories was no simple task.
Upon hearing that shout, Wayne already knew who he had drawn.
The Darkin Blade—Aatrox.
In Runeterra, the Darkin are a highly unique race, each individual immensely powerful. Even the weakest among them are foes beyond ordinary champions, let alone common mortals.
And before becoming Darkin, they had an even more resounding title—the Ascended.
In a way, the Ascended share a connection with Wayne—more precisely, with the inheritance of the Celestial Dragon King he had obtained.
After the Dragon King was deceived into coming to Runeterra and donned the crown forged by the Aspects, the Aspects used it as a conduit to continuously steal the Dragon King's knowledge and power.
At that time, Runeterra had no Demacia or Noxus, only a formidable empire—the ancient Shuriman Empire.
Under the covert guidance of the Aspects, the Shuriman Empire constructed the Sun Disc and created the Ascension Rite.
The Aspects used the disc to bestow the Dragon King's power upon mortals, thus giving rise to a powerful superhuman race known as the Ascended.
Compared to mortals, the Ascended were akin to gods, each one incredibly mighty.
And Aatrox was among the finest of them, commanding countless Ascended warriors as the Grand General of the Shuriman Empire.
In its heyday, Shurima nearly conquered the entire continent, yet some still refused to be enslaved and rose in rebellion. Icathia was one such place. Their strength was negligible compared to the Ascended, but their mages recklessly opened a void rift, unleashing void creatures.
In an instant, Icathia was destroyed, and the army and Ascended sent to quell the rebellion fell alongside them.
In the end, Aatrox and the other Ascended paid a heavy price to seal the rift, but they too were corrupted by the void, their minds gradually changing until, centuries later, they fell completely, becoming known as the Darkin.
The Darkin ignited war across the continent, bringing devastation and carnage. It was only when the previous Twilight Aspect, Mihira, devised a method to seal them within weapons that the conflict ended.
This is also why Aatrox harbours such deep hatred for the Twilight Aspect.
Imprisoned in darkness within his weapon, yet fully conscious for millennia—if someone hadn't drawn the sword, who knows how much longer he would have remained trapped.
His will had long since shattered, and as the Darkin Blade, Aatrox roamed the world seeking powerful flesh to restore his peak strength and bring about the world's end.
So, how strong is the Darkin Blade?
He battled Kayle and Morgana, holding his own against both. He encountered the Aspect of War and fought for ten days and nights, slaying the Aspect and allowing Atreus to seize the opportunity, regaining consciousness and, as a mortal, usurping the god of Aspects. Then, the Darkin Blade journeyed to the Freljord and clashed with Volibear.
The Star Spirit's true form is divine, while its mortal vessel is a demigod - meaning Aatrox's strength ranks among the most formidable even within the top tier of demigods.
As Aatrox's past experiences surfaced in Wayne's mind, he couldn't help but frown at the series of brutal battles.
It wasn't because the flood of information was overwhelming his mind, but because Aatrox's mouth was simply too foul.
He'd insult Kayle, mock Morgana, curse Fiddlesticks, and slander anyone in sight.
It was like he carried a verbal machine gun, spraying insults wherever he went.
Yet the gains were substantial.
The Darkin Blade, Infernal Chains, Umbral Dash, and World Ender - the ultimate technique that temporarily restored him to his prime at the cost of damaging his physical form.
But these weren't the key takeaways. The most valuable parts were Aatrox's comprehension of Ascended power and the destructive force he mastered after becoming a Darkin.
The Ten Powers were essentially royal authority, and Aatrox's insights proved greatly beneficial to him.
As for the destructive force, it originated from Void corruption. These two powers stood at opposite extremes, yet shared a peculiar connection.
After reaching Legend status, beyond further developing one's own potential, greater emphasis was placed on understanding the workings of the world. Though Aatrox's legacy was profound, compared to the dragon's template, it felt considerably more accessible.
...
Two full hours passed before Wayne reopened his eyes, a flash of bloodthirsty aura vanishing so quickly it might have been an illusion.
With a flip of his palm, the Sword of Gryffindor materialised in Wayne's hand.
"Aatrox's swordsmanship... is considerably superior to Gryffindor's." Wayne casually swung the sword, and crimson sword energy sliced through the air to shatter the table before him beyond magical repair.
Now armed with a sword in one hand and a wand in the other, he'd achieved what might be considered a mage's complete form.
Due to the Darkin's destructive potential being too great, Wayne hesitated to experiment within his personal dimension. After briefly digesting the knowledge, he stored the sword and examined his other rewards.
When he saw the Legend-tier rewards, he froze momentarily.
Was the system obsessed with Shurima today?
[Sun Disc (Budget Version): Can absorb dragon power, converting it into a milder form tolerable by mortals. After undergoing the Ascension Rite, the Ascended's potential greatly increases, with their ceiling reaching Legend peak.]
[Ascension Rite (Painless Safe Edition): Modified from Shurima's Ascension Rite. No physical transformation required. Completely risk-free.]
The two Legend rewards even came as a matching set. Was the system hinting at something?
Wayne felt uncertain. While these items wouldn't directly enhance his personal combat strength, for cultivating subordinates and building a powerful empire, they surpassed any Legend-tier reward in usefulness.
The original Sun Disc was undoubtedly an artefact-level treasure. That this budget version could elevate someone's potential to Legend status was already impressive.
The safe version of the Ascension ritual was even better.
Not only did it guarantee the Ascended's safety, it also preserved their original appearance.
Just look at Shurima's Ascended - crocodile heads, jackal features, and that golden fried chicken look - barely humanoid at all.
The only issue was where to gather the Ascension energy. It wasn't like he had a dragon tethered somewhere to use as a power bank.
Hmm?
Suddenly, understanding dawned on Wayne as he looked down at himself.
'You damned system... you're not expecting me to power the Sun Disc myself, are you?'
He decisively stored these two rewards away. Given his current small physique, even draining himself completely wouldn't be enough for a single ritual. He'd consider it after advancing to the next rank.
Ignoring the blue and purple cards directly, Wayne turned his attention to the other epic rewards.
A blue crystal, a red crystal, two Philosopher's Stones as guaranteed rewards, a Staff of Explosion, and a World Rune.
[Revitalising Gale: Your healing magic will be greatly enhanced, capable of raising the dead and restoring flesh to bones.]
'Pretty useless, might as well collect it as a stamp.'
The blue crystal, when worn, increased his magical power by 0.2 Dumbledores - equivalent to twelve Snapes - though the effect was barely noticeable.
However, after synthesising the two crystals into an Omni-Catalyst Stone through the furnace, this boost became 0.6 Dumbledores. More importantly, it significantly enhanced his vitality.
With his current physical strength, Wayne felt he could punch away a dragon without using any magic.
After processing all the rewards, Wayne lay on his bed, continuing to browse through Aatrox's memories.
Any random enemy of Aatrox was at least a Legend-level powerhouse. Simply observing them would be immensely beneficial.
...
The next day, Wayne arrived at the Headmaster's Office full of vigour.
Originally just making his routine rounds, he unexpectedly received a letter from Grindelwald.
After reading it, his expression turned peculiar.
Voldemort had actually gone to Grindelwald for insurance, to ensure Dumbledore wouldn't interfere in their battle...
Logically speaking, there was nothing wrong with this approach.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Both of them had been bullied by Dumbledore back in the day, so teaming up was a normal move.
But the problem was... Dumbledore and Grindelwald had domestic disputes, while with you, it's a life-and-death enmity.
Wayne didn't even know how to evaluate this.
The letter was filled with Grindelwald's mockery of Voldy between the lines.
After some thought, Wayne decided to let him do as he pleased, without needing to deliver a righteous backstab when the time came.
Voldemort was already miserable enough. There was no need to use underhanded tactics against him, lest he lose unwillingly.
Having Ho-Oh deliver his letter to Durmstrang, Wayne returned to continue digesting Aatrox's legacy, cross-referencing it with the Dragon King's inheritance. His progress accelerated rapidly.
After the evening feast, Wayne came to Snape's office. Harry had been practising the Legilimency Spell here recently - the two were essentially torturing each other.
Defeating Voldemort was his mission, while using this opportunity to probe for the Hufflepuff's Cup's whereabouts was Harry's task.
However, upon entering, Wayne noticed the atmosphere seemed off.
Snape was slumped in his chair, chest heaving, eyes glaring fiercely at Harry standing before him as if trying to kill him with his gaze.
Harry wore an expression of shocked disbelief, as if he'd seen something incredible.
"What's going on with you two?" Wayne looked at them curiously.
"Why didn't you knock before entering?" Snape snapped irritably.
"Hmm?" Wayne crossed his arms and looked at him. "Severus, I happen to need an assistant for my duel with Voldemort. I think you'd be quite suitable."
Snape wisely chose to remain silent. Wayne nudged the still dazed Harry with his elbow. "Say something."
"Ah? Oh."
Harry came back to his senses, his gaze evasive, not daring to look at Snape.
"How's the progress?" Wayne asked.
"Quite satisfactory." Snape slowly exhaled a turbid breath. "Potter needn't come from tomorrow onwards. I've nothing left to teach him."
Wayne suddenly understood, looking at Harry. "Did you see some embarrassing memories?"
With that single sentence, both men's expressions changed.
"It seems it involves you, too. Ah, I understand now." Wayne said with sudden realisation. "You saw how your father used to bully Snape back in the day?"
"I, I... I didn't mean to." Harry said stiffly. "Just now, my Meditation Technique had a breakthrough, and Professor Snape's defences were breached, so..."
His explanation sounded feeble—what mattered wasn't the process, but the outcome.
Harry suddenly felt that Snape had actually been remarkably tolerant and fair in his treatment of him.
If he put himself in the other's position, having suffered such treatment, then becoming a professor...
Seeing the child of the person he hated most constantly appearing before him, he'd definitely treat them even more harshly than Snape had treated him.
Simultaneously, Harry felt ashamed.
In his heart, his father had always appeared as a heroic figure, but in Snape's memories, James Potter was practically the school bully, causing trouble everywhere with his little gang.
"Enough, set aside your grievances for now. There'll be plenty of time to deal with them later." Wayne waved his hand. "What's most important now is Voldemort. Severus, don't say things in anger. Harry's current Legilimency Spell level still isn't sufficient."
Snape grunted disapprovingly but didn't refute this.
"Harry, you'll need to work harder recently. Come here every evening."
"I understand," Harry said quietly.
After instructing them both, Wayne left. Before exiting, Harry hesitated for a moment, then said in a voice loud enough for Snape to hear:
"I apologise on his behalf, Professor. I'm sorry."
Bang!
The door closed, leaving Snape alone sitting in the darkness, lost in unknowable thoughts.