harleyscars Chapter 164, page 163: The Founder of Reappearance?
Chapter 164, page 163: The Founder of Reappearance?
Chapter 164, page 163: The Founder of Reappearance?
A gentle breeze is blowing.
The air in Fandao Alley was unusually foul, a mixture of many strange smells. It was a haven for lawbreakers, and inevitably many illegal workshops operated day and night.
"Aphrodisiacs, sustained pleasure potions... Sure enough, things related to primal urges are the best-selling." Ian squatted down and took out another syringe to continue drawing blood from the unconscious werewolf.
He had already extracted about two thousand milliliters of fresh werewolf blood, and the unconscious werewolf's skin had turned somewhat pale. In fact, Ian was also quite surprised by what was happening in the werewolf's mind.
However, his reaction was far less exaggerated than Lupin's.
"No!"
The information Lupin received from the unconscious werewolf's mind stirred up a storm of emotions within him that he couldn't calm down for a long time. His expression changed repeatedly before he finally spoke in a hoarse voice.
"This must be a fake memory!"
The words he uttered revealed that he still refused to believe reality.
"That person couldn't possibly have lived that long!"
It's unclear whether Lupin was trying to persuade the young wizard or attempting to gain the young wizard's approval in order to convince himself—in fact, Ian genuinely understood Lupin's reaction.
It's like physicists discovering that Einstein is still alive somewhere, working as a tractor mechanic; most physicists probably wouldn't be able to accept that.
"Relax a bit, my senior. It's just a name. It's not impossible for someone to impersonate you." Ian tried to soothe Lupin's emotions in the direction Lupin wanted.
however.
"But... to be able to easily defeat a group of werewolves unscathed, and even have such outstanding swordsmanship, there are very few wizards in history who fit these characteristics..." Lupin, who had been expressing his rebuttal, suddenly became "rebellious" again after hearing this, questioning Ian's opinion that followed his words.
"??????"
Ian suspected that Lupin might have some kind of mental illness.
"So the one who sold the medicine to these werewolves was Godric Gryffindor, okay?" Ian rolled his eyes. Yes, the name he and Lupin had heard in the werewolves' memories was that of the founder of Gryffindor House.
Godric Gryffindor.
In the comatose werewolf's memory, not long ago, a blond young man barged into Knockdown Alley and began selling a "Spirit Awakening Potion" to the werewolves living there.
In this young man's description, the effects of the [Awakening Potion] far surpass those of the [Wolfsbane Potion]. It not only helps werewolves maintain their rationality when transforming on the night of the full moon, but also allows them to maintain their rationality for life after taking it, enabling them to transform anytime, anywhere. The only drawback is that it cannot remove the infectiousness carried by werewolves.
This potion, which sounded incredibly powerful, was not believed by the werewolves. Instead, they thought the newcomer was a fraud, so the enraged werewolves attacked the mysterious blond youth.
As for the outcome of the battle...
Just like the werewolf memory that Lupin was unwilling to believe, the mysterious blond youth defeated all the werewolves in Knockout Alley with an instant kill, almost single-handedly taking on a hundred of them.
This may also be the reason why Lu Ping was restless.
That person is too strong.
He was as strong as the founder of Gryffindor that he had imagined in his childhood.
Even some werewolves that transformed into werewolf form couldn't last a single round against the opponent's swordsmanship. Such combat power was indeed terrifying, something that ordinary wizards could not possess.
"You are definitely not an unknown person!"
A defeated and wounded werewolf let out a fearful howl, and it was this howl that was witnessed by the unconscious werewolf that Ian had captured, which is why the unconscious werewolf heard the man's reply.
"Perhaps you can call me Godric Gryffindor... I was given this name from birth." The blond youth left these words and then stole all the werewolves' Galleons.
No, perhaps it's not accurate to describe his actions as "stealing." Rather, after leaving behind the so-called "Awakening Potion," he forcibly took away the savings that those werewolves had painstakingly accumulated over many years.
Not a single copper coin was left for the werewolves... This is why some werewolves would risk drinking the [Awakening Potion]. Even if they continued to work for the dark wizards, they wouldn't have enough time to save up enough money to buy the [Wolfsbane Potion]. The only way was to try the so-called potion left behind by Godric Gryffindor as a last resort.
In fact.
Compared to Lupin's reaction.
Most werewolves disbelieved the mysterious blond youth's words. Most of them were literate, and even those who weren't would know who Godric Gryffindor was.
Even setting aside the possibility that the characters from a thousand years ago could not possibly still be alive today, who would believe that a guy who would run off to the back alley as a black market dealer was once a famous legend?
The werewolves didn't believe it.
Lupin was somewhat psychologically affected.
This is not.
Ian went along with him again, but Lupin once again displayed his "rebellious" attitude.
"Goldrick Gryffindor would never do such a thing! Besides! He lived ten centuries ago. Are you saying that Godrick Gryffindor also chose to live a life of ignominy and dared not face death?" Lupin refuted Ian's words again. His seemingly schizophrenic behavior made the young wizard roll his eyes so hard they almost went overclock.
"I didn't say that, and immortality doesn't mean one is afraid to face death... So, what kind of perspective do you want to hear from me?"
Ian sighed helplessly.
In truth, Ian didn't believe that the person selling medicine to the werewolves could be Godric Gryffindor. He was simply shocked by the immense power possessed by the figure resembling Godric Gryffindor in the unconscious werewolves' memories, which is why he wanted to tell Albus Dumbledore.
Many people may not know about the four founders, but Ian is different. He has heard from more than one person that Godric Gryffindor has passed through the Enchanted Realm.
Whether it's Pendro, Morgan, or Lady Ravenclaw, they have all proven this point; Godric Gryffindor has gone far beyond the realm of illusion.
Surely it can't be that someone was reincarnated with memories of their previous life, right?
"I don't know either..." Lupin's eyes were quite blank, and his expression became increasingly complicated. He was more inclined to believe that someone was impersonating the founder from a thousand years ago.
however.
Among dark wizards, only Grindelwald could have this power. Lupin couldn't imagine finding such a powerful wizard in this century. He couldn't possibly suspect Albus Dumbledore, could he?
Although that swordsmanship... no, I can't think of it that way, thinking that way would be disloyal to Albus Dumbledore! The great Albus Dumbledore wouldn't do something only a dark wizard would do! Well, even if Albus Dumbledore really wanted to do such a thing, there was no need for him to tarnish Godric Gryffindor's reputation!
"There's no point in us speculating here. Let's tell Headmaster Dumbledore. He'll investigate. You should trust that our old headmaster can find out the truth."
Ian didn't want to dwell on the issue too much. After all, the mysterious blond man hadn't had any conflict with him, so what if the mysterious blond man was Merlin?
There are many geniuses in the world.
There are always people who can delay or avoid death. Even if the mysterious blond man is just a young, overly talented person with delusions of grandeur, it's not so hard to accept.
Take a thousand steps back.
It might not be such a bad thing if that person really was Godric Gryffindor.
"Right now, I hope to analyze the blood of this werewolf to find out what the so-called 'Awakening Potion' is." Ian weighed the blood he had already collected.
He already felt that the amount of blood wasn't enough for his research, and now he also needed to analyze the potion samples contained within the blood, which meant he would need to increase the amount of werewolf blood he needed by another order of magnitude. Even draining the unconscious werewolves dry wouldn't be enough, which was why Ian didn't continue drawing blood; he understood the principle of sustainable development from his past life.
"I'd also like to ask other werewolves for information." Lupin looked off in one direction, seemingly lost in thought. He probably didn't even realize that this was the very suggestion Ian wanted to make.
of course.
Although that's what he's thinking, Ian may not show it on his face.
"The water is deep, and I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it... But since we've known each other for several days now, even if there's danger, I'm willing to go with you through this water."
Ian revealed his tendency to lie without thinking.
It's rare for him not to tell the truth.
But Lupin showed no respect whatsoever.
"You're right. Whoever that person is, his strength is beyond doubt. You don't need to take the risk to satisfy my doubts, and you don't have the identity of a werewolf like me."
"I can send you back first, and then I'll go and find out the situation myself..." Lupin wasn't entirely interested in finding out about the fake founder; he also had his own thoughts about the so-called [Awakening Potion].
"..."
Ian hadn't expected Lupin to be so straightforward, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond, so he pretended not to hear and dragged the unconscious werewolf under the rubble.
You owe me a favor.
After saying something rather abruptly to Lupin, Ian took the lead and walked towards the fork in the road. Seeing the young wizard begin to move, Lupin hesitated for a moment before immediately following.
How did you know to come this way?
Lupin suspected that the young wizard's hidden true form had used Legilimency on him.
"It's in that werewolf's memories."
Ian responded without batting an eye.
"Is there?"
Lupin frowned with some suspicion. He hadn't read all of the unconscious werewolf's memories, so he couldn't provide any evidence that the young wizard was lying.
"You're so suspicious, have you ever thought about becoming a spy?" Ian rolled his eyes again. He really wasn't the type to use Legilimency on others casually—reading other people's memories was tedious and a waste of time. It was nowhere near as useful as the Truth Potion he got from Aurora.
He wouldn't have chosen to knock out the werewolf if that werewolf hadn't been so difficult to communicate with.
"Werewolves like to gather here... to compete in misery?" Ian stopped at a street in the unconscious werewolf's memory, which was not much different from the previous desolate street.
Everywhere there were dilapidated, uninhabited houses, their precarious appearance suggesting they could collapse at any moment, overgrown with weeds. The reason they weren't being repaired with magic was probably related to the right to reside there.
Most werewolves are "unregistered" and this is also true in Tumbler Alley. If they make their living space too comfortable, they will definitely be reported and driven away by the despicable wizards who want to freeload.
"They're just banding together for warmth. You can still see the werewolves living in poverty here, people who still have a conscience, even if they don't have much left."
A flawless version after careful inspection!
Lupin offered a defense of the werewolves.
Just as he and the little wizard were standing outside the street, whispering to each other.
"Remus Lupin, you brought a normal person, a child, which is not a wise decision." An old man dressed in an old wizard's robe, trying his best to appear dignified, walked out of one of the houses, followed closely by many young wizards with wary eyes.
"Let's get out of here quickly, before any of us go mad," the old man said, his robes faded from washing, his deep voice a mix of warning and advice.
"I just wanted to ask you about something."
Lupin hurriedly explained his purpose, revealing his considerable nervousness—no one understood werewolves' mental health better than him; it was indeed possible for a werewolf who was perfectly normal one moment to suddenly have a mental breakdown and attack someone nearby the next. After all, they were all people who had lost everything, and no one knew when they might suddenly have a mental breakdown.
"What do you want to know?"
The old man frowned slightly.
He was clearly playing the role of the "alpha wolf," while the other werewolves simply stood beside him without interacting with Lupin. It's unclear whether Lupin was unpopular among the werewolves.
"Awakening Potion"
Lu Ping succinctly explained his purpose.
"We agreed not to tell anyone about this. Where did you get this information from?" The old man frowned, looking at Lu Ping with great confusion.
"Of course I have my own sources of information."
Lupin gave a somewhat ambiguous answer. He clearly knew how unreasonable the werewolves here were, and absolutely could not reveal that he and the young wizard beside him had fought back against a werewolf who tried to ambush him.
"Here you go, you deserve it." The old man didn't ask any further questions, but instead took out a bottle of potion and threw it to Lupin. Perhaps they had many more of these in stock.
"Remember to keep this a secret."
Seeing that Lu Ping had caught the potion, the old man gave him another serious reminder. He wondered if he and his pack of werewolves were plotting something shady.
In this regard.
Lupin didn't intend to inquire further.
He stared intently at the old man standing not far away. "The person who gave you the potion, I want to know more about him. Do you think he might be Godric Gryffindor himself?"
obviously.
Compared to the werewolves' schemes, Lupin was more concerned about the founder of his own academy.
"I can't tell you anything. We share your skepticism. But, to be honest, whether he's a legendary figure from a thousand years ago or not is none of our business." The old man shook his head and spoke in a low voice. Most of the werewolves beside him nodded in agreement.
"The drug is indeed useful to us, that's the most important thing... Regardless of whether that person is your founder or not, the person who invented this drug is at least not a qualified businessman."
The young wizard agreed with the old man's words.
indeed.
A true merchant would not create a permanent "wolfskin potion".
"Aren't you afraid of the price you'll have to pay, not just the Galleons that were stolen?" Lupin held the crimson potion in his hand; its blood-like color looked rather eerie.
He didn't intend to take it immediately, but instead handed the potion to the young wizard beside him—when it comes to potions, trusting the Prince family is never a bad idea.
One-fifth of Prince is still Prince.
Upon receiving the potion, Ian immediately opened the bottle and smelled it. His expression changed slightly, as he was quite surprised that he couldn't smell any of the ingredients used in making the potion.
"Is there some kind of interference mechanism hidden in this potion, an anti-theft measure?" the young wizard guessed. He sniffed the potion again, but still found nothing.
Just as Ian was trying to analyze the [Awakening Potion]...
"Are you suggesting that perhaps this potion hides an even more devastating price?" The old man suddenly chuckled, his gaze towards Lupin carrying an indescribable complexity.
"Remus Lupin, you may think you're miserable, but there are many people among us who are worse off than you. At least you haven't experienced the most excruciating pain."
"Look at my fellow countrymen around me. How many of them have killed their own children, wives, and even parents with their own hands? You can never understand such despair."
"We've already fallen to rock bottom... what price are we afraid of paying?" The old man's words were filled with sorrow, causing Lupin to fall silent for a moment.
The werewolves around him also showed expressions of grief or covered their faces, and a sense of pain permeated the air, which Ian, who possessed [thought perception], clearly perceived.
"Take your dose of the medicine and leave!"
One werewolf, whose pain had been stirred up, finally shouted at Lupin in a hostile tone. His words were echoed by the other werewolves, many of whom were actually not very willing to accept Lupin in the first place.
Perhaps it's because Lupin wasn't miserable enough?
"Of course! I'm very grateful for your help!" Seeing that the atmosphere was becoming a little disharmonious, Lupin immediately became nervous and tried to pull the little wizard away.
however.
"etc."
The old man suddenly spoke up to stop Lu Ping.
"Is there anything else? Oh, right, I forgot to pay." Lupin turned around as if suddenly realizing something, and reached into his robe.
One second.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
He rummaged through his robes for a long time, finally pulling out only a dozen or so bronze knuckles. The down-on-his-luck werewolf looked quite embarrassed, his face flushed as he held out his hand.
"I will raise enough money to pay for it."
He attempted to use "credit loans".
however.
The old man, however, did not look at the money in his hand.
"I've said before, the matter of the medicine... must be kept secret."
he.
And there was a group of werewolves around him.
At this moment, everyone's attention is focused on the little wizard.
[P.S.: Starting tomorrow, there will be a surge in updates.]
(End of this chapter)