Three days later, as expected, the title of champion in the Junior Math Olympiad was once again claimed by Dudley Dursley. Hermione Granger took a respectable second place. The remaining top students from Oxford Dragon Primary didn't even crack the top ten. The moment the results were announced, they were all forcefully reminded of the chilling, absolute dominance they had once experienced under Dudley's reign.
It's just not a challenge, Dudley thought with a sigh, looking at the dejected faces of his competitors. Beating up on little kids is getting old.
He glanced at the notification from his system, and a wry smile touched his lips.
First intimate contact with the little witch. Reward: 1x Lottery Draw.
This was the reward he'd received after that accidental tumble with Hermione in the classroom. He still had the lottery draw from renovating Harry's cupboard as well. A firm believer in the mysterious ebb and flow of fortune, Dudley had felt his luck was in a downswing lately, so he'd been saving them.
But today felt different. Today felt auspicious. After his usual bath and change of clothes, he rubbed his hands together, a familiar thrill of anticipation running through him.
"I have a premonition," he declared to the empty room. "My luck is good today. It's time to make a wave."
The moment of destiny had arrived.
Let's draw a born magic god, he thought, sending a silent prayer to the cosmos.
With that, he pressed the mental button to activate the system's slot machine. The first draw was for an item. Almost as soon as it started, it was over. In a flash of light, a simple silver spoon appeared in his hand.
Congratulations on drawing the item 'Unbent Spoon'.
There was no description, no explanation. It looked, for all intents and purposes, like an ordinary spoon. Dudley stared at it. In its smooth, reflective surface, he could see his own face staring back, and for a strange moment, he felt as if the spoon was staring back at him. The drawing process had been so perfunctory, so devoid of fanfare, that he had no idea what to make of it.
I'll study it later, he decided, carefully tucking the spoon into his pocket. What if it's something good?
The first draw had been a dud. Therefore, according to the universal law of conservation of luck, the second draw was guaranteed to be a winner. With renewed optimism, Dudley started the process again.
This time, the slot machine spun for an unusually long time. He waited, his patience wearing thin, until it finally, slowly began to decelerate. A huge red-and-white mecha gradually materialized on the screen. He recognized it instantly from his childhood memories.
Madō King Granzort.
"Domokosaram? Hallelujah Kyuukyuu Hayaya?"
Two summoning spells immediately popped into his mind. The world of Granzort was full of magic. There was V-Me, the old woman who was actually one of the three great mages of the Long-Eared Tribe, and Agram, the final boss, another of the great mages.
Is it giving me Granzort? he thought, his imagination running wild. Am I going to pilot a giant robot at Hogwarts? The idea was absurd, but undeniably exciting.
But he knew better than to get his hopes up. Until the prize was actually in his hands, it was just a tantalizing possibility. As if to prove his point, the slot machine's frame slid past the Granzort section and came to a stop on the next one.
The image of a yellow-skinned mouse appeared. Not just any mouse, but a creature whose "Thunderbolt" attack was famous the world over.
"Pika-god?" Dudley said slowly. Pokémon.
But the prize wasn't Pikachu. It was his opponent from the Saffron City Gym battle: a small, yellow fox-like creature with permanently squinted eyes. A CG animation played out before him: Pikachu facing off against Abra.
Congratulations on drawing the Psychic-type skill - Calm Mind.
Calm Mind. A status move from the Pokémon games. By calming the mind and focusing, the user could raise their Special Attack and Special Defense by one stage.
But wait, Dudley thought, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind. Abra can't learn Calm Mind.
As if in response, the scene changed. A brilliant light erupted from Abra's body, and it evolved into Kadabra. Kadabra could, in fact, learn Calm Mind at level 55.
Well, that's that, then, Dudley thought with a shrug. Let's see what it does.
He sat cross-legged on the floor, closed his eyes, and activated the skill. His mind instantly became still, as placid as a mountain lake. A faint, invisible red light emanated from his body.
And... that was it. Other than feeling remarkably calm, he didn't feel any different. He checked his attribute panel. His Magic Power was still a pitiful 0.8.
I don't believe this, he thought, a stubborn spark igniting within him.
He activated the skill again. Two stages of enhancement. Three stages. He pushed it all the way to six, stopping only when the system informed him that further use would have no effect. Just like in the game, the enhancement had a cap.
After six stages, his Magic Power was still 0.8.
What a waste of time, he grumbled. But as he was about to give up, he noticed a new, small line of text below his Magic Power.
Magic Resistance: 6
Could this be the Special Defense bonus?
Even if it couldn't increase his magic power, the ability to boost his resistance to magic was a divine skill in its own right. His eyes lit up.
Name: Dudley Dursley
Race: Muggle (True)
Occupation: Magician (False), Ripple User
Strength: 9
Agility: 6
Stamina: 15
Magic Power: 0.8
Magic Resistance: 6
Magic: None
Mystic Code: Unbent Spoon
Skills: Iron Mountain Lean (LV5), Boxing (LV3), Language (LV2), Math, Physics, and Chemistry (LV2), Physiology (LV2), Handicrafts (LV1), Firearms (LV1), Archery (LV1).
Special: Ripple User (LV1), Calm Mind (LV???)
Six hours later, the "6" in his Magic Resistance column had faded back to a "1."
So the question is, Dudley mused, pinching his chin in thought, where did the Special Attack bonus go? Unfortunately, no one could tell him. He would have to find the answer himself.
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, something strange was happening.
The light in the Admissions Office, which had long been extinguished for the night, suddenly flickered back to life. On the desk, a long, black quill, which had been dormant for hours, twitched and then stood upright, as if sensing something.
This was the Quill of Acceptance, an ancient artifact that had recorded the names of every magical child in Britain since the founding of Hogwarts.
With a life of its own, it dipped itself into a nearby inkwell and began to write on a fresh sheet of parchment.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards)
Dear...
In a cabinet next to the desk, stacks of similar letters lay waiting, the acceptance letters for next year's students. The Quill had just added one more to the pile.
***
(End of Chapter)
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