Chapter 41: The Ancient Sprout of Attack and Defense

The next morning, Leonard crawled out of bed with a yawn.

Last night, to avoid running into Quirrell while he was scouting Gringotts, he had deliberately waited outside for half the night. That sleepless vigil had nearly sent this budding flower of the future to an early grave.

He was still young—he wasn't about to ruin his health and lose his hair from pulling all-nighters.

Still, he had to get up early. The magical plant he'd gotten from Midgard yesterday hadn't been strengthened yet — the System had named it the Ancient Sprout.

Sitting on the windowsill, the Ancient Sprout stretched and twisted its branches in the sunlight, looking perfectly at ease.

As if noticing Leonard's gaze, it shook its leaves at him, almost like it was waving.

This plant clearly showed intelligence beyond that of ordinary magical plants.

Take the Chomping Cabbage, for example. It could show signs of affection, but that was more instinct than awareness. Greeting someone, however, was something else entirely.

This one was different. It acted with real initiative.

"Truly special." Leonard reached out and tapped one of its leaves.

The sprout immediately grew excited, thrashing about wildly.

"Alright, alright, calm down!" Leonard grabbed hold of it, worried it might shake itself apart.

Once it finally settled, Leonard activated Optimize Growth to see what this magical plant was capable of when enhanced.

What he saw left him stunned.

The Ancient Sprout revealed only a single strengthening pattern. Its blue veins turned silver, and the sprout pulled free from the soil. It grew translucent roots that shimmered with a faint, dreamlike glow, wrapping tightly around the outline of a human figure. Silver light flowed through the roots, as if exchanging some mysterious energy with the figure.

It seemed to be saying the plant had only one path of enhancement—transforming into a unique symbiotic being bound to another.

The vision continued. The figure raised a wand, and at once dark clouds gathered. Bolts of lightning ripped through the sky, shattering stone and setting trees ablaze, as if the heavens themselves were lashing out in fury.

When the storm ended, the wizard stood unharmed. Instead, it was the Ancient Sprout that had dimmed. The lively, upright branches now sagged weakly.

Then came another vision: spells of every kind slammed into the figure. The silver-lit Ancient Sprout sprouted tendrils that wrapped tightly around the host, forming what looked like a set of living armor.

The incoming spells struck the plant armor, most of their force absorbed and nullified. Only faint traces broke through, making the figure sway slightly.

The Ancient Sprout, after taking the brunt of the magic, dimmed for just a moment. Then, as its roots exchanged silver light with its host, it swiftly returned to normal.

Leonard stared at the vision in silence, deep in thought.

From the vision, it seemed clear that once enhanced, the plant would transform into a symbiotic entity bound to the wizard, capable of exchanging energy and communicating with its host.

It could aid in casting spells and also passively shield against magical attacks.

Yet the terrifying thunderstorm conjured by the wizard in the vision struck Leonard as odd. Having studied many spells, he could tell that this magic was fundamentally different from anything he had learned.

It wasn't just a matter of different incantations. To put it another way, Leonard's current spells were like dishes from the same cuisine—each with its own flavor, but all sharing the same style.

The magic in the vision, however, felt entirely different. In contrast to the precision and refinement of modern spells, it carried a raw, mysterious force.

"So is this vision saying that forming a symbiosis with the plant would grant me some kind of unique magic? Or is it simply showing that the symbiotic plant would serve as an extra reservoir of power, amplifying spell strength?"

Leonard speculated aloud, though no one could answer him. The only one who might know was the plant twisting lazily in the sunlight.

Should he try it?

Leonard hesitated.

If he experimented, he would have his answers—but the thought of bonding with a plant of unknown origin gave him an uneasy chill.

Still, the System's vision had shown no side effects. Even after massive amounts of magic were drained, it was only the Ancient Sprout that withered, while the wizard remained perfectly fine. On top of that, the plant had proven capable of protecting its host from magical harm.

By that logic, accepting the symbiosis seemed all gain, no loss.

Besides, Leonard's innate talent [Friend of Plants] already guaranteed the goodwill of flora. He never had to fear being attacked by plants, so even forming a bond like this would bring no real risk.

"Worth a try." Leonard made his decision.

A symbiotic plant that combined offense and defense was a gamble worth taking.