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29.67% With Ope Ope no Mi in Hunter x Hunter / Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Basilisk (Part 2)

Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Basilisk (Part 2)

"It turns out you do need the Ant-Man suit and Pym Particles," Daniel Davis thought with a sigh of relief as he observed the last surviving test subject. The initial experiments showed that it was indeed possible to bring people back and forth through the quantum realm. However, to confirm this conclusively, multiple trials were necessary.

Through these experiments, Daniel discovered that the powers of the Op-Op Fruit lost their effect in dimensional spaces. This was true for both living and non-living objects. He wasn't too surprised by this; what he couldn't determine was whether this was due to his insufficient strength or the energy within the quantum realm itself. He would need to test again once he had grown stronger.

Afterward, Daniel disposed of the remaining test subject by using the dimensional space to eliminate any traces of him. He needed to stay in the area for a while and didn't want to bother with managing the captive. As for finding new test subjects, there was never a shortage of deserving candidates in this world.

"Sigh, the magical world's suppression of technology is really severe. It's astonishing that in this day and age, there's no such thing as international telephone service," Daniel lamented. He had initially planned to notify Grindelwald but decided against it upon realizing the absence of such communication methods. Though he could easily use teleportation magic to open a portal to London, it seemed unnecessary.

The times had changed. Even if he couldn't defeat Grindelwald or Dumbledore, he could always escape. He decided to use this time to establish his businesses.

Daniel had plans for two companies. The first was a tech company, which would facilitate the launch of his smartphone and allow for the procurement of resources. The second was a gaming company, driven by his personal interest and a strategic move for future planning.

Introducing a vast array of second-dimensional culture and fostering technological advancements would lessen the disruption caused by the revelation of the magical world. Much like in the Marvel universe, where superheroes, aliens, and gods were casually discussed in passing, people might adapt to the magical world without much upheaval.

Initially, Daniel had considered launching board games. This era was the golden age of board games, with the lack of advanced technology making people less busy than in his original world and eager for entertainment. Board games were a great way to enhance this world's entertainment landscape.

During this period, Daniel had even devised several board games based on the themes of the Three Kingdoms, the Sui and Tang dynasties, Journey to the West, and Dream of the Red Chamber. 

Of course, to be precise, these weren't solely Daniel's creations but were largely developed by the Red Queen through computer simulations based on his ideas.

In Harry's world, the magical community in China wasn't as conservative as the Western magical world. Interestingly, in this world's version of the USA, the country was renowned not for its technological prowess but for its magical advancements, striving to surpass the old magical order.

The magical world was theoretically divided by the seven continents, though regions like Africa and Antarctica were just nominally included. 

Africa was a magical desert and the largest producer of Obscurials. Fortunately, most Obscurials didn't live past ten years old; otherwise, Africa might have been doomed.

Obscurials were incredibly powerful magical beings, though their attack methods were limited. Their magical power was immense. Grindelwald had gone through great lengths to manipulate Credence, whose Obscurus had survived past ten years, an extraordinary rarity.

The Dumbledore family's bloodline was indeed formidable. While other Obscurials rarely survived beyond ten years, Credence defied this limitation.

"I'll need to find a CEO for this world too," Daniel mused. After successfully registering his companies, he turned to a headhunting firm to find a manager. The term 'CEO' wasn't in use in this world yet.

Daniel's goal in starting these companies was to gather resources, not to spend all his time managing them. He already felt pressed for time to train and study; running a company would be an even greater time drain. Even Tony Stark rarely handled his company's affairs seriously.

Being able to travel to the Marvel universe and gaining the ability to traverse dimensional spaces from the Ancient One was a rare opportunity. Focusing on becoming stronger was his priority. With the infinite possibilities of the universe, he might even have a chance to become a true deity. However, this was a distant goal, and he needed to take things one step at a time.

Daniel spent a substantial amount of money and quickly found a suitable CEO—a woman in her thirties who had previously been a general manager for a unique foreign company. This company had begun scaling down and exiting the Chinese market due to poor performance, leading to her dismissal.

After confirming her as the right candidate, Daniel handed over a lot of tasks to her, including the gaming company and a food and beverage company.

The food business focused on snacks like chips, while the beverage side was simpler. In the Marvel universe, his company's drinks were on the verge of competing with Pepsi and Coke. In this world, neither brand had yet ventured into the domestic market.

As for the tech company, Daniel had to keep a closer eye on it initially. After recruiting some researchers, he started working. For his recent absence, his excuse was straightforward—he had been in seclusion for research. Next came negotiations with the government, as launching satellites wasn't straightforward. Daniel was confident the government wouldn't refuse, especially since even the magical world needed smartphones.

Although Daniel had learned a form of duplicating magic, the "Eikonic Figure," which could create a tangible shadow clone, its duration was still too short, useful only in combat. If he were powerful enough, he might summon a long-lasting shadow clone to handle the front-end responsibilities.

Having mastered a considerable amount of the magic taught by Doctor Strange, Daniel was convinced that lower-level mages resorted to wielding physical weapons. The more he delved into Kamar-Taj's magic, the more he doubted whether the Ancient One was truly dead. If he were in her position, he could easily have passed the title of Sorcerer Supreme to Doctor Strange and then wandered other dimensional spaces.

The Ancient One had never used many powerful spells, like the Whip of Agamotto, the Eikonic Figure, the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, the Bolts of Balthakk, or the Sword of Vishanti, during her battle with Kaecilius. Opting for close combat over such spells seemed illogical.

"All set," Daniel announced. He arrived at his London residence through a portal after arranging everything. There, he met Grindelwald.

"It's almost ready. In a little while, we'll see the results," Daniel confirmed. He had previously left instructions with Grindelwald, stating that his absence was due to his involvement in tech research. Grindelwald was to use the provided materials to teach the students.

Grindelwald, appearing somewhat excited upon receiving Daniel's confirmation, was aware of the significant changes that the introduction of smartphones would bring to this world—changes that the magical community couldn't prevent unless they wanted to go to war with the Muggle world.

"You've become a Muggle Studies teacher?" Daniel was taken aback after conversing with Grindelwald. He had expected Dumbledore or Grindelwald to pass the teaching materials to a professor instead.

Grindelwald had even lived incognito among Muggles for an extended period to better understand their way of life for teaching purposes.

For the sake of his ideals, Grindelwald's potential seemed limitless.

"That's actually good. By the way, I've brought some nice things this time," Daniel said, producing several board games he had created, along with snacks like chips and chocolate bars.

---

PS: Some have compared the performance of the Op-Op Fruit in the One Piece world to the protagonist's use of it. Remember, the One Piece world is heavily centered around physical prowess and high bodily resilience.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter


Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Basilisk (Part 3)

"Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets has been opened," Grindelwald remarked as he and Daniel Davis snacked together. Grindelwald had been keeping up with the latest events at Hogwarts, where the reopening of the Chamber of Secrets had everyone on edge. Muggle-born wizards were particularly terrified, with some even suggesting they leave the school for safety.

Pure-blood wizards, however, were less concerned since the legend of the Chamber specifically targeted Muggle-borns. 

Grindelwald had surmised that a basilisk might be hidden within the Chamber. He had once been interested in the idea of controlling a basilisk, given its formidable power in the magical world. In many ways, it rivaled the strength of an Obscurus. However, Grindelwald had eventually abandoned the idea, as controlling a basilisk was incredibly challenging and its weaknesses were glaringly apparent.

Despite giving up on raising a basilisk, Grindelwald had amassed a wealth of knowledge on the subject. His understanding of basilisks exceeded even that of Dumbledore. He knew, for instance, how basilisks were created: from a chicken egg incubated by a toad under a full moon. This creature's gaze was its most lethal weapon, capable of killing anyone who looked directly into its eyes.

Of course, this was only theoretical. Powerful wizards like Dumbledore and Grindelwald could withstand a basilisk's gaze. Certain magical creatures, such as phoenixes and some dragons, were also immune. Basilisks had a notable vulnerability: they feared the crow of a rooster, likely due to their origins from a mutated chicken egg.

The Ministry of Magic had long outlawed the breeding of basilisks due to their extreme danger and the fact they could only be controlled by Parselmouths. Without such control, even the breeder would be at risk of attack, which is why even Dark wizards generally avoided raising basilisks—it was more trouble than it was worth.

The creation of a basilisk required a perfect confluence of conditions and the cooperation of various elements, making it an endeavor few would undertake. Parselmouths had a bad reputation largely because basilisks were typically bred and controlled by them. When Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue became known, it led to immediate suspicion and alienation within the school.

While Grindelwald had deduced that a basilisk was hidden in Hogwarts, he had not yet located the Chamber of Secrets. Hogwarts castle was filled with many secrets, some even unknown to Dumbledore. Each of the school's four founders had left their own hidden legacies within the castle.

Due to the Chamber's re-opening, Hagrid had been taken away by the Ministry. The absurdity lay in the fact that Slytherin's heir was assumed to be pure-blood, while Hagrid was a half-giant. Lucius Malfoy, aiming to undermine Dumbledore, disregarded logic, and the Ministry's foolish officials bought into his narrative.

"I'll go back with you," Daniel decided.

Daniel and Grindelwald returned to Hogwarts, not by train, but through Apparition, arriving just outside the school's boundaries, as Apparition within the school grounds was forbidden.

Originally, Grindelwald intended to take Daniel along using Side-Along Apparition, but Daniel declined and Apparated on his own to Hogwarts, much to Grindelwald's surprise.

Apparition distance is proportional to magical energy consumption. Covering several hundred miles in one go was beyond the capability of most Aurors, yet Daniel did it effortlessly.

Daniel's return to Hogwarts went largely unnoticed, as the majority of people were preoccupied with the Chamber of Secrets. Harry was experiencing his first taste of isolation; even some Gryffindors were keeping their distance from him.

Going from being highly popular to feeling isolated was tough for Harry, and he resolved to uncover the identity of Slytherin's heir and the basilisk.

"It seems now is not the time for board games," Daniel commented. The Chamber's reopening and Hagrid's arrest had stirred unrest. Dumbledore was currently away from the school. Unlike the last incident, he hadn't been dismissed this time; his resolve to be more involved in Ministry affairs made it difficult for Malfoy and Fudge to act against him, especially with Grindelwald's support.

"Let's deal with the Chamber of Secrets first," Daniel suggested the next day, seeking out Grindelwald.

"You know where the Chamber is?" Grindelwald asked, astonished. He had been tirelessly searching for the entrance, knowing that peace in the school was essential for proper learning.

"It's quite simple. If you look carefully at the number of ghosts in the school, you'll get a clue. Take Moaning Myrtle, for instance," Daniel pointed to the list, continuing, "She was a student fifty years ago, right when the Chamber was last opened. She was also a Muggle-born. If I'm right, she must have been the victim back then. We should ask her what she saw."

Knowing the truth made it easier for Daniel to deduce the events. If someone like Sherlock Holmes were investigating, they would quickly piece together these clues.

The magical community, including Dumbledore, often had a rigid way of thinking.

"Very well," Grindelwald agreed. Together, they went to the abandoned bathroom on the second floor, where Moaning Myrtle haunted—a place also attacked by a troll previously.

As professors, Daniel and Grindelwald had more authority than Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Under their questioning, Myrtle quickly recounted the events of her death. She had been bullied and was crying in the bathroom when she saw a pair of enormous eyes, then died. She also heard a male student's voice.

Such a clear lead had been missed during the previous investigation, leaving Daniel baffled by the oversight in the magical community.

After her death, Myrtle had become a ghost and persistently haunted the girl who had bullied her, causing such a disturbance that the Ministry had to intervene to resolve it.

"There seems to be no clue about the Chamber," Grindelwald remarked after some silence. Myrtle's account only confirmed the existence of the basilisk.

"This is exactly why I said people in the magical world are so accustomed to the conveniences of magic that they forget to think critically," Daniel responded. He also reminded himself not to become too reliant on magic's convenience. He had been using Apparition even within his own home out of sheer laziness.

Apparition didn't require a wand, making it an incredibly handy spell.

"From Myrtle's story, we know that the person who opened the Chamber didn't intend to target her specifically. This means the entrance could be nearby. Let's search around," Daniel suggested, starting to look around the vicinity. Soon enough, they found a carving of a snake.

Seeing such an obvious mark, Daniel sighed again in exasperation. Finding the Chamber should have been straightforward even for ordinary investigators. Searching the crime scene was standard procedure, a concept apparently lost on the magical community.

"I've found it," Daniel announced, calling Grindelwald over to the snake carving. Shaking his head, he said, "Something this obvious should have been found during the original investigation. The magical world is in trouble if it continues to be this stagnant."

Internally, Daniel considered writing detective novels like Sherlock Holmes or introducing more detective-themed books, shows, and movies, such as "Criminal Minds" and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

Grindelwald's expression turned somber. Previously, he might not have cared, but as a Muggle Studies teacher, he had come to realize the vast differences between ordinary people and the magical world.

Even regular students in Muggle schools studied a broader curriculum than their magical counterparts. If Hogwarts students attended a Muggle school, most would likely find themselves struggling academically except for a few exceptional individuals.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter


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