New Achievements

A total of 3,700 gold Galleons had been found. All of the earnings were accounted for in accordance with criminal law. Out of that, only a small portion belonged to Dennis and his team. The rest had to be handed over. However, given the current situation, no one in the organization dared to make contact with each other, let alone turn over the money.

After all, who knew whether the person they contacted would be an ally or a Ministry of Magic agent setting up a trap?

Ethan pocketed the gold Galleons and shifted his attention to the panel. Earlier, when he had cast the Killing Curse and fed the Swooping Evil, an achievement notification had popped up:

First Blood: By taking an innocent life, you have embarked on a path of no return. You can only proceed deeper into the darkness.

Achievement Goal: Kill a wizard (1/1)

Reward: A random magic spell

Shit Shoveler: Hungry! Where are you, Shit Shoveler? Your master's belly is growling!

Achievement Goal: Feed a magical animal (1/1)

Reward: Talent "Animal Affinity" (effective for magical creatures)

The rewards were impressive. If used wisely, the "Animal Affinity" talent could be extremely powerful—history had proven that. The magic spell Ethan received was particularly functional.

Shadow Stealth—a spell unheard of in the original books—allowed the user to blend into shadows to avoid enemy attacks and move swiftly within them.

Ethan decided to test it out. While standing in the light, he could transform into a shadow, but his movement speed remained the same as in his physical form. However, when he entered a shadow, he could move freely and remain imperceptible. Though the spell had limitations, it was undeniably useful for escaping danger.

After some experimentation, Ethan returned to the Swooping Evil's cage. The creature, which had ignored him after feeding, now fixed its small eyes on Ethan and cautiously approached him. Ethan instinctively knew it wouldn't harm him. He slowly extended his hand into the cage. The Swooping Evil squinted and rubbed its head against Ethan's palm, clearly enjoying the affection.

"Dennis, open the cage," Ethan ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Dennis, still under the effects of the Imperius Curse, complied without question, his obedience automatic.

The moment the cage door opened, a blur of black shot out. Ethan, being too close to react in time, found the shadowy figure clinging to his face. From Dennis's point of view, the Swooping Evil had spread its spiked wings and latched onto Ethan's head—its standard hunting posture. The creature would usually sink its sharp fangs into the prey's skull, injecting venom while devouring the brain.

But Ethan did not collapse like the Swooping Evil's typical prey. Instead, he struggled, gripping the creature tightly and prying it off his face. After much effort, Ethan finally detached the creature from himself.

For a moment, Ethan had been terrified. Luckily, the Swooping Evil hadn't bitten him—it had only held onto him tightly. Perhaps this was the creature's way of showing affection—a gesture that most people would find terrifying.

Still squirming, the Swooping Evil chirped softly in Ethan's grasp, attempting to snuggle closer. After calming it for a while, Ethan removed the collar from its neck. Now, the Swooping Evil curled itself into a small ball of cotton, and wrapped its tail around Ethan's arm like a pendant.

With this experience in mind, Ethan opened the lethifold's cage next. The lethifold wasn't as aggressive as the Swooping Evil; it merely rubbed against Ethan's feet and looked up at him with two faintly glowing eyes. Ethan recalled that the lethifold had been starving for quite some time, so he quickly tossed in the remains of the mortlap and the wizard's corpse—both victims of the Swooping Evil's hunger.

Within moments, both the rat and the wizard's body were gone, leaving the lethifold looking slightly larger than before. Satisfied, the lethifold crawled up Ethan's body until it rested on his shoulder. There, it stretched out and wrapped around him like a cloak. To an outsider, it appeared as though Ethan was wearing a black cloak, but if the hood were lifted, a pair of dark eyes would be visible within.

"Dennis, bring the Mortlaps," Ethan ordered.

With the lethifold clinging to his back and the Swooping Evil perched on his arm, Ethan arrived at the mortlap breeding farm. The rats scrambled toward him in droves, sending a chill down his spine. This talent for bonding with animals wasn't always a blessing. The wizarding world was full of disgusting magical creatures, like Hagrid's Skrewts. If one of those latched onto him, he wouldn't know how to handle it.

Setting aside his discomfort, Ethan dumped the feed Dennis had brought into the farm. The feed was a grotesque mix of meat chunks, bones, shells, corn, potatoes, and even pieces of dismembered Mortlaps.

Feeding a single magical creature had earned him an achievement. With hundreds of rats here, earning another one seemed almost guaranteed. For visible achievements, Ethan always aimed to collect them as quickly as possible. After all, during critical moments, it would be too late to regret not earning more achievements earlier.

Sure enough:

Master of Magical Beasts: Flying, running, swimming—I've fed them all! Ask me anything about magical creatures… or better yet, ask me what they eat. I know it all.

Achievement Goal: Feed enough magical animals (100/100)

Reward: Magical Animal Energy Cube

The reward came through, but this "energy cube" gave Ethan the feeling of being treated like a fool. After accepting the reward, Ethan realized that the so-called energy cube wasn't a single item but rather a vast amount of knowledge—like several books' worth—suddenly stuffed into his mind. The energy cubes could be crafted from various materials and tailored to different magical creatures at different stages of their lives. The cubes promoted growth, enhanced strength, and improved potential.