Chapter 74: Double Heart (Part Two)

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The location where the Mountain Tyrannosaurus resided was deep within the Forbidden Forest, far beyond the limits that reckless young wizards would dare to venture. The more dangerous creatures were kept farther from Hogwarts by Hagrid, a measure that also made life exceedingly difficult for poachers looking to sneak into the forest for hunting.

The outermost defenses were filled with ferocious and horrifying monsters. Many poachers would meet their doom shortly after stepping into the woods, torn apart by these vicious beings. Hagrid alone could not maintain the long defensive line of the Forbidden Forest.

Outside, Hogwarts' Dark Forest was truly a forbidden zone for humans, and the jungle, often referred to as the Beastly Forest, had devoured countless bodies of the brazen. Anyone considering entering must weigh whether they had the strength to survive.

Hagrid was indeed strong, strong enough to take on anything that dared to defy him.

Still preoccupied with thoughts of the dragon egg, Hagrid tossed Harry onto his back a few minutes after entering the forest. Without hesitation, he began to stride forward, disregarding any obstacles like thorny bushes.

Hagrid charged through the winding paths of the forest at nearly the speed of a racing car, crossing from one end to the other in less than half an hour.

"We've arrived," he announced.

Hagrid set down a somewhat dizzy Harry. The rough ride on Hagrid's makeshift supercar offered no shock absorption; the jostling was more intense than a roller coaster, and even Harry found it hard to endure such tumult.

"Where are we?" Harry asked, his voice slurring as if he were drunk. After downing half a bottle of the Elixir of Life, the fiery kick of the strong liquor gradually roused his drowsy mind.

"We're at the home of the Mountain Tyrannosaurus," Hagrid replied, taking a sip from the half bottle Harry handed him, savoring the flavor.

"I truly enjoy this drink; it's stronger than dragon blood whiskey—what a good find!"

"I'll contact Aya later to help me get a few containers. I've heard they have an even stronger drink than the Elixir of Life, a ninety-nine-proof potion; you can try it then."

At these words, Hagrid's eyes lit up, and his excitement surged. He cracked his knuckles, feeling the heat of anticipation. He plunged the hunting spear into the ground and strode forward, leaving his hands free.

It felt almost sacrilegious to use a weapon at this moment, as if it would insult the passion surging within him.

"The Mountain Tyrannosaurus prefers to dwell in caves. Look, there's one right ahead. This is their mating season, and the males often fight fiercely over the females, causing quite a ruckus."

"It won't do to make too much noise in the forest; a good little baby must learn to be discreet."

As he spoke, Hagrid stepped into the massive, deep cave ahead. Just seconds after he entered, a deafening thud echoed, shaking the ground.

The gut-wrenching cries transformed into a rolling thunder that erupted from the cave. Even at a distance of over two hundred meters, Harry could still feel the air vibrating intensely.

The sounds of struggle grew louder, and a massive shadow gradually took shape at the cave's entrance.

Hagrid walked at the front, gripping the tail of the Mountain Tyrannosaurus, which was as thick as a normal person's forearm at its slender tip and covered in hard scales. Dragged out of the cave by Hagrid, the dinosaur kicked and struggled, its powerful legs almost crushing the ground beneath it. However, such resistance seemed futile in its attempt to escape.

Harry felt a wave of despair emanating from the unfortunate dinosaur.

One of its strong forearms was completely gone; the gaping wound was not inflicted by Hagrid. This creature had likely been bitten off during a struggle for mating rights with its peers.

"Don't feel sorry for this creature, Harry. It's injured, which means it won't survive to the next mating season. The internal battles in the Forbidden Forest are fierce. The creatures living here must compete not only for mates but also for the distribution of resources."

"Though I try to regulate things, this forest can't support many more creatures. The rate of expansion doesn't keep pace with their reproduction. Perhaps I've been too lenient with them; elsewhere, their lives are far from easy."

As Hagrid fully dragged the Mountain Tyrannosaurus out of the cave, he began explaining the dynamics of the forest to Harry. Had he not established territories for each magical creature and prevented needless fights, the population of beings in the forest would certainly be far lower.

"Weren't you curious about how I fight?" Hagrid asked, wrapping his arms around the dinosaur's thick tail.

"Well, here it is."

"Boom—!"

With a powerful swing, Hagrid hurled the Mountain Tyrannosaurus in a smooth arc, sending it crashing to the ground. Countless fallen leaves scattered, resembling the yellow paper fluttering during a funeral.

Dazed from the impact, the dinosaur momentarily forgot to resist. As it stood there in confusion, Hagrid seized its enormous head and raised his fist high.

After a brief moment of gathering strength, the loose fabric of Hagrid's robe was stretched tight against his bulging muscles, and his fist—now thicker than most people's waists—came crashing down!

A crisp sound of bones breaking rang out as the dinosaur's head caved in, turning its brain into a gooey mass in an instant.

The creature's three limbs and tail suddenly stiffened before falling limply to the ground.

"Alright, it's done," Hagrid said, brushing the dust off his knuckles, his expression calm as if he had merely accomplished a trivial task.

"Did you just kill it that quickly?"

Harry stared in shock, his mouth agape, awestruck by the sheer brutality of the encounter—clean, efficient, and one strike to kill!

Hagrid's immense strength was fully displayed in that one punch. Although physical power might lack the flair of magic, this sheer force possessed a terrifying intimidation that magic could not match.

If one were to face death, they would certainly prefer being killed by Hagrid over a Killing Curse; at least the latter could leave a whole body. Getting hit by Hagrid, however, would likely turn a person into dust.

Harry stepped closer and knocked on the dinosaur's scales. The hardness was comparable to steel, and striking them made his fingers feel numb. However, where Hagrid's punch had landed, the scales were shattered into chunks, including the once formidable skull.

"This was just a young fool that had recently matured; it's much weaker than a fully grown adult. Otherwise, it wouldn't have lost an arm. With the adult Mountain Tyrannosaurs, I'd need at least seven or eight punches to take them down, and they would fight back fiercely. I'd end up covered in dirt for sure."

"Alright, let's head back. On the way, you can think about how to cook this thing. It's enough to feed all the students a meal. However, the house-elves aren't too fond of this kind of meat; the flesh of magical creatures is generally quite tough. It's just right for me, but your teeth might not be up to the task."

Hagrid strode ahead, one hand gripping the tail of the Mountain Tyrannosaurus and the other holding an unused spear, clearing a path for Harry.

Seated on the dinosaur's belly, Harry rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought. He began to doubt whether, even with the Philosopher's Stone, he could truly reach Hagrid's ankles.

This level of strength was beyond what any human could achieve.

Yet, despite his thoughts, he knew he had to act.

Having safely exited the forest, they set up a campfire in a clearing behind the cabin. Hagrid pulled out two bloody hearts, still pulsing with fresh blood. Unlike most creatures, dragon-like beings typically have more than one heart unless they are a smaller species.

For example, the massive purebred Fire Dragons, like those with iron stomachs, can have three hearts located in their chest and abdomen, providing enough blood circulation for their enormous bodies. Otherwise, it would be a fantasy for a hundred-ton creature to move quickly.

They are undoubtedly powerful magical beings, but they are still subject to the limitations of their physical forms.

When given the choice, Harry preferred not to eat raw meat. Although cooking would cause some loss of magical potency, he could always have another meal.

The two hearts, each the size of a basketball, could easily be enough to choke a person. If he hadn't downed half a bottle of an effective energy conversion potion that tasted like sulfuric acid, Harry would have struggled with this hefty meal.

Despite the discomfort, all his efforts were not in vain.

When he had eaten the Frost Tyrant's heart earlier, he had felt a peculiar sensation that left him eager to consume more magical creatures' power cores, which were often rich in high-concentration magic. It didn't necessarily have to be hearts; many magical creatures had specialized magical organs as their power cores. In the case of the Frost Tyrant and the Mountain Tyrannosaurus, their power cores were indeed their hearts, as they needed robust bodies for close combat.

After absorbing this power, a voice, almost like an illusion, gently appeared in Harry's mind.

Thump—Thump—

The faint yet distinct sound of a heartbeat slowly emerged, and placing his hand on his chest, Harry felt another heartbeat rhythm, distinctly different from the one echoing in his mind.

The heart beating in his chest was real, while the one resonating in his mind throbbed, causing the magic-infused blood to rustle as it pumped. The magical energy that had been flowing slowly through him began to accelerate with each rhythmic beat.

Still unsure of everything, Harry focused on this strange rhythm. The magic coursing through him seemed to rejuvenate his body!

Suddenly opening his eyes, Harry could no longer hear the heartbeat echoing in his mind, but the changes occurring within him made it clear that all of this was undeniably real.

An invisible, intangible heart of magic had formed within him.

"What exactly is this?"

"It's as if… I have another version of myself inside me?"

A thick layer of confusion filled Harry's mind, and he found it difficult to describe this indescribable feeling.

"It can't be anything bad, right?"

With such doubts, Harry fell into a long contemplation.

(End of Chapter)