Chapter 2: The Hand of God, the Eye of Analysis, the Stomach of the Devil

Professor McGonagall swiftly took Allen to the legendary Diagon Alley—not by passing through the famous Leaky Cauldron as most do—but by directly teleporting them onto the street using Apparition.

"This is Diagon Alley," Professor McGonagall said, her voice calm and full of pride. "It's the largest gathering place for wizards in the UK and the most prosperous wizarding district in all of Europe."

Seeing Allen's slightly pale and uncomfortable expression, she added with concern, "Oh dear, I almost forgot. This must be your first time experiencing Apparition. How do you feel?"

"Ugh... it's okay. I can still hold on," Allen muttered, retching slightly. He took a few deep breaths to settle the churning in his stomach. "But maybe next time, give me a bit of warning first?"

"Sorry," Professor McGonagall said, a rare note of guilt in her voice. She reached out and gently ruffled Allen's short, light blond hair, then handed him a small bottle of potion. "This is a cheering potion. Just a small sip should make you feel better."

Allen looked curiously at the bottle of pale golden liquid in her hand, took a cautious sip—and instantly felt a wave of warmth and energy rise within him. His discomfort faded away in seconds, replaced by a sudden and unexplainable sense of happiness.

"Don't drink too much of it," Professor McGonagall warned as she noticed the color returning to his cheeks. She quickly recorked the bottle and stowed it away. "Come on, there's still much to do today. We'll talk as we walk. I'll explain what you need to be aware of next."

What she meant by "special situation" was Allen's status as an orphan.

For children without parents, the Ministry of Magic provides a relief fund. However, the fund is quite limited. Even if it were used solely for school expenses, it would barely cover the basics. That's why children like Allen had to go to Gringotts and apply for an educational loan.

Fortunately, this was an interest-free loan offered through Hogwarts, which could be repaid within seven years after graduation. The loan was quite generous. As long as Allen didn't spend recklessly, it would be enough to cover both tuition and living expenses for his seven years at Hogwarts.

Allen listened intently. This was a matter of great importance—it affected his future livelihood and education. He focused fully while McGonagall explained the process, the policies, and the timeline.

But when she began introducing the wizarding world—its customs, traditions, and history—Allen's attention started to wane.

He already knew most of this. After all, he'd been fascinated by this magical world for years, ever since he watched Harry Potter. He didn't need a boring lecture. He was more interested in experiencing the magic firsthand.

The two of them—one tall and dignified, the other small and curious—walked hand-in-hand through the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley. Professor McGonagall pointed out magical items in shop windows, explained how Muggle objects were repurposed with enchantments, and described the use of items Allen had only ever dreamed of.

Wizards in eccentric robes bustled past them. House-elves darted between crowds, balancing crates filled with goods as they leaped between store entrances. Some were promoting candy shops, dancing and tossing colorful flyers into the hands of passersby. A burst of color from enchanted fireworks exploded overhead, followed by a booming jingle advertising magical quills.

The entire street was like a painting come to life—vivid, chaotic, and mesmerizing.

But Allen was no longer paying attention to the external world. Instead, he silently opened his system page.

Host: Allen Cecil

Hunting Level: 1

Strengthening Points: 7

General Strengthening:

[Physique Strengthening E-]

[Nerve Reflex Strengthening E-]

Special Enhancements: Not unlocked

Exclusive Skills:

Eye of Discrimination

Hand of God

Demon's Stomach

This was Allen's system interface.

The Hunting Level represented his overall strength. Level 1 was the base—equivalent to that of an ordinary human.

Strengthening Points were earned by consuming dishes he personally cooked. The number of points earned depended on the creature used as an ingredient and Allen's current level.

Up to now, Allen had only been able to kill small creatures—rabbits, wild dogs, and such. Most of them gave less than one point, so even after years of hunting, he had barely collected seven points.

General Strengthening referred to foundational upgrades from the system's basic skill tree. When the system first activated, it had granted Allen two abilities: Physique Strengthening and Nerve Reflex Strengthening. Though both were rated at E-, they had given him the physical strength and reaction speed of a grown adult—quite impressive for a frail, underfed boy.

But to upgrade even one of these to the next level (from E- to E), he needed ten strengthening points. He still hadn't accumulated enough to see what an upgrade would feel like.

Special Enhancements were different. These could only be unlocked by eating special creatures—magical beasts or unique entities. So far, Allen hadn't encountered anything that qualified.

As for his Exclusive Skills, these were the most valuable assets the system had granted him:

Eye of Discrimination

This skill allowed Allen to detect prey even in dense forests or under cover. It could also assess the hunting level of others—an invaluable tool for understanding danger. The higher the number, the greater the threat.

Hand of God

This was a cooking skill that gave Allen extremely dexterous hands. He could draw out the flavor of ingredients in ways no ordinary cook could. Even meat with no seasoning, cooked over a basic fire, would become mouthwatering in his hands.

Demon's Stomach

Perhaps the most life-saving ability of all, the Demon's Stomach gave Allen an absurdly powerful digestive system. It could break down and absorb anything—spoiled food, poisonous creatures, magical ingredients. Nothing harmed him. Everything became nutrients.

However, of all three, the Eye of Discrimination was the most versatile.

It didn't just work on prey. It worked on people. On wizards.

For example, the hand holding his right now—Professor McGonagall's hand. She walked beside him, her expression serious but her tone gentle. When Allen had first met her and used the Eye of Discrimination, her hunting level had shocked him to his core.

Hunting Level: 89

Eighty-nine!

At first, Allen had thought all wizards must be at that level. But as he walked through Diagon Alley, his Eye of Discrimination showed otherwise. The average wizard hovered around level 20 to 30. A few shopkeepers were in the 40s. An Auror standing near Gringotts was in the low 60s.

But none of them came even close to 89.

McGonagall wasn't just powerful. She was a monster.

No wonder she felt so unshakable. Even standing quietly, she had a weight to her presence—as if nothing could touch her.

Allen didn't say anything aloud, but a sliver of fear and awe lodged itself in his heart. She could probably destroy him with a flick of her wand—and he wouldn't even see it coming.

He swallowed nervously and looked away, pretending to be interested in a shop window displaying levitating ink bottles.

He needed to get stronger. Much stronger.

Seven points weren't going to cut it—not in this world.

Not when there were people like her.

He clenched his fists quietly at his sides, eyes narrowing.

Diagon Alley stretched endlessly before him—colorful, magical, full of wonder and danger.

And for the first time since entering the wizarding world, Allen wasn't just a curious boy anymore.

He was a hunter.