Artel observed the exchange lists and pondered over the prices in the system's mall. Rows of characters and items were displayed, each with its own set of requirements and rewards.
Character: Gandalf
Exchange Price: 10,000 Story Points (Requires Narya the Ring of Fire, Glamdring the Foe-Hammer, World Acceptance)
Note: Increases the unlocking progress of the The Ring of Power by 20%.
Character: Saruman
Exchange Price: 10,000 plot points (Requires a Crystal Ball of True Knowledge, an army of 5,000 strong orcs, World Acceptance)
Note: Increases the unlocking progress of The Ring of Power by 20%.
Character: Sauron
Redemption Price: 50,000 plot points (Requires the Nine Rings, Seven Rings of Dwarves, Three Rings of Elves, Eye of Sauron, World Acceptance)
...
Note: Sauron can increase the unlocking progress of The Ring of Power by 25%. If Sauron cannot be summoned, The Ring of Power can only be unlocked to a maximum of 99%.
Note 2: Characters requiring world acceptance cannot be summoned until their acceptance is complete.
As Artel examined the exchange options, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The items were relatively straightforward – as long as he had enough plot points, he could exchange for them. However, the characters presented a challenge. Most of them required bond items for summoning, and these bond items carried their own set of exchange requirements.
Additionally, a substantial amount of plot points was needed for many of the characters.
Among these options, Sauron's redemption price stood out as the most daunting. Acquiring him would involve a hefty plot point expenditure, and he would certainly seek to reclaim The Ring of Power.
Furthermore, the concept of "world acceptance" caught Artel's attention. He learned from the system that characters needing world acceptance couldn't be summoned until they were widely believed to exist in the wizarding world. This required Artel to establish their presence and credibility.
Nonetheless, Artel remained optimistic and patient, understanding that he had time on his side. After all, he was just eleven years old, and Voldemort's resurrection wasn't imminent. As long as he avoided unnecessary complications, Hogwarts should remain relatively secure.
"Plus, I have two free summon opportunities each month. Even if I only unlock 1% or 2% each time, it will accumulate significantly!"
Artel felt a surge of excitement.
"System, I'd like to extract the Lord of the Rings items."
Artel decided to test the waters by extracting an item first.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully extracting the item 'Saruman's Experiment Notes.'"
A weathered black parchment scroll materialized in Artel's hand, exuding an aura of antiquity.
This diary wasn't a bond item related to The Ring of Power or Saruman, which was a bit disappointing. However, upon opening the diary and perusing its contents, Artel's expression shifted from disappointment to surprise.
The diary contained Saruman's detailed experimental notes on creating strong orcs. Every step of the process was meticulously recorded, along with the required materials.
Furthermore, Saruman's exchange conditions included having a strong orc army.
Additionally, the diary contained potion recipes, ancient spells, incantations, casting gestures, and spiritual magic requirements.
The system had ingeniously adapted these recipes and spells to the materials and attributes of the wizarding world. This made sense, given Saruman's semi-divine status; his magic was largely channeled through spiritual power, rendering traditional spells unnecessary.
However, the specifics didn't concern Artel much. What excited him were the ancient spells that were unknown in the wizarding world and the ability to create strong orcs and powerful potions.
"These could be immensely useful for accomplishing future tasks and enhancing Saruman's acceptance in the world," Artel realized.
Artel considered the possibilities, recognizing both the usefulness of these new abilities and their potential to shape events in his favor. Certain ingredients mentioned in the notes, such as centaur blood and troll hearts, caught his attention. He noted that centaurs inhabited the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts, and there was even a troll encountered during the Halloween events. These were resources he could potentially utilize.
Artel stored the diary in his system space, appreciating its practicality. Today seemed to be a lucky day, prompting him to seize the opportunity.
"System, summon Lord of the Rings characters."
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully summoning Smeagol! The unlocking progress of The Ring of Power has increased by 15%!"
"Congratulations to the host! The unlocking progress of The Ring of Power has reached 20%, and the 'Necromancer' ability has been successfully unlocked!"
Artel was taken aback, but his expression soon transformed into one of ecstasy. Subsequently, an unfamiliar force surged from his soul, a potent yet malevolent energy.
"Smeagol?"
Artel checked the system and realized that Smeagol referred to the Hobbit named Gollum.
Gollum had possessed The Ring of Power for nearly five centuries, which explained the significant increase in the unlocking progress. In terms of the increase, it was likely that Gollum's bond with the ring was stronger than that of some members of the Fellowship of the Ring.
"Good fortune!"
A smile graced Artel's lips.
On the first day of accessing the system, the unlocking progress of The Ring of Power had already reached 20%.
Artel suddenly had a thought:
"What happens when the unlocking progress of my Ring of Power reaches 100%?"
"The system will offer the host a selection of three higher-level artifacts to choose from," the system responded candidly.
Artel nodded thoughtfully, realizing that such opportunities couldn't be taken for granted. While today's luck was good, he couldn't expect the same outcome each time. Who knew how long it would take to completely unlock The Ring of Power?
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Guys, I have made some minor changes to the previous chapter so please give it a re-read.
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