The room was completely silent, the only sound being the occasional rustle of Cro stroking Nagini.
Time passed, and just when Cro thought his threat had failed, he heard:
[Loading the Exchange Template (Trial Version)...]
Cro abruptly sat up, unable to stop the smile forming on his lips.
It's happening!
Nagini and Eve, having heard the sudden movement, both opened their eyes and looked at Cro curiously, wondering why he had suddenly sat up.
[Exchange Template (Trial Version) Loaded Successfully! The host has one exchange opportunity, with a 90% discount on the current exchange!]
Cro grinned even wider as the system's information flooded his mind. He now understood the general idea behind the exchange template.
It allowed him to exchange a certain number of treasure chests for specific items—things like spells, magical creatures, or even the Elder Wand.
Treasure chests were based on luck, while the exchange system let you pick specific items. However, the number of chests required for the exchange was staggering.
For example, the Elder Wand required 10 diamond chests or 3 king-tier chests. With the 90% discount, it now only required 1 diamond chest or 1 king-tier chest.
Cro's eyes gleamed with desire, but he had to silently close the screen. He didn't have any diamond or king-tier chests left.
"What's the point of this if I don't have any diamond or king-tier chests? You don't expect me to grind for them again, do you?" Cro complained.
[The items listed can resolve the host's current predicament. Please consider purchasing carefully!]
As the system finished speaking, a light screen appeared before Cro.
"Magical Creature Ball? Magical Creature Box? Are you sure this isn't a Pokémon ball or Newt's suitcase?" Cro asked with exasperation.
[No, the Magical Creature Box can only hold one magical creature, and its space is customized based on the creature's size.]
"Thanks for the clarification! You really are stingy—a real iron rooster. No, even iron roosters lose feathers now and then!" Cro said, his mouth twitching in frustration.
"I thought you were finally being generous, giving me a box like Newt's. But it turns out I was wrong!"
The system stayed silent, pretending not to hear Cro's complaints. Cro sighed, looking at the two items on the list. They were oddly priced, perfectly using up all of his remaining treasure chests, as if the items were specifically tailored for his situation.
After some deliberation, he decided to buy the Magical Creature Ball.
[Congratulations, host, on obtaining: Magical Creature Ball!]
[Magical Creature Ball: Can hold one magical creature. Its internal space adjusts based on the size of the creature.]
[Note: Each Magical Creature Ball can only bind one magical creature!]
[The trial version of the exchange system has ended and is now uninstalling...]
As soon as the system finished speaking, a pure white sphere appeared in Cro's hand.
"Good thing it's not red and white, or it would really look like a Pokéball!" Cro said, glancing at Nagini.
Holding up the ball, he said, "This is your new home. You'll probably need to stay inside it for a while. At least until I deal with Quirrell and Voldemort. I promise I'll let you out for some fresh air when no one's around."
He gently placed the ball on Nagini's head. Nagini, showing no resistance, obediently allowed the ball to open with a soft "pop." A pure white light emerged, enveloping her massive form.
In the blink of an eye, the nearly 4-meter-long serpent vanished, and the ball dropped back into Cro's hand.
Eve, stunned, blinked several times before flapping her wings and landing on the bed. Her round eyes were fixed on the now green, patterned ball in Cro's hand.
This thing... eats animals?!
Cro played with the now dark green, patterned ball. After taking in Nagini, it had changed from pure white to a colour that matched Nagini's scales—dark green, covered in intricate patterns resembling scales.
"Well, something free always feels great!" Cro grinned. "I wonder what Voldemort's reaction would be if he saw me throw this ball and summon Nagini? I bet he'd be so shocked he'd give me another king-tier chest!"
"And what about those little snakes in Slytherin? Slytherin House without a pet snake just doesn't feel right. It's perfectly normal for a little Slytherin to have a snake, isn't it?"
His eyes gleamed with excitement as he thought of a plan to use the Magical Creature Ball to gather treasure chests. Even if Dumbledore caught him, what could he do?
Isn't it completely normal for a Slytherin student to keep a snake as a pet?
As for being sorted into Slytherin... well, as long as he wasn't sorted into Azkaban, everything should be fine!
"Time to sleep. Tomorrow, I'll grind for more treasure chests. Though I'd better stay away from Diagon Alley for now. I don't want to draw any unwanted attention from a certain nooseless person."
"He's probably already sensed that Nagini's soul imprint has disappeared. I can imagine him screaming at Quirrell in fury."
Cro chuckled to himself before sighing. "It's a shame he doesn't know I was behind it. Otherwise, I could've gotten a few more king-tier chests out of it!"
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T/N:
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