Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

Meanwhile, deep within Regulus's consciousness, that thing continued to linger.

After the Disintegration Spell was reconstructed, the Guardian Angel was questioned, spatial magic was denied, and Star Orbit Meditation was compared, it seemed to have quieted down for the time being.

But Regulus knew it wasn't over yet, because it only pointed out the existence of another path, without forcing him to choose.

Now it's waiting, waiting for his response.

Regulus stood in his own mental world, gazing at the light of Orion's fourth and a half stars.

Betelgeuse is the brightest, followed by Aldebaran, Aldebaran II, and Aldebaran III, while Aldebaran V is currently twinkling slightly.

It was as if it was also waiting, waiting for him to figure something out.

Regulus recalled the reconstructed content.

Each one is shown a more efficient path, but it doesn't say that path is the right one; it merely demonstrates the existence of another path.

Regulus pondered.

Enforcing the rules of the world sounds closer to the essence than creating them yourself.

But if it's just about following the rules, then where is "I"?

The Disintegration Spell is his because of the process he perceived, understood, transformed, and created from the mandrake.

That was his path, his choice, his mark.

If it's merely about following the rules, then the spell no longer belongs to him, but to the world.

He can accept things from the world becoming his, but he cannot accept things from his becoming the world's.

As for the guardian deity, it was the beginning of his emotions, a combination of his emotions and reason, the direction of his magical path, and the choice he had already decided to reach the end of.

He cannot give up.

Becoming a guardian deity sounds powerful, but for him, it's not even an option.

What about spatial magic?

He asked himself, what's wrong with imitation?

All magic began with imitation. Ancient wizards imitated natural phenomena to create fire spells, lightning spells, and water spells.

Modern wizards inherited the foundation of magic from ancient wizards, and through continuous learning and adaptation, they developed a modern magic system.

Imitation is just the starting point, not the end.

He imitated house-elves, but he didn't stop at just imitation.

He turned that principle into spells that wizards could use, allowing wizards to do things that were originally only possible for house-elves.

It's less about imitation and more about transformation.

Furthermore, what's wrong with passing down traditions?

The Black family's centuries of accumulation were all for him to stand on and see further.

He used the Spatial Anchoring Charm, but he also developed the Spell Warp, combining what he inherited with his own creations to achieve what no one before him had done.

That is transcendence.

What's wrong with combining them?

It says that spell warp is just a combination, not a fusion, and perhaps that is indeed the case now.

But if they can be put together and used, then they can be improved, and improvements can lead to integration.

The road ahead is long, and he has only just begun.

Moreover, he thought of Professor McGonagall.

She demonstrated spatial deformation, stretching, flipping, and twisting of spatial structures without chanting incantations, simply by tapping her wand lightly.

Is that fusion?

Or has she internalized the spell to the point that she no longer needs to recite it?

He didn't know, but he knew that he could take that path too.

Perhaps one day, when he goes further, when he transforms combination into integration, when he makes space no longer an object to be manipulated, but a partner to coexist with him.

By then, his spatial magic will also take on its own form.

As for star trail meditation, it says that it is better to become the abyss than to imitate the stars.

This statement makes the most sense, but it is also the most dangerous.

Because stars do indeed die out, but the abyss does not; the abyss only needs to cease to exist to devour all existence.

But Regulus looked at the Orion 4.5 stars in his mental world, at those cool and steady lights, and at their orbital paths.

They will go out, but that will be millions of years from now.

He is only twelve years old.

What's the rush?

Regulus opened his eyes in the spiritual world, and the light of Orion's fourth and a half star shone even brighter than before.

Betelgeuse is still twinkling, but the rhythm of its twinkling is changing, as if asking, "Have you thought this through?"

Regulus didn't respond directly; he looked back at the mass.

It was still there, constantly changing, but this time, he could perceive its essence more clearly.

It's simply showing him that another path exists, telling him that the path is there, that he can take it, and even leading him there.

But it doesn't force him; whether he chooses it or not is his own business.

Regulus nodded slightly to himself.

He had figured it out; he didn't need to choose that path, but he was grateful that it showed him the way.

He looked at the lump and said something to himself.

"You're right, my approach is indeed inefficient and has its limits, but so what?"

I'm only twelve years old. I have a hundred years, maybe even several hundred years, to go. Limits are meant to be broken, not accepted.

The object didn't respond; it simply continued to change shape.

Regulus continued, "And how do you know that my path won't one day lead you down the wrong path?"

Regulus continued, "And how do you know that my path won't one day lead you down the wrong path?"

Regulus gave his final response in his heart: "My magic is my magic precisely because it contains my reason, my understanding, and my choices."

Even if I strip away my mistakes and inefficiencies, what does the power I gain have to do with me, no matter how strong it may be?

The moment those words echoed in the spiritual world, the light of Orion's four and a half stars suddenly shone brightly.

It was as if he was confirming who he was, what he wanted, and what was unshakeable.

At this moment, Betelgeuse was fully illuminated, its blue and white light filling the entire mental space—gentle, bright, but not dazzling.

It just kept shining, steadily shining.

Regulus looked at it, and the word came to mind.

guard.

It does not protect external things, nor does it protect others; it protects the boundaries of my own identity, and the independent will called Regulus.

Regulus couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion at that moment.

Betelgeuse, you've finally lit up.

From the first time I sensed its presence in the star trails, to the repeated attempts but still unable to truly light it up.

Until today, in the depths of this ocean floor, amidst the waves of understanding that thing, it has finally been illuminated.

At this moment, the five stars of Orion are without flaw.

Betelgeuse burns at the farthest point, connected in the center by three stars in the belt, each of the five stars performing its own function while also echoing each other.

The eruption of Betelgeuse now has a protected boundary, the order of the three stars in the belt has a solid foundation, and the protection of Betelgeuse is no longer empty talk without roots.

As the constellation Betelgeuse lit up at 5 a.m., the mass of things rippled slightly, as if it were reacting somewhere.

It's like saying, "I understand."

Then it quieted down and stopped actively touching anything in his consciousness.

Regulus knew he had passed this test.

He has accomplished what he was supposed to do on this journey, and he has confirmed his path.

His path may be slower and less efficient, but every step he takes is one he has taken himself.

Betelgeuse was still shining, its blue-white light gentle and steady.

Regulus completely detached himself from the lump of something, and stood there, looking at it, a multitude of thoughts flashing through his mind.

What exactly is it? Where did it come from? How long has it existed? To which civilization does it belong?

Besides Grindelwald, who else has had contact with it?

Or perhaps Grindelwald only knew it existed, but never actually came into contact with it?

How powerful would you become if you followed the path it guided you on?

Would anyone give up their true self in pursuit of power?

Is becoming an efficient magical executor the ultimate goal of magic, or its fallacy?

These questions have no answers, and that thing won't answer; it simply exists and is merely a display.

Regulus thought it was something sealed away, perhaps not belonging to this era, or perhaps a manifestation of a magical concept.

It has no inherent good or evil; it is simply a completely different system of understanding magic.

This system is powerful, self-consistent, and alluring; it directly promises a path to a higher level of power.

But what's the cost?

The price was the gradual stripping away of his emotions, preferences, and independent will as Regulus Black.

He would not accept it, he was absolutely certain of that.

He must possess his own will; he doesn't want a self that can be changed or shaped by external things. He only wants to be truly independent, to have his own will.

If he needs to change, it must be a change he himself wants to make, a change he needs to make, and a change he takes the lead in after careful consideration.

Instead of being led astray by a more efficient path and unknowingly changed.

He wants to forge his own path, not one that others point out to him, even if that path seems wider and straighter.

Regulus shook his head, deciding not to think about it anymore.

On this journey, Betelgeuse lit up at five o'clock.

He could feel his spirit and will growing in tandem, a growth that was solid and deeply rooted, not something instilled by external forces.

There haven't been any obvious changes in his physical appearance yet, but I imagine it won't be bad.

Aside from that, he gained nothing; he neither became stronger nor weaker, nor did he acquire any new abilities, nor did he lose any of his existing ones.

The Disintegration Curse is still the Disintegration Curse, the Guardian Angel is still the Guardian Angel, and the Space Warp is still the Space Warp.

It gave him nothing, and it took nothing away from him.

He simply saw his own path, saw another path, and saw the difference between the two paths.

This is enough.

But he did have some new ideas about spatial magic.

That thing said it wanted to invite him, to make the space itself willing to change for him, but he can't understand it now, much less do it.

But he thought he could start with something simple, like changing the way he referred to the space from "it" to "you".

A change in a form of address can lead to a change in perception.

Moreover, after Betelgeuse lit up, he gained a deeper understanding of protection. Will this understanding affect his knowledge of spatial magic?

Can space become a form of protection?

If space itself can be anchored as an unshakeable existence, wouldn't that protect oneself and others?

These questions remain unanswered, but they can serve as a new direction.

He snapped out of his thoughts, turned around, and Freya was still standing not far behind him.