Staring at the system prompt showing "Enemy Relationship: Active," Rhine took a deep breath. As the old saying went—when one door closes, another opens.
So that's how it is, huh?
He had bent over backward trying to befriend those goblins, only to be shrugged off with disdain. But forming a grudge? That happened effortlessly—one argument and they were already at "Bitter Rivalry."
Clearly, goblins' hatred for wizards ran bone-deep.
Still, perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. If friendship couldn't get him a reward, punching them in the face a few times could. Much simpler, really.
And honestly, that fit goblin nature better too—deferential to power, not kindness. Shameless creatures.
Next time he ran into another opportunist like that, he knew exactly how to handle it.
Rhine looked again at the system reward: Beat up the goblins three times to get Windborne Sustenance and Master Strategist traits? He felt an itch in his fists, nearly ready to storm back and bash their faces in right now.
But he forced himself to hold back.
Stay calm. Gringotts wasn't the place for a brawl.
And goblin magic wasn't to be underestimated—they were easily stronger than the average adult wizard.
Sure, with Iron Skin and Diamond Bones, Rhine wasn't afraid of regular spells. But he lacked offensive techniques—he couldn't guarantee a win against two trained goblins. He needed to power up first.
"If only I could get that Staff Mastery trait from Hagrid already…"
"Pair that with my Iron Skin, and I could flatten those goblins before they even blinked."
"Shame…"
Then again, no rush. He knew where they worked—he had the whole summer before school started to settle the score.
For now, his priority was his wand.
Following Hagrid, Rhine arrived at Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.
The shop was small and shabby. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window display. The gold lettering on the door was chipped and flaking.
But the moment Rhine stepped inside, the system interface lit up:
[You have entered a primordial sect—The Forge Sect. As a disciple of the Celestial School, you are personally welcomed by the sect master, Master Ou Yezi.]
[Forming ties with Master Ou Yezi will greatly benefit your path in forging magical artifacts.]
[Casual acquaintance: Gain the Silver-Smelting Talent, enhancing your ability to purify metals.]
[Close friendship: Gain the Flame Control Mastery trait, giving you fine control over elemental flames.]
[Life and Death Bond: Gain the Forge-As-Path trait—dramatically improving your crafting ability and allowing you to gain cultivation from your creations.]
Rhine glanced at the elderly wandmaker emerging from behind the counter and took a deep breath.
Right. This was the Forge Sect. Ollivander was Master Ou Yezi.
The system was still as eccentric as ever.
But the rewards this time were excellent.
Just that Silver-Smelting trait alone would work wonders in alchemy.
And Flame Control Mastery? He could probably juggle Fiendfyre like fireworks.
As for Forge-As-Path… well, that one spoke for itself. It meant crafting could power up his cultivation and earn him money at the same time—talk about killing two birds with one stone.
Still, Rhine had one pressing concern right now:
What kind of wand would choose him?
Come on, this was Harry Potter's world. Who wouldn't be curious about their wand core and wood type?
Would it be beech? Apple? Holly? Elder?
Would the core be unicorn hair? Dragon heartstring? Phoenix feather?
Ollivander, after a brief round of polite questioning, began measuring Rhine's arm, shoulder, and even nostrils.
Rhine internally rolled his eyes.
Did this stuff even matter?
In the books, didn't they just try wand after wand until one worked?
He suddenly thought of locksmiths back in his previous life—those guys could pop open your front door in ten seconds flat, but they'd huff and puff just to make you feel like you were getting your money's worth.
Was Ollivander doing the same thing?
As he was thinking, the wandmaker returned with a stack of wand boxes.
"Let's see… Mr. Snow, try this one first. Hawthorn and unicorn hair. Excellent for protective charms."
Rhine accepted the wand. The moment it touched his fingers, a warm sensation surged through him. The wand tip glowed with soft white light, carrying a subtle, sacred energy that dispelled darkness.
Ollivander looked stunned.
"A perfect match?"
"That quickly?!"
He was conflicted.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He usually had kids try at least four or five wands before finding the right one. That way, they'd value it more and feel the price was justified.
Why did this one go so smoothly?
Meanwhile, Rhine had his own realization.
It's the Heart of Seven Apertures.
His raw magical power wasn't overwhelming, but this trait gave him near-perfect control. And with its universal understanding aspect, unless the wand had an extremely niche or incompatible nature, he'd probably be a perfect match with anything.
That also meant once he started learning spells, he wouldn't have "affinity issues." No more being good at charms but bad at transfiguration—he could master everything evenly.
Still, even though he could bond with almost any wand, hawthorn and unicorn hair skewed too heavily toward protection. It wasn't quite what he had in mind.
So Rhine spoke up.
"Mr. Ollivander, may I try a few more?"
Ollivander hesitated, passing him another wand while replying, "You can, but it's rare to find such a perfect fit. Trying more might—"
But before he could finish, the beech wood, dragon heartstring wand flared in Rhine's hand with a joyful spark.
Ollivander's eyes went wide again.
"Another perfect match?!"
"But this one's completely different! Beech and dragon heartstring represent assertive, aggressive power… How could it be?"
Then the real surprise hit.
Every single wand Rhine touched—though they reacted modestly—registered as a perfect fit.
Ollivander's gaze grew increasingly fervent.
Rubbing his hands, he said, "Mr. Snow, I have a humble request. If you'd be willing to help me with some wand-related research, I'll waive the cost of the wand entirely."
"Any future repairs or maintenance will be free too."
"It's just… your magical affinity is incredibly rare. It could revolutionize wandlore studies!"
He was even muttering to himself: "Europe's top wandmaker, here I come… today, today it begins…"
Rhine's eyes lit up.
He'd been hoping to bond with Ollivander, and now the man was practically begging to collaborate. Perfect.
And it wasn't a big ask either. Helping with wand research? Easy.
Rhine agreed on the spot.
"Of course. I've always held the Ollivander family in the highest esteem. Yours is Europe's oldest and most distinguished wandmaking lineage."
"To assist you would be an honor."
Ollivander's face turned red with joy. He was absolutely beaming at Rhine now.
What a polite young wizard!
At that moment, Rhine saw a new message flash on the system interface:
[You have formed an acquaintance bond with Master Ou Yezi.]
[You have unlocked the Silver-Smelting Talent.]
[Would you like to claim it now?]
Rhine was thrilled.
Still, there was no rush to claim the reward. His priority was finding the ideal wand.
All these wands worked—but with Iron Skin and Diamond Bones, and his future plan to unlock Staff Mastery, he needed something sturdier.
If the wand couldn't double as a weapon, he'd need to carry a separate staff—and that would just be a hassle.
Best to find a wand that could take a few hits and dish some out too.
So Rhine turned to Ollivander with a very serious request.
"Mr. Ollivander, do you happen to have a… unique wand?"
"Something… longer, thicker, sturdier—one that really hurts when you whack someone with it?"