"I must immediately absorb these extraordinary characteristics!" Dudley decided almost instantly.
He had no time to hesitate; the extraordinary characteristics were already eroding his body, and delaying would only worsen the outcome.
Dudley's consciousness spread out, quickly connecting with the two mysterious gelatinous masses, guiding them to merge into his body. The next moment, the masses dispersed. A chaotic blur filled his vision, with colors exploding like fireworks: brilliant reds, eerie blues, dazzling whites…
Soft whispers echoed in his ears, seemingly from an impossibly distant place, across countless times and spaces. Dudley couldn't make out a single word; he only felt a throbbing pain in his brain. His body swayed as if treading on nothingness, teetering on the edge of falling, as if bound by a Petrificus Totalus spell.
The experience was both familiar and strangely alien. Fortunately, it didn't last long, and Dudley soon emerged from the confusion and hallucinations.
"Phew~" Dudley gasped, steadying himself against the nearby table.
"Good, no accidents happened," he murmured.
The ordeal reminded him of his first time taking a Potion—a tense, uneasy state mixed with excitement. He knew how to handle such situations, and these were merely two low-Sequence extraordinary characteristics, not difficult for him to absorb.
After calming himself, Dudley regained his composure.
"Two sets of extraordinary characteristics, two paths," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"The Black Emperor Sequence and the Judge Sequence. These Sequences are adjacent and can be converted at high Sequence. To have extraordinary characteristics from both within my body simultaneously… does this mean I completed a fusion of two Sequences at a high Sequence?"
A sharp pain stabbed his brain, and vague whispers echoed in his ears. Frowning, Dudley wisely abandoned the thought. His spiritual intuition, now heightened as an extraordinary, warned him to avoid such contemplations for now.
"Forget it, I'll take it one step at a time."
Shifting his focus to his body, Dudley noted he was now a dual-Sequence extraordinary.
"The Black Emperor Sequence's Sequence 9, Lawyer, excels at finding and exploiting loopholes in rules and opponents' weaknesses. It's adept at striking through Order and possesses extraordinary eloquence and persuasion, able to distort or guide a target's thinking to a certain extent, making them feel trust and affinity."
"The Judge Sequence's Sequence 9, Arbitrator, boasts charming charisma and sufficient authority to convince others, along with excellent combat skills to handle unexpected situations. In conflict, opponents often lack confidence and feel compelled to yield."
"Combined, these abilities complement each other. Even as a low-Sequence extraordinary, I can thrive in this normal world," Dudley thought.
He was already adept at using these Sequences' abilities, requiring little adjustment. Walking to the mirror, Dudley examined his reflection. His eyes had deepened, shifting from light blue to a vivid blue—a sign that the extraordinary characteristics' power hadn't fully settled. Taking a deep breath, he controlled the power within, and his eyes soon returned to their original light blue.
Soft footsteps rustled outside the door.
"Dada, my little darling, have you rested well? Do you remember we're going to the zoo later?" Petunia asked gently, cautious not to upset him.
"Yes, Mom, I'll be right down," Dudley replied.
"That's good, we'll wait for you downstairs," Petunia said, relieved, smiling contentedly as she headed downstairs.
A few minutes later, Dudley descended to the dining room, where Harry stood warily in the corner. The earlier events had left Harry with no illusions about Dudley; any kindness from his cousin was likely a setup for a new prank.
Seeing Harry punished and cornered, Dudley felt a pang of guilt. As he considered how to make amends, the phone rang. Petunia hurried to answer it.
When she hung up, her face was grim, a mix of anger and anxiety. "Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg broke her leg and can't take him."
She pointed at Harry, who stood in the corner, her expression darkening. Harry's eyes visibly brightened; he clearly didn't want to go to Mrs. Figg's house.
Dudley keenly noted Harry's reaction.
"What do we do now?" Petunia asked, glaring at Harry as if he were to blame.
"How about we let Marge look after the boy for a bit?" Vernon suggested uncertainly.
"Don't be silly, Marge hates the boy," Petunia replied, shaking her head.
Dudley cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "I think we can take Harry to the zoo with us," he said with a smile.
Vernon and Petunia's eyes widened in disbelief. Dudley, voluntarily suggesting Harry join them? They must have misheard. Even Harry looked incredulous, though he longed to go to the zoo—he'd never been. His best hope had been staying home to watch TV or play Dudley's game console.
"Wait, no, he must be planning another prank!" Harry thought, suddenly wary. Dudley, kind enough to take him to the zoo? Unlikely. He must have a new trick in mind.
Unfazed by Harry's suspicion, Dudley faced his parents calmly. "If we leave Harry at home, he might cause trouble. It's better to take him with us so we can keep an eye on him."
His tone was steady yet carried an undeniable authority, convincingly persuasive. Vernon and Petunia froze, then exchanged glances.
"I think Dudley's right. We can't leave Harry alone at home; you know he might…" Petunia nodded. "Our little darling is so thoughtful. It's decided."