The Bandit Stronghold's Successor

The patient in the next bed was eerily quiet...

Madam Pomfrey was also asleep. Kyle put on his shoes and clothes, tiptoed out of the Hospital Wing, and came to the equally quiet castle.

However, when Kyle arrived at the castle, he remembered that Professor McGonagall had mentioned that Dumbledore was not at school that day.

But it didn't matter; he ran into Professor McGonagall on the third floor.

Professor McGonagall was furious to see Kyle in the castle.

"You should be at the Hospital Wing... not loitering around here!"

"Professor McGonagall, I know where the Chamber of Secrets is!" Kyle said quickly. "Its entrance is in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, under that tap that doesn't work."

"What?" Professor McGonagall looked at Kyle in surprise, then immediately realized what he meant.

"You stay here and don't go anywhere."

She waved her wand, and a transparent tabby cat suddenly jumped out—her Patronus.

Professor McGonagall said something to the tabby cat, which then nimbly leaped up the stairs and disappeared in a few flashes.

During this process, Kyle did not wait patiently.

In fact, when Professor McGonagall summoned the Patronus, he had already left through a secret passage behind him.

Kyle knew the professors wouldn't let him go to the Chamber of Secrets, but he had to go.

Whether it was because of that strange dream or not, Kyle had this idea in his mind ever since he came to the third floor, and it was getting stronger and stronger.

Kyle emerged from the other side of the secret passage, calibrated his bearings, and quickly arrived at Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom.

The "Exploding Textbook" that had been placed here had all mysteriously disappeared, but Kyle didn't care about that anymore.

He opened the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets using Parseltongue and said to the astonished Moaning Myrtle beside him, "The professors will be here soon. Remember to tell them that the Chamber of Secrets is down here."

"You..."

Moaning Myrtle seemed to say something, but Kyle didn't hear it.

He had already jumped into the pipe and was sliding down rapidly.

A sticky feeling came from his back, Kyle felt a pang of regret.

Why didn't he use the Broomstick just now...?

Soon, Kyle returned to the surface, quickly traversed the damp, dark tunnel, and arrived at the door to the final Chamber of Secrets.

Strangely, after arriving here, the buzzing in Kyle's head disappeared, and he returned to normal.

He spoke in Parseltongue again, facing the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

"Open!"

The stone wall split in the middle and slowly slid to both sides and disappeared...

The Chamber of Secrets looked no different from before, but Kyle noticed a black diary at the feet of the Slytherin Statue.

"I didn't expect it to be you," a voice said softly.

Kyle wasn't too surprised and turned to look in the direction the sound came from.

A tall boy leaned against the nearest stone pillar, watching him. The boy looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, with dark skin, thin lips, and a handsome appearance.

At first glance, he even looks a bit like Cedric.

"Tom Riddle."

"It's me." Riddle nodded. "Long time no see, my...good friend?"

He walked over. "I've been wondering who will be the first to find the Chamber of Secrets... Dumbledore? Harry Potter?"

I never expected it to be you.

"Surprised?" Kyle asked.

"No," Riddle said with interest. "You're just like I was back then, incredibly intelligent and meticulous... it's not surprising that you could find the location of the Chamber of Secrets."

"Don't flatter yourself." Kyle scoffed. "I'm a third-year student now, and I've already received two Special Award for Services to the School and Order of Merlin, Second Class."

"And you, you only received Special Award for Services to the School in fifth grade... tsk tsk."

Riddle's face finally showed some change; he was no longer as calm as before.

"I've said it before, none of those things matter, only power is everything!"

He took two more steps forward, and a magic wand appeared in his hand without him even noticing.

That's Ron's wand.

"We're the same kind of people, Kyle. Those filthy Mudblood don't deserve to sit in the same classroom as you."

Riddle extended his hand. "Follow me. In the presence of the great Salazar Slytherin, I assure you, we can change this world and usher in a new, glorious era for the Wizarding World."

Kyle narrowed his eyes as he looked at the wand in Kyle's hand, which was faintly pointing at him. "I only have one question: how did you get out of here?"

"To be honest, I don't know either." Riddle gave a strange smile and continued to stare at Kyle.

"I was still trying to gain your trust... but one day, I suddenly found myself leaving that place where I could no longer feel any magic, and meeting someone else."

Although that person was timid, cowardly, and even afraid to peel back that dirty disguise, he was far more naive than you, easily opening his soul to me..."

"Look how much better I've become with his help."

"Who is it?" Kyle asked again.

"Consider him my future servant..." Riddle said casually. "Now, it's your turn to answer my question."

Although you deceived me before, I don't mind, as long as you are willing to follow me... I will forgive and forget everything that happened before."

"Hmm..." Kyle stroked his chin. "Can I think about it?"

"Of course," Riddle said nonchalantly. "I've already closed the Chamber of Secrets entrance you left in the bathroom. No one will disturb us for the time being."

"Really? That's really too..."

Without warning, Kyle suddenly raised his wand.

A row of sharp stone spikes grew from beneath Riddle's feet and pierced through his body.

But Riddle didn't care at all.

"What a pity, I thought you would agree."

Kyle chuckled. "Would you believe me if I said I just accidentally dropped it?"

"What do you think!" Riddle glared at Kyle with a ferocious expression.

"Crucio!"

"Sectumsempra!"

Two beams of light, one red and one white, collided in mid-air, then changed direction and landed in different places.

A beam of white light flashed across the nearby pillar, leaving a deep cut in it.

Riddle stared at the pillar in surprise.

"This level of Dark Magic, and the previous Nonverbal Spell... among young wizards of this age, you are the strongest I have ever seen."

"I'm almost reluctant to kill you."

Despite saying that, the sneer on his face became even more pronounced.

"The game ends here. Now I'll show you my true power, the power of Salazar Slytherin!"

Riddle turned to face the Slytherin Statue's face and hissed.

"Speak to me..."

"Speak to me..."

Two voices rang out simultaneously.

The sudden turn of events made Riddle instinctively turn his head away.

However, in that brief pause, Kyle had already finished reciting Parseltongue.

"Speak to me, Slytherin... the greatest of the Hogwarts Founders!"

"You... you... this is impossible!"

For the first time, fear appeared on Riddle's face. He whirled around and roared, "Damn it, how do you know how to summon the Basilisk!"

"Because I am the true Heir of Slytherin," Kyle flashed Lockhart's signature smile. "You imposter."