Chapter 141: Cyrus: Only the failures are called Dark Lords

    A/N: Here is a fking big chapter! Enjoy!

    _____

    "Come out, Tom Riddle, or do you now call yourself Cyrus?"

    Voldemort''s voice was hoarse, speaking softly yet his voice carried to every corner, as if there were speakers whispering from each corner.

    There was no other movement in the flames, which made him slightly dissatisfied.

    But Voldemort did not get angry; his anger was reserved for lowly servants and filthy Mudbloods.

    For someone who might be himself, he showed much more tolerance.

    His fingers intertwined deftly as he leaned against the exit of the vault, displaying a range of emotions. It was as if he were here to reunite with an old friend he hadn''t seen in years.

    "Tom Riddle is the culprit who caused terror attacks at Hogwarts this entire school year. He opened the legendary Chamber of Secrets..." Voldemort softly recited the article published in the newspaper.

    "When I saw this news, do you know how surprised I was? I was in the dark forests of Albania, pathetically possessing those lowly serpents and rats. Yet at that time, another person under my name was causing chaos at Hogwarts and remained free."

    "I am very curious—and eagerly want to know—who exactly are you?"

    The young wizard''s features changed, morphing into a gray, snake-like face. Of course, unlike the resurrected Voldemort in the original story, this version still had a nose.

    "Come on, let me see who you really are. Step forward, don''t be shy."

    His tone was exceptionally tolerant, like a patient teacher willing to forgive his students'' mistakes.

    At that moment, the flames burning within the secret vault suddenly changed color.

    No longer red like dragon fire, they turned a ghostly blue.

    They resembled an endless field of bluebells swaying like waves in the howling wind.

    It was as if they were alive, parting to reveal a clear space.

    There, Cyrus stood with a cold expression, staring through the flames at the man whose name couldn''t even be mentioned.

    The two looked at each other, and Voldemort was momentarily stunned.

    He had almost forgotten how handsome he used to be.

    After a moment, he slowly spoke:

    "I have to say, adding a touch of gold to your hair does suit you. If I had done that back then, getting the cup and the locket would have been easier."

    "I''m not here to reminisce about old times. Neither of us are the type to dwell on the past, are we?" Cyrus was extremely calm at this moment.

    He hadn''t expected to encounter Voldemort here, but he felt no fear.

    A Voldemort using someone else''s body was clearly not at full strength.

    Of course, Cyrus had only recently been revived himself, and his current magical abilities were far from Voldemort''s peak. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be so eager to pursue the power of ancient magic.

    At this moment, if he were to clash with Voldemort, the outcome would be uncertain.

    Moreover, Voldemort was using a body that could be replaced at any time, while Cyrus''s body had been painstakingly resurrected.

    There was no need for Cyrus to fight to the death with Voldemort; even if he won, there would be no real benefit.

    But if the other party came looking for a fight, that was another matter entirely.

    "You''re mistaken. In some respects, I am very interested in old items. For instance, I want to know what happened to the diary I left behind years ago?" Voldemort''s face turned cold, his voice becoming more severe.

    "That''s an interesting question," Cyrus mimicked Voldemort''s tone.

    It wasn''t difficult; Voldemort''s essence was a calm madness. Calmness was merely a facade, while madness was his true nature.

    The moment Cyrus appeared before Voldemort, he had already planned what to say.

    Holding his exquisite wand in his right hand, he remained alert to any potential battle. On the surface, however, he simply moved it elegantly in front of him, as if showcasing himself:

    "The diary, huh? It''s right in front of you!"

    At that moment, it was as if even time stood still.

    For a long while, neither of them spoke or moved. They stood motionless like wooden figures, their wands not pointed at each other, but the tension in the air was palpable.

    Whether it would lead to a conversation or a duel was uncertain.

    Cyrus''s inner thoughts were, of course, anxious, for he was facing the most powerful dark wizard, one on par with Dumbledore. However, he felt no fear.

    Moreover, he quickly realized that Voldemort, like himself, was not entirely confident. The Dark Lord also had his reservations.

    Whether Voldemort was worried about his current strength or unsure if Cyrus still possessed the characteristics of a Horcrux, he was hesitant to act. For Cyrus, this was a good sign.

    ''Could I actually take the initiative here?'' Cyrus couldn''t help but wonder.

    He certainly didn''t like being led by the nose.

    Who wanted you to know this information?

    And who was it that spoonfeeding-ly led this dark wizard before you, allowing him to become your vessel?"

    The more Cyrus spoke, the worse Voldemort''s expression became.

    He was now starting to realize a terrible truth -

    And Cyrus had helped him voice this truth that he dared not confront directly.

    "It was Dumbledore!"

    "You''re not as stupid as I thought, I was worried that creating so many Horcruxes had scrambled your brain."Cyrus scoffed, "He wanted to verify whether the prophecy between the Dark Lord and that boy was true, he wanted to see if Lily Potter''s magic was still in effect. Now, he wants to see what kind of reaction will occur when the two Voldemorts meet, that''s why you''re able to stand before me, understand?"

    Cyrus''s words left Voldemort feeling suffocated.

    Voldemort had always lived in Dumbledore''s shadow, and he was the only person Voldemort truly feared.

    Now, someone - this person was very likely to be himself - was telling him that everything he had done over the past 10 years was under Dumbledore''s control.

    Dumbledore allowed him to live, and Dumbledore forced him to hide in Albania, where he could only rely on filthy beasts to survive.

    Of course, he was not so frightened by Dumbledore.

    The Horcruxes were his ace in the hole. As long as Dumbledore couldn''t destroy all of his Horcruxes, he would not die.

    As long as he did not die, he could outlast that old man.

    Furthermore, now that he had Cyrus, the two of them could work together. If he alone could not defeat Dumbledore, there was no way the two of them couldn''t.

    "I''m sure he thinks we are narrow-minded and cannot coexist, hoping to see us destroy each other." Voldemort laughed, "But he is wrong, I could never harm my own Horcrux."

    However, Cyrus did not laugh.

    He suddenly realized a very serious problem.

    After transmigrating, he had indeed fused with a small, broken fragment of Voldemort''s soul.

    Perhaps he was like Harry, a human Horcrux of Voldemort as well.

    After Voldemort was defeated by the magic of love, the connection between him and his previous Horcruxes was severed, which is why Cyrus had not considered this issue before.

    But now, he is likely forced to face this reality.

    He does not want this extreme person, Voldemort, to live, but he also does not want to trade his own death for Voldemort''s.

    "If that is what he wishes, then we cannot give in to his desires!" Voldemort said seriously, "And once we join forces, Dumbledore will be of no concern."

    Cyrus emerged from his worries - thinking too much about it now is useless, the urgent task at hand is to resolve the current trouble.

    As for Voldemort''s proposal to join forces, he had no hope in it.

    If the two of them were to work together, did that mean Dumbledore couldn''t find any allies?

    There was still a wizard who had guarded Nurmengard for half a century!

    Although Grindelwald was also a dangerous individual, he was completely different from a lunatic like Voldemort.

    If Dumbledore truly felt the situation was beyond salvaging, Cyrus was not certain that he wouldn''t seek Grindelwald''s help.

    In that case, even if he and Voldemort joined forces, they would have no advantage.

    Grindelwald himself was a wizard no less skilled than Dumbledore, and the two of them could be considered on roughly the same level, with any differences being negligible. Moreover, Dumbledore had the Elder Wand and the Order of the Phoenix who were willing to sacrifice their lives for a noble cause, while Grindelwald had the loyal Pureblood Party called "Acolytes".

    These were not things that the drunken layabouts of the Death Eaters could compare to.

    In short, Cyrus was not optimistic about the prospect of joining forces with Voldemort.

    Moreover, he and Voldemort were not on the same side to begin with.

    He didn''t care whether Voldemort lived or died, and he had no need to confront Dumbledore.

    What benefit would there be for him to go against the greatest wizard of the century?

    Cyrus only wanted to obtain ancient magic and become stronger.

    "Come, come over here. We are essentially the same person, closer than brothers."

    Voldemort was still beckoning to him.

    "We were born to wield power, we can become the Dark Lords who instill fear!"

    "I have no interest in instilling fear in others. And furthermore-" Cyrus shook his head, looking at Voldemort with disdain.

    "Only the failures are called Dark Lords!"

    _____

    Read 12 Chapters Ahead on my Patreon!