Tom carefully uncorked the test tube, then unscrewed the potion bottle, slowly pouring the Phoenix blood inside. The two liquids instantly fused, swirling into a potion of pure gold.
Tom gazed at the shimmering liquid in his hand. My demands aren't that high, just give me Phoenix Rebirth.
This was the gene fusion potion he'd earned after completing a system task as a teaching assistant. But the resulting talent was random, utterly dependent on luck. With Phoenix Rebirth, he could not only fulfill a long-held ambition but also wield ancient magic runes with impunity, becoming nigh-invincible. After all, Phoenix Rebirth was undeniably overpowered, resurrecting from death and even reversing the effects of aging.
Tom tilted his head back and swallowed the potion in one gulp.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the special talent: Fireborn]
"…"
Tom sat silently, speechless. After a long moment, he finally began to examine his new talent.
[Name: Tom Marvolo Riddle]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 18]
[Occupation: Wizard, Professor, Dark Lord]
[Magic: SS (Legendary Wizard, those who have reached this level include: Dumbledore, Gellert Grindelwald, etc.)]
[Talent (Max level 10)]:
[Charms: 10 (Charms? Isn't that something you can learn just by looking at it?)]
[Transfiguration: 9 (Enough to turn the rotten into the magical)]
[Dark Magic Defense: 10 (The greatest white wizard of this century)]
[Dark Magic: ??? (Compared to you, the Voldemort remnant soul is as obedient as a baby)]
[Potions Mastery: 8 (You could cook potions like soup and they'd work)]
[Alchemy: 6 (Extremely excellent)]
[Prophecy: 9 (Can briefly see the future)]
[Special Talents:]
[Basilisk Eyes: (Controllable; anyone with magic power one level below your own will die if you stare at them.)]
[Serpent's Bloodline: (Descendant of Salazar Slytherin, naturally able to communicate with and even control snakes.)]
[Fireborn: (A natural-born darling of fire, immune to all fire damage, and permanently increases fire spell proficiency by 1.)]
[Mastered Spells: Avada Kedavra (Level 10, Max Level), Imperius Curse (Level 10), Fiendfyre (Level 10), Exorcismus (Level 9)... Ancient Magic — Strike (Level 1), Ancient Magic — Ward (Level 1), Ancient Magic — Cast (Level 1)]
[Ancient Magic Rune: Thanatos' Gaze]
[Item: Elder Wand (Thestral Feather) "Quality: Mythical"...]
"This talent is something else."
Tom raised his left hand, and a ball of crimson Fiendfyre erupted spontaneously. The notoriously uncontrollable flame was surprisingly well-behaved. He could feel his control over it had reached an unimaginable level, now able to unleash power far beyond its natural limits.
In other words, because of the Fireborn talent, a Level 11 Fiendfyre, which shouldn't exist, had appeared! Tom, who had initially felt unlucky, perked up.
...
Later that afternoon, in Hogwarts' Great Hall, all the students and professors gathered. Albus Dumbledore, seeing that it was time, rose to his feet. "Another school year has come to an end, and it is time to award the House Cup. The house with the highest score will receive this honor."
"Here are the scores for each house:"
"Fourth place, Godric Gryffindor, 32 points!"
Hearing that, Albus Dumbledore couldn't help but inwardly curse Tom Riddle for being so ruthless. Professor Minerva McGonagall watched the redheads in the crowd with grim satisfaction. As expected, her house had its share of troublemakers.
Ron Weasley hung his head, not daring to speak. Professor Minerva McGonagall had been the one to drag them back after Argus Filch caught them. Of course, they hadn't hesitated to betray Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy then, but unfortunately, there was no proof, and neither had been caught a second time.
Hearing their house's score, the little lions didn't dare celebrate or even say a word. Tom Riddle and Severus Snape were simply too powerful; they couldn't compete.
"Third place, Hufflepuff, 356 points!"
Enthusiastic applause erupted from the Hufflepuff table.
As the applause died down, Albus Dumbledore continued, "Second place, Ravenclaw, 614 points!"
A unified applause echoed from the Ravenclaw table. Hermione Granger, who had been aiming for first place, wasn't happy but clapped along dejectedly.
When he announced first place, Albus Dumbledore paused, then slowly said, "First place, Slytherin… 6714 points!"
"…"
Everyone present fell silent.
They suspected foul play, but…
Tom Riddle stood, a smile playing on his lips. Seeing this, Harry Potter reacted quickly, shouting before Draco Malfoy could, "All Death Eaters, stand!"
Students and professors from the other houses turned to stare, watching as every student at the Slytherin table stood in unison.
"…"
Albus Dumbledore watched the scene, speechless. Was his school turning into a nest of snakes?
Now everyone knew Tom Riddle was Voldemort. Thanks to their elders' persuasion and the bullying tactics of Lenore Tepesh and Harry Potter, everyone in Slytherin, willing or not, had joined.
Of course, a considerable number were perfectly happy about it. Tom Riddle was not only handsome and powerful but also occasionally showed off his abilities to them.
"So, I've been a Death Eater all along?"
The young wizard who had been threatened by Lenore Tepesh and Harry Potter to join the Death Eaters at the start of the year still felt a bit dazed. How could simply attending school turn him into a villain from a storybook?
Draco Malfoy, who had seemingly appeared from nowhere, grinned. "Trying to quit? Too late."
Tom Riddle looked down at his little snakes with satisfaction, then raised his right hand diagonally. "Sei-hai!"
For some reason, the young Slytherins felt a surge of excitement, especially Harry Potter, who felt a strange tingle.
"Sei-hai!" Everyone shouted, led by Harry Potter, echoing a phrase Tom Riddle sometimes uttered in jest.
"…"
Albus Dumbledore remained silent, the scene feeling oddly familiar.
Severus Snape was speechless. "Why do I seem to remember being the Head of Slytherin?"
"Ahem… alright, alright, let me congratulate Slytherin on winning this year's House Cup."
Albus Dumbledore clapped, hoping to conclude this quickly.
As he finished speaking, a system notification chimed in Tom Riddle's mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission and receiving the reward: Alchemy Material Gift Pack.]
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