Chapter 2: Tom Riddle
The boy's face turned ashen as he stared at Theo. After all that talking, this newcomer had simply rejected him?
"So... you were toying with me?"
Theo waved his hand dismissively. "No, I wasn't toying with you. I genuinely considered your proposal and agree with your theory about fear. However... to be frank, you haven't yet demonstrated the ability to make me feel fear. Therefore, I naturally have no reason to comply with your wishes. Besides, I don't keep rabbits or other such pets..."
The boy closed his mouth, and in his dark eyes, a flicker of crimson light seemed to flash. Theo's words, to his ears, were undoubtedly full of mockery.
"If you have nothing else to discuss, please leave. I still need to fix the door lock you damaged," Theo said calmly, issuing a polite dismissal.
"You're provoking me... But you're right about one thing. Without ability, one can't truly instill fear. So... what makes you think I lack such ability?" The boy stared intently at Theo, his tone icy and playful, like a viper watching its prey.
Just as Theo was about to reply, he suddenly noticed that the chair fragments he had discarded on the floor were all slowly levitating! He was certain he hadn't done it!
"I see. So, this is your reliance?" Theo looked at the floating fragments, a hint of surprise and understanding in his eyes.
Clearly, there were others in this world who possessed this special ability, just like him! And this person was right in front of him!
Seeing that Theo didn't show the panicked expression he expected, the boy felt a tinge of doubt. However, this slight doubt was far from enough to deter him from teaching Theo a lesson!
In the next moment, the floating fragments hurtled towards Theo.
Any other child would have been terrified by this bizarre scene, but Theo was no ordinary child.
In fact, after hundreds of experiments and thousands of practice sessions, Theo found the boy's control over this ability rather childish.
Theo made no extra movements, nor did he even look at the oncoming fragments. He simply stared at the boy, as if observing a fascinating specimen.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
The rapidly approaching fragments abruptly stopped in mid-air before Theo, unable to advance any further. Without a doubt, his control over this strange ability was far superior to the boy's.
The boy stared at this scene in shock.
"What happened?! Could it be... you... you can do it too? No! That's impossible! How could this be?! How could you also do it?! This is clearly something only I can..."
"Why do you assume you're the only one who's special?" Theo looked at the boy mockingly.
The boy's pride was deeply wounded by this look. "So... we're the same kind of people?"
"Same kind of people? No, we're not the same. You possess such a special talent, yet I see no evidence of practice. You wouldn't waste such a gift on something as trivial as scaring ordinary people, would you? If so, it would be a tragic waste of a unique ability."
Theo waved his hand, and the chair fragments clattered to the floor.
The boy glared at Theo, his eyes burning with anger. "You may possess a special ability like me, but that doesn't mean you can act like that in front of me—"
Thump!
The next moment, the boy was horrified to find himself face down on the floor. Despite nothing physically restraining him, he couldn't move an inch! It was as if an invisible hand was pressing him firmly to the ground!
Theo slowly walked over and stood over him, looking down. "What were you saying?"
The boy stared in fear and anger at the worn shoes in front of him, unable to lift his head.
"N-nothing... I said nothing..."
His immobilized body, along with the invisible pressure on his back that seemed to grow heavier, filled him with dread.
"I sense fear in you. So, according to your own theory, shouldn't you obey me now?" Theo's gentle voice floated down, sounding like a devil's whisper to the boy.
The boy nodded with difficulty, his eyes suddenly clearer.
Then, he felt the pressure vanish, the immense weight lifting from his back!
"Excellent. I appreciate those who are obedient." Theo pulled the boy to his feet and considerately brushed the dust off his clothes. "By the way, I don't believe I caught your name."
The boy gasped for air, shaken by the experience. He could clearly sense that Theo could have easily killed him with that crushing pressure.
"Riddle... My name is Tom Riddle..."
Ding! Detected interaction between host and future Dark Lord! Merit System officially activated!
Ding! Detected host teaching a naughty brat a lesson! Reward: 50 Merit Points!
Theo: ?
...
Tom Riddle? The future Dark Lord? A Merit System...
"I see... Tom... Tom Riddle."
Theo carefully, and with renewed interest, scrutinized the boy named Tom Riddle.
Tom felt a shiver of unease under Theo's suddenly changed gaze.
Even though he would one day become the infamous Dark Lord, he was currently just a small, frightened boy who had just been subdued. And... he really didn't want to die!
So, Tom was filled with terror for Theo, who seemed capable of taking his life at any moment.
Just then, Tom felt a hand heavy on his shoulder. It was Theo.
Cold sweat instantly trickled down Tom's forehead.
"Don't be nervous, Tom. It's just that your name sounds familiar."
The name was familiar. The combination of "Dark Lord" and "Tom Riddle" was more than enough to reveal everything.
At that moment, Theo recalled two crucial pieces of information he had previously overlooked.
The orphanage was called Wool's Orphanage, and the matron was Mrs. Cole. Unquestionably, this was the "initial spawning point" of the second-generation Dark Lord, Voldemort.
Finally, Theo understood. He had directly transmigrated into the world of Harry Potter, albeit decades before the start of the novels.
Which meant... the strange power he possessed wasn't some unique ability; it was magic!
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(End of chapter)