Chapter 224: Horcrux
Facing Voldemort's offer, Kyle felt no excitement whatsoever. His heart was completely unmoved.
Just think back to what that other famous "villain" had said sixty years ago: For the greater good. It was grand, stirring, almost poetic. But Voldemort? He only spoke of power and status—vague, empty promises that any wise person could see through. Frankly, his old-fashioned rhetoric might fool simple minds like Quirrell's, but not anyone with an ounce of sense.
Still, Kyle supposed Voldemort didn't have much else to offer. Every prized artifact he'd gathered—Slytherin's Locket, Hufflepuff's Cup—had been twisted into Horcruxes, meaning they couldn't exactly be shared as rewards.
And if Voldemort did possess a more inspiring slogan, something that rallied others—I am the Chosen One, the Only One, or Fight for a better tomorrow—perhaps Riddle, not Dumbledore, would be headmaster today.
Protected by Occlumency, Kyle's thoughts remained hidden, so Voldemort saw only his silence. Interpreting this as hesitation, Voldemort assumed his offer wasn't enticing enough.
"What a greedy boy..." he rasped. "Very well. What if I could offer you immortality... like me? Free from the decay of age, from the fear of death—eternal in this world!"
Now, this was finally something with a bit of substance.
"That's actually what I was hoping to ask about," Kyle replied thoughtfully, his gaze steady. "Mr. Voldemort, could you tell me more about making Horcruxes..."
"Kill him!" Voldemort shrieked, rage and shock lacing his voice.