Kyle closed his eyes, carefully perceiving the flow of magic within his body.
To his pleasant surprise, he quickly located the positions of the eight gates that restricted magic flow inside him. However, Kyle wasn't suicidal enough to try charging the Gate of Opening with magic right now; otherwise, he wouldn't even know how he died.
He glanced at Catherine, who was still practicing Ninjutsu hand seals. Between staying in the training room to keep Catherine company and going to the library to look up information, Kyle chose...
To go to the library, bring the books back, and read them in the training room.
Only children make choices; he wanted it all. However, the cultivation of the Eight Inner Gates was clearly not something that could be accomplished in a single afternoon.
"What is your dream?"
When he heard this question from Grindelwald, Kyle almost thought he had walked onto the wrong film set.
The reason was simple: in front of him, both Grindelwald and Dumbledore were sitting in high-backed armchairs large enough to obscure their entire figures. If they were to turn their chairs around to face away from him, this would absolutely look like the set of a talent scouting show.
My dream... Kyle lowered his head in contemplation.
To bring peace between humans and magical automatons? No, too "sci-fi." To put a smile on every person's face? No, too "superhero."
What he wanted was to become the most benevolent... no, to become the next generation's Dark Lord!
Kyle spoke his answer without hesitation: "I want the surname Grindelwald to resound through the magical world once again."
Dumbledore's face instantly turned dark, every wrinkle etched with frustration. Why Grindelwald? Is the name Dumbledore not worthy of your ambition?
However, with the backing of the original Dark Lord, Kyle was not in the least bit afraid of Dumbledore, whose face was now as grim as a thundercloud.
Grindelwald laughed heartily. "Albus, I told you long ago that you were wasting your breath."
Facing the father and son pair before him—who were clearly two peas in a pod—Dumbledore rubbed his forehead, feeling weary. If you can't beat them, join them.
"Since this is Kyle's choice, I will not oppose your methods, but I have one requirement." Dumbledore's azure eyes stared at Grindelwald through his half-moon spectacles.
Grindelwald raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.
"I also want to participate in Kyle's instruction. You were right—my previous methods would only limit his talent. Magic has no inherent alignment; its nature is determined by the soul of the one wielding it."
"Old Man, you're not planning to restrict me from learning the Dark Arts anymore?" Kyle asked, raising a hand.
Dumbledore shook his head. "Whatever you wish to learn, Gellert and I can teach you, provided you understand the weight of your actions."
Grindelwald leaned back. "This little fellow is far more mature than you give him credit for."
Kyle grinned excitedly. To receive guidance from the two greatest wizards of the age—what other student in the world could dream of such a privilege?
Dumbledore waved his hand, signaling Kyle to "scram" so he could discuss more private matters with Grindelwald. Kyle didn't mind; he slipped out of the study with a spring in his step.
In the days that followed, Kyle's life settled into a familiar rhythm: a "three-point line" between the library, the training room, and the dining hall. Eventually, his trajectory expanded to include a fourth stop—the Alchemy Laboratory.
"I think the blade should be forged from Goblin-wrought silver. I remember the castle treasury has over two hundred kilograms of it; taking a few pounds won't be an issue."
Kyle paused at Catherine's words. "Why do you know my family's treasury better than I do?"
The girl rolled her eyes. "My grandfather is the Grindelwald family butler. Barring any surprises, I'll be taking over his duties one day."
And if there is a 'surprise,' what then? Kyle wondered. Mistress of the castle? If Catherine were willing, it wasn't an impossible thought.
"In addition to runes for durability and sharpness," Catherine continued, pointing at a parchment sketch of a sleek, double-edged straight sword, "we should add a Conversion Array."
"A Conversion Array?"
"It would convert the wielder's magic into pure light, then release it from the tip like a concentrated beam to incinerate everything in its path!" Catherine's eyes were sparkling. "Isn't that incredible?"
Kyle's mouth twitched. That's just Excalibur with extra steps. He wasn't some legendary King of Knights; he just wanted a blade sharp enough to pierce a Protego charm, something standard kunai struggled to do.
"Why don't we use Mithril for the core and Goblin silver for the edge? We could treat it as a 'Hybrid Wand'—a weapon and a focus in one."
Catherine's eyes lit up. "That's brilliant! You could cast spells directly through the blade without needing a separate wand. What should we call it?"
Kyle stole a glance at her, a playful glint in his eyes. "Let's call it The Phoenix's Vow."
Catherine noticed his gaze, and a soft flush of pink crept onto her cheeks. She caught the sentiment immediately—the Phoenix was a symbol of undying devotion and souls that find each other across lifetimes. By giving it such a name, Kyle had turned a weapon into a pledge.
After inadvertently flirting with her, Kyle flashed a sly smile. By the time she looked back, he was stroking his chin with a serious, professional expression again.
"Now, the question is: who forges it? Gregorovitch?"
Catherine tucked the parchment away. "If we go to Gregorovitch... he'll throw us out."
It was common knowledge in the family why: years ago, Gellert Grindelwald had "borrowed" the Elder Wand from Gregorovitch by hitting him with a Stunning Spell and jumping out a window. The grudge was deep.
In the end, Kyle decided the task had to fall to the "Omnipotent Butler." The old man would have to handle the commission through a proxy. Kyle felt a bit guilty about overworking a man in his nineties, but he had no other choice.
With the sword design settled, Kyle's preparations for opening the First Gate of the Eight Inner Gates were finally nearing completion.
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