Chapter 6: The Rise of the Dark Castle

Magnus sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the moonlit window, his mind still reeling from what the system had told him. Lord Voldemort and Aphrodite? The names echoed in his head, refusing to fade. One, a being of pure ambition and darkness, the other, a goddess of beauty and love. How could such a paradox create him? His fingers trembled slightly as he clenched the fabric of his trousers.

He let out a deep breath. "System," he said finally, his voice steadying, "open the gate to the Dark Dimension."

A swirling vortex of abyssal energy cracked open before him, an unnatural pull dragging at his soul. He stepped forward, the darkness wrapping around him like a second skin before he vanished into its depths.

The Dark Dimension

Upon arrival, the familiar yet alien landscape greeted him. Towering black spires twisted toward an unholy sky, illuminated only by drifting, ghostly embers that floated in the air like lost souls. The air was thick with raw magic, crackling with chaotic energy that threatened to consume the weak-willed. Here, in this infinite expanse, Magnus felt a strange sense of belonging.

Raising his hand, he touched the brim of the Sorcerer's Hat, feeling the worn fabric pulse with latent power. "Let's see what you can do," he muttered. He focused, allowing his magic to flow through the hat, and suddenly, the dimension trembled. The hat shimmered, shifting between various shapes before settling into a form befitting him—an elegant, black wide-brimmed hat adorned with ethereal runes.

Satisfied, he turned his attention elsewhere. "System, how many years until I go to Hogwarts?"

[Three years until Hogwarts enrollment.]

Three years. That meant he had time. Time to prepare, time to grow stronger. His mind whirled with possibilities before he narrowed his focus on one crucial question.

"System, can I build within the Dark Dimension?"

[Affirmative. You may use EXP points to upgrade and create constructs imbued with Dark Dimension magic.]

Excitement bubbled within him. "How much can I build with 500 EXP?"

[Calculating…]

[Construct unlocked: Large Japanese-style castle.]

Before him, the very fabric of the Dark Dimension twisted, warping into something new. The ground rumbled as massive black stone foundations erupted from the abyss, forming a castle of formidable grandeur. Sloping roofs adorned with demonic gargoyles took shape, while glowing crimson lanterns flickered to life, casting eerie shadows. Dark banners, embroidered with eldritch sigils, draped from towering spires. The air thickened with an undeniable aura of dominion.

His castle. His domain.

Seeking Generals

Power was meaningless without subordinates. Magnus knew he needed warriors—creatures that embodied the Dark Dimension's strength.

He moved through the twisting lands, shadowy figures lurking just out of sight. Eventually, his path led him to a colossal den carved into a mountainside. The entrance was adorned with bones, remnants of past challengers. The place reeked of violence and dominance.

Inside, dozens of Oni—hulking demons with obsidian skin and crimson eyes—gathered around a fire pit. Their laughter was guttural, their movements predatory.

The moment he stepped inside, silence fell. One of the Oni, twice his height, snarled. "A human? In our domain? Leave before we break you."

Magnus only smirked. "I came to prove myself."

Laughter erupted. Another Oni sneered. "You? A mere boy? You'll die screaming!"

Magnus extended his arms. "Then fight me. All of you. If I fall, you can have my head. If I win, you kneel."

The challenge was met with uproarious amusement—until the first Oni lunged.

The Trial of Blood

The battle was a symphony of chaos. A hundred Oni charged, their weapons gleaming with dark magic. Magnus unleashed the power of the Dark Dimension, tendrils of abyssal energy wrapping around his limbs. He moved like a phantom, weaving between strikes, his Sorcerer's Hat glowing with boundless magic.

Fire exploded around him, but he absorbed it, twisting the flames into dark tendrils that lashed back at his enemies. Swords clashed against an invisible barrier as he manipulated shadows to form armor around him. A hundred foes, a hundred strikes—yet he stood.

The Oni fought with brutal efficiency, their raw strength overwhelming. But Magnus was faster, smarter, more ruthless. He crushed their leader into the dirt with a wave of eldritch force, leaving only one opponent standing—their king.

Byakuya Kira: The Shadow Samurai

From the darkness emerged a towering figure clad in samurai armor woven from living shadows. His mask, a demonic visage, concealed his expression, but his aura radiated absolute command.

"You have earned my attention," Byakuya Kira rumbled, his voice like a blade scraping against stone. "Now, prove you are worthy of my loyalty."

Their battle was unlike any before. Kira wielded shadow itself, striking from angles Magnus could barely perceive. Each slash of his oni-forged katana carved rifts in the air, threatening to consume reality itself.

But Magnus refused to fall. He matched darkness with darkness, his Sorcerer's Hat shifting into a crown of arcane fury. He summoned spectral tendrils, countering Kira's strikes with precision, his body moving like liquid shadow.

The fight spanned hours, both combatants battered, bloodied, yet unyielding. Finally, Magnus feigned weakness—baiting Kira into overextending—before delivering a decisive point-blank surge of abyssal magic to his chest.

Silence.

Then, Kira knelt.

"You are strong," the Oni King admitted. "Stronger than any who have come before. You have earned my sword."

Magnus extended his hand, the pact forged in blood and darkness.

"Then rise, Byakuya Kira. You are my first general. And together, we shall reshape the Dark Dimension."

As Magnus and his new champion returned to the castle, a chilling thought entered his mind. This is only the beginning. If he could command the Dark Dimension, what else could he claim? The system had revealed his lineage, his potential—and now, he had the means to carve his own legend.

And soon, the world would know his name.