How could anyone other than him possibly activate the chakra elevator?
He had poured his heart and soul into designing such a complex entry method, skulking underground like an elderly Madara Uchiha playing mole, all to keep his hideout secret. How could someone else have found their way here?
It was undeniable—the intruder was definitely here for him.
Whether they came with good intentions or ill, that remained unclear.
Kyle swiftly formed a dozen hand seals, channeling his chakra to ensure he could unleash a ninjutsu instantly if needed. With his left hand maintaining a single seal, his right reached under the table, pulling out a handgun and aiming it at the door.
Who said a ninja couldn't use modern weapons?
Times had changed, old man!
The iron door of the hideout creaked open, revealing two silhouettes at the entrance.
A single bullet struck the ground near their feet.
"State your purpose!" Kyle aimed the gun at the heads of the two intruders, his voice ringing out.
Albus Dumbledore gazed at Kyle's strikingly familiar heterochromatic eyes, his own eyes glistening faintly with moisture.
But when his gaze met Kyle's wary, guarded expression, Dumbledore's face grew complex, words catching in his throat.
A child living alone for five years must have endured great hardship.
Yet, as Dumbledore took in the decor of the living room behind Kyle, his guilt eased slightly. It seemed Kyle's living conditions weren't too bad.
Dumbledore spoke gently, doing his best to convey goodwill. "Child, there's no need to fear. We mean you no harm."
Kyle eyed the peculiar old man with half-moon glasses and the other figure behind him, who kept his face turned aside. He lowered the gun slightly. "You're not here to arrest me?"
"No, child, we're here to take you with us." Dumbledore took a tentative step forward, but Kyle immediately stepped back half a pace, alert.
Was that half-step retreat for real?
Such a small movement, yet it stung so much…
Until he understood the situation, Kyle wasn't about to let anyone get close.
What if this frail-looking old man was secretly a taijutsu master capable of opening all Eight Gates?
Besides, anyone who could enter his hideout using his method was no ordinary person.
"Take me?" Kyle asked, puzzled.
Dumbledore nodded. "Child, you're a wizard."
Wizard…
What? A wizard!?
Kyle froze, his confusion deepening.
He was a ninja!
Since when did he have anything to do with being a wizard? The two didn't even belong to the same world!
This old man must be trying to scam him with a flimsy excuse.
Wait a second…
White-bearded old man!?
Wizard!?
It's you! Gandalf the Sword-Saint!
Kyle scrutinized the old man. He wasn't holding a staff in one hand and a sword in the other, though.
Uncertain, Kyle asked, "What's your name?"
"I'm Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Britain."
Dumbledore gestured to the man beside him, who still avoided showing his face. "This is Newt Scamander, a renowned magizoologist in the wizarding world."
Dumbledore…
The room fell silent.
Kyle: (a certain plant!)
Wasn't this a character from the movie Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone he'd watched in his previous life?
When he'd crossed over, the remastered version of Philosopher's Stone had just been released. While surfing the web, he'd seen Potter fans buzzing with excitement everywhere, so out of boredom, he'd downloaded and watched it.
He'd forgotten most of the plot, but the names Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, and the villain Lord Voldemort stuck with him.
As for Newt Scamander…
Who was that? Never heard of him.
But since this man could name Albus Dumbledore, he probably wasn't lying.
It was 1991. Kyle didn't know exactly when the first Harry Potter book was published, but it definitely wasn't out yet.
Unless J.K. Rowling herself showed up, no one else in this world could know the name Dumbledore.
Slightly lowering his guard, Kyle tossed the gun aside but kept his chakra primed, ready to unleash a ninjutsu at a moment's notice.
Then, politely, he invited the two into the living room to sit.
Though surprised by Kyle's shift in demeanor, Dumbledore didn't dwell on it. He spoke slowly, "You must know you possess abilities beyond those of ordinary people. Hogwarts is a school dedicated to teaching young witches and wizards like you, who have magical talent."
Hold on, here's the problem.
Why would a British wizarding school come to recruit someone in America?
This was New York, for crying out loud!
Didn't America have its own wizarding schools?
Surely there wasn't just one wizarding school in Britain for the whole world, right?
Other countries must have their own.
By that logic, if any school were to recruit him, it should be Konoha's Ninja Academy from Japan, shouldn't it?
And another thing—Kyle had always assumed the energy flowing through his body was chakra. Was he wrong about that?
But if so, why could he perform the Naruto ninjutsu from his memories by forming hand seals?
His head swimming with questions, Kyle pushed aside his doubts about chakra versus magic for now. "Why is Hogwarts in Britain recruiting me? Doesn't America have its own wizarding school?"
Newt ignored his question, pulling an antique pocket watch from his coat and glancing at it.
The hour hand pointed to three in the morning.
"I think you'd better leave now. The Aurors from the American Ministry of Magic will be here soon," Newt said.
"Now? Wait, what about my stuff? And what are Aurors? I'm not going anywhere until you explain," Kyle said, his guard back up.
Seeing Kyle's wariness, Dumbledore sighed helplessly and began to explain. "Aurors, in your Muggle terms, are like police. Oh, and Muggle refers to people who can't use magic."
"The American Ministry of Magic wants to apprehend you," Dumbledore added, keeping it brief.
He then drew his wand and tapped the teapot on the table. "Portus."
The teapot trembled, emitting a strange blue glow before settling back into its blackened state.
"Why are Aurors after me? I'm a law-abiding citizen!" Kyle exclaimed, taken aback.
Dumbledore gave a wry smile, glancing at the open safe nearby. "Law-abiding citizen? Where did all that money come from?"
"Tch, tch, tch… Who left all this money in my safe? That's just asking for trouble…" Kyle stammered.
Dumbledore cut off his poor performance. "They want you because of your father."
"No more delays, or the Aurors will arrive. Place your hand on the teapot. We're using a Portkey to travel to Britain, and I'll explain more there."
"Safe travels, then," Newt said, waving from where he stood, clearly not intending to join them at Hogwarts.
"Until we meet again, Newt," Dumbledore replied. The next moment, he activated the Portkey.
Kyle felt as if a hook had latched behind his navel, yanking him forward with irresistible force. His feet left the ground, and he was hurtling through the air like a gust of wind, his vision a blur.
Thankfully, the disorienting sensation passed quickly.
The moment his feet touched the ground, the blurry scene before him snapped into focus—a majestic castle.
The Portkey's momentum nearly sent him sprawling face-first into the dirt.
Fortunately, five years of taijutsu training made him agile. With a quick roll, he sprang to his feet and began taking in his surroundings.
Towering mountains encircled the massive castle, beside which lay a vast lake, its surface shimmering under the morning sun. Occasionally, a giant tentacle-like shadow broke the water's surface.
"Is this where I'll be studying?" Kyle marveled.
Dumbledore nodded with a warm smile. "Welcome to Hogwarts."