Ethan slumped onto the plush leather couch in the New York Sanctum, his eyes glazed over as he flicked through the mental holographic display of the System Shop.
With 15,010 points burning a hole in his pocket, he was looking for a real edge—or at least some entertainment. His finger hovered over an item labeled [ Maria Hill's Private Collection - 500 Points ].
"Is this... what I think it is? System, are you really selling surveillance photos for five hundred points? That's a total scam. Unless it's high-res. Is it 4K?"
[ System Note: The Host's moral compass is spinning like a fan. Focus. ]
Before he could succumb to his baser instincts and click 'Buy,' a massive crimson window violently hijacked his field of vision, pulsing with a deep, orchestral hum that shook the very air in the room.
[ Multiversal Quest Triggered: The Phoenix's Final Song ]
World: Earth-HP-91 (The Wizarding World)
Timeline: The Second Wizarding War – The Astronomy Tower Incident.
Main Objective: Systematic eradication of the Dark Lord Voldemort and his Horcruxes.
Side Objectives:
Rewrite the Casualty List: Prevent the deaths of key figures (The Weasley Twins, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Sirius Black, etc.).
Master the Hallows: Collect the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak.
The Mirror Match: Prevent the death of Albus Dumbledore.
Rewards:
Base: Albus Dumbledore Template synchronization to 100%.
Variable: Final reward (Points, Items, or New Template) calculated based on Efficiency (time taken), Survival Rate (lives saved), and Influence (world changes).
[ System Note: You have enjoyed the benefits of the Dumbledore template for months. It is time to repay the debt. Save his world. ]
"Astronomy Tower," Ethan muttered, his jaw tightening as he stood up. "That's the night it all falls apart. Snape, the tower, the fall... if Dumbledore dies there, the world goes to hell for a year."
The weight of the mission was heavy. This wasn't a quick skirmish with a billionaire's uncle; this was a war against a man who had split his soul into pieces. He needed to settle things in 2008 New York before he vanished into another reality.
*****
Ethan opened a portal to the Himalayan peaks, finding the Ancient One in her usual spot overlooking the mist. He didn't offer a joke this time.
"Master, I need to request a leave of absence," Ethan said, standing beside her. "I've sensed a... resonance. A world in pain that shares the same frequency as my magic. I need to go."
The Ancient One didn't look surprised. She never did. She turned her gaze from the horizon to him, her eyes seemingly seeing through the layers of the multiverse. "How long?"
"I don't know. I am not sure," Ethan replied, offering a half-truth. "But I won't be back for a while. I need someone to watch the New York Sanctum."
"Wong has grown fond of the New York deli scene," she said with a faint smile. "He will have no complaints about taking over for a while. Go, Master Ethan. Find the answers you are seeking."
Wong was significantly less "zen" about it. When Ethan found him in the library and explained the "vacation" plan, the librarian's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas.
"You're leaving? To another world?" Wong asked, trying to maintain a stern face. "And the Sorcerer Supreme approved this? Fine. I suppose I can lower myself to watching your giant television and eating that... 'deep dish' pizza you're always ordering."
"Don't touch my secret snack stash in the pantry, Wong," Ethan warned. "I have wards on the Pringles."
"I am a Master of the Mystic Arts, Ethan. Your 'wards' are cute," Wong smirked.
*****
Back at the Sanctum, Ethan waited for Gwen to get home from her first day at Stark Industries. When she walked in, looking tired but accomplished in her new pencil skirt, she found Ethan and Wong standing in the foyer with a single packed bag.
"Who's the new guy?" Gwen asked, her hand instinctively drifting toward her hip where she usually kept her web-shooters.
"Gwen, this is Wong. He's a Librarian, a Master of Magic, and your temporary landlord," Ethan introduced. "I have to step away for a bit. A rescue mission... in another place."
Gwen's expression shifted from curious to genuinely worried. "Another place? Like... Earth-65? Or something worse?"
"For the bad guys? Definitely worse," Ethan said, trying to maintain his cocky front. "Look, if you ever need anything, ask Wong. He knows where the bodies are buried, and he's faster than a cab."
"How long?" she asked quietly, stepping closer.
"I can't say for sure. Between realities, a week here could be a month there. Or vice-versa," Ethan explained. He reached out, briefly squeezing her hand. "Try not to get fired before I get back."
"Try not to get killed," she countered, her blue eyes searching his.
Ethan turned away, closing his eyes and calling to the system. Let's go. Earth-HP-91.
[ Interdimensional Travel Commencing... ]
[ 500 System Points Deducted for Dimensional Tunneling ]
"Wait, what?!" Ethan hissed, his eyes snapping open. "Hey! You bastard scam system! I'm doing your mission and you're charging me for the gas? I want a refund!"
But the world was already dissolving into a blur of white light. The mahogany walls of the Sanctum vanished, replaced by the howling wind of a cold, dark night and the smell of ancient stone and salt air.
Ethan felt his feet hit solid ground. He looked up and saw the jagged, towering spires of a castle silhouetted against a stormy sky, illuminated by a green, skull-shaped mark hanging ominously in the clouds.
The Astronomy Tower. He was here. And below him, the sound of voices—one weak and trembling, the others cold and filled with hate—floated up through the darkness.
"Severus... please..."
Ethan stepped out of the shadows, his hand already gripping the invisible air as he manifested his power. "Sorry, fellas. This tower is closed for maintenance."
Author's Note:
Want to read advanced chapter subscribe to my patreon.
👉 patreon.com/evilUchiha