Chapter 24: The Dark Wizard’s Day of Trial

It was not just a biological pleasure, but a spiritual one as well.

Especially since Chu Yang had been an ordinary person before discovering the Palace of Souls; the contrast made this indescribable euphoria all the more profound. It was like playing a video game: when you face a high-reward monster but your damage output is pitifully low, the moment you activate a cheat code and annihilate it with a single strike for 999 damage—that feeling is simply exhilarating.

Chu Yang was in that exact state now. Unwilling to interrupt his momentum, he pulled book after book from his bag, reading continuously until dinnertime. Only when his stomach growled loudly did he reluctantly set the texts aside. In this short span, he had already finished *A History of Magic*, *One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi*, and *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*.

Chu Yang stretched, a tingling sensation washing over his entire body. He murmured, "If I could have studied like this in my past life, I probably would have gotten into a world-class university in a year or two."

After rushing downstairs for a quick dinner, Chu Yang hurried back toward his room.

"Hey, slow down, slow down. You're a wizard-to-be, why the rush?" Old Tom called out, looking up from the counter at Chu Yang as he navigated the stairs.

"Sorry, Mr. Tom, I'm busy getting back to my reading!" Chu Yang replied, then lightened his step and hurried back to his room.

"He's certainly studious..." Tom mused, stunned. In his experience, young wizards visiting Diagon Alley for the first time were usually lost in the wonder of the magical world; rarely did any of them settle down to read in his inn.

Back in his room, Chu Yang let his owl out to feed before eagerly pulling out *Magical Theory*. Compared to the introductory books, *Magical Theory* had a much higher barrier to entry, requiring significantly more time for him to understand and memorize. By the time darkness fell, a mentally exhausted Chu Yang set the book aside and drifted into a deep sleep.

The next day, just as he had the day before, Chu Yang curled up in his room, reading *Magical Theory* and *A Guide to Defensive Magic*—commonly known as *Defense Against the Dark Arts*—going through both books over a dozen times. By evening, Chu Yang donned a hooded sweatshirt over his wizard robes and left the Leaky Cauldron.

Tonight, he was going to Knockturn Alley to hunt.

Knockturn Alley was connected to Diagon Alley via a hidden passage, though few traveled this way, as it was watched by too many ill-intentioned eyes. In wizarding families, parents often warned their children from a young age never to go to Knockturn Alley; it was the gathering place for Dark wizards. If they had urgent business, adult wizards usually traveled by Floo Powder, while those with greater power preferred Apparition. If Chu Yang were merely running an errand, he would have chosen Floo Powder too, but he was here to hunt. And the more greedy people who set their sights on him, the better.

*Defense Against the Dark Arts* had given Chu Yang a clear understanding of the incantations and "casting wind-ups"—the start-up motions—that Dark wizards used. His Observation Haki allowed him to predict his opponents' movements and evade them in advance. Given his current physical condition, even without using the Body Flicker Technique from the Naruto world, most Dark wizards found it nearly impossible to land a hit on him. This was the foundation of his confidence in hunting them.

An 11-year-old boy sauntering through the streets leading to Knockturn Alley inevitably drew attention. Chu Yang deliberately let his money pouch drop, and several gold Galleons clattered out. The eyes of a few gaunt, sallow-faced Dark wizards nearly popped out of their sockets. Chu Yang scrambled to pick up the coins, and faced with the greedy glares around him, he ducked into a side alley, acting "panicked."

Dark wizards immediately followed him into the pitch-black passage, sinister laughter echoing in their throats. Chu Yang let out a cry of alarm and ran faster.

"Little wizard, didn't your parents tell you which parts of Diagon Alley to avoid?" a bald wizard with sunken eyes and a fierce expression laughed as he chased after him.

At the entrance of the alley, a group of Dark wizards waited, grinning as they heard the bald man’s triumphant laughter. But before long, the alley suddenly grew quiet. A long time passed without a sound, as if no one had ever entered at all. Staring into the darkness, the Dark wizards exchanged uneasy glances. Logically, dealing with a child shouldn't take this long.

"Who’s going in to take a look?"
"York, why don't you go in? Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark?"
"Hahahaha!"

Amidst the mocking laughter of the group, York, who looked sickly, grew angry and ashamed. "Fine, I'll go! Everyone just shut up!" With that, he shakily braced himself against the wall and stepped inside. The laughter behind him stopped for a moment, then erupted even louder.

"Hahahaha, York, you walk like a woman!"

York cast a Lumos charm, dispelling the darkness, and strode forward, only to trip over something and stumble to the ground. The surface beneath him felt as soft as a mattress; he looked down and saw the bald wizard who had been chasing Chu Yang.

York’s pupils contracted violently! He looked around and saw a vast expanse of bodies lying on the ground. The Dark wizards were not dead, but they had been stripped of everything except their robes. York was so terrified that he sat frozen on the ground, letting out a shriek. The Dark wizards outside rushed into the dark, narrow passage, only to be equally shocked by the scene before them.

By then, Chu Yang had long since left Knockturn Alley and returned to the Leaky Cauldron. He emptied his haul onto the bed; the sound of the coins clinking together was like a magnificent orchestral performance. Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts—he had all three denominations. This single trip had netted him nearly a thousand gold Galleons.

"The life of a Dark wizard isn't easy either. Their most profitable days were probably during the height of Voldemort’s power, but alas, times have changed." Chu Yang felt a twinge of regret, though he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from curling upward. He hadn't used a single spell throughout the entire process, so he wouldn't draw any unwanted attention.

With a steady stream of income, Chu Yang no longer had to worry about money. He went to Flourish and Blotts to buy some advanced textbooks and retreated to his room to read. Over the next month, Chu Yang lived a very disciplined life: reading during the day, and transforming into different guises at night to go "work." He was like a Batman active in the dark of Knockturn Alley.

The carefree days slipped by in a flash. Soon, it was September 1st. Chu Yang packed his luggage, left the Leaky Cauldron, and headed to King's Cross Station. The area around Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was protected by a charm, much like the Leaky Cauldron, which made it imperceptible to Muggles and caused them to instinctively bypass it.