Chapter 50: Arrival of the Newcomer

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After Snape left, Dumbledore let out a long breath and complained, “I seem to recall that you only promised me last night that you would be a little quieter.”

Chu Yang thought for a long while, but could not remember when he had ever made such a promise. Seeing the old man’s displeased expression, however, he hurriedly nodded and offered his most sincere apology.

Dumbledore’s troubled expression eased considerably. He asked slowly, “First-years have not yet taken Charms, have they? Where did you learn those spells? To think you even defeated older students. That was beyond my expectations.”

Among the students who had lost to Chu Yang, Marcus and Harper were both fifth-years.

And among the others, the most senior had even been seventh-year graduates!

Even Dumbledore, who had weathered countless storms, could not help looking astonished when he learned of Chu Yang’s performance.

Even Tom Riddle—Voldemort himself—had not been nearly so outrageous during his first year.

“Headmaster Dumbledore, I spent all the money the school gave me for living expenses on books.” Chu Yang gave a shy smile. “My trunk is filled with spellbooks covering all seven years of study.”

“Books for seven years?” Dumbledore looked incredulous, then sighed with emotion. “Although I greatly admire your eagerness to learn, I must remind you that Hogwarts’ textbooks are not set in stone. Much depends on the teachers who instruct you.”

“The books you bought may amount to nothing more than supplementary reading.”

Chu Yang was silent for a moment before answering frankly, “That’s all right. There’s never any harm in reading more.”

Dumbledore nodded approvingly. “Well said. A wizard’s strength comes from knowledge; magical power is secondary. Many adult wizards never manage to understand that.”

Dumbledore then asked Chu Yang to demonstrate the spells he had already mastered. Apart from a few that were inconvenient to perform, Chu Yang proceeded to cast nearly every spell recorded in *Elementary Spells*.

Though delighted, Dumbledore’s expression gradually grew solemn. A gifted student could bring joy to a teacher, but also concern that the student might stray down the wrong path.

Dumbledore warned him, “You have already experienced the power of spells and grasped something of magic’s profound might. That means you must use it with even greater caution. Remember: use it properly.”

Chu Yang nodded. Dumbledore stopped just short of telling him not to become the next Dark Lord.

“Very well. You may go back now, but do not forget to have lunch in the Great Hall.” Dumbledore waved a hand, signaling that Chu Yang should leave.

The heavy wooden door gave a teeth-grating creak. The moment Chu Yang stepped out of the headmaster’s office, his vision suddenly blurred. The familiar sensation made him realize that the Palace of Souls was calling him.

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In the blink of an eye, the mist drew Chu Yang into the Palace of Souls. He quickly spotted the two “selves” he had not seen for some time standing beside the throne.

And beside them stood yet another new “self”!

The four of them naturally gathered together. After touching one another, they began sharing the memories and power they had accumulated during that time.

Once the memories had been shared, Chu Yang stared at the newest arrival in surprise.

The latest Chu Yang to join the Palace of Souls had come from the world of *Demon Slayer*.

Demon Slayer Chu Yang said with lingering fear, “You have no idea how terrifying that place is. I lived alone in the mountains, and once night fell, I didn’t dare go outside at all!”

“The day before I entered the palace, I happened to encounter a demon. If the Demon Slayer Corps hadn’t arrived in time, I would have been finished!”

Pirate Chu Yang asked curiously, “Where are you now?”

Demon Slayer Chu Yang thought for a moment before answering, “I think I’m at the Butterfly Mansion. The Demon Slayer Corps brought me here after I was injured and lost consciousness. When I woke up, I found quite a few patients here. I even saw Shinobu Kocho.”

“Then you must seize this opportunity to join the Demon Slayer Corps,” Naruto Chu Yang reminded him. “The Breathing Styles are excellent. They can help unlock the human body’s potential.”

“I didn’t dare think about that before. I only wanted to lie low and wait for the story to end. In that wretched place, simply staying alive was hard enough.” Demon Slayer Chu Yang let out a long breath. “But now, there shouldn’t be any problem.”

“Don’t feel burdened by it,” Magic Chu Yang consoled him. “Everyone gets a free ride the first time they come in. We’re all on the same side. Mutual cooperation and shared success are what matter most.”

Naruto Chu Yang said cheerfully, “A free ride is a free ride. I’m used to it by now. But speaking of which, magic is rather interesting. I’m almost tempted to put my ninja training aside for a while and devote myself to studying it.”

Magic Chu Yang immediately stopped this childish notion and explained, “Whenever we return to the Palace of Souls, our skills synchronize at the highest level among us. Each of us has to specialize in one ability. Splitting our focus would be a terrible waste!”

Naruto Chu Yang froze for a moment, then suddenly understood. He had always thought that the Palace of Souls combined everyone’s talents, much like a single innate gift.

Pirate Chu Yang nodded. “I only realized that after I returned as well. So during this period, I haven’t divided my attention between chakra and Wood Release. Instead, I’ve been constantly consolidating my Haki.”

“Haki is the most powerful force in the world of pirates,” Magic Chu Yang said. “At the highest levels, it can even suppress and forcibly break through the abilities of Devil Fruits. And you need to master Conqueror’s Haki as soon as possible.”

Pirate Chu Yang shook his head. “I know, but Conqueror’s Haki is innate. I may not possess it.”

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Magic Chu Yang retorted, “It may be innate for other people, but for us, it is merely a matter of numbers. Not being able to do it now does not mean you never will. What you need to do is seek out an expert in Conqueror’s Haki and experience its power for yourself.”

Pirate Chu Yang felt that Magic Chu Yang made a great deal of sense and began considering which masters of Conqueror’s Haki he might encounter in the near future.

Naruto Chu Yang teased him, “There’s certainly a difference when one has read a few books. You’ve arranged everything for us perfectly.”

Although their memories and innate abilities were shared,

each Chu Yang’s personality still differed because of the environments in which they had grown up.

At Magic Chu Yang’s suggestion, the Chu Yangs of each world chose to specialize in the unique power of their respective realms.

After sharing their strengths and benefiting one another, every Chu Yang experienced a qualitative increase in power.

The mist appeared precisely on schedule and carried them back to their respective worlds.

The World of Pirates.

After spending several months aboard the Sun Pirates’ ship, Chu Yang gradually adapted to life as a pirate. He had already learned quite a few helmsman’s techniques from Jinbe and could occasionally take over in his place.

As the consequences of the incident in which the Holy Land had been set ablaze grew increasingly severe, the Marines intensified their pursuit of the Sun Pirates.

During this period, Chu Yang helped the Sun Pirates repel several waves of Marine encirclements.

To express his gratitude, Fisher Tiger invited him to join the Sun Pirates several times.

But Chu Yang continued to refuse.

Tiger had his own goals, and the Sun Pirates’ course was determined by him. Chu Yang, meanwhile, had a path of his own to follow. That made it inevitable that he could never truly become part of this crew.

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