After Snape left, Dumbledore let out a long breath and complained, "If I remember correctly, you promised me just last night that you'd try to keep things quiet."
Chu Yang thought hard but couldn't recall ever making such a promise. Still, seeing the old man's displeased expression, he immediately nodded and offered a sincere apology.
Dumbledore's frown eased a little. He asked slowly, "First-years haven't even had Charms class yet. Where did you learn those spells? To defeat upper-year students like that… it truly exceeded my expectations."
Among the students Chu Yang had beaten, Marcus and Harper were both fifth-years.
And among the rest, there were even seventh-year students about to graduate.
After learning of Chu Yang's performance, even someone as seasoned as Dumbledore couldn't help showing a look of surprise.
Back in his first year, Tom Riddle—who later became Voldemort—had never been quite this outrageous.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, I spent all the living allowance the school provided on books," Chu Yang said with a shy smile. "My trunk is filled with spellbooks covering all seven school years."
"Seven years' worth of books?" Dumbledore found it hard to believe, yet also felt a wave of emotion. "While I admire your eagerness to learn, I must remind you that Hogwarts textbooks aren't fixed. They largely depend on the individual professors."
"The books you bought may only count as extracurricular reading."
Chu Yang fell silent for a moment, then replied calmly, "That's fine. Reading more books is never a bad thing."
Dumbledore nodded approvingly. "Well said. A wizard's true strength comes from knowledge—magic power comes second. Many adult wizards never figure that out."
Afterward, Dumbledore asked Chu Yang to demonstrate the spells he had already mastered. Aside from a few spells that weren't appropriate to show, Chu Yang went through most of the spells recorded in Basic Spells, casting them one by one.
Along with his surprise, Dumbledore's expression gradually grew more serious. A brilliant student could delight a teacher—but also make them worry about the path that student might take.
Dumbledore reminded him, "You've already felt the power of spells and understand the profundity of magic. That means you must be even more cautious in how you use it. Remember—use it correctly."
Chu Yang nodded. Dumbledore might as well have been telling him not to become the next Dark Lord.
"All right. You may go now," Dumbledore said, waving his hand. "Don't forget to go to the Great Hall for lunch."
The heavy wooden door creaked unpleasantly as Chu Yang stepped out of the Headmaster's office. His vision suddenly blurred, and the familiar sensation told him that the Soul Palace was calling him.
In the blink of an eye, the mist guided Chu Yang into the Soul Palace. He quickly saw the two "selves" he hadn't seen in a while, standing beside the throne.
And beside them—
There was a new "him."
The four naturally gathered together. As they touched, memories and power from this period began to synchronize.
After sharing memories, Chu Yang looked at the newcomer in surprise.
This latest addition came from the world of Demon Slayer.
The Demon Slayer Chu Yang said with lingering fear, "You have no idea how terrifying it is there. Living alone in the mountains, I didn't dare go out after dark at all."
"The day before I entered the palace, I ran into a demon. If the Demon Slayer Corps hadn't arrived in time, I'd already be dead."
Pirate Chu Yang asked curiously, "Where are you now?"
Demon Slayer Chu Yang thought for a moment. "Probably the Butterfly Mansion. I was injured and unconscious when the Corps brought me there. After waking up, I saw a lot of patients—and I even saw Shinobu Kocho."
Ninja Chu Yang reminded him, "Then you should seize the chance to join the Demon Slayer Corps. Breathing techniques are great stuff—they can unlock the human body's potential."
"I didn't dare think that far before," Demon Slayer Chu Yang exhaled deeply. "I just wanted to lie low and survive until the plot ended. In a place like that, staying alive alone is already hard enough."
"But now, it shouldn't be a problem anymore."
Magic Chu Yang reassured him, "Don't feel pressured. Newcomers get a free ride their first time in here. We're all on the same side—cooperation and mutual benefit are the way forward."
Ninja Chu Yang chuckled. "Free ride or not, I'm used to it by now. But honestly, magic is pretty interesting. I almost want to put ninjutsu training aside for a while and focus on studying magic."
Magic Chu Yang immediately stopped that naive thought. "Every time we return to the Soul Palace, skill synchronization only reaches the highest level among us. Each of us must specialize in one power unique to our world. Spreading ourselves thin would be a huge loss."
Ninja Chu Yang froze, then suddenly understood. He had always thought the Soul Palace's skill sharing worked like stacking talents together.
Pirate Chu Yang nodded. "I realized that too after going back. That's why I haven't split my focus on chakra or Wood Release lately—I've been concentrating on refining Haki."
Magic Chu Yang said, "Haki is the strongest power in the pirate world. At high levels, it can even suppress and forcibly negate Devil Fruit abilities. 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 might not have it."
Magic Chu Yang countered, "For others, maybe. But for us, it's just a matter of numbers. Not having it now doesn't mean you never will. What you need to do is find experts who've mastered Conqueror's Haki and experience that power firsthand."
Pirate Chu Yang found the argument convincing and began thinking about which Conqueror's Haki users he might encounter soon.
Ninja Chu Yang joked, "See? A bookworm really does have everything planned out for us."
Although memories and abilities were shared, each Chu Yang's personality still differed due to their environments and growth.
Under Magic Chu Yang's guidance, each version chose to specialize in the unique power of their own world.
After mutual sharing, every Chu Yang experienced a qualitative leap in strength.
Right on time, the mist appeared again, returning them to their respective worlds.
The Pirate World
After spending several months with the Sun Pirates, Chu Yang had gradually adapted to life as a pirate. He had learned many helmsman skills from Jinbe and could occasionally fill in for him.
As the aftermath of the Holy Land arson grew more severe, the Navy's pursuit of the Sun Pirates became increasingly aggressive.
During this period, Chu Yang helped the Sun Pirates repel several waves of naval encirclement.
To show his gratitude, Fisher Tiger invited Chu Yang to join the Sun Pirates more than once.
But Chu Yang continued to refuse.
Tiger had his own goals, and the Sun Pirates' course was determined by Tiger alone. Chu Yang also had his own path to walk.
That alone meant he could never truly belong here.
(End of Chapter)