Because of Chu Yang, the two major factions of the Demon Slayer world fell into a strange balance for a short period of time. A large number of demons went completely silent, and the frequency of Demon Slayer Corps missions dropped sharply as well.
But this brief calm was nothing more than an illusion.Both sides could feel the pressure of an impending storm—like mountains of rain clouds gathering before the wind howled.
…
The Naruto World.
With Senju Tobirama mediating, Chu Yang and Uchiha Madara—who had disagreed over safety concerns—finally reached a consensus. The number of ANBU participating in the operation was reduced according to Madara's wishes, but with one prerequisite: it still had to be sufficient to ensure Chu Yang's safety.
In the end, it was decided that Uchiha Yoto would take the lead, accompanied by three ANBU members proficient in Earth Release, tasked specifically with protecting Chu Yang's personal safety.
The remaining ANBU would focus primarily on gathering intelligence.
Truthfully, for the entire Tailed Beast capture plan, the Hyuga clan would have been far more suitable for reconnaissance work than an ANBU unit packed with Uchiha.
However, out of a desire to maintain balance against the Uchiha clan, Senju Tobirama was unwilling to mobilize the Hyuga lightly. If too many casualties were suffered, the Hyuga would fall behind the Uchiha in their rivalry.
As things stood, using "legitimate" missions to gradually expend the Uchiha clan's active forces was the most appropriate approach.
Based on intelligence gathered over several days, Chu Yang quickly locked onto the location of the Nine-Tails. Coincidentally—or perhaps unfortunately—the Nine-Tails was currently wandering near the borders of the Land of Fire.
Senju Tobirama promptly issued the order to capture the Nine-Tails.
While en route, Chu Yang kept thinking about one question:Why was the Nine-Tails appearing at the border of the Land of Fire?
Up until now, every Tailed Beast had been moving away from the Land of Fire. Each of them possessed intelligence no less than that of humans—they could sense the reasons behind their companions' disappearances.
Logically speaking, the Nine-Tails should not have been anywhere near Konoha. Something must have forced it to come here.
Ninjas moved swiftly. Departing from Konoha, they reached the target area in just one day and one night.
From there, it was time to rely on Chu Yang's Observation Haki to conduct a carpet search and pinpoint the Nine-Tails' exact location.
Throughout the process, Uchiha Madara silently observed Chu Yang's actions. After half a day, he realized that Chu Yang had no interest in complex tracking techniques—he was simply relying on his innately powerful perception to search for the Nine-Tails.
Was that bad?
No.
It was excellent.
In Madara's view, technique could be honed with time and experience, but talent was something that could not be altered after birth. What you were born with was what you had for life.
Madara was a firm believer in talent theory. He had never believed that sheer effort alone could surpass a genius—only a harder-working genius could do that, especially in the ninja profession.
"What a pity this kid isn't an Uchiha. If he married into the clan, just how terrifying would the talent of his children be?"
That thought suddenly surfaced in Madara's mind—and once it did, it spiraled out of control.
"When Izuna gets back, I'll talk it over with him. See if we can rope that Senju Yang kid over. A marriage between the Uchiha and Senju clans would further stabilize harmony within the village."
Madara's lips curled upward slightly, his eyes gleaming. He thought it was a brilliant idea.
"Lord Madara, the Nine-Tails is ahead. Lord Yang says you can prepare to move."
Yoto appeared beside Madara and reminded him softly.
The tomoe in Madara's eyes slowly rotated.
His gaze passed over a mountain—and there it was, the Nine-Tails, sleeping soundly under the moonlight.
It was the dead of night. Silence reigned.
Aside from insects chirping and birds calling, even the slightest extra sound would be glaringly obvious.
The Nine-Tails was nothing like the previous Tailed Beasts. Even the Eight-Tails was significantly weaker by comparison. This time, Madara needed to be a bit more cautious.
A weak barrier would be nothing more than paper to the Nine-Tails—completely useless. There was no point in setting one up at all. It was better to let Madara act directly.
Chu Yang had learned his lesson this time. Before the fight even began, he withdrew from the battlefield, bringing along three human shields to block damage for him.
The battle between Uchiha Madara and the Nine-Tails was ferocious, far more violent than the previous fight with the Eight-Tails. One man and one beast clashed from the sky to the ground, far beyond anything that could be judged from a human perspective.
This was a realm that belonged to gods…
Yoto and the others stared blankly.
Chu Yang thought to himself that if the Senju clan hadn't had that monster Senju Hashirama, the entire clan combined probably wouldn't have been enough to fight Madara.
And the reverse was true as well.
Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama—these two were warriors who transcended generations.
As Chu Yang was lost in thought, he suddenly sensed a surge of malice.
"Alert!"
He shouted to warn his companions.
At the same time, he formed hand seals rapidly, erecting a defensive barrier in front of himself.
A rising wall of Wood Release shot up from the ground, perfectly blocking the incoming attack.
"Hmph!"
A humanoid mass of black matter appeared before Chu Yang, clearly furious that its attack had been stopped.
Seeing such a bizarre creature, Yoto and the three ANBU members looked shocked. Only Chu Yang felt surprised—and puzzled.
This black entity was the manifestation of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's will—Black Zetsu.
It was supposed to be lurking in the shadows, manipulating everything. Why would it suddenly appear and attack him?
"If it weren't for you, Uchiha Izuna would've died long ago! All the suffering Uchiha Madara was meant to endure was ruined by you! It's all your fault, you damned bastard!"
Black Zetsu ranted furiously, cursing Chu Yang nonstop, its hatred almost visible to the naked eye.
Chu Yang suddenly realized that his presence had severely disrupted Black Zetsu's plans.
Uchiha Madara had not walked the darkened path Zetsu had arranged. Instead, Konoha had become more united than ever.
With Uchiha Izuna serving as the head of ANBU and constantly staying by Senju Hashirama's side, Black Zetsu had no way to interfere.
Left with no other outlet, it poured all its rage onto Chu Yang, convinced that he was the root cause of everything going wrong.
After the initial shock, Yoto immediately led his team in a counterattack. No matter who the intruder was, anyone who attacked them was an enemy.
The three ANBU coordinated their Earth Release techniques to block Black Zetsu's escape routes. Yoto activated his Sharingan and rushed in, attempting to control the enemy with genjutsu.
The moment their eyes met, both of their bodies froze.
"Captain Yoto has restrained the enemy," one ANBU member sighed in relief.
Chu Yang frowned instead, feeling far from optimistic.
As the will of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, would Black Zetsu really be so easily trapped by genjutsu?
After dragging Black Zetsu into his illusion, Yoto tried to return his consciousness to reality—only to discover that he couldn't leave the genjutsu space at all.
Right in front of him, Black Zetsu—who should have been under control—suddenly moved, walking toward him step by step. With each step, ripples spread beneath its feet like waves on water.
Yoto panicked. This was the first time he had ever encountered something like this.
"I'm very familiar with the Sharingan," Black Zetsu sneered coldly. "Using genjutsu against me was not a wise choice."
"Besides, you only have a three-tomoe Sharingan. You haven't even reached the Mangekyō stage."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk…"
Those mocking words made Yoto's heart tremble violently.
The opponent was clearly extremely familiar with the Sharingan and even knew how to counter it.
After a brief lapse in concentration, Yōto suddenly felt something bind him. Looking down, he saw countless tree roots spreading upward from his legs.
The roots advanced at terrifying speed, reaching his waist in the blink of an eye. By the time he tried to break free, he found he could no longer exert any strength at all.
When Black Zetsu walked up to him, Yōto had already been swallowed by a massive tree, leaving only his shoulders and head exposed, completely immobilized.
Utter terror filled Yōto's eyes. As a genjutsu specialist, he knew exactly what awaited him next.
Black Zetsu placed one hand on the tree, its inhuman eyes fixing on Yōto as it smiled coldly.
"Don't rush it. You can be afraid later."
About ten seconds passed in the real world before Chu Yang sensed something was wrong. If Yōto had truly restrained Black Zetsu, there was no way nothing would have happened by now.
Chu Yang strode forward, formed the Release seal, and dispelled Yōto's genjutsu—only to find him pale as death, staring at Chu Yang in sheer horror.
"Hehehe… fast reactions. He was supposed to stay in my illusion space for an entire day," Black Zetsu laughed eerily, like an abyss gazing back at Chu Yang.
"Killing Uchiha Izuna isn't that important anymore. After observing for a while, I've realized that whether it's Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara, both value you greatly."
"So… as long as I kill you, Uchiha Madara—who brought you on this mission—will definitely develop a rift with the Senju brothers."
"When that happens, everything will return to its proper course."
Chu Yang looked at it indifferently."You're awfully confident. Talking about killing this one and that one—have you ever considered that the one who'll die might be you?"
As he spoke, the three ANBU silently moved in around Black Zetsu, forming hand seals at the same time. They intended to suppress it with a combined ninjutsu. After seeing Yōto's genjutsu shattered so completely, they dared not be careless.
"Earth Release: Heavenly Drop Lid!"
A black hole abruptly opened above Black Zetsu's head. A massive green lid engraved with strange creatures descended from the sky at lightning speed, sealing Black Zetsu inside.
"We got it!"
The three exchanged looks and shouted in delight.
Chu Yang shook his head. This technique could trap an ordinary jōnin, but it wouldn't hold Black Zetsu.
This thing possessed a special technique known as the Mayfly Technique, allowing it to merge with the earth and vegetation, moving at high speed through the underground network formed by plant roots and subterranean waterways, completely undetectable.
"No—don't let your guard down! The enemy isn't trapped by that technique. Stay sharp!"With no time to explain, Chu Yang could only shout to warn his teammates.
The shout made all three jolt.
Thankfully, his Observation Haki hadn't failed. Even through the ground, Chu Yang could clearly sense Black Zetsu's movement.
He tossed the mentally shattered Yōto toward the three ANBU, then quickly formed seals and activated Wood Release.
If Black Zetsu was moving underground, then the tangled roots beneath their feet were the perfect way to restrain it!
As Chu Yang unleashed Wood Release, the ground began to quake violently. Sections of earth bulged upward, as if a slumbering dragon were turning beneath the surface.
His Observation Haki detected Black Zetsu stopping, but Chu Yang couldn't be sure it was truly restrained, so he continued pouring power into the technique, forcing more roots to entangle it.
After catching Yōto, the three ANBU retreated to a safe distance. With Black Zetsu's position uncertain, they could do nothing to help.
Suddenly—
Chu Yang sensed movement again.
Black Zetsu hadn't been restrained at all. Instead, it was racing straight toward him along the tree roots.
Chu Yang was about to sever the Wood Release connection when Black Zetsu burst out along the roots right in front of him. Face to face, Black Zetsu laughed wildly.
"Now you can experience that kid's pain for yourself!"
The moment the words fell, Chu Yang's consciousness plunged into chaos.
When he regained awareness again…
He was standing inside the Soul Palace.
Black Zetsu stood directly opposite him.
"So this is the reflection of your consciousness? Not bad. Hiding such a magnificent palace in your mind—are you trying to become a king?"
"Hahahahaha!"
Black Zetsu threw its head back in laughter, mockery thick in its voice.
"You're so young, yet your ambitions are enormous. You don't just want to be the leader of Konoha—you want to be the king of this world?"
Chu Yang ignored it, turned around, walked toward his throne, and slowly sat down.
The instant Chu Yang seated himself upon the throne, Black Zetsu's heart lurched violently. This overwhelming sense of danger was something it had never experienced before.
Chu Yang curled his lips slightly and said lightly,"You're the consciousness product of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya—a special existence between life and death. You've never feared entering others' mental spaces, because you yourself are consciousness."
"I'm guessing that once you die inside a consciousness space… that's true death. Am I right?"
An oppressive weight pressed down on Black Zetsu, like a massive stone lodged in its chest, growing heavier and heavier until it could barely breathe.
It tried to change the scene—but the towering palace remained before it, like a mountain linking heaven and earth.
It had clearly initiated the genjutsu, yet Chu Yang had become the master instead.
The situation was identical to before—only the roles had reversed.
Black Zetsu scanned its surroundings. The palace felt profoundly strange, carrying an indescribable, overwhelming power.
It couldn't help but ask,"What exactly is this place? Who are you? How do you know about Mother?"
Seated upon the throne, Chu Yang looked like a god or demon gazing down upon all living beings.
He smiled faintly."What's the point of answering? You're about to die anyway."
The sense of danger intensified. Black Zetsu's face darkened as it attempted to sink into the ground and escape the palace.
But its Mayfly Technique had failed.
It stood frozen in place, unable to move, its face turning deathly pale as cold sweat poured down.
"Haha…"
Chu Yang's laughter echoed through the empty palace.
Black Zetsu suddenly looked up.
Around Chu Yang's throne, countless silhouettes appeared, all gazing down at it.
In Black Zetsu's eyes, those figures merged into a vast, sky-covering curtain of darkness that came crashing down upon it.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"
Something within that black curtain writhed and chewed relentlessly.
Black Zetsu's screams gradually faded away.
At the same time, a shattered throne behind Chu Yang began restoring itself at a speed visible to the naked eye.
At the moment of Black Zetsu's death, Chu Yangs from different worlds responded to the call and appeared within the Soul Palace.
"Oh? A newcomer again?" Demon Slayer Chu Yang strode over casually, scanning the area—only to find no sign of a new arrival.
"No newcomer? Then what's wrong with this palace, dragging us all in here?" he frowned.
"Something special must have happened," Wizard Chu Yang suggested. "Let's share our recent memories first."
The four gathered together. After finishing the memory sharing, they finally understood what had just occurred.
"These damaged thrones… they can actually be repaired," Wizard Chu Yang murmured, gently touching the newly restored throne.
Pirate Chu Yang asked curiously,"What's so special about Black Zetsu that the Soul Palace could absorb it?"
Naruto-world Chu Yang pondered for a moment before replying,"Could it be related to the fact that it's an awareness construct of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya?"
"A palace of consciousness… absorbing a consciousness… construct?"
The four muttered in unison, realizing the idea actually made sense.
Wizard Chu Yang said,"Whether it's true or not, we'll only know once the same situation happens again."
With that discussion concluded, they began summarizing their recent gains.
Demon Slayer Chu Yang had gained the most. He had refined Sun Breathing to its absolute peak, awakened the Mark and the Transparent World, and his physical abilities were breaking through their limits day by day.
Wizard Chu Yang was studying wandcraft and organizing many highly practical spells. Based on everyone's current states, he had even drawn up customized training plans for each of them.
A stable, reliable logistics and research specialist.
Pirate Chu Yang's martial arts and Haki had also improved tremendously. Under Shanks' guidance, he was beginning to touch the realm of Conqueror's Haki.
After leaving the Soul Palace this time, it wouldn't be long before he awakened it.
Compared to the others' tangible progress, Naruto-world Chu Yang felt almost routine—training Wood Release every day, researching ninjutsu, handling education matters, day after day, living the life of a civil servant.
Aside from Wood Release cultivation, he didn't need to invest much energy into ninjutsu research. Wizard Chu Yang handled the theoretical side, and he only needed to cross-verify results with Senju Tobirama.
After sharing abilities and talents, the four of them experienced another substantial boost in overall strength.
…
The Harry Potter World.
Chu Yang pushed open the door of the wand shop. Outside, the world was already blanketed in white.
Tiny snowflakes drifted through the air like willow catkins, settling onto the ground and becoming part of the snow-covered world.
"Haha, Mr. Chu Yang, Merry Christmas!"
"Good morning, Mr. Ollivander. Merry Christmas!"
Ollivander held two cups of hot black tea, handing one to Chu Yang while lifting the other to his own lips. He took a gentle sip, gazing out at the snow-white scenery beyond the window, a look of lingering satisfaction on his face.
"Child, once Christmas is over, you'll be returning to Hogwarts. Have you thought about what you plan to do next?" Ollivander cradled the teacup, glancing back at Chu Yang. There was a light in his eyes, as if he had more to say.
Chu Yang thought he was reluctant to part with him and quickly replied, "I'll come visit you often, Mr. Ollivander. Apparition isn't difficult for me."
"Haha, of course I know it isn't difficult for you—because you're a genius," Ollivander said with a wink like a mischievous old boy. He then shook his head and laughed. "That's not what I wanted to say, Chu Yang."
"As far as wandmaking goes, there's nothing left for me to teach you. Your learning ability is simply too…" He trailed off and chuckled, praising Chu Yang having long since become a habit he could no longer break.
"In short, you've graduated. From today onward, you are a fully qualified wandmaker—perhaps… I should say a master."
"You can make wands for others in your own name. With your current skill, plenty of people will come seeking you out. Coupled with the abundant resources you possess, you won't need to worry about Galleons ever again."
Chu Yang fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Mr. Ollivander, are you trying to remind me that I don't actually need to return to Hogwarts?"
"What a clever child," Ollivander sighed. "With Dumbledore there, Hogwarts is hailed as the safest place in the world. But I trust you understand—Dumbledore isn't a god. There are things even he can't do."
"Hogwarts isn't safe anymore. In fact, the entire wizarding world has been shrouded in a shadow because of recent events. No one knows when the crisis will erupt."
Ollivander didn't say it outright, but Chu Yang knew he was referring to Voldemort.
Unable to sustain himself on unicorn blood, Voldemort must have resorted to other dark means to survive, which was why the wizarding world had become turbulent beneath the surface, everyone living in quiet fear.
Ollivander hoped Chu Yang would stay far away from these dangers. Even if it meant delaying—or abandoning—his studies, it didn't matter. With Chu Yang's talent, he could stand firm in the wizarding world without the title of a Hogwarts graduate.
"At Voldemort's current state, he should be close to making a move on Harry and the Philosopher's Stone."
From all the signs over the past month, Chu Yang felt it was highly likely Voldemort would act during this Christmas period. If they waited until after the holidays to return, this term would probably pass peacefully.
Chu Yang wasn't worried about Harry's safety. Between the blood protection charm and protagonist's luck, Voldemort had no chance before Harry turned eighteen.
But as the saying went—ideals were plump, reality was skinny. Just when you thought things would proceed step by step, fate would be waiting around the corner to smack you on the back of the head.
That night, joyous songs rang throughout Diagon Alley, yet the door of the wand shop was suddenly pounded loudly.
"Hey! Hey! It's a holiday—we're not open! I don't care where you're from, but this is terribly rude!"
Ollivander grumbled as he walked into the main hall, intending to open the door and scold whoever was outside.
But the moment he opened it, he froze.
Standing there were three young wizards—one of whom he remembered all too well.
The famous "Harry Potter"!
Ollivander swallowed all the curses he had been about to unleash and immediately plastered on a delighted smile. "Oh! Mr. Potter, is that you? Are you here in Diagon Alley to celebrate Christmas with your friends?"
"Though I'm terribly sorry, this is a wand shop. We don't offer any additional services."
Hermione hurriedly said, "Mr. Ollivander, we're here to look for Chu Yang. Is he with you?"
Ollivander blinked. "And who told you that?"
Ron shrugged. "Hagrid…"
Harry and Hermione both jabbed Ron in the waist at the same time, signaling him to shut up.
Chu Yang's whereabouts during the holidays were a secret—only Dumbledore and Hagrid knew.
The trio had learned of it by chance from Hagrid. Chu Yang's sudden leave had worried them all along, so they decided to take advantage of the Christmas break to come see him.
Under normal circumstances, Chu Yang would have been delighted by their visit…
But coming at this particular moment was seriously troublesome.
Seeing the trio lined up neatly in front of him, Chu Yang honestly couldn't bring himself to feel happy.
Ollivander ushered Chu Yang out of the wand shop, cheerfully telling him to go celebrate the holiday with his friends, completely missing the helpless smile on Chu Yang's face.
The trio left their luggage at the Leaky Cauldron and excitedly roamed Diagon Alley. Christmas goods filled the streets, dazzling them at every turn.
"Ron, aren't you going home for Christmas?"
"I want to, but my parents went to Romania to visit my brother Charlie. He's studying dragons there."
"Oh, that sounds wonderful. I hope they have a perfect Christmas."
"Thanks, Chu Yang."
"What about you, Hermione? You should be going home to celebrate with your parents, right?"
"I was going to, but I changed my mind at the last minute. We've spent every Christmas together since I was little—this year I wanted something different."
Chu Yang took a deep breath, forced a smile, then turned to look at Harry. Harry scratched his head and grinned at him, going "Heh heh heh."
Chu Yang silently turned away. If he kept looking, he felt like he'd have a heart attack.
The trio ran wild all the way, stopping to try anything that looked fun, buying anything that looked tasty. Harry paid in Galleons without hesitation, drawing envious looks from some passing wizarding families.
"Tsk tsk, good thing this is Diagon Alley. If it were the next street over, these three would probably get robbed down to their underwear."
Chu Yang took the cotton candy Hermione handed him, eating as he complained. But soon, he sensed ill intent scanning them from within the crowd.
He didn't alert the others, quietly releasing his Observation Haki instead.
In the shadows around a street corner, the recently missing Defense Against the Dark Arts professor—Quirrell—was staring at Harry and the others with venomous hatred.
Through his Observation Haki, Chu Yang caught Quirrell whispering with Voldemort.
"It was your exposure that drew Dumbledore's attention. He moved the Philosopher's Stone out of the chamber—now we can't find it at all."
"Please calm yourself, my Lord. If not for encountering that strange man in the Forbidden Forest, I would have obtained the Stone for you."
"Enough! Shut up! I don't want to think about that again. Now there's only one thing I want you to do—capture Harry Potter and use him to exchange for the Stone with Dumbledore!"
"Rest assured, I will fulfill your will."
"Idiot!"
With Voldemort's furious curse, Quirrell awkwardly ended the exchange, and Chu Yang understood their objective.
The street grew more crowded. Quirrell gradually vanished from the corner, and moments later, his figure appeared in Knockturn Alley.
The trio soon seemed tired. Chu Yang led them to a restaurant they often frequented. Once they were seated, he made an excuse and slipped away alone.
After some thought, Chu Yang decided to deal with Quirrell and Voldemort while they were still weak. Otherwise, Hermione, Ron—even Mr. Ollivander—might get caught in the crossfire.
Cloaking himself in a black robe, Chu Yang followed a hidden path into Knockturn Alley.
Already dark by nature, Knockturn Alley felt even more sinister and grotesque under the festive contrast.
All kinds of strange figures lurked in the narrow alleyways, letting out malicious chuckles at the newly arrived Quirrell.
They clearly didn't realize that Quirrell's meekness existed only before Voldemort.
No one noticed Quirrell's lips moving faintly.
A flash of magic burst from the wide sleeve of his robe, striking the taunting dark wizards at lightning speed.
The spell hit one unlucky soul, then expanded into a bizarre halo that blasted the rest away. Only then did some bystanders notice the wand hidden beneath Quirrell's robes.
Panic spread instantly, and they scattered to the edges of the alley.
In a single exchange, Quirrell had shown these ill-intentioned figures his power.
The now-empty alley fell into an eerie silence.
Quirrell put away his wand and continued forward with his head lowered.
After only a few steps, he suddenly saw someone standing at the far end of the alley. That figure was completely cloaked in black robes. Quirrell couldn't see their face. The figure was slightly shorter, yet strangely familiar.
"Who are you?"
Quirrell frowned, questioning the other party in a near-scolding tone as his hand once again reached for the wand hidden inside his robes.
However, the person opposite him was far quicker. The instant Quirrell reacted, a flash of magical light flared in the darkness.
The spell crossed the narrow alley in a straight line, striking the wand hidden beneath Quirrell's robes with uncanny precision and blasting it out of his grasp.
"Expelli—" Quirrell's expression turned ugly. He had never seen such swift and accurate spellcasting—hitting a wand concealed inside a sleeve from that distance.
Damn it. Do you cast spells with a built-in telescope or something?!
"Run!" Voldemort, lodged inside Quirrell's body, suddenly shouted. "It's him—the one from the Forbidden Forest!"
Quirrell's face changed instantly. At last, he understood where that familiar feeling had come from.
"Pretty quick reaction," Chu Yang sneered.
Then he flicked his wand and cast a Petrification Charm just as Quirrell turned to flee.
The magic streaked through the air like a shooting star, slamming squarely into Quirrell's back.
Quirrell froze in place.
Chu Yang slowly walked over from the other end of the alley.
Just as he was about to reach Quirrell, a large mass of gray, mist-like substance suddenly burst from the top of Quirrell's head.
It was Voldemort's soul form!
Sensing danger, Voldemort instinctively lunged at Chu Yang, attempting to frighten him off. But before he could get close, a crimson glow erupted from Chu Yang's body. A flame-like aura poured from his mouth and nose, coiling around him.
It was as if a sun had risen in the pitch-black alley!
Voldemort's incomplete soul was violently scorched by that sunlike aura, and he let out a piercing scream.
Even Chu Yang hadn't expected the Sun Breathing to deal such devastating damage to a soul.
If this continued, Voldemort's remnant soul might be burned to nothing.
Yet Voldemort's will was exceptionally tenacious. Gritting through the agony, he forced his way out of the flames' range and fled into the depths of the darkness.
Left behind was the petrified Quirrell, frozen in terror. If Chu Yang simply ignored him, Quirrell would likely freeze to death in Knockturn Alley that very night.
The commotion sent most of the nearby wandering dark wizards fleeing in haste. At the very least, none of them would dare approach this place tonight.
"I regret encountering you here, Professor Quirrell," Chu Yang said politely as he approached, removing his hood and smiling courteously.
Quirrell's eyes widened in disbelief, though he couldn't utter a single word.
"I actually quite enjoyed your Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons," Chu Yang added with a smile. Then he pointed his wand at the ground by Quirrell's feet. "Deprimo."
The Blasting Curse blew a deep pit into the ground, frightening Quirrell so badly that muffled sounds escaped his throat.
Chu Yang showed no hint of mercy.
He calmly kicked Quirrell into the pit, then swiftly sealed the opening.
With that done, Chu Yang melted back into the darkness and left Knockturn Alley.
...
"Chu Yang, what took you so long? Ron and the others are about to finish all the food!" Hermione complained angrily at Chu Yang when he returned after being gone for quite a while. It was clear his silent disappearance had made her worried.
"Sorry, Hermione. I wasn't feeling well earlier. Since you were about to eat, I didn't want to say anything," Chu Yang explained apologetically.
"Oh, I see. Are you feeling better now? Roast chicken might not agree with you—should we order something lighter?" Hermione asked with immediate concern.
Her temper vanished as quickly as it had flared. Hearing that Chu Yang hadn't felt well, she was instantly worried.
Ron and Harry, who had been eating enthusiastically, also put down their food and looked at Chu Yang with concern.
"I'm much better now. Don't worry about me," Chu Yang said with a smile.
He picked up some food with his fork and ate with an expression of enjoyment.
Only then did the three relax and resume fighting over the food. Hermione, in particular, abandoned all pretense of ladylike behavior—she hadn't eaten much while Chu Yang was gone and was starving.
While Chu Yang and the others happily celebrated Christmas, Voldemort—having lost his temporary host—wandered alone through the wind and snow, like a flickering flame on the verge of being extinguished.
The Christmas holiday soon passed, and Chu Yang returned to Hogwarts together with Hermione and the others. Before leaving, Ollivander once again tried to persuade Chu Yang to temporarily leave the wizarding world and lie low.
He had no idea that the true instigator of the turmoil—Voldemort—would be unable to cause trouble for quite some time.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore noticed that both Voldemort and Quirrell had vanished from Hogwarts, easing the school's tense atmosphere considerably.
Chu Yang no longer needed to extend his holiday.
Everything returned to normal.
But for one particular person, life fell from heaven straight back into hell.
"I really like the bed by the window, Mr. Malfoy. Would you mind moving your luggage a bit?" Chu Yang asked calmly, smiling at Draco. "Also, don't you think two people sharing one room is a bit cramped?"
Draco nodded furiously, agreeing wholeheartedly, then immediately began packing his things without another word.
Moments later, he was back in the familiar large dormitory, sandwiched blissfully between Goyle and Crabbe.
Compared to Draco's constant anxiety and walking-on-eggshells existence, Chu Yang's return delighted the rest of the students. The first-year circles grew lively once more.
After all, who wouldn't like a classmate who helped with revision and lent out homework to copy?
The professors were pleased as well—even Snape, usually sharp-tongued and cold, refrained from making any sarcastic remarks about Chu Yang.
On the second day after Chu Yang's return, Dumbledore summoned him to the headmaster's office for a long, intimate talk. For most of it, Dumbledore simply asked about Chu Yang's progress during his time away.
Chu Yang then used the tools Ollivander had gifted him to craft an exquisite wand on the spot, leaving Dumbledore clicking his tongue in amazement.
Near the end of their conversation, Dumbledore suddenly asked a question that caught Chu Yang off guard.
"Did you happen to see Professor Quirrell in Diagon Alley?"
Dumbledore instinctively tried to probe Chu Yang's memories, then abruptly recalled the palace deep within Chu Yang's mind and immediately abandoned the attempt.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, I haven't seen Professor Quirrell since after Halloween," Chu Yang replied politely, smiling with apparent sincerity.
Dumbledore chuckled awkwardly. "Perhaps I've been too sensitive lately. You couldn't possibly have run into Quirrell. My apologies, Chu Yang—old age and lack of sleep do that to a man. Don't mind me."
"Of course not, Headmaster. I know you're just concerned about me," Chu Yang said solemnly.
"Mmm…" Dumbledore nodded, chatted with Chu Yang a bit longer, then sent him back to his dormitory.
Even as Chu Yang closed the door to the headmaster's office, he could feel Dumbledore's gaze lingering on him. Even without Observation Haki, the sensation was unmistakable.
The wise old man seemed to be suspecting something…
But Chu Yang wasn't worried that Dumbledore's attitude would change even if he pieced together the truth. He had already proven that he would never become a second Voldemort.
After that, Chu Yang received special approval from Dumbledore.
As a first-year student, he was permitted to take the O.W.L. examinations.
These exams were originally reserved for fifth-year students.
And if all went smoothly, Chu Yang would even be allowed to sit for the N.E.W.T. exams afterward.
Back to normal campus life, Chu Yang once again immersed himself in the library.
Spring passed into autumn, warmth turned to cold.
...
Demon Slayer World
Since both the Demon Slayer Corps and Kibutsuji Muzan's faction had fallen into silence, this world entered a brief period of peace.
But both sides knew this balance would eventually be broken.
And the day it shattered would mark the complete annihilation of one side.
Large numbers of swordsmen gathered at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters for intensive training. Ubuyashiki Kagaya hoped as many of them as possible would survive the coming final battle.
All the Hashira had mastered the power of the Demon Slayer Mark.
With Chu Yang replenishing their life force, the aftereffects of the Mark were almost negligible.
As for the Transparent World beyond the Mark, it required perfecting their breathing techniques to the extreme and resisting the immense pain that came with it through sheer will.
That was no longer something Chu Yang could intervene in.
Among all the swordsmen, only Gyomei Himejima had mastered both the Mark and the Transparent World.
Next closest was Kyojuro Rengoku, who was on the brink but still short by a step.
At present, only he showed signs of reaching the Transparent World. The others lagged far behind, likely never to achieve it in their lifetimes.
After long discussions, Chu Yang and Ubuyashiki Kagaya decided to halt training in a few days.
But before the order could be issued—
Kibutsuji Muzan arrived with his demon army.
During this time, Muzan had been frantically creating subordinates while having Nakime locate the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
He paid no attention to Ubuyashiki Kagaya or the Hashira.
His one and only target was—
Chu Yang!
Countless demons launched a midnight assault on the headquarters. Just as Chu Yang was about to draw his blade and join the others in slaying demons, he found himself alone in a strange city.
Time and space there seemed utterly distorted.
Clap, clap, clap—
Applause echoed from the depths of the city. Kibutsuji Muzan, dressed in a fine suit, walked forward slowly.
"Welcome to the Infinity Castle."
Several unfamiliar figures stood beside Muzan—neither Upper Rank One Kokushibo nor any of the other Upper Moons.
"This is a gift I've prepared especially for you."
Muzan smiled and snapped his fingers. The shadows immediately surrounded Chu Yang.
Chu Yang's lips curled upward.
Killing intent surged.
(End of Chapter)