Huang Rong at Full Combat Power

The Soul-Soul Fruit’s ability was utterly unexpected; even Chu Yang had failed to react in time.

The upstream waterfall lifted the Queen Mama Chanter to the top of the falls, sweeping up even Tiger and the other fish-men hiding beneath the sea.

The pirate ship was battered by the seawater, rocking violently from side to side, while the fish-men on deck were thrown into disarray.

"What was that just now?"

Tiger stared at Charlotte Linlin aboard the Queen Mama Chanter in shock. Devil Fruit Users could not control anything related to the sea.

Why could this woman control a waterfall?

"Big brother, it looks like our operation has failed. Should we retreat first?"

Arlong stood beside Tiger and asked, "The enemy clearly has the numbers advantage. We should wait for the Revolutionary Army’s reinforcements before fighting."

Tiger turned and glared at Arlong. "You want to let these people enter the island? Idiot! What about the civilians on the island?!"

Arlong said indifferently, "They’re just humans. There’s no need to risk our brothers’ lives for them."

"Shut up! I don’t want to hear that again. Betraying allies isn’t my style."

Tiger shoved Arlong aside and immediately ordered the crew to prepare for battle.

The Big Mom Pirates’ remaining ships were still being continuously carried upward by the waterfall, while the Queen Mama Chanter began drawing closer to Tiger’s group.

Chu Yang slowly descended from the sky and blocked the Queen Mama Chanter’s path.

"Who’s that guy?"

Everyone aboard was baffled.

The moment Perospero saw Chu Yang, he suddenly found him somewhat familiar.

Their intelligence network was the best in the business, far stronger than Doflamingo’s, the emperor of the underground Black Market. If Perospero found someone familiar, it meant that person had done something extraordinary.

With that thought, Perospero walked behind Charlotte Linlin and whispered a few words.

Charlotte Linlin gave a slight nod, her gaze settling on Chu Yang. "Brat, were you and your companions behind what happened in Wano Country?"

Chu Yang ignored her and instead stared at the pirate ships still being carried up by the waterfall.

"Interesting. Since you won’t answer, I’ll take that as an admission." Charlotte Linlin stood atop a thundercloud and swung Napoleon. "I hate it when people stand in my way!"

The instant she finished speaking, Zeus, the thundercloud linked to "Mama" in heart and mind, immediately charged at Chu Yang at full speed.

"Rather than destroy them ship by ship, I might as well clear them all out at once. It’ll save a lot of trouble."

The last pirate ship of the Big Mom Pirates was finally carried up. Chu Yang smiled and raised both hands, and his pupils changed.

Bloody tomoe slowly rotated within his pure white eyes.

"What a strange brat!"

Charlotte Linlin’s heart suddenly pounded as though something terrible was about to happen. Instinctively, she sped up, trying to stop Chu Yang.

The next moment, Chu Yang softly uttered two words.

"Shinra Tensei!"

A destructive repulsive force erupted from Chu Yang and swept outward in every direction. The calm sea surface seemed to have been struck by a massive meteorite, abruptly sinking inward.

An invisible force pushed the waves together layer upon layer, eventually forming a towering tsunami that crashed toward the Queen Mama Chanter.

"Hey, hey! You’ve got to be kidding…"

Doflamingo took off his sunglasses and watched as the giant wave rose higher and higher, until it finally blocked out the sun.

The deck was plunged into darkness.

Charlotte Linlin gripped Napoleon with both hands and began gathering power. Her Conqueror’s Haki boiled over, and half the sky seemed to sink beneath its pressure.

"Ikoku!"

As Charlotte Linlin swung Napoleon, terrifying sword energy formed a gigantic shockwave before her. From afar, it looked like a long spear.

The shockwave pierced through the tsunami, allowing the Queen Mama Chanter to narrowly pass through the gap. Yet the intense repulsive force that followed still flipped it over.

The other pirate ships met even worse fates. They were hurled straight down the waterfall and shattered into pieces, leaving only a few scattered planks floating on the sea.

With a single attack, the fleet of more than a hundred pirate ships was wiped out!

Charlotte Linlin stood blankly atop the thundercloud. She could not believe that the pirate crew she had been so proud of had been defeated so easily!

"Damn waterfall! Damn Wano Country! Once this is over, Kaido had better compensate me properly for my losses!"

If not for the terrain, the Big Mom Pirates could never have been destroyed so easily. At least, that was what Charlotte Linlin believed.

She was so furious she was nearly going mad, yet Kaido’s whereabouts were unknown and King had been knocked off a cliff. Even if she wanted to vent her rage, there was no one to vent it on.

So Charlotte Linlin stared fixedly at Chu Yang, intending to unleash all her anger upon him.

Doflamingo stood in the air atop a staircase woven from threads, casting a lingering glance at the wrecked pirate ships.

"No wonder he dared challenge an Emperor of the Sea. He really does have the strength to match. I just don’t know whether Kaido was defeated or killed. That man shouldn’t be so easy to kill, right?"

Doflamingo still chose to watch from the sidelines, his gaze shifting between Chu Yang and Big Mom.

Other than Charlotte Linlin, who had been spared because of Zeus, everyone else had fallen into the sea along with the overturned Queen Mama Chanter.

Most of the pirates were Devil Fruit Users and could only struggle helplessly in the water.

Charlotte Linlin looked down at them, then coldly said to Doflamingo, "Get them out. I’ll give you suitable payment afterward."

Doflamingo grinned. "No problem. This is a rare business opportunity."

With a wave of his hand, threads bound the upper bodies of those who had fallen into the sea like chains and lifted them out.

The Queen Mama Chanter was also dragged by chains formed from threads, turned one hundred and eighty degrees, and restored to the sea surface.

Everyone landed back on the ship. Some had fainted, while others were weak all over and unable to muster even a trace of strength. For the time being, they had no combat power left.

In the distance, a pirate ship was approaching.

It was the Sun Pirates led by Tiger.

He knew he could not give these people a chance to recover, so he decided to lead the fish-men in a direct attack.

"You actually dare look down on me, you rabble!"

Prometheus seemed to sense the rage in "Mama’s" heart. The flames around it suddenly flared brightly. Charlotte Linlin grabbed it and hurled it toward the Sun Pirates.

As a flame with a soul, Prometheus could raise its own temperature at will, even rivaling the Flame-Flame Fruit.

A massive pillar of fire suddenly appeared and shot straight toward the pirate ship.

The heat it gave off made the seawater below show faint signs of boiling.

Seeing that the pirate ship could not turn in time to avoid the pillar of fire, Tiger could only close his eyes in despair.

Just then.

A black bolt of lightning struck Prometheus from the void.

"Aah!!!"

It let out a scream and froze in midair.

Then a hand grabbed it, and Conqueror’s Haki flooded over it like a tide.

Chu Yang toyed with Prometheus as he looked down at Charlotte Linlin.

He had suddenly become interested in the Soul-Soul Fruit.

The Soul-Soul Fruit could grant souls to objects and create life almost without conditions. Combined with the Sage of Six Paths’ Yang Release, it seemed possible to create an even more terrifying ability.

Unfortunately…

"Fear of the sea is quite a troublesome weakness…"

Chu Yang shook his head and decided to set the idea aside until he found a solution. For now, though, he no longer planned to kill Charlotte Linlin.

If he killed her, finding the Soul-Soul Fruit afterward would be like searching for a needle in the ocean. It would be better to imprison her as an experimental subject.

Charlotte Linlin shuddered. She realized that Chu Yang looked at her as though she were an interesting toy.

"How rude!"

Charlotte Linlin was furious, but the wariness on her face would not fade. "Such powerful Conqueror’s Haki. He can actually grab Prometheus with his bare hands. Among the people I know, only a few can do that."

Prometheus was in agony as Conqueror’s Haki lightning continuously lashed it, and it kept crying for "Mama" to save it.

"You’re too noisy. Get lost!"

Chu Yang threw it back.

Prometheus turned into a streak of fire and flew into Charlotte Linlin’s hand, whining like a child as it poured out its grievances.

"He actually gave Prometheus back?"

"What is he plotting?"

Charlotte Linlin became even more wary. She did not believe Chu Yang had done it out of kindness.

"I’ll only give you one chance. If you lose, you’ll stay here forever!"

As he spoke, Chu Yang’s Conqueror’s Haki surged wildly. Dark clouds filled the skies over Wano Country, and the pressure was terrifying.

Just standing beneath those clouds, Charlotte Linlin could feel Chu Yang’s immense strength. She did not dare underestimate him and immediately unleashed her ultimate move.

Zeus, Prometheus, and Napoleon combined their power as one.

Flames and lightning coiled around the blade, reinforced by Charlotte Linlin’s powerful Conqueror’s Haki. Its momentum was overwhelming.

Narikabura!

The two men’s Conqueror’s Haki erupted without restraint and collided violently. The sea churned, forming massive tsunamis one after another, while the sky itself was torn in half.

Chu Yang took a deep breath and pushed Source Breathing to its limit. Sunlight and moonlight flowed in and out through his nose and mouth, cycling repeatedly.

He draped himself in the Tailed Beast Cloak, its radiance like a blinding little sun.

Charlotte Linlin’s body suddenly grew taller, expanding as if inflated. In the blink of an eye, she became a massive, powerfully built giant.

Dark purple bones also appeared around Chu Yang, protecting him. Then tissues continued to form over them, gradually shaping into a warrior-like humanoid figure.

Susanoo!

The Tailed Beast Cloak swiftly covered the surface of Susanoo, evolving it into another form.

Three heads, six arms, and a pair of wings on its back.

Its armor fully solidified.

Seeing this, Charlotte Linlin did not dare continue gathering power. She swung with every ounce of her strength.

"Narikabura: Ikoku!"

A gigantic shockwave nearly ten times thicker than before, carrying violent lightning and flames, shot toward Chu Yang.

That strike even illuminated the sea beneath the dark clouds.

Facing the terrifying Ikoku, Susanoo’s six arms reached into the void, and six swords of light appeared at once.

The power of the sun and moon flowed endlessly among the six swords. Their brilliance descended, forming a curtain of light before it.

Ikoku struck the light curtain without causing any violent impact. Instead, it seemed to melt away like snow beneath a clear sky.

The curtain of light continued advancing, devouring all life in its path.

Zeus, Prometheus, and Napoleon—Charlotte Linlin’s three prized special Homies—could not escape their fate either and were directly dissolved.

Charlotte Linlin tried to resist, gathering Armament Haki across the surface of her body, but it had no effect.

It felt as though she had fallen into a meat grinder, every inch of her skin enduring indescribable pain.

The instant Charlotte Linlin lost consciousness, Chu Yang stopped attacking. Susanoo gripped her in its hand, then turned to look at Doflamingo, who had been watching the whole show.

Cold sweat streamed down Doflamingo’s face.

He deeply regretted getting involved. Chu Yang’s combat power had surpassed anything he could have imagined.

He had never seen Pirate King Roger fight, but he dared say that no matter how strong Roger had been, he could not have been stronger than the man before him.

"I think there may be some misunderstanding between us! I’m not one of their companions."

Doflamingo tried desperately to explain, but Chu Yang’s gaze only grew colder, sending chills down his spine.

"I’ve seen many evil people, but few are as vile as you."

"Making kind people who love each other kill one another for your amusement… that kind of twisted hobby is truly intolerable."

Hearing this, Doflamingo turned and fled without hesitation. He pushed the String-String Fruit’s power to its limit, countless threads shooting out to connect with the clouds and form a staircase to escape.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Consumed by overwhelming terror, Doflamingo cursed as he fled wildly.

Just as Doflamingo thought he was about to escape, an arrow condensed from dark purple energy pierced through his chest from behind and tore through his heart.

Doflamingo suddenly froze, lowering his head to stare at the fist-sized hole in his chest. Only half of his heart remained, still beating.

Am I going to die?

Am I really going to die just like this?!

Overcome by grief and fury, Doflamingo’s consciousness grew increasingly blurred. He no longer even had the strength to roar and could only sink into endless darkness with his unwillingness.

As Doflamingo’s corpse fell into the sea, nearly all the remnants of the Queen Mama Chanter were locked up with Sea Stone.

A small number chose to jump into the sea themselves, hoping to find a sliver of survival.

But they were clearly not clever enough.

Trying that right in front of fish-men?

Jinbe led his companions beneath the sea and captured the fleeing pirates. They also retrieved Doflamingo’s corpse and the unconscious King.

When the latter woke up, his hands and feet had already been fitted with Sea Stone shackles.

As he was being sent into the quarry, King stubbornly asked Chu Yang where Kaido was. Upon learning that Kaido was dead, King’s face turned ashen and the light vanished from his eyes.

More often than not, he had regarded Kaido as family—both father and brother—rather than simply his captain.

Now interested in the Soul-Soul Fruit, Chu Yang skillfully built a laboratory at Flying Current Pavilion and obtained Queen from the Revolutionary Army as his assistant.

Dragon did not object, but he worried that Chu Yang might stray down the wrong path. So he secretly sought out Tiger, and the two had a long conversation.

Although Tiger did not know what Chu Yang intended to do, he firmly believed Chu Yang would never do evil or become the next tyrannical Emperor of the Sea.

Perhaps moved by Tiger’s resolute attitude, Dragon temporarily put the matter aside and devoted himself fully to more important affairs.

The Revolutionary Army’s Reward Order against the World Government and the Marines swept across the entire world in an instant, fueled by the earth-shattering news of Kaido and Charlotte Linlin’s defeat!

At Flying Current Pavilion in Wano Country, Chu Yang stood on the top floor of the tower, watching the laboratory undergo major renovations as he fell into thought.

In recent years, humanity’s greatest achievement in Devil Fruit research had been artificial Devil Fruits.

The creator of the world’s first artificial Devil Fruit had been Dr. Vegapunk of the former Government Science Unit.

Queen, Judge, and Caesar represented three branches of research, all originating from Dr. Vegapunk’s Lineage Factor theory.

If possible, Chu Yang wanted to capture Vegapunk directly and have him assist with the research.

Unfortunately, he could not find him. So he could only settle for gathering Judge and Caesar instead.

He would have the three work together and see whether they could make any progress.

Chu Yang himself would also join the research. He had Magic Chu Yang and Marvel Chu Yang behind him, and their research abilities were no worse than those of the three men.

Caesar’s laboratory on Punk Hazard.

After the Vinsmoke Family and Donquixote Family failed in their clash, Judge led the mobile Germa Kingdom out of the North Sea to wander the seas. It would take time to obtain their whereabouts.

He could leave these matters to the Revolutionary Army.

Chu Yang had helped them secure such an excellent base. As allies, they ought to show some appreciation. Freely taking benefits without giving anything in return was not a good habit.

Dragon had also been very cooperative.

Whether he truly trusted Chu Yang was unimportant.

In any normal partnership, reciprocating goodwill was the most basic principle.

Ever since gaining the support of Kozuki Hiyori and the samurai, the Revolutionary Army no longer needed to spend too much manpower protecting the base.

They were even less worried about outside invaders, because their enemies could not even get past Chu Yang’s Flying Current Pavilion.

Thus, the manpower freed up could devote itself fully to handling Chu Yang’s affairs.

Half a month later, Chu Yang gradually received intelligence on Caesar and Judge.

The former was still at Punk Hazard, where the laboratory was guarded by a large number of Marines, while the latter had returned to the North Sea.

As news of Doflamingo’s death spread rapidly following the destruction of the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom Pirates,

the world experienced another considerable earthquake.

The Donquixote Family was pushed to the brink of collapse. The influence they had established in the North Sea fell apart, and Judge became the greatest beneficiary.

The Germa Kingdom once again became the ruler of the North Sea and returned to its former territory.

In addition to intelligence, the Revolutionary Army gave Chu Yang two Eternal Poses. One pointed toward Punk Hazard, while the other pointed toward the Germa Kingdom.

Interestingly, Chu Yang had once visited the Germa Kingdom on land—the very place where he had stolen the Lineage Factor technology.

It felt like he kept shearing the same sheep over and over again.

Before departing, Chu Yang made a trip to the laboratory. Queen, wearing Sea Stone shackles, was honestly working away.

King, the other All-Star, was diligently mining in the mountains.

As Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit Users, their physical constitutions were exceptionally strong and highly durable. Both of them were enjoying the 007 blessing Chu Yang had personally tailored for them.

Even Dragon had no choice but to praise Chu Yang as a "devil."

After explaining several construction standards for the laboratory to Queen, Chu Yang thoughtfully left behind a Shadow Clone to supervise Queen’s work.

It was also to prevent any unrest that might arise if he was absent.

Once everything had been arranged, Chu Yang used Dust Release to fly into the sky and quickly vanished from sight. No one even noticed that he had left Wano Country.

An Eternal Pose was a useful thing. It spared Chu Yang the effort of observing the terrain from the air; he only needed to lock onto the direction and keep flying forward.

Between two points, the straight-line distance was the shortest. A voyage that would take days or even a month could be completed by Chu Yang in only a few hours.

The pointer swung wildly downward, meaning Chu Yang had arrived at his destination.

Punk Hazard.

Aokiji and Akainu had yet to wage their great battle here over the position of Fleet Admiral. The entire island was still peaceful and scenic.

Punk Hazard did not have many creatures, but it had a wide variety. Some were native animals of the island, while others had been brought over by scientists for experiments.

Chu Yang merely circled the island once and saw no fewer than a hundred species of animals.

The laboratory was built in the island’s central region, attached to the mountain range, with part of the structure embedded in the mountainside.

The laboratory’s location at this time differed from where it would be over a decade later.

The explosion caused by Caesar destroyed this laboratory. The laboratory Luffy and the others saw in the future had actually been rebuilt.

Using Observation Haki to envelop all nearby buildings, Chu Yang quickly found Caesar’s location through the sounds of conversation.

He landed directly atop that building and punched a hole through the ceiling.

"Woo woo woo~~~"

A piercing alarm sounded, followed immediately by hurried footsteps. Chu Yang jumped down through the opening, his eyes transforming into the Rinnegan.

The Marine guards ordered to stop Chu Yang immediately became blank and numb upon seeing his eyes. They instantly fell into Genjutsu and could not escape.

The Genjutsu would continuously alter their memories. By the time Chu Yang left, their minds would retain no information about him.

He pursued Caesar all the way through the facility. Every guard and researcher he encountered along the way fell into the Genjutsu world he created as soon as they met his gaze.

A moment later, nearly everyone in the laboratory had lost the ability to resist, leaving Caesar alone to face Chu Yang.

Seeing the strange behavior of his companions, Caesar felt a chill run down his spine. Without a second thought, he prepared to turn into gas and flee.

At that moment, a wooden rod wrapped in Armament Haki pierced Caesar’s shoulder like lightning, pinning him firmly to the wall.

More wooden rods followed, nailing down each of his limbs, every one of them deeply embedded in the wall behind him.

Bright red blood slowly flowed alongside Caesar’s screams.

"I have no intention of taking your life, Mr. Caesar. I merely want you to help me with a small favor. Is that alright?"

Chu Yang wore a smile, yet Caesar shuddered in terror.

With such ruthless methods, claiming he had no intention of killing someone was simply a joke!

Caesar pulled a miserable face. "Just tell me what you want me to do. There’s no need for this."

Chu Yang liked Caesar’s attitude very much. Smart people were easy to talk to.

He flicked his finger, and the wooden rods pinning Caesar’s feet immediately came loose.

Caesar groaned in pain, yet he did not forget to nod gratefully at Chu Yang.

"I am very interested in research on Lineage Factor technology. I hope you can help me. By the way, your former colleague Queen is also on my team."

Caesar froze upon hearing Chu Yang’s words. He recalled the news he had read not long ago. Hadn’t the Beasts Pirates Queen belonged to already been wiped out? Could this man before him be the one who had taken down Kaido and the Beasts Pirates?

Caesar shuddered violently. Every little scheme in his heart instantly vanished without a trace, and he said with extreme urgency, "No problem. Whatever you require, I can agree to it. It would be my honor to offer you even the slightest help."

The instant he finished speaking, the remaining wooden rods nailed into Caesar fell away at once. He collapsed onto the ground and immediately dropped to his knees.

Chu Yang nodded in satisfaction.

With Caesar’s help, Chu Yang used the space created by the Undetectable Extension Charm to move away all the useful equipment, documents, and data from the laboratory.

A few weeks later.

The World Government sent people to inspect Punk Hazard, only to find an empty laboratory waiting for them.

After leaving Punk Hazard, Chu Yang took Caesar and flew toward the North Sea.

"Boss, where are you taking me? Could you tell me the destination?"

Caesar did not know Chu Yang’s name and did not dare ask, so he addressed him as Boss. From today onward, he was Chu Yang’s employee anyway.

Chu Yang quite liked the title, and his tone softened. "We’re going to find your former colleague."

Excluding the Queen his boss had mentioned, Caesar immediately thought of another former colleague with whom he had frequently argued.

Vinsmoke Judge.

"I never thought we would reunite in such a way…"

Caesar sighed with emotion.

"Since it has been so long since you last saw each other, you can catch up properly when you have the chance. But that will have to be after the work is done."

Chu Yang teased him with a smile.

Caesar was too embarrassed to speak. He could only agree with Chu Yang and force out a smile uglier than crying.

Flying at high speed, Chu Yang streaked across the dark night sky like a meteor cutting through the skies above the North Sea.

After driving away the remnants of the Donquixote Family, Judge sat upon his throne, savoring the joy victory brought him.

The only flaw was that when he left before, Judge had failed to take all the laboratory equipment and data with him. Now that he had returned, the place was already a complete mess. Not only had much precious data been lost, but the laboratory had been severely damaged and could not be put back into use at all.

It was not only the laboratory. The entire palace had been ravaged beyond recognition by the Donquixote Family, with scorch marks everywhere.

Judge had originally been furious, but when he thought of how Doflamingo was already dead, the anger on his face quickly turned into secret delight.

What had been lost would be recovered sooner or later. There was no need to get angry over such trivial matters.

Was there?

The triumphant Judge rose from his throne and was about to return to his chambers to rest when his heart suddenly trembled, as though something was about to happen.

With a chill running down his spine, Judge looked around. The empty palace suddenly became dark and terrifying.

"Who’s there?"

Judge never ignored the occasional warning from his instincts. In fact, such premonitions had saved his life several times.

His voice echoed through the palace, but no one answered. The silent palace seemed to be mocking him for making a fuss over nothing.

Yet the unease in Judge’s heart did not fade. Instead, it grew stronger.

Then, he suddenly noticed that the dark portions of the palace were silently expanding. The shadows in the corners crept toward him like living things, baring their fangs and claws.

Judge immediately attacked. He raised the high-tech spear he carried with him and unleashed a powerful electric current straight ahead.

However, shadows were merely shadows, not the monsters Judge had imagined.

When he tried to attack again, he found that everything around him had returned to normal.

The palace floor tiles had been destroyed by his strike, revealing a massive pit several meters wide.

"Have I been too tired lately?"

Judge repeatedly rubbed his forehead, trying to confirm whether he was in a normal state. The illusion just now had felt far too real to be an illusion.

Suddenly.

The shadow behind Judge seemed to come alive again and lunged at him. In that flash of lightning, Judge’s sharp instincts saved him once more, allowing him to evade by a hair’s breadth.

Yet when Judge turned around, everything fell silent once more.

The silence carried an indescribable strangeness.

"No! I need to leave this place first!"

Judge raised his head toward the palace exit, only to discover that it was pitch-black.

This place had long since been eroded by darkness without his realizing it. Judge had not noticed at all.

The darkness and shadows surged in from every direction like a tide, instantly swallowing Judge whole.

In reality.

Judge sat on his throne with vacant eyes. He had never risen, and Chu Yang and Caesar stood before him.

Seeing Judge fall into the illusion without any resistance, Caesar felt his scalp tingle.

More terrifying than hearing a ghost story was witnessing one with his own eyes.

By now, Chu Yang had displayed many abilities before Caesar. Caesar could no longer tell which ones were Devil Fruit abilities.

As more of Chu Yang’s powers were revealed, Caesar’s fear of him deepened without end.

Chu Yang had originally intended to use the Imperius Curse on him, but given the current situation, there was no need to go that far.

Caesar’s fear was gradually transforming into loyalty.

To make the fear more effective, Chu Yang made Caesar watch the entire process of Judge being tortured by the Genjutsu within his own mind.

Caesar trembled as he watched until the end, after which Chu Yang used the Imperius Curse to control Judge’s mind.

By the time everything was done, Caesar had already fallen to his knees in wholehearted submission, his forehead pressed tightly against the floor.

His devout appearance resembled that of a fanatical believer.

Thus, Chu Yang had accomplished all the objectives of this journey. He had obtained Caesar and Judge, as well as the Germa Kingdom, once the ruler of the North Sea.

Judge’s four children were valuable in their own right.

The clone soldiers, on the other hand, were optional. They had no ability to think independently and possessed average combat power. At best, they were moving toys, far inferior to the Shadow Clone Technique.

It would probably take the Germa Kingdom over a month to return from the North Sea to the Grand Line. Chu Yang had no time to wait for them, so he brought Caesar back to Wano Country first.

Old acquaintances meeting again was always delightful, especially when Caesar saw the enormous Sea Stone collar around Queen’s neck. He looked even happier.

"Well, if it isn’t Queen. It’s been so long—how did you end up like this?" Caesar mocked him with raised brows and wiggling eyes. Back when they were in the Government Science Unit, the few of them had all looked down on one another’s research to some extent.

"You’re still not dead?"

Queen had somehow gotten hold of a cigar and was puffing away on it, looking at Caesar with contempt.

"You’ll die before I do."

Caesar replied with a cold sneer.

Chu Yang walked in from outside. Seeing the two men at each other’s throats, he smiled. "Stop arguing. You’ll be seeing each other every day from now on, so focus on properly completing the tasks I give you."

Caesar immediately threw himself onto the floor and said respectfully, "As you wish, Boss."

"Boss?" Queen looked at Caesar in surprise, then glanced at Chu Yang and immediately followed up, "Boss, after the laboratory is completed, shouldn’t we add more manpower here?"

Chu Yang snapped his fingers, and a person who looked exactly like him suddenly appeared behind him.

Then another appeared.

And another.

Queen and Caesar stared dumbfoundedly as Chu Yang’s Shadow Clones filled the laboratory.

"Is this enough?"

Queen and Caesar looked at each other.

"Enough! More than enough!"

Chu Yang nodded, then reminded them, "From today on, no outsiders are allowed into the laboratory, including the fish-men and the Revolutionary Army. Let them learn my secrets as late as possible."

Caesar replied with absolute confidence, "Boss, don’t worry. As long as I’m here, I guarantee none of them will get inside."

Chu Yang praised Caesar a few times, then walked into the innermost room.

Opening the door, he found the barely alive "Big Mom," Charlotte Linlin, suspended by Sea Stone chains in the center of the room.

"Kid, there’s no deep grudge between us. Why torture me like this?"

Her tattered clothes and filthy, disheveled hair made the former Emperor of the Sea appear especially miserable and pathetic.

Combined with her venomous gaze, Charlotte Linlin looked like an evil ghost from hell.

One personally sent into hell by Chu Yang.

"Just as you said, there is no grudge between us. I am merely interested in your Devil Fruit ability."

Chu Yang waved his hand to create a wooden chair, then sat down in front of Charlotte Linlin.

"You still can’t obtain the Soul-Soul Fruit’s power this way. You might as well kill me. In a few years at most, a new fruit will appear. You’re so young that this little bit of time means nothing to you, doesn’t it?"

Charlotte Linlin was extremely agitated. She desperately begged Chu Yang to kill her. In only a few weeks, she had already spent several years within Chu Yang’s Genjutsu space, and her mind was on the verge of collapse.

Even so, the Imperius Curse still failed to work on her. Whether it was because a top-tier powerhouse possessed an exceptionally resilient will, or because Big Mom’s Soul-Soul Fruit had some effect, was unknown.

"To be honest, I am seeking the essence of Devil Fruits, not a fruit with such obvious side effects. Although I’m sorry, I can only trouble you to endure a little longer."

Chu Yang smiled kindly, rose to his feet, and walked out of the room without paying any attention to Charlotte Linlin’s hysterical curses behind him.

Meanwhile, the World Government was overwhelmed by the matter of the Reward Order.

Pirates across the seas were gradually being tempted by the enormous rewards and began gathering forces to attack Marine branch bases.

Four Marine branches had been destroyed in succession. All officers below the rank of rear admiral had been wiped out, and countless soldiers had been injured.

This was an atrocious incident that had never happened before!

Marine Headquarters suddenly realized that those Reward Orders flooding the world would bring even greater turmoil than the Great Age of Pirates.

Martial Arts World.

Beyond Mount Zhongnan lay the border between the Southern Song Dynasty and the Northern Song Dynasty.

As their carriage passed through the border between the two nations, Chu Yang stood beside the boundary marker in a daze. Even after being in this world for so long, he still could not get used to treating the Southern Song Dynasty and Northern Song Dynasty as two separate countries.

Thinking that after leaving the Northern Song Dynasty, their next stop would be the Ming Dynasty, Chu Yang felt thoroughly disoriented.

"What a complete mess…"

Huang Rong and Mu Nianci were building a fire and cooking. Hearing Chu Yang muttering to himself, Mu Nianci looked at Huang Rong in bewilderment.

"What is wrong with Brother Chu?"

"Don’t mind him. He had always been like this, saying crazy things at the drop of a hat. It was probably a side effect of cultivating immortality. Looking at him now, not having the chance to cultivate immortality was a good thing. At least your brain wouldn’t develop problems."

"Rong’er, Brother Chu isn’t that bad, is he?"

"Hmph! You’ve only known him for a few days. Just wait until he goes crazy and see whether you can still call him Brother Chu every other sentence."

Mu Nianci’s face reddened. She said nothing more and lowered her head to help Huang Rong.

Before long, the meal was ready. Huang Rong was clever and handy, and the carriage had abundant food stores. There was chicken, fish, vegetables, and meat—a lavish spread that seemed less like a meal on the road and more like a picnic outing.

"Little Chu, when we were in the city earlier, I heard that the Northern Song Dynasty was holding some kind of gathering. Shall we go take a look?"

Huang Rong’s eyes darted about. At fifteen, she was especially mischievous and clever.

Chu Yang rolled his eyes. "No wonder you made so many dishes today. So you had an ulterior motive."

Huang Rong put her hands on her hips and retorted angrily, "I make this much every day, okay? Look at you—you’re practically getting fat!"

Chu Yang found that rather amusing. How could he possibly get fat? The energy provided by the food was not even enough to sustain his body’s circulation.

"Fine, let’s go."

Chu Yang felt a little apologetic. They had been hurrying along lately, and he had kept the two of them camping in remote wildernesses.

Although the carriage was enormous inside and had everything they could need, it ultimately lacked the bustle of human life. After a long time, one would still miss the warmth of the mortal world.

Not to mention the two of them—even Chu Yang himself wanted to stroll around a city.

After spending so long as a schoolteacher, he greatly missed the noisy days when a crowd of children surrounded him.

Huang Rong and Mu Nianci clasped hands and cheered.

After lunch, the carriage continued onward. This time, however, they headed toward more populated areas. Huang Rong asked around along the way and finally learned the name of a place.

Juxian Manor.

After leaving the carriage at an inn, the three of them arrived on the main street. They did not even need to ask for directions; following the surging crowd led them straight to Juxian Manor.

Today, heroes from all corners had gathered. A group of people calling themselves righteous warriors had assembled to discuss how to deal with Qiao Feng, who had become a Khitan.

"A righteous gang beating…"

Chu Yang smacked his lips and mocked them meaningfully.

"My father had always held those people called great heroes in contempt, but he alone greatly respected Gang Leader Qiao. He must not be someone who had gained his reputation undeservedly."

Huang Rong had heard stories about Qiao Feng. A great hero of his generation had become a rat everyone wanted to beat in mere months, which left her sighing endlessly.

"Qiao Feng’s countless crimes, including the deaths of many senior martial artists, are already irrefutable facts. Your esteemed father was somewhat blind."

A cold laugh approached from afar. Hearing someone insult her father, Huang Rong immediately turned around and glared furiously.

The newcomer was dressed like a beggar, yet his clothes were spotless. His upturned eyes made him look particularly sinister, and he continued speaking rudely to Huang Rong.

"Who did I think it was? Just some little yellow-haired girl. No wonder you spoke with so little sense of propriety."

Before his words had even faded, Huang Rong’s figure flashed. She rushed before the beggar and delivered several resounding slaps, sending him flying.

"Ow!"

The beggar crashed heavily onto the ground. The next moment, a group of beggars rushed from the crowd, surrounded him, and helped him up.

"Elder Quan, are you all right?"

"Fellow elders, I am fine. That wretched girl struck viciously. She is surely not from the righteous path."

The beggar called Elder Quan glared at Huang Rong through gritted teeth.

Upon hearing this, one of the beggars stepped forward from the crowd and cupped his hands toward Huang Rong indignantly. "Miss, Elder Quan may have misspoken just now, but there was no need for you to strike so viciously."

Huang Rong sneered. "Who told him to insult my father? He deserved it!"

The other Beggars’ Sect elders shot Elder Quan disdainful glances. In ancient times, filial piety was highly valued. For a younger person to insult someone’s father was a grave offense, so it was no wonder she had reacted so strongly.

But in the next moment, Huang Rong’s words offended every one of them.

"Judging by how you are dressed, you should all be disciples of the Beggars’ Sect. Qiao Feng was clearly your sect leader. Even if he was your former sect leader, he had shown you plenty of kindness in the past—perhaps he had even saved some of your lives."

"Yet you came to attend this gathering today. That makes you ungrateful, heartless curs. And you still dare call yourselves heroes? I think this should be called the Gathering of Cowards instead."

Several Beggars’ Sect elders turned ashen. Huang Rong’s sharp counterattack had struck directly at their sore spot. It would be a lie to say they felt no shame at all.

Chu Yang finally could not hold back his laughter.

That’s my Sister Huang—ruthless and straight to the point. Brilliant, brilliant.

Quan Guanqing had just been humiliated by Huang Rong. Now, hearing Chu Yang laugh, his fury immediately soared. He pulled three poisoned darts from his robes and shot them at Chu Yang.

Hearing the darts tear through the air, several Beggars’ Sect elders wanted to stop him, but it was already too late. They could only shout in warning.

In that split second, Chu Yang simply reached out and caught all three poisoned darts in his hand. When he opened his palm, he was completely unharmed.

Quan Guanqing’s pupils suddenly contracted. He knew he had run into someone formidable. Just as he was about to come up with an excuse to smooth things over, he heard the familiar sound of something cutting through the air beside his ear.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The three poisoned darts pierced through Quan Guanqing’s body with lightning speed.