His voice echoed through the palace, but no one answered. The silence seemed to mock him for overreacting.
Yet, the unease in his heart only grew stronger.
At that moment, he noticed the shadows in the palace corners silently expanding. They crept toward him like living creatures, clawing their way closer.
Judge immediately launched an attack, using his high-tech spear to unleash a torrent of electricity directly ahead.
However, shadows were just shadows—not the monster Judge had imagined.
When he tried to attack again, everything around him had returned to normal.
The palace floor, however, was left with a massive crater where his strike had landed.
"Have I been working too hard lately?"
Judge repeatedly rubbed his forehead, trying to determine whether his current state was normal. The "illusion" from earlier had felt far too real.
Suddenly, the shadow behind Judge seemed to come alive again, lunging toward him. His sharp instincts saved him once more, allowing him to narrowly evade the attack.
But when Judge turned around, all was silent again.
The stillness was unnerving in its strangeness.
"No! I need to get out of here!"
Judge looked toward the palace exit, only to find it shrouded in impenetrable darkness.
The shadows had silently consumed the area, leaving Judge unaware of when it had happened.
The tide of shadows surged from all directions, swallowing Judge in an instant.
In the real world.
Judge sat motionless on his throne, his gaze empty. He hadn't risen, and before him stood Chu Yang and Caesar.
Watching Judge fall into the illusion without resistance, Caesar felt a chill run down his spine.
Witnessing a ghost story was far more terrifying than merely hearing one.
So far, Chu Yang had displayed numerous abilities in front of Caesar, leaving him unable to discern which powers stemmed from Devil Fruits.
Caesar's fear of Chu Yang only deepened as more of his capabilities were revealed.
Originally, Chu Yang had planned to use the Soul-Seizing Curse on him, but given the current circumstances, it wasn't necessary.
Caesar's fear was gradually transforming into loyalty.
To amplify this effect, Chu Yang had Caesar witness the entire process of Judge's mental torment under the illusion.
By the time it was over, Caesar was trembling and thoroughly subdued. When Chu Yang finally controlled Judge's mind with the Soul-Seizing Curse, Caesar was already prostrate on the ground, forehead pressed firmly to the floor.
His devout posture resembled that of a fervent believer.
With that, Chu Yang's mission was complete. He had secured both Caesar and Judge and had taken control of the former North Blue powerhouse, the Germa Kingdom.
Judge's four children held significant value.
As for the clone soldiers, they were dispensable. Without independent thought, their combat prowess was mediocre at best, little more than animated toys—far inferior to Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Since it would take Germa Kingdom over a month to return to the Grand Line, Chu Yang didn't have the time to wait. Taking Caesar, he headed back to Wano Country.
Reunions with old acquaintances were always delightful, especially when Caesar saw Queen shackled with massive Seastone restraints. His glee was palpable.
"Well, if it isn't Queen! Long time no see. How did you end up like this?" Caesar mocked, his expression full of schadenfreude. During their time in the Government's science division, none of them had much regard for each other's research.
"You're still alive?"
Queen, somehow puffing on a cigar, sneered at Caesar.
"I wouldn't die even if you did."
Caesar retorted with a cold laugh.
As Chu Yang entered the scene, seeing the two bickering, he chuckled. "Enough arguing. You'll be seeing a lot of each other from now on, so focus on completing the tasks I give you."
Caesar immediately fell to the ground, bowing respectfully. "As you wish, Boss."
"Boss?" Queen glanced at Caesar in surprise, then at Chu Yang, and quickly followed suit. "Boss, once the lab is finished, shouldn't we recruit more people?"
Chu Yang snapped his fingers, and suddenly identical copies of himself appeared behind him—one after another.
Queen and Caesar gawked as the lab filled with Chu Yang's Shadow Clones.
"Is this enough?"
Queen and Caesar exchanged stunned glances.
"More than enough! Absolutely enough!"
Chu Yang nodded, then added a reminder. "From now on, no outsiders are allowed into the lab—not even Fishmen or the Revolutionary Army. Let's keep my secrets hidden for as long as possible."
Caesar vowed with conviction, "Boss, as long as I'm here, no one will get in."
Chu Yang offered a few words of praise before heading to the lab's deepest chamber.
Opening the door, he found the near-lifeless Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin, suspended by Seastone chains in the center of the room.
"Boy, there's no deep grudge between us. Why torment me like this?"
Her tattered clothing and disheveled hair rendered the once-mighty Yonko utterly pathetic.
Her venomous glare made her resemble a demon from hell—one sent there by Chu Yang himself.
"Just as you said, we don't have any enmity. I'm simply interested in your Devil Fruit ability."
Chu Yang conjured a wooden chair and sat before her.
"You can't gain the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit this way. You might as well kill me. A new fruit will appear within a few years. You're young; you can afford to wait, can't you?"
Charlotte Linlin was extremely agitated, desperately pleading for Chu Yang to kill her. In just a few weeks, she had endured several years in Chu Yang's genjutsu space, her mind on the verge of collapse.
Even so, the Soul Seizing Curse failed to work on her. It was unclear whether this was due to the resilience of a top-tier expert's psyche or the influence of her Soul-Soul Fruit abilities.
"To be honest, I'm exploring the essence of Devil Fruits, not seeking one with obvious drawbacks. I'm sorry, but you'll have to endure this for a while longer."
Chu Yang smiled gently, stood up, and left the room without paying any attention to Charlotte Linlin's hysterical curses behind him.
Meanwhile, the World Government was in chaos over the bounty notices.
Across the seas, pirates were tempted by the high rewards and began rallying forces to attack the Navy's branch bases.
Four Navy branch bases were destroyed one after another. All officers below the rank of Rear Admiral were killed, and countless soldiers were injured.
This was an unprecedented and dire event! The Navy Headquarters suddenly realized that these widespread bounty notices would bring about turmoil even more intense than the Great Pirate Era.
---
Martial Arts World
After passing Mount Zhongnan, one would leave the Southern Song and enter the Northern Song borders.
When the carriage crossed the boundary between the two nations, Chu Yang stood in a daze beside the boundary stele. Despite being in this world for so long, he still couldn't get used to thinking of the Southern Song and Northern Song as two separate countries.
As he considered the fact that after leaving the Northern Song, the next stop would be the Ming Dynasty, Chu Yang felt a sense of disorientation.
"What a mess..."
Huang Rong and Mu Nianci were cooking nearby. Hearing Chu Yang's muttering, Mu Nianci looked at Huang Rong in confusion.
"What's wrong with Brother Chu?"
"Ignore him. He's always like this, randomly spouting nonsense. It's probably a side effect of cultivation. Honestly, it might be a blessing that he didn't succeed in cultivating immortality—at least his mind won't be messed up."
"Rong'er, Brother Chu isn't that bad, is he?"
"Hmph! You've only known him for a few days. Just wait. When he starts acting crazy, you'll see if you can still call him 'Brother Chu' with such ease."
Mu Nianci blushed and stopped talking, lowering her head to assist Huang Rong.
Before long, the meal was ready. Huang Rong's nimble hands and the well-stocked carriage ensured a feast: chicken, fish, vegetables, and meat, a spread more fitting for a picnic than a journey.
"Xiao Chu, I overheard in the city earlier that there's some sort of grand event happening in the Northern Song. Shall we go take a look?"
Huang Rong's eyes sparkled mischievously, her youthful charm at fifteen unmistakable.
Chu Yang rolled his eyes. "No wonder you made so much food today—you had ulterior motives."
Huang Rong akimbo, puffed up indignantly. "I make this much every day! Look at you—you're almost getting fat!"
Chu Yang found it amusing. How could he possibly get fat? The energy from food wasn't even enough to sustain his body's circulation.
"Fine, let's go."
Considering how they had been camping in the wilderness for days to hasten their journey, Chu Yang felt a bit guilty. Even though the carriage had ample space and amenities, it lacked the human warmth of towns and cities. After extended isolation, one couldn't help but yearn for the vibrancy of human life.
Not to mention those two—Chu Yang himself missed the bustling atmosphere of a town.
Having worked as a teacher for so long, he fondly remembered the noisy but joyful moments with a crowd of children around him.
Huang Rong and Mu Nianci cheered, holding hands in excitement.
After lunch, they resumed their journey, this time heading toward a populated area. Along the way, Huang Rong gathered information and finally learned a name.
Juxian Manor.
After storing their carriage at an inn, the trio walked into the bustling streets. They didn't even need to ask for directions; following the throng of people led them straight to Juxian Manor.
Today, heroes from all over had gathered. A group claiming to be righteous martial artists was discussing how to deal with Qiao Feng, who had become a Khitan.
"A righteous group brawl, huh..."
Chu Yang smacked his lips, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"My father always scoffed at those so-called great martial artists, but he admired Chief Qiao deeply. I suppose he wasn't someone who earned his fame undeservedly."
Huang Rong, having heard of Qiao Feng's tales, sighed at the tragedy of a heroic figure turned into a despised pariah in just a few months.
"Qiao Feng's crimes are well-documented. He's killed numerous martial arts seniors—it's an undeniable fact. It seems your father's judgment was rather poor."
A sneer approached from afar. Upon hearing someone insult her father, Huang Rong immediately turned, glaring angrily.
The speaker was dressed as a beggar, though his clothes were immaculate. His eyes slanted upward, giving him a sinister appearance as he continued to belittle Huang Rong.
"And who are you? Just a brat. No wonder you speak so recklessly."
Before he finished his sentence, Huang Rong dashed forward and slapped him several times, sending him flying.
"Ouch!"
The beggar hit the ground hard. The next moment, a group of beggars rushed out from the crowd, surrounding him and helping him up.
"Elder Quan, are you alright?"
"Fellow elders, I'm fine. That little brat was vicious—clearly not someone from the righteous path."
The beggar, Elder Quan, glared at Huang Rong, grinding his teeth.
One of the beggars stepped forward indignantly, cupping his fists at Huang Rong. "Miss, Elder Quan may have misspoken, but there was no need to strike so harshly."
Huang Rong sneered, "He insulted my father—he deserved it!"
Hearing this, the other Beggar Sect elders glanced disdainfully at Elder Quan. In ancient times, filial piety was paramount, and insulting someone's father was a grave offense. It was no wonder she reacted so strongly.
However, Huang Rong's next words offended all of them.
"Judging by your attire, you're all members of the Beggar Sect. Qiao Feng is clearly your chief, even if he's the former chief. He's likely granted you many favors, perhaps even saved your lives."
"Yet here you are, attending a meeting to plot against him. Isn't that ungrateful and heartless? And you dare call yourselves heroes? This looks more like a 'Coward's Conference' to me!"
The Beggar Sect elders' faces darkened. Huang Rong's sharp words hit them where it hurt most. Deep down, they couldn't deny feeling some shame.
Chu Yang finally couldn't hold back his laughter.
That's my Huang Rong—fierce and straight to the point. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
Having just lost face, Quan Guanqing heard Chu Yang's laughter and was instantly enraged. He pulled out three poisoned darts and hurled them at Chu Yang.
Hearing the whistling sound of the darts, the Beggar Sect elders tried to stop him, but it was too late. They could only shout in alarm.
In a split second, Chu Yang reached out and caught all three darts in his hand. When he opened his palm, he was unharmed.
Quan Guanqing's pupils shrank in shock. Realizing he'd messed with the wrong person, he scrambled to come up with an excuse, only to hear a familiar whistling sound.
Swish, swish, swish!
The three poisoned darts flew back at lightning speed, piercing through Quan Guanqing's body.