Chapter 2: Hugged a Thigh—Too Early

"The Senju clan! Itachi've landed a major advantage!" Pirate Chu Yang was extremely envious; he himself was no different, yet his fate was utterly worlds apart.

“Big brother, this is the Warring States era, not the First Hokage’s year—we’re nearly fighting to the death with the Uchiha clan next door. Do Itachi know how dangerous it is?” Hokage Chu Yang helplessly spread his hands.

“Still better than me.” Pirate Chu Yang asked curiously: “Who’s the current head of the Senju clan? Have Itachi met the First?”

Hokage Chu Yang smiled proudly: “The First just took office and took in some of the younger clan members as disciples, teaching them his unique Wood Release. I’m one of them.”

Hearing this, Pirate Chu Yang’s envy was nearly spilling over, but he knew Wood Release, as a Kekkei Genkai, had an extremely low chance of being mastered.

Wood Release is formed by fusing Earth and Water chakra natures.

It sounds simple, but in practice, it’s extremely difficult.

More importantly, fusing different chakra natures carries immense risk—if it fails, the backlash is terrifying.

As fellow Senju clan members, their similar genetic makeup allows them to better avoid such backlash.

Hokage Chu Yang continued: “I’m the only one among them who mastered Wood Release. Coincidentally, the moment I did, my consciousness was pulled into this palace.”

“Can I see it?” Pirate Chu Yang gazed at Hokage Chu Yang with hopeful eyes.

Some Kekkei Genkai techniques require no hand seals. Hokage Chu Yang merely smiled, clapped his hands together, and a special energy surged from his body—branches and vines erupted across his upper torso.

“How’s that?” Hokage Chu Yang grinned proudly.

“Awesome…”

Pirate Chu Yang was about to praise him further when he suddenly felt his own body undergoing some strange change.

Instinctively, he copied the other’s gesture—palms pressed together—and an astonishing sight occurred!

Vines and branches erupted wildly from Pirate Chu Yang’s body too!

He was using Wood Release!

Hokage Chu Yang stared in stunned disbelief.

Hokage Chu Yang exclaimed: “Itachi can use my power—so conversely, I can use yours.”

Pirate Chu Yang nodded: “That must be it. Too bad I don’t know how to use anything yet.”

“No.”

Hokage Chu Yang sensed the changes in his body and became even more astonished: “My chakra is far more active than usual—almost twice as strong.”

Pirate Chu Yang guessed: “The more people there are, the faster the power grows?”

Hokage Chu Yang nodded excitedly: “That must be it. If we recover all our ‘selves,’ wouldn’t we ascend to heaven in one step?”

As the two still excitedly envisioned the future, mist suddenly filled the palace—they both simultaneously felt they were being forced to leave.

“I don’t know when we’ll meet again. Itachi must improve your strength quickly!” Hokage Chu Yang urged earnestly.

Chu Yang had just nodded when his consciousness snapped back into his body—the searing pain jolted him awake. The jailer had just pulled the branding iron away.

Though Chu Yang had spent a long time in the palace, only an instant had passed in the Pirate World.

Seeing Chu Yang wake up so quickly, the jailer sneered and raised the branding iron again: “Woke up fast? Then try it again.”

The jailer didn’t notice…

The brand mark on Chu Yang’s chest was healing at an astonishing rate—a self-recovery ability beyond normal human limits.

Chakra flowed slowly…

Chu Yang’s entire body brimmed with power. With a roar, he shattered his chains.

Before the jailer’s terrified eyes, Chu Yang seized his throat—vines erupted from his body, instantly wrapping the jailer completely.

Crack… crack…

As the vines tightened, the jailer’s bones cracked audibly.

“D-Demon power…”

The jailer stared at Chu Yang in disbelief.

His face filled with regret; soon, he was dead.

Time to go!

Killing one of the Celestial Dragon’s lackeys beneath their very eyes was a grave provocation to their dignity.

Chu Yang absolutely could not remain in Mary Geoise—every extra moment increased the danger.

“But fleeing without a plan? The chance of success is too slim.”

To protect the Celestial Dragons’ safety, a Marine Admiral is permanently stationed at the Holy Land, countless elite warriors fill the Marine base, and then there’s CP0—a monstrous organization.

Chu Yang knew his current strength was utterly incapable of evading their pursuit.

“I need to create some commotion—maximize the chaos.”

Chu Yang suddenly recalled Fisher Tiger’s burning of the Holy Land. Without hesitation, he decided to imitate him.

Leaving the dim interrogation chamber, Chu Yang ran back along his memory, stopping only when he neared the slaves’ prison cells.

The three sisters, seeing Chu Yang unharmed, first stared in delight—then were immediately drowned in dread.

Chu Yang hadn’t been brought back by the jailer—he returned on his own.

There was only one possible explanation.

The second sister, Sandersonia, shrieked in terror: “Itachi!! Itachi didn’t… kill the jailer, did Itachi?!”

Chu Yang nodded.

The youngest, Mariegord, trembled violently.

They’d been imprisoned here for years. Though they’d often dreamed of killing the jailers, they’d never dared act.

On the other side, the eldest sister, Hancock, also stared in shock at the boy before her.

From the moment she first saw him, she’d sensed he was different.

But she never imagined Chu Yang would dare do something so shocking.

Fear aside, Hancock felt an unparalleled sense of exhilaration—Chu Yang had done exactly what she had always wanted to do but never dared.

Hancock quickly warned Chu Yang: “While no one’s noticed yet, escape now! If the Celestial Dragons catch Itachi, your fate will be worse than death.”

Chu Yang nodded: “I know. But before I go, I’m freeing everyone.”

“What?!” Sandersonia and Mariegord cried out together—they couldn’t believe that in such dire circumstances, Chu Yang still thought of the other prisoners.

“Don’t be a hero! Itachi have no idea how many slaves are locked up here. How long will it take Itachi to rescue them one by one?”

Hancock was deeply moved, but still shouted at Chu Yang, urging him to flee quickly.

The Celestial Dragons had ruled for so long that no such heinous incident had ever occurred—Chu Yang’s fate was obvious.

But.

She didn’t know Chu Yang was freeing the slaves merely to distract the Marines, giving himself a better chance to escape Mary Geoise.

Chu Yang showed no intention of leaving. In the three sisters’ confused gazes, he knelt and pressed his palms against the ground.

(End of Chapter)