Chapter 52: The Direction of the Future

At night, Chu Yang trained alone on the deck; after a moment, a figure stepped out of the cabin and came to his side.

“Why didn’t Itachi accept Big Brother Teg’s invitation?” Jinping asked, puzzled; he had assumed that after so many battles, everyone had long become comrades.

Chu Yang stopped his movements, sat down slowly, and explained: “If it had been the Teg who planned to sail around the world, I would have joined him without hesitation—but now, all his energy is devoted to freeing slaves. That is his ideal, not mine.”

Jinping fell silent. Indeed, as Chu Yang said, everyone’s ideals differed; to bind another’s freedom with one’s own ideal—even if that ideal was noble and righteous—was that right?

After long contemplation, Jinping sighed toward the sky, his face filled with regret; in his eyes, Chu Yang was a prodigy with boundless potential, and for such a person to leave the Sun Pirates was truly a pity.

Overcome with regret, Jinping sat down heavily on the deck and asked: “Then is your ideal the same as Teg’s before—circumnavigating the world?”

Chu Yang smiled: “Something like that. I want to travel, see the world, fight some strong opponents, hone myself, and experience the landscapes of every corner. I’ve come to this world only once—I can’t let the Marines chase me like a dog forever.”

Jinping reminded him: “Given your past actions, the Marines have surely noticed Itachi—Itachi’ll still be wanted after Itachi disembark.”

Chu Yang answered firmly: “Let them want me. At least I can freely choose where I go.”

Jinping sighed: “Itachi really do seem like a true pirate now.”

“I already am…” Chu Yang also felt a pang of emotion, then patted Jinping’s shoulder and smiled: “Don’t be downhearted—I’m not leaving right away. I’ll stay a while longer.”

Jinping showed a rare smile.

Chu Yang gazed at the moon hanging high above the horizon, reflecting on the words the Magic Chu Yang had spoken to him in the Soul Palace.

Many in the Pirate World master Haki, but those who possess Conqueror’s Haki are exceedingly rare—only a dozen or so are known, and besides the still-growing Boa Hancock, the deceased Pirate King Roger and Kozuki Oden, nearly all others are renowned great pirates.

The Marines also have strongmen who understand Conqueror’s Haki, but Chu Yang, having once been a Celestial Dragon slave and now aboard a pirate ship, could never join them.

Thus, if Chu Yang wishes to strengthen his Haki further, he must seek a path among the pirates.

There are only a few potential candidates among the pirates.

First, the Four Emperors.

At this point in the timeline, Kaido has ruled Wano Country for nearly twelve years; the underground black-market arms trade thrives, even with the World Government’s involvement—he wields immense power.

“Big Mom” Charlotte Linlin has firmly established her power base on Cake Island; as her children multiply, the number of pirate crews under her command surges, and her Whole Cake Kingdom is steadily becoming a force to reckon with.

This year, the calls for both of them to become “Emperors of the Sea” grow louder.

Eventually, they form a triangular standoff with Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world.

At this time, Red-Haired Shanks, though renowned, is vastly overshadowed by the other three.

The Four Emperors’ power structure will not form for another six years.

After much deliberation, Chu Yang chose to abandon the idea of learning Conqueror’s Haki from Kaido or Big Mom.

Not only are their locations far away, deep in the second half of the Grand Line, but their styles are utterly incompatible with his own.

Both are somewhat unhinged—and Chu Yang despises instability above all.

Whitebeard’s crew would be a good option, but one must call him “Father.” The mere thought of Chu Yang addressing Whitebeard as “Dad” sent a chill down his spine.

Though Chu Yang deeply admired Whitebeard, the idea of calling him father was something he refused.

Among the Four Emperors, Shanks currently has the weakest power and the lowest barrier to joining.

But the problem is Chu Yang cannot determine Shanks’s current level of Conqueror’s Haki—after all, six full years remain before he becomes an Emperor.

The remaining option, Red-Haired Rayleigh, is easy to reach—he’s on the Shichibukai Islands.

Yet as a hermit who has lived in seclusion for years, the likelihood of Rayleigh emerging to teach Chu Yang is low.

The protagonist’s aura isn’t something everyone possesses.

Other options, like Doflamingo or the Eight Treasures Navy’s pillar, Green Pepper, are even worse choices.

After reviewing them all, Shanks remains the most viable.

At this thought, Chu Yang suddenly froze—this year is not only when Kaido and Big Mom rise, but also the year Shanks meets Luffy in Windmill Village!

The Gomu Gomu no Mi!

Its true name after awakening is the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika!

Shanks seized the Gomu Gomu no Mi from Foxy, intending to give it to Ace, the unborn son of Pirate King Roger—but Luffy accidentally ate it!

If Shanks truly knew nothing of the Gomu Gomu no Mi’s secrets, Chu Yang found that hard to believe.

For a pirate of his caliber to steal a Devil Fruit from the World Government was not unusual.

What was strange was that he brought it precisely to Windmill Village, where Ace lived.

Clearly, Shanks hoped Ace would become the chosen one—but fate chose Luffy instead, and Shanks himself saw the shadow of Captain Roger in Luffy.

Thus, he respected fate’s choice and staked everything on Luffy.

Now, if Chu Yang were willing to pay the price and bear Shanks’s wrath, he could turn the wheel of fate toward an unknown path.

The protagonist need not be Luffy—he could be anyone, even Chu Yang himself.

Was Chu Yang willing?

Of course not!

The success rate is too low, and the cost unimaginable!

Could he possibly pull off such a stunt under Shanks’s very eyes?

Not to mention Shanks’s Observation Haki is formidable—Usopp’s father, Jesus Burgess, possesses the highest-grade Observation Haki; Chu Yang wouldn’t even get close to the Gomu Gomu no Mi before being shot in the head.

Luffy succeeded only because he was young and no one suspected him—Chu Yang clearly isn’t someone who could make the entire Red-Haired Pirates lower their guard, even if he managed to join them.

The only outcome Chu Yang could possibly influence…

Was to prevent Luffy from eating the Gomu Gomu no Mi.

But what good would that do?

The next day, Chu Yang found Teg and told him he intended to sail to the East Blue.

Teg was astonished—he had imagined Chu Yang disembarking at any point along the Grand Line, but never in the East Blue.

Still, despite his surprise, Teg respected Chu Yang’s decision and resolved to escort him back with the Sun Pirates.

The fastest route from their current location to the East Blue was to force their way through the Calm Belt.

(End of Chapter)