Simultaneous Transmigration: From Japanese Anime to American Comics

Chapter 43: Am I a Druid?

"Professor! The Whomping Willow hasn't calmed down yet; it's getting even more agitated! It looks like it's about to break out of the ground!"

Everyone turned towards the Whomping Willow, and sure enough, the tree was wildly twisting its body, trying to break free from the earth!

"What on earth is happening?" Professor McGonagall's eyes widened. The Whomping Willow was a magical plant, but it wasn't supposed to move like an actual creature. For the past 20 years, it had been firmly rooted in the ground.

The tree's roots were deeply buried, and if fully uprooted, they would be longer than two-thirds of its height.

"Wow, it's starting to look like an Ent!" Chu Yang marveled, but before he could enjoy the scene further, Hermione and Harry grabbed him by the arms and started dragging him away.

Ron and Neville cleared the path ahead.

The two of them acted like guards, screaming as they pushed through the foliage, creating a path for the others.

Everyone was fleeing in panic. Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch drew their wands and stood guard between the students and the Whomping Willow, ready to burn down the tree that had been part of Hogwarts for so many years.

The Whomping Willow's roots broke through the soil, tearing apart the lush green grass, and the once-flat ground cracked like a spider's web.

The next second, the tree fell to the ground like a paralyzed patient, landing with a thunderous crash, sending dust flying!

Seeing this, the students stopped running and turned to look.

Professor McGonagall exhaled deeply, her body still trembling slightly, but she feigned calmness and quipped, "See, that's what happens when you try to run before you learn how to walk. You'll only trip and fall—nothing good will come of it!"

A true deputy headmistress—always finding a way to educate, even in moments like this!

"Ahhh!"

The students screamed again!

Professor McGonagall turned to see the Whomping Willow, still alive and crawling like an animal!

Its thick roots and branches moved like eight spider legs, lifting its massive body and crawling rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, the tree bypassed Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch, charging violently toward the students like a raging bull.

McGonagall waved her wand, casting a fire spell in an attempt to burn the tree, but the Whomping Willow moved much faster than she anticipated, and only a few branches were scorched.

"Wait a minute." Chu Yang broke free from Harry and Hermione's grip, noticing something strange about the tree's behavior.

It was clearly heading in their direction, but it was unclear if it was after him or Harry.

"Chu Yang, run!" Hermione anxiously tugged at his clothes.

Chu Yang explained, "We can't! Harry and I need to split up from the rest of you. The tree is coming after us!"

Hermione turned and saw that the Whomping Willow was indeed chasing after them.

"Don't just stand there! Get on a broom and fly in the opposite direction—away from the crowd!" Chu Yang handed a broomstick to Harry. He didn't need one; with his speed, the Whomping Willow wouldn't catch him in this lifetime.

If it were just him, Chu Yang wouldn't even need to run. Whether it was his Wood Release or martial arts, he could easily deal with the Whomping Willow.

But in front of such a large audience, he couldn't use such extraordinary powers. Otherwise, the Ministry of Magic would show up the next day to study him—or worse, throw him into Azkaban.

"I should've brought my wand! Why is Charms class tomorrow?!" Chu Yang lamented, regretting his carelessness. If he had his wand, he could use it as a cover while deploying some of his Wood Release techniques. He silently vowed to break this bad habit.

After his brief complaint, Chu Yang sprinted away!

"Chu Yang, what about you?" Harry tried to grab him but was too slow. Gritting his teeth, he mounted the broom and flew into the air.

"Damn it, I shouldn't have waited for you!" Hermione cursed, then took off running with her short legs pumping like a wind-up toy.

After running a few steps, Hermione noticed the lack of noise behind her. Instead of feeling relieved, her heart sank. It meant Chu Yang had been right.

When she turned around, she saw the Whomping Willow had indeed changed direction, chasing after Chu Yang alone!

"Hermione, its target is Chu Yang!" Harry shouted from mid-air, filled with regret.

He hadn't listened to warnings and had followed the Golden Snitch into this area, causing the tree to go berserk.

What made it worse was that Chu Yang had given him his broomstick!

If anything happened to Chu Yang, Harry knew he'd feel guilty for the rest of his life.

To keep the other students safe, Chu Yang led the Whomping Willow towards the Forbidden Forest, where there were fewer people. He had no choice but to run that way.

The massive tree plowed through the earth like a tractor, leaving devastation in its wake.

After running for a while, with no one left in sight, Chu Yang grew impatient. He stopped abruptly, clenched his fists, and turned, ready to punch the tree.

To his surprise, when he stopped, the Whomping Willow stopped too. It slid toward him with its momentum, then came to a halt right in front of him.

Then, it quietly lay still. Its branches drooped around him, gently swaying, as if… it was acting coy?

Chu Yang stared at the giant tree, bewildered.

What in the world is going on now?

Seeing no reaction from Chu Yang, the Whomping Willow stretched out a branch and began to rub against the back of his hand.

"Could it be…"

Chu Yang's eyes widened as he grabbed a branch and infused it with his magic.

As the life-giving magic coursed through the tree's massive trunk, all its branches began to dance excitedly.

"So it really was my magic that attracted it!" Chu Yang thought for a moment. It must have been the magic he unconsciously released while flying that had an unknown effect on the Whomping Willow.

Judging by its reaction, it was likely a beneficial effect. The tree had already exhibited instincts that other plants didn't have, but now it seemed to be developing higher intelligence.

Due to the influence of his unique magic, the Whomping Willow was evolving into a more "sentient" creature!

"At this rate, am I going to become a druid?" Chu Yang was dumbfounded. This was not a path he had ever considered.

The tree, however, wasn't concerned with such thoughts. It continued to nuzzle Chu Yang, like a kitten or puppy trying to charm its owner into giving it more food.

The "child" was hungry—it needed more magic to feed on!

Thanks to his unique soul and physique, Chu Yang had an absurdly large reserve of magic. He had no hesitation in increasing the output.

The Whomping Willow began to glow with a vibrant green light, its branches emitting small, firefly-like sparks.

The tree continued to grow, its height surging from the equivalent of three stories to five, and it was still expanding.

As dusk approached, the Whomping Willow was bathed in the warm, golden-red rays of the setting sun. The green glow merged with the sunlight, making it look like an ancient god slowly awakening.