Simultaneous Transmigration: From Japanese Anime to American Comics

Chapter 28: The Monster in the Black Lake

"So, we're following in the footsteps of those great pioneers?"

"Wow, my goodness, that's so cool!"

The excited young wizards chattered nonstop, breaking the fear that the darkness had brought.

Hermione proudly lifted her head and winked at Chu Yang, subtly showing off.

To keep her calm, Chu Yang was about to compliment her when an untimely voice suddenly rang out.

"Look! That little Muggle-born Mudblood is teaching real wizards about Hogwarts history?!"

"What a joke!"

A small boat drifted nearby, carrying three boys. The two on either side were tall and much bulkier than Neville.

Sitting between them was a blond boy with a good-looking face but a sinister expression, clearly not here with good intentions.

The blond boy spoke in a low voice, "You Mudbloods from lowly Muggle families are not worthy of talking about the four great wizards, especially the great Salazar Slytherin."

"Mind your own business!" Hermione was shaking with anger. Ever since entering the wizarding world, she hated it most when people mentioned her Muggle parents.

"How can you say such cruel things?"

The normally timid and shy Neville uncharacteristically lashed out, angrily accusing the blond boy.

"What does 'Mudblood' mean?" Hermione froze, instinctively feeling it was a bad word.

Neville hesitated for a moment, then whispered a few words in Hermione's ear. Her expression immediately changed, and her eyes reddened.

Chu Yang squinted his eyes and coldly stared at the blond boy. Among the new students, only one person could say such venomous words—Draco Malfoy!

Ordinary young wizards might not know the details of the new students at Hogwarts, but Draco Malfoy was different.

His family was a well-known name in the history of Hogwarts, and his father, Lucius Malfoy, was one of the school governors. It was common for the Malfoys to obtain the new students' list early and try to form connections with notable wizarding families.

When Lucius Malfoy saw that there were two Muggle-born students on the list, he flew into a rage in front of Draco.

Every member of the Malfoy family had graduated from Slytherin House, and they revered Salazar Slytherin's belief in pure-blood superiority.

They believed that only pure-blood wizards were worthy of learning and using magic.

Chu Yang found this amusing.

By their logic, the first wizard to discover and use magic wouldn't even be qualified to use it.

Because his parents were Muggles...

Without the first Muggle-born wizards paving the way and sharing their discoveries, where would wizarding families come from?

This wasn't like the question of which came first, the chicken or the egg.

Muggle-born wizards undoubtedly came before pure-blood wizarding families.

Infuriated by Hermione's firm retort, Malfoy couldn't contain his rage and started spitting out even more vicious insults.

"Is this the etiquette of pure-blood wizards? Using foul language to insult others when things don't go your way?" Chu Yang sneered. "This kind of behavior... I've only seen it from street thugs in London. Your upbringing is truly concerning."

Draco Malfoy's face turned bright red, and he jumped to his feet, shouting, "I only show etiquette to wizards. You filthy..."

Before Malfoy could finish, the boat suddenly swayed violently, and he nearly fell off. Fortunately, Goyle was quick enough to grab him.

At that moment, twisted tree roots began emerging from the lakebed.

Under the moonlight, the branches rising from the lake started wrapping around Malfoy's boat, causing it to slow down until it eventually stopped and began to rock violently.

"Damn it! What's going on? Didn't they say this lake was completely safe?" Malfoy clung to the side of the boat, screaming hysterically in fear.

The branches continued to wrap around the boat, and within moments, there was no space left for the three boys to stand.

Hagrid, who had been leading the way in front, finally noticed something was wrong. His eyes widened as he shouted, "My goodness, what the heck is that?"

The dark surface of the lake was hazy under the moonlight.

In Hagrid's eyes, the branches and vines on Malfoy's boat looked more like some kind of monster's tentacles, shaking the boat and trying to toss the three boys into the water.

"Damn it, what do we do? I didn't bring my wand!" Hagrid began to panic. He hadn't brought his umbrella-shaped wand today because he thought it was just a routine student pick-up.

Now, with an emergency happening right before his eyes, he was powerless.

Just as Hagrid was regretting not bringing his wand, Malfoy and his two companions finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell into the water, one after another, like dumplings being dropped into a pot.

Splash Splash Splash

Malfoy desperately tried to grab the boat, but the branches in the lake wrapped around his legs and pulled him under.

Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle

Malfoy bobbed up and down in the water like tripe in a hotpot. Every time he tried to call for help, the lake water would fill his mouth.

Compared to Malfoy, his companions, Goyle and Crabbe, were in much better shape. Although they had also fallen into the lake, they quickly climbed back onto the boat.

Strangely, once Malfoy fell into the water, the boat stopped rocking.

Other than being soaked, Goyle and Crabbe weren't hurt.

Both boys had the same thought: the "monster" in the lake seemed to be targeting Malfoy alone!

With that in mind, Goyle and Crabbe exchanged glances and happened to meet Chu Yang's cold gaze.

They both shuddered, quickly lowering their heads, not daring to look again.

Terrified that he was about to be eaten by the lake monster, Malfoy cried out, "Help me! Please, someone help me! I don't want to be eaten! I don't care who it is, just help me!"

"Goyle! Crabbe!"

Malfoy desperately called for his companions.

Instinctively, Goyle leaned over the side of the boat, ready to pull Malfoy up.

But the boat started rocking violently again. Goyle screamed and fell into the lake once more!

Crabbe, terrified, quickly distanced himself from Malfoy, pretending it had nothing to do with him, avoiding the same fate.

He was now certain that the "monster" was specifically targeting Malfoy.

When Goyle climbed back onto the boat for the second time, he, too, began to pretend not to hear Malfoy's cries for help, just like Crabbe.

Poor Malfoy had almost drunk his fill of lake water...

At first, Hermione felt a sense of satisfaction seeing Malfoy fall into the water. The anger in her heart seemed to dissipate completely.

However, as time passed, she began to worry that something might actually happen to him. After all, she was still just an 11-year-old girl, pure and kind-hearted.

Hermione anxiously asked, "Why aren't his companions helping him? They're both so strong, either one of them could pull him back onto the boat."

Chu Yang glanced at her, somewhat surprised. "After all those nasty things he said, you're worried about him? You're not angry anymore?"

"Of course I'm angry!" Hermione said, matter-of-factly. "But I don't want to hate a dead person. Only if he's alive can I have the chance to get back at him!"

Chu Yang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. The old saying was true—pretty girls hold grudges. Best not to provoke them easily.