The morning sun streamed through the shoji doors, casting soft golden light across the polished wooden floor.
Nero stretched his arms above his head, exhaling deeply.
He hadn't realized how much he needed a proper night's rest until now.
After the discussion with Zen and Mu, his mind had finally settled.
His thoughts, once an unrelenting storm of theories and breakthroughs, now felt aligned, focused.
For the first time in weeks, he felt truly rested.
As he stepped into the dining area, the scent of freshly brewed tea and grilled fish filled the air.
Zen sat lazily with a cup of tea in one hand, a bemused expression on his face.
Mu, as always, was poised and composed, methodically sipping his tea while scanning a manuscript.
Zen chuckled as Nero took his seat. "You're crazy, kid. Completely insane. You realize that?"
Nero raised an eyebrow, tearing a piece of toast with his fingers. "You just now figured that out?"
"No, no," Zen laughed. "I had my suspicions before, but after last night?
There's no doubt. You're truly Albus' grandson."
Nero smirked, then tilted his head. "What do you mean by that?"
Zen's grin widened, and Mu set down his cup with a small amused sigh.
"Your grandfather, Albus Dumbledore, was a prodigy, much like yourself, but he also had a tendency for reckless brilliance in his younger days.
There's an infamous story from his time at Hogwarts, one that became ministry-level classified for decades."
Zen leaned forward, clearly enjoying himself. "Albus got obsessed with time turners.
He wanted to see if he could maximize his own efficiency, study multiple disciplines, conduct experiments, and attend meetings all at once.
So, instead of using them for brief time jumps, he stacked them, creating multiple versions of himself within the same timeframe to speed up his learning."
Mu nodded. "It worked, for a while. But eventually, his 'selves' started interfering with one another.
One version of him outdated his own knowledge, while another started contradicting discoveries he hadn't even made yet.
By the end of the week, there were six different Dumbledores, each arguing with the others over what was the 'real' future."
Zen smirked. "The British Ministry had to intervene before he created a paradox.
They confiscated every time turner he had access to and banned him from using them indefinitely.
The official ruling was that he 'threatened the linear integrity of magical time.'"
Nero blinked, then let out a low chuckle. "Okay, I'll admit… that does sound like something I'd do."
Zen clapped the table. "Exactly! You're just as bad!" He grinned. "Actually you're even worse, because yours actually work."
Mu set his cup down with a soft clink, his expression unreadable. "Is your research result the answer to your current predicament?"
The air seemed to shift. The playful banter was gone.
Nero met Mu's gaze evenly, his fingers still idly playing with his food. "Yes," he answered.
"This is both the best way to reach the apex of magic and a way to solve my predicament."
Mu's gaze didn't waver. "Explain."
Nero exhaled, gathering his thoughts. "It wasn't just one thing that led me here. Your story, Mu, Zen, the way you had to split yourselves to master opposing principles.
My own understanding of Western magic and Eastern magic.
The books I studied: failed experiments on soul splitting, memory absorption, and self-replication…"
He paused, meeting Mu's gaze. "All of it solidified an idea I had a long time ago.
Something I once thought impossible, but I lacked the understanding to attempt.
Now? I finally see the path forward."
Zen leaned back, rubbing his chin. "And what exactly is this path?"
Nero took a sip of tea, letting the warmth settle before answering. "You, Mu and Zen, had to separate into two entities to master contradictory principles: Void and Cosmos."
He placed his cup down, his eyes sharp. "I will do what seems impossible, I will seek balance."
Mu's brow furrowed slightly. "Balance?"
Nero nodded. "By using my clones, I will simultaneously explore both principles, Void and Cosmos, without tearing myself apart.
Instead of choosing one path, I will master both and find a way to combine them, or at least have them coexist at the beginning."
Zen let out a low whistle. "You really are a little monster."
Mu remained contemplative. "Your way of thinking is… unconventional."
He paused before continuing, "But I understand your logic. Rather than risk your body and mind directly, you will conduct trial and error through your clones, each of them learning first, refining the knowledge, and only then will you integrate it into yourself.
This drastically reduces the risks that would otherwise be unbearable for a single person.
Especially when dabbling into contradictory Principles."
Nero nodded. "Exactly. If something goes wrong, I lose a clone, not myself."
Mu folded his arms. "If it works… that is a method with immense potential…"
Mu continued, his voice even. "However, there is something you must be careful of." He folded his arms. "I hinted towards that yesterday but, this technique of yours… if word of it spreads, you will attract a lot of attention."
Nero nodded in agreement. "You're right. Just like you both trusted me with your secrets, I trust you to keep mine."
His expression turned serious. "My research is not something I intend to reveal. It stays between us."
Mu nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with that answer.
Zen, however, was still grinning. "You do realize what this means, right?"
Nero raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Zen leaned forward, his grin widening. "You're taking concepts that were deemed impossible and making them reality. You're actively rewriting the rules."
Nero smirked. "That was always the goal. I am Nero Ravenclaw, I am just built differently."
Zen laughed loudly.
Mu sighed, though there was an unmistakable glint of approval in his eyes. "Once again, a word of caution, Nero. Secrecy about this technique should be your first priority."
Nero's smirk didn't waver. "Thank you for your care Mu. I plan on doing that.
And to be honest, even if this technique is somehow leaked, it will be close to impossible for anyone else to achieve it."
Mu's gaze sharpened slightly. "And why is that?"
"Because some doors only open with the right key," Nero said quietly. "And I'm the only one who knows where to turn it."
His thoughts flickered to the Raven Eyes, his unique gift, the ability that allowed him to see and analyze magic at its deepest levels.
It was this ability that let him refine his clones, ensure seamless knowledge transfer, and, most importantly, maintain control without suffering the catastrophic failures of past attempts.
As he thought this, his mind flickered to the deeper truths of his research.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg, Nero thought.
Without the modifications I made, the fusion of Occlumency and Barrier Magic, this technique would be unusable.
The human brain isn't designed to handle that kind of information transfer.
Without my safeguards, attempting this would be a death sentence.
Mu studied him carefully, as if weighing his words.
Finally, he gave a small nod. "Then make sure it stays that way."
Nero nodded.
Zen asked. "So? What's next? Now that you have managed to create this technique"
Nero's eyes gleamed with excitement as he stood up from the table. "That's simple."
He turned to them with a casual grin. "Do you have some more wooden swords?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50 chapters ahead on Patreon (Suiijin): Chapter 184: A Long-Awaited Reunion