Naruto: From Konoha to One Piece

"Red Queen, report the current situation in the virtual space. Any issues?" Shin asked.

The Red Queen's image flickered slightly. "The main issue is that, once inside the virtual space, individuals' physical bodies are left unguarded. So, forcing them in without warning is risky. At the very least, they should be notified beforehand."

Shin nodded thoughtfully. "Right. Imagine someone getting pulled into the virtual space while walking upstairs—they could fall and seriously hurt themselves."

"Understood. I'll control their physical bodies to a certain extent," the Red Queen continued. "Though this might raise the ninjas' suspicion, it's necessary."

Shin added, "Additionally, set up a ten-meter warning perimeter around their bodies. If anyone enters that range, they should receive an alert in the virtual space."

"Acknowledged," the Red Queen replied.

"Now, what's the yield from the virtual space?" Shin inquired.

Data flashed in the Red Queen's virtual form like a cascading waterfall. "The gains have been significant. Processing power has increased by 97.6%. Once ordinary people begin cultivating chakra, this can reach up to 200%. Currently, the chakra reserves stand at 13 million units. With the rise of the Virtual World Era, it's projected to increase by over a million units annually."

Shin nodded, amused at his own measurement standard, where one "unit" represented the chakra amount of a Jonin-level shinobi.

"Ordinary people may not have chakra yet," he thought aloud, "but they still possess spiritual and physical energy, which can be transformed into chakra using the Tenseigan's power."

He recalled the era of Princess Kaguya, when humans had no chakra in their bodies but were still susceptible to the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Even without chakra, they weren't entirely immune to genjutsu as long as they had spiritual energy.

Shin directed, "Let's keep stockpiling chakra to fund updates and patches for the virtual space. " He understood the concept of sustainable development and knew that conserving chakra now could yield more in the future.

In fact, given the abundance of ambitious characters in the ninja world, Shin was confident that many would covet control over the virtual space. A higher chakra reserve would empower the Red Queen and Otsutsuki Hamura, providing better protection for the virtual space's core.

Though, as it stood, no one in the entire ninja world seemed capable of challenging the Tenseigan's power, Shin recognized that the future remained uncertain. Moreover, the threat of the Otsutsuki clan from beyond the stars still loomed.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Shin's expression shifted—he sensed two incredibly powerful presences approaching.

"Who could this be?" he muttered, stepping outside cautiously.

The energy signatures outside were astonishing, surpassing any he had encountered thus far—even surpassing the Nine-Tails chakra.

When Shin stepped out, his eyes widened in shock. "The Sage of Six Paths?!"

The other figure beside him bore an uncanny resemblance to Otsutsuki Hamura's chakra spirit, suggesting that this was indeed Hamura himself.

It seemed the real bodies of both legendary brothers stood before him, not mere chakra apparitions.

Faced with their presence, Shin's mind raced, quickly piecing together the implications.

"So, young one, you've caused quite a stir," the Sage of Six Paths remarked with a smile. "Had I thought of your approach back in my time, the world might look very different today."

"I didn't expect you to still be around, Sage," Shin replied, frowning. "But for beings like you, the line between life and death is rather blurred, isn't it?"

Indeed, upon reflection, Shin realized that something hadn't quite added up. The Otsutsuki clan had exceptionally long lifespans. In the original story, neither the Otsutsuki clan nor the Six Paths brothers ever truly aged.

The Six Paths brothers, born of Kaguya and blessed with divine powers, were pure-blooded Otsutsuki. It didn't make sense for them to age or die like ordinary humans.

"Yes, for us, life and death are boundaries we can cross by recreating bodies using Yang chakra," the Sage confirmed readily. "But I thought it better for the world if the Sage of Six Paths remained 'deceased.'"

"So, what brings you both here? Is it because I've opened the virtual space?" Shin asked, warily watching the two brothers.

"Indeed," replied the Sage, his gaze filled with approval. "With the creation of the virtual space, you've earned the right to stand beside us."

Seeing Shin's puzzled look, the Sage continued, "Have you ever played shogi? In a way, the ninja world is like a giant shogi board, with each piece playing its part. As you've grown in strength, reputation, and influence, you've gradually transformed from an obscure pawn to a critical piece on the board."

"But it wasn't until you created the virtual space that you became a player," he said, meeting Shin's eyes with respect.

Shin took a deep breath, still processing the implications. The Sage continued, "You likely know some things already, but have you ever considered where my mother, Princess Kaguya, and the rest of the Otsutsuki clan truly come from?"

"Outer space," Shin replied without hesitation, surprising the Sage slightly.

"Correct. The Otsutsuki clan is indeed a race from outer space," the Sage affirmed. "They conduct periodic inspections of their colonies every thousand years."

Shin nodded, absorbing this. "So, you've been nurturing the world, hoping someone capable of challenging the Otsutsuki would arise?"

"That's only part of it. We actually have two goals," the Sage clarified.

"As you said, the first is to prepare for an eventual confrontation with the Otsutsuki and, hopefully, produce individuals strong enough to aid in that fight."

"The second goal aligns closely with your own," he continued. "Though I've developed some powerful ninjutsu myself, I know that the collective knowledge and ingenuity of the world's people can yield far more than I alone ever could."

"Like your virtual space, we have our own the 'Pure Land,'" the Sage concluded, giving Shin a look of approval.

*******************************

For each power stones milestone—25, 50, 100, 150, and beyond—I will release a bonus chapter.

If you would like to gain early access, you can join me at www.patre on.com/bookbattalion