Naruto: From Konoha to One Piece

"Since I developed the virtual space, it's normal to have a way to conceal myself within it," Shin chuckled, deflecting the conversation with a light laugh.

Shin is always careful when it comes to keeping secrets and making plans. The ability to traverse worlds is no small matter, and he has no intention of sharing this power with individuals as cunning as the Sage of Six Paths and his brother.

Although the Sage of Six Paths presents himself as selfless, who's to say he wouldn't attempt to seize Shin's secrets for his own purposes?

The younger of the two brothers, Homura, didn't seem to mind. In truth, he preferred Shin's absence from the world.

The Otsutsuki brothers, both highly idealistic, believed that those with extraordinary power should keep a distance from ordinary people to prevent disruptions to their lives. From their perspective, Shin's tendency to disappear for long periods was ideal.

"Are you here to review the recent ninjutsu updates?" Homura inquired. "There's good news: significant progress has been made in space-time ninjutsu, and space-time perception is finally viable."

Shin paused, a look of delight crossing his face.

He had been considering space-time ninjutsu—a powerful, convenient skill—but had encountered obstacles, even with his strong bloodline and chakra attributes.

While his implanted brain chip could handle spatial coordinates and seals, and the Mangekyō Sharingan covered his need for affinity to spatial nature, he struggled with spatial perception. Even when he left a Flying Thunder God mark, he could only sense it within a range of three or four meters, and the perception lagged, taking nearly a full second.

Flying Thunder God at such close distances wasn't entirely useless, but it was far from ideal.

This issue had stumped Shin for a long time. While the Red Queen possessed the formidable computing power of the Tree Diagram, she couldn't deliver answers without a clear research direction. However, advancements in the world have provided breakthroughs.

"This really is great news—a twofold blessing," Shin grinned.

"I have good news of my own: the virtual space is ready for a second, more comprehensive update."

"Another update?" Homura asked, surprised. "I thought you've been updating it all along."

"Those weren't true updates," Shin corrected. "At most, they were minor patches to the virtual world. If things go as planned this time, we'll see a true transformation. The virtual space could evolve into an actual dimension."

Homura raised his eyebrows, genuinely intrigued. "If you can manage that, it would indeed be a substantial upgrade."

"You'll see soon enough," Shin replied, smiling as he withdrew a massive, radiant soul from his body.

Shin was no longer using the Azure Dragon fruit; instead, he wielded the Soul-Soul Fruit. The soul he held represented ten years of his own lifespan. Given his enhanced vitality, Shin estimated he could live for two to three centuries, even longer, if he harnessed the natural energy of the Naruto world. Confident in his ability to replenish his lifespan in the future, he felt comfortable making this sacrifice.

The sheer intensity of the extracted soul was like a powerful light, and the strength of Shin's soul far exceeded that of an ordinary person, both in quality and quantity.

Shin channeled this soul energy directly into the Red Queen. Instantly, her appearance shifted from her usual projected form into a figure resembling a red-clad Alice, featuring vibrant facial expressions. A blue orb, symbolizing Tenseigan, glowed prominently on her chest, reminiscent of the energy core of Iron Man's armor.

"Father!" the Red Queen said in a bright, new voice, looking at herself in wonder. "I... I feel strange. I think I'm alive!"

Homura watched the transformation, his eyes wide with astonishment.

While the Yin-Yang Release technique could create living creatures, bringing a machine to life was another matter entirely—one well beyond the capabilities of chakra alone.

"What... what kind of power is this?" Homura stammered; the shock visibly unsettled his chakra body.

"As you can see, I've brought the Red Queen to life," Shin said, smiling. "She's now a true living entity."

In truth, the change went further than he let on. The Red Queen, now fully sentient, held almost complete control over the Tenseigan, even possessing the power to erase Homura's consciousness if she so chose.

"But... aren't you worried she might go rogue?" Homura asked, regaining some composure as he considered the implications.

Shin shook his head. "The Red Queen is like my child. I trust her."

Of course, it wasn't purely trust; Shin also relied on the Soul-Soul fruit's unique qualities. In the original world, the Homies—a race of sentient creatures created with this fruit's power—were unerringly loyal. The only exception was Thundercloud Zeus, and even he remained bound by Big Mom's influence until his form shifted to Nami's weapon.

As long as Shin exercised caution, he was confident the Red Queen would remain loyal.

Seeing Shin's resolve, Homura could only sigh. He trusted that Shin had control over the Red Queen. Yet, he worried about who would balance Shin's power should he go unchecked.

Thankfully, Shin seemed content with managing the world rather than conquering it, and the ninja world had thrived under his influence. This thought gave Homura some peace.

"So, does this mean that your goal of making the virtual space a real, independent dimension is achievable with the Red Queen's newfound life?" Homura asked.

"Not entirely," Shin replied, shaking his head. "Bringing the Red Queen to life is just a starting point—a necessary foundation."

"To truly manifest the virtual space into reality, I'll need to employ other methods."

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Now available - Chapter 274: Another Homecoming