Ninja Shane's warning still echoed in his mind, and Lab Coat Shane understood it clearly: if his brother-in-arms ever lost control, he had to be the first to stop him. There was no room for hesitation when it came to the fate of worlds.
The two shared a few more words before finally parting ways, retreating to their own dimensions.
Back in his own world, Lab Coat Shane placed a hand against his chest, feeling the raw, explosive power still coursing through his veins. Only then did he breathe out in relief. This was no dream or hallucination. What had happened was real. His golden finger, his cheat ability, had finally awakened.
Yet, as the thrill faded, a troubling thought surfaced.
"So this ability only activates after I come into contact with supernatural power? What if I had lived my whole life without cultivating inner strength? Would I have never unlocked this space, never connected with my other selves?"
He muttered the complaint with a wry smile. Life, it seemed, had chosen to gamble with him once again.
Seeking a distraction, Shane left his room and wandered into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water to calm his nerves. The cool liquid slid down his throat, grounding him back into reality.
Just then, his friend and roommate, Michael Wright, stepped out of the room next door. Michael's face lit up when he spotted Shane.
"So? How's the training going?" Michael asked with a grin.
Michael was no ordinary man. Shane had once stumbled across a rare cultivation manual and, instead of hoarding it, he shared it with his closest friend. The two had been practicing together ever since.
"Not only did I manage to cultivate inner strength," Shane said with a mysterious smile, "I also stumbled onto something… unexpected."
Michael's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Unexpected? Don't leave me hanging, man. Out with it!"
Chuckling, Shane raised his hand. A faint pulse of inner energy gathered at his fingertips. With just a squeeze, the glass he was holding shattered into glittering shards, scattering across the floor. His palm, however, remained untouched, not a scratch in sight.
Michael's jaw dropped. He grabbed Shane's hand, turning it over again and again, searching for injuries. Finding none, he stammered, "This this is insane! How?! Why can't I cultivate like that?!"
Shane blinked, surprise flickering in his eyes. "Wait, you haven't managed to sense qi at all?"
Michael's face fell, and he shook his head bitterly. "Not even a spark. It's like… like the manual doesn't work for me."
Shane rubbed his chin thoughtfully. For Michael, a prodigy in every academic field, failing at something like this must have been crushing. And sooner or later, Michael's sharp mind would notice Shane's inconsistencies. If left unexplained, it could crack their bond of brotherhood.
Better to give him part of the truth now, Shane decided, before mistrust grew between them. Of course, he couldn't reveal everything.
"So what's this 'unexpected harvest' you're bragging about?" Michael pressed.
Shane's lips curved into a grin. He extended his hand again, and this time a swirling orb of blue energy took shape in his palm. It spun and pulsed, radiating power.
"Behold Rasengan!" Shane declared proudly.
Michael blinked. "What the hell is that?"
Shane froze, then slapped his forehead. "Right, I forgot. You don't watch anime."
With a sigh, he dispersed the chakra sphere and explained. "After I cultivated inner energy, I got chosen by a force that connects infinite worlds. Through them, I can learn all kinds of powers from countless universes."
Michael's eyes widened. At first, he processed it like a scientist, not a dreamer. He wasn't thinking about flashy battles or destroying mountains with a punch. No, his mind leapt immediately to the concept itself.
"The multiverse… it's real?" he whispered. His hands trembled slightly. "That would change everything we know about physics, cosmology about existence itself!"
"Calm down," Shane teased, patting his shoulder. "See? This is why I told you ages ago to read more novels. Maybe then you wouldn't look so shocked right now."
Michael gave him a glare, but Shane's grin softened. "Look, if this cultivation method doesn't suit you, I'll find another. There are endless systems across the multiverse. There has to be one perfect for you."
Michael's throat tightened. His voice cracked as he whispered, "Shane…"
He stepped forward, arms spreading as if to hug him.
But Shane quickly shoved him back. "Whoa, easy there. With your long hair and that build, you're starting to look like a girl. Don't hug me like that. It's… weird."
Michael froze, then burst into laughter, his earlier heaviness dissolving. Shane chuckled too, shaking his head.
"Save the gratitude. If you're thankful, treat me to a good meal sometime."
The two friends locked eyes and laughed again, their bond quietly strengthening.
The Shinobi World
Meanwhile, in another reality, Ninja Shane emerged from his tent. The sky was dark and heavy, rain already pattering down. The battlefield smelled of wet earth and blood.
Their squad leader, Captain Aoyama, addressed the trio with a grave expression.
"Today, you'll be joining us at the front. Remember, show no mercy. Even if someone wears a Leaf Village headband, they could be the enemy in disguise. Transformation Jutsu can fool anyone. Do you understand?"
Shane frowned. "But… what about recovering the bodies?"
Aoyama sighed. "You won't need to do that. Others will confirm the bodies first. Once they've checked, you'll help seal them into scrolls. Most of the corpses you handle will already be confirmed allies. Still, be cautious. There are always exceptions."
Shane and his two teammates nodded solemnly and followed him to the battlefield where Leaf and Rain shinobi had clashed days before.
By now, the Sannin had already left. What remained was devastation.
Bodies littered the ground. Those lying on dry earth were broken but identifiable. Those swept into rivers had fared worse, stripped to bones or washed away entirely. For many, only symbolic graves could be raised.
Chunin teams worked ahead, carefully checking corpses. Once identified, the sealing squad stored them in scrolls. When the scrolls filled, they were handed off to Shane's squad. It was menial work, but necessary.
Rain poured harder, washing blood into rivulets of red. Shane stood at the rear, silently watching the grim procession.
Days passed like this until the cleanup was complete. At last, they could return to Konoha.
But the war was far from over.
News spread quickly: the Leaf had now clashed with the Stone. Sand had turned against them as well. Even Mist and Stone had begun skirmishing. Only Cloud, the instigators of the First Great War, remained strangely uninvolved this time, as if biding their strength.
For Shane, returning to the village didn't mean rest. It meant the next trial: the Chunin Exams. Once promoted, they would be sent to the frontlines.
And that, Shane thought grimly, was no blessing.
As they marched back, teammate Aya Okita suddenly spoke up. "Shane, Yamada… are you two really planning to keep being shinobi?"
The question stunned them both.
"I have to!" Yamada declared, his young voice firm despite the tremor in it. "I'll become strong enough to defeat any enemy who dares to threaten us! I'll protect the village, no matter what!"
The battlefield had scarred him, but in that pain, a seed had taken root a seed of resolve.
He would guard his friends, his family, his home. Whatever it took.
Shane said nothing. He only gazed at the rain-soaked road ahead, a flicker of doubt shadowing his eyes.
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