A few days later, news arrived that the new king was, thankfully, not the elusive eldest prince Shin had briefly heard about. Instead, Dalton, the former captain of the Drum Kingdom's guard and Bison Fruit user (Ushi Ushi no Mi, Model: Bison), had ascended to the throne.
Recalling Dalton, Shin faintly remembered the bison-shaped captain from his limited memories, and he seemed reliable. With their newly cheerful demeanor, the residents of Drum Kingdom reinforced that Dalton was highly respected, easing Shin's concerns. Now, he could focus on his training without distraction.
Months passed, and Shin absorbed nearly all of Jack's medical knowledge. With this foundation, he embarked on a journey across the Drum Kingdom to practice medicine and gain experience. For now, he had no intention of venturing into the Grand Line. Shin was still in a developmental phase, and with his versatile abilities, he wanted to solidify his strength before facing new challenges.
The only frustration Shin encountered was in his chakra training. He had learned the three earth-release jutsu his former instructor had taught and everything from the scroll his father left him. However, his growth seemed capped; without access to new ninjutsu techniques, Shin's progress stalled, forcing him to rely on his Devil Fruit powers, physical training, and the development of Haki.
Returning to the Naruto world would be risky. Besides the complications of inter-world travel, Konoha now viewed him as a rogue shinobi. If he dared return, he'd likely face interrogation techniques from the Yamanaka clan to uncover his intentions. Without a way to avoid such scrutiny, Shin had no choice but to continue honing his physical skills and medical expertise here.
Time flew by, and five years passed swiftly.
On the shore of Drum Island, a young, blue-nosed reindeer was racing in a flurry. Catching sight of a large rock, he quickly ducked behind it, trembling.
"Chopper, come out and try my latest military ration pill!" a young man, now six feet tall and bearing a confident smile, called out.
"No way! Your ration pill is poison! The last patient took three months just to regain their taste buds!" Chopper yelled, peeking from behind the rock. His eyes bulged, and his tongue stuck out comically in horror.
By poking his head out, Chopper unknowingly exposed himself. In a flash, Shin appeared beside him, snatching Chopper's tongue and slipping the pill into his mouth.
"This ration pill is effective," Shin said, grinning. "It cured that patient's malnutrition in no time!"
As Chopper swallowed the pill, his eyes turned crimson, his ears steamed, and his face twisted in agony as he tried to spit it out. Shin held his mouth shut, forcing him to swallow.
A moment later, Chopper transformed into his human-like form, tears streaming as he rolled around, writhing in distress.
Shin laughed. "It's nutritious, at least. And look, your fur seems shinier."
"Hmph! Flattering my fur won't make me forgive you, you jerk!" Chopper muttered, twisting and fidgeting bashfully.
Shin chuckled inwardly. 'Not bad. This little reindeer is easy to coax. I'll just make another ration pill for him next time.'
Over the years, Shin has not only perfected his medical skills but has also become a celebrated figure across Drum Kingdom. His medical prowess, fused with chakra techniques from the Naruto world, distinguished him from other doctors, allowing him to develop faster than most.
In his quest to refine his medical expertise, Shin sought out Dr. Kureha, the renowned witch doctor over a century old. Though initially resistant, Dr. Kureha soon recognized Shin's impressive knowledge from another world and agreed to pass on her unique medical wisdom.
The blend of Shin's Munch-Munch Fruit abilities and medical knowledge opened exciting possibilities. He could manipulate his physiology using the Munch-Munch Fruit, enabling complete bodily transformations. If dissatisfied with a modification, he could simply revert to his previous state and attempt another.
In Shin's view, Wapol's crude approach of consuming weapons to enhance his body was wasteful. Instead, Shin's mastery of the Munch-Munch Fruit could potentially give him the power of physical giants like Kaido or Big Mom through deliberate enhancements.
Armed with advanced medical skills, Shin believed that if he could somehow acquire the DNA of Kaido or Big Mom, he might replicate a fraction of their unparalleled strength—assuming he survived long enough to pull off such a feat.
Reflecting on this, Shin sighed. 'Why does getting stronger have to be so difficult?'
Unlike the straightforward power gains of the fictional absorption skills in some novels, the Munch-Munch Fruit demanded meticulous analysis and planning. Even after a transformation, he only gained their potential, not their actual strength.
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Mass Release: [5/5]
For every power stones milestone: 50,100, 200, 300,400,500 I will release a bonus chapter.
I will also release a bonus chapter for every two reviews until it reaches ten reviews.
Review status: [2/10]