"Water Release: Great Waterfall Jutsu!!"
An enthusiastic Queen Sara expelled a vast wave of clear water, creating a small lake in the barren desert.
With some hesitation, she formed another set of hand signs. "Wood Release – Great Forest Technique!"
The dry sands suddenly sprouted greenery, transforming the desolate desert into a budding oasis.
"This is incredible! It made me a ninja so easily! Now Roran will be saved!" Queen Sara exclaimed joyfully, looking over to Nagato, who observed her with an expression of controlled surprise.
Sara's quick mastery of ninjutsu, especially Wood Release, was no accident. It was Shin who had transformed her body, infusing it with some of the cells from the First Hokage, allowing her access to this powerful ability.
Of course, Shin hadn't done this without gain. The unique lineage of the Roran queens enabled them to resonate with the dragon veins' energy, and Shin had adapted himself in turn. Now, he could draw some chakra from the dragon veins for his own use.
Roran's past queens were relatively ordinary, barely able to control the dragon veins' chakra. After the sealing, they could hardly influence it at all. Yet Shin, a formidable powerhouse even among the most elite in the world, could now draw the dragon vein chakra despite the seal.
Through his experimentation, Shin had discovered an unexpected benefit.
"The dragon vein chakra can actually recharge my system," he noted quietly, settling beside the seal as tendrils of purple chakra rose from the ground toward him.
Although this chakra couldn't completely substitute for his system's power, it did reduce the energy consumption required for him to travel across the world. In layman's terms, if a single travel would ordinarily consume two units of his system's energy, only half of that amount would be needed with dragon vein support. The remaining energy could be saved for future travels.
"Still, it will take a month or two to gather enough dragon vein chakra… but that's nothing compared to the years it initially took to accumulate 'world travel energy' when I first arrived in this world," Shin mused.
Such a breakthrough prompted Shin to propose a mutual exchange with Queen Sara: he would use the Munch-Munch Fruit to enhance himself, adopting her unique bloodline. At the same time, she would receive a physique upgrade through his abilities.
The Roran royal bloodline, it seemed, had secrets of its own. Sara's new body, enhanced with the First Hokage's cells, now held the potential to reach levels of power comparable to a Kage. Though she lacked combat experience, with her Water and Wood Release techniques, she could transform Roran into a verdant oasis, even without the dragon vein.
Additionally, with her new attributes, Sara's descendants would inherit a part of her modified bloodline. While they might not awaken Wood Release, mastering simpler Water and Earth Jutsus would be within their reach.
After absorbing chakra until he reached his limit for the day, Shin stood up and noticed Sara and Nagato approaching; the Queen's face flushed with excitement as she exchanged observations with her temporary mentor.
Upon reaching the dragon vein's seal, Sara's expression grew serious. With her new perception, she could fully appreciate the tremendous power within the dragon vein. She realized the danger her ancestors had underestimated by building their kingdom atop such a volatile force.
What unsettled her most, however, was Shin himself, calmly drawing energy from the dragon vein's seal as though he were merely fishing from a calm lake. She couldn't help but feel like he was tampering with a dormant volcano whose eruption would annihilate them all.
Despite her concern, Shin wasn't acting recklessly. His enhanced physique allowed him to safely handle the dragon vein's chakra—as long as it didn't trigger a complete chakra explosion, the energy posed no real danger to him.
Shin turned toward Sara. "How are you finding Wood and Water Release, Sara?"
Sara's eyes sparkled. "With these abilities, Roran doesn't need to fear droughts or sandstorms anymore… Are all ninjas really this powerful?"
Nagato snorted. "You're mistaken if you think this is normal. Most ninjas using Water Release in the desert would be fortunate to produce enough water to drink!"
"The strength of your techniques ranks among the top twenty worldwide regarding raw chakra. I'd say you could easily be in the top ten," he added with a grudging tone of respect. "But it's not typical—your abilities reflect the incredible enhancement of your bloodline."
Shin waved a dismissive hand. "Sara's abilities also stem from her own talent. Queen Sara," he said, addressing her formally, "if you're serious about developing these abilities, consider joining my organization."
Sara, despite her enthusiasm, was cautious. "Your organization? What's its name, and what's its purpose?"
Shin paused, considering. "Right now, it's called Akatsuki. As for our objective, in the first phase, it's to establish world domination."
Sara's face blanched. "Can I… decline?"
"Certainly," Shin replied with a small smile. "But remember—you now possess information we prefer to keep private."
"My lips are sealed," Sara promised, uneasily glancing at him.
"Regrettably, our organization believes only the dead can keep secrets," Shin said, his expression deadpan.
Sara's heart sank. How had she gone from saving her kingdom to entangling herself in a covert terrorist group?
Shin continued his tone light but pointed. "Moreover, Wood Release is a famous bloodline limit. Once news spreads, every ninja village will want to study you—whether you like it or not."
Sara's shoulders sagged in resignation, realizing her predicament fully.
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