Naruto: From Konoha to One Piece

Ultimately, the Kiri ninjas were unable to kill Obito, and Orochimaru retrieved him for 'further use'.

Sasori seemed hesitant about this, though. Despite losing his Mangekyō Sharingan, Obito still had Wood Release abilities. Yet somehow, Orochimaru managed to negotiate with Sasori, who eventually agreed.

Not standing on ceremony, the two began collecting various ninjutsu scrolls and resources from the Hidden Mist Village. Orochimaru was particularly interested in research documents on human anatomy and various jutsu, while Sasori focused on gathering knowledge regarding crafting ninja tools. He paid particular attention to anything relating to the Seven Ninja Swords, particularly the Samehada, as he saw a potential link between it and his human puppetry techniques.

The ninjas could only watch this with silent resentment, hardly daring to speak out. After all, the person who had effortlessly dispatched the tailed beast was still around, observing with a smile. Provoking him would only invite disaster, and the village wasn't in any shape to risk that now.

After gathering what they wanted, Sasori and Orochimaru left cheerfully, leaving Shin alone in the village.

"So, you weren't able to locate him after all?" Shin asked Terumi Mei as he scratched his head, standing in the Mizukage's office.

"We didn't expect to," Terumi Mei replied, rubbing her temples. "The Samehada (Sharkskin Sword) isn't exactly easy to wield. It's a sentient blade, one of the most powerful among the Seven Ninja Swords, and incredibly selective of its user."

Shin sighed, disappointed. "The idea that Kisame was able to bond with it so quickly… it's only been a few months since he got the Samehada."

Terumi Mei nodded. "We believe Kisame Hoshigaki has allied himself with Obito, so we prioritized finding him. But despite combing through the Land of Water, we couldn't locate him. With the chaotic state of the village, he probably slipped away with ease—especially with that sword at his side."

Shin nodded thoughtfully. He had a particular interest in the Samehada. Its abilities to heal injuries, absorb chakra, and enhance its wielder's power intrigued him; its functions reminded him a lot of his own Munch-Munch Fruit.

Still, he decided to let it go. It wasn't a necessity, after all, and Kirigakure was in enough disarray as it was.

"We did manage to locate a member of the Yuki clan, as you suggested," Mei added with a hint of curiosity. "But I don't know where you got your information. This young boy, Haku, only awakened his ice release three days ago."

"Oh, so you found the ice release user?" A smile appeared on Shin's face. Aside from the Dead Bone Pulse and Obito's Sharingan, this was one of the bloodline abilities he desired most.

However, upon seeing the small, frail boy before him, around five or six years old, Shin caught himself. He'd been contemplating acquiring his abilities, but he didn't want to cause any lasting harm to someone so young.

He would need to absorb a small amount of the target's blood to gain a bloodline using the Munch-Munch Fruit. Although he could heal them afterward, the process would still take a heavy toll for someone of Haku's age, even with medical jutsu.

"I must say," Terumi Mei said, eyeing him thoughtfully, "this doesn't align with your earlier persona. Didn't you have a reputation for being rather ruthless?"

Shin smirked. "Among ninjas, I probably have a high moral bottom line," he replied. "I never kill anyone without reason."

She snorted. "How do you even determine if someone is innocent?"

"Nobody's truly innocent. Those who choose the life of a shinobi bear the weight of that choice," Shin replied with a trace of coldness. "In this line of work, innocence is an illusion."

Mei faltered, realizing she had no solid counterargument. Especially in Kiri, a place where every ninja had tasted blood and brainwashed, it was hard to argue against his perspective.

"Fine. But, does that mean you'll wait until he's older to... use him?" she asked.

Shin rolled his eyes. "No, I don't need to wait that long. I can take small samples of blood and body tissue over time, healing her after each session. With enough time in between, it won't leave any aftereffects."

"It just so happens I'll be here a while longer. Besides acting as a deterrent, I can also help you strengthen your forces."

Terumi Mei raised an eyebrow. "Strengthen our forces?"

The mention of deterrence didn't faze her. Though Shin wasn't a Kiri native, the villagers respected him—possibly more than they respected her as the Mizukage. The village had its own culture and values that outsiders found challenging to integrate into. But Kiri was also known for its harsh survival-of-the-fittest mentality, treating ninjas as tools. This mindset made the village cautious and fiercely loyal, though only if they recognized their leader's strength. Given Shin's overwhelming power, the Kiri shinobi respected him more for it, even more than they feared him.

"Indeed, to strengthen your forces," Shin confirmed.

He had several methods to boost others' power, especially since he'd acquired the mutated enzyme from Jugo, which could enable others to enter a stable sage mode if they had sufficient chakra reserves.

Terumi Mei looked intrigued, expecting Shin to teach her some secret technique. But before she could guess further, he enveloped her in his black mist, whisking her into the dark dimension, where she underwent a rapid transformation. Within seconds, she was back, brimming with new power.

Feeling the strange energy coursing through her, Terumi Mei's eyes widened. "This… it's incredible."

A light pigmentation appeared around her eyes as she spoke, marking her entry into sage mode.

"Yes, this is sage mode," Shin explained. "With Jugo's enzyme and a small infusion of Hashirama cells, I've increased your chakra and heightened your sensitivity to natural energy. Though you won't be able to use Wood Release, this adaptation makes you perfectly attuned to sage mode."

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

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

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

Mass Release: [4/5]

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