Shin first returned the Phoenix Fruit from Diana back to Marco. Thanks to his mastery over the flow of time, only three to five days had truly passed in the Pirate World. For Marco, who had lived through countless battles and eras, this short lapse of time was barely worth noting. To him, it was as if nothing had changed.
After fulfilling that matter, Shin sought out the famous laboratory of Dr. Vegapunk.
This facility was not merely a laboratory but the very heart of innovation in the Pirate World. It housed nearly all of the world's most brilliant minds. Countless scientists, each an expert in their own field, had gathered there. Yet, despite their genius, their work often only complemented Vegapunk's vision. Their roles were more like assistants, orbiting the brilliance of a single star. Vegapunk's intellect stood leagues above the rest, almost alien in its superiority.
In the Pirate World, technology existed in strange contradictions. Some nations lived with medieval tools, while others stood on the verge of futuristic marvels. Vegapunk, however, surpassed them all. His technology was said to be five hundred years ahead of the entire world.
When one compared him to the most advanced nations, that gap still held true. And compared to the average islands scattered across the seas, the distance was more like thousands of years. He was not just a scientist but an anomaly of progress.
When Shin entered Vegapunk's lab, he handed him a small vial of potion. The liquid inside glowed faintly.
Vegapunk adjusted his glasses and smiled faintly. "This is the X-Gene potion. With it, you can theoretically awaken all the latent X-Gene abilities within a body."
Shin studied the vial closely, his eyes narrowing in thought.
Vegapunk continued, his tone calm yet tinged with excitement. "However, it does not grant you abilities directly. For powers you have not yet collected, you must absorb the blood of someone carrying the same X-Gene. Only then will the ability manifest within you."
Shin nodded slowly. "My current body is essentially Kryptonian. I've also consumed a Devil Fruit and integrated a Chakra Fruit. Each new fusion has brought risks. I assume the X-Gene will carry the same dangers."
"You understand correctly," Vegapunk replied. "The X-Gene acts like a template, embedding itself into your already altered genome. No matter how durable your bloodline may be, integration will always carry strain. Every gene has a limit."
Although Shin himself was a capable researcher, especially in medicine and biology, he knew he was nowhere near Vegapunk's level. Listening to the man was like staring at a bottomless well of knowledge. Many of his theories slipped past Shin's comprehension, yet that hardly mattered.
What Shin required was not mastery of the science itself but a practical understanding of its results.
A soft gust of dark mist appeared as Shin drew upon the powers of his Dark-Dark Fruit. The test tube slipped into the dark dimension, consumed safely using the Munch-Munch Fruit. Where others would require kryptonite or advanced equipment to handle such integration, Shin could simply rely on the abilities of his unique Devil Fruit to manage the process.
Testing his powers, Shin extended his hand. A test tube floated upward, disassembling into its molecular structure before reforming as a large beaker.
"Apocalypse's ability to decompose and reconstruct matter… but it does not allow teleportation," Shin murmured, analyzing the effect. His body flickered as he switched abilities, moving with bursts of speed and stopping abruptly, his brows furrowing.
"I can only use one ability at a time," he noted aloud. "Every switch requires me to change focus."
Vegapunk nodded. "That is correct. It is the only real drawback. Integration grants you access to countless abilities, but simultaneous use is limited. You may overlap powers under certain conditions, but you cannot wield all at once."
He leaned back and added with a smile, "Limitations are not necessarily weaknesses. After all, even among mutants, true Omega-level beings are rare. Perhaps it is through embracing such limitations that one eventually transcends them."
Shin sighed, not entirely disappointed. "With my current strength, most auxiliary mutant abilities have only small advantages. What I need are powers with overwhelming force. Still, versatility has its value."
Switching his ability to Wolverine's healing factor, Shin revealed another creation to Vegapunk: the mind-transfer device.
Vegapunk's eyes lit up with genuine admiration. "An astonishing invention. To externalize one's consciousness is to transcend time itself. Inspiration often overwhelms me. My mind floods with ideas, but my hands can only create so much at once. If there were countless versions of myself working together, my efficiency would increase beyond measure."
He chuckled. "You are full of surprises, young man."
Shin couldn't help but smirk. Vegapunk reminded him of a certain bespectacled scientist from another world, the one from One Punch Man who had cloned himself and rejuvenated his body effortlessly. Though brilliant, that man had eventually been forced into seclusion after his creations failed against a true monster. It was a sobering reminder of how brilliance without balance could end in ruin.
Vegapunk, however, though eccentric, still possessed a sense of restraint. He was capable of dangerous research, certainly, but he lacked the reckless cruelty of men like Caesar Clown, Queen, or Judge. That difference gave Shin some reassurance.
With Vegapunk's guidance, it took Shin nearly a week to fully create his digital clone, a form of consciousness detached from his physical body.
Without super-speed abilities, his progress was slower than ideal, yet he achieved results others would consider impossible.
Scientists like Caesar Clown, Queen, and Judge had managed similar feats, but theirs were crude in comparison. Their minds were far simpler, and thus their consciousness clones lacked the depth and precision of Shin's creation. Vegapunk's input had elevated the project far beyond their reach.
During that week, Shin also found moments to spend with Kozuki Hiyori. Though it had been only a few days since their last meeting, the brief time together brought him quiet peace amidst the chaos of his larger plans.
Once his preparations were complete, Shin turned his attention back to the multiverse. With Vegapunk's help, he transferred the cloned consciousnesses of several scientists. Together, they departed from the Pirate World, crossing the threshold into another reality.
Their first destination was Apokolips, the world of fire and conquest. From there, Shin made his way back to the Naruto Universe, the realm he considered his true stronghold.
With the power of the Red Queen and his mastery over Virtual Space, Shin's control within the Naruto Universe eclipsed anything he had in other worlds. Even compared to his influence in the Pirate World, here his authority was near-absolute.
Before fully settling, however, Shin made an adjustment. He deliberately weakened the Red Queen's strength. Without the complete technology of Apokolips, the sentient AI was already weaker, but further restraint was necessary. Even at its diminished state, it was still vastly beyond most powers, though far weaker than entities such as the Designer of Tree Diagram in Academy City or the viral monstrosities of Resident Evil.
*******************************
For each power stones milestone—25, 50, 100, 150, and beyond—I will release a bonus chapter.
If you would like to gain early access, you can join me at www.patre on.com/bookbattalion
70+ Advance Chapters Now Available!