After granting a character template to each of the children, Shanks rose to his feet and looked over the group assembled in the cave. His gaze was steady, his voice calm but resolute.
"Now," he said, "you all should understand what I meant when I spoke about gaining the power of your future self."
The children nodded in unison, their expressions filled with awe, curiosity, and quiet determination.
"You've each been given a roadmap," Shanks continued. "A method. You now have clear direction on how to train, how to grow stronger. The rest is up to you—and the fire burning in your hearts."
He paused briefly, letting his words sink in before adding, "I won't interfere with your individual paths. Your training is yours to own. But if you ever need help—any kind of guidance—you can come to me. I'll be there to support you."
He stepped forward slightly, voice firm and instructive now. "You can revisit your future self anytime. All it takes is focus. Enter your mental space by concentrating, and you'll find them waiting. Don't be afraid. Both the panel you saw and your future self serve different purposes."
He raised a hand slightly, emphasizing the point.
"The panel shows your current stats—your strength and abilities as they are now. Your future self, on the other hand, is your greatest teacher. You can spar with them. Watch how they move, how they fight, how they use their powers. Learn from them."
"But remember this—" Shanks' tone grew sharper, more serious. "You must never push beyond your limit. Fighting your future self drains mental energy. If you overdo it, it can harm you. Severely. The moment you feel even a slight headache, you stop. Immediately. Understood?"
The children nodded again, more solemnly this time, fully aware of the responsibility that came with the gift they had just received.
Shanks gave a small nod and said, "Alright, everyone—you're free to go. The rest of the day is still ahead of you. Use it well. Train if you want to."
The children began to rise and scatter, some already excitedly discussing their plans. Then Shanks turned to Erza.
"Erza," he said, "go and ask Aunt Miki if she's finished preparing the list of essential supplies I asked her to put together last night. If the list is ready, bring it back immediately. We'll head out for Tonika Village right away to purchase everything we need."
He paused, then added, "And let her know—if she's trying to save money by cutting out things she thinks are unnecessary or just for comfort, tell her it's not needed. We have more than enough funds to last us for years. Even if we spend freely, we'll still have plenty left."
Shanks' tone became slightly firmer.
"In a few years, I'll begin taking on missions again. And once all of you grow stronger—six or seven years from now—you'll be doing the same. Missions from different villages, even other countries. The income from that alone will be more than enough. So there's no need to be overly frugal."
Erza nodded seriously. "I'll go speak to Aunt Miki and bring back the list as soon as possible."
"Good," Shanks said with a final nod.
With that, Erza turned and left the cave. The other children followed shortly after, each heading out with renewed purpose, their minds buzzing with excitement and possibility.
Benimaru, who was holding the sheathed sword he had received along with his character template, paused at the mouth of the cave. Just before stepping outside, he turned back to face Shanks.
"Onii-san," he asked, "can we leave the valley to train? The space around here feels a bit too cramped for all of us to practice properly."
Shanks nodded. "Yes, you can leave the valley—but don't go too far. Stay within the surrounding area so I can keep track of where you are. Let the others know as well."
Benimaru gave a sharp nod. "Understood, Onii-san."
With that, he stepped out of the cave and carried out Shanks' instructions. He relayed the message to all the others: they were free to train wherever they wanted, as long as they stayed close to the valley and didn't stray too far.
The children all agreed to the instruction, respecting both Benimaru's words and Shanks' authority. Energized by the possibilities ahead, they began scattering to their chosen training spots—each ready to take their first steps toward mastering the power within them.
----
Once everyone had left, Shanks let out a long sigh of relief.
"Phew," he muttered to himself. "Finally, all the children have received their character templates. I'm confident they'll grow into some of the most powerful ninjas in this world—and maybe even strong enough to face those Ōtsutsuki from beyond it."
Turning his attention back to his task, Shanks walked over to the stack of books and scrolls Erza had left yesterday. One by one, he carried them to his bed near the cave's entrance, where soft daylight filtered in through the opening. He intended to spend the next few hours immersed in study—searching for a way to adapt traditional ninja techniques to suit his circumstances.
Specifically, he was looking for any information on one-handed hand sealing. After all, he only had his right hand.
He picked up the first book. The title read All About Ninjutsu. As he lifted it, another book beneath it caught his eye—Research on Automatic Summoning Jutsu. The title sparked his curiosity immediately.
His eyes lingered on it for a moment. The temptation to crack it open was strong.
But he shook his head and refocused. "No," he said quietly to himself. "First, I need to fully understand how ninjutsu works—and how hand seals function in detail. Only then can I begin adapting them to my condition."
With that, he opened All About Ninjutsu, his mind sharpening as he began the journey of mastering a technique no traditional shinobi had ever needed to consider.
----
Want to get daily updates and read chapters on a daily basis? Then join my Patreon!
Patreon Link: https://[email protected]/Hkj822