Time passed quietly. Hui didn't stir up any more chaos; instead, he patiently waited for the cooldown of his spatial traversal ability to end.
Of course, during this time, he had prepared a few things in his spatial storage.
For example, the blood and flesh of large creatures from this world, various exotic plants, and even Devil Fruits.
These were all materials he planned to bring back for research.
Of course, that was only if they weren't damaged during the process of spatial travel.
On a remote, uninhabited island, Hui sat cross-legged atop a large rock.
At a certain moment, his half-closed eyes suddenly opened.
"It's time!"
As his voice fell, the space around him instantly twisted. His entire body became transparent, gradually fading away, until he completely disappeared.
Once again, Hui found himself inside a mysterious spatial passage, his body moving rapidly as countless chaotic images flashed before his eyes.
The images were too many and too chaotic. If it were an ordinary person, they would have quickly succumbed to the sheer impact of the information overload, feeling dizzy or even fainting outright.
Even Hui himself felt a piercing headache from the surge of information and visuals.
But he endured, his immense willpower keeping him conscious and aware.
And he was searching;
"Found it! This is the place!"
Hui spoke in excitement, his body suddenly being pulled toward his target.
When he reappeared, he found himself floating in the void of space.
Looking down at the planet beneath him, a smirk appeared at the corner of his lips.
He could sense the marker he had left behind, a spatial imprint made from his spiritual power.
"This time, I appeared directly in space… Looks like I still need to study this ability further."
"Well, that can wait."
Hui muttered to himself before his body shot downward, heading straight toward the Shinobi World below.
Though the distance was within his spiritual sensing range, it wasn't close enough for him to instantly teleport using Flying Thunder God.
After all, even though his mastery of Flying Thunder God was powerful, his range wasn't limitless.
But with his full speed unleashed, he descended at a terrifying pace.
It didn't take long for Hui to reach the Shinobi World and arrive at Hidden Sage Village.
Truthfully, he had considered using Flying Thunder God to instantly teleport to Tsunade's side.
But, he didn't want to startle her again.
So, Mochizuki Hui suppressed his excitement, walked up to the door, and gently knocked.
"Come in."
A familiar voice rang out.
A warm smile spread across Hui's face.
Then, he pushed open the door and stepped into Tsunade's office.
"I'm back."
He spoke softly.
The moment she heard his voice, Tsunade's head snapped up.
And the next second—
Hui felt a soft, warm body throw itself into his arms.
"Seriously… You were gone for two whole months!"
Her voice carried both complaint and affection, but to Hui, it only felt warm and comforting.
He gently kissed her forehead, his voice soft and filled with warmth.
"I'm back, aren't I? There's no way I'd miss our wedding."
Hearing that, Tsunade's expression softened into a happy smile.
Yes…
They were about to get married.
Their wedding was scheduled for this month, twenty days from now.
The moment news of Hui's return spread throughout Hidden Sage Village, the entire village erupted with joy.
People couldn't help but feel relieved and motivated, their spirits instantly lifted.
Because by now, Hui had become the spiritual pillar of the entire world.
To many, he was practically a deity.
…
After spending a whole day with Tsunade, Hui didn't immediately return to his official duties.
Instead, he headed toward the Senju Clan's secret laboratory, a facility dedicated to researching genetic modifications and cellular enhancement.
Upon entering, it wasn't anything like what outsiders might imagine.
The laboratory wasn't dark, eerie, or sinister.
Instead, it was well-lit, with pleasant greenery, and elegant, meticulously designed interiors.
All of this was Orochimaru's doing.
Despite his reputation, Orochimaru had a deep appreciation for aesthetics and believed in creating a refined living environment.
And sure enough.
The moment Hui stepped inside, he was greeted by a smooth, almost playful voice.
"It's been two months, Hui-kun. I trust you've been well?"
Seeing Hui, Orochimaru couldn't help but smile.
This was the man who saved him, a brilliant light in his life.
"Two months, and it seems like you've advanced even further in your strength."
Hui smiled as well. To him, Orochimaru was an important ally, someone who had become his right-hand man.
"This time, I've brought you something interesting."
Hui's words made Orochimaru pause for a moment, before a wider grin spread across his face.
If it was something that Hui considered valuable, then it had to be extraordinary.
"Now that… I look forward to."
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
Even though Orochimaru was no longer as twisted as he was in the original timeline, his passion for research remained just as fervent.
He had grown into a brilliant scientist, biologist, and geneticist, the man who now held the keys to advanced technology in their world.
The one who mastered the core of scientific progress.
Hui retrieved the items from his spatial storage, still smiling as he examined them.
None of them had been damaged during spatial travel.
This made him deeply ponder.
Perhaps… there's a way to optimize this even further.
"This is the flesh and blood of a massive creature. Its head alone is as large as Gamabunta."
Orochimaru's pupils contracted.
He knew exactly how massive Gamabunta was.
And if this creature's head alone was that size…
Just how colossal was its entire body?!
"Oh, right, its body was shaped like an eel."
Hui added casually.
Orochimaru's entire body stiffened.
Because he immediately realized.
An eel's head is only a small fraction of its total body length.
Which means… this creature was unimaginably massive!
"This… this is truly…."
Orochimaru spoke with genuine excitement, his hands already itching to begin research.
But before he could reach for the flesh, Hui casually tossed it aside.
Instead, he solemnly retrieved a fruit.
"This… this is the most interesting thing."
His tone immediately piqued Orochimaru's curiosity.
If i Hui was treating something with such importance, then it had to be extraordinary.
"This fruit is called a Devil Fruit. Eating it grants the consumer unique abilities."
Hui began explaining:
"There are three categories of Devil Fruits:
Mythical Zoan-type, which grants it's user the ability to transform into legendary creatures or enhance the body in supernatural ways. Examples include…
"Paramecia-type, which grants abilities that defy conventional laws, such as…
"Logia-type, which grants the power to become and control elements, such as…"
As Hui elaborated, Orochimaru's eyes sparkled intensely, as if his Sharingan had awakened.
He licked his lips and murmured,
"What a truly fascinating fruit…"
Then, he shook his head, sighing.
"What a pity… There's just too few of them."
"That's true. The quantity is a bit lacking. But it doesn't matter, I'll be able to procure more of it in the future."
One of the reasons he hadn't gathered more Devil Fruits was because he was in a hurry to return home.
The second reason was that he worried that they might be destroyed during spatial travel.
But now.
It seemed like this could become a long-term venture.
"Is that so? Then that would be excellent."
Orochimaru nodded, satisfied.
"There are also a few other things…"
Hui continued introducing the various materials he had brought back.
Orochimaru's excitement reached a peak, his body trembling slightly from exhilaration.
"Your wedding is approaching soon. Leave these things to me."
Orochimaru said with a rare sincerity.
He had already prepared a wedding gift for Hui.
"Alright, I'll leave them to you then."
Hui nodded.
With only twenty days left until his wedding, he had no interest in conducting any research.
Right now, he just wanted to prepare properly for his big day.
After leaving the laboratory, Hui returned to his office.
He glanced at his desk, noticing that there weren't many documents waiting for him.
Opening them, he saw that they were important matters requiring his direct attention, but none were urgent.
After handling the paperwork, Hui stretched lazily.
He gazed out of his window, overlooking the familiar and prosperous Konoha, feeling an immense sense of relaxation.
"As expected… there's nothing as calming as the warmth of oine's home."
He muttered to himself, a smile forming on his lips.
Then, his expression shifted slightly as he thought about something else.
"It's about time… to reveal the truth about the Ōtsutsuki Clan."
"After the wedding… I'll tell everyone."
As that thought settled, Hui rested his chin on his hand.
'The planet of One Piece… and the Shinobi World…
Are they part of the same dimension?
If I connect both planets through a spatial teleportation array…
A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.
Now that… would be interesting.'
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