Assembling the Three Great Manga

Duke instinctively obeyed the two of them. Only after holding his breath and focusing did he realize something was wrong. The himself in this dream was far too strange—he had no guard at all against strangers. Then, two streams of memories flooded into his mind. Having experienced memory fusion once before, Duke knew how terrifying it was, the pain like having his skull pried open and boiling water poured inside. But this time was different. It was like standing on a grassland beneath warm sunlight, with the fragrance of grass and earth filling his nose, utterly intoxicating.

As the memories continued to pour in, Duke's expression shifted along with them—joy, anger, sorrow, every emotion filled his heart. The memories were so real, as if he had experienced them himself. It felt as though he had recovered memories forgotten for years.

At first, both streams of memories were identical to Duke's first twenty-five years, with nothing but tragedies piled on life's coffee table. Things only changed after they were struck by the Planet Destroyer Cannon. One had transmigrated into One Piece, becoming a youth from an ordinary village in the West Blue. He was eighteen this year and currently served as a corporal at a Navy Branch. Navy Corporal Duke had already spent ten years in the One Piece World. The Duke who had transmigrated into Soul Society was even more remarkable. According to his memories, he had been there for fifty years, spending more than forty of them in Rukongai. He had finally made something of himself and was now a student at the Shinigami Academy.

In those memories, Duke was sometimes a Navy soldier training hard every day, and sometimes a weak soul begging for food in Rukongai. After a long while, Duke slowly opened his eyes and suppressed the two streams of memories. His expression was complicated as he said, "So... that Aliens' Planet Destroyer Cannon split me into three, turning me into us, and then sent us to the three worlds of Hokage, One Piece, and Bleach?"

Navy Duke and Bleach Duke had also digested the memories of Hokage World. Hearing this, Navy Duke nodded. "That's right, but calling that bolt of lightning a Planet Destroyer Cannon gives Aliens too much credit."

"Souls are complicated, but they're also fragile." Bleach Intern Duke took over. "I don't believe Aliens could divide our memories into three without causing the slightest damage. After merging the memories of Soul Society, you should know that our souls suffered no damage whatsoever. Rather than being split into three, it would be more accurate to say..."

"It would be more accurate to say we were copied into three..."

"Are there really only three of us? Maybe a new Duke will come here tomorrow..."

"Which world would he be from?"

"..."

The three spoke one after another. Rather than conversing, it seemed more like they were talking to themselves.

"Right, the experiences of me in Hokage World are way too bizarre! A civilian brat from the Land of Water gets rescued by Konoha ninja, brought back to Konoha to be raised, and even has a guardian with considerable status in Konoha... Forgive me for saying so, but who would believe that?" Navy Duke seemed to recall something, his face growing animated. "You must have something special about you, right?"

"I really don't!" Duke from Hokage World said awkwardly. With their memories fused, he already understood the situation with his Golden Finger. After coming to this space, he had gained more than just the memories of the other two worlds; he had also shared the powers of those worlds. From Navy Duke, he gained physical abilities beyond ordinary humans—strength, speed, endurance, and close-combat skills. From Bleach Intern Duke, he gained nearly fifty years' worth of formidable spiritual power.

Of course, this Golden Finger had limitations. Power provided across worlds could not appear in its original form. For example, Bleach Intern Duke had already awakened his Zanpakuto, though he still did not know its name. Yet Navy Duke had not manifested a Zanpakuto in the One Piece World, nor could he use the Kido of Soul Society. Different worlds had different laws, and all things existed beneath those laws. The Golden Finger could not create something out of nothing.

Even so, it was ridiculously overpowered. If one day a hundred Dukes gathered together, then even if a newcomer did nothing but lie down and receive their power, he could still become an unparalleled expert in his own world.

It was great and powerful, but Duke from Hokage World was in an awkward position. He himself was only a five- or six-year-old brat, with virtually no physical strength and pitifully little chakra. He had no power worth sharing.

"Ninja do not do meaningless things. Even if Konoha's ninja belong to the lawful good camp among the Five Great Ninja Villages, they would never rescue a brat from another country. Unless he is one of those so-called Chosen Ones, but that's impossible!" Bleach Intern Duke said with certainty.

"True. We're transmigrators, after all. And Hokage World already has a Chosen One, though he hasn't been born yet!" Navy Duke nodded. As transmigrators, they should thank heaven if the world did not reject them. The world's favor had nothing to do with them.

"So you must have something special! Konoha would not take such meticulous care of you. There is no boundless love, only people acting for profit. That is a flaw in human nature, and ninja are no exception." Bleach Intern Duke said expectantly, "Besides, ninjutsu, secret techniques, bloodline limits, and so on from Hokage World... perhaps one of them can be used in my world."

"If that's the case, then it really is good news." Navy Duke laughed heartily. "I'm only an ordinary Navy soldier with no background. I can't get my hands on high-end stuff like Devil Fruits, the Six Powers, or Haki. It's the same on the Bleach side. Without a noble background, we have the same resources as ordinary students. We're all being trained as cannon fodder. If you're different, perhaps even our fates will change."

"Our fates changed the moment we transmigrated!" Bleach Intern Duke swept his gaze across the other two and said calmly, "Though we are one, there is something I must say. Time does not flow at the same speed in our three worlds. I don't know what the situation will be when we meet again. Perhaps one of us will die... Relying on others will never be as good as relying on yourself!"

"I understand what you mean. Don't worry, I'm not someone who just drifts through life." Navy Duke flexed his bicep and said firmly, "I won't be surpassed by myself from another world!"

"You're putting a lot of pressure on me!"

Duke from Hokage World scratched his cheek. The three stacked their hands together and burst into laughter.

Having experienced different worlds, Duke from Soul Society was the most mature and composed, while Duke from One Piece World was straightforward and open-minded. Only Duke from Hokage World had spent too little time there to change much.

When Duke woke up, he pushed Hades off him as it nuzzled against him and washed the drool from his face. The reflection in the mirror had not changed at all—he was still as adorable as ever. Yet the power continuously surging through every limb and bone, along with his chakra that had multiplied several times over, were undeniably real. Last night had not been a dream.

"A body stronger than an adult's, spiritual power that seems nearly endless, causing my chakra to increase drastically... But doesn't this seem a little excessive?" Duke wondered. There was simply too much chakra inside his body. That was very abnormal.

Developing the Golden Finger was not so simple. Though the three had figured out some of its workings through speculation, their understanding was incomplete. They did not know that the Reiatsu of Soul Society could manifest as chakra in Hokage World, because both worlds possessed energy that could be cultivated. As for One Piece World... it had probably become stamina! Chakra still left traces to follow, but stamina could not be seen or touched. The energetic Navy Duke had not noticed his changes. This could only be confirmed when the three met again, because upon returning to his own world, Bleach Intern Duke would discover that his Reiatsu had increased somewhat.

Hades bit Duke's pant leg and dragged him all the way to the dining room, then obediently sat before its dog bowl. It finally settled down after being fed.

The family of four ate breakfast. Little Anko had just gotten up and looked listless, while Natsuki coaxed her to eat. Duke watched with interest for a while, then finished his own breakfast in two or three bites and said to Mitarashi Shixiao, "Uncle Zixiao, I want to learn Medical Ninjutsu!"

"You've been really motivated lately!" Mitarashi Shixiao was stunned for a moment before looking at Duke strangely. In the report he had given Hiruzen Sarutobi, his evaluation of Duke had been sharp-tongued, lazy, afraid of trouble, and lacking ambition. How long had it been before he got slapped in the face? Forget sharp-tongued for now—what happened to being lazy, afraid of trouble, and unambitious? First a Ninja Dog, then Medical Ninjutsu. If this continued, what would Lord Hokage think of him? Irresponsible? That the entire S-rank Mission report was nonsense?

"I realized at school that I have many shortcomings," Duke said modestly. Right now, he only wanted to learn as much as possible and rise again as a top student. A great man had once said that knowledge was power. Another great man had said that knowing one more language meant having one more way to survive.

Though the laws of the worlds differed, they still had things in common. Perhaps certain knowledge could change one's fate in another world. He needed more knowledge to fill himself. Maybe in this world, maybe in another—any of it might become a trump card that could save his life in the future. Therefore, the more trump cards he had, the greater his chances of survival. The more who survived, the stronger he would become as power accumulated across worlds.

Naruto Uzumaki had proven this through personal experience: whether training or fighting, one had to mobilize the masses! In some ways, Duke's Golden Finger was like Naruto's—the whole point was having numbers.

"You are still a student at the Ninja Academy. Your current studies are the foundation. Perhaps Kakashi has influenced you, but I must tell you that I personally do not approve of Kakashi graduating early..." Mitarashi Shixiao said very seriously. "The foundation determines your ceiling. Kakashi is merely overdrawing on his talent. Without a solid foundation, his future path will be difficult. I do not want you to become like him. Remember, how much water a bucket can hold depends on its shortest stave! You may be a genius too, but do not aim too high!"

I'm only about as good as Asuma at school. If it weren't for last night, I'd probably only reach Jonin level in the future. That counts as a genius? Then geniuses are way too cheap! Duke silently mocked him. Your judgment is terrible. Kakashi will become a man who becomes Hokage in the future. He's nowhere near as bad as you say.