Since arriving in this world, Lin Qing had accumulated countless memories worth cherishing.
He had met many close friends, defeated enemies worthy of respect or contempt, and, alongside his many companions, worked to make this terrible world a better place.
For a man, what greater honor could there be?
But if he had to name the most precious of them all—
"It seems to be this one."
This was the night of the victory banquet held after the battle of Kirigakure had just ended—after Yagura had been overthrown, the Feudal Lord of the Land of Water had been killed, and Mei Terumi had taken office as the leader of Kirigakure.
On the rooftop terrace, Lin Qing had said these words to Mei Terumi.
And this was the beginning of Lin Qing's campaign to conquer the world.
He was no longer a wandering hero, no longer a bounty hunter who killed for Soul Shards.
Lin Qing now had a group of trustworthy companions by his side. After the fighting was over, he had somewhere he could return to.
His most precious memory.
Beyond all doubt.
Lin Qing picked up the fragment of memory. Under the Katsuyu Sage's shared perception, his thoughts expanded and spread outward, like a loudspeaker broadcasting into the universe.
According to the Katsuyu Sage's explanation, as a memory fragment radiated outward, part of it would enter the river of time.
An exceedingly faint resonance would arise between the memory and the past as it had truly occurred. As long as Lin Qing could use that resonance to send his soul into the river of time—
The first stage of training would be complete.
Sending one's physical body into the river of time was extremely difficult, just like when Lin Qing and Itachi Uchiha had traveled through it last