Chapter 8: Intermission: Group Chat
- Jujutsu Kaisen World -
*Ding*
["Star Plasma Vessel" has joined the server.]
Star Plasma Vessel — They are young women endowed with the essential potential to rejuvenate the body through merging with the user of the Immortality cursed technique.
Among the vessels, varying levels of potential exist, enabling them to communicate with each other even if one person has already merged with the immortal.
Interestingly, the users themselves are unable to communicate with those who have become an integral part of them.
At the tender age of four, tragedy struck young Riko as her parents tragically lost their lives in a devastating car accident.
Since that fateful day, Misato Kuroi stepped forward to assume the responsibility of caring for Riko, becoming her guardian and guiding presence.
Devoid of a conventional family, Riko found herself initially accepting her role as the Star Plasma Vessel, believing she was all alone in this destiny.
After all, if you have no one to worry about, the prospect of dying may not evoke overwhelming sadness.
Knowing her unavoidable destiny, she decided to live life to the fullest. She's a social and caring person, very close to her caretaker Misato Kuroi, and enjoys spending time with her friends at school.
And then she found it...
In her room at home, a peculiar rectangular device rests on her desk. She couldn't help but wonder what it was. Perhaps some kind of landline? But landlines don't emit pictures, do they?
On the other hand, the smartphone in her hand felt quite large for her small grip, making it challenging to type a message and resulting in a typo during her first use.
Later, she encountered a new friend whom she affectionately called "Ame-san." Ame-san inquired about Riko's name, age, and curiously asked what year it was. These questions left Riko a bit unsure of how to reply.
Furthermore, Ame-san suggested checking the "Skill Core Sharing" option. With a quick tutorial on snapping screenshots, Ame-san guided Riko to capture a screenshot of her skill list.
[Would you like to share a skill?]
• [Cursed Energy Affinity] (A)
And that was it, nothing more, nothing less. Ame-san told her to tap on it and share it into the group before, finally, a few days later, a new member joined the group for some reason.
"Ame-san sure is weird..."
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- Naruto world -
Kakashi Hatake's life felt like an enduring curse, as he tragically witnessed the death of everyone he cared for. Losing his father, teammates, and, at the tender age of 14, even his teacher.
At 18 years old, he now lives the life of an ANBU captain, striving to distance himself from his past and immerse himself in a constant stream of missions to keep his mind occupied.
After completing a mission, he made his way back to the hidden village and reported to the Hokage. Relieved to have some time to unwind, he couldn't help but contemplate leaving the ANBU. Upon his return to his house, his astonishment grew as he stumbled upon a peculiar glowing object placed on his room desk.
"Hm?"
*Ding*
["Copy Ninja" has joined the server.]
The device somehow knows of his most recent nickname inside the bingo book. He is quite confused. There was also this guy with the name "admin" on it.
"Some sort of long-ranged communication device...? And why does it immediately recognize me?" He thought it must be someone from outside the village since only his enemies referred to him as the "Copy Ninja."
But at least, he will listen to what the other party is trying to say.
As he tapped the screen, a sense of astonishment washed over him when he noticed he could interact with the images by touch. To his surprise, a keyboard displaying Hiragana letters emerged, hinting that he was expected to use it to send a response.
[Copy Ninja: Apologies for the delayed reply. I figured out how this device works and have currently figured out how to communicate with you. Do please explain; I am all ears.]
Thus, he replied so formally.
And a few seconds later, the Admin answers,
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): My name is Amethyst, feel free to call me Ame. I will first tell you about this device. This device is called a smartphone, different from the normal one. However, it features the ability to connect otherworlds like a summoning and reverse summoning technique. The difference is, you are able to communicate instead of summoning.]
Kakashi couldn't help but notice the shift in their way of speaking. They were using terminologies that he was familiar with, adding to the intrigue surrounding the mysterious glowing object.
[Copy Ninja: I suppose you are suggesting all members are from a different world? I am sorry, but I don't feel like this device is using any chakra, which is the first and foremost rule you need to execute a summoning.]
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): I understand your perspective. Let me share a few important points with you. Firstly, our worlds are vastly different, and our terminologies may not align. For instance, "Chakra" does not exist in @StarPlasmaVessel-san's world, nor mine, for that matter.]
[Star Plasma Vessel: I'm Riko! Nice to meet you! 🙃✋]
[Copy Ninja: I see. Well, please continue.]
Kakashi's imagination of a different world might include Mount Myoboku and Ryūichi Cave, but there's uncertainty surrounding his interpretation.
However, one crucial question remains unanswered: How did this device register his name without his consent? And how did they even know about the term "Chakra" if they were from a different world?
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): As an admin, I possess the capability to gather information about crucial events and world laws from all members' worlds, except my own. Additionally, I might have the ability to glimpse into the future of your world and others who are part of this device's community.]
Indeed, the admin's ability does seem akin to that of a fortune-teller, which could lead some to inquire about their future. However, despite the reasoning aligning with the situation, Kakashi remains skeptical. Even if someone were to ask about their future, he wouldn't be convinced and might not believe it to be true.
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): However, I am limited to sharing only a little portion of them.]
Called it.
[Copy Ninja: If that's the case, then what would be the reason for this whole thing?]
A few minutes later, the admin responded,
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): To help everyone.]
"Hm?" Kakashi's eyebrow arched in response to the curt answer.
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): It's not just about saving your world. Once the chat gains another member, we'll embark on "Quest" missions. These tasks could involve exploring other realms, rescuing worlds in need, or recruiting new members. The possibilities are limitless.]
Note on that first sentence.
[Copy Ninja: My world is in danger?]
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.
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His world is in danger? Kakashi is not surprised at this point. Now there's only one question left:
[Copy Ninja: How can I trust you?]
A solution lies in presenting
solid evidence. Revealing to Kakashi the future of his world, specifically the Naruto Anime files, could possibly be the key to resolving the problem.
However, Ame strongly opposes this idea, preferring not to intrude on the members' lives in such a private manner. Moreover, the mere possession of the smartphone is already causing significant butterfly effects.
Just like moving a single chair when traveling to the past, even minor actions can lead to significant changes. So it's either leaving it as it is or taking complete control of the resulting alterations.
So Ame decided to take the risk.
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): How can you trust me? Well, you don't. I made it clear from the beginning that this platform was designed to facilitate mutual assistance, but everyone has their own problems.]
Translation: You need some fortune-telling? You need to pay for my service, y'know?
[Copy Ninja: Then what do you want?]
Translation: What can I give you to tell me about the future?
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): Now that's what I want to hear from you.]
Kakashi narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the screen with a stern gaze. Doubts lingered about the admin's claims, leaving him unsure of what he is supposed to do next.
And then...
*Ding*
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): Firstly, what age are you now?]
[Copy Ninja: 19, why?]
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): In a few months, Shishui Uchiha will be targeted by Danzo Shimura. Although Shisui survives, he loses his right eye and gives his other eye to Itachi Uchiha. Sadly, the weight of his struggles becomes unbearable, leading Shisui to take his own life on the cliffs of the Naka River.]
"!!!??" Almost immediately Kakashi's eyes went wide. That info was very uncalled for.
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): This info is just a down payment. You can ask me some more if you pay me.]
Kakashi was indeed surprised, but he couldn't help being skeptical. How could they expect him to believe such a thing? However, he couldn't ignore the fact that Danzo had ordered Kinoe, one of his subordinates, to kill him and take his Sharingan eye. The situation was hard to dismiss.
"If it's that guy (Danzo), he might actually do it... But---"
Will he believe what the admin tells him, or not?
Guiding Kakashi to act according to Ame's desires proved challenging since he was beyond the range of Thought Guidance. However, Ame's Thought Acceleration enabled her to extract all the necessary words to manipulate him successfully.
To be honest, Ame could have mentioned that Danzo would kill Shisui, but what really convinced Kakashi was the inclusion of chillingly specific scene details. Describing how Shisui survived and then tragically committed suicide soon after played a crucial role in shaping Kakashi's belief.
A liar tends to add more elaborate details to the accusations they're facing. However, in situations where there is a lack of context, providing numerous details can be a way to make others believe their words.
And ultimately, *Ding*
[Copy Ninja: What do you want me to give you?]
The non-Uchiha Sharingan user takes the bait.
[Ex-Veteran: For starters, I would like to ask for the Shadow Clone Technique. Don't worry, I plan to give something in return, at least for every member.]
*Ding*
[Ex-Veteran (Admin) has shared a skill core: 『Universal Affinity』]
[Ex-Veteran (Admin): Just hand me over a scroll, and I will give you that, and also another piece of information.]
Kakashi found himself even more perplexed, never having heard of "Universal Affinity" before. The term left him utterly bewildered, and he couldn't help but wonder what it meant and how it could be relevant to him.
However, Kakashi knew that he couldn't simply send the other party a technique scroll without proper consideration. Instead, he opted to delve into the meaning of "Universal Affinity" first. With curiosity piqued, he tapped on the blue text labeled "Universal Affinity," leading to another screen transformation.
*Ding*
[Would you like to download the skill core, 『Universal Affinity』?]
"Download?" There were only two options: Yes or No. The word itself felt foreign to him, but somehow he was drawn to the Yes option, and thus... He tapped it lightly.
*Ding*
Suddenly, a profound shift occurs. His body feels peculiar, as though sensing an immense amount of chakra in the air.
Originally, Chakra was a substance bound to one's soul—an energy of the inner spirit. Over time, people learned to harness it, connecting their inner spiritual and physical energies. Through kneading their chakra, they amplified and weaponized it, giving rise to what is now known as ninjutsu.
For Kakashi, this is an entirely new sensation. The air almost feels like an extension of his own body, as if he can merge with the surrounding energy and wield it as his own.
His curiosity piqued, he raised his hand and formulated a theory. "If Ninjutsu is the product of combining spiritual and physical energy, then what if the energy in the air serves as the spiritual energy, and my body acts as the physical energy..."
He snapped his fingers...
*Burst...*
A tiny flame flickered on his finger.
Having acquired this ability, Kakashi found he could employ Ninjutsu without the need to mold chakra within his body. However, it didn't grant him an infinite energy source from the surroundings; instead, it served as an alternative for chakra control.
The once-consuming power of his Sharingan could now be harnessed more efficiently, gradually and steadily, thanks to this newfound method.
Overall... He finds the ability very intriguing.
[Would you like to share a skill?]
• [Mangekyou Sharingan] (S)
• [Chakra Control] (B)
• [Universal Affinity] (B)
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To be continued.
(A/N: 2086 word count)
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