· Not long after, Ryan finished his call with Nico Robin and placed the Den Den Mushi back into its glass case.
He looked around at everyone present.
“You all heard what Robin said just now.” “From now until this evening, we’re free to do whatever we want.” “So…
what are your plans?” Hashirama Senju answered without the slightest hesitation.
“Since that young lady, Nico Robin, invited us, let’s go to Rain Dinners.” He was genuinely curious about the casinos of the One Piece world.
The thought alone had already made him itch to try his luck.
“I’m coming too!” Tsunade’s gambling addiction had been completely reignited.
At this point, her heart had already flown straight to Rain Dinners.
As for Shizune…
There was nothing to say.
Wherever Tsunade went, she naturally followed.
Orochimaru flicked out his tongue as he spoke.
“Kabuto and I plan to wander around this world for a while.” Kabuto Yakushi nodded.
He was equally fascinated by this unfamiliar world.
Finally, it was Tobirama’s turn.
Without hesitation, he stepped directly in front of Ryan.
“I’m staying with you.” He understood one thing better than anyone else.
Ryan was the core of everything.
If anything happened to Ryan…
Or if Ryan abandoned them in this world…
None of them would ever be able to return to the Naruto world.
Without returning…
There would be no fighting the Ōtsutsuki.
And no saving the ninja world.
Ryan absolutely could not be allowed to come to harm.
Therefore…
Tobirama intended to stay by his side at all times.
Coincidentally, Ryan had been hoping for a bodyguard anyway.
Naturally, he agreed without hesitation.
With that settled…
The group split up.
Ryan had originally assumed that Nico Robin lived inside Rain Dinners itself.
After all, in the anime, the casino was enormous, with multiple floors.
There was certainly more than enough room for Robin to live there.
However…
After stepping outside her bedroom, he found himself in a hallway.
To the left was a modest living room measuring only a few square meters.
Only then did he realize…
Robin didn’t actually live inside the casino.
Instead, she had rented a small two-story villa across the street.
Thinking about it carefully…
Ryan wasn’t surprised.
Nico Robin was someone who lacked a sense of security and carried countless secrets.
There was no way someone like her would choose to live together with Crocodile.
Fortunately…
Her home wasn’t far from Rain Dinners at all.
The casino’s giant sign could be seen immediately after walking out the front door.
The two locations were separated by nothing more than a single street.
Once everyone had gone their separate ways…
Ryan and Tobirama strolled through the broad streets together, looking around with curiosity.
Rainbase was the rainiest city in the Kingdom of Alabasta.
During the original story, Crocodile had secretly used Dance Powder to plunge nearly the entire kingdom into a devastating drought.
Only Rainbase escaped its effects.
It became the only city blessed with abundant rainfall.
As a result…
It had grown into the most prosperous city in Alabasta.
Ryan had seen Rainbase countless times in the manga.
But reading about a place…
And actually standing inside it…
Were two completely different experiences.
He had wandered around Konoha before.
But compared to Rainbase…
Konoha simply wasn’t on the same level.
Ryan’s first impression of the desert city was its sheer size.
His second…
Its incredible prosperity.
To withstand the desert’s frequent sandstorms, most buildings were constructed from stone bricks.
That was completely different from Konoha.
Most buildings there were made of wood.
Stone structures certainly existed…
But they were far from the norm.
“Mr.
Ryan.” After wandering around until he grew somewhat tired, Ryan found a park where he could rest.
It was then that Tobirama, who had quietly followed beside him the entire time, finally spoke.
“What is it?” Ryan turned to look at him.
Tobirama remained silent for several seconds before asking solemnly, “I have a question.” “Why are you helping us fight the Ōtsutsuki?” As far as he was concerned…
Ryan had no connection whatsoever to the Naruto world.
They weren’t relatives.
They weren’t friends.
He simply couldn’t understand why Ryan would help them.
Ryan blinked in confusion.
“When did I ever help you fight the Ōtsutsuki?” Tobirama frowned.
“Bringing us to this world.” “Isn’t that helping us?” Ryan suddenly understood.
“Oh…” “So that’s what you meant.” “You call that helping?” Tobirama looked equally confused.
“Isn’t it?” Without Ryan bringing them here…
How could they possibly stand against the Ōtsutsuki?
After all…
Chakra itself originated from the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
Trying to defeat them using chakra alone was like trying to beat someone while following rules they themselves had created.
Surpassing them that way was almost impossible.
Devil Fruits, however…
Offered an entirely different path.
That was why Tobirama genuinely wanted to know…
Why Ryan had chosen to help their world.
After all…
There was no such thing as kindness without reason.
Ryan answered calmly, “When I first gained the ability to travel between worlds…” “The very first world I visited…” “Was yours.” “And the first person I met…” “Was Tsunade.” He chuckled.
“You probably won’t believe this…” “But when I first met her…” “She happened to be changing clothes.” “The moment she saw me…” “She used the Body Flicker Technique to appear right in front of me.” “Then she grabbed my head.” “If she’d squeezed just a little harder…” “My skull would’ve come clean off.” “That was the closest I’ve ever come to death.” “I was terrified.” “I almost wet myself.” “Right then…” “I realized that some worlds are incredibly dangerous.” “If I entered them without sufficient strength…” “I could die at any moment.” “That would be a truly miserable way to go.” “So…” “Tsunade became the perfect bodyguard.” “Beautiful.” “Strong.” “And incredibly reliable.” “But we weren’t related.” “We barely knew each other.” “So why would she protect me?” “The answer was simple.” “I told her everything that would happen in Naruto.” “As long as Tsunade didn’t want to leave everything to Naruto Uzumaki…” “As long as she still wanted to save the ninja world herself…” “She would have no choice but to work with me.” “Because only I could take her to other worlds…” “To search for a way to save her own.” Ryan shrugged.
“But that’s really all I can do.” “I can open the door.” “After that…” “How to study Devil Fruits.” “How to become stronger.” “And how to save the ninja world…” “That’s her responsibility.” “I’m just the guy who opens the portal.” “Besides…” “I’m not interested in fighting.” “What I enjoy most…” “Is traveling…” “And eating delicious food.” “If there happens to be a beautiful woman accompanying me…” “Even better.” Tobirama couldn’t help but complain, “So…
sorry for not being a beautiful woman.” Ryan waved his hand dismissively.
“It’s fine.” “Safety comes first.” “Even if you’re not a beautiful woman…” “Your Flying Thunder God Technique is more than enough to keep me alive.” Hearing those words…
Tobirama smiled confidently.
At the same time…
He finally understood Ryan’s true motives.
His mind immediately began racing.
He started thinking about how to firmly tie Ryan to Konoha’s future.
Because he knew better than anyone…
Just how terrifying Ryan’s ability to travel freely between worlds truly was.
It represented limitless knowledge.
Countless powers.
Infinite possibilities.
As long as Ryan was willing to continue cooperating with Konoha…
Forget merely defeating the Ōtsutsuki.
Even surpassing them…
Or unifying the entire ninja world…
Would no longer be an impossible dream.
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