Naruto: From Konoha to One Piece

Seeing a few ninjas who didn't respond after collapsing, the entire conference hall suddenly went silent.

Clearly, Shin's tactic of intimidation was highly effective. By incapacitating a few ninjas, he had made it apparent to everyone present that he wasn't bluffing. They now understood the power he held over their lives in this virtual space.

"Listen, everyone, I'm here solely to inform you of this news. Your reactions are irrelevant to me," Shin declared, his tone dismissive.

"If you make the necessary preparations, your villages and clans may thrive in this new era. But if you choose to be stubborn, then don't complain when the technological innovations crush you," he continued coldly. "Now, I'll give you the Akatsuki membership rings. If you don't want it, you're free to discard it. But know that only Akatsuki members will receive updates on changes within the virtual space and will have a say in its future."

With that, Shin snapped his fingers, and a black ring marked with numbers appeared in front of each person.

"Alright, make your choice. Putting on the ring makes you a member of Akatsuki. Discarding it means you'll be excluded from the virtual space."

"One more thing," he added with a piercing gaze, "tonight marks the first public test of the virtual space. Everyone worldwide will be able to enter. This is merely a notification; I don't need anyone's approval."

As Shin finished, most people felt trapped between undesirable choices. Accepting the ring came with uncertainties, but rejecting it would mean being excluded from a potentially era-defining power.

Just then, Terumi Mei, the Mizukage, picked up the ring and slid it onto her finger with a slight smile. "In that case, I'll rely on your guidance, Shin-sama."

Following her, the other Kirigakure ninjas also put on their rings—after all, Kirigakure was already under Akatsuki's influence.

The leaders of the other major villages glowered but felt compelled to follow suit. After a moment, Hyuga Hiashi glanced at his ancestor and then quietly put on the ring, considering the potential benefits for his clan.

Jiraiya, Tsunade, and the Fourth Raikage also donned their rings to everyone's surprise. Jiraiya nodded at the Third Hokage. "Danzo isn't here," he murmured, implying that Shin had intentionally excluded Danzo, a potential adversary.

As the Third Hokage put on his ring, others followed suit, and Shin nodded. "It seems everyone has joined Akatsuki. Allow me to explain the ring's function. You can use the ring for telepathic communication as long as you're within the virtual space, whether physically present or not. I will also use it to relay important updates."

"Of course, this ring only manifests within the virtual space; it's just a mark."

Without further questions, Shin dismissed everyone except his subordinates. Suddenly, they vanished from the conference room.

"Cough, cough!" Jiraiya sputtered, finding himself back in a hot spring. "What… where am I?" Then he remembered—he had been gathering "materials" before entering the virtual space.

Looking around, he was greeted by screams as startled women scrambled to cover up. A few kunoichi, looking dark-faced and determined, were arming themselves with an assortment of "weapons."

"Wait! It's a genjutsu, I swear! Ahh!" Jiraiya cried out as he fled, bruised and battered, with a large group of incensed women in pursuit.

"Heh, the legendary Toad Sage won't be caught so easily!"

However, his triumphant grin faded when a deep voice echoed in his mind.

"Virtual World: First Round of Public Testing, Open!"

Jiraiya felt his consciousness lifted, and after a moment of dizziness, he found himself in a peaceful, fragrant landscape. Around him were familiar faces from Konoha, both villagers and ninjas, all equally confused by their sudden transport.

In front of him, a translucent interface appeared, displaying various options: personal training grounds, time flow adjustments, an extensive ninjutsu library, and voice transmission capabilities.

At the bottom was an exit button, along with an explanation that exiting allowed instant re-entry with a mere thought.

Jiraiya marveled at the features, especially the chakra-based access to advanced functions. The more chakra one had, the more privileges they could unlock. Ordinary people who couldn't yet control chakra would be limited to a few hours a day.

Still, those hours could be used to study chakra control and basic ninjutsu, allowing even ordinary civilians the chance to progress to the level of a Jonin over time.

"An era where everyone could become a Jonin… it's unimaginable," Jiraiya muttered, shaking his head. Suddenly, he sensed something off and looked up, surrounded by women with grim faces.

"Oh no, the spatial layout here mirrors the real world!" Before he could say another word, mops and brooms rained down upon him.

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