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·Chapter 602: Kisame Hoshigaki.

After reviewing all the gains, Charles found that the latest ninja recruitment yielded enough Kin Tsuchi fragments to meet the requirement for a C-rank ninja, adding another member to the Sound Ninja Village.

Additionally, the number of Shippuden Sakura Haruno fragments reached 36, getting close to the recruitment threshold.

Summarizing the results of this ten-time recruitment, Charles obtained 22 fragments, which was quite average in terms of quantity, but the quality was exceptionally high.

The breakdown included:

- 6 S-rank fragments

- 4 A-rank fragments

- 5 B-rank fragments

- 7 C-rank fragments

With all the fragments collected, Charles seized the moment of good fortune and immediately initiated another round of ten-time recruitment.

"Ninja Recruitment, ten consecutive draws, go!"

The Uzumaki symbol of the Land of Whirlpools appeared again, emitting a peculiar light. After a flash, the recruitment results were displayed before Charles Doyle.

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Karui fragment x2!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Kin Tsuchi fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Hanabi Hyuga fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Naruto Uzumaki fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained B-rank ninja, Shippuden - Sasuke Uchiha fragment x2!

Ding! Obtained A-rank ninja, Young Minato Namikaze fragment x4!

Ding! Obtained S-rank ninja, Minato Namikaze fragment x5!

Ding! Obtained S-rank ninja, Minato Namikaze fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained A-rank ninja, Young Minato Namikaze fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained A-rank ninja, Sakon fragment x1!

As the recruitment concluded, Charles was astonished by the results. This round was even more spectacular than the previous one, with both S-rank Minato Namikaze and A-rank Young Minato Namikaze fragments exploding in abundance—6 S-rank fragments and 5 A-rank fragments.

Moreover, Shippuden Sasuke Uchiha fragments reached 37, getting close to the recruitment threshold.

Summarizing this ten-time recruitment, Charles obtained 19 fragments. Although fewer in quantity compared to the previous round, there were more A-rank fragments.

The breakdown included:

- 6 S-rank fragments

- 5 A-rank fragments

- 2 B-rank fragments

- 6 C-rank fragments

With all the fragments collected, Charles compared the results of the two recruitments, finding that his fortune hadn't waned at all. Not wanting to waste any time, he immediately initiated a third round of ten-time recruitment.

"Ninja Recruitment, ten consecutive draws, go!"

The Uzumaki symbol of the Land of Whirlpools appeared again, emitting a peculiar light. After a flash, the recruitment results were displayed before Charles Doyle.

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Rock Lee fragment x2!

Ding! Obtained A-rank ninja, Young Minato Namikaze fragment x4!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Iruka Umino fragment x2!

Ding! Obtained B-rank ninja, Shippuden - Rock Lee fragment x4!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Ino Yamanaka fragment x2!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Hanabi Hyuga fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained A-rank ninja, Young Minato Namikaze fragment x4!

Ding! Obtained S-rank ninja, Minato Namikaze fragment x1!

With the latest recruitment round completed, Charles remained unfazed, feeling confident in his consistent luck.

Although he only received the guaranteed S-rank Minato Namikaze fragment one time, the A-rank Young Minato Namikaze fragments were abundant, totaling nine.

Despite not recruiting any complete ninjas, Charles was satisfied with the results. He reviewed the latest ten-round recruitment, which yielded 22 fragments, the same quantity as the first round.

The breakdown included:

- 1 S-rank fragment

- 9 A-rank fragments

- 4 B-rank fragments

- 8 C-rank fragments

Encouraged by the ongoing blessing, Charles proceeded with a fourth ten-round ninja recruitment.

"Ninja Recruitment, ten consecutive draws, go!"

The Uzumaki symbol of the Land of Whirlpools appeared again, emitting a peculiar light. After a flash, the recruitment results were displayed before Charles Doyle.

Ding! Obtained A-rank ninja, Young Minato Namikaze fragment x4!

Ding! Obtained S-rank ninja, Minato Namikaze fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Naruto Uzumaki fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained A-rank ninja, Young Minato Namikaze fragment x4!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Rock Lee fragment x2!

Ding! Obtained B-rank ninja, Shippuden - Naruto Uzumaki fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Choji Akimichi fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained A-rank ninja, Kisame Hoshigaki fragment x4!

Ding! Obtained B-rank ninja, Shippuden - Rock Lee fragment x1!

Ding! Obtained C-rank ninja, Sakura Haruno fragment x2!

As the recruitment concluded, Charles felt the blessing of good fortune dissipate. Although it lasted a bit longer than last time, perhaps indicating that his future self had grown stronger.

Summarizing this ten-round recruitment, Charles obtained 21 fragments.

The breakdown included:

- 1 S-rank fragment

- 12 A-rank fragments

- 2 B-rank fragments

- 6 C-rank fragments

With the blessing ended, Charles had conducted four ten-round recruitments, successfully recruiting only C-rank Kin Tsuchi. However, he had amassed 16 S-rank Minato Namikaze fragments and 26 A-rank Young Minato Namikaze fragments.

Although he held little hope for completing the S-rank Minato Namikaze with the remaining six rounds, he was optimistic about recruiting the A-rank Young Minato Namikaze. Charles had long coveted Minato's Hiraishin Technique, which offered a low-cost teleportation option compared to the expensive Merlin Array.

With a clear goal in mind, Charles didn't hesitate and proceeded with the remaining recruitments.

After completing six ten-round recruitments without the blessing, Charles received a large number of ninja fragments.

In the first ten-round recruitment without the blessing, he got one guaranteed S-rank Minato Namikaze fragment, two B-rank fragments, and the rest were all C-rank.

In the second ten-round recruitment without the blessing, he received one guaranteed S-rank Minato Namikaze fragment, eight B-rank fragments, and the rest were all C-rank.

In the third ten-round recruitment without the blessing, he received one guaranteed S-rank Minato Namikaze fragment, sixteen B-rank fragments, and the rest were all C-rank.

After three rounds of only getting the guaranteed S-rank fragment, Charles was feeling a bit frustrated. He wondered if his luck was really this bad without the blessing. The increasing number of B-rank fragments was the only thing keeping him from giving up.

Determined to follow through with his plan, Charles continued with the recruitments.

In the fourth ten-round recruitment without the blessing, he received one guaranteed S-rank Minato Namikaze fragment, four A-rank Young Minato Namikaze fragments, nine B-rank fragments, and five C-rank fragments.

Finally seeing an A-rank Minato Namikaze fragment boosted his spirits.

Taking a deep breath, Charles proceeded with the fifth ten-round recruitment without the blessing. He received one guaranteed S-rank Minato Namikaze fragment, eight A-rank fragments (four Young Minato Namikaze and four Kisame Hoshigaki), nine B-rank fragments, and seven C-rank fragments.

In the sixth ten-round recruitment without the blessing, he received one guaranteed S-rank Minato Namikaze fragment, twelve A-rank fragments (eight Young Minato Namikaze and four Kisame Hoshigaki), one B-rank fragment, and seven C-rank fragments.

With the final ten-round recruitment completed, Charles had finally gathered enough fragments to recruit A-rank Young Minato Namikaze, totaling forty-two fragments.

Charles then summarized the results of the recruitments:

S-rank: Minato Namikaze, recruited six times, totaling 6 fragments.

A-rank:

 - Young Minato Namikaze, recruited three times, totaling 16 fragments.

 - Kisame Hoshigaki, recruited two times, totaling 8 fragments.

B-rank:

 - Shippuden Sakura Haruno, recruited two times, totaling 3 fragments.

 - Cursed Seal Kimimaro, recruited seven times, totaling 28 fragments.

 - Gaara, recruited three times, totaling 6 fragments.

 - Shippuden Ino Yamanaka, recruited one time, totaling 1 fragment.

 - Shippuden Sasuke Uchiha, recruited two times, totaling 3 fragments.

C-rank:

 - Kin Tsuchi, recruited two times, totaling 3 fragments.

 - Naruto Uzumaki, recruited three times, totaling 4 fragments.

 - Fushin, recruited five times, totaling 11 fragments.

 - Rock Lee, recruited two times, totaling 4 fragments.

 - Sakura Haruno, recruited two times, totaling 4 fragments.

 - Tayuya, recruited two times, totaling 2 fragments.

 - Neji Hyuga, recruited three times, totaling 6 fragments.

 - Hanabi Hyuga, recruited two times, totaling 2 fragments.

 - Ino Yamanaka, recruited two times, totaling 3 fragments.

 - Choji Akimichi, recruited two times, totaling 4 fragments.

 - Zaku Abumi, recruited one time, totaling 1 fragment.

 - Shizune, recruited one time, totaling 1 fragment.

 - Iruka Umino, recruited four times, totaling 5 fragments.

 - Shizuka, recruited two times, totaling 3 fragments.

After collecting all the fragments, Charles exited the recruitment interface and opened his ninja list. Upon seeing the ninja list, Charles was stunned.

Among a crowd of newly lit icons, seven ninjas were ready for direct recruitment:

A-rank: Young Minato Namikaze, Kisame Hoshigaki

B-rank: Shippuden Sasuke Uchiha, Shippuden Sakura Haruno, Cursed Seal Kimimaro

C-rank: Kin Tsuchi, Fushin

Seeing that only four slots were needed to summon all seven ninjas and that he had two available slots, Charles realized that including the previously recruited Kushina, he only needed three more combat slots to recruit everyone.

This abundance of ninjas meant a significant boost in his strength, making him more confident about meeting the Eternals. Even if a conflict arose, he could use the Hiraishin jutsu to escape.

Charles first decided to recruit A-rank Kisame Hoshigaki.

Upon selecting Kisame's icon, his information appeared:

A-rank Ninja: Kisame Hoshigaki 

Fragments: 45/40 

Recruit? Yes/No

"Recruit!"

With a confirmation sound, Kisame Hoshigaki was successfully recruited as a two-star A-rank ninja.

The next moment, a scene appeared where Kisame, with his shark-like face wore the Akatsuki cloak and held his sword, Samehada, in a defensive stance.

Seeing Kisame, Charles smiled, knowing he now had another Akatsuki member, making it possible to form two squads.

Charles then checked Kisame's details and skills:

Kisame Hoshigaki: B-rank Ninja

Star Level: Two Stars 

Basic Attack: Swordsmanship with Samehada, draining the opponent's chakra.

Substitution Jutsu: Wood Substitution.

Skills:

Water Style: Four Shark Rain: Slamming the ground with one hand, creating four vertical water sharks that leap into the air and fall onto enemies. If attacked, they split into a thousand small water shark bullets, raining down on the enemies.

Water Style: Exploding Water Shock Wave: Jumping into the air, Kisame gathers chakra in his throat and spits out enough water to form a lake, attacking enemies.

Water Style: Great Shark Bullet Technique: After forming seals, Kisame releases multiple small water sharks that immobilize enemies. He then leaps into the air, forming a giant shark water bullet that absorbs any chakra from attacks, growing larger.

Charles was satisfied with Kisame's skills. Although straightforward, combined with Kisame's immense chakra reserves, their power was formidable.

This made Kisame a genuine Kage-level powerhouse. When paired with Samehada, Kisame's strength is even more terrifying, capable of overwhelming even powerful opponents like Killer Bee with the Eight-Tails.

After recruiting Kisame, Charles's chakra reserves increased by 15 units, reaching 238 units. Kisame's water-style jutsu were also integrated into Charles's abilities.

Despite the substantial increase in his power and the addition of another Kage-level subordinate, Charles felt slightly disappointed that there were no system title rewards for recruiting Kisame.

Nonetheless, he was pleased with the significant boost in his overall strength.

------1------

·Chapter 603: Outburst

Next, Charles turned his attention to the other A-rank ninja, Young Minato Namikaze. Upon selecting, the information appeared:

A-rank Ninja: Young Minato Namikaze 

Fragments: 42/40 

Recruit? Yes/No

"Recruit!"

With a confirmation sound, Young Minato Namikaze was successfully recruited as a two-star A-rank ninja.

An animation played, showing Minato in a forest setting. Several shurikens flew through the air, followed by flashes of golden light as Minato appeared holding his specially designed Hiraishin kunai.

He also held a pair of bells, while young Obito Uchiha, Rin, and young Kakashi Hatake attempted to attack and seize the bells, only to fail. The scene ended with Minato in his Jonin vest, holding two Hiraishin kunai, surrounded by several others.

Beside the scene, the title "Two-Star A-rank - Young Minato Namikaze" appeared.

Charles admired the animation, noting the special treatment Minato received, unlike Kisame and Deidara who didn't have dedicated animations.

Charles then checked Minato's details and skills:

Young Minato Namikaze: B-rank Ninja

Star Level: Two Stars 

Basic Attack: Primarily taijutsu and Hiraishin kunai teleportation for continuous attacks (marks enemies with Hiraishin seal upon hit).

Substitution Jutsu: Substitution with wood.

Skills:

Heavenly Flight Swallow Light Dance Zero Style: Throws kunai with seals for continuous teleportation attacks.

Gale Super Flash Split Sky Rasengan: Fully mastered Rasengan, can be used independently or with Hiraishin to suddenly appear beside or above the enemy for an attack.

Rasengan Heaven Light Extreme Sharp Slash Zero Style: Throws kunai with seals for continuous teleportation, culminating in a massive Rasengan strike.

Charles was impressed with Minato's techniques but became quite speechless seeing the skill names. However, he appreciated Minato's mastery of the Hiraishin technique and Rasengan, seeing their strategic value.

Upon claiming the ninja, Charles's chakra reserves increased by 15 units, reaching 253 units. Minato's jutsus were also integrated into his abilities.

Ding! Recruiting A-rank ninja Young Minato Namikaze, earned a new title!

Ding! Title reward, gained 1 battle slot!

Charles smiled at the unexpected reward, which saved him 50,000 gold coins. Now, with the additional battle slot, he had three available slots, enough to deploy the Minato couple and Kisame.

Feeling pleased with the progress, Charles continued with the rest of the recruitments.

With the recruitment of four powerful ninjas, his chakra and ninjutsu capacity, as well as his Uzumaki bloodline purity, increased significantly. This sudden boost in power made it difficult for Charles to control his chakra, causing it to surge outward uncontrollably.

"Boom!"

Blue chakra formed a terrifying vortex in the room, destroying furniture and gifts placed there.

Immediately, the protective magic array set up by Balthazar activated, containing the immense pressure and protecting the building from being damaged by Charles's outburst.

Far away in Kamar-Taj, the Ancient One, observing through her mystical means, pondered, "When did blessing oneself from the future become a way to increase strength? And this much, so quickly?"

She considered trying it herself. She knew her future self, after retirement, roamed the multiverse with powerful entities like the Eternity Elder.

The Ancient One waved her hands, activating the Eye of Agamotto, causing a green light to emanate from it. She was using the Time Stone to explore potential futures where blessing herself might work.

"No... no effect... still no effect."

After checking countless timelines, the Ancient One stopped using the Time Stone and sighed.

"What a lucky young fellow."

Evidently, she found that this method wouldn't work for her through her glimpses of the future.

…

Meanwhile, Charles, noticing his external chakra surge, paused his recruitment and returned his consciousness to his body.

He began to control the rampant chakra quickly, stopping its outward flow, and the magic array in the building calmed down.

Surveying the damaged furniture and gifts, Charles's Dragon Ring on his right hand glowed.

"Restore to original state!"

With this magic, everything in the room returned to its pristine condition. Charles couldn't help but admire the convenience of magic, especially in daily life.

After this, Charles decided not to continue recruiting more ninjas immediately. He needed to master his newfound power and become proficient with techniques like Hiraishin and Adamantine Sealing Chains.

These skills required not just the ability to execute them but also high physical reflexes for safe use.

He left a Hiraishin mark in his room and then opened the door to head to the training ground.

The moment the door opened, he found Tsunade standing outside.

Although his sudden burst of chakra and momentum was blocked by the magic circle, it still attracted Tsunade's attention before the formation was activated, and she rushed over immediately.

------2------

·Chapter 604: Minato Couple

Tsunade felt relieved when she saw Charles open the door and step out. Given his previous experiences with bloodline transformations leading to deep slumber, she was concerned that he might suddenly fall into another such state.

"Your strength has increased again," Tsunade noted.

Charles, sensing the concern in Tsunade's voice, felt the warmth of being cared for.

"Just a minor breakthrough," he responded.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, noting the understatement considering the significant chakra surge.

"Congratulations on your improved strength."

Charles nodded and then suggested, "I'm heading to the training ground to practice and get a grip on my new strength. Care to join me?"

After a brief hesitation, Tsunade declined, "I don't think I can help you much with your training at my current level."

But Charles gently pulled her along, "I mainly need to improve my chakra control, and your experience would be invaluable. Come on, join me."

Seeing his insistence, Tsunade agreed, and they headed to the training ground together.

…

Meanwhile-

At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters-

Coulson and Kabuto had returned to the Triskelion. Kabuto went to his quarters to rest while Coulson proceeded to Director Nick Fury's office.

The office was brightly lit, as Fury, still engrossed in his work due to the day's events, had not yet left.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Come in!"

The door opened, and a somewhat balding Coulson entered.

"Coulson, what's the situation?" Fury inquired.

"Director, the situation is dire. As we suspected, the Mizukage attacked the Sound Ninja because of the teleportation array and captured their Jonin, Kimimaro."

"From our discussions with the Sound Ninja, we learned that the Mizukage did not obtain any information about the teleportation array yet."

"Although the Sound Ninja claim they will handle the situation themselves, I worry that further conflicts are inevitable."

"Despite the Sound Ninja being outmatched by the Mist Ninja, they can continually send reinforcements through the teleportation array, whereas the Mist Ninja cannot."

"I'm also concerned that the Sound Ninja might use the teleportation array to retreat to the Ninja World, making it impossible for the Mizukage to pursue them."

"The battle between the Mizukage and the Sound Ninja caused significant destruction, economically devastating three streets. The main combat zone, Isabella Street, was reduced to rubble, and two adjacent streets suffered varying degrees of damage."

"Current statistics show over 300 fatalities and nearly 1,000 injuries, with the number of missing people still being assessed as rescue operations continue."

Fury, despite his inner fury, maintained his composure in front of Coulson. With a somber tone, he said, "Document all losses and casualties. We'll definitely hold them accountable for this."

"Our progress on energy weapons is promising. The doctor's research is advancing rapidly."

"Once these weapons are developed, we'll ensure they are tested appropriately."

Coulson pondered for a moment before speaking, "If they haven't achieved any results with the teleportation array by the time our energy weapons are developed, we could lure the Mizukage and her forces to a remote temple in the desert and then have the military deliver a tactical nuke."

"This way, we can test whether these Kage-level ninjas can withstand the power of a nuclear explosion."

Nick Fury glanced at Coulson and shook his head. "Nukes and their delivery aircraft are too slow. I'm afraid they'd be long gone before the explosion."

Reflecting on the speeds exhibited by Lee, Charles Doyle, and Hidan, Fury had dismissed the idea of using nuclear weapons.

One or two bombs wouldn't suffice as the targets would likely escape the blast radius.

Saturating the area with nuclear bombs might lead other nations to believe a nuclear war was starting, potentially resulting in a full-scale nuclear exchange—an outcome Fury couldn't accept.

The ninjas could always retreat to their own world, but Earth would be left devastated, much like the Skrull homeworld, a fate Fury was determined to avoid.

Seeing Coulson about to speak further, Fury interrupted, "We do have ways to counteract the ninjas, but it's not yet worth employing them. The crimes they've committed are noted, and when the time comes, they will pay dearly."

"However, not all ninjas are our enemies. Some are willing to follow our laws, and we should aim to win them over."

"Understood, Director!"

As they spoke, the office door was knocked on again, and a medical officer in a white lab coat entered.

"Director, Steve Rogers is expected to wake up soon. He should fully awaken by tomorrow."

Hearing this news, Fury's expression softened slightly. S.H.I.E.L.D. would soon have another extraordinary individual on their team.

"Proceed as planned."

"Yes, Director!"

After the medical officer left, Coulson, excited, remarked, "The Captain is finally waking up!"

Fury nodded and then instructed, "Inform Ward to be at the medical ward first thing in the morning with Kabuto. If Steve Rogers wakes up and there's any trouble, Kabuto can handle it."

"Yes, Director!"

Fury continued, "According to the science team, the physical enhancement serum injected into Barton differs from the one acquired from the Sand Ninja's puppet shop. They contain entirely different key components that can't coexist."

"Furthermore, tests and comparisons with the results from our UK branch show that the enhancement serum from Charles Agency is superior."

"Coulson, there are some old energy blocks in storage. Take them to Charles's base and exchange them for some of their enhancement serum and other extraordinary items."

"Their Felix Felicis potion is quite useful. Also, procure some medical ninja treatment slots."

"Understood, Director!"

"Alright, it's late. Get some rest."

With Coulson's departure, Nick Fury slammed his fist onto his desk, venting his anger as he muttered furiously, "Lawless, these ninjas are completely lawless. They should all be imprisoned or executed."

Clearly, Fury was not as composed as he appeared in front of Coulson. However, he was reluctant to call Captain Marvel with his pager just yet.

Using such a favor would diminish its value, and the ninjas' current actions didn't warrant it in Fury's view. He believed he could still manage to bring many of them to his side.

…

The next day-

As the sun rose and bathed the earth in light, Tsunade, who had trained with Charles Doyle throughout the night, yawned and left the training grounds to get some rest.

Charles, meanwhile, remained on the training grounds. He had just received a report from Sound Ninja Tayuya through his summoned beast.

He learned that Mizukage Mei Terumi had fought against the Sound Ninja, captured Kimimaro, and that S.H.I.E.L.D. had inquired about the incident and the teleportation array.

Reading the report, Charles was surprised at the turn of events, wondering why Mei Terumi had targeted the Sound Ninja, as there should be no conflict between Kirigakure and Otogakure.

"Red Queen, pull up information and footage of last night's battle on Isabella Street."

"Yes, Master!"

Following Charles's command, a virtual screen appeared in front of him, displaying satellite footage, post-battle photographs, and videos uploaded to YouTube by eyewitnesses.

"Red Queen, what's the current news on the internet?"

"Master, all battle-related videos have been taken down and banned before they could spread."

"Officially, it's reported that a natural gas pipeline explosion caused the disaster on Isabella Street, resulting in 436 deaths, 42 missing persons, and over a thousand injuries, with economic losses estimated at over a billion dollars."

Charles blinked, contemplating this information, and then said, "Inform Ginny to arrange donations and aid for the disaster victims."

"Additionally, use secondary Adamantium to manufacture a batch of kunai in this design."

He handed over a sketch depicting the design of the Hiraishin Kunai.

"Yes, Master!"

"And notify Uzumaki Naruto to come over."

Having given his orders to Red Queen, Charles's consciousness entered the system space.

He viewed the lineup of ninja cards, selecting Young Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, placing them both in the battle roster and choosing to materialize them three meters away from himself.

As Charles completed his operations, the forms of Minato and Kushina began to materialize from the void, gradually becoming solid.

Since this was Young Minato, he was an elite Jonin but not yet the Fourth Hokage. He hadn't experienced the Battle of Kannabi Bridge. At this stage, he was still a Jonin teacher leading a team consisting of Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, and Kakashi Hatake.

Kushina Uzumaki was summoned from the same point in time as Minato Namikaze. Though she was already married, she didn't have any children yet.

As the two fully materialized and received their memories, they opened their eyes and immediately greeted Charles Doyle with respect.

"Lord Charles!"

Looking at the so-called Yellow Flash of Konoha, Charles nodded in approval. Minato was indeed very handsome and sunny, but he still fell just a little short compared to himself.

"You both should already understand that this is another world, not the Land of Fire or Konoha."

"However, there's no need to worry. Your counterparts still exist in your original world and will continue along their destined paths."

Minato and Kushina exchanged glances and nodded in understanding.

"You aren't the first ninjas I have brought to this world. Others came before you, but due to various reasons, the timelines are different. You might see people from your past or future."

"You can also learn about future events from other ninjas. There's one thing I need to inform you about in advance."

"Please go ahead, my lord."

"In the future, you will have a son named Naruto Uzumaki. I have also brought him to this world, and he will be coming here shortly so you can meet him."

Kushina was momentarily stunned. She wasn't surprised about having a son but was puzzled about why he was named Naruto Uzumaki instead of Naruto Namikaze.

Minato, on the other hand, recalled a memory of a mission in the Land of Roran, where a ninja named Naruto Uzumaki, who seemed to be his future son, appeared. He hadn't expected Naruto to be brought here as well.

Seeing the two lost in thought, Charles continued, "In the future, you both die during the Nine-Tails' attack. Although Naruto is your child, he grows up without knowing who his parents are."

Kushina couldn't hold back her surprise, exclaimed, "How could the Nine-Tails break free? And we died because of it... What about Naruto..."

Thinking about her future child, who was deprived of parental love, Kushina's eyes filled with sadness.

"Once Naruto arrives, I will handle some matters with him first. After that, I will introduce you."

"Yes, Lord Charles!"

Shortly after Charles finished speaking, the door to the training ground opened, and Naruto Uzumaki ran in. He approached Charles with a beaming smile and exclaimed, "Lord Charles, Red Queen said you were looking for me."

Charles patted Naruto's head and smiled, "Yes, I have something to discuss with you."

Naruto noticed the two people standing beside Charles. He didn't recognize Kushina, but he immediately recognized Minato from the Fourth Hokage's visage on the Hokage Rock.

"Wow, Lord Charles, you even brought the Fourth Hokage from the ninja world! That's awesome!"

Hearing Naruto call her husband the Fourth Hokage, Kushina felt a surge of excitement. She hadn't expected her beloved to achieve her childhood dream of becoming Hokage.

However, her excitement quickly turned to sadness, realizing that her future son didn't even know his own father.

------3-------

·Chapter 605: Recognition of Relatives

Kushina Uzumaki was very curious about what had happened to the future Konoha to make Naruto like this.

Charles looked at Naruto and said, "This time, I called you over to enhance your strength."

Naruto jumped up excitedly, "Thanks, Lord Charles! Haha, now I can beat that arrogant Sasuke again!"

Charles smiled without saying more and directed his consciousness into the system space. He then took Naruto Uzumaki's ninja card from the deployment slot.

Currently, there were three Naruto Uzumaki cards in the ninja card section: one that combined Academy Student Naruto, Chunin Exam Naruto, and One-Tail Naruto; one for the Unrestricted Naruto; and one for Shippuden Naruto.

Looking at the three Naruto Uzumaki cards, Charles decided not to fuse the Shippuden Naruto card yet. He wanted the twelve-year-old Naruto to fully experience parental love.

The Shippuden Naruto could be fused later, as the difference in mentality between twelve and fifteen years old was significant despite only three-year age gap.

Charles then used the Unrestricted Naruto and the fused Naruto cards. After a quick spin and a golden flash, a new card appeared before him.

Naruto Uzumaki gained three more abilities, and the fusion of the ninja cards significantly boosted his power.

After the fusion, Charles put the fused Naruto Uzumaki card back in the deployment slot, manifesting it in the previous position.

In the real world, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki saw Naruto Uzumaki's figure disappear and reappear a few seconds later.

Minato noticed that Naruto's power had increased significantly, realizing that Charles could genuinely enhance someone's strength. It was terrifying to consider, though he wondered about the method used.

The reappeared Naruto looked at Charles, excitedly saying, "Thank you, Lord Charles."

Charles smiled, "Don't get too excited just yet. I have even better news for you."

Hearing there was more good news, Naruto's smile grew even brighter. Could it be that he was about to be promoted to Chunin?

Charles continued, "Naruto, haven't you always been curious about who your parents are?"

"Your parents died on the night you were born, but today I have brought them here from the river of time."

"The two beside me are Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, and they are your parents."

Upon hearing Charles's words, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki smiled warmly at Naruto. Naruto, however, stood in shock, with tears streaming down his face.

In the next moment, Naruto rushed into Charles's arms, crying, "Thank you, Lord Charles. Thank you!"

This reaction startled Charles. Logically, Naruto should have run into his parents' arms.

Naruto's reaction was because, when he first arrived in this world, he was still a disliked academy student, without any friends.

Charles Doyle had brought him to this world, providing him with a sense of home and allowing him to make many friends here.

These experiences had given Charles a very important place in his heart, a trust different from that given by the system.

Today, he was even bringing Naruto his long-missed and never-before-seen parents.

Seeing Naruto holding onto him, Charles ruffled his hair a few times and said with a smile, "Naruto, go see your parents."

Upon hearing this, Naruto let go of Charles, his face already wet with tears. He turned to look at his parents, but before he could say anything, he let out a huge sniffle.

Charles chuckled at Naruto's appearance, and Naruto blushed with embarrassment at his own awkwardness.

At this moment, Kushina Uzumaki stepped forward, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped Naruto's nose. She then gently stroked his head and said, "Are you really my child?"

"Naruto, you must have had a hard time all these years!"

As she spoke, she pulled Naruto into a hug. She couldn't imagine how her child had managed to survive without parents.

From Charles's brief words, Kushina had gathered that Naruto's childhood had not been easy.

Being held in Kushina's arms, Naruto felt a warm sensation and thought to himself, "Is this what a mother's embrace feels like?"

Minato Namikaze stood awkwardly to the side, scratching his head. He was puzzled that his future self had failed to save his wife and hadn't arranged anything for their child.

After the mother and son finished hugging, Charles spoke up, "Naruto, I'll leave your parents to you for now. I'll arrange for Red Queen to explain this world's knowledge to Minato and Kushina."

"As for your living arrangements, we'll assign you a new place. Your current room isn't suitable for a family of three."

Kushina and Minato, holding Naruto's hands, respectfully said to Charles, "Thank you, Lord Charles."

"Alright, you all can go now. I won't delay your family reunion any longer."

As Naruto led his parents out of the training ground, Charles's consciousness returned to the system space.

…

Naruto, having just left the training ground, looked at Minato excitedly and asked, "Dad, are you the Fourth Hokage?"

Minato chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head, "I suppose I am in the future."

"But right now, I'm not the Fourth Hokage. Before I came here, I was just a Jonin in charge of a team. My students were Obito Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, and Rin Nohara."

"Naruto, do you know them in your world?"

Naruto, surprised, replied, "Wow, Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke's clan member were your students?"

Minato asked, "Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yeah, my and Sasuke's team leader is Kakashi Hatake. I didn't know he was your student."

"And that Obito Uchiha is a member of Sasuke's clan. He was brought here by Lord Charles too, but Sasuke said he died on the battlefield and was called a hero of Konoha."

Minato paused slightly upon hearing this. He hadn't expected Obito to have died in the future.

Kushina, however, didn't pay attention to Minato. She was busy asking Naruto about his childhood.

Thus, Naruto and his parents walked toward Naruto's small dwelling, chatting and laughing. Naruto had many things to pack, and his parents were eager to see where their child had been living.

As for the things they didn't yet understand and the future development of the ninja world, they planned to explore them gradually in the days to come.

------4------

·Chapter 606: Awakening

"Attention all units, attention all units, the target is about to wake up. Everyone, be ready."

Kabuto Yakushi glanced at Ward beside him with a gentle smile on his face.

"Captain, I heard that Agent Coulson greatly admires Captain America. Why isn't he here today?"

Ward shook his head. "I don't know, probably assigned to another mission."

"And what about you, Captain?"

Ward smiled. "No one doesn't admire this former superhero. We all grew up reading his comics and watching his cartoons."

"Back then, our school even organized trips to visit the Captain America Memorial. But now, I hope to one day surpass him and become an even stronger super-soldier."

Kabuto blinked. "Captain, if you could get a dose of the super soldier serum, you would surpass Captain America. Maybe you'd be the new S.H.I.E.L.D. captain."

However, Ward thought to himself: No, I am already a Hydra captain.

But outwardly, Ward showed a hint of sadness. "That stuff is too rare and too expensive. I might never get the chance."

…

Inside the special room built for Steve-

Steve Rogers lay in bed, slowly opening his eyes. Beside him, a radio was playing a football game between the Dodgers and the Phillies.

As he awakened, Steve Rogers looked around at his surroundings. He slowly sat up in bed and turned to glance at the radio, frowning slightly.

At that moment, a woman in formal attire entered the room, greeting Rogers. "Good morning."

Then she glanced at her watch and corrected herself. "Sorry, it should be good afternoon."

Steve Rogers looked at her, puzzled. "Where am I?"

"The recovery room of a hospital in New York City."

Steve scrutinized her for a moment, then looked back at the radio. Confirming he hadn't misheard, he asked again, "Where am I really?"

The female agent, startled by Rogers' question, tried to remain calm. "I don't understand what you mean."

Seeing she still wouldn't tell the truth, Steve bluntly said, "This game is from May 1941. I was there."

Hearing this, the agent's expression changed instantly. Steve stood up, his imposing physique adding to the pressure.

"I'll ask you one more time. Where am I?"

Facing Steve's intimidation, the agent discreetly pressed the alarm in her hand while looking up at him. "Captain Rogers..."

Before she could finish, Steve shouted angrily, "Who are you?"

At that moment, two heavily armed operatives burst through the door. Seeing them, Steve took a step back warily.

But in the next second, Steve attacked first, sending both operatives flying through the makeshift steel walls.

Steve immediately ran out, only to find himself in a huge studio. In the previous room, the scenery he was seeing was just an image on a large mirror.

"Captain Rogers, wait..."

Steve Rogers ignored the woman's call behind him and ran straight out of the studio.

The woman picked up her walkie-talkie and shouted, "All units, Code 13!"

However, as Steve ran out of the studio, he found himself inside a large building. Before he could react, the next moment...

"Boom!"

A figure suddenly appeared in front of Steve Rogers and punched him, sending him crashing into the wall behind him.

The attacker was none other than Kabuto Yakushi, who had been guarding outside the studio.

After being punched into the wall by Kabuto, Steve Rogers got up and, instead of immediately counterattacking, continued to run towards the exit.

But Kabuto was faster. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Steve again and kicked him back, sending him flying.

Steve rolled to dissipate the force of the blow, and when he stood up again, he found himself surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Seeing the situation, Steve looked at Kabuto with a serious expression and assumed a fighting stance. It seemed there was no way out without a fight.

At this moment, the agents surrounding Steve made way for a path, and a black man in a black suit with an eyepatch walked through.

Seeing him, Steve Rogers frowned slightly.

The man spoke, "I apologize for the deception."

"But I thought it would be best to tell you slowly."

Steve Rogers asked, "Tell me what?"

"You've been asleep, for almost seventy years."

Steve Rogers was stunned by this revelation. He quickly recalled his previous circumstances—before he lost consciousness, he had crashed a Hydra plane into the ocean.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. It's just... I had a date."

…

Meanwhile-

Charles's consciousness entered the system space. He stared at the Kisame Hoshigaki ninja card, deep in thought.

How should I handle this guy? Should I manifest him directly or release him randomly?

After a moment of consideration, Charles decided to release Kisame Hoshigaki randomly and leave his fate to chance.

With this decision, Charles dragged the Kisame Hoshigaki card into the deployment slot.

Ding! Would you like to manifest A-rank ninja Kisame Hoshigaki?

Yes!

Please choose the manifestation location:

A: Within three meters of Charles Doyle.

B: Random manifestation.

B!

As Charles chose random manifestation, the solar system appeared in his view, zooming in on Earth, then further zooming in over the Atlantic Ocean.

Just as Charles expected the map to zoom in further on a specific location, a system notification sounded.

Ding! A-rank ninja Kisame Hoshigaki successfully manifested!

Kisame Hoshigaki's figure suddenly appeared on the sky above the Atlantic Ocean.

…

In the sky above the Atlantic Ocean, like a falling meteor, Kisame Hoshigaki hurtled towards the sea.

At this moment, Kisame had his eyes closed, receiving his memories, and was completely unaware of his rapid descent.

Just as he was about to crash into the sea, he suddenly drew his sword, Samehada, and slashed at the water below. Instantly, the sea split apart, forming a massive abyss.

Kisame then performed a backflip, landing steadily on the water's surface. The split sea soon closed up behind him.

"Didn't expect that three members of the Akatsuki have already arrived besides me," Kisame mused aloud. "I wonder if I can find a world here without falsehood!"

After muttering to himself, Kisame immediately channeled his chakra into the Akatsuki ring. His mission, according to the received memories, was to meet up with the other three members.

…

On the African continent-

Itachi Uchiha held a fragmentary map, seemingly searching for something. Beside him, Hidan carried his three-bladed scythe, following closely, while Deidara hovered above on his clay owl, circling in the sky.

The trio paused suddenly, feeling the vibration of their Akatsuki rings. Itachi spoke up, "Didn't expect another member to arrive so soon. I wonder who it will be."

Hidan, adjusting the brim of his hat, said indifferently, "I hope it's Kakuzu. With him around, I feel safer."

Itachi glanced at Hidan, "Are you saying my stitching skills aren't as good as Kakuzu's?"

Hidan merely smiled without responding.

In the sky, Deidara also pondered the new arrival's identity. However, he didn't particularly care as long as it wasn't Sasori, whom he found irritating. To him, only explosions represented true art.

------5------

·Chapter 607:Thena

One week later-

During this week, Charles finally managed to regain control over his rapidly increasing chakra.

Additionally, the batch of Hiraishin kunai that he had ordered from Red Queen had all been delivered.

He divided the kunai into two sets: one for Minato Namikaze, and the other for himself, after inscribing the Hiraishin formula onto them and placing them in his storage space.

In this period, Charles left the Hiraishin marks at various locations, including the base, the office, and several safe houses, allowing him to use the Hiraishin Technique for teleportation as needed.

Due to being preoccupied with his training, Coulson on the other hand did not get to meet him, nor did he manage to complete any transactions.

Currently, Charles Doyle was on a plane heading to a remote village in Australia, the location where Sasuke and his team had encountered the Eternals, Gilgamesh and Thena.

Soon, Charles's plane arrived at the nearest airport to the village. From there, he took a car ride towards his destination, and upon getting closer, he asked the driver to return while he continued the journey on foot.

After traversing a small mountain, Charles reached a barren land where he saw a house and an ancient tree not far from it. Under the tree sat a woman dressed in white.

Having identified his target, Charles headed towards the woman. With his swift pace, he soon arrived at a spot not far from her.

Thena, seated under the tree, seemed to be either meditating or lost in thought, paying no attention to the approaching Charles Doyle.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Gilgamesh had already sensed Charles's presence.

However, unsure of Charles's intentions, he didn't react much.

Over the years, they had encountered many passersby in their secluded spot, and nothing unusual had happened so far.

Nevertheless, Gilgamesh remained vigilant, ready to intervene if Thena goes berserk. He hoped the newcomer wouldn't be unlucky enough to trigger Thena's madness.

Charles approached slowly, preparing his defenses in case Thena suddenly attacked. He was ready to use the Binding Immortal Rope at any moment.

Charles had no concrete knowledge of the Eternals' exact strength as he had never engaged with them, but based on the movie's portrayal, he assumed they were stronger than the pre-awakening Thor.

Soon, Charles stood before Thena, looking at the woman seated in front of him.

Sensing Charles's gaze, Thena opened her eyes, her view filled with a handsome face.

Despite having witnessed Earth's evolution from its primitive state to the present, Thena couldn't deny that the man before her was one of the most attractive humans she had ever seen. His aura was also quite unique.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Is there something you need?"

Charles looked at Thena in surprise and exclaimed, "You look so much alike, really, so much alike..."

Hearing his words, Thena couldn't help but find the situation amusing. This old-fashioned approach to starting a conversation was quite unexpected.

"Like whom?" Thena inquired, still playing along because of his handsome appearance.

Charles took out his wallet, pulled out a photo, and said, "Her name was Fox. You look exactly like her."

Seeing the man's serious expression and the photo in his hand, Thena was taken aback.

She took the photo and looked at it closely. The woman in the photo bore an uncanny resemblance to her, almost as if they were twins, though their temperaments were slightly different.

"Where is she?" Thena asked, her curiosity piqued.

"She passed away..." Charles responded solemnly.

"I'm very sorry for your loss," Thena said, offering her condolences.

Seeing Thena's sympathetic expression, Charles understood she might have misunderstood the nature of his relationship with Fox.

However, he chose not to clarify that Fox was not a close friend or partner, but a mercenary who had been mortally wounded by Rock Lee.

"What's your name?" Charles asked, trying to shift the conversation.

"Thena. And you?"

"Charles Doyle."

In this remote location, Thena had no idea who Charles Doyle was.

As they shook hands, Charles noticed Thena's skin felt incredibly smooth and cold, a testament to the exceptional physiology of the Eternals. He released her hand after a brief handshake.

"Where are you from? This place isn't easy to find."

"Indeed, it's quite hard to locate. There's no direct bus, and even offering double the fare couldn't persuade anyone to bring me here."

"I'm from New York."

Hearing this, Thena smiled. Their secluded home was truly a remote paradise, almost completely cut off from the rest of the world.

"New York, that's quite a distance. Why did you come all this way?"

"To meet you."

Thena blinked, puzzled. "Have we met before?"

"A while back, a four-person team, three men and one woman saw you in the restaurant over there."

"One of them told me they saw a woman who looked exactly like Fox."

Thena recalled Kakashi's team of four. One of the children had indeed stared at her intently when she walked in, which she had initially attributed to her beauty. It turned out it was for this reason.

"Perhaps it's fate," Thena said with a smile.

In the kitchen, Gilgamesh noticed Thena talking and laughing with a man, which piqued his curiosity.

It had been a long time since Thena had made any new friends due to her sporadic episodes of Mahd Wy'ry, which caused her to attack everything around her.

Concerned for Thena's safety and curious about the newcomer, Gilgamesh walked out of the kitchen and approached the two.

As he called out, "Hey, Thena! Is this your new friend?" Thena's expression suddenly stiffened, and her eyes turned white.

Sensing the imminent danger, Charles's instincts kicked in: Not good...

------6------

·Chapter 608: Spar

Charles exclaimed "Not good!" and quickly backed away.

Thena's hands transformed into divine weapons, and she spun around, swinging a spear at Gilgamesh.

"Boom!"

The sudden turn of events shocked Gilgamesh. He quickly conjured a golden arm guard to block the attack, but it still pushed him back a step.

Thena, her pupils now white, glared at Gilgamesh and shouted, "Everyone in Centuri Six will die!"

Gilgamesh, seeing Charles behind Thena, called out, "Run!"

He then tried to calm Thena, softly calling her name, "Thena!"

"It's too late, we can't save them," she replied.

"Thena?"

Ignoring his words, Thena transformed her spear into a cascade of stars and lunged at him.

The two began to battle intensely, with Thena attacking relentlessly while Gilgamesh remained on the defensive, hoping to use his power to wake her from her trance.

As they fought, the surrounding area was destroyed. Charles realized why the land was so barren. Every time Thena had an episode of Mahd Wy'ry, she and Gilgamesh fought, leaving the area in ruins. It was a miracle the lone tree had survived.

Suddenly, Gilgamesh was sent flying by one of Thena's sweeping attacks. With her initial target gone, Thena turned her attention to Charles and charged at him.

As Thena rushed towards him, Charles pondered whether the Mangekyō Sharingan's genjutsu could suppress her chaotic memories and wake her up.

Unlike others, Charles understood Mahd Wy'ry. It was a manifestation of Thena's old memories from her missions, which randomly surfaced and caused her current memories to become confused, prompting her to attack everything around her.

But he planned to use the Mangekyō Sharingan's power as a last resort to awaken Thena. For now, he wanted to test his skills against her.

Charles suddenly drew a ninja blade, forged from vibranium.

"Come on!"

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

He expertly parried Thena's attacks with his blade, creating a flurry of sparks.

In a swift movement, Charles distanced himself from Thena. He flexed his arm and muttered, "She's quite strong."

In the next instant, he used the Body Flicker Technique to reappear in front of Thena, his blade now glowing with blue light from the wind chakra infused into it.

"White Fang Technique, First Form!"

A massive blue blade of energy shot out towards Thena.

"Boom!"

The ground beneath Charles's feet shattered from the force of his attack, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Just as the attack was about to hit, Thena's divine weapons transformed into a shield, blocking the strike. The force of the attack pushed her back, but she remained standing, her eyes locked onto Charles.

Thena's shield dissipated, and she readied her weapons for another assault. Charles braced himself, knowing the battle was far from over.

Charles's weapon clashed with Thena's divine armament, blocking the strike.

"White Fang Sword Technique, Second Form!"

"White Fang Sword Technique, Third Form!"

Charles's attacks grew more ferocious, his chakra-infused blade sending arcs of energy that eventually sent Thena flying. She rolled across the ground, her divine weapons dissipating into starlight, and her white dress now covered in dust.

Gilgamesh, arriving on the scene, was stunned. When did Earth have someone this powerful? Was this guy really from Earth?

While Gilgamesh was processing this, Thena steadied herself and her attire changed into the armor of the Eternals, her white dress vanishing.

"Whoosh!"

Thena charged at Charles with incredible speed, attacking him again with even greater ferocity, her hands now transforming into dual long swords.

"Slash! Slash! Slash!"

Thena's attacks were relentless and fast. Charles did his best to parry with his ninja blade, but one sword managed to break through his defense, aiming for his abdomen.

"Boom!"

Instead of being impaled, Charles was sent flying, his Merlin robe absorbing the blow. He skidded to a halt, creating deep furrows in the ground.

Charles glanced at his blade, acknowledging that his swordsmanship was still inferior to Thena, a warrior with thousands of years of combat experience.

He made his blade disappear and looked at Thena.

"Round one is over. Now, round two begins."

Charles formed hand seals quickly. "Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

Despite being in a dry area, a massive wave of water materialized, surging towards Thena like a tidal wave.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The colossal wave, reaching dozens of meters high, crashed down. Gilgamesh, seeing this, was in disbelief. "Is this guy also an elemental mage? Damn, I can't fly!"

Thena faced the incoming wave without fear, her divine weapon enlarging as she slashed into the water.

Gilgamesh also conjured a divine arm to punch the wave.

"Boom!"

With a combined effort, Thena's slash and Gilgamesh's punch shattered Charles's water attack. Charles wasn't surprised—this was the true power of the Eternals.

He thought about Thanos, another Eternal, and found the display of power unsurprising.

Gilgamesh called out to Charles, "Hold Thena off, I'll wake her up."

Charles shook his head. "I want to spar with Thena a bit more."

Gilgamesh shouted, "Friend, now's not the time for sparring. Your life is at risk!"

As an Eternal, Gilgamesh knew both he and Thena had high magic resistance. But despite his warning, Charles was determined.

Charles faced Thena's onslaught with confidence. Thena conjured a longbow and unleashed a barrage of arrows.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

The arrows flew like meteors towards Charles. Instead of blocking, he used the Body Flicker Technique to evade and counterattacked with a jutsu.

"Ice Release: Ice Pillar Swallow!"

Thena's shield materialized to block the ice projectiles, but they turned into a freezing mist, encasing her in ice. Charles remained cautious, watching as Thena shattered the ice prison, scattering shards everywhere.

"Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison Technique!"

Wooden pillars rose from the ground, trapping Thena in a sturdy wooden cell. Charles's Wood Release was stronger than Yamato's, with the wood being harder than steel and possessing sealing properties.

However, two golden flashes from within cut through the wood effortlessly.

"Boom!"

Thena burst free, her spear enlarging as she thrust it at Charles's position, shattering a wooden substitution.

"Rasengan!"

Charles appeared behind Thena, striking her back with a Rasengan. The impact sent her flying but didn't cause significant damage.

Charles was frustrated by Thena's high defense and resistance. If this was her level, the superhuman Eternals would be even tougher. But he had more techniques to try.

Gilgamesh approached, calling out, "Hey, if you really want to spar, let me wake Thena up first, and then I'll fight you."

"Alright, let's end this then."

"Sharingan: Mangekyō, activate!"

Charles activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and cast Tsukuyomi, trapping Thena in a genjutsu. Within the illusion, he suppressed her chaotic memories.

"Thena!"

At his call, Thena's eyes cleared, and she saw a massive blood moon above. Confused, she asked, "Where is this?"

"This is the Tsukuyomi realm, a world I created with my genjutsu."

Thena looked at him in amazement, "You woke me up?"

"Yes, you fell into a frenzy. After sparring for a while, I decided to use my abilities to calm you down."

Thena stared at Charles with growing curiosity. This man not only fought her when she was in the state of Mahd Wy'ry but also managed to wake her up. It was truly remarkable.

"Thank you!"

Charles smiled. "It's nothing. Seeing you in that state, I felt it was necessary to help you find yourself again."

"Shall we stay here for a while or end the illusion now?" Charles asked. "In this space, 72 hours will pass, but in the real world, it'll only be a moment."

Thena's eyes lit up at his words, and she replied, "Let's stay here a bit longer. I'm very curious about you and have many things to talk about."

Charles agreed, "Alright."

The two began conversing in the Tsukuyomi realm, sharing their stories and learning from each other. Charles had many questions about Thena and her past, while Thena was equally interested in Charles's abilities and background.

They spent a significant amount of time in the illusionary space, but to Gilgamesh outside, it was just an instant.

In the blink of an eye, Thena's eyes cleared, and she dismissed her weapons.

Gilgamesh looked at Charles in amazement and said, "Oh my God, how did you do that? Are you an Eternal too?"

"Only an Eternal can wake another Eternal from Mahd Wy'ry. How did you manage it?"

Charles smiled. "You've misunderstood. I'm not an Eternal."

Thena walked over and hugged Charles. "Thank you, Charles."

Charles hugged her back, gently patting her shoulder. "It's alright. It's over now. You don't have to worry about Mahd Wy'ry for a while."

Gilgamesh, still confused, asked, "What happened?"

In the Tsukuyomi realm, Charles had used his illusion to strengthen the seal on Thena's chaotic memories. Unless triggered by extreme stress or emotions, Thena wouldn't experience Mahd Wy'ry in the short term.

After they separated, Thena introduced Charles to Gilgamesh. "Gilgamesh, this is my new friend, Charles. He has temporarily resolved my Mahd Wy'ry issue."

Gilgamesh's eyes widened in astonishment. "Really?"

Charles nodded. "Yes, temporarily. It's not a permanent cure."

Gilgamesh beamed. "That's amazing! We should definitely celebrate."

He looked back at their house, grateful it had not been damaged in the fight. "Charles, let me treat you to some of my cooking. I've learned recipes and brewing techniques from Odin himself. Do you know the All-Father?"

Charles nodded. "Yes, I recently returned from Asgard."

Gilgamesh clapped his hands. "Perfect! Let's go then."

The three of them headed to the house, ready to enjoy a well-deserved feast and celebrate their new friendship.

------7-----

·Chapter 609: Loki

Charles sat on the left side of the dining table, while Thena sat across from him. The table was laden with a variety of dishes.

Gilgamesh approached with an apple pie in his hands, placing it on the table.

"The final dish, done."

Charles smiled and said, "Thank you for the hospitality."

Gilgamesh picked up an old-style jug from a nearby table and explained, "This is a mix of wine, beer, and mead, specially brewed for the soldiers of the Trojan War."

Charles examined the ancient-looking jug and nodded, "It looks quite good."

After setting down the jug, Gilgamesh retrieved another drink and placed it in front of Charles. "This is a special brew taught to me by Odin, to thank us for defeating Laufey's army in Tønsberg."

Listening to Gilgamesh's introduction, Charles poured himself a cup and tasted it.

"Indeed, this is Asgardian mead. I've had it at Odin's place before."

"I'm surprised you can brew it. It's very good."

"But there's some news you probably don't know."

Gilgamesh, curious, asked, "What news?"

"Laufey is dead. You'd never guess who killed him."

As Thena enjoyed her food, she mostly focused on Charles, listening to their conversation.

Gilgamesh pondered for a moment and then, uncertain, asked, "Could it be you?"

Charles shook his finger. "No, no, no!"

"Was it Thor, then?"

Charles shook his finger again. "Nope, keep guessing."

"Was it Odin? But that wouldn't make sense. He signed the peace treaty. If he wanted to kill Laufey, he would have done it after winning the war, not just taken the Casket of Ancient Winters."

Charles smiled, "Think harder."

"I can't figure it out. Just tell me."

Seeing that Gilgamesh was genuinely stumped, Charles slowly revealed, "Loki."

"What? Loki?"

"How could Loki kill Laufey? That's impossible."

Charles shrugged, spreading his hands. "But that's the truth. Loki personally killed Laufey."

Gilgamesh muttered to himself, "I still can't believe it. I can't understand how Loki managed to kill Laufey."

Seeing Gilgamesh deep in thought, Charles didn't reveal any more details and instead turned to Thena.

"Thena, which dish do you think I should start with?"

Thena pointed to one dish, "You can start with this one, and then move on to this one. These few are lighter and won't overwhelm your taste buds."

"Then you can try these others. Gilgamesh's cooking is really excellent."

"Alright."

···

Elsewhere-

In the vastness of space, Thanos gazed at a man kneeling on one knee before him and spoke coolly:

"Son of Odin."

"If you want Earth, I can assist you. But I have one condition: the cosmic cube of Earth…"

"You must bring it to me."

Loki, staring at Thanos seated on the throne, also laid out his demand: "I need an army to conquer Earth."

Thanos snapped his fingers, and the Chitauri leader emerged from the shadows.

"The Chitauri army will assist you, ensuring the success of your invasion of Earth."

Loki, somewhat familiar with the interstellar pirate Chitauri army, smiled upon hearing they would assist him.

"With the Chitauri army's help, I foresee no issues in subjugating Earth, but I must have control over this army."

Thanos looked down at Loki, remaining silent for a few seconds before speaking: "As long as you bring me the Tesseract, the army will be under your complete command."

The Chitauri leader did not object to Thanos handing over command to Loki, standing respectfully to the side.

Unlike the uninformed Loki, Thanos knew Earth was no simple target. He then waved his hand, and a scepter embedded with the Mind Stone appeared.

"To better equip you for conquering Earth and winning this war, I will grant you ancient knowledge and this scepter."

"Once you have mastered these, begin your mission."

"Yes!"

As Loki departed, Thanos gazed into the depths of space. Beyond the Mind Stone in his possession, he was aware that both the Space Stone and Time Stone were on Earth, while the Reality Stone was linked to Asgard.

The whereabouts of the Power Stone and Soul Stone remained uncertain.

Thanos stared in the direction of Earth, muttering to himself: "The time is not yet right. Let Loki test Earth's defenses first."

"As long as Odin and the Ancient One are alive, that place remains one of the few forbidden zones in the universe."

"Given Asgardians' lifespan, Odin should not have long left. "

"I am still young. I have time to wait. Eventually, time will claim them..."

···

"Charles, you mentioned earlier that you are not an Eternal. Can you tell us about your origins?"

"With such powerful abilities, you must not be an ordinary person."

Charles waved his hand, and the Staff of Merlin appeared in his grasp.

"I am a ninja, and the Supreme Merlin, master of magic."

Hearing Charles's introduction, Gilgamesh was momentarily stunned. He had never heard of Ninja and was unfamiliar with them, but he knew the legend of Merlin.

"Heavens, you have inherited everything from Merlin and become the Supreme Merlin. No wonder you are so powerful."

"We always thought Merlin ventured into the stars, but it turns out he left a legacy on Earth."

Charles smiled and then turned to Gilgamesh: "Thena is awake now. How about a sparring match later?"

"I still have many powerful abilities I haven't used."

Charles was curious to see which of his ultimate ninja techniques could penetrate their defenses.

Hearing the proposal for a fight, Gilgamesh thought for a moment and agreed.

"I can spar with you, but remember, no serious injuries."

"Thena and I don't have the ability to heal others."

Charles extended his hand, revealing the green glow of the Palm Sage Jutsu.

"I have the ability to heal. Even if you get hurt, I can heal you quickly."

Seeing the green energy in Charles's hand, Gilgamesh shook his head and said, "Actually, I'm worried about you. If you get injured, how will you be healed?"

Charles sighed, a bit exasperated but still responding, "I'm not as fragile as you think."

Seeing Charles's determination, Gilgamesh relented. "Alright then! When do we start?"

Charles smiled, "Let's start now. It's good to have some exercise after a meal."

Thena then spoke up, "In that case, I'll be your referee."

The three of them quickly left the place and headed to a barren area in the distance.

Standing between the two, Thena announced, "I'll throw this scarf into the air. When it hits the ground, that's when your sparring begins."

"Got it!"

Thena took out a white scarf from her pocket and, with both men watching intently, tossed it high into the air.

As the scarf floated down, Charles bent his right leg, cracking the ground beneath him as he launched forward like a gust of wind, creating a sonic boom.

Gilgamesh, however, did not charge at Charles. Instead, he raised his right arm, conjuring a golden gauntlet with his divine power.

He thought to himself, "I'll use just ten percent of my strength for this punch. He should be able to handle it."

In the blink of an eye, Charles was in front of Gilgamesh. Raising his right fist, visible deep blue chakra surrounded it.

"Chakra Enhanced Strength!"

Seeing Charles's punch coming, Gilgamesh countered with his own punch. Their fists collided, generating a massive shockwave.

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, Gilgamesh was launched like a missile by Charles's punch, flying a considerable distance before smashing into a small mountain, leaving a human-shaped crater.

It was clear Gilgamesh had underestimated Charles. He thought ten percent of his strength would be enough, not expecting Charles's punch to be so powerful.

As the dust settled, Gilgamesh emerged from the mountain, brushing off the dirt from his clothes.

At the moment their fists clashed, Gilgamesh realized his mistake, but it was too late to adjust his strength, resulting in him being sent flying.

"It seems I underestimated you. Your strength is not that of a typical mage."

Charles used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of Gilgamesh, saying, "Since this is a sparring match, show me your true power. That last punch didn't live up to the name of Gilgamesh."

With arms crossed, Gilgamesh replied, "In that case, I won't hold back."

Charles and Gilgamesh engaged in a fierce battle, their punches connecting with powerful force, each blow resounding through the barren land.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Whenever their fists clashed, it would produce intense booms and powerful shockwaves.

Under their battle, the rocks around the mountain were all reduced to rubble by the shockwaves.

Gilgamesh laughed, "Haha, exciting!"

At this point, Charles had already used all his strength, each punch and kick capable of splitting mountains and rocks.

Thena, on the side, watched Charles's battle, feeling the urge to join in herself.

These years of suffering from the disease had kept her from fighting while awake. Watching their sparring made her eager to join the fray.

After Charles using all his strength, Gilgamesh was still holding up without any issue.

Charles frowned slightly. Could it be that this guy hasn't used his full power yet?

Seeing this, Charles decided to abandon Chakra Enhanced Strength and prepare to use another move. He clenched his fists and shouted:

"Eight Gates - First Gate: Open!"

As the first gate opened, chakra around Charles's body materialized into tangible energy swirling around him.

"Eight Gates - Second Gate: Open!"

"Eight Gates - Third Gate: Open!"

Opening three gates in succession, veins bulged on Charles's forehead, and a large amount of chakra surged from his body, creating a green chakra vortex around him. Strong gusts of wind appeared around, shattering rocks on the mountainside instantly.

Seeing this, Gilgamesh's expression became more serious. Originally intending to use sixty percent of his strength, he now raised it to seventy percent.

However, Charles wasn't done yet. He continued to open the other gates.

"Eight Gates - Fourth Gate: Open!"

"Eight Gates - Fifth Gate: Open!"

"Eight Gates - Sixth Gate: Open!"

At this point, Charles's face turned crimson, veins bulging on his forehead, surrounded by green chakra steam like a ferocious beast.

"Dynamic Prelude!"

Charles unleashed a shockwave of force and launched a powerful flying kick towards Gilgamesh, sending him flying.

"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"

After kicking Gilgamesh, Charles didn't stop, launching a three-stage attack with Leaf Strong Whirlwind.

Charles's terrifying strength overwhelmed Gilgamesh's expectations, and suddenly he found himself being overwhelmed by Charles's relentless assault.

However, after four consecutive attacks, Charles realized that Gilgamesh, although battered, hadn't suffered any substantial damage. Not holding back anymore, he roared:

"Peacock's Opening!"

A green chakra shockwave sent Gilgamesh flying, while Charles leaped into the air, rapidly swinging his fists. Flames erupted from the friction, carrying the force of missiles raining down on Gilgamesh, leaving him no breathing room.

The flames scattered from the punches painted the sky red like a brilliant sunrise, shining as bright as peacock feathers.

Thena, watching from the side, murmured, "Such beautiful fist techniques."

At this point, Gilgamesh was sent flying underground by Charles's attack, creating a massive crater on the surface. The flames scattered around upon impact, resembling meteorites falling.

--------8-----

·Chapter 610: Leaving

Gilgamesh lay in the deep pit, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his clothes turned to ashes.

At this moment, Charles floated in the air, panting heavily. The Eight Gates had been deactivated by him.

Due to his massive chakra reserves, even though he had only opened six gates, the actual effect was greater than someone else opening seven gates.

But releasing such a large amount of chakra made it difficult for him to control.

Seeing Gilgamesh lying on the ground with blood at the corner of his mouth, Charles breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he broke through the defense.

In the pit, Gilgamesh's divine aura covered his body, and in the next second, his exclusive battle armor completed its formation.

"Swish!"

Gilgamesh leaped out of the pit like a missile, appearing in front of Charles in the blink of an eye, directly swinging his right fist at Charles.

"Boom!"

Charles crossed his arms in front, but still heard the sound of bones breaking.

"Crack!"

Charles's expression changed as his bones broke...

He was sent flying, the speed of his flight creating a sonic boom as he crashed into the ground, creating a deep pit.

Charles lay in the pit, but his broken bones were pulled out by him, turning into bone knives in his hand, which he threw aside. New bones replaced the old ones, thanks to Kimimaro's ability.

Seeing Gilgamesh charging again, Charles threw a Hiraishin Kunai at him.

Gilgamesh looked at the incoming projectile with disdain as he side-stepped it effortlessly.

However, just as the kunai was about to pass by Gilgamesh, Charles suddenly appeared in front of him.

Gilgamesh was surprised. "What?"

"Great Rasengan!"

"Boom!"

A Rasengan much larger than Gilgamesh smashed into him, enveloping him in rotating chakra energy.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A hundred-meter-wide crater appeared in front of Charles, with Gilgamesh lying in it again.

Seeing the traces of chakra rotation friction on Gilgamesh's armor, Charles was quite satisfied with this hit, but the actual damage remained to be seen.

At this point, Gilgamesh got up from the ground, dusted himself off, and waved his hand. "I give up. Let's end today's sparring here."

Before Charles could speak, Gilgamesh continued, "That ability you suddenly used just now, it's related to space, right?"

Charles nodded. "Yes, it's a space-style ninjutsu."

Gilgamesh was somewhat helpless. His speed was not good, and he couldn't fly. If Charles kept using this ability to evade him, he might be defeated without causing any harm to Charles.

"Space-style ability, you're really my nemesis."

Gilgamesh stood up from the ground, dusted himself off, and then said, "Friend, what are you waiting for? Help me heal."

"Okay."

Charles instantly appeared in front of Gilgamesh and began to assist him in healing.

Charles used Palm Sage Jutsu to treat him, and green chakra emitted from his hands was placed on Gilgamesh's wounds.

As Charles treated him, he found that although Gilgamesh was injured, the damage was not severe, and his body was starting to heal on its own.

Even without Charles's help, it wouldn't take long for him to heal completely. Charles's assistance just sped up the process.

While Charles was treating him, Thena ran over.

"It seems that Charles Doyle won this sparring match," Thena said.

Charles modestly replied, "No, no, let's call it a draw."

Charles knew that although he could defeat Gilgamesh with Hiraishin, killing him would be extremely difficult.

Gilgamesh directly said, "Charles won."

"His abilities are just too comprehensive. Perhaps among us, only Ikaris can defeat him."

Thena looked at Charles in amazement. She didn't expect Gilgamesh to hold him in such high regard.

In Charles's mind, he began to recall Ikaris's abilities: flying, immense strength, incredible speed, exceptionally tough body, and heat vision. He was like a version of Superman.

Although he knew who this person was, Charles pretended to be unaware and asked, "Who is Ikaris?"

Thena spoke up, "He is the strongest warrior of our Earth Eternal Clan. Neither I nor Gilgamesh are his match."

"I really want to have the chance to spar with him."

At this point, Gilgamesh's treatment had ended. He moved his arms and said, "That's a bit difficult. He's not in Australia."

Charles shrugged, not concerned. "I believe there will be opportunities."

After the sparring ended, Charles didn't leave but stayed in there for a week. During this week, Charles took out a lot of food from his storage space, even two servings of delicious ramen for them to taste.

Obviously, these two Eternal Clan members were also conquered by the delicious ramen.

During this time, Charles didn't idle. Firstly, daily check-ins were essential, and he gained quite a lot during this time: delicious ramen, reputation points, copper coins, secret scrolls, and more.

Charles also sparred with them every day, at least one match per person per day.

During the sparring, Charles couldn't use Hiraishin Jutsu. After all, it was too overpowered, making it impossible for them to defend against Charles and unable to attack him.

Instead, Charles could continuously attack them using Hiraishin, especially when he imprinted the Hiraishin seal on them during combat. Even if they dodged the kunai, they couldn't avoid Charles's attacks.

Charles didn't mind this handicap. Not using Hiraishin was fine; it helped him to train his other abilities more.

…

Today was the day Charles was leaving. He was heading back to the base in New York. It's not that he didn't want to continue training here, but he received information from Kabuto that there was a disturbance with the Cosmic Cube at the SHIELD base in New York.

Thena looked at Charles and said, "It's already nighttime. How about returning tomorrow?"

"Thena, Gilgamesh, I have some matters to attend to in New York now and need to rush back. So, I won't be able to delay," Charles said.

Charles snapped his fingers, and a business card appeared in his hand, which he handed to Thena. "Here's my business card. If you ever want to come to New York to visit me, remember to contact me."

Thena took the card and then gave Charles a hug. She whispered softly in Charles's ear, "Remember to come visit me in Australia when you have time."

After Charles finished hugging Thena, Gilgamesh also wanted to give Charles a farewell hug.

But when he reached out, Charles held Gilgamesh's hand and said, "Thank you for your hospitality during this time. With my current abilities, I can only temporarily delay Thena's disease. If her symptoms recur, you can contact me, and I will come to treat her again."

Charles knew that his Genjutsu seal, with Thena's use of divine power, was gradually eroding the seal. Perhaps in the near future, this Genjutsu seal would lose its effect.

Gilgamesh simply held Charles's hands and thanked him, "Thank you. At least Thena has been much more relaxed during this time. If her symptoms come back, I'll contact you. We'll still need your help."

"No problem."

Charles patted Gilgamesh's arm and then said, "Well, I have to say goodbye now. See you next time."

Feeling the Hiraishin seal he left behind at the New York base, Charles disappeared in front of them.

Watching Charles disappear, Gilgamesh couldn't help but sigh, "Such spatial abilities are truly enviable. It's even more convenient than Ikarus's flight."

Thena looked at the business card in her hand and then said, "He's an interesting friend, isn't he?"

Gilgamesh glanced at the business card in Thena's hand and asked, "Do you want to go to New York to find him?"

"Who knows..." Thena replied casually, putting the business card in her pocket before heading inside the house.