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March 1, 1920 â Afternoon
The weather was perfect: bright sunshine and a gentle breeze.
George emerged from the SAT exam center and spotted Ryan standing across from their rented hotel car. When Ryan saw him, he waved enthusiastically. Once George got in, Ryan asked, "So, George, how do you feel? When do the results come out?"
George smiled. "I'm confident I aced it. We should get the results in about a week."
Ryan laughed. "That's great! We should celebrate tonight!"
Perhaps the more people are deprived of something, the more they crave itâalcohol had become that forbidden desire. George noticed Ryan's drinking habits increasing; his suitcase probably didn't have much liquor left.
George chuckled. "I've still got two bottles of 1890 bourbon in my case. Let's open one tonight."
That night, they drank heavily. George had the nagging feeling he'd forgotten something. The next morning, he awoke in bed, spotted the hotel's complimentary newspaper, and suddenly remembered: he hadn't drawn an item.
George sat up and let his consciousness enter the Chaos Pearl. He spent 30 energy points to extract an itemâthis time, a blood-red gem from the Naruto world. But as information flowed into his mind, he realized it wasn't a gem at allâit was a Bloodline Crystal.
In Naruto, these are called Kekkei Genkaiâgenetic traits that grant powerful abilities. Placing the crystal on an open wound would fuse it into the body, unlocking its power. However, there was a catch: this particular Bloodline, Shikotsumyaku, came with a major flaw in the original storyâa fatal, incurable disease.
Shikotsumyaku allows its user to manipulate osteoblasts and osteoclasts, control calcium concentration, and grow or weaponize bones. Its bone armor is incredibly tough, capable of withstanding most physical attacks. In return attacks, these bones can become deadly weapons. The user's body also heals quickly when bones pierce through the skin.
George absorbed the information with caution. Fortunately, the Chaos Pearl had purified the bloodline, eliminating the disease.
He picked up a fruit knife, made a cut on his palm, and pressed the crystal into the wound. It dissolved and absorbed into his body. The wound healed instantly, leaving no scar.
Almost immediately, George's body began to heat up uncomfortably. He rushed to the bathroom and jumped under an ice-cold shower, then soaked in a cold bath. The sensation eased, and he eventually fell asleep.
Two hours later, he woke and stood in the middle of the room. Closing his eyes, he concentrated. Slowly, two bone rods extended from his palms, transforming into knife-like shapes before retreating again. He reopened his eyesâhis hands were flawless.
He cut his palm again. Within seconds, the cut disappeared, leaving only a faint bloodstain. George wiped it away. The pain when bones emerged felt muted, like being pricked through gauze.
He pointed at the bathroom wall and launched three finger bonesâbang, bang, bang. They left holes in the wall. George retrieved the bones with a small knife. Leaving them behind could be dangerous; better to store them safely.
The greatest benefit of this bloodline was rapid regeneration. As for the bone bullets, George preferred modern weapons. He had spatial storage filled with cold weapons, making bone weaponry redundant. However, bone armor offered valuable defense. The material was denser than normal boneâits durability would need testing.
He summoned a Shadow Clone to test compatibility. Surprisingly, the clone could also use the bloodline. Normally, his clones would vanish after taking damage, but now, protected by bone armor, they were much more resilient. A fruit knife couldn't even penetrate the armor.
This significantly boosted George's combat durability. After two months of training, he could now maintain 25 clones simultaneously.
When George changed clothes for lunch, he realized he had grown tallerânow 180 cm, up from 175. His clothes no longer fit. He didn't mention this to Ryan, who, still hopeful that cultivation could heal his crippled foot, might misinterpret it. George knew only the Three-Body Technique wouldn't be enough.
After a steak lunch, they went shopping. George had never cared much about fashion, but Ryan convinced him to buy two high-end suits. George also bought several outfits for Ryan. As they planned to move into the business world, appearances would matter.
He even bought them each a luxury watch. These handmade timepieces were stunningâand if saved for future generations, would become extremely valuable. But George restrained himself. Every coin had to be carefully spent.
A week later, with his perfect SAT score in hand, George and Ryan boarded a steam train to Washington. Though slowâjust 60 km/hâthe train was packed. George arranged for a private compartment.
During the week, George had finished his first novel and stored the manuscript in his spatial inventory. He also began a new one: Of Mice and Men.
It followed two companions: the clever George and the mentally challenged Lennie. Because of Lennie's mistakes, they kept changing jobs. At a new ranch, their dreams of raising rabbits seemed within reachâuntil Lennie accidentally killed Curley's wife. George, knowing what awaited Lennie, found and mercy-killed him before the mob could.
The novel was shortâjust over 70,000 wordsâand was adapted into a film in George's previous life. Now, thanks to the Chaos Pearl, George had near-perfect recall, able to reproduce entire novels from memory.
In parallel, he trained his clones to form Shikotsumyaku weapons. Though capable of creating Japanese-style swords, George preferred the Embroidered Spring Blade from his memories. He also recreated the Sagittarius Gold Cloth armor from Saint Seiya, complete with wings and a mask.
After rigorous practice, he could don the armor in one second. Ten clones were dedicated to studying wing mechanics. Just last night, they achieved gliding. One clone even used bone particles to enhance an owl's wingsâthough the owl didn't survive the experiment.
Fortunately, the three finger bones from his previous tests had disintegrated into ash the next day. A blessing in disguiseâit meant he wouldn't risk leaving traces in future battles.
The journey to Washington would take a full dayâtime George intended to use wisely. Ryan had handed him valuable intel.
George's eyes were on Lincoln, a car manufacturer founded in 1917. According to Ryan, the company was in trouble: employee protests, salary disputes, and an ongoing lawsuit. If an economic crisis hit, Lincoln might collapse. George chose to focus solely on them.
As for newspapers, he selected The Moon Times out of New York. While only third in national circulation, its reach was broad, covering over half of America's major cities. It struck a good balance between business reporting and celebrity gossipâperfect for George's future plans.
The only thread left unresolved was the owner of a rechargeable battery patent. Ryan had asked a former quartermaster friend to inquire through official channels. Results were expected soon.
While aboard, George enjoyed the train's dining car service. With a generous tip, food could even be delivered to private compartments. The food was delicious, but expensive.
After dinner, George and Ryan discussed Ninjutsu cultivation. George answered Ryan's questions, then turned in early for the night.
â End of Chapter 9 â
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