(A/N: "Hope you enjoy it! Let me know in the comments if it meets your expectations. ")
This was the most convincing reason Shanks could offer without revealing the true nature of the Red-Haired Character Template System. He needed a believable explanation, one that wouldn't raise suspicion or trigger questions he wasn't ready to answer.
With a calm exhale, Shanks lowered himself to the ground, crossing his legs in a meditative pose. He closed his eyes, voice steady as he said, "Each of you, come forward one at a time and sit in front of me. We'll begin with Erza."
Inside his mind, Shanks entered his mental space and addressed the system:
"Maintain the cover story I've established for your presence."
The system responded in a composed, almost reassuring tone.
"Understood. There's no need for concern. Everything will proceed exactly as you've outlined. I will even modify the characters' appearances slightly, adjusting their features so they align with how they'll look as adults. It will strengthen the illusion."
Shanks gave a small nod of approval, then shifted his focus back to the physical world.
In front of him, Erza had already stepped forward and taken a seat, following his instructions without hesitation. Her expression was one of curiosity and trust—two things he couldn't afford to betray.
Without speaking further, Shanks extended his right hand and gently placed it on her forehead.
The moment his skin made contact with hers, Erza's eyes fluttered shut. Her consciousness was drawn away from the material world, pulled rapidly into a blank, endless white space. The transition was instantaneous and disorienting.
Then, without warning, a figure appeared before her—a woman in her early twenties, standing tall and confident. She wore a suit of silver armor paired with a skirt, and in her right hand, she held a gleaming sword. Her presence radiated strength and calm.
Erza's breath caught in her throat. She stared at the woman in shock, recognition flickering across her face even though they had never met. And then it began—a flood of memories poured into her mind with startling clarity.
Combat techniques. Battle instincts. A strange but powerful ability called Requip: The Knight. Skills related to hand-to-hand fighting, swordplay, and tactics she had never trained in suddenly became part of her.
These memories weren't hers. She knew that. But at the same time, they didn't feel alien. They settled into her mind like long-forgotten truths, as though they had always belonged to her and were simply waiting to be remembered.
After fully absorbing the flood of memories, Erza slowly lifted her gaze to the woman standing before her. Now that her mind was clear, she examined the figure more carefully—and what she saw made her breath hitch.
The woman looked exactly like her. Not just similar—identical, only older. Her features were sharper, more mature, and her presence carried the quiet confidence of someone who had seen countless battles and grown stronger through them.
Erza stared in stunned silence before whispering, "So… this is my future self? The one Onii-chan mentioned?" Her voice trembled slightly, the realization settling in. "Then these memories... they must also belong to her. To me."
Before she could process the thought further, the woman vanished—like smoke blown away by a silent wind.
In her place, a translucent panel appeared in midair, glowing faintly against the white void. Lines of text floated on its surface, unfamiliar yet oddly intuitive. Erza blinked, taken aback. She had never seen anything like this before.
Heart pounding, she stepped closer and began to read the words on the panel, trying to make sense of what was happening.
----
Name: Erza Uzumaki
Rank: Chūnin
Abilities:
Requip: The Knight (Lv. 2)
Swordsmanship (Lv. 2)
Marksmanship (Lv. 2)
Telekinesis (Lv. 2)
Enchantment (Lv. 2)
-----
Erza read the panel slowly, absorbing every detail. "So this shows my exact strength… and the abilities I now have," she murmured. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of awe and excitement. "This is amazing—it'll be so useful."
Just as the thought settled in her mind, the glowing panel faded, and her consciousness was pulled back to the real world.
Her eyes opened slowly.
The first thing she saw was Shanks, sitting quietly before her. He had already lowered his hand from her forehead. There was a deeper respect in her expression, as if she now truly understood a glimpse of the power Shanks carried.
Then, without warning, a sharp pain stabbed through her skull. Erza winced, clutching her head tightly as the pressure built.
"Nnngh…" she groaned, the pain growing more intense by the second. It felt as if her mind was expanding—stretching beyond its limits.
Shanks opened his eyes. He watched her quietly, his expression calm and unshaken. He knew exactly what was happening.
Around them, the other children started to panic. Their voices rose in alarm.
"W-What's wrong with Erza Onee-san?" Benimaru cried, rushing toward Shanks. "Onii-san, is she okay?!"
"She's fine," Shanks said, his voice firm but reassuring. "What she's feeling now is the side effect of an ability awakening. The pain will pass soon."
Indeed, the ability awakening had begun. Erza was unlocking Telekinesis—and her mind was struggling to adjust to the sudden surge of power.
Moments later, the pain began to fade. Her breathing steadied. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking as the pressure lifted.
Then, almost instinctively, her gaze shifted to a small stone lying near the cave wall. She focused on it—and stretched her will.
The stone trembled, then slowly lifted off the ground, floating into the air.
Gasps filled the cave as the others watched in stunned silence.
Erza looked at the stone, then back at her hand, wonder etched across her face.
Shanks smiled slightly and said, "Congratulations, Erza. You've awakened the Telekinesis ability."
Erza gave a respectful bow. "It's all thanks to you, Onii-chan."
Shanks nodded in acknowledgment. "Alright. Next—Benimaru, you're up."
Benimaru stepped forward and sat down in front of Shanks. He was clearly nervous, still shaken by the pain Erza had experienced—but excitement flickered in his eyes. The idea of gaining a power unique to him was stronger than his fear.
Shanks closed his eyes and slipped back into his mental space.
The system's voice echoed within his mind:
"Congratulations, Host. You have successfully assigned the character template of Erza Scarlet from the anime Fairy Tail to Erza Uzumaki."
Shanks gave a brief nod in response.
Then, just as before, he reached out and placed his hand on Benimaru's forehead.
Benimaru's consciousness was instantly pulled into the blank white void, just as it had happened with Erza. But this time, something different occurred.
Before him stood a tall, fierce-looking man—his future self—dressed in a blood red Kimono with and a sword at his back. The resemblance was clear, but the power and presence the figure radiated was far beyond Benimaru's current self.
Then the figure dissolved, transforming into a glowing panel in the air. Text appeared on its surface as Benimaru stepped forward to read:
----
Name: Benimaru Uzumaki
Rank: Ordinary
Abilities: None mastered
----
Benimaru blinked at the panel, a hint of disappointment passing over his face. But the moment was not without meaning—this was only the beginning.
Back in the mental space of Shanks, the system announced:
"Congratulations, Host. You have successfully assigned the character template of Benimaru from the anime That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime to Benimaru Uzumaki."
One by one, the sequence continued. Each child stepped forward, and with every touch from Shanks, a new template was bestowed.
Inside Shanks' mental space, the voice of the System echoed steadily, announcing each successful transfer. At the same time, within the minds of the children, glowing character panels materialized—each one tailored to their newly assigned identity.
----
"Congratulations, Host. You have granted the character template of Yoko Kurama from the anime Yu Yu Hakusho to Yoko Uzumaki."
Name: Yoko Uzumaki
Rank: Ordinary
Abilities: None mastered
----
"Congratulations, Host. You have granted the character template of Mereoleona Vermillion from the anime Black Clover to Mereoleona Uzumaki."
Name: Mereoleona Uzumaki
Rank: Ordinary
Abilities: None mastered
----
"Congratulations, Host. You have granted the character template of Todoroki from the anime My Hero Academia to Todoroki Uzumaki."
Name: Todoroki Uzumaki
Rank: Ordinary
Abilities: None mastered
----
"Congratulations, Host. You have granted the character template of Guy Crimson from the anime That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime to Guy Uzumaki."
Name: Guy Uzumaki
Rank: Ordinary
Abilities: None mastered
----
"Congratulations, Host. You have granted the character template of Gildarts Clive from the anime Fairy Tail to Gildarts Uzumaki."
Name: Gildarts Uzumaki
Rank: Ordinary
Abilities: None mastered
----
"Congratulations, Host. You have granted the character template of Antares from the anime Solo Leveling to Antares Uzumaki."
Name: Antares Uzumaki
Rank: Ordinary
Abilities: None mastered
----
"Congratulations, Host. You have granted the character template of Renji Abarai from the anime Bleach to Renji Uzumaki."
Name: Renji Uzumaki
Rank: Ordinary
Abilities: None mastered
----
"Congratulations, Host. You have granted the character template of Makima from the anime Chainsaw Man to Makima Uzumaki."
Name: Makima Uzumaki
Rank: Ordinary
Abilities: None mastered
----
Each announcement marked the beginning of a new path. Though their panels currently showed no mastered abilities, the potential locked within each child was immense. They would train, grow, and slowly awaken the power of the legendary figures whose names they now carried.
----
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