Luffy's illusion was, of course, carefully constructed by Naruto. As he'd said before—this wasn't just about training; it had to include the spirit of adventure.
So, Naruto casually created an entire continent within the illusion—filled with strange lands, curious people, and powerful enemies to challenge.
Luffy could explore to his heart's content, growing stronger with each battle, and basking in the joy of adventure.
To guide that growth, Naruto even inserted a character into the illusion—a "guide" to help Luffy push past his limits, both in combat and mentality.
But in the end, it was still just that—an illusion. He could gain experience, learn techniques, sharpen his instincts…
Yet his body would remain the same.
That's the weakness of genjutsu-based training: progress in the mind doesn't translate to physical growth. If he wanted to strengthen his body, he'd have to train in the real world.
"Let me see… Zoro's stuck with Zabuza right now."
Naruto muttered as he monitored the illusion.
Sure enough, Zoro was currently locked in a brutal battle with Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist. It wasn't going well.
Zabuza's relentless and underhanded tactics were giving Zoro hell. Painful hell.
It wasn't that Zoro was too weak physically—quite the opposite. If it were a pure clash of strength, Zoro could probably overpower Zabuza without much trouble.
But that's not how ninja fight.
Most shinobi rely on speed, stealth, and techniques—glass cannons, basically. High offense, low defense.
In game terms, they're assassins. Swift, lethal, but fragile.
That said, there are exceptions—monsters at the top who can tank hits and dish out overwhelming power.
Now compare that to people from the pirate world…
At the top end, you've got guys like Garp—training with warships as punching bags and casually leveling towns with a single strike.
At the bottom… well, there's Kuina, who died falling down the stairs.
Zoro, though still considered a rookie, already had formidable strength. Physically, he outclassed Zabuza.
But that advantage was neutralized—completely smothered by Zabuza's jutsu.
"He's not even using his sensory talents," Naruto murmured.
After all, Zoro's potential wasn't limited to brute strength. He was someone destined to "hear the voice of all things"—a swordsman who could eventually slice through steel itself.
Yet here he was, blinded by Hidden Mist, getting played by Zabuza's sneak attacks like a rookie.
"He's too caught up in brute force. Fine, time to send in a guide."
Naruto raised an eyebrow and focused his chakra.
Inside the illusion, Zoro had just taken another L—Zabuza's dirty tactics landing the final blow once more.
As he lay there, vision flickering… he felt a sudden shift.
When he awoke, the bandaged swordsman was gone.
Instead, a different figure stood before him—calm, composed, and unmistakably powerful.
A man who introduced himself simply as—
"Konoha's White Fang."
But this time… he wasn't here to fight.
"You're too clouded," the White Fang said quietly. "You have to feel it—with your heart. Because your heart right now… is in turmoil."
"Only when your heart is calm and steady... can the sword in your hand remain truly firm."
Those were the final words of guidance from the man known as Konoha's White Fang.
With that, the scene shifted again.
In the next instant, the mist rolled back in, thick and cold. The bandaged monster returned—Zabuza Momochi, Demon of the Hidden Mist.
The battle was about to begin once more.
But this time, something had changed.
Zoro steadied his breathing, closed his eyes, and allowed his heart to still.
This trial wasn't one of strength alone—it was a test of perception. The fog was meant to confuse, to strip away the senses and turn instinct against itself.
But Zoro wasn't the same man he was before.
With a composed mind, he slipped into a strange, heightened state.
"Alright… come on, then. Take this—Tiger Hunt Slash!"
He unleashed his three-sword style, and the blades roared through the mist in three precise arcs—parallel lines like the claws of a wild beast.
They tore through Zabuza's form effortlessly—clean, almost too clean.
Something felt off.
"…No resistance?"
Zoro frowned.
He knew he'd hit something. He felt the strike connect.
But it wasn't the feeling of cutting flesh.
"You've got a long way to go. Looks like we've still got time to play."
Zabuza's voice echoed from behind him.
A massive blade swung down from the mist—the Executioner's Blade cleaving through Zoro in a single instant.
He had struck a Water Clone.
Again.
Still trapped in the mist, still at a disadvantage.
Even so, he had begun to awaken a new sense within himself—his awareness expanding, his instincts sharpening.
It wasn't a clean victory. But it was progress.
Naruto withdrew his chakra and exhaled lightly, letting the illusion run its course.
The one-hour timer ticked down.
Eventually, both Luffy and Zoro opened their eyes in unison.
"Ugh… my head's still attached, right?"
Zoro groaned and reached for his neck, still shaken.
He had broken through Zabuza after a full month of hard illusionary combat. But the later stages had thrown even stronger enemies his way. He was decapitated more times than he could count.
Sure, it was all an illusion—but the pain… the pain was all too real.
Every death was like a blade through his soul.
But this was his path.
He had sworn to become the world's strongest swordsman.
No matter how many times he died, he'd keep getting back up.
Suffering would only sharpen his will.
He looked pale, worn out. So Naruto handed him a bottle of wine he'd picked up from a nearby town.
Despite being able to create anything—fishing with lightning, drawing water with chakra, even building ships—there were still some things Naruto preferred to buy.
Technically, he could ferment wine using chakra, clone labor, and earth-style brewing vats…
But that was just too much trouble.
Zoro took a few gulps, and color slowly returned to his face.
Meanwhile, Luffy was grinning like an idiot.
"That illusion was awesome! The whole adventure thing was super fun. But…"
He tilted his head.
"There wasn't any meat! Not even one giant bone-in meat stick! What kind of world is that?!"
Apparently, he'd gone through quite the fantasy quest of his own—but his main takeaway was the food.
Still, he looked satisfied.
"Really?" Naruto chuckled. "I'll make sure to add some next time."
The boat continued to drift along the sea, warm sunlight glittering on the water.
"I think we're getting close to the next island," Naruto said after a moment, adjusting his headband.
"But no more illusions for now. You both need time to digest what you've learned."
Illusions were powerful—especially his. Compressing an entire month of experience into a single hour was no small feat.
But that kind of compression had its risks.
Stay too long in an illusion, and reality begins to blur.
Luffy and Zoro were still young—barely even twenty.
If they lived forty years inside an illusion, what would that do to their minds?
When the weight of fantasy outweighs the years lived in reality… you begin to question what's real.
That kind of training had to be used with restraint.
"I learned how to walk on water!" Luffy shouted suddenly.
He jumped straight off the boat.
His feet skimmed the ocean surface as chakra flowed through his soles—an unstable but determined application of the konoha's basic water-walking technique.
He wobbled slightly…
But he stood.
Steady as a captain's will.