Dan, Daimyo, and Ikkyu looked outside the window and saw another high-speed train running on the adjacent train tracks.
The train, with its aerodynamic design and sleek exterior, zipped past at an astonishing speed, surprising them.
Ryu explained, "This is the new transportation system I have in my mind; it utilises a long snake-like vehicle that runs over an already laid down track. This could revolutionise transportation and long-distance travel."
"Ticket, please," said the ticket checker who asked Ryu.
Ikkyu's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the ticket checker and exclaimed, "What in the world..."
The ticket checker looked just like Ryu's secretary, Enjomi Kaori.
The Enjomi's doppelganger asked again, "Ticket, please?"
Just then another ticket checker hit her in the head. This one was another familiar face. It was Isao.
The doppelganger Isao said, "Sorry, Mr Hamura, this brat is new here. I will train her properly so that she won't ask the train owner for tickets."
Ruy replied, "It's fine; she is just doing her job."
With a wave of his hand, Ryu manifested four tickets and handed them to the doppelganger resembling Isao.
The doppelganger Isao said, "The next one is your stop, Mr Hamura. Enjoy your trip."
Ryu replied, "Thanks, you too. Enjoy your holiday."
Dan, Ikkyu and the Daimyo were watching the scene with surprise evident on their faces.
When both the doppelgangers left , Ryu said, "Relax, it's just like a dream. You all are inside my dream world. All the people you are going to see are either my imagination or copies of people known to me."
Continuing his explanation, Ryu said, "This world is a fragment of my dream world that I wish to build. Please enjoy your stay while you are here."
"What is this thing?" Daimyo asked, looking up and down at the compartment of the train.
Ryu replied, "I think I am going to call it a train. Would you like a tour?"
Both Ikkyu and Daimyo nodded. Ryu stood from his seat and began walking. "Please follow me," Ryu said.
The announcer on the speaker suddenly started speaking, "The next stop is New Industrial Town. Thank you for travelling with Hamura Express."
Ryu then moved to the next coach. It was a mini bar /casino of this train. The familiar bartender said, "Welcome, Mr Hamura."
This time it was Shizune's doppelganger managing the bar/casino, and on a table near her, a game of poker was going on. Doppelgangers of Tsunade, Yuki and Dr. Sato were in an intense stare-off. They were eyeing each other without blinking, waiting for the next move.
"Raise", Yuki said.
"Fold," Sato replied.
Tsunade put her chips in and said, "I have a good hand; you should just fold."
Yuki responded, "Observe the student displaying his fangs towards the teacher."
Ryu looked at this commotion and said, "I want to see this outcome."
"I want to too," Dan said.
Back on the poker table, Yuki smiled and said, "Let's see which one of us has a good hand. All in."
Yuki then shot a smug look at Tsunade, a smirk playing on her lips, and asked, "What's your call… brat?"
Tsunade was biting her nail.
Dan saw her and said, "Even in this world she has the same tell."
Ryu nodded while smiling and said, "Ohh, she is in for a big surprise. I know it when Mother Yuki is happy and confident."
"Okay, I am all in too," Tsunade said, "I also have a good hand."
Yuki replied, "Let's see if it is good enough."
Tsunade, with a smile, dropped a FLUSH on the table and said, "I think it's my win this time."
Yuki smiled and said, "Not so fast," and dropped a ROYAL FLUSH.
Tsunade's face went pale as Yuki grabbed every chip on the table.
Yuki said, "Hehehe … brat, that's what you get for underestimating your teacher."
Ryu said, "Even in this world, aunty can't win a bet."
Dan nodded and said, "Yes, even here, her luck is rotten."
They tend to leave for the next cart. Ryu said, "I think it's better if we don't tell her what we witnessed in here."
Dan replied, "Then you should not have conjured her here and made a situation like this in this genjutsu."
Ryu replied, "I don't consciously control everything here."
Dan asked, "What do you mean?"
Ryu told him, "My conscious mind decided what I wanted, and it in turn subcontracted parts of the work to my subconscious. The basic structure is my conscious requirement, but the details are done by my unconscious mind. This genjutsu world is rendered in real time by my subconscious mind, so it is unpredictable and random to a certain level."
Dan, Ikkyu and Daimyo were surprised. They didn't know what to make of what Ryu just said.
'How can one tell their subconscious to imagine? How strong is his conscious mind to order his subconscious mind around like this?' This was the question in their minds.
Ryu continued his explanation, "In simple terms, it is actually a partially controlled dream created using the inputs I have given, and the information gaps not provided by me are randomly filled through my subconscious."
Ikkyu said, "I now understand it. This is amazing genjutsu."
Ryu then said, "I devised this type of Genjutsu to simulate ninja battles using info I have on my opponent. This way there will be randomness in the doppelganger opponents, and I could train more efficiently."
He looked at Dan and said, "You can fight your own doppelganger if you want. With your mind connected to mine at the moment, I can create a perfect replica of yourself to fight with all the data I currently have on you."
Dan shook his head and said, "Maybe another time."
"I have been trained to resist genjutsu, and I have previously encountered strong genjutsu," Ikkyu stated. "But this is something else."
Daimyo nodded as he thought the same.
Ryu replied, "Thanks."
Ryu and company then reached the storage compartment. Where all sorts of goods and luggage were stored.
They then heard the announcement again, "You have reached the new industrial town. Thank you for travelling with Hamura Industries."
"Let's get off now," Ryu said.
They all took their exit from the train. The view outside of the train at the station surprised Dan, Ikkyu, and the Daimyo. The high-rise buildings and huge displays, like Times Square in New York, and many other marvels.
There were also elevated metro trains in the distance, and people were talking on the phone here and there.
There came a girl with a phone held in front of her face talking on a video call.
"Hello, Dad, I have reached the station. Come pick me up," the girl said.
Ryu asked, "Impressed by the sights?"
Daimyo was speechless. He asked, "What is that? A radio?"
Ryu replied, "No, that is my company's next project. It's currently in the prototyping phase, with plans for completion by the end of this year and subsequent testing in the following phase. I will be launching this before I graduate from the academy."
"Hello, where is the cafeteria?" Ryu asked a random person.
"It's there, on the second floor," the stranger replied.
"Okay, let's go." Ryu said to his companions.
They all followed Ryu into the building. They stepped into a lift. Ryu pushed the button for the second floor while music played in the elevator. Through the translucent glass window of the lift, they were able to view the floors as they rose. They were all fascinated with the infrastructure and technology, admiring the escalators, moving platforms and holographic displays everywhere inside the building.
Ikkyu exclaimed in awe, "This is truly amazing stuff. How can you imagine things like this?"
Ryu just smiled, not wanting to lie here.
They reached the second floor and walked toward the cafeteria. The inside of the building was also mesmerising for all of them. There were many lifts going up and down from their view and also escalators with crowds moving on them. people shopping in here and there. Many flatscreen TV ads are playing on glass windows. A martial arts movie was playing, featuring Might Guy as a martial arts expert in a Bruce Lee-inspired outfit, showcasing his renowned taijutsu skills.
Ryu's guests were amazed by the scene.
Ryu said, "Let's go sit somewhere and talk further business."
They entered a restaurant, and Ryu said, "A table for four, please."
The ramen guy said , "Welcome, Sir. Your menu is on the table, sir."
Dan and the others sat at the table, initially puzzled by the absence of a menu. Suddenly, the lights on the table illuminated, displaying the menu. The table had a built-in screen in it. All the cuisine had a demo video play of its looks when they were selected.
Ryu selected his order and then said, "Please order what you would like."
They all nodded, explored the neatly categorised menu, and placed their orders. A countdown appeared on the display, indicating the expected arrival time of their orders.
Ryu said, "The order will be here soon. Until then, let us talk business."
Author's Note:
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