-----
"Whew! Did it work?"
"It works! That's what matters!"
Uchiha Kaito breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing his mother's confident response. A wide smile spread across his face. "If that's the case, Mom, you and I can keep going strong!"
"Also, Mom, didn't I gain a wealth of knowledge and experience in medicine from the inheritance?"
"Wait for me to check your condition. I'll craft a prescription tailored to you to help restore your health and speed up your recovery!"
"Of course, I'll need to take care of myself too!"
If Uchiha Jiri's health could be restored and her lifespan extended, the path ahead would be much smoother.
"Oh?"
Uchiha Jiri raised an eyebrow at his words. "You even got knowledge of medical books? This Sage inheritance really is comprehensive!"
"In that case, Kaito, start by taking a good look at Mom's condition."
"As for the medicinal herbs, leave it to me! Our family isn't short on money."
"Alright!"
Without hesitation, Uchiha Kaito began examining his mother's health.
Before long, he pulled his hand back from her wrist, frowning deeply, his expression grave. "Your condition is far worse than I imagined!"
"Besides the various internal injuries, your cells have suffered severe damage over the years from repeatedly extracting chakra. Your vitality and cellular regeneration have been greatly diminished, significantly affecting your lifespan."
"But that's not even the most critical issue..."
At this point, Kaito looked up at his mother, his expression heavy, as his gaze lingered on her right eye, now dim and lifeless. "The real problem is that when you used Izanami, it not only left your right eye completely blind but also drained a significant amount of your life essence and soul energy."
"That's the real danger."
He had assumed the forbidden technique only cost blindness. He hadn't expected this.
Noticing the thoughts on Kaito's face, Uchiha Jiri smiled gently. "I didn't realize the medical inheritance you received was so profound—it can even detect such things!"
"And to think, it even recognizes Izanami, the forbidden technique."
"It seems your knowledge of two worlds' secrets and information is much more than just surface level!"
"However, your assessment isn't entirely accurate."
"The primary reason for the depletion of my soul and life essence isn't Izanami itself."
"After perfecting the technique, it no longer carries such side effects when properly used."
"The only cost truly is the blindness of a Sharingan."
"But back then, I was developing Izanami on my own to prevent a civil war within the Uchiha clan."
"Trial and error in the process was inevitable!"
"That's why my soul and life essence were depleted so abnormally."
It couldn't have been helped.
Creating such a groundbreaking forbidden technique single-handedly was already a miracle.
The fact that she hadn't died during the process was a testament to her defiance of fate and sheer luck.
"I see!"
Kaito nodded in realization and gave his mother a thumbs-up. "Mom, you're incredible! To think you could pull off something like that!"
"However," he frowned, "to make up for your lost lifespan, merely healing your body and removing internal injuries won't be enough. We'll have to restore the essence of your soul and life itself!"
"Isn't congenital weakness essentially a form of life essence deficiency?"
"And for that, the medical knowledge I currently possess isn't sufficient!"
"Perhaps we need to head to the Pirate World through the Dimensional Gate to find a solution."
Of course, if he could enhance his traditional medicine skills to mastery or even perfection through his Heaven Rewards the Diligent talent, he might find a way.
But that would take time.
He might be able to wait, relying on his health regimen and talent, but his mother might not have the luxury.
Besides, the Ninja World was too dangerous. Restoring both his and his mother's health and increasing their strength as soon as possible was the key.
Time was of the essence.
"Oh?"
Jiri was slightly surprised. "Are there doctors in that world capable of solving our health problems?"
If so, that would be fantastic.
"Possibly!"
Kaito nodded hesitantly. "That world has its own wonders..."
He then briefly explained the basics of the Pirate World to his mother, including Devil Fruits and their abilities.
"Among the Devil Fruits, the Heal-Heal Fruit and Hormone-Hormone Fruit, for instance, might have the potential to treat our problems!"
"Of course, they won't be easy to find. But we can visit Drum Island and seek out Dr. Kureha."
"She not only possesses extraordinary medical skills but is rumored to have knowledge of a longevity medicine."
"Even if she can't completely cure us, she should be able to significantly improve our conditions, extending our lifespans and buying us more time to find a permanent solution!"
"The best part is that she's relatively easy to locate."
Turning to his mother, Kaito said, "So, Mom, we should plan to visit the Pirate World as soon as possible and find Dr. Kureha to help us."
"Alright!"
After a moment of thought, Jiri nodded in agreement.
She then asked, "But how long do you think it will take us there? I'll need to arrange matters within the clan beforehand."
"Uh..."
Kaito hesitated. "I'm not sure about that yet."
"I don't know where we'll end up on the other side. Why don't we go there together now to get a sense of our location, then return?"
He also needed to confirm the timeline of events in that world.
"Hopefully, the plot hasn't started yet," he thought to himself.
"Sounds good!"
Jiri didn't object. "I'm free today anyway. Shall we head there now? Do I need to prepare anything?"
"No need!"
Kaito shook his head. "We can come back anytime, so there's no need for additional preparations. But I'm not sure how safe it will be there, so please keep an eye out for me."
"I'm still pretty weak. It would be a disaster if I got wiped out right after arriving."
"Leave it to me!" Jiri smiled and playfully waved a fist. "Your mom's pretty strong, you know!"
"Got it!"
Kaito smiled back, grabbing Jiri's hand. With a thought, he activated the Dimensional Gate rune in his mind.
The next moment, he and Jiri vanished from the room.
---
Pirate World – Grand Line ~~~ In a place between Water 7 and the Sabaody Archipelago
In a certain stretch of sea, two pirate crews were locked in a fierce battle.
On one side was the fleet from Amazon Lily, while the other was the Frenzy Shark Slaver Crew, infamous for their human trafficking.
"Get us closer! Capture them! Those women warriors from Amazon Lily are premium goods—we'll make a fortune selling them!"
"Hyahahaha! Leave it to us, boss!"
"Attack!!!"
The battle had only lasted ten minutes, but the Kuja Pirates were already at a clear disadvantage, being pushed back and forced into defensive positions.
"Big sister, what do we do? Everyone's in danger!"
Sandersonia clung to her elder sister with a look of terror.
"Yeah, big sis! Should we step in and help?"
Marigold asked anxiously.
.
.
.