---
"I agree."
Uchiha Jiri nodded with certainty. "Even if you hadn't mentioned it, I was already planning to do this. Such a valuable resource for strengthening the body cannot be wasted. In the future, we can even consider providing Sea King meat to loyal and reliable clan members. Strengthening their power will ultimately benefit you when the Uchiha clan's future falls into your hands."
"Unfortunately, not everyone meets the requirements for a summoning contract. Otherwise, we could send people here to establish a stable base and hunt Sea Kings and beasts long-term. That way, I wouldn't have to personally get involved."
Pausing, Jiri turned to Uchiha Kaito. "Once your health improves and your strength grows, I'll help you gradually build your reputation within the clan. I'll arrange for some children from the clan to follow you, learn from you, and grow close to you. That way, it'll be easier for you to earn their loyalty and contract them later. What do you think?"
It was clear that Jiri had been planning meticulously since discovering her son's unique abilities. She had arranged everything perfectly, ensuring Kaito wouldn't need to overthink or worry about such matters.
Originally, Jiri had considered supporting Uchiha Fugaku, the Third Elder's son, as the next clan leader. But now, her thoughts had changed.
Her son was the better choice.
Fugaku lacked the decisiveness and resilience needed for leadership.
Naturally, Kaito saw no reason to refuse. "Alright, I'll follow your lead, Mom."
Having such a capable mother saved him countless headaches. Kaito felt lucky he had bonded with her first.
"By the way," Jiri said, breaking the momentary silence, "what do you think about me leaving a shadow clone in the ninja world, or here? If we stagger the timing, could it last?"
"If it works, it would make things much more convenient."
Otherwise, the time spent traveling back and forth could disrupt her ability to manage matters in the ninja world.
Initially, she hadn't planned to stay long. This trip was meant to explore the area, but their unexpected landing on a pirate ship and subsequent rescue of the Kuja Pirates had forced her to change her plans.
"Hmm… We could try. Maybe… it's possible?" Kaito replied, though not entirely confident.
"Then let's give it a shot!"
They immediately conducted an experiment.
To their surprise, it worked flawlessly. A shadow clone could remain active in either the ninja world or the One Piece world, even while the original body was in the other.
Moreover, Kaito discovered he could establish markers at any location he had visited and teleport to those points—even onto people or objects like ships.
This revelation was groundbreaking.
It meant he could freely teleport between places he had been before, not just in the One Piece world but likely in the ninja world as well.
If not for his current lack of strength and the timing being inappropriate, he would have already begun exploring other maps.
"With this ability, we could even temporarily return home to rest for a few days," Kaito suggested. "Once the ship reaches Sabaody Archipelago, we can teleport back. What do you think, Mom?"
"Hmm…" Jiri pondered for a moment. "It's better for us to stay here, just in case something goes wrong or someone detects the shadow clone. After all, we don't yet fully understand whether Observation Haki can distinguish shadow clones."
Then, she smirked and playfully pinched Kaito's cheek. "And did you forget you've only just extracted a small amount of chakra? You haven't even mastered the Shadow Clone Technique yet! And with your current condition, it's not suitable to extract more chakra or practice such techniques."
"Uh…"
Kaito froze, realizing his oversight. "I totally forgot! Looks like I need to speed up my recovery."
"Don't rush," Jiri said with a light chuckle. She patted his head gently, offering reassurance. "Take it slow. You'll get better soon."
"Ok, mom. I'll continue practicing the Longevity Art. I don't think I've hit today's limit yet!"
With that, Kaito stood and began training again, eager to test his current limits.
"Alright, I'll join you. Let's work on restoring our bodies together."
Jiri smiled warmly and followed suit, beginning her own training alongside him.
[You have practiced the Longevity Art once. Proficiency +1. Lifespan +1 day.]
[You have practiced the Longevity Art once. Proficiency +1. Lifespan +1 day.]
After two rounds,
"Hah… Can't keep going…"
Kaito collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily. Wiping the sweat from his face, he decided to stop. His body was sore all over, and a strong hunger gnawed at him.
Even with the Longevity Art, his body required sufficient energy and nutrition to sustain further training.
Jiri, however, was far from reaching her limit.
Seeing her son's exhaustion, she continued her training while offering encouragement. "If you've hit your limit, rest for now. I'll keep training. I need to regain my peak strength as soon as possible."
Her strength had significantly waned over the years due to her health issues. In such a dangerous world, she needed to restore herself quickly.
"Alright. I'll work on refining medicinal recipes to restore our bodies. At the same time, I'll copy some medical texts to offer as compensation to Dr. Kureha. She's not easy to deal with without proper payment."
The infamous "Witch of Drum Island" wasn't known for her generosity.
"You've thought everything through. Go ahead with your plans," Jiri replied, pleased with his maturity.
Kaito didn't know his mother had already deduced so much from his subtle behaviors. She had connected his urgency and crisis mindset to the potential dangers looming over their clan's future.
"It seems like our clan and the Uchihas' future must be facing grave challenges," Jiri thought while training, her heart heavy with concern.
Meanwhile, Kaito returned briefly to the ninja world to gather blank paper. Back on the ship, he copied medical books and devised personalized prescriptions to aid both his and Jiri's recovery.
Time passed quickly.
After dozens of rounds of the Longevity Art, Jiri finally paused her training.
.
.
.