-----
Knock, knock, knock!
The sound of knocking and Hancock's cheerful voice came from outside.
"Miss Jiri, may I come in? It's time to eat! Come out and join us for dinner!"
With a creak, Uchiha Jiri opened the cabin door and greeted Hancock with a warm smile.
"Have you eaten yet? Thank you for letting us know! Please, lead the way."
She turned to glance back at Kaito, motioning for him to follow as she walked out with Hancock. Kaito put down his pen and quickly got up to join them.
Before long, they arrived at a large dining hall.
"Lady Jiri, welcome!"
"Welcome!"
"Thank you for saving us earlier, Lady Jiri!"
Expressions of gratitude and admiration echoed from the Kuja warriors gathered there, their eyes filled with respect and awe.
It was clear that a strong female leader like Jiri struck a chord with the warriors of Amazon Lily.
Of course, some of the more playful warriors couldn't resist teasing Kaito, which left him exasperated.
What's with these people? he thought, his face darkened in embarrassment.
"Alright, now that Lady Jiri has arrived, let's eat!" the leader of the group announced. She gestured to Jiri and Kaito to take seats at the head of the table. Once they started eating, the others followed suit.
Jiri took her first bite of the meat and immediately paused.
"Hmm? This meat..."
Warmth spread from her stomach to her entire body, and a stream of vitality coursed through her veins. Her eyes lit up in surprise.
This was no ordinary food. The meat was rich with vitality and nutrients, comparable to rare medicinal treasures in the ninja world.
"Is this Sea King meat?" she asked the leader beside her, keeping her expression composed despite her astonishment.
"Yes, Lady Jiri," the leader replied with a smile. "It's a meat from an ordinary Sea King just about a hundred meters long. Does it suit your taste?"
Jiri nodded with a polite smile, though her thoughts raced.
"If meat from a hundred-meter-long Sea King has such an effect, what about several hundred or even a thousand meters long?"
She could already feel her body greedily absorbing the energy. Years of damage from over-extracting chakra and the loss of life force were being visibly reversed, her complexion becoming healthier and more vibrant.
Meanwhile, Kaito wasn't faring as well.
He struggled to digest even a small piece of the meat, his weak stomach overwhelmed. The nutrients and vitality seeped into his system at a snail's pace. Still, the gradual absorption brought warmth to his body, soothing the fatigue and soreness from earlier training.
"My digestive system is this weak?" he thought grimly.
After a few more cautious bites, Kaito decided to stop. He addressed his mother and the leader: "Mom, I think I've had enough for now. I'll take some of this back to the room and eat later."
Jiri glanced at him, reading the exhaustion in his expression. Understanding his unspoken concerns, she nodded.
"Alright. Take care of yourself."
Turning to the leader, she added, "I'm sorry for the trouble. My son's health is still very fragile."
"No trouble at all," the leader said with a reassuring smile. "We hope he recovers soon. Don't worry; we'll get you to Drum Island for treatment as soon as possible."
Then she turned to Hancock.
"Hancock, escort Kaito back to his room."
"Alright," Hancock replied reluctantly, setting aside her food. She motioned for Kaito to follow her as he carried a large plate of meat back to the room.
On the way back, Hancock glanced at him sympathetically.
"You're really sick, aren't you? I hope you get better soon!"
"I will," Kaito replied with a faint smile.
Checking her affection level through his unique ability, he noted that Hancock's favorability had reached 52—a respectable level.
"If I were strong enough to save the three sisters myself, instead of relying on my mother, their goodwill might have already reached the threshold for forming bonds," he thought regretfully.
Soon, Hancock left him alone in the room. After setting down the plate, Kaito stretched and felt his body loosening up. The rest he'd gotten and the nourishment from the Sea King meat had done wonders for his soreness and fatigue.
He started practicing the Longevity Cultivation Technique.
As he moved through the forms, he could feel the Sea King meat in his stomach digesting faster. Warmth radiated from his core, spreading throughout his body.
[You practiced the Longevity Cultivation Technique with Sea King meat as support: Proficiency +3, Lifespan +3 days, Life Essence +0.01]
"Whoa! Not only did my lifespan gains, increased three times, but it's even restoring my life essence?!"
The restoration of life essence directly addressed the root of his congenital deficiencies.
"Could I fully heal myself just by eating Sea King meat and practicing the Longevity technique?"
Kaito's excitement grew. He had clearly underestimated the benefits of Sea King meat for a ninja like him.
---
Meanwhile, Jiri remained in the dining hall, continuing to eat and practice. As her body soaked in the vitality, she felt her strength gradually returning. Her years of decline were being reversed bit by bit.
Her thoughts turned to the Longevity technique.
"The Sea King meat combined with cultivation… perhaps this truly is a miracle remedy for us. We may recover sooner than I hoped."
.
.
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