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The dragon let out a low growl in a deep voice as it gazed at Kaito.
Kureha quickly pulled Kaito back while simultaneously shouting a warning to Uchiha Jiri and the others:
"It says it's going to fulfill its mission now!"
"Once it completes its mission, its body will belong entirely to you, kid!"
"So let's make way!"
"We need to retreat for now!"
Hearing this, Uchiha Jiri and the others hastily followed Kureha, leaving the cave and distancing themselves from the dragon's den.
Boom, boom, boom!
Loud, thunderous footsteps echoed from the cave.
Before long, a massive millennium dragon emerged from the darkness, stepping onto a nearby stone platform.
It flapped its wings, preparing to take flight.
Perhaps because it had regained some vitality after being rejuvenated by over a decade, the millennium dragon no longer seemed on the verge of collapse. Its eyes sparkled with determination.
"ROAR!!!"
Under everyone's watchful gaze, the millennium dragon let out an earth-shaking roar.
The sound reverberated with a strange frequency, causing the entire Warship Island to tremble violently, along with the surrounding sea.
The millennium dragon continued roaring.
"ROAR!!!"
Minutes later, distant echoes of similar roars responded from the horizon.
Soon, a group of millennium dragons came soaring toward the island at incredible speed.
They quickly surrounded the elder dragon, roaring as they circled it mid-flight.
The entire Warship Island began to tremble even more intensely. Gradually, the island started rising from the sea.
"This... the island is moving! It's rising!"
Kushina and the others immediately noticed something was off and exclaimed in shock.
"Relax, it's the millennium dragons' doing. It'll settle down soon," Kaito reassured them.
"Whoa? This is incredible!" Kureha exclaimed in amazement, using her keen Observation Haki to peer into the depths below Warship Island. She spotted countless millennium dragon skeletons and unhatched eggs scattered beneath the seabed.
"This place... it's a breeding ground and nursery for millennium dragons? No wonder!"
Turning to Kaito, Kureha asked, "You knew all this from the start, didn't you?"
"Of course," Kaito confirmed with a nod. "I wouldn't have sought out that millennium dragon otherwise."
In no time, a section of the seabed spanning several kilometers around Warship Island emerged above the water, revealing rocky outcrops and a mass of millennium dragon remains.
"Can these millennium dragon bones still be used as materials for life-extending elixirs?"
Kaito couldn't help but ask as he looked at the scene.
"They should still be effective," Kureha replied after a quick examination with Observation Haki. "The essence in millennium dragon bones doesn't dissipate easily."
"Though they won't be as potent as bones from a living or freshly deceased dragon, you'll just need more bones to extract enough essence for crafting longevity elixirs."
"Even so, with this many bones, you'll be able to make a lot of those elixirs. Congratulations!"
Kaito grinned. "Thanks! We'll celebrate together!"
"ROAR!!!"
At that moment, the upward motion of Warship Island ceased, and the island stabilized.
The millennium dragon landed on the newly risen beaches, laying eggs and preparing for the next generation.
Crack, crack, crack!
Some ancient dragon eggs, seemingly reawakened during the earlier ritual, began to hatch.
One by one, baby millennium dragons emerged from their shells.
Watching this, the elder millennium dragon, its memories now fully restored, seemed filled with relief and happiness.
It had finally fulfilled its mission.
However, the ritual had also drained its remaining life force.
Its time had run out.
Even so, it wasn't ready to leave just yet. The elder dragon had promised to repay Kaito's kindness.
After saying its goodbyes to its kin, the dragon flapped its wings and returned to Kaito and the others.
Looking at Kaito, it let out a low growl.
Kureha quickly translated, "The millennium dragon says thank you for helping it recover its memories and complete its mission."
"It wants to offer its body as repayment for your kindness."
"Uh..."
Kaito felt a little conflicted but couldn't help asking, "Millennium dragon, isn't there any way for you to keep living?"
A living millennium dragon would obviously be far more valuable than a deceased one.
The dragon shook its head in response.
Kaito's expression hardened. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He checked the dragon's goodwill toward him using his innate ability and found that it had reached 88 points—enough to fulfill the requirements for a binding contract.
With the unique properties of the Space-Time Gate in mind, Kaito stepped forward and said, "Wait! I might have a way to save you. Trust me for now!"
He placed a hand on the millennium dragon, and with a thought, they vanished from the island, reappearing on a deserted small island between Warship Island and Logue town.
The dragon looked bewildered as Kaito summoned a mysterious rune from his forehead. Holding it out, he said, "If you're willing, touch this rune and agree to the bond. I might be able to save you."
"But know that as part of the deal, you'll have to follow me from now on. What do you think?"
The millennium dragon stared at the rune, then at Kaito. Sensing his sincerity, it nodded slightly and touched the rune with its head.
Immediately, a voice echoed in the dragon's mind, asking if it was willing to form a binding contract with Kaito. The contract promised great benefits but also required partial submission.
Without hesitation, the dragon agreed.
The rune entered its mind, and an influx of knowledge filled its consciousness—memories of the past, glimpses of the future, secrets of the Space-Time Gate, and details about the ninja world.
Additionally, Kaito transmitted cultivation techniques like the Longevity Arts and the Primal Chakra Refinement Method, complete with personal insights.
Kaito intended to test whether the Longevity Arts could work on the millennium dragon.
Though the technique was designed for humans, Kaito, who had nearly perfected the method, believed he could modify it to suit the dragon's physiology.
He could modify the technique based on the structure of the Dragon's meridians and body.
He might even create a version of the Longevity technique tailored for the Dragon.
If it worked, the Dragon could possibly use it to extend its lifespan further!
Moreover, the Primal Chakra Refining Technique wasn't just any ordinary method.
Not only could it help practitioners refine their internal chakra seeds with ease, but it also enabled those without chakra seeds to form their own.
In other words, anyone in the One Piece world—including the Millennial Dragon—could use this technique to condense their own chakra seeds and refine chakra.
That was the most incredible part!
Otherwise, people in the One Piece world would basically never be able to refine chakra.
Unless one day, Kaito broke through to the Six Paths level and mastered the Method of Acknowledgement, he might then grant people in the One Piece world the ability to refine chakra.
By teaching the Millennial Dragon the Primal Chakra Refining Technique, Kaito aimed to give it the ability to refine chakra, turning it into a "Ninja Beast."
Later, he might even take the dragon to find the Slug Sage and try to get the sage to teach it Sage Techniques to further extend its lifespan.
Everyone knows that the sages of the Three Great Summoning Lands have been alive for at least a thousand years!
For creatures whose species weren't inherently long-lived, gaining such a lifespan must be the result of practicing Sage Techniques.
If neither of these methods worked to extend the Millennial Dragon's life, Kaito could only try sealing it temporarily in the Space-Time Gate.
After all, if he could freeze time and space within the gate, couldn't he apply that to living beings, essentially using it as a stasis chamber?
"Hello, Kaito!"
At this moment, the Millennial Dragon opened its eyes, and a voice echoed in Kaito's mind.
"Huh? You can communicate telepathically now?"
Kaito looked at the dragon in surprise and asked.
"Yes!"
The Millennial Dragon nodded. "After forming a contract with you, I gained the ability to send you messages telepathically through our bond!"
"I didn't expect you to be such a fascinating existence!
"I also know that you're trying to save my life."
"Although I don't think it's necessary—because I have no regrets left in this life—I appreciate your effort."
"I'm willing to give it a try."
"However, if it doesn't work in the end, please don't be sad about my passing."
The Millennial Dragon clearly had a calm attitude toward life and death.
"Alright, I promise."
Kaito nodded seriously and said, "The Longevity technique will need your help to adjust and recreate, and the Primal Chakra Refining Technique won't work without a compatible Sage Technique to extend your life. Those can wait."
"But since your remaining lifespan is so short, let me try the last option first."
"Don't resist—I'm going to take you into the Space-Time Gate."
"Alright."
The Millennial Dragon nodded again.
In the next moment, it allowed Kaito to bring it into a separate section within the Space-Time Gate that Kaito had specially set up.
Kaito first put the Millennial Dragon's soul into a deep sleep.
Then, he froze time in that part of the space entirely.
He carefully observed the dragon's body through his authority over the space.
As expected, its bodily functions had completely stopped.
"It worked! Haha!"
Kaito was overjoyed. "This way, even if someone bonded with me is nearing the end of their lifespan and I can't extend it, I can seal them in the Space-Time Gate and wait until I figure out a solution before unsealing them!"
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