Chapter 13: 27 Years Of Life
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Boom! Boom! Boom!
For the next several hours, Rayleigh tirelessly hunted ten massive Sea Kings, each over 100 meters in length. Katsumi carefully collected them all, one by one, using his unique ability. Only then did Rayleigh finally stop.
To capture this prey, the ship had to change locations several times before the task was fully completed.
In the end, Rayleigh caught an extra Sea King, intending to use it as food for the next few days. The female warriors of Nine Snake Island skillfully disassembled the Sea King, storing the portions temporarily in the ship's cold storage.
"Done! Let's head back!" Rayleigh announced.
"Okay!"
"Thank you, Uncle Rayleigh! You've worked so hard!" Katsumi said with gratitude.
"Haha! No problem, no problem! It's good to stretch my muscles now and then. Just don't forget the wine you promised!" Rayleigh replied with a hearty laugh.
"Of course! You'll get it as soon as we're back!"
"Then it's settled!"
---
The ship returned quickly.
During the journey, Katsumi excused himself and went to a private room. There, he used his spatial abilities to briefly return home to the ninja world. From his wine cellar, he selected over ten bottles of premium liquor before returning to the ship.
Once they arrived at the port, they made their way to Shakky's shop, where Katsumi handed the bottles to Rayleigh.
"Here you go, Uncle Rayleigh! These are some of the best wines in my collection. I guarantee you've never tasted anything like them before. Want to try?" Katsumi asked with a smile.
"Oh?"
Rayleigh curiously examined the bottles. The packaging of some reminded him of Wanokuni, though he had never seen these specific styles.
"Alright, let's give it a try!" he said, grabbing one bottle and popping it open.
A strong aroma wafted out, immediately lighting up Rayleigh's expression.
"Good wine!" he exclaimed.
Without hesitation, Rayleigh raised the bottle to his lips and took several deep gulps.
"Gululu!"
"Ahh… Not bad! This is truly excellent!" Rayleigh said, savoring the taste.
"Haha! Katsumi, thank you very much!" He raised the bottle in a toast to Katsumi, his gratitude clear.
"Hehe! As long as you're satisfied! I chose strong liquor just for you," Katsumi replied with a grin.
In the ninja world, sake was more common, but Katsumi figured someone like Rayleigh might prefer a stronger drink.
"Oh! By the way!" Rayleigh suddenly slapped his forehead as if remembering something. "I've written down the experience you wanted—on Conqueror's Haki, the Six Powers, and Life Return techniques. Let me get it for you!"
Rayleigh stepped into the inner room, taking the bottle of wine with him. Moments later, he returned with a stack of handwritten notes, which he handed to Katsumi.
"Thank you!"
Katsumi took the notes eagerly, flipping through them on the spot. With his sharp memory and understanding, he quickly absorbed all the information.
However, after finishing, he frowned and passed the notes to Kaori, who stood beside him.
"The content is excellent," Katsumi admitted with a sigh, "but unfortunately, I can't learn most of it right now. My body isn't strong enough."
He shook his head in frustration. "Even practicing Observation Haki will have to wait until I recover more. As for Armament Haki and the Six Powers… with my current weak physique, it's better not to risk it!"
As for Conqueror's Haki, Rayleigh's notes primarily focused on techniques suitable for those who had already awakened it. There were, however, a few speculative methods for triggering an awakening.
According to Rayleigh, awakening Conqueror's Haki required immense willpower, an unyielding spirit, and a powerful determination. Beyond that, Rayleigh believed it was an innate trait—something you were either born with or not. Effort alone wasn't enough to achieve it.
But Katsumi had a different view.
After carefully studying the notes, he concluded that Conqueror's Haki likely involved the power of will and mental strength. While mysterious, he believed it could be Trained independently with the right approach.
With his exceptional talent and unwavering determination, Katsumi was confident he would eventually find a way to awaken it. He firmly believed that one day, he would fully master the methods to Train Conqueror's Haki on his own.
"Haha! That's right!"
Rayleigh burst out laughing after hearing Katsumi's confident reply. The others nearby also smiled knowingly.
"But did you really remember and understand everything just now? You're not pulling my leg, are you?" Rayleigh asked, looking at Katsumi with some surprise.
"Of course!" Katsumi nodded matter-of-factly. "My memory and comprehension are excellent!"
"Huh?" Rayleigh raised an eyebrow in slight disbelief. "Well then, I'm looking forward to seeing what you achieve after you recover!"
"Just wait and see, Uncle!" Katsumi grinned confidently.
"Haha! Good! I'm counting on it!" Rayleigh replied with a hearty laugh.
---
Over the next five days, Katsumi remained in the pirate world, staying mostly at Shakky's shop. He focused on health-preserving exercises and meditation, allowing his body to recover steadily.
Meanwhile, Kaori split her time between assisting Katsumi and returning to the ninja world to handle clan affairs. Fortunately, since it wasn't a period of war, her responsibilities weren't overly demanding.
In the blink of an eye, 15 days passed.
Ten days ago, Katsumi and his companions bid farewell to Rayleigh and the others, setting off from the Sabaody Archipelago toward Drum Island. The journey took ten days, but they finally arrived at their destination.
During this time, Katsumi's congenital deficiencies had gradually improved, thanks to his health regimen and the nourishment of Sea King meat. His once frail and sickly appearance transformed daily, and his body grew visibly stronger.
Remarkably, he even gained 10 centimeters in height over the past ten days, bringing him up to 1.1 meters—a figure that finally met the lower limit for his peers.
---
[Uchiha Katsumi]
[Talent]: Space-time Gate, God Rewards Hard Work
[Lifespan]: 27 years, 5 months, and 12 days (congenital deficiency, life source: 6.13/10)
[Chakra Attributes]: Water, Wind, Fire, Earth, Yin
[Skills]:
Uchiha Chakra Refining (1/100, Entry)
Ancient Healing Medicine (3314/10,000, Grandmaster)
Health Preservation (1145/5000, Minor Success)
Uchiha Meditation (134/500, Proficient)
His lifespan had also increased significantly, reaching 27 years.
---
At Drum Island's pier, Nyon, the leader of their escort, turned to Katsumi and Kaori.
"Do you need us to stay here and wait for you?" Nyon asked.
"No need!" Kaori smiled, shaking her head. "It's enough that you've brought us here. We'll be staying on the island for treatment for a while, so I can't let you waste your time waiting."
"You should head back. Once Katsumi recovers, we'll visit Nine Snake Island again if we have the chance. Thank you for everything these past few days!"
Nyon nodded with understanding. "You're too kind! Your assistance has been invaluable to us. You're welcome on Nine Snake Island anytime. Safe travels, and we'll be on our way now. Goodbye!"
Nyon waved as he and his crew returned to their ship.
The boat quickly set sail, departing from the dock.
From the stern of the ship, Hancock stood waving energetically. "Katsumi! Lady Kaori! See you next time! Don't forget to visit me!" she shouted.
"Yeah! Goodbye!" Katsumi and Kaori waved back with smiles.
As the ship disappeared into the distance, Katsumi noticed something unusual.
"Hancock's favorability toward me has risen to 67 points," he murmured softly, his tone slightly disappointed.
"It's a pity—it still hasn't reached the binding requirement."
"Oh?" Kaori, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow with interest. "How close are you? It seems you like Hancock quite a bit! She's indeed a stunning beauty. You should seize the opportunity. Mom supports you!"
Katsumi's face froze. "Uh…"
"Let's not talk about this now," he said, shaking his head. "It's at 67 points—still short of the 80 needed. Maybe next time!"
He quickly changed the subject. "Come on, let's find out where Dr. Kureha is staying."
"Alright!" Kaori agreed without hesitation.
The two left the pier and headed to the nearest village. After making some inquiries, they finally pinpointed Dr. Kureha's location.