Awakening Of Uchiha [Naruto/One Piece]

Chapter 2: Binding Mother

____

"Yeah! Thank you, Mom!"

Katsumi smiled warmly in response.

He then walked over, sat opposite Kaori, and adopted a serious expression. Looking directly at his mother, he asked earnestly, "Mom, are you willing to believe me?"

"Huh?"

Kaori was momentarily stunned but then reached out to gently ruffle Katsumi's hair, smiling fondly. "What kind of nonsense is that? Of course, Mom always believes in you." She tilted her head slightly, adding, "So, do you have something you want to tell me? Just say it."

She could sense the weight of Katsumi's words. While somewhat confused, her trust in her son was unwavering.

"Thank you, Mom!"

Katsumi's smile grew brighter at her response. Then, under Kaori's surprised gaze, a mysterious rune formed at the center of his forehead. Guiding it with his thoughts, he made the rune float gently toward her.

"Mom, please touch this mark with your hand and agree to it in your heart," he instructed calmly. "If you have any questions, we can discuss them later, okay?"

Explaining everything in detail would take too long. Instead, he decided to let his mother bind herself to his time-and-space gate talent first. That way, everything could be clarified more easily afterward.

When he had first seen his mother, his talent had revealed something astonishing: her favorability toward him was at the maximum value of 100.

It completely met the binding requirement.

So, rather than beating around the bush, he chose to be direct.

"Oh?"

Kaori examined the mysterious mark and then glanced back at her son's earnest face. After a brief pause, she nodded. "Alright!"

Without hesitation, she extended her hand to touch the mark.

In an instant, a stream of information flowed into her mind. She quickly understood that the mark represented a contract.

By signing this contract with Katsumi, she would gain significant benefits but also be subject to a degree of control from him.

Though surprised that her son possessed such an extraordinary ability, Kaori's trust in him was absolute. Without any hesitation, she chose to agree.

The moment she did, the rune mark transformed into a stream of light, entered through her hand, and flowed into her body. It settled in her sea of consciousness, taking the form of a glowing, door-shaped rune phantom at its center.

Simultaneously, all the mark's effects and restrictions became clear in her mind.

"This... allows travel through a time-and-space gate to another world?"

Kaori swiftly processed the influx of information, her eyes widening in astonishment as she looked at Katsumi. "Katsumi, what is going on?"

Hearing her question, Katsumi smiled faintly and began to explain, "It's nothing too complicated. When I successfully extracted Chakra, I suddenly awakened this talent."

He continued calmly, "Along with it, I received a mysterious inheritance containing knowledge about both our world and the world connected to this time-and-space gate."

"Talent? A mysterious inheritance?"

Kaori frowned slightly, her tone laced with disbelief. "This kind of thing is unheard of! It's far too extraordinary!"

She thought for a moment, then asked, "Katsumi, could this inheritance be connected to the Immortals?"

For now, that was the only explanation she could come up with.

As the great elder of the Uchiha generation, Kaori possessed extensive knowledge of the ninja world, passed down through the Uchiha clan's ancient texts.

Among these secrets was the possibility that the Sage of Six Paths was not merely a myth or legend but a real figure.

"Is this the inheritance of immortals? Perhaps!"

Katsumi shrugged nonchalantly, his expression turning serious as he said, "Mom, that's not the most important thing right now. What matters is that this is an incredible opportunity for me!"

He continued earnestly, "The priority is to make full use of this inheritance and the resources from the other world to regulate our bodies, restore our health, and prolong our lives. We can consider other matters later. What do you think?"

Katsumi's tone softened as he added, "I've also obtained some medical knowledge from the inheritance. Mom, I can tell your physical condition isn't very good either. If we lose our health, we lose everything."

"Huh?"

Kaori's eyes lit up slightly as she asked with a trace of surprise, "Katsumi, are you saying there's something in this inheritance that can cure your congenital weakness?"

"Yes!"

Katsumi nodded firmly. "There's a method for preserving health, regulating the body, and making it stronger. I've tried it, and it works."

He explained further, "The effect isn't immediate after just one or two practices, but if we stick to it over time, it will undoubtedly improve our health and prolong our lives. That's what the information from my talent tells me."

"Oh?"

Kaori smiled knowingly as she listened. She thought to herself, "It seems little Katsumi has his secrets. But I don't need to know everything as long as it's not harmful to him."

As a mother, she didn't feel the need to pry. It was enough to ensure her son's safety and well-being.

"Mom, let me teach you this health-preserving exercise now. Try practicing it and see how it works for you!"

Without waiting for a response, Katsumi stood up and began demonstrating the exercise. He explained each movement in great detail, ensuring his mother could follow along.

Kaori did not reject her son's thoughtful gesture. She watched attentively, activating her Sharingan to memorize and replicate every movement perfectly.

Suddenly, a notification echoed in her mind:

[You practiced the health-preserving exercise once. Proficiency +1, lifespan +1 day.]

After finishing the first round, Katsumi exhaled deeply, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and turned to his mother. "How was it? Did you get everything down?"

"Yes, I did!"

Kaori nodded confidently before standing up. "Let me try practicing it myself. You can check to see if I'm doing anything wrong."

Although she didn't have high expectations for the technique, she couldn't bear to disappoint her son.

Deep down, Kaori hoped it would work. If it allowed her to live longer, she could remain by Katsumi's side, ensuring he grew up healthy, happy, and safe. She wanted to be his unwavering support.

After the death of Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, the four-man council led by Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had grown increasingly hostile toward the Uchiha clan, subjecting them to relentless suppression.

Even Uchiha Kagami, a trusted ally, had been secretly assassinated by them.

Although Kaori lacked concrete evidence, she was certain that Kagami had been murdered by Danzo and his men. The circumstances surrounding his death were far too suspicious to be dismissed.

Now that she was still supporting the Uchiha clan, Hiruzen and his allies dared not act openly against them. Instead, they resorted to covert tactics, testing their patience and resolve through underhanded methods.

Their actions stemmed from her declining health. If Kaori were in her prime, she would have made them pay dearly for their schemes.

She couldn't bear to think about what would happen to the Uchiha clan if she passed away prematurely. Worse still, she worried about her son's future.

Even though Katsumi had inherited a powerful talent and awakened extraordinary abilities, he would need time to grow and adjust his frail body. Without this, his potential would be wasted, and his future would be bleak—a fate she refused to allow.

With these thoughts weighing on her, Kaori resolved to try the health-preserving exercise her son had taught her.

The exercise itself was straightforward for someone of her caliber. Even without using her Sharingan, she could easily memorize and comprehend it. After all, she was a genius of the highest order.

Under Katsumi's watchful gaze, Kaori performed the exercise flawlessly, each movement precise and graceful.

"Mom, you're amazing! You nailed it on your first try! How do you feel? Do you think it's helpful?"

Katsumi couldn't help but cheer and ask, his voice full of admiration as she completed the routine.

Kaori exhaled deeply, releasing a long breath of turbid air. She carefully assessed her physical condition and then turned to her son with a gentle smile.

"It works!" she said warmly. "Although the effects aren't very pronounced yet, I can already feel a slight improvement. The chronic ailments in my body seem to have lessened, and I feel more at ease."

She added with a note of optimism, "If I continue practicing over time, I believe I can recover significantly and even extend my lifespan."

Her smile deepened as she looked at Katsumi, her tone filled with genuine affection. "Katsumi, you truly are Mom's lucky star."

She wasn't exaggerating. With her acute awareness of her body, Kaori could clearly sense the positive impact of the exercise. If she practiced consistently, combined with proper nutrition and medication, she felt confident she could heal her chronic conditions, eliminate hidden injuries, and restore her vitality.

This realization filled Kaori with a renewed sense of hope and excitement.

...