"I'd better keep these seastone handcuffs secure. If this thing gets out, I'll be in deep trouble." Zixu wasn't exactly thrilled about obtaining such a rare item—seastone.
Seastone could be considered a crystallized form of solidified seawater. The reason people in the pirate world lose the ability to swim is due to the trace amounts of seastone factors present in the ocean. This substance was the natural enemy of anyone with special abilities.
No matter how powerful a person is, if they have special abilities, they'll be rendered helpless the moment they enter the sea. Elementalization? Useless—seastone would strike straight through to the main body.
Zixu himself was a user of special abilities. Although the previous Naruto world lacked seastone factors in its water, he had always harbored a psychological aversion to large bodies of water. But now, seastone was a reality he had to deal with.
"If used properly, seastone weapons could be extremely powerful," Zixu mused, recalling Smoker, the Smoker from the pirate world. That guy's weapon had seastone inlaid at its tip, allowing him, despite being a Devil Fruit user himself, to capture many pirates with ease.
"But right now, I don't have any enemies with special abilities, so these seastone handcuffs are of little use." Zixu shook his head. With his current strength, he could handle most situations without relying on such a risky tool. Wabo Metal was a much better choice for his needs.
Deciding not to touch the seastone handcuffs again, Zixu added several layers of seals to lock them away securely. With that matter settled, he turned his attention to something that did excite him.
"The Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix (Bird-Bird Fruit, Mythical Beast: Phoenix Form)!"
Zixu held the legendary Devil Fruit once possessed by Marco the Phoenix. This fruit granted an exceptional level of regenerative power. Although, in the later stages of One Piece, many characters developed recovery abilities that allowed them to pull off miraculous comebacks, the power of the Phoenix Fruit remained undeniable.
When injured, the user's wounds would be engulfed in resurrecting blue flames, regenerating them almost instantly. Their body, once transformed into flames, became resistant to most conventional attacks.
However, the regenerative ability of the blue flames wasn't limitless. If the injuries surpassed a certain threshold, the user could still die, even in their Phoenix form. The effectiveness of the fruit depended on the user's overall strength and vitality.
While the blue flames appeared to be fire, they lacked the burning properties of traditional flames. Instead, they were known as the "Flames of Regeneration," capable of healing the user and even assisting others in recovery. It was an incredibly versatile ability.
Although Zixu had considered using this fruit himself, he had yet to find a proper ninjutsu to extract and transfer the Devil Fruit's power. So for now, he had no intention of consuming it.
His physical abilities were already strong, and his natural recovery rate was decent. The Phoenix Fruit would only serve as an extra enhancement rather than a game-changer. Instead, he planned to give it to someone who could truly benefit from it.
"Karin would be a perfect fit for this."
As a medical ninja, she already possessed remarkable healing abilities. Just by teaching her the principles of Tekkai (Iron Body), she had managed to master it almost effortlessly. Her comprehension abilities were impressive.
"She mentioned before that she wanted to make her body strong enough to withstand a tiger's bite. While the Phoenix Fruit won't make her physically invincible, its regenerative speed surpasses the rate of destruction—essentially making her body as resilient as steel."
Zixu had decided—he would give the Phoenix Fruit to Karin. However, handing it over outright might make it seem like an effortless gain. Would it affect her mindset? Would she take such power for granted?
"Looks like I need to find the right opportunity to give it to her," he muttered. Perhaps after she participated in the upcoming martial arts competition.
"If the tournament prizes aren't enticing enough, I'll prepare some ninjutsu scrolls as rewards."
With the fruit's fate decided, Zixu focused on creating prizes in bulk.
Over the years, he had practiced nearly all the ninjutsu from Sarutobi Hiruzen's memory. Some were Konoha-exclusive techniques, while others had been obtained through trades with other villages. Now, all of them were in Zixu's hands.
He began transcribing Five Elements Ninjutsu (Goton no Jutsu) onto scrolls. Most were lower-level but unique techniques, alongside a few high-level jutsu. Since they technically weren't his own to begin with, he had no hesitation about taking them for himself.
"That should cover the prizes. Now, let's see…"
Zixu lay on his bed, hands behind his head, legs crossed, gently rocking his body.
"The Akatsuki, the Jinchūriki, Gaara… The Akatsuki will definitely try to infiltrate the martial arts tournament. No doubt about that. We'll need to be prepared… and then there's Orochimaru."
He knew that hosting such a major event would attract attention from every faction. Aside from the other hidden villages, the Akatsuki and Orochimaru would almost certainly attempt something.
(TL: What happen to Orochimaru I thought he still in the village doing some research. Comment here to remind me what happen to him because I forgot Hahahah.)
But Zixu wasn't particularly concerned. Founding a new nation was bound to come with challenges. If all his enemies decided to strike at once, he'd just eliminate them in one fell swoop.
"Next, we'll visit the other ninja villages. Let's see how Konoha has developed over the years."
Despite having just returned to the village, Zixu was already preparing to leave.
"Before that, though, I should assess the strength of Aburame Hatsuizumi and the others. That'll help with future planning."
He recalled how much they had grown over the past few years. Aburame Hatsuizumi had returned from training, and with everyone gathered, it was the perfect time to conduct an internal ranking test.
"Bring in Neji, Gaara, and the others… and Haku."
Zixu slowly closed his eyes, letting darkness surround him.
---
The next morning, Zixu gathered everyone at the training grounds—a venue specifically designed for combat trials. The team was assembled:
Medical support: Karin
Instructors: Hyuga Chinano
Sparring opponents: Gaara (a literal sandbag?)
Karin's medical skills had improved tremendously. Under her care, Haku's injuries had nearly healed. Temari stood off to the side, casually spinning a small, butterfly knife-like fan in her hand. Kankurō was tinkering with his mechanical puppet. Neji reclined in a chair, enjoying some rare free time.
Hyuga Chinano was focused on maintaining her custom Chakra Pistol, a specialized firearm that fired chakra bullets. Though slightly weaker than traditional metal rounds, its advantage lay in its infinite ammunition—so long as the user had enough chakra. While it required cooling down after prolonged use, its benefits outweighed the drawbacks.
Meanwhile, Aburame Hatsuizumi appeared relaxed. A snow-white beetle with a crescent moon mark crawled along her palm—her Moonworm, a unique species among the Aburame Clan's insects.
Karin, as always, had no need for elaborate preparations. She wasn't a front-line fighter, so her role would be to react accordingly and provide support when needed.
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