Konoha: Uchiha's Two-Way Travel in One Piece

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"Got it! I'll keep that in mind and pace myself," Uchiha Kaito said earnestly, nodding deeply. "Thank you so much, Uncle Rayleigh!"

"Haha, no need to be so formal!" Rayleigh chuckled heartily. "If anything, I should be thanking you! Not only did you save the children from the Kuja Pirates, but you also brought me such crucial information."

"Exactly!" Shakky chimed in, addressing Kaito and Uchiha Jiri. "Just the information about Roger's son is worth everything you asked for. Honestly, I don't think that even covers the debt of gratitude for saving Hancock and the others."

"How about this: if you have any other requests, let us know. Otherwise, I'll feel uneasy."

She understood the immense importance of Ace's identity to Rayleigh. For something this valuable, sharing training insights felt trivial, especially since Rayleigh was the kind of person who'd willingly teach someone he liked.

Kaito smiled and shook his head. "That's unnecessary for now. What you've shared is already more than enough. Being too greedy isn't my style."

"However," he added with a grin, "there might be times in the future when I'll need some specific intel. Would it be okay to trouble you for help then?"

Shakky smiled knowingly. "Of course! It's a deal. If you need information, just come to me. I'm well-connected when it comes to intel."

Still, she didn't think Kaito would truly need her assistance. Given the precise intelligence he had on Ace, it was clear the Uchihas had their own superior network. His words were likely just a courtesy to ease her conscience.

After hosting Kaito and his mother for lunch, Shakky returned with the ship's leader to relay some news. She seemed a bit embarrassed as she spoke. "Some of our crew are seriously injured, and we also need time to prepare supplies. We estimate it'll take about five days before we can set sail. Is that alright?"

"No problem at all!" Kaito readily agreed. His and his mother's recovery was progressing steadily, and the delay wouldn't be an issue.

In fact, staying here meant access to high-quality Sea King meat provided by Rayleigh, which seemed to speed up their recovery even further.

"By the way, Uncle Rayleigh," Kaito said hesitantly, "I'd like to stock up on some Sea King meat for the journey ahead. Do you think you could help with that? Buying it outright is just too expensive."

"Oh?" Rayleigh raised an eyebrow but soon laughed. "That's easy enough. There are plenty of Sea Kings in the water, and it's no trouble for me to hunt them. But how do you plan to store the meat? It won't last long without proper preservation."

"Don't worry about that," Kaito replied with a mysterious smile. "I have a special way to store it. It won't go bad."

Rayleigh chuckled at Kaito's confidence but didn't press further. After all, Devil Fruits with strange abilities were common enough in the world. Whatever Kaito had in mind, it wasn't anything outlandish in Rayleigh's eyes.

Besides, opportunities like this—where someone else could gather such a resource for free—didn't come often. Having his mother hunt wasn't an option, as her body wasn't in the best condition to use powerful techniques like the Susanoo.

"Alright, then! I've got some free time now, so let's head out," Rayleigh said, waving his hand.

"Hehe, thank you so much!" Kaito said, grinning.

"I'll go too," Uchiha Jiri added, standing up. "Your body isn't fully recovered yet, and it's easy to get into trouble out there."

"Sorry to trouble you, Rayleigh," Jiri said with a polite nod.

"Haha, it's nothing! Let's head out. We'll take one of the Kuja ships to sea," Rayleigh said, leading the way.

Once aboard the Kuja ship, led by Naki, the group set sail. About ten kilometers out, the ship came to a stop, and Rayleigh dove directly into the water.

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Boom! Boom!

The sea roared as thunderous sounds echoed from below, causing the surface to churn violently.

"GuluGulu… Splash!"

Soon, an enormous, unconscious Sea King resembling a hundred-meter-long serpent surfaced. Its body was at least five meters in diameter.

Rayleigh emerged from the water beside the creature, calling to Kaito, "How about this one, kid? Is it enough, or do you need more?"

"More, please! Ten more of similar size would be perfect. Sorry for the trouble, Uncle Rayleigh!" Kaito replied eagerly before glancing at his mother.

Jiri chuckled, shook her head, and effortlessly grabbed Kaito by the back of his collar. She leapt from the ship, landing gracefully on the water's surface.

"Oh?" Rayleigh and the crew were visibly surprised. "Walking on water?"

"Must be that mysterious energy," Rayleigh muttered, noticing the chakra beneath Jiri's feet. While curious, he refrained from asking further. "Alright, I'll hunt ten more, but they might not all be serpents like this one."

"No problem!" Kaito nodded enthusiastically. "Any Sea King will do. Thanks, Uncle Rayleigh! I'll treat you to some fine liquor when we're done."

He recalled the excellent wines stored in their family's cellar—rare vintages Rayleigh likely hadn't tried. His mother wouldn't mind trading some for such an abundance of Sea King meat.

"Haha, that sounds great! You've got yourself a deal," Rayleigh laughed, diving back into the water.

Meanwhile, Jiri carried Kaito to the floating Sea King. Kaito touched the creature's massive body, activating his spatial ability. With a flash, the Sea King vanished, stored securely in his Space-Time Gate.

Inside the storage, Kaito used his control over the space to ensure the Sea King was swiftly dispatched and butchered into manageable portions. The meat was then stored in a special area where time was frozen, preserving it indefinitely.

Witnessing the Sea King's sudden disappearance, both Rayleigh and the Kuja crew were stunned.

"Kid, you're full of surprises!" Rayleigh exclaimed, his sharp eyes glinting with intrigue. "Alright, since you've got such an efficient storage method, I'll keep going!"

With that, Rayleigh dove back under, leaving Jiri to return Kaito to the ship.

"Kaito! Kaito! What was that ability you just used? Some kind of spatial Devil Fruit?" Hancock ran over, her curiosity brimming.

"Something like that," Kaito replied with a chuckle.

"That's amazing! I had no idea you were a Devil Fruit user," Hancock said with admiration.

At this stage, Hancock wasn't yet the proud, aloof Empress of the Kuja. Instead, she was lively and approachable, making her excitement all the more endearing.

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