Ishichikahime

Sabaody Archipelago, Area 16, Marine base.

Buzz. A black hole suddenly appeared in Senga's office, and a man and woman stepped out of it—it was Senga and Kalifa.

As he emerged from the black hole, Senga staggered, startling Kalifa. She hurriedly supported him and asked worriedly,

"Are you okay? Were you injured?"

Senga's face was somewhat pale, but he still smiled and said,

"I'm fine. I just used up a bit too much energy. A short rest will do, and with the concern of a secretary like you, I already feel much better."

Kalifa lightly smacked Senga and said reproachfully,

"You're still in the mood to joke at a time like this? Go get some rest."

With that, she helped Senga to his seat, then turned and poured him a cup of hot tea. After blowing on it a few times and feeling that it had cooled slightly, she carefully brought it to Senga's lips, signaling for him to drink some.

Senga cooperatively took a few sips. Seeing this, a trace of tenderness rose in Kalifa's heart. She walked behind his chair and began massaging him, wanting to help relax his muscles.

With his eyes closed, enjoying the massage from Kalifa's delicate hands, Senga suddenly spoke after a while.

"Alright, don't you still have work to do? News of my battle with Rayleigh will spread soon. It won't be good for you if your report is late."

Kalifa's hands paused slightly as she slowly said,

"I should take care of you first. You saved my life this time too, didn't you?"

Senga pressed down on Kalifa's hand, turned his head, and said seriously to her,

"I'm already fine. Go do your work. Besides, letting the Government know my current strength isn't necessarily a bad thing for me."

"But..."

"Be good."

"Alright..."

Kalifa stopped insisting and prepared to return to work. When she reached the door, she looked back at Senga. He gave her a reassuring smile, and she quickly turned away, shut the door, and left.

After Kalifa left, Senga closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the three tomoe in his right Rinnegan suddenly expanded before shrinking back to normal.

The pallor on Senga's face instantly turned rosy, and his entire body became brimming with vigor. There was no trace left of the weakness he had shown just moments ago.

The source of this effect was the Dojutsu from Senga's right eye during his Mangekyo phase, called Ishichikahime.

Ishichikahime, the daughter of Ōyamatsumi in Japanese mythology, was a deity symbolizing eternal youth and longevity. The Dojutsu Senga had named after her could instantly remove every negative condition from his body and restore him to peak condition. Its drawback was that it could only be used once a day.

Don't think that drawback was too severe. Just imagine—if Aokiji had this move, wouldn't he have been able to use it ten times during his ten-day, ten-night battle with Akainu?

That battle would not even have needed to last ten days and nights. After all, Akainu's stamina was not limitless. He would have been defeated by Aokiji halfway through. This ability was practically a cheat.

It was said that the Dojutsu produced by the Mangekyo were largely tied to the user's intense spiritual desires when awakening it. The reason Senga had awakened this Dojutsu was because he had lacked any sense of security in the Naruto World.

That was right. As a member of Konoha's Uchiha Clan, he had first been ostracized by Konoha's higher-ups and had Danzo, that old bastard, eyeing his eyes. Later, he would still have to face a certain dutiful son wiping out the clan. No matter what, he could not escape death.

As someone familiar with the plot, Senga had worried about his own life at every moment.

Finally, in a small-scale war, all the comrades who had fought alongside him day and night were killed. The intense mental shock drove him to awaken the Mangekyo, granting him the Dojutsu called Ishichikahime.

It could be said that awakening the third tomoe was the foundation, while returning to his office and feeling his body's weakness was the key. Together, they awakened this Dojutsu once more, allowing it to restore the immense consumption from his battle with Rayleigh.

In that battle, aside from several ordinary Shinra Tensei attacks and Banshō Ten'in, Senga had also used the more Pupil Power-intensive Super Shinra Tensei and two Tengai Shinsei. The expenditure had been enormous, especially since his body here was not yet eighteen years old.

As for why he had not used it the instant he returned... well, it definitely was not because he wanted to enjoy Kalifa's care a little longer. Definitely not.

Meanwhile, after returning to her room, Kalifa took out her Den Den Mushi again, preparing to make a report to Stussy.

Before long, the Den Den Mushi was answered. At Stussy's end, Kalifa's calls definitely ranked among the highest in priority.

"This is Stussy. Kalifa, do you have more intelligence on Uchiha Senga to report?"

"Yes. Just now, Uchiha Senga engaged Silvers Rayleigh in battle."

"Hmm... what?! Silvers Rayleigh? The right-hand man of the Pirate King?"

"Yes."

"Unbelievable. Someone like that was actually hiding there. What a blind spot. What was the outcome? Is Uchiha Senga still alive?"

Stussy was not young either. She understood the terror of Silvers Rayleigh far more directly than Kalifa did. She had even personally witnessed Rayleigh fight during one operation.

The apocalyptic sight of warships being destroyed with a wave of his hand and the sea being split apart still lingered in her mind. Now, that Uchiha Senga had actually crossed paths with him. In her view, his ending could not possibly be good.

Still, he was young. Too impulsive. Uchiha Senga was probably finished this time, wasn't he?

Thinking that, Stussy could not help shaking her head regretfully. Such a talented genius had actually fallen on Sabaody. Fate truly was unpredictable.

Did Stussy think Senga was dead? Kalifa felt an inexplicable discomfort, and even her tone became somewhat stiff as she said,

"Uchiha Senga is unharmed. He merely suffered severe physical exhaustion and is resting in his office. Moreover, Silvers Rayleigh did not gain much of an advantage in this battle. He was even injured!"

Not noticing Kalifa's suddenly disrespectful tone, Stussy had already been left blank-minded by the news. After a long while, she finally spoke slowly into the Den Den Mushi.

"Kalifa, will you take responsibility for what you just said?"

"I am willing to bear full responsibility!"

"Very well. You have performed well recently. I will report this to those above. If there is nothing else, this report will end here."

"Yes."

Kalifa hung up the call and sat silently in her chair for a while.

In truth, she had not done her duty in this report. For example, she had not told Stussy that Senga had obtained a Gravity-Gravity Fruit, nor had she reported the peculiar techniques Senga had used in battle.

She knew it would be better not to tell the World Government about those things too early. As for why... perhaps it was a small repayment for Senga saving her life? As for anything else, only she herself knew.

Meanwhile, after hanging up, Stussy tried hard to calm the surging emotions in her heart.

After quite some time, having calmed down slightly, she took another Den Den Mushi from a hidden cabinet. She fiercely patted her chest a few times, making sure her emotions had completely settled before dialing it.

Purururu. The Den Den Mushi connected, and an aged yet imposing voice sounded.

"What is there to report?"

Stussy immediately responded respectfully,

"Honorable Gorosei, Stussy has important intelligence to report to you regarding Uchiha Senga and Silvers Rayleigh..."