Chapter 6: Hikari Declares — Fugaku is Unfit to Lead the Clan

"Yes!" Hikari nodded firmly. "I'm already preparing to do it. This is an incredible opportunity to strengthen the body—one we cannot waste. In the future, we can share the meat of Sea Kings with loyal clan members to fortify them. After all, the Uchiha clan will eventually pass to you. If our people grow stronger, it will only benefit your rise."

She paused for a moment, her gaze sharp and thoughtful.

"It's a shame not everyone meets the requirements to form a contract," she continued. "Otherwise, we could've stationed a hunting unit in that world to build a permanent base. With a steady supply of beasts, you wouldn't have to take such risks yourself."

Then she added decisively:

"Once your body recovers and your strength increases, I'll help solidify your authority in the clan. We'll arrange for a few younger Uchiha to stay close to you. It'll make them easier to influence, and forming contracts with them will become smoother. What do you think?"

It was clear that after learning of her son's talent, Hikari had already re-evaluated everything. Initially, she'd intended to support Fugaku Uchiha, the son of the Third Elder, as the future head. But now… that plan had changed.

Fugaku lacked the decisiveness—the fire—needed for leadership.

"Alright! Let's do as you say, Mom!" Gin agreed with a bright smile. He felt nothing but gratitude for forming the contract with his strong mother. She would shield him from countless problems ahead.

"Gin, do you think I could leave a shadow clone behind in that world?" Hikari asked suddenly. "It would make things much easier. Otherwise, travel time between worlds will severely limit us."

She had only planned to explore briefly, but arriving on a pirate ship—and rescuing the Kuja crew—had derailed her plans.

"Um… Maybe?" Gin hesitated, scratching his head. "We could try it? It might work."

"Then let's find out."

To their surprise, the experiment succeeded. The shadow clone didn't disappear even if the original body moved between worlds. Even more shocking, Gin discovered he could set return coordinates for any previously visited location—whether it was a person, a ship, or even large objects.

"Amazing," Gin thought, eyes wide. "This means... eventually I'll be able to move freely between both worlds. If only I had more strength now to test it fully."

"We could return home to rest for a few days," he suggested. "And once the ship reaches the Sabaody Archipelago, we reappear there in person. Sound good, Mom?"

"Hmm…" Hikari considered. "We'll leave someone behind to avoid problems and attention. We still don't know if Haki-based Observation could detect shadow clones."

Then, with a teasing grin, she pinched Gin's cheek.

"Did you forget you only just cleansed your chakra? You haven't even learned the Shadow Clone Technique yet!"

"Ugh…" Gin froze. "Right! I need to finish restoring my body. This is getting in the way of everything."

"Don't stress," Hikari said softly, stroking his head affectionately. "That's why we train."

"Enough talking! Time for more recovery training!" Gin stood up, fire in his eyes. "I don't think I've hit my limit today yet."

"Alright!" Hikari grinned. "Mom's training with you! We'll restore our strength together!"

[You performed Health Maintenance Exercises — Skill +1, Lifespan +1 Day.]

[You performed Health Maintenance Exercises — Skill +1, Lifespan +1 Day.]

After two more rounds…

"Haaah… I'm done!" Gin collapsed onto the floor, panting. Sweat soaked his shirt. His muscles screamed in protest, and hunger gnawed at his insides. Even gentle exercises drained energy if your body was still recovering.

Hikari, however, showed no signs of fatigue. She continued training, her focus sharp.

"Rest, Gin. I'll keep going. I need to return to my peak as fast as possible."

In recent years, her strength had plummeted due to illness. And in a world this dangerous, weakness could mean death.

"Alright," Gin nodded. "I'll work on creating a recovery recipe and copy some medical scrolls for Dr. Kureha. She's not likely to help without proper payment."

"He's matured so much…" Hikari thought, glancing at her son. "This awakening gave him more than just knowledge—it's like he knows our entire future. We'll have to sit down and go over everything soon."

She could feel it—the pressure, the urgency. A storm was coming. Not just over them, but over the entire Uchiha clan.

"It's not just about surviving anymore," she whispered to herself as she pushed her body through another round of training. "It's about preparing for war."

Meanwhile, Gin—oblivious to his mother's troubled thoughts—quietly returned home to prepare. He gathered paper, copied scrolls, and refined his medical formulas.

Over an hour passed before Hikari, after completing dozens of intense repetitions, finally allowed herself a break.