Chapter 7: The Miraculous Power of Sea King Meat

Knock, knock, knock...

"Sister Hikari, may I come in? It's time for dinner!"

Boa Hancock's voice echoed softly from behind the door.

Creeaak—

The door opened, revealing Hikari's warm smile."Already? Thank you, Hancock! We'll be right there."

She beckoned to Gin, who was still scribbling notes on chakra refinement, and the two followed Hancock through the corridors of the ship.

The dining hall was buzzing with voices. As soon as Hikari stepped inside, a wave of cheerful greetings broke out:

"Lady Hikari, welcome!""Thank you for saving us, Lady Hikari!"

The Kuja warriors greeted her with a mixture of awe and admiration. Among the Amazon Lily tribe, strength, especially in a woman, earned immense reverence. A few playful warriors even teased Gin, whose mild frown betrayed his annoyance.

"What nonsense…" he muttered silently.

"Alright! If everyone's here, let's begin!"The ship's captain clapped her hands and turned toward Hikari. "Lady Hikari, please, take the seat of honor. Gin-kun as well."

They were seated at the head of the large table, and only once they began eating did the rest of the warriors join in.

Hikari took her first bite—and her eyes widened.

"This meat…" she muttered, swallowing. A wave of warmth pulsed through her body, igniting her meridians with gentle vigor. The flavor was rich, fatty, brimming with life force. In the ninja world, such meat would be considered a sacred treasure—comparable to elite-grade healing elixirs.

Recalling the immense vitality of the sea creatures she'd seen, and Gin's earlier hypothesis, she calmly turned to the captain."This… is Sea King meat, isn't it?"

"Yes," the captain smiled. "Just an average one, about a hundred meters in length. Do you like it?"

Hikari nodded, her gaze distant in thought.Even a creature of that size carried such raw, nourishing energy… what would happen if one consumed the meat of a Sea King hundreds—or even thousands—of meters long?

"A month of regular consumption, paired with chakra health exercises… That might be enough to greatly strengthen my body and replenish years of wear."

As the meat settled in her stomach, warm streams of life energy flowed through her body. Each cell seemed to awaken and greedily absorb the nourishment. Her complexion visibly brightened, and decades of accumulated exhaustion began to fade.

Thanks to her mastery of chakra control, her body absorbed the vitality even more efficiently.

Meanwhile, Gin wasn't having quite the same experience.

He had only swallowed a few bites before clutching his stomach, his brows knitting in discomfort. The dense, rich meat was hard on his weakened digestive system. But even then, he could feel warmth blooming in his core. The dull aches from his training faded slightly. The constant fatigue he'd carried since childhood… lightened.

"I didn't realize… my body is this frail."

After a few more bites, he leaned toward Hikari and whispered,"Mom… I don't think I can eat more right now. I'll take the rest to the room and try again later."

Understanding his intent, Hikari nodded."Alright. Go ahead, but don't push yourself."

Turning to the captain, she added with a polite bow,"I apologize. My son's body is still very weak."

"It's alright," the captain replied warmly. "We'll get you both to Drumm Island soon—there's a doctor there who might be able to help."

She gestured to Hancock, who was already standing.

"Hancock, could you escort Gin-kun to his cabin?"

Reluctantly setting down her plate, Hancock walked over as Gin gathered his food. On the way, she glanced at him sympathetically.

"You really are sick, aren't you? I hope you get better soon."

"I will," Gin replied with a confident smile.

As they parted ways, he quickly used his talent interface to check her status.

[Favorability: Boa Hancock - 52]

"Not bad… If I'd saved her personally, it might have been enough to bind her already."

The warriors of Amazon Lily, after all, were known for their pure hearts—and their deep loyalty to those who saved them.

Once inside the cabin, Gin sat cross-legged and began to meditate. Even after an hour of rest, the warm afterglow from the Sea King meat still lingered.

He initiated the chakra-based health exercises Hikari had taught him. Instantly, he felt his digestion accelerate. Streams of energy began to circulate more freely.

**[Sea King Meat consumed during Health Practice. Effects:

Mastery +3

Lifespan +3

Lifespan +3

Source of Life +0.01]**

His eyes widened.

"Unbelievable…! The lifespan increase doubled, and even my Source of Life began recovering."

He clenched his fist.

"Maybe… just maybe… this combination can heal me without additional treatment. I've been underestimating the power of Sea King meat. For someone with a ninja's mastery over energy flow, this is practically a miracle…"

And thus, in the middle of the vast sea, aboard a pirate ship of warrior women, Gin silently walked the first true step toward reclaiming his life.