The treatment of Bartholomew Kuma was, in fact, part of a deal struck between the Revolutionary Army's leader, Monkey D. Dragon, and Lin Xuan. Kuma was one of the Revolutionary Army's key cadres, and Dragon's previous visit to the Sabaody Archipelago was largely motivated by concern for him. After the war at Sabaody, it became clear that, aside from Empress Hancock, who had grown close to Lin Xuan's group, the other Seven Warlords had seized the opportunity to escape. Only Bartholomew Kuma had been captured by Lin Xuan's crew.
When Dragon arrived at Sabaody and learned of Kuma's condition, he chose not to take him away. Instead, he entrusted Lin Xuan's group with Kuma's treatment. The Revolutionary Army lacked the means to help Kuma, but Lin Xuan had already been planning to establish a medical division even before Orochimaru's arrival. So, he agreed to take on the task. Now that Orochimaru was here, the responsibility naturally fell to him.
In recent days, Orochimaru had been busy setting up the medical research division, studying Devil Fruits, and examining Bartholomew Kuma. When Lin Xuan asked about Kuma's condition, Orochimaru replied, "Fully restoring him to his original state is unlikely. However, removing the crude modifications done to him, restoring his vital signs, and even boosting his strength? That's well within my capabilities."
Lin Xuan smiled faintly. "Then I'll leave it to you."
"Consider it done," Orochimaru said with a nod.
Whitebeard and Marco, standing nearby, overheard the conversation. Seeing Orochimaru's confidence in handling Kuma's dire condition, they felt a surge of hope for Whitebeard's own treatment. After assessing Kuma, Orochimaru began a thorough examination of Whitebeard.
During the process, Orochimaru's comments were anything but ordinary.
"What a fascinating body structure!"
"Tch, this test subject is just too intriguing!"
"I never imagined the people of this world would have such physiology!"
"Interesting… if only I could cut him open and take a closer look!"
His remarks, paired with the occasional lick of his lips with that long tongue and a predatory gaze like a snake eyeing its prey, sent chills down Marco's spine. Marco couldn't shake the feeling that Orochimaru wasn't a doctor but some kind of deranged scientist. He nearly stepped in to stop him and take Whitebeard away.
Truth be told, Marco wasn't wrong—Orochimaru was indeed a mad scientist.
Whitebeard, on the other hand, seemed unfazed, letting out his signature "Gurararara!" laugh. "You're one interesting fellow!" he said, clearly amused by Orochimaru.
In the Calm Belt, along the first half of the Grand Line, lay Impel Down, the world's most secure underwater prison, also known as the Great Prison. Its defenses were impenetrable, housing the most dangerous criminals in a grim, foreboding environment. Monstrous jailer beasts and surveillance Den Den Mushi kept watch, while massive Sea Kings prowled the surrounding waters, earning Impel Down its reputation as an unbreakable fortress.
Near the Justice Gate, a ship quietly appeared. On board were Minato Namikaze, Rin Nohara, Obito Uchiha, and the brothers Sabo and Luffy. Staring at the imposing gate in the distance, Sabo let out a heavy sigh. To infiltrate Impel Down, they had to pass through the Justice Gate. On their last attempt, he and Luffy had been stopped at this very gate, discovered by the Marines, and forced to flee, battered and bruised.
"This time, we're breaking in and saving Ace!" Luffy declared, slamming his fist into his palm with fiery determination.
Sabo turned to Minato and the others. "We're counting on you."
Deep down, he was curious. How exactly were Minato and his team going to get them into Impel Down? A frontal assault? The defenses here were ironclad, and the Justice Gate was an insurmountable barrier. Their last attempt had proven that even a strong crew couldn't just barge in. Could the Ninja Guild really pull it off, no matter how skilled they were?
Minato gave a calm nod, his gaze shifting to Obito and Rin. A hint of nostalgia flickered in his eyes. "Hard to believe we're working together on a mission again. Brings back memories."
"Yeah, it's been ages since we teamed up like this," Rin said with a wistful smile. "It's a shame Kakashi isn't here. It'd be perfect."
Obito's emotions were a tangled mess, but he was deeply moved. Despite all the mistakes he'd made, neither his teacher, Minato, nor Rin—nor even Kakashi in that other world—had ever blamed him.
Minato reached out, ruffling the hair of his two former students with a warm smile. "Well then, let's do this for Kakashi's sake too. Together, we'll give it our all!"
"Yes, Sensei!" Rin and Obito replied in unison, grinning.
On the way here, Minato had discussed Impel Down's layout with Sabo and devised a simple plan. With Obito's help, the mission had become far more manageable. Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique required a marked kunai to teleport, which would've made crossing the Justice Gate difficult. But Obito's Kamui was different. With his ability, slipping through the gate and into Impel Down was child's play. All Obito needed to do was bring a marked kunai inside, and Minato could teleport the rest of the group in effortlessly.
As for Rin's presence, she wasn't just tagging along. Skilled in medical ninjutsu, she could heal Sabo and Luffy if they got injured, even though the reincarnated trio didn't need it. As Lin Xuan, the Guild Leader, put it: "The customer is king, and we provide nothing less than the best service!"
"Obito," Minato said, turning to him.
Obito nodded, his Sharingan spinning rapidly as he activated Kamui. In an instant, his body seemed to be swallowed by an invisible force, vanishing completely.
Luffy's eyes widened in shock. "Whoa! He's gone! He just disappeared!"
"Is that ninjutsu?" Sabo asked, equally stunned.
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T/N:
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