After Kotoe and Shin left, Ye Zi stood silently by the platform.
Orochimaru and Nanako were busy, and Ye Zi had no intention of interrupting them. He simply waited patiently for them to finish before asking for details.
Turning his head slightly, Ye Zi gazed at Kimimaro, whose breathing was somewhat labored. This child he had brought back from the Land of Water had quickly demonstrated rare talent. With his Shikotsumyaku ability, Kimimaro would undoubtedly grow into a formidable shinobi in the future if given enough time.
Ye Zi valued Kimimaro's talent and abilities greatly and hoped he could become a strong ally.
Kimimaro was always diligent, training hard. After the attack on Konoha, realizing his abilities were far from enough to support Ye Zi, Kimimaro had pushed himself even harder. Ye Zi had noticed it all.
Ye Zi understood well that Kimimaro's relentless efforts were all for him.
In Ye Zi's plans, Kimimaro was slated for Hashirama cell implantation and would also receive a pair of Sharingan, accelerating his growth into a formidable force despite his young age.
But now, this unforeseen situation had arisen.
Ye Zi quietly watched Kimimaro, standing by his side and patiently awaiting Nanako's results.
Four hours later, Kimimaro's tightly shut eyelids began to tremble, and Ye Zi noticed immediately.
"You're awake," Ye Zi said calmly.
As if hearing Ye Zi's voice, Kimimaro soon opened his eyes and immediately saw Ye Zi.
"Ye Zi-sama." Kimimaro attempted to sit up, but as soon as he raised his upper body slightly, he froze mid-motion, stunned.
"My body… won't move." Kimimaro's eyes trembled slightly, his body refusing to obey him.
"Just lie down," Ye Zi said, pressing a hand gently on Kimimaro's shoulder and easing him back down.
"Ye Zi-sama…" Kimimaro lay obediently, turning his head to look at Ye Zi, and asked, "What's wrong with me?"
Ye Zi shook his head slightly and replied, "I'm not sure either. Let's wait for Nanako's test results. Don't worry, you'll be fine."
"Understood." Kimimaro nodded obediently. Ye Zi's reassurance gradually calmed the panic in his heart.
An hour later, Nanako approached with her notebook after finishing her analysis of the blood test results.
"How is it?" Ye Zi asked immediately as Nanako approached.
Kimimaro also turned his gaze to her, eager to understand what was happening to his body. The inability to move was an unprecedented experience for him.
Nanako looked at Ye Zi with a hint of gravity in her eyes and said, "I've reviewed many references, but I couldn't find any records matching Kimimaro's symptoms." Her gaze shifted to Kimimaro. "It's highly likely that Kimimaro's condition is a hereditary illness of the Kayuga clan. But due to the lack of information, I can't determine a treatment yet."
"A hereditary illness…" Ye Zi's brows furrowed. The Kayuga clan, known for their so-called perfect bodies, had a hereditary illness? Thinking back, during his mission with Sasori in the Kayuga clan, Ye Zi realized he hadn't seen any members older than thirty, no middle-aged or elderly individuals at all.
Every Kayuga clan member possessed innate physical strength, yet they suffered from a hereditary illness. Was this the proverbial "extremes meet"?
Still, Kimimaro was less than ten years old. Even if the illness was hereditary, it shouldn't have manifested so early.
"Kimimaro is still very young. Shouldn't a hereditary illness take longer to appear?" Ye Zi asked. His knowledge of the subject was limited.
Nanako pondered for a moment before replying, "There's an inducement factor, which relates to Kimimaro himself."
At this point, Orochimaru walked over and explained, "It's due to his kekkei genkai. Kimimaro's bloodline is extraordinarily strong, so an early onset isn't surprising. Moreover…"
A glint of light flashed in Orochimaru's snake-like eyes as he let out a hoarse laugh and added, "This child has been excessively using his kekkei genkai to refine his Shikotsumyaku without restraint, accelerating the process."
Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku far exceeded that of other Kayuga clan members. His bloodline was likely the purest in the clan's history. However, possessing such a powerful bloodline came with a price; an insufficiently strong body would suffer from its backlash.
This was the origin of the Kayuga clan's hereditary illness. Kimimaro's relentless use of his kekkei genkai to grow stronger had served as the trigger.
"That's the cause," Nanako said, casting a slightly grave glance at Orochimaru.
Ye Zi pressed his lips together in silence. Had Kimimaro pushed himself this far for his sake?
"Am I unable to move because of this illness?" Kimimaro asked, his voice heavy with concern. He wanted to know if the illness would rob him of his freedom and if it could be cured.
Nanako nodded and replied, "Part of the reason you can't move is the lingering effect of the anesthetic. Your hereditary illness has only just manifested and hasn't yet reached the point where you'd be completely immobilized."
Hearing this, Kimimaro let out a slight sigh of relief. Being completely immobile would render him useless, a state he could not accept.
"Nanako-sama, please do everything you can to cure me," Kimimaro said, biting his lip and staring directly at Nanako. He refused to become a useless person confined to bed.
Nanako sighed internally and said, "I'll do my best."
With so little information on the Kayuga clan's hereditary illness, she wasn't confident she could cure him.
Ye Zi placed a hand on Kimimaro's shoulder and said calmly, "Don't worry. Nanako will cure you."
"Ye Zi-sama," Kimimaro said, turning his head to look at Ye Zi. His eyes trembled as he bit his lip and asked, "Am I useless? I can't help with anything and only cause trouble."
Ye Zi remained silent for a moment before replying earnestly, "Don't belittle yourself. Once you recover, I'll need your abilities."
"You need my abilities, Ye Zi-sama?" Kimimaro's eyes slowly lit up, and his tone grew brighter.
"Of course," Ye Zi said without hesitation. "I look forward to seeing you become the strongest shinobi in the history of the Kayuga clan."
"Understood." Kimimaro's face lit up with a happy smile.
Seeing Kimimaro's smile, Ye Zi couldn't help but feel touched.
When he first brought Kimimaro back to the base, Ye Zi hadn't expected much. But Kimimaro's extraordinary talent and abilities had exceeded his expectations. From that point on, Ye Zi began to have high hopes for him.
Still, Kimimaro was ultimately too young. Despite his potential, Ye Zi didn't believe he could contribute significantly just yet.
Now, Ye Zi was willing to look forward to what Kimimaro's future could bring him. From the moment Kimimaro collapsed, Ye Zi understood that he couldn't let down the expectations Kimimaro had worked so hard for.
To cure Kimimaro, Nanako and Orochimaru temporarily set aside their ongoing projects and focused entirely on his treatment.
During this period, Kimimaro had no choice but to remain confined to bed. He couldn't train, nor could he use his kekkei genkai.
Unfortunately, even with the combined efforts of Nanako and Orochimaru, they couldn't find a cure for Kimimaro. After his hereditary illness flared up, his condition worsened day by day.
At first, he could still move his body. But two to three months later, he was completely immobilized.
During this time, Jūgo visited several times. He became somewhat familiar with Kimimaro's condition and, while deeply concerned, was also curious about why Kimimaro remained so optimistic.
"Ye Zi-sama believes I can recover, so I also believe in my recovery," was Kimimaro's response to Jūgo.
Hearing this, Jūgo's emotions grew complex, and he sincerely hoped Kimimaro would recover.
As Kimimaro's illness grew increasingly severe, the situation became urgent.
Finally, Nanako and Orochimaru devised a method to try: implanting Hashirama cells into Kimimaro. If successful, there might be a chance to cure his terminal illness. Even if it couldn't completely heal him, the Hashirama cells could potentially slow the progression of the disease.
In the end, the choice was left to Kimimaro.
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Currently on Chapter 523 - A Battle in the Mist