Chapter 318: Life Energy
After enjoying the lunch his mother carefully prepared—classic bento-style home cooking with fried pork cutlet, vegetable salad, plus mashed potatoes and egg mixed dishes—Kushina naturally gathered the dishes, humming a cheerful tune as she turned to start washing them at the sink.
Naruto gazed at his mother's busy yet satisfaction-filled back, heart involuntarily surging with sourness. Because the Impure World Reincarnation body didn't need to eat, that table of sumptuous dishes had only been enjoyed by him and Zacian from start to finish.
Recalling the original work's development... why did almost all the dead summoned back through Impure World Reincarnation show relief and release when finally returning to the Pure Land? Clearly having the opportunity to continue remaining in the present world in this form, why did none of them show strong desire to use this body to continue "living"?
As Naruto researched this forbidden jutsu of Impure World Reincarnation, he gradually understood its key characteristics—because the summoned souls were imprisoned in "dead matter" constructed from dust and sacrificial offerings.
Besides being unable to be killed by conventional means, only limited through releasing the jutsu or sealing, this shell stripped away too many basic human experiences—unable to taste food, unable to feel fatigue, unable to sense any form of warmth, even pain sensation became blurred, the presence of all five senses abnormally thin.
Souls staying long-term in this cold, numb shell lacking real perception... logically speaking, would definitely feel extremely uncomfortable, even a kind of torment, right? Thinking this, Naruto's heart ached.
However, from Kushina's appearance until now, what she'd shown was only liveliness, cheerfulness, and infinite affection for Naruto. Naruto could barely feel her reveal even half a negative emotion produced by this body...
These discomforts and pains were all carefully hidden away by Kushina, just to keep Naruto from worrying.
Naruto couldn't accept his mother "living" in this world in such a twisted, incomplete state. No matter how hopeless, he must try to find methods for improvement.
"Mom..." he called softly.
"Mm? What is it, Naruto?" Kushina immediately turned around, face carrying gentle concern. "Didn't eat enough? It's fine—Mom made so much, all stored in portions in the refrigerator. When you want to eat, just heat it up. But of course, freshly made tastes best! Want to eat something else? As long as it's alcohol-free dishes, Mom will make them for you..."
Why make so much, filling the entire refrigerator? The answer was simple—because Kushina didn't know how long she could accompany her son like this. She wanted to prepare everything for him in advance as much as possible...
"No, Mom, I'm already very full..." Naruto hurriedly shook his head. He took a deep breath, speaking his thought: "Um... actually, I also really want to... cook a meal for Mom to express my gratitude."
Hearing her son's thoughtful words, tremendous warmth immediately surged through Kushina's heart, but following closely was deeper loss. Cook for me to eat? But in this state... forget eating—she couldn't even smell food's aroma...
"No need~" Kushina immediately switched to a relaxed tone, trying to hide inner gloom. "Parents cooking for children is naturally right and proper. No need to specially thank me."
"...It's because of the Impure World Reincarnation body, right?" Naruto directly revealed the concern his mother couldn't voice. "But... I might... have a way to let Mom taste things."
"Huh? Really no need!" Kushina instinctively waved her hand, carrying that special maternal indulgent tone viewing children. "You're just a kid, how would you understand these..."
However, her words stopped abruptly.
Just a kid...? Kushina froze. In her consciousness depths, remaining in her memory's final image, Naruto was still that swaddled, just-born infant appearance.
These ten-plus years without conscious awareness made her subconsciously always treat this upright youth before her as a "little child" needing her meticulous care.
The current Naruto had already become Konoha's hero who could perfectly control Nine-Tails power, saving the village from crisis... perhaps she shouldn't view him that way anymore...
This recognition made the refusal she'd wanted to say become impossible to voice.
"Actually the principle is very simple," Naruto tried explaining in a relaxed tone. "This is a special ninjutsu I created myself that can transfer a special 'life energy' to other objects. I'm thinking, maybe it could..."
"What?! Transfer life energy to me?! Absolutely not! I absolutely won't agree!"
Before Naruto finished, Kushina almost roared interrupting him, voice raised from extreme shock and resistance! Hearing her son's method actually involved "transferring life energy," her first reaction was that Naruto wanted to sacrifice his own life force to exchange for her sensory restoration!
If the price was this, she'd rather immediately return to the Pure Land right now than allow such a thing!
"No! Mom, you misunderstood!" Naruto hurriedly waved his hands, urgently clarifying. "Not that kind of life energy you're thinking! And not using my own life energy! This energy is... specially converted from my chakra! Essentially it's more like an active substance simulating life's origin. If directly input into a living person's body, not only won't it heal, but will cause mental rampage!"
This was the method Naruto thought of—utilizing Gold Experience's ability.
This special life energy driven and manifested by his spiritual energy—besides the known ability to cause mental rampage and accelerate flora and fauna growth cycles—its most miraculous ability was naturally transforming inorganic matter into living organic matter!
Since the Impure World Reincarnation body was constructed from dust, sacrificial cells and other "dead matter"... then theoretically, as long as these "dead matter" components constructing the body were gradually transformed into "living" organic tissue, wouldn't that work?
Naruto recalled some things he'd done in the past. He'd once injected this life energy into shadow clones constructed from chakra. The result—besides lacking independent souls, those shadow clones' body texture, temperature, even microscopic structure had almost no difference from real living human bodies!
"Look, it's like this," Naruto said while deciding to directly demonstrate for his mother to dispel her doubts.
Naruto casually picked up an idle spoon from the dining table, and under Kushina's confused gaze, gently covered it with his palm.
The next moment, something that left Kushina dumbstruck occurred!
That lifeless metal spoon, in the glow emanating from Naruto's palm, began slowly deforming, softening as though possessing life! Its color gradually shifted from metallic silver-gray to vitality-filled hues, form continuously twisting, reorganizing...
"Ribbit."
A crisp frog's croak rang out.
When the transformation completely finished, what appeared in Naruto's palm was no longer that spoon, but a lively hopping, skin moist, eyes spirited little frog! It even lightly kicked Naruto's finger with its hind legs, displaying vigorous life force.
Kushina completely froze, jade-green eyes wide open, incredulously watching that living creature seemingly created from nothing in her son's palm, brain momentarily almost unable to process this scene completely overturning common sense.
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