286-290

Chapter 286: “Flesh is Weak, Machines Ascend” 

Uchiha Hikari’s performance in the sparring match had, to some extent, sparked Angers’ suspicions. 

He didn’t immediately connect her to the White King. 

After all, Hikari’s human traits were very pronounced. Unless she actively used mental-based techniques like “Tsukuyomi” or “Yasakani no Magatama,” it was hard for most people to associate her with a “Dragon King.” 

So, Angers’ suspicions leaned more toward the idea that the Snake Clan had produced another “Emperor”—perhaps another of Uesugi Koshi’s illegitimate daughters or a descendant of one of the Inner Three Families they’d tracked down. 

Whatever the truth, it meant the Japanese branch’s strength was about to skyrocket. Given the rebellious streak running through Japanese blood, the Secret Party would need to carefully reassess their partnership. 

On the other side. 

Uesugi Koshi was having a blast. 

His amusement came purely from watching Angers get humbled. 

—Though he’d returned to lead the Snake Clan as its patriarch, Uesugi Koshi saw himself more as a “father.” As long as the Minamoto siblings were safe and sound, nothing else mattered much. Ambition? He’d burned that away decades ago, along with the family shrine. 

“…So, both of that girl’s parents were folklorists who died in an accident years ago, and her swordsmanship mastery has nothing to do with her lineage but is purely the result of her own efforts?” 

“Yes.” 

“…” 

The profile for “Kurosawa Fensei” seemed fine to most people. But to an old fox like Angers, the cracks were obvious. 

Especially… 

A child of two folklorists, with no special lineage, self-teaching swordsmanship for a few years and becoming a Sword Saint? Wasn’t that just an insult to intelligence? 

Angers fell silent for a moment, then sighed, dropping the topic. “Fine, let’s talk about something else. 

You’ve probably heard about the ‘Gundam Incident’ in China’s Three Gorges region, right? That incident ties into a critical exploration mission for the Academy, but it was disrupted by the sudden appearance of ‘Miss Gundam.’ 

I suspect her origins are linked to the Gundam anime, so I need you to help me contact Yoshiyuki Tomino and all the SUNRISE employees involved in the series’ production. I have some questions I’d like to ask them in person.” 

“Gundam? What’s that?” 

Uesugi Koshi glanced at Minamoto Chisei. 

Minamoto Chisei turned to Crow. 

And so. 

As one of the few otaku in Minamoto Chisei’s circle, Crow began explaining anime to the big shots. 

… 

That evening. 

Minamoto Chisei visited the room where Uchiha Hikari, Eriyi, and the others were staying, recounting the day’s meeting with Angers in full detail. 

At the end, he cautiously asked if the “Gundam Incident” had anything to do with her. 

“…Yeah, I did swing by there to have some fun with Eriyi not too long ago,” Hikari said casually. 

Given the distance, the Snake Clan hadn’t caught much wind of the Three Gorges incident yet. But the hybrid community was small, and word would spread through the right channels soon enough. It was only a matter of time before they figured out it was her. 

“So it really was you…”  

Minamoto Chisei didn’t seem surprised by the answer. After a moment’s thought, he asked nervously, “Then the ‘Bronze and Fire King’ the principal mentioned… was that also…?” 

“…Too much curiosity isn’t always a good thing, you know.” 

Hikari smiled, giving Minamoto Chisei a calm glance. 

He immediately took the hint, shut his mouth, offered a couple of polite remarks, and left the room. 

No matter what, Uchiha Hikari held an almost mythical status within the Snake Clan. Her easygoing nature was one thing, but respect was still due. Angering her could spell disaster for the family. 

Once the room was quiet again. 

Hikari sat cross-legged on the sofa, sipping a cold drink and lost in thought. 

Alright. 

She hadn’t expected her spur-of-the-moment antics to drag the Gundam series’ director and production company into the mix, making them targets of Cassell Academy’s investigation. But… 

No big deal. 

Since arriving in this world, she hadn’t had any contact with Yoshiyuki Tomino or anyone at SUNRISE. Even if Cassell investigated, they’d find nothing. Torturing answers out of them wasn’t an option either—that was more the Gattuso family’s style. At most, they might suspect Tomino had been to her “Nibelungen” or that Gundam’s designs were based on Dragon King alchemy. 

If Cassell and the Secret Party took this as a cue to embrace the mantra of “flesh is weak, machines ascend” and went all-in on developing Gundams, ushering in a mecha era… 

Hikari was kind of looking forward to it. 

Maybe one day, she’d see an Evangelion Unit-01 vs. Dragon King showdown in this world? 

“Speaking of which… the Namekian spaceship probably has some cutting-edge tech similar to the Gundam series, right?” 

The thought struck Hikari. 

If that was the case… 

She could copy Dr. Gero’s research data and share it with Bulma. Combined with what Bulma had already learned from the Namekian ship, they might be able to whip up the next-generation Gundam even faster. 

… 

Over the next few days, Angers and the Snake Clan were both busy. 

Angers was occupied with meeting SUNRISE executives, chasing leads on “Miss Gundam.” 

The Snake Clan, meanwhile, was subtly probing the Secret Party’s stance, hoping to leverage their new “White King” to negotiate more autonomy for the Japanese branch. 

While everyone was scheming. 

Hikari enjoyed a few lazy days, sleeping in until the sun was high. On this particular morning, she got up, went for a short jog, had breakfast at the Snake Clan’s estate, and then messaged Bulma in the chat group before heading to the Dragon Ball world. 

There. 

She finally saw the upgraded destroyer Bulma had photographed and shared in the group. 

And another new invention from the girl— 

“Hikari, look!” 

“This is the mini wristband I remade based on your request!” 

Chapter 287: The Second Private Chat Slot 

Amid Bulma’s excited explanation, Uchiha Hikari took the wristband she handed over and examined it closely. 

It looked pretty similar to the previous version, except the buttons on the dial had been replaced with a knob marked with three settings: “10,” “100,” and “1000.” 

According to Bulma, twisting the knob to a specific setting would shrink the wearer by that ratio, and another button would revert them to normal size. 

For regular people, the “1000” setting was pretty much useless—shrinking to a millimeter size could get you mistaken for a bug and swatted flat. 

But for massive creatures, it was a different story. 

“With this, Hikari, you can go to the Akame ga Kill world and bring out that East Sea Cloud Dragon!” Bulma said. 

“…You’re right.” 

Hikari looked up at the blue-haired girl and gave a nod. “Thanks, Bulma.” 

“Aw, come on, with how close we are, you don’t need to get all formal!” Bulma feigned a pout. 

Before Hikari could respond, Bulma’s face lit up with a grin again, and she grabbed Hikari’s arm. “Alright, enough of that! Come on, let me show you our future pirate ship. Let’s see if there’s anything we need to tweak! If it’s all good, I’ll go ahead and put up the ‘Dimensional Pirate Crew’ flag!” 

“Sounds good.” 

… 

The Blue Planet had plenty of space. 

From the cockpit to the dining hall, kitchen, bathhouse, laundry room, infirmary, conference room… it had everything. Naturally, it also included Bulma’s dream of a small garden for growing veggies and fruits, and Hikari’s must-have: a gravity training room. 

For a real-world warship, logistics would be a nightmare—fuel, ammo, food, fresh water, all taking up massive space and needing resupply every few weeks, or every few days in high-intensity combat. 

But in the Dragon Ball world, Capsule Corp’s tech solved the biggest hurdle with their universal capsules. The rest was easy. 

In theory, they could even keep a couple of pandas on board, toss in some other critters, and turn the ship into a real-life Noah’s Ark. 

“Not bad,” Hikari said after touring the ship and testing out the gravity training room. 

She paused, then thought of something. “By the way, how are you planning to get this thing to the One Piece world?” 

“Oh, that’s simple,” Bulma said, holding up two fingers with a cheeky smile. “Two ways. First, I can upload the ship to the group chat for 1 point, and Yamato can buy it from there. Second… I forgot to mention, the ship can shrink too! Down to a tenth or even a fifth of its size, and then it fits right into a capsule for easy transport.” 

“?!” 

The capsules were a vacuum environment, no good for living things, but for inanimate objects, the storage capacity was insane. 

Hikari thought it over and saw no issues. 

“Awesome!” Bulma’s eyes sparkled. “If you’re cool with it, Hikari… when do we set sail?” 

“…A few days from now,” Hikari said, scratching her head. “I’ll head back to Konoha first, fill Shisui and the others in on what needs doing. You check in with Kikyo and the gang, see how their schedules line up. If everything’s smooth, we’ll pick a good day and head to the One Piece world for some adventure.” 

As the “vice-captain” of the pirate crew, Hikari’s word carried weight. 

Though Bulma was itching to get going, she calmed down and started messaging Kikyo and the others to coordinate. 

While they sorted that out, Hikari made a quick trip to Dr. Gero’s lab. She caught up with the Geros, Tamayo, Yushiro, and Mechanical Maru, who’d recently joined the team, and discussed their research progress. 

Then, with Esdeath in tow, she returned to Konoha in the Naruto world. 

Back in Konoha, the clinical trials for the Uchiha clan were still ongoing but nearing the end of their first phase. 

Hikari listened to Shisui and Orochimaru’s reports, flipped through the record book they handed her, and then pulled out the Dragon King blood samples she’d brought back from the Dragon Raja world to show them. 

Orochimaru’s snake-like eyes lit up instantly. 

“…Fascinating. So these mysterious dragon creatures have different elemental attributes?” he said, holding up a vial of dark red blood that bubbled like boiling cola. “The last sample was from an ‘earth’ dragon, and this one’s ‘fire’?” 

His face was full of curiosity. “It seems the continent you visited, Lady Hikari, is teeming with extraordinary creatures. I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance to tag along and see for myself.” 

“…Maybe someday,” Hikari said, tossing him a vague promise. 

Later, when Shisui and the others were gone, she pulled Orochimaru aside and brought up the “private chat” matter. 

Yup. 

After some thought, Hikari had decided to give the Naruto world’s private chat slot to Orochimaru. 

It was practically a no-brainer. 

Excluding Naruto and Karin, who were still kids, her options were Shisui, Fugaku, and Orochimaru. Fugaku was out due to his lackluster abilities. That left Shisui, who was loyal but not always in the loop, and Orochimaru, who was the opposite—less loyal but plugged into everything. 

Intel was the priority. You never knew when the Akatsuki or Obito might pull something big, and waiting for Shisui to pass along secondhand info could be too late. 

Of course… 

Hikari didn’t spill the beans about the chat group. She just said the “private chat” was a new “technique” she’d developed for long-distance communication. 

—Interworld communication counted as “long-distance,” right? No problem there. 

Orochimaru seemed a bit skeptical but didn’t pry. He just promised to keep an eye on the ninja world and report any developments to her promptly. 

As for how well he’d keep that promise… 

That remained to be seen. 

If Orochimaru proved reliable, maybe she’d consider taking him to another world for a spin, let him broaden his horizons. 

Chapter 288: [Naruko_Uzumaki.jpg] 

[Private Chat Function Unlocked] 

[“Immortal Serpent” Added as Designated Private Chat Contact. Can Send Two-Way Messages or Grant World-Traversal Permissions] 

“…” 

Having already tested this once with Esdeath, Uchiha Hikari smoothly added Orochimaru to the private chat list and gave him a quick rundown on how to use the channel. 

It was clear. 

Orochimaru was quite pleased with the nickname “Immortal Serpent.” 

—The initial nicknames in the private chat were auto-generated by the group chat based on the user’s traits. In the original timeline, Orochimaru was indeed a survivor, repeatedly killed or sealed by Itachi, Sasuke, the Third Hokage, and others, yet always bouncing back thanks to his contingencies. The “Immortal” prefix was well-earned. 

Orochimaru thought Hikari had chosen the name and thanked her for it. 

Hikari didn’t bother correcting him. 

Next. 

Orochimaru started exploring the specifics of the “Secret Art: Private Chat” function on his own. 

Meanwhile, Hikari left the clan grounds, bringing along some fruits and snacks from the Dragon Raja world, and headed to Naruto’s place. 

It was a Sunday. 

No classes at the Ninja Academy. 

Naruto seemed to have just returned from fishing in the suburbs, preparing to make some fish stew. Hearing a knock, he scampered to the door and flung it open, letting out a delighted yell, “Big Sis Hikari!” 

“Yo, little Naruto~ Long time no see.” 

Hikari grinned. “Not gonna invite me in?” 

“…Come in, quick!” 

Seeing Hikari, Naruto lit up with excitement, completely forgetting the half-prepared fish and chattering away nonstop. 

Mochi and Dango, his two ninja dogs, sniffed around and barked as if providing background music. 

“Oh? So little Naruto’s been making big strides at school lately?” 

“Yup, thanks to you, Big Sis! In our last ninja sparring session, I totally floored Sasuke!” Naruto beamed with pride. 

On her last visit, Hikari had talked things out with the Nine-Tails, resolving the chakra interference that had been holding Naruto back. She’d also given him Minato Namikaze’s Training Manual. As a result, Naruto had been shining at school lately. His foundation was still shaky, so he lost to Sasuke more often than not, but the occasional win was proof of his progress. 

Of course… 

This was just in ninja combat classes. 

In academics, Naruto was still pretty average. His brain hadn’t been affected by the Nine-Tails, so he could memorize some subjects with effort, but math and physics? If he didn’t get it, he didn’t get it. 

Still, Naruto was thrilled with himself. His recent improvements had even earned him rare praise from the usually strict Iruka. 

At the end. 

Naruto eagerly showed Hikari a new ninjutsu he’d developed. 

Yup… you guessed it. 

The Sexy Technique. 

When Naruto formed the hand signs and, with a poof of smoke, transformed into a scantily clad blonde girl, Hikari’s mouth twitched. She had to resist the urge to pry open this little knucklehead’s skull to see what he was thinking all day. 

“Big Sis, what do you think?” 

Naruto was all enthusiasm. “I’m telling you, this move’s awesome! It even took down Iruka-sensei last time…” 

“…” 

Hikari had to admit, the Sexy Technique version of Naruto was kinda cute. 

But… 

You just use this move on anyone? 

If Minato Namikaze and Kushina were here, would they get hit with it too…? 

Thinking this, Hikari quietly took out her phone, snapped a photo, cropped it below the chest, and sent it to the chat group. 

[Nameless @EternalBro: Guess who? [Naruko_Uzumaki.jpg]] 

[EternalBro: Uh… looks kinda familiar, especially those whisker marks. Could it be…] 

[Nameless: Yup, a recent pic of your daughter.] 

[EternalBro: …Huh?] 

While Minato was still processing, Bulma jumped in. 

[Bulma: Wait, isn’t this the Sexy Technique from the Naruto manga? The one Naruto came up with? He’s already gone rogue this early?] 

[EternalBro: Sexy Technique? What’s that?] 

[Bulma: Well, you see…] 

As a “traditional” ninja, Minato’s views were pretty conservative, and he didn’t quite grasp the implications of “raising a kid.” 

While Bulma explained in the group, Hikari curiously reached out to touch “Naruko Uzumaki’s” chest—it felt firmer than expected, probably because Naruto had never touched the real thing and was just going off imagination. Amid the kid’s giggling from being tickled, she gestured for him to change back. 

At this age, Naruto’s mind wasn’t full of complicated thoughts. He’d invented the Sexy Technique purely for fun. When it came to that kind of knowledge, even Sasuke probably knew more than him—let alone Bulma. 

So. 

Hikari didn’t scold him. She just told Naruto not to use the Sexy Technique on girls he knew. 

As for guys… 

Go for it. 

In a way, the Sexy Technique was a god-tier move. 

It was so unexpected that it caught most ninja off guard, perverts or not. In a heated battle, pulling this off could stun someone for just a second—enough to turn the tide in a high-stakes fight. 

If Hikari weren’t a girl herself, she might’ve tried developing it too. 

On the other side. 

Minato was still a bit embarrassed. 

[EternalBro: This kid, really… coming up with something like this. Did he pick it up from Jiraiya-sensei?] 

[EternalBro: Please, Miss Hikari, keep an eye on him for me.] 

[Nameless: Don’t worry, I’ve already talked to him. He won’t mess around anymore.] 

[Nameless: Also, no need to stress too much, Minato-san. Kids are curious about this stuff—it’s normal. Miko and Yuji have seen way wilder things.] 

[Yuji Itadori: Yeah, just the other day, Gojo-sensei and I met this senior named Kirara Hoshi. He’s a guy who loves wearing women’s clothes and even has a boyfriend…] 

[EternalBro: [Subway_OldMan_Phone.jpg]] 

Chapter 289: First Meeting with Kaido 

That day. 

Minato Namikaze got a taste of modern society’s shock, and as a father, he began quietly worrying about his son’s… inclinations. 

The Sexy Technique itself wasn’t a big deal—just an extension of the Transformation Jutsu. From a technical standpoint, it could even be called “pretty creative.” 

But if Naruto, in developing this technique, awakened some weird quirks… 

Kushina would probably lose it on the spot, right? 

[Nameless: Eh… it’s not that bad, really. I can vouch for 720 episodes of anime—Naruto’s preferences are totally normal.] 

[Nameless: If you’re really worried, you can check on him yourself once you’re back in the living world.] 

Hikari had already shared her plan to pull Minato out of the Reaper’s stomach in the group chat. 

At first, Minato had his doubts, worried that a dead guy like him returning to the living world might cause unnecessary trouble or disrupt the balance of the living and dead realms. 

But… 

With the precedent of the Demon Slayer crew’s resurrection and all the things he’d seen in the group chat lately, Minato’s concerns had faded. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for Orochimaru to make progress on researching the “Reaper Death Seal: Release” before moving forward. 

The Sexy Technique topic wrapped up there. 

After that. 

The group chat shifted to discussing the “Dimensional Pirate Crew.” 

Everyone was pretty excited about the upcoming trip. 

Except for Miko, who was tied up with school and exams, and Minato, who was still a soul, everyone else responded to Bulma’s invitation, promising to make time for the “Blue Planet” launch ceremony. Bulma had even reserved rooms on the ship for each group member. 

Of course… 

To set sail smoothly, there was one issue that needed resolving— 

[Bulma: By the way, hasn’t your dad returned to Onigashima yet, Yamato?] 

[OniPrincess: …Not yet, but Runti and the others said he’s close. He might be back on the island in a day or two.] 

Logically, Kaido should’ve known Yamato was back by now. 

If he really wanted to come discipline his daughter, his “Azure Dragon Fruit” powers would’ve gotten him to Onigashima in no time. 

Spending so long on the way meant he was probably tied up with something. 

Since that was the case, Hikari wasn’t in a rush to head over—if she took Yamato out of Onigashima early, they’d still face pursuit from the Beasts Pirates. Better to sit down and “talk things out” before setting sail. Surely Kaido would understand her good intentions. 

[Nameless: I’ve pretty much wrapped things up here. I’ll swing by the Akame ga Kill world, then head to your place, Yamato.] 

[Nameless: Esdeath will probably come with me.] 

[OniPrincess: Awesome! I’ve been dying to hang out with you guys!] 

[Bulma: Sweet! Don’t forget to call me when the time comes, Hikari!] 

[Bulma: If it’s cool, bring little Naruto along too. It’s been a while, and… I kinda wanna see his Sexy Technique in action.] 

[Nameless: ?] 

So… your main interest is the Sexy Technique? 

In reality. 

Hikari muttered to herself, then shifted her attention from the chat group panel and glanced at the little blond knucklehead who’d just transformed back. “Naruto, wanna go on a trip with Big Sis?” 

“Huh? Heck yeah!” 

Naruto agreed without a second thought, only to pause. “But what about school…?” 

“No biggie. Just take a leave. You’re learning basic ninja stuff anyway—I can teach you just as well.” 

Hikari said it like it was nothing. 

Her invitation had nothing to do with Bulma wanting to see the Sexy Technique. 

She just wanted to broaden Naruto’s horizons so he wouldn’t stay cooped up in the Leaf Village’s tiny bubble. Even if he became Hokage someday, she didn’t want him to be a frog in a well. 

Naruto, of course, was all in. 

… 

The next day, Hikari headed to the Akame ga Kill world. 

She met up with Brand, Akame, and the others, catching up over a meal. 

Then, using “Shangri-La,” she arrived in the East Blue, thousands of meters up in the clouds, to reunite with the East Sea Cloud Dragon. 

How to put it… 

Even though she’d seen the East Sea Cloud Dragon plenty of times, Hikari was still blown away by its sheer size every time. Its massive, mountain-like body coiled around her, the visual impact so overwhelming it was hard not to feel a rush. 

“Here, put this on.” 

Using a tone like she was coaxing a kid, Hikari had the dragon extend a claw. She fastened Bulma’s upgraded “Mini Wristband 2.0” onto one of its talons and twisted the dial to “1000.” 

With a flash of dazzling light. 

The East Sea Cloud Dragon’s body shrank visibly, transforming in moments into a 6-7 meter version, sprawled at Hikari’s feet. 

The dragon looked confused, its bony, imposing face full of bewilderment. 

“Easy, don’t move.” 

Hikari pulled out a tape measure from her pocket, crouched down, and carefully measured. 

6.8 meters. 

So, the East Sea Cloud Dragon’s original length was 6800 meters. That size was a colossus in any world. 

“Let’s go.” 

At Hikari’s command, the East Sea Cloud Dragon floated up, coiling around her like a python. Even shrunken, it retained its flight ability and most of its combat power. In fact, its smaller size made it even more agile. 

With that, Hikari had ticked off a few things on her to-do list. 

Just as she was about to return to the Naruto world to pick up Esdeath and Naruto, a message from Yamato popped up in the chat group: 

[OniPrincess: Oh no, Hikari! My dad’s back!] 

[OniPrincess @Nameless @Bulma @EternalBro @…] 

[Nameless: ?] 

[Nameless: What’s up? Is he already giving you a hard time?] 

[OniPrincess: Yeah, he sent Uncle Jin to come get me, and they’re heading to the castle now… But don’t worry, I’d never rat you guys out! I won’t say a word about you!] 

[Nameless: No need to go that far… If he asks, just tell him the truth. We’ll be there soon anyway.] 

Since Kaido was back. 

It probably wasn’t a good idea for Bulma, Eriyi, and the others to show up. 

Hikari sent a few reassuring messages in the group, then hurried back to the Naruto world, found Esdeath, and together they sent a request to join Yamato’s world. 

[Nameless has requested to enter OniPrincess’s world] 

[Nameless (Ice Queen) has requested to enter…] 

[Nameless: Yamato, I’m coming in, yeah?] 

… 

One Piece world, Onigashima. 

Yamato stood nervously in the hall of the skull-shaped castle. 

A dozen meters away. 

Kaido sat in a chair, flanked by Jin, one of the Three Calamities, along with Black Maria, Runti, and others from the Flying Six. His face was dark with anger. 

He was no stranger to Yamato’s rebellious streak. 

Ever since Kozuki Oden’s death 20 years ago, this troublesome kid hadn’t given him a single day of peace. Kaido had even gone so far as to put an explosive on her to keep her from running off. 

But… 

He never imagined that, even with that, Yamato would manage to vanish mysteriously. 

At first, Kaido thought she was hiding somewhere on the island, so he had the Flying Six turn Onigashima upside down. When they didn’t find her, he went to Blackbeard Orochi, who spent over a month scouring Wano Country—still no sign of her. 

With no other choice, Kaido had to put the matter on hold and head out to sea for his own business. 

But then, months later, he got word that Yamato was back. 

“You actually came back?!” 

Kaido slammed the armrest, snorting heavily. “Where the hell have you been? Who’s been helping you? And where’s the seastone handcuff on your wrist?” 

“Hmph, none of your business!” 

The mention of the “handcuff” sent Yamato into a fury. “What kind of father puts a bomb on his own daughter? You’re not even worth one of Minato-san’s fingers!” 

“What did you say?!” 

Kaido’s temper flared. “Who’s this Minato? Someone from Wano? Is he the one who helped you escape Onigashima?” 

“No way! Minato-san’s the greatest person in the world! Hikari’s the second, Kikyo’s the third… I got their permission to use their names, so now I’m Namikaze Kikyo Yamato!” 

“…?” 

What the heck? 

Kaido froze. 

He’d thought calling herself “Kozuki Oden” was Yamato’s limit. 

But now… 

Minato, Kikyo, Hikari—who were these people? When and where did Yamato meet all these folks? 

Or was this all just nonsense she’d made up? 

Just as Kaido was about to press further, Yamato’s face suddenly lit up. 

“Oh, Hikari’s coming…!” 

As she spoke. 

The air around Yamato rippled faintly. 

Then. 

Under Jin and the others’ wary gazes, two figures—one tall, one short—appeared in a flash of white light. The shorter girl raised her brows, scanning the room before breaking into a warm smile. 

“Yo~ Everyone’s here.” 

“Let me introduce myself. I’m Yamato’s friend, Uchiha Hikari. Nice to meet you… Let’s get along.” 

As she spoke. 

Hikari’s gaze swept the room, finally locking onto Kaido directly ahead. Beneath her calm expression, her eyes glinted sharp as a blade! 

Chapter 290: King vs. King, General vs. General 

This was Uchiha Hikari’s first time in the One Piece world. 

Sure, she’d seen it countless times in manga and anime, but seeing these characters in real life sparked an odd feeling. 

How to put it… it was just weird. 

She’d encountered plenty of bizarre-looking folks before—Dragon Ball’s animal people and aliens, Jujutsu Kaisen’s two-faced Sukuna, Naruto’s Kisame Hoshigaki—none of them exactly normal. But toss them into the One Piece world, and they’d practically pass for runway models. 

The people here had wildly unique appearances and sizes that defied logic. Besides Runti and Page One, every Beasts Pirates member in the room was over three meters tall. Kaido himself towered at a staggering 7.1 meters—nearly three times Yamato’s height. Even sitting down, he loomed like a dark, imposing mountain. 

And yet, Kaido wasn’t even the tallest in the room. 

That title went to Black Maria, an 8.2-meter-tall beauty in a kimono. At just over 1.5 meters, Hikari felt like she could do cartwheels in the woman’s palm. 

Of course… compared to the Giants or Oars’ race, Kaido and his crew were small fry. Those guys averaged around 100 meters, and the bigger ones could stand toe-to-toe with a fully formed Susanoo. 

“…Who are you people, and how’d you get in here?!” 

After the initial shock, Runti gripped her mace tightly and shouted. 

Jinbe, Black Maria, and the others tensed, immediately assuming Hikari and Esdeath’s sudden appearance was the work of a Devil Fruit ability. 

“Space-traversing fruit users? From Wano, or somewhere else?” 

“They’re so tiny—especially the black-haired one. She’s barely a meter tall…” 

“…?” 

Hikari shot a glare at the pirate lackey muttering in the corner. 

Okay, she wasn’t that tall, but come on—who’s so nearsighted they’d mistake 1.5 meters for one? Did she look like an eight-year-old? 

At that moment, Kaido’s deep voice rumbled from his seat. “Kid, you’re the ‘Miss Hikari’ Yamato mentioned? You’ve got some guts barging in here with just the two of you. But… you ready to pay the price for that?” 

“…Look, Kaido-san, I came here hoping to have a calm, reasonable talk.” 

Hikari let out a soft breath, her tone steady and unhurried. “I know Yamato hasn’t exactly been the obedient daughter, and you two have had your issues over Kozuki Oden. But that’s all in the past. Right now, Yamato just wants to sail out and see the world. As her father, I hope you’ll give her that chance.” 

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a strange, piercing clarity, reaching every corner of the hall. 

Kaido clearly hadn’t expected this. He paused, then furrowed his brow. “Kid, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? Yamato’s my daughter, and I’ve got plans for her future. Sailing? She can talk about that after she beats me!” 

“Huh?” Hikari grinned. “You said it, not me.” 

Her smile widened. “As you can see, I’m a peaceful person. I like reasoning things out. But if reason doesn’t work… then let me see what one of the New World’s Four Emperors is made of!” 

The provocation in her words was unmistakable. 

Before Kaido could respond, Runti and Page One lost their cool. Shouting, “Don’t disrespect Lord Kaido!” they charged forward—Runti swinging her mace, Page One throwing a fist, both aiming for Hikari’s group. 

“Miss Hikari, watch out—” 

Yamato instinctively called out. 

But before she could move to intercept, Hikari’s figure blurred, like a TV screen flickering with bad reception. When she stabilized, a clang echoed as Runti’s mace hit the floor. 

More accurately, it wasn’t just the mace—Runti and Page One froze mid-charge, their faces stuck in confusion, as if they hadn’t processed what happened. 

“?!” 

It all happened so fast. 

Only a handful—Esdeath, Yamato, Kaido, and a few others—caught Hikari’s move. She’d simply raised her right hand, pointed two fingers, and tapped the air twice toward Runti and Page One. A force, not unlike Conqueror’s Haki, enveloped them, locking their bodies in place. 

—Kinbaku no Jutsu. 

A trick she’d picked up from Master Roshi. It used “ki” to seal the opponent’s pressure points, paralyzing them. Similar to the Sharingan’s binding genjutsu, but way more convenient. 

After casually neutralizing the two, Hikari turned to Kaido with an innocent smile. “So, Kaido-san, does this catch your eye?” 

Kaido’s brows twitched as he reached for the mace propped against his chair. 

As one of the Four Emperors, his instincts were sharp. From that one move, he knew this girl was beyond the Tobi Roppo’s league. 

But before he could act, Jin stepped forward, positioning himself in the center of the hall. 

“Lord Kaido, leave this to me. You don’t need to deal with someone like her.” 

As he spoke, the orange flames behind Jin flared, his presence surging into a tangible pressure that swept through the hall. 

“Ugh…” Esdeath sighed, stepping forward as well. An even stronger aura erupted from her, dropping the room’s temperature several degrees. Ice-blue snowflakes materialized, drifting through the air, making weaker pirates shiver on the spot. 

“General against general, king against king,” Esdeath said. “This guy looks kinda weak, but… I’ll handle him. Hikari, the horned guy’s all yours.” 

(Chapter End)