231-235

Chapter 231: Want Me to Help Blow-Dry Your Hair? 

The matter of making a wish to revive someone had been settled. 

Next, Uchiha Hikari pulled out the two Dragon Balls she’d collected earlier and handed them over to the Kami. 

—After all, when it came time to make the wish, they’d need Kami’s presence anyway. These two balls were useless to her in the meantime, so why not hand them over to show some goodwill? It might leave a good impression on Kami, making things smoother when she wanted to use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber at the Lookout later. 

If she could somehow learn the art of creating Dragon Balls from Kami, that’d be even better. 

Of course… 

That wasn’t very realistic. 

According to the lore, only Namekians could successfully create and use Dragon Balls. Humans from other races, even if they learned the technique, couldn’t pull it off. And Uchiha Hikari? She wasn’t even from the Dragon Ball world to begin with. 

Still, Kami and Mr. Popo had impressive martial arts skills. In the original story, they’d trained the Z Fighters multiple times. If she could build a good relationship with them, maybe she could bring Esdeath along to spar and exchange pointers, learning from each other’s strengths. 

Meanwhile, on the other side… 

Kami took the Dragon Balls, stowing them away carefully. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “Miss Uchiha Hikari, could you tell us about the futures you’ve ‘seen’? Just the parts related to Earth…” 

“…You’re asking about Demon King Piccolo, aren’t you?” 

Hikari sharply picked up on his concern. 

Demon King Piccolo was a lingering issue for Kami. Because of their shared life force, as long as Kami was alive, Piccolo would eventually break free from his seal one day. 

Naturally, Kami was worried. 

The nearby Korin also cast a curious glance her way. 

“…I do know a few things about that,” Hikari said after a brief pause, speaking softly. “Demon King Piccolo will indeed return, and it’ll happen in a few years… But the details are complicated. I’ll need to go back and organize the information. Next time we meet, I’ll hand it over to you.” 

Truth be told, Hikari had a full set of Dragon Ball manga stored in her Capsule Corp capsules. She could theoretically just toss a copy to Kami and call it a day. 

But… 

Matters involving multiple dimensions were best kept under wraps. 

Besides, the early Dragon Ball chapters had plenty of not-so-kid-friendly moments—especially Bulma’s fanservice scenes. Showing those to Bulma herself was one thing, but presenting them to Kami and Korin? That’d be a bit awkward. Plus, the Red Ribbon Army and Android arcs tied into Hikari’s plans to recruit Dr. Gero, so she didn’t want to spill those details either. 

So… 

She decided to compile a summary of the Piccolo, Saiyan, and Frieza arcs into a small booklet for Kami. That should cover it. 

Oh, and next time she met Kami, she could bring kid Goku along. 

Over the past year, Hikari had snatched quite a few of Goku’s “opportunities.” She’d taken down the Red Ribbon Army—originally his XP farm—early, robbing him of a key training arc and his chance to climb Korin Tower. Bringing him to Kami and Korin’s attention would be a way to make up for it. 

For now, though… 

They set a time and place for their next meeting. Then Kami and Korin took their leave. 

Hikari, Bulma, and the others saw them off downstairs, watching the two divine figures disappear into the distance before heading back inside. 

“Yawn—” 

“Is it almost eleven already?” Hikari glanced at the wall clock. “It’s late. Let’s all get some rest.” 

“Yeah, you too, Hikari,” Bulma said. 

After seeing Bulma, Tanjiro, and Eri return to their rooms, Hikari stretched lazily and pushed open her own door. 

As soon as she stepped inside… 

She saw Esdeath stepping out of the bathroom, wrapped in just a towel, her hair dripping wet. With the Martial Arts Tournament in full swing, the city’s hotels were packed, so Hikari’s group was sharing double or triple rooms. 

It wasn’t the first time Hikari had seen Esdeath fresh from a bath. But today, maybe because of the warm weather, Esdeath’s outfit was particularly… light. The towel barely covered her chest, and her legs were fully exposed below the thighs, practically glowing in the light. 

“All done talking?” Esdeath asked, toweling off her hair. 

“Yup.” Hikari nodded, glancing at Esdeath’s wet locks. “Want me to help blow-dry your hair? It’ll take forever to air-dry with just a towel.” 

“…Sure.” 

With Esdeath’s approval, Hikari grabbed a hairdryer and gestured for her to sit on the sofa. Plugging it in and testing the heat with her hand, Hikari gently lifted Esdeath’s hair with one hand and started blow-drying with the other. 

The hum of the hairdryer filled the room. 

After a moment of silence, Esdeath spoke softly, “Those two who came to see you… they seem like big shots.” 

“Yeah, they’re the gods of this world.” 

“…Gods? Like the ones in stories?” 

“Exactly those.” 

In the Akame ga Kill! world, gods didn’t exactly show up—whether they existed was debatable. But myths and legends were common enough. Hikari gave a quick explanation, and Esdeath nodded in understanding before asking, “If they’re ‘gods,’ do they have any special powers?” 

“Of course.” 

In the original story, Kami had once retrieved a young Goku from the afterlife after his death against Raditz and introduced him to King Kai to learn the Kaio-ken. Those were perks exclusive to divine beings—mortals couldn’t pull that off. 

Esdeath pondered for a moment before asking, “By the way, I’ve heard Bulma and Yamato mention something about a ‘pirate crew’ a few times. What’s that about?” 

“Well…” Hikari thought for a second, then gave a brief rundown of the One Piece world and mentioned Bulma’s idea of starting a pirate crew. 

Esdeath’s eyes narrowed, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “Sounds interesting… Are there a lot of strong fighters in that pirate world? If I get the chance, I wouldn’t mind checking it out.” 

“You’ll get your chance,” Hikari said with a smile. 

Truthfully, she’d had the same thought—taking Esdeath to the One Piece world to meet “Teacher Kai.” If Bulma heard Esdeath’s interest, she’d probably be over the moon. 

—A crewmate as strong as Esdeath wasn’t easy to come by. 

The hairdryer kept humming. 

Esdeath’s ice-blue hair, nearly a meter long and reaching her calves, took quite a while to dry. As Hikari worked, she couldn’t help but catch glimpses of Esdeath’s figure through the loosely wrapped towel. 

To be honest… 

It wasn’t like Hikari hadn’t seen Esdeath’s body before. They’d even bathed together at the hot springs in the Land of Hot Water. But that was a special setting. Seeing her now, in a hotel room, half-covered like this… it felt different. The partial coverage was somehow more distracting. 

“…All done,” Hikari said, exhaling softly to calm her slightly racing heart. “Your hair’s dry. Let’s get to bed. We’ve got stuff to do tomorrow.” 

“Alright.” 

Esdeath stood, her gaze sweeping over Hikari’s slightly flushed face. Noticing something, she gave a small, knowing smile, her usually icy eyes softening. She nodded without saying more. 

They each settled onto their beds, slipped off their shoes, turned off the light, and went to sleep. 

The night passed quietly. 

The next morning, Hikari woke early, brushed her teeth, and had breakfast with Bulma, Eri, and the others. They spent the day sightseeing around the city, hitting a few attractions and picking up a bunch of random souvenirs. 

By evening, some of the group started saying their goodbyes. 

Tanjiro had to return to discuss the revival wish with Ubuyashiki and the others. 

Miko needed to get back to school. 

Kikyo wanted to check on the half-demons at Penglai Island. 

Brand, Akame, and Tazmi, who’d taken leave from Najenda for the tournament, were nearing the end of their vacation and had to return to work. 

Of course… 

The “Night Raid” gig probably wouldn’t last much longer. Even Brand and Akame had started to sense it. If Night Raid disbanded, Brand might get reassigned to a new military post, and Tazmi could go back to rebuilding his village. But Akame, whose skills were tied to assassination, might face unemployment. 

So, as they prepared to leave, Bulma extended another invitation to Akame to “join the ship.” 

“…I’ll seriously consider your offer. If Night Raid does disband someday,” Akame said after a moment of thought, making a promise. 

“Then it’s a deal! I’ll save a spot for you on my Blue Planet,” Bulma said with a bright smile. 

Hikari glanced at Yamato, who was standing nearby. “By the way, Yamato, aren’t you heading back?” 

“…Do I have to?” Yamato’s face twisted with hesitation, clearly recalling the beatings and fear from her father. 

For someone who’d never left Onigashima before, this runaway trip had gone on a bit too long. 

She’d spent a month or two in the Akame ga Kill! world, then another month in the Dragon Ball world with Bulma—nearly a hundred days total. Even if Kaido was slow to notice, he’d surely realized she was gone by now. He might even have put out a bounty and started searching the seas around Wano. 

Going back now would mean facing Kaido’s wrath. 

Hikari scratched her head. “Well, it’s up to you. If you’re not ready to go back, you can stick around with Bulma for a while. Keep Eri company, since Bulma and I will be too busy to hang out with her. Once things settle down, Esdeath and I will go with you to Onigashima and have a face-to-face with your dad.” 

Back when Hikari first met Yamato, she’d had maybe a 60% chance of getting Kaido to listen calmly. Now, with her Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, “Fire Thunder God,” and Esdeath by her side, she was 80-90% confident she could convince Kaido to rethink his “beat them till they break” parenting style. 

If he didn’t budge? No problem. 

She’d just take Yamato, fight their way out of Onigashima, and set up a base on some random island in the One Piece world. It was a big world with plenty of room for a new hideout. Once Bulma’s pirate ship was ready, they’d need a port anyway—sharing one with the Beasts Pirates wasn’t exactly ideal. 

… 

Three days after the Martial Arts Tournament’s award ceremony, Hikari and Esdeath set off for Nam’s hometown. 

Earlier, Bulma had given Nam a capsule filled with supplies and mentioned Hikari’s plan to help build an artificial reservoir. 

By the time they arrived, Nam and his tribe had already picked out a spot for the reservoir. 

Hikari activated her full-body Susanoo and used Fire Thunder God, slashing a few times to carve out a massive pit hundreds of meters wide and dozens deep. She then spent some time reinforcing the foundation with Earth Style: Mud Wall before handing things over to Esdeath, who used her “Demon’s Extract” to fill the pit with a massive amount of ice. 

Water Style would’ve worked too, but the environment was a problem. 

The area was plagued by long-term drought, with groundwater nearly depleted and the land cracked and barren. Creating a large-scale Water Style jutsu in a place like this would require an insane amount of chakra. While Hikari knew Water Style, she wasn’t on Tobirama’s level, so Esdeath’s ice was the better option. 

Once the reservoir was filled with ice, Hikari used Fire Thunder God again, this time in its halberd form, to smash the ice blocks into smaller chunks. In a few days, the sun would melt them into a natural drinking water source. 

Nam and his people were endlessly grateful, pooling together some money to offer as payment. 

Hikari politely declined, said her goodbyes, and set off with Esdeath on their second Dragon Ball hunt. 

Chapter 232: Back to the Demon Slayer World 

The process of collecting the Dragon Balls this time went pretty smoothly. 

After all, the Red Ribbon Army, which would’ve been the main antagonist in this operation, had already been taken out early. Among the remaining players, only Kid Goku and Emperor Pilaf had both the motive and ability to gather the Dragon Balls. Goku, being a friendly ally, only cared about the Four-Star Ball his grandpa left him. As for Pilaf? He’s more of a comedic nuisance than a real threat. 

Speaking of which… 

Emperor Pilaf is actually tied to a major plot point— 

Three years from now, he’s the one who frees Piccolo Daimao from his seal at the bottom of the sea, bringing the demon king back to wreak havoc and indirectly causing the deaths of Master Roshi, Krillin, and others. 

Uchiha Hikari had considered dealing with Pilaf preemptively, like she did with the Red Ribbon Army—either taking him out or giving him a full-on brainwash to erase his world-domination ambitions. 

But… 

After some careful thought, she decided against it. 

Piccolo Daimao, while powerful, isn’t an unbeatable foe. In the original timeline, Kid Goku managed to defeat him three years later, even if it was with the help of the Ultra Divine Water. This time, with Kami and Karin-sama’s early attention and training, there’s no reason Goku would lose to Piccolo. 

Even if something goes wrong, it’s no big deal. 

As long as the chat group is still around, Hikari can always bring Esdeath over to back things up. 

Besides… 

Piccolo Daimao is essentially the embodiment of Kami’s evil side, and Kami likely knows his sealed location. Whether to deal with him early and how to do it should be left to Kami himself. If Hikari’s interference leads to Goku and his friends missing out on crucial experience, resulting in them being too weak for the Saiyan Saga and getting wiped out by Raditz… well, that’d be a real mess. 

While Hikari and Esdeath were out on their mission, Bulma took the “Dragon Ball Intel Manual” that Hikari had handwritten and uploaded to the group chat, along with a curious Kid Goku, to visit the Lookout. 

“…So this kid is the ‘Child of Destiny’ you mentioned for this world?” Kami asked. 

“He’s got an honest look in his eyes, kinda like Tanjiro,” Karin-sama observed. “I’ll take him for some training to see what he’s made of, both in skill and character.” 

After that, Bulma, guided by Kami and Mr. Popo, found the Namekian spaceship in the storage room behind the Lookout. She dove right in, buzzing with excitement as she began studying it. 

**[Bulma: I’d seen it in the manga, but I didn’t expect a real Namekian spaceship to look like this… This kind of navigation tech is probably at least thirty to fifty years ahead of Earth! How did the Namekians figure this out? It’s incredible!]** 

[NoName: Thirty to fifty years? Try multiplying that by ten…] 

The Dragon Ball manga doesn’t mention Kami’s age, but considering he came to Earth as a child, grew up, and split off Piccolo Daimao, who was sealed when Master Roshi was still a young martial artist… Kami’s got to be at least as old as Roshi, so around 300 or 400 years old. A real ancient relic. 

Yup… Namekians definitely live way longer than Earthlings or Saiyans. 

And that immortality elixir Roshi drank? It’s the real deal. Wonder if there’s any more of that lying around… 

[Brand: A few hundred years old… That’s kinda scary. Doesn’t that make him older than you, Hikari?] 

[NoName: ?] 

After a brief chat about Kami’s age, Hikari remembered something else and pinged Bulma in the group. 

[NoName: By the way, how’s Goku doing?] 

[Bulma: Oh, him? He’s still with Karin-sama, chasing after some ‘Super Holy Water’ or something. I overheard Kami and Mr. Popo at lunch talking about putting together a long-term training plan for him to prepare for Piccolo Daimao’s potential return. I don’t know much about this training stuff, but it should be fine, right?] 

[NoName: Hmm… ‘Super Holy Water’ is whatever, but he’d better not drink the ‘Ultra Divine Water.’ I’m guessing that stuff might be tied to Goku’s heart virus.] 

[Bulma: Huh?] 

[Bulma: Oh, wait, I remember! That’s the stuff Goku drank at Korin Tower after getting beat by Piccolo Daimao the first time, right? I always thought that wasn’t exactly safe. Since you’re saying the same, Hikari, I’ll mention it to Kami and Karin-sama.] 

Bulma’s always been a people person. Even though she only met Kami and Karin-sama a few days ago, she’s already chatting with them like old friends. Hikari just dropped the warning and left it at that. 

Then she checked in on Tanjiro’s situation. 

After her discussion with Kami, Hikari had already shared the Dragon Ball wish plan with the group, so even those who hadn’t met Kami, like Kikyo or Minato, were in the loop. 

Everyone was already familiar with Tanjiro and the Demon Slayer Corps from casual chats, so no one had any objections to using the Dragon Balls to revive their fallen comrades. In fact, they all offered to help if needed. 

When Brand and the others made those offers a few days ago, Tanjiro had politely thanked them, saying he could handle things. 

But today… 

Something seemed to have changed. 

[IronHead: @NoName, Hikari-san, are you there?] 

“Hm?” 

Hikari was riding the Flying Nimbus with Esdeath, soaring through the sky toward their next destination. Splitting her focus, she kept the Nimbus on course while quickly typing with her thoughts: 

[NoName: I’m here. What’s up?] 

[IronHead: Um… I really hate to keep troubling you, but the Demon Slayer Corps is facing a bit of a problem. We’re not sure we can handle it on our own. If you have time, could you come take a look?] 

[IronHead: The Oyakata-sama says if you’re willing to help, the Corps will offer any reward within our means.] 

[NoName: …We’ll talk rewards later. What’s going on?] 

Hikari had personally vouched for Tanjiro’s strength. 

From his performance at the Budokai, he’s already at Hashira-level power. He could take down any demon below Upper Moon Three solo, and even hold his own against the stronger ones. Plus, with Kyojuro Rengoku, Tengen Uzui, and others still alive and in fighting shape, they should be able to handle even Upper Moon One or Two. 

For a Demon Slayer Corps this stacked to feel overwhelmed… 

Could it be Muzan himself making a move? 

As if confirming Hikari’s suspicions, Tanjiro continued: 

[IronHead: After I told Oyakata-sama about the Dragon Ball revival plan, the Corps sent out teams across the country to collect the bodies of those who died in the past three years. But the operation was a bit too big, and it seems the Twelve Kizuki caught wind of it. They’ve launched several attacks, nearly killing Rengoku-san and others. Thankfully, the Senzu Beans you left us prevented any major losses.] 

[IronHead: According to Oyakata-sama’s prediction, the Upper Moons might have tracked down our headquarters’ location because of this. And… even Muzan himself might show up.] 

[NoName: Oh?] 

Muzan’s finally making a personal appearance? 

Hikari’s eyes lit up. 

She’d had her sights set on him for a while now. 

As the lifelong enemy of the Demon Slayer Corps and the origin of all demons, Muzan’s physical strength is on a whole different level from regular demons. Aside from his weakness to sunlight, he’s practically the perfect immortal being, capable of freely changing his form and even gender. He’s basically the ideal test subject and human punching bag! 

Yup. 

For a villain as irredeemable and unkillable as Muzan Kibutsuji, the best fate is to be locked in a lab as a test subject or used to try out new techniques. 

He won’t die no matter what you throw at him. 

Hikari hadn’t gone after Muzan before because she didn’t know how to access his Infinity Castle. But now… if he’s coming out on his own, this is the perfect chance to capture him. Miss this, and who knows how many years it’ll be before another opportunity comes up. 

[NoName: …Got it. I’ve got a few things to wrap up here, but I’ll head over later tonight.] 

[LittleMonster: Eri wants to go too!] 

[DemonPrincess: Me too!] 

“…Hm?” 

Hikari raised an eyebrow. 

These past few days, Eri and Yamato hadn’t joined her in the Dragon Ball hunt or gone to the Lookout with Bulma. Instead, they stayed in West City, helping Dr. Brief with medical experiments. 

By “helping,” that meant being test subjects. 

Hikari had previously asked Dr. Brief to develop a bloodline suppressant for Eri, though the drug was still in the prototype stage and needed refinement. Having Eri herself cooperate would speed things up. As for Yamato, while she didn’t have any “bloodline disease,” her unique lineage and the gene-altering Devil Fruit she’d eaten made her a valuable research subject too. So, Hikari and Bulma had convinced her to undergo a full checkup. 

But those tests were, admittedly, a bit dull, and it seemed Eri and Yamato were getting restless. 

[NoName: You two should stick to Dr. Brief’s schedule for now. I’ll check things out with Tanjiro first, and if I need you, I’ll call you in the group.] 

[NoName: Be good.] 

While calming Eri and Yamato in the chat, Hikari turned to Esdeath beside her. 

“Hey, Esdeath, wanna check out another world?” 

“Another world? One of your friends’ worlds again?” 

Once was unfamiliar, twice was routine. 

Esdeath had already traveled to several worlds with Hikari, especially during the Budokai, where she’d interacted with Eri, Yamato, and others. The concept of “countless worlds” wasn’t new to her anymore. To her, it didn’t matter where they went, as long as there were strong opponents to fight. 

Hikari didn’t beat around the bush: “Tanjiro’s world.” 

“That kid with the hard forehead…” Esdeath tilted her head, vaguely recalling him. “When are we going?” 

“…We’ve got one last Dragon Ball to find. Should be done by this afternoon. Probably head over tomorrow morning.” 

Hikari made her decision. 

… 

That afternoon, Hikari found the seventh Dragon Ball near Penguin Village in the north. She then took the Flying Nimbus to Korin Tower, made her way to the Lookout, and handed all the Dragon Balls to Kami. 

“…You collected them this fast?” Kami asked, visibly surprised. 

As the creator of the Dragon Balls, he’d observed others who pursued them. In his experience, even the luckiest took months to gather all seven from around the world, with most needing years or even decades. 

Hikari, though? She did it in about a week. Talk about efficiency. 

She just waved the Dragon Radar in her hand, crediting it to the power of tech. 

Kami didn’t press further. 

With that, Hikari said her goodbyes to Kami, checked in on Bulma (who was engrossed in studying the spaceship), and then, with Esdeath, sent a request to Tanjiro. 

[NoName requests to join IronHead’s world] 

… 

A flash of white light later, Hikari’s figure appeared in the courtyard of the Demon Slayer Corps’ headquarters. Waiting there were Tanjiro and Ubuyashiki Kagaya. 

“Hikari-san, you’re here,” Kagaya said with a slight bow in greeting. 

Hikari nodded back. “Good to see you again, Ubuyashiki-san.” 

Compared to her last visit, the Demon Slayer Corps’ leader looked noticeably worse. 

His eyes were nearly blind, half his face was covered in gruesome cracks, and his entire body seemed as fragile as a porcelain vase about to shatter, only held upright by his two daughters supporting him. Yet his voice remained gentle and steady—you’d never guess he was on death’s door just by listening. 

“…Muzan’s curse has gotten this bad?” Hikari asked. 

Kagaya smiled faintly. “An old ailment. I’ve been prepared for this since I became the head of the family. That’s why, in my remaining time, I want to eliminate Muzan, the source of this calamity…” He coughed weakly before turning his gaze to Esdeath behind Hikari. “And this is…?” 

“Esdeath, my friend,” Hikari said casually, then cleared her throat and glanced at the house a few meters away. “Let’s talk inside.” 

Chapter 233: As Long as We Can Get to That Place… 

“Here’s how things stand…” 

Inside the room, Uchiha Hikari and Esdeath sat side by side, sipping fragrant tea offered by the Ubuyashiki family’s daughters. Across from them, Ubuyashiki Kagaya began explaining the recent developments. 

At the same time, in the otherworldly Infinity Castle… 

Muzan Kibutsuji, dressed in a sharp suit and looking like a young man, listened to Kokushibo’s report. 

“…That woman still hasn’t shown up?” 

“No,” Kokushibo replied, kneeling respectfully. “In this operation, Akaza and Gyokko nearly killed two of the Demon Slayer Corps’ Hashira. But a special drug they had—small, about the size of a finger—allowed them to heal all their wounds almost instantly. They held out until sunrise, and we had to retreat because of the sun. As for my brother… that woman still didn’t appear.” 

“A drug that heals wounds?” Muzan’s eyes narrowed. “Something like a demon’s regenerative ability? Could it be made from demon blood? Maybe the work of that Insect Hashira?” 

“I don’t know,” Kokushibo said, his face expressionless. 

A brief silence filled the air. 

Muzan looked up at the ceiling, a flicker of violent intent glinting in his crimson eyes. 

Time flies. 

It had been nearly a year since the Spider Mountain incident. 

In that time, Muzan hadn’t left Infinity Castle once. Even when he needed to feed or conduct human-to-demon experiments, he had Kokushibo and the other Upper Moons bring him living humans, triple-checking that no Demon Slayers were tracking them. He’d taken caution to an extreme. 

Yet… 

After so long with no sign of trouble, Muzan couldn’t help but grow suspicious. 

That girl, supposedly the “reincarnation of Yoriichi Tsugikuni”… 

Where had she gone? 

Why, after appearing twice at Spider Mountain and Yoshiwara, had she vanished without a trace? 

Even if she couldn’t find him in Infinity Castle, shouldn’t she have been hunting down other demons? Yet, in the memories of the nearly hundred demons killed by the Demon Slayer Corps over the past year, there wasn’t a single trace of her. 

It was strange. 

To confirm the situation with this “female Yoriichi,” Muzan had started probing the Demon Slayer Corps a few months ago—around the time Uchiha Hikari took Tanjiro to train at Korin Tower. These probes had grown increasingly bold, yet she never showed up. 

This filled Muzan with doubts. 

Was it a trap by Ubuyashiki? 

Or… was there something else going on? 

(Maybe that girl isn’t Yoriichi’s reincarnation at all. Just someone who looks similar, like Tanjiro Kamado…) 

(Or perhaps she is his reincarnation but hasn’t awakened her past life’s memories or strength. Killing Rui and the Daki siblings doesn’t mean she can take on me or Kokushibo. So Ubuyashiki’s hiding her to keep her from dying too soon…) 

Muzan’s guesses were half-right. 

Namely, that Uchiha Hikari wasn’t Yoriichi’s reincarnation. 

But even with two extra brains, he’d never guess that Hikari wasn’t even from the Demon Slayer world. 

In any case, these theories made Muzan’s mind start to race. 

If this “female Yoriichi” didn’t have the original’s strength, now might be the perfect chance to kill her. 

Otherwise, he might have to hide in Infinity Castle for another century. He’d already lived that kind of life once—he wasn’t about to do it again. 

Just as Muzan was wrestling with this dilemma, Tanjiro returned from the Dragon Ball world and informed Ubuyashiki about the revival plan. Ubuyashiki immediately sent the Demon Slayer Corps to collect the bodies of those to be revived. 

Learning of this, Muzan dispatched three Upper Moons, including Kokushibo, to intercept the Corps. Thanks to the Senzu Beans, the results were less than expected, but the operation seemed to confirm his suspicions— 

“It looks like that woman is indeed being hidden, likely at the Demon Slayer Corps’ headquarters…” 

“As long as we can get to that place…” 

… 

“…That’s the gist of it.” 

In the meeting room at Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, Ubuyashiki coughed heavily before continuing, “Over the past few months, Muzan has tested us multiple times. This latest attack nearly killed Kyojuro, Tengen, and Mitsuri. He’s likely convinced you’re not with the Corps, Miss Hikari. If we give him a glimpse of hope that he can destroy us, he might not be able to resist taking action…” 

“So…” Hikari picked up the thread, “you plan to leak some information to Muzan and set an ambush here to lure him out?” 

Ubuyashiki nodded. “Exactly.” 

Hikari wasn’t unfamiliar with this plan. 

In the original story, Ubuyashiki had done just that—luring Muzan to the headquarters with its location, using hidden explosives and Tamayo’s drugs to weaken him, then having the surviving Hashira gang up on him. He’d even sacrificed his entire family for it. 

Without outside interference, the plan was solid—perhaps the only way to take down Muzan. 

After all, Muzan’s raw power outmatched the entire Corps. Even weakened by poison, he’d nearly wiped them out. If they didn’t seize this chance and Ubuyashiki died, or the strongest Hashira, Giyu, grew old, the Corps might not even get a shot at mutual destruction. 

But now… 

“Miss Hikari, I know this is a bold request, but I hope you’ll consider joining my plan,” Ubuyashiki said earnestly. “If we can eliminate Muzan, I’d gladly offer the entire Ubuyashiki estate.” 

Hikari thought for a moment before replying, “I’m in, but I have two conditions.” 

“Name them.” 

“First, Muzan’s mine,” Hikari said, holding up a finger. “I’m interested in studying his body. I’ll take him back with me, but I promise he won’t harm anyone or create more demons. He likely won’t appear in this world again.” 

“…That’s acceptable,” Ubuyashiki nodded. 

While his goal was to kill Muzan outright, as long as Muzan stopped wreaking havoc, it counted as a win. 

“Second, I want a piece of land in this country.” 

… 

The land Hikari had in mind was the Hishikari Gold Mine in Kyushu, holding nearly 200 tons of gold. It hadn’t been officially mined yet, and securing it would make her richer than robbing the Red Ribbon Army. 

Of course… 

Hikari hadn’t visited Kyushu in the Demon Slayer world. Her knowledge came from the real world, so she’d need to confirm the mine’s location in person before claiming it. 

While the Ubuyashiki family’s influence was mostly in Kanto, not Kyushu, as high-ranking aristocrats of the era, securing a mining claim shouldn’t be too hard. 

For now, Hikari and Ubuyashiki hashed out the rough plan and moved on—she wasn’t too concerned with the details as long as Muzan could be drawn out. 

Noticing her expression, Ubuyashiki said softly, “Miss Hikari, would you like to visit the Butterfly Mansion to see Kyojuro and the others? Or perhaps take a stroll in town to unwind? If you’d like, I can have Amane accompany you.” 

“…Butterfly Mansion first,” Hikari said casually. 

Though she hadn’t been to the Demon Slayer world in a while, she’d built some rapport with Kyojuro Rengoku, Mitsuri Kanroji, and others last time. Since she was here, it made sense to check on their injuries. 

If they were minor, she could even help heal them, thanks to Tsunade’s Medical Ninjutsu. 

… 

That afternoon, Hikari and Esdeath headed to the Butterfly Mansion. 

Hikari was something of a celebrity among the Corps, and with Ubuyashiki’s endorsement, she moved freely. Kyojuro and the others lit up with surprise or delight when they saw her. Hikari nodded in greeting, her gaze lingering on Tengen Uzui for a few seconds. 

From Ubuyashiki and Tanjiro, she’d learned about their injuries. Tengen had it worst—half his right arm was gone, leaving an empty sleeve. He could only eat and drink with his left hand. But seeing his three ninja wives doting by his bedside made it hard to feel too sorry for him. 

“What happened? Didn’t I teach you the Substitution Jutsu?” Hikari asked. 

“…Master,” Tengen scratched his head awkwardly. “The Upper Moon who attacked was tough. Even with Senzu Beans, Kyojuro and I couldn’t beat him. If the sun hadn’t risen, he might’ve killed us twice.” 

“Tch,” Hikari clicked her tongue. “Rest up. Since you called me Master, give me some of your blood and skin samples later. I’ll see if I can get you a new arm.” 

“…Huh?” 

Hikari smirked, not mentioning Orochimaru or Dr. Gero. After some small talk, she and Esdeath left the infirmary for the courtyard. 

Only then did Esdeath turn to her, puzzled. “Is this Muzan guy really that strong? Tanjiro and your friends seem kind of scared of him.” 

“He’s alright,” Hikari said, thinking it over. “For Tanjiro, he’s tough—maybe Martial Arts Tournament quarterfinals level?” 

“Oh…” Esdeath replied noncommittally. 

A sudden idea struck Hikari. “Speaking of, Upper Moon Two, Douma, uses ice too, right? And he’s got a thing for women. It’d be fun to see you take him on.” 

Then there was Upper Moon One, Kokushibo… 

Since Hikari had taken on the “Yoriichi reincarnation” persona, she had to face off with this “foolish big brother” and see what kind of expression he’d make when he saw her red hair and crimson eyes. 

With that in mind, Hikari opened the group chat and briefly mentioned the plan to lure Muzan out. 

Bulma, Brand, and Yamato, who were online, responded quickly. 

[Bulma: So, Tanjiro’s side is about to hit the final battle?] 

[Nameless: Pretty much.] 

[Nameless: Muzan’s got six Upper Moons, each with unique skills. Esdeath and I will each take one—I’ll handle Kokushibo, Upper One, and Esdeath will take Douma, Upper Two. Any ideas for the rest?] 

[Brand: Got any specific intel on them?] 

[Nameless: Upper Three, Akaza, is a martial arts nut who loves challenging strong opponents…] 

[Demon Princess: Leave him to me! I’ll teach him how to behave with the fist of love!] 

[Brand: Then Upper Four…] 

[Little Monster: I’ll take it! You’ve all been looking out for me, so I want to pull my weight.] 

[Brand: Uh… guess I’ll take Upper Five since no one else wants it.] 

[Bulma: Wait, wasn’t Upper Six that sibling duo Hikari caught last year? Has Muzan replaced them?] 

[Nameless: Not sure. Maybe Nakime? Doesn’t matter, Tanjiro can handle it.] 

In a few messages, they’d divided up the six Upper Moons. 

As for Muzan, the Demon King… 

[Nameless: This might be a job for Miss Kikyo. Muzan has a place called Infinity Castle, a pocket dimension he can teleport to if things go south. We’ll need your barrier techniques to trap him and keep him from escaping.] 

Hikari’s sealing jutsu could probably trap Muzan too, but she might not encounter him directly. And Muzan was slippery—if he got even a few seconds to teleport away, he could hide in Infinity Castle for another century, waiting them out. 

“…Shame my Mangekyo doesn’t have any space-based abilities,” Hikari thought. “Maybe I’ll talk to the Fourth Hokage or ask Kami about learning some dimensional ninjutsu or magic.” 

Chapter 234: Meeting of Souls 

Over the next week, the Demon Slayer Corps continued their efforts. They sent teams to gather the bodies of those they hoped to revive while setting up a trap to lure out their target. 

These preparations were all handled by Ubuyashiki Kagaya. 

Due to her unique status, Uchiha Hikari needed to stay under the radar to avoid alerting Muzan too early. So, after telling Tanjiro to “ping her in the group chat if anything comes up,” she activated “Shangri-La” and took Esdeath to Kyushu, thousands of miles away. 

Once they arrived, Hikari pulled out two maps—one provided by Kagaya, the other a modern Japan map from the Dragon Road world—and started scouring the area. 

“…According to the maps, it should be around here.” 

After some exploration and cross-referencing, Hikari pinpointed a sparsely populated, hilly region. 

On the modern map, this area was “Hishikari Town,” a small but populated settlement. In this era, though, it was just barren land, with only a few scattered villages within a dozens-of-miles radius. The isolation made it scenic and free of demon activity, so even if they caused a ruckus, Muzan’s side wouldn’t notice. 

Without delay, Hikari took out a capsule containing the World Codex: Rongorongo and infused it with a wisp of mental energy. 

A subtle aura stirred. 

The beastly eye on the codex’s cover rotated slightly, and a clear wave of mental energy radiated outward, spreading like fine mist in all directions. Moments later, images began to appear on the blank pages, shifting from blurry to vivid, accompanied by tiny, detailed text annotations. 

Hikari infused more mental energy, and the minuscule, mosquito-like text became clear, projecting into her mind: 

“Unknown Location 1. 

Geographical Features: … 

Species Distribution: … 

…” 

In less than half a page, thousands of words densely recorded the underground mineral deposits, water systems, human villages, and animal and plant populations within a dozens-of-miles radius—a real-time encyclopedia. Through experimentation, Hikari found she could use her mental energy to rename “unknown” entries—like changing “Unknown Location 1” to “Hishikari Mine”—or even manually fill in details about terrain or unfamiliar creatures. 

“…Pretty handy,” Hikari said with a faint smile, pleased after figuring out how it worked. 

She hadn’t wanted to use the World Codex lightly, as its pages were precious and not to be wasted. But she needed to test it to understand its mechanics. In the face of 200 tons of gold, a little waste was no big deal. 

“Based on this, scanning an island the size of Japan with the Codex would take about three pages…” 

“Scanning the entire Earth would probably fill the remaining half of the book…” 

“But unnecessary info can be erased with mental energy or manually simplified.” 

Overall, not bad. 

With the gold mine’s location confirmed, she could now negotiate terms with Kagaya. 

As for mining it… 

Partnering with the Ubuyashiki family was a solid option—they had influence in the area and were trustworthy. Alternatively, she could use “Yasogami” to control a local Kyushu tycoon, which would also work in a pinch. 

Decision made, Hikari tucked away the marked map and stretched lazily. “Alright, let’s go, Esdeath.” 

“…Go where?” 

“We’re already here, so let’s do some sightseeing. I heard there’s a ‘Yunoo Waterfall’ nearby—pretty spectacular. We’ll check it out and try some local food.” 

“Oh.” 

Esdeath nodded indifferently, following Hikari’s lead. 

As she turned, Hikari paused, her gaze drifting toward the setting sun. 

In this era, the country just across the water from Japan… it should’ve just ended its feudal monarchy, right? 

If she got the chance, she might swing by to take a look and see if there was anything she could do. 

… 

Two days later, Hikari returned to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters. 

The courtyard was now filled with bodies. 

Most were incomplete, their bones bearing the scars of wounds from their final moments. Others, buried underground for years, had decayed to the point where only vague outlines remained. 

“Hikari-san, you’re back,” Tanjiro said. 

“These are the people we’ve gathered so far—mostly Corps members and their families, plus a few outsiders. The list is still being compiled; I’ll show it to you later.” 

Tanjiro was directing the “Hidden” members to clean the dirt off the bodies and seal them simply. Nearby, Kanzaki Aoi and Nezuko were also helping out. 

Speaking of which… 

It had been a while since the Kamado family was brought back via Edo Tensei. 

For the past six months, they’d stayed at the headquarters, helping with simple physical tasks and occasionally assisting at the Butterfly Mansion when staff was short. Thanks to their Edo Tensei bodies, they felt no hunger or fatigue and recovered stamina quickly—basically human perpetual motion machines. 

Which also meant… if outsiders discovered their existence, it could cause some serious trouble. 

“Hi, Hikari-neesan,” Nezuko said, approaching with her brother and greeting Hikari in slightly halting speech. 

“Oh, Nezuko can talk now?” Hikari asked, surprised. 

“Yeah,” Tanjiro replied. “Thanks to the medicine from Tamayo-san and Shinobu-san, Nezuko’s no longer afraid of sunlight and can think and speak like a normal human. She’s just a bit slower to react.” 

Hikari nodded in understanding. 

Then Tanjiro hesitated, lowering his voice. “Um… Hikari-san, according to that Kami-sama, reviving someone requires not just their body but also their soul nearby. Do you have any ideas for that?” 

“Well…” 

There were two options. 

First, like with Aoi and the others, use Edo Tensei to bring them back temporarily, then place the Edo Tensei body with the original corpse. The problem? Even using demons as sacrifices, they’d need a ton of them, and that wasn’t feasible short-term. 

The second option was simpler. 

“Kikyo’s shikigami bugs should be able to gather souls, right? We can just have her come over and take a look.” 

… 

Starting the next day, people began arriving in the Demon Slayer world through Tanjiro. 

First up, naturally, were Yamato and Eri. 

They’d spent a week or two at Dr. Brief’s, finishing all their tests and giving over a dozen blood samples. With nothing left to do, they eagerly popped over to check in. 

Eri blended in fine—aside from her striking looks and inability to speak, she didn’t stand out much. Her long red hair wasn’t even that unusual in this world; people might just assume she ate too many tomatoes or watermelons. 

…Okay, that sounds absurd, but consider Mitsuri Kanroji’s gradient pink hair from eating too many sakura mochi, or Kyojuro Rengoku’s gold-and-red hair from his ancestors’ shrimp obsession… 

Let’s just say it’s mystical. 

Yamato, on the other hand, was impossible to ignore. 

At 2.6 meters tall, she towered over everyone in the Demon Slayer world. Even the 2.2-meter-tall Rock Hashira, Himejima Gyomei, looked like a kid next to her. 

As for strength… 

That afternoon, at the invitation of a few Hashira, Yamato had a “friendly” sparring match. 

She accidentally gave two of them compound arm fractures and snapped several Nichirin Blades with her Armament Haki. Hikari had to step in, healing them with Palm Sage Technique and compensating with a few laser swords. 

—Courtesy of Bulma, of course. 

After leaving the Demon Slayer world last time, Bulma hadn’t entirely dropped her lightsaber project, though it was delayed by distractions like the Four Souls Jewel hunt. Hearing the Corps was gearing up to face Muzan, she rushed to finish a few weapons and sent them over via Hikari, who passed them to Sanemi Shinazugawa and others. 

Yamato, meanwhile, looked sheepish, rubbing her head. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you guys were that weak… I wouldn’t have used ‘Sakura’ if I’d known…” 

“…” 

The injured Sanemi and others weren’t too upset, just stunned by Yamato’s strength. “Hikari-san’s friends are ridiculously strong…” 

Some even recalled speculation about Hikari’s identity. “So, Tanjiro really was taken to the heavens for training, wasn’t he?” 

“Well…” 

In a way, they weren’t wrong. 

Tanjiro had trained at Korin Tower, which could arguably be called “the heavens.” Once the Muzan situation was resolved, the other Hashira could train there too. They might not reach insane heights, but learning to use “ki” to mitigate the lifespan-shortening side effects of their Marks would be worth it. 

Next to arrive was Kikyo. 

She’d already heard about the “soul collection” plan from Hikari in the group chat, so upon arriving, she immediately assessed the situation. 

“How’s it looking?” Hikari asked. 

“…The boundary between life and death here is looser than in my world, Bulma’s, or yours. Many spirits linger near the loved ones they cared about in life. There are several right here in this courtyard.” 

As Kikyo spoke, she began controlling her shikigami bugs. 

Under her guidance, Hikari caught glimpses of humanoid silhouettes that grew clearer as the bugs made contact. 

Even the Demon Slayer Corps members nearby started to vaguely see the outlines. 

Muichiro Tokito’s eyes widened, locking onto a figure that looked almost identical to him. “It’s… my brother…” 

Sanemi Shinazugawa and Shinobu Kocho stared at the same figure. “Kanae…” 

And Tanjiro and Giyu Tomioka: “…Sabito-senpai? Makomo-neesan?” 

Yuichiro Tokito, Kanae Kocho, Sabito, Ruka Rengoku… these spirits from the original story now stood in the courtyard, silently facing or quietly speaking with Muichiro and the others, wiping tears from their faces with gentle smiles. 

Not all of them had bodies collected, though. 

For instance, Sabito and Makomo had died over three years ago, their bodies devoured by the Hand Demon, leaving no remains for revival. Ruka Rengoku, Kyojuro’s mother, had passed nearly a decade ago from illness, also ineligible. 

But since their souls hadn’t yet reincarnated, Kikyo’s shikigami bugs had gathered them here, where they now looked tenderly at their sons, siblings, or lovers. 

The heartfelt scene left Eri and Yamato a bit emotional. 

Hikari pursed her lips, tilting her head slightly as she mulled over Kikyo’s observation. 

The varying looseness of life-death boundaries across worlds likely tied to their reincarnation systems. 

The Naruto and Dragon Ball worlds had structured afterlife spaces—Pure Land managed by the Sage of the Six Paths, or the Other World run by King Yama—where reincarnation or revival followed strict rules. The Inuyasha world was similar; though no underworld ruler appeared, crossing over required special moves like “Meido Zangetsuha” or items like the “Meido Stone” or “Iron Rooster Blood.” 

The Demon Slayer world, though, had a reincarnation system that seemed to run on autopilot, without a true overseer, making its boundaries looser and blurrier. 

Which meant… 

“The Jujutsu Kaisen world is probably like this too, right?” 

Cursed spirits ran rampant there, and plenty of people saw the spirits of loved ones after death—like a certain sorcerer sliced in half. 

As for Miko’s world… 

That was another story. 

The life-death order there was utterly chaotic, likely disrupting even reincarnation, causing countless ghosts to linger in the human world. 

“Speaking of which, it’s been a while since I visited Miko…” 

“Maybe I’ll swing by for a ‘meal’ when I get the chance.” 

Chapter 235: Everyone’s an Actor 

That evening, Tanjiro and the others finished compiling the list of people to be revived and handed it to Uchiha Hikari. 

A total of 142 names. 

Slightly more than she’d expected. 

After all, beyond Tanjiro and the nine Hashira, the Demon Slayer Corps included countless regular members, the “Hidden” logistics team, medical staff, and swordsmiths. All told, there were hundreds of people, each with their own tragic story. If not for the “died within three years” restriction, the list might’ve been several times longer. 

No matter. 

As long as the wish went smoothly, whether it was a hundred or ten thousand people, it’d be a breeze for Shenron. 

With the list in hand, Hikari and Kikyo went through it, sealing the souls of everyone except the Kamado family into talismans. Then they preserved the bodies in ice coffins and stored them in Capsule Corp capsules. 

At one point, Hikari ran out of ice coffins, but Bulma sent over a hundred from the Dragon Ball world via the group shop, allowing them to finish the job. 

“By the way…” Hikari looked at Kyojuro Rengoku, Giyu Tomioka, and the others, including Ruka Rengoku’s spirit. “Do you want to see your loved ones again? Even though Ruka, Sabito, and the others died over three years ago and can’t be revived, I can use Edo Tensei to bring them back temporarily. They won’t be exactly like the living, so they can’t live normally, but they could visit home and catch up.” 

The group hesitated. 

Rationally, they felt it might be disrespectful to the dead. They’d seen the Kamado family’s situation—able to move and talk like normal but still noticeably different, not truly alive. 

Emotionally, though, they longed to spend more time with their mothers or close friends. 

Especially Kyojuro. 

His father had spiraled into alcoholism and despair after his mother’s death, shutting out everyone. If Kyojuro could bring her back, even briefly, to talk things over, it might snap his father outta it. 

Hikari smiled lightly. “No rush. Take your time to think it over and check with them. If you decide to go for it, I’m ready to help. Oh, and if we do Edo Tensei, I can teach you how to undo it, so you can release them when needed.” 

“…Alright. I’ll discuss it with my mother/senior. Whatever we decide, thank you, Miss Hikari.” 

That night, Ubuyashiki Kagaya hosted a lavish banquet, inviting everyone to stay and eat. 

During dinner, they hashed out the details of the “lure the enemy” plan. 

Ubuyashiki had already figured out how to “accidentally” leak the Corps’ headquarters location to Muzan, so Hikari didn’t need to worry about that. 

Mobilization wasn’t an issue either. 

Everyone in the Corps had a deep grudge against demons and was ready to lay down their lives. If sacrificing themselves could ensure victory, they’d do it without hesitation. 

Plus… 

There was now a revival safety net. 

“If we die in this battle… we can be revived, right, Miss Hikari?” someone asked. 

“Of course,” Hikari nodded. “As long as your body isn’t eaten, there’s no problem. Kikyo and I will collect the souls of anyone who falls and revive them afterward.” 

“…Good to know.” 

Ubuyashiki’s response eased the tension among the Hashira. 

While they weren’t afraid of death, nobody would turn down a chance to live. 

That left just one issue— who’d take part in the ambush. 

In the original story, Ubuyashiki had only stationed a few top fighters, like Gyomei Himejima, around the room to jump Muzan once he fell into the trap. 

But now… 

The Corps’ lineup was stronger than in the original timeline. Aside from Tengen Uzui, who’d lost an arm and couldn’t participate, Kyojuro and the others, recently injured by Akaza, had healed at an unnatural speed thanks to Hikari’s Medical Ninjutsu. 

Add in Hikari’s group from other worlds, and hiding everyone in the headquarters without Muzan noticing would be like trying to hide an elephant under a rug. 

Fortunately, there was an easy fix. 

“When the time comes, I’ll use the Transformation Jutsu to turn Esdeath and the others into your family members, Ubuyashiki-san, and have them stay here,” Hikari said, gesturing toward Amane Ubuyashiki. 

In the original story, Amane, the former shrine maiden, and her two white-haired daughters had served as bait alongside Ubuyashiki, ultimately dying in the explosion. 

Now, there was no need to put them at risk. 

Hikari, Esdeath, and Eri could transform into Amane and her daughters. When Muzan showed up, they’d drop the jutsu, giving him a nasty surprise. 

As for the others… 

“I’ll handle that,” Kikyo said calmly. “Among my barrier techniques, there’s one called a ‘concealment barrier.’ It can hide people and objects completely. Unless someone has spiritual power, they won’t notice anyone inside, even if they walk right by.” 

“Seriously?” Kyojuro’s eyes widened. “That’s incredible!” 

“Love it, love it!” Yamato clapped excitedly. 

After a moment of shock, Ubuyashiki snapped back and began organizing. With Hikari’s group joining the ambush, not all the Hashira needed to stay. He decided to keep only the strongest—Gyomei Himejima, Sanemi Shinazugawa, and Tanjiro—while the others would split into pairs, leading teams to guard against attacks from other directions. 

Also… 

Miss Tamayo and Yushiro would join the operation. 

Indeed, months ago, Ubuyashiki had brought Tamayo in and tasked her, with Shinobu Kocho’s help, to develop a drug to weaken Muzan. They’d already made progress. 

Hikari figured the poison was optional, but if it reassured the Corps, she’d go along with it. 

—Speaking of, Tamayo was a medical talent. After this was over, Hikari might invite her to join Dr. Gero’s research team. 

The plan was set. 

Over the next few days, Kikyo worked on setting up the barriers. 

Yamato, ever curious, hovered nearby, peppering her with questions. 

Hikari had little to do and couldn’t wander freely—the Corps’ headquarters was in the populated Kanto region, and roaming might alert Muzan or the Twelve Kizuki. So, she checked in with Kikyo, then took Esdeath and Eri via “Shangri-La” to the Ryukyu Islands, thousands of miles away, for some beach time. 

In the Demon Slayer world, it was late summer, early fall. The temperature was a bit chilly, but with their exceptional strength and unique bloodlines, Hikari and the others didn’t mind. 

Ryukyu, at this point in history, wasn’t yet a bustling tourist spot. The ten-kilometer coastline was nearly deserted—perfect for swimming and sunbathing. 

They spent a couple of carefree days there until Tanjiro messaged: 

[Iron Head: Miss Hikari, Miss Eri, you there?] 

[Iron Head: Lord Ubuyashiki says Muzan’s coming to headquarters tomorrow night, with the Upper Moons. Also, Mr. Brand arrived from the Akame world this morning, with Mr. Tazmi.] 

[Nameless: Got it. We’ll head back tomorrow morning.] 

[Nameless: How’s Miss Kikyo doing? Barriers all set?] 

[Kikyo: All done. Just tested with Tanjiro and the others—no issues.] 

At the Ryukyu beach, Hikari, in a one-piece swimsuit and sunglasses, glanced at Eri, who was busy building a sandcastle. 

Thanks to Hikari’s favor as the “White King” and Eri’s stabilized condition, she had more freedom in the Dragon world. But the Sakuragi family still worried about her straying too far. Only in other group members’ worlds could she play so freely. 

“Hm?” Eri noticed Hikari’s gaze, wiped sweat from her brow with sandy hands, and smiled. Scribbling on her notebook, she held it up: Wanna build a castle with me, Hikari? 

“…A castle?” Hikari crouched, eyeing the abstract pile of sand Eri called a structure, lost in thought. 

Nearby, Esdeath emerged from the sea, water dripping as she stepped onto the shore. Her swimsuit hugged her tall, curvy figure, and droplets slid down her fair skin and toned legs, giving her an almost mesmerizing charm. 

“Ahem…” Hikari awkwardly looked away, grabbing some ice cream from a cooler. “What flavor do you want?” 

“This one,” Esdeath said, picking vanilla. 

Eri grabbed a strawberry one, licking it with a contented look. 

Hikari took one for herself, nibbling slowly, then gathered the wrappers to toss later. 

That night, the three slept in a small house popped out from a Capsule Corp capsule. 

The next morning, after brushing their teeth and a quick breakfast, they used “Shangri-La” to return to Corps headquarters. 

The atmosphere was noticeably tenser than before. Even Brand and Yamato looked on edge, making Hikari want to tease them but she held back. 

She watched as Kikyo directed Brand, Yamato, and the Hashira to hide near the Ubuyashiki residence. 

Then, Kikyo chanted a spell and formed hand seals. Ripples appeared in the air, as if something twisted briefly. In a blink, everyone vanished from sight. 

“This technique… it’s got some spatial properties?” Hikari raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes,” Kikyo nodded. “A standard concealment barrier wouldn’t need such complex setup, but you mentioned Muzan’s ability to jump to another dimension. So I used a spatial barrier. It folds space around the chosen area, like cutting a pocket into fabric and tucking people inside. When I release the jutsu, Tanjiro and the others will appear, and the space here will disrupt, stopping Muzan from teleporting right away.” 

“Got it,” Hikari said, intrigued, already planning to ask Kikyo to teach her after the fight. 

For now… 

“Transform!” 

Hikari grabbed Esdeath and Eri, using the Transformation Jutsu. As the smoke cleared, they reappeared as Amane and her two daughters. 

“Here, you’ll play with this ball,” Hikari said, handing a ball to Esdeath. 

“…” Esdeath, now in the form of a little girl, took it with a complicated expression, unsure whether to bounce or toss it. Eri, however, clapped happily, delighted by her new outfit, perfectly playing the part of an innocent child. 

With all the actors in place, the stage was set. 

Time ticked by. 

Ubuyashiki Kagaya sat in the living room, wrapped in a blanket, coughing uncontrollably. 

At one moment, Hikari’s eyes twitched, sensing a faint, hidden presence from a corner of the estate. Simultaneously, Kikyo’s message popped up in the group chat: 

[Kikyo: He’s here.] 

(End of Chapter)