216-220

Chapter 216: Master Roshi and the Art of Auto-Dodge 

Dr. Brief, at the end of the day, is a scientist, not a martial artist. 

His explanation of the “bloodline disease” is rooted in experimental data. But from a martial artist’s perspective, it all boils down to one word: balance. 

Whether it’s the “ki” of the Dragon Ball world or the chakra system of Naruto, balance is everything—especially the balance between Yin and Yang. When Yin, representing mental energy, and Yang, representing physical strength, fall out of sync, all sorts of problems arise. 

Take the Uchiha clan, for example. 

Before reaching the three-tomoe Sharingan, Yin and Yang are generally balanced. Any genetic defects usually stay dormant, lurking in the body as a hidden ailment. But once the Mangekyou Sharingan is awakened, Yin energy skyrockets, overwhelming the body’s physical capacity. This imbalance starts to show, with the body breaking down under the strain. 

Even the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan only prevents blindness—it doesn’t eliminate the physical toll of using its techniques. It’s a bandage, not a cure. 

The real fix lies in Yang energy. 

In other words, the “Sage Body” of the Senju or Uzumaki clans. 

In theory, Dr. Brief’s “targeted genetic serum” should mimic the effects of Hashirama or White Zetsu cells. But its actual effectiveness, and whether it needs further tweaks, depends on clinical results. 

Uchiha Hikari plans to hand this over to Orochimaru for some localized refinements, then have Fugaku select clan members for testing. The first “test subject”—or rather, “clinical sample”—is obviously Itachi. His bloodline disease is the most pronounced in the entire Uchiha clan. 

A copy of the results will also go to Orochimaru as a sort of “employee perk” from his boss, Hikari. Though, to be fair, Orochimaru’s not drooling over Itachi’s body anymore—he’s got his sights set on Hikari’s instead… 

That night, Hikari and her group stayed at Bulma’s house. 

At Bulma’s insistence, Hikari grabbed her bedding and bunked in the same room as her—a nod to the days last year when they traveled together searching for the Dragon Balls. Esdeath and Tanjiro, meanwhile, each got their own rooms. 

Yamato had wanted to join Hikari and sleep in the same room, but her size posed a problem. Bulma had recently custom-made a bed for her, a massive four-to-five-meter-long monstrosity that wouldn’t even fit through Bulma’s bedroom door. So, Yamato had to abandon the idea. 

That evening, Bulma dragged Hikari into a long, rambling chat. One moment she was reminiscing about their Dragon Ball hunt, the next she was updating Hikari on Goku and Master Roshi, then jumping to her plans for a pirate crew. It wasn’t until the moon hung high in the sky that she finally quieted down, wrapped herself in a thin blanket, and drifted off to sleep. 

The night passed without incident. 

The next day, the weather was clear and bright. 

After breakfast and a quick goodbye to the Briefs, Bulma tossed out a Capsule Corp airship, and the group set off toward Kame Island. 

Among them, Hikari and Tanjiro were seasoned travelers, unfazed by the tech of the Dragon Ball world. But for Esdeath and Yamato, it was their first time in one of these vehicles. Yamato, in particular, had only ridden in cars before, which paled in comparison to this flying ship. She spent the whole trip glued to the window, marveling at the rivers and mountains below, letting out excited whoops every Hawkins. 

Esdeath was more composed, but you could tell she was forcing herself to stay cool, clinging to her icy, proud warrior persona. 

“So, Miss Bulma, that pirate ship you mentioned before… it’s not gonna be one of these flying things, is it?” Yamato asked. 

“Hm?” Bulma grinned. “I’ve been thinking about it, but I’m still figuring things out. Even if we add that feature, it’ll still mainly sail on the sea. I mean, we’re building a pirate crew, right? If it’s flying around in the air, doesn’t that kinda go against the whole pirate code?” 

Hikari couldn’t help but think, Pirate code? By that logic, wouldn’t they have to go rob a few ships and pull off some big heists to really earn the “pirate” title? 

But whatever. 

The power system in the One Piece world isn’t exactly weak, but their ships are mostly wooden, and pirates there tend to care more about their own strength or Devil Fruit powers than ship weaponry. Even if Bulma didn’t outfit their destroyer with missiles or nukes, just equipping it with a solid cannon system… 

Well, that’d probably be enough to shake up the seas with some serious firepower. 

After a few hours of flying, the airship reached Kame Island, circled once, and landed smoothly on an open patch of ground. 

Bulma, clearly no stranger to the place, stowed the airship back in its capsule and strode up to the small house in the center of the island. She gave the unlocked door a few casual knocks, pushed it open, and shouted, “Hey, you old perv, hiding in here watching your sketchy shows again?” 

“?!” 

Inside, Master Roshi was sprawled on the floor, one hand propping up his chin, grinning at the TV as a girl on-screen showed off some impressively flexible moves. 

Bulma’s voice startled him, but he quickly recovered with a cheeky grin. “Well, if it isn’t Bulma! Been a while since you dropped by. And here you are, slandering my good name…” 

“Good name? Please,” Bulma snorted. “I’m here to see Goku and Launch, not you, you old lech. What ‘good name’ are you even talking about?” 

She stepped inside, making way for the others. 

Hikari followed, with Esdeath and the rest trailing behind. 

The moment Roshi laid eyes on them, his eyes lit up. “Bulma, who are these lovely ladies…?” 

“Tch, forgot already?” Bulma teased. “You met her last year, remember, old man? Right, Hikari?” 

“Hikari?” Roshi tilted his head, thinking hard before it clicked. “Oh, you’re that girl who was with Goku and the others hunting for the Dragon Balls! Your name was… uh…” 

“Hikari. Uchiha Hikari,” she said, introducing herself. 

Compared to Bulma, Hikari wasn’t exactly close with Roshi—just acquaintances. They’d met a year ago during the Dragon Ball hunt, and while Roshi had once jokingly offered to take her as a disciple (mostly because he was smitten), it was a passing comment, long forgotten. 

Bulma took the lead, introducing everyone one by one. 

As expected, Roshi’s eyes gleamed with his signature lecherous grin when he saw Esdeath—until she shot him a glare laced with killing intent, making his eyebrows twitch and his smile turn a bit strained. 

“So, this lady’s a friend of yours and Bulma’s, huh?” Roshi said, sizing up Esdeath. 

With his experience, he could tell she’d seen blood—a lot of it. 

Esdeath, meanwhile, was studying him just as closely, picking up on the faint aura of a seasoned fighter. 

Finally, she spoke up. “Hey, old man. Wanna spar?” 

“?” 

Roshi blinked, caught off guard. 

Hikari coughed and stepped in. “Master Roshi, this is Esdeath, a friend of Bulma and mine. She’s a martial artist who loves a challenge and has heard of your ‘God of Martial Arts’ reputation. She’d like to test her skills against you, if you’re up for it.” 

“Oh?” Roshi’s expression grew a touch more serious. “‘God of Martial Arts’ is a title from way back. These days, I’m just a carefree old hermit. But… if you girls let me sneak a peek at your underwear, I might be persuaded.” 

“…You tired of living, old man?” Esdeath’s voice turned icy, her killing intent practically tangible. 

As the room’s tension spiked, Hikari sighed, reached into her ninja pouch, and pulled out a manga, placing it on the coffee table. “Master Roshi, I know it’s a bit forward to ask you to spar on short notice. How about this as payment? I’ve got plenty more where that came from, and they’re all yours if you agree to fight.” 

“Hm?” Roshi picked up the manga, flipped through a couple of pages, and his breathing quickened. “Well, well, well… didn’t expect you to have such good taste, young lady. Alright, I’ll have a friendly match with this miss.” 

With that, the group moved outside. 

Kame Island was tiny, barely a few hundred square meters, making it a bit cramped for a fight. 

Roshi was about to pull out a small boat to head to the mainland when Esdeath walked to the island’s edge, crouched down, and pressed her hands to the ground. “Haa…” 

The power of the Demon’s Extract surged. 

In an instant, the blue seawater froze solid, the ice spreading rapidly across the ocean. Within moments, a dozen kilometers of sea had turned into a thick, solid plain—sturdy enough to run a train on. 

“…A superpower?” Roshi’s eyelid twitched. 

He couldn’t sense any ki from Esdeath, so he assumed it was something else. 

The Dragon Ball world was no stranger to superpowers—General Blue’s telekinesis, Chiaotzu’s mind control, even Oolong and Puar’s shapeshifting counted. But a power that could reshape terrain on this scale? That was rare. 

“You could say that,” Hikari nodded. 

Over on the ice, Esdeath walked a short distance and turned, beckoning with a finger. “Come on.” 

Roshi stepped onto the ice, hands behind his back, standing calmly. 

Esdeath struck first, closing the hundred-meter gap between them in a flash and throwing a punch! 

“…So fast!” Roshi’s eyes widened, but his body reacted instantly, ducking under the punch and sidestepping a sharp whip-like kick. 

“Not bad,” Esdeath said, a cold smirk curling her lips after confirming the old man had some real skill. “Guess I underestimated you. But looking at your frail old frame, you’d better not overdo it, or I can’t promise you’ll walk away in one piece.” 

“Heh, no need to worry about me, Miss Esdeath,” Roshi replied lightly. 

In the next few moments, Esdeath’s punches and kicks came faster, a relentless storm of attacks. To onlookers, it was like she’d sprouted extra arms, her movements so quick they left afterimages in the air. 

Roshi, by contrast, moved almost leisurely, his actions seemingly sluggish yet somehow dodging most of her strikes. The contrast—her blinding speed against his calm precision—was almost bizarre, leaving Bulma and Tanjiro wide-eyed, struggling to follow. 

Hikari, however, had activated her Sharingan, closely studying Roshi’s every move. 

“…Is this a simplified version of Ultra Instinct?” she murmured. 

To put it in perspective… 

At this point in time, Roshi’s strength was solid but not overwhelming. In the original story, his power level was measured at 139 during the Saiyan Saga, using Raditz’s scouter in his normal state. When fully powered up, he could probably hit around 200. 

That’s a quirk of the Dragon Ball world. For martial artists with ki, power levels are just a baseline. Their actual strength can vary wildly depending on their state. Take Goku: starving, he could barely handle Yamcha, but well-fed, he’d mop the floor with him. 

Right now, though, Roshi’s been coasting for decades. In the original timeline, he struggled to beat Goku at the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament in a couple of weeks, and it took him three years of secret training to get back to a level close to Tien or Goku at that time. So, he’s likely not even at 139 right now. 

Esdeath’s power is harder to pin down due to her different system, but with the Demon’s Extract, she’s probably in the 200-300 range, not far off from Piccolo Daimao. 

That said, when it comes to pure physical technique, Esdeath’s strength and speed outclass Roshi by a wide margin—but her skills are a step below his. Especially when he’s using what seems to be a “simplified Ultra Instinct” or, in other words, “auto-dodge technique.” 

Chapter 217: Interested in Joining the World Martial Arts Tournament? 

The so-called “automatic dodging technique” wasn’t really a move—it was more like a martial arts state of being. 

It relied on years of accumulated combat experience, allowing one to instinctively predict an opponent’s tactics and attack patterns, dodging before the strike even landed. In principle, it was somewhat similar to the “Transparent World” from the Demon Slayer universe. 

Also… 

“That white-bearded old man kinda looks like he’s using Observation Haki, doesn’t he?” Yamato suddenly piped up after watching for a bit. 

Yup. 

In the One Piece world, Observation Haki, when trained to a high level, could also foresee an opponent’s attacks. It shared a certain “same destination, different paths” vibe with the Transparent World and this automatic dodging technique. 

“Tanjiro, pay close attention. This is a live lesson from the ‘God of Martial Arts’ himself,” Uchiha Hikari said, patting Tanjiro’s shoulder. “Think back to what your father taught you. See if you can pick up something new.” 

In the original Demon Slayer story, Tanjiro had learned about the Transparent World from his father, Tanjuro, as a child but couldn’t use it freely. It wasn’t until he was chasing Hantengu’s true body that he recalled it, and only during the final battle against Akaza did he fully grasp its principles, using it to defeat him. 

Now, with Hikari and the chat group altering Tanjiro’s growth trajectory, he hadn’t faced any Upper Rank demons besides Gyutaro and Daki, so he hadn’t fully unlocked the Transparent World’s potential. 

This fight in front of him might just be the spark he needed. 

“Got it,” Tanjiro said, eyes wide, focusing intently on the battle. 

Meanwhile, Esdeath was starting to get fired up, facing the slippery, eel-like Master Roshi. “Hmph, all you do is dodge? Try this, then—Demon’s Extract: Frozen Hell!” 

With a fierce shout, a wave of freezing air erupted from Esdeath’s body, filling the surrounding hundreds of meters in an instant. Countless white icicles formed, shooting toward Roshi as if to trap him completely! 

“?!” 

Roshi had nowhere to dodge. He summoned his ki, letting out a powerful yell: “Shockwave of Ten Thousand Nations!” 

In a flash, tens of thousands of volts of golden electricity burst from his palms, surging toward the incoming icicles! 

This move, one of Roshi’s signature techniques, came from his master, Mutaito. 

The electric current melted through layers of ice several feet thick. Light and heat exploded outward, turning into a wave of scorching steam that enveloped the sea around them! 

Boom! 

Before the steam could reach Hikari and the others, the mist began to refreeze, frost swirling as a massive icy throne rose behind Esdeath. She charged at Roshi, who finally exhaled sharply, shifting into his bulked-up, muscle-bound state. 

From the onlookers’ perspective, his scrawny frame inflated like a balloon, doubling in size! 

“So this is your true power?” Esdeath’s bold laugh echoed across the battlefield. “This strength—I respect it! Among all the opponents I’ve faced, I’d call you the second strongest!” 

“…Second strongest?” Roshi muttered. 

The first wouldn’t be… 

Bulma and Yamato caught Esdeath’s phrasing, turning in unison to look at Hikari, who hadn’t said a word. 

Under their gazes, Hikari pursed her lips, a faint blush of embarrassment on her pale face. 

Esdeath had totally picked up that line from her. 

How to put it… 

When Hikari said stuff like that herself, it felt pretty cool. But hearing someone else say it in front of her? It was like her chuunibyou phase was being publicly exposed—cringe-inducing, toe-curling embarrassment. 

Luckily, Bulma and the others didn’t dwell on it. They were all teenagers, still in that chuunibyou age range. Yamato, gripping her kanabo club tightly, looked like she wanted to jump in and fight Esdeath for the “second strongest” title herself. 

The battle raged on. 

From the moment Roshi entered his muscle state, the fight truly hit its peak. 

As both sides’ auras clashed, the frozen sea cracked, shattered, and surged into towering waves, only to be refrozen. Golden electricity slithered through the air like giant serpents, crackling loudly. 

Evaporated seawater rose into the sky, forming dark, heavy rain clouds. 

Crack! 

Purple lightning flashed within the clouds, accompanied by rolling thunder. 

Miles away, the ocean churned, whipping up waves over ten meters high. 

A storm was brewing. 

In this chaos, Esdeath rose a hundred meters into the air on an ice platform. With a snap of her fingers, a massive ice meteor appeared, which she lightly pushed, sending it plummeting toward Roshi. 

Facing the enormous shadow descending from above, Roshi took a deep breath, cupping his hands like a calyx. He gathered his remaining ki into a glowing energy ball in his palms. 

Finally… 

“Ice Meteor!” 

“Kamehameha!” 

The ice meteor fell, and the energy wave shot forward, almost simultaneously. 

In the next second, the slender beam pierced the meteor, sinking into its base. After a brief pause, faint light seeped through the meteor’s surface, growing brighter. Spiderweb-like cracks spread from a single point, covering the entire ice mass! 

Crash! 

In an instant, the ice meteor shattered, the Kamehameha piercing through its core. Though diminished in size, the beam’s momentum carried it into the sky, blasting through the clouds before dissipating. 

“Phew…” Roshi turned, dashing back to the island. “Let’s call it here. Any more, and my little island won’t survive.” 

He paused, looking up at Esdeath. “You’re impressive. You haven’t even trained in ki, yet your physical strength and powers pushed me this far. If we kept going, I’d probably lose.” 

“…” 

Esdeath seemed unsatisfied, like she hadn’t had her fill. 

But with Roshi conceding so directly, she couldn’t force him to keep fighting. Sighing, she snapped her fingers, dispelling the surrounding ice. She toned down her aura and stepped back onto Kame Island. 

Only then did Tanjiro snap out of his spectating trance, exclaiming, “Miss Esdeath, you were amazing! And Mr. Roshi, too! I had no idea ki could be used like that—it’s eye-opening. Thank you both for letting me watch!” 

“Heh, you’re too polite, kid,” Roshi chuckled, sounding a bit winded. 

No surprise there. 

His muscle state was stronger but burned through ki faster. A younger Roshi might’ve lasted longer, but even without conceding, he’d have soon dropped out of it. 

Plus… 

Even with full stamina, Roshi suspected he’d lose. His sharp eyes could tell the blue-haired woman hadn’t gone all out. 

And he was right. If Esdeath had used her “Mokobotomo” from the start, Roshi—unprepared and not in serious mode—might’ve been taken out instantly. Even at full power, he couldn’t counter her space-freezing ability. 

In that sense, Mokobotomo was a one-shot kill move. 

“What a terrifying generation… I’ve been hiding on this island for decades, and now there’s someone like you,” Roshi said, curiosity getting the better of him. “Mind if I ask—who’s your master?” 

Esdeath replied coolly, “I don’t have one.” 

As a descendant of a northern minority in her empire, Esdeath had honed her skills through raw combat. If anyone counted as a “master,” it was her father from her childhood. After that, she hunted dangerous species, fought in imperial tournaments, and climbed the military ranks on her own. 

Compared to structured schools like the Turtle or Crane Hermit styles, her skills were self-taught, a wild path forged alone. 

“You… trained yourself?” Roshi asked, astonished. 

Hikari nodded, chiming in, “It’s true. As you saw, our friend here relies on her unique abilities, which no teacher could guide. She figured it out herself. But when it comes to ki, we’d love your advice.” 

“Advice, huh…” Roshi began. 

Before he could continue, a surge of waves interrupted him from the nearby sea. 

Hikari and Tanjiro turned toward the sound, spotting a motorboat cutting through the waves toward the island. 

In just half a minute, it reached Kame Island. Goku and Krillin, both wearing Turtle School uniforms, hopped off, followed by Launch—blue-haired Launch—carrying bags of groceries, like she’d been shopping in town. 

Speaking of Launch, she was an interesting case. 

In the original Dragon Ball, she had a rare split personality. A sneeze would switch her from gentle, soft-spoken blue-haired Launch to aggressive, trigger-happy blonde Launch. In a way, it was a unique talent. Too bad her combat skills were lacking, and she hadn’t learned ki, so she was just the cook on Kame Island. 

“Hey, Bulma, you’re here!” Goku noticed her first, then glanced at the others. 

When he saw Hikari, he froze, tilting his head before pointing. “It’s you! The needle-poking lady!” 

“…Huh?” Hikari blinked. 

She had poked Goku with a needle—last year, when collecting Dragon Balls, she’d taken some Saiyan blood and skin samples from him. She didn’t expect him to remember her so clearly after all this time. 

Did he associate her with needles because the blood draw hurt? 

Recalling Goku’s fear of needles in the original story, Hikari’s expression turned odd. 

Had she caused that phobia? 

Meanwhile, Krillin, after Bulma introduced Hikari and the others, nodded politely before looking at the sea. Chunks of ice still floated, and the rain clouds lingered. “Master Roshi, what happened here? When Goku, Launch, and I were coming back from town, we saw lightning and thunder. Was it you or these guests?” 

“Lightning? Thunder? You’re seeing things,” Roshi said casually. “It’s sunny today, no storms. Have you and Goku finished your training? If not, get to it, or you’re skipping lunch.” 

“Really…?” Krillin scratched his bald head, skeptical. 

After some small talk, everyone followed Roshi into the house. 

Launch took the groceries to the kitchen, tying on an apron to start cooking. 

Goku and Krillin were sent outside by Roshi to do push-ups and sit-ups, their daily pre-meal routine. 

Then, Roshi turned back to Hikari’s earlier request for guidance. 

“About that ‘advice’… I’ve got a question for you all first,” he said, looking at Hikari and the others. “Are you interested in joining the World Martial Arts Tournament in two weeks?” 

Chapter 218: Targeting the Red Ribbon Army 

The idea of signing up for the World Martial Arts Tournament had only been a passing thought for Uchiha Hikari, something she hadn’t yet discussed with Esdeath. 

So, when Master Roshi mentioned the tournament, Esdeath’s interest was piqued immediately. 

“I see. So this world has something like the Empire’s martial arts competition?” she said, her eyes gleaming. “A gathering of strong fighters from all over the world… Does that mean there’ll be more people like you, old man?” 

Though their earlier sparring match didn’t quite finish, Esdeath had acknowledged Roshi’s strength. 

That said, finding opponents on his level at the tournament might be a tall order. 

The Earth of this Dragon Ball era isn’t exactly short on skilled fighters. There’s Karin, the duo at the Lookout, and Piccolo Daimao, to name a few. Then there’s the Crane School, a rival to Roshi’s Turtle School, with heavy hitters like Tien Shinhan, Tao Pai Pai, and Master Shen himself—each boasting power levels over 100. Shen, despite barely fighting in the original story, clocks in at around 120, making him a standout among Earthlings. 

Oh, and Arale from Penguin Village counts too, but she’s a gag character, so normal logic doesn’t really apply. 

The problem is, none of these people will show up at the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. 

The champion of this tournament, under the alias “Jackie Chun,” is none other than Master Roshi himself, with Goku taking second place. After them, you’ve got Krillin and Nam—the guy with the “Sky Cross Fist.” Aside from Roshi and Goku, who could give Esdeath a decent challenge, the rest of the field probably averages around a power level of 50 or 60. Against Esdeath, they’d be knocked out before she even breaks a sweat. 

So, to spice things up a bit, Hikari had her own plans. 

She was going to… 

“Whoa, there’s a tournament like that?” Yamato suddenly piped up, sounding thrilled. “The winner gets called the ‘World’s Greatest Martial Artist’? That sounds so cool! I’m in!” 

“Uh… I know I’m not exactly strong,” Tanjiro added cautiously, “but if it’s okay, I’d love to see everyone’s skills up close.” 

Even Bulma looked eager. “Hikari, let’s go join the fun! I’ll cheer you on from the sidelines. Oh, and what about Kikyo, Brand, Eri, Mizu… They’d probably be into this too, right? I’ll ask in the group chat later!” 

You could tell Bulma almost mentioned Minato but caught herself, remembering he’s currently just a soul and can’t exactly tag along. 

Hikari raised an eyebrow. 

“Hm?” 

Her original plan was just for her and Esdeath to join the tournament, test the mettle of Earth’s martial artists, and maybe pick up a few techniques worth copying. 

But… 

“Getting Brand and the others to come along… That could work.” 

The group had been chatting online for a while but hadn’t had an “official” offline meetup. Using the tournament as an excuse to hang out and have some fun didn’t sound half bad. 

Eri, though, definitely couldn’t compete. Her “Judgment” Dragonmark is way too overpowering—either she doesn’t use it, or someone’s going to end up dead. If she lost control and accidentally took out a few spectators, that’d be a mess. 

As for Yuji Itadori… 

Sukuna, the curse inside him, is a walking hazard. Not only is he vicious, but his “Dismantle” technique is a devastating area-of-effect attack on par with Eri’s Judgment. And Sukuna wouldn’t bat an eye at wiping out the entire tournament audience. If Yuji wanted to come, Hikari figured she’d need to have a chat with Sukuna first. 

If they could come to an agreement, great. 

If not, she’d have to resort to some “special methods” to persuade him. 

[Brand: The World Martial Arts Tournament? Sounds kinda fun!] 

[Ghost Princess: Right?!] 

[Brand: My mission load’s been light lately. If I’ve got time, I’ll swing by to check it out.] 

It had been a while since Hikari left the Akame ga Kill world. The Empire there was gradually stabilizing. Some stubborn factions were still causing trouble, and the purge of old officials and nobles was ongoing, but it was small-scale stuff. Word was that Glenn, the Revolutionary Army’s leader, was preparing for his coronation, which would officially mark the end of the old Empire. 

To smooth things over, the Revolutionary Army planned to pardon a batch of less guilty officials and death-row inmates. 

This meant the Night Raid crew had far fewer assassination missions, leaving Brand, one of their heavyweights, free to take a break. 

By the way, Brand asked Hikari if he could bring someone along. 

[No Name: Leone and Akame? If they’re interested and don’t mind a temporary power seal, I’m cool with it. Bulma would probably love to have them.] 

[Yotsuya Miko: Um, can I come too?] 

[Yotsuya Miko: I don’t mean to compete, just to watch from the stands… I’ve been in the group for a while but still haven’t met Tanjiro, Yamato, Brand, or Yuji in person.] 

[Bulma: Totally! My place is huge—could host hundreds, no problem. We’ll throw a big party and have a blast!]  

After a pause, Bulma pinged Kikyo. 

For Bulma, if she ranked group members by closeness, Hikari was number one, no question. Kikyo was probably second. Though Kikyo joined later, the two spent two months together in the Inuyasha world hunting for the Sacred Jewel, building a solid friendship. 

Kikyo, however, wasn’t as hyped about the tournament as Brand or Yamato. 

[Kikyo: I’ll come to watch, but I’ll pass on competing. My abilities are meant for dealing with demons and spirits, not fighting people. Besides, I’m no match for Hikari or Esdeath, so I won’t embarrass myself.] 

[Nishinaka Tiger: …Sorry, I probably can’t make it. Gojo-sensei just scheduled a special training session for me, Fushiguro, and Kugisaki, so it’s tough to get away.] 

[No Name: Got it…]  

That said, Hikari suspected the real reason Yuji couldn’t come was Sukuna. As a “death-row” curse user, Yuji’s only still alive thanks to Gojo’s backing. If he casually hopped to another world, it’d be hard to explain to Gojo, not to mention the potential chaos Sukuna could cause in the Dragon Ball world. 

Given Yuji’s personality, he wouldn’t take such a reckless risk. 

In fact, Yuji occasionally dropped offline in the group chat when Sukuna took over his body. Since Sukuna couldn’t see the chat anyway, Hikari didn’t bother much with it. 

[No Name: Alright, we’ll catch up next time… If you’re cool with it, we could hold the next meetup in your world. I kinda want to meet that Gojo-sensei of yours.]  

Gojo’s strength might not match Sukuna’s, mostly due to the “space slash” issue, but his overall stats aren’t far off. He could probably give Esdeath a decent fight, right? 

Back in the Dragon Ball world, despite not fully grasping Hikari and her group’s origins, Master Roshi helped them all sign up for the tournament. 

Then he casually mentioned that Goku and Krillin were competing too. 

His reason for bringing up the tournament and inviting Esdeath was tied to his two students. In the original timeline, Roshi entered as “Jackie Chun” to knock Goku down a peg. Since it was Goku’s first tournament, winning the championship right away might make him complacent and stunt his growth. But with Hikari and her crew joining, Goku’s chances of winning were slim to none, so Roshi was a lot more relaxed—though he did start worrying a bit about his students’ safety. 

Especially with Esdeath’s strength. She could easily kill Goku if things got out of hand. 

Hikari quietly reassured him, “Don’t worry, Master Roshi. It’s a tournament—we know to keep things friendly and stop short of anything serious. But now, can we ask you a few questions?” 

“About ki?” Roshi waved a hand casually. “Go ahead. If I know the answer, I’ll tell you what I can.” 

Putting aside his lecherous quirks, Roshi was a true martial arts master, worthy of the “God of Martial Arts” title. As long as he deemed someone a decent person, he was happy to share his knowledge, even if they weren’t his students. 

And, well, they were juniors to him. At over 300 years old, Roshi was ancient compared to Hikari, who, even counting her time asleep, was only a little over 100. 

So, Hikari kept her tone polite. “We’ve got some questions about training, of course, but also a few about the Red Ribbon Army…” 

The day after their sparring session with Roshi, Hikari’s group settled in on Kame Island. Their lodging was courtesy of Bulma, who tossed out a Capsule Corp house on one side of the island. They began discussing and training in ki with Roshi. 

Among them, Hikari and Tanjiro had studied under Karin for a while. They didn’t learn many techniques—Karin wasn’t big on moves—but their foundations were rock-solid, so they had no trouble keeping up with Roshi’s teachings. 

Esdeath, meanwhile, was a beginner, still working on refining her ki. Learning advanced techniques like the “Flight Technique” would take her some time. 

Then there was Yamato. 

After watching her demonstrate Armament and Observation Haki, Roshi took an interest in the “Haki” system, noting its similarities to ki. In theory, the two could be merged, but figuring out how would take some trial and error. 

This went on for about eight or nine days before the tournament. 

Finally, Hikari packed up, ready to leave Kame Island temporarily to pursue her main goal for this trip: the Red Ribbon Army. 

Speaking of which… 

Two nights ago, the Dragon Ball radar, which Hikari always carried, started picking up a signal. 

The cooldown for making a wish with the Dragon Balls is one year—but not exactly 365 days. The “cooldown” is really just the time it takes for the Dragon Balls to recharge their energy after being drained. It’s a gradual process, not a sudden full charge. By around 11 months, the radar can start detecting them again. 

However, their energy isn’t fully restored yet, so they can’t be used for wishes. 

The radar’s signal is also faint at this stage, blinking slowly and showing only a rough direction with some margin of error. You need to be close to a Dragon Ball for the signal to clarify. 

“Since our radar’s picking up the Dragon Balls’ locations, the Red Ribbon Army’s probably already on the move,” Hikari said. 

Nine days… 

If she could locate their headquarters, that should be enough time to take them down. She could wrap things up and still make it back for the tournament. 

That was the plan. 

“Be careful out there, Hikari,” Bulma said, helping her pack. “If anything comes up, let us know in the group chat. We can help.” 

“I will,” Hikari replied. “You watch yourself too. Don’t let General Blue sneak up on you.” 

In the original story, General Blue did visit Kame Island. The timeline’s changed a lot, but it’s still worth staying cautious. 

Hikari nodded, gave Bulma a quick safety reminder, then summoned the Flying Nimbus. With Esdeath in tow, she left the ocean behind and headed toward the mainland. 

After flying a few hundred miles, Hikari paused over a mountain pass and pulled out the Dragon Ball radar to check. 

“There’s a Dragon Ball around here?” she murmured. 

“Let’s check it out, Esdeath.” 

With that, Hikari descended from the sky, and the two began searching the area. 

Chapter 219: You Take Them, or I Do? 

Finding the Dragon Balls wasn’t too tough. 

About half an hour later, Uchiha Hikari spotted one in a shallow ditch, picked up by the radar. 

It was the Two-Star Ball. 

Since last year, after Hikari’s group made their wish, this ball must’ve flown straight here, landing in a dried-up tree crevice. When she found it, the surface was caked in thick dust, barely recognizable as a Dragon Ball if not for its perfectly round shape. 

Hikari grabbed some water, gave it a quick rinse, and watched the two pentagon-shaped stars inside reappear. Hugging the ball, she leaped back up to the surface. 

“…This is the ‘Dragon Ball’ you were talking about?” Esdeath asked, arms crossed, eyeing it with skepticism. “Just a little bead, maybe a bit shinier than most. Can it really grant wishes? Any wish at all?” 

“Not quite,” Hikari shook her head, correcting her. “There are seven of these, and you need all of them to make a wish. Plus, it’s gotta be a reasonable one. Something crazy like ‘become an omnipotent god’ or ‘rule the universe’ won’t cut it.” 

“Shenron?” Esdeath tilted her head, picturing something. “Like the East Sea Cloud Dragon, some kind of super dangerous beast?” 

“Kinda similar in look, but not as big,” Hikari replied honestly. 

A massive creature like the East Sea Cloud Dragon was rare in any world. Shenron was decently large, maybe a few hundred meters, a bit bigger than a Susanoo, but next to the Cloud Dragon, it’d look puny. 

That said… 

If it was Namek’s Porunga or the Super Shenron, things might be different. The latter was supposedly as big as a planet, massive even by cosmic standards. But Shenron’s status was tied to higher rules, revered even by Kaioshins, so taming one as a mount or pet was a pipe dream. 

Hikari knew her limits. She entertained the thought for a moment before brushing it off. 

Esdeath, meanwhile, squinted, saying nothing, probably mulling over what counted as a “reasonable wish.” 

“Let’s go,” Hikari called, ready to move on. “No one’s likely to come here. Let’s head west—might run into some Red Ribbon Army folks on the way.” 

“Mm.” 

They set off again. 

This time, Hikari traveled for half a day before stopping above a dense primeval forest. She circled briefly, then descended. After dealing with a couple of annoying Tyrannosaurus rexes, she summoned over a dozen shadow clones. They scoured the area for two hours before finally finding the second Dragon Ball at the bottom of a stream. 

But as she climbed out, dripping wet, and dispelled her clones, Hikari froze, turning toward the stream’s source. “Did you hear that, Esdeath?” 

“Yeah,” Esdeath replied, looking the same way, eyes narrowing. “People coming… sounds like a lot of them.” 

They stood in the breeze, waiting quietly for a few minutes. 

Then, they saw several armored vehicles emerge on a dirt road across the forest, “RR” flags flapping—the Red Ribbon Army’s mark. A group of heavily armed soldiers, decked out with guns, flanked the vehicles. 

As Hikari and Esdeath watched from afar, the soldiers noticed them. 

“Who’s there?!” 

“This area belongs to the Red Ribbon Army! You’ve got one minute to leave, or we won’t hold back!” 

After a few threatening shouts, one soldier whispered to his officer, “Sergeant, that thing they’re holding—it looks like what the Colonel ordered us to find!” 

“Hm?” The officer raised binoculars, then grabbed a megaphone, bellowing, “You two women up there! Drop what you’re holding and put your hands up, or we open fire!” 

“…Hmph,” Esdeath sneered, cracking her neck and glancing at Hikari. “You take them, or I do?” 

Hikari didn’t answer, just gestured invitingly. 

“Go easy. Leave a few alive so we can ask about their headquarters.” 

“Got it,” Esdeath said with a casual wave, then dashed forward, closing the hundred-meter gap in a flash, charging straight at the convoy! 

“?!” 

The soldiers froze, then opened fire on command. The armed troops pulled their triggers without hesitation, weaving a dense net of bullets that blocked Esdeath’s path. 

Facing the onslaught, Esdeath didn’t slow down. Twisting her waist, planting her feet, and sidestepping, her movements were subtle but precise, dodging bullets by the narrowest margins. 

It looked a bit like Master Roshi’s “automatic dodging technique” from a few days ago, but Esdeath’s version was rougher. Some bullets hit her, only to be deflected by a thin layer of ice. 

Frowning, clearly dissatisfied, Esdeath stopped, clenched her fist in the air, and summoned an ice sword. With a single swing, she slashed forward! 

Whoosh! 

The blade gleamed. 

A flurry of continuous strikes followed! 

A web of white sword energy, denser and deadlier than the gunfire, formed in her hands. 

Amid a clatter of metal, every bullet within two meters of her was sliced in half, falling to the ground. In moments, a pile of perfectly cleaved bullet casings surrounded her, their cuts mirror-smooth. 

“Impossible!” 

“Cutting bullets with a sword… for real?!” 

Under the Red Ribbon soldiers’ terrified gazes, Esdeath smirked, looking bored. “What a bunch of small-timers. Fighting opponents like these is such a drag.” 

“…Kill her! She’s a demon!” the sergeant roared from the armored vehicle. 

The vehicle’s turret kept firing, and the soldiers emptied their clips in under thirty seconds, their guns clicking empty. As they scrambled to reload, Esdeath snorted, swinging her sword again. 

Clang! 

A sharp whistle and sonic boom rang out. Her ice blade, moving too fast, disintegrated mid-swing, turning into countless ice shards that shot toward the soldiers like throwing knives! 

“Hundred-Finger Bullet Piercer!” 

This move was inspired by the Bone Pulse technique. 

The principle behind “Ten-Finger Bullet Piercer” wasn’t complex, and Esdeath had replicated it after seeing it once in the Land of Demons. 

Blood sprayed instantly! 

The soldiers were heavily armed, but their necks and eyes were vulnerable. Esdeath targeted those weak points. Even tiny ice shards, launched at sonic speeds, caused devastating casualties. 

The armored vehicle’s hull was scratched with white marks but not pierced. 

Before the occupants could relax, Esdeath raised her hand. A massive ice pillar, meters wide, materialized in the air and smashed down like a hammer, crushing the turret gunner into paste and crumpling half the vehicle like a crushed can. 

“Tch,” Esdeath clicked her tongue. “This big mech is that flimsy?” 

In under thirty seconds, she’d taken out most of the Red Ribbon soldiers. She dragged the sergeant and a few survivors aside, interrogated them thoroughly, then returned to Hikari. 

“I grilled them. That guy’s a major from the Silver Corps. He’s too low-ranking to have been to headquarters, but he says there’s a Red Ribbon base nearby, led by a ‘Colonel Silver.’ Wanna check it out?” 

“Sure.” 

Taking down Colonel Silver was a breeze. 

In the original story, he was a minor character, the first to be defeated by Goku and lose a Dragon Ball, earning a death sentence from Commander Red. 

In this timeline, Hikari and Esdeath dispatched him just as easily. Esdeath, with her slightly sadistic streak as an imperial general, interrogated him, thoroughly enjoying the process. 

Given the Red Ribbon Army’s crimes, a bit of torture was just karma. 

Once Esdeath was done, Hikari used her “Yasaka Magatama” to subtly confirm the intel, then activated “Shangri-La,” teleporting them from the base to a dense forest in Earth’s west. 

“The Red Ribbon headquarters should be around here. Let’s look around,” Hikari said, summoning shadow clones that flew into the sky to search for the base. 

She found a clearing, sat down, and pulled out chocolate and soda to refuel, tossing some to Esdeath. 

Esdeath eyed the snacks suspiciously before eating, then used her “Demon’s Extract” to create dozens of ice knights, sending them galloping in different directions. 

Hikari had tried teaching Esdeath chakra and ninjutsu, but with limited time, Esdeath was still at the tree-climbing and water-walking stage, far from mastering advanced techniques like Multiple Shadow Clones. Still, after seeing Naruto’s abilities, she’d tweaked her ice knights into a knockoff “ice clone” version. 

These clones lacked the sentience of shadow clones, but if destroyed, Esdeath would sense it, pinpointing the location. They were good enough for scouting. 

Time passed quickly. 

Suddenly, Esdeath looked up, her gaze sharpening toward one side of the forest. “A few of my ice knights got smashed… that way. Red Ribbon Army?” 

“Let’s check it out,” Hikari said, standing and waving Esdeath over. They headed toward the disturbance. 

In just a few minutes, the last of the jungle parted, revealing a sprawling castle complex. Tanks and armored vehicles surrounded it, their cannons aimed their way, ready for action. 

Between Hikari, Esdeath, and the castle, several shattered ice knights struggled to reform, only to be blasted apart by cannon fire. 

“…More intruders! Fire!” a Red Ribbon officer barked, no attempt at negotiation. 

Black cannon barrels and missiles with trailing flames roared toward them! 

Esdeath raised a hand, conjuring a massive ice wall that shielded their area, blocking the incoming barrage. 

Hikari, meanwhile, used her Flight Technique to soar up, her hands flashing through seals at blinding speed. She exhaled sharply: “Fire Style: Majestic Flame Destroyer!” 

In the next instant, ice and fire erupted into the sky! 

Chapter 220: General Blue and the Ice Storm Commander 

The firepower at the Red Ribbon Army’s headquarters was on a whole different level compared to their branch outposts. 

For a solid half-minute, hundreds of soldiers and rows of tanks unleashed a relentless barrage. The deafening roar of cannon fire echoed through the dense forest, loud enough to be heard miles away. 

When the dust finally settled, the landscape was unrecognizable. 

Under the onslaught, the nearly one-meter-thick ice wall Esdeath had hastily thrown up was battered and crumbling. Shells mixed with shards of ice rained down, cratering the ground in various sizes. Thick clouds of dust billowed up, obscuring everyone’s view. 

“…Did we get them?” a soldier muttered. 

“No clue, but they’ve gotta be badly hurt, right? No way even a top-tier martial artist could survive that kind of bombardment…” another started, only to trail off. 

As the dust began to clear, visibility returned to the area in front of the fortress. 

Under the watchful eyes of the Red Ribbon soldiers and officers, a towering iceberg—dozens of meters high—had formed, completely encasing Hikari and Esdeath. 

“Cough, cough…” Hikari covered her mouth, choking a bit on the lingering dust. 

Esdeath, standing inside the iceberg, narrowed her eyes, scanning the enemy with a hint of surprise. “These guns and cannons… they can actually do this much damage?” 

The world of Akame ga Kill wasn’t purely medieval; it had firearms too—like Mine’s Pumpkin or Minister Honest’s personal handgun. But those were special weapons, crafted from rare Danger Beast materials, limited in number, and tricky to use without skill.  

So, seeing these mass-produced, highly destructive weapons that even weaklings with a power level of 5 could operate left Esdeath genuinely impressed by modern tech’s raw power. 

“What do you think? Pretty wild, huh?” Hikari said, glancing at her. 

“Not bad…” Esdeath nodded slightly. “But if this is all they’ve got, there’s nothing to worry about. Secret Technique: Ice Storm Commander!” 

With those words, Esdeath clapped her hands together. The Demon’s Extract emblem on her chest flickered faintly, and cracks began to spread from within the iceberg, racing outward. 

At the same time, the ice knights that had been converging from all directions appeared in the Red Ribbon Army’s line of sight. Before the soldiers could turn their guns, the knights shattered, dissolving into blue-white frost that dispersed into the air. Then… 

Boom! 

A blinding blizzard erupted, sweeping toward the Red Ribbon headquarters like a tidal wave. 

This was Hikari’s first time seeing Esdeath’s Ice Storm Commander in action. 

In the Akame ga Kill manga, Esdeath used this technique against the Revolutionary Army, charging it for three days to unleash a blizzard that engulfed half the Empire.  

Here, without that prep time, the move wasn’t as apocalyptic, but for the Red Ribbon grunts, it was still a devastating blow. 

The closest soldiers were quickly coated in frost, the ice spreading visibly and freezing them solid—guns and all—into glittering ice sculptures. Tanks, howitzers, and machine gun barrels seized up in the extreme cold, misfiring and exploding when forced to shoot. 

The blizzard didn’t stop there. It blasted through the fortress gates, flooding the base and transforming it into a frozen, snow-covered wasteland in the blink of an eye. 

“What the hell is this?!” a soldier shouted. 

“Quick, report to the Commander! We need reinforcements!” another yelled. 

A few survivors who weren’t frozen bolted toward the fortress—though some ran the opposite way, into the forest, clearly sensing the Red Ribbon’s doom and deciding to ditch. 

From the fortress, armed helicopters and a handful of skilled fighters emerged, ready to take on the intruders. 

As the architect of this chaos, Esdeath cracked her neck casually. 

Without any visible effort, the blizzard intensified, howling even fiercer than before. The temperature plummeted from a balmy 30°C to below -50°C in moments. 

Even Hikari, standing nearby, shivered and pulled her collar tighter, wrapping herself in a layer of ki to ward off the cold. 

“Hmph,” Esdeath smirked. “Let’s see how many of these guys can handle this.” 

She’d developed Ice Storm Commander to weed out the weak and find worthy opponents to satisfy her thirst for battle. 

In other words, it was perfect for clearing out cannon fodder. Anyone who could adapt to this subzero blizzard and still have the guts to fight was no pushover. 

And sure enough, most of the regular soldiers were either frozen solid or collapsed from the cold. Only a few held on, barely. The ones who’d just rushed out from the fortress, spared from the initial wave, were still in decent shape. 

Among them, Hikari spotted a familiar figure—General Blue. 

The guy who’d gone all out hunting Dragon Balls, single-handedly putting Goku, Bulma, Krillin, and even Roshi in danger, only to be offed by Tao Pai Pai to show off the latter’s strength. In a way, he was one of the Red Ribbon Army’s heavy hitters. 

The moment he appeared, he unleashed his signature telekinetic binding ability. 

Their eyes met, and with a flash in his gaze, Hikari felt an invisible force lock her in place, rendering her immobile. 

“Interesting,” she thought. 

“But…” 

Just interesting.