191-195

Chapter 191: Too Big, It'll Break Me, Won't It? 

For the folks living in East Sea County, today was destined to be a day they'd never forget. 

From early morning, the sea was shrouded in dark, heavy clouds. The sky looked like it had been ripped open, with fierce winds howling down from above and countless hailstones—each the size of a human head—crashing down amid flashes of lightning and booming thunder. The whole world was painted in a gloomy, gray haze. 

It felt like the end of the world was coming. 

At the peak of the chaos, people within a few hundred kilometers saw a massive, dark cyan beam of light appear on the horizon. It was like a divine weapon splitting the heavens and earth, cleaving the vast sea of clouds and the ocean below in two. The sheer power was overwhelming. 

Several mountain peaks were flattened by that beam. 

Afterward, the sea roared with waves hundreds of meters high, smashing coastal barriers to pieces. 

These once-in-a-century spectacles lasted a full day. 

It wasn’t until the next morning that things started to calm down. 

Sporadic lightning still cracked across the sky, and the rain kept falling—drops tinged with a faint red, almost like they were mixed with blood. It was unsettling to look at. 

A few brave souls began opening their windows, cautiously peeking up at the sky. 

“I heard from the elders that an ancient dragon god lives above the clouds of the East Sea…” 

“Could this storm mean the dragon god’s angry?” 

… 

Above the clouds. 

Uchiha Hikari stood on a mountaintop, leaning on her dragonbone sword, catching her breath. Nearby, Esdeath stood with her hands at her sides, also breathing heavily. 

Across from them, the East Sea Cloud Dragon lay sprawled across the peak, its massive body—stretching thousands of meters—covered in countless wounds. Scars from flames, frost, and lightning marked its scales, and thick blood stained half the mountain red. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood. 

“…This thing’s strength is that terrifying?”  

Even Hikari hadn’t expected the battle to drag on for a whole day. 

She was already on her third dose of stamina after popping a Senzu Bean, while Esdeath was on her second. 

If she hadn’t kept up the Amaterasu flames for a full day, turning them into a blazing inferno that stretched for kilometers and burned half the dragon’s body to a critical state, this fight might’ve gone on even longer. 

Of course… Hikari had plenty of Senzu Beans. 

Thanks to the Cat Sage, she had a whole jar—hundreds of them. She could fight for ten days and nights and still have enough. But defeating the East Sea Cloud Dragon by slowly grinding down its health bar like that? That’d be a bit too pathetic. 

“…It might not be the most honorable win, but I came out on top.” 

Hikari took a few slow steps forward, stopping in front of the dragon’s massive head and crouching down. “So, you gonna submit? Or do you want to heal up and go for round two?” 

As a super dangerous species that had lived for over a thousand years, the East Sea Cloud Dragon had some intelligence—about the level of a human preteen. It wasn’t exactly pondering deep philosophical questions, but it could understand Hikari’s words well enough. 

For a moment, its eyes flickered with human-like emotions: confusion, anger, shock, fear… 

It was clearly wrestling with itself. 

“Don’t worry,” Hikari said. “If you submit, I’ll heal your wounds right away. If you don’t… I’ll still heal you, and we’ll keep fighting until you do. Your choice.” 

She sat cross-legged in front of the dragon. 

Without activating her Susanoo, Hikari was tiny compared to the beast—smaller than the gaps between its teeth. It could swallow her whole in one bite. But after the agony of her “Fire-Thunder God” and Amaterasu attacks, the dragon didn’t dare move recklessly. 

After a long pause, Esdeath grew impatient. She stepped forward, gripping her sword and pointing it at the dragon’s eye, her gaze cold with killing intent. “It’s just a beast. Why waste words? Submit or die.” 

“…You’re too extreme, Esdeath,” Hikari said, gently pushing the sword tip aside. 

If possible, she wanted to subdue the dragon through sheer strength. 

But if that didn’t work… well, she wasn’t above using a little trick, like her Sharingan. 

In its prime, the East Sea Cloud Dragon was stronger than the Nine-Tails from the Naruto world, and controlling it might’ve been tough. But now, after their tag-team beatdown, it was critically weakened. This was her chance. 

She also wanted to test a certain eye technique she’d never used before… 

Meanwhile, the dragon seemed startled by Esdeath’s move, as if it thought she was about to blind it. It quickly shut its eyes, then opened them again, its bony, fearsome face twitching before it slowly lowered its head. 

“Hm?” Hikari tilted her head. “That’s… surrender, right?” 

She reached out tentatively and touched the dragon’s snout. Its body trembled slightly but didn’t resist. 

Of course, with its size, even a “slight” tremor shook the entire mountain like an earthquake. 

“Good boy,” Hikari said. 

Her right Mangekyou Sharingan spun, pulling the lingering Amaterasu flames back into her eye. Then she pulled out a Senzu Bean and tossed it into the dragon’s mouth. 

To a creature of its size, the bean was like a grain of sand. 

But in mere moments, its wounds began to heal rapidly. Broken bones reconnected, fresh flesh sprouted, and even the burns from Amaterasu and Esdeath’s ice healed at a visible pace. 

“?” Esdeath’s eyes widened, genuinely shocked. “You gave it a Senzu Bean too? It can heal a super dangerous species of that size so quickly?” 

“Yup,” Hikari nodded. 

Honestly, she found it pretty absurd too. 

Senzu Beans worked almost like a concept: one bean could fully heal and restore anyone, from a Super Saiyan who could destroy a solar system to a baby who could barely walk. So, the dragon’s massive size didn’t matter—it was no different from a wounded rabbit. One bean did the trick. 

To someone unfamiliar with the Dragon Ball world, though, it looked downright unscientific. 

Moments later, the dragon’s wounds were mostly healed. It let out a surprised roar and soared back into the vast sea of clouds with a graceful twist. 

Hikari covered her ears to avoid being deafened by the roar, then looked up at the sky. 

She wasn’t worried about the dragon going back on its word after healing. If it did, she’d just fight it again. She had plenty of beans. It’d just be… a bit of a hassle. She could use a break after such a long fight. 

Luckily, the dragon didn’t seem to have any tricks up its sleeve. 

After soaring through the sky for a bit, it returned to the mountain, its massive eyes staring at Hikari before lowering its head again. 

“Good boy,” Hikari said, patting its snout. 

Using her Sky Dance technique, she floated up and landed on its forehead. From there, looking down at the mountain was like standing on top of her Susanoo. Gazing out at the surrounding peaks gave her a sense of standing at the top of the world. 

“From today on, you’re my mount,” she declared. “Let’s give you a name… how about Rayquaza?” 

The dragon didn’t respond, either because it liked the name or didn’t understand. 

Didn’t matter. 

Hikari pulled a camera from her Universal Capsule, waved Esdeath over, and explained how to use it. Then she flashed a peace sign with a grin, signaling Esdeath to snap some pics of her and the dragon. 

“Photos?” Esdeath frowned, not quite getting it, but she stepped onto a floating ice platform and moved around to find good angles. 

Click, click— 

The camera captured shot after shot. 

Hikari struck a few poses on the dragon’s head, while Esdeath figured out the camera, her expression turning curious. 

“…Done?” Esdeath asked. 

“Hang on.” Hikari floated over, took the camera, and checked the photos. “Not bad, pretty cool… Wanna take a few yourself?” 

Esdeath scoffed. “Hmph, boring.” 

Hikari shrugged. Being a dragon rider was awesome in her book, but if Esdeath wasn’t into it, she wouldn’t push. She’d just develop these photos later and show off to Bulma, Eriri, and the others. 

Maybe she’d let them try riding Rayquaza too. 

Next, Hikari spent some time collecting the dragon’s shed fur and scales. These were rare materials—Lubbock’s Teigu, Cross Tail, was made from stuff like this. While the crafting technique was lost, she could probably make something else with them. 

Like… a sweater? 

A sweater woven from Cross Tail threads would probably outshine armor made from dragonbone scales. It’d be lightweight, soft, and comfy. 

She also bottled up the dragon’s blood and packed away the scales. Maybe the Revolutionary Army or Totosai from the Inuyasha world could do something with them. Worst case, she could trade them for resources. 

After all that, a problem hit her. 

“So…” she muttered. “How do I take Rayquaza with me?” 

Hikari hadn’t gone through all this trouble just to ride the dragon around in the Akame ga Kill world. She wanted to bring it to other worlds. 

But the chat group’s teleportation function had limits on how much you could carry. 

Something small like the Nimbus Cloud? No problem. 

But something as massive as Rayquaza? She’d need to seal it first to bypass the restrictions. 

Problem was, neither a sealing scroll nor a Universal Capsule had enough space for a creature nearly ten kilometers long. It’d be like trying to stuff a dozen mountains into a single scroll—impossible. 

“Maybe…” Hikari mused, “I could ask Minato-sensei about Jinchuriki sealing techniques and seal it inside me, like a ‘Cloud Dragon Jinchuriki’?” 

She glanced at Rayquaza’s endless body, swallowed hard, and shook her head. “Nope, too big. I’d burst.” 

Size aside, Rayquaza was a flesh-and-blood creature, unlike the chakra-based Tailed Beasts in Naruto. Even if it was on the same scale as the Ten-Tails, sealing it like a Jinchuriki might not work. If she forced it, she might actually explode. 

“Guess I’ll have to ask Bulma,” she sighed. “Wonder how big the largest Universal Capsule can get… or if she could make a mini-ring that works on Rayquaza. Then I could keep it as a pet.” 

The original mini-ring was for human wrists. On Rayquaza, it wouldn’t even fit over a toenail. 

For now, Hikari decided to let Rayquaza roam free here while she figured things out. 

“Let’s go, Esdeath. Time to find a place to rest.” 

“…Don’t call me that,” Esdeath said, lips pursed in annoyance. 

“Hm? Don’t like it?” Hikari stretched, raising an eyebrow. “Thought it’d sound friendlier. Oh well, let’s not sweat the small stuff. I’m exhausted—let’s find somewhere to crash.” 

With Rayquaza watching, Hikari and Esdeath flew down from the mountain, landing in a nearby city. They checked into a random inn. 

First thing Hikari did? Take a bath. 

Chapter 192: Want to Learn? I'll Teach You 

In the bathroom, Uchiha Hikari stripped off her bloodstained and sweat-soaked clothes, tossing them aside carelessly. She stepped under the shower, letting the water wash over her with focus. 

Honestly… this was the first time she’d ever felt this exhausted. 

The East Sea Cloud Dragon was, frankly, stronger than both her and Esdeath. Under normal circumstances, it’d take three or four Esdeaths working together to take that beast down. Sure, Hikari managed to pull it off thanks to the Senzu Bean’s stamina boost, but the mental fatigue from fighting at her absolute limit for so long? Not even a Senzu could fix that. 

Yawn. 

As her mind relaxed, waves of drowsiness hit her hard. 

She barely managed to finish cleaning herself, gave her body a quick wipe, wrapped a towel around herself, and shuffled barefoot out of the bathroom. After a brief nod to Esdeath, she collapsed onto the bed, falling into a sleep so deep it rivaled a baby’s. 

On the other side, Esdeath took her turn in the bathroom, emerging about twenty minutes later in a moonlight-white nightgown, towel-drying her damp hair as she stepped out. 

“Hm?” 

Something caught her attention. 

She turned her head toward the bed. 

There, Uchiha Hikari lay curled up on her side, arms hugging her shoulders, sleeping soundly. She’d gone straight to bed after her shower, wrapped only in a towel, nothing else. 

Right now, fast asleep, she’d unconsciously kicked off the blanket. The towel had loosened, slipping to reveal most of her body. From Esdeath’s angle, she could clearly see the gentle curves of Hikari’s chest peeking out from the towel’s edge—compared to last year, when she’d first broken free from that coffin, Hikari’s body had developed just a bit. 

Below that was a smooth, pale stomach, perfectly proportioned legs, and delicate toes still glistening with water droplets. Her ivory skin glowed softly under the sunlight slipping through the curtains, giving her an almost ethereal sheen. 

At a glance, she looked like any ordinary young girl. 

It was hard to believe this was the empire’s current strongest warrior, who’d just tamed a catastrophic super dangerous beast. 

“…” 

Esdeath stood in silence for a moment, then set down her towel and approached the bed slowly. 

As she did, a sharp ice blade formed in the air, which she casually gripped and pressed lightly against Hikari’s throat. 

“…You don’t even wake up to this?” 

“To sleep this deeply in an unfamiliar place—are you just that exhausted, or are you that confident I won’t kill you?” 

The ice blade was already touching her skin. One small push, and it could end the girl’s life, severing the “contract” that bound them. 

But Esdeath hesitated, her expression growing complex. 

Truth be told, before meeting this girl, Esdeath had never once considered the possibility of losing. For over twenty years, she’d reigned as the strongest. Aside from a girl named Mera, who once fought her to a draw in a tournament, no one had ever come close. Most opponents either died by her hand or fled in terror. (Oh, and Mera? She’d once pinned Esdeath to a bed, trying to get frisky, which left a huge impression on young Esdeath’s psyche.) 

In recent years, after obtaining the Demon’s Extract, Esdeath’s already unmatched strength had reached new heights. Finding someone who could even trade blows with her was rare. 

To keep things fun, she’d often let opponents go, hoping they’d come back stronger for a rematch. 

But even then, truly thrilling battles were few and far between. 

This time, though… she was the one who’d been spared. 

At first, Esdeath assumed Hikari had let her live for the same reason—to keep her as a worthy rival. But after spending time with her, Esdeath realized that wasn’t the case. 

This girl… didn’t seem to crave battle. To her, fighting was just a means to an end, not the goal itself. 

That confused Esdeath. 

“If you don’t thirst for battle, why do you have such overwhelming power?” 

“And…” 

Those eyes that unleashed black flames, the ability to drag others into her mental world, and those miraculous Senzu Beans—what were they? Could something like that really come from this world? 

“…What an enigma.” 

Esdeath gazed down at Hikari’s delicate, youthful frame, lingering on her peaceful sleeping face for a moment before letting out a wistful sigh. “Such a shame… if only you were a boy.” 

Strong, bold enough to take on a super dangerous beast bare-handed, not raised in the pampered capital, younger than her, with a pure smile… Uchiha Hikari checked almost every box on Esdeath’s ideal partner list—except for gender. 

She’d planned to have the emperor host a tournament after this northern campaign, hoping to find a suitable romantic partner among the victors. But with the empire’s fall and her own defeat, that girlish dream would stay buried forever. 

“Sigh…” 

Esdeath shook her head, dismissing the absurd thought. 

She melted the ice blade, walked to a nearby table, sat down, and closed her eyes to rest, arms crossed. 

The battle with the East Sea Cloud Dragon had shown her the limits of her strength and sparked new ideas for mastering the Demon’s Extract. 

Once she’d fully processed these insights, she’d be ready to challenge Uchiha Hikari for the first time… 

Time slipped by unnoticed. 

The sun set, and twilight fell. 

As night deepened, a knock came at the door. 

“Hm?” 

Esdeath snapped out of her meditation, frowning in annoyance. “Who’s showing up this late?” 

When the knock came again, she reluctantly got up from the desk, paused to cover Hikari with a blanket to hide her exposed body, then opened the door with a cold stare. 

“What do you want?” 

“Good evening, miss,” said a young man in his early twenties with black hair, dressed in an imperial navy uniform. He bowed slightly, polite but professional. “We’re from the East Sea Navy. My name’s Will. We have a few questions for you—it won’t take long. This morning, a disaster struck the eastern seas. Several mountains were leveled, and the resulting tsunami breached the flood barriers. We heard you came from that direction. Did you see or hear anything along the way?” 

“…No comment.” 

“Uh…” 

Will hesitated, about to press further, when another officer’s eyes widened in recognition. “Wait… are you General Esdeath?!” 

“You know me?” 

“I had the honor of seeing you at the capital’s parade three years ago!” 

At his words, the other soldiers gasped. Even in the remote East Sea, the title of “Empire’s Strongest” carried weight. 

There’d been rumors that Esdeath had lost to a revolutionary fighter on her way back to the capital, but that didn’t diminish her legend. Some even dismissed the rumors as rebel propaganda to shake the military’s morale. 

“General Esdeath, are you here to lead us against the revolutionaries and rescue His Majesty?” 

“Hmph.” 

Esdeath’s response was flat. “I’m no longer a general, and the empire is gone. Let’s not dwell on old news. As for the East Sea incident, it involved a super dangerous beast, but the situation’s been handled. If you need help reinforcing the flood barriers, I can lend a hand.” 

Rebuilding a breached dam was a massive task. Most Teigu users would be useless, but for Esdeath, with the Demon’s Extract, it was child’s play. A temporary ice wall spanning dozens of kilometers to block the waves? She could whip that up in no time. 

She loved war, but she didn’t mind offering a bit of protection to these frail ordinary folks. 

“A super dangerous beast…” The officer’s eyes widened. “You mean the legendary Dragon God of the High Skies? Did you subdue it?” 

“Hah, not quite.” 

Esdeath smirked, unwilling to elaborate. “I’ve told you everything I can. If there’s nothing else, leave.” 

She paused, glancing at Will. “You’re a Teigu user too, aren’t you?” 

“…Yes, ma’am. I wield the Noble Chariot.” 

“Noted.” 

With that, Esdeath shut the door. 

Outside, the navy soldiers exchanged glances, puzzled. “Did General Esdeath seem… off?” 

“I heard from an old man that two people came from the east. Besides the general, there’s someone else. Could they be…?” 

“Shh! Talking about superiors like that is asking for trouble. Let’s go. We’ve got the info we need—focus on disaster relief. The empire’s fate isn’t for grunts like us to worry about. Let it be.” 

The group turned and left. 

Will’s visit was just a brief interruption. 

Uchiha Hikari slept until the third morning, finally waking with a stretch, fully recharged. 

“You’re up?” Esdeath’s voice came from nearby. 

She was now dressed in military gear, though the imperial insignia on her shoulders and cap had been torn off. 

With a thud, she tossed a set of clothes onto the bed, nodding toward them. “I bought these last night. Put them on.” 

“…You know my measurements?” 

“I measured you while you were asleep.” 

Esdeath coughed lightly, brushing past the topic. “Get dressed and spar with me… if you’ve got time. I’ve got some new insights to test.” 

Hikari blinked. “Huh?” 

In the end, she humored Esdeath. 

The fight went much like their last one—Hikari still couldn’t counter Esdeath’s Mahapadma, and Esdeath had no answer for Hikari’s Perfect Susanoo. 

But compared to their previous clash, Esdeath’s attacks were noticeably sharper. Her control over ice was smoother, and she’d developed a new trick: a “Zero-Degree Ice Blade” that absorbed heat. Hikari estimated its surface temperature was close to absolute zero. 

One slash could snuff out her Great Fire Annihilation, weakening even her Susanoo, making it brittle and easier to shatter. Only her Fourth Form—or Perfect Susanoo—could withstand it. 

“…That move, is it new?” Hikari asked curiously after the fight. 

“Something like that,” Esdeath replied casually. “But it still can’t crack your ‘eye technique.’ What an absurd ability.” 

Hikari thought to herself, You’re the absurd one, always cooking up new powers when you’re already this strong. If she hadn’t recently unlocked her Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, gaining Perfect Susanoo and Fire Thunder God, boosting her strength significantly, she might not have been able to keep Esdeath in check. 

(Guess I need to visit Miko a few more times to refine my eye power… and it’s about time to deal with Dr. Gro, too.) 

She didn’t care much about being “the strongest,” but since she’d just subdued Esdeath, getting overtaken so soon would be a bit embarrassing. Seeing Esdeath’s effort, Hikari figured she’d better step up her game. 

Meanwhile, Esdeath was musing, “I’ve been meaning to ask… that ability to spit flames from your mouth and fly without any tools—it’s not from a Teigu, is it?” 

“Of course not.” Hikari looked up, flashing a pure, bright smile. “Want to learn? I’ll teach you.” 

“?” 

Chapter 193: Teaching "Haki" 

Uchiha Hikari was serious when she said she’d teach. 

Sure, she wanted to outshine Esdeath, but not by hoarding knowledge. That’d just show a lack of confidence in herself. 

If Esdeath could learn ninjutsu and "ki" and still outdo her, then that’d just mean Hikari’s limits were already reached. In that case, she might as well set Esdeath free sooner rather than later. 

“Alright, the fight’s over. Time to help with disaster relief.” 

Hikari stretched lazily, speaking with a casual air. 

Later that evening, she brought Esdeath to the coast. Hikari used Earth Style: Mud Wall to reinforce the breached seawall, while Esdeath conjured a massive ice wall—tens of meters high—with her Demon’s Extract to bolster it further. They spent most of the night rebuilding over a hundred miles of coastal defenses. Along the way, they also rescued two villages swallowed by floodwaters. 

After all that hustle, Esdeath’s curiosity about ninjutsu was piqued. 

“So, it’s not just flames—you can even control the earth’s bedrock…” 

“Ninjutsu’s pretty cool, right?” Hikari said with a playful smirk. 

“…” 

Their antics naturally caught the navy’s attention. 

But when Hikari flashed her dual commissions from the Little Emperor and the Revolutionary Army, the navy officers exchanged awkward glances and didn’t dare press further. Hikari then handed over two chests of gold and silver, instructing Will to find a suitable spot for her “Dangerous Species Materials Research Institute.” 

“One chest is for construction funds. In a few days, my subordinate Dr. Stylish will show up to give you the details—just follow his lead. The other chest? Distribute it to the people below.” 

“Distribute… to who?” Will asked. 

“Whoever’s poor, obviously.” 

The money was “borrowed” from East Sea County’s wealthy elite just days ago, so passing it back to the common folk didn’t sting one bit. 

Besides, compared to the fortune she’d gotten from Minister Honest and the capital’s nobles—enough to rival a century of imperial taxes—these two chests were pocket change. 

With that done, Hikari activated Shangri-La, teleporting herself and Esdeath back to the capital. 

… 

Back in the capital, Bulma, guided by one of Hikari’s shadow clones, had toured the “Supreme Throne” mecha hidden beneath the palace alongside Dr. Stylish and Dorthea. 

Bulma was super intrigued by the giant mecha and had spent the last couple of days grilling Stylish and Dorthea about alchemy. 

On top of that, Bulma had asked Brand to scrounge up a few privately stashed Orichalcum pieces from the capital’s nobles. She planned to take them back to the Dragon Ball world for analysis, hoping to reverse-engineer their forging process. A material capable of crafting “All-Cleaving” and the “Supreme Throne” was top-tier—perfect for building spaceships or warships. 

Yup, Bulma was still dreaming of her pirate adventures. She’d even started roping Yamato and Eriri into brainstorming names for their future pirate crew. 

“How about the ‘Minato-Hikari Pirate Crew’?” Yamato suggested. 

Kaido’s daughter was clearly hyped about forming a crew. She’d wanted to sail with Ace years ago, but the explosive shackles had kept her grounded. Now that the shackles were gone, her mind was buzzing with possibilities. 

“…How about ‘Hikari & Everyone’s Pirate Crew’?” Eriri scribbled on her notebook. 

Hikari chimed in, “Why don’t you ask the group chat for ideas? Minato-sensei probably has some unique insights.” 

“Huh?” Bulma’s eyes lit up. “Good point! Minato-sensei’s ninjutsu names are always so cool.” 

“…” 

Seriously? Hikari thought, imagining something like “Spiral Flash Super Wheel Dance Roar Pirate Crew.” She wasn’t sure how to feel about that. 

Just then, Bulma noticed Esdeath, who was standing nearby with her arms crossed, eyes closed, and radiating a calm intensity. 

“Hey…” Bulma said, “Is that the Esdeath you mentioned, Hikari? She’s got this super cool, heroic vibe.” 

“And her chest is pretty big,” Eriri added, holding up her notebook. 

“…” 

Looks like Eriri’s habit of sizing up people’s chests wasn’t going away. 

Hikari sighed and nodded. “Yup, that’s her. She’s technically my subordinate now, thanks to a deal we made after her defeat. Anyway, let’s get to business—Bulma, check out these photos.” 

Hikari handed over the memory card, and Bulma plugged it into her laptop with practiced ease. 

“Whoa! That’s one badass dragon! Wait… is that a dragon? It doesn’t look quite like one,” Bulma exclaimed. 

Gulp— 

Yamato, towering at 2.63 meters and peeking over their heads, swallowed hard, her expression turning nervous. “I thought I saw my dad for a second…” 

“Huh?” Bulma looked puzzled. 

Hikari coughed and explained, “Yamato’s dad, Kaido, has the Azure Dragon Fruit. When he activates it, he turns into a massive dragon. But forget the dragon—don’t you guys see the person in the photo?” 

“Person?” Bulma blinked. “Where?” 

With Hikari’s guidance, Bulma zoomed in on the photo—over a dozen times—before finally spotting a tiny black dot atop the East Sea Cloud Dragon’s head: Hikari. 

“Uh…” Bulma stammered. “This dragon’s size is kinda ridiculous, isn’t it? Its head alone must be a few hundred meters tall!” 

“About three hundred, yeah,” Hikari confirmed. 

“And its body…?” 

“Over five kilometers, probably. I couldn’t measure it exactly.” 

Hikari gave a rough estimate before getting to the point. “Bulma, I need you to make a mini-ring that can shrink it to under a hundred meters. Ten meters would be even better.” 

“Shrink it to a thousandth of its size? That’s tough, but I can give it a shot,” Bulma said. 

She was already working on something similar. The warships she wanted to take to the One Piece world were massive, too big for standard Universal Capsules. 

Plus, Bulma had another wild idea. 

“Hey, Hikari, what if we turned Kikyo’s ‘Hourai Island’ into a pirate ship? The ‘Cauldron of Resonance’ on that island could work as an engine, and it can deploy a huge protective barrier. It’d be way better than a regular warship…” 

“?” 

… 

Hikari didn’t interfere with Bulma’s wild imagination. After dispelling her shadow clone, she turned her attention to Yamato. 

“Yamato, can you show me your ‘Haki’?” 

“Of course!”  

Though Minato ranked higher in Yamato’s heart, Hikari was among her most respected people. She eagerly agreed, found an open space, and demonstrated her Haki. 

In One Piece, Haki is an innate power with three types: Observation, Armament, and Conqueror’s. 

Observation Haki lets you sense auras to predict an opponent’s moves. 

Armament Haki coats your body or weapons in an invisible “armor,” boosting defense and attack power. In Wano, it’s called “Ryuo.” 

Since it’s hard to show off alone, Hikari sparred lightly with Yamato, using her Sharingan to observe closely. 

“…I think I’m starting to get it,” Hikari said, closing her eyes briefly. 

She focused, trying to channel Armament Haki. “Something like… this?” 

A faint gray layer appeared in her palm, gradually enveloping her hand. 

“?!” Yamato’s eyes widened. “No way… It took me months to learn Ryuo, and you got it this fast?!” 

“It’s these eyes,” Hikari said, pointing to her Sharingan with a smile. “In my world, they’re called Sharingan. They can copy abilities just by watching. But my ‘Ryuo’ isn’t quite like your world’s Haki yet—it’s more like chakra and ki mimicking it. It’s not pure. I’ll keep practicing and ask for your guidance.” 

“You’re too polite, Hikari! It’s an honor to help you. I’m the one who should be thanking you!” Yamato said, scratching her head with a bright, innocent grin. 

Haki was a must-learn for adventuring in the One Piece world. It’s the only surefire way to hit Logia-type Devil Fruit users. 

Chakra and ki might work, but since they’re from different worlds, it’s a gamble. Better to play it safe with Haki. 

As for Conqueror’s Haki… that’s not something you can teach. 

It’s awakened, not learned, and only one in millions has it. Even Yamato unlocked it unconsciously and had no idea how to teach it. Still, at Hikari’s request, she showed it off. 

In that moment, a powerful wave of pressure erupted from Yamato, radiating in all directions. 

Not just Hikari, Bulma, and Eriri—even Esdeath, standing nearby, felt it. She raised an eyebrow in surprise and glanced over. 

“…This isn’t just raw presence. There’s something else to it,” Hikari noted, analyzing it mentally. 

It was obvious. If Conqueror’s Haki was just intimidation, techniques like “Conqueror’s Infusion” wouldn’t exist. Scaring enemies was just a side effect. 

Hikari was pretty curious about Conqueror’s Infusion, but since she didn’t know how to awaken Conqueror’s Haki, she shelved the idea for now. Maybe in the One Piece world, she’d figure it out. 

Perhaps… a good whack from Teacher Kai would do the trick? 

Meanwhile, Yamato’s gaze landed on Esdeath. 

More precisely, she noticed Esdeath staring at her, and their eyes met, sparking a faint tension. 

“…Hikari, can I challenge her?” Yamato asked, leaning down. 

Hikari raised an eyebrow and glanced at Esdeath, catching the unmasked battle lust in her blue-haired rival’s eyes. 

“I’ll ask her,” Hikari said. 

But honestly, there was no need to ask. 

Sure enough, Esdeath stepped forward, standing in front of Yamato. 

Esdeath was taller than Hikari, about 1.7 meters, but next to Yamato’s 2.63-meter frame, she looked like a kid. Still, her aura was overwhelming, her gaze carrying an air of absolute dominance. 

“Just one rule: no killing,” Hikari said. 

“Got it,” they both nodded. 

Esdeath raised a hand, summoning a swarm of icy blades around her. Yamato coated herself in Armament Haki and hefted her massive kanabo. 

The outcome was no surprise. 

Yamato was strong—probably the second-strongest in the chat group, just behind Hikari. Using only Haki, she could go toe-to-toe with Ace. In her “Great Mouth God” form, thanks to her Devil Fruit, she could even trade blows with Kaido (though he might’ve been holding back). 

Against someone like Brand or Akame, Yamato would likely win—unless Akame landed a hit with Murasame, which was another story. 

But her opponent was Esdeath. 

And not just any Esdeath—this was Esdeath after battling Hikari and the East Sea Cloud Dragon, her strength pushed to new heights. 

So, despite Yamato unleashing all three types of Haki and her “Thunder Bagua,” plus her incredible stamina from the One Piece world, she eventually fell to Esdeath’s full-powered “Ice Inferno.” 

“…You’re strong,” Yamato gritted out, frustrated. “I hate to admit it, but I’m no match for you. Your control over ice… it’s probably on par with Admiral Aokiji.” 

“Aokiji?” Esdeath’s eyes narrowed, and she immediately turned to Hikari. “Who’s that? Someone from your side?” 

Chapter 194: Return to the Ninja World 

“Something like that,” Uchiha Hikari replied vaguely. 

Though it hadn’t been explicitly discussed, she knew Esdeath must have her suspicions about her origins. 

In the Akame ga Kill world, there was something called the “World Codex,” a record that gave the empire at least a basic understanding of other nations and regions. Yet, in over a thousand years, there had never been any mention of abilities like “ninjutsu,” “Haki,” or “Sky Walk.” 

If Hikari were the only exception, that’d be one thing. 

But now, there was Yamato and the others… 

No matter how you sliced it, a 2.63-meter-tall woman with horns sprouting from her head didn’t exactly scream “normal human” in this world. 

Of course, being “not normal” could just mean she was a biological Teigu. After all, Najenda’s “Susanoo” also had horns. But… a Navy Admiral? Aokiji? 

“That Aokiji guy—is he a general from another nation? His abilities sound similar to mine,” Esdeath said casually, though her tone carried a hint of curiosity. “He must be pretty strong. I’d love to meet him.” 

“Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance,” Hikari said with a slight smile. 

Once Bulma’s dream of a “pirate crew” took shape in the One Piece world, Hikari and Yamato would definitely be among the first crew members. Eri would probably join too. As for non-group members… 

Esdeath would make a solid addition to the crew. 

If they ran into Aokiji and he ended up clashing with them, Hikari could leave him to Esdeath. It’d be interesting to see which of these two powerhouses, with their similar abilities, would come out on top. 

The day after her spar with Esdeath, Yamato went off to fight Brand. 

Those two had been at odds since they first joined the group, all because of their differing views on Kozuki Oden. 

Over time, hearing stories about people like Minato Namikaze and witnessing their feats had broadened Yamato’s perspective. She no longer saw Oden as her sole life’s idol, but twenty years of ingrained beliefs didn’t just vanish overnight. 

So, whenever Oden came up in conversation, it was like lighting a fuse between her and Brand. 

This fight had a bit of an “IRL showdown” vibe to it. 

“Huff… huff…” 

“Didn’t expect you to be this tough, airplane head. You actually tanked my Thunder Bagua!” Yamato panted. 

“Hmph. I’ve taken down hundreds of foes. I’ve seen plenty stronger than you,” Brand shot back, reverting from his “Demon-Possessed” state. After catching his breath, he added seriously, “But your strength is no joke. Without ‘Demon-Possessed,’ I’d have been down in no time… and you weren’t even going all out, were you? If you’d used your Devil Fruit powers…” 

“That’s for enemies,” Yamato said, slinging her club over her shoulder and throwing an arm around Brand’s. “I’m calling you a comrade now. Wanna grab a drink? Hikari, you in?” 

“Nah, you guys go find Leone,” Hikari called from a nearby hill. 

Once Yamato and Brand wandered off, Hikari stretched lazily, letting the three tomoe in her eyes fade. She replayed the fight in her mind. 

Yamato’s Haki was impressive—top-tier even in the One Piece world—but it was honed through years of getting pummeled by Kaido, not through teaching others. If Hikari wanted to learn Haki from her, she’d need to observe more real fights. 

A moment later, Hikari snapped out of her thoughts, brushed the dirt off her clothes, and stood up. “Let’s go, Little Es. Time for dinner.” 

“…” 

Esdeath didn’t bother correcting the “Little Es” nickname this time. Instead, she studied Hikari’s back as they walked, her expression thoughtful. “You… haven’t known that Yamato girl for long, have you?” 

“Why do you ask?” 

“You didn’t know anything about ‘Haki’ until just a few days ago. If you were really from the same place, that wouldn’t make sense. But the way she respects you… it’s odd.” 

“Huh?” Hikari hadn’t expected Esdeath’s sharp observation skills to pick up on that. 

After a brief pause, she chose her words carefully. “Little Es, do you know what a ‘world’ is?” 

“A world?” 

“Yeah.” Hikari stopped, pointing to the sky and then the ground. “The world is the earth beneath our feet, the sky above, and everything in between—all of it together. But have you ever thought… what if there are other worlds beyond the empire’s?” 

“…So that’s where you all really come from? That Navy Admiral, Aokiji—he’s from another world too, isn’t he?” Esdeath’s eyes narrowed, a playful smirk crossing her face. “Sounds… intriguing.” 

“It is,” Hikari said with a grin. “There are plenty of powerhouses like you and him out there in other worlds.” 

“?!” 

Esdeath’s eyes lit up at that. 

Hikari’s smile widened. “So, what do you say? Wanna come with me to check out another world?” 

“…Is that even possible?” Esdeath’s lips twitched, her voice tinged with uncertainty. 

“Totally possible. It might take a few days, though. And if we go, I’d need to seal you up in a box for the trip. It could be risky. You cool with that?” 

“…Fine.” 

Taking Esdeath to another world was tentatively settled. 

Over the next two days, Hikari paid a visit to Dr. Stylish, briefed him on the East Sea situation, and used “Shangri-La” to send him, Dot Pixis, and Cosmia there. 

As for Dr. Stylish’s “Fashion Brigade” of modified soldiers and his lab equipment, Hikari sealed them up with a jutsu and made several trips to deliver them to the East Sea. 

To make room for all that, she’d dug out dozens of crates of gold and jewels, buried them in the East Sea Cloud Dragon’s territory, and left the beast to guard them. 

After that, Hikari said her goodbyes to Brand, Bulma, and the others, temporarily leaving the Akame ga Kill world. 

She returned to the Naruto world, a place she hadn’t seen in a while. 

Chapter 195: Changes in the Uchiha Clan 

It had been a few months since her last visit. 

The Sound Village hadn’t changed much. 

Compared to when Uchiha Hikari left, there was just half a new street, a couple of rows of houses, and about a dozen new faces—probably “talents” Orochimaru had recruited from who-knows-where. A few of them looked vaguely familiar. 

Kidomaru, Jirobo, Tayuya… 

Yup, the future “Sound Four.” 

But at this point, they were just a bunch of preteens, not yet branded with curse seals. Their strength was barely at the level of “elite genin”—nothing worth getting worked up about. 

Hikari gave them a quick glance before heading straight to the cave behind the village. 

This place was a whole different world. 

Rows of cutting-edge lab equipment—blood analyzers, centrifuges—lined up neatly, alongside old wooden bookshelves stuffed to the brim with tomes. If you ignored the rough stone walls and stalactites dangling from the ceiling, it could almost pass for a high-tech lab from the Dragon Ball or Dragon Clan worlds. 

Orochimaru wasn’t around. 

Instead, a blonde woman in a white lab coat and black-framed glasses was organizing books. 

“…Yakushi Nonou?” Hikari muttered. 

“Hm?” 

The woman looked up, revealing a gentle, scholarly face. 

You’d never guess from her appearance that she was a seasoned spy who’d traveled across multiple nations. 

“Who are you?” Nonou asked, pushing up her glasses with a puzzled look. “One of the village kids? This is Lord Orochimaru’s lab, not a place for hide-and-seek. You should leave.” 

“Big Sis Hikari? You’re back!” 

Before Nonou could finish, an excited voice rang out. 

Hikari turned to see a red-haired girl dart forward and hug her waist. Behind her were Kimimaro and Jugo. 

Kimimaro looked like he wanted to mimic Karin’s hug but held back due to his reserved nature and gender, a faint blush creeping onto his pale face. 

“Hey, Karin,” Hikari said, ruffling the girl’s hair. 

She glanced at Nonou, feigning ignorance. “And this is…?” 

“Oh, she’s Aunt Yakushi, a refugee from the Land of Hot Springs. Orochimaru-sensei took her in,” Karin chirped. “She used to be a doctor and knows a ton about medicine and pharmacology, so Orochimaru-sama lets her help out in the lab.” 

Karin gave a quick explanation, then winked and tugged Hikari toward the inner part of the lab. 

Once they reached another room, the little girl pulled a stack of envelopes from her pocket, her expression turning serious. “Big Sis Hikari, these are from Orochimaru-sensei for you.” 

“Let’s see…” 

Hikari opened the top envelope, scanning it quickly. 

The contents were straightforward—a brief report on Orochimaru’s recent work. 

Three points stood out. 

First, using Nezuko’s blood, Tamayo’s research, and the bodies of Daki and Gyutaro, Orochimaru had developed a drug that suppressed demons’ urge to eat humans, partially countered sunlight’s lethal effects, and preserved their Blood Demon Arts. It had already been successfully tested on Daki and Gyutaro. 

Nice. Good news for Tanjiro and the Demon Slayer Corps, Hikari thought. Looks like I should swing by the Demon Slayer world to turn Nezuko back. 

By the way, after the drug worked, Orochimaru had freed Daki and Gyutaro from their restraints, turning them from test subjects to lab assistants for demon cell research. That was a bit unexpected, but as long as they didn’t cause trouble, Hikari didn’t mind. 

Second, Orochimaru had improved the “suppressor” for dragon blood corruption, but without test subjects, its effects on humans were still unconfirmed. 

…I’ll pass it to Chu Zihang to test on the Deadpool guys, Hikari decided. 

Third, it was about Nonou and her son. 

Orochimaru didn’t know Danzo had been taken over by “Yatayoi.” In his letter, he detailed Nonou’s arrival and his plan to use her to dig into Danzo’s and the Akatsuki’s secrets. 

“Oh? Danzo’s already joined the Akatsuki?” Hikari mused. “Guess the old geezer’s still got some use…” 

She skimmed the other letters. 

Nothing major—just budgets for future experiments and topics Orochimaru wanted her to pass to Dr. Brief for academic exchange. 

Hikari tucked the letters away and pulled several chests of gold and silver from a sealing scroll, stacking them in the lab’s corner. 

“These are spoils from elsewhere. When Orochimaru gets back, tell him to handle them for the next phase of research funding.” 

“…” 

Karin stared at the mountain of treasure, her small face tense. After a long pause, she cautiously asked, “Big Sis Hikari… you didn’t, like, kill all the daimyo of the Five Great Nations, did you? How else do you have this much money…?” 

“Huh?” Hikari burst out laughing. “Don’t go yelling about killing all the time, kid. I’m not that brutal. Just pass the message to Orochimaru. I’ll be back in a few days.” 

“Got it,” Karin nodded, committing it to memory. 

Hikari left the lab, pulled out her wristwatch-like Shangri-La, and activated it. 

A massive teleportation array flared to life. 

Her figure vanished, reappearing thousands of miles away in Konoha, near the Naka River by the Uchiha clan’s compound. 

“As expected…” Hikari murmured. “Teigu work just fine in other worlds.” 

She’d considered testing the “Book of the World” too, but since its capacity might be limited, using it in the relatively small and familiar Naruto world felt like a waste. She decided to save it for the One Piece world. 

“First, I’ll check on Fugaku and the others, then swing by to see Naruto and snap some pics for Minato to show he’s doing fine…” 

… 

That evening, Hikari visited Fugaku’s home, meeting with the clan’s top brass. 

Shisui, Itachi, and Izumi, the “outstanding junior representatives,” were also present. 

After Fugaku gave a rundown of the clan’s recent affairs, Shisui stepped forward, placing a thick stack of bound papers—covered in dense writing—on the tea table in front of Hikari. 

“?” 

Hikari blinked. “What’s this?” 

“Great-Grandma, did you forget? This is the homework you assigned us,” Shisui said. 

“Over the past few months, Itachi, Izumi, and I read all the books you left us. These are our book reports—each one’s at least 20,000 words. Itachi’s is 40,000… 

And this stack is our ‘Uchiha Clan Five-Year Development Plan.’ We discussed every project in detail. Please take a look, Great-Grandma.” 

“…” 

Hikari remembered now. 

Last time she returned from the Dragon Clan world, she’d brought a batch of books for Shisui and the others, appointing Shisui as “librarian.” Her goal was to boost the clan’s cultural literacy and get them thinking smarter—hoping to avoid boneheaded ideas like “kill the entire clan to prevent a massacre.” 

And now… 

Shisui and the others did seem different. 

Calling it “poetry and wisdom shaping their aura” might be a stretch, but compared to the clueless, wide-eyed kids from a few months ago, they were practically new people. 

The only problem? 

(So I have to grade their homework now?) 

Hikari scratched her head and looked at Fugaku. “Fugaku—” 

Before she could finish, Fugaku spoke up, looking ashamed. “Great-Grandma, I skimmed through what Shisui and the others wrote… It’s a bit too deep for me to fully grasp. But we’ve started trying out some of the economic ideas in the development plan. It’s too early to see clear results, though.” 

“Oh?” Hikari flipped open the plan, scanning a few pages at Shisui’s prompting. 

“Flower exhibitions? Food festivals?” she asked. “You guys came up with these?” 

“Not just me—Izumi and the others too,” Shisui said confidently. 

“After heated debates, Izumi and I agreed that the tension between the Uchiha and Konoha stems from both historical and current issues. A big reason is the lack of communication and the stereotypes each side holds. 

To fix this, we need to break down barriers and create platforms for interaction. So, we teamed up with the Yamanaka clan for a flower exhibition and worked with Ichiraku Ramen and Yakiniku Q for a food festival. We’re also planning a ‘ninja beast intelligence contest’ with the Inuzuka clan to show the village the real Uchiha.” 

He paused, then added, “This is also about building a solid foundation with the masses. If most of Konoha’s villagers accept the Uchiha, we can secure a brighter future—not trapped by the clan’s narrow-mindedness, which could lead to our downfall.” 

“Hm…” Hikari’s face showed a flicker of surprise. 

Honestly, Shisui’s performance caught her off guard. 

The Uchiha’s old mindset—Fugaku’s generation, especially—was rigid, fixated on climbing the ranks through the police force or Anbu. They didn’t realize that path had been sealed off since Tobirama’s time. 

To be fair, Tobirama had left a door open for the Uchiha—taking Kagami as his student was proof. If things had gone smoothly, Kagami could’ve at least become an elder like Koharu or Homura, giving the Uchiha some say in the village’s leadership. But a series of missteps, plus Danzo’s hatred and Obito’s Nine-Tails incident, had soured relations further. 

Now, though, Shisui saw another path: winning over the masses. 

If the Uchiha could build ties with Konoha’s clans and civilians, they could carve out a place in the village, even without becoming Hokage. At the very least, it’d minimize the risk of annihilation. 

Guess reading books does pay off, Hikari thought. 

“Well said,” she said, flipping through Shisui’s plan before setting it down with a faint smile. “I’ve got no objections. Go ahead and run with it.” 

“I’m just a relic of the old era. The Uchiha’s future is in your hands. Try whatever you want—don’t worry if it flops. You’re young; you’ve gotta take risks. Everything’s a first sometime.” 

“…” 

Though Hikari’s “Great-Grandma” status was unshakable, hearing her talk about being an “old-era relic” with her teenage face made Shisui, Fugaku, and the others exchange weird looks. 

“Uh, Great-Grandma, you’re still really young…” Fugaku ventured. 

“…Heh.” Hikari gave a noncommittal smirk. 

Truth be told, telling Shisui to go for it was partly because she didn’t want to grade their homework. The “20,000-word” book report was just a casual remark—she never expected them to actually write that much. Reading through all of it would probably take a whole day and night… 

“Oh, by the way, I brought some taijutsu manuals I picked up elsewhere,” Hikari said, placing a few martial arts scrolls on the table. “I skimmed them, and they seem solid. Give ‘em a try.” 

These were gifts from Najenda after the capital’s fall, from the Imperial Fist Temple in the Akame ga Kill world. 

In the original story, the temple was just background, but as a millennia-old institution, they had serious expertise in taijutsu. Each generation’s strongest “Four Rakshasa Demons” could hold their own against Teigu users using just physical skills. 

For Hikari, the manuals weren’t super useful. But for Fugaku and the others, they were a goldmine. 

“Great-Grandma, you went on this journey to gather these secret techniques for us…” Fugaku said, visibly moved. 

“…” 

Hikari sighed, giving up on explaining. “Sure, let’s go with that.” 

(Chapter End)