166-170

Chapter 166: The Cat Sage’s New Disciple 

Yorihisa Ubuyashiki gave a quick rundown. 

Ever since Uchiha Hikari showed up in the Demon Slayer world as a “female version of Yoriichi Tsugikuni,” Muzan had gone full turtle mode, hiding out and keeping a low profile. 

Over the past few months, the Demon Slayer Corps had taken out plenty of demons, but they hadn’t caught a single glimpse of the Twelve Kizuki, let alone Muzan himself. 

Recently, though, with “Uchiha Yoriichi” not showing her face for a while, Muzan seemed to be getting antsy, maybe planning to test the waters. 

“…Need any help?” Hikari raised an eyebrow, her Sharingan glinting with curiosity, much like a seasoned ninja sizing up a mission. 

“No big issues for now,” Yorihisa replied calmly. “My foresight hasn’t sent any warnings, so Muzan himself probably won’t show up. If it’s just the Twelve Kizuki… with the lightsabers you and Miss Bulma gave us, we should be able to hold our own, even against an Upper Rank.” 

“…Alright then.”  

Hikari thought for a moment, then pulled a small bag of Senzu Beans from her Universal Capsule, placing it on the table. “These are miracle beans that can heal any injury. I don’t use them much, so I’ll give you a few. As long as someone’s still breathing, even a fatal wound like a pierced heart will heal in no time.” 

“And this,” she continued, “is a suppressant made to counter demons’ regeneration. It’s not as strong as the lightsaber, but it should work fine against most of the Twelve Kizuki.” 

“Here’s the formula. You can pass it to Shinobu Kocho for analysis…” 

“Oh, and if you can track down Miss Tamayo, maybe bring her in to help with the research.” 

These were Orochimaru’s latest creations—or rather, his “side projects.” His real goal was to enhance demon regeneration, eliminate their need to eat humans, and make them immune to sunlight, creating the perfect immortal being. A suppressant that slowed regeneration was the opposite of what he cared about, and he only worked on it because Hikari asked. 

One more thing… 

“Muzan’s biggest fear is a guy named Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Red hair, red eyes, ponytail. I taught Tengen Uzui a transformation jutsu. If you run into any of the Twelve Kizuki, have him transform in front of them. Muzan will see it.” 

Yorihisa’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Miss Hikari, your gifts are too generous. We don’t deserve them…” 

“There’s a catch,” Hikari said with a sly smile, holding up a finger like a cunning shinobi striking a deal. “For certain reasons, I need a stash of gold and jewels. In exchange, you get all this stuff, plus my promise to help take down Muzan. What do you think, Mr. Ubuyashiki?” 

“Jewels? …That can be arranged.” 

The gold and jewels, of course, were for Orochimaru. His research was burning through cash faster than Hikari could keep up, nearly draining the fortune she’d gotten from the Ox King. 

She was even starting to wonder if she should claim a mine in the Demon Slayer world. Japan had plenty of gold and silver deposits. If the Demon Slayer world’s map matched the real one, the Hishikari Gold Mine in Kyushu—holding 170 tons of gold—was probably still untouched. Securing it would solve her funding problems for good. 

Hikari stayed at Demon Slayer Corps headquarters for a few days, catching up with the Hashira who trickled in. 

Tengen Uzui, the Sound Hashira, had gotten pretty good at the Three Body Technique, hitting the level of a Konoha Ninja Academy graduate. 

Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, was making solid progress too, blending some of Kagura’s “Dance of the Fire God” moves into his Flame Breathing. 

And, worth mentioning, Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Hashira, seemed to have… developed even more in certain areas. If Tsunade didn’t count, Hikari would call her the most impressive girl she’d ever seen. 

“…Leaving already, Miss Hikari?” Tengen asked. 

“Yup, got some stuff to handle ‘up in the heavens,’” Hikari quipped playfully, winking like Naruto pulling a prank. 

With the Hashira watching, she and Tanjiro vanished in a flash of white light. 

“So cool,” Tengen sighed. “Tanjiro’s so lucky to be taken by Miss Hikari to live in Takamagahara.” 

“Takamagahara?” another Hashira asked. 

“You didn’t know? Miss Hikari and Miss Bulma are basically gods…” 

In a way, Tengen and the others weren’t entirely wrong. 

Hikari didn’t go to Takamagahara, but she did take Tanjiro to the Karin Tower. 

The old Cat Sage seemed pretty happy to see her. 

“Hey, it’s Little Hikari!” he greeted. “I finished those manga you left last time. Pretty fun stuff, but what’s with Hunter x Hunter only being half there? Where’s the rest?” 

“…There isn’t any.” 

Forget the Dragon Ball world being stuck in 2009—even in 2029, Hikari doubted she’d find a complete Hunter x Hunter unless she kidnapped Yoshihiro Togashi and made him draw in front of the Cat Sage. 

“No manga this time, but I brought you a disciple.” Hikari waved Tanjiro forward. “Go on, Tanjiro, call him Master.” 

“?” 

The Cat Sage wasn’t thrilled about Hikari bringing someone to train without asking. But when he saw Tanjiro climb onto the Golden Nimbus without falling through, his expression shifted. 

“Demon hunter, Demon Slayer Corps… There’s a world like that out there?”  

“By the rules, only those who climb Karin Tower on their own get my guidance. But since you brought him, I’ll let him train here for now. If he can’t climb the tower in a week, don’t blame me for kicking him out.” 

Tanjiro, still a bit dazed, couldn’t wrap his head around a talking cat. Coming from the Demon Slayer world, this was beyond his imagination. Still, he bowed respectfully. “Master Cat Sage, I’ll do my best!” 

“Hmm…” 

That same day, Tanjiro started his training. 

Hikari, after grabbing a bag of Senzu Beans from the Cat Sage, left Karin Tower and headed back to the Inuyasha world, where she picked up her newly upgraded “+3 Dragon Bone Sword.” 

[Brand @Nameless: Miss Hikari, we looked into that Aria you mentioned. Her family’s definitely been abusing civilians. We’re moving in to deal with them soon.] 

[Brand: Also, the boss approved your offer to provide combat support in exchange for spoils.] 

Chapter 167: First Step into the Akame ga Kill! World 

In the Akame ga Kill! world, inside a spacious meeting room, several people in varied outfits sat around a long table. A purple-haired girl with glasses spread out paper and pen, ready to take notes. 

“Everyone’s here,” said the white-haired woman with an eyepatch at the head of the table, coughing lightly before looking at the burly man beside her. “Brand, could you go over what you told us about Miss Hikari—especially that fight with the dragon-like dangerous species from another world—so Akame and the others can hear it too?” 

Only six or seven people were in the room. Besides the white-haired, eyepatch-wearing boss, Najenda, the rest were all Teigu users: Akame, wielder of Murasame; Mine, with her Pumpkin cannon; Leone, holder of Lionelle; Lubbock, with Cross Tail; and Sheele, with Extase. Together with Brand, they made up the current roster of Night Raid. 

A few days ago, when Brand first mentioned the “chat group,” Najenda thought he was cracking under the stress of too many assassination missions. She even considered giving him a break to see a doctor. Even when Brand swore he was serious and staked his reputation on it, she remained skeptical. 

That is, until the intel about “Aria” checked out. 

Only then did Najenda take it seriously, calling all of Night Raid together for a meeting. 

“Another world? For real?” Leone asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and disbelief, like a Konoha ninja hearing about a mission beyond the Hidden Villages. 

“I trust Brand wouldn’t lie to us,” Mine chimed in, “but… this is wild. According to Brand, this ‘Miss Hikari’ is only thirteen? Even Akame wasn’t that strong at that age, right? She’d just be a promising rookie at best. How much help could she really be?” 

“You can’t always judge by common sense,” Lubbock countered. “Some geniuses defy logic. Like the Empire’s General Esdeath…” 

“…” 

The group dove into a heated discussion. 

Once they’d hashed it out, Najenda tapped the table lightly, her voice calm but firm, like a Hokage addressing their team. “I’ve thought about all of this. We’re at a critical point in the war between the Revolutionary Army and the Empire. To win, we need to seize every possible advantage. Whether Miss Hikari is as powerful as Esdeath or just a talented young girl, her terms are acceptable. According to Brand, she can use this ‘chat group’ to travel from her world to ours. Meeting her costs us nothing.” 

“…Fair point,” Leone said, exchanging glances with the others, who nodded and fell silent. 

Najenda turned to Brand. “What did Miss Hikari say?” 

“She said it’s no problem. She’ll prep for a few days and then come over.” 

Meanwhile, in the chat group, the conversation turned to the Akame ga Kill! world. 

[Bulma: A thousand-year empire? A country lasting that long is unreal!] 

[Nameless: It really is.] 

[Yotsuya Miko: History books mention plenty of nations lasting a thousand years, but one that never changes its regime? That’s impressive.] 

[Eternal Sister-Carrier: A system like that is something I’ve never heard of… But according to Mr. Brand, that empire’s on its last legs and about to collapse?] 

[Brand: Exactly. The empire’s upper class is rotten to the core, oppressing people from the capital to the countryside. My old boss, General Liver, was thrown in prison for refusing to bribe the capital’s officials. I tried to clear his name and ended up in the same situation, so I defected…] 

[Brand: Everyone else in Night Raid has been through something similar.] 

[Brand: If we don’t overthrow this regime and build a new order, the country will become a living hell.] 

[Demon Princess: Sounds a bit like Wano Country…] 

Over the past few days, Brand had shared the gist of his world’s situation in the group, focusing on the empire’s dark side. He kept quiet about the Revolutionary Army’s specifics, likely to avoid leaking sensitive info. 

Hikari, with her Naruto-trained insight, already knew the details. But Bulma and the others were hearing it for the first time and were pretty shocked. 

Even Yamato, who’d clashed with Brand when she first joined, was starting to warm up to him. 

[Demon Princess: You’re kind of a grump, but you’ve got some backbone… If you need help, just call me!] 

[Brand: Hmph. I’m no great hero like your Kozuki Oden—just a nobody fed up with the status quo. The Revolutionary Army’s work is dangerous. Without enough strength, you’d just get yourself killed.] 

[Demon Princess: ? You think I’m weak? I’ve got Conqueror’s Haki! Sure, it’s not as strong as… Kaido’s, but it’s still pretty awesome!] 

[Brand: Haki? What’s that? Is it as strong as Miss Hikari or Mr. Minato?] 

[Demon Princess: …How could I compare to Mr. Minato?] 

Back in the real world, inside a castle on Horai Island, Hikari gently laid a weakened Kikyo on a bed, stretched, and glanced at the mirror. 

Just moments ago, she’d completed another cycle of “absorbing evil spirits,” “purifying dark energy,” and “enhancing her ocular powers.” The new black tomoe in her eyes were nearly fully formed. When she closed her eyes, she could sense something stirring deep in her consciousness, ready to emerge, but it was still obscured, like looking through fogged glass. 

“This feeling…” 

A new ocular jutsu? Or maybe a Susanoo weapon, like Indra’s Arrow or the Totsuka Blade? 

Hikari was excited to find out. 

“By the way, Hikari, you’re really not waiting for us?” Bulma asked, arms crossed. “The Shikon Jewel radar shows only a few shards left. It’s not that urgent, right? I wanna check out the newbies’ worlds too!” 

“…This isn’t a vacation, you know. It could be dangerous. Just stay here with Lady Kikyo for now. If it’s safe, I’ll let you know.” 

After a quick chat with Bulma, Hikari took a deep breath and pinged Brand in the group. 

[Nameless has requested to enter Brand’s world] 

[Brand has approved the request] 

Chapter 168: Just Tell Me Who to Kill 

A flash of white light. 

Hikari Uchiha vanished from Penglai Island and appeared in the Akame ga Kill! world. 

She found herself in a spacious room, surrounded by the members of Night Raid, including Brand, all staring at her with looks of disbelief, like Konoha villagers spotting a legendary ninja. 

“That’s… incredible.” 

“She really crossed over from another world?” 

“This is the ‘Miss Hikari’ Brand was talking about? She looks so tiny, like a kid…” 

“She’s kinda adorable…” 

Amid the murmurs, Brand cleared his throat and spoke formally. “Nice to meet you, Miss Hikari. I’m Brand. These are my boss and teammates… This is our leader, Najenda, and this is Akame, Lubbock…” 

After quick introductions, Najenda nodded and spoke in a serious tone. “It’s an honor to meet you, Miss Hikari. Having a powerhouse from another world willing to work with us is a privilege. But I’m not sure how much you know about our world. The Empire’s forces are packed with strong fighters, and even Night Raid members risk their lives every time we face them…” 

“Just tell me who you want dead,” Hikari cut in. 

“Huh?” Najenda blinked. 

Hikari cracked her neck, casually scanning the group. “Or we could spar first.” 

“You’re skeptical about my strength and who I am, right? Well, I only know you guys on the surface too. So let’s test each other’s skills. Only the strong get to call the shots, don’t they?” 

“…” 

Hikari had borrowed that “might makes right” line from Xia Mi, like something Sasuke might say to assert dominance. 

But she was serious about testing Night Raid’s strength to gauge her place in this world, especially against someone like Esdeath. As expected, Esdeath was likely the only one who could pose a real threat. 

“Alright, let’s do it your way,” Najenda agreed. 

She gestured for Hikari to follow, leading the group outside. 

The area was a secluded valley, dense with jungle and far from prying eyes. The ground in front of the house was leveled, probably Night Raid’s training ground, like the sparring fields in Konoha. 

Hikari stepped forward a few paces, stopping about thirty meters away, stretching her arms and cracking her knuckles. 

Across from her, Brand stood empty-handed. 

“You’re not using your Teigu, Mr. Brand?” Hikari asked. 

“For a spar? No need for that,” Brand replied. 

“Suit yourself.” 

Hikari had wanted to face Brand with “Haunted by Demons” active, but she wasn’t going to force him, like Naruto respecting an opponent’s choice. 

“Here we go.” 

The words barely left her mouth before Hikari’s figure blurred, crossing the distance in an instant, appearing before Brand like a ghostly Shadow Clone! 

“So fast?!” 

Brand raised his arm to block, but a massive force sent him flying backward! 

Hikari followed like a shadow, delivering a powerful side kick. 

Boom! 

This time, Brand reacted faster, planting his feet to steady himself and blocking the kick with his elbow. He threw a punch, which Hikari caught with her palm before flipping backward in a clean somersault, landing gracefully. 

“Not bad… Let’s keep going!” Hikari grinned. 

“No offense, Miss Hikari!” Brand said, getting serious. 

After the initial test, Brand started showing his true skill. 

In Akame ga Kill!, Brand and Akame were among the Teigu users closest to Esdeath in strength. But “closest” was still a wide gap. In the final battle, Esdeath took on over a dozen Teigu users, including Akame, plus an army of tens of thousands, and still held her own. If not for Murasame’s cursed poison, she might’ve been untouchable. 

After a few exchanges, Hikari had a rough sense of Brand’s level. 

Strong. 

But not as strong as Xia Mi. 

More precisely, not as strong as Xia Mi in her dragon form. 

(With “Haunted by Demons,” Brand’s probably a lot stronger—maybe close to dragon-form Xia Mi. So Esdeath’s strength… could be near a fused Dragon King? Those super-dangerous creatures used for Teigu must be on par with the First Generation.) 

Her thoughts raced as she spoke calmly. “Mr. Brand, still not using your Teigu? This level of fighting’s getting a bit boring.” 

“…Alright, as you wish.” 

“Haunted by Demons!” 

Brand threw his arms wide, and a burst of crimson energy erupted, forming a silver-white armor that encased his body. 

Faintly, Hikari glimpsed a massive dragon-like silhouette behind him, quickly merging into the armor. 

“Super-dangerous beast Tyrant, huh?” Hikari muttered. 

Feeling the intense pressure, she summoned her +3 Dragon Bone Blade and took a deep breath. “Eight Gates Released: Third Gate of Life, open!” 

“Thunder Breathing… Thunderclap and Flash: 256x Godspeed Slash!!” 

In an instant, Hikari’s speed skyrocketed, leaving afterimages as she tore through the air toward Brand. 

As expected, Brand with “Haunted by Demons” was roughly on par with dragon-form Xia Mi. Without Xia Mi’s “Eye of All Things” authority, Brand might even have a slight edge. 

But his stamina was a problem. 

After about ten minutes of intense combat, Brand, exhausted, deactivated “Haunted by Demons” and conceded defeat. 

Only then did Hikari casually sheathe her Dragon Bone Blade, turning to Najenda, who’d been watching nearby. “How does that physical prowess compare to the Empire’s general?” 

“You mean Esdeath?” Najenda, still reeling from the fight, paused before answering. “Compared to the Esdeath who took my eye and arm, it’s about the same. But against the one who consumed the ‘Demon’s Extract’? That’s harder to say.” 

“Hm…” Hikari nodded, noncommittal. She hadn’t used Susanoo or her Mangekyo Sharingan. “Is she in the capital now?” 

Chapter 169: Go Ahead, Cut Me 

Esdeath wasn’t in the capital. 

At this point, she’d just led her army north to crush some foreign tribes. 

Uchiha Hikari was a bit disappointed when she heard the news. “What about Sheele, then?” 

“Sheele, you mean Minister Honest’s son?” Najenda asked, a hint of confusion in her voice as she wondered how Hikari knew that name. Still, she answered, “According to our intel, he’s currently traveling around the empire’s outskirts…” 

“Can you track him down?” Hikari tilted her head, her Sharingan glinting with a calculating spark, like a ninja scoping out a target. “I recall there’s a Teigu for divination, right?” 

“…” 

Najenda’s expression shifted to one of wary suspicion. 

For someone from another world, Hikari knew way too much about the empire. The fact that the divination Teigu was in the Revolutionary Army’s hands was a closely guarded secret, known only to a handful of their top brass. There was no way Brand could’ve leaked it. 

So… how did she know? 

“No need to freak out,” Hikari said with a slight smirk, her lips curling in a way that reminded one of Sasuke’s confident grin. “My intel doesn’t come from anyone in your world. It’s from that magical thing called the chat group. As the ‘group admin,’ I’ve got a few perks…  

Could you please track down Sheele’s location and let me know? Also, get me a full map of the capital with the noble estates you want taken out marked, along with their main crimes. I’ll handle the ‘talks’ with them.” 

Hikari’s main goal for this trip was Teigu, and Sheele’s “Shambhala” was at the top of her list. 

It was the only one of the 48 Teigu tied to spatial teleportation, with a range potentially surpassing even the Flying Thunder God technique. It could even send you to places you’d never been—a must-have for travel or ninja missions. 

At the same time, Hikari didn’t mind making some pocket money on the side to cover her expenses. 

And where to get it? From the richest folks, of course. 

The Revolutionary Army didn’t have much cash, and what they did have was tied up with their leaders. She’d already said she only wanted battle spoils, so backtracking on that would be bad form. 

But the empire? That was a different story. 

The capital’s noble class, many descending from families a thousand years old, had amassed insane wealth over generations. Taking their money felt like poetic justice. 

Najenda thought it over for a moment before nodding. “Alright, if you’re set on this, Miss Hikari, I’ll cooperate. But the divination Teigu isn’t with me. I’ll need to head back to headquarters to borrow it, which might take a few days.” 

“Fine by me,” Hikari agreed. “In the meantime, I’ll get along with your team.” 

After dinner that night, Najenda gave Akame a few instructions and left Night Raid’s base. 

It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered the possibility of Hikari being an imperial spy. But with strength rivaling Brand’s “Haunted by Demons” mode, the ability to teleport straight to Night Raid’s headquarters, and knowledge of the Revolutionary Army’s top secrets, playing spy games seemed pointless. 

Plus, even if Hikari was a spy, Najenda had faith in her team—especially their ace assassin. 

Right now, Hikari was eyeing that assassin’s blade. 

“So… is Murasame’s poison really that deadly? One scratch and you’re done?” Hikari asked, her curiosity sharp like a kunai. “Go ahead, cut me.” 

“?” 

Akame’s face sprouted a giant question mark as Hikari casually extended her arm. 

“You’re… serious?” Akame asked, hesitating. 

“Totally.” 

At Hikari’s insistence, Akame reluctantly drew Murasame just a fraction. Hikari reached out, lightly brushing her finger against the blade. Instantly, a sharp numbness shot from her fingertip, spreading until her entire hand and wrist went limp. 

But then, another force surged within her, countering the poison and stopping its spread up her arm. 

“So, Murasame’s ‘curse poison’ counts as an injury—something my regeneration can handle,” Hikari mused, analyzing it like a ninja studying a new jutsu. “It’s just slow to heal. The affected area stays out of commission for a bit, which isn’t great in a fight. And if it hits a vital spot like the heart or brain, I’m not sure it could be fixed…” 

Satisfied with her test, Hikari casually sliced off her own left hand with a single cut. 

Akame: “??” 

Then Hikari turned to Leone, who was staring wide-eyed at the bloody stump that was already healing at a visible rate, a new hand growing back. 

“No way…” Leone stammered, her shock rivaling a shinobi seeing a forbidden technique. “Miss Hikari, do you have some kind of Teigu like Lionelle? You can regrow a whole hand??” 

Leone’s Lionelle Teigu could theoretically regenerate limbs, but only in a deeply beastified state, with the risk of never turning human again. Regrowing a limb as a human was beyond her comprehension. 

“Miss Hikari, are you some kind of human-shaped super dangerous species?” Leone asked. 

“Humanoid dangerous species? Sure, if you wanna think of it that way,” Hikari replied with a shrug, her nonchalance reminiscent of Naruto dodging serious questions. 

“Miss Leone, I’ve got a question for you. Do you know what kind of beast Lionelle was made from?” 

“…No clue,” Leone said, shaking her head. “I bought it on the black market. Felt good to use, so I kept it. Later found out it was a Teigu.” 

“Alright, what about you, Mr. Lubbock? Any idea where the beast that made Cross Tail lives?” 

“Uh…” Lubbock, ever the flirt when faced with a pretty girl like Hikari, scratched his head and spilled the beans. “I read about it in a book once…” 

Like Shambhala, Cross Tail was one of the Teigu Hikari had her eye on—not for the weapon itself, but for the beast that provided its materials: the East Sea Cloud Dragon. 

The threads of Cross Tail were made from just a few hairs of that super dangerous species, a massive creature over a kilometer long, possibly stronger than Esdeath herself. 

If Hikari could capture it as a mount or a summoning beast, that would make this trip worthwhile. 

Chapter 170: Sheila’s Intel 

Hikari Uchiha spent some time grilling the Night Raid members one by one. 

Lubbock and Hill spilled some useful intel, but Akame, Mine, and Leone didn’t dive into the origins of their Teigu. They treated them like tools—nothing more. Or maybe they’d looked into it but weren’t comfy sharing with someone they barely knew, like a cautious ninja guarding clan secrets. 

After the round of questions, Hikari rubbed her chin and turned to Lubbock. “I’m kinda curious… Hill’s ‘Ecstasy’ is supposed to cut through anything in the world, right? And your ‘Cross Tail’ is said to be so tough even space can’t break it. So… what happens if you try cutting ‘Cross Tail’ with ‘Ecstasy’?” 

Lubbock and Hill: “?” 

No way were they going to risk breaking their Teigu just to satisfy Hikari’s curiosity, like Naruto being asked to test a Rasengan on a kunai. 

Hikari switched gears, testing her +3 Dragon Bone Blade against both “Cross Tail” and “Ecstasy.”  

The result? Both could slice through her blade. But thanks to the Dragon Bone Blade’s self-repairing ability, she didn’t have to worry about it breaking, like a chakra-infused weapon that regenerates. 

“According to Hill, ‘Ecstasy’ is made from a rare metal called Orichalcum, which was also used for Murasame and Pumpkin,” Hikari noted. “But the forging process for Orichalcum was lost centuries ago… I wonder if the Empire’s nobles have any stashed away.” 

In theory, Teigu were one-of-a-kind. Beyond rare materials like super-dangerous beast parts and exotic metals, they involved lost crafting techniques. Over the past millennium, an emperor tried to recreate Teigu but only managed inferior knockoffs, mockingly called “Shingu.” 

But what was impossible in the Akame ga Kill! world might not be in others. Maybe Totosai, Bulma, the Sage of the Three Holy Lands, or Norton, the Fire Dragon King from the Dragon world with his alchemical expertise, could crack it. 

Over the next few days, Hikari stayed at Night Raid’s base, sparring with Brand and Akame a few more times. 

Honestly, their swordsmanship was impressive. Akame’s assassination techniques were sharp and tricky, like a hidden spark from a Chidori. At first, Hikari had to stay on high alert to avoid getting tagged. But once her Sharingan copied Akame’s moves, she handled her with ease, like Kakashi reading an opponent’s playbook. 

As a thank-you for “studying” her swordplay, Hikari taught Akame the Breathing Techniques from Demon Slayer. To her surprise, Akame picked up Flame Breathing in just a few days and wielded it like a pro. Brand took to Rock Breathing, though he was slower to learn. 

The Breathing Techniques from Demon Slayer were surprisingly versatile, usable in the Naruto, Dragon Ball, or Akame ga Kill! worlds. Since Brand and Akame had physiques far stronger than Tanjiro’s, the same boost gave them even more dramatic results, like a genin suddenly pulling off jounin-level feats. 

Brand and Akame thanked Hikari profusely. 

“No big deal, just helping out,” Hikari said, then glanced at Brand. “By the way, your ‘Haunted by Demons’ has the lingering soul of the super-dangerous beast Tyrant. Be careful with it. You might want to ask Kikyo in the group chat if she can help deal with it.” 

“…I’ll keep that in mind,” Brand nodded. 

Removing Tyrant’s soul wasn’t the hard part—even Hikari could probably do it, like sealing a tailed beast. The issue was that the Teigu’s special abilities, like invisibility and environmental adaptability, likely depended on that soul. Keeping those powers while eliminating the risk of “turning dragon” would be tricky. 

During her stay, Hikari also challenged the other Night Raid members. 

Lubbock’s taijutsu was decent, and his mastery of “Cross Tail” made him roughly the third-strongest in the group. But under the Sharingan’s gaze, “Cross Tail” was about as useful as a paper shuriken. 

Leone, on the other hand, was a brawler with no real technique, like Naruto in his early days throwing wild punches. She just soaked up hits like a tank. 

Fun fact: Hikari wasn’t most curious about “Cross Tail.” Her real interest was Mine’s “Pumpkin.” 

That Teigu turned mental energy into shockwaves. In the manga, Mine, in a desperate moment, overclocked her mental energy and destroyed her Teigu to one-shot the formidable General Budo. Hikari figured her own mental strength wasn’t half-bad. If she fired a shot with Pumpkin, could she take down the Empire’s “Supreme Teigu”? 

As the week wrapped up, Najenda returned with supplies and the maps Hikari had requested. 

She brought two. 

“This is a map of the capital,” Najenda said, “with the noble estates you asked for marked. These are scumbags—murderers, corrupt officials, traitors, and worse. The people want them gone, but they’re cautious, and their mansions are heavily guarded. Night Raid hasn’t found an opening.” 

“The other map is of the Empire. Based on our divinations, Sheila and his crew are in this area.” She circled a spot. “But it’s over a thousand kilometers away. It’d take days to get there, and by then, Sheila might be gone.” 

Under normal circumstances, sure. 

“Thanks for the intel, but I’ll handle the rest,” Hikari said. 

After studying the maps, she picked Sheila as her first target. 

Without another word, she used Sky Dance Technique to lift off, soaring toward the marked location as Najenda and the others gaped, like villagers watching Naruto ride off on a summoned toad. 

In the valley, Leone’s jaw dropped. “Told you—she’s a human-shaped super-dangerous beast…”