121-125

Chapter 121: The Uchiha Clan's Five-Year Development Plan 

So, here’s the thing. 

This was actually the first time Uchiha Hikari had a real, up-close encounter with Shisui since arriving in Konoha. 

Fugaku had brought it up a few times before, asking her to guide some of the clan’s “younger generation.” Hikari herself had been curious to meet Itachi and Shisui, wanting to get a read on them. But for one reason or another, it just never happened. 

And now, of all places, their first meeting was under these circumstances. 

For a moment, Hikari paused, eyeing Shisui with a thoughtful gaze, wondering what to say. 

Meanwhile, Shisui seemed to suddenly realize what the “Senzu Bean” she’d given him—capable of regenerating his eyes—really meant. He couldn’t help but blurt out, “Great-Grandma, what was that thing you gave me…?” 

“Shh—” Hikari raised a finger to her lips. “It’s a secret. Don’t ask.” 

“…” 

After a brief silence, Hikari’s tone shifted to something more serious. “Alright, let’s get to business. Who were the people that attacked you at the border? Were there any guys wearing black robes with red clouds?” 

She’d already been thinking of the Akatsuki when Fugaku mentioned the incident earlier. 

After all, the one behind this ambush was almost certainly Obito. 

If Obito was making a move, his goal was likely to steal Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan. He didn’t succeed, but… forcing Shisui to use Susanoo and nearly lose his sight? That could still count as a win for him. 

“Black robes with red clouds?” Shisui thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t think so… According to the intel gathered by the Anbu and Lord Jiraiya afterward, the attackers included three of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen: Juzo Biwa, Raiga Kurosuki, and Mangetsu Hozuki. There were also a few jōnin from the Hidden Mist and some bounty hunters from the black market.” 

“Like who?” Hikari pressed. 

“Like this one guy whose body looked like it was stitched together, and he could stretch his limbs however he wanted…” 

“Kakuzu, huh?” Hikari caught on immediately. “Who else?” 

“There was a guy who was really good with Lightning Release…” 

“Don’t know him. Next.” 

“And a white-haired guy in a high-collared coat who was skilled with summoning jutsu. He called up all kinds of weird creatures—like a regenerating two-headed snake and a massive dog with a human face…” 

“Hm?” Hikari’s brow furrowed slightly. 

Just based on the “summoning jutsu” part, it could be the Animal Path from Pain’s Six Paths. At this point in time, the Animal Path was indeed a male ninja—someone from the Fuma clan, if she remembered right, who Jiraiya had met when he was younger. Hair color could easily be disguised, so that wasn’t a dealbreaker. 

But… 

A two-headed snake? A human-faced dog? 

That sounded suspiciously like something out of one of the Naruto movies. 

“Got it,” Hikari said after a moment, her mind piecing things together. “Let’s switch topics, Shisui. What do you think of the Uchiha clan right now?” 

“?” Shisui blinked, caught off guard, but he thought it over and answered slowly. “It’s… okay, I guess. A few years ago, after the Nine-Tails incident, things were really tense between the clan and the village. Some clan members even talked about starting a rebellion to fight the village. But since you came back, Great-Grandma, those voices have quieted down a lot. 

“Thanks to you and Clan Leader Fugaku, we’ve been working more with other clans in the village. We’re getting more joint missions, both inside and outside Konoha. Sure, there are still some clashes here and there, but overall, things are moving in a better direction…” 

“Is that so?” Hikari replied, then leaned in slightly. “Have you ever thought about what the Uchiha clan’s present—and future—would look like if I hadn’t shown up?” 

“Uh…” Shisui hesitated. 

Hikari watched him quietly for a moment. Seeing he didn’t have an answer, she sighed softly. “Can’t think of anything? Then let’s take a look with your own eyes… Tsukuyomi!” 

The moment the words left her lips, the world spun. 

When Shisui came to, he was standing in an empty theater. Rows of seats stretched out neatly, and a massive screen loomed in front, pitch-black like the night. Then, with a snap, a beam of light hit the screen from behind, and images of Konoha flickered to life. 

“What is this…?” Shisui turned, stunned. 

Hikari stood silhouetted against the projector’s light, her eyes half-closed. She snapped her fingers again. “Let’s get started.” 

What followed was a screening of Itachi’s True Story, carefully curated and enhanced by Hikari. 

In this era of the Naruto world, movies weren’t exactly new, so Shisui wasn’t completely thrown off by the setup. At first, he watched with a detached curiosity, like he was just an observer. But as the scenes unfolded, his expression began to change. 

“That’s… exactly what I said to Itachi. How did you know, Great-Grandma…?” 

“Lord Danzo… he actually…?” 

“And Itachi…” 

The screen showed the night of the Uchiha massacre. 

When Itachi donned the Akatsuki’s black-and-red-cloud cloak and the Uchiha clan was wiped from history, Hikari snapped her fingers again. The screen went dark, and she spoke softly. “So, what do you think?” 

“…” 

Look, Shisui could be a bit naive, and sure, he had his flaws—indecisiveness, maybe not always up to the task. That was true in this timeline and the original one. But he wasn’t stupid. After thinking it over, he realized something chilling. 

If Hikari had never appeared, and the tensions between the Uchiha and Konoha had never eased… 

With Danzo and Root’s methods, and the personalities of Fugaku, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Itachi… the events on that screen? They could absolutely happen. 

And honestly? They were probably likely. 

The only thing Shisui wasn’t sure about was whether Itachi would really go that far… 

“Great-Grandma… does your Mangekyō Sharingan let you see the future?” Shisui asked hesitantly, looking up at her. 

Hikari didn’t answer. She just raised a finger to her lips again. 

“…Got it.” Shisui nodded, knowing better than to press further. 

Only then did Hikari speak, her voice calm but firm. “I showed you this so you’d think hard about where the Uchiha clan is headed. As your elder, I can shield you from some storms, but the clan’s fate? That’s up to you younger ones to shape.” 

As she spoke, the Tsukuyomi faded. 

With a flick of her wrist, Hikari tossed out a universal capsule. Pop! Stacks of books appeared on the floor. 

“Your eyes haven’t fully recovered yet, so no missions for now. Stay home and read these,” Hikari said, her tone shifting to something almost playful. “Starting today, you’re the Uchiha clan’s librarian. I’ll let Fugaku know. The other kids in the clan will come here to read these books, and you’re in charge of making sure they do. Everyone’s gotta write a 20,000-word book report for each one, and we’ll have regular book club discussions to go over them. 

“Oh, and Itachi? He gets special attention. His reports need to be double the length. 

Once you’ve all finished these books, I want you to work together on a five-year development plan for the Uchiha clan. Bring it to me when you’re done.” 

Chapter 122: Uchiha Tobirama Hikari 

Hikari Uchiha had already decided back in the Dragon Clan world to give some "extra lessons" to the younger members of her clan. 

Her original plan was to leave this task to Fugaku, but Shisui... 

Well, he might actually be a better fit. 

Fugaku’s getting on in years, and his mindset is pretty much set in stone—hard to change on a whim. Itachi, on the other hand, is so quiet and reserved that it’s tough to figure out what’s going on in his head. Compared to them, Shisui’s got more potential to mold. If she can just fix that naive, overly trusting streak of his, he’s got a bright future ahead. 

“Oh, by the way, Shisui, is Tsunade still in the village?” Hikari asked casually. 

Shisui thought for a moment. “Tsunade-sama? I think she left the village after Danzo... I mean, after Shimura Danzo defected.” 

Yup, that’s right. 

The former leader of Root, Shimura Danzo, had now become Konoha’s newest rogue ninja, despised by everyone in the village. Officially, he’s rated as an S-rank threat. Unofficially, he’s carrying out a secret mission from his “mentor,” Uchiha Hikari, to infiltrate the Akatsuki as a double agent... though not a single soul in Konoha knows about that. Not even the late Tobirama himself would’ve known. 

Talk about ironic. 

But honestly, Danzo deserves this kind of fate. 

“Got it,” Hikari said, satisfied with the intel. She gave Fugaku a few more instructions before leaving Shisui’s place. 

Following her original plan, she stopped by the market to grab some vegetables and ingredients. Then she swung by Naruto’s place to check on him. She ate dinner with the little blond knucklehead, caught up on recent events, and even played with his dog for a bit. 

Truth be told, Hikari kinda wanted to pet Inuyasha’s fluffy dog ears from that other world—those ears looked like they’d feel amazing. But since they weren’t exactly close, it felt a bit awkward to try. As for Sesshomaru, the big dog? She hadn’t met him yet, and he seemed way too dangerous to mess with anyway. 

By evening, after mooching dinner off Naruto, Hikari returned home. She gauged the time and used her “Engraved Tsukuyomi” to pull Danzo into an illusionary space. Posing as “Tobirama Hikari,” she checked in on his undercover mission. 

“Still no contact with the Akatsuki?” she asked. 

“No rush, though. This is a long-term gig. If you go chasing after them right after defecting, it’ll raise red flags. Just keep up the rogue ninja act, make some noise, and they’ll come to you eventually.” 

Hikari wasn’t just talking out of nowhere. 

If her hunch was right, the “white-haired guy good with summoning jutsu” who attacked Shisui was probably Hiruko—a rogue ninja from Konoha who studied alongside the Legendary Sannin. Despite his lackluster natural talent, he developed the Chimera Technique to merge others’ kekkei genkai into himself. In a way, he’s a research genius on par with Orochimaru. 

If it really was him... 

That means the Akatsuki is actively recruiting new members. 

Danzo’s no slouch, even if he’s a bit old. His Wind Release techniques are strong enough to shatter Susano’o, and he’s got capable subordinates like Kabuto Yakushi by his side. Plus, with his “deep grudges” against Konoha, the Uchiha clan, and Hikari herself, he’s practically a perfect candidate for the Akatsuki’s roster. 

Well, there’s one tiny issue. 

Back during the Second Great Ninja War, Danzo teamed up with Hanzo of the Salamander to wipe out the original Akatsuki, indirectly causing Yahiko’s death. So, Nagato and Konan have plenty of reason to want him dead. 

But hey, if you wanna be Hokage, you gotta take some risks, right? 

“Go get ‘em, Danzo!” Hikari said with a grin, pumping him up. “Finish this mission, and I’ll make sure Sarutobi steps down so you can take over as the Fifth Hokage!” 

Danzo’s eyes lit up with excitement as Hikari ended the call. 

After that, she pushed open the bathroom door and leisurely filled the tub with hot water. Testing the temperature with her hand, she slipped out of her clothes and sank into the bath, letting her soft, pale body relax in the warm water. It was pure bliss. 

Living alone in this big mansion felt a little empty, but it had its perks. Back when she was staying at Naruto’s place, a bath like this was out of the question. For one, she didn’t want to risk Naruto walking in and getting the wrong idea. But more importantly, his tiny apartment bathroom only had room for a dinky showerhead. Now? She could practically do laps in this tub. 

“Speaking of which...” Hikari murmured, flipping over in the water and resting her chin on her crossed arms. She gazed through the steamy air toward the window above. “Danzo’s got Kabuto by his side. At this point, Kabuto’s probably already in contact with Orochimaru, right? Maybe even cozying up to Scorpion, too.” 

The effects of her “Yasaka Magatama” had already been proven on Danzo. And Shisui’s “Kotoamatsukami” Sharingan? She had those eyes in her possession, too. In theory, she could slap them into a crow and make do. 

With these two aces up her sleeve, her plan to bring Orochimaru and Dr. Gero under her control was about ready to kick off. 

Late at Night 

Somewhere in the mountains near the border of the Land of Fire... 

A man wearing a spiral mask tossed a barely conscious ninja at the feet of a white-haired man. “As we agreed, this Uchiha is yours, Hiruko.” 

“Just a three-tomoe Sharingan?” Hiruko asked, sounding a bit disappointed. 

“Three-tomoe is already pretty good,” the masked man replied. “There are only two pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan in the entire Uchiha clan right now. One of them belongs to Shisui, who we tried to ambush but got away. This three-tomoe should be enough for you to perfect your Chimera Technique.” 

“Fine,” Hiruko sighed, crouching to inspect the ninja on the ground. Then, something else crossed his mind. “By the way, doesn’t Konoha have that guy named Kakashi who also has a Sharingan?” 

“Forget about him. His life’s mine,” the masked man—Obito—snapped coldly before softening his tone slightly. “Mangekyo Uchihas are rare and hard to come by. But if you’re interested in the Mist Village’s Bone Pulse or Ice Release, I can get you some samples. In exchange, you’ll need to do more for the Akatsuki.” 

Hiruko mulled it over and nodded. “Deal, but I’ll need a lot of freedom to work on my ninjutsu research.” 

“No problem. Outside of missions, you can do whatever you want.” 

Obito pulled a black robe with red clouds and a ring inscribed with “Vermilion” from his Kamui dimension. “Here’s your cloak and ring. I’ll be in touch.” 

Chapter 123: Great-Grandma’s “Reward” 

A few kilometers away. 

With a faint swirl in the air, Obito’s figure materialized once again. 

Not far off, Black Zetsu emerged from the ground, looking like some kind of carnivorous pitcher plant. 

“How’d it go?” Black Zetsu asked. 

“Things are settled with Hidan,” Obito replied. “Next up, we need to negotiate with that group from the Land of Demons. You tracked down their leader, right?” 

“Of course,” Black Zetsu said, pausing briefly before adding, “Oh, by the way, Obito, some interesting stuff’s been happening in Konoha. Danzo Shimura, the head of Root, broke out of prison and is now listed as an S-rank rogue ninja. Should we reach out to him?” 

“Danzo…” Obito’s eyes flashed with disdain, but he responded seriously. “If I remember right, the death of Nagato’s old friend had something to do with Danzo. Trying to bring him into the Akatsuki would probably get a hard no from Nagato, don’t you think?” 

“That’s true,” Black Zetsu admitted. “But Danzo’s got a serious grudge against Konoha and the Uchiha clan now, thanks to Uchiha Hikari. He could be a useful pawn in our plan to take down the Uchihas. As for Nagato…” He paused again. “We can promise him that once Lord Madara’s plan is complete, he can deal with Danzo however he wants.” 

In Madara’s plan, Nagato was doomed to die. So, this promise? Just an empty check. 

Obito and Black Zetsu both knew it. 

After a brief silence, Obito nodded. “Alright. You and White Zetsu keep monitoring things. I’ll work on convincing Nagato. If both sides are on board, we’ll meet with Danzo.” 

With that, both of them vanished. 

Three days after her meeting with Shisui. 

Hikari finally kept her promise to Fugaku, gathering the Uchiha clan’s younger generation for a talent showcase. 

Shisui, Inabi, Itachi, Izumi, Rikka, Nana… the whole crew was there. 

And, gotta say, Itachi’s flashy shuriken-throwing skills were something else. Were they the strongest? Maybe not. But visually? They were a total showstopper. 

While watching, Hikari subtly activated her Sharingan, perfectly copying the technique. She was already planning to show it off in some other world someday. 

Once the performances wrapped up, Hikari took a moment to think before giving each of them feedback. 

With her mastery of ninja techniques and physical prowess, she was more than qualified to critique everyone, including Shisui, from a high-level perspective. 

At the end, she pulled Shisui aside to check on his eyes. “So, how’s your eye power doing?” 

Shisui bowed respectfully. “Great-Grandma, I’ve recovered a bit more over the last few days. With some time, I should be back to three-tomoe level… but the Mangekyō? That’s a tougher one.” 

Hikari nodded thoughtfully. “Alright… how about this?” 

She leaned forward slightly from her wicker chair, pressing a finger to Shisui’s forehead. Using her “Yasaka Magatama” technique, she channeled a wisp of her own eye power into him. Shisui’s black two-tomoe Sharingan trembled, then spun, until a third black tomoe appeared with a surge of power. 

Three-tomoe achieved! 

But when Hikari kept pouring in more eye power, the transformation stalled. The Mangekyō didn’t appear. 

“Hm… looks like just injecting eye power won’t bring back the Mangekyō,” Hikari mused. “It probably needs an emotional trigger, like when it first awakened.” 

She briefly considered pulling an Itachi move—making Shisui watch “Uchiha Massacre Night.avi” a few thousand times to jolt him—but decided against it. 

No big deal, though. 

Even at three-tomoe, Shisui’s strength was a bit lower than his peak, sure, but he was still at elite jōnin level. In theory, he could still use Susanoo to hold his own against Kage-level opponents for a short time. 

From the original story, Susanoo didn’t rely heavily on the eyes themselves. Once unlocked, it could be activated using residual eye-power chakra in the mind, even if the user was blind. Madara pulled it off, and in another timeline, Shisui managed it with just one eye. 

“I’ve left enough eye power in your eyes to sustain one Susanoo fight, just in case,” Hikari said casually, pulling her finger back. “I also sealed two Transcription Seal: Amaterasu techniques in there. They’ll trigger automatically if you see anyone in a black robe with red clouds. With your skill, you might even be able to override the seals and activate them yourself. When I’m not around, the Uchiha clan’s safety is on you.” 

“I understand, Great-Grandma,” Shisui said solemnly, nodding. 

Hikari waved him off and called over Izumi and the others, testing the same eye-power injection on them. 

After some experimenting, she came to a few conclusions: 

First, a Sharingan that had awakened but regressed—like Shisui’s—could be restored with injected eye power, but only up to three-tomoe. 

Second, injecting eye power into a normal Sharingan might trigger an upgrade, or it might not, depending on the person. It seemed tied to their eye-power development, emotional experiences, and physical condition. The stronger the overall foundation, the better the odds of advancing. 

For example, Inabi and Izumi both awakened three-tomoe Sharingan during the experiment. 

Third, even if the tomoe count didn’t change, those who received her eye power got a slight boost to their ninjutsu. 

For Hikari, this was just a test to confirm her theories. 

But for Fugaku and the others? They were floored. 

“Great-Grandma, you can actually upgrade the Sharingan’s tomoe count?” 

“Is this the ‘reward’ you mentioned before?” 

“Uh, Great-Grandma, I’ve been stuck at two-tomoe for ages. Could you maybe…?” 

Hikari glanced at the last speaker—an Uchiha in his fifties, practically ancient by ninja standards. What’s this old guy doing butting in? she thought. 

But since the misunderstanding was already out there, she decided to roll with it, keeping a straight face as she spun a little lie. “As you can see, I’ve mastered a secret technique that can enhance the Sharingan’s potential. But it takes a lot out of me, so I can’t use it often. If any of you youngsters impress me like Shisui or Izumi did today, I might consider giving you the same reward.” 

The part about it being draining was true. 

The eye power she’d injected into Shisui and the others came straight from her own reserves—more than what a typical Mangekyō Sharingan would hold. Only someone with her regenerative abilities could handle that kind of drain and still just feel a slight sting in her eyes. A good nap later, and she’d be fine. 

“Speaking of which, Kikyo’s spiritual energy is back. I should swing by the spirit world in a couple of days for a meal and ask her to ‘purify’ some negative thoughts again…” 

Chapter 124: Why Are You Guys So Good at This? 

Next up, Hikari Uchiha slid a thick stack of manuals across the table toward Fugaku.  

“These booklets detail a secret technique called ‘Breathing Styles.’ There are eleven types—Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, and so on. They’re super helpful for training in the corresponding elemental ninjutsu, and the sword forms that go with them have some solid techniques too. 

Fugaku, you can take Shisui and a few others to start practicing these. Once you’ve got the hang of it, pass them down to the rest of the clan. Oh, and the ‘Beast Breathing’ style? Make a copy for the Inuzuka clan. It should mesh really well with their beast-mimicking ninjutsu.” 

She pulled out a few more manuals. “And here are some taijutsu training plans…” 

As Hikari laid out the booklets, Fugaku, Shisui, and the others stared wide-eyed, their faces practically glowing with gratitude. 

“So, Great-Grandma was going out of the village so often to collect these secret techniques for the clan?” Shisui asked, clearly moved. 

“And those days she was holed up at home, she must’ve been putting together these training plans, right?” Fugaku added. 

Well… they weren’t entirely wrong. 

The Breathing Styles were indeed something Hikari had gathered over time, just not from the ninja world. As for the training plans, those were tweaks she’d made to the regimen Minato Namikaze had designed for her back in the day.  

Sure, it was mostly a side project, but being a middleman for this kind of knowledge transfer was no easy feat, okay?  

Hikari tilted her chin up slightly, basking in their appreciation without a shred of guilt. Then, in a quieter tone, she added, “Shisui told me about the recent attacks on Uchiha clan members outside the village. The forces they’re up against aren’t something the average clansman can handle. 

Here’s the plan: Fugaku, go talk to the Third Hokage and ask him to keep Uchiha missions within the Land of Fire, close to the village. I’ll head out myself in a few days to have a little chat with those attackers.” 

“Got it, Great-Grandma. Please be careful,” Fugaku replied, his voice tinged with concern. 

That evening, Hikari sent a quick message to Miko in their group chat and popped over to her world. Since modern Japan’s school hours end early, Miko was already home, holed up in her bedroom, practicing talisman-drawing with a brush and special paper. 

“Hey, Miss Hikari! You’re here!” Miko said brightly. 

“Yup.” Hikari’s eyes drifted curiously to the neatly organized stacks of talismans on the desk. “What’s all this?” 

“These are from Miss Kikyo,” Miko explained, blowing on a freshly drawn talisman to dry the ink before setting her brush down. She pointed to each stack like a proud collector. “This one’s a Calming Talisman—carry it with you, and it keeps your mind clear, no fear or panic. This is a Protection Talisman; it gives off a scent humans can’t smell but spirits hate, so it’s great for warding off evil. And this one’s an Exorcism Talisman—super powerful against ghosts and demons. Miss Kikyo taught me how to draw it last time, but I’m still getting the hang of it. I’ll probably try again in a few days.” 

Well, damn. Miko’s gone from high school girl to full-on shrine maiden. 

Hikari glanced at the talismans’ intricate designs and realized she couldn’t make heads or tails of them. “By the way, Miko, you haven’t been to the shrine lately, have you?” 

“Nope! With Miss Kikyo around, there’s no need. She’s, like, the ultimate shrine maiden.” 

So, in other words… 

That ferocious fox spirit from the original story is still sitting alone in the mountains? Hikari had half a mind to go eat it for a snack.  

Then again, that fox spirit might not be something you can just gobble up. Her Yasaka Magatama could probably absorb it, but digesting it? That’s another story. Plus, there’s supposedly something terrifying sealed under that shrine. If she was gonna mess with it, she’d need a pro like Kikyo to scope things out first. 

For now, Hikari got the locations of a few tunnels on the outskirts of the city from Miko. Then, with a wave goodbye, she slipped into the night, heading to the suburbs for another “meal.” 

She only stopped when faint, eerie whispers from devoured spirits started creeping into her mind. Time to switch worlds. She applied to enter the Inuyasha world. 

Compared to her last visit, things had changed a bit with Kikyo and Bulma’s crew. 

There was a new addition: a kid, maybe ten years old, named Kohaku. 

“This is Kohaku,” Bulma explained. “Kikyo and I ran into him while searching for the Shikon Jewel shards. He’s relying on a shard to stay alive right now—taking it out could kill him instantly, so we had to bring him along.” 

“Got it,” Hikari said with a nod, taking it in stride. 

Kohaku’s story was a tragic one. The youngest son of a demon-slaying family, his first mission ended in disaster when Naraku manipulated him into killing his own father and clan. Then, he was shot dead with arrows, only to be revived by Naraku using a Shikon Jewel shard as a tool for slaughter. For a long time, he was a husk of himself, lost in a haze—until Kikyo helped him regain his sense of self. 

With Naraku sealed early and the timeline completely derailed, it was surprising to see Kohaku still cross paths with Kikyo. Then again, maybe Kikyo sought him out on purpose—she had read Inuyasha, after all. 

“Hi, Big Sis Hikari,” Kohaku said shyly, bowing with a touch of nervousness. 

“No need to be so formal,” Hikari replied with a wave, eyeing his demon-slayer outfit with a playful smirk. “Hey, kid, ever thought about becoming a ninja?” 

Kohaku blinked, confused. “Huh?” 

Just a little teasing, of course. Hikari’s real reason for coming was to get Kikyo’s help purging some bad vibes. The shrine maiden could tell something was off with Hikari’s state and gave her a gentle, slightly exasperated look before motioning her to sit on a cleared patch of ground. Kikyo started setting up an exorcism array. 

As intricate, ancient runes took shape, a holy glow of “Purifying Light” shimmered at Kikyo’s fingertips. 

“Miss Hikari, I’m starting now,” Kikyo said. 

“I’m ready. Thanks for the help, Miss Kikyo,” Hikari replied. 

It was like déjà vu from a few weeks ago. 

Bulma and Kohaku sat quietly nearby, prepping food while occasionally glancing over, keeping an eye out for any trouble.  

Hours later, Kikyo collapsed, utterly exhausted. Hikari, expecting this, flashed behind her to catch her, helping the shrine maiden onto a soft mat nearby. She gently wiped the sweat from Kikyo’s forehead with her sleeve. 

Bulma, watching from the side, raised an eyebrow, her expression turning weird. 

“What’s up, Bulma?” Hikari asked. 

“Nothing, just… you two seem awfully practiced at this,” Bulma said with a teasing grin. “This isn’t your first time doing this kind of thing, is it?” 

Chapter 125: New Move: Thunderlight Hundred Manifestations! 

“So, Hikari, are those eyes of yours… an Eternal Mangekyō now?” Bulma asked, cradling Hikari’s face and peering closely at her pupils. 

“Not quite,” Hikari replied, squirming a bit awkwardly before stepping back. She leaned toward a mirror to check for herself. “The black dots inside the triangular pinwheel are starting to form a smaller pinwheel shape. It’s getting clearer. Probably one or two more purifications, and I’ll fully awaken the Eternal Mangekyō.” 

No way around it. 

Kikyo, in her current state—a soul fragment in a clay body—had limited spiritual energy and recovered much slower than when she was alive. Otherwise, Hikari’s “negative thoughts” would’ve been fully purified by now. 

Still… 

Hikari had a gut feeling. 

Her eye power, refined by Kikyo’s “Light of Purification,” was far purer than a typical Mangekyō. When she finally reached the Eternal stage… something big might happen. A qualitative leap, maybe. 

Purifying her negative thoughts left Kikyo weakened again. 

So, Hikari took her place, lingering in the Inuyasha world for a few extra days to hunt for shards of the Shikon Jewel. 

Speaking of which… 

While the Inuyasha storyline revolved around the Shikon Jewel, most of the creatures scrambling for its shards were small-time demons with mediocre strength. 

The truly powerful great demons—like Ryukotsusei, who was nearing the end of his lifespan and needed something to extend it—rarely got involved. Even Sesshomaru, who wasn’t yet at great demon level during this period, never showed any interest in the Jewel. He probably knew it was more trouble than it was worth, dismissing its so-called “wish-granting” power. 

But if Hikari wanted to score something valuable in this world, she’d have to target those great demons. 

And she already had one in mind: Ryukotsusei. 

This guy was a great demon who once rivaled Inuyasha’s father, the Great Dog General. His steel-like scales and bones could withstand the Wind Scar, and his demonic energy blasts packed a serious punch. 

But after getting his heart pierced by the Great Dog General centuries ago and being sealed ever since, his power had dwindled significantly. In the original story, mid-series Inuyasha took him down with Backlash Wave. If Inuyasha could do it, Hikari figured she could too. 

If she could get her hands on Ryukotsusei’s scales and teeth and have Totosai forge them into weapons… they’d probably be almost as good as Tessaiga. 

Her old blade, Onikiri, got snapped by Chikage Genji in the Dragon Clan world. The Yakuza promised to repair it, but its material limited its potential. Hikari wanted a stronger weapon. 

“Too bad Naraku hasn’t split off Kagura and Kanna yet…” she mused. Kanna’s soul-absorbing, attack-reflecting mirror would’ve been a nice low-budget version of the “Uchiha War Fan.” 

With the goal of tracking down Ryukotsusei, Hikari eagerly set out on her jewel-hunting quest. 

After a week of searching, she hadn’t found Ryukotsusei’s seal yet, but she did run into another group of demons. 

“Those guys down there… they’re the Hyakki Bat Clan from the manga, right?” Hikari said, peering out from the helicopter cabin high above. 

Kohaku, who’d just learned to pilot, was at the controls. Bulma sat beside him, flipping through an Inuyasha manga to compare with the humanoid bats raiding the village below. 

“Yup, that’s them,” Bulma confirmed. “Their leader’s called… Taiyomaru or something?” 

“Taiyumaru,” Hikari corrected. 

After a quick exchange, Hikari slid open the cabin door, the roaring wind whipping around her. She leaped out, forming hand signs mid-air. “I’ll clear out these small fries first. You guys find a spot to land… Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!” 

Poof! Poof! Poof! 

A dozen black-haired, black-eyed Hikari clones appeared in the sky, each hovering with Flight Technique. 

Hikari pulled out a scroll and flung it open. A dozen standard long swords materialized, one for each clone to grab. 

Then… 

“Human Form… Starlight Swarm!!” 

With those words, the dozen clones gripped their swords and dove toward the village like meteors! No Susanoo this time, but wrapped in chakra and ki, they hit near-sonic speeds. White air trails swirled around them, each clone a streak of black stardust plummeting toward the earth, targeting the Hyakki Bat Clan! 

As they fell, chakra surged. 

Word Spirit: Imperishable, activated! 

Seventh-Order刹那 (Moment), activated! 

And then… 

“Thunder Breathing: First Form—Thunderclap and Flash: Twelvefold! x12!” 

In that instant, the twelve Hikari clones transformed into countless streaks of lightning, weaving through the village’s sky. Their sword strikes formed a massive, intricate net of blade energy—a beautiful yet deadly web of killing intent! 

Swish! Swish! Swish! 

In a single breath— 

Thunderlight Hundred Manifestations! 

“?!” 

“Who’s that?!” 

Everyone witnessing the scene—fleeing villagers, slaughtering bat demons, even Bulma and the others in the helicopter—gaped in shock. 

“Whoa, when did Hikari come up with a new move? A multi-clone version of ‘Starlight Meteor Shower’? That entrance is way too cool!” Bulma exclaimed. 

“Lady Hikari… is she really that strong?” Kohaku muttered, awestruck. 

In the time it took to say a sentence or two, the dazzling web of lightning faded. 

The twelve Hikari clones landed simultaneously, each flicking their sword with a flourish to shake off the blood. Behind them, nearly a hundred bat demons shattered into mangled chunks, raining down on the ground! 

With that done, Hikari lifted her gaze. 

Hundreds of meters away, hovering in mid-air, was the massive Hyakki Bat Clan leader, Taiyumaru. At least twenty to thirty meters tall, he flapped his wings, clutching his granddaughter Shiori in his hands. He stared at Hikari in horror. “Who… are you?” 

Hikari formed a single hand sign, dispelling her clones. As the clatter of falling swords echoed, she spoke calmly. 

“Obviously… the one here to take your life.” 

(End of Chapter)