96-100

Chapter 96: Obito’s Schemes and Hikari’s Plans 

Eri might look soft and delicate, but her appetite was no joke. Maybe it was Minato’s secret sauce working its magic, but she polished off an entire plate of grilled meat all by herself. 

Uchiha Hikari, meanwhile, finished the remaining half-plate. 

When the two stepped out of the barbecue joint, a familiar figure was already waiting for them. 

“Izumi?” 

“Great-Grandmother-sama.” 

Uchiha Izumi bowed immediately, her expression respectful. “Fugaku-sama heard of your return and sent me to check in. If there’s anything you need, just say the word.” 

“Oh.” 

Hikari didn’t have any orders to give. She just asked casually, “Anything happen in the clan while I was gone?” 

Izumi hesitated. “…Yes. A few clan members have gone missing.” 

“Missing?” 

Hikari raised an eyebrow. 

“Yeah.”  

Izumi glanced at Eri before lowering her voice. “Ever since the Nanga River attack, things outside the village have gotten shaky—especially near the Land of Fire’s borders. Ninja squads sent there on missions have been ambushed multiple times. Several people have vanished, including some Uchihas…” 

She elaborated further: 

Late last year, the Uchiha clan had struck a deal with Konoha, sending some members to the Ninja Academy and jōnin squads. A few even started leading teams on missions outside the village. 

Everything had been going smoothly. 

The Uchihas chosen by Fugaku and approved by Konoha’s F3 (the three top advisors) were skilled and level-headed. Sure, there were minor squabbles with teammates during missions, but it was just verbal spats—nothing serious. Their mission success rate was solid. 

But after the Nanga River incident, these teams started running into trouble. It seemed like someone was deliberately targeting Uchihas leading missions outside the village. 

“They’re pulling that card, huh?”  

Hikari didn’t need long to figure out who was behind it. “What’s Fugaku saying?” 

“Fugaku-sama wants to pause all missions outside the village until you’re back to discuss it, but some clan members aren’t happy about it… While you were gone, Hokage-sama sent people to ask for the clan head’s input. They’ve already dispatched Anbu to investigate the border situation. Jiraiya-sama and Shisui from our clan are part of it.” 

“…” 

Hikari frowned. 

Obito targeting Uchihas on external missions caught her off guard, but it made sense when she thought about it. 

He’d already crossed paths with her once and likely knew she wasn’t an easy target. Plus, with Danzō in the hospital and Itachi still lacking his Mangekyō Sharingan, scrapping the original Uchiha extermination plan for a slower, pick-them-off-one-by-one strategy was a smart move. 

With her skills, Hikari could easily demand to take charge of this mess. 

But… 

“Tell Fugaku he’s gotta make this call himself.” 

“If the Uchiha clan wants to climb higher, the person in the clan head’s seat can’t be a spineless pushover. When it’s time to decide, he needs to stop overthinking. If I, your ‘Great-Grandmother,’ have to handle everything, what’s the point of you younger generations?” 

Hikari paused. “How many clan members are missing?” 

“Three.” 

“Oh…” 

That’s not worth stepping in for yet. 

Compared to the Uchiha massacre crisis in the original timeline, this was a minor loss. She’d been shielding the clan for long enough—it was time for the younger generation to step up and handle their own problems. 

Besides, with Jiraiya and Uchiha Shisui—two Kage-level shinobi—investigating, it should be fine, right? 

Her thoughts shifted. “Is Tsunade still in the village?” 

“Huh?” 

Izumi thought for a moment, then answered hesitantly, “I’m… not sure. But Hokage-sama recently announced Danzō’s arrest. He’s been moved to a prison near the Police Force building. They’re waiting for medical ninja to heal his injuries before his sentence starts. I heard from the clan head that Tsunade-sama had a hand in pushing for it.” 

“Got it. You can head off now.” 

Hikari’s question about Tsunade wasn’t random. 

She had something she needed Tsunade’s help with— 

Eri. 

This seemingly sweet, harmless girl was actually a dangerous hybrid with the “Judgment” Dragon Speak ability. In the Dragon Clan world, it was a conceptual “forced death” power, manifesting as cutting energy, only resistible by higher-tier dragon bloodlines. 

If they were enemies, Hikari wasn’t sure her regenerative abilities could counter it. 

The cost of such power? Eri’s body was dangerously unstable. Her dragon blood constantly eroded her, risking a total loss of control. 

The Dragon Clan world didn’t seem to have a fix for this. 

At least, not on the surface. 

But in the Naruto world, two people might be able to help— 

Tsunade and Orochimaru. 

Tsunade’s medical ninjutsu was unmatched in the ninja world—well, back in her prime, at least. To get her help with Eri’s dragon blood issue, they’d first need to cure her hemophobia. 

Hikari didn’t have a solid plan for that yet. 

As for Orochimaru… 

Hikari had considered making a deal with him before. 

As a leading figure in the Naruto world’s tech scene, Orochimaru had plenty of valuable assets—an improved Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation), the Ryūchidō contract scroll, even soul-transfer jutsu. Hikari, in turn, had things that might catch his interest, like the demons from Demon Slayer or Saiyan blood. 

But deals with him were risky. 

Orochimaru’s greed and lack of morals made Danzō look tame. If he got his hands on a demon sample, he’d likely round up live humans to feed them, studying their energy conversion. Human experiments like Dr. Gero’s? That was just another Tuesday for him. 

In theory, none of that was Hikari’s problem—she wouldn’t be the one ordering it. 

But if her actions led Orochimaru to conduct gruesome experiments that didn’t exist in the original story, she couldn’t just shrug it off with “not my fault.” 

So… 

“Guess it’s about time to test the ‘Yasaka no Magatama’ on a living person, see how it rewrites consciousness.” 

“Danzō’s worthless life… might finally be useful.” 

Chapter 97: Is Hikari an Outsider Too? 

That evening, Uchiha Hikari and Eri returned home, each carrying a pile of shopping bags. 

“Eri, the water’s ready. Go take a bath first. I’ll start on dinner.” 

“Okay.” 

Eri nodded obediently, then immediately began peeling off her coat in the living room, moving to unbutton her white shirt. 

“Wait—change in the bathroom!” 

Seeing Eri nearly down to her underwear, Hikari hurried over, gently grabbing her hands. With a serious tone, she said, “Listen, a girl’s body isn’t something you show to just anyone, even in underwear.” 

Eri blinked, raising her notebook: “Is Hikari an outsider too?” 

“…” 

Hikari thought to herself, What, am I supposed to be an insider? 

“Basically, aside from someone super close… no, someone whose soul is bonded to yours, like a life partner, you shouldn’t let anyone see your body.” 

After a few more instructions, Hikari glanced at Eri’s smooth wrist, then reached out to touch and gently squeeze it. 

The texture was soft and smooth, no different from an ordinary girl’s—perhaps even softer, like fine silk. 

(No visible issues so far. Seems like a few days without her serum injections hasn’t caused any problems.) 

Well… it might just be too soon to tell. 

After all, the current Eri was two years younger than in the Dragon Clan 3 storyline, so her physical condition was likely better than in 2011. In the original story, she ran away with Lu Mingfei for about a week, using her “Word Spirit: Judgment” multiple times, which rapidly worsened her health. But now, as long as she didn’t use her Word Spirit, a week or so should be fine. 

Still, to be safe, it’d be best to send her back after three or four days. 

“?” 

Eri tilted her head, looking at Hikari with confusion. 

“…It’s nothing. Go take your bath.” 

Hikari smiled, brushing it off. 

Soon, the sound of running water echoed from the bathroom. Under the dim yellow light, a faint, tantalizing silhouette was visible on the glass door. 

Hikari formed hand seals to create two shadow clones, sending them to cook dinner. She, meanwhile, returned to her second-floor bedroom, sat at her desk, and closed her eyes. 

Her consciousness sank inward. 

Lately, Hikari hadn’t stopped training with “Yasaka no Magatama.” She’d conducted numerous experiments on the Daki siblings and other demons captured from the Demon Slayer world, even losing two demons in the process. 

—Not all of them had willingly become demons. Some, like Nezuko or Tamayo, had been killed and turned by Muzan through experiments or deception. After their human memories resurfaced, a few demons gave up their regenerative abilities, seeking death instead. 

In those cases, Hikari would grant them a merciful end after the experiments. 

But now… 

This was Hikari’s first attempt at experimenting on a living human. 

Deep within the shadowy recesses of her mindscape, among countless flickering [Engraving] fragments, Hikari located the one belonging to Shimura Danzo. She extended her consciousness like tendrils, slowly seeping into its edges… 

… 

Deep in Konoha’s prison, inside a heavily guarded cell, Shimura Danzo lay on a sickbed, eyes closed, resting. 

As a man nearing sixty, he’d had a rough time lately—either getting beaten or waiting to get beaten. Thankfully, Konoha Hospital’s medical expertise, combined with the vitality from Hashirama’s cells in his body, had kept him alive. 

Perhaps because of his age, Danzo had been dreaming a lot lately. 

In particular, he kept dreaming of his teacher, Senju Tobirama. 

It was a memory from the First Shinobi World War, a nightmare buried deep in Danzo’s heart— 

“…The Kinkaku Force is closing in. One of us has to stay behind as a decoy, or we’ll all be wiped out.” 

“Hiruzen, Danzo, Homura… You’ve been with me the longest. The choice is yours.” 

In the dense, shadowy forest, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, presented this decision time and again. Each time, Danzo screamed internally that he would stay as the decoy, but every time the words reached his lips, they faltered. In the end, he could only watch as Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped forward, earning Tobirama’s approving nod and the appointment as Konoha’s Third Hokage. 

Meanwhile, Danzo was left to lurk in the shadows as the “root” of the village, forever hidden from the light. 

(If only…) 

(If I’d been more decisive back then…) 

(If Tobirama-sensei could give me another chance to choose…) 

Countless thoughts swirled in Danzo’s mind, like demons dancing in his heart. 

At some point, unnoticed, the image of his revered teacher in his memories began to shift—silver hair darkened and lengthened, the red markings on his cheeks faded, and black three-tomoe Sharingan slowly emerged in his eyes. His figure shrank… This wasn’t Senju Tobirama at all—it was that Uchiha brat!! 

(Damn it, you inherently evil Uchiha brat, how dare you…) 

Danzo’s emotions flared, but an invisible force swept over him, instantly smoothing out all stray thoughts. 

Then, like water flooding a riverbed, the scenes in his memories were silently rewritten. 

Unknowingly, Danzo seemed to see that Uchiha brat standing before him, dressed in the Hokage’s ceremonial robes. She tiptoed, patting his shoulder. “Danzo, I personally decided to dismantle Root. For the future of the Uchiha and Konoha, you must flee the village as a rogue ninja and infiltrate the Akatsuki.” 

“…A rogue ninja?” 

Danzo vaguely sensed something off about the scene but couldn’t pinpoint what. “But my Root…” 

“Don’t worry about Root’s destruction. Those are necessary sacrifices.” 

A voice, laced with an almost hypnotic charm, pierced his mind. 

In Danzo’s vision, the Uchiha brat’s figure grew taller, bathed in a holy light like an angel. 

“Don’t refuse, Danzo. Among all my students, I trust only your abilities. Hiruzen and the others couldn’t do this.” 

“When you return from this undercover mission, you’ll be Konoha’s Fifth Hokage!” 

—Fifth Hokage! 

—Hiruzen can’t do it, but I can! 

At those words, Danzo felt as if some mysterious force struck his soul. In that moment of mental surrender, all doubts vanished, replaced by an inexplicable surge of excitement that set his entire body trembling. 

In a daze, he saw his face carved onto Konoha’s Hokage Rock. 

“…Teacher Hikari, I’ll carry out your plan!” 

“Heh.” 

The Uchiha brat’s lips curved into a fleeting smirk. “Your defection is set for three days from now. Everything’s been arranged. This mission is Konoha’s top secret. You must not reveal my identity to anyone. If necessary, use the ‘Reverse Four Symbols Seal’ I taught you to destroy your body entirely.” 

“Don’t fear death. Even if that happens, I’ll keep my promise and posthumously name you the Fifth Hokage. From then on, Konoha’s villagers will forever honor your legacy.” 

“Yes, Teacher Hikari! I won’t let you down!” 

“…” 

In the darkened cell, Danzo remained asleep, eyes shut. But inside, a fire blazed fiercely in his heart. 

“All of this… is for Kon… Teacher Hikari!” 

Chapter 98: Kabuto, You Don’t Want to Lose Nonō Forever, Do You? 

In a brightly lit bedroom, Uchiha Hikari opened her eyes and let out a silent breath. 

Her first time using Yasaka no Magatama on a human had gone smoother than expected. 

Maybe it was because Danzō’s obsession with the Hokage title ran so deep. When she mentioned “Fifth Hokage,” his resistance melted away almost visibly, rendering her backup plans unnecessary. 

But… 

This was just step one. 

Hikari didn’t care about Danzō’s fate, nor did she actually plan to help him escape Konoha. 

He was just a test subject, nothing more. The goal was to see if Konoha’s forces—especially the Yamanaka clan with their Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Technique)—could detect that Danzō’s memories had been altered by Yasaka no Magatama. 

If they couldn’t, it meant her training with the technique was paying off. She could move on to rewriting the minds of people like Orochimaru or Dr. Gero, bending them to her will. 

If they could, though, she’d need to refine her skills further. In that case, Danzō’s role as a test subject would end early. To keep Yasaka no Magatama’s secrets safe, she’d use Ura Shishō Fūin (Reverse Four Symbols Seal) to erase him and anyone nearby, ensuring no leaks. 

“The pieces are in place. Now… we wait.” 

That same night, in a secluded, dimly lit room somewhere in Konoha, the door creaked open and shut. A figure wearing a pale mask appeared silently, bringing with them a chill like biting snow. 

“How’s it going?” 

“I’ve got the details. Danzō-sama’s been moved to a prison near the Police Force building. It’s guarded by a mix of Anbu and prison staff. But the border situation’s drawn most of the Anbu away, so security’s looser than when he was in Konoha Hospital.” 

“What about Kō and the others?” 

“Kō? Hmph, he’s bought into the Third Hokage’s nonsense. Goes by ‘Tenzō’ now, even joined the Anbu… His life was a gift from Danzō-sama, and now he’s betraying him openly. I should’ve killed him ages ago!” 

“Shh—” 

The grim man already in the room gestured for silence. He checked both sides of the door, locked it, and returned. “I’ve assigned everyone’s tasks. We move in three days—it’s a starless, moonless night. Just do your part, and we’re set. 

This rescue is critical. No screw-ups. If Danzō-sama escapes, it’s worth it even if every one of us dies in the process.” 

“Yes, sir!” 

After a brief pause, the man turned to a boy standing in the corner. 

Compared to the others, this kid was noticeably younger—maybe eleven or twelve. White, medium-length hair, glasses perched on his nose. 

“Kabuto, you’re a key piece of this plan. Danzō-sama’s safety depends on you. Don’t mess it up. Otherwise… you don’t want to lose Yakushi Nonō forever, do you?” 

“...Yes, sir.” 

Yakushi Kabuto lowered his head slowly. 

Over the next few days, Hikari took Eri all over Konoha’s bustling streets. 

Maybe because she’d been cooped up at home for so long, rarely interacting with anyone beyond the Sheqi Bajia’s top brass and medical staff, Eri was clearly drawn to lively places. The crowded shopping district, even a quiet video rental shop with just a handful of customers, fascinated her endlessly. 

She even met Naruto once, along with Mochi and Dango, his two ninja dogs. 

The pups seemed to sense Eri’s dragon blood and were skittish at first, cowering a bit. Hikari tossed a quick genjutsu their way to calm them down, letting Eri indulge in some serious dog-petting fun. 

In high spirits, Eri “talked” a lot. The notebook she’d brought from the Dragon Clan world was completely filled by the third day. 

So Hikari took her to a general store in the Uchiha compound and bought a thicker one. 

While there, Eri’s eye caught on a hand-carved wooden statue. 

Hikari didn’t notice at first. It wasn’t until she turned to leave and realized Eri wasn’t following that she backtracked. “What’s up? Want it?” 

“Mhm.” 

Eri cautiously pointed at the statue, then held up her notebook with a pitiful yet hopeful look: “Is it okay?” 

“Sure, it’s fine, but it doesn’t seem that special…” 

“Because it looks like Hikari.” 

“Huh?” 

Hikari raised an eyebrow and took another look at the statue. She’d initially mistaken it for a mini Uchiha Madara, but after studying the facial features, a weird feeling crept up. She called over the shopkeeper. “Hey, who’s this statue supposed to be?” 

“Uh…” 

The shopkeeper froze, then started sweating buckets. “Well… it’s actually you, Great-Grandmother-sama… But don’t get the wrong idea! The clan made these to honor your strength, as protective charms…” 

“?” 

Protective charms? Honoring her?? 

Good grief, were they trying to set up a shrine for her or what? 

Hikari was speechless, mentally noting to have a word with Fugaku later. 

Not to ban the statues outright—banning things just made people want them more, and with her sky-high clan seniority, a shrine wasn’t entirely unreasonable… But at least they needed to standardize the process, make sure these carvings were actually used for worship and not some weird side hustle. 

—Thankfully, the Naruto world hadn’t invented mobile games yet, or she’d probably end up as a five-star character in a gacha pool, complete with a dozen swimsuit skins… 

After some careful browsing, Eri stuck with her first pick. 

The statue depicted a figure in Sengoku-style armor, long hair flowing, with a faint Susano’o ribcage shimmering behind. Looking at “herself” from this angle felt odd, but Hikari had to admit the craftsmanship was top-notch. Not quite lifelike, but it captured her vibe perfectly. 

“Maybe I should have one made for everyone in the group chat. Bring them as souvenirs next time I visit?” 

As Hikari mulled it over, Eri grabbed a waterproof marker and scribbled something on the statue’s base, flashing a goofy, childlike grin. 

“What’d you write?” 

When Hikari asked casually, Eri held up her notebook, her smile showing all eight teeth gleaming: “Secret.” 

Chapter 99: Danzo’s Defection and Tsunade’s Engraving 

It was late at night. 

Konoha Village lay in silence, wrapped in sleep. Only the lights of the Security Force building still glowed, echoing the sparse, star-like lamps scattered across the village. 

Rustle— 

With a gust of wind, several shadowy figures slipped into the woods near Konoha’s prison, splitting up along preplanned routes. They waited for the street patrols to pass before simultaneously channeling chakra and forming hand seals: “Genjutsu: Nirvana Temple Technique!” 

Phantom-like feathers drifted silently down. 

The guards at the prison entrance felt their eyelids droop, overcome by drowsiness. 

“…Something’s wrong. Someone’s casting a genjutsu!” 

The first guard to notice tried to shout, but a kunai slashed his throat. 

His body crumpled soundlessly, blood pooling red. 

Another figure, a grim man, emerged from the shadows inside the prison, gesturing to the others nearby. “Move quickly. We’ve got about ten minutes to pull off this rescue!” 

… 

At that moment, high above the Security Force building, a thumb-sized Uchiha Hikari—wearing a mini bracelet—stood in midair, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold below with a baffled expression. 

“What the hell?” 

She’d come to witness Danzo’s escape, to confirm whether her “Yasaka no Magatama” had worked as intended. 

But… 

Who were these ninja breaking him out? 

Not wanting to reveal herself and still unsure of the situation, Hikari stayed back, observing. She watched as the jailbreakers clashed briefly with the prison guards, then helped an elderly man in a dark kimono—Danzo—escape, fleeing toward Konoha’s main gate. 

By now, the surrounding patrols had noticed the commotion. 

The jailbreakers decisively left two members behind to hold off pursuit, while the remaining two carried Danzo and kept running. Along the way, more reinforcements appeared, relaying Danzo forward in a chain of escorts. 

Though some stayed behind, Danzo himself was whisked to the village gate without pause. There, a bespectacled, white-haired Yakushi Kabuto was already waiting. 

“…I see.” 

The moment she spotted Kabuto, Hikari understood. 

It was the remnants of Root! 

She’d always found it odd. In the original timeline, people like Yakushi Kabuto, Yakushi Nono, and Sai’s brother Shin should’ve been Root members at this point. Yet, neither during her first wipeout of Root’s elite nor the second destruction of their base had she seen them. 

She’d assumed they’d been absorbed by Sarutobi Hiruzen during the cleanup. 

But apparently… 

They’d been hiding all along? 

“If that’s the case…” 

From her vantage point in the sky, Hikari glanced at the village, gauging the distance between the approaching Anbu and Security Force members and Kabuto’s group. She scrapped her original “Danzo gets captured” plan. Instead, in her miniaturized form, she flew toward Kabuto and the others under the cover of night, activating her Mangekyo Sharingan: “Tsukuyomi Engraving!” 

Across from her, Kabuto—carrying Danzo and sprinting swiftly—faltered briefly. He snapped back to reality, startled, and adjusted his glasses with one hand, glancing around. 

“What’s wrong, Kabuto?” 

“Nothing… I think my eyes just played a trick on me.” 

“…Watch the road. If anything happens to Lord Danzo, you’ll never find out what happened to Nono!” 

After the brief exchange, the two Root remnants carried Danzo and vanished into the distance. 

… 

In that “Tsukuyomi” moment, Hikari hadn’t implanted any specific commands, only causing Kabuto to zone out briefly and leaving an engraving as a precaution. 

The Root remnants’ rescue operation was unexpected, but it wasn’t a big deal. If even Danzo’s most loyal followers couldn’t tell his memories had been altered, it would still prove the effectiveness of “Yasaka no Magatama.” 

The engraving on Kabuto was just a backup. 

By now, explosions echoed near Konoha’s main gate. 

Danzo’s escape had been exposed, drawing more Anbu and Security Force members. To slow the pursuers, the Root remnants fought desperately, throwing everything they had—explosive tags, summoned beasts, ninjutsu. One even formed the seals for “Mutual Multiplier Explosive Tags” and charged into the crowd, detonating in a frenzied suicide attack. 

Their reckless abandon gave Konoha’s forces pause. 

Among the pursuers, Hikari spotted familiar faces—Uchiha Yatsushiro, Nanami, Inuzuka Hana… 

But she had no intention of meeting them. Instead, she seized the opportunity, using her Sky Dance Technique to fly to the Senju clan’s compound. She located the largest courtyard at its center and slipped inside. 

“This should be the place…” 

Entering the mansion through a window and poking around, Hikari soon found Tsunade, drunkenly slumped by a window. 

The woman had clearly been drinking all night. Even now, she looked dazed, wearing only a loose sleeveless top. From the side, Hikari could faintly make out the outline of her ample figure, but Tsunade’s eyes were unfocused, almost vacant. 

Well, that made things easier. 

Hikari used the Transformation Technique to turn into a moth, flitting past Tsunade unnoticed. She cast a split-second Tsukuyomi Engraving, then flew off silently. 

—Engraving Tsunade was part of her plan. 

Unlike with Danzo, whose will she’d freely manipulated, Hikari didn’t intend to tamper with Tsunade’s mind. Instead, she wanted to use “Yasaka no Magatama” to erase Tsunade’s hemophobia, hoping to later enlist her help in treating Eri. 

Maybe she could even take a look at Nezuko from the Demon Slayer world. 

But that plan wasn’t for now. 

First, Hikari wasn’t entirely confident about using “Yasaka no Magatama” to cure hemophobia. 

Danzo was a safe test subject—his life or death didn’t matter. If the experiment failed, she could force him to use the “Reverse Four Symbols Seal” to destroy himself and keep her secret. Tsunade, however, was different. Any move on her had to succeed on the first try. 

Second, Tsunade was still in Konoha. If Danzo’s defection and Tsunade overcoming her hemophobia happened back-to-back, it might raise suspicions from the Third Hokage. While it was unlikely to trace back to Hikari, she didn’t want to leave any loose ends. 

The engraving was in place, so finding Tsunade later would be easy. There was no rush. 

For now, Hikari flew back to her compound. Only after entering her room did she remove the mini bracelet, returning to her normal size. 

“Phew…” 

The clock on the wall read 3 a.m. 

Hikari planned to wash her face and head to bed. 

But… 

As she passed Eri’s room, she suddenly heard a faint rustling sound. 

Chapter 100: Be Good, Let 

“…Eri?” 

Uchiha Hikari paused, tilting her ear toward the door. She knocked softly twice and spoke in a low voice. 

The rustling sounds from inside stopped instantly. 

That only confirmed to Hikari that she hadn’t imagined it. 

“Can I come in?” 

After a moment of silence, Hikari slowly turned the handle and opened the door. In the moonlight spilling through the window, she caught a pair of pale golden eyes staring at her from the bed, glinting with a hint of nervousness. 

—Golden pupils. A trait unique to the hybrids of the Dragon Clan world. 

“Eri?” 

Hikari frowned slightly, puzzled, and took a few steps closer. She noticed Eri’s head shift slightly, tracking her movement. The girl was clearly awake but curled up tight under the blankets, clutching the edges like she was guarding against something. 

Though she hadn’t activated her Sharingan, Hikari’s night vision had sharpened since absorbing those ghosts from the Mieruko-chan world. In the dim moonlight, she could clearly make out faint, delicate lines creeping across the exposed skin of Eri’s neck. 

Hikari’s eyes narrowed as she sat on the edge of the bed. 

“Be good… let me see.” 

“…” 

A brief standoff ensued. 

Finally, Eri relented, loosening her grip. Hikari gently pulled back the blanket, revealing Eri’s body in her pajamas. 

Hikari wasn’t unfamiliar with Eri’s figure—she’d seen it plenty over the past few days. 

But what caught her attention now wasn’t the curves. It was something else—on Eri’s smooth, porcelain-like skin, faint grayish veins had begun to surface. The lines, like slender worms, snaked from her hands up her wrists and elbows. It wasn’t hard to guess the pajamas hid more of the same. 

“…Does it hurt?” 

Hikari reached out, brushing the lines gently. The texture felt rough under her fingers. 

Eri shook her head, grabbing her notebook from the bedside: “It’s like this when I don’t get my serum in time. I’m used to it.” 

“What happens if you skip the serum too long?” 

“I don’t know. I’ve never tried.” 

Eri paused, then scribbled again, holding up the notebook: “Seeing the outside world comes at a big cost. I’ve always known that. But being with Hikari makes me happy, so it’s okay.” 

“…” 

Hikari fell silent for a moment, then sighed. “Get some good sleep. Tomorrow, I’ll take you home.” 

She wanted to help Eri with her bloodline issue, but whether it was Tsunade, Orochimaru, or even Dr. Brief from the Dragon Ball world, none of them could crack it overnight. For now, Eri’s condition would have to rely on the Sheqi Bajia’s methods to stay stable. 

Who knew what kind of chaos her few days in the Naruto world had stirred up back in the Dragon Clan world? 

For now, Hikari patted Eri’s blanket like she was soothing a child, watching her eyes flutter shut. Once Eri was asleep, Hikari tucked the blanket snugly around her, then quietly left the room to wash up and head to bed herself. 

The next morning, after breakfast, Hikari took Eri to Konoha Hospital. 

She’d only been there once before—when Tsunade came back and gave Danzō a beatdown, and Hikari tagged along for the show. 

The staff clearly knew who she was, though. After she introduced herself, a few senior medical ninja hurried over to ask what she needed. 

“I see… So, Hikari-senpai, you’re here to get this young lady checked out? Of course, we can help. Please, follow me.” 

Over the next hour or so, Konoha Hospital ran a thorough physical on Eri. When the results came in, the hospital director cautiously tugged Hikari’s sleeve, leading her to a quiet hallway outside. 

“Uh… Hikari-senpai, if I may ask, is your friend from some lost kekkei genkai clan?” 

“…Something like that. Why?” 

In a way, “Dragon Speak” wasn’t too different from a kekkei genkai. Both stemmed from bloodlines, altering the body on a genetic level and passing down to some degree. The instability of a super-hybrid’s bloodline even shared some similarities with Itachi’s and Kimimaro’s kekkei genkai diseases in the original story. 

Under Hikari’s gaze, the director chose his words carefully. 

“To be blunt, your friend’s condition is… concerning. There’s a unique power in her body, possibly an unknown kekkei genkai. It grants her incredible physical abilities but also eats away at her. Without a treatment plan soon, her lifespan… it might not be long.” 

Hikari wasn’t shocked by the verdict. She cut to the chase. “Can you treat it?” 

“We’re not sure…” 

The director paused. “But we can try. We might not be able to cure her, but slowing the erosion should be doable. By the way, would your friend be able to stay for observation?” 

“Not really.” 

Hearing Hikari’s answer, the director thought for a moment. “Then please let us collect some blood and tissue samples. Without her staying, research will be tougher, but we’ll aim to give you a preliminary answer in one or two months.” 

He hesitated, then added, “Honestly, if Tsunade-sama could step in, the odds of a cure would be much higher…” 

Hikari thought, No kidding, but just nodded slightly. “Thanks for the effort, Director Miyano. Don’t worry about the medical costs.” 

“You’re too kind. It’s our duty.” 

After the blood draw, Hikari pinged Bulma in the group chat, then took Eri to the Dragon Ball world. She explained the situation to Dr. Brief and had Eri go through another round of physical exams. 

While there, Hikari casually asked about the “Uchiha Bloodline Origin Project.” 

“We’ve got some theories and are running comparison tests, but the risks are still unclear. We’ll need more data before moving forward…” 

Dr. Brief spoke while peering at Eri’s freshly collected blood sample under a microscope. “This girl’s blood is wild. Hard to believe it flows through human veins… I’ll dig into it and let Bulma know if I need to reach you.” 

“Cool.” 

Stepping out of Dr. Brief’s lab, Hikari glanced at Eri. “You sure you don’t want me to go back with you, Eri?” 

(Chapter End)