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Chapter 81: The Dragon Clan of 2009 

Seeing Bulma and Uchiha Hikaru’s responses, “Little Monster” seemed a bit nervous. 

[Little Monster: Sorry, did I remember it wrong?] 

[Nameless: Nope, you got it spot on.] 

At the very least, Bulma wasn’t wrong about having a friend named Son Goku. And the Dragon Ball world did have Shenron and a bunch of Z Fighters, with Shenron capable of granting wishes… 

[Nameless: By the way, what’s your name?] 

[Little Monster: Erii. I’m Uesugi Erii.] 

“As expected…” 

Uesugi Erii, one of the heroines of the Dragon Clan world, a secret weapon raised by the Yamata no Orochi clan since childhood. Due to her excessively pure dragon blood, she was prone to losing control and had been confined since she was young, never interacting with anyone outside her family. As a result, her knowledge of the world was sorely lacking, and her understanding of the outside came almost entirely from the anime and games she watched. 

But still… 

How did she manage to mash together completely unrelated things like the Zanskar Empire, the Kingdom of Britannia, and the Golden Twelve Palaces? What kind of worldview was going on in her head? 

Meanwhile, on the other side… 

After hesitating for a moment, Erii cautiously tagged Kikyo. 

[Little Monster @ Shrine Maiden Standing Apart: Um… are you called Kikyo? I think I’ve seen that name before. Do you know a girl from the future who pinned you to a tree with an arrow, and then you were saved by a boy with white hair who’s kind of like a dog?] 

[Shrine Maiden Standing Apart: ?!] 

Compared to her vague recollection of Dragon Ball, Erii’s memory of Inuyasha was surprisingly accurate—though she mixed up the relationships between Kikyo, Inuyasha, and Kagome. 

In the Inuyasha world, Kikyo cautiously asked: 

[Shrine Maiden Standing Apart: May I ask where you heard about this?] 

[Erii: I saw you on TV…] 

[Iron Head: TV? What’s that?] 

As the conversation grew more chaotic, Uchiha Hikaru sighed and reluctantly stepped in. 

[Shrine Maiden Standing Apart: …So, we’re all just characters in an anime, and Miss Erii’s world is where these stories were created?] 

[Nameless: Not quite. You could think of it like this—our worlds are real, but they’re somehow projected into Erii’s world. Sensitive people there pick up on them and use them as inspiration to create those stories.] 

[Nameless: Also, not every world gets projected. For example, Tanjiro and Miko’s worlds don’t have anything like that.] 

Of course, that last bit was mostly a matter of timing. 

A key event in Dragon Clan is the apocalypse in 2012, triggered by the awakening of the Black King. Erii’s death happens around 2011. Tanjiro and Yotsuya Miko are anime characters who appeared years after her death, so naturally, she wouldn’t know about them. 

[Nameless: Miss Erii, may I ask how old you are this year?] 

[Erii: …I don’t really remember.] 

“Uh…” 

Not remembering her own age? That’s something. 

As Uchiha Hikaru pondered how to pin down the timeline of the Dragon Clan world, Erii sent another message— 

[Little Monster @ Shrine Maiden Standing Apart: I think I found your story. Is it called Inuyasha?] 

[Shrine Maiden Standing Apart: …The dog demon I know does go by that name.] 

From there, Erii started binge-watching the show, sharing plot details with the group as she went. 

Bulma didn’t hold back her disdain for Inuyasha’s behavior. 

[Bulma: Pfft, what a jerk! Two-timing and stringing people along—total scumbag!] 

[Yotsuya Miko: [raising hand.jpg] Um, I’m a bit confused… Aren’t Miss Kikyo and Miss Kagome supposed to be the same person? How can they both exist at the same time?] 

[Eternal Sidekick: Maybe that Oni-woman, Naraku’s minion, used a revival technique that split their souls. In my and Miss Hikaru’s world, there are similar ninjutsu, though very few can perform them… It might be somewhat like the Second Hokage’s Edo Tensei. The principles could be related. If you get the chance, Miss Hikaru, you might want to look into it.] 

[Nameless: Hmm.] 

[Nameless @ Little Monster: Is there more?] 

[Little Monster: …More what?] 

After chatting with Erii for a bit, Uchiha Hikaru finally pieced it together— 

The Dragon Clan world’s timeline was likely early 2009. 

The Inuyasha anime finished airing in 2004, with the Final Act starting production by the end of 2009. In Erii’s memory, the Final Act didn’t exist, but she had recently watched the Kingdom of Britannia—aka Code Geass’s second season, which aired in the latter half of 2008. So, the Dragon Clan world’s timeline was somewhere between those two points, leaning closer to the former. 

“If we go with early 2009, Erii should be about 17 years old. Lu Mingfei is still in high school at Shilan Academy, and Chu Zihang might already be at Cassell College… There’s roughly two years left until the point in the original story where Erii dies.” 

Plenty of time. No need to rush. 

Relieved, Uchiha Hikaru shifted her focus to Kikyo’s situation. 

After Erii spoiled her “fate,” Kikyo went silent. 

Bulma tried tagging her a few times but got no response. 

[Bulma: Hikaru, what do we do? Miss Kikyo’s not saying anything. Did something happen?] 

[Nameless: …I think she’s probably struggling to process being told about her “fate.”] 

[Eternal Sidekick: Yeah, that makes sense.] 

[Eternal Sidekick: I thought my existence was already pretty wild, but Miss Kikyo’s situation… If you need any help, please don’t hesitate to ask. Everyone in the group would be happy to lend a hand.] 

[ … ] 

No response. 

After a brief silence, Bulma spoke up. 

[Bulma: You know, we should look at it this way! The stuff that happens in those “projections” is just one possible future out of countless possibilities. But the moment we joined this chat group, that old future stopped existing. Now, we get to create a brand-new future with our own hands! Isn’t that what makes life exciting—the unknown?] 

[Eternal Sidekick: Well said, Miss Bulma.] 

[Iron Head, Demon-Haunted: Yeah, totally!] 

[Bulma: Hehe, thanks for the compliments!] 

[Bulma @ Little Monster: Oh, Erii, can you check who my future boyfriend is?] 

[Nameless: …] 

Chapter 82: Kikyo's Actions 

Bulma was super curious, no doubt about it. 

But in the end, she decided against pressing Eriyi to spill the beans on Dragon Ball’s plot. For someone like her, who thrived on adventure, knowing every detail of the future would suck all the fun out of life. That said… hopping into the worlds of some of the newer group members for a bit of a sightseeing trip? Now that was a whole different story. 

[Nameless: My advice? Don’t go.] 

[Nameless: Or at least let me scout the place first before you jump in.] 

[Little Monster: What does “jump” mean?] 

[Nameless: It’s like, those of us in this chat group can, with permission, travel to each other’s worlds. While you’re there, it costs points—one point per day. You earn points by “checking in,” which gives you anywhere from 1 to 50 points each time. As long as you’re not bouncing between worlds like crazy in a single day, you won’t run out of points…] 

Speaking of which… 

This chat group actually had a point-based trading system. 

Points earned from checking in could be used like currency to trade for goods with other members. But ever since the first batch of group members started doing “offline trades,” with Uchiha Hikari and Bulma practically touring everyone’s worlds, the system’s main function got kind of sidelined. 

[Little Monster: Oh, I get it…] 

[Little Monster has requested to enter Nameless’s world. Do you agree?] 

“…Huh?” 

In the few seconds Uchiha Hikari was caught off guard, Eriyi quickly retracted the request. 

[Little Monster: Sorry, sorry! I just wanted to try it out… I’ve never left home before, and my brother doesn’t let me go outside, so I really want to see what your world is like…] 

[Bulma: Wait, your brother’s keeping you locked up and not letting you out? Is he some kind of creepy sister-obsessed freak? That’s gotta be illegal! You should report him ASAP! Or me and Hikari can come help you out!] 

[Little Monster: No, it’s not like that. My brother cares about me a lot. It’s my own issue…] 

[Bulma: Why are you defending that weirdo?!] 

Seeing Bulma’s righteous fury, Uchiha Hikari coughed lightly. 

[Nameless: Bulma, Eriyi’s situation might not be what you’re picturing. It’s not something the police can fix… @Little Monster, I’ve got some stuff to deal with right now. How about this? Once things settle down on my end, I’ll invite you over to hang out. Or Bulma and I can come visit your world.] 

Even though Eriyi was usually sweet and gentle, she was still a hybrid with the devastating Word Spirit: Judgment, capable of wiping out half a street in one go when unleashed. Uchiha Hikari wasn’t totally comfortable letting her teleport solo to Bulma’s world—or letting Bulma and the others visit hers, for that matter. 

It’d be better if Hikari hosted. 

[Little Monster: Really? It’s a deal then!] 

[Nameless: Yup, it’s a deal.] 

… 

After that, Eriyi turned into a total curious kitten, bombarding Uchiha Hikari with all sorts of questions. Living in a modern world with a mind that jumped all over the place, she asked things that left most of the group stumped. Only Hikari and Bulma could keep up with her wild train of thought, answering as best they could. 

And then, after a long silence, Kikyo finally piped up. 

[Lone Shrine Maiden: I’m sorry for making you all worry.] 

[Lone Shrine Maiden: I just met with the samurai from Hitomi Castle. He told me about the young lord, Hitomi Amato, falling ill. If what Eriyi-san said about “fate” is true, then Hitomi Amato is likely possessed by Naraku. I want to meet him in person to confirm this.] 

[Nameless: …So what’s your plan? Stick to the original story and help him collect the Shikon Jewel shards?] 

In the Inuyasha storyline, Naraku was a unique composite yokai. He had no core or weak point, and his existence leaned almost metaphysical. Even if you destroyed him physically, unless he was completely purified, he could just reform his body and come back. In a way, he was like a souped-up version of Kibutsuji Muzan from Demon Slayer—or maybe Muzan mixed with Orochimaru. 

As the big bad of the Inuyasha world, Naraku had clear goals, relentless drive, cunning strategies, and insane growth potential. He was obsessed with collecting Shikon Jewel shards and was way more efficient at it than Inuyasha’s protagonist crew. 

Kikyo had seen this and chosen to help Naraku gather the shards, secretly infusing them with her “light” to purify both him and the jewel at the critical moment.  

The plan was solid in theory. 

But here’s the catch… 

As the shards were collected and fused, Naraku’s power skyrocketed. Worse, he realized his human heart—still lingering with love for Kikyo—kept him from killing her. So, he purged that weakness and set a trap at Hakurei Mountain, leading to Kikyo’s death. 

If Kikyo went down the same path this time, the outcome might be the same—or worse. Since Kikyo now knew the plot, she’d likely collect the shards even faster, speeding up her own demise. By then, Uchiha Hikari and the others wouldn’t be able to use the “jump” function to enter the Inuyasha world, and Inuyasha, Kagome, and their crew wouldn’t have powered up enough to avoid getting wiped out. 

[Nameless: I’m not sure if Naruto world techniques could take out Naraku, but I think it’s worth a shot. As for collecting Shikon Jewel shards, you don’t have to rely on Naraku. Bulma might have a way to help.] 

[Bulma: Huh?] 

[Nameless @Bulma: Dragon Radar.] 

Bulma blinked, then it clicked. 

[Bulma: Oh! I got it! No matter how the Shikon Jewel was made, if it’s a physical object that glows, I can analyze its wavelength and frequency. Then I can build a “Shikon Jewel Radar” to track down the shards!] 

[Bulma: Hikari, you’re so smart! I didn’t even think of that.] 

[Bulma @Lone Shrine Maiden: Those yokai in your world seem pretty tough, but Hikari’s crazy strong too! If it comes to it, I’ll head to Kame House, grab Goku and Master Roshi, and bring them over to help you take down that Naraku guy!] 

[Nameless: ?] 

In theory, you couldn’t bring living people along when jumping worlds, but there were workarounds. For example, sealing someone in a scroll with a sealing jutsu and carrying that along might do the trick. If it worked for bringing Demon Slayer demons to the Naruto world, it could probably work for living people too. Pop a few Senzu Beans in their mouth beforehand to make sure they didn’t croak mid-trip, and you’re good. 

Still… 

Uchiha Hikari couldn’t help but picture Master Roshi flexing his muscles and blasting a Kamehameha in the Inuyasha world. She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or groan. 

Chapter 83: Exorcism Talismans and Haunted by Evil Spirits 

Honestly, if you’re looking for help from the Dragon Ball world, Kame-Sennin isn’t the best choice. 

It’s his sister, Baba Uranai. 

She’s someone who regularly moves between the realms of yin and yang, even bringing back the spirit of Grandpa Gohan to the living world. She’d likely know a thing or two about banishing spirits or lingering obsessions. Kame-Sennin, despite his strength, isn’t exactly cut out for purifying evil thoughts—blasting a few Kamehameha waves won’t do the trick. Though, the Mafuba might work. 

Plus… 

Naraku once disguised himself as a beautiful woman to trick Miroku’s grandfather, cursing him with the Kazaana. Given Kame-Sennin’s, ahem, pervy nature, he’d probably fall for it too. If he got dragged into the Inuyasha world’s hell or some inescapable place, that’d be a real mess… 

[Nameless: Anyway, if you need help, don’t hesitate to ask. Helping each other as group members is only natural, and who knows, we might need your help someday too.] 

[Shrine Maiden Standing Apart: Thank you for your concern. I’ll carefully consider these suggestions.] 

Uchiha Hikaru’s keen interest in Kikyo’s situation wasn’t entirely selfless— 

The Inuyasha world is full of treasures. 

Forget everything else—those great yokai are practically walking treasure troves. 

Just Toga’s fangs were forged into Tessaiga and Tenseiga. Sesshomaru used his own demonic power to create Bakusaiga. Other yokai clans and immortals also wield all sorts of unique artifacts… Grabbing even a few would be a massive haul. 

Then there’s Kikyo herself. As one of the most powerful miko in her world, even if their cultivation systems differ, there’s plenty to learn from her. 

At that moment, Kikyo seemed to remember something. 

[Shrine Maiden Standing Apart: Oh, I just made some protective talismans. I’m not sure if they’ll work against the ghosts in your worlds, but you can give them a try. If they’re effective, I can make more to send you. @Iron Head @Yotsuya Miko] 

[Shrine Maiden Standing Apart uploaded “Exorcism Talisman” (3 pieces), each priced at 1 point.] 

[Kikyo: Sorry, it seems I can’t set them to 0 points. You can upload something random and sell it to me for the same price, so no one loses any points.] 

[Iron Head: No worries, I’ve got plenty of points.] 

Soon enough, Tanjiro and Miko each bought one talisman, and Bulma snagged the last one. 

This caught Erii’s attention. 

She started experimenting by uploading her Ultraman figurine, only to immediately buy it back, seemingly reluctant to part with it. Then she uploaded a drinking cup instead, treating the “group shop” function like a new game. 

Inside Konohagakure… 

Uchiha Hikaru shifted her focus back to reality. 

“The Inuyasha world is set in a fictional Sengoku-era Japan, where transportation is limited to carriages or walking. If Kikyo sets out now, it’ll take at least a day or two to reach Hitomi Castle and face Naraku, who’s disguised as the castle lord.” 

“So…” 

In the meantime, Uchiha Hikaru decided to move. 

She relocated from Naruto’s single-person apartment to the Uchiha clan’s compound. 

As they parted ways, Naruto fidgeted with his hands, clearly reluctant to see her go. 

The two puppies, Mochi and Dango, whimpered as if trying to convince her to stay. 

“Come on, don’t look so glum. I’m just moving to the other side of the village. We can still hang out all the time.” 

Uchiha Hikaru wiped Naruto’s tears with her sleeve, speaking softly. “Besides, Mochi and Dango are staying with you. I’m their owner, so I’ll come check on them. You better take good care of them for me.” 

“…I will!” 

“And don’t forget to stick to the diet and schedule I set for you. If I come back and find your place a mess again, you’re in for some serious punishment.” 

After a few more instructions, Uchiha Hikaru stood up and waved. “See ya later, then.” 

“Bye, Hikaru-nee.” 

After leaving the apartment building… 

Uchiha Hikaru followed Fugaku and the others to the Uchiha clan compound. Fugaku personally escorted her to a three-story standalone villa, spanning seven or eight hundred square meters, fully furnished with everything she could need. 

Fugaku offered to arrange two girls to serve as maids to tend to her daily needs, but she declined. 

She wasn’t used to being waited on. 

Before leaving, Fugaku cautiously asked when she might have time to mentor Itachi and Shisui. 

“…Maybe in a couple of days, depending on things. I’ll let you know when I’m free.” 

That was Uchiha Hikaru’s response. 

Her real plan was to wait for updates from Kikyo. 

However… 

Before Kikyo sent any news, another newcomer ran into trouble first. 

It was evening. 

Fresh from a bath, dressed in cozy cotton pajamas and toweling off her hair, Uchiha Hikaru suddenly noticed a message in the chat group. 

[Yotsuya Miko @ Kikyo @ Nameless: Miss Kikyo, Miss Hikaru, help!!] 

[Yotsuya Miko: I think I’m really being haunted by a bunch of ghosts! I don’t know why, but they just appeared around me, asking if I can see them… It’s so scary!!!] 

[Nameless: ?] 

Uchiha Hikaru waited a few seconds, but seeing no reply from Kikyo, she responded: 

[Nameless: Pull me over.] 

[Nameless has requested to enter Yotsuya Miko’s world.] 

[Yotsuya Miko has approved the request.] 

… 

With a flash of white light… 

Uchiha Hikaru vanished from the second-floor bedroom of her mansion. When she opened her eyes again, she was in a completely unfamiliar world. 

It was evening here too. 

The sky was dark, with a light drizzle falling. 

Before her stood an old-fashioned bus stop on a long, empty street with hardly any pedestrians. 

Sniff— 

Uchiha Hikaru caught a faint whiff of something burning. 

Turning around, she saw Yotsuya Miko, dressed in a JK uniform, standing under the bus stop sign. Miko was pretending to stare at her phone, too scared to look up. Around her, there was a faint, invisible ring of fiery light, and vague wails echoed from the void, though they were hard to make out. 

“You’re…” 

Miko seemed to hear something and glanced at Uchiha Hikaru, starting to speak before stopping herself. 

“Don’t worry, I’m ‘Nameless’ from the chat group, not some ghost in disguise.” 

Uchiha Hikaru spoke softly, then frowned as she looked behind Miko. “What’s with the ‘flames’ around you?” 

“I’m not sure…” 

Miko snuck quick glances to either side, her expression confused. “After I got Miss Kikyo’s talisman from the group, I kept it with me. Just now, those monsters suddenly showed up and freaked me out, so I asked you and Miss Kikyo for help in the group… I think this must be Miss Kikyo’s talisman doing its thing.” 

As she spoke, Miko pulled a cloth pouch from her shoulder bag, revealing the “Exorcism Talisman” inside. 

At that moment… 

The white talisman with black writing was already half-burned. 

Chapter 84: The Power of "Yasakani" 

The reason it’s called “burning” is because the edges of the talisman have marks that look like they’ve been scorched by flames, yet no ashes fall. 

And in the short time the two of them are staring at it, the talisman continues to dissolve at a slow, steady pace. 

“Miko, can you still see those spirits?” Uchiha Hikari asks. 

Miko nods. “Yeah. Miss Hikari, there’s one right behind you, about four or five meters away. It seems spooked by Miss Kikyo’s talisman and isn’t coming closer for now. There are also two on the chair to your left-front…” 

“?” 

Uchiha Hikari turns to look, but sees nothing. 

She closes her eyes, then opens them. The three-tomoe Sharingan activates. 

Then the Mangekyo Sharingan. 

Still nothing. 

“…Looks like we need a professional for this.” 

[Nameless has started a group live stream] 

[Nameless @Kikyo: Miss Kikyo, can you see what’s going on over here?] 

Uchiha Hikari isn’t surprised that her Mangekyo Sharingan can’t see malevolent spirits. In the Naruto world, most people can’t directly see spiritual entities. It only happens in specific cases—like when an Edo Tensei is undone or in certain mental realms. 

But. 

The Naruto world isn’t helpless against spirits. There are methods: Yin-Yang Release and sealing techniques. 

Truth-Seeking Orbs, based on Yin-Yang Release, can destroy the souls of Edo Tensei reincarnations, preventing their bodies from regenerating. In theory, they could even obliterate a soul entirely. High-level sealing techniques and barriers can also restrain spirits—like Minato Namikaze’s Reaper Death Seal or the Four Violet Flames Formation used by the Sound Four and later by Choza Akimichi and others in the Fourth War to trap Dan Kato. 

Uchiha Hikari’s plan to deal with Naraku hinges on sealing techniques as well. 

Meanwhile. 

On a carriage heading to Hitomi Castle. 

Kikyo, meditating with her eyes closed, opens them to look at the live stream window floating in the air. 

[Kikyo: …I can see it.] 

[Kikyo: There are quite a few malevolent spirits gathered around you, Miss Hikari, and Miss Miko. I can see them clearly. If you want to see them too, you can place this talisman on your forehead.] 

As she speaks, Kikyo opens the wooden box beside her and pulls out two talismans. 

A dozen seconds later. 

Uchiha Hikari places Kikyo’s uploaded Spirit-Sight Command Talisman on her forehead. As the talisman dissolves into invisible light and sinks into her body, it feels like a third eye opens on her brow. The world around her transforms. 

At the bus stop, faint, blurry silhouettes wander aimlessly. 

They’re dense, grotesque, looking like someone tossed a bunch of people into a mill, ground them up, then carelessly scooped out a lump of flesh and slapped it together. A single glance is enough to make your sanity take a nosedive. 

Right now, they’ve formed a circle, all staring hungrily at Uchiha Hikari and Miko, muttering in a low, eerie gibberish. It’s not any human language, yet somehow, it’s understandable. 

“Can you see?” 

“Can you see?” 

“…This wasn’t in the original plot, was it?” 

Uchiha Hikari’s lips twitch slightly, a bit exasperated. 

The malevolent spirits in Miko’s world have a bit of a “rule-based horror” vibe. As long as you “can’t see” them—even if you’re just pretending—you can coexist peacefully. But the moment you show you can see them, they swarm like sharks smelling blood, ready to tear you apart. 

Like right now. 

The Exorcism Talisman and Uchiha Hikari’s presence have thrown Miko off her usual game. Instead of staying calm and pretending she can’t see, she’s been pointing and talking about the spirits. This has basically screamed “I have spirit vision!” to them, drawing every nearby spirit in. The closest one is already two or three meters away. 

They’re not getting closer because of the Exorcism Talisman. 

Under the effect of the Spirit-Sight Command Talisman, Uchiha Hikari can clearly see a faint glow radiating from the talisman in Miko’s hand. It forms a transparent light barrier around them. Whenever a spirit gets too close, the barrier triggers, creating invisible, colorless flames that burn the spirit’s body. 

But… 

“Miss Hikari, Miss Kikyo’s talisman seems to be burning up faster. What do we do?” Miko says nervously. 

[Kikyo: …Do you need me to come over?] 

[Nameless: Not yet. I want to try my own abilities first.] 

Under Miko’s watchful gaze. 

Uchiha Hikari first checks that there are no cameras around—Japan’s surveillance system isn’t as tight as China’s, and even in a place like Tokyo, plenty of spots lack cameras. Then she forms hand signs, takes a breath, and exhales softly: “Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!” 

A massive fireball erupts above the street. 

“!!” 

Yotsuya Miko’s eyes widen in shock. 

But… 

The impressive flames have zero effect on the spirits. They just collide with the rain, kicking up a cloud of white steam that obscures everything. Good thing it’s dark and rainy with no one around, or some passerby might think they stumbled into a ghost story. 

Next, the black pinwheel in Uchiha Hikari’s right eye spins: “Amaterasu!” 

“Tsukuyomi!” 

After a series of moves, Uchiha Hikari starts to piece things together: regular ninjutsu are completely useless against these spirits, even if she can see them. 

Whether it’s a Great Fireball or a Rasengan, the attacks pass right through them, like slicing through smoke. At best, they scatter the spirits’ forms briefly, but it’s not actual damage. The moment the attack stops, they reform. 

Amaterasu and Rengoku no Jutsu have a slight effect, seeming to cause the spirits some burning or binding pain, but it’s negligible. 

Only Tsukuyomi, while unable to drag them into an illusion space, can leave a mark on them. 

But when Uchiha Hikari tries her strongest, most hidden eye technique—Yasakani—to manipulate those marks, something unexpected happens. 

Strands of gray-black energy, drawn by her eye’s power, are pulled from the spirits’ bodies and absorbed into her eye sockets! 

As the energy flows in, Uchiha Hikari feels a cold, dark emotion flood her mind. Yet her eyes experience a strange, soothing comfort, like getting an eye spa treatment. Even her vision seems to sharpen slightly. 

Uchiha Hikari’s eyelid twitches. 

“Yasakani… it can absorb spirits?!” 

“No… it’s probably absorbing the mental energy that makes up these spirits?!” 

Chapter 85: Emergency Food 

To confirm her discovery… 

Uchiha Hikaru kept channeling her ocular power, sucking in three or four nearby evil spirits until they dissipated into nothingness. Only then did she pause, carefully analyzing the sensation. 

“Yachihoko,” even among Mangekyo Sharingan techniques, was one of the most unique. 

Its core ability was to use an engraved mark as a medium to absorb the chakra and ocular power of those bearing the mark. 

And ocular power, according to a certain unnamed white-haired Hokage, was a special form of Yin Release chakra that surged from the brain when an Uchiha experienced emotional pain or frustration. Its essence was a derivative of mental energies like emotions and obsessions… which just so happened to be the key components of spiritual entities! 

So… 

Could “Yachihoko” absorb spirits because their nature was similar to ocular power? 

If that’s the case… 

“Could I use these spirits to enhance my Mangekyo’s ocular power, pushing it toward an Eternal Mangekyo—or even close to a Rinnegan?” 

“If I’d known about this sooner…” 

The thought made Uchiha Hikaru chuckle wryly. 

Knowing earlier wouldn’t have helped. 

Before meeting Kikyo, she couldn’t even see spirits. 

Plus, in the worlds she’d encountered so far—Naruto, Dragon Ball, Demon Slayer—there were always places like the “underworld.” The first two even had figures like the Sage of the Six Paths or King Yama overseeing the balance of the living and spiritual realms. Under normal circumstances, spirits weren’t allowed to linger in the living world. 

Miko’s world was different. 

From the Jibaku Shonen Hanako-kun source material, her world was practically crawling with ghosts—most of them twisted amalgamations of grudges, obsessions, and negative emotions, devoid of their former memories or reason. Absorbing and refining these entities was, in a way, helping them find release. 

With her thoughts now clear… 

The way Uchiha Hikaru looked at the surrounding evil spirits subtly shifted— 

These weren’t man-eating ghosts or malevolent entities. 

They were an endless buffet of emergency food prepared just for her! 

Slurp— 

Though she was tempted to dive right in, Uchiha Hikaru held back. This wasn’t the time to go all-you-can-eat on spirits. 

She was still streaming to the group chat, and everything she did was under Kikyo and the others’ watchful eyes. Earlier, the misty water vapor had obscured things, but now that the fog had cleared, if she kept absorbing spirits, someone might figure out the secret of “Yachihoko.” 

So, for now… 

Uchiha Hikaru deactivated her Mangekyo and tried a few other methods. 

The Breathing Techniques from the Demon Slayer world… 

Ki-based energy blasts from the Dragon Ball world… 

A laser sword crafted by Bulma… 

Most of them were useless against spirits. 

Interestingly, among the items she’d gotten from Ubuyashiki Kagaya, two actually had spirit-repelling properties— 

The sacred blade Onikiri and a string of magatama beads. 

Onikiri, in particular, could not only slay spirits but also absorb a portion of their scattered mental energy. Though it only clung to the blade’s surface without enhancing the weapon itself, it was still a pleasant surprise. 

After confirming all this… 

Uchiha Hikaru used the “Sealing Technique” she’d recently learned from Minato Namikaze to try sealing the last two spirits. This Uzumaki clan secret technique wasn’t particularly powerful—in the Naruto world, it could handle maybe a Special Jonin-level creature at best—but for the ordinary spirits in Miko’s world, it was more than enough. 

With the sealing technique active, Uchiha Hikaru could physically touch the spirits, dragging them over and stuffing them into a scroll. 

The sensation, though, was like grabbing a slimy, gooey blob of snot, leaving her hands disgustingly sticky. 

On the other side… 

Yotsuya Miko, who’d witnessed the entire process, was in awe: 

“Miss Hikaru, you’re an incredible exorcist! Catching them with your bare hands like that—you’re amazing!” 

[Kikyo: Is this从未 the sealing technique from your and Mr. Eternal Sidekick’s world? It’s a bit different from the sealing techniques I know, but it’s very impressive.] 

[Nameless: Just a minor trick, nothing special.] 

[Nameless: By the way, the techniques I just used should be enough to help you deal with Naraku, right, Miss Kikyo?] 

Kikyo hesitated for a moment. 

[Kikyo: Miss Hikaru, your strength is indeed greater than I expected, and I apologize for underestimating you earlier. But Naraku is truly dangerous, and you could be putting yourself at risk…] 

[Nameless: Don’t worry, I’m prepared for that.] 

[Kikyo: …Alright then. Once I enter Hitomi Castle, I’ll keep you updated on my movements. But if things get dangerous, please return to your own world immediately. Don’t risk your life for my sake.] 

[Nameless: Got it.] 

While Uchiha Hikaru and Kikyo talked, Bulma, who’d been eagerly watching, finally found a chance to jump in: 

[Bulma: What about me? Me and Goku can help too! And Tanjiro, Erii, all of us—why don’t we all go together…] 

[Little Monster: Stare.jpg] 

[Nameless: …Maybe next time. We’ll call you when it’s time to collect the Shikon Jewel shards.] 

As Uchiha Hikaru had considered earlier, while Goku, Tanjiro, and the others had some strength, they had little resistance to soul-based techniques. If Naraku possessed them or they brought back some nasty entity from the Inuyasha world, it could cause serious trouble. For this mission, it was better for just her and Kikyo to handle things. 

After settling things with Kikyo… 

Uchiha Hikaru turned to Yotsuya Miko, who was waiting nearby. “Let’s go, Miko.” 

“Huh? Go where?” 

“Your place.” 

According to the plot of Mieruko-chan, starting today, Miko would be constantly harassed by ghosts and spirits, even in her bathroom or under her bedcovers. These entities didn’t follow the basic rules of the ghost world at all. 

Since she was already here… 

Might as well help Miko out fully and at least clear her house of spirits. 

So… 

They waited a few minutes at the bus stop, then rode the bus for three or four stops, catching glimpses of a few wandering spirits through the windows. Eventually, they arrived at a standalone house on a street corner. 

Miko unlocked the door and introduced Uchiha Hikaru to her mother and brother: 

“Mom, this is… a younger sister of one of my classmates. She’s staying over for the night because of some family stuff.” 

Then she turned to Uchiha Hikaru. “K-Koharu, this is my mom and my little brother, Yotsuya Kyosuke.” 

(End of Chapter)