**Chapter 14: Preparations Before Heading to the Dragon Ball World**

Meanwhile, on the other side…

Uchiha Hikari was recalling the plot of *Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba* while cooking, casually sharing some rough intel about the Hand Demon.

To be honest, out of the four people currently in the chat group, Tanjiro was in the most dangerous situation.

Hikari herself didn't have much to worry about. As long as she didn't get reckless, she'd likely make it to the later parts of the *Naruto* storyline without much issue.

That said, there was one problem she needed to address: overuse of the Mangekyo Sharingan could lead to blindness. Without these eyes, her strength would take a serious hit. This trip to the *Dragon Ball* world was a golden opportunity, and Hikari had been mulling over how to approach Bulma about "borrowing" a wish…

Namikaze Minato was the safest—after all, he was already dead.

Bulma, as a non-combatant, was also in a pretty secure spot. Even in the chaotic later arcs of *Dragon Ball*, where entire planets got wiped out, she rarely died. Her luck was on par with Ichiraku Ramen's Teuchi from the *Naruto* world.

But Tanjiro? He was a different story.

In the original *Demon Slayer* plot, from the moment he joined the Demon Slayer Corps, he was constantly teetering on the edge of death.

The *Demon Slayer* world didn't have concepts like "chakra" or "ki." Most methods of getting stronger came at the cost of burning through one's lifespan. The "Mark" in particular—once it awakened, it was like a ticking clock on your life.

Even if Hikari spoiled the future plot for Tanjiro, it wouldn't help much. He'd still struggle to win fights, and any changes to the story could trigger a butterfly effect, potentially getting him killed even faster. After all, Tanjiro had brushed shoulders with the final boss, Kibutsuji Muzan, twice early in the story. If Muzan weren't such a coward, Tanjiro would've been long gone.

"Hm… Once things settle down here, I'll make some time to visit the *Demon Slayer* world," Hikari mused. "Maybe combining their 'Breathing Techniques' with chakra could unlock some new abilities…"

As she thought this over, she calmly plated the food and poked her head out of the kitchen. "Naruto, come eat!"

By now, Hikari had swapped her Warring States-style dress for loose, comfy loungewear, tied with a white apron and slipping on some slippers. Aside from her slightly messy hair, without her Sharingan active, she blended in like any ordinary Konoha resident.

She'd also reorganized Naruto's wardrobe, burying that tacky yellow jacket at the bottom and hanging up a row of stylish new clothes.

Naruto had protested at first but eventually gave in.

"Wash your hands first," Hikari said, lightly tapping the back of Naruto's hand with her chopsticks. She watched him scrub his hands at the sink and sit at the table before handing him his chopsticks. Then, she snapped a quick photo of the meal and sent it to the chat group, tagging Namikaze Minato.

Naruto took the chopsticks, staring at her expectantly.

"What're you looking at me for? Eat! Or do I need to feed you?" she teased.

"…Hehe, *itadakimasu*!" Naruto grinned, digging into his food with gusto.

On her side, Hikari propped her chin on one hand, lazily picking at her rice. "Naruto, did you memorize the recipes I taught you yesterday? How about you take over cooking tonight?"

"Huh?" Naruto froze mid-bite, scratching his head nervously. "I… kinda remember some of it, but I might mess it up…"

"You've gotta start somewhere. Nobody's a master chef on their first try," Hikari said with a smile. "I might be heading out for a bit in a few days, and I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. You'll need to take care of yourself while I'm away. I've already shown you how to pick out vegetables and meat, how to use the gas stove and rice cooker. If any shop refuses to sell to you, just find Uzuki Yugao and let her handle it."

Naruto froze, slowly looking up at her, his voice small. "Hikari-nee, are you… leaving Konoha?"

"Something like that."

More accurately, she was leaving this *world*.

"Then…" Naruto's smile faded, replaced by a lost, anxious look. "Hikari-nee, did I do something wrong? Why are you suddenly leaving? I'll work hard to learn everything you taught me, and I'll make dinner tonight, I promise! Please don't leave me behind…"

"What're you thinking? I'm just going on a trip, not dying or anything," Hikari said, chuckling. "You've got a classic people-pleaser personality—always assuming you're the one who messed up. No wonder that old man's been able to mess with your head… Whatever, I'll help you work on that when I get back."

She made a mental note to talk to Namikaze Minato about it. Hikari wasn't exactly a psychology expert—she could tell Naruto's behavior wasn't healthy but wasn't sure how to fix it.

"By the way…" Hikari glanced out the window, another thought crossing her mind.

Her trip to the *Dragon Ball* world wouldn't be too long, but it wouldn't be short either. Should she give the Third Hokage a heads-up to avoid any misunderstandings?

…

"…Lord Third, this is a report on Uchiha Hikari's recent activities."

In the Hokage's office, Shinosuke placed a stack of documents on the desk.

Each page had a photo attached, with detailed timestamps and activity logs.

Sarutobi Hiruzen skimmed through it quickly, taking a few deep puffs from his pipe, his gaze heavy. "Has she made contact with anyone from the Uchiha clan?"

"Not yet," Shinosuke replied. "As per our arrangements, Uzuki deliberately steered her away from the Police Force headquarters and the Uchiha clan's district."

He paused, hesitating. "But as long as she's settled in Konoha, she's bound to learn about the Uchiha clan's current situation sooner or later. Plus, when she stood up for Naruto in the shopping district recently, she used her Sharingan in public. Several people saw it, and word's likely reached the Police Force by now."

"What do you think… Should we have Shisui reach out to her first, test the waters?"

As Sarutobi's son and trusted confidant, Shinosuke was well aware of the tensions between the village and the Uchiha clan.

Before, with just Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan, some Uchihas had dared to talk about rebellion.

If Uchiha Hikari sided with the clan…

Shinosuke didn't even want to imagine what could happen.

**(End of Chapter)**