**Chapter 78: Oh, You’re Blushing? (Please vote for more~)**

The idea of asking for the Yin Seal was a spur-of-the-moment thought when Uchiha Hikari saw Tsunade.

But studying Yin-Yang Release? That had been part of her plans for a while—

She'd discussed some aspects of Yin-Yang Release with Minato Namikaze in the group chat, but the information she got from those conversations wasn't comprehensive or systematic enough.

And she couldn't just sit around waiting for Dr. Brief's research to bear fruit. She needed to take the initiative, developing and refining her Mangekyō Sharingan abilities, maybe even pushing them further to evolve into the higher-tier Rinnegan.

To do that, she had to dive deep into Yin-Yang Release.

A trip to Konoha's archives was definitely in order.

Plus, she could gather and review the training records the Uchiha clan had accumulated over the past few decades.

(*It's a shame I can't access the Yamanaka clan's ninjutsu records. If I could figure out how their Mind Body Switch Technique works, it might help a lot with developing control over "Yasaka no Magatama"…*)

Hikari mulled over her plans silently.

On the other side—

Sarutobi Hiruzen hesitated for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. "Fine. But like last time, you can only read in the archive room—no taking scrolls out. And you're limited to two days."

"No problem."

Hikari shrugged.

To Sarutobi Hiruzen, "two days" was a significant restriction. Even someone with a great memory could only get through seven or eight scrolls at most.

But Hikari didn't need to read everything. She'd just snap photos of every scroll and book she could access and send them to the group chat.

After a bit more small talk, Sarutobi Hiruzen hurried off.

Tsunade's return and Danzō's new injuries demanded his immediate attention.

Hikari's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched him go.

—She hadn't mentioned in their talk that the Fourth Mizukage was being controlled by Obito. There was no solid evidence for that intel, and besides, things handed over too easily were rarely valued. Better to let Konoha figure it out themselves.

Only then—

Bulma nudged Hikari, whispering to ask about the old man's identity.

"…Wait, so 'Yongdaime' means 'Fourth Hokage'? This village is only 50 years old and already has had *four* Hokages?"

"Yup."

Hikari nodded. "It's not like your world, where the whole planet's under one nation. Here, you've got the Five Great Nations, plus a bunch of smaller countries wedged between them. Conflicts over land and resources are constant, and wars never really stop. Most ninja only live to about 40 or 50 on average. Someone like Sarutobi Hiruzen, living as long as he has, is pretty rare.

Back in the Warring States era, where I grew up, the average lifespan was barely 30. A lot of kids didn't even make it past six or seven before dying on the battlefield."

"…"

Bulma's mouth pursed, and when she looked up again, her usual smile had faded. Her gaze toward Hikari carried a hint of pity.

"…Hey, what's with that look? You're acting like *I'm* about to keel over."

Hikari shifted uncomfortably under her stare.

"Alright, enough of that. If you're curious about the history of the ninja world, I'll grab you some history books later. For now… let's go get some barbecue. You're only here for a bit, so we gotta celebrate."

"…Sounds good."

…

That night—

Hikari and Bulma shared a bed.

—Naruto's place was small, and Hikari's bedroom was barely ten square meters. Fitting another bed was a hassle, and she wasn't about to make Bulma sleep on the floor.

At just over 13 years old, Hikari's petite frame—barely over 1.5 meters tall—meant they could squeeze in together just fine.

But…

When she saw Bulma, freshly showered and smelling of body wash, sitting on the bed in just her underwear, patting the edge to invite Hikari in—

Hikari felt her face heat up.

"Ohhh, Hikari, you're *blushing*?"

Bulma's eyes lit up like she'd discovered a new continent. "Didn't we sleep together when we were hunting for the Dragon Balls? Why're you getting shy *now*?"

"That was different. We weren't in the *same bed*, just the same room…"

Hikari corrected her softly.

"Same difference! We're both girls—what, you think I'm gonna *do* something to you?"

Bulma's expression turned mischievous, like she'd thought of something. "Wait a sec, Hikari, you're only 13! How do you even *know* about that stuff? Don't tell me you've been sneaking peeks at *those* kinds of books? Who would've thought…"

"…"

Hikari chose to ignore the bait.

She knew exactly what Bulma was getting at—when it came to *theoretical* knowledge on that subject, Hikari's pre-transmigration reading probably outstripped anything Bulma could imagine.

Her practical experience, though? Pretty much zero…

Hold on, what did she mean by "*you've* been sneaking peeks"?

"Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing. If Naruto next door hears us, he'll think we're up to something shady."

Bulma chuckled, then lowered her voice. "The bed's nice and warm now. Hop in and let's sleep. I want you to show me around the village tomorrow."

"Mm… night."

Hikari slipped into her pajamas and slid under the covers.

After exchanging goodnights with Bulma, she turned off the light. The two lay close together, drifting off to sleep.

The night passed quietly.

The next morning—

After breakfast at home, Hikari created a few shadow clones, each maintaining the "Breathing Technique: Constant" state to train in kenjutsu, ninjutsu, sealing techniques, Rasengan, and the Flying Thunder God technique, among others. Meanwhile, her real body took Bulma sightseeing around the village.

The Hokage Rock, Naka River, the Ninja Academy…

With her status as the "Uchiha Great-Grandma," Hikari had near-unrestricted access to Konoha, aside from private clan compounds.

Occasionally, they'd pass members of the Police Force patrolling the streets, who'd bow and greet her respectfully.

When they reached the hot spring district, Bulma's eyes lit up, eager to try it out, but Hikari stopped her.

"Huh? Why not?" Bulma asked, confused. "It's chilly out—hot springs would feel amazing right now, wouldn't they?"

"…You remember Master Roshi?"

"You mean that pervy old guy?"

Bulma paused, then it clicked.

Hikari nodded. "The Third Hokage you met? Also a bit of a perv. And there's another guy in this village who's *even worse* about peeping… Next time I visit the Land of Hot Springs, I'll bring you along for a proper soak."

…

*"Achoo!"*

At the Senju clan compound—

In the central residence—

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Jiraiya both sneezed at the same time.

Across the stone table—

Tsunade clutched her sake jug and cup protectively, leaning back with a disgusted expression.

*The second batch of group chat members has been confirmed and should appear soon. Stay tuned for a little surprise~*

*(End of Chapter)*