Hikari Uchiha in Animeverse

After negotiations wrapped up, it was already late at night. 

Both sides went their separate ways, settling into the inn. 

At that moment, Uchiha Hikari opened the chat group and gave a quick rundown of the situation to Bulma and the others, who had been eagerly waiting for updates. 

[Bulma: Wow, you've already handled it smoothly? As expected of Hikari!] 

[IronHead: +1] 

[Nameless: It's mostly thanks to Minato-sensei's "Four Symbols Seal." Without it, Kikyo and I wouldn't have sealed Naraku so easily.] 

[EverCarryingSis: No, what I did was just icing on the cake. Your own talent and effort are what mattered most, Miss Hikari. Most people couldn't master a high-level sealing technique like the "Four Symbols Seal" in such a short time.] 

After some mutual flattery, Bulma couldn't wait to shift the topic— 

[Bulma: Since Naraku's been sealed, there shouldn't be any danger for you and Kikyo anymore, right? Can I come over now?] 

[Nameless @Bulma: It's too late today. Tomorrow's better. Just remember to bring that detection gear.] 

[Bulma: No problem!] 

[LittleMonster: EatingMelon.jpg] 

[Nameless @LittleMonster: …I'll call you later.] 

Speaking of which, lately, the person with the longest online time in the chat group had shifted from Bulma to Eri. 

It wasn't surprising. 

Most people in the group had some responsibilities. Bulma and Miko were students, though Bulma's school attendance was more for fun—she'd been skipping classes a lot lately. Tanjiro had his Demon Slayer Corps training and demon-hunting missions. Kikyo was a miko who traveled to heal and save people. Even Namikaze Minato was busy battling the half of the Nine-Tails sealed in the Shinigami's stomach. 

Eri, on the other hand, was a textbook shut-in. 

As the secret weapon of the Sheqi Eight Families, her usual ways of passing time were gaming and watching anime. 

But ever since joining the chat group, the girl had barely touched her gaming console. She'd open her eyes each morning and immediately start staring at the group's messages, eagerly waiting for Uchiha Hikari or others to pop up. Even when no one was active, she'd scroll through the chat history for hours, thoroughly entertained. 

How to put it… 

Though Eri never said it outright, her behavior practically screamed "I'm lonely" in big, bold letters. 

Everyone in the group could sense it to some degree, so they were happy to chat with her and share funny stories from their own worlds. 

Uchiha Hikari had once promised to invite Eri over to hang out once things calmed down, but various delays had kept that promise unfulfilled. Now, with Naraku's issue mostly resolved and the search for the Shikon Jewel fragments waiting on Bulma's radar—which wouldn't be ready for a few days—Hikari finally had some free time. 

It was the perfect chance to invite Eri to Konoha. 

… 

Time flew to the next day. 

Bright and early, Bulma sent a request to Kikyo to join her. With a flash of white light, she appeared inside the inn at Hitomi Castle. 

Her outfit was similar to when she visited the Demon Slayer world: casual sportswear and a backpack, looking like she was ready for another hiking adventure. 

"Oh, so this is Kikyo-san? She's even prettier in person than in the anime screenshots Eri sent… I'm Bulma!" 

Bulma studied Kikyo with curiosity, her eyes lingering on the red-and-white miko outfit. "By the way, Kikyo-san, your clothes have such a unique style. Can you buy something like that in the city? I'd love to try wearing one!" 

"You probably can't buy them. Those clothes are meant for mikos only, and most people wouldn't make them casually… But you could ask Miko to help you order one online. She might know someone who makes cosplay outfits like that." 

Since Miko came up, Hikari took the chance to briefly explain Miko's world to Kikyo. 

Kikyo listened patiently, frowning slightly. "I saw some glimpses during the livestream the other day, but hearing you describe it… Miko-san's situation does seem a bit unusual. It's possible something's gone wrong with the balance between the yin and yang realms, causing so many vengeful spirits to linger in the human world." 

"Does Kikyo-san have any way to fix it?" 

Kikyo considered for a moment. "If my guess is correct, this involves the rules of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, which are beyond human intervention. All I can do is help Miko figure out what's going on and teach her ways to deal with those spirits." 

After some thought, Kikyo decided to craft a few simple protective talismans for Miko to use as a precaution. Once her spiritual power recovered in a few days, she'd visit to check things out. 

Bulma was itching to join. 

"If you go with Kikyo-san, safety won't be an issue, but…" 

Hikari paused, then said seriously, "You need to be careful. Miko's world is a pretty normal modern society. Most people are ordinary, with no superpowers or ninjutsu, and the tech level is average. When you're there, keep a low profile and don't do anything too attention-grabbing…" 

Hikari wasn't too worried about Kikyo. 

Her clay body wasn't something most people would notice, and her miko outfit and bow wouldn't seem too out of place in modern Japan—maybe mistaken for cosplay at most. As long as she didn't start healing people with Sengoku-era herbs and get arrested for "illegal medical practice," she'd be fine. 

But Bulma… 

Some of her Dragon Ball world inventions could cause a stir in the modern world. If the wrong people noticed, she might catch the attention of government agencies. 

Sure, with "world-hopping" abilities, she wouldn't end up dissected in a lab, but it'd still be a hassle. 

"Alright, I'll be careful," Bulma said, nodding a bit reluctantly. 

… 

According to Bulma's initial estimate, the Shikon Jewel radar would take about seven or eight days to complete. 

Since the fragments were somewhat dangerous, Hikari and Kikyo didn't feel comfortable letting Bulma work alone with them. In the end, they decided Kikyo would stay with her, assisting with the research while also taking the time to recover her spiritual power. 

—After purifying Hikari's negative thoughts the previous night, Kikyo was still in a weakened state, only about twenty to thirty percent recovered. 

Inuyasha had wanted to stay with Kikyo, but with Kagome around, plus Miroku and Sango's nudging, he rested for a day before setting off again to hunt for Shikon Jewel fragments. 

Once Hitomi Castle's inn returned to its quiet state, Hikari temporarily left the Inuyasha world. 

[Nameless @LittleMonster: Eri, you there?] 

[Nameless: I'm back home. If you want to come hang out, now's a good time.]