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!"