Next, Uchiha Hikari asked a few more questions about Tanjiro's situation.
It had been a while since she used *Edo Tensei* on Kamado Kie and the others, and she wasn't entirely sure how long the jutsu would hold up with her, the caster, being away.
[**IronHeadKid**: Mom and the others are staying at the place the lord arranged. No abnormalities so far. As for the Demon Slayer Corps… we took down another Twelve Kizuki recently—Lower Rank Four. Haven't run into any Upper Ranks yet.]
[**Nameless**: Lower Rank Four?]
Strolling through the commercial district, Hikari raised an eyebrow.
That was an unexpected twist.
In the original *Demon Slayer* storyline, after the Natagumo Mountain incident, Muzan held a "downsizing meeting" because he thought the Lower Ranks were too weak. He wiped out all of them except Lower One, Enmu. Now, it seems her presence caused Muzan to change his mind?
That's fine by her.
The Lower Ranks, while not weak, were manageable for the Demon Slayer Corps.
As for Muzan…
Once Nezuko overcomes sunlight and becomes the first demon to walk in daylight, Hikari doubted he'd be able to resist showing himself.
Chatting casually for a bit, Hikari shifted her focus back to reality. She treated Naruto to a long-overdue meal at Ichiraku Ramen, then headed home.
---
Evening.
A knock came at the door of her single apartment.
Naruto was busy cooking in the kitchen.
Hikari set down *Gutsy Ninja Chronicles*, which she'd only flipped through a couple of pages, and opened the door. Standing in the hallway were a brown-haired sister and brother, with two square cardboard boxes beside them.
"Senior Hikari!"
Inuzuka Hana bowed, greeting her respectfully. "These ninja dogs were personally selected by my mother. They're gentle, well-bred, and of excellent quality. Please take a look and see if any catch your eye."
"Hm…"
Hikari glanced down.
Inside the two boxes were two or three fluffy, chubby puppies each—pure white, pure black, black-and-white… all sorts of colors and looks. The pure white one was particularly lively, pawing at the box's edge, tongue lolling as it barked excitedly, its shiny black eyes fixed on Hikari without a hint of shyness.
Another one caught her attention: the black-and-white pup, lazily sprawled in the corner, looking like it couldn't be bothered with anyone.
"These two."
Hikari pointed casually.
As she did, the white puppy licked at her hand, the wet sensation making her instinctively pull back. She gave the pup's head a slightly exasperated poke. "…Starting as a lapdog this young, huh?"
"Woof woof!"
The white puppy yipped softly.
The barking drew Naruto's attention. He poked his head out from the kitchen, and Hikari waved him over. He crouched by the boxes, eyeing the pups with curiosity.
Meanwhile…
Hana lifted the two chosen puppies into a separate box, then pulled out a summoning scroll from her jacket. After forming hand signs, she released a wooden dog kennel, dog food, and other supplies, quietly explaining the basics of raising ninja dogs.
Hikari listened patiently, then glanced at Naruto. "Got all that?"
"Huh?"
"I'm pretty busy and often out of the village, so I might not have time to look after them. When I'm gone, how about you take care of them, Naruto?"
It was, of course, an excuse.
Hikari's real reason for getting ninja dogs was to give Naruto some companions—maybe even help him make friends. If she recalled correctly, in the original timeline, Naruto and Inuzuka Kiba got along well, while his bond with Sasuke only deepened after graduating from the Ninja Academy.
At her words, Naruto's eyes lit up, his face breaking into a delighted grin.
"…Got it! I'll take good care of them for you, Hikari-nee!"
Hana blinked, then seemed to catch on to Hikari's intentions. She pulled Naruto aside and added casually, "Oh, if you run into any issues while raising them—like if they get sick—you can come to the Inuzuka clan anytime. If my mom and I aren't around, my little brother Kiba can help. He's the same age as you, so you two might even hit it off!"
"Right, Kiba?"
At his sister's prompt, Inuzuka Kiba let out a grumpy huff through his nose.
But after Hana gave his butt a sharp twist, Kiba's attitude softened. With a reluctant pout, he shook Naruto's hand and mumbled that he'd help out.
After lingering a bit longer, the Inuzuka siblings said their goodbyes and left.
Hikari sent them off with a warm smile, then stretched lazily and headed to the kitchen. "Naruto, get those two little guys settled. I'll handle dinner… Oh, and don't forget to name them."
"Got it!"
---
As it turned out, Naruto didn't inherit his father's knack for naming.
After racking his brain all evening, he finally, with some hesitation, named the white puppy "Mochi" and the black-and-white one "Onigiri." Mochi was full of energy, darting around the apartment the moment morning came, while Onigiri remained lazy, barely moving all day.
Around noon…
Hikari slipped into her bedroom and brought Bulma over.
"Wow! So this is the Konoha Village you guys were talking about!"
"And wow, this is Yor—er, Mister's son, Naruto! Finally meeting you in person! Come here, let big sis give you a hug!"
Faced with this blue-haired girl who appeared out of nowhere, Naruto was utterly baffled.
But after Hikari explained that Bulma was a mutual friend of hers and Naruto's father, the kid relaxed, letting Bulma ruffle his cheeks.
Before long, Bulma dug a handful of candy balls from her pocket and handed them to Naruto. "I wanted to bring more gifts, but Hikari and the others said it might not be appropriate. So, these snacks will have to do as a first-meeting gift. Don't eat too many at once, or you'll ruin your teeth, okay?"
"Thanks, Bulma-nee!"
Naruto nodded enthusiastically.
After playing with Naruto and the two puppies for a while, Bulma begged Hikari to take her out for a tour.
So, the two threw on their coats, brought Naruto along, and left the apartment, wandering through Konoha's streets.
The local culture, so different from the *Dragon Ball* world, fascinated Bulma. Ninja zipping across rooftops and towers, and unique treats like tricolor dango, left her wide-eyed with excitement.
During their stroll, Hikari suddenly noticed someone—
At the direction of Konoha's main gate…
At the far end of the long street, a blonde woman in a dark green robe appeared.