Uchiha Hikari

Following Hyuga Kei, the group arrived before the stone coffin.

Hyuga Kei ordered, "Yuka, undo the seal. Watch for my signal later."

"Understood." Uzumaki Yuka crouched before the stone coffin, studying the Fuinjutsu formula on its surface as she circulated her chakra and gradually released the seal.

The others watched as Uzumaki Yuka removed the seal. Before long, she rose to her feet. "Done. Now, once we push open the stone coffin, the seal will officially be broken."

Hyuga Kei praised her, "Well done."

Yuka gave a slight bow. "It was my duty."

Standing before the stone coffin, Hyuga Kei slowly reached out and pushed open its lid. A beautiful figure lay quietly inside.

Even Hyuga Kei could not help admiring her appearance. So this was genderbent Madara?

Just as Hyuga Kei was taking her in, Uchiha Hikari suddenly opened her eyes. She flipped out of the stone coffin, rose to her feet, and punched Hyuga Kei in the chest.

Hyuga Kei neither dodged nor evaded, taking the punch head-on. A little blood trickled from his mouth. Amid everyone's astonished gazes, Hyuga Kei stretched out his arms and slowly embraced Uchiha Hikari.

"Hikari, we know your pain. We're the same kind of people. We came to save you. Don't be afraid."

Uchiha Hikari was also stunned by Hyuga Kei's actions and did not know what to do for a moment.

She only felt herself being drawn into an unusually warm embrace, a broad hand gently stroking her hair.

For some reason, at that moment, she felt a sense of security she had never known in her life. She inexplicably wanted to cry.

Hikari's mind was a tangled mess. Why? Why do I suddenly feel like crying?

Ever since the Uchiha had treated her as a weapon, she had known that crying would bring no result, and no one would pity her.

But why do I want to cry now?

Hyuga Kei whispered into Hikari's ear, "I'm sorry. We came too late."

Guided by Hyuga Kei, Uchiha Hikari finally could not maintain her last shred of restraint and burst into tears.

"Waaah... why are you doing this..." Hikari bit down on Hyuga Kei's shoulder.

"It's okay. Just let it out."

Uzumaki Yuka and Uchiha Izumi watched in astonishment from the side. Hadn't he said they were supposed to win her over?

Why did it feel like this girl had already been completely talked into it?

When Hikari had cried herself out, Hyuga Kei quietly activated his Sharingan and pulled her into a genjutsu. "Don't resist."

"Mm..."

"My eyes can see the past. I'll take you to see the moment you were born. You weren't alone. You carried your parents' hopes, and you have us."

The scene of Hikari's birth immediately appeared before her eyes.

The tiny Hikari was held in the arms of a man and woman.

"Hikari..."

"Yes, the shinobi world is still shrouded in darkness, but I hope she can walk in the light..."

"This name carries that wish. Is it strange?"

Hikari watched as the woman turned toward her. "It's a wonderful name, isn't it, little Hikari?"

Uchiha Hikari was in tears. She could feel that this was not fabricated by the genjutsu. This was truly her mother.

She was not a nameless weapon. Her name was Uchiha Hikari!

Hyuga Kei wrapped an arm around Uchiha Hikari's shoulders. "Now, let me show you my story."

"I was born fourteen years ago..." Hyuga Kei used the genjutsu to show Hikari his own story.

Hyuga Kei had once had a happy family and a wonderful childhood, but relationships between the Hyuga and outsiders were absolutely forbidden.

His family had taken Hyuga Kei on the run again and again, fleeing the Hyuga's pursuit, but they were ultimately captured. His parents begged the Hyuga clan to spare Hyuga Kei.

In the end, Sarutobi Hiruzen saved him... The story stopped at the point where he destroyed the Hyuga clan.

After showing Hikari his story, he showed her the story of Uzumaki Yuka and Karin Uzumaki, mother and daughter. Their country had been defeated, and they had ended up in the Land of Grass, becoming commodities who were bitten every day, until Hyuga Kei finally saved them.

After watching Hyuga Kei's story, Uchiha Hikari had become somewhat numb. Was there really nothing but pain in this world?

"We're all the same kind of people. We were all devastated by this shinobi world, and in the end, we came together to keep each other warm."

"Join us. We'll use our own strength to change this world."

Hyuga Kei held out his hand, signaling Hikari to take it.

After hesitating for a moment, Hikari placed her hand in his.

Hyuga Kei smiled and pulled Hikari into his arms. "Don't worry. From now on, I'll protect you. I won't let you be hurt again."

"Mm..."

The genjutsu was released, and in reality, Hyuga Kei was still holding Hikari.

Hyuga Kei took her hand and led her outside. Having only just awakened, she was still unsteady even on her feet.

"Come on, let's go home."

Under the astonished gazes of Uzumaki Yuka and Uchiha Izumi, the group boarded the puppet Flying Eagle bound for the Land of Rain.

Hyuga Kei took off his red cloud robe and wrapped it around Hikari, determined to make her feel the warmth of a home.

Watching Uchiha Hikari sit on the puppet with a tsundere yet happy expression, Hyuga Kei could not help curling his lips.

Just as planned. I've completely talked this hundred-year-old little girl into it.

Everything had gone according to Hyuga Kei's plan. First, that punch had carried almost no force. There was no way he could have bled from it; he had forced the blood out with chakra.

The first step was to make her feel guilty.

That warm embrace had not been fake, either. Every acupoint in his body had been releasing fire-nature chakra. Of course it had been warm.

The second step was to make a girl who had lacked love since childhood feel loved.

Using genjutsu to tell the stories of the group proved that they were all the same kind of people, a family brought together to warm one another.

The third step was emotional resonance through genjutsu, making her lose the ability to think amid her emotions and drawing her into his team.

As for why he had gone to so much trouble? Yachihoko's ultimate ability was worth the price.

Yachihoko: It could leave a mark on anyone, allowing the user to freely control that person's mind and chakra. It could even transmit chakra to oneself or others regardless of distance.

Even peak Naruto from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations had fallen victim to this dojutsu. This ability was simply heaven-defying.

This was the ultimate enhanced version of his Soul Wash dojutsu. Before Yachihoko, every other dojutsu paled into insignificance.

Besides, Uchiha Hikari's Sharingan had more than just that one ability. Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi, along with the talent to awaken the Mangekyo in her teens—give her a little training, and she would become the next Madara Uchiha, or at the very least, another Itachi.

If he used the Blood Seizing Technique directly, Hyuga Kei could only obtain a portion of Mangekyo Sharingan Dojutsu Power.

But if he talked her into coming back with him, he would gain a Kage-level accessory and an utterly loyal subordinate.

A day later, the group returned to their two-story apartment in the Land of Rain.

Hyuga Kei took Hikari upstairs and arranged for her to stay in the room next to his.

"Hikari, you'll live here from now on. Yuka will bring you bedding and daily necessities later."

"Mm... th-thank you." Hikari's voice was hesitant, and she was not very good at expressing her feelings.

Hyuga Kei rubbed her hair. "It's okay. If anything happens, you can tell everyone. We'll help you."

Downstairs, Uzumaki Yuka seriously pulled Karin Uzumaki over. "A new member has joined the family. You two need to get along well. No fighting."

"Really? A new member joined our family? Is it a boy or a girl? How old is she?"

After getting her answer, Karin was thrilled. At last, someone her age had joined the family.

But if they were really comparing ages, Uchiha Hikari was older than everyone present. Even if Madara Uchiha came back to life, he would have to call her an ancestor.

Black and White Zetsu, observing from the shadows, was greatly shocked. "This is... Uchiha Hikari!"

It naturally knew this girl's origins. She possessed the Uchiha's strongest dojutsu, Yachihoko.

How had Hyuga Kei found her?

Hyuga Kei's talent was far too monstrous. Perhaps he was the greatest variable in reviving Mother.

Just as Black Zetsu was considering how to eliminate him, a plan suddenly appeared in its mind.

No! He could also become the greatest help.

Didn't he want power? What power could surpass that gained by becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki?

Perhaps he could also become an executor of the Moon Eye Plan.

Obito was becoming more and more disobedient...