Bulma's Invitation

After replacing the furniture and repainting the walls.

The old studio apartment had become completely refreshed.

Over the next few days.

Uchiha Hikari began carrying out her duties as a guardian, just as she had said she would.

Aside from taking Naruto and Uzuki Yugao out a few times to buy daily necessities, and visiting Ichiraku Ramen twice, she spent most of her remaining time helping Naruto correct his habits and teaching him all kinds of life skills.

Because he had lived alone for so long with no one to teach him, Naruto's daily routine was extremely irregular, and he was not particularly hygienic either. He often got himself filthy... Although the Uzumaki Clan's constitution, combined with the vitality granted by being the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki, meant these bad habits had little effect on his health, Minato Namikaze had worried himself sick over them as his father.

Forever with Sis @Nameless: Miss Hikari, this is a collection of recipes I put together from memory. They're all simple home-cooked dishes that even a child can make on their own. If possible, please spare some time to teach Naruto. That way, even if no one is by his side in the future, he won't have to keep eating instant noodles.

Nameless: Received.

Forever with Sis: Also, please remind Naruto not to be picky with food. He needs to eat more vegetables and fruit, stay up late less, bathe and change clothes regularly, and clean his room every two or three days. If he has time, it would be best to sweep every day. And he needs to take out the trash promptly too...

Forever with Sis: Kushina and I should still have quite a bit of savings left. Aside from Naruto's future school and meal expenses, you may withdraw the rest as you please...

Nameless: Received all of the above.

How should she put it...

In her previous life, Uchiha Hikari had helped her older sister take care of children, so she understood the nature of this kind of work to some extent.

She had originally prepared herself to deal with an ultimate brat—

Judging from the original plot, Naruto had not exactly been a well-behaved child. Although the villagers were mainly to blame for the exclusion and discrimination, it could not be denied that Naruto himself had also played a part in escalating things. After all, his pranks to get people's attention had been very annoying to others, creating something of a vicious cycle.

But...

Once she truly began looking after Naruto, Uchiha Hikari discovered that this little blondie was far more obedient than she had expected.

Though he occasionally talked back to her, he earnestly worked to correct every bad habit she pointed out. He also worked hard to learn everyday skills like doing laundry and cooking.

Other than being a little slow, there was nothing to criticize.

At first, Uchiha Hikari had been somewhat confused.

But after speaking with Minato Namikaze, she understood everything—

For a long time, Naruto had lived amid other people's bullying and indifference. Aside from the Third Hokage occasionally coming by to manipulate him, no one had ever been willing to give him a proper look, much less invest time and effort in him or treat him as a normal child worth talking to and caring for.

So Uchiha Hikari's appearance had filled that gap.

To put it bluntly, Naruto's attitude toward her was probably like that of a drowning man grasping his final lifeline, terrified that his hope would vanish. So even if she told him to do things he did not originally enjoy, he would still do his utmost to obey.

Hmm...

If I suddenly turned on him now, pinned the little guy against a wall, and did my best Itachi Uchiha impression, would he instantly go dark and lose control?

Uchiha Hikari could not help thinking of that possibility.

But it was only a thought. She was quite satisfied with Naruto's behavior during this time, and she was not twisted enough to manipulate a child.

"Oh, right, Naruto."

During some downtime, Uchiha Hikari thought of something. "Have you run into a little girl with completely white eyes recently? Did you ever save her from a few other children?"

"...No, I don't remember."

Naruto thought for a while, then shook his head.

"Is that so..."

Hinata had been one of the few people who had not rejected Naruto when they were children. If he had met her, it was unlikely he would have no impression of it. So that part of the story probably had not happened yet?

But it was not an important plot point. After satisfying her curiosity, Uchiha Hikari did not ask further.

Several peaceful days passed like that.

That afternoon.

Bulma tagged Uchiha Hikari in the group.

Bulma @Nameless: Hikari, my summer vacation starts tomorrow. Can you come with me to search for the Dragon Balls?

Bulma: It shouldn't take too much of your time. I already have one, and there are six left. If everything goes smoothly, we should be able to collect them all in about a week.

"A week?"

In the kitchen.

Uchiha Hikari paused her chopping and tugged helplessly at the corner of her mouth.

Collect all seven Dragon Balls in a week... Did she think she was buying cabbages at the market?

Still, as Hikari remembered it, Bulma's first Dragon Ball hunt had indeed not been too difficult. Aside from some trouble when they encountered Emperor Pilaf at the end, they had obtained the earlier Dragon Balls quite smoothly. Besides, Hikari had used Bulma's bomb to blast her way out of that coffin before, and she owed Bulma a considerable favor. Naturally, she would not refuse now.

Nameless: Sure. Things are more or less settled on my end too. I'll explain things to Naruto in a couple of days, then come find you.

Bulma: Okay!

Bulma: By the way, it's been so many days already. @Iron Head Kid Has Tanjiro cut through that rock yet?

Iron Head Kid: I can already cut partway through it! Lately, a blond-haired senior brother has been coming to spar with me every day, and a black-haired senior sister has been giving me guidance too. I should be able to pass Master Urokodaki's test soon!

Bulma: Wow, that's amazing!

Nameless: ...Not bad. But I suggest you spend a while longer consolidating your skills before taking the Demon Slayer Corps entrance trial. There's a demon that has been lurking on that trial mountain for decades. It is far stronger than the normal level for the trial, and it will definitely target you...

Iron Head Kid: ?!

Demon Slayer World, Mt. Sagiri.

Tanjiro, who had just finished practicing a set of Water Breathing Swordsmanship and was resting beneath a tree stump, immediately grew tense.

Iron Head Kid: Miss Hikari, could you explain in more detail?

Nameless: That demon is called the "Hand Demon." Urokodaki captured it during the Meiji era, so it bears a grudge against him. It has been lurking in the trial grounds ever since, killing more than a dozen of Urokodaki's disciples in succession—those who wore that kind of "Disaster Averting Mask." Because it has acted very cautiously, no one discovers its existence until before you participate in the trial...

"The mask..."

Tanjiro turned his head.

Across from him, the girl named "Makomo," dressed in a short kimono patterned with plum blossoms and possessing shoulder-length black hair, tilted her head. "What is it?"

As Makomo moved, the fox mask hanging atop her head swayed.

The fox face on the mask was smiling, but the blue floral pattern painted on its cheeks suddenly seemed somehow illusory. Like the moon reflected in water—visible, yet impossible to reach.