Let's set aside Yamato's so-called "once-in-a-lifetime request" for now.
Uchiha Hikari was already planning to swing by the One Piece world soon to check on the timeline there and do some scouting for Bulma's "Dimensional Pirate Crew Plan." If time allowed, saving Ace would just be a little side quest.
But for now…
"Wanna take a walk, Esdeath?" Hikari asked, glancing at the battle-hungry queen beside her.
"Looks like nice weather today."
Esdeath didn't even need to think about it. She nodded instantly, and the two of them slipped on their shoes, leaving the Uchiha clan grounds to wander into the village.
How to put it…
After getting used to the modern cities of the Dragon Ball and Jujutsu Kaisen worlds, coming back to the Hidden Leaf Village in the Naruto world felt like stepping into a different era. Which, well, it kinda was. To the villagers, though, Hikari had just been "out of town" for a bit.
On their way…
A few members of the patrol team passed by and bowed to Hikari. "Greetings, Great-Grandma!" one said. "Lady Hikari," another added.
"Mhm…" Hikari nodded, giving them a quick glance.
The one calling her "Great-Grandma" was clearly an Uchiha. The other two were an Inuzuka—easy to spot with the face paint and spiky blonde hair—and a Yamanaka.
The trio, despite coming from different clans, seemed to get along pretty well. Even the villagers passing by didn't show the usual fear or hostility toward them. Instead, there was a sense of familiarity.
—Probably the result of the patrol team's recent push for "civilized enforcement."
The original Naruto story didn't mention this, but most of the Hidden Leaf's villagers were, to put it bluntly, "simple folk." Low education, barely literate, and only vaguely aware of the village's rules. That's why they used to resent the patrol team, who were always quick to arrest people.
But now…
Shisui and the younger Uchiha generation had started playing smart, taking control of public opinion. They set up a "Legal PR Division" to explain the village's systems to the common folk, subtly easing the villagers' hostility toward the Uchiha.
And it was working pretty well.
"Not bad," Hikari said, giving a small nod like some wise old sage. "Guess my 'grandkids' are doing fine on their own. Time for this 'Great-Grandma' to kick back."
Esdeath's mouth twitched, her face screaming really?
"What?" Hikari asked.
"Nothing," Esdeath said, shaking her head. "It's just… you saying stuff like that with your face is kinda cute in a weird way."
"…Huh?" Hikari blinked, caught off guard.
She'd mostly been joking, but Esdeath seemed to take it seriously.
Hikari didn't bother explaining. She just kept strolling with Esdeath, stopping here and there. They grabbed a couple of boxes of tricolor dango, munching on them as they walked. Then they hit up the commercial street, buying a bunch of cool-looking clothes and handicrafts.
—Gotta admit, the Leaf Village had some top-notch woodcarving shops. If you took their stuff to the Jujutsu Kaisen or Dragon Ball worlds, you could probably sell it as high-end collectibles for a fortune.
…
After wandering the village all afternoon and chilling up by the Hokage Rock to catch the breeze, Hikari led Esdeath to the Ninja Academy.
It was just about dismissal time.
Groups of kids, ranging from six to ten years old, poured out of the school, chattering and laughing. One kid stood out in particular—a loudmouth in a whirlpool-patterned T-shirt with bright blonde hair. A few meters away was another kid, dark-haired and spiky, dressed in a blue shirt and white pants.
Yup.
Naruto and Sasuke.
The second Naruto spotted Hikari, his eyes lit up. The sulky look he'd been giving Sasuke vanished as he sprinted over. "Hikari-nee! It's really you!"
"Hey, long time no see," Hikari said, catching him by the shoulders before he could tackle her with a hug. She ruffled his hair. "Hmm, feels like you've been keeping up with your baths. Hair's nice and soft."
"Of course!" Naruto grinned. "I've been doing everything you told me—eating right, sleeping well, bathing every day!"
"Oh, and Mochi and Riceball! They've grown so much lately. Hikari-nee, wanna come see 'em with me?"
Once Naruto started talking, he didn't stop.
Nearby, Sasuke paused, looking like he was debating whether to say hi to Hikari or just pretend he didn't see her and bolt.
Before he could decide, Hikari waved him over. "Sasuke, right? Shisui says you and Naruto have been getting along pretty well. Haven't been to his place yet, have you? Wanna come with?"
"…?" Sasuke's face slowly formed a question mark.
Me… and Naruto? Getting along? For real?
He was skeptical but couldn't exactly say no to Hikari, a clan elder. After mumbling something about his parents and brother waiting for him at home, Hikari just grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward the streets near the academy.
Naruto's place wasn't far from the school.
About ten minutes later, they arrived at his small, single-person apartment.
As the door swung open, a cream-colored dog, about half a person's height, bounded over, tail wagging. It sniffed around the group, then seemed to recognize Hikari and reared up, looking like it wanted to lick her face.
"Hmph!" Esdeath let out a sharp huff, and the dog froze, tail tucked, its face a mix of confusion and fear.
"Easy, Esdeath, don't scare it," Hikari said, waving her off. She crouched down and petted the dog's soft fur. "You're… Rice, right?"
"Uh, Hikari-nee, that's Mochi," Naruto corrected quietly.
"Oh, right," Hikari said, then glanced at the black-and-white dog lounging lazily in a dog bed nearby. "And that one's Sushi?"
"…Riceball."
"Eh, close enough," Hikari said with a laugh, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You know, since these two are from the same litter, they should've been named Sesshomaru and Inuyasha."
"?"
Sadly, no one in the room got the joke.
Especially Sasuke.
Maybe because most Uchihas were cat or crow people, not big on canines, Sasuke and Mochi seemed to mutually ignore each other. Sasuke stood off to the side, playing cool and quiet, while Mochi didn't bother sniffing him like it did with Hikari and Naruto.
Hikari sighed, gave Mochi and Riceball a few good scratches, then stood up, glancing at the clock on the wall. "It's about dinnertime… Since I'm here, I'll cook tonight. Got any fresh ingredients?"
"Yup, we do!" Naruto said eagerly.
That night's dinner was a joint effort between Hikari and Esdeath.
It was quite the feast.
Sasuke initially seemed ready to head home early, but Hikari's elder authority kept him at the table. After a few bites, his face lit up with surprise, and he started sneakily—but quickly—piling food into his bowl.
Naruto wasn't about to lose. The two nearly started a chopstick war.
After everyone was stuffed and satisfied, Naruto jumped up to wash the dishes.
Sasuke, meanwhile, reverted to his cool-guy act, looking around like he was searching for an excuse to leave.
That's when Hikari waved Naruto over, pulling the little blond closer and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"…Hikari-nee?" Naruto asked.
"Hold still. Let me take a look."
As she spoke, Hikari closed her eyes and activated "Idle Transfiguration." Her consciousness extended like tendrils through her hand, slipping into Naruto's body to examine his soul.
"…Huh. This kid's soul is tough. Way more solid than those cursed spirits."
"…Wait, is this that legendary 'Ashura Chakra'?"
"And…"
As Hikari carefully studied Naruto's soul, trying to uncover Ashura's secrets, another ripple of chakra suddenly stirred. The calm "mental world" within Naruto shifted rapidly, overtaken by a flood of crimson liquid. In that moment, a structure like a prison cell appeared in Hikari's "vision."
"This place is…"
Hikari glanced around, already piecing it together.
She wasn't unfamiliar with this spot—it was the place inside Naruto where the Nine-Tails was sealed.
This had to be somewhere within Naruto's soul, like his mindscape or mental world. When she probed his soul, she must've accidentally connected to this place. And if she wasn't mistaken, that orange fox was probably lurking nearby.
Hikari had been meaning to meet the Nine-Tails in Naruto's body at some point.
And now…
No time like the present.
Since she was already here, and the faint outline of that orange fox was flickering in the cell, she figured she might as well call it out for a chat.
"Ahem…"
Facing the Nine-Tails, Hikari flashed a grin. "Yo, Nine-Tails. You in there? Mind lending me some chakra?"