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🕑 Added 2025-08-17 15:56:20 +0000 UTCChapter 376: Two Doses of Medicine
Uchiha Hikari had a blast for the next week in the Jujutsu Kaisen world. She even took some time to check out the version of China in that world, but what she found was a completely different country. Aside from a few major cities having the same names, a lot of things were completely unrelated to the China she knew in her past life.
Even so, Uchiha Hikari still bought a bunch of unique souvenirs. She planned to give them to Bulma and Eri as gifts when she got back.
Bulma hadn't joined them on this trip to the Jujutsu Kaisen world because she was busy helping her father, Dr. Brief, with some clinical trials.
Finally, as the week was coming to an end, Bulma sent a huge announcement to the group chat from the One Piece world:
[Bulma @Nameless: Hey Hikari, good news! The first clinical trial for the "Perfect Active Substance" went perfectly, and the results were even better than we expected... My dad and I are thinking of trying the medicine on Whitebeard and Eri. Do you want to come and see it for yourself?]
[Nameless: Whoa, that fast?]
On second thought, it wasn't all that fast. The research team for the "Perfect Active Substance" was made up of top scientists from various worlds, led by Bulma and her father. With so many brilliant minds working together for over half a year, it was a good pace.
Because this project was the result of so many people's collaboration and verification, its safety was far more robust than if a single person had made it. Otherwise, Bulma wouldn't have even suggested using it on Whitebeard and Eri.
[Nameless @LittleMonster: How do you feel about it, Eri?]
[LittleMonster: Um... I'll do whatever you and Big Sis Bulma think is best.]
After getting Eri's okay, Uchiha Hikari brought Esdeath and the others to the One Piece world. After months apart, the three "Emperors" of the Dimensional Crew were reunited at Dr. Vegapunk's lab.
A lot had changed here. After six months of trial runs, the "New Pirate Government" was finally on the right track. Many of the harsh laws from the Celestial Dragons' era had been repealed, and some of the most troublesome pirates were captured and thrown into Impel Down. Dr. Vegapunk's lab had also received new funding for renovations and improvements.
In the lab, Uchiha Hikari carefully read through the clinical trial report Bulma handed her. Then she watched as Whitebeard and Eri lay on their beds, with Dr. Brief and Kikyo personally operating the machines to inject them with the "Genetic Activation Serum." Nearby, Tamayo and Yushiro watched the data on their tablets, monitoring the real-time activity of the "Perfect Active Substance" as it moved through their bodies.
"...How long does it take for this serum to take effect?" Uchiha Hikari asked.
"It should start working within an hour. If there are no rejection symptoms, the full effects will become apparent over the next month," Bulma explained.
"Got it."
Uchiha Hikari said no more and just stood off to the side, quietly talking with Bulma. When almost an hour had passed, Kikyo came over and nodded to both of them.
By now, the anesthesia they were given before the procedure was starting to wear off.
Whitebeard was the first to throw off his sheets and get out of bed. The "Strongest Man in the World" was originally an old man in his seventies, which was considered an old age even in the One Piece world, where people are ridiculously tough.
But after two treatments—the first being basic medical care from Kikyo and Tamayo—Whitebeard looked ten years younger. His gray hair even showed hints of turning back to gold, and the scars on his chest were starting to fade.
To call it "rejuvenation" might be an exaggeration. But in this state, Whitebeard was almost as strong as he was in his prime. He could probably beat the other three Emperors, including Kaido, without breaking a sweat.
As for Eri, her reaction to the medicine was a little more intense. Right after the injection, some parts of her skin showed signs of dragon scales, making her look like a tiny dragon. This only lasted a moment before it started to fade, leaving just a faint blueish tint and a slightly rough texture to her skin.
"Don't worry," Kikyo said with a small smile, noticing Uchiha Hikari's gaze. "Eri's condition is stable now. This is a normal reaction to the bloodline being neutralized and purified by the 'activation serum.' It will gradually fade and be completely gone in about a month."
"Is that right... That's good to hear," Uchiha Hikari nodded.
She was still thinking about something else, though. Before the Dimensional Crew was even a thing, she had made a deal with Lu Mingze in the Dragon Raja world to team up against Odin. It had been a while, but she hadn't heard from him. She wasn't sure if his investigation was stalled or if he had just forgotten about their agreement.
The whole Odin thing wasn't that important anymore. For the Dimensional Crew, he was just some punk who was all bark and no bite. Uchiha Hikari knew that even if Eri had to fight Odin alone, she could probably hold her own. Eri had been blessed by the Grand Elder, and as a hybrid with a bloodline beyond S-class, she was now approaching the power of a Dragon King. She was definitely not weaker than Odin.
The thing that Uchiha Hikari was truly interested in was something else: the "Holy Relic" of the White King.
In the original Dragon Raja story, this was what remained of the White King after his death, and also the key to his revival. It was also what Herzog and the mastermind behind him, Odin, were after. It was the source of the catastrophe that ultimately led to the death of the entire Uesugi family.
Uchiha Hikari planned to find it ahead of time. Afterward, she could either destroy it or try to extract the White King's power within it and give it to Eri. Either way, it would completely ruin Odin's plans. Then, no matter what other tricks they tried, they would be sure to fail.
Uchiha Hikari had already discussed this with Bulma a few times, asking her to help create a device that could detect the bloodline fluctuations of a Dragon King. Uchiha Hikari knew the general location of the "Holy Relic"—it was in Tokyo, near the Tama River. If they could detect a bloodline signal within a certain radius, they could pinpoint its exact location.
And now...
"Ta-da! I already made it," Bulma said with a proud smile. She pulled out a palm-sized object that looked a lot like a Dragon Radar and shook it. "Here, take a look! This is the 'Dragon King Radar' I invented, based on the Dragon Radar!"
Chapter 377: The "White Queen" Initiates Location Sharing
According to Bulma, both dragon species and hybrids have a special energy signature in their blood. While its nature is different from the energy signatures given off by the "Dragon Balls," the logic is similar.
And the purer the bloodline, the clearer the energy signature.
This is likely what's referred to as the "blood's lament," or Xue Zhi Ai. In the original Dragon Raja stories, most hybrids and dragon kings could sense each other's presence. In fact, a specific Genjutsu called "Bloodline Rihgtō Juro" could track down hybrids within a several-kilometer radius. Bulma's new invention could be considered a handheld, plus-size version of that very same technique.
Bulma flipped a switch and demonstrated how the "Dragon King Radar" works.
There wasn't much to say about it—it was similar to the "Dragon Ball Radar." Anything with dragon blood would show up as a little green dot.
However, since there were too many hybrids in the Dragon Raja world, showing every single one would be useless. So, she added a filter button that could be used to only display the locations of those with an S-rank bloodline—specifically, those with a bloodline purity higher than Erii's. The depth of the color on the screen would indicate the level of purity.
"If what you said is true, Hikari, and that 'White Queen' has a purer bloodline than the four great dragon kings, her signature should show up as a dark green—it'll be very easy to spot," Bulma explained.
Following the principle of "no time like the present," Uchiha Hikari took Erii and jumped back into the Dragon Raja world the very next day.
They met with Genji Shisei and his people to investigate the situation around the "Tama River."
The Tama River is a very long body of water that flows through Yamanashi Prefecture, Kanagawa, and Tokyo. The stories mentioned that the "Well of Buried Corpses" was in this area, but finding the exact spot along a river that's over 100 kilometers long isn't an easy task.
Hikari didn't have a better idea at the moment, so she created a Shadow Clone and had it perform a carpet-style search along the river.
Her real body and Erii stayed in the Genji Heavy Industries cabin, playing video games with no concern for the outside world.
With Hikari's current strength, flying from Tokyo all the way to Europe would only take a matter of minutes. She's like the mythical sages who could travel from the north sea to the south in a single day. So even a "carpet-style search" wouldn't take much time. Besides, the clone was doing all the work, so her main body only had to wait for the results.
After searching for a day or two, her Shadow Clone finally detected a dark green energy signature on the radar detector in the evening. It indicated something was about eight kilometers underground.
Immediately, the Shadow Clone pulled out a cell phone and sent a message to Hikari's real body.
Hikari then pulled out her own phone and sent a message to Genji Shisei at the Enforcement Division.
The "White Queen" has initiated location sharing.
The "Giant Turtle" has joined the location sharing.
An hour later, Uchiha Hikari figured enough time had passed. She used her teleportation jutsu, "Shangri-La," to bring Erii to the area where her Shadow Clone was located.
After a few minutes, a line of sleek black sedans sped toward them. It was Genji Shisei and a large group of Enforcement Division agents in black coats.
Upon arrival, Genji gestured, and the agents immediately fanned out, pulling out various instruments to begin their search. Genji himself quickly walked over to Hikari, looking a bit reserved as he asked for her instructions.
To be honest, the Serpent Eight House was pretty nervous about this operation. In their eyes, Uchiha Hikari was the White Queen, and now she was suddenly trying to find her own "remains." This felt very out of place to them. Some even worried that once the "White Queen" reclaimed her former power and authority, she might turn on the Serpent Eight House.
Because of this, the Serpent Eight House was both cooperative and wary of Hikari's actions—even if their wariness was completely useless against her.
"Lord Genji!"
An agent hurried over and whispered something to Genji, who then looked at Hikari. "Lady Hikari, we've found some traces over there. Would you like to come take a look?"
"Sure."
With Hikari's approval, the agent led the way. After a short walk, they arrived at a secluded riverbank.
Not far ahead was a hidden underground river, concealed by rock formations, with the faint sound of flowing water coming from the cracks. On the riverbank were some slimy-looking substances that reflected a faint white light under the moon.
They were several trails of serpent-like slime, leading from the bank into the water, suggesting that a large number of people had gone into the underground river.
"This stuff looks like..."
Genji bent down, put on a pair of gloves, and took a sample of the slime. After a careful look, he had a nearby agent bring over some equipment for a quick scan and analysis. His expression immediately changed. "The traces of a Dead Man!"
"Why would there be a group of Dead Men here? Are they remnants of the Vengeful Ghosts?!"
The Vengeful Ghosts.
That organization hadn't been mentioned in the Serpent Eight House's meetings for some time. More than a year ago, when Uchiha Hikari first came to this world, she had pushed the Serpent Eight House to launch a full-scale purge of the Vengeful Ghosts. With the "Puppet Master" killed and the "Dragon King" Genji Shina captured, the organization was essentially gone, with only a few remnants hiding in the shadows. They didn't dare to show themselves in public anymore.
But now... they had reappeared, and they were after the "sacred remains"?
This was not good news.
Searching for the "sacred remains" was a huge undertaking. A few scattered stragglers couldn't have started such a project on their own. The only possible explanation was that the former head of the Vengeful Ghosts had returned—the one who was "killed" in his shadow clone form and then vanished, Herzog!
It could even be someone higher up than Herzog, like the one they called "Odin."
"Well, it doesn't matter," Hikari said, stretching. "I was actually hoping to run into that guy again; it saves me the trouble of looking for him... Besides, the 'sacred remains' need a filter, and perhaps Mr. 'Puppet Master' would be a good choice for the job."
Chapter 378: Akakigawa and Raijin Valley
Immediately, Gen Zhisheng was ready to dispatch people with diving equipment to descend into the underground river from this entrance and assess the situation below. Uchiha Hikari, however, raised her hand to stop him, then formed a hand seal.
With this motion, the "ki" within Uchiha Hikari slowly gathered. After a brief pause, it spread out like ripples in all directions. This was another kind of "ki burst" she had trained to master. Unlike the ferocious explosions she used in the Jujutsu world for combat, the aura she unleashed now was incredibly gentle. Gen Zhisheng and the others felt only a light breeze. Yet, using this "ki," Uchiha Hikari had a complete view of everything within a dozen kilometers around her, down to every rustling blade of grass.
Mountains, rivers, roads, people...
Then, the swaying water plants in the underground river, the swimming eels, and the various snakes, insects, rats, and ants scurrying and digging...
All of it coalesced into a spatial, three-dimensional image in Uchiha Hikari's mind. With her consciousness as a guiding tendril, it extended further, detecting more scenes and images.
Finally, deep within the underground river, in a narrow, rugged, dark tunnel, Uchiha Hikari detected a few shadows of human-headed, snake-bodied figures. Following them deeper, she came upon a massive underground cavern.
This place seemed to be a type of limestone cave, with ancient stalactites hanging from the ceiling and various sized holes dotting the surrounding rock walls. Some were open, letting in a faint breeze; others housed creatures like bats and moles. The bottom of the cavern was filled with deep red water, resembling blood. Snake-like 'deadmen' floated within it, diligently digging at something with various tools and their bare hands. There were also some human figures mixed in, along with large mechanical devices, likely brought by Herzog in his attempt to excavate the "Sacred Remains."
It's worth noting that the temperature within this cavern seemed quite high. A thick, white mist enveloped the immense space, making an already indistinct view even blurrier. So, Uchiha Hikari couldn't distinguish who the people below were, or if Herzog himself was among them. But it seemed that verification was no longer necessary.
"...He's here, as expected."
Uchiha Hikari reopened her eyes, a slight curve on her lips. In the original story, Herzog had indeed excavated the "Sacred Remains." More precisely, it was in his guise as "Tachibana Masamune" that he orchestrated the Shiki Family to pour vast amounts of funds and manpower into this project, ultimately unearthing the "Divine Burial Ground" that had been buried for thousands of years. He then revealed himself at the crucial moment, usurped the Shiki Family's efforts, and single-handedly orchestrated the deaths of the three Genji siblings.
Now, his "Tachibana Masamune" identity had been exposed. Most of Herzog's informants within the Shiki Family had their memories read by Uchiha Hikari and were subsequently cleaned out by the Uesugi Kengo father and son. Furthermore, the Ghost Organization had suffered severe blows from the Executive Branch. Under these circumstances, the only forces Herzog could still command were a few loyal remnants of the Ghost Organization and the 'deadmen' he had meticulously cultivated. When controlled, these deadmen were excellent for manual labor, and there was no concern about overworking them, as they were essentially expendable.
"That cavern I just saw should be in... this direction."
Uchiha Hikari compared the 3D image in her mind with the current surroundings and quickly determined the cavern's location.
"Pick a few people; I'll take you in," Uchiha Hikari glanced at Gen Zhisheng. Theoretically, she alone would be more than enough to deal with Herzog, perhaps even overkill. However, this matter concerned Eri's safety, and if Gen Zhisheng didn't witness it firsthand, he, Uesugi Kengo, and the Shiki Family probably wouldn't feel at ease.
"...Alright," Gen Zhisheng nodded, calling out Crow and Yabuki Sakura, then instructed Yasha to stay outside for backup. Uchiha Hikari was familiar with these three retainers and gave a nod of acknowledgment before activating "Shangri-La."
The deep purple teleportation array reappeared, enveloping Uchiha Hikari, Eri, and Gen Zhisheng's group. In a single breath, their figures vanished with a flash of light. When they reappeared, they were already inside a dark rock cave—this was one of the countless large and small holes in the rock wall surrounding the cavern. At that moment, a deafening roar echoed, causing the surrounding rock walls to vibrate continuously. Uchiha Hikari and the others' feet felt as if they were in an earthquake, shaking uncontrollably.
Rumble rumble—
"...What's going on?" Crow instinctively reached out to grab the nearby rock wall.
Yabuki Sakura walked forward a few steps, peeked out, then said in a low voice, "This place... it seems to be the mythical Raijin Valley."
"There's a legend that in the Tokyo metropolitan area, there's an underground river called 'Akakigawa,' which flows similarly to the Tama River. It's formed by the confluence of two currents: one is scalding hot water flowing through Mount Fuji and heated by magma, and the other is cold groundwater. When they mix, they create a massive sound, like the valley of thunder..."
Yabuki Sakura paused, then added, "There are indeed many deadmen below. It must be that man's doing."
As she spoke, everyone moved to the edge of the hole. Looking down, they could see a massive underground cavern, several hundred meters below and two to three times the size of a football field. Below, the dark red river released massive amounts of steam due to the hot and cold water mixing. The figures of the deadmen in the river appeared somewhat small.
"...This scale, only he could pull this off. I didn't realize he still had so many deadmen." Gen Zhisheng's expression turned grim as he looked down.
To be honest, his feelings toward Herzog were still complicated. After all, the latter had diligently played the role of "Tachibana Masamune" for so many years, and the time he spent addressing him as "father" far exceeded his time with Uesugi Kengo. Rationally knowing that the man was merely a disguise was one thing; emotionally, it was a completely different feeling. Thus, seeing his "father" stray further down a misguided path, Gen Zhisheng felt a certain degree of heartache.
Yabuki Sakura, however, was more composed. She quickly scanned the surroundings, roughly estimating the enemy's numbers: "I can see about 120 deadmen, and there might be more underwater. The human count is around twenty, all half-breeds, and their ranks aren't low; they're probably all A-class."
Chapter 379: No Rush, Let's Play with Him
"That many, really?"
Crow was startled.
A-rank hybrids were no dime a dozen; even in the Sakuragi Hachikashi, they were considered elites.
Uchiha Hikari's reaction was calm: "They're probably forcefully boosted their bloodline with the 'evolution drug,' the kind you confiscated from the Red Ghost Faction before. Herzog developed them originally, and it's not surprising he's got new versions now."
Moreover, that guy might have found a new "partner."
—That is, Odin.
The one who coveted the White King's authority the most in the Dragon Race world wasn't actually Herzog, but this cunning King of Sky and Wind. In the original plot, the entire White King arc was almost entirely orchestrated by him. In the end, after Lu Mingfei used his life force to kill the White King, it was Odin who, like a mantis stalking a cicada, quietly took the dragon bone cross left behind in the ocean, thus becoming the ultimate winner of that decisive battle.
Now, even if Herzog's current search for the Saint's Remains wasn't initiated by Odin, he must have played a crucial role in it.
It was even highly probable that he, like them, was watching Herzog's every move from somewhere.
Uchiha Hikari subtly looked around, then raised her hand to deploy a barrier that masked her presence, enveloping the rock cave she was in:
"No rush, let's play with him."
This barrier technique was learned from Kikyo.
After the special training on Planet Namek, Uchiha Hikari's current strength had improved in all aspects. Using this technique now felt effortless. Even if these guys had some special black technology, it would be virtually impossible for them to peer through this "ki" barrier and detect their presence.
"By the way..."
Uchiha Hikari pulled out a deck of playing cards from her pocket, placed them on the ground, and looked at the others beside her: "Do you guys play cards? There are five of us, and we're just idling anyway. Let's play a few rounds. Whoever loses sits out."
"..."
Genjo Yashiro, Crow, and Sakura exchanged glances.
Only Erii immediately held up her notebook: "Erii knows how to play! Sister Bulma taught me!"
And so.
Uchiha Hikari, the "White King Lady," played poker with two super-hybrids from the Sakuragi Hachikashi inside this perilous Red Well.
During the game, the thunderous sounds within the cave continued to echo, but after being filtered by the barrier, they no longer sounded as harsh.
After waiting for about half a day, as Uchiha Hikari took out a pile of snacks from her Capsule Corp. container and started eating, she heard new stirrings in the red water below the rock wall. Large bubbles seemed to be gurgling up from underground, stirring the surrounding air and causing continuous unrest.
Genjo Yashiro and the others spontaneously gathered at the cave entrance, looking down: "Is something coming up?"
"Clank, clank!"
Amidst the heavy rolling sound of chains.
Something was slowly being hoisted from the depths of the Red Well by a giant mechanical arm, revealing its general outline amidst a pervasive mist.
It was a serpentine monster.
Its body was estimated to be over a hundred meters long, currently coiled up like a giant octopus, ensnared by layers of thick, heavy chains. Its body was covered in various stab wounds and burn marks. On its head, there were eight distinct heads, extended by eight spinal columns, three of which were severed at the neck, while the other five were as scarred as the body.
It seemed someone had given an order.
The remnants of the Red Ghost Faction, presumed to be in the Red Well, manipulated machines to spray massive amounts of liquid nitrogen onto this monster.
Under temperatures of negative two hundred degrees Celsius, the monster's activity rapidly decreased. It lay on the huge platform like a beached whale, occasionally thrashing, causing the chains on its body to clank, but it was clear it was too weak to break free.
—Orochi.
This appearance was clearly that of the most ferocious monster from Japanese mythology, but it didn't look majestic; instead, it was rather grotesque.
The only truly beautiful part was its tail. It was a straight, rigid, sword-like shape, protruding from its enormous, bloated body, displaying a beautiful, moon-white color. Even without touching it, one could subtly feel the sharpness contained within, truly deserving of its legendary reputation as the unbreakable divine sword, Kusanagi.
As this "Orochi" appeared, a figure resembling a leader among the Red Ghost Faction slowly emerged, pulling back his hood to reveal a face obscured by a Noh mask.
"I've finally found you... monster inheriting the White King's legacy."
The masked man, or "Wang Jiang," looked up at the monster before him, clicking his tongue.
But soon, the guy's expression turned fervent again, and he raised his arms, shouting to his subordinates: "Start cutting! The White King's legacy is inside! As long as we get that 'Saint's Remains,' the Sakuragi Hachikashi will be nothing to worry about! And that red-eyed girl who's been playing god in the Sakuragi Hachikashi under the name 'White King' will become a sacrifice for the Dragon King's revival!
"Then, new gods will ascend to the supreme throne, leading us, the discarded pawns scorned by the main family, to evolve, ushering in a new chapter for the world!"
"Hai!!"
All the Red Ghost Faction members cheered, looking like a gathering of cultists.
Afterward, the Red Ghost Faction activated their engineering drills and began to cut into the "Orochi's" body. From the outermost shell, like an ancient fossil, to the harder bones within, and then to that extremely sharp "Kusanagi."
Amidst this buzzing sound, a light, feminine voice suddenly descended from above the Red Well.
The volume didn't seem high, yet it precisely entered the ears of everyone present, as if speaking right beside them, causing all the Red Ghost Faction members to tremble. The leading "Wang Jiang" even had his eyes twitch, as if recalling some unbearable memory, but for a moment, he couldn't quite believe it.
"Excuse me for interrupting you at your most excited moment... May I ask, the 'red-eyed girl playing god' you just mentioned, were you referring to me, esteemed Mr. Herzog?"
"...?!"
Wang Jiang froze for a moment, then abruptly lifted his head, looking around, and then up at the cavern's dome.
During this process, Uchiha Hikari dispelled the barrier around her. Her petite figure, standing at the edge of the rock cave, gently took a few steps forward and stood steadily high in the air.
Then, she crossed her arms over her chest, looked down, and her black eyes met Wang Jiang's, turning his inner fear into reality.
"...It's you! It's you!!"
"You're still alive! You're still alive!!"
"Damn it, it was just the last step, and at a time like this..."
Wang Jiang's eyes were bloodshot.
Honestly speaking...
He felt he had been extremely cautious and thorough.
Ever since "Tachibana Masamune" was exposed, Uesugi Koga returned, and Genjo Nagisa was captured a year ago, he had decisively cut ties like a gecko shedding its tail, severing most of his connections with the Sakuragi Hachikashi's moles, and moved the Red Ghost Faction's operations underground. This caution allowed him to minimize losses despite the relentless pursuit of the Sakuragi Hachikashi.
Afterward, he even went into hiding, staying off the Sakuragi Hachikashi's radar. He used various methods to pinpoint the location of the "Saint's Remains." Then, he dispatched his remaining personnel to secretly transport large numbers of D-class hybrids here and managed to begin excavation.
It took him half a year to finally unearth this "Orochi" that had been living in the Deep Abyss for who knows how many years.
However...
Precisely when he was most complacent and ready to reap the rewards, this figure, who had once brought him humiliation and fear, appeared once again.
Rationally, he should flee immediately. After all, if even a super-hybrid like Genjo Nagisa couldn't defeat the girl in front of him, then no one else could.
But emotionally, Wang Jiang was very unwilling to abandon the foundation he had built.
Especially when his long-cherished wish had reached its final step.
Wang Jiang glanced at the "Orochi" beside him with his peripheral vision, his face darkening: "Everyone, take your positions... Kill her!"
"The White King's revival requires a large amount of flesh and blood as sacrifice, and a suitable host... Originally, I wanted to use the three siblings of the Sakuragi Hachikashi as the hosts, but if it's her, perhaps it's even better."
Immediately.
These Red Ghost Faction members pulled out machine guns, crossbows, rocket launchers... aiming their muzzles at Uchiha Hikari in mid-air.
As for the D-class hybrids, although they also received orders, they couldn't fly, so they could only bare their fangs upwards.
Bang, bang, bang—
A massive barrage of bullets poured out, crisscrossing into a dense network within the underground cavern, instantly engulfing Uchiha Hikari in mid-air.
However, the next second, these projectiles fell back to the ground even faster. Along with them, a powerful gravity descended from the sky, like an immense burden falling onto Wang Jiang and the others' shoulders, forcing them to involuntarily kneel, every bone in their bodies creaking in agony.
"This is... 'Authority'?"
Genjo Yashiro, who was in the rock cave behind, looked surprised at this familiar sight.
However, it also seemed a bit different from the Jujutsu Sorcery: Authority he knew.
"It's Hikari's Conqueror's Haki," Erii said, holding up her notebook and earnestly showing the freshly written words to her brother.
Genjo Yashiro froze, a string of question marks slowly appearing above his head.
Crow, meanwhile, was already muttering to himself: "Looking at this, did Oda Eiichiro also go to Nibelungen? So the rapid progress of Japan's manga industry in recent decades actually traces back to this White King Lady?"
Chapter 380: The Birth of the New White King
At that moment, Uchiha Hikari took a step and began to walk down into the depths of the Red Well, a hundred meters above the ground.
The air seemed to solidify into a staircase, holding her footsteps as she slowly descended. Honestly, it would have been easier to just use the Sky Dancing Jutsu to fly down, but Uchiha Hikari felt this "Air Ladder" looked more impressive and commanding. She was definitely putting on a show.
And it worked.
As Uchiha Hikari got closer, Herzog's face contorted with a mix of panic, fear, rage, and confusion, like a chaotic pie chart of emotions. His body struggled to break free, but the pressure was too immense. No matter how hard he tried, all he could hear was the faint cracking of his bones.
"You..." he spat out. "What exactly are you?!"
"Hm?" Uchiha Hikari tilted her head. "I'm the 'White King,' of course. What else would I be?"
"...Impossible!" Herzog gritted his teeth. "I've read countless dragon records and even seen the dragon script on the Bronze Pillars of the Ice Sea with my own eyes. While you have many similarities to the legendary king, you are not her! A being as great as the White King would never harbor human emotions, even if they lived in a human body!"
"Heh..." Uchiha Hikari let out a laugh.
Truthfully, her disguise as the White King was pretty flimsy. She had barely done anything to prove her claim beyond her words. The Hachirō clan believed her more out of fear of her power. Most of their texts on the White King had been destroyed by Uesugi Kosuke years ago, leaving them with limited knowledge and forcing them to reluctantly accept her story. If anyone truly investigated, they would find plenty of evidence to the contrary.
But, well...
"...You're right, your research on dragons is quite extensive. Good for you. Here, have a round of applause."
Clap, clap, clap!
Uchiha Hikari gave a few sarcastic claps, then said in a flat tone, "But so what? It doesn't change the fact that you're an ant. And ants should know their place... Who gave you permission to look at me? Bow your head!!"
BOOM!
Before Herzog could speak, a sudden wave of gravity forced his head down, smashing it into the ground. Blood splattered everywhere as his face was practically embedded in the rock.
With that done, Uchiha Hikari turned to face the gigantic Orochi on the work platform and the severed tailbone that had been cut off and embedded in the concrete structure.
She held out her hand.
Her invisible "ki" formed a tendril, wrapped around the bone, and pulled it free, sending it flying into her palm.
"...This is the 'Sword of Kusanagi'?" she muttered. "Not bad."
Uchiha Hikari gripped one end of the bone sword and swung it a few times in the air, giving a slight nod. Aside from the lack of a hilt, which made it a little awkward to hold, it was a decent weapon. She could ask Bulma to help make a scabbard for it later.
Next, she raised her other hand and flicked her index finger. The body of the "Orochi" instantly exploded from the middle, revealing a massive, dark green heart.
The heart was covered in a network of blood vessels and encased in a cage of dark gold bone, like a strange, beautiful gem. When she squinted, she could see something embedded inside—like an eye, or a golden worm—slowly wriggling, trying to get out.
The "Holy Relic."
Even though she had never seen it before, Uchiha Hikari immediately recognized it. She extended her left hand and made a "gripping" motion at the heart, which was a dozen meters away.
CRACK!
The heart exploded.
At that moment, a powerful pressure erupted from the shattered heart and flesh, transforming into a tangible dragon's roar that spread to every corner of the Red Well, both above and below. The pressure was so strong that even the members of the Vicious Spirits Gang and Genji, who were still climbing down the rock face, felt their hearts seize up and nearly fell.
"Hmph!" Uchiha Hikari scoffed.
The power contained within the "Holy Relic" was indeed impressive. Even as a mere remnant and not the true White King, it was far stronger than the Twenty-Fingered Sukuna in the Jujutsu Kaisen world. It was easy to imagine how powerful the White King must have been in her prime.
But even so...
In front of Uchiha Hikari, it still paled in comparison.
Only a few seconds passed. The pressure from the "Holy Relic" began to shrink and condense, wrapped tightly in layers of Uchiha Hikari's "ki" as if it were in a square cage, unable to break out no matter how hard it tried.
Then, Uchiha Hikari made a "gripping" gesture for a second time, pulling the worm-like, bony creature to about a meter in front of her for a closer look.
By now, Genji and the others had made it down the rock face. They didn't dare get too close, standing a dozen meters away and watching Uchiha Hikari's movements with wide-eyed shock. "So that's the 'White King'... your relic? It's... so..."
"Ugly, right?" Uchiha Hikari finished the sentence Genji was afraid to say.
To most hybrids, a "Dragon King" was supposed to be a majestic being. Even if they were small or incomplete, they should have the dignity and presence of an emperor, just like Uchiha Hikari and Esdeath occasionally displayed.
It was hard to connect this bizarre creature—three parts worm, seven parts embryo—with a Dragon King second only to the Black King. Given how Uchiha Hikari had pulled it from the Orochi's body, it wasn't hard to see that its true identity was a parasite.
If Genji were to choose, he would rather admit that his ancestor was Uchiha Hikari than accept that the "White King," whom his family revered as a god, was this disgusting thing.
Shhh...
Uchiha Hikari's footsteps echoed as she carried the bone in her hand. She turned to stand in front of Herzog, looking down at him. Then, she faced the empty air in front of her and said softly, "Dr. Herzog, I've retrieved the 'Holy Relic' you've been so obsessed with. It's right here. Aren't you going to come and take a good look?"
"Or... do I need to personally invite you out?"
The moment she said "invite," a nearby rock wall exploded!
The rock walls of the Red Well were an extension of the "Tomb of the Gods," making them tougher than normal stone. It would have taken a missile to even make a dent. But Uchiha Hikari had only casually sent out a strand of "ki" without even moving, and the solid rock shattered like tofu, revealing a hundred-meter-deep cavity.
Another figure, a different "Herzog," was revealed. He fell with the collapsing rubble and lay bleeding in the ruins.
This one was an old man in a black tuxedo. His wrinkled hands showed his age. He wore the same white noh mask, and his face and body were nearly identical to the "Herzog" from before, but his overall demeanor was older and more sinister. This was the real Herzog. The other one had just been a puppet he was controlling remotely.
Uchiha Hikari had known about him all along but wasn't sure if he was the real body or another puppet. Seeing that he hadn't immediately run away, she pretended not to know where he was, only revealing him now with a sudden move.
"You know," Uchiha Hikari said, stepping forward along the invisible staircase. She went up and down a few steps until she was in front of Herzog, looking down at him. "This must be the first time we've met face-to-face, Dr. Herzog."
"You saw me and didn't immediately run away. Do you think you can take the 'Holy Relic' from me?"
"If that's the case... how about I give you a chance?"
"A chance to fulfill your dream and take the throne."
"?!"
When Herzog heard Uchiha Hikari's last words, he looked up with a face of pure disbelief. But a second later, he snapped out of his shock and understood her meaning. "Are you going to..."
"Of course, I'm going to help you achieve your wish and become the new White King."
"The 'Holy Relic' is the remains of the White King. Once you're its host, you can take its divine authority and become a supreme Dragon King. You've worked for this for so many years, and it would be a shame for someone else to take it at the last minute. So... wouldn't it be better for you to claim this honor yourself?"
As she spoke, Uchiha Hikari let go.
The "Holy Relic" fell from her hand and landed on Herzog's face. The moment it touched his skin, it became active, sprouting dozens of tiny, bony spikes that pierced his skin. It injected its remaining power into him, beginning to absorb the nutrients from his body to regenerate.
During this process, Herzog began to let out a series of insane howls. He had wanted to become the White King, but not like this. The "Holy Relic" contained the remnant will of a Dragon King. While it was a parasite, it would gradually strip away and devour its host's consciousness, using it as fuel for its growth.
The correct way to evolve was to find a super-hybrid to be the initial host, using their body to filter out the Holy Relic's toxicity before swapping their blood with it. Herzog's original vessel was Eri. But after his "Chikamasa" identity was exposed and he lost control of the Hachirō clan, he had to settle for a backup plan, using the Vicious Spirits Gang he created with his evolution serum to serve as a substitute. He figured that if one person wasn't enough to filter the toxicity, he'd use more. His goal was to become a god himself; once he had the White King's power, he could just rebuild a new Vicious Spirits Gang whenever he wanted.
But now... the roles were reversed.
"Aaaaaah!" Herzog's body began to convulse, and his screams became more and more shrill. The pores all over his body seemed to burst open, and countless thin, white threads began to extend from his entire body, even his eyes and nostrils. They spread out in all directions. All the living beings the threads touched, whether they were members of the Vicious Spirits Gang or the drakes, let out similar howls as their bodies withered and lost their color.
Even the Orochi, which was lying on the work platform in pieces, was connected by these threads. The flesh inside the serpent's body was absorbed through invisible channels into the "Holy Relic," turning the white threads red.
"You guys, stay right where you are," Uchiha Hikari said, stepping forward to shield the others behind her.
Genji now understood what was happening and couldn't help but shout, "Miss Hikari, if we don't stop him, he might become another White King! The whole of Japan could be wiped out!"
"Oh," Uchiha Hikari said noncommittally.
After all, this was exactly what she had come here for.
Just a few moments passed. Herzog was completely wrapped in a thick cocoon of white threads. Through the weaker spots of the cocoon, faint crimson blood could be seen flowing as the White King's genes from the "Holy Relic" began to transform his body. His consciousness only held on for a little while before sinking into a dazed, beast-like state.
"Tsk, tsk," Uchiha Hikari clicked her tongue.
It seemed Herzog's bloodline wasn't pure enough, and he was a subpar vessel. The "new White King" that would emerge would likely be much weaker than the one in the original story. She wondered how long it would be able to play with her.
Time slowly passed. After who knows how long, a strange breathing sound began to come from the still, white cocoon. It started slow and soft, then gradually became a deep, powerful bellow, like a bellows. It seemed even the ground around them began to vibrate with each breath.
Hoo...
Hoo-hoo...
When a certain moment arrived, there was a sound like a tearing cloth.
A hand covered in bony spikes tore through the side of the white cocoon. With a little force, it ripped the whole thing open. Then, a being, somewhere between a human and a dragon, slowly stepped out of the tear. It spread a pair of pale, membranous wings behind its back, and its frozen-looking face had eyes that glowed with a lava-like golden light.
