Uchiha Hikari lingered in the small city for a few days.
She spent her time studying the Teigu she'd acquired while waiting for the local nobles to deliver their "tribute" of wealth.
Speaking of which…
Teigu were all about compatibility. Only those with the right affinity could wield them effectively; otherwise, not only would the Teigu's power remain untapped, but it could also take a heavy toll on the user's body.
After some experimenting, Hikari confirmed she had decent compatibility with "Shangri-La" and "Moonlight Waltz." The air blades produced by "Moonlight Waltz" were far longer and more destructive than those wielded by its previous owner, Enshin. Apparently, the Teigu wasn't as weak as she'd thought—it was just that its former master was pathetic.
"Chaos Pitch" was… okay in terms of compatibility, but Hikari found it pretty useless. She figured she'd toss it to someone as a toy later.
As for "Earth Rumble"…
Hikari's first impression of the microphone-shaped Teigu was actually pretty good. But she quickly realized she wasn't cut out to be an idol. In her hands, the Teigu couldn't unleash its full potential, and after a few forced attempts, her throat felt scratchy. Thankfully, her enhanced recovery kicked in and fixed her up fast.
"Maybe… I should let Bulma try this one out?"
—Cosmia, the original owner of "Earth Rumble," was a bunny-girl-styled witch songstress. Bulma, from the Dragon Ball world, had rocked a bunny outfit a few times and seemed to enjoy singing. Maybe she'd have better luck with this Teigu.
Oh, and speaking of Cosmia…
Over the past few days, she'd started trailing Hikari like a loyal puppy.
Compared to the other members of the "Wild Hunt," Cosmia's crimes were relatively light—borderline forgivable. Hikari had some questions for her, so she spared her life, unlike Sheila and the others.
"Cosmia, come here."
Hikari beckoned with a casual wave.
Cosmia, standing nearby, immediately lowered her gaze and scurried over like an obedient pet, looking at Hikari with utmost respect. "Lady Hikari, I'm here. What do you need?"
"Ever been to the Imperial Capital?"
"The Capital?"
Cosmia blinked, answering cautiously, "I visited once a few years ago, before I met Sheila. I'm fairly familiar with it… If you're planning to go, I can guide you."
"Good. In a few days, you're coming with me to find a place there."
"…Got it."
Hikari was looking for a location Sheila had mentioned. She'd seen glimpses of it in his memories, but the exact route was fuzzy, and there weren't any clear landmarks. Having someone familiar with the Capital would speed things up.
"By the way, isn't there one more member of your 'Wild Hunt'?" Hikari asked offhandedly.
"Yes, an alchemist named Dotya. Her alchemy can transform humans into Dangerous Beasts. She's done a ton of human experiments and even modified her own body that way. Her Teigu is 'Blood Harvest,' a tooth-shaped device she mounts in her mouth. It boosts her strength and heals her by drinking blood. Dotya's the most cautious of us. She probably saw you in action last night and slipped away."
Cosmia sold out her former teammate without hesitation.
"Got it."
Hikari nodded, unbothered.
In the original story, Dotya was a slippery one, the last of Sheila's crew to die. She might be hightailing it back to the Capital to report Sheila's death to Minister Ornest.
No big deal.
Hikari was bound to clash with that old schemer eventually. In her mind, Ornest was already half-dead, and not even the Little Emperor's "Supreme Teigu" could save him.
"Lady Hikari, these are the valuables we collected from the nobles' estates."
Inside the Governor's mansion, Ran and the female Governor approached Hikari's temporary residence, gesturing to a dozen or so chests in front of them.
"…This much?"
Hikari was taken aback.
She'd figured this small, unassuming city wouldn't have much wealth to plunder.
But… ten chests of gold and silver?
That was practically on par with the Ox King's fortune from the Dragon Ball world!
If even the nobles in a mid-tier city like this were this loaded, how filthy rich were the aristocrats in the Capital—or Minister Ornest himself?
Ran, meanwhile, wore a complicated expression.
As a teacher, his life had been simple. He'd spent half his years in a school, surrounded by students and colleagues. He'd heard rumors about corrupt nobles, but they always felt distant—until that tragedy struck.
It dragged him from paradise to hell, shattering his peaceful life.
Then came Sheila's crew, their downfall, and the things Ran witnessed while confiscating the nobles' wealth. His worldview, built over two decades, was shaken to its core.
For the first time, he craved power over knowledge.
Against monsters like these, moral lectures were useless. Only overwhelming strength could force change.
Like… the girl standing in front of him.
"Lady Hikari," Ran swallowed, his voice tinged with nervousness. "I know this is bold, but… could you teach me how to gain power like yours?"
"Hm?" Hikari raised an eyebrow. "What's with the sudden question?"
"…I've just realized the world isn't as simple as I thought."
"It takes years to nurture a child into someone great, but it only takes a day to destroy them. The nobles who lord over us don't care about the suffering of the common people—they exploit and enslave them without a second thought, even taking lives for fun. It's so unfair."
"I don't want what I've been through to happen to anyone else. So…"
"Please, teach me."
Ran bowed deeply, his words earnest.
"…"
Hikari fell silent.
She had a decent opinion of Ran. He was one of the few people in the Empire with a conscience, and he'd been diligently helping her with the asset seizures. He deserved some kind of reward.
She thought for a moment. "Gaining power like mine? That's impossible. But… I can teach you something."
"Have you ever heard of 'ki'?"