Compared to the dragon bone sword, the dragon scale armor was noticeably rougher in craftsmanship.
It consisted of just a chest plate and wrist guards, about two millimeters thick and weighing around ten kilograms. A bit heavy for Bulma, but just right for Uchiha Hikari and Kikyo. When worn under a jacket, it was barely noticeable and didn't hinder movement at all.
As for its defensive strength…
Hikari tested it with a shadow clone. Standard taijutsu and sword techniques were easily deflected. For large-scale ninjutsu, if dodging wasn't an option, it could at least protect vital organs from serious damage.
And as long as it wasn't completely shattered, even if the chest plate cracked, it could fuse back together and heal like new.
"Not bad," Hikari said, deciding to gift one to Eri and Tanjiro later.
As for Miko, her enemies were ghosts and spirits, so armor like this wouldn't do much for her. Plus, Miko's physique was even weaker than Bulma's—she was basically an ordinary human. Wearing ten kilograms of armor would probably leave her exhausted and aching after half a day.
By the way…
Hikari only just noticed how impressive Kikyo's figure was.
In her usual miko outfit, it wasn't obvious, but when she stripped down to her white undergarments, the curves were undeniable—easily a D-cup, at least.
Hikari couldn't help but sneak a few glances.
"Hm? Is Little Hikari checking out Miss Kikyo?" Bulma teased, catching her in the act. "I'm kinda jealous of her figure too. Big where it counts, slim where it should be, and somehow she's still so light! But don't worry, Hikari, you're still young. Your chest hasn't started developing yet, but if you eat well, you've got a shot at catching up."
Bulma gave her an encouraging look as she spoke.
"…"
Hikari's mouth twitched. Yeah, no thanks.
She enjoyed admiring others' assets, but the thought of having them herself? That sounded like a hassle.
On the other side, Kikyo overheard their conversation, glanced down at her chest, and smiled faintly. "It's not something to envy. It can actually get in the way during a fight. As for my weight… my body's made of clay now, so I don't even need to eat. Gaining weight isn't exactly a concern."
The mention of her clay body brought a brief silence over Hikari and Bulma.
"Hey, Hikari," Bulma said after a moment. "Once the Dragon Balls' wish cooldown resets this year, how about we wish for a new body for Miss Kikyo?"
"…I don't think that'll work," Hikari replied.
It wasn't about being stingy with a wish.
The issue was that Earth's Dragon likely couldn't create a new body from scratch. Even when reviving the dead, it required an intact body, suggesting that crafting a new one was beyond its power.
But there was a simpler solution.
"How about cloning a new body for Miss Kikyo?" Hikari suggested.
Cloning tech was already advanced in the Dragon Ball, Naruto, and Dragon Raja worlds. The only reason it wasn't common was ethics, not capability.
For the sake of saving someone, though, ethics could take a backseat.
Hikari had already thought it through.
Kikyo's DNA was obtainable. Beyond Kagome, her reincarnation, there was a clone of Kikyo on Horai Island, created fifty years ago by the "Four Fighting Gods" using Kikyo's blood. If Hikari could get that clone's DNA, she could try cloning Kikyo.
As for transferring Kikyo's soul into the new body… that's where Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation jutsu would come in.
Of course, even after all that, Kikyo's soul would still be incomplete.
But it'd be a huge step up from her current state.
And this method could potentially work for other chat group members too—like Tanjiro's family or Minato Namikaze. In theory, they could all be revived this way.
"For now, let's grab the imposter's DNA sample and check in with Orochimaru," Hikari said.
…
Over the next couple of weeks, Hikari stayed in the Inuyasha world, helping search for Four Soul Jewel fragments while learning about spiritual energy from Kikyo.
With Kikyo's patient guidance and the cheat code that was her Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, Hikari's spiritual energy skills improved rapidly.
She even started getting the hang of unleashing Crescent Moon Rush with the dragon bone sword.
In her spare time, Hikari introduced the Naruto world's chakra system to Kikyo, Bulma, and Kohaku, explaining the basics.
Using her Yasaka no Magatama technique, she infused them with a bit of chakra to start practicing.
Kikyo's talent was off the charts. In just a few days, she'd mastered the Three Basic Techniques, plus water-walking and tree-climbing. She even began discussing chakra theory with Minato Namikaze in the chat group.
Kohaku took a week or two to get the hang of it, which was still impressive—about on par with Tengen Uzui from the Demon Slayer world. Not bad at all.
As for Bulma…
"Maybe you should try a different system, Bulma," Hikari suggested gently. "I think Dragon Ball's 'ki' might suit you better."
"No way! I'm gonna master the Three Basic Techniques!" Bulma insisted stubbornly.
"…"
Seeing her determination, Hikari didn't push further. Instead, she quietly asked Kikyo to give Bulma some extra pointers.
Near the end of the month, Hikari's group finally reached Horai Island. They took down the Four Fighting Gods and found Kikyo's clone.
Well…
Since they'd arrived early, the clone was still submerged in a nutrient tank, deep in a prolonged slumber.
"Feels like we don't even need to clone her. We could just use this body as is," Hikari said.
With Kikyo's consent, Hikari sealed the entire tank containing the clone, planning to check with Orochimaru on the progress of his Living Corpse Reincarnation jutsu before deciding the next steps.
That night, the group stayed in a castle on Horai Island.
The next morning, after breakfast and a short rest, everyone except Kohaku—Hikari, Kikyo, and Bulma—heard a faint ding. A few lines of text floated before their eyes:
["Tiger of Nishi-Chūgoku" has joined the chat group]
["Demon Princess" has joined the chat group]
["Haunted by Demons" has joined the chat group]