That evening, Tanjiro and the others finished compiling the list of people to be revived and handed it to Uchiha Hikari.
A total of 142 names.
Slightly more than she'd expected.
After all, beyond Tanjiro and the nine Hashira, the Demon Slayer Corps included countless regular members, the "Hidden" logistics team, medical staff, and swordsmiths. All told, there were hundreds of people, each with their own tragic story. If not for the "died within three years" restriction, the list might've been several times longer.
No matter.
As long as the wish went smoothly, whether it was a hundred or ten thousand people, it'd be a breeze for Shenron.
With the list in hand, Hikari and Kikyo went through it, sealing the souls of everyone except the Kamado family into talismans. Then they preserved the bodies in ice coffins and stored them in Capsule Corp capsules.
At one point, Hikari ran out of ice coffins, but Bulma sent over a hundred from the Dragon Ball world via the group shop, allowing them to finish the job.
"By the way…" Hikari looked at Kyojuro Rengoku, Giyu Tomioka, and the others, including Ruka Rengoku's spirit. "Do you want to see your loved ones again? Even though Ruka, Sabito, and the others died over three years ago and can't be revived, I can use Edo Tensei to bring them back temporarily. They won't be exactly like the living, so they can't live normally, but they could visit home and catch up."
The group hesitated.
Rationally, they felt it might be disrespectful to the dead. They'd seen the Kamado family's situation—able to move and talk like normal but still noticeably different, not truly alive.
Emotionally, though, they longed to spend more time with their mothers or close friends.
Especially Kyojuro.
His father had spiraled into alcoholism and despair after his mother's death, shutting out everyone. If Kyojuro could bring her back, even briefly, to talk things over, it might snap his father outta it.
Hikari smiled lightly. "No rush. Take your time to think it over and check with them. If you decide to go for it, I'm ready to help. Oh, and if we do Edo Tensei, I can teach you how to undo it, so you can release them when needed."
"…Alright. I'll discuss it with my mother/senior. Whatever we decide, thank you, Miss Hikari."
That night, Ubuyashiki Kagaya hosted a lavish banquet, inviting everyone to stay and eat.
During dinner, they hashed out the details of the "lure the enemy" plan.
Ubuyashiki had already figured out how to "accidentally" leak the Corps' headquarters location to Muzan, so Hikari didn't need to worry about that.
Mobilization wasn't an issue either.
Everyone in the Corps had a deep grudge against demons and was ready to lay down their lives. If sacrificing themselves could ensure victory, they'd do it without hesitation.
Plus…
There was now a revival safety net.
"If we die in this battle… we can be revived, right, Miss Hikari?" someone asked.
"Of course," Hikari nodded. "As long as your body isn't eaten, there's no problem. Kikyo and I will collect the souls of anyone who falls and revive them afterward."
"…Good to know."
Ubuyashiki's response eased the tension among the Hashira.
While they weren't afraid of death, nobody would turn down a chance to live.
That left just one issue— who'd take part in the ambush.
In the original story, Ubuyashiki had only stationed a few top fighters, like Gyomei Himejima, around the room to jump Muzan once he fell into the trap.
But now…
The Corps' lineup was stronger than in the original timeline. Aside from Tengen Uzui, who'd lost an arm and couldn't participate, Kyojuro and the others, recently injured by Akaza, had healed at an unnatural speed thanks to Hikari's Medical Ninjutsu.
Add in Hikari's group from other worlds, and hiding everyone in the headquarters without Muzan noticing would be like trying to hide an elephant under a rug.
Fortunately, there was an easy fix.
"When the time comes, I'll use the Transformation Jutsu to turn Esdeath and the others into your family members, Ubuyashiki-san, and have them stay here," Hikari said, gesturing toward Amane Ubuyashiki.
In the original story, Amane, the former shrine maiden, and her two white-haired daughters had served as bait alongside Ubuyashiki, ultimately dying in the explosion.
Now, there was no need to put them at risk.
Hikari, Esdeath, and Eri could transform into Amane and her daughters. When Muzan showed up, they'd drop the jutsu, giving him a nasty surprise.
As for the others…
"I'll handle that," Kikyo said calmly. "Among my barrier techniques, there's one called a 'concealment barrier.' It can hide people and objects completely. Unless someone has spiritual power, they won't notice anyone inside, even if they walk right by."
"Seriously?" Kyojuro's eyes widened. "That's incredible!"
"Love it, love it!" Yamato clapped excitedly.
After a moment of shock, Ubuyashiki snapped back and began organizing. With Hikari's group joining the ambush, not all the Hashira needed to stay. He decided to keep only the strongest—Gyomei Himejima, Sanemi Shinazugawa, and Tanjiro—while the others would split into pairs, leading teams to guard against attacks from other directions.
Also…
Miss Tamayo and Yushiro would join the operation.
Indeed, months ago, Ubuyashiki had brought Tamayo in and tasked her, with Shinobu Kocho's help, to develop a drug to weaken Muzan. They'd already made progress.
Hikari figured the poison was optional, but if it reassured the Corps, she'd go along with it.
—Speaking of, Tamayo was a medical talent. After this was over, Hikari might invite her to join Dr. Gero's research team.
The plan was set.
Over the next few days, Kikyo worked on setting up the barriers.
Yamato, ever curious, hovered nearby, peppering her with questions.
Hikari had little to do and couldn't wander freely—the Corps' headquarters was in the populated Kanto region, and roaming might alert Muzan or the Twelve Kizuki. So, she checked in with Kikyo, then took Esdeath and Eri via "Shangri-La" to the Ryukyu Islands, thousands of miles away, for some beach time.
In the Demon Slayer world, it was late summer, early fall. The temperature was a bit chilly, but with their exceptional strength and unique bloodlines, Hikari and the others didn't mind.
Ryukyu, at this point in history, wasn't yet a bustling tourist spot. The ten-kilometer coastline was nearly deserted—perfect for swimming and sunbathing.
They spent a couple of carefree days there until Tanjiro messaged:
[Iron Head: Miss Hikari, Miss Eri, you there?]
[Iron Head: Lord Ubuyashiki says Muzan's coming to headquarters tomorrow night, with the Upper Moons. Also, Mr. Brand arrived from the Akame world this morning, with Mr. Tazmi.]
[Nameless: Got it. We'll head back tomorrow morning.]
[Nameless: How's Miss Kikyo doing? Barriers all set?]
[Kikyo: All done. Just tested with Tanjiro and the others—no issues.]
At the Ryukyu beach, Hikari, in a one-piece swimsuit and sunglasses, glanced at Eri, who was busy building a sandcastle.
Thanks to Hikari's favor as the "White King" and Eri's stabilized condition, she had more freedom in the Dragon world. But the Sakuragi family still worried about her straying too far. Only in other group members' worlds could she play so freely.
"Hm?" Eri noticed Hikari's gaze, wiped sweat from her brow with sandy hands, and smiled. Scribbling on her notebook, she held it up: Wanna build a castle with me, Hikari?
"…A castle?" Hikari crouched, eyeing the abstract pile of sand Eri called a structure, lost in thought.
Nearby, Esdeath emerged from the sea, water dripping as she stepped onto the shore. Her swimsuit hugged her tall, curvy figure, and droplets slid down her fair skin and toned legs, giving her an almost mesmerizing charm.
"Ahem…" Hikari awkwardly looked away, grabbing some ice cream from a cooler. "What flavor do you want?"
"This one," Esdeath said, picking vanilla.
Eri grabbed a strawberry one, licking it with a contented look.
Hikari took one for herself, nibbling slowly, then gathered the wrappers to toss later.
That night, the three slept in a small house popped out from a Capsule Corp capsule.
The next morning, after brushing their teeth and a quick breakfast, they used "Shangri-La" to return to Corps headquarters.
The atmosphere was noticeably tenser than before. Even Brand and Yamato looked on edge, making Hikari want to tease them but she held back.
She watched as Kikyo directed Brand, Yamato, and the Hashira to hide near the Ubuyashiki residence.
Then, Kikyo chanted a spell and formed hand seals. Ripples appeared in the air, as if something twisted briefly. In a blink, everyone vanished from sight.
"This technique… it's got some spatial properties?" Hikari raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Kikyo nodded. "A standard concealment barrier wouldn't need such complex setup, but you mentioned Muzan's ability to jump to another dimension. So I used a spatial barrier. It folds space around the chosen area, like cutting a pocket into fabric and tucking people inside. When I release the jutsu, Tanjiro and the others will appear, and the space here will disrupt, stopping Muzan from teleporting right away."
"Got it," Hikari said, intrigued, already planning to ask Kikyo to teach her after the fight.
For now…
"Transform!"
Hikari grabbed Esdeath and Eri, using the Transformation Jutsu. As the smoke cleared, they reappeared as Amane and her two daughters.
"Here, you'll play with this ball," Hikari said, handing a ball to Esdeath.
"…" Esdeath, now in the form of a little girl, took it with a complicated expression, unsure whether to bounce or toss it. Eri, however, clapped happily, delighted by her new outfit, perfectly playing the part of an innocent child.
With all the actors in place, the stage was set.
Time ticked by.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya sat in the living room, wrapped in a blanket, coughing uncontrollably.
At one moment, Hikari's eyes twitched, sensing a faint, hidden presence from a corner of the estate. Simultaneously, Kikyo's message popped up in the group chat:
[Kikyo: He's here.]