[Onihime: Wait, for real?!]
Seeing Bulma's message, Yamato was beyond thrilled.
Lately, back in the One Piece world, she'd been bored out of her mind. Besides eating and sleeping, she spent half her time chatting and goofing off in the group chat, and the other half swinging her kanabo around, picking fights with Runti and the others.
With Kaido and the Three Calamities off the island, nobody on Onigashima could rein her in, so Yamato was living it up, doing whatever she pleased.
If it weren't for her lack of basic life skills and navigation know-how, she might've already tried stealing a ship and sailing off on her own.
So, naturally, she was pumped and bombarded Bulma with questions.
Bulma, for her part, patiently explained everything.
[Nameless: …So, you're saying this ship can actually fly like a spaceship?]
[Bulma: Well, not that crazy. I did tweak it using some of the engine tech from Kami's ship, but the materials limit it to stable flight within the atmosphere. Any higher, and we might risk a traffic accident.]
[Yotsuya Miko: "Traffic accident"… like crashing into an asteroid?]
[Yotsuya Miko: I just looked it up online, and the atmosphere's thickness is at least 2,000 kilometers, with no clear upper limit… Bulma-san, your ship can really fly that high?]
[Iron Head: Uh, how far is 2,000 kilometers?]
[Nameless: Let's put it this way… the distance from Tokyo to Kyoto is about 300 kilometers. You can do the math.]
[Iron Head: ?!]
Once again, Tanjiro, Minato, and others from less technologically advanced worlds were floored by Dragon Ball's tech.
Even Yuji Itadori and Miko, who were a bit more worldly, were left speechless.
[Tiger of Nishi-Chuo: If Bulma-san were in our world, she'd probably monopolize the Nobel Prize for the next 30 years…]
[Nameless: Honestly, they should just create a "Bulma Award."]
After some playful banter, the chat shifted to the formation of the "Dimensional Pirate Crew."
As the "vice-captain," Uchiha Hikari could kick back with a cola, but the "captain," Bulma, had a lot on her plate.
From designing the crew's emblem, to sorting out the crew lineup and room assignments, to planning their travel route in the One Piece world—everything needed prep.
Hikari and the others couldn't help much, since their knowledge of the One Piece world came mostly from the unfinished manga. And the only actual resident, Yamato, was a grown homebody who'd never left Onigashima since birth.
[Bulma: Hmm… so where should our first stop be? Maybe that "Baratie" floating restaurant? I'm kinda curious about that blond chef.]
[Nameless: I don't think that's a good idea.]
[Nameless: Baratie's in the East Blue, and Yamato's in the New World—way too far apart. How about the Sabaody Archipelago instead? Though, we might run into the Navy or Celestial Dragons there.]
[Bulma: Got it… guess we'll need a map of the One Piece world first.]
[Tiger of Nishi-Chuo: [One Piece World Map.jpg]]
[Bulma: ?!]
[Tiger of Nishi-Chuo: I found this online. Someone pieced it together based on the One Piece manga. It might not be 100% accurate compared to the real One Piece world, but it should work as a reference.]
[Bulma: Thank you so much!]
In the wooden room at Genji Heavy Industries, Uchiha Hikari pulled her attention away from the chat and stretched her arms with a long yawn.
She'd been considering tracking down this world's Eiichiro Oda to ask for a One Piece world map.
But since Yuji Itadori had already sent one, that saved her the hassle—honestly, she wasn't even sure it would've worked. Even the original creator's mental image of the world might differ from the actual One Piece world, especially since the Dragon Raja world was still in 2009. Whether Oda had even thought up Wano or Yamato's storyline yet was anyone's guess.
The Jujutsu Kaisen world, though, was already in 2018.
It sounded absurd, but the One Piece fans there could probably tell this world's Oda, "You don't know jack about pirates…"
…
Bulma got to work preparing for the trip to the One Piece world.
It was estimated to take a few days.
So, Hikari wasn't in a rush to meet up with her. Instead, she organized the blood samples from the Dragon Kings, sent one to Dr. Gero and another to Orochimaru, then stayed at Genji Heavy Industries, chilling with Eri and playing some newly released games for a few laid-back days.
In this relaxed vibe, time flew by to the second week.
With the Sheqi Bajia eagerly waiting, Angers finally arrived in Japan.
He came alone.
To show respect, Uesugi Koshi personally led a group to pick him up at the airport.
"…I'd heard the Sheqi Bajia got a new head, but I didn't expect you, you old geezer, to make a comeback after all these years."
"Speak for yourself. You're still out here fighting the good fight against dragons—how could I fall behind?"
Angers and Uesugi traded jabs before heading toward the car together.
Along the way, Angers noticed Uchiha Hikari and the others trailing behind.
"And these folks are?"
"These two are my son, Gen Chisei, and my daughter, Eri," Uesugi said, beaming with pride. "As for this one… she's the daughter of a late friend, Kurosawa Aoi."
Uchiha Hikari, under the name "Kurosawa Aoi," gave a nod as a greeting.
That's right.
She wasn't using her "White King" identity here but rather "Kurosawa Aoi," a hybrid distantly related to the Sheqi Bajia, with a touch of "frail and sickly" flair.
But…
"I've heard a lot about you, Principal Angers. They say you're quite the swordmaster, even earning the 'Niten Ichi-ryu' menkyo kaiden. I've got a bit of skill with a blade myself—mind if we spar a little?" Uchiha Hikari said lightly.
"Hm?"
Angers blinked, caught off guard.
He knew a bit about Gen Chisei and Eri.
Chisei, as the young head of the Sheqi Bajia, had been in the public eye plenty, while Eri, though kept hidden at Genji Heavy Industries, was known to the Secret Party's intelligence network as a mysterious figure used as a weapon.
But Uchiha Hikari's presence? That was a surprise.
Norma's intel hadn't mentioned anyone like her.
Angers flashed a charming smile. "Miss Kurosawa, was it? Such a lovely face, and a sword enthusiast to boot?"
"Absolutely," Uchiha Hikari replied with a slight smile. "Don't let my looks fool you—I've got a Niten Ichi-ryu menkyo kaiden myself."
That was no lie.
Back when she first arrived in the Dragon Raja world, she'd studied its swordsmanship. With her Sharingan, any sword style was as simple as 1+1=2. One look, and she'd master it. Two, if she was feeling slow.
Niten Ichi-ryu, founded by Miyamoto Musashi, had waned but still had living practitioners. Her menkyo kaiden certificate was legit—earned through a grueling half-hour of effort.
Angers didn't know the details.
Still, he was a pretty easygoing guy, especially fond of interacting with younger folks. After confirming she wasn't joking, he agreed readily.
"Ha, didn't expect the Sheqi Bajia's younger generation to be this interesting. Since Miss Aoi's so keen, I'll take you up on it."
"Great."
Originally, the Sheqi Bajia planned to spend a day or two wining and dining Angers before getting to business.
But Hikari's challenge threw a wrench in that. After a lavish lunch at a sprawling Japanese estate, Uesugi brought up the idea of a swordsmanship spar.
So, the group followed the estate's old butler to a training ground near a bamboo grove.
"Here we are," Uesugi said. "This is the Sheqi Bajia's usual training field. Chisei and I often spar here. The blades on the rack are crafted by master smiths—top-notch quality, should suit your needs."
As he spoke, Hikari caught a glint of mischief in Uesugi's eyes when he looked at Angers.
Like… he was ready to watch the show?
Made sense.
Uesugi had faced Hikari's swordsmanship firsthand. Even without her "White King" powers, her skills were top-tier. Angers might have decent swordplay, but beating her? No chance. Even factoring in "Time Zero" wouldn't change that.
Uesugi was already stifling a laugh, eager to see his old friend eat humble pie.
Angers, noticing his expression, frowned slightly. "What's with that look? You guys hiding something from me?"