You know, this black Somersault Cloud actually showed up in the original *Dragon Ball* story. It was given to Tao Pai Pai by Karin, the Cat Sage.
And, fun fact, Tao Pai Pai was tossed off it mid-flight by Karin and nearly died when he hit the ground below the tower… That little tidbit was exactly why Uchiha Hikari had asked her earlier question.
"What do you take this Immortal Cat for?" Karin huffed, sounding mildly offended.
"So, sitting on this cloud won't have any side effects, right? Like, it won't mess with my mind or make me all grumpy and aggressive?" Hikari pressed, still a bit skeptical.
"As if that could happen!" Karin scoffed, blowing at his whiskers and raising his staff like he was about to take the cloud back. "If you don't want it, fine by me."
"No, no, I want it!"
Following her "why waste a freebie" philosophy, Hikari hopped onto the black Somersault Cloud. It felt soft and cushy, kind of like a sofa.
"Thanks, Master!"
She took it for a spin around Karin Tower, confirming she could steer it with her thoughts. Satisfied, Hikari waved at Karin, then zoomed skyward on the cloud.
…
Half an hour later…
Hikari was sprawled at the edge of the black Somersault Cloud, gripping the fluffy mass with both hands, enjoying the breeze while cautiously peering down at the sprawling mountains and rivers below. Suddenly, a notification pinged in the chat group, tagging her.
**[IronHeadKid @Nameless]: Miss Hikari, I think I just met that doctor you mentioned!**
**[Nameless]: Hm?**
**[Nameless]: You mean Miss Tamayo?**
**[IronHeadKid]: Yeah! I ran into her on the street, and she brought me here. There's a Mr. Yushiro here too. Miss Tamayo says she's over a hundred years old and has been working on a cure to turn demons back into humans…**
"…"
Hikari's eyes narrowed slightly.
Based on the *Demon Slayer* timeline, at this point, Tanjiro should've already crossed paths with Muzan Kibutsuji in Asakusa and caught his attention. If things were playing out as expected, it wouldn't be long before someone—or rather, some*thing*—showed up on Muzan's orders to take them out…
As if to confirm her suspicions, Tanjiro's messages in the chat group suddenly turned frantic.
**[IronHeadKid]: !**
**[IronHeadKid]: Oh no, Miss Tamayo's hurt… Someone's coming, I'll talk later!**
Bulma and Namikaze Minato, who'd just popped into the chat, fired off a few concerned questions, but Tanjiro didn't respond.
**[Bulma]: Hikari, what do we do? Sounds like Tanjiro's in trouble—did he run into a demon?**
**[Nameless]: …I'm heading over to check it out. I'll update you once I know what's going on.**
Hikari immediately sent Tanjiro a request to join his world.
**[Nameless has requested to enter IronHeadKid's world. Do you agree?]**
**[…]**
"No response?"
Hikari frowned, a theory forming in her mind.
The chat group didn't have an "offline" status. As long as a member was conscious, they could pull up the chat window with a sliver of focus. No reply meant Tanjiro was either too caught up in a fight to notice the request or deliberately ignoring it to keep her out of trouble, planning to approve it only after the dust settled.
Knowing Tanjiro's personality… it was probably a bit of both.
Hikari mulled it over, then steered the Somersault Cloud westward, aiming to rendezvous with Bulma first.
But before she could reach West City…
**[IronHeadKid has approved the request.]**
In the next instant, Hikari—and the black Somersault Cloud—vanished from the sky.
…
*Demon Slayer* world, Asakusa.
In a secluded courtyard tucked away in a corner of the town…
Tanjiro, battered and bruised, lay sprawled on the ground. He groggily lifted his head, squinting at the blurry figures ahead, struggling to get back on his feet.
Not far off, Nezuko and Tamayo were drenched in blood.
Just ten minutes ago, two demons claiming to be part of the Twelve Kizuki had stormed the courtyard. They smashed through the barrier hiding Tamayo's residence, forcing Tanjiro and the others to confront them.
One demon, Susamaru, wielded handballs as weapons. Her six volleyball-sized orbs hit like cannonballs, leaving massive craters in the mansion, the ground, and the surrounding walls with every strike.
The other, Yahaba, was even trickier. He manipulated invisible arrow-like patterns that could push anything in their path—including human bodies—sending them flying in an instant. Since they were invisible, they were nearly impossible to dodge.
In mere moments, Tanjiro's group was overwhelmed.
With Yushiro's help, Tanjiro borrowed his vision to spot Yahaba's arrows. Pushing his "Water Breathing" swordsmanship to its limits, he managed to take Yahaba down—but it came at a cost. Exhausted, with countless broken bones in his chest and legs, Tanjiro couldn't even stand after several attempts. As his consciousness began to fade, he gritted his teeth and, with hesitation, willed the thought to "agree."
In that split second, the air shimmered.
Uchiha Hikari, perched on the black Somersault Cloud, appeared in this world, slowly opening her eyes.
Wait…
The Somersault Cloud came too??
Well… world-hopping did allow for carrying personal items—otherwise, she'd be showing up naked, which would be awkward. But in Hikari's mind, the Somersault Cloud wasn't just an "item." It had a bit of sentience, almost like a Pokémon. Did that mean living things could cross over too?
If so, that was pretty convenient. She'd been wondering if she'd need to seal the cloud with a sealing jutsu to bring it along.
For now, Hikari hopped off the cloud.
She heard Tanjiro's weak voice from the ground: "Miss Hikari, it's you… Please, help Nezuko. She's in danger…"
"Shh."
Hikari glanced down, quickly assessing Tanjiro's injuries, and made a hush gesture. "No need to explain—I've got the gist. You're in bad shape, so just rest for now. I'll handle things from here."
After a moment's thought, she paused, pulled a Senzu Bean from her pocket, and tossed it to him. "This'll heal your injuries. Break it in half and eat one piece. Save the other half for later."
She had dozens of Senzu Beans on her, and since she rarely needed them, parting with one didn't sting too much.
"?"
Tanjiro caught the bean instinctively, then seemed to remember something. "Wait, Miss Hikari, take my Nichirin Blade…"
Before he could finish, Hikari was already striding forward, vanishing around the corner of the courtyard.
Gritting his teeth against the searing pain, Tanjiro brought the Senzu Bean to his mouth, bit off half, and forced it down. Clenching his fists, he propped himself up on his elbows, crawling forward with effort.
Then…
A warm surge radiated from his stomach, spreading through his body in seconds. As his wounds—inside and out—began to heal, Tanjiro froze, stunned.
"…Huh?"
Meanwhile, thick clouds of dust swirled through the courtyard.
Susamaru's handballs sliced through the air, each one accompanied by a piercing screech as they whipped up gusts on either side.
The demon named Susamaru was single-handedly overpowering three others, including Nezuko. Noticing the new human presence, she had enough leeway to glance over, letting out a gleeful cackle. "Haha, how fun! Another human's shown up… Can't wait to get yourself killed, huh?"
The words "get killed" had barely left her mouth when Susamaru swung her arm.
A colorful handball shot from her hand, spinning rapidly toward Hikari. Even before it reached her, the air cracked with a sonic boom, sharp as a whistle!
Facing the deadly projectile, Hikari's eyes narrowed. With lightning-fast reflexes, she raised her right hand and made a grabbing motion toward the ball mid-air.
The next moment—
**BAM!!**
Her slender hand caught the high-speed handball. The shockwave from its momentum rippled outward, lifting Hikari's black hair slightly. For a fleeting second, she felt a sting in her palm, but it faded quickly. The ball's rotation slowed, then stopped entirely.
"So this is the power of a 'demon'…"
Hikari took a moment to gauge it. "Not exactly impressive."
**(End of Chapter)**