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Eight years slipped by in a flash.
…
Snowflakes drifted down across the Land of Whirlpools, covering the forests in a pristine blanket of white.
Shin stood there, unbothered by the biting wind. Behind him floated—Twelve Truth-Seeking Orbs, up from nine before.
These three extra orbs were something he’d forged after achieving Kekkei Mōra—the pinnacle of elemental fusion that included Yin and Yang Release.
Shin had finally merged all chakra natures and now had genuine Six Paths–level power.
It took eight years, but at last, he’d fused everything successfully. The domain of Kekkei Mōra was essentially godlike in this world. Next to someone like Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, yes—but Kaguya herself couldn’t match Shin in a fight.
He also noticed the changes in his eyes from the synergy with Bloodline Encompassing. The original Tensei-Rinnegan had gained Six Black tomoe arranged on the rings, forming the Six-Tomoe Tensei-Rinnegan.
He wondered if an even higher form—like an eight or nine-tomoe version—might be possible in the future.
“Why’re you standing out here in the snow like a weirdo?” Kushina’s voice cut across the wind, drawing Shin’s gaze.
“I wanted to test my new powers, but there’s no suitable opponent.” He let the orbs fade, then faced her with a rueful shrug.
He truly wished for a challenge but found none worth fighting.
“You sound bored. Then how about joining my village? Give me a hand building it up!” Kushina asked, eyes sparkling.
Shin gave her a flat look:
“You mean that ‘Village’ of yours with only four people?”
Indeed, eight years had passed, yet the “village” Kushina built—Suikagakure—still had exactly four members: herself, Mikoto, Tsunade, and Konan.
After incessant pestering from Kushina, Tsunade and Mikoto finally caved and joined. They went through multiple name changes—originally “Beautiful Shinobi Village,” which was too cringe.
Eventually, they settled on “Suikagakure.”
Kushina served as the First Suikage, but… the village struggled with expansion. She was determined to recruit Shin, but so far, no luck.
“You’re looking down on us again,” Kushina huffed. “We might be small, but we’re strong!”
She did have a point: Tsunade, Mikoto, and Konan all achieved Kage-tier strength, making them each as strong as any major village’s leader. On paper, that was an impressive ratio. But “four ninjas total”—was… well, awkward.
“Yes, four people still hardly qualifies as a proper village,” Shin quipped.
Kushina put her hands on her hips, cheeks puffed in annoyance.
“Don’t keep harping on the ‘four people’ part! You’d make five if you joined, and we’ll definitely expand in the future!”
“But you once said your village only accepts female Shinobi. So you basically excluded me from the get-go, right?” Shin suddenly remembered her earlier stance.
“That rule doesn’t apply to you, dummy. You’re my man. I’m allowed to make exceptions.” Kushina shrugged as if it were obvious.
“Uhh, yeah, thanks but no thanks. Suddenly I recall something else I need to do—bye!” Shin coughed awkwardly, then vanished into a swirl of black portal space.
He wasn’t about to become the village’s “manual labor.” Tsunade and Mikoto had only given in because they couldn’t handle Kushina’s relentless pressure, but Shin refused.
“Damn it!”
….
She headed back inside, only to see Tsunade, Mikoto, and Konan sipping tea. Mikoto shot her a sympathetic look.
“He’s not back yet?” Mikoto asked.
“I tried to recruit him again, and he ran off. Can you believe that?”
She flopped down and grabbed a nearby cup, downing the steaming tea in one gulp—
Only to spit it right back out, wincing.
“Ow, so hot!”
She nearly spit it out, glaring at Mikoto accusingly.
“Why didn’t you warn me it was so hot?!”
“You drank it too fast for me to say anything.” Mikoto said calmly.
“Fine, Anyway, any bright ideas on how we get Shin to join us?” Kushina switched topics, eyeing them hopefully.
“Hmm… can’t think of anything.” Konan shook her head.
“I might have one.” Tsunade spoke up.
“Really?” Kushina’s eyes lit with hope.
“Simple. Just pester him until he gives in, the same way you cornered us. Let’s be honest, if we hadn’t caved, we’d still be free.” Tsunade said dryly.
“Tsunade, that’s so mean,” Kushina grumbled, a little stung. But then her eyes lit again. “Still, it might work…”
Mikoto cleared her throat, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Leaning in close, she whispered to Kushina:
“Or you could… let’s say… ‘entertain’ him so well he just can’t say no.”
In an instant, Kushina’s face flared scarlet.
“What kind of weird suggestion is that, Mikoto?” she hissed, glaring while the rest of them wondered what they were whispering about.
Tsunade noticed them murmuring secretively.
“Hey, what are you two whispering about? Speak up!” Tsunade demanded, unable to catch their hushed exchange.
“We can’t tell you.” Kushina shot Tsunade a look, then shook her head firmly. “Ask Mikoto if you want details.”
Tsunade turned to Mikoto, but faced with Tsunade’s stare, Mikoto certainly wasn’t about to repeat that “spicy” idea out loud.
So in the end, Tsunade was left in the dark—and poor Kushina’s plan to recruit Shin stayed as stalled as ever.
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