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“I’ve missed Mikoto’s cooking.” After eating his fill, Shin couldn’t help but say. As expected, Mikoto’s cooking was the best.
“Then why did you leave?” Kushina asked, rolling her eyes.
“Ahem.” Shin coughed awkwardly. He had left because he was tired of answering their questions.
“Has anything major happened in the World?” Mikoto asked, saving him from having to answer Kushina.
Shin looked at Mikoto gratefully. She was so thoughtful.
“The Hokage change in Konoha, and Orochimaru’s defection, I suppose.”
“Konoha has a new Hokage? And Orochimaru defected?” Tsunade was surprised.
“Did something happen to the old man?” Tsunade thought Hiruzen wouldn’t have stepped down unless something had happened to him.
“No, Hiruzen Sarutobi is fine. But Minato Namikaze is the new Hokage.”
“That girly-looking Minato is Hokage?!” Kushina couldn’t believe it. She still thought of Minato as a “girly boy.”
“….”
“Minato Namikaze as Hokage? That old man is clever.”
Tsunade scoffed. Even if Minato was Hokage, the real power was still with Hiruzen.
“Why did Orochimaru defect?” She wasn’t interested in the Hokage change; she no longer cared about Konoha.
“Human experimentation.”
Tsunade wasn’t surprised.
“So, how’s your Wood Release training coming along?” Shin asked, changing the subject.
“I gave up,” Konan said. Wood Release was too difficult, she had given up.
“Me too,” Mei Terumī said.
She found it more difficult than her two Kekkei Genkai. She was currently focusing on Sage Mode, learning from Konan. She planned to return to Wood Release later, though.
“You’ve all given up?”
Shin looked at Kushina, Mikoto, and Tsunade—Konan and Mei Terumi had given up. He wondered if they had too.
“What? You think I’d give up so easily?” Tsunade said.
She had persisted in training Wood Release for so long, she wouldn’t give up now.
“It’s a good way to pass the time. And who knows, maybe I’ll actually learn it,” Mikoto said with a smile.
“I’m getting close. I’m not giving up.” Kushina had made good progress and was confident she could learn Wood Release, so she wouldn’t give up.
“Good.” Shin was relieved.
——
A year passed.
Shin rarely left the Land of Whirlpools, except for occasional supply runs.
The System had given him another Advanced Replication Card.
He had accumulated quite a few Replication Cards, but he hadn’t used them yet. His strength was already strong enough, so Shin didn’t need to use them for the time being. He would save them for later.
“Tsunade, I can officially look down on you now,” Kushina said, laughing triumphantly.
After a year of training, Kushina had mastered Wood Release, while Tsunade and Mikoto hadn’t.
“Kushina, don’t push it, or I’ll show you what true cruelty is.” Tsunade glared at Kushina, annoyed by her bragging.
“Want to fight? Bring it on!” Kushina’s eyes lit up.
Ever since she was young, Kushina had always wanted to be able to suppress Tsunade, and now the opportunity had finally come.
“Kushina, you don’t think just because you’ve learned Wood Release you’re stronger than me, do you?”
Kushina hadn’t learned any advanced Wood Release Jutsu yet—Tsunade wasn’t afraid of her.
“If you two are going to fight, hurry up and do it.”
Shin looked at Kushina and Tsunade, who were at each other’s throats, not actually fighting!
“….”
“SHUT UP!!” They both yelled at Shin.
“Is that the roar of a female dinosaur? My ears are about to burst!” Shin teased, patting his ears.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
With a loud bang, the ground was cracked open by a powerful force. The place where Shin had been sitting had turned into a large pit.
“Phew, that was close.” Shin let out a breath. He had almost been hit by Kushina and Tsunade’s fists.
“Shin, what did you just say? Care to repeat that?” Tsunade glared at him.
“Ahaha, I didn’t say anything. You must have misheard.” Shin backed away.
“You called me a dinosaur?! I bet you’re just itching for a beating today,” Kushina rushed towards Shin fiercely.
Shin slightly turned his body, dodging the fist Kushina threw, and then took the opportunity to pull Kushina into his arms.
“Let me go!”
Kushina, held in Shin’s arms, couldn’t break free and glared at Shin with embarrassment.
“I’ll let you go if you promise not to attack me. And Tsunade, put down your fists.” Shin glanced at Tsunade, who was also preparing to attack.
“Why should I? You’re holding Kushina, not me,” Tsunade said, unsympathetic. “Don’t worry, Kushina, I’ll avenge you. Since you’re my little sister now.”
“I’m not your sister! Stop taking advantage of me!” Kushina waved her arms angrily.
“Shin-nii, dinner’s ready!!”
Konan’s timely arrival saved Shin.
“Stop fooling around. Let’s go eat,” he said, releasing Kushina and taking Konan’s hand, leaving Kushina and Tsunade glaring at each other.
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