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At the dinner table.
Mikoto nudged Shin.
"Shin, is something the matter?" Shin turned to Mikoto, curious.
"What's going on with those two?" Mikoto whispered, subtly gesturing towards Kushina and Tsunade, who were both glaring daggers at Shin.
"I have no idea," Shin replied with a shrug, feigning innocence.
Mikoto rolled her eyes. He expected her to believe that? Kushina and Tsunade wouldn't be giving him the death stare for no reason.
Shin's evasiveness didn't bother Mikoto; she wasn't overly curious. However, Mei Terumī was burning with curiosity. After dinner, she couldn't stand it any longer and approached Kushina.
"Esteemed Suikage, why the long face?"
"Don't call me Suikage. There's not even a village anymore," Kushina replied glumly.
With only six of them, including Shin, they hardly qualified as a village.
"Alright, Esteemed Kushina, why so glum?" Mei Terumī rephrased her question.
"Ask him." Kushina shot a resentful glare at Shin. Clearly, she wasn't over it yet.
Mei TerumÄ« glanced at Shin, then decided against asking himâshe knew it would be a waste of breath. He had just dodge the question.
"Actually, I know. Shin-nii said Kushina-nee and Tsunade-nee are female dinosaurs..."
Konan's words were cut short as both Kushina and Tsunade clamped their hands over her mouth, shooting her threatening looks.
Under the combined menacing gaze of Kushina and Tsunade, Konan shamefully submitted.
"Um... I'm going to go train now!"
Shin decided it was time for him to leave as well. If he stayed, Kushina and Tsunade might actually try to kill him.
Not that he was afraid of themâhe just didn't want them wrecking the house.
Shin wasn't just making excuses; he genuinely went to train. Even at his level of power, he hadn't given up on honing his skills. He focused on Taijutsu, honing his physical abilities.
His chakra and other abilities were already at their absolute peak, and his ocular power was unmatched in the Shinobi World.
For now, only Taijutsu offered further room for improvement. He trained for hours in the
Kamui dimension
âwhich was looking a bit worse for wear after his repeated use.
Emerging from Kamui, he smacked his foreheadârealizing he had forgotten something.
Shin had promised Kushina that he would teach her Wood Release ninjutsu this afternoon, but he had completely forgotten about itâKushina, who was already angry, must be even angrier now.
Sure enough, when Shin returned, Kushina was waiting for him, arms crossed and pouting.
"I'm sorry, Kushina. I got too absorbed in my training and forgot to teach you Wood Release ninjutsu."
Kushina had the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai but hadn't learned any Wood Release Jutsu yet. It was like having a gun but no bullets.
"Is that what you're apologizing for? You should be apologizing for what you said earlier!" Kushina snapped, lunging forward to bite him.
"I'm starting to think you're part dog," Shin said helplessly, looking at Kushina who was still biting him.
"You deserve it. I want to bite you too," Tsunade added, glaring at him, though she wouldn't actually bite him.
"Kushina, stop biting him." Mikoto intervened, pulling Kushina away from Shin.
"Mikoto, feeling sorry for him now?" Kushina teased.
"Yes," Mikoto said, nodding very naturally. She wouldn't feel embarrassed by Kushina's words anymore.
"Tomorrow, you absolutely have to remember to teach me Wood Release ninjutsu. I'm still waiting to have a match with someone," Kushina said to Shin, glancing meaningfully at Tsunade.
As for the "someone" Kushina was referring to, Shin and the others knew it was Tsunade.
Tsunade's lips twitched. Did she not have the talent for Wood Release? And was Wood Release even considered a Kekkei Genkai of the Senju clan?
Thinking about Shin and Kushina, both members of the Uzumaki clan, yet both able to learn Wood Release, while she, a legitimate member of the Senju clan, hadn't mastered itâfelt like an insult.
Tsunade's training hadn't been in vain, though. She felt close to mastering itâKushina had simply learned it earlier. Still, it was frustrating.
"I'm starting to regret something," Tsunade said suddenly.
"Regret what?" Kushina asked, curious.
"Regretting not bullying you when you were little," Tsunade replied, giving Kushina a pointed look.
"Hmph, but you bullied Shin. Remember how much you liked pinching his cheeks?" Kushina hadn't forgotten, and she had been quite jealous at the time.
"I can't wait to see them fight!" Mei Terumī said excitedly.
"You just want to see the world burn, don't you? Go reflect on your behavior." Shin flicked Mei Terumī's forehead.
Mei TerumÄ« glared at him resentfully. He had no right to lecture herâhis own behavior was far worse than hers.
"You're always bullying me," Mei Terumī said dejectedly.
What annoyed her most was not being able to retaliate. She was even starting to get used to it.
"I'm going to make dinner. What do you want to eat?" Mikoto asked.
"Anything Mikoto makes, I'll happily eat. I'm not picky," Shin replied. He only avoided the "dark cuisine" of Kushina and Tsunade.
Their cooking was lethal, even to someone with his constitution.
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