Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Tsunade, The Ultimate Lounger
"Have you eaten lunch?" Shinho Aburame asked with a smile, feeling particularly good after receiving the Nine-Leaf Vitality Grass.
"No need," Neji Hyuga responded, shaking his head as he thought about Hinata being in the wooden cabin.
"Alright then," Shinho shrugged, not in the mood to cook another meal. As Neji departed and Shinho was about to head back to the cabin, another notification chimed in his mind.
Achievement Unlocked: 'The Wheel of Fate' (Neji Hyuga). Reward: Wine Bug.
Wine Bug: A Rank-1 Gu insect that helps a Gu Master refine their bronze true essence, increasing their cultivation by a small level.
Wine Bug can be fused with four specific types of wine—sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy—to form Rank-2 Gu insect Four-Flavored Wine Bug. Currently missing the four wines for fusion.
Two surprises in one day!
Shinho rubbed his chin thoughtfully. The Four-Flavored Wine Bug was an advanced version of the Wine Bug, capable of elevating a Rank-2 Gu Master's cultivation. However, acquiring the four specific wines would be troublesome.
But no worries, he could always consult an expert—Tsunade.
"Hey, Hinata," Shinho called out as he reentered the cabin and saw her curious gaze.
As they locked eyes for a few seconds, Hinata quickly lowered her head, her fingers nervously intertwining.
So cute.
Shinho chuckled softly, saying, "I'll walk you home."
Hinata immediately hopped off her chair and obediently stood in front of him, her demeanor as docile as ever.
"Let's go." Shinho closed the door behind them as they left the cabin. Hinata followed him, her expression conflicted, as if she had something she wanted to say but couldn't muster the courage.
"You want to know what Neji and I talked about?" Shinho glanced at her with a knowing smile.
Hinata flinched, embarrassed that her thoughts had been seen through, and nodded shyly.
"He was impressed with my strength and wanted to train with me," Shinho replied casually.
Hinata blinked in surprise. This was completely unexpected. Could her proud cousin, Neji, actually lower his pride to ask for help?
No wonder! Shinho-kun is so incredible.
Looking up at him, Hinata's eyes were filled with admiration.
After dropping her off at the Hyuga household, Shinho returned to the Senju residence. Opening the door and stepping into the living room, he was met with an unexpected scene—Tsunade and Ino Yamanaka chatting.
What's going on here?
Seeing the two blondes, Shinho couldn't help but feel curious.
"Shinho-kun!" Ino greeted him with a bright smile.
Tsunade chuckled at this, noticing the budding affection.
This kid's already so good at charming people at six years old. He's going to be a real heartbreaker when he grows up.
Not that it really concerned her.
"Ino," Shinho greeted her as he walked over and sat on the sofa. "What brings you here?"
Ino glanced at Tsunade before becoming a bit bashful.
"I'll leave you two to chat," Tsunade said, standing up and giving Shinho a playful wink as she walked out.
"Shinho-kun, here's the money I borrowed from you," Ino said, pulling out a black wallet.
"Why is there more than I gave you?" Shinho asked, surprised as he opened the wallet.
"It's fifty thousand ryo in total," Ino replied, fidgeting slightly. "The extra is a gift."
Is everyone from a noble clan so fond of using money as gifts?
Though living off others' generosity was nice, as a man, Shinho believed he needed to have talents of his own.
"You gave me a gift, so I can't just accept it without reciprocating," Shinho said thoughtfully. "I'll give you a bouquet of flowers since I noticed you like making pressed flowers."
Flowers?
Ino's heart skipped a beat.
"Wait here for a moment," Shinho said as he went to his room. He planned to give her a Moon Orchid.
Moon Orchids were food for his Moonlight Gu and didn't have any special properties, but they were beautiful and frankly, that was all that mattered.
"It's called a Moon Orchid," Shinho said as he handed her the bouquet with a smile.
"Thank you, Shinho-kun!" Ino exclaimed, excited.
She recognized the flowers—it was the same kind she had seen in the small garden near the cabin.
She took a deep breath, enjoying the scent. Suddenly, she remembered something Shino had mentioned before, and a blush crept onto her cheeks.
Why is she blushing?
Shinho had no idea that Shino had unwittingly given him a boost with Ino.
"I should be going!" Ino said hastily, noticing his gaze and feeling more flustered. She dashed to the door, her small feet slipping into her sandals, revealing her delicate toes.
"See you next week!" Ino called out before closing the door, her heart still racing. She patted her flushed face, holding the Moon Orchid close.
She thought to herself, The moon will be beautiful tonight.
Shinho made his way to Tsunade's room. As he peered inside, he found her lazily sprawled on the bed.
From his angle, he could see her smooth, white soles and the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
Classic lounging Tsunade.
"Sensei," Shinho greeted her from the door.
"Done already?" Tsunade asked, sitting up and crossing her legs. She smiled mischievously. "That was pretty quick. You should pace yourself more."
"We're just friends," Shinho clarified firmly. He wasn't interested in romance at his age—he wasn't that kind of person.
Maybe when he was older, but for now? Definitely not.
"Does Konoha have any sweet, sour, or bitter wines besides spicy sake?" Shinho shifted the topic.
"We have sweet sake, but no sour or bitter varieties," Tsunade replied, then added with a serious tone, "And kids aren't allowed to drink."
"I'm not drinking," Shinho assured her. "Where could I find sour or bitter wine?"
"Why do you need it?" Tsunade squinted suspiciously, leaning forward, making her curves even more pronounced.
"I need it to gift Hiashi from the Hyuga clan," Shinho quickly came up with a reason.
"Hiashi Hyuga?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You sure know how to play the game, don't you, kid?"
Shinho's entanglements with both Ino and Hinata were obvious to her.
Well, kids can want it all, but grown-ups know their limits, right?
'Oh, wait, he's still a kid. Never mind.'
"The wines you want can be found in the capital city of the Land of Fire," Tsunade said, suddenly excited. "How about we go there next weekend? I could use a trip to gamble!"
Because of her commitment to training Shinho, she had already spent a whole month in Konoha—a rare occurrence for her.
Shinho sighed.
Another round of donating to casinos, huh?
Speaking of money, Shinho thought of the Nine-Leaf Vitality Grass.
Maybe I could use this trip to the capital to find a buyer for it?
He could definitely make some good money off it, and relying on handouts forever wasn't exactly dignified.
Besides, the 'Heaven's Will' organization would need startup capital.
Even the Akatsuki had to complete commissions to earn money during its early days.
Back in his room, Shinho took out the Nine-Leaf Vitality Grass. Nine vibrant green leaves sprouted from its jade-like stem, forming a circular arrangement.
"Now, who should I use this on as a test?" Shinho pondered.
He wasn't entirely sure how potent the healing effects of the grass were.
His mind drifted to Sasuke Uchiha.
Should I beat him up?
No, that's a little too evil.
Instead, Shinho pulled out his parasitic bugs to continue his research on natural energy.
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