章 91: Chapter 91: Tsunade’s Morning
The substance Katsuyu provided was indeed the real deal.
Although the coordination of Sage Chakra still showed no sign of improvement, Aburame Shino's insect's explosion had been significantly enhanced.
The experiments continued, and ten large craters now dotted the ground.
Unfortunately, today was yet another day of no breakthroughs. But Shinho Aburame had grown used to this by now.
Leaving Shino with seven newly mutated insects, Shinho returned to the Senju estate.
"Shinho," Shizune called out, waving to him. "I've already prepared some hot water for you. Go take a bath."
"Thank you, Shizune-neesan," Shinho replied as he headed toward the bathroom.
Just as he was about to start undressing, he noticed Shizune was still standing at the door.
"...?" Shinho gave her a puzzled look. What now? Was she planning a surprise night visit?
"Tsunade-sama told me about our upcoming trip to the Land of Lightning for training," Shizune said with a light cough, trying to sound casual. "I'll be heading to Konoha Hospital tomorrow, and we'll leave the day after."
"Got it," Shinho nodded, then added, "Shizune-neesan, could you close the door?"
He needed time to notify his friends about the upcoming journey anyway.
"Do you need me to help you wash up?" Shizune offered confidently, "I promise you'll be spotless."
"No need," Shinho rejected her firmly. Self-inflicted torment was not something he was interested in.
Reluctantly, Shizune finally withdrew her gaze.
[tl/n: (._.)]
After she left, Shinho enjoyed his bath in peace.
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the window, brightening the room.
Shinho rubbed his eyes and got out of bed, getting dressed for the day.
Since it was a holiday, Shizune had allowed him to sleep in a little, though it was still only 7:30 AM, which wasn't too late.
"Sensei!" Shinho knocked loudly on Tsunade's door.
"I'm already up!! just get out of here!" came the lazy but irritated voice from within.
With that, Shinho headed to the bathroom to wash up.
Soon after, Tsunade emerged, still half-asleep.
She was dressed in an oversized yukata that didn't quite fit her, barefoot on the carpet.
Shinho took one look at her and immediately noticed something.
"Sensei," he pointed, "your hair."
Tsunade glanced at herself in the mirror in front of her. Her golden hair was draped over her shoulders, except for a stubborn strand sticking up on top of her head.
She pressed it down with her hand, but the strand was defiant.
"Use water," Shinho reminded her.
"I know!" Tsunade grumbled, giving him a light knock on the head. "I'm not completely clueless."
She turned on the faucet, cupped some water in her hand, and smoothed down the unruly hair.
"Get my hair tie," Tsunade instructed as she applied toothpaste to her toothbrush.
Shinho went to her room. Her usual outfit—a green jacket, sleeveless top, black sash, and deep blue pants—was laid out neatly on the bed.
He couldn't help but think of a classic setup from his previous life. All that was missing was a certain elegant lady sitting humbly beside the scene.
After glancing at the bed, he found her hair ties on the dressing table and returned to the bathroom.
Tsunade had already finished brushing her teeth by the time he arrived. She gathered her golden hair behind her head, revealing her pale, graceful neck.
"Hand it over," Tsunade instructed, holding part of her hair in one hand and looking at him.
Shinho quickly passed her the hair tie, and she expertly tied her hair into a ponytail.
She then reached for the second tie.
A few seconds later, her signature twin tails were in place.
"How do I look?" Tsunade asked, adjusting her hair in the mirror. She swept a few strands behind her ear and smoothed her bangs, showing off the diamond-shaped mark on her forehead.
"You look great," Shinho replied honestly. "The most beautiful woman in Konoha."
"Why didn't I notice before how sweet-tongued you are?" Tsunade chuckled, clearly pleased by the compliment. "No wonder all the girls are after you."
"..." Shinho tugged at the corner of his mouth. Was that a compliment or an insult?
"I want ramen for breakfast," Tsunade said, snapping her fingers as she walked out. "Make it happen."
"You really don't hold back, do you?" Shinho muttered under his breath.
"What's that?" Tsunade didn't turn as she raised her pale fist threateningly.
"I'm happy to oblige, my lady." Shinho immediately replied.
"That's better," Tsunade grinned triumphantly, clearly in a good mood. She hummed as she walked away, her hips swaying slightly.
Back in her room, Tsunade discarded her oversized yukata, revealing her well-proportioned figure as she began dressing for the day.
"Breakfast is ready," Shinho announced, bringing out a bowl of tonkatsu ramen.
Tsunade, now lounging on the couch and flipping through channels out of boredom, set down the remote and walked barefoot to the dining table.
"I've been thinking about something," Tsunade said suddenly as she picked up her chopsticks. "How much of that honey wine do we have left?"
"Just ten bottles," Shinho replied after thinking for a moment.
"Only ten?" Tsunade frowned slightly. "Can we produce more on short notice?"
"Nope," Shinho rejected the idea without hesitation.
Given Tsunade's personality, the moment he showed any leeway, she'd take full advantage and deplete everything.
"Don't you have any other types of alcohol at home?" Tsunade asked.
"Nope," Shinho answered without blinking.
Tsunade squinted at him for a few seconds, but eventually, she seemed to believe him.
Sighing, she started slurping her noodles.
After breakfast, still thinking about the limited supply of honey wine, Tsunade's excitement seemed to fade. Once again, she sprawled across the couch with zero grace.
Having finished cleaning up, Shinho informed her he was heading out and left.
Before long, he arrived at Chisori's house.
"Shinho-nii!" Karin greeted him, pausing her training to wave.
"Already training so early?" Shinho noticed the dust on her clothes.
"I want to be able to help you as soon as possible," Karin replied energetically.
Though still young, her experiences in Kusagakure had made her all too familiar with the cruelty of the world. She didn't need anyone to push her; her own motivation was enough to drive her hard work.
"Don't rush," Shinho said, patting her head. "You're in the phase of setting up a foundation right now, you can't rush carelessly."
Fuinjutsu, the art of sealing, was considered advanced ninjutsu. Learning it wasn't something that could be rushed. Shinho had already prepared for the long haul, knowing both Karin and Chisori would need time to master it.
"I know," Karin nodded eagerly. In her eyes, anything Shinho said was always right.
"Shinho," Chisori greeted him as she emerged from the house, dressed in a kimono. "Have you eaten?"
Shinho gave her a once-over. Her complexion was now fair and healthy, with a rosy hue, a clear sign that she had fully recovered after a month of rest. Outwardly, there was no sign of her previous injuries.
"I've already had breakfast," Shinho replied as he stepped into the living room. "Please bring me some paper and a pen."
"Right away." Chisori quickly hurried back to her room.
Shinho sat down on the couch.
Seeing this, Karin immediately nestled next to him, shamelessly clinging to his arm.
"Karin, don't cling to Shinho," Chisori scolded gently, handing him a piece of paper and a pen. She glanced at Karin with a hint of reprimand in her voice.
Karin reluctantly let go of Shinho's arm.
"A training schedule?" Chisori asked, leaning over the coffee table to take a closer look, her long hair hanging straight down.
"Yeah," Shinho replied, catching a faint, pleasant fragrance—probably from her shampoo.
"I'm heading out with my teacher for a while. Not sure when I'll be back," Shinho said as he wrote down Chisori's name on the paper. Though he didn't specify a time, he assumed it would be about a month.
The first goal was to note down all the basic information related to sealing techniques. As for mastering them, there was no need to rush.
The second goal was to improve her skills in the Konoha-style taijutsu. Even though Chisori's external wounds had healed, years of malnutrition had taken their toll, and rebuilding her physical strength was essential.
The third goal was to enhance her chakra control. Being part of the Uzumaki clan, Chisori naturally possessed a large amount of chakra, but to fully utilize it, her control had to surpass that of most ordinary shinobi.
After finalizing the details, Shinho handed the paper filled with goals to Chisori. Then, he started writing on a second sheet, this time for Karin.
Compared to Chisori, Karin was starting from an even weaker foundation. Shinho gave her only two goals:
The first was to practice tree climbing (chakra control exercises), and the second was to focus on perfecting the three basic techniques—Transformation Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Clone Jutsu.
"Thank you, Shinho-nii!" Karin beamed with excitement, clutching her training schedule like a treasure.
"If you complete everything, I'll bring you back a gift when I return," Shinho said warmly.
"Really?" Karin's eyes lit up as she grabbed his hand, her face full of eager anticipation.
"Really," Shinho nodded.
"I won't let you down!" Karin said determinedly, her small fists clenched with enthusiasm.
Chisori smiled softly. For the first time in a long while, she felt the warmth of a family. It had been so long since she experienced this kind of peace. In Kusagakure, even though she had a home, it was always cold, lacking warmth.
Shinho didn't stay long, as he still needed to visit the rest of his friends to inform them about his trip and avoid any misunderstandings about his sudden absence.
As he walked, he heard a familiar voice called out to him.
"Shinho?"
Turning around, he saw Yamanaka Ino's mother approaching.
"Are you here to buy flowers?" Mrs. Yamanaka asked, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mirth. "Or are you here for Ino?"
"I'm here for Ino," Shinho replied after a brief pause. Though he knew that this response might cause a misunderstanding, it was indeed his intention.
"Ino's at home," Mrs. Yamanaka said, gesturing for him to follow. "She'll be delighted to see you."
Walking alongside her, they soon arrived at the Yamanaka residence.
When Mrs. Yamanaka opened the door and stepped into the living room, she froze at the sight before her.
Ino was half-kneeling on a chair, her fair feet sticking out, and she was shoving a rice ball into her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk.
Ino face instantly flushed red when she spotted Shinho.
Oh no! Why did he have to show up when she looked so unkempt?
Ino had only planned on grabbing a quick bite before heading out to train.
Realizing her situation, Ino hurriedly covered her mouth, chewing as fast as she could, looking even more like a chipmunk in her frantic efforts to swallow.
"Sorry about that," Mrs. Yamanaka said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"It's fine," Shinho replied with a smile. Ino looked rather adorable like this.
Suddenly, Ino began to cough, having swallowed too quickly and choking herself in the process.
Shinho stepped forward, picked up a glass of milk from the table, and handed it to her.
Ino gratefully took it and drank quickly.
"Slow down," Shinho cautioned.
Mrs. Yamanaka chuckled softly at the scene and quietly slipped away without making a sound.
"Th-thank you," Ino said, her head lowered, her face still as red as a ripe apple. Her delicate toes curled nervously.
"I—I was just in a rush to train," Ino stammered in embarrassment. "I'm not usually like this, I swear!"
"You're training your clan's secret techniques?" Shinho asked, his tone calm and collected.
"Yeah," Ino nodded, stealing a glance at him and feeling slightly more at ease when she realized he wasn't reacting strangely to her.
"I'm also going out to train," Shinho said with a smile.
"Out to train?" Ino repeated, a bit confused.
"It's a request from my teacher," Shinho explained.
"Ah, Tsunade-sama," Ino said, her voice filled with a mix of awe and envy. She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous—would Shinho become even stronger when he returned?
"By the way, did you check your exam results yet?" Ino suddenly asked, remembering something.
"No, I haven't," Shinho paused and asked, "What rank did you get?"
"I ranked eighth overall," Ino replied, looking a bit sheepish. She knew her performance in the practical combat exam had dragged her down.
"There's a lot of room for improvement," Shinho said kindly, offering her some reassurance.
" I'll definitely surprise you in the next semester, Shinho-kun!" Ino declared confidently, raising her fist, revealing a glimpse of her fair skin.
"I'm looking forward to it," Shinho said as he stood up. "I should go now. See you next time."
Ino wanted to say something more, to keep him a little longer, but the words caught in her throat, and before she could speak, he had already turned to leave.
The Ino-Shika-Cho clan compound was connected, so after visiting Ino, Shinho made a stop at Akimichi Choji and Nara Shikamaru's homes, where he was warmly received.
Choji's father, Akimichi Choza, enthusiastically shoved two large bags of potato chips into Shinho's hands—enough to last him a week.
Meanwhile, Shikamaru's father, Nara Shikaku, gifted him a shogi set, claiming it would help with strategic thinking.
Shinho suspected that this hospitality was partially due to his status as Tsunade's student.
The prestige of being a pupil of one of the Legendary Sannin had its perks.
After making his rounds and collecting a bundle of gifts, Shinho made his way to the Hyuga clan's compound.
"Wh-what is all this?"
Hinata stared at the small mountain of gifts in front of her, utterly bewildered.
Neji, standing nearby, looked equally puzzled.
"Just some extras," Shinho waved his hand casually. "I can't eat it all."
"T-thank you," Hinata stammered, her face turning pink as she clasped her hands together.
"How's your training going?" Shinho asked, glancing at Neji.
"It's going well," Neji replied earnestly.
Shinho wasn't surprised. The Hyuga clan had their own training regimen, so there was no need for him to worry.
"I'll be relying on you for a bit, Neji," Shinho explained. "I'm heading out for some training with my teacher."
"Wha—?" Hinata froze, her earlier happiness vanishing in an instant.
No! She didn't want to not see Shinho-kun for so long.
"I'll be back soon," Shinho said, patting her head gently.
Hinata's face turned a deep shade of crimson, her head spinning as she tried to process his words.
[Tl/n: Alright, It's official. Author isn't even hiding it anymore!]
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