"Weren't you going to tell me your other conditions? Cat got your tongue?"
Shin looked at Tsunade expectantly.
"I haven't quite decided yet. I'll let you know later." Tsunade looked at Shin, her mind still searching for suitable conditions.
"You might not get another chance."
Shin's words held a hidden meaning. He was confident that his strength would soon surpass Tsunade's.
With his Perfect Sage Body and the System's cheat, his growth rate was unpredictable, even to him.
"Speaking of which, I'm curious about your strength. Come with me to the training grounds."
Tsunade stood up and led Shin to her private training area behind the courtyard. It was a spacious area.
Kushina trailed behind them, her cheeks puffed out like a disgruntled chipmunk. She was still sulking.
"Alright, Shin, let's spar."
"Wait, what?"
Shin stared at Tsunade in disbelief. Spar with her? Was she joking? He was no match for her right now.
He wasn't into Masochism.
"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you," Tsunade said reassuringly.
"Go for it, Shin! Beat her!" Kushina cheered, pumping her little fist.
"Kushina, are you crazy? If I could beat her, I would! But I can't. Do you want to see me get pulverized?"
Shin whispered to Kushina.
"Pulverized? That bad? On second thought..."
Kushina recalled Tsunade's brutal display during the ambush and shook her head.
One punch could turn a person into a mangled mess. Fighting her was definitely risky.
"Umm, how about we settle this peacefully? I'm not a fan of violence," Shin said to Tsunade, spreading his hands.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. She chuckled. "Fine, if you don't want to fight, then you can just take a beating."
With that, she threw a punch at Shin. Feeling the force of the blow, Shin's eyes widened.
Was she serious?
He didn't think she would actually hurt him, but his instincts screamed at him to dodge.
"Quick reflexes."
Tsunade retracted her fist, impressed. Even a Chunin wouldn't have been able to dodge that.
"Hold on!"
Shin quickly stopped her as she prepared to attack again.
"There's no benefit for me in fighting you. So, I'll have to decline."
"Benefit? What kind of benefit do you want?" Tsunade asked.
"Well, if you teach me an A-rank Jutsu, I wouldn't mind sparring with you," Shin said, his eyes gleaming.
If she refused, he wouldn't lose anything and would avoid a beating.
If she agreed, he'd gain an A-rank Jutsu. It was a win-win situation.
"You're a shrewd one, aren't you? Fine, I agree. I can part with an A-rank Jutsu."
Tsunade said nonchalantly. As the Senju Clan princess, if he had asked for an S-rank Jutsu, she might have hesitated.
But an A-rank Jutsu? She didn't mind. She was more interested in uncovering Shin's secrets.
"Alright then, please go easy on me, Lady Tsunade."
Shin stepped back, putting some distance between them. He focused on Tsunade. This was a chance to test his strength.
Of course, there were some things he wouldn't use, like the Rasengan and the Adamantine Sealing Chains.
The Chains were fine, but using the Rasengan would raise too many questions.
It would cause a commotion. After all, the Rasengan was a Jutsu that required no hand seals.
The most impressive thing about the Rasengan wasn't its power, although it was powerful. There were other A-rank Jutsu that were stronger. But the fact that it didn't require hand seals made it unique.
No hand seals meant instant activation. In a life-or-death battle, even a fraction of a second could make all the difference.
Besides, Shin wasn't planning on going all out. He always kept some cards up his sleeve.
He knew Tsunade would keep her word about not revealing his strength, but he was still used to hiding his true abilities.
"You can make the first move," Tsunade said.
"Then I won't hold back."
Shin wasn't going to be polite. He was clearly at a disadvantage.
Holding back half his strength, Shin charged towards Tsunade. When he was three meters away, he leaped into the air, aiming a punch at her face.
"You can do it, Shin!" Kushina cheered nervously.
"You little brat!"
Tsunade scowled. Attacking someone's face was a low blow, especially a woman's.
The fist might be small, but the force behind it was undeniable. Tsunade dodged. She wasn't going to take that punch to the face.
"Don't jump so carelessly, kid. You have no leverage in the air. Let me show you how it's done."
After dodging Shin's attack, Tsunade retaliated with lightning speed, aiming for his stomach.
BAM!
Wood splintered. Her fist connected, not with Shin's body, but with a log. He had used the Substitution Jutsu.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. She spun around and threw another punch.
Their fists collided. Shin was sent flying backward. Just before he crashed to the ground, he twisted in mid-air, landing gracefully on his feet.
Tsunade shook her arm, the ground beneath her cracking slightly.
"What a Strength!"
Her arm was numb. She hadn't used her monstrous strength, but even her normal punches packed a wallop.
What kind of monster was this kid? How could he be so strong at such a young age?
"Hey, are you alright?" Tsunade asked, concerned.
After using the Substitution Jutsu, Shin had appeared behind her, launching a surprise attack. Her counterattack had been a bit hasty; she hadn't controlled her strength.
"Ouch! That hurts! I think my arm is broken! I can't continue!"
Shin cried out dramatically, his expression exaggerated.
"Shin, are you hurt?" Kushina rushed over, checking his arm with worry. She glared at Tsunade.
Tsunade also hurried over to check on him. Her punch had been powerful; even a Jōnin would have been injured.
"Ahem, Kushina, I'm fine," Shin winked at her.
Kushina relaxed, understanding his silent message. He was faking it.
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