Shinno strolled leisurely back toward the Yamanaka compound, as if he had all the time in the world.
From the distance, he could see the thin trails of smoke rising from his house and the group of elderly clansmen watching him with knowing smirks.
Even without thinking, he knew Kushina was waiting for him at home.
He recalled what Minato had told him before he left the village—about the rumors spreading in the temporary jōnin standby station.
A faint chill ran down his spine.
Given Kushina's tendency to hang around the jōnin standby station whenever she had free time, there was no way those rumors hadn't reached her ears.
A borrowed loan turned into a wedding gift, a bankbook became proof of a close relationship, and staying over for a night was now solid evidence of cohabitation…
Shinno took a deep breath, then called out to a young boy carrying a basket of vegetables, just returning from outside.
"Santen, come here for a second."
"What's up?"
Yamanaka Santen, who had just become a sixth-year student at the Academy, still had the clear, foolish innocence of youth in his eyes.
Seeing his uncle wave him over, he immediately ran over with eager enthusiasm.
"Did the heads of the Ino-Shika-Chō clans get beaten up while I was gone?"
"Huh? Who would dare beat up our clan leaders?"
"...Do you know where the temporary jōnin standby station was relocated after the last one got destroyed?"
"Y-yeah, I do."
"Is it still standing?"
"Uh? Y-yeah, it is."
"Good, keep those innocent eyes of yours, and go home for dinner."
Shinno generously pulled a few 200-ryō bills from his pocket and stuffed them into Santen's hands.
"Heh heh~ Thanks!"
Grinning ear to ear, Santen pocketed the money and hopped his way back home.
Just a few simple questions, and he got that much pocket money—his uncle was definitely the most generous man in the clan!
Shinno, having obtained the answers he needed, suddenly felt his worries melt away. His heart stopped racing, his face wasn't hot anymore, his breathing steadied, and even his stride became confident and powerful.
If Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Chōza—the main culprits behind the rumors—hadn't been beaten up, it could only mean that Kushina hadn't directed her anger at them.
And if the temporary jōnin standby station was still standing, it meant that she had already known about the rumors beforehand.
Or rather, these rumors had only spread with her approval in the first place.
He didn't know what kind of deal Shikaku and the others had made with Kushina, but if she was willing to let these rumors fly…
That meant she was done pretending. She was making her move!
She wanted to be with him!
Otherwise, what kind of girl would allow these kinds of rumors to spread?
Heh heh heh~ (ﾉ´▽｀)ﾉ♪
Should he start being more proactive?
She'd already done so much. As the man in this situation, he should at least show enough sincerity in return.
After all, feelings were mutual.
He couldn't let her take the lead in confessing, right?
Shinno walked with his hands in his pockets, humming a cheerful tune from his past life, striding confidently toward his home.
Meanwhile, the elderly clansmen sitting at the compound entrance exchanged glances.
"What's with him?"
"No idea, but I saw him give money to Santen. He probably found out what he wanted to know."
"Is Lady Tsunade not intimidating enough anymore?"
"I thought he'd bolt the moment he heard her name. Last time Jiraiya angered Lady Tsunade, she landed a single punch on him and…"
"My mom—cough, I mean, my wife just called me for lunch. Gotta go."
"Same here. It's already noon, time to eat."
"Yep, yep!"
The group that had been loitering at the compound gate scattered like birds, vanishing in an instant.
But before Shinno could even reach his front door, he felt multiple chakra signatures locking onto his home.
"…?"
Shinno frowned.
Seriously? A bunch of old fogeys with missing limbs had nothing better to do than spy on his love life?
If the sensory barrier at home weren't activated, would they have just started peeking inside directly?
And these supposedly 'subtle' sensory techniques—one or two might've been undetectable, but a whole eight of them mixed together? Even a civilian would feel the sensation of being watched!
Shinno raised his middle finger toward the sky.
Alright. That breakfast shop he'd been planning? He was going to open it as soon as possible.
These idle old geezers? He'd put them to work!
Grinding tofu, making soy milk, steaming buns, folding dumplings, frying dough sticks, flipping pancakes, cooking shrimp dumplings…
No rush. There'd be plenty of chores to keep them busy!
But first, he needed to make them back off.
"Genjutsu—Little Flying Stick Incoming~!"
Maintaining his middle finger salute, Shinno sent a powerful genjutsu-induced mental shockwave into the cluster of sensory techniques.
"Argh! You little brat! Playing dirty!"
"Ahh! My hemorrhoids!"
"Pfft! You ungrateful brat! I was just checking on you, and you hit me with such a vicious technique?!"
"Honey! Quick, come help me look!"
"You're not even fifty! Did you just crap yourself?! You—you—you…!"
"Honey, I can explain…!"
The once-serene Yamanaka compound was now filled with a cacophony of shouts and chaos.
Especially at the house of that one uncle whose sphincter control had utterly failed.
Shinno sensed all the sensory techniques vanishing and nodded in satisfaction.
Taking several deep breaths in front of his own door, he composed himself before finally reaching for the handle and pushing it open.
"I'm home."
His voice carried an unusual softness, a warmth not usually present.
But then, he saw her.
A blonde woman, seated in the living room just past the entryway, casually holding a bottle of sake, her face flushed with intoxication.
His smile froze instantly.
Shit.
His gut feeling had been dead wrong!
"Hmm? You little punk! I've been waiting for you!"
Tsunade's hand, gripping the sake bottle, paused for a moment. Her rosy lips parted in a grin both excited and menacing. With a single slap on the table, she shot forward like a predator pouncing on prey.
Her right fist, infused with chakra and cutting through the air with a fierce wind, came straight for Shinno's face!
Holy shit!
She was using a full-power punch?!
With the enhanced reaction speed from his red trait, [Zero Frame Startup], Shinno clearly saw the dense chakra flowing around her fist.
Forget taking the hit directly—if he even brushed against it, a normal jōnin would be done for!
She'd sealed off his escape route inside the house, and the concentrated force behind her punch was aimed outward.
She wasn't just trying to hit him—she was trying to send him flying out the door!
Her footing was steady, keeping a reserve of strength to react. She was wary of his clan's secret techniques!
And the chakra seal on her forehead had turned from light blue to jet black, subtly releasing small amounts of chakra.
She was countering his genjutsu?!
Heh~
Sis, ever heard of "three days apart, look at a man with new eyes"?
Water Release—Great Water Arm Technique!
With a sudden burst of muscle power, Shinno didn't retreat. Instead, he lunged forward, crouching low and grabbing Tsunade's wrist mid-punch.
Feeling the immense force coursing through her seemingly delicate arm, he twisted his body, using the momentum to perform a perfect over-the-shoulder throw—sending Tsunade flying right out of his front door.
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