Tsunade announced that the live-subject experiment had succeeded, which undoubtedly meant another S-rank mission would be added to Shinji's record.
Of course, that wasn't what Shinji cared about!
After a brief round of cheering, the research team got back to work.
Once Tsunade had compiled the live-subject experiment data into a report, she went straight to the Hokage Building. The other team members either cleaned up the site or checked Upper Moon Five's condition.
Shinji didn't stick around. While everyone was distracted, he slipped away.
By the time he returned to the Ninja Academy, classes were just letting out for the afternoon. So he waited at the entrance and found Shion as she came out.
"Shinji!"
Shion waved to him from afar, then bounded over.
Since secretly joining Shinji's Akatsuki Organization and training in Water Breathing under him, Shion had returned to her usual lively self.
Her sense of duty to save the Shinobi World, along with the steady increase in her strength, had completely restored her confidence!
Shinji smiled. "Come on. Dinner's on me!"
Shion looked puzzled. "Did something good happen?"
Shinji merely nodded. With people coming and going through the school gates, he didn't say more.
After dinner, Shinji and Shion went to a secluded training ground. He told her about the successful live-subject test of the Type Three Aging Potion that day. "We succeeded with Upper Moon Five, but our real target is the much stronger Demon King. So we need to test the potion's effects on an even stronger demon!"
"An even stronger demon?" Shion asked, confused. "Isn't Upper Moon Five strong enough?"
"That depends on who you compare him to." After a pause, Shinji explained, "Aside from the Demon King, only Upper Moon One and Upper Moon Two are truly exceptional. The demons below them