Often Out of Place Due to Being Too Excellent

In the living room, Shin and Kushina sat across from Tsunade. They had already tidied up the room, and now Shin felt it was necessary to have a talk with her.

Tsunade knew of his strength; while she didn't know the specifics, she was well aware that he was no simple child.

If Tsunade were to leak this information to the Third Hokage, given the Third's personality, he would undoubtedly dispatch Anbu ninjas to monitor him.

Shin did not want to be watched. Being under surveillance would inevitably expose many issues and might even lead to the revelation of his secrets.

"Lady Tsunade, there are some things I would like to discuss with you."

"Oh? Then go ahead."

Tsunade picked up her cup to take a sip of water, watching Shin with a playful gaze.

Tsunade was no fool; she had already guessed what Shin wanted to talk to her about.

"Lady Tsunade, you should know a thing or two about my strength."

Shin didn't bother to hide or evade the topic. There was no need; it was already obvious, so why bother with pretense?

"Hmm, the speed you burst out with when we encountered danger earlier certainly surprised me."

Tsunade stared intently at Shin. She was genuinely astonished; the speed he had displayed back then was likely not inferior to her own.

It was truly hard to imagine that a five-year-old brat could unleash such incredible speed.

"Actually, that's quite normal. When people face danger, they can unleash dozens of times their usual strength in a short period. I suppose that was just a burst of potential."

Shin spouted nonsense.

"Heh, are you taking me for a fool, kid? I am a medical ninja."

Tsunade let out a cold laugh. The kind of potential burst Shin described did exist, and in life-or-death situations, one could indeed unleash unimaginable power.

But such a burst would come at a heavy price—at best, a reduction in lifespan; at worst, sudden death.

Yet, Shin showed no ill effects at all. This clearly wasn't some burst of potential. He was trying to fool her, and she wondered if he really thought she was that easy to deceive.

"Alright, the truth is I do possess some strength, but I would like Lady Tsunade to keep it a secret for me."

Shin knew Tsunade wasn't so easily duped, so he stopped making things up. Fabricating stories was useless and would only make her more suspicious.

"Why should I keep it a secret for you?"

Tsunade asked, puzzled. If he had such talent, why not show it off?

To be able to unleash that kind of speed at such a young age—regardless of the method used—he could certainly be considered a genius.

"I wonder if Lady Tsunade has ever heard this saying."

"The tree that stands above the forest will be destroyed by the wind; the mound that rises above the bank will be eroded by the current; the person who stands above others will be criticized by the crowd."

"If a person is too outstanding, what they attract is not just admiration, but jealousy. Jealousy is a terrifying thing; it can make people lose their true selves."

Shin's words left Tsunade stunned. She looked at him as if he were a monster.

"Although I haven't heard those words before, I understand the principle behind them. It makes sense, but now I'm starting to wonder if you're actually a five-year-old child."

Tsunade looked at Shin with a suspicious gaze.

If these words had come from someone over fifty, Tsunade wouldn't have been surprised in the least, but Shin was only five years old.

"Ahem!"

Shin coughed lightly. What now? It seems I overdid the act.

"Don't ask me how I know these principles. I am often at odds with my surroundings simply because I am too outstanding; admiration and jealousy are my constant companions."

Shin lifted his small chin, causing Tsunade to burst into a giggle.

"You really know how to gild your own lily, don't you?"

"It's not gilding; it's the truth. It is precisely because I have lived an extraordinary life that I want to experience what the life of an ordinary person is like."

Tsunade's mouth twitched, and Kushina's mouth twitched as well. The two women looked at Shin, and at that moment, two words flashed through their minds: Show-off!

Shin smiled inwardly. Without realizing it, he had successfully steered the conversation away from the previous issue.

"Fine, I can keep your secret, but you must agree to a few conditions," Tsunade said to Shin.

"A few conditions? Are you sure it's 'a few' and not 'one'?"

Shin wore a smile, though he was cursing internally.

"That's right, a few, not one." Tsunade looked at Shin triumphantly. You were acting so cool just a moment ago; let's see how you handle this.

"As long as they aren't too excessive, I suppose I can agree," Shin said, looking at Tsunade.

Kushina's expression changed, and she glared at Tsunade with unkind intent. "You'd better not suggest any excessive conditions."

"Rest assured, I won't make things difficult for you." Tsunade ignored Kushina entirely, staring straight at Uzumaki Shin as she spoke.

Kushina angrily rapped her knuckles against the table; this woman was ignoring her on purpose.

"First of all, from now on, when I ruffle your hair or pinch your cheeks, you are absolutely forbidden from resisting or dodging me."

This first condition made Uzumaki Shin's expression shift, and Kushina's face changed as well.

"Old hag, I see you just want to take advantage of Shin!" Kushina stood directly on her chair to glare at Tsunade.

"What did you just call me, little girl?"

Tsunade felt a surge of fury; she was only sixteen, yet she was being called an old hag by a little girl.

"You heard me perfectly well." Kushina wasn't afraid of Tsunade in the slightest; when it came to Uzumaki Shin, how could she possibly be afraid?

"Little girl, if it weren't for your age, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from teaching you a lesson."

"Hmph, old hag, if I were your age, I'd be the one teaching you a lesson."

Tsunade and Kushina's gazes locked, and Uzumaki Shin felt the air grow scorched, a scent of impending war rushing toward him.

"Ahem, shouldn't we discuss the real business now? As for your conditions, Lady Tsunade, I accept."

Uzumaki Shin smiled at Tsunade, which made her deeply suspicious. Previously, he had been quite resistant to her ruffling his hair or pinching his cheeks, so what was going on now? Could there be some conspiracy?

Tsunade no longer dared to treat Uzumaki Shin like an ordinary five-year-old.

In reality, Uzumaki Shin was thinking that he would let her take advantage of him for now, and once his strength grew, he would make Tsunade pay it back tenfold.

Uzumaki Shin would make Tsunade realize that taking advantage of him was not so easily done.

"Shin, you actually agreed!" Kushina pouted at him, then turned her face away in anger, refusing to acknowledge him.

Meanwhile, Tsunade felt a strange sense of excitement upon seeing Kushina's angry expression.

Tsunade then couldn't help but slap her own forehead; when had she fallen to the level of bickering with a little girl?

"Then I shall begin stating my other conditions," Tsunade said to Uzumaki Shin.

At the same time, Tsunade kept observing his expression, hoping to catch a change in his demeanor.

However, she was disappointed; Uzumaki Shin's expression didn't change in the slightest, and he even gestured for her to continue.

Tsunade grew increasingly suspicious; Uzumaki Shin's behavior was far too strange.

Tsunade could never have imagined that Uzumaki Shin had already made his plans: suffer the loss now, and collect it with interest in the future.