Too Exceptional for His Surroundings

In the living room, Shin and Kushina sat across from Tsunade. They had finished tidying up the room, and now Shin felt he needed to have a talk with Tsunade.

Tsunade knew he was strong. She didn't know exactly how strong, but she understood he was no ordinary child.

If Tsunade told the Third Hokage about him, the Third Hokage would definitely send Anbu to keep an eye on him. That was just the kind of person he was.

Shin didn't want to be watched. It would undoubtedly expose all sorts of things, and might even reveal some of his secrets.

"Lady Tsunade, there's something I'd like to talk to you about."

"Oh? Go ahead."

Tsunade picked up her cup, took a sip of water, and watched Shin with an amused expression.

Tsunade wasn't a fool. She'd already guessed what Shin wanted to talk about.

"Lady Tsunade, you know a little about my abilities, don't you?"

Shin didn't bother hiding it. There was no point; it was obvious already. Why keep pretending otherwise?

"Mm. When you were in danger earlier, the burst of speed you showed really surprised me."

Tsunade stared intently at Shin. She really had been surprised. The speed he'd reached back then was probably no slower than hers.

It was hard to imagine a five-year-old kid moving that fast.

"Actually, it's normal. When people are in danger, they can unleash dozens of times their usual strength for a short while. I must've awakened my hidden potential back then."

Shin made it up on the spot.

"Heh. Do you take me for a fool? I'm a medical ninja."

Tsunade let out a couple of cold chuckles. What Shin described did happen: people could unleash unimaginable strength when facing life or death.

But that kind of burst came at a heavy cost. At best, it shortened your lifespan; at worst, it killed you on the spot.

Shin showed no signs of anything like that. This was clearly no case of hidden potential. And he still thought he could fool her? Did he really think she was that gullible?

"All right. I do have some ability, but I'd like you to keep it secret, Lady Tsunade."

Shin knew Tsunade wasn't easy to fool, so he stopped making things up. It was pointless, and would only make her more suspicious.

"Why should I keep it secret?"

Tsunade asked, puzzled. If he had something to show off, why hide it?

A kid so young who could move that fast was a genius, no matter how he'd managed it.

"Have you ever heard this saying, Lady Tsunade?"

"A tree that towers above the forest is bound to be battered by the wind; a bank that juts into the river is bound to be swept away by the current; a man who stands above others will be criticized by them."

"Someone who's too exceptional doesn't just attract admiration, but jealousy as well. Jealousy is a frightening thing. It can make people unrecognizable."

Shin's words stunned Tsunade. She stared at him as if he were some kind of monster.

"I've never heard those exact words, but I understand the meaning behind them. You make a good point. Now I'm starting to wonder whether you're really a five-year-old child."

Tsunade eyed Shin suspiciously.

If someone over fifty had said those things, Tsunade wouldn't have been surprised at all. But Shin was only five.

"Ahem!"

Shin cleared his throat. What was he supposed to do now? He seemed to have overdone the act.

"Don't ask me how I learned that. I've always been too exceptional to fit in with those around me. All I've ever attracted is envy and jealousy."

Shin lifted his little chin, making Tsunade burst out laughing.

"You really know how to flatter yourself."

"I'm not flattering myself. It's just the truth. I've lived an extraordinary life for so long that I want to experience what it's like to live as an ordinary person."

Tsunade's mouth twitched. Kushina's mouth twitched, too. The two girls looked at Shin, and one word crossed both their minds: show-off!

Shin chuckled to himself. Without even realizing it, he'd managed to steer the conversation away from the earlier questions.

"All right, I'll keep your secret, but you have to agree to a few conditions," Tsunade told Shin.

"A few conditions? Are you sure you mean a few and not just one?"

Shin smiled, though he was cursing inwardly.

"That's right. A few, not one." Tsunade looked at Shin smugly. He'd been so good at showing off earlier. Let's see him get out of this one.

"As long as they're not too unreasonable, I can agree," Shin said, looking at Tsunade.

Kushina's expression changed. She glared at Tsunade. "You'd better not ask for anything outrageous."

"Don't worry. I won't make things difficult for him." Tsunade ignored Kushina and looked straight at Shin.

Kushina angrily knocked on the table. This woman was ignoring her on purpose.

"First, whenever I ruffle your hair or pinch your cheeks, you absolutely can't resist or dodge me."

Shin's expression changed at the very first condition. Kushina's did, too.

"You old woman, you just want to take advantage of Shin!" Kushina stood right up on her chair and glared at Tsunade.

"Little girl, what did you just call me?"

Tsunade was furious. She was only sixteen, and now this little girl was calling her an old woman.

"You heard me, didn't you?" Kushina wasn't afraid of Tsunade at all. When it came to Shin, how could she be?

"Little girl, if you weren't so young, I'd teach you a lesson."

"Hmph! If I were your age, I'd be the one teaching you a lesson, old woman."

Tsunade and Kushina locked eyes. Shin felt the air grow scorching as a wave of hostility washed over him.

"Ahem. Shouldn't we talk about the important stuff first? As for your condition, Lady Tsunade, I agree."

Shin smiled at Tsunade, making her very suspicious. Before, he'd been so resistant to her ruffling his hair and pinching his cheeks. What was going on now? Was he up to something?

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

What Shin was actually thinking was that he'd let her take a little advantage for now. Once he got stronger, he'd make Tsunade pay him back tenfold.

He'd show Tsunade that taking advantage of Uzumaki Shin didn't come without a price.

"Shin, you actually agreed?" Kushina pouted and glanced at him. Then she angrily turned her face away, refusing to speak to him.

Seeing Kushina's angry expression, Tsunade felt strangely pleased.

Then Tsunade couldn't help slapping her own forehead. When had she sunk so low as to pick a fight with a little girl?

"Then I'll move on to my other conditions," Tsunade said to Shin.

As she spoke, Tsunade watched Shin's expression, hoping to catch some kind of reaction.

To her disappointment, Shin's expression didn't change in the slightest. He even made a gesture for her to go ahead.

Tsunade grew even more suspicious. Shin was acting far too strangely.

Tsunade had no idea that Shin had already made up his mind: he'd take the loss for now, then collect it all back—with interest—in the future.