"If that's the case, then that guy must have had some contact with Shen Ye. Otherwise, Shen Ye wouldn't have blurted out that Jiraiya was peeping on someone."
Outside, Shen Ye had heard every word of their conversation. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he left the office.
He didn't linger outside. Shen Ye went straight home and shut himself in his room.
After all, he had very few skills at his disposal right now. The only one he could use in battle was Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred. Jiraiya's Sage Mode was currently only a support ability.
Still, continuing to train in Sage Mode and build up his chakra would be a great help when it came to acquiring skills in the future.
Time passed little by little. When Tsunade returned home, she found Shen Ye hiding in his room and assumed he was still grieving.
"Shen Ye, can I come into your room?"
Hearing Tsunade's voice, Shen Ye quickly stopped his training. He rolled over, landed on his feet at the head of the bed, and gently opened the door.
Their eyes met. Tsunade stared at Shen Ye and froze for a moment.
For some reason, she thought Shen Ye looked a little taller. He seemed to have changed dramatically in just one afternoon.
"What's wrong, Big Sister Tsunade?"
"You seem to have grown a little. I don't know if it's just my imagination."
"Could it be because of my Sage Mode training?"
Shen Ye was also starting to wonder. If that was really the case, he'd have to stop absorbing chakra for now.
Tsunade pulled Shen Ye over to the mirror. He looked at his reflection and nodded in disbelief.
Before, even when Shen Ye stood up straight, he barely came up to Tsunade's knees. Now, he was clearly closer to her thighs.
"This..."
"I don't know what you've been through, but if anyone asks, tell them I helped you."
Shen Ye nodded repeatedly. He knew Tsunade was protecting him, and couldn't help feeling touched.
The two of them played around, and the day passed in the blink of an eye.
Early the next morning, Shen Ye opened his eyes and lightly grabbed at the air. He watched his hand move back and forth.
"System, oh, system. Give me some new skills today, will you?"
Seeing the sun high outside his window, Shen Ye remembered that he didn't have to go to the Ninja Academy today. His one day off that week had finally arrived.
Tsunade had already left home to search the village for the man impersonating Jiraiya.
Whether it was for the village or for the girls who'd been spied on, Tsunade intended to teach the guy a harsh lesson.
Feeling bored, Shen Ye got dressed and went outside. The streets were full of people, yet he couldn't spot a single familiar face. Everything seemed a little strange to him.
"Shen Ye, what a coincidence running into you here."
A yellow blur rushed toward him.
Shen Ye took a closer look. It was Namikaze Minato.
"Why is this guy so friendly with me? We've never even spoken before."
Shen Ye scratched his head. But then he thought of his son, Naruto Uzumaki, and his outgoing personality, and it made sense.
"Want to go grab a steaming bowl of Ichiraku Ramen together?"
"Just what I had in mind!"
Smiling, Shen Ye walked alongside Namikaze Minato toward Ichiraku Ramen.
Along the way, Minato enthusiastically told Shen Ye all about Konoha. He treated him like a close friend.
Shen Ye didn't interrupt. He listened quietly, chiming in now and then.
But one question kept circling in his mind: how had someone as airheaded as Minato become the Fourth Hokage?
As he spoke with great enthusiasm, Minato couldn't help putting an arm around Shen Ye's shoulder.
Shen Ye silently activated his system's stealing skill.
Compared to the Sannin, Namikaze Minato was a figure who struck fear throughout the entire shinobi world. When it came to speed, only the Raikage could keep up with him.
"Ding! Congratulations, host. You have acquired Namikaze Minato's skill: Flying Thunder God Technique! God Steal cooldown remaining: 3 hours."
Flying Thunder God Technique! Shen Ye could barely contain his excitement. It was Minato's signature ability.
But joy came hand in hand with sorrow. Shuriken was a skill Shen Ye had always looked down on, yet now he'd have to train and master it properly.
"Shen Ye, why are you suddenly so happy?"
"I've heard Ichiraku Ramen is delicious. I'm finally getting to try it, so of course I'm happy."
"Two bowls of the premium ramen, Ichiraku Owner!"
"Minato, it's been a while since I've seen you. Have you been out on a mission?"
"I wish I could go on a mission, but we haven't graduated from the Ninja Academy yet. We're not allowed to get involved in many missions."
Shen Ye sat beside Minato and quietly watched Ichiraku Owner make the ramen, committing the order of the ingredients to memory.
If he ever managed to break the curse of his transmigration and return to his original world, he could consider opening a ramen shop. It would surely be a hit.
Even while they waited for their ramen, Minato didn't stop talking.
"We've never really spoken before, but I've been watching you for a few days. You can beat Genin with ease. You're far stronger than the rest of us."
Minato genuinely admired the boy his own age. He gave him a thumbs-up without thinking.
Shen Ye smiled faintly.
"I only won by chance. That guy let his guard down."
They chatted for quite a while over their ramen. Suddenly, Shen Ye sensed a gust of wind behind him.
"Look out!"
Shen Ye moved with lightning speed and gave Minato a light shove. A shuriken slipped through the gap between them and landed on the table.
Minato instantly tensed. Someone had attacked them in broad daylight. Whoever it was clearly didn't care about the village's laws.
They both turned around at almost the same time, only to see Kushina Uzumaki, her red hair unmistakable. She was holding another shuriken.
Now it was Shen Ye and Minato's turn to be confused. They couldn't understand why she'd suddenly attacked.
"You lecher! Now you're trying to drag another classmate into your dirty schemes!"
"What? So many people can testify that it wasn't me that day. Why are you—"
Before Shen Ye could finish, Kushina's shuriken flew at him again.
Shen Ye snorted. Leaning forward, he shot out in an instant and caught the shuriken in midair.
Carried by his momentum, he landed beside Kushina.
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