Konoha 27, ever since Shinichi began to develop "Hydrogen Release" with all his strength, he has rarely stepped out of Uchiha Clan Compound, let alone wandered around the village.
Most of the time, he almost stayed in the deepest experimental field of Uchiha underground Secret Chamber, immersed in the deduction of the Chakra Nature Transformation and Hydrogen Release structures.
In that dark space, only the thunder and flames that exploded when Chakra met reflected his figure, as if even time had stood still.
Basically the only one who accompanies him is Orochimaru.
Rather than being a companion, Orochimaru is attracted by Shinichi's almost crazy innovations and ideas, and is very interested in these beyond-conventional Chakra integration processes. He even takes the initiative to help, recording the details of every experiment, and personally analyzing the reasons behind every failure.
As for Tsunade, he also comes to visit from time to time.
At first, she was simply concerned about Shinichi, worried that he would be immersed in cultivation all day long and have a disordered diet and rest schedule.
But gradually, she found that she had been shocked by the extraordinary talent and knowledge displayed by Shinichi.
Rather than coming to visit, it is better to say that she has quietly recognized in her heart that it will be difficult to overcome certain talent barriers by relying on her own hard work alone.
So, she simply put down her dignity and took the initiative to ask Shinichi for advice, even though sometimes her words were a little careless, "Shinichi, you are idle anyway, teach me."
Shinichi didn't bother to expose it. He just casually mentioned a few words in his free time, which was enough to make Tsunade suddenly enlightened about Chakra control and Taijutsu, and benefited a lot.
But today is a rare free day.
Perhaps the experimental phase has come to an end, or perhaps the system is temporarily silent and no new tasks have been released. Shinichi Earth Flow rarely left the underground experimental site and strolled through the streets of Konoha, feeling the long-lost sunshine and hustle and bustle.
As he strolled, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart, "It's been a long time since I went to Senju Main Residence..."
His eyes raised slightly, and his thoughts wandered a little far.
"In total, Tsunade's younger brother must be over three years old." Shinichi thought to himself, with a faint smile on his lips.
That lively little boy was quite similar to a certain blond boy in his memory.
He is always full of enthusiasm and talks about "becoming Hokage" innocently and persistently, as if that is the most important dream in the world.
"It really looks like Naruto..." Shinichi thought to himself, but involuntarily walked in the direction of the Senju Clan.
He doesn't know how the future will change, but no matter how the world changes, those eyes dedicated to protecting and dreaming never seem to disappear in this Shinobi World.
Senju Clan In the ancestral house, the sun casts mottled light and shadow through the sycamore leaves in the courtyard, the breeze blows, and the air is filled with the faint fragrance of vegetation.
Shinichi was squatting in the corridor, holding a colorful candy in his hand, with a teasing smile on his lips. The chubby little guy in front of him was raising his head, staring at him with round eyes, full of hesitation.
"Little Nawaki, call me brother-in-law, or I won't give you any candy!" Shinichi shook the candy in his hand and deliberately flicked it with his fingertips, his voice a little condescending.
Nawaki on the opposite side obviously didn't understand the true meaning of the word "brother-in-law". He pouted his mouth and stared at Shinichi with a stubborn look on his face. His chubby little hand had already secretly stretched out to grab the candy.
"Hey, you can't take it for free, you have to call me out." Shinichi laughed even harder, leaned back, and easily avoided the little guy's attack.
Tsunade stood aside, holding his forehead helplessly, but couldn't help but bring up a smile, "You, you are actually arguing with a three-year-old child."
But Nawaki was clearly tempted by the sweetness of the candy. His eyes rolled around a few times, his face turned red, and he finally plucked up the courage to shout in a sweet voice, "Sister, brother-in-law!"
The voice is soft and waxy, with a bit of shyness at the end.
Shinichi then nodded with satisfaction, stuffed the candy into Nawaki's little hand, and rubbed his head. "You're so good, that's just right."
Nawaki As soon as he succeeded, he immediately ran to the side to open the candy wrappers, as happy as a puppy with only a bone.
Tsunade looked at this scene, tenderness flashed across his eyes, shook his head and said with a smile, "Really, you are such a great Uchiha genius, you really know how to coax children."
Shinichi shrugged, still with a careless smile on his lips, "After all, this is my future brother-in-law, so we have to cultivate feelings from an early age."
After saying that, Shinichi's eyes unconsciously fell on Nawaki, who was jumping and chasing butterflies not far away. There was a softness in his eyes, but there were some ripples in his heart.
This innocent little guy, still carefree at this moment, looks like the purest color in the world.
But Shinichi clearly remembers that if the original historical trajectory were followed, Nawaki would have died on the battlefield at the age of 12, falling in the Explosive Tag formation set up by the enemy, and even the bones would be hard to find.
This is the pain that Tsunade cannot heal in his life, and it is also a symbol of the Senju Clan's decline.
But things are different now.
Shinichi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he secretly thought in his heart: With him here, none of this will ever happen again.
He came through time and has become the most unstable and powerful variable in the world.
He has the confidence to rewrite the fate of Nawaki, the future of Tsunade, including the bloody storms of Shinobi World. He will never let those important people become victims of the so-called "fate" again.
However, while he was thinking, his eyes turned slightly sideways and looked at Tsunade, who was standing aside and watching quietly, and there was a little doubt in his heart.
Logically speaking, he half-jokingly asked Nawaki to call him "brother-in-law" just now. With Tsunade's usually violent temper, he might have punched him long ago. At worst, Byakugan would roll over him, and at worst, Iron Sand would slap him directly.
But today--
Tsunade just stood aside, with a faint smile on his lips, seemingly helpless, but in fact he didn't refute at all, and didn't even say a harsh word against him.
Shinichi suddenly heard alarm bells ringing in his heart, and secretly smacked his lips: something is wrong, very, very, very wrong!
This unusual "quietness" made him feel more abnormal than Tsunade's actions.
"Could it be..." He squinted his eyes and quietly looked at Tsunade's expression from the corner of his eye. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised involuntarily, and a bold guess came into his mind.
Is it possible that the spring of my love is really coming quietly?
When he thought of this, his originally indifferent mood almost became turbulent, and there was a faint excitement in a corner of his heart.
Tsunade is still standing there, his eyes falling on Nawaki, his expression is a little abnormally soft, as if he is not aware of Shinichi's inspection, or... is aware of it, but doesn't bother to reveal it.
Shinichi exhaled gently, his eyes were calm, but there was a trace of amusement and expectation hidden inside.
This Konoha spring seems to have come earlier than in previous years.
At this moment, Mito Uzumaki, who was sitting aside and sipping tea, looked at the scene in the courtyard with gentle eyes, with a faint smile on his lips.
She looked at Shinichi teasing Nawaki, with a naughty tone in her tone. "Call me brother-in-law, or I won't give you candy!" After Nawaki shouted out in a sweet voice, she didn't even attract any attention. Instead of Tsunade's thunderous rage, Tsunade stood aside quietly, neither refuting nor taking action. The expression on his face was unclear whether it was helplessness or... vague acquiescence.
Mito Uzumaki calmly took in all this and had already made some plans in his mind.
--This boy Uchiha Clan is indeed unusual.
Growing up, she had seen Tsunade being stubborn and hot-tempered, and few people could catch her eye.
Today's scene confirmed her suspicion.
Mito gently put down the tea cup, and his eyes fell on Tsunade. A hint of understanding flashed in his eyes, and he smiled secretly in his heart: It seems that it is time to add another push.
The two have known each other since they were young, and they are compatible with each other. If they have the right help, they will naturally come together naturally.
After all, this world is turbulent. If a marriage can be achieved, it can be considered as adding a sense of stability to them in troubled times.
Thinking of this, a soft smile flashed across Mito's eyes, as if he had planned a future for the two of them in his heart.
"Whether this marriage works or not, I want to see who can stop these two stubborn little guys."
She lowered her head and took a sip of tea, with a touch of kindness and calculation in her eyes, as if she had everything under control.
Mito Uzumaki slowly put down the tea cup in his hand, his eyes looked back and forth between Nawaki and Shinichi calmly, and the corner of his mouth slightly raised a meaningful arc.
Seeing Nawaki happily walking around Shinichi, and vaguely hearing his milky voice calling "brother-in-law" in her ears, Mito felt a little more confident. She spoke seemingly casually, with a gentle voice with a tone that was unquestionable:
"Shinichi, Nawaki, this child is naughty, and I admire you very much. I see that you two are also very close, why not... just accept him as an apprentice and pay more attention to me and teach him?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Tsunade was stunned for a moment, while Nawaki's eyes lit up and he excitedly grabbed Shinichi's sleeve. "Brother-in-law, I'm a disciple! Can I eat sweets every day as a disciple?"
Shinichi was stunned, his whole body froze slightly, and he looked at Mito with a complicated expression.
Become a disciple? Let Nawaki become your disciple?
He subconsciously glanced at Tsunade and saw her lowering her head and coughing slightly. There was a rare no rebuttal on her face, but the tips of her ears turned slightly red.
Shinichi suddenly felt a little confused.
After marrying Tsunade, isn't this "master and apprentice" status the same as not being a disciple?!
By then, if he becomes Nawaki's brother-in-law and master, this generation will be in a mess.
Shinichi The corner of his mouth twitched, and he began to think quickly: What is this? Marry a wife and give him an apprentice? Tsunade calls himself husband, Nawaki calls himself master, how will he sit at the family banquet later?
But looking at Mito Uzumaki's gentle eyes but firm attitude, Shinichi vaguely realized that he simply wanted to find a teacher for Nawaki. He was obviously just going along with the flow to add another firewood to him and Tsunade.
Facing Mito Uzumaki's meaningful words, Shinichi's mouth froze slightly, and his mind was running rapidly, trying to find an excuse to shirk this sudden "apprenticeship gift".
He coughed lightly and looked calm on the surface, but his eyes quietly glanced at Mito and Tsunade, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he said half-jokingly and half-seriously:
"Ahem, Lady Mito, actually... if you want to teach Nawaki, it's the same as having him become Orochimaru's teacher."
As he spoke, he analyzed it seriously, as if he was giving Nawaki a life plan:
"Orochimaru rarely goes out on missions recently. He basically spends time with me at Laboratory. When we are free, we are free. And in terms of the erudition and research spirit of Ninjutsu, there are not many people in Konoha who can compare with him."
"Besides..." Shinichi changed the subject, with a somewhat relaxed smile on his lips, but his eyes quietly fell on Tsunade, "As a future brother-in-law, how can I not teach my brother-in-law all the truth? Whoever he worships as his teacher, isn't it all me who teaches him in the end?"
This remark was an understatement on the surface, but in reality it was a bit of teasing. It was clear that the word "brother-in-law" was deliberately said loudly, and the matter of apprenticeship was brought back to himself and Tsunade.
As expected, Tsunade originally maintained a calm look, but when he heard the words "future brother-in-law", a suspicious blush immediately appeared on the tips of his ears. He glared at Shinichi angrily, but the corners of his mouth quietly raised, but he couldn't even utter a retort.
Mito Uzumaki laughed secretly when he saw it. He took a sip of the tea cup and seemed not to hear the joke hidden in Shinichi's words. He still said gently and calmly:
"Orochimaru is indeed good, but after all, it is someone else. Nawaki follows you, which makes me feel more at ease than following others. Moreover, your identity as a master may not be as simple as in name only."
Her tone was soft and gentle, but every word was like a needle. Shinichi sighed softly in his heart - this elder Konoha was indeed determined to bring them together.
He glanced at Nawaki, who was unwrapping candy wrappers and eating happily, and then at Tsunade, who was trying to stay calm with his ears flushed. He smiled to himself, but he didn't refuse anything.
Forget it, apprentices will be apprentices, and they will influence the future. Shouldn't the seniority of Konoha be unified into oneself?
So Shinichi smiled and nodded, and said calmly, "Since Lady Mito has spoken, I will accept this apprentice. But, Tsunade, you have to help me take care of your brother, don't let him just think about eating sweets all day long."
Tsunade rolled her eyes at him fiercely, but said nothing. The curve of her mouth had already revealed her thoughts.
The wind blew through the sycamore leaves in the courtyard. Nawaki ran over with candy in his hands, raised his head and blinked his big eyes. "Master, can you teach me ninjutsu tomorrow?"
Shinichi lowered his head and rubbed his head, smiling meaningfully, "Teach, of course you have to teach. But remember to call 'brother-in-law' louder first."
Tsunade: "..."
Mito chuckled, the fragrance of tea lingered, and everything seemed to be moving forward quietly according to her wishes.