Watching the brother and sister before her get along so harmoniously, Tsunade felt as though she had gotten the short end of the stick.
She was clearly the one who had made a huge sacrifice, yet now she had become the unnecessary one.
This is exhausting!
Tsunade really wanted to expose Nobuhiko's true colors in front of Kushina, but after thinking it over, she decided against it.
Saying something like that outright might hurt this little pervert's tender young heart.
He had played dead just to cover up his embarrassment earlier. Tsunade dared not imagine what he might do if she exposed his lecherous nature right in front of Kushina.
Forget it. I'll help him hide it for a few more days, but before I leave, I have to make sure Kushina sees Nobuhiko's true nature.
"All right, all right, that's enough, you two. You only met today, and you're already so close as brother and sister. Anyone who didn't know would think you'd known each other for ages."
Feeling a little awkward, Tsunade set Nobuhiko back on the ground.
"Bleh! Sister Tsunade, Little Brother Nobuhiko and I just get along that well!"
Kushina swayed Tsunade's arm, sticking out her tongue and making a face as she acted cute.
Little Brother Nobuhiko was the first child in the village to compliment her hair. How could she possibly not like him?
"All right, all right. Since you're his big sister now, act like one. Be a little more mature."
Tsunade helplessly patted Kushina's head.
"You both did well today. How about I treat you to barbecue?"
"Yay! Long live Sister Tsunade!"
Thump.
"Ow! Sister Tsunade, why did you hit me?"
Nobuhiko, who had been so excited a moment earlier, took a blow right to the head from Tsunade.
"Save that kind of talk for the old man. Don't say it in front of me!"
Tsunade waved her fist threateningly at Nobuhiko, looking thoroughly disgusted.
"Little Brother Nobuhiko, you're really too sneaky. If Sister Tsunade hadn't pulled me away just now, you would've fooled me too."
Kushina also blushed a little as she reproached Nobuhiko. After all, he had led her astray earlier too, and she had actually shouted the words "onion" and "orange" at the old Third Hokage.
Watching the two of them reproach him together, Nobuhiko also felt that shouting "Long live! Long live!" every day was a little awkward.
That settles it. From now on, I'll save those words for fooling the Third Hokage, especially in front of Danzo. I have to let him know I'm "utterly loyal" to the Third Hokage and that there's no way he can drag me into Root.
"All right, Sister Tsunade, Big Sister Kushina. I know I was wrong."
Inside the barbecue restaurant.
Tsunade booked a private room.
She sat in the middle, with Nobuhiko and Kushina on either side.
"Before the barbecue we ordered arrives, tell me your thoughts on that fight. Nobuhiko, you first."
"Okay, Sister Tsunade."
"Through this fight with Big Sister Kushina, I realized that I still know too few kinds of ninjutsu, and I lack fast, powerful offensive ninjutsu."
"Of course, even if I knew offensive ninjutsu like that, I would absolutely never use it on Big Sister Kushina."
Nobuhiko looked at Kushina and gave her his solemn assurance.
"Mm-hmm! I would absolutely never use that kind of ninjutsu on you either, Little Brother Nobuhiko!"
Kushina responded, deeply moved.
Bang.
"That's it?"
For some reason, Tsunade slapped the table, interrupting them.
Nobuhiko sensed a hint of danger.
"There's more! Sister Tsunade, there's more!"
"I still don't understand much about how ninja fight. I'm only familiar with ninjutsu and taijutsu."
"But clearly, the jutsu Big Sister Kushina used to defeat me at the end wasn't ninjutsu or taijutsu. It was some other kind of jutsu."
Nobuhiko felt his answer fit a five-year-old brat's level of understanding very well.
And that really was the case.
Under normal circumstances, a five-year-old brat had absolutely nothing to do with sealing jutsu. At most, they might have heard of its existence, but they would know nothing else about it.
"You're right, Little Brother Nobuhiko. The jutsu I used to defeat you at the end really wasn't ninjutsu or taijutsu."
Kushina raised her head a little proudly.
"What was it, Big Sister Kushina? I really want to know."
Seeing Nobuhiko's humble eagerness to learn greatly satisfied Kushina's vanity.
"The move I used to defeat you at the end is called the Self-Exerting Curse Binding Seal. It's a type of sealing jutsu."
"Band-like markings continuously appear over the body of anyone hit by this jutsu, covering them completely and sealing their movements."
"Wow, Big Sister Kushina, you're amazing! You even know sealing jutsu!"
"Then, um, could I..."
Nobuhiko scratched his head, looking conflicted.
"What is it, Little Brother Nobuhiko?"
Seeing that Nobuhiko was a little embarrassed, Kushina took the initiative to ask.
"Can I learn sealing jutsu from you, Big Sister Kushina?"
"Of course! In a few days, I'll bring you some basic scrolls so you can get familiar with it first."
Kushina had thought it would be something difficult.
"Thank you so much, Big Sister Kushina!"
Bang.
For some reason, Tsunade slammed the table again.
"I told you to reflect on the fight! What have you wandered off onto now?"
Nobuhiko promptly surrendered, lowering his head and admitting his mistake, while Kushina sheepishly stuck out her tongue.
"That's all my reflections. Are you satisfied, Sister Tsunade?"
"Yes, that was very thorough. The old man and I were both very pleased with your performance in this fight. Keep working hard."
"It's all thanks to your hard work teaching me lately, Sister Tsunade. I should be thanking you properly!"
Tsunade gave a noncommittal "Mm" and turned to Kushina.
"Your turn, Kushina."
"I also think Little Brother Nobuhiko performed very well in this fight. He just needs to keep working hard."
Feeling a little guilty, Kushina gave Tsunade an evasive answer, her gaze shifting away.
Bang.
This time, Tsunade slapped the table again out of anger at Kushina.
"I asked for your reflections on your own performance in this fight, not for you to praise Nobuhiko!"
"Against a five-year-old brat who only knows ninjutsu and taijutsu, you actually had to use sealing jutsu to win!"
"I..."
"What do you mean, 'I'? In your fight with Nobuhiko, aside from gaining the upper hand in taijutsu thanks to your age advantage, what other advantage did you have?"
"Although your hand seal speed is about the same as Nobuhiko's, he's been simplifying the hand seals for the ninjutsu he's already learned, which means he can unleash his ninjutsu faster and more unexpectedly than you."
"So leaving the village on missions and such is still too dangerous for you. If you're bored, train with Nobuhiko more and teach him sealing jutsu. Then you won't be so bored."
Tsunade earnestly lectured Kushina.
Kushina felt something was off, but she couldn't figure out what.
Hearing that she could practice ninjutsu with Little Brother Nobuhiko and even teach him sealing jutsu, Kushina decided that if she couldn't figure it out, so be it. It didn't matter.
"All right, Sister Tsunade, I understand. Leaving the village really is still too dangerous."
"And with Little Brother Nobuhiko keeping me company from now on, I probably won't be bored either."
Remembering how Nobuhiko had talked the old Third Hokage into getting teary-eyed, Kushina felt she probably wouldn't be bored anymore.
Brilliant. Truly brilliant.
Listening to their conversation, Nobuhiko gave a mental thumbs-up.