At noon the next day, it was time to part again outside the old Senju residence.
Unlike last time, when Nobuhiko had been alone, Kushina was there too.
"Kushina, I'm leaving Nobuhiko in your care while I'm away!"
As Tsunade gave Kushina instructions, she shot Nobuhiko a look that said, "You know what I mean."
"Don't worry, Sister Tsunade. I'll listen to Sister Kushina."
Nobuhiko winked at Tsunade.
Kept in the dark the whole time, Kushina patted her nonexistent chest and solemnly assured Tsunade.
"I absolutely won't let anyone bully Little Brother Nobuhiko. Just leave it to me, Sister Tsunade!"
"All right. I'll leave the house to you two, then."
Tsunade stroked their heads, kissed each of them on the forehead, then turned and left with a carefree air.
Having experienced it before, Nobuhiko naturally didn't freeze up completely like last time. This time, he merely basked in it a little.
"Hey, hey, Nobuhiko, what's wrong?"
Puzzled by the motionless Nobuhiko, Kushina grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard.
"Nothing, nothing, Sister Kushina."
Coming to his senses, Nobuhiko felt a little guilty.
"I don't believe you. Are you remembering how it felt when Sister Tsunade kissed you?"
Kushina's gaze turned somewhat unfriendly.
"Ahem, ahem, ahem! Of course not, Sister Kushina!"
With Kushina guessing exactly what was on his mind, Nobuhiko grew a little flustered.
"I was just a little worried about Sister Tsunade, and a little resentful of my own weakness!"
Nobuhiko put on a rueful expression as he spun Kushina a tale.
"If I were a little older and a little stronger, I could definitely go to the battlefield with Sister Tsunade and protect her by her side."
"Once I'm strong enough, I could even flatten the enemy camp outright and force an end to the war. Then I wouldn't have to worry about Sister Tsunade's safety."
After saying that, he looked at Kushina and noticed her eyes reddening. Nobuhiko knew his bluff had worked.
But he suddenly realized that although he had used those words to fool Kushina, he might actually be able to do it someday.
If any ninja village was foolish enough to dare upset Tsunade in the future, he would simply take his Perfect Susanoo for a stroll through that village and see who dared let out another fart!
"Little Brother Nobuhiko, if I have to go to the battlefield in the future too, would you..."
Seeing Kushina hesitate, Nobuhiko decisively jumped in with an answer.
"I would, Sister Kushina. If you ever need to go to the battlefield, I'll definitely stay by your side and protect you. I won't let you suffer the slightest harm!"
Hearing Nobuhiko's firm answer, Kushina really wanted to pull him into her arms and shower him with affection.
But remembering that Sister Tsunade had asked her to take good care of Nobuhiko while she was away, a strong sense of responsibility suddenly rose within her, making her forcibly restrain that impulse.
"It's a promise, then. You'll have to protect me when the time comes!"
In the end, Kushina chose to pat Nobuhiko's head.
After they returned inside.
"Little Brother Nobuhiko, when are you planning to start studying Sealing Jutsu?"
"I already started reading the scrolls I took from your house yesterday."
"Then have you come across anything you don't understand?"
Hearing that Nobuhiko had already started reading yesterday, Kushina grew a little excited.
"I've only read a little, Sister Kushina. I really don't have any questions!"
Knowing what Kushina meant, Nobuhiko scratched his head sheepishly.
"All right."
Kushina was a little disappointed.
"Then when are you planning to practice Ninjutsu?"
"As for Ninjutsu, I'm planning to use a Shadow Clone to practice it. He's already practicing now."
"As for my main body, I'm planning to study Sealing Jutsu properly with you, Sister Kushina. I look forward to your guidance!"
Nobuhiko bowed to Kushina in a show of "sincerity."
"No problem. Leave it all to me."
Hearing that she would soon get to teach Little Brother Nobuhiko, Kushina was thrilled. Then she remembered something, and her face fell again.
"What's wrong, Sister Kushina? Why are you suddenly unhappy?"
"Um, Little Brother Nobuhiko, I want to ask you something."
Kushina was a little embarrassed.
"How do you get your Shadow Clone to willingly practice Ninjutsu?"
"Huh?"
Seeing that Nobuhiko hadn't understood her meaning, Kushina's pretty face flushed until it was almost the same color as her hair.
"Sister Kushina, do you mean your Shadow Clones won't follow your orders?"
Nobuhiko asked, finally catching on.
"Not exactly. They still follow my orders in battle, but..."
Whatever. Little Brother Nobuhiko definitely won't laugh at me anyway.
Having talked herself around, Kushina chose to confess and seek leniency.
"But whenever I create Shadow Clones and want them to attend class or study Ninjutsu for me, they stop following my orders."
"The better-tempered ones just choose to lie flat and do nothing; the bad-tempered ones argue with me."
"But you don't know the half of it, Little Brother Nobuhiko. Some are even worse."
"Some Shadow Clones punch themselves hard to forcibly dispel themselves when they hear I want them to study!"
"They could clearly dispel themselves voluntarily, but they insist on punching themselves to do it!"
"But I'm the one who feels the pain in the end!"
Kushina was going a little crazy, feeling more aggrieved the more she spoke.
Why? Other people's Shadow Clones could attend school, study, and research Ninjutsu, while hers only wanted to fight!
Kushina felt as though little pearls were about to fall from her eyes, but remembering that she still had to take care of Nobuhiko and was already a big sister now, she sniffed hard and forcibly held them back.
Give someone a taste of their own medicine.
After hearing Kushina's complaints, the image of a one-eyed man flashed through Nobuhiko's mind.
Now that was fierce!
"Sister Kushina, why don't you consider not making your Shadow Clones do anything related to studying from now on?"
"Can't you help me, Little Brother Nobuhiko?"
Seeing how aggrieved Kushina looked, Nobuhiko really wanted to help her, but then he thought of his own Shadow Clones.
After Tsunade had fallen asleep in his arms back then, he and three Shadow Clones had carried her back to bed together. None of those three Shadow Clones had chosen to dispel themselves voluntarily either; the main body had been the one to dispel them.
Damn it, my Shadow Clones seem pretty obedient when it comes to studying, but in certain respects, they seem pretty rebellious too!!!
"Ahem, Sister Kushina, if you make Shadow Clones do something you don't want to do yourself, it should be pretty normal for them to refuse."
"Then why can your Shadow Clone study?"
Kushina clearly didn't believe him.
What the fuck? Do you even hear what you're saying?!
Studying Ninjutsu is way more interesting than the Chinese, math, English, politics, history, geography, physics, chemistry, and biology I studied in my previous life. I'm very interested in it, okay?
How can you just take it for granted that I don't want to study Ninjutsu?!
"Ahem, Sister Kushina, could we perhaps consider the possibility that I don't hate studying?"
"Huh!"
This time, it was Kushina's turn to be shocked. For the first time, she felt that her Little Brother Nobuhiko was such a stranger.