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"Weren''t you going to tell me your other conditions? Cat got your tongue?"
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Shin looked at Tsunade expectantly.
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"I haven''t quite decided yet. I''ll let you know later." Tsunade looked at Shin, her mind still searching for suitable conditions.
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"You might not get another chance."
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Shin''s words held a hidden meaning. He was confident that his strength would soon surpass Tsunade''s.
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With his Perfect Sage Body and the System''s cheat, his growth rate was unpredictable, even to him.
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"Speaking of which, I''m curious about your strength. Come with me to the training grounds."
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Tsunade stood up and led Shin to her private training area behind the courtyard. It was a spacious area.
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Kushina trailed behind them, her cheeks puffed out like a disgruntled chipmunk. She was still sulking.
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"Alright, Shin, let''s spar."
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"Wait, what?"
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Shin stared at Tsunade in disbelief. Spar with her? Was she joking? He was no match for her right now.
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He wasn''t into Masochism.
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"Don''t worry, I''ll go easy on you," Tsunade said reassuringly.
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"Go for it, Shin! Beat her!" Kushina cheered, pumping her little fist.
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"Kushina, are you crazy? If I could beat her, I would! But I can''t. Do you want to see me get pulverized?"
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Shin whispered to Kushina.
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"Pulverized? That bad? On second thought..."
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Kushina recalled Tsunade''s brutal display during the ambush and shook her head.
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One punch could turn a person into a mangled mess. Fighting her was definitely risky.
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"Umm, how about we settle this peacefully? I''m not a fan of violence," Shin said to Tsunade, spreading his hands.
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Tsunade''s eyes narrowed. She chuckled. "Fine, if you don''t want to fight, then you can just take a beating."
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With that, she threw a punch at Shin. Feeling the force of the blow, Shin''s eyes widened.
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Was she serious?
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He didn''t think she would actually hurt him, but his instincts screamed at him to dodge.
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"Quick reflexes."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
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Tsunade retracted her fist, impressed. Even a Chunin wouldn''t have been able to dodge that.
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"Hold on!"
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Shin quickly stopped her as she prepared to attack again.
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"There''s no benefit for me in fighting you. So, I''ll have to decline."
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"Benefit? What kind of benefit do you want?" Tsunade asked.
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"Well, if you teach me an A-rank Jutsu, I wouldn''t mind sparring with you," Shin said, his eyes gleaming.
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If she refused, he wouldn''t lose anything and would avoid a beating.
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If she agreed, he''d gain an A-rank Jutsu. It was a win-win situation.
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"You''re a shrewd one, aren''t you? Fine, I agree. I can part with an A-rank Jutsu."
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Tsunade said nonchalantly. As the Senju Clan princess, if he had asked for an S-rank Jutsu, she might have hesitated.
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But an A-rank Jutsu? She didn''t mind. She was more interested in uncovering Shin''s secrets.
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"Alright then, please go easy on me, Lady Tsunade."
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Shin stepped back, putting some distance between them. He focused on Tsunade. This was a chance to test his strength.
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Of course, there were some things he wouldn''t use, like the Rasengan and the Adamantine Sealing Chains.
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The Chains were fine, but using the Rasengan would raise too many questions.
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It would cause a commotion. After all, the Rasengan was a Jutsu that required no hand seals.
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The most impressive thing about the Rasengan wasn''t its power, although it was powerful. There were other A-rank Jutsu that were stronger. But the fact that it didn''t require hand seals made it unique.
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No hand seals meant instant activation. In a life-or-death battle, even a fraction of a second could make all the difference.
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Besides, Shin wasn''t planning on going all out. He always kept some cards up his sleeve.
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He knew Tsunade would keep her word about not revealing his strength, but he was still used to hiding his true abilities.
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"You can make the first move," Tsunade said.
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"Then I won''t hold back."
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Shin wasn''t going to be polite. He was clearly at a disadvantage.
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Holding back half his strength, Shin charged towards Tsunade. When he was three meters away, he leaped into the air, aiming a punch at her face.
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"You can do it, Shin!" Kushina cheered nervously.
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"You little brat!"
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Tsunade scowled. Attacking someone''s face was a low blow, especially a woman''s.
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The fist might be small, but the force behind it was undeniable. Tsunade dodged. She wasn''t going to take that punch to the face.
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"Don''t jump so carelessly, kid. You have no leverage in the air. Let me show you how it''s done."
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After dodging Shin''s attack, Tsunade retaliated with lightning speed, aiming for his stomach.
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BAM!
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Wood splintered. Her fist connected, not with Shin''s body, but with a log. He had used the Substitution Jutsu.
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Tsunade''s eyes narrowed. She spun around and threw another punch.
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Their fists collided. Shin was sent flying backward. Just before he crashed to the ground, he twisted in mid-air, landing gracefully on his feet.
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Tsunade shook her arm, the ground beneath her cracking slightly.
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"What a Strength!"
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Her arm was numb. She hadn''t used her monstrous strength, but even her normal punches packed a wallop.
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What kind of monster was this kid? How could he be so strong at such a young age?
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"Hey, are you alright?" Tsunade asked, concerned.
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After using the Substitution Jutsu, Shin had appeared behind her, launching a surprise attack. Her counterattack had been a bit hasty; she hadn''t controlled her strength.
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"Ouch! That hurts! I think my arm is broken! I can''t continue!"
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Shin cried out dramatically, his expression exaggerated.
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"Shin, are you hurt?" Kushina rushed over, checking his arm with worry. She glared at Tsunade.
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Tsunade also hurried over to check on him. Her punch had been powerful; even a Jōnin would have been injured.
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"Ahem, Kushina, I''m fine," Shin winked at her.
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Kushina relaxed, understanding his silent message. He was faking it.