"You should be thinking about how to thank me!" Tsunade said, tossing a scroll at Shin across from her.
Curiously opening the scroll, Shin's expression suddenly changed, then he became excited. This was finally the first step of a long journey. With such a good beginning, everything else would become easier.
It hadn't been easy!
Hiruzen actually allowed me to train in chakra training techniques. Even though I already knew how to do it and didn't need his permission, this was a sign that restrictions on me were starting to loosen!
Once the limits are eased a little more, I'll bolt right out of here. Then I'll be free.
"How could the Third Hokage…" he feigned confusion, then acted as if he remembered something and looked at Tsunade in surprise.
Tsunade was clearly quite pleased, unable to stop herself from smiling, Shin's reaction was exactly what she expected.
That was how it should be!
"Tell me, why are you helping me?" Shin suppressed his emotions and, for once, spoke to her seriously.
"Because I don't want to see you waste your talent. Is that reason enough?"
"It's enough!" Shin sighed. "I owe you for this, so I have to repay you."
Before Tsunade could even refuse, he was already stuffing things into a cardboard box in a hurry. "And the first step in repaying you is to give you this great office. I wish you happiness!"
With that, he lifted the box with both hands and bolted out. But at the door, he realized no matter what, he couldn't open it. Anxiously, he set the box down and used both hands to twist the doorknob, sweating from the effort.
At that moment, Tsunade's sinister voice came from behind. "Need a hand?"
"Sure, with your help it'd be perfect—Ow…"
Shin, now thrown straight back into his chair, looked at the smug Tsunade with a face full of resentment.
Tsunade, on the other hand, was overjoyed.
In the past five years, she'd always been the one getting the short end of the stick with him. Now it was finally his turn.
This felt better than New Year's to her. And she had finally found a way to get the upper hand with him.
You want to get away from me? I won't let you! I'll make you so mad! Who says I'll let you keep pushing me around in Konoha?
While she was happy, she also felt a bit down.
So many people try all kinds of ways to get close to me, and yet he is the only one I actively approached, only for him to keep wanting to run away.
"You really don't want to see me that much?" She broke the silence, taking the initiative to ask.
"You still have the nerve to ask?" Shin said, annoyed. "It's not just the random times we bump into each other on the street."
"In the past five years, we've met 49 times in the hospital—and you've brought me trouble 49 times. So whenever I see you, my scalp tingles. I just know something bad's going to happen."
"Then give me the scroll back!" Tsunade said angrily, stretching out her hand toward him.
"No way! I'm not giving it back no matter what!" Shin quickly hugged the scroll to his side protectively, afraid Tsunade would snatch it. "Why should I give you what's mine?"
Tsunade was speechless at Shin's shameless behavior. How could someone like this exist in the world? If it weren't for your talent and your status as a civilian, I would've beaten you to death already.
Shin, however, felt the complete opposite. Ever since he decided three years ago to take advantage of Tsunade, everything he wanted so far, he had gotten.
Of course, there had been some bumps along the way.
In order to avoid genuinely making her dislike him, while still making her mad every time and keeping everything seem natural and logical, he had racked his brains.
Poor Tsunade back then had been so innocent and naive.
Meanwhile, Shin, having been forced to constantly study human nature for survival over the years, had completely trapped her in his scheme. But what could he do?
The sins of your granduncle are yours to repay. My only hope of escaping Konoha lies with you.
"Um..." After a long pause, he asked tentatively, "Are you really going to work at the Konoha Hospital from now on?"
"What else would I be doing?" Tsunade asked back with a smile.
"Then... why are you sharing an office with me?" Shin asked with a sulky face.
"Of course, so it's easier to discuss medical ninjutsu with you," Tsunade said with a burning gaze. "That move you used before, I'm very curious about it."
Finally took the bait! Shin thought, full of emotion. Damn, this hasn't been easy.
"Heh, don't even think about it. That's one of my hidden techniques," he rejected without hesitation.
"I'm not trying to learn it for free!" Tsunade said seriously. "I'll trade you for it."
"What do you have to trade?" Shin gave her a once-over, clearly unimpressed. "I learned the Mystical Palm Technique after watching it once. I don't need you to teach me. As for that blue diamond-shaped mark on your forehead, I don't have enough chakra to learn that technique. And the slug summoning technique you use, that's a summoning jutsu, right? You think you can even teach me that? Even if you were willing, the Hokage wouldn't dare cause you trouble, but he'd absolutely make my life hell. So, here's the problem, what exactly are you offering in return?"
Before Tsunade could respond, he cut her off, "Don't you dare say something like 'offer myself to you', even if you agreed, I wouldn't!"
"Go to hell!" Tsunade, blushing with rage, grabbed the pen holder beside her and hurled it at him. "Even if every man in Konoha were dead, I still wouldn't look at you!"
"You should've said that earlier, you scared the hell out of me! I thought my life was over!" Shin dodged the pen holder and patted his chest in mock relief, continuing to tease her. "So forget it. I'm not interested in anything else either."
"I can give you money!" Tsunade suddenly offered seriously. "A lot of money!"
"You really don't know how much I make at Konoha Hospital each month? I get commission. People line up every day, willing to pay anything for me to treat them. You think I need money?" Shin said disdainfully. "And do you even have any money? I heard you love gambling and never win."
"That was before!" Tsunade snapped back immediately. "I haven't gambled in three years. I've saved up a lot."
With that confirmation, Shin felt even more confident in his read of the situation. When someone is able to suppress their desires, it usually means they have something more important to focus on.
She had even quit gambling.
It meant that, provoked by him, she had developed an intense desire to improve her medical ninjutsu.
This laid a solid foundation for Shin's next plan.
"Change the deal. I don't need money!" he shook his head.
"When your chakra level is high enough, I'll teach you the Yin Seal," Tsunade said solemnly.
"Who knows how long that'll take? What if you back out then?"
"You think I would go back on my word?"
"I wouldn't know. We're not that close. Better come up with another offer."
"I can help you sign a blood contract with Katsuyu. On the down-low, you might even get a chance to learn Sage Mode," Tsunade said, trying to tempt him.