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"The fight's over? Are you hurt?"
Kushina rushed over as soon as the battle concluded, asking Shin anxiously.
"Do I look hurt?" Shin asked Kushina with a smile. Not only was he unscathed, but his clothes were also completely spotless.
"Now I have a better understanding of my own combat strength. I can completely dominate Six Paths level opponents."
Although Shin had been confident in his abilities before, he hadn't known exactly how strong he was, lacking a proper benchmark. Easily dispatching Hamura Ōtsutsuki confirmed his power—he had likely surpassed the standard Six Paths level.
During the fight with Hamura, Shin hadn't even used his full strength, let alone gotten serious.
"Honestly, I was hoping for a more intense battle. But my strength just doesn't allow for it."
Shin wore a look of helplessness.
"I think you're just showing off," Kushina said, giving him an 'I see right through you' look.
Although Shin looked helpless, Kushina saw it as pure showing off.
"How could that be? I'm a modest person; I'm genuinely looking for a worthy opponent, but alas, there are none."
"Let's get out of this creepy dimension. By the way, what about the Shinigami?" Kushina suddenly remembered the Shinigami.
"Don't worry about the Shinigami. It's just a tool now," Shin said, shaking his head. Hamura Ōtsutsuki had controlled the Shinigami; it was essentially his puppet. With Hamura dead, the Shinigami was just a masterless tool.
Of course, Shin had his own reasons for not eliminating the Shinigami. He'd leave it as bait. Perhaps it could lure out Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki. The chances were slim, but not zero. So, he'd let the Shinigami remain.
"Let's go."
Shin used Yomotsu Hirasaka, taking Kushina away from Hamura's dimension.
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They reappeared directly in The Land of Whirlpools.
"Well, look who decided to come back. We thought you two might never return."
Tsunade greeted Shin and Kushina sarcastically.
Getting chewed out by Tsunade was expected. Both Shin and Kushina had anticipated this upon their return. After all, they had been gone for quite some time; it would be strange if Tsunade and the others weren't resentful.
Mikoto wasn't even acknowledging Shin and Kushina. Even Konan turned her head away, clearly upset.
Mei Terumī was also full of resentment. she also regretted not being able to go with Shin and Kushina. It would have been nice to travel freely with them for a few days.
"Um, actually, we had some important business. I encountered a powerful enemy and fought for seven days and seven nights before finally defeating him."
Shin decided to use the Hamura Ōtsutsuki he'd killed as an excuse, exaggerating Hamura's strength to get himself off the hook.
"....."
Kushina's mouth twitched slightly hearing Shin's explanation.
But Kushina wasn't foolish enough to expose Shin's lie.
"Really?" Tsunade looked at Shin skeptically.
"Of course! Kushina can vouch for me. If you don't believe me, ask her," Shin said, pointing at Kushina beside him.
"Kushina vouching doesn't count. You two are probably in cahoots," Mei Terumī interjected.
Tsunade and Mikoto nodded in agreement. If Kushina was the witness, they wouldn't believe it.
"Alright, if Kushina can't vouch, then these eyes should be proof enough."
Shin took out his spoils of war—Hamura's Tenseigan—and showed them to Mikoto, Tsunade, and the others.
"Such powerful ocular energy!" Mikoto stared at the Tenseigan floating in the saline bottle. Even through the glass, she could feel its immense power. Her own Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan paled in comparison.
"Shin, you really encountered a strong enemy? Are you alright?" Mikoto asked Shin with concern.
"Shin-nii, are you injured?" Konan immediately ran over, examining Shin closely.
Hinata grabbed Shin's hand, looking at him worriedly.
"Shin-sama, would you like a bite? It can heal you," Karin Uzumaki offered her arm earnestly.
"Ahem, thank you, Karin. But I'm not injured."
Even if Shin was injured, he could use Tenmomei to rewind time to before he was hurt.
"Shin, those eyes are…?" Tsunade asked Shin, puzzled.
"Don't you recognize them? Remember Ōtsutsuki Ryūsuke on the moon? They're the same as his eyes. These are the Tenseigan."
Shin explained to Tsunade. Don't tell me you've already forgotten what the Tenseigan looks like?
"We didn't get a good look last time," Tsunade said, rolling her eyes at Shin.
Last time, Tsunade and the others hadn't paid much attention. However, Tsunade did notice a slight resemblance to Shin's eyes.
That was normal. Shin's eyes were a fusion of the Tenseigan and Rinnegan. They had just evolved further later, gaining tomoe.
"Tenseigan… Who was the strong enemy you fought?" Mikoto asked Shin curiously.
"Wait, what's the Tenseigan?" Mei Terumī raised her hand, looking completely lost.
She knew about the Three Great Dōjutsu:
Sharingan, Byakugan, and Rinnegan, but nothing else.
"The Tenseigan is the evolution of the Byakugan, on the same level as the Rinnegan. As for who Shin fought… it was Hamura Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths' brother."
Before Shin could answer, Kushina jumped in and explained for him. Shin was happy to let her.
At the same time, Shin breathed a sigh of relief internally. He had successfully diverted the topic. The issue of him and Kushina being gone for so long had been brushed aside.
He had gotten away with it...
Kushina secretly gave Shin a thumbs-up.
Shin saw Kushina's discreet thumbs-up but remained composed, not showing excessive pride.
Pride comes before a fall. Shin understood this principle. He couldn't get too complacent; getting too cocky could lead to trouble.
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