Crimson eyes surrounded jet-black pupils, with irregular, black tomoe-shaped patterns slowly forming. The patterns also carried small concentric circles, resembling a windmill in appearance, distinct and highly recognizable.
Seeing the sudden change in Shin's eyes, Tsunade's heart skipped a beat.
Was that the Mangekyō Sharingan?
My god!
It was her first time seeing the Mangekyō Sharingan. It was hard to imagine such beautifully patterned eyes could possess such terrifying power, as described by her grandfather and granduncle.
However, the oppressive aura radiating from those eyes was indeed chilling.
With these eyes, Shin could truly dominate the shinobi world, without any more worries. But... her grandfather once said these eyes could lead to blindness with prolonged use. She still had to remind him.
Before she could speak, Minato's body suddenly trembled slightly, snapping Shin back to reality. His eyes immediately reverted from the Mangekyō state.
The next moment, Minato slowly opened his eyes.
Seeing Shin looking completely drained, as if his soul had been sucked out, Minato's eyes turned red with emotion. He grabbed Shin's sleeve tightly, filled with guilt, and said, "… I'm sorry!"
Tears poured from Shin's eyes again. He grabbed Minato and held him tightly, his heart aching so badly it was hard to breathe.
What right do I have to let him apologize?
I'm the one who made the mistake, yet he is apologizing to me. I really am a bastard.
I'm the one who should be apologizing!
"Minato, it's my fault. From now on, I'll protect you. I won't put any more pressure on you."
"Uhm…"
"Don't talk. Let me hold you for a bit!"
"It's just…"
"I won't allow you to apologize again."
"Cough, cough… you're squeezing me too tight, I can't breathe."
Shin quickly let go and anxiously checked Minato's condition.
"I'm still feeling a bit unwell… How about you and Tsunade-neesan continue treating me?" Minato, seeing that his brother didn't blame him and even comforted him, finally let out a big sigh of relief and joked playfully.
Shin's nose tingled with emotion, but upon hearing Minato's teasing tone, his heart finally eased.
After nearly another hour of treatment, Minato's body finally recovered completely. The reason for his swift recovery wasn't just because Shin and Tsunade could heal without draining their chakra. It was also because, despite the serious injuries, Minato had mostly suffered from overwhelming external impacts, he hadn't lost any limbs or essential parts.
Thanks to timely treatment, there wouldn't be any lasting damage. Finally, everyone could relax, and the heavy atmosphere lightened significantly.
"Shin-nii…"
"Looks like you won't rest until you scare me to death!" Shin flicked Minato's forehead lightly, still a bit upset after the fear had passed.
"I was wrong!" Minato shook Shin's hand pitifully, trying to win him over.
"Alright, I really can't do anything about you."
"Sigh, it's my fault as your brother. I'll draw up a training plan for you. From now on, you'll follow it strictly, no more reckless behavior. And I'll make time every week to coach you. Training must be done step by step. Don't rush it, understand?"
"Okay!" Minato nodded obediently, then curiously stared at Shin's eyes and asked, "Why were your eyes bleeding just now?"
"This?" Shin activated his Mangekyō Sharingan again, ruffled Minato's hair, and said, "It's the new power I just awakened. With these eyes, I can better protect you."
Gaining the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan was a good thing, but no member of the Uchiha clan ever felt joy upon awakening them. So, unlike Minato and Tsunade's current happiness, his emotions were incredibly complex.
Many ninjas in the shinobi world have been injured due to training, but from now on, Minato must never be one of them again.
So, in the following days, he sought out Orochimaru. After conducting extremely thorough and comprehensive physical examinations on Tsunade, Minato, Kushina, and Nawaki, he worked with him to develop several highly professional and complete training programs.
To his surprise, the usually cold and aloof Orochimaru took an immediate interest in Nawaki.
It had to be said, sometimes, people just "click." That might be the only explanation. Or it was fate?
Shin had no idea what made Nawaki catch Orochimaru's eye, but there was clearly something different in the way Orochimaru looked at him, perhaps Nawaki reminded him of someone.
Taking advantage of the moment, he suggested that Orochimaru take Nawaki as his disciple. Unexpectedly, Orochimaru agreed.
From that day on, Minato, Kushina and Nawaki wouldn't just be undergoing structured, scientific training, they would also receive a weekly medicinal bath tailored to their age and physical condition.
Shin himself would take time each week to personally guide Minato and Kushina, while Nawaki would train alongside them daily, and get half a day of direct instruction from Orochimaru each week.
Not just the kids, Tsunade was also put on the schedule. The scroll Shin gave her didn't just contain a training plan. It also included the latest version of the Chakra Body-Enhancement Technique, the same one Minato and the others would be practicing.
In addition, he included the Eight Gates, which he had reverse-engineered after years of studying his own chakra pathways, and had thoroughly tested on himself.
He then combined these techniques with her unique physique to prepare a highly potent therapeutic treatment specifically for her. This kind of treatment would be torture for anyone else.
Although it could greatly stimulate the body's latent potential, it also came with significant physical strain. But her physique and regenerative ability were far beyond the average person's.
As long as she followed his instructions, circulating the Chakra Body-Enhancement Technique during the treatment and using chakra to stimulate specific neural pathways in sequence, she could fully integrate the procedure and reinforce her body.
After the treatment, her immense vitality and healing power would fully restore her, resulting in all benefits and no drawbacks. Thanks to her body and Yin Seal, she could recover even during the intense procedure, so it wouldn't be painful at all.
If she consistently continued this regimen, combined with her customized training program and the Eight Gates, her strength would rise to terrifying heights. Especially when she learned that he had been planning all this for two years, and had spent three months formulating the perfect treatment tailored to her…
Tsunade was deeply moved.
After all, in the past five years, no potion or medicine Shin had ever concocted had taken him more than five hours.
That was just how gifted he was. What seemed absurdly difficult for others, he could do with ease.
So a two-year planning process, followed by three months of refining a therapeutic protocol and an entire training system, what did that mean?
It meant it was the flawless, risk-free final version, meticulously tested and perfected.
And the fact that he had started thinking about this two years ago… meant he had cared about her deeply for a long time, he just never showed it.
Realizing this, Tsunade's heart swelled with emotion and happiness. This was the greatest gift she had ever received in her life, without question.
Clutching the scroll tightly, her determination to become stronger burned brighter than ever before.
She had made up her mind, she would become Hokage, and with her power, she would protect Shin, ensuring that he could live freely and happily in Konoha, for the rest of his life.
As time passed, this resolve only grew firmer. It had become her life's goal. And with everything arranged, Shin's research journey officially began.