Chapter 81: Unexpected Encounter

After chatting briefly with Sara, Shin made his way toward the mansion of the daimyo of the Land of Wave.

Just as he was about to arrive, Shin abruptly stopped. "I can't believe this... I hoped to catch one fish but found all three."

Turning around, Shin looked at the figures approaching him.

On the left was a man with pale skin and golden eyes, exuding an aura of mystery and menace, a sly, unreadable smile on his face. On the right stood a fierce-looking woman with blonde hair, followed by a younger girl with dark hair, her gaze fixed warily on Sara. Lastly, an old acquaintance appeared—Jiraiya, accompanied by a few other Konoha ninjas: a man wearing sunglasses with a large dog by his side and a Hyuga with the signature white eyes.

"I didn't expect the three of us Sannin would reunite under these circumstances," the pale man said. This was Orochimaru, the infamous Sannin. And the blonde woman was, of course, Tsunade.

Tsunade's face twisted with anger as she looked at Orochimaru. "I had no desire to see you again. And as for that kid..." She turned to Shin. "You mentioned 'fishing' earlier—do you have any connection to the Senju clan?"

Shin shook his head. "Nothing to do with the Senju clan... I simply wanted to lure out Orochimaru."

"But I never expected all three of you to show up," he added. "Then again, I suppose it makes sense—Wood Release is the legacy of the Senju clan."

"But, Jiraiya," Shin continued, his tone mocking, "what brings you here? You should already be aware of my abilities. Surely you didn't come to join forces with me?"

Jiraiya gave a rueful smile. "With Wood Release making an appearance, the Third Hokage wasn't about to let me sit idle in Konoha."

To be fair, Jiraiya had been somewhat prepared when Nagato gained Wood Release—it was surprising but not beyond the realm of possibility. After all, the Uzumaki clan shared ancestral ties with the Senju. Nagato, possessing Kage-level strength, and the legendary Rinnegan had clear potential.

However, the fact that Shin could seemingly bring forth a user of Wood Release and elevate her to Kage-level strength was enough to alarm even Jiraiya.

Orochimaru and Tsunade, however, were less aware of the nuances. They had not seen firsthand how easily Shin could grant such powers, assuming instead that Wood Release in Sara was a rare stroke of luck.

Hearing Shin's intention to lure him, Orochimaru let out a serpentine smile, licking his lips. "Confident, aren't you? As expected of the rogue ninja who dared to raid Konoha alone."

"But in this world," Orochimaru continued, his tone dropping to a sinister whisper, "the roles of hunter and prey can easily reverse. Have you considered what might happen if you end up on the losing side?"

Orochimaru's gaze grew even more intense. "Speaking of which, I'm quite intrigued by your unique Dark Release. I wonder if you'd let me examine it?"

"An examination?" Shin tilted his head. "Not a problem. After all, the victor takes it all. If you defeat me, I'd be more than willing to oblige."

Boom! Before Shin and Orochimaru could exchange further words, a loud crash sounded. Tsunade had punched a nearby tree, splitting it cleanly in half with a single blow. Her face was seething with anger as she glanced between Orochimaru and Shin, finally settling on Shin.

"You!" she growled, fury blazing in her eyes. "What did you do with my grandfather's cells?"

Shin shrugged dismissively. "Exactly what Konoha has been doing for years—except I didn't leave behind a trail of bodies. All my transformations were successful on the first attempt."

"Enough!" Tsunade's patience snapped, and she launched a punch straight at Shin. Unfazed, Shin reached out, his hand cloaked in the dark, swirling mist of Dark Release combined with his formidable black-armored armament.

Orochimaru and Jiraiya both narrowed their eyes. When it came to Taijutsu, Tsunade was unrivaled among the three Sannin. Though her raw speed was comparable to an average Jonin, her strength in close combat was legendary, capable of demolishing any opponent who got too close.

But Jiraiya still issued a warning. "Tsunade, be careful—his black mist absorbs chakra!"

Jiraiya's warning came just as Tsunade's fist met Shin's palm. A resounding crack split the air as the earth beneath Shin's feet fractured from the impact, yet he remained unmoved.

Shin had caught Tsunade's fist, and a flash of pain flickered across her face.

Tsunade had put her all into that punch. Despite Jiraiya's warning, she felt confident in her chakra control. As the leading medical ninja in the world, Tsunade's control over her chakra was unmatched.

She had heard of Shin's chakra absorption technique from Konoha reports, but it wasn't instantaneous. Tsunade figured she could manage a slight chakra drain as long as she shattered Shin's arm in the process.

But she had underestimated him. Her punch, which should have splintered through bone and flesh alike, felt like it had struck solid steel. The backlash shattered the bones in her hand while Shin remained unfazed, his grip unbreakable.

What astonished Tsunade even more was that Shin wasn't using any advanced chakra techniques. His strength came purely from physical power, bolstered by a basic chakra enhancement. The difference between her high-level techniques and his sheer raw power was staggering.

In the end, the reason her own bones had shattered while Shin stood immovable was because his physical resilience was on a whole different level.

For a brief moment, a thought flickered through Tsunade's mind—was Shin even human, or some monstrous summoning beast disguised in human form?

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