Chapter 481: Kushina's Accusation

Under Kushina's firm and often high-pressure mentorship, Killer Bee's habit of rapping during conversations had significantly diminished. Without his usual rhyming, Killer Bee appeared far more serious.

Still, everyone wondered—would he revert to his old ways once he returned to the Cloud Village?

Without Kushina looming over him, Killer Bee might finally feel free to express himself again.

Watching him leave Konoha with his head bowed, almost like a turtle retreating into its shell, Kushina smirked.

"This guy only calls me 'Big Sis' out of respect. I'm sure he's cursing me in his heart."

Shinki couldn't help but chuckle. "You've left a psychological shadow on him. How could he not respect you?"

Kushina's methods were infamous. While Tsunade's reputation for being hands-on was widely known, Kushina wasn't far behind.

Killer Bee was her most prominent "victim," followed by Nawaki and, on occasion, Namikaze Minato.

For a time, Minato had sought Kushina's help in mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique. What followed was a series of beatdowns that left him questioning his existence.

Only when Minato mastered the technique did he escape Kushina's grasp—not because she didn't want to discipline him anymore, but because she couldn't catch him.

Nawaki, however, wasn't so lucky. He kept challenging Kushina, only to be beaten half to death each time.

"Shinki," Kushina began as she clutched his arm. "Do you think Killer Bee will be sent to the battlefield when he gets back to the Cloud Village?"

"Not likely," Shinki replied after a moment of thought.

"The war between Cloud and Mist has ended, and their conflict with Iwa has scaled down to smaller skirmishes. Both sides are too drained to continue fighting on a large scale. Killer Bee will probably stay in the village and train with his brother, Ai. They're partners, and after three years in Konoha, they'll need time to rebuild their teamwork."

"That's a relief. I was worried he might die on the battlefield," Kushina said with a laugh.

Shinki raised an eyebrow.

Why does it sound like you wouldn't mind if he did?

But the chances of that happening were slim. Both Iwa and Cloud were reaching their limits, their war efforts barely sustainable.

Iwa had gambled everything on this war, while Cloud, with its multi-front conflicts, had nearly depleted its wealth and manpower.

The early conclusion of Cloud's war with Mist, coupled with Konoha and Sand's withdrawal, had eased the pressure. The Third Raikage had been pragmatic enough to stop pushing his remaining allies too hard.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi were still Hokage, the Third Raikage might have strong-armed Konoha into extending its support. But with Tsunade in charge, Konoha had no intention of draining its resources unnecessarily.

If Tsunade had been truly ruthless, she could've torn up the alliance altogether. Fortunately, she wasn't one to stoop to such tactics.

"Who do you think will win—the Cloud Village or Iwa?" Kushina asked.

"Most likely Cloud," Shinki said thoughtfully.

"The situation is similar to Konoha and Sand during the previous war. Cloud can fight but not for long, while Iwa is barely holding on, like Sand was back then. One decisive victory could change everything."

But unlike Konoha during its war with Sand, Cloud lacked a trump card capable of overwhelming its opponent. Konoha had Shinki's puppets, which had terrified Sand into submission. Cloud had no such psychological edge over Iwa.

Still, if Cloud deployed Killer Bee, the power of a perfect Jinchūriki could tip the scales.

As Shinki pondered the outcome of the war, Kushina's sharp pinch to his waist pulled him back to reality.

Hard. Painful. Twisting.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"You've gone too far!" Kushina snapped, glaring at him. "I couldn't sleep at all last night!"

To prove her point, she pulled down her lower eyelids, revealing bloodshot eyes.

Yesterday, Uchiha Mikoto had stayed home on vacation, and the noise coming from Shinki's room had kept Kushina awake all night.

"Children shouldn't be curious about adult matters," Shinki said, pushing her away gently but firmly.

"I'm not a child anymore!" Kushina protested, puffing out her chest indignantly.

Nope.

Shinki wasn't about to entertain her argument.

You're still too young, and nothing good will come from letting you get involved in such things.

He knew exactly what she was thinking—and he wasn't about to give her the chance to act on it.

At that moment, a member of the Hyuga clan arrived.

"Master Shinki, the clan leader requests your presence."

Taking the opportunity to escape the awkward situation, Shinki nodded. "Understood. I'll head there now."

Kushina, still fuming, watched him leave.

So annoying!!!

But no matter how angry she was, Shinki remained unfazed.

Better to deal with Hiashi than to keep coaxing her.