Shen Mo paused, sensing Tsunade's internal thoughts.
He understood that Tsunade harbored genuine gratitude toward him—primarily for providing the hope of reviving Nawaki and the Holy Light Seed that had pulled her from despair. Consequently, she viewed Shen Mo as a unique confidant or a great benefactor.
After a moment's consideration, Shen Mo smiled casually.
"It makes no difference to me, but I assure you, there's little of interest to observe."
He truly didn't care about the scrutiny. Being friendly did not entitle anyone to special favors. Shen Mo maintained that level of professional detachment. Furthermore, the items within the Jars were no longer placed there by his own hands; everything was left to fair chance and luck.
"I can really take a look?" Tsunade was direct, abandoning all pretense of being coy, and walked straight toward the open door.
She was genuinely curious about the man beneath the immense power—the individual who was rarely active yet terrifyingly potent, who wore a constant smile but could project absolute dominance. A person's private space, when they were alone, often revealed the true self.
Shizune shifted her weight, then froze, uncertain if she should follow.
The others tactfully looked away.
"It's so small," Tsunade's voice echoed from within the room.
"As I said, it is very simple," Shen Mo followed her in, leaving the door ajar.
The room was indeed modest, containing a kitchen, a bathroom, and a single living area, totaling around fifty or sixty square meters. For Tsunade, the legendary Princess of Konoha, it was notably Spartan.
"I genuinely didn't expect you to reside in a space like this." Tsunade's gaze swept over the neatly made bed, the jacket draped over a chair, a bag of packaged snacks on the small table, and a stack of dried fish.
It was simple, neat, and highly functional—the room of a tidy, single man with a job.
Himari leaped onto the table, possessively covering her dried fish with tiny paws, glaring at Tsunade with suspicion, as if worried she might steal them.
The protective gesture only amplified Tsunade's instinct to tease the cat.
"Don't antagonize her; they'll start a fight," Shen Mo warned casually.
Tsunade's hand froze mid-reach. She instantly recalled that this was no ordinary cat, and this was no ordinary man.
"This room truly contradicts the image you project," Tsunade withdrew her hand, speaking with a touch of melancholy.
"That is simply because your perspective has shifted," Shen Mo responded.
He took his seat on the chair. A teapot and two teacups automatically floated up, pouring steaming hot tea.
His composure was absolute, completely unaffected by Tsunade's presence.
Tsunade accepted the teacup, pulled up a chair, and sat down, crossing her legs in a mature, relaxed pose. Yet, her expression was still marked by a slight bewilderment as she surveyed the room.
"You are correct." She looked at Shen Mo with a complicated expression. "My perspective has changed. Initially, I simply viewed you as a minor representative of a mysterious power—someone with influence, but not the ultimate authority capable of altering our world."
If Shen Mo had appeared with the aura of power he currently possessed from the very start, her reaction would have been entirely different.
Now, her internal conflict stemmed from the contradiction between her initial, benign impression and the terrifying reality of his power, which was now inextricably linked to the future of Konoha.
"You have a highly sensitive personality."
Shen Mo sipped his tea, his golden eyes meeting hers.
"Relationships between people typically operate within a framework—sibling, parent, lover, colleague. These frameworks help us understand our feelings toward others. Your difficulty lies in accurately defining the relationship framework between you and me."
"Oh? That's a fascinating theory," Tsunade said, genuinely intrigued. She leaned forward slightly, adopting a posture of deep attention.
"You initially placed me within the framework of a friend because I offered assistance when you were in need," Shen Mo continued, speaking as if to a fellow scholar. "But that framework was fundamentally flawed. My assistance was merely based on business and appreciation."
"Business... and appreciation?" Tsunade seemed to grasp the concept, though dimly.
"Precisely. It is more apparent in my relationship with Neji," Shen Mo clarified. "Let me offer an analogy. A nurse must professionally care for every patient. Yet, if one patient is handsome, humorous, and polite, the nurse's level of care will naturally be subtly different than with other patients."
This preferential treatment is unavoidable for any human being. However, as long as the nurse maintains professional ethics, the difference remains marginal.
Tsunade's expression brightened with sudden comprehension. When framed this way, everything made logical sense.
"So, are you perhaps complimenting me?"
The corners of Tsunade's mouth curled up in a subtly smug expression.
"You can certainly interpret it as such," Shen Mo admitted readily.
The easy admission caused a faint blush to rise on Tsunade's cheeks. Despite her physical age, her emotional maturity, Shen Mo's Telepathy told him, hovered around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Her formative relationships had been cut short, and her appearance made it difficult for others to treat her as an elder.
Appearance is key, Shen Mo thought. He intended to maintain his current look for centuries.
"Since you've been so direct." Tsunade blinked and adopted a serious tone. "I will ask you plainly: Are you planning to select the strongest among us to be promoted to advanced members of your organization?"
This was the core theory she and Hiruzen Sarutobi had formulated. She had lacked the courage to ask before.
Shen Mo, however, had clarified his stance, giving her confidence.
Shen Mo felt a wave of internal amusement. In Tsunade's mind, he saw a cascade of increasingly wild theories: selecting advanced members to strengthen the guild, anticipating a global catastrophe, or—most dramatically—making them kill each other for the amusement of superior beings.
Who knew the imagination in this world was so rich?
He realized it was only natural for them to speculate. Doing such an immensely powerful, world-altering task merely for the philosophical belief in unrestricted destiny lacked persuasive power. They couldn't conceive that his true goal was merely the wealth they believed he could obtain at any time.
He decided no explanation was needed. Letting them speculate was beneficial.
"The emergence of advanced members is merely a possible outcome of my arrival, not the fundamental goal. But—" Shen Mo's smile turned mysterious. "Just as a sparrow cannot comprehend the ambition of an eagle, some things remain beyond your grasp until you reach a certain height. Therefore, keep moving forward, and open more Jars, Tsunade."
Tsunade's face instantly fell. The demand felt worse than a gambling loss.