Hagoromo didn't get a chance to defend himself.
In fact, it wasn't his turn to speak yet.
"It's fine, Tsunade-sensei," Kushina said with a smile, gently countering her.
"Hagoromo can take care of himself. I'm bringing him along the same way you've always brought Shizune with you."
As she spoke, Shizune happened to walk into the tent.
She served tea to the guests. After setting down the tray, she bowed politely to Kushina, then withdrew somewhat timidly.
Ever since her lover Kato Dan had died, Tsunade had kept Dan's niece—Shizune—by her side.
Hagoromo watched Shizune's retreating figure, racking his memory for what little he knew about her.
What he came up with wasn't much—but it led him to a rather absurd thought.
Tsunade took in Shizune… is this what they call raising a child to take care of you in old age?
…All right, maybe not.
In any case, Shizune would later be "promoted" to Tsunade's full-time caretaker, handling nearly every aspect of her daily life.
"Not like Shizune," Tsunade replied coolly.
"More like that brat over by Minato's side, wouldn't you say?"
Her expression wasn't particularly friendly.
She was talking about Hatake Kakashi.
She's met Kakashi before?
Hagoromo felt a flicker of surprise.
"That kid pushes himself too hard," Tsunade continued.
"He's desperate to prove he's the Son of the White Fang—to prove his father was Konoha's hero. Fighting like that on the battlefield… he'll die fast."
Tsunade could understand Kakashi's urgency—but she still thought his behavior was foolish.
In a Shinobi World War, Tsunade herself couldn't guarantee she'd survive until the end. Let alone a kid who fought without regard for his own life.
Not to mention—her own clan elder, the Second Hokage, had died on the battlefield too.
Shinobi excelled at small-scale operations: infiltration, sabotage, assassination, covert strikes…
They weren't meant for head-on, army-against-army clashes.
The four-man squad was the most efficient combat unit for a reason.
Yet the Shinobi World Wars forced every village to pour thousands of ninja into frontal battles, turning shinobi into conventional soldiers fighting chaotic melees.
It was a terrible strategy.
And yet, one they had no choice but to use.
"Hagoromo isn't quite like Kakashi," Kushina said.
"Hagoromo?" Tsunade asked. "That's his name?"
"Yes. Kamishiro Hagoromo. At the very least, he's far smarter than Kakashi—and quite strong."
"When I say he can take care of himself, I'm not joking. To put it bluntly—
I'll lose to Minato when it comes to competing for Hokage, but my disciple will definitely beat Minato's."
Kushina said it with absolute confidence.
Hagoromo, however, couldn't help feeling that she looked like a child proudly showing off a new toy to an elder.
…That must be a misconception, he decided.
"On the way here, we were attacked by a Sand shinobi squad," Kushina continued.
"One jōnin, one chūnin, and two genin."
"Hagoromo dealt with them alone."
"Dealt with them?"
A hint of surprise appeared on Tsunade's face.
While she disapproved of Kakashi's recklessness, she did acknowledge his strength. She hadn't expected Kushina to imply that her disciple might be even stronger than the Son of the White Fang.
"Three killed. One severely wounded," Kushina clarified.
"Hagoromo's own injuries were negligible."
"Oh?"
Now Tsunade was genuinely interested.
"Your name is Hagoromo?"
That record was impressive—on par with Kakashi's achievements.
In Tsunade's eyes, Hagoromo was still a child.
Wrapped in a tattered black cloak (yes, that was how Tsunade saw it), with white hair. But unlike most kids his age, after entering the tent he didn't look around curiously.
He remained calm and composed, quietly following behind Kushina.
"Yes," Hagoromo answered, speaking for the first time.
"Kamishiro Hagoromo, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade nodded.
"Good appearance," she commented.
Then she stepped closer and extended her left hand, as if kindly intending to pat his head.
But just as her hand was about to touch him, one finger suddenly curled.
Hagoromo instantly sensed danger.
Before Tsunade's finger could flick his forehead, he burst backward!
In an instant, crackling arcs of lightning erupted around his body. By the time Tsunade snapped her finger forward, Hagoromo had already appeared—almost like teleportation—ten meters away at the tent entrance.
Of course he dodged.
And of course he dodged with everything he had.
If Tsunade's monstrous strength had connected with his forehead, the best-case scenario would've been a concussion.
More importantly—he had no interest in masochism.
Tsunade froze briefly.
She had intended to test him—but she hadn't expected the test to miss entirely.
"Well?" Kushina said smugly.
"Pretty good reaction speed, right?"
Tsunade nodded and withdrew her hand.
"Not bad. Very fast reactions. When I flicked Minato's disciple, he took it head-on and went flying."
"Leaving everything else aside—your disciple's reaction speed is excellent."
Only then did Hagoromo disperse the Chidori Current surrounding his body.
Tsunade truly deserved her reputation as one of the Three Legendary Sannin. She wasn't a speed-type shinobi, but if his reaction had been even a fraction slower, his fate would've matched Kakashi's back then.
"Went flying" was the polite version.
In reality, Kakashi had nearly been knocked unconscious.
Imagining stoic, deadpan Kakashi in that situation was… oddly amusing.
In short, Tsunade gave Hagoromo a clear impression:
Compared to him, she existed on a completely different level as a shinobi.
The Sannin truly were Kage-class monsters.
"That jutsu just now," Tsunade asked, frowning slightly,
"Did you teach him that? Or was it Minato?"
She had a feeling—despite only dodging—that with that level of speed, Hagoromo could have counterattacked if she were an enemy.
Of course, she hadn't been serious just now.
"It's his own jutsu," Kushina replied.
"A self-created high-level ninjutsu."
"Self-created?"
Tsunade was surprised yet again.
If what Kushina said was true, then for someone Hagoromo's age to create a jutsu of that caliber…
She had to acknowledge his talent.
This was the first time Tsunade had seen such a fast instant-cast, no-hand-seal jutsu.
Judging from the chakra intensity, it was at least A-rank.
And judging from the sense of danger it gave her—
This kid might be another Minato Namikaze–level prodigy.
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