Shikkotsu Forest

Shizune watched Tsunade's face suddenly drain of color and her hands tremble faintly, worry almost spilling out of her heart.

She hurried a step forward and gently steadied Tsunade by the arm, her voice filled with anxiety she could not hide. "Lady Tsunade! Are you... are you all right? You look awful!"

Tsunade waved a hand, signaling that she was fine, but her other hand pressed hard against her throbbing temple.

She took several deep breaths, trying to calm the storm of unease in her chest and that terrifying suspicion growing clearer by the second.

She raised her eyes and looked at Menma across from her, who was still perfectly composed. Her voice carried a trace of hoarseness that was hard to detect. "Did you... know all along?"

Menma raised an eyebrow slightly. He did not speak, merely watched her in silence, waiting for her to continue.

Tsunade practically gritted out the words. "You know about my 'curse' of losing every time I gamble! But you also knew I was definitely going to win today, so you prepared this much money, didn't you?!"

The guess sent a chill through her.

If the other party even knew this almost "cursed" occult pattern like the back of his hand, and knew that some "disaster" was about to happen around her, which was why her luck had suddenly improved...

Then his understanding of her was far too terrifying.

At that moment, the little slug that had been quietly staying on Shizune's shoulder wriggled gently and hopped onto Tsunade's shoulder. Its soft feelers lightly touched Tsunade's cheek, and a gentle chakra slowly flowed into her with a soothing quality.

"Little Tsunade, your heart is beating very fast, and your breathing is a mess. Do you need me to help stabilize you?" Katsuyu Sage asked