We split it three-seven

"Princess Tsunade, you're actually broke, aren't you?" Uchiha Mai shouted.

Tsunade's back, stiff with a feigned air of nonchalance, faltered for a moment, and her breezy expression froze. Damn it, how does this brat know?

"Brat, you'd better think carefully about who you're talking to before you say things like that."

Tsunade spun around abruptly, hands on her hips, and pointed a thumb at her own chest, declaring with grandiosity: "Standing before you is the granddaughter of the God of Shinobi, the sole heir of the Senju clan.

The disciple of the Third Hokage, the strongest taijutsu user in Konoha, the finest medical ninja in the ninja world, the first of the Sannin, Princess Tsunade!

If I wanted money, I could just take a few missions or treat a few wealthy merchants and earn it easily. How could I possibly be short on cash?"

"Stop putting on an act!"

Uchiha Mai scoffed, walking around her twice while observing her and counting off her flaws: "No matter how terrible your hole cards were or how bad your position was at the table just now, you chose to enter the pot every single time.

Even after getting decent cards, you didn't bother reading anyone else's hand, just blindly calling to the end.

This proves that not only is your gambling skill abysmal, but your addiction is severe—so severe that you won't leave the casino until you've lost every cent, and so severe that you'd borrow money just to keep playing even after hitting rock bottom.

A degenerate gambler like you must have exhausted every loan shark available, buried under a mountain of debt.

Furthermore, there are obvious oil stains on your clothes that look like they've been there for four or five days. There's still sleep in your eyes, and your hair is a mess.

This proves you don't pay much attention to hygiene; in layman's terms, you're a lazy slob.

A woman who doesn't even care about her own image is clearly lazy to the extreme. A lazy slob like you would never work unless you were backed into a corner.

Besides, the only place in the ninja world to pick up missions is the Underground Exchange. I'm sure your creditors have people stationed near every exchange to track you down.

Once they find you, they'll force you to take mission after mission to pay off your debts, which is surely something you don't want to see."

In the original plot, there was a segment where Tsunade was being chased for debt. Uchiha Mai was simply reverse-engineering the process based on the outcome, adding a bit of his own judgment and speculation.

Cue the classic "There is only one truth" BGM here.

"You little brat..."

Tsunade gritted her teeth, her pretty face flushing red and then turning pale. She clenched her fist, itching to smash Uchiha Mai.

She's flustered, she's flustered.jpg

"I guessed right, didn't I?"

Uchiha Mai chuckled: "In summary, returning to Konoha is your best option right now, Princess Tsunade.

In Konoha, at least you won't have to worry about food and drink. If your creditors chase you to Konoha, I'm sure the Hokage will cover for you and let you slip away safely.

Whenever you earn some money and your gambling itch returns, you can challenge me to a game of Texas Hold'em. If you lose your money to me, at least one of us will be happy."

"You've got quite the silver tongue, brat."

Tsunade's face turned cold as frost, and she retorted with a mix of anger and amusement: "One of us will be happy? You're very confident in your gambling skills, aren't you?"

"Average, just average.

It's hard to say with games purely based on luck, but if we're playing Texas Hold'em, the only person in Konoha who might beat me is Nara Shikaku." Uchiha Mai said modestly.

By this time, Nara Shikaku had already become a Jonin, famous in Konoha for his strategic brilliance and highly respected among his peers.

Texas Hold'em is a game that heavily tests calculation skills; Uchiha Mai was certain Nara Shikaku could pick it up with ease.

"Fine, let's do this!

I'll lend you 100,000 ryo, and I'll take the win or loss. If you can win 10 million in this casino within ten days, I'll go back to Konoha with you."

Tsunade rested her chin on her hand, coming up with an idea.

"In your dreams. If the wins and losses are all yours, then if I win 10 million, it all goes to you. You'd be pocketing 10 million for doing nothing.

At most, a 30-70 split, and the starting stake you give me can't be less than 500,000." Uchiha Mai bargained.

There was once a man who turned 20 into 37 million, defending the dignity of a gambling hero.

There was once another man who turned 200,000 into 5 million, officially crowned the gambling freak.

Uchiha Mai considered himself decent at Texas Hold'em, but turning 100,000 into 10 million in ten days was still a massive challenge.

"Why only seventy percent?" Tsunade pouted, clearly dissatisfied with her share, though she had no objection to the 500,000 starting stake.

"Seventy percent is mine; the remaining thirty percent is yours."

"Wouldn't that make me a beggar on my knees?"

Uchiha Mai slapped his thigh, retorting: "If you put it that way, I can't agree.

Thirty percent of 10 million is 3 million. You get 3 million for doing absolutely nothing for ten days—tell me where else you could get that kind of money.

I'd quit being a ninja and go beg on the streets immediately, volunteering for overtime all year round."

"But I'm the one putting up the 500,000 principal. What happens if you lose, kid?" Tsunade continued to haggle.

"If we lose, we still split it 30-70. I'm an Uchiha, after all, and I'm under Minato-sensei's wing; I can earn 300,000 easily."

Uchiha Mai patted his chest, laying on the charm. Using someone else's money to gamble—this is called risk hedging.

"Hmm..."

Tsunade crossed her arms and pondered for a moment. This brat was cunning, and he had been quite sharp at the gambling table earlier; perhaps he really did have some tricks up his sleeve.

"Done." Tsunade nodded.

"Hand over the five hundred thousand; I'm going to gamble all night." Uchiha Mai extended his hand.

Tsunade fished a still-warm wallet from between her two mountain peaks, opened it, pinched the bottom, and dumped all the money out. After counting, she found only a little over seven thousand yen remained.

Uchiha Mai: "..."

So, after all this discussion, you don't have a single cent of capital. But that's fine, I anticipated this situation!

"Do you have anything valuable on you that you could use as collateral to borrow 500,000 from Master Minato?" Uchiha Mai reminded her.

Tsunade's eyes lit up. Oh, right!

Master Minato, who had been watching the two whispering to each other from the side, suddenly took an arrow to the knee. Wait, you two discussed this for so long, why am I the one who has to cough up the money in the end?

"Little Minato~"

Tsunade put on a pleasant, amiable face, took off her blue and white outer coat, and handed it to Master Minato, spinning a tall tale: "This coat was worn by Great-Grandfather back in the day; it holds great sentimental value for me.

Don't you dream of becoming Hokage? Today, I'll put up this coat worn by Great-Grandfather as collateral to borrow 500,000 yen from you. You wouldn't say no, would you?"

"How could I?" Master Minato smiled very stiffly. He took the coat and, feeling immense pain, pulled out his wallet, counting the money bill by bill. Once he reached 500,000, he handed it to Tsunade with great reluctance.

He said with a pained heart: "Lady Tsunade, you must pay it back. This is the money Kushina gave me to buy things for her."

Master Minato was just that kind of warm-hearted man.

"Don't you trust me?" Tsunade punched Master Minato in the chest, licked her finger to count the bills, and dragged Uchiha Mai back into the casino.

"Let's go, we'll win a fortune tonight."

The next morning, Tsunade was trembling all over, her hands gripping Uchiha Mai's throat as she roared: "I'll strangle you!

You said you were so capable, yet you lost over two hundred thousand in one night. You're no better than me, you brat."