Gambling Freak

Monday morning.

As usual, Hikawa went for a run first, then practiced swordsmanship.

When he passed by the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore, he stopped in and received some good news.

Tsuchihashi had already found a novelist to begin writing Taimanin.

According to the plot, Taimanin would be divided into three volumes: upper, middle, and lower.

If things went quickly enough, the first volume might be published next week.

After finishing his Konoha-Style Swordsmanship practice, Hikawa took a shower and headed to school with Yuhi Kurenai.

They arrived fairly early, and not even a third of the classroom seats were occupied.

Many of the students who had arrived before them were frantically catching up on homework, occasionally having to copy answers.

After saying a word to Yuhi Kurenai, Hikawa returned to his seat.

He casually pulled out a book on medical texts and began reading.

"Um... can I bother you for a moment?"

A crisp voice rang out.

Hikawa looked up and saw Rin Nohara.

"I wanted to ask you about a question."

Rin Nohara explained why she had come.

Her gaze unconsciously drifted toward the medical text in Hikawa's hand.

What was that?

Did the school even have that textbook?

"What question?"

Hikawa was somewhat surprised.

Unlike Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara's grades were quite impressive.

In the previous three monthly exams, she had basically remained among the top three in the written tests.

As a transfer student, Hikawa had only taken one.

He had treated it like a game.

The next monthly exam would be the Final Exam he had been anticipating for a long time.

"This question."

Rin Nohara bent over and spread open the notebook in her hands.

"This question has four solutions."

Hikawa casually picked up a pen and said, "Do this, then that; do that, then this."

Rin Nohara's eyes widened instinctively.

There were actually four ways to write it?

"All right, is there anything else you don't understand?"

Hikawa lightly tapped the notebook to conclude.

"N-No."

Rin Nohara came back to her senses and said earnestly, "Thank you."

The little interruption ended.

Hikawa continued reading his medical text.

Rin Nohara returned to her seat.

After finishing her homework, she could not help spacing out, her gaze unconsciously drifting toward Hikawa.

He was handsome and a genius. Could she become friends with him?

And was that book a medical text?

Rin Nohara had always dreamed of becoming a Medical Ninja.

But she had never imagined that Hikawa would start learning Medical Ninjutsu in his first year.

The class bell rang.

As expected, Obito Uchiha was late yet again.

The morning class was Ninja Rules.

As a ninja, one needed an iron will, especially while carrying out missions, and had to reject every temptation.

In Hikawa's words, "Heaven above bears witness: gambling and drugs are my sworn enemies!"

Time passed, and dusk soon arrived.

With school nearly over, the classroom was restless. No one had any mind left for class.

Sarutobi Asuma glanced at Hikawa and Yuhi Kurenai, unable to stop himself from gritting his teeth.

I've got an eight a.m. class!

Although he wanted to challenge Hikawa again, what he wanted was a victory screen, not another replay of defeat.

He planned to study under Sarutobi Hiruzen for a while first, then go back once he was certain of victory.

Until then, he could only endure.

Sarutobi Asuma could not help sighing. Was this the price of growing up?

"Rin."

Obito Uchiha nudged Rin Nohara with his elbow and asked, "Where should we go play after school?"

"Pay attention in class."

Rin Nohara reminded him softly.

Suddenly, her gaze froze and her pupils contracted slightly.

"That is..."

Obito Uchiha followed her gaze toward the door.

Under the dim golden sunlight stood a figure.

Without saying a word, she drew everyone's attention.

"It's Tsunade-sama."

Hatake Kakashi froze for a moment before blurting it out.

Rin Nohara instinctively covered her mouth, her heart seeming ready to leap from her chest.

She had actually seen the living Tsunade-sama?!

"T-T-Tsu..."

Shizune instinctively patted Hikawa's arm but could not get the words out for a long while.

"Is it really that exaggerated?"

Hikawa asked, not quite understanding.

"That's Tsunade-sama!"

Shizune stared at Tsunade and said, "The greatest female ninja in the Ninja World!"

The greatest?

It would be more accurate if she removed the middle word.

Hikawa could not bear to tell Shizune the truth.

Tsunade had probably come because her gambling addiction had flared up again, and she wanted his help soothing it.

A commotion inevitably broke out in the classroom.

Sarutobi Asuma remained very calm.

As the Hokage's Son, he had seen the Konoha Three Ninjas more times than he could count.

But seeing his classmates act like they had never seen the world, he could not help feeling smug.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes and searched around before finally spotting Hikawa.

"Tsunade-sama."

Eiichirō hurriedly put on a respectful expression.

"How long until class ends?"

Tsunade asked casually.

"Class can end now."

Eiichirō paused, then asked, "Is there something you need?"

He quickly ran through the profiles of every student in the class, but could not find anyone connected to Tsunade.

Could she be here for Sarutobi Asuma?

"I'm here for Hikawa."

Tsunade said calmly.

Eiichirō's heart shook.

Did Hikawa have that kind of connection too?

"Hikawa!"

Eiichirō turned his head and called out loudly, "Come outside."

Sarutobi Asuma's expression stiffened.

Why was it Hikawa again?!

"What's going on?"

Obito Uchiha froze and asked instinctively.

Hatake Kakashi frowned slightly.

Could Hikawa have learned Medical Ninjutsu too?

If that were true, then the Final Exam would be even more troublesome than he had imagined.

For a moment, even he, who was called a genius, felt the pressure.

Rin Nohara suddenly thought of the medical text Hikawa had been reading that morning.

Amid her shock, a trace of admiration rose in her heart.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Hikawa walked to the door.

"Let's go."

Tsunade did not waste words. She turned and left.

Hikawa quickly followed her.

After several seconds of silence, the classroom became extremely lively.

Eiichirō did not stop them either. There were only a few minutes left before school ended anyway.

"Why is Tsunade-sama looking for Hikawa?"

"Could she be teaching him Medical Ninjutsu?"

"Hikawa is amazing!"

Thanks to Tsunade's reputation, everyone eagerly began gossiping.

"What's so special about that?!"

Sarutobi Asuma could not stand listening anymore and stood up.

The people nearby all wore strange expressions.

Under their stares, Sarutobi Asuma's body trembled, his heart filled with grief and indignation.

It was just Tsunade!

Believe it or not, next time I'll bring the Hokage for you all to see!

Hikawa and Tsunade left the school.

As expected, she was heading toward the Casino.

"How does it feel to be the center of attention?"

A teasing expression appeared on Tsunade's face as she asked, "Do you feel like you're floating?"

"Not particularly."

Hikawa answered casually.

A bunch of six-year-olds could not make him too excited.

So sharp-tongued?

Tsunade stopped walking, reached out, and vigorously ruffled his hair. "Why are you pretending to be an adult?"

"I'm telling the truth."

Hikawa said helplessly.

"I lost five hundred thousand ryō today."

Tsunade rolled her eyes at him. "If you don't win it back for me, watch out—I'll spank you."

"No problem."

Hikawa nodded.

Back then, Chen Daozai had turned twenty yuan into thirty-seven million. Winning back five hundred thousand was no problem for him.

He was a gambling freak—no, a God of Gamblers.