Thirteen: A Deceased Grandfather, an Injured Younger Brother, a Gambling-Addicted Older Sister, a Broken...

Ten minutes later, in the central area of the Sugar Refinery.

Orochimaru and his team had regrouped with Sakuya and his team.

Both teams had wiped out all the rogue ninja in their respective areas. The only ones left were the rogue ninja leader, who had yet to show himself.

"That guy left the Sugar Refinery this morning. Looks like he went to meet someone. No wonder we searched the whole place and couldn't find him."

Sakuya released the rogue ninja he was holding. The three tomoe in his eyes slowly came to a stop.

He had just used genjutsu to interrogate a captured rogue ninja and learn the leader's whereabouts.

"If this rogue ninja's information is accurate, we should see him tomorrow morning. Nawaki, take this chance to rest. Sakuya, you and I will make some preparations nearby. We'll lie in wait for him here tomorrow morning."

Orochimaru spoke to Sakuya, looking at Nawaki, who was still shaken.

During the fight with the rogue ninja, whether due to carelessness or fate, Nawaki had let his guard down and fallen into a trap of Explosive Tags set by the rogue ninja.

Fortunately, Sakuya had warned him beforehand to keep up his rehabilitation. His dulled nerves had recovered somewhat, and Orochimaru, alerted by Sakuya as well, had pulled him away in time. Nawaki had barely managed to escape, but even so, he had sustained serious injuries to his chest and thigh.

Tsunade was crouched beside him, treating his wounds.

"It's all right, Orochimaru-sensei."

Nawaki patted the bandages wrapped tightly around his chest and forced a smile onto his pale face. "My sister treated me with Medical Ninjutsu. I'm out of danger now."

"Even so..."

Tsunade looked at Nawaki, feeling uneasy.

She couldn't help recalling what Sakuya had said at the Jonin meeting earlier.

[Do you know what it means when those Genin spend months diligently practicing the Medical Ninjutsu you pioneered, yet make no progress—in these uncertain times?]

At first, she hadn't taken him seriously. She'd thought Sakuya was just making things up.

But now, looking at her own younger brother in this state, she suddenly realized that what Sakuya had said at the Jonin meeting wasn't empty talk.

It was a cruel reality that could truly happen—to her loved ones, right before her eyes.

No wonder the old man had immediately rejected her idea when he heard it. No wonder so many people had opposed her. No wonder...

She was too young. Her judgment of the situation and the future had been seriously flawed.

The thought filled her with regret, and her gaze toward Sakuya grew increasingly complicated.

He had also handled the situation with remarkable insight during the attack on the Sugar Refinery.

He had even accounted for everything before the attack: the rogue ninja, the traitors from the Land of Fang, and even the mastermind behind it all.

Great-Grandpa, you've done me dirty. You're always going on about how the Uchiha are born evil, how they're so stubborn and single-minded.

Just thinking about Sakuya looking her way made Tsunade feel awkward all over. She could already imagine the standard Uchiha look he was about to give her—a mocking gaze that would make her toes curl against the ground.

Fine, fine. It was my fault. I admit it!

But Tsunade wasn't a sore loser. She took a deep breath and lifted her head. No matter how much Sakuya mocked her in a moment, she'd take it all without talking back—not even once. He could laugh at her all he wanted; she wouldn't argue.

Come on!

I'll just lie back and take it!

Tsunade gritted her teeth and looked at Sakuya, but when she raised her eyes, all she saw was his calm, unruffled gaze.

No, he merely glanced at her, then looked away and started discussing the ambush for the rogue ninja leader with Orochimaru.

Huh?

Tsunade stood frozen.

He... he... he ignored me!?

How dare he...

Tsunade could accept Sakuya scolding, mocking, or humiliating her. She had made a mistake in her judgment, after all, and she was willing to own up to it.

But she couldn't accept him ignoring her.

It was as if, in Sakuya's eyes, she were just an immature child.

Right, a child!

Did adults get angry with children for making mistakes?

That was exactly what his gaze had felt like.

Creak, creak...

Tsunade unconsciously clenched her fists.

She was nine years older than that Uchiha!

And yet, in his eyes, she was the child?

This is outrageous!

Tsunade gritted her teeth, glaring at Sakuya with embarrassment and indignation. Sakuya noticed her expression and turned back in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"NOTHING!!!"

Tsunade stomped her feet, huffed, and turned away.

?

Sakuya tilted his head.

What's going on?

He looked at Nawaki in bewilderment. "What's wrong with your sister?"

"I don't know."

Nawaki didn't know what was going on with his sister either.

"Does Tsunade seem angry?"

Orochimaru wondered. "Perhaps she's angry after seeing the rogue ninja's atrocities in the Land of Fang."

To put it bluntly, Orochimaru was still Xiao Chunan. He had no interest in women at all; he only cared about his teacher, the source of ninjutsu, and the secret to immortality. Naturally, he couldn't understand what Tsunade was thinking.

Sakuya had some idea, but he couldn't be sure.

As for Nawaki?

He belonged at the kids' table.

Thud!

Walking through the quiet forest, Tsunade angrily kicked a tree.

The tree swayed precariously from the blow, sending a shower of leaves to the ground.

"Damn it!"

She gritted her teeth, still furious about Sakuya's attitude just now.

If Sakuya had scolded, mocked, or humiliated her, she would have accepted it.

But he had ignored her.

Tsunade was naturally competitive and prided herself on becoming Konoha's first female Hokage. She couldn't accept that at all.

"That obnoxious jerk!"

After venting her anger in the forest for a while, Tsunade gradually calmed down.

She looked around and noticed a city not far away.

"So I... wandered all the way here without realizing it."

This was the central city of the Land of Fang, Tea House City, one of the few cities in the small country.

It couldn't compare to the cities in the Land of Fire, of course, but it was still quite large.

Tsunade naturally had no interest in the cities of small countries.

The main thing was...

Tea House City had a famous street called Tea House Street, home to one of the most renowned casinos in the Shinobi World!

"Since I'm here, why not go have some fun?"

The thought came to Tsunade as the casino caught her attention.

After all, the rogue ninja leader wouldn't return until noon tomorrow, so she had nearly twelve hours to rest.

She might as well go have some fun and ease her frustration.

Besides, the thought had really gotten her gambling itch going.

And since Sakuya's attitude had left her so annoyed, Tsunade decided to turn her frustration into fighting spirit. She'd imagine her opponents at the card table were Uchiha Sakuya and teach him a thorough lesson.

Maybe she'd have a little drink, too.

So thought the granddaughter who had inherited Hashirama Senju's love of gambling.