Tsunade Wins Money

The Land of Hot Springs is a small nation situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning.

Hiruzen Sarutobi fled north for three days, finally shaking off his pursuers and crossing into the territory of the Land of Hot Springs.

The war between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud had cast a tense atmosphere over this small nation, which was otherwise known for having forgotten the ways of conflict.

Having fled to the Land of Hot Springs and used disguise techniques to alter his appearance, Hiruzen Sarutobi walked through the town's famous hot spring district. Watching the sparse tourists on the streets and the local residents discussing the war with grave, worried expressions, he felt firsthand the immense pressure that a war between great powers placed upon these smaller nations.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi first fled Konoha, his plan had been to reach the front lines, secretly contact his student Jiraiya, reveal the entire truth to him, and secure his assistance.

However, the relentless pursuit by the village's ninja had forced Hiruzen Sarutobi off his intended path, eventually leading him to the Land of Hot Springs.

"Lady Tsunade, we can't gamble anymore. This is our last bit of living money."

"I can definitely win it back this time! Let go, Shizune!"

"Lady Tsunade."

On the main street, a teenage girl was clutching the hand of a busty blonde woman, begging pitifully.

Hearing the familiar voice and name, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked toward the source and spotted that familiar figure.

Watching Tsunade snatch the money box from Shizune and stride confidently into a nearby gambling den, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but sigh.

Of his three students, one was a gambler, one a lecher, and one had fallen into darkness—he wondered who had influenced them to turn out this way.

Still, the accidental discovery of Tsunade provided Hiruzen Sarutobi with a new option.

He had originally planned to rest in the Land of Hot Springs for a few days before heading to the front lines to secretly contact Jiraiya for help.

But now that Tsunade was right before his eyes, perhaps he could consider seeking help from this student instead.

With this thought in mind, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not rashly enter the gambling den. Instead, he waited patiently for Tsunade to emerge, waiting for a suitable opportunity to approach her and explain the truth.

An hour later, Tsunade appeared, looking grave as she carried two money boxes; behind her, little Shizune also clutched one.

Following them out were several gamblers with pale faces, having lost everything they owned.

Clearly, it was a rare occasion where Tsunade had actually won.

"Lady Tsunade, your luck was so good today, why not keep going?" Shizune, seeing Tsunade win for the first time, asked with some excitement.

Tsunade looked up at the sky, her expression troubled as she said, "I'm not in the mood anymore. I want to go get a drink!"

With that, Tsunade walked down the steps and headed toward an izakaya further down the street.

Sitting at a tea stall diagonally across from the gambling den, eating sweets and drinking hot tea, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat calmly, not rushing to get up.

It was only after Tsunade had entered an izakaya that Hiruzen Sarutobi rose to his feet and followed her inside.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi entered the izakaya, Tsunade was already sitting in a secluded corner, drinking in silence and looking to be in a foul mood.

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked over slowly, sat down opposite her, and said with a smile, "Tsunade, long time no see."

Bang!

Tsunade slammed her glass onto the table, looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi with disgust.

Even with his disguise, Tsunade had recognized the identity of the bastard before her.

"Danzo, get lost!"

"Tsunade, I have some things I'd like to discuss with you in private."

Tsunade rested her chin on her left hand while her right hand gripped the glass; with a slight exertion of force, she crushed it into shards, her eyes sharp as she glared at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Danzo, I already know about your assassination attempt on the Hokage."

"I am not Danzo," Hiruzen Sarutobi stated directly.

Tsunade offered a look of disdain and retorted sarcastically, "Have you gone mad? Looking for me to treat your illness? I can tell you right now, it's hopeless—a terminal case. Just wait for death!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that wearing Danzo's face made it difficult to earn anyone's trust, so, feeling helpless, he had to play his trump card.

"Tsunade, can we talk in private? Just one sentence."

"Get lost, Danzo! Don't force me to take action." Tsunade pressed her right hand onto the table, leaving a clear palm print in the wood.

Shizune, sitting beside her, was frightened by Tsunade's aura; she huddled against the wall, glaring at the "villain" Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Sigh!" Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, looked at Tsunade, and recounted a humiliating childhood incident that only he would know.

"Do you remember when you first graduated from the Ninja Academy? Because you lost all your pocket money gambling, you stole the family deed and pawned it."

Bang! Another loud noise echoed as Tsunade's face flushed red, and she shouted excitedly, "Enough! Shut your mouth!"

"Lady Tsunade..." poor Shizune shrank into a ball, terrified.

Tsunade braced herself against the table, leaning forward until her head was right in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi's, staring him down.

"How do you know about that?"

"Tsunade, there are some things I can only tell you in private. It concerns the safety of the village." As he spoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Shizune, signaling to Tsunade.

Tsunade turned to look at Shizune, causing the young girl to tremble.

"Shizune, go outside and wait for me."

Shizune looked at Tsunade with concern, then back at Hiruzen Sarutobi. After a moment of hesitation, she obediently left her seat and went outside the izakaya to wait.

"Speak!" Tsunade sat back down, picked up the sake flask directly, and drank in a rather bold manner.

"I am not Danzo; I am Hiruzen Sarutobi. That bastard Danzo used some kind of ninjutsu to swap his soul with mine," Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a low voice.

Pfft!

Tsunade, who was in the middle of drinking, was so shocked that she sprayed it all out.

The sake splashed directly onto Hiruzen Sarutobi's face, slowly trickling down until it gathered at his chin and dripped off.

Tsunade set down the sake flask, wiped her mouth with her hand, leaned forward, and scrutinized the "Danzo" before her.

"You say you're the old man? What proof do you have?"

"The pawnshop owner delivered the deed to me. I told Mito about the matter, and she locked you in the ancestral hall, forcing you to kneel for an entire day."

"So it really was you, you bastard, who snitched!" Tsunade pointed at Hiruzen Sarutobi in anger.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Tsunade with a sincere expression and said earnestly, "Tsunade, you can believe me now, right?"

Tsunade lowered her right hand, crossed her arms to prop up her chin, and examined the Danzo who claimed to be her teacher.

"Although this matter is secret, how can I be sure that the old man didn't tell you, or that you didn't just happen to know about it back then?" Tsunade remained skeptical.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was not discouraged. He looked at Tsunade and, feeling a sense of shame, brought up another matter.

"I was using the Telescope Technique in my office to peek at the women's bathhouse when you caught me. You punched me right in the eye." Hiruzen Sarutobi pointed to his right eye, his heart filled with humiliation.

If he hadn't been forced into a corner, he, as a teacher, would never have wanted to recall this incident, let alone recount it to Tsunade's face.

Tsunade looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with an expression of utter disgust, as if she were looking at a pile of trash.

"Tsunade, I really am your teacher. I am the real Hiruzen Sarutobi," Hiruzen Sarutobi said excitedly.

"Got it, I believe you," Tsunade waved her hand.

"Really?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, pleasantly surprised. Since being double-crossed by Danzo, Tsunade was the first person to know and acknowledge his true identity.

"The peeping incident is something only you and I know about. There's no way you would have told Danzo about something so shameful," Tsunade reasoned.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded hurriedly, looking at his student with excitement.

"However," Tsunade's tone shifted.

Hiruzen Sarutobi froze instantly, looking at Tsunade with some worry, wondering if his student still didn't fully trust him.

"Old man, you really are a piece of trash. As the Hokage, you actually peeked at the women's bathhouse. Jiraiya turning out the way he did is all because of your influence," Tsunade remarked with disdain.

"Ahem!" Faced with her accusation, Hiruzen Sarutobi used a dry cough to cover his embarrassment.

He really wanted to tell Tsunade that Jiraiya's lecherous nature had nothing to do with him; the boy had been a little pervert back when he was in the Ninja Academy!