Jiraiya: Am I a Failed Writer Now?

"Damn it!"

Obito had been floored by Princess Tsunade yet again, as expected. To think he couldn't even outdrink her! He had no idea that Princess Tsunade was merely trading a thousand enemies for eight hundred self-inflicted wounds; if not for her sheer willpower, she would have been the first to collapse.

Heh, heh. If I can go from a stranger to a drinking buddy, and then gamble a few hands with her, our relationship is bound to skyrocket!

He got dressed but didn't head downstairs, feeling far too awkward. He'd been knocked flat twice in two visits, so he simply climbed out the window and headed home.

Once home, he arranged for Cheping to deliver the books to various bookstores. Now, all that was left was to wait and see the results!

Jiraiya concluded his three years of teaching, bid farewell to Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan, and returned to the Land of Fire.

"What a thriving place!" Jiraiya walked down the street, marveling at the bustling crowds. Such a scene was impossible to witness in the Land of Rain.

First, I'll head to the bookstore to see how my books are selling, then off to a hot spring! Heh, heh. Jiraiya pondered whether he should visit Daidaiko or Sayuri tonight. One was brimming with passion, the other as gentle as water. Both were confidantes who could lift his spirits.

"Yo! Lord Jiraiya, you've returned to the village," the bookstore owner greeted him.

"Indeed, it's been a long time. I've truly missed this place!" Jiraiya said with a touch of nostalgia. As his gaze swept across the shop, he paused. Hmm? Right in the center of the display shelf near the entrance sat a novel. Jiraiya walked over and picked up a copy.

One look at the cover told him it was an interesting read! Hmph, bookstores these days have no taste. This spot should be reserved for Lord Jiraiya's novels!

"Hmm? Suku-i! Isn't this exactly what I've fantasized about..." Jiraiya's face flushed red as he read, but his eyes glowed like two lightbulbs!

After a long while, Jiraiya closed the book and shut his eyes, letting his imagination run wild. A true kindred spirit!

"Boss, who is this Konoha Laughing Scholar?" Jiraiya asked.

"Oh, that? I don't know. A kid brought it in, said it was written by his friend. It's the best-selling novel right now. I heard it's even selling in foreign lands!"

A kid? This book could never have been written by a child, Jiraiya thought to himself.

"How much for a copy?" Jiraiya asked.

"999 ryo. No discounts," the owner replied.

So expensive! My novels only sell for 99 ryo... one of these is worth ten of mine! I need to raise my prices too! Regardless of his inner thoughts, he pulled out a thousand-ryo note, placed it on the counter, and left the store with the book in hand. He checked a few more shops, and without even needing to step inside, he could see the same book occupying the prime spot at every entrance.

Have I become a washed-up author in just three years? Jiraiya suddenly lost his appetite for the hot springs. He decided to find Princess Tsunade for a few drinks instead. He hadn't seen her in three years; he truly missed her...

"Tsunade~ I'm back~" Jiraiya called out after reaching Princess Tsunade's door.

Creak~ The door opened. When little Shizune saw it was Jiraiya, she quickly bowed. "Lord Jiraiya, you've returned!"

"That's right, little Shizune. Where is Princess Tsunade? I'm looking to have a drink with her!"

"Er... Lady Tsunade isn't home. She went out," Shizune said, stammering slightly.

"She went out? I see. Well, when she returns, tell her I'm back and have her come find me!" Jiraiya said, scratching his head.

"Understood, Lord Jiraiya." Shizune breathed a sigh of relief internally. Sigh, this is so hard!

"Guess it's the hot springs after all!" Jiraiya muttered, his back looking truly lonely as he turned to leave.

Shizune closed the door and scurried back into the house, where two children were engaged in a high-stakes gamble... But why did that blonde little girl look so strange? A seven or eight-year-old frame with curves far beyond an adult's! And that purple-blue diamond mark on her forehead—who else could it be but Princess Tsunade!

The child-faced Princess Tsunade shook the dice cup with her small hands, the dice rattling incessantly inside. She wore a solemn, almost sacred expression... which made Obito feel a bit dizzy.

"Slap!"

The cup hit the table. She pulled her hand away and said in a deep voice, "Big or small!"

"50,000 ryo on big." Obito took 50,000 ryo from the mountain of cash in front of him and placed it on the tray.

Princess Tsunade's face was as calm as water, because the space in front of her was already empty... She had lost everything.

"Shizune, open it!" Princess Tsunade commanded.

"Sigh~" Shizune felt exhausted. She knew perfectly well that Lady Tsunade had lost, yet she had to pretend she didn't know. Her living expenses for next month were already gone, thanks to...

"Six, six, six..." As Shizune lifted the cup, three sixes lay on the table like a smiling face. The silent mockery was the most lethal part.

Princess Tsunade felt the veins on her forehead throbbing! She had lost again, and again, and again!

Obito picked up a pen and wrote in a small notebook: Princess Tsunade owes 50,000 ryo in gambling debts. The list in the book was already quite long, and he read it aloud as he wrote...

After recording it, he took back the 50,000 ryo and handed 1,000 ryo to Shizune as a commission. Little Shizune took it, tucked it into her small pouch, and patted it—a full sense of security.

"Again! You shake it this time!"

"Lady Tsunade, it's getting late. Let's go eat, my treat!" Lu Ming said.

"No! You aren't leaving until I win it back!" Princess Tsunade refused.

"Sigh, looks like the three of us are going to be living together from now on!" Obito whispered.

"Damn it! One last round! Bet all your money! Let's settle this once and for all, brat. Do you dare?" Princess Tsunade goaded him.

You're courting death! Princess Tsunade. Obito thought, then pushed his entire pile of money forward, picked up the three dice, dropped them into the cup, and began to shake.

"Big or small?" he asked.

"Big! Wait! Small! I bet small."

Little Shizune looked at the pile of money—it must have been millions of ryo by now. If Lady Tsunade won, she could pay off last month's debts. If Lady Tsunade lost, she would earn a commission of over a hundred thousand ryo! She could buy that pretty dress, eat dumplings... In that case, Lady Tsunade, please keep losing!

While Shizune was frantically rambling in her head, she opened the cup: three, three, four! Ten points, Big!

"Damn it!"

"Crack!" With a single strike, Tsunade smashed the table into smithereens.

"Oh my, counting all this money is going to take a long time. Shizune, help me count it," Obito said, raking the money toward himself.

"Understood." At the thought of the massive fortune she was about to earn, a blissful smile crept onto Shizune's cheeks.

Tsunade felt all her strength drain away with that one punch. She leaned back, listening to the sound of the two of them counting money, and found it truly aggravating.

"The total is three million, four hundred and sixty-three thousand ryo. We'll waive the three thousand; Lady Tsunade owes a gambling debt of three million, four hundred and sixty thousand ryo." Obito muttered as he picked up his little notebook to record the figure, then shuffled over to Tsunade's side and held out the notebook and pen.

"Please sign here, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade stared at the string of numbers, her eye twitching. It's over! How did it get so high? However, Tsunade had decent gambling ethics and never considered welching on a debt. She grabbed the pen, scribbled her signature, tossed it at Lu Ming, and turned away so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"Here, this is for you, Shizune." He pulled out five hundred thousand ryo and handed it to her.

"Huh? Five hundred thousand! That's so much!" Shizune looked at Obito with hesitation, not taking it.

"We won over six million from Lady Tsunade in total. This is your cut, fair and square."

"Well then, thank you, Obito-kun." Upon hearing it was her share of the earnings, Shizune happily took the money and tucked it into her small bag. From today on, I'm a millionaire too!

"Little traitor..." Tsunade muttered under her breath as she listened to them divvy up the loot.

"Alright, let's go get something to eat! My treat!"