Short-Sighted

Tsunade wanted to help Takizawa Dan buy those scrolls, but unfortunately, she simply didn't have that much money on hand.

With no other choice, she decided to return to the higher-ups and ask for an advance on her salary.

"Tsunade, you really shouldn't do that. Putting aside whether the higher-ups would agree, spending tomorrow's money today just feels wrong."

Takizawa Dan tried to stop her.

In his previous life, his parents had spent their whole lives paying off a mortgage just to leave him a home. They'd lived in constant anxiety every day, and seeing that had pained Takizawa Dan deeply.

That was why, after being reborn in this life, Takizawa Dan had sworn he would never borrow money again. He'd rather starve than take out a loan!

And this time was no different. Tsunade wanted to get an advance on her salary, and he couldn't agree to it.

"But if I don't get an advance, where am I supposed to get the money to buy these scrolls?"

Tsunade fretted.

Takizawa Dan was at a loss, too. He was determined not to borrow money, but what was he supposed to do if they had no choice?

Maybe they should just forget about the scrolls for now and keep using them when they could afford them.

Just as Takizawa Dan was about to steel himself and tell Tsunade they could wait a month, a colorless shard suddenly fell from the person beside him.

Takizawa Dan was startled. He hurried over and picked up the shard.

[ Ding! Detected that the host has obtained a life skill: Gambling Mastery! ]

[ Skill analysis: Gambling Mastery gives the host an unbeatable advantage at the gambling table. The host will win every bet! ]

[ P.S. This skill can only guarantee the host's victory at the gambling table. If the opponent becomes desperate and lashes out, the host's safety cannot be guaranteed! ]

After reading the skill description, Takizawa Dan rolled his eyes.

The meaning was perfectly clear. The system could guarantee that he'd win at the gambling table, but if he won so much that the other person lost the clothes off their back, they might get furious and do something reckless.

In other words, the system was reminding him that unless he was strong enough to protect himself, it was better to keep a low profile and focus on growing stronger...

But Takizawa Dan had Tsunade there to protect him. Even if he really did beat his opponent, with a powerhouse like Tsunade at his side, they probably wouldn't dare do anything to him.

This was great! A skill like this was practically tailor-made for him!

Thrilled, Takizawa Dan looked at the person who had dropped the ability.

The man wasn't some imposing figure like a movie gambling champion. Instead, he was a tiny, unremarkable old man with a hunched back, plain clothes, and an utterly ordinary face.

If the man hadn't just dropped that ability, Takizawa Dan would never have guessed that someone like him possessed such incredible gambling skills!

It seemed the saying was true: real experts were hidden among the people!

As he marveled at the number of hidden talents in Konoha, Tsunade suddenly said, "Dan? What are you thinking about? You've been standing there without saying a word!"

Her gentle voice brought him back to his senses. Takizawa Dan quickly turned to Tsunade with a grin. "Haha, I've got an idea, Tsunade! We can get some money by taking a quick trip to that place over there!"

Tsunade frowned and looked where Takizawa Dan was pointing.

It was the casino she frequented!

Tsunade's brow furrowed deeply.

"Dan, you're not joking, are you? You mean we should go in there and gamble?"

"Yeah. If we want to get money as quickly as possible, the casino's our only option, right?"

Takizawa Dan nodded and answered as if it were obvious.

"You..."

Tsunade was speechless, her face showing that she didn't know what to say.

Just yesterday, this kid had been telling her to stop gambling. Yet today, right in front of her, he was saying he wanted to go into a casino?

You couldn't get much more hypocritical than that!

Takizawa Dan saw the strange look on Tsunade's face and quickly explained, "Tsunade, don't worry. I'll only gamble with my own pocket money this time. I won't use any of yours, and I'll handle everything myself. You won't have to take part, so you won't be breaking our agreement."

"You... Sigh, Takizawa Dan, let me be honest with you. The people in there are no pushovers, especially when it comes to luring newcomers like you in." Tsunade shook her head. "If you go in there, you'll be a lamb walking into a wolf's den. They'll tear you apart!"

"I know you're worried, Tsunade, but you have to let me try, right? Who knows, maybe I'll turn out to be a legendary gambling god!"

Takizawa Dan couldn't exactly tell her that he'd gained an ability, so he put on an innocent, curious look instead.

Tsunade regarded him with pity, then shook her head.

There were always people in the world who thought the same way, convinced they were lucky and that was why they picked up the bad habit of gambling. They didn't realize that once they started losing, they couldn't stop, and eventually they lost everything.

If she had a choice, Tsunade really didn't want Takizawa Dan to pick up this habit. She had suffered enough from it herself.

"Fine. How much money do you have on you right now?" Tsunade asked.

"Here. This is everything I've saved over the years. Three hundred coins in total," Takizawa Dan answered seriously, taking the money out of his pocket.

In fact, he had far more than that. Over the years, aside from training his body, he'd also worked odd jobs at various shops.

So he'd managed to save quite a bit, just not enough to buy all the scrolls, which cost three thousand two hundred coins.

"Hmm... All right. It's no bad thing for you to see how harsh the world can be, but you're only allowed to gamble this once. If you lose all your money, you have to stop, and we'll leave immediately. Understood?"

Tsunade let out a sigh of relief and spoke to him earnestly.

After all, Takizawa Dan didn't have much money on him. Even if he lost it all, she could just make it up to him with her salary.

What she was afraid of was that he'd lose a lot at once, refuse to accept it, and insist on winning it all back. He might even borrow money to keep gambling, and then he'd be completely finished.

For now, at least, things were still under control.

As the saying went, hearing a hundred times was not as good as seeing once, and seeing a hundred times was not as good as trying it once. Let Takizawa Dan learn his lesson and feel the sting of a loss. Then he wouldn't make the same mistake again.