Five days later
The gates of Konoha came into view in the distance.
"We're finally back."
"We were gone for quite a while this time."
"Sensei, I want hot pot."
Seeing how happy his three students were lifted Li Yu's spirits as well.
Ninja A was hugged by Cannon Fodder B and Effeminate C, and the three of them wept with joy as they said,
"We made it back alive at last!"
"The battlefield is far too dangerous!"
Konoha really was short on ninjas. Those who had only just graduated from the Ninja Academy were sent straight to the battlefield. In modern society in the twenty-first century, twelve-year-olds were still in elementary school, weren't they? They were at an age when they still depended on their parents. The ninja world was cruel in a way that was beyond ordinary.
As he reached the gates, Li Yu shook his head, casting aside his tangled thoughts. He looked straight ahead and strode through the Konoha Gate at the head of the group. The villagers welcomed them enthusiastically, lining both sides of the street until it was packed.
"This must be something the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi arranged."
"Looks like the villagers have already heard that Sunagakure in the Land of Wind surrendered a few days ago."
Uzuki Yugao and Yuhi Kurenai, bringing up the rear, had never seen anything like this. They felt a little embarrassed, their cheeks flushed as they walked along quietly. Sarutobi Asuma was quite good at keeping up appearances, his face completely expressionless.
Although this was also Li Yu's first time seeing such a spectacle, it felt a little like a crowd of kids welcoming an important figure with red scarves. Still, he imitated what he had seen on TV, slowly waving to the people on either side with a kind smile.
Am I not one of the village's important figures?
Amid the clamor, at the far end of the crowd stood a figure in a red Hokage cloak, wearing a hat marked with the character "Fire." His hands were clasped behind his back, and the ever-present pipe in his mouth sent wisps of smoke drifting upward. He watched Li Yu approach with a smile.
"Nawaki, you're back."
"Lord Hokage, you haven't changed a bit."
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze swept over Li Yu, then moved to the people behind him. After discreetly sizing them up for a moment, he continued exchanging pleasantries with Li Yu.
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's reaction, Li Yu chuckled to himself. That old Third Hokage obviously cares about his mischievous son, but he won't say it outright. Just like Asuma, he loves putting on a show. He's stubbornly standing here, talking to me about all this meaningless stuff.
"Nawaki, you did a great job in this war. You truly are Konoha's finest Jonin."
"Not at all. It was the result of the Konoha Ninja fighting bravely, inspired by the Third Hokage's Will of Fire."
"Defeating the Fourth Kazekage greatly boosted the morale of the Konoha Ninja. You're worthy of being called the finest Jonin."
"My three students did exceptionally well too. They truly are the Third Hokage's sons."
A crowd watched the two of them exchange exaggerated praise, one solemn compliment after another, their enthusiasm running high. Those who couldn't bear to watch simply walked away.
Ninja A, Cannon Fodder B, and Effeminate C listened with great interest as they passed by, nodding now and then and murmuring,
"I had no idea Lord Senju Nawaki was even more skilled at this than we are."
"Yeah, Lord Third Hokage is pretty good too. We should learn from him."
"Write it down. Get your notebooks out!"
Ninja A scratched his head in confusion, a question mark practically hanging over him. He had no idea what those two were talking about.
Li Yu finally managed to get away from the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. His mouth was parched from talking so much, and his stomach felt as if he might throw up.
"I'd better tone it down next time. Talking like that gives me indigestion."
He returned with Uzuki Yugao to the entrance of the Senju Clan compound.
A beautiful figure with purple hair and a fragrant scent rushed over and threw her arms around Uzuki Yugao.
"Yugao, you're finally back! You're not hurt, are you?"
She looked Uzuki Yugao up and down, patting her here and there until Yugao giggled. Before long, the two were playfully tussling, completely ignoring Li Yu.
"Now that's sisterly affection."
"Can't be helped. This is how I'm treated."
When they arrived in the main hall, a Senju Clan ninja bowed and said,
"Clan Leader, you're back."
"Mm."
"Have you seen Tsunade? I heard she came back."
The ninja replied respectfully,
"Lady Tsunade went out early this morning with Senju Rika. She probably doesn't know the Clan Leader is back yet."
"Oh? Tell me how Tsunade's been since she returned."
At that, the Senju Clan ninja's face darkened. Looking a little awkward, he said,
"Lady Tsunade started looking everywhere for the Clan Leader as soon as she got back. We told her you'd gone to the border of the Land of Fire to fight the Sunagakure ninjas, but Lady Tsunade refused to listen. She flew into a rage and said all sorts of things about you."
"She kept going on until she nearly started a fight. She almost tore the place apart. Senju Rika couldn't hold her back, and Lady Tsunade started rummaging through the house from room to room."
Li Yu's face darkened as he listened. He swallowed and hurriedly asked,
"What happened next?"
"Senju Rika realized she couldn't hold her back. She pulled out a slip of paper from somewhere and studied it for a while, then suddenly chased after Lady Tsunade and said a few words to her, before stuffing a bunch of things into Lady Tsunade's arms."
"I was baffled. Lady Tsunade immediately stopped turning the house upside down, smiled from ear to ear, and left with Senju Rika."
Hearing that, Li Yu breathed a sigh of relief, feeling rather pleased with himself.
Good thing I planned ahead. Senju Rika seems pretty sharp. I'll give him a raise later.
Li Yu arrived at the only casino in Konoha, a Senju Clan business.
The streets were bustling with people. The casino had originally been in a rather remote part of Konoha, but plenty of shops had opened along the way since then, making the area quite lively.
When the guards at the entrance saw Li Yu accompanied by two ninjas wearing the Senju Clan crest, they immediately stepped aside and opened the doors for him.
Li Yu didn't stand on ceremony. He entered first, passing the hostesses on either side as they welcomed him into the noisy hall.
"Place your bets! Bets are closed!"
"Big!"
"Small!"
He walked past one gambling table after another, taking in the modern games: baccarat, roulette, and guessing big or small. The place was packed with excited gamblers, including many ordinary people and ninjas from Konoha.
A casino was just a matter of probability and mathematics. Casinos almost always came out ahead. The "God of Gamblers" types on TV were rarely all that skilled. As long as a casino kept its customers from cheating, making money was all but certain.
On the second floor, in the VIP hall, there were noticeably fewer people. Plenty of women in red qipao dresses moved between the tables, the slits on either side cut all the way up to their thighs, exposing their pale legs. Yet the gamblers paid them no attention at all, keeping their eyes fixed on the tables.
Li Yu also spotted plenty of young people from Konoha's prominent clans on the second floor, enjoying the thrill of wagering fortunes. Among them was Tsunade, holding a drink provided by the casino in one hand and a handful of chips in the other, shouting along without a shred of decorum.
"Big! Big! Big!"
The dealer announced, "And the result is 1, 2, 3—six points. Small."
"I lost again."
Shizune couldn't bear to watch anymore. Tsunade usually lost a month's worth of money in a single day here. She tried to persuade her,
"Lady Tsunade, you've played enough for now. Let's go back."
Senju Rika wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly chimed in,
"That's right, that's right. You've already lost nearly five million ryo today."
"No! I've still got 1.3 million ryo left. I'm nowhere near losing ten million yet. I'm going to keep playing. I'll win it back!"
With no other choice, Senju Rika stayed by her side. Then he caught sight of Li Yu coming up to the second floor and immediately got to his feet and walked over.
"Clan Leader, you're finally back. I've been waiting ages for you!"
He grabbed Li Yu by the sleeve and poured out his troubles, telling him everything from how he'd tracked down Tsunade, to how she'd flown into a rage when she returned and didn't find Li Yu at the compound, to her astounding progression from losing tens of thousands of ryo a day at the casino to losing five million a day.
After hearing Senju Rika's complaints, Li Yu couldn't help sighing.
"What man could afford to marry Tsunade? She's even more of a spendthrift than a spoiled wife."
Damn, am I going to have to support her for the rest of my life as her little brother?
Thinking about the original story, it wasn't impossible. Tsunade stayed single the whole time, and her gambling addiction had only gotten worse. No one could afford to let her lose five million ryo a day.