Yes, Senju Kyogawa had savings of his own. Though he was only five, he'd earned a mission fee from that job he'd taken, and since it had been an escort mission for a noble, his share had turned out to be quite substantial.
Looking at Senju Hashirama's eager, expectant eyes, Senju Kyogawa sighed, then took out his little stash and got ready to place a bet, too, under Senju Hashirama's envious, resentful (jealous?) gaze.
However, as it turned out...
Senju Kyogawa wasn't tall enough to see over the betting table.
Ah, what an awkward and tragic fact.
Senju Kyogawa couldn't see what was happening on the table at all.
"Hey, brat, move it. You're in the way." A man placing a bet shoved Senju Kyogawa aside, clearly annoyed by him.
[Shorty...] the system suddenly mocked him.
Hearing the system's laughter, Senju Kyogawa felt utterly humiliated. Two faint blushes slowly spread across his fair little face.
So it wasn't just his imagination. How was this guy of a system getting more and more lively?
Senju Hashirama picked Jingchuan up so he could see the table more easily.
Furious, Senju Kyogawa was determined to prove himself through betting, so he placed a bet in a huff.
"A kid that little is playing high-low, too..."
"What an irresponsible guardian..."
"Looking at that watermelon head, he doesn't seem very responsible..."
Hearing the people around them, Senju Hashirama couldn't help reflecting on his own actions. Bringing his little brother, who'd only just recovered from a serious illness, to a chaotic place like a casino seemed... maybe... possibly... not very responsible?
Then came the exciting part.
The result was unexpected—
Senju Kyogawa...
Won!
"Waaah—oh, yeah!" Senju Hashirama shouted happily. He looked at Senju Kyogawa with wonder, as if he were some rare creature.
"Little Jingchuan, you're amazing~"
Senju Kyogawa proudly puffed out his chest. Sure, he was short, but at least he knew how to gamble!
That's right. In his previous life, Senju Kyogawa had been short on money and had done some work at a casino. He was pretty good at guessing high or low—nothing like Senju Hashirama, that big, hopeless sucker who loved to gamble.
Then Senju Kyogawa started getting hooked. He bet more and more and won bigger and bigger, while the people around them crowded toward the table until it was almost completely surrounded.
The people around them kept exclaiming in amazement. They couldn't believe a five-year-old like Senju Kyogawa was so good at this.
The few Senju ninja he'd seen before in the Senju Clan Territory also stared at Senju Kyogawa with shining eyes, looking as if they wished he were their little brother.
[Ah, looks like most Senju are hopeless suckers who love to gamble...] Senju Kyogawa thought.
Still, Senju Kyogawa didn't bet too much. He only won back all the money Senju Hashirama had lost earlier, then made a little extra.
"Hehe~ Jingchuan, how are you so good at this? Teach me, big brother~" Senju Hashirama asked curiously.
Senju Kyogawa had had enough gambling for now, so he told Senju Hashirama to put the money away and leave the casino.
After hearing Senju Hashirama's question, he thought for a moment, then said:
"Ah... well..."
"First you do this, then that, then this, and then that..."
"Do you understand, Brother Hashirama?"
Senju Hashirama stared at Senju Kyogawa with a stunned expression, his emotions all gathered into a single thought: I don't understand a word.
Although they'd won a few rounds, the casino owner had clearly realized that Senju Kyogawa and Senju Hashirama were ninja and didn't dare provoke them. Besides, Senju Kyogawa hadn't won all that much. There was no reason for the casino to antagonize two ninja over such a small sum.
So Senju Kyogawa and Senju Hashirama left the casino without a hitch.
And then...
They ran into Senju Tobirama.
"Big brother, what are you doing here? And why is little brother out, too?" Senju Tobirama was dressed casually and seemed to be out for a stroll nearby. He hadn't expected to run into Senju Kyogawa and Senju Hashirama.
Seeing Senju Hashirama carrying Senju Kyogawa, whose face looked fairly rosy, Senju Tobirama relaxed, thinking, [Big brother can be unreliable sometimes, but at least he looks after little brother.]
Meanwhile, Senju Hashirama thought, [I'm doomed—why did Tobirama have to catch me again?!]
In a good mood, Senju Tobirama walked toward the two of them, then suddenly stopped. His sharp gaze fixed on Senju Hashirama, and he immediately spotted his brother's guilty, wandering eyes.
Senju Kyogawa was still trying to cover for Senju Hashirama. "Oh, Brother Hashirama saw I was bored, so he took me out for a stroll."
Senju Tobirama clearly didn't believe him. He seemed to catch a scent. His nose twitched a few times as he took several sniffs, then he leaned closer to Senju Hashirama and Senju Kyogawa and sniffed again. Now he was sure.
His expression darkened, and he sternly demanded of Senju Hashirama:
"Big brother—you promised you wouldn't go to the casino anymore, didn't you? Why did you go again? And you even brought Jingchuan with you."
Senju Hashirama guiltily rubbed his nose and muttered, "Tobirama, you really do have a dog's nose... If I'd known you were here, I wouldn't have come... Who could've guessed you'd catch me red-handed?"
Seeing that Senju Hashirama still wouldn't admit he was wrong, Senju Tobirama finally couldn't take it anymore. Gritting his teeth, he spat out two words:
"Big—brother—"
The crows in the tree were startled into flight. They cawed wildly, circled overhead for a moment, then flew away.
Standing in the shade of a tree, Senju Kyogawa watched Senju Tobirama grab Senju Hashirama by the ear and lecture him—same old story.
Senju Hashirama got beaten again—it really was a family tradition in the Senju clan leader's household.
Until recently, every two or three days, the Senju would see their clan leader's eldest son, Senju Hashirama, running laps around the clan grounds with Senju Butsuma chasing after him.
Looked at that way, Hashirama getting beaten really was one of the few father-son activities their family had...
"Your little brother doesn't know any better, but you don't either?!" Senju Butsuma's roar shook the heavens, loud enough to reach the entire Senju Clan Territory. "How old are you?! How could you bring your little brother to a place like a casino—"
Senju Kyogawa plugged his ears with his hands and curled up in a little corner, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.
Meanwhile, Senju Tobirama kept fanning the flames. "Exactly, big brother. You're being so irresponsible. It wasn't just little brother; I saw several other Senju kids, too... Honestly, why are they all taking their younger brothers and sisters to casinos...?"
Senju Hashirama was prostrating himself before Senju Butsuma, snot and tears streaming down his face as he repented for his mistake.
"Yes, Father, it was all my fault... How could I take little Jingchuan to a casino when he's so young... I deserve to die, sob..."
Senju Kyogawa stood off to the side, silently watching the scene and hoping the "fire" wouldn't spread to him.
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