Chapter 29

But the problem was, even if he said it, it probably wouldn't work. "How about this?" Uchiha Yi suddenly spoke up. "Lady Tsunade, I hear your ** are unmatched under heaven—even the First Hokage wasn't your match. Dare to gamble with me?"

Tsunade froze for a moment, then curled her lip and gave an unconcerned laugh. "Hokage? Whoever wants the job can have it. Stop bringing me into this."

Uchiha Yi sighed inwardly.

Well, his tongue just wasn't slick enough. If Naruto were here, he could probably get her reminiscing about her youth in just a few words.

But right now, Tsunade's face plainly said, "Say one more word and I'll beat you up." "Lady Tsunade, whether you want to or not, could you at least come back to the village with me first?"

"I'm not going back."

"You really won't?"

"Not even if I die."

"Fine, then please pay back the thirty-five million ryo you owe me."

Tsunade: "..."

She choked, then put on a stern face. "Kid, you gave me that money willingly. I didn't hold a knife to your throat."

"Heh."

Uchiha Yi said nothing. He simply stared at her with a smile on his lips.

Tsunade grew uncomfortable under his gaze, but she still stubbornly said, "I told you, I'm not going back. I'll find a way to pay you back."

Shizune silently glanced at Tsunade and did some calculations in her head.

Lady Tsunade actually said "pay you back"?

This was the first time ever.

Still... she probably wouldn't pay in the end. "How about this, Lady Tsunade? I hear your ** are first-rate—even the First Hokage wasn't your match. Let's have a gamble."

Uchiha Yi smiled brilliantly.

When it came to **, Tsunade really could compete with her grandfather, the First Hokage.

But only in terms of who could lose more.

Ordinary people had better stay out of a contest between that grandfather and granddaughter.

Sure enough, the moment she heard the word "gamble," Tsunade's eyes lit up. She tossed the whole Hokage matter to the back of her mind. "Bring it on! I'll wipe the floor with you!"

Shizune opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but Tsunade moved too quickly.

Whoosh!

Before her words had even faded, Tsunade pulled a dice cup and three dice from her robes. "Don't say I'm bullying you. We'll just roll dice, high number wins, and we'll gamble over your money. Whether we win or lose depends entirely on fate... uh, on our own skills."

"I'll go first and finish you in one round!"

As if afraid Uchiha Yi would regret it, Tsunade shook the cup furiously.

The dice settled, and she smiled smugly. "Kid, it's not too late to regret this. Thirty-five million ryo—don't cry if you lose."

"It's fine. If I lose, I lose. I may not gamble much, but I have good gambling etiquette. God of Gambling, go ahead and reveal them."

"Good! Nice and straightforward! I knew you weren't an ordinary kid!"

Tsunade laughed loudly and lifted the dice cup.

Then—

Her laughter came to an abrupt stop.

Under the cup, all three dice showed red pips.

One.

One.

One.

Three points.

Uchiha Yi took a look. "Oh, three points. Then it's my turn."

He picked up the dice cup and gave it a gentle shake beneath Tsunade's hesitant gaze.

The dice settled.

He lifted the cup.

Four, five, six.

Fifteen points.

Tsunade: "..."

Shizune held Tonton in her arms, wearing an expression that said, "Just as expected." "Mm, I won." Uchiha Yi looked at Tsunade. "Lady Tsunade, you now have two choices. First, come back to the village with me. Second, pay me seventy million ryo."

"No, I choose a third option—another round!"

Under Shizune's shocked gaze, Tsunade grabbed the dice again.

One minute later. "Damn it, I lost again! You roll first this time!"

Having lost again, Tsunade grew increasingly unwilling to accept it.

Shizune opened her mouth, wanting to remind Tsunade: Lady Tsunade, you already owe him one hundred and forty million ryo.

But there was no time at all.

Ten minutes later—

"Impossible! How could this happen?! With my peerless **, how could I lose seven times in a row?!"

Tsunade's mind was nearly unable to function.

Amazing? Super strong?

Holding Tonton, Shizune's mouth twitched as she frantically complained inwardly: Lady Tsunade, those words aren't wrong, but you've got the direction completely backward!

With luck like yours, Uchiha Yi couldn't lose even if he wanted to. "You bastard, another round! I'll definitely turn this around!"

Tsunade refused to accept it and rolled up her sleeves, ready to continue.

But Uchiha Yi pushed the cards away and said flatly, "Lady Tsunade, that's enough. Will you come back to Konoha with me now?"

"I won't!"

"But you already owe me a full four billion four hundred and eighty million ryo."

"Bullshit! Where did that much come from?"

Tsunade's eyes widened, but the moment she met Uchiha Yi's calm face, her heart skipped a beat.

She turned to Shizune, and their gazes flew back and forth.

Is it really that much?

Yes, exactly that much.

Why didn't you stop me?

I wanted to, but I couldn't stop you! I was afraid you'd beat me up too.

"Ahem, kid, let's discuss this."

After confirming that she truly owed an astronomical sum, Tsunade's tone finally softened somewhat. "Sorry, there's nothing to discuss."

Uchiha Yi shook his head and held up two fingers. "There are two paths before you—either come back to the village with me, or pay up."

Pay up?

Pay my ass!

Tsunade cursed inwardly, but her expression did not change.

Whenever she encountered a situation like this, she only had one move.

Whoosh!

In a Body Flicker, Tsunade appeared directly behind Uchiha Yi. She raised her hand and brought a knifehand strike down at the back of his neck.

Her movements were smooth, clearly not the first time she had done this.

But in the next second, Tsunade's pupils suddenly contracted.

Uchiha Yi vanished from before her as though he had evaporated. When he reappeared, he was standing where she had been moments earlier. "Flying Raijin?"

Shock entered Tsunade's eyes.

Uchiha Yi did not answer. He merely smiled at her. "Lady Tsunade, were you planning to knock me out and run away? Is the God of Gambling's reputation really worth so little?"

"Nonsense! How could I, the great God of Gambling, do something like that? I was merely testing your skills."

You have a reputation?

How did I not know that?

Shizune could no longer bear to watch.

Tsunade knew this plan would not work.

But she still had another trick up her sleeve. "Hmph, fine. I'll return to the village with you tomorrow morning, all right?"

With a cold snort, she dragged Shizune away. "Come on, Shizune. Find somewhere to sleep. We leave at daybreak tomorrow."

Uchiha Yi watched her retreating figure, a teasing smile curling his lips.

Expecting Tsunade to obediently return with him? That would be a miracle.

But he was in no hurry now.

Stopping before a patch of shadow not far from the tavern, Uchiha Yi spoke toward the pitch-black corner. "You're already here, so what are you hiding for?"

"Heh, as expected of Yi-kun. I knew I couldn't hide from you."

A cold, hoarse voice drifted out of the darkness, followed by two figures slowly emerging.

Uchiha Yi spread his hands, his tone calm. "Lady Tsunade, you have only two paths before you right now. One, obediently come back to the village with me. The other—settle that debt."

Pay up?

Pay my ass!

Tsunade cursed inwardly, but did not reveal a thing on her face.

Whenever she ran into a situation like this, she only had one trick.

Whoosh!

Her figure flashed, and Tsunade appeared directly behind Uchiha Yi. She raised her hand and chopped down at his neck with a knifehand strike.

Her movements were incredibly practiced. She was clearly an old hand at this.

But just as she thought she had succeeded, her pupils suddenly shrank.

Uchiha Yi vanished completely. When he reappeared, he was standing where she had just been. "Flying Raijin?"

Tsunade raised a brow, a flicker of surprise passing through her eyes.

Uchiha Yi did not respond. He simply smiled and looked straight at her. "Lady Tsunade, were you trying to knock me out and sneak away? For the great God of Gambling, that's rather poor gambling etiquette, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about? Would I, the God of Gambling, do something like that? I was just testing how capable you are."

You have gambling etiquette?

Why have I never heard of it?

Shizune, standing nearby, truly could not bear to watch anymore and nearly turned her face away.

Tsunade knew this scheme would not work.

But she still had another move. "Hmph, don't worry. I'll return to the village with you first thing tomorrow morning."

With a cold snort, she turned and left. "Shizune, go rest. We have to get up early and travel tomorrow."

Uchiha Yi watched Tsunade's retreating back, amusement flashing through his eyes.

He did not believe that woman would truly leave with him obediently.

But now was not the time to worry about that.

He turned toward a patch of shadow near the small tavern, stopped, and smiled. "Since you're already here, why hide? Come out."

"Heh, as expected of Yi-kun. I knew I couldn't hide from you."

A cold, hoarse voice floated from the darkness, and then two figures emerged.

Orochimaru, and Yakushi Kabuto.

Uchiha Yi had actually long guessed that Orochimaru would come looking for Tsunade. Sure enough, he had come, but sensing Uchiha Yi's presence, he had not shown himself.

Uchiha Yi glanced at the bandages around Orochimaru's severed arm, which were still seeping blood, and shook his head. "Orochimaru, I know why you came to find Tsunade. I advise you to give up on that idea."

Orochimaru said nothing, but killing intent was already seeping from his vertical snake pupils. "Lord Orochimaru."

Yakushi Kabuto called out softly.

Orochimaru abruptly came back to his senses.

He truly wanted to tear Uchiha Yi apart, but it was simply unrealistic. Let alone in his current crippled state—even at full strength, he could not touch so much as a finger of his opponent. "Hehe, since Yi-kun has said so, then forget it."

With that, he turned and left with Yakushi Kabuto.

After they had walked some distance, Yakushi Kabuto finally asked quietly, "Lord Orochimaru, are we really not going to find Tsunade?"

"No. We can't find her anymore, either."

Orochimaru shook his head. "Judging by Uchiha Yi's attitude, that old man, the Third Hokage, has most likely summoned Tsunade back."

"Then your injury..."

"I won't treat it. Kabuto, send word for Sakon and the others to head to Konoha and bring Sasuke back to me."

"But Lord Orochimaru, in your current condition, and with Sasuke not yet ready, he isn't the most suitable vessel."

"It's fine. We can make do with him. Tell them to move quickly."

"Yes, I understand."

After sending Orochimaru away, Uchiha Yi did not return to the Land of Snow either. He found a random corner outside the inn where Tsunade was staying and quietly waited.

Around midnight, probably two or three in the morning, two furtive figures slipped out of the inn.

They looked exactly like a pair of thieves.