Bankrupt

The moment Tsunade finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Chiya clutched his little purse and shrank back.

"Lady Tsunade, don't you think you're going a bit too far?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

"Too far? I'm giving you an opportunity, understand? Not everyone gets the chance to invest in the Legendary Sannin."

"But you just lost everything."

"That was an accident!"

Shizune stood nearby, holding Ton Ton. She didn't want to say another word.

Chiya's mouth twitched.

"How about this, then? Give me back the gold bar you took just now."

Tsunade's gaze drifted elsewhere.

"It's already gone."

"That fast?!"

"Gambling is all about winning and losing quickly."

Chiya nearly choked when he heard that.

What the hell did she mean, winning and losing quickly?

She meant giving money away quickly!

Kaguya was quiet in his mind for a while, then said softly, "She's robbing you."

Chiya wholeheartedly agreed.

But he didn't dare say it aloud.

Tsunade was already reaching for him.

"Kid, hand over another one."

"I really don't have any left."

"Don't lie."

"I'm not."

"You've got two more in your bag."

"..."

Chiya was completely numb.

He suddenly thought there was one upside to his poor eyesight: at least he didn't have to see Tsunade's completely unapologetic expression.

Shizune finally couldn't hold back. "Lady Tsunade, this really is too much."

"I'll pay him back!"

"You say that every time."

"This time is different."

"How?"

Tsunade fell silent for a moment.

"This time the gold bars are bigger."

Shizune covered her forehead.

Chiya nearly laughed aloud, but he was afraid he'd get beaten up, so he held it in.

In the end, at Tsunade's insistence and under Shizune's deeply guilty gaze, Chiya still took out the second gold bar.

Tsunade's eyes lit up as soon as she took it.

She patted Chiya on the shoulder, looking perfectly serious.

"Don't worry, kid. Once I win, I'll pay you back tenfold."

Chiya looked at her blurry golden silhouette and couldn't help sighing.

"I'm just worried that after you lose it all, you'll ask to borrow a third one."

Tsunade froze.

Then she cleared her throat.

"As if."

Shizune muttered, "It's very possible."

"Shizune!"

Early the next morning, Tsunade dragged Shizune out the door.

Chiya hadn't wanted to go.

But Tsunade had said, "You're an investor, so of course you should watch me win it back with your own eyes," and hauled him along, too.

The gambling den in town opened early.

The air inside was thick with smoke. The sound of dice, shouts, and people slapping tables blended together, making Chiya's head ache.

He couldn't see clearly, and all the figures shifting around the gambling den looked like a crowd of shadows dancing.

"There's a chair on your left," Kaguya reminded him.

Chiya sat down beside him. He'd barely settled when Tsunade rolled up her sleeves and charged toward the table.

"Big!"

She slapped all the chips she'd gotten for the gold bar onto the table.

Shizune's face changed. "Lady Tsunade! Don't bet everything right at the start!"

"What do you know? It's all about momentum! You need to have confidence when you gamble!"

Chiya's eyelids twitched.

"She'll lose," Kaguya said calmly.

Chiya replied in his mind, "I know that, too."

The dice cup opened.

"One, two, three—small!"

Tsunade froze.

Shizune's shoulders slumped as she held Ton Ton.

Chiya stared in disbelief.

It was gone just like that? A whole gold bar, gone for real!

Tsunade stood stunned for a few seconds, then slammed her hand on the table.

"Again!"

The croupier glanced at her.

"Ma'am, you're out of chips."

Tsunade turned to Chiya.

Chiya immediately covered his pocket.

"I don't have any."

"I haven't said anything yet."

"You don't have to. I still don't have any."

Tsunade glared at him through gritted teeth.

Chiya couldn't see her face clearly, only the golden silhouette swaying in front of him.

He simply closed his eyes.

If he couldn't see her, there was no pressure.

Just then, the gambling den's entrance suddenly grew a little quieter.

Chiya was still going back and forth with Tsunade when Kaguya's voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

"Someone's watching you."

Chiya paused.

"Who?"

"By the entrance."

Chiya opened his eyes and looked toward the entrance.

He could only make out a blurry figure.

The person wasn't very tall and stood very properly. It seemed he was wearing glasses.

Chiya's heart skipped a beat.

Yakushi Kabuto.

Kabuto stood by the entrance without hurrying over. He simply smiled at them.

Tsunade saw him, too.

The gambling den's entrance suddenly grew a little quieter.

Tsunade frowned.

"Who are you?"

The man pushed up his glasses and said with a smile,

"I'm Yakushi Kabuto. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Tsunade."

"I've come at Lord Orochimaru's command to invite you."

"Lady Tsunade, Lord Orochimaru wishes to see you."

Tsunade gave a cold laugh.

"He certainly knows how to pick a place."

Kabuto pushed up his glasses.

"Lord Orochimaru said that if he wanted to find you, a gambling den would indeed be the easiest place to look."

Tsunade's mouth twitched.

Chiya nearly lost his composure. She certainly had a reputation.

Shizune frowned. "Why is he looking for Lady Tsunade?"

Kabuto didn't answer. He only looked at Tsunade.

"You'll know when you see him."

Tsunade stood there for a moment, then tossed the empty chip box in her hand onto the table.

"Lead the way."

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune cried anxiously.

Tsunade waved a hand.

"Relax. I want to see what tricks he's up to."

Chiya stood up, too.

Tsunade looked back at him.

"Why are you coming along?"

"My money's still with you."

"..."

Tsunade glared at him.

"Stingy."

Chiya's mouth twitched.

How was that stingy?

It was just a creditor's basic responsibility!

Kabuto led them outside the town.

A stone bridge lay ahead.

The river beneath it had risen considerably, rushing against the bridge piers with a roar. On the other side stood a tall, slender man with pale skin and long hair draped over his shoulders. A faint smile played at the corner of his mouth.

Orochimaru.

Even though Chiya couldn't see clearly, he recognized him.

That chilling presence was unmistakable.

Tsunade stopped on this side of the bridge.

Orochimaru raised his head.

"It's been a long time, Tsunade."

Tsunade folded her arms across her chest.

"There's nothing between us worth catching up over."

Orochimaru smiled.

"You're still as direct as ever."

"Cut the crap." Tsunade's voice turned colder. "Why are you looking for me?"

Orochimaru slowly raised both hands.

His arms hung limply at his sides, as if they were completely useless.

Tsunade glanced at them and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you look pretty miserable."

Orochimaru's smile faded a little.

"Before Teacher Sarutobi died, he sealed my hands."

The expression vanished from Tsunade's face.

The wind blew in from beside the bridge, stirring the hem of her clothes.

A few seconds passed before she spoke.

"You killed the old man, and now you've come to me to heal your hands?"

"Tsunade, there are no eternal enemies in this world."

"I have one."

Tsunade took half a step forward.

"You."

Kabuto stood beside them, his body tensing slightly.

Orochimaru, however, didn't back away.

"I can give you what you want."

"I want you dead."

"Anything but that."

Tsunade let out a cold laugh.

Orochimaru looked at her and spoke slowly. "Nawaki."

Tsunade's smile faded.

"And Dan."

Shizune's expression changed instantly.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Tsunade didn't turn around.

She merely stood on the bridge, as if she'd suddenly been nailed in place.

Hearing those two names, Chiya couldn't help frowning.

Orochimaru really was disgusting.

Orochimaru continued, "You must have heard of Impure World Reincarnation."

"That isn't resurrection!" Shizune shouted at once.

Orochimaru glanced at her.

"To many people, being able to stand before you, speak to you, and look at you is already enough."

Chiya suddenly spoke up.

"They aren't living people."

Orochimaru turned to look at him.

Chiya rested a hand on the stone railing beside the bridge. His vision was blurry, and all he could make out was Orochimaru's pale silhouette.

"The day you invaded Konoha, I saw the First and Second Hokages. They could move and fight."

He paused.

"But there was nothing living in their eyes."

Orochimaru stared at him for several seconds.

"I actually overlooked you, Chiya Uchiha. What are you doing here?"

Chiya didn't answer.

Orochimaru suddenly let out a dry, hoarse chuckle.

"Heh heh heh. Come to think of it, Chiya, your own situation seems rather troublesome too."

Chiya lifted his head.

Orochimaru's voice was soft.

"Shimura Danzō has already taken over as the Fifth Hokage. Konoha's wanted posters will soon reach every country."

It hit Chiya like a bolt from the blue. Danzō, the Fifth Hokage?

The pain of being swindled out of his money by Tsunade vanished in an instant.

This was completely beyond his expectations. Ever since he'd crossed over, there had been a few minor changes to the plot, but overall, things had followed much the same course as before.

And now Danzō had actually become the Fifth Hokage!

The butterfly effect... Had that butterfly really started flapping its wings?

Tsunade glanced back at Chiya. His gaze was vacant, and no one could tell what he was thinking.

Orochimaru looked at Chiya with a little more interest in his eyes.

"There's no place for you in Konoha anymore, Chiya."

He ran his tongue over his lips.

"Come with me. I heard you escaped from Danzō. I can give you power and help you kill him! I can give you a chance to take revenge, and I can study those eyes of yours."

Just then, Kaguya's voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

"Snake."

"Hm?" Chiya was puzzled.

"He's disgusting. Don't agree to go with him."

Chiya acknowledged her silently.

Then he looked at Orochimaru.

"Tch. Heal your own hands first."

Orochimaru paused, then let out a low chuckle.

"How interesting."

He looked into Chiya's eyes.

"I once wanted Itachi's body, but I failed. You, however, have shown me another option."

Chiya felt uncomfortable all over.

The way this guy looked at people wasn't like he saw them as people at all.

It was more like he was looking at an object.

Tsunade suddenly spoke.

"Orochimaru."

Her voice was low.

"Are you finished?"

Orochimaru looked at her.

Tsunade lifted her head.

"If you're finished, get lost."

Orochimaru wasn't angry.

He merely smiled and turned, heading down from the bridge.

"You won't refuse me, Tsunade. Tomorrow at noon, in the wasteland outside town."

After walking a few steps, he stopped.

"I'll wait for your answer."

Kabuto followed him away.

Before leaving, Kabuto looked back at Chiya.

"You can think it over too, Chiya."

Chiya gave him a single-word reply.

"Get lost."

Kabuto smiled and said nothing more.

The two figures soon disappeared into the woods.

Before long, all that remained on the bridge was the sound of the river washing against its piers.

Tsunade stood there for a long time, then suddenly turned and walked toward town.

Shizune hurried after her.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Chiya didn't move. He couldn't see Tsunade's expression; all he could hear were her footsteps, much heavier than when she'd arrived.

Kaguya suddenly said, "She's wavering."

"I know," Chiya murmured.

He leaned against the cold stone railing and slowly let out a breath.