Bankruptcy

The moment Tsunade finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Chiya hugged his little wallet and shrank back.

"Lady Tsunade, isn't this a bit too much?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

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

"But you just lost everything."

"That was an accident!"

Shizune stood to the side with Ton Ton in her arms, already too speechless to say anything.

Chiya's mouth twitched.

"How about this? Return the gold bar from earlier first."

Tsunade's gaze drifted elsewhere.

"It's already gone."

"That fast?!"

"Wins and losses happen fast in a casino."

Chiya nearly failed to catch his breath.

This was what she called fast wins and losses?

This was fast money delivery!

Kaguya was quiet in his mind for a moment before softly saying, "She's robbing you."

Chiya wholeheartedly agreed.

But he did not dare say it.

Tsunade had already extended her hand.

"Kid, take out another one."

"There really aren't any left."

"Stop lying."

"Really."

"There are still two in your bag."

"..."

Chiya went completely numb.

He suddenly felt that not being able to see clearly had its advantages. At least he did not have to see Tsunade's utterly self-righteous expression.

Shizune finally could not help saying, "Lady Tsunade, you're really going too far."

"I'll pay him back!"

"You say that every time."

"This time is different."

"How is it different?"

Tsunade fell silent for a moment.

"The gold bars are bigger this time."

Shizune covered her forehead.

Chiya nearly burst out laughing, but he was afraid she would beat him if he did, so he could only hold it in.

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

When Tsunade accepted it, both her eyes lit up.

She patted Chiya on the shoulder, looking utterly serious.

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

Chiya looked at her blurry golden silhouette and could not help sighing.

"What I'm afraid of now is that after you lose it all, you'll ask to borrow a third one."

Tsunade froze.

Then she gave a dry cough.

"How could that happen?"

Shizune muttered quietly, "It very likely could."

"Shizune!"

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

Chiya had not wanted to go.

But with one sentence—"You're an investor, so of course you have to watch me win it back"—Tsunade directly dragged him along too.

The casinos in the town opened early.

The air inside was thick with smoke. The clatter of dice, shouting, and people slapping tables all blended together, making Chiya's head hurt.

His vision was still blurry. The figures moving about the casino looked like a group of shadows dancing.

"There's a chair to your left."

Kaguya reminded him.

Chiya sat down beside it. The moment he settled in, Tsunade had already rolled up her sleeves and charged to the gambling table.

"Big!"

She slapped all the chips exchanged for the gold bar onto the table.

Shizune's expression changed.

"Lady Tsunade! Don't bet everything right from the start!"

"What do you know? Momentum! Gambling requires momentum!"

Chiya's eyelids twitched at her words.

Kaguya said flatly, "She'll lose."

Chiya replied in his mind, I know that too.

The dice cup opened.

"One, two, three. Small!"

Tsunade went rigid.

Shizune held Ton Ton, her shoulders slumping.

Chiya stared in disbelief.

That was it? A whole gold bar, just like that!

Tsunade stood stunned for several seconds, then suddenly slammed a hand on the table.

"Again!"

The dealer glanced at her.

"Ma'am, you have no chips left."

Tsunade turned to look at Chiya.

Chiya immediately covered his pocket.

"There aren't any left."

"I haven't even said anything."

"Whether you say anything or not, there aren't any left."

Tsunade glared at him through gritted teeth.

Chiya could not see her face clearly either. He could only sense that golden silhouette swaying in front of him.

He simply closed his eyes.

If he could not see it, then there was no pressure.

At that moment, the casino entrance suddenly grew a little quieter.

Chiya had been locked in a battle of wits with Tsunade when Kaguya's voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

"Someone is watching you."

Chiya paused.

"Who?"

"The entrance."

Chiya opened his eyes and looked toward the entrance.

All he could see was a blurry figure.

The person was not tall and stood very properly. He seemed to be wearing glasses.

Chiya's heart skipped a beat.

Yakushi Kabuto.

Kabuto stood at the entrance without hurrying closer. He merely smiled in their direction.

Tsunade saw him too.

The casino entrance suddenly grew a little quieter.

Tsunade frowned.

"Who are you?"

The man adjusted his glasses and said with a smile,

"I am Yakushi Kabuto. Greetings, Lady Tsunade."

"By Lord Orochimaru's order, I have come to invite you."

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

Tsunade let out a cold laugh.

"He certainly knows how to pick a location."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses.

"Lord Orochimaru said that if one wanted to find you, a casino was indeed the easiest place."

Tsunade's mouth twitched.

Chiya nearly lost it. Her reputation truly preceded her.

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

Kabuto did not answer, merely looking at Tsunade.

"You'll know once you see him."

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

"Lead the way."

"Lady Tsunade!"

Shizune panicked.

Tsunade waved a hand.

"Relax. I'd like to see what tricks he thinks he can play."

Chiya stood up as well.

Tsunade turned back to look at him.

"Why are you following?"

"My money is still with you."

"..."

Tsunade glared at him.

"Cheapskate."

Chiya's mouth twitched.

This was being cheap?

This was the basic professionalism of a creditor!

Kabuto led them out of town.

A stone bridge stood ahead. The river beneath it had risen considerably, rushing noisily against the bridge piers. On the other side stood a tall, thin man with a pale face, long hair draped over his shoulders, and a faint smile on his lips.

Orochimaru.

Even without seeing his face clearly, Chiya could recognize him.

That cold, sinister feeling was far too obvious.

Tsunade stopped on this side of the bridge.

Orochimaru raised his head.

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

Tsunade folded her arms over her chest.

"I have nothing to see you for."

Orochimaru smiled.

"Still as direct as ever."

"Cut the nonsense." Tsunade's voice grew colder. "What do you want with me?"

Orochimaru slowly raised his hands.

Both his arms hung limply, as though he could not exert any strength at all.

Tsunade glanced at them, one brow lifting slightly.

"Oh? You look pretty miserable."

Orochimaru's smile faded slightly.

"Sarutobi-sensei sealed my hands before he died."

The expression on Tsunade's face vanished instantly.

The wind blew across the bridge, causing the hem of her clothes to flutter gently.

After a few seconds, she finally spoke.

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

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

"I have them."

Tsunade took half a step forward.

"You are one."

Kabuto stood to the side, his body tensing slightly.

Orochimaru, however, did not retreat.

"I can give you what you want."

"I want you dead."

"Other than that."

Tsunade sneered.

Orochimaru looked at her and said slowly, "Nawaki."

Tsunade's smile froze.

"And Dan."

Shizune's complexion changed instantly.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Tsunade did not turn back.

She simply stood on the bridge, her entire body as if suddenly nailed to the spot.

Hearing these two names, Chiya Uchiha could not help but frown.

Orochimaru was truly disgusting.

Orochimaru continued, "Impure World Reincarnation, you should have heard of it."

Shizune shouted immediately, "That is not resurrection!"

Orochimaru glanced at her.

"To be able to stand before you, to speak, to look at you—for many people, that is enough."

Chiya spoke up suddenly.

"That thing is not a living person."

Orochimaru turned his head to look at him.

Chiya leaned against the stone railing of the bridge; his vision was blurry, and he could only see the pale shadow that was Orochimaru.

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

He paused.

"But there was nothing of a living person in their eyes."

Orochimaru stared at him for a few seconds.

"I actually overlooked you, Chiya Uchiha. How did you end up here?"

Chiya did not respond.

Orochimaru suddenly let out a dry, raspy laugh.

"Heh heh heh, come to think of it, Chiya-kun, your own situation seems quite troublesome as well."

Chiya lifted his head.

Orochimaru's voice was very soft.

"Shimura Danzō has already succeeded as the Fifth Hokage. Konoha's wanted posters will reach every nation soon."

Chiya felt as if he had been struck by lightning. Danzo, the Fifth Hokage?

The sting of being swindled out of money by Tsunade just moments ago vanished entirely.

This matter was completely beyond his expectations. Since he had transmigrated, although there had been minor fluctuations in the plot, the general direction had remained consistent with the original story.

Until now, when Danzo had actually succeeded as the Fifth Hokage!

The butterfly effect—had that butterfly truly flapped its wings?

Tsunade looked back at Chiya. Chiya's gaze was vacant, and he did not know what he was thinking.

Orochimaru looked at Chiya, his eyes showing increased interest.

"There is no place for you in Konoha anymore, Chiya-kun."

He extended his tongue to lick his lips.

"Come with me. I heard about you escaping from Danzo's hands. I can give you power and help you kill Danzo! I can give you a chance for revenge, and I can even help you study those eyes."

At this moment, Kaguya's voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

"Snake."

"Hmm?" Chiya was puzzled.

"Very disgusting. Do not agree to him."

Chiya replied with a mental hum.

Then, he looked at Orochimaru.

"Pfft, why don't you heal your own hands first."

Orochimaru paused, then let out a low laugh.

"How interesting."

He stared into Chiya's eyes.

"I once wanted Itachi's body, but unfortunately, I failed. However, you have shown me another option."

Chiya felt uncomfortable all over.

The way this guy looked at people was not like looking at a person at all.

It was more like looking at an object.

Tsunade spoke suddenly.

"Orochimaru."

Her voice was very low.

"Are you finished?"

Orochimaru looked at her.

Tsunade lifted her head.

"If you're finished, get lost."

Orochimaru was not angry.

He simply smiled, turned, and walked toward the end of the bridge.

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

After walking a few steps, he paused.

"I will wait for your answer."

Kabuto followed him away.

Before leaving, Kabuto looked back at Chiya.

"Chiya-kun, you might want to consider it as well."

Chiya replied with only one word.

"Get lost."

Kabuto smiled and said nothing more.

The two figures soon disappeared into the woods.

Before long, only the sound of the river washing against the bridge piers remained on the bridge.

Tsunade stood for a long time before suddenly turning to walk into town.

Shizune hurriedly chased after her.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Chiya did not move. He could not see the expression on Tsunade's face, only hear her footsteps, which were much heavier than when she had arrived.

Kaguya suddenly said, "She is wavering."

Chiya whispered, "I know."

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