"Grandma, I want to stay here and play with Orochimaru-nee-chan!"
Nawaki struggled, trying to break free from his grandmother's embrace.
"Be good, Nawaki, your Orochimaru-nee-chan has important things to be busy with."
Uzumaki Mito soothed Nawaki's emotions.
"Nawaki, don't be willful! Orochimaru is very busy and doesn't have that much time to play with you!"
Tsunade chuckled triumphantly, wiggling her finger at Nawaki. If he stayed, how would she and Orochimaru go to the Casino?
Nawaki was reluctantly taken home by Uzumaki Mito.
"Orochimaru, let's go!"
Tsunade rubbed her fists together, looking determined, exuding an aura of absolute victory.
"Are you two going to battle?"
Uchiha Hikari looked at Tsunade, who seemed ready for battle, and then at Orochimaru, who hadn't made any preparations.
This doesn't look like going to a battlefield!
"No, we're not going to battle!"
Tsunade laughed awkwardly and waved her hand, frantically trying to figure out how to explain that she and Orochimaru were going to the Casino.
"We're going to the Casino."
Orochimaru walked to Tsunade's side and said.
"Hey, why did you just blurt it out?!"
Tsunade, who was still making excuses, didn't expect Orochimaru to just say it.
"Isn't it tiring to make excuses?"
Orochimaru suddenly remembered that the first time she received royalties, the then 6-year-old Tsunade sent her to a Casino, and couldn't help but expose her past: "Besides, you were already a veteran gambler who used the Transformation Jutsu to frequent Casinos at the age of 6… At that time… Mm!"
Tsunade, whose past was exposed, blushed. Seeing Orochimaru about to continue, she quickly covered her mouth. Feeling Uchiha Hikari's gaze, she chuckled dryly and said, "Hikari, Orochimaru and I are going to the Casino. It's better if children don't go."
"Tsunade, you went when you were 6. I'm already 12."
Uchiha Hikari emphasized the word "already" to convey her meaning. No one in the entire Ninja World could exceed her true age.
"The Casino isn't fun at all… You shouldn't feel bored…"
Tsunade wanted Uchiha Hikari to give up. Seeing that she still wanted to follow, Tsunade suddenly didn't feel like going to the Casino anymore.
---
The Uchiha Clan's weapons sealed here… are gone… Black Zetsu arrived at what was once a battlefield between the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan during the Warring States Period, where the Uchiha Clan's weapons were sealed. However, when he arrived, he did not see the girl named "Nameless" who was sealed underground.
Did someone unseal her?
Black Zetsu appeared where Uchiha Hikari was once buried, wiping away the dirt on the rock to reveal the Senju Clan's crest.
It seems someone unsealed and released Nameless. Was it someone from the Uchiha Clan?
This is going to be interesting.
Black Zetsu thought, not minding the trouble, as long as his plan could continue, what did the state of the Ninja World have to do with him?
Konoha, Hot Spring Street.
In a bustling Casino, Uchiha Hikari, who had used Transformation Jutsu to become a man with an ordinary face, stood among the crowd, watching Orochimaru and Tsunade, who had transformed into different appearances, at the gambling table.
"Damn it, I lost again!"
Tsunade angrily threw her cards away.
Why did she keep playing after losing so many times?
Uchiha Hikari somewhat understood the currency value of this era. Precisely because of this, she couldn't understand Tsunade's behavior. She didn't feel any joy in gambling.
If Orochimaru hadn't wanted to come, Uchiha Hikari would have preferred to read at home. She realized she had many things to learn and many new Ninjutsu to master.
She had already learned the Clone Jutsu and Transformation Jutsu among the Three Body Technique. She didn't think there was a need to learn the Substitution Jutsu, a Ninjutsu used to confuse enemies of equal strength or to play tricks on weaker enemies.
It wasn't very useful to her. She preferred to use Genjutsu to control enemies and then deliver a fatal blow.
What Uchiha Hikari most wanted to learn was the Shadow Clone Technique. She had seen Orochimaru use the Shadow Clone Technique more than once; it was a very convenient Ninjutsu.
Although it would distribute Chakra evenly to the Shadow Clones, in her opinion, it wasn't unacceptable.
In the alley, Tsunade dispelled her Transformation Jutsu, muttering dejectedly, "My gambling luck is completely hopeless…"
Even after realizing the reality, she still hadn't given up gambling. Even if she won fewer times, she had still won a few times!
She just needed to try to win more next time!
"This time you don't think it's my fault?"
Orochimaru pinched Tsunade's cheek, looking very pleased.
After so many years, Tsunade finally admitted that her bad gambling luck was her own problem.
"Tsunade, you've lost so much money, why do you still gamble?"
Uchiha Hikari dispelled her Transformation Jutsu, her large black eyes looking at Tsunade in confusion. She really wanted to know, was gambling really that interesting? Why did she find it so boring, feeling no enjoyment at all?
"Uh…"
Tsunade was speechless for a moment, then after a long pause, said, "Hikari, this is adult entertainment. You'll understand later."
"Don't forget, we're only 16 now!"
Orochimaru counted the money in her hand, gave half to Tsunade, and then took out ten thousand ryo for Uchiha Hikari.
"Huh?"
Uchiha Hikari looked at Orochimaru, then at the money she offered. "Why are you giving me money?"
"Hikari, this is pocket money. You can use this money to buy anything you want."
Orochimaru smiled slightly, putting the money into Uchiha Hikari's hand. Thinking that she didn't have a wallet yet, she continued, "Oh, right, I'll buy you a wallet later, okay?"
"Mm!"
Uchiha Hikari nodded happily.
"Orochimaru~! Where's my pocket money?"
Tsunade hugged Orochimaru's waist, resting her chin on her shoulder and pouting.
"Didn't I already give it to you?"
Orochimaru looked helplessly at Tsunade, who was taking an inch for every mile.
"That doesn't count!"
Tsunade's bright brown eyes held a hint of cunning as she rubbed her cheek against Orochimaru's, still pouting.
"Here's 100 ryo, be frugal with it."
Orochimaru took out a large sum of 100 ryo and placed it in Tsunade's hand.
"Only 100 ryo?"
Tsunade blinked at the 100 ryo in her hand, a little dumbfounded.
She thought that by pouting a bit, she could at least get tens of thousands of ryo. She never expected Orochimaru to only give her 100 ryo!
The difference was too huge!
"Only 100 ryo. If you don't want it, give it back to me."
Orochimaru extended her hand to Tsunade, implying that if she didn't want 100 ryo, she wouldn't get anything.
"No returning! Once it's in my hand, it's mine!"
Tsunade quickly put away the 100 ryo bills, sticking out her tongue and making a funny face.
Uchiha Hikari looked enviously at Orochimaru and Tsunade's way of interacting, wishing she could also interact with Orochimaru like that.
The most important thing right now was to heal her body and grow up quickly!
Land of Rain, Hidden Rain Village, Rain Tower Conference Room.
"Hanzou-sama, is the Hidden Sand Village's purchase of grain an indication that the major nations are making moves?"
An elder of the Land of Rain looked solemn. Small nations caught between major powers were so humble. Once a major power made a small move, the small nation had to be prepared to respond.
Hanzou looked at the scroll in his hand and nodded slightly: "From the amount of grain purchased by the Hidden Sand Village, it seems they might be preparing for war."
"Once war breaks out, our Land of Rain's grain production might be affected. We should reject the Hidden Sand Village."
Another elder suggested. The long years of war had brought effects to the Land of Rain that could not be eliminated in a short time.
It was hard enough for everyone to eat their fill; no one wanted to return to the days of not knowing where their next meal would come from.
"Wouldn't it be too bad to just refuse? Hidden Sand Village won't be able to account for it."
A bald, elderly elder said in a deep voice.
"What is there to account for! We rely on the Company, not the major nations! Why should we consider the feelings of the major nations?!"
A strong-willed elder shouted.
"Quiet!"
Hanzou bellowed, and the four elders who were about to argue immediately fell silent.
They might be the most senior elders in the Land of Rain, but in front of Hanzou, who was renowned in the Ninja World, they were merely elders offering advice. If he thought they were in the way, he could replace them at any time.
This was not only because he was Hanzou, but also because of the changes he had brought to the Land of Rain.
"The Land of Rain does not fear war, but it will not provoke war, nor will it intervene in war. The wars between major nations have nothing to do with us."
Hanzou's gaze swept across the face of each elder, then he continued, "The amount of grain promised to Hidden Sand Village will not be reduced. Strengthen patrols around White Snake Electric Town and White Snake Hub Town to prevent war zones from affecting important residential areas."
In Hanzou's view, the major nations could fight however they pleased, as long as it didn't affect the Land of Rain. If it affected the Land of Rain, affected the business of White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company, and shook the foundation of the Land of Rain, then they shouldn't blame him for disrupting the situation.
Konoha, Orochimaru's Laboratory.
Orochimaru shook the test tube in her hand. This was an enhanced Chakra Poison, made by adding substances separated from the Chinoike Clan's blood samples.
If the Chakra Poison could successfully acquire the effects of contamination and proliferation…
Then, the Chakra Poison would become a terrifying and lethal weapon specifically targeting Ninja and all beings who fight using Chakra!
What is Orochimaru doing… Uchiha Hikari played with the Q-version White Snake plush wallet with a red forked tongue in her hand, secretly looking at Orochimaru, who was doing something unknown.
"Did it fail…"
Orochimaru looked at the liquid in the test tube, which hadn't fused and was distinctly layered like a cocktail.
"It seems that improving Chakra Poison isn't that easy."
Hyuga Mio took the test tube from Orochimaru's hand and destroyed it. If something like this accidentally leaked, it would cause no small amount of trouble.
"Yes, my approach isn't wrong; it must be a mistake in one of the steps."
Orochimaru reviewed all the steps in her mind, wanting to find the problem. This would require continuous experimentation, but fortunately, she wasn't short on time now. Once war broke out, she would also have to go to the battlefield.
"Want to rest for a bit?"
Hyuga Mio walked behind Orochimaru, placing her hands on her shoulders and gently kneading them. The Chakra released from her hands stimulated pressure points that could relieve fatigue and help her relax.
"I still have to go to the Ninja Academy to teach the Sealing Team students later…"
Orochimaru's face was filled with reluctance, and she said insincerely, "Rest? Only those useless to the Ninja World need to rest…"
"Then… keep it up?"
Hyuga Mio thought for a moment and couldn't find any words to comfort Orochimaru, so she could only make a cheering gesture.
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