In the end, by pinning Raizen against the wall with her legendary "assets," Tsunade successfully managed to borrow a total of one hundred million Ryo. And in a single day, she lost every last bit of it.
By merely lending out chips that cost him practically nothing to produce, Raizen had successfully secured a debt of two hundred million Ryo (including interest).
This money comes easily, he thought. As expected of the Legendary Sucker—she's truly "plump" in every sense of the word.
Over the course of the entire night, Tsunade hadn't won a single round. Talk about rotten luck!
Looking at the blank, dazed expression on Tsunade's face, a faint smile played on Raizen's lips.
"It's over, completely over! Lady Tsunade, you owe so much money... how long will it take to pay back? Even if I sold myself, I couldn't cover it!" Shizune stood frozen, clutching Tonton the pig, her face pale. How could they possibly repay such a sum?
"Oink!" Tonton let out a human-like cry of despair. Her high-quality pig feed was gone!
Raizen spoke softly beside Tsunade. "Big Sister, do you want to go again?"
"Forget it. Today's luck is too foul. I'm done." Tsunade was someone who had weathered great storms; she quickly composed herself and regained her usual demeanor.
Tsunade let out a long yawn, stood up, and laughed sheepishly at Raizen. "Well, my good brother! Your sister has lost all her money. Could I perhaps trouble you for a free meal tonight?"
"No problem at all." Raizen happily agreed. For a "VIP client" like the Legendary Sucker, providing free room and board for a lifetime wouldn't be a loss. The money she lost would always far exceed the cost of her meals. As long as he kept her around, she wouldn't be able to resist playing a few rounds—and given her luck, playing meant handing over cash.
Raizen warmly ushered Tsunade and Shizune into his hotel, treating them to the finest food and drink.
"Good brother, I haven't even asked your name yet," Tsunade said after a cup of sake, a slight flush on her cheeks.
"My name is Uchiha Raizen," Raizen stated honestly. Since she would eventually discover his identity once she returned to Konoha, it was better to be direct.
"An Uchiha?" Tsunade was slightly surprised. "What is an Uchiha doing out here in the capital?"
Raizen replied, "I left Konoha years ago to manage the clan's external business properties."
"Wait, so that casino we were just in... you're the one managing it?" Tsunade's eyes widened. She suddenly had a sinking feeling that she'd been set up.
Raizen laughed. "It is an Uchiha property, but I don't usually involve myself in the day-to-day. However, the Uchiha clan recently suffered a major catastrophe, and I returned to the village. A group of rogue ninja attacked our shops recently, so I came back to the capital to handle it."
Tsunade squinted at him. "You recognized me from the start, didn't you?"
Raizen nodded.
"And that's why you kept lending me money?"
Raizen nodded again.
Tsunade rolled her eyes and poured herself another cup of sake. "So, what was this 'major catastrophe' that hit the Uchiha?"
Raizen poured himself a cup, drained it, and let out a long sigh. "It wasn't much. We've simply been reduced to the last three remaining members."
"What?!" Both Tsunade and Shizune were shocked. Shizune even covered her mouth in disbelief.
Tsunade frowned. "Such a massive clan... only three people left? What happened?"
Raizen answered, "According to the official Konoha conclusion, Itachi Uchiha slaughtered the entire clan, leaving only his younger brother, Sasuke, and myself—the uncle who was away on business."
Tsunade's brow furrowed deep. "Itachi Uchiha? Isn't he Fugaku's son? Why would he do something so cold-blooded? Is there more to the story?"
She couldn't help but think of her own clan. Although the dispersal of the Senju clan was her grandfather's wish, she knew there were those behind the scenes who had "pushed" the process along. Now, the great Senju clan was down to her, and the great Uchiha were down to three. The two founding clans of Konoha had both essentially vanished. It was tragic and absurd.
Raizen knew the truth, of course, but he wasn't about to be foolish enough to say it out loud yet.
"Who knows?" Raizen mused. "I'm curious too. Could Itachi really have slaughtered the entire clan alone in one night? Or was someone helping him from the shadows, unnoticed?"
Tsunade took a sip of sake and said gloomily, "Under the influence of my Second Granduncle's legacy, anything is possible."
The Second Granduncle's legacy? Is she referring to the Second Hokage? Raizen thought. The Konoha High-Ops (F4) were all his disciples. It seems Tsunade harbors a deep-seated resentment toward them too.
It made sense. Tsunade's only younger brother was sent to the battlefield and died young. She must hate the High-Ops to the bone; otherwise, she wouldn't have left the village in such despair. In the original story, she even claimed only a fool would want to be Hokage. Her heart had truly been broken.
"Lord Raizen, when do you plan to return to Konoha?" Shizune asked, trying to shift the heavy mood.
"The business in the capital is settled. I'll be heading back after this meal," Raizen said. "After all, the children's mothers are all waiting for me at home."
Shizune looked at him with a confused expression. "The... children's mothers? Plural?"
Tsunade also gave him a strange look. That phrasing implied there were many women involved.
Raizen offered a gentle smile. "Yes. The mothers. To revitalize the clan, I've posted a mission in Konoha to seek heirs with heavy rewards. I'm doing my best to restore the Uchiha population as quickly as possible."
"Seeking heirs?" The two women stared at him. Was that even a thing?
Seeing their expressions, Raizen laughed. "For the sake of the clan's revival, my personal reputation is secondary. You can think I'm a lecher; I don't care. As long as the clan thrives again."
His expression turned firm and resolute. "The noble Uchiha clan will not fade into obscurity. Even if I have to do it alone, I will rebuild my house. Big Sister Tsunade, I've had my fill. I've left instructions for the staff—you can stay here as long as you like, and your expenses are on the house. I won't disturb you any longer."
Raizen stood up and turned to leave. After being away from Konoha for days, he missed Momoko and the others. Plus, Kurenai was waiting for him to return for their wedding.
After Raizen left, Shizune noticed something on his seat. "What's this? A scroll?"
"A ninjutsu scroll?" Shizune asked curiously, picking it up. "Wait... it's a mission request?"
She unrolled it, and the large characters "Seeking Heirs with Heavy Rewards" met her eyes. As she read through it, her jaw dropped. "Wow... look at these rewards!"
"What rewards?" Tsunade asked.
"Kage-level... thirty million Ryo, Lady Tsunade!"
"Thirty million? Let me see that." Tsunade snatched the scroll and read it intensely. Once she finished, her gaze turned predatory as she stared at Shizune.
Shizune felt a chill run down her spine. "Lady Tsunade... why are you looking at me like that?"
Tsunade said with absolute determination, "Shizune, starting tomorrow, I'm putting you through special training."
"Huh?" Shizune blinked, confused.
Tsunade laughed and slapped Shizune's shoulder. "Shizune, I'm going to get you to Kage-level as fast as humanly possible!"
"What?! Kage-level? You don't mean...?" Shizune stared at her teacher in disbelief.
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