Following the Rain Shinobi leading them, Mizuki Ryosuke and Hoshigaki Kisame arrived at a concealed entrance within the casino. The Rain Shinobi activated a hidden mechanism, causing the door to slide open, revealing a dimly lit passageway descending underground. Without hesitation, the three of them proceeded downward, eventually arriving in an expansive, well-furnished room.
Ryosuke swept his gaze across the chamber, immediately noticing the stark contrast between this area and the disorderly, smoke-filled gambling hall above. Here, the air was clean, the lighting subdued but effective, and the walls lined with small, private rooms—each likely designed for high-stakes dealings away from prying eyes.
Soon, the Rain Shinobi guided them into one such private chamber. In the center stood a finely crafted gambling table, already occupied by several individuals, each seated in a calculated manner, forming a loose circle. Their conversation halted the moment Ryosuke and Kisame entered.
For a brief moment, silent scrutiny filled the room as the existing gamblers studied the newcomers. Yet, as though reaching an unspoken agreement, they all averted their eyes just as quickly, their expressions neutral.
Ryosuke immediately understood. No one present was merely here for gambling. Every individual had another purpose, concealed beneath the pretense of chance and fortune. Given that fact, it was only natural that no one would openly provoke a confrontation without reason.
"You two, please wait here for a moment," the Rain Shinobi said with a practiced smirk. "The lord will arrive shortly to meet with you personally. Until then, perhaps you would care for a few rounds?"
Ryosuke gave a slight nod of acknowledgment before finding himself a seat. At his signal, Kisame followed suit, his towering form taking the seat beside him.
With the lull in activity, Ryosuke took the opportunity to assess the others seated at the table. Aside from himself and Kisame, three individuals were present:
A striking blonde woman with voluminous, loose hair; a gaunt, sharp-featured middle-aged man; and a slightly overweight young man, whose nervous energy made him appear even bulkier than he was.
From appearances alone, nothing concrete could be deduced. In a setting like this, disguises and deception were the norm. Even so, one individual caught Ryosuke's attention—the blonde woman.
It wasn't due to her beauty, though her features were undoubtedly attractive. No, it was something else—something only someone with an advanced understanding of Yang Release (Yangdun) could perceive.
For a fleeting instant, the masculine energy (Yang Attribute) within Ryosuke reacted faintly upon seeing her. That reaction alone was enough for him to confirm that the woman before him possessed an extraordinary level of Yang Release.
On the opposite side, the blonde woman's expression subtly shifted, as though sensing something unusual about Ryosuke as well.
Neither spoke. Instead, both observed each other in silent evaluation, the atmosphere between them thick with unspoken awareness.
The purpose of gathering so many powerful individuals in one place remained unclear.
"Ahem…"
The silence was broken by the thin middle-aged man. He leaned forward slightly, his interest evident as he glanced around the table.
"Since we're all here, why not pass the time productively?" he suggested. "I propose a few rounds of gambling while we wait. No point in just sitting here doing nothing, after all."
To Ryosuke's mild surprise, the blonde woman was the first to respond.
"Fine," she said casually, her tone neither enthusiastic nor disinterested.
Ryosuke's eyes gleamed.
"Agreed," he said smoothly.
With both of them consenting, Kisame naturally followed suit, nodding without a word.
The last to answer was the obese young man, who hesitated momentarily before finally conceding with a reluctant nod.
"Since we're playing, it only makes sense to confirm that everyone has sufficient funds," the thin man said, reaching into his robes and withdrawing a stack of golden ryo notes.
Ryosuke's gaze sharpened.
The notes the man produced were issued by the Land of Water's financial institutions.
A small, almost imperceptible smile played on Ryosuke's lips.
For context—while major countries in the ninja world lacked standardized national currencies, gold, silver, and copper remained universally accepted trade commodities. However, each of the Five Great Nations operated their own banking systems, issuing golden ryo notes backed by precious metal reserves. Over time, these notes became the primary means of high-value transactions, largely replacing direct metal exchanges.
So why was this man, deep in Amegakure (Rain Village), carrying Water Country-issued ryo notes?
Ryosuke glanced at Kisame, whose brief, almost imperceptible headshake confirmed what he suspected—the man was not actually from the Land of Water.
That meant the currency was a deliberate misdirection.
Additionally, Ryosuke noticed a discrepancy in the man's physical appearance. When the thin man moved his arm to retrieve the notes, his loose sleeve momentarily shifted, revealing a stark contrast in skin tone—his covered forearm was significantly lighter than the exposed skin of his hands and face.
That, combined with the deliberate deception using Water Country currency, narrowed Ryosuke's speculation considerably.
Only in the Land of Wind—where the scorching sun and desert conditions made protective clothing a necessity—would someone naturally develop such a noticeable difference in skin tone between their exposed and unexposed areas.
In short—this man was almost certainly a Sunagakure (Sand Village) shinobi.
Ryosuke masked his thoughts behind a neutral expression, merely observing as the next player presented their stake.
The blonde woman across from him retrieved her own golden ryo notes. To Ryosuke's continued amusement, her notes were issued by the Land of Wind.
For a brief instant, the thin man's gaze flickered, his eyes narrowing just slightly.
Interesting…
Ryosuke smirked inwardly. If the man's reaction was any indication, then his initial assumption was correct.
Without comment, Ryosuke reached into his own robes and pulled out his prepared stake—a sizable stack of Fire Country-issued golden ryo notes.
Kisame, catching on, followed suit, also presenting ryo notes from the Land of Fire.
Of course, Ryosuke had taken precautions long beforehand. He had ensured they carried ryo notes from multiple nations, preventing any immediate identification of their actual affiliations.
Seated directly across from him, the blonde woman's sharp eyes flickered ever so slightly. Though her reaction was barely perceptible, Ryosuke caught it nonetheless.
She recognized the Fire Country notes.
Even if she managed to suppress any outward response, that brief shift in her expression told Ryosuke everything he needed to know.
Lastly, the obese young man presented his own stake—golden ryo notes from the Land of Earth.
With five individuals at the table, four separate nations' currencies were represented.
For a moment, a strange, unspoken tension settled over the room.
No one said anything, but each person was now analyzing the same question—
Who, exactly, were they sitting across from?
And what were their true intentions?
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