Chapter 161: The Legendary Sucker of Tanzaku Quarters
Several days had passed since the incident with Gamabunta.
Inside the Hokage's Office, the air was thick with the smell of old parchment and fresh ink. Uchiha Akira sat behind the heavy wooden desk, his focus absolute as he reviewed a classified scroll detailing shinobi movements near the border of the Land of Wind.
The only sound was the scratching of his pen.
A sudden, soundless disturbance in the air marked the arrival.
An Anbu, clad in standard-issue gray armor and a porcelain animal mask, knelt on one knee in the center of the room. They had appeared without opening a door or making a sound.
"Lord Fifth." The Anbu's voice was muffled and devoid of emotion. "We have found her."
Akira's hand paused, the pen hovering over the scroll. A sharp, predatory gleam flashed in his dark eyes.
"Oh?"
He set the pen down, his voice quiet but carrying an unmistakable edge.
"Where is she?"
"Tanzaku Quarters, my lord."
[Inorin's Note: Tanzaku Quarters (短冊の街, Tanzaku no Gai) is a famous castle town known for its entertainment, taverns, and, most notably, its numerous gambling dens. It's a place of leisure and vice.]
The Anbu continued his report. "It seems she has... accumulated a significant gambling debt. The local lenders are actively pursuing her."
A rare, almost imperceptible sigh escaped Akira. He shook his head, a hint of helplessness in the gesture.
This legendary Sannin, Konohagakure's "Big Spender" Princess, the renowned Kamo... she truly never changed her ways, no matter where she went.
[Inorin's Note: Kamo (カモ) is a Japanese term that literally means 'duck', but in gambling, it's slang for a 'sucker' or an 'easy mark'—someone who is gullible and easy to cheat. Tsunade is famous for her terrible luck, making her the 'Legendary Sucker'.]
Tsunade Senju.
She was not just a medical genius; she was an indispensable key figure for his upcoming, village-altering plans. Her skills were unique and, for his purposes, irreplaceable.
She must be brought back.
"Go," Akira commanded, his voice returning to its usual cold authority. "Call Jiraiya. Tell him it's urgent."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
From the shadows, the figure silently departed, vanishing as quickly as they had arrived.
Not long after, there was a heavy, distinct knock on the office door.
"Come in."
Jiraiya pushed the door open and entered. The Sannin looked tired, the lines on his face deeper than they were just weeks ago. His eyes scanned the office, landing on the young man who now held the fate of the village in his hands.
"Lord Fifth," Jiraiya said, his tone respectful but tinged with his natural casualness. "You called for me?"
"Sit." Uchiha Akira gestured to the sofa opposite his desk.
Jiraiya silently sat down, his wooden sandals clacking softly on the floor. He placed his hands on his knees, waiting. He knew this wasn't a social call; Akira never made social calls.
Akira let the silence stretch for a moment, observing his predecessor's teammate.
"Tsunade's whereabouts have been found."
He delivered the news flatly, straight to the point.
The effect was instantaneous. Jiraiya's entire body trembled abruptly, and he instinctively sat ramrod straight. His casual demeanor vanished, replaced by a raw, naked emotion—a mixture of hope and deep-seated dread.
"Where?" His voice was a low rasp. "Where is she?"
"Tanzaku Quarters," Akira replied.
He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "She's… not doing too well."
"She owes a huge gambling debt and is being chased all over the town by debt collectors."
A bitter, pained, and deeply helpless smile appeared on Jiraiya's face. He scrubbed a hand over his face.
"That idiot…" he muttered, his voice thick with pained affection.
"After all these years... she still hasn't changed a bit."
Akira's expression remained neutral. "I will send Anbu to handle her debts. It's a trivial matter."
He leaned forward, his gaze hardening. "Then, they will have her return to Konoha."
Jiraiya's head snapped up, and he shook it immediately. "She won't come back."
His voice was certain. "Not willingly. Ever since Dan… and her brother Nawaki… she has been haunted. She's terrified of blood, of loss. She won't return to the life that took everything from her."
"I know her history," Uchiha Akira interrupted, his voice cutting through Jiraiya's explanation. "Her trauma is not important."
"The Village needs her medical expertise. I need her for what comes next."
He paused, his words landing with the weight of stones. "That's enough."
Jiraiya fell silent. He stared at the young Hokage, seeing the unbending iron in his will.
He knew Akira's methods. He knew his strength. If Tsunade resisted—and she would resist—the outcome would be...
Jiraiya's heart sank. He couldn't just stand by and watch that happen. He couldn't let Akira treat Tsunade like a mere tool to be forcibly retrieved. She was his teammate, his friend... the woman he had always loved.
"I'll go with you," Jiraiya said, his voice firm.
Uchiha Akira turned his head, a faint, knowing smile touching his lips.
This was exactly the result he wanted. Jiraiya was the only one who might be able to reason with her.
"She's... stubborn as a mule," Jiraiya admitted, his face etched with worry. "More stubborn than anyone I know."
"But perhaps, for my sake, she might... listen a little. Just for a moment."
He looked Akira in the eye. "At the very least, she won't start fighting as soon as she sees us. If she sees you... she'll see an Uchiha in the Hokage's hat and think it's a war."
"Alright." Uchiha Akira nodded in agreement.
He stood up, grabbing the Hokage's Kasa from its stand.
"Get ready."
"We'll depart immediately."
...
Tanzaku Quarters.
This place was a different world from the disciplined order of Konohagakure. There were no strict defenses, no rigid rules, only the unspoken law of coin and connections.
Casinos, loud and gaudy, lined the main street, their doors wide open. The sound of clattering dice, shouting, and raucous laughter spilled out. Taverns and pleasure quarters were scattered in every alley, the air thick with the smell of stale sake, cheap perfume, and unwashed bodies.
Countless gamblers, desperate ronin with hands on their hilts, rogue ninja from various countries with their headbands scratched out, and sly merchants gathered here.
It was a lawless land, a den of iniquity where dragons and snakes mingled, all seeking fortune, pleasure, or a place to hide.
At this very moment, in a narrow, trash-strewn alley just off the main street, a desperate chase was fiercely underway.
"Stop right there!"
"You damn woman! Don't you dare run!"
A gap-toothed man with a scar across his nose led the pack. "You owe money and you think you can just run! Today, I'm going to break both your legs and sell your little pig for scraps!"
More than a dozen burly men, armed with crude weapons like clubs and rusty machetes, were aggressively chasing the two figures ahead.
Running in the lead was a woman with a voluptuous, powerful figure and beautiful, wild golden hair tied in two low ponytails.
Behind her, struggling to keep up, followed a young girl with short black hair. She was desperately clutching a small, terrified pig.
It was none other than Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, and her long-suffering disciple, Shizune, who was holding her pig, Tonton.
"Lady Tsunade! They're catching up to us! Please, run faster!" Shizune cried, panting heavily.
Her face was a mask of anxiety and pure, unadulterated helplessness.
[Here we go again… It's always, always like this…]
[As soon as Lady Tsunade even smells a casino, she loses her mind! She absolutely won't come out until she's lost every last ryō we have!]
[And now, she's in a huge debt—again!—and we're being chased all over the street—again!]
[What kind of life am I living?! Why me?!]
Shizune's heart was filled with endless, repeating grievances.
Tsunade, however, ran with an easy, athletic grace. She glanced back at the group of vicious debt collectors, but there was no trace of panic on her face.
Instead, she even had the leisure to complain, brushing a stray blonde hair from her face.
"Damn it!" she cursed, her voice annoyed.
"Just a little more! I was on a roll! Just one more bet and I would have won it all back!"
She scowled. "It's all that dealer's fault. He must have been cheating! I knew it!"
Upon hearing this, Shizune almost fainted from sheer exasperation.
[Oh my god! Lady Tsunade!]
[At a time like this, you're still thinking about that?!]
[Don't you know your own reputation?! You're the 'Legendary Sucker'! You always lose at gambling! Always!]
Shizune was truly about to be driven crazy by her unreliable, hopelessly addicted master.
"Shizune, don't be afraid!" Tsunade suddenly skidded to a stop, turning to face her pursuers with a confident, almost bored, smile.
Tonton squealed in protest from Shizune's arms.
"They're just a few nobodies," Tsunade said, cracking her knuckles. "I'll take care of them in no time!"
With that, she clenched her fists, her chakra flaring almost invisibly. The ground beneath her sandals began to splinter. She prepared for a big fight.
Just as Tsunade was about to make her move and blast these scumbags into dust with a single, well-placed punch...
Two figures suddenly appeared in the alley in front of her.
They hadn't run in from the street; they simply... were. One moment, the path was empty. The next, two men stood there, blocking the path between Tsunade and the group of debt collectors.
One of them, with his wild white hair and familiar red geta sandals, made her heart stop.
Jiraiya?
And the other…
The scar-faced thug leading the group skidded to a halt, surprised by the sudden appearance.
"Who… who the hell are you people?" he yelled, brandishing his machete.
"You dare to meddle in Tanzaku Quarters' affairs?! This is our turf!"
"If you know what's good for you, scram right now!"
"Otherwise, we'll cut you down, too! We don't care who you are!"
Jiraiya ignored the thug completely. He turned his head, his eyes locking with Tsunade's. He gave her a smile—a complex expression of long-awaited reunion, sadness, and nostalgia.
"Long time no see, Tsunade."
Tsunade's gaze, however, was fixed on the back of the other man.
[This man…]
[Who is he? His chakra... it feels... cold. And familiar... an Uchiha?]
[Why is he with Jiraiya?]
Uchiha Akira slowly turned around.
A handsome, pale face appeared in Tsunade's line of sight. His eyes were dark, dispassionate, and held an unnerving depth.
The scar-faced thug, seeing himself completely ignored, turned purple with rage.
"Bastard!" he roared.
"Are you deaf?! I told you to GET LOST!"
He was furious. "If you want to die, then I'll grant your wish! Get 'em, boys!"
The thugs behind him also raised their weapons, yelling and closing in step by step.
Jiraiya closed his eyes in despair, a low groan escaping him.
[It's over.]
[These idiots… they have no idea what they just threatened.]
Whoosh—
The sound of yelling and the clatter of weapons died instantly.
An indescribable, terrifying pressure emanated from Uchiha Akira. It wasn't just chakra; it was pure, unadulterated Killer Intent (Sakki), so cold and dense it felt like being plunged into an arctic ocean.
The scar-faced man's action of raising his machete froze in mid-air.
The sneer on his face completely solidified, twisting into a mask of pure terror.
"Uh… Ah…"
Breathing became incredibly difficult, as if the air itself had become too heavy to inhale. His eyes bulged as he stared at Akira, seeing an abyss of death in those calm, dark eyes.
"You…"
"You…"
The scar-faced man's body trembled violently, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.
Thud!
His legs went weak, and he unceremoniously fell to his knees on the dirty ground, his machete clattering from his numb fingers.
The thugs behind him were even worse off. Some collapsed outright, foaming at the mouth, while others just stood, frozen in place, shaking.
Uchiha Akira's gaze casually swept over the stunned, pathetic thugs.
His right index finger, almost too fast to see, quickly formed a single, subtle hand sign at a concealed angle.
Then, Akira coldly uttered a single word, withdrawing his oppressive aura just as suddenly as it had appeared.
"Scram."
Feeling the crushing, soul-freezing pressure suddenly disappear, the thugs, as if granted a great pardon, gasped for air.
They didn't need to be told twice.
They scrambled away, tripping over each other, crawling and running as fast as they could. They instantly vanished at the end of the alley, desperate to escape the monster they had just encountered.
Just as they turned the corner of the alley and ran a short distance, several dark figures—Anbu masks gleaming in the dim light—flashed past.
Several extremely faint thuds, like blades cutting through silk, sounded. More than a dozen debt-collecting thugs fell to the ground, their lives extinguished before they could even scream.
The alley was suddenly silent, the only sound Shizune's quick, nervous breathing and Tonton's whimpers.
Akira's order had not just been for the thugs to scram. It had been a kill order for his hidden Anbu detail. No loose ends.
Jiraiya looked at Tsunade, who was staring at Akira with wide, disbelieving eyes. He gave a wry, heavy smile and began the introduction.
"Tsunade, let me introduce you."
He gestured to the young man beside him, who now looked at her as if she were merely an asset to be cataloged.
"This is the current Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure."
"Lord Uchiha Akira."
[Inorin Note:
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