"No! I don't believe it—unless you let me search him!" the middle-aged man in the center shouted.
They were trying to take a hostage! Hyūga Shigeo stepped back two paces, and Tsunade immediately shielded him.
"There's no need for a body search. It's just money, isn't it? Brothers, I'm no stranger to the gambling scene—you all know me. This time, I had a shipment detained at Qitian Port. Rumor is, it was the work of Kumogakure. If you've got connections or methods, I'll give you all this money instead…"
Her eyes gleamed coldly. She was probing them for information on Kumogakure.
So tonight wasn't just about gambling—it was a mission.
"You do business? What kind of business?" one of the men asked suspiciously.
"What kind doesn't matter. Times are chaotic, some things aren't convenient to reveal," Tsunade said, wearing the guise of a seasoned schemer.
The three men chuckled darkly. "Could it be military goods, food, medicine? The things every nation needs most?"
A smile tugged at Tsunade's lips, her eyes sharp with determination. "Since you're so curious… could it be you're from Kumogakure?"
She didn't wait for an answer. With a sudden move, Tsunade struck, fists flying toward the gathered men.
"Hide!" she barked, pushing Shigeo aside.
In that instant, two of their opponents dropped their cloaks, revealing the forehead protectors at their waists—emblazoned with the symbol of Kumogakure. They really were ninja from the Land of Lightning!
"Little brat, you're mine. You've taken too much money from me, and I've had enough of your face!" one of them lunged to grab Shigeo.
But even surrounded by enemies, Shigeo grabbed a table and slammed it forward, then spun and darted out of the room.
"Brat! Don't run—"
Shigeo glanced back with a cheeky grin, tongue sticking out. "Come on then, grandson—chase me if you dare!"
The man's eyes turned bloodshot with fury. Shouting to two more outside, he charged after Shigeo. The men who had stormed the gambling den were all their accomplices.
They sprinted swiftly, nearly snagging the back of Shigeo's collar—yet each time, he slipped away with a squeal, just out of reach.
"Whoops, that was close! Faster, grandson! Come catch your grandpa—come on, hurry up!" Shigeo teased, keeping that perfect mocking distance: always close enough to lure them, but never within their grasp.
The pursuers' rage boiled over. "Damn brat! When we catch you, we'll cripple you first. Then we'll use you to make that woman obey us. After that, we'll chop off your hands, rip out your mouth, and make you pay for mocking us!"
In a blink, Shigeo had lured the three out beyond the town.
Out on the silent fields, the night was pitch black, with not a soul around.
Standing atop a massive boulder, Shigeo looked down at the panting men and declared coldly, "Don't worry—I'll fulfill your wishes. Soon, your legs will be broken, your mouths torn apart, and your bodies crippled!"
"You little bastard, still mouthing off? Grab him—!" the man roared, slamming his hands onto the ground.
He unleashed Doton – Tsuchi Ana no Jutsu (Earth Release: Earth Pit Technique), intending to bury Shigeo alive and then use Tsuchi Kakure no Jutsu (Earth Release: Hiding in Earth Technique) to drag him out.
But then, unexpectedly—
The ground shook violently. He steadied his stance, only for countless thick tree trunks to burst out from the soil, coiling around the three men's bodies and binding them tight.
They didn't even have time to flee. In an instant, they were caught.
"What—?!"
Who had used that jutsu?
(End of Chapter)
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