Chapter 15: A Debt of Gratitude and Jutsu
"Little Shinra, since it's your first time, just follow my lead. Bet where I bet, and you're sure to win!" Tsunade declared with the unshakable confidence of a seasoned gambler on a losing streak.
Heh, Shinra thought internally, a wry smile hidden behind his eyes. If I bet with you, I'll lose my pants before the hour is up.
He watched as Tsunade confidently placed her wager. Then, with a silent apology to her luck, he put his entire starting fund of ten thousand ryo on the exact opposite outcome.
"Little Shinra!" Tsunade puffed her cheeks in mock anger. "You don't trust me?"
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He wanted to trust her, but her track record was a terrifying legend he couldn't ignore. He simply gave an innocent shrug.
When the dice settled, the result was as predictable as the sunrise. Tsunade lost, and Shinra's ten thousand ryo swelled to fifty thousand. A five-fold return. A genuine thrill shot through him. If I ever run out of money again, I know who to bring to the casino.
"Sister Tsunade," he asked casually as the next round was set up, "who owns this place?"
"Huh? Why do you ask?" she grumbled, her mood soured by the loss.
"No reason, just curious."
"It's backed by the Sarutobi clan, with the Shimura and other major families as investors. Well, except the Uchiha," she explained, still eyeing the dice cup.
The background is formidable, Shinra noted. He continued betting, carefully placing his money against Tsunade's choices. His only real concern was the involvement of the Shimura clan. He didn't trust Danzo not to send an assassin after a consistent winner, no matter how small the stakes. While the man was later somewhat "redeemed" in the original story, in Shinra's book, black was black, and no amount of whitewashing could change a leopard's spots.
By the afternoon, Tsunade had lost every ryo she'd brought, and had even borrowed half a million from her newly wealthy companion.
"Little Shinra, lend me another five hundred thousand! I have a feeling my luck is about to turn!" she pleaded, the classic red-eyed gleam of a desperate gambler in her eyes.
"Sister Tsunade," Shinra said, his voice firm but gentle. "A little gambling is fun. A lot can hurt you. Chasing your losses will bankrupt you."
"But I feel like I can win this time!"
Don't you have any self-awareness? he screamed internally. If you actually won, the world would probably end. Keeping his thoughts to himself, he securely stored his winnings and began to usher her out of the casino.
Broke and dejected, Tsunade had no choice but to follow. Once outside, she grabbed him in a tight, playful headlock.
"You little traitor! You didn't help me at all, and you didn't believe in me!" she scolded, her fierce expression undermined by her delicate features, making her look more cute than intimidating.
Hyuga Shinra looked up, his face a mask of mock despair. "If I had believed you, we'd both be penniless right now. And don't forget the five hundred thousand you owe me. That needs to be repaid."
"I know, I know," Tsunade replied, her eyes darting away evasively.
Shinra looked at her and knew, with absolute certainty, that she had no intention of ever paying him back.
Ah, forget it, he thought with a mental sigh. Consider it a fee for her bringing me here. Without her, I couldn't have even entered. He tried to be generous, but internally, he was mourning the loss. Being poor for two years made parting with such a sum genuinely painful.
"Pfft!" Seeing his genuinely distraught expression, Tsunade laughed. She then pulled a storage scroll from her pouch and handed it to him. "Here. I'm selling you these jutsu. Consider it a down payment."
Shinra took the scroll in a daze, then his face lit up with real gratitude. "Thank you, Sister Tsunade!"
"Don't mention it. From now on, you're my little brother. If anyone ever bullies you, you come and tell me, and I'll handle it," she declared, puffing out her chest.
"Okay!" A genuine smile spread across Shinra's face. He didn't need the protection, but the sentiment, the feeling of having someone in his corner, was a warmth he hadn't felt in this world.
"You won so much today. Aren't you going to treat your big sister to a proper meal?"
"Of course! I only won so much thanks to you, Sister Tsunade!"
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized how they sounded. He was thanking her for her catastrophic losses being his gain.
Thump!
Tsunade gave him another light knock on the head, but she was smiling. "Don't worry about it. I'm not that petty. I know my own gambling luck."
Relieved she wasn't actually offended, Shinra relaxed. That's what you say now, he thought, but in the heat of the moment at the tables, you're a different person.
They found a lively snack bar. Tsunade ordered fried chicken, four-color dango, and a flask of sake, digging in with a lack of decorum that Shinra found refreshing. He matched her pace, stuffing his own face with practiced speed.
"Slow down! No one's going to steal it from you," she laughed, watching him.
"Mmph-hmm," he grunted, his mouth too full to form words. It took him a moment to swallow. "I'm used to eating fast. It's more efficient."
His training regimen was brutally demanding, and he'd learned to fuel his body as quickly as possible. Without his Sage Body, such a relentless pace would have broken him long ago.
After their meal, they parted ways, their clans located in opposite parts of the village. Back in the safety of his home, Shinra first retrieved a decoy storage scroll and counted his winnings: over three million ryo.
"Gambling is definitely the fastest way to make money," he mused, "but only if Tsunade is there to be the catalyst. Without her, I'd be the one losing my pants."
He stored the entire fortune in the safest vault he had—his system mall. Then, he turned his attention to the scroll Tsunade had given him. A wave of genuine gratitude washed over him. They had only met twice, yet she had shown him such kindness.
He unsealed the scroll. Six ninjutsu were recorded within, each with detailed annotations. The two most valuable by far were the secret techniques of the Senju clan: the Strength of a Hundred Technique and the Creation Rebirth: Strength of a Hundred Seal. The other four were powerful elemental techniques: Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall, Lightning Style: Earth-Style Rampart, and Water Style: Water Formation Wall.
This was not a simple gift; it was a treasure trove. It was a foundation upon which he could build a power that was truly his own.