"Uh…"
Mikami Yuu straightened his back slightly, feeling the large, soft yet resilient pressure against him from behind. His heartbeat sped up a little.
"Lady Tsunade's kindness is impossible to repay. If thirty percent of the profits still isn't enough… then I'm afraid I can only offer myself in marriage."
"Pfft—"
Tsunade was amused by his words. She raised a hand and flicked him sharply on the forehead.
"What nonsense are you saying? 'Offer yourself in marriage'? Trying to take advantage of me, are you? Cheeky little brat. You sure dream big!"
"…"
Yuu thought, Are you sure about that?
But given Tsunade's explosive temper, he didn't dare tease her so casually.
On the other side,
Tsunade seemed to be in a pretty good mood.
After all, the Mikami family had already discussed the profit share with her and signed an agreement. From now on, the higher Raw Cola's sales, the more money she would receive. That was why Tsunade had taken the initiative to bring up the topic to Sarutobi Hiruzen earlier.
At once,
Tsunade straightened up, her golden ponytails swaying with the motion.
"Considering you helped find the whereabouts of another Uzumaki clansperson, plus that thirty percent profit share, I won't hold it against you… Come on. Accompany me to the casino for a couple rounds. I feel like my luck is pretty good today."
"But I still need to go back and train…"
"Less nonsense!"
Yuu had just tried to decline when Tsunade grabbed his arm and dragged him away without explanation.
"With your strength, you could pass the Chūnin Exam with your eyes closed. What's there to train for? Play a couple rounds with me first. I'll personally give you special training afterward!"
"…"
…
Two hours later.
Inside a gambling house in a corner of Konoha Village.
Tsunade looked at the few remaining chips in front of her, her face dark. A vein faintly throbbed at her temple as she gritted out a few words.
"…Damn it. Lost again!"
Beside her,
the chips in front of Yuu had nearly doubled compared to when they came in.
Mm… this time, Yuu had not used cheating methods like Cell Activation Technique. He had simply relied on a bit of calculation ability, along with the strategy of "if Tsunade bets high, I bet low; if Tsunade bets odd, I bet even." After playing for a while, while he didn't win every round, his win rate was indeed around seventy to eighty percent.
From this point of view, Tsunade's title of "Legendary Sucker" was well deserved.
Incidentally,
Monster Strength was also a legendary sucker.
Every time Yuu came to a place like this, or played card and chess games with Rin and the others, Monster Strength became especially excited, frequently chattering through the galgame system and offering grand strategic advice. Unfortunately, her success rate was moving in the same touching direction as Tsunade's.
At this moment,
Tsunade suddenly turned her head and glared fiercely at Yuu, her eyes looking like she wanted to swallow him alive.
"Hey, brat… did you secretly use some trick? Why is your win rate so high?"
"…It's just luck. You know my luck has always been pretty good."
Yuu answered without changing expression.
"Hmph!"
Tsunade slammed the table and stood up angrily.
"I'm done! This place counters me today! We're leaving!"
Yuu sighed, quickly exchanged his chips for cash, and followed Tsunade.
By now, the sky had already darkened. The cool evening breeze blew away the foul air from the gambling house, but it failed to disperse the low pressure around Tsunade. She strode forward, looking like a lioness ready to go berserk at any moment.
"Ahem…"
Yuu cleared his throat and spoke quietly.
"Um, Lady Tsunade, didn't you say earlier that you'd give me special training? I happen to have something I'd like to trouble you with."
"Hm?"
"I caught a ninja beast in the Forest of Death and want to try signing a summoning contract with it…"
"Oh, you mean that lizard?"
Tsunade glanced sideways at him and said irritably, "What's the point of signing a contract with that kind of trash summoning beast? Aside from changing color, it has no special ability. It'll just waste chakra for nothing. If you really want a summoning beast, you might as well sign with Shikkotsu Forest."
"…Can I?"
Yuu asked tentatively.
The Slug Sage of Shikkotsu Forest was indeed one of the summoning beasts he had considered. He had just been unable to decide because he didn't know whether it could teach him Sage Mode. Since Tsunade had brought it up herself, he took the opportunity to probe for information.
Hearing this,
Tsunade snorted coldly, turned her gaze elsewhere, and changed the subject slightly.
"About the Raw Cola bet… I'm probably going to lose. According to our original agreement, I need to grant you one request. If you're willing to use that wager in exchange for an opportunity to sign a Shikkotsu Forest contract, then yes."
"…What if my request is to become your direct student?"
Yuu asked in return.
Tsunade laughed.
"Heh… So you're trying to have everything, huh? If you become my student, then you can legitimately sign a contract with Shikkotsu Forest, and you can also learn my other ninjutsu."
"As expected of Lady Tsunade. You understand immediately."
Yuu chuckled and tacitly admitted it.
"Stop flattering me!"
Tsunade stopped walking. Her golden eyes looked at Yuu as she pondered for a moment.
"Fine. Although that lizard you caught is only so-so in strength, its invisibility ability is indeed somewhat useful against ordinary ninja. It should come in handy during the infiltration into Kusagakure."
"Alright then. I'll teach you for now. Anyway, low-level summoning beasts with poor intelligence like this can be replaced at any time… There are too many people watching here. Find somewhere quiet first."
Soon,
the two arrived at an open space not far from the Senju compound.
As Yuu spread out the scroll, the massive giant lizard covered in dark green scales appeared again. It was still wounded, dispiritedly lying on the ground. Intimidated by the aura radiating from both Yuu and Tsunade, it couldn't help trembling slightly.
"Begin. For this kind of wild ninja beast, you don't need an overly complicated contract ritual. First prepare the contract, sign your name, then try to establish a chakra connection with it…"
Under Tsunade's guidance,
Yuu bit his thumb and wrote his name on a blank summoning contract scroll. Then he formed several hand seals, condensed chakra in his palm, and pressed it toward the giant lizard's rough, cold forehead.
The lizard instinctively wanted to shrink back, but under Tsunade's impatient cold snort and pressure, it froze in place and didn't dare move.
Then Yuu pressed his palm onto its scales, sensed the creature's chakra, and established an invisible connection that ordinary eyes could not see.
As he performed this series of actions in reality,
the galgame system responded at just the right moment.
~~~
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