To be honest, Tsunade's performance was painfully unconvincing.
Ren and Rin had both seen her expression when the dice cup was opened. They had also heard several gamblers outside openly referring to her as the Legendary Sucker.
No amount of dignity could erase that.
Still, Rin's admiration for Tsunade remained stubbornly intact. Though doubt was clearly written across her face, she reluctantly accepted Tsunade's hurried explanation.
Shinobi lived under enormous pressure.
Sometimes, they needed a way to relax.
That explanation was not entirely false.
The only problem was that Tsunade's definition of "sometimes" appeared to include every available opportunity.
Ren's gaze moved toward the gambling table.
Only a handful of chips remained in front of Tsunade, scattered across the wood like survivors from a defeated army. Judging by the thick ledger in the casino owner's hands and the amused expressions around them, she had already lost a truly painful amount of money.
Ren cleared his throat.
"Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade glanced at him.
Ren looked at the remaining chips.
"It appears your gambling session is almost over."
Tsunade's eyebrow twitched.
"I was about to turn things around."
"Of course."
Ren's calm agreement somehow sounded less convincing than a direct insult.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
Ren continued before she could respond.
"How about I place the final bet for you?"
The surrounding gamblers immediately looked toward him.
Tsunade stared.
Ren added, "If I win, the profit belongs to you. If I lose, I'll compensate you with twice the amount."
For half a second, Tsunade's expression went completely blank.
Then her eyes widened.
"Are you serious?"
"Completely."
Ren had no clear idea how much revenue Konoha Raw Cola had generated while he was away. However, he had spent months stationed near the southwestern border and had accumulated a reasonable amount of mission rewards and wartime allowances.
He was not wealthy enough to gamble recklessly.
But replacing a few thousand ryo would not be difficult.
The moment the proposal left his mouth, several excited voices erupted inside his mind.
The Gala System stirred.
Super Strength Technique: Gambling? We're gambling? Good! Hurry up and place the bet! I can already feel it. The next round will double our money! Trust me!
Clone Technique: I have a terrible feeling about this. Every time that blonde woman touches dice, something goes wrong. We should leave before her luck spreads.
Ren remained expressionless.
Relax. It's one round.
Clone Technique: That is exactly what gamblers say before ruining their lives.
Ren ignored it.
Tsunade looked from him to the chips, then back again.
She had been losing for hours. Her frustration had already reached the point where caution no longer mattered.
"Fine."
She pushed the remaining chips across the table.
"Take them."
Rin's eyes widened.
"Lady Tsunade…"
"If he loses, he only needs to replace the original amount," Tsunade declared. "Not double."
Her tone made it sound as though she were being magnanimous rather than desperately searching for a way to recover her losses.
Ren accepted the chips.
"Let's begin."
The dealer watched him carefully.
Unlike the drunken civilians and desperate merchants crowding the casino, Ren stood with the calm posture of a shinobi. Even while using a Transformation Technique to disguise his age, there was something unusual about his stillness.
The dealer gathered the dice and dropped them into the cup.
The faint clatter drew the attention of everyone nearby.
Ren had already learned the basic rules of dice games through repeated arguments with Super Strength Technique inside the Gala System. He understood the odds, the wagers, and the different ways experienced dealers manipulated rhythm to confuse gamblers.
None of that guaranteed victory.
But Ren did not intend to rely on luck.
The dealer began shaking the cup.
The dice struck the inner walls in a rapid series of sharp impacts.
Clack-clack-clack-clack.
The sound was almost hypnotic.
The dealer's wrist turned, reversed, tilted downward, then snapped upward again. The motion was smooth enough that an ordinary person could never track the positions of the dice.
Tsunade unconsciously clenched her hands.
Though she had just pretended that the money did not matter, her gaze remained locked on Ren's back.
Rin watched as well, her expression tense.
The surrounding gamblers slowly fell silent.
Just before the dealer lowered the cup, a faint gleam passed through Ren's eyes.
Nerve Activation Technique.
Chakra surged through his nervous system.
The world slowed.
The dealer's movements stretched into clear, readable fragments.
Ren saw the minute shift in the man's fingers.
He heard each collision inside the dice cup.
One die struck the wall and changed direction.
Another bounced beneath it.
A third rotated twice before sliding toward the bottom.
The angle of the dealer's wrist altered by less than a fraction.
To everyone else, it was meaningless.
To Ren, it formed a pattern.
The dice cup slammed against the table.
Clack!
"Place your bets," the dealer announced.
Ren's hand moved immediately.
He pushed every chip into the section marked Big.
"Big."
His decision was sharp and absolute.
Tsunade leaned closer and tugged lightly at the back of his clothing.
"Are you sure?"
Her voice was low enough that only Ren and Rin could hear.
"That's everything I have left."
Ren glanced at her.
"You said you were about to turn things around."
Tsunade's face stiffened.
"That was before I handed the chips to you."
"Then trust me."
Tsunade stared at him for another second.
Ren's expression did not change.
She slowly released his clothes.
One by one, the other gamblers placed their wagers.
Some copied Ren, tempted by his confidence.
Others chose Small, convinced that a newcomer's certainty was merely ignorance.
When the final bet was placed, the dealer lifted the cup.
The dice came into view.
Four.
Five.
Six.
The dealer's eyes flickered.
"Fifteen. Big."
For a heartbeat, the table was silent.
Then the crowd erupted.
"He won?"
"Beginner's luck."
"Of course the newcomer wins. The casino always lets you taste victory before it takes everything back."
"I won my first five rounds too. Now my wife controls my money."
Tsunade ignored them.
Her eyes were fixed on the chips being pushed back toward Ren.
The pile had grown considerably.
The tension across her face finally eased.
A slow smile appeared.
"Interesting."
She leaned closer.
"Again?"
Ren looked toward the dealer.
The man's expression remained professional, but his gaze had sharpened.
"Again," Ren said.
The dealer gathered the dice.
This time, his movements changed.
The cup moved faster, and the rhythm became irregular. He rotated his wrist unpredictably, occasionally pausing for only a fraction of a second before continuing.
He was testing Ren.
The dealer did not believe the first victory was skill.
But he wanted to make certain.
Ren activated Nerve Activation Technique again.
The dice thundered inside the cup.
His hearing separated each impact.
His enhanced perception followed the shifting weight in the dealer's hand.
When the cup came down, Ren placed his bet.
"Small."
The dice were revealed.
One.
Three.
Five.
"Nine. Small."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
The dealer's fingers tightened almost imperceptibly.
Tsunade slapped Ren's shoulder.
"Good!"
The force nearly drove him into the table.
Rin flinched.
Ren remained upright, though the wood beneath his feet creaked.
"Lady Tsunade," he said calmly, "please control your strength."
Tsunade laughed.
"That was controlled."
Ren decided not to imagine what an uncontrolled gesture would have done.
The third round began.
By now, more gamblers had gathered around the table.
People from nearby games abandoned their cards and tiles to watch. Even several casino staff members moved closer, pretending to collect cups or clean tables while carefully observing Ren.
The dealer changed his technique again.
This time, he used an aggressive series of movements designed to make the dice collide unpredictably. The cup twisted in a tight circle, reversed direction, then struck the tabletop at an angle.
Ren's eyes sharpened.
Nerve Activation Technique placed immense strain on his senses when used repeatedly, but the round lasted only seconds.
He caught the final sound.
One die landed flat.
Another rolled twice.
The last struck the rim before settling.
"Big," Ren said.
The cup lifted.
Three.
Five.
Six.
"Fourteen. Big."
The casino exploded into noise.
"Three in a row!"
"That isn't luck anymore."
"Who is this kid?"
"He's using a disguise. Maybe he's a veteran shinobi."
"Could he be from the Uchiha?"
"No. An Uchiha wouldn't be allowed through the entrance."
Ren's pile of chips had multiplied to nearly four times its original size.
It was still not enough to recover everything Tsunade had lost that day, but more than half of the damage had been erased.
The energy around the table changed.
What had begun as amusement became suspicion.
The dealer wiped a thin layer of sweat from his forehead.
Several casino employees positioned themselves at different angles around Ren. Their clothing looked ordinary, but Ren noticed the shinobi sandals, disciplined posture, and chakra moving beneath their skin.
Casino security.
In a world where chakra existed, cheating could take countless forms.
A skilled shinobi might manipulate dice with wind.
A genjutsu specialist could alter what the dealer saw.
A sensor could read body movements.
A puppeteer might control hidden threads.
For that reason, casinos strictly prohibited the use of ninjutsu to influence a game.
The Uchiha and Hyuga clans were often barred entirely. Their dojutsu made them far too difficult to monitor, and their distinctive appearances made identification simple.
Ren's method existed in a more troublesome area.
He was technically using ninjutsu.
However, he was not touching the dice, the cup, the dealer, or the table.
He was merely enhancing his own nervous system and perception.
Unless someone could directly observe the chakra pathways inside his body, proving that he had cheated would be nearly impossible.
The casino staff clearly understood that something was wrong.
They simply could not identify what.
Inside the Gala System, Super Strength Technique had become wildly excited.
Super Strength Technique: Again! Again! Put everything on the next round!
Super Strength Technique favorability increased by 2.
Clone Technique: This is how disaster begins.
Ren ignored both voices.
Tsunade stared at the growing pile of chips with open delight.
Her earlier embarrassment had completely disappeared.
She brought one hand down on Ren's back again.
"Hahaha! Excellent!"
The impact echoed through his bones.
"You really know what you're doing."
Ren glanced over his shoulder.
"That is the second time you've nearly broken my spine."
"Nonsense. Medical shinobi understand anatomy."
"That does not make it more reassuring."
Tsunade pointed toward the table.
"One more round."
Ren did not move.
"Lady Tsunade."
"Just one."
"We should stop."
Her smile disappeared.
"What?"
"We recovered most of what you lost."
"Exactly. We're close to breaking even."
"That is why we should leave."
Tsunade stared at him as though he had suddenly started speaking another language.
Ren continued calmly.
"Luck becomes less reliable the more you depend on it."
"I thought this was skill."
"It is."
"Then keep going."
"No."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
The atmosphere around them immediately became dangerous.
Rin took a cautious step backward.
The casino staff did the same.
Ren met Tsunade's gaze without flinching.
"If we continue until you recover everything, you'll want to continue until you profit."
Tsunade opened her mouth.
Ren did not allow her to interrupt.
"If we profit, you'll want to double it. If we double it, you'll believe the next round will be even better."
Tsunade's lips pressed into a thin line.
The accuracy of his words made them impossible to dismiss.
Ren gestured toward the chips.
"This is where we stop."
For several seconds, Tsunade looked ready to drag him back to the table by force.
Then she remembered Rin.
The young medical trainee stood nearby, watching the legendary Sannin with a complicated expression.
Tsunade straightened.
Her shoulders relaxed.
"Fine."
She spoke as though she were the one making a mature decision.
"We'll stop here."
Ren said nothing.
The disappointment in her voice was obvious.
A casino employee quickly collected the chips and exchanged them for cash. Judging by the speed of the service, the establishment was eager to see them leave.
Tsunade stuffed the money into her pocket.
The motion was so fast that the bills almost disappeared.
Then she threw one arm around Ren's shoulders.
"Come on."
Ren nearly stumbled under the sudden weight.
Tsunade beckoned toward Rin with her free hand.
"You too."
Rin approached carefully.
"We're going somewhere quieter," Tsunade said. "You can tell me what trouble you caused at the front."
Ren glanced toward the gambling table.
The dealer was still watching him.
So were the casino security shinobi.
Ren gave them a polite nod.
None of them returned it.
A few minutes later, the three sat inside a dumpling shop on another street.
The difference in atmosphere was immediate.
Warm steam filled the room. The scent of sweet sauce and toasted flour replaced tobacco smoke and alcohol. Afternoon sunlight entered through the wooden windows, and the noise outside was distant enough to feel peaceful.
Tsunade sat across from Ren and Rin with a cup of tea in one hand.
A plate of dumplings rested between them.
She took a slow sip while listening to their report.
"So let me understand this properly."
Her gaze moved between the two young shinobi.
"You encountered that old woman Chiyo near the southwestern border."
"Yes," Rin answered.
"You fought her."
"With Minato-sensei and the others," Ren clarified.
"You captured a Sunagakure shinobi who possesses Scorch Release."
"Yes."
"And somehow, instead of killing you, she agreed to provide a full set of experimental data."
Ren nodded.
"That's the situation."
Tsunade placed her cup down.
The light humor in her expression faded.
"Pakura agreed voluntarily?"
"She did."
"Under what conditions?"
"We ensured she would not be treated as a prisoner or disposable test subject. She can refuse procedures that place her life at unnecessary risk."
Tsunade studied him.
"And Sunagakure allowed this?"
"Chiyo accepted the agreement because it allowed them to regain Pakura while still providing us with research access."
Rin leaned forward.
"We also promised that the experiments would focus on understanding Scorch Release rather than harming her."
Tsunade looked toward Rin.
"Did Pakura believe you?"
Rin hesitated.
"Eventually."
That answer seemed to interest Tsunade more than an immediate yes would have.
Ren reached into his pouch.
He removed a sealed scroll and placed it on the table.
"This contains the preliminary report."
Tsunade's eyes dropped toward it.
"Rin and I organized the material with assistance from Senior Jaci. The document includes observations on Pakura's chakra circulation, the temperature shifts during activation, the effects on surrounding moisture, and the physical strain placed on her body."
Tsunade's expression sharpened with every word.
Ren placed a second, smaller scroll beside the first.
"This contains preserved cell samples obtained with Pakura's consent."
The dumpling shop suddenly felt quieter.
Tsunade did not touch the scrolls immediately.
Her eyes remained on Ren.
"You collected bloodline-limit cell samples on an active battlefield."
"Yes."
"From an enemy shinobi."
"Yes."
"And returned with both the subject alive and the cooperation agreement intact."
"That is correct."
Tsunade slowly leaned back.
For the first time since leaving the casino, her expression showed no amusement.
Rin recognized that look.
This was no longer the embarrassed gambler who had tried to hide dice behind her back.
This was one of the greatest medical shinobi alive.
Tsunade reached for the first scroll.
The seal opened beneath her fingertips.
Lines of tightly organized writing appeared across the paper.
She read in silence.
Her eyes moved quickly, absorbing every note.
Several moments passed.
Then her fingers stopped.
"Ren."
"Yes?"
"This section says Pakura's technique does not simply create heat."
"That was our conclusion."
Tsunade looked up.
"You believe it forcibly removes moisture from living tissue."
Ren nodded.
"The visible heat is only part of the effect. Scorch Release appears to disrupt the target's internal water balance almost instantly. That is why the bodies of its victims become dried and mummified rather than burned in the ordinary sense."
Tsunade's gaze returned to the report.
"And you think that mechanism can be separated from the destructive output?"
"Possibly."
Rin's expression became more serious.
"If controlled at a much lower level, it might remove infected fluid, sterilize damaged tissue, or regulate internal moisture during certain procedures."
Tsunade looked between them.
The possibility was extraordinary.
A technique known only for killing might possess medical applications no one had considered.
But the risks were equally terrifying.
One minor error could dehydrate tissue, destroy organs, or kill a patient before a medic had time to react.
Tsunade opened the second scroll.
A set of carefully sealed samples appeared within the containment markings.
She examined the storage method.
Then she looked at Ren again.
"You preserved these correctly."
"Senior Jaci supervised the process."
"Even so."
Tsunade closed the scroll.
"You understand what you've brought back, don't you?"
Ren's voice remained calm.
"A chance to study Scorch Release."
"No."
Tsunade's fingers rested on the sealed samples.
"You brought back the foundation for something that could change both battlefield medicine and bloodline-limit research."
Rin's breath caught.
Tsunade's eyes hardened.
"And if the wrong people learn exactly what these samples contain, they won't care whether Pakura survives the research."
Ren understood immediately.
Root.
Certain clan elders.
Foreign spies.
Even Konoha's own research divisions could become dangerous if ambition outweighed restraint.
Tsunade leaned closer.
"From this moment onward, you do not discuss these samples with anyone who is not directly involved."
Her voice was low and absolute.
"Not your teammates. Not other medical shinobi. Not even senior jonin."
Rin nodded quickly.
Ren did the same.
Tsunade gathered both scrolls and slid them into her sleeve.
"I'll inspect everything personally."
She paused.
"If your conclusions are correct, this project will require a secure facility, trusted personnel, and approval from the Hokage."
Ren watched her carefully.
"And Pakura?"
"She remains under your original agreement."
Tsunade's answer came without hesitation.
"No dissection. No forced procedures. No treating her like livestock simply because she was born with a rare bloodline."
Rin visibly relaxed.
Ren had expected that response.
Whatever Tsunade's flaws, she was still a healer.
Tsunade lifted her tea again, but before drinking, she narrowed her eyes at Ren.
"There is one more issue."
"What is it?"
"You used ninjutsu inside a casino."
Rin froze.
Ren's expression remained unchanged.
"I enhanced my perception."
"That is still ninjutsu."
I did not manipulate the dice."
"You cheated."
"I improved my ability to observe the game."
"You cheated intelligently."
"That sounds like a compliment."
"It is not."
Tsunade took a sip.
Then a faint smile appeared over the rim of her cup.
"But if anyone asks, you were simply blessed with extraordinary luck."
Ren looked at her.
Tsunade placed the cup down.
"After all, Konoha cannot allow people to discover that its newest young genius can walk into a casino and empty the tables."
Rin blinked.
"Newest young genius?"
Tsunade pointed at Ren.
"The Young God of Gamblers."
Ren's face darkened.
"Please do not call me that."
Tsunade laughed.
"You won three rounds in a row and dragged me back from financial ruin."
"I recovered half your losses.
"That is more than anyone else has ever managed."
Ren suddenly understood that the title would not disappear.
Tsunade leaned back, pleased with herself.
Rin covered her mouth, trying not to smile.
Then Tsunade's expression shifted again.
Her fingers tapped lightly against the scroll hidden in her sleeve.
"One last question."
Ren waited.
Tsunade's golden eyes settled on him.
"Did Pakura tell you why Sunagakure sent someone with her bloodline so close to the front?"
Ren's gaze sharpened.
He had considered that question.
A shinobi as valuable as Pakura should not have been exposed casually.
Tsunade continued.
"Because if Chiyo was willing to risk losing her, then either Sunagakure was desperate…"
Her voice lowered
"…or Pakura was never meant to return alive."
The warmth of the dumpling shop seemed to vanish.
Rin's smile disappeared.
Ren stared at the sealed scroll beneath Tsunade's hand.
A bloodline-limit user.
A politically useful hero.
A dangerous witness.
Suddenly, Pakura's presence on the battlefield no longer looked like ordinary deployment.
It looked like the beginning of an execution.
And somewhere in Sunagakure, someone might already be preparing to finish what the battlefield failed to do.
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