"Speak more clearly. What exactly happened?" Yahiko demanded, his tone sharp. He and the others, brimming with unresolved frustration, stormed out of the office and headed straight to the scene of the incident. The troublemaker had unwittingly offered them a perfect outlet for their anger.
"A woman," The Akatsuki ninja began as they walked, clearly eager to share every detail. "She's wearing a mask, so you can't see her face. She showed up after noon, and it's like the plague possessed her. Our casino has been open for so long, and I've never seen anything like it. You know, no matter how unlucky someone is, they can still win a hand or two. But not her—she hasn't won a single hand. Not one!"
Akatsuki ninja was prone to gossip, seemed unable to hold back his amazement. His disbelief stemmed not just from the sheer bad luck but also the unprecedented nature of it.
As she spoke, a familiar figure flashed through Yahiko and the others' minds. Almost instinctively, they slowed their pace, exchanging glances. The unspoken question was evident in their expressions: "No way."
Only Kakuzu appeared puzzled, oblivious to the connection. "Don't stop—keep talking," he urged, frustrated by the sudden pause.
Yahiko stifled his impatience and gestured for the Akatsuki ninja to continue.
"After she lost all the money she brought—about 10 million by rough estimate—she started accusing the casino of cheating," he went on. "You know we're a civilized casino and never cheat. Lord Akatsukikage's rules don't allow it, but this woman… she just wouldn't listen."
Xiaorun hesitated briefly, glancing at Yahiko, perhaps to gauge his reaction. Seeing none, she pressed forward.
"Lord Daiki happened to be overseeing order today and stepped in to reason with her. But no matter how much he explained, she refused to believe him and kept accusing us. Finally, he decided to refund a small portion of her losses just to calm her down and send her away."
At this, he quickly clarified, "But please don't misunderstand—this doesn't mean the casino admitted to cheating! It was just to avoid further conflict."
Though the Akatsuki ninja's explanations were thorough, Yahiko and the others were only half-listening. Their primary concern wasn't the incident itself but the identity of the masked woman. Could it really be who they thought it was?
"Well, go on," Yahiko urged, eager for more clues to confirm the identity.
"Justice is in the hearts of the people, and our reputation is known to our guests. There were quite a few people who won money there. If she had just taken the money and left, this matter would have been over. But she disagreed and wanted us to refund her entire stake and compensate her for a large sum of money. How could Lord Daiki agree to that?"
The Akatsuki ninja's tone rose, clearly angry as he recounted the events.
"Cut the crap and continue," Kakuzu said impatiently, glaring at the ninja. "Get to the point, boy." His glare was enough to scare the ninja into compliance.
"After Lord Daiki refused, the two argued a bit. I was a little far away and couldn't hear clearly. Then Lord Daiki flew through the air and couldn't get up for a long time."
Yahiko interrupted, his eyes lighting up with interest. "How did Daiki fly through the air?"
The ninja gestured, trying to demonstrate. "He was punched in the stomach by that woman. Lord Daiki said it felt like he'd been hit by a carriage. He flew through the air in a flash."
"Taijutsu, extremely powerful," Nagato muttered, as if confirming their earlier suspicions.
"What happened next?" Yahiko pressed.
"Then a few lords attacked at once, and they all flew out after taking a punch each. I saw the situation wasn't good, so I hurried to find you."
The explanation ended just as the group arrived at the casino entrance. The three-story casino had a luxurious exterior, with three gold-embossed characters at the entrance reading Dreams Come True. Despite the chaos earlier, no sounds of fighting came from inside, suggesting the troublemakers were waiting for someone important to arrive.
Are they fearless, or just too arrogant?
Inside, all gambling tables had stopped operating. The onlookers, choosing safety, kept their distance while watching the standoff. At the center of it all, a group of Akatsuki ninja led by Daiki Nakamura faced off against a woman and two men.
The Akatsuki ninjas, clearly wary, made no move to attack. Blood stained the corners of their mouths—a stark contrast to the woman and her companions, who remained unscathed. When Daiki Nakamura spotted Yahiko, his eyes lit up like he'd seen a savior. Though he said nothing, his hunched posture straightened unconsciously.
"Lord Akatsukikage is here. Let's see how this ends."
"This unlucky woman isn't easy to deal with," someone muttered. "Her gambling skills are poor, but her strength is impressive. The ones who got beaten up aren't just any ninja—they're Akatsuki ninja and Jōnin."
...
The onlookers chattered animatedly, their voices buzzing with curiosity and excitement.
"Hey, you brat, are you the Akatsukikage?"
"Your casino cheated! How are you going to resolve this?"
Before Yahiko or the others could respond, the woman took the initiative, hurling accusations at them. Though her mask concealed her expression, her dismissive tone made it clear she didn't take Yahiko and his group seriously.
The moment the woman spoke, Yahiko and the others froze. The voice stirred a wave of emotions in them, bringing tears of excitement to their eyes. Yes, it was her.
They shifted their gaze to the two men standing beside her. Like the woman, they wore masks that obscured their faces. Despite this, faint, knowing smiles tugged at the corners of Yahiko and his companions' mouths. You two are here too.
Kakuzu, however, had a different reaction. His pupils contracted sharply as he stared at one of the men. That man... I will never forget him.
"What evidence do you have that our casino is cheating?" Yahiko demanded, his tone stern and composed. "With so many people watching, what you say doesn't make it true. And you dared to injure someone from my Akatsuki village? Do you not care about the consequences?" Despite his controlled exterior, Yahiko worked to suppress the wave of excitement coursing through him, ensuring he gave nothing away.
"I say there's cheating, so there is," the woman replied confidently. "Pay me compensation, and I'll let you off lightly." She moved to sit down in a chair, her demeanor entirely unshaken.
The two men remained silent, standing behind her like unmoving shadows.
"Whatever you say is the truth, huh? Who do you think you are?" Yahiko shot back. "If you apologize now, I might consider letting you go."
Yahiko hesitated for a moment, about to deliver a harsher retort, but changed his mind. If this escalates and comes back to haunt me, what kind of backlash will I face later? However, to the onlookers, this pause made him appear uncertain, almost outmatched.
"See? The other side is causing trouble in his territory, and Lord Akatsukikage is only asking for an apology?"
"Too easy on them, don't you think?"
"It seems like even Lord Akatsukikage is afraid of that woman."
"I think so too."
"What do you know? If they fight here, it'll cost everyone. He's just worried about the money."
The crowd's opinions were split, with some criticizing Yahiko and others defending him. Still, the prevailing sentiment was clear—many believed the Akatsukikage had already lost the upper hand before the fight had even begun.