Chapter 177: Watch Me Perform a Magic Trick for You!
In the hospital.
Sasuke's treatment was quite good.
The little brat had his reasons for liking Shizune. At the very least, a woman like Tsunade, whose chest and bearing were more masculine than a man's, could never figure out how to comfort a child.
Perhaps out of guilt, or perhaps because she had a good relationship with Itachi, Shizune not only treated Sasuke personally but even thoughtfully decorated the little brat's hospital room.
When Itachi Uchiha stepped into the room, Sasuke, who had been putting on a stubborn front, felt his lip quiver and he frankly burst into tears. "Nii-san…"
"Sasuke…"
"Caw~"
Kitahara's call had a truly lingering quality to it, interrupting a touching brotherly moment. It fluttered down onto the table beside the hospital bed and leaned over to peck at a slice of apple that Shizune had cut.
Tsk, tsk… Let's hear it from everyone. Getting sent to the hospital by a girl your own age, you're really something else, little brat!
Sasuke clenched his fists tightly, glaring at the smug crow. "You bastard!"
"Don't be rude to Lord Kitahara!"
The perpetrator of the beating suddenly stood in front of the hospital bed, looking eager for another fight. After all, she could just heal herself.
There was no arguing with that logic.
Itachi Uchiha placated Karin, telling her to go play on the side for a bit. He then sat by his brother's bed to check the little brat's injuries. "It doesn't look too serious, just two broken ribs…"
Sasuke: "…"
Is he even my real brother?!
"It's best to keep him under observation for a few more days… I'm so sorry…"
Shizune held Karin in an embarrassed embrace. Their side was more in the wrong in this matter; after all, it was Karin who had picked the fight in an attempt to bully her classmates.
Itachi stroked his brother's hair and said in a low voice, "It's alright. I just didn't expect Sasuke to have to take a vacation on his very first day of school…"
"…"
This incident had a certain similar, yet different, charm to his own achievement of graduating on the first day of school.
"I'm really very sorry."
Shizune apologized dejectedly, pressing down on the little girl's red hair. "I will teach Karin properly in the future."
"I've already heard what happened from Neji and Hinata… It was also because the two little ones were too stubborn to back down." Itachi Uchiha shook his head. Even after becoming a Jonin, he still didn't like conflicts between people, especially when there was no need for it among fellow villagers.
As for ninja battles, it was hard for anyone to say they had complete control of the situation. Once a fight escalated to a certain point, Kitahara would probably lose its patience and fire a Tailed Beast Bomb…
Because I'm worried I might lose control and accidentally kill you, it's best if we resolve this peacefully. If we don't have to fight, let's not fight…
Itachi Uchiha was a pure pacifist.
Shizune proactively suggested, "I'll stay here with Sasuke!"
"It's fine, I can stay here for the night. Mom should be here tomorrow." Itachi Uchiha shook his head, declining Shizune's kind offer. He asked with some confusion, "Where is Lady Tsunade?"
"She's in her office, gambling with someone…"
Before Shizune could finish her sentence, she quickly covered her mouth, looking nervously at the crow that was pecking at the patient's fruit. Unfortunately, it was too late. Kitahara had clearly heard her.
Kitahara's eyes suddenly lit up. The crow gently flapped its wings and flew out of the hospital room. It had been a long, long time since it had some fun…
It knew it! How could Tsunade's gambling addiction be cured so easily!
Karin said with a deadpan expression, "Shizune-neechan, I think you said the wrong thing."
"Ahaha… it should be fine!" The female medical-nin gave a few awkward laughs and waved her hand. "Lady Tsunade should know her limits, right?"
In the Head's Office.
Tsunade frowned, staring intently at the poker cards in her hand, trying to will them into a winning combination. But the person opposite her had already impatiently thrown down her hand. "Stop thinking about it and admit defeat, Tsunade!"
Tsunade pouted, looked at the straight flush across the table, and helplessly folded her own hand. "It's just because I haven't gambled in a long time… my skills have gotten rusty…"
"You've maintained that point very well…" Koharu Utatane nodded in agreement. "You now hold several important positions; you must be mindful of the leadership's image."
"I know, I know… If it weren't for that crow…" The blonde with twin tails grumbled a few times before continuing, "I'm so envious of you… After retiring, you're living such a comfortable life, Senpai!"
"Actually, I've wanted to retire for a long time now!" Koharu Utatane poured herself a cup of tea, took a delightful sip, and then poured a cup for Tsunade. "Seeing you all able to take on great responsibilities, I can finally rest assured…"
"What happened a couple of years ago was actually a misunderstanding…"
"It doesn't matter…" Koharu Utatane interrupted Tsunade, the old woman not minding in the slightest. "Now I can take walks everywhere, and visit Lake Biwa in Hiruzen's place…"
A sudden knock on the door interrupted their conversation.
"Come in!"
As Tsunade spoke, she gulped down her tea and looked impatiently at the door. Hadn't she already given orders that if anyone had business at the Konoha Hospital, they should go find Shizune…
The moment the door opened, a pitch-black crow flew in.
"Caw!"
Tsunade: "…Pfft!"
Tea sprayed through the air!
Lady Tsunade, the current Head of the Medical Department, Advisor to the Hokage, and Advisor to the Defense Department, had astonishingly fast hands. Completely disregarding her loss of composure, she instantly swept the poker cards off the table.
The blonde with twin tails ignored the gleeful crow to her side and looked with a smile at her wide-eyed senior. "Koharu-senpai, I learned a magic trick. Do you want to see it?"
Koharu Utatane: "…"
The poker cards fluttered in Tsunade's hands like nimble butterflies, tracing elegant arcs before landing neatly back in her hand…
But that wasn't enough!
Tsunade's chakra suddenly erupted in her palm, and the poker cards shattered into pieces…
She squatted down regretfully, looking at the scraps of paper on the floor. "Failed again! It seems street magic isn't so easy to master…"
Kitahara: "…"
Koharu Utatane: "…"
The old woman suddenly understood why Tsunade had a habit of gambling in secret… She had heard about this red-eyed crow long ago, back when the great incident of the Hidden Grass Village's destruction occurred. She had not yet retired then…
This crow was stronger than a Tailed Beast…
This crow's character was not quite proper…
This crow could destroy a ninja village with a single word…
Why would you give a ninja crow with such a weird way of thinking so much power?!
Tsunade's mental fortitude was extremely strong. She calmly patted her own face and said gravely, "Oh, right, I still have to find Karin and have her sign a summoning contract with Lady Katsuyu… I can't have her keep injuring people and sending them to the hospital. My savings won't be able to take it!"
Kitahara: "…"
Tsunade extended an enthusiastic invitation, "Kitahara, would you like to come with us to the Shikkotsu Forest later?"
"Caw?"
The crow looked at her curiously… It could actually go as a guest?
For some reason, Mount Myoboku never seemed to welcome it. For example, when Jiraiya occasionally went to Mount Myoboku, it had thought about following him to get a glimpse of the sage's secret realm.
However, when faced with the crow's proactive offer of an escort, Jiraiya had always politely declined.
Besides Mount Myoboku, it had not had any dealings with the other two sage regions. The last time there was any interaction was when Manda came out to put on a show for Orochimaru…
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