"WHAT!!!"
The Raikage roared, his voice echoing off the walls like thunder. "Say that again!"
The moment Tsunade named her price, the gambling hall shook.
Tsunade didn't even flinch. She calmly took a sip of sake and repeated the number, slower this time, as if explaining it to a child.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Kurenai's jaw dropped so hard it looked like it might hit the floor. Hinata's white eyes somehow became whiter. Even Shino's insects froze mid-buzz, as if stunned by pure economic violence.
'What is the difference between this and daylight robbery at this point...' Kiba felt his hair stand on end just by counting how many zeroes that sum had.
Shizune pinched the bridge of her nose. "That… that's not a medical fee, Tsunade-sama. That's a nation's annual budget. How can you even say that with a straight face." She muttered to herself and caught Tsunade sending her a wink, making her eye twitch.
The Raikage's face turned several shades darker, if that was possible. Veins bulged on his forehead. Lightning chakra crackled around him without his permission.
"That's extortion!" he bellowed. "Don't go overboard, Tsunade... I'm here showing my sincerity, don't go too far!"
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, utterly relaxed. "You're the one who offered to pay," she said sweetly. "And you're the one who mocked me for being poor five minutes ago."
"It's normal that I ask enough so I'm no longer poor anymore, oh so rich Raikage of Cloud..." she shrugged.
Then she smiled. It was not a nice smile. More like a 'Gotcha, bitch.' smile.
"Consider this interest."
A's subordinates exchanged nervous glances. One of them whispered, "Sir… your blood pressure—"
"DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE," the Raikage snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Tsunade. "You're robbing me blind! You think you'll get away with it."
Shizune hurried between them, hands waving. "L-Lady Tsunade, maybe we can lower it just a little?"
Tsunade glanced at her. "No."
Kurenai stepped in next. "Raikage-sama, shouting won't help your subordinate. And if Lady Tsunade gets annoyed, she might double it."
Tsunade raised a finger. "Triple."
Smash...
The Raikage's chakra burst hearing that word alone was enough to destroy the table before him.
The Raikage looked like he might actually explode.
"You'll not like this, Tsunade," he growled. "Do you wish our villages to go to war regarding this matter...!" He roared...
"Heh.. don't mistake me as my old teacher, Raikage. If you wish for a fight, then I ain't backing down. Let's see who's afraid of whom..." Tsunade shot back, "you came all this way because you know I'm the only one who can save him."
"If you want your subordinate saved, cough up money, and if you can't, then just get lost. Don't disrupt my drinking time. I have enough uninvited guests as it is..." Tsunade grumbled, sending a glare at Team 8.
That did it.
The Raikage clenched his fists, teeth grinding so loudly it was almost audible. The lightning around him flickered, then slowly died down.
His eyes wandered around his surroundings, knowing that starting anything here in the Land of Fire would be asking for trouble. Especially when Tsunade was here. The woman was Kage level.
His eyes then roared toward Team 8, lingering there for a second until he made up his mind.
"…Fine," he said through sheer force of will. "I'll pay."
Tsunade's lips curled up at the end. She had just recovered 60% of her entire debt in one go. Meaning she could go and ask for another 60% loan to gamble, right...
She cracked her knuckles. "Let's get to work before your heart gives out next. Hahahahaha...."
-x-
The afternoon dragged on like a bad joke that refused to end.
Shop after shop, stall after stall, Sukuna and Sasuke repeated the same questions, with different faces staring back at them. Most people shook their heads the moment they heard the name. Some flinched when they saw the picture. Can't blame them, Itachi had a mean streak to him.
Others simply closed their doors a little faster than before upon hearing Shinobi.
Unlike earlier, they were no longer being subtle.
Sukuna held up the image openly now. Itachi Uchiha's calm, unreadable face stared back from the page, Sharingan eyes frozen in ink.
"Seen him?" Sukuna asked for what felt like the hundredth time, his tone polite, almost lazy.
Another merchant waved them off. "No. Never. Don't want trouble."
Sasuke's jaw tightened every time the answer came back the same. His patience was thinning, stretched tight like wire.
Hours later, they reached the last place on the street—an old inn, its wooden sign faded and cracked. The woman behind the counter squinted at them suspiciously until Sukuna placed the picture down.
Her eyes widened.
"…That one," she said slowly.
Sasuke stiffened. "You saw him?"
"Yes. Stayed here. Not long, but I remember him clearly."
Sasuke's breath hitched. "When?"
"Few days before…," she said carefully.
That was enough for Sasuke. His fingers curled into fists.
"It was him," he said, voice low and sharp. "He was here."
Sukuna didn't argue. He never doubted it. No one but Itachi could put someone into a coma by Genjutsu alone. He just needed proof.
He smiled lightly and leaned closer to the counter. "That's very helpful, madam. Thank you. But memory's a strange thing. What else do you remember?"
The innkeeper frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Was he alone?" Sukuna asked casually. "People like him rarely travel without company."
She paused, then nodded slowly. "No… no, he wasn't alone."
Sasuke snapped his head toward her. "Who?"
Her expression twisted with discomfort.
Sukuna glared at Sasuke and intentionally let his foot find the angry young man's toe, earning a satisfying yelp.
"Please ignore him, madam. He's having a bad day. Had to leave his girlfriend back home to come here for ninja work, you see. Just ignore the lover boy..." Sukuna grinned.
Sasuke snapped at Sukuna like he had found Kiyomi dating him or something, a vein already popping on his forehead.
"OH..." The woman gave the handsome Uchiha a second look, like she understood everything.
'Hahaha... it's really good to be young, isn't it. He must have many girls after him. That girlfriend of his is quite lucky to get such a caring, handsome boyfriend.' She internally chuckled, making Sasuke's face even darker.
"Ahem... so what do you remember about them..." Sukuna steered the conversation back on topic.
"Ah yes... that's the part that stuck with me. The other one was… hard to forget."
Sukuna raised an eyebrow, interest sharpening behind his eyes. "Describe him."
She swallowed. "Very tall. Skin like a shark. Big sword wrapped in bandages. Smile that made my skin crawl."
Sukuna's eyes lit up in exaggerated realisation. "Oh."
'Oh, things went like in the canon here when it comes to Itachi... well, good to know at least something's going how I remember...'
He flipped open the Bingo Book with deliberate slowness, as if this was all new information to him. Pages turned. Fingers tapped thoughtfully.
"Like this?" he asked, holding up the image of Kisame Hoshigaki.
The innkeeper recoiled. "Yes! That's him!"
Sasuke stared at the picture, unease crawling up his spine. Even he could tell that man was dangerous.
He wanted to ask about the fish-like shinobi to Sukuna, but he waited patiently for now.
Sukuna closed the book with a soft thud. "Thank you. That confirms a lot."
The innkeeper hesitated. "Are… are you going after them?"
Sukuna smiled. "Yes, let's say they are bad shinobi and leave it at that, madam..."
The woman understood Sukuna wasn't privy to disclose anything about the mission. She didn't ask again.
They stepped outside moments later.
"This proves it," Sasuke said, voice tight with certainty. "Itachi was here, he did it." He shouted, eyes turning red, Sharingan flaring and anger boiling.
"It proves his presence," Sukuna replied calmly. "Not his involvement. This proves nothing."
Sasuke bristled. "You're there to prove Itachi was here. Who else would go after both Kiyomi and Izumi if not Itachi."
Sukuna planned to teach Sasuke a lesson on calm decision-making when suddenly he felt something.
Something cold rolled through his senses. Heavy. Rotten. Familiar.
Cursed energy.
'My own...' His eyes widened.
His expression didn't change, but inside, alarms screamed.
"AHHHH...."
"What happened?" Sasuke turned around at the voice.
"…My... it's my stomach," Sukuna said suddenly, clutching his stomach. "I think something I ate is trying to assassinate me."
Sasuke shot him a flat look. "Now?"
"Tragic timing, but when nature calls, it just calls." Sukuna nodded solemnly. "If I collapse, tell Sakura I died heroically."
He turned and walked away—then broke into a sprint the moment he rounded the corner.
"Cover for me," he tossed over his shoulder. "Find Kakashi."
Sasuke clicked his tongue in irritation. "I'm surrounded by idiots."
Still, he turned the other way, eyes burning with purpose.
If Itachi was nearby… this time, he wouldn't miss him.
And then suddenly he put a full stop to his run.
"That Sukuna wouldn't have found where Itachi was and gone there by himself, would he..." This thought came into his mind, and recalling how strange Sukuna just acted, the doubt almost solidified.
"That bastard..."
He immediately turned his direction, running off behind Sukuna.
xXx
A/N : Ah, something happened isn't it. Any guessess what it could be.
Or maybe he really just eat something bad...
Who knows.
Actually you can know. I got a patreon just for that. Just saying...
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