"Oh… alright!" Hyūga Ranmo sat down, casually picked up the dice, and tossed them into the bowl without much care.
Three sixes—Triple Sixes, the highest roll!
Not only Tsunade, even Shizune—who was folding clothes nearby—froze in surprise. "Wow, not bad for a little guy, huh?"
"Again! Let's go again!" Tsunade's eyes lit up with excitement. She straightened up, her whole demeanor reinvigorated as if she'd just found a new lease on life.
Ranmo reached for the dice once more. The beautiful woman across from him watched with nervous anticipation. Shizune, having stopped her chores, sat down and watched his movements intently.
He shrugged lightly and tossed the dice again.
The three dice spun rapidly in the porcelain bowl. Tsunade's eyes blazed with fiery intensity as she locked onto them. Shizune sat up straight, brows furrowed, eyes fixed on the bowl.
Finally, the dice came to a stop—again, triple sixes!
"Whoa!" Tsunade shot up as if she had just discovered a new continent. She paced the room excitedly before finally calming down. Looking at Ranmo, she clenched her fists, then slowly relaxed them, clearly suppressing her excitement. She pulled out two more dice and eagerly handed them to Ranmo.
"Try five dice this time!"
And just like before—five sixes. Then a perfect straight of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Then four sixes and two fives. Whatever Tsunade asked for, he delivered flawlessly.
Ranmo hadn't known how to play dice before, but once they were in his hands, he effortlessly used his Mirror System to slow down the dice's motion in his mind. Then, with subtle manipulation of natural chakra, he altered the dice's rotation mid-air to produce any result he wanted.
This was directly tied to his system—and his exceptional visual prowess.
"Wahhh!" Tsunade danced with joy, practically giddy. She stepped forward, grabbed Ranmo by the shoulders, and showered him with kisses on his cheeks like she had just found a treasure.
"Little one, stick with your big sister, alright? Danzo is a sly bastard. If you stay in Konoha, it's only a matter of time before he comes for you. But with me, at least for the next two years, you'll be safe."
Ranmo frowned slightly. He knew the Third Great Shinobi War wasn't over yet. It was currently Year 48 of the Konoha Calendar. The war wouldn't officially end until Year 51. And Tsunade's departure from the village was largely due to wartime obligations.
Would following her really be safe?
But if he did choose to go with her, wouldn't that make him a wandering shinobi in the future?
Still, no matter what, he was never going to join Root.
"But… I'm only five," he said quietly, reminding her of his age.
"You're worried about school, aren't you? Don't worry. Most kids start at six or seven. Once you're old enough, I'll send you back. Besides, Orochimaru just left the village. Who knows if his influence is really gone?
What if his people come back while you're home alone and try to kidnap you? And then there's Danzo—you said yourself you don't want to join the ANBU, right? Of course, if you do want to go with Danzo, I won't stop you…"
Tsunade looked at him seriously, afraid he might refuse. She laid out the situation as plainly as she could:
"You see your options, right? You either come with me—or you go with Danzo. Pick one."
It was true. No matter how suspicious Hiruzen might be of Danzo, he would never truly act against him. As long as Ranmo remained in the village, he'd always be within Danzo's reach.
And if he did fall into Danzo's hands—even with all his power—he'd have to be on constant alert, always fearing for his life. Especially if Danzo ever discovered the truth about his Hidden Rinnegan—then it wouldn't just be his freedom at stake… but his very eyes.
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