Another win!
Shizune jumped straight up in excitement, nearly dropping Ton‑Ton in the process.
Twenty‑one million ryō multiplied by twenty… how much is that?
Shizune counted on her fingers until her eyes went round and dizzy, then quickly turned into little gold coins — she knew it was an absolutely enormous sum.
It would pay off every single debt they owed, leave more than enough for feasting on fine food and soaking in hot springs. She hadn't slept a peaceful night in ages — sniff…
And it wasn't just her; the whole room erupted in chaos. Everyone groaned and kicked themselves for not following Tsunade's bet.
Twenty times the odds! They could have bought a beachfront villa and lost it all in one second.
The only ones completely out of step with the frenzy were the dealer and the casino boss.
The dealer stared in utter disbelief, his face quickly turning ashen and lifeless.
He had no idea what had just happened, but he was certain the woman had done nothing suspicious.
Which meant… he had messed up again — and this time, the mistake was far more deadly.
Over four hundred million ryō…
Even if they sold him along with the entire casino, it wouldn't cover that amount.
This is it — I'm finished for good.
Meanwhile, the boss was seething with rage; he could have eaten the idiot dealer alive.
He seriously suspected the man was in cahoots with outsiders to swindle him. But how could he possibly pay such a fortune?
"Madam, please…"
The smile on his face was forced and stretched thin.
But Tsunade didn't even glance at him. Instead, her expression turned grave, and she slammed her palm down on the table before standing up.
"Shizune — we're leaving."
"Wait — but we just won so much money and haven't even collected it yet!"
"It doesn't matter. Leave it here. There isn't a soul alive who dares to owe me money and get away with it."
With that bold, imposing declaration, Tsunade turned and strode straight out of the casino.
Shizune hesitated, looking back longingly, but stamped her foot and hurried after her, still clutching Ton‑Ton.
Not a single person in the room dared stop them.
Of course not! They hadn't taken the money, so why would anyone be foolish enough to block their path?
The casino owner was actually relieved they were leaving — and hoped they would never return.
Even if they did come back later, he would deny everything, though he had never intended to pay in the first place.
"Survived another day…"
The dealer had just wiped the sweat from his face when a voice like cold venom hissed from behind him.
"Nikolai… come with me. You look unwell — I think you need a good long rest."
Meeting the murderous glint in his boss's eyes, Nikolai swallowed hard. He knew his days were likely numbered.
---
On the streets outside, Tsunade seemed lost in deep thought. If Shizune hadn't been pulling her along, she probably would have walked straight into ten or eight walls by now.
The reason for her unease was simple: winning money.
From childhood onward, every time she went on a winning streak like this, someone close to her — family or dear friends — would pass away soon after.
So it wasn't so much that she was addicted to gambling; it was more that she was running from fate, using this habit to numb her heart and distract herself.
As long as she kept losing, she could feel safe and at peace.
But after all these years, she still couldn't escape it.
She had started winning again — easily racking up more than four hundred million ryō, and hitting three ones twice in a row.
Anyone who knew odds understood just how improbable that was.
Something terrible must have happened!
Her heart raced with anxiety — Who is it? Who's in danger?
Suddenly, a voice seemed to echo in her ears: "Didn't we agree to meet for drinks and catch up? Why are you leaving already?"
Tsunade's footsteps froze. She raised a hand to her neck — where once hung a crystal pendant necklace… but she had already given it away.
She remembered now. She had given it to Jiraiya. And she had stood him up; they had promised to meet for a drink, but she never showed up.
"Next time… I'll make it up next time…"
Tsunade lifted her gaze toward the distant horizon, while a heavy, sinking feeling settled deep in her chest.
---
Late into the night.
Shinji and his group had lit a fire and settled down to rest in the open wilderness. As trained shinobi, they were far from delicate or spoiled.
Right beside Shinji, placed casually on the ground with no protection, lay Sasori's Regenerative Core.
From a distance, Deidara peered through a small telescope, using the light of the fire and the glow of the moon to see everything clearly.
"Heh heh heh… Bet you didn't expect me to come back again."
Sasori had never told Deidara the secret of the core, but Deidara had seen him step out of the puppet Hiruko and knew that Hiruko itself was just another puppet.
He had also realized that Sasori had turned his own body into a puppet, fully embracing the eternal art he sought.
That realization was what had changed Deidara's attitude, filling him with genuine respect.
Even though their views on art clashed, the dedication and sacrifice Sasori showed in pursuit of his vision won Deidara's deepest admiration.
Which meant Sasori wouldn't die so easily — and that glowing "core" was exactly what he needed to retrieve.
His resolve hardened. He took a lump of explosive clay, stuffed it into the mouth in his palm, and began chewing.
Within minutes, the bushes surrounding Shinji and the others were crawling with tiny white clay spiders, moving silently and indistinguishable from real ones.
At the same time, flocks of white clay birds landed quietly in the treetops.
Beneath the earth, a massive white clay centipede crawled slowly forward, minimizing every vibration to avoid detection.
The night grew deeper and quieter.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept through, and countless small white spheres fell from the sky, landing precisely around the group's makeshift camp.
Shinji, Hidan, Tobi, and Sasuke all opened their eyes instantly. Even Tamamo Hikaru was woken by the alert white fox, Crescent Moon.
As soon as the spheres touched the ground —
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!
"ART IS AN EXPLOSION — HAHAHAHA!"
High above, riding a clay owl, Deidara threw his head back and laughed. Every time he unleashed a blast, a thrilling, electrifying sensation surged through his entire body.
The explosions he had just dropped were only the opening act.
Figures leaped back through the smoke and flames.
Though the bombs were many, their power was limited, and the group had sensed them coming early enough to avoid injury — only confusion and chaos followed.
The moment Sasuke landed back on his feet, a swarm of clay spiders leaped out from behind the trees.
His eyes narrowed, and lightning crackled to life around the blade of his Kusanagi sword — but a sudden tremor beneath his feet made his heart jolt.
THUD!
The giant centipede burst out of the ground. Though Sasuke jumped up just in time, he was still at risk of being ensnared.
And to make matters worse, the moment he rose into the air, the flock of clay birds swooped down, closing in from all sides!
No escape left — up, down, left, right, above, below — nowhere to run!
____________________
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