---
Hatake Kuroshi placed Hozuki Suigetsu back on the floor, flashing a punchable smile.
Suigetsu was utterly choked speechless. Although he usually didn't fight Kimimaro for real... he could still clearly feel from their daily roughhousing that this guy's abilities were completely above his own.
After all, even when he sometimes really did attack, Kimimaro was just playing around with him, showing no intention of being serious.
But being called weak so bluntly still made Suigetsu pause for a moment.
"Yosh! Then I'm taking Kimimaro—!"
While Hozuki Suigetsu hadn't yet reacted, Hatake Kuroshi grabbed Kimimaro with one hand and waved at Suigetsu with the other.
Just snatched him away cleanly.
Only after the two had walked quite a distance did Suigetsu shout from behind.
"I'm not weak! Sooner or later, I'll show you Lord Suigetsu's power!"
Pfft, that'll take a few years.
A faint smile lifted the corners of Hatake Kuroshi's lips as he quickly disappeared into the crowd with Kimimaro.
Hatake Kuroshi still carried his small suitcase; he had barely spent any of the money Kakashi gave him earlier.
Since Mangetsu Hozuki became Mizukage, Hatake Kuroshi basically used the Mizukage's money.
Hardly any of his own.
And after Kirigakure was rebuilt, he had even less need for the money Kakashi gave him.
"To get to Kumogakure, we need to transfer through the Land of Hot Water first."
Hidan's hometown. But that place probably hasn't produced that murderer yet.
Hatake Kuroshi stood at the ticket office, studying the map, noting several transfer points indicated.
This kind of transfer was similar to their journey from Konoha to the Land of Water, needing to pass through the Land of Waves.
Compared to the impoverished state of the Land of Waves, the Land of Hot Water advocated pacifism and had already rebuilt its village long ago.
Although lacking combat power, they seemed to be getting by.
Hatake Kuroshi had even borrowed some design ideas from there for the hot spring construction in the Land of Water.
"This is a real boat."
Kimimaro stood beside Hatake Kuroshi, looking around curiously.
He had never left Kirigakure before; his knowledge of such things mostly came from others' descriptions. Seeing the pier naturally felt exceptionally magical.
...
"Didn't expect you to get seasick, huh?"
Hatake Kuroshi easily carried Kimimaro and the suitcase off the boat.
He had intended to travel directly overnight to reach Kumogakure, but given Kimimaro's current state, he'd likely die on the way before even reaching the Land of Lightning.
Better rest in the Land of Hot Water for a bit.
Hatake Kuroshi had a constitution immune to all forms of motion sickness. While he couldn't quite understand the feeling of seasickness... looking at Kimimaro, it was probably similar to carsickness.
"..."
Kimimaro's legs trembled as he took a deep breath, steadying himself on the ground.
Before Kimimaro could reply, Hatake Kuroshi suddenly turned around, suitcase in hand, raising one hand just as it was about to land on his back.
The woman standing behind him paused, clearly not expecting him to turn around suddenly.
Amber eyes and a black eye patch stared wide-eyed at each other for a moment.
Tsunade reacted quickly, slapping Hatake Kuroshi on the shoulder and saying heartily.
"Whoa! Little bro, you're heading to the casino too, right?"
Long, milky-golden hair, a bright smile only gamblers possessed.
Although sporting the youthful face of a woman in her twenties, she exuded an unstoppable, rough personality typical of an older lady.
Shizune held a small pig, following behind Tsunade, wanting to say something but unable to stop her from striking up a conversation.
Isn't it weird to just go up and greet people like this!?
Besides, this person has a small child with him! How does he look like someone going to a casino?!
Is it really appropriate to be so overly familiar?
"Hm...?"
Hatake Kuroshi paused, tilting his head in confusion.
Although encountering Tsunade here was quite unexpected... why was he mistaken for someone going to a casino?
He clearly had Kimimaro, a little one not even reaching his thigh, beside him. How could they possibly be categorized together?
"Don't play dumb! Clearly carrying a money case, and your clothes look like designer brands."
"This outfit must be four or five hundred ryo, right? I saw it in the shop before."
Hatake Kuroshi looked at the black suitcase in his hand, then tugged at his black shirt.
This shirt was just something he grabbed randomly; after all, when nothing special was happening, he wouldn't wear sportswear.
Tsunade's gaze continuously slid down to Hatake Kuroshi's pants, just about to state the price of those as well.
Then she belatedly noticed Kimimaro, also with white hair.
Kimimaro had just recovered from his seasickness not long ago, head drooping listlessly.
Tsunade's eyes instantly widened, looking up at Hatake Kuroshi in disbelief.
"Ah...! You wouldn't be planning to use your little brother as collateral, would you?"
This behavior is even worse than her gambling money away.
Tsunade hadn't approached Hatake Kuroshi with any other intention.
Just that Hatake Kuroshi carried a case and wore various designer brands, looking quite wealthy at first glance.
Even if he ran out of money, his entire outfit could probably be pawned for over a dozen chips.
Establishing a good relationship before entering the casino... perhaps if she ran out of money inside, she could borrow some directly from him.
Of course, borrowing was one thing; whether she'd repay was another.
Hatake Kuroshi's eyes shifted slightly behind his eye patch, then he revealed a knowing smile.
"Of course not~ He's just a little seasick."
"Didn't expect to be recognized. I thought I was being low-key enough."
The casino... hadn't thought of it, but since it was mentioned, there's no reason not to go.
Anyway, Kimimaro needed time to rest. Placing a bet wasn't a bad idea.
Inside the casino, the air was thick with smoke and noise. Hatake Kuroshi and Tsunade walked upstairs together.
The ground floor was filled with people gambling small amounts, similar to various commoners and ninjas killing time.
These people were the loudest, shouting whether they won or lost.
Mixed with the smell of smoke and alcohol, the surrounding lights flickered dimly.
As they ascended, the stakes grew higher, the money larger.
Hatake Kuroshi and Tsunade chatted and laughed casually as they continued upstairs, while Shizune followed behind them with Kimimaro.
Upon reaching the top floor, Tsunade finally stopped.
"One chip, one hundred ryo."
Hatake Kuroshi looked thoughtfully at the paper posted on the wall nearby. A room beside it had curtains hanging.
The noisy clamor from downstairs could hardly be heard here. It was even hard to tell if anyone was up here at all.
"One chip is one hundred ryo!?"
"Isn't that a bit too much!"
Shizune couldn't help shouting after seeing the paper on the wall clearly.
Although Tsunade had been to places with ridiculously high stakes before, the maximum previously was usually fifty ryo.
Given Tsunade's luck, this case of money wouldn't last more than a few hours.
Although she didn't know how the other person's luck was...
But Shizune vaguely felt that if these two really got hooked on gambling, the small child beside her might actually be pawned off.
"Don't make such a fuss. Let's go in."
Tsunade glanced back at Shizune, confidently carrying her own case as she walked inside.
Although Kimimaro was still pale, he no longer looked like he could faint at any moment like when he first got off the boat.
Once recovered, he trotted happily beside Hatake Kuroshi.
"Why did we come here? Don't we need to take the boat?"
Kimimaro sat beside Hatake Kuroshi, curiously observing the surrounding decorations.
He had never been to such a place before, not even knowing what a casino meant.
"Let's wait a bit before going~ How about you play this later?"
Hatake Kuroshi handed over two banknotes, exchanging them for two chips.
Such a small amount looked pitifully poor here, causing the man responsible for exchanges to give him a couple of extra glances.
"Okay—!"
Kimimaro sat obediently beside Hatake Kuroshi, looking eagerly at the gambling table.
Although he couldn't understand what these people were doing, since Hatake Kuroshi asked him, he was naturally interested.
Tsunade exchanged her case of banknotes for a small basket of chips. Shizune couldn't help sighing deeply.
Looking at this situation, she'll definitely use them all up and leave.
As Tsunade carried her basket of chips towards a nearby table, she also glanced curiously at Hatake Kuroshi's side.
Only two?
Starting small?
Although Tsunade was puzzled, gambling was a personal habit; how much he used wasn't her business.
Besides, if Hatake Kuroshi lost less, maybe she could borrow more from him.
"Only exchanged two chips? Who's he looking down on?"
"That guy came with the big whale. Probably not short on cash. There's still a money case over there."
"Hehehe... Doesn't that mean we can fleece two today?"
Several people sat around the table, clearly regulars, whispering quietly with tilted heads.
As long as there's money, anything is possible.
If it were just the ground floor, Kimimaro certainly couldn't sit beside the gambling table; whether he could even enter was another matter.
But on the top floor, as long as you could produce the money, even a dog could sit at the table and gamble.
"The rules are simple. There's one die in the cup. Everyone chooses odd or even."
---
Check my: [email protected]/ShixT9 for extra 60 Chapters
A review will also be greatly appreciated ^•^