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This kind of technique could not only make up for some of Tiantian's shortcomings in taijutsu during crucial moments,
but also provided a perfect counter to Wind Release—her greatest elemental weakness.
It was truly killing two birds with one stone.
But even with that benefit… was it really enough?
After pondering silently for a while, Tian Yu turned to Tiantian and said,
"Big sister, come out with me tomorrow. I want to take you somewhere."
Tiantian nodded without question, obedient and trusting as always.
She had complete faith in her brother.
That night, their parents returned from a trip related to business.
Naturally, they were thrilled by the gifts Tian Yu had bought for them.
When Tian Yu casually brought up the topic of rebuilding their home, his father, Tianxiong, laughed heartily and said,
"This is all thanks to you, Tian Yu! If you hadn't secured that major weapon contract from Lord Hokage,
our previous savings wouldn't have been enough to renovate, let alone expand the house."
The profits from that single order
far exceeded their original projections.
Recently, Tianxiong had become one of the top weapon suppliers in all of Konoha.
And now, the wealth of the Tian family had reached a truly astounding level.
Even when compared with the powerful clans of the village,
their financial standing could hold its own!
---
The next evening,
Tian Yu and Tiantian headed out together.
They arrived at a bustling district far from their usual shopping streets—
a place with flashing lights and a decadent atmosphere.
The street was already ablaze with color despite the sky not being fully dark.
Neon signs flickered in midair, glowing with brilliant hues.
Izakayas, hostess clubs, gambling dens…
Laughter and shouting echoed through the streets.
Drunken men staggered out of taverns with sake bottles in hand, yelling nonsense.
And provocatively dressed women stood along the sidewalks,
their long hair cascading and tight skirts leaving little to the imagination—
All trying to draw in customers with flirtatious smiles and tempting glances,
causing many drunkards to lose focus.
Standing at the entrance of this gaudy street,
Tiantian eyed Tian Yu with a suspicious look, as if reevaluating who her brother really was.
With clear disapproval in her eyes, she scowled,
"Tell me the truth—when did you start going down the wrong path?"
Tian Yu blinked. "Wrong path? What do you mean wrong path?"
"You dragged me to this kind of place! And you expect me to believe you haven't turned bad?"
Tiantian huffed, cheeks puffed in frustration.
"Is this somewhere a proper shinobi should be wandering around?
Just wait till we get home—I'm telling Mom everything!"
She spun around in indignation, clearly ready to leave.
"Wait, wait," Tian Yu grabbed her wrist and sighed, "It's my first time in a place like this too.
I didn't bring you here to mess around. I brought you here to meet someone."
He muttered in his mind,
If she sees what I'm about to show her… maybe the perfect image she has of me will finally shatter a bit.
Tian Yu led the still reluctant Tiantian down a narrow alley,
heading deeper into the glowing entertainment district.
To coax her along, he even bought her favorite fish balls from a vendor near the alley's entrance.
Only then did she reluctantly follow him in, though she kept glaring suspiciously at her brother.
---
A few hundred meters later,
they stopped in front of a small, curtained door at the fork of the alleyway.
A single large kanji—賭 (gamble)—was painted boldly across the curtain.
Noises echoed faintly from within.
"Hahaha! I'll skin her alive tonight!"
"She's finally back in Konoha, and we've got a chance to clean her out!"
"Tsunade-sama's been spending like crazy lately!"
"Everything's set up—just wait for her to fall into our trap!"
Standing in front of the entrance, Tian Yu wore a helpless expression.
He sighed, and stepped through the curtain.
---
Tian Yu never cared for gambling.
In truth, after years of research into the mechanics of ninja tools,
he had dissected every trick these kinds of places had to offer.
Whether it was dice, cards, or betting games,
his precision and understanding of systems meant he could win every time—
to the point where gambling bored him senseless.
He didn't need money anymore.
The only reason he took on missions was to sharpen his skills through real combat,
and feel the thrill of dancing on a blade's edge.
If he weren't specifically seeking out Tsunade,
he'd never have come to this place.
Since the fall of the once-mighty Senju Clan,
there were few clues left about Tsunade's whereabouts—
But if she was in Konoha at all,
then the biggest casino in the village was the most likely place to find her.
---
Pulling Tiantian behind him, Tian Yu stepped into the casino.
Tiantian, clearly nervous, clung to his back like a small animal.
This was her first time in such a wild place.
The inside was divided into large rooms with tatami floors,
already filled with people huddled around game tables.
Shouts and groans echoed across the hall.
"Haha! Another win!"
"Damn it! I lost again! I have to win it back this time!"
"Terrible luck today… what's going on?!"
---
Just as they entered, a rugged-looking middle-aged man approached them—
He looked like the owner of the casino, and his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"No sightseeing. You want in, you buy tickets. Otherwise—scram."
This casino was high-end. Even observers had to pay an entry fee,
keeping away the idle poor.
"Two tickets."
Tian Yu calmly pulled out his wallet and held it up.
"We're here to gamble."
The casino owner took a closer look.
These two looked barely twelve or thirteen,
But both wore shinobi uniforms and bore Konoha's forehead protectors.
Ninja weren't ordinary kids—
And more importantly, they had money.
With a nod to the attendant, the owner arranged the tickets.
Tian Yu paid, and they moved room by room through the casino.
---
Eventually, a familiar voice rang out from one of the rooms:
"Ha! You bastards better be ready! I'm winning back everything I lost tonight!"
The woman's voice was loud and gruff.
The other gamblers offered nervous chuckles.
They all saw Tsunade as a golden goose—
But they never forgot her identity.
Princess Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, possessed terrifying strength.
They dared to play with her only because—despite her awful luck—
She never blamed others for losing.
She repaid every borrowed coin.
"Tsunade-sama, you're being too serious."
"Hey, we're just playing for fun! You lose a bit, but one mission and it's all back, right?"
"Besides, gambling is all luck. Don't listen to the rumors that we're conspiring against you."
"Yeah, I used to play with the First Hokage himself, and even he lost more than he won!"
"Tsunade-sama's luck's been down lately—she's due for a win!"
---
Tsunade waved them off impatiently.
"Cut the crap and play already! You think I'm scared of losing?"
"Okay! What're we playing today? Bridge again?"
"Sure!"
Tsunade nodded, then reached into her robe and tossed a thick bundle of ryo onto the table.
She didn't even count it precisely.
With her strength and reputation,
no one dared cheat or double-cross her.
She'd only returned to Konoha a few days ago—
And already, her presence was shaking up the gambling underworld.
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