"If you guys are sneaking off to have fun, take me too! I'm bored just sitting around the house!"
Suigetsu was clinging to Kimimaro's arm, whining and complaining nonstop.
Man, he had a lot of energy—and honestly, these two got along better than expected.
In the original story, Kimimaro died before Suigetsu even showed up, so technically, they shouldn't have even met.
Hatake Satoru looked at the two kids spinning circles around his legs, then grabbed one in each hand and lifted them both up.
Taking two kids out wasn't exactly one of his special hobbies.
And no matter what, Mizuki seemed to be much better off staying at home for both his studies and daily life.
Kimimaro had always been used as a weapon in the past. Forget about self-defense, he could start fighting right away without hesitation.
"You're too weak, so you can't~ do this~!"
Hatake Satoru put Hozuki Mizuki down on the floor and gave a mischievous smile.
Mizuki was left speechless. Normally, he wouldn't actually fight seriously with Kimimaro.
But even in their usual playful interactions, it was clear that Kimimaro's abilities were far above his.
After all, even when Kimimaro did get serious, he was just messing around, never actually trying to hurt him.
But being told so directly that he was weak still made Mizuki freeze for a moment.
"Alright then, I'll take Kimimaro with me!"
While Mizuki was still processing what just happened, Hatake Satoru grabbed Kimimaro with one hand and waved at Mizuki with the other.
He swiftly took Kimimaro away, without hesitation.
The two had already walked a fair distance before Mizuki's voice called out from behind.
"I'm not weak! You'll see, one day, the great Mizuki will show you my true strength!"
Pfft, well, that'll probably be a few years from now.
Hatake Satoru's lips curled into a slight smile as he quickly disappeared into the crowd with Kimimaro.
He was still carrying a small suitcase, and most of the money Kakashi had given him remained unspent.
Since Hozuki Mangetsu became the Mizukage, Hatake Satoru had basically been spending the Mizukage's money.
He hadn't used much of his own.
After Kirigakure Village was rebuilt, he didn't even need the money Kakashi gave him anymore.
"If we're going to Kumogakure, we have to transfer at Land of Hot Water first."
It was Hidan's hometown, but at this time, that place probably hadn't seen the arrival of the crazy killer he was.
Hatake Satoru studied the map at the ticket counter. It showed several transfer points.
This kind of transfer was similar to how they had to stop at Land of Waves when coming from Konohagakure to the Land of Water.
Compared to the poor and struggling Land of Waves, Land of Hot Water actually followed a peaceful approach and had already renovated its village.
Although they didn't have much military strength, life there was still manageable.
Hatake Satoru had used some design ideas from the area when constructing the warm Izumi in the Land of Water.
"This really is a boat."
Kimimaro stood next to Hatake Satoru, looking around curiously.
He had never left Kirigakure Village before, so everything like this was just described to him by others. Seeing the dock in person was truly amazing.
...
"I didn't expect you to get seasick?"
Hatake Satoru easily carried Kimimaro and the suitcase off the boat.
He had planned to reach Kumogakure Village by night, but with Kimimaro in his current state, if they didn't stop at Land of Thunder, Kimimaro might not make it through the trip.
They'd rest in Land of Hot Water for now.
Hatake Satoru was naturally immune to any transportation discomfort, so he didn't really understand what it felt like to get seasick.
But looking at Kimimaro, it was probably something similar to car sickness.
"…"
Kimimaro took a shaky breath, his legs trembling as he stood still.
Before Kimimaro could say anything, Hatake Satoru suddenly turned around while holding the suitcase, his hand raised, ready to land on Kimimaro's back.
The woman standing behind him was caught off guard, clearly not expecting him to turn around so suddenly.
Her amber eyes and the black eye patch locked with his for a brief moment, both staring in surprise.
Tsunade quickly reacted, slapping Hatake Satoru on the shoulder and cheerfully said,
"Oh! Little guy, you're here for the casino too, right?"
Her milk-gold colored long hair and the bright smile of a gambler were the first things that stood out.
Although she had the youthful face of a woman in her twenties, she gave off a rough, almost aunt-like vibe.
Shizune, holding a small pig, followed behind Tsunade, wanting to say something but stopping herself, unable to stop Tsunade from talking to him.
Isn't it strange to just walk up to someone and greet them like that?
Plus, this person even had a kid with him. He really didn't seem like someone who'd be heading to a casino.
········
Is it really okay to just walk up to someone like this?
"Hmm...?"
Hatake Satoru paused for a moment, tilting his head in confusion.
It was a bit of a surprise to run into Tsunade here, but why did she think he was here for the casino?
He had Kimimaro with him, a little guy who barely reached his thigh. It didn't seem like they'd be put in the same category.
"Stop pretending, you're clearly carrying a money box, and you're wearing brand-name clothes."
"This outfit must have cost four or five hundred ryo. I saw it in a store before."
Hatake Satoru glanced at the black suitcase he was carrying, then tugged at his black shirt.
This shirt was just something he grabbed randomly. After all, if there's nothing special going on, he wouldn't bother wearing sportswear.…..
Tsunade's gaze dropped to Hatake Satoru's pants, and she was about to comment on their price too.
Then, she belatedly noticed Kimimaro, who had just recovered from his seasickness, his head hanging low and looking listless.
Tsunade's eyes widened in surprise as she looked up at Hatake Satoru.
"Ah...! You're not thinking of using your little brother as a bet, are you?"
That would be even worse than gambling money.
Tsunade didn't have any other intention when approaching Hatake Satoru.
She just noticed that he was carrying a box and wearing brand-name clothes, making him look pretty well-off at first glance.
Even if he didn't have money, his whole outfit could probably be used as a dozen or so chips.
It's good to make a connection before entering the casino, in case he runs out of money later and needs to borrow some.
Of course, whether he could pay it back later was another matter.
Hatake Satoru's eyes shifted slightly under his eye mask, and he gave a knowing smile.
"Of course not~ He's just a bit seasick."
"I didn't expect people would notice. I thought I was being low-key enough."
The casino wasn't something he had planned on, but since it came up, there was no reason not to go.
Anyway, it would take some time for Kimimaro to rest, and a little gamble wouldn't hurt.
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