The Hidden Leaf Village was bathed in the soft glow of an evening sun, peaceful on the surface, but as always, chaos lurked behind closed doors.
Inside the Hokage's office, a mountain of paperwork loomed ominously.
Sitting in front of it was none other than the Fifth Hokage herself—Tsunade Senju—who let out a long, frustrated sigh.
In her hand, she held a worn deck of cards, the kind you could tell had seen one too many bad bets.
She had just finished yet another humiliating loss in a round of solo poker during her break. Just a little impulse, she told herself. Just a harmless distraction. But luck, as always, was a bitch.
"…Ugh… Why the hell am I always so unlucky?"
She muttered bitterly, cursing her own misfortune, sinking deep into the luxury of the Hokage's chair.
Even that regal throne couldn't mask the raw energy and untamed aura she carried, an intoxicating blend of power, beauty, and sheer danger.
But today, fatigue clouded her expression. And beneath it, a barely restrained irritation burned in her eyes.
Standing at her side, Shizune, her ever-reliable assistant, watched with a mix of disappointment and acceptance.
Honestly, at this point, it was more routine than scandalous. Even Tonton, the little piglet, let out a concerned snort, clearly sensing her mistress's foul mood.
"Tsunade-sama… I did tell you, didn't I? You really should stop gambling during work hours… especially by yourself."
Shizune's gentle scolding had long since lost its sting. Tsunade knew she was right. She always did. But stopping wasn't so simple. That rush—that high—the idea that everything could flip in an instant with just one card. It was irresistible.
The more she lost, the more her blood screamed for another chance. The next hand. The next game. The next win.
"Shut it, Shizune! I know that already!" she snapped, tossing the deck aside.
The cards scattered like falling petals, a colorful mess across the wooden desk.
"But you know what? Sometimes you get days like this. Days where the vibe's all wrong. When that happens, you don't crawl into a hole—you make a hell of a big move. Shift the whole damn tide in one go!"
As if answering her challenge, the office doors suddenly slammed open, and a loud, obnoxiously familiar voice echoed in.
"Granny Tsunade! I'm back, dattebayo!"
And just like that, the storm arrived.
Naruto Uzumaki, the Village's loudest, brightest headache, barged in with a dumb grin smeared across his dirt-streaked face.
His forehead protector was crooked, his hair was wild, and sweat clung to his skin—proof of intense training.
He brought with him a burst of energy that punched through the heavy air in the room like a gust of wind.
"Seriously, Naruto, could you please learn to knock?" Shizune scolded, her voice a mix of exasperation and despair.
"Hehe, sorry, Shizune-neechan! But I had to tell Granny right away!" Naruto ran up to the desk with his usual reckless enthusiasm, eyes sparkling.
"Check this out! I leveled up my Rasengan training today! It's on a whole new stage now!"
Tsunade's eyes softened just a little. Naruto wasn't just a student to her. He was... something more. A raw, reckless mirror of the little brother she lost, and the man she once loved. He was a painful reminder. A hopeful light. A temptation she never admitted aloud.
"I see. That's good," she replied, casually sweeping the cards off the desk. "But could you calm down for once? You're not a Genin anymore."
"But I'm not just here to brag!" Naruto puffed out his chest like a cocky little brat who knew he had something more.
"Old Man Third said I should help with the village restoration too! So I thought I'd ask you, Granny—got anything I can do?"
Tsunade leaned back, considering him. He wasn't wrong. The village was still recovering, and they needed every available hand.
Having someone like Naruto around—someone with absurd stamina, raw power, and that unbreakable will—wasn't a bad deal.
"Help, huh…?" Her gaze shifted to the mountain of documents. "I do need people. But most of this stuff? It's dull, quiet work. Not exactly your style. You're more of a noisy person, you know?"
"That's not true, dattebayo! You won't know unless I try!" Naruto protested, stepping closer, his voice rising.
"Gramps said it too! If I wanna be Hokage, I gotta understand how the village works!"
At that moment, something clicked in Tsunade's mind. A sly smile curled on her lips—different from her usual cocky smirk. No, this one was darker, more playful.
The kind of smile that meant trouble. The kind of smile that came just before a risky gamble... or a dangerous temptation.
"…Hmph. So, you wanna understand the village better and help me out, is that it?" she purred, resting her elbows on the desk, her cleavage pressing together ever so slightly in a way that Naruto couldn't quite ignore.
Her eyes locked on him with the focus of a predator. "Then, how about this—we settle it with a little game. If you win, I'll grant you one wish. But if I win… then you'll do exactly what I say. No questions. No complaints."
Naruto blinked, caught off guard. 'A game? With Granny Tsunade?' He knew she had a legendary weakness for gambling, but he also knew she was a hell of a competitor when she got serious.
Still… this sounded fun. Dangerous fun.
"A game, dattebayo!? Are you serious, Granny!?" he said, practically bouncing. "What kinda game!?"
Tsunade leaned back, folding her arms beneath her chest, the movement causing her generous bust to rise slightly—completely unintentional, or so she pretended.