The sea mist swallowed the streets as Raven and Yumi stepped out of the casino, the heavy scroll of winnings sealed neatly into Raven's pouch. Behind them, the door swung shut, muffling the sound of dice and chatter. The night air was thick with salt, the faint echo of waves striking the pier rolling through the fog.
Inside, silence spread like a ripple. The back doors slammed open, and Tsunade Senju strode into the lounge with a half-empty sake bottle dangling from her hand. Her blonde hair was disheveled, her cheeks flushed from drink, but her eyes carried a dangerous clarity beneath the haze. Shizune trailed at her heels, medic's satchel strapped at her side, Tonton snuffling against her arm. Every voice in the casino died instantly; no one wanted to cross the Legendary Sucker.
Tsunade stopped at the center of the room, her gaze sweeping across the faces until it landed on Kuroda Isamu. He was pale, jaw trembling, his peg leg thumping a nervous beat against the floorboards.
"What's wrong with you?" Tsunade demanded, her voice sharp despite the drink. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Kuroda slammed his peg leg harder, trying to mask his fear with anger. "A masked girl came in here, cheated me blind, walked off with a hundred thousand ryō, and forced me to give up Gato's location! She mocked me—extorted me in front of everyone!"
Tsunade arched an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Are you sure she cheated? Or are you just whining because someone finally outplayed you?"
Kuroda hissed, desperate. "Tsunade, you owe me millions. Do you think I'd lie about this?"
At the word millions, something shifted in Tsunade. The drunken glaze drained from her eyes. Her jaw tightened. Her grip on the sake bottle grew rigid until the glass cracked under her fingers. She let it fall, shattering on the floor, sake soaking into the wood.
"…Fair point," she muttered.
Shizune stepped forward, her expression tense. "Lady Tsunade," she said carefully, "this could clear everything. If you deal with this masked girl, Kuroda might erase your entire debt. That's millions of ryō—gone. Just like that."
Tsunade straightened, shoulders squaring, her presence suddenly filling the room. She no longer looked like a wandering drunk; she looked like a kunoichi whose fists could shatter mountains. Shizune's voice wavered as she added, "It doesn't have to be lethal. Just… rough her up. Prove a point."
Kuroda leaned forward eagerly, sensing momentum. "Yes! Beat her down for me, and I'll cancel every coin you owe this casino."
Tsunade folded her arms, golden eyes narrowing in thought. "Fine. But I need details. Where is she headed? Who's her target?"
Kuroda licked his lips, his voice dropping low. "She asked about Gato. Wanted his exact location. She'll be making for Takigawa Port soon—that's where his base is. If you leave now, you'll catch her on the road."
Tsunade's breath left her in a slow, steady exhale. The haze of drink was gone, replaced by a sharp edge that cut through the air like steel. "Then that's where I'll be."
Shizune gave her a worried glance, lips parting as if to argue, but Tsunade had already turned. Her long stride carried her toward the exit, Shizune following closely, clutching Tonton tighter.
Left behind, Kuroda let out a shaky laugh that grew into a rasping chuckle. "Little lady in the mask, you're about to meet your end. Even if it cost me millions, at least you won't get away clean." His laugh rose into a cackle that rattled the glassware around him.
CRACK!
The sound rang sharp as a roulette ball shot across the room like a bullet, smashing into the back of his skull. Kuroda stumbled forward, clutching his head. "Who hit me?!"
Patrons pointed with wide eyes, murmuring in fear. "The ball… it moved on its own!"
Kuroda spun, face pale, but there was no culprit. Only the wheel, spinning lazily as if mocking him.
Outside, in the mist-shrouded street, Raven lowered her gaze, the faint glow of the Rinnegan dimming as she released her gravitational pull on the ball. Her voice was low, measured. "Looks like I'll be meeting Tsunade sooner than expected."
Yumi's tails flicked, her eyes narrowing with amusement. "This will be interesting."
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