That night, Akihiko poured his heart and soul into creating the movie script. It had been years since he had stayed up late like this, and the all-nighter brought back a wave of nostalgic feelings. By the time morning came, he made sure to take the time to replenish his energy.
Once he felt refreshed, he met up with Tsunade, who had been waiting for him, along with Kushina, who looked a little embarrassed for having troubled him.
As he walked toward them, Akihiko reflected on the first movie ever shot by the Grass Village, God of Gamblers. The film had been designed with the intention of attracting the Uzumaki clan—and Tsunade in particular—filled with metaphors and subtle messages aimed at her.
Though the plan had succeeded in drawing the attention of the Uzumaki clan, Tsunade herself had not come. This was something Akihiko had regretted for a long time. At the time, Grass Village had been struggling to rebuild. If they had the support of the Senju clan, many of their hardships could have been avoided.
Now, Tsunade was here, but unfortunately, the wealth of the Senju clan had been squandered. Forced to turn to filmmaking to make a living, Tsunade's situation had taken a sharp turn.
In fact, with her skills and abilities, she could have easily made money by offering her medical services to the rich. However, it seemed she had no desire to go down that path. Instead, she had chosen to make money through this new venture, despite her reluctance to embrace her acting career.
"The Saint of Gamblers Defies Fate?" Tsunade's eyes sparkled with excitement as she glanced over the script. "I love the title. Is this a sequel to God of Gamblers?"
"There's a connection," Akihiko replied, nodding. It seemed that Tsunade was genuinely excited about the idea of making a gambling movie.
It wasn't hard to see why. In reality, Tsunade had always been unlucky in gambling, winning only on rare occasions. Whenever she did win, it brought her little joy, because every win seemed to lead to something worse. Therefore, she would rather lose with a smile than win which has always brought her a sense of despair.
After Hashirama Senju's death, she had become even more afraid of victory, hesitant to win at all. If she couldn't win in real life, perhaps she could experience it in a movie. It was the perfect way to live out the fantasy of winning big without the fear or consequences.
After a moment, Tsunade shot a dark look at Akihiko. "Always losing? Are you sure this isn't based on my real-life story?"
She was staring at the protagonist in the script who, just like her, lost every bet and squandered their entire fortune. "What kind of gambling movie is this? Shouldn't the character start by winning?"
"Just keep reading," Akihiko urged, unfazed by Tsunade's complaint.
Though the story was fictional, Akihiko had woven elements of Tsunade's own life into it. The plot was simple yet compelling: the protagonist was born into a wealthy family, only to lose everything due to her gambling curse. She fell into poverty, eventually moving to the Land of Grass to live with relatives. There, she got caught up in a criminal gambling war, eventually rewriting her fate to become a master gambler. Yet, the twist was that she could never use the money she won, for doing so would bring her misfortune, leaving her still destitute in the end.
It was a reflection of Tsunade's complex relationship with gambling—winning and losing, but never truly escaping her fate.
Akihiko had already planned to display the phrase "Based on a True Story" at the beginning of the movie.
The film would subtly mirror the real-life struggles of the person it was based on—showcasing a tale of lost wealth due to gambling, ongoing poverty, and the loss of family. It would serve as a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of gambling.
Initially, Akihiko had considered directly mentioning Hashirama Senju and Tsunade herself, using their names as negative examples to emphasize the theme. However, after some thought, he decided against it. Instead, he would portray their images with obscured faces, giving only subtle hints at their identities.
Not to mention Tsunade herself, even if he mentioned Hashirama Senju, he didn't have to worry. The Grass Village had long ago secured the rights to use the names of famous ninjas from various villages at very low prices, with no usage restrictions. So, using these names and identities in this way was perfectly legal.
After a while, as she reached the end of the script, Tsunade looked at Akihiko with a thoughtful expression. "It really does end differently."
Then, a broad grin spread across her face. "Are you trying to tell me not to dwell on the past, to turn things around before it's too late, and to cherish my current life? Otherwise, things will never change for me, no matter what?"
As soon as Tsunade finished speaking, both Shizune and Kushina, who had been standing nearby, were taken aback. They exchanged glances before looking at Akihiko with a newfound sense of gratitude. "Is that really the message?" Shizune asked, her voice filled with awe.
'He's worthy of the infamous title of Grass Sage,' Shizune thought. Having followed Tsunade for years, she had tried countless times to persuade her to stop gambling, but her efforts had always failed. Akihiko, however, had approached the situation with a unique perspective, one that had managed to reach Tsunade in a way Shizune never could.
Despite the fact that Konoha and the Grass Ninja Village were technically allies, their rivalry simmered beneath the surface. Yet, Akihiko had chosen to help Tsunade in such a thoughtful and magnanimous way, something that reminded Shizune of the First Hokage's legendary kindness.
Feeling a surge of remorse for her previous misunderstandings, Shizune bowed deeply, her voice filled with sincere apology. "I apologize. I misunderstood you back then, thinking you had ulterior motives…" She stole a quick glance at Kushina, her cheeks flushed slightly. "I am truly sorry."
Still, a part of Shizune couldn't help but wonder—was it really just a misunderstanding?
Kushina, standing beside her, was equally moved. As this had been her request, she hadn't expected Akihiko to help both Tsunade in such a way. After a brief moment of hesitation, she turned to him, her voice soft but genuine. "Thank you, Akihiko…"
Akihiko, however, was actually speechless. Was it really that deep of a message? Why didn't he know himself?
He blinked in surprise, then nodded with a sigh, playing along. "I didn't expect my intentions to be understood so well."
"Too bad," Tsunade laughed heartily, her voice full of mirth. "I won't change, but thanks anyway." She looked back down at the script in her hand, considering it for a moment. "Let's go with this one. Although it's a bit unpleasant, it's still quite interesting."
Akihiko shook his head with a smile. "No, I should be the one thanking you." After all, having Tusnade as the face of the movie will really help with its promotion.
…
With the script finalized, production began without delay. The filming process was relatively straightforward, as they didn't need to build new sets. Instead, they decided to shoot at an actual casino, which will provide a more authentic atmosphere and will allow them to wrap up filming faster. The casino was also part of Grass Village's own business, which made it an added bonus—helping to promote the casino in the process.
However, when Akihiko proudly led Tsunade, who walked in with the confidence of a wealthy landowner, to the Grass Studios, an unexpected reaction occurred. A noticeable stir spread through the crowd. People looked at Tsunade with a mix of awe and fear, whispering amongst themselves, "So it's true... I hope I didn't offend her..."
Akihiko couldn't help but be confused. What kind of trouble had Tsunade caused here?
During this time, Kushina occasionally visited the set, though she always seemed a bit embarrassed, unsure of how to act around the cast and crew.
As for Tsunade, everyone had initially expected her to require some training or at least time to get into character. But to everyone's surprise, she was a natural. She seamlessly embodied the role of the rogue gambler, surpassing all expectations. Her performance was so convincing that Shizune, watching from the sidelines, awkwardly had to ask Tsunade to tone it down. After all, Tsunade was one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha, and her reputation demanded a certain level of decorum.
Time passed, and soon it was time for the final scene—the climactic showdown. Tsunade, drenched in cold sweat, nervously rubbed her hands, her eyes locked on her opponent.
And her opponent... The antagonist's role was played with a sinister touch, borrowed from Orochimaru's iconic visage. As for any potential backlash upon the movie's release, Akihiko liked to say they could simply direct complaints to Tsunade later.
The tension and anxiety were expertly conveyed through Tsunade's performance. Even the nearby crew members were left in awe. "Incredible. I thought she could only play dead bodies or simple roles, but she's got real talent. We totally underestimated her!"
Her natural ability to perform was almost terrifying. It was as if she had drawn the card she had been waiting for. A smug, confident smile spread across Tsunade's face as she glanced at her opponent. With a flourish, she slapped the cards onto the table. "You lost!"
"No! I have Four Kings. I don't believe you have Four Aces!" Her opponent, the King of Gamblers 'Orochimaru' appeared rattled. His earlier confident stance faltered, and his face grew tense, sweat beading on his forehead. His voice turned cold, dripping with villainous flair. "Reveal it. If you dare, reveal it!"
Tsunade smirked, unfazed. "Hmph! Sorry, but I have four..." she began, her voice dripping with arrogance, as she prepared to flip over the cards.
However, before she could finish, her expression suddenly froze. A confused look crossed her face as she stared at her cards. "What the...?" Her once-proud smile faltered as she noticed something was wrong. "Where's my Ace?"
Her once flawless hand was now incomplete. The four Aces she had been so confident about were now mysteriously reduced to three.
The entire set fell silent. Even Akihiko, Kushina, and Shizune were stunned. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. She can't even win in a movie? Akihiko becomes speechless. How was that even possible?
"Who?! Who stole my cards?!" Tsunade roared in anger, her eyes scanning the room, as if she could find the culprit with a glare.
The crew members exchanged bewildered looks, trying to make sense of the situation. Her cards had disappeared? How could something like that even happen?
Akihiko, knowing full well how Tsunade's 'luck' worked, couldn't help but facepalm. He stood up, gently patted the fuming Tsunade on the back, and said, "Forget it. We can just add some special effects later."
Tsunade shot him a defensive glance, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Someone stole my Ace. Otherwise, obviously, I would have won." she insisted, attempting to justify herself.
Akihiko blinked, his expression turning incredulous. Seriously? With your luck, could she still have the nerve to say that?
He raised an eyebrow, then sighed. "Well, it's not all bad," he said, his gaze turning toward Konoha. "At least... we now know the Third Hokage is still alive and well."
Everyone fell silent. So, what Akihiko was implying was... if Tsunade had won, the Third Hokage might have been in danger?