Shizune felt ashamed of herself.
"Tsunade-sama can't be ashamed!" she thought.
The dignified Tsunade-hime… reduced to gambling away everything, nearly ending up on the streets with nothing to eat.
Shizune didn't want to hear such words. She couldn't let Tsunade disgrace herself any further!
…
After some time, people from the casino—Qing and Haidao—entered, accompanied by an unfamiliar figure.
That unknown person must be a Konoha spy.
"Are you alright?"
"Have they removed whatever was controlling you?"
Kazuki was the first to speak.
"Yes, the technique has been lifted. Thank you for the rescue!"
The Konoha scout clasped his fists in gratitude, bowing repeatedly.
Meanwhile, Qing and Haidao kept their heads lowered, remaining silent.
They had defied their captain's orders, acted on their own without notifying anyone… and had been captured as a result. In the end, they had to be rescued by the very captain they had disobeyed.
Qing and Haidao couldn't even bring themselves to look Kazuki in the eye.
"You're welcome. Let's go."
Kazuki didn't reprimand them, nor did he say anything further. After exchanging a few words with the Konoha spy, they left the casino.
The mission was a success—both the person and the crucial formula had been secured.
Kazuki saw no need to linger at the casino.
As he stepped out of the secluded building, a crowd of gamblers swarmed toward him, bombarding him with questions. But Kazuki deflected them one by one with vague responses.
He wasn't a saint. He had no obligation to explain the casino's secrets to these gamblers.
None of them actually cared about him—they just wanted to see if they could gain some advantage from whatever he knew.
Leaving the casino behind, Sunflower, one of his subordinates, turned to him eagerly.
"Captain, are we heading back to Konoha now?"
The mission had been accomplished without a fight. The four Jōnin stationed in the casino hadn't dared to make a move in their own territory.
She admired Kazuki even more for it, her eyes practically sparkling as she gazed at him.
Kazuki nodded before turning to the Konoha spy.
"You're coming with us. Your cover has been blown—it's not safe for you to remain in the Land of Hot Water."
"Understood. We should take our leave as well."
At that moment, Tsunade and Shizune also stepped forward to bid farewell.
"Wait, Tsunade-sama," Kazuki said suddenly.
Tsunade arched a brow. "What is it, brat?"
"You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"
Tsunade crossed her arms. "When have I ever gone back on my word?"
"Didn't you say that if I won against you, you'd help us handle our trouble?"
Tsunade scoffed. "Didn't you take care of it yourself? What else do you need me for?"
"Are you trying to swindle me, kid?"
Kazuki shook his head.
Between the two of them, he had won roughly ten million ryō at the casino. But Tsunade hadn't done too badly either—not only had she recovered her losses and redeemed her pawned items, but she had also walked away with over three million ryō in winnings.
"We won big," he pointed out. "The casino won't take this lying down."
And then there was one more issue.
After so many bets, across multiple games with different dealers, the casino had undoubtedly realized something—Kazuki could manipulate their special dice.
That meant he had control over their most valuable asset.
They wouldn't let him walk away so easily.
However, Kazuki had caused too much of a scene. If they moved against him now, the casino's reputation would take an enormous hit.
For the sake of maintaining their credibility, they had no choice but to let him go—for now.
"I'd like Tsunade-sama to travel with us for a while," Kazuki said. "It's safer that way."
Shizune, worry etched across her face, quickly agreed before Tsunade could respond.
"There were four Jōnin in that backroom," she pointed out. "That can't be the full extent of the casino's forces."
If they were being targeted, more enemies could be waiting for them. If that happened…
Tsunade was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"…Fine. We'll travel together for now."
And so, Kazuki's Anbu squad, the rescued Konoha spies, and Tsunade's party—now a group of seven—departed for Konoha at once.
…
The stars hung high in the night sky.
A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, whispering softly in the darkness.
The fireflies fluttered their wings and drifted slowly over the bushes, blending seamlessly into the environment, making them nearly imperceptible to the untrained eye.
One of the fireflies detached from the swarm, gliding toward Kazuki and the others before landing delicately on Qing's finger. Observing it for a moment, Qing turned to Kazuki and asked, "Captain Mink, I haven't detected any signs of pursuit yet. Should I continue the investigation?"
Kazuki responded calmly, "Remain vigilant. I'm certain they'll catch up. We took a significant amount of money from them, and we know their secrets. They won't let us go so easily."
He shifted his gaze back to the island. "Haidao, keep your Byakugan active and monitor for any chakra activity in the vicinity."
"Yes, Captain Mink," Haidao acknowledged with a nod.
Nearby, Tsunade, seated against a tree, took a slow breath, letting out a soft "Sss…"
A glint of surprise flickered in her sharp, amber eyes. This team had a Hyūga clan member, as well as a sensor-nin using fireflies to survey the area—undoubtedly a member of the Aburame clan.
A Hyūga ninja and an Aburame ninja.
Both were sensory types.
And the remaining female ninja—what abilities did she possess?
It was unusual for an Anbu team to include two sensory specialists, particularly from such prominent clans.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
The Konoha Assassination Squad had been established by her great-uncle, Senju Tobirama. She knew its structure and operations well, having worked closely with them in the past. Anbu prioritized sheer combat ability, valuing strength above all else to ensure mission success.
Which made it all the more peculiar—why were there multiple sensory ninjas in this squad?
Yet, what stood out most was their captain.
A twelve-year-old leading an Anbu unit?
Could they really be strong enough?
Tsunade sighed inwardly.
For the sake of their shared allegiance to Konoha…
And considering that kid had just won her a fortune in gambling…
If they needed help, she might as well offer a hand.
The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows as embers danced into the night sky.
Kazuki sat cross-legged by the flames, eating dry rations and drinking water to rehydrate. Once finished, he closed his eyes, resting in silence.
Suddenly, a small, gray-black creature—scarcely the length of a finger—scurried into their midst, letting out a high-pitched squeak.
"Ah! What is that?!"
Sunflower shrieked, leaping from her spot, instinctively moving closer to Kazuki for protection.
Haidao reacted immediately, drawing a kunai from his pouch and hurling it at the creature.
To his astonishment, the tiny mouse dodged the attack with uncanny agility.
"Don't be alarmed," Kazuki said evenly, steadying Sunflower with a reassuring grip on her shoulder. "It's not a real mouse. It's my mechanical scout."
"Hikari, as Anbu operatives, we must remain composed and clear-headed, no matter the crisis."
"Y-Yes. I'm sorry… I'm just naturally afraid of mice," Sunflower muttered, clutching the hem of Kazuki's cloak, her voice tinged with embarrassment. "It won't happen again, Captain."
Realizing it wasn't an actual rodent, her nerves settled.
Kazuki offered a faint smile.
After all, she was still just a girl.
Most Anbu operatives had bloodstained pasts, their hands marked by lives taken in the line of duty. Yet Sunflower—while unshaken by killing—was terrified of mice?
"A mechanical mouse? Captain, what's it for?" Sunflower picked up the tiny device, inspecting it curiously in her palm.
Kazuki's voice remained neutral. "Surveillance. Our pursuers have caught up."
"Impossible!"
Qing shot up in alarm, shaking her head in disbelief. "We would have sensed them!"
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