Hanzō of the Salamander had successfully intimidated Konoha, Sand Shinobi, and Rock Shinobi.
It wasn't just because of his extraordinary strength—his Summoning Beast, the Black Salamander, was a crucial factor as well.
The toxic mist released by the Black Salamander could paralyze its victims completely, stripping them of their ability to fight.
Even Hanzō himself was not immune to its effects.
To overcome this limitation, Hanzō had surgically implanted the Black Salamander's poison sac into his own body. Now, with every breath, he could release the same deadly mist.
But this also meant that he had to wear a mask at all times—not to protect himself, but to prevent accidentally poisoning those around him.
Konan tilted her head, deep in thought.
"Brother Youmu, what about you? Could you defeat Hanzō of the Salamander?"
In her eyes, Saigoji Youmu was undoubtedly a powerhouse. But from the way he described Hanzō, it was clear that the legendary shinobi stood at the very pinnacle of the ninja world.
She couldn't help but wonder—could Youmu match someone like that?
Saigoji Youmu was caught off guard by the question.
"Me?"
He paused for a moment, then shook his head.
"I'm not sure."
His knowledge of powerful figures like Hanzō came from anime and manga. But this world was not just fiction anymore—things were bound to be different from what he had seen in the original story.
He wouldn't make careless assumptions.
"Oh…"
Konan nodded, seemingly lost in thought.
As they walked through the town, chatting casually, Saigoji Youmu never stopped observing his surroundings.
"It seems Konoha, Sand Shinobi, and Rock Shinobi aren't being too honest."
Even in just a short time, he had already spotted at least five individuals who were likely enemy shinobi, lurking among the crowd and gathering intelligence.
Their presence was proof—even in 'peaceful' areas, war was never far away.
"As long as they don't mess with me…"
Saigoji Youmu had no intention of getting involved in the Second Ninja World War—at least, not yet.
If these spies left him alone, he would do the same.
"Come on, come on, just one more round!"
"Damn it! I lost again!"
As they passed a bustling storefront, Saigoji Youmu suddenly halted.
Konan blinked. "What's wrong?"
"Shh."
He held up a finger, signaling for silence.
Though confused, Konan obediently stayed quiet.
"Hahaha, it's all mine!"
"Damn it! That was my last bet!"
Saigoji Youmu smirked. "It should be her."
Without hesitation, he grabbed Konan's wrist and led her inside.
"Eh?"
Konan barely had time to glance up at the store's sign before being pulled in Casino.
The casino was packed.
Excited gamblers surrounded tables, shouting their bets.
"Big! Big! Big!"
"No, keep it small!"
Konan frowned, uneasy.
She had never liked noisy places, and the chaotic, greed-filled energy of the casino made her uncomfortable.
"Brother Youmu, why are we here?" she asked, glancing at the enthusiastic gamblers with slight distaste.
Saigoji Youmu's sharp gaze swept across the room.
"We're here to find someone."
His eyes quickly locked onto a blonde woman with a single ponytail.
At this moment, her face was twisted in frustration and regret—the pile of money in front of her had all but vanished.
She had lost everything.
Meanwhile, the other gamblers at her table were grinning gleefully, clearly enjoying her misfortune.
"Tsunade…"
Saigoji Youmu smirked.
At this point in time, Tsunade should be around twenty-two years old.
And, just like in the original story, she was completely addicted to gambling—and lost every single time.
"Found her."
Konan followed his gaze.
"Is that beautiful big sister your friend?"
Saigoji Youmu chuckled. "Not yet—but maybe in the future."
With that, he led Konan toward the table.
As luck would have it, one of the gamblers, having won a large sum, stood up and left, satisfied.
"Good timing."
Saigoji Youmu slid into the empty seat before anyone else could take it.
"Hey! That was mine!" a disgruntled gambler complained.
Another sighed. "Damn, I was hoping to fleece her some more."
The surrounding gamblers, who had been eagerly watching Tsunade lose, sighed in disappointment.
"Ah, whatever. Let's go."
One by one, they gave up, leaving the table.
Saigoji Youmu chuckled to himself.
Tsunade, completely oblivious to the fact that she had been labeled a 'fat sheep' ripe for slaughter, was already addicted to the game, unable to extricate herself.
For the first time in a long while, a rare glint of amusement flickered in Saigoji Youmu's eyes.