Ten minutes later.
Tsunade had lost everything.
Across from her, Saigoji Youmu's chips had piled up like a mountain.
"Damn it! It's over again..."
Slumping in her chair, Tsunade clutched her head in frustration.
Meanwhile, Saigoji Youmu calmly gathered his winnings.
"Let's go, Konan."
With a satisfied smirk, he turned to leave.
"Wait."
Tsunade couldn't sit still as she saw him walking away.
Saigoji Youmu turned, feigning ignorance. "Something wrong?"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Boy, are you cheating?"
Her gaze flicked toward the money in his hands, envy flashing in her eyes.
"How is this guy so damn lucky?"
Saigoji Youmu chuckled. "It's not very nice to accuse someone falsely."
He tapped the table lightly. "I never even touched the dice. How could I have cheated?"
Tsunade bit her lip. He's right.
Throughout the entire game, she had been watching him. And despite her many losses, she was certain—Saigoji Youmu didn't cheat.
Still, it was hard to accept.
"Tch..." Tsunade clicked her tongue in frustration but had no rebuttal.
Saigoji Youmu smiled to himself. This woman truly has no awareness of her own 'luck'.
In reality, anyone sitting at a table with Tsunade would end up winning big.
And tonight, he had been the lucky beneficiary.
"See you around, Tsunade."
With that, he walked out, Konan following closely behind.
Outside the casino.
Saigoji Youmu casually tossed the money bag to Konan.
"Here. You can have it if you want."
Konan's eyes widened. "Ah—!"
She immediately waved her hands. "No, I… I wasn't thinking about that!"
Her voice was flustered, and she looked away, embarrassed.
She had been sneaking glances at the bag of money ever since they left the casino, but not out of greed.
It was just… so much money.
For someone like her, who had never seen this kind of wealth before, it was simply unbelievable.
Saigoji Youmu chuckled.
"Konan, once you become a powerful ninja, this kind of money won't mean anything."
He gave her a knowing look.
After all, he knew her future.
The same Konan who now looked flustered at a mere million ryo would one day create a weapon made of 600 billion explosive tags.
By then, she would easily be the richest woman in the ninja world.
A million ryo? It was nothing.
Konan stuck out her tongue playfully. "I don't need that much. Just enough is fine."
"Hahaha!"
Saigoji Youmu laughed heartily.
Later that night.
After a hearty meal, the two checked into a quiet, well-sized hotel.
As the town slept, the air was still.
But deep into the night…
Creak.
The windows of Saigoji Youmu's room opened and closed without a sound.
A moment later, the bed where he had been sleeping was empty.
Outside the hotel, Saigoji Youmu walked down a dark, empty street.
His steps were slow, deliberate.
"Strange… No one?"
He glanced around, his sharp gaze scanning the shadows.
Just moments ago, he had felt someone pass by his window.
Yet now, the street was deserted.
Saigoji Youmu exhaled, shaking his head. "Must've been my imagination—"
At that moment.
A shadow appeared behind him.
The instant it materialized, the figure launched a powerful strike—a punch aimed directly at Saigoji Youmu's back.
The speed was astonishing.
The attack almost landed—
Boom!
A sharp, cracking sound filled the night.
The attacker's eyes narrowed in confusion.
They hadn't missed—but something was wrong.
Instead of flesh and bone, their fist struck something cold, solid… and unyielding.
Like ice.
Realizing the mistake, the figure immediately retreated, landing a few meters away.
They chose to observe instead of launching another attack.
Saigoji Youmu turned around, his expression calm.
"Who are you, and why are you bothering me?"
From the force behind that punch, it was clear—the attacker had been testing him.
If they had been trying to kill him, things would have ended very differently.
A moment of silence.
Then, a voice—one that was all too familiar.
"That's my line."