In the private room of the izakaya, four people sat across from each other. The atmosphere was a little tense.
Yami and Tsunade stared at each other, while Shizune and Izumi exchanged glances.
Uh… the tapir in Izumi's arms and the pig in Shizune's arms were also staring at each other.
At this mont, Izumi was feeling quite uneasy.
She hadn't expected to run into a big spender at the casino—the legendary Sannin, Tsunade.
In Konoha, Tsunade was idolized by every kunoichi. Even Izumi, born into the Uchiha, was no exception.
Tsunade rubbed her still-aching wrist. "Who are you, Shimura Danzō?"
Just now, she'd tried to scare the kid with a head flick, but it hadn't gone as planned. Instead of flicking his forehead, she'd been struck by a surge of lightning.
This kid was clearly a shinobi, and not a weak one either.
Seeing Tsunade attack Yami, Izumi had assud they were enemies and imdiately activated her Sharingan, ready to fight.
When she saw the Sharingan, Tsunade instantly understood.
So they were brats from Konoha.
Naturally, she backed down.
With one hand propping up her chin, and the tea table still crackling with residual lightning, Tsunade studied Yami suspiciously.
First, the kid felt a bit too dangerous. In that brief clash earlier, even without using her full strength, she had sensed Yami's terrifying power.
Second… it was his appearance.
He didn't look like soone from the Shimura clan.
Due to her long-standing grudge with Danzō, Tsunade instinctively disliked the Shimura na.
"He's my grandfather. Got a problem with that?"
"Danzō is your grandfather?"
Tsunade raised her voice in disbelief. "That old fossil has a cute grandson like you?"
Yami curled his lips. "That's because you've never seen what my grandpa looked like when he was young. Sure, he's not on my level, but he was handso enough to make your heart skip a beat."
Izumi subconsciously nodded. She had seen photos of Danzō in his youth, and it had taken her a long ti to believe they were real. She now understood the saying, ti spares no one.
"Alright, alright, your grandpa was a looker in his youth."
Tsunade obviously didn't believe it, waving her hand dismissively. "Since we're from the sa village, I'll let your earlier rudeness slide. Just treat to a drink and we'll call it even."
Even though she had countless run-ins with Danzō, Tsunade wasn't so petty as to take it out on a kid. She'd just lost her last bet and didn't have money for food or booze. She was shalessly trying to freeload.
On the side, Shizune suddenly muttered Yami's na, then her eyes widened as sothing clicked.
"Shimura Yami… are you the Konoha Shinigami?"
"Huh?"
Tsunade opened her mouth wide. "Shizune, what nonsense are you spouting before we even start drinking?"
"Lady Tsunade, no, I'm serious. He really is the Konoha Shinigami."
Shizune quickly explained, "It's not a nickna I gave him. The Kumo shinobi started calling him that during the Konoha-Kumo war a few years ago. I even ntioned it to you before."
"For real?"
Tsunade had long cut herself off from the shinobi world, abandoning everything ninja-related. She had no clue what had been going on. She just muttered,
"What a grim nickna to earn at such a young age."
"Must've had terrible grades in the Academy."
Yami said indifferently, "I'm soone else's Shinigami, not my own. Don't you even get that?"
Tsunade flopped down on the table, completely unladylike. "Alright, Lord Shinigami, can soone get the drinks and food already?"
"I'm starving after gambling all night."
Yami hadn't eaten much earlier either, so he didn't argue and just ordered four sukiyaki pots and a few bottles of shochu.
After a few sips of alcohol, Tsunade perked up, her gaze toward Yami becoming much friendlier.
"You sure know how to enjoy life, going on a hot spring trip with your girlfriend at your age."
"But young people should show so restraint. Having kids too early isn't good. I'm a doctor. I wouldn't lie to you."
"Lady Tsunade, that's way too early of an assumption!"
Shizune looked flustered, and Izumi's face turned beet red. Their impression of Tsunade changed drastically.
She didn't feel like the legendary Sannin at all—more like that unreliable Jiraiya.
Tsunade clearly didn't have much alcohol tolerance. After just two bottles of shochu, her cheeks were red, her eyes dazed, and she was slouching in her seat.
Seeing she couldn't rein Tsunade in, Shizune gave up and just focused on eating.
They had lost all their money and would probably have to sleep outdoors soon, so they had to eat their fill now.
"Hey kid, even though I left the village around the ti your parents got married, I heard your mom was from the Senju main line? That ans I'm still your elder."
Yami paused mid-bite on his beef roll and set down his chopsticks. "My mom is Senju Saki. Do you know her?"
"What did you say?"
The bottle in Tsunade's hand slipped. Her drunken haze cleared instantly.
"Senju Saki?"
"That's right."
Tsunade looked at the boy in front of her, her expression growing complicated.
[Host has established a family bond with Tsunade. Reward: 'Superhuman Power']
Yami frowned. "You knew her?"
"…Yeah." Tsunade sighed. "If your mother was her… then you should be calling sister."
Yami looked at her like she was a ghost.
"Don't think I'm easy to fool just because I'm still a kid. You may look young, but you're over 40. Even if my mom were alive, she'd only be in her 30s."
"She's… dead?" Tsunade murmured.
Yami's voice was calm. "She died giving birth to . Her old injuries flared up."
Shizune and Izumi realized the shift in atmosphere and went quiet, not wanting to interrupt.
Izumi quietly reached out and held Yami's hand, trying to offer comfort.
"I wasn't lying, kid."
Tsunade picked up the fallen bottle and drained it before continuing, "Saki was the daughter of the second elder. That old man was the sa generation as my grandfather. He had her late in life, so she was technically one generation above ."
"When I was still in the village, every ti I got back from a mission, I'd take her to Yakiniku Q. Then we'd go gamble."
Tsunade laughed. "I didn't expect… she's gone too."
She shook her head and suddenly leaned across the table, hugging Yami's little head into her chest.
"So, that makes you my little brother."
"Yami, your sister's broke. How about supporting ?"
"I'll definitely pay you back once I win big."
"Damn it, I don't even have facial cleanser…"
After a struggle, Yami finally escaped her grip, his face red with embarrassnt. "Jiraiya told you were the biggest money sink in the shinobi world. Any money that gets into your hands ends up in a casino. Just give up already."
"That jerk!"
Tsunade erupted in killing intent. Next ti she saw that old perv, she'd definitely pay him back with her fists.
Yami took out a sealed scroll from his bag, unsealed it, and a stack of papers appeared. "Actually, you owe money."
"You kidding? I don't even have cash for the casino. How could I owe you?"
"Take a look for yourself."
Yami handed over a scroll. Tsunade was dumbfounded after reading it.
"IOUs?"
"Why do you have these?"
"I collected them during a mission. I've got fifteen in total. You owe 18 million ryō. When do you plan to repay it?"
Swish! Tsunade instinctively replied with the sa line she'd used on countless debt collectors. "Please give more ti, dear creditor. I swear I'll win it all back."
It was an automatic reaction developed after years of dodging debts.
She only realized what she'd said after the fact and blushed.
In her frustration, she even wanted to snatch the IOUs and destroy them.
Fortunately, Yami was quick and resealed them in a flash.
After dinner, Tsunade fully clung to Yami.
She claid that since he won all her money, he had to be responsible. She had nowhere to stay.
Yami didn't want to deal with this shaless woman, but kindhearted Izumi spoke up.
With only the two of them in a large hot spring hotel, the place did feel a bit too empty.
In the end, Yami reluctantly agreed.
For the next few days, Yami stayed at the hot spring hotel during the day and enjoyed Tsunade's massage services as her creditor.
At night, he accompanied the big spender to the casino.
Tsunade borrowed another 5 million ryō from sowhere, lost it all in a few days, and unintentionally helped Yami recover several million.
To avoid her pestering him for more loans, Yami decided to take Izumi back to Konoha.
He left the last two days of the hot spring stay to Tsunade and Shizune.
Watching them leave, Shizune held Tonton in her arms, reluctant. "Tsunade, don't you want to go back to Konoha?"
These past few days, she had seen Tsunade smile more than ever. It was clear she liked Yami.
They really looked like bickering siblings.
If Yami could persuade her to return, her life would be much better.
Tsunade stared at the two fading figures and shook her head.
"This is fine."
"The Senju na only brings misfortune. Saki's blood is safer away from ."
Shizune sighed and stopped trying.
She knew Tsunade still hadn't let go of the past.
[Host and Tsunade's kinship bond reaches second stage. Reward: Senju Physique (Good)]
Far away, Yami suddenly received a system notification and froze slightly.
"What's wrong?"
Izumi asked, surprised by his sudden stop.
"Nothing. Just feel like Tapir's gotten fatter lately."
"Yami-sama, I haven't!"
---
"I heard from Kurenai that you were looking for a few days ago. Is sothing going on with the Uchiha?"
The next day after returning to Konoha, Yami went to find Itachi, who had just finished a mission.
"No."
Itachi didn't reveal the increasingly radical state of the clan.
Although he was a double agent, the situation hadn't reached a breaking point yet. If he said too much, things could spiral.
Besides, Yami had never been particularly friendly to the Uchiha.
"Just a personal request."
"Oh?" Yami raised his eyebrows. "Didn't expect you to co to for personal matters."
"Shisui-nii wants to see you."
Itachi said softly, "With his status, it's not convenient for him to approach you at Anbu. If he visited you directly, it would draw too much attention. So I conveyed his request."
"Shisui-senpai?"
Yami thought for a mont, then nodded.
"Fine."
Itachi gave him the ti and location, then left.
Yami didn't know when it started, but he had been subconsciously avoiding Uchiha Shisui.
Distinguished Heavenly Gods (Kotoamatsukami).
That was one of the most powerful genjutsu in the original series, able to alter a person's will without them realizing.
Yet it had only been shown twice, and never directly cast by the user. Its true power remained mysterious. That made Yami uneasy.
Still, if Shisui believed he could prevent the rebellion using it, Yami had to be prepared.
But declining the eting would make him look weak. So he agreed.
Before going, Yami made arrangents.
Hizashi would examine his condition with the Byakugan tomorrow to confirm whether he had been caught in a genjutsu.
At night, Yami arrived at the cliff above the waterfall.
Originally, Pakura had wanted to accompany him, but he had persuaded her to stay ho.
By the ti Yami arrived, Shisui was already waiting.
"Yami-kun."
The 18-year-old Shisui smiled warmly. "Sorry for calling you out like this. I really didn't have another choice. Lately, I've been under constant surveillance."
Both Anbu and Root, and even so in the Uchiha clan, were wary of him.
No one trusted him, yet everyone wanted to use him.
Life as Uchiha Shisui was truly exhausting.
"You're too polite, senpai."
Yami lightly jumped onto a large tree branch. "You were once my teacher, after all. You taught swordsmanship and ninjutsu. A nightti chat is no big deal."
"To be honest, I was nervous before coming."
Shisui took a leaf in hand. "After all, you've been avoiding these past few years. This ti, I asked Itachi to reach out just to try my luck."
Yami was genuinely surprised.
It was the first ti he had seen Shisui speak so directly. The situation must be really desperate.
"Not really. It's just… there aren't many in the village who pose a threat to . And you're the most dangerous one."
Yami didn't hold back and got straight to the point. "So, senpai, why did you want to et today?"
(To be continued.)
***
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