Chapter 293 Has the curse been broken?

The rules of the challenge had been set.

Two contenders: Tsunade and Ryan.

The arena stood ready, its vast grounds bathed in golden light as the audience settled into their seats. All around the battleground, the Hokages of every era watched with keen interest. Their expressions blended curiosity with amusement, each one silently sizing up what was to come.

At the center of it all, Ryan stood across from Tsunade. Both were already in position, their gazes locked as the murmurs of the crowd filled the air.

The discussion among the Hokages began almost immediately.

"Who do you think will win?" Obito asked.

"It's hard to say," Kakashi mused, his visible eye narrowing in thought. "The rules of this competition are... not in favor of Ryan."

He paused before continuing. "If there were no restrictions in place, there wouldn't even be a question. Ryan would win, no doubt about it."

The others nodded in agreement. That much was common sense.

Ryan's strength was undeniable. Among those gathered here, he was easily the strongest. In a straightforward battle, Tsunade wouldn't stand a chance.

But this wasn't a straightforward battle.

Kakashi adjusted his headband. "With these particular rules in place, it's a different story. Ryan isn't allowed to attack, while Tsunade is free to fight however she wants. In a situation like this... who actually wins?"

A silence settled over the group as they considered his words.

"Ryan can't even strike back," Tobirama noted, arms folded. "How exactly is he supposed to win?"

Minato let out a small chuckle. "Maybe he's just going easy on his teacher this time. Wouldn't be the first time a student held back out of respect."

He tilted his head in amusement. "Honestly, it's not a bad strategy. Defeating Tsunade outright would be a bit... unsightly. If he holds back like this, it makes things more interesting."

The others exchanged glances, contemplating the idea.

Sasuke scoffed. "That actually makes sense. Anyone who's fought Ryan before knows Tsunade has no chance in a fair match. This way, it won't look like a complete loss."

At that moment, a voice broke through their conversation.

"You're all assuming Ryan doesn't intend to win," Hashirama said, his tone thoughtful. "But... I don't think that's the case."

His words drew immediate attention. Several heads turned, surprise evident in their expressions.

Madara, who had been watching with mild amusement, arched an eyebrow before a slow smirk stretched across his face.

"Hah. Hashirama, have you lost your mind?" he said, laughing. "You're telling me you actually think Ryan can win, while just standing there and getting hit?"

"That's ridiculous!"

Hashirama, however, remained unfazed. "If you're so sure," he said with an easy smile, "why don't we make a bet?"

The challenge piqued everyone's interest. Within moments, a small crowd had gathered near the betting board where the odds were displayed.

Ryan's chances of winning? A staggering 1:10.

Tsunade's? A simple, expected 1:1.5

The numbers alone reflected what everyone already believed. Ryan's victory was next to impossible.

Seeing this, the Hokages exchanged knowing glances.

Naruto crossed his arms, glancing at the betting board with a sigh. "It's obvious," he muttered.

Obito nodded, his Sharingan reflecting the odds displayed before them. "Just look at the numbers," he added. "Ryan has no way of winning this."

Hashirama, however, remained completely at ease. Unlike the others, he showed no hesitation, no doubt. Instead, with an unwavering smile, he stepped forward and placed his bet boldly, confidently, and completely certain.

"I'm betting on Ryan."

Everyone else placed their bets on Tsunade.

Thousands of points were wagered in an instant, something that would have been unthinkable in the past. Before the missions across the Heavens, such an amount would have been considered a significant sum. Few would have dared to gamble so recklessly.

But things were different now.

After multiple missions, after experiencing entire worlds, everyone's point reserves had skyrocketed. Now, thousands of points were nothing more than pocket change. A small bet like this meant little to them, barely worth a second thought.

And then, there was Hashirama.

Unlike the others, he took his time before making a decision. After a brief moment of consideration, he placed his bet on Ryan, worth 50,000 points.

The room fell silent.

The sheer size of the wager stunned everyone. Thousands of points were one thing. But 50,000? That was no joke. Even in the Heavens' missions, completing three entire missions wouldn't necessarily yield that many points.

Hashirama was putting a huge amount on the line. If he lost, he'd get nothing in return.

Naturally, everyone tried to stop him.

Minato furrowed his brows as he watched Hashirama place his bet. "Shodai! There's no need to go this far!" he said, his tone laced with concern.

Tobirama crossed his arms, shaking his head. "Yeah, this is just for fun! Why risk so much?"

Tsunade scoffed, her expression incredulous. "50,000 points?! Have you lost it, grandpa? You'll regret it if you lose!"

But Hashirama remained unfazed. He didn't even waver.

Ignoring their concerns, he placed his full bet without hesitation.

At this point, even Madara couldn't stand it anymore. Arms crossed, he leaned in, his expression incredulous.

"Hashirama, have you lost your damn mind?" Madara scoffed. "50,000 points? Really?" He gestured sharply. "Do you have any idea what you could buy with that?! Why just throw it away?"

The disbelief in his voice was obvious, but Hashirama only chuckled in response.

"Look at you all," he said, shaking his head with a grin. "Still don't believe me, huh?"

His eyes flickered with amusement as he looked at the skeptical faces around him.

"I already told you. I trust my own judgment. You all think I'm throwing my points away, but what if I win?" His smile widened. "Then I can 10 times my points."

The room fell silent again.

No one knew what to say. Hashirama wasn't budging an inch, and at this point, it was clear that trying to convince him otherwise was useless.

With a collective sigh of exasperation, the others gave up. If he wanted to throw away 50,000 points, that was his business.

With the bets placed, everyone returned to their seats.

At the center of the arena, Ryan and Tsunade stood ready.

Tsunade smirked, stretching her fingers as she looked at her opponent. "Don't regret this, dear apprentice."

Her voice carried the confidence of someone who knew they had already won. After all, Ryan had already declared that he wouldn't attack. If he wasn't going to fight back, wasn't he just waiting to lose?

Winning like this might not have been the most satisfying victory, but a win was still a win.

On the other side, Ryan stood casually, hands stuffed in his pockets, completely at ease. His expression didn't change as he met her gaze.

"It's fine," he said simply. "Go ahead."

The moment his words fell, the match officially began.

Tsunade wasted no time.

With a sharp inhale, she clenched her fists, raw power surging into them. The air around her trembled under the sheer force.

BOOM!

The ground beneath her shattered as she launched forward, her fist carrying the weight of a cannonball. The sheer momentum was devastating enough to obliterate anything in her path.

And yet, Ryan didn't move.

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