Chapter 214 Tsunade’s Great Escape

Just as Tatsuya was explaining the use of swords and weapons to Sasuke, Tsunade barged in, her face panic-stricken. Her disheveled hair and clothing were clear signs of her anxiety, indicating she had been running in haste.

"Tatsuya! You have to help me!" Tsunade cried, her voice tinged with desperation as she hurriedly shut the door behind her.

Tatsuya sighed, placing the sword he was demonstrating on the table. "What is it this time, Tsunade? Another gambling debt?"

She avoided his gaze, crossing her arms defensively. "It's not my fault! I was on a winning streak—until I wasn't."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with dry sarcasm. "Shocking."

Before Tsunade could retort, loud banging erupted at the door. A gruff voice called out from the other side. "Lady, you can't run forever! Pay up, or we'll drag you out ourselves!"

Tsunade shot Tatsuya a pleading look. "See? This is serious! They're not going to leave without their money."

Tatsuya ran a hand through his hair, his expression one of exasperated calm. "I told you this would happen if you didn't stop gambling." He glanced over at Sasuke, who was gripping his new sword tightly, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Sasuke, why don't you take care of this? Consider it your first test with the Kusanagi."

Sasuke's lips curved into a small smirk. "Finally." He stood and headed for the door, his movements deliberate and confident.

Tsunade blinked. "Wait, you're sending him? He's just a kid!"

Tatsuya leaned back against the wall. "He's more than capable. Besides, it's time those idiots outside learn who they're dealing with."

Sasuke opened the door to reveal a dozen rough-looking thugs, their faces hardening when they saw him. The apparent leader stepped forward, sneering. "Kid, move aside. This doesn't concern you."

Sasuke drew the Kusanagi in one fluid motion, the blade gleaming menacingly. "It does now." His voice was cold, his Sharingan activating with a flicker of crimson light.

The leader's bravado faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, laughing nervously. "You think a little brat with a sword scares us?"

Before Sasuke could reply, one of the thugs behind the leader spoke up, his voice shaking slightly. "Boss... look at that sword. Doesn't it remind you of that guy?"

The leader hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he took a closer look. One of the men in the group was holding a sword strikingly similar to Sasuke's newly acquired blade. This resemblance caused a moment of hesitation among the thugs. The last time someone wielding a weapon like that had come into contact with Tatsuya, their life signs had faded instantly with every swing of the blade.

The realization hit them like a bolt of lightning. The once-confident thugs, recognizing who they were dealing with, quickly retreated without a word, their earlier bravado dissolving into panicked whispers.

Sasuke, who had been eager to test his new sword and perhaps show off its power, felt a twinge of disappointment as he watched them flee. He had hoped they would be more aggressive, giving him a chance to demonstrate the sword's might in the name of upholding justice.

With the scene already over, Sasuke sheathed the Kusanagi and turned back to the house, the faintest trace of irritation on his face. "Cowards," he muttered under his breath as he stepped inside.

Tsunade peered out the window to ensure the coast was clear. "I can't believe it. They just ran off!"

Tatsuya chuckled. "That's the effect the Kusanagi—and a Uchiha's killing intent—has on people."

"They didn't even put up a fight," Sasuke said, his tone flat as he made his way back to his room.

Once inside, he paused in the doorway, surprised to find Tsunade and Tatsuya sitting at the table, their heads bent close in quiet conversation. Their voices were barely above a whisper, but Sasuke caught fragments of their discussion.

"...You can't keep doing this, Tsunade," Tatsuya said, his tone firm but not unkind.

"I know," Tsunade replied softly. "But sometimes, it feels like I can't help myself."

Sasuke decided not to interrupt, closing the door behind him as he left them to their conversation. Though the excitement he had hoped for didn't pan out, he couldn't deny a sense of satisfaction. The power of the Kusanagi was undeniable, and so was the respect it commanded.

Tatsuya had gotten up from his resting spot on the bed, stretching his arms with a small groan. "I've been sitting in that chair for too long. My back feels like it's made of stone."

Sasuke glanced over from where he was polishing the Kusanagi. "You'd think someone like you wouldn't let something as simple as a chair bother them."

Tatsuya chuckled, rotating his shoulders. "Even ninjas have their limits, Sasuke. We can dodge kunai and battle for hours, but sitting on a hard seat for too long? That's a different kind of torture." He patted the bed. "This is much better for teaching anyway. Besides, you're not going to learn anything useful if your teacher's too stiff to move."

Sasuke smirked. "Right. Can't have my training interrupted by back pain."

"Smartass," Tatsuya muttered with a grin, grabbing a nearby kunai and spinning it deftly in his hand. Despite the change in position, the lesson continued as seamlessly as before.

After Sasuke had finished practicing and left to train outside, Tatsuya stood up, dusting himself off. His eyes fell on the heavy money bag that had been sitting in the corner earlier. He moved toward it with a casual remark.

"Time to put this away before Tsunade gets any ideas—" He paused mid-step, staring at the now-empty corner. His brow furrowed. "Wait. Where the hell is the bag?"

He scanned the room, moving things aside as if the money might have simply fallen behind something. "No way," he muttered, his voice taking on an edge of irritation.

Tsunade's absence suddenly struck him, and he narrowed his eyes. "Tsunade."

Realizing what might have happened, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. "Of course. She disappears, and so does the money."

Sasuke's voice carried in from outside, his tone curious as he reentered the house. "Everything okay, Tatsuya? I thought I heard you muttering."

Tatsuya turned to him, crossing his arms. "You wouldn't happen to know where Tsunade went, would you?"

Sasuke shrugged. "No idea. She was here earlier, but she vanished before I left to train." His eyes flicked to the corner where the money bag had been. "Wait, wasn't there a—"

"Yeah," Tatsuya interrupted, his tone flat. "There was a money bag there. And now it's gone. Along with Tsunade."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You didn't think it was safe to leave that out in the open while she was around, did you?"

Tatsuya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose again. "I overestimated her self-control. She must've slipped out when we were focused on your training."

"Well," Sasuke said, leaning against the doorframe, "you could go after her. Or... you could just wait. She'll run out of money soon enough and come crawling back."

Tatsuya shot him a pointed look. "Not helping, Sasuke."

Sasuke shrugged. "Just saying. She'll be back."

"Yeah, probably with another group of angry thugs on her tail," Tatsuya muttered under his breath. He glanced toward the door, contemplating his next move. "Guess I'll have to deal with this later. For now, let's make sure no one else gets any bright ideas about stealing from me."

As he sat back down on the bed, Tatsuya shook his head, muttering to himself. "Next time, I'm tying that bag to the ceiling."

Sasuke smirked, giving a faint chuckle as he turned to leave. "Good luck with that."

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