Chapter 29: Gambling

"Finally, we arrived! Now it's gambling time!" Naruto shouted, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. His excitement was infectious, filling the air with anticipation.

"Yes! Time to make some money!" Tsunade declared, eyes gleaming as she eagerly headed toward the gambling house, her steps filled with confidence.

But just as Naruto was about to follow, he held himself back. "Wait, you guys go in first. I'll come in after a while—to make it look less suspicious," he said, his voice carrying a calculated edge beneath his usual excitement.

Shizune nodded in understanding and handed him half of their funds. "Alright, here. Take this."

Naruto took the money, tucking it away safely, watching as Tsunade and Shizune disappeared through the doors.

Naruto leaned against the doorway for a moment, taking in the atmosphere. The room was alive with excitement—some people laughed, their tables piled with winnings, while others sat hunched over, staring in disbelief at their empty hands. A few unlucky souls shouted in frustration, their voices barely heard over the clatter of dice and the flipping of cards.

Then, amidst the chaos, his eyes landed on a familiar scene—Tsunade, standing with her arms crossed, frustration written all over her face as she glared at the gambling table. The dealer looked uneasy, and nearby gamblers gave her wary glances, no doubt recognizing her infamous streak of bad luck.

Naruto shook his head, a knowing smirk forming on his lips. "Seriously, not even half an hour? Tsunade, you're a natural disaster when it comes to gambling."

He casually made his way through the crowded gambling hall, weaving past tables filled with people whose faces ranged from ecstatic joy to utter despair. The dim lighting, mixed with the scent of alcohol and the sound of coins clinking, created an atmosphere of both excitement and tension.

Shizune stood beside Tsunade, her face buried in her hands. "Tsunade-sama… how could you lose everything this fast?" she groaned.

Tsunade crossed her arms and huffed. "It was just a bad streak! My luck will turn around soon!"

Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, it will turn around, alright… just not for you." His eyes gleamed mischievously. "Alright, my turn."

He confidently took a seat at a table, his transformed adult form exuding an aura of quiet intimidation. The dealer eyed him, along with a few other gamblers who were sizing him up.

He smirked. "Let's make some money."

As the game progressed, Naruto's pile of winnings grew rapidly, his initial amount doubling, then tripling, as he continued betting—mostly against Tsunade. He played the role of an eager gambler perfectly, always making sure to keep the act believable.

At one point, he smirked and slid a portion of his winnings toward Tsunade. "Hey, beautiful lady, I can lend you some money if you're short," he teased, his voice smooth and confident.

Tsunade chuckled, playing along. "What a generous young man," she said, accepting the money with a smirk. "Since you're offering, I won't refuse."

Despite their playful banter, they were careful—making sure no one around them suspected they were working together. Their interactions were casual, their connection invisible to the other gamblers.

Half an hour ago.

Before he had even stepped into the house, a familiar notification had appeared in his mind.

Ding!

[ Miscellaneous Quest: Win against Tsunade in gambling

Reward: Title: Gambling King (Your luck increases by 100% when gambling. Gambling skills are at their peak.) ]

The moment he saw it, he almost burst out laughing. This is basically a freebie! Winning against Tsunade in gambling was as easy as breathing.

Aurora, I love you. His words rang through his mind, filled with amusement and excitement.

As soon as he secured his first win against her, the system confirmed the reward. He felt a strange shift within him—his instincts sharpened, calculations became clearer, and an unseen force seemed to tilt the odds in his favor. His luck was now at its absolute peak.

Naruto continued to move between different gambling tables, playing flawlessly and raking in more winnings. On the outside, he remained composed—his expression calm, his movements calculated—but inside, he was grinning like a maniac.

This is too easy.

With his newly earned Gambling King title, luck seemed to dance in his favor. Every roll of the dice, every card he drew—it all worked in his favor. By the time the night drew to a close, he had reached the house limit: 20 million Ryo.

Satisfied with his winnings, he made sure to leave separately from Tsunade and Shizune to avoid suspicion. They followed their earlier plan—Naruto leaving alone, while the two women exited together.

Once outside, they regrouped at the inn they had chosen, securing their rooms for the night.

Naruto leaned back on his futon, arms behind his head, a smirk on his face. This was only the beginning.

For the entire week, they repeated the same strategy, moving from one gambling house to another. Every time, Naruto won big, Tsunade lost spectacularly, and the money kept flowing into their pockets.

At first, the owners dismissed it as luck. But as the days passed and the pattern remained unchanged, suspicion grew.

Something was going on.

On the seventh day, their patience ran out. A group of enforcers confronted them, demanding answers.

"You think you can just keep walking away with our money?" one of them snarled, cracking his knuckles.

Naruto just smirked. "Oh? You mean my hard-earned winnings?"

When they tried to use force, they quickly realized their mistake.

Within minutes, Naruto took them all down effortlessly. Tsunade and Shizune barely had to lift a finger.

By the end of the night, all the gambling houses were his. The owners had no choice but to submit.

With this, half of his objective for leaving the village was complete.

Now, the real mission began—rescuing Karin and her mother from Kusagakure.

He fixed his gaze on one of the trembling men. "Guys, do you have any mercenaries in your contacts?"

The man hesitated, shifting nervously. "N-No, sir," he stammered.

He sighed, his expression turning cold. He didn't need to be a mind-reader to know the guy was lying. With a swift motion, he applied just enough pressure on the man's shoulder to make him flinch.

"Try again," Naruto said, his voice calm but laced with authority.

The man gulped, his resistance crumbling. "I-I know a group… they go by the name—Akatsuki."

His eyes narrowed. Akatsuki. He had expected to find mercenaries, but he hadn't thought of them. A dangerous choice, but an effective one.

The man hesitated, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "S-Sir, Akatsuki doesn't just take any job… They're dangerous." 

His eyes narrowed. "I know exactly who they are." 

Tsunade and Shizune exchanged glances, understanding the weight of his words.

"Now, do as I say. Contact them. Tell them there's a high-paying mission waiting." 

Under the pressure of Naruto's gaze, the man had no choice but to comply. He hurried off to make the arrangements. 

Naruto leaned back with a smirk. "Let's see how much money can move them."