Chapter 42: Rāmen to Rūretto

As Naruto and Karin stepped inside the Rāmen to Rūretto, a familiar chaotic energy surrounded them. The hall was alive with excitement—some players cheered in victory, while others grieved over their losses. And then, of course, there was the expected tantrum.

At the center of the commotion stood none other than Tsunade, arms crossed, her frustration evident.

"I am one of the owners of this place!" she huffed.

The dealer, completely unfazed, shook his head. "And yet, your credit is still denied, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade clicked her tongue. "Tch. Fine! I'll just get more money. Naruto! Karin!" She spotted them near the entrance, waving them over.

Naruto sighed, rubbing his temples. 'I don't even know how much I've lost because of her at this point… but since the business is thriving, it's not a problem—yet.'

Karin, noticing his expression, smirked. "Nii-san, I seriously don't get why you're so lenient with her. She hits you, she gambles away fortunes, and yet… whenever she's down, you always pick her back up." Her crimson eyes flickered with curiosity.

Naruto's gaze softened. His voice came out quieter this time.

"Because I love her."

Karin's face twisted in shock. "What?! But she's way too old for you!"

Naruto chuckled. "Age is just a number, Karin. We only have one life—live it how you want, don't restrict yourself."

Karin narrowed her eyes at him.

"Whatever," she muttered, before cracking her knuckles. "I will never let Tsunade take you."

Her tone was dark and possessive—her signature Yandere mode was in full swing.

Naruto sweatdropped. 'Great. Here we go again...'

As they walked toward her, the moment the dealer saw Naruto, he practically ran to him in desperation.

"Naruto-sama, please help me!" he pleaded, his face filled with exhaustion.

Naruto sighed, already knowing the answer. "Let me guess… Tsunade hit her limit again?"

"Yes, sir," the dealer confirmed, wiping sweat off his forehead. "But—"

Naruto raised a hand, cutting him off. "It's fine. I'll handle it." Then, with a small smirk, he added, "And this month, you're getting a raise for putting up with her."

The dealer's eyes lit up. "Thank you, sir!" The shift in his expression was instant—just moments ago, he was miserable, but at the mention of money, all that sadness disappeared.

This is the power of money… Naruto mused. Even in this so-called shinobi era, wealth still rules the world.

Turning his attention to Tsunade, he crossed his arms.

"Tsunade… don't tell me you lost everything again?" he asked, this time in a gentler tone.

"...Yes," she mumbled, staring at the floor.

If this had been two years ago, she would have brushed it off with her usual carefree attitude. But ever since Rāmen to Rūretto opened, she had changed—at least around Naruto. Whenever she needed money, she suddenly became docile around him. The moment she got it, though? Back to her usual self.

Naruto sighed and reached out, patting her head softly.

"Don't worry," he said with a small smile.

Watching a woman as strong as Tsunade behave like this around him… was oddly satisfying.

'Yeah… this feels nice,' he thought with amusement.

"Okay, let's go home and have a nice dinner," Naruto said, stretching slightly.

"But I need to play!" Tsunade protested, crossing her arms like a stubborn child.

Naruto sighed. "Tsunade… I know you need to play. But like I've told you before—if you just cut back a little, I'll increase your limit. Do you ever listen to me?"

Karin stood to the side, watching the interaction with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. How was Naruto handling her so easily?

After a brief stare-down, Tsunade finally relented. "...Fine. We can go home."

Naruto smirked. "Let's grab a bottle of sake for you, then."

At the mention of sake, her entire demeanor changed. Her eyes lit up, and she suddenly looked much more agreeable.

Karin narrowed her eyes. Watching Tsunade's sudden mood shift, she immediately understood what was happening.

'She's totally using Nii-san to her advantage… I need to warn him!' she thought.

Naruto, seemingly oblivious (or maybe just used to it), casually grabbed two bottles of sake before leading the way out.

Tsunade looked satisfied as they walked, but Karin's face remained tense.

Noticing this, Naruto glanced at her and asked, "What's bothering you, Karin? As your brother, it's my job to solve your problems."

Karin stiffened, startled by his sudden question. She hesitated for a moment before answering, "It's nothing... I'm just worried about you."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Me? What's there to worry about?"

Karin took a deep breath, gathering her resolve. "Nii-san, Tsunade is taking advantage of you. Inside the house, when you mentioned sake, her entire demeanor changed." She spoke seriously, her red eyes sharp with concern.

Naruto chuckled, brushing it off. "Oh, that? You don't need to worry about it."

But Karin wouldn't let it go. "Nii-san, if this keeps up, she'll bankrupt you!" she insisted.

Naruto's expression softened. He reached out, ruffling her hair gently.

"Karin, I've told you before—money isn't more important than you guys. Even if I lost every single coin I have, I wouldn't care as long as you're all happy. I can always make more money… but if I lose you guys, I can't replace you."

Tsunade, who had been quietly listening, felt something tighten in her chest.

As a veteran shinobi, she had seen countless people make empty promises and bold declarations. But Naruto's words? They weren't for show.

'Maybe it's time I start cutting back… and actually support this kid instead of being a burden,' she thought, swallowing the unexpected lump in her throat.

But inside Naruto's mind, a voice chimed in.

[Leo, if I didn't know who you really are, I would've believed you. Is this what they call Talk no Jutsu?] Aurora teased.

Naruto smirked inwardly. "Aurora, how can you say that? I'm your favorite host, aren't I?"

Before he could dwell on it further, Karin suddenly threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Her shoulders trembled as she buried her face into his chest. "I'm so lucky to have you as a brother," she murmured, her voice cracking.

Naruto blinked, caught off guard. Then, with a small, knowing smile, he held her close, patting her back in comfort.

But instead of letting her have the last word, he gently pulled away and placed a hand on her head.

"No, Karin. I'm the lucky one. I'm lucky to have you guys."

Karin's eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, she couldn't respond.

Naruto then turned to Tsunade with a teasing grin.

"You guys love me, right, Tsunade?"

For once, the legendary Sannin didn't dodge the moment. She let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head.

"Yeah… we love you, Naruto."

They started to walk, and all three were happy, karin was jumping and smiling. 

Soon, they reached home.

"Mom, we are back and Tsunade is also back", Naruto and Karin said.

"Welcome home, dear. How was the academy?", Kushina asked.

"It was good I think, right Karin", He said while turned to Karin.

"Yes, mom. It was good, but Nii-san just slept in the class", She broke the truth.

"Naruto, is it the truth", Kushina came out of Kushina and glared at Naruto.

"Yes, mom. Sorry", He shrank back and apologized.

He turned to Karin and his expression how can you betray your brother?

But he got something," Mom, but you should know what Karin said in the class as her goal", He tried to say.

Kushina raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she stared at Naruto. "Oh? And what exactly did she say?"

Naruto smirked, glancing at Karin mischievously.

Karin's eyes widened in realization, and before she could stop him, Naruto blurted out, "She said she wants to marry me!"

A moment of silence.

Then—

"WHAT?!" Kushina's voice echoed through the house like a thunderclap.

Karin's face turned beet red, and she lunged at Naruto, trying to cover his mouth. "Nii-san! Why would you say that?!" she whined, flailing her arms.

Naruto laughed, dodging her weak attempts. "Well, you sold me out first! Fair is fair, right?"

Tsunade, who had just settled herself at the table with a bottle of sake, burst out laughing at the scene before her. "Hah! Naruto, you little troublemaker."

Kushina, on the other hand, pinched the bridge of her nose. "Karin, dear… you do know that you can't actually marry Naruto, right?"

Karin pouted, crossing her arms. "Why not?! If I love Nii-san, I should be able to marry him!"

Kushina sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. "What am I gonna do with you two?"

Naruto just grinned, ruffling Karin's hair. "Relax, Mom. It's just Karin being Karin."

Karin huffed, but deep down, she was happy.

Tsunade just took a sip of her sake, smirking. "This house is way too lively."

And with that, their chaotic family night continued.