Samui shook the dice cup in her hand, a confident expression on her face.

Gambling was undoubtedly a bad habit for mature ninja, but for ANBU, it was the opposite. It was a necessary skill to master, just in case.

Victory was within her grasp. Samui had already formulated a plan:

She would let Tsunade win a few rounds at the beginning, then make her lose to the point where she'd even have to sell the clothes she was wearing, revealing her indecent figure underneath.

Of course, in the end, there would be a touching scene of sisterly love and shared village origins, moving Tsunade to tears and ultimately agreeing to her small request.

"Oh? An outsider? First time at the casino, huh~" Tsunade raised an eyebrow, not immediately agreeing. "Let me tell you, my luck is excellent today. If you join this table, I won't go easy on you, even if you're a woman."

"It seems Tsunade-sama is very confident~ As it happens, so am I."

"You know my name?"

Tsunade glanced sideways, noticing the blonde woman beside her, who resembled a shy girl meeting her idol for the first time. She then looked at the forehead protector on her forehead.

After a moment of silence, a relieved smile appeared on Tsunade's lips as she muttered, "Troublesome… Konoha ninja."

Then she looked up. "What's your name?"

"Gojo Ai."

"Gojo…?"

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully. For some reason, her gaze towards Samui suddenly turned hostile.

"Alright, whoever you are, since you're prepared, come on up!"

…

…

According to an unknown shinobi world scientist, gambling can trigger a dopamine rush that surpasses even sex and drugs.

Chips clattered, cheers and groans erupted as fortunes changed hands – the guests were having a blast.

"Not bad, not bad, a worthy opponent! This is truly an exhilarating gamble!"

Tsunade was one of those enjoying herself.

It had been a long time since she had gambled so freely. God knows how she felt, using Shizune's last bit of living expenses to win the pile of chips that now occupied half the table.

Someone like her would typically be called a gambling maniac in Tanzaku Quarters.

A quick glance revealed that the chips on the table were worth at least five million ryō.

Yet, despite losing so much money, Samui's face showed no sign of panic.

And Shizune, as the winner, also showed no hint of joy.

Because-

Tsunade's Gambling Law!

Generally speaking, when Tsunade lost money at the gambling table, it meant nothing bad would happen.

But once Tsunade's luck turned and she started winning… bad things would inevitably follow.

What did winning so much money imply?

Shizune leaned in and whispered, "Tsunade-sama, perhaps we should stop here. If this continues, I'm afraid you…"

"Of course, I know my own luck~"

"But Shizune, haven't you noticed? It's not that my luck has improved today, it's that woman deliberately losing to me."

Shizune was taken aback. "Then why are you still…"

"This is gambling. I'm enjoying it. The rest doesn't matter."

"Besides, I'm curious to see what she's planning by setting up this elaborate scheme."

…

…

Several rounds later.

"…Tsunade-sama, you lost."

The atmosphere in the casino instantly grew heavy.

Tsunade, who had seemed possessed by the God of Gambling just moments ago, had lost everything in the blink of an eye.

According to the bet odds, she even owed Samui a substantial sum.

After unceremoniously gathering all of Tsunade's chips, Samui, who had initially presented a dignified and elegant demeanor, now revealed a cruel smile.

In an icy tone, she said, "Next, I'd like to have a private conversation with Tsunade-sama. So, could those who are not involved please leave?"

~Time to scram~

Seeing the irrelevant people retreat, Samui slowly bared her fangs:

"Tsunade-sama, I'm an immigrant from the Land of Flowers. In my homeland, there's a saying that the loser at the gambling table becomes the winner's-"

"Slave!"

Samui lunged forward, a wave of fragrance washing over Tsunade, causing her to squint slightly.

Her movement was exaggerated, causing a distracting jiggle thanks to inertia.

A finger pointed accusingly at a spot barely an inch away from Tsunade's chest. Generally, even between women, such proximity implied either a fight or intimacy – it was an ambiguous distance.

Samui continued, "Those who lose at the gambling table are branded with a metal tag that says 'Stray Cat' and treated like pets, obeying the winner's commands until their debt is repaid."

Samui's attitude was incredibly hostile, like a villainous antagonist in a cheesy novel, a stark contrast to the refined lady she had portrayed upon entering the casino.

Perhaps at this moment, her heart was indulging in a release.

Having endured suppressed negativity around Gojo Kaigetsu for too long, she now unleashed it all on Tsunade.

'Hmph, Gojo Kaigetsu, you wouldn't have guessed it. While you were humiliating me, I'm doing the same to one of the revered Sannin of Konoha.'

'Humiliating a noble Konoha princess as an undercover Cloud kunoichi… this feeling is surprisingly satisfying…'

However, Tsunade's emotions didn't seem to fluctuate much in response to Samui's harsh words.

She even found the time to observe Samui's pink tongue, which darted between her cherry-red lips as she spoke.

'Soft tongue, agile movement, light red color, evenly textured surface… Very healthy, no signs of common ailments found in ordinary people.'

'Not like an ordinary person, more like a ninja. But there's no chakra fluctuation…'

Tsunade felt puzzled.

"You said your name is Gojo Ai? What's your relationship with that Gojo Kaigetsu fellow?"

"Huh?"

Samui, still attempting her power play on Tsunade, was momentarily stunned but instinctively replied, "I'm his… f, clan member!"

At the last moment, emotion triumphed over logic.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

As expected, Samui couldn't bring herself to admit being Gojo Kaigetsu's woman in front of others.

"Hmph, clan member…? Is that truly the extent of your relationship?"

Tsunade's eyes gleamed with a knowing light, as if she could see through all pretenses. She muttered something incomprehensible under her breath:

"That guy actually… Birds of a feather… Is this a show of dominance…?"

When she looked up again, it was with the air of a wife confronting a mistress. "This isn't the place to talk. Let's go to my house."

"Huh, what?"

Samui followed Tsunade, bewildered.

She had seemingly been in control of the situation, but Tsunade's attitude had shifted strangely after learning about her relationship with Gojo Kaigetsu.

'Is something amiss?' Samui pondered. 'Well, as long as I achieve my goal in the end.'

The group walked towards Tsunade's home in this strange atmosphere.

Yuhi Kurenai, who had been cold towards Samui all along, now behaved like a bashful fan, unable to utter a word.

Suddenly, Tsunade, who was leading the way, stopped. "Ah, I'm out of sake. Let's go to the convenience store where you work, Shizune."

"…Buy sake, huh." Shizune's youthful face showed a hint of melancholy, as if recalling unpleasant memories.

They arrived at the convenience store.

Shizune returned to her position behind the counter. Tsunade, casually holding two bottles of sake, shoved one into Samui's arms.

She then strode towards Shizune. "Shizune, I'm here to buy sake!"

"Huh?! Buying sake again?!"

Suddenly, Shizune seemed to transform, her face contorted in anger, startling both Samui and Kurenai.

What was going on?

"What's wrong with you, li… little Tsunade?!"

"Didn't I tell you no? How many times?!" Shizune angrily slapped a notice on the counter. "Didn't you see the new notice from the Land of Fire? Mi… minors are prohibited from purchasing alcohol and tobacco, especially you ninja!"

By the end of her outburst, Shizune's face was flushed crimson.

Clearly, this wasn't their first time performing this act.

But Shizune still felt embarrassed, extremely embarrassed.

Tsunade was well past her prime, a ripe age like a juicy peach ready to burst.

Yet, she still forced Shizune to play this role in front of the right people at the right time…

'Childish!' Shizune cursed inwardly.

"Eh-?! I'm so sorry, Shizune. I thought there was no need for age verification."

"It's illegal! Illegal, do you understand?! You could be arrested by the Konoha Secret Police across village borders!"

"Is this alright?! Hmm? Tell me!"

Shizune held her wrists together and shook them in front of Tsunade, emphasizing the severity of the matter.

The prohibition of alcohol and tobacco sales to minors in the Land of Fire was a proposal put forth by Gojo Kaigetsu after he assumed his advisory role.

It started in Konoha and then spread nationwide. The reason for the proposal: to ensure the improvement of the general population's physical fitness and prevent potential talented ninja from being overlooked.

Incidentally, to adapt to the population turnover rate in the shinobi world, Gojo Kaigetsu thoughtfully set the age of majority at fifteen.

Tsunade shamelessly patted her ample bosom.

"But Shizune, I'm actually an adult now."

"Ah, you're an adult? That's good. Thank you for your patronage." With the performance over, Shizune's face immediately fell, her voice devoid of emotion as she recited, "Next…"

'…As one of the Sannin of Konoha, she actually enjoys such childish and clumsy performances.'

'Konoha is truly beyond saving.'

Samui swore she would never concern herself with such meaningless matters as age.

"Beep, a total of 888 ryō. Thank you for your patronage."

"Eh? You're not going to ask for my age? Is that okay?"

"Because Gojo-san is clearly an adult."

"Ha, that's true…"

Kurenai unconsciously rubbed her arms, inexplicably feeling the temperature drop a few degrees.

"…Ah, refreshing!"

Tsunade slammed her sake cup on the table, her eyes already glazed over.

"Speak, Gojo-san. You went through all the trouble to come from Konoha to Tanzaku Quarters, played with me for an entire afternoon, and even set me up to lose everything…"

"You wouldn't have done all this just to make me wear that 'Stray Cat' tag, would you?"

Tsunade pointed at the metal necklace peeking out of Samui's pocket. Clearly, Samui had actually prepared it as a prop to enhance the atmosphere.

"Speak, what's your purpose?!"

Tsunade leaned forward abruptly, poking a finger into the steamed bun that Gojo Kaigetsu had been fond of lately, as if testing its authenticity.

'This woman…'

Samui took a deep breath.

If not for the mission she carried and the fact that she was objectively and subjectively no match for Tsunade, she would have put up a fight.

"It's like this, Tsunade-sama…" Samui shifted her legs, which were pinned beneath Tsunade's ample backside, moving back two steps. "I did all this mainly to ask you for a favor."

"I'll hand over all this money to you. Please forgive me for the offense I caused during the previous gambling rounds."

When asking for help, one had to lower their head and swallow their pride. Even if it meant…

Samui understood this principle well. Therefore, she adopted a humble posture.

"Let me guess."

"You're from Konoha, and you're a clan member of Gojo Kaigetsu. He wants something from me through you, doesn't he?"

"Yes…"

"Wait a minute, I'm not finished." Tsunade took another swig of sake. "I've known Gojo Kaigetsu for many years, and this is the first time he's sent someone to ask for my help."

"I can't even remember the last time he invited me to his house to watch his cats do backflips… Let me be frank! He never wanted my friendship, and he hates owing me favors."

Samui: ".."

Why did it seem like… the relationship between this woman and Gojo Kaigetsu was different from what she had imagined?

"No…"

"I understand, he's become the Fourth Hokage's advisor in Konoha, made a fortune, is living a good life, and has the Fourth and the ANBU protecting him."

"It seems he doesn't need a friend like me anymore. But… now he sent you to tell me: 'Tsunade-sama, I need your help.' He shows me no respect, doesn't treat me as a friend, and isn't even willing to come to Tanzaku Quarters himself, to call my name…"

Tsunade rambled on like a resentful woman, taking another gulp of sake.

It seemed like she could barely hold her cup. Who would have imagined that this was the same woman who could shatter the ground with a single punch?

"Alright, speak. What did he send you here for?"

"Well… Tsunade-sama, this is actually a personal request. I'd like to ask you to return to Konoha and speak up for Kaigetsu-kun."

Finally, back to the main topic.

Sometimes Samui really wanted to report to the Konoha Military Police Force. Were all the Konoha ninja who had interacted with Gojo Kaigetsu somewhat abnormal?

"Speak up? Speak up for what? I'm just an ordinary ninja who left Konoha. My words carry no weight there anymore."

"Besides, with Minato Namikaze protecting him, who in Konoha could possibly harm him?" Tsunade's eyes were blurry with drunkenness. "The old man? Or… Danzo?"

"It's like this…"

Samui proceeded to explain Konoha's upcoming "More Children, More Blessings" policy.

She tactfully expressed her reluctance to have children at this time, arguing that a ninja's twenties were their golden years for development and that Gojo Kaigetsu shouldn't be burdened with familial responsibilities…

After sharing her personal concerns, Samui didn't forget to sow discord among the Konoha elite:

"Moreover, I suspect that the village elders are using this opportunity to suppress Kaigetsu-kun. They know he's not even married yet, but they still chose him as a test subject for the 'More Children, More Blessings' policy…"

Spoken unintentionally, heard intentionally.

Tsunade's expression grew increasingly strange.

As the purest inheritor of the Will of Fire, the Princess of Konoha, she knew those elders better than anyone else.

The "More Children, More Blessings" policy… such a forceful name, ignoring its political implications, was clearly something Gojo Kaigetsu would come up with!

He was using his own policy to persecute himself?

Tsunade's gaze towards Samui gradually turned pitiful. Poor girl, she had been completely fooled by Gojo Kaigetsu. This was clearly a scheme orchestrated by him, and his goal was… Samui's indecent body!

The intoxicated Tsunade suddenly felt a surge of irritation. Gojo Kaigetsu… hadn't even tried to deceive her yet.

Wasn't her body indecent?!

She was clearly the first!

"You're being delusional! That Gojo Kaigetsu fellow is simply lusting after your body. He doesn't actually want to have children with you or anything!"

"Eh? Tsunade-sama, what are you saying?"

"With your size? Don't be ridiculous."

"…" Only then did Samui realize that a fondness for gambling wasn't Tsunade's true hobby.

What she truly craved was the "female competition" that Gojo Kaigetsu had casually mentioned!

'What shocking intel! So Tsunade, one of the Sannin of Konoha, actually has a history with that trash ninja Gojo Kaigetsu?!'

'Konoha's threat assessment can be lowered again.'

Samui finally understood why Tsunade had reacted so strangely upon seeing her. In that case…

"Hmph, inferior figure."

"Skinny as a rail, I wonder if you're malnourished?"

"Deformed fat."

"You're so pitiful, Tsunade-sama. It seems you haven't received much attention from Kaigetsu-kun, have you?"

Crack-

The sake cup in Tsunade's hand cracked.

"Do you think being big is a weapon? Are you planning to flaunt your animalistic advantage in front of Kaigetsu-kun? That's rather shameless, don't you think?"

Tsunade's face grew increasingly flushed, whether from anger or drunkenness.

She slammed the table and turned to Shizune, who was frozen in shock, and Kurenai, who had witnessed her idol's downfall.

"You two think so too, right?! That a female's worth should be measured by size, right?! That it's an instinct Kaigetsu-kun can't resist!"

"Tsunade-sama, you're drunk."

Shizune frantically dragged Tsunade towards the bedroom. Soon, Tsunade fell into a deep sleep.

Shizune wiped the cold sweat from her brow. Ever since Tsunade-sama interacted with Gojo-sama a long time ago… her hemophobia, caused by Nawaki's death, had been cured, but her mental state had become somewhat unstable.

Afterward, Tsunade had adopted her from the orphanage and brought her away from Konoha to settle in Tanzaku Quarters, claiming that being around Gojo Kaigetsu would bring misfortune, and they had to stay far away.

Come to think of it, the orphanage she had been in was funded by Gojo-sama.

If she didn't remove Tsunade from the female competition battlefield in the living room, things might escalate to a stripping and size comparison contest.

Returning to the living room, Shizune apologized profusely to Samui. "I'm so sorry, Gojo-san, for making you witness such a scene."

"As for your request, I'll forge a letter in Tsunade-sama's handwriting. The Konoha elders will understand when they see it."

"In her current state, Tsunade-sama isn't fit to return to Konoha and speak up for Gojo-sama."