256-260

*Chapter 256: Advice for Chiyo*

After returning to Sand Village with Gaara, the first thing Hattori did was expose the "mole" within the upper ranks of the village. A threat like this was too much for him to leave unchecked even for a day.

Luckily, there were only about a dozen people in the village’s upper echelons, so it didn’t take him long to identify the spy. The spy’s name was Yura. Despite having been recommended by the Fourth Kazekage, both Chiyo and Ebizō had thoroughly vetted him, so Hattori had originally left him in place. However, it turned out that Yura was actually a spy for the Akatsuki.

Ebizō felt quite guilty over this incident.

"Fifth Kazekage, this was our oversight; we didn’t expect Yura had been subjected to the Subconscious Puppet Sand Technique.”

“Oh, that technique? Then it makes sense!” Hattori said, nodding in sudden realization.

The Subconscious Puppet Sand Technique was a unique puppet technique. It used fine needles to seal parts of the target’s memory, with effects that could last for decades. The target would only regain their sealed memories when the caster released the technique.

In other words, after Yura was subjected to this technique, he would forget that he was a spy himself. It was no wonder Chiyo and Ebizō had been fooled.

After the Yura incident, Ebizō was sure to conduct a more thorough investigation, so Hattori let him handle it and went to see Chiyo.

By the time Hattori met with her, Chiyo already knew about Yura’s memory manipulation. So she couldn't help but ask:

“Was...was this Sasori’s doing?”

“Mhm.”

Hattori didn’t feel the need to hide anything. He told Chiyo about his encounter with Sasori when he rescued Gaara from the Five-Seal Barrier.

After listening, Chiyo remained silent for a long time before asking with a complex expression, “Sasori...he’s grown up, right? Does he look like his father?”

“Uh...”

Faced with this question, Hattori hesitated, looking a bit helpless.

“Chiyo-baa, I don’t want to lie to you. In fact, Sasori hasn’t changed at all. He’s exactly the same as when he left the village—he’s even turned himself into a puppet!”

“...”

Hearing this, Chiyo fell silent again.

She didn’t say anything for over ten minutes, and it didn’t look like she was planning to. Seeing her despondent and regretful expression, Hattori regretted telling her the truth and quickly tried to lighten the mood.

“Well...there’s no need to worry, really. I mean, puppets do have some perks, right? They don’t need food, sleep, or anything like that. Imagine how much money you could save! I could even make him a lovely puppet wife and a cute puppet son. That way, you’d have four generations together, living happily ever after, right?”

Chiyo: “(╬￣皿￣)”

...

Hattori thought he hadn’t said anything wrong, but when he saw Chiyo pick up a kitchen knife, he knew she definitely wasn’t inviting him to stay for dinner, so he could only leave.

Fortunately, when he got home, Pakura had already prepared dinner—complete with fish and meat, a rich meal. It wasn’t that Hattori was indulgent, but the village's conditions had greatly improved since he became the Fifth Kazekage. These days, hardly anyone in the Sand Village had to survive on just potato cakes; basic food items like grains, oils, rice, and meat had become household staples.

A leader who brought a better life for everyone would naturally be respected and supported. This was why Hattori, although sometimes nicknamed "Degenerate Shadow" behind his back, still enjoyed high esteem in the Sand Village.

Of course, Hattori would never acknowledge that nickname. He felt it was just slander from people jealous of him.

“I’m Strongest Fifth Kazekage, guided by the Will of Wind. What does this have to do with Degenerate, huh?”

With this thought, he made an important decision: starting tomorrow, he would strictly discipline himself and avoid getting entangled in any “complicated relationships”!

Just as he was making this vow to himself, Pakura, who was serving him food, spoke up.

“Hattori, Mizusuna daughter, Yuno, has recently been promoted to Chūnin and started a medical team. Would you like to visit them tomorrow?”

“Uh...of course!”

Hearing Pakura words, Hattori nodded seriously.

“The future of the Sand Village depends on its medical programs. I absolutely have to visit, and I’ll share all of my medical knowledge with her. Pakura-nee, I won’t be back tomorrow night!”

“...”

Seeing Hattori’s righteous expression, Pakura paused for a moment, then reminded him with a teasing smile, “Just take care of yourself; don’t wear yourself out. Like you said, we have a long time ahead of us!”

Hattori: “(ω`)”

Was she hinting at something?

Was she saying I wasn’t...diligent enough lately?

With that thought, he extended a hesitant hand toward Pakura.

“Pakura-nee, I realize I was wrong. This meal is my way of making it up to you!”

Seeing his gesture, Pakura eyes sparkled.

“Are you saying...five hours?”

“Pfft…”

...

The next morning, Pakura headed to the Sand Village Ninja Academy looking refreshed, while Hattori, with dark circles under his eyes, left the house.

He wasn’t going to the Sand Village Hospital to find Yuno. After those five hours last night, he was practically exhausted and had entered “sage mode.” Instead, he went to Wind Shadow Pond to fish.

The so-called Wind Shadow Pond was actually a massive crater created years ago when Hattori, in his Four-Tails form, attacked Rasa with a Tailed Beast Bomb, destroying the old Kazekage Building.

The crater was never filled in. Chiyo had used a waterfall puppet Hattori gave her to channel water into it, creating a water reservoir for the Sand Village. Since it was located at the site of the old Kazekage Building, it was named the Wind Shadow Pond.

As for why there were fish in the pond? Hattori had no idea. He suspected Chiyo and Ebizō stocked it since they both enjoyed fishing.

When he arrived with his fishing rod, he found Chiyo already there, her bento box empty, suggesting she had been there for a while. Seeing this, Hattori sat down next to her, took a few rice grains from her lunch box, baited his hook, and cast his line.

“Plop!”

The light splash brought Chiyo out of her daze, and she turned to look at Hattori.

“You’re here? I…”

She started to speak but then fell silent, dramatically "collapsing" to the ground as if lifeless.

Hattori’s mouth twitched in exasperation.

“Granny, if you have something to say, just say it. Playing dead isn’t going to solve anything. If you keep this up, I might just make you a puppet granddaughter-in-law!”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

No sooner had he spoken than Chiyo shot up, glaring daggers at him.

“You unfilial apprentice! You’re going to drive me to an early grave. What do you plan to do about Sasori?”

“Ugh…well, he’s already turned himself into a puppet. What am I supposed to do?”

Hattori sighed and gave her a helpless look.

“Go tell your son that Sasori account is beyond recovery. He’ll need to make a new one. If he can’t, I’ll help him. I can even transform to handle it all in disguise, so she’ll be satisfied!”

Glancing at Chiyo’s irritated face, he quickly added, “And if you think that idea’s bad, Granny, we can discuss it. How about you put down the knife first?”

Chiyo: “(╬￣皿￣)”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 257: The Resurrection of Yahiko*

After Hattori’s “earnest and relentless persuasion,” an annoyed Chiyo stormed off from the Kazekage Pond, leaving her fishing rod behind.

It was clear she was truly angry.

But in Hattori’s opinion, this was actually a good thing. He believed that Chiyo’s anger and frustration were preferable to her being sad and despondent.

So after making her leave in a huff, he naturally claimed her seat, fishing contentedly until the sun started to dip westward.

When he finally decided to head back, he casually picked up the fishing rod she’d left behind.

After all, knowing that Chiyo had learned about her grandson Sasori turning himself into a puppet, she’d likely have no interest in fishing for a while. She probably wouldn’t be needing it anytime soon.

And as it turned out, Hattori’s hunch was right.

In the following days, Chiyo didn’t show up at the Kazekage Pond again, and Hattori didn’t even see her around the village.

“She’s probably gone to the Land of Wind’s capital to pressure her son and daughter-in-law into giving her a grandchild, huh?”

The thought made Hattori chuckle, and he stroked his chin.

“Hmm, my Hundredfold Yin Seal is fully charged. Time to get to business and make a trip to the Land of Rain!”

With that decision, he immediately activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, vanishing from his original spot.

The next moment, he found himself in a dimly lit room.

In front of him sat a gaunt, red-haired man in a wheelchair.

“Nagato!”

Hattori immediately recognized him and addressed him directly.

“I’m here to make a deal. Where’s Yahiko?”

Swish!

As soon as he finished speaking, the figure of Pain’s Deva Path—Yahiko himself—clad in his iconic black cloak with red clouds, appeared in front of Hattori.

Hattori nodded in satisfaction at the sight.

“Yep, that’s him. Now, the next step is to remove all the things on him that don’t belong. No problem, right?”

Swish!

As soon as he finished speaking, Pain’s Human Path appeared before him and immediately began removing the black rods embedded in Yahiko’s body.

Once all the rods were removed, Yahiko was completely freed from Nagato’s control, and his Rinnegan reverted to ordinary human eyes.

Seeing this, Hattori didn’t waste time on more small talk. He clapped his hands and directed his skill toward Yahiko’s body.

“Hundredfold Yin Seal, Release… Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique!”

With his low chant, the room suddenly filled with green light particles, which gathered like raindrops, converging onto Yahiko’s body.

Nagato, who had been watching Hattori warily, now had a mixture of nervousness and anticipation in his eyes.

After a few dozen seconds, the green light faded away, and Yahiko, lying on the floor, looked completely different.

Initially, his body bore many wounds, especially from the black rods that had left dozens of small puncture marks.

But now, all those wounds were gone.

Seeing this, Pain’s Human Path immediately placed his fingers on Yahiko’s neck.

Nagato was clearly checking if Yahiko had truly come back to life.

However, just as Pain’s fingers touched Yahiko’s neck, Yahiko sprang up and delivered a swift kick, sending him flying.

After kicking him away, Yahiko quickly backed up and reached for his kunai pouch, only to find that there was nothing there.

Naturally, as Nagato’s “special attention” subject, he had been designated the Deva Path of Pain, with all the Rinnegan’s powers at his disposal. A kunai pouch had been unnecessary.

But now, as Yahiko, he would, of course, need one.

Finding nothing there left him visibly anxious, and he began scanning his surroundings.

Nagato, sitting in his towering wheelchair, was the most noticeable figure in the room, so Yahiko spotted him right away.

As former comrades, Yahiko instantly recognized him, despite Nagato’s drastic change in appearance.

“Where am i? you..…Nagato? What happened to you?”

Seeing skeletal figure in wheelchair, with a dozen black rods stuck in his back, Yahiko’s eyes widened in shock.

But he quickly snapped back to reality, directing his glare toward Hattori, his expression full of suspicion and anger.

“Are you one of Hanzō’s underlings? What did you do to Nagato?”

Hattori: 😑

Hanzō? That guy’s long dead.

With that thought, Hattori glanced at Yahiko, who was looking at him angrily, then at Nagato, who was so overjoyed he was on the verge of tears. Hattori let out a sigh of resignation.

“Ugh, I hate giving people history lessons. Nagato, call Konan over and have her explain everything to Yahiko. We still have business to discuss.”

Nagato finally snapped back to the present and nodded immediately.

As he nodded, Hattori noticed sheets of paper appearing in midair, quickly assembling into a beautiful woman with a paper flower in her hair.

A paper clone!

Who else could it be but Konan?

When Yahiko saw Konan, his face softened with a glimmer of joy.

“Konan? Hattori actually kept his promise. I—”

“Yahiko!”

Before he could finish, Konan, now teary-eyed, hugged him tightly, silencing him.

Seeing this, Nagato couldn’t hold back his own tears, but his face held a tender smile.

Clearly, he was more than happy to play third wheel.

However, Hattori wasn’t.

He interrupted their emotional reunion.

“Hey, hey… If you two want to get all lovey-dovey, take it somewhere else. Nagato and I have business to discuss here, so try to keep things appropriate, yeah?”

“Um…”

Realizing she’d been lost in the moment, Konan blushed and quickly bowed to Hattori.

“Thank you for saving Yahiko. We’re truly grateful, and Akatsuki will be at Kazekage’s service for any needs in the future.”

“Ah, don’t mention it!”

Hattori smiled at her, then glanced at the bewildered Yahiko standing next to her.

“Yahiko just woke up, so he’s still clueless about a lot of things. Konan, bring him up to speed. I’ll talk Akatsuki business with Nagato.”

“Wait!”

Before Hattori could finish, Yahiko, who’d been looking clueless, suddenly seemed sharp, his eyes full of resolve.

“You’re Kazekage of Sand Village, right? I am Yahiko, leader of Akatsuki. If you have business, you can talk to me!”

Hattori: 😑

Did this guy just short-circuit?

Hattori looked to Nagato, but the man was nodding with a smile.

“Yes, Yahiko is the leader of the Akatsuki. You should talk to him.”

Hattori: 😑

Did you just short-circuit?

Seeing Nagato’s “I’m the sidekick, talk to my boss” attitude, Hattori put his hand to his forehead.

“Konan, take your guy out of here. Have him sort things out before he talks to me. And Nagato, if you want to step down, wait until we settle our current deal.”

“…”

(Chapter End)

Chapter 258: Forming an Alliance

Hattori’s dealings with Nagato were no secret to Konan.

When she realized that Hattori intended to take Nagato’s Rinnegan, her expression hardened, and her chakra began to stir. She looked ready to launch her Paper Release technique at any moment.

Noticing this, Hattori raised an eyebrow, a slight smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

"It seems, Konan, that you’re not too pleased with my arrangement with Nagato. Are you thinking of breaking our agreement? Actually, killing me would be an option too. Want to try?"

"…"

Seeing his calm smile, Konan’s alertness peaked.

Just as she prepared to make her move, Nagato intervened.

"Konan, go with Yahiko and tell him everything. Leave nothing out. He is the leader of the Akatsuki."

His tone was calm, but there was a firmness that left no room for argument.

Hearing his words, Konan reluctantly relaxed and nodded.

"Understood!"

She took Yahiko’s hand and spoke to him.

"Yahiko, you’ve woken up and don’t know what’s been going on. Let’s go outside—I’ll explain everything."

"Alright," Yahiko agreed, nodding seriously, and gave a respectful nod to Hattori.

"My apologies, Lord Kazekage. Please wait for me. I’ll return shortly to discuss matters concerning Land of Rain."

Hattori: "…"

What a clueless guy!

Looking at Yahiko’s earnest expression, Hattori gave an exasperated nod.

"Fine. Clear up matters regarding Land of Rain first, then we can sit down and talk properly."

"Of course!"

With that, Yahiko turned to Konan. "Let’s go, Konan. Tell me everything!"

"Mm."

Konan nodded, giving Hattori one last wary glance before leaving with Yahiko.

Once they left, Hattori looked toward Nagato.

"Now, I’ll be taking your right eye. Do you have any last words?"

"None."

Nagato shook his head, then managed a faint smile.

"If I had to say anything, it’d be to thank you for reviving Yahiko. You’ve lifted a huge burden from my heart."

"…"

Hearing Nagato’s words, Hattori paused for a moment, then spoke again.

"I could also revive your parents, and don’t worry about losing your sight. Once I remove your Rinnegan, I’ll transplant other eyes for you."

"Thank you for the offer, but that won’t be necessary."

Nagato smiled and looked toward the door, where Yahiko had just exited.

"Yahiko’s return is all I need. As for this remaining eye, I’ll use it to protect everyone. I won’t let what happened before ever happen again!"

By "what happened before," Nagato was referring to the incident when Hanzō conspired with Danzō to wipe out the Akatsuki, leading to Yahiko’s death—a story Hattori knew well.

Seeing Nagato’s resolve, Hattori didn’t push the matter further and nodded.

"Very well. Since that’s your choice, I won’t argue. I’ll remove your right eye now. Do you have a replacement eye ready?"

"Use this."

At Hattori’s words, Pain’s Human Path, who had been kicked away by Yahiko earlier, walked over and calmly removed his right eye with a "pop."

Seeing this, Hattori couldn’t help but twitch.

"Well, that was quick. Alright, hand it over."

"Mm."

Human Path handed eye to Hattori.

Taking the eye, Hattori moved toward Nagato and spoke again.

"Next, I’ll use the Healing Palm Technique to put you in a temporary sleep, then extract your Rinnegan using a specialized technique and transplant new eye. Is that alright?"

"Fine." Nagato nodded. "Though I don’t need to be put to sleep."

"Alright."

Hattori knew that Nagato didn’t fully trust him, so he didn’t insist.

After confirming, Hattori used the extraction technique to remove Nagato’s right Rinnegan and replaced it with Human Path eye. Once the surgery was complete, he carefully bandaged Nagato’s eye.

"Now our agreement is complete. Is there anything else you’d like to say?"

"No," Nagato replied, shaking his head immediately.

"I only helped Yahiko lead Akatsuki. Now that he’s back, he is the rightful leader. You can discuss everything with him; I will follow his decisions, as will everyone else."

"Uh…" Hattori was momentarily stunned. "And what about ‘Eye of Moon’ plan?"

"Hmm?"

Nagato looked at him in surprise, realizing Hattori knew about the "Eye of Moon" plan. He gave Hattori a surprised glance and then shook his head.

"‘Eye of Moon’ plan was never the Akatsuki’s plan, and now that Yahiko is back, it’s even less relevant. Akatsuki will follow Yahiko’s vision alone."

Hattori: "…"

So, you’re basically just Yahiko’s tool, huh?

After hearing Nagato’s explanation, Hattori understood his intentions and chose to wait patiently for Yahiko’s return.

He didn’t have to wait long—about half an hour later, Yahiko returned with Konan.

Upon entering, Yahiko first cast a complex glance at Nagato, then approached Hattori.

Just as Hattori was wondering what Yahiko was up to, he saw Yahiko bow deeply, a full 90 degrees.

"Lord Kazekage, I apologize for what Akatsuki has done to Sunagakure. As the leader of the Akatsuki, I take full responsibility and humbly ask for your forgiveness."

"Uh…"

Hattori was taken aback by Yahiko’s sincerity.

"Well… since you’ve understood the situation, I have one question: Do you still plan to capture Tailed Beasts and provoke wars with other nations?"

"Absolutely not!"

Without hesitation, Yahiko shook his head.

"My goal in founding Akatsuki was to bring about change in the world, to build a bridge of hope through communication between people, not to incite war. Isn’t that right, Nagato, Konan?"

"…"

Hearing this, Nagato and Konan both lowered their heads in silence, like children who’d been reprimanded.

Seeing this, Hattori couldn’t help but smile and nodded.

"If it were anyone else, I might not believe them. But Yahiko, I trust you. So…"

He extended his fist toward Yahiko.

"I, Hattori, Fifth Kazekage of Sunagakure, hereby announce our village’s willingness to ally with Hidden Rain Village, in mutual cooperation and support, striving together for peace in Shinobi world!"

Yahiko’s eyes brightened at these words, and he extended his own fist.

"I, Yahiko, leader of Hidden Rain Village, hereby declare our village’s alliance with Sunagakure, with zero tolerance for anything that would disrupt or hinder our shared goal of peace!"

With that, their fists met in solidarity.

Thus, a powerful alliance was formed in the Hidden Rain Village, an unwritten pact of honor that would become a legendary example of trust and integrity, fondly known as the "Iron Fist Alliance."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 259: Meeting Tsunade*

After reaching an agreement with Yahiko, Hattori didn’t say much more and directly left Land of Rain.

To him, whether or not this verbal agreement would be upheld depended on Yahiko and his group.

If they behaved and refrained from causing trouble, Hattori wouldn’t interfere. However, if they continued their disruptive activities and Hattori happened to encounter them, deciding to let them go or eliminate them would simply be a matter of his mood, nothing more.

The world of the strong was indeed mundane and monotonous.

After leaving Land of Rain, since it was still early, Hattori did not return directly to Sunagakure but instead made a stop at Konoha to discuss a lucrative multi-billion business deal with Kurenai Yuhi.

However, to his surprise, when he used the Flying Thunder God technique to arrive in Konoha, he found himself not at Kurenai's house but in the Hokage's office.

And the first person he saw wasn’t Kurenai but a striking woman in a green robe—

Fifth Hokage, Tsunade!

Seeing this, Hattori was momentarily stunned.

"What’s going on? Did the Flying Thunder God technique misfire?"

While he was puzzled, Tsunade, sitting in front of him, laughed.

“Haha, Flying Thunder God, Yin Seal, red hair of Uzumaki clan—I know who you are!”

As she spoke, she stood up from her seat and extended her right hand toward Hattori.

“Nice to meet you, Lord Fifth Kazekage!”

“Uh... Hello!”

Seeing Tsunade extend her hand, Hattori also reached out to shake it and glanced around.

“So, why am I here? Where’s Kurenai?”

“She’s on a mission. Oh, right!”

As Tsunade spoke, she pulled a kunai from her robes and handed it back to Hattori, saying:

“I wanted to meet you, so I borrowed this Flying Thunder God kunai from Kurenai. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Uh... It’s fine!”

Hattori took the kunai from her and, somewhat puzzled, asked, “What can I do for you, Hokage-sama?”

“Haha, no need to be so formal. Just call me Tsunade. Wait, I’ll get you some water!”

Before Hattori could say anything, Tsunade eagerly poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him with a smile.

“Please, have some!”

Hattori: “(ω`)”

Being treated so graciously for no reason felt suspicious, and Hattori raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly.

“Hokage-sama, please feel free to speak directly. Sunagakure and Konoha are allies. If Konoha needs any help and it’s within our ability, we won’t refuse.”

“...”

Hearing Hattori’s diplomatic response, Tsunade frowned and gritted her teeth.

“It’s not about Konoha; it’s personal. Can you... bring someone back from dead?”

“Hm?” Hattori raised an eyebrow at her question. “You believe in such things?”

“Rin Nohara!”

“...”

At the mention of this name, Hattori, who had planned to deny everything, fell silent.

After a moment, he asked, “How many people know about this?”

“Three,” Tsunade replied without hesitation. “Me, the Third Hokage, and Kakashi... I’m not sure about Danzo.”

Hmm? So honest?

Hattori was a bit surprised at her straightforwardness and raised an eyebrow.

“You seem sincere, but sincerity alone isn’t enough. The price of resurrection is steep. What are you willing to pay?”

He looked Tsunade up and down, his gaze bold enough to make her frown.

If anyone else had looked at her that way, they’d have been punched. But with Hattori, she had to suppress her anger and ask, “What do you want?”

“What do you have to offer?”

Hattori didn’t care about her anger and kept his casual smile.

“You must have looked into me before asking to see me, right?”

“Hmph!”

Tsunade snorted at his remark and glared at him.

“You’re known for liking money and women, Degenerate Shadow!”

“Cough...”

Even Hattori, thick-skinned as he was, felt embarrassed when she mentioned his nickname and waved a hand dismissively.

“Those are just rumors spread by envious people. You don’t need to pay attention to them. So, back to the point—how much are you willing to pay?”

“I don’t have any money!”

Before Hattori could respond, Tsunade grabbed his collar and glared at him.

“But I’ll make a bet with you. If I win, you bring Nawaki back. If I lose... I’m at your disposal!”

A blush crept across her cheeks, making her look stunning.

If Jiraiya were there, he’d probably be ecstatic.

But Hattori wasn’t Jiraiya.

Instead of being swayed, he looked unimpressed and even a bit disdainful.

“→_→ Dream on, old lady.”

Tsunade: “(╬￣皿￣)”

You’re asking for it!

Tsunade’s temper flared, and she smashed the desk beside her with a resounding punch, glaring at Hattori.

“What do you want, then?”

“Gambling is fine, but it’s got to be for money!”

Talking about money made Hattori’s eyes light up, and he looked at Tsunade as if she were a cash cow.

“Lady Tsunade, you’re the princess of the Land of Fire. Money should be as abundant for you as, well, your assets—just a little squeeze, and it’s there!”

He winked at her.

“And if that’s not enough, ask Jiraiya. He’s not only wealthy but also interested in you. Marry him, and his money becomes yours. Think about it, yeah?”

“Hmph!”

A flash of embarrassment and anger crossed Tsunade’s face as she glared at him again.

“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll play any bet you want. Just tell me what it is.”

“Ha! That’s the spirit, Hokage-sama!”

Hattori gave her a thumbs-up and raised five fingers.

“Fifty million ryo per round. We roll dice for high numbers. If you win five rounds, I’ll bring Nawaki back. And I only accept cash or real estate—no IOUs. So, deal or no deal?”

“Deal!”

Tsunade agreed without hesitation, excitement flashing in her eyes.

“I, Tsunade, have never backed down from a gamble. I’ll bring Nawaki back, and I’ll see you lose everything. Get ready!”

“...”

(End of chapter)

Chapter 260: The Bet

Playing dice against a master puppeteer wasn’t a smart move for Tsunade; it just showed how desperate she was, blinded by the hope of bringing her brother back.

Half an hour later, she had lost everything.

Watching as Hattori took away last deed of the Senju clan, the once-confident Tsunade now bit her lip, her large eyes filling with tears.

"One… just one more game!"

As tears began to pool, Hattori quickly tried to calm her down.

"Don’t cry! If you cry, I’m done gambling with you—I don’t want people saying I bully women!"

Tsunade: “…”

Taking all my family’s property doesn’t count as bullying a woman?

Seeing her resentment, Hattori sighed, then offered her the dice.

"This is the last round. I’ll give you this one. If you lose, no need to pay. If you win, it counts as winning five games, and I’ll help revive your brother."

"Deal!"

Hearing his words, Tsunade’s spirit lifted. She grabbed three dice and tossed them into the bowl.

With a light ding, the dice bounced and tumbled before coming to a halt, revealing the numbers:

One, one, two.

Tsunade’s lips twitched at the result, and tears started welling up again. She looked at Hattori pleadingly.

"I… my hand slipped. Can this round not count… please?"

"What do you think?" Hattori shot her an annoyed look. "Enough talk. It’s my turn!"

He picked up the dice and casually tossed them into the bowl.

With a soft ding, the dice rattled, then settled.

One, one, one—totaling three points, just one less than Tsunade’s.

"I… I won?"

Tsunade’s expression was a mixture of disbelief, joy, and doubt, her face complicated.

Seeing her reaction, Hattori clicked his tongue.

"Tch… seems you’re unhappy with the result. Should we just ignore this round and start over?"

As he reached for the bowl, Tsunade slapped his hand away.

"What do you think you’re doing? You lost fair and square! Now fulfill the bet and revive Nawaki!"

"Tch… knew it would come to this."

Seeing her "go ahead and try backing out" look, Hattori clicked his tongue again and nodded.

"Fine, I never go back on my word. Just get a sacrificial body with a similar build and strength to Nawaki, along with a lock of his hair, and bring them to my place. I’ll be waiting."

"Wait!" Tsunade called out. "What do you mean by 'sacrificial body'?"

"It’s exactly what it sounds like."

Seeing her seriousness, Hattori shrugged.

"Resurrection isn’t creating life from nothing. If Nawaki’s body were intact, I could revive him directly. Otherwise, I’ll need another person to conduct the Edo Tensei—a necessary step!"

"Uh…" Tsunade hesitated, lost for words.

Seeing this, Hattori guessed her thoughts and gave a dismissive wave.

"Alright, alright—no need to worry about the sacrificial body. Just get me Nawaki’s hair, and I’ll handle the rest. Once he’s revived, I’ll return him to you. Happy now?"

"Hmm?" Tsunade’s gaze sharpened as she looked at him. "What are you planning?"

"Don’t worry!"

Seeing her on high alert, Hattori waved his hand.

"I won’t harm anyone here. Sunagakure has plenty of death row inmates I can use as sacrifices. You, on the other hand, should think about how to raise some money."

"…"

Tsunade’s mouth twitched at the stack of land deeds Hattori held from the Senju clan.

Focused solely on her brother and the bet, she hadn’t thought of the consequences.

Now, seeing she’d gambled away all of the Senju clan’s property, a pang of guilt hit her.

She couldn’t deny her losses, especially not with Hattori, the one she needed help from, as her creditor.

After some thought, she spoke up.

"Back then, your deal with the Third Hokage was 2 billion ryo for half of South Street in Konoha for 60 years. I’ll give you the other half in exchange for the Senju clan’s deeds. How about it?"

"Of course… not!"

To Tsunade’s surprise, Hattori refused immediately, giving her an amused look.

"I’m not that greedy. Half of South Street is enough for me. I’ll keep the Senju deeds—who knows, they might appreciate in value one day. Don’t you think?"

"…"

This cunning guy!

Tsunade had planned to reclaim the deeds, then persuade Konoha’s advisors to relocate the bustling commercial district. This would remove Hattori’s influence, increase the village’s income, and restore her family’s lands—a win-win-win.

But Hattori wasn’t biting, so she had no leverage.

As it stands, half of South Street’s income belongs to Konoha. Any relocation would result in huge losses, which the advisors would never approve.

"First, I’ll revive Nawaki. I’ll deal with the Senju deeds later. If I have to, I’ll borrow money from the Third Hokage or Jiraiya."

With that thought, she addressed Hattori again.

"Keep the deeds for now; I’ll find a way to buy them back later. Come with me to get Nawaki’s hair."

"Alright."

Hattori nodded, securing the Senju clan deeds before giving a slight bow.

"Thank you for your patronage!"

Tsunade: (╬￣皿￣)

This detestable guy!

Seeing his smug smile, Tsunade thought of the many casino owners she’d encountered—and remembered her infamous nickname:

Legendary Sucker!

“Hmph!”

With that, she turned and stormed out of the Hokage’s office.

Hattori chuckled and followed her.

…

After obtaining Nawaki’s hair, Hattori didn’t rush back to Sunagakure but instead took a stroll around Konoha, checking on his shop.

Business at Haku ice cream shop was booming. Rin Nohara, the shop assistant, was bustling about, smiling brightly despite her busy day.

Hattori couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

"It seems this life suits her. Don’t you think, Obito… or should I call you Madara?"

At his words, a figure in a spiral mask emerged from the shadows, his lone Sharingan eye fixed on Hattori.

"Rin… what do you plan to do to her?"

(End of Chapter)