"Bastard!"
Tsunade, who had lost completely yet again, unleashed all her anger on a trash can, kicking it so hard that the trash-filled can became a shooting star streaking across the sky.
Orochimaru held a thick wad of money in her hand, with a briefcase full of money at her feet. She was meticulously counting her winnings, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the trash can Tsunade had kicked away.
"Here."
After counting her money and confirming how much she had won, Orochimaru first put away her initial capital. Then, she divided the remaining winnings in half, putting one half into a paper bag and handing it to the very displeased Tsunade.
"What do you want?!"
Tsunade's cheeks puffed out slightly, and she glared angrily at Orochimaru, her eyes seemingly drawn to the paper bag in Orochimaru's hand.
"No? Then I'll put it away."
Before Orochimaru finished speaking, a shadowy blur, faintly flickering with lightning, flashed past, and the paper bag in her hand appeared in Tsunade's hand.
"Who said I didn't want it! This is what I sacrificed my gambling luck for!"
Tsunade held the substantial paper bag, trying to maintain her angry expression, but her lips couldn't help but curve upwards. The money Orochimaru gave her was much more than what she had lost.
As if you even have such a mystical thing as gambling luck… Orochimaru mused internally. She would never say such a thing out loud.
Speaking of which, Tsunade's bad gambling luck seemed to have nothing to do with her gambling skills.
Orochimaru could tell that Tsunade was serious when she gambled. If she didn't want to win money, she wouldn't have such a strong gambling addiction, but her gambling luck was truly ridiculously bad.
If this were a game, Tsunade's character would definitely have negative luck, and a passive skill that ensured she lost every gamble and had bad things happen if she ever won.
Walking down the street, Tsunade looked at Orochimaru beside her, whose small earlobes were faintly visible through her smooth black hair. Thinking of her work on improving the soldier pill formula, she asked, "Orochimaru, are you planning to tell Hiruzen-sensei about your improved soldier pill formula?"
"The funding for improving the soldier pill formula was provided by Danzo-sama. I will tell Hiruzen-sensei, but the ownership of the soldier pill formula is shared between me and Danzo-sama. I cannot unilaterally decide to give the formula to Hiruzen-sensei."
Orochimaru had her own principles.
"But he… Grandma Mito's instincts are always very accurate. My grandma doesn't like him, so he's definitely not someone to be trusted so easily. Orochimaru, you should still be careful."
Tsunade leaned closer to Orochimaru, held her arm, and whispered into her ear.
"Tsunade, I know Grandma Mito is very capable, but I have my own judgment." Orochimaru smiled slightly, patted Tsunade's shoulder, and said, "I believe Danzo-sama, as the Assistant Hokage, is trustworthy."
If you believe that, you've already lost.
Orochimaru added mentally.
"Hahahaha! Come chase me!"
"Wait for me!"
A boy laughing happily and a girl chasing after him ran past the two of them, one after the other.
"Hmph! Whatever you say!"
Tsunade, irritated, didn't want to talk to Orochimaru anymore and walked quickly ahead.
What can I do? I have Danzo's financial support.
Orochimaru watched Tsunade, who had walked a hundred meters away and was slowing down.
Body Flicker Technique!
Orochimaru formed a single hand seal, vanished from her spot, and reappeared in front of Tsunade, saying with a troubled look while stroking her chin: "I'm going to buy chicken to make soy sauce chicken later. You don't seem to want any…"
"Who, who said I didn't want any?!"
Tsunade grabbed Orochimaru's hand, her fierce little expression as if she was about to bite.
Night, Orochimaru's house.
"How lucky! Eating bug dishes on Mount Myōboku made me feel like I was going to die. I didn't expect to eat Orochimaru's cooking as soon as I got back!"
Jiraiya, who had recently returned to Konoha from Mount Myōboku, looked expectantly at Orochimaru, who was cooking in an apron, grinning from ear to ear.
Damn Jiraiya, not coming back early or late, but precisely at this moment!
Tsunade glared fiercely at Jiraiya, finding him more and more of an eyesore the more she looked.
Tsunade's glare is so scary! Did I provoke her?
Jiraiya was startled by Tsunade's glare and was wondering whether to leave when he smelled the food. His craving for delicious food overcame his fear of Tsunade.
"Tsunade, is it okay if you don't tell Grandma Mito?"
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade, who was still attacking Jiraiya with her eyes.
"I sent a Shadow Clone."
Tsunade withdrew her glaring eyes from Jiraiya. It wasn't the first time she had eaten at Orochimaru's house, after all.
After learning the Shadow Clone Technique, she realized how convenient the Shadow Clone was. Not only could it convey messages for her, but Shadow Clones could also help with various tasks.
She used to disdain the Shadow Clone Technique, but now she loved it just as much as she had once disliked it.
"The last piece is mine!"
"Why should I give the last piece to you?!"
Tsunade and Jiraiya simultaneously targeted the last piece of chicken on the plate, confronting each other without yielding. The tender chicken slid around the plate as they fought over it, and sauce splattered from the clash of their chopsticks.
"You two…"
Orochimaru, with sauce splattered on her face and clothes, glared at the two, who had gone from fighting over chicken to attacking each other, her anger erupting like a volcano.
"You two! That's enough! When are you going to stop making a racket?!"
Following Orochimaru's angry shout, two thuds sounded, and Tsunade and Jiraiya cried out in pain.
"Hmph!"
Orochimaru snorted at the two now-quiet figures and carried the cleaned dishes towards the kitchen.
Tsunade and Jiraiya clutched their heads, watching Orochimaru leave with the dishes. They cast accusing glances at each other; if not for their slight fear of an angry Orochimaru, they would surely be blaming each other for provoking her.
Training Ground
Sunlight shone on the clear river, where plump river fish swam in the not-too-turbulent waters. This winding river, flowing through Konoha, was the Naka River, and the lake in the training ground was fed by its diverted water.
Downstream from the Naka River was the Uchiha Clan's Naka Shrine.
"Orochimaru, I challenge you!"
"It's you again, Uchiha Youka."
Orochimaru looked up at Uchiha Youka, who was confidently challenging her, and then glanced at the brown-haired, squinty-eyed boy beside him.
The Uchiha Clan had squinty eyes?
If not for the Uchiha Clan's gunbai crest on his back, Orochimaru would have thought he was just a random passerby. In a clan known for its handsome men, someone so plain-looking seemed like an anomaly.
"You still remember my name, Orochimaru!"
Uchiha Youka rubbed his nose, pointed at Orochimaru, and said, "Accept my challenge, Orochimaru!"
"5000 ryo per match."
Orochimaru held out her hand, fingers spread apart.
"What?!"
Uchiha Youka and the person beside him paused in surprise.
Orochimaru waved her hand and said, "Challenge fee, challenge fee. 5000 ryo per match. If you're not even willing to spend that much, why should I waste my time on you?"
She had left a Shadow Clone at home to pretend to research the soldier pill formula, three Shadow Clones to research Chakra nature and form transformations, and her main body to read books and acquire more knowledge. If Uchiha Youka wasn't even willing to spend money, she didn't have time to humor him.
"5000 ryo? Don't you think that's too much?!"
The person next to Uchiha Youka couldn't stand it anymore. It was the first time he had heard of needing to pay a challenge fee.
"Who are you?"
Orochimaru looked over.
"I am Uchiha Yashiro."
Uchiha Yashiro stated his name.
Orochimaru stared at Uchiha Yashiro, having no impression of him whatsoever. He must be an inconspicuous passerby in the Uchiha Clan, just like this Uchiha Youka.
"Here's your challenge fee!"
Uchiha Youka pulled out his wallet and threw it to Orochimaru, clenching his fists as if he had suffered a great insult, his eyes red with anger.
"Come challenge me again after you awaken your Sharingan."
Orochimaru weighed the wallet in her hand, the clinking sound echoing. She tossed the wallet back, sneering slightly. She wasn't so low as to earn a child's hard-earned money.
"As you are now, you don't have a single chance of winning. If you can't even awaken your Sharingan, you don't even have the right to challenge me."
Awakening the Uchiha's Sharingan is truly difficult!
Orochimaru looked at their insulted expressions; despite their extreme anger, they still couldn't awaken their Sharingan. Judging solely by the difficulty of awakening, the Sharingan was much harder than the Byakugan.