Chapter 15 The Legendary Big Fat Sheep

War had once again erupted, this time involving only Konoha Village and Kumo Village. However, the war was far from decisive and more of a tentative conflict. The previous invasion by Kumo Village had failed due to Minato Namikaze's intervention. But now that Minato had unexpectedly died, Kumo Village seized the opportunity and launched another attack.

Without Minato to deter them, Kumo Village sought to capitalize on their advantage. While they may not have aimed to conquer Konoha Village outright, they did intend to gain concessions through peace talks. Konoha, weakened by Minato's loss, was not in a position to engage in a full-scale battle. The war was projected to last for two to three years, according to the original storyline.

Natsume's memory of these events was particularly vivid due to a significant incident related to Kumo Village's involvement. The leader of Kumo Village convoy had attempted to abduct Hyuga Hinata, the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan, but was killed by her father, Hyuga Hiashi. Kumo Village exploited this incident to demand that Konoha hand over the murderer, threatening another war if their demand wasn't met. In the end, Hyuga Hizashi, Hinata's uncle from the branch family, sacrificed himself in place of his brother to resolve the matter and prevent further conflict.

Natsume and Tsunade ventured into Short Book Street, a lively area near Konoha Village known for its gold-selling establishments. This district had it all: food, drink, entertainment, and gambling, making it a place that surely wouldn't disappoint.

Natsume took in the bustling atmosphere as he roamed the streets. Compared to the rebuilt Konoha Village, Short Book Street was thriving, with various vendors, izakayas, casinos, and flirtatious women trying to lure customers. Despite the chilly weather, many sought to warm themselves in the arms of these women.

Tsunade was unfazed, holding Natsume's hand with one hand and a red box with the other. They eventually stopped in front of a casino.

"Natsume," Tsunade said, releasing his hand, "use the Transformation Technique to change your appearance. They won't let a kid like you gamble."

Natsume agreed and employed the Transformation Technique, morphing into a man in his thirties.

Tsunade examined him and asked, " Not too bad, who is this?"

"Just a stranger I saw on the street," Natsume replied casually. In reality, he had assumed the guise of the legendary God of Gamblers from his previous life.

Tsunade confidently entered the casino with Natsume in tow. As they stepped inside, all eyes turned toward her. The casino's owner noticed her distinctive necklace, and his expression shifted slightly.

"Isn't that her?" he murmured to a cheongsam-clad croupier, baffled.

"Who?" the croupier asked, genuinely confused. "Is she famous?"

"Idiot!" the owner chastised her, rolling his eyes. He leaned in closer and explained, "She's the legendary big fat sheep!"

The owner couldn't contain his glee and burst into laughter.

Tsunade opened her box of money without a care, revealing its contents. With enthusiasm, she declared, "Exchange them all for chips!"

"Of course!" the casino owner responded excitedly.

Everybody in the casino knew that this "big fat sheep" consistently lost whenever she gambled. To them, she was a welcome sight.

Soon, the chips were exchanged, totaling 150,000 taels. It wasn't an excessive amount, but it was a substantial sum. Typically, a ninja mission reward was roughly equivalent to the earnings from a B-level mission. Keep in mind that these rewards were shared among the ninja village and teammates, so one couldn't keep it all.

However, Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin, had the privilege of taking on missions that were both enjoyable and lucrative. If she refrained from gambling excessively, she could comfortably enjoy her life. Both Jiraiya and Orochimaru, her fellow Sannin, followed different paths. Jiraiya had disappeared from the ninja world, while Orochimaru invested vast sums in his scientific research.

"Give half to my apprentice and let him have some fun too," Tsunade said, waving her hand in a generous gesture.

The casino owner couldn't help but smile as he glanced at Natsume. The apprentice of the "big fat sheep" was expected to be just as lucrative.

Natsume was given 80,000 taels worth of chips and found a seat to settle into. Casinos offered various games, but based on Natsume's recommendation, Tsunade chose a simple gambling method similar to a game of betting on big or small.

The rules were straightforward: win, and you'd double your bet. Lose, and your bet went to the dealer. In theory, the probability of winning was 50%, but with a small sample size, maintaining that exact probability was challenging. To complicate things further, the casino took a 5% cut from the winnings, making it hard for players to come out on top.

The dealer shook the dice cup, then tossed them onto the gaming table, announcing, "Please place your bets."

Tsunade hesitated for a moment before placing three chips, totaling 3,000 taels. She pressed them lightly. Natsume followed suit, but with eight chips, showing his confidence.

The dice were revealed, showing a six, five, and five.

"Congratulations to our guest," the dealer said politely. The game was off to a favorable start.

Tsunade was far from worried; she was thrilled. While she had lost 3,000 taels, Natsume had won far more. Her gambling addiction was driven by a combination of her love for the game and the desire to forget her past sorrows. For her, losing money wasn't a concern.

However, the same couldn't be said for Natsume. Tsunade had grown to care for him like a brother, and their cooperation in gambling was quite enjoyable for her.

But their happiness wasn't shared by everyone. The casino owner, in particular, was becoming increasingly unhappy. It wasn't the losses; the real issue was the reduced profits due to the growing number of gamblers following Natsume's example.

Natsume's tactics weren't exactly covert, and more and more gamblers were mimicking his approach. The casino owner's mood darkened. While they weren't suffering losses, they were missing out on potential profits, and watching others win irked him more than anything.

"Alright!" Tsunade counted the money they'd earned, and in just a few hours, she'd won a total of 100,000 taels, an unprecedented sum. Although she didn't care about the money, the sight of it still excited her.

"Let's continue," Tsunade declared enthusiastically as she tugged Natsume along to the next casino, eager to carry on their winning streak.

Dusk settled in, and Natsume inspected the bankbook with a satisfied smile. By the end of the day, he'd managed to accumulate one million taels. It was equivalent to completing an exceedingly dangerous and time-consuming S-level mission. 

Tsunade then proposed an offer: "Natsume, you're young. How about I hold onto the money for you?"

The idea sounded oddly familiar to Natsume, reminiscent of his mother's similar words when she was just after his lucky money as a child. He quickly shook his head, responding, "I'll keep it myself." Although he was accompanying Tsunade, he couldn't afford to miss out on the money he rightfully earned, especially considering his organization's needs.

Seeing his anxious expression, Tsunade affectionately patted his head and agreed with a smile, "Then, you hang on to it."

It could be different for ordinary children, but Natsume was sharper and more sensible, responsible for the large sum of money he'd made.

Unaware of the issue at hand, Tsunade suggested, "Let's do it again tomorrow." She seemed to have missed the concern, but it wasn't a significant problem. A transformation could be used. Today, she had gambled with her actual identity. The title of the legendary Big Fat Sheep was known widely because of her undisguised appearance. 

After returning to Konoha and having dinner, followed by three more hours of practicing the Wood Escape, Natsume finally had some time alone.

As Natsume considered his next steps, it dawned on him that with one million taels in hand, he could rent a room and establish a temporary base. Yet, the challenge was finding suitable companions for his mission. While Kabuto Yakushi was an option, he was still relatively weak, and it would take at least two or three more years before he'd be ready.

Natsume gently touched his chin and had an epiphany. The mother and daughter he remembered from the original show could potentially be valuable assets. After all, it would be a shame to overlook two ninjas from the Uzumaki clan.