Make A Difference

Even if Tsunade wasn't keen on admitting it, the thrill of gambling was an enticing allure. Plus, the privacy of the setting meant she could unwind without fear of public scrutiny.

"Fine," she relented. "But I'm only here for a simple game."

That statement couldn't be further from the truth. This Hokage had a gambling addiction.

The moment she sat down, waitresses appeared, bringing her favourite dishes alongside Shizune's. Her eyes widened in delight at the beautifully plated food.

"How did you know what my favourite food is?" she incredulously asked.

Arthur smiled, leaning back in his chair, and answered, "This is your favourite, too? Haha. Apparently, we have similar tastes. I really ordered this for myself, hoping you two would like it."

"Oh…" Tsunade said, trying to recover some dignity.

He wasn't lying; chicken breast truly was his favourite. In hindsight, he simply knew because he had been monitoring her after she left the Leaf Village.

Since then, she hadn't eaten anything.

Shizune snickered and elbowed Tsunade lightly, who shot her partner an exasperated glare. "Shush."

As the game began, Tsunade couldn't help but ask, "So, Dan, where are you really from? And how did you manage to fund this event?"

They were both harmless questions—ones that Arthur was more than prepared to answer.

He remained cool and said, "I'm definitely not from this country, but it's the polar opposite. As for my finances, I worked hard in various trades, diligently saving so I could help others and promote goodwill."

This answer resonated with her, not just for its innocence but because it mirrored the spirit of the Will of Fire she held dear.

She allowed herself to relax and not be drawn in by his charms but instead focus on the game.

They exchanged casual banter, and the table soon became filled with laughter instead of questions. The sake was also made just the way she liked it.

Arthur, of course, swapped his drink for water, having no desire for strong alcoholic beverages.

As their game progressed, Arthur found himself on a losing streak. Tsunade questioned internally if this was a bad omen or not. She couldn't tell because the two weren't technically gambling.

"Maybe you should think about raising your stakes," she suggested. "I'm starting to think I'm just winning free money."

Arthur chuckled and said, "Haha. Unless you actually brought money with you, I can only think of a traditional wager."

Tsunade, a compulsive gambler, knew what he was saying—it was a challenge.

"You almost sound like you have something that might interest me," she revealed. "So, what did you have in mind?"

"Hmm…" Arthur suggested while scratching his temple. "There's not really anything I want… Your heart's not for sale either, so how about a small piece of property in the Leaf Village, I guess?" He did a fine job dismissing the idea that he actually desired anything while playing the smooth game. "Oh! And I'll wager five million ryō for it, just for you to invest in your ninjas if I lose."

Both Tsunade and Shizune sputtered on their drinks, coughs overtaking them as they processed his words.

"Wait, are you serious?" Shizune finally managed.

Tsunade blinked rapidly, not believing what she'd just heard. Just what sort of land in the village is worth that much? With five million ryō, Arthur could simply buy out approximately a quarter of the village.

"Exactly," Arthur playfully shrugged, "but what's your response? Isn't that what you wanted—a real bet?"

This had the makings of a scandal to rival any illegal operation. What if she lost and the entire country found out that their beloved Hokage liked to give out land in casinos?

That wouldn't end well for her tenure.

Arthur grinned before adding more fuel to the fire.

"What if you win?" he said. "You'd receive the funds to invest wisely in your ninjas. More resources can help train them properly, potentially leading to better results for the village."

Shizune brought Tsunade closer and whispered something. When she was done, the two turned to Arthur.

"Well, Dan," Tsunade said with an amused smirk, "let's say I take you up on that wager. Is five million ryō all that you're willing to offer?"

This was cute. The fifth Hokage was about to let greed and her winning streak blind her judgment—exactly as Arthur planned.

"Anything you want," he added. "You name it, I'll give it."

"How about this?" she said. "If I win… you tell me everything about you, and you become my financial advisor in the Leaf."

"Interesting," he mused.

"And that's on top of the five million you promised," she finished.

"Is that all?" he wondered.

"One more thing," she answered. "Before I agree, I have to know: what sort of land are you after, exactly?"

Shizune seemed equally interested, her gaze darting between the two.

Arthur feigned ignorance, rolling his eyes in contemplation while scratching his chin.

"Honestly?" he said. "I hadn't thought too much about it yet. But let's take a moment to think..."

He pondered dramatically, tapping his fingers against the blackjack table. Then he feigned an idea striking him.

"The funeral section!" he announced. "That area within the village could use some work."

Tsunade's brow furrowed, feeling offended as she said, "Sorry, but that's public property. Not even I have the right to simply give it away, let alone wager it over a game of blackjack."

Arthur waved a dismissive hand and said, "I'm not actually after the property itself, my lady. I'm really just looking to renovate it."

A plausible way to get the Hokage to say yes, but he wasn't finished.

"Much like this evening, I'd love for the villagers to have a beautiful and respectful area to remember their loved ones—a place built correctly for the next generation. So really, you can say that I'm not wagering for the land itself, but for the construction of the land."

Tsunade's expression softened at the sincerity of his proposal. One of the things she valued the most was fostering the next generation, something he knew all too well.

As the Hokage, her utmost priority had always been the village's welfare.

"You mean it, don't you?" she wondered. "You really want to make a difference?"

"I don't want anything, my lady; I need to make a difference."

"Fine…" Tsunade relented, feeling less apprehensive about the wager. "I accept."

This was it!

Arthur could not care less about the details of the wager or the land. He had only been losing initially to make her think he was bad at the game.

All he needed from her was to accept his wager—nothing more, nothing less.

He maintained his upright expression as he collected the cards and shuffled them.

"I hope I win this," he happily said.

He then dealt the cards with swagger, and Tsunade prepared to put her poker face on. Now this was what she was used to.

The gameplay commenced.

The first round revealed a face card and a six for her, while he had a seven and a five.

"Hit me," she confidently said, and Arthur dealt her a five, bringing her total to a respectable twenty-one. "Not bad," she smiled.

Arthur, a bit more composed, decided to stand on twelve, intending to play cautiously. He was just warming up since there were more rounds to play.

Tsunade won the first round in triumphant fashion.

"Five million's all mine," she teased.

Arthur laughed, playing his role correctly as he said, "Hey, don't count me out just yet! I'm just getting started!"

As the rounds rolled on, Tsunade continued to gain momentum. Shizune was now on her feet, watching with amusement as Tsunade swept the table clean in a string of victories.

Arthur, however, remained focused, a confident grin never leaving his face.

In the fourth round, he dealt an ace and a nine for himself.

"Look at that," he remarked, leaning back in his seat. "I'm finally getting somewhere!"

Tsunade, facing down a seven and an eight, decided to hit herself, revealing another eight and busting at twenty-three.

"That's game for me, my lady."

"Maybe I should just stop now," she lightly offered as she feigned disappointment.

"Giving up already?" he smack-talked, seemingly convincing her to continue.

They approached the final round, both tied at equal victories. Winner takes all in this last one.

With their stakes firmly set, Arthur dealt the next hand. Tsunade drew a ten and a two; meanwhile, Arthur had pulled another ace and five.

"I'll hit!" she bravely announced.

She was given a queen, bringing her total to twenty-two!

"And that, my lady, is a bust!" Arthur teased, not hiding his joy.

There was no need to hit just to see. He could just stand, carving his total at sixteen.

Tsunade let out an exasperated sigh, unable to mask the disappointment in her features.

But at the same time, she felt like it was good that she lost. Had she won, she would have thought of it as a bad omen.

"Well," she finally said, "I suppose that confirms it. You beat me fair and square."

Was that fair? Yes and no.

It was not fair since Arthur was clearly the better player, knowing what to do and when to do it. Yet it was also fair since he could have wagered something entirely different that could have ended her career as the Hokage.

By employing subtle strategies that went unnoticed by either her or Shizune, he had won without even using his Tamashii.

Called deck penetration, he had shuffled the cards at a depth that favoured his knowledge of the remaining high-value cards. As the rounds progressed, he discreetly counted the cards that had been played, allowing him to ascertain when the deck would draw an ace or a ten, which would increase his chances of hitting twenty-one.

To further conceal his advantage, he cleverly manipulated the cut card's placement, ensuring it was positioned in a way that maximized his advantage during the upcoming rounds.

This combination of tactics not only kept Tsunade and Shizune oblivious to his maneuvers but also allowed him to seem innocent while steadily closing in for the win.

It was one thing for Tsunade to know how to survive after being chopped in half; it was another to know how to play blackjack.

"Oh!" Shizune screamed. "I actually thought you would win, Lady Tsunade!"

"Haha." Arthur chuckled, "But I have to admit, I did have fun, my lady…"

At those words, he pulled out his suitcase from underneath the table and opened it to reveal stacks of ryō. They shone like jewels in both women's eyes.

"Now, I suppose you're wondering why I'm showing this to you after your loss?" he began with a bit of humor in his tone.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tsunade retorted. "Because you're a gambling addict like me."

"Umm… No," Arthur paused for effect, "I actually planned to give this to you whether I won or lost because I like you, Tsunade."

Her cheeks finally flushed unexpectedly. Whether it was the sake of getting to her head or Arthur was just really good with words, she couldn't tell.

"What do you mean?" she stammered, trying her best to keep her composure. "You just beat me! I shouldn't be taking your money!"

"Think of it this way," he smoothly continued, being very sincere. "This is a formal investment in the Leaf. I'll send you the address for you to deliver the permit for renovations, so you can use some of this for construction if you choose."

Tsunade truly didn't know what to think at this point. Nothing felt more genuine than Arthur's words, and as he spoke, her reservations began to wane.

"You really care, don't you?" she asked.

"More than you know," he softly answered.

Shizune nudged Tsunade playfully again, but this time with a more noticeable excitement.

"I think we should stay here a while longer and use some of the money to go shopping!" she said.

"I—uh—" Tsunade faltered, feeling the weight of Arthur's sincerity press against her heart once more. But she battled those feelings just as quickly as they arose. "I can't accept this. I lost, so—"

Arthur chuckled, interrupting her.

"You should really consider how much it could help the village," he said. "A little investment can make a big difference."

Tsunade reluctantly accepted the truth of the matter, even if she felt conflicted.