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As Tsunade shuffled the deck with practiced ease, Hinata and Ino stood by, watching the exchange with bated breath. Despite their initial reservations about the unconventional method of securing their training, they couldn't help but be drawn into the drama unfolding before them.

With a flourish, Tsunade finished shuffling and held the deck out to Horyu. "Cut the deck," she instructed, a customary procedure in card games but one that felt loaded with significance under the current circumstances.

Horyu obliged, splitting the deck with a deliberate motion before handing it back to Tsunade. She drew two cards, laying them face down on an impromptu table formed from her summoning scroll.

"Pick one," she said, her voice neutral but the tension in her shoulders betraying her anticipation.

Horyu reached out, his hand hovering between the two cards for a moment before selecting the one on the right. Tsunade took the other.

"On three," Tsunade announced, her grip on her card tightening. "One... Two... Three!"

Turning their cards simultaneously, the anticipation palpable in the air, the onlookers' gazes were glued to the unfolding scene. Tsunade, with a rare flicker of hope, and Horyu, an unshakeable calm in his demeanor, revealed their hands. The quiet that followed was broken only by the slight rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions raging within each observer.

Tsunade's card, a queen of hearts, lay before them—a high card by any standard, and under normal circumstances, a likely victor. Yet, the silence that enveloped the group was not one of triumph but of suspended disbelief. Tsunade's eyes, wide with the realization of what was to come, slowly lifted to Horyu's card, the inevitability of her fate settling in.

Horyu, with a deliberate slowness, turned his card to reveal the king of spades, an almost theatrical flourish to his motion. The card, black and imposing, stood in stark contrast to Tsunade's, its very presence a declaration of Horyu's victory.

Horyu handed the scroll to Tsunade with a smirk, "I hope you can acknowledge your loss."

Tsunade snorted, her pride wounded but her integrity intact, "Who do you think I am? I never go back on my promise."

Horyu couldn't help but laugh, the irony of the situation too rich to ignore. "I heard different from various people you owe."

The comment hit a nerve, Tsunade's face flushing a deeper shade of red. "It's a temporary retreat, brat. When I earn enough back, I'll pay them all back," she defended, though her tone lacked its usual confidence.

Standing up, Horyu shook his head, amusement clear in his eyes. "Well, I gave you enough investment. Hopefully, you'll get the amount soon."

As Tsunade hastily undid the seal on the scroll, a cascade of money fell onto the table, prompting a shout of disbelief. "I'm rich!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide as she took in the amount. Horyu had been honest; this was all the money he had amassed through missions and a couple of passive income sources. He didn't mind parting with it, especially since the Wave Country passive income alone had netted him a considerable sum. Plus, he had plans to raid some bandit hideouts on his way to the Uzumaki Village to earn more.

Hinata and Ino, witnessing the exchange, couldn't help but share a look of relief mixed with awe. Horyu's calculated risk had paid off, securing them an opportunity of a lifetime. However, Hinata's gaze lingered on Horyu, a mix of admiration and concern in her eyes. She knew of Horyu's talents and his penchant for planning, but the generosity he'd shown, both in the gamble and in his willingness to invest in their future, was something she hadn't fully realized until now.

A collective exhale, a mixture of relief and disbelief, rippled through the group, Tsunade's legendary bad luck holding true even in the face of what seemed like a sure win. The moment, heavy with the weight of Tsunade's defeat, was punctuated by a soft, disbelieving chuckle from Shizune, her hand covering her mouth as if to stifle the sound.

As they prepared to leave with Tsunade, two girls stood before Horyu, their expressions a mix of gratitude and sadness, a silent acknowledgment of the impending separation. Ino, engaged to Horyu, stepped forward first, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, her embrace firm yet conveying the vulnerability she felt in that moment. "Promise me you'll be careful," she whispered, her voice a soft plea muffled against his chest.

Horyu, though not typically one for overt displays of affection, returned the embrace with a gentle firmness. "I always am," he responded, his tone light but sincere. The humor he often cloaked himself in was absent now, replaced by an understanding of the weight of her concern.

Pulling back, Ino looked up at him, her eyes searching his for reassurance. "I know, but... just... just be careful," she said, her voice steady despite the emotional undercurrent.

Horyu smirked, a hint of his usual confidence returning. "You'll be too busy becoming Tsunade-sama's best student to miss me," he teased, trying to lighten the mood. Yet, his gaze softened as he added, "I'll be back before you know it. And I expect you to have learned a thing or two by then."

Ino managed a small smile, appreciating his attempt to ease her worries. "I'll hold you to that," she said, stepping aside to give Hinata her chance to say goodbye.

Hinata approached timidly, the emotions swirling within her evident in her flushed cheeks and the hesitant way she moved. Like Ino, she wrapped her arms around Horyu, her hug conveying a multitude of feelings she couldn't quite put into words. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Horyu. For everything."

Horyu's response was more subdued this time, a reflection of the bond he shared with Hinata. "Keep training hard, Hinata. I want to see how much you've improved when I get back," he said, offering her encouragement and acknowledging her dedication.

Hinata nodded, pulling away slightly to look at him. "I will. I... I'll miss you," she admitted, her voice laced with a vulnerability she seldom showed.

Horyu, in a rare moment of tenderness, lifted his hand to gently brush a stray lock of hair from her face. "I'll miss you too. But this training is important. For you, for Ino, for all of us," he said, his voice low and earnest.

As they parted, Hinata and Ino, now tasked with the monumental challenge of learning from Tsunade, stood side by side, their resolve hardened by the prospect of their mentorship and the separation from Horyu. They watched him as he turned to leave, their eyes moist with tears that spoke of both gratitude for his support and the pain of his absence.

Horyu, feeling their gazes on his back, paused for a moment. Without turning around, he said, "Take care of each other. And don't make Tsunade-sama regret her decision." His words, though spoken into the air, carried the weight of his expectations and his belief in their potential.

Hitting the road, Horyu opened the system map to deduce his location. Finding himself a little away from the Fire Country, in the Hot Water region, he set his course south, towards the Wave Country. Due to his assistance in completing several subquests, the citizens of the Wave Country felt indebted to him, even if they were unaware of the reasons behind their gratitude. The system's influence worked in mysterious ways, embedding a sense of positivity towards Horyu in the people's minds, similar to how reputation or hearsay might function in the real world. Although Horyu didn't fully understand how the system quantified these sentiments, he trusted its judgment. If the system indicated that the people of the Wave Country would view him favorably, he was confident they would.

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