Chapter 44: The Legendary Gambler

Chapter 44: The Legendary Gambler

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"Ah, I'm so full!" Toneri rubbed his belly as he strolled out of a bustling restaurant in the heart of Konoha's busiest street.

Behind him, Kushina and Minato followed with expressions of shock and disbelief.

The two exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting mutual astonishment. However, while Kushina's gaze was purely of amazement, Minato's carried a hint of pain—especially for his wallet.

At that moment, Minato couldn't help but ask internally:

Are you secretly a member of the Akimichi clan?!

Toneri's appetite had completely redefined the meaning of "glutton" for both of them. For Minato in particular, this meal had forced him to reevaluate the already dwindling numbers in his coin pouch.

Next time, anyone else who volunteers to treat Toneri to a meal—I'll fight them to the end!

With a swagger of confidence, Toneri sauntered down the street, casually glancing at shops as he searched for the famous Ichiraku Ramen.

Originally, Toneri had planned to solve his hunger problem at Ichiraku Ramen, but after wandering the streets for ages without success, Kushina and Minato—afraid of getting lost themselves—suggested they just pick a random decent-looking restaurant.

While the food had been great, Toneri's real goal wasn't just eating; it was to confirm if Teuchi's daughter, Ayame, had somehow already been born.

Having eaten his fill, Kushina and Minato decided not to insist on taking charge of the tour. After all, shopping wasn't about where you went; it was about who you went with!

However, Toneri's search for Ichiraku Ramen was interrupted by the sight of someone he hadn't expected to encounter.

A blonde-haired woman with a long ponytail, wearing a loose green jacket adorned with the kanji for "Gamble" on the back, her... unmistakable figure completing the look.

Sluuuuurp!

And there she was: Tsunade, the "Slug Princess" and one of the legendary Sannin!

Better yet—she was carrying a black briefcase, her confident gaze fixed on a particular establishment across the street. Above its doors, two prominent characters stood out:

Casino!

The Legendary Sucker was heading into a casino!

Toneri's instincts immediately told him one thing: A chance for profit!

Noticing Toneri had stopped walking, Kushina and Minato followed his line of sight.

There stood an incredibly beautiful woman.

They watched her walk into the casino, where the guards at the entrance immediately bowed deeply and escorted her inside with fawning smiles.

Toneri suddenly spun around, his eyes gleaming as they locked onto Minato.

Gulp.

"Toneri... what are you planning to do?" Minato stammered, feeling an ominous chill.

Toneri wrapped an arm around Minato's shoulders, his expression radiating confidence. "Minato, how much money do you have on you?"

"Not... not much…" Minato stuttered, pulling out his coin pouch reluctantly.

Inside, after counting carefully, Minato found he had about 30,000 ryo left—a modest sum for an ordinary family's monthly expenses, though not much for a shinobi.

Toneri's disappointed look said it all.

As a low-ranking Genin without a regular squad, most of Minato's missions were low-level D-rank tasks—such as finding lost pets or helping with chores. These missions typically paid anywhere between 500 to 10,000 ryo depending on difficulty.

Occasionally, he might get a temporary spot in a team for a C-rank mission, such as escorting civilians or delivering documents, which paid 10,000 to 50,000 ryo. However, these earnings had to be divided among the team members.

Without a permanent team or mentor, Minato's income was fairly limited.

At higher levels, B-rank and above missions, which offered significantly more rewards, were simply out of reach for Minato's current rank and experience.

"This... this is all I have," Minato said hesitantly, handing over his savings.

Toneri, still dissatisfied, turned to Kushina.

With a mischievous grin, Kushina opened her coin pouch and handed it over.

"You'll find something fun to do with it, right?" she said, fully embracing the moment.

Toneri's eyes sparkled as he peeked inside.

The pouch contained a whopping 170,000 ryo!

Together with Minato's contribution, Toneri now held a small fortune of 200,000 ryo in his hands.

"Turns out you're the real hidden boss here!" Toneri teased as he stuffed the coins into his pocket.

For Kushina, the money was nothing significant. As one of the last Uzumaki clan members, she had a substantial inheritance. However, to keep her safe from potential threats, Konoha had "helpfully" stored most of her wealth and provided her with a monthly allowance.

Even so, her regular stipends left her with more than enough to live comfortably—and to join in on Toneri's wild ideas.

After securing the funds, Toneri swaggered toward the casino entrance, mumbling something incomprehensible under his breath.

"What's he saying?" Minato whispered.

"I think... something about 'not even one-third of an Asuma,'" Kushina replied, equally baffled.

At the casino entrance, the guards stood watch as Toneri approached.

"Hey, kid, this is no place for children. Go home and find your parents!" one of them barked, holding out an arm to block Toneri.

While casinos were permitted in Konoha, they operated under strict regulations—such as prohibiting minors from entering, much like alcohol laws.

Unfortunately for the guards, their words hit a nerve.

If only we had parents…

Ignoring the guards' attempts, Toneri smirked and casually strolled past them.

"Well," Kushina whispered to Minato, watching Toneri's confident demeanor. "This is about to get interesting."

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