A group of little ninjas wandered through the bustling shopping street, drawing curious glances and cheerful greetings from the townspeople. Most of those greetings were aimed at Tsunade, who basked in the attention with pride.
In Konoha, Princess Tsunade was a household name. Nearly everyone in the village knew her, and she was incredibly popular. It was practically certain that she'd become the next Hokage. To many, the current Third was just a placeholder.
"Tsunade's really popular," Naori whispered.
"No," Maki replied flatly. "What's popular is money. She's a walking fat sheep."
Hitomi and Naori blinked, confused.
"When merchants see Tsunade, they know the Senju clan will cover the bill," Maki continued. "She has no bargaining skills. Of course they love her."
"Is that really how it is?" Naori asked, surprised. "Shouldn't someone tell her?"
"Spending money for popularity—it's cheap and effective," Maki said. "There are people who'd kill for that kind of influence."
"So she's not being taken advantage of?" Naori asked.
"Exactly." Maki nodded. "Here's a little secret: if you're ever short on cash, challenge Tsunade to a bet. She'll be thrilled."
"Hey! What are you whispering about back there?"
Having finally shaken off a swarm of fans, Tsunade turned with a scowl, hands on her hips. "Spill it!"
"Nothing yet," Maki replied calmly.
"You!" Tsunade huffed. "You dragged me all this way and still haven't bought anything!"
Jiraiya muttered to himself. She wouldn't let him buy anything either.
He had a strange feeling—like Maki had no intention of spending any money at all. And that unsettled him.
Maki, however, had a different goal in mind for coming here.
"How about we do something fun instead?" she suggested.
"That's more like it!" Tsunade's eyes lit up.
"It's exactly what you're thinking," Maki said, pointing to a nearby building.
Tsunade spun around, spotting the casino sign.
"Wait, are we really going in there?" Hitomi asked, stunned.
"Did you bring any money?" Maki asked casually.
Hitomi hesitated, then gave a small nod.
Orochimaru gave a curt one.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, shook his head quickly.
"No worries, Jiraiya. You can owe me." Maki counted out a stack of bills and pushed them into his hand before he could refuse.
Tsunade grinned. "Alright then, bug girl. Let's settle this at the gambling table!"
With that, she proudly led the way.
Maki followed, then turned and looked at Jiraiya, who still stood frozen.
"Coming or not?" she asked. "Don't regret it later."
As she turned away, a few insects crawled over her mask, silent and ominous.
Jiraiya swallowed hard.
After a brief inner struggle, he sighed—and followed.
---
Five hours later, the group exited the casino.
Everything had changed.
Orochimaru's face was even colder than usual. His mouth twitched now and then as he stared daggers at Maki.
"Bet like a dog again," he thought grimly.
He began calculating how many nights he'd be living on instant noodles.
Maki stood at the entrance of the casino, counting her winnings like no one was watching. With a satisfied smile, she said, "Don't worry, money doesn't disappear—it just gets transferred. Look, you can still go shopping, have fun. Don't stress—I'll cover it. It's casino tradition: the winner pays."
Ah, yes. Spending money you earned yourself always feels better.
Maki gave a pleased nod.
At her feet, Tsunade had collapsed to her knees, hands on the ground. She looked utterly defeated, unable to lift her head. Two words echoed in her mind: I lost.
But someone nearby was in even worse shape.
Jiraiya sat hunched over, hugging his knees and shivering, despite the warm summer air.
"Jiraiya," Maki said calmly, "you owe six hundred thousand. Don't worry, you can earn it back after you become a full ninja. Just three B-rank missions. Prices will go up in the future, so I'll be charging interest. But don't worry—it's just six percent. That's way kinder than those who charge ten."
Jiraiya trembled even harder.
Six hundred thousand? That could fund dozens of trips to the shopping district!
But he'd tried to play the hero, stepping in to help Tsunade win back her losses.
Now, he wanted to slap himself.
But... getting closer to Tsunade—was that a win or a loss?
Naori, who hadn't been allowed to play, couldn't bear to look at her miserable classmates. Watching was nerve-wracking enough.
Gambling is terrifying, she thought. I'm never doing that.
Hitomi exhaled with relief and patted her chest. She'd lost too—but not by much.
Let's just call it a paid lesson.
"Hey, aren't you still coming with us?" Maki called out. "Didn't you say you wanted to do something fun?"
"Of course I do!" Tsunade growled, standing up with renewed fire. "You owe me lunch!"
At least food's cheap...
"Sure, pick anything you want," Maki chuckled. "No need to hold back—get the expensive stuff."
There weren't any high-end restaurants in Konoha, but Tsunade was determined to get her revenge—on the menu.
She followed Maki, muttering under her breath. We played cards together, we're gambling buddies now. Just you wait—I'll eat you dry.
Still, her mood was less angry and more... wounded. And that made her appetite even bigger.
Their late lunch turned out lively and chaotic.
"Insect girl! I want this!"
"Insect girl! I want that!"
"Insect girl! I want both!"
"Insect girl—!"
When Tsunade came running back with arms full of skewers, Maki sighed.
Might as well let the kid enjoy herself.
"Here. Bonus for entertainment." She pulled out a wad of bills—didn't even count—and shoved it into Tsunade's pocket.
Tsunade looked down at the money with a complicated expression.
She sniffled, blinked away the tears threatening to spill, raised her head with mock pride, and huffed, "You're not as dumb as you look."
"Don't hold your head too high. You'll choke," Maki quipped with a smirk.
"Hmph, I've got a big appetite!" Tsunade snapped back. "Don't think I won't get my money back!"
Good luck with that, Maki thought. Mito gave me a full million to start with. No matter how much you eat, that's barely a dent.
"As long as you're happy," Maki said gently, brushing dust off Tsunade's collar.
Tsunade froze.
But she didn't push her away.
She didn't even react, Maki thought with disappointment, pulling her hand back. How boring.
If Tsunade had swatted her hand away or argued, it might've been more exciting.
Oh well. That's it?
"Idiot!" Tsunade shouted and ran off.
She could still eat.
After wandering and snacking their way across town, they finally arrived at Maki's real destination.
Konoha's most famous weapon shop: Mandian Hall.
Not to buy—but to sell.
Tsunade had already disappeared inside, with Jiraiya trailing behind.
Asking Tsunade for favors was way easier than repaying Maki.
"Hey there, little ninja-samas!" the shopkeeper called cheerfully. "Looking to buy something?"
Kids in the village were often called that. Even buying a single kunai was a sale, after all.
Higher success rate if you're nice.
Maki glanced around the shop. The shelves were fully stocked—and overpriced. Perfect.
"I'm not here to buy," she said. "I'm here to sell."
The shopkeeper blinked. Not the first time that's happened.
Village kids often brought scrap metal in exchange for snacks. Sometimes, even food snuck from home.
"Alright, little ninja-sama," he said, amused. "What are you selling?"
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