In the three - seven split, Uchiha Mai took five million, while Tsunade received the remaining two million one hundred and sixteen thousand.
Compared to the more than ten million she had lost before, two million was barely pocket change - but Tsunade was already more than satisfied. After all, this was the first time she had ever seen money come back to her.
"Little brother… my dear little brother Mai… is your kind of card skill hard to learn?" Tsunade asked warmly, slipping the money into her wallet while wrapping an arm around him.
Ugh…
Kakashi, standing nearby, felt physically uncomfortable, like he was about to throw up.
Ten days ago it was "brat this, brat that." Now that the kid could make money, it was suddenly "little brother," "my dear little brother." Disgusting.
"That depends on talent," Mai replied calmly, not giving a straight answer.
"And what do you think about my talent?" Tsunade puffed out her chest.
"Very… big - uh, I mean, your talent is outstanding. Texas Hold'em was practically made for you.
After all, someone who became the greatest medical ninja in the ninja world can't possibly be bad at math. And someone who surpassed the level of jōnin clearly doesn't lack learning ability.
With systematic practice - about five thousand hands - you'd reach entry level and become a solid player."
Five thousand hands. Playing one or two hundred a day, that was just over a month. Completely doable.
After doing the math, Tsunade's gaze toward Mai grew noticeably hotter. She had made up her mind - she had to learn his card skills.
All her life, Tsunade had gambled on everything and lost at everything. Losing to bad luck was one thing, but even in games with clear technical depth, she'd never seriously studied them.
Perhaps she'd simply never met a proper teacher.
Before transmigrating, Mai loved card games - especially Yu-Gi-Oh! and Texas Hold'em - and had even studied some GTO poker theory out of boredom.
Now this was a meeting of professionals.
"Minato…"
Tsunade turned to Minato with a gentle smile and began speaking persuasively. "Has anyone ever told you that your team composition is flawed?
During the Second Great Ninja War, I personally promoted the medical-nin system and created medical squads, drastically reducing Konoha's casualties.
After the war, medical ninjas gained the old man's recognition and officially entered the mainstream.
Nowadays, aside from specialized teams like Ino - Shika - Chō, taijutsu squads, or genjutsu squads, standard teams always try to include at least one medical ninja - or have someone learn medical ninjutsu.
In fact, from the moment I first saw your team ten days ago, I started thinking about this.
After observing for these past ten days, I can confidently say that Mai has exceptional talent for medical ninjutsu. If he studies with me for a few years, he can inherit my techniques and become a top-tier medical ninja.
So, Minato… what do you think?"
Ugh…
Kakashi clicked his tongue internally. So this was one of the Legendary Sannin? Shameless.
This wasn't interest in the kid himself - she was clearly after his poker skills. Absolutely low.
"Lady Tsunade," Mai raised a hand. "I should mention - I tested my chakra nature a long time ago.
My main affinities are Fire and Yin, with a slight trace of Lightning."
No Yang attribute - learning medical ninjutsu would be pointless.
"You don't know what you're talking about, brat," Tsunade snapped, hands on her hips. "Chakra nature can be developed later.
I swear on the title of the greatest medical ninja in the ninja world - you do have Yang. It's just deeply hidden and needs a master to draw it out."
Asked and answered: late bloomer.
Mai fell silent.
Honestly… I'm in my rapid growth phase. Ignoring easy-to-learn Fire Release, genjutsu, and taijutsu to study medical ninjutsu instead - wouldn't that be pure stupidity?
"Lady Tsunade, let's cut the nonsense," Mai said bluntly. "You come back to Konoha with us.
After that, you teach me some taijutsu techniques, and I teach you first-rate Texas Hold'em skills. A fair trade."
"You want to learn my taijutsu?" Tsunade was surprised. Weren't Uchiha obsessed with fire and genjutsu? Still, this deal wasn't a loss.
"Deal." Tsunade extended her hand.
Smack!
Mai slapped her hand. "Deal."
At this point, Sarutobi Hiruzen's mission - bring Tsunade back - was basically complete. All that remained was escorting her back and collecting the reward.
Minato, Kakashi, and Guy were filled with mixed emotions. This mission had ended in an absurdly easy way - without even doing anything.
Tsunade, eager to return to Konoha and learn top-tier poker skills, kept urging Minato along as he finished buying everything on Kushina's list, sealing the goods into storage scrolls.
Soon, the group set off cheerfully, eating snacks and humming as they traveled.
Not long after leaving Tanzaku Town, Minato - walking at the front - slightly furrowed his brows, sensing something off.
But he said nothing, continuing forward as usual.
Moments later, Mai also noticed something wrong and subtly alerted Kakashi with a glance - there was an ambush.
Ninjas were using Transformation Jutsu to disguise themselves as roadside trees. Their objective was unclear, but they were likely targeting Minato's group.
As for who exactly was the target… Mai strongly suspected Tsunade. Aside from her, no one else was worth an ambush.
Kakashi gave a slight nod, having sensed it as well. When he was about to alert Guy, Mai stopped him with a look.
Telling Guy now would only reveal that they'd already noticed the enemy.
With just that glance, Kakashi understood. He slowed his pace and quietly moved to the rear.
In just a few breaths, the formation shifted: Mai in front, Guy and Tsunade in the center, Kakashi guarding the rear.
On the surface, the group continued chatting and laughing, as if unaware.
Just as they were about to exit the encirclement, a green tree by the roadside suddenly transformed into a ninja. He rapidly formed seals and slammed his hands onto the ground.
A bolt of lightning shot toward Tsunade at the center of the group.
Lightning Release - Ground Walk!
At the same moment, three or four other "trees" revealed themselves, launching ninjutsu simultaneously, all targeting Tsunade.
Just like trees talking in Vietnam, trees using ninjutsu in the ninja world made perfect sense, right?
The enemy's target was Tsunade!
"Protect Lady Tsunade!" Minato shouted, using Body Flicker to appear behind one enemy and slit his throat with a single kunai strike.
Protect our tank.jpg
"A bunch of trash thinks they can ambush me? What a joke!" Tsunade snorted, hand on her hip. "Tenshō - hm?"
In truth, Tsunade had noticed the ambush long ago.
She was just about to leap up and wipe them out with a single devastating kick when she saw Minato kill one of the attackers.
The kunai pierced the man's throat, and the wind carried the blood outward, blooming briefly like a crimson flower before vanishing.
Tsunade's bold words died in her throat.
A blood-soaked terror flooded her mind.
She froze in place, trembling uncontrollably.
With one strike, Minato had not only taken a life -
He had also crippled his own side's strongest combatant.
(End of Chapter)
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I am a Brazilian and I am translating this work with enthusiasm. :D
Always trying to bring the best quality by revising and adapting point by point, and each one is part of this result, thank you readers and until the next chapter.