After Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others left,
Hyūga Hiyasu picked up his family's little princess.
(Hyūga Hiashi: That's mine!)
"How are you feeling, Hinata? Hiyasu-san helped you vent your anger. Do you feel better now?"
However, Hyūga Hinata still looked listless and drained.
It was clear that the fright she had just experienced wasn't something that could be soothed so easily.
"Hiyasu, move aside."
Inuzuka Ryoha pushed Hyūga Hiyasu away and took Hinata into his arms.
"Little Hinata, I'll take you to see the little hero who saved you, alright?"
Upon hearing this, little Hinata's face instantly turned bright red.
She nodded softly.
"Mm."
Smack.
Hiyasu slapped his forehead.
It was hopeless—his precious little girl had finally fallen into the hands of that blond kid. Where were those three little brats? A mere detention would be far too easy on them. He wanted to deal with them right now.
"Hahaha!"
Seeing Hiyasu's gloomy expression, Ryoha couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Let's go! Off to the hospital to see our little hero!"
Aburame Shiken and Uchiha Kamito, seeing that there was nothing left for them to do, also took their leave.
They weren't like certain people—idle and useless. They were very busy, alright?
Pursuing the path to immortality.
And figuring out how to make two women live in harmony.
Those were the most troublesome problems in the world.
...
Hidden Leaf Village Hospital.
Observation Room.
Uzumaki Naruto was lying in the hands of a doctor with a truly magnificent presence while receiving treatment.
Looking at Naruto's blissful expression, anyone could tell—
This doctor was definitely Tsunade.
"Tsunade-sama, I didn't expect you to be at the hospital. That's wonderful!"
"Fourth Hokage, I must criticize you. As the director of the Hidden Leaf Hospital, being on standby at all times to prepare for emergencies—shouldn't that be the most basic responsibility? Why do you sound so surprised? That's not good. Do you understand?"
(Tsunade's inner thoughts: Ugh, I'm so sleepy. If I hadn't lost so much money that I couldn't stay in the gambling house anymore, I wouldn't have come to this damn hospital. Speaking of which, since I'm putting on such a performance, asking the Fourth Hokage for some funding shouldn't be a problem, right?)
Namizaki Minato was actually puzzled. On standby at all times in the hospital? Then why hadn't he seen her during the previous few times?
But since Tsunade-sama had said so herself, it probably wasn't a scam… right?
Better to believe her first.
"I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama. I misunderstood you. My apologies."
"It's nothing, nothing at all. It's just that recently, for medical research, I might need some research fund—"
"Yo, Minato! I've brought Hiyasu's little princess to visit our little hero. How is he? Is he healed?"
Suddenly, Inuzuka Ryoha barged in, completely ruining Tsunade's perfect money-making plan.
Tsunade clenched her teeth, making a faint grinding sound.
Damn it. Couldn't you come in a little later? The money was almost in my hands! I was about to win back everything I'd lost! Inuzuka Ryoha, you've ruined my grand plan!
"Ryoha, Naruto is already fine. All thanks to Tsunade-sama's treatment."
"Tsunade-sensei?"
With Minato's reminder, Ryoha finally noticed the furious Tsunade—and the blissful Naruto in her arms.
"Eh? Tsunade-sensei, why are you here? Lost everything again? Didn't Nawaki just finish a mission and receive his payment? You spent it that fast?"
(Nawaki: Sometimes I feel like being alive is worse than being dead. I work so hard every day and still can't afford Ichiraku Ramen. What's the point of living?)
(Jiraiya: That's why some people should understand why I travel the ninja world. Wandering may mean not eating enough, but staying in the Hidden Leaf means definitely not eating enough.)
Seeing Ryoha arrive, Tsunade no longer bothered hiding—though she couldn't have hidden it anyway.
"Hmph. It's all because some disciples are completely unreliable. Look at Orochimaru's students—how they honor their teacher. And then look at how certain someone treats their teacher. Sigh… it's all because I was too loyal and didn't carefully select my students. Otherwise, how would I have ended up like this?"
Ryoha's gaze sharpened.
"Sensei, are you hinting at me?"
"Hmph. Whoever it refers to, let them think."
Ryoha handed little Hinata to Minato.
Tsunade also passed Naruto to Minato.
However, Naruto looked somewhat unwilling.
The atmosphere between the two instantly grew tense.
Seeing this, Minato hurriedly left with the two children.
But he had nowhere else to go, and it was almost curfew anyway—so he might as well take them home.
(Hyūga Hiyasu: Put them down! Give them back! We've only just met, and you're already taking my little princess home? What exactly does your Namikaze family want?!)
After Minato left, Ryoha and Tsunade sat facing each other.
Ryoha took out twenty million ryo.
"Same rules. If you win, I'll give you ten times the amount—two hundred million. If you lose… sorry, Sensei, it's not that I don't want to give it. You just won't be able to get it."
"Cut the nonsense. This time I'll definitely win—and twenty times over. Four hundred million. If I lose, I'll never ask you for money again."
"No problem. Deal."
Ryoha looked confident.
Competing in gambling with Tsunade? The question is—how could I lose?
Not just four hundred million. Even four hundred billion. Even if I bet the entire clan, no problem.
(Tsunade: That's too vulgar.)
As for the result—you can imagine it yourself.
...
Namikaze Residence.
"I'm back, Kushina. But we might need to cook more tonight—we have an extra child."
"Oh? A child? Who?"
Kushina responded casually, then realized something was off.
Where did the child come from?
She peeked out.
Seeing Minato holding Naruto in one hand and Hinata in the other, the scene was strangely amusing.
"Little Hinata, do you have anything you'd like to eat? Auntie will cook it for you."
"Thank you, Kushina-san. I'm not picky, and I'm very sorry for the trouble."
Hinata quickly stepped down from Minato's arms and bowed politely.
(Kushina: Why? Why are other people's children so well-behaved?)
Only then did Kushina notice Naruto.
Looking at his dusty appearance, she gave him a very "gentle" smile.
"Naruto… explain to Mom why you look like this. Did you fight with someone again?"
Naruto and Minato began trembling simultaneously.
That familiar feeling was terrifying.
"I'm sorry, Kushina-san. Naruto did this to protect me. If anyone is to be punished, please punish me."
That single sentence completely extinguished Kushina's anger.
(Naruto and Minato: Hinata, you're amazing.)
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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