For the rest of the night, Yuzuru kept using the same strategy.
No matter what Tsunade bet on, he always did the exact opposite.
As time went on, he watched her excitement twist into a grimace; by the end, her eyes were bloodshot…
The most shocking thing for Yuzuru was that Tsunade, in a fit of surrender, consecutively bet "low" more than ten times, yet the outcome was "high" more than ten times.
It deepened his understanding of the legendary "Guaranteed to Lose" constitution she was known for.
He really couldn't fathom how a person could be this unlucky.
Beyond that, something else surprised him as well.
Even after gambling until late into the night, Tsunade's skin was still flawless and pale, almost unbelievably smooth.
Sensing his gaze, Tsunade looked up at him, then glanced at the mountain of chips piled in front of Yuzuru. Waves of envy, jealousy, and resentment rolled in her chest.
She hadn't forgotten that he'd exchanged only a single chip when they came in.
If she had won this much money, she couldn't even imagine how happy she'd be.
But recalling what happened earlier tonight, Tsunade suddenly realized something. Her gaze toward Yuzuru grew hostile.
"Guess high or low, place your bets now."
Urged by the dealer, everyone began wagering.
Tsunade purposely waited for Yuzuru. But even after the betting period ended, the man showed no intention of placing a bet.
When the next round started, Tsunade casually chose "high"—and immediately saw Yuzuru buy "low."
In the next round, she chose small; he chose high.
In the fourth round she didn't bet at all—and saw that Yuzuru also didn't bet.
With her suspicion confirmed, Tsunade glared angrily at him. "You. Outside. Now!"
Yuzuru didn't ask questions and followed her to the casino's reception area.
"Hold on. Let me exchange my chips first."
He tossed the chips onto the counter. The young receptionist gasped in shock.
"Oh my! You're amazing, sir—you actually won this much!"
"Just a bit lucky. Exchange it all."
"Right away!"
After receiving a case filled with money, Yuzuru followed Tsunade out of the casino.
The moment they stepped outside, both took a long breath.
Tsunade's anger flared even hotter as she eyed the case in his hand. "You followed me here from the street and bet against me every single round. What exactly are you after?"
"So you noticed."
"Obviously." She crossed her arms impatiently. "Hurry up and answer."
Yuzuru smiled. "I met the legendary sucker-who-can't-win-a-single-bet. Not taking the chance to earn a little would've been a waste."
Lies don't hurt—but the truth cuts deep.
Tsunade's face flushed red with rage.
She clenched her fist and swung at him. "You bastard! How dare you mock me like that—no one can save you tonight!!"
Facing the furious Tsunade, Yuzuru lifted the suitcase. "Since you caught on, we can split the winnings."
Tsunade froze mid-punch. Her expression flipped instantly from stormy to sunny. She softened her voice. "Well… I'm not that petty of a woman…"
Yuzuru estimated he'd won about one million ryō tonight. Half meant five hundred thousand ryō.
For someone drowning in debt like Tsunade, this was a golden opportunity she absolutely couldn't miss.
Seeing her eyes sparkle at the money, Yuzuru walked back inside and grabbed a second suitcase. He split the cash and handed one case to her.
Tsunade immediately sat down right there and began counting with a cheerful grin.
Yuzuru chuckled. "Aren't you going to treat me to dinner?"
"Of course! I know a great yakiniku place. Let's go."
————
————
Even though it was late, the yakiniku restaurant was still packed.
They found a private booth, sitting across from each other.
Tsunade poured herself a drink, downed it in one gulp, then casually asked, "Who exactly are you? And why did you approach me?"
Yuzuru sipped his drink lightly. "Just happened to run into the former princess of the Senju clan—made me a little sentimental."
"As for me…" His long fingers tapped the table lightly. "Uchiha Yuzuru. Nice to meet you."
Hearing his answer, Tsunade blinked, then gave him a closer look.
Though she'd been wandering the shinobi world and staying out of village affairs, she had still heard the name Yuzuru before.
Seeing her drift into thought, Yuzuru raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"So you're that brat from the Uchiha. No wonder you gave me an annoying feeling the moment I saw you."
Tsunade muttered this, popping a piece of grilled meat into her mouth. "I heard you were the one who led the Uchiha out of Konoha?"
"What were you thinking? Why make a move like that?"
Under her curious gaze, Yuzuru answered unhurriedly, "Circumstances forced my hand. Didn't you also leave Konoha?"
Tsunade snorted. "I only left by myself. That's not the same thing as what you did."
Yuzuru smiled. "I don't see much difference. After all, you're the only one left of the Senju clan."
"…" Tsunade stared at him for a moment, then said darkly, "That's not funny."
"Just stating facts." Yuzuru wasn't bothered by her glare and continued, "No one could've imagined that both founding clans of Konoha—the Senju and the Uchiha—would leave the village."
"Only I left," Tsunade said coldly. "Because of my granduncle's policy, the clan abandoned its surname."
Yuzuru shook his head with a faint, mocking smile. "Tsunade-hime, you can lie to me, but don't lie to yourself."
"The Senju may have dropped the surname, but nearly all of them died in the Second Shinobi War. After so many years, the Senju have already vanished."
"I didn't want the Uchiha to meet the same fate. That's why I led them out of Konoha."
"That place has already been swallowed by darkness."