Hidan had once heard a ridiculous rumor about a so-called divine tree… the Tree of Life, Kabbalah, said to be the mother of all races.
Apparently, one day, its bark was peeled off by some faceless bastard, and that caused its death, dragging every race down with it.
The moral of the story?
Faceless people with no shame are invincible, and trees without bark will surely die.
"…Tch. What a load of crap." Hidan thought, smirking.
But… the more he chewed on it, the more he had to admit, this saying described Tsunade way too damn well.
Tsunade's shamelessness wasn't just bad. It was next-level.
She had practically made "being excessive" into an art form.
Even Shizune couldn't take it anymore. She slapped her palm over her face, shoulders sagging like she wanted to pretend she didn't even know her Sensei.
Meanwhile, Tsunade looked as proud as a queen handing out charity.
"How about it, brat?" she laughed, puffing out her chest. "I can let you off this easily. Isn't that super generous of me? You don't even have to thank me! Hahahaha!"
Hidan's eye twitched. His face stayed blank, but his brain was screaming.
Generous? Generous my ass! You bankrupt me, call it mercy, and then expect gratitude? Damn, this woman… she's like a gambler who calls breaking your kneecaps 'a discount.'
He let out a slow breath through his nose. It really did feel like...
If you had more power, you could just do whatever the hell you wanted.
"I..."
He almost blurted out, I don't even have any money!
But then it hit him.
Wait. Hold on. If she's this shameless, maybe I can twist this around. Get something out of it…
The thought slithered into his mind like a snake. His lips curved into the faintest smirk.
Help someone out, and instead of thanks, you get slapped with a debt. Yeah, sure. Fine. But if you think I'm just gonna take that lying down… tch, lady, you've got another thing coming.
For now, he swallowed his pride.
But in the back of his head, Hidan made a little promise to himself:
Next chance I get, I'm paying her back...with a BIG interest.
But now wasn't the time.
Hidan had to play it smooth, keep his cards close. His first plan came first… though he'd keep this little "side quest" in his back pocket too.
Tsunade, seeing him hesitate too long, started to panic.
"You...you..what's with that face? Little brat, don't you dare say no!" she said loudly, hands on her hips.
"Even if I have to make you my friend, you're paying up! Don't forget who I am...one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade!"
Her eyes gleamed with smug confidence.
"Well? Scared? Grateful? Both?"
Hidan just stared at her.
This woman… unbelievable. She's actually pulling out the "Sannin card" just to dump her debts on a ten-year-old kid? What's next, gonna sell your medical license too?
Tsunade wasn't just a gambling addict...she was a lost cause.
Not someone who could be "fixed."
…Or maybe she could be fixed. In a different way.
The thought slipped through Hidan's mind like a wicked spark, and he almost grinned.
"I'll… help you back," Hidan finally muttered through clenched teeth.
Of course, reality check, he was just a ten-year-old brat. If Tsunade actually decided to smack him around, he wouldn't stand a chance.
But then again, his bloody March Scythe hung right on his back. The black spear at his waist was hidden but ready.
He ignored them.
Tsunade didn't. Her eyes flicked toward them.
For someone to have Jonin strength at his age?
Naturally, she assumed he was loaded.
"How much do you owe them?" Hidan asked, voice heavy with regret.
Tsunade's lips curled.
"Hahaha… not much, just fifty thousand ryō." She even said it with a mock-shy look, scratching her cheek like a bashful maiden.
"Pfft—" Hidan nearly coughed blood.
Fifty thousand!? Fifty. Thousand!?
His jaw slackened.
Lady, where the fuck do you expect me to get that?
"Okay! Fine! Fifty thousand is fifty thousand!" Hidan thought for a while then gritted his teeth and said loudly.
"But you'll have to wait. I don't exactly carry that kind of money around."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.
"…You're not planning to run, are you?"
Poof.
Hidan felt like his heart just got stabbed clean through.
That hurt worse than her calling him a brat.
Run? Run where? Can I even outrun you?
Seriously, this woman was his natural counter.
She had that absurd "Hundred Healings" technique, the freakish regeneration, the damn slug summons…
Even if he chopped her in half, she'd probably just get back up, pat the dust off, and keep punching.
As for Hidan? If he chopped himself up, that was game over.
No one was around to stitch his pieces back together.
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