Capítulo 184: Tanzaku Town
In total, Arthur counted more than ten moles in this casino—one too many for the average count.
How did he know they were moles? Just like the dealer at his table earlier, the other dealers were performing the same actions on other tables with the same player almost every round.
Arthur, having vision that far surpassed things like x-rays, had seen the man in shades's identification card through his clothes. What he found more intriguing was that there was another card with the man's exact image.
Yet that card had a different name, and it was securely hidden in this very room.
Anyone could use techniques like the Byakugan and the Tamashii, but no one knew how to use them effectively like Arthur.
The man's question produced little more than a cold glare from Arthur, who simply opted to dodge the inquiry.
Instead, he approached the table and said, "What I'm interested in is how much you're willing to compensate me to keep this matter quiet. I can spread the word about your little operation, or I can pretend this all never happened."
All the men raised their eyebrows. Was someone actually trying to threaten their boss?
Skepticism turned into laughter among their ranks. To them, Arthur was no more than a gambler. At least, that's how he made himself look.
Suddenly, one of the henchmen leaned in close to their boss, whispering something that caused the man's brows to furrow.
The man in charge raised a hand, quieting the rest. He then offered a mirthless laugh and said, "Double what you won sounds fair enough, yes?"
The men around looked puzzled. They thought the boss was going to signal to take Arthur down on the spot. Yet their expectations were severely clouded.
Arthur arched an eyebrow, unimpressed by their boss's attempts to keep this matter quiet.
"This casino is worth billions," he countered, "and you're offering me only two million ryō? Do you think this shady business would stand still if this matter became public knowledge?"
Now the men began to understand. If Arthur had uncovered one of their moles, who's to say he didn't know about the rest?
And once word got out that their own employees were cheating in games alongside the dealers, everyone would know and stop placing their bets here.
"Ten million ryō," their leader suddenly offered. "Ten times your winnings, and we'll consider the matter closed."
"That's more like it," Arthur responded.
Two million was already absurd, but ten million was enough to leave almost anyone speechless.
A flash then erupted from a camera positioned in the corner of the room.
The boss's eyes took on a menacing gleam as he pointedly added, "Your face'll be remembered if any news gets out about tonight's events, got it?"
"No problem," Arthur answered, hiding his disinterest.
"We've been in this business for years," the boss continued after settling down, "and this is the first time someone caught on to anything. Why not scrap the ten million and come work for me instead? I can make that ten million into one hundred for you!"
Arthur, at both the beginning of the day and the end, was a Christian—his heart was free of greed.
"I'll pass…" he said, easily bypassing the temptation.
"Then don't let me see your face around here again!" the boss seethed, feeling both frustrated and disappointed.
"Fine by me," Arthur coolly replied, turning on his heel.
As he was escorted through the back corridors by a couple of guards, Arthur had his Tamashii active, seeing the boss's desire to follow him and uncover the truth about his identity.
What they didn't know was that he had not a single tie to anyone in this country. This face—this transformation—was unknown to anyone.
The real profit here would come from the espoused power of being a ninja among these hollowed-out greedy men.
As he made his way past the hallways, he watched them monitor a recording of when he first sat at the table. They all gave looks of doubt because he had said, "I don't really get it…"
What Arthur was referring to wasn't the game of blackjack; he was stating that he couldn't quite fathom how individuals from such diverse backgrounds could waste their precious time and hard-earned money on such trivial pursuits as gambling.
It simply didn't make much sense to him.
With ten million ryō secured in a suitcase, he stepped through the back doors of the casino and into the night, contemplating the peculiarities of man's nature and the flawed systems they operated within.
### Tanzaku Town
This neck of the woods within the Fire Country was always filled with entertainment day and night.
Its citizens never stopped conducting their business, and colorful banners created a festive haven as Arthur stepped onto its streets.
Gaily dressed festivalgoers were everywhere, teasing the senses with aromas from nearby vendors. There were fireworks set to ignite later in the evening just for a jubilant occasion.
Disguised as an anonymous investor, Arthur wore a simple outfit: a plain brown coat over his white dress shirt—not quite luxurious, but still enough to garner respect.
The townspeople were preoccupied with their games of chance and frivolities, oblivious to the person among them. He moved without batting an eye and made his way toward what he knew to be the finest casino in the area—the Lion's Den.
As he approached the ornate building, festooned with red lanterns and lacquered wood, he took a moment to scan the place.
There was nothing suspicious about it, for it was naturally able to draw attention from most tourists across this country.
He entered the main hall, where many were gambling. While the space wasn't as large as the Golden Mirage, it was still quite impressive.
"Excuse me," he said, approaching a well-dressed clerk with a smile. "Is the manager available?"
The clerk regarded Arthur, first giving him a curious look before replying, "Please wait here, sir."
After a moment, a tall man with a well-groomed beard and sharp attire made his way through the crowd toward Arthur.
The manager extended a hand and politely greeted, "Welcome to the Lion's Den, my good man! I'm Steve Wynn, the manager here." Arthur had never heard of this character before. "Is everything alright?"
Arthur firmly clasped Steve's hand and, with a confident smile, said, "I have a proposal that could benefit both you and your establishment. Could I take a moment of your time, Mr. Wynn?"
Steve, though skeptical, became intrigued and said, "I'm listening."
"I'd like to invite the Hokage to your casino and host a celebration in her honor for the prosperity of our country."
The manager considered Arthur's words for a moment, crossing his arms as if gauging the worth of the proposition.
Arthur didn't waste the moment to seize the opportunity. He reached beneath his coat and exposed a suitcase. He then unlatched and opened it, revealing a mountain of crisp banknotes—a staggering display of wealth that caused Steve Wynn's eyes to widen.
"Five million ryō," Arthur nonchalantly declared, "to fund the entire event."
Steve's skepticism was instantly replaced with interest. Money talks, as it is written in the Bible.
"Five million?" Steve wondered. "For a single event? Just what is this really about, my good man?"
Arthur leaned in closer, lowering his voice as he answered, "I believe Tanzaku Town is underrated. An event that puts the Hokage front and center can inspire tourists and help the economy around here. Consider it a win-win situation."
Steve hesitated, unsure of what Arthur would even be gaining from this. Recognition? Fame? Or was he secretly plotting some type of assassination?
Steve, familiar with investments of this sort, asked, "And what are you planning for this event?"
Arthur had expected the question. He closed the briefcase with a smile and answered, "Chicken breasts, sake—the Hokage's favorites—no sweet foods or liver sashimi, and an honorary commemoration for her fine work."
The manager was impressed; Arthur had done his homework and seemed quite genuine.
"You clearly know the tastes of Lady Tsunade. But why such grandeur? You mentioned everything will be taken care of?"
"Exactly," Arthur affirmed. "As an incentive for her to come, everything will be on my tab, except for any gambling games."
Steve failed to ask Arthur's personal relationship with the Hokage. Even if he did, Arthur had an answer for that as well.
"Interesting," Steve mused, nodding in approval. "Very interesting!"
Arthur had hoped for that response. Assuming this casino owner became too suspicious, he would have placed him under a genjutsu. But why waste chakra on that when he was great at manipulating?
"Rest assured," he confidently said. "Your establishment will also garner some hype and attract many. It'll be a spectacle unlike any in recent memory. Besides, do you think the Hokage would refuse an offer like this? Especially since she's been here before?"
With a stroke of his chin, Steve took in the proposition, sensing the possibilities.
"You've got me hooked, my good man... But I'll need to have you sign a couple of non-disclosure contracts—just to protect the casino's reputation should something go wrong."
Spoken like a true businessman.
After a brief exchange of documents, Steve sent out a few messengers to finalize arrangements leading up to the date. Within the span of an hour, Arthur had ensured that the event would take place precisely three days from then, just enough time to prepare.
He had to create this on short notice because who knew if Tsunade would depart for any other urgent matters?
With everything on track, there was still one nagging question—what was so significant that he would invest half of his earnings in an event like this?
The truth was far more complex than he wished to admit.
Meanwhile, back in the Leaf Village, the sun could be seen setting across the Hokage's office.
Papers were strewn haphazardly across Tsunade's desk. She sat slumped in her chair, barely keeping her eyes open after another exhausting day.
Suddenly, Shizune burst into the room, startling Tsunade awake. Some of the cascade of papers fluttered in the air.
"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement. "You've been invited to a special event!"
"What?" Tsunade mumbled groggily. "What is it?"
"It's in Tanzaku Town!" Shizune continued. "It's been a while since we visited! Look!"
She then thrust a stylishly created invitation into Tsunade's view, emblazoned with the casino logo.
The Hokage squinted at the document, taking in the details. As she read, she was at first confused until she became pleasantly surprised.
"It's a celebration in my honor? At the Lion's Den? Who on earth made this?"
Shizune shrugged and announced, "There's more! It says they'll have everything you like, and if you attend, it will all be paid for!"
Curiosity piqued, Tsunade examined the invitation further, noticing plans not just for food but for entertainment.
"Whoever it is certainly knows me well," she muttered. "A little too well, actually... They even emphasized my taste for chicken and sake. Who knows? Maybe it might be fun to attend."
As she contemplated the invitation, memories of the last time she visited the town arose.
In the original story, Tanzaku Town was the main focal point for the "Search for Tsunade" arc. This time, however, things had gone completely differently.
At the time, Tsunade had lost a large sum of money at a slot machine, only to interpret her losses as a favorable omen. In the narrative, however, she had won and interpreted it as a bad omen.
Because of that, she made plans to stay in the town a little longer with Shizune.
A creature from Orochimaru wound up attacking her just like last time, but it was easily thwarted by the arrival of Jiraiya, William, and Alexander. While she was meant to meet the main character in this scene, she instead became well-acquainted with the latter two.
They had not only managed to dissuade Orochimaru from scheming against her, easily revealing his plot to use her to heal his arms, but they had also prevented a major fight from breaking out.
William had disappeared around that time, having been called by Jada to take out Arthur. Alex, who was left, managed to persuade her to return to the Leaf Village and take up the role of Hokage.
Of course, this was only done because he had placed a wager with her. If she could make him budge even an inch from the ground, she wouldn't have to become the fifth Hokage.
Tsunade had charged at him with all her strength, but in the end, he had won!
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