Two days later, Shinji hummed a little tune as he walked into the hospital, carrying a bag full of pork cutlet rice bowls.
"You dare touch me again and see what happens!"
"Believe it or not, I'll really kill you, woman!"
"Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do. It's useless! That's a blessing from Lord Jashin… unless you join our Jashin Cult too."
Standing at the doorway of the hospital room, Shinji raised an eyebrow, his expression turning strange.
Was this the moment when an DuDududu song should start playing in the background?
Bang!
Shinji sent the door flying open with a kick, his eyes quickly sweeping across the room.
But what he saw left him slightly disappointed.
Hidan, wrapped head to toe in bandages, was sitting on the bed, letting a short-haired girl examine him.
Though his expression was foul, Hidan didn't show the slightest intention of actually making a move.
Six eyes met. Shizune and Hidan showed no embarrassment whatsoever—only surprise.
The two of them were so calm that Shinji suddenly felt like the awkward one.
"Haha, I didn't interrupt anything, did I? By the way, I brought pork cutlet rice. Let's eat together."
"Pork cutlet rice? Hurry and bring it here! You finally did something human for once."
Hidan's joy was written all over his face. He opened the meal box and started devouring it without even glancing at the woman beside him.
With his immortal body's regenerative ability, plus the large amount of medical ninjutsu Shizune had used after the surgery, Hidan was basically almost fully recovered already.
It was just completely ridiculous!
"Idiot, can you even finish that much?"
"Ten more boxes wouldn't be a problem!"
Damn it!
Is that what I meant?!
Shinji was utterly speechless. "Sorry, are you the doctor here? I remember it used to be some guy with glasses…"
Shizune quickly replied, "It's nothing, I wasn't really hungry anyway. No—I mean, I'm not a doctor here. I just came to help because someone asked me to."
"Oh, I see. Then thank you so much. I don't know who asked you, but since you cured my dog—"
"Dog?"
"Yeah, just a nickname. Not important. Here's a small token of appreciation. Consider it a meal treat."
Akagi · Rich Guy · Shinji made his move—two hundred thousand ryō!
After all, he'd already given that useless glasses-wearing doctor one hundred thousand ryō before. No way he'd be stingier now.
Besides, the money in his hands had come easily anyway—part of it was the Jashin Cult's inheritance, part of it was a windfall from selling intelligence and scamming Sunagakure. Spending it didn't hurt in the slightest.
And with his and Hidan's strength, making money was ridiculously easy.
"So this is what it feels like to be hit with money…"
Shizune held the two hundred thousand ryō, feeling a little strange.
"Um… may I ask something a bit forwardly? Are you very rich?"
Shizune asked carefully, her expression conflicted.
"Not bad. Not extremely rich or anything, but I'm someone who doesn't really care about money."
Hah, that felt good!
Who would've thought he'd get to flex like this one day?
Truly worthy of the Ma-style Pretentious Technique—Shizune was instantly stunned.
"It's like this… my teacher would like to meet you. Would that be alright?"
Seeing the conflict and frustration written all over her face, Shinji grinned. If it was really that person, he wanted to meet her too.
So he agreed readily.
"Sure. Right now?"
Shizune glanced at Hidan, who was fully focused on eating, and nodded.
They walked in silence until they reached the entrance of a hotel.
A group of fierce-looking thugs came storming out, cursing loudly, each holding several portrait sketches in their hands.
Judging by the looks of it, they had come to find someone—but failed.
"Bah! What 'Legendary Big Fat Sheep'? She's just a trash woman who borrows money and doesn't pay it back!"
"No wonder so many gambling houses went bankrupt. Turns out they weren't losing money—she just borrowed them dry!"
"Damn it! When I catch that woman, I'll make her regret it!"
"Yeah, sell her to the red-light district to work off her debt."
"Gotta admit, though, that body of hers is once in a lifetime!"
"When the time comes, maybe we should have some fun first, hehehe~"
Shizune glared fiercely at their backs. She took several deep breaths before finally calming down, resisting the urge to beat up those fools who dared speak so disrespectfully about Lady Tsunade.
There was nothing she could do. They were the ones who owed money first.
That fact left her extremely depressed.
"This is the place?"
"Yes… If someone asks to borrow money from you later, please think it through carefully. There's a high chance it won't be paid back."
Kind-hearted as ever, Shizune couldn't help but take this opportunity to warn Shinji.
After all, borrowing from casinos was different in nature.
Shinji nodded with a smile. "I'm not someone who lends money easily."
"That's good."
Shizune felt relieved.
But there was something Shinji didn't finish saying.
He usually just gave people money directly.
"Lady Tsunade? Lady Tsunade?"
"Phew~ Oh, little Shizune, you're finally back. So? Did you find that sucker?"
A flat-chested little loli suddenly jumped out of the wardrobe—it was Tsunade, using the Transformation Technique to hide from debt collectors.
"If the sucker you're referring to is me, then I suppose you've found him."
Tsunade froze for a moment before noticing that aside from the embarrassed Shizune, there was also a handsome young man in the room.
"This is… uh, I don't think I caught your name."
Shizune's introduction fell flat. She was so embarrassed she felt like she could dig out a three-bedroom apartment with her toes.
"Akagi Shinji. I was invited."
Poop!
Tsunade dispelled her Transformation Technique, and the sudden sight left Shinji momentarily dazzled.
"Well, you don't look that easy to fool. Pay the medical fees and you can leave."
Tsunade lay down sideways on the floor, looking rather uninterested.
She'd finally thought she found a sucker—but miscalculated. Sigh.
Shizune hurriedly took out the money. "It's already been paid. Right here."
Tsunade took it and began counting swiftly, her movements extremely practiced. Satisfied, she tucked the money into her chest—her very own two-dimensional pocket.
The amount wasn't huge, but at least her disciple hadn't made the trip for nothing.
What?
You're asking why the money wasn't returned to Shizune?
The disciple earns the money, the master keeps it safe. What's wrong with that?
Shinji didn't leave. Instead, his smile widened.
He reached into his coat and pulled out a thick stack of banknotes. Under Tsunade's bright gaze, he flicked them in his hand.
"I've got plenty of money. Let's make a deal."
"Let's hear it."
Tsunade gave Shinji a meaningful look.
Money—she certainly wanted it.
But if anyone thought having money meant they could do whatever they pleased, making demands that displeased her, she wouldn't mind playing bandit for a bit.
"The terms are simple. I want you… to join my cult."
"Ha?"
Tsunade, who had almost been ready to strike, froze mid-motion, her face full of bewilderment.