During this month, quite a few people had already placed heavy bets here.
Normally, when a child walked in like this, many would have started laughing and mocking him.
But his instincts kicked in, and the casino owner still asked,
"Five hundred thousand ryo."
Shiki ignored the mockery from others and simply said these words.
The owner paused, somewhat taken aback. How could someone so young have that much money?
Yet the aura emanating from this child didn't suggest he was lying. After all, with years of experience running a casino business, he naturally knew how to read people's expressions.
Still, such a massive sum coming from a twelve-year-old was hard to believe.
Even for a ninja, this would require completing dozens of Class D tasks or several high-level tasks to earn as reward.
Moreover, since ninjas usually worked in squads, this reward would be split among other team members.
Plus there were numerous expenses for ninja tools, military ration pills, or explosive tags that a ninja needed.
This amount of money represented several years' worth of savings for an average chunin.
And yet this child before him mentioned it so casually.
"What payment method would you prefer?"
Without realizing it, the casino owner had actually started using the honorific "you."
Although he normally hired many chunins to protect the casino, he still needed to remain cautious toward unfamiliar ninjas.
After all, the boy was wearing a Konoha forehead protector.
"Deduct it from my bank account. It should have sufficient funds."
That was the compensation he received two years ago from a particular event. Originally meant to persuade him to abandon being a ninja and live peacefully as an ordinary person.
It was also considered Konoha's final form of reparation toward the Uzumaki Clan.
After Shiki finished speaking, he walked out of the casino.
Standing at the entrance, he added casually,
"Oh right, I bet on Naruto winning."
Instantly, the display screen inside the casino updated the odds — now shifted to one-to-two.
It was still a long shot, but nothing compared to the previous sixty-to-one odds. To be continued.
Chapter 188: Tailed Beast Chakra
"You're kidding, right?"
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the slip that had just been handed out by Shiki Uzumaki.
They couldn't understand why the casino owner today would immediately signal his men to change the odds without even confirming whether that kid's account actually held such an enormous amount.
Immediately afterward, staff members from the bank stationed at the casino began emerging. Everyone already knew about Jiraiya's account filled with many zeros. They waited anxiously while verifying the account number and identity details provided by the Red-haired Child.
All held their breath, waiting for the result.
Finally what came back was merely a slight nod from the staff member toward the casino owner.
Those who remained unruffled had already seen through everything long ago.
A long shot?
The casino owner walked to the center of the gambling hall. At this moment, everyone's gaze was fixed upon him.
But he showed not the slightest sign of nervousness; rather, he appeared vaguely excited.
"Someone just placed a long shot! Five hundred thousand silver coins! Place your bets fast and share the jackpot!"
His deep voice echoed throughout the entire casino. The hearts of everyone present thumped violently.
If the one placing the bet had been someone of high status, they might have given it some thought — such betting pools often involved powerful figures manipulating outcomes for massive profits.
But the one who had just placed the bet was merely a child.
And the Daimyo of the Grass Country had bet on the opposing side — the child's opponent.
It was already a sure thing — but now, even more money came pouring in out of nowhere.
Excitement spread through the crowd — even the most hardened gamblers found themselves blushing with anticipation.
This was pure profit — money just waiting to be grabbed.
Many drained their drinks in one go and smashed the cups to the ground with glee.
"Put five hundred taels on Neji's victory!"
"Put a thousand taels on that brat learning his lesson! Neji Hyuga must win!"
"A hundred taels."
"..."
This was a goldmine — for gamblers, nothing got their blood pumping more than watching someone bet big on an underdog.
Soon, the odds began to rise again.
When Naruto's victory reached 3-to-1, they finally stabilized.
Shiki left the casino without lingering. Truth be told, gambling wasn't really his thing.
Yet, he understood the power that money brought.
If it was money that could be easily obtained, Shiki naturally wouldn't refuse.
The reason he had first gone to the arena before heading to the casino was to confirm something:
whether Naruto currently had the ability to use Nine-Tails' chakra to some extent.
Now, it seemed, the answer was yes.
"It feels a bit guilty betting on a fight between good friends."
Shiki sighed slightly. If it hadn't been for those unavoidable possibilities, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to prepare.
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