At that moment, the old man skillfully shook the dice, gently set them on the gambling table, then motioned for everyone to place their bets.
Uchiha Hikaru watched the table with a blank expression and, without hesitation, pushed all his chips onto triple sixes.
This bold move immediately drew everyone's attention.
The crowd stared at Hikaru in shock, their faces showing all kinds of complicated emotions—surprise, envy, jealousy, confusion, and doubt.
They couldn't understand where this young man got the nerve to bet everything on a single roll.
The old man glanced at Hikaru's move, a meaningful smirk curling at the corner of his lips.
'Whatever trick this kid has up his sleeve, the result is already set. Victory always belongs to the house.'
He calmly waited for the lid to be lifted, already envisioning the moment of triumph.
But when the cover was slowly opened, his smile froze in place.
His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the dice on the table, as if seeing a ghost.
Triple sixes. Clear as day.
He nearly popped his eyes out of his head.
"No way, he actually hit it!" someone cried out.
"Yeah, over a hundred times the payout… that's insane," another person marveled.
"Haha! Wonder if the house can even afford that loss."
The nearby gamblers broke into chatter.
Voices filled with envy rose one after another, though quite a few seemed to relish the chaos.
They looked at Hikaru, faces twisted with mixed feelings—some admiring his luck, others still skeptical.
The old man, though initially stunned, quickly composed himself.
He gave Hikaru a long look, then subtly signaled to a burly man nearby.
Receiving the cue, the burly man walked right up to Hikaru and said with a forced smile:
"Apologies, honored guest. Our boss would like to invite you for a chat."
Though his words were polite, his tone and posture clearly lacked any sincerity—closer to a threat than a request.
Tsunade and the others hadn't fully grasped the situation yet, but seeing someone approach with hostility, they didn't hesitate to draw their weapons.
Hikaru let out a faint scoff. "You think we're the kind of people who'd be intimidated by that?"
The old man eyed the Konoha forehead protectors they wore and mocked:
"This casino isn't some playground for you brats. The noble house backing us could make sure you don't survive a day in Konoha."
At those words, Tsunade and the others couldn't help but snort with laughter behind him.
They knew Hikaru too well—and that this casino was doomed the moment it crossed him.
With his strength and temper, how could Hikaru possibly be threatened by some shady backroom establishment?
Hikaru smiled faintly, raising his hand slowly. A searing flame ignited in his palm.
Under his control, the fire danced and twirled—like it was announcing the coming destruction.
The old man's face changed drastically, finally realizing this young man was no ordinary customer.
He opened his mouth to speak—but it was already too late.
With a flick of Hikaru's wrist, the flame sliced through the air like a blade, engulfing the old man in an instant.
Under its blaze, the old man's body disintegrated, crumbling into ash.
The entire process happened so fast, no one could react—like it all unfolded in a heartbeat.
Hikaru retracted his hand, and the flames vanished with it.
The casino patrons were stunned into silence.
They had never seen a shinobi this powerful—let alone one who dared act so brazenly in a casino.
Tension and fear flooded the hall.
At that moment, the main doors burst open.
A group of black-clad shinobi stormed in, weapons drawn and murderous intent thick in the air.
"So you're the ones causing trouble?" the lead shinobi barked.
His gaze swept over Hikaru and the others, and upon realizing they were just a bunch of "kids," a cold smirk appeared on his face.
Hikaru and his group didn't respond—only watched them coldly.
"Fine! You stay quiet? Then I'll show you how to behave!"
The leader snapped his fingers, signaling his men to seize them.
But the henchmen didn't move—they stood still, as if waiting.
The leader frowned, then turned to glance at the door—only to see a figure slowly stepping inside.
The newcomer wore a white kimono. He looked young, but his face carried a strange mix of nobility and authority.
He walked up beside the lead shinobi, who immediately paled when he saw him.
"Milord, why are you here?!"
When the man first entered, there was still a trace of arrogance on his face.
But the moment his eyes met Hikaru's, it was like lightning flashed across his vision.
That arrogance shattered instantly, replaced with disbelief and deep fear.
A bead of cold sweat slid down his cheek, betraying the dread in his heart.
And upon hearing the leader's words, his thoughts turned sharply—then smack! he slapped the shinobi across the face.
"Who told you to handle things like this?!"
The stunned shinobi clutched his cheek in confusion, dazed by the sudden scolding.
This is how we always handled troublemakers. What changed this time?
"And what are you waiting for?! Get this honored guest his payout—add some extra, too! You understand?!"
Still not satisfied, he kicked the leader twice for good measure.
Hikaru watched the whole performance in silence, his face unreadable.
And the man in white grew even more unsettled seeing this.
He was the casino's true backer.
Originally, he had just dropped by on a whim to inspect operations.
He hadn't expected any real trouble.
When he heard there was a disturbance, he'd rushed over—thinking it'd be the same old thing.
But the moment he saw who caused it, his heart sank.
He remembered the Chūnin Exams six years ago. That catastrophe.
Hikaru had been just a child then—but that face had burned into his memory.
And now, seeing Hikaru again, he understood.
That whim of his today… might have cost him his life.
The lead shinobi, now realizing the severity of the situation, finally came to his senses.
Even though he felt wronged by the lack of trust, he still followed orders and had his men pay Hikaru in full—with interest.
Hikaru accepted the money, staring silently the whole time—until cold sweat ran freely down the man's back.