"Lady Tsunade, how about we pay back the money?"
Shizune, holding the piglet Tonton, looked back at the debt collectors who seemed intent on devouring them alive. While running frantically, she helplessly suggested to Tsunade beside her.
However, Tsunade clearly had no intention of accepting her suggestion and clutched the box in her hands tightly.
"No way, this is all my remaining savings. Once we move to another town and win some money, we'll pay them back!"
Shizune rubbed her forehead and didn't try to persuade her further, knowing it would be futile.
"Lady Tsunade, let's go there! There are a lot of people there, it'll be easier to shake them off!"
Although both of them were powerful Ninja, they rarely exposed their Ninja identities in front of debt collectors to prevent them from discovering their true identities and coming to Konoha to collect debts.
When being chased by a large group of people like this, the best option was to run into a crowded place, and then, while the debt collectors couldn't see them, secretly use the Transformation Technique to escape.
However, just as the two were about to rush into the crowd of the snack street, a monk wearing a bamboo hat suddenly held up his Zen staff, blocking their path.
"Hmph! In broad daylight, how can so many grown men bully two young girls? How can this poor monk stand idly by!"
Tsunade and Shizune couldn't display physiques that were too far beyond normal people, so they had no choice but to stop their escape.
Seeing this, the debt collectors naturally stopped as well.
"Where did this monk come from, meddling in others' business? They owe us money and refuse to pay! We are just recovering what is rightfully ours. Even if government officials came, it would be perfectly justified!"
The leading debt collector angrily said, raising the large club in his hand.
Li Chuan, meanwhile, put down his Zen staff and performed a Buddhist salute:
"Indeed, it is only right to pay back debts, but one should not use such violent methods to collect them. How about this, how much money do these two young ladies owe you all? This humble monk can pay it for them first."
"Are you serious about that?!"
When the debt collectors heard that this monk was actually willing to help pay the money, their expressions immediately changed from anger to joy.
It didn't matter who paid the money; as long as they could get it, their mission would be complete, and they could report back to their respective bosses.
Tsunade and Shizune, who were just about to sneak away while Li Chuan was talking to the debt collectors, heard that this monk was actually going to help them pay their debts, and their eyes lit up as they stopped in their tracks.
"There's actually such a foolish… good person in this World."
"Lady Tsunade, you owe so much, he might not have enough money to pay it all."
"Don't worry, let's see first. If he really doesn't have enough, then we'll run."
Although the two didn't speak, a series of eye exchanges had already finalized their next plan of action.
In short, it was four words: act according to circumstances.
"Indeed, this humble monk's family is quite well-off, and I have some spare money on me."
Li Chuan performed another Buddhist salute and then replied earnestly.
"She owes me one million!"
"She owes me five hundred thousand!"
"She owes me three million!"
Hearing Li Chuan's words, the creditors all pulled out their IOUs. After a rough calculation, Tsunade's total gambling debts amounted to a staggering thirty million ryo.
Even though Li Chuan was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but twitch his lips.
One must know that the reward for a normal Ninja Village's A-rank mission was only between 150,000 and 1,000,000 ryo, and that was to be split among the entire squad members.
Thirty million ryo—how many A-rank missions would one have to complete to earn that much reward?
Seeing that Li Chuan seemed to be hesitating, Tsunade shoved the box to Shizune, and with a "whoosh," she dashed to Li Chuan's side, feigning a pitiful expression as she said:
"My Lord, this humble girl was also young and ignorant, which is why I was tricked into owing so much money. If you could kindly help me pay it first, I will write you an IOU, and I will repay you immediately once I have the money!"
In Tsunade's view, owing money to dozens of casinos and being chased everywhere every day was naturally worse than owing money to this one young monk.
The key was that this young monk looked like someone with a very good temper, so even if she paid him back later, it wouldn't be a problem. Besides, who was she, Tsunade? She would definitely turn her luck around next time, and once she won money, she would naturally repay it all to the young monk.
"Fifty years old and still young and ignorant, truly you."
Suppressing his inner complaints, Li Chuan feigned a troubled expression, and finally sighed.
"Alright, anyway, I'm traveling now and don't really need money, so I'll lend it to you to pay off your debts. However, young lady, remember that gambling is almost always a losing game; it's best not to gamble anymore in the future."
"I remember, I definitely remember!"
Tsunade skillfully pulled out a pen and paper, quickly scribbled an IOU for thirty million ryo, stuffed it into Li Chuan's embrace, and then pulled Shizune, quickly disappearing down the street.
Li Chuan was momentarily stunned by this, then turned his head and smiled at the group of debt collectors:
"Then, everyone, please come with me to the bank to withdraw the money!"
From today onwards, he, Li Chuan, might be Tsunade's biggest creditor.
The Fifth Hokage owed the Land of Fire's Prince thirty million ryo. In the future, as long as he didn't make excessive demands, he believed Tsunade would give him a lot of leeway, considering the IOU.
Money, this kind of thing, must be spent in useful places to have value; otherwise, if it's just stored there, it's a pile of waste paper.
After taking the debt collectors to the bank to withdraw the money, he did not stay in this town any longer and once again proceeded towards the Land of Waves as planned.
In the evening, Li Chuan looked at the sea shrouded in thick fog, and the faintly visible island and half-built bridge ahead, muttering to himself:
"I'll wait here. According to the distance from Hidden Leaf Village to here, they should arrive tomorrow."
After thinking for a moment, he walked to the seashore and quickly performed hand signs with both hands:
"Lightning Release: Earth Corridor!"
A strong electric current spread from his palm into the sea, and soon four or five sea fish floated to the surface, bellies up.
Pulling out a long spear from his mission space, he strung up a few sea fish, and Li Chuan began to prepare his dinner for the day.
Although most of the items in the mission space were worthless, they were not like ordinary items that could not be carried when traversing Worlds.
Even upon arriving in the Naruto World, he could still retrieve items he had obtained from side quests in Sokovia from his mission space at any time.
So, even when camping outdoors now, he could always take out a tent, pillow, lighter, pot, bowl, ladle, basin, and a series of other daily necessities to use.
In fact, it couldn't be said that they were all worthless; it was just that they were worthless in a modern society like Marvel.
If he were to enter a World with very backward technology one day, then even a casual modern everyday item from his mission space could be sold as a treasure for a considerable price.
Moreover, the function of the mission space was not limited to this; if used well, it could also provide tremendous help in combat.
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