"Oh! Jiraiya-sama also asked me to deliver a message to you, Tsunade-sama!" Kakashi said without surprise.
"What did he say?" Tsunade asked.
Kakashi relayed Jiraiya's message, "That old pervert is still after me. Next time I see him, I'll definitely beat him up!"
Hearing this, Tsunade's fair face reddened slightly before she spoke fiercely, her boldness evident. Kakashi couldn't help but gulp, quickly averting his gaze from her ample, alluring chest. Tsunade was indeed formidable!
"How are things in the village?" Tsunade asked softly, concerned about Konoha and the Third Hokage. "Is the old man alright?"
"Wait, let's talk somewhere else," Tsunade interrupted before Kakashi could respond and called for the casino owner.
A bald, fat man hurriedly came down from the second floor, clearly terrified by the death of Dazou. He hadn't expected such powerful ninjas, nor that the usual wealthy customer was also a ninja!
"Accusing customers of cheating, give me three million as compensation, or I'll tear this place apart!" Tsunade demanded fiercely from the fat owner. "And I want a quiet, private room!"
"Yes, yes! I'll compensate. Please don't get angry, esteemed ninjas. I'll have a Chunin guide you to the most luxurious room upstairs," the bald man said obsequiously, heart aching but too scared to refuse.
Kakashi sweatdropped, surprised at Tsunade's opportunistic extortion, but he didn't interfere. Teaching the casino owner a lesson was a good thing.
Kakashi approached Kurosaki, handing him the money, "Take this and buy the medicine for your mother. Remember, don't enter casinos again."
"Yes! Thank you, sir! Thank you!" Kurosaki bowed repeatedly, gratefully accepting the money.
Seeing Kakashi's noble deed, Shizune felt a pang of guilt, realizing her earlier misjudgment.
Kakashi followed Tsunade and Shizune upstairs to a luxurious private room filled with various gambling equipment, clearly meant for VIP guests.
"Tell me what's happened in Konoha these past three years," Tsunade asked Kakashi after they sat down, wanting to know about her village.
Needing Tsunade's help, Kakashi willingly recounted the events in Konoha since she left, including the village's dangers, his team's mission to destroy the Kannabi Bridge, and his personal experiences there.
Tsunade's expressions changed with the story, showing concern for Konoha's peril and joy at their successes. Kakashi also detailed his encounter at the Kannabi Bridge, explaining how he received Obito Uchiha's Sharingan.
"So, your left eye is Uchiha Obito's Sharingan?" Tsunade asked, intrigued by Kakashi's story and curious about his covered eye.
"Yes," Kakashi nodded, lifting his forehead protector to reveal the two-tomoe Sharingan.
"Ah..." Shizune gasped, seeing the scar and the Sharingan.
Tsunade also scrutinized Kakashi's eye, her brows furrowing slightly. "I think you should discard the Sharingan. It's a burden to you," she said, recognizing the problem immediately.
"Can't you solve the issue of controlling the Sharingan, Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi asked, trembling slightly, shocked that even Tsunade couldn't help with his left eye.
"If I had done the transplant initially, I could have solved the control issue. But now, it's too late. The transplant has been in place too long, and your left eye's nerves are damaged. Even if you brought me a new Sharingan, I couldn't perfectly transplant it," Tsunade explained honestly.
Kakashi felt his mind go blank, devastated that his hopes were dashed. He had come all this way to seek Tsunade, only to find that his Sharingan issue couldn't be resolved.
"Indeed... it's too late..." Kakashi murmured, realizing that if he had found Tsunade earlier, his problem might have been fixed.
"So I suggest you remove the Sharingan. As your senior, I'll help you transplant a new eye," Tsunade said, a hint of sympathy in her eyes as she looked at Kakashi.