Chapter 35: Chap.33 Double bet
In the end Tony didn't have to pay for anyone's drinks.
After explaining how it worked, Tsunade tried three pills and had no luck. He gave her an old leather shoe, rotten egg and beeswax. His expression wasn't pretty as he forced Shizune to taste, which he had better take two of which turned out to be apple pie and roast beef. Even Karin took one out of curiosity and it turned out to be orange sherbet. Tony took one, too, and pouted when he handed her a koala-armpit-flavored lozenge.
"It could be any flavor really," Tsunade complained as she washed her mouth with more drink. "But she admitted it's more fun than she thought." Her eyes roamed between the sweets, trying to discern a good one by color and smell.
Shizune almost prayed that her teacher would substitute her visits to the casinos for a box of these pills. The price was cheap and she had enough to bet on the flavor for a few days.
-Then? Tony asked.
"Okay, I'll put the Uzumaki to the test," Tsunade reluctantly agreed.
Not even ten minutes had passed and he had already bet with two people from that clan.
It was just a chance, he could still turn her down later if he wasn't up to the task. He took out a scroll and tossed it to Karin.
—This is more basic information that anyone who wants to train as a medical ninja should know, just like Naruto, I'll give you a week to assimilate it before I give you an exam.
-Thank you for the opportunity! Karin thanked with a small bow as she smiled.
Tsunade's impression improved a bit seeing Karin's honest attitude.
"Mmm," she agreed. "See you in a week," she said before taking another sip of sake.
—Thank you —Tony also thanked— You can come and get me if you want more pills. And Shizune," she turned her head to look at the woman who had discreetly kept out of the conversation until now, "You and your teacher can come to eat anytime and I'll prepare my best dishes. I'm good at anything you want, from meats to desserts.
"Maybe we'll give it a try, thanks." Shizune really wanted to directly accept the invitation due to his meager funds.
"Okay, tonight we'll eat with you." Tsunade ignored his disciple's attempt to keep up appearances and bluntly accepted the invitation.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune complained.
Tony and Karin laughed before bidding them both goodbye.
"Focus on learning what you can from the scroll, I'll take care of everything you need during this period," Tony said to Karin. "I'll make sure the others don't bother you."
-Yes! Karin clenched her fists excitedly.
How could she not be? Her older brother got her the opportunity to become a disciple of Tsunade-sama, the idol of thousands of kunoichis.
People would kill for an opportunity like this!
"It's good that you're motivated, but remember to eat and sleep properly," Tony reminded her. "Otherwise, it could backfire."
Karin nodded, she really appreciated the opportunity and wouldn't blow it. She also understood that one of her older brother's goals was so that he could get powerful support for her, to prevent certain people from having thoughts of her.
After Tony walked Karin back, he leaned against the wall as he watched her begin to study and pondered.
According to the plot, Orochimaru must have already offered him Tsunade's deal before they arrived. In exchange for him healing her arms, he would bring back Nawaki and Dan. It was later that Jiraiya would make the threat to avoid betraying the village. Tsunade ends up drugging him with a sleeping pill and goes to meet Orochimaru pretending to accept the deal, before Kabuto stops her sensing her hidden murderous intent.
Then follows a fight with techniques, Jiraiya's arrival, summons, and the appearance of Naruto in his plot armor. And a kiss.
Tony wasn't going to get into that crossfire, not at all. They would all go home alive and with life lessons learned, there was simply no need to bring it to anyone's attention.
Jiraiya and Naruto came back later and were surprised by Tsunade and Shizune's sudden visit at dinner time. While looking for a suitable place to eat under the stars in the open air, Jiraiya found out what happened after they left and looked at Tony as if he had two heads to find out that he managed to get Tsunade to give Karin a chance.
To his delight, this time it wasn't him who gaped and bewildered at Tony's food. Tsunade and Shizune watched with wide eyes as he chopped firewood into juicy pieces of steak and flamed them with some kind of alcohol with tangerine skin. He would then take some stones to turn into onions which he would finely chop before mixing them with other things to prepare a sauce for the meat in a pan. They felt like pinching themselves when at Karin and Naruto's request, he stabbed a nearby tree and a cola gushed out. Not to mention when he cut off a piece of the crust and turned it into a fluffy brownie with walnuts.
It was only after tasting the food that they understood what Tony meant earlier when he said that no one would turn down a meal from him. No matter what dish they ordered after the steak, Tony transformed it from inedible materials with a few practiced moves. He even prepared some simple things for Tonton.
Shizune was lost in delight at the endless free buffet, but Tsunade still retained a shred of rationality and noted the changes the food made to her body. Small continuous improvements here and there that could only be achieved with strict training or specialized drugs, all happening naturally and without any side effects.
He even felt that some secondary effects that had been left permanently and hopelessly in his body during the fight against Hanzo the Salamander, recovered somewhat against all medical logic!
If he could eat this daily for a while, he might not need to use his technique to look young...
"Maybe it wouldn't hurt to do him a favor," Tsunade seriously considered for the first time since he'd met Tony. The drinks and pills were certainly interesting, but the benefits of this type of food were the real issue.
Shizune had already come to understand 70% of his medical teachings and the rest could only be acquired with experience and constant practice. Something that he would only get in a war or in a hospital.
Accepting a second disciple was not entirely impossible.
And so, for the next few days, Tony's job was limited to guarding Karin while she studied and cooking every meal. As well as providing some extra pills to Shizune when he came looking for them on behalf of his teacher.
When one day as he was returning from the bathroom he found Jiraiya asleep in an awkward position, he realized that Tsunade must be on her way to meet Orochimaru. He shouldn't be long in waking up.
"Karin, I brought you a glass of water," he commented as he entered the room, "Have a break, this afternoon is the exam and you won't want to be tired from reading too much."
But no matter where she looked, Karin was nowhere to be found. She thought as she frowned and realized what could have happened.
-Shit!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone