Chapter 560 How Much?

Naruto looked around and faintly heard some audience members whispering nearby:

"I heard that the Oborozuki House recently got two new actors, their acting is really good..."

"Yeah, especially that white-haired man playing the 'female lead'. Although his build is a bit large, every expression and movement is truly enchanting!"

"Hiss~ He looks like he's already in his forties, right? He still has such charm!"

"The other one playing the samurai is also great, with a unique aura, though he seems to be in poor health. But that delicate samurai vibe makes him even more endearing! Hahahaha!"

"Sigh, it's a pity. In the Kabuki business, ever since that incident decades ago, there haven't been any truly excellent female actors; they have to rely on male actors cross-dressing. And I heard these actors' private lives... tsk tsk, their reputation has always been bad."

"Isn't that even better? Hehehe! But these two newcomers seem quite honest; I haven't heard of them getting into any messy business..."

Listening to these discussions, an absurd, yet seemingly plausible thought struck Naruto like lightning.

He suddenly recalled Tsunade's insatiable gambling addiction and massive debts, as well as the fact that although Jiraiya had generous royalties, his wallet was always drained dry by Tsunade...

Could it be that Jiraiya and Kato Dan were forced to work in the Land of Demons because they couldn't pay off the gambling debts Tsunade owed?

And they were performing in this Kabuki shop, known for its delicate reputation and cross-dressing, to earn money to pay off the debt?

Once this idea appeared, it took root and grew wildly in Naruto's mind. Combined with Jiraiya's unreliable personality, Kato Dan's deep affection for Tsunade, and this living "evidence" before his eyes...

Naruto covered his face with his hand, his shoulders trembling slightly. For a moment, he didn't know whether to be angry, to laugh, or to simply pretend he didn't know these two and leave.

On stage, Jiraiya, wearing thick white face makeup, seemed to notice the golden figure in the corner. A turning movement he was performing suddenly stiffened, then he continued as if nothing happened, but there seemed to be a hint of guilt in his singing voice?

As for Kato Dan, who was playing the samurai, he also seemed to sense something. He glanced in Naruto's direction, then quickly looked away and continued to focus on the performance, though his ears seemed a bit red.

Naruto took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He decided to finish watching this "wonderful" performance first.

When it was over, he would properly "consult" these two Seniors about what exactly was going on.

And by the way, ask how much money Tsunade owed again.

The performance finally came to an end amidst applause and cheers.

The actors on stage exited gracefully, leaving the audience wanting more.

Naruto didn't get up immediately. Instead, he waited for most of the audience to start leaving, then rose nonchalantly and walked towards the direction of the backstage.

His sensory perception was like a radar, firmly locking onto those two familiar Chakra signatures—one was sneaking around trying to slip away, and the other seemed somewhat hesitant and embarrassed.

The backstage corridor was slightly dim, and the air was filled with the smell of makeup, sweat, and wooden props.

Just as Naruto reached the door of the actors' lounge, he heard lowered voices coming from inside:

"Quick, Dan, while no one is paying attention, let's hurry out the back door..."

This was Jiraiya's voice, carrying a hint of urgency.

"...Jiraiya, isn't this bad? After all, Naruto is the Hokage, he came all this way to find us..."

This was Kato Dan's voice, sounding gentle but hesitant.

"Oh, how embarrassing it would be if he saw us like this! Let's hide first! Anyway, we've almost saved up a portion of the money..."

Just as Jiraiya reached for the door, preparing to execute the "escape plan". Creak. The lounge door was pushed open from the outside.

Hidden Leaf Village's Sixth Hokage was standing with his arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe, with a half-smile on his face that seemed to see through everything. His azure eyes met the two who were preparing to slip away.

Jiraiya's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, while Kato Dan instinctively took a small step back, a flash of embarrassment at being caught red-handed appearing on his face.

Both of them had already changed out of their gorgeous costumes and heavy makeup.

Jiraiya had returned to his usual bold attire, though his hair was still a bit damp; Kato Dan was wearing a simple plain-colored kimono, and although his face was still a bit pale, his eyes were clear, clearly needing more time for his body to adapt and recover.

"Ahem!" Jiraiya was indeed a seasoned Jianghu veteran; his thick-skinned nature was extraordinary. After a brief stiffness, he immediately coughed twice, straightened his back, and piled a exaggerated smile on his face, attempting to muddle through.

"Yo! Isn't this our wise and powerful, busy Sixth Hokage! What wind blew you to a small place like the Land of Demons? Are you here to inspect the local conditions or to carry out a secret mission? Why didn't you notify us in advance so we could welcome you! Haha, haha..."

While laughing it off, he frantically signaled with his eyes for Kato Dan to help smooth things over.

Naruto didn't take the bait. His gaze swept over the two of them and finally landed on Jiraiya's face, which was written full of "guilt". He got straight to the point, his tone calm but with an intensity that couldn't be avoided: "You guys... are short on money?"

This sentence, like a precise Kunai, instantly pierced the defense Jiraiya was trying to build. He and Kato Dan froze at the same time, the expressions on their faces were somewhat unnatural.

Naruto didn't beat around the bush and added: "I really want to know, how much did Tsunade owe again?" Didn't she go to the Daimyo's side to make money?

Naruto was long used to Tsunade's "always lose when gambling, always owe when losing" Physique, as well as the cycle of Jiraiya following behind to clean up the mess.

But this time, it seemed that Jiraiya had dragged along Kato Dan, who had just been resurrected and whose body hadn't fully recovered, and even ran to the Land of Demons to make money in this way. The scale of this debt was likely not trivial.

Seeing that he couldn't hide it anymore, Jiraiya rubbed his nose, his expression becoming a bit distressed, and began to count on his fingers: "Hmm... well... the principal isn't too much, about... 18.49 million Ryo."

18.49 million Ryo! This was already not a small amount.

However, Jiraiya's next words made even the knowledgeable Naruto widen his eyes.

Jiraiya continued with a bitter face: "But... plus interest... with the interest compounding, now we probably need to pay back... about 73.5 million Ryo."

"How much?" "Holy crap! That's loan sharking!"

Naruto couldn't help but curse, the veins on his forehead starting to throb again. How many times had this interest multiplied? It was even more ruthless than robbery!

Hidden Leaf Village definitely needed a lot of money for large-scale infrastructure, and these loan sharks could all become his one-time piggy banks! Naruto made a decision in his heart instantly.

Charging such high interest is a serious violation of the law, you know! It must be severely cracked down on! And the illegal gains confiscated.

Of course, Tsunade's own gambling debts were also a problem, but a cancer like loan sharking could not be spared.

Suppressing the anger in his heart and his "concern" for the lenders, Naruto looked back at the two Seniors before him who had "gone into the industry" to pay off debts. His tone softened a bit, but still carried confusion: "Then... you two have been working here for half a month, how much have you earned?"

He was very curious, how high could the income of a Kabuki actor be? Would it be enough to fill that terrifying interest hole?

Hearing this, Jiraiya and Kato Dan looked at each other, both showing a complex expression that was a bit embarrassed but also faintly proud.

Kato Dan spoke with some embarrassment: "We don't do those 'under-the-table' dealings."

He was referring to the improper services provided privately by some actors in the Kabuki industry, which was also one of the important reasons for the industry's poor reputation.

"We just rely purely on performances and tips from customers."

Jiraiya took over, puffing out his chest, although his eyes were still a bit shifty: "So, the income is very clean, but it's still quite substantial. Over this half a month, after deducting the shop's cut and basic expenses, and then the two of us did some bounties from the black market exchange, we probably made a net profit of over 7 million Ryo. Of course, the bulk is still from the bounties, but bounties aren't something you can do every day."

"Over 7 million Ryo?" Naruto was surprised again. Half a month, over 7 million! That means these two earned the reward of seven S-rank missions in half a month!

This efficiency is simply terrifying. The two of them singing and dancing on stage, catching a few people, and they can make this much in half a month?

Now, most of the high-bounty targets in the black market exchange are in Hidden Leaf Village, and Jiraiya and the others wouldn't take bounties like assassinating the Daimyo's close ministers. Do they own this street or something?

However, they said the bounties were the big part; there are quite a few riffraff in the Land of Demons!

"Awesome..." Naruto couldn't help but sigh in a low voice. Looking at the two in front of him, he shook his head and thought to himself: Why else would you two have been Hidden Leaf Village elites back in the day? With this learning ability, adaptability, and professional level, you'd be top-tier in any industry!

However, sighs are sighs, and serious business cannot be forgotten. Naruto restrained his expression and said sternly: "Hidden Leaf Village will handle the loan sharking. Now, first take me to see the Priestess Shion, and also Senior Dan, I need to get some important information from you regarding Izanami Slope and the Pure Land."

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