Chapter 85: Konoha Village, Model of Advanced Civilization

These rules exist to ensure that the big spenders can enjoy themselves without getting carried away and losing too much. However, from the perspective of the casinos, the rules concerning these high rollers are hardly favorable. Any casino or entertainment venue able to operate long-term within the Hidden Leaf Village inevitably has some connection, overt or covert, to Leaf shinobi. These casinos have certainly considered taking on Yufeng Kato in the past.

The result? Several of the casinos that dared challenge him ended up returning much of the money they had fleeced from big spenders over the years. Especially recently, after Lord Kato’s promotion to Leaf jonin, he has become even more formidable, exuding the aura and authority of a true leader.

He imposed a slew of new rules on the casinos—such as prohibiting male gamblers from getting too close to the high rollers or going shirtless while they’re around. In addition, in areas frequented by these big spenders, smoking is strictly forbidden.

Most of the casino’s clientele are men whose manners are often questionable, and there are always some who wish to let loose. Newcomers from outside the village, unfamiliar with the local customs, might get too caught up in their winnings against the big spender, losing themselves in the excitement and acting recklessly.

What can the casinos do? Business is business, but they can’t afford to offend Lord Kato. So every time the big spender visits, the casino assigns two female attendants to stay close, separating her from any overly enthusiastic gamblers. They also bolster security in the vicinity, ensuring that no smokers get anywhere near the high roller.

These high-roller rules have quietly spread throughout the Leaf Village’s casino circles. No one is foolish enough to ignore Lord Yufeng Kato’s warnings—everyone can see the consequences. On the surface, the casinos have merely lost some money. But in the shadows, who can say for certain whether any casino owners have met darker fates?

At the time, several casinos, after clashing with Jonin Kato, ended up changing hands behind the scenes. It’s rumored among the insiders that the new owners are, in fact, members of the Kato family.

Lord Jonin Kato is not a gambling enthusiast like the big spender, nor does he believe in the "winner takes all" mentality. To ordinary people, a shinobi means not just strength, but also the capacity to kill.

And it’s said that this Jonin Kato is especially adept at assassination and covert missions.

…

Led by the casino manager, who was all deference and flattery, Yufeng Kato entered the largest hall of the establishment. It was peak business hours, and the place bustled with activity. Guests of all sorts mingled with uniformed, alluring croupiers and attendants, while burly security guards patrolled the floor.

The gaming tables were neatly arranged by type, each surrounded by throngs of gamblers. Kato’s senses quickly picked up an unusually dense crowd around one dice table. Though not the largest table in the hall, it had drawn by far the largest audience.

The crush of people around this table was such that even describing it as three or four rows deep would be an understatement. The gamblers, especially the men, were visibly excited—placing bets, shouting wagers, calling out guesses, hailing croupiers and waitresses, jostling and cursing, with yet more people squeezing in for a closer look.

Despite the table’s modest size, the energy radiating from the crowd felt like a tidal wave. Kato’s gaze lingered on the animated faces of the male gamblers, his brow lifting slightly—not in anger, as he was clearly used to such scenes. And notably, not a single man in the crowd had removed his shirt to elbow in, despite their excitement.

On the outer ring of the crowd, numerous security staff kept a vigilant eye on the proceedings, especially watchful for smokers, and occasionally warning those whose language grew too foul.

It was clear this casino had taken Kato’s rules to heart, weaving them into the very fabric of its operations. Kato arched his brow in satisfaction, pleased to see his word had weight and his regulations were being observed.

The casino manager, constantly watching Kato’s expression for any sign of displeasure, immediately noticed the subtle lift of his eyebrow. Not privy to Kato’s thoughts, the manager assumed his subordinates had failed to uphold the jonin’s rules and that disaster was imminent.

He hurried to ingratiate himself: “Lord Kato, rest assured, we enforce your rules at all times. Though the crowd at that table looks dense, Lady Tsunade is always accompanied by two female staff members to keep overly enthusiastic gamblers at bay. And if you look over there, you’ll see the plaque hanging on the wall—just recently, the Hokage’s office commended us as an ‘Outstanding Healthy Entertainment and Advanced Civilized Establishment of the Hidden Leaf Village.’ That gold plaque is right over there. We guarantee that our patrons don’t engage in uncivilized behavior—no shirtless gamblers, no smokers, and even foul language is rare. And of course, no one would ever dare call Lady Tsunade a ‘fat sheep’…”

Kato made no comment, stepping closer to the table instead. The crowd was so thick that he considered unleashing a bit of killing intent to clear a path.

As for the ‘advanced civilized establishment’ plaque the manager had mentioned—well, Kato had a hand in that, too. Not only did this casino display it, but every other casino in the village was either proudly hanging one or applying for it.

After his promotion to jonin, Kato leveraged his connections through the village gatekeepers, Tsukiyomi Yanagi and Tetsu, to establish a relationship with Elder Homura Mitokado. The plaque was a result of Kato’s deal with the elder.

With the casino disputes as a pretext, Kato arranged for his own clan to take over several local establishments. Meanwhile, Elder Homura seized the opportunity to clean up some unsavory trends among the village’s entertainment venues, while also accepting some discreet offerings from the Kato clan.

Both sides benefited: Kato gained control over a share of the casinos, better accommodating Tsunade’s pastime and securing profits for his clan; Elder Homura burnished his reputation among villagers and lower-ranking shinobi as a champion of healthy entertainment, and secured both tangible and political gains, including the friendship of a rising jonin with real strength and promise.

As a result, the relationship between Kato and Elder Homura, if not quite that of political allies, was now significantly closer.

…

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