The PVP wager service.
Few games offered such a system—it often made the strong stronger and the weak weaker.
But here, it was different.
Both sides had staked their fates, with death a likely outcome for one. In this context, wagers only fueled the can openers' drive, aligning with Shen Mo's words: victors advance, losers fall.
And so it was.
At the mere mention of the first perk, both sides—especially Sasuke and Zabuza, hungry for strength—locked eyes, sparks practically flying.
Winning meant a chance to grow far stronger.
"Second—"
Shen Mo's pace seemed to quicken deliberately.
"Storage. You may spend points to store items, aside from your own strength, with the Chamber if you lose."
"Third, the greatest perk—resurrection. Those who die on this fate stage won't pass to the afterlife. Your soul will reside in your badge. Anyone holding it can buy a special client resurrection can from the Chamber, priced at Level 3. No matter your strength, a Level 3 can can yield an item to revive you—the odds depend on the opener's will and resolve to bring you back!"
After listing the three perks, Shen Mo paused, giving them time to process.
As he'd planned, adding PVP rules was, at its core, about earning more.
Truthfully…
Shen Mo didn't know the outcome of this fight.
Kakashi, Sasuke, even Naruto could die.
That'd be a huge loss for future profits.
But Shen Mo couldn't intervene or rig the game. Favoring a client for their potential spending would, over time, discourage others and tarnish the Chamber's image.
Since he couldn't stop their battles, he'd offer resurrection.
Anyone…
Even with Six Paths-level power before death…
If they died here, a Level 3 can could still produce a revival item!
If Sasuke died…
No doubt, Itachi would open cans to revive him, netting Shen Mo a tidy sum.
Of course, preventing an enemy's revival was simple—take their badge.
This way…
Shen Mo could let them fight freely, staying a neutral observer. Darkly put, the bloodier the fight, the more he'd earn!
The wager system, too.
Points were transaction points. Shen Mo sensed the world's currency values shifting, making money-based can pricing tricky.
By introducing wagers, he'd switch to points.
And now…
The group, digesting the three perks, grasped their weight.
The third was the biggest!
Naruto aside, for jōnin-level fighters like Kakashi and Sasuke, death meant basic revival tokens wouldn't work. Higher-tier revival items, even via Tsunade's Paladin cans, cost astronomical sums.
But now…
Survivors could take a fallen member's badge, buy a resurrection can, and greatly boost revival odds!
"Naruto," Sasuke said, looking at him. "If you die, I'll revive you at any cost. If I die…"
"You won't die, Sasuke!" Naruto clenched his fists, still shaken by the visions of their original fates. His face, unusually solemn, met Sasuke's. "I swear, I won't let you die! Even if it costs my life!"
Naruto had seen it clearly.
In their original fate, Sasuke died protecting him.
That…
He'd never let happen again!
"…"
Sasuke turned away, silent, but his lips twitched faintly upward.
Their bond…
Forged in the Land of Waves in the original timeline, was taking shape here too.
"Now that you understand," Shen Mo's voice descended, "we proceed. You have thirty minutes before the battle to buy cans and set wagers. This is a member-only fate stage, so only members fight. Haku, Kakashi, you're not members but qualify. Decide."
As his words fell, water formed strings of zeros above both sides' heads.
Their wager points.
But the real shock was something else.
"Kakashi!" Zabuza gripped his Teigu, eyes wide, as if betrayed. "You're not even a member?!"
If he hadn't feared Kakashi pulling some killer item…
He'd have crushed him already.
All that talk of selling jutsu!
"Same to you," Kakashi said, unfazed. "Didn't you say your friend here opened more cans than you?"
"Hmph, I didn't lie," Zabuza snorted.
"Neither did I," Kakashi said, eyes narrowing.
Even now, they sparred verbally.
But soon…
They huddled with their teams, voices low.
This final half-hour—they'd likely bet everything. Victory was far from certain.
Shen Mo relished this outcome. It was exactly what he'd orchestrated.
"Sir, my remaining useless jutsu should be worth about eighty million ryō," Kakashi whispered, knowing Shen Mo above could hear.
"Five million points," Shen Mo's voice replied in his ear, correcting. "A Level 1 can's true price is three thousand points."
With points established, Shen Mo was standardizing units. Points were transaction points.
Kakashi calculated silently.
Close enough.
Enough for two hundred Level 1 cans or about one hundred fifty Level 2 cans.
Now, the series.
No hesitation—he asked, "Sir, are there cans for temporary power boosts?"
Given the situation, his funds could improve him plenty, but the stakes were dire.
As Team 7's teacher, Kakashi had a duty to protect his students.
So—
He wanted items like Power Pills or buff potions for short-term power spikes, not permanent strength gains.
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