After opening over eighty cans in a frenzy, even Orochimaru paused, catching his breath.
The flood of knowledge was overwhelming, leaving a faint strain.
"Truly remarkable," he murmured, staring at his fingers where faint sparks of lightning danced. "The scope of lichcraft is vast—beyond necromancy, it delves into lightning, fire, even space… a mastery of all elements."
"Eternal life grants liches endless time to study," Shen Mo said with a low chuckle. "Barring the madness of prolonged existence, they're scholars of unmatched erudition."
That's why Shen Mo deemed the lich path perfect for Orochimaru.
Most saw only his cruelty and insanity.
Few recognized him as the Naruto world's foremost scientist.
"I'm beginning to grasp the lich's power," Orochimaru said, clenching his fist to snuff out a flame in his palm. "But necromancy dominates—Bone Fortification, Soul Recall, Corpse Explosion… each spell, each skill, is extraordinary."
Level 3 cans frequently yielded skills, each surpassing Sasuke's trump card, Heavenly Flying Immortal, in potency.
The sheer scale of enhancement was dizzying.
Even Orochimaru found himself intoxicated by the rush of newfound strength and trump cards.
Shen Mo smirked. No one with desire could resist the allure of cans.
He felt it too—each sale swelled his wealth, a quiet thrill.
Orochimaru took a moment, then dove back into opening cans.
At one hundred fifty—over halfway—no Grand Prize had appeared.
Shen Mo's expression turned wry. "Level 3 cans rarely yield Purple Epics, but Blue Rares are decently likely. Some clients in your world hit Rare treasures within their first ten cans."
Tsunade was a notorious non-lucky charm, but Orochimaru too?
"Rare prizes in the first ten?" Orochimaru froze mid-motion.
He'd opened one hundred fifty.
Initially, he'd brushed off the lack of a Grand Prize, but Shen Mo's words sparked a pang of unease.
He didn't know how many others had opened cans, but the rewards from Level 2 cans hinted at the terrifying potential of Level 3 Grand Prizes—game-changers that could tip the scales.
"And your disciple, Kabuto Yakushi," Shen Mo added casually. "Last time, five hundred Level 2 cans netted him five Grand Prizes. Orochimaru, are you too calm? Not hungry enough?"
"…"
Orochimaru's expression was a mix of frustration and bemusement, unsure who to blame.
Who could he fault for bad luck?
"Perhaps… fate doesn't favor me," he said, forcing a tight smile. "But I wager no one's bought as many cans as I have… Sir, I'll take two hundred more!"
His final words came through gritted teeth. Even for him, shelling out the equivalent of over two billion ryō stung.
Shen Mo barely hid his amusement.
He'd only meant to tease, but the "lucky emperor" jab worked wonders on Orochimaru.
"Very well."
With a wave, two hundred more Level 3 cans materialized.
Five hundred total, worth one hundred fifty million transaction points.
Roughly forty million would flow to Orochimaru's hands.
Shen Mo inwardly gasped.
While scattered purchases couldn't match the cost of high-tier powers, Level 3 cans weren't cheap. With Orochimaru's baseline strength, lich resilience, and this investment, he was morphing into a true final boss.
At the one hundred seventieth can…
A blue mist erupted, coalescing into a small dragon that roared and spiraled upward.
The first Blue Rare Grand Prize.
"Phew—" Orochimaru exhaled, grinning at Shen Mo. "I thought fate had forsaken me entirely. Seems I just needed to open more."
"Let's see what's inside," Shen Mo said, curiosity piqued.
Lich Series cans held terrifying treasures.
As the misty dragon dissipated, the prize revealed itself: a pitch-black orb of light.
"Skill orb," Shen Mo identified instantly.
This one… was formidable.
Orochimaru, well-versed in the process, absorbed it immediately.
Knowledge flooded his mind.
Skill: Hellfire
Description: A seventh-tier high-end spell from Ainz Ooal Gown, Overlord of the Undead. A small flame at the fingertip annihilates enemies on contact, a true killing blow.
Yes, the same technique Ainz used to obliterate an archangel in an instant.
Named Hellfire, it appeared as a modest black flame, but its devastation wasn't heat-based—it was annihilation, a rule-like force that erased its target into nothingness upon touch.
"A… terrifying skill," Orochimaru whispered, his lips curling into a chillingly excited grin.
Its lethality far exceeded his expectations.
"It's only the heart that's truly terrifying," Shen Mo remarked, knowing why Orochimaru was thrilled.
This was a genuine "one-shot kill."
In the current ninja world, even Jar Openers struck by this move would likely perish instantly.
The catch? It had to hit.
The spell drained immense energy, and the tiny flame drifted slowly.
To kill, it required striking the target's true body.
Still, its fearsome power justified its Blue Rare status.
"I can't imagine what kind of being Ainz Ooal Gown, the Overlord of the Undead, must be," Orochimaru mused, intrigued by such a figure.
"If you met him, you'd kneel on sight," Shen Mo said coolly. "The Death Ruler isn't just a title—it's absolute dominion over lesser undead. The hierarchy of their world is far stricter than you imagine. So, keep striving."