"Tsunade-sama..." Shizune mumbled, lowering her head, deeply embarrassed by the deceitful transaction involving the Hokage's personal savings.
"Get on with it, there are four more," Tsunade ordered, dismissively waving away Shizune's guilt.
Tsunade's strategy was hardening. She would unlock the Tier Two items, sell them discreetly in Konoha's secondary market for a massive profit, and reinvest the capital into more jars. Her goal was to leverage the village's collective wealth to reach the Tier Three Resurrection Jars. Her determination to revive Nawaki and Dan was absolute.
Shen Mo sensed this fierce, unyielding resolve, and it pleased him. A determined customer was a profitable customer.
Shizune reluctantly continued, opening the next four jars:
A bottle of Body-Refining Pills.
An Experience Aura for advanced medical surgery.
A rare Immortal World Medicinal Herb.
A small vial of a clear, shimmering potion.
The last item instantly caught Tsunade's attention. "A Lucky Potion?"
"Miss Shizune, you must be protected by the Omniscient and Omnipotent Chamber of Commerce," Shen Mo declared with a sigh of mock awe. "All five Tier Two Jars are high-value goods, but this is a special edition Spirit Potion of Fortune. For the next hour, the user's luck will be significantly amplified!"
This was not the famous Harry PotterFelix Felicis but a custom, low-cost item designed purely for demonstration. Its magical value was low (around 6,000 TPs), but its psychological value was priceless.
"You can control luck?" Tsunade was skeptical, yet the item was more miraculous than even the Cross of Courage. She suddenly connected the dots to her greatest weakness. "Can it be used to open the jars?"
Opening a jar was the ultimate gamble. If the potion worked...
"No, it won't affect the jar opening," Shen Mo gently crushed her hope, then offered a mysterious smile. "The jar is an anomaly. Its very existence and meaning make it impervious to such mundane influences. It is best opened by the person whose fate is meant to be altered by the contents."
Shen Mo couldn't let her manipulate the results of the already-determined contents. But he could certainly enjoy the philosophical spin.
"A change of fate?" Tsunade repeated softly.
"Correct," Shen Mo affirmed. "The moment the jar appeared, the wheels of your destiny shifted. The items within are not native to this world. Therefore, Miss Tsunade, your special luck—good or bad—is useless against them."
Your gambling luck only reverses when you suffer a great, tragic loss, Tsunade, Shen Mo thought. I'm not giving you an easy out.
Tsunade shook her head, letting the subject drop. She looked at Shen Mo, crossed her arms, and stated flatly, "I am out of money."
"I can see that," Shen Mo said, rubbing his forehead. Tsunade was the perfect customer—ambitious and desperate—but currently destitute.
How to generate more capital?
Grrrr...
A sudden, loud gurgle echoed in the quiet compound. Shen Mo looked at Tsunade in surprise. The sound had clearly come from her stomach. Tsunade, despite her thick skin, blushed but maintained a rigid poker face.
Grrrr...
A second gurgle followed, this time from Shizune's direction.
"You..." Shen Mo's expression twisted into genuine confusion. "You haven't eaten anything, have you?"
"Tsunade-sama used all our funds," Shizune mumbled pitifully, clutching her pet pig, Tonton, over her rumbling belly.
Shen Mo momentarily abandoned his merchant persona, replacing it with the exasperated sensibility of a benevolent host. "Since you are so enthusiastic about my jars, allow me to treat you to dinner. We'll find a place in Konoha."
Establishing a casual, friendly bond with Tsunade was a strategic move. She was the most likely candidate for the Fifth Hokage, and access to the Hokage's resources would be invaluable.
"Heh, I guess that's the least you can do," Tsunade said, her eyes suddenly shining. "I know a great barbecue spot..."
"We're having ramen," Shen Mo interrupted firmly. "I heard a customer mention Ichiraku Ramen. It seems famous. We'll go there." He had his own reasons for visiting the establishment that would define the Naruto world's future.
"Tsk, you're stingy," Tsunade muttered, pouting.
Shen Mo suppressed a twitch. You're an ancient Sannin, Tsunade. You can't pout like a teenage girl.
"Come on, Shizune, we'll just eat enough to get back the old man's money," Tsunade declared, her appetite overriding her pride.
"Tsunade-sama, you can't be serious about stealing from him," Shizune pleaded weakly.
"Stop talking nonsense and eat!"
Shen Mo silently followed the two women out of the compound.
They walked through Konoha, a vibrant, bustling city far more prosperous than the 'village' he had imagined. Two and three-story buildings lined the wide, smoothly paved roads.
Shen Mo looked around, intrigued. "A merchant like you must have seen more magnificent cities," Tsunade asked, glancing at him.
"Magnificent?" Shen Mo nodded. "In terms of pure scale, this place is a forgotten village compared to some cities I've seen. But I don't value grandeur; I value the people here."
"Oh?" Tsunade turned, intrigued. "What is the difference in the people?"