Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly lowered his gaze, his mind reeling. The implications of Shen Mo's power were stark and unavoidable. At this very moment, if Shen Mo harbored any malicious intent toward Konoha, the village was utterly defenseless.
A profound, cold certainty settled in Tsunade's chest: she had been correct to prioritize finding and securing a relationship with the Merchant. A terrifying thought flashed across her mind—If Danzo had found him first... She instantly resolved to increase her vigilance over Danzo and to aggressively secure the loyalty of his subordinates.
Facing a power that transcended all known laws of physics and reality, the reactions of Konoha's elite were varied and deeply personal.
Might Guy, the embodiment of emotional intensity, crumpled onto the grass, tears streaming down his face. "My youth... is my youthful fire truly extinguished?! Waaaah!"
Shen Mo watched the spectacle with a peculiar fascination. A man of true character, even if slightly absurd.
With a single, swift motion, Shen Mo waved his hand. The reality snapped back to the normal timeline. The butterflies instantly regained their air medium and fluttered away, the familiar sounds of the world rushed back in, and the terrible, oppressive silence vanished.
Everyone let out an involuntary breath of relief, the tension immediately replaced by a swirling vortex of emotions aimed at Shen Mo: fear, intense curiosity, and a reluctant, terrifying respect.
They now fully understood the magnitude of the problem facing the Hokage and Tsunade.
Who is this person? What is the source of his power? And how does Tsunade relate to this immense force? Countless questions screamed inside their minds.
"Do not be discouraged, Strong Man," Shen Mo said, walking towards Guy, his smile softening marginally. "I admire your tenacity and commitment. So, tell me: Do you desire even greater strength?"
The demonstration was complete. It was time for the sales pitch.
"You possess... greater power?" Might Guy raised his head, his tear-filled eyes wide with a combination of disbelief and incandescent hope. Despite his flamboyant foolishness, Guy was acutely intelligent. He understood the offer: this mysterious, terrifying man could grant him the power to surpass even the law of time.
"Your Excellency Shen Mo," Hiruzen Sarutobi interjected, his voice carefully controlled, maintaining the dignified posture of the Hokage while outwardly conveying profound respect. "These are Konoha's finest shinobi. Are they eligible to purchase the Jar?"
"Of course," Shen Mo affirmed with a nod. "Shinobi are perhaps the group most driven by the desire to change their destiny."
"Then," Sarutobi visibly relaxed, a subtle tremor running through his hands, and offered a weak smile, "I will personally demonstrate the purchasing process."
The gathered Jonin were still reeling, but the purpose of the meeting was now agonizingly clear: the Hokage and Tsunade intended to initiate them into the secrets of the Jars and mobilize Konoha's entire power structure.
"The rules of our Chamber of Commerce are simple," Shen Mo said, his eyes returning to Sarutobi. "But since the Hokage is offering to proceed first, I defer to you. Have you decided which series you wish to purchase?"
"The miraculous nature of this Jar is truly beyond comprehension," Sarutobi acknowledged. "May I request a recommendation first?"
Having studied the system beforehand, Sarutobi knew he could buy any available series. By asking Shen Mo—the one who could read minds and manipulate fate—for a recommendation, he hoped to gauge the Merchant's true intentions and the destiny most suited for Konoha's leader.
The Jonin listened intently, hanging on every word.
"A recommendation?" Shen Mo's gaze slowly traced the outline of the Sandaime's aged form, a meaningful, complex smile playing on his lips. "It's difficult. Not everyone finds the most suitable series easily. Your interests are inherently variable, Hokage-sama, and that makes you one of the most complex cases."
"Variable..." Sarutobi pondered the word. His conscious desire was simple: the safety and prosperity of Konoha. He had pursued nothing else his entire life.
"You possess great love for the world in your heart, and you do not lack for kindness or noble character," Shen Mo continued, his eyes seeming to bore into Sarutobi's very soul. The depth of his gaze gave the distinct impression that he was reading every buried, innermost thought.
Shen Mo suddenly raised his voice, his tone shifting to one of profound, theatrical melancholy.
"But as you aged, and the burdens of reality weighed upon you, your heart gradually became clouded. Your smiles are no longer pure; they have become, at times, hypocritical. Even your ultimate pursuits have long since drifted from their initial goals. Do you still recall your oath to protect every villager?"
The silence that followed was heavy and absolute. The surrounding shinobi were frozen in shock. This stranger was not merely questioning the Hokage; he was laying bare the Hokage's conscience—the painful compromises, the sacrifices of the few for the many, the erosion of the young idealist by the weary statesman.
Asuma Sarutobi clenched his fists, about to spring to his father's defense, but Tsunade's iron grip on his arm stopped him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi unconsciously reached for his pipe, taking a long, slow drag. The smoke did little to calm the tremor in his hands. If any other person had spoken those words, he would have dismissed them as insolent rumors. But Shen Mo had demonstrated the ability to see beyond the surface, beyond time itself.
"So..." Sarutobi's voice was hoarse with self-doubt. "You believe the correct Jar series for me cannot be determined?"
"Not that it cannot be determined, but that different choices lead to fundamentally different destinies," Shen Mo corrected gently.
"You could choose the power of a Dictator, still sacrificing the few for the perceived good of the many. You could choose the power of a Devotee, sacrificing only yourself. You could choose to become a Learned Mentor, a Wise Sage, a Prophet... the options are innumerable."
The Merchant's honest truth was that Sarutobi was the most unpredictable customer. Shen Mo could control the sequence, but Sarutobi's complex, often contradictory internal assessment of himself made any single path uncertain. Each sequence could lead to radically different ultimate outcomes—tyrannical, heroic, scholarly, or dark.
Sarutobi took several deep puffs from his pipe, feeling as if he were facing the singular, defining choice of his entire existence.
"If you cannot decide for yourself, we have another method that is simple and profoundly practical," Shen Mo said, his playful smile returning. He spread his hands wide. "Therefore, we shall leave it to Fate!"
Instantly, ten luminous Tier One Jars materialized in the air before them, arranged in a neat, shimmering line.
"These ten Jars each represent a different, possible series available to you," Shen Mo smiled, gesturing toward the jars. "Hokage-sama, choose one."