Tsunade's last tears dried on her cheeks, but she made no move to wipe them away. She continued opening the remaining Jars.
Although she hadn't secured a colossal Grand Prize, she had pulled the Beginner Resurrection Coin, which was enough to bring Nawaki back. Tsunade was deeply satisfied. Perhaps the surge in her emotional well-being translated to better fortune, as the next dozen Jars actually yielded two skills and one piece of equipment:
Blessing of Courage: A Holy Light aura skill that buffs allies within a range, dramatically increasing their courage, self-healing capacity, and attack power.
Divine Baptism: An offensive Holy Light skill that guides a concentrated, sacred beam forward, effective for area-of-effect attacks.
Nun's Bracelet: A one-time-use piece of equipment carrying the essence of a nun's lifetime of devotion, capable of releasing a Sacred Light with exceptionally potent healing effects.
"One area-of-effect buff, one offensive AoE skill, and a powerful emergency healing item," Shen Mo summarized with a smile. "To pull these items within thirty Jars is genuinely within the range of normal probability."
While not exceptional luck, for Tsunade, it seemed to qualify as good fortune.
"Still, no Grand Prize," Tsunade lamented, entirely lacking self-awareness regarding her actual luck compared to the average. "It seems today is not a good day for opening Jars. I shall cease my purchases for now."
Beyond the major pulls, the general items had also been highly beneficial: the Cross's 118 Combat Techniques and twelve uses of concentrated Holy Light experience—all the accumulated knowledge of veteran Paladins. For Tsunade, who was actively researching how to integrate Holy Light with Ninjutsu, these were invaluable conceptual tools.
It was evident to everyone present that Tsunade's strength had undergone a measurable, visible increase in just a few moments.
"Lord Shen Mo," an elder respectfully addressed the merchant, "May I inquire: is the sole aptitude requirement for a Jar opener this 'desire to defy fate'?"
Naturally, the elders hoped that the money spent would primarily benefit the main family members. But this prerequisite—the desire to challenge destiny—threatened their carefully ordered hierarchy.
"Why else do you suppose I traverse worlds to bring you power?" Shen Mo asked, maintaining his pleasant smile, yet the question carried a palpable, faint pressure.
The elder who had posed the question immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He had asked the most fundamental, foolish question possible.
Hiashi had already informed them that the merchant's purpose was to empower those who refused to submit to their predetermined destinies. Yet, he had still challenged the core premise.
"Are you truly resistant to this idea?" Shen Mo's gaze swept across the elders, seemingly peering directly into their internal motivations. "Do you believe that strengthening those who would resist their fate is a dangerous and wasteful expenditure of resources?"
The three elders bowed their heads, drenched in anxiety, unable to offer a defense.
They were unwilling. If this was the requirement, the most promising candidates were likely to emerge from the Branch Family, perhaps even among those who secretly harbored rebellious desires.
"Your reluctance is understandable," Shen Mo said flatly. "However, if that reluctance can transform into a profound motivation to change yourselves, then you, too, possess the aptitude to open Jars."
Unfortunately, for the Hyūga elders, this was unlikely. Their desire to preserve the clan's lineage was focused externally. The Hyūga system—Main Family as the inheritance, Branch Family as the protector—was designed to secure the bloodline but inevitably fostered conflict and complacency within the Main Family. The Caged Bird seal, while effective at controlling the Byakugan, was the ticking time bomb that would shatter the clan once broken.
"You lot," Tsunade spoke up, crossing her arms and frowning slightly.
Her tone was heavier now. "While this is an internal clan matter, the cultivation of suitable Jar openers affects the future of the entire Hidden Leaf Village. Furthermore, from the day Shen Mo arrived, this world, this very era, has fundamentally changed!"
If Shen Mo were simply a traveling vendor, the situation would be manageable. But the consensus between Tsunade and Hiruzen was that the Omniscient and Omnipotent Merchant Guild was using this method to cultivate "advanced members" across various realities.
This was analogous to how Konoha cultivated ninja: they nurtured the Will of Fire, and those who displayed it were given the best resources. Resisting fate, they surmised, was the Merchant Guild's equivalent of the Will of Fire.
Shen Mo, unaware of their sophisticated world-spanning theories, was not actively reading minds but merely observed the scene.
His attention then shifted toward the door. He sensed dozens of people waiting outside.
The assembled elite of the Hyūga Clan.
"It seems your full contingent has arrived," Shen Mo remarked.
The elder, relieved to be off the hot seat, also looked toward the door. At the same moment, the wooden sliding door opened automatically, and Shen Mo's figure, like a ghost, materialized before the waiting crowd.
The Hyūga ninja were startled into silence.
"Lord Shen Mo," Hiashi quickly followed the merchant out, accompanied by the elders and Tsunade.
"The Clan Head and the Elders are here," a low murmur rippled through the gathered crowd.
"And Lady Tsunade..."
"They assembled every able ninja in the clan. What is happening?"
Despite their strict adherence to etiquette, the situation prompted a low, nervous commotion among the Hyūga ninja.
With the exception of Hiashi's children, Hinata and Hanabi, every other person present was a member of the Branch Family.
On each of their foreheads, the dark seal of the Caged Bird was visible.
"Silence!"
Hiashi Hyūga's voice rang out, instantly commanding authority.
The courtyard fell into hushed reverence.
"Lord Shen Mo," Hiashi turned, bowing deeply to the merchant. "Aside from a few individuals engaged in external missions, the elite of the Hyūga Clan are fully present."
Not every Hyūga awakens the Byakugan, meaning the actual number of ninja in the clan was relatively small.
Hiashi's announcement drew all eyes to Shen Mo, sparking rampant speculation among the gathered shinobi.
Shen Mo simply nodded.
Am I being scanned by fifty Byakugan right now? He suppressed the comical thought.
His gaze settled on the three young people standing at the very front of the formation.