Shen Mo glanced at Tsunade, the sheer proximity allowing him to sense her profound, internal 'loser's mentality,' like a person perpetually cursed by the gambling gods.
To be completely honest, Shen Mo himself was baffled by Tsunade's atrocious luck. He could guarantee that her personal bad fortune had no impact on the system's prize pool; the probabilities were sound. Yet, Tsunade simply seemed pre-destined to miss every major prize.
At this moment, Neji lifted the item from the Jar: a pair of gloves, translucent and fine as a cicada's wing.
"A pair of gloves," Neji stated calmly.
"Silk gloves," Shen Mo confirmed with a smile, "truly a major prize for a Tier Two Jar." This statement hit Tsunade with the force of a physical blow.
Two major prizes had appeared out of only eighty Jars. Were they even purchasing the same product?
Neji immediately slipped the gloves on. They felt cool initially, but quickly warmed, melding seamlessly with his body. When touched, they felt precisely like actual skin, indistinguishable without close examination.
"They possess no special skill or enhancement effect," Shen Mo introduced. "However, these gloves are woven from exceptionally durable material, impervious to fire and water, which makes them very suitable for your combat style."
Martial artists typically utilize close-quarters weapons, making gloves, gauntlets, and wrist blades the most common forms of armament.
After hearing the description, Neji took a kunai from his pouch and drew the sharp edge across the back of his hand.
A shower of bright sparks erupted at the point of contact.
He proceeded to test the gloves with various forms of attack—stabbing, cutting, and blunt force—all without sustaining the slightest scratch.
"Incredible craftsmanship," Neji murmured, genuinely impressed.
The others, including Hinata and Hanabi, were equally astonished. Such impervious protective gear was invaluable for the Hyūga Clan, who relied entirely on bare-handed, close-range combat.
"You consider that incredible?"
Tsunade yanked the cross pendant from her neck, shaking it to attract everyone's attention.
"This, this is what I obtained from my very first Tier Two Jar. It increases the wearer's courage. Most equipment found in these Jars, like this one, possesses unique and powerful effects."
While Tsunade attempted to sound instructional, Shen Mo clearly detected the childish, competitive desire to show off.
He couldn't resist a gentle jab.
"That cross pendant is, in fact, not considered a major prize."
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Tsunade's expression instantly soured, a noticeable vein throbbing on her forehead.
"Lady Tsunade," Shizune clutched her arm tightly, whispering urgently, "we cannot win this argument."
"I know!"
Tsunade growled heavily, returning the pendant to her neck, ostensibly responding to Shizune but clearly aiming the sentiment at Shen Mo.
"If you consistently fail to draw a major prize... your only recourse is to invest in as many higher-tier Jars as possible. Sometimes, destiny simply forces the issue," Shen Mo said, completely unfazed, nonchalantly sprinkling more salt into Tsunade's open wound.
Tsunade's very aura seemed to flicker into a defeated grayscale.
Fortunately, Neji, who had accelerated his pace, seemed to be hitting a rough patch. For the next hundred and fifty Jars, he drew no further major prizes.
This was within the normal probability curve. The chance of pulling a major prize from a Tier Two Jar was roughly one in two hundred; prolonged dry spells were expected. Sometimes a player benefits from an initial burst of luck, only to pay it back later.
"Tsk tsk, fate is truly mocking you," Tsunade clicked her tongue, though she offered no actual sign of joy. While she envied good fortune, she genuinely hoped her fellow Konoha ninja would succeed.
Shen Mo, however, remained impassive. Major prizes from Tier Two Jars were often merely common items in Tier Three Jars, a sight he had witnessed countless times.
Neji, too, maintained his composure, opening the Jars one after the other.
The moment the three hundred and fifty-fourth Jar was opened, a sudden burst of pure, seven-colored light diffused from within.
It was so instantaneous and unexpected that everyone was momentarily caught off guard.
When they finally reacted, even Shen Mo's expression twisted into genuine surprise.
This is...
"Sir, what exactly is this?"
Neji, sharp as always, noticed the shift in Shen Mo's demeanor. It was the first time he had witnessed the merchant express surprise.
Tsunade, drawing on her limited experience, ventured cautiously, "Could this be... something extremely rare? Did you not state that special effects only accompany major prizes from Tier Three Jars?"
They couldn't identify the nature of the seven-colored light, nor did they sense a strong aura from it, but its sheer visual spectacle made it unique.
"This light does not symbolize conventional rarity," Shen Mo stated, walking closer to examine the item. He peered into the Jar and struggled to maintain his professional composure.
If Sasuke were present, Shen Mo thought, the Uchiha boy would be absolutely consumed by envy.
"Then what is it, precisely?" Tsunade demanded, frustration boiling in her voice. Stop withholding the information!
She had clearly observed a core of light pulsating rhythmically within the seven colors, resembling a tiny, beating human heart.
"Within the Jars, aside from fate-related items, there exist items that bring about a fundamental, lasting change to the opener's being," Shen Mo turned, his gaze sweeping over each person present. He pronounced the words slowly, deliberately: "This is the Elementary Martial Body: Heart of the Immovable King."
If Sasuke were present, he would instantly recognize the parallel to the Sword Body he coveted from the Kendo Jars.
This was a physical modification item, capable of changing a person's entire physique and even their innate disposition, similar to the 'genius physiques' found in fantasy literature, allowing them to cultivate certain skills with vastly improved efficiency.
Shen Mo had only included this item—a relatively cheap, Tier Two equivalent valued at 140,000 Transaction Points—after discovering it. Its low cost and profound impact made it an ideal, high-end offering for the Tier Two Fighter Series. It was near the absolute peak value for that tier, almost five times the price of a standard 30,000-point item.
"A physique-altering Martial Body is generally an item of extreme value, seldom seen in Tier Three Jars, and only becoming somewhat common in Tier Four Jars," Shen Mo stared at Neji, unable to hide his astonishment. "The one you acquired is classified as very weak compared to the greater Martial Bodies. However, it is likely the only Martial Body that could ever possibly appear in a Tier Two Jar."
Shen Mo had inserted it into the prize pool simply as a symbolic 'major prize among major prizes,' never genuinely believing anyone would draw it.
The probability of pulling a major prize was one in two hundred, and there were nearly forty types of major prizes in the Tier Two Jars. The chance of this specific item appearing was astronomically low.