According to Shen Mo's internal calculations, the power system Hiruzen Sarutobi had chosen—tentatively designated the "Talent" Series—was arguably the least suitable for the weary, compromised Hokage. Yet, fate, or perhaps the sheer randomness of the infinite worlds, had dictated this outcome.
Fate truly does play tricks on the unwary.
Intending to provide impeccable customer service, Shen Mo offered a brief, general overview of the Scholar's power. However, seeing the lingering confusion in Sarutobi's eyes and the utter bewilderment of the surrounding Jonin, Shen Mo realized that this esoteric, conceptual power required more than mere words.
"You'll understand it when you witness it," he stated simply.
With an elegant sweep of his hand, the air shimmered, and a series of breathtaking, holographic images materialized before the group. These were not the bloody, chaotic battle scenes of the Stage of Destiny, but magnificent, conceptual spectacles of power.
In one scene, an ancient man in flowing white robes, his beard cascading, stood high upon a cloud. He held a weighty, bound tome. Staring coldly at an unseen army, he spoke words that were indecipherable to the Konoha ninja, yet saturated with overwhelming, lethal intent.
These words manifested as countless minuscule golden lights that erupted from his mouth. Where the lights passed, enemy soldiers screamed, clutching their ears as blood poured from every orifice, their bodies detonating in flashes of gore.
In another, a man stood alone in a cracked, barren wasteland, weeping tears of anguish as he gazed at the heavens. He seized a brush and frantically wrote a concise, powerful Poem of Sorrow and Hope. As the final stroke was completed, a brilliant divine light shot skyward. Moments later, a deluge of rain, unprecedented in its fury and grace, descended.
The entire world below roared with the cheers of the populace. The ravaged soil was healed, wheat fields sprang to life, and the vast, desiccated plain instantly transformed into a boundless, golden sea of ripe grain.
Further scenes displayed the healing power of spoken mantras, the warding off of colossal demons through sacred calligraphy, and individuals achieving radical spiritual and physical enlightenment merely by reciting scripture day and night.
The sheer, unbelievable majesty of the power left everyone speechless. Even the cynical Hiruzen Sarutobi stared, his mouth slightly agape.
Can words truly wield such power? The other worlds are magical, terrifying, and profound beyond our deepest fears.
"You understand now, don't you?" Shen Mo gently dispelled the images, his voice calm yet carrying the implicit weight of transcendence. "In the infinite worlds, there is infinite power. Only our Chamber of Commerce can bring these powers to shine in different realities."
His tranquility spoke volumes, hinting at a terrifying depth beneath the surface. The Jonin couldn't begin to fathom the sheer scale of the Merchant Guild.
Hiruzen Sarutobi remembered the image of the Scholar whose written scroll became a giant, sky-spanning curtain that swept away three thousand miles of river. Fear warred with a compelling, almost desperate, longing.
In their Shinobi world, strength withered with age. Theoretical knowledge accumulated, but Chakra reserves and physical vitality steadily diminished. The Scholar's power, however, seemed to grow with accumulated knowledge and wisdom.
"Your Excellency Shen Mo," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, looking down at the paper in his hand with a trace of deep expectation. "I do not understand the nature of this object..."
"That paper in your hand is a Talent Scroll," Shen Mo explained. He manifested a calligraphy brush and extended it to the Hokage. "Write the most heartfelt word you feel should be inscribed upon it—preferably with profound sentiment."
The item inside the Tier One Jar was naturally low-value, but sufficient to demonstrate the core mechanic. The Jonin and the Hokage were now desperate for understanding.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took the brush, his mind searching for the most fundamental, meaningful concept. With slow, meticulous care, he wrote a single, potent character:
—火 (Fire)
In the Shinobi World, writing with a brush was common, and the Hokage's rendition of 'Fire' was masterful, imbued with the calligraphy of a lifetime. As the final stroke settled, Sarutobi felt a strange, spiritual connection to the character.
He instinctively knew what to do. With a subtle flick of his hand, the paper ignited, transforming into a compact, brilliant fireball that shot out and impacted a nearby tree trunk.
Fwoomp!
The fireball resulted in a modest burst, leaving a small, persistent flame licking at the bark.
"This power..." Asuma Sarutobi's eyes reflected mild disappointment. "It's considerably weaker than a standard Great Fireball Technique."
"It is merely a Tier One item," Hiruzen Sarutobi countered quickly, his gaze fixed on the flame. He was not disappointed. The key was the principle: no Chakra, no hand seals. A fireball generated solely by thought and a written character.
"The true nature of this power is not so simple," Shen Mo observed, his voice tinged with genuine astonishment as he studied the burning wood. "The attribute... that word truly possesses an attribute."
"Attribute?" Sarutobi looked up, surprised.
Shen Mo simply raised his hand and pointed. A sudden, massive gush of water, summoned from nowhere, slammed into the tree, completely dousing the fire.
But as the water flowed away, exposing the still-damp wood—
The flame, small but determined, began to rekindle slowly from the scorched spot, steadily returning to its former size.
The entire Konoha elite gasped.
"That is impossible," Kurenai Yuhi murmured, approaching the tree. She reached out and physically extinguished the visible embers with her hand. Yet, as she removed her hand, the flame instantly sparked back to life.
What is fueling this fire?
Looking from the inexorable flames to the calmly smiling Merchant, the Konoha shinobi felt their fundamental understanding of reality crumble.
"Allow me," Hiashi Hyuga requested, striding forward. He delivered a swift, concentrated Gentle Fist strike. CRACK! The area where the flame burned, along with a thick section of the trunk, was demolished.
Yet, from the broken, splintered edge of the shattered wood, the flame began to burn, inch by slow inch, refusing to be extinguished.
"It cannot be destroyed!"
"The power manifested through the Talent Scroll is intrinsically linked to the author's Will," Shen Mo explained, his voice conveying a sense of profound truth. An invisible force lifted the small flame and the final piece of burning wood into the air.
"Eternal Life. That is apparently your concept of Fire, Hokage-sama. As long as there remains any fuel to burn, it will reignite, no matter how many times it is destroyed... until the last of the available fuel is utterly consumed."
As he spoke, the invisible force accelerated the burning process. The small section of wood was rapidly reduced to ash. When the final ashes were dispersed by a gentle breeze, the flame, having run out of material, finally winked out.
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the demonstration, his eyes fixed on the empty space where the fire had been. A strange, powerful emotion washed over him.
"Indeed..." A faraway look entered his eyes. "Wherever the leaves dance, the fire will eventually burn again. That has always been my understanding of Fire."
Shen Mo, looking at the Hokage's inexplicably moved expression, felt a wave of internal exasperation.
That was a sapling that was still growing, Hiruzen. And you didn't just 'leave it there'—you utterly consumed it. Your philosophy is beautiful, but your application is somewhat... literal.