Hiruzen Sarutobi, having mentally resigned himself to failure, was suddenly struck by cosmic luck.
"Judging by this magnificent aura, it is certainly a major prize." Shen Mo investigated the Jar's contents with a swift probe of his spiritual power, his eyebrows lifting in genuine surprise. "A phenomenal item, surpassing even the value of a standard Tier Two reward. Congratulations, Hokage-sama. This treasure is definitely a game-changer."
The prize was a consumable item, which, for the same point value, boasted a far greater impact than a permanent or long-term effect item. If deployed correctly, it held the power to decisively turn the tide of a major conflict.
"Heh, it seems my legendary bad luck has finally turned."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile was wide and unforced. Sarutobi Asuma stared at his father, realizing he had seldom witnessed such pure, unadulterated happiness since his early childhood.
As the rainbow light faded, the item was revealed, eliciting initial confusion from the onlookers.
It was a piece of incredibly worn, almost fragile-looking paper. Upon it was written a single, densely complex character—so intricate that the Konoha shinobi could not recognize it.
This is the great treasure?
"Do not underestimate this mere scrap of paper," Shen Mo cautioned, sensing their collective skepticism. He looked directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "In your current state, you should be able to feel the immense power held within that single word."
"True..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes narrowed, locked onto the item. He felt his nascent Talent Energy rise in instinctive warning. He cautiously channeled a minute portion of his energy into the paper.
Instantly, the ordinary characters flared into a blinding gold. The indescribable rainbow light erupted again, surging outward like a tidal wave, carrying an overwhelming, crushing aura reminiscent of a primordial mountain range. Every Jonin felt an unnerving weakness in their Chakra flow.
"Your Excellency Shen Mo, what exactly is this character?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt the light piece of paper strain his arm muscles. It was no illusion; everyone could see the physical effort he was exerting to hold the seemingly weightless scrap.
"This is a specialized form of the character '封' (Fū, Seal)," Shen Mo revealed. "The word itself is not the key, but the profound virtue and will of the author. This was scribbled on the casual notes of a true Great Scholar. That is why I commend your luck: to find the casual calligraphy of such a being in a Tier Two Jar is immensely fortunate. Had it been a formal inscription, it would never be found below Tier Four."
"Virtue and Will?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi withdrew his Talent Energy, and the paper instantly became light and ordinary again. But no one dared to dismiss it.
"This specific writing form is designed to Seal the flow of energy, such as Dragon Veins or innate abilities. If used against any of you," Shen Mo surveyed the group, "it would likely result in the complete sealing of your Chakra."
A collective, sharp intake of breath hissed through the assembled ninja.
Completely sealing Chakra? For a ninja, that was instantaneous defeat, if not death. The implications of this power—generated by writing—were staggering.
"Naturally, sealing a highly powerful individual would require a greater expenditure of Talent Energy," Shen Mo added for clarity. "And, as a consumable item, it can only be utilized once."
"Only once... yet its power is sufficient to rewrite a battlefield."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind raced with strategic applications before he carefully placed the paper into a secure pouch. This was now his ultimate countermeasure.
Shen Mo watched his movements, realizing that the chaotic nature of the Jars meant he was launching unstable, world-altering weapons into the hands of ambitious leaders.
However, there is no way to control the usage anyway. The Merchant's job is simply to control the general trend that generates profit.
With the jackpot secured, Hiruzen Sarutobi continued opening the remaining Jars, a faint hope still burning that the Job Change item might miraculously appear.
Alas, even the final Jar yielded a mere assessment paper.
"Such treasures are indeed rare," Hiruzen Sarutobi concluded, maintaining a positive facade. "But even the most ordinary items greatly increase our potential. Furthermore, we now have access to study alien power systems and the techniques to blend them with existing ninjutsu. Tsunade is already pioneering this research."
"The results are very promising," Tsunade affirmed, crossing her arms with a serious nod.
The other Jonin remained silent, deeply affected by the personal demonstration of power and the shocking revelation of the Great Scholar's Seal. The path to instantaneous power was now clear.
"Lord Shen Mo." Hiruzen Sarutobi turned once more, his expression tense. "I wish to purchase ten Tier Three Jars."
He was pushing for the Job Change Item, which Shen Mo had implied often appeared near the final Tier Two Jars or the initial Tier Three ones.
"Acknowledged," Shen Mo smiled.
He summoned ten Jars, each significantly larger and more ornate than the last. Nine were instantly filled with random items; the tenth remained strategically empty—a designated safety net slot for future emergencies.
Shen Mo selected one of the dozens of available Scholar "schools of thought" from his random algorithm and placed the corresponding Job Change Item into one of the Jars.
"This school of thought..." Shen Mo muttered, slightly surprised by the random result. Well, it's certainly appropriate for a Hokage.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was visibly eager. He reached for the first, largest Jar.
The moment he opened it, a dazzling azure blue energy dragon erupted from the Jar. The miniature dragon swam and coiled in the air, emitting melodic roars that resonated with a unique, joyful rhythm. The sound was unforgettable and profoundly uplifting to everyone present.
"An Azure Light?" Shen Mo's voice rose, a hint of genuine astonishment entering his tone. "You actually pulled a Blue-Class Rare Item on the very first Tier Three Jar!"
Yes, starting from Tier Three, rare drops were denoted by colored light effects—and the Blue-Class indicated an item of serious, fundamental power.