The enchantment of the jar was fundamentally simple: it fed the desire for possession. Whether that hunger was for raw power, a fantastical spouse, or knowledge, the stronger the yearning, the deeper the addiction. Shen Mo was certain that Sasuke's underlying desperation—fueled by the massacre of his clan and the thirst for revenge—surpassed even Tsunade's resolute adult ambition. Sasuke was a child tragically focused on a single, consuming goal, and that made him incredibly susceptible.
For this reason, Shen Mo was keen to assess Sasuke's immediate value. Even putting future potential aside, Sasuke was the sole heir of the prestigious Uchiha clan; he must possess significant liquid wealth.
"Mr. Shen Mo!" Teuchi's voice snapped Shen Mo out of his thoughts. The chef, breathless and slightly frantic, slapped another wad of cash onto the counter. His eyes were burning with a desperate resolve. "I want to buy another set!"
Despite the bizarre items he'd pulled—a giant, unrecognizable corn; a disgusting, pulsing organ; and several other fragments—the experience itself, and the craving for the rest of the recipe, was overwhelming. He just had to see what remained.
"Thank you for your business," Shen Mo said, his smile widening as he made the money disappear into his system. Another row of shimmering, translucent jars instantly materialized.
Teuchi's swift decision did not surprise Shen Mo in the slightest; the chef's passion for ramen had been brilliantly weaponized by the system.
By now, the sky was completely dark. In Konoha, a village where nightlife was sparse, the street crowds had dwindled significantly, but the small Ichiraku Ramen shop glowed with intense, nervous energy.
Teuchi attacked the new set of jars.
"Wow, what a huge piece of corn!" Naruto exclaimed, momentarily forgetting his hunger as he stared at a gargantuan, brightly colored ear of maize.
"Ugh, what is that?" Sakura winced, pointing at a gelatinous, shimmering cube.
"Mr. Shen Mo, why is this an incomplete recipe for a different spice?" Teuchi's voice was strained, the agony of a fractionally complete project showing in his face.
Tsunade, still calmly sipping her sake and consuming her ramen, occasionally ordered another bowl for herself and Shizune while Teuchi furiously opened jars. He had intended to stop after this second set, but upon opening another fraction of the recipe—leaving only the final one-third missing—he was compelled to continue.
He bought another set, then another. He chased the complete recipes like a gambler chasing a winning streak.
Ultimately, he opened eight full sets of jars before his meager savings ran dry. He had managed to acquire a few more odd recipes and enough exotic ingredients to open a fusion restaurant, but he still lacked the three final, crucial pieces of the recipes.
"Mr. Shen Mo." Teuchi's eyes were bloodshot, his hands trembling as he clutched the three incomplete scrolls. "C-Can you wait for me? I'll go home and get the rest of the money. I only need twelve more sets to earn the membership badge, right?"
"Of course," Shen Mo said, gently petting Himari, who had nestled comfortably in his arms. "Once you earn the badge, you become a formal member of the Omniscient and Omnipotent Chamber of Commerce. You'll be able to contact me anytime, anywhere."
"Thank you!" Teuchi, not even bothering to change his clothes or close the shop properly, frantically gathered his newly acquired treasures and sprinted home to find every last Ryo coin he possessed.
"Tsk tsk," Tsunade tutted, wiping her mouth. She recognized Teuchi's manic state—it mirrored her own worst gambling frenzies. However, unlike her past losses, Teuchi had actually gained a collection of profoundly valuable, rare materials and recipes. His "loss" was an actual profit, which made the addiction even more insidious.
"Shizune," Tsunade burped slightly, standing up a little unsteadily. "Let's go. Time to go back."
"Lady Tsunade." Shizune hurried to her side, placing the green coat around her shoulders.
Tsunade took two steps, then abruptly turned back, a sly, slightly drunken smile gracing her face as she addressed Shen Mo. "If you don't have a place to stay tonight, why don't you come to me?"
"—!?" Shizune froze, her eyes wide with shock.
Beside them, Sakura's face instantly flushed crimson. Did the legendary Sannin just proposition a man right here? Is this... is this the adult world of shinobi?
Shen Mo remained perfectly composed, returning Tsunade's smile with a knowing look. "If this isn't an attempt at blackmail-for-hire, I'd be happy to accept."
"Tch." The sultry smile vanished from Tsunade's face. Caught out, she spun on her heel and walked away, muttering under her breath, without even a proper goodbye. She seemed to hesitate briefly as she reached the side street, perhaps contemplating a different angle, but ultimately continued her departure.
"Blackmail-for-hire?" Sakura blinked, still reeling from the sudden flirtation. How could such a direct invitation be a threat?
"When we first met, Lady Tsunade attempted to extort two jars from me under the pretense of offering medical treatment," Shen Mo explained with an air of long-suffering helplessness.
"Huh? She's a big sister?" Naruto exclaimed.
"Big sister? That's Tsunade-sama!" Sakura chopped Naruto on the head, unable to resist. "Were you even listening in history class? She's the granddaughter of the First Hokage! She's over fifty years old!" She only felt safe delivering this historical truth now that Tsunade was gone.
Naruto staggered back, aghast. Fifty? She looked like the most beautiful older sister he had ever seen, more elegant than Sakura!
Shen Mo watched Naruto with a meaningful glint in his eye. He recalled the online theories about the 'hidden fire' in Naruto's personality—a boy who had mastered the art of seduction before he was twelve, fixating on Sakura in his youth and displaying surprising affection for the cross-dressing Haku. Seeing the future hero in person, Shen Mo had to admit the observations held a slight taste of truth.
"We have to go!" Sakura suddenly realized the time and jumped off her stool in a panic. "It's so late! I'm leaving. Naruto, Sasuke, see you tomorrow."
"I'm coming too," Naruto declared, naturally following Sakura, then looked back at his teammate.
"You guys go on," Sasuke waved dismissively. "I want to look around a bit more." Look at the invisible jars.
Naruto hesitated, but seeing Sakura walking away, he quickly chased after her. "Then Sakura-chan and I will go home together!"
"Why are we going home together? Go back to your own house!" Sakura's voice faded as the two squabbled their way down the street.
Eventually, only Shen Mo and Sasuke remained in the dimly lit ramen shop.
Sasuke stood absolutely still, staring at the spot where the jars had been.
Shen Mo remained silent, focusing only on gently stroking Himari's soft, pink paws.
The tension stretched between them until it finally broke.
"Mr. Shen Mo!" Sasuke finally called out, his voice barely above a harsh whisper.
"Shh—"
Shen Mo raised a finger to his lips, interrupting Sasuke. He turned his head slowly, his eyes fixed on a dense patch of shadow just beyond the glow of the ramen shop's single lamp. He chuckled, a low, knowing sound. "As a merchant, I believe in first-come, first-served. So, what kinds of jars do the customers who have been following me all evening want to buy?"
Following him?
Sasuke's head snapped around.
From the deep shadows, a figure that seemed to perfectly absorb the surrounding light slowly stepped out.
Then a second, a third...
Seven or eight figures emerged onto the street that had moments ago been completely deserted. They were cloaked and silently radiated a palpable aura of menace and serious intent.