The sheer volume of jars—two hundred Tier One and one hundred and ninety Tier Two—was in itself a display of overwhelming wealth and power. For Sasuke, standing in the cold, dusty vault of his dead family, the sight was a monumental guarantee of his destiny. His breathing grew heavy, ragged with anticipation and a fearful hope.
But he didn't reach for them yet. Instead, he stared intensely at Shen Mo.
"Where are the Tier Two Jars?" Sasuke's voice was tense, edged with urgency. "You said the contents are superior and more abundant than the Tier One items."
"Indeed," Shen Mo acknowledged, a soft smile playing on his lips as he regarded the anxious boy. He simply waved his hand, and an additional one hundred and ninety jars, noticeably larger and more ornate than the Tier One set, materialized on the cold stone floor, their presence filling the subterranean vault with a strange, shimmering light.
Sasuke took a sharp breath. His hand twitched toward the nearest Tier Two Jar, but just before touching it, he hesitated, his heart hammering against his ribs. What will come out?
He had grasped the basic principle from the gourmet jars, but the images Shen Mo had projected—the world-splitting swordsmen—made him realize the magnitude of his current gamble. He was stepping into a realm of unknown, frightening power. The tension was exquisite.
Finally, Sasuke forced his trembling fingers to unscrew the lid of a Tier Two Jar.
Inside, resting on a velvet cushion, was a single, pure ball of light.
"It seems luck favors the bold tonight," Shen Mo remarked smoothly. It was true; Shen Mo had intentionally peppered the initial batches with high-value items, and Sasuke had hit a jackpot on the very first try.
"Aura experience?" Sasuke recognized the ethereal substance, recalling the magical energy that boosted Teuchi's skills, and his excitement spiked. With enough of this, a ninja with even mediocre talent could achieve mastery in an impossibly short time. This is real power!
"No, that is not an Experience Aura," Shen Mo corrected, shaking his head gently. "That is an Inheritance Aura. It contains the complete, complex knowledge of a powerful martial technique. Once you absorb it, the technique is learned automatically. However, to wield it proficiently or to achieve true mastery will still require diligent practice, discipline, and mastery of the fundamental."
This specific item was highly valuable because it bypassed the slow, laborious process of theory and memorization.
Sasuke didn't wait for another word. He knew how to absorb it. His hand darted out and gripped the light.
Fzzt.
A flash of energy washed over him. In his mind's eye, a man with a flowing beard, clad in archaic robes, appeared, his body fluid yet powerful, dancing upon a mist-shrouded mountaintop. In his hands, a double-edged sword moved with the strength of a rooted pine and the speed of a sudden gust of wind. The sword style was elegant, refined, yet every stroke concealed a chilling, precise lethality.
Qingcheng Sect's Songfeng Sword Technique (First Four Stances).
The technique hailed from the Smiling Proud Wanderer universe. Though its power level was low compared to the apocalyptic skills Shen Mo could offer, its sophistication in movement and fundamental philosophy was profound. The four stances alone were valued at 6,700 Transaction Points.
Sasuke's expression was rapt—a blend of obsession and disorientation.
"Sword techniques can be incredibly profound and mystical," he whispered, his fists clenching and unclenching as he felt the knowledge of the first four stances instantly etched into his muscle memory. He felt an awakening, as if a new dimension of combat had been opened to him.
In the shinobi world, sword usage was functional—ninjas wielded blades for quick, effective killing. Their sword arts were collections of brutal, pragmatic experiences. They lacked the generational refinement and philosophical depth of true Kendo masters.
"This form of Inheritance has another key benefit," Shen Mo added, seeing the satisfaction radiating from the boy. "If you open the same Inheritance again later, it will not be wasted. Re-accepting the same Aura will deepen your existing comprehension and elevate your current mastery."
This was necessary, as Shen Mo had intentionally fragmented the skill set. Two more Auras for the next four stances, three for the final four—and then, the grand prize, the single Inheritance Aura containing the ultimate secret of the technique, hidden deep within a Tier Two jar.
"Continue!"
The thrill of the first success was intoxicating. Sasuke's anxiety was completely gone, replaced by frantic excitement. He tore the lid off the second jar.
Inside was a simple stack of cash: 100,000 Ryo.
Sasuke's face instantly froze. He stared at Shen Mo, his eyes silently questioning the placement of mere money among the promised artifacts of destiny.
"Haha," Shen Mo laughed, spreading his hands wide with a show of helplessness. "These things are bound to happen. The chaotic nature of the draw, my dear customer. I assure you, nothing worse than 100,000 Ryo in cash can be found in a Tier Two jar."
Sasuke grimaced. ('д｀)...彡...彡). Though disappointed, the memory of the first jar's prize was too fresh. He set the cash carefully aside. He could, after all, use the money to buy more jars.
He tore open the third, fourth, fifth jars...
The subsequent contents of the Kendo Jars were a calculated mix of utility and inspiration: Experience Auras for raw sword practice, Inheritance Auras for basic sword skills, vials of Physique-Enhancing Elixirs, rare Forging Minerals, occasionally a high-quality Katana, and, most importantly, Training Methods and Battle Scene Projections of great swordsmen.
Sasuke's demeanor steadily changed. The oppressive gloom that had followed him into the vault dissipated. His morale surged; his fanaticism became more directed, more potent.
Then, on the 62nd Jar, he found the most potent piece of inspiration yet: a Battle Scene Projection of Ximen Chuixue.
The projection was a moment frozen in time—the ruthless Sword God, not merely in action, but embodying an ethereal, devastating stillness. Ximen Chuixue's mastery was absolute, his temperament one of pure, focused dedication to the blade. Though Sasuke could not yet fully appreciate the subtle mastery of the martial arts, the man's cold, absolute temperament—that singular devotion to the sword as the only currency of existence—struck a deep chord within the lonely, revenge-driven boy.
Sasuke's body trembled uncontrollably, a longing so intense it was physical.
"The Ruthless Sword God, Ximen Chuixue," Sasuke whispered, the name resonating with the emptiness of his own existence. He instinctively adopted a posture, imitating the master's stance.
"No one can see my sword," he quoted, his voice a chilling echo. "Because everyone who sees it is already dead."
Shen Mo watched the performance with unconcealed amusement. He had almost forgotten that Sasuke was, at his core, an impressionable middle school student. Falling head over heels for a cool, aloof idol like Ximen Chuixue was entirely predictable.
"Ximen Chuixue," Shen Mo sighed, adopting a tone of gentle nostalgia.
Sasuke snapped his head up, his eyes wide and eager, the idol-worship in his gaze impossible to hide. "You... you know him?"
"I know a bit," Shen Mo chuckled. "Don't be deceived by the cold, lonely exterior. He eventually found a wife, had a son, and possessed a friend who was as much a rival as a confidante. Despite his pride and devotion to the sword, he was, surprisingly, a good man."
"How could that be?" Sasuke exclaimed, the revelation seeming to conflict with the image of a man whose sole purpose was the perfect, emotionless kill. His idol, the embodiment of single-minded power, had a life?
The shock of Ximen Chuixue's true nature only deepened Sasuke's fascination with the vast, unpredictable worlds the merchant commanded.