"Even if I don't fully understand the sword's ultimate philosophy, I can actually use it?" Sasuke's voice was filled with a desperate, buoyant joy. The fear the Ruthless Sword Intent had instilled in him only a few moments ago was partially counteracted by the promise of instant power.
He understood now how terrifying the gap was between a swordsman who merely wielded a blade and one who grasped Sword Intent. He had opened dozens of jars and experienced profound physical and mental changes, yet he had only taken the very first, tentative step toward true intent.
"The knowledge will flow directly into your mind," Shen Mo confirmed with an easy smile. "No hesitation required."
Sasuke no longer hesitated. He thrust his hand out and grasped the Skill Light Ball.
A blinding flash, a surge of sharp, cold energy, and an incomprehensible message was branded directly onto his consciousness:
—Fairy from the Sky! (天外飛仙)
The signature sword technique of Baiyun City Lord, Ye Gucheng. It was described as the very pinnacle of pure, distilled sword intent. The technique was an attack of brilliant, swift power launched from a vantage point, capable of instantly unleashing 320% of the user's current maximum attack power in a single, fatal strike.
In Sasuke's mind, the image was devastatingly clear: a solitary, white-robed swordsman ascending beyond sight, then descending like a dazzling, inevitable beam of light. It was flawless. It was brilliant. It was murder made beautiful.
Instant power. Sasuke could easily gauge the effectiveness of the skill he had just absorbed. It wasn't just strength; the speed was like pure lightning, offering no chance of escape. This is the fatal blow!
He immediately judged: If this skill connects, can I kill that guy?
Shen Mo merely chuckled, knowing that Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan and decades of experience meant the answer was still likely no. But the goal wasn't victory yet; it was motivation.
"A genuinely excellent skill," Shen Mo remarked.
"It is," Sasuke agreed, nodding firmly. He paused, then made a conscious decision. He began detailing all the skills and buffs he had gained to Shen Mo—the complex Songfeng Sword Technique stances, the various physical enhancement auras, the battle scene insights, and the final Fairy from the Sky.
He wasn't merely sharing; he was seeking affirmation and strategy from the powerful being who had become his strange new advisor.
"Fairy from the Sky," Shen Mo mused, his voice rising in dramatic cadence. "Ye Gucheng—he was the destined rival of your idol, Ximen Chuixue."
"Is that true?" Sasuke exclaimed, startled that the creator of his newest power was connected to the ultimate idol of his chosen path.
"It is," Shen Mo confirmed with a casual shrug. "It is said that in their world, there could not be two peerless swordsmen. They fought a necessary life-or-death battle, a final duel intended to push their own respective sword ways to a point of self-transcendence."
"Who won?" Sasuke asked, a primal, competitive tension gripping him.
"Ye Gucheng fell," Shen Mo sighed, the finality of the statement hanging in the vault. "He is dead."
"As expected..." Sasuke breathed a profound sigh of relief. The image of the Sword God, Ximen Chuixue, who had transcended even the ultimate skill of his rival, replayed in his mind. The terrifying nature of the Ruthless Sword faded slightly; the image of Ximen Chuixue's supremacy remained. The cold, focused path is truly the strongest.
"Alright, there are only a few jars remaining," Shen Mo reminded him gently. "It must be dawn outside now."
Sasuke continued opening the final jars, but the luck had run dry. The last few only yielded minor resources—low-level experience auras and small amounts of Ryo. A deep feeling of regret and want settled in his stomach. He had consumed everything, exhausted the entire Uchiha vault, yet he hadn't achieved the ultimate prize.
He had consumed everything: 390 jars total, spent in one, manic night. He had poured the wealth of a fallen noble clan into a chaotic lottery of destiny.
He finally stood up, letting out a long, ragged breath. In just one night, a profound, irreversible transformation had occurred. Memories of complex, elegant sword forms were now etched into his consciousness; a subtle but undeniable increase in his Chakra reserves flowed through his new muscles; and the ultimate, single-strike killer move, Fairy from the Sky, was ready at his command. His destiny was already fractured and reformed.
He looked at Shen Mo, his eyes still a little hesitant.
"Ask whatever you wish," Shen Mo prompted, smiling.
"Who exactly are you," Sasuke asked, taking a deep, resolute breath, "and why do you sell these magical jars?"
"Did I not already tell you?" Shen Mo curled the corner of his lip. "I have arrived in this world simply to give individuals the chance to change their destiny. That is all. Your destiny has already been changed, hasn't it? Your power, your status, your future. From the moment you opened those jars, everything is different, correct?"
"That is true," Sasuke confirmed, his gaze fixed on his own hands, where the invisible force of his new Kendo power pulsed.
But a familiar voice—the one that chased him even in his dreams—whispered: It's not enough.
He needed the Sword Body. Without that innate talent, his Kendo path would stall, allowing Itachi's true genius to once again outpace him.
"I should be able to become a permanent member now," Sasuke said, a hint of expectation and urgency returning to his voice.
"You absolutely qualify," Shen Mo confirmed, immediately handing over the smooth, black membership badge.
Sasuke took the badge and carefully placed it beneath the collar of his jacket, close to his heart. It was a commitment, a contract with his own new future.
Shen Mo got up from the ground. Himari stretched lazily, waking from her long nap, gripping the corner of Shen Mo's cloak and deftly settling onto his shoulder to continue her rest.
They ascended from the subterranean vault one after another.
The early morning sun, a brilliant, gold disk, was just peaking over the horizon, casting the first long, warm rays across the desolate Uchiha compound. The light seemed to banish the abyss of despair that had defined Sasuke's existence. He retrieved the elegant, newly acquired long sword, securing it across his back with practiced ease.
"What is your next course of action?" Shen Mo asked casually.
Sasuke's eyes hardened, his resolve absolute. "Kendo requires constant, life-or-death mastery. It demands I face opponents who can truly challenge me."
He looked back at the empty, silent compound, then forward toward the bustling village gates.
"First, I am leaving the Genin team," Sasuke declared. "Every day I spend on meaningless tasks—pulling weeds, chasing lost cats—is a day that Itachi grows stronger. I have surpassed the trivial level of my peers."
His conviction was absolute. With the combined physical buffs, the Songfeng style foundation, and the lethal force of Fairy from the Sky, he genuinely believed he was operating at a level that could contend with an elite Jonin. He needs to prove the effectiveness of the product immediately.
Shen Mo didn't hide his pleasure. "Interesting. I wonder how the Konoha elite will respond to this sudden change. It will be quite the display."
"Can I accompany you?" Shen Mo asked, his tone curious and amiable. "I find local politics and sudden dramatic displays of personal power quite fascinating. I have no other plans for the morning."
Sasuke felt a flicker of awkwardness, but quickly suppressed it. He needed Shen Mo's validation, and perhaps, his advice on strategy. More importantly, he needed to maintain the relationship. If he gave any offense, the source of the Sword Body and the Tier Three Jars could vanish forever.
"Certainly," Sasuke nodded, his tone carrying a new, grudging respect. "You are welcome to observe."
Frankly, in terms of sheer influence and power, Shen Mo had already surpassed Kakashi in Sasuke's mind. They stepped out of the silent wasteland of the Uchiha lands and headed toward the noise and life of Konoha, towards the reckoning with Team 7.