The simple, clear explanation of the Skill Ball had electrified the atmosphere. The ability to instantly acquire complex, powerful Ninjutsu or physical techniques without the endless, grueling practice was the very definition of a game-changer. Naruto, his enthusiasm soaring, reached out and eagerly touched the crystalline sphere of light.
An instantaneous torrent of foreign, combat-ready knowledge flooded his mind.
Skill Acquired: Iron Block (Tetsukuzu) · Beginner Level
Principle: Gathers all physical strength to dramatically increase the user's body hardness, making it resistant to blunt force and cutting weapons. Flaw: Complete immobility required during activation.
This technique, a rudimentary form of the Six Powers (Rokushiki) from the One Piece world, was a defensive cornerstone. Though flawed at the beginner stage, the core concept was revolutionary.
"Wow! I really got a new ability!" Naruto shouted, pumping his fist as he immediately understood the function.
"Naruto, describe it! What is the nature of this ability?" Sarutobi Hiruzen urged, leaning forward, his professional curiosity piqued.
Naruto complied, standing stock-still. He took a deep, centering breath and bellowed, "Iron Block!"
Instantly, his muscles tightened and tensed to an unnatural degree. His skin took on a disconcerting, stony hardness. Hiruzen reached out, his curiosity overriding his caution, and tentatively pressed against the boy's side.
Kakashi, observing the phenomenon with his Sharingan, extended his own hand to test the effect.
The feel was unmistakable: the boy's body was literally iron-hard, incredibly resistant to pressure.
"It tickles! It tickles, Sensei Kakashi! Grandpa Hokage, stop!" Naruto giggled, squirming under the relentless prodding. When he exhaled, the intense muscle contraction ceased, and the Iron Block dissolved immediately.
"Ah, I see," Shen Mo explained, filling in the blanks. "Iron Block is a secret physical technique from a specific world. It hardens the body to resist blades and projectiles. Crucially, it is expandable—it can evolve into various powerful derivative skills. Mastered fully, it is a nearly unassailable defensive art."
Hiruzen instantly drew parallels to the Shinobi world, specifically the Third and Fourth Raikage, whose immense Chakra cloaks and physical toughness made their bodies virtually indestructible.
But the difference is colossal, the Hokage realized. The Raikage's power required incredible talent and decades of brutal, unforgiving training. Naruto had achieved a foundational defensive skill by opening a mere handful of jars.
"Incredible," Sarutobi exclaimed, his voice sincere. "This technique alone can be a lifesaver in the field."
Kakashi nodded grimly. On the battlefield, where ambushes and backstabs were the norm, an instant, deployable defense dramatically increased a ninja's survivability.
"Hehe!" Naruto stood tall, beaming. The praise, directed at the jar, felt entirely his own.
Sasuke mentally compared the Iron Block to his own Sky Fairy's Descent. He felt a wave of relief; the defensive skill, with its immobilization flaw, was certainly less powerful than his ultimate offensive technique.
Yet, the envy remained. Why is his luck so potent? I still want to punch him.
"You have only seen the initial marvels of the jar," Shen Mo pressed, seizing the moment. "I have told you: there is nothing you cannot imagine, and therefore, nothing you cannot draw. That is how the Omniscient Chamber of Commerce can claim to alter a person's Destiny."
The words—Change Destiny—now carried a profound weight for Kakashi and Sarutobi. With instant power-ups and skills available, the fate of any ninja could indeed be dramatically altered.
"Can humans truly be resurrected?" Kakashi asked, his voice low and strained, forcing the question that had plagued him since Shen Mo's initial pitch.
"Of course," Shen Mo affirmed, his smile radiating absolute confidence. "In this endless cosmos, you only need to believe one thing: there is no such word as impossible."
Kakashi fell silent, his body trembling slightly. He was fundamentally a strong man who had endured horrific loss and yet chose optimism. But if the immutable laws of life and death could be shattered—if Obito and Rin could be brought back—the decades of pain and guilt he carried would lose their meaning.
"Kakashi," Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly interjected, his voice soft yet pointed, addressing the young Jōnin. "We all share the deepest regret for the sacrifices made. But it is precisely because of those sacrifices that Konoha exists today. They are the dancing leaves; the flames that illuminate our village. They were not the first, and they will certainly not be the last."
Kakashi shuddered. The logic was the foundation of the Shinobi world's ideology. Even if they were resurrected, they would still be Shinobi. They could sacrifice themselves again. I couldn't stop it the first time; how could I guarantee their safety the second time?
Shen Mo's eyes narrowed, a crease forming in his brow. This old man!
The merchant had been close to tempting Kakashi to sell his catalogue of Ninjutsu and memories—a colossal source of revenue. Sarutobi Hiruzen's rhetoric, however, was successfully injecting paralyzing doubt into the customer. He's destroying the business opportunity!
"Old Man!" A voice suddenly cut through the air, low and fierce.
Tsunade stepped forward, her face a mask of furious anger. Sarutobi Hiruzen's words had struck too close to the memory of her brother, Nawaki, and her lover, Dan. Clearly, the Hokage had used the same ideology to try and dissuade her from pursuing their resurrection.
"Third Hokage, what you have just said is a profound mistake," Shen Mo said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, soft tone. He clasped his hands behind his back, his posture radiating quiet authority.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Kakashi looked on, stunned by the direct challenge. Tsunade also looked at the merchant in surprise, acknowledging that he was voicing the precise rebuttal she couldn't articulate.
"Oh?" Sarutobi raised an eyebrow, challenging the merchant to articulate his claim.
"I have traveled across innumerable worlds and witnessed countless great prosperities," Shen Mo began, his voice gaining resonance. "Behind peace, there is always someone who must bear the burden. That much is true. However, the burden-bearer must never become complacent with the sacrifice of others, and they certainly must never deem it necessary!"
Shen Mo focused his vision, intentionally pouring a portion of his trade points into his presence. His eyes deepened, filled with an ancient, terrifying wisdom.
"Every burden-bearer must be prepared for sacrifice," Shen Mo asserted, his tone becoming increasingly sharp.
"But every burden-bearer must also strive with every fiber of their being to prevent tragedy. If you have become accustomed to sacrifice, if you are desensitized to it, if you no longer strive to prevent tragedy, and if you have even lost the courage to pursue a perfect outcome—then you have lost the fundamental qualifications to be a burden-bearer!"
The fear of losing them again is no excuse not to retrieve them! Shen Mo's unspoken thought hung in the air. Your duty is to try, with all your might. Your duty is to protect them once they return!
His powerful, scathing rebuke hung over the clearing, leaving the Hokage stunned and silenced.