"This is a high-purity chakra crystal, reactive only to specific chakra, capable of suppressing a tailed beast's power. Value… around three million," Shen Mo said, opting for honesty.
"That's it?" Tsunade pressed.
"That's it!" Shen Mo replied firmly.
There was no so-called curse on this necklace.
As for Nawaki and Dan…
In the world of Naruto, who hasn't lost a few people? The fault wasn't the necklace—it was the world.
Tsunade stared at Shen Mo, her brows knitting together.
There it was—the classic Tsunade scowl.
It was more authentic than the best cosplay Shen Mo had ever seen, all in the aura.
"Lady… Tsunade," Shen Mo said, using her name for the first time, his gaze earnest. "You must understand, I'm no ordinary merchant, and these aren't ordinary goods. A mere trinket like this isn't enough to fool my judgment."
"…Mysterious guy."
Tsunade clutched the necklace tightly, her heart a tangle of indescribable emotions.
This necklace was her grandfather's heirloom.
She didn't believe it was cursed.
But having it confirmed…
The shadow over her heart didn't lift—it grew heavier.
"Open cans! Open cans!" she bellowed, as if venting, chugging the last of the sake in her bottle. Her face flushed from the alcohol, she tossed the empty bottle aside. "Shizune, get more sake!"
Shizune opened her mouth, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately stayed silent.
She stood, gave Shen Mo a slight bow, and left, returning shortly after.
Shen Mo watched Tsunade, knowing full well.
Tonight, he'd make a killing.
Some people, when they're down, love opening loot boxes, hoping good luck will lift their spirits. Of course, if they're cursed with bad pulls, it only makes them angrier.
In that case…
Time to prepare some good stuff.
Shen Mo pulled out another scroll, stowing away the pile of items.
"Don't just sit there—drink with me!" Tsunade smashed another can with a crack, glancing at Shen Mo through bleary, drunken eyes. "A businessman's gotta drink with his clients, right?"
Shen Mo gave a helpless shrug.
He had too many secrets.
Getting drunk was out of the question.
But he didn't refuse.
"Then I'll respectfully comply."
He raised the small sake cup Shizune handed him and downed it in one go.
A few Trade Points for a sobriety pill, and no amount of drinking would touch him.
"Nice!"
Tsunade slapped another can open, eagerly identifying the treasure inside.
Shen Mo observed her.
This woman.
Why was she so popular among Naruto fans?
A fifty-something granny with an extreme personality, willful, a gambling addict who burned through money like water, and a violent streak that had her throwing punches at the drop of a hat…
But her soft side and her strength, her gentleness and her roughness, did create a compelling contrast.
Hold on—
Shen Mo's gaze flicked to a certain place.
A lightbulb went off.
Of course—her biggest charm was definitely her assets.
"Kid, what's this?" Tsunade slung an arm around Shen Mo's shoulder, leaning in close, shaking a bottle and reeking of sake.
"Uh," Shen Mo's expression faltered briefly, but he quickly recovered. "Body-Forging Elixir. Use it in baths. With consistent use, even an ordinary person can gain the physical prowess of a ninja. A true treasure for taijutsu specialists."
This granny's body was surprisingly soft.
This wasn't some centuries-old cultivator from a xianxia world.
Talk about cheating!
"Whoa! Good stuff! Shizune, this one's for you," Tsunade tossed it to Shizune with glee.
The cans were filled with items Shen Mo had chosen—useful to ninjas.
Sure, they were cheap, around six hundred Trade Points each.
But they came from the magic world, the xianxia world, and the most valuable one—from the Overlord world—a red potion that rapidly healed injuries, priced at just six hundred eighty-eight.
After exhausting the loot, Shen Mo ruthlessly extracted knowledge from Tsunade, totaling over eight million in value—thirty thousand Trade Points.
By the time night fell…
The floor was littered with shattered clay cans, potions, and herbs.
Tsunade looked supremely satisfied, clutching her final five hundred thousand.
"One more set!"
"Lady Tsunade," Shen Mo said, blinking. "Congratulations. Having purchased over twenty sets of tier-one cans, you're now eligible to buy tier-two cans."
"Tier-two cans?" Tsunade paused.
"Exactly," Shen Mo said, producing another scroll. "These are worth five hundred thousand each. The previous ones, while rare, were just trinkets. The real treasures are found in higher-tier cans."
"Trinkets?"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed, her near-drunken haze clearing slightly.
These potions and herbs…
Even she couldn't replicate them.
If they hit the market, they'd spark shockwaves across the ninja villages, possibly even wars to secure their production methods.
And they were just trinkets?
"Give me one," Tsunade said, clearly hooked.
Shen Mo unfurled the scroll, revealing a can over twice the size of the others.
Crack.
As usual, Tsunade smashed the can with a single slap.
Inside was a cross-shaped necklace.
Value: Six thousand Trade Points!
"Congratulations!" Shen Mo raised his voice, flashing a celebratory smile. "Who would've thought—the very first tier-two can yields a special piece of equipment: the Cross of Courage!"
"Cross of Courage?" Tsunade picked up the necklace, studied it for a moment, then gave up. "Just tell me what it does."
"As the name suggests, it boosts the wearer's courage," Shen Mo explained. "Wear it, and fear will diminish to some degree, giving you the bravery to face misfortune head-on. Mental enhancement items like this are incredibly rare. It's worth about seven hundred thousand."
An item from some gamified world.
It carries a special effect: Courage +2.
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