The reverence of the Hokage and Kazekage toward Shen Mo sent shockwaves through the crowd, unmatched in its intensity.
Imagine a ragged beggar suddenly exalted by a king's bow—nothing elevates an unknown figure faster than the endorsement of the mighty. Rasa and Hiruzen, standing at the pinnacle of the ninja world, were enemies, yet they bowed as one.
In moments, even without Shen Mo's power, the crowd's panic subsided. If the Hokage and Kazekage submitted, what hope did they have to resist? The clamor died, replaced by awed silence.
Even Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki lowered their heads, striving to blend into the crowd.
But Itachi sensed it—Shen Mo's gaze briefly swept over him. His heart sank to its lowest depths.
"Mind the time," Shen Mo's voice echoed, directed at the combatants below.
The countdown pulsed relentlessly in the sky.
Rasa, Hiruzen, and the others tensed.
Rasa's mind churned with regret. His Thunder's Wrath had downed Danzo, but it exposed his strength. Konoha would surely seize this Final Krypton Time to open more cans.
No choice—he had to buy more.
Rasa gritted his teeth, resolving to spend every ounce of Sunagakure's emergency gold reserves. Every bit of power mattered. If he fell here, his badge would be lost.
On the other side, Hiruzen faced his allies, jaw clenched. "No time for thrift. Rasa's opened plenty of cans. Pool every coin you have—buy now!"
Hyuga Hiashi forced a bitter smile. "The Hyuga clan's wealth isn't all mine to spend. Per Lord Shen Mo's rules, I can't touch funds without clan approval."
The Final Krypton Time was for spending, not earning.
The Hyuga's riches required collective consent, unreachable now.
"I've got some left…" Hiruzen's own smile was wry. "My wife's savings… for Asuma's bride. Well, take it all."
Asuma's face flushed, embarrassed. At his age, his father still fretted over his marriage.
The group pooled every scrap of wealth they could muster.
Shen Mo reaped a fortune.
In a way, this was a perk of the Fate-Witnessing Stage—squeezing every last coin.
Then, from the stands, Jiraiya's voice boomed. "Lord Shen Mo, am I eligible to buy cans?"
Shen Mo's gaze shifted. In a flash, he appeared before Jiraiya.
The move riveted Itachi and Kisame. Itachi's Sharingan flickered on, trying to read their lips.
"You want to buy cans?" Shen Mo asked.
"Yeah," Jiraiya nodded, flashing his signature grin. "That Kazekage's strong, right? I'm not one to watch comrades fight from the sidelines."
He'd grilled Tsunade about Shen Mo recently, learning how Shen Mo untied her heart's knots, how she held Nawaki's revival in her hands.
It left a bittersweet pang.
But like Tsunade, he accepted Shen Mo—his existence, his identity, his explanations.
"You're eligible," Shen Mo said, a playful smirk tugging his lips. "But are you sure? What's your desired fate—serving Konoha with all your heart, or giving everything to win Tsunade?"
"Win Tsunade…" Jiraiya swallowed, his face reddening rare. He stole a glance at Tsunade, then lowered his voice. "That's possible?"
"Cans hold knowledge to make you a master of romance," Shen Mo said. "Even charm spells, curses, miraculous potions—such things exist." He paused, letting the words hang.
He already knew Jiraiya's choice.
As expected, Jiraiya thrust out a palm, striking a dramatic pose, legs wide, voice theatrical. "I'm the legendary Toad Sage, Jiraiya! What woman wouldn't fall for me? I don't need cans to chase love!"
"Since you've chosen," Shen Mo said, fixing him with a deep look, dropping Tsunade's topic, "name your series."
In Jiraiya's heart, Konoha reigned supreme.
Though he still loved Tsunade, he'd long let go, unwilling to burden her. He trusted fate.
"If it's you," Jiraiya's tone grew solemn, "you know that fate, don't you?"
"The Child of Prophecy?" Shen Mo nodded. "That was the fate before I came. I've torn it apart."
The Child of Prophecy was destined to find the answer to peace, bringing true harmony to the ninja world.
Jiraiya once believed it was Nagato.
Even now, he still did.
"That's a bold claim," Jiraiya said with a wry smile. "Spare a thought for those of us chasing that fate. It's what I've longed for."
"Entrusting an unknown answer to another is the reckless choice," Shen Mo countered, eyes narrowing as if struck by a thought. "If you believe in fate so much, why not guide it yourself to the outcome you want?"
"Huh?" Jiraiya stared, stunned.
Shen Mo always preached that fate shouldn't be fixed—that change was its nobility.
"What's so surprising?" Shen Mo smiled, reading Jiraiya's thoughts. "You think just trying guarantees success?"
"What do you mean?" Jiraiya's curiosity flared.
He was a man of fate, dedicating his life to finding the Child of Prophecy since learning of the prophecy. But now, he sensed even that truth might have been shattered by the man before him, just as Shen Mo claimed.