"Prophecy Series…" Jiraiya murmured, mulling over Shen Mo's words.
He understood what a can series meant—it defined the powers within.
"The Prophecy Series is vast," Shen Mo said with a grin. "It's about glimpsing the future through various means—sometimes a gut feeling, sometimes fragments of what's to come. Its true purpose is to guide the future you desire into reality."
The Prophecy Series wasn't a whim for Jiraiya—Shen Mo had planned it.
He wasn't bluffing earlier. Since his arrival, this world's paths had grown labyrinthine, likely stripping the Great Toad Sage of its prophetic power. But cans were different. They held true foresight, even offering prophecy-related classes.
"You mean this series lets me find the future I want in this tangled mess?" Jiraiya asked, gazing at the radiant Tree of Fate.
He'd often wondered if mastering true prophecy could have saved his disciples or kept Orochimaru from straying.
"Exactly, but it's no easy feat," Shen Mo said with a shrug. "You've seen how complex fate is now. Achieving your goal—saving the world, saving everyone—requires relentless struggle."
Shen Mo estimated the cost.
True omniscience demanded an astronomical number of trading points.
And knowing didn't guarantee changing.
Jiraiya, though, grasped this already. He met Shen Mo's gaze with a light chuckle. "Tsunade said you pick the best series for us. I'll take it. Time's running out."
"As you wish," Shen Mo replied crisply.
With another snap of his fingers, they returned to the arena. Their exchange, though profound, had unfolded in an accelerated moment of thought—imperceptible to others.
But Jiraiya's fleeting disorientation didn't escape Itachi Uchiha's keen Sharingan.
It reminded him of his Infinite Tsukuyomi.
"Two hundred Level 1 cans and a badge," Shen Mo declared, granting Jiraiya membership and teleporting him to Tsunade's faction with over a hundred small cans.
The sudden shift drew gasps from the arena.
"That's Lord Jiraiya!"
"The Sannin, with Lady Tsunade!"
"Jiraiya's joining the fight!"
"Damn it, why are we just stuck watching?"
The ninja, now calmer, began to piece together the scene. Like a true coliseum, both sides were gearing up.
Sharper minds noticed the key—cans.
Piles of cans appeared around Rasa and now Jiraiya, each side frantically opening them.
Shen Mo glanced at Itachi's position, then flickered to the sky, his vantage point offering a clear view of the can-opening frenzy below.
Tsunade had already burned through her cans. Her funds were drained, and worse—she'd spent all of Shizune's gambling winnings, 130+ cans, without a single Blue Rare prize. Her face was thunderous.
Fuming, she zeroed in on Jiraiya. "What series did you buy?"
"Prophecy Series," Jiraiya replied, eyeing the countdown. He formed hand seals. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Five clones appeared, tearing into the cans with speed.
"Prophecy Series?" Tsunade watched as light orbs dominated Jiraiya's haul, mixed with oddities—books, copper coins, turtle shells.
Any big prizes?
When Jiraiya finished, he called through his badge, "Five hundred Level 2 cans!"
His bestselling books had amassed a fortune, and he unleashed it now, opening cans with relentless efficiency.
Tsunade's fingers twitched with envy.
"Jiraiya," she said, forcing a smile.
He cut her off with a huff. "You still owe me from ten years ago."
"Really?" Tsunade blinked innocently, then feigned realization. "How'd you know I was gonna borrow money?"
"Just opened a passive skill—Sixth Sense," Jiraiya said, pointing to an empty can. "Probably a big prize."
"So fast?!" Tsunade stared at his mere forty-some cans, her frustration boiling. Gritting her teeth, she growled, "Lend me enough for ten Level 3 cans. I've opened 130 already—ten more, and I'll definitely get a big prize!"
She'd asked Shen Mo—Level 3 cans had better odds for big rewards.
No way she'd miss after so many.
Her casino-honed instincts screamed the next ten would hit.
"I could lend you," Jiraiya said, leering playfully. "But—"
Thwack!
Tsunade's fist met his forehead, cutting him off with a resounding crack.
In the end, she got funds for twenty Level 3 cans—no strings attached.
Elated, she rushed to a corner, handed the money to Shen Mo, and received her cans.
Shen Mo glanced at Jiraiya, now sporting a lump-covered head, and stifled a laugh. The guy had taken the hit on purpose, ensuring Tsunade accepted the loan guilt-free.
Some men are doomed to stay single.
Even prophecy powers might not change that.
Maybe he enjoyed it.
Then—
Roar!
A clear, resonant dragon's cry echoed.
Even Rasa, on the other side, turned, his face grim.
Someone had pulled a Blue Rare prize!
The opener? Tsunade.
Even Shen Mo's heart skipped. Tsunade actually pulled a big prize?