This time, Shen Mo wasn't scamming Sasuke.
He spoke the truth, though he hadn't expected this outcome.
The jade's System description:
Those suited for the Heartless Sword can use this sword intent to step through its gate. A few unsuited may be enslaved by the sword intent, becoming sword thralls for a time.
If Sasuke could truly embody heartlessness, this would've been huge.
Straight to sword intent mastery, a swordmaster from then on.
But now, it seemed…
Not only did Sasuke lack the Heartless Sword's aptitude, he might be its opposite.
As expected… a tsundere, no doubt.
"No need to be disappointed," Shen Mo said, helping Sasuke up, brushing dust off his shoulder. "Hatred isn't heartlessness—it's emotion. Your enslavement by the sword intent came from inner resistance. The sword's paths aren't just one, and besides, you've got cans."
"…"
Sasuke seemed to recover a bit, though fear lingered in his eyes.
The Heartless Sword… was that.
Forging oneself into a sword, that sensation…
Still just a kid, Sasuke shivered.
Forget practicing it.
He never wanted to feel that again.
Thankfully… other swordsmanship paths existed.
Color returned to Sasuke's gaze. Looking at Shen Mo, his earlier smugness was gone.
"Tell me, are other swordsmanship paths as strong?" he asked.
That heartless feeling was terrifying, but the power was undeniable.
Sasuke had to admit…
Right now, he hadn't even crossed swordsmanship's threshold. His current strength was just a start. He needed to grow stronger!
"Didn't I say?" Shen Mo offered a warm smile. "The Heartless Sword is just one of countless swordsmanship paths, but…"
"But what?" Sasuke tensed.
"All great power requires more than simple practice. Like the Heartless Sword, it demands specific aptitude," Shen Mo said, feigning helplessness.
"Aptitude?" Sasuke blinked.
"Right. For swordsmanship, aptitude is—" Shen Mo uttered two words, "Sword Physique."
Finally, the moment he'd been building toward.
One of opening cans' greatest draws: a prize clients craved.
For Tsunade, it was resurrection.
For Sasuke, Shen Mo's prize was the Swordsmanship Physique.
A genuine treasure.
"Sword Physique?" Sasuke echoed, puzzled but waiting patiently.
"It's the aptitude for sword training," Shen Mo summarized briefly. "Those with a Sword Physique train their swordsmanship faster, with greater power, and fewer hurdles. Take the Heartless Sword Intent: if you had a natural Heartless Sword Physique, you could wield stronger Heartless Sword Intent without a heartless mindset—born for the sword."
If Sasuke were a modern person, Shen Mo could've been blunter.
It's a cheat code.
In games, it's for gacha whales, blending insight buffs, attack buffs, and training buffs into one physique buff.
A gacha-milking masterpiece, a must-know for every game planner.
As expected…
Sasuke's eyes gleamed after hearing this. Though he didn't fully grasp it, "faster training, stronger power" alone sparked desire.
"Normally, a Sword Physique is fate, like being born an Uchiha," Shen Mo said, pleased with Sasuke's reaction, raising his voice. "But my cans can change fate. If you pull a Sword Physique, even the weakest kind, you'll go faster and farther in swordsmanship."
Gulp.
Sasuke swallowed hard.
He asked eagerly, "Can tier-two cans have them?"
Over a hundred tier-two cans remained on the ground!
"Well…" Shen Mo looked hesitant. "There's one, the weakest Heavy Sword Embryo Physique. Its bearer can grasp Heavy Sword Intent through relentless heavy sword training, but it's super rare. Tier-three cans, though, have more types and stronger Physiques, even Sword Soul-level ones. Training with those? A thousand miles a day wouldn't be an exaggeration."
Sasuke didn't quite get the Physique tiers Shen Mo described.
But he got the gist.
Higher-tier cans held better stuff.
Pull one, and it'd be awesome.
A Sword Physique…
Even innate aptitude could be gained. Uchiha Itachi, genius, just you wait—!
Sasuke took a deep breath.
"Keep opening cans!"
His sights now stretched further, anticipating tier-three cans.
Shen Mo knew.
His goal was achieved.
From today, Sasuke wouldn't inflate his ego, thinking he's strong enough. He'd keep chasing cans, at least until he pulled a Sword Physique for his next ego boost.
That said…
Even if Sasuke opened all remaining cans and went after Itachi, he'd get thrashed and slink back.
Shen Mo narrowed his eyes, deciding to give his client a better experience.
He swapped the original grand prize in the remaining cans.
For a better one, worth 20,000 Trade Points. A true jackpot.
So generous.
Shen Mo patted himself on the back.
With this…
Sasuke might surprise Itachi… still lose, but it'd fuel more can-opening drive.
Smiling, Shen Mo looked at Sasuke opening can after can. Maybe his luck ran dry earlier—dawn broke, and only twelve cans remained when Sasuke finally pulled the jackpot.
Another glowing orb.
Sasuke, familiar now, reached to touch it.
But he was stopped.
"This…" Shen Mo gasped, slapping Sasuke's shoulder hard, voice spiking as if thrilled for him. "A skill orb! Sasuke, you hit the jackpot! One swordsmanship skill orb in 500 tier-two cans is rare!"
Sasuke seemed startled by Shen Mo's reaction.
After so many cans…
Shen Mo had called out good luck plenty, but this was his biggest reaction.
Could it really be something incredible?
Sasuke's heart blazed.
"What's a skill orb?" he asked.
"Simple: moves crafted by swordsmanship masters, imbued with sword intent. Even without grasping sword intent, you can wield them. At your level, any one's a massive boost," Shen Mo explained.
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Want to read ahead? Early chapters on: patreon.com/ShadowKage