As cans opened one after another, wondrous items emerged.
The atmosphere shifted completely.
Everyone's faces lit with excitement.
Even Rasa, at some point, grinned like a fool.
This man was right.
Opening cans could change the village's fate!
If there were more of these…
Rasa was confident: endure this hardship, and Hidden Sand would become the most prosperous village!
"Sir, I'd like to buy Level 2 cans," Rasa said, eyes burning.
"Nature Series?" Shen Mo asked, knowing full well.
"Yes, Nature Series!" Rasa affirmed.
"Done." Shen Mo waved, and slightly larger cans appeared.
Level 2 cans included enhanced Level 1 items and more miraculous ones.
Incredible plants.
Greenhouse tech for healthy crop growth.
Fungi that slowly enriched barren sand.
A barrier to envelop the village, purifying air.
Even small, efficient wind turbines.
…
Though Level 2 cans lacked strength-boosting items, they brought genuine satisfaction.
Level 2 items were more wondrous, with greater environmental impact.
With these, even harsher than the desert, people could sustain themselves well.
But seeing the cheering ninja…
Shen Mo felt a twinge of oddity.
No Grand Prize.
Five hundred Level 2 cans, opened to over four hundred.
Where was the Grand Prize?
One-in-two-hundred odds, and four hundred cans with nothing.
Who knew? Rasa, with his thick brows and stern face, was a non-lucky player?
Rasa noticed too.
His smile faded.
From the info he'd received, cans had Grand Prizes—far more useful than ordinary items.
Why none?
"Too much satisfaction isn't good," Shen Mo said suddenly. "These are what you need urgently, but there should be better. Without unwillingness and ambition, you won't earn fate's favor."
"Is that it…" Rasa found his excuse.
Satisfied with ordinary items, he lacked the drive?
Shen Mo just smiled.
He knew Rasa's class-change item fit in a Level 2 can, so he said this.
Place it as a guarantee in the last ten.
Rasa began hypnotizing himself: these weren't enough; he needed better!
"Hm?" Shen Mo raised a brow.
At the four hundred fifty-eighth can…
Finally, a Grand Prize.
A light orb.
Emitting a soft, watery glow.
"Sir!" Rasa looked up at Shen Mo, sensing something.
"Yes, a skill orb. A Grand Prize," Shen Mo nodded, then addressed the excited Rasa. "But I don't recommend using it yourself. Nature Series skills are auxiliary for environmental change, not combat. Give it to a reliable rear-line member."
He knew what the skill was.
Useless for most, but precious for Hidden Sand.
"Indeed," Rasa said, his dark-ringed eyes scanning the room, landing on Maki.
"You, Maki."
"Lord Kazekage?" Maki straightened.
"I know you were to lead the team to Konoha, but here, you're the most trusted," Rasa said.
Maki was clear-headed, a strong leader, trusted by Rasa and the jōnin.
Perfect for this.
Maki didn't refuse.
He solemnly absorbed the orb.
Information flooded his mind.
*Skill: Water Gathering Technique*
*Effect*: Draws pure water from air or moisture sources. Effect depends on energy expended.
Understanding the skill, Maki trembled.
He raised his hand.
Using it.
Instantly, an invisible force filled the room. Water vapor condensed visibly.
Quickly forming a small orb of water, expanding steadily.
"This is…" Rasa eyed the water, eyes widening with excitement. "Not Water Style, is it?"
Water Style ninjutsu was chakra-made water, vanishing quickly.
It couldn't create from nothing.
But this…
"No, Water Gathering Technique," Maki said carefully, guiding the water into a container, handing it to Rasa.
Rasa gulped a mouthful.
Facing the expectant gazes, he nodded vigorously. "It's real water!"
Cheers erupted in the room.
"We have a water source!"
"No more water transports!"
"Saves a fortune!"
In the desert, water was priceless.
Hidden Sand sent people daily to fetch water, costing immense manpower and resources.
But now, this skill!
"Maki," Rasa clapped Maki's shoulder, eyes gleaming with camaraderie.
"I'll share the burden, Lord Kazekage!" Maki felt his chakra drain, his expression resolute.
So, this was how Rasa sustained the village—with his chakra and effort.
Now, he could too.
Maki decided: save chakra when possible, using it all to generate water for the village.
"Continue," Shen Mo reminded.
"Right!" Rasa eyed the remaining cans, full of anticipation.
Sadly, this fluke Grand Prize was just luck.
The last forty cans yielded nothing.
Until the final one.
Inside, a small green orb, like a seed.
"Looks like," Shen Mo said, eyeing the seed, "this is your destiny-altering item."