Kabuto Yakushi was paralyzed by the same existential dread that had haunted him for years. He was an orphan, stripped of his true identity, and forced by a cruel fate to kill the only mother figure he had ever known. He had surrendered his own will entirely to Lord Orochimaru because he had lost all sense of self-worth or meaning.
What if Lord Orochimaru truly fails and dies in that coffin?
He violently forced the thought away. Survival meant action.
"Master Shen Mo," Kabuto said, his voice cautious but steady, "I must secure our inheritance. My current strength is dangerously insufficient. I need to purchase some Jars to increase my power."
"Of course." Shen Mo readily agreed, raising his staff.
A rush of information—the Guild's pricing structures, the purchasing regulations, and the fundamental Jar mechanics—flooded Kabuto's mind. Kabuto, being a master analyst, quickly digested the complexity.
"Master, can the series be changed freely?" Kabuto keenly focused on a critical loophole.
"Tier One Jars are introductory and cannot be purchased after becoming a member," Shen Mo replied. "Tier Two Jars have no limits on series or quantity. However, the last ten Jars—from the 490th to the 500th—have an increased chance of yielding a Destiny Item, which is closely related to the series you choose."
The rules were simple, clear, and designed to prevent manipulation.
Kabuto pursed his lips, his gaze deferential. "My greatest strength is analysis and calculation. Is there a suitable series you would recommend for me?"
Like any intelligent person facing a vast, unknown system, Kabuto preferred to rely on the expert. He needed guidance tailored to his specific talents.
"Analysis and calculation?" Shen Mo fixed Kabuto with a piercing gaze, one that seemed to dissect his thoughts, personality, and past simultaneously. "Then let us introduce you to the Alchemy Series. It suits you perfectly."
A faint chill ran down Kabuto's spine. Despite Shen Mo's calm demeanor, the feeling of being completely understood—as if his entire being were an open book—was profoundly unsettling. He fought down the rising panic.
"What exactly is the Alchemy System?" Kabuto asked, striving for professional detachment. He needed to analyze and purchase based on his next move.
"Alchemy is a discipline focused on the creation of complex objects through the application of precise knowledge," Shen Mo explained. "It is found across countless worlds, but most forms follow three core processes: Understanding, Decomposition, and Reconstruction."
The Alchemy Series was not from a single world but was a composite, generalized system, containing various specialized sub-professions.
Seeing Kabuto's blank look, Shen Mo extended his open palm.
"Allow me a simple demonstration," he said, a strange, knowing smile playing on his lips. "In one advanced branch of Alchemy, life is understood as a mere combination of body, soul, and spirit. The body, composed of simple trace elements, can be gathered entirely from nature."
As he finished speaking, a miniature vortex formed above his palm. Particles of matter gathered, and slowly, a white structure began to take shape.
Kabuto's eyes went wide. It was the delicate skeleton of a bird!
He leaned in, his analytical mind reeling, desperate to understand the mechanics of this impossible power.
The skeleton finished forming, and then, at incredible speed, cells, blood, muscle, and organs materialized, wrapping around the bone. Before their very eyes, the body of a beautiful, yellow-feathered bird was completed.
"I... Is this...?" Kabuto's body trembled slightly. Creation of life from nothing? Is that truly possible?
"Next comes the Soul," Shen Mo stated calmly.
A swirling cloud of ethereal mist formed above the tiny bird. Gradually, an invisible, cohesive mass took form—the component of the soul. The substance sank into the bird's body, causing it to twitch with unconscious movement.
"Finally, the Spirit." Shen Mo concluded.
A final flash of faint light, and the bird came fully to life. It flapped its wings with astonishing agility, attempting to fly, but was constrained by an invisible barrier surrounding Shen Mo's palm. It chirped frantically, a sound of genuine panic.
"Creation of a completely new life..."
Kabuto stared, unable to articulate the immensity of what he had witnessed. Defying the laws of his known world, a living, breathing creature with a soul had been conjured from pure will and knowledge.
"This is advanced Alchemy," Shen Mo said, extending his hand.
Kabuto instinctively took the tiny bird. Feeling its fierce, desperate struggle in his palm, he knew with absolute certainty that it was real.
Creation of life from the void. Alchemy was not just about transmuting metals; it was a fundamental power over existence.
Kabuto's analytical mind was overwhelmed. Questions about the origin of life, the truth of the world, and the definition of the soul flooded his consciousness. Encountering this miraculous field was like trying to run complex quantum physics on a relic computer.
"This species belongs to no world," Shen Mo continued, his tone clinical. "I have not given it a meaning or a true existence within this reality. Therefore, I granted it a lifespan of exactly one hour."
"An hour..."
A roaring void opened in Kabuto's mind. All his careful, logical thoughts scattered.
He looked down at the vibrant yellow bird in his hand. It looked slightly tired, its rapid breathing visible. It angrily turned its head, pecking his hand with its sharp beak in a bid for freedom.
"Without a meaning or a way to live, one can only await death..." Kabuto's eyes fell, a self-deprecating smile twisting his lips. He saw his own reflection in the panicked, finite struggle of the bird.
Then, he looked up abruptly.
"Master!" he pleaded, his voice cracking, his previous caution entirely abandoned. "Please, show mercy and grant it a normal life. I am willing to pay any price to ensure it lives like the other birds."
In that moment, he wasn't thinking about power. He was thinking only of the small, frantic creature struggling for a life it hadn't asked for. He saw his own terrifying, purposeless existence staring back at him.
Would you like Kabuto to begin opening Alchemy Series Jars to find a new purpose, or should Shen Mo further address Kabuto's sudden existential crisis?