Just starting his ninja path, yet to face life's harsh realities, Naruto was at the perfect age to be swept up in inspiration.
Especially since…
The hero's path, becoming Hokage to protect Konoha, was already his dream.
Now, Naruto looked at Shen Mo with eager eyes, practically bursting with impatience.
"Meow—"
Haimaru, perched on Shen Mo's shoulder, seemed to wake just then, letting out a soft, lazy sound. Her sapphire-blue eyes curiously scanned the surroundings.
Shen Mo reached out, gently scratching Haimaru's belly.
Looking at Naruto, he wore his signature smile and said:
"Since you're set on a hero's fate, after seeing all those heroes, you must've noticed their common trait, right?"
"Common trait?" Naruto crossed his arms, pondering, then lit up. "Got it—they're mostly buff!"
"Naruto—!" Sakura groaned, exasperated. "That's not a real trait!"
Sasuke stayed silent, just looking at Shen Mo thoughtfully.
Shen Mo smiled faintly, nodding. "You're right. It's being buff."
Sakura: "....."
With a snap, Shen Mo summoned the heroes' images, lined up before them.
Indeed, most heroes—except that bald one—were towering, muscles bulging.
"The power to protect comes in many forms. You could say any power can be used to protect."
Looking at the group, Shen Mo's smile took on a hint of mystery. He continued: "But heroes don't just protect—they carry the mission to inspire confidence and hope. So, a reliable image and awe-inspiring strength are essential."
He'd laid it out this clearly.
The group started to catch on.
"Those heroes earlier…" Sasuke recalled, "they all seemed to have insanely tough bodies. They fought mostly with fists, no deadly weapons."
"Exactly—!" Shen Mo's grin widened, arms spreading. "As they say, raw power trumps all! Naruto, for you, aiming to be a hero, I strongly recommend the Strength Can Series!"
After all that, he'd reached his core goal.
Selling cans.
Sasuke's series was swordsmanship, but that didn't suit Naruto. For a hot-blooded lead like him, nothing beat the thrill of fist-to-fist combat.
Of course, compared to quick power boosts, this extreme physical enhancement demanded more.
"Strength Can Series?" Naruto mumbled, a touch confused.
"Yep—raw power, your body's roar, a fist that channels your will to protect to the max." Shen Mo pointed at Saitama's image, and the scene shifted.
Godlike beings, monsters towering to the heavens—all foes fell to Saitama's earth-shaking fists. One punch broke everything, delivering pure awe.
Strong—unimaginably strong.
Even Tsunade, famed for her strength, gaped at the apocalyptic battles, disbelief on her face.
Could a mere human body really do this?
How did that small frame hide such limitless power?
"Is that the hero's strength?" Naruto's young eyes gleamed with a strange light.
This was working.
"Not just fists," Shen Mo pressed, thrilled inside. "It's also ironclad defense. No attack, not even a cheap shot, can fell a hero. They're the hope of those behind them. So, the Strength Can Series is the path for heroes!"
He'd pitched it this far.
No need for more.
Naruto was hooked.
"Alright! I'll take those cans!"
Fists clenched, he looked at Shen Mo with burning anticipation, already picturing himself one-punching Konoha's enemies.
Sarutobi just watched silently.
No objections—there was no reason to object. The Uzumaki clan naturally had physical gifts. Plus, those scenes, beyond their sheer power, reminded him of someone: the Raikage.
A figure who struck fear in foes and gave confidence to allies.
"Decided?" Shen Mo asked, smiling, for final confirmation.
"Decided!" Naruto nodded hard.
In that moment, his mind flashed with those heroes' images.
Then he pictured himself among them.
Expectation, excitement—he'd become Konoha's hero someday!
"Forty cans to start?" Shen Mo asked.
"Forty!"
"Done!" With a wave, forty Level 1 cans appeared before them.
Instantly, they drew every eye, especially Sarutobi's and Kakashi's.
They were the only ones here who'd never seen these cans, yet already felt their mystique.
On the surface… they looked plain.
Kakashi activated his Sharingan, but they were just ordinary clay jars.
"I'll collect payment later," Shen Mo said, glancing at the two discreetly, chuckling inwardly. He gestured to Naruto. "Just open them. They're only Level 1 cans, but you might get something good!"
This hard sell wasn't just for Naruto.
Kakashi, Sarutobi.
Both had serious buying power.
So, to let them witness the cans' magic firsthand…
Shen Mo had slipped in plenty of goodies.
Naruto's luck was pretty solid anyway.
"Level 1 cans only have quirky but weak stuff, right?" Tsunade said, arms crossed, a veteran of can-opening. "The real treasures start at Level 2, or higher."
Sasuke nodded, relating deeply.
His two hundred Level 1 cans had yielded nothing great.
Just a bunch of experience halos and basic sword moves.
"That's true, but it's also about luck," Shen Mo said, hands spread. "Cans can change your fate, but they're a fate of their own. In my long merchant career, I've seen some crazy-lucky folks. Every can deserves expectation."
--------------------
Want to read ahead? Early chapters on: patreon.com/ShadowKage