42: No Fear of Bad Luck, Just Fear of Comparison

Looking at Naruto, fist raised, ready to swing…

Kakashi broke into a cold sweat.

Evil.

If evil could be quantified, killing his closest teammate by his own hand wouldn't score low.

"Better not try," Kakashi said, waving him off.

Having seen Sasuke's power, he wanted no part in Naruto's critical hit.

"Did Kakashi sensei do something wrong too?" Naruto's eyes widened.

"Naruto…" Kakashi's voice dimmed. "I've been to war."

On the battlefield, no one's innocent.

Kill or be killed.

Naruto looked at Kakashi, then recalled Konoha's memorial stone.

He fell silent.

"Naruto," Shen Mo said, speaking slowly. "As I said, unless you're a true saint, everyone's got some darkness. The gauntlet judges evil by actions, heart, even the user's will. Since you drew it, how you use and judge it is up to you."

To Shen Mo, this gauntlet was a protagonist's power-up staple.

One critical-hit punch against a foe.

Add Naruto's talk-no-jutsu, and the scene would be epic.

Naruto looked thoughtful but still clueless by his eyes.

Too green.

This wasn't the Naruto who'd faced countless trials later.

"If you want to test your strength," Kakashi said, forming hand signs and slamming the ground. "Earth Style: Mud Wall."

The ground quaked, a dirt wall rising.

Shen Mo saw it instantly.

This Mud Wall was special—soft outside, harder within, built to test force.

"Hit the wall," Kakashi told Naruto.

"A wall?" Naruto griped. "That won't trigger a critical hit."

"Less talk, take off the gauntlet and punch," Kakashi said, annoyed.

Does this kid just want to hit someone?

The others grew curious.

Looking at Naruto remove the gauntlet, strike a pose, and punch the wall.

Just a fist mark.

Typical genin.

Then, with the gauntlet on, he swung hard again.

Boom!

A duller thud, leaving a thirty-centimeter crater.

Way stronger!

And…

Sarutobi watched Naruto, noting the boost wasn't just his right hand but his whole body—waist to arm, fully enhanced.

What's the principle here?

"My strength really grew!" Naruto beamed, thrilled.

"Hmph, still weak," Sasuke snorted.

But his eyes couldn't hide his envy.

This was just the first can!

Why couldn't he pull special gear?

A critical-hitting sword would be perfect against that parent-killing monster.

"Keep going, Naruto," Shen Mo said, chuckling.

The Gauntlet of Justice's strength boost was minor, but Naruto's base power was low, so it shone.

Shen Mo loved seeing the group marvel at the gear's might.

Hooked, Naruto got hyped, as expected.

"More cans!"

He jogged over, humming, reaching for a can.

Shen Mo's heart skipped.

Phew.

At the last second, Naruto grabbed a different one.

His luck, like Tsunade's gambling streak, was strong but not constant. If Tsunade lost every bet, where's the fun?

Shen Mo relaxed.

This can held a body-training experience halo, slightly boosting physique.

Only Sarutobi and Kakashi, first-timers, found it magical.

Sasuke and Tsunade sighed in relief.

They knew experience halos were common.

The next few cans yielded partial fist techniques, incomplete body-forging methods, more experience halos…

Each was extraordinary.

Sarutobi's gaze grew heavier.

Those techniques and secrets, if completed, could hugely benefit Konoha's ninjas. Just Level 1 cans held such wonders?

Then, the seventh can.

Naruto pulled another halo.

"Halo!" Naruto cheered.

Unlike unusable partial secrets, halos directly boosted his strength.

But as he moved to absorb it…

Shen Mo stopped him.

He looked at the halo closely.

Sasuke felt dread, recalling this scene from yesterday.

"M-Mr. Shen Mo," Sasuke stammered, swallowing hard. "Is this…"

"Yup," Shen Mo nodded. "A skill halo."

Sasuke gasped.

Skill halo!

Yesterday's cans, the best was his Heavenly Flying skill halo.

Naruto got one in a Level 1 can!?

Even without gaming know-how, Sasuke felt like cursing this "lucky jerk."

They said it's rarer than one in five hundred!

"What's a skill halo?" Naruto grinned, sensing another score, mood soaring despite his cluelessness.

"Easy," Shen Mo said, patting Sasuke's shoulder, consoling. "It's rare, but Level 1 halos aren't strong. Nothing like your Heavenly Flying."

Sasuke hung his head low, unconsoled.

Gacha's not about bad luck—it's the comparison.

Countless players rage and whale out over it.

"Is Heavenly Flying Sasuke's final move?" Sarutobi asked, catching on.

"Yeah," Shen Mo nodded. "A skill halo grants an instant-use ability. Sasuke's Heavenly Flying was crafted by a sword sage, yet he can wield it despite his level. That's a skill."

Naruto's was a skill halo, but…

Low-value. Just one thousand Trade Points.

Shen Mo included it only as a demo. Skills need no training, are flashy and strong, and insanely enticing.

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