This Was a Test of the Heart

In that kind of darkness.

Tsunade tightly gripped the ball of light in her palm.

It was an instinctive reaction.

But.

The darkness seemed to begin expanding. Though it had no physical form, she could clearly feel it spreading and pressing in, as if she had suddenly fallen into a boundless Abyss and been swallowed by tide-like darkness.

But what truly terrified Tsunade was that the ball of light in her hand seemed to be gradually shrinking and fading along with the expanding darkness.

Only in absolute darkness did people begin to realize how important and precious the light they normally saw everywhere truly was.

"Don't—!"

Tsunade could not help but cry out, but no sound reached her ears at all.

She did not know whether she had even opened her mouth.

She did not even know if she still had a body. She could not hear her heartbeat. The darkness, expanded to its utmost limit, seemed to have swallowed all her senses as a human being.

Fear continued to grow.

The increasingly faint ball of light in her hand seemed to be her final hope.

But that ball of light.

In the end, it completely vanished amid Tsunade's terror.

An unprecedentedly heavy darkness completely swallowed her.

Why?

Tsunade was certain she had not let go.

Even now.

Though she could no longer feel the touch of her body, she was still, within her consciousness, tightly gripping what lay in her palm.

Yet it had still disappeared.

When Nawaki died, she had not been by his side, so she had always regretted being unable to hold on tightly. When Dan Katō died, she had been right beside him, yet the result was the same. No matter how hard she tried, her final hope would mercilessly slip through her fingers, just like the light in her hand.

So, had she failed once again?

Tsunade's will seemed to sink further and further.

In Shen Mo and the others' eyes.

She looked like a fragile girl, curled up on the ground. Her hair had long been soaked with sweat, her face was pale, and her eyes were tightly shut. Even—

The item in her hand was still glowing, but the light had become so weak it was nearly imperceptible.

"What kind of test is this?" Sasuke could not help muttering.

"This is a test of the heart." Shen Mo continued staring at Tsunade.

If she finally gave up on her resolve to hold the item in her hand and let go, it would mean she had failed to gain Holy Light's recognition.

And if she remained locked in this stalemate, the outcome would be the same.

"What happens if she fails?" Sasuke could not help asking again.

"Nothing happens." Shen Mo turned and glanced at Sasuke. "It just means she'll have to pay a greater price to change her fate. But not everyone can afford that price."

Sasuke clenched his fists.

Those words had struck right at his pain.

He had paid two hundred million in value for this kind of strength, yet it was still not enough to take revenge on that man.

Either he had to seize fate himself, or pay an enormous price and force his way through?

Damn it!

Sasuke stared at Tsunade just as nervously. In his heart, he also hoped she would pass this test.

And at this moment, Tsunade.

Had indeed nearly reached her limit.

In such absolute darkness, even an ordinary person staying for a moment would suffer mental torment. Yet she had to constantly maintain the will to grip her hand tightly, without even knowing whether doing so still had any meaning.

Her mind was beginning to feel exhausted as well.

Her fear of the darkness had also reached its limit.

There seemed to be a murmuring voice by her ear.

Give up.

You have already failed.

With the Medical Ninjutsu and potions obtained from the chests, you can still protect Nawaki after he is revived.

However—

I don't want to give up!

Tsunade shouted within her consciousness.

Even if it was not for Nawaki.

She utterly hated the version of herself that could only be weak and despairing.

Even if the light in her hand had truly and mercilessly vanished completely.

She did not want to become that person who surrendered to darkness again.

That was right.

Whether she was still holding light in her hand was no longer important to Tsunade at this moment.

What she wanted to hold on to.

Was a self that could resist the darkness.

That will, that voice, grew louder and louder within Tsunade's heart.

She seemed to feel a new light.

It did not come from her hand.

It came from within her own heart.

At first, this light was like an illusion, appearing only within her imagined consciousness. But then it gradually expanded, casting itself into the darkness outside.

Even—

Her palm, which had lost all sensation, suddenly felt scorching heat.

Tsunade discovered in delight.

The sacred light she held had never completely disappeared. Even during the darkest moment, it had remained in her palm. She simply could not see or sense it because she had gripped it so tightly, but it had truly been there all along.

And now.

That sacred light seemed to gradually merge with the light within her, becoming indistinguishable from it and ever more blazing.

Then it dispelled all darkness, transforming the surroundings into a world of light. Before Tsunade, it even took the form of a warm, sacred being that appeared to possess six wings.

"Holy Light has never been in your hand."

It extended a palm and raised it toward Tsunade's forehead, slowly drawing nearer.

"As long as the light in your heart remains unextinguished, Holy Light will forever be with you."

Accompanied by words that she did not know whether she heard within her heart.

At the instant of contact.

All the light in the world surged into her body.

Tsunade was bathed in sacred radiance.

The first thing Tsunade saw when she opened her eyes was Shen Mo smiling at her.

"Congratulations. You passed the test."

Shen Mo's smile was indeed brilliant, not only because he had personally cultivated a foreseeable major customer, but also because he had confirmed his judgment of Tsunade.

Though she had once despaired.

As long as she was shown hope, she would struggle desperately out of the darkness.

Tsunade raised a hand and pressed it against the center of her chest.

She could indeed sense it.

That wisp of Holy Light within her heart.

Though it was still very weak, she had the confidence to make that light grow stronger.

"Thank you."

Tsunade looked at Shen Mo before her, gratitude she could neither hide nor suppress filling her beautiful eyes.

"What are you thanking me for?" Shen Mo froze for a moment, then shrugged and said with a light laugh, "I'm just a merchant. That's all."

Tsunade said nothing.

This was the second time she had sincerely thanked someone.

However—

"Why didn't you explain that the test would be like this?" Tsunade gritted her teeth, still feeling a little shaken. "You even said not to let go under any circumstances. The light was gone. What if I had wanted to let go and check whether it had fallen to the ground?"

"Fallen to the ground?" Shen Mo looked speechless. "I already gave you enough reminders. Any more wouldn't have helped."

"Hmph." Tsunade crossed her arms. "Anyway, I've succeeded now, right?"

"That's right." Shen Mo's face once again wore the signature smile of a merchant. "Want a set of Paladin Level 3 Chests? The chance of getting a resurrection item is quite high."

Tsunade now had new expectations. There was no need to keep dangling resurrection in front of her.

Besides, was the first resurrection meant for Kakashi?

Shen Mo smiled naturally.

Kakashi, were you ready to welcome an exciting life?

Resurrection was finally about to begin. Won't you give me a few more recommendation votes? (^o^)