This Is a Trial of the Heart

Chapter 50: This Is a Trial of the Heart

In such darkness.

Tsunade tightly gripped the ball of light in her palm.

It was her instinctive reaction.

But.

The darkness seemed to begin expanding. Though it had no physical form, she could now clearly feel its expansion and pressure, as if she had suddenly fallen into an endless Abyss and was being devoured by darkness like a raging tide.

What truly terrified Tsunade was that the ball of light in her hand seemed to be gradually shrinking and weakening along with the expansion of the darkness.

Only in the most extreme darkness did people begin to realize how important and precious the light they usually saw everywhere was.

"Don't--!"

Tsunade could not help shouting, but no sound reached her ears.

She did not know whether she had opened her mouth.

She did not even know whether she still had a body. She could not hear her heartbeat. This darkness, expanded to its limit, seemed to have swallowed up every sense she possessed as a human being.

Fear continued to grow.

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

But this ball of light.

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

The unprecedentedly heavy darkness swallowed her whole.

Why?

Tsunade was certain that she had not let go.

Even now.

Though she could no longer sense anything through her body, she was still tightly clutching the object in her palm within her consciousness.

Yet it had still disappeared.

When Nawaki died, she had not been by his side, and had always regretted not being able to hold on to him tightly enough. When Dan Katō died, she had been right beside him, yet the result had been the same. No matter how hard she held on, the final hope would mercilessly slip away from her hands, just like this light.

So I've failed again?

Tsunade's will seemed to be growing increasingly dispirited.

In Shen Mo and the others' eyes.

She looked like a delicate young woman, curled up on the ground. Her hair had long since been soaked with sweat, her face was pale, and her eyes were tightly shut. Even--

The object she held in her hand was giving off a light so faint it was almost impossible to detect.

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

"It's a trial of the heart." Shen Mo continued staring intently at Tsunade.

As long as she ultimately gave up her will to hold on to the object in her hand and let go, it meant that she had failed to gain the acknowledgment of the Holy Light.

And if she continued holding on in this stalemate, the result would be the same.

"What will happen if she can't pass?" Sasuke could not help asking again.

"Nothing." Shen Mo turned his head and glanced at Sasuke. "At most, 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 a nerve.

He had paid a price worth two hundred million to obtain this strength, yet it was still not enough for him to avenge himself against that man.

Either I seize my fate with my own hands, or I charge ahead by paying an enormous price?

Damn it!

Sasuke watched Tsunade nervously as well, hoping in his heart that she would pass this trial.

At this moment, Tsunade.

Had indeed nearly reached her limit.

In such absolute darkness, even an ordinary person's brief stay would be torture for the mind. She still had to constantly maintain the will to keep her hand tightly clenched, without even knowing whether doing so had any meaning.

Her mind was beginning to feel tired as well.

Her fear of the darkness had also reached its limit.

There seemed to be someone whispering beside her ear.

Give up.

You've already failed.

With the Medical Ninjutsu and potions she had drawn, she could still protect Nawaki after his resurrection.

However--

I don't want to give up!

Tsunade shouted within her own consciousness.

Even if it was not for Nawaki.

She hated herself even more for being able to do nothing but become weak and despairing.

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

She did not want to become that self who submitted to the darkness again.

That was right.

Whether she was still holding on to the light no longer mattered to Tsunade at this moment.

What she wanted to grasp.

Was a self capable of resisting the darkness.

This will, this voice, grew louder and louder within Tsunade's heart.

She seemed to sense 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, surfacing only within her mind's fantasies. But afterward, it gradually expanded and projected itself into the darkness outside.

Even--

The palm that had lost all sense of touch suddenly felt a scorching heat.

Tsunade was pleasantly surprised to discover.

The holy light she held in her hand had never completely disappeared. Even at the darkest moment, it had continued to exist in her palm. It had merely been hidden by her tight grip, making it impossible to see or sense. Yet it had truly been there all along.

And now.

This holy light seemed to be gradually merging with the light within her body, becoming indistinguishable from it and growing increasingly hot.

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

"The Holy Light has never been in your hands."

It extended a palm, raised its head toward Tsunade, and slowly drew closer.

"As long as the light in your heart never dies, the Holy Light will always be with you."

Accompanied by words whose source she could not tell whether they had arisen from her heart.

At the moment of contact.

All the light in the world surged into her body.

Tsunade bathed in sacred light.

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

"Congratulations. You passed the trial."

Shen Mo was indeed smiling brightly. It was not only because he had personally cultivated a major customer whose potential he could foresee, but also because he had verified his judgment of Tsunade.

Even though she had once despaired.

As long as she was shown hope, she would fight her way out of the darkness with her life.

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

She could indeed feel it.

That strand of Holy Light in her heart.

Although it was still very weak, she was confident that she could make it grow stronger.

"Thank you."

Tsunade looked at Shen Mo before her, her beautiful eyes filled with gratitude she could neither conceal nor suppress.

"Why are you thanking me?" Shen Mo was startled. Then he shrugged and said with a light laugh, "I'm only 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 this was the kind of trial it would be?" Tsunade gritted her teeth, still somewhat shaken. "You even told me absolutely not to let go. The light had already disappeared. What if I'd wanted to let go and check whether it had fallen onto the ground?"

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

"Hmph." Tsunade crossed her arms over her chest. "In any case, I've succeeded now, right?"

"That's right." Shen Mo's face once again regained the merchant's signature smile. "Would you like a set of Level 3 Chests from the Paladin series? The probability of finding a resurrection item inside is very high."

Tsunade now had new expectations. There was no need to keep her dangling with the promise of resurrection anymore.

Besides, was the first resurrection item meant for Kakashi?

Shen Mo smiled naturally.

Kakashi, are you ready to welcome an exciting life?

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