The effect was immediate.
The moment the necklace settled around her neck; Tsunade felt a subtle yet profound shift. The memories that once crushed her under their weight—ones that brought unbearable pain the moment she recalled them—still hurt. But now, they lacked that paralyzing, all-consuming despair.
It was as if she were clinging to a straw on the edge of a cliff, dangling over an endless abyss, yet she refused to let go.
"So, this is courage..." she murmured, her voice trembling. Her eyes welled with uncontrollable tears.
For the first time, she began to grasp why Nawaki had charged forward with reckless determination, why Dan had been willing to sacrifice everything. To protect what mattered most, they faced pain, fear, and despair head-on, refusing to yield. That, she realized, was courage.
"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune's concerned voice broke through. She was staring at Tsunade, her worry etched deep.
In all the years she had served Tsunade, never had she seen her mentor cry—not even during her solitary, drunken bouts of sorrow.
Tsunade blinked, breaking free from her trance. She glanced at her pale, unscarred forearm, then, without warning, dragged her crimson-painted nails across her skin in a deliberate slash.
The sharp pain was followed by the sight of dark red blood pooling and dripping down.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune gasped, rushing forward to stop the bleeding.
"Shizune!" Tsunade shouted sharply.
The young woman froze, her hands trembling in mid-air. She knew.
Tsunade's hemophobia—her crippling fear of blood—had, for years, rendered her a trembling wreck at even the smallest cut.
But now...
Shizune realized with a jolt: there was no trembling.
Tsunade's gaze remained fixed on her bleeding arm. Her eyes still held traces of fear—fear of the memories that blood inevitably dredged up. Yet she stood her ground.
She was not shaking.
From where he sat, Seth observed a slight smile ghosting across his lips as he took a sip of sake.
As expected,
The Cross of Courage worked just like the aura buff of a DND Cleric. It was a straightforward enhancement, boosting resistance against psychological fears and doubts.
Tsunade's hemophobia was rooted in trauma, and with the necklace bolstering her resolve, her tolerance for fear had noticeably increased.
Though not a complete cure, it was a step in the right direction. With time and effort, she could adapt, practice, and overcome her phobia entirely.
He chuckled to himself.
When Orochimaru inevitably came seeking her help, what would his reaction be upon discovering her newfound fearlessness—and the arsenal of high-grade potions now at her disposal?
Well, that was not his concern.
As Tsunade continued her self-imposed trial, Seth quietly tallied his day's earnings.
Tsunade had earned a staggering 10.4 million Ryo—equivalent to 600,000 transaction points—on his goods.
His costs? Including the jars and their contents, roughly 150,000 points.
Pure profit: 450,000 points.
A solid 300% return.
Indeed, selling jars was the perfect business. It was an enterprise designed to wring every coin from a buyer's pockets.
The only disappointment? Tsunade was poorer than he had expected.
He glanced through his inventory, eyeing a few items he had been saving up for.
The Dark-Dark Fruit: 2.1 million points.
Wolverine's regenerative powers: 1.1 million.
Professor X's telekinesis: 1.7 million.
Everything worth having comes with a seven-figure price tag. Worse, creating custom abilities using transaction points would double the cost.
Still broke.
He briefly considered settling for less extravagant items. But Seth knew himself well. He was not a fighter. He lacked both instincts and interest. For him, abilities were purely for self-defense. And while Tsunade might be an upright person, not everyone he met would be so trustworthy.
If today's customer had been Orochimaru, he would have had to burn through every point just to escape with his life.
Maybe… he could buy subordinates?
If he did not want to fight, having a powerful and loyal follower was a valid strategy.
An image popped into his mind: a character he had always admired.
Strategic-use Universal Angel—Ikaros.
The Queen of the Skies from Heaven's Lost Property. Immensely powerful, supremely obedient after bonding, and most importantly...
Beautiful.
Sweet-tempered, utterly loyal, and with plenty of room for "customization." Seth's favorite type.
He quickly searched from his inventory.
There she was.
Price: 82 million points.
Seth grimaced, barely stopping himself from reacting outward.
Why was she so expensive? Even Professor X's telekinesis was a fraction of that.
It took him a while to understand.
Abilities like the Dark-Dark Fruit or telekinesis were latent talents. Their true potential depended on the user's development. Even Wolverine's regenerative powers—while a static trait—only justified its million-point price due to its standalone practicality.
But for someone like Ikaros?
She was not just a powerful asset. She was a fully formed entity with immense abilities right outside of the box. That level of perfection came at a premium.
Seth stared at her mental image, then at his inventory list.
His resolve solidified.
He had a new goal.
Make money. Buy Ikaros.
"Tsunade-sama," he said aloud, drawing her attention. She had looked away from her bleeding arm and was letting Shizune tend to it. Seth reached into his bag and handed her an item. "This is for you."
"What's this?" she asked, accepting it.
It was a meticulously crafted emblem, its design matching the mark that had briefly appeared on Seth's forehead during their earlier dealings.
"The Omniscient Badge," Seth explained. "A token exclusively for second-tier customers. It serves as a communicator. Channel a small amount of chakra into it, and you can summon me anytime. Should you wish to buy more jars in the future, simply use this."
The badge had cost him 3,000 points due to its custom design. But the investment was worth it.
Tsunade might be broken now, but with her influence and skills, replenishing her funds would be easy. She was a high-value client.
"Oh? You are leaving already?" she asked, examining the badge with a curious gaze.
"I am a merchant," Seth said with a smile, his meaning clear.
You are out of money. Why would I stay?
Tsunade leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on her knees. Her golden eyes glimmered, locking onto his with newfound sharpness.
"This mark of yours… the 'Omniscient Eye,' as you call it. Does that mean the jars you sell are truly omnipotent? Can they grant any wish?"
Her voice carried a weight of seriousness, laced with the faintest edge of desperation.
Seth subtly tucked a 3,000-point protective talisman into his pocket, glancing at the teleportation item in his inventory for reassurance.
Time to take a gamble.
He smiled faintly.
"Whether they are omnipotent, I cannot say. But I can tell you this—many who have bought my jars have achieved the impossible."
Tsunade's gaze sharpened. "Such as?"
Seth met her eyes and slowly, deliberately, uttered a single word:
"Resurrection."