LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 299: It's Clearly An Illusion, So Why Is It The Same As The Real Thing?
Why? Why is it dark?
Tsunade's headbutt landed solidly, but suddenly everything went black.
Something had clamped down on her head.
"Damn it! What's going on?"
She growled in frustration, pulling her head back with force. Looking up at Finn, she froze when she saw his head grotesquely enlarged several times over.
Her eyes widened. Understanding dawned.
"You—! You arrogant bastard!" Tsunade's voice was filled with rage. Her fists clenched, shaking with fury. "I'll beat you to a pulp!"
She tried to raise her fists, but Finn's iron grip held them firmly in place.
"Let go!" she demanded, her voice trembling with indignation.
Finn smirked, his expression mocking. "Big sheep, I'd advise you to calm down. I've been lenient because you're about to be my... let's say, 'guest.' But if you push me further, don't blame me for being rough."
"You little runt! Stop acting high and mighty!" Tsunade snapped, her frustration mounting. With no other option, she raised her knee to strike a low blow.
Finn's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he moved swiftly. "Oh, no, you don't!"
With precision, he clamped her leg between his knees, stopping the strike in its tracks.
"Are you serious right now? That's low, even for you!" Finn scolded, his tone dripping with irritation. "I've been holding back, but you're really testing my patience."
Tsunade snarled, struggling against his grip, but before she could respond, the ground beneath them shifted.
Suddenly, it felt like the earth had turned to liquid. Both of them sank rapidly, swallowed by the shadows.
"W-what is this?!" Tsunade gasped as her surroundings changed entirely.
They were now in an endless black void, dotted with scattered orbs of light floating aimlessly.
"An illusion?" Tsunade muttered, her sharp eyes scanning the area.
"Not quite," Finn's voice echoed from behind her, startling her. She whirled around to see him standing there, relaxed and confident.
"What the hell are you up to now?" she demanded, only to notice Finn slowly raising his hand in what appeared to be a lazy slap.
Tsunade scoffed. "What's this? A slow-motion attack? Don't insult me."
She sidestepped casually—or so she thought.
Smack!
A sharp pain radiated from her cheek, forcing her to grimace.
"What the—?!" she hissed, holding her stinging face. "I dodged that! How did you hit me?"
Finn chuckled. "Dodged? Look at your feet."
Tsunade glanced down, her heart sinking when she realized she hadn't moved an inch. She was still standing in the exact same spot.
"No way... I know I moved! I felt it!"
Finn clapped his hands mockingly. "Welcome to my world—literally. This is the Shadow Realm, my domain. Here, I control everything. If I decide you can't move, you don't move. Simple."
Tsunade sneered. "Don't give me that nonsense. This is just an advanced illusion. It's affecting my senses, that's all."
"Oh?" Finn tilted his head, his smirk widening. "Think what you want. But let me ask—if it's just an illusion, why didn't you dodge?"
Tsunade folded her arms, defiant. "Why would I? This is all fake. Whether I dodge or not, the result is the same. So why bother?"
"Interesting logic," Finn mused, rolling up his sleeves. "Alright, then. Let's see how long you stick to it."
He approached her with deliberate slowness, raising his hand once again.
Tsunade sneered. "Go ahead. Hit me all you want. It's an illusion—I don't feel pain."
Smack!
The impact landed squarely, sending a jolt of pain through her.
"Argh! Damn it! Why does it hurt so much if it's fake?!" she growled, gritting her teeth.
Finn chuckled, his laughter echoing in the void. "Oh, Tsunade, you're so stubborn. I told you—this isn't an illusion. Everything here is real, and every hit leaves a mark."
Tsunade glared at him, her pride bruised as much as her body.
"I don't care what kind of trick this is," she spat. "I'll break free. Just you wait."
Finn smirked, rolling his shoulders as if warming up for more. "Take your time, princess. I'll be here, ready to 'help' you learn."
And with that, the battle of wills continued, Tsunade refusing to yield despite the overwhelming odds, and Finn relishing the challenge of taming the unrelenting force that was Tsunade.