"I don't know."
Jiraiya shook his head. "You know that ever since the Second Hokage passed away, Minato was the only one who ever mastered the Flying Thunder God. Even Shiranui Genma and the others, who once served as Hokage Guards, could only barely use it when the three of them worked together. And the Flying Thunder God's formula differs from person to person, changing according to the user's physique and Chakra nature... I can't tell either."
"But the Rasengan is unquestionably real. There's absolutely no mistake about that."
"The Uzumaki Clan has already perished, and what we know of their secret technique, the 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal,' is only superficial. Perhaps there really is a way to enter the Death God's stomach and speak with Minato... After all, wasn't that girl sealed inside a coffin for over a century? Maybe she had been in a state overlapping life and death at the time, which gave her such an opportunity..."
As he spoke, Jiraiya involuntarily thought of a former close friend.
If it were him, he'd probably have studied these things thoroughly, wouldn't he?
Unfortunately...
Jiraiya shook his head, driving Orochimaru's figure from his mind before reaching a conclusion. "In other words, meeting Minato is not theoretically impossible."
"Mm..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took several deep drags from his pipe, then exhaled rings of smoke. His aged face looked dark and unreadable amid the haze.
After a long while, he spoke softly, as though comforting himself. "Fortunately, wherever Miss Hikari went these past few weeks, she has at least settled down a little after returning this time. She hasn't immediately caused a mountain of trouble like last time..."
More than a month had passed since the Root Base was destroyed.
Some of the Root ninja sent there had already recovered and been