A Win-Win, Minato and Kushina Meet.

"Who's there!"

Kushina, who had been leaning against the corner of the wall, stood up abruptly, her face full of vigilance as she stared at the suddenly appearing Sasuke.

"Hello, Aunt Kushina."

"Aunt?" Kushina was stunned for a moment, then raged, "You brat, I'm only twenty-four! Who are you calling an aunt!"

"I'm not wrong, though," Sasuke chuckled. "Before you died, you even pinched my cheeks."

What? She pinched his cheeks?

Judging by the height and build visible through the mist, the person before her was clearly an adult, and Kushina couldn't recall this at all.

And that talk about "before you died"—it was unsettling to hear.

Setting aside the "aunt" issue, she pivoted to her interrogation: "Who exactly are you?"

"What is your purpose in imprisoning me?"

"And why did you show me those things just now!"

"Tell me, was that real!"

To this barrage of questions, Sasuke showed no intention of answering. He simply snapped his fingers. "How about you take a look at this first?"

An image materialized before them.

Seeing the golden-haired infant fast asleep in the frame, Kushina's pupils constricted.

"Naruto!"

She whipped her head around, her voice tight with anxiety. "Do whatever you want to me, but please, don't hurt Naruto!"

"Rest assured, I won't harm him, but please don't be so impatient, Aunt Kushina." Sasuke snapped his fingers again.

Inside Cell No. 1, an image of Minato Namikaze appeared.

"Minato!" Kushina's pupils shrank once more, and she gasped in shock, "You actually imprisoned Minato too?"

Although the environment Minato was in appeared quite comfortable, the angle of the projection was from the cell door looking inward.

Therefore, she understood that Minato was being held captive as well.

No, that's not right!

Minato used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal; his soul should be in the belly of the Death God!

Noticing that Minato in the image was also looking at a projection of Naruto, she asked in disbelief, "You actually managed to snatch Minato's soul from the hands of the Death God?"

"That is not the point."

Sasuke had no intention of explaining.

He held up a single finger, cutting straight to the chase: "One condition. Hand over all the abilities and corresponding knowledge you possessed during your lifetime, and I will allow you to reunite with Minato and personally witness Naruto's growth."

If I hand over my abilities, I can...

Kushina's breath hitched.

Compared to Minato, she didn't value her abilities all that much.

Combined with the High-Level Meeting she had just witnessed, her fear that Naruto wouldn't be treated well made her heart waver!

Taking one more look at the image of Minato, she felt a stir in her heart and probed, "Has Minato agreed?"

Sasuke snapped his fingers again.

The segment where Minato agreed appeared in the form of a projection.

"I cannot give you the Nine-Tails."

"That is a requirement."

"You must not harm Naruto, and you said you would allow Kushina and me to witness his growth with our own eyes."

"That is acceptable, but I require everything else besides the Nine-Tails!"

"Also, when necessary, you must help us protect Naruto."

"A minor issue."

"How can I trust that you will keep your word?"

"You have no choice but to trust me."

"How do I give you the abilities you want?"

"Silently recite in your heart: 'I surrender everything except the Nine-Tails to you.'"

"It's that simple?"

"It's that simple!"

"Very well! As expected of the Fourth Hokage—decisive and straightforward!"

"It is time to fulfill your promise."

After viewing the images, Kushina demanded angrily, "Since you already made a deal with Minato, why are you coming to me for more?"

Sasuke chuckled. "It's a win-win!"

"A win-win?" Kushina paused, bewildered. What kind of win-win was this?

Suddenly, a flash of realization struck her, and she exclaimed in shock, "Your 'win-win' means you win twice?"

Sasuke wore an expression of approval, looking as if he were praising a teachable student, before gesturing for her to proceed.

He knew Kushina would not refuse.

Refusal might mean Minato's sacrifice would go to waste; the sunk cost was simply too high, and she dared not gamble!

Kushina's expression shifted rapidly before she spoke with a sense of resignation: "Fine, take it! You greedy little brat!"

Just as Sasuke had anticipated, she dared not gamble.

Compared to Minato, her own abilities seemed insignificant.

She was willing to trust and respect Minato's decision.

Regardless of what methods the other party had used to persuade Minato, she had no choice but to accept it.

Ding!

Confirm transfer of all abilities to the Lord of Souls?

The Lord of Souls, is it? ...No wonder he was able to snatch Minato's soul from the hands of the Death God.

Without further hesitation, Kushina made a mental decision: Yes!

Immediately, a notification chimed in Sasuke's mind.

Ding!

Congratulations to the host for acquiring all of Kushina's abilities!

Likewise, a mysterious sensation made Kushina realize her powers had been surrendered. She spoke up, "There, you little brat, are you satisfied now?"

Heh, women!

Just because he called her "Auntie" once, she kept calling him a little brat.

"Of course!" Sasuke snapped his fingers.

Instantly, he and Kushina appeared inside Cell No. 1, while Cell No. 2 fell into complete darkness.

"Minato!"

"Kushina!"

Finally able to see each other, Kushina's eyes reddened as she threw herself into Minato's arms in a flurry of emotion. The two embraced tightly, as if trying to merge their very souls into one another.

Crystal-clear tears shimmered in their eyes—tears of agitation, but also the joy of reunion.

Even though they had only been separated for a short time, meeting again after death felt like a lifetime had passed.

"Is it really you, Minato?" Kushina looked up, cradling Minato's face in her hands.

"It's me." Minato gripped the back of Kushina's hands tightly and nodded. "Kushina, it really is me!"

"That's wonderful!" Kushina could no longer hold back, weeping with joy.

"I'm sorry, Kushina, it was me who caused your death..." Minato gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Remembering Sasuke's words, his face was filled with guilt.

"No—"

"Listen to me, actually..." Minato explained the situation regarding the Jinchuriki.

"No, it's in the past, Minato." Kushina shook her head. "I don't care. I know you didn't have to die, it was because of me... and besides, aren't we doing just fine now?"

"Kushina..."

"Minato..."

Watching the two of them acting as if no one else were around, pouring their hearts out and nearly kissing, Sasuke leaned against the wall and coughed twice.

"Ahem!"

!!!!

The two jumped, pulling apart abruptly.

"You bastard brat, why are you still here?" Kushina waved her fist in annoyance.

"Brat?" Minato blinked in confusion.

"Minato, you wouldn't believe it, he actually called me 'Auntie' and even said..." Kushina immediately began a vivid and dramatic complaint.

After listening, Minato's gaze flickered as he turned to Sasuke. "You have already obtained what you wanted. Now, could you satisfy our curiosity as a couple and introduce your identity in the real world?"

"You want to know my identity that badly?" Sasuke smiled, then nodded. "Very well."

"But before that, since you two will be living here for the foreseeable future, the days might get a bit dull. To thank you for your abilities, I can change your environment."

With that, he snapped his fingers.

Instantly, Minato and Kushina felt the scene shift before their eyes, and they appeared inside a fully furnished, cozy home.

Sasuke walked to the window and gestured to the surroundings outside. "Although this area is only about ten kilometers wide, it has everything you need—plants, animals, and the same passage of time and seasons as the outside world. You two can treat this as a vacation. Consider it a token of my gratitude for your abilities."

Looking through the window at the sunlight, the greenery, and the lake, and listening to the faint chirping of birds and insects... the Fourth Hokage and his wife were deeply moved, sharing a smile.

A vacation, huh?

That didn't sound too bad at all.