A Win-Win: Minato and Kushina's Reunion

"Who's there?!"

Kushina, who had been leaning against the corner, sprang to her feet and warily stared at Sasuke, who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Hello, Aunt Kushina."

"Aunt?" Kushina froze, then snapped, "You brat! I'm only twenty-four! Who are you calling 'Aunt'?!"

"I didn't get your title wrong," Sasuke said with a smile. "Before you died, you even touched my face."

??? She had touched his face?

Judging by his height and build beneath the mist, the other party was clearly an adult. Kushina couldn't recall ever doing that.

And what was that about "before you died"? It sounded incredibly unpleasant.

She didn't dwell on the question of being called Aunt and instead demanded, "Who are you?"

"Why have you imprisoned me?"

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

"Tell me, were they real?!"

Faced with her barrage of questions,

"Don't rush." Sasuke had no intention of answering. He snapped his fingers. "Why don't you take a look at this first?"

An image appeared.

Kushina's pupils contracted when she saw the blond baby sleeping soundly in the image.

"Naruto!"

She turned around sharply and said anxiously, "Whatever you want to do, fine, but please don't hurt Naruto!"

"Don't worry. I won't hurt him. But please, Aunt Kushina, don't rush." Sasuke snapped his fingers again.

Minato Namikaze appeared in the image from Cell No. 1.

"Minato!" Kushina's pupils contracted again, and she exclaimed in shock, "You even imprisoned Minato?"

Although the place Minato was in looked quite nice, the image showed the interior from the cell door.

So she understood that Minato had been imprisoned too.

No!

Minato used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. His soul should be inside the Death God's stomach!

But when she noticed Naruto's image in front of Minato as well, she asked in disbelief, "You actually managed to snatch Minato's soul from the Death God?"

"That's not the point."

Sasuke had no intention of explaining.

He held up one finger and got straight to the point. "I have one condition. Give me all the abilities you mastered in life, along with the knowledge that goes with them, and I'll reunite you with Minato and let you witness Naruto growing up with your own eyes."

If she gave him her abilities, he would...

Kushina's breath caught.

She didn't value her abilities as much as Minato did.

And after seeing the High-Level Meeting just now, she was worried Naruto wouldn't be treated well. She was tempted!

She glanced at Minato's image again, then asked tentatively, "Did Minato agree?"

Sasuke snapped his fingers again.

The scene of Minato agreeing appeared before them.

"I can't give you the Nine-Tails."

"Your terms?"

"You can't hurt Naruto. And you said you could let Kushina and me witness Naruto growing up with our own eyes."

"Fine, but I need everything except the Nine-Tails!"

"Also, if necessary, you have to help us protect Naruto."

"Easy."

"How can I trust that you'll keep your word?"

"You can only trust me."

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

"Just think to yourself, 'I give him everything except the Nine-Tails.'"

"That's all?"

"That's all!"

"Good! As expected of the Fourth Hokage. Decisive and straightforward!"

"Now keep your promise."

After watching the scene, Kushina snapped, "You already made a deal with Minato. Why are you asking me too?"

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

"A win-win?" Kushina was bewildered. How was that a win-win?

Suddenly, a thought struck her. She cried out in shock, "Your idea of a win-win is to win twice?"

Sasuke gave her an approving look, as if she were a quick learner, then gestured for her to go ahead.

He knew Kushina wouldn't refuse.

Refusing might mean Minato's sacrifice had been for nothing. The sunk cost was too great; she didn't dare take that gamble!

Kushina's expression shifted repeatedly. Then, sounding somewhat resigned, she said, "Fine, take it! Take it! You greedy little brat!"

Just as Sasuke had expected, she didn't dare take that gamble!

Compared to Minato, her abilities were insignificant.

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

Whatever methods the other party had used to convince Minato, she could only accept it.

Ding!

Would you like to give all your abilities to the Lord of Souls?

Lord of Souls? ...No wonder he could snatch Minato's soul from the Death God.

Without giving it much thought, Kushina made up her mind. Yes!

A notification sounded in Sasuke's mind.

Ding!

Congratulations, master. You have obtained all of Kushina's abilities!

Likewise, a mysterious sensation told Kushina that her abilities had been handed over. She said, "There. Happy now, brat?"

Hah, women!

All because he'd called her Aunt once, and now she kept calling him a brat.

"Of course!" Sasuke snapped his fingers.

In an instant, he and Kushina appeared in Cell No. 1, while Cell No. 2 went completely dark.

"Minato!"

"Kushina!"

At last, they were reunited. Kushina's eyes reddened as she threw herself into Minato's arms. They held each other tightly, as though they wanted to merge into one.

Tears glimmered in their eyes—tears of excitement and the joy of reunion.

Even though they hadn't been apart for long, reuniting after death made it feel as if a lifetime had passed.

"Is it really you, Minato?" Kushina lifted her head and cupped Minato's face.

"It's me!" Minato clasped the back of Kushina's hand and nodded. "Kushina, it really is me!"

"That's wonderful!" Kushina finally couldn't hold back her tears of joy.

"I'm sorry, Kushina. I got you killed..." Minato gently wiped away the tear sliding down her cheek. Remembering Sasuke's words, his face was full of guilt.

"No..."

"Listen to me. The truth is..." Minato explained the matter of the Jinchuriki to her.

"No, that's all in the past, Minato." Kushina shook her head. "I don't mind. I know you didn't have to die either. It was because of me... And besides, aren't we doing fine now?"

"Kushina..."

"Minato..."

Watching the two of them ignore everyone else, clinging to each other as they poured out their feelings—and nearly kissing—Sasuke leaned against the wall and coughed twice.

"Ahem..."

!!!!

The two of them jolted and hurriedly pulled apart.

"You brat! Why are you still here?" Kushina angrily shook her fist.

"Brat?" Minato was taken aback.

"Minato, do you know? He actually called me Aunt, and then he said..." Kushina immediately launched into a vivid complaint.

After listening, Minato's gaze flickered. He turned to Sasuke and said, "You've already gotten what you wanted. Could you satisfy our curiosity and tell us who you are in the real world?"

"Do you really want to know who I am?" Sasuke smiled, then nodded. "All right."

"But before that, you two will be living here from now on. It might get a little dull, so as thanks for your abilities, I can give you a change of scenery."

With that, he snapped his fingers.

In an instant, the view before Minato and Kushina shifted, and they found themselves in a comfortably furnished house with a warm, homey layout.

Sasuke walked to the window and gestured toward the scenery outside. "This place only spans a little over ten kilometers in every direction, but it has all kinds of plants and animals. Time and the seasons change just like in the outside world. You can treat it as a vacation. Consider it my thanks for your abilities."

Through the window, they saw the sunlight, greenery, and lake. They heard the faint calls of birds and insects. The Fourth Hokage and his wife were moved. They exchanged a smile.

A vacation?...

It didn't sound so bad...