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Jiraiya, who had been pacing around the room, suddenly stopped and said solemnly to Kaito, "Let Tsunade make the decision herself."
Kaito was stunned for a moment, then understood. "So, in the end, Jiraiya, you've chosen the first option."
"Yes... I can't decide life or death for Tsunade," Jiraiya clenched his fists. "All I know is that if it were me, I would choose to live, even if it meant clinging to life in a diminished state."
"I understand."
Kaito raised an eyebrow but didn't try to persuade him further.
"Then we'll proceed as you've decided, Jiraiya. However, I'll need ink infused with chakra to draw the necessary array."
Jiraiya nodded silently, turned around, and opened the door to give an order.
Soon, a waiting Anbu ninja brought the specially prepared ink and brush.
Kaito took the ink and closed the door again.
He instructed Jiraiya to move the experimental table to the corner of the room and placed Terai's corpse in the center of the floor.
Holding the brush dipped in ink, Kaito began to draw the array.
Dense, intricate symbols started from the hollow chest of Terai's corpse, spreading across the floor until they covered nearly half the room.
"Done." Kaito stood up and pointed to two circular patterns at the edge of the array. "Jiraiya, place your hands here later and follow my instructions to channel chakra into the array."
"Understood."
Jiraiya didn't ask any questions and immediately crouched down, placing his hands on the circular patterns as instructed.
"Prepare."
Kaito began forming hand seals.
Spiritual energy flowed through the array, causing some of the symbols on the floor to emit a faint glow.
"Start channeling chakra!"
At Kaito's prompt, Jiraiya's chakra began to flow rapidly from his palms.
In an instant, the entire array seemed to come alive. Countless symbols began to move, continuously drilling into the chest of Terai's corpse.
The sudden massive consumption of chakra left Jiraiya gasping for breath.
"Jiraiya, hold on," Kaito reminded him again.
Jiraiya gritted his teeth, forcing his body to extract more chakra and pour it into the array.
Crack, crack, crack...
Terai's corpse began to tremble. Numerous symbols swirled across his body before finally disappearing into his chest.
After a long while, a white light began to glow from the corpse's chest, growing brighter and brighter until it filled the entire room with pure white light.
"Jiraiya, it's over."
Kaito's voice came through, and Jiraiya collapsed to the floor, completely drained.
As the light faded, Jiraiya quickly propped himself up and looked toward the center of the array.
Beside Terai's corpse lay Tsunade's body, now aged and withered.
"Tsunade!"
Jiraiya crawled over to Tsunade's side, his trembling hand reaching out to check her breathing.
"She's breathing! She's still breathing..." He muttered, tears streaming down his face as he laughed and cried at the same time.
Kaito turned and opened the door, gesturing to Sakura, who was anxiously waiting outside.
"You're Tsunade's disciple, right? Come in."
"Yes!"
Sakura rushed into the room and gasped when she saw Tsunade's condition. She immediately began treating her.
"How is the Hokage?"
"Was the seal undone?"
"Is the Hokage alright?"
"Hokage-sama..."
"Granny Tsunade!"
The other Konoha ninjas waiting outside immediately began clamoring with questions, and Naruto stood on his tiptoes, trying to peek into the room.
Kaito frowned, and Minato quickly emerged from the wall to calm the crowd.
After announcing that Tsunade was still alive, Minato, Naruto, and Kaito left the hospital together.
Once they returned to Minato's home, Minato couldn't wait to ask, "Isn't it time to fulfill your promise, Kaito?"
Kaito lazily slumped onto the sofa and replied, "I know, I know. But right now, I don't have the materials to create a vessel."
"What materials do you need? I'll go find them right away!" Minato looked like he couldn't wait a moment longer.
Naruto, who was sitting nearby, asked confusedly, "Dad, what are you two talking about?"
"Your father made a deal with me, asking me to summon your mother. But right now, I don't have the materials to create bodies for your father and mother."
Kaito looked at Naruto, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
"To be honest, the best material for Minato and Kushina is you, their son."
"What do you mean? Me?" Naruto patted his chest. "What do you need me to do? Just tell me!"
"Naruto, don't listen to him!" Minato urgently tried to stop him, then glared at Kaito. "Kaito!!"
"It's your flesh and blood," Kaito said with a smile, looking at Naruto.
"Oh, I see! No problem!"
Naruto immediately rolled up his left sleeve, exposing his arm, and grabbed a kunai to cut into it.
"Naruto! Stop!!" Minato reached out to stop him, but his hand passed through Naruto's arm.
His expression changed drastically, and he shouted angrily, "Stop! I absolutely won't allow this!"
"Huh?" Kaito's puzzled voice came through.
Minato snapped back to reality and noticed that his right hand had turned purple and was firmly gripping Naruto's hand.
"What's going on?"
Kaito immediately became interested and leaned in to examine Minato's purple hand closely.
"This is!" He looked up excitedly. "Congratulations, Minato."
"What exactly is going on?" Minato didn't let go of Naruto's hand and turned to look at Kaito seriously. "And Kaito, your earlier behavior has made me quite angry."
"What do you mean?" Kaito didn't seem to understand. "Because of Naruto? I wasn't lying. His flesh and blood really are the best materials for you two. And that kind of injury is easy to heal, isn't it?"
"Exactly, Dad! I'm fine! If a little bit of my flesh and blood can give you and Mom better bodies, what's the problem?" Naruto also protested.
"Never mind, you wouldn't understand," Minato sighed. "As a father, I could never stand by and watch my child hurt himself, especially not for our sake. If Naruto really did that, neither I nor Kushina would be happy."
"Well, that's for you to decide," Kaito said dismissively, his eyes still fixed on Minato's purple hand. "The important thing now is the mutation in your soul. Tell me, what exactly have you been through?"
"Isn't your main body over there?" Minato sat down with Naruto, still holding his hand.
Naruto, sensing that his father was genuinely angry, now behaved very obediently.
"It's too far away. My main body didn't relay much information across dimensions," Kaito urged. "Hurry up and tell me!"
"I'll tell you after you finish what you promised me," Minato smiled. "I know how you are. Once something catches your interest, you forget everything else."
"Fine, I get it."
Kaito immediately stood up, quickly reached out, and touched Naruto's head.
"If we can't use flesh and blood, hair will have to do!"
With that, he used his spiritual energy to gather a clump of golden hair and floated upstairs, rushing into the guest room.
"Ah!!! My hair!!! I look like a monk now!!!"
Kaito closed the door, blocking out Naruto's agonized screams.