Kushina stood rigidly in the endless black void, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. The silence pressed against her ears until her voice tore through it, raw with confusion. "What's going on? Why have you summoned me here? I remember dying. I should be in the Pure Land. How am I still alive?" Her fists clenched at her sides, eyes locked on the glowing white silhouette floating before her. The being's form was angelic yet undefined, a figure of pure light without a face.
The entity's voice reverberated like a storm across the void. "Kushina Uzumaki, you have been uniquely chosen from your world to stand above all living beings one day. I have chosen you to carry out your life's wish." The words rolled like thunder, shaking the space around her. "I have observed your life. I have seen your suffering, your pain. I have seen you abandon your son, Naruto Uzumaki, who is destined to live a life of ridicule and hatred. He will be bullied, shunned, and ostracized. Through trials he will earn love, only to be betrayed once more."
Kushina's face twisted in anguish at the sound of her son's name, her shoulders trembling as the being continued. "So I have chosen to interfere in the fate of your world — in the fate of the Elemental Nations. I will grant you a chance to rewrite history, to rewrite your fate, and the fate of Naruto Uzumaki. Do you accept your second chance?"
Her eyes widened, then narrowed as thought overcame shock. She forced herself to stand straighter, her voice steady though the storm raged in her heart. "You're offering me a second chance? To take care of my son? To protect everything I cared for? What about Minato? Will he be brought back?"
The Outsider let out a sharp laugh that echoed like a blade through silence, its tone almost mocking. "Him? No. He was a pathetic Hokage, a pawn manipulated by the Third and by the forces behind him. I would be a fool to bring him back, and you would be a fool to want him back."
Kushina's lips pressed tight. For a moment she said nothing, her eyes shadowed, then she gave a slow nod. Her voice carried bitterness that had festered too long. "You're correct. He's disappointed me more than enough."
The being's voice shifted, commanding, leaving no room for hesitation. "Enough fooling around. What is your answer?"
Kushina raised her head, her fiery hair swaying in the void as her eyes blazed with determination. "If it means changing the fate of my clan and my son… I will do it."
The Outsider's voice rumbled with approval. "Excellent. To guide you on your journey, I present three gifts. First — the knowledge of the future of your world. You will know what lies ahead for Naruto, for the Leaf village, and for the nations beyond. Second — the Rinnegan, the legendary eyes that grant mastery over life and death. Third — Yumi, a nine-tailed white fox whose power surpasses that of Kurama. She shall be your companion for life, bound to you until the end of your journey."
Kushina's eyes widened as the words seared themselves into her soul, each promise heavier than the last. Her lips parted, but no answer came. The Outsider's final words cut across the void, sealing the moment like a verdict. "Farewell, Kushina Uzumaki. May we never meet again."
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