Hearing Naruto's last words about a "promise of a lifetime" brought back painful memories for Mito—memories of her dead brother. Her anger, which had been burning fiercely just moments ago, began to subside, even if only slightly.
However, Naruto's words shocked everyone in the room. The determination in his voice, combined with the unwavering look on his face, made it clear to Minato that he was completely serious about what he had just said. Minato immediately realized that Naruto might go to extreme lengths to fulfill his promise, and that worried him.
Not wanting Naruto to act recklessly, Minato decided to intervene. He took a step forward and spoke firmly.
"Naruto, don't make a promise like that—one that you cannot fulfill," he cautioned.
Jiraiya, who had been watching the conversation unfold, also felt the need to step in.
"Yeah, gaki, don't do something stupid," Jiraiya added, his tone filled with concern.
Kushina, who had been listening carefully, also spoke up, her voice carrying warmth and reassurance.
"Yes, Naruto, you don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine with just one arm," she said, trying to ease his concerns.
Kushina knew that if this Naruto was anything like her own Naruto, then he took his promises extremely seriously. That thought alone made her even more worried about what he might attempt.
Naruto, seeing their expressions of worry and concern, raised his hands in a calming gesture and gave them all a reassuring smile.
"Hey, hey, you all don't have to look at me like that. I'm not going to do anything drastic," he said before continuing, "And I am serious—you will be fine, mon. I will get your arm back to normal. Just wait for some time."
Kushina, however, wasn't convinced.
"But how are you going to do that if even Lord Fukasaku couldn't help? Please don't do something that will harm you," she pleaded, her motherly instincts taking over.
Naruto simply smiled at her and said confidently, "I'll be fine, mon."
Then, turning his head towards Mito, he asked, "Can you please summon Lady Katsuyu?"
Mito was about to question him, but before she could, Minato stepped forward and addressed her directly.
"Mito, you can ask your questions later. Right now, do as he says," Minato instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Seeing the seriousness in her father's expression, Mito decided not to push further. Instead, she nodded in understanding and performed the necessary hand seals for the Summoning Jutsu. After completing the sequence, she placed her palm firmly on the ground.
A small puff of smoke appeared, and when it cleared, a fragment of Katsuyu's body, about the size of a cat, stood before them.
Knowing that time was of the essence, Minato took charge of the conversation.
He looked at Katsuyu and said respectfully, "Sorry for the sudden summoning, Lady Katsuyu-sama, but we require your assistance."
Katsuyu, sensing the serious atmosphere and recognizing the Hokage himself speaking, decided that introductions could wait. She responded immediately, "Of course, Hokage-sama. What do you need?"
Minato wasted no time in getting to the point.
"Can you sense Lady Tsunade's location and tell me where she is?" he asked.
Katsuyu paused for a moment, seemingly focusing her senses, before responding, "Of course, Hokage-sama. Just give me a second."
A brief moment later, she continued, "Lady Tsunade is currently in Tea Country, near its border."
Hearing this, Minato immediately reached into his kunai pouch and pulled out one of his special Flying Thunder God kunai. Holding it out to Katsuyu, he spoke with urgency.
"Can you deliver this to her and tell her to send her chakra into the kunai? That way, I can teleport to her instantly. Let her know that this is an Alpha-level situation and that we need her help immediately."
Katsuyu, upon hearing the words "Alpha-level situation," understood the gravity of the request. Such a designation meant that someone of great importance to the village was in a dire, life-threatening situation.
She gave a small nod and responded, "Of course, Hokage-sama."
With that, she absorbed the kunai into her body and, in the next instant, disappeared in a puff of smoke.
As she disappeared in smoke Minato's gaze went to Naruto as he asked, "Now, tell me, Naruto, why do you need Tsunade here?"
Naruto turned toward him and replied calmly, "I want her to give Mom a full-body check-up once I'm done reversing the petrification."
Jiraiya and Fukasaku looked at each other in confusion before Fukasaku asked, "But how are you going to do that, Naruto-boy?"
Naruto smirked slightly before answering, "I'm going to use a seal. It will heal her arm just fine."
He then turned to Minato and inquired, "Do you have a sealing room in the house?"
Minato nodded. "Yes, there's one in the basement."
"And are your sealing supplies also there?" Naruto asked.
"Yes," Minato confirmed with another nod.
Satisfied, Naruto formed a single-handed Ram hand sign, and in an instant, a shadow clone appeared beside him. Without missing a beat, Naruto turned to his clone and instructed, "You know what to do."
The clone nodded before walking toward the basement. Naruto then looked at Minato again and said, "Can you create a shadow clone and send it with mine? That way, they can prepare the seal together."
Minato, sensing Naruto's seriousness, wasted no time forming a single shadow clone of his own and sending it to accompany Naruto's.
As the clones departed, Jiraiya folded his arms and eyed Naruto with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. "What kind of seal are you using that can reverse petrification?"
Naruto, unfazed by Jiraiya's doubts, answered confidently, "I created this seal for medical purposes. I'm one hundred percent sure it will work perfectly."
Minato was about to press Naruto further when suddenly, he felt the distinct pull of his Hiraishin kunai activating—the one he had given to Lady Katsuyu for Tsunade. Without hesitation, he vanished in an instant.
Naruto blinked in surprise at the sudden disappearance. "Where did Dad go?" he asked, turning to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya smirked slightly. "Tsunade must have activated his Hiraishin marker, so he teleported to her."
Naruto hummed in understanding before Jiraiya leaned in slightly. "So, you know fūinjutsu?"
Naruto nodded. "Yes. Well, you taught me the basics, and after your death, I learned the rest by myself."
Jiraiya frowned slightly, processing what Naruto had just said. Before he could ask anything, Kushina's concerned voice cut in, "What do you mean, Naruto? Was Jiraiya not alive in your world when you came here?"
Naruto sighed, his tone carrying a hint of sorrow. "No. He died three years before I arrived in this world."
A heavy silence settled in the room. Even though Naruto had come to terms with Jiraiya's death, speaking about it still wasn't easy.
Fukasaku, looking surprised, spoke up. "How did he die, Naruto-boy? From what I know, there aren't many shinobi capable of fighting Jiraiya-boy at his full power."
"Yeah," Jiraiya added. "You told me that I died in your world, but you never told me how."
Naruto's expression darkened slightly. "You died fighting the leader of a terrorist organization named Akatsuki," he answered.
Jiraiya's brows furrowed in confusion. "What the hell do you mean by a terrorist organization, brat? Akatsuki is a peacekeeping organization spread across all the elemental nations!"
Naruto's eyes widened in shock, and inside his mindscape, Kurama, who had been quietly observing, was just as stunned.
"What do you mean by a peacekeeping organization?" Naruto asked, baffled.
Jiraiya tilted his head slightly, as if confused by Naruto's reaction. "Well, it's obvious, isn't it? They promote peace across all the elemental nations. They even once prevented an all-out war between Iwa and Kumo."
Naruto felt his heart skip a beat. He immediately turned inward to Kurama.
"Are you hearing this, Kurama? How can this world be so different from ours? I know Akatsuki was originally founded as a peacekeeping group, but after Yahiko's death and because of Obito's manipulations, its purpose was twisted!"
Kurama hummed in thought before replying, "It's possible that Yahiko never died in this world. Or maybe he did, but Obito wasn't able to manipulate Nagato. Anything could be possible, Naruto. As I've told you before, every decision and every choice creates a new timeline."
Naruto nodded slightly before asking, "What do you suggest?"
"Ask who the leader of Akatsuki is in this world," Kurama suggested. "It might help us understand things better."
Naruto refocused and asked aloud, "Who is the leader of Akatsuki?"
Mito, who had been silent until now, answered as if the question confused her. "Well, it's Uncle Nagato, along with Uncle Yahiko and Aunt Konan. Don't you know any of them back in your world?"
Naruto's breath hitched. "What do you mean by 'Uncle Nagato'? Do you know who Nagato is?"
Kushina, looking at Naruto oddly, replied, "Of course we do. After all, he's my cousin. He comes to visit us every month along with Yahiko and Konan."
Naruto's mouth hung open in sheer shock.
Inside his mindscape, Kurama let out a low whistle. "Well, this just got a whole lot more interesting. It's safe to assume that Yahiko never died, and Akatsuki's purpose was never corrupted. But if you want to learn the rest of this world's history, you'll have to investigate further. For now, focus on your seal."
Naruto took a deep breath, regaining his composure. "You're right. One thing at a time."
Kurama added, "Be very careful with the amount of chakra you supply to the seal. Also, instead of using a shadow clone, use a blood clone. It'll be far more effective in controlling the seal, especially since you can't regulate it by yourself right now."
Naruto nodded slightly. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing."
Just as he was about to continue, he suddenly received the memory feedback from his shadow clone in the basement. The clone had finished preparing the seal.
Naruto looked up at everyone and said, "We can discuss this later. The clone is done preparing the seal."
Meanwhile, with the Clones...
As Clone Naruto followed Clone Minato, they entered the house and stopped in front of a wooden door. Clone Minato pushed it open, revealing a dark staircase leading downward. Without hesitation, they descended the stairs, their footsteps echoing in the dimly lit passage.
After some time, they arrived at a large, circular chamber—surprisingly bigger than the house itself. The walls were lined with shelves filled with sealing supplies, ancient scrolls, and ink bottles. The air was thick with the scent of parchment and chakra-infused ink.
Clone Minato turned to Clone Naruto and gestured toward a corner of the room. "You'll find everything you need to draw the seal over there, on the right."
Following his directions, Clone Naruto walked over and carefully selected a high-quality brush and a large bucket of ink before carrying them to the center of the room. Placing the materials down, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and expanded his senses, feeling the natural energy flowing around him. Within seconds, he entered Sage Mode—his eyelids darkened, and his senses sharpened.
Without delay, he began infusing the ink with Senjutsu chakra, allowing the energy to mix and stabilize within the liquid. Once he was sure the ink had absorbed the nature chakra properly, he dipped his brush into it and started carefully drawing the seal onto the floor.
Clone Minato, who had been watching in silence, grew increasingly curious. He stepped closer, his sharp eyes scanning the intricate lines and symbols forming beneath Naruto's brush. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he finally asked, "What exactly is that seal you're drawing? I've never seen anything like it before. And why did you infuse the ink with Senjutsu chakra?"
Without pausing in his work, Clone Naruto replied, "Well, the boss created this seal from scratch, so it's not surprising that you don't recognize it. As for the Senjutsu chakra, it's necessary to stabilize the seal and ensure its effectiveness."
Minato's interest only deepened. "And what does this seal do?"
Clone Naruto hesitated for a moment before responding, "The boss hasn't given me permission to explain the full details, but I can tell you this much—it was created specifically for medical purposes."
Minato frowned slightly, his sharp mind already analyzing the design. "A medical seal? Then why does it contain the kanji for space and time at its center instead of the kanji for healing? And why does it require Senjutsu chakra for stability?"
His keen gaze followed Clone Naruto's movements as he added more intricate symbols—Yin, Yang, Mind, Body, Soul, and even more Space-Time inscriptions—all meticulously placed within the seal.
At this point, Minato was beyond intrigued. As an expert in Fūinjutsu, it was rare for him to encounter a seal whose purpose he couldn't deduce just by analyzing its structure.
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as his clone suddenly dissipated in a puff of smoke, likely due to Minato being summoned elsewhere.
Clone Naruto sighed, setting his brush down for a brief moment before turning back to his work. "I guess he'll have to find out later," he muttered before focusing once again on completing the seal.
Meanwhile, with Minato...
As soon as Minato reappeared from his Hiraishin, a flood of memories surged into his mind—memories from the shadow clone he had sent with his son's clone to the basement. What he saw intrigued him. The seal Naruto was working on was unlike anything he had ever encountered, and the fact that it required Senjutsu chakra for stabilization only deepened his curiosity. However, he quickly set those thoughts aside, reminding himself that there were more pressing matters at hand.
He turned his attention to Tsunade, who was seated in a private booth inside a restaurant. Across from her sat Shizune, her loyal apprentice, with Tonton nestled in her lap. A waiter stood nearby, ready to take their order. From the looks of it, Tsunade was just about to order something to eat when Minato arrived.
Tsunade glanced up at him, her brow furrowing in mild irritation. "So, what's so important that you had to come all the way here from Konoha and even use Katsuyu to track me down?" she asked, clearly annoyed at the interruption.
Minato took a deep breath before answering, his expression turning serious. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, but this is urgent. Something has happened to Kushina, and we need your help to save her."
The moment those words left his mouth, both Tsunade and Shizune froze in shock.
For Tsunade, Kushina wasn't just a friend—she was family. Her last living blood relative, as well as one of her most talented students. Alongside Mikoto Uchiha and Tsume Inuzuka, Kushina had trained under her guidance, learning medical ninjutsu and advanced combat techniques. When the Nine-Tails had been extracted from Kushina all those years ago, Tsunade had used nearly all of her Hundred Healings chakra reserves just to keep her alive.
For Shizune, Kushina had been like a big sister—someone who had cared for her after Dan died in the Second Shinobi World War. The thought of something happening to her was terrifying.
Snapping out of her shock, Tsunade immediately asked, her voice laced with concern, "What happened to her? Last time I checked on her, which was six months ago, she was perfectly fine."
Minato sighed, knowing that a full explanation would take too much time. "It's a long story, and we don't have time to go into details right now. Just come with me. Once Kushina is healed, I promise I'll explain everything. Besides, there's another reason I was already planning to find you—I need your help with something else as well. But then, Kushina got sick, and I had no choice but to come to you first."
Tsunade hesitated for only a moment before making her decision. "Fine. I'll come with you. But you better have a damn good explanation, Minato." She then turned to Shizune. "Come on, we're leaving."
She stood up from the table and cast a glance at the waiter. "We won't be ordering anything, so you can leave now." The waiter nodded and stepped away as Tsunade placed a firm hand on Minato's shoulder. Shizune did the same, one arm holding Tonton securely while placing the other on Minato's shoulder.
Minato bent down and retrieved the Hiraishin kunai that Tsunade had thrown on the ground earlier. Closing his eyes, he focused on the chakra marker he had placed inside his home. A moment later, the three of them vanished in a flash of yellow light.
--
Minato's Home...
The next thing Tsunade knew, she was standing inside Minato's house. But what caught her attention wasn't the house itself—it was the unexpected number of people gathered inside.
As she had anticipated, Mito was there, sitting protectively beside her mother, Kushina. That didn't surprise her—Mito adored her mother and was incredibly close to her. If something had happened to Kushina, it was only natural that Mito would be by her side.
However, there were other people present whom she hadn't expected to see.
Her sharp eyes immediately landed on Jiraiya, standing near the corner of the room. That wasn't too shocking—Jiraiya had always been close to Minato, so if something serious had happened, he would be there.
But the next person she saw made her pause in disbelief.
It was none other than Fukasaku, one of the two great sages of Mount Myōboku. Seeing him here was highly unusual, which only made her more suspicious about what was going on.
And then—her gaze fell on him.
Standing right next to Kushina was a young man with spiky blond hair, striking blue eyes, and three whisker-like marks on each cheek. He looked exactly like someone she knew. Someone who wasn't supposed to be alive.
Her breath hitched, and her heart pounded. This isn't possible...
Tsunade's eyes narrowed as anger overtook her shock. She immediately turned to Minato, her voice rising in fury. "What the hell is going on, Minato?! Who is this imposter?!"
Her glare hardened as she clenched her fists. "I know for a fact that Naruto is dead. Have you forgotten that I was the one who declared him dead?! I performed the autopsy on his body myself! And besides..." Her eyes flickered toward Kushina. "I don't see anything wrong with her. She looks completely fine to me."
Sensing her rising temper, Jiraiya quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. "Calm down, Hime. You're jumping to conclusions. First of all, the person standing next to Kushina is indeed Naruto—but not the one we knew."
Tsunade's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean 'not the one we knew'?"
Jiraiya sighed. "He's from a different world."
Tsunade was about to argue when she noticed Jiraiya's serious expression—he wasn't joking. But before she could process that, he continued, "And as for Kushina, look at her arm."
Tsunade's gaze snapped back to Kushina. Her eyes widened as she saw that her right arm had turned to stone.
For the first time since she arrived, Tsunade felt genuine concern. "What the hell happened to her arm?!" she demanded.
Naruto stepped forward. "Lady Tsunade, I know this is a lot to take in, but I really am from another world. I ended up here by accident, and even we don't know how it happened. But for now, I need you to trust me. Once mom's arm is back to normal, I'll explain everything to everyone, including you."
Tsunade studied him carefully, trying to determine whether he was lying. After a long moment, she exhaled and turned to Minato. "How did this happen?"
Minato answered, "Naruto was using Senjutsu while Kushina was holding his arm. According to Lord Fukasaku, the nature chakra overwhelmed her, causing this transformation. It only stopped at her arm because she has way less chakra then a regular shinobi "
Tsunade frowned. "I don't know what you expect me to do, Minato, but I can't fix this. Senjutsu was never my specialty. If anyone here can reverse this, it's Lord Fukasaku, not me."
Fukasaku stepped forward, shaking his head. "Tsunade-chan, even I can't turn her arm back to normal. But Naruto here says he can. In fact, he was the one who asked for you to be here."
Tsunade's gaze snapped back to Naruto. "What makes you so sure you can do something that neither I nor Lord Fukasaku can do? And more importantly, why did you ask for me to be here?"
"Well, I'm going to use a barrier seal that will restore her arm back to normal. I wanted you here so you could check her chakra network after I'm done healing her arm. Also, I need your special blood-replenishing pill, the one that increases the production of blood inside once body," Naruto explained.
Hearing this, Tsunade narrowed her eyes and asked, "How do you know about my special blood-replenishing pills? There aren't many people who even know they exist."
Naruto sighed and replied, "As I told you, I'm not from this world. Back in my world, you told me about these pills yourself—just before the start of the Fourth Shinobi World War."
Tsunade's expression turned from suspicion to outright confusion. "The Fourth Shinobi World War? What the hell are you talking about?" she asked, clearly taken aback by his words.
Naruto remained calm. "I'll explain everything once my mother's arm is healed," he reassured her.
Tsunade studied him for a moment, her sharp gaze searching for any deception. Finally, she sighed. "Fine. I'll give you the blood pill, but you'd better start explaining once this is all done," she warned.
She rolled up the sleeve of her right hand and pressed her glowing chakra-infused finger against a storage seal inscribed on her arm. A soft puff of smoke appeared, and when it cleared, she was holding a small bottle filled with tiny, deep-red pills.
Taking one out, she handed it to Naruto.
Naruto took the pill but did not swallow it immediately. Instead, he sent a mental signal to Kurama, instructing him to recall his chakra from his system. He needed to slow down his healing factor temporarily.
As Kurama complied, Naruto felt the absence of kurama's chakra inside his body, leaving only his own natural reserves. Now, with his healing factor subdued, he brought his right hand to his mouth and bit down hard on the inside of his palm, creating a deep gash. At the same time, he bit down on the blood pill, feeling its effects instantly as his blood production surged.
A steady stream of blood dripped onto the floor from his open wound. Naruto continued to let the blood flow until he felt a sufficient amount had been released. Then, he sent another mental signal to Kurama, this time telling him to flood his chakra back into his system and supercharge his natural healing factor.
The effect was instantaneous—his wound closed up rapidly, as if it had never existed.
Now prepared, Naruto went through a rapid sequence of twelve one-handed hand seals, ending on the Ram sign. A massive surge of chakra erupted from him, filling the room with an overwhelming presence.
As he completed the final seal, the blood pooled on the floor began to rise unnaturally, twisting and reshaping itself until it formed a perfect replica of Naruto.
Everyone in the room watched in shock as the blood solidified into an exact duplicate. While blood clones were known to exist, the sheer amount of chakra he had used was alarming.
However, what was even more astonishing was how he had performed the jutsu with only one hand using single-handed hand signs.
There are only a few shinobi who have the required control to master the skill
Kushina, still holding Naruto's left hand in her stone-like arm, frowned and asked, "Naruto, why did you create a blood clone?"
Naruto turned his face toward her and explained, "So that he can control the seal that will heal your arm. I won't be able to do it myself right now."
Minato, still intrigued by the intricate seal Naruto had drawn earlier, asked, "You still haven't told us what kind of seal you're using."
Naruto nodded. "I'll explain everything once Mom's arm is healed. For now, let's move to the basement—the seal is ready."
Hearing this, everyone began heading toward the sealing chamber.
As they stepped inside, they were greeted by an enormous, ten-meter-wide sealing array covering the floor. The intricate design was unlike anything they had ever seen before.
At the very center of the seal was a large square, spacious enough for at least 5 people to stand comfortably. Surrounding the square were four distinct circles, each connected to one of its corners by a series of complex kanji symbols.
Beyond that, another, even larger circle encompassed the entire structure, filled with various other markings and kanji inscriptions. The two ends of this outermost circle met at a separate, smaller circle, forming a precise connection point.
As everyone observed the seal in fascination, the blood clone had entered Sage Mode, its eyes turning into sharp, golden pupils. Without hesitation, the clone stepped into the small circle linked to the larger formation and began weaving a complex series of 126 handed seals, its eyes scanning each movement with absolute focus.
Once the sequence was complete, the clone clapped its hands together and pressed them onto the sealing array.
The moment its hands made contact, the entire seal began to glow, radiating a soft yet powerful light. The kanji markings illuminated one by one, and as the final part activated, a solid chakra platform materialized above the central square.
The blood clone looked toward the real Naruto and nodded.
"Boss, I'm ready. We can begin."
As he said that , everyone present looked at Kushina, who was holding Naruto's hand.
Naruto then turned to his mother and asked, "Are you ready, Mom?"
Kushina, who was still absorbing the seal's structure, slowly nodded. As one of Konoha's greatest sealing experts, she quickly grasped its fundamental purpose. After all, she hadn't earned her title for nothing.
While analyzing the seal, she observed Naruto's blood clone enter Sage Mode and perform an intricate sequence of 126 hand signs—each one executed with absolute precision. She watched as the seal activated, layer by layer, circle by circle, gradually forming into its full function. Then, the clone turned toward the real Naruto standing next to her and stated that he was ready.
At that moment, she fully comprehended the complexity of what her son had created.
She had to give it to Naruto—this was the most insane space-time seal she had ever seen in her life. While its external design looked deceptively simple, the sheer amount of chakra required to operate it was staggering, rivaling even the lower-tier Tailed Beasts. No wonder the clone had to enter Sage Mode—it was the only way to sustain the seal's enormous chakra consumption.
And if her assumption was correct, then this seal wasn't just meant to stabilize her condition—it was designed to fully heal her arm.
But if the seal wasn't controlled properly, it could just as easily cause irreparable damage to both herself and Naruto.
She took a deep breath, turned to Naruto, and asked, "Are you absolutely sure about this seal, Naruto? If I'm guessing correctly, then you know the risks. If not handled properly, this could backfire on both of us, causing untold damage. And the amount of chakra needed to sustain this… are you sure you can handle it?"
Naruto's eyes widened in shock before he grinned. "You figured out how the seal works just by looking at it?"
Kushina smirked, folding her arms. "Of course! I may not be able to use chakra anymore, but I'll have you know I'm the greatest sealing expert in Konoha—second only to Mito-sama! Once I saw how it activated, it wasn't hard to piece things together."
Then, her expression turned serious again. "But, are you sure, Naruto?" she pressed. "If this isn't controlled precisely, the damage could be catastrophic."
Naruto's confidence didn't waver. "Don't worry about the chakra—I have more than enough to sustain it. The blood clone only has enough chakra to heal your arm, nothing more. Plus, I built a fail-safe into the seal to minimize any potential backlash if something goes wrong."
Seeing the unwavering determination on Naruto's face, Kushina felt a sense of reassurance settle over her. Somehow, she knew everything would be fine.
With a resolute nod, she agreed to enter the seal.
Nobody else in the room objected. After all, if Kushina Uzumaki—one of the greatest sealing masters in history—had deemed the seal safe, then it was safe.
Meanwhile, Minato and Jiraiya, the only other sealing experts present, were still trying to decipher the seal's function. They had managed to grasp some of its principles, but they still couldn't figure out how it actually worked.
All eyes turned toward Naruto and Kushina as they stepped onto the floating chakra platform.
The moment they did, a barrier sprang up around them—completely sealing them off from the outside world.
What was even more shocking was that the barrier was floating in midair, connected to nothing.
Then, Naruto's blood clone formed the Ram hand seal and began channeling chakra into the seal.
Everyone present could feel the sheer amount of chakra being poured into the technique.
At first, it was at a genin-level, but then it quickly surged to chunin-level… then to jonin-level… then to Kage-level… and it kept rising.
The elder toad's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. He turned to Minato and Jiraiya, his voice filled with shock.
"That boy's clone has already channeled more chakra than the Ichibi… and he's still going! Just how much chakra does this kid have?!"
Everyone turned their attention toward the floating rectangular barrier, eagerly waiting for something to happen.
At first, there was no visible change in Kushina's petrified arm.
Just as Mito was about to voice her concerns, the rectangular barrier began to rotate—slowly at first, then faster and faster.
Within moments, it was spinning so fast that it became completely invisible to the naked eye.
The only thing anyone could see was Naruto and Kushina standing in midair, as if suspended on a platform made entirely of chakra.
Then, it happened.
Kushina's petrified arm—which had been turned to stone below her elbow—began to change.
The petrification started reversing itself.
The stone morphed back into flesh.
Her arm healed itself before their very eyes.
The process continued until her hand was completely restored, looking exactly as it had before.
The barrier, which had been rotating at incomprehensible speeds, finally began to slow down.
It gradually became visible again as its speed decreased, and eventually, it stopped rotating entirely.
Then—without a trace—it vanished as if it had never been there.
The chakra platform descended back onto the floor.
Kushina released Naruto's hand, flexing her fingers and rotating her wrist to ensure everything was functioning properly.
As everyone watched, the blood clone performed another sequence of hand signs, then slammed his hands on the ground.
The seal shrank in size, rapidly becoming smaller and smaller until it was completely invisible.
After a few moments, the clone lifted his hand from the ground, and the seal was nowhere in sight.
Then, forming the Ram hand seal once more, the clone shouted, "Kai!"
The instant he did, his body dissolved into blood, splattering onto the floor before vanishing entirely.
Jiraiya turned to Naruto with a puzzled expression. "What did your clone just do?"
Naruto replied calmly, "The seal was made using senjutsu chakra as its base. That means it's incredibly difficult to destroy once it's created. So, to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, I built a fail-safe into it."
"Fail-safe?" Jiraiya repeated.
Naruto nodded. "I shrunk the seal down to the size of an atom, making it completely undetectable and unusable. No one will ever be able to find or recreate it."
As Naruto explained, Minato and Mito had already rushed over to check on Kushina.
Minato placed a hand on her shoulder, concern evident in his voice. "Kushina… are you okay?"
Mito also looked at her with worry. "Yes, Mom, how do you feel?"
Kushina smiled, still flexing her fingers. "I'm fine. My arm is completely back to normal."
Tsunade, still somewhat confused by everything that had just happened, turned to Naruto. "Alright, brat—what the hell just happened? Explain."
Shizune, Mito, and Fukasaku also turned their attention to Naruto, eager for answers.
Naruto, however, simply gestured toward Tsunade. "Before I explain, can you please give my mom a full-body check-up? Everything should be fine, but I want to be absolutely sure."
Tsunade nodded and placed her glowing hands on Kushina's stomach, sending a pulse of medical chakra through her body to scan for any irregularities.
After a few moments, she withdrew her hands and nodded. "Everything looks good. There's not a trace of nature chakra left in her body. Now—tell us what just happened."
Before Naruto could answer, Kushina stepped forward and raised a hand.
"I think we all have a lot of questions," she said. "But first, let's move to the living room. That way, we can all sit down and talk comfortably."