"Where is this?"
Sasori slowly got up, holding his head.
As his hand touched his head, he was startled to realize that Hiruko was gone, and his body was no longer made of puppet components.
Naruto explained, "This is Dangai, and you are currently in a soul form. Just follow me. When we get to the Soul Society, you'll see many deceased people. Try not to act too surprised… it's a world for the departed."
"Am I… dead?"
Sasori struggled to speak, his voice filled with unease. While he wanted to see his parents, he didn't intend to do so at the cost of his own life.
To achieve eternal life, he had transformed his body into a puppet, leaving only his heart intact. He planned to eventually puppetize even his heart, allowing him to swap parts endlessly and achieve true immortality.
If he had died so abruptly, all his efforts would have been in vain.
Naruto waved his hand and said, "Don't worry. The one with me here is the Shinigami, the overseer of this world. Once you've seen your parents, he'll take us back."
Hearing this, Sasori finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright, let's head out."
Naruto signaled the Shinigami with his eyes.
The Shinigami nodded repeatedly and led the way.
It took more than an hour for them to get out of Dangai, and because of this, Naruto finally received the sign-in reward.
[It is detected that the host has stayed in Dangai for one hour. Sign-in successful. Reward: Hyperbolic Time Chamber]
[Hyperbolic Time Chamber: A legendary training facility from Dragon Ball. Its unique time-space distortion allows for accelerated training. Users can adjust the time ratio inside the chamber, with a maximum setting of one day outside equaling one year inside. Multiple individuals can enter simultaneously.]
Hearing the system prompt, Naruto couldn't help but feel ecstatic.
Although he himself didn't require training, others could use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to rapidly strengthen themselves.
This reward was unexpected yet perfectly logical.
After all, Dangai was a realm made of compressed time-space. Its time density compared to the outside world was staggering. One day in the outside world was equivalent to 2,000 days in the Dangai, which is a 2,000-fold time difference. This far exceeded the 365-fold maximum time compression of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
Unfortunately, the Dangai could only sustain soul forms, making it useless for the living. Otherwise, Naruto would have already relocated his subordinates here.
"Great one, we've arrived at the Soul Society. The area ahead is where the souls I oversee reside. Allow me to search for Sasori's parents."
With that, the Shinigami prepared to depart.
"Wait!"
Naruto stopped him, then added after a moment of thought, "While you're at it, look for Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina as well."
"Understood."
The Shinigami nodded and hurried off.
While the Shinigami searched, Naruto had no interest in sightseeing. Having watched Bleach in his previous life, he was already familiar with the Soul Society's layout. It was akin to a city for the living, though its architecture was more traditional.
What occupied Naruto's mind now was what he would say later.
No matter what, he is Uzumaki Naruto now, so he felt compelled to fulfill the responsibilities of his identity. Since he had come to the Soul Society, it was only right to meet his parents from this life.
Naruto fell into deep thought about what to say to this pair of parents he had never met before.
'Have you been eating well? Living well?'
"Great one, I've brought them."
The Shinigami's voice broke Naruto's train of thought.
Hearing this, Naruto and Sasori exchanged a glance, seeing the same mix of nervousness and anticipation reflected in each other's eyes. Both instinctively clenched their fists.
"Sasori!"
Despite the years apart, Sasori's parents recognized him instantly. After all, Sasori's father shared his son's distinctive wavy red hair, making him easily identifiable.
Sasori's mother, with her long black hair, rushed to his side in just a few strides and enveloped him in a tight embrace.
Whatever Sasori had prepared to say was now stuck in his throat. He couldn't utter a single word, choosing instead to wrap his arms around his parents, his suppressed sobs breaking through.
'That's it?'
Naruto couldn't help but click his tongue.
The touching reunion was undoubtedly heartwarming, but Naruto couldn't forget their earlier wager. Sasori had confidently claimed he wouldn't cry but would calmly explain his current situation to reassure his parents.
Yet here he was, reduced to a tearful child. Naruto had to suppress the urge to mock him.
But before Naruto could laugh, a trembling voice interrupted, "Are you... Naruto?"
Naruto turned to see a red-haired woman… Uzumaki Kushina. Taking a deep breath, he prepared to deliver the carefully rehearsed speech he had been mulling over, "Yes, I'm Naruto, and I..."
Bang!
Before Naruto could finish, Kushina darted forward and enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug.
"You idiot! You big dummy!" Kushina cried, "I told you to live a good life! How could this happen? Your father used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, and now you've fallen to the same fate! My poor baby, you're so young… why did you have to go through such life-and-death trials?"
Kushina's warm tears fell onto Naruto's face, each drop filled with a mother's boundless love and sorrow.
Naruto's prepared words dissolved in the face of Kushina's overwhelming affection. The only thing he could do was hug her back, hoping it would help stem her tears.
It took some time for Kushina's sobbing to subside. She pulled back slightly, placing her hands on Naruto's shoulders, "Let Mom take a good look at you… Not bad! You've grown even more handsome than your dad. But you're a bit on the short side... Well, this place preserves the state of the deceased. From now on, you'll always be my baby boy. Mom will make up for all the lost time. You've gotten so thin… you're clearly not eating well! Come on, let's go home so Mom can cook for you..."
Naruto, overwhelmed by this long-lost maternal love, found himself following Kushina without resistance. She led him to a quaint home.
Once inside, Kushina busied herself in the kitchen, leaving Naruto and Minato alone in the living room, staring at each other awkwardly.
"I was a good Hokage but a terrible father. You've had it rough all these years!"
Minato said, patting Naruto's shoulder.
Naruto waved his hand, "It's not hard."
He wasn't being modest. Thanks to the system, his life had been far from difficult.
Before long, Kushina emerged with a meal, and the family gathered around the table, eating together.
For Naruto, this scene felt like a dream come true for the young boy he once was. A nagging yet loving mother, a calm and steady father… it was the family life that Naruto had always longed for.
Of course, Naruto didn't feel a twinge of sadness. The Naruto who had crossed into Earth, who is young and yearning for love, was likely enjoying a different family's warmth.
'Or, more likely, he was stuck in the grind of 24/7 work as an overworked employee.'
The thought snapped Naruto out of his nostalgia.
Kushina noticed his hesitation and frowned slightly, "What's wrong, son? Is Mom's cooking not to your liking?"
Naruto shook his head and said, "Not at all! This is the best meal I've ever had. But... there's something I didn't get a chance to say earlier."
"What is it?"
Kushina looked puzzled. Since they were all dead, the things in their lives had nothing to do with them anymore. And Naruto had just arrived in the Soul Society, so what could he possibly want to share?
Setting down his chopsticks, Naruto took a deep breath and, with a slightly sheepish tone, said, "Well... Actually, I just came here to see you guys... I'm still alive and well."