Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
The day of Kushina's delivery arrived.
On the surface, Konoha appeared unchanged. Shops were open. Streets were calm. The wind moved gently through the trees.
But beneath that calm—
Tension coiled tightly.
All Konoha shinobi had been recalled. No one was permitted to leave on missions. Every clan was on standby.
Within the Uchiha compound, life seemed normal, yet hidden patrols had already been deployed.
Fugaku stood before the clan shrine, gazing toward the Hokage Rock, unease flickering in his eyes.
The Underground Delivery Chamber
Tsunade, Shizune, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Wen Lan, Naori, Nagato, Yahiko, Konan, and elite ANBU were positioned outside the underground delivery room.
For maximum secrecy, Minato personally transported everyone there using Flying Thunder God.
Not even Minato knew the chamber's actual location.
Only Wen Lan and Naori did.
Across the village, false barrier sites had been set up at the Hyūga, Kurama, Inuzuka, and Nara compounds.
Decoy delivery rooms.
Bait.
Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chōza sat calmly drinking tea in a courtyard, though none of them were truly relaxed.
No one knew which clan would be targeted.
They all knew only one thing—
If the Nine-Tails broke free during childbirth, it would be catastrophic.
Inside the Chamber
A flash of golden light.
Minato appeared inside, holding a sweating, trembling Kushina.
Her fingers dug into his arm, knuckles white.
"It's… time…" she gasped.
Naori immediately activated all three defensive barriers.
Tsunade and Shizune took over.
The delivery room door closed.
Candles flickered.
Kushina's cries were sealed within layers of chakra.
Wen Lan's Mangekyō Sharingan spun to life.
His right eye ability activated instantly, enveloping the entire underground chamber in layered distortion.
Outside, everyone held their breath.
"Ahhh! I can't! I'm not doing this! I'm not having this baby!" Kushina screamed from inside.
Several people exchanged suppressed smiles.
As if childbirth worked like that.
"Push, Kushina! The baby's coming!" Tsunade barked steadily.
And then—
A cry.
Sharp. Clear.
Life.
Shizune cleaned the newborn quickly and wrapped him in cloth before placing him into Minato's trembling hands.
"Congratulations. A boy."
Minato stared down at his son, eyes misting.
He placed the child beside Kushina.
"You did well."
Kushina turned weakly toward the baby, exhaustion softening her voice.
"You really hurt your mother, you know…"
Minato brushed her hair gently.
"He's safe. Because of you."
For one fragile moment—
Everything was perfect.
The Explosions
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Three violent explosions tore through the night.
The ground shook.
The targets—
Hyūga.
Uchiha.
Nara.
Flames painted the sky red.
The attacks were simultaneous.
Planned.
Every person in the underground chamber looked up instinctively.
Minato rushed out from the delivery room.
Wen Lan's eyes turned icy.
"Naori—open the barrier."
"Minato-senpai, use Flying Thunder God. Take me, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru."
"Once we leave, seal it completely."
"Nagato, Konan, Yahiko—assist Tsunade in protecting Kushina."
"Yes!"
Naori opened a gap in the barrier.
Minato formed seals.
Golden chakra flashed.
In the next instant—
They vanished.
Nara Compound
"Where did all these Rain shinobi come from?!" Chōza roared, smashing one attacker aside.
Hundreds of Rain ninja flooded the area.
Coordinated.
Disciplined.
Their goal wasn't slaughter—
It was chaos.
Shikaku snapped a Rain ninja's neck with Shadow Possession and shouted,
"Chōza! Don't engage fully! Evacuate civilians!"
His shadow spread like a web—but it wasn't enough.
Other clans tried to send reinforcements—
Only to be intercepted.
The Rain shinobi stalled rather than killed.
This was diversion warfare.
Hyūga Compound
"Rotation!"
Hizashi spun violently, deflecting attackers.
But several Rain ninja slipped past toward the children.
His pupils contracted.
He threw himself forward, taking three kunai into his arms to shield a child.
Blood dripped down his sleeves.
He didn't retreat.
"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"
A chakra blast pulverized nearby attackers.
Hiashi arrived instantly, stepping in front of Hizashi.
"Take the wounded and evacuate. I'll handle this."
Veins bulged around his Byakugan as he launched into precise, relentless strikes.
But more enemies emerged from the smoke.
The assault did not slow.
Uchiha Compound
Compared to the other two—
They were prepared.
Civilians had already been relocated beneath the shrine.
Dozens of three-tomoe Sharingan glowed in the dark.
Rooftops.
Walls.
Courtyard perimeters.
Any Rain ninja who crossed the boundary—
Was instantly locked onto by cold, crimson eyes.
The night had turned into a battlefield.
And somewhere beyond the flames—
The true enemy waited.
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