After resting for two days, Makoto's squad resumed their usual work rhythm, carrying out the duties of the Hokage Guard.
Time passed slowly, step by step approaching October.
Kushina's belly was getting bigger day by day, and Minato was like an old farmer waiting to harvest his crops—growing happier with each passing day, as if he had temporarily forgotten the troublesome matters tied to the Hokage's seat.
Only Makoto was worrying himself sick. If others saw it, they might think the child was his.
After Uzumaki Naruto grows up, if he doesn't beat him a few times, it would simply be unreasonable.
One day in September, Minato took a day off and stayed home with his wife. Today it was Makoto's squad on duty, rotating shifts with Kakashi's squad, while Genma's squad received two days of leave.
If there was anything special about today, it was that a certain white-haired old pervert had finally torn himself away from the embrace of the ladies of the shinobi world and returned to Konohagakure.
Jiraiya, who had been obsessed with searching for the Child of Prophecy, had finally remembered that he still had a disciple—and that the disciple was about to become a father—so he hurried back to pay a visit.
Everything in the village was peaceful, and Minato would not trouble him with political matters, because he knew that his teacher had no interest in such things at all.
If he mentioned them, with Jiraiya's personality he would simply go straight to the Third Hokage to argue. That would not help his current situation in any way; instead, it would create a rift in the relationship that was still fairly harmonious within their faction.
Given Minato's intelligence, he understood this very clearly.
Jiraiya was very happy, because Minato told him that he would name his child after the protagonist of his first novel.
Although that name had merely been something he came up with casually while eating ramen, it still showed that his disciple respected him just as much as ever.
Not long after finishing his meal, Jiraiya left. In Minato's home, the couple immersed in happiness radiated affection every second. For someone like him—a lifelong bachelor—it dealt hundreds of millions of tons of damage. His poor heart simply could not bear it.
...
Outside, at Makoto's hidden observation point, Jiraiya hopped up onto the roof beside him in two or three jumps.
"Yo, kid. Haven't seen you for more than half a year. Didn't expect you to have joined the ANBU."
"Jiraiya-sama, you've mistaken me. I am a member of the ANBU Owl Squad. Codename: Forest Owl."
"C'mon, don't be so serious."
"Please do not interfere with my work."
"Honestly, don't become like that brat Kakashi. That's really not cute."
"There's no helping it. Since experts like Jiraiya-sama don't come back, we juniors can only work harder and put in more overtime."
"Eh? Do you have a problem with me?"
"Yeah. Is that not allowed? I'm very curious, Jiraiya-sama—this time, after coming back, how long do you plan to stay in Konohagakure?"
"That's classified, you know. Do you really want to ask?"
"No, your answer has already told me. This afternoon, or tomorrow morning, you'll leave."
Jiraiya was a little embarrassed. "Ahahaha, what a sharp junior. You even guessed that. Sure enough, I really shouldn't have shown up in front of you."
"Are you sure you want to leave?" Makoto pointed in the direction of Minato's home. "At such a critical time?"
"Don't make it sound so serious. It's still early." After calculating the timing in his mind, Jiraiya said, "Well, when the time comes, I'll come back. Besides, isn't the village still with sensei and Minato?"
"I hope so."
"Relax, kid. It's peacetime right now. There's no intelligence showing that any ninja village would invade Konohagakure so soon after the war has just ended. Don't let your imagination run wild and make yourself so tense. You need to learn to relax. Well then, goodbye."
After saying that, the old white-haired man ran off.
Relax my ass. Makoto guaranteed that when the time came, Jiraiya would not be able to return. Stopping him would be far too easy. Just release some fake information about Nagato's trio, and he could be lured away immediately.
The disciple at home simply was not as enticing as those out in the wild.
If that really did not work, releasing some information about Tsunade could achieve the same effect. How could a disciple be more important than a goddess?
It was not that he was an irresponsible person. Rather, from Jiraiya's point of view, with Konohagakure's current strength and the state of the shinobi world, there really was no need for him and Tsunade to come back.
Because everyone believed that no one had the ability to break through Konohagakure's layers of blockade and come in to cause destruction.
Those who had that level of strength were already dead. No one knew that an old ghost who was already dead had passed the Nine-Tails' summoning contract to a little ghost who was supposedly dead on the surface.
...
Time entered October, and Kushina's due date was drawing closer day by day.
But the entire village of Konohagakure remained peaceful as ever, with no abnormalities at all. A matter like a jinchūriki giving birth was not intelligence that ordinary villagers and ninjas could know about.
Inside a meeting room in the Hokage Building, the five people holding the highest power in Konohagakure had gathered together to discuss the work arrangements for the jinchūriki's delivery.
This was of vital importance to Konohagakure. If anything went wrong and the Nine-Tails got out, Konohagakure would suffer grievous losses.
However, although Konoha F4 had witnessed the Nine-Tails' power before, they were not overly worried.
After all, that man had already died many years ago.
As long as the Uchiha Clan was not allowed to approach the jinchūriki during the delivery, basically no major problem would arise.
The only ones capable of controlling the Nine-Tails were the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan. But after so many years of suppression and observation by them, no one in that clan possessed such terrifying ocular power anymore.
After exhaling a puff of old smoke, Hiruzen asked, "Fourth Hokage, do the ANBU responsible for guarding Kushina know her exact due date?"
"They do not. This matter is known only to Biwako-sama, her disciple Hebiji, and those of us present here."
Danzō suddenly said, "That may not be so. As far as this old man knows, your Hokage Guard, as part of the ANBU, often violates regulations by making close contact with the jinchūriki. And Higashino Makoto, having learned superb medical ninjutsu from his mother—would he not know?"
Minato frowned slightly. "Makoto does know medical ninjutsu, but he has never had contact with Kushina's body, nor does he know the specific date of her pregnancy, so he cannot possibly calculate the due date."
"Kushina only taught them fūinjutsu. She has never spoken of any intelligence beyond ninjutsu. Besides, even if Makoto knew, I trust he would not speak carelessly."
"Hmph." Danzō said nothing more. It was not that he suspected Makoto and the others. Rather, it was simply his habit to find faults with the young Hokage, so that his old comrades could see that this Hokage was still somewhat immature and required their continued assistance.
If Minato appeared too perfect and flawless, how could the continued existence of Root demonstrate its necessity?
The Third Hokage also reprimanded him. "Danzō, watch your words. Makoto and Kakashi and the others are the future of Konohagakure. They are absolutely trustworthy."
"I never said they were not trustworthy. I merely pointed out the flaw in the Fourth Hokage's statement."
Homura immediately turned the topic back. "Alright. Let's talk about the arrangements for the jinchūriki's delivery. That is the matter that needs to be resolved right now."
Minato had always disliked the way these three old men referred to her—jinchūriki this, jinchūriki that. What, did his wife not have a name?
But he was a gentle person and did not wish to make things unpleasant with these seniors.
"I think there is no need for overly deliberate arrangements. Everything can proceed as usual. She can give birth at home. When the time comes, I will use Flying Thunder God to directly teleport Biwako-sama and Hebiji to the house. No one will notice anything unusual."
"Even if there is a problem, I can use ninjutsu to move Kushina away. On the contrary, if the ANBU were mobilized on a large scale, it would instead make those with ulterior motives notice something unusual."
His meaning was simple: everything would proceed quietly and unnoticed. Both he and his wife were masters of fūinjutsu, and the defensive barrier at their home was no weaker than one set up at a specially prepared location. When Kushina gave birth, the fluctuations of tailed beast chakra caused by the loosening of the seal would not spread outside.
When Koharu heard this, she firmly opposed it. "Fourth Hokage, I absolutely do not agree with such an arrangement. That is the Nine-Tails. If an accident occurs, the entire village will be destroyed. We cannot bear such consequences."
Homura said, "Koharu is right."
Danzō said, "Minato, you are the Hokage of Konohagakure. How can you be so careless about the weight of this matter? I now doubt whether you have truly placed the village in your heart."
Minato: "…"
This is not right, is it? As the discussion went on, how did everything turn toward me? Weren't they discussing the matter of my wife giving birth? Why does it feel like this has become a meeting to criticize me?
Watching the argument among the others, the Third Hokage finally made the decision. "Let me arrange this matter. The place of delivery certainly cannot be inside the village. I will prepare a secret location. At that time, Biwako will take you and Kushina there."
"The outer perimeter will be set with multiple layers of blockade by the ANBU. Absolutely no unrelated personnel will be allowed to approach. That should prevent any problems."
Minato felt uneasy. "Third Hokage, the more preparations we make, the more exposure there will be. The easier it will be for someone to analyze the intelligence. Is this really appropriate?"
Hiruzen took a long drag of his pipe and spoke in the tone of an elder. "Minato, it seems you still do not understand."
"Among those who could break through the many layers of Konohagakure's ANBU blockade and successfully enter the barrier, aside from your space–time ninjutsu, such people no longer exist."
"The real danger is the Nine-Tails itself."
Minato understood. In the end, everyone subconsciously believed that the enemy was not outside—it was inside Kushina's stomach.
All the arrangements focused not on preventing external enemies from invading, but on preventing the Nine-Tails from going berserk.
After all, if there truly were enemies, they would first have to pass the barrier of Konohagakure's shinobi, then face the entire ANBU, and finally confront the many layers of barriers within the delivery site.
But if the Nine-Tails came out, it would only need a single roar to shatter all of that. With a single breath, it could blow Konohagakure into the sky.
In the end, in their eyes, the village would always be more important than Kushina's life. Minato did not think there was anything wrong with that. It was perfectly normal.
But what about himself? In his own heart, which side was more important?
Minato sighed and said, "Very well. We will proceed according to the Third Hokage's plan."
The Third Hokage nodded with satisfaction. The meaning was obvious: young man, listening to us old fellows will never lead you wrong.
Danzō and the other two did not object either. Arranging for the jinchūriki to give birth outside the village was the safest choice. No matter what, they could not risk the village.
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