On October 8, Uchiha Mai arrived in Konoha as scheduled.
To show how seriously he took Kushina's delivery, Uchiha Mai had deliberately arrived two days early.
As her due date approached, Konoha seemed unchanged on the surface, but the Anbu and the Void Division grew tense, setting up all manner of defenses out of the public eye.
Kushina's status was simply too special. She was both the Naruto's wife and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. No amount of caution was excessive.
The tenth.
Namikaze Minato, Uchiha Mai, Tsunade, and Biwako Sarutobi brought the expectant mother, Kushina, to a natural cave several kilometers outside Konoha.
Biwako was the midwife, Tsunade the emergency physician, Namikaze Minato the birth partner, and Uchiha Mai the bodyguard. The lineup was both luxurious and comprehensive.
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen led the Anbu and other experts in establishing the very last line of defense within Konoha.
When a Jinchuriki gave birth, the seal's effectiveness dropped to its lowest point. Even if Namikaze Minato reinforced it promptly, the Jinchuriki's unprecedented physical weakness meant the seal could do little.
Even without outside interference, there was still a chance that the Nine-Tails would break free.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had to ensure that even if the Nine-Tails went berserk, the damage to Konoha would be limited. He certainly had not been sitting idle.
Outside Konoha.
Uchiha Mai sat outside the cave with an arm around Tsunade's shoulders, keeping watch over their surroundings.
Kushina's cries and screams of pain echoed from the delivery room, mingled with encouragement from Master Minato and Biwako.
As an outsider, Uchiha Mai felt too awkward to enter the delivery room. Tsunade was there for emergencies, and since she was not needed yet, she simply stayed outside to keep him company.
"Hey."
Tsunade gazed up at the stars in the night sky,