The Night That Changed

"Smack!"

"Secret Scroll Clone."

Yun clapped his hands together. A cloud of smoke appeared on the riverbed beside him, but the figure within remained indistinct and never fully appeared.

Yun's lips curled upward. Just as he'd thought, the Secret Scroll created by the rules' evolution had many uses. It wasn't merely an extra life, as the prompt suggested.

Of course, the extra life was its most important function. From today onward, as long as he and his clone didn't die on the same day, the clone would refresh after midnight and he would be able to come back to life.

And now...

Within the cloud of smoke on the riverbed, a young man about six feet tall gradually appeared. Beneath his red hair was a slightly off-model, three-dimensional Yahiko.

Red-haired Yahiko—Yahiko Uzumaki?

No. The clone's name was... Sora!

As if the two shared a soul and could think independently, the clone immediately darted across the riverbed and headed into the distance.

Yun, meanwhile, climbed onto the bank. As a nobody, there was no reason for anyone to go to great lengths to keep an eye on him. Releasing the clone underwater was simply better than not doing so.

The ever-present White Zetsu, and the Third, who liked to snoop around whenever he had nothing better to do... Hopefully, neither of them would happen to be watching.

He'd left Flying Thunder God Formulas in hidden spots at the Nara Clan compound and the Tatsumi Shelter. The chances were slim, but if the Nine Tails was released tonight after all, it was best to be prepared.

By the time he returned home from Back Mountain, it was already noon. His mother, Izumi, had come back, and the family went to the market together, enjoying a pleasant outing.

Night fell, but Konoha remained bustling beneath the lights.

On Kage Rock, the clone Sora narrowed his eyes. A figure appeared and disappeared in the distance. The barrier he'd set up early seemed to have no effect on this person whatsoever.

Worried that the Nine Tails might go on a rampage, they'd arranged for Kushina to give birth in a cave outside Konoha. A barrier had been set up outside to prevent any accidents.

Even so, some of the Nine-Tails Chakra still seeped through the barrier, its presence spreading through the air.

"Extract and seal some of the Nine-Tails Chakra ahead of time, then slowly release it with Sealing Jutsu? So they strengthened the seal at Kushina's actual delivery site? Not a trace of the Nine-Tails Chakra has leaked out. That's impressive..."

The clone Sora sat down, legs dangling over the edge. All he could do now was wait. If there was a big commotion, he'd go cause some trouble. If not, he'd just leave a few formulas behind and head home to sleep.

"Ah!!!"

"It hurts so much!"

"Minato! Minato..."

Kushina's cries of pain echoed through the cave. Minato stood beside her, holding her hand, his face full of worry.

Kakashi, concealed in the shadows nearby, was utterly baffled. How could two such serious men play a married couple so convincingly?

What a pair of actors!

Ten minutes later, Shisui—transformed into Kushina and lying on the bed—was hoarse from all the shouting, but their enemy still hadn't shown up.

There wasn't much time left. Once the baby was born at the real delivery site, there was no way to conceal the Nine Tails' presence. At that point, the enemy would surely realize this place was a trap.

Wait!

In an instant, Shisui understood. Kushina's seal would weaken when the baby was about to be born, and the Nine-Tails Chakra would surge out. The enemy was waiting for that moment, too!

So...

Shisui exchanged a glance with Minato, whose face was full of worry. They were both clever men and immediately understood what the other meant.

Meanwhile... Obito, who'd entered using his intangibility, was growing impatient. The Nine-Tails Chakra had been leaking for ages. Why hadn't the brat come out yet?

The Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu was renowned throughout the Shinobi World, and their unique bloodline made them especially suited to sealing Tailed Beasts. What's more, once the baby was born, it would give the Yellow Flash another thing to worry about: a helpless infant.

"He's born! He's born!"

Biwako, transformed from Fugaku, and the two female medical ninja cried out. But, strangely, no baby's cries filled the cave.

Minato immediately exclaimed, "Why isn't he making a sound? What's wrong with Naruto?"

Fugaku caught on at once. "We need to give him a few taps. Don't worry."

He said this as he held the baby upside down and tapped the soles of his feet with a finger. "Don't worry. If he's swallowed any amniotic fluid, this will help him spit it out."

Minato looked grateful. Shisui, still lying on the bed, knew his task was almost done. If he kept yelling, he'd ruin his throat.

Here he comes!

In an instant, a figure appeared silently beside Fugaku and thrust a Kunai toward his neck.

"Whoosh!"

Fugaku dodged with a Body Flicker Technique, then looked tensely at the enemy before him. The baby in his arms had been snatched away during the dodge.

"I didn't expect the Third Hokage's wife to be so quick with the Body Flicker Technique. But now..."

Masked Obito held the swaddled baby in one hand and pointed his Kunai straight at it.

For a moment, he stared at the man who had once been his teacher, his Mangekyō Sharingan filled with ferocity.

Experience the pain of losing someone you love, Teacher. This time, you're late again!

"Bang!"

A cloud of smoke billowed up. The baby in the bundle had turned into a Kunai. Its black blade reflected Masked Obito's image, as if mocking him.

A trap?

How could that be?

In an instant, Masked Obito turned to Minato. "How did you know?"

Minato looked solemnly at his former student. He avoided meeting his Sharingan's gaze, wary of its power, but still looked at the bandaged arm with regret.

"There are many things I'd like to ask you, but I doubt you'd answer honestly right now. Some things are my responsibility, so... I'll capture you first, then ask."

The Flying Thunder God activated in an instant. With the formulas already laid around the cave, Minato seemed to be everywhere at once.

"Whoosh!"

The Kunai passed straight through Obito's intangible head. He looked at Minato with a mocking smile. "What makes you think... you can capture me?"

As Minato's arm passed through him, Obito instantly became tangible, turned around, and mercilessly stabbed with his Kunai.

"Whoosh!"

The Flying Thunder God flashed again, and Minato appeared to one side, confirming the information he'd received from the Black Shadow.

Obito tilted his head and looked at Shisui, who was still lying on the bed. "If the baby was fake, then the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki must be fake, too, right? You're still pretending to be dead. Did you think I was stupid enough to attack you?"

Shisui awkwardly sat up and scratched his head. "I never thought you were stupid! The performance was just so awkward that I only just managed to recover."

Masked Obito snorted. "That really was convincing! If the Fourth put you in charge here, you must be pretty capable, right? Third Hokage?"

"Sorry, Uchiha elder, but you guessed wrong!"

"Bang!"

As soon as Shisui finished speaking, smoke rose around him as he dispelled his Transformation Technique. A pair of Sharingan, marked like crosses, gleamed through the haze.

"Kotoamatsukami!"

Completely caught off guard, Obito had already been implanted with the seed of Kotoamatsukami.