The days of preparation passed in the blink of an eye.
The night was black as ink, with neither stars nor moonlight visible—the hour when energy was at its most restrained and dormant.
Layer upon layer of barriers sealed off the valley's core area completely, cutting off all sound, light, and chakra fluctuations from within and without.
Like the most loyal of ghosts, Hatake Sakumo led the elite Anbu into the darkness around the perimeter, forming a deadly line of defense that not even a bird could cross.
Namikaze Minato stood quietly atop a high point at the edge of the barrier, a Flying Thunder God kunai concealed in his hand. His azure eyes vigilantly swept the surroundings like the keenest radar.
Inside the barrier, the air was stagnant. Only the enormous, intricate composite sealing array at the center gave off a faint blue glow, like a star map beneath the night sky, tracing mysterious trajectories.
At the heart of the array, Uzumaki Kushina sat cross-legged in a plain white shinobi outfit, her red hair cascading down like a waterfall. Her hands formed seals on her knees, her eyes tightly shut. Her long lashes trembled slightly, revealing her inner nervousness—but even more so, the resolve of someone who had cast aside all hesitation.
She could feel that the "tenant" who had accompanied her for so long was unusually quiet today. It even seemed to convey a hint of indescribable... anticipation?
Uchiha Ling stood before her, dressed in black as night, his posture as upright as a mountain.
He regulated his breathing, bringing his spiritual power, chakra, and the rule-level power he had fully mastered—Kyoka Suigetsu—into their most harmonious and perfect state.
"Kushina, relax. Trust me, and trust it too." Ling's voice was low and steady, carrying a strange calming power.