Birth

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in his home with a grave expression, speaking in a low voice to his wife, Biwako:

"Kushina is due to give birth tonight. I have already arranged for the barrier squad to set up the perimeter; please take her there."

Biwako nodded:

"Rest assured. Leave the outer guards to you; with me inside, nothing will go wrong."

Hiruzen gave a slight nod, casting a look of trust at her.

Biwako was an experienced medical ninja, and he could rest easy leaving this matter to her.

Before long, Biwako arrived at Kushina's home and led her away from her residence.

The two walked along the path leading to the barrier site.

Suddenly, Kushina's eyes lit up as she spotted a familiar figure.

"Uchiha Mikoto!"

She quickened her pace, discovering that Uchiha Mikoto was cradling an infant in her arms.

"Eh? How cute!"

Kushina leaned in close, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Is it a girl?"

Mikoto pursed her lips in a smile and shook her head:

"No, it's a boy."

"What is his name?"

"Sasuke."

Biwako, standing to the side, chimed in with a tease:

"Oh? He shares the same name as the Third Hokage's father."

Mikoto nodded, her tone gentle and filled with expectation:

"Yes, Fugaku hopes he will grow up to be an outstanding ninja just like the Third Hokage's father."

As she spoke, she looked at Kushina's heavily rounded belly and said softly:

"Come to think of it, Kushina, you're due soon, aren't you? Have you decided on a name for the baby?"

Kushina immediately perked up, her face beaming with an excited smile:

"I have! It's Naruto!"

As she spoke, she reached out to gently stroke little Sasuke's head, her tone both tender and earnest:

"He will be classmates with Sasuke in the future, so the two of them must get along well."

No sooner had she finished speaking than her expression shifted, and she covered her face with an exaggerated look of dread:

"By the way, is giving birth incredibly painful?"

Seeing this, Mikoto couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh:

"My, I never imagined that you, the Red Hot Habanero, had something you were afraid of. It really is a surprise."

Hearing the two chatting with increasing enthusiasm, Biwako gave a light cough and took hold of Kushina's arm:

"Let's go, Kushina!"

As she was led forward, Kushina didn't forget to turn back and wave at Mikoto.

Once the two were far away, Biwako's expression turned serious as she whispered:

"Your childbirth is a village secret. You mustn't linger even when you run into acquaintances on the road, do you understand?"

Kushina stuck out her tongue, rubbing her head with an embarrassed laugh:

"I know, I know. Sorry, sorry."

On the other side, Mikoto took Sasuke to find Fugaku, who was currently on patrol.

The moment Fugaku saw Mikoto, he immediately stiffened his face and scolded:

"Why are you here! Didn't the clan head order all clansmen to evacuate outside the village?"

Hearing this, Mikoto immediately said with a grievance:

"I... I felt that something big was going to happen tonight, and I was worried about you, so I brought Sasuke to see you..."

Fugaku looked at the Sasuke in Mikoto's arms, his gaze gradually softening.

Then, he stiffened his face again and said to Mikoto:

"I also feel that the atmosphere in the village right now is very wrong; I fear something major is about to happen."

"Hurry and take Sasuke back to the others; the clan head is there to protect you, it's very safe!"

Hearing this, Mikoto could only bid a reluctant farewell to Fugaku.

"Then you must be careful while you're in the village!"

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Office.

Namikaze Minato sat at his desk, looking at Kakashi as he walked in, a gentle smile on his face:

"Kakashi, thank you for your hard work protecting the pregnant Uzumaki Kushina during this time."

Kakashi was slightly taken aback, raising his eyes to look at him:

"But... isn't it too early for that?"

Minato nodded:

"Yes, during Uzumaki Kushina's labor, the guard duties will be taken over by the Anbu directly under the Third Hokage."

Upon hearing this, Kakashi replied with a calm expression:

"Understood. I will report back to the Anbu and continue with my missions."

Minato waved his hand with a smile:

"There is no need to be in such a rush; take a break for a while first."

Kakashi did not say anything more, simply nodded, turned, and left the office.

Immediately afterward, he went alone to the Konoha cemetery.

Walking to the grave of Rin Nohara, he crouched down, removed the withered bouquet, and replaced it with the fresh one he had brought.

"Sorry, Rin, I haven't been able to come see you for a while."

He said softly, his tone low:

"I have never forgotten you."

He paused, then spoke again:

"There is something... although I can't say too much yet, I wanted to tell you now."

He looked up at the tombstone, his eyes filled with loneliness:

"Namikaze Minato's child will be born tonight."

"They... are born in an era of peace. If only we could have been born a few years later..."

He didn't finish his sentence, letting out a soft sigh.

"I'm going to tell Obito as well. I'm leaving now, Rin."

He stood up and turned to leave.

Just after he had walked away, a black figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

The person wore a mask and a black cloak, standing before Rin Nohara's grave.

He looked at the fresh flowers Kakashi had just placed on the ground, remaining silent for a moment.

Then, in a fit of rage, he threw the flowers, scattering them across the ground.

Twilight had completely descended.

The lights were bright inside the barrier.

Namikaze Minato stood to the side, his gaze fixed intently ahead.

His wife, Uzumaki Kushina, was lying on the delivery bed, her face pale and covered in sweat.

The labor had already begun.

Minato's hand remained pressed against the seal on her abdomen, his expression tense.

In his heart, he was still thinking about the "intruder" that Uchiha Gento had mentioned earlier.

Yet, until now, the Konoha barrier, the outer Anbu, and the barrier here had shown no abnormalities.

It seemed he had truly been alarmist; Uzumaki Kushina should be able to complete the delivery safely.

"Ah--!"

Uzumaki Kushina let out a cry of pain, interrupting Minato's thoughts.

"It hurts so much--!!!"

She gritted her teeth, the veins on her forehead bulging, her entire body trembling.

Minato was full of worry, beads of sweat seeping from his own forehead:

"Um... this, this is the first time I've seen Uzumaki Kushina scream in pain like this... Is this... really okay?"

Biwako was focused on the delivery and replied without looking up:

"It's fine! You focus on watching the seal, don't get distracted!"

"Ah--!!!"

Uzumaki Kushina let out another cry of pain.

Minato said again, worriedly:

"But... Kushina, she..."

Biwako furrowed her brows, her tone turning stern:

"As the Fourth Hokage, do not be so flustered when encountering a situation."

Minato gritted his teeth, shut his mouth, and refocused his attention on the seal.

Just then, a violent fluctuation suddenly erupted from the seal.

Minato's heart tightened as he hurriedly increased his chakra output, desperately suppressing that restless power.

Kushina's cries of pain gradually grew hoarse.

Suddenly.

"Waaaah--!"

A loud, clear cry of an infant rang out.

Biwako wrapped the baby in swaddling clothes, a smile appearing on her face:

"It's born!"

Minato trembled all over, his eyes instantly turning red.

His voice shook with excitement:

"That's great... that's great! From today on, I... I am a father!"

Biwako held Naruto and gently placed him in front of Kushina.

Kushina weakly opened her eyes, looking at that tiny face, a tender smile curling the corners of her lips:

"Naruto..."

Biwako soon carried the child away again, whispering to Kushina:

"Alright, you should get some rest now."

Minato walked to Kushina's side, took her hand, his voice choked with emotion:

"Kushina... thank you for your hard work."

He paused, then whispered:

"Although you are exhausted from childbirth, please hold on a little longer; I must first stabilize the Nine-Tails."

As he spoke, he pressed his hand once more onto the seal on her abdomen.

Just as he prepared to channel his chakra.

"Ah--!"

A scream rang out from behind him.

Minato whipped his head around.

His pupils contracted sharply.

"Lady Biwako!"

He saw that Biwako and another medical ninja had already fallen into a pool of blood.

Their bodies were pierced by kunai, and they had long since ceased to breathe.

And Naruto, who should have been lying in his swaddling clothes, was now being held hostage in the arms of a man wearing a mask.

The Masked Man spoke slowly, his voice deep and cold:

"Fourth Hokage Minato, step away from the jinchuriki immediately."

"Otherwise..."

The kunai in his hand pressed lightly against Naruto's face:

"This child only has one minute left to live!"