Journey to the Land of Snow

Minato had arrived at just the right moment and heard the last part of Guy's account.

He pondered beside the hospital bed for a long while before offering an expert analysis.

"For the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to withdraw in the middle of battle, the order could only have come from higher up. Something major must have happened within Kirigakure."

Ye nodded repeatedly as well, decisively putting on a stunned expression as if he had seen a ghost.

"Yeah, yeah! Giving up such a huge advantage—who the hell went crazy over in Kirigakure?!"

With that shout, Obito became convinced that Ye could not possibly know anything.

[ Ding! Extreme Doubt Points from Kakashi Hatake, +2400! ]

[ Ding! Astonishment Points from Might Guy's narrow escape, +3000! ]

Ye hid his merits and fame away, continuing to happily munch on his apple. He revealed none of the credit, yet earned plenty of Emotion Points.

The following peaceful ten months flashed by. The treetops went from fresh green to withered yellow before being covered in the first snow.

The cold wind of a winter night arrived as expected, and at last came the night of Kushina's delivery.

To guard against the fatal danger posed by the Nine-Tails' seal becoming extremely weak during childbirth, Minato set up the delivery room inside a barrier outside the village, with three layers of seals laid around it.

The top-secret security assignment on the outermost perimeter was entrusted to the four members of Minato's Team.

The dense forest was terrifyingly quiet. Cold wind brushed through the leaves, carrying the damp, earthy scent of soil.

Ye was in the eastern treetops, Obito guarded the south, Kakashi held the northwest, and Rin controlled the only entrance along the forest path.

The four were fully armed and stationed at their respective