"Haha, you guys didn't see how obedient the Nine-Tails was just now when it saw Hakken."
At Minato's home.
After finally enjoying a peaceful dinner, everyone sat properly on the sofa. Kushina was laughing so hard she could barely breathe—clearly in a great mood.
To be honest, she had communicated with the Nine-Tails before, but it rarely ended well. Seeing it behave so meekly this time was truly surprising.
Hakken sat comfortably, eating an apple Kushina had peeled down to barely a third of its size. The atmosphere in the room was pleasant.
But after taking a bite, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. The apple tasted fine. The problem was the strange fluctuation of spiritual pressure that caught his attention.
That familiar—far too familiar—spiritual pressure. The kind buried deep within the soul, filled with sorrow and despair, coated on the surface with anger, resentment, and a faint trace of inferiority. Only one person in the world had such a soul.
No matter how well hidden, the scent of that soul would never escape a Shinigami's perception. Having activated both major templates, Hakken knew immediately who it was.
Obito Uchiha.
He was here.
But not for long—if he hadn't already left, Hakken would have stormed out with his blade in hand by now.
Kamui. That kind of space-time ninjutsu could only be countered by a technique powerful enough to tear through space itself. Only one move could do it. But if he used it in Konoha, the village would be destroyed.
His eyes glinted as he shoved the entire apple into his mouth, biting down hard as if it were Obito himself.
And besides Obito, there were Danzō and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. The two old men seemed to have gathered together.
What were they up to?
After swallowing the last bite of apple and watching Kushina head to her room to rest, the boy took a deep breath.
"Night Owl!"
At his call, the squad members instantly appeared before Hakken, each swiftly putting on their masks.
It was the signal to assemble.
Such seriousness meant Owl had already entered combat mode.
"Kakashi, Guy."
"Effective immediately, ANBU training is suspended. Each of you will lead a hundred ANBU ninja and conceal yourselves on either side of the village. How you allocate and divide the tasks is up to you.
One thing only: take direct action upon sighting any suspicious targets."
"Additionally, Itachi, go inform your father. The patrol intervals for the Uchiha Guard are to be shortened by five minutes. Deliver this message—'The Uchiha Clan must declare their allegiance.'"
After issuing two consecutive orders, Hakken finally fixed his gaze on Shisui.
My turn.
Taking a deep breath, Shisui felt a flicker of tension.
"Those two old men at the Root Division entrance—you must monitor them around the clock. Report any unusual activity directly to me."
A glint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
"If there's no time, kill them outright!"
"Second point: should any unexpected situation arise, your Susanoo must be deployed to its fullest capacity."
Susanoo!
Shisui visibly froze. He had never spoken of his own Mangekyō Sharingan abilities. It wasn't that he deliberately concealed them, but he understood all too well the immense repercussions if word of his Mangekyō Sharingan powers spread.
If possible, he'd never use Kotoamatsukami again.
But Hakken knew!
"Understood."
Now wasn't the time for distraction. Nodding to Hakken, Shisui vanished from the room.
The squad members departed with their missions.
Kushina's safety? He would personally ensure it.
Hakken stepped onto the balcony, his Zanpakutō in hand. He raised the long blade toward the darkness before him, then gently lowered it.
Only when swinging his blade did he become exceptionally calm, and thinking while swinging had become a habit. The mundane act of swinging his blade elevated not just his strength, but his state of mind.
The long night began.
...
Days passed.
The atmosphere within Konohagakure grew increasingly tense. Even ordinary villagers knew better than to cause trouble lately, staying quietly at home, simply by seeing the joint patrols of the Uchiha and Hyūga clans pass by repeatedly.
This day was October 10th.
Early that morning, Kushina felt unwell. Hakken and Minato took her to the specially prepared delivery room next to Konoha Hospital to wait.
The child inside her was kicking her around. The restless Naruto seemed to sense what was about to happen.
Yet the Nine-Tails within Kushina remained unusually quiet. No crying. No fussing.
It even yawned.
Pfft.
Just a woman giving birth. Nothing to see here.
Its memories were filled with peculiar images of the work done before this great continuation of life...
Hmph.
Who knows if that brat was telling the truth.
Bored, it swished its tail.
Truth be told, it had indeed planned to cause trouble during Kushina's delivery. It even considered breaking free from its seal. After all, based on its experience, a woman's seal was extremely vulnerable at this moment—just like Minato Uzumaki's had been.
Moreover, Kushina Uzumaki wasn't as powerful as Mito Uzumaki. If it went all out, it would surely have a chance.
But what good would escaping do?
That brat had warned it. Dare to cause trouble, and he'd smash its skull in.
If anyone else had said that, Kurama would've immediately unleashed a Tailed Beast Ball to make them understand this lord wasn't to be trifled with.
But that particular brat was different. If it went out, it couldn't withstand his great sword.
Hypocritical humans.
Well, this lord will trust you this once.
There was no other choice anyway.
But what exactly was that brat referring to as an "accident"?
Kurama squinted, utterly perplexed.
With that kid around, what kind of accident could possibly happen?
If there's no accident, and he keeps his promise, what should I eat once I'm out? That girl Kushina keeps raving about how delicious the three-colored dumplings are. I'd really like to try them.
Lost in thought, a single, glistening tear rolled down the proud Kurama's cheek.
"Who knew Minato-sensei could get so flustered?"
Outside the delivery room, Hakken leaned against the wall.
Inside, Minato paced like an ant on a hot pan, darting from one spot to the next. After all, it was his first time being a father. Kushina's agonized cries drifted out intermittently. His nervousness was understandable.
The experienced midwife, Biwako Sarutobi, was handling the delivery. The Third Hokage's wife was highly skilled in this field.
Scratching his head awkwardly, Minato's face bore a trace of worry.
Every mother is truly great.
Konoha lacked the facilities for cesarean sections, and Orochimaru hadn't researched such techniques. The level of pain was beyond what most could imagine.
The long wait continued.
Hakken, clutching his Zanpakutō, eyes closed, constantly sensed the fluctuations in spiritual pressure throughout Konohagakure.
Hm?
Suddenly.
The youth opened his eyes, gazing in one direction. Immediately, a figure dashed before him.
He was one of the ANBU members, codenamed Retsu—a jōnin sent to the ANBU from the Hyūga branch family.
...
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