After resting for two days, Makoto's squad resud their usual work rhythm, carrying out the duties of the Hokage Guard.
Ti passed slowly, step by step approaching October.
Kushina's belly was getting bigger day by day, and Minato was like an old farr waiting to harvest his crops—growing happier with each passing day, as if he had temporarily forgotten the troubleso matters tied to the Hokage's seat.
Only Makoto was worrying himself sick. If others saw it, they might think the child was his.
After Uzumaki Naruto grows up, if he doesn't beat him a few tis, it would simply be unreasonable.
One day in September, Minato took a day off and stayed ho with his wife. Today it was Makoto's squad on duty, rotating shifts with Kakashi's squad, while Genma's squad received two days of leave.
If there was anything special about today, it was that a certain white-haired old pervert had finally torn himself away from the embrace of the ladies of the shinobi world and returned to Konohagakure.
Jiraiya, who had been obsessed with searching for the Child of Prophecy, had finally rembered that he still had a disciple—and that the disciple was about to beco a father—so he hurried back to pay a visit.
Everything in the village was peaceful, and Minato would not trouble him with political matters, because he knew that his teacher had no interest in such things at all.
If he ntioned them, with Jiraiya's personality he would simply go straight to the Third Hokage to argue. That would not help his current situation in any way; instead, it would create a rift in the relationship that was still fairly harmonious within their faction.
Given Minato's intelligence, he understood this very clearly.
Jiraiya was very happy, because Minato told him that he would na his child after the protagonist of his first novel.
Although that na had rely been sothing he ca up with casually while eating ran, it still showed that his disciple respected him just as much as ever.
Not long after finishing his al, Jiraiya left. In Minato's ho, the couple imrsed in happiness radiated affection every second. For soone like him—a lifelong bachelor—it dealt hundreds of millions of tons of damage. His poor heart simply could not bear it.
...
Outside, at Makoto's hidden observation point, Jiraiya hopped up onto the roof beside him in two or three jumps.
"Yo, kid. Haven't seen you for more than half a year. Didn't expect you to have joined the ANBU."
"Jiraiya-sama, you've mistaken . I am a mber of the ANBU Owl Squad. Codena: Forest Owl."
"C'mon, don't be so serious."
"Please do not interfere with my work."
"Honestly, don't beco like that brat Kakashi. That's really not cute."
"There's no helping it. Since experts like Jiraiya-sama don't co back, we juniors can only work harder and put in more overti."
"Eh? Do you have a problem with ?"
"Yeah. Is that not allowed? I'm very curious, Jiraiya-sama—this ti, after coming back, how long do you plan to stay in Konohagakure?"
"That's classified, you know. Do you really want to ask?"
"No, your answer has already told . This afternoon, or tomorrow morning, you'll leave."
Jiraiya was a little embarrassed. "Ahahaha, what a sharp junior. You even guessed that. Sure enough, I really shouldn't have shown up in front of you."
"Are you sure you want to leave?" Makoto pointed in the direction of Minato's ho. "At such a critical ti?"
"Don't make it sound so serious. It's still early." After calculating the timing in his mind, Jiraiya said, "Well, when the ti cos, I'll co back. Besides, isn't the village still with sensei and Minato?"
"I hope so."
"Relax, kid. It's peaceti right now. There's no intelligence showing that any ninja village would invade Konohagakure so soon after the war has just ended. Don't let your imagination run wild and make yourself so tense. You need to learn to relax. Well then, goodbye."
After saying that, the old white-haired man ran off.
Relax my ass. Makoto guaranteed that when the ti ca, Jiraiya would not be able to return. Stopping him would be far too easy. Just release so fake information about Nagato's trio, and he could be lured away imdiately.
The disciple at ho simply was not as enticing as those out in the wild.
If that really did not work, releasing so information about Tsunade could achieve the sa effect. How could a disciple be more important than a goddess?
It was not that he was an irresponsible person. Rather, from Jiraiya's point of view, with Konohagakure's current strength and the state of the shinobi world, there really was no need for him and Tsunade to co back.
Because everyone believed that no one had the ability to break through Konohagakure's layers of blockade and co in to cause destruction.
Those who had that level of strength were already dead. No one knew that an old ghost who was already dead had passed the Nine-Tails' summoning contract to a little ghost who was supposedly dead on the surface.
...
Ti entered October, and Kushina's due date was drawing closer day by day.
But the entire village of Konohagakure remained peaceful as ever, with no abnormalities at all. A matter like a jinchūriki giving birth was not intelligence that ordinary villagers and ninjas could know about.
Inside a eting room in the Hokage Building, the five people holding the highest power in Konohagakure had gathered together to discuss the work arrangents for the jinchūriki's delivery.
This was of vital importance to Konohagakure. If anything went wrong and the Nine-Tails got out, Konohagakure would suffer grievous losses.
However, although Konoha F4 had witnessed the Nine-Tails' power before, they were not overly worried.
After all, that man had already died many years ago.
As long as the Uchiha Clan was not allowed to approach the jinchūriki during the delivery, basically no major problem would arise.
The only ones capable of controlling the Nine-Tails were the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan. But after so many years of suppression and observation by them, no one in that clan possessed such terrifying ocular power anymore.
After exhaling a puff of old smoke, Hiruzen asked, "Fourth Hokage, do the ANBU responsible for guarding Kushina know her exact due date?"
"They do not. This matter is known only to Biwako-sama, her disciple Hebiji, and those of us present here."
Danzō suddenly said, "That may not be so. As far as this old man knows, your Hokage Guard, as part of the ANBU, often violates regulations by making close contact with the jinchūriki. And Higashino Makoto, having learned superb dical ninjutsu from his mother—would he not know?"
Minato frowned slightly. "Makoto does know dical ninjutsu, but he has never had contact with Kushina's body, nor does he know the specific date of her pregnancy, so he cannot possibly calculate the due date."
"Kushina only taught them fūinjutsu. She has never spoken of any intelligence beyond ninjutsu. Besides, even if Makoto knew, I trust he would not speak carelessly."
"Hmph." Danzō said nothing more. It was not that he suspected Makoto and the others. Rather, it was simply his habit to find faults with the young Hokage, so that his old comrades could see that this Hokage was still sowhat immature and required their continued assistance.
If Minato appeared too perfect and flawless, how could the continued existence of Root demonstrate its necessity?
The Third Hokage also reprimanded him. "Danzō, watch your words. Makoto and Kakashi and the others are the future of Konohagakure. They are absolutely trustworthy."
"I never said they were not trustworthy. I rely pointed out the flaw in the Fourth Hokage's statent."
Homura imdiately turned the topic back. "Alright. Let's talk about the arrangents for the jinchūriki's delivery. That is the matter that needs to be resolved right now."
Minato had always disliked the way these three old n referred to her—jinchūriki this, jinchūriki that. What, did his wife not have a na?
But he was a gentle person and did not wish to make things unpleasant with these seniors.
"I think there is no need for overly deliberate arrangents. Everything can proceed as usual. She can give birth at ho. When the ti cos, I will use Flying Thunder God to directly teleport Biwako-sama and Hebiji to the house. No one will notice anything unusual."
"Even if there is a problem, I can use ninjutsu to move Kushina away. On the contrary, if the ANBU were mobilized on a large scale, it would instead make those with ulterior motives notice sothing unusual."
His aning was simple: everything would proceed quietly and unnoticed. Both he and his wife were masters of fūinjutsu, and the defensive barrier at their ho was no weaker than one set up at a specially prepared location. When Kushina gave birth, the fluctuations of tailed beast chakra caused by the loosening of the seal would not spread outside.
When Koharu heard this, she firmly opposed it. "Fourth Hokage, I absolutely do not agree with such an arrangent. That is the Nine-Tails. If an accident occurs, the entire village will be destroyed. We cannot bear such consequences."
Homura said, "Koharu is right."
Danzō said, "Minato, you are the Hokage of Konohagakure. How can you be so careless about the weight of this matter? I now doubt whether you have truly placed the village in your heart."
Minato: "…"
This is not right, is it? As the discussion went on, how did everything turn toward ? Weren't they discussing the matter of my wife giving birth? Why does it feel like this has beco a eting to criticize ?
Watching the argunt among the others, the Third Hokage finally made the decision. "Let arrange this matter. The place of delivery certainly cannot be inside the village. I will prepare a secret location. At that ti, Biwako will take you and Kushina there."
"The outer periter will be set with multiple layers of blockade by the ANBU. Absolutely no unrelated personnel will be allowed to approach. That should prevent any problems."
Minato felt uneasy. "Third Hokage, the more preparations we make, the more exposure there will be. The easier it will be for soone to analyze the intelligence. Is this really appropriate?"
Hiruzen took a long drag of his pipe and spoke in the tone of an elder. "Minato, it seems you still do not understand."
"Among those who could break through the many layers of Konohagakure's ANBU blockade and successfully enter the barrier, aside from your space–ti ninjutsu, such people no longer exist."
"The real danger is the Nine-Tails itself."
Minato understood. In the end, everyone subconsciously believed that the enemy was not outside—it was inside Kushina's stomach.
All the arrangents focused not on preventing external enemies from invading, but on preventing the Nine-Tails from going berserk.
After all, if there truly were enemies, they would first have to pass the barrier of Konohagakure's shinobi, then face the entire ANBU, and finally confront the many layers of barriers within the delivery site.
But if the Nine-Tails ca out, it would only need a single roar to shatter all of that. With a single breath, it could blow Konohagakure into the sky.
In the end, in their eyes, the village would always be more important than Kushina's life. Minato did not think there was anything wrong with that. It was perfectly normal.
But what about himself? In his own heart, which side was more important?
Minato sighed and said, "Very well. We will proceed according to the Third Hokage's plan."
The Third Hokage nodded with satisfaction. The aning was obvious: young man, listening to us old fellows will never lead you wrong.
Danzō and the other two did not object either. Arranging for the jinchūriki to give birth outside the village was the safest choice. No matter what, they could not risk the village.
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