The room was brightly lit, and Kushina lay exhausted on the bed, her body drenched in sweat.
Hearing the cries of a newborn beside her, she weakly turned her head and saw Makoto holding a wailing infant in his arms.
With a barely audible voice, she spoke, "The child..."
Makoto immediately leaned in, carefully placing the baby beside her.
Unlike most newborns, this child, once cleaned of blood, already had a healthy complexion.
His soft, black hair lay messily atop his head, and six whisker-like marks adorned his cheeks.
He wasn't the least bit ugly—on the contrary, he was utterly adorable.
Kushina turned her head to look at the child she had nearly given her life to bring into the world.
She couldn't tell if the emotions swelling within her were sorrow or grief, but at this moment, she finally understood the words Mikoto had once spoken to her.
This is my child—how could I possibly hate him?
Tears welled up in her eyes and fell uncontrollably.
"Naruto..."
Naruto, your future must never be as tragic as mine.
Suddenly, a knock at the door broke the fragile moment.
At a time like this, a knock could only mean something had happened.
Makoto gave a few instructions to the medical staff before stepping out.
Outside the delivery room, Ayari and the others were also anxiously waiting.
Seeing Makoto emerge, they quickly spoke up, "Hakumen has arrived."
Makoto gave a slight nod. "Kushina needs to rest. Keep your voices down when you visit her."
Stepping outside into the night, the sky was dark and heavy, with a lone crescent moon hanging in the sky.
In the courtyard, Hakumen was waiting.
"Lord Hokage."
Makoto didn't immediately respond.
Instead, he turned his gaze toward the distant Tower of Solarity, as if sensing something.
In an instant, his sensory abilities spread across the entire village, capturing every chakra signature within its boundaries.
His voice was calm but unwavering. "Something has happened, hasn't it?"
"The prison..."
"Seal off the village. No one is to enter or leave."
..........
Konoha's Main Gate.
Tsunade, accompanied by Shizune, was preparing to leave under the cover of night.
The gate guards, recognizing one of the legendary Sannin, were about to let her pass when several figures suddenly appeared in a flash.
The Anbu.
"By order of Lord Hokage, no one is permitted to enter or leave the village tonight."
The gate guards were momentarily stunned by the order.
One of them glanced at Tsunade before wisely stepping aside.
Tsunade frowned slightly as she looked at the Anbu. "Do you know who I am?"
The Anbu remained composed and responded, "Apologies, Lady Tsunade, but we must ask you to comply with Lord Hokage's orders."
Tsunade's expression darkened. "And what if I insist on leaving?"
At those words, the atmosphere instantly grew tense.
The Anbu silently moved into formation, creating a human barricade in front of her.
One of them spoke firmly, "We are only following orders. This is Lord Hokage's command."
Behind Tsunade, Shizune couldn't help but feel uneasy.
With Lady Tsunade's temper, things might actually escalate into a fight…
The night was eerily silent.
A cool breeze swept through the village, rustling the leaves in the forest beyond the walls, mingling with the distant sounds of chirping insects and singing birds.
Finally, Tsunade chose to turn around and walk away.
She wasn't foolish enough to actually start a fight with the Anbu.
There was no choice but to return to her residence.
On the way back, she lifted her gaze toward the towering structure on the cliffside.
The soft glow of violet light radiating from it was almost hypnotic.
After tonight… what kind of situation will we face?
"Lady Tsunade," Shizune spoke cautiously.
"Hm?"
"Are we still leaving?"
"…We can't anymore."
Tch. Jiraiya, you've really dragged me into trouble this time.
......
Inside the Tower of the Solarity.
Several Anbu operatives arrived, spotting Kakashi and the others outside the control room.
"Lord Kakashi." The leading Anbu stepped forward and respectfully bowed.
"We are here to deliver Lord Hokage's message."
Kakashi was silent for a moment before asking, "What are Lord Hokage's orders?"
The Anbu cleared his throat and changed to a more familiar tone. "Kakashi, I believe I have told you before—under no circumstances should the Tower of the Solarity ever be shut down."
The Anbu then returned to his formal demeanor. "Lord Kakashi, Lord Hokage has ordered you to report to the interrogation division and receive your punishment."
Kakashi's gaze remained calm, his face mask concealing any hint of emotion.
"Understood."
The Hokage had seen through his actions immediately.
Why had he allowed Lord Second Hokage to proceed with his plans?
Because Kakashi had met with Kushina beforehand—and had promised to fulfill her request.
Now, Lord Hokage was simply ordering him to accept his punishment, likely a physical penalty, but nothing too severe.
It was already an act of mercy.
As Kakashi left alone, the others outside the control room exchanged uneasy glances.
The leading Anbu reassured them, "Lord Hokage has not assigned any punishment for the rest of you. You need not worry."
The Hyuga clan member among them let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Thank Lord Hokage for his leniency."
"Open the doors."
The control room doors slowly creaked open, revealing the circular chamber within—the base of the Tenseigan.
Tobirama was in the middle of casting a jutsu.
The Anbu entered without making a sound, careful not to disturb him.
However, Tobirama sensed their presence and voluntarily stopped his technique. "What is it?"
One of the Anbu stepped forward. "Lord Fifth Hokage has ordered the immediate reactivation of the Tower of the Solarity. Its shutdown led to the escape of the high-security prisoner, Namikaze Minato."
Tobirama's expression shifted slightly in surprise. "What did you just say?"
"You weren't aware of this, Lord Tobirama?"
Tobirama furrowed his brows but remained silent, a single thought flashing through his mind—his granddaughter.
..........
Night Falls into Silence.
Many households had already gone to rest.
On the rooftop of a building not far from the Hokage Residence, a cloaked figure stood, gazing at the brightly lit estate.
Swish, swish, swish—
In an instant, over a dozen figures appeared, surrounding him atop the rooftops.
"Namikaze Minato! How dare you escape from prison?!"
At their words, the cloaked man calmly pulled back his hood, revealing a head of yellow hair.
He spoke indifferently. "Where is Hyuga Makoto?"
One of the Anbu shouted in anger, "Insolent! How dare you call Lord Hokage by name?!"
"You've arrived just in time."
A voice suddenly rang out from a distance.
A figure slowly rose from within the courtyard of the Hokage Residence, floating steadily in midair.
Within Konoha, there was only one person known to possess the ability to fly—the Fifth Hokage.
Namikaze Minato fixed his gaze on the newcomer, his eyes burning with fury.
"Hyuga Makoto!"
Makoto responded calmly, "What's this? Have you come to offer your congratulations?"
As soon as the words fell, Minato's figure vanished from his original spot.
When he reappeared, he was already upon Makoto.
None of the surrounding Anbu could track his movements—his speed was like lightning.
However, before Minato's attack could land, another figure had already stepped in, intercepting him.
It was Hakumen.
With just a single hand, he blocked the Rasengan.
Dark markings surrounded Hakumen's eyes, and a powerful yet restrained aura emanated from him.
Minato immediately withdrew, landing on the rooftop with a deep frown—he recognized the markings around Hakumen's eyes.
Sage Mode!
Hakumen spoke respectfully, "Lord Hokage, Lady Kushina needs your presence right now. Please leave this matter to me."
Suspended in midair, Makoto gave Minato a calm glance before instructing, "Don't destroy the village."
--------------
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