NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: Confrontation
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Under the cover of a dark night, outside the village of Konoha, a cave was illuminated by a few dim, yellow lights.
"Ahh!!"
The anguished cries of a woman echoed from deep within.
Inside the cave, Kushina Uzumaki lay on a delivery bed. Her once vibrant red hair was a tangled mess, her face pale with exhaustion. She gripped the armrests tightly, her body trembling from the unbearable pain of childbirth. Sweat dripped from her forehead, soaking the sheets beneath her.
"Kushina, hang in there! The baby's head is almost out!"
Biwako Sarutobi, the experienced midwife overseeing the birth, remained calm, her hands steady.
"Ugh... is Kushina really okay? I've never seen her in this much pain."
Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, looked on with concern, wiping the sweat from his brow. It was his first time witnessing childbirth, and his usual calm demeanor had all but vanished.
"She's fine. Women are stronger than you think, Minato," Biwako reassured him. "But keep an eye on the Nine-Tails' seal!"
Minato's eyes narrowed as he placed his hand on Kushina's stomach. The seal was weakening. Suddenly, a massive surge of chakra erupted from within.
"ROAR!"
The feral growl of the Nine-Tails echoed through the cave. Both Minato and Kushina winced at the oppressive force.
"What incredible power…" Minato muttered, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he poured his chakra into maintaining the seal. "But I can't let it break!"
Despite the chaos, Minato kept his focus. "Come on, Kushina… come on, Naruto!"
He could feel the tug of the Nine-Tails' chakra, but his hands never left the seal, determined to suppress the beast.
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Outside, the mountainside was covered in intricate barrier patterns.
Suddenly, the air shimmered and distorted. From the disturbance, a figure draped in black appeared, stepping forward as if out of thin air.
The masked man walked across the water's surface with slow, deliberate steps, his destination unclear.
Swish!
Several figures appeared before him—ANBU, the elite of Konoha's forces, rushing to intercept.
Their movements were swift, weapons gleaming as they attacked from all sides. But the masked man remained still, unflinching.
Clang! Clang!
The blades passed through his body as though he were made of air, clashing together with the sound of metal striking metal.
"What the—?!" one of the ANBU gasped.
Without a word, the masked man stepped forward, his hand stretching out toward one of his attackers. The ANBU reacted quickly, jumping back just in time.
"What swift reflexes," the masked man muttered, impressed. These weren't just ordinary ANBU—they were captain-level.
Suddenly, wooden spikes sprouted from the masked man's outstretched palm.
Thunk!
A spike shot forward, too fast to evade completely. One of the ANBU was struck in the shoulder, blood spilling onto the ground.
The masked man formed a hand seal, and the spike embedded in the ANBU's shoulder began to grow, transforming into a mass of thorns that spread throughout his body.
With a pained gasp, the ANBU fell to the ground, lifeless.
"Wood Release?!"
The remaining ANBU scattered in shock, recognizing the deadly nature of the technique.
"We can't attack him directly! He's using some kind of phasing jutsu!" shouted one of the younger ANBU, his voice betraying a hint of youth despite the mask.
"Remarkable observation..." the masked man mused, his gaze falling on the ANBU's blood-red eyes—Sharingan.
In an instant, multiple copies of the young ANBU rushed toward the masked man, blades flashing.
The masked man didn't flinch as the sword strikes passed through his intangible form. As they did, he formed another hand seal, more wooden spikes erupting from his palms.
The young ANBU—Uchiha Shisui—narrowed his eyes. He could tell his clones' attacks were ineffective. He watched closely, noting how the masked man materialized for just an instant when he attacked.
"It's exactly as I thought..." Shisui whispered, his Sharingan spinning. "He becomes solid only when he attacks!"
The masked man's gaze flickered with surprise. "Uchiha Shisui… even at this age, you've already figured it out."
Just as he prepared to deal with Shisui, a piercing cry rang out from inside the cave.
The masked man's expression shifted, and for a moment, he hesitated. "So… the child is born…"
Before Shisui or the other ANBU could strike again, the masked man's arm morphed into a mass of writhing wood, sending sharp branches shooting in every direction, forcing them to retreat.
With a final glance at Shisui, the masked man's body shimmered, and the space around him distorted as he vanished into the void.
Shisui's heart sank. "Damn it… he's heading for the cave!"
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"Wow!"
A crisp cry echoed through the cave. Kushina lay on the delivery bed, exhausted but radiant, while Minato, focused on suppressing the Nine-Tails, felt a surge of emotion. Both parents' eyes brimmed with tears, shining with joy.
Their love had finally brought new life into the world.
Biwako Sarutobi, carefully cradling the newborn, gazed down at him with a warm smile. The baby's skin, still flushed and slightly dry, trembled as his small body shuddered in the cool cave air. His first cries filled the room—a testament to the arrival of life amidst the tension surrounding them.
For a brief moment, the room was filled with warmth and relief, but Minato's instincts kicked in. He wiped the tears from his eyes, his expression hardening as his senses sharpened. Outside, he could feel the intense surge of chakra—Shisui's chakra—exploding in combat.
Shisui must be signaling us... Minato realized. The enemy has arrived.
Suddenly, the space behind Biwako distorted. A masked man, cloaked in black, appeared out of thin air. His Sharingan eyes glowed ominously from beneath the mask, immediately locking onto Naruto, still in Biwako's arms.
The masked man moved with inhuman speed. Biwako, caught off guard, had no time to react.
But Jiraiya, hidden in the cave for this very purpose, sprang into action. He grabbed Biwako and pulled her away from the masked man's grasp just in time. White smoke billowed around Jiraiya, and within moments, he was back in his original form, his face grim with focus. A Rasengan quickly formed in his hand, its blue energy swirling violently.
"Rasengan!" Jiraiya yelled, aiming at the masked man.
The masked intruder's Sharingan spun faster, and his body phased through Jiraiya's attack as though he were nothing but a ghost. The Rasengan passed harmlessly through him.
"Tsk, Jiraiya..." The masked man muttered, narrowing his eyes at the sudden turn of events. His body flickered once more as he turned his attention back to Kushina, aiming to reach her next.
Minato, however, was already in motion. With a blur of golden light, he appeared by Kushina's side, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other securing her arm. He vanished again before the masked man could reach them, reappearing next to Jiraiya and Biwako, safely out of the masked man's reach.
"Just as Itachi warned…" Minato's piercing blue eyes locked onto the intruder, a murderous intent radiating from him. "You came after Naruto."
The masked man's posture stiffened in shock. He hadn't expected Minato to be this prepared.
"Kushina, are you alright?" Minato asked, glancing at his wife, who nodded weakly but looked pale.
"Minato… who is he?" Kushina asked, struggling to sit up.
Before Minato could respond, a powerful roar erupted from within Kushina—the Nine-Tails. The beast inside her sensed the threat and thrashed against its seal, straining to break free.
This chakra… it's him, Minato thought grimly, his eyes narrowing.
He didn't have time to answer her. The seal on Kushina's abdomen began to crack.
"We need to move, now!" Jiraiya urged.
Minato nodded and raised his hand, signaling to the ANBU outside. In the blink of an eye, Minato, Kushina, Jiraiya, and Biwako disappeared from the cave. A complex barrier immediately sprang to life, surrounding the cave and sealing off any escape.
"Lord Hokage has activated the barrier!" one of the ANBU members outside confirmed, before they quickly retreated back to the village, Shisui following behind.
Within the cave, the masked man's eyes darkened. His Sharingan glowed malevolently as he surveyed the barrier. "Minato... you may have won this round, but this is far from over."
With a malicious snarl, he phased out of the cave, disappearing as the space around him distorted.
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In a secure room within Konoha…
A special kunai hanging on the wall began to tremble slightly as the rope swayed.
Moments later, Minato and the others reappeared inside the room. He gently laid Kushina on a bamboo bed, her body still weak from giving birth.
"Naruto... is he okay?" Kushina asked, her voice trembling with concern.
"He's fine," Biwako reassured her, looking down at the newborn in her arms.
Minato's face was serious. He turned to Jiraiya, his voice low but urgent. "Jiraiya-sensei, I need your help. I must re-strengthen Kushina's seal immediately."
Jiraiya nodded, stepping forward. Minato began forming hand seals, his palms glowing as he placed them over Kushina's abdomen, where the Nine-Tails roared in defiance. Jiraiya channeled his chakra, placing his hands over Minato's to lend support.
"Fourth Hokage, I will tear you apart!" The Nine-Tails bellowed from within Kushina, furious at being suppressed once again. But even with its tremendous power, it couldn't withstand the combined might of Minato, Jiraiya, and Kushina.
Slowly but surely, the cracked seal over Kushina's abdomen began to repair itself, forming an even stronger barrier against the beast.
"It's done," Minato exhaled, wiping the sweat from his brow. Re-sealing the Nine-Tails had taken much of his strength.
But he had no time to rest.
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