"Yes."
In the darkness of the forest, dozens of figures emerged.
"Sister Ama no O, let's go. Father must be waiting impatiently."
After Raidenmaru spoke, Ama no O just silently nodded.
As they ascended higher and higher, their bodies lifted off the ground, rising up to thousands of meters in altitude, before gradually stopping their upward floatation and halting at that height.
Looking down from here, the buildings in Konoha Village looked as tiny as ants.
◎
10:51 PM.
The night sky was pitch black, as if ink was spreading over rice-paper, the moon half-hidden and half-revealed among the clouds.
Within Konoha Village, a peaceful and harmonious evening scene unfolded.
At this time, most villagers were sound asleep, ending a day of busy toil.
Some shops had not closed their doors, with lights on inside, casting illumination outwards and lighting up the road in front of the stores.
Occasionally, a few drunken men staggered past the shop doors, arms around each other's shoulders, their shadows occupying the whole stretch of the street.
—Kakashi sat at his window at home, gazing at the moon high in the sky, his eyes deep and silent, as if he already anticipated what was about to happen.
—The Third Hokage had just finished today's work at this late hour; his workload had increased during the war period. Walking home alone, there wasn't a soul on this street, only a squad of Anbu following secretly for protection.
—Tsunade's residence.
"Lady Tsunade... It's so late, aren't you going to sleep?"
Shizune, drowsy and hugging a pillow, wearing pink and white pajamas, made her way sleepily to the study, finding Tsunade writing something under the lamp, probably notes for tomorrow's lessons; she rubbed her eyes and asked.
"If you're sleepy, go ahead and sleep, Shizune. I have some work to finish up here."
Tsunade turned her head and gave Shizune a gentle smile.
Shizune nodded, taking Tsunade's words to heart, and returned to her room with her pillow to rest, as she needed to get up early the next day.
—The Hyuga Family.
"Ten fifty-seven... It's already this late."
Ayane looked at the time, sounding as if she were complaining to the uninitiated.
The one who responded to her was Jonin Hyuga Toma.
"Hang in there, in about an hour we should be able to go back and rest, because today it's just the two of us handling the first half of the night's work."
"I don't feel sleepy at all, Toma-senpai, I'm full of energy tonight."
Ayane looked at Jonin Toma like this.
"Really?"
Toma mumbled to himself, still unable to grasp Ayane's thoughts, but he only needed to watch her.
This was not just for Hiashi's safety, but also due to the elders' insistence.
Ayane held a clock she brought from home, staring at it intently, unblinking.
"What are you doing?"
"Counting time. Don't worry, Toma-senpai, it won't interfere with the work."
Ayane replied without lifting her head.
Toma refrained from saying more, because even if he spoke, she wouldn't necessarily listen.
Ayane seriously watched the clock's minute and second hands move, watching as the hour hand approached '11', growing increasingly calm.
The moment the hour hand hit '11', Ayane put the clock away.
"Not looking at the time anymore?"
Toma tilted his head and asked.
"No need, it's time."
Time? Time for what? Toma was momentarily bewildered.
Suddenly, the sky lit up.
A firework burst in the sky above Konoha.
Toma looked at the village's sky where the fireworks were blooming, showing a look of astonishment.
Fireworks? Was today some festival? Moreover, letting off fireworks at such a time...
"Ayane."
Toma called out to Ayane while looking towards the fireworks.
There was no response.
Toma's expression changed, realizing something, and he turned to look at where Ayane had been standing just moments ago, but it was empty now, only a chill hung in the air.
"Byakugan!"
He decisively activated his Byakugan, quickly spotting Ayane's figure, preparing to pursue—
The dazzling glow in the sky irresistibly drew his gaze back up.
What was no longer just ornamental fireworks but rather lightning.
In the atmosphere, lightning formed, containing incomparably strong Chakra, charging forward with unstoppable force, plunging towards a certain location in Konoha.
Bang!
The explosive roar made the night in Konoha Village boil over.
◎
As firelight shot into the sky, far from that position, both Hakushi and Ruri could feel the tremor beneath them.
They were located in the residential area northeast of the Hokage Building.
This was an extremely special residential area.
Within this residential area lived an extremely important person to Konoha—Uzumaki Kushina.
A remnant of the Uzumaki Clan, one of the last surviving members of the Uzumaki Clan in the Ninja Realm.
The best vessel for sealing Tailed Beasts.
In other words, she was Konoha's current Nine-tailed Jinchuriki.
The place she lived in was this residential area.
Close to Konoha's largest training ground, the Death Forest.
This was to prevent a Nine-tailed rampage incident, enabling the rampant Nine-tails to be drawn into the Death Forest at any time, avoiding disaster for the village. From this standpoint, the Konoha leadership stationed the Nine-tailed Jinchuriki here.
Within this residential area, indeed, many ordinary people and ninja families lived, aiming to disguise the Nine-tailed Jinchuriki's identity among ordinary people.
Secretly, a team of four Anbu Ninja was responsible for her twenty-four-hour protection to ensure her safety.