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Qianyu sat on a rock, waiting.
Suddenly, a thick mist billowed.
Behind one of the ANBU, space twisted. The figure of Obito Uchiha appeared. He snapped the ANBU's neck in an instant.
No sound. No warning. Just the sudden mist. The other ANBU guards, for a moment, didn't notice.
Obito Uchiha looked toward Qianyu, sitting on the rock.
Qianyu didn't look back. The mist swirled around him, yet he kept his gaze fixed on the sky overhead.
Obito knew. Knew that Qianyu had sensed him the moment he arrived. Because Qianyu's hand—which had been resting on the stone—now rested on the hilt of his sword.
From within the mist came the sound of slashes. Sharp, wet, final.
The mist cleared. The ANBU stationed outside the cave lay dead.
Obito Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Kakuzu stood on the water's surface, eyes on the only one left standing.
Qianyu rose from the rock. His gaze swept over the three of them.
Obito spoke to Kakuzu and Kisame, his voice low. "Be careful. Stall him. That's the goal."
Kisame gripped Samehada, baring his sharp teeth in a fierce grin. "The Blood-Eyed Asura of Konoha. A worthy shaving for Samehada."
Kakuzu scoffed. "Just a brat who's gotten too much fame."
Obito's eyes flicked to Qianyu again. Qianyu wasn't looking at him. Not directly. Obito let out a quiet breath of relief.
Just standing there, Qianyu radiated a pressure that was hard to define. The fact that Qianyu wasn't staring him down meant the deal was still on. He wasn't about to break it.
Kisame moved first, impatient.
"Water Style! Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!"
Hand signs. Chakra surged. A massive, roaring shark made of water shot toward Qianyu.
In the split second before impact—Qianyu drew. Lightning crackled along the blade. A single, clean slash.
The water shark split in two. The severed halves crashed into the cliff face with a heavy BOOM. The cave entrance trembled.
Inside the cave, Minato Namikaze's head snapped toward the entrance.
The distraction cost him. The seal on Miyuki Uzumaki's abdomen, which he'd been struggling to maintain, wavered. It began to loosen again.
"Minato!" Biwako Sarutobi barked. "You cannot lose focus! Not now! This is the most critical moment! The ANBU and Qianyu are out there. Let them handle it! The head is out! Just a little more, Miyuki!"
Minato gritted his teeth. He forced the worry down, deep. He poured his concentration back into the seal. "Naruto! Come on out! You can do it, Miyuki!"
Outside.
Kakuzu's two Earth Grudge masks gathered on his right arm, aimed at Qianyu.
"Fire Style: Headhunter!" "Wind Style: Pressure Damage!" "Combined Ninjutsu: Scorching Stream of Wildfire!"
An ocean of flame. A whirlwind of scalding air. They merged, creating a hellscape of fire that surged forward, swallowing everything in its path.
Qianyu's right hand held his sword. His left hand formed a single-handed seal.
"Water Style: Water Surge!"
A vortex of water rose, spiraling upward like a cyclone before cascading down like a massive waterfall, crashing headlong into the wall of fire.
The instant superheated flame met churning water—steam. A massive, billowing cloud of it.
But this was no ordinary fire. Fueled by Kakuzu's violent wind, part of the inferno broke through the water's onslaught. A spear of flame and storm lanced toward Qianyu.
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
Qianyu brought chakra to his throat. He exhaled. A curtain of water erupted, swirling around him in a protective circle. The remaining flames slammed against it. Hissed. Died.
Obito watched. Qianyu was engaged. Busy with Kakuzu and Kisame. Good.
He walked toward the cliff face. His body phased, becoming intangible, passing straight through the solid rock. Minato's barrier seals? They didn't even flicker.
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed, fixed on Qianyu. "That's the Second Hokage's water jutsu…"
Qianyu glanced down at Kakuzu and Kisame. His hands moved again, forming another seal.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Chakra gathered. He breathed out. Not a stream, not a wave—a sea of flame. It rivaled Kakuzu's earlier attack in scale, rolling toward the two Akatsuki members.
They reacted instantly, defenses snapping up.
"Water Style: Water Curtain!"
The Water mask on Kakuzu's body merged into his right arm. A powerful jet of water erupted from its maw, slicing through the advancing fire but failing to extinguish it.
Kisame leapt into the air, hands a blur.
"Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
From his mouth, a torrent. Not a jet, but a flood. Enough to form a small lake. It crashed over the flames, drowning them in a hissing, steaming cataclysm.
Kakuzu and Kisame exchanged a look. The earlier arrogance was gone, replaced by grim focus.
Kakuzu's combined technique had been powerful. Yet, this kid had blocked it with two water jutsu. And then immediately thrown one of the most devastating fire techniques they'd ever seen right back at them.
And the rumors said… this wasn't even his specialty. His real power lay in that 'Thunder Breathing' taijutsu and the Mangekyō Sharingan's ocular powers.
As the three men stood in tense silence, a new sound cut through the air.
A baby's cry.
Miyuki Uzumaki had finally given birth.
Hearing that cry—the sound she'd fought so hard to bring into the world—the tears she'd held back through all the pain finally fell.
Minato stared, dumbstruck, at the baby in Biwako's arms.
"He's here…"
A tear of pure, unadulterated joy traced a path down Minato's cheek. He wiped it away, a brilliant, goofy grin spreading across his face. "I'm a dad! Starting today, I'm a dad!"
Biwako carried the baby over to Minato. "It's a boy! And a loud, lively one at that!"
Minato reached out, desperate to hold his son, but Biwako swatted his hand away. "Don't you dare! The mother gets to hold him first!"
She brought the crying newborn to Miyuki's side. Miyuki looked at the squirming, red-faced baby, her smile tired but radiant. "Naruto… I finally get to meet you…"
Biwako, still holding Naruto, moved aside with the female ANBU, Taji. "Alright, alright. Time for you to relax now. Shh, shh~"
Minato knelt beside Miyuki, taking her hand in his. "Miyuki… are you okay?"
Miyuki squeezed his hand. "Mhm."
Minato held her hand tighter, his eyes shining as he looked into hers. "Thank you."
Miyuki's gaze was soft, full of love. "Minato…"
Minato took a deep breath, smacking a fist into his palm with renewed vigor. "Right! I know you're exhausted, but I need to get the Nine-Tails fully settled and reinforce the seal. Then I'm going out there to help Qianyu and the others."
As Minato turned back, ready to focus his chakra once more, two sharp cries of pain echoed through the cave.
Biwako Sarutobi and the ANBU kunoichi, Taji, crumpled to the floor. Lifeless.
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