Sora sat on a stone and waited.
Suddenly, a thick fog began to materialize around the area.
The space behind one of the ANBU distorted, and Uchiha Obito appeared, instantly breaking the ninja's neck.
Because there was no sound and the sudden appearance of the dense fog, the other ANBU didn't notice immediately.
Uchiha Obito looked at Sora, who remained seated on the rock.
Sora didn't return Obito's gaze. Despite the thick fog surrounding them, she continued staring up at the sky.
Obito knew that Sora must have detected him long ago—her hand had shifted from supporting herself on the stone to resting on the handle of her blade.
Several slashing sounds echoed through the thick mist.
When the fog finally cleared, all the ANBU guards stationed outside the cave lay dead.
Uchiha Obito, Hoshigaki Kisame, and Kakuzu stood on the water's surface, their attention focused solely on Sora.
She stood up from her stone seat and faced Obito and the others.
Uchiha Obito warned Kakuzu and Hoshigaki Kisame: "Be careful. Your main objective is to delay her."
Hoshigaki Kisame gripped Samehada in his hand, displaying his sharp teeth with a ferocious smile. "Konoha's blood-eyed Shura is worthy of being shaved down by Samehada!"
Kakuzu remarked disdainfully: "He's just a youngster trying to make a name for himself."
Uchiha Obito glanced at Sora. Her eyes weren't focused on him, which brought him some relief.
Just Sora standing there created an inexplicable pressure. The fact that she wasn't looking at him confirmed she had no intention of breaking their agreement.
Kisame, growing impatient, made the first move.
"Water Style! Water Shark Bomb Technique!"
After completing the hand seals, Kisame condensed his chakra to form a shark-shaped water projectile that surged toward Sora.
Just as the water bomb was about to strike, Sora drew her sword in an instant. Lightning crackled along the blade as she sliced the shark-shaped water bomb in half.
The bisected water bomb crashed into the rock wall, causing a slight tremor throughout the cave.
Inside, Namikaze Minato glanced sharply toward the cave entrance.
His momentary distraction caused him to lose focus on maintaining the seal on Uzumaki Miyuki's abdomen, allowing the recently stabilized seal to loosen again.
Sarutobi Biwako shouted: "Minato! You cannot be distracted now. This is the critical moment. With the ANBU and Sora outside, you needn't worry. The baby's head is already out—just a little more, Miyuki!"
Namikaze Minato suppressed his concern and refocused on maintaining the seal. "Naruto! Come out quickly! You can do it, Miyuki!"
Outside the cave, Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear mask creatures gathered on his right arm, targeting Sora.
"Fire Style: Intelligent Hard Work!"
"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!"
"Combination Technique: Wind and Fire Annihilation!"
A sea of flames enhanced by a spiraling storm wind created a massive firestorm that surged toward Sora.
Sora held her ninja blade in her right hand while forming hand seals with her left.
"Water Style: Water Wave!"
Sora summoned water that rotated rapidly like a tornado before spreading outward like a waterfall, crashing down to collide with Kakuzu's sea of fire.
When the high-temperature flames met the water, massive amounts of steam erupted.
But this wasn't just pure fire—it was also empowered by a violent windstorm. Some of the explosive flames broke through the water barrier and continued toward Sora.
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
Sora gathered chakra in her throat and spat out a waterfall-like volume of water that formed a rotating circular wall. The water barrier spun around her in a complete circle, successfully blocking the remaining flames.
Seeing that Sora was fully engaged with Kakuzu and Hoshigaki Kisame, Uchiha Obito approached the rock wall.
Using Kamui to phase his body, Obito passed directly through the solid rock. The barrier placed by Namikaze Minato had no effect on him whatsoever.
Kakuzu looked at Sora with newfound respect. "So you've mastered Senju Tobirama's Water Style jutsu!"
Sora looked down at Kakuzu and Hoshigaki Kisame as she formed hand seals once more.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Sora gathered chakra in her throat and expelled a massive sea of flames.
The firestorm, similar in scale to what Kakuzu had produced earlier, rushed toward Kakuzu and Hoshigaki Kisame.
The two immediately deployed defensive jutsu.
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
The Water mask creature attached to Kakuzu's body gathered on his right arm and fired a powerful water cannon from its mouth.
However, the water cannon only divided the sea of fire without extinguishing it completely.
Hoshigaki Kisame leaped into the air and formed hand seals.
"Water Style: Exploding Water Shock Wave!"
Kisame gathered chakra in his throat and expelled enough water to form a small lake on the ground. The massive wave crashed into the sea of fire, successfully extinguishing the flames.
Kakuzu and Hoshigaki Kisame's expressions had gradually become serious.
The combination technique Kakuzu had deployed earlier was quite powerful, yet Sora had blocked it with just two water jutsu.
Then she had responded with an equally powerful Fire Style jutsu.
Yet they had heard that Sora's greatest abilities weren't her evasion techniques, but rather a lightning jutsu called "Thunder Breath" and her Mangekyō Sharingan's unique abilities.
As Sora, Kakuzu, and Hoshigaki Kisame continued their confrontation, a baby's cry rang out.
Uzumaki Miyuki had finally given birth to Naruto.
Hearing her child's first cry, Uzumaki Miyuki—who hadn't shed a tear despite her pain—finally allowed tears to fall.
Namikaze Minato stared in awe at the baby in Sarutobi Biwako's arms.
"He's here..."
Minato shed tears of joy.
Wiping his eyes, Namikaze Minato said happily: "From today on, I am a father!"
Sarutobi Biwako held Naruto and approached Namikaze Minato. "He's a very energetic boy!"
Minato reached out eagerly to hold Naruto, but Sarutobi Biwako stopped him. "Don't touch! Let him see his mother first!"
Sarutobi Biwako carried Naruto to Uzumaki Miyuki's side.
Uzumaki Miyuki gazed at her crying son and said with a smile: "Naruto... I finally get to see you..."
Sarutobi Biwako cradled Naruto while an ANBU kunoichi stood nearby. "There, there, let's calm down now. Be good, be good~"
Namikaze Minato moved to Uzumaki Miyuki's side, took her hand, and asked: "Miyuki, are you alright?"
Uzumaki Miyuki responded with a soft "Mm-hmm."
Minato held her hand tightly, looking into her eyes with burning intensity. "Thank you..."
Uzumaki Miyuki returned his gaze with gentle affection. "Minato..."
Namikaze Minato took a deep breath, striking his left palm with his right fist, and said with renewed determination: "Alright! Though it was difficult bringing you into this world, I now need to properly secure the Nine-Tails. After fixing the seal, I'll help Sora and the others in battle."
Just as Namikaze Minato prepared to reinforce the seal, two screams pierced the air.
Sarutobi Biwako and the ANBU kunoichi Taji collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
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