After the dizziness of the technique reversal faded, Jiraiya's wooden sandals stepped onto the solid wood floor, and the scent of medicinal herbs immediately filled his nostrils.
The scene before him was a world away from the bloody valley he had just left.
The room was small, with flickering candlelight casting a warm yellow glow across the surroundings. Biwako Sarutobi, the wife of the Third Hokage, was carefully cradling a bundle, her face filled with undeniable affection.
On the bed, Kushina's long red hair was spread out. Though her face was somewhat pale, her violet eyes were brimming with joy.
"Lord Jiraiya!" She greeted him happily upon seeing him enter.
Seeing Kushina still in such high spirits, Jiraiya's tense nerves finally relaxed a little. He nodded, his gaze falling on the small bundle.
"It seems everything went well."
"Of course!" Kushina's voice was full of pride. "Lord Jiraiya, come and see my child!"
Biwako Sarutobi approached with the child in her arms, her voice gentle. "You've worked hard, Kushina. The delivery went smoothly, and the child is very healthy."
Jiraiya leaned in closer, looking at the wrinkled little face in the swaddling clothes, sleeping soundly. He couldn't help but reach out a rough finger to gently touch the infant's cheek.
It was soft and warm.
This was what Minato was risking everything to protect.
"Where is Minato?" Kushina's voice finally carried a hint of worry. "On his end..."
"Don't worry," Jiraiya withdrew his hand, his tone steady. "He is Minato Namikaze, after all."
He looked around. The walls and floor of the room were covered in dense sealing formulas, forming a massive barrier. The chakra flowing through the air was stable and powerful, completely isolating this place from the outside world.
This was one of the several safe houses Minato had prepared long ago; no one knew about it except for him and the Third Hokage. Even Biwako, who was responsible for the delivery, had been brought here directly by Minato using the Flying Thunder God Technique at the last moment.
The Adamantine Sealing Chains on Kushina's abdomen had also been reinforced by Minato using the Four Symbols Seal. Everything had been arranged perfectly.
"How is it outside?" Biwako Sarutobi asked. She didn't know the specifics, but she could guess tonight was far from peaceful.
"They are engaging the enemy," Jiraiya said succinctly.
Atop his head, Gamakon spoke up lazily. "Don't worry, Kushina. He's the Yellow Flash. If anyone is the Child of the Meta, it's him."
"Thank you, Gamakon."
Though Kushina didn't quite understand what 'Child of the Meta' meant, she understood that things were still under control. Jiraiya had visited Kushina many times over the past six months, so she naturally knew Gamakon. However, they still hadn't told her anything about Uchiha Obito.
Gamakon's voice echoed directly in Jiraiya's mind.
'Still, that Minato kid is ruthless. He used himself as bait just to enter the enemy's other dimension.'
Jiraiya's expression didn't change at all. This was part of the plan. Without entering that other dimension, it would be impossible to create a private space for just the two of them.
And his own job was to guard this place. To hold this final and most critical battlefield.
"Kushina, get some rest first." Jiraiya walked to a corner of the room and sat cross-legged. "Leave the rest to me."
The smile on Kushina's face faded slightly. She nodded firmly. "I understand, Lord Jiraiya. I'm counting on you."
The room fell silent. The only sound left was the faint breathing of everyone inside.
Jiraiya closed his eyes. He formed a unique seal with his hands in front of him. In an instant, his entire aura underwent a profound change. He was no longer the eccentric Pervy Sage, but someone as steady as a mountain, merging with nature itself.
Sage Chakra.
Vast and pure natural energy began to pour into his body from all directions. A slight stinging sensation prickled his skin—a sign that his body was adapting to this power.
'Take it easy, old man,' Gamakon reminded him in a timely manner, coordinating the mobilization of natural energy. 'Don't absorb too much at once, or you'll pop.'
Jiraiya did not respond. His perception had already extended outward. It pierced through the walls, through the barrier, and shrouded the entire forest.
The flow of the wind. The swaying of the leaves. The chirping of insects. Everything was clearly reflected in his mind.
This was the unique sensory ability of Sage Mode; not even the slightest abnormal fluctuation of chakra could escape his detection.
Time passed, second by second.
Biwako Sarutobi placed the child back beside Kushina and then walked to the door, listening alertly to the movements outside. Kushina turned on her side, looking at her sleeping son. She reached out and gently stroked his golden hair. Her gaze was tender enough to melt ice and snow.
"Naruto..." She whispered the name softly. "You must... grow up healthy."
The atmosphere in the room was a mix of tranquility and heavy tension. Everyone was waiting. Waiting for the enemy hiding in the deepest shadows to reveal its fangs.
Beads of sweat formed on Jiraiya's forehead. The accumulation of Sage Chakra was nearing the limit of what his body could endure. Even though the Sage Chakra Gamakon had stored was far from its limit, Jiraiya was about to reach his breaking point. If this continued, he would start to undergo a partial toad transformation.
But that thing still hadn't appeared.
'What's going on?' Gamakon also sensed something was wrong. 'Logically, with Obito held back, it should have lost its patience by now.'
Jiraiya's brow furrowed. Unless... the enemy's caution exceeded their expectations. Or rather, it was waiting for a better opportunity. A moment... when they all let their guard down.
Just then, in a corner of the room, a shadow untouched by candlelight twitched ever so slightly.
The movement was tiny, like the natural flickering of light and shadow. Biwako Sarutobi didn't notice. Kushina's entire heart and mind were on her child.
Only Gamakon, whose toad eyes were half-lidded, suddenly snapped them wide open.
"Jiraiya!"
His warning exploded within the room.
Jiraiya's eyes flew open! Orange pigments had formed around his eyes, and his pupils had turned into horizontal slits. His gaze shot toward that shadow like a sharp sword.
The timing seemed a bit late. That shadow had already begun to spread across the floor like living ink, silent and soundless. It didn't emit even a shred of chakra. The shadow climbed up the wall, gliding over the dense sealing formulas. Those powerful seals placed by Minato's own hand were effectively non-existent to it.
"What..." Biwako Sarutobi finally noticed something was wrong and whipped her head around.
The pitch-black shadow had already spread to the ceiling, and then, like a drop of thick ink falling into clear water, it plummeted toward Kushina and the infant on the bed!
"Now!" Jiraiya's roar was as fast as his movements. The Sage Chakra he had accumulated to its limit erupted violently. "Sage Art: Needle Senbon!"
His long white hair instantly transformed into countless steel needles, blasting outward and covering the entire room. Every strand of hair was infused with Sage Chakra, enough to pierce through solid steel.
Kushina reacted with lightning speed, immediately using her own body to shield the swaddled Naruto. Golden chains erupted from her back, lashing out toward the black mass.
They had been prepared for this!