In the brightly lit cave, where two brand-new lives had just begun, a moment of peace was shared.
"Well done, Kushina. Our job is done. You can rest now," Biwako said warmly. "Minato, please stop fussing over the baby and let him sleep. Newborns need a lot of rest."
Minato, who had been cradling Naruto proudly and showing him off to Kushina with a dopey smile, blinked and came back to himself. Embarrassed, he gently handed Naruto over to the young midwife.
"Ah—right, Madam Sarutobi. Sorry. I'll get started. Come on, Kushina, let's reseal the Nine Tails, and then we can finally go home."
The young midwife couldn't help but smirk at the rare sight of her idol acting like an overexcited father. To hide her grin, she turned away and walked toward the table near the cave entrance, Naruto held gently in her arms.
But before she reached it—a figure appeared before her.
Confused, she looked up to see who it was—but before she could react, a kunai plunged into her heart. Another hand reached out and snatched Naruto from her grasp. She collapsed to the ground, her world fading to black.
Thud.
The dull sound of her body hitting the ground made everyone turn sharply.
When their eyes landed on the scene—a masked figure holding Naruto, kunai pressed against the infant's cheek—their hearts clenched in horror.
"Taji!! Who are you?!"
"Put Naruto down—NOW!"
Kushina, still in pain, struggled to stand. Her child was in danger, and she was ready to risk everything.
But the masked figure ignored her completely. His one visible eye was locked on Minato.
"Fourth Hokage," he said coldly, "if you don't want your child's first hour to be his last, step away from the Nine Tails' jinchūriki."
Behind Minato, Biwako Sarutobi backed away cautiously, shielding the other newborn—Menma. As she did, she silently activated a hidden seal they'd prepared in secret—a last-resort alert to put the village on wartime readiness. It would inform her husband and Konoha's forces that something had gone horribly wrong.
Minato stood tense, mind racing. He needed to protect Naruto. Kushina. And Menma. But the masked intruder wasn't going to let him think for long.
"Hmph. You asked for it."
Suddenly, the masked man hurled Naruto toward the ceiling with terrifying speed.
Minato's heart stopped. If Naruto hit the stone ceiling, he'd die.
In a flash, Minato vanished and reappeared mid-air, catching Naruto just in time. He twisted his body to shield the infant and absorb the momentum as his feet slammed into the cave wall—
Hiss...
A sound he knew all too well.
"Explosion tags!!"
Without a second thought, Minato reached into the towel, grabbed Naruto directly, and activated his Flying Thunder God Technique—teleporting them far from the cave into the wilderness.
The moment they landed, he cast the towel aside and teleported back.
He had to get back. Kushina. Menma. Everyone was still inside.
But when he returned, the cave was almost empty.
The bed was vacant.
Blood trickled down Biwako's side as she leaned weakly against the wall, still cradling Menma.
Minato rushed to her side.
"Lady Biwako! Are you okay? Is the baby alright? Where's Kushina?!"
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she lifted Menma up to him with care.
Minato took his second son into his arms. He quickly checked Naruto—thankfully unharmed—and then Menma. Both were alive.
Only then did Biwako start treating her wounds with shaky hands. She glanced toward the motionless body of her assistant near the entrance—eyes full of sorrow.
"Don't worry about me. I'm not dying today," she said faintly. "Listen carefully, Minato. Take the kids to one of your hidden safe houses. Keep them warm. Don't let them catch cold."
She paused to catch her breath, then continued, more urgently.
"Then go after Kushina. He's coming for the Nine Tails inside her. If he manages to extract it... with her Uzumaki bloodline, you'll have about thirty minutes to seal it back. No more."
Minato's jaw clenched. He nodded.
"Also—my kunai and senbon went through him, but his attacks hit me. I think he can become intangible at will. Be careful."
She leaned her head back against the wall, exhausted but still vigilant.
"I triggered the alert seal. The village knows. You don't need to waste time warning them. Just promise me..."
She smiled weakly.
"Promise me I'll see you at the twins' physical exam tomorrow... not on a hospital bed."
Minato's expression softened.
"If I can't handle this with everything you've given me... then I don't deserve to be the Fourth Hokage."
With a final nod, he vanished.
Biwako watched him disappear, then slowly turned her gaze toward the body of her apprentice.
"Alas... this is a ninja's fate. Dying unexpectedly. I hope you rest well... in the Underworld."
---
Meanwhile, moments earlier in the village...
In a small room filled with scrolls and documents, an old man, known as ninjutsu doctor, Hiruzen Sarutobi, raised his head sharply, eyes narrowing in the direction of the cave.
"So it's begun after all..."
Sighing, he set aside the scroll and began changing into combat gear.
"Let's hope this doesn't spiral out of control."
He called to the guard outside, issuing rapid commands that activated Konoha's long-dormant war protocols.
Ninja falcons took flight across the village, carrying urgent alerts.
Sirens blared. Warnings spread like wildfire.
Konoha shifted into wartime readiness—a level of alert even higher than when war had reached their gates.
Ninja swarmed the streets:
Jōnin secured key points
Chūnin activated barriers
Genin evacuated civilians
Medical teams mobilized
Defense units deployed
Everyone moved like clockwork—a thousand gears turning together, ready to face the storm.
---
Suddenly, in the heart of the village—a masked figure in a black cloak appeared. No noise. No chakra spike. He walked silently through the busiest street like a ghost.
But Konoha's sensors were sharp. On a rooftop nearby, a jōnin turned sharply toward the figure.
"Unfamiliar chakra—an intruder!"
In seconds, ten elite jōnin appeared, surrounding the masked man.
"Identify yourself and state your purpose. Cooperate, or we won't be gentle!"
The masked figure tilted his head.
"So she managed to alert you after all. Not that it will change anything..."
He chuckled.
"You're all just insects in my way."
"What did you say?!"
Before they could react, the man raised his hands to form seals.
But the jōnin didn't wait.
"Fire!"
A barrage of jutsu exploded in every direction, engulfing the masked figure in a massive explosion.
BOOM!!
Civilians screamed and ran, guided by ANBU and emergency teams.
On the rooftop, a jōnin turned to a Hyūga and Uchiha beside him.
"Did we get him?"
"Hard to tell," the Hyūga frowned. "There's too much chakra interference. I can't see—"
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
"Fall back—now!"
"SUMMONING JUTSU!"
---