Early in the morning, an Anbu ninja woke up to find the mission target had vanished without a trace.
In a panic, he rushed straight to the Hokage Building, stumbling all the way until he reached the door of the Hokage's office!
Knock knock!
"Come in."
Creak—!
"Hokage-sama! I've failed in my duty—the mission target has disappeared!"
The moment the Anbu ninja pushed open the door, he dropped to one knee, his voice filled with anguish and self-reproach.
"But I'm willing to atone for my failure! I swear on my life that I will find the mission target and bring her to justice! Please give me another chance!"
His words were resolute and full of conviction!
However, to Minato, who had just been discussing something with Orochimaru, these words sounded… off, no matter how he heard them.
Uh… could you maybe read the room?
What do you mean, "bring her to justice"?
I never said the woman you were supposed to watch was a criminals!
I just told you to keep an eye on her and protect her, that's all!
And also…
Thinking this, Minato stole a glance at Orochimaru, who was standing beside the desk.
Saying something like that in front of her "husband"—are you trying to get me killed?
What if he misunderstands?
"Minato, what's going on?"
Orochimaru, standing beside the desk, was staring at Minato with an increasingly cold and suspicious gaze.
"Uh, hehehe… I just had the Anbu provide some protection for Lady Hinowa, nothing more. Please believe me, Orochimaru-san."
Minato quickly forced a smile and explained, then shot the Anbu a look, signaling for him to leave.
The news that Orochimaru had brought a courtesan home had reached Kushina early that morning while she was out grocery shopping, courtesy of some gossipy housewives.
According to the story, a wealthy lady—who had allegedly hired a young, strong ninja for a 'confidential mission' at 3 a.m.—had spotted the courtesan leaving a small grove alone after the mission was 'completed'!
Never underestimate women.
Women are always at the forefront of gossip and scandal-mongering, no matter the era!
So what had initially been known by only one person had, within a few short hours, spread to a small circle of housewives in Konoha.
After further fermentation, the story had already climbed to the top of the trending topics in the marketplace.
At this rate, it was well on its way to becoming Konoha's hottest news story of the year.
When Kushina first told Minato the news, he was stunned for several seconds before snapping out of it.
This wasn't something Minato could figure out on his own, so he quickly bid his wife farewell, grabbed a piece of bread, threw on his Hokage robe, and teleported straight to his office using the Flying Thunder God Technique!
However, upon arriving, he didn't find the Third Hokage—someone he could discuss this with—but rather the man of the hour himself, Orochimaru, who had been waiting there all along!
And Orochimaru's first question left Minato stunned all over again.
"Where… is Tsunade?"
"Huh?"
…
As someone who was also about to become a father—ahem—Minato quickly followed this line of thought and soon understood why Orochimaru had asked this question and why he was looking for Tsunade.
"Orochimaru-san, actually, Konoha Hospital is quite convenient for prenatal check-ups and such. There's really no need to go out of your way to find her..."
Orochimaru frowned.
It wasn't as if he hadn't been to Konoha Hospital before, but the level of medical expertise there was far inferior to Tsunade's.
When it came to medical ninjutsu in the entire shinobi world, Tsunade was undoubtedly the best!
"Besides, I really don't know where Tsunade-san went. How about this—I'll introduce you to the doctor who's been handling Kushina's prenatal check-ups? They're very kind and responsible."
...
In the end, Orochimaru left the Hokage's office with a cold expression, having failed to obtain any leads on Tsunade's whereabouts.
However, compared to when he had arrived empty-handed, Orochimaru now held a small slip of paper in his hand—the name and address of a gynecologist.
...
Only after Orochimaru left did Minato wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
Among the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru was by far the most intimidating.
Not necessarily because of his strength, but more due to his perpetually chilling aura, which always left people with an uneasy feeling.
When the Third Hokage finally arrived, Minato couldn't help but feel exasperated—especially seeing the old man stroking his goatee, humming a tune, and smiling with such satisfaction.
There was something undeniably odd about the whole scene.
A quick inquiry revealed the reason: even Lady Biwako had heard the rumors while she was grocery shopping!
No wonder the Third was grinning so widely!
"But..."
Minato's thoughts drifted back to the documents on his desk concerning Lady Hinowa.
While Orochimaru hadn't done anything reckless or extreme, the situation still posed a significant problem.
Hinowa's identity remained a major issue.
If these rumors continued to spread unchecked for a couple more days, there was no telling what Orochimaru might do.
"Don't worry, Minato. I know Orochimaru—he won't pay much attention to these rumors."
"That may be so, but..."
Minato hesitated, his frown deepening.
He understood the power of rumors all too well—they could elevate someone to great heights, but they could also drag them into the abyss, just like what had happened to Sakumo.
He needed to find a way to curb the spread before Konoha lost another outstanding shinobi.
At that moment, Minato made up his mind.
...
Konoha Hospital, second floor.
Hinowa trailed behind Orochimaru, head bowed, not daring to speak a word.
The entire way, she had been trembling, unable to lift her gaze or voice any objection.
Though passersby pointed and whispered, what truly terrified her was the man in front of her.
If he decided to kill her and her child, it would be effortless for him.
When Orochimaru led Hinowa into the Doctor's office, every doctor, nurse, and Konoha resident who witnessed the scene froze in shock, eyes wide with disbelief.
O-Orochimaru-sama!?
What in the world?!
A woman? Pregnant?
This… this was one juicy piece of gossip!
No—this was too big!
One person alone couldn't possibly digest this!
And so, all the idle doctors, nurses, and even patients at Konoha Hospital crowded into the hallway corner to secretly observe and gossip after Orochimaru led Hinowa into the gynecologist's office.
...
"The fetus is very healthy. Pay attention to the mother's daily diet—ensure it's balanced and nutritious. Also, don't let her overexert herself. Then there's the psychological aspect. I noticed this lady has been very tense the whole time, which isn't good. It can negatively affect the fetus."
"It's crucial to keep the mother relaxed and happy. Don't put too much pressure on her, or it could hinder the fetus's healthy development."
Sitting at her desk, the female doctor who had just examined Hinowa forced herself to suppress the strange, fear-like discomfort she felt in Orochimaru's presence and clearly laid out all the key points.
"Hmm... Thank you for your efforts."
Orochimaru responded indifferently, then stood up and spoke to Hinowa in the same detached tone as before.
"Let's go."
"Yes!"
Hinowa quickly answered and scrambled to her feet, afraid that her slowness might provoke his anger.
But to Orochimaru, her nervousness only seemed like she hadn't taken the doctor's advice to heart.
'The doctor just told you to relax—why are you so tense?'
This irritated him slightly, causing his brow to furrow.
Unbeknownst to him, however, his reaction only made Hinowa's thoughts spiral further...