Halfway through breakfast, Violet finally entered the hall. Her cheeks were flushed, and her steps were slightly unsteady.
Rebecca waved cheerfully,
"Auntie, you're awake! Gion said you didn't sleep well last night. Are you feeling alright?"
Violet immediately raised her hand and chuckled softly,
"I'm fine. Perhaps I've just been a little tired lately."
She made her way to the table, exchanging a subtle glance with Gion before sitting down beside him.
Chiga had almost finished his meal. Setting down his utensils, he said,
"I'll need to visit a different world shortly. Don't worry, I should return quickly this time. Shirahoshi, will it be alright for you to stay here a few days?"
Shirahoshi nodded obediently.
"That's fine, Chiga-sama. Go ahead and take care of your matters."
Chiga then turned to Violet. Logically, she should have been his priority, but he had a premonition that his child's birth was imminent. This was a moment he could not miss.
Violet was practical rather than sentimental. Her deepest wishes had already been fulfilled, so waiting a little longer did not trouble her.
Gion shrugged.
"I'll be taking the troops back to Headquarters tomorrow. You can just return to Marineford then."
After making the arrangements, Chiga opened a dimensional portal and stepped through to the Shinobi World.
Back home, the first to greet him was Black Zetsu, who stared wide-eyed at Chiga with his yellow circular eyes.
"Father!"
Chiga flinched slightly. Though Black Zetsu had called him this before, hearing it always felt a little strange.
Black Zetsu hurried to Chiga's side, grabbed his hand, and led him toward the house.
"Father, you're finally back! Mom must be about to give birth. I've seen her belly growing bigger these past few days!"
"Did it really grow that fast?" Chiga asked, frowning.
"Yes! I even had Tsunade check. She said it's time for labor, but for some reason, there hasn't been any reaction yet."
Inside, Kaguya sat on the sofa, her belly noticeably large. The moment she saw Chiga, she straightened up quickly, moving far more nimbly than one would expect from a woman about to give birth.
Chiga hurried to support her gently,
"Your belly is so big, yet you're still moving like this. Even if your body is strong, you can't be careless. You're pregnant now!"
Kaguya smiled softly.
"It's alright. I don't really feel discomfort, only that my belly has grown a little."
Chiga chuckled lightly, placing his hand over her belly and feeling the life inside. He didn't use the Tenseigan to peek at the child; he wanted to experience the birth like any ordinary father.
As he helped Kaguya settle back on the sofa, he asked gently,
"Have you had any cravings lately? Sour or spicy, perhaps?"
"Sour."
Black Zetsu chimed in from the side,
"Mother has been asking me to bring fruits like plums. There's still plenty in the fridge!"
Chiga nodded, running his fingers through Kaguya's long white hair, the same color as his own.
"Then tonight, I'll prepare a dish called Cherry Meat. You'll like it."
Kaguya leaned against his chest, rubbing his hair with a soft murmur,
"Cherry Meat? That sounds interesting. Husband, do we have cherries at home? Black Zetsu, can you go check if there are any?"
Ever dutiful, Black Zetsu patted his chest proudly.
"Don't worry, Mother! I'll bring you cherries, even if I have to search the entire Ninja World!"
Chiga sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"No need for cherries. It's just the name of the dish."
Just then, a knock came at the door. Black Zetsu darted to answer it.
Chiga already sensed who it was: Minato and Kushina. Minato carried a pile of supplements, precariously stacked so his face was partially hidden. Kushina held a bag of baby supplies: pacifiers, clothes, and other essentials.
Seeing Black Zetsu, she called out immediately,
"Little Black, how is Kaguya? Tsunade-sama said she's about to give birth. We brought some things that will be useful later."
Black Zetsu, when not mischievous, was polite and composed. He first took the items from Minato and said,
"Thank you both very much. Please come in. Father is back too!"
"Father?"
Minato and Kushina paused. Kushina asked tentatively,
"You mean Chiga is back, right?"
"Yes! Father just returned. You've come at the perfect time."
Upon hearing this, Minato ran into the house, shouting,
"Chiga, you're back! I've thought of many names for the child. Let me read them to you!"
Black Zetsu's eyes brightened.
"Minato is so thoughtful! He even prepared names!"
Kushina pinched the bridge of her nose. Minato clearly enjoyed such moments.
They entered to see Chiga standing with his arms crossed, and Minato beside him wearing a slightly wronged expression.
Minato continued, undeterred,
"Chiga, aren't you going to consider the names I've chosen? Uchiha Secret Technique Invincible Red-Eyed Beautiful Girl is really cool!"
Black Zetsu's eyes nearly popped out,
"Th-That's… quite a name!"
Kushina turned her head, wishing she could disappear. Kaguya clutched Chiga's lapel tightly, silently protesting the absurdity.
Chiga's brows twitched. He glanced at Minato and said calmly,
"Scram."
Minato pouted stubbornly,
"But you named Hoshina. Mine isn't so bad either. Please reconsider!"
Before Chiga could respond, Kushina jogged forward, shoved Minato aside, and sat in his place, giving him a death glare that silenced him immediately.
---
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